Interviews- HW 26

Kate
What do you think is of a cool person? Someone who doesn't conform or care what other people think and such.

What makes you think a person is uncool? Bossy mean snotty people that look down on you.

Do you think you're cool? Not really, I'd like to think so, but I don't think I am.

Can you tell a person is conforming? Yeah, you can see how much they put themselves out there.

Do you think cool matters? No. Well. I can say no, but in reality everyone's trying to be cool and get attention.

Remy
Do you think cool matters? I think cool matters in terms of social stuff more and I think cool matters to me in terms of interesting stuff more.

Where do you think we get our idea of cool from? From society, but we sometimes build based on that on our preferences. We can also be influenced by our friends more than just what society tells us.

Who are people you think are cool? Damien Danziger is cool and I think Iron man is cool, Tony Stark.

What qualities that make them cool? Those people are cool because they're badass. They are...pretty much everyone Robert Downey Junior plays is badass actually. They just..I don't know..have certain badass qualities going on. The whole liquor and women thing..I mean i don't think the whole liquor and women thing is cool, I think the fact that they can get away with it is cool.

Jia Min
(Pic: N/A. She doesn't want to post her picture and thinks that is cool :))
Who are people who you think are cool? No one. --and Everyone! No one and everyone.

Why? I think because everybody has their own thing. I don't know what thing but that-that lets others notice about them, doesn't mean everybody will notice, that person. Sooo what I mean, umm that no one is cool is because we all notice different things through our eyes.

What do you notice? I notice that everybody has their own reasons to become cool or not.

Do you think cool is important? No, I think cool is not important because I say cool to people alot of times because of how their personality reveals to me.

Rachel
What kind of people do you think are cool? I think they're people who don't try to conform and they're just who they are. They have their own style. They don't care what people think.

Do you know any people like that? Kate or Carrie.

What makes you uncool? When you try to follow what everyone else says, you're not really being yourself.

Do you think being cool is important? Yeah.

Why? I guess its kind of like a status, a social status.

Na Lin
Who are people you think are cool? I think my cousin's really cool. She always thinking different things, she has her own style is pretty cool, she makes her own clothes. I think the character that my sister made is cool. She's really smart a young age, a prodigy, people will deny that now, skipping grades. I think its cool to graduate older grades at a young age. She's always carrying a laptop around even though she's a midget.

What are some cool qualities you think you might have? I don't think I have any. I just don't like that category all to myself.

What are some qualities that you have that people might admire?
Whatever quality I say someone will find a weakness in it. Some people say kindness is a weakness, but I think it can be a strength.

Imagine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2erwcpc37lY&feature=related

glee cover of imagine-john lennon

a scene from glee when the when the two glee clubs were singing together.

imagine there's no heaven
even if you try
no hell below us
above us only sky

imagine all the people
living life for today

imagine there's no countries
its not hard to do
nothing to kill or die for
and no religion too

imagine all the people
living life in peace

you may say i'm a dreamer
but i'm not the only one
i hope someday you will join us
and the world will be as one

imagine no possessions
i wonder if you can
no need for greed or hunger
a brotherhood of man

imagine all the people
sharing all the world
you, you may say i'm a dreamer
but i'm not the only one

i hope someday you will join us
and the world will live as one

HW 25- Story comments

Rachel
Rachel, I liked the way you used another character to depict the new girl. She seems aloof and she's cool to other people because they don't know much about her and want to know more. She has a nonchalant attitude because doesn't try to impress people which is what the character is so impressed with. She also has physical attributes and a style people admire.

Jia Min,
When I read the story I can hear your voice in my head reading it lol. I liked how the girl gave advice to the little boy. The way she helped him is cool because she doesn't just save him she tries to get him to become stronger too. How she helped him is cool and she is admired for those qualities, plus she is very talented in archery.

Bao Lin
“Hey, I know. But seriously fishing doesn’t mean it is not cool. It is one of DJ Becareful’s favorite activities.”
“Oh! Cool. I still have to shoot a few more photos. See you and have a good one.”

