It's tempting to think about ecological systems as a big black box. Sunlight and nutrients and water go in, nature comes out and no one really cares how it happens. But what about when, because of natural or human disruption, nature produces something that humans don't like? Suddenly, understanding how ecological systems work is incredibly important.
Read MoreNew services make cell phone use even easier
There was a point when watching someone snap a picture with his or her cell phone left bystanders wide-eyed and agog. Times have changed, and the consumer market is getting pickier. Cell phones double as camcorders, Palm Pilots, personal navigators, and mp3 players. They provide users with convenience, entertainment, security.
Read MoreSex and the 'Seo: Reality Bites
I'm 20, which means, thanks to my seventh grade boyfriend, I have officially been in the dating pool for the past eight years. While I do not pretend to be an expert on relationships, there are some things I have observed since I was 12 years old, slow-dancing to N'Sync at the Homecoming Dance and making out during a matinee show of She's All That. In the years after high school, I have noticed that more and more of my friends are developing "scary ages."
A scary age can be defined as the age you set to be married, have kids, or join an online dating network. Everyone has a scary age. Women, men, stray cats, everyone.
Some are earlier than others. My house mate wants to be married by the time she is 26. I, however, have allowed myself until my late 20s or early 30s. Our other house mate thinks the whole concept of scary ages is ridiculous. Secretly, hers is 36.
There is no harm in keeping a scary age, but it should be used accordingly.
It should be far enough off that it does not cloud the present. You should not be worried about fulfilling your scary age a decade before it arrives. Think of yourself as a banana or an apple: you have to allow yourself to ripen.
It should not be the be-all, end-all of your dating experience. Do not settle down with a partner just because you're with him or her when you hit the scary age mark. Better yet, do not ever settle. Talk to yourself like you would talk to a friend. If someone is not good enough for you, wake up and realize it. Life is too short to spend it with people who do not fully appreciate you.
My friends and I are addicted to The Bachelor. This season, just like every other, a woman was on the show whom you could tell knew how to play the game. Aside from talking about all the seasons of The Bachelor she had seen, she was also obsessed with getting married. On one of their individual dates, she told the Bachelor that she had a "love plan" - she wanted to be married in a certain number of years and have kids soon thereafter. Needless to say, she did not get a rose that night.
This is very important: unless you are dating the biggest dead-beat on Earth and are using it as an ultimatum, never share your scary age with your significant other. It will only freak them out. My mom's a social worker and I was always taught to talk things through, but this is one instance where it is okay to keep silent. Scary ages are for personal use only. Believe me, your partner does not care that you want to be married by the time you're 28. In fact, it would probably freak him or her out.
Remember, your scary age is not an expiration date. There is life after a scary age. Look at Jennifer Aniston. After going through a very public divorce with one of Hollywood's sexiest men, she told Vanity Fair just months after the split that she would absolutely remarry and still planned on having kids. She did not care that her former husband went from being Brad to Mr. Jolie-Pitt. It was one small step for Team Aniston and one giant leap for single people everywhere.
Invasion of Privacy: Richard Vanbuskirk: zamboni driver plays it cool with team and fans
A home game of Geneseo hockey is never short of fast-paced, high-octane energy between the fans and players. But between periods, the Wilson Ice Arena is treated to an extra bit of flavor, when the players enter the locker room and zamboni driver Richard Vanbuskirk enters the rink.
Read MoreNew Native American Studies minor a well-received addition to Geneseo's curriculum
History professor Michael Oberg and English professor Caroline Woidat have been teaching Native American studies for 12 years. Their efforts recently led to the creation of a Native American studies minor at Geneseo.
Read MoreAnnual ChristmaSing a celebration of warmth and spirit
Returning to Geneseo from Thanksgiving break always carries the extra weight of final papers, final exams, and final averages. With relaxation turning into stress almost overnight, perhaps one of the best things to carry students through the next few weeks is the holiday spirit.
Read MoreBiochemistry student researches common drug's effect on cancer
Many organizations on campus hold fundraisers to benefit charities like the American Cancer Society. Mark Marinescu, a senior biochemistry major, is a bit closer to the fight against cancer. He's working on cancer research in the laboratory of biology professor Dr. Jani Lewis, on the third floor of Geneseo's new Integrated Science Facility.
Read MoreBhangra, G-Steppas deliver culture with a side of attitude
On Sunday, Nov. 19, Activities Commission sponsored A Sunday Knight Café, an event incorporating different aspects of Asian and African culture.
Read MoreInvasion of Privacy: Jared Chamberlain: a busy man with a not-so-busy outlook on life
He is the student director of the Lockhart and Lederer Galleries, plays club volleyball, is president of Amnesty International, and writes inventive haikus for The Lamron. With what seems like a fairly busy schedule, Jared Chamberlain couldn't be more laid back. He lives by the motto "don't worry about it" and carries himself with an air of blitheness that inspires all he meets to adopt the same confidently blasé attitude that colors his personality.
