Week 9

Reflect on your writing process and how it’s changed. Return to the scene of your first blog, and tell us how you write now, what you are alert to in your writing these days, and what you think might still need work on your writing. Consider this your “outgoing” letter about writing for the class. 



The aspect of my writing which has changed the most is my ability to express ideas concisely. I have a tendency of writing in an incredibly convoluted way. It often comes off as pretentious or simply confusing, and I've had to put a lot of effort into fixing this trait. I think that my main problem is the process by which I actually go about writing- I think as I write, and my ideas stem from one another during the time in which I record them. I've always had a difficult time outlining papers on account of this, and as a result my sentences are often confusing even to me. This class has brought my attention to this trait; I've been very conscientious of my diction and syntax.
A trait of my writing that I didn't quite solve over the course of this class is my ability to balance narrative voice with factual storytelling. I have an affinity for reflecting on the subtleties of a situation, and am often hard pressed to focus on the actual story at hand. This is an issue I will be focusing on addressing in my rewrite of the first essay.

Week 11

For my rewrite, I would like to fix my first paper. It was my lowest grade, and I think presents a great deal of opportunity for improvement. The paper was about mine and my sister’s relationship. The major missing piece in it was more narrative; though my voice was strong, my storyline was a bit abrupt and sporadic. I think that adding more detail about our developing relationship, as well as some specific interactions, would greatly benefit the piece.

Furthermore, I would like to include some more quotes from her and how they affected me. I don’t think that I made clear just how strong an influence she had on me. Our relationship is special to me for the reason that it shows great disparity in what once was, and what has become of it. This disparity needs to be highlighted. Perhaps a good way of going about that would be to develop a more tangible theme- a string of sorts for the story to carry along.

Blog 10

“It isn’t often that we are all able to come together. It isn’t often that I can look to the right and see my wife’s sister, and at the right see my wife’s sister’s brother in law. This day is special not simply for the holiday- it is special for the opportunity of a snapshot. Right now, I see a snapshot of this family and I can only hope for us all to remember and cherish it. Happy thanksgiving, and L’chaim!”

Thanksgiving is a relative term, is it not? Technically, the holiday is an expression of gratitude; it is a day dedicated to the appreciation of all that is fortunate in our lives. In my life, that fortune is most simply put as one word- family. 

My Thanksgiving this year was spent in Elicott City, Maryland, at my aunt’s house. Everyone was there, from every side of everyone’s families. That’s the key term here- “everyone.” No matter how bland conversation got, it was still enticing for the sheer reason that everyone was there to witness it. It’s rare for my family to get together. Between all of the extended branches and sects, we have people living in Michigan, Maryland, and Illinois. Any one of three states define most of our trips, yet they never occur simultaneously. We also managed to have three generations together in a room for an extended period of time; the rarity of this cannot be understated. And so, perhaps the key term for my thanksgiving wasn’t “everyone,” but rather- “three?” Either way, it gave me a sense of belonging I’ve forgotten existed. In my world of class, work, friends, and acquaintances, it was nice to get a break and indulge in the fortune that is family.

Week 8

The topic I'm thinking about researching for this upcoming paper is Andy Warhol. I've spent the last five and a half years being told that his artwork was revolutionary whilst being frustrated at the message. Quite frankly, I never understood how a man whose work consisted of little technique and lots of the same message was so overrated as an artist. It struck me, however, that his greatest creative achievement wasn't any of his tangible work so much as it was the way he led his life. His social manipulation, in combination with a knack for corporate criticism so definitive of the times, was utilized in such a way that he became the mystery that everyone wanted to solve. It's quite beautiful, really.


