Introductory Blog Post

My name is Ellen Parker and I was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. Recently I changed my major to writing and I am going to minor in Spanish. I made the trek from Richmond to TCU last year because I have lived in Richmond my whole life and wanted to try something new. My mom's side of the family is from Texas and her sister went to TCU, which made me even more interested in it.

After spending a full year at TCU there are definitely aspects of it that I have noticed that need some updating. One of the biggest things for me last year, being on the meal plan, was the lack of healthy food options in the BLUU. If I was the Chancellor for the day I would make it a priority to continually refresh the menu at the dining hall and incorporate a variety of healthy options for the student body.

I have found that teachers who constitute as "good" have been engaging, encouraging and not afraid to try something new, as well as stretch the class. On the flip side a good student would have to be ready and willing to accept the encouragement, reciprocate by being engaged and be ready for new challenges.

If I was given the opportunity to have lunch with any three people I would have three different lunch dates with my grandmother, whom I was never able to meet, Julia Child so I could ask her about her life and get a taste of her humor and lastly I would enjoy having a conversation with Jane Austin about her life and of course her writing.

Things a person should know about me are I love to travel anywhere and everywhere, I am very organized and I enjoy being around people. If I could ask three things to the reader I would ask, where is the most unique place you have traveled to? What is your biggest accomplishment in life thus far? And finally, What is your favorite word?

I am taking this course because I am a writing major and I am excited to expand my knowledge in writing. I have never written a blog, so I think this will stretch me to step out of my Microsoft Word comfort zone.

In my free time I enjoy reading anything by Jodi Picoult. I also gravitate towards more "beach books" for a relaxing read. Inside the classroom I like reading texts that challenge me and make me think critically about what the writer is trying to accomplish. Most of the writing I do is on the computer or through text messaging, but I also like to write letters to my friends. I have always considered myself an average writer, however I feel like I have become a stronger writer since the beginning of last year and am still growing in my writing skills.

For my blog I chose a dark blue background with polka dots randomly dispersed throughout to create a welcoming environment. I think the polka dots make it more friendly and fun, but the darker colors don't make it too cheesy or childish. Through the editing choices that I made I feel as if my blog portrays me as classic with a modern twist, which will hopefully be seen through my entries.