My Renaissance literature class isn't your normal lit class, as you can see from the video below. A group presented different Renaissance dances on Monday. Here, they are teaching Cory (the only guy in the group) how to do a dance!!
Wednesday, March 28
Sunday, March 18
Photo of the Day March 19
Yesterday, I spent my St. Patrick's Day with a great group of journalists. In an effort to get to know our staff better, Ryan and I planned a trip to go hiking. However, there was some confusion, as there always is when one goes on a road trip. First, we were supposed to be hiking in Sylva, Cullowhee's sister city, which would have been a quick, easy drive. Then, Stuart found out that the Annual Black Rock Race was happening the exact day we wanted to hike!! So we picked an amazing trail off the Blue Ridge Parkway that would pass two waterfalls and some amazing scenery!
Unfortunately, road trips are never that simple. The Blue Ridge Parkway's online resource of hiking trail distances and locations is poor and quite frankly unacceptable. Our selected trail was at milepost 418.8. We unknowingly got on the Parkway at 444... with only a quarter of tank of gas!! After much confusion, we pulled over at the first hiking trail we saw - this one!! And it turned out to be a short but very fun hike!!! Next time, I promise we'll work up a sweat!
Unfortunately, road trips are never that simple. The Blue Ridge Parkway's online resource of hiking trail distances and locations is poor and quite frankly unacceptable. Our selected trail was at milepost 418.8. We unknowingly got on the Parkway at 444... with only a quarter of tank of gas!! After much confusion, we pulled over at the first hiking trail we saw - this one!! And it turned out to be a short but very fun hike!!! Next time, I promise we'll work up a sweat!
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| Ryan, myself, and some awesome staff members |
Wednesday, March 14
Half EIC
I meant to post about this two weeks ago, but things got ridiculously crazy overnight. Ever since March 1, it's been a crazy ride!
At the end of February, my roommate and former boss Justin packed his bags at The Western Carolinian, the newspaper where I work. After much discussion, drama, tears, and hard work, the Student Media Board promoted Sports Editor Ryan and myself to become the new EDITORS-IN-CHIEF!!!!!!
I am absolutely beyond excited and have been ever since I learned the news once it was made official. Ryan and I immediately started working on keeping the newspaper at its award-winning level, but also throwing in our own personal flair as EICs.
The transition hasn't been an easy one. There's been drama, and there are always rumors and fires to put out in a newspaper office, but overall, the experience has been a positive and busy one! I've never had so much on my shoulders, but it feels great. Ryan and I are responsible for the well-being of an entire newspaper!! It's insane, right? I mean, I've never had this much responsibility, and I feel like I'm handling it well. The newspaper is always on my thoughts, and I always want to make things better and get back into being a team with the staff. On Saturday (here's hoping it doesn't rain), ten staff members have agreed to go on a hiking trip, and we're taking off down the Blue Ridge Parkway for a couple hours of fun in the mountains.
I want to get to know these people and be someone they look up to. I want to get things done and accomplish so much. It's the most exhilarating feeling in the world!!! And, I'm lucky to have someone like Ryan at my side.
So, here's to the new direction of The Western Carolinian!! May we not screw it up!!
At the end of February, my roommate and former boss Justin packed his bags at The Western Carolinian, the newspaper where I work. After much discussion, drama, tears, and hard work, the Student Media Board promoted Sports Editor Ryan and myself to become the new EDITORS-IN-CHIEF!!!!!!
The transition hasn't been an easy one. There's been drama, and there are always rumors and fires to put out in a newspaper office, but overall, the experience has been a positive and busy one! I've never had so much on my shoulders, but it feels great. Ryan and I are responsible for the well-being of an entire newspaper!! It's insane, right? I mean, I've never had this much responsibility, and I feel like I'm handling it well. The newspaper is always on my thoughts, and I always want to make things better and get back into being a team with the staff. On Saturday (here's hoping it doesn't rain), ten staff members have agreed to go on a hiking trip, and we're taking off down the Blue Ridge Parkway for a couple hours of fun in the mountains.
