That's a really good question to ponder on. Of course, my parents have helped me learn some things, most of the basic things. Then, everything from middle school till now has been learned through experience. But what about the things I couldn't learn? The things that I just know (or assume) to be true. Things that can't necessarily be explained through science or reasoning. For example, how do I know that doors are supposed to open? My parents never came up to me and said "Look Indigoe, it does this!"
I learned and know they open from seeing it open several times. Or for example, how do I know that people on TV shows are not behind the screen? I actually don't understand that whole technical process but I've known for forever that those people couldn't possibly be in my house. I guess you can say that's just common sense. The more I think about this question, the more confused I get about how exactly I know what I know. It's really hard for me to think about something that I wasn't taught or that I haven't experienced. That seems to be the only two ways in which I've learned what I know today. No one comes out the womb knowing information. We all learn and experience. Even for things that don't make sense or things that our parents go "Because!" to. I'm guessing since it's repeated to us over and over again and since the human race as whole pretty much follows these rules that we register it in our minds of common sense that this has to be right. Thus, we no longer question these things. I'm getting lost in my thoughts now.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Modern Day Socrates AND The Unexamined Life, worth living or not?
So I was thinking hard, really hard on who I know personally or on a fan base who could be considered a modern day Socrates and honestly, no one came to mind. I believe that we as a society today have had so much influence from people like Socrates that as an unit, we have come to ultimately behave similar to him. A lot of our shows today have satire in them and these shows have some of the highest rankings yet. We see these things in the media and feel confident enough to say what we want and stand behind it with confidence. We may not all be like Socrates in the sense that we necessarily try to make people see the truth but we do speak our minds regardless. Anyway, I found this example of how Howard Stern was a modern day Socrates because he is an atheist who speaks his mind about himself and his beliefs, he interviews anyone and everyone, asks them personal questions without remorse, and his audience is mainly young adults. I also found this example of Dalai Lama but he wasn't so modern. And that is how I came to a conclusion that we all have some type of Socrates in us. We may not be as influential as he nor do we try to get people to see their ignorance but behind our "jokes", we're trying to get a point across.
The Unexamined Life
I did further research on this quote to better understand it and I came across some interesting thoughts. I believe that with this quote Socrates was proving his point. The interpretation that I get out of this is if we automatically assume everything about life instead of trying to actually find out if there's more to it, then is it really worth it? Are you really living or are you following rules? I agree with this quote. If you don't do your own research and find out for yourself life's answers, then there is no purpose in living because the answers are provided. We have to experience life for ourselves, find our own purposes, make our own choices because being told what is right and wrong is not giving the human the ability to make choices of their own and discover LIFE on their own. The statement itself is interesting. Since the word examine can be interpreted in different ways, it gets people thinking, which is the point, but instead of trying to take their own meaning out of it, they go and asks someone what it means. It's unexamined.
So I was thinking hard, really hard on who I know personally or on a fan base who could be considered a modern day Socrates and honestly, no one came to mind. I believe that we as a society today have had so much influence from people like Socrates that as an unit, we have come to ultimately behave similar to him. A lot of our shows today have satire in them and these shows have some of the highest rankings yet. We see these things in the media and feel confident enough to say what we want and stand behind it with confidence. We may not all be like Socrates in the sense that we necessarily try to make people see the truth but we do speak our minds regardless. Anyway, I found this example of how Howard Stern was a modern day Socrates because he is an atheist who speaks his mind about himself and his beliefs, he interviews anyone and everyone, asks them personal questions without remorse, and his audience is mainly young adults. I also found this example of Dalai Lama but he wasn't so modern. And that is how I came to a conclusion that we all have some type of Socrates in us. We may not be as influential as he nor do we try to get people to see their ignorance but behind our "jokes", we're trying to get a point across.
