One Down, Three to Go

1) Self-Evaluation

I learned a lot about myself as an individual and as a student this semester. As a science major, registering for an English class was not exactly my idea of a fun 3 credits, but this English class was not what I expected it to be. I incorrectly predicted that we would be doing nonsense grammar work, an uncountable number of meaningless readings, and firing papers out left and right. In reality, the focus of the class was much different. I preferred how we worked in depth on few papers, and really found myself enjoying the memoir which I did not expect. Being able to tell a story through writing rather than only focusing on the technical writing of lab reports is a nice break from the norm. Also, the research unit helped me more than I expected it would with my other writing I had to do in different classes. I found myself using a lot of the writing techniques I learned in English 15 for other in-class and out of class work. As a student in general, I learned that I can excel in classes that aren’t necessarily of my interest or my highest strengths, which will help me with my future courses as an undergraduate student.

Being a science major, I admittedly wasn’t thrilled to hear that we would have to participate in arts events throughout the semester as they are usually not in my interest. However, after being pushed into a few events, I realized that maybe the arts aren’t so bad after all. It’s a whole different side of life that was quite different to embrace. Even if you are not an artsy person, saying that you don’t like the arts is almost unfair because there is so much out there that it’s hard to believe you can’t enjoy any of it.

After completing my first year at Penn State, I have most importantly learned a lot about myself as an individual. Leaving a tightly knit group of friends back in Wisconsin to move to Pennsylvania for a year was quite the change for me. I had grown up really close to my family and friends and it was definitely an empty feeling to take off halfway across the country, where I would hopefully be able to see them 2-3 times in the year if our breaks even lined up. The challenge of learning to adapt, find a new home, and help me understand myself made for an interesting and unpredictable year. As my first year of college comes to a close, it is nice to look back on all of the things I have accomplished as both a student and an individual.

2) Blog Response

1. http://georgenelson11.blogspot.com/2012/02/journal-one.html#comment-form

2. http://findyourselfthroughwriting.blogspot.com/2012/03/we-are-party-school.html#comment-form

3. http://mindofabostonian.blogspot.com/2012/02/1st-career-blog.html#comment-form

3) SRTE

I completed my SRTEs!

Cultural Event #2: Festival of Poets

On April 28^th, I attended The Festival of Poets at Webster’s Café. At the event, I listened to Sheila Squillante and Sandra L. Faulkner present some of their work as poets. Also, I got to see the newly redone Webster’s Café for the first time. This experience was very new and unique to me because I was in a new place I had never been, and spectating a type of presentation I had never seen before.

The first poet, Sheila Squillante, shared many of her works which related to old relationships and the sad, negative feelings that accompanied them. She mentioned how talking about these past experiences was a weird feeling, and you could tell through some of the readings that they weren’t positive experiences for her. My favorite of her pieces were the few about her dreams. The setting and story always seemed odd, and some of the same themes like children, low roofs, and watching TV reappeared in many of them. I enjoyed the use of metaphors and other comparisons to tell a story instead of just blatantly stating the idea.

The second poet, Sandra L. Faulkner, wrote her pieces with a more straight forward feeling to them. Many of her pieces had a sexual nature to them, and as an unsuspecting member of the audience, this was slightly discomforting. The sexual tone and content of some of the pieces was a bit weird at first, but I was still able to focus on the readings without it being an issue. One thing I noticed about this reading was that people were a little less attentive than when Sheila Squillante was presenting.

Although poetry isn’t exactly my forte, I enjoyed hearing true poets present their work. Being able to witness the arts from the perspective of two seasoned poets is an interesting change up from the science curriculum of an engineer. I enjoyed the variation between the two poets and how differently poetry can be based on how literally one translates their message to the audience. I was impressed by the work of the two poets and was glad I got to experience this event in the new Webster’s Café.

Cultural Event #1: The Drowsy Chaperone

The Drowsy Chaperone, a musical casted by the students at University of Wisconsin – Lacrosse in early March, was a comedic musical following the events of an upcoming wedding. The whole foundation of the play is the narrators playing a record of the audience, and the record describes some of the events happening before the wedding occurs.  The narrator often interjected and stopped the music, allowing time to describe the events or interacting with the audience.

