As the seasons change, so do I, and it is with this change that creates new perspectives and growth in this seemingly chaotic life. For the past year and a half, I have participated in accelerating the outcomes of many current students at Prescott College. As a Student Admissions Counselor, I have spoken to many people, giving them advice on how best to approach this labyrinth of choosing a college. Every once in a while, someone approaches me and says, “Hey, you helped me figure out my life, and now I am here because of you. Thank you so much.”
I am not trying to toot my own horn, but I believe that sometimes, I forget how much of a difference I make in others lives.
Waking up in the morning, it can be easy to walk through the day feeling completely independent of everything else in the world. This can’t be farther from the truth. Every breath we take, every step we plant, and every blink of our eyes creates a resounding vibration that resonates the entire universe. Someone might say, ‘I don’t feel like I am ever making a difference in my job, home-life, or overall experience.” Again, our lives are defined by perspective.
For there are many jobs that may seem menial; for example, the job of a janitor could seem unfulfilling, but this depends upon perspective. Someone has to make sure the working environment runs smoothly and efficiently in terms of making sure items get recycled, facilities are clean enough so that others will not become sick, and so forth.
In effect, it truly comes down to following our bliss, and keeping open eyes to the effect we have on others. This becomes superbly present when looking for a job on campus. There are truly a great amount of options for all different interests. Some current examples are: Performing Arts Assistant, Cook/Baker in the café, Video Tech, Community Events Coordinator, Tutor/Consultant…. All of these jobs have certain attributes that we may not always enjoy, but asking ourselves the essential questions, ‘why do I do, what I do?’ and ‘who benefits from what I do?'
It is never a great challenge to find a job on campus, whether we have work-study or not, there are always more than enough. Where the challenge lies is within the reason for choosing a particular path.
“The future is not a result of a choice among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created… created first in mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not someplace we are going to but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destination.” – John Shire
There is no such thing as luck, only change, choice, and the connection between. I ask all of you prospective students to live a life filled with curiosity and reasonable “foolishness.” Let truth be your guide, and nothing else, within this you will always find bliss. C’est la vie.
Jordan
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Oh Captain, My Captain
This is an ode to President Dan Garvey. For I have known him for the past two years since attending this school. He has brought many ideas into my head, heart, and hands that have stayed with me for quite some time. This is especially true before leaving on the Arizona Trail expedition, he had dinner with the team before embarking and we asked if he had any advice, he said, "I don't want to put any assumptions onto the table. This is your journey, now go and live it." And live it we did.
Sitting on the front porch watching the horses before dinner while playing the guitar, Dan sat down next to me and told me he used to play the guitar quite often as well, this was before he contracted Multiple Sclerosis. For his right hand is not as agile as it once was, but he asked if I wouldn't mind strumming while he put his left hand on the frets. There I was, sharing a guitar with my college president, all the while watching Arabian horses running through a field, and smelling a delicious dinner being prepared.
Like most faculty, instructors, and administrators here at Prescott College, they all show themselves to be people, rather than a talking mirror. I still go out to breakfast on a regular basis with my first writing professor, Jeff Fearnside, along with his wife who works in the registrars office.
To me, this college is very academically, emotionally, and physically challenging, but it also feels like a truly sustainable living community. It will be hard to leave after graduation in 2012, but I believe that I will always remember the friendships that presented themselves. For Prescott College is not a set of buildings, or a sign out front with a logo, but the people who are creating this beautifully productive environment. It will be different to not have Dan around next year, but he will be back to teach a few classes in the fall of 2011. Furthermore, I am hopeful that the new president, Dr. Kristin Woolever, will transform this college to meet the needs of the future, all the while maintaining the wonderful community we currently reside in.
O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
-Walt Whitman
Here is to a great man, and a great future for the college he helped produce; along with a legacy that will continue sailing with the winds of grace, dignity, and compassion.
