Turkey day, oh turkey day!

Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub, Yay God!

Ahh that’s an oldie but goodie.

So did everyone have a nice, relaxing break? Mine…was…eh…but the actual Thanksgiving day was good! My immediate family and I went to my uncle and aunt’s house in Commack, Long Island, New York.

Lookie here; pictures!

My cousin Jack, my bro Kyle and my cousin Kate chillin’ on the couch after din din! They’ve gotten soooo big!

And here’s baby Maggie! She was named after my grandmother. This is the first time I’ve been able to meet her.

All us cousins. Look at that Maggie – Kate exchange!

My beautiful cousin Beth laughing away about cute, little Maggie.

Caught Maggie eying the exercise equipment.

Maggie wants daddy, my cousin Michael.

Look at those baby blues!

My cousin being the cool Uncle Brendan.

Grandma Joanne holding little Maggie with my grandmother, the original Margaret.

Those cheeks! Ah she could be in a calender.

This was when my Aunt Joanne started singing “Fe- Fi- Fo- Fum. I smell the blood of an English Man.” That made Maggie squirm in my pop’s arms, which of course, made him smile like that.

Aunt Lynn giving Maggie a kiss goodbye.

Uncle Mike picking up lil Mags with a proud mom smiling in the background.

Ky being goofy, running around outside.

Kyle and Jack lifting up Kate for the group photo.

Well that was my Thanksgiving day. A lot of pics of the Mag-Monstah, as you can see. I hope you all had a really nice break. Well it’s a few mere hours before I have to get to sleep to wake up for my 8am, so nighty night all!

So I came home for thanksgiving, and I am so excited to see my friends and family! I love New Paltz, but sometimes I really miss home and the people I see all the time at home! I get to eat lots of turkey, lay in bed all day without thinking about the finals I’ll have when I get back, the friends I get to hang out with and spend some extra time with my familia! I hope everyone enjoys their thanksgiving break and takes advantage of the resting time. Happy thanksgiving everyone!

I love blogging when I should be doing other work instead but it’s okay I don’t really feel like I’m in a productive state of mind right now. I’ve kind of been like that the last few days. I have so much work about to crash down on me and I didn’t even do any of it this weekend because I’m so tired of doing work. Basically, I’m going to do it all Thanksgiving Break so it’s not even going to be a break but whatever!

Now for the meat of this blog! FENCING! The other day one of my fellow staff members Mimi put on a program in our residence hall about……guess what……Fencing! She’s part of the fencing club here at New Paltz so her and some of her other friends that are involved decided to put on a little demonstration for us all, because who doesn’t love some fighting every now and then.

In case you’re interested the fencing club meets every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in the old Elting Gym from 6-8pm. They always accept new members at any skill level so even if you don’t know how to fence at all but want to learn, you can! They also participate in tournaments whenever there is one to take part in.

Here’s some footage and shots of the demonstration that took place in Scudder Hall!!!

I believe those are residents of Scudder, Stephanie and Alex! It’s hard to tell because of the masks.

Bill and Zeal, I believe?

Mimi and Stephanie

Peace!

Watch and tell your friends!

Matt Stracq

: D

SUNY New Paltz has changed its class scheduling since I’ve been a freshman here. When I was a freshman (and sophomore I might add), the earliest class time was 8:30AM, everyone had a common break period from 11:15AM until 12:30, and not having ANY Friday classes was still attainable. (My roommate doesn’t have any Tuesday OR Friday classes. She’s the only one in existence whom I know that got away with a schedule like that. Lucky dawwwg.)

At any rate, that free day that was usually seen as a Friday is now a Wednesday- smack dab in the middle of the week to give you a nice, ole’ rest. As a result, a lot of groups, organizations and clubs meet on Wednesdays (since they have time to.) I have my Alpha Psi Omega or APO meetings at 11AM every Wednesday. Alpha Psi Omega is the National Theatre Honor Society that I was inducted to last semester. We like to be active within our community by supporting the arts, especially theatrical opportunities. Here’s the link about APO if you are interested or would like to know their history… http://www.alphapsiomega.org/history

Today, instead of having our normal meeting, we went out and did volunteer work. Well I don’t really look at it as volunteer work because it was so much fun…AND CUTE! Today we went to a Preschool in New Paltz, located adjacent to the elementary school. Two cars carpooled the bunch of us on over, but it was quite a dilemma actually getting there. The reason being, it was early in the morning, people were late, and oh, we didn’t know where we were going! People had to keep calling for directions, yada yada. Ya know, it sounds frustrating, but actually, I haven’t laughed that hard in weeks. The driver of the car I was in, Lauren Kennedy, was driving along 32 North while we were all searching for a blue house. We found one on the right side of the road, and pulled into the driveway. We found out it DEFINITELY wasn’t a school. There were rotting pumpkins out back and a turned over goalie net and two blue dumbbells that matched the color of the house …. Yeah it wasn’t our destination in the slightest. Everyone was just being silly since we were already late. Sometimes, those unexpected times can be the best of times.

