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| keepin' it secular |
April 7-18 // 8:30am // Clothesline Project // Lincoln Square Mall // BRIGITTA
Monday, April 14
12pm // Dating 101 // Counseling Center and Native American House // BRIGITTA
12:00 pm // Dish It Up | A Feminist Gospel: Advocating for Women's and Queer Rights in the Church // Women's Resources Center // PUJA
4pm// Lecture: Re-imagining the Other Imperial Past: Japan’s Colonial Heritage in Taiwan // International Studies Building Conference Room, 910 S. Fifth St., Champaign // Free // Joey
5:30pm // "Contextual High Rise Design - the Structural Engineers Perspective" // Lawrence J. Plym Auditorium // ROSHNI
7-9pm // Hot Topics | Women of Faith Speak on Dating and Relationships // Women's Resources Center // PUJA
Puja: To me, it seemed as if Ashlee was the ideal
representative of the Mormon faith. She had just given birth a few months ago
to her second or third child, yet somehow still looked like she had all of her
stuff together. She was like an earth mother character in a novel, kind of
radiant. Yet some of the discussions made me think about those who don’t fit in
as easily—not that I should assume her life is “perfect” by any means. However,
what about those who don’t have time to attend church for 3 hours on Sunday
because they’re working extra shifts? What happens when you don’t agree with
every tenet of your faith? Are you somehow less than the others then?
Tuesday, April 15
Alex: The best part of the event was one man in
particular (I'm assuming he was an astronomy professor) was yelling a countdown
to tell us the exact moment the moon entered full eclipse. He had his watch
timed perfectly, and was REALLY excited to let us all know this. He loudly
counted down "THREE, TWO, ONE.. Ohhh my goddd look!!"12pm // Managing Cells with Synthetic Supramolecular Matrices // 612 Institute for Genomic Biology // KELLY
12:00 pm // Displacement Effects on Gender Roles, Family Structure and Ethnic Identity: Muslim Meskhetians in the USA // 101 International Studies Building (910 S. Fifth St., Champaign) // ANNE
7 pm // FILM: "Second Sight" // School of Metaphysics, 1009 E. Main, Urbana // ALEX
7 PM // Project Unbreakable Keynote Lecture // 112 Gregory Hall // CHRIS
Anne: A lot of the signs shocked me, there was even a sign
that read “don’t tell anyone or I will kill you”.
Maggie: SO POWERFUL! I plan on being a social worker in the
future, so this event really spoke to me. I have a sad but realistic feeling
that at some point I will encounter patients who have been sexually assaulted.730pm // Much Ado About Nothing // Krannert Center, Colwell Playhouse // recurring
Wednesday, April 16
1:30 pm // Property Rights in Ocean Fisheries // University of Illinois College of Law Auditorium, 504 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Champaign // JILL
4 pm // Nutritional Sciences 500 Seminar with Timothy Abbott // 180 Bevier Hall // MAGGIE
Joey: As first names were informally thrown around, I
realized that this was no Mötley Crüe of Miners. I was probably the only person
there who was not a part of the Doctorate Program, either professor or student.
And it all kind of clicked when I realized that. This was a room full of
experts. These people were smart as hell. As an undecided freshman who stays up
at night wondering what direction I want to go, how I want to challenge myself,
how hard I want to work, how long I want to go to school, etc. this made a
strong impression on me. This is what all those sleepless nights in the Union,
for 8+ years, result in. No way could I get to be that knowledgeable about
anything without dedicating massive amounts of time and energy to study. Is
that something I’m interested in? Is there anything that interests me enough to
dig so deeply into it? I’m not sure of the answer, but I do know that I both
admire and envy them. I admire their discipline and intelligence, and I envy
them for having something that could drive them to that. I guess I just haven’t
seen that for a while, and I found it really exciting.
Brigitte: This all sounds rather scattered and, honestly, I
don't understand the notes I took because I had never studied these processes
before. However, I managed to get the basic principles of his presentation.
Acrosome biogenesis and sertoil spermatid adhesion were his two main focuses.
Jill: Abbott began his lecture by talking about dietary
fat and health. He stated that fat is more than just calories; Omega 3 fats are
indispensible to health.
Chris: This research was conducted through the use of a
knockout mouse model, which is basically testing how the deficiency affects
mice. It was found tha
5-7 pm // Pitch Party // EnterpriseWorks Atrium, 60 Hazelwood Drive Champaign, IL 61820 // MAGGIE
6pm // LINGUISTICS - Less Commonly Taught Languages Program Film Series: "The Songs of Sparrows" // FLB Lucy Ellis Lounge // Free // Cate
Cate:
I was pleasantly surprised
to be completely honest. I was in a bit of a preoccupied mindset when arriving
to the lecture hall and really wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to sit
myself down and get myself into an educational focus... or at least focus
enough to write a reflection.
The film was actually pretty
intriguing and the audience was as well (you know how I love to judge the
people around me...).
Thursday, April 17
All day // Engineering Ethics, Justice and Policy in Societal Risk Management // I Hotel and Conference Center // Free //Cate
9am-6pm// Inaugural Latina/Latino Studies Symposium - "Vulnerable Bodies: Latina/o Health, Migration, and Security"// Asian American Cultural Center, 1210 W. Nevada Street, Urbana// Free// Joey
11:00 am - 12:30 pm // Videoconference Panel Discussion (with U. of Pittsburgh): A Parliament Against Itself? The Far Right in the Upcoming European Parliament Elections // 507 E. Green St., Room 411, Champaign, IL // LINDSEY
12pm // Lecture Series: Singing about Drought in Northeastern Brazil // 101 International Studies Building, 910 S. Fifth Street, Champaign // Cate
4 PM // Pioneers in Cancer Research // Beckman Institute Room 1025 // CHRIS
6:00 - 8:30 pm, April 17-22 // // The "Eye of the Traveler" // 9 E. University Ave. Champaign // BRiAN
7:00 pm // Coffeehouse Series // Illini Union Courtyard Café // ANNE
Lindsey: He sat on the stage on a
chair and read a poem about a beauty pageant, one about God, and one about
something that I was really confused about.
Kelly: For example, one of his poems was entitled
"Scars" and he performed it with a very convincing stutter. Another
was about environmentalism and sustainability and had the line "That
jacket you just bought has been to more countries than you have." I
thought that was a pretty powerful part of the performance.
7:00 pm // Sex & Gender Film Series | The Price of Sex // Women's Resources Center // PUJA
7pm // Spamalot // Parkland // SEANO
Seano: It’s a writer or artist’s job in way to show people
or prod people to look at or think about an idea from a new perspective and
therefore ignite a fresh, new understanding of the subject matter. In comedy, I
believe there’s an interesting division in that understanding between the
surface laugh (in this case Monty Python’s sight gags, innuendo and general
absurdity) and the more observational moments which often lack “punchlines”
altogether. For example, the “burn the witch” scene is successfully comedic on
two levels; the illogical fooling between the peasants and Sir Bedevere is that
surface funny as we laugh at the foolishness and gullibility of the savage
riot, but the subtext of this moment gives a perspective on crowd psychology
and manipulation of a government on its people. It’s funny because it’s true.