Gentle seas,
Jordan
Sitting on the front porch watching the horses before dinner while playing the guitar, Dan sat down next to me and told me he used to play the guitar quite often as well, this was before he contracted Multiple Sclerosis. For his right hand is not as agile as it once was, but he asked if I wouldn't mind strumming while he put his left hand on the frets. There I was, sharing a guitar with my college president, all the while watching Arabian horses running through a field, and smelling a delicious dinner being prepared.
Like most faculty, instructors, and administrators here at Prescott College, they all show themselves to be people, rather than a talking mirror. I still go out to breakfast on a regular basis with my first writing professor, Jeff Fearnside, along with his wife who works in the registrars office.
To me, this college is very academically, emotionally, and physically challenging, but it also feels like a truly sustainable living community. It will be hard to leave after graduation in 2012, but I believe that I will always remember the friendships that presented themselves. For Prescott College is not a set of buildings, or a sign out front with a logo, but the people who are creating this beautifully productive environment. It will be different to not have Dan around next year, but he will be back to teach a few classes in the fall of 2011. Furthermore, I am hopeful that the new president, Dr. Kristin Woolever, will transform this college to meet the needs of the future, all the while maintaining the wonderful community we currently reside in.
O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
-Walt Whitman
Here is to a great man, and a great future for the college he helped produce; along with a legacy that will continue sailing with the winds of grace, dignity, and compassion.
Gentle seas,
Jordan
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Our Life Belongs to Our Dreams
The semester is winding down and we have less than two weeks left. This has been quite a transformational set of months. I started out with the idea of gaining a competence and certification in Elementary Education, then slowly moved away from this already defined path and into a self-designed competence called Sustainable Community Development. Lately, I have been researching more of what this means.
Overall, life moves fast here at Prescott College. I came here in the fall of 2008, and it has been superbly engaging since then. I have gone to many amazingly beautiful places, discussed various topics with the utmost passion, rode a horse 800 miles, changed my course of study, and participated in countless events, all since I took my first step on orientation.
It is an interesting opportunity to be able to attend a school like Prescott College, and the school is changing, much like everything else; for change is the only constant, and in order to not become stale, we must move with the river of energy. As for immediate change, President Dan Garvey will be retiring at the end of June, and Dr. Kristin Woolever will be stepping forth to fill the position. Dr. Woolever comes to Prescott College from the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, where she is currently Dean and Director of the Campus. Prior to UNH Manchester, Woolever led the Antioch Center for Creative Change at Antioch University Seattle in a reorganization that included the development of alternative course delivery models and innovative, cross-disciplinary graduate programs in environmental studies, management, organizational psychology, systems thinking, and strategic communication.
Moreover, the college has acquired the alley way that previously split the campus in half. Now, we have purchased this piece of property and will be reinvigorating it by taking down the telephone poles that expose various wires putting them underground, and the ecological design class has been planning what we will see in the near future. This will greatly beautify the campus, and will create a more integrated environment. Currently, the alleyway has been closed to cars, and has begun the process of redefining the current nature of the campus.
In terms of residential options, there are a few ideas in the works that will include a dormitory for around 150 students, but this has yet to be set in stone. The college will probably not see this for another year.
As for the summer class schedule, this has been changed from a block and quarter system to a semester filled with four block classes. Examples of these classes are: Public Art-Mural Painting, Expeditionary Sailing, Surfing & Oceanographic Principles of Wave Dynamics, Aboriginal Living Skills, Jungian Studies…. Moreover, there will still be classes that take up most or the entire summer, which include: South America – Land of Contrasts, Maasailand – A Study in Community Activism, Sustainable Nepal, Studies in Alaska, Ecological Design at the ECOSA Institute….
In essence, our world is constantly changing, and if we are going to be active in our environment we must move with the belief that our life does not belong to us, it belongs to our dreams.
Peace be the journey
Jordan
P.S.
If you ever think you are too small to make a difference, you have never slept with a mosquito in the room.
