PAY NO ATTENTION TO ANY OTHER POST!

Hey Gang,
     So we are getting away from this blogger stuff and we have moved to Tumblr.  We can now post photos, videos, quotes, audio, anything and everything we could ever want!  CLICK HERE to check it out, or just go to  our facebook and become our friend!  Goodnight and GoodLuck.

It Caught Up With Me

Well, It seems that all I am doing latly is working.  I'm actually having a really hard time making it to class on time or even at all.  For example, this week, I was working at Borders from 5:00pm - 10:30pm on Monday night.  after work, i went home and complete a couple videos for a client and I was doing that until 5:00am.  I had class at 9.  I didn't make it.  Life can get in the way sometimes but when it comes down to it, I would rather do what I love rather than something I don't.

So, hopefully life will be better after november passes, I know Borders is going to get insanly busy due to the holidays coming up and I'll probably get a lot of hours, however, I'm ok with that.  I'm still trying to figure out where school fits into all of this.  I have an associates degree in video production, and i'm working in video production and I think I just need to take a breather and take some fun classes that would be interesting to me.  I would love to take more Audio Production based classes but there are not a lot of options for that.  J.D. Kiggins is the person you would want to talk to if your interested in audio production such as radio or recording. 

So, I dropped 7 credits and am now down to 2.  Life is interesting now because it's a lot more stress free with only taking one class. 

All in all, life is better, Still busy, but better.

-Nathanael

Time becomes a distent relative when you do what i'm doing

Well hello there. it's been such a long time since i've talked to you.  Now, believe me when I say that I had ever intention of writting to you this summer and sometimes...well, thigs just don't work out the way you plan.  Actually, nothing ever turns out the way you plan does it? 

Well this summer was really interesting, I DIDN'T spend my time by a river relaxing with a good C.S. Lewis novel or play video games until the crack of dawn.  Nope, myself and 3 other people started a company.  It's called Gradient Productions.  You can check us out here and contact us if you're interested in what we have to offer.  So, creating a company can be expensive and time consuming so it's nice that the four of us can actually stand eacher.  In the midst of starting the company we have become well known around town as the "Creative company to go to when you want quality and a good price."  You can check out some of our full length pieces of work HERE (watch SILK: The story behind the espresso) and you can see our international award winning cmmercial HERE (Check out SILK Commercial #2).

Now, school just started this past monday and it's been pretty hectic.  I'm taking all music classes and that's always amazing for sure, however it's a little time consuming as well.  The classes are going to be really good and I feel like I have a leg up because i've been playing music for so long. 

In the midst of school i'm on the S.O.A.R. team.  This is a fun experience, pays for my tuition and is a great opportuniy to 1. blog 2. vlog and 3. lead tours which is really awesome.  Thisis a great job and i'm glad that I only am doing the part time portion because I don't think I could handle full tie.  Why you ask?  well...

I also just recently got a job at BORDERS and it's been really awesome.  I think the thing I like about it most is the people that I get encounter and the people I work with are actually pretty cool.  Also, there is not really a dress code, I like that i can be buisness casual and not have to worry about a uniform.  I'm allowed to pretty much be comfortable every time I go to work...that my friends is worth it in it self.

and finally, but not least on ANY level!  I have a girlfriend.  We've been dating for just about 9 months and she is incredible.  I miss her dearly because I don't get to see her as much as i would want to.  We haven't gone on a date in a really long time and that's one of my favorite things to do is to hang out with her.  However, we do work together at Gradient Productions so that's nice, however, it's mostly all buisness stuff so it's not really my girlfriend, she is more of a co-worker in those moments so as you could assume, it's frustrating.

so, let's see if I have covered my bases.  This is what's going on:
School
      3 music classes
Work
     S.O.A.R.
     Borders
Personal
      Girlfriend
      Family
      Friends

THERE IS ONE MORE THING I WANT TO TELL YOU!!!!!!

This weekened I'm getting away from it all!  I'm heading to Los Angeles and I'm going to tour some schools.  I'm looking at New York Film Academy (on the backlot of Universal Studios), University of Southern California (School of Cinematic Arts and Throten School of Music for Film Scoring) and finally, Chapmen University (the film program there)

I'll be taking ot's of pictures so be awaiting that.  Maybe I'll even make a vlog while I'm there.  Who knows what will happen.  That's for stopping by and I hope to talk to you soon.

-Nathanael

Vlog # 3 - Meeting Jimmy (The Interesting Student )

Scholarship Screwup #3: Cry Me a River

by Josh Barsch - http://www.givemescholarships.com

Hardships: We all have them, right? If you read as many scholarship applications as I do, you’d certainly think so. With college costs spiraling upward every year and families pinched for cash to pay for it all, students are going all-out to make sure the committees understand how rough they have it.  But the truth is, we don’t all have hardships. We’re all busy, we all have pesky annoyances and long to-do lists, that’s for sure. But we don’t all have true hardships. Let me clarify the difference:

Zip it, kid.

* If your parents were killed when you were a baby and you were raised in an orphanage, that’s a unique hardship. If you were raised in Suburbia and had to share your 2,600 square-foot house with three wild and crazy brothers, that’s not.

* If you had to get a job at age 8 to help your family pay rent, that’s a hardship. If you had to get a job at 16 to pay for your first car, that’s not.

* If you were hit by a BMW and finished your senior year telecommuting from the intensive care unit, that’s a hardship. If you had to take a part-time job at the hospital to fix the body damage you did to your BMW by hitting that other person, that’s not.

