Reflection

In reflection to this course I want to say I feel we have learned some very important things. I am enjoying this school because I feel we do have a lot of interesting curriculum and we don't just focus on one subject, it is very broad, such as the power of the everyday life and the world around us. I enjoy having a major that is untraditional such as Interdisciplinary Studies, many people say what is that and I have trouble explaining it but I guess that is the cool thing about it because there are too many things to explain. But in the end all this class has broadened my horizon on many artistic things and ways of expression, my favorite part of the course was working with the media equipment because not a lot of classes get to do that and it is a big part of today's world, so there should be more. I also want to say I thought it was cool how all of our groups really related to eachother and were portraying messages that need to be heard, which is to live life, be present and aware, and don't be afraid to think outside the box because that is where real creativity comes from, it is okay to be different. Have a great break and shout out to the "freeze group".

The "theatre" group

Today was a good way to finish class I enjoyed the theatre groups presentation and the way they got everyone involved. We now see why they are the "theatre group" because their acting was both creative and well done. I carpool to school with Jimmy and I knew the scene he was planning but I have to say it was much funnier to see it in person. The message they portrayed was also important in relation to the everyday life, that anything can happen at any moment. Another thing I took from their presentation was that life is precious and must be enjoyed while here because we all know it is short. This really helps you reflect on life as well as realize that every little thing matters so we must cherish what comes across us and not take anything for granted.

Synecdoche New York

I went to see Synecdoche New York last night at 9:45 p.m. at the 45th Guild Theatre. Prior to this I had seen two of Charlie Kaufman's films, Being John Malkovich and Adaptation. As a filmmaker, Charlie Kaufman certainly has an artistic way of portraying his thoughts with different and somewhat crazy but intriguing concepts and ideas, you could definitely tell Synecdoche was a Kaufman film. I have to say my favorite film he has done is Being John Malkovich because of the original idea and the creativity that went into the film, it is definitely something that has never really been done before. In relation to our course and our discussions with taking advantage of the moment and being present in life Synecdoche shows just that. It portrays a man who was not living in the moment in Phillip Seymour Hoffman's character where he was always very unsure of himself and instead of choosing to see the beauty he was surrounded with he focused on what he didn't have. An example of this is with his constant thinking of his own death but it was the people around him who were the one's passing away while he was failing to realize his own blessings, maybe he projected his own death on them. I felt it was both meaningful and comical how they continued trying to capture the essence of "realness" in life and how they never felt it was "right", but while he continued to do so life was passing him by, showing his own attachment to the past. My favorite parts of the film were the scene transitions, how it continued to take reality and turn it into a set, I had never seen that done before in a film. I enjoyed this movie but I think it is one of those films, like other Kaufman films, where you need to see it more than once to feel like you fully understand the meaning.

Yoko Ono "impossible projects"

"Freeze" and continue to sneeze while freezing for forty-five minutes.


Dribble a basketball one-hundred times with both your left and right hand without touching the ground.

" Freeze "

The first thing that came to my mind when I was going downtown to freeze with my group was that I was going to see someone I knew and they were going to say Sean... Sean... what the fu** are you doing? But once out there I really wasn't too much aware of anything around me and I really found myself caught up in the moment. As for our locations I really felt we nailed them both because of the crowds we encountered as well as the recognizable places we were, at least for someone familiar with Seattle. The thing that really helped our group was the practice because just going out there and acting without knowing what we were getting ourselves into would have been real difficult, as our class experienced during our presentation, it is not easy. It really was suprisingly hard to stay still at first but the trick was to get in the zone. In the end all I have to say my favorite part was just hearing people around us while we were frozen because we truly were the center of attention and for the most part people didn't know what was going on, therefore the side comments were pretty entertaining and made it hard to keep a "frozen" stance.

"Graffiti"

As someone who is a part of hip-hop culture I have always thought of graffiti as an artistic expression and feel that it can be used to show both powerful messages and meanings. I have always thought of graffiti as a part of the hip-hop culture, and it is, but in many ways it has branched off to create it's own culture. I am a supporter of graffiti and it is one of my favorite art forms however I do consider it people's right to have it on their own homes or business' because they own that right, it is their property. I felt the best point was said in class, which I fully agree with, we don't say anything about the advertising everywhere so why is graffiti such a big deal? That's something to think about and for me this really puts it in perspective and shows how so many people are both trained and immune to think a certain way, and it is no accident.