-African Proverb
Overall, life moves fast here at Prescott College. I came here in the fall of 2008, and it has been superbly engaging since then. I have gone to many amazingly beautiful places, discussed various topics with the utmost passion, rode a horse 800 miles, changed my course of study, and participated in countless events, all since I took my first step on orientation.
It is an interesting opportunity to be able to attend a school like Prescott College, and the school is changing, much like everything else; for change is the only constant, and in order to not become stale, we must move with the river of energy. As for immediate change, President Dan Garvey will be retiring at the end of June, and Dr. Kristin Woolever will be stepping forth to fill the position. Dr. Woolever comes to Prescott College from the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, where she is currently Dean and Director of the Campus. Prior to UNH Manchester, Woolever led the Antioch Center for Creative Change at Antioch University Seattle in a reorganization that included the development of alternative course delivery models and innovative, cross-disciplinary graduate programs in environmental studies, management, organizational psychology, systems thinking, and strategic communication.
Moreover, the college has acquired the alley way that previously split the campus in half. Now, we have purchased this piece of property and will be reinvigorating it by taking down the telephone poles that expose various wires putting them underground, and the ecological design class has been planning what we will see in the near future. This will greatly beautify the campus, and will create a more integrated environment. Currently, the alleyway has been closed to cars, and has begun the process of redefining the current nature of the campus.
In terms of residential options, there are a few ideas in the works that will include a dormitory for around 150 students, but this has yet to be set in stone. The college will probably not see this for another year.
As for the summer class schedule, this has been changed from a block and quarter system to a semester filled with four block classes. Examples of these classes are: Public Art-Mural Painting, Expeditionary Sailing, Surfing & Oceanographic Principles of Wave Dynamics, Aboriginal Living Skills, Jungian Studies…. Moreover, there will still be classes that take up most or the entire summer, which include: South America – Land of Contrasts, Maasailand – A Study in Community Activism, Sustainable Nepal, Studies in Alaska, Ecological Design at the ECOSA Institute….
In essence, our world is constantly changing, and if we are going to be active in our environment we must move with the belief that our life does not belong to us, it belongs to our dreams.
Peace be the journey
Jordan
P.S.
If you ever think you are too small to make a difference, you have never slept with a mosquito in the room.
-African Proverb
Well, the semester is coming to a close and I feel pretty good about all that I've accomplished academically, personally, and politically. I made the decision to get a double competence in Psychology and Cultural and Regional Studies and wrote two independent studies for the summer.
Some highlights from this spring:
This is my partner in crime. We started a feminist zine last semester and my sister did the cover art for our most recent issue...so cool!
I organized a lot with my class, PERC. We did "Coffee Talk" (free coffee, breakfast, and news publications every Tuesday morning), Game Night, workshops on health, addiction & recovery, how to graduate, time management, etc. This flyer I made was for a textiles-themed get-together. Laurie Silver is actually the Dean of Student Life here at the College. Not only did she teach me how to knit, she also didn't mind my totally ridiculous pun. I love going to a small school!
I have been developing a workshop on the three waves of feminism (and all contemporary feminisms) and their differing perspectives on pop culture. This semester I held it for freeskool a few times, at some mini-WEB conferences (Women's Empowerment Breakthrough - Sydnie volunteers with them too...amazing organization that is very active and holds an annual three day conference up at Mingus Mountain for local teenage girls), the Praxis Youth Action Conference (my friend's senior project, it was amazing, Rebel Diaz came and did the keynote and an incredible performance), and the Nonviolence Skillshare (sponsored by the Peace and Justice Center). I basically talk foundational feminist history and theory and then the group and I collaboratively deconstruct videos like Lady Gaga & Beyonce's "Telephone" or Jamie Foxx's "Blame It". We discuss things like mind pollution, sexuality's relationship to political power, art, and bell hooks.
I took a course called "Dreamwork" for block, then "Family Systems Theory", "Peer Education Practicum", and an independent study on Carl Jung, "Jungian Depth Psychology". All of these classes were absolutely incredible.
