Blogging Around

I first commented on Minho's blog titled "Dialectics: Reality and Stimulation," in which he brought up a good point that pretty much everything is real, even if it is isn't concrete.

Minho,
I completely agree with this blog post. The word "real" or "reality" really doesn't have a concrete definition, and along with that, just because something isn't concrete doesn't make it any less real. I love how you approached that with the idea of Neo eating the Noodles and how that was real too. I kinda feel like the Matrix almost complicates our definition of real because it brings into the equation something that is definately not real right now: The Matrix itself. (Well, unless we are in it, in which case, then im wrong). Really, though, this blog post get's across a great point: Everything really, is real. And i LOVE how you wrote it too. Nice job!

Then I commented on Kara's blog, also titled "Dialectics: Reality and Stimulation," only she made a point of talking about how people choose simulation over reality to get away from their real lives. 

Kara,
I love this post because I think it applies to our world a lot now. You talked about how people in the world will someday be forced to choose between reality and stimulation and in a way, people already do that now. It's like the show CATFISH on MTV. It's about how people meet other people online, and fall in love with them. What is interesting, is that when they go to meet each other in person, most of the time, they are nothing like who they are online. Even now in the world, people choose simulation to get away from their real life. Overall, I think the point you make in your blog is awesome, and totally applicable to our lives today, and it was really enlightening. Awesome job girly!

Dialectics: Technology and Nature

Technology and Nature are, at their core, the same thing. So far-fetched right? Nope.

First think about this. What happens when you sit watching TV for like hours on end, all day, everyday? You feel like your eye balls are going to burn out and all you want to do is go outside and get some fresh air. And what happens when you are shoved out into nature for a few weeks with no way to contact the outside world and you have to hunt and search for food and shelter? All you want is a hot shower and a TV and your phone. Technology and nature lure one another; there needs to be a delicate balance between the two, a balance that is disturbed in the Matrix.

The Matrix is like watching a movie (haha, i know). But seriously. If the movie is convincing enough, soon you forget that you're even watching a movie because your mind is so invested in the plot. The Matrix completely engulfs the minds of the people inside of it, so much so, that they don't even know they are living in a virtual world. Technology has literally taken over these people. And when they are freed, it's like leaving the movie. It seems so bright outside because you were just in a dark room, and it takes a minute for you to get comfortable with the sunlight. But you wouldn't go watch two or three movies in a row would you? Only if it was all 8 Harry Potter movies in a row, I know, but other than that, your brain would just fry.

The Matrix is literally one giant piece of technology; it is a network of math equations woven together to create this complex virtual world. The Matrix engulfs the minds of people, it literally lures them in without them even knowing it. And they are constantly contained in this world, with no breathes of fresh air allowed. Not even Neo, Trinity or Morpheus get a breath of fresh air because they lives surround entirely around the Matrix. But isn't it obvious that they want one? To me, it seems like they don't want to be in the Matrix, but they aren't exactly happen living their lives outside the Matrix either. Everything is about plugging someone in to give them certain skills, or transport them somewhere else, or codes to Zion. Everything is technology. They live in a world where technology controls them.

And yet, they so obviously reject nature as well, because when Morpheus shows Neo what the outside world really looks like, it is not like he is begging to stay out there, under the stormy sky. And that's just it. When nature and earth failed them, humans ran to technology to save them. And now they are stuck in a web of technology and they want out; they want to go back to nature.

Nature and technology have the same effect on people. They are scary, and a lot of the time, beyond our mind capacity. But we are lured to both for comfort as well, and this is so evident in the Matrix simply because the people are so uncomfortable. Think about it. There was basically no sunlight in the movie, and the almost the entire plot took place in places made entirely of metal.

So it seems like a stretch, only because there is literally nothing about nature in the Matrix. But nature has everything to do with the Matrix. It is human nature to seek out nature when technology complicates life. The Matrix makes the characters seek out nature, even when they know they can't get it. After all, they have been staring at those codes for so long they are about to burn their eyes out too. They want out. They want a breath of fresh air.

Metacognition: Jane Eyre Mashup

I don't get it. I don't get it. I just don't get it. AHHH!!!!

These were my thoughts when Mr. Allen first introduced the mashup project to us. I searched for clarification everywhere, I reread the prompt multiple times, asked my peers, and even sat down to ask Mr. Allen a few questions, and still nothing. But I chose a topic: Independence, simply because it seemed to be the topic I could most relate to; I strive to be as independent and self-dependent as possible.

So I collected every piece of information I could. I collected every angle, definition, picture, quote, article, anything and everything that had to the slightest thing to do with independence.

After that, I talked to Mr. Allen, and found out that this project wasn't just about independence, it was about independence AND Jane Eyre, and how she viewed being independent. Okay, now that made sense.

So I threw it all away. I restarted and this time focused on Jane, but I was still confused. But instead of becoming frustrated with my confusion, I used it to my advantage. I had so many questions and all the tools to answer them.

I wrote down every question I had, and found all the answers within Jane Eyre, and other literature and media. Now that I had cleared up my confusion, I imagined myself teaching someone else about all of this. How could I best organize everything I had learned, and still make it creative?

