Seklusyon (A Trial of Faith) Movie Review

To formally introduce the film, Seklusyon is a 2016 MMFF(Metro Manila Film Festival) thriller film by award winning director Erik Matti. It is a story of Faith and the elements around it. It is starred by Ronnie Alonte, Rhed Bustamante, Neil Ryan Sese, and Phoebe Walker. What is Seklusyon? What does it mean and how is it related to Faith itself. Seklusyon is the time where potential priests are tested for seven days without any contact to the outside world. It is said that during these times is where the demons attack spiritually those who are undergoing the trial. Some quit and some succeed resulting them to formally be granted priesthood.

The story was set in the year 1947 where old rituals are done by churches where aspiring priests are sent to a secluded place for the last seven days of their training. The Main character of the story is Miguel(Ronnie Alonte), an aspiring priest who left his love for the purpose of achieving his dream of becoming a priest. Meanwhile Anghela(Rhed Bustamante), is a young girl who has mysterious healing powers in which she uses to heal countless diseases. Padre Ricardo(Neil Ryan Sese) who was sent by the bishop to gather testimonies of the miracles of Anghela was somehow unconvinced about the miracles made by the child. And one night, he was caught surprised by Anghela bloodied telling him that her parents were dead. Anghela and Madre Cecilia(Phoebe Walker) was sent by the bishop to the place where the deacons are undergoing their seclusion. They were welcomed by Mang Sandoval(Lou Veloso), who at first questioned why were they there. Mang Sandoval left the place after Anghela told her that he doesn't belong there and to release the pain he has. The following days become heaven and hell for the aspiring priests. As they faced their worst nightmares which is their dark pasts. Anghela got their favor one by one, through healing them of what the deacons are facing. Miguel at first doesn't believed in Anghela and tried to escape the place. He had an accident as he is escaping from Anghela and the other deacons. Splitting his soul from his body, he saw everything that bugs him the most his love, Erina and his unborn child. Anghela brought him back and finally got his favor as well. Padre Ricardo learned from the nuns that Madre Cecilia was a teacher in a convent that was raped by soldiers and burned her face from the burning of the convent. Padre Ricardo was shocked and learned as well that the young girl is a False Prophet, Anghela translates into Ngahela meaning that the young girl's god is the devil. He rushed to the seclusion to stop the young girl but he failed and died. Miguel woke up from the madness and told his co-aspirants that Anghela is a devil that they shouldn't follow her lead. At the end of the story, Miguel stabbed Anghela revealing her intentions that she wants evil priests to mesh with good priests in the church so people won't know that there are evil priests. The three aspiring priests were grant priesthood after finishing the seclusion leaving Miguel to be the one who failed to finish the seculsion.

The lesson of the story for me is that even though you do the right things if it doesn't seem right for the others you're still the one who isn't right. The story is great, I love how every story was told. It really deserves the awards it got during the MMFF earning Best Director and Best Screenplay for Mr. Erik Matti, Best Supporting Actress for Ms. Phoebe Walker, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design, Best Original Theme Song and Best Production Design for the Film, And Special Jury Prize for child star Rhed Bustamante.

Baroque Art

The Characteristics of Baroque Art:

Light

• There is usually one source of light, known as tenebrism, in Baroque art. The contrasting light and dark, such as in shadows, bring drama to the works. Both have an effect on the emotions and the intensity of the piece. One illustration of this concept is "Judith and Maidservant with Head of Holofernes" by Artemisia Gentileschi. In the piece, Judith saves her people by having a banquet to intoxicate and then behead General Holofernes.

Realism and Naturalism

• Realism is an important aspect of Baroque art. Rubens embraced reality in his art. In "Saint George and the Dragon," Saint George is muscular with a suit of armor that appears as it did in everyday life. His horse is depicted as feisty and strong. Naturalism was also seen in Baroque art through the use of normal details unique to daily life. Caravaggio employed this technique in his work by showing local places such as taverns and peasants. He places the viewer in the painting through applying things as part of both the foreground and central space. Facial expressions highlight the subjects' moods or emotions. Artists would sometimes put themselves in the painting as part of the shadows. For example, Diego Velazquez is seen in the left of his painting "Las Meninas."