We did a silly April Fools joke for this month's freeskool...Normally the Catalyst logo occupies the back inside cover:
It's been a wonderful semester. And now...
I'll be doing some intensive reading of Michel Foucault's Discipline and Punish as well as Madness and Civilization for my independent studies.
Don't let my degree fool you...this summer I will be reading Foucault in my hiking boots, adventuring in Colorado and the southwest.
:)
your student admissions counselor,
addie
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The Peace and Justice Center
It started out as an assignment for my Social Movements class—to volunteer my time with a social justice group in Prescott that I hadn’t yet participated in. The Peace and Justice Center seemed like a perfect choice for me, having had taken multiple classes in Peace Studies at Prescott College. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did—it wasn’t that I didn’t care about social justice or the objectives of the Peace and Justice Center(PJC), I was just crunched for time. I was taking a full course load, dividing my time up between work, classes, groups I currently volunteered with, and extracurricular obligations. I didn’t feel I had the time to tack on another obligation. I was looking at this as a chore, and not a golden opportunity to be more involved with my own experiences at Prescott College.
The first meeting of the semester was what really began to change things. I began to understand what the PJC was really about. We weren’t sitting around talking about issues and the way things should be in our community…we were pitching ideas about speakers, workshops, film screenings, and other events to bring to Prescott College. We were focusing our efforts on collaborating with other on-campus groups to educate our community and CREATE CHANGE within the town of Prescott, the state of Arizona, the United States, and the World.
And that’s when I realized it for certain: Prescott College is an activist’s dream school. Here we have the ability to step forward out of the crowd and work together to take action and create change. More often than not, students can be afraid to come forth with their beliefs and let their colors shine. But here we receive so much support that failing to come forward with new projects and ideas can be scarier than actually implementing them. The Peace and Justice Center offers students and community members a space to be heard—to pitch ideas for events, to share grievances and create a dialogue about how we can manifest solutions to current issues about human rights, border justice, environmental problems, and the like.
Sydnie
***Our most recent efforts have been focused on putting together a series of FREE community events exploring the true costs of “Free Trade” and how it affects food sustainability, environmental, economic, and social justice issues on a national and worldwide scale. On Monday, April 26th, Director Aaron Woolf will be arriving at Prescott College to screen his award winning documentaries “King Corn” and “Big River”. Following the screening he will conduct a discussion about food sustainability and the pressures of government subsidized mono-cropping in the United States. The following afternoon, April 27th, Borderlinks will present a workshop about the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Following a skit and discussion, Borderlinks will explore the profound implications NAFTA has on the environment, global politics, economical, and human rights issues, as well as the way it affects our everyday lives and the world around us. Come join us for an informational discussion about “Free Trade” and the ways in which each individual can help solve these issues in our country, and the world. ***
The first meeting of the semester was what really began to change things. I began to understand what the PJC was really about. We weren’t sitting around talking about issues and the way things should be in our community…we were pitching ideas about speakers, workshops, film screenings, and other events to bring to Prescott College. We were focusing our efforts on collaborating with other on-campus groups to educate our community and CREATE CHANGE within the town of Prescott, the state of Arizona, the United States, and the World.
And that’s when I realized it for certain: Prescott College is an activist’s dream school. Here we have the ability to step forward out of the crowd and work together to take action and create change. More often than not, students can be afraid to come forth with their beliefs and let their colors shine. But here we receive so much support that failing to come forward with new projects and ideas can be scarier than actually implementing them. The Peace and Justice Center offers students and community members a space to be heard—to pitch ideas for events, to share grievances and create a dialogue about how we can manifest solutions to current issues about human rights, border justice, environmental problems, and the like.
