calling all iMovie users

Thankfully I read Dave's message on my last post while I was still on campus Thursday and was able to find that my movie is in fact saved to the computer I had been working on last week in class! Being so low-tech and simply not thinking creatively enough all of the time, my first instinct was to panic. But, the thing is, now I have to go back to that computer to work on any editing. This means being there in the two hour window tomorrow in which there does not appear to be any classes held. Here's my problem -- I have attempted to use the iMovie lessons from iLife in the past three weeks, but neither time would open in the other computer lab in Old Main. Has anyone actually used this to make/edit their movie? Succcessfully at that? It seems as though most people were going to use some other variation of a movie maker program on their own computers. I don't have that option, but am super worried that getting it to work for the first time tomorrow is pushing it since I have no options if it doesn't work. Any advice from people who've used it, and can attest to it not being too difficult?!

disheartened

I just need to vent. I made a trip up to campus early specifically to work on my iMovie. I, like most of you, am rather unfamiliar with how to work with iMovie so I figured spending some extra time would allow me the chance to become comfortable with how to edit my footage. Well, the dvd that I burned my project onto in class on Tuesday cannot be opened on the computer. Apparently, something similar happened to Dawn as well. I cannot re-shoot any of what I did, since my camera is due back to the library today. How am I going to be able to edit it?

revamping ideas

I have struggled with my topic for my iMovie for the past week. I was between a few before finally settling on something that I think will turn out to be rather silly. My initial thought was to film my one-year-old nephew's first birthday party last week. I think this brainstorm had spun off from the text I'd been reading for our EDU class, Raising Cain. I thought that if I could take a look at the types of gender roles we assign children even at such a young age, it would make for a fairly interesting documentary of the start of little boys' roles. I was planning to focus on which types of gifts he was given and what he was expected to do with them. Well, once I went to the Cortland library last Tuesday night in hopes of taking out a camera, I was dismayed to find that I could not take one out right away. I needed to wait until I received an email verification. Seems odd to me, but oh well. Unfortunately, the birthday party was on Wednesday, and I was unable to scramble quickly enough to obtain a camera.
On to my next idea. Most of the people whom are close to me suggested that I do some sort of profile on my mother. I did consider it, but it just seemed too emotional. Then I thought that if I did a profile story on both my mother and my sister-in-law's mother (my older brother's mother-in-law) I could focus on the concept of survivors. You see, my mother suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm almost four years ago and my sister-in-law's mother has recently been battling breast cancer for the second time. They are both willing to discuss what they've been through, and various aspects of their journeys, but the more I thought about it, the idea just seemed to be too much. Perhaps too emotional, maybe I was afraid I would have a hard time with it, or that it would be difficult to watch. In hindsight, I probably could have filmed it gracefully, but some things are difficult to relive.
SO, all of this was a preface for the movie you will see in class today or next week. It is silly, and I enjoyed making it. It was more of a last resort idea, and I sure hope it is ok. I have no idea how it will turn out, but my fingers are crossed . . . .

in need of project feedback

What if I took the idea of the $100 laptop for all students in Libya and turned the research into a powerpoint presentation? What else could I do with this???? If I could turn my passion toward African issues into a substantial project for this class I would be a very happy girl!

with words we can kill; with words we can save

The title of this post is taken directlty from the words spoken by Paul Rusesabagina, the Rwandan hero I went to see at the Binghamton University Events Center Thursday evening. To my great excitement, Dr. DiCicco was willing to allow me to miss the Chaucer class in order to make it to the speech on time. For those of you whom have not yet seen the film 'Hotel Rwanda', I would say that you're missing out. Much of his speech reflected the film, which tells the story of Paul's experience as a hotel manager in Rwanda, during the time of the 1994 genocide between the Hutu and Tutsi tribes. He pointed out some of the inaccuracies of the film, although it sounded as though very few details were modified from the true account. He spoke of his experience as a father, husband and citizen who was willing to sacrifice everything he had in order to comply with the military and the rebels. He had to orchestrate a variety of negotiations in order to maintain food delivery as long as possible.

It's a provocative story in that you see the true desperation and hopelessness these people have felt for years, unable to comprehend why Americans and Europeans were so unwilling to step in and save these people from themselves. For the life of me, I cannot understand how this went on, given the fact that nearly a million people were killed in such a short time. Am I out of line to suggest that since there was no substantial gain for the U.S. (i.e. financial, oil) that there was no reason for us to get involved? Were these lives in some way not worth saving? Which brings me to my next question -- how much of this event has been incorporated into World History texts today? I remember being in ninth grade during 1996-97 and briefly hearing about this genocide via current events that were presented in class. But are high school students today being told of this? Do they learn that our country often does not help the people in this world from whom we have nothing to gain? I am sorry to be so spiteful right now, but I can't help it. I try not to get too political, especially in a forum such as this, but it is disheartening to think about all the things that could be done, and instead I read every day in the paper of the most recent victims in Iraq.

