Haunted House

Last night my friends and I went to the Ouab haunted house that was hosted at the union at 7. I was very impressed that they had managed to make something as elaborate as this all in one small room. There were many people hidden throughout the maze that popped out when you turned corners and they were  pretty startling. Overall, it was a fun experience, especially to do to celebrate The Halloween Season.

John Lewis Gaddis

Last year in history we used one of John Lewis Gaddis' books as a textbook.  Gaddis is one of the leading cold war historians, so I thought it was pretty cool to see on the Humanities newsletter that he was speaking at OSU.  His book was well written, so I thought I'd go and listen. 

It was at the Mershon Center, and only about 20 people went, almost all of which were grad students or professors. Gaddis' main point of conversation was Kennan, the US ambassador to the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Kennan was responsible for the Long Telegram, which essentially shaped the US  foreign policy in regards to the Soviets. He used a hedgehog/fox analogy to describe Kennan's life. Foxes are people that can adapt quickly to new situations and maintain an overarching view of a situation, but consequently are not good at predicting the outcome of an even.  Hedgehogs are stuck in one mindset, and tend to deliberate heavily before reaching a decision; however, they have a better chance at predicting an outcome. Gaddis claims that the best leader is one that can be a hedgehog or a fox when the situation demands it. Unfortunately Kennan reverted to hedgehog in a time when he was needed as a fox. 

John Mueller was also in attendance, which was cool because I was just assigned one of his papers to read for my foreign policy class. He's a professor here at OSU. 

Dracula Balletmet

From a coffin rising from below the stage to the sudden death of a main character, Balletmet performs Dracula with sensuality, sexuality, drama and brief nudity. Intriguing throughout, the characters draw the audience in, captivating interest in excellent muscle control, superb special effects and a show that constantly reminds everyone they are not watching a Disney performance. Dramatic music pulsing during the show engages the audience to feel the carnal passion of the dancers, telling the story of a demon who desperately wants the blood of angelic Mina, torn between her benevolent husband and the vampire who recently killed her friend. A seducer who sets the stage for the beloved sensual monster for the next centuries, Dracula wins the audience with his raw emotion, clever escapes and witty behavior. A show that proves there is only one vampire that stands the test of time.

Mock Leadership Council Meeting!

Wednesday night proved to be a very busy one!  After the Humanities Community Meeting in the Royer North Room (which was a very interesting presentation on the effects of media), all of us who had filled out an application for the Leadership Council met up in the Hav lobby.  I don't know about anyone else, but I had more fun than I thought!  We all got little nametags and were split up into groups by committee.  Current members told us about what they do and the responsibilities of their positions, and then we had a brainstorming session.  I was with the Social Committee and the Spring Trip Committee, and we had some great ideas that I think everyone in Humanities would enjoy!  Everyone seemed very excited about our possible plans, and I know I am excited at the possibility of joining the Leadership Council.

Mock Presidential Debate

This is really late but at the beginning of October I went to the mock presidential debate put on by student from the Politics, Society, and Law Scholars program. The moderator was an anchor from NBC4. The main reason I went was because the guy portraying Mitt Romney is a good friend of mine but it was actually pretty interesting. I learned a couple things but what I found most interesting was watching the student version of the debate and then comparing it with the next night watching the actually debate the next night.

Film Editing!

I realize I'm about a week late in posting this, but I figured it's better late than never, right? I went to the film editing session last Tuesday to see if I could learn anything new for the upcoming film project. I was a little late in getting there because I almost completely forgot about it, but when I showed up....there were only three other people plus Ben! Kayla was there to help lead us through a tutorial of the iMovie program and we got to play around with the basic editing process and special effects. I've used iMovie before, but it was interesting to see how other people used it, and I learned a few things from them that I didn't know before. I'm definitely even more excited about the film project now and can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with!

