Extra Credit Blog

Free Blog…What to talk about….I think I am going to talk About the Wizard of Oz. It was on recently, I and I found myself watching it twice while I was doing homework. Why is it like a drug to me? Lol When they sing , I find myself bouncing, when Dorothy does her pouty lip I wimper with her.
This is unusual for me, that is why I find it so entertaining. The sounds, sights and words all have meaning. “Hearts will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable.” Who says that? It’s awesome. When they all get there prizes in the end, the Lions courage is a medal of honor, the Tin Man’s heart, and the Scarecrow’s brains being a college degree. These are all practical and not magical which really gives the story meaning.
There are things I don’t like about the movie as well. The munchkins are creepy to me. Lol This sounds mean but they really creep me out. Their outfits, make-up and little voices are things that give me nightmares. The monkeys are pretty freaky too, but at least they are supposed to be freaky.
I guess the main reason why I love the film and why it is a classic is not only because of it’s beauty, but it’s timeless message made from yesteryear. A classic movie with meaning and heart, something that is rare to find in cinema today.

Reflective Blog

The College Experience, To Be Continued…

“This class was the best thing ever! 5 stars! A can’t miss!” K really Jess, this class was great. I had to end my blogs the way I started, getting the obvious out of the way. ;)
Your class will be special to me for several reasons and I will explain.
I will start with course content. The texts that we read ranged from “I don’t understand every other word, so how am I supposed to get the meaning” (don’t worry, I had the same problem with Beowulf in high school), to inspiring texts like the Dao De Jing. My favorite quote from the Dao De Jing is “truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful.” His text relates to the requirements of this blog ironically. (BTW If you believe that you can disrupt the space, time continual, I just scored 25 points on my paper.)
My last notes on content, before I move on…I had not seen “the Matrix” in over a decade, but in the context of class, I was inspired by the combination of the movie and the “the thinkers” section of class.
I also would not have EVER watched “V”. But I loved it! No. Really, I did.
Note of criticism: There were many pop culture examples during discussions in class that I could not relate to…an explanation of the plot, characters in these discussions may help all students to relate.
The students: How fun! What a combination of people!!! I am in the final stages of my degree in a business/hospitality degree. When you get to this point in your business education you can become quite focused on the tools of success in that field, so it was great to interact with a combination of pre-req, majors, and just folks that wanted to learn more.
YOU>>>>>>Jess you are great. If you are not a mother already, you will make a great one! You are reflective, fun, competitive, and passionate.
Please contact me at dam 702@gmail.com

"V" for Vendetta

“V” for Vendetta is a very interesting movie. Why it interests me is more what is happening to the society than the main character. Here we have this man who became Chancellor and directs how everyone in the society around him lives. It is his and only his vision of right and wrong that determines who is obeying the law and who is breaking it. Now, bear with my thought because there is a story to follow, I believe we live in the same environment today. While it is portrayed as this cold, militarized society, where everyone openly lives in fear and is angry, on the verge of anarchy in fact, I believe our country and probably many others are ruled the same way.
Ok, here’s the story, ok and a little back story for the story. So, I was canvassing neighborhoods for this last election and I came across a homeowner who was wearing a UNLV sweatshirt and we started a conversation. This conversation lasted almost an hour and I had to finish my canvassing in the dark. Lol Anyway, of the many stories he told me about our school, he is highly involved, and the government, where he is highly involved, he told me a story about talking with an author who had many inside connections in our government and based his fiction on the stories he had heard. One story included a Vice President of the United States who had his generals and if the generals did not agree with what he said he simply did not invite them to the next meeting. He then replaced those men with “yes” men and that is how the service was run. Then, when the military got in trouble for decisions they had made, he blamed the generals and scape-goated himself from all responsibility. This VP was Dick Cheney. Lol Now, although we have this voting and election system, does that not sound very similar to the Chancellor regime in this movie.
Now I get that the main character is the result of this society and the chancellor’s actions and that is why he seeks revenge, but I think this is another example of artistic commentary on the world we live in today.

Othello

There are times when I am glad that I am introduced to something that I wouldn’t normally do on my own. Of course this entire class’s content is included, but Othello is an exceptional example. As college students, we have all certainly been exposed to Shakespeare in our lifetime. There is something different, more realistic about this story.
I think it may be Iago’s character. Something about his personality and motives related me to many other people I have met in my lifetime. He had this almost raw need for attention or to be the favorite. I must say I have been guilty of that character attribute myself. Now the steps he took to become “the favorite” are beyond my abilities, but I have seen the actions in other people.
Many times in my life have I witnessed a friend or acquaintance mold a story or leave the ending open for the listener to complete in order to further their own agenda. The other scheming he does with Othello, Cassio, and Emilia is great entertainment but also things people do in real life. Planting evidence, lying, setting someone up, an evil genius.
Part of our college education is to learn how to survive and succeed in the real world. My advice is to always look for the Iago’s in your life. If you are not looking at your Iagos they are probably behind you stabbing you in the back. ;)

