Autobiography

This is the unit 1 Action Project for my Endurance course. This course is the third and final humanities course in the senior Global Vision series. The course focussed on how to find your journey in life and live it. We examined historical examples of people who refused to lose or give up. We pushed ourselves in the course physically and mentally through a variety of exercises. We learned endurance through enduring. Unit 1 of was titled Morpheus and focused on the dream or mission one will pursue in life. This unit allowed me to further understand and explore where I want to be in life. A variety of readings, class discussions, and FE's made this unit run wonderfully. The action project asked students to put themselves in the future and write an autobiography about their life. I really enjoyed the creative aspect of this project and believed it wrapped up the unit very nicely. After completing my autobiography chapter, I reconfirmed my life's aspirations as well as paid homage to how I got there. Overall, I really enjoyed this unit and it's AP.

Chapter 1

A life Being Lived

MS, Warp of Life, 2017

It all began on Tuesday, August 18th, 1998 when a newly married couple decided to go for breakfast. The restaurant of choice was the original Mitchell’s on Clybourn Ave, which was a favorite spot of theirs but has been closed for many years now. Their food as well as the space was consistent but there was a unique vibe present in the atmosphere. It was a warm summer morning and the two lovers were eagerly awaiting their entrance into parenthood. Following breakfast, the couple continued to enjoy the beautiful day by going for a walk. What started as simple stroll soon shifted into a life changing moment. Intense and consistent contractions signalled to the couple that I, their first creation, was finally ready to come out into the world. While at Prentice Women’s Hospital, I continued to internally notify my mother that It was time for me to be free. At 9:02 PM, I made my entrance into the world. The cutting of the umbilical cord, the physical connector between my mother and me, left me as an individual for the first time. My first solo breathe signalled the start to a never ending personal journey.

My early years were spent bonding with my parents as well as learning about myself and the world through my experiences. My connection to my parents, particularly my mother, was very strong. Our similarities as well her unconditional love for me made it difficult for us to split. I remember hysterically crying when she left me at two hour daycare and not stopping until she picked me up. This deeply rooted connection as well as the emotions it produced evolved over time. When I was around five years old my mother went on a short getaway with her friend. At that point in my life, I was able to leave her with ease for short periods of time but hadn’t experienced prolonged separation. Her departure produced a feeling I’d never felt before. The mental sadness that often came with our separation wasn’t present. A physical sensation reminiscent of not being able to breathe took over my mind and body. The uncertainty of the situation landed me in the emergency room at Children’s Memorial hospital. The intensity of my emotions kept me from fully processing the situation. My father arrived and spoke with various staff members. What was initially believed to be a breathing problem turned out to be my separation anxiety manifesting physically. My father was pleased to hear it was an emotional issue as it allowed him to bring me home and have a plan for combating it. When my mother came back, my parents took me into the front of the house and sat me down to chat. They told me I was going to start seeing a feelings doctor who I could play and talk with. Their salesmanship was stellar, I instantly bought into it. The next week I went to meet him and have our first appointment. I played with toys, screamed, swore and even cried. Unknowingly at the time, I was beginning to embark on my life’s mission of consistent self progression.

I became fully immersed in the psychoanalytic process, attending sessions four days a week. Each session produced new answers along with new questions. The process brought a plethora of my internal issues to the surface. I thought I entered psychoanalysis for one reason but it turned out to be for several. Coming to this understanding was initially very discouraging as It left me believing I had moved backwards. It took me a lot of time to realize that uncovering and working through the issues was a necessary step in effectively moving forward. Once I wholeheartedly embraced the process of problem solving, psychoanalysis became my favorite thing in life. It allowed me to explore myself and my ideas in ways I never imagined possible. I gained tremendous confidence and excitement which directly translated to my creative business ventures. Learning how to problem solve and plan on a personal level was extremely beneficial in the creation of several businesses throughout my life. Seeing the impact of psychoanalysis in my life allowed me to become consciously aware of it being my central mission. I was seeing it, therefore I was believing it.

