Tips to survive "Dead" week

A friend of mine recently pointed out that next week is "dead" week. This sent me into a mini-panic because I am nowhere near finished with all my projects. So, I have developed a few tips on surviving "dead week" (which is far worse than finals week if you ask me) and decided to share them.

* Make a list of projects due and set goals on time-line for accomplishing them. For example, put "have three pages of my ten page paper done by Wednesday"
* Don't spend too much time on facebook. Getting online is almost synonymous with getting on facebook, so it's only natural to want to get on facebook while being online to work on homework. It's important Never a good situation, trust me.
* Take breaks- while it may never seem ideal to stop working, spending too much consecutive time periods on homework can be detrimental. Good break ideas include exercise or going for ice cream.
* Make time for your friends and social life. Pick a day when you're not completely boggled down with homework and have some fun with your friends. Homework will seem more desirable after you've relaxed a little.
* Talk to your instructors. Most will help clarify assignments and may even be flexible on due dates.

So good luck everyone!

How I survived College (A tribute to my girls)

In an episode of Scrubs, J.D. once commented "I challenge anyone to survive being an intern without a close-knit group of friends". I have found the same is true of college- it would be impossible to survive without a close group of friends. While I have found some amazing friends throughout my years at UNK, this column is dedicated to the four girls who have remained closest and have helped me get through the best-and worst- years of my life.

I'll start with Laci (the girl in bottom photo), who has been like a little sister to me for about 18 years now. Aside from my older brother, Laci's the first person I call in a crisis and one of the people I confide in with issues I don't feel comfortable discussing with my brother. Though she moved to Cheyenne, WY, we have remained close, scheduling visits with each other every few months and talking on the phone a couple times a week. Laci is now married, and enrolled in a prestigious, demanding physical therapy program, but still manages to take time for her friends. Though I've met some amazing people, no one can replace my "little sister" and close friend. While we grown and changed dramactically, we've never grown apart and our friendship has not changed. For this I am very grateful.

I'll move on to Kayla and Laken, (in the top left photo) who are part of an inseperable group of three with me. Kayla and I have known each other our entire life and Laken met us in junior high when our schools consolidated. Our group has not always had smooth sailing, in fact, there were moments (not within the last 5 years, though) that we'd go long periods without speaking or flat out fueding. I think the dissention is what has made our friendships so special, however. After we got through all the petty early stuff, we realized that if we had made it this far, we'd probably just always be friends. Though Kayla and Laken are now married, Laken is pregnant, and both have matured into fully repsonsible adults (I still have a long way to go in this category) we make it a point to continue making time for each other. We see each other every couple months, email frequently and call and text each other on a regular basis. We have already scheduled our next get-together, which I am eagerly looking forward to. Kayla is a unique friend because she is genuinely compassionate and kind. She is very unselfish, and I can count on her to give me good moral advice on even the smallest issues. Kayla is the person I call when I want an answer that has good moral, religious background. She is alway my phone call when the issue seems trival because she always treats it seriously. Laken is special because she is completely honest and forgiving. I can always count on Laken to tell me the truth, even when no one else will or it's hard for me to hear. She also is a big believer in seeing the good in others and giving second chances. These girls have got me through the craziest years of my life, and I love them for this.

And finally, we move on to Shelly (top right photo), who I met while attending UNK. Though I have known her the least amount of time, she has easily moved into this category along with my other lifelong friends. Shelly got me through some of the worst college moments, from going on ice-cream breaks with me during "dead week" (which is way worse than finals week, strangely) to crying with me after my break-up with a four-year boyfriend. It's because of my friendship with Shelly that I've learned how to enjoy college, from dancing to shopping to studying and everything in between. Shelly is the logical friend, who has the rare talent of removing emotion from a situation and seeing it objectively. She has helped me do the same with my predicaments several times, which has helped immensly. She is also a talented writer and I plan on reading her books someday. I couldn't have made it through this past year without her.

So there ya have it, a rarely mushy blog from a hardcore cynic. (Or, as Kayla would say, someone who pretends to be but really isn't. Not sure if that's true, but I love that she calls me out on it).

Why Jon Stewart is the smartest funny guy alive...

Anyone who has heard of Jon Stewart probably knows him as the anchor on the parody news show "The Daily Show". Everyone knows Stewart is funny, but hardly anyone knows he is also dangerously intelligent. Stewart's show will get a laugh out of any American with a sense of humor, but there's much more than meets the eye when it comes to this funny guy.