Making sense yet? If you mention a hardship in your scholarship application, be sure it’s really a hardship. One thing you’ve got to remember when you’re applying for scholarships is that scholarship committees receive thousands of essays every week from students with thousands of different backgrounds, many of whom come from Third World countries in Africa and Asia. Some have led extremely difficult lives and have overcome obstacles so outlandish that Americans can’t even comprehend them. These are the type of stories that scholarship judges are accustomed to reading. By comparison, American student essays sound a little, well, spoiled and whiny. Here are a couple of examples of people with actual hardships vs. people who are just very busy:

Britney from Eden Prairie: “After running 3-5 miles every night at track practice, sometimes my body is so exhausted when I go home that I can barely finish my homework without falling asleep at my desk.”
Belanor from Central America: “After running seven miles to get to school in the morning, I am so exhausted that I can barely stay awake. If we had desks, I would fall asleep in mine, but we don’t; we study on the cold dirt floor.”

Molly from Oak Park: “As a senior, of course, I have an extremely hectic schedule. Of course I’m in school all day Monday through Friday, but on Tuesday and Thursday nights I have advanced piano lessons for 90 minutes as soon as I get home from school, on Wednesdays I have church group and I work the breakfast shift at Burger King on Saturdays and Sundays. I endure this difficult life because I know that it will pay off in the end.”

Mbutu from Zambia: “On Tuesdays, I walk 12 miles to the refugee camp at sunrise to receive our large bag of rice and flour from the U.N. so that my village can eat. Because the bag weighs 45 pounds, it takes all day and night Wednesday to return home with the bag. On Thursday, I pass out from exhaustion while my neighbors begin to cook flatbread for the children…” And so on.

If it sounds like I’m making light of other people’s misery, I’m not. These are pretty much spot-on descriptions of some of the essays I’ve read. So if you haven’t had to overcome insurmountable odds, that’s fine — that’s the case for most of us lucky enough to be born in the in the United States, at least. But don’t go overboard trying to convince the committee that your life is truly difficult if, in fact, it’s really only busy.

Now, a point of clarification: This doesn’t mean that just because you weren’t orphaned by Sudanese warlords at age 9 that you can’t win a scholarship by talking about any challenges you’ve met. You can and should talk about those challenges. Judges love to hear about challenges overcome. Just keep your perspective and resist the urge to call these challenges “hardships” or something similarly melodramatic, because trust me — we’ve read about every imaginable type of hardship, and we know and appreciate the definition of the word.

Free Play Tonight with MHCC ID

dear sunshine...

What the hell?
Where did u go? I mean i dont have your job but I would think hanging out in the sky all day isnt THAT HARD of a job.. infact i image it to be quite intertaining.
All the funny people running around here on earth trying to soak as much of you in as possible. entertaining yourself with watching ALL the people who should wear tons of clothes trying to put on as few as possible and even watching those regretful bunch rubbing aloe all over themselves..
seriously,
Get back here.

Ways to Distract Yourself & Keep Busy This Week:

• Want a School Job?

If you’re interested in getting involved on campus next year, apply to be a part of the Associated Student Government or the Student Activities Board. It’s a great learning experience and it helps pay for school. Applications are due Wednesday the 26th at noon and are available at www.mhcc.edu/asg or in the College Center.

• Student Success Seminars:

http://www.mhcc.edu/StudentServices.aspx?id=419

• The Cantor Set –Sara Williams

Join the Dead Mathematicians’ Society in learning about the Cantor Set Tuesday at 3:15 in room 1573.

• Calling all Men

The Men’s Forum will be held in Room 1008 Friday from 12-1:00. Talk about what it means to be a man and how to be the man you want to be.

• Laser Tag

FREE laser tag! Wednesday from 7-10:00 p.m. at Lazer Planet. Bring your student ID.

• WorldView: Rhone Valley

David Wright and Nathalie Wright will be presenting their experiences from France’s Rhone Valley. Thursday from 12-1:00 in room 1600.

• Men’s Baseball

Watch Mt. Hood vs. Clackamas Thursday at 1:00 at the Baseball Field.

• Volunteer Literacy Tutoring

Student Volunteers wanted every Saturday from 10:30 to 1:30 in room 3333.

• NWAACC Tournament

Cheer on your NWAACC champion softball team as they defend their title. There’s a schedule at http://www.nwaacc.org/

Questions? Email asgdc@mhcc.edu or stop by the ASG office.

Diversity Weeks

This is week two of Diversity Weeks here are some great events to check out.

TODAY - May 18th - Movie Screening - 4pm - Visual Arts Theater

Wednesday - May 19th - Movie Screening - 4pm - Visual Arts Theater

Wednesday - May 19th -Native Nations - 11am-2pm - Main Mall
Thursday - May 20th -Where We Stand: Understanding Privilege and Becoming Better Allies - 11am-2pm - Main Mall
Thursday - May 20th - Diversity Dinner: A Night in the Middle East - Main Mall - 4-7pm
Thursday - May 20th - Dialogues on Culture - Town & Gown - 6:30pm

Scholarship Screwup #4: Give Us Some Vague, Self-Absorbed Plans for Your Future

by Josh Barsch - http://www.givemescholarships.com


A rule of thumb in scholarship essays (and life, if you will) is that it’s better to be specific than to be vague. Society is accustomed to using vague labels for people and what they do: student, businessman, housewife, factory worker, etc. These labels are convenient for the normal “small-talk” conversations that fill our daily lives.

Nothings wrong with wanting tons of money. You may want to tell the committee something different, though.

But your scholarship committee is a different audience. We want to know what’s different about you, and how you stand out from the millions of other people in this country alone who call themselves “students.” Even among those who have specific plans for their lives, there are big differences, and in a scholarship competition, it’s up to you to give the judges details about what you actually plan to be doing in the future, rather than just dropping a label on yourself. Let’s consider the example of students who aspire to be doctors.

If you tell the scholarship committee that you want to be a doctor, that sounds pretty good. If you say that you want to be a doctor who performs research that leads to new drugs to reduce the effects of Alzheimer’s, or that you want to work to improve dental health among inner-city children, or open a practice in the country in order to improve elderly care in under-served rural areas — that sounds exceptional.

