Don't F*** with My Education

Well it's a fight at Sac State, it will be a miracle if I get all the classes I need. The atmosphere at Sacramento State University today was frantic. Instructors entered their classes rooms with a nervous look on their face to find every seat in the room full and even more students sitting on the floor hoping to add to an already full class.

Budget cuts are reaching everybody, but they are disabling the future of this state and this country. How does anyone expect the future leaders of our society to lead at their full potential with a half fast under cut education?

First of all classes are being cut. A class I need for my major is only being offered during one time this semester. During the break it felt like a stare down with my fellow students. Who was going to buckle first and accept not being aloud in the class? My teacher uncomfortably ran through a list of requirements to see who would benefit more out of the five students standing there fighting for two spots. Are you a senior? When do you graduate? Have you been able to enroll in any other classes? Are you also working on the school newspaper?

She concluded to have us return on Wednesday to wait and see if anyone else has dropped and freed up more space. If not, we'll draw our spots out of a hat.

Instructors are forced to take 10 unpaid furlough days per semester. This results in 9.5 percent pay cut. During this time they are not supposed to work at all, no grading papers, no answering emails from students, no preparing future lectures.

Furthermore, tuition has sky rocketed. This means I am paying more money for those 10 furlough days that I'm not even aloud to speak to my instructor, let alone attend a regular class section.

The staff at Sac State, so far, have been friendly and understanding. Some teachers are so compassionate they are taking on extra students. Unfortunately, this also has its downside. When teachers except more students they are forced to cut back on on assignments further leaving students with a lower quality of education.

I'm not going to school for shits and giggles, I want what I pay for and I want it now! I refuse to let my future and the future of my daughter to a chance that I might be able to draw my education from a hat. I should not have to fight my fellow students and future associates in the field for a spot in the classroom. It should not be a competition but rather a time to work together and further the success of everyone willing to try and better themselves.

Join me on March 4 at our state capitol to MARCH FOR EDUCATION. Let's stop the abuse of power!

A Wish

Sometimes the best Christmas wish is one you can wish for someone else, even if it could only be a wish. The undeniable realization of mortality has unfortunately knocked on the door of someone I love and they are currently dealing with the loss of someone before their soul and body have even parted this earth.

My wish is for my sister and that she will be able to always remember her grandmother the way she was when my sister was growing up, instead of the way she is now. Recently Grandma Gloria was diagnosed with dementia and my sister Tosha is watching the strong independent woman who raised her slip away right before of her eyes.

Grandma Gloria is Tosha's paternal grandmother. Gloria, along with Tosha's maternal grandmother Pat, raised Tosha for most of her life. They are the ones to give credit to for Tosha becoming an intelligent, strong willed and wise person.

Growing up, I remember every year one of the things Tosha treasured most at Christmas was a package she received in the mail from Grandma Gloria. It was their tradition, it was their special connection. It was Tosha's childhood stocking. The stocking itself seemed to be pieced together from ancient fabrics, almost as if it was made from a family quilt, tattered at the edges but still thick, warm and comforting. It was always filled to the brim with precious treasures individually wrapped. There were perfume scented soaps and foil wrapped chocolates. Most of all the sock was filled to the brim with thoughtfulness and love.

Grandma Gloria was diagnosed with semantic dementia this fall and her mind has been slipping as fast as it seems the color of the leaves are changing. This particular condition is caused by atrophy of the front temporal lobe of the brain. Those affected by it have a difficult time with the meaning of words. They get mixed up. For example, Grandma Gloria told her great grand daughter she would get her some water for her cereal and she also couldn't figure out what Italian salad dressing was. As the condition worsens so does the symptoms. Soon Grandma Gloria won't be able to look of a picture of a dog and know that is in fact a dog.

It is said that after being diagnosed patients are given five to ten years left of their life, it is estimated that Grandma Gloria has had semantic dementia for about five years already. And as if this wasn't enough for a family to endure Grandma Gloria was also diagnosed with multiple myeloma which is cancer of the white blood cells. Because Grandma Gloria's body is failing her the family is trying to get her into a nursing home as soon as possible. Unfortunately soon she will be unable to care for herself and could possibly become a danger to herself and others.

It is a sad state of affairs this Christmas season. I would not wish on my worst enemy to have to watch someone they love hopelessly deteriorate before their eyes, let alone my best friend in the world.