Sydnie
***Our most recent efforts have been focused on putting together a series of FREE community events exploring the true costs of “Free Trade” and how it affects food sustainability, environmental, economic, and social justice issues on a national and worldwide scale. On Monday, April 26th, Director Aaron Woolf will be arriving at Prescott College to screen his award winning documentaries “King Corn” and “Big River”. Following the screening he will conduct a discussion about food sustainability and the pressures of government subsidized mono-cropping in the United States. The following afternoon, April 27th, Borderlinks will present a workshop about the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Following a skit and discussion, Borderlinks will explore the profound implications NAFTA has on the environment, global politics, economical, and human rights issues, as well as the way it affects our everyday lives and the world around us. Come join us for an informational discussion about “Free Trade” and the ways in which each individual can help solve these issues in our country, and the world. ***
Monday, April 12, 2010
What serves me?
It is commonly touted around Prescott College that if someone has enough passion and commitment, then just about any project can be implemented, supported, and activated; weaving baskets underwater to support an indigenous tribe in Sumatra; building bicycles out of old fish tanks; attempting to understand why a house fly goes backward before it goes forward when leaving a surface. We have so much support here that at times it becomes overwhelming when we notice what is possible and who believes in us enough to succeed.
I believe that rarely do we know how strong we actually are. How often do we test our boundaries in doing what we are afraid of?
After eating the first course from my March 2nd blog, I must remember to slow down and relax a little. It can be easy to see a pie and want to devour the entirety of it, especially when it is my favorite flavor - passion.
For there are many activities, workshops, and events that take place here at PC. Most recently there was a world music event last week named Porengue, it is of Brazilian, Middle-Eastern, and African influences, with sound healing didgeridoos; my calves still hurt from dancing so much. Then yesterday, I went to a grant writing workshop held by a women named Susan, who is the CEO of a Non-Profit in New York, and also the mom of a friend of mine here at the college. Today, Susan and I met for lunch and she gave me a more intense breakdown of how to write grants, and what it actually means to start a Non-Profit
Moreover, I am now part of a project called PERC, which stands for the Peer Education and Resource Center. One of PERC’s missions is empowering people to be resourceful with there current environment. Additionally, PERC is also a counseling center run by current students who, because they are peers, can in some cases relate and build a trust more powerful than a certified therapist could. In effect, this is also a practicum filled with three classes spread out over the next year, which focuses on counseling, community education events, student advocacy, leadership, and support.
Essentially, there is more to do here than anyone has time for, but when we ask the question, ‘What serves me?’ we may find an answer that moves with our personal truth.
To quote Rilke:
...I would like to beg you, as well as I can, to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to live the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.
-Jordan
I believe that rarely do we know how strong we actually are. How often do we test our boundaries in doing what we are afraid of?
After eating the first course from my March 2nd blog, I must remember to slow down and relax a little. It can be easy to see a pie and want to devour the entirety of it, especially when it is my favorite flavor - passion.
For there are many activities, workshops, and events that take place here at PC. Most recently there was a world music event last week named Porengue, it is of Brazilian, Middle-Eastern, and African influences, with sound healing didgeridoos; my calves still hurt from dancing so much. Then yesterday, I went to a grant writing workshop held by a women named Susan, who is the CEO of a Non-Profit in New York, and also the mom of a friend of mine here at the college. Today, Susan and I met for lunch and she gave me a more intense breakdown of how to write grants, and what it actually means to start a Non-Profit
Moreover, I am now part of a project called PERC, which stands for the Peer Education and Resource Center. One of PERC’s missions is empowering people to be resourceful with there current environment. Additionally, PERC is also a counseling center run by current students who, because they are peers, can in some cases relate and build a trust more powerful than a certified therapist could. In effect, this is also a practicum filled with three classes spread out over the next year, which focuses on counseling, community education events, student advocacy, leadership, and support.
Essentially, there is more to do here than anyone has time for, but when we ask the question, ‘What serves me?’ we may find an answer that moves with our personal truth.
To quote Rilke:
...I would like to beg you, as well as I can, to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to live the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.
