National Authors Day

Post written by Alex Ballou, Marketing Assistant. 

National Authors Day

Fort Collins Museum of Discovery recently sat down with local author, blogger, and inspirational speaker, Teresa Funke. A friend of the museum, Teresa seeks to provide bursts of knowledge and inspiration through the arts. She sat down with staff for an interview in honor of National Authors Day on Friday, November 1. The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

1. Hi Teresa! Thanks for chatting with us today in celebration of National Authors Day! Can you share a little about your background as an author?

For the first 27 years as a writer I was involved with writing about WWII. My first two books were for adults. My first novel, called Remember Wake, is based on a true story about the civilian men that were taken prisoners on the Wake Island during WWII and their time spent in the prison camps in Japan and China during the war. It is a fascinating true story. I also look at the women that were left behind, fiancées and wives that were left at the home front. This led to my second book, Dancing in Combat Boots. This short story collection is about different women of different economic, socioeconomic, and ethnic groups. This book is not about nurses, but about the variety of work that women did during the war that contributed in unique ways that we may be unaware about. Lastly, that led to the children’s books, Homefront Heroes, a series that was created because fifth grade classes were inviting me to come share about WWII. Many of the children had not heard of or Pearl Harbor, nor Adolf Hitler, and so a student suggested that I write for them. I never thought I would be a children’s author. But I learned how to write for children and I wrote five books in that series, each based on the five people I interviewed. Something unique about me is that each of my books are based on real people that I interview. That was the last 27 years of writing, and this past October my new book, Bursts of Brilliance, came out and it is based on a blog that I have been doing for over 5 ½ years. The book and blog are based on living in the creative life, tapping into our own bursts of brilliance, and so this book has taken me in a completely different direction than WWII.

 

2. What or who inspired you to become a writer?

That’s a good question! There was not a specific person or book, but I grew up with parents that were avid readers, they loved to talk about literature and authors. So I grew up in a home where books were highly respected and talked about. I was very lucky in that manner. I thought seriously about being a writer after something that happened in 5th grade. That year I was given an assignment to write a poem. For some reason this assignment mattered more to me than most assignments, and I was a good student, but this one was really important and I stayed up past my bed time to get this poem perfect. I could not even explain why. When I turned it in to the teacher, the teacher said: “No fifth grader could write something this good – you must have copied it out of a book. So go home and write it yourself or you are not getting a grade.” A very embarrassing moment, but also a moment of revelation. I thought to myself, I must be a really good writer. I loved writing, enjoyed doing it, and I was good at it. This sparked my interest to becoming a writer.

3. Did you have a favorite book growing up?

 

I have lots of favorite books. As a kid, I liked picture books that had people who were accomplishing things and cared about someone else. I enjoyed Mike Mulligan & His Steam Shovel and Dr. Seuss for his whimsical and imaginative writing. I was found of all the picture books that were bold and had different characters than me. But in high school, I read the classics, as the book worm nerd.

But I would say a book like Anne of Green Gables can be underappreciated– I didn’t read that book until I was an adult, maybe in college, but most of my friends read that book as a child. So they formed an association with Anne the way a kid relates, but when reading it as an adult you can appreciate the messaging, writing, and character development that you may not have picked up on as a kid. I think it is fun to read books that we read as kids, but now as an adult and say: “Oh there is a lot more to this book than I remember as a kid.”

4. How would you describe the process of writing your first novel, Remember Wake?  What was the top thing you learn in that process that helped you in the future?

Remember Wake is based on real people that I had interviewed. Those interviews created a lot of the story such as the plot and chronological order for the story. I was just telling the story of what theses men had survived. I thought I would be capable of writing it easily, but I realized books are first always about character. People connect with the character. I then discerned that I do not know how to write a novel. So I started writing short stories and personal essays and getting those published in magazines to not only learn the craft of writing, but also to find my voice as a writer. Then I went back to the novel a few years later. The book then came together. One thing that people often do not know is that in those early stages of forming who you are as a writer; the craft is very important. Whether you do that in a practice book, where you write an entire manuscript, or if you do it like I did through short stories and essays. Most people who are career writers had to do that, and no one told me about this part of the process. You think you start by writing a book and it is not that simple.