Me and my sister are not related by blood but we adopted each other into our respected families over 15 years ago. She is the one who is trusted above all in my life, my oracle, my confidant. She is the one person who doesn't tell me what I want to hear but instead what I need to hear. So Tosha, this is my Christmas wish to you. I wish you the strength and the courage (that I already know you have) to face this mountain you are climbing. I wish that you will always remember your grandmother as the woman she was to you growing up like taking you bungee jumping in Lake Tahoe when you were only a teenager and making sure to always send you your stocking every Christmas. And if you want, if it would help, you could send me your stocking and every year I will make sure it is filled with just as much love and consideration as Grandma Gloria would have and she could live on in your tradition. Until the day I die sister, I love you.

Leftovers

The sun still hasn't risen the day after Thanksgiving. During the night wind blew in fresh rain over the foothills in Grass Valley, Calif. The house was quiet; the faint ticking of the clock in the living room and my daughter breathing heavily next to me was the only noises to be heard.

Except for the rumbling in my stomach.

It's 4:30 in the morning and all I could think about was FOOD. I was mentally beating myself up for not accepting leftovers my cousin offered to us over and over again. The first taste that teased my memory was my cousins raspberry tart which had me sweetly and sourly tossing and turning. Then I began trying to recreate the familiar yet special taste of turkey smothered with cranberry sauce and the battling flavors of the cornbread stuffing and the traditional stuffing. Then I remembered that right next to the stuffing on my plate was the green bean casserole. This is when I decided I had to suppress these cravings and try and get back to sleep.

There was no reason my body should require nourishment. I had plenty to eat the night before including dessert and my fair share of adult beverages. When I fell asleep I was fat and happy.

I reassured myself that we had set plans to meet some cousins for breakfast fairly early and my stomach could wait till then.

The household woke up and we headed to breakfast. Two cups of coffee, a bloody mary, and half of my plate of corned beef and hash had my stomach full, but it was still not satisfied. We said our goodbyes to our beloved family and started the drive down the hill back to Sacramento. It was then the realization that I might not have the privilege of savoring Thanksgiving leftovers hit me and I became sad. Almost as if I was trying to subdue a sudden feeling of panic I reminded myself the situation was out of my control and I shouldn't let a craving spoil a fun night planned out with friends.

So that's what I did, had a great time at a concert in San Francisco with some of my favorite musical misfits. The music and the fun had taken my mind off of the depressing fantasy of a "to-go" Thanksgiving. It wasn't until the next morning when we began to stir and speak of plans for the day that my friend mentioned something about leftovers up at his house.

My heart skipped a beat. I tried to control my excitement for fear of seeming to anxious and deflecting an invitation. Finally after hours we all set course for destination Colfax, Calif. The California foothills seems to be the place where all the leftovers were hiding.

Our hosts were gracious and generous. Before I knew it the table was filled with their Thanksgiving leftovers. The homemade cranberry sauce zapped me back to my dinner two nights before when I explained to my Uncle Carlos, visiting from Alaska, that cranberry sauce might be my favorite. The yams were the best I ever tasted (and I don't even like yams), not candied but still sweet with brown sugar. Then I remembered from my previous dinner the great yams vs sweet potatoes debate with my cousin and her husband. The mystery casserole was brought over by one of my hosts uncles; no body sitting around the table cared we didn't know what was in it because it was good. The main course of our leftover dinner wasn't the pickings from a turkey carcass but instead a bowl filled with fresh cracked crab. While I worked through the crab shells to reap the rewards of succulent, melt in my mouth crab meat I thought of my father who was in Europe exploring and having the time of his life during the holiday. And finally to top off a perfect dinner we feasted on pecan pie; the pecans melted in my mouth. This experience reminded me of my Aunt Landa's pecan/pumpkin pie and her story of having to make a new one for Thanksgiving because they ate the original the night before!

It wasn't until I began writing this that I became aware that the feeling of hunger I woke up with at 4:30 in the morning wasn't just a hunger for food. It was the sensation of the taste that takes me to memories of the people I love and how important it is to make new memories. The reward of our leftover dinner made me thankful of my family and friends who make my life so flavorful. However, another important lesson was learned; never deny offered leftovers, I might need them sooner than thought.

Sons of Anarchy

Outlaws; slaves to the open road but some how blessed with a special freedom.

The biker; the smell of leather, exhaust, cheap booze and cigarettes, struggles with an internal conflict to do right by his club while trying to change his moral boundaries at the same time.

The outlaws are the Sons of Anarchy, and they run things in their neck of the woods, a small and cleverly named town Charming, California. They are a one percent motorcycle club (MC) named Samcro and they are hell bent on their town staying the way it is without anyone coming in to tell them what or how to do things.

Jax Teller is the biker (Charlie Hunnam). Jax, vice president of the MC, is trying to defend his legacy, the club, by changing its direction. Jax is haunted by a manuscript written by his late father (founder of the club) and is constantly at a power struggle with his step father and club president Clarence 'Clay' Morrow (Ron Perlman). Clays wife and Jax's mother, Gemma Teller Morrow (Katey Segal), is truly the matriarch of the MC and will go through great lengths to protect her territory and her men.