Stewart displayed possibly his most ingenious bout of intelligence in comedy when he guest starred on "Crossfire". Rather than use that opportunity to springboard his comedic career, Stewart got right to the point, attacking the anchors on their presentation of 'debates'. Stewart accused them of taking a tactic that America needs, but ruin this vital opportunity by play acting and arguing whether than getting serious about the important issues our country faces. Stewart hit home so hard, that the anchors politely pushed him off, using breaks and even cutting him off before he could convince the audience of his point. Stewart still incorporated humor, saying things such as, "Of course you're acting, you're 35 and you're wearing a bow tie". Though he used humor, Stewart refused to stray from his soap box, even responding to the anchor's question as to why he couldn't be funny with "I'm not your monkey".

Crossfire is not the only example in which Jon Stewart speaks comically about hard-pressing issues. On his "Daily Show", we see him mocking euphemisms our government uses to disguise injustices.

Comics are a dime a dozen, but few have the brains to back it up. Jon Stewart speaks about issues which really matter, and he does it in a way which Americans can relate to, and even laugh at. This is why he's not only the best comedy, but also the smartest. In a comedic realm in which all comedians seem the same, it's refreshing to find one that uses their intelligence and breaks away from the pack.

Rantings of an angry Jack's Mannequin fan

One of the most amazing things a music lover can experience is the opportunity to attend a concert. The overall concert experience is elevated when the band is not just any band, but rather the overall favorite group of the music obsessee. I have now seen my favorite band 4 times, and it never gets old. However, this Saturday was the first time I had to put up with a less-than-exemplary fan base. In the past, Jack's Mannequin fans respected each other's space and appeared to have a genuine appreciation for the music.

This is why I was so disappointed with the fan base present at the Jack's Mannequin concert at Sokol Auditorium in Omaha on Saturday. We got there early, and were thrilled with our position, which was about 4 rows back from the stage. During the two opening bands we were left undisturbed, but by the time Jack's Mannequin took stage, fans began pushing forward, knocking people out of their way in order to get closer to the stage.

Now I payed the same amount for tickets as these rude fans did, and I got in line a good 45 minutes earlier to get these sports, so of course I was beyond upset when this began occuring. At the worst point, a guy who was much larger than me both in height and stature yelled "close knit group!" and pushed his way in front of me. For some reason this made me see red. Who the hell was he to cut in front of us? In fact, who has the right to cut in front of anyone under any circumstance? I would never dream of cutting people off to get a better spot, so it does not seem right that anyone else does it to me.

Though a few people had already cut in front of us, when this particular 'close knit group' guy shoved past me, I lost it. I mean, hardcore lost it. I grabbed him by the neck, momentarily forgetting that he was twice my size yelled at him "get back" (the PG version of my actual words) and when all else failed, dug my six-inch heels right into his shins.

After about 30 seconds attempting to beat up the cutter, my brother pulled me off. While I was flailing around in his grasp, Wes yelled "Back off, Kelly- what do you hope to accomplish?! Just enjoy the concert." I respond well to logic, so I immediately forfeited. Eventually, the jerk pushed his way straight to the front, but it was in a diagnol pattern, so he stopped blocking my view after a couple songs.

Despite inconsiderate fans, the show was sensationsal. Jack's Mannequin was passionate and lead singer Andrew McMahon put out an excellent vocal effort as always (I've seen them four times now). I'd also like to recomment Lowe vs. Diamond, the opening band. They were incredibly talented. "Heart Attack" is a great starter song for this band.

I want to tell all of you, don't cut in lines. Ever. It's incredibly inconsiderate and shows a major lack of character. When you cut in front of someone, it basically says "I think I'm more important than you are" and makes you look like a total jackass. My only consolation was that the guy who cut in front of me got my six-inch heels momentarily lodged in his shin to remind him that he's a jackass. Don't let this discourage you rom going to concerts, though- just make sure you wear heels.

Column 2- When Police Officers aren't the good guys....

