Experiencing Spanish Culture

Experiencing Spanish Culture

Throughout the first semester of learning a new language, I have learned a lot about how to appreciate a new culture. In my Spanish class, we have watched Hispanic movies, tried cultural foods, and listened to Spanish music. By doing so, I  have learned how vibrant, energetic and fun, the culture of Latin American countries are. "Hispanic culture is bright, cheery, and full of life!" (Boyles 2).  I have loved learning about Hispanic culture and I am eager to learn. In class, we watched a movie called Selena, about a girl and her Spanish singing career. In this movie,  we experienced food culture, dance culture, clothing culture, and most importantly, music culture of Hispanics.  "Music is one of the best ways to look into a culture. By listening to the local music of Mexico, Spain and Puerto Rico, you can learn much about what each country has to offer" (Boyles 2).

Lately, I have been listening to Hispanic music during class. Everyday I have understood more and more of the Spanish language, which is something I'm very proud of. And you can do it too!

Boyles, Peggy Palo. Prentice Hall Realidades 1. Pearson Education, 2011. 

Mother Popcorn

Mother Popcorn

Popcorn, Mother Popcorn, this song was an example of James,"Brown, seeking to capitalize on the popularity of The Popcorn,1969's hottest dance, combined it with his favorite term for a woman's posterior ("mother")."(Dr. Licks). This song didn't escape billboard charts, within weeks "Mother Popcorn" knocked out Jr. Walker's "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)", gaining the #1 spot. 

Music

Clyde Stubblefield, the drummer in this song followed through Melvin Parker's completing his trilogy,"The final chapter of am experiment started with "Cold Sweat" and refined in "I Got The Feelin"' is now fully consummated in "Mother Popcorn".(Dr. Licks 67). Through playing this in the top video I was able to practice ghost notes which helped me stick harder patterns. 

When perfecting anything when have you felt most accomplished?

Dr. Licks. The Great James Brown Rhythm Section. Manhattan Music.

Spanish Oral Presentations

Oral Presentations and Speaking

Oral presentations are very important when learning Spanish. The whole point of learning a language is being able to communicate with others. "Speaking Spanish and being able to comprehend and vocalize new words, is key to learning any language. If you aren't speaking the language, then there would never be any communication" (Boyles 3).

For oral presentations and speaking in general, it is important to not rush when presenting. This leads to errors in simple things such as grammar and any need for conjugating. It is also important to practice all of your slides and give a mini presentation, beforehand, to someone close to you. Also, if you are one who gets nervous when speaking in front of a class, try not to look down, move a lot or stare off. Make sure when presenting, you are confident and focused throughout. 

When speaking to other Spanish speakers, remember to think of accent marks, pronunciation and not speaking to fast. Little differences in pronunciation  or accent marks can lead to completely different words and topics.  For example, "Make sure to check for accent marks!" (Boyles 58). In class when we studied family names, we learned that 'Papá' means Dad, whereas 'papa' means potato. As you can see here, a simple mistake in punctuation can lead to a whole new subject.

Boyles, Peggy Palo. Prentice Hall Realidades 1. Pearson Education, 2011. 

Correct Mindset For Lifting

A struggle for many people when they are working out for an extended amount of time, is keeping your motivation and your mindset of "I can do this". A major point that Matthews mentions is that you need to keep the saying "I will or I want" in you head, rather than "I won't". By saying I won't you eliminate all of your self motivation. The people who say "I won't" often give up on their goals of a perfect body. By saying "I will or I want" you are telling your brain that you want to achieve this goal. Matthews explains this as, "'I want' is the ability to remember the why when temptation strikes-the long-term goal and the thing you really want" (50).

Me saying "I will" because no one likes leg day.

I have had to really take these phrases seriously because there are many times when I want to eat some McDonald's or have some junk food, I really have a hard time resisting that. But these phrases have helped me tremendously. Do you have a hard time sticking to a diet or workout routine?
Matthews, Michael. Bigger Leaner Stronger: the Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body. Oculus Media Group Llc, 2015.