Friday, April 18
12pm - 1pm // ISTC - Sustainable Seminar Series - Planning for Regional and Local Sustainability // Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, One E. Hazelwood Dr., Champaign, IL 61820 // KELLY
12:00pm // Job Search: continuing to NETWORK ... it never ends! // 123 Gregory Hall // ROSHNI
12:00 pm // Lecture: New Kids on the Block: A Complete Changeover of Europe Leadership in 2014 // 210 General Lounge, Illini Union, 1401 W. Green St., Urbana // JILL
1:30pm // Developmental Brown Bag -- Nicole McNeil -- University of Notre Dame // 819 Psychology // ROSHNI
Joey: The speaker was Nicole M
McNeil, a professor at the University of Notre Dame. Her lecture was about the cognitive
development (thus “Developmental Brown Bag” at last cliked in my head),
specifically mathematical cognition in children. Her argument was that the current methods of
teaching children arithmetic in the United States is actually detrimental to
their later understanding of algebra and beyond. Here’s why:
6:00-9:00pm // Closing Reception for Signs of Life: National Printmaking Winners Exhibit // 111 South Walnut St. (2nd Floor) Champaign, IL // BRiAN6-9PM // U of I Credit Union Concert Series at Allerton - Barn Dance // Allerton Music Barn // CORIE
Saturday, April 19
12-5pm // HOLI 2014 - A Festival of Colors // The FAR soccer field lawns // ROSHNI
Roshni: The colored powder made everyone look the same with
slight variations in the mixtures of colors and created safe space for
authentic human connection.6:30 PM // Dessert and Conversation: Much Ado About Nothing // Krannert Center // Concludes recurring
Sunday, April 20
recurring: Exhibit: "Sacred Symbols in Sequins: Vintage Haitian Vodou Flags // Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory, Urbana, IL // ALEX
Apr 15 // 12:00 pm // Displacement Effects on Gender Roles, Family Structure and Ethnic Identity: Muslim Meskhetians in the USA // 101 International Studies Building (910 S. Fifth St., Champaign) // ANNE
ReplyDeleteThis presentation examines the processes that influence relocation to the United States on the lives of the Muslim Meskhetians. The Muslim Meskhetians, who originate in the territory of Georgia, have been subject to external rule and multiple forced displacements. Most recently, in 2005, a large number of Meskhetian Muslims were granted refugee status and resettled in the United States. Guided by previous studies on cultural adaptation and identity maintenance, Prof. Pirtskhalava explores how this group has negotiated resettlement. Combining in-depth interviews with immigrants, who live in the states of Pennsylvania and Illinois, she will illustrate the changes Muslim Meskhetians underwent in several important areas such as family structure and family relationships, male and female roles in the family, and their ethnic identity.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31742028&calMin=201404&cal=20140408&skinId=1
Apr 17 // 7:00 pm // Coffeehouse Series // Illini Union Courtyard Café // ANNE
ReplyDeleteCome out for open mic performances of music, spoken word and talent.
I've been to similar events and have had a great time! Check it out.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31609413&calMin=201404&cal=20140408&skinId=1
I went to the coffeehouse series this week and really liked it. There were three performers in total one was a poet and the other was a singer/rapper. I got there about ten minutes early and it was crowed, the crowd ended up being for the show that was going on before the coffeehouse series. But as I sat down I heard someone whisper my name. It turned out to be my friend and roommate from last summer in NYC. I went over and sat with her and her friends and she told that they were in fact there for the coffeehouse series as well. There friend was going to read his poetry. She told me that he was nervous because he had never done anything like this before in his life but had been writing poetry for a while. The performance began with him. He sat on the stage on a chair and read a poem about a beauty pageant, one about God, and one about something that I was really confused about. He had a great voice, long hair and had a good stage presence. You could tell he was nervous in between reading the poems but he complete changed character and tone of voice with every poem he read. I was impressed. The next act was a singer. He described his music as a little mix of everything. When he started singing, I thought that it sounded like rap. The way he sang and his voice sounded like Kendrick Lamar. He even said that Kendrick was his inspiration. I was also impressed with this act and my foot was bouncing up and down during the second to last and last song. I had a lot of fun at this event and would like to go back to one in the upcoming weeks.I think that this Coffeehouse series at the Union is a great way for students to performa and present themselves to their peers. Overall, great experience.
DeleteThis week, I attended the Coffeehouse Series at the Illini Union Courtyard Cafe. I arrived a few minutes early and was pretty disheartened to see the audience almost completely empty. The sound staff were still setting up the microphones and such, so I took a seat and hoped some more people would show. And they did -- all together, oddly enough. A group of about 15-20 students walked in and sat up front. They made up most of the audience besides for a few loners who walked in late. They were super enthusiastic and encouraging to those who went up stage. Besides that, the audience was mostly empty chairs.
DeleteThe performances were all very expressive and artistic, but my favorite was a spoken word performance. For the life of me, I can't remember the performer's name, but I loved his style of speaking. He performed three different poems and for each one he adjusted the inflections and tone of his voice to suit the subject matter. For example, one of his poems was entitled "Scars" and he performed it with a very convincing stutter. Another was about environmentalism and sustainability and had the line "That jacket you just bought has been to more countries than you have." I thought that was a pretty powerful part of the performance.
Overall, the Coffeehouse Series was a very relaxing experience. I marveled a little bit at how open and brave the performers were at sharing their, at times, very personal writing with a room full of strangers. I definitely left a little envious of their talent and lack of inhibition, but also felt a little bit more inspired than I normally would on a Thursday night.
April 16 // 1:30 pm // Property Rights in Ocean Fisheries // University of Illinois College of Law Auditorium, 504 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Champaign // JILL
ReplyDeleteThis lecture will examine three case studies: an Alaskan salmon fishery in which harvest rights were assigned to a harvesters’ cooperative; a U.S. fishery in which individual catch quotas were used to control the unintentional harvest of over-fished species; and a U.S. fishery in which a conservation organization encumbered fishing rights with ‘easements’ to promote protection of marine ecosystems.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31768621&calMin=201404&cal=20140416&skinId=1
April 18 // 12:00 pm // Lecture: New Kids on the Block: A Complete Changeover of Europe Leadership in 2014 // 210 General Lounge, Illini Union, 1401 W. Green St., Urbana // JILL
ReplyDeleteAbstract: A lot of attention has been devoted to the “Euro-Crises”, but although the media and the financial markets seem to have forgotten it, the crises still bites in the real economy across Europe. This will have an effect on the European elections in May, and possibly on the whole changeover process in the EU this year. What is likely to happen, and what will it mean for Europe internally and as a player in the World. On very serious test is TTIP – the Trans Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Are Europeans ready to go through with it? And will Europe keep sticking together, or will the UK prepare to leave.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31731104&calMin=201404&cal=20140418&skinId=1
April 14 // 12pm // Dating 101 // Counseling Center and Native American House // BRIGITTA
ReplyDeleteThe Counseling Center Paraprofessionals from the Counseling Center’s Trauma Treatment Team will be presenting the workshop, “Dating 101”, at the Native American House at 12 pm on Monday, April 14th. This workshop discusses the cycle of abuse in relationships and presents signs of unhealthy versus healthy relationship. This is an interactive workshop and we encourage questions and comments throughout our presentation. To further inquire about the content or nature of this workshop or the Trauma Treatment Team in general, you can also contact Dr. Patricia Ricketts at pricktts@illinois.edu or Namrata Doshi at nddoshi2@illinois.edu
illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31718067&calMin=201404&cal=20140407&skinId=1
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ReplyDeleteApril 15 // 7 PM // Project Unbreakable Keynote Lecture // 112 Gregory Hall // CHRIS
ReplyDeleteThe mission of Project Unbreakable is to increase awareness of the issues surrounding sexual assault and encourage the act of healing through art. The project has featured over two thousand images of sexual assault survivors holding posters with quotes from their attackers, highlighting the experiences of a diverse group of survivors and recognizing that sexual assault is a tool of oppression that we can all work on ending together. The founders of Project Unbreakable, Grace Brown and Kaelyn Siversky, will discuss the history of the project, how it has helped thousands of survivors heal from sexual violence, and the importance of prevention and awareness efforts. After the keynote, Project Unbreakable will photograph those who wish to be part of the project. Paid for by the Student Cultural Programming Fee and Inclusive Illinois Facebook.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/500?eventId=31770275&calMin=201404&cal=20140407&skinId=1
For my event this week, I attended Project Unbreakable. Project Unbreakable is a series of photographs that have been taken by Grace Brown (the founder) of different men and women who are survivors of sexual assault. I originally did not know that this presentation would be mainly photography but the message that was delivered through each photograph was one that could not be described in words. In each picture, the victim would be holding a poster that would have some type of message or saying on it from their attackers. A lot of the signs shocked me, there was even a sign that read “don’t tell anyone or I will kill you”. Those words are frightening enough for any viewer, let alone the survivor. It amazed me that 51% of sexual assaults are from a significant other / spouse. It was something I’ve never really thought about in terms of sexual assault but it is something that is hard to forget once hearing the statistic. Grace wasn’t the only presenter tonight, she presented with Kaelyn Siversky, which we learned throughout the presentation that she was a survivor. She told us her story and as she was telling us I got goose bumps, the reality was so close and if she had said anything to us, we would not have known that she was a survivor. She was so positive and she said her life is now filled with so many bright people and exciting thoughts, she has been working on her self image since she was attacked. She found Project Unbreakable and she scrolled through each and every picture and she realized that she was not alone. Project Unbreakable has since then helped her become who she is today. I feel that this event was important because 1/3 people will be sexually assaulted at some point. That number is outrageous, I feel like it helped me become more aware of the reality of this unfortunate event.
