From This Journey and whatnot

Most simplistically, I will take from this journey the idea that no story is worth overlooking, When looking at my pictures, that I only saw as cool looking images, I did not see and real story emerging from any of them. It was only when I was pushed to thoroughly consider the objects in the print and how one, or I, might view them, that a story presented itself to me.

A concept I was introduced to in my other May class was the idea of a happy accident. An occurrence that was not at all intentional, but helps the greater cause. Several of the prints I made in that class fit this description. They were images I captured purely by accident.

The video I produced for this class fits into the same concept. When I chose the group of images I used, I had no plan as to how they might create a cohesive story. I was forced to create a storyboard. While I did fight this every step of the way, I did finally create my own storyboard under the assumption it would greatly hurt my grade if I showed up to class without one. As much as it pains me to admit, creating a storyboard did help the process I went through to create my story.

i've learned to accept other people's ideas as ones that could benefit me, rather than view them as something different and, therefore, useless to me. Every story deserves to be told. Regardless of how I, the storyteller, might view the story's worth. I now know that the storyteller is not the true evaluator of a story's worth. Instead, it is those who experience the story who can truly judge a story and deem it worthwhile.

In addition to this new outlook on stories, I will take from this journey nine people I greatly appreciate. Most of these people I never met before class. Some I knew before. Some I liked before. Some Ia disliked before. Some opinions changed during the course of the class, while other remain the same. Regardless of whether or not I enjoy their personalities, I now understand that they are amazing storytellers. I have no way of knowing the storied that comprise them as human beings unless two things happen. They are willing to tell their stories and I am willing to receive the gifts they give me.

I'm not saying that I am now an always-willing recipient. But I am trying to be more open. it is only through my experience with Tina, Winnie, Katie, Jazz, Markus, Alex, Greg, Brice, and Dr. Ramist that I was exposed to this new thinking and it is through their impact on my life that I will continue to view stories as if they come from my new friends.