To The Extreme - The Final Blog Journal

http://www.patagonianexpeditionrace.com/about/

There have been many introspective moments in my life, staring out the window at the world, wondering, am I making the most out of my life and the opportunities that I have been given? Legitimate questions such as these linger, persist, questions concerning what it means to live, to die and what is my legacy?

http://www.patagonianexpeditionrace.com/about/

These thoughts evoke emotions that pluck at my heart strings. Yet, for all of my good intentions what do I find to be true? That, even the best intentions are often reasoned away by the logic that my brain employs to defend against the risks that come with change, the risks that come from a desire to be exposed to things I don’t fully understand. Is it only by chance that these moments in contemplation are spent staring out the window into nature? Or, are there more powerful forces at work? Whether by fate, happenstance, or a bit of both, it is safe to say that the great outdoors poses many opportunities that allow humans to fill the void that is longing create by wonder.



http://www.esri.com/news/arcwatch/0512/graphics/feature2-lg.jpg

            Of those looking to fill the void left behind by their wonder and curiosity, some decide to take an extreme journey to the unknown. The Patagonian Expedition Race^® is known as “The Adventure at the End of the World” (NIGSA). The event is designed to be “a true expedition that takes teams of four through lands previously unknown to the human eye. Racers receive minimal assistance as they traverse…by means of trekking, climbing and related rope work, kayaking, mountain biking, and backcountry navigation. They often cover hundreds of kilometers without seeing a soul” (NIGSA). The amazing photos and video footage captured during the expedition are breath taking. The landscape which nature provides its visitor is sheer effortless perfection, an obvious distraction that would seem to make the act of racing near impossible.  Inspired and humbled by the natural, raw, untouched obstacles presented through the entirety of the race, each racer is pushed to their limit and beyond. Creating new boundaries and fresh perspective on the world in which they are a part of.

The Patagonian Expedition Race^® is not the only extreme race/expedition our there for seekers of such pain and distress. The Barkley Marathons touts that it is “The Race That Eats Its Young” (qtd. in Jamison 92). Its participants find purity in the dysfunction of the experience, in other words extreme races/expeditions become an addiction of sorts. As one runner states, “In a sense, Barkley does precisely this: forces its runners into an appreciation of what they might not otherwise have known or noticed…” (qtd. in Jamison 109). Or, consider yet another perspective as stated by a different participant of the Barkley, “he wants to achieve a complete insular system of accountability, one that doesn’t depend on external feedback. He wants to run a hundred miles when no one knows he’s running, so that the desire to impress people, or the shame of quitting, won’t constitute his sources of motivation” (qtd. in Jamison 103).

http://www.mapmanusa.com/images/post-3d-maps/barkley-marathon-course-washington-post.jpg

Regardless of your current position on what the real value is in participating in one of these extreme events, there is no denying that they have a deep and profound impact on those who decide to participate. In closing, I have this hope for you. May you always find what you are looking for when you decide to do more than simply stare out your window.

Peace be with you on your journey, extreme or otherwise.

Justin R. Strain

Works Cited

Jamison, Leslie. The Empathy Exams: Essays. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2014. Print.

NIGSA. Events & Expeditions. Patagonian Expedition Race. NIGSA, 2 Apr. 2017. Web. 4 May.

2017. < http://www.patagonianexpeditionrace.com/>.

Got Issues

1. Highway 36 bridge, Lumberjack Days, Washington County Fair, Stillwater lift bridge, school closings, new schools, school additions, school referendums, moving 9^th graders to high school, moving 6^th graders to junior high, road construction, school zoning, taxes, business closures.

2. Tuition costs, book cost, student loans, class availability, completion percentage, job placement rate, State Capitol renovations, Police shooting, high taxes, political division, road work, traffic, cost of gas, environmental impact of pollution, health insurance costs.

3. Will I be able to retire at all? Will I be able to help my children through college? What will happen with health care over the next 8 years? Will we ever be able to curb the National Debt and bring spending back into line? What do we expect from our Police officers? How do we create impactful change in the political arena?  

4. I am taking math and English this semester as I work toward becoming a mechanical engineer. Ethics is a hot topic right now in the engineering community. An example of an engineering ethical dilemma would be showing too much preference to certain vendors which takes valve from an owner. This happens a lot in school districts. Another couple hot topics in the engineering community are refrigerant phase out dates and increasing demand for better performing buildings.

