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Apr 19, 2011

Liberal Education

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York College offers a diverse course selection.  How diverse?  Here’s my schedule:

SUMMER

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving (Math)

If only this class could help me solve the problem of still being married.

Elementary Spanish

I’ll be able to curse like a sailor and it will sound SEXY!

Recreational Shooting

Pistols, shotguns and rifles….Hells Yeah!  A country girl’s dream class!!!!!!

 

FALL

Spanish II

Maybe I’ll start dreaming in Spanish…

History of Terrorism

I can’t imagine this class will be boring.

Terror in Literature

Should prepare me for writing a novel about my life.

Religious Cults and Alien Theory

Hot Damn, I love this college!!

Square Dancing

No, I will not be wearing plaid and cowboy boots.

Sculpture Art

Perhaps a sculpture of aliens terrorizing earth with rifles, shotguns and pistols while singing the Beer Barrel Polka in Spanish.   🙂

~P. 

Filed Under: College, Divorce · Tagged: , , , , , , , ,
Apr 17, 2011

Cut your hair, show you care event

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York College of PA’s SIFE team (Students in Free Enterprise) held a fundraiser for Relay for Life cancer research on April 17th.  Held on Jackson Street in York, people gathered outside eating, playing games, tie-dying t-shirts and listening to music.  Inside, The Dollhouse Salon employee’s gave haircuts with all proceeds going to Relay for Life.  The event was a success and at the last count prior to leaving, 9 people had their locks trimmed.   If you didn’t stop by you missed out on all the food, fun and the chance to tame your unruly hair.

I took my sister Suz, son Zeth and daughter Tesla and we all had a blast.  Hope you enjoy the pictures and GREAT JOB SIFE!!

~P.

Filed Under: classmates, College, Tesla, Zeth · Tagged: , , , ,
Apr 16, 2011

Squirrel Attack!

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They just SEEM friendly!

The squirrels on YCP campus are so funny to watch.  One came right up to me today while I was sitting outside the library.  I threw him a pineapple chunk which he turned his nose up at.  The only other thing I had was a bag of mini chocolate chip cookies.  He snatched up the crumbs I tossed him, holding them in his tiny little paws.  He was just so cute and next thing I know he was sitting on the ground beside my foot waiting for more.  I reached down with a piece and he took it out of my fingers with his teeth.  Now that entertaining to me.  I broke a cookie in half and held it out to him.  With enthusiasm I was not prepared for, he leaped onto my hand and snatched that delicious morsel with his teeth. 

I need YCP to post signs so I can learn what I clearly missed in kindergarten.

Attention Moron: Do not hand feed the squirrels. They are wild animals with no manners. 

Theres proof of squirrel gratitude!

 No love from the squirrels ~P

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Apr 14, 2011

Indulgences For Sale

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Yo Pope! We don't need no stinkin' indulgences!

 

Pattie Crider

Group 1 Response 4

Luther’s 95 Theses

 Indulgences for sale!  Get your Indulgences!

      The clearest concern found in Luther’s 95 Theses is the issuance of indulgences by the papacy.  At least 54 of the 95 clearly are directed at the receipt or issue of indulgences.  Luther believed the Catholic Church was greedy for taking money from even the poorest people.  In exchange the Pope forgave them of their sins in the name of God.  This is a clear problem in Luther’s opinion and his 95 Theses addressed this issue with bold words and new perspectives.

      Luther was thought of as a rogue priest in his actions of nailing 95 Theses to the Catholic Church door on the eve of All Saints Day.  This document was certain to raise a stir as Luther addressed his concerns.  These concerns would cause a serious financial issue for the Catholic Church.  Luther stated a true believer does not need to purchase his/her salvation.  Also, salvation cannot be bought for someone who is deceased.  The Church found this threatening because the sale of indulgences was a major source of its income.  The building projects in Rome during the early 16th Century were financed by the sale of indulgences.  To Luther, this was the church “selling grace” and from his perspective, unacceptable.  (Chidester pg 316)

      Luther’s 95 Theses was viciously biting toward the Pope.  He clearly had issues with the papacy and the payments they received for pardoning the transgressions of Christian sinners.  That is, the sinners who had enough money to buy an indulgence.  Luther raised this question to Christians: Does the Pope truly have the authority to grant forgiveness?  He also directly questioned the Pope on why his personal funds are not used in establishing new church construction. 

      Luther did not stop at just stating a believer didn’t need to purchase an indulgence.  He wrote that purchasing indulgences does nothing to save your soul and instead condemns it.  Further, he instructs Christians to provide for their families before paying the church for an indulgence letter and followed that with telling Christians the act of giving their money to help the poor is more pleasing to God than the purchase of indulgences.  He also explained that buying an indulgence letter is strictly voluntary.

     The perspective of all people having the ability to be saved by God without the means of purchasing a letter of indulgence seriously conflicted with what the Catholic Church was teaching.  Luther’s statements, especially his razor-edged cuts at the papacy certainly put their robes in a twist.  The Pope wanted people to believe their sins were forgiven through an indulgence letter because the Churches financial security depended on it.