-Jordan
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
1st Annual Super Happy Fun Land Story Time Fest at PC
I recently discovered the beauty of school funded events here at Prescott College. Growing up in Phoenix meant that hardcore and metal shows were never in short supply. Living in a small town like Prescott however, is a completely different story. It's hard to keep a constant stream of bands coming through with a limited amount of venues and funding to keep the the gas tanks and stomachs of the touring artists full. Fortunately for us, PC has a community center that students can host free events at, as well as a student union board that will fund up to $500 for an artist to come and play at the school. Upon discovering this I immediately tried to get a free show going, since I could pay the bands and get the venue for free, figuring that would make for the best turnout and give the bands the most exposure. After many attempts to get big name acts on the bill, I decided on making it a $5 show that we could book a touring band. Now we have Jet Black Horror coming out from California, as well as local giants like The Baby Lottery, Move Forward, and High Tides Sink Vessels. The level of anticipation for a show here that's NOT folk/bluegrass or some sort of jazz-fusion mix is pretty high, so I'm really looking forward to the energy that's going to be released for this show. There's going to be some good dancing, moshing, stage dives, and sing alongs. I wonder how many people are going to see this kind of spectacle for the first time? The show happens to fall on a preview weekend so there's a large possibility that a lot of the same people that come for that will come for the show. If they've never been exposed to this style of music before, will they think that we're a school of deranged metal heads and hardcore punks? I really hope so. Maybe it will attract more kindred spirits to PC, and people will realize that this isn't a hippie school. Maybe... I'm a dreamer.
Patrick Jones
Patrick Jones
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Cameras Are Awesome
Well, Zach's pictures inspired me. I went through some of my photos and picked a few out for all of you, starting with this unicorn caterpiller. The latin term: Addie'snewpromdateium.
Okay so here I am in my favorite shirt feeling really happy. This was taken at "The Lookout" behind Thumb Butte. In the distance on clear days you can see the San Francisco Peaks.
I feel like I talk about potlucks to prospective students a lot. I'm not joking... 
Delicious.Here is a plant full of ladybugs. This was during a lunch break on orientation. I was talking feminist politics with these bug ladies in no time, and we quickly became best friends.
This was also taken on orientation.
Let me tell you...this little cutie hopped closer and closer to me in the middle of the night and I was certain that a bear somehow decided to migrate to southern Arizona just to devour me in my sleeping bag.
That is my friend Anna's hand. She was a good sport and we plucked those out in no time. Note for the future: do not lean on cactus accidentally.
Yes. This is where I went on Wilderness Orientation. We swam under it. I may or may not have pretended to be a mermaid.
I took this picture this time last year, and it's just so Prescott College...I had to share it :)-Addie
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Don't worry, be happy
“How am I supposed to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life?” The common question anxiously exits the worried mouths of those graduating from high-school, leaving college, choosing a major, figuring out a job, and so forth. I generally answer myself and others with, “Well, it’s a good thing we don’t have to.”
Did you know that the top ten most in demand jobs of 2010 did not even exist in 2004? Did you also know that 1 in 4 workers have been at their current employer for less than one year? 1 in 2 has been there less than five years.
We are living in exponential times. There are over 31 billion searches on Google every month. In 2006, this number was 2.7 billion. It is estimated that 4 exabytes (4.0x10^19) of unique information will be generated this year. That is more than the previous 5000 years.
What does this all mean?
We are preparing students for jobs that do not even exist yet, with technology that has not even been invented, in order to solve problems that we don’t even know are problems yet.
Now how do you feel?
To me, I believe that all we have is today. It is good to prepare for a rainy day with a rain coat on a hiking trip, but is completely defeating to watch the ten day forecast on the weather channel. I am not saying that goals are bad, my idea is just circumvented around the belief that it can be very easy to become obsessed over an aspiration, then die of a broken heart because what we had hoped for is completely different than how we imagined.
We must live the greatest we can today, so if there is a tomorrow, we can look back and know that we did the best we could with the choices we had. I don’t believe in luck, only change, choice, and the connection that resides between.
Don’t worry, be happy. Be you, because everyone else is taken.
Jordan
P.S.
In the past five minutes:
67 babies were born in the U.S.
