What a show. It was amazing. I had no idea what to expect and I was so surprised at the turn of events. And I guess that was the point. To me, it became even more controversial when I found out that this was written 30 years ago. It wasn’t something that was written in retrospect. It was written in the time that it was taking place, the 1980s, which I believe was very brave. Also, it was only over the course of two days… It felt much longer probably because it was so heavy.

The show really provoked many emotions within me. At the beginning before anything was revealed I thought, “what a cute little family!” They’re all so happy. Then, Tony’s reaction when he found out about Chris really upset me. He loved her for 8 years. However, I do agree that she should have told him from the beginning; it’s not a small detail of her life.

I really didn’t like that the priest was trying to convince Tony that he was gay, or bisexual. But that just showed that religion doesn’t accept people for who they believe they are. He didn’t accept that Chris was a woman, and believed that Tony didn’t know that Chris is trans. It made me feel that religion is so strict and has no room for interpretation.

The part that captured me the most, though, was when Joey confronted his father about it all. The father-son interaction in that scene was so emotional. Plus, they were really good actors. I really felt Tony’s struggle between setting his son straight to be respectful (and trying to make him believe the truth) and loving him so to not to hurt the family more. When Joey yelled at his dad that final time before he left, it was as if he was punching the tears out of me. He left me as stunned as Tony was.

The fact that the stage and the actors were so close that I could just whisper to them from my seat really made me feel like I was experiencing it all with them. At the start I felt a little awkward, as if I was intruding because we were so close, but then I didnt even notice anymore and I was just captivated by the show. It made it feel more personal.

I really did love this event. I love “The Four Seasons” composed by Antonio Vivaldi. Plus, I thought it was awesome that we go those encores at the end. especially the first one, which was a movement in one of the seasons and the last one, “Air” by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Just as Jeannette asked, I had thought the same thing… What makes Anne-Sophie better than other professional violinist.? It’s a type of question that I always think of. What makes something better than another?

The performance was generally beautiful. The music was beautiful. I also really enjoyed watching them all play. The synchronization of all the musicians was really cool. At times they even seemed to be feeling the same emotions from the music while they were moving in the same ways.

Winter. That is and was always my favorite, especially the first movement. I love the main violin part. It really just captures me and takes me along with the music. It made my heart physically feel something that I just can’t really explain.

That is a major part when I noticed the fingers on the violin. Anne-Sophie had to move her fingers and her bow so quickly that I couldn’t follow them with my eyes. And (to my ear at least) she didn’t mess up. It was flawless.

Earlier than that, I noticed the fingers specifically on the cello. The reason is because I had some experience with playing the cello and from that I could really understand how hard it is. I tried to imagine myself playing what they were playing (and for that long at a time!) and I thought that I would just fail at it (I mean yes, they are professionals). It makes me sad to think that even with real practice and training (which I hope I could get back to) I won’t be able to play half as good as they do.

But that just shows that this is all they do and it’s their lives. The spend most of their lives playing their respect instruments and performing. Creating the sounds of beautiful music for all of us to enjoy. And for those instances that I am watching them and really sinking into the music, I feel that we’re connected, almost as if I’m playing with them.

(And then a harpsichord solo can bring me back to reality.)

I’m not sure what to make of this event. On one hand, as we were going around and learning all this information I was listening and became quite interested. On the other hand, I don’t know how much I actually understood since I had no prior knowledge of anything comics. I wish we did know some more things.

I thought the first thing that we saw was really cool. The comic that the students of Columbia (then Kings College) made about their teacher was very interesting to me. I thought it was cool that we have such an informal document from that long ago. Plus, we totally understand what their saying even today… meaning the jokes. It’s just like Josh said, “it’s MTV.”

I felt kind of bad because I think that the curator thought we were a class that learns about comics or something. But we’re not… I thought it would have been better for her to just tell us who are the people she is talking about instead of first trying so hard to get it out of us. I guess it’s just a disappointment for her because she loves them so much.

The only comics I’ve ever read were the Tin Tin comics and almost the whole novel of Persepolis. I really enjoyed reading those but this event made me want to pick up comics (I guess you can say again) and read them. They seem pretty interesting and fun.

I definitely do. However, not exactly the foods they spoke about. I was kind of annoyed that they didn’t speak about more of the Middle Eastern foods because that’s what Jewish food is to me. But we were warned that they were going to talk about Ashkenazi (European) Jewish food and not Sephardic (Middle Eastern) Jewish food, except for Na’ama who brought Israeli and Iraqi food to the table (barely in my opinion).