 

5. Raising children is tough enough as it is without having to think about how I am going to help them make it through college. Nonetheless, there is no mercy as a parent when it comes to topics like these, so pressing on in relentless pursuit of a solution is critical. Growing up I was told by my parents and teachers alike that I needed to attend a good university and that community college was really not an option. I started to think that there was something wrong with the people that attended community college, as if it existed only to serve the needs of the kids who weren’t “good” enough to universities, and of course, the dreaded adult students! Now here I sit an “adult student” at a community college, this isn’t my first time, nor will it be my last and I can’t help but wonder, why did I ever feel that way? Yes, I did attend a university for a couple of years, but it just wasn’t for me. I got lost in the shuffle and end the end realized I just wanted to go to work; I was tired of school as the only focus in my life. This research paper could not have come at better time I am extremely curious to find out whether or not others are finding benefits in attending community college in lieu of the university life? And, I would like to know more about the costs of community college versus a traditional university and whether or not the extra cost of the university life is justified through a lifetime of earnings.

Thanks,

Justin R. Strain

"Why Bother?"

Explore

The immediate and long term effects of child abuse and neglect are overwhelming, we must put a stop to this at all costs. There are numerous studies and examples available from credible sources that point out the crippling effects of child abuse and neglect. Children that suffer abuse and/or neglect often times grow up and continue the cycle; it is very difficult to break the chains of abuse once it starts. Abused and neglected children often times continue to suffer throughout their lives because of the psychological effects the abuse takes on their body, mind and soul. Long term outcomes of child abuse and neglect are homelessness and mental illness which lead to poor overall health and premature death. Children are vulnerable, helpless and reliant upon parents to provide and shelter them from the evils of this world; they deserve the opportunity to grow up happy and healthy so that they can contribute to society in a productive manner. No child should ever be abused or neglected and our society needs to step up and fight this horrible problem.

Companion: You don’t think you could ever really do anything about it, do you?

My Response: I absolutely do! One child at a time, even if means we just try and help all of the broken children it is better than doing nothing. We can provide the resources and support to help them get strong and break the chains that bind them.

Companion: How will you be able to keep it together seeing all these abused kids? You are going to make yourself depressed.

My Response: You raise a very valid question; it will be tough that is undeniable. But, sometimes we need to sacrifice parts of ourselves so that others may live. I am willing to trade parts of who I am if means that they have a chance to live a happy and healthy life, that sounds fair to me. Obviously, this type of work is not for everyone, but we need to increase the number of people who are willing to help. I believe that the loving relationships we can help build will fill the voids created by our sacrifice.

Companion: There will always be abused and neglected children, you can’t help them all.

My Response: Sure, but to do nothing is not an option. Someone needs to be the voice for these children.  How can we in good conscience not directly or indirectly help this cause that would be pure madness.

Reflect

The Problem: Child abuse and neglect

What Should Be Done?

Funded by Federal, State and Local Government we need to mobilize a new team of law enforcement agents that specialize in nothing but the prevention of child abuse and neglect. This effort would be launched specifically targeting the problem at the local level with agents present in each city throughout the country. In addition, individuals would be incentivized on multiple levels to turn in (providing evidence) anyone who they know of that is abusing a child in their area.  The incentives would be creative, for example the Good Samaritan who turns someone in could use their reward to sponsor the abused child. Working in conjunction with the child abuse prevention agents would be a local agency focused only on tracking the movements of children in the community, especially high risk children. Their function would be to make sure that children are receiving the education, food, shelter and medical attention that they need to be productive. This agency would have the means to provide individuals in need a permanent place to live, and the resources to improve their lives, multifaceted assistance would be available for as long as required. Currently we have outdated and underfunded agencies trying to tackle this problem. We need to “drill down” on this problem at the local level and better fund this mission. We need to have a greater presence in every community sending a clear message that child abuse and neglect will not be tolerated. Punishment for violators will be swift and severe with children never going back to abusive family members.

 

https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/can/impact/

A Sporting Chance

 

            Not all children end up playing traveling youth sports and some do not play sports at all growing up. Yet somehow, to the amazement of ever expanding community of athlete parents, these children still turn out to be productive citizens, some contributing to society at the highest levels imaginable.  Growing up my family and I were fully immersed in the traveling sports community. I played hockey, baseball, football and was also involved in martial arts for a time. My brother was also a hockey player and my sister a successful basketball and fast pitch soft ball player. In other words, there were very few moments to rest at our house, it was always go, go, go.  Surely, the amount of money and time that my parents had to sacrifice so that we could participate was excessive. Recently, my father flat out told me that there were moments when he was not sure how he was going to pay the bills, let alone our athletic fees and actual traveling expenses. By now, you are probably wondering, what is your point? Well, I’m getting there, just hang tight.