The Unexamined Life
I did further research on this quote to better understand it and I came across some interesting thoughts. I believe that with this quote Socrates was proving his point. The interpretation that I get out of this is if we automatically assume everything about life instead of trying to actually find out if there's more to it, then is it really worth it? Are you really living or are you following rules? I agree with this quote. If you don't do your own research and find out for yourself life's answers, then there is no purpose in living because the answers are provided. We have to experience life for ourselves, find our own purposes, make our own choices because being told what is right and wrong is not giving the human the ability to make choices of their own and discover LIFE on their own. The statement itself is interesting. Since the word examine can be interpreted in different ways, it gets people thinking, which is the point, but instead of trying to take their own meaning out of it, they go and asks someone what it means. It's unexamined.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Eulogy
Indigoe Timms was born in San Diego, California and moved to Chicago when she was about 2 years old. She also goes by nicknames "Diggy" and "Indy" and reluctantly "Crayola" and "Blue." Indigoe is a very active person. She has been singing since the age of 3 and dancing and playing the piano since age 7. She is also a part of the Whitney Young Girl's Track Team but due to countless injuries may not be running this year. Indigoe is the oldest of 4 and the only girl so life for her is interesting. She plans on majoring in either Biology or Criminalistics (crime scene investigation.) Indigoe's favorite artists consist of: Nas. Alicia Keys, Birdy, Angus & Julian Stone, Lucia, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, and Ellie Goulding. Some of Indigoe's favorite dancers are Misty Copeland, Maureya Lebowitz, April Giangeruso, and Desmond Richardson. An interesting fact about her is that she hasn't grown since 7th grade. She still resides at the height of 4'11. Indigoe loves NYC and wouldn't mind living there any day. She also loves to smile and is very very very silly. Indigoe tries to live each day to the fullest despite bad attitudes, bad hair days, and bad food. You'll constantly hear her say "Tomorrow isn't promised" and "Let it go. Get it over it. It's not that serious." She hopes to enjoy her last year at Whitney Young and can not wait to graduate.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Tell-Tale Heart
Tell-Tale Heart, written by Edgar Allan Poe and published in the year of 1843, is a detailed story of one man's fear of another and how this leads into a murder. Or is it a murder? In this story, a man supposedly kills an older man because he does not like the older man's "Blue Vulture Eye." It takes the man 8 nights to finally attack the older man. He puts the older man under a bed and sufficates him to death. This is not enough. He begans to dissemble the older man's body and hides the pieces under the planks in the floor. A neighbor hears screams and calls the police. The police arrive at the door and ask if there is anything wrong. The man replies no and to make it seem totally normal, he invites the officers inside. The man gives the officers seats and places his on top of where the body is. This is where it gets interesting. The man claims he hears the old man's heart beating and it gets increasingly louder and louder. Keep in mind, the man is dead so how is it possible that his is beating. It isn't. I believe what the man is hearing or feeling is guilt. He's surprise that his lie is going so well and it's scaring him to the point that he THINKS the police are expceting something. If he is actually hearing a heart beat, it could be his own. His heartbeat is getting faster the more guilty he feels. After enough, he pulls up the boards of the floor and admits that he has killed this man. My confusion is on why this old man's eye bothered him so much to the point of death. This man has no clear case. At the court, his lawyer wouldn't be able to defend him because his reason for murdering this older was unlegit. There could have been a story behind this eye that the man was afraid of, who knows. The older man could have been his father and when he was younger, the eye might've scared him away from a relationship his father. This man is indeed crazy, as he continuously tries to persuade the reader that he is not. Even if this man were having a dream, the idea of muder and finding joy out of it is indeed psycho.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Short Story Draft
From pre-school until 4th grade, friends were the only thing that mattered to me. They were everywhere I was. At school, at the park, at birthday parties,everywhere.
I wouldn't know until I was 5 that I met my bestfriend in pre-school at the age of 3. Our pre-school was about five blocks down the street from our houses, which
by the way were four houses apart from each other. I don't really know if it was by coincidence that we went to the same elementary school or if our parents planned
it because they knew how close we were. But before I went to pre-school, there was daycare. I kind of went to both at the same time, pre-school during the day
daycare in the afternoons while I waited on my aunt to get off work. I remember my daycare but not everywhere there. My babysitter's name was Ms. Winston.