During the discussion I kept wondering to myself–and to Miriam– how much of all of this is most of the class getting. I think I followed pretty much the whole thing because I understood the foods they were talking about and the words they were saying. That, I would, is what allowed me to enjoy this event.

If I didn’t know what they were talking about, and if it was totally foreign to me, then I don’t think that I would have enjoyed the event as much. It was pretty funny to hear them say “trayf” (not-kosher) and “kubbeh.” And whenever there was a joke, I laughed right along with the rest of the audience.

At one point during the event I thought to myself that they were discussing the history of the Jewish food in New York. Food. That’s what we’re talking about. And then I realized that yes, it is something worth talking about. It should definitely be considered a type of art; people really love making, preparing, looking at and especially eating the food. It’s something the mostly everyone enjoys.

I really enjoyed the Q&A part. There were a few questions that I really thought were good and that I was thinking about beforehand or that really made me think. Others were just amusing to listen to and amusing to hear the answers/responses. It was a really interesting event. I’m glad I got to go.

1. Do you think every person is able to make some form of art?

2. Would you consider an “inventor” an “artist”?

Although I was too short for the seat I was sitting in, I really enjoyed the opera. It’s my second time attending an opera. Both times I found myself thinking that I wish I knew the language so I could just watch instead of going back and forth to reading the screen in front of me (which was especially annoying because I only needed my glasses for the stage, so handling them was quite bothersome when I wanted to read the words). However, I realized that most people in the theatre probably don’t understand the language (just my assumption), and thought that maybe it’s apart of the art… I don’t know.

Anyway… Regardless of those small complaints, I still enjoyed watching the opera. I like the story line. It’s pretty cool that the main character is a gypsy because it’s like the hipsters of our time (free love for everyone-peace). Their voices are amazing! The fact that they are able to sing the way they do is incredible!

Within the dialogue there were a bunch of references to previously said things. For example, in the very first scene with Micaela, the guards call her a bird that is flying away (out of the fence—like a cage)… They’re potential love interest just flew away. That was explained when Carmen started talking about Love as a bird that can’t be caught or caged. That was cool to notice.

Also, I don’t know how true or consistent this is, but Carmen first warned the men that if they love her, she won’t love them back (and beware). Don Jose didn’t love her back and that’s why she loved him (she loves the one who doesn’t say anything). Then he starts to voice his love for her and she starts to lose interest in him… She warned him!

Of course I have to mention the last act! The bull fight in the arena and the fight between Don Jose and Carmen were happening at the same time to play off of one another. It went even further to show that just as Carmen was killed, the bull was killed too… Or maybe Carmen was the bull. A wild thing that couldn’t be contained and was finally put to death. That was great!!

And shoutout to a lot of you—Alex and Ana Luiza in particular—for adding to the entertainment. 🙂

I was really excited to see the ballet, and for good reason… I loved it! To begin with, I love to go to Lincoln Center (not that I’ve been there so many times beforehand, only a few). I love the feeling right before we go in to see the performance; all dressed up, excited for what is to come, anticipation for the feelings I’m going to get from the performance…

So about the ballet. I really was amazed by it all. During the first ballet I started to notice that the ballerinas weren’t all in synch with each other. I got a little disappointed, but then I realized that I can’t even do a quarter of what they’re doing so who am I to criticize? After those thoughts I decide to focus on the actual movements of the body.

As I looked at their legs moving so gracefully, I thought that it is something that should be so effortless, but it’s not. I started to think of the way we all walk on a regular basis. Now, it seems so clunky and ungraceful. When we were going back home, I wanted to badly to be able to dance like a ballerina, so gracefully.

Another thing I thought when I payed attention to all their movements was yoga. I just did a yoga class this week and it was really hard for me, well, because I’ve only done yoga once or twice before in my life. Some of the dance moves that the dancers performed reminded me of some yoga positions. For example, in the last ballet, one of the sailors was standing on top of the bar and quickly changing positions. A lot of those positions were the same, or similar, to some of the positions that were really hard for me to do because of balance and flexibility.

Noticing how precise each move is really made me realize how hard it must be to keep a perfect form. Ballet really requires a balanced, flexible, strong body. Plus I love how well they can portray a story and evoke emotions (like in the second performance) without speaking, just body language. It was really beautiful to watch. Props to all you ballerinas and male dancers out there!

