May Deadlines.

Ms. Gergely told me to make a check list of deadlines that I should do so I can get my project done as efficently as possible. So here it is. (The goals will be updated as my priorities change to fit the needs of my project.)

By May 8th:

Email Beth Milles for an interview (X)

Email Developing Pictures of an Interview (X)

By May 15th:

Have about 50+ Blogposts ( )

Be fully finished with the second skit ( )

By May 22nd:

Be fully finished with the 3rd skit ( )

(Maybe even start on the 4th because these last two skits we had planned are easier and more convienant to film due to AP's being over)

By May 29th

Be finished with a 4th skit, maybe do a 5th to be closer with my initial goal. ( )

Have 65+ Blogposts ( )

Not have the concern of failing English lingering over my head ( )

Risk.

Today, I filmed a skit with my friend Ian Dezelan, Marcel Gremaud, Luke Millar and Tae Yang You. We were filming a mockumentary about the ridiculously intense game (it really shouldn't be intense), Risk. Here's a picture of incase you don't know what it is:

The skit it's self was only okay. It looked really good on paper, but when we did it, it just didn't fit to my vision. It just felt, stupid. There's no other word to put it. There were good parts to it, undoubtfully. But I didn't think this was a good representative of my quality of work. But luckily, we sat down, and changed a lot of things. We made it easier to film, and the majority of it will be filmed in school. It's also not awkward. When filming, I felt forced to be funny, but the way we changed it, makes it more natural and humerous. So It's good to see that I can sit down, and change a skit easily, but it's also concerning because my time running out before my presentation day.

Weekly Update Questions.

How much time have you spent on your project?

In total, I've spent about 5 hours this week on my project. I've been planning for my skit that I am filming this week, on Sunday. Aside from this, I have been doing a fair amount of research. I expect to have the minimum amount of hours done by the end of the week.

What did you do for Hands on?

For hands on, I have been finalizing the skit's script for the skit I am planning to film this weekend with my friends. The mockumentary is a little on halt since everyone needed has the bulk of their AP, so we're leaving it to the weekend to film a smaller skit.

What did you do for Research?

I have consulted my WISE bilbiography to look at articles, and have written blog posts about them, and I plan to post a few more research posts. On top of this, I have also emailed Beth Milles, hoping for an interview to serve as a research component and community involvement.

Were you in class this week?

I wasn't in class on Monday because I was taking my AP, but I plan on attending my red flag meeting tomorrow.

Did you meet with your mentor? What did you talk about?

Yes, I met with her Tuesday morning. We just really emphasized the research component of my project, and what my progress of the skits are.

What do you think your fulfillment of WISE requirements was?

My accomplishments for this week was good research work. Hands on was a little laggy, but that's because of all the AP's that have taken up everyone's time. After this week, the hand's on will take off.

What are your plans for next week?

My plans are to do a lot of hands on work, while keeping up a good amount of research and maintain a good blog post average.

Mentor Meeting

Today, I met with Ms. Perl, as weekly. We discussed the usual things. She was concerned with my research component, as it would effect my graduation status. She has a right to keep pushing me, it motivates me to get things done more efficiently. Aside from that, I told her of my theatre mishap, and we established I could read some of it in terms of research. I also told her of my plans for this week in terms of hands on. It was pretty brief, about 10 minutes in length.

Your Attitude Is Your Life.

This research article is one of the most articles I have read in a while. It came from my bulky bilbiography that we were to compile for the large portfolio earlier in the year. The articles name is pretty straight forward, it is titled "Your Attitude Affects How Long You Will Live." It is by Deanna Dean, and it was written on September 7th, 2008.

The main idea of this article, obviously is that if you are positive, and optimistic, you are going to live longer. The article states that "Mind and immune system" are connected, meaning the better you think, the healthier you are. Deanna Dean proceeds to back these claims with statistics brought to you by prestigious sources:

"Johns Hopkins University confirms what Duke University reported and says that their researchers interviewed more than 5,000 people over the age of 65, and regardless of risk factors, those who saw themselves as having poor health, roughly doubled their risk of death within five years. Hard to believe, but pessimism proves to be more deadly than congestive heart failure or smoking 50 or more packs of cigarettes every year."