Paradise Lost

Although the story of Genesis, about how God created the earth, animals, man, etc., is one of the most dramatic and entertaining in the bible, the thing I find most interesting about it is that when you compare and contrast it to John Milton’s version, how we find what most people consider the current story of Genesis.
We discussed in class how the apple is not present in the original story of Genesis and how Eve’s role has changed through Milton’s version and become widely known as the correct story.
The reason I find this interesting is basically my whole view of…the bible, history books, biographies etc. History is slanted, and it is usually slanted in the author’s favor. How have we come to our current version of history? The bible versus John Milton’s Paradise lost is a perfect example of how through time stories can be changed to be more sexy, make a figure look better, or cover up any negative actions that may have occurred.
George Washington didn’t cut down the cherry tree, Abe Lincoln wasn’t straight…are these facts that will destroy our current society? Probably not, but were important ideas in their time.
This brings me back to my main point. Not unlike John Milton’s Paradise Lost, the bible was an important story for its time. Where Milton challenged the original story in script to create deeper thought about the bible, the bible itself was a tool to teach morality, spread the author’s agenda; like no shellfish, (I know the author just hated some fisherman or was trying to start the first McDonalds, lol) and to picture a higher version of historical events.
So, why is this a major tool that governs our society today? I am NOT the right person to ask. I believe that we have evolved enough as a society, with rules that govern our morality and keep the good people good without the need of a dusty old story book. But for those that need it to guide their hearts and souls, I am all for it, just don’t use it as a tool for hate or judgement against other people and their ideals.
My last thought and I don’t know who I am quoting but it goes, “The winners get to write history”. The winners have written a great story but facts and education have it unraveling at the seams.

Oedipus

I want to cover a few themes that I don’t think are truly covered in most classes when it comes to Oedipus.  The first thing is that you can never escape your past.  I mean this for Jocasta and for Oedipus.  What must  have  Jocasta’s life been like on a daily basis?  Start with the fear of being found out with information that she was the mother/wife of her husband/son Oedipus.  The fact that she left her baby  to die in an extreme manor and finally worrying that her kids were going to have a hand growing out of  their heads when they were born.  OK, she knew that her son was prophesized to kill her and his father.  Yet, she marries him and has his kids?  Confusing plot point and just a side note. 

Well, we eventually see the outcome of such a dark secret.  Her death is way easier than Oedipus’ punishment upon himself.  Speaking of Oedipus, he cannot out run his past either.  Without his own knowledge, he completed the prophecy that was bestowed upon him by the Oracle.  Can’t out run your past, buddy.

Oedipus’ quest seems very daunting at the outset of the story, with himself being the key way to get rid of the plague.  I like that he is open enough that he wanted everyone to hear what Creon’s thoughts were on how to solve the problem and the reality of what was really happening.  It showed me that he thought that he led a virtuous life that he didn’t have to hide.  Theme two, even though you live virtuously, there may still be skeleton’s in your closet.

Finally, protect your eyes!!!!  Oedipus blinds himself and then asks to be taken from his land and left on his own?  Think it through buddy.  Now the herdsman is thinking…jeez, I should have just left him posted to the ground. I would have saved a lot of confusion and heartbreak.

Blog #8

Blog #8

I want to talk about the Qur’an today.  I don’t understand why a simple book can create a community with so much hate and anger.  Sure, we all have things to be angry about in our lives.  But this book seems to really get people going.  From the stories that we read in class about Satan and Mary, it seems very similar to stories out of the Catholic bible or other similar bibles.

Now I understand that not everyone who reads this book becomes angry.  But, it seems it is the reason or excuse for a lot of destruction in the world.  Is it a purely a cultural or ethnic thing or is it from the readings of the Qur’an?  How can the world change the ideas of the people that wish pain and destruction of other innocent people?

Maybe it is time for a re-read.  In my mind, the bible, the Qur’an, etc. are set up to create peace and a more civilized planet.  Muslims are not the only people guilty of using the bible for death and destruction.  The Catholic religion was built on a sea of blood.  It is just that in this modern day world, I think that killing using the excuse of any God is barbaric.

The Matrix

Is the truth always best?  What would the majority of humans do if woken from the matrix? If truth isn’t always best what does that mean for reality, truth, right and wrong?

The truth isn’t always the best.  Whether that is as simple as your partner asking if they look fat in that outfit, or the behind the scenes happenings on a daily basis with the government foreign affairs or domestic actions. .  What is important is INTENTION.  What is your intent when you were less than honest.  When you told your partner he/she looked great, was it to make a fool of them or to give them confidence to go out that evening. 

As far as the government and their dealings behind the scenes, are they hiding information or lying simply to take advantage of the American people or are the things they must do to protect us from things that we could not comprehend and still live our daily lives?

I would have considered myself for the longest time a person who thought in black and white.  Truth and lies, right and wrong, even what was reality to me was very simple.  Life isn’t like that…black and white are a simple outline of the LARGE grey area in which we live.  The Hero’s struggle in searching for his path or finding the way is which road to take!  Life is full of simple and difficult decisions everyday and it is those that can look forward while living in the now to see the ramifications of our choices , and choose the right action .

