Seeing Sideways is the type of class I feel everyone should take in their schooling career.
There aren't enough classes out there that don't just focus on the student's ability to retain information, but to explore oneself as a person and a creative being.
Being able to focus on myself and on my creativity is something I needed.
For me, school was always something that needed to be taken seriously, study, pass the test, get the grade.
It was refreshing to take a class for pure enjoyment, to be able to learn something that you can't find in a text book.
Seeing Sideways is a therapeutic class for the creative soul.
Many things I have learned, the 4 S's, learning how to define your creativity, different ways to conquer fear, are all things I will continue to study out of class.
But I think one of the best things, one of the most helpful ideas I developed, was to not take things so seriously.
I feel that will really help me for the rest of my life.

Altered

For my altered book I created a stop motion movie.

I have never created anything like this before,

 and I wanted to use my altered book to do something new.

I am still learning about myself, and trying to define my creativity.

I still have much to experience in this world before I feel comfortable defining myself as a person,

and before I feel comfortable defining my creativity. 

I chose this book for it's blank white canvas.

White represents a lot for me, new, pure, empty, lifeless.

But manly, it makes me nervous, I have a very negative reaction to blank white surfaces.

I am not plain or empty, I am colorful, my energy is flowing around myself, the people in my life, and throughout the universe. 

I feel happy with my creation, but I feel that I can create so much more.

Bliss

I have always had a strong relationship with water.  When I am surrounded by water it is an intimate experience.  Just as water flows down the river, water also flows through me.  I feel that the flowing movement is much like I live my life.  I'm not known to stay in the same area or with the same people for very long.  I never stop moving, and my mind never stops moving either.  I seem to relate to this flowing movement, to connect with it, so the cover of my book should reflect that.