The photograph above is of my progress thus far- I’ve gotten a lot done, but I still have a ways to go until the piece is complete. I have had a minor setback in the last week of my work, because the computer that my reference photos were on broke (I should have the pictures back in a few days) but during this time I have only been able to work on the background.
Instead of writing a routine update, I’d like to dedicate this blog to a reflection on the work I have done for the past eight weeks. I will first discuss what I have learned from the project. Then, I will identify, if not address, the problems I have encountered over the course of this quarter. Finally, I will plan for further projects and establish a set of more attainable goals.
So far, my independent project has been a fascinating and instructive experience. I’ve learned so much about decision making which is really what game theory is all about. When studying dominated strategies, I learned about the idea of a strictly wrong choice. Through Nash Equilibrium I learned about the existence of a no regret choice for all players. And I’ve also learned about how outside factors can effect a Nash Equilibrium. Continue reading
For this blog post, I am going to reflect on how far I have come with the project in relation to what I wanted to do at the beginning of the semester. In short, I am not quite as far along as I had hoped to come. I do not see this as a bad thing, I just know now how to better manage my expectations and overcome the obstacles I encounter.
To be honest, the project is going at a slower pace than expected. I think most of this comes from my hasty expectation of everybody doing things the way I want them to and everything working out perfectly, but there are certainly other factors that weigh into the problem. The first suspected cause is college. Now this isn’t a major time-consumer, but it’s something that stays on my mind 24/7 and is sort of a constant stymie. However, the process will be over by the second semester, and I think the project will pick the pace up for the second half of the semester too. Continue reading
The past quarter has been pretty hectic. From topic switches to dead ends, I have been through it all. Reflecting on my progress so far is necessary for me to move forward during the second half of my journey. Continue reading
After two months of research on literature under communism, I have found my past learning experience rather fruitful. Beginning by examining Marxism and later indulging into reading books related with the three generations’ struggles in China, I have gained a closer look at the stories of both my country and my family. I finished reading Mao’s Harvest and am currently working on Wild Swans and Beijing Coma. Personally, I am very fond of the last book because the author uses the perspective of a man who is disillusioned from a coma, ten years after he was shot in the Tiananmen Square protest. This book has been banned in China, and thus I found it very precious to read it here.
“Beijing Coma” in French Edition
Filmmaking is hard work, that’s why I’m doing something completely different.
Continue reading
I’ve gotten a lot done since my project began. I’ve gotten a space approved, created and edited a mural design, had meetings and found funding for supplies, stretched and gessoed a canvas, and started to paint. Reflecting on this progress in relation to the timeline I made at the beginning of the semester, at this point I’m only slightly behind where I hoped to be.
Independent Seminar Blog 