Finally, we found the school and it was uber close! I don’t know why we all got so off course. Ah well…once we all arrived, we all had SO MUCH FUN! And you know what was hiiiiiiiiiiiigh on the Awww-scale!? While we were waiting outside the door of the classroom, we noticed their agenda written on the dry erase board, which had “Alpha Psi Omega @ 10AM.” AW! We were on their board! They were expecting us and anticipating our arrival! YAY! (I feel like I’ve been saying “Yay,” a lot, since this morning anyway. I even say it sometimes in the videos!) Speaking of videos…

Here they are! YAY! :-p

Here’s us performing Goldie Locks and the Three Bears for the 1st time with the kiddies, with some APO students acting it out!

Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet (a shortie but a goodie!)

Goldie Locks & the 3 Bears with PRESCHOOLERS being Goldie Locks and the 3 Bears. One girl wasn’t too fond of being the blonde star…”I don’t want to do this anymore.”

The final Goldie Locks with Lauren Kennedy as Goldie Locks wearing her stylish new wig! There are 3 new bears of course!

After we finished performing we wanted to talk to the kids about costumes and how they can put something on and become an entirely different person. Since Halloween just past, we discussed how on Halloween everyone wore a costume and pretended they were someone else. For example one girl said she was a baby bear and her mom was a mama bear (how appropriate with our storytelling of Goldie Locks!) So Flannery asked her, something like, well you were a bear for Halloween, but you aren’t a real bear right? You don’t live in the forest, do you? And she shook her head no. So we used examples such as those to help get our point across. And for fun, we brought in easy costume pieces or props so the preschoolers could all take turns wearing them. I took a bunch of pictures of these smiley sillies (APO sillies included.)

Flannery Spring-Robinson, our president of APO, introducing the idea of costumes to the preschoolers. She’s trying on some baby-bear ears.

He’s eyeing the ears.

I don’t really think blonde is your color, Paul.

Laughter with the preschool teachers.

Shari Griswold, sporting the flapper hat! We went to HS together, Shari and I.

Lookin’ cool.

I’m discussing hard hats. I think that’s why I’m holding my head here.

The cool kids plus dorky Paul in the background…ruining their image.

Got your hand.

Future Vogue star.

A friend helping out a friend.

One girl is lost in the depths of the 20s hat while the other girl likes petting the fuzzy hat.

Boys can wear girl hats. Hey-boys used to play girls ALL THE TIME in Shakespearean days.

The girls love him, or maybe they just love his hard hat.

She was always giggling, this lil gal.

She’s jaded by all this popularity. Haha. The boy, on the otherhand, is just overwhelmed by all of us bombarding them with costumes.

Paul with the classy ladies once more.

AHHHHHH! The fury hat is eating my brains! Uh…just to clarify he didn’t say that. If he had a thought bubble above his head, that’s what I’d write.

APO and all the preschoolers, still sporting some costumes. YAY!

So all in all this was such a fun morning! I hope you enjoyed the videos. I know there are THREE Goldie Locks and the 3 Bears videos, but they were all a little different with the kids and stuff, so I just couldn’t cut one!

So it was 9pm when my group mate and I decided to leave the library. I stood up and looked out one of the library’s window to see snow falling under the lamp post’s beam of light.

The flakes were HUGE! ARE huge (cause they’re still falling.) I walked outside and immediately called my brother at UAlbany to see if it was snowing there, too. Unfortunately he was busy, but I just walked along the path to my residence hall with my tongue out. “Standing outside with my mouth open wide Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!” You guys know that one, right?

Well I’m typing this in my room right now and I hear this one girl shouting from the top of her lungs: “It’s snowing? IT’S SNOWING! AHHH IT’S SNOWING!” My roommate just laughed, looked at me and said, “Well, I guess it’s snowing.”

So it’s the first snow fall of the fall semester. I think I’m gonna make myself some hot co-coa and get some reading done. YAY for the snow. It’s time to bust out those winter jackets, those fun colorful scarves, hats and mittens sets, and those warm boots. Soon enough people will be making snowmen, having snow ball fights, making fires…I just can’t wait!

Everyone enjoy this snow while it lasts. Who knows it may have stopped by now. But that winter wonderland will come soon enough. I can feel it. Can’t you?

Hello all! 

I am very excited to announce to you all, that I applied to study abroad next semester and I got in!!! I am going to Copenhagen, Denmark for Spring 2009 and I am very pumped! I am ready to experience new cultures and meet new people. I can’t wait to see new sights and all that jazz! I am just finishing registration right now and couldn’t be counting down to Jan 17th any faster, so although I will miss my friends and family, I am anxious to leave the country and see new things I will miss this campus and all of the activities and clubs I’m involved in, however I am willing to try new things to hopefully bring more to the campus when I get back! So in conclusion-YAY for Denmark!

