Civic Engagement Day

Yesterday was Civic Engagement Day at Alico Arena.  My group and I had so much fun!!!  Although our presentation didn't win an award, we were VERY happy to see another group win for the same organization - Shy Wolf Sanctuary!!  There were so  many fantastic projects and so much information available!!  All the preparation for the final presentation was well worth it.  I also learned of a Pajama Program.  I had no idea how many thousands of children went to sleep each night wearing the same clothes they'd been in all day and I believe it's a WONDERFUL cause.  Pajama Program was founded by Genevieve Piturro in Harlem, NY.  It's astounding to me that her individual efforts grew into a national organization that now has chapters in 42 states!

Yesterday's festivities really drew my semester to a close.  Although I took other courses that were not civic-engagement related this term, I really feel as though 90% of my time and efforts went to volunteering and being engaged with the community.  And although I have an entire results and discussion section to write for an Experimental Psychology paper, all I can think about is how to stay involved and engaged after this semester ends.  I would have never become involved with my community had FGCU not required it.  I would love to personally thank the board members and faculty who made this a requirement.  At first, I thought I wouldn't have the time and considered it a burden, but now that it's over, I'm saddened.

My Foundations group members and I have decided to contine volunteering with Shy Wolf.  We've gotten a partnership with Petco and plan to hold "Awareness Weekends" the 2nd weekend of every month.  I hope groups working with Shy Wolf down the road will continue the awareness weekends as well.

This semester has truly helped me grow as an individual....it's helped me to dig deep inside myself and find talents and passions I never knew existed.  I've done some research on the side regarding Eco-Fi, an eco-fiber that is produced from PET soda bottles...and after creating a mock-marketing project based on the material, I'm highly considering looking into a REAL company...I think it would be amazing.

I can't thank my teachers enough for this amazing experience this semester.  If it weren't for the interesting articles assigned for reading from Prof. Seay and the Civic Engagement movies and books assigned by Prof. Satkoski, I wouldn't have discovered this hidden passion for the environment and society.

This has truly been my most rewarding semester of school ever.....which speaks volumes considering I've been an on and off student for ten years now...I just hope other students took away the same amount of reward as I did!

poor little birdie

so as I'm sitting at my desk, I hear this bang against the front door of our office....a poor little bird smashed face first into the glass :(  i thought it was dead at first!  It must've just been stunned...after about 7 minutes of not moving, it shook its head and flapped away ...lol  birds are much more resilient than I thought! LOL

On another note, last night we had an editing session in Foundations for our final reflective essays.  I read papers about ECHO, CROW and Candlelighters.  While Candlelighters is a fantastic foundation supporting local families who have children with cancer, ECHO and CROW are animals rescue and rehabilitation organizations.  I love the efforts I read about in CROW.  I hate the thought of kill shelters...any organization that helps rehabilitate and release animals is fantastic in my book!!! I've always been an animals lover...all the information I've read and learned over this semester has truly opened my eyes to experiences I would've never even thought twice about! I'm excited for summer! I'm not taking any classes and plan to volunteer at ECHO as well as continue helping Shy Wolf Sanctuary!

Colloquium has sent me into a whirlwind of "GO GREEN!" ....everyone laughs at me because of how conscious I've become of my surroundings...I recycle EVERYTHING now...and not just by throwing it in the recycling bin...I actually rinse everything out, tear off labels, etc etc before anything.  I seperate my paper from my plastics and cardboard...and I've been doing a lot of reading about eco-friendly things!

I'm truly grateful that FGCU requires this course.  It's taught me a lot - not only about the environment around me, but about myself as well!!!!

alligator alley

it never gets old...but certainly more interesting! I'm always the one driving across the alley so I never get to truly look around me.  my husband drove this past weekend and i was able to stare out the window into the glades and see so many things I never noticed before! I've always been intrigued by the amount of lush greeness out there, but after literally staring out the window for an hour, I saw so much more! I officially saw my first gator sunbathing on the side of the canal that runs parallel to the road...and I saw some really awesome HUGE bird nests in the trees.  Didn't catch sight of any large cats or anything of the sort, but I didn't really expect to either.  I drove by one part towards the middle of the alley where there was a large tower and all I wanted to do was pull over and climb to the top so I could stare out over the wetlands.   After reading and learning so much information about the Everglades this semester, I have a new-found appreciation for them and think it's absolutely fascinating.  I would love to go out into the deep Everglades and see what it's all about...then again, I'd be scared like a little kid that I'd run into a panther or alligator. LOL.....

