Mischief Managed: Graduation Tomorrow!

Apparently, decorating the top of your grad cap is some great tradition that I was mostly unaware of. My Facebook feed has been full of friends’ photos of their decorated boards.

Unfortunately, I have no artistic talent to speak of…and graduation is tomorrow, so there really isn’t time for me to run to the store, buy the necessary paints and glues, and decorate my cap without a major time crunch.

The tape may be a little tacky, but I think it turned out pretty OK.

Nobody Needs This Many Coasters

I decided to clean my room today – a thorough Spring Cleaning the likes of which haven’t been seen in these parts since, well, you don’t need to know how long it’s been. It wasn’t a mess, it was just a little cluttered.

In this de-cluttering, I discovered something…strange.

Yes, gentle readers, you are seeing this right. I have a collection of coasters from Outback Steakhouse. It’s hard to tell in the photo, but those aren’t 7 coasters, those are seven stacks of coasters. For some inexplicable reason, whenever my mom and I go to Outback, one of us takes a handful of coasters and, apparently, they’ve all wound up in my apartment.

I think this counts as #72 on my list – collect something pointless.

Green 17 2013

The 9th Annual Green 17 Tour!

Crossed #56 (go to a rock concert) and #119 off my list by seeing Flogging Molly at Green 17 on St. Paddy’s Day.

See? Lots of green and a leprechaun. The leprechaun had a little pot of gold coins that he was handing out. It was funny to watch, a few of the drunker concert goers couldn’t figure out where the shiny chocolate coins were coming from. The totally smashed people didn’t realize they were chocolate and not real gold until it started melting.

The Wiley One opened. I’m pretty sure they were the only band that my brother actually liked. Jared and the Mill followed and I am so glad I had the chance to hear them play! They’re a local band, but I’d never heard of them before. They were fantastic! Then there were the Donots from Germany, Anti-Flag (shit got super crazy!!), and Pepper. Reggae/SKA really isn’t in my Top 10, but they were good.

And finally…the moment I have been waiting 6 years for…FLOGGING MOLLY!

I had some video I was going to post here, but unfortunately Shiny, Alonso and YouTube can’t seem to cooperate at the moment and nothing is upload from my phone to my computer. And when it does, it won’t upload from my computer to YouTube. It is a vicious cycle.

So…until that gets sorted out…here’s a video someone else uploaded!

All I can say is, it was almost worth the 6 year wait. I probably won’t do that again though. The next chance I get, I’m going to another concert.

I Don’t Know What My Emotions Are Doing

I’m bringing the Swear Jar back. It went away for awhile because, well, I swear like a sailor and I was going broke. On the bright side, the Young Writer’s Program got some money out of it, and so did the American Red Cross.

It’s making a comeback though because I really, really need to stop swearing. I know that if this doesn’t happen soon, I’m going to wind up saying something in front of a roomful of elementary school aged children next year and that’s not something teacher’s are supposed to do.

On a related note, I was accepted into the 2013 Teach For America Corps. I will be teaching elementary school somewhere in the Phoenix area in August.

 

Is It May Yet?

Back in January, I planned to start interval training to start running again (#18 on the list). I found a fantastic sports bra at the Nike store, created a training program (sort of…) and even downloaded this awesome app called “Zombies, Run!” (more on that later) to help motivate me enough to actually get to the running part.

Unfortunately, my kidneys had a different idea.

I had developed a kidney stone and, lucky me, it decided to move. And then pass. With great difficulty. All I can say is, if passing a kidney stone really is the pain equivalent of giving birth, I don’t think I will ever have children.

In a way, the stone was actually one of those weird, excruciatingly painful blessings in disguise because I learned that I need to stop drinking carbonated drinks (no more soda for me) and start taking calcium supplements. Unfortunately, the calcium supplements I started taking had some sort of additive in them that I was, big surprise, allergic to.

So, here we are in March and I have yet to actually start running again. I’ve been doing some basic yoga stretches and at-home workouts that I don’t need to venture out of my apartment for so I’m in better shape than I was, but I’m looking forward to running in the near future.

