Short documentary project for my media crit. class regarding the social networking site Facebook.
Showing posts with label THR 403. Show all posts
Showing posts with label THR 403. Show all posts
Monday, March 30, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Why do we need FICTION?
If our real lives seem good enough to be stories, then why do we all swoon over fiction?
ME: Why do we need fiction?
ME: If our real lives seem like good enough stories, then why do we all love to go see fictional movies, read books...etc?
HENRY: because life sucks
HENRY: fiction allows us to fuel our what-if thinking
Professor Baldwin threw this question at us today in class and i wrote it down in my notebook to think about later. I thought it was interesting because I couldn't come up with an answer to it that felt solid. We all tossed out answers like "it helps spark our creativity", "escape", "make believe is more interesting"...but it all felt so...empty. We are voyeurs. If nothing else, it gives us something to get turned on by. Maybe the answer lies in our dissatisfaction with our own lives. You tell me.
Professor Baldwin threw this question at us today in class and i wrote it down in my notebook to think about later. I thought it was interesting because I couldn't come up with an answer to it that felt solid. We all tossed out answers like "it helps spark our creativity", "escape", "make believe is more interesting"...but it all felt so...empty. We are voyeurs. If nothing else, it gives us something to get turned on by. Maybe the answer lies in our dissatisfaction with our own lives. You tell me.
BLOGS
Hello???
Is anyone out there?
Am I talking to myself??
Correct me if I'm wrong but I feel like I'm spending a good portion of my evenings ranting and blabbing to no one other than this white text box and myself. Do a lot of people feel this way? I mean, I actually had created a blog on my own at one time but this time around it's for a class. My motivation is sometimes lacking and the content on some days is less thought provoking than others. What's the point? I have started to find it increasingly difficult to find things to write about - am I trying to hard? Trying to dig deep for something when there are plenty of flowers right on the surface ready to picked? Needless to say my brain generally feels like it's going to implode whenever I log onto this site and I need to figure out a way to keep the meaningful thoughts flowing out of my head and through my fingers.
Is anyone out there?
Am I talking to myself??
Correct me if I'm wrong but I feel like I'm spending a good portion of my evenings ranting and blabbing to no one other than this white text box and myself. Do a lot of people feel this way? I mean, I actually had created a blog on my own at one time but this time around it's for a class. My motivation is sometimes lacking and the content on some days is less thought provoking than others. What's the point? I have started to find it increasingly difficult to find things to write about - am I trying to hard? Trying to dig deep for something when there are plenty of flowers right on the surface ready to picked? Needless to say my brain generally feels like it's going to implode whenever I log onto this site and I need to figure out a way to keep the meaningful thoughts flowing out of my head and through my fingers.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Take a film class.
I decided to become a Cinema and Cultural Studies minor at my current university based on the sheer fact that I was planning on staying in school an extra year to complete my major. It seemed like a good opportunity to grab onto an extra little something to add to my resume and I based my choices on things that interested me and didn't require a great deal of credits to attain. Subjects like philosophy and film attracted me because as a biochemistry major I do not get the chance to exercise the more creative, abstract side of my brain as much as I'd like. I landed on CCS because I already had a couple of classes in that direction and after meeting with the advisor of the department, I was sold.
As unenthusiastic as I seem from the above paragraph, I am extremely happy that I made the decision that I did. I will admit, cinema classes are not on the same level of difficulty as I view my science courses, but they are difficult in their own sense and I become a little agitated when my peers act like the major/minor is a joke or waste of time. In fact, I receive more interesting and impressive emails about internship opportunities in the film industry than I do for my biochemistry. I'm getting off track. The point of this blog is to push people to step out of their comfort zones once in awhile and push yourself to learn something you wouldn't ordinarily find yourself examining. I didn't realize how much movies had to offer until I learned to write 2 page scene analysis of a 5 minute piece of an old french new wave film. I didn't realize the amazing strides producers and directors have taken since the birth of cinema. I didn't realize how much we take for granted in the movies we see each weekend today until I took film history and theory. If for no other reason than to fulfill a requirement, fill time in your schedule, or just as something to do one summer when you can't get your part time job at McDonalds back, I encourage you all to take a film course in your life. I promise that if you keep and open mind and push yourself to think creatively, you won't be disappointed.