I'm not entirely sure of my thesis yet, though the previously explained notion is the one I'll be building off. There are several things I plan on looking into specifically:
1. The definition of performance art, and whether or not Andy Warhol's social experiments fall under the definition of it.
2. Warhol's most prominent relationships with people, and what others had to say about them.
3. Quotes of Warhol's, and how they played out/related to his life:
-"Everyone will be famous for 15 minutes"
-"I am a deeply superficial person."
-"I'm the type who'd be happy not going anywhere as long as I was sure I knew exactly what was happening at the places I wasn't going to. I'm the type who'd like to sit home and watch every party that I'm invited to on a monitor in my bedroom."
3. The way in which Warhol's artwork was created, and the way that he developed conceptually.
4. Warhol's background. Specifically how his Slovakian heritage, the death of his father, and his hypochondria played into his personality.
5. What others had to say about Warhol's personality and parties.
6. What Warhol changed both in the world of visual arts as well as in the Hollywood scene. He became quite the center of attention, after all.


Quotes from: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/andy_warhol_2.html#ixzz1dRoc27wC"

Week 7

Prompt:

Please attempt a "close reading" of a quote, line, etc from your expected paper topic text.

Response:

Eli Cash: I'm not in love with you anymore.

Margot: I didn't think you ever were.

Eli Cash: Let's not make this harder than it already is.

Margot: OK.

Eli Cash: OK what?

Margot: OK, I'm not in love with you any more either.

Eli Cash: I know. You're in love with Richie, which is sick and gross.

Margot: Do you send my mother your clippings? And your grades in ---

Eli Cash: Please stop belittling me. You never gave me the time of day until I started getting good reviews.

Margot: The reviews aren't that good.

Eli Cash: But the sales are.

                This dialogue happens near the end of the film, before Richie attempts suicide. The scene is set in such a way that Eli and Margot must both walk (opposite sides of) the length of a long bridge in order to meet in the middle and hold this conversation. The set-up for this interaction is perfectly cliché in that it provokes a very particular expectation of what’s to come. In most movies involving romance and/or drama, the temporally extended image of two characters walking towards each other generally leads to some sort of confession or revelation.

                Anderson does not break this trend in his film, but rather uses it to the advantage of a persistent motif: escape. Margot and Eli’s conversation is diametric to what would be expected, yet its content is exactly what these two characters need in order to escape their own illegitimate relationship.  First and foremost, the most obvious aspect of their affair is broken- love. Eli clearly needs to dispose of any attachment to Margot in this sense, and he does so right away. Margot does not react in any way addressing her own feelings, and Eli seems to be caught in the expected drama of the moment when he asks her to “not make this harder than it already is.” Her continued apathy towards the situation flusters him into criticizing her underlying feelings, which happen to be quite romantic. The irony is as beautiful as the cinematography.

                Margot’s provokingly demeaning comments cause Eli to backfire with accusations concerning their relationship. Through the content of both Eli’s and Margot’s confrontational statements, any negative energy between them is made apparent and given an opportunity to mellow out. This type of escape is one of the most advisory, and is well known under the label of “communication”. Anderson’s interpretation of the ability to communicate with one’s significant other creates a situation in which these characters can move on with their lives. Without this dialogue, Margot’s confession of love to Richie as well as Eli’s ultimate decision to attend drug rehabilitation would not occur later in the film.

Week 6

Prompt:


Write a post that doesn't include the 1st or 2nd person. It must be written completely in 3rd person. It must incorporate into the body a quote (not as epigraph or closing thought). Otherwise the topic is open.


Response:

The resemblance was uncanny- her mind and the gray sky were equally as dense, yet both so empty. Her thoughts had become overcrowded to the point where attempting to sort them only created new ones, and thus the cycle continued. The air was damp and dull, but the soft wind which somehow managed to counteract the stagnancy outside did not permeate its way into the entangled mess of her mind.  She walked.

She wandered down the street and examined each shop closely; she figured that any possible meditation would occur through a unity of mind and body. Judging by the current state of things, allowing her thoughts to separate entirely from her actions only intensified the feeling of mental exhaustion. It was time to begin taking care of everything- both inside and out.

The first step of this process would be to create clarity. Clarity meant space, and space entailed the ever romanticized ability of letting go. Of course, her characteristic inability of leaving behind anything misunderstood created an immense obstacle... But in this case a lack of progress would allow several steps forward. 

