C ya Laterzs Flynn & Todd-

The Bridge program was an exciting experience. I really learned a lot of other people and their life. I got to meet a good friend and awesome teachers. I really hope Columbia is a lot like this summer bridge program. I am kind of sad and at the same time happy that the summer bridge session is over. I am going to miss everyone and I hope to see every one around the campus. Peace out..

COLUMBIA!!!!!

We're finally done. I can't believe we made it, but it's only the beginning of a long journey. I'm actually excitied for school to start and to see all of my new professors, meet new people and get a feel for how challenging Columbia really is. I can honestly say that i have pushed myself harder than before, because i knew that's what it was going to take to get into this school. I really had no other options in schools. State schools are for kids who just want to go to college for the experience and aren't really sure what they want to do in life. But I know what i want to do, no questions asked. I wouldn't be able to do a nine to five, I'm not average so why would i do something average with my life. Congratulations Everyone!!!!

I PASSED!

I think there is one word to thoroughly describe my sucess with the Bridge program - tubular, or is it knarly? Ok, how about [instert out-dated word from the late '80s, early '90s]. I'm pretty pumped up right now. I passed math. I passed english. Now, I go on to kick some major ass in New Millenium Studies, Art History, and any other class that I come across. I'm gonna hit my notebook like a [instert slightly-offensive pun]. But seriously, it is pretty awesome to finally think of myself as a "college student". I've got my ID. I've got my housing. I've got my classes. I feel like I am really on the right track and can wait to start this huge opprotunity I'm getting. Like, I know there are gonna be over 12,000 people going to this school, but it is still a BIG deal. We are all going to be spending almost everyday of the week in one of the top five most famous cities in the WORLD. I've lived around here forever, so Chicago is like my second home, but the fact that I'm living here still hits my like a brick wall. This is the second city of the entire country and probably the entire continent. How amazing is that man? We are surrounded by so much opprotunity; so much culture, but this is besides the point. What really matters - what trumps all of these things - is the fact that I am finally, after long last, being able to live out my dream of moving towards what I want to do in life and living out the goal of being a
Columbia College Chicago student is fucking amazing. Go team!

The Bridge Program

My experience at the Bridge Program has been such a great learning process. I learned so much from this program. I have become alot better at witing and also reading. I learned how to organize my priorities and become more responsible. I am glad that I have came to Columbia College, it has made me reconize that there is light in life if you just work hard and set your mind to it, never give up. Being at Columbia also showed me that there is more to life than just being closed minded. Even if you come from a background of poverty, it doesn't matter. There is a way out if you set your mind on a certain goal and never give up. You could change your own life, and more important the lives of your family. I am going to put full dedication into my goals, stopping at nothing. I am glad for the teachers I had here in the Bridge because they have helped me so much. With helping me manage time, giving me tips, and just overall giving me the oppurtunity to change the lives of my family and my own life. This has been a dramatic experience and I will never forget it. Now there is nothing left to do, but go all the way to the top!

MY BRIDGE EXPERIENCE

WELL BEFORE COMING TO BRIDGE I WONT LIE I WAS TERRIFIED BECAUSE I FELT LIKE COLUMBIA WAS GOING TO BE HARD. I THOUGHT THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE WORK. I SAY THAT BECASUE IN HIGH SCHOOL I GOT KICKED OUT TWICE AND WENT TO AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL. IN THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL THE WORK WAS HELLA EASY AND IF I DIDNT DO IT THE TEACHERS LIKED ME SO MUCH THAT I DIDNT GET PENALIZE FOR IT. SO FOR ME NOT TO HAVE THE RIGHT EDUCATIONAL TRAINING I FELT LIKE I WASNT GOIN TO SUCCEED. BY NO MEANS DID I THINK IM NOT SMART ENOUGH IT WAS JUST THAT I FELT INSECURE ABOUT MY ABILITIES AND PLUS I HAD IGNORANT PEOPLE TELLING ME AW YOUR NOT COLUMBIA READY AND SHIT LIKE THAT. SO PEOPLE ATTITUDE TOWARD ME COMING TO COLUMBIA MADE ME WANT TO WORK EVEN HARDER TO PAST BRIDGE NOT SAYING I DIDNT WANT IT, ITS JUST YOU KNOW WHEN PEOPLE DOUBT YOU IT MAKES YOU WANT TO WORK HARDER JUST TO PROVE THEM WRONG AND MAKE THEM EAT SHIT. BRIDGE WAS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED BUT I GLAD I CAME BEC AUSE I HAD A WONDER MATH TEACHER AND EXCELLENT ENGLISH TEACHERS THAT TAUGHT ME TO THINK MORE OUTSIDE THE BOX, TO BE PROACTIVE, ASK QUESTION, RESPECT EVERYBODY, AND WRITE BETTER ESSAY. ALSO I LEARNED THAT I CAN AND WILL FINISH COLLEGE AND IM SO GRATEFUL THAT ITS HERE AT COLUMBIA CAUSE I WOULDNT WANT IT ANY OTHER PLACE.
SO I WANT TO THANK ROSEMARY MY MATH TEACHER FOR HELPING ME UNDERSTAND BINARY SOMETHING I NEVER WOULD HAVE KNOW WITH OUT HER. THANKS FLYNN AND TODD FOR TEACHING ME HOW TO KNOW MY TRICKS FOR LEARING PUTTING ME ON COLLEGE LEVEL IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, TECAHING ME HOW TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX LIKE WAY OUTSIDE LOL.

wow

What a relief! All the weeks of stressing are over, now I
can look forward to attending my first choice school. At
first Bridge to me seemed like different form of rejection
leading to a maybe acceptance. But really it was a chance
to refresh my thinking skills and check out the school.
Answer questions like: Do I belong here? Can I test myself
and pass? Wouldn't change coming here for anything.

Thanks Todd & Flynn!!

Peace

We passed

Im glad that we made it. This program really had alot of people stressed, but we put in the work and effort that Flynn and Todd saw as us being ready for college. This fall we are now Columbians. This has been a great experience. This was fu, and I just cant wait for the college life.

War...

Dear Bridge English Class,

It's been too long since I've seen your smiling face(s). Being away from home for so long has left me Ill and battered and I'm not sure how long I can last. The war is hard and the only reason I wake up each morning is for the antipation that one day I can come home to you and my family. The war has been underway for 4 weeks now and it doesn't seem to be near an end. Many of my closest friends and teammates who have been with me here since the beginning will not have lunch with me today. So many brave men. Lost. Just promise me you'll wait for my return this fall.

Love,
Ryan Faris

p.s. i've attached an embarrassing picture of garrett.

bone head

Did 20-year-old Antavio Johnson deserve two years? I disagree with
jail time being the correct form of punishment. If anything that’s
only fueling a fire even more than it has to be. This young man
already has his conceptions of law enforcement, so to sentence him
to two years in prison is proposing his freedom of speech is a crime.
Expressing his feelings about an officer is one thing and physically
harassing an officer is another. MySpace is an online society to
network. A rapper like Johnson who is publicizing his music
regardless of the content, and who it portrays. I personally think
that Antavio was a bone head to specifically mention officers’ names
that he previously dealt with in his song.

"Kill me a cop"

I don’t think he deserves two years of prison just for singing this song; it would be another thing if he actually killed the two cops he mentions. Well I think it’s not really an issue of freedom of speech, it’s more about how he threaten two cops and because his African American they “lock him up and lose the key”. I also really don’t think he should be celebrating a death of a cop. In the article it says that he is a self proclaim Christian rapper, what Christian goes around saying that he is going to kill a cop when it’s a sin to murder.

Rap BLog

I believe that he did in fact did deserve to be arrested for his lyrics. By using specific cop names he is making a legitimate threat against someone’s life. Whether he was going to actually go through with the crime or not is besides the point. I think freedom of speech is kind of void when someone’s life is at stake. However, I think the sentence of two years might be a little harsh. In fact, I think it said he had produced this track a long time ago too...so I'm not quite sure how you'd go about handling things like that.

This song would probably have never been heard if it wasn’t for the progress of technology. Because of technology, this song has proof of existence by being able to hear it over the internet whenever one wanted.

I think our opinions are based on many things. You could be heavily influenced by the media, your family/the way you were raised, or you could go out into life and form opinions based off the people you meet and the experiences you’ve had.

Murder LAW

I think the rapper should have become more established nationally before making that type of song. I also think he should not have actually dropped the officers' names. I think we as citizens in America have freedom of speech, but he should have chosen wiser words. as the article states other rappers have done it in the past, but he isn't developed well enough to rap. I feel the officers may have felt threaten and thats the reason for theyouyng man's arrest. I feel that they shouldnt have went in his past though.

