Online Magazine Reflection
In my English 2010 class this semester we started out by picking groups and choosing a specific issue to talk about in our papers throughout the course. We learned that at the end of the class we would be putting together an online magazine that contained all our work. The online magazine and issue I had the chance to work on this semester Addiction and Mental Health. For our project my issue group wanted to bring to light the facts of mental illness. We each felt strongly that this was a current issue that needed more focus and attention. We created a magazine that would bring awareness to the public while helping those struggling to know that they are not alone. It contains all the works from each of the members of our group, namely a fact based report, a more personal profile, and an opinionated commentary piece. Each piece of work is filled with our strong emotional feelings for the subject and is used to strengthen our point of view.
In our issue groups we assigned individuals to certain parts of the project. I was to be the visual editor and the technical navigator, to set up the website and make it look good. To create the magazine I set up a new domain on Weebly.com. From there I chose layouts, images, text, etc. to accent the issue and our semesters work. I set up individual pages for each member of our group that contained, in order, an about the author, report, profile, and commentary, and showcased each of their talents. I also composed an editors note and a home page for our website. I worked hard on making each page consistent and uniform with a nice flow. I also personally wrote my own pieces and commentary for the magazine. I did a lot of editing on my writing, drawing, and the online magazine as a whole. I put a lot of attention and detail into each part to make my groups magazine as perfect as possible.
While working on the online magazine I would run into problems such as formatting, or editing problems. I had to make sure each piece of writing was organized and that the pictures lined up where they were suppose to go. A lot of the pictures wouldn’t go where I needed them to and I had to work around that by splitting text boxes and adding images in between. It took awhile to figure it out but once I did they became fluid and went where they were suppose to go.
My online magazine Addiction and Mental Health shows the best of my papers. I revised them and edited them. I reworked them and reworded them. I put a lot of time and effort into each of the writing/visual assignments and I believe the magazine shows that. Because we started out with a fact-based report on our topic I was able to be more aware of the statistics as I went on to the interview and the commentary. Writing the report was very hard for me but it paid off, making my other works stronger and more reliable. At the beginning of the semester I was very timid about talking about mental illness. Now after all the studying and fact checking I am very confident in showing my opinion. I am proud to have all three of my assignments online for the entire world to see. I hope that they can make a difference and change someone they way they have changed me.
In our issue groups we assigned individuals to certain parts of the project. I was to be the visual editor and the technical navigator, to set up the website and make it look good. To create the magazine I set up a new domain on Weebly.com. From there I chose layouts, images, text, etc. to accent the issue and our semesters work. I set up individual pages for each member of our group that contained, in order, an about the author, report, profile, and commentary, and showcased each of their talents. I also composed an editors note and a home page for our website. I worked hard on making each page consistent and uniform with a nice flow. I also personally wrote my own pieces and commentary for the magazine. I did a lot of editing on my writing, drawing, and the online magazine as a whole. I put a lot of attention and detail into each part to make my groups magazine as perfect as possible.
While working on the online magazine I would run into problems such as formatting, or editing problems. I had to make sure each piece of writing was organized and that the pictures lined up where they were suppose to go. A lot of the pictures wouldn’t go where I needed them to and I had to work around that by splitting text boxes and adding images in between. It took awhile to figure it out but once I did they became fluid and went where they were suppose to go.
My online magazine Addiction and Mental Health shows the best of my papers. I revised them and edited them. I reworked them and reworded them. I put a lot of time and effort into each of the writing/visual assignments and I believe the magazine shows that. Because we started out with a fact-based report on our topic I was able to be more aware of the statistics as I went on to the interview and the commentary. Writing the report was very hard for me but it paid off, making my other works stronger and more reliable. At the beginning of the semester I was very timid about talking about mental illness. Now after all the studying and fact checking I am very confident in showing my opinion. I am proud to have all three of my assignments online for the entire world to see. I hope that they can make a difference and change someone they way they have changed me.
