Oh happy day, it’s the weekend!

Hope everyone had a splendid Friday and such. Last night I was at the Winter Formal with all the Sexy Pitches. At 7:30, we sang 3 of our most up-beat, fun lovin’ songs. I was sportin’ this green get-up from forever 21 and some jade colored eye-make up to close the deal. It was fun to get all spiffed up and attempting at the stylish route while singing my heart out. After a little a cappella, I danced it up with my roommate from freshman year in the Student Union Building’s Multi Purpose Room. I love Liz and I miss her greatly! At any rate, it was so nicely decorated, with snowflakes and white lights in the formation of icicles.  Christine Sweeney and I had some shirley temples, which were scrumptious and then we went out on the dance floor! You know, it was a really nice idea…and I wish the whole school attended as if it were prom in high school. Because it was such a sweet notion, with everyone dressed up to kill and dancing….UH, lovely! I had such a nice time shakin’ my booty off! I get into it, tis true. They even had a backdrop set up where you could take pictures of you and your group. They printed them out within 20 minutes! CUUTE! You know, NPBlogger Jesse was one of the people running this entire event, so I bet she has more information on the winter formal. I just thought I’d touch upon it, since I really thought it was cute and a grand ole’ time!

On Thurs. night the Sexy Pitches and Absolut A Cappella performed a dorm performance in Deyo Hall. So many people showed up, and I just want to thank all those lovelies for coming and supporting the love of music! Thanks again! It was a fun night. Absolut had a bunch of dance-able, crazy tunes like Mambo Number Five, which made me laugh and laugh! Oh I love how they have fun with whatever they’re singing! Us Sexy Pitches debuted a new song as well. Maybe I shouldn’t give it away, because we are performing tonight at The College Terrace on campus (behind the Sojourner Truth Library.) Maybe I should just say to come tonight, and find out! That will start at 10pm tonight to hear more a cappella sing-sations! Get there early if you want a good seat. Ya know.

Obviously I over-estimated my arm-length here. Everyone else looks sexy, while I look like I’m trying to catch my balloon which I mistakenly released into the atmosphere.

It doesn’t even look like my mouth is open, but I swear to you I’m singing.

I love Christine Sweeny’s smile in this. She’s the one in the black shirt singing the solo, “Killing Me Softly!” In the picture, she’s a little to the left of my flailing arms.

All these pictures are courtesy of Christopher Thurston. Thanks!!

Before the concert, today is going to be my reading/homework/laundry/cleaning/working-out day. That won’t be the most joyous thing in the world- I won’t sugar coat it. However, tomorrow is going to be great! Although I was on the waiting list, I’m going to Hunter Mountain to go skiing again! BOOYAH! I hope the weather is nice (with some sun, less wind preferably) and easy does-it on the amount of ice. That would be great. To be honest, I’m not going with ANYONE I know…I just signed up on my own. It was a nice deal! Twenty-five smackaroos for lift ticket, equiptment and lessons if need be. If I wanted to try snowboarding I could take the instructor, but to be honest, I just don’t think I’d have fun. I want to speed down the mountain in tight turns– seeing how many runs I can do. It will be nice to just have a hard ski day and then on the bus ride home, just read or listen to some music. I love being around people, but sometimes it’s nice to rejoice in solitude.

So those are the plans for the weekend! I hope everyone is relaxing!

Kristen

Today is Friday, December 19th and it is snowing!  Luckily for me, I am all done with my finals -and may I say that they went very smooth this year.  I prepared myself with a proper amount of studying, and healthy meals and plenty of cozy sleep.

ZzZzZ…

So, all in all I’m feeling good about this semester, and I can only hope and pray that next semester is either as great or better.  Speaking of which, I can’t believe this semester is over already!  I have completed three semesters of my college career, and by this time next year I will be an upperclassman on my way out

…Scary.

And what’s more, is that there are students that I know that are graduating.  Whether in this semester or next, a chunk of my fellow staff members will be leaving New Paltz -that’s how I know I’m getting older.  I guess it’s just the cycle of life and life’s experiences: beginning and end, new and old, nostalgia and nervousness.  Another indicator that the cycles of life are moving right along is that it’s that time of year again.  As per usual, I have been listening to tons of holiday music in anticipation of Christmas.  And yet, I have also been listening to a lot of Dane Cook… It all started when I needed to wind down from finals stress and it continued through today.  Anyway, I can’t wait to see my friends and family at home and get crackin on NOTHING!  I would like to do a little summer job search and sit around -that’s it.  After all, I think I deserve a little down time between busy, busy semesters.  Unfortunately this snow is keeping m here another day, but I love it anyway.  I just wish I had good food and family to enjoy it with -soon enough.

