Sunday, April 1, 2007
Post # 11
Colors of the photograph are forest green, ground brown, dark brown, grey, black, and little bit of white. The forest background has a kind of hazy scene comparing to the three characters in the center, three girls have clear and detailed expressions and motions. Although those expressions and motions are personal, however, there is still a common on each one of them—fear. As three young and inexperienced kids, the fear by the unsure surrounding environment is perfectly logical and reasonable. Also, this is what I realized as a viewer, first time seen this photograph. Furthermore, the three characters are big but also small. They are at the center of the photograph, comparing with how the artist shoots the focal point, they are big, it’s because they are the main point of the photograph; comparing with the forest, three innocent characters are small, it’s because they are unsecured and helpless. The contrast can be the dark color (the forest) with the bright color (their clothing and light beam). From the characters expressions, if you look at them carefully, you even can find some imprints of their personalities. The direction of the light also represents where the fear comes from, also the light has brought up the main point of the photograph，also it has highlighted and set off the characters and core idea of the photograph. The strong scene of the unsecured and helpless feelings, as a powerless and innocent kid has brought up the persuasive statement of this entire photograph. This work doesn’t have many decorations to set off; however, it gives us a strong feeling of curiosity to imagine what is happening to the three girls. Therefore, it makes us to think about ourselves as a human being who is living in a modern world.
Post # 10
There are three innocent girls are inside of the dark forest alone, helpless and lonely. They have been lost in this huge deep forest. They are regret about what they have done, and even realized they shouldn’t escape from their orphanage. Although they were so curious about the outside life, but at least they were safe inside there. Bare feet step on the withered leaves and branches, hard and sharp points have injured their feet. They don’t know what’s going to happen to them; therefore they don’t even know how to surmount difficulties and dangers. There was the sound of light footsteps behind them. “What was that?” they stopped going forward, holding each other tightly. Fears are filled up every part of their bodies. They are afraid to look back, Lisa’s head is turned at the half way, she clutches her hands on Jacob’s arm. Lia is standing in the middle between Lisa and Jacob, she is shaking, even scared to raise her head up. Jacob is always the bravest girl in this little group, she probes her head to the right，moves her body forward and tries to get closer to the unsure object. She can feel Lia and Lisa’s shaking bodies. Although she is uncertain what that was, but she knows she has to calm them down, no matter what is going to happen, three of them still have to face it.
Post # 9
The Artist of this photograph is Polixeni Papapetrou, it was published in 2006. 40 * 40 inches pigment print. It’s named “By the Yarra”. There are three girls in the center of the picture; they have represented the meaning of it. As the main characters of this work, they have caught audience’s attention. It has wide, dark, and gloomy green forest as the background. Not far from them, withered branches are still hanging on the trees. Under their bare feet, there were brown withered leaves and dried grass. The light beam is coming from the only direction which is toward their faces; it has light up their expression—innocent, but filled with fear and dread. They are holding each other tightly. The tallest girl has clutched her hands on another girl’s arm. The girl beside her is almost cry, half of her face is covered with the messy hair. Two of them are even scared to look at what is behind them, another one, which is standing at the opposite direction, she is looking forward carefully. The color of their clothing has a strong contrast with color of the forest background. Two girls have kind of grey brown color; another one is like coffee brown. They have same kind of hair color; in addition all of their hair is spread out on their shoulders.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Reflective essay-Treasure Our Lives
If it has not happened, I would never realize what the unfortunate illness would change a family’s life. “Your dad had heart attack, fortunately he was sent to hospital soon enough that the thrombus hasn’t been through his heart.”
That was what the doctor had told us when the first time I had heard something about the unfamiliar words “heart attack”. The terrible, irritate hospital smell was popped up from my childhood memory. It has been a place that I was used be so afraid of.
