Mashed Potatoes and Pepper

On February 1, 2009, a winter storm rolled in. Not 3-4 inches of snow that is typical when you hear the phrase "strong winter storm" in Kentucky, but rather an ice storm. I was super excited; while the rest of the state bought bread and milk from the grocery, I was watching the thermometer and waiting for precipitation. Precipitate it did, and the next morning the whole world was an ice kingdom. It was awe-inspiring; no school, no electricity, eating fried chicken from the Dodger Store, and sparkling ice covering everything. My dad and I drove (4 wheel drive of course) around the country side, taking in the scenery. It had also snowed some before the storm, causing the rolling fields to look like piles of mashed potatoes. The flocks of blackbirds were everywhere, and when they scattered across a mashed potato field, they looked like sprinkled black pepper.

Back at the house we tried to get a kerosene heater running to no prevail, so our house got down to 58 degrees in the 2 days before power came back on. I love not having electricity. I always feel like my family is much closer in these times of darkness, and it makes snuggling with other humans necessary in the night. There is just something about a silent house, the only noises coming from flickering candles and creaking limbs outside. Even the moments of terror when going upstairs alone to the black abyss are welcomed.

Supply Chain in China

12/29/2015 10:23:51 PM

The supply chain is an aspect of China we noticed a lot when we were at the market places in Beijing. These markets include the Wholesale market, the Silk Street, the Pearl market, and basically every seller run store on the side of the road. Supply chain is basically the process of getting a product to a consumer, usually starting at a factory level where products are initially produced. At the Wholesale market we went to in Beijing, there were many sellers set up in the building. Each seller had different products and were selling products, for example, purses, backpacks, jewelry, clothes, appliances, etc. We took this opportunity of having a large amount of sellers and buyers in place to ask them questions about the supply chain system in China. First we asked a woman selling small wedding trinkets where she gets her products from. She said that she got them from the factories in south China. After delving into more detail, we found out that the first time she decided to start selling products, she went to directly to the factories in south China herself, and brought the trinkets back to Beijing. She was successful in her initial selling, so the factory decided to set up a contract with her. The woman will continue to sell the products, and if as long as she keeps bringing in a profit, the factory will send their products directly to her in Beijing. This is a very direct process, straight from the factory to the seller, then to the consumers like us.

We also talked to another woman about the supply chain in China. This woman was selling name brand (name brand in China) backpacks and pouches. We asked her where she got her products, and it turns out she actually owns her factory. In her factory she produces the products and brings them to the market to sell. Because the products are name brand, the woman had to get a license from the company that owns the brand to sell and produce them. She did not have to get a license from the government however. Because China is a free market, most the processes of the supply chain and getting products from factories isn’t very regulated by the government, and is instead simply however the sellers and factories decide to interact with each other.

 In the Unites States it is quite different. In America, products do not go directly from the factories to the sellers. All products made in factories go to what are called distributors. Distributors are essentially middle men in the supply chain system. A distributor is an entity that buys noncompeting products or product lines from factories, warehouses those products in a central location, and then sells the products to stores around the country. This way, factories are not selling to stores at all. Once products are in stores, from there they are often distributed to other stores around the country before they are even available to consumers at all. In the United States, the products must travel a lot further before they are available to the consumer than in China. The supply chain is a very integral aspect of understanding the market economy in China and the capitalist economy in the United States and how they are different from each other.

4H Camp

In sixth grade, I went to 4H camp. Not your normal one week in the summer 4H camp, but a single night in September with the whole sixth grade class of Christian County Middle School. It was an awesome 24 hours, and it all started with the almighty Gaga ball. This wonderful game is played inside of a about 2 1/2 feet high octagonal wall with a ball. The players can only hit the ball with their hands, the ball must stay on the ground, and the goal is to hit other people's feet while not hitting your own. 