To all my readers:

Enjoy your break adn the holidays

and a happy New Year! (Holey Moley!)

Holiday Tunes

Matt

: 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!

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

Saturday night was GIRL’S NIGHT! So it was just me and my best friend Renee Levine. We’ve both been “hella” busy, as Renee, the Californian native would say. Therefore, we wanted to hang out and get a chance to talk. We haven’t seen each other in a dog’s age. Since we were both finished with our obligations at 5pm, we planned to meet up and then decided we wanted to go to this event called Dance Evolution 2008, The Joker’s Revenge.

Dance Evolution was an event of all sorts that took place at the New Paltz high school, which was a 3 minute drive to get there! So close! Even if you didn’t have a car, they had shuttles leaving from the Haggerty Administration Building circle on campus, so you could make it to the event on time and without paying a cent! However the event was 4 bucks if you lived on campus and 8 bucks if you lived off…so not ENTIRELY free. I drove Renee, my friend Akeem, who lives in the same suite as my brother at UAlbany, Angie, and Lisa, Angie’s roommate. Dance Evolution was SUPPOSED to start at 6pm “sharp,” but there were major technical difficulties and it almost started an hour later than anticipated! To be honest, that was a little frustrating. This is no fault to anyone, especially the performers. Heck, I’m sure it was frustrating for them too, but it was a while to sit in the audience and wait for the show to start. At any rate, everything turned out alright. The event had several entertaining acts, as well as an enthused audience. Let me show you!

Below are several videos! The first one is the National Anthem sung by Paula (I didn’t get her last name) and the black National Anthem.

Video of M’Powered! 9-17 year olds dancing hip hop and African dance! This dance group is A-MA-ZING!

Video of Culture Shock 1^st part

Video of Culture Shock 2nd part

This guy rapped a song called “Bubble Butt.” Obviously he could have sang, “Mary had a Little Lamb,” and the lady audience members would have still loved him.

Then after the concert, Renee and I were starving so we drove into town and decided to try this new sushi place. It was called Hokkaido. The restaurant was a cute little place and we were excited to get a nice meal, but uh, we couldn’t find the door. There were stairs on the side of the restaurant, but no doorway. So we actually walked around the building a couple of times until we finally found the entrance around the corner. AH. So we sat down, ordered some endamame, and some rolls. For those who don’t know endamame is a healthy appetizer. Here, I’ll copy and paste what Wikipedia says about them: “endamame is a preparation of baby soybeans in the pod commonly found in Japan, China and Korea. The pods are boiled in water together with condiments such as salt, and served whole.” I ordered the common California Roll and the Shitaki Avocado Roll: both hit the spot!

Then after we had some “us” time to talk and catch up on each other’s lives and thoughts, we went back to Renee’s apartment on Main Street, which she shares with three other people. I changed into my pj’s which I brought from my room and jumped on the couch with Renee to watch Thirteen going on Thirty. I bought that movie over the summer and haven’t really had a chance to watch it yet. It was an uplifting chick flick, but there were parts of it that were SO SAD! However, it ends nicely, thank the lord. It stars Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo and Judy Greer. I really love Jennifer Garner. I find her acting to be so genuine. Anyway, it was a nice ending to a nice night. Our girl’s night, sleepover was a success!

Here’s the trailer for this movie!

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2209546521/

In the morn we got up at 8am since Renee had work at 10:00AM and the Bistro, right down the street, was calling our names for a hot meal. So we got all freshened up and ready for some breakfast. The Bistro is always SUPER CROWDED so we wanted to get there early. Never have I ever walked into Bistro and sat down right away. There is ALWAYS a wait, because it is just that well known. However, today, we made history, by being seated right away. We were right by the door, but we were sitting! We both ordered the Breakfast Special, which is 2 eggs any way you like, homefries and 2 pieces of wheat toast, all for a little under $2!! Isn’t that amazing? It’s handy for all us poor college students, that’s for sure. Anyway, as soon as we were delivered our meal, the power went out….I’m not kidding here. The power just went, Ka-poot. So I saw another historical moment: The Bistro had to actually TURN DOWN customers, because they wouldn’t seat people until the power went back on. Crazy! And it wasn’t just The Bistro that lost power- it was all along Main Street! Starbucks had a sign on the door saying it was closed due to the power outage, and I know my friend who lived on Main Street didn’t have power…insane! While we were eating Renee looked at me and asked, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” I wasn’t sure, but she said, “I’m thankful we got our food before the power went out!” Wow were we on the same wavelength with that one!