Psychoanalysis helped engrain my mission of self progression into my mind, body, and soul. The years of my engagement in the process gave me the ability to recognize that traditional schooling wasn’t my fit. I was able to speak up and change my situation for the better. Being able to recognize where you fit in is key but it must be followed by action. Knowing that I wanted to endlessly work on bettering myself, I explored for the best outlet to do so. For my whole life I had been a creative spirit who enjoyed to doodle and make a mess. Out of pure curiosity and spontaneity, I began to make doodles again. These doodles quickly turned into paintings and each painting became progressively larger. I was slowly working my way towards the mirror to my soul. The large scale artwork provided me with a type of emotional outlet I’d never experienced. I was able to translate every emotion, energy, desire, thought into something permanent. I started using the canvas as a mental playground with no rules or expectations. Painting has taught me to be in the moment. The pieces I created were direct translations of my inner world. I was finally finding the gratification and contentment I was after.

The paintings got bigger and the vision progressed. I utilized my increasing self awareness to recognize the current moment and react to it artistically. Just like life, my art became a compilation of my emotions and energies. I admitted my ignorance along with my desire to grow and set off for NYC. I left all that I had known but that was alright because I was going towards what I believed I wanted. I was responding to the ebb and flow of life. Preparation was essential, but nothing could effectively prepare me for the transition. It was scary because it was brand new. There were no expectations, only possibilities. My life long vision was coming into fruition. Things were occurring as I imagined them in my head. The focuss became centered and the purpose was clear. I was to make as much honest artwork as possible in order to be happy. I had found my key to the now, my access to myself.

Sitting all alone in a spacious and well lit room, I think of my past. I know the past is gone forever and the future is just out of reach. My breathe allows me to feel everything, my entire universe, while only being present in the here and now. How and why did I get to where I am? How did my journey unfold? I continuously question myself, but often never find the answers. All I can do is pay tribute to those who’ve undeniably played a role in my life. My grandpa, my father's father, was born in NYC during the great depression. His entire life was defined by overcoming adversity and making the most of every situation. His experiences in life have been super important in instilling ideas of patients, respect, and awareness in me. His subtle way of speaking inspired me to become a better communicator. Such a large part of why I create is to communicate. I want to work in a medium that has no boundaries. I want my artwork to cross all walks of life and the earth. I’ve seen the direct impact of working on myself and want to share the experience being in touch with one's inner self through art. My goal in life has and will continue to be providing people with the keys to unlock their own doors of perception.

Planning My Economic Future

This is the Unit 2 action project for my Economics course. Unit 2 was titled Wealth and Wages and investigated the ways wealth can be accumulated as well as distributed. Students studied major economic systems and analyzed different conflicts involving governments and the market. We learned about free market capitalism and the economists that pushed for its implementation. Students learned about the stock market and how to make investments. The concept of time was approached from various perspectives in the unit. I really enjoyed all the connections to my personal life. This unit reinforced the idea that economics is a way of thinking that can be applied to many areas of life. The unit wrapped up with an action project that asked students to think about their own economic plan. The project was centered around this hypothetical situation: 18 years ago, your guardian angel set up a college savings plan for you with an initial investment of $8,500. Your angel contributed $50 each month to the college savings plan ($600 yearly). After 18 years at an average annual interest rate of 7%, compounded annually, the plan is now worth a hefty lump sum. Yesterday, you cashed out your plan and deposited the money in a brokerage account to invest on your own. Students had to first determine what that amount was and then use it to create and analyze three economic portfolios. Making these portfolios was a wonderful way to take everything I've learned in the unit and course and show my mastery of the knowledge. I really enjoyed this project and thought its connection to the real world was wonderful. Im very happy with how my project turned out!

After analyzing the information about the college savings plan set up by my guardian angel I have determined it's current value. In order to begin planning for what I hope to be a prosperous and secure future I have determined to cash out and begin investing. After completing several calculations I have come to the conclusion that the college savings plan in my name is currently worth a total of $49,128.87.

Before I dive into the details of my portfolios I would like to give an explanation of who I am as an investor. An investment philosophy is a set of principles that help guide an individual's choices when investing. My personal investment philosophy closely resembles several of my life philosophies. I would classify myself as a high risk person and investor. I see risk as an opportunity to grow personally and financially. Another large component of my investment philosophy is wanting to make socially responsible investments. I’m looking to make investments that align with my moral compass. A contrarian mindset is the last element of my investment philosophy. In investing, this manifests through making investments in opposition to the majority.

My high risk mindset can best be represented by this investment risk tolerance quiz I took online from finance professors at Rutgers University:

Risk Tolerance, Rutgers, 2016

The time horizons I have set for my investment goals are quite long. My short term plan is focused on growing and securing my future finances. Time horizon effects my investment strategy because my goals require more money as time goes on. In order to prepare for that, I’ve allowed my largest investment to also be my longest with the hope that steady growth over 25 years will result in a hefty return on my investment.

I created three SMART goals to help me create my portfolios and guide my investing. SMART goals are Smart, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, And Timed goals. The specific goals I have created for myself are investments that are going to help me manage and progress my career as an artist. My three goals are:
1-year goal: Rent a space and have an art exhibition ($2500)

5-year goal: Pay off all existing debt as well as debt accumulated during college ($40,000)

25-year goal: Own a huge space for a complete art studio ($150000)

The type of companies I value the most are ones that balance their social and environmental footprint with their drive for profit. I believe that the profits produced by a company shouldn’t come at a detriment to the world. The companies I value operate using morals and ethics that are similar to mine. I attempt to identify companies that are working towards the things I want to see come into fruition in the world. An analysis of my choices:

Facebook (FB): I chose Facebook because it is company I use and have seen grown in a short period of time. I also love their values: Be bold, focus on impact, move fast, be open, build social value. They are working on a WIFI initiative that is attempting to spread internet which I strongly agree with and adore. Facebook also owns Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus Rift. In an economic context, Facebook has a P/E of 63 which is relatively high compared to the technology sector's P/E of 26. Since becoming a publicly traded company in 2012, Facebook's stock has been constantly growing with no major downticks. The market's sentiment of Facebook is bullish, which I agree with regardless of my usual contain mindset and strategy. I hope my assumption is correct that their current initiatives will become major successes and their constant growth will continue for many years.

Facebook Stock, Google, 2016

Alphabet Inc (GOOGL): Alphabet Inc is a multinational technology company that specializes in internet based services and products. Alphabet operates through various segments, Google being the most widely known. I believe the work they have done and are doing has an essential place in shaping our future in the best way possible. Alphabet and is various counterparts have been at the forefront of technological advancement and innovation for many years and don't plan on stopping any time soon. They have a plethora of amazing companies and products under them such as YouTube, Android, and Chrome. Economically, Alphabet's growth both quarterly and annually is significantly larger than the industry's average. Their yearly growth is 15.40% compared to the industry's average of -.057%. Looking a bit into the future, Alphabet is projected to grow 18.90% next year while the industry is only projected to grow .28%. Alphabet is a perfect company for me as investor because they share similar morals and work on projects that I believe will enhance life for everyone. They also have been following a steady pattern of growth and market projects say that will continue on into the future.

Alphabet Stock, Google, 2016

Canadian Solar Inc (CSIQ): Canadian Solar is a global energy provider with business in over 20 countries on 6 continents. They manufacture solar modules and provide solar energy solutions. I believe renewable energy is going to be the future of energy. Canadian solar is major player in the industry and has continuously innovated and pushed their limits. They have a P/E ratio of 5.5. Since going public in 2006, the stock has had its fair share of ups and downs. Currently the stock is at $14.76 which is low in comparison to the rest of the year. I believe that slowly but surely this stock is going to gain stability and begin to steadily grow. I believe that an energy revolution is going to take place over the next few decades and when it does I project Canadian Solar to be on top. 

Canadian Solar Stock, Google, 2016

Oil Future (/cl): This is unlike the previous stocks because this isn't a company I'm investing in but rather a commodity. Futures are financial contracts that facilitate the buying and selling of physical commodities at a predetermined future price and date. The oil future I've decided to trade is /cl and is traded in contracts which equate to 500 barrels of crude oil. I've decided to take my thinking from my CSIQ and play into the other side of it. The renewable energy boom I believe we are going to start seeing will inevitably cause the decline and eventually the demise of oil. My investment decision to short oil futures is due to a desire to want to see a happy and healthy environment that will benefit everyone. I hope that over the course of the next several decades we will start to see a rise in renewable energy and a decline in harmful energy sources such as oil, coal, and nuclear. I hope my investment in shorting oil futures will be both a benefit to the entire world as well as my future personal finances.

