The Break Experiment

October 11, 2010

So this semester, organizationally, things are a little different. During our everyday lives, it is very easy to forget that we (the GAs) are not only employees of the university, but we are also students of the university. In the past the employee aspect greatly overshadowed the student aspect. GAs turning in their homework EXTEREMLY late was a testament to that. Thus the GA break was created.

Any normal undergrad student experiences break during their semester – fall break, thanksgiving break, spring break. Well, in this line of work we are expected to offer and lead trips for students to go on during those breaks, causing breaks to be busy times for us.

Laura, Christina, and I knew that if we hung out in the area during this break we would find ourselves sucked back into work. The solution was a road trip to a place that both Christina and I had never been to before: Washington DC. Fortunately for us, Laura is from Maryland with her parent’s house being one-hour northwest of the city.

I have heard people say that you could spend a week in DC and not see everything. Although we had a week off, our homework had to be our main focus. So a condensed tour of DC was planned. To help this go smoothly, I did some research and a little pre-planning.

The one-day that we had to spend in DC started with a tour of the White House (just write your local congressman at least 6 weeks in advance). We had a little glitch with our background checks but after a short delay in what we call the holding-pen, we were in the White House down hallways rich with US history. Unfortunately, no cameras were allowed in the White House.

Next came lunch at the Lincoln Memorial as we did headstands with the Washington Monument in the background.

With the Lincoln Memorial at one extreme end of the Mall, we started the walk to the other end for our tour of the Capital Building hitting the WWII memorial along the way. At the WWII memorial, local children were giving thank you cards to the visiting WWII veterans.

After the tour of the Capital Building, we headed to the library of congress. Finally with most of our time used up, we went to the National Archives to see the Declaration of Independence. I was amazed at how faded the Declaration of Independence was. You could hardly see the ever-famous John Hancock signature.

With a stop at my Mom’s in Virginia on the way in,

a day trip to Gettysburg

and Harpers Ferry,

a stop at Virginia Tech on the way back,

two party’s celebrating Laura’s monumental birthday (10/10/10),

and a day in the Nation’s capital, some might wonder if the break really did anything for us. I can say with confidence that it did. With two full days plus evenings to focus on homework (and work in the car for those of us that could), we all got something accomplished. Plus with the assignment-star-chart hanging on our wall, I can see all of our homework being turned in on time without a problem.

It is True What They Say

September 30, 2010

One thing that I really enjoy about the place that I am at is the great amount of variety that I have the opportunity to participate in. These past two weeks were a prime example.

Tuesday the 21^st: Teach 2^nd graders about trees – twice

Wednesday the 22^nd: Teach 4^th graders about trees

Thursday The 23^rd: Teach 4^th graders about trees again, teach college students about challenge course facilitation

Friday the 24^th: Leave for a surf trip in SC with college students

Sunday the 26^th: Return from Surf Trip

Tuesday the 28^th: Teach Kindergardeners about Insects

Thursday the 30^th: Teach college students again about challenge courses

I am surprised I had a voice left after it all. With everything jammed together with little prep time, sometimes I am amazed that it all works. Laura was a huge part of the environmental education pieces coming together. She has the background for it and experience to knock it out of the park. I was really just her assistant. But to experience something like that, with such intensity, I can easily walk away testifying that the old saying is true – if you want to learn something, teach it. I learned more about trees in that week then I had ever learned before.

And in the middle of it all I got to go surfing and see old friends in SC. Was it absolutely exhausting? Yes, no doubt about that. Was it rewarding? No question. It was worth it.

Number 49

September 5-16, 2010

Yes, I have just meet one of my life goals, crossed another thing off of my ever growing bucket list. The goal: go to all of the 48 lower-continental United States before the age of 30. At age 29 on September 6, 2010 it happened. I crossed the Minnesota state line, my 49^th state.

The reason for driving all the way from Collegedale, TN to Ely, MN: class. Yup, that’s right. For my graduate intensive this semester, 8 of us piled into the Excursion and drove 30 hours to Ely, MN where were spent 6 days in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

The preparation for the was a little bit stressful as the Seliga canoe #20 has to be ready to return to its home at Camp Widjiwagen. I was over at Nelson’s hours before our departure to finish some of the final touches and load the trailer.

The trip as a whole was much more relaxed compared to the last intensive. The wilderness country was so peaceful and untouched. We say bald eagles almost everyday. With little rain, our group of nine maneuvered the lakes and rivers well as a different person was the leader each day. We covered almost 50 miles total including close to 5 miles of portaging.

