All posts by nortojas803583d717

student blogs

Final Project Workshop # 2 Progress

I was able to develop a better direction to how to make my elit project be more interactive and make sure it has the essential navigational element in it while readers are going through the piece similar to some of the ones in the electronic literature collections in (vol’s.1-4) we have all been influenced by. Both Hunter and Jenny provided some insight when I shared them a few examples of what I would like to do. We all used the Curated Collection of Tech Tools Google document provided to see how we can apply one or more of a combination of tools to our own personal ideas and projects. I have decided to use WIX as the main program and Adobe Illustrator, Animoto to create some images, videos then save them in the digital formats of PNG, JPEG, or PDF and bring into WIX as uploaded media to be used as content along with other elements to create a interactive framework filled with hidden links, sound, video, and my own poetry. This will be a Blog page that allows various ways of interaction and engagement, and most important a navigational experience.

I would like my reader to find escape, feel vulnerable and engaged when scrolling, clicking and contributing to the piece. A Blog Role such as an outside contributing writer can be added with their email,  multiple if I upgrade my plan which would be an effective feature for anyone who interacts with my piece to leave a comment and active blog of their experience. This is limited thought due to the free version and only allows me to have 1 additional blogger to add content, or comment. Being able to Invite a New Writer, Blog Writer, Guest Writer is another reason I chose Wix. I like also that I can upload media to Wix and create a world of my own and turn video clip fragments into a part of the experience that embodies the fragments of my consciousness keeping an archive of moments or interesting content for archival reflection that would live outside this dimension with no access or proof of existence if not recorded or kept in a digital format and shared with others who were in a completely different part of space in our Galaxy.

Digital Art by Jason Norton created in Adobe Illustrator

student blogs

Final Project Workshop 1 Reflection

As you read my lines of poetry in a Microsoft Word Doc the lines will be part of the Warped Image Text that engulfs the lines which are based on a variety of emotions, and life  dealing with Repressed Hurt, Anger, Love, Guidance, Overcoming, Strength, Determination, Resilience, Companionship and others that we all face or have to deal with at some point in our lives. I have attached and included  suitable videos that represent such feelings but in a creative way. Each song and performance allows me to find healing through the action of watching and writing before and finding a music video as these emotions are played out on the screen not by myself but musicians lyrics, video. I feel no longer alone in dealing with such emotions and have an outlet through the music video interaction , questioning, hearing, and reminiscing being able to filter these emotions in words and now in thought when my audience can actively click on embedded YouTube video hyperlink and be able to deal with a emotion or situation that they haven’t come to terms with or accepted, being and beginning the act of Healing and comfort through a combination of streaming, hypertext link technology when human interaction isn’t present to support them. This creates a active playlist and also word scape that coincides or reflects similar to the lyrics and my poetry.

I am kinda still contemplating how I will find the best way to create an interactive elit with the technologies I am aware of. I have many ideas, but execution will be the issue in choosing some of the suggestions I received in class during the workshop from Cindy using Twine, Wix or even my own ideas with Adobe After Effects, Microsoft Word and creating a Word Cloud. I feel it will require a combination or a commitment ot one program to make my elit functional for my reader. There still are decisive decisions to be made with creating a project that I am happy with and also serves its purpose as Electronic Literature similar to some of the examples I have interacted with in this class and in the 4 Elit Vol. collections we chose from. I would like my project to be a reflection of myself, some kind of blending between poetry, non-fiction/fiction incorporating music, video, sound as a sense of feelings and emotion. Workshop 2 will help I feel get more entuned with what I can do.

student blogs

ELIT Final Project Early Ideas

Some early ideas that have been generating since last class towards the final elit project is possibly creating an interactive poem that uses word scape movements on the screen with animation tools in a Microsoft Word Doc. There seems to be many options to animate text, images, using this platform and turn into a creative way to experience my poetry and also interact with it. I was thinking about creating some letters in Adobe Illustrator using clipping mask technique to add an image inside each letter that is associated with emotions, or events. Not really sure yet. Then export into a Word Doc which you can do as a JPEG or PNG file image or even with Adobe Acrobat using the “Export to Word” command.