I thought it was an interesting point that when a cool person does something, that activity is cool by association, even if it usually isn't. The twist at the end is interesting. Parkho is the cool character at the beginning because he's just doing what he likes, by taking pictures and kind of appreciating everything but he thinks Eddie is a loser for being the class clown. When it turns out the anonymous blog that he admires is Eddie he seems less cool because he was looking down on him. So in the end, it shows that people you think may not be cool may be cooler than you.

Dinorah
Damn it... I really should've said no...

I think this is so interesting how everything snowballs like this for the main character. The ending is like he knew he shouldn't have done it but he does it anyways because he wants to be cool, but he's not really cool because he's going along with what everyone else says and not what he really wants. The way you show that from the "times", "first time", "second time", is like we're really following along with what's happening. I wonder if there will ever be a "last" time.

Lauren
Lauren, I liked how concise this story is. The new girl seems to be cool because she doesn't let Regina phase her and we kind of know from your character's reaction that she is cool, when she considers talking to her tommorow.

I think the pattern I see is that the characters who were cool, don't really let things phase them and they have their own pace. With Lauren's, Jia Min's and Rachel's story their character's don't get ruffled by what happens. Lauren's character isn't afraid of Regina, Jia Min's character doesn't get scared of the bullies, and Rachel's character is kind of like the mysterious loner and doesn't get phased by girls who are jealous of her. The uncool characters in these stories are usually the people judging other people or trying to put someone down. Like the girls who are jealous of the new girl. Or how Parkho thought Eddie was a loser for being the classclown. Or the bullies in Jia Min and Lauren's story.

What makes the characters in the stories cool is that they accept who they are and other people as who they are and also having their own pace. Alot of times people's opinions factor alot into the way other people views someone and themselves. If everyone thinks a person is cool then that's what they become.

Alot of archetypes appear in these stories: the loner, the bully, the athelete/jock, the hero, popular girl, etc. They're all someone's personal idea of what is cool/uncool. In stories, when the main character or someone else is deems someone cool, the reader usually thinks so too, because they see it through the character's eyes. What the character does will fit in with some aspect of what cool means to them. That's somewhat similar to how we see people. I don't think its as one dimensional, (sometimes its two or three...), but in the stories we take in the actions of the characters as evidence of their coolness because that's how the writer wants them to be seen, and sometimes people do that to other people because that's how they want to see them. They make archetypes of each other. But sooner or later everyone realizes they don't fits perfectly into the set role and will eventually come to see them as just people. They aren't the nerd, the savior, or the villan, they're just people.

Possibilities-(Corny) Short story on what is cool

(Sorry, sorrym sorry! I thought I posted it...but I posted it on the blog we had last year. Stupid, I know. I apologize for the overwhelming corniness of this story you are about to read...)

Remember when we were kids? When we thought we could be anything in the world? When we thought anything was possible?

"I want you to paint a mural, something that unifies us as a school." Said Principal Harding.

Jen stared at the yellow lines, orange strokes, and blue gradients. There was a light pinkish tinged of purple colors on the sides. In tiny meticulous strokes, Jen had written the words "Possibility" over and over a thousand times to create a large sunrise over an endless sky. Her hands and overalls were covered in blue and purple from the recent additions to the mural. She hummed to the music of her headphones as she painted in the hallway. She had been working on it for two months and it was almost done.

When we believed that we could do anything in the world?What happened to that?

"Do I have to say something?...Isn't the artist supposed to let the art speak for itself?" she asked. Her best friend, Jack, laughed. "Yeah, well when the school board let you paint something in the hallway of a public school; I think they expect a little public ceremony in return."
"Is it terrible of me if I confess I'm scared out of my wits just thinking about it?"
"Of course you're scared. You poured your heart and soul into that thing. Who wouldn't be?"
"Its just there. You know, for the world to see. To judge." She put her hands to her face. "Crap, and that feels so scary. It makes me feel vulnerable."
"You know what; I think it’s brave what you're doing."
"What exactly is that?"
"This." He waved his arm at the painting. "Look, Jen. All you can do is do what you like and care about it. You can't really control public opinion. But, being able to create something like this; it’s beautiful. Even attempting it is admirable in its own right and if other people can't see that, it’s their loss."
"Thanks. I feel better now."
"I'm just telling you what I think."
“Well, thanks for doing that.”