As unenthusiastic as I seem from the above paragraph, I am extremely happy that I made the decision that I did. I will admit, cinema classes are not on the same level of difficulty as I view my science courses, but they are difficult in their own sense and I become a little agitated when my peers act like the major/minor is a joke or waste of time. In fact, I receive more interesting and impressive emails about internship opportunities in the film industry than I do for my biochemistry. I'm getting off track. The point of this blog is to push people to step out of their comfort zones once in awhile and push yourself to learn something you wouldn't ordinarily find yourself examining. I didn't realize how much movies had to offer until I learned to write 2 page scene analysis of a 5 minute piece of an old french new wave film. I didn't realize the amazing strides producers and directors have taken since the birth of cinema. I didn't realize how much we take for granted in the movies we see each weekend today until I took film history and theory. If for no other reason than to fulfill a requirement, fill time in your schedule, or just as something to do one summer when you can't get your part time job at McDonalds back, I encourage you all to take a film course in your life. I promise that if you keep and open mind and push yourself to think creatively, you won't be disappointed.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Where is music going?
Where is music headed? I feel like a large number of people are constantly whining about how music is so bad these days, how it's all the same and nothing is original anymore. I know I certainly do feel this way sometimes too, usually when I forget to bring my ipod with me in the car and I am forced to flick on the radio to whatever station comes in the clearest at my current location. And it's around that time that I make desperate attempts to scan the FM stations for something better than "Under my umbrella -ella -ella" only to find the same song playing on three other stations.
My boyfriend is a musician - singer, songwriter, and guitarist to be exact - and it is through him that I have learned and seen a lot of what is involved in the music industry and the song writing process. (For example, the chorus of a song should be heard within the first 40 seconds of a song to maximize its appeal and "catch".) He writes rock music, but my mind often wanders to the thought of what the next popular genre will be. So many people have said before that it is scary to imagine telling our grandkids what we listened to "when we were their age". I don't know many people who would be excited to pull out an old Lil' Jon CD and play it for them. It's only a little weird, eh?
Beyond the music itself, what will be the new wave of music distribution? I personally haven't purchased a physical CD in over a year (though I'd love to start doing so again). Funny thing is that I actually prefer to possess a physical copy of the music I own. And there's something cool about having that little square booklet with the lyrics and random stuff about the artist. I become a little sad when I realize how little people care about that stuff anymore. It's all about convenience...like everything else. Why go to the store when I can download off iTunes in five minutes? But what happens when your computer crashes and you lose all those digital files of your favorite songs huh? We are still a materialistic culture, I say that without a doubt. It's hard not to be when money is such an important part of our society. However I will go out on a limb and say that the materials that we are becoming more and more attracted to are beoming more and more digital - less and less tangible. Is it worth all we are making it up to be?
Thursday, March 19, 2009
My Older Brother
For the past week or so my boss has been absent from work due to unknown illness.
I know it doesn't seem like much and that maybe it appears odd to even write a blog beginning with that statement, but that's because you don't know Cameron. I remember the first time I met him. The phone calls I received a few weeks prior to moving back into the dorms at the end of summer for my RA position gave me a completely incorrect picture of him in my mind. When I walked into Sanger College and knocked on the RHD office door I did not expect to see a short, little Chilean white guy sitting behind the desk. It didn't take me long to realize that Cameron and I would become close. Both sarcastic, not afraid to be silly or speak our minds, and (after a little bit of research) very close in age.
I never had an older brother and always wanted one. In fact, I don't have any siblings at all and it was not until the past few years that I became jealous of my friends that do. Cameron became that older brother figure for me. He was my boss yes, and he took his job seriously. He did what he had to do when he had to do it whether he wanted to be a tough-ass or not; however I often looked at him differently than that. He took care of me, of all of us. Made us coffee in the morning sometimes, or even a bagel and some bacon. He dropped me off at the airport or picked someone up from the train station late at night. He was real around us - talked about his family, his girlfriend, his past, his future. Cameron is someone I trust more than 95% of people I have ever met and I have only known him for one and a half years. I'd like to think that he has a little place in his heart for me as well - I think so. We both have bigger and better things in our future after we leave this place and I sincerely hope that we remain in each others lives in some way. I don't think it takes an inordinate amount of time to form deep relationships with someone. The roots are important but they don't necessarily have to take years to grow.
I know it doesn't seem like much and that maybe it appears odd to even write a blog beginning with that statement, but that's because you don't know Cameron. I remember the first time I met him. The phone calls I received a few weeks prior to moving back into the dorms at the end of summer for my RA position gave me a completely incorrect picture of him in my mind. When I walked into Sanger College and knocked on the RHD office door I did not expect to see a short, little Chilean white guy sitting behind the desk. It didn't take me long to realize that Cameron and I would become close. Both sarcastic, not afraid to be silly or speak our minds, and (after a little bit of research) very close in age.
