tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25446459352422046182024-03-14T01:06:24.480-07:00StephanieOgdenColloquiumAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253539550158384936noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2544645935242204618.post-91019274030970993222013-04-30T13:27:00.000-07:002013-04-30T13:27:37.309-07:00Stormy Weather<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4ufEYvBjjz8/UYApM4OWgYI/AAAAAAAAAGo/0SFMFgIYTJI/s1600/0446603422_01_LZZZZZZZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4ufEYvBjjz8/UYApM4OWgYI/AAAAAAAAAGo/0SFMFgIYTJI/s320/0446603422_01_LZZZZZZZ.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
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For the Floridiana Book journal, I decided to write about the fiction novel, <em>Stormy Weather, </em>by Carl Hiaasan. I came across this story in highschool and I ended up creating a presentation for my sophomore year english class based on it. The book is set in Miami, Florida and it takes place during and after Hurricane Charlie. This novel tells a story of tourists, native Floridians, scam artists, and
insurance adjusters as they interact in it's aftermath. Hiaasan is a very sarcastic writer which makes this book fun and upbeat but the majority of his characters had a somewhat annoying quality to them. They were either dull and boring or purposefully ignorant; neither of which I found attractive to read about.<br />
Within <em>Stormy Weather</em>, in
addition to the criminals, there is a newlywed couple, Max Lamb and Bonnie Lamb,
who split up because the groom is inclined to take photos of the storm instead of wanting to go to Walt Disney World with his new wife. There is a character named "Skink" who was a former governor of Florida who ends up kidnapping Max Lamb in order to
drive home the point that the natural ecology of Florida must be
preserved. The various characters and subplots eventually
intersect in the novel and come together to form a witty novel with a great ecological message.<br />
Word Count: 226Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253539550158384936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2544645935242204618.post-48109915691967808592013-04-30T13:01:00.000-07:002013-04-30T13:01:11.701-07:00Any Last Words?
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yp1HxJNzmGA/UYAjAHeQPvI/AAAAAAAAAGY/Tlo6ZdoC2c4/s1600/freedom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yp1HxJNzmGA/UYAjAHeQPvI/AAAAAAAAAGY/Tlo6ZdoC2c4/s320/freedom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Colloquium was a class that I had absolutely no interest in and
was completely dreading...and for good reason. Although the field
trips were a break from the once-a-week monotony that was group
activities, Ted talks, and video discussions, it was still tedious
and boring Even though I enjoyed the getaways, I found it completely
irrational and unreasonable to have to ride the school bus to our
destination as if I was in fifth grade again. As adults we are fully
capable of arriving somewhere on time and without supervision, it was
almost patronizing that I was unable to meet up with my group and
instead had to travel and extra hour to campus and back just to take
a bus somewhere that was twenty minutes from my house.
<br />
<br />
The abundance of group work and group presentations was equivalent
to a needle in the eye: painful and useless. I work five days a week
and the majority of my group partners also had a full schedule, so it
was increasingly difficult to find times to meet up and write a
coherent paper or put together a presentation with a random group of
students who have a million other things on their plates at that
moment.
<br />
<br />
Although I didn't enjoy that class, I thought it's service
learning component was helpful for graduation and volunteering
outside was a rewarding way to earn those hours. It turned me on to
the food forest and it's mission and accessibility, and I have
attended a few harvests since my volunteer date.
<br />
<br />
Over all, Professor Headen was terrific but the subject matter and
strict rules for the course were dull and over-bearing.<br />
<br />
Word Count: 275<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253539550158384936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2544645935242204618.post-80022164547367325802013-04-30T12:44:00.001-07:002013-04-30T12:44:17.308-07:00One for the Birds
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zJ9t0MWkBhQ/UYAdPGusM_I/AAAAAAAAAGI/fC8HUvIqsHc/s1600/Corkscrew_Sanctuary_Everglades_Florida.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zJ9t0MWkBhQ/UYAdPGusM_I/AAAAAAAAAGI/fC8HUvIqsHc/s320/Corkscrew_Sanctuary_Everglades_Florida.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Corkscrew Sanctuary was my favorite field trip by a land slide.