The Struggle Within
A woman undefined by her illness
Kathy Whitehead is the most amazing person you will ever meet. I mean I am a little biased since she is my mother but it’s still true. A little insight on her life, Kathy was born to Melvin and Patty Drage in 1960 and is the third child in her family of six. She grew up and graduated from Skyline High School and shortly after, at twenty years old, met the man of her dreams and got married to James Whitehead. By the next year they had a little baby girl. They didn’t stop till sixteen years later and had a total of ten children of their own. They settled in the house Kathy grew up in as a child and have lived there ever since. She is now in her mid 50s, has been a grandma for the last 12 years, and in total her 8 married children have given her 18 grandchildren so far. But the thing that makes her truly amazing is not that simple. I’ll let you in on a little secret that might lead you to feel the same way as I do.
Kathy Whitehead has been diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression. This is something she inherited from her mother and grandmother. She grew up with a mom she just thought was too strict and vowed to not be that way. She had this problem herself not knowing it would get worse after having kids and never imagining giving it to all ten of her beloved children. Kathy’s life has not been a walk in the park and she will tell you that herself. People don’t realize how debilitating mental illness can be and how much it can affect your life. They don’t realize that it consumes every aspect of your life and it’s something you cannot help. It can even be hereditary. Mental illness is not easy to live with. I asked my mother to tell me about her life and her struggles and asked her if I could share her stories with others. Her response was direct. “Absolutely! I want people to be aware. I want them to know they are not the only one going through this. I want to help people look on the bright side and come out on top.”
I asked her to start where she felt appropriate and she began by explaining her childhood. “I grew up with a mother who hated life.” She went on to explain how her mother was a very unhappy lady who thought the world was against her. She became very harsh and would emotionally belittle my mother, always asking her why she wasn’t as good as her older sister, making her feel ugly and pathetic. This did irreversible damage to Kathy’s self esteem and is what triggered her mental issues. She developed social anxiety. “I was quiet in high school and did my best to blend in. I was very self conscious and avoided attention.” Even today after 40+ years my mom still compares herself to her sister, her mother’s word still ringing in her head.
After getting married and leaving home, Kathy finally got help for herself. As her depression worsened, mostly postpartum, she saw a doctor and was put on Prozac. “It started to be better, I could feel a major difference!” You could hear the truth in her voice but then she became sullen. “I would be doing so much better so I’d take myself off my meds. I thought I was healthy enough to handle it by myself.” Off and on Prozac for years, she struggled with wanting to stay on her meds or proving she could do it by herself. But of course it was not that easy. She couldn’t force herself to be better. It doesn’t work that way. “My depression made me tired and it was hard to raise so many kids. My anxiety also didn’t help the situation and my temper became short.” After many years of doctors and meds she decided to take herself off for good. “I wanted to do it myself even if I struggled.” Though not all times were good she learned to deal with her depression and did her best to look on the bright side of things. She admitted that she still struggles today. She knows that her mental illness will probably never fully disappear. “People need to know that it’s not something you just get over. It’s extremely hard work and it never fully goes away, you’ll always have to deal with it. But you can learn to manage it. Medication is not a bad route. I recommend it to everyone! But it can’t be the only thing you do.”
Kathy can now see the signs of mental illness and has learned to recognize them in her children. “I didn’t want my kids to struggle the way I did so I tried to get them help as soon as I thought they needed it.” She did admit that she wasn’t perfect at it though. It took her a few kids to realize that most her children had inherited anxiety and depression. I had two sisters who went to therapy because they always compared themselves to each other and constantly fought. My mom knew this from her own childhood and wanted to prevent those emotional scars to be on her daughters. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough and her two oldest both go on and off their meds, going through deep manic and depressive episodes. Then only a couple years ago came the truth to three of her children’s illnesses. She sadly learned that her son had been suicidal in high school and she had had no idea. She became very upset with herself for not getting him help. At the same time she learned that her daughter use to hurt herself specifically for attention and that another one of her daughters had an eating disorder when she was younger. “I felt like I had failed my children. The one thing I never wanted happened.” She told me how determined she was to never overlook the signs of mental illness again. She reached out to others around her helping them realize their problems and get medical assistance for it.
