This past week when doing my mind book entry I realized something about myself. It was something that was there all along. It was something I knew before, but had just forgot. I realized I am creative.
Most people can be creative, some more so than others. I am a very creative person and I love to do creative things, but I had forgot that. The last time I was given an assignment that was basically unstructured and creative was probably art class in middle school. Looking back at my high school career I wish I hadn't waited until senior year to take a class where I can do creative things. Doing an assignment in my mind book reminded me of my childhood when I used to love doing arts and crafts.
When I first learned about the mindbook I was nervous because while I had some ideas and some of the projects interested me, I didn't think I could come up with enough ideas to complete all the assignments and make it through the year. I looked through the ideas of for mindbook assignments and changing a picture was the one that caught my eye. When I was down town over the summer, I was looking at the fountain in Millenium Park with the different faces, and I got the idea of putting together different faces to make one face. I started off by printing eyes, a nose and a mouth from different pictures. I soon realized that I used pictures of people from all different races. I decided to color the face and hair all different colors too so there was no destinction of race.
Creating this first project and seeing my creativity come alive inspired me. I then thought, "how can I personalize my mindbook so it will be different from everyone else's." The one thing that came to me is that most people will write about music in their mind books, but no one will actually have music. I used one of those talking greeting cards to make a contraption that would sing everytime my mindbook was opened to my cover page. To my surprise it worked perfectly. So, now when ever Mr. Allen grades my mindbook he can enjoy that timeless tune by the classy group The Baha Men.
I'm glad that I have restored faith in my creative abilitites. They were there all along. All they needed was a little stimulation and the mindbook did just that, but I guess that's why we do them- to get the creative juices flowing. Now I am looking forward to completing future mindbook assignments and have no fear about not coming up with new ideas.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Best of Week: Introvert or Extrovert?
This past week the class conversation came to an interesting discussion and a few questions arose. Who is an introvert and who is an extrovert? What qualities define these kinds of people? Is it possible for someone to be both? This topic interested me and for the rest of the week I pondered these questions both inside and outside of class.
The conversation arose when Mr. Allen asked for some of the quieter students, or "observers", to speak up a little more in class and for the students who participate frequently, or "talkers", to give the observers more of a chance to add to the discussion. An observer (as defined by Mr. Allen) is not neccessarily shy and is certainly not a bad person, but they just choose to sit back and listen, absorbing information and making observations to themselves rather than to the rest of the class. I realize it is important to have a balance between observers and talkers, otherwise nothing would be said or nothing would be heard. I think in our class there is a good balance, which is why the conversation flows so well.
The conversation then turned to the point of what defines an introvert and an extrovert. Mr. Allen said he was an introvert, not because he is shy or quiet, but because he enjoys being alone sometimes. He also said that an introvert does like to be around people, but being around people tires them out. An extrovert, on the other hand, is charged up from being around others. Hearing what Mr. Allen and some of my classmates had to say I decided I would come to my own definition of intorverted and extroverted, and then classify myself as one or the other.
After much thought this is how I defined the two:
Introvert: someone who does not need company all the time and enjoys their alone time. Also, they can enjoy the company of people, they just can't take too much of large groups and being in groups tires them out. They don't like attention drawn to themselves or being embarrassed. They let the conversation come to them. Common misconception: introverts are not necessarily shy and quiet. They do not hate other people. I would define that as a recluse or an anti-social.
Extrovert: someone who enjoys the company of others and is much happier around others than alone. They thrive on talking and attention. They are happy and charged up rather than tired after being in large groups. They like to create and encourage conversation. Common misconseptions: extroverts do not necessarily have huge egos and are not annoying and overly-talkitive. I would define that as egotistical or stuck up.
I think the overall realization I came to was that being introverted or extroverted is just as much how you feel on the inside and what you like as it is about how much you talk and interact with others. So, now there was one question left to answer: can someone be both? The answer, I realized, was in myself.
When thinking about whether I was introverted or extroverted, I thought of the characteristics I had defined each as and which ones I possessed. For the most part I enjoy being in groups. I like to work in groups and think of myself as being pretty social. However, this is mainly around close friends and family. When I am in a small group, I am talkative and energetic. In large groups I am usually reserved and could be defined as an observer. It is not shyness, it's just that I prefer to hear what other's have to say and I let the conversation come to me. Around new people I am sometimes shy but, once I get comfortable around people I am talkative and sometimes wild. I tend to be energized by being in groups rather than be tired out.
From these observations I realized it is possible to be both introverted and extroverted, because I am.
The conversation arose when Mr. Allen asked for some of the quieter students, or "observers", to speak up a little more in class and for the students who participate frequently, or "talkers", to give the observers more of a chance to add to the discussion. An observer (as defined by Mr. Allen) is not neccessarily shy and is certainly not a bad person, but they just choose to sit back and listen, absorbing information and making observations to themselves rather than to the rest of the class. I realize it is important to have a balance between observers and talkers, otherwise nothing would be said or nothing would be heard. I think in our class there is a good balance, which is why the conversation flows so well.
