Building a Better Athlete

In this project, we will be doing a host of amazing things. Primarily, we will be

answering the essential question, What do Athletes need to compete at their
optimum level? Along with that, we will be reading a book titled No Excuses by Kyle
Maynard. Other material that we will be reading include Boston Strong by Kristen
Mascia and Blade Runner Barred from Olympics by CBS News. In Physics, we
will be focusing on the aspects that make up athletics and we will even get the
chance to visit the Olympic Training Center in Vista. Another exciting aspect of this
project is that we will be volunteering at the San Diego Triathlon. At the end of this
project, we will be exhibiting at Road Runner Sports.
Habit of Focus
For the remainder of this project I will be focusing on the habit of focus Analyzing
Dialogue and Theme.
Week #1
In this piece of work, I proved that I am developing this habit (analyzing dialogue
and theme) by looking into how the effect of what people say in the book alters the
theme as well as the overall plot. This piece of work proves this because it shows
all of the aspects of what I wanted to develop through this project such as what
makes dialogue important to the flow of a story. In my sketch note I picked the
quote, ...I dont want them to be afraid of me. When Kyle is saying this, he is also
displaying that he is gaining knowledge of how dialogue affects those around us. I
always thought that it was important to communicate our feelings because it is how
we develop as humans. One struggle that I still face is that I often ask relatively
irrelevant questions simply because they come to my mind. Next week, I will try to
develop questions that are easier to understand in connection to the book.

Government Reflection
The rules that we had to adhere to in this example of government included that we
were not allowed to go against the ruler, The Most Supreme Mrs. Gilley, we had to
follow all of her rules and we could not argue them. Dictatorships and Authoritarian
government systems follow similar rules where citizens are not allowed to speak out
against the government. Countries that currently follow the selfsame government
type are Libya, North Korea.

Week #2
This week I chose to represent the work that I did and how I have gotten closer to
my Habit of Focus through another sketch note. I think that the sketch notes are
really the only work that I am doing that is going towards accomplishing my goal.

Next week, I will try to find ways to apply the other work I do to my goal. This
particular sketch note shows my advancement towards my goal because it not only
has my work, but the ideas from my peers and the way that they perceived what we
had read. Being able to add their thoughts to my own shows that I am growing in
how I am taking into account other perspectives. It is important to understand what
others think about a single topic because then you can gain a better idea of what
can be learned if your perception was different. I think that I improved from last
week because the question that I asked was clearer and was easier to answer. My
question was How does bettering ourselves improve our overall environment? This
came from the part in the book when a coach on the opposing team says, Go easy
on the little guy in the middle. I connected these two because Kyle understood that
that means that he should try harder to prove to them that he is an actual

challenge.

Week #3
My Third Interview
For the third week, I was trying to improve in finding connections between my Habit
of Focus, Analyzing Dialogue and Theme, and work other than the sketch notes that
we had during class. To prove that I am furthering my knowledge of this I am using
my third interview as an example. In my interview, I proved that dialogues are
important in opening new perspectives. I did this by both listening to my
interviewees story and by asking questions that broadened the conversation. This
week in my reading, I noticed that Kyle was developing his ideas of obstacle and
sacrifice just as I had while I was interviewing. This is shown when he wrote, Now

theyre faced with many of the same challenges Ive dealt with my whole life, along
with the added feeling of the physical loss of the ability that they had from birthsomething that I can only begin to imagine. Next week, I want to work on what it
takes to change perspectives. I think that something that I am constantly struggling
with is not taking things into perspective and only taking them at face value.
Furthermore, I want to apply this to my life and eventually turn it into a habit.

Week #4

Last week I said that I wanted to have a change of perspective. Is there any better
way to change a perspective than to see what life is like from a different view? I
think not. This week we were given the opportunity to see life a little differently.
Well, not exactly life, but our classroom. Is there even much of a difference? At this

point in my life, not really. I have digressed. Anyways, we focused on changing our
perspective through an experiment. Yes, yes, I know what you are thinking. An
experiment, how inhumane!? I assure you, it was entirely humane. In fact, we did
not even leave our seats. Now, I assume you are wondering how we could conduct
an experiment from our seats, so I will tell you. From the position that we were
sitting, we observed our class and wrote what we saw. Not a strange concept in
theory, but the way that I saw it magnified its importance hundredfold. I did not see
at as some silly exercise to get us to pay attention, I saw the beauty of attempting
to understand our surroundings. Isnt that what we strive for as humans? Isnt that
why we have the marvelous brains that we do? I used this exercise to change how I
see, which is opposed to its original intent to get me simply to see. When it comes
to reading and writing it is always important to see, but what really makes or breaks
us is changing our views. My habit of focus was to analyze the way that dialogue is
used. Looking back, it seems strange that I could focus on one point of our
existence and dismiss the rest. In that sense, I have grown. Something I certainly
have not grown in is my ability to convey my thoughts. I still struggle with getting
every word out. Sometimes it feels like there is cord around my voice that gets
tighter every time that I speak. Moreover, the last words are never the final words;
they are just the ones that managed to escape. May haps thats the reason that this
singular entry is so long, it feels like each word is my own and thats liberating. Ah,
but I can sense the end of it coming soon. So to finish it off I will leave you with
saying that I can only hope that this coming week my writing feels this good.
I lied; I have to write this last bit to prove that I know how to read. I've always
believed that anyone can achieve their dreams, regardless. I have always had this
attitude about no excuses. A belief that I can go on and do what I need to do. To go
on, to succeed, regardless. I know, I know, it is a bit out of place for the reading
this week, but I thought it was a great quote.
Week #5
This week I will be representing the work that I have done with a written piece. The
piece that I wrote was another experiment. This one was a little different because
instead of focusing on sight we took a deeper look at smell and taste. Of course, the
best way to do this is to recall a favorite meal/dish. I wrote about flan, because it
tastes good and I love it.

Love. What a strange word. It reminds me of the word beauty. Beauty is not defined
by what we see alone. Its an idea based off an accumulation of senses and feelings.
Ah, the joy of feeling emotion. It is what makes us. How could we live without
feeling? Well, I guess we could, but I do not think that would be as fun. Or stressful.
Or different. I have been thinking about that one thing. What makes us different?
Being able to feel and have emotional responses to the things around us that are
different from others is what makes us unique.
A unique idea that I came across through my interviews, what I read, and the people
that I met, is that there are many people who genuinely value perseverance and
hard work. This gives me hope. The way that I see it, if we all learn from the
amazing examples that are all around us than we can truly gain an understanding of
what it is to live. Isnt that what we strive towards? That feeling of understanding
and being understood. Ah, its too good. There are too many great things in this
world and it seems that most of them go unnoticed. That is one thing I want to bring
into what I do every day, that feeling that there are great things in this world that
will be noticed only if we let them come into our lives.
Week #6
Another project has ended. Ah, what a project it was. At least it ended with a bang.
Well, not really a bang; it was more like one of those awkward fizzing noises that
sparkler make when they burn out. Sort of. It was, to be frank, a taddy bit
disorganized. Though I did love the way that there was a chance for us to talk to

others about the work that we did. Work, work, work, work, all we did was work for
weeks. I like to have something to do, but I was not engaged by the work that we
did. It just felt like work. Next project that is what I want. I want to feel like it is my
project and that it is good enough. I want to feel like I have done something
worthwhile. Something worthwhile...? I am not even sure what it is that makes
something important. I am not sure about many things. What makes work
important? Why do we run? What are we running from? When was it that we
decided it was okay to run and work? When was it decided that it was normal?
What is normal? In Sweden, it is normal for disabled people to be allowed to lead a
life like those around them who are able-bodied. They get a chance to have a job
and a housing that works for them and is caters to their disabilities. What I think is
most important is that in the education system disabled children are allowed similar
opportunities to able-bodied children. I think that it is important to any country that
everyone is allowed equal opportunities.
Equality. Isnt that we strive towards as humans? I think that that is what we need in
our society.
That and more activities like the Triathlon. I think that it is important to see people
running, and swimming, and biking, all because they can. I think that is important to
our society. Seeing people overcome trials, that is what we need.
Self- Grade
Reflection time, yay! I will start by saying that I think that Ive really grown through
this project. Something that I noticed was that I didnt really have an understanding
of what I was doing when this project started. That was mostly when it came to
goals and such. I think that I improved in that aspect as well as in my habit. I think
that because I was developing them at the same time it benefited me. Starting from
my first weekly reflection, I can see that I didnt really have that determination and
goal setting ability to make my habit more of a reality. Through my writing I also
developed more of a sense of self. I think that because I was able to find this voice I
was also able to determine what I needed. For example in my third reflection I
mentioned that I wanted to be able to change perspectives. To me this meant that I
wanted to be able to observe something from a mindset that is different from me.
When I was given a chance to see things differently I noticed that I was completely
forgetting that there are other senses that I had dismissed when it came to my
habit. After this realization I had a change in how I approached my goal. Instead of
seeing it as the one thing to look for, I was able to see it as a part of a whole.
When it came to my writing I was able to develop it so that it encompassed
everything that I wanted, as opposed to the one thing that I had to decided to focus
on. For my last draft of my second interview, the one with the athlete, I changed
the way that I wished to represent my interview. In the one previous, I had tried to
focus on what the interviewee was saying and not what they had meant. I think that
differentiating these two qualities was what was needed to create a more
memorable piece. Personally, the most memorable part of my article was the
beginning. I love to write like that. I love to explain things the way that I see them.

