That was an awesome time at our mid-term. I was feeling the creative vibes from everyone. We were one with the day. Cool beans! Anyhow let me tell you that on our mid-term day I was running on empty and I could tell that so was everyone else. I slept for 2 hours in 2 days. It hurt to stay awake but I did it. I was having a little bit of trouble saving and just figuring how to edit my documentary. I was done with editing and just needed to burn it into a cd, so I went to the library sinc site and they helped me there. Kyle's laptop was a little harder to play around with then the one from the library, but I was finally finished. I went to staller at 5 and I saw no one so I got so worried that something happened. I saw Professor Baldwin and handed my stuff in. I was totally half an hour early. After that I met up with Krystle and Julien to see how their projects were doing and they copied their stuff on my flash drive. I remember a guy kept looking at us because I guess we were talking in a quiet zone. LOL
So I had a great time with everyone, we should do it again and charge people next time. Maybe some alcohol can be present.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
HEYYYOOOOOHHH
First-official-school-day-spring-break thang is goin' on. no more classes, no more emails, no more professors molesting you for work.
but im back at SBU. why? is it because i love the atmosphere? no, because its actually raining. is it because i love deserted campuses?! no, because that's the setup of a horror movie. its because im here at work.
i work at admin. and im surrounded by people in the 9-5 scene. i even get my own little cubicle! [yay!] and im living that 9-5 scene for part of this week.
but aside from that. my feet are soaked [note to self: CHECK WEATHER BEFORE YOU PUT ON CHUCKS] and my dress pants are a little too restrictive and long. i have this method where i tape my dress pants up [because of my height deficiency, boo] but the tape began to wear off as i hurdled over puddles.
last time i wore chucks in the rain, i went upstairs [to one of those secret bathrooms that no one knows of!] and shoved it under the hand dryer. it worked, blow drying my shoes. by the time i put them back on, they were abnormally warm and delicious [for my feet].
so, cheers! for another day of warm feet and long pants.
but im back at SBU. why? is it because i love the atmosphere? no, because its actually raining. is it because i love deserted campuses?! no, because that's the setup of a horror movie. its because im here at work.
i work at admin. and im surrounded by people in the 9-5 scene. i even get my own little cubicle! [yay!] and im living that 9-5 scene for part of this week.
but aside from that. my feet are soaked [note to self: CHECK WEATHER BEFORE YOU PUT ON CHUCKS] and my dress pants are a little too restrictive and long. i have this method where i tape my dress pants up [because of my height deficiency, boo] but the tape began to wear off as i hurdled over puddles.
last time i wore chucks in the rain, i went upstairs [to one of those secret bathrooms that no one knows of!] and shoved it under the hand dryer. it worked, blow drying my shoes. by the time i put them back on, they were abnormally warm and delicious [for my feet].
so, cheers! for another day of warm feet and long pants.
Green Zone
So about a week ago I went with my friends to the movies to watch a film called Green Zone, starring Matt Damon. I had no idea what the actual film was about prior to the screening and was pleasantly surprised once it began. The actual film was about the Iraq War and the first few weeks of the invasion. Without giving too much away, Matt Damon’s character believes that the intelligence the U.S. Army is receiving about possible Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) sites is inaccurate. The rest of the film focuses around him trying to unravel the truth behind the intelligence and the reasons why the U.S. invaded Iraq. If this movie is based on a true story then I guarantee that what Matt Damon finds out will shock you. Overall it turned out to be a really good movie and I would suggest that everyone go see it.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
non-fic speech
“Sex As A Commodity”
Walk through the halls of a middle or high school, maybe even a mall, and you’ll find at least one girl garishly dressed. They weren’t genetically coded to pick out the tightest shirt or share the same shoes as a hooker, and they probably didn’t teach themselves to apply makeup on most of their face. It’s a combination of media and childhood influences that taught these young girls that beauty depends on a product’s visual appeal.
Media and merchandise can do damage a young girl’s development and, sometimes, even their health. As the youth are fed with beliefs that there is a specific bar set on “beauty,” their self-esteem, emotional and sexual development, and mental and physical health can be risked.
Let’s start at the beginning. As a child, sexualized images fly over their heads because most of their focus is based on the toys they play with, like Barbie or Bratz. But since fantasy and imagination play such an important part in how children play with them, these particular dolls can limit their views when they grow up.
The American Psychological Association Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls released a report in February 2007 targetting the Bratz dolls by its name. The report highlights sexual societal messages aimed at pre-teen girls and its worrisome influence on girls as young as four.
Even Scholastic Inc, a discounted book distributer for students and teachers, took a hit on the dolls by actually pulled Bratz products off their roster. Now, in North America and Canada, Scholastic refuses to market any of those products because of increasing parents and psychologists’ complaints about the Bratz’s “precocious sexuality.”
Bratz dolls are seen as the edgier version of Barbie. It’s obvious with their more-skin-than-clothes mantra and the items they choose to pair it with, like fishnet stockings and feather boas. Their facial expressions are also more on the edgy side with their Angelina Jolie-like lips and seductive eyes. Because young girls emulate these figures, it’s important to separate reality versus fantasy. They may want to dress up like them, but to what degree? The young girl may think she’s being “fashionable” but it can translate to oversexuality and other people may pick up on it.
Though Barbie has a more wholesome appeal versus the Bratz dolls, they’re also criticized too. If Barbie were a real person, she’d be standing at 7 feet tall with a waistline of 18 inches and a bustling of 38-40. This is so unrealistic that she would need to walk on all fours just to support her proportions. She is seen almost everywhere at toy stores and tv, being the first doll to become an adult figure in the child’s life. Over time, she became an icon, a role model, a figure for young girls and changes the child’s role of caretaker to passive bystander or observer of a figure who had it all.
It’s true that by the time a girl hits seventeen, she has received over 250,000 such commercial messages through the media. Body images regarding weight or appearance are most likely shoved into their heads. These messages pollute their clarity of mind because it can typically lead to the fear of being overweight, becoming malnourished or excessively thin, and ultimately to clinical eating disorders. Did you know that eating disorders are the most lethal of all of the mental health disorders, killing 6-13% of their victims, and of that 87% of whom are under the age of 20?
Aside from the possibility of developing eating disorders, there’s other potential health risks too. When young girls become oversexualized, it shatters their confidence with their own self that can lead to shame or anxiety. The problem gets darker when there’s another possibility of developing low self-esteem and sometimes depression, since they can’t measure up with these false standards.
Teen People magazine surveyed their readers and this is what they got. 27% of girls said that the media pressures them to have a perfect body. 68% of girls in a study of Stanford University students felt worse about their own appearance after skimming through women’s magazines. The number one wish for girls 11 to 17 is to be thinner. And appallingly, girls as young as age 5 have expressed fears of getting fat.
In a survey I conducted myself, 77% of random responders agreed that toys like Barbie and Bratz can impact a child’s development while 44.4% agreed that the impact is a negative one.
Is the power found in these plastic dolls just to get boys to look at you and like you? Because these images are sold as a kind of feminist-inspired power, many girls don't realize that this kind of power is not the kind that will help them to be successful, happy adults.
But how bad is really these dolls? Perhaps more than the average person would notice. As consumers, we never look beyond the image, especially when purchasing toys. But these subliminal messages that marketers are responding to cause more damage than meets the eye. Producer’s are taking advantage of a young girls' desire to look sexy, something pop culture suggests is more valuable than being smart. There’s an emphasis on attractiveness and we can see it everywhere, everyday.