Lines

• Lines help to convey motion and were often featured in Baroque pieces. Foreshortening -- reducing the length of lines in drawing to give an illusion of extension in space -- contributes to the feeling of motion. Whether asymmetric, vertical or horizontal, this technique can fool the eye and give space to the piece. Works follow an "S" shape in composition. For example, in "The Conversion of Saint Paul" by Caravaggio, diagonal lines show drama. Lines also go through diffusion in Baroque art with curved figures and horizontal layers.

Time

• Many artists using the Baroque style were aware of time and used it to convey the strength of nature as well as how time was a part of life's process. An older man symbolizing time was included in a great deal of pieces to illustrate that time comes for all. The positioning of people in each work gives the feeling of time moving forwards and backwards.

  
  

  The artist confronts the interactive media. As for Botticelli, condemned to imitate a classical painting of which no examples survived, there are no models --  save the idea of art itself, and that is a concept in crisis. Much of what is made builds deliberately not on the past but on the future: a future-directed art which derives its imagery from utopian or dystopian science-fiction, and which, in sealing the image of the future, seeks to control it in the name of the present. And what else does the future contain? Death. Though decked in the archaisms which Freud associates with regression, the sci-fi game that dominates the interactive media is built in the  denial of mortality. The crisis of interactive arts concerns the difficulty of making a shift from a future for the self to a future for others -- a future over which, by definition, we now can have no control.

  An art of surrender, and a chaotic art. It seems then no accident that so many artists derive such inspiration from the Baroque, an art of sublime submission and creative dementia. If it is true that the arts of forgetting condemn us to the repetition of history, still, in this instance, we could wish to believe that it was the first Baroque that lived out its crisis of signification as tragedy, and the new Baroque of the digital media that has a chance to work through, with hope, the dialectics of submission and futurity.

  The Baroque is legible as the expression of an absolute state confronted with the crisis of its own mode of signification. As John Beverley observes, the Spanish baroque was, like postmodernism today, at once a technique of power of a dominant class in a period of reaction and a figuration of the limits of that power (Beverley 1993:64). In that configuration, the arts add layer on layer to the web of allegorical significances, and simultaneously discover the vortex of instability at the heart of allegory itself. Humanism sought to recover; the Baroque to discover, but the arts of discovery bring on crises of overproduction (the economic disaster created by flooding European markets with American gold), which in turn generate vertiginous inwardnesses revealing more of the Devils bargain than those contracted wished to see (in Spain the emergence of narratives of the conquistadors brutality and retreat of the emergent mercantile bourgeoisie into pseudo-aristocracy as a result [cf Nerlich 1987]). From the troubled triumph of the absolutist state to the troubling security of the administered society, the Baroque recurs in the heart of both the 17th and the 20th centuries, their churches, our communications, as the rage to control. This rage is not angry but viral: replicating its order as excrescence and ornament on the body of its host, but in doing so breaking open the integrity of the host -- a crisis of permeability

  
  

  Baroque art and architecture – extravagant in concept, exuberant in spirit, elaborate in detail – flourished in the 17ths’ century Europe and through the ages has continued to stir us with its vitality and dynamism, its mood of barely suppressed passion. In the architecture of St. Peters in Rome, St. Paul’s in London and Santa Maria della Salute in Venice, in the works of Michelangelo, Bernini and Rubens, the Baroque spirit still lives today to inspire us. The Baroque style is still used today as inspiration when it comes to decorating a home in a rich manner. This style is well known for being dramatic and opulent, characteristics which can transform a simple home into something flamboyant. Many people choose to decorate their living space with a baroque style, and there are a variety of ideas that you can incorporate; ideas like using baroque style patterns to enrich cushion covers, linen, upholstery, curtaining and much more! The interior design business wasn’t the only one inspired by the Baroque movement. Now graphic artists can add Baroque flair to almost any design project with elements like lush florals, rosettes as a repeating motif in a frieze and many more ornaments with a clear Baroque influence. Baroque designs can be used by artists to enhance various items, because the ornaments specific to this style have the great capacity of making an art work look richer.It’s not an unknown fact that often in modern graphic design the inspiration comes from art styles from the past. If you have the right skills, you can combine past and present design and create amazing modern art work. The Baroque Style is represented by beautiful and rich decorations that can perfectly combine with the styles designers who love to ornate their work with flowers and swirls.