P.S. I really enjoyed hanging out with all you guys… You made it even more enjoyable than it was already!

I wasn’t exactly sure what we were supposed to look for or notice when we were walking around. As I continued to notice more things about the memorial, I started to realize what it was that we’re supposed to notice. Of course it was with the help of others… Cale explained that the way the water pours out of the sides of the memorial, it’s supposed to reflect on how the texture of the towers looked. Once, I got some clarifications on that I understood… It was really cool how the texture could be somewhat replicated with water.

I don’t remember who told me this, but I thought it was really interesting that apparently the way this memorial was built is to be in contrast with all the tall buildings around it. All the buildings are going up and the memorial is going down into the ground. I’m sorry whoever it was! I’m not quite sure what that is supposed to represent but I think it may show that at this place we were left with a void. Here was a time when there was a flaw in the city. These buildings were not supposed to come down, yet they did and that was the flaw. We lost many people. Families were left with an emptiness and unclear answers as to where their loved one is.

However, to counter that mishap and the death that surrounded it, the area is now filled with life. I once interviewed a police officer who helped out during the clean up. He said that it smelt like a death camp. Now, there is no death, but constant life. I looked around and I realized that the memorial was bustling with lively people. Even once the day is done and the memorial is closed there are still trees all around that keep up the life whether it is day or night. Also, water is a source of life and everything surrounds the fountains.

I don’t know how I would compare the 9/11 Memorial to the Vietnam Memorial but I did find something interesting while I was looking at the Vietnam Memorial. I realized as I was looking from a side view at the memorial, it seemed to me as if the walkways to go to the other side of the structure was a walkway to enter the horrors of the war. On either side there were letter from soldiers to loved ones about what was going on at the time. As we’re walking through the memorial, we’re walking through their memories. I also kind of saw it as I looked slightly through the walkway.

Also, I noticed that this isn’t the whole memorial… It starts off way to the side of this structure with a map of the war and then an aisle with the names of those who have fallen on the sides. To add to the thought I just wrote about, it seemed to me as if I was walking towards the horror scenes… The structure was walking in the horror scenes.

So I guess to contrast the memorials I could say that the Vietnam Memorial is a walk to remember the death and horror while the 9/11 Memorial also incorporates our proclamation of continual life.

Although I love to take pictures and think of some as really “cool”, I don’t usually find photography as art. However, as I walked around the Garry Winograd exhibit (the first photography exhibit I have ever been to) I started to realize that I actually can appreciate the photographs as works of art more than I usually would have. I’m pretty sure it has to do with my change in perspective of art in general. I’ve always appreciated art even though I didn’t know how to analyze artwork. Thanks to the night at the Brooklyn Museum, I am now able to appreciate all different kinds of art much better than I used to because I am confident in myself as I now analyze the art work.

Anyway, as I looked around there were a few photographs that really caught my eye. One was of a man in mid air upside down. At first I immediately thought of “the Falling Man” of 9/11. The position that the man was in reminded me right away of the position the man that was falling from the World Trade Center was in. It wasn’t exactly the same but it still made me think of that. So, naturally, I got closer to the photograph so I could look at it a little longer. That’s when I realized that it must be a stunt, or trick of some sort. There was another man, standing on the side, with a huge smile on his face. He looked very amused. I first got a sense of morbidness from the artwork but than realized that it’s actually a fun and playful scene. (I was also confused at the beginning considering 9/11 happened years later.)

Another photograph that I was intrigued by was one of a big crowd of girls behind street barriers. They were all looking in the same direction and screaming for or because of something. There was a man on the side that was looking in the same direction as all the girls were, but his face looked confused or worried, I’m not really sure. Then I noticed one of the girls was wearing a shirt that said “the Beatles.” That’s when I understood what was happening. It all made sense to me now! I was then laughing to myself as I looked at the photograph again with a new perspective.

I think if Garry Winograd would have put more explanatory titles for his photographs it wouldn’t have been as much of a fun investigation as it was for me. I liked that I had to figure out what was happening in the photographs as oppose to being told by the title. He could have written “Beatlemania” for the photograph of all the girls screaming, but that would have given it away. I thought it was a nice experience for me to see the art in photographs that are not of beautiful, grand landscape scenes.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbLDFiQM-l8[/youtube]