As John Muir once said, “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”
Walk through the halls of a middle or high school, maybe even a mall, and you’ll find at least one girl garishly dressed. They weren’t genetically coded to pick out the tightest shirt or share the same shoes as a hooker, and they probably didn’t teach themselves to apply makeup on most of their face. It’s a combination of media and childhood influences that taught these young girls that beauty depends on a product’s visual appeal.
Media and merchandise can do damage a young girl’s development and, sometimes, even their health. As the youth are fed with beliefs that there is a specific bar set on “beauty,” their self-esteem, emotional and sexual development, and mental and physical health can be risked.
Let’s start at the beginning. As a child, sexualized images fly over their heads because most of their focus is based on the toys they play with, like Barbie or Bratz. But since fantasy and imagination play such an important part in how children play with them, these particular dolls can limit their views when they grow up.
The American Psychological Association Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls released a report in February 2007 targetting the Bratz dolls by its name. The report highlights sexual societal messages aimed at pre-teen girls and its worrisome influence on girls as young as four.
Even Scholastic Inc, a discounted book distributer for students and teachers, took a hit on the dolls by actually pulled Bratz products off their roster. Now, in North America and Canada, Scholastic refuses to market any of those products because of increasing parents and psychologists’ complaints about the Bratz’s “precocious sexuality.”
Bratz dolls are seen as the edgier version of Barbie. It’s obvious with their more-skin-than-clothes mantra and the items they choose to pair it with, like fishnet stockings and feather boas. Their facial expressions are also more on the edgy side with their Angelina Jolie-like lips and seductive eyes. Because young girls emulate these figures, it’s important to separate reality versus fantasy. They may want to dress up like them, but to what degree? The young girl may think she’s being “fashionable” but it can translate to oversexuality and other people may pick up on it.
Though Barbie has a more wholesome appeal versus the Bratz dolls, they’re also criticized too. If Barbie were a real person, she’d be standing at 7 feet tall with a waistline of 18 inches and a bustling of 38-40. This is so unrealistic that she would need to walk on all fours just to support her proportions. She is seen almost everywhere at toy stores and tv, being the first doll to become an adult figure in the child’s life. Over time, she became an icon, a role model, a figure for young girls and changes the child’s role of caretaker to passive bystander or observer of a figure who had it all.
It’s true that by the time a girl hits seventeen, she has received over 250,000 such commercial messages through the media. Body images regarding weight or appearance are most likely shoved into their heads. These messages pollute their clarity of mind because it can typically lead to the fear of being overweight, becoming malnourished or excessively thin, and ultimately to clinical eating disorders. Did you know that eating disorders are the most lethal of all of the mental health disorders, killing 6-13% of their victims, and of that 87% of whom are under the age of 20?
Aside from the possibility of developing eating disorders, there’s other potential health risks too. When young girls become oversexualized, it shatters their confidence with their own self that can lead to shame or anxiety. The problem gets darker when there’s another possibility of developing low self-esteem and sometimes depression, since they can’t measure up with these false standards.
Teen People magazine surveyed their readers and this is what they got. 27% of girls said that the media pressures them to have a perfect body. 68% of girls in a study of Stanford University students felt worse about their own appearance after skimming through women’s magazines. The number one wish for girls 11 to 17 is to be thinner. And appallingly, girls as young as age 5 have expressed fears of getting fat.
In a survey I conducted myself, 77% of random responders agreed that toys like Barbie and Bratz can impact a child’s development while 44.4% agreed that the impact is a negative one.
Is the power found in these plastic dolls just to get boys to look at you and like you? Because these images are sold as a kind of feminist-inspired power, many girls don't realize that this kind of power is not the kind that will help them to be successful, happy adults.
But how bad is really these dolls? Perhaps more than the average person would notice. As consumers, we never look beyond the image, especially when purchasing toys. But these subliminal messages that marketers are responding to cause more damage than meets the eye. Producer’s are taking advantage of a young girls' desire to look sexy, something pop culture suggests is more valuable than being smart. There’s an emphasis on attractiveness and we can see it everywhere, everyday.
As John Muir once said, “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”
Friday, March 26, 2010
Midterm Analysis: Part 1
The midterm on Wednesday night at SBU was quite entertaining. Our objective was to showcase some of our pieces of work, ranging from our documentary films to Google SketchUp videos to textures of time. The pieces of work were then displayed using a protector on various sections of the campus. In order to help us complete this task we combined our work with some of the Max patches given to us by Professor Baldwin. The group that I was working with decided to project underneath a spot near the Staller Center. It was the perfect area given the amount of light that was remaining. We immediately opened up a Max patch called Mind of Michael Angelo and began projecting an image of a student, Matt, and his friend, Steve, who were performing various tricks. The result was an awesome display of vertical and horizontal lines representing the images of both performers. However, both performers were doing the tricks a bit too fast for the program to pick them up properly. What we ended up with was a time lapse and the tail image of their last move. It was also cool to see the contrast between the perfectly formed right angles of the Melville Library and Staller Center in the projection along with the curved lines that were being formed by Matt and Steve.
Afterwards when the sun began to set we started projecting our eye candy videos at various points around campus. It was interesting to witness how far the images could be projected and I discovered just how strong the lumen levels need to be in order to achieve this. As we finished up I realized that we had no real crowd the entire night. There were a lot of students walking by who stopped to look at our work for a few seconds, but just kept walking afterwards. I wish we could have gotten a bigger crowd and wish we could have had a bit more time at night to showcase our documentary films on Staller or the lawn in front of Staller. Overall I had a good time and learned a lot. Can’t wait for May!
Afterwards when the sun began to set we started projecting our eye candy videos at various points around campus. It was interesting to witness how far the images could be projected and I discovered just how strong the lumen levels need to be in order to achieve this. As we finished up I realized that we had no real crowd the entire night. There were a lot of students walking by who stopped to look at our work for a few seconds, but just kept walking afterwards. I wish we could have gotten a bigger crowd and wish we could have had a bit more time at night to showcase our documentary films on Staller or the lawn in front of Staller. Overall I had a good time and learned a lot. Can’t wait for May!
IMPROV @ SBU
Hey guys and gals of THR 403. Last class we discussed carrying out an improv experiment on SB's campus. What are your thoughts? If we start now, maybe we can have a plan together by the end of April. Also, I was thinking that we can contact the media department/journalism students to film it from various locations for us (we have to be careful, "the man" at SB may try to shut us down) We can tell our friends about it. I think the perfect time to do an improv would be during campus lifetime, when lots are out at one time. So join me as we brainstorm ideas. Reply to this post with your ideas and for some inspiration visit
Let's go gang!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Fictional Film Idea
For my fictional film I was thinking of doing a spoof of the film Hostel: Part I and Hostel: Part II. I found the film to be extremely disturbing and still have an image of one tourist being tortured and eaten alive. The actual film is about a hostel where young tourists are kidnapped and tortured to death by older, rich individuals who are part of this secret society. Although the idea of a spoof may sound disturbing; I am only interested in pointing out some of the faults of the movie (i.e. graphic scenes). I also want to keep it somewhat close to the original premise without changing too much around so people know what movie I am spoofing. I would also like to add in some of the key points that the movie brings across. This would include: tourism, torture, anti-youth, secret societies, wealth, ethics, etc. So I am really looking forward to making another film and cannot wait to get started.
Cultural Degree
This is the documentary film that I did for THR 403.
