tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75066269352067479292024-02-06T22:12:53.912-08:00Sleepless at Saint Mike'sNathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-36887605849770733072015-04-28T18:19:00.004-07:002015-04-28T18:19:53.467-07:00This Is The End.Cue Adele coming in and singing "Skyfall" - but really, this is so surreal to think that this is (most likely) the last blogpost I will make as a student at Saint Michael's College. It's hard not to get emotional about all of the amazing times I've had being a student here, all of the friends I've made, all the unique experiences that I wouldn't have been able to get anywhere else. Working my way up from Ryan Hall to a townhouse in the 1's, I've regretfully climbed the ranks to a cap and gown in just a couple of weeks.<br />
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As a lot of you may know, I've been working on my book <i>Seeing Change </i>so much this semester that I've lost track of time a lot of the time. Some days felt so long working on this project, like the semester would never really end, but now that I'm here, it's unreal just how quickly time has passed. I experienced my senior year P-Day, which was incredible. I got inducted into four different honors societies. I will be graduating (hopefully) with a 3.9 GPA. I'm just so proud of the person I've become because of Saint Michael's, and I hope to take all of the knowledge, experience, and friendships I've gained here into the future.<br />
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Speaking of that, I'm not entirely sure what I want to do with my future...which is totally okay! For those of you who may be reading this and thinking you need a plan immediately after college, please don't stress if you don't end up having one immediately. I was so busy working on other stuff this semester that revamping my resume and applying for jobs were the last things on my mind, but there's always time for that. And who knows, maybe by waiting I'll have stumbled onto a new and more beneficial path for the future. You never know! But just in case, I did end up revamping my resume a couple of days ago.<br />
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But that's enough sad and adult things for one post. To top off this final post, I wanted to share some awesome times I've had this semester with all of you through pictures. I hope all of you are making the most out of what you have left in your semester. I know I'm going to miss Saint Michael's way too much when I graduate.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOGUJoHsO4PFEJSIT_m3BROlnoSACABv_XYK9KQRXuLkY3XYRRs-9rYs26W4S7yV4EzAwTKLdP-lHLFq6CH7uv57dswWaNo529XKu-iseos0OAUiafdTGPijGz0HsdW4DQ7WPtAgt1Cs/s1600/IMG_6304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOGUJoHsO4PFEJSIT_m3BROlnoSACABv_XYK9KQRXuLkY3XYRRs-9rYs26W4S7yV4EzAwTKLdP-lHLFq6CH7uv57dswWaNo529XKu-iseos0OAUiafdTGPijGz0HsdW4DQ7WPtAgt1Cs/s1600/IMG_6304.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Free Cone Day! It was gorgeous out and I got to go with some great friends.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jDPDAqSR0To428muNtQzefLN-0jrKGQI8k1BN5VDFMfjw9DafYjpMGhaSM3R-0XYQ1vkZocgc_l3W6JUSzLT3bu7Kn4qgcjZttcv_vue9yHbXUvlcU0akRluUtemCKREWVzF6Grb4Tg/s1600/IMG_6312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jDPDAqSR0To428muNtQzefLN-0jrKGQI8k1BN5VDFMfjw9DafYjpMGhaSM3R-0XYQ1vkZocgc_l3W6JUSzLT3bu7Kn4qgcjZttcv_vue9yHbXUvlcU0akRluUtemCKREWVzF6Grb4Tg/s1600/IMG_6312.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course, my book. This became my entire life very quickly, and although it was written for a class, I would write it over and over again. The LGBTQ community means so much to me, and I'm glad I put the time and effort into this that I did.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23HaCc6KOX1Owivx_VxAGKkxiix1TwIJRRdOWmbufY8Ct_k13CvuMG_0TGXOwlhbTjDeW8L1lM7Al1QxxSPhb2emYzCoiT7YBu4xvCpybluhS7NqGUE3XketeZtNcIwzQ9pA9-uml-vc/s1600/IMG_6320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23HaCc6KOX1Owivx_VxAGKkxiix1TwIJRRdOWmbufY8Ct_k13CvuMG_0TGXOwlhbTjDeW8L1lM7Al1QxxSPhb2emYzCoiT7YBu4xvCpybluhS7NqGUE3XketeZtNcIwzQ9pA9-uml-vc/s1600/IMG_6320.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friends Erin, Maya, and I on P-Day! P-Day was a tradition that I didn't really partake in my freshman and sophomore years because I was so antisocial, but I regret it deeply. It was such a blast coming out of my shell at Saint Michael's, and with great friends and friendly people everywhere, I found myself becoming more outgoing every day.</td></tr>
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Take care, readers! It's been a blast writing for Saint Michael's, and I hope you've enjoyed following my crazy, hectic, and amazing life!Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-17861101389921203432015-04-12T21:02:00.001-07:002015-04-12T21:02:46.100-07:00Spreading My Roots.Happy Monday (technically)! And more importantly, happy first official warm weekend in Vermont this year! It's been a long time coming, I know. Trust me, I've been just as sick of the cold that wouldn't seem to go away as I'm sure most of you have been. I'm excited to finally be able to wear shorts outside, sleep with my window open, and just enjoy some nicer weather!<div>
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I wanted to take some time today to talk to you all about a course that I feel like I don't talk about enough that I'm taking this semester - Global Communication and Culture. It's a 200-level MJD course taught by Professor Hyde about various aspects of the world, ranging from communication to music to food. It's been an eye-opening class for me because I've never taken such a multi-faceted class at Saint Mike's while learning so much about different parts of the world and other cultures. I'm always interested and engaged in class, and it always goes by so quick!</div>
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Now I know what some of you may be thinking - if you've explored the MJD major a bit and talked to some students who major or minor in it, you've probably heard about Global Comm. being challenging and a lot of work. That's not a lie, it definitely is. Taking it at the same time as my senior seminar has been anything but easy, but it's also been such a rewarding experience. For a big project in the class, you have to design a website using either Adobe Dreamweaver or Adobe Flash about a country in the world that is randomly assigned to you. Not only do you design this website, but you also research a ton of information on it ranging from political and ethnic tensions to dominant forms of media use.</div>
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For my country, I got Myanmar - a quickly developing country in southeast Asia that has had its fair share of struggles in its lifetime. I never thought I could learn so much about another country in the world so quickly - sometimes I think I know more about Myanmar now than I do about the U.S. because of this project! Myanmar has been ruled by a militaristic government for a number of years, but has recently fought for democracy with some success (and I mean recently as in the last decade or so). Furthermore, Myanmar is battling religious tensions between Buddhists and Muslims as well as huge class and economic tensions between rural areas and more rapidly evolving urban areas like Yangon and Mandalay. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO4OkLrYWLQ6_9NQrCdJX7pDSIIZQ-nZT1G-6_rhIkAt9oRXrsk31B48_Q3eFz51MtpbO3NYTvGsEw1RSKBVBnEN1-s3Z3VirPRpqAtaN_45cCFoOzLPQsHjB3zwfnXhKV0UmKgw0TBR4/s1600/img07_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO4OkLrYWLQ6_9NQrCdJX7pDSIIZQ-nZT1G-6_rhIkAt9oRXrsk31B48_Q3eFz51MtpbO3NYTvGsEw1RSKBVBnEN1-s3Z3VirPRpqAtaN_45cCFoOzLPQsHjB3zwfnXhKV0UmKgw0TBR4/s1600/img07_01.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildUcwXIfvkN6fkU_gS55gpnY67xOSeTt3rUG4XeAPAtjCtnnpsDk3nYn_JEYGVC9gfjKxSYPLeulJETkZPHd1VzkUS87_TJMfS-aA0dRTilpACZY2OVyF-EGSs0G82W_KHzRWkzlupx4/s1600/myanmar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildUcwXIfvkN6fkU_gS55gpnY67xOSeTt3rUG4XeAPAtjCtnnpsDk3nYn_JEYGVC9gfjKxSYPLeulJETkZPHd1VzkUS87_TJMfS-aA0dRTilpACZY2OVyF-EGSs0G82W_KHzRWkzlupx4/s1600/myanmar.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These two images compare and contrast what you would see in more rural parts of Myanmar versus what you would typically find in a tourism website or popular magazine of some sort promoting Myanmar, just to give you a perspective of how radically different life is in certain parts of the country.</td></tr>
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The point of this post is to not believe everything you see in popular media, especially tourism and marketing campaigns, about certain countries. These sorts of campaigns aim specifically at westerners much of the time in order to get them to visit the country, so of course they're going to show you what you want to see, but the reality is that much of Myanmar is not like the pretty photoshopped pictures. Don't get me wrong, Myanmar is a beautiful place with some really amazing people from all different backgrounds, but it's time that we acknowledged the realities of a place over what we want to see. This goes for any country. Please do your research before going anywhere and never take what you see off of tourism websites to be the whole truth.</div>
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For those of you who are interested in this class from what I've said, I highly recommend you take it! It's required for both MJD majors and minors, but even if you're not either of those, you could try to talk to Professor Hyde and see what he thinks! He's a great professor and it's one of the most interesting classes I've ever taken at Saint Mike's hands down.</div>
Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-64110652603781750992015-04-01T11:02:00.004-07:002015-04-01T11:02:58.417-07:00Mission Complete!So, it's official - I'm a published author!<br />
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It feels so amazing to finally be done with my book. It's been such a crazy and hectic and rewarding experience, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Check it out!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6CIUTg8X1b8cYeH_scf8VWeSB7IPH1NvYtHEzNGLuyW8-6_-gybkSrC0U88ZknHszADhg3KOcE5tqVTQSHB8a957QGsyVoHcsUaQqLx30Wq8o2lF4W5vQrH_V9K6mIeA75xFTH1iRnuI/s1600/11079992_10153201902821873_1958080409040612705_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6CIUTg8X1b8cYeH_scf8VWeSB7IPH1NvYtHEzNGLuyW8-6_-gybkSrC0U88ZknHszADhg3KOcE5tqVTQSHB8a957QGsyVoHcsUaQqLx30Wq8o2lF4W5vQrH_V9K6mIeA75xFTH1iRnuI/s1600/11079992_10153201902821873_1958080409040612705_n.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's tangible! It's in my hand! It's done!</td></tr>
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Throughout the book, my partner and co-author Tara Keady and I covered a variety of topics ranging from LGBTQ people in the American military to a new take on gender nonconformity. We got to interview a bunch of amazing people who had incredible stories about their involvement in the LGBTQ community, how they have been involved in policies and activism concerning the LGBTQ community, and even how they have combatted and overcome oppression in various parts of the world.<br />
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It was so awesome to be able to include all of these great people while simultaneously analyzing a facet of life I'm not only personally involved in, but very fascinated by. I got to discuss shows like <i>Orange Is the New Black </i>and <i>Empire </i>while also going into my background as an openly gender fluid male in the American military. It was an experience that would have been wildly out of my comfort zone to do just three years ago, but I'm so glad I did it now.<br />