I never had an older brother and always wanted one. In fact, I don't have any siblings at all and it was not until the past few years that I became jealous of my friends that do. Cameron became that older brother figure for me. He was my boss yes, and he took his job seriously. He did what he had to do when he had to do it whether he wanted to be a tough-ass or not; however I often looked at him differently than that. He took care of me, of all of us. Made us coffee in the morning sometimes, or even a bagel and some bacon. He dropped me off at the airport or picked someone up from the train station late at night. He was real around us - talked about his family, his girlfriend, his past, his future. Cameron is someone I trust more than 95% of people I have ever met and I have only known him for one and a half years. I'd like to think that he has a little place in his heart for me as well - I think so. We both have bigger and better things in our future after we leave this place and I sincerely hope that we remain in each others lives in some way. I don't think it takes an inordinate amount of time to form deep relationships with someone. The roots are important but they don't necessarily have to take years to grow.
Monday, March 9, 2009
The long lost friend.
It's always an amusing circumstance to get in touch with someone you have not seen or spoken to in years. If there is one reason to be pleased about the growth of digital networking communities and the social medium presented to us in this generation, it's the ability to FIND (as well as be FOUND) by people. These people come in all forms:
-the guy who never talked to you in high school
-the ex boyfriends/girlfriends
-extended relatives
-old best friends
-people you worked with at that one summer job
and then some.
But this is all stuff you already are familiar with I imagine, as many people are. You might even fall into one of the above categories for someone else. I bring it up because I want to draw a line. There is a gigantic difference between clicking "Request to Add Friend" on Facebook, and a face-to-face run in by chance or time to catch up over coffee/drinks. How has the meaning of "keep in touch" changed? Social media makes it so EASY...but equally, if not more, impersonal. As a twenty-something college student who moved 9 hours from her hometown and transferred colleges in the midst of it all, I have done my fair share of "keeping in touch". Yet it often feels meaningless. I was reminded of the glaring contrast of online interactions and those conducted in person while home for winter break this past January. While out downtown with a good friend, I met up with someone I haven't actually seen since my first year of college about four and a half years ago. It was bizarre. Pleasant, but bizarre. Real. Nothing can ever satifyingly replace reality.
-the guy who never talked to you in high school
-the ex boyfriends/girlfriends
-extended relatives
-old best friends
-people you worked with at that one summer job
and then some.
But this is all stuff you already are familiar with I imagine, as many people are. You might even fall into one of the above categories for someone else. I bring it up because I want to draw a line. There is a gigantic difference between clicking "Request to Add Friend" on Facebook, and a face-to-face run in by chance or time to catch up over coffee/drinks. How has the meaning of "keep in touch" changed? Social media makes it so EASY...but equally, if not more, impersonal. As a twenty-something college student who moved 9 hours from her hometown and transferred colleges in the midst of it all, I have done my fair share of "keeping in touch". Yet it often feels meaningless. I was reminded of the glaring contrast of online interactions and those conducted in person while home for winter break this past January. While out downtown with a good friend, I met up with someone I haven't actually seen since my first year of college about four and a half years ago. It was bizarre. Pleasant, but bizarre. Real. Nothing can ever satifyingly replace reality.
Rain, Rain Go Away
It rained today. It rained so much that I finally gave in and purchased an overpriced, twelve dollar umbrella from the campus convenient store. I don't know why an institution that snatches thousands of dollars every year (and rising!) sees the need to charge an obscene amount of money for mundane items like shampoo or umbrellas, but they do.
Our environment is very influential on our moods, but it's funny how weather patterns one day induce one feeling, while another day it becomes something completely different. A blizzard on Christmas morning is ideal, and when it comes to school snow days there is nothing more satisfying. A wintery wonderland while attempting to make an eight hour drive home is less than exciting however. Same holds true for the rain. I love rainy Sundays. Sunday has the wonderful reputation for being lazy and I love the ambiance of pitter-pattering rain drops on my window while I am inside with my nose in a book snuggled up in pajamas and moccasins. Today I didn't like the rain. Stranded in my wet walk from class to class all morning without a hat or hood...I didn't even have proper footwear on! Silly me. I think I'm going to get into the habit of checking the weather each morning.
Our environment is very influential on our moods, but it's funny how weather patterns one day induce one feeling, while another day it becomes something completely different. A blizzard on Christmas morning is ideal, and when it comes to school snow days there is nothing more satisfying. A wintery wonderland while attempting to make an eight hour drive home is less than exciting however. Same holds true for the rain. I love rainy Sundays. Sunday has the wonderful reputation for being lazy and I love the ambiance of pitter-pattering rain drops on my window while I am inside with my nose in a book snuggled up in pajamas and moccasins. Today I didn't like the rain. Stranded in my wet walk from class to class all morning without a hat or hood...I didn't even have proper footwear on! Silly me. I think I'm going to get into the habit of checking the weather each morning.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Drug of choice.
