Sexism is often a touchy topic of discussion. Stereotypically, there's always the man in the room who has to say, "Well scientifically, men are stronger," and the woman who must defend every sexist aspect made for women, by adversely using sexist stereotypes toward men. "Woman are TOTALLY as strong as men because men just sit around all day while the wife does everything for them."
Ugh. I don't like battle of the sexes conversations. However, what bothers me is that I still find norms used in our society that originated back from our not-so-ancient patriarchal past.
"Man up," "Stop being a girl," and some other slightly graphic sayings, are still said daily. I've had them said to me, and I've said them before without stopping myself. But more than the idea behind it, what bothers me is that it's still said. Especially when it's obvious today- and been proven by Shawn Johnson, Jennie Finch, and Serena Williams- that women can be tough, and can excel at sports.
There are more women in the workforce than men. Statistically, that's true. Contrary to a hundred years ago, you wouldn't be able to find a woman with a job.
And when it comes to relationships- sure the guy can hold the door, dive in for the kiss, pull out the chair, etc, but it shouldn't be shunned if the girl does that too. I have a friend that admits she would never ask a guy out on a date, simply because she's old-fashioned enough to believe that the guy must be the one to do it.
And of course, the, "women in the kitchen," and, "women can't drive," jokes. I try to ignore those as much as possible, but in all honesty, those jokes seriously irk me. And I know I shouldn't let it, because the fuel of the anger it causes is what makes it successful. Grr, vicious circle.
Honestly, people who suggest women are better, annoy me as much as those who suggest the opposite. Is one really better than the other? My obvious answer would be no, but I think the better answer is, "who cares?" I think we all have something better that we could be doing.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Drawing Rant
A detailed and realistic drawing cannot be achieved without patience. You have to pay attention to details, look at proportion, shape, and lights and darks. It takes a long time, and I often find myself running out of time finishing a project that has a deadline.
Proportion always throws me off. Doing a figure, you have to analyze the size of the head in relation to the central body and the limbs. Particularly within the face, you must be careful with eyes, nose, and mouth. I still feel I am only amateur at drawing lips; they always look too small, too large, or too close to the nose.
I used to think shape was often the hardest part, but I see now that I often made it more difficult than it really is. Shape may be the simplest part. My art teacher always tells us to draw shapes, not things. If we are trying to draw a hand, we aren't supposed to think of it as a hand, but just simple shapes put together. The beginning sketch of a composition should usually be basic shapes, before you go back and correct angles and curves.
Shading seems to make many of my classmates groan. I did once, and some days I still don't like to shade, but I know that if I want my piece to look good, I have to have a keen eye for what I'm drawing, and take time with shading. Whenever I finish drawing something in detail, I always look at the subject in a different way. I drew my best friend's face once, and now I see all the curvature of the jaw line, the unique shape of the eye, and where scattered freckles may be. Typing it on the computer, it suddenly sounds creepy, but honestly, it isn't.
Then there's loose, expressive drawing. Some people think that art is purely for aesthetic purposes. Although art and drawings typically look good, and pleasing to the eye, they are often much more than that. The lines themselves are expressive, and have a purposeful- many times emotional- theme. Moving the pencil wherever the hand takes it, sometimes not even thinking about it, puts meaning into the piece the artist never planned.
I want to plan a spontaneous painting hour for myself, where I have my canvas and supplies all set up, and just paint for an hour with music going, and no intention of what I am painting.
Realistic drawings should take time, but art doesn't necessarily have to look pretty to everyone who sees it; art is expressing feelings or themes. Not all feelings in the world are pretty.
Proportion always throws me off. Doing a figure, you have to analyze the size of the head in relation to the central body and the limbs. Particularly within the face, you must be careful with eyes, nose, and mouth. I still feel I am only amateur at drawing lips; they always look too small, too large, or too close to the nose.
I used to think shape was often the hardest part, but I see now that I often made it more difficult than it really is. Shape may be the simplest part. My art teacher always tells us to draw shapes, not things. If we are trying to draw a hand, we aren't supposed to think of it as a hand, but just simple shapes put together. The beginning sketch of a composition should usually be basic shapes, before you go back and correct angles and curves.
