Connection: Egyptians and Lady Gaga

A very important idea we have talked and learned a lot about so far this semester is challenging the status quo. People challenge the status quo every day, by going against what is considered normal, by thinking outside the box, and by doing something different.
In fact, in class we talked a lot about how the Egyptians are challenging the status quo this very moment by protesting and overthrowing their government. The Egyptians are going against what is considered normal. They are thinking outside the box, and as a result they have organized together and massive numbers of people have swarmed the street, setting fire, rocking cars, and scaring the police and military away. They are challenging the status quo of being respectful and obeying their government, and they are doing this by protesting in mass numbers.
In addition, they are challenging the status quo by organizing their protests over social networking. Before this wouldn't have even been an option, but as a result of the technological age we live in now, it has become a reality for the Egyptians. The government shut down the internet, but that wasn't until after the protests had erupted after the Friday prayer session.
The Egyptian people are a good example of challenging the status quo. They challenged the dicatorship of Mubarak that they have lived under for thirty years. They challenged their old way of life. A life where they were not happy and pleased with their leaders. A life where they couldn't vote for the president. A life they didn't want to live anymore.
The Egyptian people challenged the status quo, and they aren't the only people doing that. In fact, the famous musician Lady Gaga challenges the status quo every day.
Gaga wear isn't just a joke, it's a reality. Lady Gaga goes above and beyond to designers in France and throughout the world to get the craziest, wildest, and most obscure clothing, so that she can challenge the status quo, so that she is always wearing something new and different. She is doing this by wearing clothes and outfits that aren't considered normal. She is challenging what normal is considered now, by being different and setting a trend.
The Egyptian people and Lady Gaga are both challenging the status quo. They both are thinking of new ways to be creative, the Egyptian people by using social networking to organize their protests and Lady Gaga by getting attention on her wardrobe. In fact, they both can relate to each other because they are both doing things never done before. They are both taking a gamble and being themselves, stating their opinions, whether it be fasion or politics and they are both making a statement that the whole world is hearing.
They relate to each other because they are both making a difference and a change in the world, and they are both informing each other, as well as the world, that it is good to challenge the status quo because what is now isn't necesarily the best way, whether it be the clothes or the government.
As a result of the Egyptian people and Lady Gaga challenging the status quo, it has made me realize that I should challenge the status quo by expressing what I feel inside. Lady Gaga and the Egyptian people both are expressing how they feel inside, and they are also setting an example and paving a trail for others to do just that.
They have made me realize that I should do what I think and express myself how I want to, regardless if I am the only one. They have also gave me an insight that it is the people that express themselves by beating to their own drum and doing something different are the ones making history, like they are and like everyone has the potential to.

Metacognition: First Semester

Wow, it seems like it was just yesterday that I walked into Mr. Allen's humanity class for the first time. Now, it's almost the end of first semester, and I'm stunned how differet I am, yet the same. I still have my curly hair and am the same person on the outside, but my mind has rapidly developed.

After almost completing my first semester in humanities I've realized that I've learned an incredible amount, and all of this information I've learned has changed the way I think and view things. Two examples really stick out at me when I think back on how my mind has changed.

The first difference is I appreciate and can see beauty with more appreciation and deph. The other day we were watching a video that Yo Yo Ma put together with Mark Morms. They designed a dance, a story to go along with Suite #3 by Bach. If I watched that at the beginning of the semester, and then if I watched it at the end, I would have thought it was two different videos. The reason being, now after two quarters, I am able to see and appreciate beauty in a greater light.

Beauty is a word that encompasses a wide variety of things and can be found in literally, anything. However, that is if you have the eye to see it. After watching many videos on products of creative minds, I've realized that creative people, creative minds, and creative thoughts can produce things that are all so engaging and intelligent-they are beautiful.

I've also learnd to appreciate beauty in a greater light, to realize how precious it is. Whether I'm playing my instrument or watching a commercial, beauty is there, and I've learned to be so grateful for this and appreciative.

Beauty isn't the only thing I've learned to appreciate. In fact, I've learned to appreciate creativity. Everyone has the ability to be creative, it's just a matter of finding their creativity within themelves. I know that taking humanities has helped me explore and find my own creativity. The mindbook is a good example of my mind experimenting with creativity.

Mr. Allen has introduced us to a lot of different forms of beautiful art that is extremely creative. By looking at exceptionally creative art, it has allowed me to realize that it's necessary to try to be creative with everything you do. You need to constantly think outside the box, be creative, incorporate and see beauty in everything.

Humanities first semester has made me realize that to be successful you need to be able to create beautiful and creative things in whatever profession you go into. In fact, if you look at all the successful people, they have and are using beauty and creativity to grasp the attention of the human mind. Google, IDEO, Yo Yo Ma, and Marianne Wiggins are just a few examples that we've learned about in humanities that use beauty and creativity in a way that grasps the eye.

To add to all of this, humanities has taught me that it isn't one thing that will lead you to success and happiness, but it is a combination of things. No one way is right or wrong. What is right is what makes you happy inside, within your heart. We've learned about a lot of different paths people have taken to achieve happiness and success. I am really excited for my future, for me to discover what I will do to help change the world. This semester in humanities has given me inspiration to create my own path and not go on the trail already created.

I think all these extremely intellectual people that Mr. Allen has introduced us to have one thing in common, they followed their heart, created beauty, and made this world a more breath-taking and enjoyable place to live in.