Padd Solutions

Converted by Falcon Hive

Showing posts with label Brittney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brittney. Show all posts

List #2: Spring Break in Amarillo

3/07/2011 04:18:00 PM • • 5 comments

Spring break is only a week away. I am in desperate need of some downtime and can't wait.

If you're like me, however, you're not going to be attending any wild beach parties over the break. Thanks to work and an effort to be financially responsible, I'm staying right here in Amarillo.

At this point, I am honestly just thinking about catching up on sleep and reading a good book or two, but for fun's sake, I thought I would make list number two all about ways to make spring break in the Texas Panhandle more interesting.

So here is your spring break itinerary:

Day #1

If the wind is willing to stay calm long enough, grab a few cans of spray paint and head out to the Cadillac Ranch on I-40 West past Soncy. Take some friends, family or your significant other and have fun decorating the old cars planted in the ground. It's a fun opportunity to snap some photos too.
How about some putt-putt or go carts in the afternoon? When was the last time you really just let loose and let your inner kid out? You know you want to!
Sports World off of I-27 and Hollywood has a nice outdoor mini golf course and a go cart track. They also have batting cages and other fun stuff to keep you busy. Wonderland Amusement Park also has a mini golf course. Getting too windy out? Check out Lights Off Golf inside Westgate Mall.
End the day with some ice cream. Doesn't get much better than Braum's, in my opinion, but two new frozen yogurt places (Frazzleberry and Just Chillin') recently opened and Amarillo also has a Marble Slab and Coldstone Creamery.

Day #2

The Don Harrington Discovery Center at Medi Park is featuring a robotic dinosaur exhibit this month. Student discounts are offered. Visit their website for a list of other events they have going on.
Medi Park is a beautiful place to enjoy a picnic and feed some hungry ducks too! The Amarillo Botanical Gardens also are located nearby.
Day #3

Pack up a picnic, load up the bikes and head down to Palo Duro Canyon where a full day of fun will only cost $5 per person (12 and under are free). Beginner or advanced rider, the Canyon has a trail perfect for you. Not a rider? The trails are also equine and hiker-friendly.
Don't forget your sunscreen and plenty of water!

Day #4
Make today a museum day.
Day #5

Take a little time to support the Amarillo Zoo. There is no entrance fee, but donations are welcome (and I strongly encourage you to support our local zoo so it can continue to grow).
You might also take today to visit the Route 66 historic district (take Georgia Street north to Sixth). There are some fun little antique shops and you'll need lunch so grab a burger at the Goldenlight. The 806 (best coffee shop in town) is also on this block.
The Tascosa Drive-In reopened this month, so you might check out what movies are on their screen tonight.

Just a few ideas! :)

Kinds of students

3/04/2011 01:45:00 PM • • 3 comments

Did you miss me?

I know it's been a little while since my last post and I apologize for that. This past week got a little out of control, but I survived. (Aren't you all thrilled?!)

A very kind woman named Carol contacted me early last week through my school e-mail. She works with Onlinecollege.org and made me aware of their blog, which is actually very interesting.
Most recently, they posted about the world's most historic colleges. I found some fun posts like Awesome Electives Off the Beaten Path and 10 All-Time Funniest SNL College Skits. They also have some really helpful posts on topics like boosting your grades and handling college expenses.
I enjoyed what I read and I definitely recommend them to all of my fellow college students.

One thing I noticed is that every one of their blogs that I stumbled upon was set up like a list. "Best of" this and "Top 10" that. It inspired me to make my own little series of lists.

My next few blog posts will be lists of things that pertain specifically to life on an Amarillo College campus. I already have a few ideas, but I'm up for suggestions if there are any lists in particular that you want to see.

And today's list is going to be... (drum roll...)

Nine Kinds of Students

1. The curve-killer kind. I really try not to rely on curves to pass me, but those extra points sure are nice. Of course, a class wouldn't be complete without that one over-achiever who aces everything and completely kills the possibility of a curve for everyone else. I would suggest that you do your less-perfect classmates a huge favor and intentionally miss a few questions so we can all get a little boost, but that would make me selfish. If you're willing to make the sacrifice, however...

2. The never shuts up kind. Even the teacher looks like he/she wants to kill this student. Whether this student is asking stupid questions (forget what your mom told you when you were five, stupid questions do exist), acting like the class is their personal audition to be a stand-up comedian, or just blabbing endlessly about something no one cares about...this has got to be the most obnoxious student out there. Just shut up, please.