I want to get to know these people and be someone they look up to. I want to get things done and accomplish so much. It's the most exhilarating feeling in the world!!! And, I'm lucky to have someone like Ryan at my side.
So, here's to the new direction of The Western Carolinian!! May we not screw it up!!
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| WCU clock tower |
Sunday, March 11
Movie Minute: Dogs Vs. Mini Horse and Donkey
I try to go on a walk at least five times a week. My driveway is at least a mile of rocky dirt that goes up and down the mountains where I live. Along this route live a handful of dogs, all of which I have made friends with. They used to come out and bark at me to be petted then go back to their respected porches to wait for my return. Nowadays, they have grown so used to me that they have started following me for the duration of my walk. While it's fun to walk with the dogs at my side, there are occasional issues that arise.
Take Bartholomew the donkey and Shaggy the mini horse, for example: they do not like dogs!! And, the dogs are too dumb to realize that they shouldn't go into mini horse and donkey pens! Here's what happens when they do:
Take Bartholomew the donkey and Shaggy the mini horse, for example: they do not like dogs!! And, the dogs are too dumb to realize that they shouldn't go into mini horse and donkey pens! Here's what happens when they do:
Friday, March 9
Thursday, March 8
Wednesday, March 7
Out of the Wild
Stuart and I have obsession with survival shows. Out of the Wild: The Alaska Experiment and Out of the Wild: Venezuela are my favorites, and we both love Man, Woman, Wild. I'm no "doomsday prepper," but I believe that everyone should know how to at least fend for themselves in the event that they lose their way while hiking, crash their canoe and hear banjos, or end up in Oz. But seriously, knowing how to survive in various situations never hurt anyone. In fact, if some people took survival skill training, they'd finally acquire some common sense.
I hope to never have to practice the skills I have acquired through osmosis by watching television or listening to Stuart go on and on, but IF I DID... here's who I want to be stranded with and why (in no particular order):
Stuart - my boyfriend: This is The Most Obvious Choice besides like Cody Lundin or Mykel Hawke. He knows his stuff, and if I had him at my side, I wouldn't be afraid of anything. He could shoot us dinner, make a fire in five different ways, and build a shelter that could bear the weight of a teenage boy. He has a strong work ethic and a git-r-done attitude. With his knowledge and attitude, we'd be saved in less than a week.
Kate - my sister: Kate's got optimism like I've never seen. She's family-oriented and loyal... and crazy fierce! Thanks to her regular gym work-outs and cheer practice, she's got the endurance and muscle to pull her own weight in camp. Don't let her pink hair ribbons and perky attitude fool you... underneath she's a mother bear protecting her cubs! LOOK OUT!
Cameron - friend: Cameron was one of the boys back when we were still "a group." He's got mad camping skills, and he provides a moral booster. I don't know about trekking through the wilderness with a guitar, but if anyone's going to do it, it'd be Cameron. Not only can he play some tunes around the campfire, he's got one of the best senses of humor. He can get me cracking up hysterically to no end. Also, Cameron's got fantastic animal knowledge and I bet some tracking skills. Definitely a keeper!
Daniel - friend: Daniel's the guy that came along for the heck of it and you keep him around because he's good company. Daniel's been my bestie for over two years now, and he's the one who would say, "Lex, get the hell over yourself! Stop crying and get some firewood!" He's the strength I need to make it out of the woods. Daniel will also be the one butting heads with Stuart and giving the other side of opinions on how things should be done, but at the same time, he's a good team player.
Pawpaw - grandfather on my mother's side: Stuart can back me up on this claim... if you'd ever met Pawpaw, you'd want him on your team. He's nearing 70 years old, and he just went out and got his concealed carry permit. He was packing at my mother's wedding - a camera on one side of his jacket and a gun on the other!!! He's cool, collected, and he also has ridiculous amounts of knowledge about nearly everything! He grew up in coal mining mountains and has spent the vast majority of his life outdoors. If we lose Stuart to poisonous berries, I'm counting on my grandfather!
Tanner - Stuart's best friend and former roommate: It's not a wilderness trip without Tanner, according to Stuart. With Tanner's weaponry knowledge and Stuart's gun, we most certainly won't die because we were attacked by crazy mountain men or black bears! Also, I would definitely make Tanner entertain me with Sweeney Todd reenactments! Oh yes, Tanner, it's happening, sir!!
