Humanities Travel Narrative - A trip into Beauty and History

I awoke from a small nap to a wide open road of nothing but darkness as I look to my left I see my boyfriend with hazy brown eyes hanging over the steering wheel like a gorilla with a cup full of hot coffee to keep him driving on our adventurous trip to San Antonio. “are we there yet” is the first words that popped out of my mouth in my raspy half asleep voice, I was surprised to hear his answer that we were about five minutes away. Excitement rushed over me and it gave me a small burst of energy  and for that short ride into downtown I was awake and anxious to see our room in the hotel. About five minutes later we arrived in the hotel parking lot as we pulled in I looked up at a large neon sign that felt to me as it was one hundred feet tall and glowing with a warm welcoming light calling to me bragging about the comfort it held inside its heated rooms.

                It was a light rain outside and the weather was very chilling on my skin I stepped out of the car and ran into the lobby with my hands pulling over my hood to keep my face dry, As I walked up to the counter and asked the hotel front desk attendant about our room and she handed me our room key I was sure the first night of our vacation had just began. We slowly walked down a long hall towards a big elevator as I look to my left and my right I notice beautiful paintings, paintings that took me to a warm summer field with just one glance. As we entered the elevator I noticed the lighting had changed the elevator felt dark and creepy, as it lifted us to the third floor it creaked and whined. I felt frightened little so I reached for my boyfriend’s arm it was so warm and comforting. We finally made it to our rooms I swiped the room key and we stumbled into our comfortable king size bed, I slept like a baby.

              

          The next day I was awoken by my boyfriend gently shaking me and whispering to me “wakeup sunshine, were burning daylight baby!” we headed down to the lobby for some breakfast. As soon as we stepped off the elevator the smell of waffles filled our nostrils, and these were no ordinary waffles these were Texas shaped waffles. The Texas shaped waffles gave our vacation the real” San Antonio feel” and they tasted amazing with that smooth and rich maple syrup drizzled all across every inch of that golden crispy waffle. After our nutritious breakfast we headed out on to the streets of downtown San Antonio headed toward the Riverwalk. We walked two or three blocks until we found an entrance on to the riverwalk the scenery was absolutely beautiful! Ducks swam up the river in groups

of two or three and it seemed as if they were swimming with us guiding us on our path down the river. We stopped to look at our small map that we grabbed on the way out of the hotel lobby after breakfast, first on the list was the Alamo and we were determined to get there before lunch. I left the navigation up to my boyfriend who sounded very assuring when he told me “ive got it babe” needless

to say we ended up on the other end of the river walk and after some recalculations and myself stepping up and taking charge of our small map we finally made it close to the main strip of the riverwalk. On top of the river walk in downtown was a large government building the front had massive arches in the entrance and made out of beautiful red and brown bricks. I later learned it was the Bexar County Courthouse it was completed in 1926 my boyfriend and I had stumbled upon some rich history and it didn’t end there. In front of this enormous building was a bell standing it looked very heavy and strong looked as if it was
made of good material reminding me of freedom and endurance the kind of endurance that the soldiers showed at the Alamo winning our freedom from Mexico against Santa Anna’s mighty army.

              

     

             We continued on into downtown right around the corner from the Alamo and realized that we were about to be in the middle of a large veterans day parade, As we stood there looking around at all of the soldiers young and old gathering in groups I look up at another beautiful building. This was a post office its walls were an elegant white standing tall were large columns holding up the top of the building. These columns were perfectly placed and organized in distance apart just like the type of organization it takes to run a post office. I was staring up at the post office and my boyfriend pointed out to me that a small tent was being set up by the Wounded Warrior Project. The wounded warrior project is a group that donates and helps soldiers who are injured fighting for their country and takes care of their families. My boyfriend has enlisted in the coast guard and leaves December 17^th and we both love everything that the wounded warrior project does for our “brothers in arms” so we donated the cash we had in our pockets and thanked them for all they do and have given for our country.

                We walked down the street to a corner directly across from the Alamo were we decided we would watch the parade during our wait for the parade to start, I noticed a beautiful hotel. I don’t have much information about this hotel other than it took my breath away with its tall beautiful vintage style architecture. It had so many windows I could only imagine looking out one of them into the city, it was like a dream. The outside sidewalk of the hotel was busy with hotel customers and valet employees the hustle of the hotel service seemed like something out of a movie centered in downtown New York City.

