I try to visit the photo exhibits at the Art Institute every time they change. Especially since I can get in there for free its fun to just stop by and see what new things they have up. The photography gallery is probably my favorite thing exhibit that the Institute has because the atmosphere they create is really intimate. First of all, it’s located down stairs through a set of glass doors. Already it’s a quiet and peaceful place apart from the rest of the museum. The lighting is really soft and dim and all you can hear once you get past the entrance is the quiet moaning of the old wooden floor boards beneath everyone’s feet. The works of art are fastened to the white walls evenly spaced all around the room at eye level. Usually there is a bunch of annoyed students taking fake notes on not any specific piece. I feel some exhibits are annoying if I’m not interested but the photo exhibit is not one of those places. I am always up for experiencing new photography.
A couple weeks ago I went the photo exhibit. I can’t remember what the show was called, but it was focused on portraits of teenage girls and how they change when throughout the years when they grow up. Some prints were almost life size and some were post card size. Most of the prints were in color, which bummed me out a little bit because I enjoy black and white prints the most. My first thought about the exhibit as I walking into the room was that I wasn’t going to like it very much. I felt that way because I don’t usually like working on or looking at many portrait prints. Its not really my style of photography and all of the pieces hanging up in this particular show was a portrait photo. Two of the portraits stood out to me because it reminded me of my childhood.
One picture was of a little girl sitting on a white princess like bed. Fresh pink walls and lace dripping off of every surface. The little girl was dressed in a white puffy dress complete with a bow on top of her head. Sitting on the bed she was looking at her father who was talking to her. The look in her eye is infinite as she gazes back at her father. The picture was crisp and clean, standing about six feet tall. Next to this picture was another one the same size and style. It was obviously the same girl except grown up. She was about ten years older and the camera captured the image from the same angle as the last photo peering over the bed into the room. On the bed, instead of lace and ribbons was an empty Parliament cigarette box. The teen was standing beside the bed, staring inside the camera with one hand clutching her waist and in the other hand she was holding a lit cigarette. Next to her the teen’s father was leaning over the bed looking into the camera with a stern look on his face dressed in businessman attire. These pictures were taken of the same people in the same room with the same objects except 10 years apart.
I could relate to that feeling the little girl had in her eyes when she was looking at her father. I have felt that before. When I looked at the other picture when the girl grown up with her somewhat angry father, I knew what that felt like as well. The mood of both photos together changed drastically. Once I looked at the little girl compared to the older girl there was obviously a lot of negative feelings that happened between the two people in the photos once the girl grew up. I was incredibly close to my father when I was little and then once I grew up in high school he and I quit speaking because I turned into somewhat of a wild child. I didn’t turn out the way he wanted. And that hurts him when he looks back at when we used to be close when I was six. I am the way I am and when I look in the eyes of the more recent photo in the show I feel that from the teenage girl smoking that cigarette. I can relate so much to the girl growing up, that right away when I saw the two photos together I knew I wanted to write about it.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
from Matt
Of the “hotspots” to go to in Chicago. The one thing I can talk about though is the train system. The train is the only means of transportation that is easy and hassle free. You don’t have to worry about anybody cutting off or running into the train. It is underground and has its very own trail.
The craziest stuff happens on the L. Of course people have seen bums asleep on some of the seats, and even late at night on Fridays and Saturdays, there is a chance you’ll be involved in an “L ride party.” People were jumping on the seats singing, “boots with the fur!” It was insane, beer and alcohol was getting passed around like water at a triathlon. You got to be careful though Fights have gone down in the L. People here in Chicago will fight because of a glance. There really is no reason for this but some people find it necessary. A man who had possibly been on the train for over an hour or so, thought he would sit in the back half of the cart and smoke a cigarette. Another man of shorter stature was sitting in the middle of the cart; he smelt the smoke then turned around and stared at the man with the cigarette. The shorter man stood up and ran towards the guy with the cigarette. All in one motion he jumped up grabbed the bars near the door and kicked the man with the cigarette in the face. The man fell and dropped his cigarette; the shorter man then stepped on the cigarette to put it out. There was no reason for him to even get up, he could have turned around and asked the man to put it out. It was a ridiculous way to put out an obviously unwanted cigarette.
