Drift Assessment

1. Describe two situations that aggravated, bothered, shocked or otherwise stressed you during Drift 1. (Please note that the situation CANNOT be technology-related.)

In the beginning of the drift we had to sort through relatively uneventful residential area. The first half of the walk was up and down driveways and house stoops, and the sounds were often times similar or dull. It became a stretch to find and even manufacture sounds, and the worry of not getting enough material began to circulate through my head. However, after walking more it became evident there were obvious sounds that were unique and meant for my recording. Yet, the sheer length of the walk also was quite stressful. Initially, we did not plan on traveling as far as we did but before our algorithm completed ONE cycle we were already in downtown Milwaukee.

2. Describe, with details, two situations during Drift 1 in which you felt unusually peaceful, at ease, or contemplative.

At the park by Lincoln Memorial Drive I got a great reminiscent feel of my childhood listening to the swings and children playing. It sounds cliché, but there really is nothing better than not caring about tomorrow. Also, just up the road, I really enjoyed listening to the noises of the flagpole and the waves. My friend and I were the only one’s there and we just sat in silence at a truly sincere moment in nature and structure.

3. Describe three surprises or unexpected situations you encountered on your Drift and in the days that followed. The surprise could stem from your expectations that conflicted with "on the ground" realities, cultural or social issues of which you were previously unaware, feelings and reactions that you did not expect to have, appearances and soundings of things you did not expect, good or bad outcomes of "on the spot" decisions you had to make, or the discovery of "deeper" realities in the materials you brought home. (Again, skip anything technology-related!)

I was genuinely surprised with how much enjoyment I got from simply being out in the world. Soundwalking is certainly a relaxing concept that I would like to continue after school in some regards. It truly gave me a new appreciation for my ears and the nature around me. There’s nothing like a hike that has a motive. I also was surprised by the reactions of people. The first was negative. While we walked on Hackett Drive I approached a man raking leaves on the cement and, after seeing me, he completely stopped and stared. He had no desire to even ask what I was doing but instead motioned with his hands that I should leave. Ironically, just a few minutes later on Hackett, we encountered a group of friends eating lunch outside at a restaurant who were extremely curious as to what we were doing. They were very curious and seemed to actually find interest in our artistic expression.

4. Describe your favorite experience, situation, place, or recollection from your Drift. Be specific about what happened, how you felt, how you reacted, and why you think this particular experience affected you so much.

Well, my favorite moment, unfortunately, comes at someone else’s expense. My good pal, Gus (William) Ingebretsen was recording on the rocks by Lake Michigan and stepped on a slippery boulder. Despite his best efforts in saving a camera, headphones, and microphones, he could not save the mini-disc recorder from falling into the lake after his tumble on the rocks. The fall was immediately followed by a loud obscenity which I will only go as far to mention has four letters and starts with the letter that comes after E. Although I did feel bad for Gus it certainly was quite humorous for everyone involved.

Goodbye mini-disc recorder. May you find peace at the bottom of the wicked deep.