The more specific you are, the more your essay is going to resonate with the committee, and it’s not hard to see why. Saying you want to be a doctor is nice, but it just doesn’t mean a lot unless you say why you want to be a doctor and what you’ll be doing once you’re in that career.

And now, on to the second part: It’s a good idea to talk about your future plans in terms of how you’ll be helping others. If you plan on becoming a teacher or a nurse or another job that’s strongly associated with community service, then this will be pretty easy; however, your future plans don’t have to be 100% charity work in order to do this effectively. Well-compensated professionals of all types are responsible for helping people in countless ways.

Of course, there’s an elephant in the room here that we need to acknowledge. For a great many people, the biggest (and sometimes only) reason for working toward a certain profession is the fat salary it promises. Many doctors and lawyers care less about helping people than having a Benz in the garage and a vacation house on the beach. In that case, I say — more power to you, and I hope you get it all! (If you do, please remember little old me who helped you get there). But when it’s time to write about your career aspirations on your scholarship application, then you should lie.

Lie? Yes, lie. Remember again — this is not a book about morals and ethics. It’s a book about how to win. And in this case, honesty is not the best policy.

What’s wrong with expressing a desire to make a good honest buck? I mean, isn’t the desire to get rich at least part of the legendary American Dream? Yes indeed — I’m right there with you (hey, I don’t give the book away for free, do I?). But let’s have a practical moment here: Who’s reading these scholarship essays and deciding whether you should win?

You guessed it — mostly teachers and other education professionals. And as you know, teachers don’t exactly make boatloads of money. They gave up any dreams of big paychecks when they chose a more service-oriented, feel-good job. So a lust for money and material possessions is not going to resonate terribly well with these people.

Remember: Scholarship judges are normal people, and it’s normal to gravitate toward people whose interests are similar to your own. Therefore, we can assume that teachers will tend to empathize with students for whom wealth is secondary to service. If that doesn’t describe you, then do your best acting job, at least until you’re done with your application.
Until next time, good luck!

LAYING DOWN FOR VARIOUS REASONS.

Hello.  It's been a couple weeks since i've been able to come and talk to you.  I've been a little busy...WRONG! I've been a lot busy!  For the past two Fridays I was filming my final film.  The first weekend went terrific, the second weekend....became the weekend we do not speak of.

FIRST WEEK
Pretty much we got to our location in Corbett and shot our footage...It was a good time.

SECOND WEEK
It was hell....Things went wrong, people didn't show...It was terrible.

So, what am I doing this Friday you ask?  I'm laying in bed being sick.  My noes is running, I'm dizzy, lightheaded and hesitant to move all that much.  I took some nyquil last night and that stuff is amazing.

So i'm sorry that there will be no video blog from me this week.  I will make it up to you I promos.  When my film is done you will be among the first to watch it :)

Well, Life at school is pretty good, I had a sociology midterm and I am not to sure about it.  I think I got a lot of them right but I tend to second guess myself.

Well, i'm about out of energy...Have a wonderful day.

Sincerely
       Nathanael Sams

Scholarship Screwup #5: Ignore the World Outside High School

Ignore the World Outside High School
by Josh Barsch - http://www.givemescholarships.com

The average scholarship applicant lists a truckload of school-sanctioned activities in which he/she has participated over the four years of high school. Sports teams, clubs, projects, competitions, etc. This can only be a good thing, right? After all, that’s what your parents and counselors have been telling you all along — the more stuff you participate in, clubs you join, activities you do, etc., the more well-rounded student you appear to be. And that’s all true, but it’s not the end of the story.

These people are trapped in high school. You are not.

Frankly, school-related activities on their own just aren’t enough to grab a scholarship committee’s attention anymore. In addition to these common activities, you’ve got to go beyond the high school stuff if you want to grab the big scholarship bucks. Here’s why: The Internet has opened scholarship opportunities up to thousands of applicants who wouldn’t have been competing with you for this scholarship 10 years ago. And that means the less unique your essay is, the more likely it is that you’ll be passed over for the scholarship.
And about 99% of the application essays that students are writing these days talk about nothing but common high-school stuff: sports teams, clubs, groups — basically, I’m talking about any group they take a picture of for the yearbook. If there’s nothing but “high school stuff” in your essay, it’ll just be part of one big blur to the scholarship committee, and it’ll end up in the trash. They see literally hundreds of essays come in with that same stuff in them every single day. Not even a scroll of AP classes and high SAT scores are going to set you significantly apart from your competitors.

So does that mean you’re a loser, you and your four years of science club, soccer team, dance team, school play and varsity band? Of course not — that’s all great stuff and you should be glad you did it. But on its own, it’s not going to win you much scholarship money. The cold reality of the Internet age is that you’ve got to go beyond the ordinary to win big money — and, sadly, four years chock full of school activities is now considered ordinary.
 

Publish Post

You’ll have to dig for something deeper, better, more unique.
 

vote, see a play and get to the dance...

What’s Going On?! 5/3 – 5/9


Brought to you by the Associated Student Government and Student Activities Board

• VOTE

Vote for next year’s ASG president and vice president Monday from 12:01 a.m. to Thursday, May 6th 11:59 p.m. Go to www.mhcc.edu/vote

• Call of Nature News

Check out our first issue of the Call of Nature News in bathroom stalls by the Library, the Bookstore, and Vista Dining Hall. Feel free to email us with suggestions. Staff can e-mail asgdc@mhcc.edu to get a CNN request form to advertise MHCC events.
• Student Success Seminars:

Check out the huge list of seminars to help you be a more productive student.

http://www.mhcc.edu/StudentServices.aspx?id=419


• LAST home Softball game

The lady Saints battle Clackamas on Friday at 3:00 at the Softball Field. Say good-bye to your sophomore Saints and come support your team!

• Calling all Men

The Men’s Forum will be held in Room 1008 Friday from 12-1:00. Talk about what it means to be a man and how to be the man you want to be. This week’s topic is sexuality.