3. The slacker kind. In other words, the kind I'm always fortunate enough to have in my group for that big project that's due at the end of the semester and makes up 80 percent of the final grade. This student is either going to never show up for anything or show up just to waste up space. This student is either going to stick it out to mooch off of the A that the rest of the group busted their butts to get or actually be semi-considerate and bail out completely. If you are this student, save everyone else the anger and frustration and drop the class.

4. The fashionably late kind. If 9 a.m. is printed on the class schedule, the instructor is in the middle of lecture and the class is full when you show up...the class probably started at 9 a.m. I'm not talking about the student who comes in within five minutes of class starting- everyone is guilty of that now and then. I'm talking about that one student that casually rolls in 30 minutes late on a regular basis and seems totally oblivious to the fact that they are disruptive. They come in, set their stuff down, make sure the instructor knows that they have arrived... Ever notice that this student is usually sipping on a cup of coffee or eating their breakfast? What's even better is when they set their stuff down, sit for a few minutes, then get up and leave again to go grab a drink from the vending machine. Really, people?

5. The kind you want to be best friends with. They are always there. They seem to take great notes and they have pretty good grades. This person might be a good contact in case you have to miss class. Don't take advantage of this person, though. Be willing to return the favor.

6. The pretty kind that tries really, really hard to sound intelligent.


This may be extreme, but you know the kind I'm talking about. They twirl their hair. "Um," "like" and "whatever" seem to be the only things that can come out of their pretty little mouths. I'm pretty sure they really think that college is the way it is portrayed in Hollywood films. They have a really tough time walking across campus in their cute little stilettos and the Amarillo wind doesn't settle well with their hair-dos. Sorry, ladies. Looks may matter, but you really need a functional brain, too.

7. The "I'm an honor student, yet still completely stupid" kind. Ever noticed how the ones that are supposed to be the most intelligent of us all are really the ones that don't have an ounce of common sense in their bodies? One recent encounter was a student who was seriously baffled by the fact that odd-numbered classrooms are on one side of the hallway while the even-numbered ones were on the other. Sigh.

8. The kind that wears their pajamas to class. I honestly don't even know what to say about this. It's so cute that you are in your twenties and still own pink fuzzy Tinker Bell pajama pants (I do too), but could you seriously not find something else to wear? Anything. Ever heard about dressing to impress? Yeah, well college would be a great place to do that. Not saying to wear a suit and tie or a business skirt and blouse...just dress like a human being, for crying out loud.

9. The quiet kind. You never even know they're there. They show up to class, take care of business and carry on. It's kind of nice.

What kind of student are you?

Feel-good tunes

2/20/2011 07:10:00 PM • • 7 comments

You've had a rough day. You're stressed, worried, exhausted, irritable...just downright in a bad mood. But you don't really want to be in a bad mood, do you?

Trust me, I know just as well as anyone else that life can really wear on you sometimes. There are days when things just get to me. I guess it's just part of this "being human" thing.

So how do you "fix" your mood?

You know your family/spouse/roommate doesn't want to deal with grouchy you when you walk in the door at the end of a long day, and all you really want to do is go home, relax and enjoy yourself.

Try listening to some upbeat, feel-good, can't-help-but-sing-along-and-dance music as you drive home.

Maybe I belong in an asylum, but there are some songs that never fail to put me in a better mood. It starts with drumming on the steering wheel, then I start humming...

By the time I pull into the garage I'm belting it out, dancing away and having the time of my life.

Here are my top five feel-good tunes. Some of these are extremely silly, even downright ridiculous. I do realize that. But they are my cure for the grouchies or when I feel a little down.

1. "Alive" - Meat Loaf
Laugh all you want, but how can you not want to sing along to Meat Loaf? "Bat Out of Hell" and "Out of the Frying Pan (And Into the Fire)" are also great.

2. "Sweet Dreams are Made of These" - Eurythmics
Not the most upbeat number ever, but everyone knows the lyrics, making it way too easy to sing along with. Oh, and maybe show off your robot moves?

3. "Crocodile Rock" - Elton John

4. "Contagious" - Y & T
Hair metal never fails.

5. "Rock the Night" - Europe

Does music affect your mood?

I encourage you to put together your own feel-good playlist. Just give it a shot. See if it cheers you up. You can even steal a few of my tunes, if you want.

Let me know what you think!


Banning a breed

2/15/2011 11:13:00 PM • • 4 comments

We've all seen it on the news, heard it on the radio or read it online or in a newspaper- counties, cities and even entire states nationwide pushing for pit bull bans.