If I actually get up when my alarm goes off tomorrow, I’ll start then.

My adventures with The Kidney Stone of Doom and the Allergic Reaction From Hell didn’t keep me from getting stuff done though. I even crossed something off my list!

#66- Learn First Aid/CPR – I registered for the class late (read: the day before…) but I was still able to take it! Thanks to the Student Recreation Center and the American Red Cross, I am now certified in both First Aid and CPR. Actually, as far as the American Red Cross is concerned, I think I’m technically a certified First Responder.

I also completed not only a phone interview for Teach For America, but a Final Interview as well! I find out March 14th if I’ve been accepted into the program or not and, if I have, what my assigned Region is.

So, eventful two months.

This month, I plan to:

• Start running again
• Register for the GRE
• Study for the GRE
• Go to the Flogging Molly concert on March 17th

We’ll see what happens.

Baby Steps: An Excersie in Flash Fiction

So, a few weeks ago, I started a flash fiction story for a contest. I’ve never written a flash fiction story before, so I’m not entirely sure if this is what it’s supposed to be like. It doesn’t really matter either, because I missed the contest deadline. I don’t know where this came from, I just kind of started writing so…yeah. I actually finished it though, and I’m more proud of that fact than anything.

There was molding above the sink; the white, decorative kind that was supposed to add charm to a room and value to a house. People killed for crown molding like that, especially in crappy one-bedroom/one-bathroom apartments. Margot had never really paid much attention to it before but now, lying with her back pressed against the cool tile floor, it was all she had to stare at until her stomach stopped rebelling. All she wanted to do was crawl back into bed.

“Margot?” Margot pulled out of her thoughts long enough to register the fact that everyone was staring at her, honest faces looking at her expectantly. They were all older than her; parental, and even grandparental, with encouraging expressions and friendly smiles. Her stomach rolled. “Would you like to introduce yourself?” Tom prompted. He was an old man with more than his fair share of wrinkles and a head of thinning, silvery hair. Margot licked her lips and looked around the gymnasium where the uncomfortable plastic chairs had been set up in a small, intimate circle. It was the only room where they had enough floor space. Her stomach rolled again.

The front door opened with a bang, turning the dull throb in the back of her head into a splitting pain that ripped through her skull. “Margot?” The bathroom door was next, unceremoniously thrown open a small eternity later. Emma’s face was staring down at her, curtained behind her dark hair. She didn’t lecture her this time, didn’t even open her mouth. She just stood there and looked down at her like she was the most pitiful creature on the earth. “I—” She couldn’t get the words out.

“I—” she cleared her throat. “I’m Margot,” she said finally, grimacing at the way her voice cracked. “And I’m an alcoholic.” The word left a bitter taste in her mouth; she practically choked on it. Everyone dutifully greeted her with encouraging words and earnest expressions. She flinched.

Seeing the disappointment reflected in her normally bright eyes hurt worse than the jackhammer drilling into the back of her skull. She looked away and stared back up at the molding. All she could see was the disappointment. She steeled herself and vowed to fix it.

She had to, if she ever wanted her sister to talk to her again.

Crunch Time

For those of you not familiar with the grand traditions of ASU: every year, to celebrate the end of the year, tens of thousands of students from all four campuses celebrate by taking off their clothes and donating them to charity. Then, they run around the Tempe campus half-naked. I’m pretty sure total nudity isn’t actually allowed, but I bet there are some brave souls who’ve done it, or at least tried. It’s ASU, after all. People do that on the weekends for kicks.

Since it’s my last year at ASU (again: when did that happen!?), I’ve decided that THIS is the year I will participate in the Undie Run. It’s been on my Adventure List for four years (#140) now and, unless I stick around for my Master’s, this will be my last opportunity to run around half-naked on campus.

And then I realized that, well, this means running around campus half-naked.

Gulp.

I’m more than a little body-conscious and I probably don’t have anywhere near enough self-confidence to even run around campus in a bikini, so…time to look into #18 on my list- getting back into running.