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I'll keep you all posted on ordering details if you're interested in reading it! I'm excited to share it with all of you. :)Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-48942486480030800292015-03-24T21:25:00.003-07:002015-03-24T21:25:29.667-07:00I'm Alive, I Swear.Okay, so first off I know I've been absent from blogging for almost two weeks...life has been beyond hectic lately with senior seminar. My book is due a week from tomorrow and I've been going to town on it lately, spending my spring break at the lab instead of the beach (it killed me a little bit each day). In the end, I'm glad I spent the time on this project though - I can't imagine getting it done in time and putting an honest effort into it and actually having a spring break at the same time. It wouldn't have been possible.<br />
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I'm happy to say that my partner Tara Keady and I are done 9 out of 14 chapters of it and we've formatted over half of it for publishing though! It's been a long process, but as any MJD major can tell you, it's worth it. A week from tomorrow, I'll officially be a published author! It's such a weird feeling, but also the best thing ever at the same time.<br />
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I designed the back cover photo today of Tara and I and I love how it came out!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQh1Hqo-sL-oWxieEyNp7bDxBnxQXs3Y9aIQkFlv0UGCzvEcCjNnxeDJEktcoJv2d_GOCGPnV3CjgkLGoGJ6npdXjRnwIIzLEv_3He1yC9xzIXd21LAuXajdd5fMIpU_sFTSJjUYK4po/s1600/NateTaraGood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQh1Hqo-sL-oWxieEyNp7bDxBnxQXs3Y9aIQkFlv0UGCzvEcCjNnxeDJEktcoJv2d_GOCGPnV3CjgkLGoGJ6npdXjRnwIIzLEv_3He1yC9xzIXd21LAuXajdd5fMIpU_sFTSJjUYK4po/s1600/NateTaraGood.jpg" height="208" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wanted it to match the cover picture with the rainbow, and look at those intense faces!</td></tr>
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Seriously, I think I'm getting too into this, but I can't believe it's almost done at the same time. A project I've been working on for nearly eight months finally coming to fruition.<div>
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But of course it's not over once the actual book is done - then it's presentation time! Presentations to our class, presentations to the two MJD senior seminar classes combined, and public presentations! I get to dress all spiffy and talk about the LGBTQ community - what could be better?</div>
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For real though, I'm hoping that this book will allow me to further myself in a future career someday, lord knows what I actually want to end up committing to for the rest of my life as a career though. If anything, I'm glad I focused on the LGBTQ community because not only is it a community that I'm a part of, but the fight that the LGBTQ community has been putting up for what feels like forever for equality is one that I had to take a stance on and support. I hope this book can show all who read it that there are still some massive changes that need to happen around the world in order for the LGBTQ community to ever reach true equality, and it's going to take every last one of us to get it there.</div>
Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-5516677315119402252015-03-11T18:44:00.002-07:002015-03-11T18:44:54.503-07:00Recent Happenings.Spring break is just around the corner! I've been hard at work chugging away at my book project for my MJD senior seminar, my partner Tara and I are already three chapters in! It's unreal to see something that I've thought about so distantly for so long finally coming to life. For as much work as it's been, I know the final product in hand will be worth it.<br />
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Aside from this project, I've been keeping pretty busy of course. In my Global Communication and Culture class, I got assigned my country to make a website on - Myanmar. For those of you who may not know, Myanmar is right near Thailand and under China in southern Asia. I don't know much of anything about Myanmar, so I think it'll be awesome to learn more about it through making this website - I even get to talk to locals for it! How cool is that?<br />
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But it hasn't been all school work of course - this past weekend I had drill for the Air National Guard, and I was promoted to Senior Airman! It was awesome to finally see all my hard work over the last two and a half years finally paying off in a promotion, and I feel totally ready to take on more responsibility.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOC2Mj4woRdw52-RvYx7L1EvbfW_ejAhRTmnn4TXhLtDKZCdmflfA6wZg8Ldr3lF8PpepFUEJgRwOnCwSqwZ2ylMQwvKd7gYPsqqfncpg1uf5WNXHt20avAT0X6yEi0L0fTAefO_tSec/s1600/IMG_6198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOC2Mj4woRdw52-RvYx7L1EvbfW_ejAhRTmnn4TXhLtDKZCdmflfA6wZg8Ldr3lF8PpepFUEJgRwOnCwSqwZ2ylMQwvKd7gYPsqqfncpg1uf5WNXHt20avAT0X6yEi0L0fTAefO_tSec/s1600/IMG_6198.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Senior Airman stripes on my sleeve now! Unreal.</td></tr>
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I also found some time for fun too - last Thursday, Higher Ground hosted ODESZA! I feel in love with ODESZA last semester when a friend showed them to me, so naturally I knew I had to go see them live. ODESZA is an electronic band that's been on the scene for a couple of years now, and their songs are sort of trance sounding, often times featuring a female singer with a beautiful voice. Their songs range from slower more chill sounds to upbeat dance anthems, and I loved having that variety at the concert because you could see how the crowd moved with the sound.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYS13FpaDAe8DzFwJFsr0Op4j-cX-NOR72YhVJED9pd9cIJDemJFKFOnFfZzvp87W31qFpN5JJ3wdTNEaJpGCE7r4hpJZqJi6EgQlmjoyt3x6GvTH4BzVWDF8NLTy9BvG4VqUuQukWx70/s1600/IMG_6186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYS13FpaDAe8DzFwJFsr0Op4j-cX-NOR72YhVJED9pd9cIJDemJFKFOnFfZzvp87W31qFpN5JJ3wdTNEaJpGCE7r4hpJZqJi6EgQlmjoyt3x6GvTH4BzVWDF8NLTy9BvG4VqUuQukWx70/s1600/IMG_6186.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crappy photo I know, but ODESZA!</td></tr>
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At one point I was right in the middle of the crowd about five rows back from the stage, and although it was hard to move, it was totally worth it. There's something about just letting music take you over and setting yourself free that is unbelievably amazing.<br />
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If you're curious about ODESZA, you should check them out! You can find their music on Spotify or read about them <a href="http://odesza.com/about" target="_blank">here</a>!<br />
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I will be doing the brunt of my writing for the book over spring break, so expect an update about that within the next week or so as well. Can't wait to share it with you guys, enjoy the break!Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-75825046563998818992015-03-01T13:30:00.005-08:002015-03-01T13:35:18.891-08:00Fiction Writing Happens.Hey everyone! Happy first day of March - it's so weird that it's March already. I'm kind of excited, kind of scared, kind of want to curl up into a ball and disappear. But on the bright side, I think we're finally out of the tremendously cold part of winter and ready to see some warmer days here in the arctic tundra that is Vermont!<br />
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Since my life hasn't been terribly exciting lately, I wanted to use this blog post to share some of my fiction writing with you guys! I'm only going to share the first page or so because some of it gets a little explicit, but also because I want to get you all as excited about this class as I am!<br />
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Enjoy, it's called "Search and Destroy."<br />
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<b>November 28, 2014.</b><br />
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<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">He
knows her from work. Chelsea. She has long brown hair that dips down
her back in a perfect U-shape when she wears it down, but she usually
has it up in a bun or a ponytail. Blue eyes slanted down slightly
with teeth that are just a little yellow and a little crowded. Her
forehead is peppered with a few pimples. Her hips hug her jeans. Her
breasts perk up in everything from t-shirts to blouses. </span>
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<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> He
has known Chelsea for a couple of years now, joining her for the
occasional lunch date or catching up about classes – they both attend
Florida State University. She is bright with a little too much
cynicism. Not a bad girl, but not a great one either.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Chelsea</i></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> →
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Are you going out later?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i> Probably.
What about you?←</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>→
I was hoping to. </i></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>
Wanna meet up somewhere?</i></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i> Sure. Frat house raging?←</i></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i> →
You know it.</i></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i> Cool, I'll be there around 11.←</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> He tucks the phone into his jeans and eyes his wrist –
10:17 p.m. The drunken screams of college kids tear through the
cracks in his bedroom window like the bitter cold in winter, ringing
in the back of his ears. The night has already begun for them. He
decides what he's wearing isn't suitable for a frat party, subbing
out dull black jeans and a blue t-shirt for a pair of beige khakis
and a crimson button-up. </span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> He takes a few shots of vodka with his roommates. The
bitter taste wafts into his nostrils with a sharp sting, burning his
esophagus. He doesn't know what to do with his hands. He runs them
through his hair and rests them on his thighs, where they stay
planted like trees for uncomfortable periods of time. His face
struggles in gashes of red to break free from the unbearable
alcoholic heat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
I'm not exactly sure where I'm going with it yet and of course there's more to it, but if you're interested just let me know and I can share it with you! I've found that I love writing over the years and this class has helped me to develop my creative writing skills more and focus on aspects of writing I never used to think about as much such as small details and what tense/perspective a story is being told from.<br />
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Let me know if you have any suggestions or comments as well, I'd love to get feedback!Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-35745393738379260712015-02-22T09:01:00.004-08:002015-02-22T09:01:34.579-08:00Global Eyes!Happy Sunday! After a weekend of a little fun and lots of homework, I find myself here not wanting to do anymore. Go figure. I can't believe the semester is basically halfway over already! Time has been flying by and it's been kind of scary/kind of awesome/kind of off-putting. In eight weeks, I'll no longer be a college student...how does one "real life"?<br />