Accessing Online Resources

Accessing Online Resources

Another crucial way of studying Spanish, is remembering all the access to information you have. The internet! Although flashcards and even taking notes are very effective, there are many more ways to study Spanish online. 

One way I have found studying online to be very helpful, is using Quizlet. Many teachers even suggest it or have made their own study sets for their students to use. Quizlet gives you the opportunity to first learn the vocabulary, study using flashcards and learn how to spell, write and match the vocabulary. Later on, there are tests and other games that you can do to finalize your knowledge. I find this site very helpful, but it is very important to know your learning style first. For example, "You must learn that everyone doesn't study the same. It is important to find the way studying for Spanish is the most effective and easy for you" (Boyles XXX). 

Another way to study for Spanish is by using Conjuegamos. This website is used to time yourself when rewriting the word in Spanish. I find this website very useful when trying to comprehend your learning as fast as you can. When using a timed mode you get to choose how much time you would like to study for and then you get your percentage right once the timer runs out.  As an example, "Working in a timed environment can teach you skills in working efficient" (Boyles XXX). 

Studying Spanish is something you can do in many ways and all you have to do is make sure you know how to study for yourself, not for others.

Boyles, Peggy Palo. Prentice Hall Realidades 1. Pearson Education, 2011. 

Blueberry Cake

                                                          Blueberry Cake

Now this is an al-time favorite of mine. You can make this at any point whether it be for pleasure, family event/gathering, or even a party.

I would have made the mixture into cupcakes but since that would have taken longer, I decided to make it into a cake. The recipe came from a website that I found as I was looking for a recipe for dinner. I saved the page and remembered it a few days ago. Since I had also made the brownies for my mom and brother, I had decided to make a something for my dad when he goes to work. I decided on doing the blueberry mixture recipe.

Recipe:

- blueberries (frozen)
- 1 cup of water
- 1/3 cup of butter
- 3 eggs
- cake mix

First of all you preheat the oven to 325 degrees if you have a dark pan. if you have a light pan then you preheat it to 350 degrees. You grease the pan so it wont stick to it. You put the cake mix, water , butter, and eggs into a mixing bowl and mix all of it together. You put the blueberries in a bowl and heat them for around 25-30 seconds. After you heat the blueberries and the mix is done you add the blueberries to the mixture. Be very careful because you don't want your cake mix to turn blue/purple.

After you're done, then you put it in the oven for about 30 minutes. Now be careful because you don't want your cake to stick to the pan. Wait for around 10 minutes so it cools. After its finished cooling off, put it on a pretty table center and let your family or guests start to enjoy it.

Now here are some questions I hope you van answer:
What would have been better to use, frozen blueberries or fresh blueberries? Would the cake have turned out differently?


Sources: 
"Betty Crocker Supermoist Cake Mix, Butter Recipe Yellow, 15.25 oz." Walmart,
     www.walmart.com/ip/
     Betty-Crocker-Supermoist-Cake-Mix-Butter-Recipe-Yellow-15-25-oz/20511486.
     Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
"Cake Mix Blueberry Muffins Recipe." Six Sisters' Stuff, 14 Mar. 2012,
     www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/2012/03/cake-mix-blueberry-muffins-recipe/.
     Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.

Brownies

                                                                     Brownies

Everyone knows that making brownies is an easy thing to do. Whether it be for a party or just to enjoy them at home. We all pretty much know how to make brownies. I'm here to gonna give the recipe for the brownies, and how to make them.

Recipe:
- 3 eggs (And/or egg whites or egg substitution)
-1/3 cup of oil
-1/4 cup of water
-brownie mix

Now see first of all we preheat the oven to 325 degree. While we let the oven start to heat up, we start to put all the ingredients into a bowl mixer. After the ingredients are all mixed together and leave a smooth texture to the mixture.

You put it in the oven for around 30 minutes. Now be careful and don't let the brownies stick to the bottom of your pan.

Now I know this blog may seem less interesting but it's to help anyone incase they want to do something like this. Maybe for the fun of it, you can even add some type of color to the brownies. Add sprinkles of frosting to it to make it sweeter.