Reflection on the Advertising Group

I enjoyed hearing from the advertising group because not only did I like their presentation but more importantly I felt the message they portrayed was very important. This kind of message is especially relevant in today's society where being sucked into advertising has become second nature to most individuals. These ads are only benefiting big corporations through persuading people to buy their product and it works convincingly hence the reason companies spend millions of dollars annualy to do so. This kind of subject needs to be brought to attention and the internet is one of the only working ways to do so due to the amount of individuals it can reach. This subject will rarely be on public television or cable because these are the people who profit from the advertising. Sadly we are all victims to the consumption that advertising creates and it is almost impossible not to be in today's world with ads everywhere you look but to be aware of this problem is of great importance. This subject also relates to my groups project because our slogan is to "wake up and smell the roses" stressing the fact that society needs to start focusing on what really is important in life.

The Subconcious Art of Graffiti Removal (film)

This film is expressing the idea that even though the purpose of these government employees is to rid graffiti from existence they are actually contributing to it's production. I really enjoy this idea because the government employees are sent out to be obedient and uphold laws but instead they are helping create public art. What I found most interesting as well as disturbing is that anti-graffiti campaigns are more funded than the arts, to me this is ridiculous and shows the screwed up priorities of our government, instead of finding solutions the government makes laws. What also comes to my mind when watching this is the tax payers dollars going to removing art, isn't there better things to spend money on? Overall I really enjoyed the different perspective(s) this video brought because whenever you see removal of graffiti you always know what was previously there, to me this is a symbol of artistic presence and success for the artist, that the state actually took time and money to cover their art.

Audio Blog: 100 words per minute

http://www.archive.org/details/100words

For the audio blog I chose to record my mom typing at her computer. I chose this because she is an amazing typer and can record 100 words per minute, hence the name of the blog. I also added in my voice saying 100 words per minute so I could spice it up and give myself some shine. I chose to add in a funny voice from the show Curb Your Enthusiasm, the guy saying "Whatsup Hal..." because me and my brother are always saying this to one another at random moments and I thought it would work well with the sequence. Although I didn't get to use Pro Tools because the station I was on didn't have it, I used Final Cut Pro and it worked really well. The most enjoyable part of the process for me was mixing the audio and overlapping some of the sounds, I had to draw myself away from the project because I could have played with the audio all day. I have been having trouble with the audio so if it doesn't play on the blog you can cut and paste the link above to listen, enjoy.

Novel in Three Lines...

Barack Obama passes all racial barriers and history is made, the United States of America will have its first African-American President. On January 20th, 2009 Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States and change is promised (New York Times).

Michelle Obama to be first lady and many are interested in the approaches she will be taking. She has been compared to Jacqueline Kennedy with her calm and rational ways of being. Michelle states her first priority is the transition for her children(Seattle PI).

Several bomb attacks in Iraq kill many innocent people as well as U.S. soldiers. The President of Syria blames the U.S. for the instability in Iraq calling on the U.S. troops to leave(Seattle PI).

Man arrested at bar after scuffle with police. He tried to pay his 32$ bar tab with gum wrappers. He later was detained on misorderly conduct and assault on a police officer(Seattle PI).

Border patrol expands in Washigton, setting up several checkpoints to cut down on crime and illegal immigrants, they have made several arrests. But some say they have gone too far, the issue of invasion of privacy and too much security comes up with it diminishing our liberty(Seattle PI).

Police shoot and kill innocent man in Everett, the 31 year old was known to be a good man and volunteer. The officers got a call of a burglary and instead of shooting the criminal they shot the the co-owner of the home. The police as of now are all on paid leave until further investigation (Seattle PI).

A building in Syria is attacked by troops killing many innocent civilians both women and children. The U.S. claims there was suspicion of Al-Qaeda and terrorist acts at the location. The Syrian President is very dissapointed with the lack of investigation and the actions taken by the U.S. Army (Seattle Times).

A blockbuster trade in the NBA with both the Denver Nuggets and the Detroit Pistons swapping superstars. Allen Iverson will go to Detroit in exchange for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess. It should be interesting to see how things turn out with both ball clubs(espn.com).