Link is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ryWTup0sEU
Link is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ryWTup0sEU
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
"Class work."
doodling in class never gets old. but a bad thing is that i don't learn a thing in class that day. except the way i train my reflexes to hide my stuff as the professor hovers nearby...
you can smell the burn of ink. on paper, of course. and the overwhelming magnetic scent of it. where you can pretend to get high... off life! and drawing.
where's Doodle 101?! i wana sign up!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
the different hats we wear.
the mad hatter wore one hat. but he did make many for the queen to try on and wear. and, even though she only wore one (the crown), she did have a variety of options to choose from. i think our lives are very much this way. we're sisters, friends, daughters, best friends, students, mentors, babysitters, employees, cookers, granddaughters, etc. etc. etc. when my sister comes to visit i find i wear a much more subtle, cautious, reserved hat...very different from my everyday look. she acts the younger sister part. she needs to be the center of attention, the loud mouth, the know it all. i love her to death, and she's not always this way. but when she comes to visit my parents...that is the only way to describe her. it's like she reverts back to her seven year old self when she steps into the house. i find myself standing in the background not speaking much so as to avoid any sort of confrontation with her or my parents.
so! in this screen capture. i found the pulsating view to be metaphoric of my calm heart beat. while the colors of the atmosphere change drastically, depending on my sisters mood, i stand there unaffected by her words. this is me in the calm hat while she tries to put together her lunch.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
The end... of the week.
Everything seems to be crammed into the final week before spring break. so many things to do! so many things that are due!
aside from the theatre projects at hand, i have papers and papers to whip up. one of them is for my sociology class where's i'll be writing about a male tv character and his gender role on the tv show. i was torn between two characters, michael scott of "the office," or dr. greg house, of "house." after hours of deliberation i chose to go with HOUSE! mostly because he's internally complicated and interesting.
did you know that house and wilson's relationship is based off sherlock holmes and his bud, watson? i just had that epiphany and it changes my view of things. another fun fact: "holmes" sounds like "homes" which is also where they got House's name, HOUSE! awesome sauce, no?
it just made me love that grump even more. tehe. :3
aside from the theatre projects at hand, i have papers and papers to whip up. one of them is for my sociology class where's i'll be writing about a male tv character and his gender role on the tv show. i was torn between two characters, michael scott of "the office," or dr. greg house, of "house." after hours of deliberation i chose to go with HOUSE! mostly because he's internally complicated and interesting.
did you know that house and wilson's relationship is based off sherlock holmes and his bud, watson? i just had that epiphany and it changes my view of things. another fun fact: "holmes" sounds like "homes" which is also where they got House's name, HOUSE! awesome sauce, no?
it just made me love that grump even more. tehe. :3
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
My Right Hand
My right hand hurts so much from using the mouse pad on my laptop, so much so that i am typing with my left hand and it is taking really long to type. I bought a wireless mouse but was too lazy today to put it in, and now i have to face the consequences. I will not do this again. I am gonna rub my hand with icy hot and strap it up. I am also getting the sleep jitters and it makes me want to throw this computer on the floor...so I must go now because I am having tiny involuntary body wiggles...MY FREAKING HAND HURTS. I wonder if the computer age will suffer from chronic wrist pains. Technology affecting health in very literal way!
FINALLY!
Today I got my first interview and was very pleased with it. The only problem I have now is that it is in HD and when I uploaded it to my laptop it appeared very choppy and the audio was much faster than the video. I think it has t do with the memory on my pc. I compressed it in windows movie maker and the audio matched the video but the quality is very poor! Seems as if I may have to remove more stuff from my laptop or something to make the vid run properly and in good quality.
Max Practice
I was just messing around with Max over the weekend. A lot of the files I could not use properly on my computer since it is not a MAC. For some strange reason the files would come up on my screen, but I could not get them to read anything.
The first 2 pics were done in another class. I uploaded an eye candy piece that I made on Google SketchUp and had a classmate put it on their MAC to use with Max. The program that she used added a few different filters and made my eye candy video look even more impressive (I'm modest aren't I?).
I used generative chimes for the 3rd pic and it reminded me of a human heartbeat. I think it was the rhythm that initially reminded me of the heart, but unlike this program, the human heart does not go on forever; regardless of what we may try.
The 4th pic was on euclid and reminded me of a ticking clock. For me the clock was ticking at a slow rate of speed. Unfortunately, life does not play by these rules and I always feel as if life is just passing me by. Maybe if I wasn't so bogged down with school I would try to stop rushing things and actually enjoy my life with the time that I have been given.
The final pic was taken on draw snake facade. This pic reminded me of the intricate balance in nature and how so many events depend on one another for homeostasis to exist. I would hate to think what would happen to humans if any of these lines got crossed.
Sick puppy!
i get sick when the weather changes and i find it unnatural. it's like some unforseen mythological force that picks on my immune system after it wakes up from hibernation. it's like how people with arthritis can tell when it's going to rain, i can tell when the weather will be changing for sure.
and it's definitely changing!
i hate lingering on the "weather" topic for too long. it's like a generic subject to fill in the awkward silences.
do i detect some awkardness?! i hope not. especially since i cant see you.
HEYO!
and it's definitely changing!
i hate lingering on the "weather" topic for too long. it's like a generic subject to fill in the awkward silences.
do i detect some awkardness?! i hope not. especially since i cant see you.
HEYO!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Should I
Well I have all of my grant rejections and I am wondering if I should waste my money on sending them thank you cards. Dear so and so, thank you for your time and consideration on my grant proposal. I really appreciate your effort in contacting me back. Thanks, Selmary. What do you guys think? Is this even worth it? Any how I was browsing through some pics I have on my travel drive and I really wanted to share them with you. Enjoy! :?
My MAC
I think this weekend I am going to buy my laptop that I so desperately need. I got my stipend and I shall use that to purchase it. Kyle said he would go half with me on it so that is great. It will be my b-day present. Now I need to decide if I want a mac or a dell. I would prefer a mac, but dells are cheaper. I just hope nothing else comes up that will make me waste my money. You see I can't hold on to money for a long time because I want everything and I am also broke. So when I get money, I spend it as fast as I can. Thank goodness for my Jewish boyfriend because if it wasn't for him I would be in lots of trouble. He tells me not to buy things all the time and I need someone to tell me that. My family has a bad relationship with money too, but I am trying to stir clear of that.
Anyhow, I have to send my nieces and nephew b-day gifts, my sister a house warming present, buy my laptop and pay for summer classes. I am going to be broke for the rest of my life until I get my career going. It seems like it's taking forever.
Anyhow, I have to send my nieces and nephew b-day gifts, my sister a house warming present, buy my laptop and pay for summer classes. I am going to be broke for the rest of my life until I get my career going. It seems like it's taking forever.
Summer School Sucks!!!!!!!
I'm reeaaalllllyyyyy hating Stony Brook right now. Uck!! I was so happy I was graduating in May because my adviser told me I was cleared for my university requirements, and now I should focus on my major requirements. I met up with Debbie Mayo and we set out a plan so that I could graduate in May, or so I thought. I applied to graduation and was rejected and didn't know why, until I went to registrar. They told me I still needed 8 upper division credits to graduate and my language requirement wasn't fulfilled. WTF? I almost cursed at the poor woman because I really thought I was going to graduate and to think of staying here one extra semester is painful. I had a 99 on my Spanish regents, HELLLOOOOO I am Puerto Rican. Spanish is my first language and to think that I have to go to summer school for that is stupid. My high school has been closed since 2005 so it was very difficult to get my records. Thank goodness for Peggy, she came through for me. OMG, she got me the right numbers to get in contact with my old school. Looking on the bright side of summer school, I don't have to waste time and money on Spanish classes. I am going to take 2 classes in session 1 and then 1 class in session 2 at SB Manhattan.
