Writing journal
Journal Entry #1
throughout my childhood, I collected many different things from Magic the Gathering cards to legos, locks, and beyblades. There’s something about collecting things that makes you feel a sense of community and being part of something bigger than yourself, especially when you have other people to share your niche interests with. out of all the things I collected as a kid I think the Magic the Mathering cards stuck with me the most. I remember I started collecting magic cards when my good friend from elementary school invited me to play with him. The card game instantly sparked my interest with detailed art of fantasy creatures from angels to goblins and dragons, fantasy worlds like Harry Potter, and other books I used to read as a child would have me captivated for hours so I’m not surprised with the way Magic pulled me in. when I played the game I felt almost as if I was transported to a different world of magic where my imagination would bring the game to life. Once I started playing I couldn’t stop, I would beg my parents and my sister to play with me and try to teach them the rules. I remember spending time at my friends’ houses playing all day together and trading cards, collecting the cards, and playing with my friends became our go-to activity when we would hang out, and made me feel more complete. I still remember it like it was yesterday when my dad got me a huge box of Magic cards for my birthday, we were in Philadelphia and had just eaten breakfast when we went together to a gaming store where they had all sorts of card games and even toy swords. I was so excited to have all these new cards to show and trade with my friends I couldn’t wait to get back home to show them off, looking back at those times I’m able to have a different kind of appreciation for the feeling of excitement and happiness I could feel from something so simple as a card game. Playing magic with my friends brought us closer to each other and gave us something to do instead of being on our iPads playing Minecraft all day. to this day I still have all my hundreds of magic cards stored away in a big box in my room and once in a while I’ll find one hiding in my dressers reminding me of peaceful days having fun with my friends.
Journal Entry #2
While researching all sorts of bizarre collections I came across one that stuck out to me as the oddest and most unusual. Lizzie and Bob Gibbons are a couple with a whopping collection of 240 silicone love dolls. This collection stuck out to me the most because all of the dolls in the collection are life-sized not to mention his wife is perfectly fine with it. the collection is considered shared between both Bob and Lizzie but it seems that Bob is the real connoisseur of these dolls. Bob Gibbons, the 60-year-old mechanic who used to buy rag dolls for his 2 kids began his fascination with these larger dolls in 2004 when he started collecting mannequins. Soon after With the help of his wife Bob bought his first silicone love doll from an online forum. Bob said in an interview he was curious to see how lifelike he could make a doll seem, this seems to be what inspired his need to dress and individually name all of the 240 dolls. Although these dolls are usually used for a sexual purpose Bob claims that his intention with these dolls is only to dress them up and for the sake of his hobby. Lizzie and Bob go as far as to regularly wash dress and groom their collection of $4,000 dolls, even though to some it may seem unnecessary Bob and Lizzie take these matters seriously. Bob’s wife Lizzie said that she accepts Bob’s hobby and is also invested in it and helps him groom the dolls and take them out on trips. Lizzie says since Bob started collecting these dolls they have been able to spend more time together, especially considering how much time his career as a mechanic would take from their relationship. I don’t understand their fascination with the dolls but it seems to bring them both peace. After reading into the story of Lizzie and Bob’s collection I realized you could collect anything no matter how odd it may seem. If I was to start a collection I would collect lighters from all over the world in different shapes and sizes and have them all up on display on a glass shelf.
Journal entry #3
When people hear the term fetish objects many things can come to mind but most People may be unaware of the religious and spiritual meaning of a fetish object. a fetish object is an Object which is believed to possess some sort of magical power. Many religions from around the world use fetish objects for a variety of different things some, cultures carry objects like talismans or amulets to give them good luck or protection and other things. In voodoo specifically, fetish objects are an important part of life and are commonly used for protection and positive blessings but can also be used to bring harm upon an individual. Vodou dolls are an example of a popular fetish object that is believed to hold great power. in a vodou doll, nails are placed into the doll which represents an individual. These nails may either represent a blessing or a curse. to make these dolls more powerful animals are sacrificed and their blood is poured over the doll giving them a smoky scent something like a dry meat jerky. The N”kondi statues found in West Africa and the central Congo are what voodoo dolls are based on.
