Why I loved reading Stephen King's "On Writing"

I actually really enjoyed reading "On Writing." I've never read anything by him but I have seen a few of the movies that are based on his books. I wasn't sure at first if I would like it, but I thought that the book was very useful and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is or is and aspiring writer.

All of his techniques were useful and some even made me think more in depth about the structure and process of writing. Some things that I really liked were that he used his own stories. "On Writing" was kind of a biographical self-help book.

His personal stories were very inspiring. Also his toolbox method helped a lot. I also think that the fact that he had one person, his wife, which was his biggest fan and his biggest critic, was very useful. I think that every writer needs someone like that to help them. Another thing that I really liked was that he said to just start writing and not worry about the story too much or where it'll go. When I write, I barely plan anything. So for him to say that was kind of a relief to me, to know that it's okay to not have a plan and to just start writing.

Being gay isn't the problem. Hate is.

We are all surrounded by negativity in one way or another every single day. But when we are young and still trying to find ourselves, it can take a heavy toll on our self-confidence and health. This is particularly true for those who are GBLT, who may experience harassment on a daily basis.

It's important to understand that no matter your age, race, sex, or religion we all contribute to the world. Now we can either do this negatively or positively. Those that are suffering with insecurities need to be assured that it's okay to be themselves. And those who are well confident with being gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, or transgender should be acknowledged for being confident enough to be themselves no matter what negativity may bring to them.

Every day we are bombarded by ideas of what we should or shouldn't be. It's obvious to see that things that are not understood are either loved or hated. Not everyone understands the homosexual lifestyle so therefore it creates positive or negative responses, usually negative though. To stop this we need to learn about things we don't understand, like the saying goes, "knowledge is power."

If we find ourselves in a homophobic situation, we need to ask ourselves why sexuality is so important anyway? It's not. Same with race, gender, and age. It's not important. Instead of finding negativity in others, look at yourself. You're not perfect, so why expect others to be? Even if you still don't think the homosexual lifestyle is right, it's okay. We all have different opinions. But understanding that sharing some opinions hurt others. Being gay isn't the problem, those reproducing hate are.

Now for some statistics. Today's Gay Youth: The Ugly, Frightening Statistics state that

• Over 30 percent of all reported teen suicides each year are committed by gay and lesbian youth.
• In a study of 194 gay and lesbian youth, 25 percent were verbally abused by parents, and nearly 10 percent dealt with threatened or actual violence.
• Approximately 40 percent of homeless youth are identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual.
• Approximately 30 percent of both the lesbian and gay male populations have problems with alcohol.
• Approximately 28 percent of gay and lesbian youth drop out of high school because of discomfort (due to verbal and physical abuse) in the school environment.
• Gay students hear anti-gay slurs as often as 26 times each day; faculty intervention occurs in only about 3 percent of those cases.
• Over 50 percent of national youth servicing organizations report that they do not have services or resources in place to educate youth on sexual orientation or to support gay and lesbian youth.
• In a study of 5 metropolitan areas (Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York City, and San Francisco), there were 1,833 [reported] incidents of anti-gay and anti-lesbian crimes, which was a 31 percent increase over the previous year.

Statistics provided from Today's Gay Youth: The Ugly, Frightening Statistics

For more information about how to stop the hate, visit:
LBCC's Gay-Straight Alliance Club
GLBT National Help Center
Free To Be Me

Why are we so obsessed with fame?

"We are living...in the age, in which the pursuit of all values other than money, success, fame, glamour have either been discredited or destroyed, ...for we are living in the age of 'the thing'" are lyrics by Felix Da Housecat and the truth in which more than half the world lives by. But why does nothing else seem to matter besides money, success, fame and glamour?

Maybe because it looks simple and can be quickly obtained. In today's world, being famous is easier than it was 20 years ago. It seems as though a person doesn't really need this thing called talent. A person can rise to fame quicker by dressing bizarre, dating someone "in the business,"or even acting like a complete fool and trading their dignity for entertainment.

