Seagulls

So Today is the last day of school.  The last day of my freshman year of college.  What?  What happened?  Didn't we just start?  The answer is yes, we did just start.  It has flown, like a seagull who spots an open bag of Fritos.  I seriously am blown away, like a balloon that has a puncture.  It's been a great year.  I've met multitudes of new people, made some real solid friends, learned a whole bunch, some I will retain, some I will forget immediately.  Next year is going to be great, no doubt.

That was a rushed thought.  I apologize.  I hope I went into enough detail to make it worth it.

In other news, I don't have a clue what is going to happen to this blog over the summer.  It might continue with the same content, it might continue with completely different content, it might have random posts scattered throughout the summer, it might stop until summer's over, or it might completely stop forever.  I honestly don't have a clue what is going to happen to this blog over the summer, honest.  We'll just have to see what happens I guess.


In other news, I have completely most of my classes and most of my classes had finals, but that is beside the point.  For my photography class, our last project was supposed to be (man, I forget the term; sorry Childs), I don't remember, but 8 or more images that were similar or had a theme or something like that.  What I decided to do was ride the city bus to downtown Los Angeles, sit in the very back, and take pictures of the people getting on the bus.  Four hours later, I had a decent amount of shots, to which I narrowed it down to 8.  The study went well, I was pleased.  Here is my artist statement:

Public transportation has been around for years, giving a cheap, relatively safe, automobile alternative, to the community.  Nevertheless, public transportation, namely the city bus, is an often forgotten mode of transportation.  “Naomi In Stops” is a study of p the people who board the bus, the people who have places to go, the people who choose, for whatever reason, to not use the vehicle most of the population chooses to use.  These people have stories, these people have reasons.  On May 15,2010, I boarded a city bus in La Mirada and continued through downtown Los Angeles.  Throughout the trip, a vast amount of personalities entered and exited the swinging doors; “Naomi In Stops” serves as documentation. 

Here are three of the 8.  If you'd like to view the rest and/or see them in HIGH RES, check out my Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/morganlott/) and if they aren't on the front page, check out the "Photography" album, they'll be in there. You can't miss them.  Enjoy, enjoy.

Ah, some video.  Here we go, here we go.  Pretty good lineup today.

First, I had the pleasure of working with Mr. Zack Campbell again to create art through moving pictures.  This piece is called "Slow Show" and I personally really like the way it turned out.  Enjoy, enjoy.


Slow Show from Morgan Lott on Vimeo.


Second, a good friend of mine, Mr. Tyson Stakes, in sadly not returning to Biola University next year.  So, naturally, we created a "going away" video for his "going away" party last Friday.  I hope you enjoy this as much as the Bully Squadron did.  It's kick.  One more thing, this is one of the those "you kinda had to be there" moments.  Just know it was a hit, and we are going to miss Mr. Tyson Stakes.  Enjoy, enjoy.


Tyson's Farewell from Morgan Lott on Vimeo.




Third, this is a very interesting piece the Los Angeles Times released about a young schizophrenic.  I was intrigued.  The mind is so incredible and this story is no exception.  This kind of stuff fascinates me.



Fourth:

Likewise, this man is "addicted" to marbles.  This may sound comical, but from the details conveyed through this video, the "condition" is rather serious.  This is very interesting as well.  I wonder how this happened, why it's lasted this long, and if he'll ever lose interest in his marbles. 








And that is it.  That is the last blog post of the 2009-2010 school year.  Incredible.  I feel like I was just writing my first: http://emliv.blogspot.com/2009/08/leaf.html.  Super interesting.  It's been real, friends.

Have a great day today, whether you are in school, at work, at home, at the beach, in a plane, or in a supermarket.  Do what you do best.  FEELIN' IT.