I really wanted to quit SB. I just can't believe that this happened. That is what happens when you are lazy. I should have done my own calculations. As a matter of fact, I should have I should have stopped partying in 2002 and graduate in 2006. Oh well I am a firm believer things happen for a reason.
I really wanted to quit SB. I just can't believe that this happened. That is what happens when you are lazy. I should have done my own calculations. As a matter of fact, I should have I should have stopped partying in 2002 and graduate in 2006. Oh well I am a firm believer things happen for a reason.
change of heart
I was doing my documentary on how exercise improves lives, but I found it a little save and boring. My empty pace project was about the gym as well and I did not want to give out the impression that I am an exercise freak, because I am not. An interesting topic that always has my attention is women studies. Since I am a female, I would like to change my documentary to deal with how Disney movies are actually very harmful to young girl's in America. I remember about 2 years ago I did a power point presentation on this subject and it wasn't received very well by the female audience in the beginning. After the presentation was over, I got weird looks from people, but I think I got the point across. I am hoping this class can appreciate what my documentary is about. I promise it will be fresh and fun!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Snowdrift
Well I believe that I have experienced this snowdrift problem once before. I had a female friend last semester who I foolishly let walk all over me because I had “feelings” for her. I think she realized the situation and knew what a nice guy I was, but knew it would never go further than friendship. So as the semester went on she would ask me for various favors that I would oblige to since I wasn’t thinking straight. This continued for quite some time and then I realized that she always says what a great friend I am, but never calls me other than to ask favors. When I realized this revelation I immediately stopped all contact with her; it didn’t hurt that she graduated last semester and moved to the city either. So now I wonder to myself when the next time she will try to contact me and if it will be to get together or just to use me. As of now I’m pretty sure what my answer to her will be if she calls for the latter. Oh yeah, and by the way, it’s been four months since we last spoke and that was because I tried to contact her, which I found like I was doing a lot of during the fall semester. So now I'm waiting in the car for her to get out and initiate things.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
very rough draft of a fulbright
"Homemade" or "Handmade" have lost meaning in our "information age." We buy the cheapest, easiest, fastest thing on the market. I fear the unique handmade object has been lost. The recent creation of etsy.com, crafting "meet up" circles, and blogs about handmade objects have created a space for the international artisan of our future. I am interested in this resurgence of craft culture and what this says about our world.
To begin this study, I will attend craft meet ups and interview different artisans and artists in New York. I will document this new artistic grassroots culture through photography, film, and the written word. I will look at the different aspects of high art and low art as they are defined by art history and, as a means of comparison, how we see them today. While this topic is not specifically gendered, I will be looking at the history of women and crafting and if that has changed. Through this research on crafting, I will also look at how this new culture as shaped a new American identity. At the end of this documentation period I will produce a documentary film, to be entered into a variety of film festivals. I will also curate and organize an interactive exhibit with photographs and handmade works.
To complete this project, I have devised and organized a plan. For two weeks, I will interview artisans in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island. I will interview Corris Little and Diana Gonzalez, two organizers of craft meetup groups, about their involvement with crafting. After these interviews, I will attend “meet ups” to capture footage and interview more people involved with this craft culture. Etsy.com has a meetup circle every Monday night and the Brooklynkraft Haus has frequent meetings that I will attend. With this knowledge, I will then attend craft fairs in the tri state area to meet more people interested in this way of life. The first craft fair I will document will be in Farmingdale, NY on February 28, 2010. I will also interview, and do some local traveling with, an independent jewler as she tries to make a living with her craft. I will then spend two weeks editing and organizing the documentary film and one week to organize an interactive exhibit.
With this knowledge, I would then like to continue this research in Cagli, Italy. For decades, this little town in Le Marche hosts an open market every Wednesday in the summer. Vendors come out to sell clothing, sunglasses, toys, etc. There are also many women who come to sell their jewelry, ceramics, and baked goods. I am interested to see how this handmade movement has taken root in Italy. Has this sense of homemade and handmade always been present? Is this a phenomenon of big cities and not small towns? Is this arts and crafts way of life gendered in Italy?
I have organized a plan in Italy to carry out my research. First, I will interview some of the local people about the history of the market. Mario Carnali has lived in Cagli, Italy for fifty years and writes for the local newspaper. He and his wife will provide historical information about the towns relationship to the market and handmade goods. I will then meet with Patricia Carnali, a ferequent shopper of the market, in her homoeopathic store to talk about the goods sold every Wednesday. I will interview Guidita Leoni and Domenico Leoni, two young residents of Cagli, about the handmade culture in Cagli. I will then attend the Market every Wednesday for three weeks to film and photograph the environment. There I will meet more local people and interview actual stall owners. I would also like to interview the owners of the ceramic shop in town. They import many of their handmade goods. I would be curious to know how they fair on a Wednesday at the market. The questions I will ask many Americans in the craft world in Brooklyn are the questions I will ask the people of Cagli.
I am a Masters student in Art History, Theory, and Criticism at Stony Brook University. The conception of “high art” and “low art” has always interested me. Why are arts and crafts not considered as important as a Picasso or a Pollock? The interactive museum exhibit would juxtapose these different concepts of art. The artisan – the human hand’s influence on a purposeful art object is very different from our conception of modern art. What does this say about our American culture? With this recent interest in crafting, I think Americans are shaping a new sense of pride in their country. I am interested to see what crafters have to say about their new culture and our changing concept of what it means to be American. I would be honored to receive this grant so I can help to document the exciting changes going on in our country today. I thank you for your time in looking over my proposal and I look forward to hearing from you.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Documentary Film
So after doing research and lots of thinking, I have decided to do my doc film on handmade, economy and women. I have reached out to readers via my blog, and everyone that responded gave good comments. I am just looking to find persons who are interested in answering questions on camera. I have a lead and it may happen next week. I am juggling everything in my life right now and I wish I could just focus on this class only. It is the most rewarding class for me this semester, since it doesn't require me to run on the conveyor belt "the man" set out. It is letting me use my creative side and I appreciate it so much! Well off to run on the conveyor belt now...
Fictional Film
I have been brainstorming ideas for my fictional film and have come up with what I think is a great idea. I am going to give you a hint at what it is. It is based on the color red and that is all you will get for now. I am in the process of rounding up actors and anticipate starting the film over the course of next week. I just wrote the script/outline for the film as well. Wish me luck. This will be my first time doing anything of the sorts.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Still trying
I am trying to get in contact with my friend Joel but he's a little busy defending this country. He hasn't gotten back to me yet. : (
Francisco still wants to do it, but he is my last resort to be quite honest. I just want someone to play Ajax that is actually in the war. I also found another maybe. It's my cousin from Texas. His name is Daniel Vazquez and he talks like Hank from King of the Hill. I did not know this but my dear cousin is a soldier and he went to Afghanistan not so long ago. Now they called him back and he is leaving Texas pretty soon to go to war again. If all else fails, I would go to Penn station and talk to some soldiers that guard it to see if they could help me out. I just hope someone gives me an answer soon.