      According to Luther, there were no guarantees in these indulgence letters.   Also, one should not take them so seriously that they lose their fear of God.  The fear was that humans would use the indulgences to assure themselves they are in good graces with God.  In doing this they would no longer fear the wrath of God and the possibility of eternal suffering in hell.  Luther believed it was in vain to think these papers would get you a golden ticket to Heaven. 

     To at least limit the churches influence on Christians concerning indulgences Luther wrote that preaching about indulgences for half or more of a sermon is injurious to God’s Word. He compares the receipt of indulgences to the nets of fisherman which now fishes for the wealth of men.  These are harsh words against the powerful papacy.  The controversial 95 Theses spread quickly by means of the printing press and the church had to respond.

     The Catholic Church found their priest to be a heretic and erroneous in his theses.  Luther was given the chance to take back all he had written but instead he showed he could be even more defiant.  His life was spared but he was excommunicated in January 1521.  (Chidester pg. 317)  Though he was kicked out of the Catholic Church, Luther’s perspectives carried on.  It was his Christian ideologies that led to the establishment of the Lutheran faith.

PS. I received an A on this paper.  🙂

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Apr 13, 2011

Reflecting on Creative Writing

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Reflecting on Creative Writing Course         

Through-out this semester I believe my writing skills have improved.  The credit for this improvement goes to the Creative Writing course.  I have always had interest in creative literary pieces but prior to enrolling in this class, I never read outside of the genres I enjoy.  This semester allowed me to step out of my comfort zone of novel reading and realize the enormous amount of genre themes and forms of writing available.  The general terminology provided in the Creative Writing Textbook and classroom discussion greatly assisted in my understanding of the language of writers and meaning of literary terms.

            The Creative Writing course also calmed my fears concerning my major in Professional Writing.  I wanted to feel comfortable writing my own non-fiction stories but did not know how to go about accomplishing this.  Often I would doubt my ability to make what has happened or is happening in my life interesting to others.  I did not want my short stories to have a whiney sense about them that would cause a negative reaction from a reader.  My goal was to find a way to share clips of my life in a humorous and/or shocking fashion that would hold a reader’s attention as a compelling piece of work. 

            At times the writing workshops were interesting beyond words.  The creativeness of my classmates really pushed me to give serious thought to what I would be presenting during my workshop timeslot.  Assumptions I made at the beginning of the semester were crushed by the abilities of my fellow students.  Never again will I jump to the conclusion that someone who appears uninterested in class discussion won’t have the ability to write captivating stories.  Of all the works presented during workshop, the piece that impressed me the most was that of a student that appeared to be lost in his own thoughts during class.

            Workshop also taught me the fine art of constructive criticism.  This is very important because I now have the ability to look deeper into a written piece of work and not only critique it but realize how differently people can interpret a story or poem.  I have a stronger appreciation for poetry and enjoy reading a poem several times to see if I can interpret it differently.  Classroom discussion of my essay opened my eyes to all the different avenues I could take concerning an aging bridge in York County. 

            I also credit visiting writers for creating excitement outside of the classroom setting.  Marcy Dermansky, Curtis Smith and especially    David Shields passion for writing was contagious.  Meeting these authors and hearing their personal stories as struggling artists was inspirational.  I literally felt like I could burst with happiness when Shields both praised and critiqued my hermit crab essay.  Also this semester, I attended the Professional Writers Forum at Gettysburg College.  The amount of information I acquired will undeniably assist me in the future.

The greatest development for me personally is blogging on the WordPress.com website.  When my professor said “For nineteen bucks you can get your own blog site” my ears perked up.  I have been blogging regularly since early March and now have a following of people reading my work.  Recently my site surpassed five thousand hits and has generated comments on my site and to my email.  My plan for the future is to publish a creative non-fiction book containing slices of my life.  This blog site has become a preview to what my book will contain.  I believe loyal readers of my blog site will have interest in reading my published story. 

With these hopes of publishing a national best-seller, I will continue working on my drafts from class.  Using the knowledge I have gained this semester during class from my professor, visiting writers and classmates I will continue to push myself to “write what I can’t shut up about” to the best of my ability.

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Apr 13, 2011

“Cut Your Hair Show You Care”

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“Cut Your Hair Show You Care” is a Relay for Life fundraising event put on by York College of PA’s SIFE team this Sunday 17th from 11 am to 3 pm at 304 Jackson St.

All proceeds from the event will go to Relay for Life and cancer research. Admission is $5; this gets you into the event where there will be food, music, games and fun.

For an additional $10 you can sign up to get a haircut by the professional haircutters from The Dollhouse Salon.

This will be a fun event and it is all benefiting a great cause. Hope to see you all there whether you are getting a haircut or not! Everyone is invited to come so bring a friend and tell everyone you know.
 