Kit Bakke - Miss Alcott's E-mail

When going to see Kit Bakee I had no prior knowledge of her or her book. I am very glad I attended because I found not only the history of Miss Alcott and everything she fought for to be intriguing but also Kit's side of writing and all that goes into it from the idea to the publication process. I was very suprised that the author, Kit Bakke, was a member of the weather underground as well as an active protestor in the sixties. I couldn't see it in her at first but as she continued to speak it came clear. I admire the cause she fought for and the courage it took to do some of the things she did, it was also very cool that she had a 40 page FBI file. She seemed like one of those people whose brain you'd like to pick if you got the chance.

In regards to Miss Alcott she was a very active person in the mid-18th century who was also a writer and is famous for the book Little Women, which she wrote in one draft (amazing). Miss Alcott seemed to be a very brave soul who was a honorable figure at the time and really stood up for what she believed in. There were two things I distinctly remember from listening to Kit concerning Miss Alcott: One was the effort she made to fight in the Civil War and when turned away she became a nurse although she wasn't qualified at the time to be one. Secondly was that Miss Alcott was the first women to register to vote in her town (for the school board). These both show Miss Alcott's bravery and courage of standing up for herself in a time where unjustice was common.

I really enjoy listening to writers and different people who have been successful in their work and what they have been through in life because everyone has a story. It also gives you a perspective on the different paths people take and what it may take to get to where you want to be. Kit is a good example because she was a political science major and never had plans to be a writer but it just came to her one day (while she was sitting in a dentist chair).

- Reflection on Leslie/Ackerman Films -

The car ride in Leslie's film differs from my own car rides because I am often driving alone, for me a car ride can be very peaceful with rolling down the sun roof and listening to music, I use it as a time for reflection and a way to organize my thoughts or just let go for the time being. In relation to the film I understand the drivers position because of my own experience from carpooling to school with a friend. My friend is a morning person and more often than not he will just continue to talk and talk. The driver and I have some of the same actions of just sitting there with our eyes peeled on the road. Another way the film is similar to my own experiences with driving is I too am often driving in the inner city and downtown area where the noises are very loud and distinct but often times are just absorbed and you forget they are there similar to the end of the film where it becomes something close to white noise. I can also relate with the awareness you must have as a driver when downtown because because you never know what can happen whether it's a car making a wrong turn or a pedestrian running across the street.

As for Ackerman's film I have never really rode the subway except for when I was little and I barely remember it but I think I was in Washington D.C. on vacation. When watching the film as the subway was being shown I was thinking to myself when is this going to cut to another scene but as time went on I started to appreciate it because it did seem as if there was real beauty involved with the everyday people and life moving in and out as well as the different subways making their rounds. In relation to my own life it reminds me of when I was going to highschool and I used to always take the bus everywhere no matter where I was going. At first I hated it and everyone used to say to me man that must suck taking the bus everywhere. But as time went on I enjoyed it and started to appreciate it, I actually felt I was living more and becoming more a part of the world through my everyday life. I would either put on my headphones, fall asleep, or just sit there and observe the everyday life the bus had in it from the different types of people from business men to bums and the different scenes I would encounter and beleive me there were a lot. With the subway although we didn't really hear any particular discussions there was still life and the sounds of the subway were what I enjoyed.

This blog, especially the subway part, reminded me of a Woody Allen interview I saw where he said a lot of the ideas for his movies come from just observing people in their everyday lives whether it is at a park or any public place. This relates to our course and our studies because this is proof you can take something from anything even if it is just a little idea you get from a stranger, who knows what dividends it will pay and how it may benefit you in your future.

Nadja Response

For me Nadja is another one of those readings where I find myself going back to read passages a second or third time so I can fully understand them. But sometimes I would still be up in the air on the true meaning. I find that to be an interesting part of this book because different people can get different meanings from it. I found it to be very spiritual and original in the way he expresses his thoughts and really is encouraging the reader to get on the same page as him. I also found the pictures to be very interesting with how frequent they were. I enjoyed hearing him talk about the meaning behind these things and the importance of them for him because they tended to be much deeper then just a photograph.

