Carry It Forward: Sophie's World Discussion

On Thursday November 18th, during our Humanities class, we had a shortened period schedule, so I figured that the class would be sort of boring and I also assumed that we would probably just read and take it easy. Boy was I WRONG! Mr. Allen turned our classroom into an absolute battlefield, and it was awesome!

Sophie's World is a book set around a fourteen year old girl and her misterious philosophy course. This eccentric book is very interesting because there are many ways to aproach the information. By the way it seems from the people in our class, there are many different opinions on the subject matter and it was very interesting to see the different ways that people have interepreted the information.

One person who had a very strong, but also a very clear point, was Phil Sailer. His idea was that Sophie was in essence the 'universe' and that the philosophy course she was taking was a way of her looking at the world. The way he looked into the book inspired me to try to look into it the same way.

By looking into the book with each character as a certain role, I think that I would understand the book a little bit better, or I would start to enjoy the book even more than I already do. I am very eager to start reading tonight with the intent not only to read, but also to explore.

Captured Thought: Innovative Ideas

A few weeks ago, my dad had a great new idea for an invention to revolutionize the traveling businessmen/women of the world. Since my dad, like many other middle age men, is looking to retire. Yes I know, everyone says it, but this idea potentially could put him into the retirement stage of his life. Also, he wants to create things like these so he can have an easier time putting me, and my brother and sister through college.

By now your probably wondering what this idea is right? Well I dont want to divulge all the details, but I can tell you that it is a mini work table you can work with in an airport or wherever you are. Most of the ideas for inventions that my dad has come up with are kind of far fetched, but this one is pretty legitimate.

Well, the reason I have been holding this thought for so long is because my dad wants me to collaborate with him to actually making it. He wants me to put my three years of Computer Aided Drafting with Mr. Fioro to work, designing this idea and making a 3D model of it as well. Another reason for this thought is because my dad works very hard and I feel bad in a way for putting of pressure on him to make money and support our family. It would be really cool for my dad to retire earlier so we can spend more time together. The last reason is because im going to college. And since I am the designer, I get a share of the profits! =]

Well there you have it. Just one of the many thoughts flying around at warp-speed through my brain. If this idea takes off, I can help my dad, but more over, my family.

Any investors???

Best of Today: J.S. Bach's Chaconne in D Minor

On Wednesday, November 4th, we had the privelege to listen to J.S. Bach's Chaconne in D minor, which is an extraodinary piece. The piece itself varies in key, which gives the piece a sad feel, then rises to a very happy feel, then falls back down into a lower key which gives it a deeper feeling.

Being a musician, I like to listen to many different types of music. Previously, I have written about the way that music has changed my life for a better cause. By listening to other forms of music, I have grown intellectually and I guess spiritually in a way also. When the class was told that we were going to listen to a Classical piece, I could feel the class' spirit diminish. At the same time; however, I was kind of excited because I can now enjoy music in a wider range than just what I normally listen to.

When listening to music, I sometimes like to draw because I usually draw what I feel. By drawing what I feel, it allows me to be more honest with myself. As we were listening to the piece, I was drawing in the back of my Mindbook, and for some reason I started to draw a picture inspired by M.C. Escher. In the classroom there is a picture of Escher holding a reflective sphere, so I decided to give my own rendition of it. Another reason I like to draw while listening to music is because I start to draw at the same pace as the music, which gives me a feel of what the artist was expieriencing at the time he was composing the piece. Drawing the piece, I found myself drawing quickly, almost as if I forgot to do an assignment that was due the next period. In a way I like to feel pressured as I draw cuz it gives me more of an incentive to make it better. If you know me, I'm a bit of a perfectionist.

The reason I chose J.S. Bach's piece as 'Best of Today' is because I appreciate music very much in my life, and I like listening to new types of music. I feel like I can expand my mind in a way that can better me as a person, and also a musician.

iMedia: Kent State University

In the 1970's Vietnam was still hot and heavy in the jungles. People were upset, and many people tried to protest the war. I guess it is safe to say that you can call these people hippies, because to me, in a way everyone wants to have peace and forget about the turmoil. I personally choose only to take aggressive action when my immediate safety is threatened.

