Art Review - Ascending and Descending by M.C. Escher

The Currier Museum currently houses an array of works from the great artist M.C. Escher. His works include pictures depicting mirror images, shape repetition, and infinite stairways. One such looping staircase is illustrated in “Ascending and Descending”.

The lithograph utilizes a Penrose staircase, where each set of stairs leads into the next in a square shape, to represent Escher’s infinite structure. Identical men, clothed in robes, patrol the railings of the stairs. Their pants are high enough to reveal their legs which reveal the direction that they are going in: up or down. Below, another man watches opposite the men above. His small stature emphasizes the overall size of the structure.

The art requires deep visual and thematic anaylsis. Visually, the structure appears to be a keep, either used for housing or military. The height and guards suggest that the men need to look out for something unknown. The building contains multiple entrances on the ground floor, implying that the structure is used for housing.  A military structure would be more fortified.

Escher cleverly symbolizes the themes of the lithograph in the men. On the roof, men walking endlessly suggests a criticism on conformity. All these men have no purpose but to circle the top of the building. Elsewhere on the keep, a man guards a lower floor and another sits on a set of stairs. Perhaps these men are reflecting instead of blindly doing. Escher allows for many meanings to be derived from his work.

Ascending and Descending is a treat for viewers who wish to see a pleasing picture as well as a thought provoking piece. It is just one of many currently available for viewing in the M.C. Escher Experience at the Currier Museum in Manchester, New Hampshire.  

Confusing Commas Create Conundrums

Before reading Grammar Girl, I considered commas to be the be-all, end-all tool for sentence structure. It turns out I was abusing their power. Grammar Girl introduced me to the concept of comma splicing: using commas to link two independent clauses without a conjunction. I usually write in a controlled stream of consciousness; therefore, I record what immediately comes to mind and edit errors or poor execution as they appear. This leads me to cram my writing with commas. Since my writing matches my thought process, I sprinkle commas wherever I naturally pause a sentence in my head.

Grammar Girl taught me about the power of the colon and its half-brother: the semicolon. Colons are used to add a qualifier to the end of a complete sentence that will clarify the previous text. Semicolons bring together closely related main clauses. This is a powerful weapon to combat my comma splice dilemma. I would often struggle with sentences containing subjunctive adjectives. In the past, I would write, “I don’t like seafood, however, I do like lobster”. I now know that you need to add a semicolon when dealing with subjunctive adverbs. “I don’t like seafood; however, I do like lobster”. Another way to combat comma splices is to create two separate sentences. “I don’t like seafood. I do like lobster.” As you can see, this is a less elegant solution than the semicolon. Used sparingly, it could break up sentence structure in an otherwise lengthy piece.

Grammar Girl taught me a lot of tips that seem insignificant when viewed individually. When put together, however, all of the advice on punctuation, style, and usage can make a good writer a great writer. 

Travel Pro - Business Idea

Travel Pro is a smartphone application available on iOS devices that allows users to see nearby restaurants, entertainment, museums, and landmarks in the area.

The primary audience would be tourists who don’t know of all the various attractions in their destination. The app could also be useful to residents of areas that want to find something new. The app will be free because I imagine that users would probably download this on a whim to see if it could help them. If there was a price attached, then they would be less likely to give it a shot. Advertisements would probably be my main source of income (as well as a $1.99 in app purchase that removes ads). Another source of income would be working with business to feature them in the app. For a small fee the companies could be highlighted in their various categories.

Travel Pro will allow you to publicize your experience via the app and a link to your favorite social media account. Yes, this runs the risk of people using the app to complain about their experience, but it will force us to make the app as useful as possible. People can also visit the app's website to learn more about it. Extra advertising techniques might be necessary but I would first assess the success of the first strategy after a prolonged test period. I am also unsure how difficult it is to make a free app profitable. Similar to advertising, I would need to determine its financial success before changing it.

Overall, the app seems like a cool idea but after doing some research, I think that the app would be too similar to competitors to stand out. There are lots of travel smartphone apps out there and they all more or less, can achieve the features of Travel Pro.

Life After UNHM

In the spring of 2015, I will be embarking on an equally exciting and frightening new journey: life after college. I was able to simulate this experience over the summer by doing an internship and living alone for three months. However, three months can’t compare to a lifetime.

Once I graduate next May I will start looking at my career options. First, I will contact Arista Networks, the company that employed me over the summer, to inquire about a full-time position. If things don't work out with them I will look at other computer networking companies in California. I would be open to working in New Hampshire, but it’s unlikely that I will stay in the state due to the small number of potential jobs related to my field in the area.

My plans will start to become clearer once I have my job and living situation settled. If I live in California again then I will have friends I met last time already living there. I learned how difficult it can be to get around primarily relying on public transportation, so I plan to bring my car with me wherever I go in the future.

In contrast from my professional aspirations, I am uncertain about other aspects of my life. The one thing I am sure of is that I want to continue writing in some form. It’s a hobby that I have always enjoyed but never explored outside of school assignments. Having large amounts of free time will give me the opportunity to fully delve into it.

The main worry I have about post-college life is securing a job. I feel confident in my skills and experience, but nevertheless, it’s the biggest hurdle to cross after you graduate. It’s hard for me to predict much else aside from my career since that’s what I’ve been most focused on recently. It will be relaxing, once I have a steady paycheck, to focus on something other than work.

San Francisco Sights

California is known as the home of movie stars, sunny weather, and beautiful beaches. This perception, while true in the southern portion of the state, does not apply to its north counterpart known as the Bay Area.  The hub of this area, San Francisco, might not be hot, but its attractions sure are! So bring your favorite sweater with you and visit these amazing locations:

1. The Golden Gate Bridge

The most famous landmark in San Francisco is also the most impressive. The Golden Gate Bridge is accompanied by a viewing area that allows visitors to take pictures from the perfect vantage point. The site also includes facts about the construction and maintenance of the bridge. There are separate walking and biking sections located on the bridge to let pedestrians cross at their own pace.

2. City Tour Bus

The best way to see everything San Francisco has to offer is to take a hop on/hop off tour bus. These buses have open-air-second levels that allow you to take in the sights comfortably. If a stop sounds interesting, then passengers can leave the bus and get on another without paying anything extra. Tickets cost between $50 and $100 depending if you opt for the 24 or 48 hour pass.

3. Golden Gate Park

One of the frequented stops on tour buses is Golden Gate Park. For $10, tourists can peruse art displays at the de Young Museum. Spending $30 allows visitors access to both the California Academy of Sciences and the Golden Gate Aquarium. Numerous gardens and flower arrangements can be found throughout the premises. Crossing 1,000 acres on foot may sound daunting, so the park provides guided Segway tours. These narrated tours cost $70 per person, cover the whole park and still give tourists time for pictures. 

San Francisco may not share the glamour of Los Angeles, but it holds its own as one of the top tourist destinations in California.