I took a picture of some of these robots that were on the wall of the Bistro. They were called Junk Bots and they were on display for purchase. Interesting. Renee’s favorite was the robot that had a body similar to the shape of a piece of bread. Do you see it?

So I went out to eat a lot, at least one meal each day of this weekend, but it was fun and worth it! Plus I got to spend it with good company.

Alright, mucho sleepy. Must go to bedy bye! Night all! <3

Hi Weekenders!

It was only Friday and Saturday, but boy how they were Jam-packed with events (mostly Student Ambassador related- hence my choice of title.) Alrighty, well, if you don’t know what this foreign, yet official sounding position is, lemme show you a website that can explain most efficiently!

–> http://www.newpaltz.edu/admissions/ambassadors_become.html

Also check out our cool biographies of all the Student Ambassadors! There’s pics up of us, so you can see how purdy we are (haha.) Also, we have fun facts! Cooooooool dude.

–>http://www.newpaltz.edu/admissions/ambassadors0708/ambassadors_all.ht

At any rate, Friday night, all us Student Ambassadors had a nice, bonding dinner at Rock ‘da Pasta! I just blogged about that place, I know…so it’s been my second trip there in a rather short period of time (for me at least.) I don’t normally go out to eat TOO much I feel, but this weekend, I went out to eat a truck-load!

I just want to give a ginomrous thanks to Jamie Michelman, for being the coordinator of our bonding supper! She also brought together some student ambassadors to go to the Headless Horseman event. (Unfortunately I couldn’t attend since I had a show that night.) However, she is a loving individual who just wants all us employees to have some fun together and get to know each other! She even saved a seat for me when I came in late after my dance rehearsal. Isn’t that sweet? Shana, I think this gal needs a raise (wink, wink.)

Well would you like some visuals of our happy-go-lucky times at Rock ‘da Pasta? What’s that you say? You would? OH, well splendid! Catch a glimpse of these nut-zoids.

Jamie Michelmen, everyone!

Jamie Michelman and Marlea Liguori being cute kiddies.

Erica Clough, Brittney Daily and Kevin McSherry (NP BLOGGER WOOT WOOT) all giving a wide grin…cept for Kev here. Hmm.

Erin Kowalsky and Meagan Olsen giving the ever-so-cheesy “thumbs up.”

Student Ambassador group shot!

Well we couldn’t ALL fit at one table!

Haha, this is painted on the top of the fridge they have in the restaurant! Rock (Da) Pasta!

It was a grand ole’ night! Here’s a video that I took of us conversing and being silly. AWWWW YEAH! Oh and Kevin stands up to get his dessert before he leaves! I find it HILARIOUS!

YOUTUBE VIDEO OF US AT ROCK DA PASTA!

Oh and thanks Shana for buying us all dessert!! Mmmm it’s nice to go out to eat with your boss! Let me just say, it was a FRENZY at the other table to get to the desserts first. You could hear spoons clanking. So three cheers for a joyous night. Now we all had to go to sleep early to arise at 6:15AM for, youuu guessed it, OUR 2ND OPEN HOUSE!

Now, Open House was pretty much the same ordeal as the LAST open house, cept in my case, it went a lot smoother and quicker! Hooray! There some little mishaps here and there, but all were taken care of in a jiffy! I put up balloons again (just like last time) and worked in the Athletic and Wellness Center to help aide the volunteers and mingle with the families (just like last time.) However, I have some new pics and even clip-age of vidoe. Soooo here ya are!

Nichole Saldana yelping when I took a picture of her. She was caught unawares!

Meagan Olsen acting like the gem she is when we are walking through campus to tie up those darn balloons. We don’t want any families getting lost, now do we?

My theatre professor, Stephen Kitsakos, sacrificed his own raincoat to put over the jacket the costume shop made. It rained!!

Gianna Cioffi rolling that raincoat covered jacket out of the Athletic and Wellness Center.

Jamie Michelman one more time and Zuri Regisford at the Staff meeting after we officially completed the Open House season!

Chris Levine and Stephanie Samuel smiling at the staff meeting! They ain’t tired!

Kevin McSherry on the go!