Everyone has their own addiction right?
It is not an exaggeration that I get accused of being a caffeine-addict nearly once every day. This s not true. (Yes, I know that's what a real addict would say but TRUST ME.) I drink coffee rarely when I am not at college. In the summer, I go weeks at a time without it. But there is something comforting about sitting in an oversized armchair or sofa, curled up in a blanket or in a comfy hooded sweatshirt with a hot cup of joe. Some people have comfort foods; mashed potatoes, a pint of Ben & Jerry's, mac n cheese. Well I have a comfort beverage. So sue me.
My next big ticket item that will be on my christmas list next year is an espresso machine. I asked for one this year but decided I wanted a sexy leather jacket instead. (I don't have a place for an espresso machine...) I love to make my own coffee, it's like therapy. For 15 minutes out of my day all I am thinking about is how many scoops of coffee and which flavor creamer I am going to use. I know that I should be careful and monitor the amount of caffeine I actually consume to avoid future problems, but right now that's just not a priority. I don't really drink anything else with caffeine in it anyway; totally not a soda person. And hey, it could be worse. At least I'm not doing heroin.
It is not an exaggeration that I get accused of being a caffeine-addict nearly once every day. This s not true. (Yes, I know that's what a real addict would say but TRUST ME.) I drink coffee rarely when I am not at college. In the summer, I go weeks at a time without it. But there is something comforting about sitting in an oversized armchair or sofa, curled up in a blanket or in a comfy hooded sweatshirt with a hot cup of joe. Some people have comfort foods; mashed potatoes, a pint of Ben & Jerry's, mac n cheese. Well I have a comfort beverage. So sue me.
My next big ticket item that will be on my christmas list next year is an espresso machine. I asked for one this year but decided I wanted a sexy leather jacket instead. (I don't have a place for an espresso machine...) I love to make my own coffee, it's like therapy. For 15 minutes out of my day all I am thinking about is how many scoops of coffee and which flavor creamer I am going to use. I know that I should be careful and monitor the amount of caffeine I actually consume to avoid future problems, but right now that's just not a priority. I don't really drink anything else with caffeine in it anyway; totally not a soda person. And hey, it could be worse. At least I'm not doing heroin.
The Facebook Organism
I've been tossing around ideas for my documentary film project and I think I finally found an interesting direction to follow! I'm going to look at Facebook, one of the most popular social networking websites in this generation, as a living organism. Pretty whacko huh? I know. Here are some of my thoughts:
-We, the individual people/users of Facebook are the individual cells that make up the Facebook community
-Mutations occur within Facebook...Do these happen randomly as in nature or are they induced by some outside force?
-Facebook can evolve...Does this happen by the evolution of the individual cells first, or does the organism evolve causing a change in its component parts?
-What is the relationship between cells? How has the growth of Facebook changed people's perceptions of interpersonal relationships?
-How does communication occur between cells? How has Facebook changed people's ideas about communication?
-What is the purpose of the Facebook organism?
-How can we define lifespan in this scenario, and do the cells have a limited time in the organism too?
-What is the "heart" of facebook...the thing that keeps it "alive"?
I'm going to try and physically map out a scheme of my ideas tonight so I can start getting some footage to use in the short film and start talking to people about these questions. We'll see what happens from there!
-We, the individual people/users of Facebook are the individual cells that make up the Facebook community
-Mutations occur within Facebook...Do these happen randomly as in nature or are they induced by some outside force?
-Facebook can evolve...Does this happen by the evolution of the individual cells first, or does the organism evolve causing a change in its component parts?
-What is the relationship between cells? How has the growth of Facebook changed people's perceptions of interpersonal relationships?
-How does communication occur between cells? How has Facebook changed people's ideas about communication?
-What is the purpose of the Facebook organism?
-How can we define lifespan in this scenario, and do the cells have a limited time in the organism too?
-What is the "heart" of facebook...the thing that keeps it "alive"?
I'm going to try and physically map out a scheme of my ideas tonight so I can start getting some footage to use in the short film and start talking to people about these questions. We'll see what happens from there!
I think I'm going to start an art project...
There was a time when I wanted to be an art teacher. I think I was somewhere around ten years old and I thought it would be just so neat to be able to "play" all day and make cool things. I would certainly call myself a creative person now, however I do feel like a large portion of my ability to think outside the box has been lost due to the past 5 years of studying science. Yes, it's true that scientific thought itself requires a willingness to think abstractly, but it is necessary in a way that challenges ideas and provokes new research on a subject. My fellow RA staff members would also not hesitate to say that I come up with amazing ideas and take things overboard sometimes with the arts and crafts aspect of our job, but I am critical of my work and I am starting to have a burning desire to broaden my artistic horizons.
