Delusional era

The past few weeks have been super crazy, I guess to put it lightly. I’ve been anticipating seasonal depression but I didn’t know it was going to hit this hard. The funny thing is though, as soon as I move on with one thing that may have been bringing me down, it’s like I turn the corner and it’s the next obstacle. Now, I don’t know if I’m just viewing things this way because of the looming seasonal depression, but ever since October came and then went and the cold fronts hit it feels like Things have taken a turn. I wouldn’t say that my life has taken a turn for the worse, but it has definitely put me through a lot of nonstop trials.

I feel like I could List all everything that has gone wrong over the past two months or a month and some change, but I feel like even explaining everything would just bring that past negativity to life again in some way. It just feels better to act like everything is going well and then maybe in time, it will be. It works for about 3 days at a time. The best and the most disruptive example, I have is when I was finally getting over a two-week period of major stressing with, essay on top of essay due back to back and me being sick all week on top of that. When I had gotten sick for a week, I had virtually no money for food and or cough medicine to help with my symptoms, but as soon as Friday hit so did my paycheck and things started looking up I actually started getting over my symptoms by then, for the most part, I can breathe again and I had ordered groceries for the next few weeks. Then the next obstacle arrived. That evening, on my way back from getting the groceries, I previously ordered, I was in a crash and my front bumper was peeled from my car. After that week/weekend, a stream of misfortune followed. Mainly to do with the fact of lacking transportation and that being more important to my day-to-day life than I realized.

Now, presently, still dealing with accident claims, the fast approaching final projects and exams, and never failing seasonal depression, I am now in my “delusional”/ fake it till you make era with regulating how I feel and present myself when it comes to emotions. What I mean by this is that I’m choosing to embrace positivity and look forward to the good coming into my life and just trust that I know how to properly handle the obstacles. So I guess in a way what I’m doing could be viewed as ignoring the issue. When I say that a lot of memes come to mind of something’s burning down and the person who owns it ignoring it or just watching it burn, but for me at the moment I view it as compartmentalizing.

Just a week or two ago I was having the worst stress/anxiety episodes. I never wanted to be pushed to the point of sleepless nights and headaches again so I just started slowly addressing the bad in increments I guess you could say. Moreover though I would embrace whatever positive events that were happening or were coming up for the foremost. I remember the day after my accident I had a bad performance that I have been looking forward to four weeks at that point I was on the phone with my friend and we were talking about if I was going to go anymore or not or if I was just gonna focus on what had just happened with my car. Well yes what had just happened was very important to get to I knew I couldn’t do anything that night or even the next day to solve the issue. I also knew that it would be good for me to not miss out on this opportunity to perform with my team one last time before the season ended. if I had missed this opportunity, due to the fact that I chose to stay home and dwell on the accident I probably would’ve felt worse overall. At this moment I can say that I’m doing pretty alright,and I believe it’s because I have been compartmentalizing. Another possibility I have considered on why I’m not as stressed as I feel I should be with all of this mishaps arising lately is that I have become desensitized to the negativity and I don’t know if that’s a bad thing. If I “can’t feel the negative effects” of things going wrong then it makes it easier to settle down bravely and figure out how to make them right more efficiently. So in The long drive I guess Im just finally realizing how to regulate my emotions like a typical adult or close to one anyway.

November 11, 2022November 15, 2022

Preparing for 3 Hours at Road America

iRacing is hosting the IMSA Endurance Series at Road America this week. This race is a three hour race multi-class race that requires at least 2 drivers per car, myself and my friend Jason will be racing in this series on Sunday morning. We will be driving in the Dallara P217 car, also known as an LMP2 car (Le Mans Prototype). This car is basically like a formula two car but with a closed cockpit. It’s very fast, and you need to be hard on the breaks for the thing to stop. This series runs the McLaren MP4 GT3, Audi R8 LMS GT3, BMW M4 GT3, Lamborghini Huracan GT3, Porsche 911 GT3, Mercedes AMG GT3, and the Dallara P217.

This will be my third endurance race, I’ve done a six hour race at Spa-Francorchamps, and a 3 hour race at Le Mans. However, this will be my first time driving the LMP2 in an endurance race. I’ve ran the LMP2 series the last couple weeks, which runs a 45 minute race, and have gotten a good feel for the handling of the car. Road America is a track that is very fun to drive and has a good combination of high speed and low speed corners, with plenty of elevation change.

Getting ready for an endurance race is tricky. Luckily, this race is ran with a fixed setup, meaning no one can make any mechanical changes to the car. Besides how much fuel you want to run. My friend Jason and I have been doing a lot of testing to determine our race pace, pit stop strategy, fuel management, and when the tires start to wear out that it ends up costing lap time. The plan is to start off with a full tank, which will last about 16 laps. Which should be about 20 minutes into the race. Since I have a little bit more pace than my friend Jason, I will be starting us off on Sunday, pushing as hard as I can until the first pit stop, and make the driver switch after the second pit stop. I should be able to get the first 45 minutes of the race rolling.

See the source image

Jason will then drive an hour and a half stint, managing the fuel more conservative than I would be on the first stint to last a bit longer on track. He should be doing 2 pit stops for refueling and new tires before I hop back on to finish off the race.

Because this is a multi-class race, the LMP2 cars are about 20 seconds quicker than the GT3 cars that are also on track. One of the hardest parts about these races is getting by lapped cars. Slower cars that are being lapped are supposed to hold their line and let the faster car go around them. However, because this is iRacing, and not everyone is too smart, after a couple of practice sessions I’ve ran into some troubles with unpredictable driving and slower cars trying to move off their line as I’m trying to go around them, which is dangerous and can cause a big crash and ruin not only mine, but their race as well. Here’s an onboard lap in the LMP2 around Road America.

iRacing has a penalty system, during this endurance race, we can’t go over 100x, if so, we’d get disqualified. Going over track limits is a 1x, a loss of control is a 2x, contact with damage is a 4x. The best way to go about this is being patient and making calculated moves.

The beginning of the race is always nerve racking and the goal is to survive the first 2-3 laps. There’s always going to be someone making a dumb mistake and going a little too hard on the first lap. Drivers always need to remember not to push too hard the first couple of laps, since the tires and breaks are not up to temperature yet, making the car more difficult to stop, and giving you less grip since the tires are still cold and slide all over the place. With sim racing, always let the people ahead of you crash into each other, and try to stay clean and out of the mess.

