Another thing...

So, here's the bad piece of news for the day: The Swiss have banned the construction of minarets on mosques. I find this completely ridiculous. It is hurtful to Muslims living in the country. There has already been backlash form the U.N. about the legality of the action, so hopefully it won't last. I think if they are going to ban minarets, they should be banning steeples as well! To read more, here is the piece from NPR.

Break

So most college students headed back yesterday. They will all return in a few weeks for Christmas break. But not me! I have an extra-long break, since I am on trimesters! So hopefully this pile of stuff will become really awesome handmade Christmas presents...

And of course, I have an extensive reading list! All books I know I should have already read but just never found the time:

The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind William Kamkwamba (finished this weekend!)

Waiting for Snow in Havana Carlos Eire (I'm about 100 pages in, he came to speak at my high school last year and I've been wanting to read it ever since!)

Hope, Human and Wild Bill McKibben

Wandering Home Bill McKibben

Pieces From an Active Life Bill McKibben

Second Nature Michael Pollan

Made From Scratch Jenna Woginrich

The Bookseller of Kabul Asne Seierstad

Natural Capitalism Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins, L. Hunter Lovins

The Thoreau You Don't Know Robert Sullivan

God Is Back: How the Global Revival of Faith is Changing the World John Micklewait and Adrian Woolridge

We'll just have to wait and see how many I actually get through... hopefully a good chunk of them, anyway. I went to one of my favorite bookstores this weekend, Seasoned Books in Rochester, Vermont. I also got some bumper stickers to add to my guitar case.

My mom and I drove back from Vermont today, making a pit-stop (or perhaps a long shopping trip) in Northampton, Massachusetts. Northampton is an awesome town, with lots of cool independent stores. I also found another bumper sticker there! So my guitar case will get a face-lift when I get back to school. I also picked up some crafty supplies for presents while in Northampton... :)

Progress!

President Obama is going to Copenhagen! It was somewhat up in the air if he was actually going to go, but now it is official! Here is an article with more about the increasing commitment of the US to get things done in Copenhagen. There are lots of exciting things coming together all at once:

"“For the first time, an American administration has proposed an emissions reduction target. When President Obama lands in Copenhagen, it will emphasize that the United States is in it to win it,” said Senator John Kerry, a Democrat of Massachusetts and one of the leading advocates of climate action on Capitol Hill. “This announcement matches words with action.”"

All pretty exciting stuff.

I will be sure to keep updated on everything I possibly can.

On the book front, I finally finished William Kamkwama's book The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. The first half was a little slow, but you come to appreciate it by the end. Overall, a great, inspiring read, and I heartily recommend it. If you have a chance, Google him and take a look at the windmill he built. It is so amazing the things we can make if we put our minds to it and get creative about materials.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Also I'd like to put in a plug for Fantastic Mr. Fox: check out my mom's blog here.

Horatio

My guitar's name is Horatio. I picked that as his name because he sticks by me even when I'm being crazy, just like Horatio and Hamlet. He originally belonged to my dad when he was in college and I rescued him from the closet. Sadly, Horatio could not come home on the plane with me. But he's in good hands! He is staying with my friend Kate from school, since she lives in town and can use him while I'm away. So here are some pictures of my last songs with him for 6 weeks! I'll have to find another way to make some musica!

Back Home

I was greeted at the airport by this sign and my mom and sister. Pretty nice welcome! It feels strange to be back in the Northeast... lots of crazy drivers and people in a rush to get everywhere! I hope to get lots of things done this break: declutter my bedroom (I lived without a lot of stuff for 3 months, that probably means I don't need it), read some books for fun, and make fun christmas presents! I will be getting green and crafty the next few weeks, I can just tell. I am off to Vermont on Thursday for Thanksgiving, which is one of my favorite holidays. Especially because it involves cranberries.

I'm done!

I have officially survived my first trimester of college! I finished my Spanish final exam, so now I am done. I don't leave until Sunday, so tomorrow will be full of packing and cleaning and saying goodbyes. Then I shall be home and able to figure out what to do with 6 weeks of break!

Islam goes green!

I was checking out some news websites and found this. Pretty amazing what monumental things religions can do when they use their powers for good!

Finals week

And so it has come- my first finals week of college. I have classes tomorrow, then Tuesday and Wednesday I shall be studying! Thursday I have a project presentation, and Friday I have a paper due and my Spanish exam. Saturday I have free to hang out with my friends before I say goodbye for 6 weeks!!! I head back to the Northeast on Sunday. I'm sad to be leaving. So many great people, and my classes were really awesome. But I must admit, I am TIRED. It will be nice to relax a little. I've been going non-stop this term.

But tonight will be fun- bowling with the volleyball team!

Hopefully I won't go too crazy...

Outside

"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet

and the winds long to play with your hair."