If it weren’t for her conviction I would not be in the place I am today. At thirteen years old my mom started to witness her own childhood issues and insecurities in me. She prompted me to consider seeing a doctor and I was put on medication in 2008 and have been on them since. If my mom hadn’t supported me in getting help I might not be here. It has taken a long time, a lot of doctors, a lot of meds, and a lot of therapy but Kathy does everything she can to make sure I am taken care of. Though some days are harder than others I know I can rely on her no matter what.
She finished, smiling, with words of encouragement for any one who is struggling right now. “Although my issues have effected my life tremendously I am not my mental illness. I want people to know that they are not defined by what illness they have but by what they take out of it, by what they accomplish, by owning themselves. And I know everyone can make it through it!”
Whitehead, Kathy. Personal interview. 24 Oct. 2015.
Kathy Whitehead has been diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression. This is something she inherited from her mother and grandmother. She grew up with a mom she just thought was too strict and vowed to not be that way. She had this problem herself not knowing it would get worse after having kids and never imagining giving it to all ten of her beloved children. Kathy’s life has not been a walk in the park and she will tell you that herself. People don’t realize how debilitating mental illness can be and how much it can affect your life. They don’t realize that it consumes every aspect of your life and it’s something you cannot help. It can even be hereditary. Mental illness is not easy to live with. I asked my mother to tell me about her life and her struggles and asked her if I could share her stories with others. Her response was direct. “Absolutely! I want people to be aware. I want them to know they are not the only one going through this. I want to help people look on the bright side and come out on top.”
I asked her to start where she felt appropriate and she began by explaining her childhood. “I grew up with a mother who hated life.” She went on to explain how her mother was a very unhappy lady who thought the world was against her. She became very harsh and would emotionally belittle my mother, always asking her why she wasn’t as good as her older sister, making her feel ugly and pathetic. This did irreversible damage to Kathy’s self esteem and is what triggered her mental issues. She developed social anxiety. “I was quiet in high school and did my best to blend in. I was very self conscious and avoided attention.” Even today after 40+ years my mom still compares herself to her sister, her mother’s word still ringing in her head.
After getting married and leaving home, Kathy finally got help for herself. As her depression worsened, mostly postpartum, she saw a doctor and was put on Prozac. “It started to be better, I could feel a major difference!” You could hear the truth in her voice but then she became sullen. “I would be doing so much better so I’d take myself off my meds. I thought I was healthy enough to handle it by myself.” Off and on Prozac for years, she struggled with wanting to stay on her meds or proving she could do it by herself. But of course it was not that easy. She couldn’t force herself to be better. It doesn’t work that way. “My depression made me tired and it was hard to raise so many kids. My anxiety also didn’t help the situation and my temper became short.” After many years of doctors and meds she decided to take herself off for good. “I wanted to do it myself even if I struggled.” Though not all times were good she learned to deal with her depression and did her best to look on the bright side of things. She admitted that she still struggles today. She knows that her mental illness will probably never fully disappear. “People need to know that it’s not something you just get over. It’s extremely hard work and it never fully goes away, you’ll always have to deal with it. But you can learn to manage it. Medication is not a bad route. I recommend it to everyone! But it can’t be the only thing you do.”
Kathy can now see the signs of mental illness and has learned to recognize them in her children. “I didn’t want my kids to struggle the way I did so I tried to get them help as soon as I thought they needed it.” She did admit that she wasn’t perfect at it though. It took her a few kids to realize that most her children had inherited anxiety and depression. I had two sisters who went to therapy because they always compared themselves to each other and constantly fought. My mom knew this from her own childhood and wanted to prevent those emotional scars to be on her daughters. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough and her two oldest both go on and off their meds, going through deep manic and depressive episodes. Then only a couple years ago came the truth to three of her children’s illnesses. She sadly learned that her son had been suicidal in high school and she had had no idea. She became very upset with herself for not getting him help. At the same time she learned that her daughter use to hurt herself specifically for attention and that another one of her daughters had an eating disorder when she was younger. “I felt like I had failed my children. The one thing I never wanted happened.” She told me how determined she was to never overlook the signs of mental illness again. She reached out to others around her helping them realize their problems and get medical assistance for it.
