Bucket List Archives - the bird on fire

PVS 2024 Resolutions

January 26, 2024 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

We welcome 8th-grader Jack Edelstein to The Bird on Fire stable of writers. This is Jack’s debut post.

By Jack Edelstein, 8th Grade

A New Year’s tradition many celebrate, but don’t necessarily fulfill, involves making resolutions. Typical resolutions involve vowing to work out or manage stress. A little history on New Year’s resolutions – according to History.com, “The ancient Babylonians are said to have been the first people to make New Year’s resolutions some 4,000 years ago. They were also the first to hold recorded celebrations in honor of the new year…”

Although we aren’t ancient Babylonians, PVS staff and students make New Year’s resolutions. I went around the school and interviewed different people to see the resolutions they set for themselves.

7th Grader, Moses Gizaw

**“To be more athletic, I have got to get on the Middle School Basketball A team,” says Moses.**

I’ll see you there.

8th Grader, Jaden Ramer

**“Stop being mean because it does not benefit me.**”

Hard habit to break sometimes, I’ll admit.

Fellow Blogger and 8th Grader, Jackie Padgett

**“I guess I want to try new things this year because I don’t particularly like change.”**

And to be honest, who does?

Freshman, Evan Wang

**“Get Gold at my Jiu Jitsu tournament; I do not like losing.”**

True statement.

Sophomore, Matteo Lam

**“Work out more, be more disciplined; I’ve been trying to do it, and it’s nice to call it a New Year’s resolution.”**

Me too, me too.

Junior, Riley Jorgenson

**“Get better at baseball; I want to get a college scholarship.”**

I want a scholarship, too, Riley.

Senior, Arsh Rehman

**“Get better at baseball, so I can MAKE 30 million dollars a year.”**

I think the most relatable and greatest resolution by far.

Mr. Killeen, MUS Science

**“I usually plan on what I need to do, but I would say probably to keep my good grades at grad school. I am attending San Diego State.”**

I wish you good luck toward your studies.

Big Coach Erenberg, Athletic Director

**“I don’t have a New Year’s resolution. I always try to improve our programs and win.”**

Indubitably.

These are your PVS 2024 New Year’s Resolutions!

If you were wondering, my New Year’s resolution is to learn how to play guitar and walk my dog more. If you have any interesting or admirable resolutions let us know in the comments!

I don’t care about National Parks

November 11, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

After months of quarantine, travel seems to be one of the things at the top of many people’s bucket lists. Blogger Hannah Hall only will go so far as to commit to travel via screen (but she does like the pictures).

By Hannah Hall

When Sara called upon us bloggers to write about our bucket lists, I was stumped. I hadn’t really thought about something that I am totally itching to do. And I honestly hadn’t cared. So, I’m not gonna sit here and boast about my complete, undying love for National Parks/Forests/Preserves/etc. But, I will share some nice pictures. Here, in my opinion, are the top 10 prettiest National Parks in our great nation. Maybe one day I will actually have the drive to go to these places, but, for now, I venture via the screen.

10) Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Alaska

Established: 1978 National Monument; 1980 National Preserve

Size: 2.7 million acres

Features: A peek into the ultimate walkway of the ancient nomads. Includes sights of animals migrating, hot springs, and granite—such as the gigantic rock pictured.

Fun Fact: The American Lion used to prowl here.

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9) Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

Established: 2000

Size: 32,572 acres

Features: This national park has hundreds of trails which weave through the sights of waterfalls, hills, and ravines. It’s most popular sight is Brandywine Falls, which sits at an impressive 65-feet tall.

Fun Fact: The Lenapé Nation used to inhabit this land.

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8) Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Established: 1975

Size: 218,200 acres

Features: Here you can find many lakes. You may even find people exploring the water by kayaking in the summer and ice fishing in the winter. My personal favorite feature is the fantastic display of the Northern Lights—as pictured above.

Fun Fact: The island in this park is called Little American Island because George Davis discovered gold in the surrounding lake, which was dubbed a little American treasure.

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7) Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Established: 1978 National Monument; 1980 National Park and Preserve

Size: 13.2 million acres

Features: There are many glaciers, ice fields, and shield volcanoes to be found here. You may think ice and volcanoes do not belong in the same park, but these volcanoes are not the explosive kind.

Fun Fact: The Malaspina Glacier which can be found in this park is “North America’s largest piedmont glacier” (nps.gov).

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6) Glacier National Park, Montana

Established: 1910

Size: 1.1 million acres

Features: Here you may find unique mountains carved out by the glaciers of the past. You can also see animals like lynx, grizzly bears, and bison—but beware because there have been attacks from wildlife.

