Peaches

I used to live in San Antonio, Texas about 10 years ago. I can still remember my mom's fresh peach cobbler. We lived in an area where we had all sorts of fruit trees and every year we would pick hundreds of peaches. My mom would freeze most of them, but with some, she would make peach cobbler with it. I remember it being such a treat, and I only have happy thoughts when I think about those afternoons when I would come home to a nice warm piece of heaven. To this day, I still make my mother's recipe, but it was that much better when she made it from peaches that we had grown.

Brains!!!!

So I am in a human gross anatomy course and today we were dissecting the brains. I always knew what brains were and what they were supposed to look like, but when you are holding what used to be the entire mind, personality, and being of a person, it is incredible to think what these little nerve fibers are actually capable of. This gray lump of goo can make decisions, feel pain, show emotions and compassion, and makes up what we consider to be "human." Even while you are reading this, your brain is doing so much to keep your body alive and to actually comprehend the words on this page. So how can all of this be controlled by mushy gray tissue? Amazing huh!

Readings

The series of readings highlight various tips for writing. From how to get started on what seems like an endless task, to developing your own style. Lammot talks about just letting yourself write; Not to worry about what you are doing yet, and instead to let the creative juices flow. She says to not be afraid to write a crappy draft and to not take on too much at a time. I think her advice can be utilized by writers in all stages of life. The authors seem to have good tips but personally, I think good writing is in the eyes of the beholder. I get the impression that the only "good" type of writing has to be out of the box. That may be true for many, but frankly coming from a scientific background I hold different standards to my writing and what I read. There is more than one type of writing and I don't think they should be compared to one another. Oranges and apples are both fruit, but who is to say one is better than the other? Writing should be judged upon how well it satisfies its purpose, no matter what it may be.

ROCKIES!!!!

I have never before been a baseball fan, but hey, if its working, roll with it! The Rockies used to be a nobody and now they are in the playoffs, how cool is that! It seems like one of those Cinderella stories where they came from nothing and now are ready to take all. I used to think that baseball was the least athletic sport out there and because of it I was never a supporter. I started watching the Rockies and I have to give those boys props. I could never hit something that was going 90 some miles per hour. They have some serious hand eye coordination. I never thought I would see the day when the Colorado was known for the Rockies, but hey, good job boys.

Fort Collins Drainage?

So is anyone else worried about the drain systems in our fair city? It seems like every time there is substantial rain the streets are flooded! I'm not talking a couple inches, there are streets where the water rises higher than the sidewalk along the street. The last major rainstorm a few weeks ago I actually saw people blow up rafts and set sail down plum! It looked fun, but really, after a history of flooding you would think the city would want a more efficient system.

Dateline "To Catch a Predator III"

I used the Dateline series as one of my main sources for my personal essay. Actually, it is quite entertaining to read or even watch if you caught the episode on TV. They add in the actual conversations of when these criminals are caught and what they say or how careless they are is humorous. Chris Hansen, who is the main correspondant for this story, has dedicated his time to catch these monsters and raise awareness for the community. Hats off to Dateline for their hard work!

To the south!

At this time of year, every year, I yearn to grow wings and join that mass procession of down and feathers to a warmer climate. You see, the cold and I do not agree. I am one who is infatuated with the warmth and color of summer months. The cold, its persistent needle sticking of frigidity is right around the corner. This weekend belayed its most obvious clues in the forms of leaves rustling and cool temps. I know many enjoy this time of year and for those people I ask how? How can you rejoice when you can barely operate your hands enough to lock your bicycle, much less remove your hands from the lock after locking it? How can you smile when the action leads your lips to their own cold rock hard cold frozen state? Please, if merry during cold weather accept the quick flutter of my eyes as acknowledgement of your greeting. I am not a Scrooge, I merely wish to keep my digits intact!

diploma dot com?

It came to my attention earlier this week that Cal Tech (yes the same Golden Bears who beat us earlier this year in football) have begun to offer videos of complete class lectures of some of its courses. Youtube is hosting the videos free of charge making them available to the international community at the click of a button. Upon further investigation, I found that Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, similarly posts professors notes to a significant amount of both undergraduate and graduate courses. Again, one of our nations and worlds leading intellectual bases is offering vasts amount of knowledge to anyone on the world wide web. I find it encouraging that these institutions have begun to offer this ability. Many may ask why? I, for one have no answer and also believe that the institutions themselves do not either. It is an interesting experiment, the results of which may lead to fascinating and innovate educational reform. I believe that humans have not the capacity currently to truly realize the potential of cheap and instant international communication. MIT and Cal Tech are attempting to exploit this fact and I believe that it will further our international knowledge through collaboration. I am proud and excited to be one of the generation that will attempt to utilize a great resource in order to further the society of man. Keep up the postings Cal Tech, MIT, and others, you are providing foothold for what may someday change the world!!!