Journal entry #4
Kitsch is a term that many struggle to describe. Kitch as an adjective originated in art markets in Germany in the 1850s and was used to describe cheap popular and somewhat cheesy art. In more modern days we see kitsch as played out or corny art or things that have no real depth or meaning but rather are humorous or ironic. when researching the term kitsch one popular type of art I came across was religious art. The religious kitsch art that I came across wasn’t your average serious religious art but modern and cheesy twists on classic religious objects. religious kitsch art is controversial and disliked by many due to its humorous nature but is also very popular. One object I came across was a plastic statue of Santa praying to baby Jesus in the cradle. What makes this object kitsch in my opinion is that it takes the powerful image of baby Jesus being born and puts a cartoonish Santa in the picture. This may be offensive to some Christians because Santa takes away the true religious meaning of Christmas and it could be seen as making fun of the religion. This statue could also be seen as a funny commentary on the impact of consumerism on ancient religions. Although kitsch objects are known to be meaningless and ironic they can also describe the impact of the modern world on the classic past in an ironic way that other art fails to capture.
Journal entry #5
The object I picked to research as a cultural icon is the iconic true religion jeans. True Religion was established in 2002 by Jeff Lubell and Kym Gold in Los Angeles. When the brand first launched it produced 14000 jeans and outsourced all the production relying on contractors to deal with it. It was 1st in 2005 when the brand opened its most successful location in Manhattan Beach, California. True Religion jeans were selling fast and their unique fitted looks for both men and women made the product take off quickly. What made True Religion stand out from other jeans was the unique stitching and fit of the pants, the brand would modify sewing machines to do a 5-needle stitch which gave the jeans their signature look. The stitching which was not only the hallmark design for the jeans but also all of their other clothing, is known as the super T stitch which is demonstrated in nearly all their apparel. In the early 2000s, true religion jeans were very popular and sported on many pop culture icons they captured the overall vibe of the time with their unusual design. While True Religion has always been a popular brand in more recent years they have made a comeback by collaborating with popular brands like Supreme and even making a collection with rapper Chief Keef. True religion is more than just a clothing brand but a representation of the early 2000s culture making a comeback. True religion jeans are iconic and show how a pair of jeans can symbolize so much for so many different people.
Journal entry #6
All different cultures and demographics have their unique ways of expressing their identity through fashion and style and they vary drastically. when searching the web for different subcultures and styles it was hard to pick which one to dive into, they were all cool and had different things that appealed to me. After some digging, I came across Harajuku, a term I knew I had heard before but couldn’t point my finger on exactly where. Harajuku style formed in Tokyos Harajuku district in the late 1900s and continues to spread around the world and gain popularity to this day. Harajuku incorporates Western clothing items and streetwear with traditional Japanese style creating a new and unique look. Harajuku revolves around being yourself and not caring about what others think, it represents a rebellion against social norms. Many of the outfits considered Harajuku consist of bright and neon colors, layers, and accessories, colorful and cosplay-styled hair is also common in Harajuku style. Harajuku is a mix of many Japanese subculture styles like gothic lolita, cosplay, and gyaru, these styles were often mixed with darker and more gothic themes which contrasted with all the bright colors creating something timeless. In the 2000s harajuku style spread to the West and Westerners incorporated the Japanese style into their subcultures, especially the punk rock scene. Personally, i am a big fan of the Harajuku style and would like to incorporate it more in my own outfits.
