If the machine ain’t broke, then don’t fix it (Final)

“If the machine ain’t broke, then don’t fix it”
-Thomas Bertram Lance

 TAG

In regards to TAG, I’m am not too fond of this new idea, in fact I would like TAG to be similar to how it was last year. I like the idea of the new and improved blog though because in all honesty this blog is a bit dull and not up to date to the new websites out . My favorite part of the new TAG is the option for students to have creative freedom. The reason why I like the creative freedom is because it gives us time to work on our own projects at our time.  Ultimately, I think the TAG program should go back the way it used to be because a lot of other students have said that they learned a lot more last year than that of this year.

AMP

I believe I used AMP responsibly and utilized it well, 90% of the time. I am certain that most days, I did in fact work on my designs and projects, but there were days were reading the blog was about all I did because of a long day of studying and taking AP/ Honors tests. The ability to work on anything I wanted was great. In After Effects, I designed a dvd authoring menu that is pretty neat (included in the dropbox) and made a movie poster that won an award in my English class. I did like working on my own and being under a curriculim, although, at some points I ran out of ideas and got stuck- exploring for days to come across another idea, that’s when I really wanted some teacher set goals. To enhance AMP, you should include collaborative projects with a group of students in order to show that two or three or four brains is better than one. That way students will be able to create something that will enhance the future of the web. I would like to see the Mac lab succeed in the new set-up, but it is a big IF- I mean a lot of students have to cooperate and the Mac lab is a class filled with intolerable students #thetruth.

ZIM

In order to receive life lessons the credibility from the source must come from someone you admire and have some similarities with. I did not know you in the beginning of the school year and to be honest I started off not liking you- too strict, too demanding, and too mean. I especially stopped listening to you after making an Alice project that I worked countless hours on. I made a humorous plot and a good storyline and as always you rejected it. After that everything went downhill and I become stubborn. I look up to other adults in my life and their life-lessons inspire me more, they appreciate my projects and don’t criticize my work. I’ve heard all your moral lessons by people that I love- which adds to the effect of my maturity. All in all, the fact that your credibility was not up to par with me I couldn’t listen to you- I felt like it was all a rant, not a lesson.

Mr. Skocko, thank you for a wonderful year- you’re a great teacher for students with the open mind. I’m very conservative with my thoughts on school and the fact that I learned that ideas like these don’t suit me has made me learn who I am as an individual. The reason I inserted that quote was because the school system in my eyes is good the way it is- at least in High School.

Dreams & Needs (Week 23)

The code of honor contains aspects that ensure students to follow their dreams and not give up. With certain assurance of why relinquishing one’s dreams may result in far worse consequences than following through and personally motivating yourself. Although the quotes have inspired a select Maclabians, I can honestly say that I have personally motivated myself to make new digital arts projects, but my thought process to understand and experience on what I want to make does take longer than necessary. I plan on finishing strong (after the treacherous AP tests) and innovate my cinematography by making parody films of my English books. This is how I plan to end the school year.

I’m Happy (Week 23)

Amp is working great. I am out of time to advance what I will say, so in short I am making poster for each of my teachers while simultaneoulsty make a mosiac. AMP is giving the freedom I need to motivate myself and not take time writing in the blog.

Update

To elaborate on what I attempted to say when I first wrote this post is basically wrapped around the idea of giving back, especially to those teachers that I feel utterly deserve it. So far I have finished one poster which is ready for print! I am starting to also build a mosiac which is already looking great- thanks for oppurtunity to allow us to explore the wonders of these creative applications and expand our left side.

Get a Life, Not a Job © (Week 17)

My goal within this 24 days is to learn the fundamentals of building applications for the iPhone and eventually the Android devices. As of now I have done very little because I keep on getting calls to update my uncle’s website at banbusushi.com/wp because it is a very big week in the restaurant world, considering that many big restaurant’s are participating in “Restaurant Week.” Hopefully I will accomplish this feat by watching the detailed tutorials and make some $! :) If AMP  was to continue onto the next semester I think that would open more oppurtunities for me to extend my knowledge on Xcode and app building. I also made some photos in photoshop because I also want to find a job in photo editing. Take a look at some photos here, here, here, and here. Photo courtesy of www.iphoneappsreviews.net

Substitutes (Week 12)

Well what a week it has been! From hectic homework to intense testing and numerous substitutes. Overall it has been a success in the academic circumstances, but let’s get real and cut to the crap about the Mac lab. I know it’s week 12, but I can honestly say that today, on the twelfth, I completely know how to succeed in the Mac lab. With a few sacrifices and a one on one with Skocko, I am able to understand TAG to its fullest. Why I name the blog, “Substitutes” you ask? Well, I believe that this weeks theme is essential about substitutes, rather than the teacher kind, also the type where i have to substitute what I really like with what I need to do to succeed.

My Journey (Week 9)

So far in the Mac Lab I have ultimately learned the essentials of Photoshop and Illustrator. Although the work seems to be tedious, I enjoy the past weeks in the mac lab and I joined the computer science program. From the logotype project I understood the concept of simplicity and elegance wrapped up into one. I have also witnessed that simple elegance is all throughout major companies like FedEx, which is clearly why Skocko has been teaching us this technique. Other then the art work, I have also learned the meaning of the rule of thirds and have seen it in basically all professional movie productions. The evolution of my logotype took a complete 180 degree revolution because it first started out all fancy with grunge fonts and simply ugly art and then became a unique, but simple design. Unique because no one really has ceramics and honestly I don’t know why I put it in other then the fact that no one had it. In conclusion, from the past art project I can now distinguish between good and bad logotypes.

Pro Plans

After this class I wish to master the Photoshop and Dreamweaver application in order to make PSD websites. Not that I do not know how to make them it is just that I want this class to equip me with the talents of thinking outside the box and being able to attract people to like my work. I have made numerous amounts of creative cinematography for classroom projects and I currently am editing photos for weddings and special events. The applications that I have been quite accustomed to are Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and Vegas 9.0. If anything website setup from photoshop is my primary goal.