The goal is to simply finish the race and stay out of trouble. If we manage to not go off track, spin, or make contact. We should be looking at a top half finish. The race pace is good and we’ve put in many hours of practice for this event. The day of the race, I will wake up early, stretch, get my water ready, do a couple of practice laps before the race session registration begins and make sure my internet cable is connected so I don’t get kicked out mid-race. And of course, I will make sure to finish my homework ahead of time, so I can hopefully celebrate a good result in the afternoon.

You can check out the highlights of the real deal here.

November 11, 2022December 1, 2022

My Favorite WWE Memorabilia

WWE has made merchandise since its creation in the 80s. Action figures, clothes, replica titles, and at one point even food “JR’s beef jerky.” Over the years I have bought numerous purchases from the WWE, but I want to show my top 5 items I have gotten from the WWE. I will showcase my favorite items while also talking about some personal stories I have connected with them. I will also talk about how some of the pieces of memorabilia are connected to great moments in WWE history. Many of them are from WWE’s biggest event of the year WrestleMania. Think of it as the Superbowl of professional wrestling.

5: SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006 is considered to be one of the best WWE games ever made. It had features that the previous games did not have, and the fan-favorite game mode called “General Manager mode” where the player gets to run a WWE brand and see how well they do. You can catch current WWE Superstars play this on YouTube. It is hosted on WWE’s gaming channel UpUpDownDown. SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006 also influenced the most recent WWE game WWE 2k22. They brought back the popular GM Mode which was used for the marketing of the game. Personally, my favorite part of the 2006 game was the season mode. Pretty much every male WWE Superstar on the roster voice acted in a special story that made it seem very personal and that the player was the wrestler. I remember playing as John Cena a lot when I was younger. I also appreciate how it was a story that was not reused. They were all unique to this game. I know the roster for this game expands every year but having a Season mode or bringing back the road to WrestleMania again would be very interesting to me.

4: WrestleMania 34 was the second WrestleMania I attended. What made that one special was the list of inductees who made it in the WWE Hall of Fame. The headliner was no other than the legend Goldberg. Also on the list was a Texas legend, Mark Henry. I bought the program which showed all the Hall of Famers looking their best. That was a pretty good WrestleMania. I think the highlight of the night for me was Ronda Rousey having her first match.

3: When it comes to professional wrestling, there is one man in everyone’s top 5. It is the Nature Boy, Ric Flair. And of course, WWE had to make a mask with his face and slogan on it when a pandemic happened. The mask itself is flimsy and not the best for fighting Covid-19 however, it makes you look “stylin’ and profilin’.” I believe I have lost the mask recently. It was great for the aesthetic.

2: I first saw this Seth Rollins tank top on Instagram and knew I needed it immediately. When I got it not only was it as nice as I saw it on Instagram, but it was also more comfortable than I realized. Most WWE shirts are pretty rough and not comfortable to be in. However, WWE does tend to get outside companies sometimes to make some products and they tend to be of better quality. Such as this “Seth Freakin’ Rollins” shirt. I will definitely be wearing it again next summer. The fabric is nice, and I think it looks nice.

1: WrestleMania 32 was the first one I attended, and it is also my favorite. I was with around 100,000 people and it was exhilarating. It was an amazing night from the first match to the last and I will never forget that feeling. I bought the official program which has every wrestler in it, and I was amazed by its quality. It is my favorite WWE product. The thing about this WrestleMania that had it stand out was the Women’s Match on the card. Before you walk into the Stadium, they had three women front and center. Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Sasha Banks. This match could have easily become the main event. Looking back at it, the match was better and more memorable than everything else on the card. I remember being in the stadium and watching WWE Hall of Famer Lita introduce the new title they had. They were getting rid of the butterfly WWE Diva Belt and introducing the WWE Women’s Championship. It was designed beautifully. It looked like a nice symmetric belt that rivaled the Men’s WWE World Heavyweight Championship. I think having the Belt be mostly white really showcased how pristine and historic the championship is. I know some people loved the WWE Divas Championship and some people hated it. It was very divisive and still a controversial thing to talk about today. I personally like the new one better but wish WWE treated women in the Divas Era better.

November 11, 2022

Fate of the Future, Chapter 2

A girl stares out onto the opean ocean from a primative raft.

I awake sometime after light breaks and put on the fresh jumpsuit with my number on the back and perform my daily routine of changing appearance. Then, I head down to the cafeteria to eat breakfast. ‘The poor women and men who show great aptitude for nothing but cooking are sent here’, as my father put it. The way I see it, they are just as necessary as the scientists, farmers and janitors are to the entirety of our ecosystem.

If I were to become anything less than head scientist of any division’s labs, father would do just as he threatened. But I know the job he truly has in mind, his own. Quite possibly, he could also be thinking about vetoing and hacking my results to keep me right where he wants me. He most likely would want to keep his position.

“Greetings, 156322.” The woman at the counter greets me warmly with a large smile. She passes me a tray of my favorite breakfast foods. I give her a warm smile back, though it felt strange on my face, “Thank you very much, 156298.” I sit down at a table and eat alone, mostly because everyone had eaten and gone to work already.

I arrive at my testing room two minutes late, purposefully. The test instructor looked slightly angry until I opened the door, then his face broke into a grin. I retain my stiff posture and sit at the lone chair and desk pair in the big white room. The instructor laid down a tablet with a stylus and attempted to leave the room in a hurry.

“Stop.” I said with a commanding, yet calm, voice. The man, whose posture and facial expression gave away how cowardly and gullible he was, stopped. “Don’t allow my father to tamper with my results before allowing me to see them. In fact, I suggest you get an instructor with a spine to fill-in. Say you are ill, or some other excuse. I want someone who will not cave easily, if at all. If you can, which is most certainly possible, give him the same instructions.”

He nodded, then left. I begin the test and find it to have the strangest questions. It asks nothing of what I have learned over the seemingly endless schooling I endured. Instead, it asks my opinions and my solution to various problems. There were a total of 100 questions, which is very low in comparison to other tests I have taken. It sends me to a final screen where I could go over my results. I scan the screen with my eyes as I thought of any questions I was unsure of and notice something. A single pixel, maybe a small cluster of four, in the bottom right hand corner are the wrong color. The bottom bar is black, but this cluster is white.

“Has this already been tampered with?” I whisper to myself. I tap the cluster with my stylus and it changes back to the appropriate color. “I wonder…” I tap it again and it turned gray. Again, and it turned the most magnificent shade of ruby red. I tried dragging the pixels to the center of the screen and the entire screen began changing colors from gradient to gradient, reds to yellows, so on and so forth. I studied it, “A wonderful calming technique after a rather anti-climactic test.” I press the confirm button and the tablet shuts down.

