Evaluation.

This block has been a great experience for me as a writer. Coming into this class I had little faith in my ability to write, especially my ability to write frequently and fluently. My previous experiences in writing have been few and far between, and it’s never really been something I enjoyed. I have to say that this class has really changed my outlook on writing and myself. I have gained a lot of confidence in my writing, and I think that my voice reflects that. I still need to improve on writing on queue, and writing under pressure. I enjoyed portions of the forum, and there are portion I wasn’t always so comfortable with. I’m both incredible fond and mildly disturbed by the idea that other people can read my writing, though I’m not sure who actually chose to. In a future class I would be more cautious on how my time is being spent during class.

Soundtrack of my life

This is a really cool idea my teacher had, so for today I'm going to attempt to compose a soundtrack to my life.
First, Image of the invisible- Thrice. this song just speaks to me and I love how it sounds.
Next, we have Burn, and Smoke, by Alkaline Trio, I found comfort in these song during one of the worst periods of my life, and both of them mean a lot to me. I think the next song would be, Maybe Tomorrow, by Poets of the Fall, I'm really fond of the optimism in this song, and it always manages to pick me up when I'm feeling down. On the note of songs that serve as great pick me ups, Electropop, by Jupiter Rising. Another song that has really fond memories for me Is BYOB, by System of a Down, this song was a big favorite of some friends of mine from way back in the day, and when ever I hear it I can't help but remember the old days with them. Next on the soundtrack of my life, is Wolfen- By E Nomine, this melody is just startlingly beautiful to me, and the song describes a lack of control I can often relate to, all in all it's a beautiful metaphor. Alkaline trio makes it on the list again, this time with, Time to Waste, a favorite song of one of my best friends, it never fails to remind me of her. Another song that really reminds me of good times, is Bruises and Bite Marks, by Good with Grenades. Pink makes the track twice with both Heartbreaker, and Ur Hand. And last but not least Water, by OhGr.

Music has always been an important part in my life, which is part of what prompted me to make this soundtrack. It reminds me of good time, and the harder times, and or people I've known along the way.

1. Image of the Invisible- Thrice
2. Burn- Alkaline Trio
3. Smoke- Alkaline Trio
4. Maybe Tomorrow- Poets of the Fall
5. Electropop- Jupiter Rising
6. BYOB- System of a Down
7. Wolfen- E Nomine
8. Time to Waste- Alkaline Trio
9. Bruises and Bite Marks- Good with Grenades
10.Heartbreaker- Pink
11.Ur Hand- Pink
12.Water- OhGr

During the period I was sick, I grew accustomed to a lot more sleep then I am able to get now that I'm back in school. So todays blog is going to be more of a response to my fellow writers. First I totally get where Skillex is coming from, with her fear of fever. Most recently when I was sick, I was feverish to the point of delusion, this has left me with an unease towards fever, I still accept illness as a natural part of life, but I really hope to never get a fever like that again. Becky inquired into our relationship with the staff here at our school. I view the staff here, less as instructors, and more as mentors, classes are vary flexible, and students have a lot of input into what is taught. Defiantly not a traditional system, but it really works. I'm still not sure how I would react if I ran into a staff member at a bar, or club however. That just seems like it's bound to be awkward, I'd probably just run off.

Last words of 2008, First words of 2009.

"For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning."
- T.S. Eliot.

This is a quote that one of my teachers has used to bring in the new year. I think it's all about leaving last year, its faults, mistakes, and misdoings, in the past, and moving on. This is not to say, that we shouldn't learn what we can from those things, but dwelling on the past, especially on things that cannot be changed, is not healthy. The end of something is just the beginning of another. The future of 2009 is not determined, and the year will be what I make of it. T.S. Eliot, is obviously a wise man, and this was the perfect quote to help me reflect, both on the past, and the future.

New Year

It is a common practice in the new year, to set goals and make resolutions to change. To be a better person, eat healthier, quit smoking. All of these things are admirable, and a good place for me to start looking. In previous years, I've set goals, and for the most part these goals are incomplete. This year holds large changes in my academic career, and I will be starting PSEO in a just a few days. Logically my first goal for 2009 is to do what is necessary to be successful in this venture, things such as doing my homework before I go out, making sure I get home at a decent time, so I can go to bed at a decent hour. I'd like to be healthier as a person, maybe quit smoking, make sure to drink enough water, choose a salad instead of a bag of chips. The simple things that can make a huge change in how you feel. I've also become ridiculously dependant on a few of my friends, I need to get out and meet new people. I seriously think someone needs to build a time machine already. There simply aren't enough hours in the day to get done everything that needs to be done. Which leads into my next goal, keep organized and prioritise what needs to be done, when. Maybe, I'll keep a planner or something similliar. I haven't thought that one out quite yet, anyone have a suggested method of keeping organized? I'm sure there are other things I'll decide to change, afterall there's a whole new year ahead of me.

Christmas and other things.

