The Clock Never Stops

         I woke up on 11-11-11 almost expecting something unusual to happen.  I went to work, sat at my desk and drank my coffee.  Later I went to lunch with my husband and watched all the big wig Kansas executives have their fake conversations in their nice suites as they brush off their waiter.  I thought to myself how awful it must be to have to sit at their table and pretend to like them. 

The rest of the day continued as normal but my awareness was higher than usualy. I found myself watching the day and every little detail... knowing this day would never happen for me again.  My thoughts then turned to how we should live everyday as if we will never have it again. 
If you know me at all, unlike most people my age who can't wait until the next phase of their life, I find myself missing the past and even in happy moments feeling sad that it will end all too quickly... which it does. 
I truly do cherish each day and the time that I have with the ones I love and even on 11-11-11.  It was beautiful weather for that time of year in a time where we remember our veterans who have ensured our freedom. 

I was blessed to wake up and live another day and to spend it with my husband.  I was blessed to have a job to go to and to have the money to go out for lunch.  I'm blessed to live in America with the freedoms I have.  We should not have to have one day of the year to remind us to appreciate all of the others, and if nothing else, that is what 11-11-11 did for me.

Giving Up with the Kardashians

      I am so tired to hearing about Kim Kardashian, but I had to see what all the hubub was about this show of hers.  I got sucked in for a moment looking at their perfect looking family on their exotic vacation on the beach.. but then I snapped back into reality and turned off the tube.


          What happend to quality television and qualitify entertainers?  People used to have to be talented to have a show.  The sad thing is that these shows would not continue to pop up and air if there was not an audience for them.  We, Americans, keep watching the rich and famous become more rich and famous and it needs to stop.  All I heard over the summer was Kim's wedding this and Kim's wedding that.  Now she's getting a divorce.  How is this suprising? Enough is enough, people!

Not As Ready for Some Football

Hank Williams Jr.'s song has been a classic on Monday night football.  Hearing it makes me think of fall as a kid, getting a cup of hot chocolate and gathering with the family to watch Monday night football.  I have mixed emotions regarding the removal of the song.  I don't think removing the song was necessary, although I do think Williams behavior was a little immature and unprofessional. 

His joke regarding Obama was inaprropriate even if he did not mean it to come across the way that it did.  His overall demeaner from the start did not help his case by making a comment about the female host, arms folded with sunglasses on as if he was too good for the interview.  Unfortunately many celebrities tend to get full of themselves and think they should share their political views.  I personally don't usually give a hoot about celebrities political views.  Most of them have less education than I do!  I am sad that the song is gone, I wish it wasn't.  It seems a little drastic to remove the song completely. 

Peace & Yoga

When people hear the word “peace” it may bring about thoughts of war, hippies or even Christmas.  For such a little word, peace can bring a lot of different meanings, feelings and definitions.  In our current day and age world peace is probably one of the first things that come to mind.  World peace is a desire felt by many, but how attainable is it?  World peace starts with one person and while it may not be possible for you alone to change the world, you can make a difference by striving to be peaceful both in your thoughts and actions about yourself and others.  One simple way many achieve this inner peace is through yoga.

Yoga began in ancient India as a disciplinary practice to meditate and focus.  Yoga still is used the same ways today although there are many different variations.  Whether you go to improve your health, maintain flexibility, meditate, or just relax after a long day, you will leave yoga feeling a sense of peace and clarity. 

Yoga is not just for your parents or their generation.  In fact, the “Yoga in America” market study found that 40.6% of people who participate in yoga are 18-34 in age.  The study also stated that nearly 14 million Americans have had yoga recommended to them as medical therapy by a therapist or doctor.

One of Avila’s best kept secrets is that it offers a yoga class that is free to students.  This class meets on Wednesdays from 4:45-5:45 and is the perfect way to release your stress from a day filled of classes.  Yoga is taught by Tom Jacobs who has been teaching yoga since 1987.  Jacobs has taught over 6,000 students at 10 different Kansas City locations including Avila. 
Jacobs had the following to say regarding peace and yoga:

“At the heart of yoga is not just "finding peace”, but "becoming peace". All spiritual practice, whether it's prayer, meditation, yoga or others, are meant to align you with God's energy inside you. These practices help you remember where you come from, what sustains your life, and what purposes you have on this earth. There is a part of each person that is totally unshakable, strong, stable and serene. Nothing can destroy or upset that essential part in you. Call it your soul, your spirit or your core, that is the presence of God within you.  All spiritual practices re-align & re-connect you with that! Then you live in a wakeful state and can share your infectious love to transform hearts and heal the world.”