I stood and was greeted by my father and a new instructor. “Well done, well done,” my father said in a rather facetious tone, “now… your results.” He raises his hand and one of the white panels turned into a screen with calculating numbers and load screen ellipses. All black and white.

Finally my results popped up, and all three of us are hit with a wave of genuine shock. The caption read, Jack of All Trades, and the subtext told, 156322 can choose to be or do anything at any time. They are so well rounded that they would do well anywhere. Anything from Head of the Facility to a humble Janitor.

“This has never happened before…” The new instructor says, puzzled, looking through his personal device.

“Girl!” My father yells, making me jump, “What did you do?!”

“I took the test, I don’t know what else happened, father.” I try to maintain my composure, but my voice is slightly cracking.

“Go back to your quarters. Now!” He didn’t have to tell me twice. I rush out of the room, but not before he could smack me on the back of the head so hard that his hand whistled through the air. I felt my blood burn me from the inside. My face felt hot and I kept my eyes closed as I walked to my room. I don’t need to see where I am going, I know this place too well.

I close and lock my door, flopping on my bed. I knew I would depressed no matter the outcome, but I didn’t envision this to be the reason why. I calm down about fifteen minutes later, as I checked my clock. I go to grab my sketchbook and look through the pictures only to find a box on top of it.

I slowly open the medium sized box to find another tablet. It reads, You aren’t finished yet, please cheer up. I pick up the tablet, tapping the screen. Greetings, sorry about all the trouble, I hope you can forgive us soon…

“What? The test isn’t over?” I say, rather puzzled. But that, at the same time made sense.

In a matter of speaking, you are correct. The test is still going, if you are interested. The text scrolled onto the screen, one letter at a time. You see, in the box are some clothes that we hope you like. I peer into the box and see dark clothing.

I pick up the outfit. The shirt was a dark red tank top accompanied by black slacks. I remove my makeup and wig, securing my rather long hair in a side ponytail that caused it to tumble down my chest to my stomach.

The shirt felt more like a drape due to how loose it was, but the black slacks were rather form-fitting without me being suffocated. To say that I liked the outfit would be a severe understatement.

Alright, now outside the window, there will be a boat. Pack what is precious to you and climb down there. You’re being freed.

“Impossible, the window won’t open.” I reply, puzzled. I begin packing anyway, everything being put in a black bookbag I had used to carry school materials. Among other things, this included the blanket my mother made me, my laptop, and some of my favorite books, I even grabbed my workout bar that I would do pull ups on. But the last thing I grabbed was my photo album. I stared at it before shoving it in as well.

Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m not from inside the facility, I already cut open the window. Just push it out of the way. I push it open, then look down to see a boat. It was several stories below me, but there was a ladder leading down to it. “Hold on, why is this happening? How do I know this isn’t a trick?” I ask, even though my gut was telling me everything would be fine. My gut reaction is right a lot of the time.

We don’t have time for that now! I promise I’ll explain it once we meet in person. My options are rather limited as it is. Stay here and be subjected to who knows what by my father, or see what the stranger wants from me. Putting it that way made it obvious.

I climbed down and into the boat only slipping once or twice. I yanked on the ladder rather roughly a couple times and it came down. Now just sit tight, we’ll reel you in!

The small wooden boat lurched forward as though it was being pulled by a cord. I looked back at the place I once lived in. Then, I realized how ridiculous I was being. I can’t just leave, this is probably another part of a test to see if I would betray my facility.

Probably some sort of… mental test. They are in my head, watching with disappointed faces. After a while, the facility faded away and all that was left was mostly calm water. I took in the smells of salt and seaweed, looking at algae growing on the surface, spotting the blue landscape with green.

November 11, 2022November 17, 2022

Game of Thrones: A cultural icon for a reason

Game Of Thrones - Wallpaper | Game of throne actors, Got characters, Game of thrones facts

Over the past few months, I’ve been watching a show called Game of Thrones. For those of you who don’t know, Game of Thrones is a show based on the book series, “A Song of Ice and Fire”, written by George R.R. Martin. It’s a medieval fantasy epic that follows several powerful families in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, showing kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars, and honest men, all fighting for their spot on the iron thrown. Game of Thrones was released in 2011 and ran for 8 seasons, and since then it’s been a cultural icon of television, becoming immensely popular. If you haven’t seen it you’ve at least heard of the name. I didn’t know much about the Game of Thornes series before watching it, however, after six seasons I completely understand the hype of the show, and can say that its one of my favorite shows I’ve seen, and I wanted to take some time to express my love for the show in hopes of getting some of yall to check it out.

The Worldbuilding

The Game of Thrones universe is packed with so much detail and history, it feels so lived in, it’s crazy to think it came from one man’s mind. The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros is such a large place, and with each season you learn more and more about the culture and rules of the land. Characters will bring up small things about a region or house, almost seamlessly having you learn about the world until they use that information for something else later on, and since you already heard about it you understand what’s happening.

Amazon.com: Game of Thrones Map of Westeros and Essos TV Show Cool Wall Decor Art Print Poster 36x24: Prints: Wall Art I know the map may seem overwhelming, but I assure you the show takes its time in developing its world, slowly immersing you into The Seven Kingdoms and the world of Game of Thrones, with amazing world-building.

The Characters

Not only is the world of Game of Thrones so interesting, but the characters that live in this world and the conflicts they endure are so captivating as well. Game of Thrones has such a large and diverse cast of characters, it’s hard to even say who the main character is since the show spends its time with so many different characters and their stories. As I said, the show follows kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars, and honest men, all trying to either survive the harsh world of Westeros or try to become rulers with the game of thrones. A large part of the show is following the great houses of Westeros and their families, including the Targarians, the Starks, the Lannisters, and many others. With such a large and detailed world, I love how the show follows characters from every profession and lifestyle, all contributing to the greater story, even if in the beginning they don’t seem very important.

Game of Thrones: 15 Things You Didn't Know About House Stark

Characters from completely different storylines from season 1, come together to fight in season 6, and it makes to take a step back and realize how much has happened in order to get these characters to interact. Also, Game of Thrones doesn’t shy from killing off its main characters. Even in season 1, characters you think will play a huge part in the story die. This keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat, knowing that none of their favorite characters are safe from being taken out of the show. These major deaths also take a toll on all the other characters, making for some amazing character d development as you see how each person deals with it.

