The empire has fallen, find a new job.

I went up to the Getty on Sunday. It was bomb-diggity. Yeah, I'm trying to bring that phrase back. This post isn't about that trip though. We, my host mom and I, went down to Hollywood Blvd. afterwards where we saw a slew of interesting characters who are apparently out of jobs. The recession has hit these once great movie and tv icons the hardest.

Adventure's in Al's life part I

This is the first of what will hopefully be many installments in my sister Allison's life. Narrated by me, Justin, this video explores the complex life of my sister as she opens a present from her birthday. enjoy.

Two Kites

Umm...so this is a video I took two weeks ago of two kites. Really the two kites are a metaphor for human interaction and how we drift into and out of each other's lives without truly touching each other. It is not just a video I am putting up to see if this will work. Definitely the metaphor thing. two kites.

Making corpses cry

Let me first state that I love art history. It is hard to say which period I think is the best, but the more I study the more I love post-impressionism. Yes, a lot of people do, but post-impressionism is great! I love how they take the color and application from impressionism and apply deeper and higher meaning. It is as if they are trying to see how the human being sees the essence of our world. Yeah.

This is only a lead in to my point I want to make today. Now, I know it has been awhile since I have posted, but I'm sorry this post has little to do with how awesome it is to be in Southern California teaching. Ok, now let us go back to post-impressionism. Oh, hello Cezanne. Mr. Van Gogh, so nice of you to drop by.

Let me again state how in post-impressionism is more than just about an image, but it involves feelings and a very considered manner in how the paint was applied. I want to specifically address divisionism, or pointillism, the style of post-impression that was most widely used by Georges Seurat.

Let me give you a little history of what Seurat was after according to a slide from one of my professor's history of post-impressionism.

"Although short-lived, Seurat’s technique of Pointillism was his personal expression of the hope that modern science would modernize art. He was interested in the study of optics, and in placing dots of pure color next to each other, he felt that the blending of them in the viewer’s eye would make the image more natural and vibrant. This technique is very defined in The Seine at La Grande Jatte as the variations of light on the water, the banks, and the tree give luminosity to the work."

Sorry I do not have a picture of the work. Maybe, I'll post one later...I probably won't.

What you will notice about that description of Seurat's work is that no where does it say that seurat was after making pictures look like they had a bunch of dots so that one day a teacher could simulate his work by coloring on sand paper and ironing it to a piece of paper.

Ok, so here's the deal. I took a marvelous class with a marvelous professor called content area literacy. This professor was very concerned about finding cross disciplinary ways of teaching. However, she gave a demo one day in class where we were supposed to create a work of art like pointillism by using crayons to color on sandpaper...and then...iron it...to another piece of paper.

This idea is so far from Seurat's idea that I have no question that his corpse vomited in his grave and then rolled over in it.

AHHHH!!! Seriously? Ironing a crayon drawing and pointillism have nothing in common. Zero.

It almost makes me want to cry how absurd it is to say we are going to (and I cringe as I type this) create works of art like Seurat by ironing a crayon drawing to a piece of paper. I cannot get over this project, and I never shall. It would have been different if we were using this method for something else not connected with Seurat, but I do not think we should be tricking any age student into thinking they are creating like Seurat when his ideas were so well thought out and pure, and imitating this idea with crayons and irons is not pure. Seurat did not seek to have us optically mix colors by ironing a crayon drawing on a piece of sand paper to another piece of paper.

Now, in student teaching one of my teacher's has suggested I do a water color making Mondrian-esque compositions. Am I an elitist when I think this idea is also absurd. The idea is not to use primary colors or even large blocks of color, but to just tape off a geometric patten then water color and call it Mondrian inspired. I feel like Mondrian's corpse is crying a little bit.

Maybe, I can go the synesthesia route with a lil Wassily Kandinsky.

Ok, that's all. bye from California.

yeah california

I haven't disappeared. yet.

Why hello all of about maybe 10 (a very generous guesstimate) people who read this. I know it has been awhile since I last posted a blog entry. Do not fret part two of sad movies is started and will come in due time. I figure I will use this blog entry to catch everyone up to speed with my wild and crazy life!

So as some of you may know, and for those who are reading these back logged in the future, I recently started student teaching in Orange, California where the Men's basketball just won their first or second...I don't know which number, but have advanced further in the state playoffs than any other men's bball team at Orange Lutheran High School. Yes, I have started to assimilate to Orange Lutheran, and it has been sweet. I am now considering it my high school (after two days) getting excited about the sports teams and what not, and doing my best to learn names.

Speaking of names there is a student in one of my classes whose name is Wayne. When I asked Wayne what his name was he said Wayne, but then all of his peers corrected him, and told me it was in fact, Dwayne. Wayne then interjected they were lying, but his friends were persistent, and Wayne gave in and said his name was Dwayne. At this point I was confused, so I asked then Dwayne was his name really Dwayne, and everyone but Dwayne said yes, but then Dwayne said no it was Wayne. Now I had to figure out is it Wayne or Dwayne, and yes, D/Wayne is black. So his friends said he had a white persons name if it was Wayne which made me suspicious that his name was in fact Wayne. I finally had to ask in all seriousness if his name was Wayne, and lo and behold it was. It was fun.