READ THIS BEFORE THE PANEL TODAY

Go here

Kill Me a Judicial System?

I find that the two-year jail sentence Antavio Johnson was served with is wrong. He created a song, which, in his own right, is a piece of art. A man was arrested for creating. Since when does any person get arrested for creating anything? Can you imagine being held in a prison cell for simply painting a picture of a police officer being shot? For me, this is unimaginble. I don't find this situation to be one of the freedom of speech more than it is about the freedom of creatism. Whether it be a scultpure, drawing, song, or even a poem, everything made is in the realm of creativity, where everyone's feelings can be opinionated without punishment. Now, if one was to make a plastic explosive, this does not fall under the same catagory. I'm talking about something that can be used for an everyday component of the art medium. I don't think it matters if he posted it on Myspace or sold a million CD's - he shouldn't have been taken in for expressing and showing off his work. I believe that the only problem here is the perspective of different people, the perhaps ignorant take on other's thoughts, and the refusal to accept other's opinions. Using the situation as an example, the judicial system as a whole couldn't see the point of view that such people as Johnson and Ice Cube had. These rappers were trying to be punished for a deeper meaning and argument that the system could not or refused to have an understanding for. I think that everyone, especially in power, should try and have a more open look at other's ideas and beliefs, even if not in agreeance with them, so for Johnson to be considered "right" or "wrong" for his art is the real crime to me.

rapper gets 2 years

I think that this rapper shouldn't of went to prison. The reason why I feel that way is because everyone has the right to speak their mind and say what they feel. We are all entitled to our own opinions and to say what we feel. If this rapper felt as if he wanted to kill a cop, than that is how he feels. As long as he doesn't actually kill a cop, than he shouldn't be imprisonated. Rappers make disses towards other people all of the time. They even make threats, and they get away with it. But either way, I feel that we are entitled to our own thoughts. This is all part of freedom of speech living in our society. In the late eighties, there was a group called NWA. That standed for Niggas With Attitude. They made a song called fuck the police. They talked about how they disliked the police with deep feelings and they were going to kill harm them. NWA got critisized, but still, did not go to jail. This shows that everyone is going to get critisized for what they feel, you just have to adjust to it the best that you can. There for, I feel that this rapper shouldn't be imprisonated.

Kill Me A Cop

My first opinion of the article was that it was a racist act toward a black rapper. Then as I listened further into the song I realized that he went above and beyond the typical I hate cops and threats of killing them. Most songs released is the general I hate all cops and don’t want any of them around, but Antavio Johnson got into a lot of detail about who and how he want the officers dead. The song felt like a confession or something of that sort. He literally said two specific officers that resided probably in the same county and might have arrested him previously for something irrelevant.

I wouldn’t say that he deserved what he got, but I can understand the cops for the arrest. If I was one of the cops mentioned I would be too worried that someone is actually plotting an attack on me.

Bone Making Party Montage

Is here.

Today's First Blog Assignment

Please read the story here. After reading, try and answer some of the questions posed in your post. Did he deserve two years? Is this an issue of freedom of speech? What does this say about public vs. private communication? In what ways can we use this story to talk about the progress in technology and whether or not it is helpful in such cases, or even right to force upon it. Think of the lecture on fact and faith, on documentary. What serves as evidence? What makes for one's opinion--is it controlled subconsciously by the media or is it a part of who we are based on how we are raised?

Unfinished Ryan Faris

For many people living near forests or in suburbs, it’s a common spectacle to occasionally see a deer here or there. As a child you’re astounded by the sight of such a creature lingering through your backyard, or crossing a street. You wonder where it goes, what it eats, or what eats it. But as you grow older, you tend to not really care anymore. Not that you don’t care about it’s life, you just don’t really care to pay much attention to them. However, there are things about these everyday creatures that you may never have known. An animal shrouded in mystery that begs to be uncovered and understood.

Animal

The animal I chose was Falcon simply because my high school football team was called the Falcons. Falcons scientific name is Falco Peregrines This means Falcon wanderer. Baby Falcons are called eyasses. At around forty days Pegregines falcons begin flying. I would play majestic music behind a falcon. Birds fly high and falcons are as majestic as an eagle from my perspective

Appreciating Chicago

Bridge has given me the opportunity to visit Chicago hot spots.
Even though it wasn’t my first time at the Art Institute or
Millennium Park, I was able to take back information that I had
never paid attention to during my previous visits. Traveling
throughout Chicago has only motivated me more to pursue my career
goal, so i can one day work in Chicago. I'm impressed by the
architecture and location. I'm looking forward to venturing more
into the city and networking as much as I can.

FINAL PAPER

When writing this paper I did what I usually do only it was more detailed and precise. When I began I just wrote freely all the facts and other situations that came to my head. Then , I organized the facts and my opinions and experience accordingly. I also proofread my paper, something I never do on a regular basis. I did use Todd and Flynn’s advice when I proofread my paper. The advice that they had given me was very helpful, and made it easier for me to type my paper in a reasonable order. I put in four days worth of work into my final paper; I know, that’s not a lot but I paced myself and used previous papers to help me speed up the process. This paper in a sense was easy to me, because I combined two papers and used previous knowledge and skills that I developed in English IV to make this a successful paper. I don’t feel I needed this program to help me grow and be able to do mass amounts of work, however this sharpened my skills for what Columbia is like in the fall. I am very excited about starting my journey here in the fall. I am ready for whatever, and I cant wait to get started dealing with my major so I can be successful.

Mrning Ritual

Well my daily ritual which is special to me is when i wake up in the morning and get ready to start my day. The first thing i hear when i wake up is my alarm clock goin crazy. I usually hit the snooze button because i always set it an hour before i even have to get up. So i lay in my bed for about 10 to 15 min before i get up. First thing i do is cut my radio on to 107.5 wgci cause i know the morning jump off is on. I then get my cloths that im goin to wear and iron them because that usually wakes me up a little bit more cause im get my body moving. I then head to the bathroom at this point im still a little sleepy. So before i even get in the shower i cut the water on in the shower because the sound wakes me up a little more. While the shower is still running i put my toothpaste on my toothbrush set that to the side and put my lotion and deordorant next to it on the sink. Then i hop into the shower and know im fully awake due to the steaming hot water. After about twenty minutes in the shower i get out lotion up and put my deordorant on of course i put my cloths on and then i brush my teeth and im ready to go. This is special to me because i do a lot of things different each day but when i get up in the morning i follow these steps to a tee and its not change since i was fourteen.

Animal

I have always been fascinated by butterflies and their flying patterns. If I could give a butterfly a soundtrack it will be a busy but beautiful melody. With: violins, pianos, electric guitars, and robot noises. So far I haven’t found a tune that best describes the music for a butterfly.

Juan Trevino

I am really interested in the lion. I am fascinated with this animal for many reasons. One of them being that the lion is the king of the jungle. It is at the top of the food chain. I like this animal because it is aggressive and it is very strong. This is a powerful animal. If I were to put the lion into a presentation I would use a gracing type of music to show how crucial and amazing the lion is. Also, I would show how active the lion is by advertising it in action. Meaning, showing clips of it roaming, playing, and eating. The lion is a large mammal, with lots of muscles, and a long massive tail.

The most important meal of the day

Having breakfast is something that I rarely do, but really should.
I’ve found the mornings that I’ve eaten; my day seems to go much
smoother.Yes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
I personally have never paid attention to that saying, I’m either
too much in a hurry or I just look forward to an early lunch. Now
I’ve noticed that eating breakfast makes me more aware of my tasks
and less occupied on my growling stomach and more on my day ahead
of me. This will defiantly be a ritual by the time Fall comes around.

Shower

Taking a shower has become a wonderful occasion during my everyday life. The event has formed into somewhat of a ritual of me as it is one that I thoroughly enjoy each and every time I experience it. Either after waking up in the morning or before dazing off into sleep, I jump into the ready, warm steams of water and stay there for as long as the comforting, therapeutic feelings endure. For me, the shower is not only a physical cleanser, removing the debit of one's day, but also helps condition me in an emotional state as well. There is a sensation felt while washing away the night or the day I had experienced beforehand, for it is the beginning of a new cycle. I feel as if everything in the past can be forgotten as it is being washed away and then after drying out and preparing for whatever is next; there is a clean slate ahead of me. The shower is also a place for my own meditation. It is a place to think and collect ideas that perhaps would never come to me while a computer sits in front of my face as a distraction from the outside world. This is my place to think outside of the box and form my ideas into deeper thoughts as the caressing water flows past me. However, I am not saying that this way of thought can't be attained by myself outside of this sanctuary, but it just creates an open forum where the notions I have of the world, my surroundings, politics, religion, and so on, can come to fruition and be explored by my mind in a more focused manner.

