Multi-modal Reflection: Too Long?

While my multimodal self portrait was not entirely finished by the time I presented, I was able to articulate a detailed outline of my idea (podcast format with music playing in the background from bands I have played in) and the content that I am going to include. In doing so I was able to confirm some of my fears about my content being too long - it is rather easy for me to ramble and go off on a tangent about my life story. However, after listening to the works by Morgan and Jordan I was able to whittle my ideas down to those that I believe to be the most important regarding my identity. Aside from the most blatant aspect of myself regarding my status as a typical white dude from a small town, I thought it would be pertinent to focus on the role music and being a musician has had in shaping my life, as well as my broad range of hobbies and interests that I feel will help me relate to students down the road.
As I said, it is easy for me to ramble about my life experiences - the challenge comes with me contextualizing those experiences and summarizing them accordingly. My colleagues made this similar observation while I was giving them my outline, saying that it seemed a bit long compared to their own projects. If I were to be keeping this podcast bit within five to seven minutes, I would certainly have to trim the fat from my ramblings. Morgan’s Soundcloud excerpt was ten minutes long, but he utilized that time well in articulating his self-portrait. Morgan and Jordan seemed to be thoroughly invested in the theme of my podcast, so I think I’ve got a good thing going here.
Upon seeing what other people have done for their multi-modal self portraits, if I were to change anything it would be the medium through which I articulate the portrait of myself. Jordan’s had a creative writing piece that absolutely blew me away, and Laurel had a really cool drawing of an apple that I could not replicate within a thousand years. I have always considered creativity to be my biggest roadblock, and me doing a podcast with music is so far up my alley it hurts. While this is absolutely a part of my identity, I want to push myself out of my comfort zone a little bit more than I usually do.

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