It may also be because fame is a fantasy-like state of being, something not everyone has. The attention, the money, the notoriety a person has when their famous is enviable by almost everyone. Who doesn't want to wear Armani or Dior, go to award shows, or be VIP at the greatest parties? Unless you're the next Mother Teresa, I'm sure you have thought what you would do if you were famous.

Perhaps we are lonely?
Jake Halpern, author of the book "Fame Junkies," theorizes that celebrity magazines like "Us Weekly," "People" and "In Touch" are so popular because people are lonely. Halpern points out that today more young people tend to marry later in life and more can afford their own living spaces, so they spend more time alone. When we look at these kinds of magazines that exploit yet roll in the dough for celebs, we feel like we know them, and we want what they have.

Everyone can see what a celebrity really looks like under all that make up or that they eat fast food, just like us. Seeing this, we realize that they are just like us, therefore we may feel that we can be just like them.

In my opinion, it all comes down to attention. There's no doubt that every single one of us has wanted it more than anything at one time or another. Maybe it's the way we dress, what we listen to, or what we say that helps us get the focus. But for all those who can't wait to have the limelight, don't worry. Even the great Andy Warhol said "In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes."

Profile on Selena Blackburn

With genuine care and interest, Selena Blackburn works hard 5 days a week to meet her patient’s needs. With her LPN (licensed practical nurse) from Purdue University in Indiana and her Associate's Degree from Lower Columbia College in Longview, WA, Blackburn works at Community Home Health and Hospice.

Blackburn worked in the emergency room at St. John’s Medical Center in Longview, WA and she currently works at Community Home Health and Hospice in Longview, WA and is a RN who makes house calls to patients who cannot get to the hospital. She also delivers prescriptions and examines the patients. "My mom is one of the most caring and generous people I have ever known. She has the biggest heart and is really passionate about her job" says daughter Heather Blackburn.

While on a house call with Blackburn, I discovered this genuine care she has for her patients. It wasn’t like she just went in, did what she had to do, and left. She spent time examining and asking questions about how they were feeling and if they needed anything specifically. “Selena has always been a sweetheart. She has been seeing me since 2003 and I love her. I’m getting up there in age and it’s nice to know that she isn’t just doing her job, but she is actually concerned with my health” says a patient.

Blackburn was born on April 15 in Columbus, Montana to Dennis and Louise Chism. She grew up with two younger brothers, Nathan and Phil. “I never lived more than two years in one state growing up” she recalls. “I’ve lived in Arizona, Colorado, California, New York, Oregon, and Washington.”

Blackburn has been married to a man named Sean since June of ’93 and has four children; ages 9, 12, 19, and 23. “Selena is a wonderful woman and I am truly blessed to have the pleasure of being married to her” says husband of 16 years, Sean Blackburn.

She enjoys reading, writing, scrap booking and camping along with many other activities. She also really enjoys country and 80’s music along with watching "Gilmore Girls", "ER", "Grey’s Anatomy", "CSI", "Law and Order", "Bones" and "Criminal Minds".

Stephen King's The Writing

Some things I found inspiring, interesting, surprising: I thought it was very surprising how many obstacles he went through growing up. All of those ear problems would have killed me. I'm not very good with pain. What I thought was inspiring is how Stephen, since he missed a lot of school because of health issues, read a lot and started writing his own material. When he copied that one book (I forgot the title) and gave it to his mom to read, I really liked how she told him to write his own stories and that she would give him a quarter every time he finished one. I also found it inspiring how he worked for his brother's Rag paper. They were so young yet so determined to make a paper.

This book can be applied to feature writing because of many things Stephen King talks about. Don't over think. Just start writing. Also, never stop persuing your dream. Keep reprising your stories. Get information. Write things you're familiar with and things you know. Have a good imagination.

My favorite quote so far is: "In my family what you did was smoke your ciggarettes, and dance in the Jell-O and keep yourself to yourself. Yet the part of me that writes the stories, the deep part that knew I was an alcoholic as early as 1975, when I wrote The Shining, wouldn't accept that. Silence isn't what that part is about. It began to scream for help in the only way it knew how, through my fiction and through my monsters." This is found on pages 89-90. It's obviously now just one sentence, but almost a paragraph. But I really like it because he confesses that he was different, and that he had a problem. I like how he's real about it and he doesn't try to sugarcoat his life or experiences.