Hey so a little more than one week left and then Thanksgiving break, I can’t wait! The weekend came and went and it was a lot of fun but it’s coming down to crunch time and it’s giving me anxiety. Not cool.

This past Thursday I put on a program in my residence hall along with one of my professors and adviser, Dr. Glenn Geher. As I said, he’s a professor here in the Psychology department and he’s also the director for our Evolutionary Studies Minor.

If you’d like to read up on this Minor, check out the link here !!! EVOLUTIONARY STUDIES

For the program, Glenn decided to speak about what he knows and loves best, EVOLUTION! He made it into a lot of fun by answering some questions that related to everyday human life and how that ties into evolution. I took a few videos on my digital camera so excuse the poor quality, but you can still hear it and all so that’s good!

Here’s the first one…Why, just WHY, do people like McDonald’s so much?

Here’s another one I taped…Why does infidelity drive people crazy?

Hope you enjoy them….I’m off to the Library now to get a start on all of my work!

Kevin

Aside from singing in the shower and in the car and in a club (sans mic) I have never actually sung or played an instrument, but I must say that music of all sorts -no matter my limited involvement- has always been an integral part of my life and my activities.  Recently I attended a fantabulous program hosted by RA Shannon in Esopus where we all just sat together and watched “Across The Universe.”  As it was -as if you couldn’t tell- I have been on a pretty awesome Beatles kick for the better part of a month, and after watching this feature film, I was donezo!  Not a moment was spared for anything but listening to The Beatles.  Ironically, all of my 873 songs on my iTunes are on shuffle (that’s how I roll!) and “Helter Skelter” as made famous by The Beatles, and sung by Dana Fuchs, JUST came on!

Anywhoseandbeez, for as long as I can remember, I have always heard a little background music while cooking, or eating, or doing whatever, and this has definitely transcended into my independent life here at New Paltz.  Even now, while I am writing this blog I am listening to some choice John Mayer.  Personally, music has always had this fancy-dancy way of connecting with my heart and soul.  There are some times when I enjoy my quiet time, when everything is qquuiiieeeett…  Yet, for the most part when I am eating, drawing, painting, printmaking -what have you, I am listening to some music.

It is no surprise that -especially within the last two generations- music has been a pillar of popular society, and most people subscribe to one form or another.  However, I encourage all of you to not only integrate and interact with music on the daily, but to also experience other forms, styles and genres of music.

And, of course:  Enjoy!

The Beatles:  All of it

Across The Universe Soundtrack:  All of it, as well

John Mayer:  All of it -especially the “Where The Light Is” album

Everything-else-on-my-iTunes

Matt Stracq

: D

Hi!:) What’s going on? It’s quite windy outside, and contrary to popular thought, I actually enjoy the wind? Yesterday, I was at a local farm stand getting arugula, carrots, grapes, apples and a lemon and a lime, when I noticed how much I love the change of seasons. Lately, when I’ve driven to the farm stand, I’ve spent much time marveling over the brown and red leaves. The autumn feeling that fills the air never seems to cease to put me in a great mood, but yesterday it was different. When I got out of my car I smelled the fireplace burning from inside the farm stand and all of the trees looked so bare. Now, I know some people would be really upset about the chill in the air, since winter is right around the corner, but I just got soooo excited. This may sound odd, but I love weather. I love the rain, I love sunny days, I love living in an area where our climate fluctuates regularly. So, with that being said, today is quite windy, and as I type this entry, my window is wide open and I hear leaves flying everywhere, and it is just grand! Woo!

Yesterday afternoon I met up with one of my friends that I have know since I was born! My dad grew up on the same block as her mom, and then I grew up on the same block as her, and now we both go to New Paltz.. pretty crazy! Anyway, we decided to walk to Starbucks, which was fabulous, as usual! We had a lovely walk, and then headed to the New Paltz vs. Drew Men’s Basketball game which was sooooo much fun! The Hawk’s Nest was totally full of school spirit and the team did so well!

My friend Chris Thurston took these pictures, so props to him! He is actually the photo editor for the Oracle, one of our school newspapers. Annnnnd, speaking of the Oracle, check out this article that was in this week’s paper: http://oracle.newpaltz.edu/article.cfm?id=3999.

Today, my friend from home came to visit me for lunch. He went home for the weekend, so he stopped by here on his way back to school upstate. We went to Wrapsody Grill and the Bakery and it was lovely:)

Before I conclude, I also wanted to share with you a video from Frost Valley. RHSA went to Frost Valley about a month ago for a leadership retreat, so finnnnnnalllly, here is the video! I hope you like it!

Enjoy this WINDY WINDY day! –Jessie