If you go back and take a look at the peace riots at Kent State University, you will find it true that the protestors were not beng violent. Honestly if they are the type of people I think they were, then I would believe them to be hippies as docile as someone like Ghandi. Of course there will always be a certain tension between "The Man" and well yes the hippies. In 1970, the tension seemed to be too much for the authorities to handle and it ended horribly.

No person knows the exact truth about what caused this riot to start, but it is said that students began throwing rocks and other harmful objects at the police officers, who were containing the protestors around the university. The officers then without warning, fired shots into the crowd, killing multiple students.

The picture above shows a female student above a fallen protestor, who was shot and killed in the hail of fire from the police. The sheer look of terror on her face shows me the true emotions of not only the war in Vietnam, but the war we still have at home. The whole Kent State University shooting is really just a huge shock to me because the protestors were not really angry, they just want peace. The worst party is that when they were protesting for peace, they really got a war, and this really saddens me.

I think the Kent State University massacre has not really had the effect it should on our culture today. I hoped that since we now know the horror we can see with all the people protesting whatever the cause, and we definately know what can happen if we let it get too much out of hand, people would maybe realize to let the people do what they want to more freely, because all the unnecessary bloodshed is just flat out uncalled for.

I feel that the American culture needs to relax its 'tense' grip on the American people because by not allowing the citizens to show the true way they feel, this kind of occurance could happen more commonly. No body wants riots. It is most certain that no body wants death. The Kent State massacre is a good way to show how NOT to act, and I feel it should open the eyes of our government for them to realize that "free speech" should really mean: Free Speech.

Best of Week: Born Into Brothels

This past week on Wednesday and Friday, we watched a shocking documentary about children who's mothers and fathers are prostitutes and drug addicts. This was a big eye opener to me, and im sure the other students in the class felt the same exact way as me.

before watching this movie, I knew that there was a problem about prostitution in the world; however I had no idea of the extent of the problems in third world countries.

My favorite part of the movie was basically just how optimistic the children were in the brothels. It actually made me happy to see that even though their parents were not the best influence, and they actually were acting like a tyrant towards their own children, but they still had the mind set to try to be a good functioning member of society. Since te parents of these children are not the best influence, I assumed that the kids were going to be the same way, which was bratty and frankly just little whores. Sorry, but thats the way I feel.

I think Wednesday and Friday were the best days of the week because by watching the movie, my eyes were opened to the world. I feel thankful for the life that I have because honestly I dont know what I would do if I were to live in a area as horrible as that. I am happy we watched this movie and I am greatful for the opporatunity to learn about the way other people live around the world.

Metacognition: QE Essay

like many people, trying to write an essay with all the outside negative influences that make you wanna procrastinate can be tough. I have experienced this first hand and I know that other people in the class have too. With all these outside influences it seems like it almost impossible to get anything done. Multiple times I found myself playing games on the computer and kinda trying to just sneak around the class period.

I know that a lot of students try to save alot of things to the last minute especially when it comes to papers. I guess it is safe to say I am one of those people. For the QE essay, I knew it was not really the smartest idea in the world, but I decided to wait till three nights before to get started. When I feel a sort of pressure on trying to get things done, I seem to work more efficiently, I stay on task a lot better, and it seems like my stress is sort of relieved because im actually doing the assignment and not working my way around it.

Actually writing the paper is pretty fun for me, when comparing my feelings towards others who are dreading the task of it. Writing a paper like the QE essay is quite fun for me because I can relate my personal experiences with sources I use, and also its a fun challenge for me to integrate my own knowledge in with the facts about the subjects.

This QE essay was actually a fun experience for me because I chose a question that I could actually relate to. As an artist myself I know how much of a challenge trying to create something meaningful can be and I appreciate the amount of talent that all these artists have in their own creative ways.