I used to run all the time when I was younger, and well into my teens, but then asthma and fibromyalgia decided to put an end to that for a while. I’ve got things under control for the most part these days. The asthma means I wouldn’t be able to run outside as much as I want to, especially not on a field (jeez, Undie Run might not even be a possibility for me now that I think about it), but the complex I live in has a gym with a very nice collection of treadmills, so I’m hoping to use those to my advantage.

I plan on using the walk/run method to get back into it. One of those interval setups: walk for 7 minutes, jog for 1 minute, lather, rinse, repeat a set of three for a week; walk for 5 minutes, jog for 2 minutes, lather, rinse, repeat a set of three for a week…you get the idea. I don’t know how long it will take me to work back up to the actual running part, but even if I can’t pull off an hour-long run anymore, I’ll take what I can get. I really miss running.

This is a little broader than just running, too. I wouldn’t just run, there would be conditioning/stretching involved as well. Maybe I’ll even cross #95: Take a yoga class off my list during this endeavor. And there will probably be some situps involved…actually, a lot of situps.

If there are any runners, yoga practitioners, or anyone else who has helpful exercise/running/stretching tips, feel free to share. I’m probably going to need all the advice I can get for this one.

I’m Going to Do Something

The great writer and critic Dorothy Parker once said, “I’m never going to be famous. My name will never be writ large on the roster of Those Who Do Things. I don’t do anything. Not one single thing. I used to bite my nails, but I don’t even do that anymore.”

I’m pretty sure I’ve quoted that multiple times on this blog. I should probably look into getting some new material, but it’s a very applicable quote. Like the late Mrs. Parker, I don’t really do anything. Not one single thing. Unless you consider swearing doing something, I do that a lot.

A few months ago, I decided it’s time to do something. And if I’m going to do something, I’m going to do something worthwhile, something that actually matters. I can’t think of a better something to do than Teach For America, which is why it went on the List (#158).  I finally (finally!) submitted my application today, so we’ll see what happens.

I would really love to be a part of Teach For America, because I have a great amount of respect for what they’re doing, or trying to do, for the American education system. I believe that everyone has a right to an education and that socioeconomic status shouldn’t dictate the level or quality of education that a student receives. I come from a very, very poor family, but by some miracle went to school in a fantastic district that had the resources to ensure their students were successful. The best resource we had was the teachers. Without them, I wouldn’t have been as academically successful as I am today, and I wouldn’t have been able to attend college on a four-year scholarship.

So, thanks, teachers. Thanks for helping me get to where I am today. Hopefully I can Pay It Forward next year through Teach For America, after I graduate in May.

Speaking of which, when did that happen? There is no way four years have passed already. But, according to my academic progress report, my certificate is complete and I am currently taking my final credit hours to earn my Bachelors (#3—on my list, not my third degree).

Yikes.

What exactly is a Film and Media Studies major supposed to do after graduation?

Time for a whole new round of applications, I suppose.

The List: #22 Create a TV show or webseries

There once was an unhappy journalism student
Who thought that it would be prudent
To pick a course of study
That wasn’t so cruddy
Thankfully, screenwriting was a better fit.

I came to the realization that I could cross something off my list while listening to Cabin Pressure’s “Limerick” episode, so forgive the poor attempt at poetry. It’s never been my strong point…

Anyway, as you gentle readers probably gathered from the title, I can successfully cross #22 off my Adventure List!

It turns out, pre-writing is a lot easier when you have a writing partner. My wonderful friend spent three days (nights, really) storyboarding with me and we created what is, in my completely biased opinion, what will one day be the greatest sitcom on TV. Or the Internet, we’ll see what happens.

Not only that, but I wrote the entire show bible, three episode treatments, and a complete Pilot episode. So my Independent Study work is pretty much done, I just have some editing to do once I get notes back.

Even though I absolutely love my major, I don’t think I’ve ever really felt confident in the fact that I changed majors until now.

I can do this.