Now a good question I have is whether or not I should have used the egg white. what type of texture would it have given me? Would it have turned out differently?

Leave a response below in the comments:
Would have using the egg whites been better? What would it have done?

Sources: 
"Betty Crocker® Brownie Mix Fudge Family Size 18.3 oz Box." Walmart,
     www.walmart.com/ip/Betty-Crocker-Brownie-Mix-Fudge-Family-Size-18-3-oz-Box/
     10311382. Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.

The Funk Masters pt 3

Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, PT 1

Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, PT 1, what a hit this song was for James Brown. Even with all the clout this song got, it wasn't always noticed as a hit,"'This is a hit!!' No it wasn't -at least not in the eyes of King Records' Syd Nathan."(Dr. Licks 26). Even James the creator of the song saw it as too slow for his taste and liking,"The original version should have been called 'Papa's Got A Brand New Drag'...The Track was deemed to slow for King's purpose and had to be sped up..."(Dr. Licks 26). But this song wasn't just a failure it was a comeback story of the century, made short and soon enough it took over."After two solid days of editing, re-EQing, and adding additional reverb and echo to the original master, Brown's indomitable vision was still wrong. It wasn't a hit. It was a monster hit."(Dr. Licks 26).

The Music

In the drum part of  Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, PT 1, which I play in the video above, Melvin Parker, the artist adapts to his same basic drum pattern as on "Out of Sight" while adding the hi-hat with more emphasis on the up beats,"This opens the door for one of Melvin's most important innovations."(Dr. Licks 18). From experience in playing his drum pattern from his song it added a new taste in style, which helped find a new way to add some sizzle to the sound as Melvin did,"The tension between Melvin's upbeat approach and everyone else's straight feel is what makes this groove sizzle."(Dr. Licks 28). 

And so on I want to leave you with a question, has there ever been a time where changing one little thing about yourself, or what you do, further your learning or style in anything?

Dr. Licks. The Great James Brown Rhythm Section. Manhattan Music.

Proper Lifting

Currently using 50 lbs. dumbbells now.

There are many people that I have seen at the gym who either lift correctly and efficiently, or very terribly and insufficient. Michael Matthews points out two major mistakes that people make when lifting. The two mistakes are, constantly changing up your routine, and lifting like an "idiot". To start off, I will talk about changing up your routine. Matthews explains that people who believe in changing up your routine regularly often believe in the phrase "keep your body guessing". This is just complete non sense. If you want to get bigger and stronger you need to establish a strong base of muscle. You do this by repeating the same exercises every week and working your way up in weights. Matthews also mentions that, "Squats, deadlifts, bench press, dumbbell presses, and military presses. If you do these exercises correctly every week, your strength will skyrocket, and you'll gain muscle faster than you ever imagined." (23). Next, talking about lifting like an idiot. The major points Matthews mentions are lifting super heavy weights with terrible form, and going through the motions of lifting. Lifting like an idiot includes, outcomes like, "bad form can ultimately result in, wear and tear on tendons, ligaments, joints, and muscles" (Matthews 24). This is a common mistake that many people make when they first start to lift. They either think that they need to start out with lifting really heavy weights but usually ends up in them hurting themselves. Also, many people think that if they spend an hour at the gym but just go through the motions with lifting are going to accomplish their goal.

Started off using 25 lbs. dumbbells.

   I have had personal experience with all of these myths and mistakes that Matthews mentions. But as of now, I lift using correct form and have seen very positive results. What is your favorite lifting routine? Have you seen positive results?

Matthews, Michael. Bigger Leaner Stronger: the Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body. Oculus Media Group Llc, 2015.

The Basic Rules of 8-Ball Pool

Hello. Today, I will be talking about the basic rules of 8-Ball Pool. It is the easiest and most widely played type of billiards.

In 8-Ball, all 15 balls are used in the game. "...the only requirements are that the 8-ball must be in the center, one corner ball must be a solid, and the other corner ball must be a stripe. The remaining balls should be distributed randomly, although this is not a requirement" (Alciatore 6).