Shading seems to make many of my classmates groan. I did once, and some days I still don't like to shade, but I know that if I want my piece to look good, I have to have a keen eye for what I'm drawing, and take time with shading. Whenever I finish drawing something in detail, I always look at the subject in a different way. I drew my best friend's face once, and now I see all the curvature of the jaw line, the unique shape of the eye, and where scattered freckles may be. Typing it on the computer, it suddenly sounds creepy, but honestly, it isn't.
Then there's loose, expressive drawing. Some people think that art is purely for aesthetic purposes. Although art and drawings typically look good, and pleasing to the eye, they are often much more than that. The lines themselves are expressive, and have a purposeful- many times emotional- theme. Moving the pencil wherever the hand takes it, sometimes not even thinking about it, puts meaning into the piece the artist never planned.
I want to plan a spontaneous painting hour for myself, where I have my canvas and supplies all set up, and just paint for an hour with music going, and no intention of what I am painting.
Realistic drawings should take time, but art doesn't necessarily have to look pretty to everyone who sees it; art is expressing feelings or themes. Not all feelings in the world are pretty.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Guilty Pleasures
Everyone has guilty pleasures, or at least I would hope so. I would hate to have written an entire blog about guilty pleasures only to find out that only I have them.
But, I find that pretty unlikely, so here I go.
GUILTY PLEASURE: Something you like or enjoy. But you are embarrassed of your own taste, or what others would think.
I find that guilty pleasures are sometimes taken too seriously by the person who has them. As much as I dislike taking too much interest in what others think of you, I admit it would be near impossible to go through life without considering others' opinions of what you do.
So here I go, telling the internet some of my guilty pleasures.
1) Taylor Swift. *cue mixture of groans and cheers* Yes, Taylor Swift, her music liked by many, many people, especially teenage girls. Some like her, and some don't. I do, though sometimes I feel like I shouldn't. Why? Because some say she is too repetitive, and sings about cheesy love stories. Bleh.
2) Playing old PS2 games. Such as two Spongebob video games that I have, and an old Sitting Ducks game(does ANYONE remember that show???). Sometimes, when I have free time(which is remarkably rare nowadays), I go back and explore the games of my childhood. Cheesy? Yes. Do I care? Sometimes.
3) Spongebob Squarepants. This is sometimes a guilty pleasure, but oftentimes what I will dub, a "proud pleasure." Spongebob- the character I grew up with. I love him as much as I loved him as a kid. I am not ashamed, but I still feel this belongs here, because many people I know consider him a guilty pleasure. Guess what I got last Christmas? The first 100 episodes of Spongebob Squarepants on DVD. If you aren't jealous, you should be.
Guilty pleasures, what do they say about a person? Well, sometimes they can tell you something you never would have guessed about someone, but that doesn't mean it makes the person unlikeable. Often, it's a funny quirk, that doesn't actually represent a significant part of the person. Just a little thing they do, or like.
But, I find that pretty unlikely, so here I go.
GUILTY PLEASURE: Something you like or enjoy. But you are embarrassed of your own taste, or what others would think.
I find that guilty pleasures are sometimes taken too seriously by the person who has them. As much as I dislike taking too much interest in what others think of you, I admit it would be near impossible to go through life without considering others' opinions of what you do.
So here I go, telling the internet some of my guilty pleasures.
1) Taylor Swift. *cue mixture of groans and cheers* Yes, Taylor Swift, her music liked by many, many people, especially teenage girls. Some like her, and some don't. I do, though sometimes I feel like I shouldn't. Why? Because some say she is too repetitive, and sings about cheesy love stories. Bleh.
2) Playing old PS2 games. Such as two Spongebob video games that I have, and an old Sitting Ducks game(does ANYONE remember that show???). Sometimes, when I have free time(which is remarkably rare nowadays), I go back and explore the games of my childhood. Cheesy? Yes. Do I care? Sometimes.
3) Spongebob Squarepants. This is sometimes a guilty pleasure, but oftentimes what I will dub, a "proud pleasure." Spongebob- the character I grew up with. I love him as much as I loved him as a kid. I am not ashamed, but I still feel this belongs here, because many people I know consider him a guilty pleasure. Guess what I got last Christmas? The first 100 episodes of Spongebob Squarepants on DVD. If you aren't jealous, you should be.