Finding your voice is the connecting point with the reader.

 

5. You mentioned finding you voice, what does that mean?

Voice is that illusive thing that is impossible to describe, but what we connect to in a book. You may love a book and your friend thinks it is okay, yet you both know the writing is excellent – that is the craft. But you probably loved the book because of the voice of the writer. I think through personal essays and short stories I was able to find out what words I use, how I express myself , what matters to me, what is underlying my book, and what I am seeking to discover more about myself. There is a deep emotional connection of discovering yourself when writing a story. Authors write to discover ourselves.

As we write, we discover ourselves more.

6. Your books take an unusual approach because they are based on interviews with real people. How do you balance real stories in a fictional setting?

I am an unusual writer in the sense that I take that approach with all of my books. I like to stir curiosity. In my first book I took the best parts of the interview stories and personality traits and embodied that in the characters of the book. The most challenging part is coming up with the characters. With short story collection, each story has a different voice. Some are told in 1st person, and others in 3rd person. I also have to decide to take a tight-in or lens-out approach. Each story is unique. But, I put an epilogue in the back of each book, because I concluded that people are interested in the real stories too. For my adult novels the stories are directly from the interviews and created to be seamless as the characters develop. For kids books you must have a lot of interest to keep their attention. For my children’s books I tell 50% truth and 50% fiction, but at the end of the book I tell what is real and what was made up. The curiosity of a child is always asking: “Did that really happen?” I want to be able to be honest with the kids and inspire that curiosity at the same time.

 

7. Knowing what you know now, if you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

As my younger self, I learned and did all that you should do – conferences, classes, tangible things you can do to be a writer. But the best thing that you can do, and that I would tell myself, would be to write a lot. Keep writing. Allow yourself to write what may not be good. Develop the thick skin for criticism. My writing clubs made me who I am through their critiques. Don’t give up. You are going to face rejection. You have to believe that you can do it.

8. In your blog Bursts of Brilliance for a Creative Life, do you ever encounter writers block? If so, how do you overcome it?

I never really encounter writers block in my blog, because in the last 5 ½ years I have let the blog be my creative outlet. The blog is where I do not have any pressure and I can explore and write for writing’s sake. The blog started when life was busy. I gave myself no boundaries on the blog. The wide-open ability to share freely has allowed me to write pen to paper – or should I say keys to screens. However, in writing novels I have encountered writers block and my method to overcome it is to keep writing. I allow the wheels to keep turning. I admit I am stuck, but I give myself permission to keep writing even though I know it may not be my best work or what I will keep in the end. Eventually, I get to where I want to be in writing…  if I keep at it.

9. How did you first get involved with the museum?

 

I got involved with the museum when my kids were younger. We frequented the Discover Science Center and Fort Collins Museum before they became what they are today: Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. My kids would participate in the summer camps and, as a history major, I would frequent the Fort Collins Museum often. Currently, I am a supporter of the museum. We come to the new exhibits, events, and programming that happens. It is great to still be involved as an adult. I love attending the museum for community partnership events. There are still a lot of activities – even as adults – for us to enjoy.

10. How do you feel museums like FCMoD promote 21st century skills, such as creativity, critical thinking, and literacy?

FCMoD stands for discovery, exploration, and hands-on engagement. The museum sparks a new kind of engagement. When kids get to have a tangible experience doing a science hands-on activity or churn the butter at Heritage Courtyard – it makes learning fun! The museum makes these big ideas, like scientific theories, real and accessible. People are able to come in asking: “Who am I?” They are able to explore who they are and what attracts them to history, science, music, theater, etc. People find how they are uniquely themselves, and find themselves, through the culture of the museum. The museum taps into the deeper question’s kids have. The connection the museum creates is wonderful!

The connection the museum creates is wonderful!

