What's on my mind?

Well I think the best description of what's on my mind is to ask what isn't on my mind? The answer of course is tax season because nobody likes tax season except maybe the government. Why is the man in The Scream screaming?

wikipedia.com

Probably because he forgot to do his taxes.

But all jokes aside, well for now at least. I would say what is on my mind most is just keeping up with my exams and homework. I am ready for a change of pace though. I am ready to leave for Spain. 

I would say the most exciting thing about traveling abroad, from the perspective of someone who has only been to Mexico and Canada 🍁, is getting to enjoy the entire new scenery. I will have so many pictures to take and get to see an entire new set of buildings, streets, and cars. And, best of all I DON'T have to see the same city with the same set of roads and irritating traffic lights I always get stuck at for way too long. Like okay come on, every town has those lights where there are no cars going the other way, but then they stop you for what feels like hours, especially when you have somewhere you need to be. So, anyway, I will be enjoying a different place with different scenery and different things to keep me busy. 

I am most excited about practicing my Spanish skills. I really hope that I can find a native speaker that likes running. Then, we can run together and I can practice Spanish with him or her while we run. That way, I would get to practice Spanish, and I would get to explore the city and surrounding area through running. If you have never been running in a place you have never been before, I suppose I ought to explain a little. 

Firstly, running and hiking can be similar in this way. There are a variety of secret secluded often natural wonders that you cannot reach any other way but on foot. Running is just a bit faster than hiking, so you get all of the freedom which comes with hiking but faster so as to see more. The one downside of running is that you usually don't have your phone with you, so you don't necessarily get all the pictures of hiking; however, I would argue this is best. Some things are more powerful to experience with their associated temporary nature. A picture preserves something that is constantly changing, but if you are in that moment you get to see everything just as it is and will never be again. There is also a great power in holding a secret place with no evidence. To be able to share the beauty, you have to take the person you want to share with to that place to see for themselves. 

That said, I am a huge fan of catching the absolute perfect moments:

I mean how often do you catch a sunset with the perfect amount of clouds that happens to align perfectly with the flag on the top of the union? So, I would say I love to find those perfect things that are just so perfect and powerful that they compel you to seek out that personal place and those special moments for yourself such as I don't know maybe the secret of the bell tower:

That's forged into one of the enormous bells by the way. And no, it's not an image from the internet. Instead I suggest you discover the secret yourself because I would never want to deprive you of that moment. So maybe don't be afraid to do a little poking around where you think you probably shouldn't be because you might just find out you're in luck and exactly where you are supposed to be. Although here's a hint to a schedule: Click then look for some times

So, I suppose in the end the answer to the question of "What's on my mind?" is really a question of what moment is it right now and what could I possibly be thinking about because as you may have noticed from what is above, just about everything is on my mind depending on what moment you catch me in. 

A Measure of Restraint

According to Chet Raymo science is a deadly foe that must be kept restrained to prevent danger. Therefore, humans as a species must exercise restraint in the pursuit of supposed advancement. His first example is Cesium-137, "a highly radioactive substance...with the power to damage living cells" (Raymo). Immediately it appears that science is the enemy. Raymo is severely one-sided in his discussion of the Cesium, only bluntly presenting the death of a girl and the contamination of many others. He fails to mention the indefinite number of people that may have been helped by the clinic. Also, the wide misuse of radium in paint and as a source of seemingly magical light is exactly that. It is not the scientists' fault that radium was misused. There is, once again, no mention of the use of radium as a cancer treatment to provide both sides of the argument after Raymo describes the "'radium roulette,' with a glowing wheel and ball." Finally, his  trepidation about genetic alterations in such things as food may have appeared very valid. He was right; well, in a way. After the writing of "A Measure of Restraint" genetically modified food began and has since taken over the world. Then again, it took over the world by providing more than 4 billion acres of crops to feed a growing population rather than in some apocalyptic reign of the plants (ISAAA). Raymo is right that restraint must be exercised, but his approach of only attacking science comes across as a scare tactic. It is possible that Raymo should have exercised a measure of restraint in his explanation of the dangers of exploration.

A Family Matter

This page depicts the reunification of Valdek with his parents after he escaped from being a POW. The meeting is the only time we really see an interaction between Valdek and his parents. Initially the view is through a window as though we are outside observers to a scene of the what a normal homecoming of Valdek might look like. However, immediately after we are inside with them and it is clear that the homecoming is not typical and neither is the family vibe that is going on. Valdek notices that his mother is sick, but that does not really delay him as much as we would hope. His mother ends their reunion quickly to get him back to Anja. It is clear that their family has a unique set of values with the son abandoning a sick mother to go see his wife instead of attempting to care for her in some way. Then, upon further analysis it is apparent that their family is not the what should be scrutinized. The true issue is the Nazi power. Had the "curfew" not been 7:00 Valdek could have listened to his father's troubles and investigated his mother's health. Instead, they are forced to make sure he gets to Anja: "I must bring Valdek home to Anja before curfew." Specifically using "must" emphasizes how the curfew has been imposed on them despite the fact that it is negatively affecting them. The disruption of normal family life is a small example how the Germans managed to dehumanize the Jews. Valdek and his parents are denied and capability of maintaining a family bond.