Currently in the saga of the Sons of Anarchy the sweet town of Charming is in turmoil. The MC's primary source of income is running guns and their livelihood is being threatened. They are trying to defend their club and their town while enemy's are coming at them from all sides. White separatists have moved into Charming and are trying to take over Samcro's gun running business by stealing their connection with the Irish pipeline while at the same time causing all sorts of problems.

Sons of Anarchy is well into its second season on the continuously 'on the edge' network, FX. Kurt Sutter is the creator and executive producer of the show who also created the dramatic police series called The Shield. Kurt Sutter is also actress Katey Segal's real life husband, but don't be fooled by Katey's relationship with the creator. There is no better person on this earth who could play this roll better than her. Lets just say, after you see her in this saga you will forget who Peggy Bunndy even was. The talent doesn't stop with her, the whole cast is lined with actors from all different levels of experience but they all have this writer convinced of their rolls in this powerful television show.

Sons of Anarchy is brutal, violent, sexy, and explicit all wrapped up into one loving and faithful dysfunctional family. Every episode carries a character deeper and deeper into a twisted web of surfacing history within the club. It is addicting and will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat, screaming at the television, smiling and crying all at the same time.

Red Numbers

The room is black.

Even the glowing red numbers are shelved by the neighboring nightstand. The last time curiosity won, the time was 3:24, wonder what time it is now? Was the cat fed? Mom hasn't called back yet, hope everything is OK. I can't believe I put off writing my column, again. Better work on it in the morning, if I wake up on time. Tomorrow you have to do laundry, and clean the bathrooms. They're gross. Oh shoot, when is your next Spanish exam? Cuando tu cumplianos?

Wonder what time it is....3:44.

If the thoughts inside any of your heads sound close to this at night, chances are you are suffering from insomnia. The red numbers constantly changing next to your bed could bring an intruding feeling of hopelessness and doom.





Someone who suffering from insomnia is constantly at battle, trying to balance their everyday lives while feeling irritable, cranky, and tired. One in three people suffer from some level of insomnia every year, and it is one of the most common reported health problems.

There are three different levels of insomnia. Transient insomnia doesn't last longer than a week and is most likely caused by a change of sleep schedule such as traveling or moving. Insomnia that occurs inside a month is called short-term insomnia and is caused by stress or a worry and normally sleep patterns return to normal once the issue is resolved. The third level is chronic insomnia; it lasts longer than a month and is normally due to another disease or condition. It is estimated that almost ten percent of people suffer from chronic insomnia.

Wait! There are some simple life style changes you can make to help you sleep at night.

Make sure your room is clean and comfortable. Being in an environment where you can relax will help you fall asleep faster and easier.

Make sure to use your bed for nothing other than sleep or sex.

If you find yourself worrying about everyday problems or feel overwhelmed try making a list or writing in a journal. Putting these thoughts on paper will help free your mind.

If you still find yourself restless try reading a book or a doing a low impact activity until you feel tired.

Avoid drinking alcohol, caffeine or smoking cigarettes before bed. These things are stimulants and will keep you awake.

Avoid exercise for at least four hours before bed time.

Unfortunately it is difficult for college students to keep the same sleeping schedule, but if it possible try and go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.

There are a number of other things one could try, such as meditation or drinking chamomile tea before bed time. But if you are still having problems falling asleep or staying asleep it is time to see your doctor. As mentioned earlier chronic insomnia could be due to another disease or illness. Someone who suffers from depression or anxiety could sometimes need professional help and possibly medication. Or sometimes the doctor could just temporarily prescribe a sleep aid and this could help kick your sleep schedule back into gear.

Life can be challenging enough without having to face the day with missing sleep. With a good nights rest you will be more alert in class, retain information better and be happier. Just remember, if you find yourself staring at the red numbers in the middle of the night, your not alone.

Melissa Maerz's Mixtape of Music Journalism

Making a name for herself in the journalism and music industry, Melissa Maerz has seen music journalism change right before her eyes. Much of her work is writing reviews and blogging about music. Her name has inscribed the by lines of some of the country's top magazines.

Maerz graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor's degree in Literary and Critical Theory. Although she doesn't have traditional training in journalism she said, "critical theory gave me really good analytical tools that helped me shape my arguments in my writing." She also says during her career she has met journalists who have diverse educational back grounds and the best experience comes from working in the field itself.

Maerz started at a weekly alternative newspaper called City Pages (much like the Sacramento News and Review) based out of the twin cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul. She describes her four years at City Pages as "fantastic," and she was able to work with an editor it seems she truly respected.

