When I visited Massachusetts about a month ago, my eyes feasted till they could barely see anymore. There was a mind-boggling array of crickets and katydids that don’t occur in our state, and I jumped for joy at everything I found. Numerous species, however, were only recent arrivals to Massachusetts. Some were known historically from Connecticut or New York, and so might be expected to jump the border now and then. Others, however, traversed much larger distances: many of the range maps for Eastern ant crickets or Jumping bush crickets, for example, show their northernmost point as New Jersey or even Maryland. These are obviously not just coincidences. It is a result of our warming climate, a topic that has been covered many times before. Many sources mention serious problems, not the least of which is the changing ranges of insidious invasive species that would decimate unprepared landscapes. I see the logic in this reasoning, and I’ve even seen it happen. But there is a part of me which revels in the change, which says Who Cares? The earth will put itself back together no matter what we do to it. And I would be genuinely thrilled to see Pterophylla, Phyllopalpus, and Orocharis add their voices to my yard’s chorus, alongside my native crickets which, I’m sure, would do just fine.
National parks are where I have had my best memories and most formative experiences, and they took a hit this year. First, the Sequester caused them to have to cut down on hours, staff, programs — everything that makes each park what it is. At one park I visited, thechapbookre were little bits of litter all over. At this same park, they could also no longer afford to print park maps. It was really heartbreaking to see something I cherished so much be unable to be the best it could be. It was like watching someone you love get hurt, and having to stand on the sidelines. Then there was the government shutdown. It affected the parks in a much bigger way than the Sequester. Rangers wee prevented from doing their jobs, and now, as most parks prepare to close for the winter or reduce their hours, rangers will be playing catch-up, trying to make up for the time that was lost while frantically keeping pace with all the current issues. Most notably, Yosemite was closed for its birthday. That saddened me so much. I have so much love for these wonderful places, and to see them hurting because of our government makes me incredibly angry. I am also so heartbroken to know that the children growing up right now will not get to have those best memories or formative experiences in the best way possible, because the parks cannot operate as they were meant to now.
Because this happened so recently, it is clear how personally affected you were from the sequester and the government shutdown. I especially like the line, “It was like watching someone you love get hurt, and having to stand on the sidelines,” because the frustration that you portray is very relatable. It would have been nice to hear one of the personal experiences or memories that you mentioned in the first sentence that made you love a specific national park. Great job!
The real world...the world from which I hide, the world I don't really ever want to enter. The world that tells me that I should be an extrovert, the world that looks askance when I forget to look at people when I talk to them. The real world is the world that requires that I walk with my head up and shoulders back, pretending to be confident. I'm not supposed to walk through supermarkets with a glazed expression, tuned out to everything around me. I like my own contained Waynflete universe, where I know almost everyone by sight and know most people by name. I understand--somewhat--the people around me; it's easy to make conversation with other people because of the common structure of our school lives. I trust the people who surround me. I get to spend my days enriching myself academically and socially; I don't have to worry about making money or doing my own laundry or putting a meal on the table. I don't know how I will manage to function when the time comes for me to become a part of the real world; I'm still holding out hope that I can find a way around ever becoming a part of it. Wanted: A job that isn't part of the real world....
I think it's somewhat comical when I reflect on how drastically my perception of the world around me has changed over the year, both physically and mentally. Physically, the scale of things has changed. Door frames are no longer 200 feet off of the ground, my dad's sweatshirts no longer reach my ankles, my fingers no longer strain to reach the keys on a keyboard, and I no longer consider riding my dog around the house for fear of crushing her. Of course, it is only natural for these changes to take place, but it is surprising to remember the days when climbing the stairs felt like scaling a cliff and realize how much you have grown. Mentally, things have changed as well. I am beginning to have more confidence in my own thoughts as ideas, as opposed to allowing other people's opinions influence what I think. I usually go through my day without thinking about this, but it is amusing to remember the things I used to do and used to believe, and assess the progress I have made.
