Amanda's WACT Blog

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Comments!

This year has certainly been a long one. It was filled with great projects that were really fun, and some that were maybe...not so fun.

Multiple Exposure:
I really liked doing this project. I learned how to use photoshop and manipulate the image so that they were on top of eachother. There were five of me in one photo! How exciting. Some parts of it were hard though. It was hard to crop it just right, and get it so that it was in the perfect position, but a little time and effort really helped. I am glad I completed this project because I really learned a lot about the program Photoshop. I used magnetic lassos, and cropping tools and get five of me in one picture. Taking the pictures was the most fun. I got to dress up in different clothes and pose in crazy ways.

The Circus Collage:
This was one of my favourite projects of the year. I love making collages. I learned how to crop around certain images and place them in a way to make a collage. I liked putting colourful pictures and borders on my collage. It really brightened it up and make it pretty. I liked the circus theme because I got to take a picture of me acting crazy. It was a good theme because it got me thinking in a different way. There were a few errors though. I accidentally deleted the whole project and had to start all over! Oh No! It was terrible. But I found that I actually liked the second one better. I think the strongest component was the colourfulness of it. It really added to the circus theme, and went well with it.

The Pattern:
For the pattern project we had to vectorize three different images. It was very time consuming and sometimes difficult. I couldn't always get the colours or layers right but in the end it worked out well. I liked making the actual pattern because it got me thinking. I tried to come up with a creative way to make it into a pattern. The strongest component of this was that I used one image continuously and added the other ones as accents. It really made it seem like a pattern because it was repeated.

Eccentrick Inspiration:
I liked this project because I got to pick a musician that I like and put my pattern on him. I chose Chris Cornell because I really like his music. It was a little difficult to get the white spots perfect though. I tried my best but I still don't think it was that great. To make it better I could have made my pattern smaller, I think it was too big and kind of took away from the concept of this project. The strongest component of this was inlaying the pattern. It was important to make it just right or else it didn't look right.

Video Project:
By far the best project ever! I have always loved film and making movies and this was a great project to do. I had so much fun filming all the scenes and editing it. We spent a lot of time making sure the music and editing were perfect. To make it better we could have added more or better transitions that way it would have run more smoothly. But overall I loved this project because it really let me be creative on my own and come up with a whole idea without anyone's help.

This year has been great. I really love this course and really wish I could take a comm course next year. Too bad my schedule is already full :(
I really enjoyed the course this year and hope to take some kind of comm course in the future.
Thanks for reading :)

Thursday, May 14, 2009

I AM ECCENTRICK !

This year, Mary Ward's art show truly out did itself. The theme was "eccentrick" and it really was amazing. It was a huge success. I especially liked it better than last year because my own art was on display. I have always enjoyed walking through all the rooms and seeing the awesome talent that our school has. The whole year I have seen people working on their projects, and all the preparations they have made and all the steps they have taken and the art show lets me see all the finished masterpieces.

This year, I worked security in design, and got a quest unit for it. It was great to see all the amazing designs that everyone created. The dresses that the seniors made were amazing. I wish I could have bought all of them. The senior video students also made some great productions.

My favourite part of the art show was the grade ten video theatre, and the "I am" videos that everyone did. I thought it was really cool to see all the unique things that people did. Most of them were really interesting. My video was also in that theatre and I thought it was cool to see how everyone else did theirs, I can use it for next time. It really helped me see how I could have done things differently, or better. Everyone did such an amazing job.

I think everything in the art show was amazing. The teachers continue to outdo themselves. Every year it is better and better and it was really hard to pick my favourite thing.
Great job everyone, I can't wait 'til next year!

:)

ring...ring...ring...banana phone!

So, this topic really got me thinking. Pretty much everyone has a cell phone now-a-days. People use them to talk to their friends, for buisness, for pleasure, etc. They seem to be just a normal part of everyday society. I really do think people abuse their cell phones though. They are constantly in use, especially when they shouldn't be. At the movies, with your friends, at events, parties and family functions, and at school. People need to realize that constantly using the phone is rude.

So picture this, here I am, on the bus trying to enjoy my long bus ride home when suddenly the whole bus is filled with an extremely loud song that no one actually wants to hear - it is a ringtone, someone is using their phone at the front of the bus talking very loudly. Why must the phone be that loud when you are in a public place? If it is in their pocket they should just keep it on vibrate. People should really have some common courtesy for others.

Everyone needs to realize there is a time and place for everything. Sure, I may use my phone at school to figure out where my friends are going, when the next seminar is etc. But my phone is always on vibrate, I don't talk on it around my friends or during school, and I am definately polite about it.

So here, I have come up with 5 rules for phone use:

1) Keep it on vibrate ! - No one really wants to hear that extremely loud, extremely annoying song blaring from your phone. It does not make you cool. And it just leads to your phone getting taken away at school. You are just asking for it.

2) Be polite ! - There is no need to talk loudly when in a public place. As Mrs. Kopach would say, use your 15cm voice. Just because the person is a bunch of kilometres away does NOT mean you need to yell that loud. Think of the people around you.

3) There is a time and place for phone use ! - It is very rude to use your phone when with your friends, family, at an event, party and school. Who could you possible be texting or calling when you are already with your friends. There someone is, trying to have a conversation with you, and you are not paying attention because you are typing on your phone. Not cool. When you are at a party or event people will think you don't want to be there if you are constantly on your phone. It can distance you from everyone. At the movies, I constantly see bright lights in my peripheral vision, it distracts me from the movie!

