SUMMARY

This week has been really stressful for me, and I’m sure it will continue to be as we enter the weekend, because I have a huge amount of work to complete for most of my classes. My time management has also not been as successful as it usually is, but I think that’s because I have so much going on. However, I did have a few great moments this week, as I made brownies and was able to watch Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away with my brother.

PRACTICE ROOM (TUTORIALS)

Link to playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqazFFzUAPc7tJwr4opBVx0-AIAAweDHh

The channel that created this playlist is actually the same channel that went over the best free video editing software, which led me to choose Shotcut as my software for this class. This playlist has 15 videos, each one being less than 10 minutes long, and they go over the basics of this software. The instructions provided in the videos are very clear and were helpful to me as I tested out the Shotcut software.

CLASSROOM (THEORY & ANALYSIS)

Today, I spent about 20 minutes going through the First Time User activity on the Sneak on the Lot website. I found it really interesting and it taught me a lot about the way Sneak on the Lot works. The activity was brief, but was successful in incorporating the important ideas that one needs to know when using this platform. After hearing about how Sneak on the Lot works, I’m pretty excited to start using the platform to create new projects and explore work that other people are creating. It’s really amazing to know that there are so many films available to watch and review on this platform, as it really shows how much creativity and passion people have for film making.

OUTSIDE (CREATIVITY & THE BRAIN)

As I sat on the patio outside my house, looking out at the water, I found that it was difficult for me to find peace of mind. This whole week has been really busy with school work and various responsibilities, and I’ve found myself succumbing to the stress that comes with those things. Similarly to previous years of school and the weeks prior to today, its been difficult to be present in my own life. I judge my level of success for each day based on how much work I completed, or what grade I got on that one project I worked so hard on. Rather than focusing on how I genuinely felt during the day, I allow the state of my to-do list to dictate how the day went. I’ve been trying to break away from this by doing something for myself everyday and setting out time to spend with my family and friends. Luckily, as the protagonist in this story, I’ve been given a pretty fantastic sidekick and support system in the form of my older brother. He’s already gone through the stress of high school and college, so he’s been there to give me advice and encourage me to not base my worth upon the grade I receive or the amount of work I am able to complete. He always makes sure that I set aside time to do things outside of school work, like watch Studio Ghibli movies with him. I’m really grateful that I have him in my life to support me when I face my nemesis, which is sometimes school and sometimes myself. From these thoughts, I’ve made a goal to include a spot on my to-do list for what I want to be each day. I want to make sure I’m paying attention to how present or kind I am during the day, rather than only focus on the things I complete each day. This will take a lot more self-reflection and genuine effort than my previous to-do list system, but I’m up for the challenge because I know it will be greatly beneficial in the long run.