Finding Our Passion

Passion. What is passion? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines passion as an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction. It's simply that one thing you naturally love to do and learn more about. There's nobody who is pushing you to do it. You simply gravitate towards it! For example, for a lot of people in my family, its cars. Or perhaps it is teaching. I know a select few teachers that are extremely passionate about it; its the sole reason why they wake up in the morning. It's legitimately comparable to an addiction! Passionate people just can't go very long without doing it.
For me, I really can't say for sure right now. However, I have felt a strong sensation for learning more about meteorology, in particular severe weather. I go into a happy frenzy when severe weather is hitting the area. I immediately MUST/HAVE TO watch the news/weather report, check online at weather.com and weather.gov, and then get connected with other forms of media.
It goes to a whole new level if I know that the storm is going to hit my area. I track it until it goes live in my area (first hit) when then I run outside. I would then possibly take valuable footage of a possible storm if it has good appeal.
The level of excitement exponentially increases with increasing storm strength.
For a regular thunderstorm (non-severe), i'll track it but won't be too excited about to run outside.
If is severe (part of a squall line (long line of storms interconnected), i'll briefly be outside to see it come at us with the major threat of wind. However, if it is a severe pocket storm (my term for single-cell strong severe storm), i'll be on the look out for hail, wind and other severe characteristics.



Just to note, I've unfortunately (with a ?--probably more like fortunately) never experienced a tornado threat in my county or vicinity. In fact, the last time my county was under a tornado watch was like in 2002 or 2003 or probably earlier. It's just been too long. This is obviously a good thing but it would be a mind-blowing experience to go through having a tornado warning in my county. Better yet, I would love to see a tornado out on the horizon from where I live (luckily, on a hill with a nice long clear view of the northeast). It would be ever-so scary but exciting. In fact, I've had probably at least a HUNDRED dreams involving tornadoes, many of which I can still recall (I can still envision that tornado bearing down on my house). I even remember where I hid in the basement!
My closest experience with this type of occurrence was in fact last year on June 4, 2010 (see I even remember the date!!)....there was a thunderstorm approaching from the northwest and it obviously showed that it was getting a strong updraft from it easterly side. Below is a video clip I recorded for that storm. During this time, it looked as though it was trying to form a tornado when I believed I saw some rotation. It ran east along the north horizon from where I live and eventually became a severe thunderstorm. It was one of the most thrilling experiences I had with a thunderstorm. I think my mind really wanted a tornado to form but I definitely got to see the full-development of a severe thunderstorm which I will definitely take with me. I think this obviously tells you that I need to be a part of some storm chasers in the coming future which is an EXCELLENT idea and suggestion. There is currently not a program set up here at Michigan Tech for doing that. However, that sentence right there says it all: start up a club or program for students interesting in meteorology. There is not a very good network here at tech for this however there are definitely a number of professors who have good experience in atmospheric chemistry or physics. In that regard, there is potential. Geographically, Tech is not well position for severe weather although the Upper midwest ( Minnesota and Wisconsin ) provide nice pathways for finding severe weather.



As you can see, your passion will fill you with enjoyment and excitement. I do have to warn, it should not be the only thing you do! If it is the only thing you are doing, it can lead to boredom since you begin to feel to singularly bound to it. The perfect harmony of working with your passion is to fulfill it with other hobbies. For instance, a number of professors and top graduate students love to fish. While their prime interest is in learning and working with water, fishing provides some diversity in what they do.
When this style of living is coupled with the right diligence and self-discipline in life, one will find that their lives are essentially complete...no matter where they stand in the financial world or in their popularity of the majority. They have something they love and it is life-fulfilling.