My Biology assignment

Stephen Gould lived and died in New York, New York. He was born on September 10th, 1941 and passed on May 20th, 2002 from a metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung. Stephen’s main finding was the theory of punctuated equilibrium, which he developed in Niles Eldredge in 1972.  He contributed to evolutionary developmental biology, and received praise for his book Ontogeny and Phylogeny. Gould’s theory of punctuated equilibrium had an impact on paleontology and evolutionary biology. According to Gould, he believes that punctuated equilibrium is the key pillar “in the central log of  Darwinian theory.” His finding modified neo-Darwinism in a manner that was fully compatible with what has been known before.

Thomas Huxley was born on July 26th, 1894, into a family that was made up of the highest intellectual elite in Ealing. This man contributed to the growing study of classification of organisms by studying fossils. In 1841 he became an apprentice to his physician brother-in-law, and the next year was awarded to scholarship to London’s Charing Cross Hospital. His contributions benefited to the theory of evolution because in order for supporters of the theory to make utter sense, they must first back track to the fossils of things missed behind. These also related to the common belief of the day because they both corresponded with the past.

Theodosius Dobzhansky, not only has the sweetest name in all of history, but lived in the Ukraine and was born on January 24th, 1900. This man published a major work of the “modern evolutionary synthesis” which is the synthesis of evolutionary biology with genetics, in 1937. Throughout his whole life, a good majority of his contributions went to the field of evolutionary biology. He also help shaped modern evolutionary synthesis greatly. The modern evolutionary synthesis  supported evolution because it was a union of ideas from several biological specialties. His 1937 novel “Genetics and the Origin of Species”  helps support modern evolutionary synthesis as well. Sadly, Dobzhansky passed away from leukemia on December 18th, 1975.

Ernst Mayr lived in Dresden, and was born on  July 5th 1904 in Germany, a fine time in history.  Ernst is known for his publication of “Systematics and the Origin of Species” in 1942. One of his major contribution was to his theory of peripatric speciation. His own theory helped justify evolution because it simply states information on sister species, which are organisms that are closely related, which is what evolution agrees upon; how  closely related organisms are. This specific piece of his work can  relate to the belief of today because still scientists believe of how eerily organisms are related to each other. His death was brought to him in early 2005.

Riley Luke

It was the 24th of April 2011 when I first heard that I was going to become an aunt for the first time. Considering that it was a fine easter morning, things couldn’t have gotten better after eating scumptious macaroni and cheese – until THE call came along. Evan and I were driving by ourselves back home,  when out of the blue my father called me on my cellphone. “Melani, guess what?” he says, with excitement dripping from the edges of his mouth. “What??” I asked very curiously now. “Casey is pregnant!!!”  I found this hard to believe as I was not expecting that surprise to come so soon. I was in disbelief but began screaming and yelling to Evan either way, “Evan!! Casey’s pregnant!” I surely just wanted to get home and scream on top of the highest mountains.

After that occurence, I slowly became doleful over how many months I had to anxiously wait to pass before Riley would come along. As the thought of it appeared out of sight and out of mind, a dream came to me one spring night. As most of my dreams are the silliest of all, this dream had a high importance to it. I had a dream that my mother was having a baby girl and that it was to be born as soon as possible! The instant I woke up and the pieces of my dream began to form a complete puzzle in my mind, I went to the computer and wrote on Casey’s wall explaining to her that I truly think she is going to have a girl because of my vivid dream I had the night before. And little did I know a few weeks later she would find out that she was having  a precious little girl.

After that, things began to pass quickly and I began to realize that time was ahead of me and I was desperately behind. Thanksgiving came and went, December was celebrated and quickly left at the door, and the thought of the new born baby arose in my mind once more. It was the night of January 7th that I had a dream that Casey was in labor and Riley was eleven pounds!! Immediately after I woke up on January 8th and began to get my things together, I texted Andrew telling him that I had a dream Casey was going to have her baby today, and he replied with, “I  hope so!”

My parents and I were both at church on January 8th when suddenly Andrew texted my dad saying “in the hospital” my face lit up with joy! After the church service was over, my dad quickly  called Andrew to get infomation and they said that they were just relaxing and waiting for the big moment.

