Competency #5 - Professional Behavior

Developing professional behavior at UAS helps students transition to the outside world. Students need to learn to produce quality, timely work because that is what employers need and expect from employees. In addition, having a good attitude and a sense of appropriateness should be learned during college to prepare students for the world beyond it.

I have demonstrated professionalism in not only through my work ethic, but also through the quality of my work. As a theater minor, I worked at Perseverance Theatre, a professional theatre, on many occasions during my college career. I operated the lightboard for a show (which takes extreme focus), for all of my roles on stage I completed research for the play and character, I learned all of my lines, and came to rehearsal warmed up, ready to work, and on time. While employed by this organization I also received credit for some of my projects. Below are references to my professional work. The first is a newsletter I created weekly while interning for their summer children's theatre, among many other tasks, including recruitment and assistant directing the show Children of Eden. The second demonstration of my professional behavior is through photos of a play that I had a lead role in.

• Parent Newsletter for Summer Theatre Arts Rendezvous (STAR) at Perseverance Theatre
• Photos of lead role in Perseverance Theatre's production of Much Ado About Nothing (all video is copy-righted and therefore cannot be used)
• Click here to see photo
• and here
• and here
  
• and here also
  

Competency #6 - Critical Thinking

Critical thinking involves not only finding information, but also knowing how to think about and use it. Whether considering a concept, idea, problem or project, critical thinkers are able to disregard the unimportant details and focus on its essential elements. They use the essential elements as a springboard for thought. Critical thinkers can think about something in multiple ways, and therefore develop a more thorough, holistic understanding of it.

Instead of being overwhelmed by a concept or project, I have learned to pick it apart and connect it to things I do understand. Once I can see the parts of the whole, I can then analyze and interpret the parts and, in turn, understand the whole. Below you will find an analysis of the play Hair, in which I consider and evaluate the different aspects of the production. You will also find a link to a paper arguing against the road out of Juneau, in which I had to develop a detailed understanding of the situation and generate convincing and informed arguments.

• Hair Review
• The Pavement Predicament: an argumentative research paper
  

Competency #7 - Language Arts and Communication with a Theatre Minor

A student studying Language Arts and Communication should be able to communicate effectively through writing, speaking, and media. With a theatre minor the student should also understand the many aspects of theater, including technical theatre (design and building of: lighting, sets, props, sound, and costume), history of drama, acting, arts administration, directing and Shakespeare.

I had never participated in any theatre before I took Acting I at UAS. While at UAS I have had the increidble opportunity to work professionally with Perseverance Theatre and use the stage to communicate, with language and emotions, characters who are tangible, believable people. Participating in theatre made me a more confident speaker and performer. I was also able to find a great writer within myself and now take pride in my abilities as a writer. I have developed a strong sense of voice as a writer, as well as interesting, readable pieces.

Here are demonstrations of this competency:

• Photos as Hero in Perseverance Theatre's version of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing
  
• Click here to see a photo
• and here
• and here, too
• Hash City: an informative paper demonstrates my ability to communicate effectively through written language
  

The actual poetry

I guess the poetry that I tried to attach to
my last blog didn't post, so I am posting
it now. My favorites are the found poem
and my personal poems. The poem
generator I found was not very good.
I thought this was a great in-class activity
and here are the results:

• The found poem from a book:

A Sudden Wave of Loneliness

Sorry about the birthday party
he was staring
it would be best to call it off to tell you the truth

it doesn't matter
one last look at the beautiful room
I'll never forgive myself

• Check in for the week and inspiration for poetry generator: "I felt relaxed but accomplished quite a bit."
  

 My Love

Your skin glows like the orange , blossoms relax as the daisy in the purest hope of spring.
My heart follows your bells voice and leaps like a dragon at the whisper of your name.
The evening floats in on a great parrot wing.
I am comforted by your shoes that I carry into the twilight of bitbeams and hold next to my eye.
I am filled with hope that I may dry your tears of water.
As my hair falls from my vest, it reminds me of your chair.
In the quiet, I listen for the last clink of the day.
My heated fingers leaps to my neck tie. I wait in the moonlight for your secret pencil so that we may run as one, fingers to fingers, in search of the magnificent blue and mystical Juneau of love.

• Here are two personal poems written in class:

White and cold
soft and pink
warm and tired
hopeful heart that compromises and is compromised
sing to me
and just be.
here.
now.


Life is a battle to the death
breath in musky sweat
settle into your wasted world

Poetry

What does it mean to be human in a digital society?

It means we have to think fast. In a sense, it is no longer about how much you know, but if you know where to look for the knowledge that you seek. At what pace can you not cope any more? That is what we are forced to ask ourselves and we are balanced between ulcers, television, caffeine and sugar.  We must all find balance for ourselves because having the world at your fingertips can be overwhelming. 

To be human in a digital society one must stay grounded and rooted with other people if digital will continue to mean anything. SOCIETY. 

I guess we could only communicate digitally, but if feels as if some of my senses are dying then. is that true interaction?  

jabberyabberblabber

Brainstorm

I must run to statistics soon here, but I did some brainstorming on my individual projects and here is what I am thinking (very general right now).

• Making a digital valentine. ( I wish I thought of this earlier, seeing as how I don't know how to put one together. Also, this may not be what John had in mind.)
• Some sort of snow sculpture (also associated with valentines?)
• Portable decorations: My room is bare and I have lived there for 8 months. I would like some decoration, but I foresee a lot of moving in my future. Maybe portable decorations?
• home-made cards (not for valentines)
  

So that is what I have thought of right now. And I think I will have more soon. I like brainstorming ;)

Goal for the next two weeks:
- learn how to put pictures on blog
- search out camera options for students

A real effort

I have found myself in class repeatedly frustrated with this required blog. When I first heard about it, I was excited. I thought: what a neat assignment. But instead of excited, I have felt boxed in and under pressure. At the end of class, it always seems as if there isn't enough time, and I feel like I can't find the 'right' things to say. So I am going to try and check in more regularly just to try and feel more at ease.

I used to blog a bit on myspace. However, it began to feel narcissistic, self-centered, and passive aggressive so I made a goal to actually talk and be in touch with people instead of surrendering my thoughts and feelings on this type of forum.

This is me, trying again. I will let my hang-ups about blogging hang in the back of my closet for a while.

Here's to the unfamiliar - cheers.