Ryan Moats was not running from the cops. Though the Houston Texans failed to pull over immediately after being chased by a squad car for running a red light, Moats was not running from anyone. Instead, he and his family were speeding toward the Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano, where Moat’s mother-in-law was dying. Moats made it to the Medical Center’s parking lot before pulling over and emerging with his hands held up, pleading with the officer to allow him to see his mother-in-law before it was too late.
(Police Video) http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4017382
Moats was threatened by Dallas police officer Robert Powell, 25. Powell used phrases such as “I can screw you over” and “Your attitude will dictate everything that happens.”
At one point, the same tape that caught Powell’s threatening remarks also caught his reaction when Moat’s wife, Tamishia got out of the SUV and proceeded to rush into the hospital. Ignoring Powell’s comments to stay inside the vehicle, Tamishia yelled “Excuse me, my mother is dying- do you understand?” Moats continued to plea with the officer, crying out “She has seconds man, then she’s gone!” At one point during the video from the squad car, a nurse even came out, verifying that Moat’s mother-in-law was dying, and a Plano officer also pleaded with Powell, requesting the release of Moats to visit the dying patient. To this, Powell responded “All right, I’m almost done.” Powell did not immediately release Moats, however, and by the time Powell issued Moats a ticket for running the red light, his mother-in-law had passed away. “I just held her hand,” Moats said to a reporter. “But she was already gone.” Moats never got to say goodbye to his dying mother-in-law. He never got to hold her hand in the final moments before she succumbed to breast cancer. Instead, Moats was threatened by a Dallas Police officer while an important family member lay dying.
After the incident, Moats said he had waited until there was no traffic to pass the red light, which is also shown clearly on the police tape. Moats also expressed that he would not have minded getting a ticket in the hospital, after he was allowed to say goodbye to his mother-in-law. “I don’t know what he was thinking,” Moats told KRLD-FM. “Basically, I was just very shocked… I even said I can’t believe this is happening.” Moats added, “He should lose his job”. Dallas police chief David Kunkle said upon reviewing the police tape that both Moats and his wife “exercised extraordinary patience, restraint in dealing with the behavior of our officer”. Kunkle also commented “At no time did Mr. Moats identify himself as an NFL football player or expect any kind of special consideration. He handled himself very, very well.” Powell resigned and Moats and his wife even accepted the apologies of him as well as the Dallas police department, but Moats lost a moment in his life which he says he can never get back.
When a situation such as this occurs, we have to seriously contemplate the shortcomings of our law enforcement. There should never be a situation in which an individual is unable to say goodbye to a dying family member due to hindrance from an entity which has promised to “protect and serve”. After hearing a story such as this, we have to wonder how many times officers abuse power or prevent those in dire need from getting where they need to be. It is unacceptable to be producing police officers who behave in the manner in which Powell behaved during the encounter with Moats. It is vital to support our law enforcement, but it is even more important for the system to ensure they are not producing corrupt officers. It may be time to re-evaluate certain aspects of police training, such as empathy training and protocol under special circumstances. That way, no one will ever miss out on a chance to say goodbye to a family member due to an officer again.

If you were looking for a nail biting, edge-of-your-seat, intense NCAA championship... you didn't get one this year. The North Carolina Tarheels blew past the Michigan State Spartans as easily as if they had been uncontested.

The Tarheels topped the Spartans by a margin of 89-72, though they led by a margin of over 20 the majority of the game. Next to the Heels, the Spartans looked slow and flat-footed.

REUTERS/Jeff Haynes (UNITED STATES SPORT BASKETBALL)

In the first half, North Carolina not obtained a drastic lead, but also set a NCAA tournament scoring record with 55 first half points. Ty Lawson also set a tournament record, with 7 steals by halftime. The Heels also broke a 42-year-old title-game record for biggest lead at the half. At the end of the half, North Carolina led Michigan State by a margin of 55-34.

The second half was no better for the Michigan State Spartans, either. The Tarheels kept their game up, with Hansbourgh contributing with 18 points and Ellington adding 19 points. It was a performance we expected from the unanimous No. 1 preseason pick. North Carolina proved to the nation that they are indeed the No. 1 team, and they did it in style, winning by over double digits in every NCAA tournament match. They topped it off with a record-setting championship performance which will not be fogotten by Hansbrough, Lawson, Green, coach Williams, the nation or the Michigan State Spartans.
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Because I have Tarheel pride (A love letter)

They've been in 18 Final Four appearances, won 43 ACC championships, been ranked #1 at the end of the season 11 times in various poles, been home to 8 National players of the year and won 5 national championships.

I am speaking, of course of the North Carolina Men's basketball team. Though many schools can be dubbed "power houses" of their respective sports, none has been more dominant in their field as the North Carolina Tarheels.

Throughout this year's NCAA tournament, several teams were heartbreakingly inferior to
their talent level. We saw teams which should have easily made the Sweet Sixteen fail to pass the first round. We witness teams which had been prophesized to take home the title fall in the Elite Eight and Final Four.

With all the upsets and letdowns, it is a comfort to know that North Carolina isn't letting anyone down or cracking under the pressure. Throughout the NCAA tourney, Hansbrough and Lawson put up impressive numbers, shining brighter than they had all year. Ellington and Fraser have stepped it up a notch, and Green has emmerged as Carolina's biggest three point shooter.

Tomorrow I look forward to watching these boys prove to the world that they are the best team in the nation. Though I don't believe they will pull a 33-point win over Michigan State again (they beat them by that margin earlier this year), I don't expect North Carolina to have a problem with the Spartans. So tune in, cheer for the NCAA and see just why North Carolina basketball is the only sport that has my heart.

*Image from Wikipedia