Sparta - the cat: Fresh mice and small rodents, and plus it's Sparta! What more needs to be said? Daniel, you CANNOT eat him!! I don't care if we're starving!
I hope to never have to practice the skills I have acquired through osmosis by watching television or listening to Stuart go on and on, but IF I DID... here's who I want to be stranded with and why (in no particular order):
Stuart - my boyfriend: This is The Most Obvious Choice besides like Cody Lundin or Mykel Hawke. He knows his stuff, and if I had him at my side, I wouldn't be afraid of anything. He could shoot us dinner, make a fire in five different ways, and build a shelter that could bear the weight of a teenage boy. He has a strong work ethic and a git-r-done attitude. With his knowledge and attitude, we'd be saved in less than a week.
To those of you not mentioned, don't feel bad!! Be glad you didn't sign up on the worst vacation ever!!! Please send help!!!
Movie Minute: I Want it That Way Karaoke
Oh boy... being a college freshman! There's nothing like it and you'll never forget it. Thanks to my video camera, these random guys will never forget this moment:
63. The Farming of Bones
Book 63: The Farming of Bones by Edwidge Danticat (B)
Amabella is a Haitian servant for a Spanish family in the Dominican Republic in 1937. She is in love with Sebastien, the sugar cane cutter. She doesn't mind serving Senora Valencia and her husband, an army colonel. Her only ghost is the violent death of her parents, deaths that she watched at a very young age as they were swept away in the Massacre River. But change is on the way. The Generalissimo wants the horrid Haitians out of his country and back across the river from where they came! The persecution begins, and Amabelle tries to escape from the country where she has grown up to return to her roots. But, she loses Sebastien along the way. Is he alive? Will they find each other? Why can't Dominicans and Haitians tolerate one another, their major difference being how they say certain words? Parsley.
Danticat does an amazing job describing the horrible persecutions and murders of the Haitians during this turbulent time. However, her climax is... well, anticlimactic and leaves the reader with nothing but long drawn out passages about realization and acceptance of what has happened. The book could have ended several times but is instead drawn out for what seems like eternity as Amabelle grows older and less enjoyable.
In the beginning, there are amazing passages in between the narrative dialogue chapters of precious, private moments between Amabelle and Sebastien. Once the action begins and the Haitians are being slaughtered, those moments go away, and the heart of the book is lost. I wish Danticat had kept those going because they were beautiful, peaceful moments to bring the reader back to this deep character that is Amabelle.
Also, the ending brought everything back together. The last chapter is moving and unpredictable in a sad way. Amabelle's obsession with water comes full circle in the end that leaves the reader feeling as ghost-like and un-whole as Amabelle must have felt since the massacres.
I recommend this book for older audiences who can appreciate the history and the pain. But, the middle can be and should be skipped.
Amabella is a Haitian servant for a Spanish family in the Dominican Republic in 1937. She is in love with Sebastien, the sugar cane cutter. She doesn't mind serving Senora Valencia and her husband, an army colonel. Her only ghost is the violent death of her parents, deaths that she watched at a very young age as they were swept away in the Massacre River. But change is on the way. The Generalissimo wants the horrid Haitians out of his country and back across the river from where they came! The persecution begins, and Amabelle tries to escape from the country where she has grown up to return to her roots. But, she loses Sebastien along the way. Is he alive? Will they find each other? Why can't Dominicans and Haitians tolerate one another, their major difference being how they say certain words? Parsley.
In the beginning, there are amazing passages in between the narrative dialogue chapters of precious, private moments between Amabelle and Sebastien. Once the action begins and the Haitians are being slaughtered, those moments go away, and the heart of the book is lost. I wish Danticat had kept those going because they were beautiful, peaceful moments to bring the reader back to this deep character that is Amabelle.
Also, the ending brought everything back together. The last chapter is moving and unpredictable in a sad way. Amabelle's obsession with water comes full circle in the end that leaves the reader feeling as ghost-like and un-whole as Amabelle must have felt since the massacres.
