"None of the Above" in Tests

I apologize if you guys are annoyed by my "excuse" or complaints about tests not measuring intelligence/knowledge. But I realized something long time ago. A lot of multiple choice tests have "None of the Above" as one of the answer choices. But, "none of the above" means that there are no correct answers. Then... why is there an answer? Because the answer says "none of the above" doesn't initiate that there is no answer to the question. So pretend number 45 on a test has no answer--why do we choose "none of the above" as an answer if there is no answer...

Hmm... Am i just crazy and abstract?

I guess so...

Toni Morrison's 'the Bluest Eye' came alive

"the Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison (1970)
Image Link: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41gSSNgpYJL.jpg

Recently, I read one of Toni Morrison's novel, The Bluest Eye, which is one of the memorable and truthful novels about racism, social corruption, and the society's standards and acceptance of what or who is considered as beautiful. Before I read further into the novel, my sister said the novel was not one of her favorites due to her bad experiences with a teacher and class during the reading. So, I took her word, and at first, I did not like the reading at all simply because it was confusing and very segregated. Each parts or chapters were not flowing well, and in the prologue, there is a part where all words are mushed together--no commas, spaces but only the words glued together. However, I kept reading and those small segregated parts and stories started to paint the whole picture. After all, when you paint or make a quilt, who builds the whole thing at once? From fabric to fabric, the whole quilt is made. Well, the novel is just like the quilt. Each sections of the characters, journals, and perspectives all tie in together at the end, making a big quilt with one big theme--racism. One of the characters, Pecola Breedlove is an outcasted young black girl who wishes for blue eyes so she can be accepted and respected like the white girls. Pecola is raped by her father and later gets pregnant. The baby dies, and at the end, she "receives" (in her imagination) the blue eyes. But still, with blue eyes, people and even her imaginary friend doesn't accept her. Isn't that deep? What's even more meaningful is that there are thousands of minorities who wishes for white people's beauty like Pecola. And surprisingly, I know a long time friend who is a senior in college right now, and she is Pecola Breedlove.

My friend is half hispanic and black. Her skin is like chocolate mixed with light peanut butter, and her hair, is extremely curly and fluffy. Her eyes are dark brown, but if you see her in the sunlight, those dark brown eyes can gloom like red ebony wood during autumn. Even though her physical appearances are pretty, and the tone of her hair and skin are well-balanced, she still wishes for green blue eyes, light butter cream skin, and blond or brunette--non-frizzy or curly hair.  One day, she showed me a picture of herself, and said the picture was one of her favorites. Not because it was a good picture of herself, but mainly due to the tone of her skin. Her skin tone was light and depicted like a golden apple butter. "My skin looks so good here," she said proudly. Then I asked, "do you wish for lighter skin?" And quickly, without a second thought or time to filter her words, she said, "I am the darkest in the family, and I wish I can be light." Then she described her youngest brother's physical appearence: light skin--which you can see his veins and freckles, light emerald green eyes, and beautiful wavy chocolate brown colored hair. "My brother is going to be so handsome." It's great that she thinks her brother will be handsome--but, those beauty and illusion of beauty was only set or idolized due to her belief of blue eyes, white skin and blonde hair beauty. Ever since she said that she wished for white person's looks--"beauty," I started to observe her closely as if I were dissecting a new bug species on a planet. Everyday, she would try to talk loud in class to gain white girls' attention, and if that weren't enough, she tried to serve them. When those girls told her to shut-up, then without any hesitant nor questions, she would shut-up, whereas when minorities (who are also her friends) asked her, she would be defensive. When I talk to her, and a white girl interrupts, she talks to the white girl and ignores me; she only uses me when those white girls are among their own group. Most of the days, she would try to dress-up, but due to her financial limits, she tries to dress up by wearing skirts and random shirts. But, she didn't wear skirts and random shirts to gain attention, it was due to one of the white girl's compliment that she's made long time ago--"I love that skirt on you! You are so fashionable." My friend was seeking for their fake compliments.
There came a big football game ceremony. Everyone wore school spirited shirts to support the team. During our preparation for school spirit and ceremony, my friends and I were just taking pictures and having laughs--enjoying ourselves. Normally, she (aka my friend Pecola Breedlove) joins me and my friends. But instead, she was following the white girls, taking pictures with them, hugging them, and playing with one of white girl's blonde hair. My friend--Pecola, was so overly obsessed with white girl's hair because it was blonde. My friend--Pecola was so obsessed with their attention, because she wanted to feel like a white girl. Then at the end of the football game, I went up to her and started chatting. While I was talking to her, the whole entire time, she was rolling her eyes around--trying to find those white girls. Then she said, "oh. I think I am going home with them so..." This wasn't the first time. One day when her dad couldn't pick her up from school at the right time, I offered my house to stay. Then she agreed and said that would be a great idea. But, when this white girl appeared, she said "oh never mind. I don't need to go." My house is not a daycare center or a place that you use if and when you need it. I offered and volunteered to have her come to my house, but she quickly changed once another "superior race" came up to her.
In reality, those white girls' compliments are not compliments. They always comment on someone positively and talk shit behind someone's back. How do I know this? Well, when my friend Pecola got a haircut, those white girls complimented. But, when she was not present, I heard them talk shit about her new look. That beauty: blue/green eyes, white skin and blonde hair is not "beautiful." I have seen latino women who are beautiful--did they have blue eyes? No, but still they were beautiful. A lot of muslim and Indian women are extraordinarily beautiful. Do they have blue eyes? No.
"I don't want to marry black people. I don't find them attractive." Her racism and discrimination to her own race is all shaped and impacted by her idolization towards white people. It's disappointing and unfortunate to see a girl who is so obsessed with gaining blue-eye-beauty just like the character Pecola from Morrison's novel. What's even more shameful is that there are a lot of minorities out in the world, who acts like my friend and Pecola. I truly wish that my friend Pecola finds herself soon. "Foolish ones are those who does not know themselves." Why can't individuality be accepted? That even goes to Koreans. They purposely try to look white these days. Those k-pop stars are obsessed with pale skin, yellow hair, and colored eye lenses.