ANYWAY, at times it was difficult to understand Paul, so I noticed that I was not alone in leaning forward in an attempt to decipher his words. It was amazing to see this person who saved hundreds of people by housing them in a hotel that was rapidly losing resources standing right there on the gym floor at BU. Toward the end of his speech the floor was opened up to anyone wishing to ask questions. One woman wanted to know what we, as Americans, could do to help anyone in Africa, specifically the people in Darfur who are now living in conflict. In addition, she also wondered if people in some of these African countries even wanted us to visit. Paul's reponse was that any attempt we can make to help or visit is always greatly appreciated. (Of course, I was delighted to hear this!) Despite all that he has endured, he is not spiteful or angry. He appears to be a very pleasant man, grateful for the opportunity to share his story and to have been able to do all that he was capable of. What an inspiration!

Finally, on a side note I just want to ask if anyone happened to see Oprah last Friday, or has caught wind of the RED campaign founded by Bono (of U2) and Bobby Shriver. I haven't watched that show in years, but somehow I happened to catch a preview of it early Friday morning and knew that it was something worth taping. Basically, this campaign is designed to raise money for preventive and treatment HIV medications for people in Africa. I am not going to go on and on, but it really is worth checking out. http://redcampaign.org/ Several companies such as the gap, motorola, and apple are all involved, agreeing to donate a certain percentage of sales of their (RED) items to this organization. It's great!

guest speaker at BU

To anyone who has any interest in African affairs/issues, OR has seen the movie "Hotel Rwanda" -- the man who housed hundreds of refugees during the Hutu/Tutsi genocide in Rwanda is coming to Binghamton University to speak at 7:30 tomorrow night! check on the BU homepage for more info. I wish wish wish I could go, but attending a Chaucer class is much more important (sarcasm). I know that there are few people who live in the Binghamton area other than myself and Chrissy from our class, but I just figured I'd share this information anyway.

self-assessment of podcast

Despite the outcome of my podcast I feel that I learned a great deal during the process. I was very intimidated as I began working on it because I was utterly confused as to what my focus, or mood, was going to be. I knew that I was lacking inspiration. One afternoon a few weeks ago as I was sitting at my computer it dawned on me that there were two songs by the same artist, on the same album, which would be a perfect representation of my sentiments of the flat world. Finally, I felt inspired! I am glad to hear that some of the people who were able to listen to my podcast enjoyed my selection of songs because the lyrics (although written about a different subject) seemed to me an accurate reflection of my view of the flat world, and how it has come to be in my life.
I must say, though, that I struggled throughout much of the actual process of putting it together. I found that once I had a direction I was able to locate a variety of photos from flickr which I really loved. Unfortunately, upon saving them it seemed that there were perhaps copyright issues/restrictions of some sort on many of them, and once I attempted to place them in garage band they appeared as black squares, rather than the images I had saved. On my second and third tries I thought I had outsmarted the system, and found some of the same images from other image sites such as google, as well as turned to an alternate way of saving them. Upon compiling the entire podcast I found that some of those also appeared as black images. It was really disheartening for me. Although I know I am way behind the eight ball on not yet owning a digital camera (I swear that soon I will stop borrowing family members' cameras and purchase my own!), I thought that utilizing the images from the internet would work just as well. Actually, even better. The images I had found were directly related to the words I spoke and the lyrics sung in my podcast. To top it all off, I finally was able to lock down some images that were in color and appeared in garage band just as I had initially seen them, and it turns out that no one was able to view them!! I do not know what the problem was. I felt so technologically inept that I also did not even know how to go about finding a remedy for the problem last week when my 'peer reviewers' told me all they could access was the sound component. I am very disappointed, especially since I was proud of it in the end. Despite the problems I'd had with locking down images, I thought the ones I'd chosen were great. They represented my reluctance to embrace the advancement in technology which has infiltrated my life in so many ways, and finally they represented my willingness to accept these changes as I have felt practically forced into it. I feel that this project has enabled me to think more openly about things which I have in the past brushed aside. Even though there were several complications for me, I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to bring to light all of these issues now, while I am still learning.

