Saturday, November 29, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Caves
Much has happened since I last updated........
I drove with Nathan across the country. We started in Millville, drove to Idlewild Disc Golf Course in Kentucky, then continued on to St. Louis, the Rocky Mountains, Arches National Park, the Grand Canyon and finally, Los Angeles. It was a great trip. Some parts were much better than others, but I could spend a lot of time on the road. I wish I had more friends that would do things like that with me. I jumped at the chance to go with Nate since he was going out of neccessity and I figured it would be my only shot at doing something like this unless I meet someone new that likes doing things that I do. If I get to do it again I'd like it to be warmer so camping is a better option most nights. I love camping just not when it's below freezing outside. We only camped one night. Three nights were spent in hotels and one sleeping in the car. I need to get a new cot for camping as well.
Some of the most amazing things we saw were at Arches National Park. The hikes were awesome by themselves, but the views they provided were even better. Besides LA, that is the one place I really want to get back to. Los Angeles was much better this time than the one other time I was there for a short time in traffic. I didn't want to leave. Everything there was just great.
I went to see Jonah Matranga for the second time last week with Chuck. He played in a chapel at the First Unitarian Church. It was a very intimate performance with no mics or cords of any kind, just Jonah and his acoustic guitar. It was even better this time that I kenw some of his songs.
We had a FalaFest on Friday night with me, Katie, Chuck, Jordan and Sergi. We got falafels and then hung out in the city for a while until we could get pretzels.
Saturday we went to see Bayside. They were as good as I expected them to be. They played a great selection from most of their CDs, including Dear Tragedy, Don't Call Me Peanut, They're NOT Horses, and Landing Feet First. They played all the songs you would expect also and the crowd was geared up the whole time. I've had their songs in my head since then.
I haven't gotten a job since I got back from the trip. There hasn't been anything to take and I need the money, especially with only two more pay days before Christmas. I'm not getting you anything.
I'm in a melancholy mood tonight and I need to be away from people. I usually just want to be around people, but I just want to be alone right now. Maybe it's just the certain people I might see that I don't want to be around. I need to get out of here.
I drove with Nathan across the country. We started in Millville, drove to Idlewild Disc Golf Course in Kentucky, then continued on to St. Louis, the Rocky Mountains, Arches National Park, the Grand Canyon and finally, Los Angeles. It was a great trip. Some parts were much better than others, but I could spend a lot of time on the road. I wish I had more friends that would do things like that with me. I jumped at the chance to go with Nate since he was going out of neccessity and I figured it would be my only shot at doing something like this unless I meet someone new that likes doing things that I do. If I get to do it again I'd like it to be warmer so camping is a better option most nights. I love camping just not when it's below freezing outside. We only camped one night. Three nights were spent in hotels and one sleeping in the car. I need to get a new cot for camping as well.
Some of the most amazing things we saw were at Arches National Park. The hikes were awesome by themselves, but the views they provided were even better. Besides LA, that is the one place I really want to get back to. Los Angeles was much better this time than the one other time I was there for a short time in traffic. I didn't want to leave. Everything there was just great.
I went to see Jonah Matranga for the second time last week with Chuck. He played in a chapel at the First Unitarian Church. It was a very intimate performance with no mics or cords of any kind, just Jonah and his acoustic guitar. It was even better this time that I kenw some of his songs.
We had a FalaFest on Friday night with me, Katie, Chuck, Jordan and Sergi. We got falafels and then hung out in the city for a while until we could get pretzels.
Saturday we went to see Bayside. They were as good as I expected them to be. They played a great selection from most of their CDs, including Dear Tragedy, Don't Call Me Peanut, They're NOT Horses, and Landing Feet First. They played all the songs you would expect also and the crowd was geared up the whole time. I've had their songs in my head since then.
I haven't gotten a job since I got back from the trip. There hasn't been anything to take and I need the money, especially with only two more pay days before Christmas. I'm not getting you anything.
I'm in a melancholy mood tonight and I need to be away from people. I usually just want to be around people, but I just want to be alone right now. Maybe it's just the certain people I might see that I don't want to be around. I need to get out of here.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Almost time to go..
It's Sunday night and I have a bunch of stuff left to do before I start driving to California. Foremost would be packing but I have been spending my time watching House or.. updating blogs. I also have some art assignments I should be doing because they're due the day after I get back. I am looking forward to the trip but right now I'm just trying to make sure I get things done and I don't forget to pack anything. I'll be updating things from the road if I can get internet access sometime. I'll be updating on Twitter on the way frequently and sometimes with pictures on here. I'll need some luck to get all this stuff done but the trip should be awesome.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Wet drive
I pulled out a few great albums I haven't listened to in quite a while and had a drive in the rain tonight. Brand New's "The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me" brought back some memories, thne I went even farther back in time with "Emotion is Dead" by The Juliana Theory. Great rain music. Good memories.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Uniform
It is a strange part of getting older when you realize your perspective on things has changed so drastically. For so long it has seemed that I never felt so far removed from high school. When I would substitute for high school classes, I would often sympathize with the way the students felt and remember how it was for me. Today, also while substituting, I realized I felt very differently about things that I was once sure I would always believe.
The public school system is very flawed. It seems that it's just not working. The number of children that don't appear to be getting any education at all is quite high from what I've seen. These classes have no structure and the students have no respect. There is more time spent trying to calm the kids down or bargain with them about doing their work than there is spent teaching.