As you can see, this is the correct setup for 8-Ball pool, according to the book.

I have duplicated the setup seen in the picture. The 8-ball is in the center, and there is a striped ball in one corner, and a solid ball in the other. The rest of the balls are randomly placed.

In 8-Ball, the main objective should be to pocket all of one of the groups (solids or stripes), then the 8-ball (Alciatore 6). This means that if the first ball you strike is a striped ball, you need to pocket the other striped balls before the opponent pockets the solid balls.

Overall, I feel that I've learned a lot about billiards from reading the book. Now that I can properly set up for a game, I feel confident that I can execute games smoothly with my friends.

My question to you is: Would you put the other balls in numerical order, or random? This also means you can arrange them according to their patterns, which may alter the outcome of the game.

Alciatore, David G. The Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards. New York, Sterling Pub., 2004.

Different Types of Billiards Balls

Hello. Today, I will be talking about the different types of balls used in billiards.
In Billiards, two types of balls are used, striped balls and solid balls. There is also the cue ball, which is struck by the cue stick to hit other balls. "In 8-Ball, all 15 balls are used, and in 9-ball only the balls numbered 1-9 are used" (Alciatore 6).

This is a striped ball.

 This is a solid ball.

In 8-Ball pool, the main objective is to hit these balls with the cue ball into the pockets. Once you have "pocketed" all of the striped or solid balls, you are ultimately required to pocket the 8-ball in order to win (Alciatore 6). I plan on explaining the rules of 8-Ball in the future.

Overall, this information has helped me in playing pool, because now that I can properly distinguish between striped and solid balls, I now can have a proper objective when playing billiards.
My question to you is: Which ball type would you go for, striped or solid?

Alciatore, David G. The Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards. New York, Sterling Pub., 2004.

Different Bridge Types In Billiards

Hello. Today, I will be talking about the different bridge types used in billiards. "The bridge refers to the hand or device used to support the shaft end of the cue close to the tip" (Alciatore 21).

In pool, two main types of bridges are used, the open (V-bridge) and closed bridge.

This is an open bridge. "...the shaft slides in a V-shape created by the thumb and the base of the index finger... [It] is the easiest to learn and is recommended for basic shots" (Alciatore 21).

This is the closed bridge. As you can see, my index finger is wrapped around the shaft. This constrains the stick from lifting up, and is better suited for shots that require more power (Alciatore 21).

By using these two different bridge types, you should be able to make shots of different power at appropriate times. I personally prefer the closed bridge, for it is more secure, and reduces the chance of a miscue. Using this information, I believe that I can make better and more accurate shots when playing pool.

My question for you is: Which type of bridge would you use? Would you use only one type, or use both according to the situation?

Alciatore, David G. The Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards. New York, Sterling Pub., 2004.

Walk Cycle

Throughout my blog posts I've talked a  great deal about walk cycles, but I've given little information about them. Walk cycles are crucial in animation, as they make up the majority of actions in any given shot, and according to Richard Williams, are "about the toughest things to do right" (102). There is a general formula that most walk cycles follow, but as Williams writes time and time again, "All walks are different...no two people in the world walk the same" (103).

This is the general formula for walk cycles. If you look closely you will see a set of curved lines around the head of the walk cycle, and that line is the golden rule. Almost every cycle follows those lines. According to Williams, the above image is a "normal" walk cycle, where the weight goes down just after the step and the weight goes up just after the passing position (108).
When I tried this method, I followed the example above. The positions are labeled, and I found William's method a very easy and simple one to use. What are some things I could add to make varying walk cycles?