I am no longer a child and I no longer play at any competitive sports. As a matter of fact, about the closest thing I have left I compete in is either a game of two-on-two basketball with my boys, or a day out on the golf course with my work buddies. All kidding aside though, the nagging injuries that I suffered playing high level competitive sports growing up continue to haunt me each day of my life. From my surgically repaired shoulder that requires a shot Cortisone every three years or so. To my groin and hamstring tears that never quite healed right, so that I walk with a slight limp. I must say it wasn’t just money and time that were being sacrificed all those years ago traveling from town-to-town playing sports. The point was to make it big, to play in the NHL, or the NFL, all of the hard work, longsuffering and sacrifice for a less than a 1% chance, where is the logic in that?

To have a much success as has been the case, travel youth sports must certainly be offering something of value to these children and their families, but what? Most of us have heard all of the common arguments that support travel youth sports. The more popular ones are that traveling (team) sports build “character” that you can use throughout the rest of your life. They teach all important lessons, such as; how to function in a “team” environment, how to be coachable, how to be accountable for your actions, how to learn from your mistakes, how to take risks in a secure environment and my personal favorite, the cornerstone of sportsmanship itself – how to lose gracefully. I admit to you that each one of these along with so many others are extremely important to the development of a child’s character, however I question the method in which travel sports delivers it. Moreover, I challenge the assumption that sport, whether individually, or collectively can deliver these messages as effectively as a simple well run family unit.

Considering we are given only one body and one mind to use while alive in this life, should it not be paramount to protect our kids while they go through the fragility of their youth? Are we so wreck less to not see the alternatives that exist elsewhere in functioning communities such as the theatre, or the boundless arenas of science,  math, music and art, to name a few. Feed them from these areas and watch them grow and experience success. Fuel their strengths in the areas in which they will be required to use for their jobs, for their future families, for the betterment of society. To evolve as a culture we must move beyond the pitfalls of the common misconception that every child wants/needs to play sports, and that they should aspire to be part of a traveling team as the pinnacle of their young lives.  Just as most children are curious beyond measure, so too was Albert Einstein who was once quoted saying, “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”  Not just curious about sports, but rather all things.

The Search for a Perfect Review Topic

Things I Want:

• Time for all the things I want to do
• Sunshine everyday
• To travel
• To eat better
• To sleep more
• To work out more
• To pay off my bills (all of them)
• To live by the ocean
• To have peace
• To build a muscle car with my boys
• To play golf at all the great courses
• To stay healthy

The Jury is Still Out:

• My neighbors way of life
• My job
• My coworkers
• My oldest son’s basketball coach
• Our communities sports programs in general
• My new computer
• My new truck
• The neighborhood we live in

My Media:

• Stocks app
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Kindle
• VUDU
• DraftKings
• Sling
• Facetime
• Weather Channel
• Outlook
• Text
• Gmail
• NBA app
• NFL app
• NHL app
• PGA app
• Golf Channel
• Fitbit
• Sam’s Club app
• Walmart app
• Amazon app
• Lowe’s app
• Shazam
• Google Home
• Google Drive
• CNN
• LA Times
• The Verge
• The New Yorker
• ESPN
• SI
• SB Nation
• The Guardian
• Vanity Fair
• Market Watch
• The New York Times
• Fox News
• BuzzFeed News
• Hollywood Reporter
• USA Today
• Time
• Huff Post
• Travel
• Reuters
• WSJ
• Bing
• Google

Things of Questionable Quality:

• The materials my front porch was built out of.
• The transmission in my new truck.
• My new Dell work computer.
• Sling’s transmission quality.
• The underground parking exhaust fan next to my building.
• The sprinkler system in my yard.
• The windows in my home.
• My driveway.