Rebecca Skloot

Last night, Kristen and I went to the Rebecca Skloot lecture. I had really enjoyed reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and I was excited to hear the author speak about her book. However, instead of talking about the particular events or scientific studies in the book, she focused the discussion on herself; how she became interested in Henrietta; and what gave her the determination to write the book. This put all the pieces together for me, and I felt that I understood the bigger picture. She told us, for example, that although she learned about Henrietta when she was 16, for a long time she never considered writing about Henrietta's story or even becoming a writer. Just like Henrietta's family who had to wait years to find meaning in their difficult experiences, Rebecca Skloot had to wait until that one day when she found inspiration and a purpose, what she described as a "what?" moment. What also left an impression on me was her acknowledgment of the older generation who contributed to her investigation, through interviews and letters, and who had died during the process of writing the book. This made me think about my grandfather who passed away when I was younger. After he died, I wanted to learn everything about his life. I wish that I would have talked to him more about his experiences, particularly because I feel that it is very important to learn from those who have come before us and are part of a time we can only know through literature and media. The only way we move forward is by knowing our past and recognizing it is always a part of us. That is why the story of Henrietta Lacks and the stories of everyone involved in her story and the development of HeLa cells, in general, are so meaningful.

-Tirosh Matzuba-Ehrlich

Rebecca Skloot Lecture

After David "Sonny" Lacks' Q&A session, I was hoping for a more in-depth look at how Rebecca Skloot, author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, actually got through writing the book.  Tonight was amazing - we sat in the front row, and Rebecca spoke about growing up being a "problem child" in school because she was so persistent and curious about everything but what teachers wanted her to be curious about.  It was encouraging to hear her say that coming to school undecided is not a bad thing (as I am undecided) because our passions can change with one sentence, one influence, just like Mr. Defler piqued her interest in Henrietta.  I was very intrigued by her journey from simple curiosity to full-fledged investigation, and how it all tied back to Defler's class and singular mention of a name.  Rebecca was well-spoken, and the audience asked great questions, which she answered with tact and depth.  Afterward, my friends and I went to the book signing - Sarah especially was excited.  All in all, the night was a huge success, and her talk made me understand the motivation behind the book much better.

Honors/Scholars Masquerade

Last night my roommates and I went to the honors/scholars masquerade that was held at Kuhn House. One of our roommates painted all the masks on our faces and we dressed up for the event. When we got there nobody was there. We were the only college kids and it was kind of awkward. The DJ was playing music and there were three elementary/middle school kids dancing around and having fun. We walked inside and we were greeted and offered drinks, candy, and donuts. After awhile we went back outside and decided it didn't matter what people thought, we were going to dance by ourselves. Eventually more people showed up and it ended up being a fun time dancing the night away. (:

Flag Football

     On Sunday, October 7th, the rain and wind ensured that everyone was going to stay home and dry.  Everyone, that is, except for the seven of us who were signed up to play flag football.  When 4 o'clock rolled around we braved the cold to board the bus.  We didn't look like much, and certainly didn't feel like a cohesive group but once we got to the field we didn't have a choice.
       We went in with no real plays or positions.  But, by some miracle, the Humanities Scholars beat the Sports and Wellness Scholars, 28-12.  My stellar moment was some quality defense.  My finger tips brushed against the poorly thrown football and the receiver's mistake lead to a incomplete pass.
       We have another game this Sunday, and hopefully we'll be able to pull it off... again.

The Intergalactic Nemesis

Megan and I went to The Intergalactic Nemesis, a "live action graphic novel". It was pretty incredible! We were able to see still pictures come to life with voice actors, a foley artist, and a pianist. I believe even those who are not fans of comic books would have enjoyed the show. It's just so interesting to watch the sound being created, and see the humor between the cast. Everything about the performance was wonderful, and there were so many small children there. It was so cute to see how excited they were! It was freezing when we finally started walking back, and we ran into Fay (who also saw the show) on our way home! I'm very glad I attended the event, and I would recommend it to anyone :)