274 babies were born in China
395 babies were born in India
and 694,000 songs were illegally downloaded.
Carpe Diem
Did you know that the top ten most in demand jobs of 2010 did not even exist in 2004? Did you also know that 1 in 4 workers have been at their current employer for less than one year? 1 in 2 has been there less than five years.
We are living in exponential times. There are over 31 billion searches on Google every month. In 2006, this number was 2.7 billion. It is estimated that 4 exabytes (4.0x10^19) of unique information will be generated this year. That is more than the previous 5000 years.
What does this all mean?
We are preparing students for jobs that do not even exist yet, with technology that has not even been invented, in order to solve problems that we don’t even know are problems yet.
Now how do you feel?
To me, I believe that all we have is today. It is good to prepare for a rainy day with a rain coat on a hiking trip, but is completely defeating to watch the ten day forecast on the weather channel. I am not saying that goals are bad, my idea is just circumvented around the belief that it can be very easy to become obsessed over an aspiration, then die of a broken heart because what we had hoped for is completely different than how we imagined.
We must live the greatest we can today, so if there is a tomorrow, we can look back and know that we did the best we could with the choices we had. I don’t believe in luck, only change, choice, and the connection that resides between.
Don’t worry, be happy. Be you, because everyone else is taken.
Jordan
P.S.
In the past five minutes:
67 babies were born in the U.S.
274 babies were born in China
395 babies were born in India
and 694,000 songs were illegally downloaded.
Carpe Diem
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Spring Break at Prescott College: Superstitious!
When I was in high school, my perception of a typical spring break for college students was something like you might see on “Trashy MTV Cancun Reality Show 6000!” and I remember being worried that as someone who doesn’t enjoy indulging in that particular fashion I’d be an outcast for that time during my college career. Upon coming to Prescott, however, I’ve learned that college students have the ability and drive to actually do far more adventurous, life changing, and fulfilling activities than racing towards early liver failure. My first year I spent spring break with some friends traveling to hot springs around the state of Arizona, and my second year I spent time climbing many of the unfamiliar crags in the greater Prescott area, as well as adventuring to some secluded natural locations. This year, I took another trip to the Big Mama Juniper (see Blog from October 15th, 2009), and then spent my time in the Superstition Mountains near Apache Junction, AZ.
I had always heard about the Superstitions or the “Soups” as they are commonly referred to around here, but never had a chance to go and see them. Immediately upon my arrival I was struck with the urge to come back again with my climbing rack, even from the road the rock faces look fantastic. Already, the mountains were trying to pull us in with promises of venison, ostrich, and beef jerky. Unfortunately for the magical mountains, most of our group was sustainably minded vegetarians.
We arrived at the 1st water parking lot and began unpacking the car, at which point I realized that somehow my approach shoes had been left behind, and thus I was going to have to walk through thickly cactus populated terrain with bare feet or my Mion sandals. Whoops. Luckily some of my friends were more optimistic than I and were able to stem the flow of curses out of my mouth long enough for us to start walking.
Now living in Prescott for the past three years has taught me to be relatively nonchalant about cactus awareness, as the yucca, Agave, Prickly pear, and occasional Cholla are usually very easy to spot and not too hard to extricate from one’s skin if run into by accident. This, however, was the superstitions, where Saguaro, Teddy Bear Cholla (see below), and barrel cactus were out in force, and constantly dropping pieces of themselves on the ground around them, making any off-trail section a veritable minefield to be walking around in.
The fuzzyness is actually the thousands of spines coming off the plant, and not at all cuddly as the name Teddy Bear Cholla might lead you to believe.