I would really like to sharpen my skills again in Adobe After Effects but there may not be enough time to rekindle and do what I have planned creatively to the letters. Mister Horse is a free program extension of Adobe After Effects that gives you options of making text animated in various ways. I would like my poem to be in a way a task for the reader to transcribe the words or letters that show up on thw screen at variables in different colors, sizes, sequences compared to mine that was separated prior at a given point of time. This process can attempt to recognize the order of how we put words together to express a thought, emotion and  our thought process contemplating our structure of putting things together, so they are comprehended by others . Meaning Making of words. There is also an effect called Clipping Mask mentioned earlier that can replace the inner part of a letter character, number with an image. This can be an effective technique also I may want to experiment with to emphasize certain particular words with a feeling.

https://share.google/h0wvKMIJlndCJZO43

I was also thinking about doing cut outs of letters and some images I have or digital artworks to add to the animations in a  Word Doc being untraditional to how this program is usually used to communicate. Though this is too ambitious at this point of the Semester and would require too much time.

student blogs

Blackout Poetry Tool & 200 Castles Reflection

Even though I did not have an iPad device to interact with the PDF Augmented Reality book, I found other ways to engage and experience with Caitlin Fishers augmented reality elit watching some of her videos as she shows the amazing changes and interacts with her own imaginative story out of her mind when the iPad is placed over each image related to 200 Castles content. Being able to decide in the confines of the framing device and image of each action taking place, movement over the images creates a story or release from some of the intense feelings put into each that will only be seen when the iPad is placed over them. Before that they are just images without a voice or story but come alive as we become the creators of their worlds and ours in the story. Interacting is an important factor with this elit work. The images would be stale, stagnant if not for the Augmented reality that comes from the iPad bringing the images to life and not needing any sound or text to create a story. Each reaction from the viewer will have a different affect to them
The theme and significance of each image towards 200 castles and its inhabitants continues as you proceed through the images.  Each has a life, relationship and purpose of their own but also as a whole to the entirety of the work. The audio and actual changes I was not exposed to as much as I would like due to the technological requirements needed.  This remains significant for meaning and interaction through a timeline of images. Some scenic landscape, Architecture and portraits all adding to the aspects that would make up a castle and human inhabitants.

Once again there is the theme of dichotomy that both elit works provided this week having a factor in our digital tech devices having its role only with our mindful interaction of use giving it a purpose while interacting with images bringing them new meaning as we act as human creators.  The contradiction would be using the iPad technology as a prescription lens to look into a past time and creating effects to each image that are recognizable task, trends to our own interaction with capabilities of the collaboration of our technology and digital media. They both though do have a dependency on each other device and flat image to make a new meaning, use and experience together. Then adding our own story to the text as a visual reading not written; to each image of what we depict the image relates to the story  and feelings that went with each.

The concept of a “binary” system of how we as humans interact with computers and technology when reading text was realized after reading the introduction and these terms amongst others of being an active participator related to interacting with the blackout poetry. There was a bond of trust, curiosity and vulnerability to the bot’s choices since it is common as humans we want the last say or sometimes dont like the results of a collaboration that reflects back to you almost like a group project. We go in front of our screens, which already causes these dichotomies of separation, or binary world. Especially when there is a goo reason to interact and have commands of using the interfaces, technologies and traditional ways of understanding our won interactions or when the computer/digital technology makes content or does certain task for us. The human element of thought, actions reflection, response all become in a way predictive of how we are supposed to read text, express and how we interpret these form others works and also share our own. I think the term “dichotomies ” adequately applies to this Elit work and expectations of what its intentions are in our lives. Sometimes the story and its content creation is not forseen or out of our hands.

Frankenstein text was a good choice with all the various words related to one of my favorite movies, and seeing how thought and action of selecting particular words to decipher, decode within the  Poems creation modes infused creating an attempt with my own selections and the bot’s choices to make sensible meaning. I was excited to interact with the text and make my choices down the page. My selections intermeshing with the bots started to make sense for a few lines, then it was just to much to think of how I could make selections that the bot would be able to build upon and make sense based on grammar, structure before knowing that the coding actually was already designed for this. After a few times I just let be and had fun with the interaction of me and the bot. So, I focused on my word selection choices and became curious to the bots afterward. The recurring piano sound did for me become too distracting. It would have  been pleasant to hear a variety of piano tunes playing as the mood changed depending on what words were selected and the type of lines formed. It was interesting to learn how the bot was selecting its poetry lines, based from my selections and the corresponding grammar sequence or  rule related to it in an attempt to form a line of poetry that seemed to make sense of the words selected, possibly wanting to make it so that I didn’t even realize the bot was contributing, interaction blurred between me and the bot with the more times I performed and the modes/ tasks of Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis, Symbiosis, Visual. These seemed to be in an order where the code would best be suitable and produce the results needed bringing attention to dichotomies of man and machine interactions together and if we can make sense of each other’s choices.

