Author Archives: gey5

Is it Kanye, Ye, or Yeezus?

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On Monday, I was able to attend the Table Talk centering around the Playlists of Our Lives. Music has been a major constant in my life. While my genre tastes are broad, as are my artist preferences, the significance of music has never varied. For me, music is more than just noise that makes the walk to class more bearable–which it does. Music is associated in memories. Songs, to me, signify and even help define moments in my every day life. Music acts as a soundtrack to my seemingly mundane life–songs transport me back to specific time periods or even particular days or conversations or people. This is partially why I had a challenging opinion when the discussion moved away from the significance/relevance of music in our lives to a broader conversation of the separation of art and the artists that create it. Should people stop listening to Chris Brown because of the abuse inflicts upon women? Are artists, in this case musicians, given more lenience in public reaction to criminal offenses? The issue I grapple with lies with relevance of music itself in my life. Michael Jackson, for instance, was discussed as one such case. As a kid, I absolutely adored MJ–I could quote the entire Thriller album by the age of 8 (I, of course, did not understand the majority of the lyrics). To me, I associate the music of Jackson to car rides with my parents, I associate it to learning how to moon walk on pointe shoes, I associate it with dancing to “Thriller” in the living room with my brother. The music, to me, is less about the artist and more about the memories created around it. So while the artist may be an awful person (and I, in no way condone any form of criminal offense), to me, the artist is partially separate from the art.

Regardless of the interesting and challenging subject shift, the table talk was informative and intriguing. It was reflective and overall neat to hear how others incorporate music in their lives. Also, if you are confused by the title, Kanye West was heavily discussed in the talk, as he was the catalyst to the conversation around separation between art and artists. I am still confused as to what his actual name is.

My Legs Hurt Just Watching

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As a former dancer, I must begin by declaring my utmost respect to the dance groups that performed tonight at Diya Jale, particularly Cornell Bhangra and Big Red Raas. The endurance required to perform those art forms is not only immense, but herculean in amount. My quads are just screaming after watching Bhangra—the fact that the danced a solid two minutes with huge smiles on their faces is admirable.

Aside from the dancing, Diya Jale was an absolute blast. As my roommate/best friend is not only an active E-Board member of Society for India, but one of the coordinators for Diya Jale, I have been anticipating the event for some time now. I attended the event last year and this year was just as vibrant, just as energetic, just as funny, just as enjoyable. Diya Jale exhibits the beautiful South Asian culture here at Cornell; from traditional music and dance to modern acappella and comedy acts, Cornellians shined tonight. It was a true joy to witness.

Diya Jale was an incredible experience. I would recommend the event to any and every one.

Gourds Galore!

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I always assumed that coming to Cornell would provide me with new experiences. Never did I think that drilling holes into a carved-out gourd would be one of them. But I am so glad that it did. I do not define myself as any qualified, or even skilled, artist, but tonight I felt like one. What began as a simple design of a face on my pear-shaped gourd (my intention was to always have something smiling at me, even in the dark–a little weird but cute, right?) transformed into an intricate pattern of trailed light across the surface. I wielded my drills to the best of my ability and created what I can only determine as the happy-version of the lava monster from Moana. It was awesome.

This event was relaxing and fun. I was able to garner new skills and create something neat. I think that events like these, that push our creative boundaries under the guise of a stress-free activity are exactly what I need during a time of endless papers and prelims. Thanks Rose House and Gourdlandia for making this event possible.

P.P.P. (Pumpkin Painting Party)

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I am not the most creative person.

So while the prospect of pumpkin painting sounded fun, therapeutic, and festive, the task seemed slightly daunting. I always seem to lack both whimsical ideas and technical skills required to make fun pieces of art, or in this case, pumpkins. It was nice to recognize that those fears were fruitless; I had a great time and the process was stress-less. I forgot, going into it, that the childlike joy of painting pumpkins–which I used to do with my brother when we were kids–outweighs the difficulty. After realizing that no one could judge my ability, because at the end of the day it was a pumpkin for me and me alone, the process was enjoyable.

Moreover, this event allowed me to talk to new people in a relaxed, light-hearted environment; always a bonus.