Frakk Fracking

I’ll warn you guys now, I’m functioning on three cups of coffee and a whole package of Double-Stuff Oreo’s, so bear with me.

I broke out my tried and true Recipe for a Writing Nightmare two-ish weeks ago. Turns out, it was way more productive than I thought it would be. It’s mostly because the “General Internet Shenanigans” part was actually useful in helping me find a topic for my argument essay assignment. And yes, I’m still working on the swearing, which is why the word “shenanigans” is now a part of my vocabulary. I like it though, it’s a fun word to say. Shenanigans.

Anyway, General Internet Shenanigans (say it without giggling, I dare you.) lead me to Twitter, which lead me to a series of tweets from Mark Ruffalo about fracking. Not the kind you BSG fans are probably thinking of, but something that is a little more worrisome than Cylons taking over the human race. For now, at least.

Turns out, there are massive amounts of natural gas trapped in shale formations buried deep underground; at least 9,000 pounds per square inch. I may not be good with numbers and math, but even I know that’s a lot. According to this article by Seamus McGraw, access to this wealth of natural gas has been made possible by two key technologies:

1. Horizontal Drilling – allows vertical wells to, well, turn sideways through over a mile of earth, which means gas companies can get their hands on even more shale gas without having to drill so many vertical wells (that’s my understanding, anyway).
2. Fracking. Not to be confused with “frakking.”

Fracking, as it turns out, is a slang term for “hydraulic fracturing,” which is a process used to mine natural gas wells in the United States. Basically, millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals are pumped at an incredibly high pressure into horizontally drilled natural gas wells that are as far as 10,000 feet below the surface. The pressurized mixture then causes the rock layer to crack. The cracks (fissures) are then held open by the sand particles, which allows the natural gas to flow up the well where it is then pumped into storage tanks and piped to market. There’s a handy-dandy little illustration over at ProPublica for you visual learners. It makes more sense when there’s a visual, trust me.

This process is mostly used in the best and brightest shale fields:

• Marcellus Shale field – covers parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and New York
• Antrim Shale field – Michigan
• Barnett Shale field – Forth Worth, Texas

The advances in horizontal drilling and fracking have, “led to an eightfold increase in shale gas production over the last decade,” which puts shale gas on the fast track to accounting for nearly half of the US’ natural gas by 2035 (McGraw). If you find that hard to believe, here are some numbers I snagged off Popular Mechanics for your consideration:

• Unconventional natural gas extraction methods, which include fracking, are expected to increase to 64% of the extraction methods used by 2020 (ICF Consulting, 2010).
• The natural gas industry supplies more than $385 billion to the US economy (American Petroleum Institute, 2010).
• If hydraulic fracturing were eliminated, natural gas production would fall 57% by 2018 (American Petroleum Institute, 2010).
• Natural gas reserves in the US jumped 35% between 2006 and 2008 because of fracking (Potential Gas Committee, 2009).
• 60-80% of new US natural gas wells will need fracking to stay productive (The National Petroleum Council, 2010).

Fracking advocates are taking those stats to mean that America might get its energy independence wish in the near future, and find a new, cleaner energy source to boot.  So, naturally, this is starting to figure heavily into the future of US energy production; so much so that ExxonMobile paid a paltry $41 billion to buy the shale-gas company XTO almost 2 years ago. That pretty little price tag makes that the largest single acquisition by ExonnMobile in a decade.

Sounds pretty good, right? A fairly clean source of energy, American energy independence, jobs…everyone’s happy!

Well, everyone except the unlucky folks living near those best and brightest shale fields I listed above. Turns out, fracking isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It actually causes some pretty frakking big problems in three key areas:

Health – In 2005, Colorado resident Susan Wallace-Babb started experiencing nerve pain in her legs, nausea, a skin rash, and overall poor health after being exposed to a spillover from a pair of fuel storage tanks that sat next to a natural gas well near her residence. And she’s not the only one. According to this NPR article, people living thousands of miles apart are experiencing similar symptoms- and the only thing that connects them all is the fact that they live near shale-gas wells.