I then told Wayne that before I got to Concordia I had never considered my middle name to be anything but a white person's middle name. When I got to Concordia I was informed it was not. This, of course, peeked student interest. they started guessing names like Darnell, Dashaud, T-money (ok, no one guessed that). I then informed them that these names were not my middle name, and I just flat out told them it is Terence. Apparently this was the funniest thing ever. they just got the biggest kick out of it. I am totally remembering to build this up in the future because it worked great for entertainment. I then told them it was my dad's name, and he is whiter than me. They once again just busted up. And just like that I am Mr. Cool. Or so I think so.

There is another name story I have. I was writing a seating chart for my second hour class on Red days I believe. Now, most of these last names it seems I have never heard before, and if I have heard them they all spell them differently. I, therefore, was asking each kid to spell their name so I could show that I was interested in making sure I had their name right. Well, one girl tells me her name is Sydney Johnston, and she adds it is spelled just like the city. I then responded in a dead pan manner, Oh, I have been to Johnston. No one got it except my coop, and he laughed so I was happy it at least went over well with him. The confused girl then told me her name sydney was spelled like the city to which I came back asking her if her last name, Johnston was still spelled like the city as well. Now, I have no idea if there is a Johnston, and frankly I do not care. This poor girl still had no idea I was joking, and I finally told her I was. She admitted she was confused, and we moved on. She also admitted to furthering the stereotype of her blonde hair.

Well much more has happened in my life, and I am sure much more will. I am in Southern California living the good life. I am constantly on the beach with California girls you know, and I am surfing, and think of all the stereotypical things in Cali and I am sure I am doing them. I am definitely not teaching everyday and waking up at 5:30 to do so.

I am very much enjoying the time here. It's greeeeeeat! as our dear friend Tony would say.

Farewell

Revision: Sad movies Part I of II

After some philosophical discussions about Sad movies as opposed to tear jerking movies with a friend of mine I began to realize that these two types of movies are not synonymous. So after some thought and more deep platonic discussion I decided some revision was in order. I realized that I need a list of movies that have made me (almost) cry because I am a man, and I do not cry. BOOM! So this first list is that of films that are tear jerking.

1. Rams vs. Titans Superbowl recap. It was so beautiful and awesome. Made me well up with tears. And yes, to all the haters out there, YOU know who you are. This film counts. Boom.

2. King's Speech. That last speech where Beethoven's Symphony #7 In A, Op. 92 - 2. Allegretto is playing was not describable in words. The whole idea that the king who has a speech problem has to deliver this speech to all of England to tell them that it is going to suck, but we are awesome, and we are gonna make it through this in a little more eloquent words. Plus when hearing the speech it made me think of my interview of my Grandfather who fought in the Canadian army during WWII and told me how terrible death was, AND how people were murdered by the Nazi regime which are two incredibly sad things to remind us how messed up this world is, and I am surprised no tears were flowing out of my face.

So these are really the only two films I can think of that made me almost cry. Hear are some more suggestions by women folk.

3. Notebook. yeah, I've seen it, but to me it still ended kinda happy. I wasn't almost crying though, not even almost almost crying. Sorry.

4. Titanic. Come on, you are telling me Jack couldn't find anything else to float on. They knew each other for like what 3 days? And people are upset about that. The notebook has a better case to be tear jerking because that movie had a life time of love ripped away from Alzheimer's. However, I guess it was sad because the ship did sink. I'm still waiting for Titanic II!

Honorable mention:

Rabbit Hole. I only saw the trailer and it was about a family who lost their child. It looks super sad. I bet there are some good crying scenes are in there.

So I can only realistically think of 4, maybe 5 movies that would make a person cry.

Sad Movies :(

I wanted to make a list of the saddest films I have ever seen. I mean films that are real tear jerkers. Films that you had better bring a box of tissues if you are going to watch it. The problem is I have not seen that many tear jerking, tissue box needing, very sad films. I say film because not all of the items on my list are movies as you will see in number one. So without further adieu here is my list (with explanations).

1. Rams vs. Titans Superbowl recap. Yes, a few weeks ago when the Superbowl was upon us they were showing films of past Superbowls. I know how this game turns out, but that doesn't account for the dramatic retelling of how the Rams despite being a super offensive team all season were struggling to score touchdowns. The game came down to the wire, and Mike Jones tackled Kevin Dyson with no time left to secure the Rams' first Superbowl. I literally had tears in my eyes as I watched this "film".

2. The Notebook. Ok, I did not cry, nor did I have tears. And in fact I saw this movie a half and one times. Yes, I said that correctly. I watched the second half of the movie first then the whole movie. The story goes: I was at camp, and my friend, Mike, was in our staff lounge watching the Notebook by himself and I came half way in. I enjoyed the second half so I wanted to see how it got there. We then watched the movie again in its entirety. Everyone says this is a super sad movie so I put it on my list, and I think it was sad.

3. UP. The sadness in the beginning of the movie far overshadows the happiness achieved at the end. It was good, but sad.

4. Ok, I can only think of three. I know it is lame. What can I say? I like action, thrillers, comedies.

Maybe, I should see more sad films and really expand my experiences in film. I do not want to take the blame for this one though. I want to displace blame on all the people (read women) who are in my life for not taking me to task by making me watch sad movies. When the reason I have seen The Notebook is because my bro was watching it, well, I think all women should take that gauntlet up.

Welp, that's it.