I hear a lot about "big world" problems around the dinner table. My parents are both lawyers and very involved in Maine and national politics. They are also both very opinionated. At least some portion of our dinner every night is spent discussing the recent news. And by "we," I mean them and me listening and asking questions. I've come to really enjoy these conversations and I've discovered a lot, not just about our country but about myself. For instance, when discussing the NSA scandal over the summer, I found myself wondering why it was such a big deal that a bunch of people I don't know and would probably never meet could read some of my emails. I expressed this feeling and added that a lot of my classmates, peoples opinions I actually care about, could probably do the same thing if they wanted to, had about ten minutes and a computer. "Wow, you really trust your government, I guess," my mom replied. I've also learned I have a very narrow window to the outside world of politics. My parents are liberal, and, I've learned for some issues, not even willing to entertain a conservative view point. What's more, Waynflete, the school I've gone to my whole life, is very liberal. I don't think this is a bad thing; I've just realized that I need to take into account that the information I'm being given from my parents and school is tinted and might not be the whole story. For many topics - OK, most - I agree with my school and teachers and take the liberal view point. I like to think that it is my decision to believe what I believe, but sometimes I can't help wondering what how I would think about all of these modern dilemmas if, say, I went to a Catholic school in Alabama. I think I am too young to be truly affected by any of the issues my parents and I discuss, or that come up in my history class, but never the less, I have learned a lot from them and I think they have and will continue to prepare me for I do enter the "big world."
Julianna, you did a really good job here of clearly presenting an opinion that I know many people share. It is easy to forget that we have the ability to separate ourselves from political opinions that we do not share. We can read articles online and listen to whatever radio stations we want to and go to a liberal school and have a liberal upbringing. I like how you are able to recognize that there are, in fact, other opinions that exist and it is important to be aware of both opinions when you are trying to figure out what you think. I liked this post a lot it was really insightful and a good presentation of a reality that a lot of people, including myself, have to deal with. I think you could elaborate more on the external factors that play into an individual's views and opinions, but I also appreciate how your post is short and concise, so I don't know if I would change anything.
My warm feet slightly stick to the cold linoleum floor as I walk into the futuristic glass column. The machine begins to beep rapidly, and I panic about what set of the alarm. I step out and a man begins patting my head with rubber glove-covered hands. People in other eyes begin to watch to see what they will find. He finds the object, a life threatening…bobby pin. My mom, in the height of her airport stress, is waiting impatiently on the other side. Meanwhile, one of our bags is being scanned for the third time and must be gone through. A few minutes later they emerge from a room with our bag blaming the problem on an inhaler. Ever since 9/11 the time it takes to get through security seems to be increasing despite new technology to speed up the process. Even though it is frustrating, it is hard to complain knowing the intense security measures are to keep everyone safe.
This is poignant and funny at the same time. It paints a nice picture of the not-so-nice security measures that everyone, I’m sure, is familiar with, and conveys the frustration of having to have your bags checked and re-checked over and over. However, you also injected a bit of humor with the “life-threatening bobby pin”, and this seemed to make light of the entire situation by laughing off the high-tech security stuff that can’t distinguish harmful objects from perfectly benign objects. Perhaps you could expand on the debate of whether or not this security is really productive in the long run, but otherwise great job!
I still haven’t really accepted that my parents are “normal.” At least in the sense they are married. It seems like the thing that people do. If you want to commit your life to someone you get married. They certainly have committed their lives to each other. 30 odd years and a kid later, they got married. I keep finding myself doubting it. On all my college applications there is a place to denote the relationship of my parents. I check married. And it lets me. A year ago it might not have let me choose the option married when I had indicated two mothers. It would have told me it didn’t recognize the choice and to select another option. But a year ago they were just as committed as they are now. The general perception of my parents’ relationship had changed so drastically in the last few years. Especially coming from Catholic schools where I heard outright that people who are gay should not be allowed to marry, and now every my college applications accepts it. It puts me in a bit of a paradox trying to figure the whole thing out. I wonder what will come next, and if I will be ready for it.
I stare at the skyline from the Hudson. The far away view of the shadowed, staggering buildings fills me with a longing and a thrill. I can almost grasp it, the feeling shimmers around me, tingling my skin and I tremble with excitement. I haven't been to the city for a few years.. The last visit dredges up unpleasant memories of an unplanned trip that was slow paced. I remember walking ahead of my mother and my little sister, their turtle like walks had agitated me and with the horrible impatience of a girl just reaching her teenage years, I went ahead, trying to pretend I was there on my own. And just then, a woman rushed out of her apartment, setting out at a brisk pace, her heels clacking against the sidewalk at a harsh rhythm and almost with a feverish urge, I did the same thinking that everything else would fall into place if I could just get this walk right. If I moved at the right pace, the right rhythm, the right sway of the hips, I could feel like I belonged. A harsh gust of wind blows at my back and I am brought back to the Hudson, the sudden memory that had flooded my vision fades from sight. I look at my page of notes then back up at the buildings, the thrill filling my body once more even as some remnants of the memory resurfaces because, now, I have another chance.