In fact, she still lives in the same house. Ms. Winston was the best and she spoiled every one of us yet disciplined us all at the same time. Ms. Winston;s yard
was set up for fun. There were toys and toys and more toys scattered everywhere. My favorite toy was the small car that you could actually drive around. Yes, you were
suppose to drive the car but being a kid, you imagine alot. One day, I was playing with a friend with the car. I don't particulary remember what we were playing but
somehow I got on the roof of the car. From there, I thought it'd be fun to slide down the back of the car on my tummy. I put the thought into action. I slid down
the back of the car and my hands landed hard on the concrete. I didn't feel the pain until later. I was trying to crawl down the from the car but I noticed that only
one of my arms would support my weight, thus leading me crashing to the ground and feeling the pain for real now. I was clutching my arm and wailing while the Babysitter's
oldest daughter came outside to get me. Once I got inside, Ms. Winston gently tried to move my arm around but I wouldn't stop crying. She then told me that my arm was broken.
I guess she knew because her daughter had broken her arm before. Her daughter showed me her x-ray of when her arm was broken and I pretty much stopped crying at this point.
I'm going to assume Ms. Winston called my aunt and the ambulance. I don't really remember much after this besides sitting in the waiting room of the hospital trying to
convince my aunt that my arm wasn't broken because I was scared. Now we can move on to pre-school. Pre-school for me was a pre-face to high school to tell you the truth.
In pre-school I experienced bullying, the "cool crew" and conflicts with my bestfriend. There was this girl named Kate at my pre-school and she hated me. I don't know why
but she hated me. She could'nt stand my being. One incident I remember is during free-time, all the girls were sitting down on the carpet and Kate was picking people for what reason
I don't know. She said "I love everyone who's wearing the color pink." And I was. Then she looked at me and said "Not that kind of pink." I saw Kate a few years ago and I know she knew
who I was but she never said a word. Okay, time to fast forward to Elementary school. Can you believe I still talk to majority of the kids I went to Elementary school with?
Elementary school for me was for the most part really fun. It was located about three blocks from my house but I still wasn't allowed to walk to school. Not even in fourth grade.
I laugh about the things that happened in elementary school but meant so much to me then. For example, in second grade, my class was outside on the playground. I was hanging on the monkey
bars doing nothing. Literally just hanging from my arms. All of a sudden my friend Kevin comes running by and he runs and keeps running and trips into the wall. He burst his lip. After that,
recess was over. When we got inside, I heard alot of talk about the accident. Then I heard my name. Someone came up to me and asked why I had kicked Kevin into the wall. I was shocked and speechless.
How was it possible that I had kicked him from where I was. I couldn't wait for Kevin to get back to clear my name. Elementary school was where I started running. Everyday in recess, my
bestfriend and I when play "boys chase girls" with Kevin and his bestfriend Keith. We would run until the other two caught us and reverse the process. We also played what me and my bestfriend called
"bunched up slide." It was when everyone all slid down the the big spiral slide at the same time and we all got jammed and flipped over each other. Honestly, I would still play it today. It might sound
really dangerous, but, well it was. Elementary school was also where my bestfriend and I pretended to be sick and also caused ourselves to be sick. We didn't want to be at school so we decied to fake
temperatures. Well we went to the nurse and I ended having a temperature of a hundred. My first sleepover was during elementary school and the girl who had it lived right next door to me so I felt
cool. I was able to "walk" to her house. She had just moved and to make friends, she held a sleepover. She was a grade older than me but then things like that didn't matter. The sleepover was
exactly what it was in movies. We played games in the living room, told scary stories, and watched Bring It On in her bunk bed while eating popcorn. It was the best.
I wouldn't know until I was 5 that I met my bestfriend in pre-school at the age of 3. Our pre-school was about five blocks down the street from our houses, which
by the way were four houses apart from each other. I don't really know if it was by coincidence that we went to the same elementary school or if our parents planned
it because they knew how close we were. But before I went to pre-school, there was daycare. I kind of went to both at the same time, pre-school during the day
daycare in the afternoons while I waited on my aunt to get off work. I remember my daycare but not everywhere there. My babysitter's name was Ms. Winston.
