Monthly Archives: October 2014

Discussion: Dance

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I am going to start a general, open-to-all discussion about dance. Feel free to add a comment anytime and pose more questions. These are some suggestions to spark a comment:

What is dance? What is the difference between dancing and everyday movement? If there is a difference, where is the borderline? If not, should dance still be an art? (and if it’s not an art, why is this performance included in our course?)

What do you expect to see at the City Center? What is, if any, your prejudice about this performance?

Man on a Fire Escape

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The question I have from the poem, “Man on a Fire Escape”, is why the man went out onto the fire escape. Even the man himself cannot recall why he left his bedroom in order to enter onto the fire escape. It does not seem anything special about the evening brought him outside, as “It was just an ordinary autumn twilight”. While it certainly seems insignificant, if the man does not go out to the fire escape then there is no poem. If he never goes outside, there is no ambiguous ending because he probably never sees the same images, certainly not the same way he does from the fire escape.

Room of Return

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In the poem, “Room of Return”, I cannot figure out why the character ever left his apartment. By the way he describes the room, it is clear he did not take his things when he left, so how could he have left for years without taking his belongings? While I cannot figure out why he left his apartment, it seems like he returns to the room because he sees something new in his city. As the second to last line shows, “Tiny glimmer again in this city,” the character sees new hope in his city.

Cold day for the Pulaski Day Parade

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I was at the Pulaski Day Parade yesterday like all Polish people from New Jersey and New York. (The reason I mention New Jersey first is because almost all of the floats were from New Jersey.) It was rather cold on that day, and I only had a Polish t-shirt and shorts on. Luckily, my friend let me borrow his sweat shirt. I think that the pretty Ms. Polonias must have been really cold in their dresses in the parade.

September 11, 2001

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My father told me this story once, one one of the days when I realized that my father’s advice was very good, rooted in experience, and given with an intent to help me to go higher and farther in the world.

“In the morning of 9/11, I was planning to stop by the Border bookstore in 5 World Trade Center to get a few parenting books before going to work. I didn’t. I took the Holland Tunnel to work instead. At some point during my commute through New Jersey, the Twin Towers were hit, but I didn’t see any of it. I remember never looking in the rearview mirror that day–if I did, I might not be here today. If I stopped by that bookstore then, I might not be here today.”

As for me, my memories of that 9/11 were:

  • no cell phone service (my first-grade TA was trying to call all of our parents and failing)
  • waiting at school for an interminable amount of time for my mom to pick me up
  • seeing the events unfold on the old, 13″, black-and-white TV in my mom’s office and wondering “did anything happen to Dad”
  • I don’t even know how I got home; I remember Mom saying “people are walking over the bridges”

The Weary Blues

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My favorite part of this poem is the way the words flow as you read it out. There’s this sort of natural rhythm to it and when read aloud in the right tone and the right attitude, it’s really something. I really like how it mimics the rhythm and the sound of actual blues as well as how the writer uses slang to really capture the time and the language that was used. If you can’t tell already, I really like it when something sounds good and pleasing to the ear, whether it be a poem or music, etc.

Meant to Live – Switchfoot Concert @ Columbia University hosted by Pulse

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This past thursday night, after receiving a guaranteed ticket (from the CCNY Intervarsity) to an already free concert featuring Switchfoot, I made an impulse decision to finish my English 210 paper within 2 and a half hours so that I could attend this concert. After finishing class at around 4 pm, I sat myself down in my dorm room and got to work on my paper. Luckily, I finished my paper and submitted it literally 5 minutes before I had to leave for the concert. And man, was I glad that I did.

Now here comes the good part after the hard work. Upon arriving in front of Lerner Hall at Columbia University with the Intervarsity group, my eyes immediately saw the enormous line (those who didn’t have tickets) that stood awaiting to get in. For those who did have tickets (mostly Columbia students and intervarsity groups) were able to enter straight in without a wait. To my surprise not too many people actually obtained tickets, which meant we were able to get pretty decent seats. The concert opened with the Colton Dixon band (I’ve never heard of them before then, but they’re pretty good) and then Switchfoot came on afterwards. In comparison to classical music and the music played at the opera, it is much, much different. But both were really good in their own aspects and style. So, what would have been a regular and boring night, had I not went out to the concert, turned into a great night with new friends, good fellowship, and late night pizza. Also, who doesn’t love free concerts in NYC?

Le Nozze di Figaro

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Boy, was I in for a surprise Saturday night. Although I had to attend the opera on my own, it did however, provide a whole different experience for me. I walked into that beautiful Met Opera House at Lincoln Center, preparing myself mentally for a long, long night of opera singing. The atmosphere that was created was in a way, exhilarating, with everyone wearing formal and elegant attire. It definitely felt nice just being a part of that environment. My favorite part of the opera was hands down the music being played by the orchestra in the pit. In high school I was a part of the pit orchestra for the school’s musical for 2 years in a row. So, personally I know the level of intensity and the seriousness within the pit to perform well, perfect rather. In my opinion, without the music played by the orchestra, the opera and musicals, would be nowhere near as good as they are. It would simply become a show featuring acappella singing. The orchestra sets the mood, creates the drama, pleases the ear, enhances the story, and much, much more. So, my heart goes out to them, and I applaud the orchestra for doing such an amazing job, which in turn helps the cast do their job better as well. It felt wonderful to simply be able to sit there and rest. I couldn’t help but close my eyes at certain points just to take in each note played by each instrument, enjoy the music, and forget about any sort of worries that were in the back of my head.

A Subway Story

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Tuesday, September 30th.  The time? 10:30 A.M I had 30 minutes to get to class.

I was rushing to get on the F train from Hunter College. You might be thinking how and why I ended up in this most unfortunate situation. You see, because I started class at 11 A.M that day, I thought I would’ve been able to get some breakfast with my friends at Hunter and still make it to class in time, provided I left by 10:30. The breakfast was a success. Four of my close friends and I had an extremely entertaining and greasy breakfast at the local Golden Arches, reminiscing and laughing the time away. When it became time to leave, though, I realized that I would have to take the F from Hunter back a couple of stops in order to catch either the A or the D train to CCNY. Realizing I might actually be late to class, I panicked. I hurriedly said goodbye and vanished into the bowels of the subway station.

I was speed-walking, determined not to be late. With each step I took towards the turnstile, I got more and more hopeful.

My mind was focused on the single goal of getting to class on time.

I might not be late after all!! Yes!!

And then all of a sudden, BOOM!! I felt a sickening crunch in my stomach.

I had forgotten to swipe my MetroCard and walked straight into the turnstile.

(For those of you who are curious, I was, in fact, not only late, but very late, close to 30 minutes.)

Billie Holiday

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Despite saying I’ve never heard the blues before, I actually have! Billie Holiday is a famous blues, jazz, soul singer. She has many other talents but she is most well-known for her voice. I heard blues for the first time when I listened to Billie Holiday singing “Strange Fruit” in a Civil Rights Movement Through Photography workshop at the Museum of the City of New York. This song if you listen carefully to the words (or google them) is about the hanging of slaves in the South. This song perfectly combines the slow, heavy rhythm of the accompanying music with the lyrics that contain a powerful message.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ZyuULy9zs