Passage a l'acte

This short film really suprised me in more ways then one, I kept on thinking it was going to be "regular" and as time went on I realized that was the whole point. I thought it was very interesting and I started to actually appreciate it after a short time. It seemed to me like it was meant for you to realize every last detail of what was going on at that time while it s-l-o-w-l-y told the story. It related to the everyday life because it let you appreciate every moment and every aspect of what was going on. The remixing and scratching of the film was what made it so different and it really reminded me of music because often times the djs find a part in a song that is especially meaningful and use scratching to play it over and over so you understand their point. I feel it was useful because often times you see films and wish you could have watched that scene over and here you get plenty of chances to do so. I felt the camera work with the brother and sister going back and forth was a significant point because it was really something you could relate to. My favorite part is when it slows down and everyone seems to be still when the boy is walking to the chair as if he is in trouble and then as he goes to sit it starts back up again and he is going up and down.

Don't think ... just write...

Nice cars. To me they look like those old school gangster cars from way back with the tire on the side that always gives me a kick. I am sure these people are stoked they are going to get to drive these things or whatever there doing with them. There seems to be a handful of people lined up there ready to do something. Maybe there going to put a hit out on somebody. But really I wonder if these are just randomly here or if they are being used for something specifically. Also what are they loading in the back? They must be used for some sort of delivery service. It also makes me think how far we took this production of the car and where it is now in 2008. It is really unreal what they have done now from these to hybrids. All the different manufacturers whose business it is to build cars and sell them all over the world. But the thing that is cool about it is the old cars are really still popular and known as antiques. The appreciation for the old school cars is still here and I think that’s cool. I went to a car auction this past summer in Idaho and really noticed it there with the majority of the cars being more vintage. It really seemed that these were the cars that were getting more appreciation then the newer. I think the thing for the car collectors is to find something rare and really fix it up to make it look brand new. But for me I have always liked older cars more it seems as if they were just more original and interesting then the new. Plus the new are so much more expensive and it seems as if they all really look alike in a way. Take these cars for example they are very distinguished and you can tell they are originals. I would love to own one of these.


Wow this kid must be freaking out he looks really interested but at the same time looks like he is ready to just start running at any moment. What is around his ears? I think he has headphones on but maybe he is on a field trip of some sort and got seperated now finds himself face to face with a t-rex. I am unsure if this is a t-rex but it looks like one. Dinosaurs have always interested me and makes you think what even came before they did. Evolution then comes to mind and helps you realize the cycle of life where things evolve. It is very interesting because how far back does the earth really go and what kind of creatures have there been that we don’t even know about. I have been to museums where I have seen such things as this but it was long ago probably around this kids age. The t-rex looks mean and if he were alive who knows what he would do. But who are we to judge he could have been a kind creature who had to defend himself and just hunt his own food just as humans do. All the different dinosaurs from the past are interesting and I feel it would have been a crazy time to be alive. Also I’m sure this is in a museum somewhere but the surroundings look like a classroom with the chalk boards in the back. Also I am unsure if that is his tail running along side of him or a creature he caught.


I see birds and am unsure if they are fake or real. There is an abstract sense of this picture because of the different views we have as well as the different things throughout the picture. I chose this one because it just caught my eye as something different from the rest it just stood out to me. I see the hand coming into the photo thinking to myself is this the painter who drew this or is it a man trying to save birds with his tweezers. I think these are pigeons but am unsure now that I see more I think they are all different types of birds. I am unsure what is on the surface of where they are with many different utensils and things, I see a candle which is not lit probally for the birds sake. These birds are all different as I said before but now it is becoming more clear to me I see all the different shapes and sizes of them. I am now thinking they are play birds and this is the man who creates them and works on them, they really look real with their different actions and poses. The odd thing I see is that none of them are flying and when you think of birds you think of flight but here they are all close to ground maybe because they are fake haha. What are those pins in the bird where the man is hitting it with the tweezers. The patterns the birds posess are very intriguing. What a job I bet this is. I seem to enjoy the pieces of art where they are different and somewhat abstract things that make you think and have some meaning whether it is uncertain and people have different takes on it or if they tell a piece of history. Now with looking more I see that each bird is lifted and posted up on something sitting.