Dad was lying in the hospital bed. Needle of the drip was stabbing deeply in his blood vessel. A green dot was jumping on the screen irregularly. My sister asked me what that was, I told her it’s connected to dad’s heart. She started crying, dad was trying to move his arm to hug my sister, but he couldn’t. Maybe she didn’t understand what was going on, but I knew, the expression didn’t belong to dad, ashamed and weak. “Dad...dad....” all the words had lost, I even forgot to coax my sister for stop crying. Tears started running at the moment I saw my dad after his first heart surgery.
Especially my mom, she couldn’t get any good sleep in those days when my dad was in the hospital. She called my uncle almost everyday who is a traditional Chinese physician. Although those things my uncle had told her weren’t all helpful for my dad’s situation, she still tried to find the ways to make things better.
“cholesterol 25......” “No, we can’t buy it because there is too much cholesterol; you know it’s not good for your dad.”
“Fat 46....” “No, not this one, your dad should be on diet. So do us. Well, I think we can take this one, see, sugar and fat free.....”
Buying food with mom is one of the things that started giving me headache. Diet coke tastes weird; broccoli, carrots, and lettuce are the things my mom must buy when she goes to market. Especially with dad, he quit buying the ice cream that he used to get for us. $89.00, dad asked me to pick up his medicine at pharmacy for quit smoking, which was used to spend on his “Marlboro”. Mrs. Liu just mailed us a new health insurance plan; mom and dad would start spending so much more on insurance instead of other things.
The year after my dad had heart attack, I stay home with my sister for most of the time. It was because mom has to work extra hours after we received the bill from hospital. There was no more jokes could hear from dad every night at dinner time, my sister felt asleep in my arm while waiting for mom gets home. I felt I got more responsibilities than any other time in my life. Shadow of the illness started to influence our family, furthermore everything has turned out to be so unfamiliar than what I’ve known.
I still cannot figure out what the flowers call that mom always buys, their stems are long and thick, and all flowers are showing their expressions with the colorful petals, full of vitality. Mom has told me once it can bring us a better mood that well balanced. There is a plant hanging on the ceiling, by my mom’s meticulously care, green large leaves have even grew out from the flowerpot. She bought it from one of the Chinese market; they told her it can produce oxygen, better to have it in the house, although I still can’t feel any changes that the plant has brought us. Sometimes leaves falling off from up there, it becomes my job to clean them off from carpet. Be healthier, that’s what mom wants our lives to be, eat healthier, live healthier.
Dad was a softball coach when he was young; he always tells us he wants my sister to become a softball player when she grows up. In the summer, he spends most of the free time with her in the backyard; although my sister is only six, but she can catch almost all balls that dad throws to her. At that moment, the relieve smile appears on dad’s face. It’s fun to watch you play with dad, but mom usually stands behind and yelling to dad “be careful” or “don’t run too fast”. At that time, I think my sister switched the role with dad; mom cares about dad like a six-year old, afraid of any injury.
Dad has become oversensitive about me. The grades I make in college, even the friends I hang around with. I still remember that night I came home late, that was the first time dad got mad at me because I told him I will be home by 2 o’clock, but actually I came home at 3. I knew he was just worried about my safety at the late night, although I just went to an old friend’s birthday party. “You should be careful, what about if your car broke down on the street at this late night? Dad can’t together with you forever......” forever, this is the word always promotes my tears. I have never thought about the life without dad, or even only imagine it. “Can’t together with me forever.....” all my vessels were tight together, “what would the life be if without dad....”
Lives are precious, but no one knows what would happen tomorrow. “Take serious about your life; be grateful for having a health happy life.” That’s what we realized after dad’s heart attack.
Dad is planning to have a trip to Georgia in the summer, everyone gets so excited, that’s something we haven’t done long time since then. “We should enjoy our lives.” That’s what dad always says.
That was what the doctor had told us when the first time I had heard something about the unfamiliar words “heart attack”. The terrible, irritate hospital smell was popped up from my childhood memory. It has been a place that I was used be so afraid of.