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Let's drop that scary thought. The original intent of this post was to talk to you all about the Global Eyes competition that Saint Michael's has every year. It's a competition where students who have studied abroad submit up to three photos that Saint Mike's will display around the school if they are selected! The various categories of photos that they choose from range from artistic to photos that show the politics and political tensions of another country. It's an awesome opportunity to share your study abroad experience through photos with the greater campus community!<br />
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For my study abroad experience, I took a short three-week trip to England last summer through a course offered by the college on Shakespeare. It was an amazing experience, and I believe that Saint Mike's is planning to offer it again for anyone interested! It was taught by Professor Clary in the English Department for those interested.<br />
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So of course I decided to submit a few photos to the competition. Fingers crossed. Take a look!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfsL5hHGMUS3Ead3YcHk7ZgUGysV8nqFLSBnoCvwf9L0g7gA8geNW8ByF87jbAheyzonYIzhJfzCGpGyQh6Troff40fdmETNrZHc1tiIeW0vGIH-8S4qPTfpHKZrb8UirxxiQ2HhgFnQ/s1600/IMG_44091111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfsL5hHGMUS3Ead3YcHk7ZgUGysV8nqFLSBnoCvwf9L0g7gA8geNW8ByF87jbAheyzonYIzhJfzCGpGyQh6Troff40fdmETNrZHc1tiIeW0vGIH-8S4qPTfpHKZrb8UirxxiQ2HhgFnQ/s1600/IMG_44091111.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a window in a crypt under St. Edmund's Hall at the University of Oxford. It was a surreal experience to be in there because it's not open to the public very often!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemQQ594Ohh7L7hWaRuIXCiINPy0dej9cqV1Hvar8usikV20Z4P_sc1Csrv3caXUwh1geq8AktyONkUa9zVwVFjlyfGOYszaPTLyoSNudgJBPRRlSqexoPlQ99tDDCtzXjgip-bzAdPF4/s1600/DSC_066811111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemQQ594Ohh7L7hWaRuIXCiINPy0dej9cqV1Hvar8usikV20Z4P_sc1Csrv3caXUwh1geq8AktyONkUa9zVwVFjlyfGOYszaPTLyoSNudgJBPRRlSqexoPlQ99tDDCtzXjgip-bzAdPF4/s1600/DSC_066811111.jpg" height="219" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Believe it or not, I actually experienced more good weather than bad when I was in England, which led to this amazing shot of the London Eye!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghsQJV_lUeCp3EMTBgSU6UTSVo88FePzBzYDH0MCORNB7nD_FxyGHgYE5Bxdk3uj81g9tRwrgFMy4mZmqngMaN1SukJPm8jZMik_0y-AbBKgnHMZctz2rfFTqC8M-GvA5_6iAr6SNJnY/s1600/DSC_02321111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghsQJV_lUeCp3EMTBgSU6UTSVo88FePzBzYDH0MCORNB7nD_FxyGHgYE5Bxdk3uj81g9tRwrgFMy4mZmqngMaN1SukJPm8jZMik_0y-AbBKgnHMZctz2rfFTqC8M-GvA5_6iAr6SNJnY/s1600/DSC_02321111.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a picture of Wroxton College, the school I stayed at during my time in England. It was a giant castle that was so much fun to explore and call home.</td></tr>
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Although the deadline for this year's Global Eyes competition has already passed, it's a good thing to keep in mind for next year! If you want to know more about it, click <a href="http://www.smcvt.edu/Experience/Study-Abroad/Global-Eyes-Photography.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>. Also, I would highly recommend studying abroad in England. The locals were always friendly and it was better than I could've imagined before going there.Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-45419965190947200712015-02-16T12:03:00.000-08:002015-02-16T12:03:04.384-08:00Senior Seminar Adventures.Hey everyone! I hope you've been getting through this ridiculous cold weather and staying warm. I'm definitely ready for winter to be over.<br />
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But anyway, onto other stuff - so I realized that I've neglected to tell you all about how my senior seminar project is going now that it's the semester that I'm going to see the finished product. My partner Tara Keady and I are writing about perceptions of gender and sexuality on a global scale through various subtopics such as law, gayborhoods, travel, and the military. So far it's been such a rewarding and informative experience! We're in the stages right now where we're finishing up interviews, putting down our ideas for how we're going to break the book up, and then we're going to start writing in just a couple of weeks!<br /><br />
I think the most interesting part of this project so far has been how social media has had such a huge impact on it. Seriously, I don't think we would be able to do a project like this if social media didn't exist. It's been paramount in landing us interviews with people from other countries, such as England, Spain, and South Africa, and I think the global perspective on this project is what makes it so intriguing. For example, do you think that the U.S. is the most accepting country of LGBTQ people? Think again - it's actually Spain!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgmhHJ6gGGQpnPmI1HIrBfL8NMFAeVhFMYZC2Zay3BfQQBEa5h85xMePWe-iQvuAIf2e-tNpFSWdj4TM4mQUWG3gzOdGno4Qna3cEJOZWwJrGHolAfU9dqOwVmV0ABoDl0G0p62-B3nc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-02-02+at+8.16.03+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgmhHJ6gGGQpnPmI1HIrBfL8NMFAeVhFMYZC2Zay3BfQQBEa5h85xMePWe-iQvuAIf2e-tNpFSWdj4TM4mQUWG3gzOdGno4Qna3cEJOZWwJrGHolAfU9dqOwVmV0ABoDl0G0p62-B3nc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-02-02+at+8.16.03+PM.png" height="178" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkixc6uSw5urVtfO0-BJuxNBnIwC-AQW5m09nyiCyaK4QY0n5jbjWZiw7d23JGqCbLYpKT66ps7YjpANLjJ5STHHr2NqDI6A84rcdWzKTpU1jHQ9Thzi1dbaeubYcAWGQgAEeDkjFwsU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-02-02+at+8.16.07+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkixc6uSw5urVtfO0-BJuxNBnIwC-AQW5m09nyiCyaK4QY0n5jbjWZiw7d23JGqCbLYpKT66ps7YjpANLjJ5STHHr2NqDI6A84rcdWzKTpU1jHQ9Thzi1dbaeubYcAWGQgAEeDkjFwsU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-02-02+at+8.16.07+PM.png" height="178" width="320" /></a></div>
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These are a couple of the visual graphs Tara and I made for the book - we got feedback from some of our classmates that these would be some of the figures they would be interested in seeing in our book. Our working title is <i>Glorious Gray: Finding Your Color in A Black and White World</i>. We're even planning out trips to New York City and Provincetown in Massachusetts to compare the gay cultures and gayborhoods there. I'm so pumped!</div>
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I'll keep you all posted as it's coming along - the finished product will be done by April 1st! In the mean time, I'd love to hear what any of you think about it in terms of what you'd be interested in seeing, pictures, graphs, etc. All suggestions are welcome!</div>
<br />Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-49215525131983468742015-02-06T18:02:00.000-08:002015-02-06T18:02:04.045-08:00New Project!So I know I've been MIA for the past few days (I actually don't know how long it's been since the last time I posted, but I don't think it's been longer than a week...let's hope). Anyway, things are moving quickly as usual and I got an interesting offer to do a project for Saint Michael's that will hopefully last for years to come, so I figured now was the time to tell you all about it...<div>
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I'm going to be making a video for the college about the MOVE program!</div>
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For those of you who don't know what the MOVE program is, it stands for the Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts, and it covers everything from extended service on a volunteer basis for students over breaks to working with youth. Events are happening all the time throughout the year through MOVE, and I think it's awesome that the school reached out to me and asked me to put a video together for it for future students to see!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjckYEEY2fXDNKQVV8Bb8x_1XZvKE1MeQG-IKOPnLRWT4rZCfA2J6mkujCy_2sptOHL0US5WBAn3FLTH2n65ktGvyJ8Kw9ntbruil5svqyekVxhwJ05j3YXVhPS4Qv7uvn_HQjCVoB7GZA/s1600/handsOnPrograms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjckYEEY2fXDNKQVV8Bb8x_1XZvKE1MeQG-IKOPnLRWT4rZCfA2J6mkujCy_2sptOHL0US5WBAn3FLTH2n65ktGvyJ8Kw9ntbruil5svqyekVxhwJ05j3YXVhPS4Qv7uvn_HQjCVoB7GZA/s1600/handsOnPrograms.jpg" height="193" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Students volunteering! Photo courtesy of Saint Michael's College.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLAU_GaIcIqrELFV9zWoTrn4_bnZCKxes946wOryilkEEIFnFstl0ALKA2NaQDQJGC5XAMDezUfxFCGjbF8I_r3__6nSQGbJoUzF18duqsa1v4HqCm8rL0Di-16Y8CnIIQ6NJwEDC5Rfs/s1600/workingwithchildrenandyouth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLAU_GaIcIqrELFV9zWoTrn4_bnZCKxes946wOryilkEEIFnFstl0ALKA2NaQDQJGC5XAMDezUfxFCGjbF8I_r3__6nSQGbJoUzF18duqsa1v4HqCm8rL0Di-16Y8CnIIQ6NJwEDC5Rfs/s1600/workingwithchildrenandyouth.jpg" height="193" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's always little kids running around campus, and that's because of the awesome students that volunteer to work with them! Photo courtesy of Saint Michael's College.</td></tr>
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I should be recording and taking photographs of my first event within the next week or two, and the video should be done around June. Keep your eyes peeled for it!</div>
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In the mean time, if you want to check out more about the MOVE program, click <a href="http://www.smcvt.edu/Experience/Service-and-Activism/MOVE.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>!</div>
Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-16189429401011856012015-01-30T16:26:00.003-08:002015-01-30T16:26:34.493-08:00Rottweiler Appreciation Post.After a nice evening home last night, I felt obligated to do a post about my favorite boy - my Rottweiler, Duncan. I've had him for over 10 years now, and he's a huge part of my life that I often forget about when I'm going through the day-to-day minutia of college life (as I'm sure many of you all do as well when it comes to pets). So, instead of talking about classes or campus events or anything like that, I thought it would be a nice change of pace to give the spotlight to someone in my life who definitely doesn't get it enough.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0NX840Wk7SeJlFu2Ud_LyFLXzofZJuMj3wQ-_rZ485LXu9rNYYZEj4lucshQHmPHltmEbhz8KDN2rlOrN7gRdKZxjL087Li_SATo42Pmy6hVfgdTMF-xxJe0x7-TezZrpv04Q-jqhTnk/s1600/IMG_6085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0NX840Wk7SeJlFu2Ud_LyFLXzofZJuMj3wQ-_rZ485LXu9rNYYZEj4lucshQHmPHltmEbhz8KDN2rlOrN7gRdKZxjL087Li_SATo42Pmy6hVfgdTMF-xxJe0x7-TezZrpv04Q-jqhTnk/s1600/IMG_6085.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I'm home for the summer, sitting outside with my boy is one of my favorite things to do.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHpJd3GClnhqYWiDWPfxUcrNiWyvUjPJnofwiY3KmKkpm_oQjPBeUBCd_98mg5MZb1G5_SIZ_YVlN3AVm98qG0XppUO3f1ZvbqeDnCyJup8FCgr_0E0xw9_M_syeihG4_H1qYLPVChSU/s1600/IMG_6090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHpJd3GClnhqYWiDWPfxUcrNiWyvUjPJnofwiY3KmKkpm_oQjPBeUBCd_98mg5MZb1G5_SIZ_YVlN3AVm98qG0XppUO3f1ZvbqeDnCyJup8FCgr_0E0xw9_M_syeihG4_H1qYLPVChSU/s1600/IMG_6090.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that beard!</td></tr>