Renaissance Art

The Renaissance popularity of Humanism and classical readings, combined with the availability of literature such as Dante's Divine Comedy, led to an interest in mythology, pagan and secular themes. Humanism emphasized the importance of education and knowledge, as well as the potential of the individual and civic responsibility. So in the Renaissance, we might see a civic mural like Ambrogio Lorenzetti's Peaceful City, a secular mural like Raphael's School of Athens with its themes of philosophy and science, or Boticelli's lyrical, mythological Birth of Venus. Formally, Renaissance art is characterized by naturalism, the use of expressive gesture, linear perspective, atmospheric perspective, and chiaroscuro. In painting, figures are placed in a three-dimensional, believable space, and their posture and gesture is part of a complex formal arrangement. Compare, for example, Leonardo's Madonna of the Rocks, 1483 to Cimabue's Madonna Enthroned, ca. 1280-1290. The gestures of Cimabue's figures are varied and angled to make a pleasing formal arrangement and to lead the eye to the Madonna and child, but they are not naturalistic. There is the beginning of perspective in the work, but not is a sense that makes the space look real. 

The Renaissance, translated as "rebirth," was a time that is considered by many scholars to be the beginning of modern history. It was in this era that European artists started becoming interested in the world around them as well as more aware of their surroundings. Consequently, much of the art created at this time became affected by this new "realistic" style. Whether it's in sculptures, paintings, or even architecture, the art became more focused on a real life feel that centered the spotlight on nature as well as depicting people's feelings. As a cultural movement, it encompassed a revival of learning based on classical sources, the development of linear perspective in painting, and gradual but widespread educational reform. Traditionally, this intellectual transformation has resulted in the Renaissance being viewed as a bridge between the Middle Ages and the Modern era. Renaissance scholars employed the humanist method in study, and searched for realism and human emotion in art.

The Renaissance came into being through the humanists and their ideas.
The impact of humanism on the arts was enormous. The subject matter of painting prior to the Renaissance was primarily religious: it was concerned not with the naturalistic portrayal of human life, but primarily with provoking a religious reaction in the viewer. Painters were not interested in making a picture "realistic" they did not use perspective. The more important figures in the painting were frequently made larger than all the others, and often the element of landscape was omitted completely.
During the Renaissance, all that changed. The period was characterized by a renewed interest in ancient Greek and Roman design and included an emphasis on human beings and the environment. The feature of Italian Renaissance that distinguishes it from preceding eras is the extent and depth of its devotion to Classical Antiquity. Renaissance art demonstrates how the search for the idealization of form itself can be a spiritual exercise, summoning up for the viewer a sense of the perfection of God via the perfection of the idealized human figure or the proportions of a building. The rediscovery of classical art that glorified human beauty and emphasized individual differences had a profound effect on painters of the Renaissance. 

Christian Art

Early Christian art survives from dates near the origins of Christianity. The oldest surviving Christian paintings are from the site at Megiddo, dated to around the year 70, and the oldest Christian sculptures are from sarcophagi, dating to the beginning of the 2nd century. The largest groups of Early Christian paintings come from the tombs in the Catacombs of Rome, and show the evolution of the depiction of Jesus, a process not complete until the 6th century, since when the conventional appearance of Jesus in art has remained remarkably consistent. Until the adoption of Christianity by Constantine Christian art derived its style and much of its iconography from popular Roman art, but from this point grand Christian buildings built under imperial patronage brought a need for Christian versions of Roman elite and official art, of which mosaics in churches in Rome are the most prominent surviving examples. Christian art was caught up in, but did not originate, the shift in style away from the classical tradition inherited from Ancient Greek art to a less realist and otherworldly hieratic style, the start of medieval art.

Christian art is sacred art produced in an attempt to illustrate, supplement and portray in tangible form the principles of Christianity, though other definitions are possible. Most Christian groups use or have used art to some extent, although some have had strong objections to some forms of religious image, and there have been major periods of iconoclasm within Christianity. Images of Jesus and narrative scenes from the Life of Christ are the most common subjects, and scenes from the Old Testament play a part in the art of most denominations. Images of the Virgin Mary and saints are much rarer in Protestant art than that of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.

My Reaction about the dominant style and its subject matter is " I'm amazed". I not only amazed by the art itself but what message it wants to convey. Usually paintings in this era is more realistic and its all about the great gospel. In every medium, they show the story behind the life of Christ. The era has influenced me when it comes to my style. Sometimes, I tend to do some mosaics which started in this era of art. But i'm too busy now, so that i can't do any mosaics anymore. I guess i could do if it is a must.