My favorite part of the musical was in fact this narrator, as he brought a lot of entertainment and uniqueness to the musical. He started off the musical on a humorous note, talking to the audience about the feelings they were having just before the play started. I believe this introduction really loosened up the audience and got everyone into a happier mood, although it was almost slightly discomforting. His short interjections about his favorite parts of the story and his favorite tracks that he would play kept the audience awake, all while helping keep the pieces of the story together for those that were having a harder time understanding.

There were many aspects of this production which made it more interesting as a whole. The musical background made the play lively, and it was easy to be attentive with the common changes in sets. Also, the costumes the actors and actresses were wearing were goofy and exaggerated, which gave the musical the funnier and more entertaining tone. It was obvious that the musical was very well rehearsed and that all of the cast members were really enjoying themselves which added to the overall value of the play.

Going into the event, I didn’t know if I would like it or not. I have been to my fair share of musicals and plays, but my feelings about each one were very different than the last. I would not say I am easy to please in terms of musical productions, but I did find The Drowsy Chaperone very enjoyable. I commonly found myself feeling like the content of the play was humor that nearly everyone can relate to, making it a very entertaining production. I am glad I took the opportunity to see The Drowsy Chaperone and would gladly give another round of applause to everyone involved in the making of it.

The Walking Dead Review

Where’s Carl? Well, you’re not going to find him in the house. This common theme from Season 2 of the Walking Dead carried right on through to the Season Finale. When it came time to escape the Walker ridden property, Carl was nowhere to be found. Luckily for Carl, his father, Rick Grimes, was able to find and escort him to a car and flee just before it became too late. The only problem was, like usual, the group was separated.

The Walking Dead is a post-apocalyptic horror series following a group of survivors after a disease outbreak, turning humans into zombies, also known as Walkers. The series begins with Officer Rick Grimes awakening into a zombie ridden world after being in a coma for an unknown duration of time. With the goal in mind of finding his wife and son, he struggles his way out of Atlanta with a few survivors who were on a recon mission away from their campsite. After fighting their way back to the campsite and returning to the main group, he is surprisingly reunited with his best friend, Shane, and his wife and son, Lori and Carl. Here they establish a group with mixed authority and complicated relationships.

The group, led by Rick, suffers through attacks, loss, and plenty of emotional drama, all while trying avoid herds of Walkers and any confrontation with the disease. With twists around every corner, you never know how long your favorite character will live.

The Season 2 Finale was everything you could ask for and more. Zombie killing was in full tilt, casualties were high, and many close belongings were lost. After abandoning their “safe” farm haven, the group is significantly slimmer in numbers than prior to the Walker invasion. The human casualties of the group were sad yet satisfying, as we lost a few insignificant characters that had no benefit to the group’s well-being, as well as possible threats to the group. After the escape, the truth behind a clash between Rick and Shane arises, as well as the secret that Jenner told Rick from the Season 1 Finale. This sends the group into a state of confusion and questioning just as the episode fades out and we see a huge, mysterious surprise that will surely come up in next season.

Although it seems like the survivors can only make bad decisions, these decisions lead to an intriguing plot line. With the group separated into pieces yet again at the end of the season, it will be interesting to see where everyone turns out at the beginning of Season 3. The much anticipated finale answered many questions, left plenty more, and initiated provoking thought on what is to come with the start of Season 3 this fall.

Penn State: A Party School

After listening to the This American Life podcast, I had very mixed emotions about the general content and the manner in which they tried to present it. I feel as if this was given from a very biased standpoint, and doesn’t show what Penn State is really like. When put in the wrong light, anything can look much worse than it is. I understand the intent was to show the issues that are included with Penn State being a party school, but the way they presented their anecdotes and thoughts made us look like a reckless set of students who are in general destructive and out of control. I do agree that the party scene at Penn State is big and fairly linked to the university, but I think how they showed it over exaggerated the problems that happen, especially those to the extent of deaths and severe property vandalism. With that aside, some of the things that happen such as “drunk kid in the house” are inexcusable and should not be what represents the overall picture of our university.