Ten Years Older: Jarrod Gorbel EP Review

After separating himself from his first band, The Honorary Title, Jarrod Gorbel starts new, and on his own. Ten Years Older is a four-song EP from the folk singer/songwriter. The Brooklyn native blends soulful singing and simple melodies to create his debut solo project.

Gorbel explained in a Twitter message that the reason for going solo by saying "It was a growing up of sorts, THT was a great vehicle to communicate my music but I want to move on." Gorbel felt as though he was maturing musically and wanted to try new things.

The EP sounds similar to the music of The Honorary Title but it's more personal and has people involved. The same dedication and passion is used and is heard clearly.

Some fans on his Myspace page express how much they love Jarrod and his music by saying things like "I'm really happy you're branching out. You're an amazing artist. I flutter inside at the sound of your voice...I can't wait until I'm back in the U.S. to see you play again" and "...I would like you know how much i truly appreciate your music, you have a beautiful voice, and lovely lyrical tunes" and "you are a music hero".

It's really difficult to pick a favorite song, but if I had to it would be "Optimism". The melodies and lyrics, in this song especially, are very similar to those of another folk band, Death Cab for Cutie. The chorus is the best part, where he sings
"Losing your voice in the crowded streets
Pulsing crunch of machinery
The oh so harsh frequency
In the city that we love
We love, we love, we love, love".

Some of Gorbel's other songs on his new EP are "Ten Years Older" "A Moment of Peace" and "How Long?"

When asked about his favorite song and why, Gorbel also replied in a Twitter message "How Long. It's so simple but says exactly what I meant to say and the production is warm and very Nick Drake* influenced."
*Nick Drake ('48-'74) was an English singer/songwriter.

About Jarrod
Who: Jarrod Gorbel
Style of music: Folk
Other musical projects: The Honorary Title
Next concert: March 1 in Portland, OR at Mississippi Studios. 8 pm. All ages.
More infortmation: Myspace page, Twitter, Facebook.

Review

I will write a review about the new EP from Jarrod Gorbal titled "Ten Years Older" which came out this year.

Gay-Straight Alliance Club

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind” wrote the children’s book author, Dr. Seuss, in his book Seuss-isms.

The Gay-Straight Alliance club at LBCC is a place where gay, bi-sexual, lesbian, and transgender students and faculty, along with their straight allies, can meet and feel comfortable.

“I am a supporter of the gay community because I think that it is very important to accept people for who they are and to spread awareness that it is okay to be whoever you are,” said LBCC student Sara Avitt.

The first meeting of the term took place on Friday, Jan. 13 in the Diversity Achievement Center. There were about seven people along with the club’s advisor, Karelia Stetz-Waters, and the club’s president, Jennifer Boatwright. They started with introductions and brainstormed about what the members were looking for in the group and ways to spread awareness about equality and the club.

On an average there are about six-seven members in attendance each meeting and about 25-30 members on the official member list. Some students have conflicting schedules with the time of the meeting so they aren’t able to attend it but are supporters of the club.

Karelia Stetz-Waters said, “There is a very even mix of gay, bi, lesbian, transgender members and there are always straight members that are alliances to the club.”

The club does a variety of things such as have discussions, watch movies, play board and video games, go bowling, and participate in consciousness-awareness raising activities.

“I come to just socialize and hang out with a bunch of people who don’t hate me. I’m also in the club to make friends with people who accept me for who I am,” says LBCC student Jake Dontavion, a transgender male.

The Gay-Straight Alliance club meets every Friday at 1-2 pm in the Diversity Achievement Center in the Forum Building next to the Commuter office.

At A Glance:

Who: Gay, Bi, Lesbian, Transgenders, and ally students

What: Gay-Straight Alliance Club

Where: LBCC's Diversity Achievement Center (right next to The Commuter office)

When: Every Friday from 1-2 PM

Why: To bring the gay community and supporters together

Links:

Gay-Straight Alliance Club

LBCC GSA Yahoo Group

GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network - Oregon Chapter)

First Feature Story

My first feature story will focus on the Gay Straight Alliance club here at LBCC.
The main points I will cover are why is it important to have a club like this one and how are the people in the club benefiting from it.


