Has he found the cure?

I realized today that I haven't posted anything on my blog recently.  Tisk tisk, i know.  I had already selected a topic for my research paper before today but haven't broadcast that decision.  My topic is going to be on the Kanzius Machine created by John Kanzius.  I remember the first time hearing about this man and his machine and I was completely blown away.  This man is an ordinary man with no college degree, no special training, and terminal leukemia: he has found the potential cure for cancer.  I've attached a few videos for you to get an idea about the significance and impact of this man's sleepless night's idea.  

A picture is worth a thousand words...and a little bit of heartache.

You are walking down the streets of upper class New York City when you look over to Le Petit Oeuf café to see “Lonely Boy”, Dan Humphrey, getting a little too close to someone who is not his girlfriend, Serena Van Der Woodsen.  You immediately reach for your pocket, pull out your phone, and take one little picture.  This picture is worth more than a thousand words and a good bit of heartache.  Getting that little scandalous picture out is as easy as pressing one little button: send.  You send the picture to Gossip Girl and immediately a juicy story is attached and is sent to all of those who subscribe to the gossips of an unknown vender.  The gossip that the students of Constance Billiard love so much is what causes so much controversy from week to week on the television show, Gossip Girl.  Will the gossip ever end?  Can one picture take down an entire group of people?  What are the consequences of a scandalous picture?

The past week, we follow the story of the beautiful Serena, the poetic Dan, and the new English teacher at Constance Billiard, Rachael.  Rachael does not look like a teacher.  She is young, beautiful and meek and mild, unlike the stereotypical stern and over controlling teacher we know and love.   At first, she seems like a breath of fresh air in the halls of this rigid school, but just any good story line, we know that there is an ulterior motive to her character.  We instantly see a bond between her and Dan Humphrey, who is an aspiring writer with years of praise on his works.  Rachael gives Dan more than any of the other students that we can see.  She goes out of her way to meet with him at different coffee shops and cafes to discuss his papers, writings, and so on.   Serena, Dan’s girlfriend for the 3^rd or 4^th time, always seems to drop in at the moment when the two writers are conversing outside of school.  I know that if I ran into my boyfriend with a beautiful and young teacher, I would stop and question myself as to why they didn’t just discuss his papers at school.  Not only does Serena see what is going on between her boyfriend and her new favorite teacher, but everyone else at Constance Billiard.  Well, not immediately at least.  It took a little “nudge” for everyone to take a second look at Dan Humphrey and Rachael. 

And by “nudge”, I mean Blair Waldorf.  Blair is the daughter of a world-renowned fashion designer and aristocrat of upper Manhattan.  Blair is not your typical teenager: she is devious, conniving, and loves good Gossip and controversy.   Her most useful weapon is her cell phone, which we never see her without from week to week on the tv series.  Anything that slightly resembles a scandal is well documented to Gossip Girl through Blair because it keeps her on top of the “food chain” at Constance Billiard.  She didn’t get the title “Queen B” for nothing!   Rachael’s arrival threatens Blair in many ways, including getting her first B in senior year and taking her cell phone away during school. 

Taking cell phones away during school? Who would do such a thing?  The answer is Rachael.  With her coming to Constance Billiard, we find that new rules and spirits are found in corridors more frequently.  Cell phones are banned from entering the school, which is to help keep gossip out.  But we all know that when there’s will and money, there’s a way.  Blair buys contraband cell phones for her and her minions.  With this, she is still the most powerful in the school and well equipped for gossip.  Not long after she gives her followers their tiny weapons, she sees Dan and Rachael in the hallways conversing intimately.  Not only is this the perfect opportunity to get back at Rachael for the things she’s done to Blair, but also to get herself back on top of the Constance Billiard food chain.  She sends a little picture of the couple along with a question of their intentions.  Gossip Girl returns the favor by forwarding a long and juicy story to everyone about Dan and Rachael’s undying love for each other. 

You may be asking yourself: what could one little picture possibly do?   The impact of one picture is outstanding especially when looking at whom it could possibly affect.  Not only the people in the picture’s lives are affected but family, friends, lovers, haters, teachers, jobs, relationships in general, and so much more.  Let’s take this picture, for example. (See picture 1) Serena took this picture while walking outside the Le Petit Oeuf café where Dan Humphrey and Rachael are discussing the accusations against Rachael and a possible relationship with a student (Dan).  At the moment the picture was captured, Rachael started to cry, where Dan tried to comfort her.  When looking at this picture, I automatically feel like Dan is brushing Rachael’s hair out of her eyes while he is about to give her a passionate kiss.  Serena immediately thinks that her boyfriend is going in for a kiss and snaps a picture as he pushes back Rachael’s hair.  As a confused girlfriend of what appears to be a cheating boyfriend, Serena shows the picture to her best friend, Blair.  This is the perfect revenge against Rachael for Blair.  This picture is sent to Gossip Girl by a convincing plea from Blair to Serena and then is broadcast throughout all of upper Manhattan.  The picture and story surfaces and is distributed to it’s subscribers like a drug just in time for the parent-teacher conference concerning Rachael’s conduct with her students. (See Picture 2) If I were a parent at this conference and saw this picture on the projector for all to see, I would be up in arms against this teacher.  It not only gets Rachael fired from her position at Constance Billiard but outrages countless parents who cannot believe that something like this could happen in their children’s school.  Dan’s father, Rufus, is bitterly upset with his son who seems to have forgotten the rules of student and teacher relations.  Serena’s mother is torn between her daughter’s emotions of losing a boyfriend versus Rufus’ emotions of a immoral son. Blair has gained satisfaction for trumping Rachael.  Dan is put in a sticky situation where he has lost his girlfriend and trust from his father.