From here she got a job at Spin magazine which she admits she got partly by luck. Unfortunately, Maerz left Spin after two years because a change of ownership and a conflict of interests. She said, "we got a new editor and I wasn't necessarily happy with the direction the magazine was going in."

So from here she set out to New York Magazine where Mearz launched, edited and co-founded an arts and entertainment blog named "Vulture." Maerz says she loved her job at New York Magazine and it is still one of her favorite publications because they are unmatched in the area of online coverage.

Shortly after her start at New York Magazine she was contacted by Rolling Stone and they made Maerz an offer she couldn't refuse. So she left her position and started work as a senior editor. Unfortunately after almost two years she waslaid off from her position. The long arm of the changing world of journalism seemed to reach everywhere. She, and some fellow editors, waslaid off she said, "It wasn't a personal decision - I was one of the last people hired, so I was one of the first to get let go." CurrentlyMaerz is a freelance writer. She says she loves working from home and not having to report to a boss. Plus she also says she contributes to Rolling Stone more now than she did being under her payroll!

Maerz describes the changing journalism world in detail, especially that which effects the music business. Aside from the obvious factor of a broken economy music magazines are suffering because of other reasons. Just like magazines and news papers people are turning to online sources for their music. Because of illegal downloading bands make less money and have less money to spend on advertising in music magazines. Plus,Maerz says, because there is more access to new music online there is less of a reason for people to rely on the opinion of a music critic. Make no mistake,Maerz doesn't think all of these changes are a bad thing. In fact she thinks these factors force both musicians and music magazines to be more creative. There is nothing wrong with some healthy competition.

It was very interesting to read Maerz's articles from over the years. In fact it was surprising to watch her voice and style change. When she wrote for City Pages it seemed fresh and raw, and dare I say more personal. Don't take this the wrong way; Maerz is a very talented writer. It seems the journey from a small weekly newspaper to the offices of some of the most respected music magazines in the world has put her writ ting in the category of main stream rather than the independent style it once had.

Faster Than the Speed of Fast Food

In the current era of health conscious America, eaters are always looking for a fast, easy, healthy alternative to the big name, boring card board hamburger joints.

Chipotle is the package deal.

It was a busy Saturday, just after noon in the Birdcage Shopping Center off of Sunrise Boulevard.

The decor was simple but yet not boring. Wood molding and corrugated steal lined the eating area and corridor where customers formed a line. Aztec style art of the same material casually decorated the restaurant walls.

The menu is clearly organized in a build your-own-meal sort of way. First you choose the type: burrito, fajita burrito, burrito bowl, tacos, or salad. Then you choose what goes inside: Chicken, steak, carnitas, barbacoa or vegetarian. As you move down the line you can see employees prepare your meal. Next, and perhaps the most important, is the choice of salsa: fresh tomato (mild), roasted chili-corn (medium), tomatillo-green chili (medium hot), or tomatillio- red chili (hot).


I chose three tacos with soft tortillas and barbacoa (braised, shredded beef). I topped my tacos with cheese, romaine lettuce and a combination of fresh and hot salsas. The spice had just enough kick for my cheeks to draw in some extra help from outside air, but not enough to fry my taste buds. It is in my personal belief chips and salsa should be included in any mexican meal but at Chipotle they are purchased separately for $1.65. Regardless of the extra charge I got them and was satisfied with my choice.

Chipotle does serve a variety of domestic and authentic beers and if your feeling a little frisky margaritas are available. But don't expect to get any salt for the brim of your cup; they don't carry it.

At large, the experience was delightful. As we walked in the door my party had ordered, paid and sat down to eat in about five minutes time. All of the seats indoors were full so we opted to sit out side, luckily it was a dry day in autumn. There were umbrellas set up to block the intruding sun but unfortunately they were established in a stationary way and could not be altered to the direction the sun was facing. This was not a very big discomfort considering we were finished with our meal in under an hour.

For two people, two meals, a beer, a margarita and a side of chips and salsa we paid $22.67.

Fresh and naturally raised ingredients is definitely worth paying the extra couple of dollars compared to buying lunch at a popular fast food joint. Nutritional facts are listed with detail on Chipotle's to-go menu which is readily available at check out.

Although there is not an option to pull up to a drive-thru window to pick up your meal there are about 55 conveniently located restaurants throughout the greater Sacramento area. Chipotle also has the option of ordering your meal online to further add to the quickness of your dining experience. And for those with technological advances there is also an application for your iPhone so you can place your order.

Oh and if your costume is delicious, go into Chipotle dressed as a Boo-rito on Halloween and you get a free meal!


http://www.chipotle.com