World peace starts with you and your heart.  The decisions you make today for yourself can impact everyone tomorrow. Living intentionally and taking the time to learn how to accept yourself and love others will always bring a peaceful change.

Stamp of DISapproval on Celebrity Stamps.

        After hearing that the US Postal Service is attempting to add hip celebritiess to their stamps in order to generate new business from young people, I can only roll my eyes. I am 25 years old and will admit that this new campaign will not cause me to buy more stamps or start mailing letters instead of sending emails.  My generation wants everything now.  We are not patient and we are cheap.  We love emails because they are instant and free.  I have even started paying bills online to avoid buying stamps whenever possible.  I send out Christmas cards which is probably the biggest check the post office will ever recieve from me.  Unless they are going to put Bing Crosby on the stamps at Christmas, I will probably never buy a celebrity stamp.  Don't get me wrong, I like celebrities, but if I have a need to see one I will simply turn on my television.  I understand these are rough economical times for the post office, but they should consider if it's bad for them, how bad is it for the poor college students who can't get jobs?  In my opinion, a better improvement the post office could make would be to hire some people who possess some manners and don't look like they just rolled out of bed. I would be highly suprised if any new business would occur from these changes. 

      The post office just dismissed their rule that stamps cannot feature people who are still living.  I thought it was a good rule, almost like you had to be a living legacy to be featured on a stamp, just like the presidents on the dollar bills.  So now when we go to buy stamps will we have the option to choose Mary and baby Jesus or Justin Beiber?  It just takes the significants away from legacies like Dr. Martin Luther King, George Washington and Marylin Monroe.  My stamp of disapproval is smacked down on this new idea.

Silence is Golden

      After watching multiple interviews of Tupac, I noticed both his flaws and his talents.  While his record was not always clean, he felt deeply about his music and the positive affect he was having on others through it.  This is similar to Jimi Hendrix although Jimi did not care about fame, fortune or money; he just wanted to use his gifts and talents to do what he was called to do.   Both artists were very deep on a spiritual level and personal level.  They believe in the power of healing in what they were doing.

      I feel Tupac and his music started a trend expression among artists that trickles down to the youth.  My generation is consumed by music.  So much so that we are afraid to hear silence.  We hop in the car and turn on our radio, and wear our headphones when we’re not in the car.  Music is playing in every store we venture into and we stream it from our computers at work.  We seem so focused on distracting ourselves with other’s words that we fail to hear our own or God’s.  I believe music can feed the soul and bring us back to places in our past.  A certain lyric or verse can bring back an emotion, place or time.  It can remind us of those we have lost, great memories or even feelings we forgot we had.  I believe this is the goal for artists like Tupac and Jimi.  They sing to remember, they sing to forget.  And as we enjoy their music and music from others like them, we need to also remember to take time to turn the music off and not be afraid of silence and what we might hear.

War, Peace and September 11th

I remember September 11th like it was yesterday.  I was fifteen years old and was packing my gym bag for my competitive dance team practice.  Like every other morning, my parents had the news on.  They seemed to always be concerned with the world and what was going on, unlike me.  This was probably good since I was a teenager without a care in the world.  I tossed my bag over my shoulder and slid my feet into my jazz shoes.  As I walked into the living room the news announcers were silent and the television portrayed The World Trade Center’s burning.  

       At the time, I had no idea what these buildings even were.  I yelled at my mom to come look and she ran in the room holding my baby brother.  I remember the concerned look in her eyes, one of fear and disbelief.  She returned to my brother’s bedroom to quickly change his diaper.  I continued to watch in horror as the newscaster began crying saying they believed this was a terrorist act.  Although I knew nothing about the buildings, I remember telling my mom I thought they were going to collapse.  She then told me this was impossible. No sooner had she said this then the buildings started crumbling and sinking to the ground.  The news announcers screamed and cried in disbelief and my mother’s jaw dropped as she clutched my brother tighter. I just watched, unsure what this meant for our country and why someone would do this.  My mom grabbed the phone to call my dad who was a government worker who had been ordered to go home.  I continued to watch the screen for hours.  The building soon became engraved in my mind.  The plane sinking into it, the collapse, the panic of the usually calm people.  Did this mean war?

