Final Post

After the first day of class, I knew it was going to be an interesting class and I was looking forward to learning a lot more about the class and even about myself.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to stay in Hawaii because of the gallstones, but at least I was with my family.  Even though I wasn’t able to attend class any more, I still learned more that I think I could have.  Despite the pain, I was able to get my work done and learn outside of the class room.  I thought most of the articles were interesting and the books were good, even the videos on Ted.com were pretty interesting, as well as the guest speakers.  I was lucky enough to at least go on a few field trips before I left the island and both of the field trips that I went to for this class were very new to me and that’s what I loved.

Although, I wasn’t all that good with turning in a weekly blog, I still was able to do them.  This was my first time blogging and I kind of liked it, I didn’t really have time to explore all that blogging had to offer, but I was able to put up pictures and videos up without too much trouble.  I don’t think I would have really considered blogging had it not been for this class, but I’m glad that I got to do something new. 

This class really taught me that we should really take a second look at what we are doing and why.  Why are we doing some of these things when we obviously know that it can’t me good for us or for the environment?  We need to start thinking of not just ourselves, but everything around us, because if it wasn’t for the plants and the insects we would not be here today.  We need to start looking at the problems that we are causing around us and come up with ways to fix those problems permanently before it’s too late. 

Thanks again for an interesting and educational class.  I just wish I would have been able to actually attend class.  This is my final blog for this class, but I don’t think it’s the last of them. 

  

Final Project

Since I wasn’t able to present a final project in class and at the time I wasn’t too sure what I wanted to do for it either, I figured I would interview someone close to me who actually gardens.  I chose to interview my father since he had experience with gardening and he seems to enjoy it. 

His main reason for gardening is because he loves it.  He likes to eat fresh produce and likes to provide for the family, not just with his job, but also with his gardening.  He feels better that what he is eating is pesticide free and tastes fresher when picked from the garden and not the grocery store.  He gets a sense of satisfaction working with his hands and also giving extra vegetables to our neighbors.  Although its time consuming and hard work he still likes to go out there and plant and water and just see Mother Nature doing her job.  As far as I can recall he has always gardened and in fact when my parents were looking for a house, my father’s first priority is to see if the yard is big enough to for a garden. 

He doesn’t just plant, water and pick when the season is right, but he also composts throughout the year.  When the most of the food has been picked and the warm weather is almost up, he starts the process of collecting the leaves, grounding them up and throws in the garden, so it can help the soil.

When the season for gardening is near he starts up the processes again like clockwork.  He softens the ground with the till and purchases lots of seed and spends days spreading them out.  He even purchases pray mantis, because those bugs can help to keep out pests that could destroy the plants.  He goes out there almost every day to work in the garden and even plants extra fruits and vegetables that he didn’t plant earlier.    

I know for a fact that if he was given the opportunity we would expand the garden which he was already done so over the past few years. I am very proud of my dad because of how much work he put in to feeding us with nutritious foods.  When the bugs aren’t attacking me I try to go out there and help him pick the fruits and vegetables, but I usually end up eating the fruits almost immediately when I come in side, so I not much help when it comes to the fruits.

Here is a list of the fruits and vegetables that he grows out in the garden/backyard:

Plums, peaches, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, pares, cantaloupe, watermelon, cherries, apples, string beans, lima beans, white corn, tomatoes, peppers, beats, squash, cucumber, asparagus, pumpkin, carrots, peas, lettuce, kale, spinach, potatoes, onions, spearmint leaves and peppermint leaves and tons of flowers and plants a lot of butterfly bushes.  There are more, but we couldn’t think of them at the time.

Ted.com (Derek Sivers)

I thought this video was interesting, yet a bit discouraging.  The video talks about your particular goals and if you want those goals to actually happen, you shouldn’t tell anyone.  However, when I have a goal in mind, the first thing I do is tell someone, because I am so excited about it.  Then I plan really hard and work really hard to make my goal come true.  I have done this for as far as I can remember and so far my goals have actually come true and I think I will continue with this method, because it so far has worked out for me.  Apparently, those who tell their goals to someone, are less likely to actually fulfill their goals, because the feeling of telling someone your plan is almost the same feeling of actually accomplishing the goal without ever having to really do anything to get you towards that goal.  Those who keep their goals to themselves are more likely to be successful.

