Something new & different...

I look around at fellow classmates and friends raring to go home.  So excited to return to a state of "normalcy" that they loved for the past 18 years of their life.  They rave about the idea of sleeping in the own bed, enjoying mom's "home cooking" and a hearty thanksgiving meal.

As I sit here and listen, I find myself lacking the same emotions.  I am preparing to go home to a completely different world than the one I left.

I will board the plane with my sister, Lindy, preparing to go home.  When we arrive at the airport, we will go down to baggage claim and instead of running outside to see a parent with open arms, we will proceed to car rental.  We will then venture onto the highway heading for a brand new home.

After my father left last year, my mom chose to leave the house we had as a family for the previous 20 years and buy a new one.  So Lindy and I will continue on, searching for our new humble abode.  Hopefully, by the time we arrive my mom will be home from work...or we'll probably be locked out.

Although I've seen pictures, I have no idea what the new house will be like.  I know it is quite small, as my mom wanted, for less upkeep.  Therefore, a lot of stuff did not get moved with her.  LIKE MY BED.  Don't even get me started.

Anyway, I will be sharing a room with Lindy...God help me.  She's a neat freak, me not so much.  It should get VERY interesting.  (Hopefully my mom has prepared herself for some cat fights because they are BOUND to happen.)

My mom has warned us that we will enter our room and find all of our belongings heaped in boxes in the middle of the room so it's easier to get down & dirty when painting the walls the next day.  So that's how I'll spend Wednesday...Hopefully Lin has some skills...

Thursday will be like any other day.   My dad was always the cook, so a big thanksgiving meal doesn't look like it'll be happening.  We'll probably just hang out all day until the long-awaited arrival of my brother, Cory, who I haven't seen in nearly a year.

After his graduation last year (I was unable to attend because of dreaded AP tests), he packed up his things at Duke and moved straight to Boston.  Now, he slaves in an office sixteen hours a day, not leaving much time to talk to his little sister.

So I guess it's a good thing we're not having a big dinner or he wouldn't have a ride home when he lands at 9:00...

Basically, everything will be different.  I won't have that "family back together" feel, or delicious turkey and mashed potatoes.  My room and stuff will inevitably be a mess and I may come back to school with a gift from Lindy in the form of a black eye.  Who knows.

This year the only thing I'm sure of is I will finally be reunited with my friends & spend some quality time with my mom, brother and sister.  That right there's something to be thankful for.

Less Gossip, More Talent

Okay so lots of people have chosen to write about their favorite trashy TV shows (Gossip Girl, 90210, etc.)  I'm all for the teen drama series, but I tend to like the more realistic, less publicized ones & I definitely encourage you to check them out.

 Okay so the first one's pretty popular, Miami Ink.  It started back in 2005 and is now in its fourth season & going strong.  On the show, people come into the shop located in Miami Beach, Florida to get tattoos.  However, it's not just about designs.  Instead, each person enters with a unique, and often devastating story about the image they'd like done. 

Then, an artist is chosen depending on who's specialty it is.  For example, Ami James, the owner of the shop, specializes in asian designs from dragons to coy fish.  Check out some of their designs at:

http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/miami-ink/tattoo_flipbook/tattoo_flipbook.html

Another awesome artsy show is Ace of Cakes.  The show is based off Charm 

City Cakes in Baltimore, Maryland where professional pastry chef, Chef Duff, opened his own shop in 2000.  After bringing a bunch of his closes friends to open the shop, it became nationally known for their creative and absolutely amazingly constructed cakes.

These days, they accept extraordinary challenges daily, whether it's baking a life-size cake of a grand mastiff dog or a six-foot sting ray.  There's nothing they won't do.  Using wood, wire, and even power tools, the chefs spend anywhere from a few hours to a week to construct amazing edible designs.

Check them out!!!

We can see you!

I was watching the news the other day when the subject of border patrol came up.  Of course, I thought about Urrea, who we talked about over and over and over again, but I decided to stay and watch anyway.  The newscaster began showing off the border's newest device: a drive through x-ray machine.