Because the Boundary Waters are a formation of a bunch of little lakes, many of the islands have to be traveled on foot. Granted the distance wasn’t too long at once but our gear was not exactly light. The Seliga canoe weighed in at 88 pounds dry. For a person of my stature, every step was conscience and I walked along a rocky trail with a 17-foot canoe on my shoulders. The team effort that surfaced happened quickly as we found our rhythm. With three people to a canoe, one would take the canoe, one would take one pack and tent, and the other would get a pack and the paddles. Most of the time as person could carry the canoe the whole way. But when the portage was long, we used techniques we learned to switch without setting the canoe down. For the proper etiquette with a wood-canvas canoe is that the bottom of the canoe can only touch water and air. Never should the bottom of the canoe touch the ground. This meant that when we approached land, our feet always got wet as we stepped out of the canoe before it could hit the ground.

With the wolfs hollowing in the distance, I would lay in bed at night with the satisfaction that I had everything I needed after all long day of physical activity. And then in the very early ours of the morning, be woken up to go catch a glimpse of the northern lights was an amazing treat. Another experience crossed off of my list. I look forward to the days ahead when more of those goals are reached.

The Final Year

August 21, 2010

It is had to believe that I only have one year of school left. My first year seems like a whirlwind - teaching class, leading and organizing trips, traveling, working on a canoe, watching people come and go. This year, Laura and Christina are back but, unfortunately, our quartet is now a trio in Apt B.

The GA team at work has changed yet again. Fresh faces have arrived to bring new perspective and strengths: Sara with her clever wit, James with his charisma, Nick with his visual eye and audio skills, and Casey with his wilderness skills.

This semester has many adventures lined up. We will see if my head is still above water by the end.

The 4th

July 4, 2010

My sister and I were talking about the 4^th of July, that great day celebrating America’s independence. Growing up we always had fond memories of the 4^th: heading over to the Watson’s for a bonfire and running around the pond with sparklers, heading to the lake to watch the fireworks or watching the fireworks at the Swinging Bridge.

Since moving away from home, a vivid memory of each 4^th of July I can recall with ease just as I can imagine the 4ths of my childhood. All of my senses seem to be reawakened during this time of year just like at Christmas: The feel of the summer heat as it cools at dusk, the sound of the first firework being sent into the dark sky to expose its colorful light, the taste of sweet strawberry shortcake or cool refreshing ice cream, the amazing aroma of a Bar-B-Q causing my mouth to instantly water, and the sight of friends and family gathering to laugh and share in the experience.

I have always had a soft spot for traditions. This holiday is no different. The wonderful thing about the 4^th is the location is not important or when the key components take place. The only thing that matters is the search to find them or to make them happen.

My checklist for this year looks like many from years past:

• Stars and Strips Forever (by John Phillip Souza) √
• Hot dogs √
• Funnel cake √
• The National Anthem √
• Ice cream √
• Flag pants sighting √
• Time with friends √
• Proud to be an American (by Lee Greenwood) √
• The 1812 Overture (by Tchaikovsky) √
• Strawberry shortcake √
• My Country, ‘Tis of Thee (by Samuel Francis Smith with a special thanks to or UK friends for the tune) √
• Fireworks √
• Children running with glow sticks √
• America, the Beautiful (the Ray Charles version is great) √

Just the smallest combination of the list above fills me with a warm sense of patriotism and thanks.

The Seliga

June 14, 2010

Over the course of the semester and into the summer, I have been part of a crew that has been working to restore a wood-and-canvas canoe. Working on this canoe is like working a piece of history. You see, this canoe was originally built by a man named Joe Seliga. Joe built over 650 canoes in his lifetime. Many of his canoes were bought by Camp Widjiwagan, a YMCA camp based on Lake Burntside near Ely, Minnesota. This canoe, canoe #20, is just one of those canoes. All of Seliga’s canoes are numbered starting with one which in turn helps indicate how old they are. This canoe is therefore over 50 years old, and every time we work on it I am reminded of its age as one of the cracked ribs is removed or another piece of decayed wood chips off.

Still, my hands have touched 50 years of adventure. That canoe could have been on one of the voyages Camp Widji took to the Arctic Circle. Will the work we are doing allow another 50 years of adventure to take place? I can’t answer that question. But there is something about using my own two hands to help craft and preserve something that has been a vessel used to touch so many lives.

The process has been a long one with many trials and errors that have provided many learning opportunities. However, along the way great memories have been formed with the people that come and go from Nelson’s shop.

The canoe is not yet finished. However, its September due date is fast approaching, as my next graduate intensive will be heading in the direction of its home: Ely, Minnesota.

They Finally Came

May 17-26, 2010

Just over 5 months ago the chatter began. The message was swept up by the wind and word reached many across the Great Pond. “They are coming,” it said. The time lapse of their absence would come to an end. By the time their feet would touch American soil again, over three and a half years had passed.

