Roadie: Tecnológico de Monterrey

The CETEC towers, or "The Napkin Holder," at the Monterrey Campus. (7/30/13)

Though I've been back home for nearly a week, I have yet to share all the pictures of places my mother and I visited while in Monterrey, Mexico, and Houston, Texas. The pictures and reflections in this post reflect our sixth day in Monterrey. After lying low for a day following our return from Zacatecus and La Quemada, we headed to the Monterrey Campus of Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), commonly referred to simply as “TEC.” As part of his responsibilities on staff at TEC, he teaches classes on the main campus as well as facilitates research at the off-campus medical facility.

As the Institute is a multiple campus university, most programs and general academic policies are shared among them. However, the Monterrey Campus is significantly more selective in its admissions, requiring a grade average of 80 or 90 in high school (on a 100-point scale) for those willing to transfer or apply as a freshman since 2007. As of January 2008^[update], 50% of its freshman class had an average grade of 90 and 25% had an average grade of 95 out of 100 at high school level.



The Rectorate at the Monterrey Campus. (7/30/13)

The Old Library Building, and current Rectorate (above), was designed by Enrique de la Mora, displays a bas relief by Jorge González Camarena and holds one of the largest collections of Don Quixote incunabula, an original edition of L'Encyclopédie and other bibliographical treasures.



Duck. (7/30/13)

My rbotera nd mother know of my affinity for photographing birds, and the TEC campus turned out to be a wonderful location at which to do so. A number of different water fowl have the run of the campus, and being very socialized, are easy targets for my prying lens.

Dos ducks. (7/30/13)

Cactus Garden. (7/30/13)

The campus i beautifully maintained with wonderful gardens and arrangements throughout. This is true of many of the places we visited in Monterrey, and really, all of Mexico: where there are nice "things" (buildings, gardens, streets), they are impeccably maintained.

Classrooms. (7/30/13)



Statue of school mascot, Borregos Salvajes. (7/30/13)

Many pieces of art, including sculptures from a variety of medium, grace the campus. Birds (and deer, too, though we did not see any) mingle and interact with the artwork freely. The peacock pictured below was a surprise as I came across it without notice. It was surprisingly large, about the size of the larger wild turkeys that often cut through my mother's back yard back home.

Peacocks also roam the campus grounds. (7/30/13)

Flags representing the countries of origin for students are updated each
academic year based upon enrollment. (7/30/13)

As of January 2008, some 1,100 foreign students from 56 countries were studying at the Monterrey Campus, half of them as regular students.

Large artificial pond on campus. (7/30/13)

Muscovy ducks beside the artificial campus pond. (7/30/13)

One exciting outcome of our visit to TEC was my being able to see and photograph a type of duck I had not previously seen, the Muscovy duck! The Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata) is a large duck native to Mexico, Central, and South America. (I actually took quite a few pictures that I'll post at a later time.)

Security is strict at the campus. (7/30/13)

While digging around the Internet looking for information about TEC, I came across an article (in Spanish) about two students murdered on campus in 2010. That might account for the incredible level of security on campus. While most American colleges declare that they are "secure", rarely, in my experience, do they actually follow through all procedures with every visitor. For example, in America when you go through a checkpoint you often don't need an ID. At TEC, we needed to show our driver's licenses to gain access with my brother who also needed to show his faculty ID.

Secured paths beneath the public roads ensure a degree of safety. (7/30/13)

The TEC Campus at Monterrey is immaculately designed and very well maintained. It was also clearly for those who could afford the security and safety of an excellent secondary (and post-secondary) education in Monterrey. Aesthetically soothing to the eye, it would be easy to see how students of many ages would be inspired to learn (and relax) on such a fantastic looking campus.

School Birds: Meet the Mallards

Watching ducks from outside the computer lab window early today (4/12/13).

After a full 36 hours of traditional spring weather earlier this week, upstate New York once again returned to some semblance weather normalcy--for early/late winter, that is. From what could be observed in the school's courtyard, 36°F and rain is certainly ideal "duck weather." (I type this knowing full well that these birds are in fact the specific type of duck, Mallards, but "Mallard Weather" doesn't have quite the same ring to it.)

It had been quite a while since any noticeable duck Mallard activity in the tiny artificial "pond" outside my classroom window, but, as I was reminded by our school librarian when looking for a window to hang out, "Those ducks come back every year." She was correct...



A small part of the world outside my classroom window (4/11/12).

Over the past three days, beginning Wednesday, one female and one male Mallard have been spending progressively more time in the courtyard. They always seem to be walking together; at no time is there more than four feet between them. Being one prone to personification, I imagine that this young couple are house hunting or leisurely spending the day together.




