streubel
Christ-follower, Dad, Runner, and Scientist
AIM: revstrube
A Graduate Student’s Life
Posted in Random, Running Free - Brooks ID on November 19, 2008
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It STILL smells like POOP!
Posted in Random on November 19, 2008
As for my gradate school life…IT STILL SMELLS. After 3 months of waiting I finally received my first sample of material for my PhD. In my head I had made myself believe it would no longer smell like cow manure…I was wrong….another year of smelling. I feel deflated…come on really…it almost smells worse~
An old friend of mine just started his first semester of graduate school. This was his recent post http://rejectedreality.wordpress.com/2008/11/18/ponderous-ponderings-nov-18/ which outlines exactly how it feels to be in school with a job, kids and wife. There is something to be said for the guys who go back with family, it is harder than anyone things…especially the single graduate students or professors who didn’t have a family, they never really understadn the struggle. It is a balancing act which is undescribable because as a dad you don’t want your kids messed up and on Orpah when you are done. John Hang in there…
Don’t Shame The Floor
Posted in Faith on November 17, 2008
In college (the first time 92-96) I was the RA of the Ducks (500 Floor). It was a year to remember as I was allowed the privilege of stepping into a community of men built on tradition, honor, friendship, eggs and fun. It was a group of guys who to this day pride themselves on the phrase “Semper Fi Duck or Die. Of the many traditions on the floor, some of which are now discontinued by the administration for fear of lawsuits, was the rock of shame. Honor and Integrity actually meant a great deal to this band of manhole borrowing – egg throwing – brothers. If at anytime they felt you shamed the reputation of the floor through your actions a large rock was placed outside your door. You then had to carry the rock throughout the day to classes, meals and chapel. When ask why..your only response, “I have shamed my floor”, because it wasn’t just about you.
My loving mother called last night telling me that Mary and I were talked about yesterday in her Sunday service as an example of “faith and stuff”. Society these days puts a lot of weight on self…your actions don’t affect anyone else…you are the individual. I think society is wrong we are not in this alone: failure of honor, integrity, school, grades, job and the like reaches to others around us.
I am at the overwhelmed stage in the semester with little hope of relief but I can’t quit now. As I walked out the door this morning, I told Mary I can’t fail to get this degree when so many people are watching. Her response: “no you can’t – people have prayed, given resources, used us as examples – your boys are watching your determination, you moved me across the state, God has opened doors. It doesn’t just affect you…you have to press on.”
So this morning with 3 weeks left in the semester and 112 days to preliminary exams, I remember the words of the Ducks.
Don’t Shame Your Floor.
Another Secret
Another Secret – No Phosphorus
Any given time I can only handle so much manure, phosphorus and statistics. I can’t do much about it until I get my degree but in the mean time I have to have an outlet. Most people know I run – if you read the blog you can trace my progress, but we have a hidden secret in our home…it is one we don’t really talk much about because it sets up apart from really most people that we know through work, church and school….our secret?
No – Mary is my first wife – the kids are all ours – I have no record but we are a Ham Radio family. Mary (KE7UUF) and Macuen (KE7WIC) have all passed the FCC exam for the technician’s license and I (K7VNG) have my general license (2 tests). From the corner of the living or boys room we talk to the world via repeaters and HF waves. We are learning Morse Code, slowly, as a family and meet on a regular basis with other hams in the area to talk sunspots, wiring and antennas. Yes there are strange wires coming out of my house but my antenna farm is very small compared to some (KC7OE). There now you know…we really are a little odd.
My Rig: Yaesu 7800R for 2m and 440 and a
Yaesu 707 for 10-80 meters with a 80 dipole, tuning with a MFJ for 20meters.
Icom 706 coming in December from an OM N7LH.
73’s
If you are interested in more details we can suck you in!
My Hidden Life
Posted in Random on November 7, 2008
Orthophosphate Structure in simple form
I was ask to include a little of my work in a blog so here goes…I do encourage your input.
Phosphorus is a macronutrient needed for life to exist. Phosphorus is primarily made available to plants through the mineralization of organic material (biomass, organic matter, plant residue or agricultural by-products) and the dissolution of primary and secondary phosphorus minerals. The fate and rate of the phosphorus availability in a system depends on multiple factors which are ultimately site specific. These factors include soil chemistry, temperature, management practice, pH and the physical soil make up including texture, density and structure. Since phosphorus is becoming the new standard element to be tracked for pollution on dairies and agricultural land it, is important we understand the inputs and outputs intimately. When attempting to account for the phosphorus in the system it is vital to use the appropriate testing methodology. Failure to use the best practices for testing could skew regulation to one side or the other. (Barrow, 1974; Fuhrman et al. 2005; Sims ed. 2005; Rowell, 2003)
When breaking down the testing soils for phosphorus there are three primary approaches to testing: (Toor et al. 2006; NRCS 2008; Davenport, 2007; Arie, 2007; Kuo, 1996)
1) Immediately available soil phosphorus which is considered available to the plant immediately.
Methods include Water Extractable Phosphorus and Ion-Exchange Membranes (Anion Exchange Resin).
2) The labile phosphorus which could be available to the plant throughout the growing season.
Methodsinclude Olsen, Bray, and Mehlich 1 or 3.
3) The non labile phosphorus which is contained in the clays or secondary minerals which is only available to the plant as it is broken down over time, usually a very slow process.
Methods include Sequential Phosphorus Fractionation, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and X-Ray Absorption Near Edge Structure Spectroscopy.
For the purpose of this post I would like to explore the pros and cons of these methodologies and which are the most useful to science and agriculture respectively.
Please take a look at these three approaches and give me some feed back on the usefulness of a method and some of the factors affecting your answer. Please indicate if you are referring to a specific cropping system.
