Response to Grammar Snobs and my own writing demons

     I think the grammar snob book is very useful.  I never thought about the difference between which and that.  I also had never heard of the subjunctive till last semester, when I became terribly confused of why my Spanish teacher wrote "mood" all over my paper.  I figured out the subjunctive in Spanish, but never connected the idea with English.  Chapter nineteen didn't seem to have much information to me, it's just proof that people change the meanings of words over time by using them differently.  Example: the word gay.  It has a very different meaning from what it used to have.  

     As a writer, I feel like I'm beginning to overcome some of my flaws, which were created by my former education.  Since last year, I've been fighting the instinct to use a five paragraph essay.  I feel like I am finally nearing the end of battling this.  Very recently I began fighting two of my largest problems as a writer.  The first, to never talk in first person.  The second, to never put my own ideas, feelings, or anything of myself into what I write (except what is deemed necessary to make an argument).  I feel this was due to many bad experiences in school, including my tenth grade English teacher always telling us, "No one cares what you think."  Recently I have forced myself to write using the word I.  I have also tried to stop hiding myself, even when I write.  (A similar problem for me has always been talking in class.  I tend to be quiet, and never say anything.  I've been fighting this since I started English a year ago, and I feel it is improving.  Although I've noticed I only speak up in classes where I feel comfortable with the teacher and possible the other students.)  I feel like it is a struggle to say what I really want to say, luckily many assignments are helping me to do that.  Maybe someday I'll go back and tell everyone of my teachers to stop silencing their good students.  Overall, I just wanted to say that I am battling my demons, and I feel like I'm winning.