It's pretty genius if you ask me.  People hide in the most ridiculous places to try and sneak in, and it's a huge waste of time to have to search for them.  Now, however, all they have to do is drive slowly through the huge piece of equipment.

Although there may be unexpected problems, like technical difficulties, it seems like the patrol has pretty much thought everything through.  For example, say the driver refuses or claims that it is harmful for their health.  A border patrol agent will volunteer to drive their car through for them, and reassure them with the fact that a driver would have to drive through 2,000 times in order to receive as much radiation as a trip to the doctor!

Hopefully inventions like these will help border patrol agents more effectively keep illegals and their drugs out!

Maybe a little TOO in the spotlight?

The Associated Press released a story of a young Arkansas news reporter's brutal beating in her home.  Anne Pressley, a 26 year old popular anchorwoman was found beaten and stabbed in her home around 4:30 in the morning.  Police do not know who did it or what their motivation was, but it definitely makes you think.

A couple years ago, I was watching 60 minutes when a story came on regarding TV personality's safety.  It just so happened that the woman they were following, Melanie Moon, had moved to my hometown, St. Louis, to escape a previous stalker in Virginia.  She was receiving creepy letters from a man that would say things like "You and I are alone together each morning in my room.  I like what you are wearing today.  I know you're wearing it for me.  I saw you smiling today.  Thank you."

Understandably, she had continuous nightmares as the harassment continued.  The man even sent her an engagement ring!  I can't even imagine what I would do if I knew someone was watching me & having creepy thoughts if we hadn't even met before.

Luckily for Melanie, police caught the man and he is now in prison.  However, she did chose to relocate her entire life and only feels safe now carrying tear gas and a stun gun in her purse, according to CBS news.

Hopefully police can find the person who attacked Anne Pressley and put them behind bars.  But if I were her, or any other TV personality, I'd definitely take a second look at how safe I really am in the spotlight.

SMU searches for solutions..

As you probably know, SMU has been trying to crack down on a variety of issues such as underaged drinking since the death of multiple students.  They patrol campus hard core, bust fraternity houses, and most recently have enacted a new policy.  Known as the "Call for Help Program," students seeking medical attention for drug or alcohol intoxication "may be exempt from SMU disciplinary process" according to the site.

At first glance, it appears that if you are responsible and actively seeking help for yourself, you won't get in trouble.  However, it later states that the policy "does not prevent the SMU Police or another police agency from detaining a student, issuing a citation, or making an arrest of they deem that action necessary." So what are students going to do? Are they really going to be any less scared to come forward?  While SMU attempts to make the campus a safer place, I find myself constantly wondering if it's really helping.  When fraternities have large parties on campus there are harsh consequences, which is understandable, but it only leads them to host parties off campus.  Then, it's not just a simple walk to the location, instead everyone must drive.  Many people are responsible when drinking and driving, but off campus parties easily allow for those who are not.  There's obviously not a simple answer to such a serious problem, but I constantly find myself wondering if it's truly keeping students safer.

read the full "call for help" policy at:

http://blog.smu.edu/forum/2008/09/smu_enacts_medical_amnesty_goo.html

Are YOU juicy material?

Recently, I was informed of a ridiculous website that's widely used around college campuses today.  A gossip site where you merely type in the name of your school and are immediately blasted with hundreds of topics ranging from the best parties, the fattest girls, or even the most "promiscuous" ladies.  It's truly unbelievable. 

Appropriately named "Juicy Campus," the site prides itself on over 53,000 posts and nearly 400 campuses referenced.  Their slogan, "C'mon. Give us the juice" encourages students nationwide to trash talk fellow students and because they promise total confidentiality, people actually waste their time doing it.  I don't know about you, but I find it completely pathetic that students have low enough self-esteem to waste their time bashing others, whom are often unaware.  If you have something to say someone be man enough to say it to their face, not post it on a gossip website.

Check out SMU's page.  Who knows, maybe you'll even find some dirt on yourself.

http://www.juicycampus.com/posts/gossips/southern%20Methodist%20University/