Marlea Liguori a little sleepy (which is totally understandable! It’s a looong day! By the way, that’s what I looked like last open house!) And there’s Paul Kohler in the corner, all smiles.

Sarah Doran just discovered we have HUGE pockets inside our jackets.

This is me with my “big, tripped-out name tag” as they say in that Progessive commerical. You know what I’m talking about, right? I’ll put up a YouTube video of it, BUT, I just want to let you know that Jamie MADE this name tag for me. Shana, the bossy boss, says she ordered me one, but I’ve been a Student Ambassador for 2 semesters and I STILL don’t have one. Not like I’m bitter or anything. Haha I just can’t win! So here it is, my homemade name tag for you all to see!

Big, Tripped-Out Name-Tag on YOUTUBE!!!!

Shana Circe with our Team Leader, Matt Vitale. Matt is graduating this December, so this was his last Saturday tour of his life here at SUNY New Paltz !

A REAL group shot of all us Student Ambassadors 2008, after Open House ended! We’re on the Admission Building’s steps. We’re all serious here.

All us being silly gooses! AHHH haha Kevin McSherry what are you doing to that pole!?

Well guys, I thought I’d end on a funny note here- Kevin McSherry, fellow New Paltz Blogger, vandalizing that column.

Thanks everyone who helped out at Open House who made it a smooth, successful day!

Bon Voyage all!

Hey all! I’m doing this a little backwards, but I’m going to talk about Saturday and THEN about Halloween. Okie dokie smokie?

Saturday night was something called Midnight Theatre. This is an event that the theatre students put together, where we make light of the mainstage productions, and other current events that are taking place. For example, the hosts of Midnight Theatre, Andrea Green and Evan Teich, did some jokes about politics, since the elections are coming up Tuesday (S0 S00N!). Well there were a lot of laughs all around.

I actually have a video here of Paul Rigano and I at Midnight Theatre. In the musical production of Company here on campus, Paul played Harry and I played Sarah. (I’m sorry I keep talking about Company, but I guess it was a large part of my life thus far this semester.) Anyway, Harry and I were “happily” married. I use quotations because every marriage has their pitfalls. As a couple in the show, we did love each other, but we each had our vices; that definitely showed in our production. At any rate, there is a scene where Harry and I actually get so riled up that we perform karate on each other. And that karate eventually turns into petty street-fighting; anything to WIN against one another! So, I hope you enjoy this video of Harry and me during Midnight Theatre. In the beginning, Paul and I are reenacting the karate scene from Company to teach the audience about stage combat. However, the longer we are “play” fighting, the more we truly wanna beat the crud out of each other! Well, hopefully you watch and laugh!

P.S. If it wasn’t for my roommate Sam, this video would never have been up and running. So thanks Sam!!!

NOW, about Hall-o-ween! I hope you all had a marvelous Halloween! As you can see from Jessie’s blog and my previous blog on the Headless Horseman, New Paltz is pretty well known during the Halloween season. It’s quite the sweet spot. Lots of people get into the spooky spirit round these parts! For one thing, my friend Becca Cotton had this really cute Halloween get together where her house was DECKED OUT!

Oh and there was a live band playing in her living room! They called themselves Crazy Cat Lady. My friend and alum of SUNY New Paltz, Emma Jerome, is a singer in the band! Cool, huh? Let me show you some pics of Becca’s house, as well as me and my friend’s costumes!

Sorry to change the subject, but who’s excited to vote!?!?! AHH I’M SO PUMPED. This will be the first time I am eligible to vote for the President of the United States! I feel so empowered! However, some people may not feel this way. Some say our vote doesn’t count, due to the electoral college, etc. etc.

That is why I want to end this blog with a quote that my acting teacher, Nancy Saklad, said to us during my freshman year in Acting One. As soon as she said it, I took out my notebook and scribbled it down. I felt and still feel that it is so inspirational. Also, I believe it pertains to tomorrow with a lot of us young-ins voting.

“We need people like you to help this world become a better place.

We need your wit,

your smile,

your kindness,

your brilliance,

your enthusiasm,

and your creativity.

You will be the savior of this generation;

don’t deny us what you have to offer.”

So remember, you can vote from 6am till 9pm tomorrow! Don’t wear any pins, buttons, shirts, or any other paraphernalia representing candidates. If you do, you will not be allowed to vote! Bring Identification, and don’t be lazy and NOT wait on the lines because they’re long. YOU’RE VOTE IS WORTH IT! WE MATTER!