Ancient and Classical Arts

Ancient art refers to the many types of art that produced by the advanced cultures of ancient societies with some form of writing, such as those of ancient China, India, Mesopotamia,Persia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The art of pre-literate societies is normally referred to as Prehistoric art and is not covered here. Clear and simple lines combined with simple shapes and flat areas of color helped to create a sense of order and balance in the art of ancient Egypt.

Classical art dates back to as early as 500 B.C. during the rise of the Greek Empire. The Greeks celebrated the human figure through sculpture in highly naturalistic detail. This is one of the eras defining qualities. After the Romans conquered the Greeks they still regarded Greek culture and art as superior to any other. The Romans imported thousands of original Greek artworks and had them copied in even greater numbers. In fact, much of what we know about Greek art, we only know through Roman copies. Ancient architecture in Greece and Rome are also considered classical works of art including: The Pantheon, The Parthenon, The Arch of Constantine, and the Column of Trajan.

My most striking impressions about the Ancient and Classical Art are about the fact that they're actually not to art but they made art for communication. It may be accidental...but I believe that it is on purpose. I believe that these two different eras of art really influenced me in my style of art. It may not be the same as it should be but you can still see the very foundation of it. During those times, i also have been interested in their artistic style and subject matter. For example, the Stongehenge it started the things how architecture should be. And in the classical art era, the Architecture became more complex each part of it is made wonderfully and all functional. It is easy to create artworks inspired of these eras. Because, This things are the foundation. We might not know that we're inspired by it. But it is really there. And I think it's very impossible to create a more complex figures if we did not know how to create its foundation.

“The more the Realistic, The Better”

If I were to choose on what kind of art that would prefer, I’d choose Realistic art. In realistic art, we can easily define what is the artwork all about. We see figures that are not vague so that means we can completely understand it. We see a vivid illustration of human figures. From head to toe, and other models of things. Mostly realistic art portrays life. What it is all about? What are the common things happening around us. It is a story in a canvas or in papers. Would you believe it a story of life in just an artwork. Every time I look on artworks, I search for realistic artworks. Because it somehow tries to converse me and tell me its story. I love stories so much. Maybe that’s why I love Realistic art too. Realistic art is so amazing to view. But how can a person create such as this?

Realistic art known as Realism” is the general attempt to depict subjects as they are considered to exist in third person objective reality, without embellishment or interpretation and "in accordance with secular, empirical rules." As such, the approach inherently implies a belief that such reality is ontologically independent of man's conceptual schemes, linguistic practices and beliefs, and thus can be known (or knowable) to the artist, who can in turn represent this 'reality' faithfully . Realism was an artistic movement that began in France in the 1850s, after the1848. These Realists positioned themselves against Romanticism, a genre dominating French literature and artwork in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Seeking to be undistorted by personal bias, Realism believed in the ideology of objective Reality and revolted against the exaggerated emotionalism of the Romantic movement. Truth and accuracy became the goals of many Realists. Many paintings depicted people at work, underscoring the changes wrought by the Industrial and Commercial Revolutions. The popularity of such 'realistic' works grew with the introduction of Photography— a new visual source that created a desire for people to produce representations which look “objectively real.”- Wikipedia

While Art as Alteration and Distorted Art are not realistic. They’re only made by human imagination. In this kind of arts we’ll often see the Abstract Technique. The Output of the artworks here really came from the reality. But the artist only modified the parts and made them unreal and out of this world illustrations. I find it hard to understand it. It seems only the artist can express its true meaning. It doesn’t matter what art do you prefer. Every person has a unique sense when it comes to art. Art is an expression of what we feel, we see, and what we hear. It doesn’t matter what technique you feel like using. The important thing here is we express!

“Doing an Impromptu Art”

I would like to share in this blog post my experience doing an impromptu art. Impromptu means “With little or no preparation”. We have experienced it during the opening of the Private Schools Athletic Association in Laguna. Where our school is its host and we thought we’ll have no works to do. In my mind, it’s the time to have fun enjoy the ambiance. But When things start to be fun. We are told to do an artwork that shows the different movement in the Event. I was shocked at first. Even though I lost my enjoyment a little bit. I regained it again because I made the art quickly. That move helped me to avoid spoiling my enjoyment.