Kahlil Gibran

Sand Animation

This is a beautiful video from Ukraine's Got Talent. I've never seen anything like it! Enjoy!

Michael Pollan is my hero...

Michael Pollan is my hero! For one of my classes winter term, I am going to be reading his book Botany of Desire, which I have been meaning to read anyway. Makes me excited for what is ahead!

Copenhagen con.

Here is an interesting article about the Copenhagen Conference on Food Security!

Glad to see people are thinking about this stuff!

Biomimicry

Sunset the other night

I had to watch this video for an Environmental Studies assignment, it's AMAZING! If you have about 23 minutes to spare, please consider watching it. It's about biomimicry, which is mimicking nature to come up with smart technologies. It's a pretty obvious idea, but I'm glad there are intelligent dedicated people working on it, since it is challenging work. Nature seems to have a lot of things figured out pretty well, so we might as well use the intelligence already living in our world to change the way we built, make, and create.

A beautiful day!

Today was a BEAUTIFUL day. Perfect weather, sunny and warm.

I went to my first football game EVER, because it was against our biggest rival. We got killed, 0-42, but it was fun to be in the sunshine with my friends! There will be very few of these days left before winter!

Copenhagen!

For anyone who didn't know, the need HUGE climate conference is happening in Copenhagen from December 7-18th. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT! This conference will have huge implications for future climate treaties etc.

Here is the official website.

Here is some commentary.

A lot is happening, so keep and eye on it!

How to be informed!

I have decided that I need to make a better effort to be informed about what's going on in the environment on a daily basis. Maybe you have too! So here are some websites I have found that should make that task easier!

The Environmental News Network and Grist, which has "environmental news, commentary, and advice", are both pretty awesome.

One especially interesting article I came across today was about a man who drinks raw milk he has to buy illegally. It's interesting what we perceive has harmful or not harmful... worth thinking about. Personally, I think raw milk is far more healthy than drinking the milk offered in kid's meals at McDonalds...

exactly my point...

I want a time machine

I have decided that I would like a time machine.

I want to go back at least 100 years...

before we all had cars

before we deforested most of the world

before we led thousands of species to extinction

before we homogenized crops

before we became dependent on oil

before we let ppm CO2 get to above 350

before we decided that our GDP was more important than the air we breathe and the water we drink

before we dumped ballast water on foreign shores and spread invasive marine species

before we allowed the tropical rain forests to disappear at a rate of 100,000 acres a day

before we decided highways were better than public transportation

before we manufactured chemicals that we didn't know about

before we forgot to be stewards of the Earth

before we decided we didn't care about the destruction

But I don't have a time machine, so this will have to do for now.

Take some time today to think.

Take some time to be overwhelmed.

Because even though I am thoroughly frustrated, I am thoroughly committed and invigorated and determined.

And on the bright side, it is the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street...

One of those days...

Some lovely woods at Green Oaks yesterday

Today has been one of those days where you realize how lucky you are. Classes were good- I got some papers and tests back and did well, and the weather was nice. I don't have practice for the first time all year, and I don't have classes tomorrow, so I can relax tonight. I'm feeling fully here. I'm feeling pretty darn lucky to be at a college learning and living with amazing strong people.

The ladies in my suite are some pretty extraordinary people, and they make me remember how lucky I am to have family that love me, love each other, and allow me to be who I am. I've got one girl whose parents will cut her off if she comes out, another who dealt with her best friend attempting suicide a few weeks ago, and another who found out today that her mom has cancer again. Even though all these horrible things keep happening, we all take care of each other. And these women who are going through so much still manage to be sweet and care for others, and excel academically. I'm gonna miss them all when I go home for winter break! Overall, I'm feeling lucky today.

Prairie fire that wonders about...

What a week. I was sick (again, but thankfully not swine!!!). Then I had to make up all the work from being sick. And go to practice! But Saturday was the official end of volleyball season. Even though I am going to miss it, it will be nice to have more time to myself and to dedicate to studying! Exams are in two and half weeks! Where did the time go!?!?

It was one of those weeks where you don't have a minute to slow down, catch your breath, and actually look around. Today for my Intro to Environmental Studies class we went to the prairie reserve owned my my college. It is 750 acres of prairie and woodlands. There is hardly any prairie left in Illinois, mostly because of conversion to agricultural lands.

It was amazing. The grass was taller than me! It was beautiful and it made me feel rejuvenated! It also made me think of the Sufjan Stevens song "Prairie Fire That Wanders About". It's mostly instrumental, but here are the lyrics to ponder...

Peoria! Destroyia!
Infinity! Divinity!
For Lydia! Octavia!
And Jack-of-Trades!
The Cubs! Hooray!
The Opera House
Where Emma sang!
America! Oh will it play?
And Santa Clause!
The Great Parade!
Peoria!
You have it made!
Into the crossfire
faithfully run
Middle America,
one on one
Peoria!
we saddle the fun times