She stood in front of the crowd of students, before the unveiling. The mural was covered behind a dark blue cloth taped securely to the wall.“And now, the last of our Beacon High murals. I'd like to ask Jen Parker to step up, and share with us a few words about her creation.”

"Well, Principal Harding asked us to paint something that unified us and when you think about it, nothing really unifies us. I mean we’re all off doing our own thing most of the time. So the only thing that I could think of that unites us all, that we all have in common is...that we all start off in kindergarten thinking that we can be anything that we want to be, and by the time we get here, we… we've somehow lost that feeling. We've all started to believe whatever our parents or friends have told us about what we can achieve and who we can be in life, and... and we've forgotten about that possibility we had when we were younger. And that's what I think we all have in common, and that's what the symbol in my painting means - possibility. I painted it because I thought we could all use a daily reminder that, even when the odds seem stacked against you, anything's possible. So I hope you like it."

Applause.

She lifted the tape, and the covers fell, revealing the mural. The light shone in from a window onto the sunrise made of the words "possibility" and the mural gleamed from the wall as if it had its own light. The effect was one of those striking moments. The students clapped loudly when they saw. Jen smiled when she saw Jack. He was clapping with them and smiled back.

Anything is possible..

"You know what Jack? I think you're the coolest person I know."
"Huh, you must not get out much Parker."She laughed.
"You're the coolest one and you don't even know it. All this was able to happen because of you."
"As much as I'd like to take credit for this, it was all you Jen. You drew the mural."
"That’s just it Jack. That’s what you always do. You inspired me in a way that you inspire everybody. You're the quiet hero. The one who always steps in at the right time, lending your efforts, never asking for a reward in return. Like with the mural, I didn’t think that it’d turn out this good but it did and it makes me feel like anything is possible. That’s what makes you so cool too. You don’t do all that to get something in return; you just do it because you do.”She took a deep breath.“Basically, I just wanted to say thanks-- for being there for me.”
He laughed. “Anytime Jen, you would do the same for me anyways.”
"In a heartbeat.”

Possibilities.

The end.(Some of the things/ideas said in that paragraph is said by Joey Potter, a character from a TV alongside with some of my own thoughts) Ahh…I feel the story's message is somewhat corny... So I’ll admit parts of it are highly idealized. These are some of my ideas of what “cool” is. I think it’s cool if you are able to comfort your friend. I wish I always knew what to say or do, but I don’t, so when I do and when I’m able to, I’m pretty happy to be able to make someone feel better. I think it’s cool to be a good friend. I think it’s cool to support the people you care about. I think that’s what people need from each other, support, because in this world we can always find critique, but support is harder to find. I think….showing you care, even in simple ways is cool.

HW 23- What is "Cool"?

Cool is a very elusive word. Companies want to bottle it and kids want to be it. Many things evoke cool, the cigarette-smoking-leather-jacket-wearing-motorcycle-riding-rebel is one image that comes to mind and the other is the "popular kids" which in movies are the "cool kids", most likely a cheerleader or the high school quarterback. All of these are such caricatures of the word that it is almost laughable. True, though, here, that type of cool or even people who would be outrightly considered the "popular" kid isn't that prevalent; it almost makes me wonder where the movies get that from. Perhaps a time when that was more common, or maybe it is common in the suburban high schools they're set in (just a guess since I don't know firsthand). Nevertheless, cool is something kids wanted to be, when it was actually cool to be cool.

We use that word alot. So what isn't cool? Its not cool to try too hard. Its not cool to try to be cool, it contradicts with the meaning and its obvious, and thus you are labeled "wannabe". To be honest, the kids I have met, don't really seem to aspire to that in the "lets be popular" way. That's just not how our social structure is like here. I think its defined more subtly than the glaringly obvious way books or television series depicts. When we think someone is cool, that feeling stems from a place of admiration and respect. Its not always pure, sometimes its a feeling tinged by jealousy. But basically, we admire something about someone and we think that is cool.

There are the cool instances, when someone does something that we think is cool, whether that is playing well in a sport or standing up for themselves, it comes from their actions in a circumstance and we associate that feeling with them. Then there are the generally cool people, who have a type of personality we think is appealing. These personality types can range from the bold do-first-think-later to the calm with emotions-in-check type. Sometimes in these instances we admire them and think they're cool because they have a quality we think we lack and we try to emulate them. I think that's pretty common, when we admire someone we try to emulate them. It doesn't always work because sometimes it will clash with our own personality, but that just shows you shouldn't totally copy, you can copy a little bit, but more create yourself, you have to make it your way.

