A Tribute To A Tree

When my family moved into their new house years and years ago (Like Freshman year I think, and when you consider that was nearly a fourth of my life ago, it was a while ago for me) one of the things I liked the most was this impressive old Oak (I actually have no idea what time it really was, I just always called it an oak) tree in our back yard (well the backyard of our neighbors whose backyard was behind ours.)  

Standing alone in a field, a remnant from a previous time this tree captured my photographic imagination. 

Literally every camera I've ever owned one of the first thing I'd take a picture of was this tree. 

During every season. (These photographs were taken by my first four cameras.) 

And in all sorts of weather

So it was with a heavy heart that I drove down after a lightning storm to see what had become of my old Oak.

So this is a tribute for a tree which stood as a landmark in my life. 

The Bee's Knees

Bee Closeup by Timothy Reid on 500px

As I promised, a photograph for this post.

It's hard to choose a random photograph from my collection without any idea of what I wanted. I have literally thousands to choose from.

So this photo was taken during my archaeological dig in Montana. We were at the dig site when all of a sudden, bees were everywhere. I mean everywhere! We were enjoying lunch and while most took shelter in the same rock shelter Native Americans had in ages previous I pulled out my camera and started stalking bees. This guy was particularly photogenic, landing on my daypack which made a great backdrop.

I had never been stung by a bee before this point. And it was only an accident that I was stung at all. I was sitting down and a bee crawled up my pant leg through a hole in the knee. I didn't know this so when I stood to get back to work the fabric tighten around the bee and in its panic it stung me. I still feel slightly guilty, so this post is in honor of that bee.

I Wish You . . . Would Just Be Happy

Shoot, a week behind. It was finals week and my part time job turned into a fullish time one. (Not that I'm complaining. I needed the extra money for the season of buying!)

So I'm going to post a rant first, then I'll find a photograph to post next to balance it out. 

This is by no means a new rant, I just wanted to throw my 2cents in. 

~~~~

Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays. Happy Hannukah. Happy Kwanzaa.

Why is there all this controversy over what should be said and not be said?

I mean is it really nothing more than misguided religious pride?

Let us do an experiment then! We'll take out the religion and just use greetings.

Hello. That's how I'd greet someone. (Well, more likely a quick 'Hey' with an awkward wave, but for the sake of this argument, Hello). And that's how most English speakers greet people. *There are literally hundreds of ways to greet someone in any given language, but lets keep this simple please.

Bonjour. That's French.

Hola. Spanish there.

(1)So if I'm in an area that speaks English as a primary language, I'll say hello.

(2)If I'm in an area that speaks, say French as a primary language I'll say Bonjour and grin ruefully at my accent.

(3) But even if I'm in an English speaking region, if I know someone would prefer me to say Hola instead of Hello, I'll say Hola.

I'm fairly certain that most people can understand my above anecdote.

(1) We say what we are used to saying.
(2) We say what we believe is typical/expected to be said.
(3) We can change what we say to make others comfortable.

Now, these three simple rules can be applied to this whole holiday mess.

(1) I'll say Merry Christmas because that's what I've said and heard said since I was a child.
(2) I'll say Happy Hannukah if I know I'm among people who celebrate Hannukah.
(3) If someone says they celebrate Kwanzaa I'll say Happy Kwanzaa without a second thought. (And likely ask them about Kwanzaa, because I realize I know surprisingly little about it)
(3.5) If someone wishes me a Happy Holidays, I'll say thank you and say it back at them.

Because in the end what I'm saying has nothing to do with pushing religion, everything to do with how I wish for them to feel; Happy.

~~~

Seems like a short rant. Originally I had this huge long thing typed up but I realized, what I'm trying to say is simple. So I rewrote it. I feel pretty good about it now.

Anyways, tell me your thoughts on the Holiday debate. Have a different perspective? Share it in the comments below.

And to everyone, I wish you happiness during this time of the year (and all other times while I'm at it)! 

"Oh, what are you going to do with that?"

"Oh, what are you going to do with that?"

This is the second most commonly asked question I get when I tell people my college major is Anthropology.

[The number one question, for those of you who might be curious, is "Isn't that like the study of bugs?" Which I give those people credit, they're close, but they are thinking of Arthopodology. Although why more people have heard of the study of bugs than the study of humans I'm a bit baffled.]

Now before college and during the beginning this question used to fill me with pride and excitement. I was passionate about it and would eagerly tell people about my dreams to travel the world, meeting all sorts of different people.

Oh how glorious and adventurous my future was to be!

But then I moved out of the college dorms where the government was essentially paying for housing, food, and the education. Without much parental help I was, for the first time supporting myself financially. I had learned the meaning of supporting one's self.

[For anyone reading this who is either going into college or has kids doing the same, get out of the dorms as soon as you can! Most colleges require the first 18 hours to be in the dorm but after that get out! Seriously. I figured out that I was paying essentially 800+ per month for room and board. That means me and my roommate were paying 1600 dollars per MONTH to live in a one room apartment with a crappy meal plan with food that'd soon turn your stomach.]

Suddenly the question made my stomach drop and my head spin. I came to dread it because I could finally understand what people were really asking me: "Will you be able to make enough money to survive?"

Okay, I realize intellectually that I was putting words in people's mouths. The truth was, I was hearing my own questions and fears in their words. Most people were just genuinely curious.

So there are three answers that I could give to this question. Each with their own truths and lies.

The first being the most simplistic and honestly the most naive:

"Companies and governments use anthropologists to integrate business and different cultures globally so hopefully I can get paid to travel and work with different people."

The second is the one which I've clinged to lately to save me from my own scorn. But I avoid telling people the whole thing for the main fact that it is a defensive answer and I know people aren't trying to attack me:

"I know very intelligent people with 'practical, realistic' degrees who are struggling to find a career. So instead of getting a degree that is specific and will serve me in one field that is sure to change by the time I get out of college, and possibly not even exist later down the road I have anthropology. Anthropology could easily be sold to an employer as the study of communication between different peoples. In this era cultures are increasingly clashing and grinding against each other so a person who could navigate through this chaos would be a valuable asset."

The third answer is perhaps the most honest but depending on my mood can be told with either stupid optimism or blind depression:

"I have no idea."

And I really don't have a solid idea, at least not one that I'm willing to bet everything on. But here is the thing, we live in an unsecure world, in both a positive and negative sense. So while it is good to have a plan, it should be seen as just as important to be able to adapt to a changing world and know how to seek opportunities.

So have a plan. Have a backup. Have several backups. But also have the confidence to let go of plans and adapt with change.

As my mother would always say, no matter how difficult things got, "We'll find a way, we always do."