When I visited Massachusetts about a month ago, my eyes feasted till they could barely see anymore. There was a mind-boggling array of crickets and katydids that don’t occur in our state, and I jumped for joy at everything I found. Numerous species, however, were only recent arrivals to Massachusetts. Some were known historically from Connecticut or New York, and so might be expected to jump the border now and then. Others, however, traversed much larger distances: many of the range maps for Eastern ant crickets or Jumping bush crickets, for example, show their northernmost point as New Jersey or even Maryland. These are obviously not just coincidences. It is a result of our warming climate, a topic that has been covered many times before. Many sources mention serious problems, not the least of which is the changing ranges of insidious invasive species that would decimate unprepared landscapes. I see the logic in this reasoning, and I’ve even seen it happen. But there is a part of me which revels in the change, which says Who Cares? The earth will put itself back together no matter what we do to it. And I would be genuinely thrilled to see Pterophylla, Phyllopalpus, and Orocharis add their voices to my yard’s chorus, alongside my native crickets which, I’m sure, would do just fine.
ReplyDeleteNational parks are where I have had my best memories and most formative experiences, and they took a hit this year. First, the Sequester caused them to have to cut down on hours, staff, programs — everything that makes each park what it is. At one park I visited, thechapbookre were little bits of litter all over. At this same park, they could also no longer afford to print park maps. It was really heartbreaking to see something I cherished so much be unable to be the best it could be. It was like watching someone you love get hurt, and having to stand on the sidelines. Then there was the government shutdown. It affected the parks in a much bigger way than the Sequester. Rangers wee prevented from doing their jobs, and now, as most parks prepare to close for the winter or reduce their hours, rangers will be playing catch-up, trying to make up for the time that was lost while frantically keeping pace with all the current issues. Most notably, Yosemite was closed for its birthday. That saddened me so much. I have so much love for these wonderful places, and to see them hurting because of our government makes me incredibly angry. I am also so heartbroken to know that the children growing up right now will not get to have those best memories or formative experiences in the best way possible, because the parks cannot operate as they were meant to now.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, that is supposed to say "there".
DeleteBecause this happened so recently, it is clear how personally affected you were from the sequester and the government shutdown. I especially like the line, “It was like watching someone you love get hurt, and having to stand on the sidelines,” because the frustration that you portray is very relatable. It would have been nice to hear one of the personal experiences or memories that you mentioned in the first sentence that made you love a specific national park. Great job!
DeleteThe real world...the world from which I hide, the world I don't really ever want to enter. The world that tells me that I should be an extrovert, the world that looks askance when I forget to look at people when I talk to them. The real world is the world that requires that I walk with my head up and shoulders back, pretending to be confident. I'm not supposed to walk through supermarkets with a glazed expression, tuned out to everything around me. I like my own contained Waynflete universe, where I know almost everyone by sight and know most people by name. I understand--somewhat--the people around me; it's easy to make conversation with other people because of the common structure of our school lives. I trust the people who surround me. I get to spend my days enriching myself academically and socially; I don't have to worry about making money or doing my own laundry or putting a meal on the table. I don't know how I will manage to function when the time comes for me to become a part of the real world; I'm still holding out hope that I can find a way around ever becoming a part of it. Wanted: A job that isn't part of the real world....
ReplyDeleteI think it's somewhat comical when I reflect on how drastically my perception of the world around me has changed over the year, both physically and mentally. Physically, the scale of things has changed. Door frames are no longer 200 feet off of the ground, my dad's sweatshirts no longer reach my ankles, my fingers no longer strain to reach the keys on a keyboard, and I no longer consider riding my dog around the house for fear of crushing her. Of course, it is only natural for these changes to take place, but it is surprising to remember the days when climbing the stairs felt like scaling a cliff and realize how much you have grown. Mentally, things have changed as well. I am beginning to have more confidence in my own thoughts as ideas, as opposed to allowing other people's opinions influence what I think. I usually go through my day without thinking about this, but it is amusing to remember the things I used to do and used to believe, and assess the progress I have made.