I am proud of my race and my looks. Honestly, I don't want to change my looks to manufactured and corrupted society's consideration of beauty. Come to think of it, why are people so obsessed with white-skin Barbie dolls?
I am not saying all white girls act this way. This one white group does in my school. It's just baffling to see racial segregation even if they say that they are not racist. Seriously, those girls only hang out with their own race. Please do not think I am exaggerating; I am speaking the truth.

***For privacy, I will not mention or call names.

Humble Bee

Bumble Bee Clipart Photo
This is not for Georgia Tech Mascot!
Image Link: http://vector-magz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/bumble-bee-clipart2.png

"Bzzzz. Bzzzz." That is a sound of bumble bee during spring and summer. But certainly, here in this world, that "bzzzz" bumble bee sound is more like smartphone notification sound or rather, people twitting or updating their statuses about their "proud" life.
I am officially sick and tired of this "bzzz" social media showing off. Every time I go on Facebook, Tumblr, and etc. it's all about 'their' life. Of course, that is what social media is for, but it's not just a regular "show off".

Example 1:
There is a woman who is a wife of a pastor, and she loves posting/updating her statuses by posting a picture of her "beautiful" daughter and captioning the photo by saying stuff: "My daughter... Why are you so PRETTTYYYY?????", "My beautiful and smart daughter!", "Why is my daughter so preetttyyy?", "my beautiful daughter and handsome husband," and etc. (I can literally go on and on).

This is how it looks if I were in her shoes...

My beautiful baby! Why are you so gorgeous and beautiful???? Can someone tell me???

I am not disagreeing with her. Trust me... I think she's pretty. What makes me mad is the fact that she shows off her daughter WAY TOO MUCH! I understand that she is an only child for her, but that does not mean that you have to show-off. What you should do especially as a pastor's wife and a woman who studied theology, is simply appreciate the fact that you have a daughter--and, be thankful without saying it in front of everyone. There are thousands of women out there who cannot conceive a child. Even in the Bible, it says that conceiving a child and starting a family is a gift. Take the gift, don't brag about it, move on and live as it goes.

Example 2:
I see this A LOT! Students who apply to colleges "must" (it's almost as if it's illegal to not post something like this) update their statuses saying what college they got in and etc..
True, it is amazing that you officially got into college, and you are showing your 'intelligence' but what is not true and wrong about it is that no one needs to praise or give attention to you just because you got in to *blank* college.

This is how it looks like all the time...
                   Status update: GOT INTO AUBURN!!!
                   Status update: Guess who is going to Berklee? This girl! MEEE!!
                   Status update: *picture of the acceptance letter* Accepted to Boston University!

This is awfully annoying and seems like everyone just wants attention and be praised by others. Do not prove your intelligence through those acceptance status updates. Maybe try proving it by actually being humble. How is that a proof then? It's a proof because you are showing more intelligence by not showing off about it.

Example 3:
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR PARENTS! Almost all parents brag about their kids. There is no need to brag about them. You know why? Because we get it. Of course, it's your baby and child. Of course you will be proud. In fact, almost every parent in the world has at least one thing that they must be proud of their child (unless parents abuse their children or children escape from home).

This is how it looks like 24/7 everyday, everywhere and infinite and beyond...

Mom 1:Hey my daughter just applied to early decision scholarship program.
Mom 2: oh wow....that's demanding! My daughter took the SAT last month and we got her score back, she got 2100!
Mom 1: wow! Congratulations! my daughter just tries when she can; she doesn't seem like she's trying hard these days...
Mom 2: oh really? my daughter never takes a nap after school and studies until 1 am.
Mom 1: wow. she is very determined.
Mom 2: she doesn't even miss any school. She's really smart and I think she can get a perfect score next time. She wants to go to Penn State University... you know her cousin went to Penn state and became a dentist.
Mom 1: looks like she will be successful!

