Mentor Meeting (HALLELUJAH!!)

Well today I met with my mentor, Mrs. Baggs, for the first time in forever. I was very happy to get to meet with her, and today we discussed something very important today, my research paper. Luckily for me, Mrs. Baggs has a lot of experience with research papers, so I was actually able to get a lot of help from her. I have been struggling with my thesis lately, so a lot of the meeting was about that. She also told me how she's been commenting on my blog(which is great!!), and how she is already thinking of ways to help me with my final project.

So, this weeks meeting was very useful. I was able to start a new working thesis and some new questions on Sunday. I was also able to have a mentor meeting which was something I had not yet experienced yet, and I got to say, it's awesome. Mrs. Baggs was ready to work and address any problems I was having. She was so...helpful. It was truly a good day, and I'm glad I picked Mrs. Baggs as my Mentor.

Meeting with Flood (Sponsor visit #6)

So on Wednesday I went to my sponsor to my sponsor meeting with Mr. Flood, and I asked him my question of the week. This weeks question was "What do you teach in a theatre class?" Luckily, I didn't just get information from Mr. Flood, I also got info from our resident theatre guru, Mrs. Trip. Their immediate answer was that theatre teaches life skills. Theatre can teach you how to network yourself and make valuable connections. It also teaches you how to get up in front of people and helps you overcome anxiety and fear.

The list can go on and on, but it would be boring if I just kept listing things. However, I now have a new prospective on my final project. Also, I figured something out. I learned how theatre can inspire empathy because it takes you directly into someone's life and conflicts. Theatre is cathartic and is a very good way for people to work out problems. So now I have two components of my final project, the magic of theatre, and the life skills theatre can teach.

My Choice: MK Ultra is Ultra Fantastic

Muse: MK Ultra

Well, for this weeks my choice blog I decided to take a page out of Jalysa Jones' book, and post a "Video of the Week." This video is from one of my favorite Rock Bands of all time Muse. This is a song off their latest album The Resistance, which in my opinion is an example of a band tackling a brave new world. This song actually has an interesting premise. It is based on Project MKULTRA a top secret CIA experimentation project( if you want to know more click here)

I really enjoy Muse's music because not only are they all very talented musicians, they never stick to the same type of music, they're always trying something different. While all they're songs are distinctively Muse, you can hear bits and pieces of so many genres in their songs. If you ever happen to listen to all 5 Muse albums, you'll end up on a musical journey.

Connections Blog: The Magic of Theatre, the Purpose of my Project

Unfortunately, and fortunately, Lindenwold High School's production of Seussical has ended. It has been a long journey for a lot of us, especially the seniors. It just hit me that this is my last show on the high school stage that will take this much time, and this much effort. This is especially tough for me because I realize that I have grown close with this year's drama department in particular. A lot of them were with me when we performed Stand and Deliver, perhaps the most important show of my high school career, and I've really come to care about all of them. I've made a lot of good friends, and I've met a lot of amazing and talented people who I hope I will continue to know for awhile. Leaving this program is hard for me, and one of the saddest things I will have to do in my life.

However, this is just another chapter in my life that is closing, and I know another one has already begun to open.

That being said, this year's season for the Lindenwold High School Drama Department has inspired me greatly. I'm still thinking about what I would like my senior project to be, but I know what I want people to walk away with from it. I want them to understand the magic of theatre. The purpose of this project is for me to go into a field I find interesting, learn about it, and then be able to do a professional presentation on the project that teaches anyone attending the project about what I learned, and one thing I've learned so far is the magic of theatre, and the ability theatre has to bring people together. I think that is one of the most important things you can learn about theatre and live performance, and I hope it is something I can teach.

Meetings with Flood (Sponsor visit 5)

Seussical Interview with Flood.

So Seussical the Musical premired on the Lindenwold Stage Thursday, March 10. Beforehand I got an interview with one of the choreographers and my Senior Project Sponsor, Mr. Flood.

Here it is:

Well, how do you think the show will go?

"I don't know, I know that the other adults and I have given everything we could the show, and I can see potential for a great show, but it's in the cast's hands now."

So did you have fun choreographing and did you try anything new?

"I had a blast! I had a lot of fun with everyone especially the Wickershams. I tried choreographing on the spot, which is something I don't usually do, but it was definately interesting."

What did you learn from this experience?

"I've learned about time management and how double casting works in both the casting and the rehearsal process. I've also learned that you can't sweat the small things and that you have to go with the flow of a show sometimes."

So, show's opening soon, any last words?

"Yeah, there's gonna be a big turn out, and honestly I think everyone on that stage is going to shine."

Thanks Mr. Flood, couldn't have said it better myself.

Missing my Mentor!

I haven't seen my mentor lately, and frankly, it sucks. My mentor is Mrs. Baggs (the fantastic librarian here at Lindenwold High School), and I don't think I could've picked a better one, but unfortunately Mrs. Baggs has been extremely busy with the library and other matters of importance, so I haven't had the chance to see her pretty much at all.

I went to Mrs. Baggs and I talked to her about this problem, and we decided that it's time that we both get together and really discuss this. So, next week I'm going to have a real meeting with Mrs. Baggs and we're going to get everything all straightened out. It's been hard doing Senior Project without her, but I know this meeting will make sure that won't happen anymore an that everything will be taken care of. That's all the news in the Michael Peak Mentor World for now.

A Chat with Abrams (Making Connections)

So, as most people know, I haven't been regularly posting my required blogs, which, to say the least, hasn't had the most beneficial effect on my grade. A few days ago I had a nice little chit-chat with Mr Abrams. He told me about this older gentleman who he had met one day while getting some copies. Mr Abrams was wearing his Stand and Deliver sweater standing in front of the man, and then the old man snapped to attention and said "I'm going to stand and deliver you excellent service." The Senior Project Professor told me that the old man wasn't an imposing figure. He was your typical old man, hunched over, tired from the years of work, strife, and joy. Mr. Abrams said that when heard this tortoise-like elder speak, he was shocked, and then he said that this man would've probably been great on the stage.

Now I got a couple different lessons from this little anecdote of Mr. Abrams. One of them would be that you should always put your best in everything you do(which I haven't been doing), and that all work you do is important work , and you should treat it as such. Another valuable lesson I recieved from this powwow session was one of wasted potential, and I was thinking, I hope I don't waste mine. I hope that I won't look back on my life and see something that I'm not happy with. I want to try, and I want to succeed, and I haven't been doing my best to accomplish this goal, but I will make this change.