Special Effects and The Human Development

Today in class we had a small discussion of special effects and how it is being used way too much that it is becoming the main focus of the movie is how many explosions can we have, how much mayhem, how many pretty shiny things can we have in this?
This aspect of a movie has literally become almost the focal point of the movie to where dialog or emotional connection to characters or character to character has become nothing basically.
For me I watched movies to feel a connection with either a character who shared part of my story or someone I wanted to have a happy ending. Getting either of those or any other option among the ones I have in my own head would classify the movie as a great movie. But now I do not get that opportunity because there is literally no chance to get connected to any character because no time is put into character development or dialogue in general because what sells is special effects.
I learned how to have an adult conversation at a young age because I watched movies that actually showed how to have an adult conversation or to show how to care for someone you love.
For some movies especially now a days if we love a girl in movies we act like a jerk to them or ask them to basically have sex on the first date or whatever to where in an action movie the girl falls in the love with the guy based on how much  they save them. But in older movies people fully connected without having so many explosions or saving them.
So in my opinion special effects have ruined movies and are even somewhat ruining how we can see examples of how we connect with others.

One Race

Warning: Might not be politically correct!

In any alien movie the aliens say they want the HUMAN RACE to die not 'oh just the black race or white race or whatever other race we wanna name.'

Now there is many different colors among us as the human race. I recognize that fact but instead of hating different colors and deciding that one color is less or more evil than another because if anyone one color has anger towards another we as a whole group, We all have failed.

Proverbs 27:17- "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another man." To become stronger as the human race we need to strengthen each other and become strong as the human race. Honestly this black lives matter movement is great but at the same time because they are persecuting police officers which  know not all of them are good but those few should not show the majority. And this idea of all colors as a collective group needs to be recognized and activated by all of us. For example we all love the Crayola boxes of 64 colors of crayons and all colors so why can we not just accept colors of people like we accept colors as colors.

A person is a person...

They call me.....Ebenezer Grinch Meister

WARNING: I am voicing my opinion and do not care if you get butt-hurt. If you like Christmas and look down at those who do not then do not read this post. Also A few swear words are in this so if you get butt-hurt by that then do not read.

Through out my years of life I went from a happy child on Christmas to who I am now to where people call em Scrooge or the Grinch all the time because I honestly cannot stand Christmas. In the past few years people on this planet have become obsessed with what can I get for Christmas not what can I get or do for others. Christmas is now in my book the worst holiday we have and I refuse to celebrate it. Now I will not stop people I care about for celebrating in fact I will help put up decorations but only if need be for height reasons. I do not look down on people for celebrating or call them names but to me and what I have experienced in my life and what I have seen on this planet. People have become selfish and I honestly hate every aspect of Christmas; the music, the decorations, presents, people dressed up, fake sense of love and community, have to be together with people, the movies, etc. I hate and cannot stand this holiday. It is a holiday that I find is a load of bullshit and a reason for people to just beg for what they want and when they do not get it they whine and complain like a bunch of spoiled brats who feel they are unjustly treated. I believe that unless you work your ass off for it you do not deserve it. And Christmas puts people in the mood of they deserve or should get all they want because they have been "good" for the year. Yeah, what a great way to raise kids, ti be selfish whiny pains in everyone else's asses.

Fear

You would not think by the picture that this city is dangerous but that is not the case. Today a few minutes ago, Professor Leeper talked about going to a city where you fear for your life and how we have to seek that out to find that in this country. Well as for me, that was my life for 21 years to where walking down the street I would get threatened by people because I am white. I grew up in Dayton, Ohio which ha gotten the handle to be dangerous and even when I grew up there it was on the top 20 most dangerous cities. I was threatened by many people; white, black, hispanic, and all types of different people because of who I hang out with or because of the color of my skin. I know how it feels to be terrified for my life to the point where I had to start carrying a knife for a small feeling of safety and now I never feel safe at any point in time in life because I have been physically and emotionally hurt by people based on who I am. I AM NOT HURT OR INSULTED by him saying that because I am white I can feel safe I just wanted to point out that not all of us feel safe even though we are white because I do not even feel safe even around people my own "color" but that I only feel safe around people who I know care.

Stress: College or First Job?

As I have progressed through college, I have felt more stress than I have in a long time but this year especially. Not because of my classes or anything but because I recently applied for a part-time head youth pastor position with a church in Fort Wayne and as I keep getting interviewed, which is great and a huge blessing that I will get this experience so early on, I have found myself become more stressed and questioning myself. It has kept me up many nights already as it is right now. This past month from my first interview to now, as I prepare for my third and final interview before the official job offer, I have experienced more stress than my past three years here at this college. In movies I have seen people get stressed out more from college or more from their first professional job they spent years preparing for. For me this first job possibility, preparation, and interviewing process has been the most stressful? But I want to know: What do you think will or has been the most stressful for you?