Some have already succeeded.
  • Denver, Colorado passed their ban in 1989 and it still stands, despite numerous battles over the past twenty years in favor of the breed.
  • The state of Ohio declared pit bulls "vicious" and requires owners to carry $100,000 in liability insurance. Pit bull owners in Ohio must also keep their pups securely constrained while they're at home and leashed up when they're not.
  • Pit bulls in San Fransisco, California can stick around, but they are the target of strict spay and neuter laws. No fertile pits allowed.
  • On January 1, 2005, the breed was banned from Council Bluffs, Iowa, population 60,000. About 500 U.S. cities followed suit after seeing how "effective" the ban was when not a single pit bull remained in the town only three years later.
For more details and a list of other pit bull ordinances, check out www.dogsbite.org.

Okay, so being a little more strict about getting pets "fixed" is a pretty good idea, but that goes for all breeds, cats and dogs.

According to ASPCA, five to seven million companion animals enter shelters annually and another three to four million are euthanized (killed...). If that didn't tug at a heart string, you're not allowed to read my blogs any more.

So, San Fran isn't terribly off-track...but what about all those other places?

The ASPCA website also features a page on pit bull cruelty, focusing on the use of pit bulls in illegal dog fights and the sad consequence of the breed's appeal to the "worst kind of dog owners."

Pet Pit Bull is a site that focuses on giving pit bulls positive press as opposed to the negative "these dogs are cold-blooded killers" la-dee-da everyone else insists on throwing out there. Stories of pit bulls that serve as search, rescue and therapy dogs and some downright feel-good, "hometown hero" kind of stories also can be found.

So what's your opinion?

I won't bore you too terribly long with mine. I'll just say that I agree 100% with this statement that can be found on the legislation page of the Pet Pit Bull site:
"Banning Pit Bulls would be like banning cars because people get killed in car accidents! Who's responsible, the car or the driver/manufacturer? Any car can be deadly in the wrong hands or if built with defective parts. Same thing with dogs... Any dog. Pit Bulls are no more responsible for the way they are bred, raised and trained, than cars are responsible for the way they are designed, built and driven."


Snow day

2/09/2011 01:13:00 PM • • 2 comments

Welcome to my fellow bloggers! You both introduced yourselves, so I now feel obligated to do the same...and there's no better time to do that than on a snow day.
I'm trapped in my house with a little bit of free time on my hands, so here goes...

The best way I can think of to do this is just give you a bullet list of facts about me. We'll start with the basics:
  • My name is Brittney (in case you forgot). Most people just call me Britt.
  • I'm an Amarillo native.
  • I'm 21 years old.
  • I spent four semesters at WT as a music education major on a string quartet scholarship prior to my time here at AC.
  • This is my third semester at AC. Semester one was spent as a business major (bad, bad choice...sounded practical at the time, but my cumulative GPA is still aching because of that one semester).
  • Journalism is now my major. I plan to graduate in May, then I'm off to WT (again...).
  • I was a page editor for the AC Ranger last year. I still write for the Ranger.
  • I freelance for the Amarillo Globe-News.
  • I'm a violinist and a pianist. I give lessons on both instruments. I'm also concertmaster for the Amarillo Little Theatre. I play random gigs here and there to make a few extra bucks. Ah, the life of a musician.
Okay, there may be stuff I'm leaving out...but who cares? Moving on the the fun stuff, now:
  • Aside from being a professional musician, I really, truly love the world of music. I love going to shows and I'm almost always listening to music.
  • My Pandora radio stations range from Y & T ('80s hair metal) to Frank Sinatra to New Age instrumental to Hans Zimmer (phenomenal soundtrack composer) to broadway musicals to Dave Matthews. You name it. I'm very open-minded when it comes to music. What I listen to is usually determined by my mood.
  • I love food. Who doesn't? But I really, really love food. I grew up in a household where a homemade meal was placed on the table almost every single evening. My parents are both extremely talented and adventurous cooks. Thank you, mom & dad.
  • There are few foods that I dislike, but meatloaf is definitely a big one. Meatloaf. Gross.
  • I enjoy reading in my free time. I'll read pretty much anything...mystery, history, classics, horror, fiction or non. As long as it has an intriguing story line and is well-written, I'll read it.
  • I recently bought myself a Kindle. Best investment ever.
  • One of my biggest pet peeves is improper grammar. Speak properly, people. Texans: one negative per sentence, please. I don't go around correcting people's grammar, but I cringe internally when I hear or read things that just aren't right.
  • Fly-fishing is my favorite hobby.
  • I love the mountains and camping.
  • I hate it when people trash Mother Earth. Don't litter. Don't throw your cigarette butts on the ground. Find a trashcan. Not that difficult.
  • I love animals.
  • My boyfriend is a manager for GameStop and a pretty serious gamer himself. I'm not great at video games, but I'll play with him from time to time. I love Little Big Planet (the first and second ones). Galaga will always be my favorite game.
  • Steven (the boyfriend) actually talked me into creating a character on an MMO once. Allow me to nerd-out for a minute- in Aion, I made it all the way to level 42 on my cleric. I could not get into World of Warcraft, but did make a druid to try it out.
  • I love coffee and hot tea.
Now you can see that I'm just like you. We might not share the same interests, but we're all just people who like something, dislike others.
As usual, I love reading your comments, so post away!