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But really, I don't know where I'd be without this guy.<br />
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What's interesting to me is how often the topic of pets has been coming up this week for me. Whether it's in one of my writing workshops or because I'm home for the night and giving Duncan all my attention, pets have been everywhere this week and it's kind of strange.<br />
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Now to debunk the rumors you all might have heard about Rottweilers if you've never owned or seen one - yes, they do get a bit territorial. Duncan just growls at people he doesn't know, but once you let him sniff you and be around you for a minute or two, he warms up pretty quick. Rottweilers are fantastic because of how territorial they get in my opinion - they always bark when someone is coming (which can get annoying, but it beats putting in a security system), and they will probably attack if a stranger comes and is anything but friendly to them. Duncan's getting a little too old for that now, but you know what I mean.<br />
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In short, I hope you all are thinking about your pets often (if you have any) or if you live close enough, I hope you're taking some time to see them every now and again. Pets, especially dogs, are probably the only things on this planet that care more about you than they do about themselves, and that's a kind of connection you don't really find with anyone or anything else.Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-13408908496855536892015-01-25T11:10:00.001-08:002015-01-25T11:10:50.351-08:00Always Writing.Happy Sunday everyone!<br />
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Sundays are usually my homework days after a weekend of (attempting) relaxation and seeing friends, and that's still the true today. Still, as I was working on some assignments, I got to the homework for my favorite class this semester that I figured would make a great topic to tell you all about - Fiction Writing.<br />
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It's weird being back in a creative writing class here at Saint Michael's because I don't think I've taken one since I was a sophomore, but putting my Creative Writing minor on the back burner for a while does have its perks. Now I get to repeat this class with the same Professor Marquess, who is exceptional, that I took it with my freshman year. That's one of the beauties of the creative writing courses at Saint Michael's - they're repeatable!<br />
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I found that in my writing career, I personally enjoy fiction over any other genre. I love being able to just think of something in your head that's completely fabricated and roll with it, making it into a lengthy story that you can't anticipate, you just have to write and see where it goes.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECACTItANdtlbLszme59dNYojqkPTLKvf1irllWnSmq_ylgXpUIDaaK6fmKjQUSieQRLtfSZuaN7hdYtwop8zDGz2dOZLjcNuK-KRYsk4QxXwGDPRVvz6umR5tGXYlx2DSillPdSgLNI/s1600/IMG_6078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECACTItANdtlbLszme59dNYojqkPTLKvf1irllWnSmq_ylgXpUIDaaK6fmKjQUSieQRLtfSZuaN7hdYtwop8zDGz2dOZLjcNuK-KRYsk4QxXwGDPRVvz6umR5tGXYlx2DSillPdSgLNI/s1600/IMG_6078.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the textbook for the class this year - it's the same book I used three years ago, but it's the newest addition with different short fiction stories and a new editor. It's a fantastic book for those interested in short fiction stories!</td></tr>
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So far, I've had to write a 40-page autobiography that's completely free form and entirely private. I know that sounds like a lot, but it comes really easily once you just get on a writing kick and let it all out! Professor Marquess assigns this to us just to get us used to writing often and writing a lot, which will be all the more useful when we begin to brainstorm fiction stories in the coming weeks.<br />
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If you're a writing enthusiast or you just want to give fiction writing a try, I would highly recommend this course! If you want to look at the Creative Writing minor as well, <a href="http://catalog.smcvt.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=16&poid=1211" target="_blank">here</a> is a link to it! I'm not the world's best writer by any means, but I think the Creative Writing minor has helped me to hone in on my style of writing while teaching me some popular methods for writing and new vocabulary!Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-86584261042569525702015-01-18T14:54:00.006-08:002015-01-18T14:54:57.922-08:00Cooking Life.So this semester, I decided it would be best to be off the meal plan. As much as I miss going to Alliot every day and seeing all my friends, it's been an interesting and challenging experience that's also super rewarding. I'm not a cook by any means, but going off the meal plan has helped me to hone in on some cooking skills I never knew I had and divvy up my meals in my own way.<br />
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If you live in a townhouse at any point in your Saint Michael's career, you'll automatically be taken off the meal plan, but you can put yourself back on if you want. Last semester I did, but this semester I decided to try making my own food, and the results have actually been more yummy than expected!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkoC0J-ZBjzwfzPTUmVwK2PyQOkp8TgqLbWdbeyLS-lkEpgy_ONkKYCkEBI7PCzRCe8i_7loyHCf-6zNU6VarO3z26NCbrm0a-JrtNDoLsvA5Nhb0crx3HgwQEuWPzqBPVNBDRouh9qI/s1600/IMG_6041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkoC0J-ZBjzwfzPTUmVwK2PyQOkp8TgqLbWdbeyLS-lkEpgy_ONkKYCkEBI7PCzRCe8i_7loyHCf-6zNU6VarO3z26NCbrm0a-JrtNDoLsvA5Nhb0crx3HgwQEuWPzqBPVNBDRouh9qI/s1600/IMG_6041.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My roommate Danny and I aren't on the meal plan, so we usually make meals together and combine ingredients. This is a sweet and sour stir fry we made a few days ago! It was delicious.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8kGyXkmV66VOa_vgJaj1LU2o85tRRXD_-GtB9Z-ZDkragN2-i3gtVIQTZ2mPXRAf7Kx6Y8dfo_hECHtfRnQqWMpB_I4TPZ1yQj3XDikL24BT_Zs4zjgbRfJtWDDYS-LsDLSjLOvWcfs/s1600/IMG_6052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8kGyXkmV66VOa_vgJaj1LU2o85tRRXD_-GtB9Z-ZDkragN2-i3gtVIQTZ2mPXRAf7Kx6Y8dfo_hECHtfRnQqWMpB_I4TPZ1yQj3XDikL24BT_Zs4zjgbRfJtWDDYS-LsDLSjLOvWcfs/s1600/IMG_6052.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And on days when I don't feel like making food, I go out. Applebee's Shrimp Cavatappi!</td></tr>
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I'm excited to see what new recipes Danny and I come up with and make this semester. Of course I've been scheduling my Alliot time accordingly with my 40 swipes as well, and who could forget about Sloane! We try to go to Sloane as a house every week for a family dinner - the food is always great and it's a nice atmosphere to just relax and talk.<br />
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I've also been obsessed with broccoli lately, as you can probably tell by the two pictures above. I would highly recommend trying out making a meal for yourself if you never cook - it's been a fantastic experience, and now I get to add my recent obsession to every meal in new and different ways!Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-22207850140246790332015-01-13T14:25:00.004-08:002015-01-13T14:25:46.199-08:00Making the Most of Winter.So, it's no secret that I'm not a huge fan of winter. I know what you're thinking - that's ironic because I go to school in Vermont and have lived here all my life. What can I say, the things I love about Vermont and Saint Mike's just outweigh my strong dislike of living in the cold. And that's just it - I love the look of snow and I'm a huge fan of sledding, but the cold is really what does me in.<br />
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However, instead of being negative about it like I have been for many years, I want to try to make the most of it. I took the opportunity to make this happen over the break since I had nothing to do for the first time in a long time, and I think I did a pretty solid job. Two major pro-winter events happened over break.<br />
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<b>1. Driving</b><br />
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As I'm sure all of you know without reading this, Vermont has one of the most beautiful landscapes I've ever seen. It looks good in pretty much every season (but especially fall of course with all of the foliage), but a sheet of white looks gorgeous on Vermont forests.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdY0YxWpTPs8qRXRIBW9JDTSvgXNDpa_59PStk_vN33AjfmM1SzjWy76TWi6LTrWaqzdgUVWBRVM2tfG4E_lmMEaX_2KM3lxj07N393CJ6UCw33XOydXQTuYlKbK6HtKFcSeOkQU2pnfQ/s1600/IMG_5953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdY0YxWpTPs8qRXRIBW9JDTSvgXNDpa_59PStk_vN33AjfmM1SzjWy76TWi6LTrWaqzdgUVWBRVM2tfG4E_lmMEaX_2KM3lxj07N393CJ6UCw33XOydXQTuYlKbK6HtKFcSeOkQU2pnfQ/s1600/IMG_5953.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is on a road right near my house in Fairfax, Vermont after a fresh snow - it's so pretty!</td></tr>
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This road was only one of the many roads I got to see driving across Vermont over break to see friends and go places. I know most people would never think it was a privilege to drive in the snow, but I think it was good for me to really appreciate my surroundings and look for the positive in times where all I'm seeing is negative.<br />
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<b>2. Ice Skating</b><br />
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Disclaimer: I'm awful at ice skating. Like, really really bad, but luckily I had some friends who are phenomenal at ice skating that went with me and tried their best to show me the ropes. By the end of the nearly two hours we spent there, I was halfway decent, but I'm always too afraid of falling to actually get better. Gotta fall before you fly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTxElC7g-Ks1QYd1pjgF1cVD3ysc0YyiPzs4qy5Mw6-7qtaEJ2ODbdXjfGUyFo2InewWNpypg71TjElWdVVrJN6jlPU_o1PJTZm97QpOZSvjVopuDQvuv2SKmpsac6QysjQoGhGyVCUU/s1600/IMG_5938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTxElC7g-Ks1QYd1pjgF1cVD3ysc0YyiPzs4qy5Mw6-7qtaEJ2ODbdXjfGUyFo2InewWNpypg71TjElWdVVrJN6jlPU_o1PJTZm97QpOZSvjVopuDQvuv2SKmpsac6QysjQoGhGyVCUU/s1600/IMG_5938.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jessica, Dana and I.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl2NKuFeqR1iV1xUG_3IU9uZrRchoeetXSOCtskI4e66_bSPu3YU8DIExcXOSE7ntfhr2ormVfpeoxOyPlfi9UcF4cSXKLLwfEdq-AP-mF1mXBEOAJEtafi1pht0J9ekYzdNjnZRqUMA/s1600/IMG_5950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl2NKuFeqR1iV1xUG_3IU9uZrRchoeetXSOCtskI4e66_bSPu3YU8DIExcXOSE7ntfhr2ormVfpeoxOyPlfi9UcF4cSXKLLwfEdq-AP-mF1mXBEOAJEtafi1pht0J9ekYzdNjnZRqUMA/s1600/IMG_5950.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim rocking the Santa hat!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzHA-vW2UzPOlKS706X2MDSHCoPQo557u-7YPjvKJ_OGNJuElfyq4WuHnCBxfTodni_ySUHqt2xEZIKj87qdHGS2WVZvDS5nfWNJMClgsRPphpJqICWI7qaMHMF4yfQmjhLO9g6h1414/s1600/IMG_5945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzHA-vW2UzPOlKS706X2MDSHCoPQo557u-7YPjvKJ_OGNJuElfyq4WuHnCBxfTodni_ySUHqt2xEZIKj87qdHGS2WVZvDS5nfWNJMClgsRPphpJqICWI7qaMHMF4yfQmjhLO9g6h1414/s1600/IMG_5945.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike, Jessica, Tim and I!</td></tr>