As multimedia arts Students, we’re gonna have more of this impromptu art in the future. We’ll never know what art project we’ll receive. It’s indeed unpredictable. Even in your times of leisure, this impromptu arts will come to you. It’s a bit unforgiving haha! But if you’ll finish it, you’ll say to yourself that you can do things unexpected. It can give you additional confidence and the experience in the times of pressure. Doing impromptu art must not degrade your work. If you do great in projects that are notified you must also do the same thing here. You must sustain your style and techniques. It’s much better if you do more here to pass your limitations.

Well that’s all the things that I can share about doing an Impromptu art, I’ll share what happened that day. After we finished the given task, we have a lot time for enjoying the sports action. I’m a bit satisfied in what I saw in the volleyball game. But not in what I saw in the football game. Life is indeed unpredicatable. Maybe right now you’re happy, but not tomorrow. There are a lot unexpected things that come than the things that are expected. So we just only have to get ready. Prompt ourselves that when things come. There’s no shock we’re gonna feel…Haha…

“Renaissance as the Best Art Period”

I believe that the renaissance period is the best art period and the most influencial as well. Because knowing that Renaissance means “Rebirth” it speaks for itself the rebirth of art from the ancient art to pre-modern art. And In this Era , comes the great artists namely Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and many more. These guys are famous in their field of art each have their own techniques. Techniques that makes them unique from other artists. In doing art, it’s unpredictable if you’ll have someone that has the same technique.

           

            The Renaissance Period of art was divided into five time frames. Which is Proto-Renaissance in Italy, 1280-1400, Early Netherlandish art, 1400-1525, Early Renaissance in Italy, 1400-1479, Early Renaissance in France, 1385-1520, High Renaissance in Italy, 1475-1525. During these time frames the growth of renaissance art bloomed. Artist’s ideas started to brighten up. Renaissance artists painted a wide variety of themes. Religious altarpieces, fresco cycles, and small works for private devotion were very popular. For inspiration, painters in both Italy and northern Europe frequently turned to Jacobus de Voragine's Golden Legend (1260), a highly influential source book for the lives of saints that had already had a strong influence on Medieval artists. The rebirth of classical antiquity and Renaissance humanism also resulted in many Mythological and history paintings. Ovidian stories, for example, were very popular. Decorative ornament, often used in painted architectural elements, was especially influenced by classical Roman motifs.

 

           

          And here are some of the influences of Renaissance in the history of art and design which will justify that renaissance is the the best and most influencial era in my own opinion. Classical texts, lost to European scholars for centuries, became available. “These included Philosophy, Prose, Poetry, Drama, Science, a thesis on the Arts and Early Christian Theology.” “A revived interest in the Classics brought about the first archaeological study of Roman remains by the architect Brunelleschi and sculptor Donatello. The revival of a style of architecture based on classical precedents inspired a corresponding classicism in painting and sculpture, which manifested itself as early as the 1420s in the paintings of Masaccio and Uccello.” And lastly, “Humanist philosophy meant that man's relationship with humanity, the universe and with God was no longer the exclusive province of the Church.” These are the influences that I find very influencial in the list of the influences there are a lot more. Try to see for your self.

 

 

 

Who is Mona Lisa?: Mona Lisa and Her Enigmatic Smile

                           They said art has deeper meaning in it. That’s how famous artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and many more thought about their creations. The more hidden message it conveys, the better. But there are also mysteries about it. About what it is all about? Who is the creator portraying? What or who is the creator’s inspiration? And Masterpiece has really caught the eye of the critics and even also the simple people. The Painting entitled “ The Mona Lisa” it was painted by Leonardo da Vinci for about 500 years ago…Still the mystery remains a mystery. There are lot of speculations about the topic who really is Mona Lisa and what is the mysterious thing about her smile? Is She the alter ego of Leonardo da Vinci? Or Just some special woman?

                           There are reports that says that the Mona Lisa is not Leonardo da Vinci but a Woman named Lisa Gherardini. Lisa Gherardini, was the wife of Francesco Giocondo. Little is known about Lisa's life. Born in Florence and married in her teens to a cloth and silk merchant who later became a local official, she was mother to five children and led what is thought to have been a comfortable and ordinary middle-class life. Lisa outlived her husband, who was considerably her senior. “Mona Lisa fulfilled 15th- and early 16th century requirements for portraying a woman of virtue. Lisa is portrayed as a faithful wife through gesture—her right hand rests over her left. Leonardo also presented Lisa as fashionable and successful, perhaps more well-off than she was. Her dark garments and black veil were Spanish-influenced high fashion; they are not a depiction of mourning for her first daughter, as some scholars have proposed. The portrait is strikingly large; its size is equal to that of commissions acquired by wealthier art patrons of the time. This extravagance has been explained as a sign of Francesco and Lisa's social aspiration.” – Wikipedia.