There has been some art pieces I have seen (paintings and sculptures mainly) that have been of the human body and form, or an abstract representation of it. With an immense fascination with the workings of the human body (hey med schools! pick me!) I am drawn immediately to this sort of artwork. I have even spent some time talking to medical students who have advocated the studying technique of drawing diagrams to help remember anatomy and physiology. In a non-academic sense, I'd like to start a project like this. I used to fill up sketch books as a child, drawing anything in sight, and perhaps I can harness that motivation again to do something cool as an adult. I'm going to take some time to find some images of bones, a heart, maybe muscle and see what I can reproduce on paper with a pencil in hand. A girl needs artwork for her future apartment eventually right? Why not make it myself?
There has been some art pieces I have seen (paintings and sculptures mainly) that have been of the human body and form, or an abstract representation of it. With an immense fascination with the workings of the human body (hey med schools! pick me!) I am drawn immediately to this sort of artwork. I have even spent some time talking to medical students who have advocated the studying technique of drawing diagrams to help remember anatomy and physiology. In a non-academic sense, I'd like to start a project like this. I used to fill up sketch books as a child, drawing anything in sight, and perhaps I can harness that motivation again to do something cool as an adult. I'm going to take some time to find some images of bones, a heart, maybe muscle and see what I can reproduce on paper with a pencil in hand. A girl needs artwork for her future apartment eventually right? Why not make it myself?
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Heart
Dan: You think love is simple. You think the heart is like a diagram.
Larry: Have you ever seen a human heart? It looks like a fist, wrapped in blood!
-Closer
I have a fascination with the heart. It is a tremendously powerful little piece of equipment - Have you ever thought about this? I've never seen a real human heart (one day hopefully if I attend medical school), but I have done dissections of other animals' hearts. Sheep is surprisingly similar in size. When you strip it down and remove it from the body it keeps alive, it's actually jaw-dropping to understand its capabilities. I don't know whether this is sensible, and I know that the heart and its rate is closely monitored and regulated, relying on numerous variables to keep me alive; but beyond that, it really sees simple. I guess I wanted to write a quick blurb about this just to raise awareness in others about the brilliant machines that are our bodies. Take care of it. Love it. We put our hearts on pedestals when we think about love and romance, but where did this even start? What is the association? In reality, shouldn't we start drawing cute doodles of brains around the name of our crushes? The heart deserves recognition, without a doubt, but let's give it the right kind.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Twitter is for twits.
Twitter is a waste of time. I don't care that it is designed for cell phone use it sucks. Unless you are a stalker or have no job, classes, or social obligations, I guarantee you can find a better use for your time than checking other people's meaningless "status updates" every fifteen seconds.
I know that our generation is a fine line from addicted to computers and if you even meet someone who doesn't own a cellular telephone there must be something wrong with them, but we have to stop it somewhere. That somewhere should have been Twitter.
If you have never heard of it, and have no idea what I'm referring to, let me explain. I promise it won't take more than a few sentences to cover every aspect. After creating a nutshell-like profile consisting of a photo, name, location, and "bio" (which could really be anything you want), you are presented with a small text box. The purpose of this text box is equivalent to the status aspect of Facebook. If you're unfamiliar with this, basically you get to tell everyone and their mother what you are doing at a given point in time. As if people other than stalkers and losers have time or interest. STUPID.
Check it out. www.twitter.com
I know that our generation is a fine line from addicted to computers and if you even meet someone who doesn't own a cellular telephone there must be something wrong with them, but we have to stop it somewhere. That somewhere should have been Twitter.
If you have never heard of it, and have no idea what I'm referring to, let me explain. I promise it won't take more than a few sentences to cover every aspect. After creating a nutshell-like profile consisting of a photo, name, location, and "bio" (which could really be anything you want), you are presented with a small text box. The purpose of this text box is equivalent to the status aspect of Facebook. If you're unfamiliar with this, basically you get to tell everyone and their mother what you are doing at a given point in time. As if people other than stalkers and losers have time or interest. STUPID.
