My Flip Book!

Although creating this flip book was a challenging experience, I found it very rewarding. I am very happy with my finished project. Before starting this project, I was very nervous because I did not know what I would draw for 200 pages. Nevertheless, I soon realized that as soon as I came up with one idea, it would lead to me coming up with another idea, and then another idea. My flip book is made up of various ideas that are completely unrelated; however, I think it is because of this fact that my flip book is interesting. Overall, I had a fun time with this project, and I was happy for the excuse to draw!

Pandora

One feature of the Internet that I especially love is Pandora. I love how I can type in a song or an artist and it will automatically create a station based off of that. I think Pandora is a great way to discover new songs because a song might play that I've never heard before, yet it will be similar to other songs that I like. Therefore, I will instantly fall in love with the new song! In addition, I like Pandora because it allows me to create as many stations as I would like. The type of music I listen to is always completely dependent on what I am doing. For example, if I am doing homework I will want to listen to classical music because words distract me. If I am alone I will most likely listen to alternative rock. Whereas if I'm with my friends, I'll probably listen to pop. I enjoy Pandora more than the music from my iTunes because it is always changing; I never know exactly what to expect. In comparison, I will love the music from my iTunes at first, yet will quickly grow sick of the songs. There are two downfalls to Pandora. One is the commercials, although at least they are not as long as the commercials on the radio. The second downfall is how I can only skip so many songs before it won't let me skip anymore songs. The positive aspects of Pandora, however, definitely outweigh those few negative aspects.

I Love Lucy

I decided to watch the first episode of I Love Lucy, and I thought it was absolutely hilarious! At first I did not think I would like it because I usually don't like older movies as much as newer movies. Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised. This humor in this show is the exact kind of humor that I find hysterical! In this episode Lucy and Ethel act especially nice to their husbands because they want to go to the nightclub. Ricky and Fred act especially nice to their wives because they want to go to a fight. It is hilarious watching each person be overly nice to the other person. Once the couples find out what each is up to, they both decide to find their own dates for the club. However, Lucy and Ethel end up dressing up as creepy women to be their dates, which was very amusing to watch. I think my favorite line in this episode was when Lucy said, "Ever since we said I do there are so many things that we don't." I'm not sure why I found this line so funny but it definitely had me laughing out loud! After watching this episode, I would be interested in watching more of this series.

Buck Rogers in the Twenty-fifth Century

The episode from the radio that I decided to listen to was Buck Rogers in the Twenty-fifth Century. This was one of the first science fiction radio series and took place in the early 1930s. I thought that the episode I watched was very entertaining! It was about Dr. Huer, who is a famous, well established scientist and his experiment with the electro-hypno-mental-a-phone. In the episode, he is visited by his friend Wilma who is curious on what Dr. Huer is doing. Due to the special phone he has created, electronic impulses go through the brain to his patient so that the words are registered directly on the patient's brain. Therefore, the patient is able to subconsciously respond without even opening his mouth! The patient is Buck Rogers who is from 1919. He says how he was in an abandoned mine that collapsed on him and the gas that was released put him to sleep for 500 years. This is a very interesting storyline which I feel would make for a good movie! I thought it was humorous how Dr. Huer was such a fantastic scientist that he had created rockets that could go to the moon, since this was before rockets had actually gone to the moon. In addition, I thought the advertisements were cool. It was almost as if the episode was incorporated into Popsicle Pete's commercial because Pete talked before and afterwards on how the listeners should all go buy popsicles. Overall, I thought it was fun being able to imagine the scenes in my head instead of visually seeing them.

The Great Train Robbery

I found The Great Train Robbery to be very interesting. It was a silent film made in 1903 by Edwin Porter about men robbing train stations. I thought it was engaging to see all the gestures and movements that the actors made. Because there was no audio to the movie, the actors had to make up for it through exaggerated gestures. If the movies today had as intense gestures as back then, then I feel like the movies today would be much more comical. In addition, I found it interesting how the screen play had a couple things that were in color: fire and a woman's dress. I wonder why it was decided to make the fire and dress in color when everything else was in black and white? I think it is interesting how this screenplay is essentially about violence. I am curious to know why violence is so common in movies, both today as well as back then. Why are people so interested to watch people shoot others? Overall, it was fascinating to see how much movies have changed from the early 1900s to now.

Angel de Quinta's Blog

After looking at Angel de Quinta's blog, I now want to go watch a Broadway play! Many of the clips I watched on his blog look interesting. For example, I especially want to see the musical Scottsboro Boys, for the trailer looks like the musical is inspiring. Miss Saigon also looks like it would be a fascinating musical to watch. I've never seen a Broadway musical, so I would especially enjoy the experience! I wish I could understand spanish so I could see what Angel de Quinta has actually written on his blog.

Thoughts on La Boheme

The opera that I decided to watch was La Boheme. This opera was about two roommates, Rodolfo and Marcello, who live in the city. They are both very poor and always cold in their apartment. One night, Rodolfo meets his neighbor Mimi. Once the lights blow out, they instantly fall in love. Later on, Marcello meets a rich woman named Musetta, and they begin to date. Rodolfo and Marcello seem to be madly in love until a night when both think that they should break up with each other. At first, Mimi says it is because of Rodolfo's jealousy, while Rodolfo says it is because of Mimi's flirtatiousness. Later, Rodolfo admits that it is because of how Mimi has become sick because of the conditions that they live in. At the end of the play, Mimi sadly passes away. I thought this opera was very fascinating. It shows a glimpse of what life must have been like in the 1800s for those who were not well off. We, ourselves, without realizing it take for granted things such as heat and electricity. This opera revealed to me how we should be thankful for what we have, for Mimi ends up dying because of the poverty and the coldness. I thought the romance between Rodolfo and Mimi was quite beautiful. It was gratifying to see how they stuck together until the end, despite her sickness. However, I was a bit confused on how rapid their romance blossomed. Immediately after meeting they fell in love, which I do not feel is very realistic. In addition, I found the romance between Marcello and Musetta somewhat confusing, for I could not tell how they actually felt about each other. Nevertheless, I thought this was a good opera to watch, and it reminded me a lot of the musical Rent! I wonder if Rent was inspired by this opera.