To me being able to explain things is a gift to be thankful for. Not everyone is

afforded such a luxury as being able to state an opinion or point of view. Sometimes
I get so caught up in the way things sound that I forget that being able to make
noise and be heard is a wonderful thing. What I wish for most of all is that even
though we are given a point of view to focus on I want to be able to make it one that
I think is worth paying attention to.
I think that I deserve a wow grade for this project. No, the first time that I wrote
these not every criteria could be met. Ah, but is not that the beauty of critique. I
guess it just a stroke of good fortune that I know so many people who are willing to
review my work.
Though I guess I am just saying that because that is what you want to hear me say.
You want to hear me say that I have improved because I wanted it and that I think I
have come far. Moreover, yes, this whole entry I have been saying that. So perhaps I
will end this with some honesty. If I really wanted it, I would have tried to begin with.
However, I did not. No, instead I let you lead me around because I have been told,
up until now, that as a student I am to respect the opinion my teacher regardless. I
was told that as this teacher -student relationship goes my opinion is unimportant.
Well, I guess I was never directly told that, but I could feel it in the way they looked
at me. I would always been inferior to them. They are the ones with the superior
intellect, and as such, I was destined to be lead by them until my eventual death. I
would never break the confines placed on me at birth. As a human, I would always
be something that I could never understand. That is why I like Psychology. I did not
tell you when you asked because I was afraid that no matter how I long I took to
explain this you would not understand. That was unfair of me. You are nothing more
or less than me, when it comes down to it. We are both still humans, and of course,
you would understand.
Do you remember that question that you asked the class? The one when you asked
why we do not take peer critique as seriously as critique from teachers. They were
right when they said that it is because we respect your opinion more. I thought
about it a bit more after that. There is this psychology term called the double bind.
It describes the bind that we are in mentally when we are given opposing
instructions, whether verbal or nonverbal.
We have this innate sense as humans to survive, everyone knows that. However,
that means leaving our brain to do everything for us without a second thought, it
means following our natural instinct. I think it is crazy that it happens without us
even registering, but back to the point. To me it seems that from the time of birth,
maybe even before that, we have this sense that to survive we have to do
everything to be connected to the right people. We may not trust them completely,
but we sense the need to be near them and to follow them. If we are then told that
we have to trust people around us that we might have less respect for, then comes
the bind. Two contradictory instructions. One telling us to survive, the other telling
us to trust blindly. I know, I know, this has almost nothing to do with my reflection
on the reflections, but I will try to bring it around in the next few sentences.
To me it seems that there are many different ways to go about grading ourselves.

The whole point of doing our grading system this way was to get us to see for
ourselves what needs to be done, right? I guess I am not the best at doing things
like that. No, I openly acknowledge that as fact. It always created a bind for me.
Survive, or show weakness. Therefore, I have decided to go even further with my
honesty. I have learned, but not because it was required of me. I did not even learn
what was required. Nevertheless, I learned. I was told that I needed learn
something, so I focused on one thing. I was told that I need to talk about it, so I did.
But thats not how I learn. I learn through seeing, feeling, and sensing. I was given
an opportunity to do all three and I took them. May haps a little too far, but I took
them. That is what I wanted to learn. That is what I wanted to grow in. I do not think
that it is entirely fair to grade me on what I say I have done. I say many things. Even
now, I am trying to evade to the topic of grading myself. I think that the reason this
is because I am not ready to grade myself, or at least not accurately. I do not know
what I am doing. I do not know why I am telling you this, but some part of me thinks
it is important to know. So here, it is all my words to say that I do not know why you
should give me wow as a grade. Sure, I can tell you why I think that I deserve it. But
thats not fun. So instead, I have demonstrated it the only way I know how. I wrote. I
have written. Now I am filled with a new sense of indecision. You must hate me for
wasting your time. 1Really, I am sorry. I never intended for this to be so long. Or so
boring. Or so completely me. Regardless, here it is. For critique, and to be graded. I
feel like it really should have ended long ago, but now I am unsure of how to stop it.
Well... I will leave you with this quote, Happiness is not the goal; its a by-product.
And with that fabulous quote by Eleanor Roosevelt, I am done.

Teachers Comments
Wow, Melina! That was the actual word that came to mind upon finishing your
reflections. Im blown away by your honesty and your willingness to risk writing
your true thoughts and wonderings. You make so many profound statements, ask
so many thought-provoking questions about humanity, from our obligation to
observe our surrounding to our right for emotional response. I am impressed by
1 Seriously, I am soooo sorry. I know this is creating more work for you. Again, I am so sorry. I tried to
demonstrate through my writing, but Ill just write it out plainly. I kinda just dived into that one without
thinking. Anyways, I think this last entry proves that I have a solid understanding of flow, expressions,
evidence, vocabulary, and answering all questions ( if thats what it could be called). As for the others on
the list, I feel like theyre more or less the same things so I wont specifically add them to the list. I hope
this bit has helped assess me at least a little bit.

your ability to take the work we do in class and apply it to the rest of your life: I
want to apply this to my life and eventually turn it into a habit.
I am impressed
by your insights into my deeper reasoning for grading this way: Instead of seeing it
as the one thing to look for, I was able to see it as a part of a whole. But, most of
all, I am impressed by your thought processes and ability to articulate them (with
personality) on paper: see your entire final reflection :).
Your response to my question about valuing my feedback over peers was
fascinating. Are we in fact brought up to connect to the right people? Is that our
overall goal with socializing? Thus, are we naturally social or nurtured to be social?
Why am I identified as the right person? Is it simply my status, title, position? I
have to continue to ponder
As weve discussed previously, please do not restrain yourself. Use the beautiful
Melina writing voice that you begin using midway through your reflections and
strive to achieve the goal of your choice. Youve clearly proven your ability to set
and achieve a goal, I learn through seeing, feeling, and sensing. I was given an
opportunity to do all three and I took them, the skill that I believe is most beneficial
for the future. But, I wonder what a peer would say about this...
My final question is: what/ who told you that the ultimate goal was for you to learn?
Whered that assumption come from?

Small Spaces
Starting this week well be launching our second project of the year, Small
Spaces. This is our Exhibition project so we will be working on it for some time. In
Small Spaces we are looking at three different parts of a culture; the furniture,
housing, and infrastructure. We were separated by culture and within that culture
we have three different groups. My group is working on the infrastructure of
Ukraine. In this project we will be answering the questions How can we fit more in
less space? and How has history and cultures affected the way that we live?
For this project I will be focusing on the Habit of Focus Good Hook and
Engaging All Audiences in Presentation of Information and Making It Relevant. This
habit to me means that Im focusing on how the audience is going to respond to
what Im saying and using that while in the creation of my product.
Week #1:
I decided to represent
my growth this week through
my Annotated Bibliography.
This week we really only
focused on this project on
part of Wednesday, Thursday
and Friday. In this limited
amount of time, we did
rather a bit of research on
Ukraine. Through this research we read some articles about one tradition that they
have in Ukraine called Ivana Kupala. Its celebrated in Slavic countries during

midsummer. I think its pretty cool. Anyways, there isnt much to talk about when it
comes to what weve done when so far in the project. I hope that by the end of this
project I have a product that was worth the time spent on it and displays everything
well. Next week, I think that I will work on how to present things more colorfully.
Government Reflection
In this project we were representing Republics. I know, I know, youre all
jealous of the fact that my opinion was heard despite the fact that I didnt have to
say anything when the final plans were drawn up. Or rather I should have said that
my opinions were not as important when it came to the final draw up of the plan. I
was heard but I didnt have the final say. Hmmm. Countries that have similar
government systems include, but are not limited to, Seychelles, Finland,
Kazakhstan, and, yes, even Ukraine. I have to say, I quite liked this one in
comparison to the planning rules from our last project.
Week # 2
This week I chose to represent
my growth in my habit of focus
through my proposal idea. My group
and I worked on this idea very hard
and we took into account what
would be interesting to make as well
as to show others. I dont think that
it really followed the goal that I had
set last week, but I think that it did
work towards my overall goal of
engaging audiences. Through our

proposal we got a chance to focus on two different aspects to make it better. I think
that by doing this we got a wider view of the tradition and its affect on the
Ukrainian culture.
Anyways, this week we really looked into what we wanted from our Exhibition
project. My partner and I both had a lot of ideas about what we could have done but
after sharing our ideas with others and receiving critique we came to a conclusion.
It was helpful to hear what others had to say because then we could understand
what they thought about our ideas and not just what we had thought would come
from our ideas.
Week #3
This week I didnt feel like doing work. I didnt want to do anything in fact. I just
wanted to sleep. Regardless of how I felt I still had to do work. Something that I
think that I did particularly well was through the critique that we got. I like that the
critique that we got was thorough and had focused on what we needed to
accomplish. Its cold in this room. Sorry, in the moment that I wrote that it seemed
important, but it really isnt. Anyways, with all this critique that my group and I got
we have a lot of ideas for how to improve what we will be doing. Critique, critique,
critique...gahyahah. Its fine after the fact, but while were presenting our ideas to
others its so hard to concentrate. A lot of things make concentration hard. Like that
little voice in the back of my head that recites parts of random songs that have
nothing to do with whats going on in reality. Being realistic is hard. I dont really like
it. For example, my group has all these great wonderful ideas but they just dont
pan out. Next week thats what I want to do, I want to make all of my ideas creative,
yet realistic. I think its important that there are ideas that are constantly changing
and expanding our thoughts on the things around us, but at the same time all these

ideas need to accomplish something in the end. Thats why I want to focus on it
next week. We are nearing the middle of the this project and its important that we
get such things sorted out.
I was reading this book and it had this interesting line that said something
about how souls arent nouns, instead theyre verbs. I forget what the direct quote
is. Anyways, I thought that was such an insanely amazing thought. What else about
us is like that?
Memories. It isnt that we store it because its an item, no, we dont store it at
all. Its more that we can do something amazing called remembering. I never
thought of it that way. The reason that something like this project is important is
because we are acting, not just being. Its neither for or against the past. No, its an
action because of the past.
With that thought, I leave you.
Week #4
Ill be honest, this whole week Ive been completely out of it. I just dont feel
in the mood for thinking. I know, I know, its a pretty lame thing to say. If lame is the
word to use. It probably isnt politically correct. Actually, right now I dont really care
about political correctness.