Of all the people involved in this scandal, Rachael seems to have taken the largest blow.  Her work at Constance Billiard has been terminated and now has a bad mark on her teaching record for having relations with a student.  She seems deeply hurt and confused because she does not feel like she showed much attention to Dan other than praising him for his wonderful penmanship.  Now that Rachael is no longer a teacher at Constance Billiard, she is able to express her true feelings toward Dan, which are just what she was accused of.   You cannot tell in this picture, but at this moment, Rachael lunges at Dan for a big and juicy kiss.  (See Picture 3) When the stunned and quite confused Dan asks her what she is doing, she simply replies, “I’m not your teacher anymore.”  From this picture, I am sure you can assume what followed the kiss.  The teachers as Constance Billiard wouldn’t be too pleased of their ex-teacher’s conduct.   We find in the previews for the next episode, though, that the allegations against Rachael had been dropped and she has been rehired to teach at the school.  Now what will happen after things did heat up between the ex-teacher (who is now teacher again) and her teacher’s pet, Dan?

One picture can affect so many people from lovers and enemies, to teachers, parents, entire schools, friends, and everyone in between.  Because one picture was taken of an “almost” intimate exchange, people were fired, love was lost, friendships were questions, parents were torn, motives were questioned, and new relationships were given the right away to bloom.  If that picture hadn’t been taken, I’m sure there would have been underlying tensions between the lonely boy Dan Humphrey and his teacher, but things would not have progressed past lunch dates to talk about papers.  Serena would have kept her boyfriend of the millionth time.  Blair would have kept on scheming Rachael’s demise.  Serena’s mother, Lily, and her new beau, Rufus, would have had nothing to be torn over, like their children’s emotions or parent-teacher squabbles.   If that picture hadn’t been taken, lives would have been undoubtedly saved from the gossips of the anonymous Gossip Girl and the heartache she brings to those she speaks of.  As long as cell phones are weapons and pictures are taken, I don’t think the gossip will ever end.

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Lip gloss, Gossip, and Claws

These four pictures are snapshots from the TV show Gossip Girl.

Gossip Girl uses photos to take down people.  The first picture is what Serena saw happening at a cafe in New York City.  The second photo is the picture that was taken to be sent to gossip girl.  The third picture is showing a parent-teacher conference about an elided  teacher-student.  Blair barges in to show the picture taken from Serena's phone with Dan and his teacher, Rachel.  That led to Rachel being fired, which leads to the 4th picture.  Now that she is not his teacher anymore, she shows him her true feelings..... Juicy?  I say so.

I think everybody should like everybody

I dont' know about you, but I love Andy Warhol.  He lived in Pittsburgh, PA which is where I'm from.  He went to Carnegie Mellon University which is where I almost went for the same degree as him.  I always loved his different and fresh style of art during his time called Pop-Art.  The pictures above are self portraits where he attached quotes that make sense to me.

A.2--Not just the girl you see

In my English classes in the past, we had the regular English curriculum that you think of: grammar, spelling, definitions, analyzing, reading, and arguing. Throughout my high school career, my English teachers varied in the way they presented their materials drastically.  My favorite teacher, Mrs. Walker, was in love with English and was by far the best teacher I’ve had in this subject.  She made everything she presented interesting and had unusual ways of connecting them to difficult concepts.  My senior year teacher was a bit more of a drill sergeant, but did her job by teaching us the concepts of arguing and rhetoric plus much more.  She picked controversial books to read like Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and had the whole class up in discussion over everything it had to offer.

 

My senior year of English was very open and verbal.  We argued over topics every week if not every other day.  I think of arguing as a skill that comes with knowledge.  If I am well versed in the topic I’m arguing for or against, then I will be more vocal about it.  Otherwise, if I am not 100% sure on my opinion or what I’m fighting for/against; I will not voice my thoughts until I am certain.  I always consider myself as the person who is mostly quiet during a class discussion, but when I do speak, it is worth listening to.  I like to argue, but I do not like confrontation.  If I feel that I am going to create too much confrontation, I usually keep my trap shut, to put it lightly.

 

On another hand, when it comes to persuasive and argumentative writings, I feel that I can hold my own.  I am apt to be an over-analyzer and research my materials to the point where I am fluent in what I am writing.  Another habit I find myself falling into quite often is writing in a conversational format.  I like to keep a witty and sarcastic edge on everything that I write on top of including the reader into what feels like a conversation or one-on-one banter.  I tend to be a last minute person on everything.  Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday, and honestly, the days fly by way too quickly. Even though it is so easy to be a procrastinator, I am becoming more productive and efficient.  I am starting to work and finish projects and assignments right after they are given to me.  I tend to be a technology freak sometimes.  I use the computer in my everyday life to check everything from my emails, weather, and news to chatting with my friends on AIM or facebook.

