Authorship is exhibitionism, and readers a species of voyeur.

I have never been a good writer. I overuse words, insert useless punctuation, and lengthen paragraphs to excessive lengths. Yet for all my numerous faults, I love writing. It's a therapeutic outlet, so calming it's almost meditative. Before Non-Fiction Writing, I have never had much of a chance to experiment with writing. My voice had always been restricted to an objective, droning monologue perfect for scientific reports and historical analysis. I had to sound professional and mature in order to appease my teachers, but the writer they graded wasn't me.

I am a pestering and sarcastic prat. To those who tolerate and understand me, I can be occasionally humorous, but to those who frown at my quirkiness, I can be extremely vexing. (To the latter, I sincerely apologize.) This class has given me a chance to breathe and encouraged me to be myself despite the consequences. I can write whatever I want within reason. When it comes to creating blog posts, I enjoy myself immensely. The essays too have become a way to challenge myself to do something more. I have never been more honest and personal than I was in this class, and I hope the real me wasn't too much trouble to handle.

Lastly but not least, what's a good writing class without good reading choices? I'll admit that Mountains Beyond Mountains was a bit too righteous for my tastes, but The Botany of Desire quickly became a pleasant favorite of mine. It's unexpected yet refreshing, well researched yet effortless to read. If there was a writer I tried to emulate in this class, it would be Michael Pollan. Although essays are not my cup of tea (I prefer short posts and epic novels), The Art of the Personal Essay was strangely bewitching. It has become a book I can refer to time and time again, always finding something new to enjoy.

I thank you, Ms. Majerus, for giving me this opportunity to explore and expand. Even though I may never be a great writer, you have taught me to treat writing as a delight rather than as a skill, and that lesson has been invaluable.

P.S. Quote from Carrie Latet.

Groping frantically.

Lately, I've became addicted to Scrabble. For the unfortunate few who have not been introduced to the best invention of mankind, I will just say that it is a game that challenges the mind and entertains the heart. Invented in 1938 by the talented architect Alfred Mosher Butts, it was originally named "Criss-Crosswords." The layout and rules of the game were strikingly similar to what we use today; the players would be given a limited number of letters that they would have to use in order to form words on the board for points. Due to the difficult times (it was the Great Depression after all), Butts had no luck selling his game. It wasn't until the early 1950s that Butts' game gained popularity; it was quickly renamed to Scrabble, which literally meant "to grope frantically." Interesting change, is it not?

But to play Scrabble well, you need much more than just frantic groping. The game requires a depth of vocabulary knowledge, as well as the ability to recognize words, not by their meanings, but by their appearances. There is also an underlying strategic mindset that anyone who aspires to be a Master Scrabbler must acquire. Certain blocks have special properties: some for example can double the amount of point an ordinary word would earn, and others will increase the points a word earns if the word is oriented in a special direction. Of course, the most basic rule of Scrabble is that all the words must connect with preexisting letters at least once. Although the more connections a player makes, the more points he will likely earn.

This simple game has earned international prestige, and won measureless acclaims. It has provided an intellectual pass time that is somehow fun and entertaining for the masses. What more could you want from a game? It has an universal appeal mixed in with educational value; and if you will excuse me, I will now go reward myself with a game of Scrabble.