DeleteThis week, Anne and I attended Project Unbreakable. Two young girls started this campaign, and they take photos of people who have been sexually assaulted holding up written signs that read quotes from the person who sexually assaulted them. SO POWERFUL! I plan on being a social worker in the future, so this event really spoke to me. I have a sad but realistic feeling that at some point I will encounter patients who have been sexually assaulted. One of the girls in charge of this campaign shared her own story of being sexually assaulted and I thought that was so brave of her. She was so honest and real about her experience, and seems to be in such a better place now. The photos used for the presentation were all interesting and had an artistic feel. Reading the different quotes and seeing the different types of people being photographed really opened my eyes to how often this crime is committed. The girls did not focus on just one group of victims. They told the audience different statistics and answered questions throughout the presentation. It was such a comfortable environment, and the girls made me feel like I was talking to people I had known forever. One of the girls made a point to say that this campaign is not meant to be sad. It is meant to be educational and show everyone that these victims have overcome their sexual assault experience. Overall, great event! One day I hope to work somewhere where this campaign could be presented and shared.
DeleteApril 17 // 4 PM // Pioneers in Cancer Research // Beckman Institute Room 1025 // CHRIS
ReplyDeleteDr. Perou's work focuses on the application of genomics and bioinformatics to cancer biology, which has led to the discovery of the "Basal-like/Triple-Negative" breast cancer sub-type.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/500?eventId=31753486&calMin=201404&cal=20140407&skinId=1
April 17-22 // 6:00 - 8:30 pm // The "Eye of the Traveler" // 9 E. University Ave. Champaign // BRiAN
ReplyDeleteThe “Eye of a Traveler” | Craig Pessman’s vision of the world of landscapes and still life
Opening Reception: April 18th, 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Gallery Hours: M-F 6pm-8pm; Sat-Sun 9am-7pm
The “Eye of a Traveler” photography show features images created by Craig Pessman. The show highlights images and unique locations as see through Craig’s eyes. Ranging from subtle details to grander landscapes, his photographs will inspire and motivate you to take a fresh look of the world around you as you travel through life.
Craig Pessman is a Champaign-based photographer who specializes in landscapes, still life and nature. Craig’s rural background and education at the University of Illinois where the first steps in career and volunteer experiences that have brought him to such diverse places at Cuba, South Africa, Europe and locations across the United Sates with his camera. Craig is interested in exploring new places and cultures and he sees his photography as a way to share his experiences with others.
April 18 // 6:00-9:00pm // Closing Reception for Signs of Life: National Printmaking Winners Exhibit // 111 South Walnut St. (2nd Floor) Champaign, IL // BRiAN
ReplyDeleteApril 18, 2014
Signs of Life: National Printmaking Winners is a traveling exhibit exploring a variety of printmaking approaches being taken by young artists today. Champaign is the final stop on a tour that began at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, PA in May of 2013. All ages are welcome to join this FREE event!
Closing Reception Friday, April 18 from 6-9pm
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7:00-8:30pm: Performance by flutist Ashley Chanel Shank, NSAL intern for the Woodwind Competition and Doctorate of Musical Arts candidate at the University of Illinois, studying under Jonathan Keeble.
Refreshments will be available for donation.
The Signs of Life exhibit consists of 16 state winners including Central Illinois' Douglas Bosley, the National Winner. A specialist in mezzotint, he will be exhibiting several recent pieces. Born and raised in the Mojave Desert, Bosley has degrees from Western Washington State and University of Wisconsin, Madison. He is currently an Honorary Fellow at the Forest Laboratory in the Dept. of Bacteriology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. More info on Bosley can be found at http://www.dougbosley.com/.
The National Society of Arts and Letters, founded in 1944, is a multidisciplinary philanthropic organization focused on young adults deserving of support in the performing, literary and visual arts. This takes the form of a yearly national competition between first place winners (usually ages 18-29) from each local competition. There is also the Winston Scholarship Program for visual artists and vocalists. More information on the society can be found at http://arts-nsal.org/.
Apr 7, 2014 - Apr 28, 2014 // 5:30 pm // Japan House Presents: Calligraphy Workshops with Shozo Sato // 2000 S. Lincoln Avenue // LINDSEY
ReplyDeletehttp://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31745343&calMin=201404&cal=20140407&skinId=1
Professor Emeritus Shozo Sato has once again graciously offered to teach a series of calligraphy workshops, to be held every Monday evening in April this spring! No previous experience is needed. Each workshop is $20 for Tomonokai members or students, $25 for all others. If you need to use our brushes and ink it is an additional $5 for each evening. Paid reservations required...and this will fill up fast! Please call 217-244-9934 with your credit card information to make a reservation. Please join us for beauty of calligraphy in practice and the tranquility of the spring gardens. We hope to see you! Monday, April 7, 2014, 5:30 pm Monday, April 14, 2014, 5:30 pm Monday, April 21, 2014, 5:30 pm Monday, April 28, 2014, 5:30 pm
Apr 17, 2014 // 11:00 am - 12:30 pm // Videoconference Panel Discussion (with U. of Pittsburgh): A Parliament Against Itself? The Far Right in the Upcoming European Parliament Elections // 507 E. Green St., Room 411, Champaign, IL // LINDSEY
ReplyDeletehttp://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=30883798&calMin=201404&cal=20140407&skinId=1
From May 22-25, 2014, citizens of the European Union will decide who will represent them in the European Parliament. With polls showing that only one in four Europeans trust their national leaders, and barely 30% of voters trust the EU, many experts are forecasting a strong showing for Europe’s far-right parties. With strong recent returns in local elections, France’s Front National and the Netherlands’ Party for Freedom have formed an alliance which may impact results in the May elections. Golden Dawn in Greece and the Austrian Freedom Party may also gain some seats in the EP. Other non-far-right but still anti-EU populist parties may also be able to gain some traction in the European elections that they are not able to get at the national level: the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), the True Finns (Finland), the Alternative for Germany party, and the Five Star Movement (Italy). What are the potential consequences of this “polarization” of the parliament? How will it reflect and affect popular opinion of the EU? Is there a danger that the traditional combination of voter apathy, low turnout, and populism will mean that May’s elections will return a “European Parliament against itself?”