Part Two:

• My expectations were high for some reason. I guess the thought of having real referees and coaches who had experience sounded like the right direction to take my oldest son, but I have my doubts at this point. Having a lengthy and successful background in competitive traveling sports my understanding of how things should be is fairly defined at this point in my life. I wanted my son to have a taste of what fun it can be to play on a travel team, however as I alluded to earlier the satisfaction level up this point is definitely lacking. I can’t help but keep asking myself, why are they doing things this way? This makes no sense to me. Am I the only one who feels this way? Or, are there others? And, if so, what can we do to change things? Is it even right to try and change things? Or, will I/we just make life worse for our children? Before you know if the season will be over and very little progress will have been made.

An Engineered Life - Profile Essay Final Draft

An Engineered Life

 

Standing in the hallway amongst the company’s top executives and engineers was Dave McMillen. Faded blue jeans, a multicolored flannel button-up and some Nike sneakers normally were not acceptable attire when the executives were in town, but everyone made an exception for Dave. Seemingly so comfortable in his own skin,  it was as though he never even noticed that everyone else was wearing fancy thousand dollar suits. In all honesty, even if he would have noticed it would not have fazed him a bit, those were things just things that had no value to him. “I was thinking”, he said loudly, almost as if he was on the brink of needing hearing aids. He repeated, “I was thinking”. You see, that is Dave’s line and when he used it everyone stopped what they were doing to listen. As certain as the sunrise, they all knew that whatever words followed this line were worth hearing, was worth their time to take note of. 

His now graying hair and beard had once been black as night, but that is to be expected for a sixty-eight year old. However, don’t let the aging appearance fool you; Dave is just as witty and funny as he’s always been, some say now more than ever. “What do you think I do while I’m watching television”, he said with a sarcastic smirk. One of his many understudies, Ryan, a twenty-something millennial engineer, stared at Dave wondering if he was serious. Of course, he was serious, you see Dave thinks that tackling tough calculations is best done while having ten other things going on at the same time.  He carried on, saying to Ryan, “Seeing as you have been on vacation for the last couple of weeks I have about a dozen new words to share with you.” One of his favorite things to do around the office is to throw out words that no one has ever heard before; some of which are actually hard to believe that they are real words at all. Oh, but it does not end there, being the literary genius that he is, you not only get the word, but he’ll go on to define the word for you. Then he will use it in a few sentences just so you get it, you know, for good measure.

For some, Dave is more of an acquired taste, but for others it is “love” at first site. Yet in the end all fall victim to his brilliance and learn to find beauty in his obscure messages. The younger engineers all seem to slowly latch on to him as their mentor, whether they know they are doing it or not. This is seemingly due to the certainty and clarity he provides on topics that are all too often complex and confusing, especially for new grads just getting their feet wet. “Hello, my name is Dave. I haven’t worked with you yet, but I am looking forward to the possibility” he would say invitingly to all the new hires. Sometimes, he would even say this to people that had been at the company for a while, just as a reminder that he had not forgotten them.

Over the years you call tell that it has become almost effortless for Dave to bring people together. With a quick joke and a complement or two he can have a group collaborating on some new cutting edge project he dreamed up. Once word was out that he was starting a new project, he would have everyone in the office fighting to get in on a piece of the action. His attention to body language and deep understanding of human behavior strengthen his ability to persuade people to see his purpose and join his cause. It is astonishing to watch the reactions he gets with just simple comments like, “I admire the way you did that”, or “You remind me of one of my Professors when you talk like that.”  Ever so brilliant, he bends the conversation; twisting it like a winding highway through a mountain pass. His ability to interpret and anticipate people’s thoughts and questions allow him to explore the conversation he is trying to have in a deeper fashion, much deeper than others would dare to go on most occasions.

Even at sixty-eight, with all that he has accomplished, Dave has never succumbed to the idea that he is entitled and that it is okay to rest on his laurels. He is not one of those stuffy, self-absorbed engineers who stopped searching for answers shortly after they received their degree and licensing. Rather, his thirst for knowledge is unquenchable and his love for sharing it with others is infectious. His ideas are constantly stretching the boundaries of what is known, as if bucking the proverbial system was his favorite pastime. Dave’s closest friends call him a cowboy from time-to-time; a few are actually are convinced that he is an alien from a distant galaxy. Any way around it, he is loved by his friends and colleagues alike for they know that he would drop everything for them should they need his help.

A now CEO and the Principal at his own firm, Dave started out from humble roots back on his family’s farm in Indiana. As a small boy he enjoyed finding solutions to the many daily challenges that would continually come up when living life on a farm. Dave’s constant need to know why lead him to the University of Minnesota back in the 1970’s where he would complete a Mechanical Engineering Degree and shortly thereafter a P.E. license that is still valid in three states. Dave is as well-read and well-written as they come; his many published works reinforce this. 

