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May 16, 2012

Web of Secrets 2012

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Everyone has secrets.  That’s a fair statement to make.

Some have more than others.  Others have some heavy weight on their shoulders as they continue to keep their secrets, secrets.

Lauren Robinson, a senior at York College created her Web of Secrets 2012 for the Senior Art Exhibit.  The room looked like a massive spider had spun a web, taking up the majority of the room in Wolf Hall.  A supply of papers with string tied to them and pencils to write your secrets down were off to the side.

Robinson’s web revealed York College Campus’s secrets.  They were difficult to read while attached to the web.  After the exhibit I asked if she was interested in selling the secrets or allowing me to copy them.  She agreed to me copying the secrets and I’ve worked hard on making the secrets easy for anyone to read.

The first time I read all the secrets, at home, alone…I cried.  Not just a few tears, but an all out bawl.  These secrets reveal so much pain on campus and yet they are anonymous so there is nothing that can be done, other than share these secrets.  There are groups on campus to join so loneliness can be replaced with new friendships.  TWLOHA and LAMBDA groups should be huge at York.  These secrets can be shocking….I hope those who need help in dealing with life go to the student counseling center in the Student Union and talk things out.

Life is precious.  Life is short.  Life is unpredictable.  Life causes secrets.  Life goes on.

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Individual Secrets

Filed Under: Art, College · Tagged: , , , ,
May 8, 2012

Dear Meghan~missing you

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Dear Meghan,

This afternoon, I just learned in person from Travis K that you were in a car accident and died.  I was making copies of the secrets from Lauren Robinson work of art “The Web of Secrets 2012” when Travis approached me.  He didn’t know what I was coping.  As soon as he told me I got goosebumps and looked down at the copier.  Meghan you are gone and I will never see or talk to you again.  We were both writing majors.  We shared story ideas, work-shopped story lines and enjoyed discussing art.  I wonder if one of the secrets I copied may have been yours…

I know you treasured life and you touched the lives of many.  You have been released from the earth to a much better place and even get wings to boot.  I am happy for you, but feel loss as expected.  Bless your surviving family.  God has a plan for you in heaven and I am certain it involves endless ink in a gold pen and sheets of the finest grade paper stock imaginable.

Rest in peace my friend,

Pattie

Filed Under: classmates, College, Professional Writing Class · Tagged: , , , ,
Apr 12, 2012

A balloon of a day @ YCP

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Just a harmless prop ;-)

Just a harmless prop 😉

Today I took two balloons to school with me.  One was inflated, the other was not.  The inflated balloon had a rubber band attached and a paperclip on the band.  The band was around my left wrist.  I was curious to how people would react.  Some smiled, some stared at the balloon and others just ignored me and my balloon.

Human Communications class was up first and that was my destination with my balloon.  Someone asked me if my informative speech was about balloons.  I said, “Yes it is.”  This cleared up the balloon on my wrist question.  I got the feeling my classmates thought my topic was a little silly.  They had no idea what they were in for.

In my opening statement I introduced myself and stated “I’m here today to talk to you about balloons and the sexual fetish involving balloons.”   I secretly took the paperclip point and popped the balloon causing the entire room to jump and laugh.  (It was awesome!)  With everyone’s full attention, I continued to give my speech.  I shared with the class what a fetish is, and specifically, a “loon or looner.”  I also explained that the act of someone inflating a balloon is stimulating to some looners.  Then I blew up a balloon with about 3 breaths and let it fly around the room and the class burst out laughing again.  (Oh yeah!)  As I explained some activities that looners include balloons or inflatables, I acted out a few.   The class found this very entertaining and even caused a few guys to hoot and one specific classmate (I won’t name her) started to snort with laughter.

I wrapped up my speech with a quick review, thanked them for listening and ended with, “The next time you’re at a party and see balloons, ask yourself, “Do they look sexy?”

I received a nice round of applause, then I fielded half-a-dozen questions from my classmates and professor until the next speech had to start.  After class the professor said I did a really good job and he wished he would have taped it because it would have been a great example of an informative speech to show his classes.  (I saw the current example.  They had real 80’s hair.  Time for an updated version.)

