Pixelated Joy: Do you have it?

Click! At that millisecond of pressing a button, I hoped to capture a bit of a person in a machine. For an assignment in my photography class, we had to do a portrait shoot. I chose my rambunctious and energetic little cousin. As a seven-year-old, he runs around all the time, usually yelling at the top of his lungs. I had two predicaments: one, how to get him to stay in one place longer than ten minutes, and two, how to relay his vibrant personality through a series of digital pixels.
I placed him in his bedroom which was surrounded by sports memorabilia in every nook and cranny. The boy was chanting the UCLA fight song by the time he could talk, sports are so much a part of him. Professional photographer Darren Rowse advises “Photograph your subject doing something that they love. This will put them more at ease and you can end up getting some special shots with them reacting naturally to the situation that they are in.” That was my goal: capture who this little boy was. Little did I know at that moment was the photographs I would end up with would reflect more than the little boy in front of me.
After the shoot, when reviewing the pictures, this particular photograph took my breath away. The sheer joy of a child is expressed so poignantly and vibrantly. His laughter explodes with such force, in contrast to the stoic background photographs which hold a fraction of his energy. To emphasize his own vivacity, I gave him the only color in the photograph. What struck me initially was his unreserved joy and I wanted to show the audience.
As I stared at the photograph, I thought, “How often do we, as adults, throw our heads back and laugh unabashedly?” The answer, unfortunately, is too little. Burdened by stress and the daily worries of the day, it is easy to just “get things done” rather than look around at the small joys of life. Although this is not a world-famous photograph that will shake nations or inspire millions, it made an impact in my life. Both in taking the shot and reviewing it afterwards gave me a small, yet profound insight into life.
In the attempt to portray the personality of a little boy, I captured a rare sight: a moment of true joy. Robert Wagner, a composer, once declared that “Joy is not in things; it is in us.” In a materialistic culture constantly clamoring for us to buy more, it tells us that happiness is in what objects we have. This photograph reminds us that we each possess everything we need to be happy—it is within us. This liberating idea is so apparent in children, who greet the new days with excitement and approach life with joy. Why do we forget that when we get old?

"That's What She Said"

“It toes the line between both outright slapstick and dry, awkward pauses not to mention is filled with various lines you'll find yourself repeating days later.” Brian Ford Sullivan was referring to NBC’s show, “The Office” in his 2005 review on www.thefutoncritic.com. If you listen long enough to a conversation between teenagers or young adults now, you will inevitably hear a phrase followed by “that’s what she said.” One of the easiest jokes to crack, this versatile phrase adds sexual innuendo to almost anything. Its popularity skyrocketed with the debut of this comedy. The inappropriate nature mixed with humor reflects the TV show and the ludicrously funny boss played by Steve Carrell.

The plot revolves around a typical, mundane, and un-glamorous office with characters bordering on the insane. Acting as a catalyst for the ridiculous events which occur and usually spiral out of control is the immature boss, Michael Scott (Steve Carrell), describing himself as "friend first, boss second, entertainer third." With the managerial skills of a ten-year-old, Michael’s behavior usually is deeply offensive, inappropriate, or annoying—most of the times it’s all three combined. “That’s what she said” remains a joke close to Michael’s heart and he slips it as much as he can (that’s what she said) [the author adds this to fully illustrate the joke].

Ridiculous characters usually appear out of place in the real world and difficult to connect with. In another review, Joanne Schenker declared that “NBC's Office is an American parody of the tedious minutia that occurs in the workplace”( http://blogcritics.org). Written for an audience who participate in the 9 to 5 monotony of a desk job, the show appeals and speaks directly to them, despite the unreal insanity of the characters. These characters who sometimes punch through walls (literally), play tricks on each other, and break copiers do the things that some of us only dream about doing, and make us laugh in the meantime. The ridiculous behavior reminds the audience of the nonsensical, illogical, and erratic actions of human beings. Humor has elements of the truth within it and that’s why we laugh, when we “get the joke”. We have all seen the irrational decisions of others and sometimes in ourselves. Drawing attention to it means that we admit it to ourselves, admitting that we are not always using the rationality we so prize in ourselves.