• Cirque De La Soiree

2010 Spring Dinner Dance is May 8th from 6-11:00 p.m. at the Bossanova Ballroom. Get your tickets in the College Center. Only $10!


• Godspell

The MHCC Theater Department presents Godspell Thursday and Friday at 7:30 and Sunday at 2:00 in the Studio Theater. Tickets are $15.

• Barney’s Pantry

Non-perishable food for students in need is in Barney’s Pantry located in the College Center.



Questions or Comments? Email asgdc@mhcc.edu

STRESS.. secret killer?

Does anyone out there feel like their head is going to explode?
classes, work, friends, homework, personal time, sleep, time to eat.... i cant find enough time for any of these things.. Do you know that this week i have REPEATEDLY  forgotten to eat and realized it like a day or two later only when i start feeling weak and dizzy..
its put a strain on my relationships and my mental capacity to fix problems. how is this fair?
i find this humorous how for 1 1/2yrs the load is even and relaxed (dare i say fun?) and then the last 1/2yr you are dumped on! (literally with the elements in oregon). its like slacking has occurred all year long from the teachers and they decide that last few months is their last chance to do their job right...
grrr
as a student i say. "thats crap!" i mean seriously!
is there any other students out there who agree with this? Im cool with doing the work... but be straight with us and give it to me all year long and not in the end...
and dont give me any of this "oh this is how it happens in the real world" garbage.. cuz let me tell you... if this is how it happens in the real world.... ID FIRE YOUR ASS. so put that on your resumes!

sincerely,

Disgruntled Student

Scholarship Screwup #6: Forget About Family

by Josh Barsch- http://www.givemescholarships.com

Yesterday I wrote about how school activities alone weren’t enough to win you scholarships, and that sent some of you into a panic. Seems many readers have been banking quite heavily on those school activities to win you some money. Not to worry: Today and tomorrow, we’re addressing how to beef up those applications and cash in on the mistakes of the other 99% of your classmates. You don’t have to cure cancer or stop global warming to win a scholarship — you just need to have a little more information than your classmates. And thanks to these emails, you’re going to have a LOT more. Here are two tips that will kick your scholarship applications into high gear and leave your friends in the dust (sorry, friends, but it’s a dog-eat-dog world out there).

Blood is thicker than water. Capisce?

Don’t forget your family. I know that we on the scholarship committees miss some incredible stories every day when our applicants write scholarship essays and mention absolutely nothing about the role they play in their own families. Let me say this clearly: your role in your own family is not as important as your school activities – it’s MORE important. Hey, let’s be honest: School will be over in a few years, but your family is around forever. Members of the cheerleading squad or the football team or the science club will forget your name in 10 years (trust me, it’s true — I’ve been to class reunions), but your family never will.

Probably the biggest crying shame in the entire world of scholarships is that, for years, thousands of excellent students have been passed over for scholarships. They are the students who have had no time to participate in extracurricular activities because they had to care for their families or work paying jobs to do so. Worse yet, those students are made to feel like they shouldn’t even apply, because they’re not “active” enough.
That’s the biggest and most unfair load of garbage I’ve ever heard, and don’t let anyone sell it to you. If you’re so busy with family responsibilities that you can’t involve yourself in student organizations, then you may just have a stronger application than those who do. But remember: We can’t give you credit for your family responsibilities if you don’t tell us what they are! So by all means, if it’s applicable to you, go into detail about how you spend time doing things for your family.

In the particular case of our company’s scholarships, we’ve always given heavy weight to “work ethic,” and that’s as applicable to those who work hard in their homes and at paying jobs as it is to those who work hard on the varsity field or inside the school walls. Our unwavering advice for scholarship essays is this: Tell your story, regardless of where it takes place.

 

This Week My Life...

Get Excited for the first VIDEO BLOG!!!!!





So, There has been a lot going on this week and I'm not really sure how to put it into words. I have been swamped with homework from my documentary film class, Having to write a treatment (basically a short story for a documentary that I want to do), Then trying to understand and keep up with Sociology, Then having to go up to Mt. Hood and follow the Natural Resource crew around and get some footage of them for their promo and short documentary, Then working on the film festival, plus all my independent work such as Silk Espresso projects, Working on a missions Video for Travis and Alexis and polishing up some videos that I did last term...as you can see i've been busy.
It was hard for me to find time for this blog because it was my girlfriends birthday this week and We went out to dinner at Pastali's which is a phenomenal place to eat, then we went and saw two movies. We saw "The Joneses" and "The Ghost Writer" These were both really good movies and If you like Independent movies, Go check those out.
Well, I'm not going to write too much more because i'm a little tired honestly and who are we kidding...You probably didn't make it this far...and if you did, I thank you and bid you farewell, thanks for dropping by.
-Nathanael Sams

Scholarship Screwup #7: Give No Details

by Josh Barsch- http://www.givemescholarships.com

Over the past two days, I’ve written about how school activities alone aren’t enough to win you scholarships, and that worried some of you quite a bit. Fear not, friends: today we’re continuing yesterday’s discussion of how to beef up those applications and cash in on the mistakes of your classmates. Here’s a huge but simple tip:

Brevity is good. Withholding key details is bad.

Talk about what you’ve actually done – not just the groups you’ve joined. Sure, you were in your church’s youth group. And you can put “Four years in my church youth group” in your application if you want. But if you do that, you’re not telling me much. Since I haven’t been to your church, I don’t know what your church’s youth group does. For all I know, you could be building full-scale models of Noah’s Ark and doing research at the Dead Sea, or you could all be taking a one-hour nap every Sunday. I have no idea. You have to tell me.

Set yourself apart, then, by talking about what you did over that time. Let’s say you spend four years in your church youth group serving meals to the homeless one day a week in a soup kitchen. Maybe you served an average of 150 people on each of those days in the soup kitchen (it’s OK to give an honest estimate — you’re not expected to be exact on matters like this). There are 208 weeks in four years, and that means you served 31,200 meals to homeless people during high school.

