Hip Hop Violins

First, I can not thanks Ms. Kling enough for these amazing musical mixes that we have been watching. Until this term I have never utilized You Tube that often - for good reason. Once I start I cant stop watching. Hip Hop Violins was one of those videos that cost me 3 hours of sleep.
I had to keep looking for more!

I am in love with string instruments, I always have been. The Cello and violin are my favorite for the deep sound a cello can make like a bounding heart beat, to a sweet soothing sound a violin can make. I just recently saw Zac Brown on South Beach and would marry his fiddler - he is outstanding and melts my heart. I am going to the Transiberian Orchestra concert in December because of my love for Christmas music and string instruments and its nothing but extreme guitars among others.

This video was awesome, but - I found an artist that I cant seem to get enough of thanks to this video. On the side bar You Tube offers related videos, and to feed my yearning for more - I continued to watch more. Once I reached Josh Vietta - well it was game over. I had to watch every video, go to his website, google more music and videos. I would  drive cross country to find him on the streets playing the violin if I could. Again, wasted 3 hours playing on the computer when I should have been sleeping.

Even as I write this blog I have him playing in the background. It has always been a dream to learn a string instrument but my fingers are too small for the keyboard of a piano and my mother has forgotten the fundamentals of the violin as she only played it in high school. I know I will one day learn, right now its all science and nursing.

It fascinates me how far violins have come - once a  member of the just the orchestra - now its incorporated into some of the most played songs today. I laugh when I think of my cello obsessions as a child. The first time I found a song with the cello was when Hanson (yes, the all boy, brother band, my age Jonas Brothers) had their first album released and Yearbook was on there. There's a cello solo that resembles a heart beat while Taylor sings a solo - I continued to hit rewind a dozen times. Today, the song Secrets has an amazing violin part and I turn it up every time it plays.


I am keeping an eye out for Josh's performances and albums - he is crafty, a genius, my heart melts with each note - - haha sounds like a NY times review, but its not a lie!


In reference to the video I did watch, the young guy is very talented - has an album and from the other videos I watched - he sings too.

Just WOW!!!

Free Hugs

I have seen this campaign everywhere in North Carolina but not so much in Miami. Then again, I do not venture through south beach or the malls as often as I would at home. As the video progressed my friend said my smile got bigger and bigger and she was forced to peak over my shoulder to see what I was watching.

So we watched it again together.

I am all smiles and I love hugs. I understand why it took a while to get the hugs he was looking for. I did notice that a lot of the women that walked by gave him a nice big smile, maybe a nod or a hello - I would have to. Not sure if I would have gone up to him to give him a hug - then again - maybe I might. Having a camera around does help. It's difficult to trust people these day, I am proud of all those that did hug him.

What a fun video- I am sure they had a great time doing it. The song fit pretty well with the video.

Not much to say here - Just smiling and looking for hugs myself.

Homerun

This is not the first time I have seen this video - I saw it when it was first aired on ESPN not long ago - in fact I beleive the other teammates were invited to the ESPY for the sportsmanship award - where they replayed this video and interviews.

This is a prime example of what sportsmanship is all about. Being that this is a championship game, - thats what makes this such a great momment in sports. Aside from their actions - it allowed women to top the charts in what is still a male dominated activity. Being from the south, In have witnessed such acts in most sports.

I remember one friend from highschool who was such a softie. He played some awesome football as a wide receiver and excellent basketball - however, he was always getting fussed at by the coaches during the game. Not because he was making mistakes - he was an incredible play maker - but he would stop dead in his tracks to help another player up after knocking him down. He was a pretty stout guy so it was easy to get pushed around. During basketball season he was always giving a hand to opposing teams when the play was over. Coach would always say, Adrian, this is no time to play the nice guy card - get over here"
It was just a part of his nature, part of his raising. I knew when he went to college he would carry the same mannerisms, and at every football game he never disappointed me. It is difficult for me to imagine a moment when someone wouldn't help. Where the game was far more important than the enjoyment of playing. I could turn on my determination just as fast as I could turn it off if I saw someone in danger or hurting - needing help - regardless of the team they are on.

I enjoyed watching this again.

SPIN

WoW! I was not prepared for this video. It was incredible. I loved the beat, and I had to watch it several times before I started realizing the true meaning in the message. I couldnt stop tapping my feet to the beat. I tried sitting still in my seat - ha forget it.

The message was interesting. At first I was thinking, okay the DJ is learning a lesson in meddling with time. You change one event you change a dozen and the outcome is more than likely not going to be what you intended. One injured person was far better than the many he injured in the first try. As he kept trying, he started to notice the other people that were involved but not directly involved. YOu cant just change an event, you have to change the people affected by the event for a better outcome. I was curious of why he couldnt keep the ball from falling out of the bag in the first place - but that would defeat the purpose of the video.

As he kept trying, more humans errors came into view. I absolutely enjoyed the frustration look in his face as he had to keep going - the determination he had to get it right. 