Dad was lying in the hospital bed. Needle of the drip was stabbing deeply in his blood vessel. A green dot was jumping on the screen irregularly. My sister asked me what that was, I told her it’s connected to dad’s heart. She started crying, dad was trying to move his arm to hug my sister, but he couldn’t. Maybe she didn’t understand what was going on, but I knew, the expression didn’t belong to dad, ashamed and weak. “Dad...dad....” all the words had lost, I even forgot to coax my sister for stop crying. Tears started running at the moment I saw my dad after his first heart surgery.
Especially my mom, she couldn’t get any good sleep in those days when my dad was in the hospital. She called my uncle almost everyday who is a traditional Chinese physician. Although those things my uncle had told her weren’t all helpful for my dad’s situation, she still tried to find the ways to make things better.
“cholesterol 25......” “No, we can’t buy it because there is too much cholesterol; you know it’s not good for your dad.”
“Fat 46....” “No, not this one, your dad should be on diet. So do us. Well, I think we can take this one, see, sugar and fat free.....”
Buying food with mom is one of the things that started giving me headache. Diet coke tastes weird; broccoli, carrots, and lettuce are the things my mom must buy when she goes to market. Especially with dad, he quit buying the ice cream that he used to get for us. $89.00, dad asked me to pick up his medicine at pharmacy for quit smoking, which was used to spend on his “Marlboro”. Mrs. Liu just mailed us a new health insurance plan; mom and dad would start spending so much more on insurance instead of other things.
The year after my dad had heart attack, I stay home with my sister for most of the time. It was because mom has to work extra hours after we received the bill from hospital. There was no more jokes could hear from dad every night at dinner time, my sister felt asleep in my arm while waiting for mom gets home. I felt I got more responsibilities than any other time in my life. Shadow of the illness started to influence our family, furthermore everything has turned out to be so unfamiliar than what I’ve known.
I still cannot figure out what the flowers call that mom always buys, their stems are long and thick, and all flowers are showing their expressions with the colorful petals, full of vitality. Mom has told me once it can bring us a better mood that well balanced. There is a plant hanging on the ceiling, by my mom’s meticulously care, green large leaves have even grew out from the flowerpot. She bought it from one of the Chinese market; they told her it can produce oxygen, better to have it in the house, although I still can’t feel any changes that the plant has brought us. Sometimes leaves falling off from up there, it becomes my job to clean them off from carpet. Be healthier, that’s what mom wants our lives to be, eat healthier, live healthier.
Dad was a softball coach when he was young; he always tells us he wants my sister to become a softball player when she grows up. In the summer, he spends most of the free time with her in the backyard; although my sister is only six, but she can catch almost all balls that dad throws to her. At that moment, the relieve smile appears on dad’s face. It’s fun to watch you play with dad, but mom usually stands behind and yelling to dad “be careful” or “don’t run too fast”. At that time, I think my sister switched the role with dad; mom cares about dad like a six-year old, afraid of any injury.
Dad has become oversensitive about me. The grades I make in college, even the friends I hang around with. I still remember that night I came home late, that was the first time dad got mad at me because I told him I will be home by 2 o’clock, but actually I came home at 3. I knew he was just worried about my safety at the late night, although I just went to an old friend’s birthday party. “You should be careful, what about if your car broke down on the street at this late night? Dad can’t together with you forever......” forever, this is the word always promotes my tears. I have never thought about the life without dad, or even only imagine it. “Can’t together with me forever.....” all my vessels were tight together, “what would the life be if without dad....”
Lives are precious, but no one knows what would happen tomorrow. “Take serious about your life; be grateful for having a health happy life.” That’s what we realized after dad’s heart attack.
Dad is planning to have a trip to Georgia in the summer, everyone gets so excited, that’s something we haven’t done long time since then. “We should enjoy our lives.” That’s what dad always says.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
post #8
I have been studying Japanese as my third language for two years. Since my junior year high school, Japanese class was become my foreign language class. I have learned lots of interesting things by the time I get into deeper about Japanese Language, tradition, culture. I have discovered at some ways, Japan and China have a lot of things in common, such as their holidays, traditional celebrations, religion, etc. It really gives me the interests of learning Japanese.