I was on the telephone with Alex when Andrew texted me with “8cm” which meant that she only needed to be at 10cm in order to deliver! So I knew that the time was coming and that soon enough Riley would  enter this world. It wasn’t until around 5:20 that Andrew texted me saying that they were delivering — and soon enough, Riley Alena Luke was born.

And my ancticipation began to spark again as I knew I had to wait about five days until we could go up and see them! But those five days seemed to pass quickly.

It wasn’t until we were walking up to their door that I got butterflies in my stomach. It’s perhaps of what she would think of me at such a young age, or how I would react to at last seeing the face of an angel. And as we walked up the stairs to their apartment, it seemed surreal  to be moments away from my niece that I have been patiently waiting nine months for.

I held her as she cried a bit, and  then soon enough her cries ceased and her eyes were brought onto my face, and she searched around for who I might be. Emotions seemed to overwhelm me as I began crying buckets of tears. Soon enough my dad asked me what’s wrong and I told him, “It’s not sad tears, I’m just so happy!” and Andrew started getting my tissues as he held me close while the tears still began to run.

I guess you could say that pure happiness comes from the people that serve it, or perhaps happiness is so easily to be found and that even the smallest of beings can give it to you. I now know what heaven looks like as I looked at Riley that one breezy night. I love you, Riley!!

 

 

Voices I hear haiku

The voices I hear

Are black snakes trickling down my

Temple of a soul

Thanksgiving

Prompt: What is it to be thankful?

One may simply ask the question of “what is it to be thankful?” and I believe that the only answer to that intricate question is to have a yearning, happy, and thanking spirit to either a materialistic object, a being, or state of mind. I believe that thanksgiving should not be celebrated just once a year; but every waking hour of the day.

I don’t believe a person when they say that they “can’t think of anything they’re thankful for” because if  you’re at a painstaking obstacle in life, there are still plenty of beautiful things to be thankful about, and it could either be as simple as the locomotive movements of the sea, or the way the sun creeps in your window in the morning.

I believe that being thankful is one of the easiest things a person can be, for it is a cinch to find things to be thankful for.  You can always find something absolutely wonderfully captivating in your life at the moment, take a minute to fall in love with it, and become truly grateful for it, because you know there may not be another day where you can see it again, so take a moment out of this day and bless everything you have. Grab the thing you’re thankful for, kiss it, love it, and never let it fade into the darkening day.

Prompt: What is…

Prompt: What is it to be thankful?

One may simply ask the question of “what is it to be thankful?” and I believe that the only answer to that intricate question is to have a yearning, happy, and thanking spirit to either a materialistic object, a being, or state of mind. I believe that thanksgiving should not be celebrated just once a year; but every waking hour of the day.

I don’t believe a person when they say that they “can’t think of anything they’re thankful for” because if  you’re at a painstaking obstacle in life, there are still plenty of beautiful things to be thankful about, and it could either be as simple as the locomotive movements of the sea, or the way the sun creeps in your window in the morning.

I believe that being thankful is one of the easiest things a person can be, for it is a cinch to find things to be thankful for.  You can always find something absolutely wonderfully captivating in your life at the moment, take a minute to fall in love with it, and become truly grateful for it, because you know there may not be another day where you can see it again, so take a moment out of this day and bless everything you have. Grab the thing you’re thankful for, kiss it, love it, and never let it fade into the darkening day.

His resurrection – In the words of Melani Luke

Challenge: Write a poem based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Next month is our poetry month!)

Would a wind sweep through the tomb
And bring us a man, so far from doom?
Would a forsaken world be full of compassion and love
For we would resemble a flowing dove?
Can such a man
Turn an ounce of sand
Into a fish, for the shaking hands?
Can such words express
My love for the risen Lord, I surely confess?

To the present and the past,

Melani

My dearest Holden – In the words of Melani Luke

Challenge: Write a goodbye love letter to your spouse.

September 1st, 1952
My dearest Holden,

I feel time is rushing by and I find I am no where near right to say that I am strolling along with it. I must confess, though, that I am strolling along in such a way that you must understand. You absolutely must. I am shy of forty five and my love for life, my love for the world has dwindled, alongside my love for you.