When he starts studying the others in the scene, he gets that "Ok" I get it look on his face and knows what needs to be done. Once he takes in all the dangers, he backs it up and changes actions from all angles, which is depicted by him highlighting each person and they circle on the screen as if being analyzed.

Then the real fun begins with the old man reliving old memories with a basketball, his wife taking in the scene wishing to join, takes a chance to stand out of the wheelchair. The student street dancing for money observes the old man bouncing the ball and takes the beat into his steps, thus intriguing the little girl who passes through the "shadow of death" to get a better view. The three men with the weapons are awed by the innocence and part ways, avoiding a fight. The biker bumps into a business man, knocking something out of his hands which then the dog runs after the object but stopped by a young man. The dog owner, a young woman, rushes after her dog, thankful the young man was there to catch him and a relationship builds. The biker is never hit by the car and another friendship builds between business man and the biker. The drug dealer takes in the entire view, looks at the old couple longing to be sharing a life with someone at their age. He then looks at the young couple who just met thanks to the dog longing for a relationship. He then sees the college student break dancing for money and drops all he has into his glass - knowing the student will use it for more good than himself. Thus, everything is balanced and he is pleased with his work. "It is good"

My favorite part was at the end when the little girls doll breaks. Representing innocence and having the ability to see things that adults do not - she looks at the DJ. Baffled by the experience he looks around to make sure she is staring at him with pleading eyes to fix her doll. After all he has done, it seems silly and he walks away but quickly stops in his steps to fix her doll then dashes out of sight. The child had the remarkable ability to sense the presence of the DJ and understood who he was, and what he was capable of.

It was an interesting view of how God works in our lives everyday and how others affect our lives whether it be directly or indirectly. Our actions have a part in others lives, no matter how small. Take a look at the basketball - a small object that causes chaos and affects everyone.

I cannot express how much I enjoyed this video - the creativity is outstanding. I only wish I was capable of making such videos - but I will play my part by watching and enjoying!

Eye Writer

I am absolutely speechless and in awe. I have always known that people in this world were meant to do good things, and after this video it makes me proud to be apart of this wonderful place. When it comes to graffiti I am partial with the idea because it's still vandalism - but when I look at it subjectively - I see it as a masterpiece of art. There is no way I could take a spray can of paint create anything near what I see, and it's usually done pretty quickly.

Watching Tempt be given the opportunity to live a quality of life he can enjoy from a hospital bed was heart warming. He is quality of life has just been enhanced by the ability to draw and express his work.

To the team that invented this software, and took the time to really get to know Tempt, and be by his side every step of the way was also inspiring. I am sure they spent sleepless nights and long hours developing and testing the software. And then spending a large amount of time in the hospital with him, and on the streets projecting his work. This is not a team working for money, they are working to help improve the lives of others. I cannot imagine the gratification they get sitting there watching Tempt create his masterpiece with his eyes. It's like seeing art through the artist eyes - just imagine what enhancements will be done in the future!!!

This could be used as a communication technique to those who are paralyzed and unable to talk. Write little messages and verbalize again with families, or doctors. I wonder if Tempt communicates with his father that way? They could create a keyboard, shortcuts to simple words to create messages using the eyes to point and click - - OUTSTANDING!

Self Audit

I write with a lot of emotion including: Anger. Faith. Frustration. Beliefs. Strength. - all descriptions that come to mind once I finished reading my blogs.

I am also a bit of an exaggerator, for example: in my homeless blog - I make a biblical stance saying:

...  I would never cast the first stone -

but then I go on to say - 

this made me want to throw a boulder...

completely irate at the moment I could tell. It also made me laugh just a little, despite the subject, my response is what would be considered childish - a little.  Made me realize  more than I knew, that there are some situations that I am very sensitive and passionate about. There was a lot of frustration in the homeless blog and I could tell I felt out of control because the writing was - a little out of control. This out of control emotion continues to the next video about the Haitian slaves. The first word on that blog is "ANGER" typed in all caps and colored in red. I didn't let up on my emotions, in fact I spent a great deal of time asking rhetorical questions in what appears to be a much needed venting session.

For both the Homeless and Slave blog, I appear to get really angry at those that refuse to take responsibility for themselves. For example,

The  homeless blog I am angry about this woman in Walgreens who cant afford to care for her kids, but yet is pregnant again. Upon listening to her viral conversation on the phone - she clearly has no intention of trying to care for her kids - she is simply leaning on extended family and friends. Then there's the Haitian slaves where I am asking rhetorical questions to the parents of the kids who themselves were once slaves and still willing to put their kids through it. There is also an incidence where I am angry at the Haitians that live in the States that simply ran without looking back - while the world looks at the US to help.

 Yeah - those two subjects absolutely raised my blood pressure which is clear in my words. I could tell that I felt held back, that they were enjoying the wonders of motherhood while I am taking the responsible route and waiting until I married, with a stable income so I can enjoy my kids and my life. I often fill the void of children by babysitting on the weekends, and nothing makes me happier.

