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Our Water’s Cleaner Than Yours

There’s a tradition here at Texas State University to take the Glass-Bottom Boat Tour at Aquarena Springs in your University Seminar class as a freshman. Now, as a junior, I took another tour on the glass-bottom boats in my Honors course.

It was wonderful to revisit Aquarena Springs, especially because a lot had changed in the last few years. What was once an old, run-down amusement park and tourist attraction with broken down old buildings that had begun to encroach upon the river now looked like a beautiful and natural lake that actually belonged in the environment.

I always enjoy spending time outdoors and seeing animals and nature, especially when I’ve got my camera with me…

The day began off a little interesting as we were to meet at Aquarena Springs and all the available passenger seats had been taken. Taking that into consideration, I decided to bike the mile and a half trip, which just happened to be mostly uphill both ways.

Only in the Hill Country can your trip be uphill both ways!

Worried I’d be late, I was surprised to find that I had actually arrived first and was eager to begin the trip. While waiting for everyone to arrive, my classmates and I took in the beautiful environment that surrounded us and began taking photographs. There was an interesting sign on the edge of the lake with adorable little ducks on it. All the girls wanted a photo with the cute duck sign. I couldn’t quite figure out what it was trying to say, but it sure was heart-warming in the cold weather.

Once everyone had arrived, we took our seats on the boat and began to set out. Our tour guide began to guide the boat out into the lake as the Director of the Aquarena Center stood up front taking pictures of our class for advertisement use later. We are a pretty good-looking bunch. 😉

Once the boat had ventured out into the waters, everyone was drawn to peer through the glass lining bottom of the vessel. Through the clear glass and the clear waters, everything could be seen.

The San Marcos River is known for being one of the most, if not the most, clear and clean rivers in all of Texas. It is spring-fed from the Edwards Aquifer, and the waters that trickle and bubble out of the springs are often of higher grade than city regulations for tap and drinking water. Of course, once the springs feed into the river and come in contact with plants and animals, other influences affect the water and downgrade it a bit, but the source is extremely pure. I wish that I could drink directly from the springs and taste such pure water, but, apparently it’s a dangerous feat.

It was said that a man once took the glass-bottom boat tour at Aquarena Springs and was so intrigued by the purity of the spring water that he lept off the boat and dived into the water. He swam to the bottom of the lake and grasped onto the rocks in order to bring his mouth to the gushing springs and take a drink. Apparently, the water rushes so forcefully that he almost drowned from the sudden intake of water.

That’s quite an adventure just to get a sip of water!

The tour guide that guided us along our experience with Clear Lake and drove our boat around the waters was very knowledgeable and helpful. She shared her knowledge of the San Marcos River and directed us to points of interest beneath the depths. Explaining the history of the river and how it has changed and impacted the environment over the years, she explained many facts about the waters that I did not know before. I especially enjoyed hearing her facts about the plants, animals, and wildlife that lived within the area.

There were several moments within the trip in which an animal would swim past the glass and surprise us. I was intrigued by the gar that we saw, along with the many giant fish. Our guide explained that it’s illegal to fish in Clear Lake above the dam, so once the fish grow too big to be eaten by the snowy egret, the largest bird to inhabit the area, they have no more predators to worry about. At one point, a large school of fish glided underneath our boat drawing interest from my peers and me.

There were also many turtles around the area, sprawled out among the rocks and logs as they tried to soak up the sunlight to warm their cold-blooded bodies. Some of the turtles had climbed atop of each other as they fought for the best sunlight. It’s amusing to see turtles balancing on top of one another.

Our tour guide continued showing us about Clear Lake as she explained the scientific studies that were going on and the opportunities that Aquarena Springs offered. While Clear Lake is generally protected by law, it is possible to scuba dive if certified under special circumstances, and of course, the glass-bottom boats are always up for a tour.

