The Law of Nature – Stop-Motion Animation

Hello everyone!

As an avid fan of music in general, I enjoy other types of art aswell. I first gained an appreciation for stop-motion animation during my short stay in the Netherlands. In art class, our task was to create a short, 30 second long stop-motion animation. Needless to say, I found the challenge intriguing and had a lot of fun making it.

My love for stop-motion animation was further nourished when I first started listening to the band Tool. Adam Jones, the band’s guitarst, is also the key creator of their videos, which are based on the stop-motion formula. Their gritty style and surreal feeling totally caught my attention. The video for “Sober” is a great example.

Creating such a stop-motion animation, however, is not quite as easy as it might sound or look. It is a long and tedious process of perfectionalizing every shot, every take. Making even one little mistake will have a negative effect on the end-product, so it is necessary to work as careful and concentrated as possible. This can take a VERY long time to accomplish, even for a short, 30-second video. It took me and my classmate an hour of coming up with the idea, 3 hours of preparing the materials and 2 hours of filming. Luckily, it is enjoyable to do, so the time was spent wisely.

Our idea was to create something abstract, something very simple, yet original. Something that was stripped of a traditional meaning, yet something that made you think, made you feel. So, we thought about the most basic geometric shapes, the building blocs of everything: triangles and squares. We thought about how life is an endless cycle of construction and destriction, chaos and order. I plan on studying biology, so a huge inspiration for this project were enzymes: how they move, how they work, how they create and destroy.

Of course, when you look at our video below you might only see some weird, funny-looking shapes, moving in a strange way. That is totally acceptable, because art can be interpreted in different ways and to be fair, it looks pretty simple and hasty. Hopefully, you will enjoy our creation as much as we enjoyed making it.

 

Sepultura – Ratamahatta

Raw, Tribal, Absolutely  fantastic!

Sepultura is a Brazillian heavy-metal band formed in 1984. Their hit song Ratamahatta from their album “Roots” is absolutely amazing and I thought I would share it with you guys.

I don’t have a clear idea on what the song is about, because I don’t speak Portuguese very well. Judging by interpretantions from the web, it is about the slums in Brazil. Basically about how hard it is to live there, how povery is considered incurable because the government is corrupted. The title “Ratamahatta” refers to “Rat Manhattan” or “Manhaattan for rats”. In other words, the people in the slums are treated like parasitic animals in their own country and their own city.

I really enjoyed the tribal sound of the song. The idea of incorporating more traditional and folk-related elements in metal songs is not so popular and in my honest opinion: it should be. It adds a new, original layer of sound that feels really satisfying.

Rage Against the Machine – Know Your Enemy

The mind of a revolutionary

Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band formed in 1991. It consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, guitarist Tom Morello, drummer Brad Wilk and bassist Tim Commerford. The group is credited with their revolutionary views, which are expressed in many of their songs, including Know Your Enemy from their debut self-titled album.

Rage Against the Machine incorporates a unique sound, which consists of the fusion genres rap and rock. Zack de la Rocha expresses his radical revolutionary rhymes and harsh vocals and Tom Morello plays alongside him with his signature guitar-riffs, that oftentimes don’t even sound like they are produced by a guitar.

The song is about is about how the “system” is corrupted and how we must unify and fight it together. We should start a revolution and ditch the capitalist system that has given few people control over many, they are the “enemy”.

Fun fact: the person singing in the bridge is actually Maynard James Keenan from Tool

Soundgarden – Spoonman

Good feelings, good vibes

Soundgarden is rock band formed in 1984. They are known to be one of the leading acts of the 90s Seattle music scene and are considered to be the grandfathers of grunge music. Their music has personally affected my life in a lot of ways and Chis Cornell’s sudden tragic death in 2017 caught me off-guard. Here is one of their best songs: Spoonman from the album “Superunknown”.

According to the man himself, the song is about Artis the Spoonman, a musician, who makes music using spoons as an instrument. The underlying sentiment, however, is that rhythm and music have healing properties. How music plays a huge role in our lives and how we must embrace it.

Spoonman is a song with a great, positive vibe and good feelings. You can use it to rock your socks-off, or to simply lay-back and relax for a moment.

 

 

Linkin Park feat. Jay Z – Points of Authority/99 Problems/One Step Closer

Rhymes & Screams

 

Linkin Park are one of the leading acts in the Nu-metal scene. They have been around since the late 90s and continue making music today, even after lead vocalist Chester Bennigton’s death in 2017. During their career they have collaborated with numerous artists and even made a whole mashup album called “Collision Course” with east-coast rap legend Jay-Z.

The best song from that album is in my opinion “Points of Authority/99 Problems/One Step Closer”. It is a great combination of Jay-z’s rapping and Linkin Park’s great rock/electronica style. I was amazed at how good the final product turned out to be. That, of course, shouldn’t be a surprise, because bands like Rage Against The Machine and Body Count are the evidence that rap and rock blend perfectly.