Not only did I learn a great magnitude of information about the area
and wildlife but I was able to see deer, owls, wood storks,
cardinals, alligators, etc. first hand which will be remnant in the
hierarchy of my memory for decades to come. Red Lichen sprinkled the
trees and shrubs and the soft, existential song of the local birds
echoed throughout the canopy. When walking from the grasslands to the
tree dome I briefly and suddenly had an unusually visceral, and
metaphoric 'vibe' if you will, as if I had entered a little part of
heaven.
<br />
<br />
The Sanctuary was founded in 1954 and is approximately a vast 14,000
acres. It contains the most capacious virgin Bald Cypress forest in North
America. It is an attraction spot for tourists, photographers, and
bird watchers. The boardwalk was formed in the wake of a series of
controlled burns to form one of the five habitats that are located in
the sanctuary, and it is frequently altered to make room for the
incoming and presently growing cypress trees. In the near future I plan on visiting the Sanctuary again but this time I will bring my camera and capture the relentless magic of nature.<br />
<br />
A meaningful quote:<br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We believe in the wisdom of nature's
design. We know that soil, water, plants, and wild creatures
depend upon each other and are vital to human life. We recognize
that each living thing links to many others in the chain of
nature. We believe that persistent research into the intricate
patterns of outdoor life will help to assure the wise use of
earth's abundance. So we will be vigilant to protect wilderness
areas, refuges, and parks and to encourage good use of nature's
storehouse of resources.</span>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="text-align: right;">
<i>-statement of Audubon
philosophy from "Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, a Self-guided
Tour of the Boardwalk," 1960.</i><br />
<em></em> </blockquote>
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Word Count: 314<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253539550158384936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2544645935242204618.post-82716220494775416572013-04-30T12:04:00.001-07:002013-04-30T12:04:05.319-07:00Nature's ECHO<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o1zy1nawzsM/UYAJrLlMr8I/AAAAAAAAAF4/EcujgB_ND5s/s1600/rainforest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o1zy1nawzsM/UYAJrLlMr8I/AAAAAAAAAF4/EcujgB_ND5s/s1600/rainforest.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">ECHO (Educational
Concerns for Hunger Organization) is a non-profit,
inter-denominational Christian organization located on a
demonstration farm in North Fort Myers, FL. ECHO exists for one major
reason, to help those working internationally with the poor,
especially in the area of agriculture. The program provides help
through education, innovative options, and networking. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Education: They offer
internships and hands-on training and workshops</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Innovative options:
Seeds of underutilized crops and their technical response unit</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Networking: Annual
conferences/ community gatherings</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It was extremely
interesting to walk through the ECHO farm. The class was introduced
to many “old-school” agricultural inventions:stoves, looms,
water-purifiers, etc. from the nineteenth century. I connected many
of the plants and ways of farming (permaculture) to the service
learning hours that I performed at the FGCU Food Forest (meringa,
jujubee, tomatoes, citrus fruits). It was nice to be able to take the
information that I gained from volunteering and apply it to ECHO's
message. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">ECHO started off during
the early 1980's. The farm that we visited was created with a land
grant for global farming and they currently offer a seed bank,
bookstore, and farm tours at their location on Bayshore Road. They
are primarily and openly a Christian organization, which I find to be
somewhat controversial for those who would like to volunteer to help
other countries or simply take a workshop to start sustainably
farming or gardening on their own. Religion really shouldn't have
anything to do with wanting to help feed the world.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Word Count: 245</span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253539550158384936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2544645935242204618.post-23430970000301003052013-04-30T11:08:00.000-07:002013-04-30T11:08:09.291-07:00To Grandma's House We Go<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EV3nF9JUDcQ/UYAEuMOqFGI/AAAAAAAAAFk/fBzux9t1TSU/s1600/Fort_Myers_Beach_FL_Matanzas_Pass_Pres_sign02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EV3nF9JUDcQ/UYAEuMOqFGI/AAAAAAAAAFk/fBzux9t1TSU/s320/Fort_Myers_Beach_FL_Matanzas_Pass_Pres_sign02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I have been a resident of Lee County for twenty years and I have
spent the majority of my summer, and winter breaks for that matter,
walking up and down Fort Myers Beach, laying on the sand, and
kayaking on the water. Naturally, I was excited to take a tour of
Mantanzas Pass and learn about the history of the island. Our host
was fantastic! She had homemade sea-grape jelly and crackers prepared
for us, as well as M&M cookies, and lemonade. She spent a
majority of her time with us speaking about the bridges and their
construction/ reconstruction, the many storms that plagues the
island, as well as the original settlers of the island and the few
original houses that are left. Walking through the pass was peaceful
and quiet. There was an array of birds and a few noticeable fish
swimming along the edge of the kayak bank. It is definitely somewhere
I plan on kayaking to in the future to absorb the sun, take in the
scenery and wildlife, and eat an organic lunch.