I guess I'll stick with the guided tours for now....no exploring on my own!! :)

Harold the Turtle!

So there was a turtle roaming the parking lot at my job...and in the rain, my husband and I ran outside to rescue it from the cars flying through here like they're on I-75.  I wasn't sure where exactly to move him since this is an office park, but we found a nice grassy-tree-bush area and put him there.... he didn't have webbed feet, so I assume he is a land turtle...plus, when it was raining he was trying to avoid it at all costs..

so here's to Harold the Turtle...may you make it back home safely buddy, wherever that is!



wind turbines: the great debate

So I recall reading an article about wind turbines and their usefulness earlier this semester.  amongst all the wonderful positives for the environment, come a few negatives, such as noise pollution and birds flying dead smack into the blades.  This semester I learned of sustainability and what efforts go into it.  I feel like those complaining most about the off shore turbines are the ones less likely to conserve.  Large houses, gas guzzling vehicles and waste of energy is their contribution to the environment.  One day the fossil fuels will diminish...and then what?  Will they look back and think to themselves, "hmm, maybe I should have been slightly more welcoming of those wind  turbines and solar power evergy ideas"?  only time will tell......

a change of scenery....

This week I had to make a day trip to Ft. Lauderdale to help with preparations for a friend's wedding...it's astounding the change in scenery.  Everything in Naples is so "perfect" ...never a piece of trash on the ground, no homeless people standing on the corner of every major intersection...and lots of middle-upper class people driving their (mostly) expensive cars...most with out of state tags because of "season"...as nice as it is to live in a city that takes such pride in its landscape and upkeep, but at the same time, it's nice to be in Fort Lauderdale, where I don't feel so out of place.   I've never lived in such a clean city.  I grew up in South Jersey (AKA the armpit of America) and then in Phoenix (can you say smog?) and then Ft. Lauderdale (hello pollution)....Naples is so different.  People stare at me when I drive around blasting my radio and screaming along to the lyrics...The elder folk stare me down as I drive 5-10 mph over the speed limit...(seriously, I've been scolded 3 times since I moved here while sitting at a red light)....it's so strange.  Ft. Lauderdale is what im used to-it's where I spent my teen years and early 20's...it's the place that molded me into what I am now and I LOVE going back to visit. 

Downtown is amazing to me.  There's so much to do and such a different array of people.  My husband and I are going back next weekend (8-10) for the actual wedding and I'm super excited to go out and party it up on the beach.  I need a break after all this school work!!!!!

Time to cut loose and have a blast in a REAL city!

Naked Came the Manatee...an informal review

now that the formal paper is written..it's time to give the informal review =)

LOVED LOVED LOVED this book.  completely unexpected and delightfully surprising!

First of all, these authors REALLY know their stuff...the depictions of Miami are incredible.  They referenced places I haven't been to in YEARS.  News Cafe....LOVE IT!  Miami Beach...LOVE IT!  I remember the days of parties until 6am then watching the sun rise on the beach just down the road.  I remember the AMAZING authentic Cuban cafes and the INCREDIBLE food...at all hours of the night, of course, because nothing ever closes in Miami...lol

I loved the point of view from Booger...I've always loved manatees and hated boaters with no regard for them...I loved that Marion was 102...I of course hated that she was murdered over a fake Castro head, but still, loved that she was 102 nonetheless.  She reminded me of my friend's grandmother a lot.  Her naked twilight swims in the bay with Booger and her selling a fake Castro head for a million bucks, specifically.  My friend's grandmother used to go naked twilight swimming in the inlet by her house near 195 in Miami...I used to tell her she was crazy...she used to tell me I was crazy for not joining her... her, at her ripe ole' age of 95...lol.  She was brilliant..and when she passed (bless her soul)...she left a key to my friend, that key went to a safety deposit box holding 500k in cash...and she was told to buy a house and a car and live happily...and never depend on a man. LOL...she really was brilliant.

I'm glad I chose this book...I almost chose Strip Tease simply based on the fact that I've seen the movie and enjoyed it, so the book had to be even better...but this was the perfect read for me.  I think I might have to try and find some other books written by the same authors.  They did a spectacular job with this, especially considering it was a conglomeration of a bunch of different things written by different people!!

Again, on a scale of 1-10, I give it an 11! =)