Friday, September 09, 2005

PLEASE VOTE?!

I don't mean to compare...really, I don't...but it happens.
I compare Australia to America, Peanut Butter to Vegemite, and now Florida to Michigan. Okay, comparison's not so bad, but I'm always trying to find the 'better of the two'. So...I'm going to try and be objective. For different people, different places are more homely. I LOVE Ann Arbor. But perhaps that's because it doesn't feel like home at all?
Okay, I'm rambling...
Classes here are...well I feel like I should've been in Art all along, but perhaps that's because Art here is like high school art, and I feel very at home in high school level classes. For example, when I tell you that 'today in class I made a camera and took photos and developed them!!!' you'd think...mmm...sounds like grade 10 art. It is. I love it.
Another class is Detroit Connections...we'll be working with fourth graders once a week for a few hours, creating art to develop them in whatever way they need, whether that be spiritually, intellectually, mathematically whatever. I'm excited because the students are very poor (and I presume a large majority are African American) and I can't wait to work with them.
Ok: for the next two classes I'm going to run a poll on which you think I should do/which would be more beneficial to my future - please leave your choice in my 'comments' :D
CHOICE #1:
Documentary Storytelling
Creating documentaries (2 of them) on strange and unusual subject matter. Working on digital video cameras, final cut pro.

What I consider as pros: I will learn to make documentaries, which I may some day be able to apply to making documentaries on issues I feel to be pertinent ie. poverty overseas, strange and unusual subject matter (hehe) or just for Church videos. There are no textbooks.

What I consider as cons: It goes until 10pm twice a week. I cannot use Final Cut and they're not teaching us (additional lonesome lab time), I do not have a lap top (pro= if I do this subject I may be able to scam one for 3 months) or computer that can support Final Cut (more lab time), I need to buy 80GB of Fire Wire Hard Drive space ($110USD), I must listen to this radio program for an hour each week and read lectures and carry around a small notebook for taking notes. In summary, this is to be the 'centre of my studies this semester' (quote unquote from professor).

CHOICE #2:
Bodies in the World: Representing Human Rights
Working with Amnesty International and various other organisations to create art works which will highlight the plight of the oppressed.

What I consider to be Pros:
The concepts of social justice and community work I will be adhering to are similar to those concepts I will be exploring in my work in the future. It won't involve learning to use a computer program or lonely hours in a lab or staring at a screen (wait, what am I doing here?).

What I consider to be Cons:
It's on Tuesday and Thursday nights until 10pm (yup, climbing nights), I think the class will be full of hippies, feminists and democrats angry at men/global warming/bush and I don't want to deal with that because it's like QUT but with anti-bush sentiments, we're supposed to participate in a public demonstration...I don't feel like demonstrating anything in public, especially if it means yelling at someone...perhaps I could have a cold that day?

So those are really my only choices. Other than that, classes should be easy and I plan on gliding through and getting the heck outta uni!!!! WOHOO!!!! The end of my college career...Just 11 weeks until Anisia comes and 13 until I'm DONE! :D:D:D Don't get me wrong: love America, but I'm keen to see the rest of the world! Wish I could go and then come back...I know I'll miss this place, but my curiosity is killing me! What does Amsterdam airport look like? What will public transport be like in London? Who will come play with me in London? Is Turkish bread really eaten in Turkey as much as we think? What are the Thai people like? Can you still see the effects of the Tsunami? So many questions! And don't even get me started on Australia...I can't wait to see and feel and experience :) I'm an experience junkie.
Ok - please leave your vote!!!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey fool, it seems as though you've already decided not to do the second one, but if you do... ring Roberta and she'll tell you cool stuff to do cos she was/is very inlvolved in Amnesty International. I am a lil peeved you didn't mention that I am also coming in 11 weeks!!!! But I forgive you. Hi from Tyson we're at yours, about to have din dins

Anonymous said...

hey ellie, you wanna know something scary and quite pernicious?
I CAN UPDATE YOUR BLOG!! when i make to leave a comment your username and password (which i know now is *********)appear because they are saved on my computer!!!---(evil laugh --->
ha ha ha!!!! ha ha!!! the world is mine!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey Ellie, Saz here.. I'm a bit late reading this, so I think you've probably made up your mind by now! But if it helps at all, I personally would do choice 2. As a member of Amnesty, it does so much good, and with the state the world is in, they need someone like you! Hope it all works out. Talk soon. xoxo