Aquarena Springs often pairs up with Texas State University in order to protect the endangered species of the San Marcos River and to study the environment in order to better understand it and all its benefits.

After we had explored just about everything within the small lake, checking out the bubbling springs and the most interesting side-notes, our tour guide began bringing the boat back into the dock. The photographer thanked us for the photos as we thanked our tour guide and the other staff members who helped us along our tour.

With a group photo, our class came to an end.

If only I hadn’t had another class to run to, I would have loved to check out the aquatic museum center they had!

Aquarena Today

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Adventuring the Narrows

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say Texas? I bet you think of cowboy hats and horses set upon a sandy desert… That is, of course, unless you’re actually from Texas. Then you know that we don’t actually ride horses to school. But even I, a native-born Texan, was shocked to find this secret hidden within the Hill Country…

I was confused at first when my college professor mentioned that we would be visiting an ancient coral reef. We live in the middle of Texas…how could there be coral reef here? I actually didn’t give it much thought as I prepared for our trip. I was just excited to meet my classmates and spend time with them out on a mini-camping trip before class even started.

We were camping out at Wessendorff Ranch, a private ranch land filled with cabins for a church camp. When we drove out to the ranch lands, filled with cows and dirt roads, I had forgotten about the “coral reef” remark. I was in the familiar landscape of the Hill Country, a flat, slightly forested spread of land. Honestly, I was too busy looking for foxes to pay much attention to anything else.

After unloading everything at our cabin, we decided to venture out to the main attraction in this area: the Narrows. It was when we pulled up to our destination, hopped out of the vehicle, and were met face to face with a sign that read: “Warning Dangerous Conditions!” that I remembered that there were some supposed steep cliffs out here. They must be hiding, because I still hadn’t seen anything.

After everyone had taken their tourist pic with the death sign, we ventured along the path and came across a wide ledge. Overlooking the ledge, jagged, rough rocks could be seen. Finally it was beginning to look a little interesting.

Oh, was I in for a surprise.

I followed my classmates across the rocks, hopping precariously from stone to stone, clutching my camera tightly in my hands. After a few wrong turns, we found ourselves following a path across the rocks until we came across an enormous ledge.

Woah.

That was a site I was not expecting to see.

“You see, these are the ancient coral reefs,” my professor shouted out for everyone to hear.

“So this was all underwater at some point?” asked Amy.

“Yes, the water carved out these canyons.”

Instantly, I had been overwhelmed with amazement. To think that this whole land used to be covered in water and that these giant rocks we were scampering across were not rocks at all; they were coral reef. We weren’t standing upon cliffs overlooking a valley, we were standing on the bottom of an ancient ocean. It really changed my perspective. Suddenly, I felt very small.

Hidden within the valley of the coral reef rested placid pools of water spread throughout. In some areas, the pools were a mere trickle of a spring running gently across the rocky bottom. In other areas the pools expanded and connected to create a massive swimming hole.

“People like to come out here and swim in the summer time,” stated our professor. “Some of those pools are very deep. We can’t even find the bottoms of some of them.”

After that statement, the most adventurous of the bunch, Austin, became wildly curious. He had already been climbing atop the highest rocks and peering over the tallest edges. After hearing our professor’s statement, he wanted to try something. Suddenly he began scouring the ground looking for rocks. After finding a few, he began tossing them over the edge and into the waters. As they “plopped” into the water, he looked a bit disappointed and continued searching.

I continued stumbling over the jagged surfaces while carefully taking pictures with my prized camera. Not long afterwards, Austin came back holding an enormous rock that he had found.

“Hey, I’m going to see how deep these ponds are!” he exclaimed.

After hearing Austin’s remark and seeing the giant rock he was toting around, the entire class began scrambling among the rocks around him trying to get a good view. “Is everyone ready?” Austin asked, making sure everyone was going to see his achievement. After everyone had found a place, Austin thrust the rock over the edge.

