From Platitude to Tolerable: A Blog's Story (Meta-post)

When one is asked to reflect on their own writing, two things come to mind: 1) what one could improve and 2) what one's strengths are. Therefore, I would like to tackle both of theses as I assess myself with my final meta-blog.


Part one: Weaknesses


As I look at the past three blogs I wrote this quarter, I notice that I have written only three blogs. By writing only three blogs, I have basically failed this assignment. Through writing these blogs, I have learned to take the blame for stuff that I have done. It is my fault that I have only written three blogs. Last quater I would have probably blamed my lack of writing to being too busy, but luckily last quater I did not need to write a meta-post. This quater I have grown and take full responsibility for writing only three blog posts. 


I'm just not very good at transitions between points. 


Another weakness is sentence flow. I write very choppy. It does not flow. It makes my posts hard to read. I will work on that. 


Part Two: Strengths


I have finally mastered making my posts look pretty. Pretty posts and pretty pictures and a pretty font makes for a happy reader!


Writing about something I care about makes for a more fun read. You can sense the passion through my writing which, I hope, makes people think. In all three of my blogs I wrote about something I somewhat cared for. These posts flowed better, had better content, and informed people about something that they may have not been to aware of before. 


I have also found my voice (hence the picture of Ariel from the little mermaid because she lost her voice, but got it back after Ursula died). By being able to practice writing throughout the year I have been able to find my own unique voice when it comes to writing. I have been told by past english teachers that this is one of the hardest things to learn, and trust me, it took awhile. But I think, with a bit more practice, I could really have it down.


Before I finish I just want to say one thing. I'm very happy that I got to have a blog this year. I have learned that blogging is not my thing. But at least I got the opportunity to try it.


Oh, and please grade this lovely entry: If Rosebud Never Exsisted

If Rosebud Never Exsisted

In case you haven't been keeping up to date with my blogging (in which case shame on you) then you wouldn't know that lately I have been writing a research paper on federal spending for the arts. Through my research I have found out about the Federal Theatre Project (FTP) from the 1930's. Basically with this project, the federal government gave money to the theatre to help keep it going. As the director of the FTP, Hallie Flanagan said, "while our aim is to put to work thousands of theatre people, our more far-reaching purpose is to organize and support theatrical enterprises so excellent in quality, so low in cost and so vital to the communities involved that they will be able to continue after the federal aid is withdrawn." Ah, if only the world was perfect.

While this program was in place, they were able to support such people as Will Geer, Burt Lancaster, John Houseman, Sidney Lumet, E.G. Marshall, and most famous of all Orson Welles. In fact over the weekend I just watched Welles masterpiece, Citizen Kane, a film commonly thought as the best movie ever made. It's crazy to think that if FTP never helped Orson Welles when he was a young up-and-comer, then the world may not have ever been introduced to the artistic genius. The look of films today would look dramatically different without the influence of Welles' techniques.

The FTP came to an end 1939. I'm not saying that the government should start up a program as intense as the FTP, especially in today's economy, all I'm saying is that the government shouldn't cut spending all together. Without government spending, we may be depriving ourselves of people who have the ability to be as influential as Welles, but just don't have the means to do it. I know that we need to cut federal spending, but why cut the arts? after all we only spend .0051% of the budget on the art, why not cut the real money eaters like the defense budget, which we spend 16.3% of our budget. After all, as Jonathan Larson  wrote in his hit musical, Rent, "The opposite of war isn't peace; it's creation." 

Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, and Tim Robbins. OH MY!

Actor Kevin Spacey

The government gave $124.4 million dollars to the arts in fiscal year 2006. Although it seems like a hefty sum, when compared to the entire amount spent in that same year, it only amounts to .0051% of the budget. And this was the amount we spent before the recession. Now the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the government organization for the arts, is in even hotter water because of the spending cuts and possible government shutdown.

According to this New York Times article, Kevin Spacey went to Lobby for the Arts on Tuesday. And as we all know, when a movie star starts to stand for something, then we know it's a big deal. Not only has Mr. Spacey called attention to this, but so has the actors Alec Baldwin and Tim Robbins. 

Throughout the Junior Theme process I've been uncovering why the Federal Government has been declining on their spending for the arts. This topic hasn't been seen much in the news, although it has been a problem since the late 30's.My topic has been becoming more relevant throughout the Junior Theme process. Sorta Cool.

