Research and Report on my Area of Focus

Physical and Systemic

This area focuses on physical exercise, nutrition, sleep, and regular medical check-ups to maintain good health. This area also focuses on systemic health. Systemic Health involves understanding and managing how different systems in your body work together.

Exercise:

My favorite way to exercise is to ride bicycle and hiking. These forms of physical exercise help to keep me in shape but also fill my appetite for wanderlust. I find it is important to define your interests and research ways that you can incorporate exercise into those activities. By doing this, exercise will not feel like a chore and become an activity that you look forward to. According to Exercise: How much do I need every day? – Mayo Clinic, you should be getting at least 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, or 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week. You should also be doing strength training for all major muscle groups at least twice / week.

Nutrition:

Finding foods that you love and are also healthy can be made into delicious dishes. By getting proper nutrition, you are ensuring that your mind and body have enough fuel to tackle the day. According to What Are Essential Nutrients? your body needs a balanced diet of:

water – an average of 3 liters/ day depending on activity to flush out toxins, carry nutrients, improve blood flow, prevent dehydration, protect nerves and joints, promote digestion, and regulate body temperature.

minerals – Calcium for bones, Iron to carry oxygen throughout your body, Magnesium to control blood sugar and blood pressure, Potassium for heart function, Zinc for immune system.

vitamins – a mix of Fat soluble for vision, blood pressure, muscle and bone health. These are Vitamin A., D., E., and K.

Water soluble vitamins for your nervous system, heart, hair, skin, nails. These are Vitamin C., B1 (Thiamin), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic Acid), B6, B7 (Biotin), B9 (Folate), and B12.

These are also essential to fight infections, heal wounds, regulate hormones.

Healthy foods with these vitamins include:

Fruit and vegetables, Meat, dairy, seafood, rice, and legumes.

Protein – builds strong bones, muscles, organs, skin and nails. It is the building block for your body that carries nutrients to form tissues and repair cells.

Carbohydrates – are the main source of energy for your body and brain.

Fats – insulate and protect organs, provide energy, regulate body temperature, and aide the body in absorbing vitamins and minerals.

Sleep:

According to Sleep: How Much You Need and Its 4 Stages, there are different requirements for each age group on how much sleep that you need. the largest age group is 19-64 years of age needing 7-9 hours of sleep every day. The age old saying of needing 8 hours of sleep is actually just an average number that only fits for ages 13 and up.

The Benefits of Sleep:

Boost your immune system, strengthen your emotional processing, decreasing stress, improve memory function, improve cellular growth, repair tissue and muscle recovery, increase productivity, and improve exercise performance.

Medical Check-ups:

According to Checkups and Tests You Shouldn’t Miss, how often you need to see a doctor depends on your age, general health, and risk factors for certain problems.

According to how often to get medical checkup – Search, if you are under 40 years of age then it is best to get a medical check-up every 2-3 years. Age 40+ should get annual check-ups.

My idea:

For this area is to add a bicycle to promote regular physical exercise. I also want to include a path that connects all areas on the island. Many great ideas were talked about and planned during class. Areas are now being built to accommodate this bicycle path.

The outcome of my proposal:

This proposal became a popular idea that had great input from others. I was able to work with Professor Renne Emiko Brock and together we created a bicycle path that connected areas throughout the island in Second Life. I textured a sign to welcome users to the bike path. I also textured some helmets for riders to use. This project turned out exactly as it needed to be. I would like to see it expanded on in the future to include more connections.

12 Steps of the Superhero’s Journey

April 04, 2025 to June 17, 2025

Though this journey really began 08/24/2024

Step 0 04/03/2025 – 04/06/2025

Step 0 is “The Decision to Start”

My official decision to start was after the mill closed down in August 2024. I have since continued to make the decision to start each quarter. I also continue to be grateful for the opportunity of this education which is vital to improving my life and the lives of those around me.