Although the train seems like a crazy ride, it doesn’t always make it on time and sometimes the carts smell like a dirty gas station restroom. It is stupid to think that the people who have to use the L everyday are usually the ones that mess up the carts and they make the ride horrible and gross. There is no reason for any one to have to urinate on the train. If it is beyond the point of where you cant hold it then you need to get off at the next stop and find a restroom. We live in a society where we have places to go and dispose of our waste properly. It has to suck being the worker who has to clean up the carts early in the morning before the rush of people get on to go to work. Although the L does have its random crazy take on transportation, but for students like myself living in downtown Chicago, the L is an entertaining way to travel through out the city.
The craziest stuff happens on the L. Of course people have seen bums asleep on some of the seats, and even late at night on Fridays and Saturdays, there is a chance you’ll be involved in an “L ride party.” People were jumping on the seats singing, “boots with the fur!” It was insane, beer and alcohol was getting passed around like water at a triathlon. You got to be careful though Fights have gone down in the L. People here in Chicago will fight because of a glance. There really is no reason for this but some people find it necessary. A man who had possibly been on the train for over an hour or so, thought he would sit in the back half of the cart and smoke a cigarette. Another man of shorter stature was sitting in the middle of the cart; he smelt the smoke then turned around and stared at the man with the cigarette. The shorter man stood up and ran towards the guy with the cigarette. All in one motion he jumped up grabbed the bars near the door and kicked the man with the cigarette in the face. The man fell and dropped his cigarette; the shorter man then stepped on the cigarette to put it out. There was no reason for him to even get up, he could have turned around and asked the man to put it out. It was a ridiculous way to put out an obviously unwanted cigarette.
Although the train seems like a crazy ride, it doesn’t always make it on time and sometimes the carts smell like a dirty gas station restroom. It is stupid to think that the people who have to use the L everyday are usually the ones that mess up the carts and they make the ride horrible and gross. There is no reason for any one to have to urinate on the train. If it is beyond the point of where you cant hold it then you need to get off at the next stop and find a restroom. We live in a society where we have places to go and dispose of our waste properly. It has to suck being the worker who has to clean up the carts early in the morning before the rush of people get on to go to work. Although the L does have its random crazy take on transportation, but for students like myself living in downtown Chicago, the L is an entertaining way to travel through out the city.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
from Randell
My journey through Chicago means a lot to me. I decided to go to a local rap expo for fun and it turned into a life changing experience. When I went there all these people were looking at me really funny because they thought I wasn't good or something (stereotyping). But when I opened my mouth and the guy said give me your best sixteen, so I did . Once I got finish rapping everyone in the music store was like damn where you from . I laughed but it made my day. I gave it my all and I did my best.
The reason I'm writing about this is because rap is my love. Anything that has to do with rap I'm with it. I just thought is was funny because in class we were just talking about all the different styles and then I go and meet so many rappers with so many different styles even if they were not good I respect what they stand for. Chicago is a hard place to get known so being in this expo in Hyde Park has made me think about where I could be next year with my career. I received a chance to meet local artist some good and some bad but the idea of me seeing all different types of styles helps me seal my own style off and know that I'm different. This expo is major for artists on the come up like me even though a lot of people may hate and a lot may show love its my dream so I'm going to live it and not do it half ass neither. Honestly if I wasn't forced to go tour Chicago I would have never known about this expo so I'm thanking Amanda for forcing me to get out and search and tour the city .
Being from Chicago I thought I knew everything but once this came along I was like I don't know what to write about so I went on a last minute search and found something that's pretty interesting not only to me but to people who loves music.
This expo helps get your confidence up. Even if you mess up you could tell the crowd isn't feeling you but they wont boo or anything but when you good they let you know you are good. Like I said in my last paper I have a split personality so went I hit the stage I went into a whole different person and killed the stage . I damn near didn't want to get off I was having so much fun doing what I love. I'm encouraging all the people who are lyrically stable rather its writing poems ,rapping .singing or a comedian go to open mics and see what the people feel if they don't feel you fix the problem so they can. I'm looking forward to touring Chicago a lot more to help me find myself.
The reason I'm writing about this is because rap is my love. Anything that has to do with rap I'm with it. I just thought is was funny because in class we were just talking about all the different styles and then I go and meet so many rappers with so many different styles even if they were not good I respect what they stand for. Chicago is a hard place to get known so being in this expo in Hyde Park has made me think about where I could be next year with my career. I received a chance to meet local artist some good and some bad but the idea of me seeing all different types of styles helps me seal my own style off and know that I'm different. This expo is major for artists on the come up like me even though a lot of people may hate and a lot may show love its my dream so I'm going to live it and not do it half ass neither. Honestly if I wasn't forced to go tour Chicago I would have never known about this expo so I'm thanking Amanda for forcing me to get out and search and tour the city .
