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.
This semester has many adventures lined up. We will see if my head is still above water by the end.
July 4, 2010
My sister and I were talking about the 4th of July, that great day celebrating America’s independence. Growing up we always had fond memories of the 4th: 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 4th 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 4th 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:
Just the smallest combination of the list above fills me with a warm sense of patriotism and thanks.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
February 3 -7, 2010
That time of year arrived yet again, the Association of Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) conference. As always, a new year and a new city. This year, my backyard: Atlanta. It was hard to believe that this was my 5th year in a row that I have been to this conference. Once again, Lynette was there to continue with tradition as well as I was on Service Crew. This time, I was not alone in my travels, as Jeremy and Lauren saw came along for the adventure.
For her first year, Lauren walked around knowing more people than I did. She was constantly turning around to see yet another face she knew. Many of the regulars I recognized. However, some of the most familiar faces to me appeared at the annual euchre tournament. Lynette and I were back ready to win it all.
Some of the pairs we played were so funny I can’t even begin to describe the experience. One of our opponents described us as nice, innocent looking young ladies that deceived everyone. For when they weren’t looking, the fins poked through our disguises and our true card-shark colors came out.
With comments like that, we thought we had it in the bag. Well, our winning streak ended when we faced the other undefeated team. We lost to a team that just learned how to play euchre that evening.
Unlike years in the past, we moved into the losing bracket. Yes, this year was not a one-loss elimination. We continued to play. The hours passed, until we found ourselves up against the still undefeated team composed of beginners. If we lost, we
would have to settle for 2nd place yet again. If we won, our battle was not over. We would have to play them again for the championship round. Lynette and I had come this far, and we both knew that 2nd place was not an option.
Our speed and awareness at the early morning hours were our secret weapon. For close to the 2 o’clock hour, victory was ours.
January 17-27, 2010
A quick background on how the grad program works. The majority of my class work is done online. However, for twelve days of the semester, we come together with all of the other people in the program who aren’t GAs to go through an intensive. Every semester the location of the intensive is different. As this is my first one, the location was twofold: Atlanta and Chattanooga.
For the first half, we spent our time touring the greater Atlanta area visiting schools, nature centers, the Atlanta aquarium, and the Atlanta zoo getting a view of their outdoor education programs as much of our focus and discussion was focused on the No Child Left Inside topic.
It seemed every waking moment was spent with my fellow classmates as we all slept in the same house (although some chose to sleep outside), fixed meals together, crammed into two vehicles, and even climbed trees together.
The Chattanooga experience also included the nature center and schools. However, our services were required in a different way. We were asked as a class to write curriculum for helping children achieve a sense of place. This was the first step of a chain that the school administration was hoping would take place. If students were taught of the importance of taking care of what was around them, they would take that mindset home and thus begin to care about their neighborhood. By getting their parents involved. Through exploration and mapping, our team tried to get the kids to discover what is round them, make a connection with it, and then understand the importance of taking care of it.
Our project was not only to develop this in theory but also be the pilot to a group of students at a local Chattanooga school. Develop it one day, implement it the next. In my book, that is the definition of intense.
January 8, 2010
With the arrival of the new semester came three new Graduate Assistants, all female. Two of the former GAs did not return this semester, so in essence we grew by one. The end of last year also brought graduation for Ann and Kelly, my roommates. The new band of GAs brought two new roommates as well. Here they are without further ado:
The first to arrive was Laura (pictured right). Laura arrived from Maryland. Like me she knew little of the world she entered. As I helped her unpack her car, I asked about a certain item as to what it was. She told me it was a humidifier. I then proceeded to welcome her to the land where we fight humidity on a daily basis. Needless to say, the humidifier made its way back to Maryland with her father. Laura continues to bring a fresh perspective and a zest for life here along with “dimples deep enough to park a car in.”
Next we have Christina (Pictured next to Laura). Christina almost magically appeared. I went to bed one night, and the next morning, she was here. Arriving by airplane from the state of Washington, she too arrived after a whirlwind hire. However, being friends with Jerrod, she was told a bit more of what to expect than Laura. Christina’s stamina always amazes me. She is constantly on the move; driven and determined who has mastered the art of making garlic bread out of hot dog buns.
To wrap up the introductions, we have Stephanie (Pictured Left). Out of the three, Stephanie has the most knowledge of Southern as she earned her undergrad from here. Stephanie also has the most unique position here. She is in charge of the Boy and Girls Club. A project I couldn’t imagine handling, Stephanie attacks the project with great determination and humility, as she finds herself in experiencing so many new situations.
With all of my first semester of Grad school homework turned in, the time finally opened up to work on a few projects I have been putting on the back burner. Something I have always wanted to do was make a quilt. It has been on my life list for a while (My mother can testify to my
unfinished attempts in the past) My sister made a quilt out of old jeans when I was in college. I still love that quilt. She always made it seem so easy and quick. With a few weeks at my disposal, how hard could it really be?
With my present situation being a little tight in the cash department, I had to use what I already had. I have been in Tennessee for over four months now. The time to go through my closet had arrived yet again. With several moves this past year, I have been lugging around a huge stack of my old t-shirts that I have been picking up here and there through my college years and the adventures beyond. I didn’t wear them anymore. What better way to put them to use than a T-shirt quilt.
For a project such as this, I have a hard time remembering what life was like before the Internet. If you want to know how to do anything, just look online. After hours of research, I was inspired and willing to attack this project. After a trip to the store for the backing and thread, the process began.
By the end of the project I was glad about many things. The biggest one being that my roommates were not there to witness the process. My project took over my entire living room and kitchen table with a little overflow making its way into my bedroom. Scraps were everywhere and stands of thread stuck to the carpet like a colorful web.
After three days, I had made it through countless ripping episodes, stuck myself with a pin numerous times, fought a few battles with a sewing machine, and watched every Jane Austen movie I own; my quilt was finished.
December 29, 2009
Due to my European travels, it wasn’t in the budget to do more traveling for the holidays. My original plan was to spend my two weeks off making some extra money and working on projects I have wanted to work on but just haven’t had the time due to the busy work schedule.
As the day of my time off approached, my physical health was dropping. A problem that I had been having on and off since October, flared its little head again. By the Monday before Christmas, I could hardly open my right eye. I was trying to look at the bright side. First, I thank the Lord that I have two eyes. Second, even though I could barely open my eye, the problem wasn’t affecting my vision.
On Tuesday, I headed to the eye doctor (my 6th visit since late October). After some of the reactions I was getting from people, I really wanted to know what people saw. I could a hardly handle light let alone looking in a mirror for more than a couple of seconds. So I decided to put my camera to use.
Now I must warn you that the following pictures are not even close to being pretty. For comparisons sake, what my eyes look like normally:
Now for the close up:
The good new is, by the end of Christmas Day my eye was to the point where the swelling was down and the constant waterfall coming from my eye had dried up. Being able to function normally was the best Christmas present by far. Now my New Years hope is that whatever is causing this to sporadically happen will a.) be discovered as it is still a mystery to the doc or b.) stop affecting me all together. Only time will tell.