It is clear that the posts that gave me the hardest time were the homeless and the slaves - but in the end, after much venting and frustration - I find peace. Usually in the form of taking a strong stance in my faith and knowing that I make a difference when and where I can. My Faith - the strength and the belief of my faith continues to show in most of my posts. Usually in the ones that made me angry or sad - but there was one blog,  Did you know - that was generally positive but I still unconciously mentioned the work of God. There are many instances where I mention the belief I have in myself and in other people. It is clear that I generally believe we are all capable of doing good things in the world and creating a change.The lost Generation blog was perfectly placed in this term - because reading it reflects what I learned from the harsh videos of the past. I even made a few comments I couldn't believe came from me:

By being positive, she then reversed the message, thus reversing the outcome. And that is what change is, it's finding the positive. Reversing the negative, and thus reversing the outcome...

I believe in people, and I believe that they are good. I believe in my generation, most importantly I believe in myself.

Reading that just made me tear up because there are days that are hard - reflected in the posts that made me angry or upset - and then there are days that I am inspired, such as the Lost Generation and the Did you know. I would almost diagnose myself to be bipolor with the constant fluctuation of emotions. However, I wouldnt need to read these blogs to know this fact about myself. My lovely boyfriend tells me all the time that I am extremely intuned with myself and others emotions and thats what makes me a great nurse and a compasionate friend. I believe this trait is what makes me a great customer service rep at the spa, as well as a great nurse at the doctors office. In fact, I hear it everyday about how refreshing it is to have someone "Nice" to talk to. In North Carolina, I blend in, but in South Florida - I am an instant hire.

I never would have thought blogging thoughts, ideas and in my case anger/frustrating emotions would demonstrate where I stand on certain subjects. I read them and couldnt believe these words were mine. I never thought of myself to be a good writer - but from this - I am indeed an emotional writer and could possibly catch the emotions of a reader. I can tell that I am a southerner by heart because none of my blogs are short, and much like this current blog - is more like a diary entry with my mind doing the typing.  My blogs followed no specific structure but usually followed the video from beginning to end. The only blog that was short was This Too Shall Pass, but I believe the previous blogs took an emotional toll on me and I was forced into a few moments of silence. Infact, if I remember correctly, I made a hot cup of tea and went straight to bed which my boyfriend found extremely strange.

Over all,  I appear to be very strong, easily frustrated, but still strong with an intense ability to express my emotions freely - even if it is in a blog that not many would read. It is also clear to me why I was never able to commit to a diary as a child. Before computers, I would have been forced to hand write my emotional entries and as  I would like to consider myself to now be a  mature, patient and well balanced adult - - I can not imagine the fluctuating emotions I went through as a teen, let along trying to write it all down!!!

DId you know

Hm. It is interesting that I watch this video soon after having a conversation at work when one of our computers crashed and we were scrambling to get it fixed. With the medical field relying on technology more and more each day - we panicked when we lost the appointment schedule, patient charts etc. Thankfully - I work for a Doctor who considers himself to be of dinosaur age and we do both paper and computer charting  and print the schedule the night before.

But it made us all realize how much we use technology. I cant remember the last time I actually had a personal phone conversation on my cell phone. Okay - that might be an exaggeration as my mother does not know how to text and I spoke to her on Sunday. But aside from her, including my dad who is an avid texter, I spend most my time texting as opposed to actually talking.

As to the education references - I agree that what I learned my freshman year in anatomy changed by my third year - but it wasn't really a change but rather an enhancement or extension to what we already knew. I don't believe there will be many instances where we have to go back and say ooops - we were wrong - except for research - it's always wrong accompanied by a few facts and hopeful assumptions.

Awe - myspace. Dont actually have an account, but take a look at facebook and I am there. Social networking has expanded and is now on the business route for advertising. Infact, both my employers have facebook accounts for future clients and patients to browse. Internet Dating - not a participant, but I know friends that do because they have outgrown the college days and its hard to meet a decent partner at a bar or night club.


I shocked by the data China released for conception - in fact, I would like to see the source the author of the video got his information from. Reason I question, is last I heard, China had a limit on children and there is an ever growing demand of girls needing adopting because every family wants a boy to carry the family name. That would require some more research. I am also shocked by the small number the US has for births - I believe its because of the economy and marriage happening much later in life or not at all.

About the future and our technology (I think I watched a video incorporating that thought at the beginning of this term) - I look forward to the future. Seems many are afraid of change and the future - but I like the idea of just having a "future." Sure, I dont know what the future holds for me, but I'd like to think its bigger and better than I could ever imagine. Take a look at our older generations - they are on overload with the changes but I dont think they would complain about computers, internet, the ease of travel and banking and the ability to keep in touch with friends and family in ways that they could never have dreamed possible.

I say - bring on the future of technology. I believe in people and I believe that they have morals, I don't believe that there will ever be an "AI" where the world is taken over by computers. Mother nature still rules this planet as God intended it to be- and we humans like to think we are in control but she will balance herself out.

Overall - entertaining. I loved how he used the music at the end to match what would be a racing heartbeat and the author attempts to scare the viewer about the future! Classic scare tactic.