This seems to mostly be the case with the upper class. The younger children still have the fear of adults that they will often listen when yelled at. The older students simply disrespect teachers for the reputation. In almost every class there is one person who wants to be the "class clown" of sorts. When the class laughs at them, they just go on until they are finally threatened with something to make them shut up or they are removed from class. This isn't a new feeling so much since I've always been annoyed by these types of people.
I never gave much thought to private school or uniforms but I think they are possibly a good thing. In a private school there is likely a standard of discipline that is expected and required. The uniform is one part of that and I think it would be an advantage. I'm all for individuality but that tends to single certain people out as the "popular kids" or the "dorks." Uniforms would put everyone on a level playing field to begin with. It's true that kids will be kids and there will be other reasons to pick fights or make fun of their peers if that's what they're going to do, but it could severely reduce the instances and give kids a chance they might not have otherwise.
I just think, with the ever expanding population of public schools, it's necessary to do something to deal with the increasing level of difficulty keeping students focused on learning. More importantly, it's necessary to keep the students who would distract those who want to learn in check and make sure they can't negatively effect the progress of those students.
This may be a rambling based on a few experiences and not a well-researched essay that might convince someone to agree with me, but it's something that occurred to me as an issue that needs some attention.
The public school system is very flawed. It seems that it's just not working. The number of children that don't appear to be getting any education at all is quite high from what I've seen. These classes have no structure and the students have no respect. There is more time spent trying to calm the kids down or bargain with them about doing their work than there is spent teaching.
This seems to mostly be the case with the upper class. The younger children still have the fear of adults that they will often listen when yelled at. The older students simply disrespect teachers for the reputation. In almost every class there is one person who wants to be the "class clown" of sorts. When the class laughs at them, they just go on until they are finally threatened with something to make them shut up or they are removed from class. This isn't a new feeling so much since I've always been annoyed by these types of people.
I never gave much thought to private school or uniforms but I think they are possibly a good thing. In a private school there is likely a standard of discipline that is expected and required. The uniform is one part of that and I think it would be an advantage. I'm all for individuality but that tends to single certain people out as the "popular kids" or the "dorks." Uniforms would put everyone on a level playing field to begin with. It's true that kids will be kids and there will be other reasons to pick fights or make fun of their peers if that's what they're going to do, but it could severely reduce the instances and give kids a chance they might not have otherwise.
I just think, with the ever expanding population of public schools, it's necessary to do something to deal with the increasing level of difficulty keeping students focused on learning. More importantly, it's necessary to keep the students who would distract those who want to learn in check and make sure they can't negatively effect the progress of those students.
This may be a rambling based on a few experiences and not a well-researched essay that might convince someone to agree with me, but it's something that occurred to me as an issue that needs some attention.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Decisions
Ah, mid-terms. While I don't have the usual exams that most students have during mid-terms, I have something equally as frustrating. I would actually much rather take an exam; I'm good at tests, not art. I have so much work due this week for all of my classes. Some of it is done and turned in. I had a sketch book with 42 self-portraits due yesterday, which I finished yesterday. I had a paper due in Art History on Monday which is finished Monday. I have a research paper due tomorrow for Color Theory which I just finished thanks to the class I'm substituting having a student teacher. I have a six-foot drawing due tomorrow that I haven't started yet. After work, I'm going to try to work on it a bit but then I'm playing disc golf. Hopefully I'll have some time after to finish it up. It might not be good but as long as it gets finished that will be good. My 3D sculpture is due tomorrow also. It's mostly done, I just need to sand it a little and then coat it. I'm just hoping to not be up until 3am.
Besides worrying about what assignments are due, I've been trying to decide what classes to take next semester. I'm not just concerned with which classes will fulfill my requirements, I'm wondering if I want to finish out the art program with a BA, a BFA or at all. I have been thinking about transferring to another major while I can use these art classes and not lose any credits. Right now these are my options:
-Take electives and some studio courses to get a BA in about three semesters.
-Take all studio classes for four or more semesters to get a BFA, a better degree.
-Start a new major like history, english or philosphy and get a BA in three semesters.
What to do? I'm not sure but I have to choose classes in about a week...
Besides worrying about what assignments are due, I've been trying to decide what classes to take next semester. I'm not just concerned with which classes will fulfill my requirements, I'm wondering if I want to finish out the art program with a BA, a BFA or at all. I have been thinking about transferring to another major while I can use these art classes and not lose any credits. Right now these are my options:
-Take electives and some studio courses to get a BA in about three semesters.
-Take all studio classes for four or more semesters to get a BFA, a better degree.
-Start a new major like history, english or philosphy and get a BA in three semesters.
What to do? I'm not sure but I have to choose classes in about a week...
Monday, October 13, 2008
I'd prefer not to be rescued...
I took a trip to New York on Saturday and rode my bike around. It was a great trip. I had a lot of fun just being in the city as always, but being on a bike made it that much better. It's so much easier and faster to get to a lot of places. There was one part of my trip in particular that made me happy. I was in Central Park riding back down from the northern part. I just climbed a pretty steep hill on my bike and I got to the top and started to coast down. As I did, a Jack's Mannequin song came on my ipod and it just felt perfect. No matter what else was going on in my life, what papers I had due for midterm or how bad I might feel about something, none of it mattered because I was just happy. I felt infinite. Like Charlie in The Perks of Being a Wallflower. That part of the book never meant much to me but now that I have felt that feeling, I just want it back. It was like anything was possible and I didn't need anything else to be happy, just myself. I feel like I belong in New York. I want to feel infinite again.
dm
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