Amidst the Chaos

  

    It is so difficult to find the proper time and inspiration to write, especially when life gets in the way. When the brain is overflowing with information, one would just assume that it means that one has more topics to write about. Yet, I have found this statement to be far from the truth. Whenever my brain is overflowing with information, there are so many options to choose from to the point where my mind goes blank when I try to focus on just one. I am sure that I am not the only one who experiences this too. So, how can one combat this dilemma? Well, this is what I am going to experiment with now. 
    Currently, the most important topics on my mind are an internship, a potential job, my art quiz, and the philosophy homework I still have yet to complete for today. All those topics are good areas of conversation, as I can go into detail about each one. For this post though, I'm going to try to only focus on one. That one being my art quiz, as I feel it is the topic that is weighing the heaviest on my shoulders. Art is my passion, as I've already discussed in my introduction post, yet when it comes to test or quizzes related to art or any subject I find myself in a bit of a pickle. I've never been good with timed tasks as they increase my levels of anxiety no matter how much time I have. Add a grade to that, along with multiple terms I have to memorize and understand, and you get a panicked Maddy. Whenever I panic, my brain becomes overloading with both information and stress, which results in all my memorized information going out the window. It doesn't help that matter how hard I try to study, some things are just easier for me to remember than others. So, what am I going to do to do better this time?
    First, I have decided to dedicate a specific amount of time to studying. Throughout that time, I will just dedicate my brain to the information I need to soak in. After that, I plan on taking a couple minutes of self-encouragement, followed by a couple minutes of relaxation to give my brain a moment to relax. What I've noticed in the past is that when I go into a test feeling confident, even when I get a bit tripped up I still preform better than when I go in feeling unconfident. I am sure that this method will work for me today, and I always encourage those around me to go into stressful events with confidence as well. Even when trying to write a paper when I have so much information on my mind because easier when I have a bit of confidence going into it.

Image source: Image taken by me while I was shopping with my mother and grandmother last weekend. It represents my mood for this blog so that's why it's the chosen image. Here is a link to the website for the towel as a reference or if anyone wants to buy the towel: https://simplyinspiredgoods.com. I am not being sponsored for this message for everyones information.

"My Kid Could Paint That"

  

  Ever wondered how some simple pieces of art can sell for thousands while some really detailed pieces only sell for hundreds?  Recently, I watched the documentary “My Kid Could Paint That,” which tackled that question along with what defines a child prodigy. For a short summary of the documentary, the film was about a child named Marla who only at four years of age had people buying her abstract paintings for thousands of dollars. Although, upon reviewing footage of Marla paining, child psychologist on the sixty-minute show put out into the world that she thought Marla’s artistic father was finishing her pieces for her and instructing her on what to do. This film was heavy on the pathos and ethos, as it tackled emotional topics such greed, hateful comments, the struggles of a family, and most importantly honesty and credibility versus video proof. 

    One scene that got to me was a scene in which cameramen were filming Marla painting. While being filmed, she was painting like a regular child instead of painting in a style similar to her off camera masterful works of art. Immediately, her dad got defensive and told the cameramen that she never paints this childishly off the camera. I was quite upset by this exchange, and a bit confused because this moment really made it seem as though her most famous and expert looking paintings weren’t really hers. A separate moment that caught me off guard was when Marla’s parents continued hosting more art galleries while attempting to make Marla’s paintings famous again even after the family was ridiculed after the airing of the sixty-minute episode. I feel as though both events surprised me and frustrated me because even with an open mind it still seemed as though they cared more about their reputation than the well-being of Marla. From the very beginning of the documentary, the fact was made well known that Marla herself did not like talking to others and showing off her work. Yet, her parents took her away from her childhood and had her talk to adults and news reporters just to get more money and fame. Even when it all fell, both of Marla’s parents still craved that fame, ignoring Marla’s wishes to be a child and continuing to disregard her brother, Zain, because he wasn’t famous. 