For more information contact Chelsea Pavelchak at cpavelch@ycp.edu

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Mar 30, 2011

That sinking feeling

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Everyone knows what that sinking feeling in the stomach is like.  I have become too damn familiar with it unfortunately. 

I get that feeling when I have to:

Talk to John.

 participate in group discussion and know I haven’t read the text. 

See John.

poop and there is no toilet nearby.

Text John.

go to the dentist for a check up.

You get the picture…..

Today, I felt it again.  Right after a test in art class.  I had finished up my test and handed it in, that sinking feeling arrived.  Knocking around inside my belly, twisting up my guts.  I checked my notes and sure enough, I had confused two pieces of art.  That confirmed that one essay question was going to be entirely wrong.  I felt like it was going well during the test but the reality of it is…. I screwed that one question up royally.

Does screwing up one question cause complete failure on the test?  Hell no!  Am I going to get all hung up on this wrong answer?  Hell no!  Does this make me want to give up my art class?  Hell no!  Fight that sinking feeling!  I am a floater!!!  LMAO

I have a sinking feeling about this upcoming Monday at York County Courthouse.  Anytime someone has to go to the courthouse, it certainally causes a sinking feeling.  Being charged with contempt and accused of trying to wreck the business I helped established is a tough pill to swallow.  One gets tired of constantly defending herself, yet this marriage and divorce seems to force me into this position practically daily. 

Cross your fingers for me on Monday.  I’ll let you know how the gavel falls!

~P.

Update on my Art test…..I pulled a 92%  Guess I knew what I was talking about after all.  hahah

Filed Under: College, Divorce, John · Tagged: , ,
Mar 29, 2011

Horns and Spears Optional

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Calling all experienced voices of York College faculty and staff!

You are needed for the 2011 Opera Choruses with the YCP Community Orchestra.

This is the first collaboration with the community orchestra and the 75 student members of The York College Chorale. The event will be held in CPAC on Sunday, May 8th at 3 PM and will begin with three well known opera choruses. These pieces require many people’s voices to create the proper balance necessary for operatic songs.

The chosen set of opera choruses should be familiar as they are often used by media during advertising. There are two scores by Verdi; Va Pensiero (Nabucco) and The Anvil Chorus (II Trovatore) and one by Mozart, The Voyager’s Chorus (Idomoneo) in the repertoire. The special rehearsals for faculty and staff on these three songs will be held in the evening on April 25, 27, and May 2. Scores are available upon request.

All faculty and staff interested in the opportunity to sing with the student chorale should contact Dr. Grace Muzzo at 717-815-6450 or by email gmuzzo@ycp.edu.

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Mar 12, 2011

York College, PA slideshow

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Random photos….Comment if you know someone!

~P.

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Mar 9, 2011

What you learn

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Gettysburg College held a writer’s summit on Feb. 19th.  I attended the “Speak Up, Write Out” conference with three other students on staff at York College’s Spartan Newspaper and found it to be an enjoyable, learning experience.  The professional guest speakers were happy to share helpful tips on attaining success in the journalism field.

It’s who you know.  The professionals on the panel all stressed how important having contacts has been in their careers. The consensus was attending conferences, meeting guest speakers and remaining in touch with college professors is what made a difference in their own success.

Shoot for the moon.  No matter your career goal, don’t be afraid to take chances.  Send out your resume, submit your work or even apply in person.  The worst thing that can happen, you don’t get the job or receive a “thanks, but no” letter.  One panelist suggested “wallpapering your bedroom with rejection letters” as a way to make some use of them as there will be many.  Don’t feel rejected by these letters.

Internships are important.  Members on the panel all at one time were interns.  They usually weren’t paid, but what they did earn was the knowledge in a work setting in their field.  Learning the ropes as an intern is just another important step towards a career goal.  While interning, make as many contacts as possible.

Learn a second language.  Several different panels agreed Spanish would be the ideal second language, but any second language may be helpful to an employer deciding on who to hire.  Knowing the lingo of writers is also important.  I heard several times that writers are snarky or have snarky comments.  Since the conference I did some research.  Snarky is British slang for “irritible, testy and short.”

Work that cover letter.  Write a sincere, informative cover letter telling what you can do for a company and include personal interests.  Make an impression with your cover letter and resume to stand out and be competitive in their content.  Try to keep your resume to one page but include anything and everything that is relevant in your work history, education and personal interests that could help you get an internship or job.

Network online.  If you want to get your name out there, especially in a writing career, get on the internet.  There are endless websites to use for networking.  It sounded odd hearing the professional panelists pushing for Facebook, Twitter and other social network websites as useful tools in their career.

Enterprising stories.  My last panel session topic of the conference was “journalism in local news.”  Local newspapers in Hanover and Gettysburg do not have enough reporters to cover the news.  An “enterprise story” is an idea for a story a reporter comes up with on their own and runs with it.  Local newspapers often print this type of story. Mainly because the topic is specific, no one else would have written about it.

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