                The parade was beautiful and extremely long. After enduring the long veterans parade my stomach was screaming at me to fill it with delicious and nutritious food. So we wandered back down on to the riverwalk and found a nice Mexican restaurant to eat at. After our yummy lunch we headed off to the river theatre the scenery was extravagant. I could only imagine the beautiful sounds of a mariachi band flowing through the theatre that was full of rich Mexican history.

                Later after all of our adventures we go back up on the streets of downtown to wander some more. We walked up and down the streets going to various shops with all kinds of merchandise. Only one store really stuck out in this trip that grabbed my attention like no other shop I have ever entered. It was a small antique shop filled with so much history and delicate items from at least one hundred years ago. One of the items that really touched my heart was a mint green uniform with just a few patches and a small beret style hat, a Girl Scout uniform. This Girl Scout uniform really meant so much to me because I myself am a Girl Scout and have been for a number of years. I stood in front of this uniform for at least ten minutes in awe.

                My vacation was filled with amazing adventures and rich history that I brought home and shared with family members like my baby sister who is also a Girl Scout. I enjoyed every second of my vacation and would suggest to anyone they take some time to visit San Antonio and venture out not just focus on the main attractions. So much history lies hidden in San Antonio go find it! 

An ongoing experience

My mother became a stay-at-home-mom when my baby sister started school, six years ago.  She had always worked to help my father provide for us five children, but when the baby became old enough for school my mother decided she wanted to be there for her because she wasn’t able to be there for the rest of us. Well, everyone loved mom not working. Dinner was always cooked. We were able to participate in extracurricular activities because now we had a ride. Our childhood became better. My mother didn’t stay a stay-at-home-mom, a couple of years later my parents began living a tight budget. My mom decided to go back to work even though my dad told her he would work extra jobs that she doesn’t need to go back to work. At this point all of my other siblings have moved out and my baby sister and I are the only children left in the house. When my mother began her new job almost all of the responsibilities that my mom took care of was pushed into my hands. Every day, still to this day, I find a way to get my sister to school and make it to school for myself on time. After school I either go grocery shopping or I go home. Once I am home I make sure the house is clean “spot-less”. Before I could drive I would make sure to get my sister off the bus, now that I drive I pick her up after school. I cook dinner while I help her with her homework, clean the kitchen, then get her ready for bed. By this time my mom comes home, loves on her, then go separate ways to go to bed.  I stay up to do my homework and study.

At first I was very frustrated and upset that my parents dumped their child on me, leaving me to raise her as if she was my own. I became mad and upset that I was unable to do things I wanted. I had no social life. Anywhere I go my sister comes with me because she is too young to be left alone.  Once I graduated high school I came to a realization that even though I am raising my sister, I don’t mind. My sister and I have a relationship like no other sibling. When she tells me about her day at school, the words that she says puts a smile on my face because I know that I taught her to speak in an appropriate uplifting manner. My sister has brought great joy in my life and I do not think that we would have the opportunity to be so close if my mom was to not gone back to work. Taking care of the house and grocery shopping has been a plus because when I do go out on my own I will be prepared. I may be raising a ten year old child at the age of 19 but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I see so much of myself in her and she has learned many skills that will make her successful in life through me. We have been positive influences on each other’s lives and always will be. I look forward to helping her every day and when she is at a friend’s house I count down the minutes until she returns. 