Now that’s impressive. But I’d have never known about it if all you put on your scholarship application was “Spent 4 years in church youth group,” now would I? If you want us to know you’re industrious, you have to tell us what you’ve done. That makes the difference between a boring, commodity essay and one that makes the committee’s eyes pop.

Organizing

So, I'm sure you've heard of our moving into a smaller, more uncomfortable cubicle.  It's been interesting this past week to be working right across from our supervisors, Pros - I can easily ask them questions, Cons= it's harder to get away with stuff.  Just kidding, but all kidding aside, I have some pictures for you.  You see, part of our move required us to find a new place to store all of our brochures in a different place....well there are thousands!  Here's what we should have done, We should have put a label on them when we were moving, that would have made life so much easier.  But we didn't, so it is my tast to begin organizing these things.  I started yesterday and as you can see in the photos, It was not a very big container and yet there were so many different kinds of brochures.  It was a little daunting.  Also in the photos I put some pictures of the shelves...you see all those boxes...yeah, those are all full of brochures...NOT COOL PEOPLE!

Other than that things are good.  Well, this term is going to be super busy and i'm not sure i'm ready for that, I'm graduating, I'm on the soar team, I'm taking 17 credit hours which is including a Sociology class where I don't know what the Hell I'm doing.  It's a little rough.  I am excited though because our production class is working on a video for Mt. Hood and I get to do all the music, I wish I could figure out how to put an audio sample on here so you could hear it and tell me what you think.  Oh well, I'm excited for that though...

Maybe I should come up with a witty catch phrase for my blog...like "Nathanael Sams, Someone Of Excellence"  Or "THE NEVER ENDING STORY"  That's actually the name of my other blog at nathanaelsams.blogspot.com  However, I haven't made any blogs up there...Don't worry I will.

Well, Enjoy my photos, I know that I did, and just be thankful it's not you...it's me.

-Nathanael Sams

everyone has a plan...

PLAN:
–noun
1.a scheme or method of acting, doing, proceeding, making, etc., developed in advance: battle plans.
–verb (used without object)
1.to make plans: to plan ahead; to plan for one's retirement.

my definiton:
- A CRUTCH ONE USES TO AVOID ENJOYING THE MOMENT AN A FEEBLE ATTEMPT TO CONTROL ONES FUTURE -

what is it with people?!?! In the past week I've been asked MULTIPLE TIMES about my "plans for after graduation"... "umm.. to live my life and have fun doing it..." If i answer their question this way 9 times outta 10 i get a look of "well thats a terrible plan". the other 1 person laughs it off as though ive just told them a fantastic joke! wow! I would hate to give my life a set of guidelines and demands that i have very little control over! ITS NOT A WONDER THAT PEOPLE HAVE MID-LIFE CRISIS' OR THAT PEOPLE COMMIT SUICIDE! an to think the majority of the people i pass in the hallways here at MHCC at some point in their lives will look back on what theyve done and then judge themselves all based on "how well they followed the PLAN" its really sad and very ironic.
here's another thing i have to say, sure i went to school for video production but thats not the only thing im skilled in. God loved me enough to give me the happiness an skills to try new things and not be afraid of change. so what if i dont end up in production. but i can tell you this: whatever i do im going to be happy surrounded by people i love and a vast contentment with myself.
Thank you big JC...

Scholarship Screwup #8: Preach To Me

by Josh Barsch http://www.givemescholarships.com

Scholarship essays are certainly about self-expression, and lots of applications ask open-ended questions about how you, the forward-thinking leader of tomorrow, might solve today’s problems. That gives you full license to come out with your ideas on how to change things, and in so doing, you’ll probably find yourself pointing out the flaws of society — i.e., the things that need to be changed. But be careful about getting on a “high horse” and sounding too judgmental or preachy, or giving the impression that solutions to the world’s problems are obvious.


Leave the moralizing and proselytizing to the televangelists.
Let me point out why this is important. There are legions of intelligent young people out there, but maturity eludes many of them. Intelligence is cheap. Maturity is priceless. If I had to choose a single most important quality in scholarship winners, it would be maturity. Show maturity in your essays and you’ll be much more likely to bring home a check.

Why is this? It’s because you’re headed into a make-or-break stage of your life when you hit college. The things you do there — even seemingly small things — will have an immense, life-altering effect on your future. And it’s maturity, not raw intelligence, that is your key to handling those situations successfully. You may be a wizard at literature or science or economics or whatever, but if you can’t handle the pressures of the world, you’re likely to flame out and not meet the goals you have for yourself right now.

As scholarship judges, we don’t want to give money to people who are going to flame out. We want to give money to the ones who are going to make it. Hence, we look for and place great value on maturity. Got it? OK.

So, how do we tell who’s mature and who’s not? Well, it’s an inexact science, to be sure. But one of the hallmarks of maturity in young people is their ability to balance their own big ideas with the knowledge that the world is complex, and that they still have a lot to learn. The world is a complex place, and solutions to society’s most difficult problems are hard to find. That doesn’t mean you can’t help solve them someday; it just means that, if we’re talking about a real problem, it’s not going to be easy to solve.

With that in mind, if you catch yourself writing overly simplistic phrases such as, “If more people would just…” or “The world would be a better place if we would just wake up and realize,” remember that the problems you’re talking about probably don’t have solutions as simple as you think. I’m not positive, but few major problems have ever been solved by a collective bunch of folks all spontaneously “waking up and realizing” anything. Your scholarship judges are educated and know this all too well. Preachy proposals will likely lead to some eye-rolling when your essay is being read, and that’s not good for you.

Moving on up

Well it's official, the SOAR team has moved locations. Just to let you know, THIS WAS NOT AT ALL CONVIENENT. We had to SQEEZE around eachother to pack boxes (Which I'm very good at), haul stuff from the downstairs Hostel to the Upstairs offices of our fearless leaders. Let's just say that I've never smelled so many different senses :) Just kidding. I did however get my yearly dose of R&B which included everything from old Usher to the new sound of "Brithday Sex" (Heard that song twice by the way).