It gets crazy with lots of people, but it is extremely fun (and I'm not half bad either ;-)). We had some classes (fishing, making homeade t-shirts, wildlife knowledge). We then played kickball, teachers and counselors against students. The teachers dominated of course, but us kids put up a real good fight. We had dinner in the cafeteria, then proceeded to play minute to win it. We were split into teams and each assigned a challenge. I had to attempt to unravel wrapped paper in a minute and before everyone else. I failed, but my team came back in the all mighty shoe relay, where all our shoes are scattered on the floor and every member of the team must put their shoes back on and tie them. It was a blast, and afterwards we roasted marshmellows and sang campfire songs. In the morning, we split in teams and participated in a scavenger hunt. There was an explicit rule that if your team was caught at the lake you were disqualified, but my team only needed one more thing and I knew it was at the lake so I sprinted down there as fast as I could, came back, and we won!! 

Next year, I came back to this sixth grade escapade as a seventh grade counselor! I was with Mr. Reynolds, Julianna Kelly, Lea Moore, and Bethany Derden. We got a special cabin and led all of the students in their activities. It was so much fun, I made lots of sixth grade friends and got to make tons of homeade t-shirts. Mr. Reynolds did everything for us, like we were his own children. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and I especially loved being the best at Gaga Ball. I came back as a counselor in ninth and tenth grade, every time winning the kickball game, cheering my team on in minute to win it, and leading campfire songs like "My Little Red Wagon". 

Life is a roller coaster

The best theme park I’ve ever been to is King’s Island in Cincinnati, Ohio (but to be fair, I’ve only really been to three theme parks: King’s Island, Holiday World, and Six Flags). The first time I went to King’s Island was on a family vacation in 2005. I was small and terrified, so I rode the Beastie at least 20 times (kid version of the legendary Beast). The next time I went was in 2012 with the Kessler’s. By this time, I was a complete roller coaster fanatic, and boy was I in heaven. We started off with something simple (and by simple I mean loops galore in a row paired with a super steep drop): the Vortex. 

I was pretty shook up, but ready to tackle the next coaster. We walked all the way across the park and got in the hour long line for the Flight of Fear.We finally made it to the front of the line, and it appeared to live up to its name. You sit in the coaster car, facing a pitch black tunnel, then you are launched to 54 mph in less than 4 seconds. The whole ride is inside, and completely dark except for some strobe lights. It was insanely adrenalizing, and the level of fear was never matched by any other ride at the park. The Firehawk was next: the famous ride I’m sure most have seen on the Travel Channel at one point or another. You are laying down and hanging from the bottom of the tracks for most of the ride, like Superman. 

We finally found ourselves at the roller coaster I had been looking at all day: the king of all coasters, the steepest and most beautiful hill I've ever seen. The line was surprisingly short, but at the time I wished it would have been longer. The closer I got to taking my seat, the hill seemed to grow and I decided it was an awful idea. But before I knew it, I was clicking up the 230 ft hill and holding my breath. We began to tip over the edge, and then were flying down at 80 mph. It was so exhilarating, the best coaster I've ever been on. I rode it at least 4 more times, until I had worn out the thrill. 

In the next few years I found myself at King's Island about once a year, and now the park offers me no thrill (except for the dropzone, that is always crazy). The new ride, the Windseeker, was a great addition. SWINGS 30 STORIES HIGH I CANT CONTAIN MY HAPPINESS

Ham Hurrah

One time I joined a club and learned how to make country ham. You first have to scrape all of the gunk off of the ham. Then you rub all sorts of salt and sugar and spices on the ham. Then you put it in a sock and let it hang for 3 months (?) or really as long as you wish. I wrote a speech about my ham, a beautiful informative speech. The summer before my freshman year of high school I took my ham to be judged at the Kentucky State Fair and I gave my ham speech to a panel of judges. My speech went very well; my ham did the worst possible (I'm telling you though, it was the best country ham I've ever eaten). After the ham hooplah, my parents, mamaw, and I decided to explore the fair. We ate lots and lots of fried fish and a DONUT BURGER. I repeat, DONUTS AS THE BUN FOR A BACON CHEESEBURGER.



It was life-changing. We stayed at a hotel and I ate waffle house for the first time ever. Then we went home and ate ham for days. 

