Urban Exploration 2

So I've been really excited the past few days because of my Urban Exploration project due at the end of the semester. Our final is a mapping project of Paris, basically our interpretation of our trip here. I've decided to completely personalize it. The biggest part of my trip (and life pretty much) is music; listening to my ipod while commuting to and from class, the mall, field trips, listening to music at my apartment (all of that jazz), putting it to sleep in the hostels in different countries. I've listened to a massive amount of music. My idea was to create a map of Paris with the songs I've been listening to, syncing artists, albums and songs up with the streets and routes I take. For example, it started with one of Anne's walks a Thursday morning, I was playing an album by the Arctic Monkeys. This album was completely fitting into the mood of the neighborhoods, the weather, and the route of this walk. Another FAVORITE ride of mine is from the Canal up to the Parc de la Villette while listening to Moby. I have begun to write down over a map of Paris my notes so far, and my project is building dramatically in my head.

My friend also gave me a video camera to actually take footage of my routes (walking through the metro stops, to and from school, and random moments I feel like taping)

I actually completed one of my movies last night. It is about the way I feel traveling through the metro, which feels like life is going by so slow just because I feel like I'm walking endlessly through tunnels trying to get from one stop to the next. You turn corners, go up stairs, walk through more tunnels, never ending. This video is synced to a song called "Slow Life" and is of all my footage walking through the metro. When the song picks up and becomes more dramatic during the chorus, it's of me FINALLY getting out of the metro and onto the streets of Paris. It's a slower video, but that's the point. I will find some way to post it eventually... I also plan on making some more videos of other routes, feelings, and/or chapters of my life here. My final project will be my music map of Paris, a cd of all the songs I used, plus some other good ones, and a dvd with my movies on it. The package will be put into a vinyl record case that I'll redecorate to my liking.

This project really reaches to my deepest passion: music. I'm glad I can tie that into a school assignment and make it my own. Things I've been wanting to do such as video taping and making movies, making mix cds, and designing my own album artwork is probably the best project I can think of to do for myself. If I get a grade and class credit for it, that's even better!

Wish me luck!

p.s. If anyone writes comments on my blogs, please say who they are from! I looove getting them, but sometimes when they are anonymous I don't know who's writing them :-(