Straight ahead VS pose to pose

In The Animator's Survival Kit, author Richard Williams describes two types of animation: Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose.
Straight Ahead animation, as described by Richard Williams, is "[to] just start drawing and see what happens - like a kid drawing in the page corners of a schoolbook - stick the numbers on afterwards" (61). Frame by frame, an artist can work to complete the piece without worrying about the technicalities, and can include as many spontaneous twists as they would like. This method allows for a lot of artistic liberty, and can be very fun to do. On the other hand, however, this method can be wandering, messy, and inconsistent (Williams 61).
In order to try this method, I animated a simple walk cycle. Instead of planning out what I was going to do, I just began making frames and adding whatever I liked. It was very fun, but as just as Williams warned, was messy and unstructured.

The second method of animating is called Pose to Pose. In this method, the key frames are placed first, exactly where you need them. Then, the blank frames in between the key are filled with tweens. This method is far more structured than straight ahead, but it can be less fun and more predictable. Williams lists "Where's the magic?" (62) as a con, and when I tried this method I found myself agreeing.

This method, although easier to space out, felt much more mechanical and less stylized. My question is: is there a noticeable difference between the two animations?

Building the HG 1/144 Star Burning Gundam

In this post, I will be building a gunpla kit for the Star Burning Gundam. Gunpla (which means Gundam Plastic) is a series of models based off of Mobile Suits from a science fiction anime. There's also different "grades" of kits. In order going from release date is HG, HGUC, RG, MG, RE/100, and PG. Other kits are also non-plastic, like special edition versions which include gloss-finish, pearl-finish, and titanium-finish. Some kits are also made out of unpainted resin.

The tools I'll be using in this will be a pair of wire cutters (I lost my original nippers), a black Gundam marker, and a x-acto knife. 

Each of the pieces come on a plastic tray called a runner, which I'll have to cut them off of. I usually also detail the pieces as I'm putting them together since I find that easier than doing it after the model is finished.

I'll start with the body/torso first. Some kits like the IBO Full Mechanics have you build the frame first but with most of them you'll put the armor on as you build it.

Now I'll be doing the head. There's pretty much always stickers for the eyes, but I know people also paint them on.

Next is the right and left arms. These also have some small stickers on it, and clear pieces. In each kit there's also different hands to put on, like fists, ones to hold guns/beam sabers, etc.

All that's left now is the waist, feet, and legs, then the backpack and weapons.

Finished! Overall I liked this kit, but I wish they had it in a 1/100 scale instead of just 1/144. The clear parts on it also look pretty cool. The legs were also kinda finicky when posing but were stable.

A Guide to Getting a Glamorous Makeup Look: Finishing Touches

Now that you have read my past blogs, you are probably wondering why I haven't talked about the finishing touches: highlight, contour and blush! In my opinion, I think these products are the most fun to apply. They really pull the whole look together and makes the makeup look very put together. However, these might be fun to apply, but you have to take a couple things into consideration. With highlight, you can use almost any color and it will make the face glow. The highlight really complements the face and adds a nice shine to it. Next comes contour. This adds definition to the face and slims down the structure. Cockerill says, "It can be used to sculpt cheekbones, chisel jaws, hide double chins, slim down wide noses, and lower foreheads"(Cockerill 56). When you know how to contour well, it makes the face look sharp. With Blush, this adds the light pink tone to the face. Cockerill also exclaims, "A flush of color on the cheeks exudes youth and vitality, and blush-whether powder, cream, gel, or liquid-adds warmth and brightness to the face"(Cockerill 73). When you add these three products, it makes the whole makeup look, look more clean and complete. Here are a few brands that I sometimes use:

I hope these tips helped in completing your makeup look. If you would like, go back to read all my other blogs to see how you can get the satisfied look you were hoping for with your makeup. What will your next makeup look be? Thanks for reading!

Cockerill, Gary, et al. Simply Glamorous: Make-up Transformations to Make You Look & Feel Fabolous. Jacqui Small, 2015.

