It's been about two weeks ago since our class ended but I still hold true lots of the stories and lessons I learned. Especially the story about the bob sled track controversy for the 1932 Lake Placid Olympics. Just the amount of history behind the dilemma was amazing. All the anti-Semitic, policies and behaviors caught me off guard because I never knew any sort of feelings were like that in the ADKs. I tell that story to my friends when they ask me how this summer class was, along with all the other sorts of fun and learning we had.
So what I took from this course was very close to what I wanted to learn from it. I wanted to learn how to improve my interpretation skills, learn a more thorough in-depth understanding of the Adirondacks flora, fauna and history and become more comfortable with teaching others information I have understood. To that I can say, the goals were accomplished but like most skills or knowledge learned I can always fine tune such skills and always continue to learn even more.
I'd like to thank Karl, Beth, Tim and everybody else that was involved with this course for a wonderful learning experience and an even better time!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Our Last Night
What an awesome week! Yesterday, after dinner a bunch of us went out to the island. Lee and I swam across when the rest of them kayaked. It was a bit chilly out but once we hopped into the water the both of us gave out a nice big ahhh. The water was actually warmer than the air. It was a quick kayak but a great swim for us. With the sun shining and getting ready to set it gave that hour a warm cozy feeling. It felt really good after our dinner.
After the swim, the majority of us worked on our projects for a while. I did a lot on my movie or interview documentary but wasn't able to finish it. The next half hour should be plenty of time to put the last interview in with Rob the Raquette Lake Director and my thanks to everybody. I think everybody is going to really enjoy it. At the end I am going to put that picture of all us on top of Black Bear Mtn. and then add in the bloopers and funny stuff.
I hope everybody enjoyed their time here and picked up some great ideas to incorporate into their professional lives. :)
After the swim, the majority of us worked on our projects for a while. I did a lot on my movie or interview documentary but wasn't able to finish it. The next half hour should be plenty of time to put the last interview in with Rob the Raquette Lake Director and my thanks to everybody. I think everybody is going to really enjoy it. At the end I am going to put that picture of all us on top of Black Bear Mtn. and then add in the bloopers and funny stuff.
I hope everybody enjoyed their time here and picked up some great ideas to incorporate into their professional lives. :)
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Looking at an on coming shit storm with the hopes of sunshine afterwards!
Today was another great day, just had to tune out the complainers. The hike was fitting and fun. It's always enjoyable to hike with somebody you don't even know because you always get to know what their interests are and so forth.
On a rougher note, Carl's presentation this morning was a little upsetting, not because of the way he presented his information but the facts and figures that he made our class aware of. He did an exceptional job of breaking down the bell curve graph of oil through the use of history and thorough explanations of our social and economic systems. The real kicker that got me, was the passion and wholehearted belief that our society and future is almost without a doubt on an express train to hell in a hand basket and it's our next stop!
Yet, as I blogged about taking action to change, Carl and Beth still are optimistic because they explained what actions they have taken to attempt to reduce or change our imminent future. They're using solar panels for energy, verimculture and expanded their garden, planted more fruit and nut trees, and are purchasing local products as much as possible along with other measures to help to set an example of what can be done. On this same note, Dr. John Slade the author of Adirondack Green spoke to our class about his book and how the upcoming young generations learn to become global citizens through the town's construction of a wind turbine on their mountain. The bigger picture here is that renewable energy will contribute to this new Renaissance movement he suggests our nation needs right now to bring us back from the brink of a future ecological and social worldwide catastrophe.
To enlighten us of why he thinks this is possible, Dr. Slade told stories of nations and people who demonstrated ambition, creativity, and determination when the times of hardship and struggle came about. We must have faith in ourselves and believe in what we say or do will have positive repercussions and that struggles will be inevitable but must be overcome for us to achieve greatness. This my friends is what I have heard time and time again and lived through time and time again. You get what you put in and people get what they deserve...most of the time ;)
On a rougher note, Carl's presentation this morning was a little upsetting, not because of the way he presented his information but the facts and figures that he made our class aware of. He did an exceptional job of breaking down the bell curve graph of oil through the use of history and thorough explanations of our social and economic systems. The real kicker that got me, was the passion and wholehearted belief that our society and future is almost without a doubt on an express train to hell in a hand basket and it's our next stop!