1. My name in Tom Buscher, you can call me Tom.

2. Express how you would define success related to attending this class or Peninsula College: Success in my classes is turning in assignments on time that were completed to the best of my ability and also are done according to the rubric or above and beyond so that I can truly thrive in my education.

3. Choose your two Keys to Success and tell us why those keys: Set Goals and Courage are my keys of choice. I chose the key “Set Goals” because success is not achieved in one giant leap but through many steps accomplished along the journey. Goals are the steps towards success. I chose the key “Courage” because fear will hold everyone back and keep people stuck in a rut. It takes true courage to set out on a journey into the unknown to complete what fear made seem impossible. These are the true keys to my success.

4. 

A. Do you know the definition of your first, middle, and / or last names? 

Thomas is a name of Greek origin meaning twin and is a strong name used throughout history. 

Joseph is a biblical name from the Old Testament meaning “He will add”.

Buscher is a German name describing people of the bush. probably why I love the outdoors so much.

B. Do you know your Birth Sign? Capricorn

C. What are your Three Cherished Colors? neon blue #1F51FF, emerald green #046307, tiger eye orange E08d3c

D. What is your Favorite Animal? Great Horned Owl

Define these aspects of your Lodestar:

Love is Awesome Enthusiasm. I have always loved photography and video, and I often would be using my cellphone for it. now that I have some proper equipment and am learning skills, I will be enthusiastically creating some amazing work.

Objective Defines our Purpose. I have an objective to create a website to showcase my portfolio and help people to hire me for my services in creating videos and photography which includes wide interest of portraits to commercial and documentary work. My objective to achieve this is to learn as much as I can as all of these skills work together to create masterpieces. This objective met will ensure that I am spending my life doing what I enjoy and rise out of poverty so that we can actually live like human beings that have a healthy place to live instead of a rotting travel trailer.

Drive is what Gives you Energy. My drive is simply to be the best that I can so that I can escape this travel trailer and live my life. My drive is the motivation of possibility. The possibility that my passions can be made into a profitable future through hard work and dedication. My drive is knowing how much this work can change my future.

Enjoy is to be Fully Engaged. I find the most enjoyment when I am outside taking photographs and video. I find just as much enjoyment when I share my work and people share how much they also benefit from it. It is enlightening to learn how much of an impact our art has on our community.

Step 1 04/07/2025 – 04/13/2025

Step 1 is “The Ordinary World Before the Adventure Begins”

For me the ordinary world is always work. Before this quarter I spent spring break working. I am always trying to get tasks accomplished in order to improve my life. My biggest work was re designing my website and navigating scholarships for college tuition next year.

https://www.youtube.com/@Good8DesignLinks to an external site.

Step 2 04/14/2025 – 04/20/2025

Step 2 is “Call to Adventure”

My call to adventure this quarter is my desire to learn more about what is possible and what I can learn to improve my life. I wanted to dive deeper into digital video, image editing, and 3D design so that I could learn how to create amazing content online. I wanted to learn how to create an amazing website for starting my own business in the future. I needed to do this because without the education, I would have no hope of escaping this travel trailer that I call home.

Step 3 04/21/2025 – 04/27/2025

Step 3 is “Refusal of the Call”

I was, as always, nervous to begin this adventure. I like to have a plan of action as I fear the unknown. This is a fear that I have long ago learned to deal with, but I still battle it. Thankfully I never let fear win.

Step 4 04/28/2025 – 05/04/2025

Step 4 is “Meeting with the Mentor”

I am very fortunate to have a great advisor and teacher who was able to guide me to resources that I can utilize for college funding and help guide me through the process in these classes. My mentor has been of great help in connecting me with the right people in my projects also. “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” – Isaac Newton.

Step 5 05/05/2025 – 05/11/2025

Step 5 is “Crossing the First Threshold into the Extraordinary World”

My first day of classes this quarter, as always, were much more reassuring than I expected. Getting adjusted into the routine of the Hero’s Journey once again was the hardest part. I quickly became familiar with the schedule and expected work load. I then set out to accomplish assignments to the best of my ability and learn as much as I can.