Break was a lot of things, sadly relaxing and regenerative, don't make the list. The first week of my winter "vacation" was spent cooking cleaning and going from house to house for various holiday functions. our two year renovation on the kitchen is finally starting to come to a close, and our cabinets were installed early in the first week of break. The last portion of the first week was of course Christmas! Christmas with my family is always a busy affair, usually consisting of stops at two to three different households, Christmas eve diner at my grandmas, my uncle terry's Christmas eve party, Christmas morning at my house, and then Christmas day at my grandmas, on my mothers side. I took the second week of break mainly for myself, making up for lost time and chilling with my friends. New Years consisted of a brief party at Saint Thomas, and a lock in hosted at a local church by Eagle Anime. The lock in is slowly becoming a yearly tradition of mine, and while anime isn't really my thing, the lock in consists of a good rave, and some old friends that I don't get to see often. After new years, I spent the majoriity of the week working on my Self Portrait, amd preparing for PSEO to start on the twelth.

Relax

Knowing that a break is up and coming alway helps me step back a bit and chill, knowing that I have that time ahead of me to do what I need to get done and just chill is a relief . It provides the time need to catch up on all those things I'm behind in, homework, sleep, and all the other essentials for a healthy life as a teenager. Though the upcoming winter break may be an overwhelming experience in the terms of Christmas. Christmas is always a really big deal for my family, its one of the few times a year we all get together, and while I'm all for maintaining familiar ties, it makes holidays kind of a hassle. Holidays usually entail my family going to at least two or three different houses, for miscellaneous different parties. Finding time to relax may be difficult but I'm sure I'll manage, New years is mine to do with as I wish, for the second year now. Whats your resolution?

Priorities

In this year, I've made a number of not so good choices. I'd go as far as to say, I've made some outright bad choices. Perhaps this isn't out of the norm for a teenager, but my priorities have been in all the wrong places. Placing friends and parties over academic advancement. And now that I'm starting college up in the next few weeks, I really need to get my priorities straight. School first, Then worry about friends, relationships, and the rest of life. How I do in school determines the kind of life I can expect after graduation, I'd like to think my friends are important, and they are to me, but I really need to do better in school. I'm sure they'll understand this means less free time to spend with them, but such is life. If only there were more hours in a day.

The Color Purple

When we left off, it was with the color Purple. One might wonder, what exactly does Purple have to do with anything? Well, you see, when dying hair, each chemical has a certain time that it must be left in contact with the hair being colored, and a certain period for oxidation, Black for example takes about twenty -some minutes. Purple on the other hand takes just short of an hour. So when I say this decision started with Purple, it actually started in that period of oxidation. It's odd, where one's mind goes when stuck stagnant for a prolonged period. After a short time, my musings wandered to the future. What was I going to do with my life? Deciding to be a model may seem, well, a little weird. And it's defiantly not going to be my entire career, or life.........

And writers block has set in, that dreaded condition all writers fear, when words no longer come to mind. I had a delicious cinnamon roll for breakfast this morning, and am still nursing a cup of coffee. Six school buses passed me this morning, while I stood smoke my morning cigarette, waiting for my own bus to take me to school, the sun was just rising at this time, casting an odd orange glow to the world, it's weird. It's only four degrees out today, but it doesn't feel that cold. It's more refreshing, though I wish I would have had my hat, I wonder where I put it? My paper for Larry's class is due today, not that I'm done with it. I'll have to finish it this weekend and turn it in Monday, I wonder how many points he's going to take off?
Two weeks until Christmas, and I've yet to start shopping, but I'm not sweating it yet, It'll all work out. Things always do, if you wait long enough. Most problems solve themselves. Eventually.

I've decided to be a male model.

That's right, I've Decided to try for a job as a male model. I have no delusions as to being perfectly suited, but I have high hopes. So this morning I decided to dress myself up, toss on some make-up, and get one of the fabulous photographers I know to help make me up a portfolio. This decision hasn't been completely random, but was defiantly spurred by spending nearly two and a half hours getting my hair done yesterday. I'm ending this post with a poll, and a question.

The Poll: Would I be a good model?

And, Who knows a good place to start?

Growing up... To be a Model... The Beginnng

Originally, I had decided to tell the story of my life, but after composing the first chapter, it was really kind of dull, and seemed too much like a sob story. I've now decided to tell the story of my decision to be a model. As with all stories, this one needs a beginning, and in this story, that beginning is with the realization that it would be kind of cool to be a model. We start off, in a car speeding towards the mall, early on a chill Sunday morning, I use chill in both contexts, as it was kind of cold, yet also very relaxed. Upon arriving at the mall, I set about to complete my mission for the day, just a simple hair cut, yet it didn't stay that way. I've been going to the same hair dresser for nearly two years now, and have actually stopped having to decide what to do with my hair, and started trusting in the artistic design of my hair dresser, for the sake of this story, I'm going to give this mysterious hair dresser a name, Justin. Today was much like any other visit, except this one started with the color purple.