I feel mediocre. I feel terrible about the way that our project is going. I really
wish that there was more to what we were doing. But alas, no. All of it is just a
string of ideas we are trying to connect in a creative way. My goal from last week
hasnt really helped, Im still stuck in this cycle. Next week, Ill work harder. Next
week, Ill be more focused. Next week, I want to be the coolest person in the world.
Whatever.
This week I did a lot of things. Of
these things we did that I really
connected to was the descriptions that
we had to write on the time periods
that we focused on. I liked that we had
chance to look deeper into the time
periods and explain it in a more
creative way.
Ah, creation. What a beautiful thing it is to create.
You know, tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedys
assassination. I know, I know, its off topic of me to be bringing this up, but not by
much. As I type this Im watching a report on the news about it. In the
commencement speech he gave at American University he talks about peace. He
says that its created because we want it to be created. He says that our lack of
peace is man-made, the same way that a war is.
I am not referring to the absolute, infinite concept of peace and goodwill of which some fantasies
and fanatics dream. I do not deny the value of hopes and dreams but we merely invite discouragement
and incredulity by making that our only and immediate goal.

I like what he said in that part. It makes me wonder about what Ive
been holding onto as a hope. Yes, I do want this project to be a success. But
that isnt it, is it? Yes, more than that I want to be a success. Ive been going
about it the wrong way. I need to focus on how I get there. I need focus.
Week # 5
With only two weeks until our Exhibition not much is going on. We got
a chance to look at other peoples projects. Thats always exciting. I think its
great to see what other people have been working on. So many great ideas
and all of them are complete and they look nice and are all well thought out.
Thats what I like to see, projects gone well. While looking around I noticed a
few things. All of the History Through Projects talked about how the culture
that they focused on were impacted by the resources that they have. I
wonder how that connects to us? I notice that we have all these wonderful
resources around us. Not just material possessions either, we have beautiful
places to be and thousands of things we can be. If I wanted to be a PostSecondary Teacher, I could do that. If I want to shave my head and join a
commune, I could do that. To be completely honest, I would choose the
former over the latter simply because I like my hair too much. Anyways,
while I have all of these thoughts running around in my head ...ah...I should
just try to pin one down.
So heres what Ive decided to write about. Yes, we have a lot of
resources available to us. Yes, spanning nations, cultures, and time this still
holds true. I think thats great. So, here we are, 2013 and we have a bit of a

space issue. Why? Well, I have this thought. So, we have a lot of things that
arent necessary. We also have this idea that things that are new are
necessary. Mayhaps they are, but I dont really think so. This idea of
necessity is a little skewed perhaps, but its not entirely backwards. While, its
great that we have advances and we are trying to improve our way of living,
we are taking up what little space we have.
Here I am wondering what to write next. There is so much to say yet I
feel like there is no time or place for it to be said. That said, I have a few
questions that must be answered before I end this.
The first concerns the matter of what Ive learned over the course of
this project. During this project, I obviously learned rather a bit about the
history of Ukraine. I absolutely loved learning about Ivana Kupala. I think its
great that even though there were a lot of times when it could have been
completely wiped out, it was still celebrated.
I like the word lovely. Its such a pleasant word to say. It reminds me of
that one sunny spot. You know, that one with those ferns thats in front of the
yellow kitchen inside the big blue house. No? Thats okay.
Anyways, I thought it was interesting that there were so many chances
for this one tradition to disappear forever and yet it didnt. Sure, now there
are things that can occupy the time of Ukrainians other than a tradition like
Ivana Kupala. I think that this is an important part of life, having traditions
and learning about history. Thats why I like projects like this. I got to learn
about Kievan-Rus which is something I really had no idea about. I think its

really interesting that it all started out with a number of Slavic tribes and
then grew into a such a powerful state that took over much of Europe. I
wonder if they felt invincible? You never know, they might have. I wonder a
lot. I think thats one of the best thing about having a functioning brain.
Anyways, something else that I learned was that there are trees in Kiev,
Ukraine given natural monument status because of their age. Another thing
that I learned about was Holodomor, a man-made famine that is largely
considered to be a genocide. While I was reading about it I couldnt help but
feel a little overwhelmed with sadness. It had been decided to deny these
people of the food that they had grown and harvested themselves. Its a
shame that it had to come to that. All that death. Something a taddy bit
more recent that I learned about Ukraine was that their former Prime
Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, is now serving a seven- year sentence for
embezzlement and abuse of power. This is her second year being held.
Something that had happened before her first term as Prime Minister was the
Orange Revolution. I thought that it was pretty intense how everyone had
stated a revolution because they
thought that the government
wasnt doing enough for them. I
mean, it makes sense that theyd
be mad. It was also turned into a
movie. By insane, I mean wicked
cool. Have you seen these

pictures? Yes, that is snow covering the ground. Heres how the filmmakers
chose to describe the Orange Revolution.2
Regime-controlled media claimed victory for Viktor Yanukovych,
handpicked by the corrupt sitting president. But credible exit polls showed Viktor
Yushchenko, the opposition candidate, had won.
It was shocking enough that Yushchenko had been poisoned -- and nearly
killed-- while on the campaign trail. When reports came in of blatant voter
intimidation and damaged ballots, people were outraged. When they realized
election officials were in on the fraud, the people had had enough.
In freezing temperatures, over one million citizens poured into the streets
of Kyiv and took up residence there. They marched in protest and formed human
barricades around government buildings, paralyzing all state functions.
Restaurants donated food, businessmen sent tents, and individuals brought
blankets, clothing, and money. At night, rock bands energized the protesters.
For 17 days, a group of ordinary citizens engaged in extraordinary acts of
political protest. Capturing the songs and spirit of this moment in history,
Orange Revolution tells the story of a people united, not by one leader or one
party, but by one idea: to defend their vote.

I
wonder what I should write next? I dont really know. So...how are you? Are
you doing well? I am...well. I really am doing fine.
I guess that at this point I wonder what I can say to reflect on what I
wrote in that last rather big paragraph. I guess that I wish there were happier
things that struck my interest. Perhaps, and do recognize this merely as
2 Check out this uber cool link. Its an interesting thought by the director of the documentary..

something to be considered, perhaps the reason that I was struck by this was
the fact that I want to believe that there is always happiness. Do remember
that Happy Little Place that I said reminded me of loveliness? Yes, that one.
Id like to believe that theres always one there. This isnt to say that the
Happy Little Place ceases to exist in dire situations, but rather that they cant
always be present when we forget to see loveliness.
Huh, what a thought.
Self -Grade
So I just happened to decide to reread all of my previous reflections...ah, who
am I kidding? I read them because I was told that if I didnt I wouldnt be as
cool as the other kids. Im joking, Im joking, I was always the type to go
against the flow. Im joking about that too. I swear, if I had a chance to say
this it wouldnt sound as weird and repetitive. Alas, I can do nothing but type
to convey my deepest thoughts and emotions. Well, to call them deep would
be blasphemous considering this is practically just a glorified reflection, and
looking back at my reflections, that isnt saying much.
Where do I begin with my reflections? The beginning, perhaps ?
Yes, yes, that will do. So, here I am reading over what Ive written and I
cant help but feel that there is something missing in the first few. Whatever
could it be? Yeah, you guessed it, soul. THERE IS NO SOUL. How could I stand
to write that drivel? I must have fallen asleep at the computer. Now that I
think about it, I might have. You never know. Anyways, here I am reading and
feeling bored when I notice something. A small part of myself feels pity. Yes,

you read that right, pity. For myself! Thats how much space I put between
me and past me. I felt pity. Now, Im sure youre wondering why. You are?
How wonderful! As I would love to explain it to you. Imagine me sitting and
trying to soak in all of these words and not sleep, when suddenly I realize I
only accomplished the goals that I thought important. And only those ones.
You would think that I would feel obligated to finish all of them and do them
with a smile, but I didnt. Thats just what I found interesting, what was
pitiable was my lack of grace in saying it. I felt no shame in telling anyone
who should chance upon it that I failed. Yes, I did italicize that. I just thought
that I would bring your attention to it since that was my final word and those
dont often get heard. Back to the story, I was feeling a little guilty and, yes,
even a little pity, not because I didnt accomplish everything, but because I
did it with such little gravitas. Whats weirder, I dont feel embarrassed or
even the least bit sorry. So, heres me feeling pity for a part of me best
forgot.
Heres an interesting question I just thought up. Is there any part of
someone thats best to be forgot? What makes it so? How is that defined? I
guess that was really three questions.
Moving forward with this reflection. Sorry, self-grade. Anyways, moving
forward Id like to bring this discussion to the matter of my final product. Is
this really a discussion? Probably not and if it was, its rather one sided. Ill
work on that. So, my final product. I like it. I think it came out the way I had
hoped. Well, no it didnt. At least not directly following the plans we made. I

had hoped it would be cute, and it did turn out that way (if I do say so
myself, which I do). Im glad that it did. No, rather I think it is splendid. Oh,
how about magnificent;3thats a well off word. I think Ill use it. I think I did
magnificently.
Ah, but I shouldnt be taking all the credit. Especially where it is
undeserved. This project turned into the success it is because I had the help
of the fabulous Shany Cardenas. The goals helped too. Its nice to have
something to aim for. Well, my goals were more like guidelines. Guidelines
are easy to break. Like cookie recipes, all it takes is a little too much salt
than the whole thing has a funky taste to it. And for the record, the
instructions were unclear as to how much salt was needed. Anyways, these
guidelines I made for myself were important because it gave me a chance to
speculate that not everyone likes the things that I do. Thats kind of really
important in life and stuff. I dont know where that last sentence came from,
it kind of just appeared and Im afraid to delete it lest it come back to haunt
me. Maybe it is an important thing to note, but it disrupted the flow a little
bit. Continuing4 on with what I was saying before, those goals that I made
almost forced me to take into consideration that presenting is a two person
thing. I say almost because in all honesty I forgot about most of the goals the

3 I decided to go through my thesaurus for synonyms of proud and these two appeared. What a totally
random happenstance that a thesaurus should magic its way next to me when I need it. Dictionaries also
have the habit of appearing at my bed side after Ive spent hours pondering the meaning of a word. Who
am I kidding? I read dictionaries for fun.