Jay-Z’s harsh lyrics, Mike Shinoda’s amazing flow, Chester Bennington’s primal screams and the violent guitars all come together to form one bad-ass rocking song. I would recommend this song to all rock and hip-hop fans: it’s a treat you will definitely enjoy!

 

Misfits – Dig Up Her Bones

Spooky, yet beautiful 


This next track is by one of rock music’s most intriguing bands: The Misfits. As pretty much the inventors of the genre horror-punk, The Misfits combine elements of heavy-metal, hardcore punk and, as the name suggests, horror elements both visually and lyrically (e.g. death, skulls, face paint). They are not known for using really complicated music structures, instead they focus more on the melody and how it will sound as a whole.


The lyrics are pretty much straightforward, no complicated metaphors or symbols are used to express the main theme of the song: a guy misses his dead girlfriend/wife and since he can’t get to her in heaven, he chooses the quicker route to her, which is by entering the cemetary with a shovel to “Dig Up Her Bones”.


As for the music, it is really simple yet it sounds fantastic. Only a few down-tuned power chords are used by the band’s guitarist Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein to form the main, iconic riff of the song. On the other hand, Michale Grave’s haunting voice is also very good and fits in perfectly with The Misfits’s vibe.


All in all, if you are looking for one kick-ass song for Halloween, then “Dig Up Her Bones” is the song for you. It is short and simple but at the same time also terrifying, in-your-face and vibey. I would recommend everyone to give it a listen. Trust me, you won’t regret it!

 

The Doors – Riders On The Storm

A calming song for the blue times

 

If you are feeling down for some reason or if you are simply in a stressful situation (maybe an upcoming exam or meeting), then this Doors classic is the song for you.

Jim Morrison’s soothing voice, the harmonic keyboard, the rhytmic base and the warm raindrops in the background form one mesmerizing atmosphere, that leaves the listener hypnotized by its beauty.

The song is about how life is unpredictable and how we are just a small part of a largely chaotic universe. We are basically just “riders on the storm”, drifting through life and its disharmonic nature. It leaves a sense of melancholic hopelessness, but in a neutral, accepting way.

“Into this house we’re born, into this world we’re thrown
like a dog without a bone, an actor out on loan”  

 

 

Lycée français n° 9 Alphonse de Lamartine

Моята Гимназия

При създаването си през 1961 г. френската гимназия се помещава в квартал „Надежда“. За учебната 1963 г. се настанява в настоящата си сграда на булевард „Патриарх Евтимий“ в центъра на София, в
сградата на 9-та политехническа гимназия.
Последният випуск на политехническата гимназия завършва през 1965 г. и гимназията остава 9-та Френска езикова. От 1977 г. се откриват и паралелки с испански език, които през 1991 г. са преместени в новосъздадената 164-та испанска езикова гимназия „Мигел де Сервантес“

През 1976 г. Френската гимназия е наградена с орден „Кирил и Методий“ I степен, а през 1977 г. е определена за асоциирано училище към ЮНЕСКО. При историческата си визита в България през 1989 г.президентът на Франция Франсоа Митеран специално посещава Френската гимназия, където интересните и непринудени разговори с учениците и учителите го задържат повече от предвиденото по протокола време.

От началото на 90-те години гимназията носи името на френския благородник, поет, дипломат и политик Алфонс дьо Ламартин (1790-1869), който е пребивавал в България през 1832 г.

Френската гимназия владее утвърдени традиции и успешно въздействие в обучението по френски език. Интензивното изучаване на езика се извършва по програма, включваща 20 часа по френски седмично в 8-ми клас и от 6 до 8 часа в класовете след 8-ми. Предметите история, география, биология и химия, се изучават и на френски език. През петте години на обучение се овладява задълбочено и хронологично френската литература и култура в различни нейни жанрове.

Девизът на училището „Френската защото сме заедно!“ е декларация на единство. В половинвековното развитие на гимназията се утвърждава приемствеността много преподаватели и сподвижници са и нейни възпитаници и така паметта за миналото става и завет към бъдещето. В годините след основаването на гимназията до френският език по популярност се нареждат и другите западни езици.

Влизането във „Френската“ винаги остава трудно. Ежегодно балът е съизмерим с този в останалите елитни столични гимназии. Това обяснява, че стимулът за кандидатстване в голяма степен се дължи на заслуженото уважение към гимназията и на завещаната вяра в нея от редица поколения. Френската гимназия има своя атмосфера, способстваща изграждането на идентичността на младите хора и опознаването от тях на националната и световна история, на обществените стойности и потребности.