Snuck up

So I guess there are ups and downs of everything in life; this blog is no exception.  Last week's post was the best in a long time.  There was a little bit of everything including things that matter.  Don't believe me?  Scroll down or click here and READ: http://emliv.blogspot.com/2010/05/blues-clues.html

This week is a different story.  Even though I just go with the flow and make stuff up as I go (which means this post may turn out differently than I had orginally thought), I check out material throughout the week and if it is "blog-worthy" I make a note to include it.  There is little of that this week.

So here it goes.

First video: this video is relatively old (what does "old" mean any more) and it has been passed around a decent amount since I saw it last Friday.  Nevertheless, it's worth a watch even if you've already seen it because it is BEAUTIFUL.  It's so awesome to see that even if we can control most everything on earth, we really have no control over what matters.  It's humbling.  Check it.  Great music too: jónsi.


Iceland, Eyjafjallajökull - May 1st and 2nd, 2010 from Sean Stiegemeier on Vimeo.

Round 2: there's a story behind this one: here at Biola University, there is a little eatery labeled the "Eagle's Nest."  Recently, they have presented a plethora of desserts, one of which is a fruit cup with a variety of different fruits (so it seemed).  I never personally have purchased one of these fruit cups, but my roommate, Mr. Joel Limbauan has.  Anyway, one of the "fruit's" included in this fruit cup was unlike anything we have ever seen, tasted, felt; pretty much just blew our senses to confusion.  So finally, after about 3 encounter's with this strange new food, I did a little research.  I'll let the video explain:



Jicama.  NUTTY.  Craziest root, vegetable, fruit, thing I have ever had the priveledge of eating.




Something just hit me: today is the LAST regular Wednesday of the regular school year.  Technically this should be the day of the blue Olympic suit, but I have forgotten.  I'm not quite sure what to do. Should I pull it out next Wednesday, the day of my last final and my trip home?  I'm not sure about that.  We'll just have to wait and see.  Maybe the blue suit is turning into a once a year type of deal.  Like I said, we'll just have to wait and see.  However, for good measure, below is a picture of one of the previous "last-regular-Wednesday-of-the-year-blue-Olympic-suit-day" days.  Enjoy:

Oh and here's another reason why this is a "material-lacking" post.  In all my art and film classes, we have final projects due this week and next.  So here's what that means: I have a photography project, multiple 3D Design projects, and a mass media project that all are "blog" material, but they will be completed this week sometime.  Something to look forward to I guess.


Another "just-hit-me" moment: today is the last regular Wednesday of the year.  When did that happen?  In one week exactly I will be making my way home.  I will be in Simi Valley for approximately one full day and then I am off to Hume Lake where I will be all summer long.  In one week.  Madness.  This semester feels like it just began.  Time flies when, well, when you're doing school.


Oh also, this blog may have a serious amount of downtime during the summer.  I don't have a clue how often I will be able to update "It's Wednesday," let alone have any internet access whatsoever.  I don't know the situation as of yet, but will update as information arrives, i.e. when I get up there, get situated, and get my mode with the flowed.  I'll let you know, count on it.





That's the post, ladies and gentlemen.  I hope you enjoy it, straight up and happenin'.  Have a bountiful day today.  It may be gloomy, at least where I'm from, but keep the pep, feel the jump in your step, and enjoy life, enjoying the time flying.





EDIT: just found this nutty drumming video. This 13 year-old female drummer puts most drummers to shame. I am literally blown away. She's the boss.








Enjoy your day.

Blue's Clues

The year is winding down, wind wind winding down.  Registration for Fall 2010 was last week and after much pain and hassle, here is the schedule (subject to change, although unlikely):

4-D Design

TR

12:30 pm - 3:20 pm

Kleyn

NT History & Literature

MW

3:00 pm - 4:15 pm

Williams

Cinematography

T

3:30 pm - 5:20 pm

Schmidt Jr

Editing for Film & Television

R

3:30 pm - 5:20 pm

Schmidt Jr

The Nature of Mathmatics

MW

1:30 pm - 2:45 pm

Weathers

Beginning Lacrosse

M

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Agadoni

Survey of American Government

MW

10:30 am - 11:45 am

Peters

It will be an interesting semester.  I'm wary about Government, if only I passed the AP test....

