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Casual #paddle up the #SaltRiver in #Chesterfield yesterday. #BlueHerons, #beavers, #swans, #ducks, #sunshine, and #girltalk made for a great afternoon 🚣🏻⚓️☀️💙 #kayaking #Pungo120 #WildernessSystems #kayak #PureMichigan #AnchorBay #LakeStClair #lakelife

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Wercurm tur Furafk Fark 😂😂 And yes, say it out loud

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When #songlyrics are perfect for the moment 🎶💔 @jamesbaymusic #LetItGo #soothingwords #goodthoughts #lifeistough #justbehappy

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Wrote a note, said be back in a minute Bought a boat and I sailed off in it Don't think anybody's gonna miss me anyway Mind on a permanent vacation Ocean is my only medication Wishin my condition ain't ever gonna go away Knee deep in the water somewhere Got the blue sky breeze blowin wind through my hair Only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair Sunrise there's a fire in the sky Never been so happy Never felt so high Think I might've found me my own kind of paradise ☀️🛥🌅🌊⚓️❤️ #LakeLife #Boating #Weeknightboating #LakeStClair #AnchorBay #PoorMans #summer #sunset #greattimes #greatfriends #lovemylife #kneedeep #zacbrownband

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(by papierhexe)

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A "B.S." Degree - Pun Intended?

