Johnny Scofflaw - a caption contest

A photo came up the today on the Facebook page of a popular copper moonshine still manufacturer (Clawhammer Supply). It was for a photo caption contest that had some pretty creative caption entries. Perhaps because I was a Bear Cub, Cub Scout, Webelo, then Boy Scout, I immediately thought of the various 1950's era images we were surrounded with during my time in scouts and decided to go with the Boy Scout project theme. A few seconds later, I came up with this a caption for the image...

And with this one project, Johnny thought for sure he'd qualify for no less than seven Boy Scouts of America merit badges (American Heritage, Art, Chemistry, Cooking, Inventing, Metalwork, and Plumbing). Little did he realize that his Climbing, Hiking, Orienteering, Shotgun Shooting, Weather, Wilderness Survival, and Law merit badges would all serve him well as he eluded BATF agents in the ensuing raid.

I think there may be at least a few more merit badges that qualify...but I'm not sure the Boy Scouts of America would agree with me.

Have a caption you think fitting? Add it to the comments, below.

Long live fermentation science, creativity and the ingenuity of the human spirit!

An obituary

Extinguished Candle by Flickr user diannna-art

I was recently asked to help write an obituary for a friend (more of a family member, really) that recently moved up in the grand scheme of things. I was both honored and...somewhat terrified. Would I be up to the task? Would I cover everything that should be covered? Would my writing of the obituary be clouded(?) by my own particular and unique view of her (and our friendship)? Would I forget to include one of her relatives? Would I offend someone by including or excluding things about her life? Would the family like what I wrote?

So I was glad to have a partner-in-writing. In truth, my partner carried more of the writing load, something I was (perhaps?) oddly OK with - playing a more supportive rather than lead role. I set about my task with a near-religious fervor that rather surprised me. Perhaps it was because I was helping write it in relative obscurity. Or perhaps it was because the bulk of the writing fell to someone else. Regardless, it felt good to put together lists of people, career highlights, quotes, words I thought described or characterized her, and remembrances of her from others. From this, I was able to craft out a few paragraphs that had me feeling pretty good about it and that I felt (hoped) honored her. My partner-in-writing also crafted some wonderful text (better than I could ever have written) and, after we pulled it all together and put the finishing touches it on it, sent it off to the family for review.

And that's when my nerves really set in. Did they like it? Did they think it honored her enough? Would they think differently of me? Did the few words we laid down do her life justice? I said a quick prayer of tranquility and was suddenly bathed in the knowledge that it would be OK. They would like it. It was honorable and complete. It was as it should be.

I'm sure there are all kinds of hints and how-tos out there for writing obituaries. But I didn't want to find them. I just wanted to write what came from my heart. And trust that the (my) truths and understandings of who she was would come across correctly and be honorable.

And the one truth that really struck me was this: her family (our family) wanted us to write about her life...because they trusted us. And loved us. And we loved her (and them). And that was all that mattered. And in the end, that was all that mattered. The words came and fell together. We shared. Were trusted and trusted in return. And loved. And are loved. And we honored all of that. And in doing so, honored her and her life. And it was as it should be.

So if you are ever asked to write an obituary for a friend, I would just offer these few snippets: it will be emotionally trying. It will consume you for a bit. You will doubt. But hear - and believe - this: trust in those that asked you. Trust in their confidence in you. Trust in your knowledge of and relationship with that person. And trust your heart. For if you do that, everything will certainly turn out as it should.

Holy doppelganger! I found my (apparent) twin!

Have you ever had someone stop you, then realize who they thought you were, actually wasn't? And it's usually followed by some exclamation about how you have a twin roaming around (perhaps an evil twin). Ever had the feeling you may have been adopted? Have you played with that Facebook app, FaceDouble® Twins Doppleganger or other fun doppelganger games? My wife apparently has a twin...who lives about 20 miles from us in Alsea, Oregon. And it must be true. The guy at John Boy's Alsea Mercantile said so...after talking to her for a few minutes thinking she was someone else...while my wife just stood there incredulously thinking, "this is really strange...but so interesting!"

Some months back I happened across my apparent twin whilst doing water-related research on the web! His name is Chris Perceval. He lives on the East Coast in the Washington, DC metro area and works for the World Resources Institute (WRI). While he appears to be my twin, he can't be my doppelganger because he's apparently doing good things, right?! Anyway, I posted his WRI pic on Facebook to see how many of my high school friends and family also saw the similarities. Most couldn't actually believe it wasn't me!

