Unplugged during a Snowstorm

sEEING sIDEWAYS - Day 2

After a week long hiatus due to Martin Luther King day, we returned to the classroom and resumed seeing sideways. Probably the most notable part of the day was the weather. Me and a few other classmates had a direct line of sight through the doorway and hallway window that revealed the courtyard. A blizzard was blowing and while it was a small surprise (considering it had been 40 degrees and raining the day previous), did not throw us off too much.

During the beginning of class one of the first things the instructor asked us to do was to put away our laptops as we would be without them for the majority of the class. Most of us (who were new media students) were alittle hesitant to unplug (myself included). And if this were not enough of a shock, upon putting my laptop away and looking to my right, I observed that the snowstorm that had been blowing not 5 minutes earlier had come to a dead stop. This peaked my curiosity enough to inform my fellow students of the weather outside. After a brief conversation on snow, we continued our class with introduction exercises and talking about the egg and eye exercises we had done. A few minutes later, we looked out again and the snow was blowing again, quite violently I might add. Strange indeed. Would the pattern continue? I waited anxiously, paying attention to the presentations but keeping one eye fervently watching the weather.

Then foolishly, I turned my head to see something in class (i do not remember what), abandoning my unassigned post. When I turned my head back again, the snow was gone! To the dismay of the student presenting, I caused everyone to turn and look out the window at the rediculous weather change. Just imagine....I would have not have even noticed if I still had my laptop out. Interesting.

The Eye and the Egg

I found this to be a very interesting assignment. An egg is a funny little thing. Alot of people on a day -to-day basis, simply reach into their fridge, crack the shell of the white wonder into whatever concoction they're about to cook and think little more of it. But when time is allotted to sit down and ponder the egg (which doesn't happen often in my schedule, I'll admit), it becomes more than JUST an egg.

As I handle the egg, the first thing that I am consciously made aware of is how fragile the shell is. However, something very very important lies inside of this egg. Something that could be crushed or killed or cracked at any moment. But if this creature inside the egg hatches, it'll become something far more complex and wonderful then you could have gathered, just by looking at the egg.

To me....the egg represents an Idea.

All Ideas start as eggs. Good ideas, bad ideas. Good eggs, rotten eggs. You don't know what it is yet, because it hasn't matured, but you are very aware of the existence of some sort of idea, thought, or fathom. We "crack open" each others' minds. We "hatch" plans. Some ideas have great potential, but for whatever reason, die a painful death in the skillet of criticism. Some ideas make it to full maturity; they hatch. They reach the full glory that looks much different then just a regular egg of an idea. And just likes eggs and chickens, Ideas, when they have matured, give birth to other Ideas.

Funny little metaphor, isn't it?

Keep it Reel.

The First day of class

sEEING sIDEWAYS - Day 1

The first day back at school was yesterday. Instead of being filled with dread like most students, I was filled with excitement and ready to start the school year off with a bang! My last class of the day, Seeing Sideways, helped to do that.

The teacher for the class, Beth Lykins (who is absolutely amazing btw) was still recovering from a major surgery the year previous (of which she had reminded me at least 15 times. Extremely thorough if you ask me :-p). Due to her absence for the time being, the amazing Sue Tennet was substituting that day. It was quite a deja vu moment for me as I had just seen Sue early that morning for lighting class.

We started by reviewing a previous blog post by Prof. Lykins talking about wanting to be a tree. This caused us to think and after a moment of pondering, Prof. Tennet went around the room and asked us what we would want to "come back as" if we had the chance. I decided I would like to come back as a Camera. I might have to elaborate on that topic in a future assignment, so I will refrain from doing that now.

And now the egg. We have to write on an egg.

I do believe I am going to enjoy this class.

Keep it Reel.