While I was having little difficulty avoiding the few pieces of Cholla that had rolled into the trail, I had not thought about the fact that my dog had never seen these cactus before, and so should probably have been on a leash. I came around a corner about half an hour into our hike and saw her standing there and attempting to remove a Cholla segment from her mouth. I don’t think she was attempting to eat them, I’m guessing that she stepped on one and, as dogs lack opposable thumbs, attempted to remove it with her mouth. I was glad that I had my medkit handy and had my wilderness EMT course behind me to allow me to act quickly. Cholla, while they appear to be straight spines, actually curve a bit upon entering flesh, and so are painful and difficult to remove. Suki acted fantastically and didn’t even whine too much as I removed the painful spines from her mouth and face. I was glad that I just had a dog and not a toddler, because as soon as I finished she was right back to enjoying herself. I imagine if a person had gone through that experience they’d still be in pain even ten days later.
We continued on, past saguaros with strange faces and pretty desert flowers until arriving at our campsite, a beautiful green field that was thankfully cholla free.
In the background you can see one wall of Boulder Canyon, a popular oasis in the middle of the Superstitions.
We quickly set up camp in the comfortable meadow before finding out that our guide, a friend of a friend that had scoped out the area a few weeks before, wasn’t entirely sure which direction was best in order to seek out water. She was pretty sure that there was supposed to be some about a mile away done one of the trails near us, so with limited information a few of us set out to gather water for the group. 1.5 miles and 600ft of elevation later, we found what I’m sure at some times is a flowing creek, but when we arrived was a wash with some stagnant pools growing all sorts of fun stuff. Not to be discouraged (after all, I’ve had worse), we set to work filtering the water with a filter my friend had gotten me to replace one he had broken on a prior trip. After filling about half of our water containers, the filter started to leak out the bottom. Unusual, but not anything that should effect the safety of the filter, so I kept going. After filling another two water bottles, the bottom of the filter literally exploded away from the rest of the unit with jet propelled force. This was definitely not normal.
It was at this point that we decided to cut our losses, scoop up some untreated water to boil our grains with and head back to camp. We began to make the hike back towards camp along a canyon cliff and as we could just see the top my dog’s water bottle popped off of the carabineer it was attached to, the cap bursting off of the container and flying out into space. So far, this was not my best day.
Having cactus in your mouth is tiring.
Upon arriving back at camp, we relayed what all had happened to the rest of our friends and just by chance my partner managed to take a swig out of one of the untreated bottles of water by mistake. Mmmm, algae. Not wanting to waste any more time worrying, we got started on dinner. The sunset on the surrounding landscape was one of the more beautiful ones I’ve seen in Arizona, and gave me hope that this day was not a reflection of what the whole rest of the trip would be like.
We awoke the next morning after a cool night of Coyotes howling a few dozen meters away and occasional mysterious movement outside the tent, and I think even Suki wanted to keep sleeping.
It was then that we realized that the meadow we were staying in was not just grass, rather there were millions of tiny purple flowers that began to unfurl as the morning went on.
Upon reaching the top of a nearby hilltop, we were greeted by a great view of the surrounding landscape and the meadows that were slowing transitioning from green to purple.
We descended into boulder canyon, eager to find some water to dip in as the temperature rose past 90 degrees F. We stopped for a few minutes in the shade of a creek side tree in one of the tributaries to the main creek and were passed by a group of ten horse-riders, which Suki found wonderfully exciting.
It was fantastically exciting when we finally reached the canyon floor and were able to get in the stream. The water was probably around 50 degrees but we didn’t care, it was so refreshing in the heat of the desert sun.
We spent a few hours dipping in pools and drying off on the smooth creek rocks, throwing sticks into the creek for the dog to chase, and applying copious amounts of sunscreen. If you’ve never been at an oasis in the middle of a desert, it’s a fantastic experience; I highly recommend you try it.
Our return to camp saw us spending the next few hours under whatever shade we could find. I realized the that deciding not to pack my tarp for shade was a bad choice.
We spent another night in the meadow before hiking out the next day, our departure coincided by a large storm system moving into the mountains, but we managed to escape with no more than a few rain droplets on our packs. These mountains were majestic and mysterious, just as the name might have you thinking, and I’m really glad that we went out there to see them, but next time I’m bringing some dog booties for Suki, because all the fun in the world is not worth a cholla in the mouth.
Zach Schiewetz
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