Cornell is such a beautiful place to experience fall and more specifically Halloween, and this event boosted my excitement for the festivities of the season. I would encourage people to sign up for events such as these, especially as the gloom of prelims can often shadow the joys of the season.

 

Inconceivable

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Last week, I was able to attend the Table Talk with Professor Ken Roberts where we discussed the upcoming US Federal Election, the current state of politics, and the implications of impeachment.

 

The main point of discussion that struck the most pertinent was the current, polarized state between the Democratic and Republican Parties. Professor Roberts asserted that the main outlet for reducing this gaping hole of understanding between people is to simply talk to those around you. Engage in conversation with people who hold different beliefs than you. Find issues that all relate to—because at the end of the day, both sides hold some same fundamental beliefs. We’re all people, and by pitting ourselves against each other, nothing gets done and faith in our nation dwindles.

 

We also touched on the implications of the current impeachment investigation. With new administration, will US politics as a whole moderate? The current president, no one can deny, is a prominent figure that is divisive. Under a new Commander in Chief, will Republicans and Democrats come closer together? Will politics become less apparently black and white? Less combative?

 

These were my main questions, my main takeaways.

 

Overall, I really enjoyed this discussion.  Politics have always interested me, and I couldn’t think of a more interesting time in politics than our current situation.

A Community Caring About Cancer

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In modern day society, I feel that the subject of cancer is slightly taboo. While it has made strides in public awareness, the subject itself, at times, can be very closed-off. People don’t enjoy talking about this awful painful disease. Death is scary, and death by cancer is even more scary. But this past Saturday, that didn’t seem the case at all. Rather than avoiding cancer, a whole community gathered together in support for those who have the disease and their loved ones. Nothing about cancer was taboo. There was Zumba and musical performances and clowns and pancakes and photo booths and hundreds of people. It was a time of providing support for those who need it, and supporting a foundation that facilitates care for victims of cancer and their families.

I am so fortunate that I was able to witness such an event. Seeing a whole community rally together was amazing, especially for something that can be uncomfortable to talk about. It was incredible and I wish that everyone who was/is affected by cancer could have a similar organization and community of support.

Ninjas Beware: I am now equipped

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Before this workshop, I was oblivious to my lack of self-defense training. Unaware about how crucial self-defense was, going in, I thought this session would just be an interesting form of exercise. I was wrong. Kyaw Thein, the instructor, emphasized that self-defense is crucial for women to know because, unfortunately in this society, you never know what scenarios you might yourself in. Teaching us a few simple, effective moves, Thein encouraged us to feel confident in our movements, keep our balance with the power stance, and to move quickly.

I have been fortunate enough in my life to never have needed to know these moves. But sadly, knowing self-defense is necessary for being a woman in this day and age. I hope to never need to use them, but I am glad that I have them in my arsenal.

And a fly on a hot dog…?

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The other day, I had the privilege of attending the first Table Talk of this semester. Here, we were presented with the opportunity to discuss a variety of issues and perspectives in a respectful, comfortable environment. Discussing several topics from political disputes between Hong Kong and mainland China to the influence of Japanese culture in California, every member of the group was able to share their opinion.

As we primarily conversed about countries thousands of miles away, it made me pause and reflect on how little I personally know. I would like to think that I hold some awareness of the world; I listen to global news, I have visited several countries, I speak French. However, the truth is that I am probably more oblivious to global issues. Part of this, I feel, is a result of the American culture under which I raised under. Americans, I feel, live in bubble, albeit a very large bubble. Whether this due to the sheer distance between the US and other countries, its vast size, or large population, Americans, I feel, are distinctly ignorant to the ongoing world. Maybe it’s because we have enough issues of our own, and therefore we don’t concern ourselves with external issues. I honestly don’t know. I don’t believe this is intentional, nor do I believe that our ignorance is a reflection of selfishness. It’s just how it is currently.

Regardless of this disheartening reflection, I enjoyed my time at the Table Talk and I look forward to attending other Rose House events.

If, at this point, you are still confused by the title, my friend Lisa who also attended this event concluded the session by informing Tom that during the duration of the discussion, a fly had visited his hot dog several times. She advised him to not eat it.