Francisco still wants to do it, but he is my last resort to be quite honest. I just want someone to play Ajax that is actually in the war. I also found another maybe. It's my cousin from Texas. His name is Daniel Vazquez and he talks like Hank from King of the Hill. I did not know this but my dear cousin is a soldier and he went to Afghanistan not so long ago. Now they called him back and he is leaving Texas pretty soon to go to war again. If all else fails, I would go to Penn station and talk to some soldiers that guard it to see if they could help me out. I just hope someone gives me an answer soon.
Captivating manipulation.
ok, so the war going on in afghanistan is to restore their nation's political leadership. no oil, (not as much) osama, etc. i don't know why we've been there for so long just to hold their hands and yank them in the right direction. (wtf, obama?!)
this is an article in the nyt. they're using women in "female engagement teams" to better relate women to the afghan natives. but to me, it just sounds like a show. they even mention using your ponytail to the fullest advantage, by letting it hang out of your helmet, just to let them know you're a woman. a real one, too.
kind of like a lure, this plan is gona use women to their fullest advantage.
im on the fence as to whether this is good or not...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/world/asia/07women.html?ref=todayspaper
this is an article in the nyt. they're using women in "female engagement teams" to better relate women to the afghan natives. but to me, it just sounds like a show. they even mention using your ponytail to the fullest advantage, by letting it hang out of your helmet, just to let them know you're a woman. a real one, too.
kind of like a lure, this plan is gona use women to their fullest advantage.
im on the fence as to whether this is good or not...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/world/asia/07women.html?ref=todayspaper
Monday, March 8, 2010
library fines.
how is it that we pay so much money for an education and yet we have to pay fines at our university library?
three movies that are two days late = six dollars.
and i didn't even get to watch them. fail.
in light of kathryn bigelow's win last night: i present rant #1.
i don't usually do this. and by this i mean type right into this thing. i use microsoft word. i edit. i past pictures into the document. i crop. i rotate. i make it perfect. and then, i upload.
not right now! i'm so enraged right now i walked right to a sinc site to find a computer. i have thirty minutes until my next class and want to read before hand but this can't wait. i just took my rings off to allow my typing to go faster. cracked my knuckles. now i'm ready.
i just left my italian class where we talked about women's day." for those of you that don't know, thats today. march 8th. it's a day to celebrate women. my teacher's argument was "why do we need one day to celebrate women? we shoudl be doing this every day." someone enxt to me said "i hate feminists. all they want to do is burn bras. and thats disgusting." that was a woman who said that. someone else piped in "feminists are crazy." someone else said "if we celebrate women today then men should be celebrated every other day." i can't even recall all the comments because i'm so enraged. for lack of vocab in italian, and my shyness (lame, i know) i didn't speak up. i wanted to scream scream screamsdfgjkdfghsdfjighsdfg in english but ...italian class. can only speak italian.
so here is my response.
1. to my teacher: "should" is the operative word in your sentence. sure, we should celebrate our moms and dads every day, but do we? we should celebrate our countries independance from england and our american freedom every day, but do we? we should recognize martin luther king jr.'s contribution to our society every day, but do we? we should, for that matter, drink 32 ounces of water and eat ample amounts of fruits and vegetables every day but, do we? the answer to all of the above questions is, a resounding, no. the point of a "holiday" or a "day" is to recognize the historical importance of the day. recognize women as an important part of our society. can you recall copious amount of women talked about in your history classes? tha snwer to that question is also no. sure, you hear about elizabeth cady stantion (have you?) or susan b. anthony but, i think , thats because they are connected to the women's movement. the women's movement is has huge historical importance and so those women fit that mold. what about tz'u hsi, rosalyn yalow, or marie severin? their contributions to science, politics, and art are just as important as george washington's birthday or veterans day or kwanza. women made contributions that we, as a society, rarely recognize and today is the day to pay tribute to that.
2. to address the "i hate feminists" comment and the "feminists are crazy" comment would be an essay in and of itself. i'll try to focus my thoughts here. for one thing, anyone who says they hate feminism doesn't understand it. sure, there are radical feminists. some burn their bras, some bomb abortion clinics, some, literally, hate men. doesn't mean all feminists are this way. there are radical white supremists. doesn't mean that we say all whites are racist, do we? a feminist is a man OR a woman who supports the idea of social, economic, and political equality of the sexes. look at that! equality of the sexes. men AND women. what we hear about is that feminists want to abolish men, they want to reject traditional ideals about women, and they see "feminity" as a negative thing. actually, thanks to regan that's what we all think about feminism. him and his backlash, i tell you. what feminists actually do it promote equality. they want men's stereotypes to be abolished just as much as women's. they want the traditional ideals associated with women (homemaker, caregiver, food cooker...etc. etc. etc) to be valued as work and compensated for properly. they want men to be able to step into those roles IF they so wish to. no one is saying you can't be a stay at home mom or dad. but you get the choice to do that. and, that feminists reject traditional ideals about women. in feminism you get the choice to do whatever it is your heart desire. feminists embrace feminity. wear those heels, that lipstick, that short skirt, or that long knee lenght one if you want to. the point is, women's feminity is not about pleasing a man. but making yourself feel, and look, beautiful in whatever way you want. what you wear should not constitute you as a "slut" or a "prude" but rather a woman expressing her individuality. if that line of thought is crazy, then call me stark raving mad.
3. i can sorta see where the "well then men should be celebrated every other day" comment comes from. and, if we re-phrase that statment, i might agree a little bit more. men should be celebrated. i'm not advocating for leaving them out of history, politics, and society. but, we do celebrate men. see above reponse #1. and by "we celebrate men" i'm really only talking about white men. what about those men making strides in other classes and races that we over look? i'm not that well versed in this topic and so i'll end that thought here. just wanted to put it out there: there is more to our history than upper class white men.
in conclusion, the battle for equality is not against men or women. it's against our negative societal norms and how they are perpetuated by the media, our politics, and our society. we should (if i can use my teachers words) celebrate equality among all races, classes, and genders. unfortunately, this is not always how life goes. and having a women's day is like a checks and balances. maybe in the future we won't need this day. maybe we'll need a man's day (being as were in a "man-pression" and all. subject for another rant.) and i'm looking forward to that day when women are properly represented in our history books, on our tvs, in our society, and in our minds. until then, we should embrace women's contrabutions to our beautiful world.
not right now! i'm so enraged right now i walked right to a sinc site to find a computer. i have thirty minutes until my next class and want to read before hand but this can't wait. i just took my rings off to allow my typing to go faster. cracked my knuckles. now i'm ready.
i just left my italian class where we talked about women's day." for those of you that don't know, thats today. march 8th. it's a day to celebrate women. my teacher's argument was "why do we need one day to celebrate women? we shoudl be doing this every day." someone enxt to me said "i hate feminists. all they want to do is burn bras. and thats disgusting." that was a woman who said that. someone else piped in "feminists are crazy." someone else said "if we celebrate women today then men should be celebrated every other day." i can't even recall all the comments because i'm so enraged. for lack of vocab in italian, and my shyness (lame, i know) i didn't speak up. i wanted to scream scream screamsdfgjkdfghsdfjighsdfg in english but ...italian class. can only speak italian.
so here is my response.
