Where I come from.

The question of where I am from is a difficult one. When someone asks me where I am from I tell them Omaha, Nebraska. But when people ask me where I grew up I tell them Sheridan, Wyoming. Sheridan is a quiet town in the foothills of the Big Horn mountains. It is where I spent my childhood. I have been blessed with the opportunity to experience calm, quiet country life and also lively city life. Granted Omaha is not that big of a city, but it sure was one heck of a change coming from a small town in Wyoming. Sheridan is a very typical small town. Everyone knows everyone. In school, I was in a class of about thirty kids and we had all gone to school with each other since kindergarten. Sheridan is full of history and is often referred to as the Wild West. In the summer, the rodeo is the biggest event of the year. People come from all around to watch men and women in this show. All of the children love the carnival that comes to town during this time and the annual parade. One thing I distinctly remember being excited about when I first moved to Omaha about six years ago was delivered pizza. I lived just far enough out of town that delivered pizza was not an option. It was a twenty minute drive into town and a twenty minute drive back home. Of course the pizza was never hot when we finally were able to eat it. If I was lucky my mother would let me sneak a piece on the car ride. This was a rare occasion simply because we did not eat out very much. One of the first things my family and I did when we moved was order delivered pizza. And boy, it sure was delicious. Growing up in Wyoming provided me with a deep appreciation for nature. The one thing that I miss the most about this place is the scenery. The view of the mountains was absolutely breath taking. Moving to a place that is relatively flat and full of corn gave me an appreciation that I will take with me wherever I go. 

Naomi Klein's TED Lecture: Addicted to Risk

Naomi Klein was a very effective speaker. She spoke confidently and she was well educated about her topic. She spoke about how we [humans] are not taking care of the limited supply of natural resources that we have. She gave examples from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and then she gave example that were more close to home for her. She spoke about the tar mines that extract oil from the solid ground in Alberta. She brings in her own emotions to the topic. Her homeland is being destroyed and the people of her country are suffering because of it. This makes her very passionate about this subject. She wants something to be done and she is attempting to make people aware of this situation. I would consider her credible because the first thing she spoke about was how she spent a week at sea on a research vessel in the Gulf of Mexico. She quotes many scientists and has quite a few statistical figures that she refers to. Her visuals were very eye catching. She had a couple of jokes in there that really engaged the audience and lightened the mood of the crowd. However, she did keep it very professional and stayed on topic at all times. What made her speech so effective is how she kept the audience engaged and used the information that she has clearly spent a lot of time researching in a way that was understandable. She didn't make it too much about science. The average person could have come to her seminar and understood completely what she was speaking about. The people in the audience did not have to be scientists to get her message that she was portraying. 

Photo Project

For my photo project, I have chosen to display the beautiful city of Seattle. My family lives in this area and I was fortunate enough to be able to visit them this past August. Located on the eastern coast of the state of Washington, Seattle has the lively city life as well as the calm outdoor life. What I find most fascinating about this area is one day can be spent enjoying the city and the next day can be spent simply enjoying nature. My photos begin with a picture of the skyline at sunset. The space Needle is Seattle’s signature landmark. Another major tourist attraction is the farmer’s market at Pike’s Place, which is located downtown. Crowds come from all around to watch the flying fish show put on by the men and women that work there. Seattle has a reputation for coffee consumption, so it would only make sense the first Starbucks Coffee began there. Seattle is a major seaport located between Puget Sound and Lake Washington. The photos of the sailboat, cruise ship, and ferry boat represent just a few the activities that Seattle has to offer. Next, I move onto some photos that I took while hiking on a foggy day. On average it rains 150 days out of the year. Lastly, I finish my project off with photos of my hike in the Olympic Mountains. These photos really show off the amazing scenery this area has to offer.  Fortunately, the two days that I was hiking the weather was sunny and clear. Had it not been I would not have been able to see the beautiful mountain ranges. On our hike we went past many lakes. My personal favorite was Heart Lake. While hiking, I saw a different side of Seattle that I never knew existed. This side was quiet and picturesque. Between the Space Needle and Heart Lake, Seattle shows how a big city can coexist with nature.

Manifesto: THe Mad Farmer Liberation Front-Wendell Berry

This poem is about not taking anything for granted and having faith in the small things. Berry talks about trusting the Lord, loving the world, praising ignorance, laughing, and simply being joyful. He calls for people to love someone who doesn't deserve it. He wants people to be thankful for our country and the flag that stands for freedom. He advises people to be like a fox. Foxes are sly and tricky. He claims that they leave too many tracks, mainly in the wrong direction. Berry is telling people to embrace life and live it to the fullest, otherwise you might die with regrets.

Sources

Schurm, Christine. "Health Risks from Hog Confinements." The Iowa Source. Aug. 05. Web. 04 Apr. 2011. <http://www.iowasource.com/health/CAFO_airqu_0805.html>.

Thu, Kendall M., and E. Paul Durrenberger. Pigs, Profits, and Rural Communities. Albany: State University of New York, 1998. Print.