Blog#9

The article i read about was one about the controversy with the la jolla's childrens pool. i think its really important to our project, because seals could have illnesses, or bacteria on them that arent safe to humans, or they could contaminate the water. It relates because our water samples could show that the seals should either leave, or be left completely alone.

This article, and many other can be found anywhere. There are thousands of articles and things about this, because it is so controversial.

http://www.amwest-travel.com/awt_sdseal.html

"A controversy has developed over the purpose of the beach. Harbor seal advocates want it to be treated as a marine mammal sanctuary, while Children's Pool advocates want to preserve it for recreational swimming.

The presence of the seals has become a tourist draw, with many visitors coming to Children's Pool Beach just to see the seals. Lifeguards and seal advocates monitor the beach to prevent interactions between visitors and the seals. Swimming is allowed but not recommended due high fecal coliform counts. To return Children's Pool to its 1931 conditions would require the City to dredge and remove 75% of the sand which has built up in the pool over the past 78 years..."

Media Saves the Beach

I think I want to do something revolving around the pollution of the water, or something with all the seals in la jolla. I dont quite know what I want to do yet, Im still pondering the many decisions, I want to do something original. I think eveyrthing about the beach interests me. There isnt much that doesnt.

I want to make a video, or talk some pictures. I want it to be riviting. I want to be proud of it.

Techni-Color Talk-Shows

Comedian. Actress. Talk Show host. Squished into one word—Ellen. My icon from before I knew gay wasn’t just happy. I love to watch, laugh and tell stories about Ellen’s show. Her strength, knowledge and openness to everyone influences me in everyday life.

 The Ellen DeGeneres show was launched in 2003. What seemed like a peppy gay woman talking to celebrities and people turned into something completely different to me. The strong, successful woman in techni-color mesmerized me. She showed me that being strong and being gay is fine. Ellen showed me that being gay isn’t something I should be ashamed about; its something I should be proud of, not something to let other people bring me down about. She keeps a smile on my face and a laugh in my heart. 

“…That I'm on this planet doing some good and making people happy. That’s to me the most important thing, that my hour of television is positive and upbeat and an antidote for all the negative stuff going on in life." I went days, weeks and months struggling with self-confidence, being gay, and not knowing who I was. Ellen's crazy show turned that around for me. Not so much the show, but her. Ellen did. She showed me you can be successful and be gay at the same time. It showed me, I can be me and I can be gay. I don't have to struggle—I can take hold of it and turn it towards making my life better. 

Her one-hour every day slowly built me up. Ellen’s quirkiness, ridiculous dances and jokes made me laugh, made me smile. The next day I would hold my head higher. I want to be like her. I want to be successful and to love every minute of it. Being gay shouldn’t get me down. I want to live life constantly being there for other people, as Ellen was there for me. I want to go home at the end of the day knowing I helped a kid smile, or made a friend laugh on a bad day. Just like Ellen DeGeneres.

Citations

"Ellen DeGeneres Bio | The Ellen DeGeneres Show." The Ellen DeGeneres Show: The place for Ellen tickets, celebrity photos, videos, games, giveaways and more.. 14 Sep. 2009 .

 "GLBT History Month." GLBT History Month 2009. 14 Sep. 2009 .

"GLBT History Month." GLBT History Month 2009. 14 Sep. 2009 .

Blog#6

1. What did you discover about your writing during this project?

So far with this one project, I have learned many different tools, to aid in improving my writing. I found out that when I write, I am really good at just making a draft in one sitting, then if I try to add on later, I end up not being able to make them connect.

2. Identify and describe (at least) one specific writing technique that you used. How did you use it? What effect did it have on your writing?

One technique I used was 'Avoid "-ings"'. It helped me make my artist statement that much better. I also focused on making sure my punctuation was correct, so that my writing made sense, and had the correct pace that I wanted it at. Both of these tools made my writing improve and it made my writing to the point where I was proud.

3. If you had time for one more draft, what would you do?

I would try to make it longer, and maybe tie in a more personal story to strengthen the relationship I made with the readers of my writing. And I would probably try to incorporate all of the different tools to make my writing super fantastic!

4. Copy one sentence that you believe is well-written and/or important to your overall piece. What makes it stand out to you?

"The strong, successful woman in techni-color mesmerized me."

"She keeps a smile on my face and a laugh in my heart."

I really like both of these lines. I think theyre almost little gems in my paragraph. I think they stand out because theyre really beautifully written and Im proud of myself for writing them.

American Icons Final Picture

Blog#5 Photography Techniques

Rule of Thirds

I personally like rule of thirds because you can get really neat images up in a corner and such. I think it looks really artistic. I think it enhances the image because it draws a different perspective to it, and it catches your eye when you walk by it. 

Unique Perspective

I think this enhances the photo by really making you question why the artist decided to use this angle, or perspective in the picture. Using it in different ways, an artist can really create an edge with this, depending on the angle, and the props or background in this picture.

Posed Portrait

I personally love portraits. They can show a persons personality, or they can grab you with an artistic edge. I would take portraits for the rest of my life, but I couldnt handle saying, "Think sexy! Feel Sexy! Feel that breeze ladies! Gorgeous hun!" If you get my drift. But I think that you can make a portrait really unique, and off the wall.

Blog#4 Artist Statement

Techni-Color Talk Shows

Comedian. Actress. Talk Show host. Squished into one word is Ellen. My icon from before I knew gay wasnt just happy. The woman whos show I love to watch, laugh at, and tell stories about. The strength, knowledge and openess of Ellen DeGeneres makes her my American Icon.