Michael Scott reminds us of our insecurities that are always lurking behind our own self-esteem. Although he is convinced, most of the time, he is the smartest, good-lookingest, and funniest person in the room, his intense child-like doubts leak through at times. He literally runs away from the office one day when he becomes overwhelmed with his debt. The characters exhibit flashes of humanity and tenderness in various moments. This adds to the appeal of the show. They are complex people, who hide their self-doubting from everyone else in sometimes pathetic attempts. It is easy to forget the person next to you on the bus or in the cubicle is a real person with pain, insecurity, and doubt. “The Office” tells the story about a group of employees in Scranton, PA who clash, annoy, and care for each other; it makes a point about recognizing the insanity of the world and the humanity of those around you. My own short experience with life reveals a similar point, because what I have seen is that the world can be ridiculous and crazy and it is easier to dehumanize others, forget they are human, rather than face the complexity of the madness. Ultimately, as a result of watching this show, the irrationality of human beings is not explained, but I have realized people are complex and erratic, but intensely human, fully capable of tenderness, pain, and compassion.

Going into Battle

Wander into any videogame store or high school band and you will discover a multitude of Lord of the Rings fans. As a twenty-something female, I also fiercely love Tolkien’s tale and for the same reason as my fourteen-year-old cohorts: its battles. Don’t worry, I am not a bloodthirsty college student with a craving for violence. But this tale deals with goblins, elves, hobbits, and magic and seems an unlikely candidate for being at all applicable to its readers. I do not carry a sword around, but Lord of the Rings has left an indelible mark on who I am.

The intense and nail-biting warfare of Middle-Earth occurs both on the battlefield and within the characters; not only does the fellowship and its allies fight against the evil forces of Mordor, but the defenders of the good are always fighting battles within themselves. Struggling with fear, pride, and conflicting loyalties, some of them fail and fall short of who they could have been. It is in these battles, in these struggles that Lord of the Rings speaks truth about the reality of life as we know it. That is human existence. We are not simple creatures with a single goal and identity. Each one of us faces a constant inward struggle about who choose to be. It is here that the fantasy tale establishes its claim to reality. The characters who joined the Fellowship of the Ring chose to fight evil and as the tales moves forward, had to keep choosing good. When faced with overwhelming odds or treacherous places, each person struggled inwardly about what to do and who to become. It was through these battles within themselves that the heroes of the tales emerged and evil was destroyed.

W.H. Auden, in his 1956 review of the final book of the trilogy writes that “Life, as I experience it in my own person, is primarily a continuous succession of choices between alternatives…my subjective experience of time is not of a cyclical motion outside myself but of an irreversible history of unique moments which are made by my decisions.” The world around us does not offer an easily paved road, but one that is rift with byways and boulders. We are not simple creatures, but complex in who we are and who we can become. The difficulties of always making choices weigh heavily on a person.

When we first meet Aragorn, the heir to the throne of Gondor, is in hiding, refusing to accept the crown, trapped by his own fear. After fierce battles within himself, he ultimately triumphs over his own fears and doubts and returns to his kingdom, defeating the evil lord, Sauron, and claiming the crown. Although it was his calling to become this great leader, his own choices and inward struggle led him to that greatness. Each illustration of overcoming crippling fear and doubt carry over to the real world. Although we all have the possibility of becoming a great person, we can only do so when we make those decisions. And, it does not come easily. Tolkien’s battles show the pain and sacrifice one must make in order to achieve something. I may be only a student, but I know life is hard. But knowing the possibility of good coming out of the struggle, out of the pain, gives hope. Thanks to the battle for Middle Earth, I know that battles are a part of becoming who we are meant to be. Bring on the swords!