4 I stopped here for a bit to think about life and the spelling of continuing. And consulted my dictionary of
course.

minute I typed them. Like I mentioned before, I really only accomplished

those that I was interested in.
Now what do I write about? I just realized I havent mentioned what my
Habit of Focus is. For this project, I had wanted to focus on Good Hook and
Engaging All Audiences in Presentation of Information and Making It Relevant. That
is an insanely long title, and for no reason. If I were to shorten it it would just be
Creating Something Captivating. Yeah, captivating is the word I wanted to use. I like
it. Captivating. Its a nice solid word that encompasses everything that I wanted.
Hmmmm...its nice to know theres a word that fits perfectly here. Its that
type of feeling that matches your heart beat and gives it that extra warmth, that
sort of push to get your ideas all together.
All in all, Id say I got pretty far with my Habit of Focus. I had a lot of chances
to take what other people told me about how my project seemed to them and use it
to make a final draft that I think that I did magnificently on. I think one of the most
important things that I got from having this goal was taking critique seriously. Often
times Ill disregard other peoples ideas simply because its too much of a bother to
go through and see it through their eyes.
While Im writing this and thinking, I cant help but notice that I still need to
work on this. I might have progressed some but not enough for it to be particularly
marked. What am I even saying? In all honesty I have no idea where my brain has
gone. Perhaps it fell asleep. Now Im imagining a brain being tucked into blankets.
Goodnight, brain.
Goodnight, Melina. Ill see you sometime in the next fourteen hours. Theres
no need for you to worry, I set my alarm clock.
In all honesty, I wouldnt have woken you up anyways.

I know. I just thought that maybe you worry about me sometimes. I guess I
was wrong.
Oh, I get it, so now Im the bad guy. This is just like you. Falling asleep and
then pushing the blame on me and making me feel guilty.
You did that all on your own, hon. And since when has it been my fault that
Im tired.
You did that all on your own, hon. You are so self-righteous.
And you have a persecution complex. Do you know how hard it is to live with
you? And stop mimicking me.
Oh, Im sure Im such a pain to be around. You know what, no. The fight ends
here.
Fine, goodnight. Again.
Whatever.5
Now that Ive got that out of my system. I think its time to talk about growth.
Personally, I believe that Ive made a lot of growth in how I handle critique and also
in my explanation of how I want things to be viewed. Thats something that I think
Ive done good with. I also think thats great that there are ways that I can expand
myself especially in how I look at cultures and countries. This whole project has
been a study in how to see something in a new light. I like that. It drew me out of
myself and into the world. Not many things have the ability to do that. I have this
weird sense that theres more to write, yet I feel like that just about covers
everything.
I lied, I forgot about my final grade. I do think that I deserve a wow. As you
can see from all of my reflections, I did put some thought into what I was writing. I
5 It would be kind of great if this actually happened. What really happened was me trying wake myself by
arguing with a non-existent being. Oh wait...

think that to truly grasp what it means to have a wow - worthy reflection you have
to be thoughtful about what youre writing.
Im sorry, I cant write that with a straight face. It feels like lying. I really only
put thought into the reflections that I thought were worth reading. You might have
noticed but I found the fifth reflection to be the most worthwhile to write. I mean it
is only 5-ish pages and makes up at least one quarter of the words in this whole
document. Ah, I cant say things like that last paragraph, its unfair to you and more
importantly its an unjust assessment of my work, which despite some statements
on the contrary, is rather important to me. Why shouldnt it be? Yes, I did put a lot of
thought into it. I also put a little piece of me too. To me it seems that I cant evade
the fact that I will always be putting a little bit of myself into my work. In some
sense of it thats a good thing, but then again, no. Then Im stuck in positions like
this where I spend hours trying to get around talking about it. So here, I am once
again going around in circles.
So, Melina how are feeling about all of this?
Tired. I feel tired of this.
Why do you think this makes you feel tired?
I just feel like I should be done already, but there it is.
Do you think its unnecessary?
No. I think its time consuming. But then again so are a lot of things.
What do you consider time consuming?
Having to talk about myself. Having to talk to strangers. Walking in
crowded places. Having a conversation in crowded places. Waiting for Sherlock and
Downton Abbey.

 It seems to me that these are all things that bother you. What do you
think?
I think that there are a lot of things that make something worth the time, but
not everything can possess all of those qualities.
So this is my final paragraph. Bout time. I deserve a wow as a grade because
I spent my time on creating something worth spending my time on. I think this is
something that I wont shove into a corner and forget because I tried so hard on
this. As Im sure youve noticed in some of the previous paragraphs, I dont waste
my time on things that I dont think are worth it. This is my final paragraph because
Ive done a lot to get here. This is my last
sentence because I deserve a rest from clacking on keys.

Parent Reflection:
Wow! You have put so much energy in writing your reflections. It is joy to read your
work--finally. Melina, you are an avid reader and delve into projects with all your
heart (or should I say soul). I wish I had students like you.

You have taken this project and these reflections and made them uniquely your
own. Your ownership of this project allows you to grow in ways that few people allow
themselves to grow. Melina never forget how it feels to take on a project and make
it your own. Remember the wow that you feel because you have done something
magnificent. You and Shany have worked hard so now it is time to celebrate and
take on the next new adventure in your High Tech Journey.

Teachers Reflection:

I agree with everything that your parents said. You have impressively delved deeply
into your reflections and Small Spaces projects through personalization, ownership
and genuine effort. Your reflections are a delight to read! I also admire your
acceptance of others perspectives, feedback and critique (including your use of
criteria), displaying your adaptability, open mind and ability to value others
opinions. Most importantly, according to me, Im thrilled that you spoke positively
about your work. You seem content with the project and your reflections. Its a
pleasure to read your admittance to a job well done :)!

Moving forward, Id like to propose a challenge. As you already know, I thoroughly

enjoy your style of writing reflections. Its unique, engaging and insightful. Id
argue that youve mastered the stream of consciousness/ inner monologue voice in
your writing. Now, lets give a different style a try, perhaps one youve always
wanted to dabble in or have read before in an article or a book. I believe your
writing potential is unlimited. Lets prove it.

Forward to The Future

As we walk into this New Year we find ourselves yet again facing a project.
Whether this project will welcome us kindly is only known to the fates that arranged
this. We know very little about this new project or how it will act. But we must be
accepting of our limited knowledge and move forward with caution.
What we know so far is that it dislikes our world. Its trying to change it. Why?
What does it consider to be wrong? This is a whole new beast; a beast that could
make all the difference in the world.
When you first see him you would be surprised at the many layers of him.
Theres an intense moment when its possible for you to see all of him at once,
though most never see it at all.
Well begin by reading. Yes, books are very important. And we can talk
about perspectives and how everything can change. Change is an important
concept to grasp. Ooh, I almost forgot I-uh...nevermind. Anyways, lets go look at
light and stars. Have you ever experienced the stars? Marvelous, Ill tell you
everything I know. And when Im done talking maybe we could write a novel about
our adventures. I do love a good story, especially one where Im in it.
Sounds exciting, someone intoned from somewhere near the back. The
projects eyes widened at this and said, Well, Id like to think so. I hope you come
to think of me as your friend. Oh, and please take care of me, Im fragile. His face
glistened with sweat and a blush was working its way up from his neck. With the
back of his hand he wiped the sweat from his brow and spoke again. Uh, perhaps I
shouldnt have said that. No, fragile isnt the correct word. Im different from you, if
you hadnt noticed. Ill be staying in here for a while and I would like it for you to be
my friends. Yes, doesnt that sound better? Forgive me for being so strange I am not
used to talking to so many of you.
Week 1 :
Addressing Difference in Understanding
Everyone was seated, not really doing much. The project was seated as well.
Except instead of sitting among us, it had fashioned itself a position in the front of
the class. Most of the time he just stares at us.
Scratch, Scratch, Scratch.
Even when we were writing not doing much of anything, he still sat there
staring. Every so often you would hear the head of another Student surface from the
paper to stare at him. Not a very long stare; one that he wouldnt even register as a
glance.
I have an announcement, he quietly stated from the front of the classroom.
Despite the volume of the statement the whole room instantly stopped to look at
him. He seemed a bit surprised at this but he accepted the fact that everyone was
now very openly staring at him. Continuing, he said, Ive used my magic to give
you all a book. I hope you like it. I think of you all as my very special friends. Also, I