So I’m feeling good about my balloon.  It made its way around campus this morning and was a fantastic prop in my speech.  My campus balloon.

I wonder if there were any looners in the audience?

Popped,

~P.

Filed Under: Balloons, College · Tagged: , , ,
Apr 10, 2012

opinion, point of view & bias

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The 2012 Writer-In-Resident, Maggie Koerth-Baker held a workshop for writing majors.  She told us understanding a scientific journal is difficult for most people.  To make these journals easier to understand, she edits the articles into layman’s terms.

This workshop gave us first-hand experience in taking the important points of a journal and making it easier to comprehend.  Those attending the workshop rewrote a journal into a blog entry format.  Koerth­-Baker had worthy tips on blog writing and how blogging can lead to employment as a writer.

Koerth-Baker also listed important blog writing tips and facts.

  1. Blogs are people’s opinion.  They are all bias.
  2. Use loose, easy to understand vocabulary.
  3. Give your Point of View.  That’s what your blog is for.
  4. Write in short paragraphs.  This keeps readers attention.
  5. Summarize your angle.  Review and restate your opinion.
  6. Use a passive voice.  It sounds better.
  7. Avoid jargon.  If readers don’t understand what you write, they won’t understand your opinion.

Koerth-Baker has the amazing ability to take scientific mumbo-jumbo and write it as an understandable magazine article.  She makes it look easy, but after participating in the workshop, I realize this type of professional writing is difficult and can be very dry.  Koerth-Baker was able to make this workshop fun and interesting.

Spartan article  ~P.

Filed Under: College, York College Spartan · Tagged: , , ,
Mar 17, 2012

York College PA~Casino Night

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Had a blast at the CAB sponsered Casino Night!  Tesla and I played Texas Hold’em, Roulette, and Blackjack.  Our favorite game was Blackjack.  We lost our $50,000 each in no time back to the house.  Everyone who attended was having a great time.  The event atmosphere was very close to that of a casino.  There were flashing lights, two huge tv screens with music videos, real gaming tables with dealers.  CAB really impressed me with a great night of fun giving the feeling of being a highroller.  It was great fun on campus for everyone. ~P.

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Filed Under: College · Tagged: ,
Mar 10, 2012

Not upset, just surprised

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Would you say York County PA is a conservative area?  What about York College Campus?

Should a campus newspaper worry if an article is too controversal for print?  Is there such a thing as news that is too controversal to share with the public?

I have many questions suddenly, that I had never given thought to before.  When I began researching a sexual fetish involving balloons for a final paper in writing course, I never expected it to be so damn interesting.  I wanted to share with YCP the opportunity to follow along in my research and even become a part of it, if they find balloons stimulating.  The faculty at YCP did not enter my mind because I don’t write for the faculty, I write for my fellow students.

This is my first response from one of the editors concerning the preview article about balloon fetishists:

“I believe I’m talking to Dr. Zerbe tomorrow about a whole bunch of things, so as long as he says it’s okay, the balloon one should be good to go too. I’ll keep you posted.  -Leah”

And the response I received today:

“Dr. Zerbe, Stephen and I, we decided to publish the balloon article online but not in the print version. The only reason I really didn’t want to publish it in the print issue is just because York is a somewhat conservative area, and a small but significant portion of the readers of the print edition are the Deans and administration. I just don’t think it’s appropriate for that audience. However, I think that it is much better suited to the online issue, and you’ll get much more of a response online especially when we can link it directly to your blog.  I hope that’s okay! I think it’s going to give you a much better response, anyway.  -Leah”

This is my response to the email and I CC’d it to the other editor and Dr. Zerbe, the professor who advises us news reporters:

Leah,

When I submitted this random piece for an article, I did so never giving it thought that the content would be a problem.  This is a topic I am researching for a final paper in writing and just thought it would be cool to share in this research.  I did not know if anyone that reads The Spartan would answer the questions, but I think you should keep this in mind, anyone can have a fetish regardless of their profession.  This college does not strike me as conservative because I am also involved with LLAMBDA and know that it is widely accepted by most everyone on campus.  I can honestly say I have never heard of or seen any type of prejudice at YCP.