I'm Not That Smart

So I've started this wonderfully, fantastic euphoric journey known as the Junior Theme. One book that I have been reading is A Whole New Mind by Daniel H. Pink. In short, the book is about how right brain thinking is becoming more and more important in society. While reading the book I've become more interested in how my brain works.

Of course I know that it's not scientific or official, but I decided to take an online test on weather I am right or left brained (If you would like to try click here). In the test I got pretty close to splitting even, although I lean a bit to the right side, which means I'm more artistic. Right brained people are also generally better at reading people's emotions, which means that they would be more successful in the fake psychic business. On the other hand, left brained people tend to be more analytical. These are the people who would make the best computer programmers.  

What ever side of the brain you tend to lean to, there are ups and downs for both. An example is that right brained people have more trouble with taking standardized tests like the ACT. The downside for left brainers is that jobs, like computer programming are being outsourced. Don't believe me? Read A Whole New World.

Because I am not completely right brained, I do not have a creative way to end this post. So I'm just going to finish.

A Change in Attitude

women protesting in Egypt

In class we commonly discuss stereotypes, in fact just this past week we listed all the stereotypes we see in the media of African-Americans. There are many other stereotypes then just that of the black people, but also of the studious asian, the nerdy jew, the non-english speaking latino, and worse of all the terrorist arab. 


The american view of the arabic people is that they are extremely sexist, extremely religious and extremely violent. When many americans picture the middle east they see car bombs, roadside bombs, people throwing grenade bombs or with bombs strapped on to them. So, if the american stereotype is correct, where were these bombs during the Egyptian protests? 


The fact is, the  Egyptian revolution was peaceful. The protestors were non-violent and just standing up against a government. What the Egyptians did went against the american stereotype. Our own revolution in the 18th century was a lot bloodier than in Egypt, so why aren't we seen as the violent ones (with how we deal with gun control our stereotype may just change).


Hopefully the Egyptian protests will change the american attitude toward Arabic countries and see that they are not violent terrorists, but just people.    

I Can't Finish

Today in AS we talked about why Mark Twain took a muli-year hiatus from writing the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because he was not quite certain how to finish the book. I praise Mr. Twain for having enough willpower and gumption to finish his masterpiece of literature, because when it comes down to it, it's very hard to complete things. 


Why is it hard to finish? In Twain's case it was because he had so many different ending options to choose from. But let's say, for example, you were making a scrapbook. Seriously just go with me here. And let's say it's been roughly five years since you actually glued and pasted in there. Why is it that I- I mean you- can't seem to finish? Is it because of lack interest and importance, or is it just a pure absence of ambition? 


Not only are nonsignificant memorabilia projects hard to complete, so are other creative works. The Famous Composer Franz Schubert had trouble finishing his 8th symphony, otherwise known as the "Unfinished Symphony". Although he lived a few more years after writing the first two movements, he never seemed to be able to conclude it. Orson Welles  too left some of his films unfinished and Leonardo DaVinci's The Last Supper has some latin scripture on it that is incomplete. Finishing just seems like an hard

Why a Democracy?

This Morning I was lounging on the couch watching one of those Sunday Political News shows with my Mom. The hot topic was the revolts going on in Egypt right now. The host of the show was interviewing our current Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, who was talking about maybe installing a democracy in Egypt. I turned over to my mom, who was sitting to the left of me, and asked her, Why A Democracy?

Freedom of Speech
from Norman Rockwell's Four Freedoms

Sure Democracy, or rather more of a republic, has worked out great for our country. I feel that, although not everyone in pleased with the people who are in office, they are at least pleased with how our country is run. Democracy is the government that works for the U.S. and many other countries, but would it work for every country?


In some countries, the democratically elected leader is hogging the office. In 2005 Palestine held a democratic election and elected Mahmoud Abbas to presidency. Abbas has lived out his full term, but has yet to step down from office. And in Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was also elected in 2005 and reelected in 2009, although many speculate the authenticity of the results. Part of being in a democracy is giving the people a voice by voting and allowing them to choose a new person to take control . But in some countries that person elected takes over and democracy just doesn't seem to be working anymore. 


Although Democracy is a good government, is it for everyone? Are there better options out there for other countries? To be honest, I don't know.