#5 Open Topic (freewrite, 10 minutes)

This week I am going to be talking about snow. I know that many of you are sick of it by because of the inconveniences it causes. Seeing all the snow seems new and exciting to me because both my wife and I are from North Florida so we do not get any snow. If and when we do, it melts when it hits the ground. In fact, when the temperature drops below freezing, the weather service issues a freeze warning. I know, right? Here in Virginia, we deal with freezing temperature for several weeks, if not several months at a time. We are used to it. However, we are not used to the amount of snow that had been dumped all over the area. I can only imagine those people up north in regions where massive amounts of snow are the norm but they are better prepared for it than we are.

Even though, I am originally from Florida, I love the cold. I rather have the cold weather than the hot weather, especially when it comes to humidity. People ask me why would we even move out of Florida. The sunshine beaming down on the state and wearing flip-flops almost all year long seems very appealing to them but it is not to us. We lived in Florida for more than 15 years and we have had all the heat and humidity that we can bear. Now, we welcome the cold weather and the snow. To be honest, I would not mind moving further up north but my wife is not too keen on the idea. Maybe I can convince her someday when we can afford snow blowers, heated driveways, an actual garage and definitely a 4x4 vehicle.

#2 What Are You Passionate About? (freewrite, 10 minutes)

One of the things I enjoyed the most is being outdoors. Whether it is going hiking, camping, or even canoeing, I enjoy the heck out of it. I can’t say that I have tried kayaking but I would love to do that someday. In fact, during the snowstorm this past weekend my wife and I went trekking through massive amounts of snow because it is so beautiful and awe-inspiring. We even took photographs of different perspective of snow and cannot get enough of it. The more and more I am studying this new major other than finance, I am finding myself liking the world of Cryosphere – frozen parts of our world regarding to ice, snow, glaciers, sea ice, ice bergs, ice sheets, etc. This is why I loved being at Grand Teton Range in Wyoming that was filled with snow. Seeing the mountains and breathing the mountain air does my mind and soul good. Actually, I look forward to a weekend at the family cabin in the mountains about 2 hours from where I currently live. Wife and I briefly lived at the cabin for more than 2 months between February and April. It was one of the best experiences of my life. Another reason why I like snow so much is because not only it can be beautiful, it is also very serene and clean – kind of like a clean slate. Sure, it is cold but I rather deal with the cold than hot. Maybe I can link my passion for nature to a field that I could work and wake up everyday looking forward to a cold day at work!

Science Article #6

Climate Change Causes Wolverine Decline in Canada

Walker, M. “Climate Change Causes Wolverine Decline in Canada”. BBC – Earth News.
Retrieved February 5, 2010 From
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8494000/8494397.stm

In the scientific community, there are evidences of climate change. The climate change does have an impact on the biodiversity of animals that lives and survives in cold environment. It has been said that the shrinking polar ice in the Arctic Circle is responsible for the decline of Polar bears. Unfortunately, Polar bears are not the only species that are being affected by this climate change. The Wolverine is showing a decline in its populations in various parts of the world.

The reasons for its declining population could be from the reduction of the snowpack as well as the lack of prey it feeds on. The climate change is responsible for less and less snowpack – layers of snow that accumulates over time in different regions or high altitude. The wolverine and other animals rely on snowpack for insulation, as funny as that sounds to build a shelter.

The lack of snowpack is also responsible for driving its prey such as rodents and hares away for the same reason – shelter. Without food and shelter, this would dramatically affect the population of the Wolverine. The cold and unforgiving terrain of the north does tend to kill off the weakest of the species such as elks, moose, and caribou and Wolverines feed of its carcass. The warmer weather would help those animals survive longer and the Wolverines would not have that much meat to store as energy.

Any changes in its means of survival will change the Wolverines way of life and eventually stop procreating. It is an evolved animal to be a lean, mean, survival machine of the winter wonderland and without snow it takes away its sole purpose.

#2B Three Significant Events (Freewrite, 10 minutes)

This is me in the Grand Teton National Park



Significant Event 1 – When I was 12, I had a slumber party for my birthday. The next morning, my friends and I went exploring in the woods from backyard. After some time went by, we actually got lost. It was almost noon and we really needed to find our way back. We climbed a hill, which seemed like a mountain to us. From top of the hill, I saw a small wetland that seem so peaceful to me and I actually wanted to stay in the woods longer. Using skills we learned from boy scouts, we followed a meandering stream in hopes of finding any trace of civilization. Finally, we found a road not far from my home. This was an important and very memorable event because it further instilled my love for the outdoors. I will never forget it.

Significant Event 2 – Back in March 2007, my wife, her dad and I went to Wyoming to visit her grandparents. Her father suggested that we should take a road trip to see the Yellowstone National Park. It was an 8-hour drive from Cheyenne, WY to Jackson, WY. When we got closer, I could see the mountain ranges a distance with snow jagged peaks. I was getting so excited. I had never seen anything so beautiful. When we got there, the Yellowstone National Park was closed due to season (it opens April 1st). Driving out of the National Park got scary because it started snowing and it turned into a blizzard. Imagine getting stuck in a forest getting submerged under several feet of snow. If we had not got out on time, we would have been stuck. I got to admit it was kind of fun and exciting. On the way back, we got a majestic view of the Grand Teton mountain range. I was in awe. This is when I decided to think about careers involving the outdoors, especially in the mountains.

Significant Event 3 – When I was 8 years old, my mother had sent me on a trip to see my godparents in Ohio. This would make it my trip on a plane and I was by myself. I was not nervous or scared at all. I was actually curious to see what it is like. The taking off was so much fun. It felt like a roller coaster ride to me even though I did not know what it feels like at the time. I constantly looked out the window and watching the whole world running around like crazy. Like little ants doing their things. Then I remember thinking about how do planes flying. I was so perplexed and fascinated by airplanes. In fact, you could say that I was obsessed with it until I realize that it was a pipe dream of me being a pilot. I actually had a goal and it was becoming a pilot for the military, joining NASA to become an astronaut and then settle down to become a commercial jet pilot. Even though I cannot become a pilot, I still am fascinated by the atmosphere and everything involved with it.