Odyssey on Maps

I created a Google Map based on the Odyssey intended to use in future classes in school.  I would like to use this activity again for other books as well.  I am thinking along the lines of Mark Twain, or Jane Austen.  I am a visual person so something like this could be very useful in class and something fun for students to create themselves.

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=217151320616601773639.0004c9ac824d32c546ba5&msa=0

This I Believe Essay & Composer Notes

Essay:

I believe that everything happens for a reason.  Ours lives are shaped by our decisions and it is my belief, not in a grand already made plan, but that the choices I have made have brought me down a path where I find myself right now and in some divine way it happened all as it should.  Simply looking at the way I met my husband shows me how everything is shaped together to form what makes our lives today.  Had I not switched jobs, had I moved to a different apartment, had I stayed out that night, had I not been bored, had I done anything differently our chance meeting would we have never met?  Had anything been different, the slightest timing change we never would have met and this would no longer be my story.  It has happened many times over in my life that I think of these things.  When my Dad was too sick to work it just so happened that I lost my job a month before I had to take on his.  Had I gotten the job I was sure I was going to be offered I would have never moved.  Had the job field I had previously been in not taken such a hit I never would have gone back to school for teaching.  Had I had the courage to stand alone I never would have found myself again.  Had I not taken the chance I never would have had what I have now.  So while I know my choices are never perfect and regret can seep into my mind from time to time it doesn’t take much for me to remember that I have what I have due to choices and possibly chance but either way I believe everything happens for a reason and that consoles me.

Composition Notes:
I began this project writing first.  Once we came to class and I saw where I would have to find images to go along with it it became much more difficult.  I think the visual aspect is going to be much harder for me.  Maybe because of the topic... I’m not sure...

Things To DO:
Figure out a software to use!!??!  Windows Movie Maker
Find Photos
Find a video.... thinking Jack White building a guitar
Find music for background
REWRITE

I’ve decided after much thought to change my project completely... I went from “I Believe that everything happens for a reason”, to “I believe there is beauty in the ordinary”  At least that is where I am right at this moment.. much better than earlier to today when I wanted to do “I believe I am surrounded by idiots that need to commit mass suicide”... definitely a better place now.  =)


9/4/2012
Finding photos to go along with the idea of what I have in mind for my project.  I’m mostly thinking of finding old photos from the US Archives.  If you haven’t been to the site, do.  Some are just so beautiful and are free to download and use.

9/8/2012
Finding photos and thinking about how I will use the voiceover to the photos.  Created a video with photos, played around with some other software ideas on making the photos not simply just appear and disappear.

9/10/2012
Totally scratched my second idea and reverted back to my original idea and edited the written portion.  My heart just was not in the second idea.  I tried, but it was hard.  Changing a lot of the photos, but able to keep a few.  Making my husband help me get my voice recording done, with an 8 month old and staying in my mother’s house while we renovate mine... NOT easy!  

9/11/2012
Having Issues with audio jack on my computer, put it on my husbands also using his software to combine the voice with music.  Found a great add on for ripping music off youtube.  Hallelujah! Voice and music are together, working on creating the visual, which is by far the hardest part which I had anticipated.  Hoping to do good on my vision.  Also, I suppose I will always despise my own voice on a recording.


9/11/2012
Added the images and voice recording.  I also found some instrumental music to add to my voice recording which went nicely.  At the end I had wanted the music to keep playing longer, however it was not possible as it was a loop and would have started over.  I really liked having the photos go by faster and faster.  That was what I was most excited about.