Fun Fact: You can visit this park online through its webcams on the National Park website (or you can click this link here).

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5) Biscayne National Park, Florida

Established: 1980

Size: 172,971 acres

Features: Swamps, coral reefs, and fishies are the main attractions here. Speaking of fish, there are other living sights that include manatees, cacti, and sea turtles.

Fun Fact: As you can see from the photo above, you can go snorkeling. When submerged, you may explore the “the Maritime Heritage Trail, the only underwater archaeological trail in the National Park Service system” (nps.gov).

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4) El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico

Established: 1903

Size: 28,434 acres

Features: This park is special because it is the only tropical rainforest in the entire system of national forests. In the forest you can see lush trees, green mountains, and rushing waterfalls.

Fun Fact: This is the largest public land chunk in all of Puerto Rico!

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3) Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah

Established: 1996

Size:1 million acres

Features: This park is just larger than Delaware, and it includes many slot canyons adorned with beautiful stripes. In fact, the deepest and longest slot canyon in the US in this park; its name is the Buckskin Gulch.

Fun Fact: Many fossils of dinosaurs have been found in this park. Most notably a 30-foot long, 10-foot-tall Gryposaurus!

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2) Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Established: 1899

Size: 236,381 acres

Features: Mountains, wildflowers, and glaciers are the draw of this park. There are also many waterfalls and meadows surrounding the land that you can hike to visit as well.

Fun Fact (or, not so fun): One of the worst mountaineering accidents in American history happened here, where an avalanche tragically killed 10 climbers and their tour guide.

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1) Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Hawai’i

Established: 1916

Size: 1.1 million acres

Features: I think it pretty obvious that this park is just volcano galore. But other than eruptions, there are hiking trails that visitors can travel through as well.

Fun Fact: This national park is very strongly associated with Pele, the volcanic deity. “She is embodied by the lava and natural forces associated with volcanic eruptions” (nps.gov).

Bucket List Editor: Sara Habibipour

Sources Referenced:

https://www.nps.gov/bela/index.htm

https://www.nps.gov/cuva/index.htm

https://www.nps.gov/voya/index.htm

https://www.nps.gov/wrst/index.htm

https://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm

https://www.nps.gov/bisc/index.htm

https://www.fs.usda.gov/elyunque/

https://www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/escalante.htm

https://www.nps.gov/mora/index.htm

https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm

https://www.nps.gov/articles/pele.htm

Where in the World is Evan Spry?

November 9, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

Many people put traveling on their bucket lists, but oftentimes we don’t know why. Read more to find out why Evan is so passionate about traveling and why you should travel as well.

By Evan Spry

Because of the insane world events that have transpired in the last five years, I became interested in geopolitics. Thus, I want to travel the world. I want to travel because I want to learn about different cultures around the world and how the cultures influence each other. I guess you could say that traveling is on my bucket list.

At first, I thought that I should be an investigative journalist/reporter that does stories abroad. But I soon realized that this was much harder than it sounds and especially difficult in current times, economically. I still think it would be an awesome job because I have always loved writing about things and having the experience of raw exploration. This desire for exploration stemmed from my commitment to the Indiana Jones movie series. I was hypnotized by the energy of the action and adventure, and I also adored the historical and cultural circumstances that were involved. If I could, I would be a modern-day Indiana Jones. However, I’m not saying that my series wouldn’t be one short and relatively dull episode. Anyways, I do want to travel, I’m just not promising that I’m gonna take out Nazi armies while I’m at it, although I wouldn’t turn down the opportunity.

I know, though, that traveling is important for me because it pushes me out of my comfort zone while making good memories. I also want to be involved in politics in the future, and I don’t want to fit into any stereotype of an oblivious American that has never been out of the country. I think being well-travelled teaches you a lot about the world and how it works, and I want to know these things! Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, I can’t really travel anywhere safely. I think I will instead get more in-touch with my nature/wilderness side and go camping or something. Somewhere not here, but not too far away. That kind of experience of camping and moving around in mother nature gives me similar fulfilments to traveling and seeing new parts of the world.

All in all, I need to travel, see Africa, Europe, the Middle East, anywhere. I need to do this because there is definitely something about it that fulfills my soul. You will learn that the popular media may misrepresent a certain group or area for the worse, and the people you encounter there are really not as bad as you’ve been told. Now, I’m not saying that it would be wise to go hiking in the tribal areas of Afghanistan, but you should go out and try to meet people of different cultures to gain an understanding of a perspective that you may, personally, never have encountered. Therefore, traveling the world and experiencing different cultures is at the top of my bucket list.

boo

Bucket List Editor: Sara Habibipour

Erik’s Bucket List

November 6, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

When asked, “What’s on your bucket list?” Blogger Erik decided to take the literal list approach. From his future career, to family, to exploring the world, Erik has compiled a list of goals most important to him. Likely you will relate to some aspects, and some may surprise you.