Peer Pressure

In "Our America" most kids get in trouble because their peers and beening followers. So my question is how do peer pressure affect you and others around you.

KAMERON HALL(SOME MEN WERE MADE TO BE WOMEN)

FLYNN DORHOLT YOU ARE A FUCKIN COWARD ASS BITCH... YOUR NOT A MAN YOUR A WHORE I HOPE YOU DON'T RAISE YOUR KIDS TO BE AS COWARDLY AS YOU BOY. NEXT TIME TRY STANDING WHEN YO PISS AND NOT SITTING DOWN...BITCH

Blog Question

For those new to chicago: what did you think of the art institute?
Do you plan on returning for fun while attending columbia?
What is your favorite part of it?
And What parts of it would you like explore more?

For those who have been there before:
Did bridge help you gain more respect for it? Why?
If not, why not?
Are you interested in coming back while attending columbia?

Blog Question

Final Paper is finally here

How did you go about writing your final paper? Did you use Todd and Flynn's advice as you proofread your paper? How much time and effort did you put in your paper? Was this paper easy ? Was it hard? Did you grow up until this point in the bridge program where you felt without the program you wouldn't have been able to do this amount of work? How do you feel about getting started as a student in the fall here at Columbia?

Chris' Response to Nicole's Question

Choosing between the five elements of writing we were taught last week during class, I would have to conclude that focus is the most important one to have learned more about.  Personally, all of the other elements have been easier for me to pick up on throughout my school career.  The feeling comes to me that I have been able to put together logical ideas in a progressive order, but I have run into trouble putting all of my thoughts together in a focused manner.  The concepts I had combined on a certain topic made sense, but never seemed to connect to the reader as I would have hoped.  My thought is that the focus is the most important part of a paper.  Organizational and grammatical errors can always be tweaked and fixed, but if there is no focus to present and work towards, then the essay is doomed from the start.  The focus works in direct relation to the thesis and purpose of the paper in the first place.  One cannot create a thesis if they do not even know what the idea, or focus, of what their writing is.  This is why I find importance in learning more about this particular element during my time in Bridge.  Without being helped to pinpoint the goal I'm trying to accomplish in my essay, I would be lost and unable to have a basis and standard to work off of in my college tenure.

BLOG Question

In class last week we were asked to concentrate on
these five elements: Focus, Content, Organization,
Style, and Mechanics. Refer to the workshop sheet
we were given.

Which of the five do you feel have needed the most
focus during Bridge? And why?

Blog Question Responses

It was ten pm; I was in the computer watching Naruto episodes, when my sister received a phone call from a strange lady, the lady told her that my dad was hit by a car. Two blocks away from where we lived. My sister told me to get up and come with her I wasn’t really sure what was happening. I kept asking her what’s wrong, and then she told me, I couldn’t believe I thought it was joke or something. When we went to where my dad was at, I saw him and there he was sitting on the floor his eyes looked out of it. They were wide open. I started to cry when I saw his hand cut open, they had called the ambulance and my dad was saying that he wanted to sleep but they wouldn’t let him.

my angel

A really good friend of mine passed away this past April. He was on
his way home from a club that a bunch of us friends were at, he never
did make it home. Him and another friend had car trouble, so they
parked on the side of the Dan Ryan waiting for help. When an off
duty police officer who was under the influence rammed into them;
killing them both . I had known him since grade school, and recently
reunited a couples years ago through MySpace. I’m left with the
crazy memories we had, especially the night before he passed away.
That night was the first time we actually hung out in a couple months,
since our schedules had always collided with each other. So for a
while I was left with guilt that I should have made the a point to get
together like he always did and I just brushed him off. I’ll never meet
anyone like him, he was so talented and part of the reason why I’m
eager to attend Columbia . I’m remind of everyday being in the City
and passing by spots where his name is tagged. Rip Fausto.

Chris' Response to Juan's Question

War is a devastating, terrifying act that almost has no equal. I have never experienced an event such as war.  I have never been effected by an event like that.  The closest thing do a devastating experience that I have had would have to be the breakup with my most recent girlfriend.  Her and I had gone to high school together and continued to know each other through a small movie theater that we worked at together.  Our flirty friendship inevitably escalated to the point of beginning a romantic relationship where we spent just about everyday in each other's company.  I had and have never connected to a person quite like that in my life up to that point.  At the time, I felt as if she and I were made for each other as this was during a time of air-headed bliss, more or less. We dated for about a year and five months and she had lived with me and slept in the same bed as I for about a year of that time.  She then eventually came to spring classes here at Columbia.  Three weeks later, I came to visit her on the day after Valentine's Day at the very place I am currently residing for the Bridge Program.  This ended up becoming the worst day of my life, as this is the day she ended our relationship.  Without getting into details, it broke me in an incredible way.  On top of this event, three weeks after the breakup, I had learned that she had become engaged.  This hurt me even more deep down, although I never showed it.  Still to this day, I am not the same, but continue to pick up the pieces.  The worst part of the situation was that I never saw it coming, as it was never expected on my part due to my lack of consciousness in the unconscious state of "love" I was in. Despite the painful emotions that came along, it has become a learning experience and I feel like a stronger person because of the events.

Most people can say they;ve experienced times in their life that they felt were very serious. However, not everyone can speak of a time in which something happened as serious as the things that happened in Maryjane's life. But I'll write about a time in which was serious to me. When I was a sophomore in high school I went through an experience which changed my life forever. My best friend whom I trusted more than anything, stole my girlfriend. When I began to speak out and react harshly about the situation, others stopped being my friend because they liked him better. The friends I did have left wouldn't set aside much time for me because they preferred to hang out with them more than me. So I gave up. I locked myself in my room and spent all of my time recording little psychedelic instrumental tunes. I read books by Herman Hesse, ditched school, slept full days, and grew my hair past my shoulders. Though it was one of the most depressing times in my life, it was completely necessary in becoming who I am today. It was my beginning to music, production, reading on my own, and living free.

Juan's blog question for Thursday 8/6/09

In are lives, we are going to be faced with various situations. We go through hard times and bad times. In the book that I am reading, known as Persepolis, there is a little girl named Marjane. She is living with her mother and grandmother. In the story they go through various problems and negative situations. One of the main things that they go through on a day to day basis is there is a revolution in their community. They try to deal with it, and cope with it the best they can. But, it is hard for them. They try to do the best they could to deal with it by protesting. But, with a revolution, comes a lot of heart ache, and mixed emotions. This is an event that is serious, and is a life changing experience. Have you ever faced anything in your life that was this serious? Have you ever gone through an experience that changed your life? If so, what is your experience and how did you and your peers deal with it. What was the result? Explain your thoughts and ideas. Be detailed and specific with your anser.

Wow

The lectures have been an opportunity to discipline myself on note
taking,improve my comprehension, and pick out certain facts in
detail to refer back to. There of course have been speakers that
have captivated my attention more than others. For example the
photography speaker’s tone and demeanor didn’t help his content,
I found myself struggling to stay focused on the main point.
Where as the speaker about African culture was more enthusiastic,
I was paying attention the entire time, and found myself knowing
some factors of the lecture. Proving that certain people might
more intrigued than others due to their interests and others
can be captivated through their overall presentation.

Lectures Zzzzz........ YAY

I agree and disagree with the fact of having lectures. They are helpful and do stimulate our note taking techniques, but on the other hand they are boring and take a lot of energy out of us. The lectures aren’t necessary. They just teach us about a subject in which some cases we are not interested in. In the cases that we are interested the learning process is thorough and easy to understand. I feel the lectures are really informative and based on what one is interested in that should determine what the lecture should be about. For example if the lecture is about the advance of Nike and the history and how the shoe is made. That may interest me but it may not interest Bob. Bob may hate Nike and want to learn about addidas, or Bob might think its pointless to talk about shoes period, because it doesn’t deal with his major. So if the lecture is interesting or the topic interests the audience the lecture would be helpful and enjoyable. Otherwise it has no point and should not be showed. That is my view on lectures overall as a whole so far.

Chris Blog Response

Well I like the visual image lecture by Kevin Hendry. It was interesting to see how artist back in the days used the bible to paint a clearer image to the audience, and how they made it easier for people to understand especially the ones who couldn’t read. I think some of the lectures had value but there some where the results turn out to be in conclusive. I see the lectures as a practice for actual college lectures. The lectures made me very sleepy in which I have though of ideas in which I can keep my self awake. I have to keep a bottle of water in my bag so that I can drink water every time I am about to close my eyes. I need two clothes pin to attach the top of my eye lids so that they won’t close. My last idea is to bring bright markers that hurt my eyes so that I can focus on taking notes and not falling asleep. I also think the lectures have made me a better note taker, even though my older sister looked at my notes and said she couldn’t understand anything, as long as I understand it’s all good. _- ]

My picture is linked here!