In fact, she still lives in the same house. Ms. Winston was the best and she spoiled every one of us yet disciplined us all at the same time. Ms. Winston;s yard
was set up for fun. There were toys and toys and more toys scattered everywhere. My favorite toy was the small car that you could actually drive around. Yes, you were
suppose to drive the car but being a kid, you imagine alot. One day, I was playing with a friend with the car. I don't particulary remember what we were playing but
somehow I got on the roof of the car. From there, I thought it'd be fun to slide down the back of the car on my tummy. I put the thought into action. I slid down
the back of the car and my hands landed hard on the concrete. I didn't feel the pain until later. I was trying to crawl down the from the car but I noticed that only
one of my arms would support my weight, thus leading me crashing to the ground and feeling the pain for real now. I was clutching my arm and wailing while the Babysitter's
oldest daughter came outside to get me. Once I got inside, Ms. Winston gently tried to move my arm around but I wouldn't stop crying. She then told me that my arm was broken.
I guess she knew because her daughter had broken her arm before. Her daughter showed me her x-ray of when her arm was broken and I pretty much stopped crying at this point.
I'm going to assume Ms. Winston called my aunt and the ambulance. I don't really remember much after this besides sitting in the waiting room of the hospital trying to
convince my aunt that my arm wasn't broken because I was scared. Now we can move on to pre-school. Pre-school for me was a pre-face to high school to tell you the truth.
In pre-school I experienced bullying, the "cool crew" and conflicts with my bestfriend. There was this girl named Kate at my pre-school and she hated me. I don't know why
but she hated me. She could'nt stand my being. One incident I remember is during free-time, all the girls were sitting down on the carpet and Kate was picking people for what reason
I don't know. She said "I love everyone who's wearing the color pink." And I was. Then she looked at me and said "Not that kind of pink." I saw Kate a few years ago and I know she knew
who I was but she never said a word. Okay, time to fast forward to Elementary school. Can you believe I still talk to majority of the kids I went to Elementary school with?
Elementary school for me was for the most part really fun. It was located about three blocks from my house but I still wasn't allowed to walk to school. Not even in fourth grade.
I laugh about the things that happened in elementary school but meant so much to me then. For example, in second grade, my class was outside on the playground. I was hanging on the monkey
bars doing nothing. Literally just hanging from my arms. All of a sudden my friend Kevin comes running by and he runs and keeps running and trips into the wall. He burst his lip. After that,
recess was over. When we got inside, I heard alot of talk about the accident. Then I heard my name. Someone came up to me and asked why I had kicked Kevin into the wall. I was shocked and speechless.
How was it possible that I had kicked him from where I was. I couldn't wait for Kevin to get back to clear my name. Elementary school was where I started running. Everyday in recess, my
bestfriend and I when play "boys chase girls" with Kevin and his bestfriend Keith. We would run until the other two caught us and reverse the process. We also played what me and my bestfriend called
"bunched up slide." It was when everyone all slid down the the big spiral slide at the same time and we all got jammed and flipped over each other. Honestly, I would still play it today. It might sound
really dangerous, but, well it was. Elementary school was also where my bestfriend and I pretended to be sick and also caused ourselves to be sick. We didn't want to be at school so we decied to fake
temperatures. Well we went to the nurse and I ended having a temperature of a hundred. My first sleepover was during elementary school and the girl who had it lived right next door to me so I felt
cool. I was able to "walk" to her house. She had just moved and to make friends, she held a sleepover. She was a grade older than me but then things like that didn't matter. The sleepover was
exactly what it was in movies. We played games in the living room, told scary stories, and watched Bring It On in her bunk bed while eating popcorn. It was the best.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
The Dance!
For my song analysis, I chose The Dance by Charlotte Martin. I first heard this song when GnD did a dance to it and now it's one of my favorite songs. I never really paid attention to the lyrics except the chorus but when we had to do this assignment, I realized how much of the songs I truly don't understand. Hopefully, I can get somewhere with this blog.
The first verse of the song is:
Inside my mouth I can hear all the voices say,
"Do not lean over the ledge"
I shouldn't look down and I shouldn't have found
That your lips I still taste in my headFirst off, I think it's weird how the artist uses opposite senses to describe opposite senses. Inside my mouth I can hear and your lips I still taste in my head. If the voice were inside of her mouth, I can sort of assume that it might be herself telling her no. The ledge could be anything at this point but since the artist mentions the term lips, I am going to assume that this is a relationship of some sort. So the ledge that she is referring to could flashbacks or her reminiscing on her past, hence "STILL taste in my head", as if she can't get rid of it.