A Guide to Getting a Glamorous Makeup Look:Lips

For today's blog, I am going to be talking about the next step in your makeup look, lips. Lips can really pull the whole look together. However, if you choose the wrong color,it can make all your makeup look wrong and messy. Gary Cockerill says, "Don't underestimate the power of color on the lips. It can work with very minimal make-up on the rest of the face and look amazing"(Cockerill 170). This is true, lips can make your makeup look very full and put together even if you're only wearing foundation and mascara. Skin color can have a really big impact on what color you choose. Different colors work for different skin colors. Cockerill also says, "what works on fair skin may not suit dark skin, and vice versa"(Cockerill 170). Choosing the right lip color can be difficult, but if you know what you want your makeup look to look like, it might make things easier. For example, if you have a more simple, neutral look, then you should consider pairing it with a soft nude color for the lips. However, if you have a dark, smokey look, then a dark maroon, or red would be good. Also considering the brand you choose from can also play a big factor. Some brands are really good with hydrating the lips as well as making them look fuller. While some brands can make your lips feel dry and chapped. MAC and Tarte brands can help with hydrating while making your lips look beautiful with the color. I hope this blog helps with finding the perfect lip color to make your makeup look beautiful!

Cockerill, Gary, et al. Simply Glamorous: Make-up Transformations to Make You Look & Feel Fabolous. Jacqui Small, 2015.

Data Structures Python

Data structures are basically in the name. They structure data! Throughout the book we have covered different types of programs and statements now we shall finally go into lists!
With so many list functions i cant explain them all however here is a definition list of all the list functions.

With all these functions and their definitions lets see the example given by the book.

These functions are more simple as all the function is asking, is to find how many repeating words and then moves into rearranging the sequence itself. 

Here is my take on this function:

As shown the cars is a list containing some brand names. Afterwards I count how many BMW occurrences are in the list and came up with only one BMW. Then I ask how many Renaults are in the list ( There are none in the list) and the number it came up with was 0 as there are no Renaults associated with that list. When I ask for the index of Nissan I get 0, the reason behind this is that in computer languages 0 is the real 1 in counting indexes. And in the end i reverse the list!

My final question I want you guys to ponder is, Is this language easy to understand?

A relaxed attitude about drawing

So far, we've examined lines, and the emotions they convey, as well as how they affect the outcome of the drawing. We've examined different ways to warm up before we draw to prepare our mind for artistic expression, as well as the job of the onlooker in a piece of art. Finally, I will leave you with a lasting outlook on drawing, and the art you create.

Art and artistic expression has been around since the dawn of humans. We have always tried to express ourselves through less and less logical or conventional methods. One of the more simpler expressions is drawing. Today, I want to impress upon you the importance of having a relaxed attitude about your drawings and creations. 

This outlook is very important for every artist for several reasons. First: It allows your body to not be tense, to feel flexible and even spontaneous. Second: Ultimately, an artist must express themselves, and, as Clayton states, "The process [is] more important than the product" (5). Third: It allows drawing to be a lot less of chore, and more of a fun release of creative energy. I struggle a lot with trying to draw precisely or not relaxed, and it makes my drawings stiff, and frankly, terrible.

Here are some quick drawings I did, for no other purpose than to relax and have fun.

Do you find that drawing to relax produces better results than drawing to produce results?

Clayton, Elaine. Making Marks: Discover the Art of Intuitive Drawing. Atria Paperback, 2014.

Control Flow Tools Part 2 Python

Control flow tools in Python are a basic necessity for anyone going into the database and business intelligence fields. When creating these statements they may help you out to complete certain tasks efficiently. We shall look into the Range functions as well as the else clauses.

Range Functions

Guido states that "If you do need to iterate over a sequence of numbers, the built-in function range() comes in handy. It generates arithmetic progressions." (Guido Van Rossum 4.3)

 

Here is an example of the Range function:

With the range function it stated that for I in range between 0-5 print I and when the sequence is entered, the range between 0-5 is "printed".

Here is my take on the function:

As stated previously I is in range between 0-15 and when the sequence is executed the function entered 15 numbers!

Else Clauses

Loop statements may have an else clause. which is executed when the loop terminates through exhaustion of the list (with for) or when the condition becomes false (with while), but not when the loop is terminated by a break statement. Here is an example to better understand the statement.

And now is my take on this sequence:

That is all for now, a question left to ponder for all of you is. When did you guys get your first computers?