Lesser Of Two Evils Is Still Evil

This election has been one that has divided this country and has caused most people to make difficult choices about who to vote for. One argument I have heard for either candidates is that "Trump is the lesser of two evils." or "Hillary is the lesser of two evils." But one thing that even I myself did not even think of or even want to think of is that even a lesser of evil is still evil. I did nto get the chance to vote because I am registered in Texas and did not get my absentee ballot till Monday and did nto have time to fill it out but even regrettably not voting I have seen this election already cause problems for some families and even hardships in my own friendships and other relationships. Whatever happens instead of pointing fingers though, we as a nation need to remain strong and be united no matter what. Whatever road is ahead of us now is a product of God's will. It has been and always will be.

One Personality or Two?

As a kid I loved the animated short film Geri's Game because I loved chess and it showed me that even a game of chess can be a challenge, even when playing yourself. Now, as I have studied psychology in high school and here at Huntington, I realize that there is a totally different side to Geri. When we watched it in class I began to think that Geri had just lost his friend who would play chess in the park with him. If you noticed that as the scenes cut back and forth two different personalities became more noticeable. There was Geri on the left who was much more confrontational and more proud of his moves during the game. But there was also Geri on the right who was much more careful and passive about his moves. With my own experience of playing chess by myself I still played aa myself and never had a playing-type change but with Geri there is a clear difference between the two. Which is why I say that Geri just lost his friend who he played chess with and is possibly suffering from depression and possibly some other disorder.

Geri's Game

I read Keith Lango's blog about the fool's errand and started thinking about Geri's Game. For the fool's errand blog, Lango showed a picture of the single set for Ratatouille and how that took an endless amount of man days. Then I thought about Geri's Game and how many man day's that would take. Geri's Game would take forever because this is adding and subtracting things the same character but two different personalities. Lango says that the only thing that what they want is to make something like the films with hundreds of people working on the film because they do not want their name to be seen as less for it not. For me the work required and the payment you get does not even out to be worth it. But as for Lango what is wroth it and the reason that animators do it is for the end result.

Au Jour

With this film it really hit me in my heart, granted it was kind of weird that they guy was in her stomach but I can kind of know what the woman feels. As I have said before my parents got divorced and honestly I saw my mother go in a deep spiral of is life worth it. I do not know if she had any other relations and I do not ever want to know but I saw the gap and still see the gap that the incident did to my mom. She literally lost someone who helped her and thought would be there forever until one day he up and left. This definitely gave me the insight a little more about how it feels to have it and I will surely be much more careful with how I handle things with family and my girlfriend.

Can a man make the same films a woman can?

We had this question pop up and had this discussion when it came to Au Jour. The general consensus was that no a man cannot make the same films but I say that a man could. The problem is if a man did make a film like Au Jour and had himself as the main character the world would tell him to suck it up or get over it. The world does not care about what a man has been put through the world just that he has to be strong all the time. Another problem with a man making this film is if he made it he would get so much flak from the female community asking 'how does he know what it is like, he is a man and has no idea how it feels'. So to answer the question; yes, a man could make it but it would not get the same attention and recommendations as if a woman made it.

Video Game and Community

 I have heard from many people that 'video games do not do any good for anyone in life. It just wastes their time and melt their brains'. I would like to differ. I used to be the kid that people would describe as a loner because when I came to college i had no friends to hang out with because no one seemed to do anything I did and I did not know how to relate to them. That was until I met my friend Matt and we started to play Gears of War 1-3 and beat the whole series and now my group and I literally sit down at night, if homework is done, and play for hours on end. My friend group has grown from one person to having six other friends where we just sit, play video games, and talk about anything and everything. My video game friends will be the relationships that I will cherish and have the deeper connection with because we can sit there and bond over doing nothing. So to every person that would say video games do nothing for anyone I would say they give some people community.

Not Ours but All of Ours

Bill Viola in the video stated something that I always have agreed with: the cross and resurrection is not owned by christians. It is a completely true statement Jesus himself even said he did not come for the well but to help the sick that is exactly what the death and resurrection of Christ is all about, not for christians to claim it as theirs and that only we can make art out if it. The art that Bill Viola does is beautiful and amazing that can be inspirational to anyone that sees it. Which in turn can lead people to come to Christ if it resonates with their spirit which will then help the church grow. Bill Viola is an amazing artist who was truly blessed with a talented gift and I am exceptionally happy that someone is using the life of Christ and making beautiful art with it now a days.