His passion and life’s work has been focused on large scale energy conservation projects for governments, schools and commercial/ industrial buildings throughout the world. He has multiple patents on energy saving devices, as well as energy analytics software that he uses to further his passion of creating sustainable buildings for life. His deep rooted belief that humanity needs to do better as stewards of this planet continue to keep him motivated each day. This is significant considering that most engineers of his caliber retire long before the age of sixty-eight to a country club of their choice.  Dave on the other hand has no interest in retiring, he plans to stay the course as long as his health will allow. He plans to continue his noble quest for as long as time will allow.

I hear him say, “The current status quo is not sustainable and the process in which we design and operate our buildings needs to be overhauled, we are not doing our part.” This is a necessary vantage point in our ever changing world, I say this because Dave is my friend, my mentor and an inspiration to me one how to live. I mean, really live. I, like so many others have taken up his cause and plan on traveling a similar path in life. You must know that I sit here today, writing to you as part of this path. For I am currently completing my Mechanical Engineering degree with the intent to make good on my promise to Dave.  I will continue to keep pushing his dream forward long after he has retired. The dream of properly designed and sustainable buildings, a positive legacy we can leave behind for future generations.

An Engineered Life - Profile Essay Rough Draft

An Engineered Life

 

Standing in the hallway amongst the company’s top executives and engineers was Dave McMillen. Faded blue jeans, a multicolored flannel button-up and some Nike sneakers normally were not acceptable attire when the executives were in town, but everyone made an exception for Dave. Dave never even noticed that everyone else was wearing fancy thousand dollar suites and even if he did, it would not have fazed him on bit. “I was thinking”, he said loudly as if he was on the brink of needing hearing aids, “I was thinking” he repeated. You see, that was Dave’s line, and when he said it everyone stopped what they were doing to listen. They all knew that whatever followed next was worth their time. 

His now graying hair and beard had once been black as night, but that is to be expected for a 68 year old. However, don’t let the aging appearance fool you; Dave is just as witty and funny as he’s always been. “What do you think I do while I’m “watching” television”, he said with a sarcastic smirk. One of his many understudies, Ryan, a twenty-something millennial engineer, stared at Dave wondering if he was serious. But of course he was serious, you see Dave thinks that tackling tough calculations is best done while having ten other things going on at the same time.  Dave carried on, saying to Ryan, “Seeing as you have been on vacation for the last couple of weeks I have about a dozen new words to share with you.”

Dave likes to throw out words that no one has ever heard before, not only does he go on to define the word, he will use it in a few sentences as well just for good measure. At first Dave is more of an acquired taste, but as time goes on everyone seems to find beauty in his obscure messages. The younger engineers all seem to slowly latch on to him as their mentor. Seemingly because of the certainty and clarity he provides on topics that are all too often complex and confusing, especially for new grads just getting their feet wet.

Even at 68 with all that he has accomplished, Dave has never succumbed to the idea that he is entitled to rest on his laurels. He is not one of those stuffy, self-absorbed engineers who stop searching for answers. But, rather his thirst for knowledge is unquenchable and his love for sharing it with others is infectious. His ideas are constantly stretching the boundaries of what is known, as if bucking the proverbial system was his favorite pastime. Dave’s closest friends call him a cowboy from time-to-time; a few are actually convinced he is an alien from a distant galaxy. Any way around it, Dave is loved by his friends and colleagues alike for they know that he would drop everything to help them should they need his help.

A now CEO and the Principal at his own firm, Dave stated out from humble roots back on his family’s farm in Indiana. As a small boy he enjoyed finding solutions to the many daily challenges that would come up on the farm. Dave’s constant need to know why lead him to the University of Minnesota back in the 1970’s where he would complete a Mechanical Engineering Degree and shortly thereafter a P.E. license that is still valid in three states. Dave is as well-read and well-written as they come. His passion and life’s work has been focused on large scale energy conservation projects for the government, schools and commercial/ industrial buildings. Dave has multiple patents on energy saving devices, as well as energy analytics software that he uses to further his belief that humanity needs to do better as stewards of this planet. His many published works reinforce his belief that the current status quo is not sustainable and that the process in which we design and operate our buildings needs to be overhauled.