Archive for March, 2005
In Bush Country
Tuesday, March 8th, 2005I arrived in San Antonio, TX on Friday. I decided to escape Boston and go home with a friend. We’re actually in Corpus Christi enjoying the amazing beach at the moment. More later.
Thanks to everyone who sent me e-mail this past week. Appreciate it :-*
Web Cam
Monday, March 7th, 2005
Why God
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2005Emerson Mourns the Death of Faculty Member Alan Hankin
Alan was my favorite professor at Emerson. He was the first professor I encountered who cared about students outside of academia. He helped me so much last semester and I still cannot believe that he’s gone.
The most significant aspect about Alan was his faith. I am not talking about Christianity. Alan’s faith was science. He was the first atheist that I have ever adored. Alan’s connection with nature led him to believe that the rules of nature were the only applicable rules to anything, no acceptation to humans. The most humans could possibly do is explore and manipulate within those rules.
Alan taught that no respectable faith was exclusionary. Much discussion in my honors biological evolution class centered on religious faith and science. Alan’s only criticism of religious faiths was exclusivity to alternative thinking. Christianity and science did not have to be mutually exclusive. Each were respectable methods of looking at the world, so long as they didn’t exclude other methods. Often, different methods of looking at the world answers different questions and recognizing the answers each looking glass provides is just as important as having an open mind to look through each glass.
Beyond his classroom, Alan cared for me. Last semester was rough, to say the least. I struggled with many issues. The 3 AM IM conversations we would have will forever be cherished. The greatest thing is that all of Alan’s students related to him. We were all his “favorites” and he made all of us feel loved.
Alan was open about the meaning of his life and what death meant to him. His “hearts of stars” speech is at the forefront of my mind. Alan just completed his circle of life and the now he returns the dust and energy temporarily used to create him back to the universe.
Thanks Hankin for everything you taught me, even after your life.
9 Inches Isn’t Enough
Tuesday, March 1st, 2005This winter, I have been disappointed by 5 inches of snow, pleased by 7 inches, but 9… seems like any college student would be happy with 9 inches because SURELY class would be cancelled. But oh no… not Emerson.
Nine inches of snow fell on Boston last night. The snow came down so dense and the wind blew so hard (gusts of 40 MPH) that I literally had to walk backwards to my apartment for .75 mile. My face hurt so badly with each snowflake stinging upon impact. My black coat was covered with about .25 inch of snow. The water in my backpack had small ice formations. Why would anyone live permanently in this place?!
And yet, Emerson only delayed opening; not enough to cancel my Media Crit. mid-term. Instead of enjoying the snow indoors, I have to hike over the snow mountains, wade through the slush puddles, dodge traffic lanes because the sidewalks won’t be clear, and still get to class on time. So say a little prayer for me.