Boom. Flash. I once found a quote that says, "My mind works like lightning. One brilliant flash and it is gone." And that's how I came up with the concept of drawing my project. Youtube stars have been doing this thing called "Draw my Life," recently, where they draw the story of their life on a whiteboard, and then narrate over it. And it is SOO COOL! I wanted to entertain and teach my audience just like these people had.

So I bought the white board, set up the camera, and began. And it was tedious, and it was boring, and you really don't want to hear about it. But the finished product? Well, to be honest, I'm pretty damn proud of it. There are a few mistakes, and it most definitely isn't perfect, but this project was really an experiment for me, and I'd say it payed off.

Looking back, at first I was most definitely skeptical of the mashup. It seemed like I would need to force myself to think about Jane Eyre too much, but really, I learned a lot about myself, feminism and individualism along the way too, and I genuinely enjoyed it. I think the best part was that I got to let my creative side shine more than I would be able to in an essay, or a test. And being stuck is just part of the process. I've said this before and I'll say it again, "Inspiration, then perspiration." Sure, I definitely put effort and hard work into this project, but I was also very inspired, which made it easy and fun.

HERE IT IS!!!

Metacognition: The Attic

It ain't my best work, but at least I did work.

But seriously. I tried, I really did, but I'll admit that my short story didn't exactly end up the way I wanted it to.

I am lucky enough to live in a family that is the complete opposite of the one in my story. My parents are happily married and almost never fight, I have a decent relationship with my Mom and Dad and I've never been to in my attic but I've heard it's really creepy. 

However, I do think of running away an awful lot. And because of this I tried to create a setting and plot that forced my main character to run away. I wanted to put her in an awful situation and make her realize that the only solution to her inner and outer turmoil was to run away.

Whenever I think of running away I think about how I was young, I would always put my stuffed animals, some money, and a shirt into a blanket, tied it together, throw it over my shoulder and set off down the street. And my older sisters would always run and catch me and bring me back home. Running away doesn't have to mean physically going away though, it can also mean mentally and emotionally sending yourself to another world. That's what music and sports do for me, they send me to another place with no people and no problems.

That is where the Attic came in. I could see it in my head. Auburn walls, a round window under a tilted roof, squeaky floors, lamps to create a warm light at night. I'd always wanted a little home like that for myself and so I created it for my character instead. She just needed a reason to go there.

So I gave her a reason. I gave her shitty parents, a little sister, and eternal anger at her situation. And a gun, but that comes a little later. And when you're a teenager like she is, and you want to leave your house so badly but have absolutely no way to do that, you find something else. Like an attic. 

Maybe the reason I am trying to hard to relate to my character but can't is because we have no similarities at all. My situation is most definitely not her situation. But, when she is in the attic, I know exactly how she is feeling. We are the same person, with the same needs. We want to leave and we want to leave now. The attic may seem like such a small part in my story but it the save haven, the place of peace, and my characters only true home.

And I tried hard to make that evident. And if it isn't evident than at least I tried. I'll admit this isn't my best work, but I needed to challenge myself and this was the only way I could. I've written enough stories and songs that I completely understand, and this time I wanted to be a bit lost, along with my readers. Jack White, one my favorite musicians, think the same way. He believes he has to defeat the music in order to make it sound good. I wanted to defeat my story, work against its tendencies and tame it, bring it in. Like Jack White would say, “I keep guitars that are, you know, the neck's a little bit bent and it's a little bit out of tune. I want to work and battle it and conquer it and make it express whatever attitude I have at that moment. I want it to be a struggle.”

Yea, Mr. Allen, it might not be my best work, but at least I tried. 

It Matters: The R Word

LOVE.

Otherwise known as the L-Bomb. Love, at least to teenagers, is something to be afraid of. I'll admit that I'm scared of the word myself. I do not particularly enjoy letting anyone play with my heart, if I even let them into it at first. Those 4 letters can be scary, especially when arranged in that particular order.

We've started exploring the idea of love recently in English. We started watching Once, one of my favorite movies EVER, and we are also reading Jane Eyre. Love is a topic that everyone in class has an opinion on, and we can barely get through a small discussion about it because everyone wants to chime in. The movie Once is an unusual love story, driven around music (FANTASTIC music). It is very interesting, and completely out of the ordinary. Both of the main characters are lonely, and enjoy the company of each other. As far as we've gotten in Jane Eyre, it is obvious that she is lonely as well. Jane is almost always locked up in the nursery with no one to care or love for her.

We also recently just finished learning about European imperialism in Africa in World History, along with reading Heart of Darkness in English. While learning about this, it seemed to me that a little love and compassion would really fix the entire situation. It seems juvenile, or maybe a bit too optimistic, but I'm serious. If you think about it, the Europeans were brutal towards the Africans, and did not care about them one bit. If that's not something humanity and kindness can't fix, than I don't know what is.

So what about it? We are constantly surrounded by love everyday, but why did I choose to pinpoint love in this blog?

It's simple. There seems to be an awfully large lack of love in the world today. Evil is everywhere, but I want to talk about something even more alarming than when something drops the L-Bomb with me. The R-Word.