Being from Chicago I thought I knew everything but once this came along I was like I don't know what to write about so I went on a last minute search and found something that's pretty interesting not only to me but to people who loves music.
This expo helps get your confidence up. Even if you mess up you could tell the crowd isn't feeling you but they wont boo or anything but when you good they let you know you are good. Like I said in my last paper I have a split personality so went I hit the stage I went into a whole different person and killed the stage . I damn near didn't want to get off I was having so much fun doing what I love. I'm encouraging all the people who are lyrically stable rather its writing poems ,rapping .singing or a comedian go to open mics and see what the people feel if they don't feel you fix the problem so they can. I'm looking forward to touring Chicago a lot more to help me find myself.
from Mackenzie
Journaling Chicago
February 13th was a day I had long anticipated. The Black Dahlia Murder was scheduled to play at the House of Blues with 3 Inches of Blood, Hate Eternal, and Decrepit Birth. It was a month ago I had purchased my ticket and the day is finally here. There has been talk of Decrepit birth not showing and my friends all ditched the show but I've decided I've already payed for my ticket so I'm going by myself.
The doors to the House of Blues open at 5:00 but my class doesn't end until 6:20. I try to play cool during class but anticipation is surging through my veins. Finally it's 6:20 and we're free to go, seems like the only thing I've seen during class was the clock. I walk faster than my normal cool self to my apartment to drop my backpack off, take my coat off so I don't have to pay for a hanger, and run to the redline once I'm outside. Of course I still just miss my train.
I'm off at State and Lake and all I know is that I am to go northwest to find the House of Blues. I'm by myself, cold, and late, so I run like a freak in the wind. I see it right across the bridge and I'm running faster than I figure out I'm going the right way. People are standing outside, watching me as I go for every wrong door, until I finally swallow my pride to ask which one is the one to get in. It's not the same as last time I was here. Last time I drove and lived hours away. I remember my friend who paid for my ticket who I had a big fall-out with. I realize I'm by myself and for the first time in a year he's calling me on my phone. There's no signal inside.
I show my ticket and run up the stairs as I hear the first distorted chord being played by Hate Eternal. I make my way through the crowd, through the tables of people, and down onto the floor. I stood and found myself critiquing Hate Eternal as they performed. I waited for them to start giving me the feeling I go to concerts for. Instead, I watched their flat performance without life or movement. I feel like I'm in a cult or something.
They wrap up their performance, finally, and I walk around trying to find someone, anyone I know. I spot a funny looking guy whose face looks and voice sounds familiar. Soon I realize it's the guy from the Vader show I recently went to and I see what he has to say. This guy makes more body gestures than he talks, and he talks a lot. He's the person in the entire place that I recognize, so I converse with him and his friends until the next band plays. Decrepit Birth didn't show, this I knew, but he tells me that 3 Inches of Blood isn't coming either. I don't like 3 Inches of Blood but that means there are only two bands playing. Why am I here? I want my money back.
I'm still determined to make it a good night. The Red Chord takes the stage. Wait... The Red Chord? They're not scheduled to be here. Instead of standing like, what the fuck, The Red Chord stirs the crowd and I'm pushed around like a ball in one of those pinball games. Their performance was great and full of life, probably even better than when I saw them last summer. Except that I'm by myself with a fat guy stepping on me. Throughout their entire show the fatass's long hair whipped my face. When I tried to move I realized that there were fat guys everywhere who just don't budge. My apologies to go The Red Chord, but during their performance, although it was great, I was mostly deciding that metal heads should either have to choose between being fat or having long hair, never both.
They went out with a bang and the lights came on. I'm getting away from these guys but first I'm asking someone who's next, since The Red Chord was definately not supposed to be here. The guy I ask laughs at me and says I didn't even know who just played. Then he asks me if I know who The Black Dahlia Murder is like I'm a dumbass. That's who's next, glad I asked asshole. Just because I'm not fat and ugly doesn't mean I don't like metal. I walk around again to double-check that there's no one here I know and there isn't. I find that I am the only girl there without a boyfriend and pretty much all of the guys are ugly grunge buckets. I'm not stereotyping, it's definately not every metal show you go to that you see this. I go back to get a spot in the front so I can be close when The Black Dahlia Murder takes the Stage.