       10 years later I still remember it ever so clearly.  I am, by nature, a peaceful person.  But I do not think a terrorist act can go without retaliation. Although I didn’t completely understand the significance of the event in the moment it occurred, I remember knowing that life for America would never be the same. Whether this war was waged with the right people or the right way is a completely different issue, but for someone who does hope for peace, I also believe peace is not always possible.  The world is full of sin and hate, and while some people remain peaceful, not everyone does.  Without everyone being like-minded there will always be hate and always be wars.  Peace must be a two way street. War is always a tragedy.  Innocent are killed, lives forever changed.  But I am so thankful for the men and women who fight for our country to make it what it is, free and for the most part, safe.

Picnic Time

The university picnic has become not only a university tradition but a signal of the end of summer fun and the beginning of fall studies and new adventures.  Being a university employee and student gives me a bit of a different perspective- a view of both worlds of education. The picnic for me is a chance to escape from my desk and mountains of paperwork and go outside to let my brain relax.  I would guess that many other staff and faculty feel the same way as they come scurrying from their various offices, letting their pupils adjust to the sun and quickly filling their plates with barbeque.

I painfully walk with my coworkers to the tables of food as my high heels punish me for my previous endeavors across campus.  Jealously slips in as I see the various students wearing sweats and tennis shoes and I remind myself that this long day is almost over. 

The heat is pressing down on me and I am once again disappointed to see hot dogs and hamburgers.  I fill my plate halfheartedly and just hope that cookies await me at the end of this line.  I closely examine my burger and wonder what percentage of fat vs. meat it contains and if it was even cooked today. No cookies.  Bummer.  I make a quick walk around the student tables and exchange a few smiles and waves with both students and staff.  Then I return to my office to allow fellow employees and receive the same break that I received.

(Photos Copyrighted by Avila University Facebook)

Jimi

This interview of Jimi's really caught my attention by how modest he was. Unlike other celebrities, he was not concerned about fame, fortune or money. Instead he seemed to hold a deep burden, not for himself, but for the world. He was highly spiritual and when he performs he is not performing to impress others but instead it is almost a release of energy for him, a freeing of his spirit and everything that he represents, stands for and believes.

This interview shows the state of the world- it was afraid of Jimi and others like him who represented radical change and going beyond the norms of society. Jimi wished to test boundaries, to ask why and to stand out by being a unique individual.

In part of the interview Jimi refers to not "Being Awake" yet. The audience laughs as if he means he is still tired, but I believe Jimi is refering to spiritual awakeness. That getting up in the morning does not make you awake, just as living life does not make you truly alive.

Johnson Interview

Born and raised in Northwest Iowa, Brandon Johnson is no stranger to education.  From an early age Brandon was always one to step up and be involved.  He attended Alta High School in Alta, Iowa where he was heavily involved in sports, 4H, Future Farmers of America, and community service. 

After graduating high school in 1999, Brandon earned his Bachelor’s in Arts in Communication from Buena Vista University.  At Buena Vista, Brandon was a year letter winner in football and very involved in leadership organization and multicultural group activities.  Brandon was a first generation college student and went on from there to earn his Master of Arts in Education from the University of Saint Mary. He will be receiving his Doctorate in Educational Leadership in spring 2012.

Besides attending college, Brandon has worked in higher education for over seven years.  He began his career as an admission representative and eventually moved up to the Director of Enrollment Management at the University of Saint Mary.  He has been the Director of Undergraduate Admission at Avila for nine months and plans to remain in private higher education for the rest of his career.

Brandon currently resides in Kansas with his wife, Sarah, nine-month old son, Bode, and Labradoodle (baby girl), Reese.  I interviewed Brandon and learned more about his career, interests and the “Sweet Hog of Mine” song...

Me: What have you learned most in all your years of recruiting?