11. We heard you love personality tests. What have you found to be the strengths and weaknesses from the tests?

I love personality tests. You can see all of my scores on my website. However, the Enneagram and Strength’s Finder are two of my favorites. People often find personality tests to be fun and quirky, but I refer back to them frequently. I understand a lot more about myself because of these tests. I often consult the Enneagram (which I am a 7) to find insight on my everyday life. Whereas, the Strength’s Finder has been enlightening to my business and work.

 

12. Do you have any projects in the works that we can look out for in the future?

 

We currently just launched a new website – Burstsofbrilliance.com – where we will have a podcast – mainly reading the blog posts and creating an environment where you can experience the book in a new way. Also included will be membership site that has weekly communication encouraging creativity and imagination in quick, easy ways. My new book, Bursts of Brilliance, came out earlier in October. This book, as well as Dancing in Combat Boots can be purchased at The Museum Store!

Thank you to Teresa for her time and for sharing her stories! To learn more about Teresa or find some of her writing resources visit TeresaFunke.com

 

 

 

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Halloween in Fort Collins

Post written by Alex Ballou, Marketing Assistant.

Halloween in Fort Collins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Local history lives here. Visit the Archive & Collections at FCMoD – open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, and 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm – and like us on Facebook to see more historical images and artifacts. Archival images are available for research, purchase, and more through the online Fort Collins History Connection website.

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National Reptile Awareness Day

Post written by Alexa Leinaweaver, Live Animal Husbandry Coordinator.

National Reptile Awareness Day

Do you know your reptile neighbors here in Northern Colorado?

Colorado is home to more than 50 species of reptile (lizards, turtles, and snakes). The majority of reptiles in our state live below 6,000 feet, though there are some exceptions.

In Colorado, there are a variety of environmental challenges that reptiles had to evolve to deal with. Many prairie streams and ponds dry up entirely in the summer, reducing safe water sources; in winter temperatures can drop below zero. Drought in summer is a frequent problem as well. But our reptiles adapt well to arid environments like northern Colorado.

All reptiles are “cold blooded,” or ectothermic: their body temperature is controlled by the temperature of their environment rather than producing their own heat internally. Reptiles regulate their body temperature by moving from shade to sun, changing their body orientation to the sun, or even changing color. They also vary their activity patterns with the seasons.

At this time of year, reptiles are getting ready to hibernate through the cold Colorado winter. They drop their body temperature to just above freezing. Lizards curl up under logs or in crevices for the season. Turtles will burrow underground to get below the frost line, either on dry land or in the mud at the bottom of ponds or lakes. Snakes have communal winter dens that they return to each year. While these animals hibernate, their body process slow down. They live off water and nutrients stored in their bodies, and don’t even wake up to eliminate waste.

Reptiles in Colorado are now facing new problems: human neighbors can make things more difficult for reptiles. Development reduces the habitat and resources that reptiles need to survive. We bring pets like dogs and cats that can hunt and kill native animals. Reptiles may be killed by traffic when they try to warm themselves by seeking out warm surfaces – like asphalt roads, which are often warmer than their surroundings.

Scientists do not know at this time how abundant or wide-spread reptiles are in Colorado, but some species are clearly in decline here. Reptile species listed as of special concern in Colorado are: triploid checkered whiptail; midget faded rattlesnake; longnose leopard lizard; yellow mud turtle; common king snake; Texas blind snake; Texas horned lizard; roundtail horned lizard; massasauga; common garter snake.

Reptiles are key parts in the landscape around us. Reptiles are food for many of the larger predators in the area (e.g. foxes, raptors, coyotes). Many of them also predate on and control the population of smaller animals – often those considered pests by humans – such as insects, rodents, and even prairie dogs.

For National Reptile Awareness Day this year, take some time to appreciate our reptile neighbors. Come visit the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery and see our live reptiles. Or, spend some time in the wild spaces near you and keep an eye out for our scaly friends.

