My trip to the Joyce Theater was not bad, I didn’t take public transportation and I drove with my mother which was pretty nice. The traffic was not bad and the ride was relatively scenic. When I arrived at the theater, we waited in a small waiting area which had a bar and some overpriced food. The theater was smaller than I thought, was only about 20 rows back and an upper level that was also small. I was slightly annoyed that the lead trumpet was 30 minutes late, obviously he could not control that the subways weren’t working, but still was annoying that I had to stay there later than expected when I have school the next day. The show was on Christmas in Harlem, but I did not really understand what was christmassy or how Harlem was represented. There was a scene i did  understand that was figure skating with couples and there was nice Christmas music, but besides that a lot of it to me seemed like nonsense. It was pretty cool I see the talent these dancers had, the body control to either make there body move almost like liquid, or stiff like a robot. The show was 2 hours long with a short intermission, and the first half was longer than the second half. The music was really enjoyable and I found that much better and more enjoyable than the dancing, but I just am not really in to that type of art with dancing and acting. The show resembled a lot of love between many of the couples, there was gay and straight couples, and they showed a lot of diversity on the stage. The show was cool to see as it was my ever swing dance, but I probably would not choose to ever go again.

                                                                                               

This mask depicts the core figures, concerns, psychological states and interests which have defined my life. I constantly fluctuate between optimism and pessimism, contemplation and activity, and idealism and realism. First, the figures I chose to represent the general worldviews and aspirations I oscillate between are Ezra Klein, Maimonides and Nietzsche. Ezra Klein represents the part of me that wants to change the world for the better. He is a policy reporter and journalist who advocates for the political viewpoint that he believes to be most conducive to social flourishing. Klein represents the moments where I feel most idealistic about my potential to improve the world as a political figure. Maimonides represents the part of me that wants to withdraw from the political world and focus on scholarship and teaching. As one of the great expositors of Jewish law and philosophy, his works have taught generations of students. Maimonides represents the moments where I yearn for a contemplative life of study. Nieztsche on the other hand represents the part of me that desires greatness and power either for its own sake, or for selfish reasons. His conception of “master morality” has at times greatly influenced the approach I take to the world. Nieztsche represents the moments where I feel extremely ambitious about rising to the top of whatever endeavor I am pursuing. Below the three figures is the weight of ideology, which is represented as letters in “rock form.” This portion displays a primary concern in my life: finding the “correct” ideology. Much of the news I consume and books I have read about politics have been part of my lifelong ambition to find the right answer to every policy question. This quest for truth, while giving me something to do, has been a very difficult weight to bear. I have been distressed over not having the right answer to certain questions and have constantly changed my mind. What I have realized and must come to terms with is that the nuances of the world make finding one absolutely correct ideology basically impossible. Below the eyes, there is a duality between optimism and pessimism. One side shows the myth of Sisyphus with a man pushing a boulder up a mountain. This represents the moments where I feel like life is meaningless and futile. The other side shows a man at the top of a mountain. This portion represents the moments where I feel a sense of transcendent meaning, which usually occurs when I connect an accomplishment of mine to some conception of greatness. Lastly, my primary interests are displayed beneath the lips, which are reading and writing. The redness of the mask conveys a sense of anxiety, which permeates my mind due to my constant fluctuation between different philosophies and viewpoints. The blue of the lips conveys solitude. The lines under the eyes are meant to reflect both weariness-in relation to my anxiety-and aging. My bouncing between various views has made me feel as though I have lived many different lives and am an “old soul.”