Light Pollution on Animals

I plan on writing my research paper over the effects lighting has on birds and turtles. Many people joke and laugh about birds flying into building, calling them “stupid”. What the people do not know is that the deaths of many birds are from the lights that they are using. People need to be aware that birds are dying from hitting buildings and dropping several stories. When thought about, most of society goes to the beach with no intentions that the beach is turtle egg laying territory. When the turtles hatch and attempt to go back into the ocean they rely on light, so city lights can be an issue. Studies have been done on birds and what type of lights effect there flight patterns. More research is being taken part by me on how to help survival rates of turtles. I plan on using pathos, persuasion through emotion, and ethos, persuasion through credibility. I want to be able to persuade people who have big hearts and people who need facts in order to believe or care. In the film The City Dark, Ian Cheney and his crew are on a beach and talk about how thousands of Florida sea turtles get disorientated because of city lights. Also in the film, an Ornithologist at the Audubon Society, Susan Elbin discusses how billions of birds in the United States are killed from building collisions. I would like to maybe begin the paper with a quote from Chad Moore, of National Parks Services, “When we add light to the environment, that has the potential to disrupt habitat, just like running a bulldozer over the landscape can. Darkness is a necessary habitat for nocturnal animals…”(qtd. in City Dark). So far I have found articles about research that has been performed to find a light that does not affect bird migration. I have found articles about sea turtle hatchlings and how artificial lights from the city effects their way to the sea. I have been able to find my articles on Google Scholar. The research will be able to reinforce the legitimacy of my claim and persuade people to become aware. Research will plan a significant role in my essay because it has enabled me to be more informed on the issues and has informed me on ways that may be able to help the animals. If I am educated on the topic, from my research, then it will be easier and more informative when the essay is read. I hope that my paper will be informative and emotional enough to reach out to people who do not think about anything but the well-being of themselves. The way I see it, for every one person that is affected by my paper they will tell a friend or family member. Then, that friend or family member will also tell a friend or family member. Therefore, eventually many people will know about the dangers of light pollution to animals and something will be done to help animal survival. 

the need for light

According to director Ian Cheney, “There is controversy over whether more light leads to less crime, but there is agreement that light seems to make people feel safer, almost like it’s built into our genes to move closer to the campfire or to the brightest city” (City Dark). People have a struggle against darkness. As a woman, I do not like going anywhere when it is dark out of fear that I will be abducted. Abduction at night would be the smartest. Someone can sneak up to you and you wouldn't know it until they have you trapped. I believe that if someone was going to commit a crime it would be easier to get away with if committed at night. It would be easier to slip away from a crime without any face recognition if it is dark. Most people feel that if you can see a shadow they feel safer. Personally at night, I feel safer if I have a dim light and music playing when I go to bed. If my bedroom is dark and silent I tend to lie in my bed frightened. In the mornings when I take my dog outside to use the restroom, I panic if he barks because I cannot see if anyone is there. There is just a since of needing light to feel safe. My sister also has to sleep with a light and noise. She runs through the house if the lights are all off because she is frightened. I do not think it is a fear of the dark but a fear of what could be in the dark. Anything or anyone could be lingering in the dark but you wouldn't be able to see. If I do go somewhere after dark I park under a light in case someone attempts to hurt me I can see their face. My mom and I keep flashlights in our purses. I believe Cheney when he says “almost like it’s built into our genes to move closer the campfire”. There is an indescribable need of light when it is dark. My body becomes uncomfortable, stressed, and freighted when put into the dark. It is just built into me that I need light to feel safe. 

All because of the Stars

In the film The City Dark, Jeff Kuhn, astronomer at the University of Hawai’i, states “If our civilization didn't see the stars and didn't see how big the universe was, would they come to believe that they’re more important in this much tinier universe because that’s all they see?” (qtd. in City Dark). I believe that if people did not see the stars they would believe they are more important in the universe. If people do not see that there is something bigger than them of course they will think they are more important. People would think they are the most powerful and more dominate than the animals and plants. People think that because animals and plants do not speak that they are less intelligent than themselves. But, plants and animals are smart in different ways. Plants eat, drink, breath, and reproduce just as humans only in a different manner. Animals eat, drink, breath, and reproduce just as humans and usually in a similar manner. Aren't humans a type of animal? Doesn't that make us in a way equal as the others? According to the food chain we are higher than other animals but if I was to come into a situation with a lion I would not see myself being more powerful than him. The lion would dominate over me. How do I know there are lions though? I don’t walk out my door and see them. I am educated that in another part of the world there are animals that do not live on the continent that I live on. How do people know that there are other continents? Before there were cities full of lights a man looked up at the clear sky and saw millions of stars and believed that there is more stuff past his home. A man explored the lands, buy star navigation, and came across things he had never seen before. A man build a boat and sailed through the ocean, by star navigation, and discovered land, animals, plants, and people that he had never seen before. I know that there is a lion in Africa because a man followed the stars and discovered that the world is more than it seems. People are only germs compared to the universe. How do I know that there is a universe? One, I can look up in the sky and see a sea of stars. Two, men and women risked their lives to fly toward the stars to see if there is more than just stars. All of these adventures were all because some looked up at the stars and realized that there is something bigger than them. All because of the stars…