The Season Finale

For me, a show is only as good as its finale, a great finale that wraps the whole season or shows together can make a good show amazing, while a bad finale that drops the ball on its conclusion can ruin an entire show’s reputation. I’m happy to say that every season finale of Game of Thrones is very satisfying. Game of Thrones in general is a slow burn of a show. Not every episode is going to be as action-packed and exciting as the others. However, it never fails to deliver an amazing payoff in its finale, finalizing and plot-twisting storylines that have been building up for the whole season, sometimes even stories that have been building up for two or three seasons. These make for some excellent episodes of television.

Heavy Is the Crown for Dean-Charles Chapman's Tommen — Making Game of Thrones

The Battle of Blackwater, The Red Wedding, and Tyrion Lannister’s trial are all events that take place in the finales of each season. The season 6 two-part finale, “The Battle of the Bastards” and “The Winds of Winter” are some of the best episodes of any show I’ve seen. The finales shock and captivate viewers that have been following the show for the whole season, and leave the show in a place where the viewer is dying to know what happens in the next season.

I’ve really enjoyed my time watching Game of Thrones, that being said there’s a reason I haven’t finished the entire series. The show follows the books they’re based on a pretty spot. However, after the sixth season, the rest of the books in the series weren’t finished written. So, for the seventh and eighth seasons, the showrunners decided to take the story into their own hands and write the ending of the show with the help of George R.R. Martin. Without the book to base the show on, seasons 7 and 8 are very poor in their quality, and the consensus among fans is that it feels very rushed, and is considered the worst two seasons of the show. As I said I believe that the finale of a show can make or break the show in its entirety, so to know that the last two seasons miss the mark and that I’ve seen the best the show has to offer is very sad to hear. However, I’m set on finishing the show and developing my own opinion of the finale. Perhaps if I have enough to say about then I can write my next blog post about them. Until then I appreciate you taking the time to let me rant about this amazing show.

November 11, 2022

What’s it like to be a queer person of color?

Per my last post, I discussed being a queer person of color in the LGBTQ+ community.

Now, I asked fellow members what it’s like being a person of color in the LGBTQ+ community. These amazing people filled out a Google form for their answers to some questions. Here are some of their answers.

Introducing:

Hock, 24, identifies as non-binary and bisexual, and uses they/she/he pronouns. Hock is white, Black, and Korean, and from Austin.

Michelle, 31, identifies as a cisgender Tex-Mexican, MoC [Masculine of Center] Lesbian woman. She uses she/her/ella pronouns. Michelle was born in Mexico City, raised in North Dallas, and now lives in Austin.

Cody, 30, uses the pronouns he/him/his. He was born and raised in Texas and has lived in multiple cities within the state.

Qasim, 30, identifies as a pansexual Palestinian, and uses they/them pronouns. They are originally from Amman, Jordan, and now live in Austin.

Michael-Lee, 27, identifies as pansexual Hispanic, and uses the pronouns he/they.

Share a little about yourself.

Hock: I have two dogs and a cat, am single, and working at a cafe.

Michelle: I’m a registered nurse at a non-profit outpatient sexual health and wellness clinic. I’m married to my beautiful wife Cassidy who I met in nursing school and we’ve been together about 5 years now. We own a dog named Zori after a lesbian’s mom on the show The Real L Word because they both have blonde hair. I love listening to music, I can do it for hours at a time. I love to shuffle through genres, explore music from other countries, and watch music videos and artist interviews on youtube. I grew up in a one child household with my mom but I am technically a middle child. My dad had 3 daughters, one White, one Mexican, and one Chinese. I talk to both of my sisters occasionally, but I am closest to my younger sister who is 16. My parents moved to the US when I was about 4 years old and they divorced when I was 5. I grew up in North Dallas with my Mom who is Mexican. My dad is White. My mom speaks English and we primarily talk in English. I speak fluent like 8th grade Spanish but English is easier for me.

Cody: I’m engaged, but basically married. My partner and I have been together for 9 years and we have 2 cats (Janos and Maeve).

Qasim: single. petless. a tester at a walk in sti testing clinic. took up running recently, and am spending more time at home than before. i don’t make enough money at work to cultivate a rich social life.

Michael-Lee: I have a monogamous relationship with a partner of 6 months who uses the pronouns, he/they, and identifies as bisexual. I have one cat who I’ve had for almost 2 years, named Korra. I live in a 2 bedroom apartment with my brother, who is 2 years younger than me, who is currently in flight school. I currently am a supervisor at a local non-profit STI clinic. I work with outreach and the walk-in clinic that does free HIV/STI testing and treatment. I graduated from UTSA in 2017 and began working in the field in 2018, I love it!

At what age did you come out? How was growing up from then for you?

Hock: I started questioning my gender identity before I questioned my sexuality, but used the term bisexual before I used the term nonbinary. I was 21 when I came out as bisexual, and a few months after that I came out as nonbinary. It’s been wild coming to terms with these identities, as the closet door was pretty thick. Growing up, my family and extended family was pretty homophobic, and I internalized that homophobia and any queer thoughts as just my mind being weak. After I distanced myself from family, I dealt with more and more internalized homophobia, and while that battle isn’t completely over, I’m the most at peace with myself I’ve ever been.

Michelle: I think I came out sophomore year of college, around 2012. It’s all a blurr. Growing up from then has been painful but ultimately things got better.

Cody: I came out the night before I went to college. I grew up in a very conservative Catholic household. My parents were out late at a dinner party that night with some friends and they got home late that night. I remember telling myself “If they kick me out, I’ll just get a few hours of a head start for college in the morning.” My friend Michael, who was the only other gay person I knew at the time, and the only person who knew about me, came and waited in the alley outside my backyard just in case things went sour. I sat them down at the dining room table and remember pacing back and forth telling myself to just spit it out, so I did. My mom was pretty quick to respond saying that I couldn’t be gay because of what the people at church would say, but my dad just looked me dead in the eye and said, “Well, you’re still my son and I still love you.” My mom went off asking questions for a bit, questions I couldn’t answer at the time because I didn’t know much of anything. I just didn’t want to live a lie anymore…a few minutes later my little sister came out of her room (she had been eavesdropping the whole time) and was just really excited that we could talk about boys together now. For the first two years of me being “out” was only to my immediate family because my mom didn’t want anyone else to know back home, but I began living as my authentic self at college with anyone new that I met. My mom eventually came around too.

Qasim: was always out but not at home, at least not officially. i came out to my family about both my sexuality and gender identity at the same time and it didn’t go well. i’ve done a lot of growth since and looking forward to more of it.