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Although it was cold at Cairns Arena in South Burlington, I had an awesome time. For those of you who might be interested in ice skating around the area, I definitely recommend going there! It's super cheap to rent skates and get a ticket to skate at open rink times. Saint Mike's used to do a trip every month last Spring semester to go ice skating there for free too! I'm unsure if they're doing it again, but keep your eyes peeled.<br />
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I can truly say that after this break, I like winter at least a little bit more. I'm sure many of you like winter much more than me, but even if you do, I hope that after reading this, you try to find more positive in negative situations too.Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-50799727671585338212015-01-12T18:24:00.003-08:002015-01-12T18:24:37.665-08:00Winter Break Shenanigans.Welcome back everyone! If your break was anything like mine, those three weeks went by in the blink of an eye and you kept busy hanging out with friends and family. Since I live about 30 minutes north of Saint Mike's, I was around a lot, but it was also nice to be free of the obligations of class and work for a little bit to catch up with people and enjoy the night life of Church Street now that I'm 21. I did more than I thought I did over break, so I thought I'd share some of that with you guys!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMInUGkuH7lEgypTipurxFtAN8lw3QIPw0gjHcxFL47VC1d60WOKX359tIFnyHrPi8suT13VjRlkCEAiQOM5kPd2TjKin4OwIOYRljixXIBmeh80bcZiiyIHicVjepcmSbMLyE8dVkPKI/s1600/IMG_6014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMInUGkuH7lEgypTipurxFtAN8lw3QIPw0gjHcxFL47VC1d60WOKX359tIFnyHrPi8suT13VjRlkCEAiQOM5kPd2TjKin4OwIOYRljixXIBmeh80bcZiiyIHicVjepcmSbMLyE8dVkPKI/s1600/IMG_6014.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A gorgeous winter night on Church Street!</td></tr>
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I ended up going downtown a few nights over break with friends from the Air Force, high school, and even some new friends I made over break! New Years Eve downtown was probably the most memorable night - I went on a bar crawl with some great friends and everywhere we went it was so packed, but still a ton of fun. If you're ever around Burlington for the holidays, I would recommend you go down to church street on New Years, it's a blast!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJ0AyANHwU3SuYGAyEjDNvoKjL7Gs8GsFoVI6RqTcLq0iVTVKOmj4UKBjIIren3gyDAix9bWY96QIvNWoagYgf6_Iz5CdG9pG5tyAmmzvocDoP6GTkBz4VcWGV6AwpH7Uw3bRaFU7h_o/s1600/IMG_5979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJ0AyANHwU3SuYGAyEjDNvoKjL7Gs8GsFoVI6RqTcLq0iVTVKOmj4UKBjIIren3gyDAix9bWY96QIvNWoagYgf6_Iz5CdG9pG5tyAmmzvocDoP6GTkBz4VcWGV6AwpH7Uw3bRaFU7h_o/s1600/IMG_5979.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made these from scratch!</td></tr>
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I also found myself doing things I don't usually do over break since I had a ton of free time, which included baking oddly enough. I am definitely not a good cook, but the sudden urge to look up a recipe and make chocolate chip cookies from scratch came over me one day and I went at it! Luckily I didn't burn them and they were actually pretty good.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7kyWyM23528nZbYLYxnNEGsVcsx5ni0WEaP0VUjUudQ30N8DbJxBXQWnT4WuRdCjntBDqYO5GcdHWCuiGPMtSuKp7ZbNpVUm1ZQj0DERdDslYvkRI3N5EKQiZMStbp_mWxdACCKyl20/s1600/IMG_6024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7kyWyM23528nZbYLYxnNEGsVcsx5ni0WEaP0VUjUudQ30N8DbJxBXQWnT4WuRdCjntBDqYO5GcdHWCuiGPMtSuKp7ZbNpVUm1ZQj0DERdDslYvkRI3N5EKQiZMStbp_mWxdACCKyl20/s1600/IMG_6024.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four Year Strong at Higher Ground</td></tr>
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Finally, I ended my break by going to a concert at Higher Ground in Burlington for a band called Four Year Strong a few days ago. They play rock and punk music and they were incredible! They were a band I listened to a lot in high school and I hadn't heard any of their recent stuff, but once I found out they were coming to Vermont, I spent a whole night listening to everything they've ever written to get hyped for their concert. If you've never been to a concert at Higher Ground, even if rock or punk music isn't your thing, you should go sometime! They always manage to get some great bands to come and play.<br />
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Overall, my break was whimsical and care free and a much needed de-stressor. What did you all do over break? I hope you had as much of a fun and relaxing time as I did!<br />
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Cheers to another great semester, which also happens to be my last one...help?Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-86443701417117213462014-12-13T10:07:00.001-08:002014-12-13T10:08:11.492-08:00Days 6 & 7: Reflecting on the Semester.So it looks like I dropped the ball on day 6, I got to be a bit busier than I expected. Nonetheless, here I am for my final post for the semester, and what better to go into winter break than reflecting on all of the highlights.<br />
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<b>Favorite Class</b><br />
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I had a lot of difficult classes this semester, probably because it's senior year, which made me want to just crawl into a hole and disappear forever at times. That wasn't always the case, of course. In fact, I would argue that I actually learned more than I ever have in any of the previous semesters of my college career this semester. That being said, I'd say my favorite class of the semester would have to be my Media Studies senior seminar. I got to research the LGBTQ community, which is a topic I'm very passionate about, expand my horizons about the topic, and go to class every day with great friends and even better teachers - Professors Hyde and Sultze. What more could you ask for?<br />
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<b>Favorite Memory</b><br />
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It's hard for me to say that one particular moment of the semester was my favorite, so I'd say that anytime I got to go out on weekends around campus and hangout with both old and new friends were my favorite times. I've had such a drastic change in my outlook on night life at Saint Michael's from my freshman year to now, and I couldn't be more thankful for it. I used to go home pretty much every weekend when I was a freshman because I just felt like I didn't belong here, but by putting myself out there more and giving the campus a chance, I found that I actually love it here. It's a spectacular school, and I'm glad I realized it before it was too late.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKhSf4UIvFMsMHiOVmG5Vk_nx3nupTfqXl7Fi63Wtafrw5WzFqvdfw-l0ogDDrO0n7tF4Oa8gGDCq5DeEtwqKsJYKvGF7z4KehKmpm_Z_MU2kQHOYqEHjTRu_D4iyQcQ9jU5OviX1_fU/s1600/IMG_5776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKhSf4UIvFMsMHiOVmG5Vk_nx3nupTfqXl7Fi63Wtafrw5WzFqvdfw-l0ogDDrO0n7tF4Oa8gGDCq5DeEtwqKsJYKvGF7z4KehKmpm_Z_MU2kQHOYqEHjTRu_D4iyQcQ9jU5OviX1_fU/s1600/IMG_5776.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jesse, Paul, Kathryn and I on a Friday night - love these goons!</td></tr>
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<b>Favorite Activity</b><br />
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This semester, I found myself getting more into biking around campus than I ever have been. When I was younger, I used to bike everywhere because I lived in a rural part of Vermont, but I forgot about biking pretty quickly once I got my license. When my roommate Paul brought his bike this semester, it just revived my love of biking and I rode it everywhere at least four or five times a week. It was a great way to de-stress and explore Saint Michael's campus and the surrounding area.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJaBez-rRhp0-ijrA3Uq5RJlrfmGSb3ldlubkgufz1Ry1J7qbHAoxRjeI_XNpffvHud5CVW4rK18TfK-SEcwA6LLaZclgXJShuhe_UwgdZ6hKxfKQsbNugjVwP1Fz1BD9XanmXtqQbBhM/s1600/IMG_5640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJaBez-rRhp0-ijrA3Uq5RJlrfmGSb3ldlubkgufz1Ry1J7qbHAoxRjeI_XNpffvHud5CVW4rK18TfK-SEcwA6LLaZclgXJShuhe_UwgdZ6hKxfKQsbNugjVwP1Fz1BD9XanmXtqQbBhM/s1600/IMG_5640.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In my natural habitat.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqk4nzph7JVpVtIRNk1gl2110Ok1q2ie2yhnhDnaXQCE6XaAlnv8Saan0uy6rTJ3BoeK756rJpogHBYb9-7i3jtMM3hrXQJOoW_O3KKCO1vbVDiPVJA5Fe44F3f5oqBRLTpkDS7GIAcM/s1600/IMG_5731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqk4nzph7JVpVtIRNk1gl2110Ok1q2ie2yhnhDnaXQCE6XaAlnv8Saan0uy6rTJ3BoeK756rJpogHBYb9-7i3jtMM3hrXQJOoW_O3KKCO1vbVDiPVJA5Fe44F3f5oqBRLTpkDS7GIAcM/s1600/IMG_5731.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet rainbow over one of the suites that I took on a bike ride!</td></tr>
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<b>Final Thoughts</b><br />
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Going into winter break, I have some new friends, fun adventures, and more insight about myself and my future than I thought I'd have. I'm so excited to begin writing my book with Tara about the LGBTQ community next semester, and I'm stoked for the classes I'm taking in Spring 2015. For those of you who are curious, I'm taking Fiction Writing, Poetry Writing, MJD Senior Seminar, and Global Communication. It's going to be another busy and challenging semester, but it's also going to be my last one, so I'm definitely going to make the most of it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJe3-a_dUu2ryPlwxDgVLZLVvg64KTnaCz7_vo4LlP2Q23lt7vmbwnkeSc6qN0R7cTCTB6zZxoyKm0Rw55X9z1QEz9AP3Yh5w4bB5Z8P7u_ZDTqb2VGdSb9CJgNbcdMjJX4827tfu28o/s1600/IMG_5913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJe3-a_dUu2ryPlwxDgVLZLVvg64KTnaCz7_vo4LlP2Q23lt7vmbwnkeSc6qN0R7cTCTB6zZxoyKm0Rw55X9z1QEz9AP3Yh5w4bB5Z8P7u_ZDTqb2VGdSb9CJgNbcdMjJX4827tfu28o/s1600/IMG_5913.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love these winter days.</td></tr>
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I hope you all have a great winter break, and good luck on your finals!<br />
<br />Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-64322310129346203032014-12-11T15:50:00.002-08:002014-12-11T15:50:31.878-08:00Day 5: Campus Beauty.Happy Thursday! Today, I decided to take some of my own advice that I shared with you guys a little while back, so I'm gonna share some pictures of campus that I've taken over the semester. Saint Michael's has a gorgeous campus, and I find that I often don't acknowledge that as much as I should.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMUbI7RI_JCYTUre4n5FuZkxTqRGthOmvVZXAfYaptBr72LPRqACav-T9f5Jkg0ziwKu29FGXtu5O-6UaS1qfPApvCt1VC6lbA-CTCL42YjysQmGuMsKH6HchBaer65FhHwPuIbcecyjo/s1600/IMG_5786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMUbI7RI_JCYTUre4n5FuZkxTqRGthOmvVZXAfYaptBr72LPRqACav-T9f5Jkg0ziwKu29FGXtu5O-6UaS1qfPApvCt1VC6lbA-CTCL42YjysQmGuMsKH6HchBaer65FhHwPuIbcecyjo/s1600/IMG_5786.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a picture of the radio tower on North Campus that I took on one of my many bike rides around the area during the semester. I love this spot!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJOuvm_KwxCUYUWT1C-hSz5Zm0hM10dMLch1xHvkmYeb9WHojeYuT_wKUNhJhgFMdSEFYIHgyhIv2PSEQIKJ5MlxkZ7A-7Qqv9EwsUzCQXRDw7-0qnFEQcHXslACHQQoqJKYq3IMud2c/s1600/IMG_5790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJOuvm_KwxCUYUWT1C-hSz5Zm0hM10dMLch1xHvkmYeb9WHojeYuT_wKUNhJhgFMdSEFYIHgyhIv2PSEQIKJ5MlxkZ7A-7Qqv9EwsUzCQXRDw7-0qnFEQcHXslACHQQoqJKYq3IMud2c/s1600/IMG_5790.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a picture of cross on the campus green. It looks amazing on a cloudy evening.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SHKo1B4rQDi4WzF6fDlm6Ymjh8FwSe3Zz-pvh1pLrmXTBvkACJCGY6eQrFPJ7wGhNf4O546NOihN2hgR-TzMYlPCXFeQkg9-rbQgY-wekqIElauxm2aycGaJJUGOMF_BBNGSIc9EgpI/s1600/IMG_5880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SHKo1B4rQDi4WzF6fDlm6Ymjh8FwSe3Zz-pvh1pLrmXTBvkACJCGY6eQrFPJ7wGhNf4O546NOihN2hgR-TzMYlPCXFeQkg9-rbQgY-wekqIElauxm2aycGaJJUGOMF_BBNGSIc9EgpI/s1600/IMG_5880.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course, who could forget the many massive evergreens across campus! I especially love when they get lights put on them - I call this picture "attempting to be artsy."</td></tr>