The article continues to explain that there are not enough resources, money, or people to conduct the kind of study necessary to find a link and, even worse, the drilling companies are either protected by a series of loopholes or exempt from laws like Safe Drinking Water of 2005, meaning that even if they were asked, they wouldn’t have to release a list of the chemical agents they use in drilling. This means that everyone from residents to workers are being exposed to potentially harmful chemicals, and no one would know because the companies aren’t legally required to disclose that information.

Now, a few companies have played nice and released lists, but they don’t include the exact amount. For example, formamide is listed among the fracking fluid ingredients. According to the CDC, romamide targets the skin, eyes, respiratory system, central nervous system, and reproductive system. Isopropanol’s in there too, which is a main ingredient in glass cleaners like Windex.

Lovely.

Climate – Shale-gas may be “greener” than coal or oil, but, guess what? There’s a possibility that methane can leak during the fracking process. In case you didn’t know (because I sure as heck didn’t know), methane is a greenhouse that’s 20 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide. If fracking is releasing methane, that makes coal greener than shale-gas. Professor Robert Howarth at Cornell University conducted a study and found that, ”Compared to coal, the footprint of shale gas is at least 20 percent greater and perhaps more than twice as great on the 20-year horizon and is comparable when compared over 100 years” (Fracking Pros and Cons). So, in by trying to create a greener, cleaner form of energy, fracking for shale-gas actually does more damage than already existing, not-so-clean forms of energy.

There’s also the issue of the earthquakes.

According to this Popular Mechanics article, fracking has the potential to set of minor earthquakes because they’re injecting that water, sand and chemical mixture into the shale and that changes seismic dynamics underground.  Read on:

A study in the journal Earthquake Science pinpointed the location of more than 150 microearthquakes caused by hydraulic fracturing, and the Dallas–Fort Worth region of Texas—a fracking hub—experienced 11 mini quakes in less than a month between November and December 2008. Granted, such mini man-made earthquakes are harmless, but some critics are concerned that there may be a small risk of more hazardous quakes—such as a 5.5-magnitude quake outside of Denver, Colo., in 1967, that resulted after chemical waste was injected deep into the ground for several years as a disposal method. (An SMU study suggests the quakes may have been triggered by the underground wastewater fluid disposal that accompanied the hydraulic fracturing.)

Water – Surprisingly, it’s not the amount of water used (up to 7 million gallons to frack a single well) that’s the problem, unless you live in drought-stricken Texas, in which case, I’d look more into that. I don’t have numbers for Texas, but based on what I found, in the Marcellus Field, fracking actually uses less water than livestock and other industry. And 70% of that is recovered and treated afterwards. So it’s not all a waste and the problem isn’t with the actual process. It’s with the fluids used in the process, namely the chemicals.

In the last two years, there have been two surface spills in Dmock, PA that spilled 8,000 gallons of fracking fluid and contaminated the groundwater supply. The EPA is also watching Pavillion, WY, where high levels of fracking fluid chemicals have been found in the groundwater. While it would normally be impossible fracking fluid to escape a mile up a fissure into the groundwater supply (Popular Mechanics explains it here), Pavillion has an aquifer that sits closer to the gas stores than other aquifers do. If it turns out that Pavillion’s groundwater has been contaminated by the fracking fluid, then that would be proof that shallow shale-gas wells can’t be fracked because the fluid would leak into the aquifers and pollute (poison) the groundwater.

Also, fun fact, Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating the water supplies of 16 families. Turns out, Chesapeake Energy didn’t properly cement their boreholes and gas, which has formed naturally between the shale and the surface, migrated up the outside of the well and into the aquifers. It may seem like a little mistake, and oversight even, but that little mistake cost those 16 families their water supply.

Now, I’m all for finding alternate fuel and energy sources, but I’m not entirely sure fracking is the way to go here. Maybe if the Rules and Regs did a better job of holding these guys accountable for their actions/practices/fracking fluid ingredients, it could be something to consider.

But until that happens, frakk fracking.