Emily’s Blog

I think that humans control their own destiny through the choices they make. What you choose to do, you must accept the consequences. And when you make a choice, there are many others you would also have made, and had you chosen any one of those, each consequence would have been different. So it’s the choices we make that shape our lives and our destinies. I find it hard to believe that there is some higher power out there that shaped everyone’s lives down to every infinitesimal choice we make just so we die the way we are “supposed” to. I can’t wrap my head around that one.

            Dian Fossey spent the majority of her life studying and protecting the mountain gorillas of Rwanda.

            When Fossey was young, she had always wanted to visit Africa. At the time, she loved animals and had a degree in medicine, but was not yet interested in the gorillas of Africa. She spent her entire life savings on her trip, and in September 1963, she arrived in Kenya.

            During her visit, she met American zoologist George Schaller, who was then pioneering a study on the mountain gorillas in Tanzania. She also met archaeologist Louis Leakey, who told her about Jane Goodall’s work with chimpanzees also in Tanzania. Fossey decided she wanted to see one of the magnificent mountain gorillas.

Later, on October 16, Fossey arrived at a hotel by the name of Traveller’s Rest in Uganda, near the Virunga Mountains and mountain gorillas. The hotel was owned by Walter Baumgartel, an advocate of gorilla conservation who could see the benefits that tourism could lend to the area. Baumgartel suggested that Fossey join a pair of photographers that were going out into the mountains in search of gorillas. When they came upon a group of gorillas, Fossey resolved to return to Africa and study the animals.

            When Fossey returned to the United States, she published articles and photographs other trip to Africa. Later, when Dr. Leaky came to the United States, the two met, and Leaky suggested taking on a long term field project to study the gorillas in the Virunga Mountains in the Congo. She accepted, and in December of 1966, she was again on her way to Africa.

            Fossey set up camp in Kabara in the Virunga Mountains. She identified three gorilla groups in the area. Initially, the gorillas would flee when Fossey got close, but eventually, they allowed her to come ever closer and study them. She began to identify individuals in the group, until the worsening political situation in the Congo forced her to leave Kabara. She was advised to leave the country, but the advice was ignored, and she instead decided to continue her research on the Rwandan side of the Virunga Mountains. On September 24, 1967, Dian established the Karisoke research Center in Rwanda.

            All over again, Dian had to gain the acceptance of the local gorilla groups. She discovered that walking or standing upright increased the gorillas fear and apprehension. When she “knuckle walked”, Fossey was able to get closer to the gorillas. She mimed their actions, and she chewed on celery while she was near to bring the gorillas even closer to her. By 1968, she had partially habituated four groups. It was also in 1968 that photographer Bob Campbell came to photograph Fossey’s work with the mountain gorillas. His photographs of Fossey among the animals turned Fossey into an instant celebrity, forever changing the image of gorillas from dangerous beasts to gentle beings and drawing attention to their plight (poachers and ranchers) as well as to their conservation.

            During her years in Africa, Fossey became acquianted with a gorilla named Digit and over time, they became very close friends. Tragically, Digit was killed by poachers while trying to protect his mate and unborn baby. He had been stabbed multiple times and his head and hands were severed, the rest of his body left to rot. It was then that Fossey declared war on the poachers.

            Although gorillas are not often the target of hunters, they are often caught in snares meant for animals like antelope and buffalo. Poachers killed the animals for their hands to make ashtrays, and for their heads to be mounted as trophies on walls. Dian often burned traps and confronted poachers directly, making her unpopular with the locals. She took money out of her own accounts to equip park wardens so that they could protect the gorillas more effectively. These efforts started the first anti-poaching patrols, whose job it was to protect gorillas in the research area.

            Digit had been part of a famous photo shoot with Bob Campbell, and Fossey used Digit’s celebrity and his tragic death to gain support for gorilla conservation. She founded the “Digit Fund” to raise money for conservation and anti-poaching efforts. The Digit Fund was later renamed the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International.

            Fossey returned to New York to work on her book, “Gorillas in the Mist.” After the book was published she retuned to Karisoke. She was murdered there in December of 1985. She had been hit twice on the head and in the face with a machete. Poachers were suspected.

            She was laid to rest behind her cabin in Karisoke, near her gorilla friends and her beloved Digit.

            Dian Fossey raised awareness of gorilla conservation and poaching, and the Dian Fossey Wildlife Fund International still promotes awareness of the dangers gorillas face today. Karisoke Research Center is still in use, studying and protecting the gorillas of the Virunga Mountains.

Personally, I think that grades are a waste of time. They don’t seem to accurately reflect anything…

One big thing I have against grades is that when my parents see mine, they think that if the grade is low, I don’t know crap in that class, or I’m struggling. Sorry, parental figure, but I just don’t like to do homework. It doesn’t mean I don’t get it. Have you looked at my test scores? But you can’t say that, because then you get busted for back talk, and the conversation always ends in ‘bite me’…

Moving on.

People put too much stock in grades. It doesn’t reflect anything but someone’s effort in that class. If you have an A, that doesn’t necessarily mean your smart; that might just mean you do your homework and spend all of your free time studying like mad. Or, you’re smart. Whatever.  

But, it can go the other way too, you can have a ‘C’ and be dumb, or you can have a ‘C’ and actually be brilliant, but you just don’t care, or don’t put any effort into the class.

So I guess, grades aren’t worth anything. They’re just a reflection of EFFORT, EFFORT, EFFORT.

Albert Einstein was a friggin’ genius, and his grades were crap.

            I think that the mother’s actions were justified…to a certain extent. As a 19-year-old, I don’t really think that it was the mother’s right to just haul off and sell the car. Also, I hate snoopy people. And again, because her son is technically an adult, she shouldn’t really be snooping around in his car…to me, that’s like hanging on to a sinking ship. I know my mother is hanging on to me like a life raft with punctures, and if she ever decided my car was worth a peek…We won’t go there. “Gotta know what my legal son is doing with his life…so let’s check out his car.” A little funky, if you ask me.

            And the ad. That was just silly. If I was car shopping and came across that, I would laugh and think that it was simply a bad joke. That’s really not the way to sell a car. Instead you’re just setting yourself up for a bunch of obnoxious phone calls…which is what happened.

            The little snippet at the end sort of made me laugh: “Though she did sell the car, according to The Associated Press she plans to keep the ad up for another week just to receive feedback.” Really? Seriously? I think she’s enjoyed this whole thing a little bit too much.

Technology was never, and will never be my strong point.

No idea.

But I do know that I would like to get straight A’s. And possibly do something fantastic. Not quite sure what that will be yet…

I would also like to have as much fun as I possibly can experiencing all that life has to offer. I would also like to figure out what I want to do with my future…even though I firmly believe in spontaneity.  

Something huge for me to accomplish would be to finish writing my novel, although with my lack of time or expendable energy, that may never happen.

Another goal would have to be to become even more involved in environmental groups now that the situation has become imperative. Finally remembering to send more money to Peta2 would be fabulous as well…

And possibly paying more attention to the Blogging Requirements…had I read the part that said this had to be 150 words, this would not be my fourth time editing this: I would be done.