Sean's "Raw" Footage

Un Chien Andalou

I found this film to be very interesting and different from most films that I see. I have been more interested in short films lately although they are hard to find and not very popular I feel it is a good way of expression if you don't have the financing or the material to make a longer film. The part of this film that caught my "eye" both times I watched it was the man at the beginning sharpening his blade looking as if he is prepearing for something and as they show him getting ready to use his blade we see the sliver of a cloud go a cross the moon followed by the blade going across the womans eye. This was very abstract to me and was unsure the meaning of it especially with it being at the very beginning of the film. Although it was somewhat of a gross scene I found it to be very intriguing and original in its own way. With this film being silent I feel the music is very important and the music in this film was used well and had suspense built into it which I felt this film needed with very random off the wall things happening throughout the film.

Game Blog

The game I chose to blog about and play was chess. Although I am not very good at chess I like to play it and find it to be very challenging for the mind. I find chess to structure time in different ways because I have been in games where I play for 15 minutes and others that take up to an hour. For me chess is a game of concentration and strategy where one mishap can cost you your King. I feel chess especially reflects to "everyday life" because the concentration it takes and if you are not involved and in your "being" then moments will pass you by and what else do we have besides this moment? The game also shows the importance of every being on earth because even though the King is the most "powerful" piece on the board your pons and other pieces are just as meaningful because without them there would be no King. As in everyday life just because someone may be more powerful then another whether it be through money or other ways it doesn't make them more important in the big picture. I feel games tell us a lot about everyday life because many games are a part of life and bring different cultures and different kinds of people together. They also express life and can be used as a tool to something more important or be a stepping stone to which many things may come. The game chess expresses my everyday life because I try to seize the moment when possible and often find myself either wasting time or just letting it pass by but when I do seize it and take advantage of the moment I tend to feel myself appreciating the little things and moving in a better direction as the chess pieces do when used wisely.

Sundays

Man I love Sundays but at the same time they can be stressful. Although Sunday is a day of reflection and relaxation with watching football and eating junk food they can be disrupted by such things as homework. Too bad for me I made the mistake of leaving a five page paper to the last second so I am now stressing and educating myself about Ancient Roman and Greek history. So it is now a stressful Sunday which I am not enjoying like I should be. But for the most part it is alright, my fantasy football teams are maintaining but there is still a long way to go. On a more sad note the Seahawks aren't looking too good and hopefully they can make a late game surge. I hope everyones weekend went well and they are having a relaxed Sunday.

Sean's Slide Show "A Day in the Life"

Response to Everyday Life

I found the reading very interesting and different from most things I have read. Even though I had trouble with some of the words I felt I did understand some parts clearer than others. But I also felt that to fully understand our reading you would have to go over it and maybe read it twice, because of the complexity of it.



The passage I chose to respond to was in the Introduction on page 20:



The final section 'Documentary Style and Ethnography' focuses on the idea of 'getting inside' the everyday and the methods that artists have adopted to register the quotidian from a position of being plonge dans (plunged into) dailyness and triviality, of key interest here is the way that various artists appropriate and transform the conventions of documentary filmmaking and photography and the protocols of ethnography as they search for a way to find a form of practice that stays immersed in the everyday (page 20).



I feel I understand this passage and the way it is expressed. The part that caught me was where he refered to the artists such as documentary filmmakers and photographers, this helped me get a deeper reality of the everyday life. From the artist concept I was given a visual understanding of the everyday life. From my understanding and thoughts the everyday life is in this momement right now and in every momement, it means being present in your life everyday and appreciating things around you. These artists practice their everyday life in a unique way with their form of expression through their film and photography. Being present in life and accepting every little thing is the everyday life. To be an artist of some sort I feel it is essential to be in the everyday life because often your work is based around it.

20 minutes of nothing

As soon as I started my 20 minutes of nothing my mind was racing on what I should do..... oh yeah nothing. So I sat on my couch and started organizing my thoughts on what to do once my 20 minutes was up, really looking forward to it with so much on my schedule. My brother then came downstairs and turned on the television where I was distracted and thought to myself should I leave this room? But then realized I am still not doing anything who cares if the t.v. is on or not. So I layed there and watched sportscenter as my brother repeatedly asked me what are you doing? Nothing I told him. As I continued to just watch the tube I was counting down the minutes to when I could go upstairs and make something to eat. 5 more minutes... The t.v. got old so fast and for the remainder of the time I sat on my back and stared into space once again organizing my thoughts thinking to myself this is taking forever. But sooner or later it was 10:20 and time was up. No more nothing.