The Black Dahlia Murder, now that's a band of metal heads who are easy on the eyes and ears. As soon as they take the stage I lose my breath and footing. People are pushing from the back to get closer and from the front because they're being pushed up against the rail. It's chaos and I love it. People are squeezing people to death, there's a huge pit behind me, and I'm getting hit on the head with body parts from people crowd surfing to the front of the stage. The Black Dahlia's music is under the death metal genre but their beat is thrashy. They played every song I would have asked them to play in the amount of time they had and kept me entertained throughout the entire performance.
Time to walk back to the train. It's cold now but I'm not running; it feels good. As I walk I think about all that had happened at the show. Although Decrepit Birth was the reason I bought the ticket in the first place, even though I was by myself, I still enjoyed the concert.
February 13th was a day I had long anticipated. The Black Dahlia Murder was scheduled to play at the House of Blues with 3 Inches of Blood, Hate Eternal, and Decrepit Birth. It was a month ago I had purchased my ticket and the day is finally here. There has been talk of Decrepit birth not showing and my friends all ditched the show but I've decided I've already payed for my ticket so I'm going by myself.
The doors to the House of Blues open at 5:00 but my class doesn't end until 6:20. I try to play cool during class but anticipation is surging through my veins. Finally it's 6:20 and we're free to go, seems like the only thing I've seen during class was the clock. I walk faster than my normal cool self to my apartment to drop my backpack off, take my coat off so I don't have to pay for a hanger, and run to the redline once I'm outside. Of course I still just miss my train.
I'm off at State and Lake and all I know is that I am to go northwest to find the House of Blues. I'm by myself, cold, and late, so I run like a freak in the wind. I see it right across the bridge and I'm running faster than I figure out I'm going the right way. People are standing outside, watching me as I go for every wrong door, until I finally swallow my pride to ask which one is the one to get in. It's not the same as last time I was here. Last time I drove and lived hours away. I remember my friend who paid for my ticket who I had a big fall-out with. I realize I'm by myself and for the first time in a year he's calling me on my phone. There's no signal inside.
I show my ticket and run up the stairs as I hear the first distorted chord being played by Hate Eternal. I make my way through the crowd, through the tables of people, and down onto the floor. I stood and found myself critiquing Hate Eternal as they performed. I waited for them to start giving me the feeling I go to concerts for. Instead, I watched their flat performance without life or movement. I feel like I'm in a cult or something.
They wrap up their performance, finally, and I walk around trying to find someone, anyone I know. I spot a funny looking guy whose face looks and voice sounds familiar. Soon I realize it's the guy from the Vader show I recently went to and I see what he has to say. This guy makes more body gestures than he talks, and he talks a lot. He's the person in the entire place that I recognize, so I converse with him and his friends until the next band plays. Decrepit Birth didn't show, this I knew, but he tells me that 3 Inches of Blood isn't coming either. I don't like 3 Inches of Blood but that means there are only two bands playing. Why am I here? I want my money back.
I'm still determined to make it a good night. The Red Chord takes the stage. Wait... The Red Chord? They're not scheduled to be here. Instead of standing like, what the fuck, The Red Chord stirs the crowd and I'm pushed around like a ball in one of those pinball games. Their performance was great and full of life, probably even better than when I saw them last summer. Except that I'm by myself with a fat guy stepping on me. Throughout their entire show the fatass's long hair whipped my face. When I tried to move I realized that there were fat guys everywhere who just don't budge. My apologies to go The Red Chord, but during their performance, although it was great, I was mostly deciding that metal heads should either have to choose between being fat or having long hair, never both.
They went out with a bang and the lights came on. I'm getting away from these guys but first I'm asking someone who's next, since The Red Chord was definately not supposed to be here. The guy I ask laughs at me and says I didn't even know who just played. Then he asks me if I know who The Black Dahlia Murder is like I'm a dumbass. That's who's next, glad I asked asshole. Just because I'm not fat and ugly doesn't mean I don't like metal. I walk around again to double-check that there's no one here I know and there isn't. I find that I am the only girl there without a boyfriend and pretty much all of the guys are ugly grunge buckets. I'm not stereotyping, it's definately not every metal show you go to that you see this. I go back to get a spot in the front so I can be close when The Black Dahlia Murder takes the Stage.
The Black Dahlia Murder, now that's a band of metal heads who are easy on the eyes and ears. As soon as they take the stage I lose my breath and footing. People are pushing from the back to get closer and from the front because they're being pushed up against the rail. It's chaos and I love it. People are squeezing people to death, there's a huge pit behind me, and I'm getting hit on the head with body parts from people crowd surfing to the front of the stage. The Black Dahlia's music is under the death metal genre but their beat is thrashy. They played every song I would have asked them to play in the amount of time they had and kept me entertained throughout the entire performance.