Yet, as I blogged about taking action to change, Carl and Beth still are optimistic because they explained what actions they have taken to attempt to reduce or change our imminent future. They're using solar panels for energy, verimculture and expanded their garden, planted more fruit and nut trees, and are purchasing local products as much as possible along with other measures to help to set an example of what can be done. On this same note, Dr. John Slade the author of Adirondack Green spoke to our class about his book and how the upcoming young generations learn to become global citizens through the town's construction of a wind turbine on their mountain. The bigger picture here is that renewable energy will contribute to this new Renaissance movement he suggests our nation needs right now to bring us back from the brink of a future ecological and social worldwide catastrophe.
To enlighten us of why he thinks this is possible, Dr. Slade told stories of nations and people who demonstrated ambition, creativity, and determination when the times of hardship and struggle came about. We must have faith in ourselves and believe in what we say or do will have positive repercussions and that struggles will be inevitable but must be overcome for us to achieve greatness. This my friends is what I have heard time and time again and lived through time and time again. You get what you put in and people get what they deserve...most of the time ;)
Monday, July 26, 2010
The snowball effect
Right after breakfast during our early morning meeting, where we described why we're here and what we hope to get out of this class, a lot of different thoughts and ideas came to mind. One, we as a society and in social groups or networks need to stop talking about how bad the current future is going to be if we don't do something now about it. Two reasons for this is because every time we discuss how bad our relationship with the environment is, nobody ever ends up CHANGING their lifestyle and daily decisions!! Change isn't easy as we are creatures of habit but we can only hold ourselves accountable for the disastrous mess we're moving into in the near future.
SO lets stop talking and arguing about IF such and such environmental disaster is happening then or later or stop arguing about how much we spend on taxes or all this other nonsense because it all won't matter a damn bit once there is no food on our plates or out in the fields!!
LET'S TAKE TO ACTION IN OUR OWN HANDS!!
Everyday, if everybody in the United States woke up and did at least some act of restoring nature or reducing or better yet eliminating their dependence on gas or oil or some sort of degenerative effect on the environment than the reverberations of this would be monumental! Then if this could be a national campaign or people believed into this movement it could spark nation wide CHANGE and we could build on our actions every other week or month till the point where we have gradually changed our ways of living! This would then set an example to other residents and hopefully catch on.
I'd like to try to start this initiative! As soon as I leave Raquette Lake I am going to try to do this everyday and let the newspaper know about it. Then I could spread the word about my movement and see how big I can get this snowball!!
SO lets stop talking and arguing about IF such and such environmental disaster is happening then or later or stop arguing about how much we spend on taxes or all this other nonsense because it all won't matter a damn bit once there is no food on our plates or out in the fields!!
LET'S TAKE TO ACTION IN OUR OWN HANDS!!
Everyday, if everybody in the United States woke up and did at least some act of restoring nature or reducing or better yet eliminating their dependence on gas or oil or some sort of degenerative effect on the environment than the reverberations of this would be monumental! Then if this could be a national campaign or people believed into this movement it could spark nation wide CHANGE and we could build on our actions every other week or month till the point where we have gradually changed our ways of living! This would then set an example to other residents and hopefully catch on.
I'd like to try to start this initiative! As soon as I leave Raquette Lake I am going to try to do this everyday and let the newspaper know about it. Then I could spread the word about my movement and see how big I can get this snowball!!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Old things Change
I never imagined this place to change much. This is my forth time here and every time I've been here nothing seemed to be in the works of changing besides some cabin restorations. But wow, wireless internet and the church being renovated really shocked me!
When I was here as a freshman in the fall of '07 with my freshman orientation class, we had our orientation in this same Carlson classroom and there weren't any computers here or nothing just a VCR and tv. The church was boarded up and the everything still looked like it was covered in a film of dust. But now, for some reason everything looks like it has had a recent dust off and so much more familiar. Maybe it's because I've been so familiar with the sights hear and the feeling of being separated from the outside world without internet connection. So seeing the inside of the church and be able to connect to the internet has sort of amazed me, I guess. They're both truly a wonderful things because I never imagined I'd ever get the chance to see the inside of that church and now apparently I can married inside, according to Tim!
So with this in my mind, it makes me wonder about all the other historical landmarks or lost stories in the Adirondack park that haven't been renovated or discovered due to financial reasons, time or because people simply forgot about them. So while I am here at Huntington and at the museums, I'd like to try to find out if there are any current projects or works going around here where I can help. I want to be a part of the findings and be able to have people to understand the history of the park as best as we can unmask it. I find the history of it all fascinating so I'd like its legacy to be continued on.