By Erik Bearman

Become a successful geneticist and own my own company

It is my dream career to study and make advancements in genetics. I want to start a company so I can have a say in what research and projects are undertaken by my employees.

DNA as a double-helix structure is proposed, April 2, 1953 - EDN

Find love and start a family

The idea of meeting someone, falling in love, marrying, and spawning offspring is an idea that I’m sure many of you can relate to. Here’s a list of names I am currently considering naming my children: Azrael, Cody, Charlotte, Darwin, Erika, Hunter, Indominus, Jennifer, Julius, Karen, Leviathan, Rex, Savannah, Wolfgang, Xanthe, Zane.

This baby is not feeling it during her newborn photo session | GMA

Get in touch with my indigenous heritage and culture

I’ve always felt detached from my Native American ancestors, and I want to embrace my culture. When I have the opportunity, I want to visit indigenous cultural centers and learn more about the beliefs, history, and practices of tribes I am descended from.

Genealogy Website Ancestry.com Explores Sale - Vox

Go cage diving with sharks (preferably with Great Whites)

Everyone I know seems to be afraid of sharks, and I think it would be cool to prove them wrong by being close to the sharks. Sharks are also pretty cool animals, and I’d love to see them somewhere other than a NatGeo documentary.

Hookah Shark Cage Diving | White Shark Diving Company

Tour the Australian Outback and the African savanna

I love the wildlife of both of these ecosystems, and I want to see them in person rather than on the television.

Go Wild: Plan an African Safari with Toni McConnaughey

Australia, The Outback | Travel guide, tips and inspiration | Wanderlust

Dive into the Mariana Trench

With technology becoming more advanced everyday, and since humans have explored the Trench already, I can see diving into the Mariana Trench becoming a tourism option one day.

Learn to speak fluent Japanese

I am a big fan of old monster movies like Godzilla (1954), and I would like to watch them without requiring English subtitles to understand the dialogue. I plan to travel to Tokyo, and I want to be able to speak to the locals without requiring a translator.

Amazon.com: Godzilla (Gojira) (1954) Japanese Movie Poster 24x36 - Certified Print with Holographic Sequential Numbering for Authenticity: Posters & Prints

That’s me and my goals; what’s on your bucket list?

Bucket List Editor: Sara Habibipour

Skydiving

November 4, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

One of the most common items on a person’s bucket list is skydiving. But, not many people know much about it. What training do you need? How safe is it? If you have these questions, Jake’s here to explain the details of skydiving so you can make your bucket list a reality.

By Jake Sonderman

What is the most common item on everyone’s bucket list? If I had to guess, I’d say skydiving. Going on a skydive instantly gives you the badge of bravery because skydiving is dangerous, right? Well, not really. The United States Parachute Association reported 15 fatal skydiving accidents in 3.3 million total jumps (uspa.org). That is about a 0.000005% chance of a fatal accident. For reference, there is about a 1% chance that any individual will be in a fatal car accident in their lifetime (valiente mott). That is also not considering that usually, in cases of car accidents and parachuting, the fatalities are caused by a lack of judgement–for example not pulling your parachute until much too late or not wearing a seatbelt. While it is not likely you will die from skydiving, it is still pretty agreed upon that it takes a great deal of guts to jump out of a plane. Now that you see that it is safe to skydive, let’s take a look at what skydiving looks like.

Skydiving Myths

There are a couple myths associated with skydiving that have to be dispelled. For one, when you pull your parachute, you do not go up. It of course looks like you do because you are slowing down so fast, but you don’t go up. Another myth without much foundation is that you can’t breathe when you go skydiving. If you are skydiving from heights higher than 12,500 feet (which you probably won’t your first time), you will have to wear an oxygen mask (RyanHeitsmith). The wind may take your breath away, but, typically, you can breathe, with no oxygen tank or anything, when you skydive. Lastly, on tandem skydives, where you are attached to an instructor, you do have to do some things; you don’t get to sit back and relax the whole time. You will have to make sure your body is in the right position for where you are, whether that’s jumping out of the plane, in the air, or landing.

What Skydiving Looks Like

Likely for your first dive you will do a tandem dive. This is common for people who want to skydive once just for the thrill. If you are looking to skydive more regularly, then an Accelerated Free Fall (AFF) is what you want to do. For a tandem skydive, you will probably train about 30 minutes and then go up and jump. For an AFF, you will be in a class all day, and then jump with two instructors, who will make sure you do everything correctly like pulling your chute at the right time and landing in the drop zone. This is a good option if you want to eventually jump on your own.