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Looking back, I remember distinctly loving Saint Michael's campus on my first tour. It was one of the deciding factors for coming here, aside from the fact that everyone on campus is so friendly and that everything is basically within a five minute walk from any of the dorms. Now that I'm always in school mode, I don't appreciate my surroundings nearly enough, but I hope that this post has inspired you to get out and enjoy the campus as much as it has for me.<br />
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I see snow fort building in my future - keep on the lookout for that!<br />
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<br />Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-13588114123815424132014-12-10T12:58:00.004-08:002014-12-10T12:58:17.122-08:00Day 4: Friends of the Semester.Hello everyone! Although it looks like I'm getting sick I slept nearly eleven hours last night because of that, I am still alive somehow. Last night, we got the first big snowstorm of the winter season! Even though I'm not a huge fan of being cold all the time and I have no coordination whatsoever, I love the look of snow and how you can use it as the perfect getaway from homework.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7-DQ6RlrMNGSx5n7TEfDI9grZD0r6tpuQRP6XreqZv-P_QC9R6orhyphenhyphenhOByLUyv_liYHgWdAhA3rh5v5Viwq2E4rnjd_O7heRaM4ySizhLzIonKM4T7Bsw58Uwg6L5XxC1AJ6FMQO6Ts/s1600/IMG_5905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7-DQ6RlrMNGSx5n7TEfDI9grZD0r6tpuQRP6XreqZv-P_QC9R6orhyphenhyphenhOByLUyv_liYHgWdAhA3rh5v5Viwq2E4rnjd_O7heRaM4ySizhLzIonKM4T7Bsw58Uwg6L5XxC1AJ6FMQO6Ts/s1600/IMG_5905.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like some students got a little too carried away...</td></tr>
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Winter snowstorm aside, I wanted to use this post to share some of the new friends I've made this semester with you all. I always find it funny how drastically different each semester is for me, and just when I think I've met pretty much everyone on campus, new people come along in a slew of different ways.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkDAEP_bgnWuZgQnYrPRsE7IoofbOnlBM0xhWKZffUrtU5VyaHoP9B6D-Dhh9HbiW1ow8z49yTOiH1Ory2N-b7i-qQW8Z58UJurl9Zzg0FmwkWqqFk3aAKRMw2UHVn4NMz1oggSO1dRI/s1600/IMG_5544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkDAEP_bgnWuZgQnYrPRsE7IoofbOnlBM0xhWKZffUrtU5VyaHoP9B6D-Dhh9HbiW1ow8z49yTOiH1Ory2N-b7i-qQW8Z58UJurl9Zzg0FmwkWqqFk3aAKRMw2UHVn4NMz1oggSO1dRI/s1600/IMG_5544.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my friend Casey and I back in September. I knew who she was last semester, but being 21 has led me to go out more often and we've hung out more that way.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4J_OsINGYna2WsxbXHjjEdX76v6S5WetPBs8YKDt2omQFRt5pnJC2RkST83Oq5jRPjpLIbGkwM9JggH_aFkgL1yi9jYNgBy2ZQu2OEGtMElmKWzm35A9Jyiu32xLiRneGOUmVVp0pG-Q/s1600/IMG_5683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4J_OsINGYna2WsxbXHjjEdX76v6S5WetPBs8YKDt2omQFRt5pnJC2RkST83Oq5jRPjpLIbGkwM9JggH_aFkgL1yi9jYNgBy2ZQu2OEGtMElmKWzm35A9Jyiu32xLiRneGOUmVVp0pG-Q/s1600/IMG_5683.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shannon and I have been friends for a little while, but I feel like our friendship really took off this semester since we have a class together.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiim_iotF6Qtb7LvZdzp2XbgnVGgnvapGAaZKHSGbE2Wpf4wYO3UmtU4PejacSeCh7J_J7ZmbDv_LwuUaTgIv8mZKK8KrkwvlQd6TiJ1ic7JZwX-LBy35EFKINjXBEvyyG9gRfv2eafV_o/s1600/IMG_5715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiim_iotF6Qtb7LvZdzp2XbgnVGgnvapGAaZKHSGbE2Wpf4wYO3UmtU4PejacSeCh7J_J7ZmbDv_LwuUaTgIv8mZKK8KrkwvlQd6TiJ1ic7JZwX-LBy35EFKINjXBEvyyG9gRfv2eafV_o/s1600/IMG_5715.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jessica and I met over the summer through a mutual friend, and I was surprised to learn that she goes to Saint Michael's because I'd never seen her before! Ironically, we have a class together this semester too. Go figure.</td></tr>
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So, I guess the point of this post is just to always be open to making new friends or becoming closer to people as time progresses. As small as Saint Michael's is, I'd say I meet someone new and become friends with them at least once every week or two, and it's not always through having a class with them. In a community like Saint Michael's, everyone tends to know everyone, but there are always great people out there that you still haven't met. That's one of the many reasons I love going here.Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-44966687272512796662014-12-09T18:40:00.001-08:002014-12-09T18:40:49.145-08:00Day 3: The Holiday Season at Saint Mike's!Hope you've all been enjoying your Tuesday despite this awful weather. I literally can't even walk one step outside without falling flat on my face. I can only imagine what my car will look like in the morning.<br />
<br />Speaking of winter, the lights have officially gone up at Saint Michael's for the holiday season! For those of you who may not know, every winter when students return from winter break, staff at Saint Michael's decorate some of the larger trees around campus with lights to commemorate the holiday season, and I love when they go up not only because they signal that finals will be over soon (how did we get to the end of the semester again by the way?), but also because their presence just makes the campus feel that much more vibrant.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DZImjuZ4sC9A_r9ExRMW4JSjLZC3qmzkp43CF6kveEk1M4TK0KYORqu-2kah2Tw71RW2NVupqgMiN_7XM6lDM3VO8a18UNVxC0MQt6K0RjzUs4gKS8V9sli62uk6pO7lig4R1esGWHE/s1600/IMG_5881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DZImjuZ4sC9A_r9ExRMW4JSjLZC3qmzkp43CF6kveEk1M4TK0KYORqu-2kah2Tw71RW2NVupqgMiN_7XM6lDM3VO8a18UNVxC0MQt6K0RjzUs4gKS8V9sli62uk6pO7lig4R1esGWHE/s1600/IMG_5881.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blurry lights by the chapel.</td></tr>
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Personally, Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. I love how happy everyone is and how I get to spoil my friends and family and not even care how much money I'm spending (to a reasonable extent...I mean, come on, I'm still a college student). But presents aside, I just love the mood of the holiday season more than anything else. Despite the cold, people always seem to be happier to talk to you and more excited about life in general, which are two qualities I could really use in a person right around this stressful time of finals studying and no sleep.<br />
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I'm sad to see the semester coming to an end so soon, but I'm also stoked to take on my last semester at Saint Michael's and a whole new variety of courses! I'll have to keep you all posted on those, but I think it's going to be my best (and busiest) semester yet.<br />
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I hope you all have a great holiday season. While dealing with the chaos that is finals week, make sure you try to get outside, look at the lights, and de-stress!Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-59760509919418612612014-12-08T12:48:00.000-08:002014-12-08T12:48:12.575-08:00Day 2: Environmental Journalism.Hey everyone, happy Monday!<br /><br />
So today, I thought I'd share what I've been working on in my Environmental Journalism class with you all. This class has been one of my favorites this semester not only because I am interested in the topic, but because Professor Williams makes the class that much better. His teaching style and enthusiasm about the environmental journalism field really brings the class to life for me and reinvigorates my interest in the topic that much more. It's a great MJD elective class for those of you who may be interested or need an elective to take!<br />
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For my final project, I made a blog about wind power in Vermont and the controversy surrounding it. I'm sure that for many of you, you likely share the same opinion that I did going into this project. Wind power sounds like a great alternative energy source that doesn't require a lot of production to make, so what could possibly be wrong with it? As I found out, there's actually a lot more controversy surrounding it than one would think, and many of these controversies stem from environmental, economic, and health-related issues.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QobAfxel-BlPAuH_t8PcSkutc0ml-g0hHFdTlGP-PIevdZPF-3G4pCuq8d944IYkfRj54guuHzCMsDE1sp6YAbSRkUQ-dOUFT9XzfCi3ISSvWP7hMZ0fT69NC3GVnHRYOoI6-0zrmsY/s1600/Lowell-Mountain-wind-MAIN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QobAfxel-BlPAuH_t8PcSkutc0ml-g0hHFdTlGP-PIevdZPF-3G4pCuq8d944IYkfRj54guuHzCMsDE1sp6YAbSRkUQ-dOUFT9XzfCi3ISSvWP7hMZ0fT69NC3GVnHRYOoI6-0zrmsY/s1600/Lowell-Mountain-wind-MAIN.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windmills on the Lowell Mountain ridge line in Vermont.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNtWPNR2ksLtzdrTgZhZKKOqpBvrwNHhhHRy4CoLsAk82hyDzhvzO56CxTWR2J8q5jAt3kJhEKpMx7AeoJNLCxZ9FI3uR86pZY1uAXmaCzt6UH5u4WzKA8qyKWrtrR2IoQNretB6p3A8/s1600/renewable_1_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNtWPNR2ksLtzdrTgZhZKKOqpBvrwNHhhHRy4CoLsAk82hyDzhvzO56CxTWR2J8q5jAt3kJhEKpMx7AeoJNLCxZ9FI3uR86pZY1uAXmaCzt6UH5u4WzKA8qyKWrtrR2IoQNretB6p3A8/s1600/renewable_1_lg.jpg" height="235" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A breakdown of windmill statistics in Vermont.</td></tr>
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While it's true that wind energy doesn't cost a lot to produce and doesn't have nearly the same environmental impact as fossil fuels or other mainstream sources of energy, it still has its flaws as well. I talked to a Vermont state senator, a representative from Green Mountain Power, a a few other people from around the state about the issue, and they all brought to light some things I never knew about wind power. Industrial-sized windmills, like many of the projects in Vermont, have the potential to disrupt wildlife patterns in the area as well as decrease property value for those who live near them. Furthermore, there has been talk that the acoustics of windmills cause those who live close to them to suffer from constant headaches and nosebleeds, effectively forcing them to move if their health becomes worse.<br />