Sharing the love

2/08/2011 10:21:00 PM • • 1 comments


Looking out of my window, all I can see is a thick, white sheet of snow. Not pretty snowflakes peacefully drifting to the ground. No. Miserable, angry Amarillo-style snow.
According to Weather Underground, it is actually 0.5 degrees Fahrenheit outside right now, but it feels like -18 degrees when you factor in the wind chill. Unbearably cold is unbearably cold, right?
So what am I doing? Sipping on some hot tea, typing up this blog post (which will be my shabby tribute to the upcoming holiday), and desperately waiting for some kind of notification telling me that I don't have to be on campus at 7:30 in the morning.

*************************************************************************************


Valentine's Day is Monday. Are you ready?

For no justifiable reason, I've never been a big fan of Feb. 14.

Valentine's Day has always been kind to me, though.

Growing up, my parents always gave Ashley (my younger sister) and me cute cards telling us how much they loved us. We also received those little boxes of Sweetheart candies that said cheesy things like "Be Mine" and "Hug Me"- you know the ones.


My grandparents always gave us big boxes of gooey, chocolaty,
caramel- and pecan-filled Russell Stover Turtles (yum!).

There were those Valentine's Day parties at school. We would pick out boxes of Valentines, usually the ones with our favorite Disney characters or something of the sort.

Even as a teenager and in those first couple years of dealing with boys around this time of year weren't unpleasant, by any means.

I always got precisely what any girl would expect: a fluffy stuffed animal (usually a teddy bear), a box of chocolates, maybe a few roses (if he really liked me), and/or a card with something ridiculously corny printed in it and a sloppy signature following.

Nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe that's one reason I'm not particularly fond of this holiday.

Granted, last Valentine's Day my wonderful boyfriend gave me a beautiful James Avery necklace with a peace sign charm (which I wear nearly every day).

To those of you who just grab the stuffed bear, box of chocolates and a corny card off the shelf at Walgreens- consider trying something different this year:
  • Handwrite a letter or list of your loved one's qualities that you most adore or get crafty and make a homemade valentine.
  • Life is hectic, so just set aside a couple of hours to enjoy each other's company. Cook dinner together, play a board game, or share a bowl of ice cream and Netflix your favorite TV show (or pop in the DVDs if your favorite is Seinfeld).
Another annoyance- people always hype up this holiday to be about romantic relationships, but some of my dearest Valentine's memories involve my family and friends. Am I alone on this?

Sure, take advantage of having a special day set aside to pamper and spoil your significant other, but don't forget about everyone else near and dear to you.
  • Call mom and tell her you love and appreciate her.
  • Let your sibling(s) know that you care.
  • Wish your true friends a happy day and let them know they mean a lot to you.
  • Relive those grade-school days and buy a box of fun cartoon Valentines to hand out to friends, family, coworkers and even classmates.
Finally, be appreciative (ahem... ladies).

A girl actually complained to me today about how a "secret admirer" sent her a dozen roses last year while her boyfriend "only" gave her a homemade card.

In my humble opinion, a homemade card is far more heartfelt and thoughtful than $50 dropped on a bunch of flowers that are doomed to die. Try to be slightly less materialistic and open your eyes to what really matters...

Keep warm and be safe and good luck preparing for Valentine's Day!

If you have any great Feb. 14 ideas or stories you would like to share, please do so. I enjoy getting feedback from my readers!







Our mascot is a what?!

2/02/2011 08:43:00 AM • • 6 comments



Badger.

We all know that he's the Amarillo College mascot. Billy is his name and he's been around since the school was founded in 1929.

Other than that, few of us know very much about the mysterious creatures. Sure, I could identify a badger if I saw one in a lineup, but before beginning my extensive badger research, I couldn't tell you any specifics.

I was recently talked into helping out with the creation of a badger video for the Ranger Online (which will be posted in the very near future). The video more or less features students who remain completely baffled by badgers and myself dancing around in the beloved badger suit. Not the most informational bit, but high in entertainment value!

After working on the video, though, I really started wondering about the badger...

So, fellow AC students, are you ready to learn what badgers really are?


