new graphics and web portfolios up

For those who might not have noticed, I added a graphics and web portfolio pages to the site. Enjoy!

why the thesis statement is backwards

I used to hate the phrase, “thesis statement.” In English and writing classes, it was a vague, overly-emphasized concept that stuck out in my humanities education like a sore thumb. I loathed assignments bidding my classmates and me to, “write a thesis statement,” and answer “what’s your paper’s thesis?” before setting out to do any research on the topic!

And for whatever reason, in spite of all the weight placed on this holy grail entrusted to young writers, I simply did not understand its importance. I would try to find a thesis — set out to prove that “Wilbur was highly humble until Charlotte wrote on her web, ‘Some Pig’” before finishing Charlotte’s Web. After “finding” my thesis I would sit in front of my computer, straining from word constipation until last minute panic hit me and I would write some awful paragraphs “supporting” my statement at the end of the first paragraph in an essay. This method was great at scraping me A-s, with occasional As or B+s on most papers…but it left me resenting writing. Drained of any creativity in the confines of writing a “thesis statement” every few weeks, I tried to avoid as many humanities classes as I could by taking more math classes.

Then, a wonderful kick in the face occurred during a few upper level math classes, which invariably taught me to write. Once you hit a few upper level math classes such as Analysis, a student will be asked to write a math proof. Sometimes the question is not put in the easiest way; assignments usually read, “is this statement true or false? Either find a counterexample or give a proof of this statement.” Oh, how I loathed such questions, where there was no black-and-white way to solve something!

But then, after many hours and sleepless nights, proof-writing started clicking, and my mind was molded into way of thinking that started trickling into many applications. Proof-writing is a wonderfully fulfilling process; it involves the creative steps of exploring, questioning, and then — once all the steps are laid out nicely in front of you — you neatly summarize it in plain English.

Consider, for example, the following proof from an old Number Theory homework set. Notice how no sentence is wasted; each explored step takes me closer and closer to the conclusion we make in our “proof” statement:

And this is how I learned how to write. I learned that writing is a logical proof: you explore, experiment, and each sentence becomes one step closer to the insightful conclusion you are about to make. That conclusion is your thesis. Don’t set out to prove a thesis first; as you think, experiment until you prove your newfound thesis.

Similar to the above proof, the thesis statement isn’t meant to be some clean sentence at the end of the first paragraph of your five-paragraph paper. Instead, it is this polished result that you obtain by getting your hands dirty, and then unraveling it out until finally — you have it, in one beautiful statement or two. As you explore your topic, you venture into the unknown, and with each logical step and creative measure, you have pulled from the dredges of the unknown something that you and your readers will love and appreciate for all its glory. I guarantee it.

Sure, this method takes a little more little more research and thought than a nicely packaged handout that your teachers would like to show. But trust me, if you prod it, if you polish and polish some more, if you really put some thought into each paper and sentence you write, that thesis will shine. And you will soar in all your writing assignments from hereon out.

pump up your iPod

I would like to share a Podcast I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the past few weeks. It is called Podrunner by dj steveboy and consists of upbeat, continuous exercise music set to motivate listeners throughout their daily exercise routines.

Because the beat is so constant as well as interesting, each Podcast keeps me focused on my run as well as interested in my routine for an entire hour. Sometimes when I play my favorite tunes on a loop, I feel either weary of them from hearing the same song for the 100th time, or I want to stop and walk during more lulling tunes. Podrunner forces these occasions to vanish, simply by the nature of the mixes. The songs are pretty fun, since they are the latest mixes found in clubs and whatnot. I enjoy a chance to appreciate a branch of music I wouldn’t normally listen to, and their fresh mixes avoid that weary feel from my own library.

Running is, by its nature, a typically solitary activity, with no one around to set your paces or help adhere to your goals. In some ways, Podrunner is that sought-out exercise buddy, that personal trainer you always needed to keep the adrenaline. Each mix sets a goal for a number of Beats per Minute after the hour, and it is somehow comforting to know that the entire audience of 3 million downloaders just might be running to the same tunes you are hearing.

Anyway, do check it out if you’ve been finding yourself short of New Year’s Resolutions, or just need some new tunes to run to. There are usually new mixes every week, depending on the dj’s availability. Kudos to his success.