As most of you know who read this, this was finals week. It was full of difficult study sessions and nail biting test taking. Luckily, because i'm an integrated Media Student and I study Video Production, I didn't really have any finals, I literally had some projects due, a notebook of semester long work and a mock TV Station Operation situation...See what I did there...I made it into a song...wow, too much R&B for sure.

So, I'm currently sitting in the advising office waiting for my girlfriend (a prospective student) to get all of her classes figured out. I'm actually sitting right behind the wall where Jessica (SOAR team "Boss") is sitting. I'm listening to her describe the photography program...would it be weird if I asked her if I could give this person a tour....and now i just talked to Jessica and I think i creeped her out.

Has anybody noticed what a sunny beautiful day it is. It's 63 degrees outside and amazing!

So, I have some exciting news that nobody will probably be as excited as I am, but i'm going to say it anyway. I got FINAL CUT PRO 7 LAST NIGHT!!!!!!


It's amazing, It's a fantastic editing program and it's top of the line, it's going to be so much easier to do everything that I need to finish. I installed it on two computers last night, my laptop and my home desktop...it's amazing.

I also just bought a guitar pickup. I've needed one for over a year and it's a killer deal. It's a $140 pick up for $55 bucks!!!!! it's such a good deal and such an incredible sound that comes out of it. I love it.

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not sure how it's going to work, but i'm going to try and post VLOGS...WHich in case you don't know, they are video blogs, so instead of you having to read about everything i'm doing you can actually just watch the video and see who I am and associate my brilliantly written words with my amazing face...ish here.

I'm not sure i have anything else to really say so I'm going to leave it at that.

Goodbye and Until next time

Sincerely
Nathanael Sams
SOAR Team Memeber

Scholarship Screwup #9: Bore Me With Irrelevant Stuff

by Josh Barsch - http://www.givemescholarships.com/2009/07/26/scholarship-screwup-9-bore-me-with-irrelevant-crap/

I know, I know – that’s an abrasive way of putting it for those of you who are easily wounded. In other words, then, do yourself a favor: exclude any unnecessary information that has nothing to do with your essay. Everything in your essay should be relevant to the topic at hand.
This is us after we read most scholarship essays.

This is us after we read most scholarship essays.

We receive bad examples of staying on topic every day. They’re the essays that start like this: “My name is Jane Doe, and I was born in Hershey, Pennsylvania on My mother is a dental hygienist and my father is a mortgage broker, and I have two brothers and two sisters. I attend Kennedy High School, where I am a senior.”

Unless you’re somehow going to tie that information into some critically important part of your essay, the committee doesn’t care a lick about any of it; instead, it sounds suspiciously like you’re trying to fill up space on the page and nothing more.

Unless you’re bringing up things like your birthplace, parents and siblings in order to shed light on your unique upbringing – let’s say, you were born to crack-addicted parents in Miami who dropped you off in the Everglades as a newborn, but a family of alligators took you in and raised you as one of their own, and that’s the reason you’ve been captain of the varsity swim team since age 11 – then info like this is a waste of space and a waste of the committee’s time. We call it “commodity information.” Everyone has a birth date, a school and a hometown, and unless yours have some sort of special significance, leave them out of your essay.

Top 10 Scholarship Screwup's

Scholarship Screwup #10: Act Like You’ll Starve If You Don’t Win
from - www.givemescholarships.com

Judges know that you would very much like to receive the scholarships that you apply for. It’s natural for you to have some emotional stock in whether you win or not. College costs are serious business, and every dime you can get someone else to pick up for you, the better.

Creatively making ends meet is what it's all about.
But in hundreds of applications over the years, we’ve seen applicants taking this to extreme levels. Time after time, students write that if they don’t receive this very scholarship, they probably won’t be able to attend college. Or they won’t be able to pay the rent, or they’ll be kicked out into the streets (I’m not exaggerating here).

Now I admit that one of my purposes in creating the Give Me Scholarships site and writing the book is to help you manipulate the scholarship judges and, where appropriate, play on their emotions to your advantage. But remember, it’s a fine line. You must be careful about how hard to try to tug on the judges’ heartstrings. There are a couple of reasons why laying on the desperation in a scholarship essay is a bad idea:

1) It puts undue and unwelcome pressure on the scholarship committee. Judges are human, and no one wants to feel like the person who flushed a kid’s educational dreams down the toilet, or worse yet, got you tossed out of your apartment and onto the streets. Committee members have a heart, but they also have a job to do, and that’s to select the most qualified applicant. By suggesting that you won’t make it without them, you put them in a bind. How? Well, you’re not the only one doing it! There are a dozen stories a week just like these. And when there’s one scholarship to give and 12 people (this week) who say they can’t make ends meet without the award, then it’s a lot easier for the committee to trash all 12 and get back to its job of selecting the most qualified applicant.

2)From a more practical standpoint, you should never depend on receiving any one scholarship. The odds are always stacked against you (although less so now that you’re reading these emails), and placing your hopes on one award is like putting all your money on one roulette number. Always have a backup plan. Always investigate all your student loan options, grants, jobs, etc. Even someone with all the inside info in the Superpack shouldn’t bank on receiving scholarships if at all possible. Develop your educational plan first, including costs and how to pay for them; then, as you receive scholarships, start erasing sources of funds like loans and jobs as they’re no longer needed.

For Scholarship Screwup #9 Check back next week!