2003 launched the start of the Ellen DeGeneres show. What seemed like a peppy gay woman talking to celebrities and people, turned into something completely different to me. The strong, successful woman in techni-color mesmerized me. She showed me that being strong, being gay is fine. That you should take advantage of it, to not let it get you down. She keeps a smile on my face and a laugh in my heart. 

Being gay, struggling with self confidence, and not knowing who I really was was hard. I went day after day, week after week,  month after month not being happy. Ellen's crazy show turned that around for me. Not so much the show, but her. She did. She showed me you can be successful and be gay at the same time. It showed me, I can be me, I can be gay. I don't have to struggle, I can take hold of it and turn it towards making my life better. 

Her one hour every day slowly built me up. Made me laugh, made me smile. The next day I would hold my head higher. I want to be like her. I want to be successful, and love every minute of it. I want to not let being gay get me down. I want to live life helping others. I want to go home at the end of the day knowing I helped out. Just like Ellen DeGeneres.

"For me, its that I contributed. That I'm on this planet doing some good and making people happy. Thats to me the most important thing, that my hour of television is positive and upbeat and an antidote for all the negative stuff going on in life"

-Ellen DeGeneres

*I had a tiny bit of writers block, and I really would love some feedback so I can make this even better!*

Blog#3 American Icons

Ellen Degeneres

"For me, it's that I contributed . . . that I'm on this planet doing some good and making people happy. That's to me the most important thing, that my hour of television is positive and upbeat and an antidote for all the negative stuff going on in life."

A website I am using her bio from is :http://ellen.warnerbros.com/about/bio.php

Why I am using her biography is because that is who she is, which in turn influenced me in my life and decisions. It talks about her accomplishments, which I also want to take after. I want to be successful just like her. (awww)

And a video from the GLBT history week page: http://www.glbthistorymonth.com/glbthistorymonth/2006/video.cfm?LeaderID=3 

and also the learn more about Ellen link:

 http://www.glbthistorymonth.com/glbthistorymonth/2006/bio.cfm?LeaderID=3

Why I'm using this is because she is openly gay, and is fine with it. She respectively tells her side to the story and such. I want to be like her in the way that I want to be openly gay, and fine with it. Yeah, people might get me down about it, but why let those people affect me, its pointless. 

Angelina Jolie

& 

Adam Lambert:

After researching more about both of these two, I decided that I really dont relate to the that much. I'm not trying to get out of more work, I just dont feel I have the connection to get an amazing piece from either of them.

American Icons

The first person who I call my icon, is Ellen DeGeneres.

I believe she represents me because she is a successful woman, which I hope to be one day. She is also openly gay, and totally fine with it. She is strong and forward about it, and she wont let anyone get her down about it. She is funny and I like to think I am funny, and I help lighten the mood in tense situations. 

She is my icon because I want to strive to be like her. I want to be strong and successful. I want to not let peoples remarks about being gay get me down. I want to be better then that. And with her as my icon I believe I will be able to be who I want to be, without worrying.

She started out working her way through stand-up comedy. As she moved up the ladder she began to show her face on T.V. in different shows like Open House. Then her comical material was the spotlight in the sitcom, Ellen. Without boring you with every single thing she has done, or been in; the one most-known show she is recognized with is her television show The Ellen DeGeneres Show. 

Overall she is one of my most favorite American Icons.

My next icon is Angelina Jolie. And no, not because she is gorgeous and has amazing lips. Not because of her a**kicking power in Laura Croft, Tomb Raider. 

I chose to use her because of the knowledge, and experience she has with humanitarian work. Her iconship comes to color with me because of what she has done for other third-world countries. Originally she became personally aware of issues when  she traveled to Cambodia to film Tomb Raider. She then turned to UNHCR to really make a difference. In the following months she visited many different places so that she could help out and make a difference.

 That was basically how she became an icon to me. I love helping out those who are in need. I personally know that if I was in the position of Angelina Jolie, and if I had the money she does, I would do everything in my power to help out other countries, and do my best to make them happy, make them smile and forget the infinite issues they have every day.

She makes me want to help when I become older. Right now all I can really do is help out at shelters or with animals. I hope that when I become older, I will have more resources and I will really be able to help out. She inspires me.

My last icon is Adam Lambert. You probably know him from being the crazy gay rocker on American Idol with those super good vocals, even though he came in second.

Why I choose him you ask? Well, not because he can sing. But because he followed his passion. By doing something he loves, he became the huuuuuge star he is today. Thats one reason. Because he tried so hard to do what he loves. He stuck with it, and it payed off...big time!

America definitely got to know Adam through American Idol, where his vocals rocked the show all season long, up to the season finale where he lost to Kris Allen, another excellent singer.

To me, he represents strength and passion. He does what he loves, and he didnt let the struggle to get to the top let him down. He kept pushing and pushing, and finally it payed off for him. I want to be like him in the fact that I want to do what I love, and I wont let someone tell me no for an answer. He inspires me to try my best all the time.

RE: Back to School

This year, being a junior I hope to expand my knowledge greatly, and strengthen my skills in English, as it is one of my favorite subjects. I want to go more in depth into history as well, because I have always found our history to be intriguing.

I hope to bring to light many topics through research during such things as exhibitions. I want to excel more in the art of essay writing, because I have yet to be happy with how I write my essays.

Obviously, I wont want to turn in late work, or struggle with procrastination as tempting as it is. I want to stay organized and I dont want to fall behind on anything.