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Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that wind power is bad altogether. On the contrary, I think that wind power has some amazing benefits and could work in Vermont wonderfully as long as it is established correctly. These industrial-sized projects seem to be the main issue in my opinion. Many of these projects are built this way because ridge lines are where most wind comes from, and so the grand size of the windmills in these locations allows for the most wind power to be harnessed. However, I think that if the state were to invest in several smaller wind projects rather than these industrial-sized ones, it would be a bit more costly, but it would create the same benefits while reducing environmental, economic, and health impacts.<br />
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Clearly, I am very interested in this topic and I learned a lot from my research. It was surreal to talk to some big names in Vermont about this topic, and this class has been a rewarding experience. Writing in a journalistic style has been a challenge for me since starting the MJD major as well, but this class has really helped me to develop these writing skills.<br />
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If you want to check out my final project on wind power, click <a href="http://windpowervermont.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-controversial-current-analyzing.html" target="_blank">here</a>!Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-18877686955627370942014-12-07T21:45:00.004-08:002014-12-07T21:45:35.701-08:00The One Week Challenge.This weekend has been very busy to say the least. From having drill to balancing homework and finals coming up, I've been burnt out and exhausted more than ever. That being said, I decided to give myself a little challenge since the semester is coming to an end so soon, and that is this: one new post every day for a week straight. Do you think I can do it? I'm not so sure, but I think it's worth trying!<br />
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Every day, I'm going to try to find something to share with you guys relating to Saint Michael's or my life in some way, shape, or form that isn't entirely boring (I'll try my best with this, I promise). To kick this off, I thought I'd talk about coming back from Thanksgiving break with my roommate and best friend Jesse.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-w9GTwY9HjCyHqPoEvzUlqrrWIsKfEwrf-A1pQJgfJjRGRdm-90PiHsaRaOp9MWAcc3NLVu4IOyIEac10wXuj3vyZq7NBEcr0Ij37Z17TLUq_4bVtUBB_coU5YDVoPTg6Eig27Ea0Hio/s1600/IMG_5873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-w9GTwY9HjCyHqPoEvzUlqrrWIsKfEwrf-A1pQJgfJjRGRdm-90PiHsaRaOp9MWAcc3NLVu4IOyIEac10wXuj3vyZq7NBEcr0Ij37Z17TLUq_4bVtUBB_coU5YDVoPTg6Eig27Ea0Hio/s1600/IMG_5873.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roommate selfie!</td></tr>
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Jesse has been my roommate and best friend ever since I started going to Saint Michael's. We also happen to be taking a class together for the first time since we went to high school together this semester, which has been a blast and probably won't ever happen again since he's a Psychology major and I'm a Business Administration and MJD double-major.<br />
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When we got back from Thanksgiving break, I think we had both had enough of the home life and were more than ready to get back into school mode. But of course, since break had just ended, we had to spend our last night of freedom playing video games and hanging out all night, which was a night of relaxation and a vacation from homework that I needed desperately.<br />
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Luckily for me, Jesse will be attending Saint Michael's for a semester after I graduate due to the fact that he had to miss a semester for his Navy training, so I'll be able to visit and be on campus a little bit longer! It'll be weird being an alumni I'm sure, but hopefully I adjust quickly.<br />
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So, I don't really know what the point of this post was, as you can probably tell. Maybe I just wanted to express how thankful I am to have an awesome best friend, since it's the season for that sort of thing. Maybe I just wanted to do something more fun than homework, so I decided to write this post. Whatever the case may be, I'm just thankful to have great friends like Jesse around me all the time to make my Saint Mike's experience that much better.<br />
<br />Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-69034430478939953722014-11-30T15:41:00.002-08:002014-11-30T15:41:36.101-08:00Thanksgiving, Snow, Break, Life.Happy Sunday! I hope you're all feeling as reinvigorated from this break as I am. This is the first time Saint Michael's has ever given a whole week off for Thanksgiving break, and needless to say I caught up on some much needed sleep. I also managed to do a good amount of work over break as well, so I'm feeling a little less stressed as we're coming toward the end of the semester in three weeks. How is it December tomorrow already?<br />
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Let's ditch that thought for now. I don't like to think about how graduation is coming.<br />
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On a brighter note, Thanksgiving with my family was a great time. My mom and dad had their best friends from work and their daughters come and join us, so we had about ten people including my Aunt and Grandma who also came. The food was amazing of course, and the fact that it was snowing on Thanksgiving made it even better.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0Yt7cYV__uom1DsAkIL15lh7G1bM0I7bdgWJgUUQUFg9DATMy8Mqr3lUw7_kV6ZPwcwf54tagHu2Sz9Y7_axDJQd3AJuwPyAjbVdfGddppNzNaidSSxk-wnN4vZm4TYeSKplDIjpIrk/s1600/IMG_5860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0Yt7cYV__uom1DsAkIL15lh7G1bM0I7bdgWJgUUQUFg9DATMy8Mqr3lUw7_kV6ZPwcwf54tagHu2Sz9Y7_axDJQd3AJuwPyAjbVdfGddppNzNaidSSxk-wnN4vZm4TYeSKplDIjpIrk/s1600/IMG_5860.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Thanksgiving feast! We add biscuits from Red Lobster to our meal every year because we're obsessed.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxikQR5Nprl24MyEWm3Hf6GgN1l2n4Ig-LKPaRHSqrk7LzcP7_KEPxPyPm8iQvDiv72j9M1RbdiN-PODMQ4AZgMg1y_wKSn08BRP2xTqRZnu0h1TiFIU0r1t8Cdo3XQDDR7Yo0NeEi6M/s1600/IMG_5863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxikQR5Nprl24MyEWm3Hf6GgN1l2n4Ig-LKPaRHSqrk7LzcP7_KEPxPyPm8iQvDiv72j9M1RbdiN-PODMQ4AZgMg1y_wKSn08BRP2xTqRZnu0h1TiFIU0r1t8Cdo3XQDDR7Yo0NeEi6M/s1600/IMG_5863.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My backyard on Thanksgiving - it was beautiful!</td></tr>
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Unfortunately all good things must come to an end, so I said goodbye to my parents, cats, and dogs (which was particularly difficult) and headed off to campus once again.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WsACGtDQj1cusPA7cvmEph6KSnxJ-V9OWCSvT9gszgPmA3MH1jLmPcNgm-iamUQAQcILcTjE7_PKjooFTutI9VsM4EFoZtKi8KnRAnwkdZjBf0_8hatJta-O8K8WdNfg6ZcQ-gm2OQU/s1600/IMG_5871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WsACGtDQj1cusPA7cvmEph6KSnxJ-V9OWCSvT9gszgPmA3MH1jLmPcNgm-iamUQAQcILcTjE7_PKjooFTutI9VsM4EFoZtKi8KnRAnwkdZjBf0_8hatJta-O8K8WdNfg6ZcQ-gm2OQU/s1600/IMG_5871.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sunset drive back to school.</td></tr>
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Although it was sad to leave, I'm glad I'm back on campus again. I missed my townhouse bed oddly enough, and I was glad to have a bit of space after being around my family for a week straight for long periods of time (they're great people of course, but you know how everyone starts to annoy you after being around them for a while).<br />
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I'm currently back at work writing up my research proposal for my Media Studies senior seminar, and I'm happy to say it's almost done! It's hard to believe two finals and a paper are all that stands between me and a whole month off. I have plans to visit a friend in Florida in January, so I can't wait to live in the sun for a bit and avoid this intense Vermont cold!<br />
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I hope you all had a great break and an awesome Thanksgiving if you celebrate it. I'm sure these next three weeks will be exciting and hectic all at once, so I'll keep you posted!Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-86449996049836028702014-11-19T19:31:00.000-08:002014-11-19T19:31:28.819-08:00Senior Seminar Madness.I can't even believe it's Thanksgiving break next week. Where did the time go? As I'm closing in on the end of the fall semester of my senior year, I'm reflecting a lot on what I want to do once I graduate (STOP, STOP IT RIGHT NOW). I plan on getting my resume worked on through career services here on campus next semester and looking into graphic design, advertising, or digital media jobs around the Vermont, New York City, and Boston areas. I'm excited to begin my future career, but as you can imagine I'm also feeling nervous that the time is coming so close and that I'll be leaving Saint Mike's the May. Oh man.<br />
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Let's drop that thought for a second. On a related note, I've been working on my proposal for my MJD senior seminar for my book I plan to publish next semester for my senior project with my partner Tara Keady. We are exploring the perceptions of gender and sexuality on a global scale. As you can imagine, it's been very work-intensive with such a broad topic as we try to narrow it down to what we want to cover within it. We've been going to LGBTQ events, interviewing members of the LGBTQ community as well as those who study it and put on events for the LGBTQ community. It's been such a rewarding experience so far, and I can't wait to see what next semester brings as we put it all together slowly but surely.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiABbPkljlG8NTCTRboS_XVouUcS6E_2yLDt6QGm0bh06wzOvwDglJlZ-ZkNgX3rL2RcdWYNEbKSJ76mQfJEx6Y1qypnvgaqoyab-fwOP_TgymJKhClv4rqxxJh1JQqhyHUfoK15vqG8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-16+at+1.31.52+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiABbPkljlG8NTCTRboS_XVouUcS6E_2yLDt6QGm0bh06wzOvwDglJlZ-ZkNgX3rL2RcdWYNEbKSJ76mQfJEx6Y1qypnvgaqoyab-fwOP_TgymJKhClv4rqxxJh1JQqhyHUfoK15vqG8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-16+at+1.31.52+PM.png" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Johnny Chag, who works at the Vermont Pride Center in Burlington</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBRv1Xindz4dtG4bD3aqzV0KhHFcfAzFydviXyoeJwlK1ME8Sk8r35ppacolRbS1Fqzclhd7HzdJpUAudY8p4PhSUu6ZbqN2Mg-6NZ-JI_YlCcmzrRwCRxb_BKFI_UQ3l7dI3Vb1lZik/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-16+at+1.32.01+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBRv1Xindz4dtG4bD3aqzV0KhHFcfAzFydviXyoeJwlK1ME8Sk8r35ppacolRbS1Fqzclhd7HzdJpUAudY8p4PhSUu6ZbqN2Mg-6NZ-JI_YlCcmzrRwCRxb_BKFI_UQ3l7dI3Vb1lZik/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-11-16+at+1.32.01+PM.png" height="210" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Jesse Thomas, who has transitioned from a female to a male. His story is incredible.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTD7fN-bCUocuazrIuWodokLwXfPu0c9D-Wjn6gBqIW_UFNa0XJCYah_fVWIVL41Gb0XxjQCo96iGFDny1qwzFTzp4ddrCF_nhpk3gJml-hHOrMhzwa7RPSe4Y1R16oKcXtSyniTYwJxo/s1600/10372505_717083551717877_4387411066071783231_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTD7fN-bCUocuazrIuWodokLwXfPu0c9D-Wjn6gBqIW_UFNa0XJCYah_fVWIVL41Gb0XxjQCo96iGFDny1qwzFTzp4ddrCF_nhpk3gJml-hHOrMhzwa7RPSe4Y1R16oKcXtSyniTYwJxo/s1600/10372505_717083551717877_4387411066071783231_n.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a drag queen from the First Friday event we went to at Higher Ground for the LGBTQ community. They happen the first friday of every month!</td></tr>
