Museum of Jurassic Technology

The Museum of Jurassic Technology is located in California and it holds very unique collections, especially when compared to contemporary art and science museums. As I was reading about the museum, I couldn't help but see connections between it and the collections held at Ripley's Believe it or Not. The museum's collections holds everything from the strange to the down right bizarre. It's quite humorous to see what oddities people believed to be legit, not so long ago.

Fred Wilson - Mining The Museum

Wilson's intervention on museums has been called controversial and ground breaking. In Mining the Museum, Wilson took artifacts from history that were hidden in the storage of museums (i.e. artifacts that have to do with slavery), and juxtaposed them with other artifacts that were from the wealthy and white. I think it's important to not hide the shameful parts of American history, and rather acknowledge them. Wilson sparked a much needed conversation among artists and historians alike, about the organization of the common exhibit.

Paper Bed

For our first class project, we had to construct a bed out of paper without using glue, tape or molds. Here were my results!

Drawers, Chests and Wardrobes - Summary

This excerpt from The Poetics of Space, attempts to explain and show examples of the difference between image and metaphor. Bachelard successfully does so through the literary study of drawers, chests and wardrobes and their deeper meaning to the human psyche. The chapter analyzes the natural human response to order, desire, imagination, secrets, and time.

This summary is my personal understanding of the chapter by Bachelard, and is not intended to simply reflect the views of my peers, mentors, and/or other scholarly sources.

IMAGE SOURCE: http://images.betterworldbooks.com/080/The-Poetics-of-Space-9780807064733.jpg

Drawers, Chests and Wardrobes - Vocabulary

phenomenological - adjective: 1: of or relating to phenomenology; 2: phenomenal; 3: of or relating to phenomenal ism

ephemeral - adjective: 1: lasting one day only; 2: lasting a very short time

polemical - adjective: 1: of, relating to, or being a polemic: CONTROVERSIAL; 2: engaged in or addicted to polemics: DISPUTATIOUS

epithet - noun: 1: a: a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in a place of the name of a person or thing, b: a disparaging or abusive word or phrase, c: the part of a taxonomic name identifying a subordinate unit within a genus; 2: obsolete: EXPRESSION

iota - noun: 1: the 9th letter of the Greek alphabet; 2: an infinitesimal amount

erudite - adjective: having or showing knowledge that is gained by studying

imperturbable - adjective: marked by extreme calm, impassivity, and steadiness: SERENE

oneiric - adjective: of or relating to dreams: DREAMY

valorize - verb: 1: to enhance or try to enhance the price, value, or status of by organized and usually governmental action; 2: to assign value or merit to: VALIDATE

superlative - noun: 1: a: the superlative degree of comparison in a language, b: a superlative form of an adjective or adverb; 2: the superlative or utmost degree of something: ACME; 3: a superlative person or thing; 4: an admiring sometimes exaggerated expression especially of praise

All definitions from Merriam-Webster

The Metamorphosis - Outline

I. Part 1

a. Gregor wakes up from a night's sleep and discovers he has "been changed into a monstrous verminous bug"

1. His new body makes it difficult for him to get out of bed

A. Missed the train to work

B. Worries about losing his job as a travelling salesman

C. NOT too worried about the fact that he has transformed into a giant bug

2. Tries to go back to sleep

b. Various family members encourage him to get out of bed and get to work

c. Mr. Manager arrives at his home and inquires about Gregor's absence and explains that Gregor's employment is in jeopardy

d. Gregor manages to leave his bed and maneuver his way to the door

1. Tries to cover-up his current condition by shouting through the door that he has been feeling dizzy, and simply needed a morning's rest

A. Assumes that the others can understand him

B. Family and Manager cannot understand him/comment on a change in his voice

2. Unlocks and opens door with his mouth, after much difficulty

e. Family and Manager are horrified by Gregor's new appearance

1. Manager flees Gregor's home

2. Family (led by the father) chase Gregor back into his room and lock him in

II. Part 2

a. Gregor wakes to find that someone has placed milk and bread in his room for him to eat

1. Was a favorite food as a human

2. Now is repulsive

b. The following morning Gregor's sister, Grete, cautiously enters Gregor's room

1. Gregor hides under the couch

2. Grete notices he has not eating the milk and bread

3. She replaces the milk and bread with various food and scraps from the kitchen

4. Gregor is only interested in the very moldiest food

c. Gregor adapts to his new body and enjoys climbing the walls and ceiling of his room

d. Grete notices and convinces her mother to help her move out Gregor's furniture so he has more room

1. Gregor worries removing his furniture will completely remove his humanity

2. He leaves his usual hiding spot under the couch

3. Mother is terrified and faints

e. Gregor escapes his bedroom

1. Father comes home and assumes Gregor has hurt his mother

2. Father wounds Gregor with an apple

3. Gregor retreats to bedroom with apple still lodged in back

III. Part 3

a. Gregor's injury makes movement more difficult for him

b. Family leaves bedroom door open at night so he can view them/feel included

c. All family members have acquired jobs due to money struggles

1. Constantly exhausted

2. Grete has little time or energy to care for Gregor

d. New cleaning lady is very interested in Gregor

e. Family takes on boarders in the apartment to earn extra money

1. Boarders discover Gregor

2. Boarders are disgusted and refuse to pay their rent

f. Grete convinces the family that they need to get rid of Gregor

1. No longer human

2. No longer a contributing member of the family

g. Gregor once again retreats to his bedroom

h. Gregor dies

i. Gregor's corpse is discovered by the cleaning lady

j. Family moves from apartment and ends up leading a happier life with more opportunities

This outline is my personal interpretation of the short story by Kafka, and is not intended to simply reflect the views of my peers, mentors, and/or other scholarly sources.

IMAGE SOURCE: http://www.alteredearth.com/acart/meta.jpg

The Metamorphosis - Vocabulary

ascertain - verb: 1. archaic: to make certain, exact, or precise; 2. to find out or learn with certainty

scrupulous - adjective: 1. having moral integrity: acting in strict regard for what is considered right or proper; 2. punctiliously exact: paintsaking

dissuad - verb: 1. a. to advise (a person) against something; b. archaic: to advise against (an action)

unequivocal - adjective: 1. Leaving no doubt: clear, unamiguous; 2. Unquestionable

avail - verb: to be of use or advantage

serviette - noun: a table napkin

communal - adjective: 1. of or relating to one or more communes; 2. of or relating to a community; 3. a: characterized by collective ownership and use of property, b. participated in, shared, or used in common by members of a group or community; 4. of, relating to, or based on racial or cultural groups

All definitions from Merriam-Webster