I’ve never taken a class that was so welcoming of conversation in the way that this class is. I’ve  never been discouraged to raise a hand to speak in class. Overall, I think that the way the class was conducted was effective in encourage us to go with the flow of the conversation as well as continuously open the space up to new ideas and contributions. I think this especially worked well because it seemed as though everyone in the class cared about what we were learning about and what each individual in the class had to say, whether they agreed or disagreed. What I learned about myself, though, is that for certain class discussion I think I need a more structured environment to feel comfortable speaking up.

Site Sit Experience  - based on class discussion

After reading over my posted observations and experiences of each weekly site sit, I think I generally tried to take a fairly creative approach to my writing. I wonder if maybe I tried to be too poetic in the way that I wrote, and I also wonder if this, in a way, hindered my perception of and connection with the place I was writing about. Not in every case, but in most, I was looking for poetry in what I saw rather than just taking it in as it was. That having been said, I do not necessarily regret recording my site sits the way I did because this experience helped me to learn how I handle my own perceptions of my natural surroundings.

This is a magical place where I suddenly remember everything I was supposed to do. This place is where I go for rejuvenation, reflection, and solace. This place makes me want to go places, try new things and meet people.This place is amazing because it makes me smile and gives me hope and shows me that there is so much more to life and I forget how empty I felt before when I'm here. This place reminds me that I have no obligation to be the same person I was 5 minutes ago. 

            Froggie315 in “I just can’t get the poetry of the trees” separates being a part of a community from representing the world: “I’ve accepted that I can’t do it, and I’ve moved on to what I see as the most important kind of environmental work: being a part of a community” (froggies315 1). I think we must hold these two thoughts together: being part of a community and most fully and deeply representing the world.

            Froggie 315 in “I just can’t get the poetry of the trees” explains the value of representation: “Our inability to explain things the way they actually are is not a deficit. That is what make our representations precious” (froggie 315 1).

As we wrap up this class, I had a few more things that I wanted to add to our ongoing conversation. Going back a little ways to Terry Tempest Williams, I just wanted to touch on something that we started to get to in our class discussion, but then we ended up going in circles a bit on other topics. To be perfectly honest, I spent the first few pages of an An Unspoken Hunger deflecting. It was so emotional after everything we’d read, so personal, that I think I didn’t know how to respond, so I responded how I do to most arguments made from places of emotion—I gave it less weight.

this is a retroactive posting of the seventh inside posting (it was emailed originally)

this is a retroactive post of thoughts from my site sit (emailed to anne on march 24th)

- morris woods was my first instinct/choice when I originally wanted to pick a spot on campus. at the time i turned it down due to the cold and ended up near park instead (which is more familiar and protected from wind) but now i'm willing to just deal with it in order to get that fresh air away from the buildings i spend so many hours in.
- my sense of cold is so different from when i'm in california... 50 or 60 degrees here seems WARM but at home that would have me piling on the sweaters. this isnt' a new realization but it still fascinates me.

A Refelction on My Site Sit Experience

I do not know why I found it increasingly difficult to return to my site sit each week. I could blame it on the weather or timing or other inconveniences that came up throughout the semester, but I’m not sure I should. Maybe it’s as simple as this: I got bored. I got distracted and lazy, and maybe I should have tried harder…or may I should have changed my site. This is something that never seriously occurred to me until it was only an afterthought. I did not even want to consider changing my site because I didn’t want to give up on myself and my connection that I thought I had and wanted to continue to explore with this place. In short, I’m not sure that my weeks of “being” in this environment and posting about it did the place justice.

Saying Goodbye to My Site

This place is waking up now. The breeze laughs coolly. The trees stretch their limbs.

This place, now, is rustling… is restless… is riled… is ready

This place is worn now. The field’s shoulders are sunken. The core’s left soppy by lazy rainfall.

This place, now, even still, is rustling… is restless… is riled… is ready.

This place says a sleepy good morning now. I say a tired goodbye.

...as an adaptive (and environmentally friendly?) choice?
Hmmm....see Lineage Enders (vs. "ultra nurturers"?)