student blogs

Writers are Not Strangers & Retratos vivos de Mama

Retratos Vivos de Mama

A personal journey of creative  Elit inspired by the process of mourning, and how we find our own ways to reflect, heal, mourn the loss of someone we cared deeply for. I can resonate with the theme; there have been a few recent times where I lost some loved ones who were close friends or was in an extensive relationship with. Both of these were different types of mourning. One I knew I wouldn’t ever see again, the other I wasn’t sure. We don’t always get to prepare for the emotions that follow with grief, despair, guilt, loneliness and many others along the way. We do though have the opportunity to find creative outlets to help us express our emotions and deal with the feelings not always accessible when we want them to be. Our relationships whether they are family or friends become extensions of ourselves. When those extensions are no longer for the many mortal reasons, it becomes challenging to find  ways to bandage that wound once they are removed. I do appreciate that the Author provides flexibility to her readers in approaching and engagement of this Elit with allowing us to digest or take bits and pieces or a whole with navigating and reading depending on how much we are willing to commit to the piece. Also, how she mindfully notifies her readers when she adds to the piece, and the freedom for the individual to come and go anytime with interacting and having no strings attached. Even though I could not translate much of the Spanish I still found ways to engage with this electronic literature.

Cuarto Oscuro (Diario De Duelo, Papel Quemado Por La Luz, Carrete De Recuerdos)

On the main screen, once accessing the work a 45 second video follows the wood grain that is filled with cracks that go in many divert in many directions like our feelings. The cracks in our psyche that form from the trauma, mourning and many other feelings we deal with in our lives. As the video starts to climb we are faced with knots in the barks, obstructions. This seemed to represent the knots that we feel in our body, throat, when hit with the mourning, grief of loved ones. These take up a big part of our inner real estate forming in both our minds and bodies physically, mentally and spiritually.  

I enjoyed flipping thought the diary, journal and all the images, sketches/scrap book that she placed on each page along with the text. It was filled with personal symbolic  artifacts and welcoming to want to read and go all the way through as far as I could. The scroll bar also made it convenient and was a thoughtful courtesy for reading. In the video clip provided in the Papel Quemado Por La Luz sectionseemed to me like a behind the scenes experiences of her process and the creation of her shrine with using collage, the process and final pieces are the act of healing and once again bringing her close to her mother’s life.

Soplo

The interactive element of both different color accordion files, while being able to access each months importance in the timeline of someone’s life and events having different personal content, materials was enticing to keep interacting with. A time capsule of sort, information that justifies a person’s existence, and place in time, proof they existed and reflection.

Revelado

This section of the for me was a complex area of involvement. The film strip on the screen right away gives you the interaction opportunities to decide where you want to explore. I did make my choices out of order. Liking the Voces with the video projection instillation and the timeliness of fading in and out of life with the woman figure doing a task or chore.

Planto

This section I felt empowering with the soil, earth as the background substrate of the screen and the text moving, bouncing uncontrollably like a frantic movement.

Writers Are Not Strangers

Once I began interacting and answering the multiple choice questions that coincided with the readings I felt a similarity, and responsibility of curiousness to what my selections would result in like interacting with the previous Elit Façade, minus the audio and characters. The imagery I had to make up in my own mind to follow as I read each brief story and added on it with my selections to carry forward. One thing I did feel was not being sure if what I chose to select even mattered. Was it just part of the interaction, making me feel like I actually was creating meaning, or had a significant role to how the characters’ conversation evolved or how they felt during about what was happening to the world. My assumption was the world was facing a certain catastrophic event that would be inevitable to discuss, recognize as fact and be involved in no matter what your position was on the side of the table, fan or creator.