Jackie Chan said something like that. (He is cool and wise!) I think he's cool because he's got a good philosophy and I admire the way he approaches things. He puts effort into his work and makes sure it is done well. He has a good work ethic. He has a sense of humour and values authenticity and will act even if he's afraid. Like instead of doing CGI, he actually set a building on fire and just started running once it started falling down. I admire that he can do something (his stunts) and do it well. Those qualities make him cool to me. People like that, I think are cool. People who aren't afraid of being authentic, and the things they are afraid of, won't let it hold them back. Those are traits I think are cool. His stunts are all real too, which is hard to grasp when I see him jumping off the roof of a ten story building onto the rope of a helicopter.

I don't think of myself as cool. I probably wouldn't be the first thing that comes to mind when people are thinking of cool either. I don't seem to fit into the that prototype. I'm too dorky and gluttonous for that. But that's fine. I think I'm just me and I'm "cool" with that.

Look I just used a pun!... which is exactly why...

(I infringe upon you one more Jackie Chan pic...I just finished watching a documentary on his stunts...and I can't delete the pic...No really. I can't delete it.)

HW 21- Art Project 1

I think my art is a mirror. I wrote the quote because we're living in a world where everything has been digitalized and its sometimes easy to forget ourselves and that we're not digital beings and the technology we have been using ends up using us. We stay up late because we have alot ot work on, like technologyThat along with the media and all the messages sent with it gives us all of these roles that we are expected to fulfill. Like from the television we get that we should be young and pretty and that we should be outgoing. I think with western culture's media in particular values the trait of outgoingness. So if you are not naturally outgoing you should make yourself outgoing. So I guess with all these things we're supposed to be, its easy to forget who we are when all the time we're following all these inlaid rules. Even though there are two people in the picture, the "us" in the quote is all of us. The message is to find a place for us on our own terms, not ones laid out for us by other people or things. So I think its a mirror because it reflects that, the way we're all trying to sort through this technology and our way of life and find a place that we belong.

I think the most interesting aspect of making this is what I was thinking of while making it. It was Gestalt's Prayer, and even though its a prayer its not religious but it has that aspect of being like one in that its projects something we want out into the world.

It goes like this;

"I do my thing and you do your thing.
I am not in this world to live up to your expectations
and you are not in this world to live up to mine.

You are you and I am I.
And if by chance we find each other, then that is beautiful.
And if not, then it can't be helped."

I liked this because sometimes we're always trying to measure up to someone else. Someone who we think is great. But we are great in our own right and so the "You are you and I am I" makes sense to me because we aren't them, we are who we are and that is beautiful. So when I drew the drawing I thought doing your own thing and finding your own way of life, that too, is beautiful.

I think that probably counts as what doing this project made me feel and think. Other interesting tidbits, or maybe not so interesting tidbits, is all the changes this picture went through. I fixed this picture up, or at least tried to, alot of times. When it started out it was just going to be two people behind a text of letters, and then I changed it to two people in some place that was natural and simple and not so complicated, then I cut it out and drew in a background and a quote I wanted it to say. Then I scanned it and rescanned because I didn't like how it came out so I added some more things in. The scanner made the picture lose some of its color so its not exactly how it looks in real life but its similar. I tried photoshop because I thought the colors would be better that way but I didn't have the first clue about it and it took me a while for that to finally get that through my head, so I stuck to color pencils afterwards. Then I decided to color in the quote yellow so it'd stand out. It was a really long process for such a simple drawing. But I liked it so I didn't mind as much I guess. I think I just went on about the troubleshooting. That's behind the scenes for you. Well, I always think its kind of interesting to find out about that stuff. On dvds I always watch the behind the scenes and producer commentary if they have it. So I thought maybe this would be something interesting to include...I don't know if people will agree or not, but here it is anyways.

~End~

300,000 birds

Its a bird! It's a cloud! Its a bird cloud

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81wFZavdhPU&feature=related