Journal Ten

So it’s the first day of my Colloquium class. I went in with the worst expectations thinking it was about to be the worst class I would ever take! The class begins. Of course, the syllabus is reviewed, introductions occur, and then … We HaVe To WaTcH ThE MooN??? WHAT?? How random is that?? So that night, I’m talking about my day to my sister and I tell her about this ‘moon assignment’. I laughed it off thinking it would be the easiest ‘A’ I would ever get… I mean I know about the lunar cycles… What person who passed the first grade doesn’t!! And I was right… it’s the easiest ‘A’ I could ever get.

BUT FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS!!!

The reason it is the easiest ‘A’ I could ever get isn’t because of my basic knowledge of the moon but instead because if you ever took the time… to actually sit outside… and look at the moon… you become mesmerized by it. I don’t know if anyone has ever noticed but to me, of course after looking at it for long periods of time, you can see the shape of a rabbit in the moon! Or at least his head… I don’t know, maybe I have been looking at it a little too much but it really is beautiful. This semester I literally sat outside for more than just five minutes each night but for sometimes up to thirty minutes with my nephew looking up at the moon and stars. It really gives you quiet time away from everything to reflect on any and everything you would like to think about… And of course it gives you a great view while you do so!

If I have learned anything from looking at the moon every night it isn’t about anything scientific. But instead, something psychological. There are so many benefits to taking the time to just sit in silence looking at the moon!

Word Count = 326

Journal Nine

Throughout this class, everything that I have done has in some way related to my nephew. I think about the kind of person that I want to be to make sure that Joey (my nephew) has the best role model in his life! So when I think about anything that would harm him… the fangs come out. Why in the world would anybody allow anything ESPECIALLY A BURMESE PYTHON to live comfortably right next to the crib of a baby??

Were they crazy? Apparently, a baby was eaten by a snake that was kept as a pet in an open tank inches away from the crib. It really makes me mad that people could be so ignorant!!!

Recently, we’ve learned about different exotic and invasive species including the Burmese Python. Another invasive species is the Melaleuca Tree or the Paper Tree. This one was of particular interest to me because every day when I drive to campus, I take I-75. It wasn’t until just recently that I learned that I-75 is lined with these trees.

They actually secrete poison into the ground to prevent any other type of tree from growing in that area. When I learned that these were the trees that are so commonly seen in Florida (especially the fact that I was ignorantly passing them on a daily basis) I was astounded!

The last exotic and invasive species that I want to discuss is the Spiny Tailed Iguana.

They are ugly aren’t they? When I first learned about this species, I didn’t really take too much interest in it. It wasn’t until three days later I actually saw one crawling in front of me. It was like slow motion!! In a split second, I recalled what I learned, looked down to make sure I wasn’t seeing things, and smashed that little burger right into the ground! I looked down to double check that I didn’t just kill an innocent lizard but sure enough it was a little Spiny Tailed Iguana!

Word Count = 334

Journal Eight

What is the definition of consumer goods?

Consumer goods are goods that are ready for consumption in satisfaction of human wants, as clothing or food, and are not utilized in any further production. Pretty much my entire life!! In 24 hours it is amazing how many consumer goods I use, especially the consumer goods that come in packaging. In the morning when I wake up, the first thing that comes through my mind is food! I AM HUNGRY!

Eggs = Packaged in a weird shaped thing.

Milk = Packaged in plastic.

When I get dressed for the day, think about all of the consumer packaging in the clothes I wear!

Everything in my life is consumer packaging… my car, my nails, my contacts!

It’s insane to think what would happen to me if there was no such thing as consumer packaging! How in the world did the cave men survive??

So how does this affect the world?

To get a little more serious, what kind of society have we become? Without these consumer goods how could we survive? We have become so dependent on these items. How is this affecting our environment? There are so many questions that most of us already know the answer to and yet no one is really willing to make the sacrifice to cut down on these consumer goods, not even me! I think after taking some serious time to reflect on consumer goods and how they are such a vital part of my life, I’ve come to the conclusion that for my new year’s resolution, not only am I going to make the pact to spend more time outdoors in my natural environment but also cut down on my use of consumer goods.

Word Count = 301

Electricity in 24 hours

Do you have any idea how many times a day you use electricity and don’t even know it?? Let’s take it hour by hour in the life of Marilyn Diaz!!!

12am = While most people are sleeping at this late hour, I am heavy into my school work! At this time, I am using my laptop, my television, the light in my room, my air conditioning, and my fan! I never realized how much electricity I used until I began this project.

1am= This hour is my “wind down” time. I turn off my laptop and television but I still am using the fan, air conditioning, and my phone is plugged into its charger that is plugged into the wall.

2am= By this time, I am knocked out!! But even in sleep, electricity is still being used: my fan, air conditioning, and my charging phone

3am= Zzzzz

4am= Zzzzz

5am= Zzzzz

6am= Zzzzz

7am= Zzzzz

8am= Zzzzz

9am= Where most people in the world are waking up to start their day, I am still in a nice long deep comma! Electricity being used includes the same: air conditioning, my fan, and my phone charging.