When observing reptiles out in the wild, try to follow these guidelines:

  • Be careful: know what venomous animals live in the area. In Fort Collins area, there is one: the Prairie Rattlesnake. If you do spot one of these rattlers, move away slowly and leave it alone. They will only bite when they feel threatened.
  • Be respectful of all animals and their homes. Give the reptile or other animal space, and move slowly and quietly. Try not to damage the habitat they live in.
  • Do not bring home live animals. Take photographs or draw pictures of them instead.

 

Tara, FCMOD’s resident Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata ornata), is keeping an eye out for a tasty mealworm to eat. Ornate Box Turtles are native to Colorado and are a protected species. They get their common name from the colorful patterns on their shells.

Photo courtesy of  Alexa Leinaweaver.

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Member Spotlight: Bevin Walker

Member Spotlight: Bevin Walker

Museum member, Bevin Walker, spoke at this year’s Night at the Museum. We were so inspired by her words, we wanted everyone to be able to experience them. Below is the transcript of her speech. Thank you for your support of the museum, Bevin!

Thank you for joining us tonight in adoration and support for Fort Collins Museum of Discovery.

Iʼm Bevin Walker, proud mother of the 5 amazing kids featured in the FCMoD film. The kiddos true colors were presented so beautifully. I hope you enjoyed  viewing the film as much as we enjoyed making it.

I would like to take a moment to thank FCMoD for asking our family to be a part of this special night and for the privilege to speak about how this wonderful museum has enhanced our childrenʼs education.

A special thank you to my husband Jeramie for his unwavering love and support. It is his dedication that gives us the freedom to homeschool.

8 years ago, when our eldest was kindergarten age, we began our homeschooling journey. We wanted our children to have ample time and opportunities to pursue their interests and learn to self-regulate.

Our choice to homeschool has granted us many luxuries; one of which is the ability to tailor curriculum to our childrenʼs needs. We use a mixed media approach for core subjects but our pedagogy is mainly oriented by everyday life and our childrenʼs interests. Curiosity and learning are innate human abilities and few places have piqued our childrenʼs curiosity more than the Museum of Discovery.

Our first visit to the museum had very little to do with education; we simply needed to get out of the house on one of those, “these are my monkeys and this is my circus” kind of days. Since then, frequent visits have facilitated our childrenʼs acquisition of knowledge through invaluable hands on experiences.

During discovery labs our children have performed dissections and experiments that would be difficult to replicate at home. Museum take overs, summer camps, and special exhibits have intrigued and inspired.

One of our favorite exhibits thus far was the National Geographicʼs Photo Ark. I hope you all had a chance to view the breathtaking photographs! The stories behind those photos inspired our daughter Juliette to become passionate about photography and conservation. She was so moved by the exhibit that she zealously raised donations for the Wild Animal Sanctuary here in Colorado.

Our eldest daughter Jennavieve is an aspiring aerospace engineer and geologist. Moon month and the aviation museum takeover ironically correlated with the beginning of her Aerolabs course. The spectacular film ‘CapCom Goʼ fueled her ambition for an aerospacecareer. If you havenʼt seen the film yet, I highly recommend it.

Beyond the amazing exhibits and educational opportunities I have already mentioned; The museum has also graciously hosted the WOLF sanctuary for our Girl Scout troop and is currently working with Jennavieve on her Girl Scout Silver Award. Their collaboration will bring STEAM programs to NoCo Girl Scouts right here in Fort Collins. A huge thank you to Angela for making both possible! As a homeschool mother I strive for educational value in everything we do. We visit the museum almost weekly and it remains one of our favorite places to learn and explore. From the tot spot to the Otterbox dome theater and everything in between there is a plethora of knowledge to gain and fun to be had. What I personally love most about the museum is that I can tend to our younger children as they discover while allowing our elder daughters to be auto didactic in an engaging and safe environment.

None of this would be possible without your generous contributions.

As Pam noted the FCMoD has a $15,000 goal tonight. By making a donation you not only help us achieve that goal but ensure that access to science and cultural education remain a priority for our community!