It's the insult of all insults, telling someone they are retarded is a combination of saying they're stupid, annoying, empty headed, pointless, dumb, awkward, and unusual all in one.

And there is nothing more that I HATE than when someone uses the word retarded as an insult, as if it's no big deal, like it is completely normal. I cringe at the sound of it. I would prefer an number of curse words screamed very loudly than to hear the R-Word dropped carelessly.

And the use of this word is becoming more and more common. Lebron James called a reporter retarded under his breath here.  

Jennifer Aniston called herself a retard on Regis and Kelly here.

Dave Tosh, a comedian, casually used retarded in a joke here. 

I mean, is it really THAT funny?

Retarded has a meaning, and it's not a joking matter. The lack of love, compassion and understanding these people have for mentally retarded people is unbelievable to me. But just like the use of the R-Word has gone up, so has awareness that we shouldn't be using that word too. A huge movement called "The R-Word: Spread the Word to End the Word" is growing around the United States. To find out more you can visit www.r-word.org. 

LOVE. The L-Bomb. Does it make me nervous? Absolutely, but if people dropped L-Bombs as much as they dropped the R-Word, it would make this world a much better place. The world can never have enough love. 

What If?: A Beautiful Horror

Today in class, we reflected upon Heart of Darkness and how as Kurtz was lying on his death bed, his finals words were, "The horror, the horror!"

This got me thinking.

Kurtz is lingering on the edge of death when he says this. He has seen his entire life pass him by, and he is reflecting upon his many adventures, but most importantly his view on the world, and his connection with the native Africans. He has seen the horrors the "civilized" Europeans have put them through. What if he was yelling about the simple horror of life? Life has it's inevitable horrors; unreasonable evil is a constant in our world, but we just don't see it.

It always seems like the wisest people in the world are the ones that have experienced so much, most of the time, the old people. Their experiences allow them to see life from all different perspectives, which in turn helps them better understand what life is all about.

Is like "a horror?"

Absolutely. But it is also beautiful.

How can you say life is not a horror, when everyday we are surround by racism, sexism, and appalling crimes. We see it all the time, and in Kurtz situation, it was right in front of his face.

But then, there are the amazing miracles of life. There are the kind people that go out of their way to help others, those that dedicate their lives to being in the military, and even those who give even what little they have to a charity, or a person in need. And my favorite miracle, nature. Although Kurtz was constantly surrounded by horror, he was also in the presence of something absolutely breathtaking at the same time. He had the best of both worlds. Whenever something bad happens to me, and I feel like life isn't really on my side, I always run away. I run and run and run, and I always end up in the middle of the forest. Because nature, is the only thing that can calm me down. It is the most amazing of all things in the world. As humans, we started there and it is only natural that we feel comfortable in within nature.

Kurtz's saying has two sides to it. Could he have pointed out the horror of life, all the bad things he had seen? Or could he have simply been crying because he was leaving an amazing and unique life behind?  His journey was, in my belief, cut short. I could only imagine the places he would have gone. But his last words, 4 simple words, can mean so much. And that is the beauty of the situation.

Kurtz's death itself is a horror, absolutely, but it is also beautiful because it is a journey, that many explorers afterwords can learn from, coming to a close.

Blogging Around

I commented on Anna Hofmockel's Metacognition blog about writing her poem. She pinpointed how she at first struggled to find a topic, and then as she went through the writing process, she realized how much help her poem needed. At the end, she compared her final draft to her first draft, which she originally thought was fantastic, and realized how much better her final poem was.

Anna-
I totally agree with everything you said in this post! I usually don't struggle with writing, but somehow this time around, it took me awhile to come up with a good idea, probably because I had English class lingering in the back of my head. I think I was trying to think of some inspirational and original topic, like you were, but I was putting too much pressure on myself to create something extraordinary on my first try. And, just like you, I thought my first draft was fantastic, but looking back on it, it was nothing compared to my final draft. Sometimes, I find it hard to take criticism, especially when I know its valid, but I ended up in a much better place than I started! Your poem was AWESOME too! Keep it up girly! 


I commented on Dana Lee's Metacognition blog about cleaning her room. She pinpointed on how she cleaned her summer clothes out of her closet, and replaced them with winter clothes, making her miss summer. She also pointed out that although clutter seemed annoying, every object she found and picked up, had a memory to go along with it. Dana didn't exactly enjoy cleaning, but she did learn from it.

Dana-
I'm right with you girl! Not only was I totally NOT into cleaning something, but when I did, it brought me right back to summer, like you. I cleaned out my backpack from camp, and every little thing I found in there reminded me of how great summer was. Cleaning out your closet must've been the same! It probably just made you remember how much fun you had, and how you just wish you could go back! Believe me, I felt the same was. But after cleaning, I felt a new energy, like I had just revisited summer, and I was ready to push through another stretch of school (sort of). It might be cold outside, but anytime you feel like you need summer, tear out the shorts and tank top and throw em on. Believe me, it sounds weird, but it helps ALOT. And I totally agree on the cleaning end too! Every object, big or small, has a little meaning to you, and it's fun to find it all again. It's amazing how we can see something as clutter, but really it means so much to us. Love this post!