was joking about the magic, I went about it in a regular way. The statement, with
the exception of the last sentence, was said in a fairly defensive way.
His hands trembled as he passed out the books. He sat at each table and
talked to us in whispery words about the book. His phrases seemed weak in
comparison to the short
statement he had made in front of the class.
~
~
~
The flipping of pages filled the room with a wonderful sense of business.
Books settled into new positions as the authors emotions took a firm hold in our
entire being. The soft, weathered clank of the spine reaching a new point as pages
turned with an inhuman speed. Project, as we had now all taken to calling him, was
lying on the floor absorbing the noise.
The vibrations in the floor as students moved in time to the plot were all felt
by him. He could feel a tremor as another foot brushed against the concrete. With
his eyes closed he took it all in. Absorbing everything. All around you could hear the
silent murmurs of understanding. He understood so much already. He understood us
(however we might deny it), he understood those subtleties in the noise, and he
understood the way Earth turned. Just thinking about him is exasperating. He
seemed in control of everything.
For some others the silence in the room is overwhelming. They need to talk
and get everything out because they feel that that is what true understanding is.
Project had different ideas. He felt that to understand is to experience. What a
beautiful idea that is. If everything that we experienced over the course of our life is
our version of understanding, then its easy to say that there are as many ways to
understand it as there are humans on this Earth. Each one as complex and different
as the next.
Is that what Project wanted us to learn?
Melina, youre voice is so beautiful. I love the way youre incorporating your
voice and perspective into your reflections. I wasnt really clear what your habit of
focus was. I dont know if your quotes would count as evidence. So include a solid
evidence next time. Maybe like a quote from the book that reflects the theme of
what you read and analyze your perspective of their point leading you to explain
your reasoning of writing. That could be incorporated at the bottom of your title, OH
WAIT YOU ALREADY DID THAT with addressing difference in understanding. So
maybe add like a caption at the bottom of it... so it doesnt ruin your writing. :)
-Shany
Week 2 Part 1:
The Importance of History
Do you guys like the color I chose?
Everyone that could see him replied with, Yeah. Or some variation of that
word. All eyes were trained on him and the poster he was holding. It was very bland

poster to be honest, but the color was spectacular. Oddly enough, Project said all of
this without hesitation. At first I thought that it was a really gaudy color, but I think
it suits the work. The work is what made the poster bland. Hundreds of letters
written in cramped writing all to the effect that no one could read what words the
letters formed. Lines and lines of words that made paragraphs that no one read.
One brave Soul said, What does it say? The silence in the room made everyone
stop. Projects eyebrows knitted together. In the absence of words and its
replacement with awkwardness, nearly all the students there began to stare at the
floor. The only thing that broke the silence was a quieted Huh? emitted by
Project. Weelllll...uhm. I just - I just wanted to write everything about everything. I
know its quite a bit, but I thought that it was important to write everything. I didnt
want to leave out a single word.
In that moment it was apparent that there was something that Project didnt
know. Despite the vast understanding and experience he had, he had no idea what
it was to summarize. To condense and shorten was against his nature as he had
been told from a young age that what was above a story was its information. The
information that he had shown was important, but it was so boring that people
slept. Yes, thats correct, a couple of students had actually fallen asleep where they
sat. Nothing had even been read; they just fell asleep looking at it.
~

Two Days Previous

I havent told you the history of where Im from yet, have I? No, I guess I
havent, he said this in a tone that was at once determined and also uncertain. The
hesitation in his tone was well understood by everyone as most had begun to
associate him with mild uncertainty. He continued, I think its about time that you
know more about what Im used to. I was raised somewhere very different from this
place. The history of my world is quite similar to that of this one. At his last
sentence he had a few eager faces look up to him. Even though he had said very
little, there were people looking expectantly at him and there was a mess of
thoughts inside him.
Why do they care so much. I dont know if I can handle so many faces looking
at me all at the same time. What do I say now? Do I tell them everything right now?
Why did I even have to bring this up! Im a fool for thinking that I could do
something so brash. I bet they think Im crazy.
While all of this was going on inside he was furiously flipping the pages of one
of the books he had surrounding his seat in the front of the class. Brave New World,
it was one of the books he had given to a group of students. His copy looked
weather worn and some of the pages were yellowing and on the verge of falling out.
Ah, here it is. Do any of you have a copy of this book on you? Do you think you
could turn to page 56? Could you read out the first sentence of the second
paragraph for me?
A student who had been listening from the back of the class was the only one
who had the book on hand. Sure, I dont mind reading out loud. It says All the

physiological stigmata of old age have been abolished. Why did you want me to
read that?
I think that passage is particularly important because they basically erased
age. Without age how do we grow? Where I come from old age is like a kind of
marker. Not a bad one, as they are implying, but rather a marker of strength and
knowledge. I was raised thinking that the number of years that youve lived is only
half of the number of lives that youve seen change. For all the years that everyone
lives there is a world around them changing. I wish I know what they know, but at
the same time Im a little glad that I get my own portion of history to remember. The
reason I asked if I had told you my history was because I think that it is important if
you want to know me. I do so much want you to know me. A blush had set itself on
his cheek bones during the duration of this short spiel. Another thing that adorned
his face was a pained look that couldnt even be described as awkward. Perhaps
turtle-esque would work here.
~
~
~
Project then decided that the history of his world would be shared within the
class. With his poster in hand he felt sure that everyone would come out more
knowledgeable about not only him but his place of origin as well. When the time
came for him to present he was only too excited to stand at his place in the front.
Then came that silence.
What is it that Project wanted us to learn?
Week 2 Part 2:
A Reflection on Government
A few hours after the sort-of-presentation /hurriedly-mumbled-speech on
history given by Project, the room was once again empty. Project sat by himself at
the back of the room, as he was prone to do when no one else was there.
sHKut-shou
Project poked his head around the corner and looked towards the door.
I thought you might be here.
The person who had said this was the same student who had read the
passage from the book. Project is terrible with names and therefore had not even
tried to remember the names of the students. Yes, I never really leave.
Why not? This place isnt exactly interesting.
Even so, it offers a nice place to think about things.
And what do you think about?
Nothing and everything. As Project was saying this The Student sat down
across from where Project was sitting on the ground.
Do you know anything about Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth? A very
interesting thing happened there. You see, at one point in time only the wealthy
could vote. I thought it was truly interesting. About 15% of the population voted on
all laws, they even voted in the monarch, Project said this without looking at The
Student.

I had no idea that happened. This is just a question, but how do you know so
much about the history of this world? How did you learn to speak English so
fluently?
Oh, about that. I learned so that I could come here. A long time ago there
was a visitor in our world who was from here. I became friends with him and he
gave me many books to read. He taught me how to speak English and I taught him
how to understand things the way that my people do. He asked me to come here.
Now Im here. Project just stared at his hands and twiddled his thumbs. Theres
also a place called South Africa, and the ancient city-state Sparta as well. The all
have whats called an oligarchy. It shocked me when I heard about how they
governed people here.
Hmmmmm, you certainly are an interesting person. Why are you here by
yourself?
Theres no other pace for me to go. I dont know many people here.
I see. I hate to leave you by yourself, but I have to be going.
It was nice talking to you, and I dont mind being by myself. Thank you for
coming.
It was my pleasure.
Week # 3:
Progress
You have insulted me in every possible way and can no longer have anything
to say to me. I must ask you to leave.
Project sat in his usual spot with his legs crossed while he watched Pride and
Prejudice. His face was spread into a smile of awe. Who wouldnt when they see
Pride and Prejudice for the first time?
Are they real?Did this really happen? What happens to them?
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
They finished watching the rest of the movie in silence. As the credits began
to roll, he recalled the reason for watching the movie. Ah, that was important. The
importance of love, hm. So does all of this stuff still happen?
No, more people marry for love nowadays. At least here, said one student
near to Project.
I think that that was a nice movie to watch. The scoring is beautiful. Where I
come from, things like this never happened.
He was probably talking about the movie, but several of the students
believed that what Project was really talking about was sitting in room full of friends
and watching a movie. He had mentioned it in his presentation a week ago that in
his world of origin it is uncommon for young people to spend so much time relaxing.
Even though project had seen very little of this world he knew rather a lot about its
history from the books he read when he was younger. However, there was one thing
that his studies had not included, and that is human emotions and interpersonal
connections. He could study those books however long he wanted, but he would
never understand what Jane Austen did when she wrote Pride and Prejudice. Her

knowledge of history might not have been as thorough as Projects, but her
understanding of what motivates and moves people was so exemplary that her
characters seem to have the ability to live and breath like the rest of us.
~

That movie we watched a few days ago, do all of you watch movies like
that?
The immediate answer of everyone who had heard the question was a
resolute, No.
I myself never really went to go watch movies. In fact, there were very few
movies where Im from. Nobody was bothered by that. All of the movies were very
good, by your standards. They give awards here, right? The students were
reminded again that he was not like them. Not only had he said that in the most
casual way possible for him, he had also remembered that they had mentioned that
the movie had been nominated for a few awards.
Yeah, there are a lot of different awards ceremonies for movies, said one
student confusedly. Why do they do that, asked Project with a highly quizzical
look about his face.
Well, I guess its to celebrate the accomplishments of people involved in the
filmmaking process. You know, actors, directors, script writers, cinematographers,
composers and the like. All of it is to remind everyone that they are important. What
they do is not without reason.
Huh, I never thought of it that way.
~

"There's always a man faster on the draw than you are, and the more you use
a gun, the sooner you're gonna run into that man."
They were back to where they were before hand. All sitting and watching a
movie. This time it was Gunfight at the OK Corral. There was nobody present who
wasnt more confused with this choice of movie than the first. Still, they watched
and when the movie was over they waited for a response.
Wow. Its a little crazy that that actually happened.
The movie was a bit of an exaggeration, as movies tend to be, the student
that said this was probably the one had come up with the idea to watch the movie
in the first place.
What confuses me is that this movie takes place after Pride and Prejudice,
but that movie is not as old.
There are a lot of adaptations of both, there are a few older movies about
Pride and Prejudice and some newer movies depicting the Gunfight at the OK
Corral.
The two movies look way different.
I guess it just goes to show how much the film industry has progressed.

