On a snowy day in April, I was feeling ready for spring to come even more than usual. I wanted the warmth and to see the missing sun again. On that day I went to the Johnson Museum and worked with clay. It was nice to do something with my hands instead of my mind for once. We made fruits and vegetables that we were eager to have this summer. My piece of clay became a watermelon. It was fun to do something artistic and I learned a lot about the museum while I was there. I have spent almost an entire year at Cornell and yet before that day I had never even gone to the art museum. There are so many programs that I have not utilized there and I cannot wait to make use of them now that I know where to go.
Author Archives: smp358
Milk, Mooing, and More
On Saturday I took a trip to the teaching Dairy Barn about a mile past the vet school, and it was definitely one of the coolest things I have done on campus. I learned so many things that I did not know before and saw the cutest calves I had ever seen. Did you know one cow makes about 90 lbs of milk a day? There is so much I learned about a part of our own school. Cows are pretty neat, and the entire milking process is fascinating, but the best part was seeing the baby cow that had been born only hours earlier, and the funny way the cows act. I highly recommend going if you ever get the chance. The tour guide was amazing and the whole tour was informative and fun. Definitely a great way to spend a Saturday morning.
Looking to the Stars
On Friday, we walked to the observatory for a talk and to look through the telescope at the moon. I had never ventured that far on to North campus. I have to admit that I have never really thought about our role in the galaxy, as far as that I did not know we were in the Milky way. After the talk I have a better understanding of the solar system as one system, and space as a whole. The talk comforted me that the end of the world was not near and there is no reason to fear. My favorite part of the night ws looking through the telescope in the dome. It was trained on the moon and you could see the craters in the moon’s surface! I plan to go back one Friday night, hopefully when the sky is clearer than it was last Friday and look at the sky again. It was a great experience and I am glad that I got to know another part of Cornell.
The Wonders of Vaccines
I learned a lot at this Rose Cafe. Vaccines are fascinating and I cannot believe that I knew so little before. We have these vaccines put in our bodies since birth, and yet a lot of people have no idea how they work, or what kind they should get. There are many different types of vaccines out their and all of them function a little differently. GRF Tyler was very knowledgeable about his research, which was fascinating. I had never thought that the Department of Defense funded vaccine research, but now it makes sense, and I feel a little safer. It is mind boggling that there is so much bacteria and other things that could kill a human so easily and yet our body fights it all off. The body is an amazing machine, and I am glad to know more about it now.
The Allowances of Fear
What Happened to Monday was an interesting look on the power that catastrophes bring. When people are scared they are more likely to accept overt displays of power. We live in a world of the Patriot Act. The fear and pain that 9/11 brought allowed the government to pass an act that in any other circumstance would most likely have had a lot of push back as the Act takes away many rights of freedom. The movie touched on how in times of disaster people will go along with anyone who says they are doing what is best for survival and safety. It was an action packed movie, while gory at times, I still recommend it.
The Release of Stress and Toxins
They say that prelims have a season, but once the first one hits it seems as if they never end. The massage on Saturday was a great stress reliever from the prelim season, and the constant stress that the semester always brings. At the end of my massage, my masseuse told me that it was good to drink a lot of water after a massage, something I had never heard before. It made me curious so I looked it up to see why. Apparently massages release a lot of toxins which need to be flushed out. Overall, Saturday’s massage was a relaxing and informative experience.
Destiny in Forrest Gump
I had never before seen Forrest Gump, though I of course knew the iconic line “Run, Forrest, Run”. The reflection pool scene was definitely my favorite part! But I was also fascinated by the discussion of destiny that occurred throughout the entire movie, especially the question about whether or not we make our own destiny or if there is a destiny out there waiting for us no matter our actions. I believe that we all have a role in the world, but that our actions do define us, whether they are influenced by the destiny awaiting us or cause our destiny is an impossible question to ask. As long as we make peace with what happens in our lives, like Lieutenant Dan eventually does, then life can be lived to the fullest. Forrest Gump was definitely a great movie that I already want to watch again!