Trigonometry

Trig was an excellent class. Of the maths I've taken so far, it was the most obviously applicable. I have come away from this class with a clearer understanding of a lot of the little ins and outs of how things are measured and quantified. One of my favorite things that we learned this year was how to tell how tall a building is just by knowing how far away I am and what angle the top is from me. There were a lot of neat things like that that I have gone home to show my fiancee. She is, unfortunately, not as excited about how tall buildings are as I am.

Spring Mass Project

U.S. Government and Politics

This was an excellent class for expanding my personal paradigm. I have a deep and abiding interest in the political process of this country and this class provided me with a richer knowledge of that process. After taking this one, I've decided to continue with this subject for the time being.

Campaign Finance and the Supreme Court

The thing I learned from this project is that interest is expensive and that taking the shortest-period loan with a high payment is distinctly advantageous to any alternative. $168K is an exorbitant sum, even over the course of a lifetime, but with good planning and a good understanding of mathematics, compromises can be made that benefit all parties.

Intro to Drawing Reflection

Vinny Genovesi

Intro to Drawing

5/4/15

Intro to Drawing – Chapter 11 Summary and Final Reflection

                The last chapter of our textbook deals with the very thing that I took this class for: commutative skills. I’m a fairly analytical left-brained person, but I recognize the importance of having access to that other half and I also realize that having that access in one area means that you have it in many others.

            I had realization some time ago that my thoughts came in layers. There are three, actually. There’s a primal layer where the thought is sort of sparked, then there is the layer where it’s translated to words for my left-brain to process, and then often it’s translated into words that I say out loud, in other words I talk to myself. I realized that in that initial stage, the primal layer, the thought is actually fully formed and actionable, but in order for me to process it, it has to travel through the other two. This won’t do for me. When we dream it’s all primal layer and no time-keeping. I’m convinced that that’s why dreams can have so much happen is such a short span of time. Nothing ever leaves the first layer of thought so everything is very, very fast. I wanted to be able to think that fast. I know that’s weird, but that’s a true story.

            I came to realize that what that first layer of thought was, was my right brain coming up with something. Why does it need to take the extra time to process through my language centers, I’ve wondered? How can I access that part of my head that doesn’t need to process, the part that already knows?

            The answer is, of course, art. As I said in my first summary, it has been an absolute joy to find out that my ulterior motive is the basis of art. When I took the first few of these classes and read the first few chapters of the textbook, I was absolutely blown away. Here is a teacher and a writer, both describing exactly what it is that I’m trying to accomplish. It was and has been, and still is extremely exciting.

            That said, this class has been such a boon in so many other ways. I never imagined myself an artist, not ever. I was in the camp of those who believe that you either have it or you don’t. How hilariously naïve! Of course I can learn to draw. Anyone can learn to draw if they try! It’s the same as anything else. If you decide you want to do it, you can do it. Practice and study.

            This revelation has expanded my world. What else can I do that I have stupidly believed was impossible up to now? What other things can I accomplish if I set my mind to it? And most of all, how far can I take this art thing?

            I know this for certain: I will continue drawing for the rest of my life, just like I write. I’ll gather up my sketchbook and my pencil box and go sit in the park and relax just like I would with a nice book if I were going to read or a pen and notepad if I were to write. I have one more thing that I can do that is just mine.

That’s a beautiful thing.

Technical Writing Reflection

I enjoyed this project for it's real-world functionality. I feel like I've created something useful and useable with this project and I'm very happy for that. I'm looking forward to adding more to it, particularly my resume, as time goes on. This class has been extremely helpful to me. I know now how to create several types of technical documents, and although I still feel a bit shaky on some of it, I have a foundation on which I can build in the years to come.

Strength Training I

Name_Vinny Genovesi___________________________ Course _Strengh Training I______

Date_April 20^th, 2015_______________________

HLAC - Lifelong Wellness Application Paper

Write a paragraph on each of the following:

1.       What did you learn about “lifelong wellness” from taking this activity class?

I learned so much from this class. I’ve been lifting for a few years but completely without any kind of guidance outside of books and YouTube. I hit a wall a while back and I had a hunch it was because I was doing things either incorrectly or incompletely. I’ve learned so many new lifts and how to do them properly from this class.

2.       How would you apply this information to your life?

The reason that I took this class is because I intend to lift weights my entire life and I wanted to make sure that the tools that I had for that were solid. It’s an exciting thing, having something in your head that you get to keep forever and that nobody can ever take away from you. I will use the skills I acquired in this class forever, definitely

3.       What is your intention to continue to exercise in your life and why?

I’m a cyclist, a snowboarder, a hiker, I swim, I climb, I run, I skate. Those are the fun ones and I’ll do them forever. There is, however, no exercise that serves a greater utility than weightlifting. I’ll do that one for the rest of my life as well. The why is simple. I was very overweight some years ago and it sucked. I’m fit now and it’s amazing. Exercise and getting outdoors is what life is really about.

4.       General ideas for improving this course?

It is an exceptional course exactly as it is. Keep doing what you’re doing.

Snowboarding I

HLA - Lifelong Wellness Application/Reflection Paper

Name_Vinny Genovesi____________________________ Course  _Snowboarding I___________

Date__4/9/15______________________

Write a paragraph (at least four sentences) on questions 1 – 3 (question 4 is optional):

1. What did you learn about “lifelong wellness” from taking this course?

I’ve been a pretty active person my whole life. I’m an avid cyclist and a weightlifter, and I love to hike, swim, and climb. I’ve lived in Utah my entire life without ever making it up a mountain in the winter, though, and I’ve always felt like that was kind of a tragedy. Without an easy way to get into this, years have just kind of gone by without it ever happening. So when I saw it was a course that I could take, I was ecstatic. I think the thing I learned most about lifelong wellness from this course, is that I can do it year-round. Winters have always been hard on me, so that’s a very exciting prospect.

2. How has learning about and applying “lifelong wellness” concepts impacted your life (home, school, work, etc.)?

From this class, because it’s so early compared to what my graveyard work shifts usually allow, I learned that I can get out of bed and go get it even if I haven’t had enough sleep. I learned that if I’m willing to push past the blearniness and get out into the sun, there are great times to be had. I actually had a thought about this one morning on the mountain. It was that the greatest adventures always seem to start precisely where the quest for comfort ends.

3. Discuss specific lifelong wellness concepts learned in this course and how you are going to implement them in your life?

One thing is for certain: I get to keep snowboarding for the rest of my life. If I got nothing else from this course, that would be enough. I’ll be back on the mountain next year for sure, and the year after that, and the year after that, ad infinitum.

4. General ideas for improving this course?

None! Great course! A+++++ would take again!