Hatin' on Sontag

I decided to do a breakdown of the last persuasive essay in our packet on Susan Sontag's "On Photography" since we did not go over it in class (also I rated the 4 and 7 synthesis essays as 8 and 9 so clearly I need some work on that). The writer of this essay will be referred to as a man named Sue. Firstly, Sue begins his essay with a direct answer to the prompt instead of a hook. It looks more like a thesis, but the real thesis ends the intro. Following the intro, he quotes Sontag and consequently labels her as "dense" (Sue). This statement is supported very well by an analogy of photography to literature (photography : interpretation :: literature : comprehension) that asserts Sontag is missing the interpretation part. Sue's examples of the pictures of the church firebombing, children's suffering, and WWII's end all could serve to refute Sontag's assertion that photographic knowledge will "never be ethical or political knowledge" (Sontag). The only issue is that Sue never directly states his refutation of that lapse in Sontag's assertion; rather he focuses on the feelings side of it that Sontag actually did address. And, although Sue has a great point of photos revealing a finite boundary of the past and present, he only mentions it and follows up with a cliche (not used ironically). So overall I will give it, with much trepidation, a 7.

In any comments, please hazard a guess at the score yourself.

The Value of a Life

John Mueller, Ohio State political scientist, says, "the value of a statistical life turns out to be around $5 million" and when a soldier is killed "the government pays the family $600,000." When considering a human life including all of the potential ideas and capabilities of that person, regardless the true identity of the person, a dollar amount could never be set. How could all of the potential accomplishments be valued when one cannot see the future? Then we involve business and monetary decisions associated with roads and driving. Yes, modern and well maintained streetlights on every single road where a car may drive could prevent accidents and by association death. The other yes that comes with new, ample lighting is that it would be costly. But why don't we call the state official that voted against new streetlights in every neighborhood in Kansas a mass murderer because he believed the budget could not afford for that. Why not just arrest every official debating safety? There is no way to pay for every safety measure when lives priced at $inv,alu,eab.le even if that is what seems right. Should we state the new proposal "50 lives for $500 million?" What would you value your life at? How about a love one's? Then ask yourself who could pay for that and would they? Maybe not.

Richard

During her great party in the book, Clarissa describes happiness when she is near Richard and shows evidence of the bond between them. She mentions Sir William Bradshaw and the sense of dislike she has for him. The only confirmation she has for these negative feelings is that "Richard agreed with her, 'didn't like his taste, didn't like his smell'" (Woolf 183). Through her use of Richard's opinion to back up her own, Clarissa exemplifies how she trusts him and values his thoughts; she and Richard rely on each other. Also, Clarissa notes how she "had never been so happy," and that was "due to Richard" (Woolf 185). It is clear they share a tight bond and although it may not be sexual it is very important to Clarissa. However, this whole relationship is, apparently, much less important in the movie version of Richard and Clarissa. Although Richard is basically incapacitated and Clarissa is fully aware of his plan to open the window and jump out, she refuses to walk the ten feet to prevent his suicide. Rather, she stands there babbling and acting like he is already dead because she is just going to let him jump anyway. Now she can just enjoy her relationship with Sally, only inconvenienced by the fact that she cannot have the party she wanted to have for herself under the cover of a celebration for Richard.

The Hated Hugh

Hugh is constantly referred to as admirable. However, only the women hold Hugh highly (except Sally). Peter, who possesses no negative view of anyone else, notes that those who are "battering the brains of a girl out in a train do less harm on the whole than Hugh Whitbread and his kindness"(Woolf 173).  This bold statement is brutal but does not seem to hold much weight because the concept of kindness causing harm is paradoxical. The men see him as completely priggish, yet a negative effect of Hugh's acts cannot be found. Although I struggle to find the true issue, I suspect that they hold a strong dislike for Hugh because he perpetuates the stereotype of the British upperclassman. (Sally, being a radical, partially resented the rich English society and, therefore Hugh.) His continuance of a rich stereotype explains the reactions of the women including Lady Bruton and Clarissa. All of them enjoy the feeling of high society. Hugh's mannerisms represent that society so their association with him makes them feel accepted in the upper class. For example, the older women at the party end up "thinking themselves quite forgotten," but then they find "dear Hugh driving up and spending an hour talking" (Woolf 173). The metaphor of the women being brought back into the atmosphere of the party by talking to Hugh represents how he makes the women to feel connected with the upper class because he embodies the privileged man with perfect manners and an air of wealth.