My Writings

I like to believe that I'm a proficient writer, I have a major tendency to over use commas, and to use commas in place of periods. Quite often my works are inspired by a certain quote, or ideal. This is exemplified by the posts: Elegies- Sextus Propertius, and Silver Opportunities. I think I also tend to be a bit wandering in my thought process, which reflects in my writing. I'd like to think that my writings are interesting for other people to read, as I defiantly have a lot of fun writing them! I think my grammar is usually correct, and I try to use correct spelling and punctuation. I'm not sure how much personality actually manages to get through to the readers, but I try to make my writings have as much voice and personality as possible.

The Student that I Read.

The Student that I read, manages to maintain a tone of writing that is serious at times, and whimsical when appropriate. Her writings carry a real depth of emotion that allows the readers a momentary glance into her life, as it actually is. For the most part the writings are grammatically correct, and appear well edited. The perspective audience of their blog holds an amazing range, and I feel that someone of pretty much any age group stands to gain some useful perspective in reading it. As a whole this Blog reads in a manner that is stylized, but not overly so, and is also full of a voice, that holds a large range of emotion, ranging easily from whimsical to cynical. I sincerely hope that this writer will keep up the god work, and I look forward to reading more.

Psychedelic Masterpiece

Psychedelic Masterpiece

Observe A White Silhouette Shimmer Vivid,

Dream, Surreal.

Smear, Chisel, Weld, Paint, Use.

Create, Break.

DAZZLE.

Bold. Hard. Soft.

Water, Wood, Metal.

IMPRESSION.

Scream of Absurd Passion.

Empty, Open, Investigate, Explore!

Language

I believe language is only in part something we have to learn. I believe it is also born into us, giving us an innate ability to communicate with one another. There is a portion of language that is taught to us through both "instruction" and cultural example. I realize that my us of the word language has become slightly confusing, I define language as the ability to communicate, transcending just verbal communication, and moving into both writing and body language.

TBC.

Elegies-Sextus Propertius

It's been some time since I've written a new post. Tell me, has absence made the heart grow fonder? This quote has been resonating with me lately, It seems so ridiculous. That five days should feel so long. I'm missing all of our beloved school a fair deal right now. And can't wait to return tomorrow! I've survived yet another Thanksgiving, only a little worse for the wear. As usual I over ate myself to the point of illness, this was of course encouraged, read forced, by those select members of my family that believe I'm far too thin, at near six foot and weighing not quite one hundred and thirty pounds, I'm defiantly on the skinny side, but no where near an unhealthy extreme. I wonder what has happened to the body imaging of our society if my weight is viewed as unhealthily skinny, I eat when I'm hungry, and stop when I'm full. That's kinda how it's supposed to work, right? On a more pleasant tangent, A tree has been erected in my living room, and the halls have been decked. That's right, Christmas is in full bloom here in my household. Currently I'm listening to The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and trying to get the more annoying carols out of my head. It's quite late so I'm off to bed, Guten Nacht.

3/?

Coming on the 29th OhGr will be at Station 4, in downtown saint Paul. It's unfortunately an 18+ show, but I'll be trying to go anyways. Station 4 is a small venue, with a range of musical groups booked, including a large concert starting on December 6, entitled The Next Big Thing, a compilation of up and coming bands, and singular artists. Station 4, while a bit on the small time is a decent venue, with a good location.

The controversies of sexual education

That schools are encourage, read mandated, you teach abstinence only sex ed, is completely ridiculous. I think it's fairly obvious that this system isn't working, just look at the number of teen pregnancies, and the rapid spread of sexually transmitted diseases. I'm not sure abstinence only was ever an effective teaching method, but if it was, it certainly isn't any more , this is one thing that really needs to change.

A Generation of Standardized Testing.

I view this generations dependence on standardized testing to determine achievement, as a major step in the wrong direction. Each student is going to learn something different from each lesson, and this knowledge isn't going to be reflected in a standardized test, which is sadly about one of two things, either how well you've memorized the random tidbits of information, or how well you can bullshit answers. I've always been good at standardized testing, not because I necessarily know the material, but because I can test well. Most multiple choice questions have two possible answers that can be eliminated almost immediately as incorrect, giving you a 50/50 chance of being right off the bat. Is it really fair to be assessing students on what could be compared to a chance flip of a coin? A student who knows next to nothing on the material has a chance of scoring just as well as a student that has actually put some time into preparing for the test. While a student with an in depth understanding of the abstract concept and it's applications, may not test well due to the stressful nature of these tests. Does this really sound like a good system of measuring achievement?

Post 2/?

In an attempt to make the events in the metro area, Minneapolis.about.com post a monthly calender, covering events and festivals upcoming in the metro area. While this calender is a helpful resource, it barely scratches the surface of whats going on, focusing on larger events that are already pretty well advertised, the upside to this is they post all these events in an easy to browse forum, giving you a good visual of the upcoming month.