I chose this picture because my theme is pursuit of happiness and the text in the photo says let's get away from it all. Which connects to me because the book takes place in a ghetto so to pursue happiness means to get out of the ghetto. The image looks so peaceful and relaxing that if one was to get away from all the violence, I would assume that that scenery would be ideal for the pursuit of happiness. It is just such a change in settings from the cold hard ghettos of Chicago. Where you have huge high-rises and concrete empty fields, no grass or trees to give the setting color, where in the picture you've got a bright blue ocean, and big green palm trees. It's kind of like a compare and contrast type of image; one extreme to the other.

This is just another picture of another place ideal to find happiness.

Alientation

This image represents the theme alienation. In stranger than fiction, you learn of many people who are alienated for being who they are. The wrestlers are alienated from society because no ones understands why they're so into wrestling. Chuck Palahniuk felt alienated from his friends because he wasn't as muscularly large, or nearly as dumb as them (he's not dumb at all), and when Chuck and his friend dressed as animals to get a sense of how it feels to be alienated by society like many races and genders have had to deal with their whole lives growing up in community's filled with ignorance. Ignorance toward people who are much different then yourself or those you grew up with is quite common. However, you should show others with respect, soon you'll realize they're not much different then yourself.

A visual stimuli can help support a theme by helping the reader understand the emotion in which the writer is coming from. From looking at my picture you should get a sense of loneliness and abandonment. The image is dark, sad, and abstract.

The image is reflective of my own feelings toward the issue in a sense that I feel no person should be alienated from community. People should be willing to work with anyone who needs help or is being alienated. Community is about bringing people together with the common goal to help others in need and accepting those who are different then us. You know? Friendship and fun!

The picture I found is as stereotypical as it gets for the theme alienation.

Poverty in Chicago

I found this picture when I searched poverty in Chicago, and right off the back I notice stereotypes. They have a teenage mother in the bed with two small children on what it looks like is a bed that has linen from the county. This image represents poverty because the mother and her two children are all sharing a twin sized bed. They also have linen from the county, and it looks as though their environment is dingy, dirty, and small.. They have concrete walls beside the bed like a prison. A visual helps support my theme because it can back up what I’m saying. I think this somewhat reflects my views on the issue at hand, because I can see the poverty and this is how I view poverty. One thing I don’t do is the stereotypes and I wouldn’t expect poverty to be a teen mother with two kids in every case, but it does add on making this picture of poverty more of a reality.

"techno sucks."

In a social setting or conversation with a person I have never met before the question of musical taste comes up often. Because of this common misconception of the music or culture that I love I am usually reluctant to tell someone what really interests me. I usually say electronic music and leave it at that because of the fact that if I said some of my favorite genres I would get the classic quote I hear from every uninformed person.
“Oh ya, you listen to like that Techno shit?”. Yes, I do; but the main perception that society has on techno is this cheesy over produced garbage that people within a real community hate. Its like someone who makes good, cultured hip hop hating all of the top forty garbage that is thrown on the radio. I am reluctant to tell people what I like because I know they wont understand.
Another misconception is that everyone who listens to techno is on drugs. It is true that the explosion of rave culture and electronic music in the early nineties was fueled by drugs, but most of the producers didn’t even do drugs. Rave culture has died out but the producers still make the music they love. It isn’t about pulsating drum sequences and making people go nuts. Its about the experimentation, the discovery of new sounds, pushing the envelope with what you can do with technology. The crossbreeding of genres to create entirely new music.
A lot of people think techno or house producers are jokes and don’t make real music, but they should be valued once again, as the frontiers of new sounds and synthesis. People fail to see the influence that electronic music and what the rave culture had on modern day music. It could be misinformation but sometimes I get made fun of for what I do. I believe this is pure ignorance.

The picture above is what I believe the most common misconception is about techno, Drugs.

They are obiously on the designer drug ecstasy

IF YOU CARE ENOUGH TO LISTEN TO THIS. HERE YOU GO. THIS IS TALENT.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM8ugQXtZMg

Self Reflection

Knowing where you’ve been, where you are now,
and where you would like to be is an import
aspect of your self reflection. Chuck Palahniuk,
author of Stranger than Fiction writes about his
personal experiences as well as Others. Not only
are they relatable in the outsider and Community
theme, but also each have a conflict or great
acceptance of self reflection. The photo I’ve
chosen to represent self reflection is a mirror.
It might be necessary to view yourself, to gain
a retrospect on your future endeavors and
appreciate your past decisions.

Response to Chris's question.

I view lectures as an important part of learning. Though they can be ruff at times, I feel they are necessary in teaching large groups of people, and can be a very fast way in covering a large amount of information quickly. However, I do not believe the lectures we have attended helped us in anyway except the realization that this is something we’ll have to deal with in college. Not to mention, something we’ll have to learn to use to our advantage.

As I said, I have not gained new listening skills, and only few new note taking skills while attending bridge. I felt most of the lectures were very educational and I never once fell asleep, or gotten even close to falling asleep during a lecture. Ah, and I just remembered. One note taking skill in which I thought to be useful that I did learn was making a summary of your notes. Thanks Todd.

The lectures in fact did challenge my thoughts quite a few times. The photography lectures had me questioning man before written and spoke language (which was not at all covered in the lectures, unfortunately). The genocide lectures got me thinking of ways to end genocide. If we can learn to reach out to more people with kindness and compassion, and show the world that people are people no matter where they come from, this could possibly one day me a probable goal.

Kameron (birthday sex)

Sex is my theme, how the picture represents my theme is it shows you how a couple might act after a sexual incounter. Having a visual aid can help alot because if a person doesnt know what your talking about then showing them an actual picture can be of assisstance when trying to understand the topic. I feel that the image is raw and direct because it shows you the behavior of most couples when they just finished having sex. But in most situations people usually just have sex and then depart. There are stereo types in the picture, for starters just because you have sex with a person doesnt mean you have an actual attraction towards that person. Sex is sometimes a job for people and it isnt fun all the time.

Camel

When I saw this image it made me feel like I had to smoke in order to be relaxed and in a nice an easy environment. But when I see my brother all I hear are coughs and a rude temper. It so weird how they have nice calm colors but when the doctors takes a look at cigarette smokers lugs they all appear black. The side effects of smoking are: Smoking can cause chronic lung disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke, as well as cancer of the lungs, larynx, esophagus, mouth, and bladder. http://www.gdcada.org/statistics/tobacco.htm wow that’s a lot of side effects just for smoking cigarettes.

NOTE FROM FLYNN!

If you don't continue to focus in the blog session and finish the assignments, both of them--the one I handed out and a thoughtful response to Chris, then I will write a progress report recommending that you are not ready for college. Additionally, if you finish the assignments you must write at least three responses to other student's postings from the last three days; responses are three and more sentences.

mixed emotions

In life, we are going to be faced with different situations. Everyday, something new happens or a change may occur. Either a positive change or negative change. We go through good times and bad times. Good times usually results are emotions to be on a more positive level. Such as being happy, enjoyable, or resulting for your mind to be at peace. Bad times result with a negative outcome of emotions. It could lead to many different feelings. Such as, mad, sad, or stress. It could also lead to an even more serious feeling, Being depressed, mourning, or even heart ache. We try to to cope, and deal with things in different ways. Some of us take all of it in and are able to manage it. While others let it soak in their systems and let it drowned them. Personally, I am the type to take my negative emotions, and deal with them. Never letting them go to heart. Positive, I take them in, but don't let it go over my head and always strive for better outcomes. We all are outsiders when it comes to emotions. Meaning every one is different, and handles situations in their own personal ways.