Check it out. www.twitter.com
People Person
I love people. My friends will often hear me say otherwise, but this is because the exception to my first statement are people who make stupid decisions. I dislike people who make poor life decisions. Overall however, I am often completely amazed by the dynamics of interpersonal relationships (of all kinds) and how each and every human being that I know is different from the next. You will never meet the same person twice and that is an awesome fact. This is why it is wildly entertaining to me that we spend so much time picking up "HOW TO" books on dating and relationships, or combating shyness, or the various other psychological issues that we Homo sapiens are inevitable carriers of. Personally, I think that psychology is a load of bull to begin with...Don't tell my psych friends...but I feel like if you spend enough time self analyzing and talking to your best friends until 5am on a living room couch you may be able to come up with the same diagnosis that a "professional" will offer you. Yes, an alternate point of view is often needed, but is that a skill? Arguable.
I've been learning a lot lately about how people work. I learned a long time ago that there is no universal manual to the human mind and no matter how much you think you know, you can never place a blanket statement over everyone in a certain demographic. I find myself often in a position of supplying advice, and I've started to instead dispense all of this information; that there really isn't any advice, only living. I do think that you can learn a lot from simply observing though. So much can be said in simple body language and a facial expression and I think we often overlook these human characteristics as trivial. Start paying attention to yourself and others.
Have you ever just sat somewhere and people-watched? I would find it hard to believe if the answer to that question was "no". It's human tendency to be curious isn't it? I mean, if that weren't the case, science would have never developed right? We were curious...about EVERYTHING. We needed explanations. So we made them. Maybe people-watching is a science - maybe not. Human interactions are complex and multifaceted and I love to absorb them. Everyone holds something special in them even if they don't know it, and it is this thing that allows them to give something special to the rest of us. Every life is worth living.
I was sitting in an academic building about a week ago studying for an exam I had about 20 minutes later in a nearby lecture hall when this tall stranger approached me out of the blue. I was surrounded by at least 20 other people in the room, maybe more, and he chose me. The first thing he said was "You don't look shy". I wasn't sure how to reply so I laughed and said "No, not generally". He then told me that he and his friend were standing across the room discussing their plan to make our college campus a friendlier, less self-centered atmosphere by attempting to get each and every student to take the time to meet one new person every day. It was all rather absurd, and the last thing on my mind with Cell Biology notes scattered all over my lap, but I listened. It was decided that the best way to start this movement was to recruit all the outgoing, fearless people to do so first so that then once the road was paved, the shy and timid would follow. And somehow, out of a room of 20-40 people, I was decidedly not shy. Amusing. Maybe it's the yellow coat. Of course the people in close proximity to me were also being taken victim to this strangers revolutionary ideas and I could tell by their uncomfortable smiles and fidgeting that they were uncomfortable. I was eating it up. This guy was making my day. Why are people so afraid of human to human interaction?
It all starts with a handshake.
I've been learning a lot lately about how people work. I learned a long time ago that there is no universal manual to the human mind and no matter how much you think you know, you can never place a blanket statement over everyone in a certain demographic. I find myself often in a position of supplying advice, and I've started to instead dispense all of this information; that there really isn't any advice, only living. I do think that you can learn a lot from simply observing though. So much can be said in simple body language and a facial expression and I think we often overlook these human characteristics as trivial. Start paying attention to yourself and others.
Have you ever just sat somewhere and people-watched? I would find it hard to believe if the answer to that question was "no". It's human tendency to be curious isn't it? I mean, if that weren't the case, science would have never developed right? We were curious...about EVERYTHING. We needed explanations. So we made them. Maybe people-watching is a science - maybe not. Human interactions are complex and multifaceted and I love to absorb them. Everyone holds something special in them even if they don't know it, and it is this thing that allows them to give something special to the rest of us. Every life is worth living.
I was sitting in an academic building about a week ago studying for an exam I had about 20 minutes later in a nearby lecture hall when this tall stranger approached me out of the blue. I was surrounded by at least 20 other people in the room, maybe more, and he chose me. The first thing he said was "You don't look shy". I wasn't sure how to reply so I laughed and said "No, not generally". He then told me that he and his friend were standing across the room discussing their plan to make our college campus a friendlier, less self-centered atmosphere by attempting to get each and every student to take the time to meet one new person every day. It was all rather absurd, and the last thing on my mind with Cell Biology notes scattered all over my lap, but I listened. It was decided that the best way to start this movement was to recruit all the outgoing, fearless people to do so first so that then once the road was paved, the shy and timid would follow. And somehow, out of a room of 20-40 people, I was decidedly not shy. Amusing. Maybe it's the yellow coat. Of course the people in close proximity to me were also being taken victim to this strangers revolutionary ideas and I could tell by their uncomfortable smiles and fidgeting that they were uncomfortable. I was eating it up. This guy was making my day. Why are people so afraid of human to human interaction?