4) Get a watch ! - It really is annoying when someone constantly pulls out their phone to check the time. Especially when you are trying to talk to them. Phone does not = watch. Just buy a watch.

5) Ask permission ! - If you are with someone and your phone happens to vibrate or ring or whatever, do not just pull it out and begin to talk. It's rude to the people you are with. You should say something like "Excuse me, but do you mind if I take this?" or "Sorry, this is really important, I will just be a minute." Something that is not hard to do will definately make a big difference.

These rules are not too much. All I am asking for is some common courtesy people!

Now, if you don't mind, my pocket is vibrating.

Thanks for reading :)

Monday, March 23, 2009

People actually wrote letters? By hand ?! That's crazy!

Watching the video clip really made me think about technology today. Louis C.K really makes many good points. Technology has really evolved a huge amount over the past few years. When my parents were growing up, tvs were still new, they never owned a computer, and did not have cell phones. They actually had to do things like go outside and get some exercise, write out their assignments by hand, and use the phone or go to someones house just to talk to their friends. They even wrote letters!

I do not know where I would be without my cell phone, mp3 player, and laptop. It is how I get everything done. Msn, Facebook, and texting are my means of communication. God forbid I actually have to pick up a telephone. How else would I know where my friends are going during the day at school? I use my laptop for everything - homework assignments, emails, internet etc. It has all become such a huge part of my life. There are so many things modern technology will do for us these days. Electric can openers for example. Phew! Thank God I don't have to work up a sweat turning a handle anymore. And PVR (Personal Video Recorder) now I can record my favourite shows and watch them whenever I want. I can't imagine being forced to sit and watch tv on a schedule. It seems that people now-a-days just want to take the lazy way out.

People are way more focused on modern technology these days. It seems like every five minutes something new comes along and we are all forced to adapt to the change. And thats what technology seems to be these days - constant change. It is like everyone sits around waiting for the next, new big thing to come out. It just adds stress, people worry about their internet being slow, their cell phones dying, and their computers breaking down. People need to learn how to slow down, relax, and just smell the roses.

But if you would excuse me now, I think my cell phone just vibrated.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Gaming Gone Wild!

Welcome back to my blog! This second entry will be about the pros and cons of video games, and how teens can become very addicted to them. We are now in a new age where video games are part of teens' everyday life. As someone who plays video games quite often, I can relate to this topic. What is different is that I know how long is too long. I know when to stop playing and go outside, or read, or do homework. My siblings and I have been very into video games since we were young. We have had just about every system imaginable - Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, GameCube, XBOX, and XBOX 360 etc. I am more into the games that can be played with friends, and groups of large people, like Rock Band, or Guitar Hero, because even if everyone is not playing, it is still something everyone can enjoy by watching or listening to the great tunes that are included in the game. It is something I usually like to play when I'm with my friends, just hanging out on Friday nights.

As great as games are, they can be also very dangerous and addictive. All that most teens who play video games want to do, is shoot things, crash cars, and run around with an unlimited supply of weapons (real, and make believe). But the problem is that most of these games are most definitely not realistic. They don't resemble life in the real world. Unlike games, in reality you will not have an unlimited amount of lives or resources. Actions like shooting people, and robbing a store have repercussions. Games like that are making things that should be taken seriously, seem like a game or something you would do for fun. I do know many people who are very addicted to games and like to play for hours, or even days straight! They get caught up in these games, and end up falling behind at school, work, and with friends. They make gaming their whole lives. This is something I see as negative, and something that someone shouldn't want to happen to them.

Games do have some very negative effects on teens, but there are also games that can help people. Educational games are good to improve reading, writing, typing, and comprehension skills. Brain Age is a good example of an educational game. This game involves playing many mini-games that involve things like math, science, and reading. In order to win, and do better, the player is required to improve their skills by beating their previous times, scores, and speeds. Games like these can really improve motor skills.

Overall, I think games are pretty harmless. Even though games have some very negative effects on young people, I think they are okay to play, as long as it is not all the time, and you can still get work done, and do not become obsessed. I think most teens use video games as a way to let loose, have fun, and relax.

Monday, November 24, 2008

The Campaign Trail

On Tuesday November 4, 2008, Barack Obama was elected the new president of the United States. I think Americans made a great choice in not only electing the first African-American president, but electing someone who has big plans for changing the country for the better. Someone who has a great message. An ad campaign was put out promoting Barack Obama and what he can do for Americans. The original commercial is about a bunch of guys sitting on the couch, watching a football game, drinking beer. In this new commercial promoting Barack Obama, the guys watching tv aren't watching a football game, or being happy, they are watching things that are going on in the world around them - unemployment, poverty, the war in Iraq, worsening healthcare, plummeting stockmarkets, and natural disaster. At the end of this commercial when the man is asked "wassup?" he says "change", and is watching Barack Obama on the tv. Obama has a great message. He is saying that changing the world is as simple as electing him, because he wants to see change, he wants to do everything in his power to make things better for Americans. He will help them live the best life possible and make things easier. Barack has created a lot of awareness about the issues of the United States.

I think this ad is very effective. It makes people think about all the things they can do to better the country. It points out all the mistakes that George Bush made while in office. It makes people of all ages want to come together and help change the world. They have already seen all the bad things that are happening since Bush has been in office, and now know what not to do. People relate to Obama and what he wants to do for the country because Americans know what he is talking about. They are living and going through all the issues and problems that Obama wants to change. Electing Barack Obama was a smart choice for changing the way Americans live their lives for the better. Way to go Barack Obama :)