Rocky Ridge

Up until the tornado in 2006, my grandparents (Keith and Patty) lived on the Rocky Ridge Golf Course in Darlington, Indiana. I went up there many times as a child, as it was only 5 hours from my home in KY. Every single time I first arrived at their house, I would walk in and take every single stuffed bear from every corner of the house and put them on the couch (my grandma collected stuffed bears, had at least 100 around her house). I would let them sit for about five minutes before I put them all back, not to be touched again until my next time in Indiana. I remember their house perfectly. Below is a picture I drew mainly to prove to myself I remember their house (mostly) perfectly.

The line of big rocks is something I have found to only be an Indiana thing. I knew I was getting close to Mamaw and Papaw's house when I started to see random boulders in peoples yards. I absolutely loved climbing on those rocks, the goal to get all the way across without ever touching the ground. I wasn't allowed to be on the rocks when people were playing golf though, because right behind their house, was a golf course. By the time I was five I was driving a golf cart by myself. I drove all over the golf course, and I know my grandparents loved showing off their good little granddaughter to all of their golfing friends. On that golf course, I learned what the word ripple meant and how to use a putter with my grandpa. During the evenings, the three of us would ride in the cart over to the corn field and pick up all of the lost golf balls to add to our collection.

My grandpa was an insurance man, and when my grandma had to work at the golf club house, I would spend the day with him in the office. I ate Mcdonalds and got to seal envelopes, all the while being completely entranced by his sand writer. Usually once every trip we would go eat dinner at a restaurant about thirty minutes north in the town of Thornton, called Stookys. It specialized in catfish fiddlers, and as a professional catfish connoisseur, I can definitely say it is the best catfish I've ever had (tail is the best). Along with the vinegar coleslaw and onion rings.

 

 After eating the catfish, we would head back to Crawfordsville and stop at Dari-Licious. I would always either get Raspberry Ripple ice cream or a Turtle, then frolic in the next door Turtle Park before heading home to sleep (old people go to sleep very early).

Turtle

J, K, L

In seventh grade, I found myself in somewhat of a predicament. Three different girls I went to school with considered me their best friend, and none of them liked each other. Their names were Julianna Kelly, Kirsten Olson, and Lea Moore.

I met Kirsten in fourth grade when she moved to my elementary school. We didn't become very close friends until middle school started, but from then on we became a crazy duo. Kirsten was the most hyper person I had ever met, and also the skinniest. I remember going over to her house and romping through her cow field, eating tons of fruit, rolling around with her dogs, and being super quiet when her parents went to bed (they were extremely strict army people, always a little scary). In sixth grade we were on the soccer team together and in seventh grade we were both altos in the choir (we could belt out Agnus Dei stronger than any other pair).

I met Julianna and Lea at the beginning of sixth grade. They came into middle school as best friends, and I still can't help feeling a little guilty for being the reason they were never best friends again. I instantly clicked with both of them (they were my "smart" friends), but as our separate relationships formed, they became jealous of each other and before I knew it I was being pulled on both arms. In the beginning, I chose Julianna. We we library aides together, and I thought she was nicer and cooler. I started being mean to Lea, calling her names and once provoking her to the point of slapping me. But then we were all chosen to be on the speech together, and I decided that enough was enough. I healed my relationship with Lea, realizing she was actually a great friend and I started to split my time between Julianna and her. It is hard having two people who both always want to be with you walk out of the room when the other walks in. Not to mention, Kirsten wouldn't have anything to do with either of them. Below are some high quality pictures of the three of us.

Left: Lea / Top: Julianna / Bottom: Kirsten

We made it through the year without any major cat fights, and then I left them all to go to high school. It pleased me to hear that after I left, Julianna and Lea began to hate each other a little less, even to the point of occasionally exchanging pleasantries. I don't really keep up with any of them anymore except through social media (except occasionally texting Julianna). I suppose if someone had forced me to choose one and throw the other two off a cliff, I would have chosen Julianna. But I truly loved them all, and am really happy I have all of their memories as my best friends.

