Template Change...Again

I warned you that I was not completely satisfied with the last template, and now that I know how to change it, it is subject to change at any time. I rather like the current one, my only real problem is that there is a random link at the bottom in another language. I don't suppose that really matters though. I never go to the bottom of my page.

Everytime I change a template, all of the widgits are deleted and I have to add them again. I keep putting in a welcome, but I can never remember what I've said the previous time, so I've probably welcomed you all at least 4 different ways. I apologize. Maybe I should start writing them down.

On a completely untemplately note: we proofread the first draft of our papers today in Comp II. We're supposed to write a literary analysis of one of the short stories on our syllabus. Basically, we just pick a "theme" and write about it, backing it up with some academic's ideas. I have issues with these types of assignments. I think the term "theme" was invented by someone determined to give English teachers jobs after about 4th grade when grammar is pretty much mastered. (No offense if you're an English teacher. I have nothing against them. In fact, some of my favorite teachers have been English teachers.) I do not think that authors put nearly as much thought into their compositions as English professors think they do. Granted, there has to be some thought behind why they say what they say, but honestly, every little word does not have to have a secret meaning. Maybe I just feel this way because I have never been good at picking out themes. I read for the enjoyment of reading, not to pick out every detail. I like to get lost in the story, not preoccupied with so called literary elements.

Now what point was I trying to make? Oh yes, I was talking about proofreading. The teacher assigned us partners and we were instructed to read our papers aloud to our partners, the reasoning being that we can hear our own errors if we read them aloud. Next, the paper was to be turned over to the partner who would give it a good silent reading and fill out a form that is supposed to help the writer with revision. My partner, bless his heart, apparently completely misunderstood the assignment. He picked a story and wrote about the setting, but he failed to include any sources whatsoever. He did have one quote, but it had no quotation marks and no citation. It was something like, "Sugar quoted [insert quote of your choice here]." Not even a comma to separate the lead-in from the quote. On top of his inability to quote, he had atrocious grammar. My 6th grade sister can probably construct better sentences. When he gave me his paper, I got right to work. I wrote all over it, and I know I didn't get all of the mistakes. After tearing his work to pieces, I gave him a detailed description of how to properly quote sources and walked him step-by-step through accessing the library's database so he could find sources. I only hope I helped a little. He certainly needed it. He didn't even get the name of the story right. It wasn't the story I was writing about, and in fact, it's probably my least favorite of all the ones we've read, but I still knew the title and fixed it for him. It's really kind of sad. How do people manage to make it through 13 years of school and at least a year of college and still not know how to write a simple paper? Our school system obviously has some very serious flaws.