After reading the brief opening text I chose the number 7 for rating. Then began the journey and clicking on the Next button, the day Thursday appeared in bold letters on the screen with another longer story, and some options to answer a multiple choice question to then once again advancing with the piece by clicking on Next. The story was one of a challenge to follow, it seems all her effort paid off but now she faced her fans, once one herself. Now, being on the other side of the table in the queue as a creator and signing fans’ merchandise she felt differently of her life’s work. It seemed to be a confession of how she was now stuck in showing face and keeping fans happy, even though she knew they were taking it too seriously. Experiencing her interaction with Billie a  friend who showed up in line questioning her, made interacting with the piece seem like I was also there witnessing the uncomfortable encounter of what I would do in that situation choosing the appropriate multiple choice answer to keep things at ease and not be rude to a friend, but mindful of my time if that was me. I did try to analyze why I made each choice out of the 3 selections. From my own personal values, it seems these were accurate to being mindful of others feelings, appreciative of the support showing respect to them, or being optimistic.

Selections Chosen: Thursday

“These people, were her livelihood after all”

“We should meet for coffee sometime real soon”

Sixty Signatures Later

“Dietmar’s right. People coming together like this should be celebrated, now more than ever”

Time To Go…

Where’s Alix rushing off to?

Another story appeared; I could tell this would be different from the previous discussion. It began mentioning food, a new scene, tone of content. I couldn’t tell if this was about Alix or another story entirely different, or extension until her name was mentioned in the middle. This interaction with her relatives, Aunt Annie and Uncle Simon seemed dysfunctional and I didn’t want to really read much of it. Her Aunt Serita though she seemed to have some sort of connection with. They didn’t seem to see Alix as a person or support her. I kept going for a little but lost further interest. Maybe it was just the day or how I was feeling. It was funny and ironic since it seems that Alix also was trying to find a way to slip away making excuses about having to go home to her “pet” which I chose dog. Next wondering about what was happening with her parents I continued to interact more out of curiosity.

I was curious during my interaction with this story of what would happen if I click Restart at the top of the screen and chose a different rating number from the beginning. This thing just keep going! I will wait to hear what my fellow classmates did in their interaction. Impressive to have certain angles covered depending on what the reader chooses for an answer. I did decide out of curiosity and my enjoyment of electronic literature to keep embarking on this journey. The hospital visit scene was another very descriptive reading, it also reinforced that there was some dysfunction and broken relationship with Alix and her mother. This conversation and my involvement was deeply felt, as I was also in the room almost chaperoning the discussion hoping it would go in a caring direction where Annie, Alix and her mother could encounter peace or solace with each other. This was when I made the choice to finish. Disoriented feelings and being confused of Annie and the Mother and who was who made me not wanting to know anymore. I think it became to much to follow and I lost interest quickly.

student blogs

All Your Timed -Tossed Selves & Hana Feels Reflection and Reaction

All Your Time- Tossed Selves 

The progressive Google Forms as a substrate, carrier of the dialogue and our responses is a creative interactive way that many are familiar with when filling out a survey or poll with Google Forms and providing an interest in an event or information, sign up.  The conversation happening between me and the form cerates this responsive letter with only two multiple choices lines of dialogue to choose in the beginning, but  eventually evolves to checking multiple boxes, from a drop down selection arrow, and additional multiple choice selections available to choose from that carries the conversation along making you  realize it doesn’t matter what you choose you will be back where you stated eventually. Depending on each response, the interaction finds a way to show empathy towards what selection I chose related to the question. I tend to forget about what question was asked prior as now I am focused on the present. Each response does have an effect on the following though as I move forward  with. It was clever to provide a list for me to choose from of what I brought with me in my  “small bag” going to the Tower which made me mindful of the lines provided. I enjoy being given the option of seeing my previous responses once I have submitted my current form. The biggest part of this work was the Pie and Bar graphs that were provided of all the responses with percentages of choices made. This made me feel like I am part of a larger anonymous group but somehow affecting the whole together with our choices. This is similar to how our society is here in America, we tend to think of our choices as being singular and not affecting the whole or our surroundings, but they do. If we were provided with a visual of how our choices do change or affect others. Then I think we might be deterred to make certain choices and rethink others having the opportunity to look back at the previous ones selected. Just being mindful and aware.