The people I will interview are:
People in the club (gay and straight)
and
The club leader Karelia Stetz-Waters

Photo Essay

Tammy Johnson leading choir practice.

Judy Blackwood playing "What Child Is This?"

Tammy Johnson, Linda Wahto, Susie Moturie,
Walter Wandersleben, and Paul Wahto.

Susie Moturie, Walter Wandersleben, and Paul Wahto.

The Commuter story critique

Action in Nature Photo Show

Max Brown from The Commuter wrote a story about the annual art show on Friday, November 13th at 7:30 pm where photographers gather to show their photography skills.

The lead was intriguing and was written in a way where a person reading the piece could picture the auditorium in their head. It was very clean and well written.

The nut graf gave a lot of information, as intended to. The description of a few of the photographers was really good and since I didn't attend the show, it gave me an insight of what was shown.

I thought that the last quote by Haley Cobb was a bit rude and if it were me, I wouldn't have published it. “A few of the pictures were interesting,” Cobb said,“but after hearing about each and every plant I started to get a little bored.” I would be very embarrassed if it was me she was talking about, saying that she got bored after awhile. Hearing a description about every little flower and what not could be a little boring, but it is unnecessary to add a quote like that in a story read by many people in the Linn-Benton area.

The three things that stood out to me was the description of what the photographers showed, the unnecessary quote by Haley Cobb and the lack of links or where to get more information besides e-mailing someone.

There were no links in the story. Instead an e-mail address of Bob Ross was given.

Mug of Mohammad

International student Mohammad Sharifpoor.

Press Release Rewrite

The LBCC choir is presenting The Season of Light in Song and the tickets are on sale now.

Conductor James Reddan will be leading the LBCC Concert Choir, Men's Choir, and the Re-Choired Element in the Fall concert on Thursday, December 3 at 7:30 pm. The perfomance will take place in The Russell Tripp Performance Center Takena Hall. There will be no reserved seating and admission is $6.

You can purchase your ticket online at the On-line Box Office or in Takena Hall. Business Hours are Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m - noon, 1 - 2 p.m. & 1 hour prior to concert. They will be accepting cash, check, Mastercard, Visa or Discover card.

At A Glance:
Who - LBCC Concert Choir, Men's Choir, and the Re-Choired Element
What - Performing The Season of Light in Song
When - December 3, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Where - The Russell Tripp Performance Center Takena Hall LBCC, 6500 Pacific Blvd. SE, Albany
Cost - $6

For more information, please visit the following:
On-Line Box Office
Performing Arts Calender of Events



(Would interview James Reddan and a members of the choir.)

Jehoshua at a BMX competition

Jehoshua Cooper jumping a ramp at a Portland skate park.
He won second place during a competition that day.

Photo Critique #14

"Bombing for peace is like fucking for virginity"

I love hippies. Period.
This picture is so great because of the sign, of course.
It's funny because it's true.
I like how almost everything is blurred except the sign and the two subjects because they are the main focus.
The cropping is great. I wouldn't cut anymore off the picture.

Photo Critique #13

The colors of this photo really caught my attention. It's vintage-like and I love it.
I really like the faded colors.
I think the lighting is good but could be a little brighter.
There's a lot of dead space on the top. It could be cropped closer to make the picture better.
This is a fun photo because of the girl's body language.
It seems free and happy, and the balloons add to that feeling.

BMX Competition

Here are a few pictures of my boyfriend, Jehoshua, during a bmx competition.

Macy's Star Council Discusses Future Events

Every Friday at three, a Star Council meeting is held in Macy's department store at the Downtown Salem Center to discuss upcoming fundraisers.

About ten employees and three managers attend the meetings to discuss ways to improve the Macy's "family." The council plans events and activities to allow the employees to grow closer to one another while raising money for events like the annual Christmas party.

Star Council changes people every 6 months to get a variety of ideas and also to give all the employees a chance to speak their mind. During the meeting they discussed a variety of different activities that they're planning on doing within the next couple months.

