The Periodic Table of (what)?

For my blog entry, I decided to read Sam Kean's The Disappearing Spoon. From reviews, it seemed like a  fun collection of tales about different elements. I quickly purchased it from amazon.com, my retailer of choice, and once it arrived, I dove right into the pages.

My first thought upon receiving the book was what the heck is a disappearing spoon? Why is there a spoon in a test tube? I have a degree in chemistry and have spent many hours in lab, but never did I use a regular spoon and I'm sure if i had, I would have no reason to stick it in a test tube. Luckily, I read the back of the book, which I always do to give myself a brief overview of what is to come, and it provided an interesting fact about the element gallium. Gallium is a moldable metal, therefore able to be molded into a spoon. However, it melts at 84 degrees Fahrenheit, so if someone was to use the Gallium spoon say to stir sugar in their tea or coffee, the spoon would melt, hence disappearing. From this, just reading the back and already learning something new, I could not wait to see what else I could learn from the book!

The first chapter of the book is entitled "Geography is Destiny". Underneath the title of the chapter is a picture of some elements with the typical periodic table setup. Immediately I had an idea of what was in store for me with this chapter. Knowing chemistry and understanding how different areas of the periodic table denote different properties, I had a pretty good idea that I was in for a discussion of columns versus rows, metals, metalloids, nonmetals, gases, etc. Lo and behold, I was right. This is exactly what was presented to me in the entire chapter! (See periodic table below for reference)

I immediately began thinking of seeing the above chart plastered on every chemistry classroom's wall, so that we could easily refer to it during discussions. I was taken back even before college, to high school days, when we had the periodic table in our reference packet for the chemistry regents. Thank goodness they let us have it or else I am sure many of us would not have been able to answer many questions. Before reading on, I tried to recall what I knew. I know the "staircase" (where the purple meets the blue) represents the metalloids, those elements that have properties of both metals and nonmetals. The noble gases are the last column (green), the metals are on the left side (the blue), and the nonmetals pretty much span the rest (pink). What could this chapter possibly tell me that I did not know? Would it be interesting? Would it be boring?

Turns out, from this first chapter, I was a little disappointed. I was expecting all of these tales about elements and instead, I truly got a geography lesson, just of the periodic table. It was textbook. It was what I learned since high school. Where was the madness and love that the front cover says I could expect? Let me be a little fair...there was some history involved, however I've never been much of a history part, except when it came to learning about wars. Why is that always the most exciting part of history?!

Luckily, this chapter remained in my comfort zone. The reason it was boring was because it was not new. I understood it, which I cannot say happens for every scientific piece I read, so that was a plus. I was able to grasp the meaning behind each sentence, each fact, and so on. And with each part I read, I could remember sitting in my high school chemistry class or my undergraduate courses learning about these things. It was a good reiteration of the periodic table and perhaps a more understandable version of the facts. For sure, it was more interesting than a standard textbook, so if it aids in understanding, why not choose it for a class?

The next chapter is "near twins and black sheep"...who knows what that is about, but as disappointed as I may have been with chapter one, I look forward to getting into the "juicy details" of chemistry and elements!

"On this journey to the past..."

Well it's no surprise from the title that I love the movie "Anastasia". I love most children's films, whether they be Disney or Fox Family or whatever other big movie company there is out there. This is where my journey begins, for before  this time, I'm afraid I don't remember much. However, I can deduce from my mother's letters to me in my baby book, that my literacy journey began very young when my parents and siblings would talk to me. However, my brothers would use actual English whereas my parents, most likely my mother, would use "oh look at you little boopy doo". But enough on that, because I don't remember this and am basing it on what was left for me in a baby book.

Children's films...how I still love them. I can quote the entirety of "Beauty and the Beast" (my favorite) and most other films. When I was little, I would wrap myself in sheets to make a gown and sing the songs pretending to be the characters, most often a princess. What little girl didn't want to be a princess at one point or another? Of course, my favorite song to sing then, and now, was "Little Town". It was from this song that not only was I developing my English literacy skills, but I also got to learn some French too! "Bonjour!"

I suppose my next stop on my journey would be a little later in elementary school, where we were encouraged to read by rewarding us with a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut at the end of the month. I personally love(d) Pizza Hut's personal pan pizza, so of course this was a great incentive. I remember having a book fair and all of the girls wanted to join "The Babysitters Club" Club (original name, isn't it?). I begged my parents to let me get all of the books. I believe you started with the first four and then they sent one at a time until you reached twenty. Now for me this was perfect for two reasons: twenty books equaled a lot of pan pizzas and it gave me something to talk about in school. Basically, for the few unfortunate girls who were not reading "The Babysitters Club", lunch time consisted of listening to the rest of the girls who were. This really brought about my love for reading, how I could get lost in someone's story, and truly transport myself there as if it were unfolding right before my eyes.

Then sixth, seventh, and eighth grades came. "The Babysitter's Club" was no longer the topic of interest. Now, if you wanted friends and wanted something to talk about, it was mandatory that after school  you went home to watch "TRL". Who didn't love Carson Daly? I suppose being literate in the eighth grade meant you had better be able to list the top ten videos from the night before.

However, reading still was instilled in me. I loved being a part of this "TRL" faze and having something to talk about, but reading was passion now. Thank goodness for my discovery of the "Harry Potter" series. Once I started reading them and continued throughout high school and college, I immediately became enthralled with this new world being introduced to me. Though the books may seem juvenile to some, they made me feel smart, especially when people would wonder how I could possibly read a book that long. I also learned so much more vocabulary (big SAT booster) and even some mythology. It was more than just leisure. Though it may not have been an assigned reading in school, I learned from it and my vocabulary grew substantially.

My literacy journey has not always been entirely positive. Though in elementary school and parts of high school, I was feeling smart because I was "a reader" and normally was excelling, I soon experienced 11 days where I felt incredibly stupid. I attended the Global Young Leadership Conference, bringing together 350 students from all over the world. We were assigned to countries, where we partook in various activities similar to a model UN situation. I was assigned to China, with 14 other students from various locations: England, China, Germany, Holland, Nicaragua, Bermuda, New Zealand, and several states. I thought I had to be smart to be selected to go but compared to these international students, I felt like I had learned nothing. I spent half the trip wondering "What on earth are they talking about? Should I have learned that already?" Of course, I just went along with it and embraced all that I was learning from these other students.

A similar "iffy" moment in my literacy journey was during my trip to Bangladesh. Prior to traveling here, the only international trips I had made were to Canada, the Bahamas, and Bermuda, where everyone spoke English. Suddenly, I was in this country where very few people spoke English. How was I supposed to converse with anyone? Thankfully, I was with a group of students and my professor, so it wasn't a lonely experience. However, I truly felt as if I had no means of communicating. When we traveled to villages, I would use hand gestures or point to try to get my message across to the locals. It was as if I never spoke a day in my life, because no matter what I would say, they would not understand me and I would not understand their response. It was frustrating and rewarding all at once. I learned a few phrases, such as "What is your name" and "How are you?" but beyond that, it was mainly smiling, gestures, pointing, or calling over my professor to translate.

I suppose this leads me to the present, where I still am a lover of reading, Disney, traveling, and keeping in touch with my international friends. All of these experiences helped form some part of me, the way I communicate, the way I interpret things, and the way I think. I guess I get to look forward to what else I can add to my literacy timeline.