Apr 14 // 12:00 pm // Dish It Up | A Feminist Gospel: Advocating for Women's and Queer Rights in the Church // Women's Resources Center // PUJA
ReplyDeleteRev. Karen Bush of Community United Church of Christ will present - 2A Feminist Gospel: Advocating for Women's and Queer Rights in the Church. Enjoy a complimentary meal. Each Dish It Up program offers vegan and vegetarian food options. Should you require any additional accommodations (assistance with food and seating, large print programs, an ASL interpreter, visual/audio assistance, etc.), please contact us at your earliest convenience. Paid for by the Student Cultural Programming Fee.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/2040?eventId=31384643&calMin=201404&cal=20140407&skinId=3926
Apr 17 // 7:00 pm // Sex & Gender Film Series | The Price of Sex // Women's Resources Center // PUJA
ReplyDeleteThe Price of Sex is a feature-length documentary about young Eastern European women who’ve been drawn into a netherworld of sex trafficking and abuse. Intimate, harrowing and revealing, it is a story told by the young women who were supposed to be silenced by shame, fear and violence. Photojournalist Mimi Chakarova, who grew up in Bulgaria, takes us on a personal investigative journey, exposing the shadowy world of sex trafficking from Eastern Europe to the Middle East and Western Europe. Filming undercover and gaining extraordinary access, Chakarova illuminates how even though some women escape to tell their stories, sex trafficking thrives.
The Sex + Gender Film Series occurs on Thursdays at the Women's Resources Center in collaboration with the Department of Gender and Women's Studies, National Organization for Women UIUC Chapter, DiversityEd, and Department of Media and Cinema Studies. Free and open to the public- bring your friends! Should you require any accommodations (assistance with food and seating, large print programs, an ASL interpreter, visual/audio assistance, etc.), please contact us at your earliest convenience.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/2040?eventId=31083409&calMin=201404&cal=20140407&skinId=3926
April 7-18 // 8:30am // Clothesline Project // Lincoln Square Mall // BRIGITTA
ReplyDeleteThe Clothesline Project is a program started on Cape Cod, MA, in 1990 to address the issue of violence against women. It is a vehicle for women affected by violence to express their emotions by decorating a shirt. They then hang the shirt on a clothesline to be viewed by others as testimony to the problem of violence against women. With the support of many, it has since spread world-wide. The shirts are color coded to show the form of abuse and whether the victim survived the abuse they experienced. White represents women who died because of violence; Yellow or beige represents battered or assaulted women; Red, pink, and orange are for survivors of rape and sexual assault; Blue and green t-shirts represent survivors of incest and sexual abuse; Purple or lavender represents women attacked because of their sexual orientation; Black is for women attacked for political reasons.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/2806?eventId=31769745&calMin=201404&cal=20140407&skinId=3966
April 14th// 4pm// Lecture: Re-imagining the Other Imperial Past: Japan’s Colonial Heritage in Taiwan // International Studies Building Conference Room, 910 S. Fifth St., Champaign // Free // Joey
ReplyDeleteAbstract:
A substantive amount of Taiwan’s tangible heritage assets are products of the Japanese Colonial period. This presentation explores the mobilisation of such heritage in Taiwan and how this intersects with problematic notions of national image and identity.
Bio:
Mike Robinson is the Director of the Ironbridge International Institute for Cultural Heritage - a major inter-disciplinary research and graduate Institute working with the World Heritage Site and associated museums of Ironbridge. His interests lie in how we produce and consume categories of heritage within changing cultural and cross-cultural contexts. He is particularly interested in how tourists experience the past and how tourism works with heritage to shape identities at the individual and collective level.
April 17th// 9am-6pm// Inaugural Latina/Latino Studies Symposium - "Vulnerable Bodies: Latina/o Health, Migration, and Security"// Asian American Cultural Center, 1210 W. Nevada Street, Urbana// Free// Joey
ReplyDeleteImmigration policies are part and parcel of the structural contexts that shape immigrant lives, and yet the health implications of these policies have received little attention (with the exception of their effect on access to health care). To address this critical gap, this one-day conference will bring together an interdisciplinary group of scholars to examine the combined impacts of immigration and security policies on the lives and wellbeing of Latin American immigrants. The conference aims to underscore a key tension in immigration policy, in which immigrants are simultaneously hyper-surveilled, yet their wellbeing is ignored. Contributions to this conference will highlight how this tension renders immigrant existence substantially more precarious and subject to a multiplicity of human rights abuses. KEYNOTE SPEAKER & ROLANDO HINOJOSA-SMITH, JR. LECTURE: "Defending Migrancy," Alicia Schmidt Camacho (Sarai Ribicoff Professor of American Studies & Ethnicity, Race, & Migration, Yale University) 2:30-4:00pm. PANELISTS: Jonathan Inda (Associate Professor and Chair of Latina/Latino Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), Jason E. Glenn (Assistant Professor of Medical Humanities, University of Texas Medical Branch), Rebecca Hester (Assistant Professor of Social Medicine and the Director of the Social Medicine Track in the Institute for the Medical Humanities, University of Texas Medical Branch), Christine Kovic (Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of Houston-Clear Lake), Bryanna Mantilla (MD/PhD candidate in the Department of Sociology and the Medical Scholars Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), MarÃa Dolores ParÃs Pombo (Professor of Cultural Studies, Colegio de la Frontera Norte, Mexico), Gilberto Rosas (Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Latina/Latino Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), Edna A. Viruell-Fuentes (Associate Professor of Latina/Latino Studies and Helen Corley Petit Scholar, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign). For more information, visit http://www.lls.illinois.edu/about/conferences/symposium/.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteApril 16 // 4 pm // Nutritional Sciences 500 Seminar with Timothy Abbott // 180 Bevier Hall // MAGGIE
ReplyDeleteTimothy Abbott, Nutritional Sciences Graduate Student "Establishing and maintaining the complex adhesions of the testes: A role for the omega-e docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) Mini-Theme: Diet and Cancer: Prevention versus Intervention
I chose to go to the Nutrition Seminar because I typically am very uninterested in the topic. I thought back to Health class in high school and how much I always hated the talking about peer pressure and the clitoris. But I decided to go to the seminar to see if perhaps my mind had changed. I’m embarrassed to say that it wasn’t until I approached Bevier Hall on my bike that I remembered that I’m at a university, going to a seminar given by a PhD candidate. It dawned on me that there was simply no chance that we’d be talking about how to pop a pimple. Nutrition is just a concept within Biology, and more specifically the quite rigorous school of Molecular and Cellular Biology. So, I realized that I was a bit daft to expect high school Health class.
DeleteThis realization really hit home when I sat down and looked up at the projection on the wall that read, “Depletion of Docosahexaenioc Acid (DHA) and Arachidonic Acid Causes Male Infertility by Disrupting both Secretory and Granule Biogenesis and Adherense Junction Assembly in Testis.” And that was just the title. What exactly followed, I’m not sure. “Hot DAMN, no way does anybody here know what is coming out of this man’s mouth,” I thought. But nay. Once the incredibly complex powerpoint was over, in which the presenter, Timothy Abbott, did not fumble a single word, it was met with a slew of questions. These were questions that very clearly illustrated a thorough understanding of the study Abbott had just explained. I looked around at the nodding heads in the room.
As first names were informally thrown around, I realized that this was no Mötley Crüe of Miners. I was probably the only person there who was not a part of the Doctorate Program, either professor or student. And it all kind of clicked when I realized that. This was a room full of experts. These people were smart as hell. As an undecided freshman who stays up at night wondering what direction I want to go, how I want to challenge myself, how hard I want to work, how long I want to go to school, etc. this made a strong impression on me. This is what all those sleepless nights in the Union, for 8+ years, result in. No way could I get to be that knowledgeable about anything without dedicating massive amounts of time and energy to study. Is that something I’m interested in? Is there anything that interests me enough to dig so deeply into it? I’m not sure of the answer, but I do know that I both admire and envy them. I admire their discipline and intelligence, and I envy them for having something that could drive them to that. I guess I just haven’t seen that for a while, and I found it really exciting.