  • According to Animal Diversity Web, most North American badgers reside in the Great Plains region of North America. They can also be found in the western United States, certain areas of Canada and in the southern mountainous areas of Mexico.
  • Badgers prefer to burrow in dry open fields or pastures.
  • They are pretty lazy. Mostly nocturnal and, though they don't actually hibernate, they tend to be highly inactive during the winter months or when it is cold. (Is it just me, or does all of this sound like a typical college student? Our mascot is relevant!)
  • Don't be fooled by the adorable face, badgers can be ferocious little beasts. Only a few badgers (no more than five) live in the same 2.5 mile range. They are solitary and they can be territorial.
  • Badgers are digging machines. Aside from being great for ripping into an intruder, those scary claws can help a badger tunnel through dirt incredibly fast. Animal Diversity Web says there have even been accounts of badgers tunneling up through blacktop pavement and two-inch thick concrete. What!?!
  • Males are boars, females are sows and the kiddos are called cubs.
  • Badgers are primarily carnivorous, munching on rodents most of the time. They particularly enjoy squirrel, prairie dog and gopher for supper, but also eat insects, berries and seeds. You will probably never see a badger chasing down prey in a field, though. They usually hunt under ground, tunneling at a high speed toward innocent rodents who only think they are safe in their home. Bwah ha ha.
  • The average lifespan of a wild badger is only around five years, but they have been known to live up to 26 years in captivity.
  • The average number of offspring for a badger is three.
  • Badgers can grow to be about 2.5 feet long and a foot tall.
  • To those willing to take a stab at imitating badger noises, thank you for being as willing as myself to humiliate yourself for the entire world to see on the Internet. In fact, badgers make most of the noises all of you came up with...and then some! The badger language consists of about 16 unique calls, according to Badgerland. A variety of purrs, yelps and clicking noises are made by adult badgers while cubs enjoy cooing, squealing, wailing and chirping.
Any other badger questions? Check out the sites that I have linked above, or ask me! I'll do my best to dig up the answer, badger-style.


Who I am & AC changes

1/27/2011 12:57:00 PM • • 3 comments

The next blogger for Amarillo College, that's who.

My name is Brittney Richerson. I'm a native Amarilloan and a journalism student here at AC. I'm sure that you will gather little snippets of information about me here and there as I attempt to amuse and inform you throughout the semester, so I won't bore you with an autobiography now.

* * *

As most of you probably already know, Texas community colleges are in a little bit of a bind thanks to the statewide budget cuts.

I know, I know. My first blog post and I'm already boring you with something so bland. Bear with me for just a moment and really think about this. It's important.

AC is facing an 11 percent budget reduction over the next two years. That amounts to a cut of about $3.75 million.

Not exactly a small ding in the door. A little bit more than an injury-free, "we'll all walk away without a scratch" kind of accident, too.

Who got hit the hardest? Hmm...

Students will be facing a "minor" tuition hike, as President Matney describes it. A few dollars per credit hour. Eh, not bad. Say the tuition goes up $5 per hour, that's only 60 extra bucks a semester.

So we students are in the clear. We walk away unscathed.

Of course not.

Three main areas that will feel the cuts:

1.) Funding for faculty and staff travel. Students travel should be okay, at least for the time being.

Students, try to think of it this way:

If our instructors aren't traveling to conventions and conferences to further their own education as technology continuously advances and the world around us continues to evolve, how can they give us the best education possible? It's through no fault of their own that they will be at a disadvantage when educating us.

Instructors, what do you think?

2.) Hiring freeze. Or a partial hiring freeze. Freeze.

Enrollment is up (again). Loads of new students + no new faculty/staff members = an issue, eventually.

No one has said it yet, but what happens to those working in smaller departments or with only part-time jobs here? Are they in the clear? I don't know the answer. That's why I've been asking these questions.

3.) Those darned "capitol expenditures" are gonna have to be looked at again...

The primary thing that will be problematic in this category is the purchase of new equipment. AC has a lot of nice things to offer...but what could be better? What do we need? Want? What would make the AC experience more exciting and enriching?

Well, it's going to have to wait. Sorry.

***

Apologies again for the boring post. I've just been engulfed in this stuff lately and thought I would throw it all out there for everyone else to see. (I'm so generous. I know.)

Pardon my sarcasm.

Just think about it, though. AC is a community college. We're all going to feel something as a result of the budget cuts.

What do you feel?

***

I promise that I'm not completely boring. I will do my best to come up with something fun and exciting for my next post.

If there is anything in particular that you are interested in reading about, just let me know! I just ranted and babbled away at you, so feel free to do the same at me.