Greer Family News April 23, 2011: Sun, Snow, and Family
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
David, Karalee, Jocelyn, Daniel, and Allen in the Sunshine
For the first time ever, we spent the school spring break on a one week holiday in the warm resort area of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Jocelyn surprised her boyfriend Daniel by showing up at his home in Queretaro, Mexico two days before they then flew to join David, Karalee, and Allen in Puerto Vallarta.
Marking the changes in our family, Kevin could not come, as had to stay home finishing his winter term at the University of British Columbia. In Puerto Vallarta, the five of us stayed at an all inclusive resort on the beach (another first for us). To learn more about our adventures, choose from the following:
Skiing
David, Karalee, Kevin, Allen, and Jocelyn
It was be an incredible year up at Whistler, with the second snowiest winter on record. We did our first day back in November and yesterday David, Jocelyn, Kevin, and Allen got another fantastic day in. Jocelyn even took David for a twenty minute hike up Flute Bowl, a first for David, where they both cut fresh tracks down the mountain. Jocelyn has over twenty days on her snow board this season. For photos of what it is like up at Whistler, take a look at:
Jocelyn
Jocelyn has completed her degree requirements for her B.Sc. in Global Resource Systems from the Faculty of Land and Food Science at the University of BC. All of the family will be in Vancouver on May 31st to see Jocelyn get her degree at the Land and Food Science Commencement Ceremony at the Chan Center at UBC.Kevin
Kevin has been busy finishing second year at UBC in the Faculty of Commerce. Kevin is studying Management Information Systems. When he isn't studying he has been working for the UBC Information Technology department doing computer technical support for the Arts faculty. He has also been playing Ultimate Frisbee for UBC. Last weekend they were second in the sectional finals in Tacoma, Washington and in May they are off to regional finals.Kevin is finishing his final term exams. He is also looking for summer work. He is interested in either working in a computer related role or in a job involving marketing and social media. Kevin has been active on the web. You can read more at:
- Follow Kevin on Twitter @KevinDGreer
- Read his marketing blog kevingreer.org
Allen
Jasper and Allen Explain Magnetotropism
Allen has been incredibly busy. In addition to recreational soccer, basketball, ultimate Frisbee, and his challenging pre-IB Grade 10 academic program, he has his friend Jasper Kim won Silver Medal at the Vancouver Regional Science Fair.
Allen and Jasper created experiments in Magnetotropism -- the effect of magnetism on plants. For two months the boys took the long trek from school to the UBC campus once a week. There they worked with their mentor on their experiment growing pea plants.
They had one control group and four experimental groups. For each experimental group, they placed bar magnets on top of the soil where the peas were planted. The magnets were oriented North, South, East, and West (one direction per group). Plant groups with magnets grew twice as tall as the control group, had twice is many internodes, and significantly more mass. We were all excited the day Allen came home from the UBC greenhouse and told us that the plants grown with magnets were "way taller than the regular plants".
Karalee
Karalee's Front Garden
Karalee has started Dragonboat practice. She has agreed to join Team Momentum in another season. They have already had their first regatta.
Spring has arrived in Vancouver. Karalee has been busy in her garden. The photograph above is what it looked like last summer. We are keen to see what the changes she is doing now will look like this summer.
In between running with her running friends, looking after the house and all of the rest of us, she is still working on her book. She meets monthly with two different writing groups to keep her motivated and writing.
David
David has started a short term project with Webtech Wireless, Canada's largest telematics company. Telematics is the combination of onboard GPS information linked to a real-time data connection to central servers. Telematics allows fleet managers to locate all vehicles in their fleets on a map in real-time, while communicating with the drivers over a secure and hands free device, both by voice and via computer messages. It is powerful technology and only deployed in about 20% of fleets in North America. There is lots of potential for growth.David has also been doing a lot of writing about communication, collaboration, and business. You can follow his weekly postings on his blog at: