This semester has been a very creative one across most of my classes. I’m learning to code in Python, which innately has a creative element to it. I’ve focused in on the communication that takes place when working with small groups to find creative solutions to problems. My digital fluency, praxis, and citizenship has been improving and I’m beginning work on a very creative, detailed, and inspired project. In this course, I’ve found myself going outside of my comfort zone and learning a plethora of useful skills for channeling my creativity and… creating! I’m certainly looking forward to utilizing these new and refined skills to create something amazing, but the big question is…what exactly?

For my Applied Digital Studies course, I’m beginning a decently intense project that requires 40-45 hours of work to be put into it in total. This is certainly a bit of a scary undertaking considering my full class load, but it will help ensure a quality product. My idea for that project is to document the process of myself learning how to write, and then inevitably actually writing, a song. I plan to take a cinematic approach with some narration and some moments that rely on visuals and sound effects or background music to establish emotion. This project is one that heavily interests me and that I’m incredibly excited to continue working on, and it feels as though it would fit extremely well with the contents of this class, ds106. I’m not sure if there’s any way I can work on this project for both classes to submit for both assignments, as that may feel a bit like I’m cheating the system, though if it is possible it would certainly be something I’d want to look into. If I can devote time and effort that I would be giving to two different classes to the same project, it would inevitably turn out much better. I understand, though, that this is very unlikely to be a possibility.

In terms of new ideas that I’d like to approach, I’ve been considering an audio story, with accompanying graphic design elements, about a castaway that finds himself on a mysterious island. There are two groups of natives on the island, one that is very friendly and welcoming that live in small villages in clearings in the jungle, and another who are hunters that abduct, torture, and eat those who stray from any of the peaceful villages. There would be some kind of narrative that directs the shipwrecked character through the jungle, with a terrifying encounter with an aggressive native, ultimately prevailing and finding his way to a safe village. There would ultimately be some reason for the man to leave the village temporarily, only partially aware of the horrors that come with being abducted by the aggressive natives. I haven’t developed much of a story yet, but I’d love to do all sorts of different kinds of voice acting for this while also implementing some really interesting sounds of the beach, jungle, caves, and more.

For the time being, I’m not sure what I will be completing for this project. If there is a way to work out the ability to work on my songwriting project for both classes, that would be spectacular, though I’m not getting my hopes up. Until the time comes to finally decide, I will continue brainstorming and building onto my ideas.