User:Nickelliott

Bio Nick Elliott Always Wanted To... Schedule


 * Topic

Learn how to use a mixer board


 * Research Component

Research the most effective learning methods, and decide which one I will use. Read or be taught how all the knobs on the board actually work and what they do.
 * week 1


 * week 2


 * week 3

Research learning types
 * week 4

research how mixer boards work at the manufacturers websites
 * week 5

observe a board in use and try some mixing myself
 * week 6

find a song or set of songs that would work to be mixed
 * week 7

record what i have learned how to do
 * week 8

write about what i learned to do.

Why Do I Like What I Like? On Tuesday, I went to the Olympic Sculpture Park and found a piece, by an artist named Tony Smith, that I just do not like. It’s called “Wandering Rocks”, and was created from 1967-1974. The piece is made of painted steel, and is located on a footpath through a grove of trees. My first reason for not liking it is that it does not match its environment. The surroundings are so organic, and this piece is just not. My first thought about the artist was that he was an idiot. After having looked up the artist, I found that he is not just an average idiot, he is totally insane. Every one of his sculptures is made of the same materials and only a couple are not painted black. Tony Smith’s work must be seen differently by other people though. His work is on display in many sculpture parks around the country, even “Wandering Rocks”. After some more research, I discovered that it is one of three pieces that are called “Wandering Rocks.” From the pictures though it is not possible for me to determine if they are all identical. In my research I found that Smith is part of a movement called the Minimalist Movement which emerged in the 1960’s. This movement is associated with objects that are stripped down to their elemental, geometric forms, and are presented in an impersonal manner. Most artists that follow the minimalist movement, are sculptors, though some are painters. A few of Tony Smith’s contemporaries are: John Graham, Ellsworth Kelly :), Frank Stella, and Richard Serra.	Not only was Tony Smith a sculptor, but he was also a painter. His paintings also follow the same theme of un-originality as I think his sculptures carry.  Every painting I was able to locate by Smith, is entitled “Untitled.”  In name, they are all the same, whereas his sculptures are all the same in material and basic composition.  	Upon returning to the sculpture park on Saturday, I revisited my least favorite piece, “Wandering Rocks.”  After reflecting on the information I had learned, I cleared all my ideas away, and looked at it again as if I had never seen it before.  Again my first thought was that the sculpture is odd, and created by a lunatic.  But I understand more about the workings and ideas of the lunatic.  I still don’t like “Wandering Rocks.”  They don’t even seem to be wandering, but perhaps in time, I may be able to overcome my dislike for it. I don’t find it depressing at all that I was not able to manipulate myself into liking Smith’s sculpture. I do think that one week is not enough time for anything to grow on me enough to change my mind and thoughts about something. Don’t get me wrong about hating this sculpture…I DO respect the artist…I DO see where he is coming from…I DO consider it art…I just DON’T like it. There have been things that I didn’t like at all to start out with, but I have found that with the more I look at them or learn about them, the more I understand them, I find myself begin to like them.

How Am I Manipulated? Intentional Manipulation: Comcast Cable is putting on an ad that has Ben Stien and Shaquille O'Neal saying that they will handcuff themselves together for as long as Comcast's rates are low. This is supposed to be a year. The fallacy in use here is the Dubious Authority Fallacy. These two celebrities may be in the commercial, which would make one think that they are plugging for Comcast. They do not actually say anything about using the services Comcast provides, so any thoughts of the viewer that pertain to Ben or Shaq using Comcast are false. The viewer in this case has been manipulated by the fact that they see Ben and Shaq. Unintentional Manipulation: "Were you able to manipulate yourself into changing your mind, or not? If so, how does that feel? If not, is it depressing to know that you can’t control your own brain?" This is an example of the False Dilemma Fallacy.

Self-Assessment