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