Brandon: I think that you have to always put the student first regardless of pressure or needs of the institution and never forget about the student their success.

Me: Why do you love what you do?

Brandon: I love what I do because every day, every student is a new challenge and a new opportunity- working with students and families is pretty much the most rewarding thing. I know first-hand the difference private education can make it someone’s life, which is why I’m really passionate about private/Christian based education. It changed my life.

Me: Did you have a teacher or coach that was an inspirational mentor to you?

Brandon: Coach Osterberger. He told me that if you come here and just go to class and play football, you’re wasting your time. There’s more to it than that- community service, challenging yourself, and exposing yourself to new points of view.

Me: What, in your opinion, are the keys to success?

Brandon: Attitude and effort.  Those are the two things in life you actually control.

Me: Do you have a favorite quote or motto?

Brandon: The Serenity Prayer:

        “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the     
          things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”

This prayer means a lot to me.  My father battled addiction his entire life but never lost his passion to be the best person he could be and leaving a positive impact on as many lives as possible.

Me: What book could you read over and over again?

Brandon:  “Oh, the Places you’ll Go,” by Dr. Seuss. It was read at our wedding and I now read it to Bode.

Me: When you think about high school memories, what sticks out in your mind?
Brandon: (Ponders for a moment then chuckles) singing “Sweet Hog of Mine.”

Me: (Attempting to hold back laughter) this is a song?

Brandon: Yes.  A trio of us sang it for our high school musical at the state fair.

Me: (Laughing) Very nice. If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Brandon: The ability to warp so I could go visit family and friends more regularly.

Me: What’s something on your bucket list?

Brandon: Attend a Michigan – Norte Dame football game at the “Big House” in Ann Arbor. Over 100,000 fans in one place at one time…I would definitely use my warp super power to get out of the parking lot after the game though.

Me: What do you do for fun, hobbies?

Brandon: A variety of activities from golf to walking to shooting hoops, pretty much anything attached to sports.

Me: If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be?

Brandon: My brother Blake; his personality and outlook on life is amazing, he lives each day to the fullest and is determine to enjoy life.

Me: What’s in your CD player in your car right now?

Brandon: (Laughs) Oh no... It is called the “Mentor Leader” by Tony Dungy.

Me: I had a feeling your answer wouldn’t be music. What is that?

Brandon: It’s a leadership style that is built around the mentorship program, investing in people personally and professionally and empowering them. It’s just a style I truly believe in and continue to try to learn more about as I grow in my profession.

Me: What is the best advice you could give for college students?

Brandon: Step out of your comfort zone

A New You

January is often considered a time for new beginnings and new resolutions for the upcoming year.  But many resolutions soon fade once February hits.  The great thing about spring is the chance for spring cleaning and creating the new you.  As you are packing away your coats and boots to trade for flip flops and shorts, you may soon realize that you can no longer fit into last year’s pair.  Here are some suggestions to become a healthier you inside and out for this spring.

1.       Clean out the fridge.  Throw out all that expired and moldy cheese and replace it with raw fruits, veggies and lean meat.  If you are not getting enough of these power foods you may want to invest in a good multivitamin.

2.       Exercise at least three times a week.  There is no excuse for this one.  If you have a gym membership, join a fitness class to help keep you accountable.   Sometimes it is easier to suffer through a workout when you know you are not alone. If you do not have a membership, there are plenty of workout videos with diet plans available for purchase for as little as ten dollars at Wal-Mart or Target. 

3.       Get outside.  It is a known fact that sunlight improves your outlook.  Along with some vitamin D you will also receive serotonin from the sun which cues your brain to be happy.

4.       Get organized.  A great way to eliminate stress from your life while cleaning is to get organized.  Take advantage of your cell phone’s planner and buy a small filing cabinet for your bills, homework, etc.  Knowing where things are will not only save you time but also create confidence.

5.       Try something new.  Have you always wanted to take ball room dance or belly dancing lessons?  Do it!  Mix up your workout; it does not have to be boring. 

