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[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

Breaking Bad

Last night, I finished season one of Breaking Bad. I finally started watching it last weekend after years of having it on my Netflix list.

I was captivated. 

Walter White, as most of you know, is a high school chemistry teacher who was just diagnosed with stage 3A lung cancer. After joining his brother-in-law, who is a DEA, on a drug bust, Walter decides to start cooking meth to leave money behind for his family. All his life, he had been a rule follower and submissive. With his cancer diagnosis, Walter has found the courage to say “fuck it” and do the things he wants to do. 

His accomplice is a former slacker student, Jesse Pinkman. Walter had seen Jesse leave a next door neighbor’s house as the DEAs were working the drug bust. Jesse had been selling the meth that his buddy cooked and knows the players of the local game. 

The further you get into season 1, the more you learn about the characters themselves. We find that Jesse has a younger brother and that his parents are helicopter parents. At first it seems like Jesse’s younger brother is a perfect little angel, but when his parents find pot in the brothers room and blame it on Jesse, his little brother thanks him for not ratting him out. 

Walter is surrounded by people who continue to push him around. His wife, Skyler White, is especially selfish and wants Walter to go through chemo so he can be there for her. Skyler’s sister, Marie Schrader, is a judgmental toxic person and has a problem with stealing. Marie’s husband Hank is mysogonistic and quite the man’s man. Although he has some cringe-worthy moments, he also has moments of humanity and love and loyalty for his family. The only person that has some sort of decency towards Walter is his son, Walter Jr. Even then, Walter Jr. feels a little alienated by Walt and begins to look up to Hank instead and call on him for help. 

The structure of the episodes are non-linear. The majority of the story is linear but some episodes (including the pilot) will start mise-en-scene at the ending of the episode, and the audience is left wondering how the hell the characters got to that point. Other episodes flashback to Walter in college, and give a bit of insight to how he became who he is today while tying in relevant dialogue from the past to the present storyline. The scenes where he teaches his high school students are overlapping with other scenes in the story, adding more relevant and descriptive dialogue.

The storytelling in this show is strong, and the writers did a good job of making despicable characters likable. 

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

So it begins.

It’s the start of a new era, the era of writing improvement. I have found that my writing has progressively gotten worse and it’s harder and harder to wrap my mind around a story’s structure, let alone come up with one. 

Thus, the blog. 

A few things I’ve thought about using this for: 

- writing ideas

- responses to movies I’ve watched

- answers to writing prompts

- poems

and such. 

I don’t even know if I’m going to keep up with this but I sure hope I do. 

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

This class was one of the most informative classes out of my entire schedule. It put a lot of pressure for me to do my own work and to be independent. The focus on visual persuasion made the course more interesting to me than a normal written persuasion course, since I am a Radio-Television-Film major and work with visuals all the time.

I would definitely recommend this course to anybody who is in a primarily visual major, such as design, advertising, or film. For people who are thinking about taking this course, I recommend you come in with a desire to learn about different visual editing programs, so the projects don't seem as tedious. That being said, THIS IS NOT A BLOW OFF CLASS. If you only want to do the minimum requirements, you will not pass off with an A--you will get a C in the course.

I wish I had spent more time doing extra work for this class. I know I kept saying I would, but then I got caught up studying or doing projects for other classes. I would recommend that if someone wanted to do very well in this class, that they would take it as a part of a 12 hr. course load instead of a 15 hr. course load. It will give you more time to excel in this class.

You can expect to learn a lot about visual elements and how they affect a certain audience. You will also learn what goes into crafting a visual to effectively persuade a specific audience. Professor Blouke is a very down to earth professor who makes the class fun. She is interested in helping you succeed and is always open to questions, and her personality makes her extremely approachable. Although she is easy to get along with, she is definitely not a pushover.

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

For my avatar, I decided to use Face Your Manga. Most of the reason behind this was because it gave me the most range of options for facial features and I could create a more customizable avatar. The only other option I looked at after I created this avatar was the full body cartoon avatar generator, but I didn't like the fact that I couldn't really change much of how it looked. Besides, the options that I did have, I didn't really like. I'd say my avatar is pretty detailed--Face Your Manga allowed me to add in my cheek bones and slight freckles, and they had a hairstyle that was fairly similar to mine. The only thing that was different about my manga was the fact that I couldn't choose a two toned hairstyle, like how my hair is now. So I decided to go with my natural hair color--a reddish brown. This was also one of the only avatars that had a pretty accurate nose shape. Most of the time the nose options are either too little and pointy or too big and round--nothing in the middle. Aside from that, you could also change the size and placement of each feature, which was essential to creating an avatar that looked as much like me as possible. One of the facial features that was hardest to come up with were the lips. At first, the lips I chose were a bit too big, so I sifted through other options until I realized that I could make the mouth a bit smaller. Thus I ended up choosing my first choice in lips. Overall, I feel like someone would be able to recognize me, especially someone who knows that I play guitar.

