Breaking Bad

            This week I literally have nothing to talk about, so I will just talk about one of my favorite TV shows, Breaking Bad. For any of you who don’t know what this show is, it is about a high school chemistry teacher who discovers that he has lung cancer. Since he is fed up with his crappy life and is now on the way out, he decides to take control of his life by cooking crystal meth. The plot sounds bizarre but this is one of the best-scripted shows to ever air. The main character, Walter White, is played by Bryan Cranston (the dad from Malcolm in the Middle).  This is nothing like Malcolm, through, since it is a very serious and frequently violent show. However, Cranston is amazing as Walter and has won the Emmy for best actor in a drama series three years in a row.

            While many people may be turned off by the shows heavy involvement with drugs and violence, both are used beautifully to progress the extremely interesting story. Walter gets into the game by finding one of his old students, Jessie, who dropped out and now tries to cook and sell meth. Walter blackmails Jessie by threating to turn him in to the DEA unless Jessie helps him set up his own meth operation. It turns out that since Walt is such a good chemist, he can make the purest crystal meth on the market.

            The plot is extremely rooted in real life situations and does an amazing job of showing Walter’s transformation from an honest workingman who has been screwed over one too many times to a man taking more and more control of his life. The camera work, script, characters and acting are all exceptional and the amount of awards the show has won mirrors their quality. Breaking Bad is without a doubt one of my all-time favorite shows along with Arrested Development, Dexter, Firefly, Lost, Mad Men, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Sons of Anarchy. I cannot wait for the fifth and final season to start this summer on AMC. (350)

Lollapalooza

            For my blog this week, I do not know what to talk about. The Blackhawks just lost in overtime again on another ridiculously poor goal by Phoenix, but I digress. I guess I will talk about Lollapalooza since it’s been on my mind a lot recently. For those of you that do not know what Lollapalooza is (which I hope is no one), it is a three-day music festival in Chicago in Grant Park. It started in 1991 and happens even summer in the beginning of August. Last year was pretty awesome, mostly because I got a free three-day pass from a family friend so I didn’t have to pay $200+. This year I was not as lucky and couldn’t even get the early bird tickets despite the fact that I clicked “buy” the second they went on sale.

            However, since they released the lineup this year, I have actually gotten extremely excited for summer. I would have to say that I am most excited to see the Black Keys even though the Red Hot Chili Peppers are going to be there. Both of them are two of my favorite bands and I have wanted to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers in concert for I don’t even know how long. But after the Black Keys came out with their last album, El Camino, I would have to say that I like them more, even if they aren’t as classic.

            While those two are my favorites, they hardly scratch the surface of everyone that’s going to be there. The Shins are another group I can’t wait to see along with Jack White of the White Stripes who is releasing his first solo album in a few days on the 24^th. I also really want to see Justice and Childish Gambino, who is one of my new favorite rappers. Passion Pit, Of Monsters and Men, Bassnectar, Avicii, Frank Ocean and M83 are all also really high on my list. Those are all I can remember off the top of my head but if you want to look at the rest of the lineup you can go here. (358)

http://lineup.lollapalooza.com/

Research

            When it comes to researching for papers, I generally do not like doing it. I find that I usually have strong opinions on most topics so if a paper, such as this one, is my opinion on something; I find research very unnecessary and boring. For my paper I am discussing the moral values behind the film Pulp Fiction. I chose this topic because I had already constructed an argument in my head supporting it to tell my mom every time she disapproves of me witching hyper violent movies. Considering this entire argument was constructed simply from my viewing of the film, I find research for this paper completely unnecessary. In order to prove a point about this film, I feel I need nothing but the film itself.

            However, this is a research paper and the last time I checked, I enjoyed getting A’s in my classes. So, research for me will be mostly smaller additions to my paper rather than the basis for the entire argument. My use for my research will be backing up my arguments by doing things like defining moral values or what is involved in a tale of redemption. By defining these things, I can set a model to compare the movie to, easily proving my argument is correct.

            When it comes to different classes, my writing style does change with the paper. The most obvious change is how much content I include in the paper versus how well I choose to present it. Papers in more scientific classes are not too hung up on fancy writing and are much more concerned with content. While papers for English classes need introductions and thesis sentences and transitions, papers for classes like psychology are strictly about understanding and including the correct content. Other than that, however, most of my writing style remains similar. (306)

Close Reading

            A close reading is a very special way to look at something like a text or film that involves monitoring and comprehending hidden or underlining meanings and themes throughout the story. Close reading is almost like reading between the lines. It involves putting together your previous experiences and knowledge with the information you are being given to uncover the true purpose or message. While this kind of critical analysis of a text can be quite difficult to do, the more effort one puts into it, the more they can get out, especially when dealing with more quality work. Watching a poorly made action movie may not be enhanced by a layer of close reading since everything going on is usually one dimensional. However, films and texts that are considered classics throughout history all share the common trait that they have a large amount, if not the majority of their information under the surface of the dialogue and actions.

            After learning what I have about close reading, it is easy to see the appeal in picking apart a story to attempt and understand every detail about it. It most defiantly changes the way I view texts. While I use to simply read books or watch movies, with close reading, I find myself trying to comprehend everything that is going on more and once I believe I understand the meaning behind everything, I try to understand the reason that it was included in the story. This may seem unnecessary, but it is highly rewarding in the end and a very good way to stimulate your mind.

            When you close read, you can attain a much high appreciation for the stories you are witnessing. Especially when you read a book or see a film that is critically acclaimed, but you do not understand why, close reading can reveal the complexity and intelligence under a story that transforms it from a one-dimensional timeline to a web of interweaving narratives. (326)