Michael-Lee: I came out in 2011 when I was 16. I met my first boyfriend who was also 16. We fell deeply in love and decided we didn’t want to hide our relationship so we came out together. I received positive responses from both my family and friends. Life was much better for me after I came out. I never really faced any hard homophobia besides the occasional shouted slur from straight men while being out with my friends. For many years I struggled with fully accepting my feminity and facing my internalized toxic masculinity but moving to Austin in 2020 and meeting the friends I did truly changed that. I finally feel the happiest I have ever felt in my life and I’m so grateful to have the family and friends that I do have.

What do you love about being a POC in the queer community?

Michelle: I feel like the queer community is more empathetic and caring towards people of color, like towards Mexicans, than non-queer people are. I feel like being in the queer community can feel safer and a place to find comfort and compassion when talking about struggles or racism of POC experience compared to many non-queer spaces. I also love being a POC in the queer community to relate to other POCs in the queer community, I love being able to talk about my experiences and life in two languages.

Cody: I love the diversity that we bring to the table. All different ethnicities and cultures and sharing in that, without feeling ashamed of where we come from.

Michael-Lee: I love the sense of community between us. We can all share related experiences and kiki and slay together. I have many POC friends from all different backgrounds, Latino, Black, Korean, Vietnamese, Pakistani, Indian, you name it. It’s so nice to be able to share such different cultures and still be able to relate in the identity of being queer. I honestly have hardly any white friends, I find it hard to relate to them. Possibly I hold grudges for the way many white queer people treated me when I first came onto the gay scene, most likely from how brown my skin is.

What do you wish was different?

Hock: I wish that white gays would stop being so racist and hateful to people they aren’t attracted to. Even when they are attracted, I’ve heard some not-so-great fetishistic stuff from white gay people.

Michelle: A couple things I wish was different about the queer community in general is 1) I’ve heard men on Grindr and other dating apps are outwardly racist and transphobic, and its common for people to say hurtful things when describing what they want and don’t want to match with. I wish that was different. 2) (and this may be my own insecurity about being masc) but I feel like gay men are not often friends with masc or butch women. I feel like gay men are better friends with femme people including femme lesbians and I wish that was different. Something else I do wish was different just in general was that I wish people outside the queer community could see how much variation and difference there is between all people within the queer community, including race/ethnicity. I wish people did not stereotype so much and that the queer community’s humanity and individualism was understood more.

Cody: I wish there was less hate within the community. We’re a marginalized group as it is – we don’t need to be fighting against each other.

Qasim: so much. most, i wish we healed together as community more often, at larger scales, louder conversations.

Do you think you’ve had a different experience as a POC than a non-POC in the queer community? Why or why not?

Hock: Yes, absolutely. I’ve had to figure out how to translate my coming out message to my Korean Harmony [Konglish for grandmother], and dealt with so many language and cultural barriers in that process. That is simply not the same experience for white gays who come out. Also, dealing with fetishization and desirability politics in the alphabet mafia can make me feel like a piece of meat sometimes, or at other points like I don’t belong.

Michael-Lee: I definitely believe so. Because while having to deal with the discrimination and prejudice for being queer, you also have added discriminations and prejudices that come with being POC. The POC and non-POC queer community experience is completely different.

Have you ever been discriminated against as a POC in the community? How?

Hock: Yes, fetishistic things have been said about my eye shape (as a mixed Korean), amongst some other unsavory experiences.

Cody: Being called a beaner or wetback on Grindr [a gay dating app] when someone asks you if you speak Spanish, fun times. There’s plenty of other things, but you get the gist, right?

Michael-Lee: Plenty of micro-aggressions. Being followed around in stores. When I was 18 and officially out and fresh on the scene, I had a best friend originally born in Spain, who was completely white passing, being a twink with blonde hair, blue eyes. I was also twinky but very much brown latino, dark hair and eyes. It was very obvious the difference we received from the community, especially when I would visit him in Austin and we’d go out together. They’d ask him to preform in the “strip off” at Rain but wouldn’t even take a glance at me. White gays would come up and talk to him and completely ignore me or be passive aggressive towards me when I’d attempt to engage with them too.

How is your support system? (family, friends, peers, etc.)

Hock: My friends are amazing, and I love them all so much. A decent number of my friends in DC and NYC are queer, and it was very nice to find a community of people with similar experiences. While my Austin friend group is filled with more straight and cisgender people, they also hold me down better than any community I’ve built elsewhere.

Michelle: Great support system. My mom and my wife are my rock. I also have best friends and close cousins I can count on for support.

Cody: Honestly there are some great people in my life that I feel I can go to anytime I’m dealing with something rough. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows, but I just try to take things one day at a time.

Qasim: not really, i don’t go out to places where i interact with that many people.

Michael-Lee: My family, friends, and peers are amazing. I have always received unconditional love and support from them, immediately after I came out.

Do you have any POC queer icons that inspire you (famous or not)?

Hock: Yes, Taimak/Bruce Leroy from The Last Dragon. The man is not queer, but he was my first queer crush (back when the closet doors were shut and thick as hell). It was wild to see a Blasian-ish man on screen that dealt with so many gender identity issues, and while the film is heteronormative, a lot of the problems I dealt with as a youth were summed up in that movie.

Michelle: Zaya Wade, Kehlani, Frida Kahlo, Ryan Russell, my friends Joe and Ryan, Dawer X Damper, Snow the Product, Marsha P Johson and Sylvia Rivera, James Baldwin.

Cody: Hayley Kiyoko and I know I’ll probably get “canceled” for this answer, but Demi Lovato too. As far as someone non-famous I’d have to say my co-worker Eric is a queer icon. You can tell when you meet him that he just lives his life so authentically and unapologetically. He is genuinely kind and can brighten anyone’s day.

Qasim: she was a dancer at the kitkat bar in downtown amman.

Michael-Lee: Many many that work in the HIV/STI field. Many of the new transgender actresses on the scene, Laverne Cox, Michaela Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, Angelica Ross. Omar Apollo being one of the first Latino queer artists for the current youth generation.

What would you say to other LGBTQ+ POC (especially youths) that are having a difficult time fitting in the community?

Hock: I’d just say find your community. You’re not gonna fit into THE community, because it’s a myth that there is one overarching LGBTQ community. There’s not even an ove arching QPoC community, so why try to fit in when you just might not have found your community? Maybe you even need to build that community for yourself. Everyone deserves community, though, and everyone deserves love. If you can’t find love in the community you claim, you need a new community.

Michelle: I’d tell them: Keep your head up, it hurts now but you are strong enough to get through it and your struggle will make you resilient and compassionate. Continue to be kind and treat others how they want to be treated and continue to live your truth. That would be true success.

