Who am I? Why am I here?

Who am I?

An sketch artist with love for classic animation, drafting and storytelling techniques, who also has a passion for zoology and the other sciences, as well as a strong curiosity in religious folklore and mythology. Often when I have time I'll sit and read a textbook or a webpage regarding a certain topic, or I'll sit down and sketch concept art for stories that I'm currently constructing. I'm fiercely talkative about these subjects, and will speak with others about them for hours.

I have a strong personal affinity for children and older folks, never quite being in my element around strangers of my peer group. Perhaps it's because of my homeschooling and babysitting background, never having much experience with kids my age when I was younger. I'm frequently paranoid about people thinking of me in a negative or venomous manner (admittedly imagined slights), and most of those people are young adults.

I believe in altruism and good-will, but I also believe in following after your own goals, so long as you don't beat or rob somebody to further them.

Why am I here?

If I'm to ask myself why I'm at... IUPUI, I'd have to say "because I want a career in storytelling of some kind". Short and sweet, but perhaps the questions is of the more metaphysical kind.

I'm not at liberty to say why I'm on this planet at the time I arrived, and I honestly think (by my standards at least) that it's perhaps a little presumptuous to make a specific declaration. Unless you are a God-gifted prophet with a seer's gaze a mile-a-ways, I don't think anybody can say what purpose they have to exist.

The long-term plans of human-kind are known for going a little awry, but we make do with the hand we're dealt. Maybe I won't get quite the career I want. Maybe I could be drafted into the military, or maybe I could become a father in the near future. Maybe I could become involved in something very large, or very small. The point is, I don't know what will happen.

All I do is try my best to steer myself in a vague direction and hope for the best.

CTA 8: Trash Land

Films like this are among those impactful pieces of artwork and media that constantly help me remember that America's luxuries are just that: a gift of fortune, not man's right. Some people have to eke out a living from the things that we throw away as useless. What does that say about more privileged people? The things I see my friends and family complain about at times makes me think of how spoiled many Americans are.

However, there's never a good reason to doubt your worth as a person based on your blessings. Were one of you or I to be born in the world of a much less fortunate individual - and vice versa -  we would find a way to survive, and the other person would find a reason to be dissatisfied with his or her life in one way or another; that's how it is. Humans can find a way to survive should we need to, and we can also find a way to complain should we feel like it.

The important thing to remember is that, for those of us who are gifted with such a powerful opportunity to have this head-start in life as fortunate young people, we must be thankful for our auspicious upbringings and take advantage of the time we have to craft ourselves into who we want to be. Be sympathetic for those who don't have much, and stay away from over-indulgence for the sake of giving back to the community, if only a little bit.

Every man desires a life of opportunity. Your measure of worth is based upon what you do with yours.

Against Ignorance and Aging

I was surprised how many people took interest in signing my altared box, along with the styles in which they included a piece of their character in their signature; even if some of the students didn't take the box seriously, I have a memento to look back on regarding the time I will have spent at Seeing Sideways. I also learned a lot of interesting things from the 71 year old inventor; I might have to do some research further into his history.

The Altar Book

How will you change this book?








I have drawn an illustration within my "book" that, admittedly, will make more sense when explained in class, but it stands for my hatred of ignorance, stupidity and blind... hatred. Especially on the internet, where such things are in abundance, which is why I have used an online game package to represent my resentment for the world of anonymous online hatred and idiocy.


How will this book change you?

It will hopefully allow me to take a look into the views of others regarding this peeve of mine. I won't come into class looking like a grump though; I do plan on being affable and the project is a positively-themed one. I'm not really sure how the book will change me, though. I guess I'll have to present it in class to fully find out.

The Book itself

This book is a symbol that represents my desire to attack hatred and stupidity regarding anonymous internet users, as explained above.

The box is a World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King box that has been cut open in the back. I have illustrated a picture of two swords striking down an evil sword (sounds strange, doesn't it?). I'll show and explain the project in class, but I currently cannot post an image to my blog, and I don't really want to post an image yet until the class takes the opportunity to write their names down in the book! Think of it as a declaration against the evils of blind internet hatred (and blind hatred in general, really) with the signatures of supporters coating the inside of the box. When I look back at my box, I'll see all these signatures and think of my classmates, intelligent and true (hopefully! :P )
The students are also not required to sign the box, of course.

"Altared" Idea Browsing

How similar were other students' ideas to each other?

There were so many ideas in each blog that I didn't know how to comprehend them all, but on occasion I did see an idea mirror another.

How similar were other students' ideas to your own?

The (few) ideas that I posted in my blog didn't seem terribly unusual or unique compared to the other students, but I think everybody's lists stood out in their own ways. I must admit that some of them were quite thought provoking...

What stood out to you?

I don't feel comfortable directly referencing specific ideas, but one involving tape and public anxiety caught my attention. I thought it was a rather interesting entry, and I wish I'd thought of it, even if it wouldn't have worked for my book (my book isn't actually a book, so much as it is a package).

 What is the purpose of looking at each others' posts?

It's good to look through the eyes of different minds for ideas; it gives you a glimpse into how some people might take the same project and go about it differently, even during the conceptual development stage. Unfortunately, my ideas only spanned about 15 lines, but I have my own way of going about things creatively, and I had a difficult time trying to come up with even the most trivial applications for my project. You might imagine my surprise when I see everybody else's fantastic ideas, ideas I would have never thought of  on my own! I'm also curious if anybody found my ideas particularly interesting.

Transformation

What is your opinion of combining technology and the human body as she did in the video?

I think it's cool! In all honesty though, I don't believe that there's anything wrong or right about human augmentation to begin with. I think that human augmentation brings to mind some interesting opportunities, but technology is malleable and lacks connection to any moral standing; technology is neither inherently good or bad, rather the outcome of using technology is decided by the user's intentions. I believe technology can do just about anything given enough time and energy. I just question what the best course of action is.

What is your opinion of combining a media arts and science project with your own body?

 I'd probably like to be a cyborg, but it depends on what about me changes. The good things about me should not be changed much, or should be changed for the better, and even flaws should be considered: does this flaw help make me who I am? Human beings are often defined by their flaws; it's what makes us the characters that we are.

Of course, things are subject to experimentation. If I was given the opportunity to change my sex, race, physical build, or become a robot for a week, I'd probably accept, since I've always been one to try new things. However, I can't say that I'd gleefully jump at the chance for a permanent change. I'm most comfortable with who I am currently, and I know how my current body acts; I'm familiar with it. My body is very much a personal part of who I am.

3 Hours

I took my free time to draw and come up with ideas, as usual for me. It's one of my favorite ways to stay busy and happy. I also took advantage of surfing the web for fun's sake. I always welcome a break from the constant work, especially since this semester is more demanding than my previous one, and I don't get to sketch and draw as much anymore.

Not much more to say about this assignment, but I had fun!