Step 6 05/12/2025 – 05/18/2025

Step 6 is “Discovery of Superpowers and Challenges Including Tests, Allies, and Enemies”

I have discovered that my superpowers are determination, stubborn hard-headed will power, adaptability, resourcefulness, and work ethic. These superpowers have been vital to my success in getting work done on time. While also taking on tasks that are above and beyond my current ability. I have found allies in class who also like the idea of the bike path and have helped me to create it with inspiring ideas. I have also been able to utilize feedback given for my work to make improvements. My only foe has been time itself. I work hard and long hours, but there never seems to be enough time in the day. This has mostly just impacted my home duties and social life.

Steampunk Goggles texture With Lodestar Compass

Step 7 05/19/2025 – 05/25/2025

Step 7 is “Adaptation of Perspective and Approach”

My setbacks have been from my overreaching ambition. While initially they were setbacks, I quickly learned to adapt and improvise new ways of accomplishing tasks. Time continues to be my biggest setback. I continue to manage it by working ahead on “easier” assignments to allow more time to work on bigger projects. This approach gives me more “Breathing Room” and allows me to produce better quality work.

Textures for helmets and the straps. 8 of them, 1 for each section of the wheel of wellness. I made them mostly solid colors for a universal design that everyone can enjoy.

Step 8 05/26/2025 – 06/01/2025

Step 8 is “The Ordeal Reveals Resources and Inner Strengths”

My greatest hurdle has been time management and my solution has been to work harder and my inner striength superpowers have allowed me to continually work harder so that I can accomplish my goals.

Step 9 06/02/2025 – 06/08/2025

Step 9 is “The Unforeseen Reward”

My reward is confidence, pride, knowledge and skills gained. I have worked hard and learned a lot this quarter and because of it I have gained more opportunity and doors continue to open up for me.

06/03/2025

We had a presentation, to the stake holders, of our work in Second Life. We gave them a guided tour and explained the work we were doing. My classmates and I all did a great job with this and had many amazing objects to show off. This was a great experience to practice our communication skills and networking.

My Objects are the bicycle and bike path that connects every area of self-care. This also allows users to explore at their own pace. This turned out really well. I hope in the coming years that this will be expanded on. Including underwater tunnels incorporated into the trail system and an underwater bike park would be amazing.

Step 10 06/09/2025 – 06/15/2025

Step 10 is “The Road Back and Metamorphosis”

As this class ends, I am looking forward to using the new skills that I have gained to enhance my other digital creations. My eyes have further opened into the world of digital creation. My process of developing projects is forever changed for the better.

Step 11 06/15/2025 – 06/16/2025

Step 11 is “The Resurrection Hero Evaluation and Reflection”

To see the bike path in Second Life become a reality is a huge hurdle and the ultimate test. To see people riding bikes on the path to explore our island is how success is measured. After making these animations I am feeling successful and empowered as I now grasp the idea of making cartoons to tell stories.

Step 12 06/16/2025 – 06/17/2025

Step 12 is “Return with Education Elixir and Becoming the Mentor”

I have always enjoyed showing off my work and helping people to create their own work. The knowledge that I have gained here will continue to reflect in all of my future projects.

Storytelling Reflection Essay

Thoughts on my experience

What did I gain from this experience? I gained valuable communication and group brainstorming skills that took ideas and made them a virtual reality. I also was able to improve on my video and animation skills.

How did visual vocabulary expand my communication skills beyond the standard senses? By using visual aides in the form of video and animated GIFs I was able to form a new way of visual storytelling.

What would I do differently? I would have liked to expand more on the 3D side with my visual vocabulary.

How did the journey affect me personally? This journey further opened my eyes to possibilities of what can be created in digital spaces.

What do I want to do in the future with digital storytelling? After watching the movies “The Electric State”, “Pixels”, and “Minecraft”, I truly see how powerful 3D art in video is for digital storytelling. I want to create 3D art that I can use in my videos.