Journal entry #7
even though all may not recognize her name she broke many barriers for women of her time and helped other female inventors gain recognition. Martha was born in Baltimore in the early 1800s, her father worked as a Navy officer but passed when Martha was just a young girl which forced her to leave school to provide for her family. Martha eventually moved to Philadelphia where she met her husband Benjamin Coston, A Young inventor who would encourage her to follow her passions for science and engineering. Benjamin Coston was employed at the Washington Navy Yard and helped them with various projects until he died from gas exposure from his work experiences at the Navy Yard. After Martha’s husband passed in 1847 she was left with 4 children to provide for and needed a way to do so. One day when looking through some of her husband’s old papers she came across a plan for a light signal he had been working on. When Martha investigated the paper she came to realize the project was far from complete. Benjamin had been attempting to make a gas-powered light that ships would use to communicate over long distances at sea but his plan wouldn’t work when Martha experimented with his designs. With a family to feed Martha was determined to make a change and used her skills as an inventor to make something revolutionary out of her husband’s drawings. Martha spent years studying her husband’s work and thinking of new ways to make the idea work and tried all sorts of chemical combinations before she eventually came up with an effective signal flare that could be seen from afar. As a woman in her time, she was not taken seriously by other scientists and had trouble getting proper funding for her experiments but still managed to succeed after years of hard work and determination. When the Civil War came about Martha’s invention was needed by the US military. Martha sold her design which was under her husband’s name at the time to the army, guns used to launch the flares were also made to make them more effective. Later on, Martha improved the design and patented it in her name and was credited as the inventor of the flare. Eventually, Martha’s invention even became necessary equipment on all boats to ensure safety. Instead of having to look for a flag in the dark or listen for the shouting from a distant ship, sailors could now easily find the colorful and bright flares that lit up the sky. Martha Coston revolutionized the way ships communicate and to this day her invention is still used all around the world.
Journal entry #8
Nuclear bombs are one of the most destructive weapons created and have the potential to end our species as we know it. Man’s obsession over power and control had driven us so far that in the 1900s we were competing in a race to see who could create the most destructive bombs. In the Cold War the leading forces, the USSR and the United States were in heated competition to create more powerful nuclear bombs. In 1945 the US dropped the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japan, the bombs killed 70,000 to 135,000 people in Hiroshima and 60,000 to 80,000 in Nakasaki. Half of the people died on the first day and the other half in the next few months from radiation and other causes. After the bombing of Hiroshima, Russia began producing the same bombs as the US and both had created a hydrogen bomb with the US coming first in the race. Although nuclear bombs were not used in warfare during the Cold War the constant threat of their use struck fear in the hearts of civilians. When taking time to comprehend events like Hiroshima it makes you wonder how much farther man’s obsession for power can be taken, especially considering how many innocent people and civilians had to die. Atomic bombs should have never been invented and are still a threat today but they are among us. The existence of these bombs tells us how much destruction obsession over power and control can have and how much harm it can cause those who stand in the way. While desire can be positive it can also be the catalyst for destruction.
Journal entry #9
Most people’s teeth stop growing at age 21 but the Buddha’s teeth continue to grow against all odds after thousands of years. Buddha’s followers believe that after Buddha’s death, 4 teeth and 3 bones were left behind and sifted from his ashes. Not everyone agrees about where the buddhas relics went after this but one version of the story says that the buddhas left canine tooth was given to the king of the ancient city, Kalinga. After some time the buddhas tooth was reportedly moved to Ceylon (Now Shrilanka) when Kalinga was in a state of emergency. The tooth would stay in Ceylon and move around with the king who was a devout Buddhist. Today the tooth sits in the ‘Temple Of the Sacred Tooth’ in Sri Lanka and is blessed by monks 3 times a day. Buddhists believe that the tooth relic possesses strong healing powers and blesses those who see it. It is also believed that the tooth has been growing for about 3000 years and continues to grow.
Journal entry #10
We have all heard of the Ouija board, the spooky “game” that claims to give us the ability to communicate with the other side but not many know its history. The game was first advertised as a product in 1981 and consists of a flat board with numbers 0 through 9 and letters A-Z, it was said to tell of the past present, and future. Charles Kennard, a man from Baltimore teamed up with coffin maker E.C Reiche to create the Ouija board but lost funding and Elija Bond and others took over the project and got funding. The Quija board was “proven’ to work before it was patented and sold in stores. The Ouija board arose from the growing obsession with spiritualism in the 19th century, the idea of being able to communicate with the dead was becoming more and more popular and socially acceptable. At a time when the life expectancy was 50 and many were dying from disease and war, people became more interested in communication with the dead. People were desperate to connect with loved ones, Abraham Lincoln’s wife was even known to have seances in their house after the death of their 11-year-old son. The company was taken over by William Fuld and he constructed a factory to produce the boards which he was instructed to build by the Ouija board itself. Later on, in 1927, Fuld would mysteriously die falling off the same factory the board told him to build. While the Ouija board is commonly thought of as an American invention similar items and spirit boards date back to 551 BC in ancient China when spirit boards were commonplace in communicating with the dead.