This has actually turned out to be even more interesting to me that it won’t make the college printed paper because there is suddenly a concern of who might be offended.  If that were really a true concern, then the articles written for the Spartan in the past would not have covered abortion, smoking, gay rights, etc.  I am not against my article going into the online edition.  My only concern is the “online edition” will now be the dumping grounds for anything even slightly controversial, like balloon fetishist.  If we want fellow students to pick up the copies that are printed we have to have content that they want to bother reading.  Otherwise, let’s just skip printing anything and focus all our attention online.

I appreciate the consideration by yourself, Dr. Zerbe, and Stephen but I will voice my disappointment that this is found to be too controversial to print.  My final paper may very well go deeper into this fetish that anyone has ever gone before.  To me that is ground-breaking and news-worthy.

Sincerely,

Pattie Crider

Filed Under: Balloons, College, Professional Writing Class, York College Spartan · Tagged: , , ,
Mar 6, 2012

Transcending: Reflections of Crime Victims

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Story of Lynn Shiner of Harrisburg PA whose ex-husband’s murdered their children on Christmas Eve in 1994.  I had to read this article and reflect.  The reflections I had combined with my current situation…. hell it scared the shit out of me to be honest with you.  ~P.

Transcending: Reflections of Crime Victims.

Everyone should read this story.  It’s one of those “unthinkables” that actually happened.

 

Filed Under: Blogs I reblog, College, Divorce, Professional Writing Class · Tagged: , ,
Feb 22, 2012

Dear Campus Safety

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Security?

Dear Officers,

Today I received a phone call concerning my dog Ying.  I called the York College campus officer back and was told there were complaints about my dog staying in my car while I am in class.  Hmmm.

Yesterday, while my boyfriend and I were in the Humanities building passing time until 8 PM, I could hear two kids running in the halls and laughing.  I looked out the door of the Professional Writing Studio and as the kids ran by one  a jaw breaker inside, hitting Dale in the head.  They kept going and when they looped around the older boy threw another jaw breaker and hit Dale a second time.  I was furious.

I followed the boys and they ran out of the building.  I picked up the phone right inside the double doors to call campus security but there was no number listed by the phone to contact them.  I went back to the studio and used my cell phone (number is in my contacts) and reached an answering machine.  Now I was really pissed!  I went in the learning center and asked someone to look up the emergency number of campus security.  I then called and let the emergency operator know about these two boys.

About 5-8 minutes later, I walk outside and the same two boys are taking ice out of the Gatorade containers behind Humanities and throwing it at cars and people.  When I yelled at them, the older boy started throwing the ice at me, running around in circles, and laughing.  I think it’s possible he may have been on something by the way he was acting.  I went back inside and called the emergency number again.  Meanwhile, the boys jumped into the stream and ran through the properties on the other side.

Oh, campus security did eventually arrive.  Of course they missed everything even though at least 15 minutes had passed with these boys raising hell.  Maybe if they gave more attention to the actual problems on campus they wouldn’t have the free time to bitch about my dog in the car.  I’m told people are complaining about Ying.  Complaining how?  He is fed, has water, gets exercised between classes, and cannot hurt anyone walking past my car.  Why is it a problem on campus?

Here are some problems that should be addressed.

  1.  The phone number for campus safety and emergency should be posted by every phone on campus.
  2. The response time to a call needs to greatly improve.
  3. The removal of people trespassing on campus needs to be taken seriously.  So far I’ve seen at least one trespasser confront a student in the parking lot with the intention of taking her personal property.
  4. Any kids on campus that are clearly too young to be students should be questioned why they are there.  I don’t know if the boys from last night were children of a professor, staff etc., but their behavior was disruptive and possibly dangerous to others as well as themselves.  What if they had entered the building with guns or knives instead of jaw breakers, and Runts candies?  What if they had been throwing rocks instead of ice?