Theme Photo

This photograph has stuck out as it is somewhat a foreshadowing to a deeper idea that comes from the large theme of warfare that I have extracted from the book I have been reading. The world in Persepolis is one torn by fighting and conflict. In two different instances, the setting country of Iran is in a revolution within itself due to the backlash of its people and then is at war with the neighboring country of Iraq. Taking a look at the revolution particularly, one can come to the conclusion that the rebellion has happened due to the suppression of the Iranian people and their rights as individuals. They have been fought by their government with imprisonment, torture, and death. Though, I myself have not faced such foul treatment, there is a feeling of suppression in my own life. I feel expected to complete certain tasks in my life as the American lifestyle has conformed into a pattern or school, marriage, buying a house, and so on. Society had morphed the normal, enjoyable life into a laundry list as it portrays happiness through certain actions and material goods. For instance, people aren't shown as happy through media unless they have a beautiful smile and a perfect job. This kind of example slowly devalues the average person's life as they don't feel like they have the things that matter, even though they have many gifts right in front of them. I dump of a home is still a home that some people on the earth do not have. One of the biggest things that society has made into one of, if the most important things in life is money. Nobody is expect to be happy or healthy without money to hold them down and be able to get by. The world has reached the point where people will live, breathe, and die for money. In fact, people will fight and loose everything for money because it has become so essential for a happy means of life. This, in the end, brings war. The expectations of people and the importance of money deludes society to this point. The photograph above helps depict this point as money, in my mind, has been everlastingly bonded to war, but not just in violence, but perhaps in one's self as well.

Chris' Question for Wednesday

Recently as a class, we have been debating over the lectures we have been listening in on.  We have picked out our favorites and alluded on them, but we have also criticized these speeches as well.  However, we have added our thoughts and opinions on what we enjoyed and did not enjoy only on the individual ones we have heard.  My question is, how do you view the lectures as a whole?  Do you feel that through this program, the speeches have helped you finely tune your note taking, improve your listening skills, or even interest you and challenge the ideas already collected in your mind?  Or, do you think these lectures were just boring as sin with no value what so ever?  Depending on what your choice is, why do you feel the way that you do?

Think Big

I think that each lecture I have been able to attend have all had some interesting points within them. The lecture that intrigued me the most was the lecture on Genocide. Not because of the grotesque pictures or disturbing information, but that story of Naomi Natale and her pursuits. She has thought of ideas that I could not of even fathomed of being possible and she is showing how activism and a community of artists can come together and make a statement bigger than they’ve could have ever perceived. After the lecture it made me feel as if I have been thinking too small, and that I should try to think bigger than myself. It made me even think of how one of Chicago’s indigenous music genres has now been pushed underground. I want to help bring it back, and show people what Chicago has blessed the world with over twenty years ago.

Deep Thoughts on genocide MIKE G

I think genocide is unjustified and something no group of people should experience. Hatred has a big role in genocide. Hitler was a big leader of that back in the day. He was an Austrian but he only supported Germans. His thing was if you weren’t his definition of perfect you deserve to die. It is said that Hitler took his concept from the ideas of Arthur de Gobineau. Arthur’s theory was Life unworthy of life, basically saying one is alive but they don’t deserve to be. Whose to say someone shouldn’t live. Hitler wasn’t God, and he was not perfect. People just fell to his feet. He is definitely one of the most significant leaders in Genocide. I think the only reason people would think to do such a thing is because of hate as I stated earlier. Genocide doesn’t solve anything. God put all kinds of people on this earth, not just one kind so its meant for all types of people to be here. No nation should be superior, and no nation should make any other nation extinct

Genocide Response

According to Webster's Dictionary, genocide is the systematic destruction of a political or cultural group. There have been many genocides in the world's history, such as the slaughters in Rwanda, the unclaimed killings is Armenia, and then also in Sudan.  After studying this subject through my years of schooling, I choose to focus more on the Holocaust (http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005143), as it is the most fascinating to me.  This was the case due to it being the first mass murder I had ever learned about and the thought of such terrible destruction resonated with me ever since.  

During the times of World War II, Nazi Germany was growing strong against the ally forces.  Throughout those years, they had been invading countries all over Europe which were occupied by great Jewish populations.  Due to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime's feelings against the Jewish people, they created the"Final Solution".  This policy was put in an attempt to kill off the Jews of the continent.  The genocide didn't just end there, as Romas were also killed as well as physically or mentally disabled hospital patients were also "taken out" due to an act called "Euthanasia Program".  I believe these incidences occurred due to Nazi Germany's own beliefs.  Even though committing a horrendous act of violence, Hitler and his followers believed he was doing the right thing.  He may or may not have been crazy, but he must have truly believed that the Jews were a honest to God plaque that had to be eradicated from the Earth.  I am in no way trying to defend this man as I and countless others view him as a sinister, evil person, but in the eyes of his people, he was king.

The G Word

Genocide is to purposely organize the destruction, of an ethnic, racial, or religious culture.
I think genocides occur because of the leader’s insecurity towards the people they irrationally punish or they just might have a huge grudge against them. When you really think about it, when humans are intimidated they react in different ways, some hide and others think of a counter attack. Genocides provide a way for disturbed people to get rid of what they fear, hate or just don’t understsand.

Janet

Genocide

Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group. The genocide that touch me more was th Rwandan genocide. It happen because the Tutsi intended to enslave the Hutus dur to a lot of ethnic tension. I feel real sad when i see and hear about it cause the young people had to die. Also the brutal way they were killing the people and just made me think how could someone have that much hatred in there hearts do things like that. I really want to know why it happen but in myn mind there is no reason why you should kill almost 20% of a population.

Movie Lecture

The lecture of my choice would be the one given by Professor Stephanie Shonekan. I really liked how she involved us and made us think about the media and if it truly was giving us a one sided view on other countries. It would be ignorant to not question that it was possible for them to do, but I’m not sure if it would be worth it to jeopardize the media’s image just for money. Also I am a huge music fan so when Ms. Shonekan brought up that she had a class about ethnomusicology I got interested right away. I think that her studies on human behavior to music and music to cultures is very important, to get down to the roots of what makes people do what they do when hearing certain music. Why rappers always talk about girls, money, and clothes, why rock bands talk about destruction and rage. Now I know that is a closed minded view but in general how does it all relate to culture and ethnicity. What attracts us to each genre of music and if it has anything to do with us genetically. The mind is a crazy thing to try and figure out but it is also intriguing at the same time. Each person has one of their own but with many similarities to one another. The lecture really makes me want to minor in Black World Studies or Cultural Studies; I really feel it will help me to produce great music that people will really love to hear.

My favorite lecture

Through out these last two and a half weeks, there was a lot of lectures. Personally, I didn't like any of them. I felt that they were pointless, and that we didn't need to know any knowledge on what they were about. Maybe other people feel different than I do. Or maybe they share the same opinion as I do. But personally, they weren't for me. I feel like they weren't needed. There was one that I payed the most attention to. It was the Stephanie Shonekan. The reason why this lecture was the only one that amused me is because it was very graphical and the speaker got the students involved. It wasn't just a boring lecture like the others where the speaker just talks the whole time to the point where I lose all focus because of a lack of interest to listen. This speaker was outgoing, fun, and enjoyable. She showed us photo's that we could understand, and relate to. For instance, a cover of the movie, The Lion King. describing to us, why is their only animals in a movie about Africa? Why don't they show the beautiful culture and race in the movie? What she was saying made sense. I was enjoyed by her lecture. But still, I felt like we don't need the lecture.

fave lecture MIKE G

Honestly so far I haven’t liked any of the lectures. The lecture on mice was boring to me. I tried to pay attention but I’m not a science guy. I really think I was being close minded, because science is not my forte’. I was at orientation for the second one, which would probably be my favorite. I wasn’t there but from my peers perspective it would have really interested me. I would really like to see a presentation done on music and the history of some famous artists that we listen to today. Also it should incorporate into the other fields of art. It should relate music to other fields of art. Todd gave me some great advice about art and paintings and he incorporated it into music, so if the lecturer can incorporate the music into other arts then it will be way more interesting. I told Todd that I could unveil artwork in my mind but not on paper as well, and Todd’s response was well think of art as music, and at first I thought what the hell is he talking bout? But he explained if I could see certain things in art like music then I would understand better. If the painting is dark then I can see a dark music style or if its loud with splotches everywhere I can see hits that the whole band makes within a chart. We need a lecture that tie into all the majors here at Columbia and it will surely be more interesting

Kameron (Lecture)

The lecture that stood out the most to me, was how Hollywood lies to the public about Africa. The lady was trying to tell everyone that whites don't run Africa and there's more to Africa than just lions and tigers. I liked the lecture because it showed how ignorant some people are for example when the white boy in crowd had asked "was the watermelon good" I felt totally offended that he would ask a question like that knowing the presenter is black and there were blacks in attendance. The lecture showed the true colors of people, some people didn't even know that Africa was modernized some thought that all Africans still ran around with cloths and no shoes and that isn't true. she pointed out the fact that there more to Africa than what Hollywood presents to the public. I agree with her hollywood needs to change there prespective towrad africa and they need to be more serious.

an invisible Genocide

On a certain day out of the year genocide is performed all over the world. It is a certain holiday of sorts but genocide for a common strand of the species Meleagris gallopavo. I am speaking of Thanks Giving. Thanks’s giving was originally created when pilgrims came to the New World and began constructing villages. It is said that the tradition of eating a turkey on Thank’s giving day is tradition that dates back farther than the country was founded. In more recent years forty five million turkeys are produced and killed each year for a specific day; Thanks giving. The term produced makes the Meleagris gallopavo sound like items but really they are living organisms just as humans are. Genocide is the mass killing of a cultural group and turkeys are a cultural group because they support a culture of people who eat them in celebration, meaning that turkeys too belong to the culture because they are built into a tradition.