As for the content of the presentation, I guess I can give it a brief shot. Timothy Abbott spoke about his study, which used sample rats to measure the effects of DHA deficiency, specifically regarding fertility. Omega-3 and omega-6 (think fish oil) both contain DHA. They are highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA), and thus the study revolves around the relationship between Dietary Fat and health. A primary goal of the study was to isolate what exactly DHA does, and what DHA alone can do. To that end, Abbott and his colleagues chose to focus on a specific body part in which to measure DHA deficiency. Here, they looked to affects of DHA deficiency in the form of infertility. “That’s right, I’m talkin’ about the testis.” I admit I giggled at the word “testis” (maybe we focused too much on the clitoris in high school. I know I did. BOOM! nailed it)(just kidding). But for the record, I was not the only one who laughed. Anyway, DHA deficiency causes infertility in two ways: 1) immature spermatids in the epididymis, and 2) Failure of acromose biogenesis. These are due to a disassociate adhesion between the young spermatid and the Sertoli cell. Somehow, and this seemed undetermined, DHA deficiency hinders the flow of certain necessary things between the spermatid, the basal cell, and the Sertoli cell.
In other words, guys, eat more fish.
bingo. in every situation, every new experience, even if the subject is over your head there is much to be learned. learning to learn is perhaps the entire point of 'education'. sometimes the most important is not the obvious
DeleteI also went to this lecture with Jill and Chris. As stated above by Joey, this was clearly for students who were in a high level study within Nutritional Sciences. Most of those who filtered in signed a sheet which led me to believe this might be mandatory or extra credit for a certain class. A few professors were also in the audience.
DeleteThe lecture hall we were in was not very large but bigger than the average classroom. Before the presentation a man, presumably a professor, stood and made an announcement about the DNS superbowl. I...have no clue what that is.
The presenter was introduced by a teacher with a thick accent. He noted that this topic was very dense and impressive, which I could tell just by looking at the lengthy title. I took away a few facts from the lecture, but not having taken any sort of biology classes since high school I found it hard to maintain focus. A lot of the terms just went straight over my head, though I recognized many from AP Bio my senior year. He introduced timelines of fat study and stated that by 2000 it was considered longitudinal data.
He started exploring the underconsumption of omega 3 and what stops working when that happens. He detailed sperm developmental stages and stated his objectives. We also learned about the two classes of adhesion, homotypic and heterotypic, of sertoil cells. He showed us that they did an actual functional test and that the results showed that a hufa deficient was indistinguishable from wildlife.
This all sounds rather scattered and, honestly, I don't understand the notes I took because I had never studied these processes before. However, I managed to get the basic principles of his presentation. Acrosome biogenesis and sertoil spermatid adhesion were his two main focuses. The implications of this study was that after tests on mice it should be carried over to human dietary approaches to improve sperm health. They found that other tissues may rely on hufa for protein distribution and that, in the case of omega 3 underconsumption, endpoints are needed in semen samples to indicate testis dysfunction to a semen phenotype.
So this is all quite a mouthful. He was very well spoken and a charismatic guy, but I know the kind of learner I am and it was very hard for me to stay focused in an area I had no interest in. I was never on the mathematical/science side, always more of an english/history/art kind of a girl. With that being said though I was happy he added some charismatic charm to his presentation or I would have been done for!
This week I attended the Nutritional Sciences Seminar with Timothy Abbot in Bevier Hall. I am a Champaign girl and rarely venture to Urbana, this being so I have never been to Bevier Hall. I attended the seminar with Chris and Brigitta. The seminar was located in the auditorium. Once we walked in we noticed a sign in and informational sheets. As the time neared 4:00 p.m. the flow of people increased and a line formed at the sign in sheet. I can assume that this lecture was required for another class. The audience of people ranged between professors, graduate students, and undergraduates.
DeleteThe title of the seminar was a mouthful (Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) and Arachidonic Depletion Causes Male Infertility by Disrupting both Secretory Granule Biogenesis and Adherens Junston Assembly in Testis). By the title alone I was overwhelmed. The seminar consisted of Abbott describing his study and the results he gained from it. His lecture was accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation that was filled with many diagrams that he explained as he talked. He used a laser pointer so that we could follow with what he was talking about. Abbott began his lecture by talking about dietary fat and health. He stated that fat is more than just calories; Omega 3 fats are indispensible to health. He supported this claim by providing a timeline of evidence that fat can benefit health if you reduce saturated fat and replace with polyunsaturated fat. The presentation as a whole was hard for me to follow, and a little bland. Complicated vocabulary added to the difficulty of the seminar. What I did learn from the seminar was that dietary DHA intake, which is sufficient to maintain testis enrichment is critical for healthy production of sperm.
This week I also attended the Nutrition 500 seminar. As others may have noted, I quickly realized this lecture was for graduate students. The lecture hall was mostly full, but people did not all seem to be taking notes, so I am guessing it wasn't part of the curriculum either. The name of the lecture was quite daunting: "Depletion of Docosahexaenioc Acid (DHA) and Arachidonic Acid Causes Male Infertility by Disrupting both Secretory and Granule Biogenesis and Adherense Junction Assembly in Testis." The man giving the speech joked about the length of the title, which was a relief for myself and the rest of the audience.
DeleteI did my best to grasp all that I could in a lecture that was about as confusing as the title made it sound. The speaker explained that a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids is known to cause a wide variety of health problems including Alzheimer's disease and sub-optimal fetal development. A deficiency in the highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) were previously known to cause infertility in men, but before Abbott's research, it was not known exactly how the deficiency caused infertility. This research was conducted through the use of a knockout mouse model, which is basically testing how the deficiency affects mice. It was found that the amount of DHA in the subjects diet, along with ARA, is critical for the healthy production of spermatozoa. Therefore, without a sufficient amount of DHA and ARA, males will become infertile. I found this lecture to be very interesting even though the complexity of the talk could be confusing at times.
April 16 // 5-7 pm // Pitch Party // EnterpriseWorks Atrium, 60 Hazelwood Drive Champaign, IL 61820 // MAGGIE
ReplyDeleteFREE!
This is a fun, casual way to practice your pitch (either an elevator pitch or a pitch deck) and get feedback from colleagues in the Research Park. The ideas is to practice before you have to do it with investors or stakeholders. This is also a good way to try out a new pitch or product idea. We will videotape the pitches so companies can see themselves and review their performances internally. We will have short anonymous pitch scorecards for the audience to give feedback to the presenters on key aspects. We welcome Research Park employees to come listen to the pitches, ask questions, and help provide feedback to the companies. Appetizers as well as beer and wine will be served. So we can manage the number of companies who will be pitching at this event, please register your company's participation at the link provided. We encourage you to use your slide deck, speak for about 8-10 minutes, or do a short elevator pitch about your business and take questions. Each companies time will be limited to about 15 minutes and we''ll have music and fun in between companies. Don''t be shy!
April 18 // 12pm - 1pm // ISTC - Sustainable Seminar Series - Planning for Regional and Local Sustainability // Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, One E. Hazelwood Dr., Champaign, IL 61820 // KELLY
ReplyDeleteThe Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is the Chicago region’s official metropolitan planning organization and is tasked with planning for prosperity and quality of life around the seven-county region. To help achieve this mission, CMAP created a comprehensive regional plan, GO TO 2040, which recommends a variety of sustainability-related strategies on topics such as local food production, energy and water conservation, improved transportation options, and facilitation of sustainable land use patterns. Jason Navota, CMAP Principal, will discuss these strategies and CMAP’s overall approach to sustainability. Kristin Ihnchak, CMAP Senior Planner, will discuss CMAP’s approach to working with local governments on sustainability policies and strategies through its Local Technical Assistance program, as well as the agency’s development of a sustainability plan toolkit for local governments.
If you cannot attend the event at ISTC you may view the webinar live by registering at https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/137865967. The webinar will also be archived on our website www.istc.illinois.edu for later viewing.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31459998&calMin=201404&cal=20140408&skinId=1
April 15 // 12pm // Managing Cells with Synthetic Supramolecular Matrices // 612 Institute for Genomic Biology // KELLY
ReplyDeleteSpeaker: Samuel I. Stupp, PhD
Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Northwestern University
Seminars are held in 612 IGB, located in the lower level of the Gatehouse next to the Array Cafe.