 BAM... THAT RIGHT THERE IS A TYPICAL CONVERSATION THAT I HEAR ALL THE TIME!
That's not it... here's more...

*picture of a baby* "my sweet little boy. Mama loves him!"

seriously....

Can we all make those stupid, crappy, and aggravating "braggy" statuses and conversations into humble bee? Don't buzz like a loud bumble bee. Buzz like a Humble Bee!

Why I Don't Like 'Timed' Art

See that beautiful Dali's melting clock? Well.... I understand why Dali decided to make it melt.

It's been awhile but recently, I've been super busy, and I barely have time to catch up to to my social life (aka Internet life). Two weeks ago I decided to challenge myself. Due to my lack of artistic life, I decided to have an art painting challenge. In a week (for an hour a day), I had to paint a picture that suppose to reflect my favorite artists' painting techniques and styles.

I picked Janet Fish and Wayne Thiebaud. I like Janet's interpretation of painting glasses by using multi different colors with water color paint. I like Wayne's style of still life that is not too realistic but puts his own way of seeing the objects. Also, last year, I had to the chance to go to the High Museum of Atlanta and found a lot of paintings that are "folk" style or had a reflection of surrealism.

So my challenge was to paint this picture in five days for an hour each day. My medium? Acrylic...

The real question is, did I finish and met my goals??? YES!!! I did but, it's not the best and it will never be the best. At least I learned something... Never procrastinate for art and art should not be timed. But taken with the best available time and effort. Worst thing that you can do with art is rushing. Therefore, I hate 'timed' art. No art is felt with time.

Here is my ugly artwork:

Excuse my terrible phone camera

Terrible photo quality 

Test and Exams Really Measurable?

Currently, I am taking a philosophy class, and it's not the easiest class but not the hardest (I think Music Theory is the hardest). Through class lectures and readings/writings, I was able to know myself as a 'knower' and most importantly, how I obtain knowledge. How do I know that I 'know' that information? I don't... I am brainwashed everyday by the society. But it's tough to stay out of the sun and the society and be myself. In fact, if I were to be excluded, I would be like Emily Dickinson (very strange woman). I am sure that I obtain knowledge through development process, repetition, guidance, visual, arts, and sounds. But, how can I know instead of being sure. What if I don't want to know but go with the flow based on my perception?

I am just playing around, but these are the type of questions that we have to face in ToK class. But today's post is not about my Tok--well it could be. It's about the realization of tests and exams. Now... I am not posting this so I can share my excuses, I think others should know and re-think about the creation of tests/exams.

On January 15th, 2013, I wrote this as my Google+ Status:
"If a test or an exam is created by group of people or a person, then it doesn't measure students' knowledge of the subject because the people who made the test might be stupid and students might be smarter than them. If not, then how do you expect a student to exceed or pass the exam if it took bunch of hours and effort from people (not a person) to create that exam? Exactly, stop judging intelligence through exams. When I die, I don't think Lord is going to ask if I made a 4.0 in high school or passed my exams. It's what I have developed through those challenges and stupidity that the society makes all the time. Just putting that out there."


Am I the only one who think it this way?

I mean, think about it. Almost all the exams that we take as students, are all created by "group" of people. Not a person (it could be but usually not--there's always a person who revises it and etc.) but a groups or group of people. So, if all those thinkers are creating one form of a test, then how can those different intelligence test students' knowledge. It can't because when a student is taking the exam, he or she is using her only one brain. But, the exam was not made with one intelligence! It was made through process, time, and multiples of intelligent scholars out there. It's not balanced at all. Let's look at a Devil (Now, I am not praising him. I would never praise him; if I did then I don't exist, but even if I don't exist, no one should praise him. I am Christian and I will try my best to stay that way). According to theology studies, apparently, devil has an intelligence of three men. But, what if he had one intelligence? He would probably fail at his foolish job and maybe, the world might be better. However, because he has those three intelligence of three men, he is extremely manipulative and making our world terrible. This is just like an exam--if an exam has three men's intelligence, then how can student's accomplish or succeed in taking that exam? It's logically impossible. If a man who weighs 300 pounds and he fights against a young man who weighs only 130 pounds, who will win? Logically, the 300 pounds. But what if, the 130 pound man wins? Obviously, it was a luck and it was through God's help. Goliath versus David perhaps? David won, but how? Scientifically, he had better techniques of defending himself--the strategy to throw rock pebbles with a strong force. Religiously, God was working and fighting with him. So, an exam... if a student exceeds or gets a good grade, then it is luck. But ideally, he or she has a higher chance to fail. Maybe, those "intelligent" guys were stupid so it was hard to catch the silly mistakes? Or, it may have been 2-infinite intelligence vs. one working intelligence. Can we stop this foolish and unmeasurable tests? But how can we test people? You don't need to. If one is good at that subject, then he or she is good at it. Need proof? Then meet the person not through papers and ink.