As the rock met with the water, there was a loud clap, as if thunder had erupted in the sky. An enormous amount of water rained into the air around the rock as it began to sink. Not long afterwards, Austin heard the rock hit the bottom of the pond and was satisfied before continuing on his adventures.

After all of the excitement, everyone went back to exploring the Narrows on their own. Some stayed up near the top, far away from the steep, dangerous edges of the valley. Others carefully climbed down among wet, slippery rocks and found hiding places within the crags. Most of the class found a tranquil opening upon which to sit and chat.

I joined my friends as they ventured deeper into the valley until my own curiosities overcame me. At one point, I was off venturing by myself, soon followed by my peers.

We spent several hours at this amazing landmark, taking in the magnificent scenery and enjoying the fresh dose of nature before heading back to our cabin for the night.

The Narrows left such an impression upon us, though, that we returned in the morning before finally heading back home.

Even now, I am amazed at what beauty lies hidden within the Hill Country.

“The Narrows Texas” On The Blanco River Hike

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Hiroshi Sugimoto: Unmasking Time, Life, and Death

A man intrigued by the capture of time, Hiroshi Sugimoto is a well-known photographer constantly striving to freeze time within his photographs. Through his multiple series, Sugimoto takes several pictures within a common theme, exploring the use of shutter speed, focus, horizon line, perspective, contrast, and lighting in order to emphasis the passing of time or the contrast between life and death. He is most famous for his photos of empty movie theaters and drive-ins, lonely seascapes, posed museum dioramas, and life-like wax portraits and is well-known for using extremely long shutter speeds. Read more

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La Reina Mora: Bold Painting, Proud Dancer

When first viewing Robert Henri’s painting, La Reina Mora, one notices a lone dancer, posing within a bright light emanating from an unseen source. Contrasted against the dark and obscure background, the woman stands boldly with her hands resting on her hips in an assertive stance, the only subject and focal point within the piece. Staring out past the viewer, she bares a complacent look upon her face, appearing as if she is posing for a portrait.

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Week 1: Accepting the Challenge

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Becoming a resident assistant is a tremendous responsibility tied with many expectations and requirements but also with rewards and benefits. The job is not for everyone as it requires responsibility, time-management, and commitment, but for those who can handle it, they will better be prepared for the work force and will have better-honed skills and talents for when they apply for jobs. Not only will they look more prepared on their resumes, they will actually be more prepared.

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Believing the 17th Century Was in Decline

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At a time when religion was centralized in one’s life, unfortunate events were often interpreted to symbolize religious meanings. Natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, droughts, and earthquakes were seen as warning signs from God. Even attacks from Native Americans were seen as proof of divine dissatisfaction as God was unpleased with current situations.

In the late end of the 17th century, New England clergymen had been warning of declension, the falling away from Biblically-prescribed ways. This encouraged Puritans to look for signs, which they found inevitably. Even jeremiads were given, in which the Puritans attended sermons filled with dire warnings of impending doom.

With King Philip’s War raging on, many Puritans were fearful of New England’s decline. Cotton Mather was a Puritan who was very convinced of this demise when his five-month-old infant died along with his younger brother, Nathaniel. This, followed by his witness of witchcraft, convinced him and others of the decline of New England.

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Fitting In

Eeee! I am so happy, right now! 🙂

So, today was kind of an unexpected day. Of course, it started out like usual…

I woke up at 7:00AM with my sore throat and cough even worse than when I went to sleep, (like every morning…makes mornings dreaded,) and went to Commons for breakfast. I had my Psychology class, then went to Basketball class. Our teacher/coach didn’t really have anything for us to do, so he just told us to shoot around. I was practicing individual shooting for a little while and barely made any shots. I haven’t thrown a basketball in a few years, and I wasn’t that good in the first place. xD Then a game started up with a few people that were shooting around me. It was 4 on 4, and I felt bad for the team that ended up with me. We didn’t keep score, so I don’t really know which team won, but I did feel proud that I made 2 pretty good shots. 🙂 Of course, the other people on my team made more shots and better shots, for that matter, but I was pretty proud of myself. So, it was after Basketball class, that my day changed…