Cody: Hang on, and know that you are loved – even when you feel alone. There is a whole world out there waiting for you to be every color that you are. One day you’ll realize that the things that made you “different” growing up are what makes you so, so special.

Qasim: if you’re not fitting in, ask yourself what shape are you forcing yourself to be and if where you are trying to fit in, fits you comfortably in the first place.

Michael-Lee: You. Are. Beautiful. Despite what many mainstream queer content portrays. Find people that you can relate with. Being queer is a beautiful experience and you’re not alone. There’s so many different people in our community, good people, and some amazing experiences waiting for you out there. Don’t let a couple of bad experiences turn you off from learning and engaging with our queer community. The sooner you can let go of the fear of being yourself and living to your fullest unapologetic self, the sooner you can truly be happy.

November 11, 2022November 16, 2022

Skincare, It Is For Everyone!

Key Ingredients: What benefits me?

When it comes to skincare there’s no actual “rulebook,” just suggestions, that you should strongly listen to. Everybody has a different skin type which means that not all ingredients or all products are going to have the same effect that one could have for another. In this blog post I’m going to be introducing the most common active ingredients found in products and talking about how it works, what it does, and who it is best for. Let’s get started:

SPF (SUNSCREEN)

Remember this: If you’re not using sunscreen, you’re not doing skincare!

If there’s any one product you should use when doing skincare is SPF (Sunscreen Protection Factor), regardless of what skin type you are. Our skin has naturally made collagen and elastin that keep the skin firm and tight, giving our skin a youthful look. The problem with the sun is that those UVA and UVB rays break down that collagen and elastin in your skin and give the skin a wrinkly and saggy look to it. SPF is going to protect your skin from damage the sun causes to your skin from those rays.

We also see other problems arise without the use of sunscreen, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer and affects one in every five Americans (9500 people are diagnosed everyday in the U.S. alone). With such a high risk, sunscreen has been known to reduce the risk of squamous cell carcinoma, the second most common skin cancer, by about 40 percent, and lower the risk of melanoma by 50 percent.

NIACINAMIDE

Niacinamide is a MUST, in my opinion, for any and everyone who does skincare. This form of vitamin B-3 creates nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+/NADH) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP+) which are two molecules necessary to the chemical reactions that are used for repairing your skin. Here’s some examples of what it does:

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Oil Control Serum - The Ordinary | Sephora

Skin Immunity: Niacinamide creates the protein keratin which tightens the skin and prevents wrinkles by healing the top layer of your skin cells, keratinocytes.
Moisture Balance: Regularly using niacinamide leads to water retention in your skin cells more effectively, which keeps your skin hydrated and helps control the oil being produced by the sebaceous glands.
Skin Appearance: From redness to UV damage that leaves dark spots, niacinamide helps tackle those appearance issues and even out the skin.
- Acne can be reduced with niacinamide because with the oil regulation in the skin, pores aren’t being clogged which is how acne comes to be.
- Redness in the skin is lost because niacinamide acts as an antioxidant and clears the skin of irritation that causes that redness
- Dark Spots can be corrected because niacinamide inhibits the transfer of melanosomes, light absorbing cells, between melanocytes, skin cell that produces the protective skin-darkening pigment, to keratinocytes.
Environmental Protection: With sunlight, pollutions, and toxins, our skin goes through a lot of external stress. Niacinamide boosts collagen and creates keratin that will help create a barrier against those environmental stresses to make sure those stressors aren’t affecting the skin.

CERAMIDES

The skin’s natural barrier, the stratum corneum, is constantly undergoing external stress whether from sun rays or environmental factors. As we talked about earlier with niacinamide, keeping that barrier strong and hydrated means less harm done to our skin itself. Ceramides are a lipid (building blocks of living cells) naturally found in the stratum corneum, that hold our skin cells together to keep in moisture and block out harmful factors.

You can find ceramides in a lot of moisturizers and night creams so that whoever is using it gets a deep hydration. Ceramides are for everyone, but people with dry skin or any skin conditions, like eczema or rosacea, should really try to incorporate a ceramide product into their skin routine.

ACIDS

First and foremost, this is not bad acids that will poison you or melt your face off. When talking about acids in skin care we’re talking about BHA and AHA chemical exfoliants. All acids are used to breakdown dirt molecules and dead skin cells in the skin’s pores, but whether it’s a BHA or AHA will give you different results. BHA’s are used to go deeper into the skin to control excess sebum and oil production while AHA’s are used to peel the skin so a new layer of more evenly toned skin comes through. With any chemical exfoliant you want to make sure you’re

A Guide to Acids in Skincare - A Beauty Edit

There are four major acids: Lactic, Glycolic, Salicylic, and Hyaluronic.

Lactic Acids: These are the gentler of the acids and are an AHA. Generally people with more sensitive and dry skin use lactic acids because of its lighter exfoliating power, but also doing a good job of eventually resurfacing healthier skin.
Glycolic Acids: This is the most common type of AHA. Made from sugar cane, this acid is found in many exfoliants but also a lot of face masks, professional treatments, and cleansing pads. Glycolic comes in concentrations of 5%, 7% or 10% depending on the level of exfoliation you’re looking for, but should only be used a few times a week because it is a stronger type of exfoliant. Use glycolic acids to reduce signs of aging and to help with any hyperpigmentation.
Salicylic Acids: Salicylic acids are have always been known as acne treatments because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Though they mostly help with acne, this acid does help mildly prevent aging. Those who have oilier skin are the better demographic for salicylic acids because they are oil-soluble which means they’ll be able to get deeper into greasier pores. The concentrations of salicylic acids are between 0.5% to 5%, making it good for sensitive skin as well.
Hyaluronic Acids: Hyaluronic acids are used for more hydrating purposes. This acid is a humectant, meaning the serum pulls moisture from the air into the skin to help moisturize and keep the skin plump. The issue with this product is that the effects of it are not permanent, so people who use this must do so regularly. This product is best for people with dry skin who want to just liven up the skin.

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C has become quite the staple in skincare because of its brightening capabilities for the skin. The breaking down of collagen that leads to unflattering skin blemishes like dark spots, saggy skin, or wrinkles can be helped with the antioxidants found in vitamin c. These antioxidants help repair that collagen to tighten and help tone out the skin.

I personally don’t use vitamin c because of its oxidation reaction. When the product is placed on the skin and exposed to oxygen it starts to react with the air around us and I personally don’t like the look of it on my skin. The biggest issue with vitamin c is its light sensitivity that leads to the breakdown of its chemical structure and can cause skin irritation. When looking for a vitamin c it’s vital to look for the product that comes in an opaque packaging, meaning the product is protected from the sunlight by the packaging.