                           But even though The Mona Lisa was portrayed as Lisa Gherardini. Still a lot of speculations arise from it. Reports says that “Although the sitter has traditionally been identified as Lisa del Giocondo (Gherardini), a lack of definitive evidence has long fueled alternative theories, including Leonardo's mother Caterina in a distant memory and the possibility that Leonardo used his own likeness. Other aspects of the painting that have been subject to speculation are the original size of the painting, whether it is the original, why it was painted, and various explanations for how the effect of an enigmatic smile was achieved.” The Mystery of Identity may be solved but the smile isn’t yet…In the generations to come further speculations will rise about the smile. The smile that Mona Lisa can only acquire.

Week 10: Enhancing Creativity

               Enhancing creativity has never been easy to put in to words. But there are some things that we can do to make it a lot easier to explain. By the way, what do Creativity means? What does it do in our lives? Is it really important? For People like us who is in the field of arts. Creativity is a major part which builds us. Without Creativity, we’re gonna have a hard time dealing with each projects. Enhancing creativity is just a must for us. No questions asked. It is a must. Like enhancing our physical skills, we must also improve our mental skills. We mustn’t settle for what’s only good, we should look for what’s best. We must think beyond our limits. We enhance our creativity in that way. By thinking like that everytime, it’s possible for further improvements.

            “Creativity is simply what you get when you mix expertise in some domain (area of activity or investigation) with a lot of motivation and commitment.” -Robert Weisberg. It’s a simple phrase but it has a lot of meaning inside it. I believe in what he said about motivation and commitment. It is really needed to enhancing creativity, not only the two also add passion to it. If an artist like us has those elements, the sense of Creativity will never be lost in us. Another thing, in Creativity you also have to analyze things. Therefore, Critical Thinking is also a part of it. We commonly hear the term Critical Thinking in Businesses. The Multimedia Industry is a business itself. One must be above others to survive the industry. The greater knowledge you have, the better outcome will follow. Creativity is the Key to good outcomes.

Week 9: Blogging Madness!!!

                Who could ever imagine that there will be a time when the old things will evolve into new things. The old systems will soon fade and a new generation of system will rise. Like Blogging, blog is used as an online diary. Here freedom is endless, You can say what you want. You create your own world. You’ll just have to think first what will you have to encode before you upload it. Take time to Consider what will be it’s Pros and Cons. Cause you don’t know what, when, where, and who will strike you. You should be wise enough. Me, as a college student I can now understand what should I do to handle blogging.

            Personally, I’m not used to writing things. I just let them go in the flow of life. But when my professor requires me to write a blog entry every week. I’m loving it, I think I want to do this for the rest of my life. If it will take me a thousand entries, Fine…I’m ready. Another thing, blogging for me is like a freedom wall that you can write anything like things that you feel. You can release anger by posting it there, but not decoded. You could probably write a poem out of anger. That’s a way I learned from my best friend. He usually do that when he’s feeling anything. Whether he’s sad or happy. He loves to write a poem or a story. Somehow, its readers can relate themselves to it. You should Try it to, It’s more exciting than telling the whole story and lose your honor. Still honor is worth protecting.

Week 8: New Media to Our Lives

                The influence of the ever changing new media will be a great part to our lives. The spread of the use of new media is like a blink of an eye. Each second, most of the world’s population uses this new media. From social networking sites to the use of blogs and e-mail. It’s of course with the use of internet. It’s kinda weird if I would say that there’s many who doesn’t get influence by this new media. Majority of the world’s population are onto it. With the use of new media it’s understandable that it may be possible if the old media will be forgotten. New Media is indeed more convenient to use because its fast, and you can do it anywhere. But It’s disadvantage is less face to face communication. Less Confidence.

               

                I’ll discuss some effects of the use of new media to me in my personal life. I hope that if there will be down sides, you as a reader will find and know ways to make things right for yourself. With the use of new media, I can easily develop my skills in arts. It somehow triggers my creativity to work, you know it’s great to work if your equipments are good. Another effect is, I consider the new media a resource of knowledge, a river flowing with great knowledge. Knowledge with good and bad effects. The only thing that we must do is pick the right choices everytime. No matter what it cost. Good effects always comes from good causes and bad effects comes eventually from bad causes, bad choices. For short if you’re an internet junkie “Think Before You Click”.