Everyone has one... admit it..

we try not to admit it.. to over look it.. we even try to ignore the fact we all have one of these. we DEFINITELY MAKE EXCUSES...
But lets face it. its there and its NOT going anywhere. not even if we begged, paid, threatened or tricked. they don't move, they're loud and usually opinionated. I've often wondered where they come from... is it some genetics that went haywire early on or does it spawn from a long lasting infection of bad history and poor attitudes? either way, it now lives in the back row of the one room i have to spend the most time in.. ABSOLUTELY UNAVOIDABLE. its totally unfortunate that mine has to interrupt my life at its most busy time.. the time where i have the most homework, projects an finals to contend with.
When I asked others how they handle theirs, i was surprised to hear the response of "nothing"..
Is it possible??
NOT FOR ME.. mine is HUGE!!! UNBEARABLE!!! OBNOXIOUS EVEN!!!
always back there in the back row.. with their snide comments and disrespecting demeanor. its enough to make me want to control S, minimize my final cut pro, disconnect my mac keyboard an ping them in the head with it all the way from the front row.
we all have those wanna be class clowns, that are really just sarcastic A-holes...
You know, they say that patience is a virtue... but if i have to be patient much longer that "virtue" is going to turn into a "verdict" from a jury of my peers...

(LAC)
`amee`

This Week At MHCC

•African American Heritage Week
(First 20 participants at each event get $5 gift certificates to the Vista or St. Helens Bistro!!)
-Monday: Remember The Titans with popcorn 12-2:00 in the Vista
-Tuesday: Rap 101 with Eric C. Davis + free food 12:30-1:30 in the Vista
-Wednesday: Black History Month Jeopardy 12-1:00 in the Vista

• Afrocentric Culture Fair
Enjoy foods from various black cultures, a fashion show, dancers, and speakers Thursday from 6-8:00 in the Vista.

• Student Success Seminars this week:
Job Search Strategies, Overcoming Procrastination, How to Write a Resume, and Understanding Your Learning Style.
Dates and times: http://www.mhcc.edu/pages/1853.asp

• Say What?!
Come to the Lake Room Thursday 12:30-1:30 and have a discussion about what a Pacific Islander is and what they are really like with RICE club.

• Knowledge Beyond Borders
Come hear Luis Guzman from The National Roundtable Against Metallic Mining in El Salvador to learn about how metallic mining effects the Pacific Rim. Also, hear a panel of foreign-born MHCC students talk about the effects of these mining processes on their communities. Thursday from 3-5:00.

• King Lear
Audiences will be delighted by the timeless tragedy and betrayal of the Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) Theatre Arts department’s rendition of William Shakespeare’s “King Lear” and can enjoy a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception before the show opening night. Come see the show Friday at 7:30, Saturday at 7:30 or Sunday at 2:00. For more info and to order tickets go to http://www.mhcc.edu/pages/101.asp?item=725

Any Questions? Come to the ASG office in the back of the College Center
or e-mail us at asgdc@mhcc.edu

I'll get right on that... *eye roll*

Is anyone else out there getting ready to graduate?
Like were not already stressing about making sure we've taken the right classes (which i haven't), having time for homework, family & friends (which i don't), getting enough sleep to fend off illnesses (not a chance) and praying to god that i can do this (can i get an amen!?) but NOW my teachers have SUDDENLY decided that i have NOTHING to doing besides their class..
right now.. i seriously have;
4 senior projects im helping with
1 senior project im directing (mine)
3 classroom videos
1 on air sports show (apparently)
and
1 soar budgeting project
.... i know im forgetting something..
anyways, everyone is like " oh just take it home and work on it there.." LIKE I HAVE TIME FOR THAT!! and then i show up for class an we dont do a damn thing.. talk about a waste of my time!!
something needs to change..
OH!! RIGHT! And i have 1 job! thats the thing i was forgetting earlier.. ugh.. kill me
`amee`

What do you think about....?

Hey, so for all of you who might read this post, I would like to get some feedback from you: would you pay $15 dollars for a dance ticket?
Please let me know if you would. (jonatan_lopez_10@live.com)

I'm new here......Where do I go now?

Hello, My name is Nathanael. I'm one of two new members of the soar team, it's nice to meet you. I'm a student in the Integrated Media Program studying Video Production. I will be graduating this June (2010). I'm not to sure what I will be doing after but I will continue doing free lance work. I'm experienced with Final Cut Pro, After Effects (Motion Graphics), Logic Pro and various other Mac Based Programs.

I'm an Apple Finatic. I love Apple Products, I own an Iphone, Macbook Pro, 27 inch Imac, and several Ipods. So you can see my guilty facination with apple.

I'm pretty new to the Soar team but it's been a fun time so far, not to mention that they pay for 6 credits of my 12, so that's nice.

This week has been pretty laid back but there has been a lot of projects to finish up. I'm currently editing 3 projects for class at the same time. I'm also working on the second Silk Espresso Commercial. The first commercial is currently airing on Comcast Cable.

If you are interested in seeing any of my work you can Click Here

Considering i don't want to waste to much of your time so i'm going to say farewell until next time but i will be back soon. It was nice to meet you.

Sincerely
Nathaanael Sams

What's Going On - This Week

Brought to you by the Associated Student Government and Student Activities Board

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

•NO School Monday!
Enjoy your Presidents Day off school! (Enjoy Valentines Day while you’re at it)

•Student Fee Budget Forum
Give your public input about the new student fee budget and find out what your
student fees go to Thursday 2/18 from 12-1:00 pm in the Lake Room. (Free food)

•Student Success Seminars This Week:
Green Careers, Degree Options, and Outrageous Study Strategies.
Dates and times: http://www.mhcc.edu/pages/1853.asp

•Trail Clean-Up
Join the Community Outreach Council every Sunday at 9:30 am in the A-lot
and make a trail in Rockwood a cleaner place for our community. Be a part
of the council Mondays from 12-1:00 in the Lake Room. (In the back of the College Center)

•AA Meetings
Do you think you might have a drug or alcohol problem? Confidential AA meetings
every Wednesday from 12-12:50 in room 1775.

•The Pressure of Your Blood
Get your blood pressure checked Thursday 2/18 from 10:30-2:30 pm in the Vista.

