Francis Intro

1. What has been your favorite course of study in or out of school? Why?

My favorite course at CU was defiantly Intro to Cinematography. In this class I obtained more hands on experience with film from the pre-production to post-production stages. I especially loved the fact that we worked with 16 mm cameras which produce some of the most beautiful images I have ever seen.

2. How many pages was the longest paper you have written? Did it include endnotes and bibliography?

The longest paper I have ever written was probably my senior thesis in high school. It was about 14 pages and included end notes and bibliography.

3. Which was your favorite paper? Please tell us about the topic in a couple of sentences.

Last semester I wrote a poetry paper on Allen Ginsberg. This was my favorite paper because it gave me the opportunity to learn all about Ginsberg and discover his poetry that I had not read yet.

4. Is there a particular kind of writing you love to do?

I find that stream of consciousness writing is quite enjoyable. It has the concentration aspects of writing without the hang ups of normal prose.

5. Which books have you read lately: art, fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi, poetry, environmental, film? Any comments are welcome.

I recently read Aldous Huxley's Brave New World for the first time. It was great, a horrifying look into the dangers of big government and the practiced control of human populations.

6. Which artist or writer really impresses you? Why?

Paul Thomas Anderson is a filmmaker that goes beyond impressing me. Each of his films are brilliantly written, and his camera movement is genius. The constant movement of his camera puts his fans on the edge of their seat during even the slowest of dramatic scenes.

7. What is your main interest besides writing, art, music, (i.e., the humanities)?

The only interest I have outside of the humanities is skateboarding. It is the one sport that I feel is an art form within itself. I enjoy how it is a personal as well as group experience. I also find it is the one activity that can get my mind to slow down and focus on simple movements of my body.

8. Please describe briefly an article in a newspaper or a magazine that got you thinking lately.

I recently read an article on the now forgotten topic of Fukushima's nuclear fallout. The article noted that although the media has shifted focus from this topic, the nuclear fallout continues to be the worst in history. The article stated how the Chernobyl disaster could not be contained for 10 days and in total killed 1 million humans across the planet. The Fukushima disaster has been uncontained since march. Who knows how bad the damage could be in the end.

9. Which recent cultural event has really impressed you? This can be a museum, a concert, or anything like that, but also a sports game (if you consider this a cultural event, for which there are good reasons).

A recent cultural event I attended was a paddle out for a lost friend. This is a ceremony where friends and relatives of a person who has passed on paddles out on into the ocean and spreads the ashes of the departed. I found the ceremony to be both empowering and relaxing. It was a really amazing tribute to an amazing person.

10. Is there another, non-cultural event that has affected you deeply.

The death of my best friend Eric this summer has affected every aspect of my personal psyche. Although the experience has been painful and horrifying, the loss itself has made me realize the importance of the short time we spend on this planet. Every day since Eric passed I have tried to make the best of what I have been given in this life.

11. Please share with us a thought or an idea that really widened your intellectual horizon. If possible, give a source for this idea so that those who are interested know where to go.

An idea that has broadened my horizon is the need to audit and abolish the Federal Reserve System. Several years ago I did something that Is quite uncommon in American Society, I learned about the monetary system. Through this education I realized that the United States uses a Fiat currency system that can be manipulated by the PRIVATE bankers who print the money and lend it to the government. This idea has shed light on where the true power structure of the world is, in the hands of private central banks.