Read MoreInvasion of Privacy: Well-traveled geography professor David Aagesen grabs life by the horns
Although he grew up in Anaheim, Cali., in a middle-class suburban neighborhood, well-traveled geography professor David Aagesen seems more like someone who grew up Europe. And in a way, he did.
Read MoreProfessor's mini-lecture helps audience understand feminism
On Wednesday, Nov. 8, students and professors piled into the Harding Lounge in Welles to hear English professor Maria Lima's mini-lecture entitled "How I Became a Feminist." The talk was the first mini-lecture that the English honor society Sigma Tau Delta (STD) put together, and it was a thoroughly interesting occasion.
Read MoreInterfaith Dialogue builds bridges, not walls between different faiths
Last Tuesday, approximately 20 students came together in the College Union to take part in an Interfaith Dialogue. They came from various backgrounds, cultures and beliefs. They ranged from Orthodox Christians to secular Jews, but they came for a common purpose. In a conversational atmosphere and with open minds, they set out to overcome biases and create harmony between faiths. Coming with their own information and views, they left with a new understanding and appreciation for each other's religions.
Read MoreSchool of Business connects with students
On Monday, Nov.13, Geneseo's School of Business presented a Professional Development (PD) event, one of many geared to equip students with insightful knowledge and helpful tips to apply to life outside of the academic sphere.
Read MoreJames Walker is a teacher, leader and creator all-in-one
Since he was seven years old, when he picked up his first clarinet, James Walker has been a passionate musician. Practicing every day, playing along with famous jazz musician Benny Goodman, and composing his earliest pieces made him the best young clarinetist in Milwaukee nine years later. He had planned to become an aeronautical engineer, but, in his words, "the clarinet took over."
As time passed, Walker played a variety of instruments just for the sake of learning them and moved toward composing and conducting. "As a conductor you have to be familiar with all the instruments," he noted. At 19, he was given his first competition band, a huge achievement for such a young age. He recently attended the 50th reunion of this band, finding most of its members still musically active. This early start to his career marks the very tip of a massive iceberg.
When he was 22, Walker moved east, and founded the Harvard Wind Ensemble in 1963. He worked for 10 years at Harvard, conducting the Freshman Glee Club and Harvard Chorus, as well as conducting the Chautauqua School of Music Symphony and at the New England Conservatory. It was during this time that Walker met Geneseo's current president Christopher Dahl, then a student. "He went on to sing all four years with the Harvard Glee Club, is a very good baritone and still loves to sing with the Geneseo Festival Chorus!"
Walker's career in the Geneseo music department began 36 years ago, when he set out to develop a modest orchestra. He recommended starting a string quartet to "teach, coach, and play as principles of the orchestra." Through his own hard work and passion for music, he has instilled the same sense of dedication in his students for decades.
Geneseo currently has a substantial orchestra and wind ensemble, and according to Walker, "the level at which they play has gone up in all areas of performance."
For a liberal arts school, such standards are rare and commendable. As the conductor pointed out, students cannot play for eight hours a day as they would in a conservatory. With physics exams and history papers, students have to strike a balance. Even so, from the teacher's perspective, "the performance level is very high." Sophomore Doug Cairns, a bassist in the orchestra, said, "Rehearsals are difficult, but they have to be to perform at the caliber we do."
In addition to the commitment of the conductor and his students, Walker noted that support from the administration allows Geneseo's music program to be out of traditional proportion to the school's size. Such whole-hearted dedication from all sides of the department led to its first large tour of China last May. After months spent planning dozens of details, arranging free time for faculty, and raising $41,000, the orchestra left for China two days after Commencement. Walker conducted the band at the Central Conservatory of Bejing and on the Great Wall of China.
In the 10 days the group was in China (or 12, depending on one's time zone perspective), they were led but not controlled by tour guides. Contrary to his expectations, Walker found that they were free to travel anywhere, and thus visited most of the major tourist sites in northern China. He was struck by the cultural differences everywhere he went. "The dishes were adventurous and diverse," he said, and the city traffic, though seemingly chaotic, was surprisingly functional. "The tour of China was an amazing experience," Cairns said, "and it was a thrill to share time with Dr. Walker outside of the classroom setting." The orchestra hopes to return to China in three years to explore the southern region.
This year, Walker has temporarily set aside conducting the Geneseo Symphonic Orchestra and Wind Ensemble to take a sabbatical to compose five new original pieces. He is "thinking up all sorts of diabolical pieces" for hours each day, he said. According to Walker, the art of composing requires as much creativity as it does self-criticism. As difficult as creating music can be, he said that throwing things out of a composition is the most important and challenging part of the process. "It's fun to hear a piece come into existence. It's a joy to sit down in concert and know that it is your song they're playing."
On Dec. 31, Walker will experience that pleasure with his piece "The Electric Alice," which will be premiered by the Dale Warland Singers. Another of his pieces will air on National Public Radio and PBS. Walker wrote this composition five years ago, and is honored not only that it has been recognized, but that it is being remembered so many years later.
James Walker is as accomplished as he is passionate, with an outstanding string of achievements and visible excitement in his eyes when talking about the music that reflects where these achievements came from.
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