The conversation then turned to the point of what defines an introvert and an extrovert. Mr. Allen said he was an introvert, not because he is shy or quiet, but because he enjoys being alone sometimes. He also said that an introvert does like to be around people, but being around people tires them out. An extrovert, on the other hand, is charged up from being around others. Hearing what Mr. Allen and some of my classmates had to say I decided I would come to my own definition of intorverted and extroverted, and then classify myself as one or the other.
After much thought this is how I defined the two:
Introvert: someone who does not need company all the time and enjoys their alone time. Also, they can enjoy the company of people, they just can't take too much of large groups and being in groups tires them out. They don't like attention drawn to themselves or being embarrassed. They let the conversation come to them. Common misconception: introverts are not necessarily shy and quiet. They do not hate other people. I would define that as a recluse or an anti-social.
Extrovert: someone who enjoys the company of others and is much happier around others than alone. They thrive on talking and attention. They are happy and charged up rather than tired after being in large groups. They like to create and encourage conversation. Common misconseptions: extroverts do not necessarily have huge egos and are not annoying and overly-talkitive. I would define that as egotistical or stuck up.
I think the overall realization I came to was that being introverted or extroverted is just as much how you feel on the inside and what you like as it is about how much you talk and interact with others. So, now there was one question left to answer: can someone be both? The answer, I realized, was in myself.
When thinking about whether I was introverted or extroverted, I thought of the characteristics I had defined each as and which ones I possessed. For the most part I enjoy being in groups. I like to work in groups and think of myself as being pretty social. However, this is mainly around close friends and family. When I am in a small group, I am talkative and energetic. In large groups I am usually reserved and could be defined as an observer. It is not shyness, it's just that I prefer to hear what other's have to say and I let the conversation come to me. Around new people I am sometimes shy but, once I get comfortable around people I am talkative and sometimes wild. I tend to be energized by being in groups rather than be tired out.
From these observations I realized it is possible to be both introverted and extroverted, because I am.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
What If?: Becoming an Inventor
In class on Wednesday, we watched a video about the workers at IDEO, the world's largest product development firm. However, the clip was not so much about who they were and what they did, but the creativity that goes into what they do. It was interesting to me that they were from all different backgrounds and all different fields. One was a marketing expert, a few engineers, one was a psychologist and another a biologist, but they all had one thing in common they were all creative and all worked well in a group.
As I was thinking after class, that is a good description of my school work. I work much better in groups than alone and I love to do creative work. I tried to think of professions where you get to work in groups and be creative. The more and more I thought about it, being some sort of designer seemed to be the profession that involved those two things the most. I thought, "what if I was an inventor?" What kind of things would I invent? Would anyone buy these things?
Since I was little I have tried to invent things. I once built a line of string from my pillow to my light switch so I could turn off the light without having to get out of bed. Another one of my ideas as a kid was to have condiments that you could spray on your food from an aerosol can. I thought of that because it used to take me forever to get peanut butter and jelly on my sandwhich as a kid. My most recent invention would have to be a homemade capo. A capo is a device for a guitar which usually is clipped on to the fret bar in order to change the key and make bar chords easier. I do not have one and needed one for a song I was playing, so I made one from a pencil and rubber bands.
I remembered learning in consumer that in order to invent a successful product there has to be a need for that product. Sure, I did not have a million dollar idea, but that is why there are places like IDEO, they have many brilliant minds working together all day in order to come up with ideas and develop products. If I worked with a group of classmates for the entire school day for five days, I am willing to bet that we would come up with a product that we can sell. As they say, "two (or three, or four) minds are better than one."
As I was thinking after class, that is a good description of my school work. I work much better in groups than alone and I love to do creative work. I tried to think of professions where you get to work in groups and be creative. The more and more I thought about it, being some sort of designer seemed to be the profession that involved those two things the most. I thought, "what if I was an inventor?" What kind of things would I invent? Would anyone buy these things?
Since I was little I have tried to invent things. I once built a line of string from my pillow to my light switch so I could turn off the light without having to get out of bed. Another one of my ideas as a kid was to have condiments that you could spray on your food from an aerosol can. I thought of that because it used to take me forever to get peanut butter and jelly on my sandwhich as a kid. My most recent invention would have to be a homemade capo. A capo is a device for a guitar which usually is clipped on to the fret bar in order to change the key and make bar chords easier. I do not have one and needed one for a song I was playing, so I made one from a pencil and rubber bands.
I remembered learning in consumer that in order to invent a successful product there has to be a need for that product. Sure, I did not have a million dollar idea, but that is why there are places like IDEO, they have many brilliant minds working together all day in order to come up with ideas and develop products. If I worked with a group of classmates for the entire school day for five days, I am willing to bet that we would come up with a product that we can sell. As they say, "two (or three, or four) minds are better than one."
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