Columbia College Chicago

Choosing one place that would best describe Columbia College Chicago, and that I would send that one person to, is very hard because there are so many elements to the school that one part would not show the complexity of Columbia. What I ended up doing is I went to the one building I know best and where a lot of the action happens. It is the 623 S. Wabash building. The art and design department is one of the largest in the school. I would say it would be the most representational of the school. It is a place where different majors come together to learn, but they still have that one connection with the Art and Design Department. Also not only is that building for the art and design majors at the school, but also it is the same building that holds the math and science classes. It brings together students which make up Columbia College.

To be more specific about where at 623 S. Wabash I would say best describes Columbia is the first floor of the building. It is a place where students come together. As I walked through the front doors of the 623 I see people walking to the elevators, others talking and sitting on the yellow green chairs. People are walking to get to their classes while others stop and grab a bite to eat at the Plum Cafe. The overall mood is relatively relaxed except for the couple of people rushing to class. The 1st floor is the main floor where you see Columbia students together socializing or just trying to get to their class on time. It shows the community of students that is a part of Columbia. It is a great place to see all of the students come together. What makes it Columbia is the students that go to the school. When you see the group of students and what they are dressed in you just know that they are students from Columbia College as well as the huge portfolios that they carry to their classes. I am at this building most of the time and I see the mass of students that makes up Columbia.

Chaos Week Comedy Crack Up

Betch! Is one of the many phrases Kelly aka Liam Sullivan says when performing. Chaos Week Comedy Crack up hosted by The Student Programming Board of Columbia College features Liam Sullivan, Chris, and the Columbia improv team. It was a night of laughs when these comedians came and brought their best jokes to the stage. Columbia’s improv team had the audience be a part of the act as they had people shout out jobs, relationships, and types of movies. They performed improv skit games that really showed what these Columbia students could do. There was one individual, named Chris that did the standup for the night. He was the first of the performers. Following Chris it was Columbia improve team and then lastly it was Liam Sullivan performing as some of his characters he has done on youtube.com. Liam Sullivan played as himself when he sang songs and talked to the audience about his life. He came out as Aunt Susan and Kelly (what he is most famous for) to share with the audience some of his videos that he has done. Afterwards there was a chance to take pictures and get autographs with him as Kelly as well as buy your own betch shirt for $10 (which I actually bought).

The show was filled with a lot of comedy and it was a lot of fun to be a part of. I would have never though that Kelly would come to our school, this school Columbia College Chicago. With this in mind I thought that it was because of our identity and that Columbia is a school of the performing arts as well as an art school in general. Columbia College is known for art in all of its forms and that is part of the school’s identity. They not only had students demonstrate their talent and what they have learned at this school, but also they had a successful comedian come and perform as well. It was a good collection of people performing at the comedy night. It shows what Columbia is all about and how people come together to see these people perform. We support each other because we understand what art really is since we go to this school. We can actually appreciate the art that is being performed on stage.

Being a part of this event was very enjoyable. If there was another event like one of these I would definitely like to go. I would recommend this event to anyone, but it was only a one time event. Columbia is hosting other events for Chaos Week that may be enjoyable as well. It is a great time to go and hang out with other Columbia students and see people perform on stage. If you want to go to something fun and not another Columbia gallery this is for you. I have been a fan of Kelly for so long and that may be why I enjoyed it so much, but I also enjoyed the Columbia performers as well. It was a blast I would definitely go again, if I could, in a heartbeat.

For more information about Chaos Week visit: http://www.colum.edu/Student_Life/index.php



For more information about Kelly as well as Liam Sullivan visit: http://www.liamshow.com

The Doug Lofstrom Exhibit

Time passes by so quickly and what we have of the past is present in this gallery. The Doug Lofstrom Exhibit celebrates a milestone birthday for Doug Loftstrom, a faculty member of Columbia College Chicago. It shows all of what he has done in the past in his career starting from the late 1960s to the present. He has made musical compositions for orchestras such as Metropolis Symphony Orchestra and many others. He plays bass and composed orchestral, chamber and theatrical music. This exhibit shows his success throughout his career and to celebrate his birthday since he is working at Columbia College as a faculty who is a part of the music department. In this exhibit there is a collection of posters, photographs. as well as some samples of his work. It is interesting to see what people the faculty have had done throughout there career instead of always focusing on the students and this exhibit has done just that.

