Dan Dennett: Cute, sexy, sweet, funny

I watched Dan Dennett doing a talk called "Cute, Sexy, Sweet, Funny." It was basically about how people think they like something because it is either cute, sexy, sweet, or funny but that is wrong. He explained how people like chocolate cake because they think it is sweet, people like babies because they think they are cute, people like girls in a small amount of clothing because they think it is sexy, and people like jokes because they think they are funny. Then, he further explained that people do not like these things because they are cute, sexy, sweet, or funny but because they just like them. There is something in people's brains telling them that they like them. If all babies had deformed faces we would still say that they are cute and if all women were covered head to toe in hair people would still think they are sexy. These things are important to like and that is why people like them. They don't like them because they are cute, sexy, sweet, or funny. I found this talk very interesting. It definitely made me think about the things I find cute, sexy, sweet, and funny.

First Assignment

On Friday January 22, 2010 I ventured into center city Philadelphia with my two friends Gina and Rachel. We took the subway from Cecil B Moore and got off at City Hall. Our first stop was Utrecht where there was supposed to be some great day sale. It wasn't all that great. I bought a cutting mat though. So we went to Dick Blick afterwards where there was an even better sale. I purchased an art bin, a T-square, and Yes! paste. This is some of the stuff I need for my classes that the extremely expensive kits at the bookstore did not have in them. I got a student discount which was great though. While walking along the streets in center city people handed me flyer's about the Jefferson Hospital and cards about the 2010 census. After shopping for art supplies we shopped for the ingredients in eggplant parmesan. On our way to the Reading Terminal we got side tracked and went into Philly Cupcake "The Cupcakery Boutique." Basically, it is a store that sells gourmet cupcakes. They even give you a menu when you first walk in. Finally, we got to the Reading Terminal. There were so many different stands in there selling all kinds of food. We found a chocolate place that sold chocolate body parts and an ice cream place that was on TV. But we didn't want to waste any time in there because it was starting to get dark. So we got the eggplant, the tomato sauce and the cheese. On our way to Gina's friend Sam's place at UArts, we passed the Kimmel Center. We went in and took the elevator up to the roof garden. We made perfect timing there because the sun was just setting over the skyline and the view was gorgeous.

Finally, we made it back to Sam's apartment and she cooked us eggplant parmesan. I discovered that night, eggplant is not something I think I will ever eat again.