ReplyDeleteI hear a lot about "big world" problems around the dinner table. My parents are both lawyers and very involved in Maine and national politics. They are also both very opinionated. At least some portion of our dinner every night is spent discussing the recent news. And by "we," I mean them and me listening and asking questions. I've come to really enjoy these conversations and I've discovered a lot, not just about our country but about myself. For instance, when discussing the NSA scandal over the summer, I found myself wondering why it was such a big deal that a bunch of people I don't know and would probably never meet could read some of my emails. I expressed this feeling and added that a lot of my classmates, peoples opinions I actually care about, could probably do the same thing if they wanted to, had about ten minutes and a computer. "Wow, you really trust your government, I guess," my mom replied. I've also learned I have a very narrow window to the outside world of politics. My parents are liberal, and, I've learned for some issues, not even willing to entertain a conservative view point. What's more, Waynflete, the school I've gone to my whole life, is very liberal. I don't think this is a bad thing; I've just realized that I need to take into account that the information I'm being given from my parents and school is tinted and might not be the whole story. For many topics - OK, most - I agree with my school and teachers and take the liberal view point. I like to think that it is my decision to believe what I believe, but sometimes I can't help wondering what how I would think about all of these modern dilemmas if, say, I went to a Catholic school in Alabama. I think I am too young to be truly affected by any of the issues my parents and I discuss, or that come up in my history class, but never the less, I have learned a lot from them and I think they have and will continue to prepare me for I do enter the "big world."
ReplyDeleteJulianna, you did a really good job here of clearly presenting an opinion that I know many people share. It is easy to forget that we have the ability to separate ourselves from political opinions that we do not share. We can read articles online and listen to whatever radio stations we want to and go to a liberal school and have a liberal upbringing. I like how you are able to recognize that there are, in fact, other opinions that exist and it is important to be aware of both opinions when you are trying to figure out what you think. I liked this post a lot it was really insightful and a good presentation of a reality that a lot of people, including myself, have to deal with. I think you could elaborate more on the external factors that play into an individual's views and opinions, but I also appreciate how your post is short and concise, so I don't know if I would change anything.
DeleteMy warm feet slightly stick to the cold linoleum floor as I walk into the futuristic glass column. The machine begins to beep rapidly, and I panic about what set of the alarm. I step out and a man begins patting my head with rubber glove-covered hands. People in other eyes begin to watch to see what they will find. He finds the object, a life threatening…bobby pin. My mom, in the height of her airport stress, is waiting impatiently on the other side. Meanwhile, one of our bags is being scanned for the third time and must be gone through. A few minutes later they emerge from a room with our bag blaming the problem on an inhaler. Ever since 9/11 the time it takes to get through security seems to be increasing despite new technology to speed up the process. Even though it is frustrating, it is hard to complain knowing the intense security measures are to keep everyone safe.
ReplyDeleteThis is poignant and funny at the same time. It paints a nice picture of the not-so-nice security measures that everyone, I’m sure, is familiar with, and conveys the frustration of having to have your bags checked and re-checked over and over. However, you also injected a bit of humor with the “life-threatening bobby pin”, and this seemed to make light of the entire situation by laughing off the high-tech security stuff that can’t distinguish harmful objects from perfectly benign objects. Perhaps you could expand on the debate of whether or not this security is really productive in the long run, but otherwise great job!
DeleteI still haven’t really accepted that my parents are “normal.” At least in the sense they are married. It seems like the thing that people do. If you want to commit your life to someone you get married. They certainly have committed their lives to each other. 30 odd years and a kid later, they got married. I keep finding myself doubting it. On all my college applications there is a place to denote the relationship of my parents. I check married. And it lets me. A year ago it might not have let me choose the option married when I had indicated two mothers. It would have told me it didn’t recognize the choice and to select another option. But a year ago they were just as committed as they are now. The general perception of my parents’ relationship had changed so drastically in the last few years. Especially coming from Catholic schools where I heard outright that people who are gay should not be allowed to marry, and now every my college applications accepts it. It puts me in a bit of a paradox trying to figure the whole thing out. I wonder what will come next, and if I will be ready for it.
ReplyDeleteI stare at the skyline from the Hudson. The far away view of the shadowed, staggering buildings fills me with a longing and a thrill. I can almost grasp it, the feeling shimmers around me, tingling my skin and I tremble with excitement. I haven't been to the city for a few years.. The last visit dredges up unpleasant memories of an unplanned trip that was slow paced. I remember walking ahead of my mother and my little sister, their turtle like walks had agitated me and with the horrible impatience of a girl just reaching her teenage years, I went ahead, trying to pretend I was there on my own. And just then, a woman rushed out of her apartment, setting out at a brisk pace, her heels clacking against the sidewalk at a harsh rhythm and almost with a feverish urge, I did the same thinking that everything else would fall into place if I could just get this walk right. If I moved at the right pace, the right rhythm, the right sway of the hips, I could feel like I belonged. A harsh gust of wind blows at my back and I am brought back to the Hudson, the sudden memory that had flooded my vision fades from sight. I look at my page of notes then back up at the buildings, the thrill filling my body once more even as some remnants of the memory resurfaces because, now, I have another chance.
ReplyDelete