I don’t believe that just my studying and working habits define who I am though.  I am a person of many colors.  I love the world and everything it has to offer.  I usually see things differently than most people because I find beauty in anything and everything.  Almost my entire life has been dedicated to music and art.  I am singer.  I am an artist.  I am a dreamer with dreams that take me to new places and new realizations everyday.  I love creating-- anything.  From the time I was a young girl till now, you could find me doodling sketches of clothes, houses, designs and writing music for piano, guitar, and voice.  Music is my number one passion, though.  I want to help people with my music.  I want to be a good role model to those who listen to me.  I want to be a bright spot to people and I consider myself that thus far in my lifetime.  I am a caregiver and I get it honestly from my mom and my grandma.  They always bent over backwards to please everyone around them and I do believe I inherited that trait.  I like to consider myself a good person: a good listener, a good speaker, a good comic relief, a good friend, and so much more.

A.1-- The interview with my #1 fan

         When I read the assignment for A.1, there was one person from my life thus far that could answer these questions better than anyone else: my mom.  She has been a constant source of support (and nagging) for as long as I can remember.  She always wanted me to excel in everything I did, and academics were a main focus for both her and I.   I asked her questions that pertained to my life and learning processes growing up and as you can see, she is a very proud mother. 

 

Sarah:  How often did I read when I was younger?
Deanna (mom):  You became and avid reader at a very early age and I encouraged reading.  As a toddler, I read all of the children’s Golden Books and bedtime stories to you.  Then, I introduced you to the Sesame Street Book Club where you learned about letters, number, colors and shapes.  You spent so many hours pouring over these books.  In elementary, you started reading the Baby Sitters Book Club and continued to read through the entire series.  This sparked a desire to write your own short stories on through middle school. 

S:  Did I like to read?
D: Yes.  You absolutely loved reading.  Quite often, your dad and I would see the soft glow of a light coming from your room at night because you couldn’t go to bed if you were so close to finishing a book.  Your explanation as to why there was still a light on was that you wouldn’t be able to sleep until you knew how the story ended.  You were drawn to mysteries like the Box Car Children. 

S:  What subjects was I interested in as a child?
D:  You were very passionate about both the music and art programs.  But you also enjoyed science and would spend a great deal of time learning about the solar system, nature, etc.  Your interests have always been very diverse.  You love to draw and you love music and would spend hours playing instruments and singing. 

S:  What was I like as a student?  What did others say about me: such as teachers, peers, etc?
D:  You were an excellent student in school.  You have always been very hard on yourself to get good grades and do your best.  You have always cared about your performance in school and other activities.  Every teacher that had you, and even those that didn’t enjoyed having you, knowing you, or working with you.  Teacher always made comments that you were sweet, polite, considerate, conscientious, and independent thinker, works well with others and always a good student.  You also got along with your peers.  You are still close to all your elementary classmates to this day.  You were always a people person.

S:  What are some of the ways I learn best?
D:  I would say that you are a great note taker in class.  You always worked off study guides from class.  You would reread lessons before an exam, too.  You always seemed to be very organized in keeping class papers together.  You always started each grading period with new folders, artistically labeled, of course, and a binder to keep everything together.  You have great organizational skills.  I believe you received my love for organizing, color-coding, labeling, etc.  It’s our artistic nature at work.

S:  How do I study?  With music on?  At the last minute?
D: When you were younger you always studied in a quiet setting at home with as little distractions as possible.  As you got older though, you studied with music as well as in a quiet setting.
 
S:  What career do you picture me in?
D:  As an original design artist, in the world of art, including architectural design, graphic design, and the many forms of art including clothing design and photography.   I also see you owning your own recording studio.  You are so talented that you could manage every aspect of the job:  recording, singing, playing, mixing, graphics for labels, everything.  You could do it all: songwriter, professional singer, recording studio director, an artist and designer.

         As you can tell by just reading my mother’s responses, she has always been there for me. She has always been a supporter, admirer, sometimes a drill sergeant (in my eyes as a child), and most importantly—a friend: always helping me grow, intellectually and physically as a person.

A happy housewife is the best housewife!

Okay.  Imagine yourself as a 1950s housewife; slaving day in and day out making your husband and oodles of boisterous children happy.  You go out on the town for some staples like flour, eggs, the next week's meal ingredients and as you're walking into Arty's General Store, you see an advertisement for Coca-Cola with a woman who seems relaxed and happy.  She has her heels up and her head back, and what's that in her hand? A coca-cola!  

Is it just me, or wouldn't that appeal to pathos tremendously in the 1950s?  As a person of any day or age, a happy woman on the cover of an advertisement is a good selling point.   As a housewife, she'd want nothing more than to be the woman in that advertisement--happy, relaxed, not a care in the world (until it's time to put dinner on the table!).