I guess that's what I get, yeah?  I just have a hard time with history, I'm not sure why, I just don't feel it like most people do.  I guess that's why I do art, yeah?  I just have an easier time with art, I'm not sure why, I just feel it like most people don't.

So that's the semester.  I'm excited.  I can't believe it's already here.  I just started Fall 2009, let alone Fall 2010!  Keeps life interesting I guess...and fast.

In other news, Biola's own, Stewart Hall, held their annual Kilt Fest this last week.  A kilt run took place Thursday night and the Kilt Fest took place Friday.  The festivities were marvelous, the games were grandeur and fit for only the willing.  Raw chicken, raw fish, raw pig head, straight up raw.  It was simply excellent.  Enjoy the picture below:

Cleverly suprised me.



In other news, UNDERØATH has released who their new drummer, as of now, is.  You may recall that Aaron Gillespie, the drummer and clean singer of one of the most talented bands I have ever head, departed ways with UØ.  Read the post describing the event in detail here: http://emliv.blogspot.com/2010/04/grapevine.html Anyway, the new drummer is Daniel Davison, the old drummer of Norma Jean.  I am extremely excited to hear the music these guys come up with.  Funny: Underoath and Norma Jean were the first "hard" music I ever listened to and now, they figuratively join together.  If Underoath is still the Underoath I have grown to love, they are going to continue to blow minds.  P-U-M-P-E-D.



In other news, it's time for some video, video.

First, an incredible move by a freeway trucker.  This guy knows whats up, he takes matters into his own hands, and helps out fellow humanity.  Props to this guy, I hope if I got in this kind of situation, I'd do the same.



This next video is simply off the wall.  "Tea with Tyson" is brilliant, odd, deliberate, and many other adjectives.  I can't really explain it, you'll have to see for yourself.  It's weird, wild, and makes you relatively thirsty, and possibly craving a delightful cannoli.



Last night I had the pleasure of watching the movie Iron Man 2.  It was much better than I expected, I had thought it would be as bad or worse than Transformers 2, the worst movie, according to me, ever made, to I came out of the theater pleased and entertained.  All that is besides the point though.  Before Iron Man 2 came on, the trailers rolled, like they like to do, and a movie entitled Super 8 was advertised.  Immediately reminiscent of Cloverfield, JJ Abrams is ready to keep his world in suspense once again as he reveals absolutely nothing in this trailer.  I'm pumped, it's going to be good.  I have no idea if it's going to be good, I'm just assuming.  Check out the trailer:









In other news, something that I had been participating in, that is FORMSPRING.ME, has evolved into quite the little website. I have not answered a question for quite some time for two reasons: lack of questions and a certain level of unreasonableness.  This is what I wrote on February 24, 2010 (http://emliv.blogspot.com/2010/02/sports-coat.html):

Formspring is oddly compelling.  I'm not sure what it is.  Maybe it is the fact that the quality of the questions asked say a lot about 1. the person asking 2. what the person asking thinks about said person and 3. how the said person portrays him/herself.  I read a little blurb online that claimed that formspring.me will be the cause of many teenage suicides.  I think this is pessimistic, and although possible, unlikely.  If used correctly, formspring could be a beneficial and motivational tool to encourage, congratulate, and recognize others.  However, formspring could also be a discouraging and depressing tool that humiliates, embarrasses, and angers others.  We'll see how it goes.  This is the internet in 2010, the no mercy rule has been in place for a while now.  People are different online, saying stuff, doing stuff that they ("they" includes me) may not even think to say or do in person.  The internet, it's busy.

The latter reigns true.  Formspring outrages the negative side of people, questions are extremely crass, rude, derogatory and destructive towards anybody and everybody.  Formspring was HUGE for a while and I think it's in the process of dying; people just aren't into this "I am my own person, and even though I get SLAMMED and HUMILATED in front of the ENTIRE WORLD, I don't care because I am happy about who I have become." notion anymore.  It's only "fun" for so long.