 Hana Feels

Reading the Editorial Statement before accessing the work of Hana Feels knowing that it is related to mental health crisis and I would be mediating what is said to her from the 4 role dialogue responses made me interested as a Veteran who has faced many “rough patches” on my own without support or having an outside perspective on its effects to the body, mind. The words of “allied purpose” are substantial and having a role to make a difference with Hana’s situation depending on what is said to her. I chose the work website version, instead of the arrive to interact as a participant, now a digital friend of Hana’s here to support her through this mental health challenge. The type of support is extremely important, and what and how we say something to someone having a mental health crisis needs to be thought through and have empathy not sympathy. Sometimes we think we know the best things to say to someone in a time of need, but they don’t always have the effect of making the person in need of support feeling any better from what was said or advice. In a way you are playing an active menta health negotiator and trying to help a friend. Peer, coworker, family member out of a situation that has overtaken their mind, feelings, thinking and get them into a more level, stable way of thinking and reacting to what is happening. We must be aware of the mental health part of the formula when trying to share care; understanding there is an imbalance. In my experience as Will the Volunteer I asked the question “what is your name” it seems that there was pause in any responses to be made after that, the selections became limited. There was quiet breathing then click. I thought by asking the name of the caller would create a more personal feeling, showing I understand another human being is on the other side needing help. So I decided to interact again, clicking the refresh button bringing up the same helpline scenario page and responses to what I could ask the caller, Hana. This time I asked, “Is there something you’re worried about?” Once again some gaps in the responses boxes and quiet breathing resulted making me feel like I asked the wrong question to her. It’s interesting that when I clicked on Will the volunteers profile it mentioned that he is “worried of saying the wrong thing” to the caller. I also felt this anxiousness or weight on my consciousness while interacting with Hana. Realizing that Hana actually hung up during the previous call not because I asked the wrong question, but because she was concerned that I would think she was a “heavy breather” caller doing it as a prank, or for one’s own enjoyment. This made the interaction even real for me and created a responsibility in me to continue speaking to Hana. Hana’s Journal was insightful reading her feelings calling up the help line and understanding her thoughts or reasoning. The discussion playing the role of Christine, Hana’s boss created a entirely new feeling towards my role. I assumed that this would be about how Hana’s mental health was effecting her productivity at the Casino. I selected responses back to Hana that were from a understanding nature of one who has dealt with mental health getting in the way of my job performance, instead of other responses that were cold and not caring, but focused on assertiveness and putting Hana’s mistakes in front of her not really understanding first what was going on with her. I learned ones role, title, responsibility towards a individual whether a boss, friend, co worker, family member would require a different level of concern and empathy felt with something so delicate and quiet as mental health.

student blogs

Ask Me about the Moon, The Vine & the Fish Reflection

Ask Me about the Moon

The land of the Hawaiian natives now belonged to the upper class who came to visit making the natives slaves in their own land. Lines like “castles in the sand” when you go out onto the beach to look out into the dark sky at the moon and see only the development in the skyline that houses tourist who come to Hawaii for luxury and its beauty which is all built from the sweat of the local’s brow.  Eventually the land’s purpose, sanctity to them fades away, its beauty and wonder stripped of what it once represented, its significance to their culture now tainted by outsiders who the land now served for their pleasure and vocational bliss. Another element introduced is the fading text and then another replacing it before its even fully out of the scene, out into a white scratch, scribbling representing the waves of the ocean that many tourists come to enjoy off the labor of the natives’ backs whose own resources then becomes a chain of slavery to their land made an early powerful impact less than a minute into the piece. Deep inhales of exhausted breathing around minute 1:30 depicting the physical stress and laborious work that picks up at certain intervals of the video when a few paragraphs of text are left on the screen to read emphasize the Hawaiian peoples struggles keeping up with their work situation to survive and make a living. Lines such as “reef of spent muscular secretion of hope”, “palaces of purchased love”, “sleeps unsettled twin” all powerfully stood out to me depicting these feelings that probably don’t get heard or shared to create a unified voice. The picking up and fading in of a new word to replace the next creates also for me the feeling of labor, continuous movement with no rest in sight, a chain reaction where everything and everyone is connected to the land, its people, tourist. One cannot be without the other. The Emmanuel Levinas text on the “ego” and escaping the “there is” I am still trying to figure out.

This digital poem also made me think and refer to a few lines from Yardley, Pa 1997 of v: “like a place in the world where things’r beautiful and you can let ‘em be.” I feel this is a big issue with the world and our “Ego”. We have to try and make places ours, or our home away from home. This happens all around the world with struggling countries and lands whose people have no other way of income but Tourism and have to basically pimp themselves out to strangers while they come in and act like they run or own the place with little regard to the land’s history, and people who inhabit as their home and have created the culture, history they come to explore.

