English II not only challenged me to incorporate aspects of myself in my papers, but it also taught me how much I learn about myself through the writing process. As we explored our society and the available technology as well as the technology that each of us uses as individuals, I began to realize how much of my time is spent using such devices. What once seemed like a simple aspect of my life, technology quickly became complex as it became evident that everyone uses different forms of technology and in very distinctive ways. Over the course of this semester, I learned how important it is for writers to establish themselves through their writing. When I removed myself from my everyday life and attempted to write about my views and beliefs, my main goal was to establish my ethos to my readers, who I am and how I view the world as “a result of experience and instruction” (Reynolds 328) over time.

http://www.virginmedia.com/images/robotworld430x300.jpg

When we were assigned to write about a piece of technology that we use periodically and has a significant impact on our life, I struggled to think of something that not everyone was familiar with such as an iPhone or computer. While I use my iPhone and MacBook throughout my daily life, they aren't always technologies I enjoy using. I wouldn't trade my MacBook for anything, but I can't help but think of schoolwork when it comes to mind; I love

 having an iPhone, but my main uses include texting and phone calls which can be two of my least favorite things. I would much rather have face-to-face interactions, thus explains my dilemma when I was challenged to think of a way that technology had affected my world in a way that would be interesting to write about.

As I made a list of the technologies I use, I also made lists of how I use each device. Almost instantly, I realized that one of my favorite things to do on both my MacBook and my iPhone is to explore the website/ap called Pinterest. On this website I'm able to use virtual bulletin boards to explore my interests and to express my creativity. As I wrote my first blog entry on this blog, I continued to learn more about myself that I hadn't previously realized. Reflecting on my blog post, I realized that although I don't consider myself artistic, I am in fact creative and love being able to explore all different categories such as "Baked Goods" and "Style." I had never considered my use of Pinterest before, but writing the post about it made me realize how important it is for me to find little things such as this site to get my mind off of school and just relax on my own time while still connecting with my friends by seeing their recent posts on their profiles.

After we evaluated how technology has helped shape our lives individually, our next paper required us to explore how technology has made an impact on society as a whole. I've always known I was interested in fitness and living a healthy life, but when I decided to write a paper on how technology has impacted the increase in childhood obesity and ways to help the future of America, I realized how my interest in nutrition extends far beyond myself as I learned I am truly passionate about helping other people. This paper helped me realize my own place in the world and how I see it, essentially my "ethos." Although I have not grown up in an environment that is heavily populated with obese people, my research revealed just how serious this issue is when I discovered “the United States has experienced a dramatic increase in its cases of childhood obesity over the past few decades” (Childhood Obesity Blog). I learned that the beginning to ending childhood obesity is as simple as informing people of the factors that cause it, the risks of being obese, and easy solutions such as maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. By taking a step back from my own inclusive world and examining society, I actually learned more about my passion and myself than I do on an everyday basis. Attempting to establish my ethos requires me to look at my life on a much bigger scale than just myself. 

“Childhood Obesity” http://vegan-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/childhood-obesity.jpg

 “Healthy Eating” http://people.ucsc.edu/~lgbates/kids-eating.jpg

For a writer to establish their ethos through their writing it is important for the audience to relate, but even more importantly for the writer to be able to identify with himself or herself. It is easy to become consumed in our daily lives and routines and writing is a way for us to remove ourselves from society and focus on who we are as individuals within our environments. Our ethos is something that “shifts and changes over time,” (Reynolds 326) which means we must constantly observe ourselves through the way we interact with ourselves as well as others.