As a student i know that being a procrastinator is not really the best thing to do, especially when trying to create a well written and thoughtful paper. If there were one thing that I could change about myself to fit more of an ideal student it would have to be that i were more productive with my time and that I wouldnt kill as much useful time that I have. If I could accomplish that, I think that I would perform better, and that it what I strive for.

Blogging Around: Jen and Stephanie

Out of the five blogs I have read, there are two entries in particular that I agree with. Jen Flaxman and Stephanie Slivka both had great entries in their blogs, one of which was about art, and the other about our Mindbooks.

Jen is a really artistic and down to earth girl who appreciates all types of art. One of her blogs was about how when she tries to make a piece she can think too hard about what she wants to do and she can get lost in her own mind. Myself being a artist too, I could totally relate to what she is saying and I know first hand how that feels. My comment on her blog is below:

"I know exactly what your talking about. Thinking about art is probably three times as hard as trying to make it. The same as you, I can get lost in my emotions while trying to create something and then that endless cycle keeps repeating itself and it takes me forever to create something new."

I believe that art is all about just going with the flow and not thinking too hard. If you try to think too much about how something looks or how something flows with another, you'll never get anything done. Art can be described as a lot of different things, the best way to make it is to just do it. Just like Nike.

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Stephanie Slivka's post is a great find because it is so true. Like Mr. Allen says, a Mindbook is a guide to you and nobody else. It is SO TRUE. Stephanie's blog is about how everyone is accepting of others' work and that nobody can judge someone's work because its about themself. The comment I posted on her blog reads:

"What your saying is completely true. When someone presents their piece in the mindbook, there is not any judgment or prejudice. Everyone is pleased and intrigued about the person's drawing, and maybe even the person that created it. Everything you say about not judging people is so true and so real. Its almost a sense of respect."

When I make my Mindbook entries, it is almost a sense of relief that nobody can judge you. The only thing that can be judged is the ID which is only read by Mr. Allen. The Mindbook is a perfect way for a person to express themselves and their interests in ways that many people can learn to understand. When Stephanie said that everyone is fascinated by other peoples work and that they dont judge people by it, I was SO happy that someone feels the same way I do about the people in our class. I am really happy I found her Blog.

Metacognition: Writing a Paper

When I first start a paper I try to imagine a creative introduction that usually involves my experiences in life. So far I believe that I have had a quite adventurous 17 years. I can sometimes introduce a paper with my boating stories on the Chicago River, or some of the fun and exciting, yet utterly stupid things my friends and I have done. Honestly I love the ways i get started on papers because it gives me a chance to commerate the fun things I have done.

Writing a paper, in a way, is a very fun and exciting activity for me. Being able to freely express myself through paper is a good way to explain my reasoning and also to share the good times I've had so far in my life. I don't feel like it is neccesary to make any changes in the way i approach writing papers because it is not only fun for me, but because it enables me to give the reader a fun time and not to bore him to death.

It seems that when i try to write a paper, my mind runs wild. When I take a idea and start to think about it, my mind really starts to travel. This is not because of ADHD or some other problem with my brain, I just think that my mind is very active. As I brainstorm ideas it seems as I type my mind goes into "whirl-wind mode" where I almost seem to run with a idea too far and it takes me quite some time to come back home.

I love the way my mind works. I would'nt change it for the world. As I explained earlier the fun and excitement that i can pull from writing makes the wait well worth its while. When looking upon the stories I have written about and the memories it brings back, thats all I need to think about when I'm wondering if this is enough or its not the end.

Best of Week: Mindbooks

The Mindbook is the best way to gather an idea on how a person operates, and what is really going on in their mind. On Tuesday when our class shared the images in our Mindbooks, the images really opened my eyes to the kinds of people in our class. When looking at the images and collages that we had drawn, it made me realize how intricate the human brain works, and how unique we are compared to other people around us.

When I created the first image in my Mindbook, I centered the main idea around music, and how there is a connection from Classical music, to a more modern type of music like lets say, Metal. I thought to myself that since many people enjoy music, maybe a few other people would do the same as I, but I was really wrong. Everyones' book was different.