Week 7: Rainy Days

Maybe, most of us believes that during rainy days. It’s so boring that you can’t do anything. But I guess it’s a wrong thinking. I believe that we can do something real helpful like doing some household chores. Doing things like that will be really helpful and also we’ll make our parents happy too. I’m just disappointed that when it’s raining people only sleep, eat, and sleep again. It’s just the same as the day which is sunny. The only difference is the weather condition but still you can do things like the way you do them when it’s sunny. And another thing, I guess it’s better raining than very hot weather. Rain is very helpful to our brothers, the farmers.

                Enough of that, well I’m going to tell you what activities I always do when it’s raining. When it’s raining, I am happy not because classes can be suspended but because I know that it is an agricultural blessing. Well I’m just happy for that. By the way, during heavy rains and no classes. I always get in touch with the weather forecast by watching Television. I keep myself updated during these times. And of course, during these times it’s hard to avoid eating a lot. It feels like the food is pulling me even I’m not hungry, I read lessons and sometimes basketball news, I edit videos and photos, and I’m learning the basics of Vegas Pro. I’m still not used to it but I know I’ll master this one. And advance to the next challenge. It’s just like that when it’s raining, I’m taking myself into challenges.

Week 6: The Ultra-High Speed Highway

It’s so amazing how technology find its way for improvement. Once an impossible dream became possible. And all credits must be given to the passionate and hardworking inventors. Because if they didn’t think beyond limits they wouldn’t be able to come up with this solutions. Even though they’re not the one who made technology like internet faster and credible. They are the one who formulated the use of such this technological advancements. I must say they’re” Technological Geniuses”. Coming up with an idea like the internet is not very easy as you may think. Remember, In the old times they’re clueless and they don’t have too much resources unlike what we have today. It’s simply amazing for short.

                Let’s talk about the internet today, You may say that internet today is a very powerful tool which anyone can use to send bunch of informations. You can also say that Internet today is much quicker than internet before. Internet today offers ultra-high speed rate which is very good for us students. With this kind of speed rate we can almost do everything. But remember, this speed can still speed up. It could be like a blink of an eye in quickness. That’s more cool right? Well I myself will wait for that time to come. I know I would be able to see that. After all, technology phase fast each second has advancements. So as it advances, I’ll continue to walk through the Ultra-High speed Highway.

               

Week 5: New Family, New Friends, New learning

A lot of things had happened  this week from the preliminary exams to the first General Assembly of the MMA Family. This new family of mine may be few in numbers but I think it’s full of joy and love. I’m still mesmerized that I’m now part of the MMA Family. Because when I’m in high school I’ve always dreamt of this day that I would carry the name of the program within me. And now it’s happening. Time really flies fast that we can’t even notice it. Just a piece of advice, “always think on the impossible things”. Because sometimes the impossible things come to reality.Like my dream about being part of the MMA family. I’d never thought that I made it possible cause we’re not rich. Our earnings are only exact for our day to day living.

                I’m pretty sure that the MMA family is the place where I would make new and great friends. I did not enter this university just to study and not make new friends. That’s also the reason why I choose this university to experience the true college EXPERIENCE!!! Because if I we’re a geeky student I would choose the Multimedia Arts program in University of The Philippines-Open University. If you’d know UPOU offers education which is online and you will only get to meet others during weekends. Of course that’s not fun! It would be boring… I’m glad that I made the perfect and right choice. During my stay in Lyceum ,I promise to be devoted only to MMA Family! In an artist’s perspective “Passion Counts”.

Week 4: Team Effort, Makes Team works…

Every person has a distinct personality and abilities. But what will happen if a bunch of persons who has different abilities join as one? What will be the effect of it to the quality of work? Will it be good or bad? This are the questions that may come to our minds when we think of this things. It will be hard at first for them to work with one another because there’s still something that hinders them to work. It might be pride, lack of trust, or it might be other things which leads to nothing. But only time will tell, when , where, how, why they will work together as a group. For some people they rather enjoy working alone than in groups. But the truth is it’s very difficult to work alone because all the pressure is in you alone. Unlike in a team you can give some works to other.

