(#5) "This Is the End"

       Yes Mr. Frodo Baggins, yes it is. I think I can speak for most people and say that there were mixed feelings associated with this project. So...I'm going to break up this blog into two sections: the Good, the Bad, and the Presentation (if you don't get that reference, just at least pretend to get it). 

Let's start with the negative aspects of the Genius Project:

       Even though most of these spawn from my own procrastination, the Genius Project was very stressful. Like, I mean incredibly stressful. I found myself cramming a lot of the work in towards the end. And I know that we needed enough time to show progress in something, but this project just seemed so long and dragged out. And to be honest, this project has been exhausting. It's taken up so much time out of the already-little sleep I get and I'm overjoyed to be done with this.

And now onto the positive aspects of the Genius Project:

       My favorite aspect of this project was giving the kids the opportunity to try something new. Even though at times it was annoying, I'm glad that I was able to find a way to express my loves for films through paint. The amount of freedom we got during this project was good because school can often feel like a prison. Because it is. One of the many freedoms we got was to pursue anything we wanted, which was awesome. Also, it was so much better to write blogs in our own voices. I hate being forced into writing in a formal tone because it all feels so fake.

And finally, the presentation:

       Overall, I think the presentation went very well. When I walked into the audion, I was internally freaking out. Some of that freaking out externalized in the form of shaking, tapping, and saying, "Crap, crap, crap, I'm almost up, crap, crap". Leading up to my presentation, I couldn't help but think about how I was going to be on a stage with every single eye on me. It was just me, my Prezi, and my crappy paintings. It also didn't help that everyone before me did amazing. Yet, as soon as I started, the 4-5 minutes felt really relaxed. When I was writing my script, I tried to incorporate comedy and humor because if people were laughing, then it would help calm me down. Thank God they laughed because I think I would have just crumbled into a ball if they didn't and there was nothing but an awkward silence to fill the room.

       I'm just glad the presentation is over. I never got the chance to present my final script in front of someone so I was going in blind and without any real feedback. This kinda relates to my theory that the less you prepare, the better you do. Yeah, I know that sounds incredibly stupid, but it has worked out for me. I used to stress and practice about a week in advance, and it didn't really help because I was worrying too much. For this presentation, I finished my final script the night before. I have sort of attained this care-free mindset about the presentations and how I write them which has given me better results. But it's definitely not for everyone. 

       I could give a really sincere goodbye to my "blog followers", but I'm not because I don't like you. Any of you...I'm just kidding. It's been kinda fun and kinda not all at the same time, but it was definitely an experience I'm glad to have been a part of (even though I don't think I'd do it again). I would have liked to end this dramatically or meaningfully but I'm too tired to do that, so Ferris Bueller is gonna help me out.

My Final Movie Recommendation #10:

Title: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virture of Ignorance)

Director: Alejandro Gonzáles Iñárritu

Starring: Michael Keaton | Emma Stone | Edward Norton

Date Released: October 17th, 2014