Vickie Jeffries is a personal trainer at the YMCA.  The Y focuses not only on physical health, but a healthy mind and spirit as well. Jeffries has created a spring cleaning chart to help educate others on how to be disciplined and healthy.  Some of her suggestions to help a busy person to be active are simple things like walking the dog, doing yard work and taking the stairs.  When it comes to diet, Jeffries stresses the importance of cutting out sugar and caffeine and eating power foods like raw fruits and veggies.

Molly Wichman, a 2005 Avila grad and now the operations manager for 24 Hour Fitness, shared with me the importance of spring renewal.  Molly recommends the following goals for those wishing to change their body and outlook.  Wichman suggestions for fitness efficiency are setting a schedule and sticking to it, finding a workout partner to make it more fun, downloading fun, upbeat music to your ipod to keep motivation up, registering for an event like a 5k to give yourself fitness goals, and rewarding yourself for meeting your goals.

Judy Schmoeger, the owner of Anytime Fitness, suggested that people eat five fruits a day to help during their spring cleanse, especially since spring offers a lot of fruit that is in season.  She also suggests that students get outside, relax, and take a walk.  The days are now longer and there is much more time to take advantage of the outdoors.

It is your life and your body.  With a little determination and discipline we can all better ourselves to become a healthier person inside and out.  You only have one body; take care of it.

Art Outside the Classroom

Some high school students go to great lengths to be accepted into their dream university.  Perhaps you wrote an inspiring letter of intent or had a professor write a prestigious letter of recommendation for you.  But did you probably did not go to such great lengths to have a grand piano placed on a sandbar. According to an article on msn.com, this is what 16 year old Nicholas Harrington did.

Harrington had mysteriously left the piano on Biscayne Bay in Miami to evoke a feeling of mystery and magic. He told the Associated Press quote:

“I wanted to create a whimsical, surreal experience. It’s out of the everyday for the boater.”

This whole idea of Harrington’s was to gain him recognition and hopefully earn him a spot at his dream arts school at Manhattan’s Cooper Union College.  When the piano was first dropped off it remained a mystery or perhaps a prank as many came forward claiming the idea to be theirs.  Harrington had recorded himself placing the piano on the beach and had hoped it would be viewed by others as an artistic movement from a creative student.  He has hoped to remain anonymous aside from including pictures of the endeavor on his college application, but once others started claiming his idea, he had to speak up.

Harrington is the son of J. Mark Harrington who is a production designer for the show “Burn Notice.”  Coming from an artistic family, Harrington’s artistic scheme had been approved by his parents after the piano had been trashed during a holiday party.  Over winter break, Harrington, his brother Andrew, and their two cousins hoisted the instrument aboard their boat and left it on the most elevated part of the sand bank.

The piano had remained unnoticed for about a week until a local, Suzanne Beard, drove her boat over to capture images of birds resting on a grand piano on the shore.  Her pictures soon popped up on National Geographic and as you can imagine, the rumors sprung up.

I asked a couple local artists for their opinion of whether they find Harrington’s stunt art or not.
Philip Lucas, a professional photographer, who has a Master in Arts from Pittsburg State University believes this is art. Lucas says quote:

“The piano itself took on a sculptural quality, perched on the sandbar like a monument to something left for us to interpret. Very cool! I wish they could have left it there! I don't know what the intentions were of who put it there - but to some extent it doesn't matter. Art is in the eye of the beholder!”

Kansas City Photographer Adrianne O’Kane also finds this art, but is of the opinion that anything can be made into art if the person is truly an artist. Adrianne says quote:

“I would have to say yes it is art. But almost anything or pretty much everything can be considered art. The world is one of God's pieces of art, but it's not in a frame. Art is very subjective.”

Hopefully after all this Harrington will be accepted to his school of choice.  I guess this just goes to prove that creativity cannot only be harnessed by a paint brush, video, or design. True creativity can easily run off the paper if the artist can think outside the classroom.

Beef. It's Not For Dinner.

Taco Bell has always been the college student’s best friend.  They are open late, fast, and best of all, they offer great tasting Mexican food for cheap!  Perhaps, like me, while you’re gauging down that tasty mexi-melt you have also wondered how Taco Bell can afford to sell all this tasty food for so cheap.  Or maybe you’re the person who would rather not think about it or know where this “meat” came from in the first place.