Rhetorically, I believe my avatar sends the message that I am a happy, bright person who is musically inclined. The smile, cheekbones, and eyebrows that I chose help show the overall expression of happiness. Obviously, placing the guitar in the foreground shows that I am creative and musically inclined. The background and color choices I made resemble a bright and springy personality, but also a bit laid back. In terms of my personal style; the hair is similar to how I would wear my hair on a daily basis. It is how my hair is styled today. Putting a pink shirt on me instead of any other color is a direct representation of my closet--The majority of the clothes I own are pink. The background colors also represent my other favorite color orange, and the pattern can represent my love for vintage styles. Overall I believe my avatar sends a friendly, welcoming message.

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

Last night I went to chick fil a and ate a spicy chicken delux sandwich was because my roommate drove past me as I was walking home from school, and I ended up getting in the car with her and went with her to chick fil a. I want to eat it usually because I've been eating chick fil a since I was little and my grandparents loved chick fil a. The advertisements from this brand can suggest that people who eat Chick Fil A are against beef, which isn't always entirely true. If it was a place that I have never been before, the playfulness of the advertisement would make me want to try out their food. Advertising with the cows has worked for a long time for Chick Fil A, as they always have that theme with each of their advertisements.

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

How women view themselves

I think one of the things I am most angry about is how so many of my girlfriends have such low self confidence. All the time I hear things like "I need to lose weight" or "I look like a gorilla without makeup" or something to that nature. These girls then point out the imperfections in others and what other people do. One of my friends literally said to my other friend "You would be so much prettier if you were thin". I couldn't believe my ears. What makes us have the right to say that to other people? What compels us to say that about ourselves? Why are women having such low self confidence? How is this affecting our behavior? I want to change all that. I want to show women that their true beauty is on the inside. True beauty isn't just the outside--You may have a pretty face and a rockin bod, but if your personality sucks then your attractiveness diminishes very quickly.

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

Robin Thicke Blurred Lines video

The one thing that stood out to me the most in this video was the constant hash tagging of #THICKE and #BLURREDLINES. This was fine in the beginning but became constantly even more annoying throughout the music video. Secondly, I didn't really appreciate the image he was giving women. He described us as "animals" that needed to be "domesticated". This for one is very offensive and portrays women as objects instead of human beings who have thoughts and intelligence and emotion. This entire song describes women as being there just to please their men. I used to enjoy this song, but as I delved deeper into the lyrics and especially after watching this video, I grew a certain disdain for the song and what it conveys and teaches the people who listen to it. 

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

To photoshop or to not photoshop?

Photoshopping yourself to look like a glamour star is fun and all, but when a magazine has a large reach and influence, especially to young girls, the photoshopping of models to make them look like an unattainable perfect is detrimental to a young girl's self esteem. She is going to grow up looking at these actresses and models that look perfectly thin with absolutely no blemishes and no wrinkles or fat rolls. It's unreal, and nobody actually looks like the women in the magazines. I have seen this detrimental effect first hand with one of my roommates. She likes to follow fashion icons and celebrities, and always comments on how perfect they look. Not only that, but I also hear degrading comments from her towards herself on how pretty she looks or how unattractive she is whenever she looks completely fine. I can assume that this low self confidence stems from placing a large amount of her attention to these celebrities in magazines. The main difference between artistic enhancement and unethical manipulation is how much you change a person. If you cover up some minor blemishes or scrapes then okay, fine. But when you completely change the proportions of a woman's body by making her legs longer and leaner, hair fuller, or make her boobs bigger with a tiny waist, then that's when the photoshopping becomes unethical. The woman in the magazine becomes a completely different woman than the one in real life. Advertisers are partially responsible, but I think it is also the responsibility of the user to know the difference between a photoshopped woman in a magazine and a real woman.

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

Public Space and Democratic Art

Graffiti art is a complicated subject matter. In one perspective, it is something that can represent the culture of the city at the moment it is drawn, much like cave drawings depicted the day to day lives of indigenous peoples. In another, it can be seen as trashy and creating the appearance of an unkept area. 

When one talks about public graffiti art, one must also take into account the image that is being shown and whose building or wall it is being painted on. The image must be tasteful, and it should be kept in the back of the artist's mind that wherever they are painting is a public space where many different people are going to come across their art. 

Tagging is a complete no in my opinion. It serves no purpose but to say I WAS HERE so let me show the world that I'm the one who wrote this. 

This would be acceptable graffiti art

This would be considered trash. 

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

Whenever I pass The Barbara Jordan statue, I get the impression she was a woman who didn't take any crap from anybody. She seems sassy and independent, and knows what she needs to do to succeed. After researching a bit about her, I realize that her statue has every right to have a posture that emanates confidence and power. She was a woman of many firsts; growing up in the Fifth Ward in Houston, Texas, she excelled in public school despite the government's resentment toward impoverished black women. She attended TCU and was a part of the debate team, where she competed in nationals and tied with Harvard. After undergrad school she achieved a high score on the BAR and attended Boston University for Graduate school. Afterwards she became the firsts of many political leadership positions. 