Major

To be honest the major that I’m going into is music business management. I have always love music and know a lot about so my major fits me perfectly and I wouldn’t change it for any other major. I want it so bad that I not though about another major at all because I’m just fixated on owning my own record label and changing the hip hop game forever.

Chris' Response to Nicole's Question

As a part of the bridge program, teachers and students alike have taken part in listening to lectures every week, which cover different topics surrounding current events and sciences. As time has passed, we have learned about lab testing, african dipicture, and even how to listen to the lectures we're being given. As interesting as some of these might or could have been, it was yesterday's speech that caught my attention the most. The presentation, "The Textual Photography", described the changing cultures and methods of visual artistry. It chorniclised the formation of pictures from the days of paintings and hieroglyphics to the new era of internet and photography, as technology has been changing rapidly for many years now. I believe that the later talk of digital camera, cell phones, and computers made this lecture more relateable to the audience it was being presented to, whereas the other speeches were in the realm of topics not so close to home. Particularly, I enjoyed te speaker and the was he brought the context to us. He came equiped with a well-planed powerpoint presentation and delivered the information with ease, in a simplistic fasion. It was not difficult for me to transfer the facts he was telling into a well recieved, person manner, due to my personal understanding of technology and his easy approach. Regardless of my technical experience, I did take away a lot from this lecture as I was taught many facts about early painting, photography, and film that I was not aware of, such as the steps the picture medium took in its progression throught the years. Due to this reason alone, I found this lecture very involving and insightful.

my favorite lecture

My favorite lecture attended thus far was the Photography lecture. Before then I had no idea how much photography influenced painting when the first cameras were developed. I learned that when photography came into play it made painting obsolete. Now that painting was obsolete it had to re-invent itself as an art form. Painting went from capturing reality and biblical stories, to capturing things that could not exist in the physical world. I find that absolutely amazing! It makes so much sense, I just never put it together myself before.

At the start of the lecture we were told that before language we communicated with pictures. This made me think of all the flaws of a society without language. I can’t even begin to imagine how my though process would work If I wasn’t constantly narrating it with words. How did one think out their actions before language? An animal is running after you and you have two options: One, stop and take out your knife, or two, keep running. How would one go about deciding which one to do without words flowing through your mind? Would you just pick one? Was life really that spastic? That random? Those are the things I think about with a life without language. If people are starting to evolve to be more visual and less lingual, that’s a horrible thing. We need a balance of the two. For each artist we need lawyer, each musician a mathematician. Without a balance the world would be boring and everyone would punch each other in the face over misunderstandings.

genocide

Genocide happens for many different reasons. Mostly because of a disagreement. Or it could be for a certain change. Personally, I don't like Genocides. They aren't the right way to go from my perspective. I feel the world should be at peace, with no violence. But, that will never happen. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and thoughts. That is mostly, the reason why Genocide's are started. A lot of the time, they are started because a certain individual or group isn't satisfied with what they have. They want more than they are intended to have. Or maybe there is no cause, and it is made out to be as there is. For instance, the war in Iraq has been going on for a while. America, is in Iraq fighting for oil. America doesn't even need oil. Soldiers and troops are dieing over a lost cause. Families are mourning their loved ones, and getting split apart. For what? There is no need to to incorporate Genocide to are lives. It does nothing, but give us negative emotions, and a lot of heart ache. That is why I do not believe in Genocide. The world as one, need to come together, and progress on a positive level. Working together with each other. But, all we could do is try and make an effort to do so.

Kameron (worry about yourself)

I feel that genocide is a problem, but its not my problem. people tend to get involved in things that has nothing to do with them, have you ever thought that your involvement can complicate a situation. People dont understand getting involved in something that has nothing to do with you, can make the predator more aggressive toward the prey. Trying to go over in other countries and force there government to change there political views isnt going to do anything but make it harder for the people of that country. For example if you stop a man whos beating his wife, most likely hes going to just tell you to mind your own business and beat his wife even more, because you got involved in something that had nothing to do with you. People need to worry about there own problems.

yesterday video post

I feel like the video with the man was trying to let people know that they are not as different as they think. I say that because watching the video I saw humor, sympathy, and compassion. Even though we may not show our feelings all the time we as humans share characteristics that are typically the same like we cry, get angry, feel happiness, love, and caring for something. It’s just some show emotions differently, why do you feel people show their emotions differently? I do feel strongly that we can provoke change because the things we change or don’t change can effect fifty years from now. The reason I say that is because a lot of people feel like things are just going to happen regardless of what we do as a whole. I say if we work together we can change anything in thw world for the better.

My Major

I have always been had a fixation with electronic sounds and synthesis, creating something that has never been heard before. I have been making music using analog equipment and digital software for over three years now. I would love to have applied to a major in musical composition, however I chose audio design. I wanted to take musical composition so I could have a better understanding of music and be able to carry out the songs within my thoughts, but after a lot of research I decided that audio design is more realistic. I can continue to work on my own productions as well as make money off of helping other artists. I decided that it wasn't about me having the best tracks, but more about me loving to get up in the morning and being able to support myself and my own pursuits.

Genocide

What do you feel about genocide? and why do you think it happens?

(From Flynn: this is a very vague question. Let's break it down--go to a search engine and find out what you can on genocide. Provide a definition in your response. Then, use a specific example of genocide, with a link to or summary of which genocide you have researched, then go on to dig into why it happens--think about this for a while, try to develop an argument.)

BLOG Question

Which lecture has been your favorite so far and why? If none have
interested you this far explain why.

(from Flynn: Again, this is sort of a vague question. It can be answered quite easily, or one can be very lazy in a response. That said, I want you to explain how, specifically, the lecture you liked most was successful as a lecture and what it made you think of. Recall the movie poster debate--go find a poster that you feel has some disturbing images, post it, and explain it (this can be done by searching google images). If you haven't like any of the lectures, write about what you'd like to see a lecture on, what you might lecture on, or what it takes to create a great lecture.

Major

As of now I want to major in Media & Communications.
This major will carry me into a broad field where I can fulfill my
many career goals. At first, I thought I wasn’t ready to complete
my degree because I had so many ideas of what I want to do in
the future. Now after researching my major and finding out that
all my interests for my future plans all need the same requirements.
I spent the majority of high school focusing my future plans on
Marketing and advertisement. When I transferred to College of
Dupage I enrolled in career development courses. Those courses
pointed me in the right direction, proving to me my right career
based on my skills, interests, and personality tests. Therefore leading
me to where I am now pursuing my education that will lead me to the
right career.

MAH THESIS

Humanity is defined as the human race or man kind but A synonym for humanity is sympathy meaning that it is instilled within all humans. Personal gain and survival blinds individuals to have a lack of compassion and misunderstanding for what it means to be human. Without a collective progression of the human race and a sympathetic attitude for another human life we are no different than primitive animals with only survival in mind.

Contradiction

Can beauty and ugly mean the same thing when they are so contrary to each other? When I think of ugly I see: fat, moles, pimples, old, and very unattractive people. Or in other words “my eyes are bleeding”. On the other side you have beauty, in which it symbolizes: good, youth, pure, and rosy checks. Beauty can also be referred as “dam she hot” according to my primitive brothers. I believe that beauty and ugly are balanced, you can not have one with out the other. For example lets say there is a beautiful girl who can capture any man’s attention

Chris' Response to Ryan's Question

When I was growing up, film was my love. There was an urge inside me to produce and create pieces that would entertain people, whether it be a comedy or Shakespearean tragedy. There was something that compelled me to move people emotionally. I wanted to make them laugh and cry just as many movies before had done to me. I would be at home with my friends just creating short movies all day. When in the process of transitioning from high school to college, I decided on entering my higher education to major in the business of shooting and directing my shorts and also feature lengths.
However, my initial plan for college was put on the back burner as I took two years off to myself after I had graduated. This was partially due to my lack of interest in schooling and I felt overwhelmed by life at the time. During the coarse of this time, I became more aware of my surroundings while honing in on what I really wanted out of life. At the same time, the economy of our country was tumbling downhill as it is still in a unfavorable state. When I got my act together and decided that college was a commitment I was absolutely willing to make, I started to chose what I would be majoring in. I still loved and love film, but thinking about it thoroughly, the movie industry had always been a risky one to get into and the economy wasn't making it any easier. Instead, I turned to my other passion - drawing.
I had been drawing ever since I was a small kid, but had never noticed how much I had centered myself around it my whole life. I started with drawing, then moved to painting, and then eventually evolved into the world of photoshopping. I had taken all of these elements and decided that graphic designing was something that I was really interested in. Settling on this was an obvious decision, but it didn't come to me right away.