It really is nutty.  There have even been a few suicides that formspring has influenced, one notably where someone wrote extremely vulgar and disastrous words, finishing off their spiel with "go ahead and kill yourself because when you die you'll leave the world a better place." to which the girl answered "I don't know who you are, but i will take your advice. I will kill myself because i am worthless like you said. but I hope you will carry this burden on your sholders for the rest of your life, knowing that you, YOU, killed somebody."


So incredibly sad.  I honestly don't know what to think about it.  Is this really what humans, as a whole, are about nowadays?








Sorry to end like this.  It really caught my attention and I figured I'd expand.  It just riles me up, man.


I hope you have a delightful day today.  Compliment someone.








Actually, I have something else.  This is totally something that chain emailers would email but here it is:


Dear friend,
To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.
To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.
To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.
To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.
Treasure every moment that you have!
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery.
Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present!



It's true.

Have a good day.

de Mayo

It is Cinco de Mayo today.  In other words, it is May the 5th.  This holiday has made a lasting impact upon me as I have forgotten to dress up on this day for the past 2 (or more) years.  Luckily, this year's Cinco de Mayo landed conveniently on a Wednesday (or else I would have forgotten once again).  However, I didn't dress up how you might expect someone to dress up if they were saying they were dressing up for Cinco De Mayo.  My clothing is simpler.  I am wearing 5 different shades of brown.  It's as simple as that.  Not much meaning; maybe the earthen tones communicate something.  What's funny is that the holiday of Cinco de Mayo is hardly recognized in Mexico, but it's widely recognized throughout the US as a celebration of Mexican heritage.  I wear brown to symbolize camouflage which represents the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

You may also notice that there are two other people in the photo with me.  We have Mr. Scott Gamelson on your left (my right) and Mr. Michael Warnecke on your right (my left).  They are enjoying Cinco de Mayo as well.  Clearly.

That said, this year is winding down rather quickly.  It really isn't that funny.  It's going to be over before I can finish this sentence...figuratively of course.  What is funny is that many colleges are already out of school, but we have a good few weeks left.  Hilarious.  It will be an interesting ride.

Speaking of interesting rides, I'm realizing this summer will be just that.  For those of you that don't know, I'm working up at Hume Lake Christian Camps for the summer, the entire summer.  It's going to be incredible and I'm pumped out of my mind, but I'm going to be home (in Simi Valley) for at most one week all summer and then I'm right back where I am right now: Biola University.  Interesting ride is right.  Keeps ya guessin' not countin' on much, don't get too comfortable and/or you'll be (un) pleasantly surprised.

Speaking of interesting rides, I sign up for next semester classes tomorrow and it has been no easy task figuring out what I'm going to be taking; in fact, I have a meeting today that has the capability of completely rearranging the pitiful schedule I have already configured.  It's bound to be interesting, I'm sure there will be issues, I guess we'll see what happens, that's what interesting rides are all about you.

In other news, I've got some videa for ya.  And they're not just straight up videas either, they are heartfelt, hit ya in the core, type videas.

First up, this old man should have been dead long ago, but no, he defies medical "truth" and teaches music to the masses.  Incredible story. 



This next video is potentially the saddest video I have ever watched on youtube.  If you don't want to get weepy, don't watch it, but I highly recommend it.  Just shows animals care for each other and knows what up when the going goes tough.  Here's part of the youtube description:

INFO: This stray cat was filmed in Turkey( Kızılsaray district of Antalya ) trying to reanimate his female friend who got hit by a car. Even though some people tried to help him, the white cat wouldn't let them come near for two straight hours. Finally a vet arrived and took the injured cat. Sadly, it was too late and he couldnt resuscitate the feline.

The words are lost.







Sorry to end on a rather somber note.  Here's my advice: you are living, live like you mean it, live like you care.