I found many shocking moments during the podcast. One of the main things that disgusted me was how delivery drivers were treated. To think that students would damage their cars, verbally abuse them, and even break their bones when all they are trying to do is deliver the drunk kids their food saddens me. Another surprising moment was when they were interviewing a kid at a party who was talking to a female who he had just met that night, and he openly admitted to trying to take advantage of her. “I’m just trying to get her drunk so I can take advantage of her later,” he said. I know this sort of thing happens, but it is hard to hear someone openly admitting to trying to do something like this. I also thought it was a shame how the officers could predict exactly what would happen through the night. They knew that around 2 A.M. they would get their DUI’s, around 3 A.M. was the victims and people to the hospital, and around 4 A.M. was when “drunk kid in the house” commonly occurred. This shows that these events happen frequent enough that there are trends that are fairly accurate in estimating when they will be.

The podcast had many appeals in place which greatly increased the effectiveness of their points. They used a lot of logos during their discussion and included many facts when talking about Penn State as a party school. One of the memorable ones was how 75% of the school drinks. They brought in a lot of pathos when discussing the victims of these events (such as delivery drivers and owners of houses that were intruded). Also, when discussing the fact that students die from these activities, they made their argument more credible and ethically appealing. Regardless of the party situation, I will still see Penn State as a well-balanced, superb university.

Art in Architecture

To me, art is expressing yourself in any way you feel passionate. By my definition, art will be different for every single person. I think this is true because art is something you have to have emotions for and feel strongly about. Since each person is different from the next, it is fair to say that the concept of art will change for everyone. I think that any form of personal expression to anyone is considered art, as long as someone is able to connect to it.

Being an engineer, the type of art which intrigues me the most is architecture. I really appreciate buildings and structures, and enjoy seeing all the different styles around the world. One of my favorite things to see when I go on vacations and travel are the famous structures that are near the area. I am very math and physics minded and love being perplexed by how some structures can even stand. My family went to Key West last spring and I got to see the 7 mile bridge. I was really excited to see it because I think it is amazing that we as humans can build a 7 mile bridge over an ocean and have it stand for going on 30 years now. I believe architecture counts as an art because the designs bridges and buildings have aren’t just functional; they are also made for aesthetic appeal. When the engineers constructed the 7 mile bridge, they designed it first to make it structurally sound, but secondly to give it a personal touch. If another engineer were to design it, it is safe to say the bridge wouldn’t look the same.

Along those lines, I am a huge fan of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural work. He has many different structures in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, which are my home state and where I live. His personal touch to all of his pieces makes each structure what it is, and I really appreciate every aspect of what he does. I really like his idea of creating structures “of the land, not on the land.” His best representation of this, in my opinion, is Falling Water located in our very own Pennsylvania. This building is literally built on top of a waterfall and on a rock, amongst the woods. There are parts of the building that wrap around the trees creating courtyard-like areas, and this makes the house look like it actually belongs there. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallingwater

Obviously architecture isn’t the only thing that I consider art, but it is one of the types that I appreciate the most. There are also types of art that I don’t love, but I respect and appreciate for what they are. The main example I feel this way about is musicals. I have been to my fair share of them, and seldom do I love them afterwards. However, I admire how much effort goes into them and how impressive both the acting and singing aspects of them are.

If you want to be be amazed, creeped out, concerned, intrigued, and a whole slew of other emotions, take some time and watch this conspiracy video about the Denver Airport. Through architecture, art, and structure, you will see some fairly questionable things that link the art involved in the airport to a story involving the Illuminati.