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=30915348&calMin=201404&cal=20140408&skinId=1
April 17th // 12pm // Lecture Series: Singing about Drought in Northeastern Brazil // 101 International Studies Building, 910 S. Fifth Street, Champaign // Cate
ReplyDeletehttp://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/863?eventId=31608699&calMin=201404&cal=20140412&skinId=4234
April 17th // All day // Engineering Ethics, Justice and Policy in Societal Risk Management // I Hotel and Conference Center // Free //Cate
ReplyDeleteSymposium sponsored by Women and Gender in Global Perspective Programs
http://illinois.edu/calendar/detail/7?eventId=31305445&calMin=201404&cal=20140412&skinId=1
April 19 // 6:30 PM // Dessert and Conversation: Much Ado About Nothing // Krannert Center // CORIE
ReplyDeleteGo behind the scenes of "Much Ado About Nothing" with a pre-show conversation. $7.00
April 18 // 6-9PM // U of I Credit Union Concert Series at Allerton - Barn Dance // Allerton Music Barn // CORIE
ReplyDeleteAllerton Barn Dance Date: April 18th Time: 6-9pm Location: Allerton Music Barn We will be serving food and drink from 5:30pm-8:30pm Featuring: BowDacious String Band 6-7pm; Sam Payne and Friends 7-8pm; The Curses 8-9pm
Cost $5/person, $10/family suggested donation at the door.
April 14th // 5:30pm // "Contextual High Rise Design - the Structural Engineers Perspective" // Lawrence J. Plym Auditorium // ROSHNI
ReplyDeleteAPRIL 14TH, 2014
5:30pm
Lawrence J. Plym Auditorium
Aine Brazil, P.E., LEED AP, Vice Chairman - Thornton Tomasetti. A Michael J. Theiss Memorial Lecture. Lecture Title: "Contextual High Rise Design - the Structural Engineers Perspective"
April 18th // Developmental Brown Bag -- Nicole McNeil -- University of Notre Dame // 819 Psychology // ROSHNI
ReplyDeleteDevelopmental Brown Bag -- Nicole McNeil -- University of Notre Dame
Speaker Nicole McNeil
Date Apr 18, 2014
Time 1:30 pm
Location 819 Psychology
Sponsor Developmental Division
Contact Dan Hyde
E-Mail dchyde@illinois.edu
Event type Brown Bag
Views 4
Once again I wasn’t sure what I was going to be attending this week. All I knew was that it was a “Developmental Brown Bag”, which to me had an air of mystery to it. “Brown bag you say? What could possibly be inside?” On top of that, it was on the 8th floor of the Psychology building, whose gray, sullen stature has always sort of reminded of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. That may be a stretch, but what can I say. Anyway, as I told my friend over lunch, I was going to this event because I had no clue what the hell a “developmental brown bag” would be, and because it was high in the boonies of the most mesmerizingly insipid building on campus. Once I got there, however, I proved to be as wrong as my friend had responded I was. Apparently a “brown bag” is when you get to eat and drink while somebody else talks. Not a bad start. Plus, the inside of the Psych building is actually quite beautiful, and well filled with natural light. So, I kicked back with some Lacroix and listened.
DeleteThe speaker was Nicole M McNeil, a professor at the University of Notre Dame. Her lecture was about the cognitive development (thus “Developmental Brown Bag” at last cliked in my head), specifically mathematical cognition in children. Her argument was that the current methods of teaching children arithmetic in the United States is actually detrimental to their later understanding of algebra and beyond. Here’s why:
Typically, American arithmetic textbooks/lesson plans teach kids how to do problems like 2+2=__ , 3+5+6=__ , and 4+5=__. What these have in common is that they all follow the form of “this plus this makes this”. Kids see the numbers on the left side of the equal sign, and they add them up. Whatever they add up to is what comes out on the other end. While this is true, it fails to address the concept of Mathematical Equivalence. When asked to explain a problem, kids consistently said something like “2+2 makes 4”. They might also tell you that “1+3 makes 4”. But what they fail to understand that mathematically equal things are inherently interchangeable. Hardly any of the kids could understand from what they said that then it must be the case that “2+2=1+3”. Furthermore, if you gave them the problem “4=2+__”, around 90% of them would answer “6”. This is because what the kids have internalized is the form of the problem, not the meaning. The kids are made to think that the numbers on the left side of the equal sign create the number on the right. Again, this is true, but it is a less comprehensive understanding of the math at hand. It is a narrow-minded view of math, and it greatly hinders their capacity to solve more difficult problems.
While the presentation was much too long for me, especially on the beautiful day that was Friday, I found it fascinating. This is something that I could completely remember. The method of substitution in math blew my mind. And it wasn’t until I moved on to algebra and calculus that I began to 1)understand it, and 2) see how incredibly powerful it was. I had an amazing calculus teacher in high school. The way he did that was that he was adamant that his students understand the entirety of the math we were performing. Not a myopic, plug-and-chug approach. He made me think in ways I never had before. I won’t go much further into it, but I will say that the manner of thinking he inspired me to do has changed my life. Listening to Professor McNeil speak, I was reminded of the many years of schooling that had done me disservice.
April 18th // Job Search: continuing to NETWORK ... it never ends! // 123 Gregory Hall // ROSHNI
ReplyDeleteJob Search: continuing to NETWORK ... it never ends!
Date Apr 18, 2014
Time 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Location 123 Greg Hall
Sponsor Media Career Services
Contact Jessica Leach
E-Mail jrleach@illinois.edu
Event type Workshop/Presentation
Views 31
Originating Calendar Media Career Services Programming Calendar
Join MCS for a Lunch & Learn to participate in a roundtable discussion where you will learn about search strategies that other students are currently using and hear additional suggestions of places and ways to further your job search. Some of the avenues explored will include personal networks, social media, I-Link, job search engines, and networking/professional events. And, attendees will also be provided with and introduced to resources available to them at Media Career Services to assist them in the process.
This was an awesome workshop to attend and I am glad that I decided to attend this event this week. Upon entering room 123 in Greg hall it was only me on other student and the presenter. The other student was an advertising major and the Job Search presentation was geared more to College of Media students. However it was still a very beneficial lecture to attend. The speaker, Holly Nichols, had given a very informational presentation. She started by talking about networking, which seems to be the most talked about area when locating that dream job. I have always thought networking with friends and family was good but she introduced me to other forms of networking that could help as well. For instance networking with friends relatives, faculty, alumni, coworkers all areas, I suppose I never really thought to explore that much. Holly also talked about visiting websites and using job search engines. She also talked about a program known as I-Link. I have personally never used or even heard of this program, but I believe it is a place for employers to post jobs seeking students from Illinois. Another thing she mentioned was social media. Participating in twitter chats with companies you are interested in working with or following these companies to be informed about job opportunities. She also talked about LinkedIn and joining groups of people you know because it is another way to extend your networking.
DeleteThis was a beneficial lecture for me to attend as I get prepared to enter the job searching world in the upcoming year. I feel as though as being an Art Major we have a different application process then most but these useful tips may help me locate something that I am interested in pursuing. I am happy that I attended this event.
Holly has also recently emailed me her powerpoint presentation so I can refer back to it if need be.
http://tinypic.com/r/24l564j/8
april 15th // Lunar Eclipse Observing // University of Illinois Observatory // ALEX
ReplyDeleteStart Date: Apr. 15, 2014
Time: 12:00 AM
The Astronomy Department and UIAS will be hosting a viewing of a total lunar eclipse at the University of Illinois Observatory in the very early morning hours of April 15th. The eclipse starts just before 1 am on the morning of the 15th, with the total eclipse phase starting just after 2 am and mid-eclipse occurring at 2:46am. There will be telescopes set up on the lawn of the Observatory to view the the eclipse, as well as the historic 12" telescope in the Observatory dome (weather permitting). In addition, telescopes may be set up to view the planets Saturn and Mars, which will be visible in the night sky that evening.