a dream on hold . . . . for now

As per requests (and yes, I have officially spent WAY TOO MUCH time blogging this evening!!), here is a rundown of my brainstorm of the summer . . . . around sometime in June I realized how inadequate I felt as I was approaching my 25th birthday later in the summer. I felt as though there was nothing that I had accomplished or experienced that I actually felt proud of. I had not really published anything, which I had dreamt of doing throughout much of my youth and adolescence, and I was/am STILL working toward a career/fulfilling a passion, and lastly - I had not traveled anywhere. Of course, I was being overly dramatic, but for some reason I was just dreading that age, and the realization of having accomplished so much less than I thought I would have at that point. ANYWAY (yes, I am allowing myself to babble on my own blog!), I was inspired by a special I saw on tv regarding orphanages in Africa, as well as the high number of children who end up there due to the AIDS crisis which captures the lives of so many people in general, not to mention parents. To make a long story even longer, there was some feeling that came over me after having watched that which I have not been able to shake since. I realized that it was not just a fleeting response to what I'd seen; I wanted to go there. I wanted to go to Africa, any country there really, and I wanted to spend my time around those children, those people. It is funny because for years I've always thought that the first place I would venture to would be somewhere in Europe.
I instantly began searching online and asking my travel saavy friends, one in particular, for any ideas of programs and funding available. I knew that I didn't necessarily want to study or work there, but rather volunteer and devote my time and really all of myself. I guess in a way this sounds like a really selfish venture, but I'm not really doing this for the experience as much as I am positive that I have something to offer. After several unsuccessful attempts at locating a program that I was interested in, I found one that would allow me to volunteer from anywhere between 2 weeks and a year (or longer, if need be). And it was affordable. Oh, I left out another part to this story --- the first few programs I pursued were exceedingly expensive, and so I went on this wild goose chase for grant opportunities in these foundation directories at the public library. I spent several hours there over a few weeks, realizing that in order to obtain outside funding for such a dream would take an exorbitant amount of time and persuasion on my part, all the while guaranteeing nothing. So it was a relief when I came across this organization that seemed to be something I could really save for. I had done some research and decided I wanted to head to Ghana or Kenya. Since the latter of the two would allow me to volunteer in a school during the time I'd requested (mid-December to mid-January, our winter break), the decision was made. I sent in a very brief application toward the end of the summer, and about a week into this semester I got an email from them explaining that I would have to change the timeframe in which I was there since all of the schools would be closed during the month of December for holidays. I was so disappointed! At this point I am very glad that I had not sent in a deposit or begun any of the necessary medical steps. I am still hoping to go there, possibly in May once I am done with the program. I really am still just as passionate about this potential experience -- to devise my own lesson plans and be afforded the opportunity to teach to children in Africa, but I was not willing to extend the Master's program in order to reach that goal. There was a time over the summer when I really thought I would put this program on hold and try to go there in the fall. But I've thankfully concluded that this program is something that means something to me, and completing it is absolutely vital in order for me to move on to my next dream.

Interesting distraction

I am reading Rochester's book 'Class Warfare' for a facilitation for our education class tomorrow, and it somehow reminded me of this really interesting, yet accurate, quote of Frank McCourt's from Teacher Man (and no, I do not mean to imply that Rochester is interesting or inspiring! McCourt, on the other hand, is) . . . . "In the high school classroom you are a drill sergeant, a rabbi, a shoulder to cry on, a disciplinarian, a singer, a low-level scholar, a clerk, a referee, a clown, a counselor, a dress-code enforcer, a conductor, an apologist, a philosopher, a collaborator, a tap dancer, a politician, a therapist, a fool, a traffic cop, a priest, a mother-father-brother-sister-uncle-aunt, a bookkeeper, a critic, a psychologist, the last straw". Did he leave anything out? I can't think of anything. How great is that quote?!

Ursula Kelly revisited

I just want to say how much I enjoyed the Ursula Kelly article the second time around. I remember reading it last semester in our ENG 663 ( I hope that's the right class number?!) and it spoke to me then as well. I appreciate how accurately she seems to acknowledge this fine balance that we must create as teachers; the need to adhere to curriculum/district/state guidelines, while at the same time creating a classroom that is [hopefully] as inspiring and engaging as Shade's. Although it seems like it will be quite a feat, as a student it still remains hopeful and realistic to me to attain this balance. I can only hope that once I am in a classroom of my own it will still remain possible. I love, too, how she states that "the choice to teach is also, perhaps even more so, about an intimate, often passionate, relationship with English, that subject within which they desire to teach"(59). It's great. I can only speak for myself here, but I know it is the passion for this language and the inspiration I have felt in English (literature) classrooms/lectures over the years which have catered to such a love and appreciation, and formulated the desire to pursue this as a career. This article reminds me that although we might at times feel as though we have idealistic, fantastical dreams for our classrooms, the object is to find a way to put these ideas into action, rather than discard them and deem them unrealistic. At a time when I was starting to feel slightly hopeless about maintaining my goals for an English classroom, this article has reminded me that the work I put into students will hopefully someday be matched by the work I receive from them.

Project idea

I'm not quite sure how this would work, but I would like to do my project on something affiliated with lesson plans -- whether it be similar to what Katie suggested on her blog, or just lesson plans related to a certain text/author/genre. Any ideas??