breaking the picture ice

I must say that this was my favorite picture in the entire museum. This an old picture at a wedding. This band traveled to play at weddings and parties. I see peace in this picture. Not big budget or anything like that. But simple, and they are happy doing it that way.

GET CULTURAL WITH IT!!

I have to be honest I was completely underestimating the cultural center. I kind of expected to be a jumble of cliche abstract artists and photographers. but every exhibit that I saw not only impressed me many of them really put me into artist mode (I'm gonna be on Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop a lot more now)

"Ellis Island is a line separating my future from my past. Until I cross that line, i am still homeless, still an immigrant." - Karen Hesse

Stephen Wilkes Exhibit Ellis Island Ghosts of Freedom was amazing. His photography was not only aesthetically pleasing but deeply metaphorical showing how the government has allowed a historical landmark to depreciate. Another interesting thing I noticed was the battle of manmade structures vs. nature. It showed the impermanence of this planet. Men die, societies burn, buildings fall, even mountains erode.

The photograph Measles Ward, Hallway Study with Plant Life showed a single window with the sun beaming through shining light on plants tht had broken through the floor. The room was otherwise shrouded in darkness symbolizing that life cannot survive without life(Our America readers should find this interesting.)

All in all it was a good trip and if the others are anything like it i can't wait for these experiences.

Peace, Love and Revolution...

Kyle M. Bauman

P.S. Joe, i couldn't figure out how to upload photos off of my Iphone. will post when I figure it out.

Our America

I started reading Our America yesterday after class, and the book reminds me of st.louis a lot. We have alot of projects, that many people stay in because they can't afford to move into middle call residental areas. Also llyod and his friend reminded me of when I was younger me and my bestfriend would throw eggs ( instead of rocks) at random people on the street, while we were driving around being crazy. The people would be so mad and we thought the shit was soo funny. now I think back on it and im like thats was soo horrible.

The Hood vs. The Burbs

I have to kinda disagree with the book Our America because they are comparing the hood and the subburbs!!! Basically they are saying that someone in the hood probably won't get a good education as a child that were living in the burbs!! I truly disagree!! Personally I don't agree for the simple fact that I live in the burbs and nothing is really different except for the school we go to and the different ethnics and different teachers we have!!! I don't think we learn more than the people in the hood!!! Well, actually it depends what school you attend in the burbs!! My school was a dump to me!! Even though the school was big on sports alot of teachers were getting fired they were believing in the students, they really didn't care to teach you and they would just assing you some homework and would not explain or go over with you what is expected to be done!!! Some were just showing up to get a paycheck!!!

POSE FOR THE CAMERA NOW CLICK,CLICK!!!!!!!!!!!

Today's trip to the museum was very educational in an way!!!! It showed very different pictures of a lot of different stuff. For example, When we were on the first floor they were showing a lot of pictures of bulgarians, and I believe they were greeks too. But anyway each picture delivered a differrent message than one another!!! Some of the pictures that stood out to me looked as if they were telling a story in a way!!! They showed different things like the way they used to dress back then, their style of living, and what they did as entertainment!!! Those pictures were tooken in black and white. Now, as you kept going there were pictures that were in bright colos that were also telling a story!!!! One stood out to me that Trey was trying to explain to us!!! It was a picture of a room with a nice size window and it had a red light reflecting out of the whole room!!! He felt as if there were basically sorrow and pain!!! And the window was there to show the other possibilities that are out there!!! I thought that was very deep in meaning!!! The Last thing I had went to go see was The Marilyn Monroe exhibit. It was the most colorful of them all and it had a lot of nude pictures of herself!! To me the nude pictures meant that she was comfortable in her body and she wasn't afraid to do or show anything!!! Today's visit was wonderful and I can't wait to attend the next!!!

Marylin monroe

i saw a picture of marlyin with her legs in the air, and she had 6 arms and her legs were over her head. What it symbolized to me was her sexual side.. which was very creepy

marylin monroe

the marylin monroe exibit was my favorite it was the most colourfull of the exibits one of the peices in there really blew my mind i didnt know what to think about it it was like one of those andy worhol prints of marylin but it had a little shelf in front of it with these little faceless dolls with handcuffs all sitting on it and it was called the sould of marylin did anyone else see this? what did you think?

Steven Wilkes

I thought that Steven Wilkes had a very neat gallery of Ellis Island. All of his pictures were of abandoned and discarded rooms inside the elaborate buildings on the Island of Death. I have never seen anything so beautiful in my life. It showed what mankind has left behind, and reminds me of how I have left allot behind in my life. Only to move forward I have left those things behind yet the memories are still there to hold. All of the decrepid rooms made me feel so alive. I also really like a quote Steven had, "Until I cross that line, I'm still homeless. Still an immigrant".

Museum trip.

i enjoyed the trip a lot. i really enjoyed steven wilkes's-ellis island.. I really like photography in the first place, but his work was really exceptional. 

What was your favorite piece of art ??

