Two pieces of art.

Since I am taking two classes about art- Art Appreciation, and Introduction to Visual Art it should be easy for me to describe art works. I choose two, one of them is photo by Henri Cartier Bresson (I watched a movie about him as a project for one class), and Picasso- “Girl Before a Mirror” 1932 (I described visual elements and principals of design for other homework).

These two pieces of art have two fundamental differences: one of them is photography, and in addition to this black- and white, and another one is colorful painting. The first one “The Decisive Moment” by Bresson show a men who is jumping through the water. We see his shadow in there,and on the background a fence with probably advertisement, and behind it buildings, and another man. Henri Cartier Bresson wanted to show in his photographs a movement, and I think in this piece of art it shows very well.

The “Girl Before a Mirror” 1932 by Picasso is a oil painting on canvas. It grabs our attention because of colors- artist used every color from color wheel. The painting is clear- we see a girl looking at herself on the mirror; we don’t have to think what artist wanted to show us. He used different shapes (geometric, and organic J ), different lines, and even pattern on the background. The painting is balanced.

I like both of the pieces because of their originality. And I think that Gitte Brigitte Maronde would be happy to see that I use art and describing it not only in her class, but in another too.

Two gifts you have received

I received in my life many gifts. In my family there was a tradition to give gifts on many occasions, like Christmas, Birthdays, Santa Claus day, Name Day, Mother Day, Children day, Valentine Day, and so on. The best time for gifts was for me a December, and even starting from November 25- my Name Day (there is a tradition in Poland that in a calendar there is in every day one name, and in that day every person who has the particular name has a holiday), and then through the December 6 up to Christmas.

When I was a child I used to write letters to Santa Claus, and putting them on the window for him to take it. One time I wrote that I want a keyboard. I was around 10 maybe 12 years old. On December 6, I woke up and I saw big package. I rushed to it to open, and beside many candies was my dreamed keyboard. I was so happy that I even didn’t want go to school, I just wanted to play. In the package were some books with music for different songs. After school I set the keyboard and started to play with it. I tried various rhythm and sounds that I could choose. I tried to learn how to play diverse songs. Then, I played with my father. I played that keyboard many years and I have studied a lot, but I guess I wasn’t too motivated to keep me studying and finally I stopped. When I was moving to Chicago I gave it to my younger cousin.

Second important received gift was a cat. I got him from my best friend. It was a gift for my 20th birthday. She came to my work with her hands closed, and she put something on the table. When she pull up her hands I saw a little, grey bundle. It was my cat. She was so small. Since that time I have her all the time with me. She flew to the USA from Poland because I didn’t want leave her there. I think that my house, without this cat would be sad, and definitely quieter.

Two places you have studied.

I have already studied in two places and in two countries. I have studied in University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow, Poland and now in Harold Washington College in Chicago. They have so much differences that I even didn’t think that would be so many.

Studying in Poland took place on weekends, since I had been working on week days in Travel Agency. I used to live in Tarnow, but the University was in Rzeszow, one hour driving away. I choose that school because of prestige- the better private school in many rankings, and because of major that I was interested in- Advertising and Public Relations, which was connected to Journalism. I didn’t have basics like Biology, Physics or so, this classes I had already took in High School. My classes included Photography, Language stylistics, Journalist workshop, Multimedia workshop, Psychology and so on. We have learned stuff that we would need in our profession. Everything was very interesting, and exciting. The building was the newest technology, with computers almost in every class, with “computer kiosk”, where we could check our schedule, grades, everything what we needed. The University has 2 big buildings; one of them is especially for Tourism classes with huge sports hall. Students were expected to do a lot of their own. We didn’t have homework, just big projects and exams. We didn’t have to bring anything done for each class. We had to be well-prepared for session.

Now, I am student at Harold Washington College, one of the community colleges of Chicago. Modern building in the middle of the city, and with some classes contain computers. With homework that have to be done for every class, and I think I am still not used to it. J The place that I have to take one more time classes that I took in high school, and the place where I can see diversity of culture and language. What I like here is that from everywhere you can get help. There are many rooms in which people ale just waiting for needed students.

1. Is it better to be a full-time student or to work part-time and go to school part-time?

I’m full time student and full time worker. Huh! I know… That’s a lot. I don’t recommend be full time in both parts but I think that student should not only go to school but also work. It gives opportunity to be more mature, because when you finish school you have around 25 years old (?) and then you have to find your first job. You graduated collage but you have no experience, and this is necessary to work well and to feel good at work and to hire you at first. When I was in Poland this was requirement to have experience, nobody wanted people straight after college. Beside that, you can start to use your skills at work which you are learning at school.