Guilty pleasures, what do they say about a person? Well, sometimes they can tell you something you never would have guessed about someone, but that doesn't mean it makes the person unlikeable. Often, it's a funny quirk, that doesn't actually represent a significant part of the person. Just a little thing they do, or like.
Band Competitions.
Recently, I've taken to attending Kennedy's band competitions. I've been to band concerts before, but the competitions are surprisingly very much different. For one thing, they're a lot more epic than just band concerts. When it's marching band, it's more interesting, and even comparable to show choir competitions.
Having never been to a competition before, I decided to tag along with my friend, who is a Kennedy band alum. She also felt that she needed to assist me in learning proper, "band competition etiquette."
There are definitely significant differences when it comes to football half-time shows, and what I saw at my first competition. When the band plays, there is complete silence, unless you are applauding a soloist, or a particularly awesome choreography bit. You do not stand up in the middle of a show. That is frowned upon. And you also applaud other schools, even though they are not your school. Whereas in football, it wouldn't be strange for you to hear someone booing the other team. In marching band, it would be.
My band alum friend also told me stories of her years of being in marching band.
During one particular competition, a school had a Mission Impossible theme. They had a briefcase as a prop that showed up, and then disappeared a few times among the students within the choreography. At the last note of the performance, a saxophone held up the briefcase in the middle of the mass of students. Finishing the note, he sprinted to the opposite corner, soon followed by the entire band chasing him off the field. They disappeared behind the bleachers on the other side, and received a standing ovation.
You would have assumed that they stopped once they weren't seen anymore behind the stands, but to everyone's surprise, they reappeared clear on the other end, still sprinting after the briefcase. This caused everyone in the stands to roll in laughter.
Overall, I learned that half-time shows at football games do not live up to the awesomeness of the performances of an actual competition.
Also, this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZtCZOiZ-cg
Having never been to a competition before, I decided to tag along with my friend, who is a Kennedy band alum. She also felt that she needed to assist me in learning proper, "band competition etiquette."
There are definitely significant differences when it comes to football half-time shows, and what I saw at my first competition. When the band plays, there is complete silence, unless you are applauding a soloist, or a particularly awesome choreography bit. You do not stand up in the middle of a show. That is frowned upon. And you also applaud other schools, even though they are not your school. Whereas in football, it wouldn't be strange for you to hear someone booing the other team. In marching band, it would be.
My band alum friend also told me stories of her years of being in marching band.
During one particular competition, a school had a Mission Impossible theme. They had a briefcase as a prop that showed up, and then disappeared a few times among the students within the choreography. At the last note of the performance, a saxophone held up the briefcase in the middle of the mass of students. Finishing the note, he sprinted to the opposite corner, soon followed by the entire band chasing him off the field. They disappeared behind the bleachers on the other side, and received a standing ovation.
You would have assumed that they stopped once they weren't seen anymore behind the stands, but to everyone's surprise, they reappeared clear on the other end, still sprinting after the briefcase. This caused everyone in the stands to roll in laughter.
Overall, I learned that half-time shows at football games do not live up to the awesomeness of the performances of an actual competition.
Also, this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZtCZOiZ-cg
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Seuss-y goosey
"Big D, little d, what begins with D? A dozen donuts and a duck-dog, d d d." Even seeing that on the screen, I hear it with it's obvious rhythmic, almost musical beat.
I had many Dr. Seuss books when I was little- so much so that they filled my fancy four-section bookcase. With their colorful pictures, and consistent rhythms, I loved reading them.
I've always thought so highly of Dr. Seuss. Even growing older, I was amused while reading his stories. As one of my previous LA teachers told me, it can be difficult to try and incorporate rhythm into writing so it shows clearly to the reader. When you read Dr. Seuss aloud, it's hard not to read with the beat. I've often thought of Seuss and Shakespeare as similar writers, with their consistency of rhythm in all of their works.
And then, of course the fantastic pictures! I don't know who did the pictures, but they are as exciting and colorful as the rhythm and invented words of the reading. I keep seeing the Truffula Trees from The Lorax, one of the more famous Dr. Seuss stories. All the colors, and the description of their texture and softness, really did fascinate me as a child. Not to mention, The Lorax is a story with an obvious moral, spreading the awareness of taking care of the environment to children.
