It's Actually Not That Complicated; Tuesday, Second Period, 09/20.

[died8yearsago]

With a movie to watch and discuss, Rosa, of course, was not going to waste any time getting into the lesson for the day. "Today's probably going to be our last movie before Nancy finally makes her directorial debut; there are a few in between this one and that one, but they're not as notable. We only have so much time in a career of nothing but high marks, but extra credit if you seek them out on your own. Anyway, the timing of his one is pretty good, too, because it's another horror story," Rosa, "about weddings being dumb and that family sucks."

Were those really the lessons to take from the film? Guess you'll have the chance to discuss it later.

"Meta for Father of the Bride is another vehicle from Nancy as screenwriter, with a few others, and her husband as the director. It's our second film bringing her together with Diane Keaton, and it brings in Steve Martin as the main character, a man who's doing just fine until his daughter comes home to announce her whirlwind wedding to some guy she just met.

"It's a remake--take note of that, that'll come up again in next week's class--of a 1950s film of the same name, and did well enough to get a sequel in 1995. There's also more recent remake of it, made even more terrifying because now the families are Hispanic," which made it more personal, "and Nancy Meyers is not even involved."

The most horrifying part of all.

"Anyway, keep an eye out for trademark Meyersisms, which hopefully you should be able to start picking out now, and we'll watch some of the movie and discuss what it says about families, relationships, set design, and how amazing Diane Keaton is."

American Inventions, Tuesday - September 20th

[imafuturist]

Steve was still in his Captain America uniform as he burst into the classroom precisely on time, looking a bit harried. "Apologies," he said. "My portal got delayed."

He started scanning the notes to review which inventor was up today.

Tony watched him with wide eyes as he had about to begin without him. "Whitcomb Judson," he whispered helpfully, grabbing his very large coffee . "The inventor of the zipper, among many other things."

"Right!" Steve said. "Thank God for the zipper. Getting out of this uniform without a few of them would be extremely awkward. Thank you, Whitcomb Judson."

"While it was eventually improved upon by others, the zipper as we know it came about as a way to avoid having to use a lot of little buttons to secure clothing," Tony said. "A good number of us are using zippers in our clothing right now, I'd venture. So it's a perfect example of an invention that has become so widespread that we barely even notice it."

Steve nodded. "Let's think of other inventions that are so ingrained in our lives we hardly remember someone had to think of it first."

Libraries and Books: Highlights and Dangers, Tuesday

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

Class was back in the classroom today, this time with computers!

"Last week we spoke about the Dewey Decimal system," Jon began. "Another major categorization system is the one used by the Library of Congress. The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States, and occupies several buildings in Washington, DC. We'll likely visit it later, and discuss its categorization, but for now, they have quite a number of online collections, and it's a good place to begin learning that you don't always need to physically go to a library to research or read."

He pulled up the collections on his screen and scrolled slowly through them. "It's also a lesson in the fact that libraries collect much more than just books. Historical documents, photographs, music - libraries often serve as," he grimaced a little as he said the word, "archives for older information.

"So, for today, find a topic that interests you, and research it. Then let us know some of what you found out. Rest assured, I'm not looking for an in-depth essay. I'd just like to hear a few interesting facts, and something about how you found them out and what you think about the collection or collections you used."

How to Deal with your Dark Side, Tuesday - Fourth Period

[trigons_child]

The lights were low and soft music was playing as class began today. "Please, make yourselves comfortable," Raven said, guesturing to the usual assortment of chairs, cushions, and bean bags. "Today we will be discussing -- and attempting -- meditation. This is obviously not a good solution for in the middle of a stressful situation, but doing so may help you be better prepared if you know you are going to face one. Meditation is the practice of intentionally spending time with your mind. You remove your focus from the world around you and achieve a state of emotional calmness. Many religions practice forms of meditation, so if you are already experienced with one, please, share with the class."

Raven sat cross-legged on a cushion on the floor, placing her hands on her knees, palms up. "Many traditions will have your sit in a way such as this, but it is not absolutely necessary. It is more important that you are comfortable and in a stable position. When you are ready, close your eyes." She waited a few moments until she felt everyone was ready, then continued. "Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it slowly out of your mouth. Follow the sensation of your breathing. It is only natural that your mind start to wander, but if you notice it is doing so, return your attention to your breathing and the sound of my voice. I want you to visualize a happy moment from your past. Try to remember every detail you can, the people who were there, what the weather was like, what you were wearing, the sounds you hear. Pay attention to the little details as you slowly begin to notice how this memory is making you feel. Focus on the feeling and wrap your arms around it, as if in an embrace. Hold the feeling tight as you continue to breath. Allow it to morph into you, so that you can take this happiness with you wherever you may go. Do not stress if your mind continues to wander; simply return your focus to your breathing and the sound of my voice."

After spending time on the initial exercise, Raven reached for a remote control near her and turned on the audio of a guided meditation. "Now we will try again with this guided meditation. Do not be overly hard on yourself if you have a difficult time focusing; it is not always easy. If you find you cannot do the meditation, please sit or read quietly until the class is done. Or, if you would allow me to do so, I can also enter your mind to observe and help, but this is certainly not required if you are not comfortable with the idea."