In efforts to stimulate your inner child, we have made it both easy and fun for you to donate tonight: participate in the Silent Auction, play Heads or Tails, and as you can see over here, we have 3 of the Donation Stations spread throughout the museum. Please visit one and youʼll be able to pick out your own colorful accessory to help light up our night and spread the word that you believe in FCMoD. Thank you for enriching the lives of our children and the lives of so many others whom visit the museum.

Your donations color their world!

The museum relies on the generosity of you – our community – to do everything we do. Please consider donating to support explorations in science and culture for all.

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The Griffin Piano Lounge

Post written by Linda Moore, Curator of Collections.

There is a lot of space to explore at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery; visitors of all ages can spend hours experiencing the exhibits, jamming in the Music & Sound Lab, taking in a show in the OtterBox Digital Dome Theater, and more. But even with just a few dozen steps through our front door a visitor can encounter something unique: the grand piano, with its distinctive Curly Birdseye Maple veneer, which occupies a large corner of the museum’s Griffin Piano Lounge.

This piano was produced by William Knabe & Co., of Baltimore especially for the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. It is apparently one of only two such pianos produced by Knabe, and its eye-catching appearance and distinctively mellow tone are said to have caught the attention a group of fair visitors from Fort Collins, who determined that their community needed the grace and culture it could provide. This group consisted of Abner Loomis, Frank Miller, Sr., F.W. Sherwood, and Peter Anderson –names that loom large in our community’s history, and echo in the names of our streets and local landmarks. These men brought the piano back to Fort Collins and it was placed in the Old Town Elks Lodge, on Oak Street, where it remained until the that building was demolished in 2008. At that time the piano was first sent to Finger Piano Restoration of Niwot, Colorado for a complete evaluation and restoration, and then delivered to Fort Collins Museum of Discovery.

This history is not the only thing that makes the Knabe piano unique among the artifacts displayed and preserved at FCMoD, whose preservation requires that they are protected from all touching and use. Experts agree that the working mechanisms of musical instruments like the piano are best preserved when played on a regular basis, by experienced musicians aware of its age and delicacy. So, for the health of the piano and for everyone’s enjoyment, visiting musicians and trained museum volunteers play the piano during special events and when possible during regular museum hours.

Come visit the 1904 World’s Fair Knabe Piano in FCMoD’s Griffin Piano Lounge. You’ll experience a legacy gifted to our community over a century ago, and you may just get the chance to hear it played.

Image courtesy of Malcolm McNeill

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World Animal Day

Interview conducted by Alex Ballou, Marketing Assistant.

Happy World Animal Day!

Fort Collins Museum of Discovery interviewed FCMoD Live Animal Husbandry Coordinator, Alexa Leinweaver in celebration of World Animal Day! The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

  1. Hi Alexa! First, tell us a little bit about your role as the Live Animal Husbandry Coordinator here at FCMoD.

Here at FCMoD, my job is to take care of all animals in the Animal Encounters exhibit and make sure they are happy and healthy, as well as coordinate the team that is responsible for their care.

  1. What inspired you to begin working with animals?

I can’t remember a time that I was not fascinated with caring for animals. As a kid I would go back to the field behind my house and catch grasshoppers, and be thrilled when they peed on me! When I look back at my childhood education I would find a new animal to be fascinated with, and keep adding more and more animals until I cared about all of them. My aunt bought me a subscription to ZooBooks and that only enhanced/expanded my love for animals.

A few years ago when I was moving to Colorado, I was looking for something that would get me away from the stress of my previous job. So I found a place to volunteer taking care of animals and it was a good way to stay centered and present — because you have to be if you are working with an animal. So that evolved into working with FCMoD.

  1. Tell us a little bit about the Animal Encounter exhibit, what kinds of animals do you encounter in this exhibit?

We have quite the variety of animals. We have everything from reptiles to amphibians to mammals to arthropods in the exhibit. We have a large variety of animals in the encounter exhibit. However, fun fact, the animals available are all able to be pets. We are not a zoo, so we do not have endangered or large animals in the animals encounter exhibit. That said, we do have some exciting and exotic animals.

