Angela - Another Realization

When I was 14 years old, I was fortunate enough to be taken out of the German school system and put into a Department of Defense Dependent School (DoDDS). One of the "disadvantages" to this is that students scatter all over the world after graduation and we don't really have high school reunions. 

Fortunately, through my project, I managed to meet up with one of my old classmates last weekend while searching for plastic on the west coast. I didn't know Reanna very well in high school, but through facebook I've come to learn she is this amazingly versatile person. It also turned out she is a living encyclopedia of life because as we were combing the beach for plastic she kept pointing out the names of different tests and identifying coral. Apparently, she likes to research plants, animals, etc. that she comes across in nature to find out what they are. During our organism identification lab I thought "weeeell, maybe if I get paid well, I could do this", but after witnessing Reanna's interest and vast knowledge I've come to realize, and am a little embarrassed to admit it, that I don't really have any interest in identifying organisms. I prefer asking someone like her than having to do such research....so I don't see being a biologist in my future.

Speaking of identifying organisms, at Naples Beach I thought I came across a bunch of large plastic pieces scattered along the beach, but upon further inspection I believe the "plastic" actually is some type of marine organism:

 

Plastic looking side

Organism looking side