The Vine & the Fish

The kudzu seemed to gain popularity early in American lifestyles for its diverse uses especially in farming, and its aromatic grape scent. It’s interesting to see how a plant was so popular at one point, especially during a challenging time period and then have an unpopular opinion or change about its use, appearance, and acceptance in society now having backs turned to it. This is a common theme that I think can be related to this piece as every day, week, year one race, culture, religion takes some lashing out at it or is singled out as the problem to Americas woes or the ones who created it and continue to contribute to. These are usually not based off of any factual information, just opinionated, well versed rhetoric that many just grab a political hold of to feel part of something or have a voice in society, or their communities. The small, boxed drawings, and captions to go with the piece do move fast and I have to pause them to get a good read of them and interpret what is being said. Descriptive words like “alien species” “competition for share resources” or harm, brings a defensive vibe to what is going to be said from there on. I think this goes well with what is happening in our society today here in America. Many who come here will be labeled or referred to with such terms, or phrases once they begin to make a life here in America and start creating competition for others in business, work, and education. Many will start to feel that they shouldn’t be allowed or are invading a good thing in place, no one wants to share the pie of success. The intermittent labor of breathing also was experienced in this piece of work that brings with it the feeling of exhaustion with acceptance or flux in how people are treated or seen in the U.S. as “harmful invaders” as the kudzu did once it seemed to loose its original purpose of being useful. Your good to your last move in America. Once a wave or momentum has you in the undertow or against you it is hard to get your credibility back or seen as a good.

student blogs

Artwork related to Avenue S

Hello, I wanted to share some 2D artwork that I created in 2019 when I was taking a course for digital media multi-media design. This was about 2 weeks after going fully remote when I was in MCCC. We had to do a project about how we felt, about isolation and the effects that the pandemic was having on us personally as well as globally. After seeing some the the artworks in Ghost City in Avenue S I thought the theme of my drawings were similar. These representing object that are isolated, but start to make their way outward and over come the barriers and effects from loneliness. Thanks.

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Avenue S Reflection / Yardley, PA 1997 Presentation Links

Avenue S

Once entering the piece and I first notice the rectangle shapes that automatically depict what many were going through globally during the pandemic having your surroundings boxed in, separated, isolated. The dates on the front of each replicated for me the idea of a Time Capsule, or a day in one’s life that was significant. Whatever content would be inside is going to be meaningful to someone if not me, or create a sense of belonging, interaction that many of us were deprived of. Also, a morbid image was present also that of a mausoleum for remembrance with all the rectangles and having dates on them. Like a piece of each person who had died in some way but was left behind for remembrance when you click on the title. There is sometimes filled with memories, items of the pandemic that we all become familiar with such as nylon gloves. There were so many interesting pieces in Ghost City Avenue S.  I think we were all more at play, willing to dive deep into our imaginations for mental health reasons, something that we were not allowing ourselves to do when things were “normal” and our lives being filled with all the social and professional distractions of everyday living. The opportunity to express ourselves and still have some kind of voice, interaction with life had opened up in so nonconventional ways and the resources around us were used as extension of those surroundings, people or lack of as well to also resist what was happening or have a coping mechanism outside our uncertain worried thoughts by creating. Being reminded and having an archive of all the social aspects we took and still take for granted, and freedoms such as lingering effects when everything seemed to lack life, meaning, interactions, color.

In some of the pieces the movable elements started as a small, isolated piece, boundaries set with their lines which then overflow or expand outwards similar to what happened as things started to open back up in society. We took small steps, still distancing ourselves due to our own comfort levels and willingness to trust again ourselves, others, and powers to be. The shapes filled up at times in a type of unilateral patterns, or in conjunction with each other simultaneously. Then at points there was disbursement of movement  from the inner core to the outer like one reaching out and expanding their presence into one’s surroundings.

The one release and escape during that time was creating art and taking advantage of our resources. Our identities and how they changed were put in flux with the things we no longer had around us, interactions to validate who we are. I think a lot of the Ghost City clips were strongly about one’s identity, fantasy and playing role away from the current world that was being offered with uncertainties, fears, loneliness. Many of the artwork’s movements were morphs or mirrors of each other. Isolated and Alone depicting urban life and the changes brought to social interaction and energy that was once prominent in the streets and neighborhoods amongst each other.