As she placed one foot in front of the other, she realized the level of dissociation between legs and heart; one moved and the other struggled to stay in place. Perhaps her mind and body were truly beginning to connect? Success was never safe to assume this early on, but she would succumb for the sake of comfort. She had been walking all day, though the only proof of the time passed were the conversations she’d had concerning food.

“The... No, wait... Sorry- Just the plain bagel.”

“A plain bagel? To go?”

“Yes. No- asiago, please... No, plain... Yes, plain.”

This and,

“... No, thank you.”

“Will that be all?”

“Yes, thanks.”

were the only marks separating her generally appointed times for lunch and dinner. Time would continue moving whether her mind or her body gave any care, and thus- she walked.

Week 5

An hour and some stress later, we arrived at the hotel. The arrival was the least interesting, and probably the least active, part of our journey. Though our agent was exhausted, he must have been quite proud of his accomplishment. To reach the hotel after so much spent energy was a result worthy of at least one round of applause. To believe that he had run that entire two miles or so through the city of Sevilla just to make sure we, the American guests, could find our place of stay was impressive. Our car had followed his enthusiastic, running self through some of the most crowded corridors of the city.

Of course, when these streets were first designed the idea of cars needing to move through them was nonexistent. As a result, the cars created to fit these streets left about an inch of space between each rearview mirror and the buildings. This lack of space, typical of Europe, required drivers to have impeccable depth perception and aim. Our car was of such standards, and though our reaction to its tiny size was originally that of amused nervousness, we soon came to understand its dimensions.  The city itself was organized in such a way that each street merely connected one plaza to another, and no street was built wider than necessary.

We first discovered this when faced with two questions: how to take directions from a non-English speaking man, and how to move through this claustrophobic city? His name was Roberto, and he was to be our guide. As for the claustrophobic city- my father’s driving was tested at an entirely new level. This was, by far, one of my favorite memories from all of my family’s trip to Spain.

Week 4

Prompt:
Tell us about a guilty pleasure. Tell us why you love it and are embarrassed by it. What makes it a pleasure? What makes it guilty? 


Response:

My guilty pleasure is the act of procrastination. Although it may seem that no real good comes from procrastination, I will adamantly argue that some of my most interesting interactions over the course of the last several years have been a result of not doing homework. Interactions and photography, actually. Had I not had an impressive lack of will to do homework in high school, I would never have gotten as deeply taken by photography and Adobe Bridge/Photoshop as I currently am. Hell, I may not have ended up in the School of Art & Design. Of course, a sufficient level of guilt is associated with this ironically productive habit of mine, but the guilt generally only hits hard after the end of each school year when I am given an opportunity to reflect upon the amount of sleep I unnecessarily lost.

I find that the most rewarding part of the procrastination experience is the quality of the time leading up to doing homework. Considering that the entire habit is driven by a lack of interest in the homework itself, the level of intrigue present in whatever goes on during procrastination must be relatively high. Therefore, I must find ways to amuse myself which exceed whatever assignment inevitably awaits my attention. In this sense, whatever activity I come up with in that time is almost guaranteed to hold some weight in my life. Whether that weight is in fun or information depends on the night, but I can honestly say that most of my graphic design skills and knowledge of pop culture were a result of this. In this sense, my guilty pleasure is quite the pleasure. On the other hand, again, it is nothing but embarrassing to consider that a simple two page essay can take me up to four hours to complete. But alas, what’s a student of our modern century to do?

Week 3

Prompt:

Watch/listen to an episode of something: TV show, newscast, pod-cast, etc. Summarize it. We are doing a bit of shift here--we are still describing in clear detail, but we are prioritzing which information is important for readers, and trying to take something long and condense it. We will of course lose texture, but we should still have a sense of the whole episode and its important details.

Response:

The Pilot episode of Mad Men, one of today's most popular shows on television, is a perfect introduction to the characters that drive the following several seasons. The episode opens with a shot of the back of Don Draper's head, and he is seen sitting at a restaurant, brainstorming on a napkin. The first scene illustrates a conversation between Don and a waiter, in which he proves his professional talent by engaging the man in a passionate conversation about Lucky Strikes cigarettes.