Our most familiar are the rats. We have 5, and they all look different. We also have fish, insects, turtles, snakes, frogs, geckos, scorpions, etc. All of our fish are local. And my favorite is the whip scorpion because it shoots vinegar out of its butt! It’s the same as white vinegar as in your house and there is no stinger, but his aim is good so, if he feels there is a predator messing with him he aims for their eye.

Our goal is to keep all animals as comfortable as possible when cleaning. The most risky to work with animals include the whip scorpion, regular scorpion, and the assassin bugs. For all of these we keep them calm and have protective gear that we wear.

  1. Mammals, reptiles, and amphibians – oh my! How do you think the Animal Encounters exhibit fits into FCMoD’s vision, which is to inspire inquisitive thinkers and encourage responsible stewardship of the future?

I think any exhibit where you get to see animals that you do not usually see in everyday life is awesome. This exhibit at the museum is a great way to get all our visitors thinking about the world that they live in. Certainly now, I go out and see so much more because I know the animals to look for around in the mountains, city, etc. This sort of perspective creates a bigger world to live in. It allows for imagination and inspires us to care about the environment and for the animals.

“It allows for imagination and inspires those to care about the environment and for the animals.”

  1. Are there any programs associated with the Animal Encounters exhibit?

There are various programs associated with the Animal Encounters exhibit, including Meet the Animals, as well as school programs and summer camps. When school groups come in they can have a special time where we bring out the animals and let the kids get a closer look and sometimes pet the animals. Then we have our animal-themed summer camps, such as Animal Adventures. This camp includes a trip to the Lee Martinez farm and presentations of our animals in the Animal Encounters exhibit. Meet the Animals is a free gallery program offered every third Sunday of the month from 10 am to 1 pm. This program again, allows families and museum guests to get a closer look at the animals. Lastly, our animal-themed birthday parties are also quite the hit! Sometimes we even allow the birthday kid to handle the animal (depending on the child and the animal).

  1. What is your favorite part about working with animals at the museum?

My favorite part about my job is that it is my job to spend time with the animals – handling them, socializing them, and making sure they are well. I also get to snuggle with the rats. I get paid to hang out with the rats!

  1. What does a typical day at the museum looks like for you?

My team and I arrive a few hours before the museum opens. There are typically about 3-4 people working in the animal zone. We clean, feed, and observe the health of the animals, and then clean up to get ready for our visitors for the day.

  1. How do you think museums, like FCMoD, can continue to communicate, educate, and inspire positive action for animal care and conservation?

The first step is having the animals there to let people learn about them and be connected to the wild world. Also having school programs where kids come in and become the experts, to tell their friends and family about something like meeting a tarantula. Getting kids and adults interested in the world around them is the beginning. This creates awareness and increases interest. The second step is to get people angry. If you see and connect with an animal and you know their home is in danger — for example, once they are angry that frogs’ habitat in the Amazon is burning down — then they will have the motivation to do something about it. If you do not care you will not be willing to take the next step to protect the animals.

  1. Ok, random question, but if you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

I would want to be some kind of bird, maybe a Corvid. Specifically, a crow or magpie. Other than having the ability to fly, these birds are very smart and clever. It would allow me to have my wits about me while also having fun. These birds can solve puzzles that I could never solve. For example, a crow can understand how a street light works by dropping a nut that needs to be opened during the red light. And once it’s green the cars run over and open the nut. They go back down during the next red light to get the food they need. Isn’t that amazing?

“I can’t remember a time that I was not fascinated with caring for animals.”

  1. If you could have a conversation with every visitor in the Animals Encounters exhibit, what is the one thing you’d definitely want to know from them before leaving?

I would want to know what animal they connected with the most. It is so personal – which one and why. I want to know what people connect with and if there is any way to provide more information to create a greater proactive response to the animals. That way I can enhance the experience or help to inspire them in the future.

 

Thank you to Alexa for her time and talents at FCMoD! We hope the next time you visit you enjoy the Animal Encounters exhibit!

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