Childish Things vs. Society

The film Duel made me think of the fact that as kids we can imagine and believe whatever we want but when we become adults we cannot imagine anymore we have to act and think as society says is acceptable. We can only talk about the "mature" things not the dreams, day dreams, or imaginations. I feel like that is one thing that has made life so stressful now a days as we go through life because we cannot express anything imaginative. Kids live a care free life to where they can talk about anything they want and not be judged. If we took the unspoken rules of no talking about childish things life would be less stressful because if we didn't focus on work or anything more "adult" around people all the time over expressing more fun or imaginative things then the people could trade dreams plus imaginations could think about more fun things.

I believe the church has become narcissistic but at the same time has become a minority but in the two totally different types of the church to where the church as a whole as humans and the buildings has become narcissistic but are the true followers of Christ/God the same way? I say no because the reason people say we are is because we have become a loud generation of the church and "condemn" others for being sinners but because the church points out others mistakes people get offended because this generation of human beings in general has become a self-serving, self-victimizing, and wussified that they feel like they are being attacked when in reality true followers do the same to each other and ourselves and acknowledged the fact that we are all sinners. And that group has become the minority because the church has become an accommodating place instead of telling the truth. So in summary the church as a whole has become a narcissistic system but the true followers of God have become the minority.

 

Happily Never After

In most fairy tales we have grown up with, it always has a happy ending. Well my question is: Are they true to real life? Whenever something in my life or even a friend's life has been going great it seems to somehow become worse. in the fairy tales the happy ending always comes after the protagonist does some great feat to become happy and get what he was promised or what he desired. But in real life I have seen people overcome suicide attempts and get past their depression to have it only come back again to where they cannot handle it. In my mentor's life he was being blessed left and right but then in his peak of what he thought was his life turning around his son passed away. How is that a happy ending? Even in the realm of Christianity is there a happy ending? Yeah we have Heaven but when it comes to how we think about it in this world, not everyone we want to be there with us will be there so how is it a true happy ending?

Becoming The Bacon!

Tuesday many things in class actually related back to a talk that me and good friend had about our lives and just our stories but of course we know all about our lives but it really came down to accepting our stories.  We got to talking and the thing we realized was that although we both mess up a lot we are on different areas on the spectrum of acceptance. Although he has not been through a lot in his life he has a harder time accepting his story and the way his life played out but on my side I have been through many hard trials that people have expected me not to be who I am but my friend actually told me that he feels like I have accepted mine because I can talk about it easier. I told him that it all comes to terms when you can look back at your past with your head held high and say 'I did these things but I came out better and stronger'. The poem of the pig was a huge thing that actually twisted the way I think of things concerning my own life and everything I have done in my past. On the path of life I am on right now, just like the pig I will hold my head up high and claim my story with dignity.

Don't Mess With The Monkey! Kubo Movie Review

I finally watched Kubo and the Two Strings focuses on a young boy named Kubo who in one night his world was turned upside down when he unknowingly summons an evil spirit from his past. As he runs from the spirit and two evil sisters trying to catch him he is teamed up with two companions, Monkey and Beetle. All of them together go on a journey to find a set of mystical armor to take on the spirit known as the Moon King.

Overall it is a great movie even though it was kind of farther out there for my taste but the premise and plot were very well thought out and executed. It is a very touching movie dealing with tragedy, comedy, and acceptance of the hand you have been dealt in life and using that hand to become stronger with who you are. As Kubo went through the his journey to find a mystical armor, his world again was rattled and shaken that would normally be traumatizing to a young kid. But instead of him letting it beat him down he took a stand to the evil spirit that haunted him and ending winning and becoming a stronger person in the end. It is a fantastic movie and I personally recommend it for everyone.

I Am the Canvas Not the Artist

So at last class a question popped into my head; our lives are filled with tragedy but not all of us are artists so can we say that whatever we make of our lives and survival be classified as our art? My own tragedies pushed me farther than I ever thought I was going to go but yet because of those tragedies and struggles I came out stronger. My life went from a canvas of black to a bright white light to others of God's grace and the strength He has given me. While God is making a masterful work of art in my own life for His glory, He has not gifted me with the ability to create works of art, but the "master potter" has me made for a different purpose. I believe I am made to help others see the work of art God is making them to be, and to encourage and direct them to yield to the touch of his hands, brush, pencil, or whatever He uses in our lives.

Intro To Myself

My name is Dillan Eborg. I am a junior in the Youth Ministry department and getting a minor in psychology as well. I have had so many good experiences and made friends that I would never trade for the world. My girlfriend and I have been together for almost four years and I would never look for anyone else. My plan for my future is to be a Youth Pastor and help kids who are going through their struggles instead of them doing it alone. The two pictures there are are me and my girlfriend and two young boys who I have seen grow up through their whole lives and and all three people and many more are part of the reason I am doing what I am doing.