Theres this one phrase that they used in Brave New World that shocked me
when I first read it. It was Ending is Better than Mending. I always thought that if
we were in the future we would progressed in a way that made sense. Phrases like
that never made much sense to me. I think thats what Mr. Huxley wanted us to
learn about his utopia, it doesnt make sense.
After he said this everyone left in a hurry. They werent afraid of what Project
had said, because he was right. No, they were afraid that Project had begun to see
them this way. They had thought that Project had wanted tell them that the
progress that their world had seen was just as bad as the progress of this fictional
world. They were afraid of hearing him say that they werent good enough and what
they had done was wrong. That wasnt what Project wanted them to learn.
He wanted them to see the beauty of living in world that makes sense
beneath the surface. Like a lake frozen over. He was beginning to see why they lived
in place like this, and yet they still had no idea for what reason he stayed with them.
Is fear of ourselves what Project wants us to learn?

Week # 4:
Equality and...Something
After a week, we once again return to the story of the project that decided to
live among us. The students had a newfound respect for Projects opinion and are
confused because of it. Were they going to act different around him now that they
thought of him differently?
No. They wouldnt. They had decided to be obstinate and wonderfully
unyielding to the idea of him being different. They do all of this despite the
knowledge that he is a distinct character within their class. They had decided to
completely dismiss him.
Distinct he maybe, but is he really that important?
All of these thoughts had gone through their heads to little effect. He, if
possible, was friendlier towards them than he had ever been. His affability was
befuddling.
Is it possible to be too happy?
If he did notice that the students had become uneasy around him, he was in
the way of hiding it with his perfect ease. Yes, he had actually become easy around
them. The discomfort that he had felt around him in the beginning of his stay had
dissipated to near non-existence.
So, are you guys as interested in what is ahead of you as I am?
Huh, was the consensus of the student population.
Hm, how do I explain it? Weeel, I like to believe that everyone has a future in
front of them. I think a lot of people do, or would like to at the least. So I was just
wondering what you see. When you look ahead of you do you see a path or the
backs of others? How do you react to what you see? What makes you happy? And
most importantly, do you like what you see?

The class erupted into a flurry of conversation.

~

~
~
The future.
It was odd to think about. Or rather, the future is odd when you really think
about it. With all of its intricacies, its easy to get lost in. All of the Maybes and
Perhapss thrown into your face.
It scares me more than it confuses me. I see so much pain everywhere. I see
weakness and vulnerability taken advantage of. I see all of the hidden emotion,
thoughts, and worst of all agendas. It confuses me that there should be so many
hidden things. All of it is ... something. Something that warrants a name, but can
only be described as human.
~
~
~
Since the conversation is dying down I have another question I want to ask.
What is it to be human?
The students looked around towards each other. Their discomfort with
Projects new position in their class had finally piqued. They were all of different
mind and had no way to communicate without the notice of Project.
Why do you ask, was one students response. It was well reasoned and
therefore nominally accepted as the groups answer.
I want to know what you know.
You all see me everyday. We talk everyday. I want to know what you know. I
want to think the way that you think. I thi-I think Im maladjusted.
Silence. Immovable silence.
I fell in love instantly.
There was nothing that could be done for that silence. It was wonderfully
silent. However, they didnt know that they knew the answer. There
was...something. Something that warrants a name, but can only be described as
knowledge. It made no sense that they couldnt say it out loud.
Maladjustment is not a bad thing. Not all the time. Have you ever seen that
one speech that Martin Luther King Jr. gave at Western Michigan University? He talks
about creative maladjustment.
Well that came out of nowhere. How did you think of that?
Yeah, was the general assent from the crowd. The only thing given in
response was a shrug as noncommittal as shrugs come.
Is it possible to fall in love instantly?
Does Project want us to feel on the same level as him?
Week # 5:
An Ending
I hear sighs. It reminds me of snow. Breaths catching us like a pile of soft
snow catching our footfalls. Snow reminds me of Spring. A fresh breath in a New

World.
It doesnt snow here, Project said while looking outside of the window at the
dark sky. How do you tell the difference between the seasons?
Seeing as there is very little difference between the season, there isnt really
a need to pay attention. Calendars would tell you, but other than being another
date on the calendar, it isnt hugely important. Project was listening intently as the
student spoke. Her short speech was given with a slightly puckered facial
expression, as if she were drinking bitter tea.
Thats a shame.
Yes, it is, her eyes trained on the floor, but all of her focus is in those three
words. Her whole body seemed to shake with those three beats.
Doh, Doh-duh. Hmm, its like a heartbeat. I do wish we had seasons here.
It is colder now than it was before, he said.
Thats true. I always feel so much more tired when its cold like this.
The two of them were sitting were Project usually sat. They always sat in that
same spot. The student recalled the first time she had approached Project.
What were we talking about that time? Odd, I cant remember. Has a lot of
time passed since then? It feels as if it were only yesterday.
How are you liking Brave New World?
Well enough, it always seems like there is something going on that I cant
understand. Then when I think about it, it does. Then I wonder, Why didnt I notice
before? Sometimes I have to separate myself from it for a bit to get it.
As long as you understand it. The student nodded along.
I finished the book actually, she said finally, looking him straight in the eye.
Did you like the ending?
I guess. The ending was sad, but necessary. Johns final act tied him to the
society he tried to leave. I thought it was odd that he would do something like that.
Odd, but necessary all the same.
~
~
~
The smell of lemons surrounds me. I like lemons. They remind me of the word
tender. Im not sure why. I used to hate the color yellow. I like yellow now.
Btzhn
~
~
Have you ever heard the phrase the truth is stranger than fiction? Coming
from Project, it was hard to understand what the meaning behind his question was.
Lord Byron, I believe, was the slightly distant response she gave. Her
attention was drawn to sun streaming in from the window. It was late in the
afternoon and the sunlight warmed her bones.
Ive never heard of him, but I guess it would be.
Why did you ask?
Why shouldnt I ask? Project said this in an acrimonious tone that was
markedly unlike his own.
There was no reason for you to ask.
Does everything need a reason for you to understand it and feel moved by
it?

Generally speaking, yes.

Why?
You never answered my question. I answered yours, now you have to
answer mine.
I asked because nothing is real, he said the last three words in a whisper. It
was almost as if he was afraid of the words he was saying. His biting words left a
scar on her memory, nonetheless.
~
~
~
There it is again, that immovable silence. Sometimes I think his words exist
to create it. Why does he have to confuse me?
~
Btzhn
~
She looks around the room she just entered. The walls are brightly colored.
Just like the poster Project made, she thought. The poster I never read.
I like this color of pink, she said to no one. Confusion began to cloud her
face as her thoughts moved to absence of other human beings. She had been
surrounded by people, then there was Project, but now there was no one.
This silence was different from the one before. It was eerie and gave her the
weirdest feeling in the pit of her stomach. Despite the questions still racing through
her mind she moves forward to touch one of the walls. The sensation she felt when
her hand touched the surface of the wall was like that of being covered by the
water of a river.
~
~
Btzhn
She knelt by the edge of the stream. The water covered the tops of her feet.
There was laughter somewhere in the background, but she paid no mind. She
looked up at the sky and saw a vision of Dark Blue. It seemed to surround
everything in its shadow.
Doh, Doh-duh. Doh, Doh-duh. Doh, Doh-duh. The rhythmic thumping was
duller now. It was less like a heartbeat and more like the quiver of a disused
machine attempting to be helpful.
The sun beat down on her cheekbones, tanning her skin marginally.
Btzhn
Btzhn
Btzhn
She ran faster and faster, trying to catch up with the light. The star was
moving too fast for her to catch it. All the same, she reached her arm up and
grabbed at it. On her fourth attempt she could feel the heat in her hand.
Btzhn
Btzhn
Btzhn
Btzhn
Btzhn
Btzhn
BtzhnBtzhnBtzhnBtzhnBtzhnBtzhnBtzhnBtzhnBtzhnBtzhnBtzhnBtzhnBtzhnBtzhnBtzh
nBtzhn
She bolted up from her bed. It had sounded like her alarm clock was going
off. There was no noise coming from her clock.
She was confused, but looking at her no one would have noticed. Her face
was blank except for eyes that were wide open.
There was nothing new in her room. Everything was were she had left it.
Her head was spinning with pain. Still her face showed nothing. There was no

sign of the pain she felt.

The pain she felt piqued when she noticed who else was there.
~
~
~
I told you nothing was real. Do you believe me now? Im not real. But you
are awake.
I thought it might be weird to be here if you werent awake. Now I realize
Ive caused you nothing but pain. I apologize. His apology was fake and he made
no attempted to conceal that fact. He seemed more real now than he ever had
while she was dreaming. He no longer held that air of uncertainty. In its stead was a
confidence bordering malice. The biting tone he had held near the end of her dream
was not a trick, it was the true nature of Project.
This is Project? Is it right to still think of him as Project? He seems different.
Why?
No one can see me. Even you cant. Im not real. Im more like a shadow.
Project, you called me, but Im more like a shadow than one of your projects.
You look frightened. Do I scare you? Ah, but thats right, theres nothing you
can say.
He was right in saying that, she had no control over herself. Not even her
eyes, that remained shocked open.
Why is he here?
Week #6
A Shadow of a Memory that Never Really Existed
To the outside viewer there was only a girl . She was sitting bolt upright in her
bed. To the outside viewer she might have been scared by a nightmare. There was
nothing wrong about that. Nightmares happen as often as dreams. But no one saw
what she saw. There was on one who got the whole story.
She sat. He stared.
This feels like some crazy role reversal. In my dream he sat and we stared.
Youre right, this does feel like a role reversal, he had said this in such an
indifferent tone that her heart skipped several beats. All of her thoughts could be
seen by him. And to address your last question, you brought me here.
I never existed. Im from nowhere. But now Im here. Well, I actually dont
even have that. Im here because of you, his face was once again turned to the
ground. The way that he spoke reminded her of when they were within the dream. It
was at once comforting and terrifying. That he could suddenly change himself to
sound petrified by the thought of it was backwards and uncomfortable in her mind.
No, he cant. Hes not real. He cant feel. This is just in my mind.
Her thoughts then travel to what had happened in her dream.
He talked to me, he talked to all of us. No, they werent real either. It was me
talking to myself. Hes not from another world. Hes not from this one either. Those
days were only seconds. No time passed. The clocks never changed. It was only the
sky changing color in my mind. But why did the alarm clock go off? I never set my
alarm clock. Why am I awake?