Turgor Pressure

Have you ever eaten at a Chinese buffet, then a few hours later be more thirsty than normal? That is because all of the sodium in the food; it sucks the water right out of your cells. When a lack of water occurs for plants, they simply wilt until they are replenished. Against popular opinion, plants don't wilt because they are sad, but rather because of a force called Turgor pressure.

To understand Turgor pressure, we first need to understand the terms hypertonic, hypotonic, and isotonic as they relate a solution. In a hypertonic solution, their is a higher concentration of solutes outside of the cell than inside. Because of this, water will flow out from the cell to balance out the concentration, leaving the cell dry (what happens when you eat at a chinese buffet). Hypotonic solutions are the exact opposite, water flows into the cell because that is where the solute concentration is higher. Isotonic means perfect equilibrium, the solution concentrations are the same inside and out of the cell. Here is a diagram to help visualize what I am describing.



When a plant is watered, the roots absorb the liquid and a transport tissue called xylem carries the water and soluble nutrients through the rest of the plant. The water enters the cells through a process called osmosis. Osmosis occurs when the solution outside the cell is hypotonic, meaning water will flow into the cell to balance out the higher concentration inside. All of this water flowing into the cell fills the vacuole and causes the cell to swell, enlarging the cell membrane until it pushes against the cell wall. At this point the cell becomes rigid and it called turgid, hence Turgor pressure. Turgor pressure is simply the force that pushes the plasma membrane against the cell wall, causing the cell to be structurally rigid. This structural rigidity is what causes plants to stand up straight. When there is a lack of water the cells are not turgid, so the whole plant loses its form and wilts.















To test this yourself, get two stalks of celery (bottom cut off) and two glasses. Fill one glass with salt water and one with freshwater, and place a celery stalk in both. After a night in the solutions, the stalk in the salt water should be more pliable and wilted, while the one in the freshwater should be rigid and proud.

Tornado Alley

On the night April 2, 2006, I was asleep in my grandparents bed in Crawfordsville, Indiana. I was staying with them for the week during my spring break, while my parents stayed in Hopkinsville. As I lay in my bed fast asleep, I had no clue what was happening to my home. My mom was at the house by herself around 9:00 PM (my dad worked night shift). It was storming outside, but she was curled up in her pajamas and didn't want to leave the house to take cover unless it was completely necessary. She starts getting calls from my brother and dad, telling her to get out of the house now. At the same time, the weather channel shows a tornado on the ground near Sinking Fork, a mere mile or two from our house. She runs to the car and takes off for my dad's work, going 80 on Happy Hollow Rd while watching all the electricity go off around her. My mom made it and everyone was safe, but the home
my family had owned for nearly 30 years was destroyed.

 Only photo of the tornado, taken from the top of JSMC

When I woke up in the morning on April 3, my grandparents told me to pack because we were going home. I was confused; I wasn't supposed to leave for a few more days, and no one would tell me why we had to go. I sulked in the back of the car until we neared my house. I noticed trees down and construction crews more and more, and finally I saw my own home. There was a giant tree right through the middle, and what had happened finally clicked in my mind. I quickly hugged my mom and dad, and then we jumped straight into the clean up process. It was amazing how many friends, coworkers, family members, and even complete strangers showed up to help. We picked up stick after stick while the Salvation Army brought us lunch, but I soon fell ill and had to sleep in the back of my mom's car everyday while they worked. We were staying in a hotel across town, and we had to stay in this hotel for a whole entire month. We finally got a trailer to live in, and for the next 18 months we lived in that trailer in our side yard while my dad built us a new house. It was small, I didn't even have a room (which I guess was OK considering I slept with my parents every night). It didn't help that on March 3, 2007 I managed to break the biggest bone in my body and cause my parents even more stress. It was a hard time for all of us, but the beautiful house that resulted from all of our hard work made it worth it. 

Before the tornado we loved watching storms, and we still do today. We are constantly watching the radar and looking at the clouds, just waiting for another big storm to brew. A few times since then there has been hints of tornadoes near here, but nothing major. But who knows, maybe tonight that will all change (I really hope not though).