Video Revised 6/9/14 at 6:30pm. Map of Washington. Digital image. Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 08 June 2014. Sivas, Elisiveda. Sheep. Digital image. Elisavetasivas Creation and Artistic Design. N.p., 5 May 2011. Web. 8 June 2014. Pic of Lakewood Elementary School from Kristinge A Knox Berkshire Hathaway Realtors JPEG IandRInstutue of Southern Illinois JPEG Michigan. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 June 2014. Ordinary and Extraordinary Infinity “It’s scary. Knowing you can do anything is the same as not knowing what you’re going to do,”(197).
When I graduated college, I felt a lot like Tommy. I knew that I could go anywhere and do anything. In a conversation with my sister, I described it as being a ship with no anchor. I had nothing tying me down, or holding me back. I graduated a semester early and worked as a part-time kindergarten teacher at the school where I student taught. I also volunteered as a youth leader at my church. After the school year ended, I went to my camp to work for the summer. I wasn’t yet sure what I was going to do in the fall. I could return to Michigan. I could perhaps get an internship at the outdoor education center at my camp in Wisconsin. I could sub in Illinois. Maybe I could teach in Colorado, or Washington, or North Carolina. I could even teach abroad. Seriously. I could go halfway across the globe. But that was also scary, and a little bit lonely, not having anyone or anything to tie me down. I momentarily wished that I was from a small town where no one ever left. That I could go home and live with my parents and be safe and sheltered. But I did leave Illinois. I didn’t want the ordinary. I wanted the extraordinary. The idea of searching for a golden fleece resonates with me. “I believed in magic. In quests. In fairies. And Harry Frickin’ Potter… in running after golden fleeces,” (200). My golden fleece is being the best teacher I can be. Traveling. Meeting new people and experiencing new things. It’s falling in love and starting a family. It’s maintaining a strong bond with my parents and siblings. It’s writing a book someday. Jack is afraid of being ordinary. He’s afraid that when he finds his fleece, that his quest will be over. That he’ll never have been extraordinary. That he’ll run out of time to make a big, lasting impact on the world. It’s the fear every young adult confronts at one point or another. What if I’m not extraordinary? What if I’m just ordinary? What if I don’t find my golden fleece? What if I do and then there’s nothing more? Is there a paradox between the ordinary and extraordinary? Or can the ordinary be extraordinary?
4 Comments
Bethany
6/8/2014 08:37:49 am
This is lovely, Jill! I instantly thought how yours and Sadie's videos are quite different, which is great because we all take different things from what we read. I loved the connection between you and the characters in the book. I think it makes this idea of a quest for something like a golden fleece really relatable for every viewer. I'm a HUGE John Green fan so I love the reference to him and the infinities (omg… Hazel and Gus.Total fan girl moment). It got kinda deep there for a second, but I think it definitely related and gave a sort of closure to the video. Aesthetically this was beautifully done: the music wasn't too loud or distracting and added to the up beat mood of the content. The images were great and I loved the image within an image structure that you used. I've so enjoyed getting to see your responses each week :)
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6/8/2014 03:48:03 pm
Wow! I've never seen anyone reach this kind of depth via an Animoto video. Seriously, the music video-style editing is always incredibly sensually compelling but it's really difficult to add a voiceover. So editors end up adding a bit of text to tell their stories. You ingeniously added a great deal of text that was seamlessly and attractively integrated.
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Juan Hou
6/15/2014 10:53:49 am
Hi Jill, wow! It was so impressive that your music was hilarious and soul-stirring, making me totally feel different from mine. I like the way you connect Jack’s curiosities with all yours through the way you grow up. I also enjoyed your pictures, especially all accompanied with a map or place where you were at those times. It makes this video more attractive!
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Lekha
10/23/2014 10:36:08 pm
That was amazing work i love all the detai and the pictures
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