Time to walk back to the train. It's cold now but I'm not running; it feels good. As I walk I think about all that had happened at the show. Although Decrepit Birth was the reason I bought the ticket in the first place, even though I was by myself, I still enjoyed the concert.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
from Caitlin
Journaling Chicago
I went to the klaxons show. The klaxons are a band that aren't super well known. There music is insane, it's wild and all over the place. I love them so much, my brother got me in to them about a year or so ago. When my brother told me they were coming I had to take the opportunity and go.
The show was on a saturday night at belmont at the Vic. My brother, me and one of my roommates hilary came. When we got there the opening act was on stage, I don't remember what band it was. But they sucked pretty bad. My brother was pretty intoxicated so he started yelling things at the band like "you suck, get the fuck off the stage". But the band didn't hear him, it was more funny then anything because the band really did suck. After waiting for the band to wrap up and set up for the klaxons, the three guys that I love walked on stage. About 2 minutes into the show a mosh pit started. I was already really close to the stage, but when the mosh pit started I managed to make my way to the fence in the front. Being that close was actually one of the worse ideas I had, because I just keep being pushed really hard into the fence that whole show. My friend hilary actually lost her shoes from being thrown around so much. My brother almost got thrown out, for being to wild. I actually got split from both of them the whole show, but I didn't care the show was so good. The only thing I noticed that was weird was the klaxons weren't as happy as usual. They were either really drunk, or really pissed. After the show we waited till everyone left so we could look for Hilary's shoes. We ended up finding them right away. We walked up to the redline and as we were waiting for the train we saw some people from the show. They were actually bleeding, they both had bloody mouths from the mosh pit but they said they didn't really care because the show was so fun.
Once we got on the train we realized that we were really hungry. So my brother asked hilary and I if we wanted to go to chinatown and get something to eat. We both said yeah, he told us that he was going to take us to the first restaurant he ever went to in chicago drunk. We get to the restaurant, there was no one in there so we thought it was closed but it actually wasn't. We were so happy. Our waitress ended up being a bitch which got really annoying. We ended up ordering a bunch of really good food. Then went home and passed out. The next morning I woke up with so many bruises all over my ribs and arms, but it was worth it. That has definitely been the best show i've gone so far in chicago.
I went to the klaxons show. The klaxons are a band that aren't super well known. There music is insane, it's wild and all over the place. I love them so much, my brother got me in to them about a year or so ago. When my brother told me they were coming I had to take the opportunity and go.
The show was on a saturday night at belmont at the Vic. My brother, me and one of my roommates hilary came. When we got there the opening act was on stage, I don't remember what band it was. But they sucked pretty bad. My brother was pretty intoxicated so he started yelling things at the band like "you suck, get the fuck off the stage". But the band didn't hear him, it was more funny then anything because the band really did suck. After waiting for the band to wrap up and set up for the klaxons, the three guys that I love walked on stage. About 2 minutes into the show a mosh pit started. I was already really close to the stage, but when the mosh pit started I managed to make my way to the fence in the front. Being that close was actually one of the worse ideas I had, because I just keep being pushed really hard into the fence that whole show. My friend hilary actually lost her shoes from being thrown around so much. My brother almost got thrown out, for being to wild. I actually got split from both of them the whole show, but I didn't care the show was so good. The only thing I noticed that was weird was the klaxons weren't as happy as usual. They were either really drunk, or really pissed. After the show we waited till everyone left so we could look for Hilary's shoes. We ended up finding them right away. We walked up to the redline and as we were waiting for the train we saw some people from the show. They were actually bleeding, they both had bloody mouths from the mosh pit but they said they didn't really care because the show was so fun.
Once we got on the train we realized that we were really hungry. So my brother asked hilary and I if we wanted to go to chinatown and get something to eat. We both said yeah, he told us that he was going to take us to the first restaurant he ever went to in chicago drunk. We get to the restaurant, there was no one in there so we thought it was closed but it actually wasn't. We were so happy. Our waitress ended up being a bitch which got really annoying. We ended up ordering a bunch of really good food. Then went home and passed out. The next morning I woke up with so many bruises all over my ribs and arms, but it was worth it. That has definitely been the best show i've gone so far in chicago.
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