<br />
Conservation 20/20 is a program that was mentioned. It was
founded in 1995 and it's mission statement is as follows:
<br />
“To acquire properties of environmental significance, restore
those lands to their natural state and condition, manage them in an
environmentally acceptable manner and provide public recreational
opportunities that are compatible with protecting the natural
resources.”
<br />
Those involved in the program were and are concerned with
conserving Florida's land that was originally set aside for
conservation.<br />
Word Count:252<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253539550158384936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2544645935242204618.post-36396289397818085562013-04-30T10:47:00.001-07:002013-04-30T10:47:34.549-07:00Snack City<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xy7vT8hSsMw/UYADMcL4YsI/AAAAAAAAAFY/u9mrQm1EKuw/s1600/800px-Goldfish-Crackers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xy7vT8hSsMw/UYADMcL4YsI/AAAAAAAAAFY/u9mrQm1EKuw/s320/800px-Goldfish-Crackers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I have always been one for snacks and since I was a child my favorite has always been Pepperidge farm Goldfish. Goldfish contain the following ingredients:<br />
<em> Wheat Flour Unbleached Enriched (Flour, Niacin, Iron Reduced, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vegetable oil (Canola oil, Soybean oil, Milk , Salt, Contain 2% or less of the following: Yeast, Leavening, Baking Soda, Monocalcium Phosphate, Sugar, Spice (Onion, Powder)</em><br />
<ul>
<li><em> Reduced Iron- Product of rust that has been "de-rusted" by applying elcetricity and hydrogen</em></li>
<li><em>Folic Acid- Product of bacteria treated with multiple acids until only Folic acid is left</em></li>
<li><em>Annatto- Is made from achiote tree. It is mostly used to color cheeses orange (like cheddar). In its pure form it tastes lightly sweet and peppery. Some people say that it tastes similar to nutmeg. Annatto is one of the top 10 food allergens in America.</em></li>
<li><em>Soybean Oil- Oil is squeezed from the soybean when it is pressed.</em></li>
</ul>
<input id="ingr_hover_val_8" type="hidden" value="" />Pepperidge Farm is a division of the Campbell's Soup Label. They have come up with eighteen different flavors and multiple different shapes. They were originally manufactured in Sweden and then introduced to America. T<br />
heir Goldfish catch phrase is "The Snack that Smiles Back", which goes along with what they write at the top of the ingredients listed on every bag: "Made With Smiles". Goldfish are a relatively healthy snack but they are still not organic or natural. They are processed. I feel that Pepperidge Farm makes a good effort with their slogans, commercials, and games on their boxes to rope in children and parents who are looking for a cheap cracker. <br />
Word Count: 270<br />
<u></u><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253539550158384936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2544645935242204618.post-13804839597723757912013-02-20T12:03:00.000-08:002013-02-20T12:04:16.677-08:00Bring it Around Town<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W3kw7fSA0XI/USUsNdwyeXI/AAAAAAAAAE4/hTC0dDADitM/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W3kw7fSA0XI/USUsNdwyeXI/AAAAAAAAAE4/hTC0dDADitM/s1600/photo.JPG" height="140" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
I grew up in Down Town Ft. Myers. I can remember thrifting through uninteresting stores as a child with my family; my grandmother in particular. We would sit and talk with the dock master on First Street and walk up and down Main. In the fifth grade I took a field trip to the Edison home and Ford Estates so I had a bit more background knowledge on the Down Town area than most. My weekends are usually spent at the City Tavern and I have tasted almost every flavor of Pizza that Down Town has to offer. I find it strange how I still visit almost every week but the activities that I partake in are so much different from those that I took part in before; where I used to attend art and flower festivals, I now head down town for after-hour frivolities and maybe an occasional tattoo. I was excited for this field trip. Maybe to find out a little more about this place that I seem to spend so much time in. Although I had already heard a majority of the information, I still took away a few key points. For instance, I never realized that in the "Unlikely Friends" art piece, there were so many references to Florida life, and I was delighted to finally know the history of the old theater. I also became aware of a number of new, local clubs and bars that I would be interested in going to. The aspect of personalization that our professor put in to explaining the history of down town as well as activities that specifically appeal to our age group was refreshing. It made the whole experience of this "madatory field trip" much more enjoyable.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253539550158384936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2544645935242204618.post-8287936483234976092013-02-06T10:32:00.001-08:002013-02-20T11:42:38.494-08:00Neighborhood watchMy neighborhood is bustling<br />
