Wednesday, 28 May 2014

Here Ends The Body Uncomfortable 2014

Here ends The Body Uncomfortable brief. I hope that you have all enjoyed this brief excerpt from my life and the life of a Vega student. It has been a hectic ten days and it will be good to be back to my old self again.

Congratulations to all

Tuesday, 27 May 2014

NOTICE

Todays video will be a proper reflection on the experience and hopefully include some pictures of myself and a few of my friends. Stay Tuned!!!

Day 9

Alright So I know I kind of made a promise for a video a day.

Unfortunately due to the nature of my work and campus life this became impossible as it comes down to me managing and balancing a large amount of tasks on my plate, a lot of which didn't even get done between the time of making that statement and actually getting to follow through with the idea.

You see like life, Vega has a way of wriggling its way into every bit of free time that you have and when it comes down to the rest and relaxation part of it, the last thing that you want to do is ANYTHING regarding campus. Of course I speak for myself when I say this!

Now regarding the success of this brief I believe that I was genuinely uncomfortable 100 percent of the time for the past 9 days. I have had extreme lack of sleep and fatigue as well as neglected all physical exercise over the past 10 days which has lead to health problems such as a nagging back. This also relates to the fact that as a student I have had to sit down for long periods at a time doing work, and while getting up and taking a break is of course the right thing to do, there are times when you will find yourself on a role and not have the courage to just get up and leave your work as it is for the time being.

I can comfortably say that while I have new respect for the goth culture and could possibly undergo the transition into adapting the ideologies of the culture, I still cannot come to dress in the unwritten dress code. Black clothing is and will always be an unethical choice for a tropical climate like Durban. While my girlfriend believes "I look sexy in black", I have and will always put being comfortable first and will not adapt a dark style purely based on a culture. I also suppose that my extrovert nature is not becoming of the style.

I would like to formerly thank Vega for such a weird opportunity. It has been a difficult and draining 10 days but I will always remember it and I think that, that is the most important part.
I hope that all my fellow classmates were successfully uncomfortable and I can't wait to see you when you're all back to normal!!!

The Body Uncomfortable Day 3 - 21 May 2014

I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (http://www.youtube.com/editor)

The Body Uncomfortable Day 3 - 21 May 2014

Hey what's up you guys

Just something to give you a better idea between the difference between Emos and Goths. Now I know that a lot of people don't know the difference, and honestly that includes myself.

In this video I've used a south park reference to depict some of what is said to be part of the differences and honestly it makes a whole lot of sense to me so I hope that you enjoy it.

South Park Original Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZvFNQjYB6Q

Previos Video

http://youtu.be/JMVDoo6vBro

Edgar Allan Poe

Alright so this is the man behind the South Park Goth ideologies and from the way he appears, I believe that he could very well have started the movement. They say he was part of the American Romantic Movement and invented the Detective Genre.

It seems as though Poe died before he reaped any bennefits of his works. Not only that but an interesting fact is that Poe married his 13 year old cousin.

The poem below is one of his first pieces and is said to be the one which he is most famous for, and the one he made his mark with.

The Raven

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visiter," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door—
Only this and nothing more."

[hide]

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
            Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
"'Tis some visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door—
Some late visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door;—
            This it is and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you"—here I opened wide the door;—
            Darkness there and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"—
            Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore—
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—
            'Tis the wind and nothing more!"

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—
            Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore—
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
            Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door—
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
            With such name as "Nevermore."

But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—
Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have flown before—
On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before."
            Then the bird said "Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore—
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
            Of 'Never—nevermore'."

But the Raven still beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore—
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
            Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
            She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite—respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore;
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
            Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!—
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—
On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—
Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!"
            Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
            Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting—
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
            Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
            Shall be lifted—nevermore!

Goth Music: The Velvet Underground

Alright so here we have a full album of The Velvet Underground is an American Rock Band active between 1964 and 1973.

I've honestly listened to this band and enjoyed them before this intervention, not for any particular reason other than when I was much younger. Lets say 2008. I was very into a show by the name of "Gossip Girl" and one of the characters that really had a major impact on my life from that show was of course the infamous Chuck Bass played by Ed Westwick. There was nothing like him, and I really wanted to be him, so I found a character profile of his and managed to find all this cool music that the character would listen to if he were a real life person.

It's funny that this type of music should come up for a character such as himself though I have begun to see the cohesiveness as Chuck was in fact VERY much a Goth like character who seemed to believe the world was fucked up, was a sort of a loner, and believed in a way that he to was fucked up because of this.

Of course he was a teenager with daddy issues, but the fact still remains that chuck may have in fact adapted a Goth like lifestyle as it appears.

Some Poetry By Edgar Allan Poe

"In Youth I Have Known One"

How often we forget all time, when lone
Admiring Nature's universal throne;
Her woods - her winds - her mountains - the intense
Reply of Hers to Our intelligence!

                     I.

In youth I have known one with whom the Earth
  In secret communing held - as he with it,
In daylight, and in beauty, from his birth:
  Whose fervid, flickering torch of life was lit
From the sun and stars, whence he had drawn forth
  A passionate light - such for his spirit was fit -
And yet that spirit knew - not in the hour
Of its own fervour - what had o'er it power.

                     II.

Perhaps it may be that my mind is wrought
  To a fever by the moonbeam that hangs o'er,
But I will half believe that wild light fraught
  With more of sovereignty than ancient lore
Hath ever told - or is it of a thought
  The unembodied essence, and no more
That with a quickening spell doth o'er us pass
As dew of the night time, o'er the summer grass?

                     III.

Doth o'er us pass, when as th' expanding eye
  To the loved object - so the tear to the lid
Will start, which lately slept in apathy?
  And yet it need not be - (that object) hid
From us in life - but common - which doth lie
  Each hour before us - but then only bid
With a strange sound, as of a harpstring broken
T' awake us - 'Tis a symbol and a token -

                      IV.

Of what in other worlds shall be - and given
  In beauty by our God, to those alone
Who otherwise would fall from life and Heaven
  Drawn by their heart's passion, and that tone,
That high tone of the spirit which hath striven
  Though not with Faith - with godliness - whose throne
With desperate energy 't hath beaten down;
Wearing its own deep feeling as a crown.

Video Diary: Day 2 of #TheBodyUncomfortable2014 - 20 May 2014

In this video we look further into Goth Culture with the power of the internet as well as a bunch of backlinks to the websites that I used when constructing my image for 10 days.

Here are the links:

Sunday, 25 May 2014

Video Diary: Day 1

Sunday, 18 May 2014

Hey whats up guys and welcome to my Body Uncomfortable Blog for 2014. Tomorrow will mark the true start of this blog and a lot of the process behind it. Each day we'll uncover new things and document all the awkward moments as well as understanding the brief and understanding what was expected and all the things along those lines. Hope you enjoy this, I know i'm not about to. #bodyuncomfortable2014 #vegaDBN