1. to my teacher: "should" is the operative word in your sentence. sure, we should celebrate our moms and dads every day, but do we? we should celebrate our countries independance from england and our american freedom every day, but do we? we should recognize martin luther king jr.'s contribution to our society every day, but do we? we should, for that matter, drink 32 ounces of water and eat ample amounts of fruits and vegetables every day but, do we? the answer to all of the above questions is, a resounding, no. the point of a "holiday" or a "day" is to recognize the historical importance of the day. recognize women as an important part of our society. can you recall copious amount of women talked about in your history classes? tha snwer to that question is also no. sure, you hear about elizabeth cady stantion (have you?) or susan b. anthony but, i think , thats because they are connected to the women's movement. the women's movement is has huge historical importance and so those women fit that mold. what about tz'u hsi, rosalyn yalow, or marie severin? their contributions to science, politics, and art are just as important as george washington's birthday or veterans day or kwanza. women made contributions that we, as a society, rarely recognize and today is the day to pay tribute to that.
2. to address the "i hate feminists" comment and the "feminists are crazy" comment would be an essay in and of itself. i'll try to focus my thoughts here. for one thing, anyone who says they hate feminism doesn't understand it. sure, there are radical feminists. some burn their bras, some bomb abortion clinics, some, literally, hate men. doesn't mean all feminists are this way. there are radical white supremists. doesn't mean that we say all whites are racist, do we? a feminist is a man OR a woman who supports the idea of social, economic, and political equality of the sexes. look at that! equality of the sexes. men AND women. what we hear about is that feminists want to abolish men, they want to reject traditional ideals about women, and they see "feminity" as a negative thing. actually, thanks to regan that's what we all think about feminism. him and his backlash, i tell you. what feminists actually do it promote equality. they want men's stereotypes to be abolished just as much as women's. they want the traditional ideals associated with women (homemaker, caregiver, food cooker...etc. etc. etc) to be valued as work and compensated for properly. they want men to be able to step into those roles IF they so wish to. no one is saying you can't be a stay at home mom or dad. but you get the choice to do that. and, that feminists reject traditional ideals about women. in feminism you get the choice to do whatever it is your heart desire. feminists embrace feminity. wear those heels, that lipstick, that short skirt, or that long knee lenght one if you want to. the point is, women's feminity is not about pleasing a man. but making yourself feel, and look, beautiful in whatever way you want. what you wear should not constitute you as a "slut" or a "prude" but rather a woman expressing her individuality. if that line of thought is crazy, then call me stark raving mad.
3. i can sorta see where the "well then men should be celebrated every other day" comment comes from. and, if we re-phrase that statment, i might agree a little bit more. men should be celebrated. i'm not advocating for leaving them out of history, politics, and society. but, we do celebrate men. see above reponse #1. and by "we celebrate men" i'm really only talking about white men. what about those men making strides in other classes and races that we over look? i'm not that well versed in this topic and so i'll end that thought here. just wanted to put it out there: there is more to our history than upper class white men.
in conclusion, the battle for equality is not against men or women. it's against our negative societal norms and how they are perpetuated by the media, our politics, and our society. we should (if i can use my teachers words) celebrate equality among all races, classes, and genders. unfortunately, this is not always how life goes. and having a women's day is like a checks and balances. maybe in the future we won't need this day. maybe we'll need a man's day (being as were in a "man-pression" and all. subject for another rant.) and i'm looking forward to that day when women are properly represented in our history books, on our tvs, in our society, and in our minds. until then, we should embrace women's contrabutions to our beautiful world.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Feeling a little REJECTED!!
I don't think I like rejection. It makes me feel mad, angry, sad, not good enough...blah, blah, blah. But somehow every time I get rejected, in the back of my mind their is a little voice that says "yes, I don't have to deal with this". What the f**k is that? That makes me think sometimes people don't really mean what they say, this includes me too. It's like telling life lies to make days go by easier. Your heart jumps with a little excitement when you lie to yourself. Every time I lie to myself I tell myself it's ok, who's going to know. Ha ha I actually need to stop doing that. I guess I like surprising myself because I never know what I am capable of doing. It's sad and then funny and then sad again and then funny again... and the cycle goes on. The whole point of this is that I got two rejections for my grant. I sent out 5 grants out because I thought it would increase my chances of getting $5,000
for a new laptop. One of the rejections was by email. Ugck What is that? I think I am worth a piece of shredded dead tree and ink, instead I got dehumanized by technology. I got mad with the email. When I received the letter, I was excited and scared that I would actually have to do some work if I win the grant. When I read that I am not what the company is looking for, I smiled. My mom thought I got the grant, and when I told her the truth she gave me the weirdest look. I know this makes no sense but I understand myself and I know that one day I will totally feel rejected and fully baste in that horrible feeling. It will not last for 5 minutes, it will last for 5 weeks instead. Damn I guess I am tired now because I sound like an Emo kid...Good night!
for a new laptop. One of the rejections was by email. Ugck What is that? I think I am worth a piece of shredded dead tree and ink, instead I got dehumanized by technology. I got mad with the email. When I received the letter, I was excited and scared that I would actually have to do some work if I win the grant. When I read that I am not what the company is looking for, I smiled. My mom thought I got the grant, and when I told her the truth she gave me the weirdest look. I know this makes no sense but I understand myself and I know that one day I will totally feel rejected and fully baste in that horrible feeling. It will not last for 5 minutes, it will last for 5 weeks instead. Damn I guess I am tired now because I sound like an Emo kid...Good night!
letter from claire about help from soldiers.
I don't know anyone (well) in Iraq right now, but we know a few in Afghanistan. I'll ask around to see if anyone is interested. The only caution is that their internet connections are not very good, so Skype may only work intermittently, if at all. Also, if the performance is in the afternoon or evening that would be the middle of the night over there. I think Iraq is 7 hours ahead and Afghanistan is 9.5 hours ahead.
If that doesn't work out, then I can definitely put you in touch with some soldiers who are stateside to see if you can get anyone interested!
Can I get back to you in the next week about the soldiers?
It's so good to hear from you!
If that doesn't work out, then I can definitely put you in touch with some soldiers who are stateside to see if you can get anyone interested!
Can I get back to you in the next week about the soldiers?
It's so good to hear from you!
Academy Awards
I am watching the awards right now. I know it's all bullshit but I can't help but wanting one. I wish I had balls enough to pursue my acting career, but I don't. I think this is so because I get really shy sometimes for no good reason. Then other times I could get all in your face and not give a damn. I don't understand myself yet but when I do, I will know if I am an actress, playwright or a teacher. i hope I learn that soon. I think Sandra Bullock (or whatever her last name is) is awesome. She so beautiful. I love watching the beautiful women getting dolled up. It gives me inspiration for my creativity. So many beautiful people, but do they live well. Do they really love each other like they act on TV? Is Jennifer Lopez really friends with Maggie Gellenghal (or whatever her last name is) because they seemed pretty friendly sitting next to each other? I really don't trust actors. They are act like something they are not. How could you trust someone like that? I know I can't do it. I am all about being yourself and honestly I want to explore the mistrustful side of me with acting. How many different people can I be? I want to be able to have a great role perfect for my type of personality so that I could show people what acting really is. I believe in my head that I am the greatest actress in the world and all I need to do is walk down the street of NYC and get discovered. That would be great but it hasn't happened yet.