We have been married for a much well compressed fifteen years, where I felt your tears and helped you dream about your fears; felt your brushing pale fingers racing down my spine; felt your lips deeply involved with mine. How deeply involved they were. My last kiss from you was near months ago.

As the dying Spring turns to Summer, thus I must turn away from you. The deep soil from Ireland has been calling me; I hear it’s ring every now and then; the ring of a lighthouse, forever to be mine. You never gave me that lighthouse, therefore, I must venture out and find it myself. You never gave me the love I might have found wonderful, but in reality, found every bit dreadful.

You have yet to spend much needed time with me; I am, for the most part, alone in this world, while you are flying airplanes, and I am flying in my mind, away from you; away from life. I averse your departures.

But, I must depart now. Our fifteen years of love and loneliness has been held accountable, and I believe my calling is well heard amongst us all. Please remember that I loved you so. While you’re flying against the firmament and the good Lord, please remember that I loved you so and that I won’t be but a day-break away.

To the present and the past,
Melani

A poem I made in 5 minutes to the sweet, harmonious sounds of a song bird…

I love when pretty birds sing to me

Against the trees and the humming bees

I hear a calling for me to be

“A bird, along with you and me”

The birds come storming in

To take me away

And transform me

Night and day

Once a morning I come out

To stir my wings

And soar throughout

Pretty birds sing to me

Now I can sing to them

 

 

To the present and the past,

Melani L

A young boy – In the words of Melani Luke

Challenge: Go out on the street/somewhere where you can find human beings strolling, and write about a person you see. (You may write about a tree, flower, etc, as an alternative).

A family outing was suggested and brought up to consideration as we approached Smokey Bones. (What an awful place, indeed). We all nodded heads immediately, except I, who rather opposed of such a profane atmosphere.

As we arrived in the cool, chilling, freezing weather of the building, a rush of people, packed together as if they were sardines, were inside. Too many people to breathe; too many people to listen to my own thoughts. We sat down at a table of eight, and in back of me, was a boy, young of age, possibly ten or eleven, with his feet on the chair, (for the chairs were incredible sky-scrapers). His feet never touched the ground once. It was as if, some sort of ruthless, intentional fiend was sinking, breathing, awaiting for him beneath. He would not give in; he had no desire to. His body remained happy to stay in such a position, for giving into the devil is yielding to death.

He shot out a few chuckles here and there as he sat, watching a sort of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” when a toddler, using an exercise machine appeared on the television. Oh, what laughs he brought. What joy he delivered to his parents as he did so. What pain the fiend must feel when he never gave in.

Cigarettes – In the words of Melani Luke

Write in the point of view of a cigarette.

 

A man amongst the street asked a woman of thirty how he could radically fluctuate his life; “What can make me fall into the arms of an angel? Breathe new life? What can mentally and physically change me?” He asked politely and presumptuously. She immediately fixated  her point at me; for I was deliberately awaiting abroad of her, for the arrival of one to take me away and light me up, so I can alter their life; change their life.

He walked towards me, quick and precise, and gazed at the happy, billowy clouds while doing so. He stopped for a moment, only to realize that one of the clouds formed for him; abruptly after he put an eye to them; the cloud looked as if it we’re a perfectly lit cigarette,  smoke rising above it, death waiting around it.. But he was blind to death.

I was placed in his mouth, and began to realize how awfully en-laced in saliva he was. “How awful it might be to kiss him.” I thought, but acknowledged that I was indeed kissing him; kissing him with death.

I laid in his mouth for awhile, as he breathed me in and digested my juices. For near two decades, I still laid in his mouth; hugging my body of smoke around his quivering lungs; I had no resentment. His mouth began to soothe me, he began to be my lover, forever inseparable.

I would lay by his bed side, drizzling out smoke while he rested and thought about the responsibilities in life. I made sure that he would feel no responsibilities in life while being with me. I was his morning, his afternoon, and his nighttime.

On his death bed, as he lay dying from lung cancer, he still puffed me out, inhaled me in, and I continued to stand near him to the very end. He had not given me up, he promised me he would never give me up, as me him. His hair evaporated into the air, his skin wore pale and scraggly, his eyes were dreary with age and lost hope. I changed him.

To the present and the past,

Melani