Twinkle Twinkle Little Colt

Buttercup when pregnant

 Buttercup when pregnant

Buttercup and her colt

Underneath the star filled sky of Hankamer, Texas, I watched the miracle of life. Our family horse, Buttercup, gave birth to her beautiful colt. The sweet relief on her face, after carrying the large baby after so many months, was absolutely amazing. Not only was Buttercup relieved, but my family was relieved that she had a successful birth. My family and I watched as Buttercup cared for her baby. TShe licked the colt clean and helped it stay standing when it would stumble. It was such a wonderful experience and very emotional for all of us. I looked over at my father and noticed a tear in his eye. The amazement of the entire family and all the friends around me was comforting. As we watched the two, the colt began to find Buttercups nipple so it could eat. We looked at each other in astonishment, amazed at how the colt knew that was her source of nourishment. It is explainable how the colt knew without having to be told. It is amazing to think of how the colt was once sperm in the male horse and an egg in Buttercup then it comes together and grows into a baby horse. Then once the colt it fully configured it naturally comes out and into the world. Without instruction the colt learns to balance and walk experiencing the world through its newly developed eyes. It was the little things that amazed us. As we walked out of the barn to head home I looked up and stopped in my tracks to admire the sky. Stars were everywhere I looked. I was able to detect constellations. As I began to see the way the stars lined up I began to wonder how the constellations work. How did the stars form in space? What is the purpose of stars? While staring at the stars I began to realize how amazing the night sky is. I began to see the beauty in the sky. It is weird how the stars come together naturally, with no instructions, just like the colt being born. The stars line up and create pictures and have meanings, same as the colt has a meaning. I am not sure what the meanings of the stars are, or the meaning of the colt is, but I believe they do have a meaning. 

“Reading the Obituary Page” by Linda Pastan and “Request” by Lawrence Raab, are two poems of similar interest. Both of these poems can be associated with death.

“Reading the Obituary Page”, when first read, can be thought as about a little kids birthday party. Looking at the poem again, you can see the narrator is realizing that death will come. Pastan writes “in starched dresses/with ribbons/ in miniature jackets/ and tiny ties”. When Pastan was a child, when accompanying a birthday party you dressed in a dress or jacket with your bow ties. When people pass away they are dressed in a dress or jacket with their bow ties. When Pastan writes “we would circle/ the chairs/ at birthday parties/ when the music stopped, lunge to be seated”, literally she mean the children are playing musical chairs but figuratively she could be meaning that everyone is running around having fun with life and when their life (music) stops they lunge into a casket (seat). To end the poem Pastan writes, “one/ by one we were welcomed to hard ground and empty air”. What she could mean is that one by one her friends began to die, welcomed to hard ground (being buried) and empty air (death).

“Request”, is about a person who is sitting down, probably close to death, deciding what song that they want played at their funeral. Raab writes, “Play it at the end of the service/after my friends have spoken/I don’t believe I’ll be listening in”. One can tell that the narrator is talking about a funeral because at funerals music is played at the end, your friends go up and speak memories of you, and the narrator also says “I don’t believe I’ll be listening in”, which tells the reader that he will be dead. Not only is the narrator picking a song to be played at their funeral but they want to pick something that has a bit of cheer in it. Raab writes “Sad enough/at first, but doesn’t it slide into/tapping your feet, then clapping your hands”.

bothering poem

A poem that bothers me is “Highway 12, just east of Paradise, Idaho” written by Robert Wrigley. What bothers me is the description of how a doe was killed. It breaks my heart to know that the animal was killed and reading how her tongue was hanging out and her eyes were vacant. The poem describes what happen to the doe, the doe “skated many yards… fell slowly”. The narrator says “her neck caught a sign post that spun her across both lanes and out of sight”. I don’t understand the reason to write a poem about a doe’s death on highway 12 just east of paradise, Idaho. Maybe, the narrator was scared that he hit the doe. The narrator caused an innocent doe to lose its life. I can only imagine the narrator felt remorse and they may be why he wrote the poem. At the end of the poem, after the narrator tells about the deer hitting the sign post and spinning across the lanes and out of sight he says “For which, I admit, I was grateful, the road there being dark, narrow, and shoulderless”. Wondering why he was grateful for this, the conclusion that he was grateful the doe landed on the side of the road instead of in the middle of the road where someone could hit it again. He was grateful that it was dark so that way when someone drives by the doe is out of sight so they wouldn’t see the dead animal. He was grateful the road did not have a shoulder because without a shoulder there is not a place for a car to stop, if a car pulled over and stopped they could accidently find the dead doe and what a horrible discovery that would be. 