Yardley, Pa 1997

Yardley PA, 1997 Powerpoint Link and Word Doc Reflection Analysis

https://1drv.ms/p/c/cf24af06c39ff09a/EfXrSvq-mi9JrQU5GJWDNIYBhLm3uwHFKglV4QeMqrz8UQ?e=O9jnaZ

Yardey^J PA 1997 ELIT Presentation PDFDownload

Yardley, PA 1997 JNorton Reflection Analysis.docx

https://1drv.ms/p/c/cf24af06c39ff09a/EfXrSvq-mi9JrQU5GJWDNIYBhLm3uwHFKglV4QeMqrz8UQ?e=O9jnaZ

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Feeling Like a Guest

Facade and Welcome Home

Facade

Being asked to choose a letter to pick a name and the somewhat mysterious music playing at the same time reminded me of the game Resident Evil when it first came out for PlayStation. There would be certain scenes when the character is in the save room and a certain music, piano, singing bowl chiming like there was a purpose to fulfill played. The same for when the conversation or argument was occurring behind the door with Trip and Grace. As we are brought closer to the door a few commands as tips are shown along the screen quickly once again creating the interaction but with a feeling of something eerie is happening were we then interact with Trip after once we are inside the apartment. I really paid attention to the background music as I entered after being invited by Trip, a loud harmonica, maybe accordion like annoyance fills the air while Grace is being rude and arguing loudly in the kitchen not allowing Trip to get a word in to comment, only half utters.

 As Diana is finally greeted by Grace the conversation seems forced, and fake showing the lack of compatibility. When it came to the responses to Graces decorating, any welcoming response about her abilities to decorate lessens the tension some before Grace could get angry or upset and gave Trip the opportunity to step in and further iterate her good sense of style and artistic vision. Grace was getting jealous though before that from the comments made by Diana on the Italy photo and it gave Trip a big head from all the compliments. It also felt weird, awkward when they thanked Diana for introducing them 10 years ago and some fo the words used to describe their relationship overtime were abrupt and not the adjectives I expected, or transparency found in a couples usually reply such as Pain. The argument between them started to heat up and then they raised questions to Diana about what a marriage or relationship should be and if couples should make each other better. Diana’s responses were taken offensively it seemed or not the answers either Grace or Trip wanted to hear. They both wanted to be right, and Diana was only there to justify each of their positions in the marriage and how they felt between each other. Anxiety kind of also got higher in what I as feeling even though I was just watching and not really there observing through the YouTube social media link. This becomes a entirely new way of interaction.

Welcome Home

If there could be any two contrasting Elit content it would be Welcome Home and Façade. Right away the color palette makes you feel warm, welcomed and wanting to know what’s going on here, let me further explore. The experienced of joy and “home” is really emphasized with all the content that was found and restored from this children’s TV program in 1969, created to have a treasure trove of happiness at the click of a mouse. The Playfellow Exhibition and “It’s for You” interactive phone really sparked some ideas but also shows how challenging it would be for someone from most recent generations to just sit there and listen to the recordings on a rotary phone, not being able to type or text, or respond in any way to justify their being. I wanted to experience more of the recordings and attempted to click on the active hypertext link to their merchandise page but there was nothing there to go to, only greeted with the acknowledgment that I went too far out of the page. I was impressed though when I clicked on The Neighborhood button and all the different residents who resided there and the description each had.  The colors again made me feel welcomed unlike the theme of interacting with Façade and the tension, anxiety that was always present. The transcripts were very long and fun to read even the extensive conversation of dialogue involved in each catchphrase.

I think out of all the characters I can relate to Wally, since I too am an artist who enjoys expressing and connecting with others through painting and lending a helping hand with similar mannerisms, characteristics mentioned in his description being a neighbor who is “soft spoken, patient, kind, and observant, regardless of his surrounding circumstances concerning his over-the-top neighbors.” It seems he is someone who always tries to make the best out of his situation and keep a smile on his face for not only himself, but also for his neighbors to feel welcomed and joyful. We can learn a lot from these characters and the moods, examples they portray that we can try to display in and around our own surroundings.  Neighbors should be anyone who we have the pleasure of interacting with, not just a person or persons who lives next or across the street from us that we feel obligatory to interact with. Welcome Home is a great interactive restoration of a children’s tv show that I am sure touched a lot of hearts when it was aired and also influenced happier times, interaction with others as they related to each character.