Author Archives: Rusul

Dr. Oblivion’s Speech

You know, the old world was a total mess. Nothing worked the way it was supposed to. Everything was slow, chaotic, full of mistakes. But now? Now it’s different. Everything just… works.

The city feels alive, like it’s looking out for you. The machines take care of the hard stuff—things we used to stress about, they just handle it. No emotions, no second-guessing, no screw-ups. It’s efficient. It’s smooth.

People talk about freedom like it was some great thing, but honestly? It felt more like chaos. What we’ve got now? It’s better. Cleaner. Safer.

And the best part? I feel good. I feel happy. You do too, right?

Week 1 Summary

This week, I completed several tasks to get started with the course. I read through the syllabus and scheduled a meeting as required. Since I already use Apple’s built-in password management app, I did not create a separate password manager. I also already had a domain, but since it is still under construction, I decided to create a subdomain specifically for this class. I downloaded WordPress to the subdomain, and once the course is complete and I’m ready to add content to my main domain, I plan to migrate everything over. Here is the link to my subdomain: https://ds106.rusulabbas.com/blog/.

I created a Mastodon social account, sent a greeting message using the #ds106 hashtag, and explored some of the posts shared by others in the community. My account can be found here: https://social.ds106.us/@Rusul. I also read the assigned articles, and my favorite was Sci-fi Noir: The Terminator and Tech Noir | 10 Updates to Film Noir. I’ve never watched The Terminator before, but I found the article fascinating and engaging.

Additionally, I watched The Matrix because I’m a fan of Keanu Reeves in John Wick, and I was curious to see him in a tech-noir film. I wrote my thoughts, reactions, and reflections in a blog post on my subdomain. Lastly, I created a set of goals for this course, which I shared in another blog post. You can view my course goals and movie review here: 

In terms of reflection, I learned about the theme of Tech-Noir, and I’m excited to see how this theme will unfold. As a data science major, I find it particularly interesting and a bit unsettling because I definitely have fears about AI taking over the world (jk). Working with this theme creatively will be a challenge for me, as I don’t typically watch films related to Tech-Noir and It’s new to me.

I enjoyed seeing everyone share their responses on Mastodon and getting to work with WordPress. The hardest part of this week, though, was deciding which movie to watch! I’m very indecisive, but I’m sure I’ll face different challenges as the weeks go on.

The Matrix Review

For the film review assignment, I decided to watch The Matrix (1999). I chose this movie because I’m a fan of Keanu Reeves and had never seen it before, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to finally watch it.

I’ll start by saying that the movie was a little hard to follow at first. I think it’s because the concept of the Matrix is crazy. it’s difficult to imagine it being real. But then I started wondering, What if it is real? I found myself questioning everything after the movie, which I thought was kind of funny.

I really enjoyed the sound effects, especially during the fight scenes, and I thought the CGI was impressive, considering the movie’s age. Typically, I don’t watch films with a lot of violence or blood, and there were definitely a few intense scenes where I had to squint or look away.

One of the most surprising moments for me was when Cypher turned out to be a traitor. I didn’t see that coming! I’m glad Neo turned out to be ā€œthe One,ā€ even though it felt a bit predictable by the end. But I don’t blame the film for that, given that it’s over two decades old now. Overall, I’m glad I watched The Matrix.

dr oblivion is part cyborg now

DS106goals

By the end of the semester, I hope to learn new tools and expand my knowledge of the ones I already know. I want to focus on being creative by developing stories and characters that are both complex and engaging. I’m excited to explore different media and apply what I learn to my work at the Digital Knowledge Center, where I’m a consultant helping students with various media projects.