 

    After watching this film, I am flabbergasted at what I just watched. On one hand, I cannot believe a family would be so greedy as to push their shy child into the spotlight for their own gains. Yet, every time I tried to believe otherwise, the documentary would bring up a reason for me to question the parent’s honest and commitments to their children’s well beings. Yet isn’t that the purpose of a documentary, to show a truth or narrative? That is also why one cannot include research within documentary summaries, because some topics such as these are easily swayed by the media and others’ opinions which may discredit what the documentary is about or trying to say. Also, documentaries are not about logic and specifics anyways. They are about diving deep into the viewers feelings while both answering and unveiling questions that viewers may have.

Chapter Two

  

 When it comes to writing, what compels a writer to write a piece and a reader to read that piece is a good thesis. When I’m writing a thesis I am intrigued by, I’ve noticed that I’m more inclined to continue writing about it. Yet, part of my trouble comes from a worry that others will not be interested was well. Chapter 2 in my Writing 101 class focused on how to generate thoughtful and intriguing thesis statements as well as finding and using good information to back it up. After reading Chapter 2, one concept in particular stood out to me. So, I’m going to be discussing that concept for this week’s blog.  

    The best starting point for forming a good thesis is coming up with a good question that activates one’s critical thinking. Yet, how does one come up with such questions? Writers tend to use one of four methods to activate their brain cells. One method is called freewriting, in which someone just writes down whatever they want to for a long period of time. Typically, people free write in journals or diaries, as spelling and grammar are not concerns during the freewriting process. There is also focused freewriting, in which someone rambles on about a particular topic as to develop useful supporting points and questions that relate to that topic. Idea mapping, a visual method that involves someone writing their topic in a circle and coming up with related ideas that stem from their main topic, is another idea. I commonly use that method for art to come up with new ideas on what to draw. Lastly, there’s the dialectic conversation in which two people who are willing to be open to new ideas debate a given topic. This method, as well as the other three, all focus on the same goal of getting people to be open to other viewpoints and think deeply about their own topic or viewpoint. 
 
    The objective of these methods is to get a writer to think about something that is new and interesting. If it’s interesting and new to the writer, chances are that it is also new and interesting to others as well. Whatever method you choose is up to you, as multiple methods exist for a reason. That’s why this concept interested me, because although I’ve practiced mind mapping and free writing before, I never truly grasped the benefits of those methods. Plus, I’ve never heard of the dialectic conversation method before so I am intrigued to try it sometime soon. 

Oh No!

    I have a guess as to what you’re probably thinking. Why is the title of this blog, “Oh No”? Well, because that is the title of my Microtheme paper, which focuses on why people experience anxiety. Feeling inspired by my topic, for this week’s blog I will go over my experiences with anxiety as well as a reflection on how I feel my paper is going so far. For clarification, the Microtheme project is a one paper assignment for my Writing 101 class that encourages students to ponder their topic without proposing solutions or stating facts. All the evidence provided in the paper is required to be based on personal experiences. Now that I have provided a bit of context on the assignment, now I will be explaining why I chose my topic.
    When I was young, I loved being seen by others. I was into dance and theatre up until sixth grade. The reason that I started to dislike being seen by others, was because I began to care what others thought about me. Now, presenting in front of others, even a handful of people, became an anxiety inducing task. I believe that the pressure of wanting to perform at my best is the cause. Before and during presentations, my heart pounds loudly in my chest while my legs tremble. I often forget what I planned on saying because the sound of my heart beating distracts me and makes my vision feel blurry. I also lower my voice and stumble over my words because I think that if I say something wrong then maybe they won’t hear it. Other times I experience this level of anxiety are when I’m in unfamiliar situations. Although recently I’ve been trying to improve my public speaking habits and find ways to decrease my anxiety. One thing that does help it journaling about it, since I feel a bit of clarity by acknowledging it. 
    Due to how much I can relate to experiencing anxiety, I decided to choose that as my topic for my Microtheme paper. Most of the time, picking out a topic is the hardest part of a paper. Yet, this paper is challenging to write as well. Having learned to write a particular way using facts and sources to back up my claims has made this project more difficult. Not because I have trouble figuring out what to write, but because what I’m writing does not seem right to me. Regardless, I have enjoyed writing this assignment more than when I write common essays. Another problem I have stumbled across was fitting my work onto one page. The first draft I wrote was well over one page, and at first, I thought all of it was necessary. I managed to reread it and shorten it down to a page an hour later though. Turns out, almost any sentence can be shortened if extra details and words are taken out.