The next verse goes:
Raising my glass to the head of the class
As she powers out steps one through ten
I think I'll be fine if I'm covered in wine
I still hate you and love you again
And see you again
And see you againThis verse has me really confused. She is raising her class to the head of the class. Who is the head of the class and she's powering out steps one through ten for what? Is the artist in school? Is she graduating?
She goes on to say "I think I'll be fine if I'm covered in wine." So as long as she is intoxicated or drunk she won't remember anything that invovles the "ledge." The last line is pretty self-explanatory. Pretty much, she has mixed emotions. She still sees this person again. I don't know if it's against her will or not. The verse all in all sounds like she might be at a party and she sees this guy again and her emotions start to come back.
The next verse:
Weary and worn
Little monster is born
Tell me lies and I'll justify them
I'm desperate today and it's making me pay
For that night, for that kiss, for your bed
Okay so just by reading this verse it kind of sounds like she might of had a child and she regrets but I don't think that fits into this setting. The the little monster could be rumors going around about her and this guy which is why she might be regretting "that night, that kiss, that bed." She also says she'll justify the lies. To justify means to clarify so whatever happened apparently is true.
Next:
Whoever dared to love someone not there
I don't need a balloon and a pin
The name of the game is outrunning the blame
So I hate and love you
We're friends
we'll be friends
I guess we'll be friendsSo maybe this person she was in a relationship with didn't feel the same about her. The balloon and the pin could've been the fact that she gave it her all and when she found out this person wasn't, it ruined her relationship or in other words "popped the balloon." Once again, we get this feel that something bad happened between her and this person as she says "The name of the game is outrunning the blame." Something happened and neither one of them want to be the blame for that something. She again says that she hates and loves this person and all they can be is friends.
Next is the chorus:
Oh why (why)
Can't (can't)
You take me in your arms now?
Why (why)
Can't (can't)
You take me?
Why (why)
Can't (can't)
You take me in your arms now?
Why (why)
Can't (can't)
You take me?
She's wondering why their relationship won't work and why they can only be friends. The act of taking her in his arms relates to the title "The Dance" where in dance the male escorts the female and they often are intwined.
The finally verse is:
Better stop crying, hello and goodbying
Go on through me, slip on through my hands
You get your time and the other half's mine
It's okay, this love weighs fifty men
It's okay, this love weighs fifty men
It's okay, this love weighs fifty menSo we have another opposite comparison here. At first it was love and hate and now its hello and goodbye. This verse is kind of like her acceptance to the relationship and how imperfect it is. She tells her partner to slip through her hands. When something slips through your hands, it's like you couldn't grab it becasue you weren't quick enough. So perhaps she didn't take chances she was given. "You get your time and the other half's mine" basically is saying here I am, what do you want. She's saying you know, I have to slowly slip away from this. We can chill for a little while but then I have to do. But you'll be fine because our love is strong, it weighs fifty men so me not being with you all the time shouldn't hurt you.
The song then goes back into the chorus twice more and then it ends with an
Ahh Ahh Amen
Ahh Ahh Amen
Ahh Ahh Amen
Amen.
I don't think the song was meant to be religious. This could just be a prayer or it could a plead for a change or a release from this struggle.
All in all, I believe the song is about a relationship that has this girl confused on how she feels about this guy. The confusion she goes through is considered a dance because when you dance, you're constantly moving, just like her heart.
The first verse of the song is:
Inside my mouth I can hear all the voices say,
"Do not lean over the ledge"
I shouldn't look down and I shouldn't have found
That your lips I still taste in my headFirst off, I think it's weird how the artist uses opposite senses to describe opposite senses. Inside my mouth I can hear and your lips I still taste in my head. If the voice were inside of her mouth, I can sort of assume that it might be herself telling her no. The ledge could be anything at this point but since the artist mentions the term lips, I am going to assume that this is a relationship of some sort. So the ledge that she is referring to could flashbacks or her reminiscing on her past, hence "STILL taste in my head", as if she can't get rid of it.