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I'm so thrilled that this research and the final product that comes with it will be a part of my life forever. Being a member of the LGBTQ community myself, I feel very attached to this topic, and it's been truly amazing to learn more about it and find myself connecting with it in ways I never thought imaginable. I think that's been the most rewarding part of college - finding the things that I'm most passionate about and learning about them as much as I can.<br />
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I hope you've all found your passion in life as well. If you haven't yet, don't worry - it comes when you least expect it.<br />
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That's it from me for now, I hope you all enjoy your break and eat your weight in turkey. Happy Wednesday!Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-25650812015624510172014-10-29T20:30:00.003-07:002014-10-29T20:30:44.623-07:00Let's Talk Business.Alright, so it's been a while since I've posted, but senior year is a much different animal than the rest of my college experience thus far and I'm learning to adjust to not have time to do anything as I go along. Yet, here I am, finally posting, thank god! It's been a long and stressful past two weeks, but all the work I've been putting in is finally starting to pay off, as I can now say I'm officially done with the project for my first senior seminar!<div>
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This semester, I'm taking both my MJD senior seminar and my Business Administration senior seminar at the same time (I know what you're going to say - I'm crazy. I know, but I didn't have another choice with the way my schedule worked out), but I just finished preparing my mock business plan for my Business Administrations senior seminar and handed it in yesterday. and now I'm breathing a bit easier!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtq-otXwHwrI7Wl7fFy6mKYcxZTFOB29j5u3Z76AEj_GwMwwOtxcMBJwxjSjIhgYNIx1lhjltEI046Tn9Owb5BeEtm7rVDbpGVv88xn0fMnsEbNV-VRnYJzqewErsj1d_27r8yMm8uHIc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-10-29+at+11.17.16+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtq-otXwHwrI7Wl7fFy6mKYcxZTFOB29j5u3Z76AEj_GwMwwOtxcMBJwxjSjIhgYNIx1lhjltEI046Tn9Owb5BeEtm7rVDbpGVv88xn0fMnsEbNV-VRnYJzqewErsj1d_27r8yMm8uHIc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-10-29+at+11.17.16+PM.png" height="320" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a screenshot of the cover page - it ended up being over 70 pages long!</td></tr>
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So when you're a Business Administration major at Saint Mike's, once you learn about the vast and in-depth worlds of finance, advertising, marketing, management, and a bunch of other business-related topics, you enter your final class to tie it all together - Business Strategy. This class offers an in-depth examination into various different business case scenarios of actual businesses, analyzes strategies to improve upon these businesses' strategies, and to top it all off, you get to make your very own mock business plan based on an idea that's totally your own! This mock business plan has to have everything under the sun, from sample advertisements to more financial statements than you ever knew existed. It's a TON of work, there's no hiding that, but the final product is well worth the stress!</div>
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For my groups' business plan, we created a business that will refurbish and sell donated skateboards, bicycles, scooters, and 100% recycled clothing while also donating a portion of our profits to Vermont outdoor movements, organizations, and charities to promote being environmentally friendly and echo our business' values. As hard as it all was to put together on time and as accurately as possible, it was such a rewarding experience! Oh, and did I mention that a few groups from each semester this class is offered get picked to participate in a business competition in the spring for a chance to win $5,000?</div>
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Needless to say, with that motivation on top of the motivation to get a good grade, I put my all into this and I'm so proud of how it turned out! My group makes our presentation to the class on it next week and I'm really nervous I'm going to mess something up, but I'm hoping my professor will like it and it has enough potential to get into the competition!</div>
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For those of you who are interested in the business program here at Saint Mike's or are in it already, just know that this kind of class is fairly unique to Saint Mike's. Not only is it very rigorous and in-depth, but it also offers you the chance to create a final project that not a lot of other business graduates from other schools can claim that they've done. I'm definitely going to tout this business plan on my resume for future employers, so if you're looking for a business program that's both challenging and sets you apart from the average college student, I would definitely recommend looking into the one here at Saint Mike's!</div>
Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-78253813494821050412014-10-18T12:18:00.000-07:002014-10-18T12:18:12.775-07:00Fall Adventures!Hey y'all, happy Saturday!<br /><br /><div>
Having Friday off this week has given me much more time to buckle down and get some work done, but it's also allowed more time to relax and have fun with friends! I'm often so busy this semester (being it's senior year and I'm in 2 senior seminars right now...yikes) that I hardly have as much time to hang out with friends or go out as I used to, but I've still managed to break from the stress every once in a while and have some fun. </div>
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Fall is debatably my favorite season (it's a battle between fall and summer, I just can't decide), but this fall has been especially strange up here in Vermont because it's continued to stay pretty warm throughout October. The other night I was walking around campus in just a tank and shorts and it must've been close to 70 degrees! It was insane, but hey, I'm not complaining.</div>
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On a somewhat different yet also related note, here are some pictures of fun fall times I've had so far this semester:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWYt-AXWPm6mFJL7Zx4GoqiOErKgklMOgCcUUrknQ5ZXw5UCmMMaAHfszKs2_zj8xOg5cLSZsVH9YPkfwAO283Am8KDLvmRHQBfyQ6eW5-PtUhuABAHxrDC7pn9mARkWQ9Z6BQ6chjvA/s1600/IMG_5700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWYt-AXWPm6mFJL7Zx4GoqiOErKgklMOgCcUUrknQ5ZXw5UCmMMaAHfszKs2_zj8xOg5cLSZsVH9YPkfwAO283Am8KDLvmRHQBfyQ6eW5-PtUhuABAHxrDC7pn9mARkWQ9Z6BQ6chjvA/s1600/IMG_5700.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love drives home in the fall. Look at how beautiful my driveway becomes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlhHyQ4rYtiqeHgHZkI0OINHfdi97lfct-0Nsmxc11iSqm9S6j2zTs6w5t2RtokaCGpBmsfmoCFw5j1fWzvNQrulvfSy4pznUwBgPI8_dd7dC8GfLNRl18e4vsBRbSjh5c3HnZBtKgqk/s1600/IMG_5710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlhHyQ4rYtiqeHgHZkI0OINHfdi97lfct-0Nsmxc11iSqm9S6j2zTs6w5t2RtokaCGpBmsfmoCFw5j1fWzvNQrulvfSy4pznUwBgPI8_dd7dC8GfLNRl18e4vsBRbSjh5c3HnZBtKgqk/s1600/IMG_5710.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minecraft paid a little visit to SMC the other day!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvdATLcHh0wEM4XZpkwNVwtXZzcpSgautx5GPHDK-SkwgVNruZ5enEW4lazSxrug6LhfXsKPMvxeXrqa83RJ8lrnXJDmOuFKWKewPEvGctRyOKSFbT_R1FIw43dOnBsB1-NIFlt1mON0/s1600/IMG_5713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvdATLcHh0wEM4XZpkwNVwtXZzcpSgautx5GPHDK-SkwgVNruZ5enEW4lazSxrug6LhfXsKPMvxeXrqa83RJ8lrnXJDmOuFKWKewPEvGctRyOKSFbT_R1FIw43dOnBsB1-NIFlt1mON0/s1600/IMG_5713.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fellow blogger Kathryn Miyahira becomes a soldier!</td></tr>
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In short, what's been the most stressful time of my life has had really nice moments of hilarity and relaxation sprinkled in-between to keep me sane. As long as I have great people and even better (preferably warm) weather to live off of, I'll always be happy. That's the great thing about Saint Michael's - sure, you're stressed out sometimes, that's just college, but you're also surrounded by great people that want to see you happy.</div>
Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7506626935206747929.post-856888290736207432014-10-07T08:08:00.000-07:002014-10-07T08:08:06.028-07:00Military Life - Senior Year Edition.So, this past weekend was drill for both my roommate Jesse and I. For those of you who may not know what drill is, it's an essential part of being in the National Guard or Reserve in the military where you go to your assigned based one weekend per month and do the job you were hired to do. For me, that is Client Systems, which is a fancy way of saying IT Technician basically. Jesse is a Navy Hospital Corpsman, so he works down in medical in his shop helping patients who need shots, blood work, and the like.<br />
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This is the first semester both of us have gone to drill at the same time while being officially done with all training required to wear the uniform and do the job. Jesse was gone to boot camp and his training school all last semester and some of the summer, while I did my training the year before around the same time frame. We've noticed that even though he's Navy and I'm Air Force, our schedules for drills have matched up oddly enough!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLP9G6e1iVbOyvE-gffGULvZfunU3J0eSz4ufVj6c29cbTaALR_yu1D70CSGHk4m3HNdLNItyaMFNeaTrNXvaElUF1KcRoLlvrlen42ldgrA1sGqrysEWcbc20stIqmCT4j1a-eHJuOXE/s1600/IMG_5678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLP9G6e1iVbOyvE-gffGULvZfunU3J0eSz4ufVj6c29cbTaALR_yu1D70CSGHk4m3HNdLNItyaMFNeaTrNXvaElUF1KcRoLlvrlen42ldgrA1sGqrysEWcbc20stIqmCT4j1a-eHJuOXE/s1600/IMG_5678.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jesse and I being goofballs after drill this past Sunday - 'Merica!</td></tr>
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One of the reasons Saint Michael's College is such a great school is because of all of the support they offer for military members. Katherine Orthman, the woman in charge of coordinating students with the Veterans' Affairs Office for the school, has done everything from submitting paperwork for my GI Bill to selecting my classes for me when I was away training, and I couldn't be more thankful. Aside from that, the Air National Guard and Army National Guard both offer the Buxton Scholarship each semester, which can pay for the cost of up to 16 credits! I've been fortunate enough to receive it for the past two semesters, and I'll find out soon if I got it for next semester as well.<br />
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If you have any questions about how Saint Mike's works with the military, feel free to ask me! Im also going to be attending a military ball next month, so stay tuned for a post about that!<br />
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Happy Tuesday!Nathan Gabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961647240553796705noreply@blogger.com0