It all starts with a handshake.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Salvia divinorum
Salvia divinorum, also known as Diviner’s Sage, ska María Pastora, or simply by the genus name Salvia, is a psychoactive herb which can induce strong dissociative effects. It is a member of the sage genus and the Lamiaceae (mint) family. The Latin name Salvia divinorum literally translates to “sage of the seers”.(excerpt from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_divinorum)
After being in college for five years, I thought I was fairly aware of the various kinds of recreational drugs that my peers in modern culture are dipping their feet into. So when I heard of Salvia, and it's LEGALITY, it caught me off guard. I starting asking my immediate friends about it; if they had heard of it at all or known people who have used. There were of course mixed responses but the majority of people I talked to knew perfectly well about its existence. Whatever your views on recreational drugs may be, I am writing this to spread knowledge, keeping my opinions aside to strictly educate. Keep this in mind as you read. All this information is being collected from sources beyond my own working brain and will be provided at the end of this blog.
While it holds a ceremonial and ritualistic value ("gift from the gods") from its historical and continued use among the indigenous Mazatec shamans who used the herb to facilitate visionary states of consciousness during spiritual healing sessions, the modern media has presented the plant as a threat to civilized society. Most often compared to marajuana, Salvia is usually smoked in some manner, but can also be plainly chewed. Unlike marajuana, Salvia has an active component called Salvinorin A, a psychoactive compound with hallucinagenic affects. When considered by mass alone, it is the most potent of its kind.
Let's talk chemistry. It's a trans-neoclerodane diterpenoid (chemical formula C23H28O8) and research has shown that it acts on the kappa-Opioid receptor. This is a unique characteristic as it has no action on a serotonin receptor that other "classic" hallucinagenic drugs act on, such as LCD. Studies also showed that its potency cannot be translated into toxicity; rodents have been tested with dosages greater than a human would be exposed to and surprisingly did not experience damage to organs. It's mental affects are daunting however (there are numerous videos on youtube of people sharing their experiences) and some have been specifically noted as the following:
increased insight
feelings of calmness
mind racing
floating feelings
unreal
improved mood
increased connection with the universe (WHAT?!)
With affects greatly similar to LCD, and a power that takes affect within 1-2 minutes, reaching its peak at about 5min, how is this stuff LEGAL?
I have heard lots of rumors lately that the Food and Drug Administration is looking into ways to make this substance illegal, but for in the United States, Salvia is not regulated under the Controlled Substances Act; some states, including Delaware, Louisiana, Missouri and others, have passed their own laws. It's just astonishing to me that something so powerful is on the market, and has been for so long, while even possessing pot is against the law and alcohol is A-okay. I'm not making any statement about the latter, merely comparing. Something to think about.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
The price we pay for brains.
When you're in high school skimming through the countless websites of the overwhelming number of colleges and universities on this planet, no one ever tells you how many thousands of dollars you will be in debt if you choose to continue down that path towards EDUCATION. Whether you choose to see it or not, we are brainwashed by everything around us at a young age that we must get a bachelor's degree if we want to "get a good job someday" and be able to live "comfortably".
Funny thing is, I spend more of my time teaching myself than some of my professors spend teaching me in classes that I am paying for. Why is this? It's amazing to me that I am in classes with at least 200 people on average, and as high as 700 in some cases. I know this is the price you pay for attending a large school but I still feel like there must be ways around this issue. I know the value of small classes...or even smallER classes because I attended one year of college at another, much smaller, university. I believe that the actual material students are presented with as undergraduates is pretty much the same across the board, however the education one recieves is different due to the modes of teaching that vary from school to school. There was one professor I had last semester who opened up the first day of class saying, "What I'm doing up here on this stage is not teaching. It is lecturing. I believe that teaching is a give and take process with student and teacher interactions and there will not be any of that here with about 600 students in the class. " He basically told us we didn't even need to show up. We could gain all the knowledge he would be presenting to us from our textbooks. So I didn't go. I got an A- in the class.
Funny thing is, I spend more of my time teaching myself than some of my professors spend teaching me in classes that I am paying for. Why is this? It's amazing to me that I am in classes with at least 200 people on average, and as high as 700 in some cases. I know this is the price you pay for attending a large school but I still feel like there must be ways around this issue. I know the value of small classes...or even smallER classes because I attended one year of college at another, much smaller, university. I believe that the actual material students are presented with as undergraduates is pretty much the same across the board, however the education one recieves is different due to the modes of teaching that vary from school to school. There was one professor I had last semester who opened up the first day of class saying, "What I'm doing up here on this stage is not teaching. It is lecturing. I believe that teaching is a give and take process with student and teacher interactions and there will not be any of that here with about 600 students in the class. " He basically told us we didn't even need to show up. We could gain all the knowledge he would be presenting to us from our textbooks. So I didn't go. I got an A- in the class.