I attended the lunar eclipse viewing at the University of Illinois Observatory in the early hours of tuesday morning. Liz and I went at the original posted time (midnight), but due to weather, no one was there. We were worried the viewing was cancelled, but a quick check online told us that they would be setting up telescopes by 2 AM when the weather cleared up. Naturally, Liz and I went to McDonalds to kill some time. When we got back to the observatory, there was a large crowd gathered between the marrow plots and the observatory (the darkest spot). From what i heard, most of the people gathered were in a class together and got extra credit for going to the event. Liz and I waited in line for about 30 minutes to look through the telescopes, and took plenty of pictures to pass the time. When we got there, the moon was just entering its "fully eclipsed" phase, which then lasted an hour. The best part of the event was one man in particular (I'm assuming he was an astronomy professor) was yelling a countdown to tell us the exact moment the moon entered full eclipse. He had his watch timed perfectly, and was REALLY excited to let us all know this. He loudly counted down "THREE, TWO, ONE.. Ohhh my goddd look!!" and then it was weird because he made some strange sexual noises and grunts. He was obviously very pleased with himself. Anyway, looking through the telescope was a pretty cool experience. They made it easy to see the reddish copper color that was cast on the moon. For me, the coolest thing was seeing all the craters and terrain up close. It felt like i was looking through a microscope into a petri dish. I was hoping to see the beginning phases of the eclipse, because the crescent shaped light was still visible. After we spent some time on the telescopes, we left because it was pretty chilly. I really enjoyed this kind of hands on event, but it helped that it was a really cool natural phenomenon.
Deleteapril 15th // 7 pm // FILM: "Second Sight" // School of Metaphysics, 1009 E. Main, Urbana // ALEX
ReplyDeleteStart Date: Apr. 15, 2014
End Date: Apr. 15, 2014
Time: 7:00 PM
FILM SERIES for Dream Awareness Weekend at the School of Metaphysics, 1009 E. Main, Urbana All films and events are free and open to the public. Call 217-344-2270 for more info. "Second Sight" In THE SECOND LIFE , you meet Grace, a 7-year-old girl who is retreating into a dream world following the death of her beloved pet. You meet Matt, an average young man with an affinity for lucid dreaming, whose recurring nightmares about his car breaking down have him riding his bike everywhere. Then there is dream therapist Dr. Blair Rush, who has recorded 50,000 dreams – his own and other people‘s. Seventeen-year-old filmmaker Hezekiah Condron brings his unique vision to life with the help of the community at the College of Metaphysics in the Midwestern United States. Walk with Hezekiah and his friends into the dream world, guided by experts’ advice on children and dreaming Saturday, April 26, 7:30 PM "The 10 POWERS of Dreaming" at the Pottery Place 1808-C Round Barn Rd., Champaign Meet individuals throughout history who through their dreams, gained insight and wisdom that has influenced humanity, changed the course of history and in some cases the quality of your life. National Dream Hotline® This is our 26th year to open our phone lines and interpret dreams for the public. From Friday, April 25th at 6:00 pm till midnight Sunday April 27, call 217-344-2270 or come by our School (1009 E. Main) to get your dreams interpreted. Sweet Dreams!
the calendar says 1 am, but i think its supposed to be 1 pm?
ReplyDeleteapril 6th // Exhibit: "Sacred Symbols in Sequins: Vintage Haitian Vodou Flags // Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory, Urbana, IL // ALEX
Start Date: Apr. 06, 2014
End Date: Aug. 10, 2014
Time: 1:00 AM
For many Americans, the term Vodou brings up unfortunate, Hollywood-inspired imagery involving hexes and curses, but visitors to Sacred Symbols in Sequins will gain new insights to the beauty and sanctity of Haitian Vodou. This exhibit features 16 vintage Haitian Vodou flags (drapo Vodou) from a rarely seen private collection. Six sparkling Vodou libation bottles and eight portraits of contemporary Vodou practitioners by renowned photographer Phyllis Galembo provide a context for these dazzling sequin- and bead-encrusted ceremonial banners. For generations, skilled Haitian flag makers have formed remarkable mosaics of religious imagery by combining and juxtaposing symbols of Europe and the Americas with those brought from Africa centuries ago by captive slaves. Vodou societies (sosyete) generally possess at least two flags that represent both their congregation and the deities they worship. These flags are among the most sacred and expensive of ritual implements. They are magnificent works of art that offer compelling stories about the relationships between cultures. This exhibit is located at the Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory, Urbana, IL. Free admission. This exhibit is part of the University of Illinois International Week. See more about this week at http://international.illinois.edu/iw/index.html.
4/16 // 6pm // LINGUISTICS - Less Commonly Taught Languages Program Film Series: "The Songs of Sparrows" // FLB Lucy Ellis Lounge // Free // Cate
ReplyDeleteI don’t actually think they played “Twice a Stranger”. I marked my calendar Monday night and didn’t really think much about the event or the title of the documentary until now as I’m writing. In fact, I know that wasn’t what we watched because we definitely watched a movie and not a documentary. I’d tell you what it was... but the title was in Arabic, along with the rest of the movie.
I was pleasantly surprised to be completely honest. I was in a bit of a preoccupied mindset when arriving to the lecture hall and really wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to sit myself down and get myself into an educational focus... or at least focus enough to write a reflection.
The film was actually pretty intriguing and the audience was as well (you know how I love to judge the people around me...).
It started out with a man getting fired from an ostrich farm because one of the birds escapes. He was the worker that was supposed to be guarding the gate while the other workers pulled bags off of the birds’ heads. When he sees that the men are strangling the birds, he gets super upset and beings to yell at them and run to help. While he is helping, one bird slips out of the gate. He spends and entire day searching the dessert for the bird but it is nowhere to be found and he gets fired over this. For the entire movie you see references to the escaped ostrich and where its where abouts may be. This guy is totally obsessive over it. At the same time, the guys son is obsessing over these fish that are being sold. There are quite a few parallels between the man and his son, with an overall theme of money dictating your actions and having things slip through your fingers in the end but being okay and pushing forward.
I was anxious the entire time because shit just kept happening to this guy and I was feeling really bad for him… I just really wanted something to go his way. So every time something bad happened and I would cringe, yet the rest of the people watching the video would laugh. I really don’t think everyone in that room was fluent in Arabic because if I did, I would assume that the subtitles were not translating the humor. I don’t know, maybe I’m just a little more sensitive towards that kind of stuff or maybe they were just laughing because someone else did. I definitely did not respond in the same manner as most of the audience did in most cases.
Overall it was a pretty good little mystery movie that I hope to stumble across again in a couple years.
SOOO... "Twice a Stranger" is next week and I just happened to stumble into another event... Life is good.. and ironic. This week my mom walked into an event early too. ha.
April 19 // 12-5pm // HOLI 2014 - A Festival of Colors // The FAR soccer field lawns // ROSHNI
ReplyDeleteAsha for Education - UIUC Chapter, is proud to present:
***** HOLI 2014 - A Festival of Colors *****
The FAR soccer field lawns will see the biggest Holi celebrations in the Midwest on April 19th. The Holi celebrations last year saw more than 700 people participating in the event! We are expecting this number to go up to as high as 1000 this year, which means that it is going be a lot bigger and grander!
There is going to be a lot of colors, enthralling and exciting music, and delicious, yummy food!
So, quickly sign up for the event and buy your tickets soon!
*****************************************************
When: April 19th, 2014; between 12:00 noon and 5:00 pm
Where: FAR Soccer Field Lawns (Florida & Lincoln, Urbana)
______ Purchasing the tickets ______
Online Ticket Sales: http://www.ashanet.org/uiuc/events/holi14/holiPurchase.php
Physical Ticket Sales:
- Tickets will also be available for purchase at Annapoorna Stores shortly
______ Ticket Prices ______
Tickets bought on or before April 8th:
General Tickets: $10
Student Tickets: $8
Group of 20 or more people: $7 per person
Tickets bought on or after April 09th:
General Tickets: $12
Student Tickets: $10
Group of 20 or more people: $8 per person
Ticket prices at the gate on the day of the event:
$15
*****************************************************
What is Holi?