And I don’t want offend anyone, but when you are in college you are not a child anymore with asking about every dollar from your parents. You should try to learn how to be responsible for your life because after few years you will not live with your parents anymore.

I really don’t understand people who are saying that they didn’t have time to do the homework and they are ONLY students. Come on… how you don’t have time if you are going to school only 12 or 15 hours a week? Right before Harold Washington College I used to go to Zarem Golde ORT Technical Institute, taking English classes, and it was 25 (!) hours a week- 5 hours every day.

In conclusion, it is better to work and go to school in the same time, just because people get more responsibility, and learn how to arrange your time to have it for everything

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Will or should computers replace teachers?

The computers shouldn’t replace teachers from many reasons. One of them that is easier to ask for help a person who is next to you that than a computer. I believe that people are concentrate more when they are listening to another person that to the computer.

But in another side I think that finally computers will take over teachers place. Even now we can take classes online, make degree online. In my old college in Poland we had one class that on the projector through the computer and internet was presenting the lecture. I didn’t like it too much. They are making so many changes in schools that soon the teachers will have to be afraid that they will loose their jobs. I’m not sure if it was in Korea but somewhere in Asian country, I saw that students are sitting at home and teacher at home and they are communicate through video. I think this will happen soon. One teacher can teach hundreds student all over the world through the computer. There is no cost for building in which they have to stay, furniture/computers and other stuff in the class and in one time much more student can be taught.

I don’t want school to change for computers only. And I don’t want in the future my kids to not have opportunity meeting other students in the class, or get help person to person from the teacher. But as more as technology grows the education will be more and more computerized.
In a conclusion, the small classes which include only few to 20 students are the best, because each person can take from class what he really need and want but it is a possibility that students will sit at home and just turn on the computer and listen to the lecture from their bed in comforted pajamas.

1. What is one piece of technology that you could not live without?

The piece of technology that is the most important in my life is computer, of course. I think that many people will post a journal how they can’t live without a computer. But that’s true. We use the computer now for everything. We use it for homework at school, paying our bills, check the weather for next day or train/bus schedule, for, shopping, pleasure, for everything. I don’t want even imagine that I have project to do for school about some artist and I have to spend hundred hours in a library doing research. Problem would be paying every single bill in a different place, especially in America where the distances are huge. We are like a technology-slaves, we are used to it so much that we can’t imagine out life without it. As long as I’m writing is there comes new and new ideas why I use the computer. Another is for e-mails (example from yesterday at 3am- I was trying to reach one professor from my school in Poland, I had to wait up to morning to call him – because of 7 hours difference and one lady told me that he will be later. Later! I send e-mail, and when I woke up today I got the answer). Using computer for video conferences are very useful as well, specially when your part of family, or friends are on the another side of Globe and you want have an opportunity to see them.

The computer is a necessity because it helps in our life a lot. In this fast, without time for nothing time every new technology which saves even 5 minutes is couth by the people very quickly. People are used to the computer and they need it so much that companies are making smaller, thinner and with weight almost like nothing to allow taking computer with them all the time.

Not always computer was a necessity. One hundred years ago people didn’t know computer, or 50 years ago people didn’t use computer too much. And they could life! The life was slower, with less stress. People had time to do everything without technology-helpers. They were spending hours in the libraries, or sending letters. And I believe that they were enjoying doing that, because for example idea of sending romantic letters or even postcard are disappearing just because it is easier to send e-mail in 2 minutes with no cost.

The power of family love

The most value in my life is love, and especially family love. This love hives strength to do everything what we want in life. It shows how much other people cares about you, how they don’t want nothing bad to happen to you. The parents have the most influence in our life. They show from the first days what is good and what is bad. They try to form the right way for us without any stones that can be obstacles for us. Many times we, as kids are arguing about much stuff thinking that we already knows everything.
Imagine how many night our mom didn’t sleep when we were newborn, and how much she cared to nothing bad happened.
Besides taking care, there is many joyful moments when we spend with our parents. Going to the trips, playing in different games, walking, riding a bike, or just sitting and talking.
I god this luck that mom is my best friend. All the time in my life I knew that if something is wrong I can easily go and tell her, if a had something what I was happy from I went to her as well. We spend many evening just sitting and talking. My dad is similar person too. He never got mad at me. I was this “Daddy’s daughter” a little bit spoil from him. Now he is in Poland and I miss him a lot even though we talk many times on the video conferences but still it will never be the same like it was, that we were sitting in the kitchen, drinking tea and just talking.