Comparing the differences between China and Japan is one thing I like to do while I’m learning Japanese, in the way of technique, education, civilization, and history to determine what we should draw on from them. Learning Japanese is not only to get to know about Japan, but also a method to find out the achievements and history of such a great country.
During WW II, Japan surrendered to China as a defeated nation. Since then, China and Japan have stood at two opposite side of the world. When I was in China, I used to resist all kinds of productions that imported from Japan, however, after I get to know about Japan, I found out there are many positive things that I didn’t know about the relationship between China and Japan, this is also one of the benefits that I’ve got since I started taking Japanese class.
There is some basic knowledge about Japanese language:
There are 4 systems in the Japanese
Katakana
Hiragana
Kanji (Chinese)
Romaji
Also, there are some easy Japanese that I want to share:
Hello- Ko Ni Chi Wa
How are you? – Gin Ki De Su Ga?
I’m fine. – Gin Ki De Su Yo.
Good morning – O Hi Yo
Thank You- A Ri Ga Do
Good- Yi-De Su
Japan- Ni Hon
Japanese (person) – Ni Hon Jin
My name is..... – Watashi No Na mae Wa......De Su.
Click here to view Traditional Japanese Wedding ceremony.
Click here to view items related to Japanese culture.
Comparing the differences between China and Japan is one thing I like to do while I’m learning Japanese, in the way of technique, education, civilization, and history to determine what we should draw on from them. Learning Japanese is not only to get to know about Japan, but also a method to find out the achievements and history of such a great country.
During WW II, Japan surrendered to China as a defeated nation. Since then, China and Japan have stood at two opposite side of the world. When I was in China, I used to resist all kinds of productions that imported from Japan, however, after I get to know about Japan, I found out there are many positive things that I didn’t know about the relationship between China and Japan, this is also one of the benefits that I’ve got since I started taking Japanese class.
There is some basic knowledge about Japanese language:
There are 4 systems in the Japanese
Katakana
Hiragana
Kanji (Chinese)
Romaji
Also, there are some easy Japanese that I want to share:
Hello- Ko Ni Chi Wa
How are you? – Gin Ki De Su Ga?
I’m fine. – Gin Ki De Su Yo.
Good morning – O Hi Yo
Thank You- A Ri Ga Do
Good- Yi-De Su
Japan- Ni Hon
Japanese (person) – Ni Hon Jin
My name is..... – Watashi No Na mae Wa......De Su.
Click here to view Traditional Japanese Wedding ceremony.
Click here to view items related to Japanese culture.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
post #7
This is the photograph which was published by famous Chinese photographer Xie Hailong in 1991. It was named “Big Eyes”. Also, it has been used for “Project Hope Education” (China Youth Development Foundation) as an official propaganda picture poster. It gives us a powerful sense of their living condition and academic environment. It is a spotlight of the students who want to go to school, but unfortunately are not able to afford it. A pair of big eyes gives us a strong feeling for them. The sight and the entire picture have brought us to a world which we have never got touched. A little hand is holding a pencil; an old book is under her hand. From the background of the picture, you probably can see what kind of studying environment they had, there is no TV; there is no heater; there is even no electricity or running water. A dark，run-down classroom with some old disreputable desks. A few tattered books are not even enough for everyone. Most of the time, they don’t even have pencils or papers to write on. That’s all they have for class. But the hope of going to school has not decreased, they want to read, they want to write, they want to be a person who can understand the world, they want to get to know the world. “We need help”. That’s what the pair of eyes has been telling us.Post #6
The New York Times is one of the most famous public propagates in the nation, especially considering with “New York”, one of the most famous cities with lights turned on all night. I think “The New York Times”blog-Screens is a good example to show the nation and the world what “New York” truly means, as well as New Yorkers daily life and local culture.