"John Barefoot, Ph.D. research professor at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina initiated a 25 year study of medical students from the 1950s and discovered at the end of the study in 1980 that the ones who had been hostile were the ones who were more likely to have died. Later expanded studies have confirmed those same findings."

In most respects, I think this is a nice feel good articles, considering the fact that my whole philosophy is to be positive, and what do you know? It turns out to do you good in the short term, and the long term as well. You might ask, how does this even have to do with my project? Well, skits are supposed to make people laugh, and bring happiness. I'd like to think happiness is the best medicine, and I'm just spreading it.

Sources:

"Your Attitude Affects How Long You Will Live." Independent News on Natural Health, Nutrition and More. Web. 03 May 2011. .

Excuses, Excuses.

For this weekend, Ms. Gergely assigned me to see a play this weekend at the Kiplinger Theatre, at Cornell. It was directed by Ms. Gergely's good friend, Beth Milles. Ms. Gergely cites her as a "genius", and Ms. Gergely doesn't just hand out compliments like that. The play was titled, Learned Ladies, and from what I understand, It's a french comedy classic. Ms. Gergely wanted me to see this play for numerous reasons. She wanted me to do more and more community outreach, by talking to Beth Milles, as that plays an important aspect in the wise journey. Also, another reason is to add to my low research component of my WISE.

But unfortunately, as I had every intention to go to the play, I apparently had the days mixed up. I'm not one to point fingers at people, or blame, but I am sure that Ms. Gergely said that the play would be playing Thursday, Friday, Saturday AND Sunday. I had work Thursday, Friday, Saturday, so I planned to go Sunday, that being most convenient. To my horror, I found I couldn't purchase tickets online for some odd reason. As I went to the theatre, I realized the matinee was Saturday. So this made me upset and discouraged. But I have full intention to meet Ms. Milles, and possibly interview her, and I will bring this issue up to Ms. Gergely in our next encounter.

Aside from this bad news, I have scheduled filming for the weekend, and a lot of volunteers want in, which has me fired up and pumped.

Public Speaking.

As the school year wraps up, as does our WISE projects. The date of our presentations draws ever closer, and it has me nervous as ever. I am no good when it comes to speaking in front of an audience, and I extremely modest when it comes to my work. So, I decided to open up my large bibliography that we used for our portfolio, and found an article and some research that will help me improve on speaking.

Public Speaking-The Benefits of Improv.:

Improv allows you to connect with your audience more effectively. It shows a true personality ad character in your presentation, and allows it to be more memorable. It also allow makes your presentation seem less planned, and more natural. Overall, there are three basic components of improv.

Connect with your audience (Main points of the article):

-Include plenty of eye contact, people are more likely to listen when they feel acknowledged.

-Body language improves connection by "matching and mirroring"

-Connecting will make audience feel more involved and energized

-Confidence will keep audience focused.

-When audience members are having fun, they will remember the performance.

-Use interesting personal stories in your presentations

Source:

"Public Speaking-Benefits of Improv, Humor Power" Motivational Humor Convention Keynote Speaker. Web. 01 May. 2011. .

10 Tips for Public Speaking:

This nifty article gives 10 useful tips to help you find your confidence. The article points out that nervousness is natural, but can be easily overcome, using 10 common, essential tips.

1) Know your material: pick a topic you like, and use it to connect with everyday life.

2) Practice: Rehearse: revise and practice for a timer.

3. Know the audience: greet some of the audience members as they come in, ease awkwardness.

4. Know the room: Arrive early, and walk around the room to get a feel.

5. People want you to succeed: They're in that room for a reason.

6. Relax: Address the audience, it gives you time to calm down

7. Visualize your self giving the presentation: Imagine yourself succeeding, it will boost yourself.

8. Don't apologize for anything: The audience will probably not notice the mistake

9. Concentrate on the message: Don't get too carried away.

10. Be yourself: This presentation represents you.

Source: "Toastmasters International - 10 Tips for Public Speaking." Toastmasters International - Home. Web. 03 May 2011. .