Blog question response

My response to the blog question is that I am focused and determined to succeed my first major that I have chosen. I plan to stick with my first major, and complete it. I would like to be the best I could possibly be in my first major, which is music production. But, if somthing were to go wrong my back up plan would to just major in anything that involves music buisness. That is where my mind is at interest.

Thesis Statement

I believe the message in Chris Abani's story was that we can provoke change by redefining what it means to be human. By showing compassion and kindness to others we can show others what it means to be human and in turn influence a generation of compassionate and caring individuals. But how long will it take? Does your upbringing completely account for how an individual will turn out? And do the best of us always act out of compassion? I believe these are questions we should ask ourselves in our goal, for without the ability to ask ourselves questions and show compassion, we wouldn't be human after all.

Flynn's Example Reponse to Thesis Blog

It concerns me that it takes stories like the ones told to us today, stories about the execution of innocent boys, about the attempted trapping of a nine year old into an army, to think about how we are affected by similar circumstances. Why does compassion have to come after horror? Do we act out compassion on a day-to-day basis? Can we alter the depth of the atrocities surrounding us enough to feel happy at least a bit? With the incredible amount of disturbing and relentless forms of violence, not just abroad but even at home, it is my thought that we can never escape the horror and thus we often steer away from compassion.

TED RAWANDA

I recently watched a short film on Rawanda and the film was an informative,humorous, and tragic view of some of the things that occured. He started off talking about how he was going to tell a story. I was anxious to hear it so I gave him my attention. He then started to talk about a saying which was one is the most beautiful when one is its ugliest. That left me confused and I lingered on thart for a second. He then explained this word Abutu, which basically was saying to be a human you have to be around humans. He told a couople of jokes of how he perceived Abutu to him as when he would curse people out on the way to work as part of road rage.I became more attentive as he explained that he was going to tell real stories.

To go into more detail on my beliefs on beauty and ugliness, he said we are the most beatiful when we are our ugliest. To me I think that means when a person has hit rock bottom or experienced their worst experience so far they have the knowledge or they have gone through so much that the situation has made them a new person or set them at their peak. My question for this whole thing is what makes your ugliest situations turn you into your best or most beautiful

Kameron (thesis)

I felt that knowledge was key in the discussion we watched, the speaker used real life situations to relay his message to the crowd. When he had mention how they nailed his friends penis to the table and they left him there to bleed to death, that captured the attention of everyone even those who weren't paying attention. There's nothing that we can do about the genocide situation, honestly what goes on in other countries is the business of that country. sure somethings maybe considered unruly to you but there are many people who would choose to disagree. So now you must ask yourself, does your involvement really weigh towards anything.

Thesis

“No way for us to be human, without other people.”
Our life experiences can consist of tragedies and simple acts of
kindness. Being more compassionate can help shape the world, for
example we shouldn’t think negative right away when we pass a
homeless person. That homeless person not only needs money, but
a mirror of humanity to give them hope to become something better
not for the society but for themselves. Acknowledging them is the
first step, not necessarily giving them money but acknowledging their
presence. Correcting the problems that surround us day to day are the
first to accomplish in order to be mirrors of humanity.

Thesis

I recently watched a video on a lot of sypethetic subjects and events. I liked the film very much. When the man was speaking, he was speaking from the heart. He was drivin to make the listener have mixed emotions. He was very compassionate about this lecture. I believe in some way, he was trying to indicate change. His stories filled me up with emotions and sympathy. They really touched me. He touched on a lot of subjects about people helping others and strangers that are giving. For instance, the man had never seen his mother cry through out all of the hardships she faced in her life. But, the first time he had seen her cry was all because of a giving stranger helping his mother and family. Which they were in need. The woman gave his mother toys, and clothes for her and the family.

The mirror to our own humanity could mean many different things to a certain individual. To me, it seems to mean a couple of things. To be face with reality, or some type of change. For everybody to come together in a positive manner on a certain event and make a difference. I think if we as one come together we would be able to make change. If we stick along the sides of one another we are able to do anything. But, from my perspective I dont think we would do it. It is possible, but I dont think it will happen. The reason why I feel that way is because everyone is entitled to their own opinion and that is somthing that will never change.

Thesis - Chris Abani Speech

A speech is a tool. It can be used to shape, shift, and question the listener's feelings and ideas. It can be a flat argument or conversation on a single observation of thought, but it can also be a compounded intellectual presentation which mixes fact and fiction with human emotion. When presented, it can lead a person to feel joy, such as with a cute story of a child, to feeling pain, with the child's life meeting an abrupt end. The speaker can use this kind of method to intentional push and pull at the audience's heartstrings or even to grab their attention, but what makes the listeners react in the ways they do? What is it about the stories and suggestions presented to us that stir and provoke our feelings so deeply? Why do we even have a process of reaction? The subjects heard and brought to us are taken in by our minds and connected to our emotional interior as our natural sympathy, compassion, indifference, disdain, or what have you takes the information and form a natural relation between the lives we live and the stories we hear.

Chris Abani Link

http://www.ted.com/speakers/chris_abani.html

Blog Question

Do you have a back-up major if the major you chose doesn't work out? What Is it?

If not, why are you so sure about the major you chose?

(Flynn's extension of question: This response must be written as if to a stranger. Remember to use a form of summary, present an opinion, and then proceed. Limit: 300 Words--this should be easy, granted you summarize how you came into the major and dig into what it might mean when Ryan asks "if it doesn't work out."

For example: "For years I was convinced I would major in theatre. I spent the majority of my high school years scribbling in notebooks, directing one-act plays, and thinking up new ways to make a character stand out. However, and as time elapsed, I realized the reality of such a pursuit, in that a career is not always laid out for one majoring in theatre. I then found an important backup, History. At first I thought, why would I want to study the past? Then, after thinking more about it, I became aware of the fact that the History would support the Theatre and vice versa, making my options for a career go beyond the stage to modes of teaching, interning, producing, lecturing, and overall, supporting the theatre community...

Kameron (joey interview)

When interviewing Joey, he mentioned that he was a wrestler in high school, and he didn’t agree with bashing your self in the ear to fit in because he felt he was already a member of the wrestling world just by simply wrestling with the team. My questions were based on two separate stories, in the wrestling chapter they were punching themselves in the ear for respect, joey said he doesn’t agree with inflicting pain on yourself to fit in because if you have to inflict pain on yourself then that crowd isn’t the right crowd for you. Summing up the portion about the wrestling, I realized that Joey felt comfortable with wrestling not because he had wrestled in high school but because it was a brotherhood to him wrestling was apart of him and not just a hobby. The second part of the interview was about sexually eposing yourself, what i realized about joey's responses to theses questions was, he is a strong believer of privacy and sexually exposing yourself is the wrong thing to do in any situation.

interview

I recently gave a brief description of a chapter in
Stranger than Fiction to Danny, my goal was to get his opinion
on writers’ best topics of interest. In You are Here Palahniuk told
a story of an open cast-calling for writers to pitch seven minutes
of their tale. Palahniuk focused on self told stories and how you
can sell your life story. These writers were there to find redemption,
so I asked Danny what he thought of when he heard that term. His
response was someone wishing and hoping they could change
something you could change. He personally has no regrets or reason
to feel the need to be redeemed from anything. Pitching your life
story can consist of your own experiences and thoughts, for
example personal sufferings, happy thoughts, and or some sort of
representation of your life. A representation could be in a form of a
song, so after asking Danny "What would be your soundtrack?”
I learned that, “I believe I can I fly” by R. Kelly is not only a great
song but inspiration of no limits. Discussing happiness is also
introduced in Palahniuk’s opinion of what it may do in
story telling. I asked Danny what such things make him happy,
the basis of his response was family and friends to all goodness
that comes his way. “What we do now, determines the future!”
This was a quote that definitely spoke to me, so I asked Danny
does it speak to him. He had all sorts of response, but one that
impressed Was that we are the future. What we do today can
affect people now and years from now.

mike interview chris

I interviewed Chris, and before interviewing Chris I figured he wouldn’t be very familiar with the things going on in the book. Chris wasn’t familiar with the Ida B. Wells housing projects, but he did feel as if they were taking a risk interviewing people in that environment. He stated that the children were already in a bad neighborhood and that was a big risk taken to interview those types of people. I asked the question what did he think it was like for them growing up in the ghetto, and he said he thought it was tough because of their situation and they don’t have as many privileges as the outside world. He also added that had to be a dangerous environment. He’s never witnessed or experienced the death of a friend or a close associate. He grew up in a well off area with the main crimes being drug abuse and vandalism. He had never heard of the Eric Morse story.