10am= Zzzzz

11am= Zzzzz

12pm= Zzzzz

1pm= I know, I know it’s crazy but one in the afternoon is my usual wake up time. I turn on my television, unplug my phone from the charger, and take a nice shower. Even water running is considered in the ‘electricity’ field.

2pm= After my shower, I blow dry and straighten my hair (double whammy) and put on my make up with extra light.

3pm= It’s lunch time! Stove or microwave is going, lights are on, the fan is on, the television is on, and the air conditioner is on as well.

4pm= Usually at this time, I leave the house so any electricity is coming from outside sources.

5pm= Same as 4pm

6pm= Same as 5pm

7pm= Same as 6pm

8pm= What am I eating for dinner?? The stove is on, the lights are on, and usually the television is on as well. Not to mention the nice cool air that I am getting from my air conditioner.

9pm= This is the time I begin working on my homework. Electricity in place includes my bedroom light, my laptop, my television, air conditioning, my fan, and sometimes my printer when I need it.

10pm= Same as 9pm

11pm= Same as 10pm

We so often take electricity for granted!! I’ve recently found out that even when things are plugged into the wall and not even in use electricity is being used. It is important to put into place different practices that can help save electricity such as turning off lights when leaving rooms and shutting down televisions and computers when they are not in use!

Word Count = 465

Reflections on my Fort Myers Beach Field Trip

Fort Myers Beach has a very special place in my heart. As a child, every summer my family and I would take the trip to the beach to enjoy some ‘fun in the sun’. Going back to Fort Myers Beach as a young adult, I never would have imagined that I would learn that so much history could be found! I learned so many new things on my trip with my Colloquium class. For example, the story about giving a manatee too much water was so influential to me. I never knew that if you give a manatee too much water they will sink to the bottom and literally die before this trip.

Another interesting fact that I didn’t know or had ever heard of before this trip was that all shrimp that is caught is frozen. My favorite food in the entire world is shrimp so anytime I would see signs that would say, “Fresh Shrimp” I would be the first to stop to pick up a few pounds. Now that I know that those signs really don’t mean fresh shrimp (because all shrimp is frozen at one point) I probably won’t be stopping so quickly at these false advertised places : )

Finally, the story that I found most interesting during my visit to Fort Myers Beach was the burial story of Cyrus Teed. I recently visited Koreshan State Park to learn more about Cyrus Teed and the Koreshan belief. I found it fascinating that people actually followed this man based on a single vision he had. The story I heard about how his followers trying to actually avert from burying his corpse with the idea that he would rise from the dead was astounding to me.

In conclusion, my trip to Fort Myers Beach brought many memories to mind of when I was a child and also evoked many emotions with all of the new information I learned this visit.

Word Count = 323

My Carbon Footprint

I had the opportunity to take an interesting quiz and play an interesting game that enabled me to learn more about “My Carbon Footprint”!

The quiz that I took was called “Measure Your Eco-Footprint from Conservation International”. This quiz asked me different questions in regards to my recycling and reusing habits. For example, one of the questions asked was, “To reduce pollution, I…” An example of an answer to this question was, “use vinegar and water to clean windows”. At the end of this quiz I received a score of 17. I wish that the quiz would have specified whether or not that was a bad or good thing however from the written response I would assume that it was a bad thing. It said, “Don’t be discouraged. This is just the beginning of your new green lifestyle. Take the pledge below and join a wider community of people dedicated to protecting life on Earth.” I provided information along with my email so I guess it’s only a matter of time before I receive anything back.

The game that I played was called, “Energyville, from Chevron and the Economist Group”. At first I didn’t understand the concept of this game but after playing it a few times it was extremely interesting! Basically, you are responsible for powering up your city. Different ways of powering your city included solar power, coal, etc. At the end, you are scored on three main impacts: the economic impact, the environmental impact, and the security impact. On my second attempt of playing this game, after I learned the concept, I scored a medium final impact on my economic impact, a medium final impact on my environmental impact, and a high final impact on my security impact. I never realized how much goes into the thought process on how to power up a city!

Word Count = 308

Reflections on Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

When I visited the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, I learned about and saw several new interesting things that I did not know or had ever seen before. Here are some of those things:

THE STRANGLER FIG

I thought these were really neat because I have never seen anything like it. It really does look like it is trying to ‘strangle’ the tree!

THE ZEBRA LONGWING BUTTERFLY (AND THE CATERPILLAR THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY TURN INTO IT)

I really saw the ‘circle of life’ aspect come full circle with the caterpillar and the Zebra Longwing Butterfly. It starts with a slimy caterpillar that you would think twice about even touching then turns into this beautiful butterfly!

THE TREES GROWING INTO THE BOARDWALK

Here, you can really get a sense of how nature adapts. Even after a manmade boardwalk was built through this area, the trees found a way to still grow. It really makes you wonder how powerful ‘mother nature’ can really be.

THE CUTOUT OF THE BOARDWALK FOR THE TREES

I really liked the fact that people took the time to cut out pieces of the boardwalk instead of cutting into the trees.