•Black History Month
-Being Black in America Seminar Tuesday 2/16 from 12-1:00 pm in the Town and Gown Room
-‘Soulful Café’ Open Mic Night Thursday 2/18 from 6-8:00 pm in the College Center.

Any Questions? Come to the ASG office in the back of the College Center
or e-mail us at asgdc@mhcc.edu

Comtrol S man... Control S

"AWW MAN!!!" "NOT ME NOT ME!" "DAMN IT" "COME ON"....
These are some of the thoughts that might cross your mind if you didn't CONTROL S. Like me...
I sat down unsuspecting any foul play.. sat down hoping to share thoughts, experience and the over all awesomeness of my amazing life... however what i got instead was a steaming monitor of bull #@!*. Don't lie... its happened to you too.. your busy working along, feeling proud, accomplished and then BAM!!!!
it's gone. all of it. nothing spared of the regret, horror or humiliation of forgetting to Control S.
if your lucky maybe... just maybe you've got a fancy auto button that will do it for you. but for the rest of us "normal people" we have to do it ourselves. find the file pull down menu and do it.
here's the deal. learn from me. remember me. don't become me. save what your working on. SAVE IT!!! DO YOU HEAR ME?!? don't loose an amazing blog that you've been working on because you forgot to Control S! it wont come back! don't be me!

this has been your guide
`amee`
(LAC)

Oregon Transfer Day!!!

Are you planning to transfer to a 4 year College / University soon? If your answer is Yes, then join us on the Oregon Transfer Day. This Thursday, Feb. 11 - Vista Dining Center from 10am - 1pm. If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Ruiz (503)-491-7228 or @ jessica.ruiz@mhcc.edu

The Fight.

My brain and my heart,
They're working apart,
People tell me not to trust either one.
Beliefs, values,
Hey you! don't be partisan!,
That's what they ask for.
I wanted to help,
And now I'm afraid,
That if I mess up even once,
Everything will become nonfunctional.
I trust myself,
But then more words hit my face,
The one above said,
Cursed is the one who trusts in man.

-Jonatan Lopez

What's Going On?! 1/25 - 1/29

• Vote!
Tuesday Jan. 26 is the last day to turn in your ballots. Turn in your ballots Monday from 11:30-1:00 in the main mall. FREE COOKIES. If you can’t stop by then, bring your ballot to the College Center.

•Blood Drive
Come to the College Center Tuesday or Wednesday 10-3:00PM. Save some lives!

•Student Success Seminars:
Time Management, Study Strategies for Math & Science and Understanding test anxiety.
Dates and times: http://www.mhcc.edu/pages/1853.asp

•Hoedown Throwdown!
Texas Hold ‘em, live music, and free food. Wednesday Jan. 27th from 6-9Pm in the Vista Dining Center.

•Bias Forum
Combating bias and stereotypes forum Friday Jan 29th from 3-5:00Pm in the Lake Room with Dr. Janet Campbell.

•Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Come support your team.
The Women play Linn Benton Saturday Jan. 29th at 4:00Pm
The Men play Linn Benton Saturday Jan. 29th at 6:00Pm

•Do you know your blood pressure?
10:30-2:30PM Thursday Jan. 28th in the Vista Dining Hall


Any Questions? Come to the ASG office in the back of the College Center or message Barney Bernard

I find myself hooked...

simply a few weeks into term... just a few.. and I'm already behind! damn time. never your friend, always your enemy. plain and simple. however i find myself with a new friend, in these days of late night homework cramming and sleep depravity .. a friend that apparently has nowhere else to go an nothing better to do then to cling to my back and remind me they're there.. a lovely friend only a vending machine away and a dollar or two to spare. her name you may wonder? CAFFEINE ADDICTION.. she's a delightful companion. Truly one of selfless proportions. unless you count her inability to be left alone, her controlling nature, stubborn demeanor and of course her dominance over my god given will.. (yes.. i know ive just described most common dating relationships but back to point) as sad as this truth may be.. shes just the one for me.. perhaps ill wait till after the homework loads are over. perhaps ill shamelessly use her abilities to keep me energized and focused and then kick her to the curb.. ahh but then again perhaps not. as much as she is annoying and demanding, controlling and self centered i must admit, she is there for me. a dependable sort of girl. perhaps ill keep her around until a day where we both part for our mutual ways... well see.. for now.. on to homework.
~amee~ *your local guide to crazy*

Is it summer yet?!

Ok so I moved up here in June of 09 and I must say Oregon has the most amazing summers anywhere on the west coast. Cali is overrated, Arizona is tooo Hot and Washington.. well its Washington..lol. I don't know about the rest of you but this semester i feel consumed by school, work ,& volunteering and I feel I have no time to breath. I cant wait to start working at a hospital. I know my 6am -10pm days will pay off in the end. To everyone out there that feels like A school zombie,hungry to feast on the brains of knowledge, keep up the good work and keep going. Soon the summer will be here and and we'll be floating down the sandy river with our friends, or at least I will be.Good luck yall and like W.Churchill said "if your going through hell keep going"

By Jonatan Lopez

Today, I realized that: "There is more hunger for love and
appreciation in this world than for bread."
- Mother Teresa

And so it continues.....

January rolls around and another term ensues. And so the quest to reach graduation with a degree continues. It is time again to bury our noses in books in hopes of remembering enough to pass the exams, and pose questions in class to try and demystify the confusion.

I often get asked how I do it. It... go to school, study, work, volunteer, raise three kids alone, keep up the house... the answer? I DON'T KNOW! lol, I just do. And sometimes, I fail. Just like everyone else, I am still trying to find a balance in life that actually works. If I go to school full time and cut back on hours at work, will financial aid provide enough income to help sustain my family? What if I work my minimum wage part time job and only go to school part time? Will work provide enough? Work isn't enough by itself, that's why I'm here pursuing my degrees (yes, that was intentionally plural).

~ Stephanie
Accounting student