I wonder what impact that would have on our environment, if we didn’t tell people that we were going to do something to change the world, would we actually see a difference or because we didn’t tell anyone, people would be able to get together to make the goal happen.  This is somewhat confusing, yet interesting.

Here is the video I watched: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/derek_sivers_keep_your_goals_to_yourself.html

The “Moneyless man’: Why I Live Without Money

I thought this was an interesting article because not many people want to experience something like what Mark did.  He wanted to “be the change you want to see in the world.”  He realized that money is usually the root of many problems today.  “Because of money, we no longer see the direct repercussions our purchases have on other people and the environment.”  I liked this quote because it really is true, many of us are so infatuated with money and things, not needs but things.  Money is what clouds our judgment for the most part, because we think that money can get us thing and fix things.  However, with money come greed and poverty and many other problems.  Mark wanted to live a life without money, no spending or receiving.  He chose to grow his own food, cook outside, live in a caravan, use newspaper for his toiletries, and used candles for lighting.  He also washed in the river and used washed-up cuttlefish bone and wild fennel seeds for toothpaste and rode around on his bike everywhere so he also got his exercise that way.  Mark had felt the past two years to be the most fulfilling of his life.  He had more friends, hadn’t been sick since he started this, and felt fitter.  He realized that “friendship, not money, is real security.”

I thought this was a very interesting because that is something I would like to experience and really get a better understanding of the real hardships in life.

Ted.com (Jonathan Klein)

I really liked this video, and even though it was only a short video, you were still were able to learn what the video is all about.  We look to images for beauty, the ugly, for the escape, for the wishes, the hopes, for what ifs, and for the memories.  A picture truly is worth a thousand words.  Images have the power to change the world and make us more aware of the problems that are out there, even the successes that are out there.  “We are all confronted by a powerful image, and we all have a choice, we can either look away, or we can address the image.”  I loved this quote because it is very true; many people who see a sad picture either turn away or become aware and may even do something about it. “Images push us to question our core beliefs and our responsibilities to each other.”  They allow us to become aware and provoke reactions in us.  In many of these pictures we are the cause of these sad and disturbing images.  “What is far worse is mans destructive power over man.”  Other than still images, we have short videos and movies that make allow us to be informed of the tragedies that have happened in the past and if we don’t change our ways we will see more and more upsetting images in the future. 

If “a picture is worth a thousand words.”  What do these pictures say to you?

Here is the video I watched:  http://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_klein_photos_that_changed_the_world.html

Ishmael by: Daniel Quinn

I found this book to be very interesting yet a bit strange.  I have never read a book quite like this one.  Towards the beginning of the book, the narrator comes across an ad that that said: “TEACHER seeks pupil.  Must have an earnest desire to save the world.  Apply in person”(pg 4).  The narrator then meets a educated gorilla named Ishmael who is telepathic.  Majority of the book is a back and forth dialogue between the narrator and the gorilla, where the gorilla helps the narrator to understand the history and the future of humankind and how if we don’t do something, then we are essentially destroying the world.  Through the book, it talks about the Nazis and Mother Culture.  One quote that scared me was the one that was one that was in the front and in the back of the book “With man gone, will there be hope for gorilla” and the other quote that was in the back of the book was “with gorilla gone will there be hope for man.”  This scares me a bit because we are all one, we are all a part of something thing and if one goes will we/ they be able to survive without us/them.  I would like to read it again when I have more time because I kind of quickly read it and I feel like I may have missed a lot.        

Vocabulary on decline due to fewer books

Although this is not news, I did find this article to be very interesting and yet a bit sad because it’s true.  More and more kids would rather play on the computer, Xbox, or text, and then actually pick up a book.  With the advancement of technology, books are becoming a thing of the past.  With fewer books being read, there is also a decline in vocabulary words that should be learned.  Reading allows for a child to develop their vocabulary and even help them later on in life.  There are also less dictionaries being used which also hinders a kids ability to learn because if they see a word they don’t understand they are less likely to pick up a dictionary to look up the word.  We are becoming lazy and would rather not learn the meaning of the word(s).  By looking up a word, the process mentally glue into the memory, which will allow you to recall that word later on if you learn it to begin with.   I may not always carry a dictionary around, but I tend to write down word that I heard but wasn’t familiar with and later look it up.  I actually have a word list that keeps on building.  When I have the time, I try to do some leisurely reading, but I usually end up reading something for school.