/cl Future, Bloomberg, 2016

Portfolio 1 (1Year):
$2164.28
4 shares of Facebook @ $131.29 ($525.16) 24% portfolio
2 shares of Alphabet @ $819.56 ($1639. 12) 76% portfolio

Portfolio 2 (5Year):
$21682.64
84 shares of Facebook @ $131.29 ($11028.36) 51%
13 shares of Alphabet @ $819.56 ($10654.28) 49%

Portfolio 3 (25Year):
$25281.95
858 shares of Canadian Solar @ $14.76 (12664.08) 50%
Shorting 259 contracts of /cl @48.70 (12613.30) 50%

$4.57 remaining from the original $49128.87

The stock sector I primarily focussed on was the technology sector. I believe that technology is going to be a powerful industry as we continue to venture into the future. My portfolio is based on the notion that we are moving into a time where technology will become increasingly integrated into our societies and lifestyles. The two technology companies I decided to invest in, Facebook and Alphabet, have clear missions and goals for the future. I want to put my money where my mind and heart is at. My 25 year portfolio is specifically focused on environmental technology. Investing in a renewable solar energy company was a no brainer for me. Shorting the oil future helped reinforce my idea of a clean energy future. I wanted to balance my desire for profit with a sensible peace of mind. I made sure the investments I was making were going to companies with positive intentions and a clear cut plan for their future growth. The investments I made were partially influenced by an individual. My father frequently shorts oil futures for economic reasons and I recognized that it personally interested me and I wanted to short it as well. Diversification was a key ingredient to my investment strategy. I really absorbed the idea of spreading out your investment from Sarah at Northwestern Mutual. There are so many assumptions made in this project. One of the biggest being that we don't know what the ROI will be for each stock as time passes. Another assumption being made is that we will adhere to the perimeters of the portfolio. Finally, I am assuming that these companies will continue to grow similarly to how they currently are.

Sources:
"${Instrument_CompanyName} ${Instrument_Ric} Quote| Reuters.com." Reuters. Thomson Reuters, n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2016.

By Taking This Quiz You Will Be Contributing to a Study on Measuring Financial Risk Tolerance. Your Results Will Be Recorded Anonymously. We Are Not Collecting Any Identifying Information. "Investment Risk Tolerance Quiz." : Personal Finance. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2016.

"CL1 Commodity Quote." Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg, n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2016.

"Facebook, Inc. Class A Common Stock (FB)." NASDAQ.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2016.

In, By Or Used. "FB Profile | Facebook, Inc. Stock - Yahoo Finance." FB Profile | Facebook, Inc. Stock - Yahoo Finance. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2016.

In, By Or Used. "GOOG Analyst Opinion | Analyst Estimates | Alphabet Inc. Stock - Yahoo Finance." GOOG Analyst Opinion | Analyst Estimates | Alphabet Inc. Stock - Yahoo Finance. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2016.

Staff, By Investopedia. "P/E Ratio: Using The P/E Ratio | Investopedia." Investopedia. N.p., 2015. Web. 29 Oct. 2016.

"Technology Sector - Yahoo! Finance Industry Browser." Technology Sector - Yahoo! Finance Industry Browser. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2016.

What's The Meaning Of Life ?

This is the Unit 1 action project for my Journalism course. In Unit 1, we dived deep into what a photo journalist does on the job. We looked at famous images from different historical periods and analyzed their power, meaning, and relevance. We learned about bias and the truth not always coming out. We learned essential photography skills and the critical thinking behind the images that shape the way we view our world. We evaluated a photo journalist's suicide and asked ourselves the question is journalism the most dangerous profession? The class explored the murder crisis in our hometown of Chicago and looked at the role journalism played. We went on a wonderful and relevant FE to a galley where we viewed photojournalism work as well as other art work surrounding violence in Chicago. For the unit's action project, we had select someone to interview and photograph. The overarching topic for conversation was the meaning of life. I loved this AP because it was an exploration into a question that can never be answered. This is definitely one of my all time favorite AP's!

Sitting alongside my dad I asked him a question that’s faced humanity for all of existence: What is the meaning of life? Being the inquisitive person he is, he jumped right into questions. “What are the most important things,why are we here?” I explained to him that there are infinite perspectives that one can take when attempting to answer the question and that whatever route one chooses to follow will shed light on what is most important to them. I wanted to reassure him that it was a very deep and personal question with no right or wrong answer.

My dad is a fifty three year old Chicagoan, entrepreneur, and family man. Born in 1963 in Chicago, my dad was the youngest of three. He grew up in Winnetka and Evanston and attended Miami Of Ohio for college. He worked at the CBOE a short while before starting his own company called Thinkorswim. He worked very hard for over ten years, sold his company, and then took a few year break from work. During this time we bonded a lot and traveled to some wonderful locations. My dad is one of my favorite people in the world and someone I’ve looked up to forever. When thinking of the meaning of life myself, I felt obligated to ask my dad and hear what he had to say.

“We are all here for a reason. I think we all have turns at being here and once our turn is over we are leaving it to the next group of people. I think the meaning of life is making the most of the time you have here on earth because it is finite and at the same time I think we have a responsibility to leave future generations in a better place than where we started.” His response provided me with insight into his risk taking and open mindedness. His understanding that we are here for a period of time and then gone forever fuels his desire to not let opportunities pass by. The idea of having a reason and a finite time to fulfill it is something he has embraced. I thought it was interesting how he believes we have a duty to leave earth in a better place then where we started because he is someone who is always conscientious of his actions and their aftermath.

I proceeded to asking him if the meaning of life has always remained the same for him or if it’s ever changed. “My meaning in life became greatly different after becoming a parent in the sense that my main concern became my three children. My meaning for my existence changed dramatically once I married mom and significantly more so once we had children.” My dad is the most selfless person I know and hearing this from him just confirmed that he consciously strives to always be there for us. He puts us before himself because his heart is filled with awareness and kindness.

I was curious about the major changes that had occurred in his life, and when I asked if there were other points where his meaning had changed, he said “My meaning of life hasn’t changed but my appreciation for life changed dramatically two and a half years ago when I got pneumonia not once, not twice, but three times. As far as I know it was the closest I’d ever come to death and it was scary but I really appreciate all the support that I had from the family.” Seeing my dad so sick produced tremendous anxiety for me and caused a variety of issues in the family dynamic. I remember thinking to myself for a few brief and dark moments that  he might not make it. I wanted to know if his illness raised awareness to the fact that his time is finite. “It made me look at my life and the family differently. I was 50 years old and it made me start to look at time differently.”

Time is an important theme for my father. He believes we are all here for a certain reason and a short time. He thinks it's your duty to be the best you during your time here. He has always done the best and regardless of that he still suffered from a terrible illness. It was the unfortunate reality of his illness that woke up him and made him fully realize his time is here and now and once it’s gone it's gone forever. His wisdom has enlightened me and helped me to become aware of the now and my duty to be me.

MS, Scott Portrait, 2016

The portrait I photographed is a close up of my dad. I shot the portrait outdoors using a Nikon D90 and 60mm lens. The photo had no planning or coordinating. I allowed my subject to act freely and I shot away. I ended up spending a few minutes with my dad just casually chatting and shooting. The cropping of his head and hand are intentional artistic decisions. I was using a lens that had no zoom so I stood very close to his face in order to capture the portrait. The closeness of the photo is symbolic of the closeness of his answer and story. He was getting close to the core his internal world and I wanted to mimic that by getting up close to his thinking face. The aperture I shot the picture in is 5.6 with a shutter of 1/250 second and a 450 ISO. With a few minor Lightroom adjustments, I altered the brightness and contrast in order to produce a slight blue hue. I think the blue along with his mysterious look tells a very deep and meaningful story. Objectively, I think the image is powerful due to it breaking the rule of thirds and utilizing interesting lighting and shadows. Subjectively, I love it because of the subject. My dad is a fun person to photograph and this is one of my all time favorite shots of him. Overall I am very happy with the image's ability to capture the subject and their story.