Today in Human Geography discussion, we were given a blank map of the U.S. (it had state boundary lines) and a marker to draw where we think the U.S. Southwest is. We all drew on the same paper, and the idea was to have 25 different outlines showing the perspectives of 25 different people. So after the paper made its way around the room, the T.A. took it back to look at.

“You guys, it looks like you all copied off the person next to you. Why does it look like that only one person drew an outline even though all 25 of you were supposed to draw something? Why did everyone draw along the state boundaries? Let’s start over.”

He passed around a new map and we all re-drew our outlines.

“This looks the same. This is not how the other class’s map looked when they were done with it. Okay you didn’t all draw on the exact same line this time, but you all drew around state boundary lines! That’s not the point! So you guys consider northern Nevada to be in the Southwest, even though it’s all pretty and green up there?”

Everyone was staring at the table, so I answered, “Well, if I were driving through there, I wouldn’t consider northern Nevada to be the Southwest, but if someone was talking about Nevada as a whole, then I would consider it the Southwest.”

“So why didn’t you draw a line around where you think the Southwest stops in Nevada?”

“Um… because it looks prettier to follow state boundaries.”

“Because it looks prettier. Does everyone here agree with this?”

Everyone stared at the table.

One guy looked up and proffered, “I’m anal retentive, that’s why I did it.”

Scottsdale, Arizona– A city known for its wealth, its snootiness, and its world-class Arabian horses. The men of Scottsdale are business owners and investors; the women are trophy wives whose duties are to look great, make the house look great, and to make friends who are also great (according to the Scottsdale definition of the word). The children of Scottsdale are raised with Beverly Hills style extravagance– the latest, the greatest, and the most expensive are things that just can’t be done without.

That being said, guess who’s in my Art and Politics in Latin America discussion group?

You’re right! The City of Scottsdale and Mattel Inc. proudly present Scottsdale Princess, UofA Edition! Now equipped with Tucson driving skills, a Gucci bag big enough to hold all those college textbooks, and bleach blonde hair because summer just recently ended.

“So like, did you do the reading?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh… Like, I totally don’t get this class.”

“The reading helps me a lot.”

“I just, don’t have time, you know. Like with everything going on.”

“Yeah. Sorority bid weeks are tough.”

TA announces that homework needs to be turned in.

Scottsdale Princess leaves.

Follow-up question, extra credit: Guess who’s going to be doing the whole entire group’s work when project time rolls around?

Ever since I moved to Arizona (like 5 years ago), people have been telling me about the giant toads that come out when it rains. When it’s dry, the toads dig a little hole and live underground. They don’t come out to eat, or drink, or anything. They just sit and wait for sometimes years in between rains. It rained pretty hard the past few days, and I finally got to see the toads.

I went out Sunday night / Monday morning to look at the Perseid meteor shower. I didn’t get any meteor shots, but I did take pictures of other things.

Here’s Mars:

Here’s Mars 300% bigger:

I was amazed at all the different colors the camera captured.

This is a spiral galaxy. Look closely, the arms swirl clockwise.

I forget what these are called. Twin stars maybe?

Click here to see the whole Flickr set.

I should take an astronomy class.  When I was like 7, my dad bought me a subscription to Astronomy magazine.  I didn’t understand anything, but I liked the pictures.

Today at work I was looking through various companies’ presentation books–– they were trying to be the ones to help the city “brand” itself. Branding is a marketing technique to get people to recognize and remember what a product, or a city, is. For instance: Scottsdale, Arizona, is known for its high end living, rich horse owners, and expensive local shops. Florence, Arizona, is known for its multiple prisons. Florence is trying to brand itself as one of the most historic cities in Arizona; it claims that it has more historic buildings on the national registry than any other town in Arizona.

Anyways, one portfolio showed a catchy tagline for the White Mountains:

Going to a store to buy plums and coming back with a bag of prunes: not cool. The White Mountains: cool.

At first glance, it seemed okay. But the more I read it, the less sense it made. Plums? I’ve never seen a plum tree in Arizona. We don’t even have plum trees here! Plums don’t have any relevance to Arizona whatsoever. Furthermore, what do plums have to do with the White Mountains? I can’t relate to buying plums and coming back with prunes. I can’t even relate to buying plums or buying prunes. I’m not old and constipated!

I think they should have said:

Phoenix in the summer: not cool. The White Mountains: cool.

This makes sense on two levels because Phoenix is blistering hot in the summer and the White Mountains are up in Northern Arizona in the cool, pine-covered mountains. Also, for the social aspect of the word, it really isn’t cool to be hanging around Phoenix in the summer. That’s just plain stupid. Hanging around the White Mountains is socially acceptable any time of year because there is always something cool to do up there (skiing, snowboarding, hiking, fishing, camping, etc). Even old people with their prunes know that it’s stupid to be in Phoenix in the summer. They go up north.