The things I have learned about Barbara Jordan's life have made me value and appreciate this statue even more. She has every right to a memorial and should be remembered for all she has accomplished. 

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

Landmark Scavenger Hunt

My teammate and I's strategy towards the scavenger hunt was to break up the list, and while we were going to one destination, look up two more destinations. Then, we would go to the one closest, or if we were passing one of the landmarks on our way to the original landmark, we would go ahead and take a picture at the one that was on our way. We ended up finishing a lot of the clues in the allotted time. 

Many of the sites I have been to before, but I just did not know the facts behind the sites. For example, I had no idea Barbara Jordan was from Houston or had won the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I also didn't know that the Cactus Cafe opened its doors on Valentine's day in 1979. There were very few clues that I didn't have to look up, but one of them was the Tower and the Barbara Jordan statue because I walk by both of the landmarks every day on my way to class. 

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

Missy Elliot's Vs. Steve-O's 'Crib'

I think it's safe to say who took greatest pride in the appearance of their home. Missy Elliot's mansion was extravagant to the point where she had rooms in the house that weren't even needed; based on the video, it seemed that it was only her mom and herself who were living in a space that could fit at least twenty. It was always neat and tidy, and it looked like she was showing us a house picked from an interior decorating magazine. The interior and exterior of her house depicted her to be someone who cared about what other people thought of her and someone who had so much pride in herself that she would write her own signature on her entryway floor.

Steve-O, on the other hand, did not care about the appearance of his apartment at all. We follow him through his front door and we immediately see an apartment that more or less resembles a college male's apartment. The interior gave me the sense that Steve-O was the kind of guy who didn't care much about appearances and was reckless enough to destroy parts of his own home. He had no care in keeping the place or himself clean, presenting himself as an irresponsible young adult. 

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

This is the room where I have my discussion class for Narrative Strategies. It is more of a lecture room rather than a discussion based room, although it isn't that hard to talk to one another. This room includes a projector and a screen, which we use to watch clips of movies we have watched during our screenings. The layout of the desks allow us to watch the clip comfortably. 

Since this is a shared space, meant more for smaller groups of students, there are no decorations on the wall. The rows are comprised of long desks in a slight curve, with chairs that swivel and are bolted to the ground. 

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

The Apocalypse Not in my Backyard; Question 2

To begin with, a manifesto declares a person's or group's vision, opinion, and goals. The way Russell describes the environmentalist's manifesto is one of hypocrisy, and she realizes that in herself. At first, I believed that she was doing the environmental mumbo jumbo in order to feel better about herself, not just because the environment needs it. Then I realized that many environmentalists really can't step out of the hypocrisy range; it is extremely hard to be a productive citizen in a country that runs on energy from non renewable resources. Even if an environmentalist was able to trek in all electric cars and invest in solar panels to power their homes, all of that costs money, and if they don't have the money to spend then they have to make do with the gas-run cars that they own.

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

Walden, Question 2

The emotion that Thoreau has about the pond is an emotion of awe. He seems to just be taking in the beauty of the landscape he is in, and he seems at peace with the natural setting around him. I have had similar experiences when I visited Valle De Bravo right outside of Mexico City last summer. My mother and I were visiting her cousin's summer home there, and to get there we had to drive down winding roads through the mountains. There were trees all around me and everything was so green and fresh. The air felt clear and free of the smog that filled the city. One day during the trip, we walked down a hiking trail, and I witnessed the most beautiful waterfall I had ever seen in my life. It was ten times my height, and the water was clear and free of pollution. I felt the most calm I had ever felt in a man-made space; I felt at home in nature. With man-made places I have felt a different feeling. The strongest feeling I have with a man-made building is with the tower. Every time I cross the plaza in front of the tower, I get a sense of pride for my university, and I stand in awe at the fact that I am actually here, at the University of Texas, in one of the top film schools in the country. It's a feeling I can never get rid of, and I end up feeling grateful for all of the opportunities that have allowed me to attend such a prestigious school. 

I know it's not required, but I have attached pictures of my trip to Valle De Bravo because it is just too beautiful not to share:

[iwanttogetbetteratwriting]

My room

I live in the loft bedroom of my apartment. It's a bit small, but not too small so that I feel constricted. To make more space, I chose to arrange my furniture to be as flush against the wall as they can be, so I can leave somewhat of a space in the middle of my room. I have a lot of choice when it comes to my room; I can put in whatever furniture I please and arrange it the way I want to.

The space I am in would not have changed my choice of furniture much; what it has changed was my choice of bringing in my loft bed. Since it is a loft, the ceilings are entirely too low to be able to comfortably sleep in a loft bed. All of the other furniture I have brought would have been brought regardless.

The building I live in is a 4 story apartment complex built around 2005. It is fairly new, but you can tell it was built cheaply for off campus student living. The walls are a bit thin and you can hear everything that everyone is saying.

I am not allowed to paint my walls, so I fill my walls with posters and artwork. Many of my friends are at awe when they see my room.