Swimming against the current

Can anyone else sense that they want a debate to be started on here soon?
Well, I figured the best way to start a debate is to tap into the fact that I
am not from Chicago or the north for that matter. But from a military town
and if you don't know politics there, you don't eat.

So I'm going to bight the bullet and go against the crowd here and say that I don't think Obama should be the next president. Don't assume I'm going to go the opposite direction and vote McCain either. I honestly don't believe or support either of them and am tired of having to choose the lesser of two evils sort of speak. Either the GOP or the DEM.
Obama is too young and McCain is too old. I think that we'll be in Iran in a year if McCain becomes president and end up watching Iraq collapse and tear itself apart after pulling troops out if Obama becomes president. I'm talking about watching a civil war on CNN... again.
I know more than 100 canidates run for president every year but only two parties even stand a remote chance.

I don't think Obama is really for change because I see him change his ideas about things every time he travels to a new city. He never supported the troops until the day before he left to visit them. You don't have to support the war to support troops. But pulling out and running?

I grew up in the biggest Army base america has and I know these guys don't run. Fighting for freedom is all they know to do. Nothing else. So pulling them out because of deaths is like pulling fire fighters out of the CA fires. It is their JOB to go to war.

But what do you guys think? What are your opinions? I know you guys probably don't agree with me a bit. But what are your views on this war, this election, and only being able to choose either A or B when it comes to who is going to lead our nation?

FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED TO PRINT

I am planning on opening the lab, room 316 in the 33 east congress building, at 8 A.M. folks. So if you need to print come before your math class. Now there should be no excuses to why you don't have anything printed.

IMPORTANT FOR THURSDAY'S SALON

Hi ya'll...Today's museum visit went well...I am proud that you are all starting to think outside the box about art.

But for THURDAY'S SALON I forgot to tell you something very important. We are meeting that day to discuss each other's own form. SO ON THURSDAY I WANT YOU TO BRING YOUR ART TO THE SALON, which is after lunch. For example, I was talking to Rob about this and he doesn't have any of his film work with him so he is going to be bringing his band's music. I am bringing some on going fiction, and I want you to BRING YOUR ART, even if it isn't connected with your major. You can bring photos, paintings, drawings, films, writing, poetry, journalism, and just about anything.

Any questions?

Texting and Formal typing

How many of you all agree with me? How often are you typing a paper or e-mailing somebody and you notice that you use the same language that you use when you are texting. Such as , lol, brb, or shorten up words. I just want to know am i alone?

Hey Our America Readers...

Does Anyone reading Our America watch The Wire? Comment back.

suburban versus ghetto

In chapter three, youll read about the comparison between people from ghetto peopel versus suburban people and he talks about how people who are from suburban if you put them in a classs together you ll see that theres a big difference between the two expecially in behavior. He laters goes on to say that ghetto kids are easily fustrated hot tempered and more angrier. where suburban people seem to be able to talk there way out of things and not so hosilte and more sensitive, speaking from expirence moving from camden out to the suburbs, suburban people were shocked at my actions, they aint ever seen someone snap back, be louder than the normal, the tipical behaviors that were normal in camden i had to drop and adjust and that probably was a big adjust menti made was realising that these poeple didnt constantly walk on eggshells i can free speak your ind you dont have to be afraid what parts of the neighborhood you need to stay away from so you dont get shot mugged, but finally if you wanted to you could walk barefoot to the pool and not have to worry bout stepping over needles or accidently walking into the worng area

OUR AMERICA

our america speaks to me so much, because alot of people in the hood can be came doctors, lawyers, nurses, and etc, but they think dreams are just dreams, nothing is possible in the hood. i totally agree with the teacher in the book, she believes in all her children. i like her because as bad as the hood is, she decided to stay there and still work with the kids. i think one of the reason why the children think so low of themselves is because alot of people give up on the childeren

Stranger than Fiction: Testy Festy

I think chapter one was "too" graphic from pudding and whipped cream to the " Ball Biting" contest and the Testical Festival??? Gross!

also in The Last American Man

also i love the speach eustace gives about how nature is in circles and how today everything is in boxes people live in box houses and wake up in box beds and press snooze on box alarms and get into box cars ect. ect.

Chuck Really Knows How To Hook You

Its genus how the author draws you in from the first page. Especially if your male. Who wouldn't respond to, "she tilted her hat up so the rim won't hit his stomach while she deep-throats a cowboy"    Love it.

Stranger the Fiction

Im reading the book Stranger then Fiction. one of the chapters is pretty interesting to me. Its about writers. Its interesting to me because i never really thought about the life of a writer. The author talks about writers that attend this event at a hotel Ballroom where you sit at a table divided by a curtain. On the other side of the curtain is a book agent or a publisher or movie producer. You have to pay up to $50 for 7 minutes to pitch your story to them. Its interesting to me how writers try to sell there stories. Trying to turn there misery into big money.

Boys In The Hood!!!!