Im glad youre finally catching on. Asking important questions is also

another good sign. Do you enjoy having me here with you? Thats what I wonder.
Now if I remember correctly, Ive told you once before that I woke you up so
I wouldnt be alone here. I guess you realize now that that was a lie. Is it bad for me
to feel sad that you now realize that Im intangible. It could be argued that the
imaginary, fictional, and intangible parts our thoughts feel the most real. Do I feel
real to you? While he spoke he moved from the foot of her bed to her side. From
her peripheral vision she could she him sit next to her. Her breathing was even, but
her throat felt constricted by something that she could not understand. It was as if
the air around her had suddenly thickened.
Uh.
Her head was spinning, but everything around her was still. The world was
beginning to make sense. All of it was piecing together.
Where did he go?
Week #7
Strange and Obscure Happenings
The days following passed in a blur. The only way that it made sense to her
was to write off what had happened completely. She pretended to forget the dream
and the apparition of Project that had been in her bedroom.
Maybe I should tell someone about what had happened. They might know
something that would be useful. She thought some days after the dream. She was
afraid of others finding out that she had for so long believed that it was real.
It wasnt even that long. It was only a few minutes. Why does it bother me so
much?
Her thoughts then went to what she had dreamed about. The images had
began to blur together and she could no longer remember everything that
happened.
~
Three Days Later
~
Did you like the ending? Feeling as if she had had this conversation
before, the Student hesitantly answered I guess. The ending was sad, but
necessary. Johns final act tied him to the society he tried to leave. I thought it was
odd that he would do something like that. Odd, but necessary all the same.
She still hadnt told anybody about the dream. Her decision to do this had
made her very anxious.
They wouldnt be shocked, would they? I mean, we dont live in a perfect
world. Having a nightmare isnt wrong. Being changed by fictional characters isnt
wrong. Im not perfect, being influenced by the perspective of someone who
doesnt exist is common. People talk about it all the time. How their life was
changed because they read one book or another. This is the same. Right?
Would you guys say that the you were influenced by the book, she asked
carefully to the people in her book group.
Maybe not the plot. I would say that the characters influenced me the most.
Even though several of them had the same ideas, their perspective on what could

be done were all different so you had a chance to see one problem from several
different sides.
Ah, very well put, intoned another of the members of the book group.
I guess that happens in real life too. We all see a problem differently. At that
last statement the group of four simultaneously nodded their heads.
What do you think makes that difference in perspective, one of the three
others asked.
Please tell me we arent going back to that nature versus nurture
conversation.
You dont have to join in the conversation. and who said we were going to be
talking about that?
You have that look on your face, so I guessed. Was I correct?
The conversation could have gone in any direction.
Sure.
Anyways, what do you two think?
I think its because we all see different parts of the same thing. For example
I wouldnt have connected the face you made with a conversation about nature
versus nurture, but someone else did.
Hm, thats true. And what about you, he said turning to face her. She hadnt
spoken yet because she was seriously considering what to say.
Uh, well, I agree that we all see different things. We will never live in place
where that wont happen. Every king knows that one day that every kingdom must
come to an end. We dont live in a world that stays still. We are all in constant
motion. Things happen. Nightmares come true, everything she said was confident
sounding until she had reached the last two sentences. Her hands were shaking
with nerves.
Thats funny. My hands usually only shake when Im about to do a speech.
Im talking to three people whos opinion I actually care to hear, maybe thats why I
feel nervous to have them see my weakness. When did he become my weakness?
No, its the shadow of the memory of him. He doesnt exist.
Haha, its just like you to make all of our opinions look childish. The joint
laughter of the three of her group members made her appreciate them more.
I dont think you said anything childish.
Why do I care so much?
Week #8
Any Questions?
A Self-Grade
Crash!!!

Ughhhhhhhhhhh,
Golly, Im so sorry.
Oh, uh, no no, i-it- its fine. No worries. I mean it was an accident, right.
Yeah.
Here are your other papers.
Oh, thank you. A blush starting somewhere on her neck had moved up,
making her entire face a color akin to that of an apple. She was squatting on the
floor to pick up the papers that had fallen all the while purposely avoiding his eyes.
The scene just before she came to her senses was hardly more flattering for her.
After her group had finished the discussion on Brave New World she had
decided to leave the classroom for no particular reason. There was no longer any
need for her to be there, so she left. After walking perhaps 10 feet see crashed with
a man she hadnt seen. With her mind on other matters, it is no wonder she wasnt
paying attention to what was actually in front of her. Because she had walked
straight into him she had lost her balance completely and fell on her butt.
~
~
~
Im such a clutz. Now my essay and critique are all over the floor. Ugh. His
shoes are nice looking. No!
Although she had made the exclamation in her head, her lips were parted and
her eyes were as wide as saucers. She quickly peeled her eyes away from his and
instead focused on the pages in her hand.
No, he doesnt exist. He isnt real. He told me himself. Why does that person
look like him? I dont get it. Why does it affect me so much?
Oh, and heres this paper as well. I couldnt help but read it. So youve read
Brave New World?Did you like the ending?
Again with this question! I guess. The ending was sad, but necessary. Johns
final act tied him to the society he tried to leave. I thought it was odd that he would
do something like that. Odd, but necessary all the same.
Hm, you sound like a friend of mine. She said something similar to that after
having finished reading it. I apologize again. For bumping into you, I mean.
Uh, yeah. No, Im sorry for bumping into you.
Ah, I guess that neither of us was paying attention.
No, I guess not.
Well, goodbye then.
Goodbye. No, its not the same person. Project was never that collected he
was always saying weird things that didnt make sense together. There is no reason
for Project to be real. All he ever was was a dream. A figment of my imagination.
The person I bumped into was real. Im glad this is done.

Its done.
I whispered this to myself after I finished writing. I no longer had to spend any more
time thinking about that dream I had. Writing it all down from a different
perspective made me realize how it never could have been real. I guess I had finally
put some distance between me and the dream. Project was no longer a proper
noun.
Speaking of projects, the essay I had written signaled the end of this one.
With all of that squared away I had more time to make sense of the dream.
When I first began to write my account of the dream it was very hard. I was
often at a loss as to how to describe what I see so clearly in my mind. In my head
there is the dream on replay. Every second played infinitely with each electrical
trigger that causes neurotransmission. I wish I could say that that in itself is
beautiful, but it really is horrifying. Reliving something like that is really quite
unfortunate. If it had been instead a quiet tune that could be easily drowned out
with conversation, perhaps I would not have felt so relieved when I said, Its done.
As I was continuing to write I saw that there were many things I didnt
understand. For example, Im not actually sure how long everything lasted. Many
details escaped me as well. Whether it be the time of day or the day of the week, I
wasnt sure how to differentiate between them. Considering it was a dream, Im not
sure that those details were really that important.
Anyways, as I got farther and farther into the dream I began to realize that
none of it actually made sense. Odd that I should realize that so far after the fact,
but I guess it was right that the reason I should notice it was because I had decided
to take a step away from it from a while. I like that. I like that it makes sense that
something should happen after another. The way that actions can work linearly
makes happier than it should. Despite that, I ended up writing out most of the story
out of order, filling in odds and ends when I remembered them regardless of the
time that they would have happened. I wrote so much that Im beginning to think
that I made up the whole thing and this is just a way for my brain to divert itself
from the process of actually doing work. That doesnt really seem like me though.
When it all comes down to it, I was glad that I had such a chance to look back
at something that felt so important to me in that moment but no is nothing more
than a dream in a string of many.

Hm, I like this part.

Really? That part gave me a lot of trouble. It was more in the wording than
what needed to be said, to be honest.
Well, I think its very well written.

Thats a relief to hear.

Why? You arent terrible you know.
Well I dont consider the writing aspect to be that important, but Im glad
that you think that Im doing well in that.
Its a written piece, how is the writing not important?
Ive always been more of a Romantic when it comes to writing.
Youre the worst.
Its an honor coming from you.
On a less serious note, Id like to say that this has a real...I dont know how
to say it, wow factor? Youre the writer, why dont you come up with a word.
Wow works for me.
Now that thats decided, a question leaning towards the serious side.
Okay, what is it?
What does he look like?
Who?
Dont play the fool, youre bad at it. You and I both know that Im talking
about Project.
Well, I dont really know.
...
...
Really?
Yeah, pretty much.
But in the end it says that you saw someone who looked just like him.
No, he only had the same walk. It was a walk just like his.
So you remember the way that person walks more than their actual physical
features?
If I remember correctly, I wrote on multiple occasions that Project was not in
fact a physical person.
Wow, my hopes are shattered. I thought I would finally get to know what he
looks like.
An athlete cannot run with money in his pocket. He must run with hope in his
heart and dreams in his head.
Who said that, obviously it wasnt you.
Marco Simoncelli.
Interesting person to quote.
Do you know who he was?
No, but thats okay. Lets go back to the topic at h-
They both wore contacts.
What?
They both wore contact lenses. I just remembered that.
How on this planet did you manage to remember that.
I was joking.
Go home. Im quite literally tired from talking to you.
Thats a pretty big vote of confidence coming from you.

