This was my favorite event so far I believe because of the free flowing conversation and enthusiasm that they both exuded. Both Lombardi and Roberts addressed general questions such as what their daily lives may consist of or their most favorite parts of being at Cornell, but then Lombardi started talking about how as students here we are each in great positions and have Cornell as a stepping stone to our paths in life, but as a collective the student body is very hard on themselves. This changed the mood of the discussion into one that was more thoughtful as I think each of us slowly began to reflect on our own experiences so far. (I know I did at least.) I appreciated him bringing this up, because I think we do tend to dwell on grades too much and we need to enjoy the other parts of college as well. They both seemed very open and friendly and after the event I am inspired to reach out in the future if I ever wanted to talk to either/have a zoom, etc.
Author Archives: szp2
A Path in Life… or multiple
During this talk I was very inspired by both speakers because of their candid answers about how their lives unfolded. I myself want to continue studying and possibly teach, and hearing that you can go about that different ways and possibly start by teaching various subjects and grades opened up my mind about ways to go about this goal. I know that priorities shift and it is important to focus on myself, so those are all things to consider on the path going forward. Overall it was eye-opening to listen to both talk and made me realize I need to continue listening to my body especially now during the pandemic and take things day by day.
Comedy for the 1st
To round out April Fools Day I decided to sit in on this talk about comedy and how to tell jokes, and about the history of jokes as well. I appreciated the format of this event, with the history of jokes being talked about first and then examples, ideas, and questions left for the latter half of the hour. I was intrigued to find that jokes have much stayed the same since Cicero’s time really. Jokes are based on puns, irony, and situational humor a lot of the time as well. And that has stayed the same even now. People want to know how to tell successful jokes and what to do if their joke fails. People like to laugh and make other people laugh and we are always looking for ways to connect with others- jokes being one of the best ways. So to end my post- my joke for the day is this: Mother Nature’s April Fools Day for us all with snow in spring.
Crocheting- relaxing or stressful?
To make the point short- it is relaxing! I had learned from my grandmother to crochet when I was younger but had then stopped and almost forgotten all of the skills I was taught. With this workshop when I saw the opportunity I was looking forward to getting back into it and I am glad I was able to attend. I got sidetracked from the original project and started making my own project, but it was more fun this way because I could move at my own pace. I am hoping for a part 2 of this crochet series!
How to Relax?
I went to the talk with Laura Weiss and Christa Downey. They both do amazing work with advocating and with making sure victims of assault are heard, and then inspiring students to pursue what they are most interested in. I know that the most logical things to talk about here would be their work, however I was left very inspired by the side comments they made that came as an indirect result of their work. What stuck with me was their tips and tricks for being bold, and finding yourself by trying new hobbies or taking very different classes than what you are used to. You may find unexpected new paths and being bold leaves more opportunities in life. Amongst the fun and work it is equally important to relax and be able to separate work from personal life. Following these general tips will make a person happier and help in the long run.
The Queen’s Gambit- 4
This episode continues to follow along Beth’s journey and I was particularly interested in how the episode opened. With Beth in class and finding new people to talk to it is allowing her to come out of her shell a little bit. I was surprised at how open Beth was with her Mother about where she had been and what she was doing, and the way her mother seemed to respond almost nonchalantly. This serves to give more background as to the way she was used to being dealt with and how other people probably wanted her to come out of her shell also. Then, thinking about how she has problems trying to relax and we see it took a solid amount of effort to open up to the man and try to become intimate. This episode served to lead us further through her story while still adding on details about her background that help clue us in on her various actions.
Zoonotic Diseases- Lets Talk About Salmonella
This table talk was different from things I usually learn about so I wanted to attend to learn about a new topic. Zoonotic diseases are very applicable to us after going through various diseases and now a pandemic throughout the years. It was eye-opening to discuss how many ways diseases such as Salmonella can be transferred to people. The whole process from getting the food to packaging and checking it unfortunately opens up more opportunities for it to become contaminated. I hadn’t thought about it as in-depth before so it was good to learn about a new topic that is also applicable and current.
Peace and Tranquility Through Natural Parks
I really enjoyed this Fellows talk as this was the first time I was able to hear about the outdoor work being done around Cornell in all of the various natural areas. Last year I was not able to visit many of the natural areas, I hadn’t even been to Ithaca Falls despite loving the outdoors, so I have made it a point so far during the good weather to start visiting more locations around Cornell. I have already been to Ithaca Falls twice in the past two weeks and seeing the waterfalls frozen and surrounding areas was beautiful. Even the walk down to the natural areas made me appreciate everything that is being done to allow us to have these spot swell kept and maintained near campus. It was enjoyable hearing them talk so passionately and enthusiastically about their work and it made me appreciate the nature even more.
New Orleans, Rich in Musical History and the Background of Jazz
This documentary was quite like I expected in terms of it being full of the background about New Orleans and the history of the area. It provided such vivid descriptions of this neighborhood in the South that was alive with the music and the collaborations possible. Seeing as this would be the neighborhood that is the birthplace of jazz, we can see how the music style came about- with its nods to the history about the divided north and south, free people and slaves, and the struggle for freedom and justice and equality. It was interesting following the story of how music was made and the influences that the Treme neighborhood had, and the hope and joy it gave everyone. I really enjoyed the documentary and I found it inspiring.
Calligraphy- The art to making any notes look good
I am a big art person and have always enjoyed making my notes, notebooks, or anything I write really, look aesthetically pleasing, as cliche as it may sound now. I wanted to take the time to relax and do this workshop to connect with other people that also enjoy calligraphy or wanted to try it for the first time. This was the first time I worked with a thick-tipped pen instead of brush pen and I learned through practice how to hold it at different angles to create the different lines thicknesses I wanted. This creative series was very enjoyable and relaxing and I am looking forward to attending more art-related sessions in the future.
My Thought on The Queen’s Gambit Episode 1
I have been very interested in watching this series as I saw how acclaimed it had gotten on Netflix. I had watched the trailer before the event so I had an idea regarding what the show was about but I was pleasantly surprised as to how they filmed the series (first episode). What stuck out the most to me was the music. The music added a dramatic effect that kept you holding your breath as you waited for what was going to happen. I appreciated the instrumental music as well as the vocals added in to create an even more mysterious effect. I am looking forward to continuing the series and I would give it a good review so far. I enjoy playing chess myself and it i snice to see it turned into a popular concept.
Realistic or no? A Bridgerton Review
I wanted to attend this discussion to see other people’s opinions of the very popular show Bridgerton and hear about if we made the same connections between this show and others. I enjoyed Bridgerton and it reminded me of the other series Downtown Abbey which is one of my favorite series. It is also a period, romantic drama series that follows an affluent family and the decision they make- as well as any staff that work for them and their surrounding neighbors. The way everyone interacts together can be seen in the familial dynamics, as well as especially through the male and female characters. They are having to portray the women in the house as having to obey the males and have them as protection. It was interesting to see how the actors got into their characters and went about acting out those particular dynamics. I enjoyed the discussions we had about the series- and how it tied in with other shows such as The Crown or Downtown Abbey, and it was nice to talk about a shared interest with other people in Rose.