Lolis Eric Ellie Talk

The talk with Lolis Ellie was open to the ODI scholars and I thought it was really informative. Lolis came to talk about his show and diversity as well as inform us as students that we have every right to pursue the thing that we are good at and want to do. It was an inspirational talk that actually had me consider new options and choices that I could make. After this dialogue, I actually took into consideration switching my major. I felt drawn to the possibility of changing from Philosophy to Criminology/Sociology because I think it relates more to me in a personal level.
Diversity wise he carried a philosophy that not many people do anymore. After we discussed the events of racial hatred that happened on campus, and what the leadership council could do to stop it, Lolis offered words of advice. It was similar to the philosophy that I heard Morgan Freeman state on the existence of Black History Month. When Freeman stated that he didn't support Black History Month, many people questioned him asking if he was a racist and if it weren't for this month how would we stop racism. His simple answer? To stop talking about it. Lolis kind of shared this similar ideology which I also agree with and thought that was an extremely great way to look at the problem of racism.

Obama

I might be the only one excited, but I saw Obama!  I was completely sick, but I forced myself out of the dorm to go hear the president speak...and John Glenn (he's an astronaut! haha).  There dialogue was basically what you'd expect, but it was cool to be part of something kind of historical.  Will.i.am was pretty mediocre, though.  Most of the music wasn't even his songs; it was just these random remixes (I'm not a big fan of remixes to begin with, so yeah...).  Either way, I felt like I did something halfway relevant.  It was also a great people watching, too.

Beauty and the Beast

As someone who spent a good chunk of her early childhood believing she was Belle from Beauty and the Beast, it was a no-brainer to jump onto the opportunity to go see the stage production of the Disney Classic at the Palace, one of my favorite locations in downtown Columbus. My heart pretty much sank when I found out there was a mix-up in getting my ticket, but much thanks to Ben and my mentors, who happened to come, for helping me out. Overall, I was mesmerized by the performance: the effects were fantastic, the classic songs made me want to sing along, and the actress playing Belle seemed to have jumped right out of the film! Gaston's exaggerated actions were wonderful too, especially considering he was an understudy. Nevertheless, the Beast's simple overacting and some edgy lines for a Disney production left me preferring the film version. But I was so happy to have gone and heard those famous songs, to get to talk to the cast after the show, and to get to hang out with fellow Humanities Scholars and the Arts Scholars!

Rock the Oval

For anyone who went to the "Rock the Oval" O.A.R. (Of a Revolution) concert, you know what I mean when I say that it was crazy.  Not only did they throw out more t-shirts than there are grains of sand on a beach, but the energy of the crowd was overwhelming, as was the act.  My friends and I were in the center of the mosh pit in front of the stage, and it was definitely an experience to remember.  None of us had ever been to a concert before!  It seemed as if everyone and their cousins were crowd surfing over and around us, and if you didn't pay attention, you could get landed on/crushed pretty easily.  O.A.R. (OSU alumni) themselves are a brilliant band, and I was very pleasantly surprised to hear that the song "Shattered" is one of theirs.  They are a great band - the horn section was phenomenal!  Overall, it was a great first concert.

The Prestige was Prestigious

Wednesday Oct. 3, was movie and potluck night!!!! There was amazing food, and the movie was absolutely brilliant. Everyone in attendance pitched in to create an awesomely appetizing array of food. The main course, was Cane's chicken, which made the night that much more epic. There was also apples, popcorn, chips, cookies, cupcakes, "Buckeye Chow", and various other goodies. As if the food wash't treat enough, The Prestige starred both Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman as magicians who are pitted against each other in a bitter rivalry to have the best trick. Of course, I won't ruin the movie for anyone who hasn't seen it. However, with the twisted web of secrets, magic, and science, as well as beautifully orchestrated relationships, I suggest this movie to anyone with a pulse. The night wrapped up early enough for proper rest for classes the next day, and it was all around fun. I would thoroughly enjoy more movie nights such as those in the future, and definitely recommend the experience to anyone. It was a blast!!!