Comparison of two poems

       The poems “Variations on the Word Sleep” by Margaret Atwood and “Monorhyme for the Shower” by Dick Davis are structured around someone they love. The two poems share similarities and differences.

       The author, Dick Davis, of “Monorhyme for the Shower” is sitting back admiring a woman in the shower. This is concluded from the description of her lifting her arms to soap her hair (line 1). As the author watches the woman, he realized how quick time passed since he first loved her. He says “the movement of that buoyant pair [her breasts] is like a spell to make me swear twenty-odd years have turned to air” (lines3-5). Now he flashes back to when they are young and he wouldn’t dare approach her or to ask her out (line7-8). Years passed, they have been together and had children. He still has a burning love for her and at the end of the poem she turns to him after her shower and smiles that he is there. The author is amazed that the girl he loved when he was young, the girl he was afraid to confess his love to, is his wife of twenty plus years and she loves him.

       In the poem “Variations of the Word Sleep”, by Margaret Atwood, the narrator expressed how they would like to watch “you”, someone they love, sleep. They say it may not happen (line 2). This could mean that they may never be together. The narrator loves the sleeper but they do not love her. The narrator wants to enter the sleeper’s dreams. The narrator wants to experience the beauty in the dream and wants to be able to protect the sleeper from their fear. The narrator wants to be unnoticed but necessary, as necessary as air is to breath.

       The narrator in both poems is admiring a loved one and thinking about them. The difference between the two is that in “Monorhyme for the Shower” the narrator has their love, but in “Variations of the Word Sleep” the narrator wants the other person’s love.

Channeled energies

As a child I channeled my creative energies by participating in academic activities. I have always possessed a love for learning. One thing I enjoyed to do was read, after I read a book I put it on a bookshelf I had in my room. I remember specifically when I was eight years old and I would stay in my bedroom and alphabetize my books and write numbers inside the cover, then I would pretend I owned a library and I checked books out to fake people. 

Along with pretending to have a library, I pretended to be a teacher. I would construct a lesson plan and place my stuffed animals in rows, as if they were in desks. My mom would buy me books that had math activities, reading activities, or writing activities. I taught my fake class the work in those books. When I no longer wanted to play school I would do my brother’s, who is four years older, math homework.

That lasted until I was in the sixth grade, at that time I signed up for the school band and learned to play the flute. I gained a passion for playing music and from then on I channeled my energies into playing musical instruments. Beginning in the sixth grade I played the flute, by the time I graduated I was able to also play the piano and percussion instruments (such as snare and xylophone). Academic activities have shaped my life by allowing me to make outstanding grades in school with no difficulties. Still to this day when I am troubled by life I pick up a book or play an instrument and I am transported into a world that nobody else can enter. 

What a Surprise

It was my sixth birthday, my family and I lived in a yellow house off of Barkaloo st. located in, at the time a small town, in Texas. It was a sunny weekend, weather I was not used to on my birthday. Having a birthday in April typically meant my special day would include rain. Not that day though, that day was different. My parents woke me up that morning by jumping on my bed while yelling “Happy Birthday!” That was a morning surprise. I stumbled out of bed, walked down the hall, through the living room, and into the kitchen where I enjoyed a delicious birthday breakfast. After I finished eating I continued on with the daily routine of brushing my teeth, getting dressed, and my mother fixing my hair. While mom was fixing my hair, my dad asked me to accompany him to the store to purchase a few grocery items. So, I happily went with my dad. When we arrived back at the house, to my surprise, my mother had organized a party. I recall opening the door and a lot of people jumped out and shouted “Happy Birthday!” It was the most amazing feeling to see so many people at my house to celebrate with me. As I walked in I was greeted by cousins, aunts, uncles, people across the street, people next door, and children from my class at school. There was confetti on the kitchen table, balloons on the floor, balloons floating on the ceiling, a birthday cake with my name on it, cupcakes, and lots of presents. We all celebrated and had a wonderful time. At the end of the party all of the adults left but all of the children stayed. About seventeen boys and girls stayed the night at my house that night. The girls slept in my room and the boys slept in my brother’s room. We stayed up all night playing hide and seek in the dark and by the time we finally went to sleep it was time to wake up so everyone could go home. It was the best birthday. Afterwards, my parents agreed to not have that many kids stay at our house again.