I wrote him an email during the semester saying that I agree with his views on teaching and that I think it is unfortunate that it seems so many classes, especially science oriented (arguably the most difficult to self-teach), that are offered at this school operate by someone standing on a stage in an auditorium flipping through powerpoint slides. I appreciated his honesty.
As I will be graduating this May, I have spent a fair amount of time reflecting on the past 5 years (total) of my experiences in college, both socially and academically. I have thought on numerous occasions about whether or not I regret transferring universities after my Freshman year...there are certainly pros and cons. I guess the biggest thing now is what will be in my future.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
How much does a polar bear weigh?
Enough to break the ice.
My name is Mattina. If you think that's a weird name, it isn't even a name. It's a word. Italian for "morning". Buona mattina! I don't think that I always liked my name; thinking back on all the times it was slaughtered by my teachers in grade school, or occasions that I received mail addressed to Martha as if I miswrote my own name (Martha?!). I expected a really cool story as to why I was named Mattina, but when I asked my parents about the decision making process it was anticlimactic:
Mom: "I was working as a secretary when I was pregnant with you, heard the name, and fell in love with it."
Dad: "I wanted to name you Amanda."
I'm glad I became a Mattina.
I feel a little weird talking to a computer screen about who I am, so I guess I'll stick to the boring basics for now as I'm sure the inner workings of my brain and passions of my heart will make their way into this blog before long. I have been in college for 4.5 years now and am extremely excited to be getting the hell out of here this May. This is not because I dislike it here, or that I do not truly have a place in my heart for the amazing people I have gotten the opportunity to know and become close to, it's because I am ready for that "new chapter" that everyone's always blabbing about. I'm not ready to grow up, but I'm ready to move on. I have continually set extremely high goals for myself my entire life. I really don't remember a time when this wasn't the case. The glimmering prize that I see at the end of my obstacle course is medical school, but by no means was I the kind of person who dreamed of being a doctor since age four; there was a time when I planned on going to the olympics as a figure skater (stay tuned for much more on this subject). I have recently come to the realization that despite how old I feel like I'm getting sometimes, I'm really only about to be 23 and that's not old at all. I spent a high percentage of my time in the past year squishing my brain like a sponge in the hopes that I'd be able to collect the answers to my questions about my future. I didn't collect any answers about my future. I decided that there are none, because you CREATE them.
After alot of stress and mental breakdowns I have chosen to take a year off schooling after graduation this May. I have an intense desire to go back to school (whether this will be getting my master's degree as a first step, or applying directly to medical school) but I feel as though I need to get my feet on the ground in this world.
My name is Mattina. If you think that's a weird name, it isn't even a name. It's a word. Italian for "morning". Buona mattina! I don't think that I always liked my name; thinking back on all the times it was slaughtered by my teachers in grade school, or occasions that I received mail addressed to Martha as if I miswrote my own name (Martha?!). I expected a really cool story as to why I was named Mattina, but when I asked my parents about the decision making process it was anticlimactic:
Mom: "I was working as a secretary when I was pregnant with you, heard the name, and fell in love with it."
Dad: "I wanted to name you Amanda."
I'm glad I became a Mattina.
I feel a little weird talking to a computer screen about who I am, so I guess I'll stick to the boring basics for now as I'm sure the inner workings of my brain and passions of my heart will make their way into this blog before long. I have been in college for 4.5 years now and am extremely excited to be getting the hell out of here this May. This is not because I dislike it here, or that I do not truly have a place in my heart for the amazing people I have gotten the opportunity to know and become close to, it's because I am ready for that "new chapter" that everyone's always blabbing about. I'm not ready to grow up, but I'm ready to move on. I have continually set extremely high goals for myself my entire life. I really don't remember a time when this wasn't the case. The glimmering prize that I see at the end of my obstacle course is medical school, but by no means was I the kind of person who dreamed of being a doctor since age four; there was a time when I planned on going to the olympics as a figure skater (stay tuned for much more on this subject). I have recently come to the realization that despite how old I feel like I'm getting sometimes, I'm really only about to be 23 and that's not old at all. I spent a high percentage of my time in the past year squishing my brain like a sponge in the hopes that I'd be able to collect the answers to my questions about my future. I didn't collect any answers about my future. I decided that there are none, because you CREATE them.
After alot of stress and mental breakdowns I have chosen to take a year off schooling after graduation this May. I have an intense desire to go back to school (whether this will be getting my master's degree as a first step, or applying directly to medical school) but I feel as though I need to get my feet on the ground in this world.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