If it weren’t for her conviction I would not be in the place I am today. At thirteen years old my mom started to witness her own childhood issues and insecurities in me. She prompted me to consider seeing a doctor and I was put on medication in 2008 and have been on them since. If my mom hadn’t supported me in getting help I might not be here. It has taken a long time, a lot of doctors, a lot of meds, and a lot of therapy but Kathy does everything she can to make sure I am taken care of. Though some days are harder than others I know I can rely on her no matter what.
She finished, smiling, with words of encouragement for any one who is struggling right now. “Although my issues have effected my life tremendously I am not my mental illness. I want people to know that they are not defined by what illness they have but by what they take out of it, by what they accomplish, by owning themselves. And I know everyone can make it through it!”
Whitehead, Kathy. Personal interview. 24 Oct. 2015.
Reflection
Half way through this semester our class was assigned to interview someone who either had an inside view or personal feelings about our group topic, which for me was addiction and mental health. After the interview we were suppose to take the information and quotes we had collected and write up a profile. It was to be pathos based and included word pictures of the interviewee. For this paper I decided to interview my mother who has suffered from depression and anxiety all her life. I knew she would have a unique insight that would work perfectly with what we were trying to show to the public. This profile contains quotes and stories from my mother that help bring to life the idea of anxiety as an illness.
In order to complete this assignment I first had to think of someone who would have ethos and pathos background on Anxiety Disorders. As I thought of who I could interview I had to consider what I wanted my profile to focus one. I decided I wanted to show what have anxiety really looks like in day to day life. What better way to do that then interview my own mother who had struggle and fought with her illness for years. The next step was to interview her, take notes, copy quotes, and get a whole impression on what she meant. After the interview I had to take certain quotes and feelings, along with word pictures, and combine them into a story that would draw my reader in. I moved around her words and added mine. I had to think of what would sound good and what would evoke emotion. Through it was a struggle in the end it came out better than I could have hoped for.
While completing this assignment I ran into a few problems here and there. I couldn't decide what quotes I wanted to use and had a hard time not using all of what she said. I also didn't want it to sound like a report, it needed to be more emotional and personal. In order to over come these I had to set my mind as if I was telling a children's story. It helped me to make my paper simple and direct, along with entertaining and readable. Though there was a few bumps in the road I think I came out on top.
Starting out in the semester i had my mind focused on the report. I knew had had to loose my opinion and become more unbiased and factual. When starting the profile I got stuff in that mind set. I felt like I had written a pretty good report and was nervous to go back to opinion pieces. However because of the report I was able to be more confident in my profile. I knew more about the issue and knew how to truly represent it. Once the profile was completed I had the strength and determination to create a beautiful work of art. My opinion had grown stronger throughout the year and my profile gave me the courage and knowledge to come up with such a unique commentary.
In order to complete this assignment I first had to think of someone who would have ethos and pathos background on Anxiety Disorders. As I thought of who I could interview I had to consider what I wanted my profile to focus one. I decided I wanted to show what have anxiety really looks like in day to day life. What better way to do that then interview my own mother who had struggle and fought with her illness for years. The next step was to interview her, take notes, copy quotes, and get a whole impression on what she meant. After the interview I had to take certain quotes and feelings, along with word pictures, and combine them into a story that would draw my reader in. I moved around her words and added mine. I had to think of what would sound good and what would evoke emotion. Through it was a struggle in the end it came out better than I could have hoped for.
While completing this assignment I ran into a few problems here and there. I couldn't decide what quotes I wanted to use and had a hard time not using all of what she said. I also didn't want it to sound like a report, it needed to be more emotional and personal. In order to over come these I had to set my mind as if I was telling a children's story. It helped me to make my paper simple and direct, along with entertaining and readable. Though there was a few bumps in the road I think I came out on top.
Starting out in the semester i had my mind focused on the report. I knew had had to loose my opinion and become more unbiased and factual. When starting the profile I got stuff in that mind set. I felt like I had written a pretty good report and was nervous to go back to opinion pieces. However because of the report I was able to be more confident in my profile. I knew more about the issue and knew how to truly represent it. Once the profile was completed I had the strength and determination to create a beautiful work of art. My opinion had grown stronger throughout the year and my profile gave me the courage and knowledge to come up with such a unique commentary.