   Both LeAlan and Lloyd seem to  be two very smart individuals but they aren't really taking advantage of it. To me I think the reason why they aren't taking advantage of it is because they are living day by day, because to them tomorrow really isn't promised to them. They live in an environment that people get shot at, killed etc. right at your front door. Their not living in a stable home. Their parents are either dead, drug addicts, alcoholics, bums, mentally disabled etc.  So they struggle living on their owns taking care of siblings and just trying to make it in the "HOOD"!!!

Testy Festy

I got this book called Stranger Than Fiction from the looks of the cover and the name of it i thought it was gone be wack so befor i went to bed i read it i haven't put the book down yet this book is wats up i read Testy Festy twice.

little boxes on the hillside.

It's interesting how the American frontier has almost been completely destroyed by the evolution of our country. As technology has progressed we have become lazy and dependent on the advanced system that we have built. Have you ever had to kill an animal in order to survive? Have you ever had to wipe your ass with a leaf? My favorite part of the book so far is how Conway explains to a group of campers how we as a society live in boxes. We wake up in a box. We drive to a box work in a box car. At the end of the day we go home only to sit in our box and watch the TV box. Why can't we think outside the box? even if it's in small amounts.

In the book, stranger than fiction. Well let's just say that it's nothing like the movie. Which is ok because the movie kind of stunk.
But the book isn't just, "unlike" the movie but it isn't even in the same world. I've only read the first few pages but it takes a sort of weird mind to write this. Kind of a music fest gone bad. With people having sex and others yelling "beaver beaver beaver?"
Maybe the rest of the book will seem more like a novel and less like a porno.
-jeff

davy fuckin crocket!!!!!!!!!!!

i love how when Eustace goes to newyork in the book The Last American Man the locals all call him davy fuckin crocket

STRANGER THAN FICTION

To comment on the wrestling chapter i think that its interesting that they wear cauliflower ear as a badge of honor. 

Our America: An insight i thought of last night.

As i was reading the first chapter, it was amazing to me just to hear these kids describe how they spent their summer. With me I'm not someone who just takes something at face value, with me I dive deep into critical thinking to get a deeper understanding than just what the author has to say.

In Madison a lot of people have this belief that being a dope boy is a choice, I wholeheartedly disagree. The more you hear about these environments (the poverty, the violence etc.) you can't help but feel a small taste of what the people who live there feel everyday. Hopelessness, despair, and a feeling of being lost with no way out. Yes you do make the choice to work the corner, but how many other options do they have? It's easy to say graduate high school, go to college, get a job, or be a productive member of society, but is it really that simple? If you can't see anything past the corner, that's the best you can aspire to.

Kyle M. Bauman

Our America

Isn't it crazy that he heard somebody get shot right outside of his aunts house and they just kept playing nintendo like it was nothing? Thats crazy that a child can be used to violence like that!

Tiara McAfee-Owens

My orientation date is: August 4th at 8:00 am!!!

yeah so my orrientation is aug 7th.

yup, that pretty much sums it up.

My assessment is this friday too.

Study Smart Please

Now I now it is hard to actually take time out of your relaxation to open a book but it is nessecary. Our study skills in high school were oviously not that good, which is why we are. I recomend that some of us get together to try and study better. Don't be afraid to ask.

believe in yourself

Believing in yourself is a huge part to succeed in college. You have to go in with a positive attitude. If not, there's no motivation. The only way to push yourself is to believe and know you can pull through with it.

ORIENTATION DAY

my orientation date is aug-4 at 8:00

know your options!

know your options i like that one, ive heard it before thats why i had a directed study in school and i hated it because i thought it ment i was different from everyone else in school but i see now there is nothing wrong with being different or learning different and i disliked it so much that i wanted to get taken out of it but the guy who taught it who was a wise man told me "a wise man once said that its wise to keep your options open" so i stayed in and it helped me out so im thankfull for that advice

sorry i made this a comment at first but now its a post aswell

Tierra Williams' Orientation Date

**My orientation date is Thursday July 24, 2008.**

Orientation Day

My orientation day is August 4th at 8 am!!!!

Kyle Bauman's Orientation Date

I will be attending orientation/registration on Tuesday August 5th.

Wade Harworth Orientation

My orientation will be on August 4th

Prioritize, Organize... Successualize?

The great thing about Bridge I've discovered is we truly are all in this together. A lot of us live together which means we wake up at the same time, we move to classes at the same time, we get very similar assignments. I think so long as my roommates and I adhere to our plan of helping each other to wake up (if you're the first one up, make sure the others get up too.), do homework as soon as you get home (the sooner you get it done, the sooner you get to go out and play!), and just be there to support each other when it gets done, you cant lose. Basically get your priorities in order, organize with your own network of friends who can support you with everything, and you will succeed and be able to have fun at the same time.

Peace, Love, and Revolution...

Kyle M. Bauman

Stay In The Lead or Bleed

I think one of the hardest things to do is be a step ahead of game. Hard work and dedication you have to be ready for any condition. I cant count how many times I have seen people underestimate the system and paid dearly for it. Go look at the building your soon to be classes are going to be in. Write down everything that you think is important it pays off. Stay on top and don't drop off.