Съвременната учебна работа в 9 Френска езикова гимназия е съобразена с Европейската референтна рамка ключови компетентности, които трябва да притежава младия европеец днес, където са отбелязани математическа и дигитална способност и основни познания в природните науки. Гимназията има самостоятелна интернет платформа и в обучението се прилагат новости от информационните технологии. Усилията на колегията са насочени за приобщаване към модернизирането на системите за образование и обучение и ориентиране на своите възпитаници към дейно участие в процеса за подобряване на качеството на живота и за издигане на конкурентноспособността на България във всички отрасли.

В полето на традициите на Френската гимназия е събрано почитание към изкуствата. Всяка година се представя театрална постановка по различни пиеси от класически автори. Училището има хор. Практикуват се и часове по фотография, правят се вътрешни конкурси и изложби по стените на училището.

Волейболният отбор на гимназията участва в престижната лига за купа „Кларис“, която обединява елитните столични гимназии, а футболният отбор е участник в Българската училищна футболна лига. Училището има изяви и в спортовете баскетбол, ски, тенис, плуване, тенис на маса, шахмат.

Френската гимназия осъществява образователен и културен обмен с франкофонски училища от Европа. Начинания на училището се ползват с подкрепата на Френския културен институт в София. Във Френската гимназия работят опитни и висококвалифицирани преподаватели. Сред тях са автори на учебници и методически публикации, радетели на творчески контакти със СУ и други висши училища, редовни участници в национални образователни конференции и активни членове на гилдийни сдружения. В методическите обединения се достигат успешни резултати в подготовката и реализирането на проекти насърчаващи доближаването на талантливите ученически пориви до реални цели.

Учителите по френски език са преминали специализации по цивилизация и културни процеси на Франция. Част от преподавателите по френски език са французи. Резултат от дейността на училищния екип е успешното продължаване на образованието на възпитаниците на гимназията в български, френски и други европейски и световни университети.

Хиляди са свързалите биографиите си с 9 Френска езикова гимназия, които са осъзнали красотата на света и са развили своята духовност тук.

March: Month of The French Francophonie

Hello everyone,

March 2018 is the official month for admiring the beauty and greatness of the amazing French language. As a proud French speaker and a member of the francophonie community, I would like to take this chance to express my sincere thoughts about this topic.

First of all, the French language has been a huge part of my life, so I personally feel a special and warm connection whenever I hear it. My first encounter with French was when I was about 12 years old. This was the time when me and my family moved to Geneva, Switzerland. I didn’t speak a single word of French, so it was especially difficult for me to fit in school, where everyone spoke a different language. Luckily, I had great teachers and school mates (who eventually became close friends of mine), who understood my situation and helped me out the best way they could. Eventually I learned to speak French quite decently, so the language barrier dissapeared and French was much easier for me to speak freely and confidently.

When I returned to Bulgaria in 2017, I enrolled in an acclaimed French Language school in Bulgaria, where I continued to study the language. I didn’t want to forget a language that I hardly spoke anymore (since leaving Switzerland), so the French school was a perfect opportunity for me. Then, in the beginning of 2018, I succesfully passed my French Language Certificate, so I can now proudly say that I officially speak French.

The problem is, like I already said, that I don’t really practice my French speaking and listening skills that often. Our western society is more geared towards the Anglophonic world, so most of the music I personally listen to and most of the movies I watch, even the news that I read, is in English. This leads to people not having the desire of learing new languages and cultures.

In my opinion, each and every single language is a new wealth in your reservoir. Whenever you have the opportunity to learn a new language, embrace it and don’t let go.

J’espère d’avoir contribuée au sujet. Merci de m’avoir lue et bonne chance pour la suite!

Stereotypes Are Bad

Stereotypes are the very definition of sheep behaviour!

During my life, I have had the wonderful opportunity to travel around the world (mostly the continent of Europe) and visit many different countries. This has given me the chance to study new languages, to learn new cultures and to make new friends of various backgrounds.

One striking thing I noticed while living abroad, was that the countries and the people are much more different than what I expected them to be. For example, prior to going to Germany I was told that the country consists of xenophobes and greedy people. Little did I know, Germans are actually some of the nicest people I have ever met and will probably ever meet. Germans are hard-working, helpful and absolutely fantastic people to hang-out with. This is why I personally hate to generalize nations: you just can’t assume that if there is one case of xenophobia, that all Germans are xenophobes.

On the other hand, I have experienced stereotypes myself too. When telling people abroad that I come from Bulgaria, they sometimes immediately look down on me. They usually automatically assume that Bulgaria is the poor country in Eastern Europe with lots of Roma people that wants to steal the jobs of Western-Europeans. For them Bulgarians are the very definition of “parasites”. This is, of course, is a bold and generalizing statement that is just wrong and idiotic.

A person should, in my opinion, be criticized and judged based on their own attributes, like intelectual capacity or exression, individually. Every person is different and the country is not responsible for the individual’s personality or performance in life. This is why I think that stereotypes are STUPID and WRONG.

Before judging someone, don’t follow the others like a sheep: do your own research and make your own conclusions.