THE YELLOW RAT SNAKE

This was probably the coolest thing that I think I saw on my visit. I’ve seen snakes before but seeing them in their natural habitat was a really neat experience for me!

Of course, there were several other things that I saw that I also thought were really interesting such as the Saw grass, the Cabbage Palms, the Slash Pines, the Moss, the Resurrection Fern, and the Lichen Plant. I really felt a connection with my environment that I haven’t felt in a long time. It was nice to be outside on such a nice day. I enjoyed my trip and will definitely be going back! (Especially with my student discount!)

Word Count = 306

Journal 3

“Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization,” or more commonly known as ECHO, wasn’t what I expected it to be at all! First of all, when leaving to go on this field trip, I didn’t even know what ECHO stood for. It wasn’t until I got there that I was told it was a place that was trying to solve world hunger. The video that we watched was interesting but it didn’t affect me on an emotional level. It wasn’t until the very end of the tour that I really became emotionally involved. Our teacher instructed us to stuff ourselves (about fifteen of us per group) into these small huts. When she told us that people actually live in these horrible conditions, I was appalled. I really felt a genuine appreciation for everything that I take for granted on a daily basis. Another thing that really caught my attention was the trees that were being grown from a pile of soda cans! We were told that they place a mat underneath them and there are specific kinds of plants and trees that can actually grow from them. I found it really interesting to discover that people could grow their own food even in the most populated areas of huge cities. The final thing that caught my attention, as I’m sure most of my classmates would agree to, is the Maringa tree. When we were shown the dirty water bottles and the difference between those and the ones treated with Maringa seeds, I thought it was amazing that nature could do something so revolutionary. I think if people from these different geographical areas knew they could literally grow their own food WHEREVER they are, it would help solve world hunger. Where I live is actually about ten minutes from ECHO so I have every intention of completely my service learning for colloquium there.

Word Count = 310

Journal 2

Growing up in Clewiston, Florida was fun. The town is literally seven traffic lights and two major roads. Everyone knows everyone. Although I wasn’t the most popular girl in school, I had a lot of friends and I loved hanging out with them. It’s known as “America’s Sweetest Town” because it is the only town that actually has a sugar mill within city limits. I was born and raised there so I lived in a number of different houses, but Clewiston was home!

THE FIVE SENSES IN MY HOMETOWN!

SITE:

√ I remember seeing the smoke from the sugar mill against the skyline.

√ I remember seeing the sunset on Lake Okeechobee (as Clewiston is right on the border of lake) when I would go there to hang out with friends.

√ I remember watching the football games so many fall nights.

TASTE:

√ I remember tasting the great food at the football games. Clewiston was known for their football! We even made it to State three times while I was living there.

√ I remember tasting the shaved ice drinks from Hawaiian Shaved Ice.

√ I remember tasting my mom’s amazing cooking on school nights.

SMELL:

√ I remember the horrible smell of the sugar mill that ran through the town.

√ I remember the way the fresh cut grass smelled on the first day of every school year.

√ I remember the smell of new clothes every Christmas in Clewiston.

HEARING:

√ I remember hearing my alarm clock every morning for school. UGH!

√ I remember hearing the terror in my friend’s voice when she told me about the attacks on the twin towers the morning of September 11, 2001.

√ I remember hearing the loudspeaker calling my name on the night of my high school graduation!

TOUCH:

√ I remember touching my sister’s hand when she was diagnosed with diabetes.

√ I remember the way it felt to hold my flag during color guard.

√ I remember the way if felt to hug my mom when I left home.

Home is where your heart is and Clewiston, Florida is where my heart is because it is my home. So many memories were made there!

Word Count = 367

Journal 1

“Marry an outdoors woman. Then if you throw her out into the yard on a cold night, she can still survive.” ~ W. C. Fields Quotes~

Hi, my name is Marilyn Diaz and this quote was of particular interest to me. It implies that women who love the outdoors, or at least have a general knowledge of the outdoors, are independent, strong women. Is this true??

My connection to the Florida environment isn’t as great as it should be. Although I’ve lived in Florida my entire life, the most I know about it is that it is extremely hurricane prone.

I scarcely ever go outside. My ‘outside’ time consists of me walking to and from my car and classes. I have a two year old nephew who I occasionally take to the park but even those visits are an hour at max.

I always say that I am going to do more involving the outdoors but for whatever reason I always avoid doing so. Maybe the course I am enrolled in now (University Colloquium) will inspire me to genuinely take an interest of my environment and the outdoors in general and become a more active participant in the world.

Goals for this semester:

1) Take an interest of my environment and the world around me

2) Take my nephew to the park more often

3) Do ten hours of service learning that really help me understand the outdoors and inspire me to enjoy it

4) Be able to speak intelligently about our environment

On a more personal note, when I was asked to count the exact amount of hours I spend outside during my week, I really thought about how that affects my nephew. When my nephew grows up will he be disappointed in my lack of partaking in our global change? The only way to be sure that doesn’t happen is to change it so if not for me, I will do it for him!!!

Word Count = 326