How Much Does it Cost?

While it would make sense if it was much more expensive in California (like pretty much everything), skydiving prices are relatively similar across the country. For a normal tandem dive, it will cost around $200. For an AFF, it will be closer to $350. This is just the cost of the dive though, and you will likely want pictures and video which will be around another $100. There are likely some options that will appear cheaper, but either these options will add on extra fees, or they cut some corners, so it is probably best to resign yourself to the standard price. There are plenty of places to dive on the west coast, and there is one pretty close to Palm Springs called Skydive West Coast in the San Bernardino area. Most places require you to be 16 and up to jump.

So now, what’s stopping you?

P.S. Here’s a video of skydiver Luke Aikins diving 25,000 feet into a 100×100 foot net.

Sources:

Skydiving Basics

The Chances of Dying in a Car Crash – Valiente Mott

https://www.seeker.com/how-common-are-skydiving-accidents-1765419215.html

Skydiving Tips: 6 Things To Know Before You Go

https://www.skydivewestcoast.com/

Bucket List Editor: Sara Habibipour

Tour de Starbucks

November 4, 2020 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

A bucket list can say a lot about a person’s goals and motivations. In order to learn more about her peers, Editor Sara prompted the question, “What’s on your bucket list?” Elizabeth went with a mix of travel and drink: a tour of the world’s Starbucks!

By Elizabeth Shay

In 2019, world-famous coffeehouse chain, Starbucks, accounted for 31,256 stores worldwide (statista.com). Of those stores, a majority are located internationally rather than in the company’s home country, the United States. In addition to having unique drinks on their respective menus, Starbucks stores represent their location through architecture and decoration. Here are some of the most beautiful and unique Starbucks stores around the world–ones that I would like to visit:

Chicago, IL, United States: Beginning with a location close to home, the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Chicago is a 35,000-square-foot showcase, featuring five distinct floors that offer a three-dimensional window into the crafting process of coffee. This is the largest of six global roasteries and features artwork from Chicago based-artists (Starbucks News Stories). The Roastery allows customers to witness the coffee roasting in front of them on the ground floor. Customers choose from one of seven brewing methods in the coffee bar on the third floor while watching coffee being transported through the building in a 56-foot cask (The Chicago Roastery).

*Other Roastery locations include Seattle, New York, Milan, Tokyo, and Shanghai.

Buenos Aires, Argentina: Moving on to a South American location, this Starbucks is located in Galerías Pacifico, one of the most famous malls in Argentina. The store has stunning vaulted ceilings and walls decorated with murals of sea creatures and ocean cartography (Delish).

Prague, Czech Republic: Across the Atlantic Ocean, this next Starbucks sits atop Prague Castle, one of the largest and oldest castles in the world. Store designers wanted to respect the castle’s history, keeping signage small and painting it directly onto the old building’s walls (Delish). Customers can enjoy their coffee while admiring the stunning view of the city.

Seoul, South Korea: This Asian country is known for its Instagram-worthy cafés, and this Starbucks is known as the most beautiful in Korea. Located in Famille Park, the store boasts a geometric glass dome exterior that encloses a wood-paneled interior (Klook). Described as an “urban coffee forest,” the store’s centerpiece decoration is an installation of flying birds that adds a beautiful touch of movement that highlights the atrium-like design (Klook).

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Finally, this Starbucks is located in Dubai’s Ibn Battuta Mall, which has over 270 stores and 50 restaurants! (Delish). The colorful tiled dome and monumental arches are just some of the features of the extravagantly decorated mall that showcases the rich culture of the region (Klook).

These are just five examples of the many unique and gorgeous Starbucks stores around the world I look forward to exploring. Next time you travel, search up the nearest Starbucks. You might find an architectural masterpiece that happens to serve coffee!

Bucket List Editor: Sara Habibipour

Sources:

https://www.statista.com/statistics/218366/number-of-international-and-us-starbucks-stores/#:~:text=World%2Dfamous%20coffeehouse%20chain%2C%20Starbucks,to%2015%2C041%20and%2016%2C202%2C%20respectively.

https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/20-starbucks-stores-to-visit-in-2020/

https://www.starbucksreserve.com/en-us/locations/chicago

https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2019/starbucks-reserve-roasteries-around-the-world/

https://www.delish.com/food-news/g3365/coolest-starbucks-locations-around-the-world/

https://www.klook.com/en-PH/blog/beautiful-starbucks-around-the-world/