August: Monthly Post

I was doing some research today on future magic sets that were coming out. One of which is Theros. Theros is a new set coming out at the end of this month, and I just cannot wait.Ever since I started playing Magic the Gathering I was interested in the storyline of the cards I was playing with. For example, in the Return to Ravnica block there’s this set called Dragon’s Maze. The story behind it is that there are 10 guilds that are racing to the end of a maze. Seems simple enough right? Well, each a guild has an obstacle that they have to pass that was set by the other guilds.For example, the Selsnya Guild champion needs to get past the Izzet Gate, but Rakdos guild had set a deadly trap for her. Anyways the point I was getting to is that Magic the Gathering offers so much variety and room for imagination. I think I’m drawn to Magic because it is one of the very few things that I’m good at. Regardless, to me it’s not just a game... IT’S AN ADVENTURE!

Blog 4: Interview Preparation

Content:

Who do you plan to interview?  Why?

1) I plan to interview Andrew Dire because he was a player in the MtG Pro Tour. Coincidentally, I know him because he was my SAT prep teacher last year. I’m pretty confident that I would be able to not only get an interview, but a mentorship from Andrew Dire as well.

What additional questions do you plan to ask?

2) How long have you been into Magic the Gathering?
What was the main reason you started playing?
What was the most exciting moment you remember from a game of MtG?

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Semester 1 ESLR Goals

1. Magic the Gathering in the Pro Tour Circuit

2. iPoly Citizen:

This year I plan to show growth as an iPoly Citizen by addressing any questions asked my way that relate to a homework assignment, instructions on a classwork assignment, or just clarification in general. For example in Physics we were working on our homework when a fellow student asked me how to solve number 17, I kindly smiled and proceeded to help. iPoly Citizenship isn’t exactly a\strong suit of mine, but it’s all about being on the same level.

Effective Learner:

I plan to become a more effective learner by writing down my notes more vividly. That way I would be able to commit what I’ve learned to long term memory with ease. For example I could use different colored pens to make a distinction between important and unimportant details for my notes in Ortega’s class.

Effective User of Technology:
The way I believe  I might become a more effective user of technology is by utilizing keywords when searching for research on Google. For example, “How do I become a rocket scientist?” would yield simple results, but “How does an individual accomplish the needed tasks to become a rocket scientists?” should yield more specific results because the question was more detailed.

Effective Communicator:
This year I plan on emphasizing communication with my fellow students as well as my mentors and teachers. The way this would be accomplished would be by utilizing the skills taught in the maze exercise we did today. The maze made me realize the importance of describing thoughts with or without words. If we did the maze individually, I’m sure it would’ve taken a more than excessive amount of time to complete. Communication is the key to success; Without it, we are bound to stumble into failure.

Blog 2: Summer Mentorship Component

Literal:
1)https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AuGr86m0QNJIdE5paERyYkhjOEpwWUdvZkdDR0dyc1E&rm=full#gid=0

2) Amit Patel; (951) 235-3159

Need to Know:
3) Q1: If a player casts “Doom Blade” as a response to  his opponent’s cast of “Searing Spear”, does the effect of the opponent’s “Young Pyromancer” resolve?

Q2: If a player has 1 life left and casts Thragtusk by tapping Sunpetal Grove, does said player die if Burning Earth is on the battlefield? Or does he gain 4 life instead of 5?

Q3: If Supreme Verdict is cast, does a creature with protection from white such as “Blood Baron of Vizkopa” die?

Answers: (1) Yes because “Searing Spear” was still cast; (2) He/she dies because the “Sunpetal Grove” triggers the “Burning Earth” damage before Thragtusk enters the battlefield; (3) Yes because “Supreme Verdict” doesn’t target creatures which renders the creature’s protection useless.

(Cards that were named can be found on http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Default.aspx)

Interpretive:
4) The most important thing I gained from this experience was the surprisingly informational encounters with decks that were created for the synergy each of the cards had with the deck as a whole. These decks are called “homebrews”. I was able to learn new card combinations and possibilities that may help me in the future in becoming a professional MtG player.

Applied:
5) The 10 hour mentorship helped me choose a topic by solidifying prior inquiries about the validity of professional MtG as a lucrative and exciting career path. It’s not all just fun and games; when you get down to the brass tacks, MtG is a strategic card game that exercises the mind like Chess would, causing you to think several steps ahead and implements the bluffing tactics involved in Poker. Overall, Magic the Gathering would be an ideal topic to delve into knowing that time wouldn’t be mindlessly wasted. It would be fruitfully enhanced.