The last time they were here, it was just the two of them. Well, that is only partially true, as they were expecting their first child to come in a few short months. And she did come. Their family of two turned into three on British soil. Two years later, the number of members turned into four. Meanwhile, only a few of the American relatives were able to come and meet the new members with more meeting the first child than both the first and second.

Thus when word was heard of their return to American soil many responded. With Michigan as the rendezvous point, people from Chicago, Florida, Virginia, and Tennessee came to see them. Michigan was always the place they came to as the one full American blood of their small family was born and raised there.

I, being the only Tennessee representative, drove the 11 and half hour drive to meet them, ready to tag along to all the places they went; for the people that were gathering to see them I knew as well. After all, the returning American was my one and only sister.

The weather could not have been better which made the time pass in an even more enjoyable fashion. Birthday parties could be held outside. The washing of my car could be a fun event for my niece and me. Trips to the beach could happen multiply times.

The visit came and went at a rapid, but slow pace. Just as we were all getting used to being around each other, the time to part ways arrived. The length of time before their next trip to America will linger in the air until that great wind catches it and carries their message over to our awaiting ears. Until then, I can look through the pile of pictures that captured the long anticipated moments and smile.

Free Cell

April 4, 2010

The last two semesters were…exhausting to say the least. Most of the time I can hardly remember what I did 24 hours prior. My world right now consists of 4 things (represented in order by most time consuming to least): Work, homework, sleeping, and eating. Most days I feel like I am a walking zombie as I desperately search of the energy to make it through to the end of the semester.

So much information is being jammed into my brain that I am working hard to keep my head from exploding. Of course, times like this make me enter into a state of reflection as I am forced to learn something about myself and the environment I am in.

The latest discovery: My brain is like the game Free Cell.

Information is laid out like the cards. I have limits to the number of empty spaces I can use to move around the information. I shift things around trying to establish order and patterns so that all of the information is filed away in a logical manner making the information easily retrievable for later reference.

Like in the game, one move can cause many cards to be moved automatically to their appropriate pile complete with the swift sound. My brain too has the ability to do this. A deck of information can be dealt out. Depending on the familiarity of the information, in a matter of time the information can be moved around and swiftly filed into place. The key phrase here being “in a matter of time”.

Lately, it seems that so much information is being dealt to me that the decks are stacking up and I haven’t the time to sit and move them around to win the game. Because even though the amount of information is doubling, the amount of free spaces I have to use remains the same. Soon an overwhelming feeling creeps in as each day is loaded with more and more information that I WANT to remember. Much of the information I will need to regurgitate at some point, but will I be able to find it when it is needed?

As the days tick by, I long for the day when I don’t have to cram anything else in my brain. When I can sit and learn something at my own pace; when I don’t have to try and prove that I am learning something. Until that day comes, here are a few pictures from some of the things I am learning and experiencing.

Rope Tech I: The art of rigging lines with rope, pulleys, and other equipment that allow someone to cross over a waterfall and be lowered. Great skill/technical knowledge for rigging and rescues on less than agreeable terrain.

Sand Rock, AL: A rock climbing extravaganza for all the students in beginning rock climbing and advanced rock. An “all hands on deck” operation for the GAs.

Caving

March 9, 2010

When I was first introduced to caving, it was Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. You walk into the huge entrance of the cave, walk around looking at all of the things that are well lit and then walk out. Caving went to a whole new level when I came out of the other end on the Dead Man’s Crawl. Muddy and wet, I had experienced real caving. Until I came here I didn’t really understand that caving could go to another level. Then I was introduced to vertical caving.

With this type of caving you can’t just walk into the cave. Instead, you have to rappel into the cave. The Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia area is full of caves I found out. Some pits are over 500 ft deep. It is true, with most vertical caving experiences you have to be prepared to climb out. It isn’t the case for all of them, but most of the time the amount of feet you go down is the amount you have to climb to get out.

That was the case for Cagel’s Chasm. 193ft down I went and 193ft I had to climb out. All of it was well worth it as caving was taken to an entirely new level.

One Stroke at a Time

February 26- March 5, 2010

Well, Spring Break has come and gone. Last year, I went to sea kayaking in Florida with a great group of college students. Surprisingly, this Spring Break was very similar. The only this that differed was the type of boat being used. I went to Florida with a great group of college students but this time hours and hours were spent in a canoe.

Our trip started on the Santa Fe River, merged in the Suwannee River, and ended 110 miles later on and island in the Gulf of Mexico. The decision for me to go on this trip was quite last minute. Originally I was going to help with a different trip but that trip was canceled due to lack of interest.

My role for this trip was pretty simple: take pictures. So that is what I did, experiencing a lot of firsts along the way, the biggest one being paddling that far in a 6-day stretch. I also slept in a hammock for the first time, paddled through the rain, and saw manatees in the wild.

Below is only a small representation of the trip. As always, I find that my best pictures never have people involved but I did try, really I did.