Following this scene is an introduction to the next major character of the series. When the door to her apartment opens, we are given a taste of woman whose profession is creating cards, and whose demeanor is sassy and playful. In this light, we meet Midge. Though she takes us through the following morning, the next scene of the episode takes place at Sterling & Cooper, the advertising corporation for which Don works. After being given a small taste for the office atmosphere, we are brought into the next major character's office; we are introduced to Pete Campbell. The shot of him is short, but a sense for his young and enthusiastic character is  very clearly portrayed. The camera cuts to something else going on in the office- a conversation that sets quite a few standards.

Joan and Peggy are the next in line for introduction, and Joan's instructional opening to Peggy's new job as secretary reveals the sexism inherent to the day. Specifically, the description of a secretary as being a "mix of mother and waitress," and the executives sometimes wanting "something else," is a clear cut way of promoting this idea. The following interaction between male and female executives in a meeting carries it well.

The next major scene is one in which Peggy goes to an OB/GYN for birth control pills. It is obvious that she's understood the significance of her femininity, and her next move is accentuated by the doctor's choice to warn her of being too "friendly". Though we do not know Peggy well yet, her naivety is made apparent.
In the next series of shots, we are introduced to Rachel Menkin, the daughter of a Jewish department store owner, who arrives at the ad agency looking for a way to reinvent the store. She is clearly a smart, powerful woman, and Don's reaction to her does not hide his frustration at the fact. He storms out of the meeting with the words "I will not let a woman talk to me like this," and we are left wondering what exactly is so great about this man's ability to advertise. The next scene, of course, reveals it; in the meeting with Lucky Strike, the brand for whom Don was brainstorming in the beginning of the episode, he has a moment of unprepared revelation in which a brilliant advertising move is made.
Rejuvenated in spirit, and pushed by his boss Sterling, Don proceeds to take Rachel out to dinner in order to charm her into another meeting. Meanwhile, the junior executives go to a strip club in honor of celebrating Pete's soon-to-end bachelordom. While Pete makes an ass of himself by harassing a woman at the club, Don seems to open up his views a little to Rachel, who disagrees with his refusal to believe in love, yet becomes intrigued enough to return for another meeting.
Pete, disenchanted with the evening and clearly feeling vulnerable, shows up later that night at Peggy's door. Though she doesn't know what she's doing, she lets him in. Don, on the other hand, also returns home... to his wife and kids. The last scene shows him sitting on his kids' bed, looking down at them lovingly, with his wife in the background watching him.
Overall, a beautiful beginning to an incredible show.

Week 2

Prompt:
In the most graphic detail you can imagine, describe a seemingly mundane act like drinking a cup of water, or being stuck in traffic. Tune in to all your senses, to every sight, sound, texture, taste and emotion you can muster. 


Response:
It's early in the morning... Too early to think. Luckily, what I'm about to do requires less thought than experience. Though pushing myself out of the soft, warm comfort of sleep is difficult, I cannot help but gain excitement at the promise of caffeine. And thus, I roll out of bed and drag myself to the kitchen.
With eyes half closed, I feel for the grain of a wooden cabinet and open myself up to an assortment of foods. The half empty bag of Hawaiian hazelnut coffee beans, already ground and smelling like the best part of my morning, leans against the bottom right side of the cabinet. A slight smile stretches across my lips, and I feel the laziness inherent to this time of day begin to wear off. Perking up just a bit, I grap for the bag of coffee and unclip the clothespin holding together the open corner.
The next step of this process involves an inevitably aroused sense: smell. The strong, delicious aroma that wafts its way up to my nostrils never ceases to amaze me. Even my eyes, which until this point failed to begin functioning well, are stimulated to the point of widening. The stretch of my lips grows a bit wider, and I pour a small portion of the incredible contents of this seemingly mundane bag into the French press sitting on my counter. All that's left is to pour hot water and let it steep, but my favorite part of the process is taking the first sip.
The first sip of coffee every morning is the only thing that truly awakens my mind and body. The first sip is the one which requires not only taking some coffee in, but also holding it. Tasting it. Absorbing it, and finally swallowing. 
Ah, that's great.