When I examined the Mindbooks that my group did, i was amazed! It seemed like they spent hours and hours cutting, clipping, drawing, pasting... it really blew me away. Not only the amount of work hit me, but how the books contrasted with eachother and how unique they were from each other. One person's book was really pretty, only focused around the idea in a quote, one drew a car and all his favorite brands, a dark, evil scary looking face; it amazed me.

At first, I was not really a firm believer that the Mindbook would help us in any significant way; however, after the first Mindbook entry I am very excited to get working on our next assignment due this week and see what we come up with then.

It Matters: Music in Culture

Many people will agree that music over time has lost its purpose of explaining life, the government, social standards, and other topics like that. Today, many of the genre's of music we hear today are pretty much pointless. Lets take a song like 'Chicken Leg'. What is the point?

Back in the 60's and 70's, music had a point, whether it was directed at the social standards of society, the government, or whatever it was that famous artists decided to write about; music really had a deep moral purpose to it. Today most musicians who make it big rely on a computer, and something stupid to sing about.

In class we learn about great classical composers who truly changed the way of music. I also firmly believe that the way composers in the classical periods have influenced such bands as Dream Theater. If you were to listen to any song by Dream Theater you would understand where i am coming from. The amount of practice, coordination, precision, and complexity can litterally let you hear a connection to such great composers long ago.

Many people including myself believe that a genre like rap is just another source of problems for many Americans. I think that much of rap we hear is centralized around drugs, drinking, fighting, gang-banging, and alot of other illegal things. Violence and rap seem to go hand in hand. For instance on May 30th 2009 there was a shooting in Austin Texas when a rap group couldn't play because the group showed up late. Members of the band shot up eight people that police say were mostly women. Whats the point? There is no point what so ever, another mindless shooting spree fueled by anger.

Many modern musical artists really need to start using music to portray emotions. Classical composers seem to fuel the mind and heart. On September 16th, i remember coming to class in a okay mood. When I wasn't allowed to hand in a assignment i was honestly very mad. I understood why but its just that I did the work and should get credit. After that I was rather upset. When our class listened to a piece of music by a classical composer, it seemed like I actually felt a little better. Music tends to sooth me, and it seemed to help alot of other people in the class as well.

Music needs to regain the significance that it played in a persons' life as it did before all these new genre's of music came out. It seems like every day brings us a new song that has no meaning, just another sound on the airwaves. Artists should bring back the intellectual sounds that we once used to hear and bring them back. If someone took these steps, music would once again take charge, and maybe even give us the news we want to hear about.

Change of Mind: Classical Music

The first time that I had ever really listened to Classical music was probably in the 3rd or 4th grade when my class was in music class. To be honest it seemed like I disliked it a lot; it seemed repetitive and after a while it seemed to get boring. Classical music bored me when being compared to other types of music such as Rock and Roll, Metal, or Heavy Metal. It seemed like there was more rhythm, more tone, and more power coming through the speakers when listening to other kinds of music.

For most of my young live (according to teenagers) I guess that i never really gave classical music a chance even though it is coming from such influential composers such as Mozart or Bach. It wasnt until Mr. Allen's Humanities class that i actually gave classical music a chance again; however, i will admit i was in a way 'forced' to do so. Being taught to listen to music not as a whole, but learning to listen to music in a way where you absorb everything from the bass to the treble.

After this activity I could really feel the music going into my mind, and it made the whole principle of classical music clear to me. Later that day when i returned home, I almost immediately went to my room and turned on my iPod so I could try out my new skill at breaking down music and piecing it all back together. I was shocked. I felt the music that I have always listened to in such a more distinct heart-grabbing way, that it really got to me.

Now that I have a new skill to put to use while listening to music especially in the classical genre, I feel like there is a lot more to learn when listening to music. I feel that there is so much more to classical music that many of my friends and especially myself have missed throughout all these years. I know that I will once again try to give Classical music a new chance in my life to influence the ways I listen to music. Its hard for me to feel the ways I did towards Classical music before Mr. Allen's experiment with our class, and for his work I am greatful. All I needed to do was to give it a second chance.