I've searched around for the web for some late high school photos of myself and could only come up with one (pictured below), but I know I have one nearly identical to Chris'. Once I find it in my cedar chest of old pics, I'll scan and post it. For the time being, here's a pic of me in middle school and one of me in high school. They aren't dead ringers but the resemblance is uncanny.

Jeremiah or Chris? (It's Chris, BTW)

Jeremiah or Chris? (It's me, BTW)

Me in middle school. Both lower left pics.

While not dead ringers (I have one somewhere!), I find the resemblance somewhat chilling. Do you seemingly have a twin, too? Care to share the story or pics? I'd love to hear them. Comment away!

Strange lines (a poem)

Time isn't linear.
We now know that...
(or do we?)
But what is it?
And how does a singular life
follow along it?
In haste?
Fleeting, flooding, continuous(?)...
for a time.

Time.
Perhaps it's not surprising
that time had a beginning...
but an end?
Acutely aware
that life has an end
at some point in time.
But that life provides a stamp in time
that is lasting.
Affecting.
Unwavering?

Strange lines,
life
and time.

Planning for Extreme Weather Events

As I was sitting in the office one fine June day in 2009 watching a severe weather cell steamroll its way through the Willamette Valley, I couldn’t help but marvel at its awesome, enveloping presence and destructive potential. My officemates and I were first alerted to its impending arrival by the rapid darkening of the skies to the East and South of us. Then, almost imperceptibly at first but rapidly building to a crescendo, the riparian songbirds began filling the skies in what can only be described as a frenzy. The office was abuzz with nervous excitement as we all watched the wind begin whipping the waterfront vegetation – gently at first but rapidly increasing to “violent storm” and “hurricane” force winds (literally; 3-4 categories stronger than “gale force” winds on the Beaufort Wind Scale). According to the NOAA Severe Storm Alert for the area, winds had already been measured in excess of 70 mph and a tornado watch was issued for some of the surrounding areas (rumor had it that one had touched down about 5 miles east of us; it was later confirmed by the National Weather Service). And the excitement level in the office was fed by alarming statements in NOAA’s Tornado and Severe Thunderstorm warnings for the area:

DOPPLER RADAR SHOWS CIRCULATING WIND PATTERNS THAT…MAY PRODUCE TORNADOES.

and

PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.

But what I was most struck by (no, not lightning), was how these sorts of extreme weather events are becoming more commonplace in the Willamette Valley (throughout all of Oregon, the Pacific Northwest, and beyond, really). Indeed, tornadoes touched down in Oregon about 8.5 times per decade from 1950 through 1989, but touched down at three times that rate (~32 per decade) since (see below; data from NOAA’s National Climate Data Center). The trends look similar for Oregon’s extreme wind and precipitation events.

Number of tornadoes, by decade, that touched down in Oregon.

But extreme (think “outlier”) weather events are certainly not unique to Oregon. Globally, extreme weather events are cropping up with alarming regularity. One has only to watch the news for a couple of days to see a new high temperature “record setting day” in this place or that. Moscow, Russia, typically known for its cool (alright, cold) climate, had its first 100 degree Fahrenheit day last July. In fact, it had several 100 degree days this summer while dozens of other countries were also setting record high temperatures (see below). Los Angeles, California just set an all-time record high temperature (113 degrees F) while Seattle, Washington came one degree shy of setting an all-time record high September dewpoint (see an animation of the “moisture river” from October 2010, here).

Countries that set record high temperatures in 2010.

Climatologists indicate “extreme” weather events (think, 100-year flood event or the like) may become more commonplace as our planet experiences climatic changes. And extreme events can play a dramatic role in influencing a suite of biological and economic processes. One has only to search the web to find scores of examples (see some here, here, and here). Unfortunately, many of our biological and economic models do a relatively poor job of incorporating “infrequent” (and/or catastrophic) events. Partly as a result (see "The Black Swan"), natural resource management plans largely overlook these events when estimating future abundance and distribution of species. And disaster management plans are often ill-equipped to deal with large, catastrophic events that occur relatively frequently (project ARkStorm is a notable exception).

What is becoming increasingly clear is that as climate variability increases, the interval of “infrequent,” extreme events is decreasing. Is this novel in recorded human history? Not necessarily (think 1930’s US “Dust Bowl” droughts). We just happen to have recently been through a relatively stable period. But the importance of preparing for more frequent “extreme events” – both from a biological and economic perspective – should follow suit…but with enough urgency to put us ahead on the planning curve. Shouldn’t we at least have a sense for how the natural world might adapt to increases in frequency of these “extreme” events? Granted, extreme events are by their very nature, unpredictable. But we have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in our houses in calculated anticipation of (and preparedness for) “the event,” even though the probability of it actually occurring is quite low. Shouldn’t we also be planning for these climatic, biological and economic low-probability, extreme events? Are we – as natural resource and economic managers – going to be prepared? Or are we going to maintain the status quo (e.g., crisis management) and be forced to shift our conservation efforts to “managed retreat”?