Neo’s power comes from his ability to see outside the box and and recognize the situation for what it really is.  The matrix is a creation and can be modified when necessary.

To "Think" Or Not To "Think"

Blog # 5

While I’ve never thought of myself as much of a “hero”, I do consider myself a “thinker”.  While there are examples of formalized positions in every culture, like high priests and informal examples, like monks, I believe that it is the everyday “thinker” that can have an impact on the world.

There is a reason they call it Confucian. Lol  Why make it difficult?  As an everyday “thinker”, I simply follow the golden rule.  While this rule is most commonly known by me from Christianity, and I’m not the biggest fan, it is the simplest way to describe what I believe.  “Treat others the way you want to be treated.”

How does it feel when someone holds open the door for you?  Gives you a compliment on your hair or outfit?  Let’s you take the parking space or move into the next lane on the highway.  If it feels good, and you focus on the joy of creating that joy for someone else, life can be pretty peaceful. ;)   Karma, Budism, and  heck, every religion I can think of discuss this simple process.  Many religions go on to create colorful and strange rules to achieve this process, but I believe that goes against the Dao, or the way. 

By creating levels and rules, it closes down the possibility for unique thought.  And here is a kickin’ thought for you.  While I truly believe that there are some, even, many people, that are unaware and move about life blindly, I also think that there are some that are aware but use this information for things less than good and more selfishly.  They have used their power of influence, talents, and charm in a way that creates chaos and harm rather than peace and harmony.  And I believe some of these people have achieved positions that can create much harm.  By putting people in a position where they are forced to struggle for survival every day, instead of being able to plan, dream and work for a future, it gives them no time to reflect or even understand what is really happening around them. 

A personal example that I have reflected on in my life was a strong ying/yang relationship.   I like to reflect and focus on the way, how to be a better person and impact the world positively. (I, by no means think I am a perfect or better person, but work towards these ideals)  Anyway, it wasn’t until after this destructive relationship ended, that I realized I was getting lip service from this yang about being positive and creating a better world, he was sabotaging and negative at every turn.

Hmmm….my points?  One is that possibly everyone lives by the golden rule, but has different expectations on how they believe they should be treated.  I which case, they should reflect more on that if they want a greater outcome for themselves.  Also, that I don’t think that quantity replaces quality when it comes to how to live your life.  But, while I feel the colorful passages that we have read may be unnecessary, it has caused me to think and reflect which may be by design.

Alliteration illiterate

As we enter week three of this class I have come to the conclusion that I am an alliteration illiterate.  This is yet another debilitating disease like dyslexia or ADD that affects and damages students academic careers and is severely overlooked.  I don’t announce this with any sort of pride, but, I do so for the need for this disease to get more light shed on it so that students like myself can find help as we traverse through the passages the likes of the Odessey and Beowulf.

Even as a young scholar I wondered why people talked about Jack and Jill as if there was a different meaning attached to the story.  They went up the hill, they went down the hill, tripped, hurt…the end.  Or Ricki Ticki Tumbo…one of my favorites…very rhythmic.

I am just a give it to me straight kind of guy.  Lacking the ability to read between the lines and unable to understand that a dragon may not be a dragon and walls are sometimes not physical.

Now there is help for those of us with this imparity.  I have learned of great things such as Wikapedia…and Sparks notes. While I don’t know if these things are any more real than the tablets with the ten commandments, my Heroes quest is to seek out these strange phenomena and to give understanding to Homer.

Join me or root for me, my goal was an A but I’ll settle for a B.

Heroes

Heroes

Since the dawn of time…just had to get that out of the way. ;)

Ah hem…

A hero is difficult to define or describe because of diverse perceptions by each individual.  This get’s more complicated because people’s perceptions alter from changes in life like age and world experiences.  I am going to focus on how people could perceive mythical and real heroes differently.

Take for instance, Superman.  A hero to everyone on earth?  Think of all the offices he destroyed flying through buildings, waiting times at phone booths, etc. Now, sure he eliminated all of the nuclear weapons, saved Lois Lane countless times, and was a good farmer and son, but to some, he was a nuisance and bother.

What I do enjoy about Superman was his struggle over his own selfish feeling versus his destiny to protect the Earth.  When he chose to give up his powers to be with the woman he loved, that showed a true Hero.  Good but conflicted.

William Jefferson Clinton, an American President and a hero to some.  Now, putting aside all political differences between democrats and republicans that would obviously discount him as a hero, President Clinton made some questionable judgments both fiscally and morally throughout his Presidency.  The Monica Lewinsky scandal is an example a judgment call that tarnished terms.  But some people thought him a hero for finding release from what some considered a frigid wife.  NAFTA is another example of a questionable call.  Some  applauded the opening of borders for free trade while some blame NAFTA for all of our industrial jobs moving across our borders.

This brings me to my point.  While a hero or villain may black and white, the reality is that there is a lot of grey.  Just like in the real world today, Gilgamesh may have had an overbearing father and although all of his actions did not seem to fit that of a hero, he was doing the best he could.  A hero to me is the person that is willing to step up when needed and make the best call to lead others down the path of the best case scenario.  Not very black and white, huh?