I like to daydream the reason why this is so is because God does not want me to change. She knows that I am an awesome person and would probably become as empty as Lindsay Lohan if given money and fame. I know, I know, life is not about these stupid things, but every time I see these award shows I feel like if that should be me up there. I think I am better than these people in their own games. I know that it's probably not true, but it might as well be true. LOL Geez here I am rambling again.....lol
I like to daydream the reason why this is so is because God does not want me to change. She knows that I am an awesome person and would probably become as empty as Lindsay Lohan if given money and fame. I know, I know, life is not about these stupid things, but every time I see these award shows I feel like if that should be me up there. I think I am better than these people in their own games. I know that it's probably not true, but it might as well be true. LOL Geez here I am rambling again.....lol
armory art show
i went to see the armory show on friday. it's an international art fair where galleries show their works for other galleries and independent owners to buy art. after getting horribly lost i was extremely happy to be there. i walked around with some classmates for a bit and then we branched off on our own. and boy was i surprised. i can't even believe the art there! picasso, chagall, sherman, etc. i thought it was an array of contemporary art and i was pleasantly surprised. especially when i saw this:
it's a piece by louise nevelson called moon-star-zag vIII (1981.) i'm completely interested in this box of nostalgia. it just looks like someone walked through their decaying home and grabbed all the pieces they wanted. a bed post, part of a table, a piece of their t.v, a railing, shingles, a piece of a drawer, etc. etc. etc. what makes this piece even more wonderful is the monochromatic aspect. the monotone allows the spectator to focus on the objects, their shapes, and their place instead of their colors. i feel at home when i look at this piece. like everything material is there and accounted for.
New House
Yay. My big sister moved into her new house today. She got married last year to Peter Rhodes, (a great guy) and they decided that living in a rented upstairs house was annoying. Plus they took in my father so they need their space. They have lots of land in their backyard, and even a creek. I'm really excited for them. Pretty soon they will get a big black dog to protect the house. They already have a great security system too. I advised them to get a license for a gun so that they could have extra protection. I think no one is going to mess with an Italian and two crazy Puerto Ricans. lol Anyhow things are looking up for them and I think they really deserve it. : )
I found a soldier for the project. His name is Francisco, but the only problem is that he does not have internet access. Since Francisco works at the NYSC with me, I am thinking about telling Kyle to go to the gym and let him use his laptop for a few minutes. That is my last resort. Although Francisco is currently not over seas, he is active in the Army as a reserve soldier. I feel he could be Teledetesesss....because he reminds me of the forgotten soldier. He goes through training all the time and stands guard for government stuff. It's top secret stuff I guess. I am going to interview him next weekend to get more info. I am also trying to get in contact with my friend from high school. His name is Joel. Now Joel sometimes writes to me on facebook so I am hoping that he could respond to me now. He is currently in the war so I will keep you posted on whether or not he can skype us on a specific day. I hope he does. I remember Joel was a small dude in school. Very very smart and sometimes immature when it came to girls. I also remember he had a big attitude with people he did not like. LOL He got scholarships to go to great schools because he is so gifted. When he told me he was not going to college because he did not want to waste anytime, I thought he was really going insane. Then when I asked him what he was going to do with his life he said with the most serious face I have ever seen him with, " I am going to the Army". I laughed because I thought he was joking. Who the hell has a bright future in school and gives it up to enroll in the Army during a war? I didn't get him, and he did not care. He made sense to himself and I guess that is what truly matters. I really hope he takes care of himself. I am going to facebook him right now. Chao!
I found a soldier for the project. His name is Francisco, but the only problem is that he does not have internet access. Since Francisco works at the NYSC with me, I am thinking about telling Kyle to go to the gym and let him use his laptop for a few minutes. That is my last resort. Although Francisco is currently not over seas, he is active in the Army as a reserve soldier. I feel he could be Teledetesesss....because he reminds me of the forgotten soldier. He goes through training all the time and stands guard for government stuff. It's top secret stuff I guess. I am going to interview him next weekend to get more info. I am also trying to get in contact with my friend from high school. His name is Joel. Now Joel sometimes writes to me on facebook so I am hoping that he could respond to me now. He is currently in the war so I will keep you posted on whether or not he can skype us on a specific day. I hope he does. I remember Joel was a small dude in school. Very very smart and sometimes immature when it came to girls. I also remember he had a big attitude with people he did not like. LOL He got scholarships to go to great schools because he is so gifted. When he told me he was not going to college because he did not want to waste anytime, I thought he was really going insane. Then when I asked him what he was going to do with his life he said with the most serious face I have ever seen him with, " I am going to the Army". I laughed because I thought he was joking. Who the hell has a bright future in school and gives it up to enroll in the Army during a war? I didn't get him, and he did not care. He made sense to himself and I guess that is what truly matters. I really hope he takes care of himself. I am going to facebook him right now. Chao!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Soldier Inquiry
Hello, my name is Matthew and I am a student at Stony Brook University. My theater class is interested in performing a Greek play by Sophocles. We have narrowed it down to either Ajax or Philoctetes. We would love to have active military personnel currently serving in Afghanistan or Iraq to help us perform one of these plays. We will be using Skype as our means of communication throughout the entire play. The play itself will take place during the 2nd or 3rd Saturday in May. So if you have any questions or you are interested in helping out please just let me know and hopefully we can work something out. Thank you very much for your time.
This is what I plan to post in some of the forums that I provided links to as well as Craigslist.
Soldier Update
So I just got back from work and I asked a group of my friends if they knew anyone that was serving in the military or completed their tour. Unfortunately, known of them knew anyone who fit these requirements. I knew at that point that I would have to get creative if this play was going to be successful. I immediately remembered two students who I graduated with from Ward Melville High School. One of the students is currently serving in the military and the other is studying at West Point. I would like to contact them via Facebook, and will probably do so at a later point in time when we know exactly what we are doing. I also know someone from Pakistan and could ask him if he knows of anyone in the Pakistan Army. Again this will be done using Facebook and at a later time. After I post this blog I will do a little experiment and post an ad on Craigslist seeing if their are any military personnel willing to act in our class play. In addition, I have been doing some searching online for forums dedicated to individuals serving in the army. So far I've come up with these sites (just click on them):
Airman/Soldier/Sailor's Forum
Any Soldier
Ask A Soldier (U.S. Army)
Future Soldier Center
So if anyone is interested it's free to create an account on these sites and hopefully we can get someone to perform our plays.
Airman/Soldier/Sailor's Forum
Any Soldier
Ask A Soldier (U.S. Army)
Future Soldier Center
So if anyone is interested it's free to create an account on these sites and hopefully we can get someone to perform our plays.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Grant Rejection?
Dear Mr. Cohen:
I received your letter requesting support for your proposed documentary film. While your concept and potential storylines seem compelling, we are unable to offer support at this time. We do anticipate offering grants to films in post production and distribution this year, but will not begin the review process until later in the year. I certainly hope you will be able to find other sources of support for your project. And should you work once again to create a social change documentary film, I hope you will consider the Playboy Foundation’s grant program at that time.
Sincerely,
Matthew Pakula
Here is a copy of the email that I received from the Playboy Foundation. Before you jump to any conclusions I should start by stating that Playboy supports documentary filmmakers who are interested in creating films about social change. Their grant covers post-production charges and I thought it would be interesting to submit my idea in a letter of inquiry to an organization that I am familiar with. Once I get the responses from the other two grants I sent out I will resend my information with the completed version of my documentary film for further consideration. It would be cool to receive a grant so I could make my film more "professional looking" so I can send it off to various film contests. Well, here’s to hoping… *cheers*
Interview with a Friend
Here is the last interview I did with a non-international student.
Click HERE for the link to Youtube.
Click HERE for the link to Youtube.