Muddy, a little flooded, but passable for the web-footed (4/11/12).

The past two mornings, however, as luck would have it, I did have my camera handy. This gave me the opportunity to take advantage of the hubbub and to snap pics a couple of ducks tooling around the courtyard. On Thursday (the day on which the less vibrant images in this post were shot), the two spent much of the mid-morning in the area of the courtyard directly outside my classroom window. It was a grey day and they seemed content to pad back and forth between the shrubs and the artificial pond. Eventually, just as they had done the previous morning, the two took flight together for parts unknown by late morning.




The male Mallard patrolling the flood walkways (4/12/13).

Friday was the rainier, and therefore more lush (as evidenced in the pics) of the two days and the Mallards more time at play in the fields of the courtyard. The majority of their day consisted of walking the perimeter of the courtyard, stopping for long periods of time to splash in the puddles and inspect the surroundings. Eventually they left, or--more likely--I simply could not visually find them from my classroom window.


Nice shot of purple feathers beneath prominent brown coat (4/12/13).

With any luck, the weather will continue to improve over the weekend and perhaps, as activity in the courtyard increases with the doors being opened for student and staff traffic between wings, the Mallards will decide to stay. My camera will be at the ready as I look out the window from time to time just in case they return again.

Ubiquitous Duck Flight

While attending my stepson's regatta on the Erie Canal last weekend, I couldn't help but continue my fascination with watching the ducks interact with one another and the boats.



Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Bike-a-Bout: A Quick Duck "Run"

I stopped briefly on the patio adjacent to the Rochester Convention Center and looking down saw a sole duck all by her lonesome on a long shale island. Can you see her, too?
Bicycle: 4.8 leisurely miles in approx. 29:00 min @ 1:30 p.m.
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 81°F, 58% Humidity, Wind: CALM; feels like 83°F.
Course: A circuitous route from my home to downtown, briefly along the Genesee River and then home via Monroe Avenue; with a number of stops due to traffic along the way.

Feeling a little depressed this morning, I allowed myself the opportunity to lay about around reading The Scarlet Letter to lift my spirits slightly. I thought it might help to pull my act together and begin properly rehabbing my injury by dong some sort of exercise. As running (or light jogging) remains out of the question as an option, I put on a pair of shorts and set out for a brief bicycle ride.

Of course, I brought my digital camera as well, though I had little intention taking many (if any photos), but you never know...

Here's the same pic as above, only with the duck enlarged. She was "hiding" in the center of the photo. She walked around the edge of the shale for a few minutes before gently gliding into the current.

While the duck attempted to swim against the current, it only caused her to swim in a small circle, eventually she gave into the current and allowed it to carry her...

Through the aqueduct and out of my view, presumably to points unknown (or the other side of the bridge and onto another part of the river--this time clear of any shale island resting spots.
Happy trails and roads to you!

And They Call It Duckie Love...

My wife and I came across these two ducks in the middle of a country stone road while driving to the race on Sunday. They looked so peaceful with one another and without care regarding what the world (or large off-road trucks and silent ninja-Prii) thought about their station in life right now... together in the middle of it all!

A Long, Wet Run Fit Only for Ducks

Ducks, or in this case geese, seem to be my constant companions on the road. Whether passing Ellison Park (above) or along the canal (below) these hissing, protective birds seem to be ever-present. These geese also inspired a new run-ku, viewable here or on Twitter.
Run: 18.1 miles in 2:32:16 min. @ 5:40 a.m.
Weather: Cloudy, 61°F, 100% Humidity, Wind: CALM; feels like 61°F.
Pace: 8:25 min/mile
Course: An abbreviated Ultra Prep Run made using USATF Map It!

Pre-Run Ruminations: After checking the weather forecast last night at 11:00 p.m. (just prior to going to bed) it became clear that one of two things would take place this morning--or some combination of the two--I would have to shift my super-long run to Sunday in hopes of avoiding the rain or I would be in a situation during which I might need to "outrun the rain clouds" in an effort to avoid being caught in the downpour.

As of 5:10 a.m. it has yet to rain, but I'm heading out anyway (after patiently waiting to let my first cup of joe do "its thing") in an effort to get the mileage in that I can ran or shine.

The mirror-like surface of the Erie Canal is broken only by the persistent showers which followed me throughout my run.
Post-Run Reflections: Ironically, it wasn't the rain falling from the sky that caused my run to be cut slightly (7 miles) short, but rather the lack of water available on my hydration belt and roughly the seventeen mile point. Once again, I finished the two 10 oz. flask, but still found myself thirsty for more of something. I had hoped to find a water fountain along the way, but when it became apparent that I would not, I made the decision to cut off my run at Lock 32 along the canal. From there I called my wife, who kindly came to pick me up with both a bottle of water and a peach.