Since this is my second review on a gallery that was taken place at the first floor of the library at Columbia College I would like to compare and see if this time the gallery did a little more for me. Overall I think that it was a pretty good gallery that was set up in the library. I would say that compared to the other gallery (Chicago Anti Apartheid Movement Collection) it did a much better job activating the space. Although I would still say that it may not be the best place to hold a gallery. Even though this is true the collection of pieces we good. The one that I liked the best was the poster of a band with each person displayed in a colorful box and it was all set on a black background. That one seem to stand out to me. I believe that there was supposed to be samples of his music but when I arrived there it was not working so I am not sure what kind of music he had or how to even describe it. That was also another problem with this gallery.

What this gallery shows Columbia College as the creative school that it is. From the students to the faculty members people will come to see this gallery and know what Columbia has to offer. It has great faculty that are successful and then they come to teach at Columbia to help students become successful themselves. They come and bring what they know and help students on their way to the career of their choice. In this case it has to do with the music department and how this man helped to shape Columbia from how long he has been here. To see into Columbia you can see this exhibit and see what Columbia is all about as well as into the life and success of the man who works at Columbia College Chicago. The exhibit is being held in along side the Doug Lofstrom and the New Quartet April 9th concert at noon in the Music Department Concert Hall at 1014 S. Michigan Ave.

For more information visit: http://www.colum.edu/

Harrison Haiku

The Harrison stop on the red line is an important one to Columbia College Chicago. It is the entrance way to the school as well as to the loop as a whole. On January 30, 2008, the Harrison Haiku was unveiled as a mural of poetry throughout the station. It contains many pieces of Haiku poetry from students from Columbia College as well as Jones College Prep. The Harrison station came alive as it was enriched with the words of poetry as well as bright colors that turned a dark subway station to a beautiful site. It welcomed people coming into loop as well as it served as a purpose to welcoming people onto the Columbia College campus. The Harrison station serves as part of Columbia’s identity with the color and art that flows throughout the station.

The kind of statement that it brings is what goes along what Columbia is all about creating change. Columbia creates change with the way it brought change to the station. By just adding a simple idea of poetry and a few forms of leaves throughout the station it brought change. The creativity was brought out of Columbia and into the world. That just shows what Columbia can bring. Creativity is part of the identity we have as students that go to Columbia College. That is why it is shown through the work that was done in the station.

Although I have to say that even though it does show our identity as a school as a whole it lacks a bit of excitement to it. I use the Harrison stop quite a bit, but I have never noticed that it was even there. I may have noticed the words on the wall or the colors, but I did not realize what they were for. What does this say about our identity? Are we invisible to our society although we add to the beauty of our world? Are we just another one of those art schools that are not important because we don’t do to a real school (to some people in our society)? I don’t really know the answer to any of these, but it seems like that may be part of the whole idea of our identity. You may get a glimpse of the colors and the words, but never really understand the full understanding that this is Columbia College Chicago this is where the school is. We are busy people and we are constantly on the go especially in the loop. People don’t stop and smell the flowers and that is what exactly what the station is which shows the identity of the school. The school may just be that another school that seems to blend in with all the others.

Supernatural Review Revised

Ghosts, demons, fight scenes, sex, blood, and a little bit of comedy, what else can you want from a perfect show? Supernatural is a horror show on the CW, which features two young men, who are brothers, and their journey to help rid the world of monsters (demons, shapeshifters, etc) that people may not believe are real, but they really are. These stories are based on many myths that have been in known about in our society. Many people just see them as myths for the most part like in the show, but this show turns it around and makes the stories come alive. Many innocent people are dying because all of these strange incidents, that cannot be explained , and it is up to Sam and Dean because honestly they are one of the only ones who know what is really going on. Sam and Dean ( played by Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) are the ones that must save the world from these monsters and just recently saving the world from the incoming Apocalypse. This is my favorite show that I like to watch every Thursday at 8pm CT. It appeals to me and many other supernatural lovers. It takes your horror films or horror stories and puts them into the plot of the story.

Growing up with a father who was a hunter of all these monsters. Sam and Dean grew up knowing that the monsters in their closet were real. They ended up learning about all these things that people did not believe in were really true. After their mother died being burned by a demon when Sam was a baby their father tried to protect them from all of these things that were out there because in fact they were real. Later after their father had died by selling his soul to the devil so that his son Dean could live after nearly dying, it was up to them to pick up from where their dad left off. They had to leave their so called normal lives behind and go after and hunt these demons by following the strange deaths that were happening all over the United States. If they weren't going to do it then who would? This was just the beginning to their quest. Eventually they would encounter all sorts of things that even they themselves did not know existed. Supernatural which is now in their fourth season have come across many different ideas and now have gotten into angels and god and how everything is coming together because the demons are breaking the seals for the Apocalypse. All forms of the supernatural come into play in this show. You come to see all of the different things they encounter, but also you come to learn about the characters past that always adds a little extra spice to the show. I don’t want to give too much away, but you get the idea Sam and Dean are the good guys that must conquer evil.

Supernatural is probably mostly geared towards teen to young adult men because of the violence and bloodshed that is shown in most of the episodes, but it can be appealing toward teen and young adult women because of the young men that are the main characters of the story. I mean don’t get me wrong there are girls like me that like the whole horror movie kind of story, but for some people that don’t it may just get them because of the main characters. The show is mostly portrayed to basically both genders and to a white, middle class audience. It is also mostly geared towards people who believe in the supernatural and through this show they bring all those stories that you have heard and have people experience them in the show. The media is finding out that we are the people that just don’t want to see the same old drama show with teens having sex and getting pregnant. We need a real show that has suspense and really wonder what will happen next without having to wait for the next horror movie to come out.

As any other show the media believes that sex will always sell and that is where these two guys come into this. Basically as I can recall all shows have some reference to sex to attract the audience to their show. It seems to work for the most part. That’s what the media tries to do if they can’t get them to watch the show at first. I personally don’t watch it because of that I just love it because it’s suspenseful and that it’s about supernatural beings. I believe that these things exist and that probably why many people watch enjoy watching the show as well. Also, the show always keeps you guessing. You never know what is going to happen next. It is not your ordinary show that is why I believe it is a must see show. People from viewpoints.com have agreed with me saying that “Like television shows that give thrills and chills? Our reviewers say that Supernatural will do just that.” and “ ‘Supernatural is one of the best shows ever created,’ raves one person.” This is one of the best shows that have been created in a long time. I know because these days they don’t know what new idea to put out there on TV and it ends up either being really stupid or something that has been overused all of the time. This is a show that will make you think and a little scared because you do not know what to expect will happen after it gets back from commercial it is just that good.

Supernatural brings everything together angels, old myths, demons, family, and even religion plays a part of it. It just can show how complicated life can really be and brings all these elements into the story. Life can be scary and that’s what Supernatural shows. Watch Supernatural on Thursdays at 8pm CT on the CW and you’ll just see what you’re missing.

I Don’t Understand Country Music

Every time I hear country music it’s very painful to listen to. Now I normally do not listen to country music, but my little sister loves to listen to it and I just groan in disgust whenever she puts on Rascal Flatts or any other country music band. I just don’t understand why people would listen to this genre of music. Like for one, I don’t know how can people stand like the sound of the music. It has like a weird twangy sound or the sound of a banjo. Country music is just not my style I can’t relate to it and it’s hard to see how people can like this genre of music. I can say that I don’t hate all country music, but most of it, if I hear it, I tend to run out of the room or switch the station.

When I came to figure out why people seemed to like country music, the response that I got was that it was “full of insight into the human condition” and overall it was that they liked the lyrics. I can see how some people think that it would relate to them. It is possibly how they grew up. Also country music is like “American” music. So if you’re a real American then you like country music and can relate to the stories that are told. There really isn’t much said about how people who like country music why they like the way it sounds, they just seem to like it. People just like it because it sounds great and that’s really what I could get out of it. It is very different from any other genre of music and that might be why they like it along with the lyrics that the enjoy singing along to.

I think it all depends on who you are and where you are coming from if you like country or if you like heavy metal. Some people can relate their lives to the lyrics of country and that is why they enjoy listening to it. To be honest I can say that I’ve listened to some country songs and say that they aren’t that bad. So I can see why some people might like country music. The ones that I like seem to be more pop rockish than country and I can relate to the lyrics otherwise I’m not exactly sure how people can like it. I mean yes they have good lyrics some times, but I’m not sure about the sound. It all depends on how you feel and grew up. It is all culturally influenced. I personally like music that is expressed in a way that their deepest feelings are put into song and I hear a scream or two in the music I hear. Now for others they probably don’t understand why I like that kind of music. I think I have somewhat of an understanding now why people like country music since they like the lyrics for the most part, but I do have my doubts and may never truly understand why people like country music.

Other reviews for country music:

http://www.viewpoints.com/Rascal-Flatts-Me-And-My-Gang-reviews
http://www.viewpoints.com/Dixie-Chicks-Wide-Open-Space-review-4c0d
http://www.viewpoints.com/Taylor-Swift-Fearless--183005-reviews