Just to clarify, for your viewing pleasure I have October’s Video Blog AND a video that includes a fellow NP Blogger, Holly Gooden, and the left arm of OL Ely Fry.

As for the video with Holly, It takes place lest night (10/24/08) on one exciting Friday night at Oscar’s with Holly, Eli and myself.  The three of us were talking about politics and various states when Holly said this…

Oh, and:

“Honey Pie” by The Beatles

Matt

: D

Hello second Weekend of Company!!

So last night was our last Thursday performance of the musical Company. Thursday nights are full of “the peers.” This is because 1.) its 9 bucks only on Thursdays if you go have a New Paltz ID and 2.) all the theatre classes have to see the main stage productions as part of their class requirements (so Thursdays are the cheapest!) Therefore, the house was packed! I can’t believe Company is in it’s stages of “lasts…” It’s a little sad. I’m going to miss this show. Well- I can’t talk like that now! There are still shows to do!

Anyway, I just wanted to share with you a homemade trailer that was created by our very own Michelle Hines. Michelle plays the major role of Joanne in Company.

Her trailer is hilarious and well perceived by all involved! Check it out!

Enjoy the video and enjoy your Friday!!! OH and tomorrow is one of TWO Open Houses here at SUNY New Paltz. It’s gonna be craaaazy!

To tell the honest truth, I like my history and social studies classes -a lot.  And when I hear a professor talking about the “hot button” issues in our fair nation, I always get really motivated to make change, because I believe that change does come from such simple, modest roots as one individual, and to quote Gandhi, I’ve always wanted to “Be the change [I] wish to see in the world.” Well, in less than a week, I supported two causes near and dear to my heart.

On this past Saturday (the 18th) I took part in the Gunk Project. Organized and coordinated by Wyatt Krause -RA in Lenape Hall- the Gunk Project was a day of cleaning up out fair Gunk.  Many times during capture the flag on Tuesday nights at 10PM we have had players (Rob Schemitsch and a few others) who have been as brave to swim in the Gunk for the sake of the game.  However, over the course of these capture the flag games we (Rob and Co.) have retrieved some SIX (6) bicycles and FOUR (4) traffic cones. It was then that Wyatt got the idea to have a Gunk cleaning project, aptly named, the Gunk Project.  On Saturday, a few “dredgers” -Rob included- swum the Gunk to remove as much “stuff” from the depths as possible.  To my knowledge, the dredgers worked tirelessly for hours to retrieve a screen door, a paper towel dispenser, two shopping carts, a computer monitor, a skate board, and various debris the likes of which I have forgotten! In addition to dredging out the Gunk, others and I went around to collect some THREE HUNDRED signatures of those that were in support of our efforts, and want to urge the administration in cleaning up the Gunk more, and making our campus more green.

I was very proud that so many students from different Residence Halls came together to clean up our campus, and that I was a part of that group as well.  I believe that moving toward a greener campus, nation and lifestyle, we can all ensure that our lives and the lives of those that come after us will be secured, safe and healthy.  This Gunk Project is a small step because not only do we want the administration to take up the next “leg-of-the-race” but we also want to inspire more pro active actions and good habits in our own lives and that if the people around us.

As for the second bit of getting involved that I am about to tell you about, I feel very strongly about both the subject matter and the actions involved.  On Tuesday (10/14) I got a phone call from one of my best friends, Tim K. who is a sophomore at SUCO Oneonta.  He tells me that there was a protest that took place on his campus that day involving a Christian man and his anti-homosexual views.  He also said that he heard this man was coming to SUNY New Paltz soon!  So after informing my entire Women: Images and Realities class, I waited until on week later on the 21st when he showed.  I saw the men protesting homosexuality of all sorts on the concourse of the SUB on my way to my women studies class, and upon sounding the alarms, the bulk of the students went during the break to protest these individuals in return!

Personally I feel that everyone should be entitled to express themselves in the way that they were born to be, and should never be subject to anyone else condemning them.  In that light I made a killer sign, sporting rainbow colors, that said: “DON’T LISTEN : D.” This also made me feel accomplished because I finally had the chance to demonstrate some inalienable rights bestowed upon me from birth, and protected through the United States Constitution! (What-WHAAT! -Take THAT!!!).

It is in these actions and in voting that I feel my civic duties are being fulfilled, and it is a great start!

With that in mind, I have a very appropriate song selection for this blog:

“Everybody’s Gonna Love Today” by Mika

and

“Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?” By The Beatles

and

“Carry That Weight” by The Beatles

Peace,

Matt Stracq

: D