                For example in a basketball game, no man is a team. It is men who is a team. Team work is always the key to winning in games. Mostly group games. Team work is nothing if only one is moving and doing it all. A Team needs a total team Effort! From the role players to the superstars. Not all will be given the chance to be the leader. But somehow you can be the leader in your own way. Like, you must be hardworking so your team will get your goals. No one has been the leader from the start, leaders also came from servants. They work hard and give their all to the jobs given to them. Being a leader is only the fruit of their hard work. They worked hard for it to get. So, Everyone must participate give your all don’t worry if you fail. It’s part of the trials. Just Give TOTAL TEAM EFFORT!

Week 3: Technology made to distract?

Technology has really changed the way of communication. It’s seen in so many ways. For example, when we use the internet we can send messages to the world in an instant. While in the times that we’re still innocent about it, It’s so very slow and it’s so hard to reach others. Technology has really made a great impact to this society. This age has been so devoted to the internet. I must safely say that no one in this world that doesn’t have any idea about internet or technology. Even the poorest man in this world must have an idea to this technology. Technology is created to improve the quality of life of people. Give them wide field of opportunities, enhance the logic of mankind.

                But sadly, we’re not seeing the true purpose right now. Yes, there are people who uses it in a wise way. But majority of this world’s population shows the negative effect of technology. Instead of improvements you’ll see them decay. On a lighter side, people are most effective when there’s still no signs of technology. They’re so very hard working, they’re so self-sufficient. But now at this age they’re more of dependent. Dependent not on their works but dependent on technology.Is this all signs that says “Technology is made to distract?” Technology has helped us a lot but still we must learn that technology is only created by man. Only but man alone.I’m still in favor of Face to Face communication than in world wide web communication. Face to face communication has an upside it develops confidence I must say. Based on experience.

Week 2: Why Communicate???

Of course everyone needs to communicate. Even different kinds of Animals communicate too. Every organism in this world uses communication as a way to interact with others. People communicate not only with words but with actions as well. They say, “Actions speak louder than words” that time you want to communicate with your acts. You wanted to convey a message without speaking a lot. Communication is really a very essential part of the human nature. Without communication this world is DEAD!.As a MMA-ista, Communication is a great part of my Field. I create artworks not only just work, but there is a message that I want to share to anyone who sees my Masterpieces.

                Communication can be used in different ways. It can be used to express true feelings. Like, To show your love for something or someone. A Relationship will not last long if there’s no proper communication. In communication, there must be MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING to make sure that both sides understands each other. In Team works, Team Work will be non-sense if there’s no communication. The thing’s most like to happen is to work individually. Which is not good. As a MMA-ista I’ll work together with my classmates with proper communication to achieve our dreams and aspirations. Until then, I’ll work on my communication skills.

Week 1: CAS Is Fun!

Choosing the CAS family is a very right choice for me. Because In this College Department, I can explore myself and push me to my limits. During my stay in the LPL in my 1^st week I got to know new friends and I find myself into a new family. I would definitely miss my High school buddies. But I know that in my stay here I would be able to try not to think about them and focus for my activities to do. Family for me is not just an organization that when you are with them, you are considered as a family member. Family for me is a Home, It needs full Trust to each and every one of us. Partial Trust? Never mind! Oh! During the 1^st CAS General Assembly, Yeah It’s So Fun! And It’s so Very Loud. The Higher Year Levels, really put on the show! Without those screaming, It’ll be so Boring!!! J

And About our Freshman Day, Well it started with a mass. And The Priest preached some things to us. Then There are many special numbers prepared by the Cultural Affairs Organization for us the Freshies. Some of the Lyceum Faculties discussed about the things around here in LPU. It’s so fun, And again there’s screaming but this time it’s even louder. Because not Only CAS were the stars of the event. All the freshmen of other colleges of Lyceum were part of it. And also some of the leaders of other Lyceum Interest groups like LPU-YFC & Lyceum Kalikasanencourages us to take part in their organizations. The Title of the event (Dream High!) was really fitted for it. And everyone was in high spirits when the Mr. & Ms. Freshmen was started. It’s so disappointing that no one from our college won any of the two. Oh! About the food, yeah it’s great eating together in a banana leaf with your co-CAS students. But the truth is I didn’t eat cause I feel that it’s so some kind of dirty in my opinion. But if I would grade it from 1-5 I’ll choose 4. Not Perfect at all, but amazing!