Yeah, I know. But please stop saying such impossible things it makes it
easier to say goodbye to you.
Goodbye.

Its All In Your Head

This past year we learned to live with No Excuses, built our way through
history, questioned the future, and in our last project, the past. So now, as this
school year comes to an end, we focus instead on ourselves. No, not us as
individuals, but as a group, and more importantly, as a society.
Make Sure Something is Worth Your While is what I chose to make my habit of
focus during the duration of this project. What this means to me is that I will be
looking for ways to improve my decision makings skills. Through this I can better
understand what is necessary to be done so that I can create a product that is worth
my notice as well as others.
Week #1
Happiness is...coming home. Ive said it before, but let me elaborate. People
seem to often confuse coming home with going home. Coming home is the action of
opening ones door and seeing ones things. Its feeling familiar and comfortable.
Happiness to me is not some idealistic smiles-for-days thing. No, its more like an
invitation to someplace you know that youre welcome. Happiness to me is Lovely. I
said previously that Lovely reminds me of that shady spot in front of the blue house
surrounded by ferns. Coming home is like sitting in that shady spot and enjoying the
view. I would say that the only way you can know how to give happiness to others
is if you yourself are happy. Neither one is more important than the other because
they convalesce when we interact with each other and when we decide ... well,
anything.
I wouldnt say that I know anyone with a neurological disease. I dont really
know enough about what diseases there are.
Th human mind. Hmmmmmmm. I just read an article about how to reinvent
yourself. Something that I found interesting was that the author had said that
people who are intrinsically motivated are more likely to fulfill their dreams because
they feel that they can devote themselves to their goals. I dont know if thats true
or false. I also dont have any proof.
I looked into Russian dinner traditions. I wouldnt call it weird, but it involves
a lot of meat. I think it wouldnt really be a stretch for what I normally do other than
the food that is eaten.
Since its the beginning of this project I guess I should say that I want to focus
on being able to find out what kind of information is important to me. Often times
during projects I overwhelm myself by trying to cram all of the learning that I think
is necessary in one period of time. I wouldnt say that thats unhealthy, but its not
entirely healthy.
Week #2
Fear. How do I explain fear? Well, you didnt ask for me to explain, did
you? I guess it could be said that there are different reasons why we fear and I
learned why we fear in the first place. Usually, we fear because we are taught that
there is nothing wrong with living in fear. Or at least thats how I perceived it be. My
greatest fear, you ask? I would say that my greatest fear is dying. Weird, isnt it? I

say weird because I know that its not something I should be concerned with. And
yet here I am. Whywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhywhwywhywhywhywhywhy. Why
ever not? Im not sure for what reason I exist in this world, why shouldnt I be afraid
of disappearing with the same lackluster reasoning?
This week I looked into the neurological disorder called dysgraphia. It makes
writing hard. I dont really relate to it. One thing that I thought was interesting was
that students with it tend to disguise their difficulty with writing with poor
penmanship. I guess thats something that I can understand. I think that what we
really want is to not be seen as lesser because we have difficulty with something.
Something that I now understand better is that all people should be treated equal.
During the process of creating the concept map I had to create an idea of
how I would present the ideas. This works into my habit which was to make
something worth my while. In coming up with my idea I had to keep in mind that
this was something that was representing my learning and had to make it
accordingly.Wow, Im beginning to realize how lame that sounds. Almost as if my
whole life revolved around being able to create work and there are only somethings
up to my standards. Its not really like that. No, its more like there are a lot of
things that go into making something and so many parts are left up to
interpretation. I want to make something awesome, but my idea of what is
awesome, as well as possible, are very different from what other peoples are.
Sorting out what was important so far in the project has helped me understand what
kind of information would be helpful later on and what information I can be building
off of during the course of the project.
Week #3

I dont really find this weeks questions interesting or even particularly

important. Hypnotherapy is interesting. I like that it makes sense. Personally,
I didnt see how there was a spiritual component to hypnotherapy. If there
was I doubt there is legitimacy. My personal issues are something I prefer to
solve on my own. I wouldnt say that hypnotherapy has any influence on the
way that I relax because there is very little to begin with. I relax when there
is reason to relax and not a second sooner.
I think that the reason why I find the idea of hypnotherapy so
interesting is that it expands the mind while keeping it in tact.
The case study that I looked at was called The Deliberate Duchenne:
Individual Differences in Expressive Control. In this the authors of the paper
wrote about what made the duchenne smile so interesting and how creating
one deliberately is more common than you think. I used my habit in choosing
which case study I was going to look at. I had read a few before deciding on
that one because I thought that the previous ones werent as thorough at
explaining why they had chosen to do what they had done which I think was
an unique aspect that this paper stand out. Because I was looking through so
much information singling out a piece like this definitely helped improve my
habit because I was looking closely for information that I could build off of
later while I was experimenting for myself.

Week #4
How has the experience you gained on career day helped you narrow
down or at least given you an idea of what you want to do in the future?
What moment during career day did you realize you did or didn't want to do
the that occupation?6
While at the Safari Park I noticed that the animals kind of had
personalities. I couldnt see it in all of them because I wasnt actually paying
any attention to them. It reminds me of the discussion on happiness that we
had. I think the reason that I made that connection is because I was thinking
about how they might not be happy, but they still appear to be happy. Kind
of like us humans, right?
The results were pretty close to what I guessed. Those that smiled had
an increase and those that kept a straight face had a decrease. The average
point increase and decrease wasnt as significant as I expected. Instead of it
being a one or two point for either it was closer to 0.8 for both. Also those
that had a neutral face reported that those around them didnt have any
particular response.
The product that we had decided on doing originally was a
documentary. What we ended up doing is an RSA. I think that the process of
creating could have gone smoother if we had decided to make this change
earlier in the project.
Right now Im listening to a song about someone who lost their dream.
I wish I didnt know that feeling. While I was listening I realized that all
dreams are beautiful and there are some things we cant change. I was
concerned. About a lot of things. So concerned that I sometimes forgot that
its okay to not be worried all the time. Things go right when you let them fall
where they may.
Its a strange concept for me. I like to feel that my concern is necessary.
I like to feel that all my dreaming was to some effect. I like to feel that Im
not suffocating the life out of the dream with my worries. But thats not
always true. I guess in some sort of way there is always going to be a sense
of disconnect between some things in everyones life.
I dont know where I was going with those last two paragraphs. They
sort of just happened. During this week I was lost. Very lost. My habit is
supposed to help me keep a clear track of what can be done and what I can
accomplish, but it hasnt done that. I need to work harder on that. Next week
I want to be able to focus on using what I know to get ahead. Or rather
caught up, seeing as Im behind.
Final Reflection
6 I was unable to complete the Career Day and because of this will be making it up within the coming
week.

This project has probably impressed itself on me the least. Not

surprising seeing as it is the project that we spent the least amount of time
on. My habit for this project was make sure something is worth your while. I
think that developed this habit in many ways.
In the first week of this project I was so focused on what I didnt know
that I had completely missed the chance to learn. The week after that I
hadnt even really registered that I was supposed to take in what we had
been discussing. The third week I was just lost. Last week I wasnt present at
all.
Its truly refreshing for me to be able to begin with such honesty. Im
not sure if you could tell with the last four reflections, but I was answering
through gritted teeth. Maybe I had learned something before I had even
realized that I did. Maybe Im just picky. Its probably both. Or I could have
stopped caring a few months ago. Either way you look at it I was in no mood
for mediocrity. Funny, isnt it? I was in no mood for it yet I couldnt escape it.
I guess thats just part of who I am.
To be honest, Im not sure why I chose the habit that I did. I dont really
connect to it at all. Maybe thats why Im having such a hard time writing
about how I grew in this particular area.
Literature Review
Fear Story
Personality Type
Mirror Neurons
There, now Ive made a list of the thing that I liked learning during this
project. These can be connected to my habit because my habit was to make
sure something was worth my while. By deciding to take interest Ive marked
them out as pieces of information worth notice, important to learn and
expand upon.
The literature review was interesting because it gave me a chance to
read about what has already been done. By reading these I could decide
what was needed of me as a experiment designer.
I liked writing the fear story because it gave me a chance to build off of
an idea that I had been forming. Actually, learning about the way fears can
start helped me to make the idea more grounded in reality and believeable .
Being able to do this also helped me build up a writing method that I find
helpful. If you look at my story youll notice the first part is a beginning of
story that is then highlighted different colors. The colors place a statement in
a category based off of importance and relevance. Darker primary colors
were important pieces to build on and the secondary colors are used to mark
phrases that were to be rephrased and placed throughout the story. The
lighter secondary colors mark pieces as of smaller importance (usually
details). I used this before, but using it again has helped me come up with a

more concrete way of addressing how to form a story.

When we were looking at our personality types I was particularly
interested. Not that Ive never taken the Meyers-Briggs. I decided to look into
my what it meant to have my type. While looking into it I was given a
chance to develop what it was that made me important. Or at least what
they told me I was.
I also really liked the presentation that was given to us about mirror
neurons. Coincidentally, I had been reading some articles on them only a few
days prior to the presentation. I think that mirror neurons are important to
grasp even if I dont talk about them at all. They are important to understand
because by knowing something like this I can understand more about myself
and how I plan approaching others.
Based off of my growth I think that I deserve an Average Joe. I didnt do
anything for this project. I didnt even try. At least, not in the regular sense. I
did try, but it wasnt something that I saw as necessary. I guess you could
say that even though this project might have been my cup of tea, it was cold
and rather tasteless.