Sources:

https://www.webmd.com/beauty/what-to-know-about-ceramides-for-skin

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/lactic-acid-for-skin#what-it-is

https://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/skincare-advice/ingredient-spotlight/how-niacinamide-helps-skin.html

https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/face-acids-types-anti-aging#salicylic-acid

November 11, 2022November 11, 2022

Matt Reeve’s “The Batman”- a Modern Classic

As 2022 is starting to draw to a close, I wanted to look back at some of the great films that came from this year. I’d say that this was a great year for film, it’s always easy to forget about movies from earlier in the year because of the amount of media thrown at us. But, one film that stood out to me , among others of course, was the newest adaptation of the caped crusader in Matt Reeve’s “The Batman”. March 1, 2022 saw the release of the newest installment of Batman made for the big screen. This movie really stuck with me, as one of the most memorable theater going experiences I’ve had in my adult life. Look, and I know how that can sound over exaggerated, but I just really loved how this team portrayed my favorite comic hero. I could go on and on about this movie but I’m going to just highlight all the things that I think make “The Batman” a modern classic, and eventually a cult classic once enough time passes.

Batman, arguably, is one of the most oversaturated heroes in media I think, this is coming from a die hard batman fan. You’ve had so many different live action adaptations , from the Original, Adam west to, Micheal Keaton, to George Clooney, to Val Kilmer, to Christian Bale, to Ben Affleck and finally the newest Robert Pattinson. It seems like every decade or even more often were faced with a new live action Batman. Don’t get me wrong I love the Dark Knight as much as the next fan but its easy to get kind of overwhelmed with Batman content.

I think that “The Batman” (2022) is different from the rest. How many times are we going to see Martha Wayne’s pearls fall in the alley way outside of the play, or the billionaire playboy , perfect guy bruce Wayne assume the caped crusader almost seamlessly and become the batman we know and love. With the newest installment, we got to see Batman the way we’ve never seen it before. Robert Pattison’s Bruce Wayne is a recluse, gone to society, he’s not this massive public outgoing figure, he’s pale from how little he goes out , Alfred has to beg Bruce to leave the manor in the day light. This Batman is visceral and dark and gritty , Batman isn’t the hero we know him as traditionally. When we meet Bruce Wayne he is just purely vengeance, he isn’t looking to uplift the people of Gotham, only to seek revenge for his parent’s death through punishing criminals. He’s a broken man trying to avenge his parents and only that. An aspect I think captures the overall tone and representation of this batman PERFECTLY, is the use of Nirvana’s “Something In The Way” in the soundtrack. The slow rhythmic strumming of the guitar with Kirk Kobain’s haunting vocals, mixed with Matt Reeve’s directing and cinematography, flawlessly captures the essence of this version of Bruce Wayne and the Batman. Overall, we have never seen even close, to this dark of a Batman portrayal, that alone sets apart this version from any other.

The Batman reveals its epic run time, with and without credits - CNET

I also think that the slow burn noir feel of this movie sets it apart. I mean Batman is known as the world’s greatest detective in the comics , I feel that in every other live action Batman there’s been little to none detective work done by the caped crusader. While in Robert Pattinson’s Batman, almost the entire film is dedicated to him solving The Riddler’s mysteries and murders. Batman does some serious detective work in this version, we see him solve cyphers and riddles and booby traps, its practically all the movie focuses on, not on rehashing the same origin story over and over again, we get to see Batman in action how we’ve always wanted. Some may argue that the length of the movie is too long, but I on the other hand argue that the slow burn of the movie adds to the dark and gritty of this film, some may find it boring but I feel that the length makes this movie all the more eerie and tense like a detective thriller, further setting apart from anything we’ve seen before.

The Batman FanDome trailer: The Riddler's riddle has been solved.

The thing I love the most about this film is that we get to see Batman’s journey into the hero that he is. This is Batman’s second year of dawning the cape and cowl, he doesn’t have it all figured out, the police Department hates him, he’s practically out there beating up bad guys for the sense of revenge. In the beginning of the film we’re faced with a Narration from Batman’s log that he keeps. He says it himself, the bat signal isn’t a sign of hope, its a warning to the bad guys that he’s out there and that they’re scared. Thats it they’re cowering in fear, nevertheless how bad ass this scene is, batman is purely this figure that everyone fears and cowers from. Even the man he saves in the beginning of the movie is terrified of the caped crusader. He says it himself “Im vengeance “. Throughout the movie this is Batman’s journey into a sense of hope. Throughout the turmoil he faces with the riddler eventually he becomes a beacon of hope for the people of the city. Illustrated when he takes the hand of a child and the mayor after the city has been flooded, and he leads the people out of the dark with a flare in hand. I LOVE this scene so much, he is leading the city out of the darkness, both figuratively and literally, this arial shot is so symbolic and powerful. We end with another monologue of batman explaining that the people look to him as a symbol of hope and how from now on he has to do everything he does to protect the city, so that the people have hope.

My hopes for the scenario with Batman leading a group of people with a red flare. : r/TheBatmanFilm

I barely scratched the surface on this film. But overall this movie is different than anything we’ve seen from live action adaptations of Batman. Its so dark and different and overall I think that its what comic fans have been wanting for years. I think its differentness will make it a classic in 10 years and eventually a cult classic.

November 11, 2022

Tide Stumble, Playoff hopes in question

The Alabama Crimson Tide suffered their second loss of the 2022 season on Saturday night, November 5 at the hands of the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana inside Tiger Stadium. Losing 31-32 in a climactic overtime ending, the Tide fall to 7-2 on the season (their first loss was against Tennessee).

LSU made a gutsy call to go for a two point conversion, and it paid dividends. Following the win, LSU moved up three spots in the College Football Playoff Rankings to number 7, and Alabama fell three spots to number 9.

Reigning Heisman Trophy winner and Alabama starting quarterback Bryce Young struggled mightily in the game, completing less than 50% of his passes (25-51) along with throwing an interception. This is uncommon behavior from Young, whose expectations are as high as any quarterback in the country. Statistically, the skill position groups for Alabama put up solid numbers.

Running back Jahmyr Gibbs rushed fifteen times for 99 yards, and backup Roydell Williams rushed seven times for eleven yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks had a good game as well, catching seven passes for 97 yards, as well as a touchdown, but it proved to be not enough.