One of my friend's seems to think that Dr. Seuss's works are a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, that don't tell real story. When you think about it most of Dr. Seuss's stories have an important moral, as most children's books should. Oh the Places You'll Go! tells you that you can accomplish anything you want, as long as you set your mind to it. In The Sneetches and Other Stories, the Sneetches teach you that what's "cool" isn't always what's best for you, and that you shouldn't feel like you have to do what everyone else is doing.
I feel it cheesy to say that Dr. Seuss taught me to be myself, respect the environment, and that I am capable of anything. However, he planted the seed of those morals in my head, while also sparking my creativtity and love of pictures and stories.
However most unfortunately, my mom decided to give away my Dr. Seuss books to my cousin a couple years ago. I was surprisingly heart-broken. I shall get those back when I have kids, whether my cousin likes it or not.
I had many Dr. Seuss books when I was little- so much so that they filled my fancy four-section bookcase. With their colorful pictures, and consistent rhythms, I loved reading them.
I've always thought so highly of Dr. Seuss. Even growing older, I was amused while reading his stories. As one of my previous LA teachers told me, it can be difficult to try and incorporate rhythm into writing so it shows clearly to the reader. When you read Dr. Seuss aloud, it's hard not to read with the beat. I've often thought of Seuss and Shakespeare as similar writers, with their consistency of rhythm in all of their works.
And then, of course the fantastic pictures! I don't know who did the pictures, but they are as exciting and colorful as the rhythm and invented words of the reading. I keep seeing the Truffula Trees from The Lorax, one of the more famous Dr. Seuss stories. All the colors, and the description of their texture and softness, really did fascinate me as a child. Not to mention, The Lorax is a story with an obvious moral, spreading the awareness of taking care of the environment to children.
One of my friend's seems to think that Dr. Seuss's works are a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, that don't tell real story. When you think about it most of Dr. Seuss's stories have an important moral, as most children's books should. Oh the Places You'll Go! tells you that you can accomplish anything you want, as long as you set your mind to it. In The Sneetches and Other Stories, the Sneetches teach you that what's "cool" isn't always what's best for you, and that you shouldn't feel like you have to do what everyone else is doing.
I feel it cheesy to say that Dr. Seuss taught me to be myself, respect the environment, and that I am capable of anything. However, he planted the seed of those morals in my head, while also sparking my creativtity and love of pictures and stories.
However most unfortunately, my mom decided to give away my Dr. Seuss books to my cousin a couple years ago. I was surprisingly heart-broken. I shall get those back when I have kids, whether my cousin likes it or not.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Google Guessing Games
Yes of course, the Google game. You begin typing, and it suggests what you are searching for based on what others have searched before you. Many times it's accurate. For example, if you type, "How to.." The first thing that comes up is, "How to tie a tie." Indeed, I have Googled that before. Strange, considering I'm a girl? Nahh.
Other times, the suggestions really make you wonder what other people do with their free time...
When you type, "Why do..." the first suggestion is, "Why do dogs eat grass?" Seems to be a question generated by pure curiosity. And then there is the angry, "I'm so mad right now! Why is this happening?? WHY ME?? ....hmmm maybe Google knows..." Building off the "Why do..." the angry suggestion is, "Why do men cheat?" You can only think, "Awww, poor girl. She must have been cheated on. Yet, she's asking Google for advice...interesting."
I like this game. Let's try something else. "What happens when..."
The first suggestion didn't exactly surprise me: "What happens when you die?" Very ordinary question to ask. Pretty philosophical/religious depending on how you look at it. Goes along with, "What is the meaning of life?" and "What is my purpose?" But again...how does Google know? Considering it's a search engine...and it can't technically die...*sigh*
Next search. "Who did..."
First one: "Who did Ashley pick?" At first I had no idea what that meant. Further scrolling down the screen informed me that the question is about the reality TV show, the Bachelorette. Yay.
Second, of course, the celebrity gossip question. "Who did Kim Kardashian marry?" I feel the answer to this will not benefit me in any way. Moving on.
Looking down, to the fourth suggestion, "Who did Draco Malfoy marry?" HAHA. This question actually interests me. Who did Draco marry? I am curious, however, I do not know. If the series doesn't tell you, I don't think Google will.
Going from helpful suggestions, there's the silly ones that are only there because too many people were bored. "Hi google" and "Hi google how are you" are suggested when you get to "hi go-"
I'm going to end this post with the humorous ones. Many of these made me laugh.
