Blake Stone

Blogging Rhetorically

August 30, 2009

While reading The Biography of Blake Stone by Jeramey Kraatz, the first thing that really grabbed my attention was the format of the biography. Usually we see biographies written as informational formatted essays that contain multiple paragraphs about another person’s life. This essay was not your usual biography; instead it was in the form of an Instant Message conversation as well as a detailed description of the character, Blake Stone who really was Jeramey Kraatz.

Reading two different perspectives of Blake Stone and Jeramey Kraatz was interesting because you could see two completely different people. As I began to read about Blake Stone, the tone of the writer, Jeramey Kraatz began to get emotional. It was easy to understand that he wasn’t completely happy with the way he was He wasn’t one to get a girlfriend and he wasn’t one to have very many friends. Jeramey talked about Blake as if he was someone that was very special to him.

“Blake was born in my Grandmother’s Compaq desktop. She was the first person I knew with the Internet”

Here Jeramey expresses how much his new self means to him. While I continue to read more about Blake and the new Internet Jeramey, I get a feeling that he is making up for things that he wishes that he had. As a not-so average pre-teen kid, Jeramey had his own vision of perfect—and he portrayed it through a fake person.

Our upcoming writing assignment has to do with our personal selves. It requires us to explore a moment in our life that was more than just a memory, its something meaningful and significant. This biography about Blake Stone and the real Jeramey Kraatz was something more than a life story. Blake Stone made Jeramey Kraatz feel comfortable with himself. I believe that in order for some people to feel comfortable with themselves they need something that makes them feel special. Jeramey felt completely comfortable with himself when he was being his internet self—Blake Stone. Blake Stone had the full package, he was a ladies man, he was smart, and he was popular in all the chat rooms. As Jeremay continued writing his biography about Blake Stone, he was still able to continue bringing up information about the real Blake Stone—Jeremay Kraatz.

I continued to notice how Kraatz was able to explain so much about Blake through simple instant messages between him and his relationships with his instant messaging friends. It is a very different way to approach writing a biography that continues to amaze me throughout its entirety.

Blake Stone

Blogging Rhetorically

August 30, 2009

While reading The Biography of Blake Stone by Jeramey Kraatz, the first thing that really grabbed my attention was the format of the biography. Usually we see biographies written as informational formatted essays that contain multiple paragraphs about another person’s life. This essay was not your usual biography; instead it was in the form of an Instant Message conversation as well as a detailed description of the character, Blake Stone who really was Jeramey Kraatz.

Reading two different perspectives of Blake Stone and Jeramey Kraatz was interesting because you could see two completely different people. As I began to read about Blake Stone, the tone of the writer, Jeramey Kraatz began to get emotional. It was easy to understand that he wasn’t completely happy with the way he was He wasn’t one to get a girlfriend and he wasn’t one to have very many friends. Jeramey talked about Blake as if he was someone that was very special to him.

“Blake was born in my Grandmother’s Compaq desktop. She was the first person I knew with the Internet”

Here Jeramey expresses how much his new self means to him. While I continue to read more about Blake and the new Internet Jeramey, I get a feeling that he is making up for things that he wishes that he had. As a not-so average pre-teen kid, Jeramey had his own vision of perfect—and he portrayed it through a fake person.

Our upcoming writing assignment has to do with our personal selves. It requires us to explore a moment in our life that was more than just a memory, its something meaningful and significant. This biography about Blake Stone and the real Jeramey Kraatz was something more than a life story. Blake Stone made Jeramey Kraatz feel comfortable with himself. I believe that in order for some people to feel comfortable with themselves they need something that makes them feel special. Jeramey felt completely comfortable with himself when he was being his internet self—Blake Stone. Blake Stone had the full package, he was a ladies man, he was smart, and he was popular in all the chat rooms. As Jeremay continued writing his biography about Blake Stone, he was still able to continue bringing up information about the real Blake Stone—Jeremay Kraatz.

I continued to notice how Kraatz was able to explain so much about Blake through simple instant messages between him and his relationships with his instant messaging friends. It is a very different way to approach writing a biography that continues to amaze me throughout its entirety.

In Class: List of Authority

• What to do when someone gets homesick at camp
• What to do when the boys you babysit for start to fight
• Procrastinating work
• Approaching people of higher authority (parents, teachers...)
• Packing/organizing a suitcase
• Making my bed
• knowing the subway system in NYC and how to get around
• planning other peoples birthday parties
• finding the best clothes and shoe sales
• staying up late when I need to get something done

• knowing the subway system in NYC and how to get around

Growing up in New York wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be. My parents always made me be more independent with myself and less dependent on the people around me. I have always been able to figure out problems on my own. My parents both work in the city and on Fridays, I would meet each of them at their offices with my brother and sister. When I first started going to the city, I felt lost and uncomfortable, but when my parents began to make me do it to get comfortable, things started to fall into place. They eased me slowly into getting to know Manhattan by starting off getting to the Chappaqua train station, buying a ticket, getting on the right train and taking it all the way to Grand Central Station. My parents would then meet me when the train arrived. Once I got the hang of taking the train by myself, I began to learn how to get to each of their offices by paying close attention to the few times they'd walk me there from the GCS. After getting comfortable with the walk to their offices, it was time to learn how to get back. Getting back was a little bit easier than getting there because I would re-trace my steps and make mental notes of where I was--while following my parents. As walking there became easier, I found that there was a better way of transportation--the Subway System. I took my first subway to my parents' offices with them by my side the first time, and after millions of rides, I began to learn the entire NYC subway system.

In Class: Free Write

Ballinger spoke about writing as inquiry. He came up with peoples beliefs on writings. When people write about their beliefs, they tend to become more personal. If someone believes strongly in something they are able to really personalize the essay or writing. Ballinger makes writing as inquiry sound easier than it truly is. It doesn't have any sort of organization to the essay. Instead, it is more of a thoughtful essay that contains a lot of information. When we write, we tend not to write for ourselves. Many write because they have to or because they are told to. Not that it's unusual for someone to write to release energy, but when it comes to students, many are usually writing essays for school, or their english class. When I write I usually write because I am given an assignment. The truth about writing is that it can come easy to people or it can become very difficult. Especially if it's an assignment that you read, but don't remember, and then were told to write a blog on it.

Hi! My name is Katye Gallardo. I'm a freshman at TCU and I'm from Chappaqua, New York. The reason why I chose TCU was because I loved the location and size of campus. I think a good teacher is someone that a student feels comfortable going to with any type of problem and is willing to help them. They should be someone that is understanding and open to any type of question.

A good student is a hardworking person who strives to achieve their goals. They come prepared to learn and ask questions. I believe that to be a successful student you have to be able to manage your time well to balance with school and social activities. If there was one person I could have dinner with it would have to be Barack Obama. He is someone I look up to and is a heroic figure in my life.

One thing that I really enjoy doing is writing. Whether its on a certain topic or a creative piece, I love writing. I am still looking to improve my writing skills so I decided to pick a class in which all it entailed was writing. I really enjoy getting assignments that are creative and not usually thought of. I had an assignment that required us to take a Ripleys Believe it or not quote and turn it into a story --I had a lot of fun with that. I think my writing could definitely use some work. I need to work on sentence fragments and working on organizing my thoughts and paragraphs.

I have read, understand and agree to the terms of the course syllabus.