Since the dress code at Macy's is very professional, Star Council has come up with some ideas to raise money by giving employees a chance to pay to wear more comfortable attire. During the football Civil War, employees get the chance to pay to wear a team shirt for $2. Also, because Black Friday is exhausting, especially for employees, they can get relief by paying $1 to wear tennis shoes for the day.

Star Council is also planning on selling candy cane grams for $1 each and doing a chilli bowl feed where one bowl of chilli costs $3 and with cornbread and a drink it will cost $5. Brenda Dawson adds, "I think that Star Council is great because they do neat little fundraisers that any employee can participate in."

"It's wonderful to know that in this day in age people are still supporting the economy by shopping. Even though the activities that Star Council provide are for store employees only, it allows shoppers to see that we know how to have a little fun too." says store employee Renee Garcia.

The meeting at Macy's went smoothly and was very successful. Ideas were coming non-stop and the positive energy was uplifting. Employers at Macy's know that it's not all about just selling clothes and making a profit. Being connected is very important to them. "We have some of the smartest and friendliest staff that I have ever seen. This makes Macy's a very enjoyable place to work at." said Kathy Marker.

Let's do the time warp.. every Saturday night!

The Denton Delinquents 2009
Photo Credit: The Denton Delinquents

Since April 1978, The Clinton Theater has presented the cult-classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show. But this isn't just an ordinary showing of the movie, not even close. While the classic is being screened in the background, the foreground is full of actors portraying the characters in the movie. Do audience members throwing rice, toast, and a deck of cards sound normal? Of course not. But at the Clinton Theater, a theater that has a small stage in front of the big screen, it is very normal. This exciting event takes place every Saturday night.

Every first and third Saturday of the month a theater group called the Clinton Street Cabaret take over the venue in an exciting performance and then on every second and fourth Saturday of the month, The Denton Delinquents act out the movie. Not only do they act it out, they mock it by making fun of the movie, in the most respectable way, every chance given.

On Halloween night, Rocky lovers experienced the show like never before. The Denton Delinquents performed at 7:30 pm and it was shocking how mature these teens were. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is known for being edgy and provocative, but that didn't stop these actors from performing the way the adults in the movie performed.

From being stripped in their undergarments to role-playing a short sex scene as a silhouette, by the end of the show viewers had forgotten how young the serious actors really were.

Mallory Adams who plays Magenta said, "Being in the Denton Delinquents and getting to act out my favorite movie is so great. I love all the cast members and I couldn't ask for anything better."

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a cult classic about a couple who, after a flat tire, end up at an alien-tyranny's mansion on a very important night. That evening is very special because it is the revealing of Dr. Frank N Furter's creation, "a man with blond hair and a tan" named Rocky Horror. Other members of the planet Transsexual Transylvania are there to celebrate as well. The couple are horrified yet intrigued by this new idea and soon forget that they simply just wanted to use the phone.

At midnight, the Clinton Street Cabaret took over the venue. This group of 20-40 somethings aspiring and for-fun actors knew every single line and rather than looking like they were acting, they made it real. The Delinquents were impressive, no doubt, but the Cabaret was far more believable. "I really love being able to transform into a tranny on the weekend. It's not something most guys would be comfortable doing" said the tranny-playing Jordan Salt.

The costumes and dramatic make up of those acting in front of the big screen closely resembled those in the movie and the majority of the lines were hit dead on. "This is, by far, the best thing I've ever done on a Saturday night and it was only $8. I just want to stay here forever! This is definitely a must-see!" said a Rocky-virgin, Sarai Avitt.

The Clinton Street Theater

The Denton Delinquents

Clinton Street Cabaret

Who: The Denton Delinquents and The Clinton Street Cabaret
What: The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Where: The Clinton Theater
When: Every Saturday Night at 7:30 and Midnight
Cost: $8

Photo critique #12

This picture caught my attention because of the lighting.

I like how the light is directly behind the girl. Also I like how it's mainly behind her head, this way you don't tend to look directly at her face but rather focus on the rest of the picture.

The cropping is perfect besides the top. I think the picture would look better if the top of her head wasn't cropped off.

I also like the coloring. It's very soft and warm.