????

I asked Garret a couple of question that pertained to my book .He felt that war is “stupid”, I agree with Garret there should be other ways in which we can come to an agreement with out spilling blood. I asked if he would fight for his country and he said “fighting for your country should be voluntary”. I also agree with this, it’s not fair for life to be decided over a war. I wondered and thought if his answer would change if there were material items, money and women. He said no that it wouldn’t change his mind; he is not a person that cares for materialistic things and he wouldn’t know what to do with seventy-two women. But for many other people money means everything and they will do anything. My last question I asked if there wasn’t a choice betw

Appreciation for the arts "my masterpiece"

If I was limited to do a body of work that all used the median of paint and canvas I would create remakes of some of the most famous works of art. The replication would attempt to be as close as possible and the point of replicating such famous works of art is to show disrespect for monumental work in art history but also could be taken as a disregard for supporting artists and pirating art. My installment would be held outside on one day only, and all the replicas would be transported in a Trash truck. It would be waited on by an patient audience waiting to see what was within the truck. When the truck would arrive it would dump the hundreds of replicas into one single pile, and I would then walk up to the pile and catch it on fire.
This isn’t because I disrespect famous pieces of art. Its because I believe that in our current era, people do not understand that the substantial amount of influence that artwork has on the world around us. That people are so self absorbed within their own gain, that they disrespect and blow off anything that doesn’t directly apply to them. This would be stressing my main personal touch of making an audience think and leave with an idea of changing the society around them.

Escaping to Janet's "happy place"

“Everyone needs a get away; something to relieve themselves”. Escaping to our own personal place is beneficial not only to our own mind and health but the people that surround us. I have recently spoken with a fellow classmate and she too believes that everyone has their own form of mental relief; may it be through a physical median, or in a mental state.
A physical median may be anything that one would use to calm themselves and break away to their own bubble of thought if you will. We share the same median of music but Janet also paints and draws, she believes this to keep her calm; because if she doesn’t not have her own time she is constantly on edge. This is beneficial not only because of having peace at mind, but being at peace with the people who surround you.
One could get into a situation where the people around are bothersome to where one would feel as if their comfort threshold has been reached. I used the example of being trapped on an airplane over seas without any source of media or meditative objects such as paint or a pen and paper. Janet replied that she would close her eyes and just think optimistically, about what she is going to do once she gets into a foreign land. I agree with this a lot because I find myself using the same methods to calm myself down.
I now believe that escaping to a place is a crave to relieve yourself. To have peace at mind or to accomplish something that isn’t necessarily concrete. To achieve putting back all the problems within everyday occurrences and reach your own mental utopia. Whether it be through a physical median or mental state, and Janet helped me explore and believe this thought.

Interview Summery

Persepolis is a story themed around government. Within the context, the rights, wrongs, and questionable actions of this higher authority are brought to light. We are witness to these actions through Marjane's perspective as she is surrounded by the death, separation, and destruction of her country.  The cause of these events are put to blame on her government and it's operations.  It is described as controlling and brash. During class, I had spoke with Mike about some of the ways the people of Iranian people were suppressed.  

I started by posing the question of what he thought about being controlled over what clothing he wore to the music he listened to as the Iranians were, he responded by saying that it is unfair and is not right.  He continued, "We live in the United States, which means freedom.  This makes it where everyone should be the same and that shouldn't be for just us."   I feel that this holds true, for we are all human beings and no matter what background, we should all have the right to live life in the way we desire.  However, he added, "If I was in this kind of thing, I'd just go with it, you know?  It's not like you can do anything about it."  I suppose this was to point out that if people reside in dominating countries, they don't really have a choice.  This can very well be the case if the population aren't willing to stand up, fight, and even die for their freedom.  Mike went on to suggest that if he was to be surrounded by war, he would try and live as low-key of a lifestyle as possible.  "I would just sit back and pray all the time.  Like, I would just hang out on the computer, with music and stuff, even though I would feel like I was in a cage", he stated.  Taking a look from his point of view, if one was to stay out of trouble, it might be for the best.  This could help someone deal with the problems around them in a better way and keep away from the danger.  

We then moved on to how the citizens of Iran were forced to stay in the country and could not leave, unless granted clearance.  I had asked the question of what he thought about any government keeping their its people prisoners of their own home while enshrouded by death and turmoil.  He responded, "That is ridiculous Chris.  Like, that shouldn't even be allowed man.  That's just wrong.  Man, you know what, I would fight that.  I change my mind.  That's just wrong."  This obviously struck a chord as it should have as he is absolutely correct.  I believe a government shouldn't put its people in such a position.  If they feel the need to flee, the should be able to make such a choice.  Mike changing his position was unexpected at that point as he seemed firm on the stance of keeping a low profile, but he continued to say that he would fight no matter what even out of his home country's jurisdiction.  He believes that everyone has a right for what they believe in and can say and do whatever they want, unless it was "totally unacceptable".  "If they were talking about aliens and crazy stuff like that, then yeah, they should be stopped.  If they are completely out of their minds and are creating more trouble than they should, government should do something about it."  

Finally, we stepped to the subject of drafting and recruiting soldiers.  During its war with Iraq, Iran was running low on soldiers, so they started to call up children as young as fourteen-years-old.  I had asked Mike if this was a right or wrong step for the Iranian government to take.  "Yeah, it's alright.  Like, only if they really had to.  If the country was that desperate, then yeah, it's ok.  If I was put into [the war] like that, then I would fight.  It would be empowering", he responded.  As we talked, I found myself agreeing and disagreeing with his take on these topics.  I can see his point of view on everything he said, but I'm not sure if it is right to silence anybody no matter how crazed they might be and I also believe it's wrong to recruit that young.   In the long run, a government as a whole has the control.  Some are more forgiving and reasonable than other, depending on what your opinion of what "reasonable" is.  What do you believe?  Should all governments be as free and open as ours appears to be or is the variance a nice balance than we might need all over the world?  How much control do you think is too much control?

Questions with classmate

Juan: In the book Persepolis, Marjane and her family are going through a hard time dealing with a revolution on a day to day basis in there community. They try to help, but also try to stay back from it, and learn to cope with it. What if there was a revolution in your community? How would you feel and react towards the revolution? What role would you play in this event? Would you speak upon this? Would you run away, or maybe hide? Or would you fight? Would would be your reaction to a revolution taking place in your community?

Recently I sat down with a classmate to discuss the questions above. My classmate, Chris, responded to the questions in many different ways. But, he came a conclusion on what he would do and his reaction to the questions. How Chris would react to a revolution in his community is, he would speak out upon the problem and try to help and make a positive change for the better. He informed me that he is not a fighter, so he absolutely wouldn't fight. But he would stand up for what's right. Still, trying to speak out, Chris said that he would still stay on a low key level. He wouldn't want to speak out too much to the point where he has to be involved, physically, battling in the revolution. He would speak upon the event up until a certain extent. Which refers to having to fight, or be in battle. That was his response on the questions.

I sat down with Juan and we exchanged a few questions based on the books we are reading. I feel the interview went very well and we got to know our opinions on some interesting topics.
In the book Stranger than Fiction, Chuck Palahniuk dresses up as a dog to help himself feel and understand the ignorance those of other cultural backgrounds may feel in certain situations within their community. So I asked Juan, “When in your life have you been a victim of ignorance? How did you respond?” He answered the question by explaining that when he attended high school prep that he was the subject of ignorance for the way he dressed and talked. He was looked down upon for having different cultural backgrounds, or from being from a different place than the other students. Juan and Chuck were both ridiculed for the way they dressed, despite no one knowing whom they really are as people. I feel this is a common type of ignorance that I myself have been guilty of and an ignorance that I am learning to avoid as I grow older.
Chuck Palahniuk describes a festival in Missoula, Montana, in which residents of the town display grotesque group sexual acts on a stage. Throughout the chapter he writes about his overall disgust of the festival, from the overpriced souvenirs, down to the public displays. So I asked Juan, “When in your life have you been disgusted by the actions of the people around you? What did you do about it?” He began to tell me a story about a man beating his girlfriend. Juan stood up for what he believed and fought the man off the girl. The man surprisingly respected Juan for what he had done in response and supposedly gained more respect for women.


-Still needs tweaking-