My dog isn’t hurting anyone.  If people are complaining, I would love to know why.  Mr. Security Officer didn’t have an answer to why people were complaining, just that my dog can’t hang out in my car.  Sounds like a bunch of dog shit to me.  How about security officers focus on the underage drinking, drug use, non-permit parked cars and trespassers on campus?

I can’t say campus security makes me feel any safer.  Can you?

~P.

Filed Under: College, Pets · Tagged: , , ,
Feb 16, 2012

The Most Epic Fancy Friday Ever

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By: Thomas E. Delphi  York College of PA

Attention! FANCY FRIDAY WILL GO GLOBAL!
I want to invite people from every continent on the face of the planet! THE FANCY UPRISING HAS BEGUN, HEIL DRESS PAN-… Ahem…allow me to explain.
Fancy Friday is a small holliday started in York College of Pennsylvania. Every F…riday, particpants, men and women both young and old, will elect to dress well for the day, changing polos and t-shirts for suits and dresses, dress shoes and heels. Casual Wear, barring work requirements, is considered unacceptible. If you DON’T like the idea of Fancy Friday, that’s fine, you don’t need to participate.
If you like the idea, act and dress well on March 9th and perform the following:
On Friday, March 9th, I would like at least one participant from each of the following regions of the Planet: East Asia (China, Japan, Korea), West Asia (The Middle East), South Asia (India to Iran), South East Asia (Vietnam to the Phillipines), Central Asia (Kazakhstan!), North Asia (East Russia), North Africa, Central Africa, South Africa, West Europe, East Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, South America, Central America & the Carribean, North America and Oceana.
I would like everyone who participates around the world to post a picture of themselves in their Fancy Friday attire onto Facebook. As such, I would hope everyone I invite to participate will pass on the invitation to their friends and post this event to their Facebook feed.
Stay classy kids and lets make this happen!
Filed Under: classmates, College · Tagged: , , ,
Feb 13, 2012

College with your kid

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Imagine my surprise when Jarrid told me Thursday he was coming to visit me on Sunday.  Since when does he give me notice?!  🙂

We had lunch at my home and engaged in a deep conversation about the universe, God, the Mayan calendar, supernovas, and more.  During this conversation, Jarrid brings up that he has been really thinking about going to college.  He talked about getting a degree in graphic design and I told him about classes I’ve already taken in design.  It’s one of those conversations parents dream of having with their child.  Jarrid has come to realize he didn’t apply himself in high school and now as an adult wants to further his education.  Good for him!

After lunch we went to my parents house.  Dale, Jarrid, my mom and I all played cards.  Dale and I kicked their butts.  😉  Jarrid talked to my dad (who was surprisingly pleasant) about Zeth who has signed up for active duty in the Army after graduating this year.  I brought up Jarrid’s interest in attending college and my parents were happy to hear he wants to enter college.

On the way home we stopped at my sister’s home.  Her and Sam are both sick so we didn’t stay long.  Tesla finally called and talked to Jarrid and Blaine.  Tesla and Blaine are taking gymnastics together tomorrow.

Finally back to my home and Jarrid began asking me all types of questions about York College.  I was happy to share my opinion of YCP ranging from the campus, professors, courses and how to apply.  I told him to look online at the college website while we were sitting around talking about it.  Jarrid looked at the majors offered and said, “I’m going to apply here.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Yeah, I’m starting the application now.”

I can’t put into words how happy I  would be having Jarrid attend YCP.  Actually, when Jarrid told Tesla, she said, “That’s awesome Jarrid!  You can go to school with mom!  I’m going to go to school there too!”

How freaking cute is that?!?!

Jarrid applied tonight and is going to his high school to get the records transfered tomorrow.  I’m proud of him for taking the first step in improving his future.  I also think it’s wonderful he wants to attend the same school as his mom.

Cross your fingers for Jarrid to start in the Fall term!

~P.

Filed Under: College, Jarrid · Tagged: ,
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