Get Organized: A Tribute to Aristotle

     Before I took on the gargantuan task of organizing my computer's desktop, I felt very afraid for the safety of my computer. My lovely clutter will soon be vanquished in the name of Humanities. All of my clickables and nick nacks would be wiped off the face of the planet in a hailstorm of cleanliness and new folders. However, like an episode of Hoarders on A&E, I knew it was time to clean up my mess.  

     During this process, I found myself actually enjoying the work. I sifted throughout all of my folders and tagged each item with either School, Games, Photography, Video, Audio, or The Abyss (Miscellaneous). I even went as far as putting them in organized folders that went inside my user folder! In my flurry of clean-sweeping, I went farther than I expected.

     After all was done within my technological desk, I was glad that I finally did this. Yes, there are pangs of regret and missing my old clutter, but I knew that in the long run, I would thank myself for simplifying my life. I changed my view on organization and this undertaking taught me to streamline things to make everything easier in the long run. Thank you Aristotle for your wonderful philosophies!

Change of Mind: Sophie's World

      A month ago, if you asked me what I thought about philosophy, I would tell you that it complicated and unappealing to me. However, in these past couple weeks that we've been reading Sophie's World, I've changed my opinion on philosophy.
     Let's tackle my change of thought on two different fronts: complexity and appeal. First, the complexity aspect of philosophy. I used to think that the number of philosophers and all of their varied ideas made the study of philosophy impossible. However, if you use a "connect the dots" strategy, they really aren't that different. A lot of philosophers build on the idea of the scholars who came before them. For instance, Descartes and Plato both share a similar ideology. Knowing that philosophy really isn't that complicated helped me change my mind about it.
     The second aspect of my philosophical conundrum was the appeal of philosophy. There were no tricks to fix this problem like the "connect the dots" approach. I just had to rethink my view of philosophy. As I learn more about it, the more interesting it gets in my mind. Thanks to Sophie's World, my view is completely different.

Captured Thought: Overcoming My Fear of Singing in Public

     Of the many things I do in this school, I have one major, nonacademic goal for the rest of my senior year. I want to get over my fear of singing in public. I've always been terrified of the thought of people hearing me sing, especially in a school with a music department that won a Grammy. However, the other day as we were learning the musical games in Comedy Sportz (which I initially dreaded), a thought hit me. Why am I so critical of myself?
     After my revolutionary question was proclaimed inside my head, my mental experts went to work on an answer. Needless to say, they didn't find any proper reasons why I am so critical of my singing. So, I took that thought and ran with it. During the 7:30 show, I sang in public for the first time. It wasn't even that nerve wracking because I didn't think about it. It was a huge step forward for me.
     Now that I am starting to control my fear, I feel more inclined to participate in things like battle of the bands. Seriously I signed up. Granted, Benjy Wax and I are only planning on doing a rap, but it's still a step in the right direction. I am no choir superstar, but I am on my way to accomplishing one of my goals for senior year.

Best of Today: Maya Lin

     I think the best thing I learned in class today came from watching the film that documented Maya Lin's creative thought process while designing the Civil Rights and Vietnam Memorials. Surprisingly, the idea that I will take away most from the film is not how she managed to incorporate water into her memorial or even how she made a piece of art have the ability to make people cry just by looking at it. What I learned most from Maya Lin was her constant humility. Most people would brag all day about the renown she has earned, but it barely even phased her (in a good way) that her name will be forever cemented in history because of her work on the two memorials.
     Taking this lesson into the real world is very practical. All you need to do is just scale it down a tad! In my every day life, it's easy to get wrapped up in the things I have accomplished and attained. However, I use the lesson taught by Maya Lin to never let my achievements in the past dampen my achievements of the future.

(I made that last sentence up on the spot! We should embroider that on a pillow...)

iMedia: The Smith Westerns

     In a world filled with chaos and stress, it's nice to find something that will always stay the same; a stable slice of tranquility that will always be waiting after a long, strenuous day. That's why I chose to write about the Smith Westerns' self titled debut album because no matter how crazy my day has been I always have them to lean on when I return home. 

     You may be thinking I'm being over-dramatic, but hear me out. The album as a whole keeps the same tone and feel throughout the entire 29 minute process. Still not convinced? All of the songs are around the same length (2:39-3:34) and each song reflects on the chaotic simplicity of teenage romance, much like the Beatles' early music. I know what you're thinking: "A Beatles reference? Pshhhhh. This guy's crazy." Once again, hear me out, you naysayer. Both bands focus on the romance and wanting to "hold your hand" (Quote from both a Beatles and Smith Westerns song). In the way, the Smith Westerns' music is an indie lo-fi, modern adaptation of the early 60s Beatles.

     The Smith Westerns, though relatively unknown at this point, deserve more recognition. I'm sure that my feelings about them are not uncommon and I would love to have more people listen to indie rock's greatest kept secret.

Examples: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na5pQGRu2mE "Boys are Fine" -The Smith Westerns

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibTLTidcXVQ "The Glam Goddess" -The Smith Westerns