And I’m Back!

This is Mr. Diaz from 37,000 feet on American Airlines flight 2430. Well it’s good to be back after a very long break from my blog. A lot has happened since December of 2010. I went skydiving (pics to follow) traveled to Hawaii again…again…and again (pics to follow). And met the love of my life…my fiance Jessica (pics to follow). It’s good to be back and thank you to the students from Fontana and Upland who asked me to start writing again!

Mr. Diaz is back from Hawaii!!!

What a wonderful time!!!. In the next few days I will be posting a video of my trip to the islands. Working with the students and teachers of Hawaii was an amazing experience and I look forward to going back =). Hats off to the wonderful Discovery Team I work with!!! One more thing…kids…make sure you watch Storm Chasers…my favorite Discovery Channel show.

Inroducing…Mr. Don Draper

Hello everyone!!! It’s been a while since my last post but I’m back and ready to share more of my adventures. In a few weeks I’ll be heading to Hawaii for my new job and I can’t wait to share some videos of my trip. Today I would like to introduce you to my California Desert Tortoise Mr. Don Draper.  To his friends he is Don.

Mr. Draper is 30 years old and will probably live to be 100 years old. That right kids…100 years old. I rescued him from the Vet a few weeks ago. He sleeps most days but when he is awake he loves to chase Buddy the Australian Shepard around the backyard. Unfortunately the California Desert Tortoise is an endangered species.  The biggest threat to their habitat now is not off-roaders but the upcoming Solar Projects planned in the Mojave Desert and the expansion of military bases.

In the wild Mr. Draper would spend most of his life in a burrow and would live in climates up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. He eats weeds, grass, flowers, strawberries, or anything else he can find to munch on. He doesn’t need water as he gets most of it from the plants he eats. Desert Tortoises can live up to 2 years without water. In the last 20 years the wild population has declined by as much as 90%. When I off-road in the desert I make sure to keep my speed down to watch for Mr. Drapers friends if they cross a trail. It is also important to never touch a wild Tortoise. You may scare it which will cause it to release it’s water reserves. This will most likely kill it. If it does have to be moved approach it from the front walking slowly so as not to startle it. Pick it up gently and place it off to the side of the road.

With out further adieu…MR. DON DRAPER (former CEO at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce in NYC). And yes… he has an attitude problem.

Storm Chasers Season Premier!!!

Everyone tune into the Discovery Channel at 10PM PST next Wednesday, October 13th.

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/storm-chasers/

Welcome Fall…or Welcome Back Summer

It was “Desert” hot at school today. Even though Southern California is a desert itself, as I walked outside the classroom I felt I was back here…

Summer Vacation: 2010

I hope all of you had a great summer. Thanks for clicking on the site  the last few months. Go ahead and watch the video below to see where I went and what I saw this summer. Be sure to watch the Salvation Mountain video as well. Enjoy and welcome back to school!

Salvation Mountain

If you have seen the movie “Into the Wild” you will know about Salvation Mountain. Leonard Knight has been living out by the Salton Sea for the past thirty years. He built this mountain as a tribute to God.  No matter your religious beliefs it is still a place of inspiration, hope, and love. Besides, Leonard is probably the nicest and sweetest person I have ever met.

[Vimeo 13463417]

SYMPHONY OF SCIENCE

Next week I’ll have an all new original video about a trip I took to a place called the EL Paso Mountains. Until then enjoy the summer, get outside, and look up at the night sky.

God Bless America

“I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master.” Thomas Jefferson

“The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism…. It should be the highest ambition of every American to extend his views beyond himself, and to bear in mind that his conduct will not only affect himself, his country, and his immediate posterity; but that its influence may be co-extensive with the world, and stamp political happiness or misery on ages yet unborn.”

Pale Blue Dot

For those who don’t want to read the quote for today…