The next verse goes:
Raising my glass to the head of the class
As she powers out steps one through ten
I think I'll be fine if I'm covered in wine
I still hate you and love you again
And see you again
And see you againThis verse has me really confused. She is raising her class to the head of the class. Who is the head of the class and she's powering out steps one through ten for what? Is the artist in school? Is she graduating?
She goes on to say "I think I'll be fine if I'm covered in wine." So as long as she is intoxicated or drunk she won't remember anything that invovles the "ledge." The last line is pretty self-explanatory. Pretty much, she has mixed emotions. She still sees this person again. I don't know if it's against her will or not. The verse all in all sounds like she might be at a party and she sees this guy again and her emotions start to come back.
The next verse:
Weary and worn
Little monster is born
Tell me lies and I'll justify them
I'm desperate today and it's making me pay
For that night, for that kiss, for your bed
Okay so just by reading this verse it kind of sounds like she might of had a child and she regrets but I don't think that fits into this setting. The the little monster could be rumors going around about her and this guy which is why she might be regretting "that night, that kiss, that bed." She also says she'll justify the lies. To justify means to clarify so whatever happened apparently is true.
Next:
Whoever dared to love someone not there
I don't need a balloon and a pin
The name of the game is outrunning the blame
So I hate and love you
We're friends
we'll be friends
I guess we'll be friendsSo maybe this person she was in a relationship with didn't feel the same about her. The balloon and the pin could've been the fact that she gave it her all and when she found out this person wasn't, it ruined her relationship or in other words "popped the balloon." Once again, we get this feel that something bad happened between her and this person as she says "The name of the game is outrunning the blame." Something happened and neither one of them want to be the blame for that something. She again says that she hates and loves this person and all they can be is friends.
Next is the chorus:
Oh why (why)
Can't (can't)
You take me in your arms now?
Why (why)
Can't (can't)
You take me?
Why (why)
Can't (can't)
You take me in your arms now?
Why (why)
Can't (can't)
You take me?
She's wondering why their relationship won't work and why they can only be friends. The act of taking her in his arms relates to the title "The Dance" where in dance the male escorts the female and they often are intwined.
The finally verse is:
Better stop crying, hello and goodbying
Go on through me, slip on through my hands
You get your time and the other half's mine
It's okay, this love weighs fifty men
It's okay, this love weighs fifty men
It's okay, this love weighs fifty menSo we have another opposite comparison here. At first it was love and hate and now its hello and goodbye. This verse is kind of like her acceptance to the relationship and how imperfect it is. She tells her partner to slip through her hands. When something slips through your hands, it's like you couldn't grab it becasue you weren't quick enough. So perhaps she didn't take chances she was given. "You get your time and the other half's mine" basically is saying here I am, what do you want. She's saying you know, I have to slowly slip away from this. We can chill for a little while but then I have to do. But you'll be fine because our love is strong, it weighs fifty men so me not being with you all the time shouldn't hurt you.
The song then goes back into the chorus twice more and then it ends with an
Ahh Ahh Amen
Ahh Ahh Amen
Ahh Ahh Amen
Amen.
I don't think the song was meant to be religious. This could just be a prayer or it could a plead for a change or a release from this struggle.
All in all, I believe the song is about a relationship that has this girl confused on how she feels about this guy. The confusion she goes through is considered a dance because when you dance, you're constantly moving, just like her heart.
Friday, March 25, 2011
On The Reservation
Montana 1948...On the reservation. Without thinking of the book, the first thing I think about when I hear that phrase is pioneering. It reminds me of the beginning of a new town with tippees and such. I don't particularly think I'd enjoy living on a reservation only because I live in the century I'm living in now. It is definetely a downgrade. Sleeping on dirt, no indoor plumbing, and lots of hard work has been played out for a long time now. Of course if I lived there then I would find it rather cool that I am able to live on this new found land and start my own life there. It's interests me to know that almost every town now started off as a "reservation." With every year, we built more and more until we got here. So in a sense, my grandchildren might look back at my time and see my enviroment as a reservation.
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