In a comment to a previous post, fellow runner/outdoors man/blogger Jedi-Turtle of The Way of the Turtle suggested an alternative to the flask hydration system. While the flask belt has worked (and continues to at distances of 15 miles or less), I think I am going to take his advice and explore some other options, especially if following the 50k on July 4 I continue to pursue training for ultra runs.

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

A Ducky Run-ku

by the narrow path--
hissing geese waddle and warn,
"watch out for goslings!"
Written this morning following an early, rainy run which took me through Ellison Park and along the familiar gravel trails of the Erie Canal Trailway.

In the Courtyard... Owl Down! Owl Down!

Pictured above is the North West area in the courtyard, where you can see both the artificial pond and (in the upper right hand corner) the greenhouse. This picture was taken out my classroom window. I had noticed the other day that somehow had honored the initial request to bring a plastic owl in to ward off any hungry crows. When I first looked out the window, I did not see the artificial owl (nor did I see any ducklings or crows) protecting the inhabitants of the artificial pond.

I did not see the plastic owl, that is, until my gaze shifted slightly to the right and I noticed a small brownish pile on the ground beside the bench...


AND THERE HE WAS! Laying face down beside the bench, a likely victim of the recent rash of windy rainstorms which blew through this morning, was the guardian of the ducklings, Mr. Plastic Owl!

A Duck Pond Darwin Emerges!

Though not the actual ducks inhabiting the small artificial pond in my school's courtyard, this picture (taken on June 7, 2008 by my wife and I) is pretty representative of what I have observed outside my classroom window.
Following up on yesterday's post concerning my school's courtyard duckpond, of course, someone piped up with "a mean, sarcastic email" in response to one person's request for solidarity in protecting the ducklings which were recently hatched.

In her original e-mail, Employee X, a professional in the school who is not a classroom teacher, asked for volunteers to consider bringing in "Owl statues, or something similar" to be "placed in the courtyard to scare away the crows." Apparently the crows were snatching up and, presumably, eating the ducklings.

So here is the e-mail which was sent out to all staff in response to Employee X's query:

When you say "we" would all like to see them survive, are you including the crows? I have to believe that 5-day old baby duck is a delicacy for those crows.

I vote for natural selection. I'm a big crow fan. As a matter of fact, lets video tape it and show it in our Living Environment classes.

C. Darwin

It's important to note that "C Darwin" also signed his real name to the e-mail and used only the pseudonym in the body of the letter. Any guesses as to what class this individual teaches?

Slice of Early Morning Life: A Secret Garden of Sorts

Cloudy, humid morning 7:00 a.m., arriving to my classroom before classes have begun. Standing by myself in a darkened classroom: lights out, shoes off, changing socks after bicycling to work. Random students wander the hall past my classroom door left ajar. They roam listlessly revving up for the bell which will signal the day to formally begin.

At my desk, looking between the blinds and out the window into the school courtyard, I scan the courtyard: four buildings joined to conceal a secret garden of sorts.

In the cloudy sunrise shadow of an old greenhouse addition, a small artificial pond loosely constructed of flat stone (clearly cut from larger blocks but altered to appear like shale) and a plastic liner, visible along the edges where the surface of the water meets the air. The smudged glass windows rife with condensation, corrugated fiberglass roof, rusty nail shadows run down the sheet metal walls are reflected in the waters as two mallards, green heads set off by a white neck ring, float gently in small circles around the air jet vigorously blows bubbles in the center of the oval pond.

Momentarily inspired, I reach for a pen to jot intent to jot down some thoughts. Returning moments later the opportunity is lost… I catch a glimpse of two grey ducks butts lifting from the pond, over the dewy grass and eventually beyond the school building walls to freedom…

The sound of the morning tone pierces the air and the door pushed open further signals the start of the day, for my students and I in our own secret garden of sorts.

(Written following my bike ride into work this morning.)

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!

Duck Me!

"Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath."~Michael Caine

For some reason, I find water fowl of all sorts to be interesting subjects for both observation and as photographic subjects. Maybe it's the serene vibe I get from watching them engaging in any number of different behaviors, whether cleaning their feathers, teaching their young to swim, or even chasing one another after a piece of bread.


Yesterday afternoon, Anne and I went for a walk along the The Erie Canal, starting in Pittsford, NY, and came across a fairly large group of ducks, including a few ducklings.


Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!