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Vengeful Justice

"Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals" by Immanuel Kant

“Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals” by Immanuel Kant

“An eye for an eye,” everyone’s heard the phrase. As common as the phrase is, though, it can really reveal some dark depths hidden within humanity. Human beings tend to be revenge-seeking creatures that relish in justice and seek payback. We like to dish out punishment to those we feel deserve it. Because of this desire and mindset, the death penalty is legal in thirty-seven U.S. states. Not everyone agrees with ending another’s life, however, so the penalty remains a moral issue. Those who feel that the death penalty is never a morally permissible form of punishment call themselves abolitionists, while those who agree that the death penalty is, or could be, morally justified, or perhaps even required, are often referred to as retentionists. Constantly trying to argue their viewpoints, each group uses philosophical approaches to support their opinions.

Immanuel Kant, famous for the Kantian approach of ethics, is one who holds strong opinions dealing with the death penalty. Throughout Punishment and the Principle of Equality, a short excerpt from his 1997 The Metaphysics of Morals, Part 1, The Doctrine of Right, Kant defends the death penalty as a strong retentionist, expressing opposition to consequentalist ideals and by defining an appropriate moral principle for determining specific punishments, which he calls “principle of equality.” All throughout his excerpt, Kant expresses that one should receive the treatment that he bestows upon others and that “the undeserved evil which any one commits on another, is to be regarded as perpetrated on himself.” With this mindset, Kant states that the death penalty is a requirement for any who commit murder because it brings about justice and righteousness. “If you slander another, you slander yourself; if you steal from another, you steal from yourself; if you strike another, you strike yourself; if you kill another, you kill yourself,” he writes, clarifying his viewpoints.

While some may view Kant’s “principle of equality” as harsh and vengeful, others view it as moral and necessary. I find the “eye for an eye” ideology easy to grasp and comprehend and tend to harbor similar thoughts. While the death penalty may be the most extreme punishment, I feel that murder is the most extreme crime. If one decides to steal the life from another, it seems justified to steal his life from him for the wrongdoing he did, trouble he caused, and immoral act he committed. As Kant states, “if justice and righteousness perish, human life would no longer have any value in the world.” If nothing was done to correct the sin committed and others were enabled to commit crimes with lightened punishments, mankind would begin to crumble, fall apart, and ultimate lose everything it’s worked for.

Governed by laws and rules, mankind has created a system to ensure that its members live moral lives and coincide together harmoniously. When immoral acts arise, however, punishment must ensue; else mankind would cease to function. With a thirst for revenge and justice in mind, humanity tends to favor the “eye for an eye” mindset. Immanuel Kant, founder of the Kantian moral theory, especially supports this ideal as he uses the “principle of equality” to determine specific punishments within his short excerpt, Punishment and the Principle of Equality, from his 1997 The Metaphysics of Morals, Part 1, The Doctrine of Right. Stating that people should be treated as they treat others, Kant admits that the death penalty is a required punishment for those who commit acts of murder. Although an extreme punishment, it matches the extremity of the crime and thus delivers justice and regains righteousness. By stealing the life from the thief who stole from another, minds may be put to rest, hearts may be eased, and mankind can continue in vengeful justice.

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Change of Plans

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Saturday was kind of…an unplanned kind of day…

Well, kind of, sort of. xD

I actually had 2 different plans planned out for Saturday. It just depended on one thing: whether or not an auto shop could find 2 bolts.

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Levels of Madness

"Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad

“Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad

Like the heart that beats in a human’s body, or the very Earth we walk on, the African wilderness has great layers, depths, and volumes. Clearly demonstrating this in his novel Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad uses the names of the company’s stations throughout the congo to describe the levels of the wilderness and relate to the development of the story. Outer, Central, and Inner describe the surrounding areas of the heart of darkness, along with the heart itself. As the main character, Marlow, ventures from station to station, the story progresses along with his surroundings.

First arriving in Africa, Marlow arrives at the Outer station, a place on the outskirts of the true African wilderness. Still demonstrating the suffering the Natives have been forced to experience, and still showing the imperialism occurring, the madness that lies within the Inner Station is hinted at. Natives and manufactured goods arrive and depart, and chaos quietly stirs. The station, itself, is not nearly as muddled as further into the jungles, but was not comfortable enough for Marlow to wish to stay long.

Leaving the station with a caravan of 60 men, Marlow was relieved, yet he only found himself entering deeper into the darkness. Coming upon the Central Station, he was met with a run-down building with a neglected gap as a gate. It was obvious that a flabby devil was running the show as the manager, himself, was unable to manage. Living in a clay hut, he was surrounded with ghetto and poverty. In this contradiction, Marlow found himself growing nearer to the heart of Africa, the heart of darkness.

Finally following the river to the Inner Station, Marlow and his crew are met with a Native ambush. People are killed and blood is spewed as chaos and confusion spreads over the steamer. The fight drawing to an end, Marlow realizes where they have arrived, and enters the station. Mystery and confusion shrouds the place and hides its dark secret. Like the inner core of the Earth or the inner workings of a corrupted heart, the station is dark, resting in the heart of darkness. Surrounded by layers of turmoil and improper imperialism, it has become the center of a great evil.

As the novel progresses, Joseph Conrad uses the names of the stations to describe Marlow’s surroundings and journey through the darkness of the congo. As he draws nearer to the heart of darkness and nearer to the Inner Station, Marlow finds himself more and more surrounded by corruption and despair. Slowly progressing from each station to the next, the troubles developing as he continues, the story follows along with him. From the Outer Station to the Central Station to the Inner Station, the heart of darkness is revealed and exposed in stages.

 

 

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Sailing to a New Future

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Resting along the western shoreline of Europe, sit Spain and Portugal, juxtaposing against the enormous blue of the Atlantic Ocean. Prior to 1521, the massive body of water was a mystery, a hope, and an opportunity to explore and expand. At first, the countries were unsure of what they would discover once venturing into the unknown. Wishing for trade, riches, and new lands, they funded explorers to set sail and follow the ocean currents. Fortunately, Spain and Portugal were among the first countries to benefit from overseas exploration.

Beginning exploration in 1418, Portuguese began the sailing trend. After Christopher Columbus made his first voyage in 1492, Portugal was pleased to find an entire continent hiding across the waves. Soon, other countries were interested in sharing in the wealth of the “New World.”

Upon discovering North America, Columbus began to create new trades with the Natives. “Their Highnesses may see that I shall give them all the gold they enquire, if they will give me a little assistance; spices also, and cotton,…and mastic…I think also I have found rhubarb and cinnamon, and I shall find a thousand other valuable things,” Columbus wrote, recalling the trades he had transacted and the valuable resources he had brought back to Europe. Soon the Columbian Exchange was created and goods were constantly sailing the Atlantic Ocean between Europe and the Americas.

Unfortunately, the Columbian Exchange did not only spread valuable resources and goods, but also unpleasant nuisances. Upon viewing Aztec drawings, one can view the diseases, plagues, and illnesses that struck the Indians, coming from the foreign countries across the sea. Aztecs were covered with spots from diseases such as small pox, as they were sick to their stomachs. Many became ill, and some did not survive the epidemic.

With new equipment such as astrolabes that determined the latitude of ships, and rudders that were used to steer through the ocean, explorers were able to journey all over the world. In 1497, Vasco da Gama made his first voyage to India, opening the portal between the Western World and the Eastern World. New knowledge was shared, along with trade, resources, and inventions. In 1519, Magellan Elcano sailed around the entire world, proving the Earth’s roundness and revealing unexplored waterways. After Spain and Portugal began overseas expeditions, the world began to grow more connected.