LSU quarterback Jaylen Daniels was undoubtedly the star of the show, and the player of the game. Throwing for 182 yards and two touchdowns while completing over 65% of his passes, he also had a great game on the ground, rushing for 95 yards and a touchdown. His playmaking skills and sound decision-making led the Tigers to an electrifying win.

Running back Josh Williams, and wide receivers John Emery Jr. and Mason Taylor for LSU all added scores as well, exemplifying a good team win.

This loss raises serious doubt as to Alabama’s College Football Playoff chances. They would need to win the rest of their remaining games, and hope for a handful of losses in order to potentially earn a trip to the SEC Conference Championship Game, which would then be a must win. If they do not make the College Football Playoff, it would be for only the second time in the past nine seasons.

Critics are now turning to legendary head coach Nick Saban for answers, as well as placing blame. Certain fans are ecstatic that they may see a rare College Football Playoff without the Crimson Tide, and see this loss in particular as a sign of a dying dynasty. Saban accepts the blame, which is part of his job as the head coach, to suffer through criticism.

“Obviously, when you’re teaching and regardless of what you’re teaching and how you’re teaching it, if the pupils don’t get it, I put it on me. So, we’ve just got to find a better way to emphasize it. I watch practice where we do turnover drills. I’m talking about good guys against good guys to emphasize that. And when you emphasize things, people have to respond to it. We just haven’t played very well on the road, and we’ve had all the toughest games on the road, including this one this week. So, it is what it is,” Saban said.

Something very uncharacteristic of teams coached by Nick Saban is a high number of penalties, as well as turnovers, which the team has struggled with in the majority of their games this season. They rank an abysmal 124th out of 131 FBS teams in penalties per game, and are tied for 101st in the turnover margin.

Their offense and defense statistically speaking in regards to scoring has not been bad at all. They rank second in the SEC in both points per game and points allowed. This makes the turnovers and penalties that much more devastating.

With so much talent on the team, and college football superstars such as Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr, any loss is a disappointment to players, coaches and fans alike. No team in the modern sports era has had so high of expectations. Every year, it is a near guarantee that they will be in the playoff, or in the National Championship game. This year in particular, that is in question.

On October 15, Tennessee ended a 15 game losing streak to the Crimson Tide, in another gut wrenching loss as time expired. The fans rushed the field immediately after, causing it to go viral on social media in one of the more electrifying scenes in recent college football memory. This past week, LSU fans once again rushed the field in Baton Rouge. The Crimson Tide and its fans certainly do not want to see it happen again this season.

With only three games left in the regular season, there is absolutely no room for error. Only one single team has lost more than two games since Nick Saban has been the head coach. That was in his very first year, in 2010 when the team finished the season with a record of 10-3.

November 10, 2022November 10, 2022

What Films Can Teach Us: Effective Teaching

My favorite movie is School of Rock, directed by Richard Linklater and starring Jack Black, Sarah Silverman, Joan Cusack, and young Miranda Cosgrove. The movie centers around the main character Dewy Finn, portrayed by Jack Black, as he impersonates his roommate, who is a substitute teacher, as Mr. S and turns his elementary school class into his own personal band to win the infamous Battle of the Bands competition. Mr. S has no teaching experience or a teaching licensee, however he inadvertently uses highly effective teaching techniques designed to improve the children’s learning.

The Classroom

I am not discussing the actual classroom itself but the way that Mr. S runs and acts within the classroom. The first thing that is most important that Mr. S does is that he gets to know his students. It is important for students to feel connected to their teachers. Feeling connected and important to someone builds trust and as human beings we are more inclined to take knowledge and direction from someone that we trust. Getting to know the students also helped Mr. S understand their strengths and weaknesses. Instead of blindly assigning students a job or an instrument to play Mr. S goes to their music class and observes what every student is doing. When the students return to class he makes sure to ask them what they are comfortable with and doesn’t assign a student an instrument they are unfamiliar with or not confident in. This extends to later in the film when he assigns jobs to the rest of the class. During lunch and recess Mr. S thinks about the students and what roles would best suit them and when a student asks to be in a role they are more comfortable with and excited about he adds that job to the list. With the roles Mr. S allows them creative freedom and encourages them to problem solve without leaving them stranded. For example, Mr. S lets the students in charge of coming up with the band name have creative freedom and when the ideas are presented to him he gives them constructive criticism about how to improve their ideas without giving them the feeling of failure. While teaching the students Mr. S uses a plethora of modes to make sure he is teaching to every student. For the visual learners he uses diagrams and films, for the auditory learners he uses CD tapes and lectures, and for the kinesthetic learners he brings in instruments for hands on learning. Mr. S also gives every student one on one attention about their specific role. He shows the drummer new techniques and then allows him to try it before fixing it again, he does this again when teaching the piano player.

Communication

Another thing that Mr. S excels at is communication with his students. He makes sure that his students are comfortable telling him things that they otherwise might not have told an adult. He makes sure that each student has a voice within the class and has some say in class based decisions. Mr. S uses the students feedback and input to customize coursework allowing the students to become more engaged in learning especially the things that they want to learn about. Mr. S teaches them them the basics of being a band as well as some important life lessons. Mr. S teaches them confidence and this is evident in a scene where one of the background singers doesn’t think she can go onstage. Mr. S helps instill confidence in her by relating her fear to his own experience and allows her to step down if she absolutely cannot preform. When Mr. S decides to use a students song for the Battle of the Bands competition is shows the students that he considers their contribution to class especially if they are better than his own and this decision also helps instill confidence in the student who wrote the song. He also teaches them how to question authority within their school and personal life. Mr. S is persistent about this lesson throughout the movie. He first states this lesson on the first day that he is teaching. He tells the students to “stick it to the man” and explains that the principle, the government, and most authority figures are “the man” and that they need to stand up to them. Later in the film he watches a student get in an argument with their father and during class he creates a fun musical lesson teaching the students to stand up for themselves. We can see that this lesson stuck into the children’s heads later when they break out of school and “stick it to the man” by picking Mr. S up at his house and going to the Battle of the Bands. He also teaches them to take criticism by giving them feedback in a healthy way and providing them instruction on how to preform better the next time.

Final Thoughts

After rewatching this film for the 10,000th time I still cannot believe that I am noticing things I haven’t before. I have recently started substitute teaching which allowed me to really investigate the teaching of Mr. S. From what I have learned in training and what fellow teachers have told me I can conclude that although Mr. S was not a certified teacher he was a great teacher none the less. I hope to learn from his techniques and try them with my students in the future. What other kinds of lessons can we learn from television and film without knowing it?