When I was here as a freshman in the fall of '07 with my freshman orientation class, we had our orientation in this same Carlson classroom and there weren't any computers here or nothing just a VCR and tv. The church was boarded up and the everything still looked like it was covered in a film of dust. But now, for some reason everything looks like it has had a recent dust off and so much more familiar. Maybe it's because I've been so familiar with the sights hear and the feeling of being separated from the outside world without internet connection. So seeing the inside of the church and be able to connect to the internet has sort of amazed me, I guess. They're both truly a wonderful things because I never imagined I'd ever get the chance to see the inside of that church and now apparently I can married inside, according to Tim!
So with this in my mind, it makes me wonder about all the other historical landmarks or lost stories in the Adirondack park that haven't been renovated or discovered due to financial reasons, time or because people simply forgot about them. So while I am here at Huntington and at the museums, I'd like to try to find out if there are any current projects or works going around here where I can help. I want to be a part of the findings and be able to have people to understand the history of the park as best as we can unmask it. I find the history of it all fascinating so I'd like its legacy to be continued on.
A Flat Tire...
Keeping with my theme for this course, I had to find a way to be late! Before I left home, figured it might be a better idea to take my car, a 94 Buick Le Sabre aka the green bomb, instead of my truck because the truck's windshield wipers don't work. But the green bomb has been in some rough shape but it appeared to be the safe option at the moment.
So the journey begins dandy with my music playing and I keep thinking about how much I want to take a dip in the water before we get on the boat. I had been sweating all day before I left and couldn't wait for a nice cool down.
With the thought of taking a refreshing swim once I arrive nice and early, it vanishes abruptly with the sounds of THUD THUD THUD THUD....uh oh. My back right tire was shredded and wrapped around the tire. The tire was completely gone with all sorts of the inside metallic wire frame spit out.
I think to myself, not a problem I can whip out my spare and ten minutes later I'll be on my way. Not quite, I have my lug nut wrench out but can't get this bastard of a lug nut off. A couple more attempts on the other lug nuts but nothing. So I consult the instructions on the spare tire cover. It appears that Buicks have lug nut locks and that for these locks to be removed I have to attach the lug nut "key" to the lug nut wrench that "should be in the glove box" according to the instructions. My hope blew away in the wind. This is stupid "key" wasn't in my glove box.
With my thumb in the air, I start walking down the road toward the nearest house I see. Before I even get 20 yards from my car a young women stops and asks me if I need any help. I accept her offer and she tells me her father is a mechanic. I struck the lotto on this one!
She lives a couple miles down the road and introduces me to her father Ron. Ron drives me back out so he can grasp his head around this "key" dilemma. Well, to make a long story short Ron and I ride back and forth from his house to a neighbors house looking for a spare key in his neighbors Buick but revert to the old fashion elbow grease technique with the help of a four foot long lead pipe. The lug nuts didn't stand a chance and I was back on track to Raquette Lake!
So the journey begins dandy with my music playing and I keep thinking about how much I want to take a dip in the water before we get on the boat. I had been sweating all day before I left and couldn't wait for a nice cool down.
With the thought of taking a refreshing swim once I arrive nice and early, it vanishes abruptly with the sounds of THUD THUD THUD THUD....uh oh. My back right tire was shredded and wrapped around the tire. The tire was completely gone with all sorts of the inside metallic wire frame spit out.
I think to myself, not a problem I can whip out my spare and ten minutes later I'll be on my way. Not quite, I have my lug nut wrench out but can't get this bastard of a lug nut off. A couple more attempts on the other lug nuts but nothing. So I consult the instructions on the spare tire cover. It appears that Buicks have lug nut locks and that for these locks to be removed I have to attach the lug nut "key" to the lug nut wrench that "should be in the glove box" according to the instructions. My hope blew away in the wind. This is stupid "key" wasn't in my glove box.
With my thumb in the air, I start walking down the road toward the nearest house I see. Before I even get 20 yards from my car a young women stops and asks me if I need any help. I accept her offer and she tells me her father is a mechanic. I struck the lotto on this one!
She lives a couple miles down the road and introduces me to her father Ron. Ron drives me back out so he can grasp his head around this "key" dilemma. Well, to make a long story short Ron and I ride back and forth from his house to a neighbors house looking for a spare key in his neighbors Buick but revert to the old fashion elbow grease technique with the help of a four foot long lead pipe. The lug nuts didn't stand a chance and I was back on track to Raquette Lake!
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