An Evening with David "Sonny" Lacks

This evening I attended the Buckeye Book Community event that consisted of a Q&A with Sonny Lacks and his wife, Shirley. The line to get in was extremely long, and I ended up having to sit in the upper balcony. However, I could still see perfectly fine, and the sound system was phenomenal. The first portion of the evening was a Q&A held by First Year Experience director Ben Savarese. He asked the couple questions such as their opinions towards Johns Hopkins, what they thought of Rebecca Skloot and her book, and whether they believed the family should be compensated. Sonny thought that the hospital should formally apologize for taking Henrietta's cells without her consent, but he said that he understood that that would "open a bunch of doors" that the hospital couldn't open. It was interesting to hear the opinions of the actual people involved, however, since Sonny was only 4 when Henrietta died, he could not give much insight into her life besides what he had been told. The next part of the evening opened the floor for students to ask questions, some of which I though were a little too personal. I understand the interest in the book, and discovering more about the characters, but at the same time, it seemed like students forgot that the people aren't just characters in a fictional book, they are real people, and that was really their lives. For instance, one student asked if it was worth it to lose his mother, since she helped millions of lives. How is someone supposed to answer that in an auditorium filled with strangers? I mean, I understand the interest, I just think that some of the questions prompted answers that should have been private. Anyways, after the Q&A, Sonny and Shirley went to Page hall for a book signing. There were some students there, as well as some members of the general public, however, the line was very short, which is a little disappointing that more students did not wish to meet Sonny one on one. However, the shorter line was of course beneficial for my friend Sarah and I. While waiting in the line, which took only about 10 minutes if that, we met a woman who runs a charity group, and discussed life in Columbus, her work, the degrees that Sarah and I are pursuing, and of course, our opinions of the book. It was a great night, and I am very glad that I went.

Haverfield Cookout

Monday, Oct. 1, my friends and I attended the Haverfield cookout in the courtyard of Haverfield. There were delicious foods and drinks, and a vast amount of people. The event planners were caring enough to offer a vegetarian burger, and there were also hot dogs and hamburgers for us carnivores. There was a variety of chips, fruit, macaroni and potato salad, and cookies and popsicles for dessert. There was water offered, as well as a selection of coke products. After getting our food, my friends and I sat on the grassy area to commence with our meal. During the course of the evening, there were people playing catch, or other games, and people just sitting around talking. Since this event was open to all of Haverfield, and not just the Humanities scholars, I was able to meet new people. There were a few people who were making their way around groups in order to talk to a variety of people. So it was a good opportunity to meet people who live in the same building, but I may never see. At the end of the evening, Ben was offering left over food to people, because there were extra side dishes. My friends and I also helped Ben fold up the tent that was covering the grill, which was an experience in itself. All in all, it was a fun, relaxing evening.

English Conversation Parner - from Kayla Whitehouse

I have had two more get togethers with my partner, Dora. We usually go out to eat, and alternate week by week whether we go to an Asian or American restaurant. On Dora's week, we went to Joy's Village - a Chinese restaurant underneath Buckeye Books. The food at Panda Express or No. 1 Chinese restaurant are really Americanized, but Joy's has done a better job of preserving Chinese food. We both ordered a main dish, and we got unlimited rice for free. The two dishes were set in the center, so we shared and I got to try both. My boyfriend is Taiwanese, so I surprised her by knowing a little Mandarin and using chopsticks proficiently. She told me about her hometown, parents, and her favorite Chinese festivals. I told her about Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was a lot of fun, and it must be really hard to be so far away from home.

This week was my week, so I took her to Chipotle for the first time. We talked about Thanksgiving and a Moon Festival (I think) that was this weekend. We stopped at Cuzzins on the way back and she tried frozen yogurt for the first time as well. She says she misses the food the most, since American food just isn't the same. We are going to a Korean place next, so that should be fun.