Evelyn Glennie

Evelyn Glennie's performance at the TED conference was very stimulating both to the eyes and the ears. She had a very unique style of playing in both her body movement and the actual sounds she created with the instruments she played. It was very calming in my opinion to hear her play music. Even when she was talking she was captivating. What she was saying was so inspiring. People are so narrow minded to think that we can only hear through our ears. There are so many other aspects, as she said, to listening and hearing music and the sounds around us.

It was inspiring to hear her play because if a deaf person can play better than a person who can hear through the tiniest vibrations, then why can't someone like me learn to play just as well? People are often held back by their belief that a handicap cannot be overcome. Why can't someone in a wheel chair dance, or someone who's deaf play an instrument? You're only as handicapped as you let yourself be. I'm so fortunate not to have a disability to overcome, and yet I don't try nearly as hard as I should to achieve my goals.

This woman, Evelyn Glennie, was able to mimic the exact sounds and vibrations in order to create a specific experience for the audience. She knew what she wanted to play, and how to get it across to them using tempo, beats, and compositions, however as she said "each person experiences music in their own way." By this she means that no matter who you are you're going to feel music in you a certain way and "hear" it differently than others. She feels the vibrations of the notes in her hands, her fingers, her legs, her stomach, and her arms. I hear it and feel it emotionally. Some may just hear the music, having it go in one ear and out the other. It's all different and unique to every person.

Golden Hills Community Garden

Golden Hills Community Garden

What is your name?

My name is Lorna

When did you first start coming here?

A neighbor brought me here when I first moved to the hills (golden hills)

Do you garden at home?

I live right down the street so I just come here

What would be your advice to give to others?

If you like gardening and don't have space this is a great way to do it.

1. What struck you about the location you visited? Was it what you expected, or very different?

The Community Garden I visited was very different than I expected. I expected something small in the middle of an urban area because Golden Hills is very urbanized. Instead what I found was a small hidden garden next to Golden Hills park. It was very cute, secluded and calming. I would love to come back and start my own little garden there if not at home.

2. Which items were cheaper than you expected? Which were more expensive?

NA

3. Do you think you will start going to a farmers market more often? Or using a community garden? Or supporting a CSA?

I would love to become apart of this community garden, not only for sustainable reasons but because of the energy it contained. It seems like a good place to get away and zen out as you garden or even just write next to the flower beds. The soil also seems to be very hearty there and would produce great herbs and such to cook with.

4. How do these locations fit into our essential questions of “Why Don’t People Live More Sustainably?” and “How Can I Convince them to do So?”

I think people often associate the terms sustainable living with difficult, but in all honesty it's so easy to live a more conscious lifestyle through places like Community Gardens, C.S.A.'s and Farmer's Markets. In my case, there are multiple opportunities within a mile radius of my house to live a more sustainable life style, and after looking up the locations closest to people in my group I found that I was not the only one this applied to. If people just took a few minutes to find a garden, market, or C.S.A. close to them we could all start living a more sustainable lifestyle.

Senior Garden

1.) What was your favorite part of the garden?

I really enjoyed all the beautiful plants. The colors were so vibrant and beautiful. I could just sit and look at everything all day and be content.

2.) How does each person contribute at the garden?

On garden days the seniors in John's Environmental Science class go to their garden and tend to it. Everyone pitches in weeding, watering, and cleaning out the shed etc. It's really a community effort

3.) Does this inspire you? Why?

I was really inspired by the work the seniors were doing to create my own garden at home. I would love to plant flowers and put them around the house.

4.) What would you grow if you had this garden?

I would love to grow so many different things, mainly flowers and vegetables like tomatoes. However, it would be nice to have an herb garden too.