Holi is a really exciting Indian festival celebrating the liveliness of Spring. It is one of the most fun filled and enjoyable Indian festivals. The celebration of Holi using colors reflect and represent Spring's liveliness! Traditionally, people take these colors and try to color their friends before the friends manage to color them. A few minutes into the celebrations, everyone looks like a canvas of colors - hence the name "Festival of Colors".
I attended the Holi festival on campus for the first time. I have attended Holi festivals before, but never with my fellow peers. I was so happy I had the opportunity to go this year and experience such a magical day. I saw 2 year olds, parents, and students from different ethnic backgrounds and majors! Everyone was interacting with everyone. The dancing, music, food, and weather made it a perfect day.
DeleteAs cheesy as this may sound, I felt free and connected to all the students there. I really felt like I was living in the moment for once and I got to interact with other strangers without any sort of doubt. Everyone was kind, yet playful. This just amazed me because just with a little colored powder I felt everyone was so natural and behaving their true authentic selves. The liberating feeling made me go back to the time when I was a kid dancing freely at my uncle's wedding. I have never had the chance to truly experience life for what it is, but this experience truly changed me. My friends and I were reflecting on the experience and we finally felt that our campus was united and equal. It was such a different feeling, but something that alleviated any sort of stress or tension I was having during the week. The colored powder made everyone look the same with slight variations in the mixtures of colors and created safe space for authentic human connection.
I was also mesmerized by the different dance styles and energy people had throughout the day. People were throwing, stuffing, spraying and smearing powder all over one another. At one moment everyone threw the powder in the air at once, which created a rainbow fog above our heads. It felt surreal.
April 14 // 7-9pm // Hot Topics | Women of Faith Speak on Dating and Relationships // Women's Resources Center // PUJA
ReplyDelete
DeleteThis week I attended a panel discussion about religion and how it affects women’s personal lives. I actually found out about the event because two of the panelists were my roommates. They were representing Sikhism; the other three faiths included Latter-Day Saints (Mormonism), Judaism, and Unitarian Universalism (UUism). It was interesting to hear the different responses to each question, and I realized that I didn’t know much about the majority of the religions present.
Of the four faiths, it seemed as if Mormonism was the most specifically defined and structured. Ironically, the woman representing (Ashlee) it was sitting next to the representative of UUism, which seems the most liberal and loosely defined. She also seemed to be the oldest in the group, as she was a mother. As I listened to Ashlee speak, I could somewhat understand why she loved her faith. In Mormonism, they believe that when a man and woman get married, it’s a “forever” sort of deal. (Obviously this becomes problematic for anyone who is not heterosexual..) There is also emphasis placed on spending time with family. For instance, Ashlee said Mondays are usually designated for “Family Night.” As great as some of these aspects seemed, it also made me think that someone could believe these things without the influence of religion.
To me, it seemed as if Ashlee was the ideal representative of the Mormon faith. She had just given birth a few months ago to her second or third child, yet somehow still looked like she had all of her stuff together. She was like an earth mother character in a novel, kind of radiant. Yet some of the discussions made me think about those who don’t fit in as easily—not that I should assume her life is “perfect” by any means. However, what about those who don’t have time to attend church for 3 hours on Sunday because they’re working extra shifts? What happens when you don’t agree with every tenet of your faith? Are you somehow less than the others then?
April 17 // 7pm // Spamalot // Parkland // SEANO
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Part I
DeleteBack in the theater this week for Parkland’s opening night of Spamalot. I love the Monty Python group body of work. They engineered a style of comedy that still holds a deep influence in British comedy and contemporary comedy in general, as well as what I personally find to be instinctively effective comedy. After some research I’ve learned that Spamalot was quite a bit displaced from The Holy Grail. Spamalot was created by Eric Idle, one of the original members of the group 30 years after its inspiration. It was made to the reluctance of the other founding Pythons, I believe largely to the failure of their first film, which was a low-budget recreation of several Flying Circus sketches. That film (titled ironically and fittingly And Now For Something Completely Different) failed in North American under the presumption that the material was not fresh. This concern with “recycled material” also led John Cleese to leave the group right around the time Holy Grail came out. I read an interesting quote from Eric Idle about John Cleese, “He gets bored more easily than the rest of us. He's a difficult man, not easy to be friendly with. He's so funny because he never wanted to be liked. That gives him a certain fascinating, arrogant freedom." First off, I admire the commitment to being original and fresh, especially in comedy but also in art in general. It is kind of the whole point. It’s a writer or artist’s job in way to show people or prod people to look at or think about an idea from a new perspective and therefore ignite a fresh, new understanding of the subject matter. In comedy, I believe there’s an interesting division in that understanding between the surface laugh (in this case Monty Python’s sight gags, innuendo and general absurdity) and the more observational moments which often lack “punchlines” altogether. For example, the “burn the witch” scene is successfully comedic on two levels; the illogical fooling between the peasants and Sir Bedevere is that surface funny as we laugh at the foolishness and gullibility of the savage riot, but the subtext of this moment gives a perspective on crowd psychology and manipulation of a government on its people. It’s funny because it’s true.
Part II
DeleteThis was an avant-garde style of comedy that threw out the predeceasing rules of television and film. The Pythons were visionary and in a word I would say “punk rock”. They were of the DIY mentality and expressed it literally as their brand. With any sketch comedy group you’ll notice that obviously, the members of the group play all the parts. The Pythons took it further in Holy Grail, where as you’ll notice in the film most of them play several parts, often in the same scene as other characters played by themselves. A more obvious example is the use of empty coconut shells as blunt stand ins for actual horses. This is perhaps the most iconic aspect of both the film and the musical. Trained horses are both expensive and unpredictable (in the bad sort of way) and making these royal English characters looks completely ridiculous at all times during the performance is a double-whammy. It fuels the satire while holding the foundation of the show up with a consistent laugh. Genius. Anyways, I’m getting a little carried away with the film and their vision but I do want to get back to the importance of Spamalot as a musical production.
The film has several musical numbers and as a sketch group who relies often on song and dance, you would expect this group to eventually churn out a musical. As I said, the original members were reluctant and unsure of the success of this adaptation, but Idle had a very specific understanding of this film that aligned with what he was good at (lyrics). The Holy Grail is strange and interesting because it sort of completely ignores the audience and operates not for it, but alongside it. But at the same time, the 4th wall is broken a number of times and the characters often reference themselves and what they’re singing from the perspective of the audience (“The Song That Goes Like This, Whatever Happened To My Part? To name a few) which directly engages the audience once again. I think this fresh style of comedy in film is what makes The Holy Grail a cult-classic and highly influential, but the physical (in)accessibility of film prohibits The Holy Grail from fully tapping the potential that Spamalot unlocks. Parkland’s particular production had many silly interactions between the pit orchestra (which is smack in the middle and open in the stage) as well as the audience. The way that Spamalot makes fun of itself and doesn’t take itself too seriously is what makes it fun and light. That, on top of the hilarious and beautiful music makes it an obvious choice for a musical adaptation. My final thought on the Parkland production is that the singing sways the success or failure of a musical. In some cases before, I have found the singing in Parkland musicals to be sub-par and actually bad, inherently making the performance respectively sub-par and unbearable to sit through. The players in Spamalot were excellent though. Many of the songs feature barbershop-esque harmonies and goofy dance numbers in both the film and musical. I love a good harmony. It sends chills down my spine. I got lots of laughs and chills from Spamalot. Mostly, I was just happy to finally see it live. I recommend anyone to go see it this month. I am posting this kind of late so I will send you my edited photos Monday afternoon if its alright.