This particular blog has provided “The New York Times” into several different parts. Each one of them represents different contents under a particular title, such as “World”, “US”, “N.Y/ Region”, “Business”, “Technology”, “Science”, “Health”, “Sports”, “Opinion”, “Arts”, “Style”, “Travel”, “Jobs”, “Real Estate”, and “Autos”. From the macro world, then concentrates to people’s daily life.
White background color with dark blue or black context, everything looks simple and seems so dull. But all the article’s titles have caught my attention. This site is more considered with information, messages, and news by giving up the fancy decoration of the blog. The news has covered through different areas and levels on the site. For example, the “Arts”, I have discovered lots of interesting information on there. On the right top corner, there is a paragraph about “screens”. “With television and the Internet converging at last, who's going to watch all this here-goes-nothing online video? Everything from political propaganda videos to pseudo-candid celebrity rants seems to expect an audience. "Screens" will find, review and make sense of all those senseless new images: web video, viral video, user-driven video, custom interactive video, embedded video ads, web-based VOD, broadband television, diavlogs, vcasts, vlogs, video podcasts, mobisodes, webisodes, mashups and more.”
Those information give us a little background about their blog, gives readers (especially a new reader like me) some ideas about the blog. What is the blog about? Is there anything interesting that audience would expect to see?
Also, there is a spot that under the “screens” named “Popular Tags”, there are more than hundred tags are arranged in an alphabetical order, they have made for audience to find the information that they need much easier on this blog.
Like what the “screens” says, those articles are all attached with one or more short videos (most of them were copied from Youtube).
Considering with my own blog, “The New York Times” blog is much more popular of course, also it’s fun to visit. Also I think “The New York Times” blog is more like a blog which is belonged to a group or an organization, although my blog is more like a person as an individual. “The New York Times” is representing the ideas or opinions of the entire “The New York Times”, but my blog only has to response for myself (or the engl 1020 class).
However, there are lots of great things for me to draw on the experience of how to actually create an interesting blog, such as content choosing, images choosing, and video choosing.
This particular blog has provided “The New York Times” into several different parts. Each one of them represents different contents under a particular title, such as “World”, “US”, “N.Y/ Region”, “Business”, “Technology”, “Science”, “Health”, “Sports”, “Opinion”, “Arts”, “Style”, “Travel”, “Jobs”, “Real Estate”, and “Autos”. From the macro world, then concentrates to people’s daily life.
White background color with dark blue or black context, everything looks simple and seems so dull. But all the article’s titles have caught my attention. This site is more considered with information, messages, and news by giving up the fancy decoration of the blog. The news has covered through different areas and levels on the site. For example, the “Arts”, I have discovered lots of interesting information on there. On the right top corner, there is a paragraph about “screens”. “With television and the Internet converging at last, who's going to watch all this here-goes-nothing online video? Everything from political propaganda videos to pseudo-candid celebrity rants seems to expect an audience. "Screens" will find, review and make sense of all those senseless new images: web video, viral video, user-driven video, custom interactive video, embedded video ads, web-based VOD, broadband television, diavlogs, vcasts, vlogs, video podcasts, mobisodes, webisodes, mashups and more.”
Those information give us a little background about their blog, gives readers (especially a new reader like me) some ideas about the blog. What is the blog about? Is there anything interesting that audience would expect to see?
Also, there is a spot that under the “screens” named “Popular Tags”, there are more than hundred tags are arranged in an alphabetical order, they have made for audience to find the information that they need much easier on this blog.
Like what the “screens” says, those articles are all attached with one or more short videos (most of them were copied from Youtube).
Considering with my own blog, “The New York Times” blog is much more popular of course, also it’s fun to visit. Also I think “The New York Times” blog is more like a blog which is belonged to a group or an organization, although my blog is more like a person as an individual. “The New York Times” is representing the ideas or opinions of the entire “The New York Times”, but my blog only has to response for myself (or the engl 1020 class).
However, there are lots of great things for me to draw on the experience of how to actually create an interesting blog, such as content choosing, images choosing, and video choosing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