"Dinosaurs are..." ---> "Dinosaurs are jesus ponies."
"Let's..." ---> "Let's kill Hitler"
"Snape is..." ---> "Snape is Harry's father"
"What if the world..." ---> "What if the world was made of glazed donuts?"
P.S. Upon further inspection, I found that the last one is from a song. If you have a strange sense of humor you may enjoy listening to it. That is all.
Other times, the suggestions really make you wonder what other people do with their free time...
When you type, "Why do..." the first suggestion is, "Why do dogs eat grass?" Seems to be a question generated by pure curiosity. And then there is the angry, "I'm so mad right now! Why is this happening?? WHY ME?? ....hmmm maybe Google knows..." Building off the "Why do..." the angry suggestion is, "Why do men cheat?" You can only think, "Awww, poor girl. She must have been cheated on. Yet, she's asking Google for advice...interesting."
I like this game. Let's try something else. "What happens when..."
The first suggestion didn't exactly surprise me: "What happens when you die?" Very ordinary question to ask. Pretty philosophical/religious depending on how you look at it. Goes along with, "What is the meaning of life?" and "What is my purpose?" But again...how does Google know? Considering it's a search engine...and it can't technically die...*sigh*
Next search. "Who did..."
First one: "Who did Ashley pick?" At first I had no idea what that meant. Further scrolling down the screen informed me that the question is about the reality TV show, the Bachelorette. Yay.
Second, of course, the celebrity gossip question. "Who did Kim Kardashian marry?" I feel the answer to this will not benefit me in any way. Moving on.
Looking down, to the fourth suggestion, "Who did Draco Malfoy marry?" HAHA. This question actually interests me. Who did Draco marry? I am curious, however, I do not know. If the series doesn't tell you, I don't think Google will.
Going from helpful suggestions, there's the silly ones that are only there because too many people were bored. "Hi google" and "Hi google how are you" are suggested when you get to "hi go-"
I'm going to end this post with the humorous ones. Many of these made me laugh.
"Dinosaurs are..." ---> "Dinosaurs are jesus ponies."
"Let's..." ---> "Let's kill Hitler"
"Snape is..." ---> "Snape is Harry's father"
"What if the world..." ---> "What if the world was made of glazed donuts?"
P.S. Upon further inspection, I found that the last one is from a song. If you have a strange sense of humor you may enjoy listening to it. That is all.
Craving expression
Lately, I've really wanted to go out and just take pictures. Have a photoshoot of the fall scenery. I've had these cravings before- yearning to take pictures, or itching to draw or write.
I know that expression is extremely important, because without it, I don't think we would be able to function. Doing something we love, or just showing ourselves through our passions, is vital to being happy. Whether it be sports, music, art, or anything else, expression is a major part of being alive.
Encouraging people to try new things is also helping them find a potential passion or hobby. Through that, they find their way of expression. For me, drawing is usually my outlet. However, I've wanted to try my hand out at photography, but, unfortunately, haven't had much time to do so lately.
A blockage of expression would not be very healthy. To make an assumption- I think that some people who are depressed don't know how to express themselves, or just don't at all.
I also find expression through clothes. Everyday, I dress how I want: lazy, fancy, pretty, comfy, stylish, or just something completely new. Often, what I wear reflects my mood. I would hate it if I had to wear the same thing of the same gray color every day.
In my own words, expression through passion is necessary to be happy. Without it, we may not know our own purposes.
I know that expression is extremely important, because without it, I don't think we would be able to function. Doing something we love, or just showing ourselves through our passions, is vital to being happy. Whether it be sports, music, art, or anything else, expression is a major part of being alive.
Encouraging people to try new things is also helping them find a potential passion or hobby. Through that, they find their way of expression. For me, drawing is usually my outlet. However, I've wanted to try my hand out at photography, but, unfortunately, haven't had much time to do so lately.
A blockage of expression would not be very healthy. To make an assumption- I think that some people who are depressed don't know how to express themselves, or just don't at all.
I also find expression through clothes. Everyday, I dress how I want: lazy, fancy, pretty, comfy, stylish, or just something completely new. Often, what I wear reflects my mood. I would hate it if I had to wear the same thing of the same gray color every day.
In my own words, expression through passion is necessary to be happy. Without it, we may not know our own purposes.
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