Arbitrary

Arbitrary (adj.)

Based on random choice rather than any reason.

Ex. “Rosa was very arbitrary while picking the first chocolate out of the Valentine’s box; she covered her eyes and chose” 

 

This term was stumbled upon while watching an interview on Youtube. The person was explaining their method for choosing products in a store. I was very intrigued to discover what the word meant and figured this can be applied in the glossary to incorporate into our vocabulary.

city limits summary

The chapter “City Limits” in the novel, The Colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead, talks about how things are not what they seem. Whitehead talks about how city life is very fast paced always updating in terms of indistrilization. This advancement in industrilization ultimately causes there to be many versions of the same place because everyone has their own photographic memory of what was there prior to that. Old timers may roam around New York city viewing everything as nostalga. From the day a person starts exploring the concrete jungle, their own private map begins to develop. I can relate to this for example, my high school got rid of its old building sophomore year and built a more up to date, modern school. Every day after school i would walk past where the old building was located and can visually see everything how it used to be. Across the street in front of the Pita Grill on 57th street, there would be a flood of teenagers of all kinds but now everything is so gone and forgotten. Although things have changed i can still look at these places and picture what was there during MY time. That is why there are no city limits because cities are the number one places that continue to evolve in comparrison to a rural lifestyle where things usually remain the same over generations. That is why Whitehead describes New York as a city containing 8million cities because everyone’s template of what New York looks like or what its made of is different in everyone’s perspective. Another thing is when Whitehead mentions how someone is not a New Yorker unless what was there before is more solid and real than what is there now is very true. If what was there before is more vivid to what is there now means you have watched that part of New York City grow, evolve and develop into something greater. Seeing what was there before gives you a better understanding of the city’s roots and culture. Being able to reminise and imagine the past is being able to look back into history and time, do not take that power for granted for what’s gone can always remain if you learn to appreciate whats there now.

“City Limits” Summary

“City Limits” is the opening chapter from the book The Colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead. The author started this chapter with these three bold and capitalized words “I’M HERE BECAUSE”  as soon as I read these words my attention was captivated into this chapter. I felt that this chapter was related to everyone living in New York or anywhere else, because it talked about how the streets we have always been living in, that we walked back and forth in, and maybe just visiting holds every memory that we had. In this chapter, it talked about “My Own City”; everyone see’s New York differently, in their own way so they have their “own city”. Overall, this chapter was about how this city is changing everyday without us realizing it. The store’s that we visit or walk by everyday and the people that are there too are going or disappearing with out us knowing  it.

City limits summery

“City limits” is the first chapter in “The Colossus Of New York” by Colson Whitehead. The reading talks about the New York City and the lives within. New York is different city than the other cities you’ve been to. This city can’t be described in words nor can’t be shown in a television show. You just have to be here to know what it truly is. The city is always changing. From the bodegas in the corners to the skyscrappers. But the people living in the city doesn’t quite see it because they’re changing with city at the same time. They’re part of that change. But when they stops for a second and turn around to look back they see the change that took place. Who they were, who they are now and who they alawys wanted to be. Just like the city. And when you realize how much you’ve change you become desperate to find the middle ground in between the phases.

Urban Artifacts: Phase #4

Project # 1: Urban Artifacts was a fun experience for me. I’ve enjoyed every second of it, even though once in a while it was a little confusing. I liked this project because it helped me grow and learn things I didn’t know about art. For example, I learned what the words ambiguous, stable, figure, ground, unity and economy meant and how they are used in art. I believe that everything I learned so far in this project will help with the next project. If I can change anything about this project I would make the sketching process a little longer, that way I can brainstorm better ways to use the three artifacts I found so it can make the final work even better. Overall, everything about this project was  fun and a new experience.

 

City Limits Summary

In “The Colossus Of New York” by Colson Whitehead, “City limits” is the first chapter in which he talks about his life and memories living in New York City. In the very first paragraph he talks about how one might have ended up living in New York. Then he goes on talking about the landmarks in New York and how you might have encountered them on your stroll in New York. Then he starts talking about his life and his experiences such as the first time he looked out of a subway window as the train came out of a tunnel on its way to 125th Street. He also says that’s not every one New York is the same because of the different neighborhoods we all live in. Because of this we all see different part of New York which we call home. New York is always expanding thus making New York a place you can explore and explore. New York is always changing even if you notice it or not. He talk about for some people when something changes and goes away visually that doesn’t mean it is actually gone. It is there still in the memories of that person. So basically Whitehead wrote about how he sees New York, and what he experienced as he walked on the streets of New York.

Eng. Project #2: Location

In order to find the overlapping New York I found, you first need to exit City Tech from the Namm building. Once you are outside, turn right on Jay Street and start walking. As you walk for about 5 minutes, you will pass a parking-lot, a Halal Cart, a resting area where a lot of people will be sitting and socializing with their family or friends. Then the Jay Street Metro Tech subway. As soon as you pass the subway about half way through the block, look across the street and you will see the overlapping New York. You will see a tall beautiful building called the  Brooklyn Fire Headquartersand and right next to it you will see a small store name Metro Café.

Path

Hokum

Hokum

noun

foolish or untrue words or ideas

(SOURCE- http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hokum)

While reading the ‘City Limits’ the word caught my attention. “History books and public television documentaries are always trying to tell you all sort of ‘facts’ about New York….It’s all hokum.”

By the word the writer meant that all the facts are made up. They are not what represents this city.