References available just ask.
No Time for Dogs
Posted in Running Free - Brooks ID on November 3, 2008
If you keep track of my mileage you can see it has been an Ok, yet not stellar year for running. The other night I was running just before sunset as the wind was blowing the leaves to and fro when out of the shadows came a group of nasty looking dogs hot on my tail.
The number one question I get ask by non-runners is “what do you do when a dog chases you?” I learned a lesson a long time ago while running in high school with my Coach Jim Freeman. (former world class runner and holder of the US marathon record in the 60’s) Mr. Freeman is the softest spoken humble guy you will ever have the privilege of meeting. We were running in the city of Snohomish around his old training grounds when out of no where this huge dog starts to run down the 4 of us. Mr. Freeman turns around kicks the life out of the dog and then starts running again as if nothing ever happened. The youngsters, all sophomores, pale face and stunned heard the gentle voice we have all known say – I have no time for dogs, you show them who is boss.
So what do I do when a dog chases me? I take the advice from Freeman – I generally turn towards the dog – yell in the biggest voice I can find “go lay down” – which usually works but on the occasion it doesn’t I prepare to defend myself. I have been heard telling the dogs: “you bite me – I will shoot you and leave you for dead for the other dogs to feed on your remains” or “go home I have killed for less”
When running at twilight in rural Whatcom County where cougars are known in the area I have been known to carry a .357 Mag…you don’t yell at a cougar you just shoot it.
I have no time for dogs – I handle them aggressively – now if only I could tackle my homework with the same aggression.
If you are a runner – what do you do to handle dogs?
Living or Surviving
My wife and I had an interesting discussion after she returned from a meeting. Can a person live passionately for something 24/7? At the moment I am neck deep in the final classes of my PhD with preliminary exams just 4 months away. I should have time for nothing outside of school at the moment. Can I live passionately for something 24/7?
Yes, however doing something passionately does not mean dropping the ball on everything else around me. This incorrect thinking would do more harm to my cause in the long run. Being Passionately Missional is a better term to describe what is possible. Everything is purposefully and passionately filtered through the mission. Every decision our family makes is filtered through this missional thinking. It is not a movement, not a person, or a program but the foundation of what we are…we are passionately missional. Our entire life is filtered through the mission and yes it happens everyday all the time.
It did not happen overnight but it has been this way since I was 16 years old. Mary and I decided as a couple we were going to live life through our call. We didn’t want life to just happen but wanted to be missional. Everyday is not a summer camp or green peace protest but everyday is lived passionately for the ultimate mission. (see post: why I exist)
This weekend I have no time for anything outside of reading and writing; however I will hand out candy at the church on Friday and have 20 odd people from work over on Saturday for a little fall fun. Those decisions and invitations were on purpose.
I would contend – if we do not live life with a missional attitude, we are not truly living at all we are just surviving – we were not called to survive but to live life to the full.
Science Life…
Posted in Random on October 21, 2008
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My Boys have dissappointed me…
Posted in Random on October 21, 2008
I am a little disappointed in my boys right now – despite my energetic attempts they don’t want to dress up as soil scientist for Halloween. (we can debate the issue of dressing up later but I don’t think I am going to hell for letting my kids dress up and walk around the block then go to the church to hand out candy to the community) Seriously, boys come on – don’t you want to be like Dad – they respond “no that’s not cool we want to be a tiger and bird”…ahhh fatherhood.
In a recent blog a friend gave me some advice on increasing my readership. The advice included sticking with one theme or finding your niche and running with it…now that could be a problem. You see I am random at times, no two days are the same. There are times when I want to share life, opinions, family, the boys, work and running. I understand that not everyone cares about phosphorus absorption in biochar therefore I do refrain from blogging about my research – you’re welcome.
If you read my blog tell me what you think my voice is?
The Stump
Posted in Faith, Life, Running Free - Brooks ID on October 14, 2008
Saturday morning the time had finally come for the call of the wild to be answered. I awoke Macuen (7 ½) for his first trip into the woods wearing hunter orange, deer season was open. Coffee and hot coco in hand we drove to the hill in search for the buck with my name attached to his antlers.
The morning started out with a nice hike in the autumn mountains with buck signs scattered throughout the trail. After about two hours into the hunt Macuen was getting a little cold dismayed his two pairs of socks were not holding in the heat. Knowing this was not the time to teach the boy a lesson it was time to head back to the truck to reheat the toes. Yet, Dad had to go just a little farther into the clearing to see what was around the corner.
I told Macuen to sit on this stump in the middle of the woods and I would be back in a minute. As I came back here was my son, my first son sitting on a long with eyes desperate to return to the truck. The relief I saw when I came around the corner was striking and it took me back to Genesis when Abraham was taking Isaac to the hill for the sacrifice. I could imagine Isaac like Macuen – Dad when are we going to see the deer…maybe there is one over there…dad we have to find the deer…are we there yet… Then to put Isaac on an altar to be obedient…Abraham “was huge”, the faith to follow God with this reckless abandonment…I am not sure I will ever have that kind of faith. As I took Macuen off the stump and headed for the truck rifle in one hand and his hand in the other…I will never forget that imagine of Macuen on the stump as a remind of God’s love and true faith.
A side note: As the day went on we team up with the old crew from Mt. View, Pastor Scott, Gary and Adam for the perfect afternoon hunt. In a 15 minute window Macuen bird dogged a 4×3 which ran 30 feet in front of Gary. Gary harvested deer number one. 20 minutes later it was being cleaned and hung at the cabin. Macuen was thrilled to see the process from start to finish…it is good to be alive.
Tales From A Poopsmith 