Mankind is constantly changing and striving to progress and with the vast unknown sprawled before Spain and Portugal, overseas expeditions were born. Upon finding new land, Europe began to expand and benefit from new trades, resources, and goods. Even the Natives of the Americas were affected, if not always in a fortunate manner. Prior to 1521, Portuguese and Spanish sailors left a lasting impact on England, the Americas, Asia, and the entire world.

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Military Difficulties

Although I do not notice or think of it often, there is something in my life, a seemingly invisible force, which is constantly affecting and changing my life, sometimes without my knowledge or without my acceptance. This force has been at work my entire life, even before I was born, and has resulted in my existence here on Earth. An active-duty member of the United States Air Force, my mother makes my life what it is, naming the government and the Armed Forces as fathers of mine. I follow orders from the Air Force just as she does.

My parents met each other while attending the Air Force’s Basic Training program, and I was a result. Throughout my entire life, the Air Force has told me where to live and I have grown comfortable temporarily living on government land in a government-owned house. I have known nothing but the white walls that have surrounded me in every house I’ve lived in, and cannot even imagine a painted wall, now. House expansions and remodeling seem against the law to me since they have been against my laws. I have grown used to following government regulations and no longer find moving often unusual. Throughout my seventeen years of life, I have called eight different houses home and have cheered for six different school mascots. Because I move often, problems arise. My grades do not correctly transfer affecting my class rank, classes I have taken are not accepted in different states, friends are left behind, items are lost, and I can never truly plan for the future because I never know what’s going to happen next. I learn to live on my toes and expect the unexpected. Because of the Air Force, I have seen a variety of places, and faced different climates growing comfortable right up against the Canadian border and the Mexican.

Because the Air Force controls when people come and go, I am comfortable giving goodbyes to loved ones, wondering when I’ll ever see someone again, and shedding tears at an airport. Each year I must meet new friends to leave the next year and while my sense of adventure brings optimism to each move, my sensitive side dwells on the loss of friends. Relationships of mine have broken and ended because of my situation, friends unable and unwilling to keep in contact. Family life is also affected, my mother willing to be sent away to participate in a war, help in a distant region, or receive more training in a different place. Gone for two weeks, gone for four weeks, gone for eight weeks, gone for twenty-four weeks, it’s different every time. With my mother’s long working hours, leaving the house at five in the morning to return as late as eight in the evening, and deploying to Maine, Alabama, Cuba, Afghanistan, I have adjusted to life at home with my dad. My mom’s schedule is unpredictable and she can leave at any point, sometimes even excusing herself from dinner or sneaking out from the darkness of the movie theatre. While I must be ready to leave a friend, my mom must be ready to serve her duties.

They tell her not to drink the water. They restrict her from the leaving the base alone. They issue her a gun and train her how to use it. The Air Force consists of people willing to work in dangerous situations to protect their homeland. My mother is one of these people and while she may not rush into combat with bullets brushing her shoulders and grenades ringing in her ears, she does reside in dangerous areas. Working in the medical field, my mother treats those who have fought and those who have been injured. Her enemy is disease and her goal is not to protect the innocent villagers, but to save their lives. While she is away, I worry for her safety, knowing that there is a possibility that she may not return.

As I live my life, the United States Air Force makes many major decisions for me: where I will live, when I will say goodbye to my friends, when my mother will work and where she will deploy. While these may add difficulties to my life at times, I have grown used to them and have become familiar with the procedures. I continue to make new friends as I am pulled from one place and stuck in another and continue to worry for my mother as she is sent away from my family and me. I take required classes that I have missed and try to straighten my grades out between schools. I may live as if I could move soon, but I try to find “home” in each place I reside. Because of these difficulties, my perspective of life has been sculpted, leaving me to believe, “You never know what’ll happen.”

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