Cultural Event #1

This week's Cultural Event was an Art Exhibition. I decided one Friday (well, this Friday) of an afternoon to visit our very own Museum of Art. Having worked at the visitor booth outside the Museum, I was well aware by the seemingly endless streams of mini-vans of the the Walter Wick "I Spy" Exhibit. I've always had somewhat of a distaste for art in general, and so I thought that visiting this children's exhibit would be a great place to start in finding a true (if not love, then) like for Art.

I descended the stairs and found the entrance. I wasn't there 30 seconds when a security guard asked me to go upstairs and check my backpack. Admittedly perturbed, I went upstairs and checked my back pack. I had already seen the first picture, and I was intrigued.

For the next hour and a half I literally felt like a child again. The pictures and their subjects were so reminiscent of my own childhood. They were filled with storybook tales, toy soldiers, planes, trains, and automobiles. Most if not all of the pictures were optical illusions, puzzles, or riddles in themselves - things I LOVED as a child. The ambiance helped tremendously with my return to childhood. The whole room was filled with children and parents working through the riddles together, laughing. "Look, Mom!" "Can you find the apple?" The music they had playing soft enough to hear but not distract you was childish and simple. It sounded like something you would expect to hear playing in a toy store 50 years ago. I was perfectly content to explore, and laugh at myself as the illusions fooled me over and over again.

I felt uplifted and contented as I ascended the stairs with a huge grin on my face. After I retrieved my bag, I purchased one of Walter Wick's books to show my 10 and 6 year old siblings. I can't wait to take them to the exhibit and be like a child once more.

Out of a possible 10, I would give it a 9.5. The only reason for the half-point deduction is that I wish the exhibit could have been longer! I really wish that I could always identify with Art like I did with the work of Walter Wick.

Class for Week 1

Class has been better than expected this week. While the thought of 2 1/2 hour class periods still brings me close to tears and great intestinal discomfort, being involved in a great discussion like the one we had Wednesday evening is wonderful. It makes it all worth it.

I'm still not so much a fan of the lectures and the long slide shows, but I suppose they are just necessary evils. No college student can reasonably expect not to encounter at least 1 a day.

The other big plus about class is the teacher. I like that she does her own thing in her own way. She is two of my favorite qualities: Unique, and Chill. Especially in a Summer Semester, it is so nice to have a teacher that is relaxed and willing to work with you. It makes the whole process so much easier.

Oh, so I do have a plan for the next 8 weeks:
This week: Art Show Museum Thingie (MOA)
Next week: Polynesian Wedding (I'm going to run it by you.)
Week after that: Farmer's market
Week after that week: Film Screening (Wilk Theatre)
Week after all those: Theater event (Spanish Fork)
6th Week: Dance event (I'll find one)
7th Week: Music event (Utah Symphony)
8th Week: Suprise Finale!

I'm looking forward to next week. There's a lot to do, granted, but it's fun to find appreciation for things you never gave a second thought to before.

Reading for Week 1

I enjoyed the readings this week. Not just because most of it only required me to read the introductions to the individual chapters, but because of the Appendices. I found the section on gods, demigods, and other symbols very entertaining. I've always felt that Zeus and his family of Olympians would make an outstanding soap opera/comedy. What with Zeus always sleeping around and Hera catching him at the most inopportune times, the other gods all drooling over Athena - Genius.

Perhaps I just haven't disciplined myself to the proper level yet, but I found the reading on Beauty and a few of the other articles rather dull. In my opinion there are some things you just can't argue about. They are innate and go without saying. Others are wholly dependent on the person. There is no real way to define what beauty is and when it happens for everyone.

Anyways, I still find myself fascinated by some things, repulsed by others. Literature is up there, and I struggle with Art. But that's why I'm in the class... gotta expand the old horizons...