The year flies by with colors. Yellow
barks at the eye, as the Fall pokes it's finger at Summer's healthy
days. That's when I arrive, in August. To find a nest within a land
full of trees that is encompassed by a big ol' lake. The summers are
grand and people sit and enjoy life in the serenity of seasons. The
subtle and decadent balance to winter's bane. As Fall comes around
the trees bleed and turn red and if ready to burst into flames. It
is truly a sight to see the Upper Peninsula during the fall. Every
moment that is cr amped
up in a building or wedged into a box only waits for the chance to
see the reds, oranges and yellows of dying leaves. The trees are
gearing for Armageddon. The event that happens for, well, most of
the year. Hikes, bike ridings and camping depicts the mood of fall.
The time to enjoy a colorful array of decay. Oh, did I mention! The
big ol' lake is Lake Superior. I really get a kick out of this one.
Ten percent of the world's fresh water. My friends of Michigan
Tech's graduate students create
and stir up frenzy every where we go. Whether it be the blue grass
or the fiddle camp fire jamming, the gang of friends are rustling
about. Fueled from the cabin nights or the Keweenaw Brewing Company,
the talks of aspirations unfold. Desires and plans of good
will is spread about. Another year is added to the Master's
International Crew, 2005. It's our year! No two
of us are alike and the friends don't just stop
there. Can't forget our
Iraq buddies Sinan and Ziad. "Come on little fishy bit my line!"
Well not a single fish all fall. But, Seth did manage to catch a
pontoon boat and 'fire it up' for a spin. The cold blanket of snow
fell in November right before Thanksgiving. Frozen water
dumped by the gallons. You can tell the locals in Houghton because
of the hissing and scouring at the first falling of snow. They know it will last till
May. But, the new comers regale in joy as whiteness takes over.
Snowboarding, skiing, snow shoeing and what ever else imaginable can
be done. With snow, three story monuments depicting children
cartoons are built all over campus to win the prize for most
creativity. Snow plows are chugging throughout the night as darkness
compliments the white glow. This is it? This is what Houghton is all
about. School (brain cramped so much you can hardly move) and
snow (mounds upon mounds of snow) The community breaths with
Michigan Tech's lungs. Except there is one thing wrong. I spent
nearly nine months in Houghton taking classes for a Master's and I
find myself saying "Where did the time go?" Too consumed with the
complexity of joy in being uncertain about absolutely everything to
do with a Peace Corps placement? Where will I go? Does it sound
weird to be infatuated with having the world at my fingertips? Has
light ever been this bright? Before I know it, I am seeing the brown
dirt. The dirty dusty earth again. The spring time with it's chilly
days. The wind gusts rip right through sweatshirts or pants that
have any thing to do with progress towards summer. I enjoyed all the
dances and all the parties. The kicker of the year started was t he
G-Party. Have a theme for a party, like picking a letter and having
everybody represent something from that letter. A song will work
too! Community planning, surface water quality modeling, Huron
creek, sustainability is blasting from a loudspeaker within my ears.
Isn't is all grand! The Keweenaw Peninsula offers a good example of
the rebound capacity in nature. The whole area has been mined for
copper extensively since the 1800's. The first miners to arrive used
candles to light the tunnels. Now the industry is gone and old
mining buildings sag and melt into the lakes, forests and wetlands.
Abandoned tunnels protrude to depths of 9000 ft below the ground,
it's really a honeycomb down underground. Existing towns have old
ruins right in the middle of them just waiting for time to consume
them. It is easy to be not surprised when ruins are amongst the pines. The times of hard work seem worth it when the
year is looked at in retrospective. A lot of learning in a humble
place. Michigan Tech is a great place for grad-school. Thanks to all
my professors and friends and of their support!
     
 
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