According to a recent article on msn.com, an Alabama law firm, Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles took also wondered how this was possible.  The firm took it upon themselves to have Taco Bell’s beef tested to see just if this meat was as real as the Taco Bell advertisers had claimed it to be.

Taco Bell’s advertisements claim that their meat is 88% USDA inspected beef with the remaining percent containing oats, water and spices to help hold a moist consistency and flavor enhancer.  However, the findings of the Alabama law firm revealed a much different statistic.  The Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles law firm found after testing the beef product that it only contained 35% beef.  That is quite a difference.  The firm gave no details on who performed the test or any other information but it was enough evidence to sue Taco Bell for false advertising.

Whether the accusation is true or not, this could mean big trouble for Taco Bell’s brand and they immediately fought back.  Along with Taco Bell executives making public statements of false claims, they launched a new series of high dollar advertisements to fight back and reclaim their identity.

Taco Bell claims they are not really worried about their business being affected.  After all, they serve 35 million customers a week.  Is this recent discovery really that shocking? Or are you one of those “Don’t ask, don’t tell” me what I’m eating? It is cheap and tasty and that is all some people need to know.  I asked a few Avila students what their thoughts were and if this recent knowledge would deter them from future dining experiences.  Avila student Josh Parisse said quote:

“Since hearing about the Taco Bell fiasco I find my gag reflex kicking in each and every time I pass by a local Taco Bell chain.  I can’t imagine eating there anytime soon.”

Avila student Bailey Carr feels similar.  She has always tried to maintain a healthy diet but also was a Taco Bell fan.  Carr said quote:

“I used to eat at Taco Bell a lot but now I don’t eat there at all. I stopped going there for a while because I was trying to be healthy, but after the recent news this sealed the deal for me, I’m not going back.”

Alli Stamer, another Avila student did not seem too surprised with the Taco Bell findings although she is still on the fence with whether or not she will dine at T Bell again. Stamer said quote:

“It will make me think twice before I eat there again.”

Will other college students follow their lead?  If so, Taco Bell will need to do some serious brand building to keep their business alive.  Only time will tell for Taco Bell.

Bye Bye Birdie

Perhaps we do not need to worry about the sky falling just yet, but what about the birds in it?  While the confetti was falling over Time Square on New Year’s Eve, the birds were falling over Arkansas.  According to an article on CCN.com, approximately 5,000 birds fell from the sky and died an hour before the new year officially began.  This was odd for many reasons.  The two primary birds found dead were Red Wing Blackbirds and Starlings. It is unknown why so many birds would have died all at once and also why they were even out and about so late at night, a habit not common with this species. 

Keith Stephens, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, examined some of the birds to try and solve this mystery.  After examining them he found that while their major organs were unharmed, there were blood clots and severe trauma to their breast tissue.  It is hard to say whether this trauma was a result of hitting the ground so hard or something that occurred before hand.  There had been a storm earlier on which could have caused the stress, and according to orthinologist, Karen Rowe, this is actually not that uncommon.  A lightning strike, fireworks or hail could cause significant harm or stress to a group of birds like this.

In Louisiana 500 red winged black birds also feel dead from the sky recently.  As of now there is no known trauma or explanation for the incident with these birds.  There have been several more theories, such as this was a government move in order to cut down on a bird population that is spreading too quickly.  Whatever the cause, many people around the world have panicked with blogs and rants about the end of the world being near. 

Tim Smith with the Missouri Department of Conservation does not share this fear.  Smith believes that it is very normal for these birds to die in mass amounts periodically throughout the year, especially in the winter.  The birds flock together and eat together, making any sort of catastrophe that occurs harming most of the birds.  Tim believes these birds were spooked by fireworks on New Year’s Eve which caused them to run into trees and other objects thus knocking them out of the sky and to their death below.
Smith also mentioned a smaller bird death that happened in Missouri shortly after which was at first thought to be connected to the Arkansas incident.  The Missouri bird deaths were later discovered to have been caused by a run in with an eighteen wheeler. Smith says quote:
                “I would resist the temptation to make more of it than an interesting, but unfortunate, natural
                event.”

It may be “raining birds” and it could even be “fowl play.”  We may never know for sure, but either way it’s tragic to say “Bye Bye Birdie.”

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/01/03/arkansas.falling.birds/index.html