I recommend this book for older audiences who can appreciate the history and the pain. But, the middle can be and should be skipped.
Friday, March 2
62. The Doctors' Secrets to a Lifetime of Clear Skin
Book 62: The Doctors' Secrets to a Lifetime of Clear Skin by Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields (A-)
What a quirky, sweet book to get as a freebie gift in your Proactiv kit! It was a quick book with 30 myths, tips, and facts about controlling your acne. It was simple and easy to read. The colorful pages were delightful, and every page was helpful.
Here are some tips I didn't know:
Tip 7: "The sun is acne's friend - not yours.
"One of the oddest myths about acne is that the sun is a key ally in your fight - particularly in drying pimples. If by "good for acne" we mean "it encourages more acne" then, yes, the sun is good for acne. Let's be clear: the sun makes acne much worse and should be avoided. A tan can temporarily hide a red, broken-out complexion. But where did that get you? As that tan fades, your skin starts to shed more cells - which clog pores and trigger more breakouts a few weeks down the road" (20-21).
Tip 12: "You can't even GIVE acne away.
"Sometimes your acne can make you feel like an outcast... No one can catch acne... The process of how those bacteria cause breakouts depends on many other individual factors - including the type of oil your glands make and how easily your pores clog. Sharing pillowcases or dancing cheek to cheek with someone experiencing a full-on breakout will not make your acne worse. So don't shy away. Acne is already a lonely experience" (30-31).
Tip 24: "Scrubs can be the pits.
"There are earnest, well-meaning fans of facial scrubs that contain ground-up fruit parts - usually walnut or apricot pits - believing that such "natural" cleansing will deliver the deep-down clean that's bound to help clean up acne. Right? Wrong! That sharp edges from these particles actually causes MICRO-TEARS IN YOUR SKIN, leaving it raw and irritated - potentially making matters much worse. You want to shed, not shred" (54-55)!
What a quirky, sweet book to get as a freebie gift in your Proactiv kit! It was a quick book with 30 myths, tips, and facts about controlling your acne. It was simple and easy to read. The colorful pages were delightful, and every page was helpful.
Here are some tips I didn't know:
Tip 7: "The sun is acne's friend - not yours.
"One of the oddest myths about acne is that the sun is a key ally in your fight - particularly in drying pimples. If by "good for acne" we mean "it encourages more acne" then, yes, the sun is good for acne. Let's be clear: the sun makes acne much worse and should be avoided. A tan can temporarily hide a red, broken-out complexion. But where did that get you? As that tan fades, your skin starts to shed more cells - which clog pores and trigger more breakouts a few weeks down the road" (20-21).
"Sometimes your acne can make you feel like an outcast... No one can catch acne... The process of how those bacteria cause breakouts depends on many other individual factors - including the type of oil your glands make and how easily your pores clog. Sharing pillowcases or dancing cheek to cheek with someone experiencing a full-on breakout will not make your acne worse. So don't shy away. Acne is already a lonely experience" (30-31).
Tip 24: "Scrubs can be the pits.
"There are earnest, well-meaning fans of facial scrubs that contain ground-up fruit parts - usually walnut or apricot pits - believing that such "natural" cleansing will deliver the deep-down clean that's bound to help clean up acne. Right? Wrong! That sharp edges from these particles actually causes MICRO-TEARS IN YOUR SKIN, leaving it raw and irritated - potentially making matters much worse. You want to shed, not shred" (54-55)!
Works Cited:
Rodan, Katie and Fields, Kathy. The Doctors' Secrets to a Lifetime of
Clear Skin. Guthy-Renker, LLC, 2009-2011. Print.
Thursday, March 1
Photo of the Day March 1
Meet Bagel and Butter! They're the two beagles that terrorize my neighborhood! They're constantly together and if they lose one another, you can tell that they miss each other. They howl and look around for the other. It's the sweetest thing you've ever seen. Butter is the lighter colored girl. She's got a heart of gold and is always into mischief! Bagel is the leader, fearless and loyal. All he wants is someone to rub him behind his silky ears and to always be at Butter's side. I love them to death!!
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