Reflection Paper On Dumpster Diving

Reflection Essay When looking at the essays to choose from this week, the three that caught my eye were Graduation by Maya Angelou, On Keeping a Notebook by Joan Didion, and On Dumpster Diving by Lars Eighner. I chose Graduation because I felt I could relate to the author on this topic. The emotions one goes through when graduating to the next step can be powerful and unforgettable. I chose On Keeping a Notebook because, again, I felt like I could relate to this article. I am an avid notebook keeper and journal writer, so this essay seemed interesting. Lastly, I chose On Dumpster Diving because I was interested in knowing what they were dumpster diving for. I have gotten old dressers and other odds and ends from dumpsters for various DIY projects,

I found it difficult to keep my interest. The very first line which reads “long before I began Dumpster diving I was impressed with Dumpsters” (Peterson et al, 2012 pp. 55). Why such a fascination with dumpsters? I found this line a bit strange and I instantly knew that I did not have a connection with the writer. Despite not having a connection to the writer, I wanted to proceed with the essay because I understand there will be times that I will be required to read something that I do not find interesting. I also found times where I would have to re-read sections of this essay. Once I was done reading On Dumpster Diving, I could say I found the author’s perspective interesting. In fact, I recently did some “spring cleaning” and got rid of various items we no longer used to make room for baby stuff. In doing so I told my husband we need to be more selective when we purchase things because, even when donating to Good Will, it seems such a waste. So, by the end of the essay, I was able to understand the author in some way. When reading future essays for this course, I imagine I will do the same. Continue to read the essay, re-read when necessary, and maybe even take breaks and go back to the reading with fresh

I was interested in her essay because, as I said above, I keep notebooks as well and felt I could relate to the author. However, I also keep a diary/journal. I enjoy having both because in my notebooks I often write short stories and poems while in my journal, I write actual accounts of days events, what I am currently thinking or feeling, and hopes and dreams for the future. In many cases, what I write in my notebook tends to be short stories and poems inspired by my own personal experiences. While I understand her distinction between a notebook and a diary, I find that, for me, the two begin to overlap. With that said, I would like to ask her if she has ever considered the fact that, although the accounts in her notebook are not fully accurate accounts is it not also a diary in the sense that she is writing what she remembers, how she remembers, and in the way in which she wants to remember events. Essentially, she is writing exaggerated stories of events. In many ways, I believe that we all do this even in our diaries. We each perceive events in our own ways and two people who experience the same event may have two very different accounts of how everything