After seven years of schooling, for a four-year Bachelor of Science degree, I have discovered that there are those who take advantage of the gullible, and those just who don't care. I started my college career in September 2005 at a privately owned, well-known college in Michigan. I won't name names, but those who live in Michigan, think of all the colleges besides community and major universities, then those that gloat about themselves over the radio about "99% employment rate", and you'll know who I'm talking about. In any case, I chose this school with the promise of employment and as a once aspiring teacher, I enrolled myself in the education degree program and began my studies. I took various courses, of which were core classes and most others to do with my majors and minor - secondary education, English, and history. These courses were not exactly challenging; not that I'm complaining or that I specifically picked my degree program in order to struggle through school. In my eyes as a fresh-out-of-high school ignoramus, "college" should have consisted of professors, 20 page thesis papers, exams, and long nights of studying, but not at this college. Even friends of mine attending community college experienced this. In seven years of full-load trimesters (accelerated 10 week courses, of which were only offered certain times a year, explaining why a "four-year" degree turned into seven), I was only instructed by two or three actual professors. Not to impugn the knowledge and teaching capabilities of those with lesser degrees, I expected more knowledgeable instruction. Solely based on the presentation of content in the courses I took, I often found myself answering my own questions and grading my own work. The instructors at this college often failed to demonstrate any sort of care for their students or subjects and were in fact instructing there as a part time job. Again, not to negate the fact that they were certified teachers and several of them were either still in school themselves or teaching at a grade-school nearby, which necessitated only part time work hours. By stating that they taught as only a part-time job, I mean that this was their mindset: teaching their students was not a high priority. Often would I receive my returned mid-term paper with simply a much appreciated "A", but no comments of feedback or criticism. Some instructors would simply whip out a highlighter and say, "Turn to page 237, Chapter 9. Highlight this, highlight that. Oh yeah, you'll need to know this for the test, make sure you read it...Okay that's all for tonight, see you next week!" Or in the perfect example of the Ancient History course I took - of which I was very excited for - the instructor was a 70-year-old windbag who spoke for three hours each class time on her family from Greece. Her idea of Ancient Greek philosophy and art was feta cheese and why her son Ajax chose to move back to their home country. In short, I was not at all challenged in the course of the first four years and thus struggled in the next chapter of my college experience. In the summer and fall of 2009, I took my first of four state exams in order to obtain a teaching certificate upon graduation. Tests number one and two were uneventful, as they were basic skills tests that any college student would likely pass - reading and grammar and basic math - I was one to pass without a problem. Then come winter 2010, I took it upon myself to take the English and history state exams. Going in with an open mind and confidence that I knew my fields well of my own account, I completed both tests and awaited the results. Six weeks later, my results email was issued, and strongly to my disappointment, I had failed both miserably. After three more failed attempts, and not that this was directly the college's fault, I was frustrated and felt neglected. I sought tutoring help from them and was greeted by a young instructor who often replied to my questions with, "I don't know about that one, you might just want to Google it," or, "Wow that's a tuffy, I don't recall that question from my last student." I asked several times the Dean of Education and Human Services what my options were as far as completing my course of study minus the student teaching, which was what these state exams preconditioned and was told each time that passing the tests were the only route to take once reaching "senior" level in the program. I had no more classes left to take and nowhere else to go, it seemed. Still frustrated after failing both tests for the fifth time, I took it upon myself to use my teaching skills I gained to study for myself. With a little luck, I passed the English exam and was proudly recognized by the state of Michigan as an expert in the field, but sadly did not pass the history exam. Fed up with spending the money on the tests, getting nowhere, and not getting any younger, I sought the help of an advisor at the college. Note that this was a privately owned college and credits did not transfer to other schools, otherwise I would have escaped the madness after year one. I asked for a new degree program and enrolled myself if Business Management, something they advertised as a "proven track record for employment". Anticipating a new work load and excited for new topics to study, I received a phone call from the Dean of Education stating that the school offered a "certain" program for those "incapable" and "unwilling" to take the state exams. In other words, exactly what I wanted, minus the disdainful titles. I was irritated with the school and completely turned off by the idea of a low to moderate income and all of the politics involved with public school teaching, and more importantly tired of racking up the student loans (another novel in which to write about). Nevertheless, I took the Dean's offer and changed my degree program to the Bachelor of Science in Education less the teaching certificate. Once the paperwork had been filled out, I was informed I only needed three more "courses" in order to graduate. Relieved and excited it was almost over, one last slap in the face came in May 2012: the third course on the docket was not a course at all, but an unpaid internship - scratch that, paid internship, but not to me - of 300 hours and needing to be completed by December 2012. Knowing full well this school was incapable of compassion, I signed the registration form and worked up my own schedule to coincide with my normal 50 hour work week. Irritated and disappointed the next six months of my life was going to consist of 65 hours per week of work, I put on my big girl panties and set off for the internship. Now, this would have been not worth the energy to divulge if it weren't for one problem with the situation: the location. I was to be tutoring students in the Detroit ghetto at a nonprofit organization, guarded by an unwell lit parking lot and a rent-a-cop with a 9mm, and overrun with homeless persons and parolees. Keeping an open mind, I arrived on my first day to find I would be instructing a class on "workplace preparation and etiquette", tutoring an ESL (English as a second language) Bengalese senior and two other middle-aged American-born citizens with elementary reading levels, and assisting in the computer lab. I cannot complain that it has been an agonizing experience interning there, but I can say that it has been unnerving and exhausting. Constantly on my guard, and pessimistically I expected a student - and even colleague - at this learning center to sabotage my graduation with some sort of false accusation in order to sue, steal from me, or harm me. The bitterness and resentful nature of many of the students and teachers there, stretched far beyond my comprehension. The culture of the people in the area - let me preface this with the fact that ethnicity made no difference in my observations - was simply different from mine and I found it inconceivable to survive 50+ years, in some cases, with not a single possession or year of education as an American citizen. Many of these students were eager to learn and made use of the services this learning center provided, but others simply used it as a place to get warm and steal food, equipment, and resources. It is now October 2012 and I am seven weeks away from finally graduating from this ill-advised degree program and couldn't be more proud of what I've learned from the experience. While an extremely frustrating, disappointing, and misleading college experience this was, I have taken away a Bachelor of Science in Education degree and the confidence and piece of mind that nothing is handed to you in this day and age and it takes tremendous self-effort to get anywhere. While I hold this school accountable to most of my contempt, I value the lessons I have learned. In conclusion, one of my favorite quotes summarizes the extent of my rambling: "Speak softly and carry a big stick." - Teddy Roosevelt. Those who have read this and figured out which college I speak of, a word to the wise: "read the fine print".

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The view from Turret, Colorado this morning.

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Sometimes the world is simply black and white. (Taken with Instagram)

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Amazing! History being made...