Children are running to the park across the street<br />
My dog is digging up the infertile soil in the yard<br />
The sun is shining <br />
The clouds are nonexistent in the bright blue sky<br />
I can feel the grass growing, the trees talking<br />
They are whispering the sweet sounds of the wind<br />
The water in the canal is rippling with the breeze<br />
Calling me to soak up the rays and bask in between the waves<br />
It wants to whisk me away, downstream to the retention lake<br />
It's littered with capri-suns and lunchables<br />
From the children who were never taught better<br />
Never educated on sustainability<br />
Who are only concerned with living and laughing and playing<br />
It could end up being too late for them<br />
Too late to change and save our neighborhood, our world. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253539550158384936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2544645935242204618.post-53992394413167818822013-01-23T11:36:00.000-08:002013-01-23T11:36:00.733-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GVdALKvf5MU/UQA7k4v_snI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/TMs7o3w-6ic/s1600/colloquium+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GVdALKvf5MU/UQA7k4v_snI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/TMs7o3w-6ic/s1600/colloquium+2.jpg" height="320" width="302" /></a></div>
An Interesting Feat (#2) Ugh. Walking through mud up to my knees was
definitely not something that I was looking forward to while taking this
course. Fortunately, it was the only uncomfortable aspect of our first
field trip during the Campus Tour. I ended up learning quite a bit about
the natural ecosystem that is part of Florida Gulf Coast University's
campus. Our field guide discussed the devilish melaleuca and it's role
in our campus environment as the foe to the mangrove; she pointed out to
us the red lichen that was actively present on the majority of the
mangroves. I learned that this specific type of lichen filters the air
and the water surrounding it and makes it some of the cleanest water and
air in the area. It was almost a little discouraging to see such a
peaceful and thriving portion of land so close to such an urban school
area. There was very distinct and ever-present noise pollution that
brought down the morale of my experience. I would have preferred
serenity and silence. Compared to a number of my other travels
(Colorado, Kentucky, Tennessee, North and South Carolina), I realized
that silence is much more difficult to experience due to the
urbanization of the majority of Florida within about a fifty mile radius
of FGCU's campus. I think that if our field instructor was a bit more
interactive with the class and we had performed at least one activity
while on this tour, it would have been more significant to me. Just
specifically explaining different components of the ecosystem was
interesting, but the message and a number of the organisms and animals
that she pointed out to us would have stuck with me more.<br />Word count: 288Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253539550158384936noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2544645935242204618.post-17401220669372738892013-01-10T19:09:00.000-08:002013-01-10T19:09:18.397-08:00<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Qualms About Colloquium(#1)</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Upon entering this course, I had no idea what to expect. Although I do support the notion of sustaining the environment for future generations, I dislike the idea of having to take a required course that has nothing to do with my major. Don't get me wrong, I will make an effort to be interested in the subject material but aside from the tranquil aspect of being "alone with nature" I have never been too interested in plants or bugs...or sweating. I kayak almost every week and I believe that Colloquium may help me become more "in-tune" with nature, and by association, myself. I took a course that seemed similar to University Colloquium a few semesters ago, "Environmental Humanities", and it is possible that the dull pace of that class has influenced this unenthusiastic attitude that I have about unrealistic expectations of single-handedly saving the planet. However, I do believe that this course will give me insight to many individual's ecological reservations about logging or disrupting Southwest Florida's delicate ecosystem. This knowledge may be helpful to me in the future if I ever decide to construct a home or company.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Word Count: 190</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.reputationforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/sustainability-storybook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.reputationforward.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/sustainability-storybook.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Staton, Laura. Sustainability. Photo. <i>Reputation Forward</i>. 4 Sep. 2012. 10 Jan. 2013. <</span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">http://www.reputationforward.com/2012/09/tell-your-sustainability-story.html>. </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09253539550158384936noreply@blogger.com1