Seth Godin's "Linchpin": an unsettling call to be indispensable

I've never been one to be too swayed by hype. "Even-keeled" might better sum up how I approach things. Or, perhaps, "eternal optimist with a pessimistic-front-end-take". Either way, I haven't read any of Seth Godin's books but do follow the discussions and reviews about them/him. But I've gotta say, after reading recent reviews, including John Bergquist's, I've put "Linchpin" on my reading list.

Not that I think anyone can be technically "indispensable", mind you, but some people make themselves more useful than others. This is where I think Lowell Thompson appears to miss the point (at least partially). Doesn't making oneself useful to others, especially over the long run, help solidify that person's place in the pack? I tend to think so. It's sort of the classic "I want Johnny/Janey on MY team because they can throw a mean curve-ball" effect. Could the team survive without them? Perhaps. Would it be nearly as functional? That's debatable.

But Lowell's post illustrates the dichotomy between the "literal" and "figurative" camps (sensu Biblical translation) and getting too bogged down in the details. While "chance" and "happenstance" certainly appear to play a role in some situations, I'm more inclined to think that "indispensable" people tend to "make lemonade when life presents lemons." Is that useful to others (as Lowell points out)? It no doubt can be. Indispensable? Maybe not in the strictest sense of the term...but certainly in the figurative sense.

Read the full Bergquist entry at HuffingtonPost.

Fostering a Sense of Place

 

Not long ago, I found myself amidst a group of energetic 6th graders on a field trip to Andrew Wiley Park (Sweet Home, Oregon) on the banks of the South Santiam River. The field trip, sponsored by The Freshwater Trust (formerly Oregon Trout and the Oregon Water Trust), was one of dozens that are held each fall in Oregon as part of the Salmon Watch program (now a part of StreamWebs.org) designed to raise kids’ awareness of and appreciation for the value of native wild fish, aquatic conservation, and environmental stewardship. It’d been nearly six years since I last volunteered my time with this particular program and I was reflecting on the similarities and differences I observed in the kids then and now. Probably true the world over, the kids on this particular field trip displayed their youthful exuberance and boundless enthusiasm (and thirst) for learning. They were both playful and inquisitive, outgoing and shy, noisy and quiet, grossed out by a decaying salmon carcass but too engrossed in learning something novel and being able to touch it to pull themselves away. For all apparent purposes, this group of kids could have been any normal group of kids.

Mostly I was struck by an underlying and unspoken – yet acutely aware of – sense from many of the kids that being outdoors and interacting with the rest of the natural world was an almost completely foreign occurrence for them. And I was saddened (I actually felt a dull pain in my chest/heart) to realize that for many of these kids, this probably was one of the first times in their lives they’d been encouraged to explore the outdoors. I’m an eternal optimist but couldn’t help but think that perhaps Richard Louv is right – too many children these days are afflicted with nature-deficit disorder.

But I found a great deal of hope and inspiration in this group of kids’ inquisitive, playful attitudes and eagerness to “dive right in” and turn over rocks, touch a decaying salmon, and ask the tough questions (e.g., “Why do salmon have to die?”). I loved seeing them get excited about the world around them…and I couldn’t help but catch some of that childhood wonder. It was a remarkably rewarding positive feedback loop and I basked in its warm glow for some time while we all stood by the river’s edge, awed by nature’s complexities. And I was glad to know that groups like The Freshwater Trust are out there making sure opportunities exist for kids to “get connected” to nature. Any more, too many of these types of opportunities are disappearing. While we find ourselves in tough economic times, more and more people are “staying local” and exploring their surrounding areas. Wouldn’t it make sense to bolster programs that speak to the local areas, environments and critters rather than cutting them? And give recognition to businesses that are not only willing to let their employees disappear from a day of work to volunteer with programs like this, but are committed to helping our children develop these connections and foster that sense of wonder? Our world needs more of these people and programs.

Nevertheless, my interactions with these children left two deep (and familiar) impressions on me. First, if conservation efforts are to have a lasting effect, children need, at an early age, to develop and maintain an intimate relationship with the rest of the natural world – we, their parents, friends and relatives, are the foundational role in that development; we are their keystone examples. Second, regardless of age, it’s important to foster the child in all of us – for that same childhood sense of wonder is what keeps many of us moving forward. And if we don’t maintain that childlike sense of wonder as adults, how can we hope to pass it along to our children?