The Hurt Locker
Hey guys. I got this email from school, right right right?
And they're having a free showing of the Hurt Locker, the movie professor mentioned in class. As well as The Blind Side, with Sandra Bullock.
Friday, March 5, 2010
· FREE Double Feature Movie Night! Watch "The Hurt Locker" at 7pm and "The Blind Side" at 9pm in the Union Auditorium.
ch-ch-ch-check it.
And they're having a free showing of the Hurt Locker, the movie professor mentioned in class. As well as The Blind Side, with Sandra Bullock.
Friday, March 5, 2010
· FREE Double Feature Movie Night! Watch "The Hurt Locker" at 7pm and "The Blind Side" at 9pm in the Union Auditorium.
ch-ch-ch-check it.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
My mother
I thought I was done with mom issues as soon as I turned 21, boy was I wrong. While growing up I thought and still think that my mother is bipolar. Sometimes she is really nice and funny. Then there are those times when she acts like a mean-out-of -control 14 year old and uses the mother card to try to control me. I had a bad sunday because I was trying to do some assignments after I came out of work. She ordered me to come home to watch the children while she goes to gamble away money we can't afford to lose. I told her I could not and she had a tantrum. She told me I was an evil daughter for not letting her enjoy herself, and that if she died not to cry for her. She said if she died, God forbid, she was going to pull my legs at night when I sleep. I know she wasn't totally serious, but dude come on now. What the F? Who says that? I told her if she wanted me to graduate this year then she should let me do my work. That is the second time I stand up to my mother and win. She needs to understand that I am a woman who has to build her own life now. I try to stay away from my family because they suck me in and I don't have time for anything else. Yeah I help them out when I can. I play with the kids, and help them with their homework. I babysit. I clean my room, which is not my room anymore because I live with Kyle. She does not get that I moved out. My mother really calls me to come home immediately so that she could go out. I've been telling her NO because she needs to take responsibility for the kids. I am not their mother. I just wish she would try a little more. Growing up was hard. She would go up and down with mood swings. I was a bad student at school because I was always absent, and did not do my homework. I had no idea my parents were suppose to help me. I see that my little brother is having a hard time at school too just like I did and it kills me because I call my mom just to remind her to tell Anthony to do his homework. She needs to interact with the kids more.
There was a full moon and I heard somewhere women are affected by the gravity pull. It makes us grumpier I guess. That night I was wearing a moon stone ring, and I tell you that I was in a bad place. After talking to my mom, I was drained and down. It's funny how my mom could manipulate my mood like that. She has lots of power over me, and that is fine, but she should not take advantage like she does.
There was a full moon and I heard somewhere women are affected by the gravity pull. It makes us grumpier I guess. That night I was wearing a moon stone ring, and I tell you that I was in a bad place. After talking to my mom, I was drained and down. It's funny how my mom could manipulate my mood like that. She has lots of power over me, and that is fine, but she should not take advantage like she does.
ISFJ
I googled the Myers-Brigg test, the one about your future career and jam, and stumbled on this personality test by Jung. It's a basic list of yes and no questions and at the end it determines your "personality"
I got "ISFJ". wth!
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
I got "ISFJ". wth!
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
messy etsy?
i bought a necklace on etsy.com.
i got it in the mail last week!
i just put it on...
and it broke.
i also bought art on etsy. com in october.
it was ruined in the mail.
i told the etsy seller about my dilemma.
she re-sent me the art.
i received it feb 25.
am i being too "i need immediate gratification" or are those events just coincidences? unlucky ones that that? not everything about that site is so wonderful.
photography is not cutting edge. fml.
i was a photography major at fairfield university. i had little art history background. i took a history of photography class and an early renaissance class when i studied abroad in florence. before i got into stony brook i took two survey classes on art history something like "art from ancient times to the renaissance" and "baroque to contemporary." something like that. i knew nothing abut art theory, or many theorists, for that matter. but i knew donald kuspit. he is extremely prolific. i can't even tell you what he writes one it's more like what he doesn't write on/about. and that list is extremely slim. he is cynical and dogmatic and i love it. i am not this way at all, not in the least bit. but, in regards to art, it's refreshing to find someone that is. for kuspit there is black and white. there is art and there isn't art. and this interests me greately. in a time where everything is art how can something not be?
i'm talking to etherial. let me ground it. for kuspit, this is not art. or maybe not "good" art:
urs fischer's "holy"
scene from brian wood and ryan kelly's "local"
repin, "cossacks"while i can understand his reasoning, the reasoning he has let us in on, (this is kitsch.) this is problematic for me. i want to give boundaries to art...but why? maybe this is helpful in the understanding of the history of art but at the present time, this is stifling when we should be promoting the critical consciousness. the mind. ideas. talking about ideas. working together. this is the best time.
so i wasn't surprised when the man i've looked up to the past few years said to me "greenberg and rosenberg? well, they didn't care about photography. it's not cutting edge. it's not where the advancement of art is." i died a little! i'm being dramatic. but i was upset. i know i know...it's just one person and in the grand scheme of things not everyone believes this. but, boy was i crushed. i'm finding that i have to defend my love of photography. and i didn't even know it needed my defense.
it's a bit discouraging. and it's a bit freeing. i finally know that i absolutely will write my thesis on photography. possibly my dissertation. and more likely gear it towards design and the history of design. my interests (comic books, furniture design, jewelry making, mosaics, pottery, stained glass, wallpaper, PHOTOGRAPHY) may not be fine art. but it's art and i have to make the best of this program in light of that.
philoctetes
i e-mailed my friend claire a few days ago about the philoctetes project. i like that name so i'll call it that. i haven't heard from her yet. i was very hesitant about connecting with her on this project as i wasn't sure how she would take it.
claire joined the army, i'd say, about seven years ago? possibly longer. she was probably the last person i would ever see joining the army. her and i went to sleep away summer camp together for many years. i got to know her pretty well during activities and meals. she was a sweet girl who loved to be loud. and that was important at camp. she cheered and sang and participated. well, wait, she participated but she complained. a lot. now i love her to death and i would tell her this to her face but, she jut didn't have camp spirit. she didn't want to go to do certain activities or eat certain things or go certain places. she was difficult. i do remember her loving this game we would play called smugglers. it's long and complicated and, really, i never liked the game, but to make a long story short - one team hid cans and the other team stayed up all night looking for these cans. claire could not get enough of this game. looking for the "smugglers" and trying to find the cans. she was all about it. she later told me that joining the army was like one big game of smugglers. i can see that. but in the army you're actually looking for people who might kill you. way different than looking for cans.
anyways, claire ended up hurting herself pretty badly during a round of training and was put on disability. she wasn't allowed to actually go out on a tour. she did meet her husband in the army and they got married and had two kids. he goes on tours every few months to iraq and afghanistan.
so i asked her if she knew anyone on active duty that would help us out. and this is a tricky situation, i feel, because one never knows how someone in the army is going to handle this. i never ever ever want a friend, let alone a friend in the army who has a husband on active duty, to feel like i, or this country, disapproves of them. quite the contrary. i could never ever ever even fathom doing anything that the army does and i have tremendous amounts of respect for every man and woman that serves our country. i may not agree with their purpose, their reasons for being in iraq or afghanistan, but i respect their desire to serve our country and protect our country. i want them to come home and i want them to come home safely. i want them to be compensated appropriately for risking their lives and their well being to protect those of us at home.
i haven't heard from claire yet.
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