Palmer Museum of Art

Title: Cotton Choppers

Artist: Benny Andrews

Year: 1965

This piece was created using oil on canvas and depicts a few people of African descent working in a field. There are plants which are planted somewhat methodically in rows, which are small and being tended to by the workers. The description of the picture reveals that it took place in the south during a time of segregation. We also know Benny Andrews, the artist, is a vivid storyteller, and that this painting came from his perception of the social situation and his childhood memories of the event. As a narrative-based artist, his work evokes a lot of emotion. Because of this, his work is very touching and believable. During the time this was painted in the south, the Civil Rights Movement was going on and it just followed the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

                This piece relates strongly to emotion because it shows the way people of color were treated back in the time before equality among all humans. The way this piece was created shows how harsh the conditions were. The sun is bright in the sky with no clouds, there are some plants but hardly any shadows, and the ground looks like hot sand or dirt. These people were forced to work out in the sun regardless of the conditions, and you can even tell through what clothing they are wearing that they were struggling. When looking at the people in this picture, you can tell that the artist did not put a lot of detail into the faces. I believe he did this intentionally because it shows that to the white people of the era, the people of color were nothing but work horses and that they didn’t even see a unique human being in each body. This piece is also emotionally touching because the people in this picture all look exhausted, yet they continue to work in misery. The two people in the foreground are stopping to take a break, and all three of the people have a slumped posture.

                The main reason the artist satisfies a viewer’s ethos is by creating his pieces by memory, his own stories, and his past experiences. The artist also has many other pieces, most of them based on social issues and other nonfictional ideas. He paints based on experience, not with creativity. This alone helps the viewer believe that he is an accredited artist. Some of his pieces are also similar to this one showing that he has many memories of the event. As these pieces are all fairly similar, we can trust that his work is truthful because his experiences all tell the same story.

I believe the idea of painting this piece was to show the injustice going on in the south from the perspective of a man who had been dealing with it for part of his life. It is persuasive because we know he is telling a story based on experience, and the story is emotionally touching. I also believe he was trying to show how strong people of color were during this era. In the piece it is obvious how hard of workers they were regardless of the circumstance.

                I am not a frequenter to museums, but I did enjoy my trip to the Palmer Museum of Art. I found that a lot of the pieces I saw were very interesting, and many were much more than just a painting. This was my first visit to Palmer, and I was actually surprised as to how big it was. I didn’t realize how many rooms and different places there were filled with artwork, and I ended up being there for longer than I thought I would. I enjoyed my trip to Palmer and I related to much more artwork than I expected.

A First Time for Everything

As a first time blogger, I didn’t know what to expect at the beginning of this assignment. I’m fairly passive on Facebook, and aside from that have not used a whole lot of social media sites. To be honest, I was one of those people in class that thought it was funny when Ms. Squillante said creating the blog page could consume a lot more time than you’d expect. The joke is on me, I spent a lot more time than I had even realized simply choosing some of the minor details for my page.

When creating my blog page, I wanted it to be personal while keeping in mind the idea of having a page which is visually appealing. I thought it would be appropriate to add in a picture, instead of just a generic background. My biggest passion is soccer, and I specifically love the English club Manchester United. The picture of Wayne Rooney that I added signifies my interest in Manchester United, and I also like how the colors and textures are subtle so it doesn’t fly out of the page at you. I wanted to put a picture, but I didn’t want the picture to be seen before the text. I decided to make the background of the text non-transparent because the text against a picture background was somewhat difficult to read. I like how the colors matched up with the picture, and when scrolling, the picture is still visible. I think the darker colors and grays make the page easier to look at, and I tried to remove all of the bright colors that were distracting to the eye. Being a first-timer, I also didn’t want my page to be too crazy and colorful because my goal wasn’t to get a ton of attention from looking at my page, but to simply put my thoughts into words. I want people to read my posts because they want to, not because of a flashy crazy background which catches your attention. In the about me section, I kept the details brief and to the point. I wanted people to know the things that I enjoy the most, and didn’t feel it was necessary to tell them every single thing about myself.

After completing my page (for now, at least), I was very satisfied with it. I liked the layout and the look of the page, and was very happy with my picture and color choice. I think everything complements itself very well, and the overall flow of the page is visually appealing. I enjoyed creating this and it was much simpler than I thought it would be. After using this blog over the next few months, I hope to be able to openly share my thoughts to anyone who cares to read it, and to also gain new perspective of things based on my peers’ thoughts. I look forward to seeing how this semester of blogging turns out.