How the Grinch Stole Mom’s Weekend

Mom’s Weekend is generally a good time for everyone: local businesses’, the OSU campus, and the Corvallis community thrive with the excitement and expectation of the visiting mom. I was expecting to spend this year’s Mom’s Weekend like I did the last: enjoying some good quality time with the single parent who was putting me through college.

Saturday April 30th, around 4:40 in the afternoon, just as my mother and I were preparing to leave for our dinner reservations, a knock came at my door.

I pulled the door open immediately and found myself face to face with an Oregon State Police Officer.

He asked me if I knew why he was here and I told him no. According to the office someone had been smoking marijuana and the RA’s in my dorm had determined that it had come from my room.
My room also stands at the end of the hall, with no other room directly across from it and the exit door only inches away. I guess I was in too much of shock to immediately jump to the reasoning that anybody could have been smoking on the exit patio.

I was either in too much shock, or completely frustrated by the fact that my mother was with me, I hadn’t done anything that they had accused me of, and both my mother and I were facing public humiliation during a weekend where she was supposed to feel welcomed, not whispered about by the other residents and moms staying at the hall.

The OSP officer was insisting that I was exhibiting symptoms of someone under the influence of drugs and that I had failed all his tests thus far (which included sticking my tongue out, being told my pupils were dilated and didn’t react to light and then having a flashlight thrust into my eyes and told that my eyes were to jumpy).

It was immediately obvious to me that the officer was making this up because, well, I was innocent. He was using intimidation tactics as an abuse of power and as a technique to get me to confess to something I didn't do.

After a bit the officer let me go, determining that there would be no further action. Still in shock and by now in tears, I grabbed my purse and my mother and we immediately left for dinner. I didn’t lock my door.

When we returned my door was locked and upon entering the room it was obvious that someone had riffled not only through my belongings, but my mom’s as well.

My mother and I pay thousands and thousands of dollars of tuition, not to mention thousands of dollars to live in a residence hall on campus. I’m a hard working student who has held various leadership roles on campus and my mother is a hard working single mom who has done everything she can to support me.

The way we were treated by UHDS and the Oregon State Police was awful, un called for and completely unacceptable for the amount of money I pay to live in a broke down residence hall. The accusations they made were hasty and generally unsupported by any profound evidence.

I will be spending my week moving out of my room. I will be spending my years at OSU telling this story and doing my best to make sure that unsuspecting students moving into UHDS residence halls know the consequences of their choice. I will not idly stand by.

I just hope the people who searched my room after I left were happy with what they found. I hope they felt shame for their hasty assumptions and accusations. Lastly, I hope that UHDS steps up and apologizes for the way both my mother and I were treated during OSU’s “grandeur” Mom’s Weekend.

Why am I a Feminist?

I decided that as a nice study break I would catch up on the news. I decided that doing so would be a good outlet for my stress and a good opportunity to take a breather.

I was wrong.

What is wrong with the world? Why is it that an 11 year old girl can be brutally gang-raped by 18 men and then blamed as the victim in one of the Nation's most prestigious news outlets?
*http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/us/09assault.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha23

Why is it that an email a Fraternity boy wrote about how women are "targets" and aren't human and how to go about getting their "pies' and "gullets" is circulating around campuses?
*http://jezebel.com/#!5779905/usc-frat-guys-email-explains-women-are-targets-not-actual-people-like-us-men

So, why is it that I'm a feminist?

I'm a feminist because no matter what you say, sexism, violence towards women, and misogyny exists in the world.
I'm a feminist because our news outlets have taken an 11-year-olds traumatic rape experience and turned it into a "Well she was dressing too provocatively" debate.
I'm a feminist because STILL women's wages aren't equal to men's.
I'm a feminist because I believe and live by the ideal that my outside appearance should NEVER dictate who I am, what I can be, and what I can achieve.
I'm a feminist because I have a right to own my body, to do with it what I please, and to exercise these rights despite the opinion of others who disagree.
I'm a feminist because it shouldn't matter what a woman's reputation, dress, appearance, or attitude was during a sexual assault case. What should matter is if she gave valid consent or not.
I'm a feminist because the images of the media don't represent myself nor anyone I know.
I'm a feminist because I believe that the pressure of 'masculinity' from the media is harmful to boys and men.
I'm a feminist because I believe that gender roles shouldn't be assigned at such an early age and that we should encourage our children, friends, and loved ones to live outside of the box.
I'm a feminist because I love my body, I love my sexuality,  and I love myself. I'm proud to be me.
I'm a feminist because I fall into the double bind of purity and whorishness and I really don't think it should matter if I enjoy sex or not.

I'm a feminist because the news today reflects, very much, the change that we STILL need to make.

Immune System

Dear Immune System,

I thought I had been taking the proper steps to strengthen our relationship. We were doing better, working as one, a team. But now you go and pull this shit at the most inconvenient of times. I'm frustrated with you, immune system, because you are making life difficult, you are making me miss my college days, and you are making me look flaky. I have to resort to barely-there-humor in order to express my feelings about you. The truth is, immune system, I really am starting to hate you. It would be nice if you could let the doctors know why the hell you insist on being such a rebel, so that maybe I can start to commit to things that I'm sincerely excited to do without having to back out last minute in order to spare my health.

You make me feel old immune system, and I'm not old. I'm only 20 and therefore you are only 20, so please quit the drama and start acting your damn age. At the very least, speak up and let me know what I can do for you, proper communication is the key to a healthy relationship. I've cut out dairy immune system, I've strived for a proper sleep cycle that represents that of someone much older than I immune system, I've tried several medicines and methods and steps. You trick me, immune system, when you decide to lay low and behave for awhile, and then spring up unexpected with guests I wasn't really prepared to deal with.

If I could replace you, immune system, I really would. Our relationship isn't working out and I'm suffering and you are suffering and sometimes the people and relationships around me are suffering. I would really like to not spend my weekends visiting a cycle of doctors who can't explain to me why you insist on being so stubborn, immune system.

Maybe I want to spend my weekends doing crazy college things that need no explanation because...well I'm in college.

So you better start shaping up, immune system, because I'm getting really sick of your behavior. I wear the pants in this relationship and I'm in charge. There is no room for argument, no room for rebellious behavior. I don't care if your lazy and don't feel like doing your job because I would really like to do my own job, my own education, my own relationships and not have to factor you in and work around your schedule. I have my own schedule to deal with, immune system, so get the freaking picture and behave.

That is all for now, just know that I am disappointed.

Let's Talk About Sex

I know, I know...corny title. But seriously, let's talk about sex. A HUGE chunk of my life has been consumed with controversy surrounding a keynote speaker that was being brought to the OSU campus for the Modern Sex conference. Tristan Taormino, because of her background in feminist pornography, was uninvited by OSU administrators because they felt they couldn't responsibly fund her appearance as a key note speaker with tax payer money.

Censorship, freedom of speech, and anti-feminism arguments aside, Tristan was angry (reasonably so) and so were OSU Students.

Long story short, we got her here, after a month or so of drama filled work days. Tonight she spoke in the Lasell's Stewart Center about "Claiming Your Sexual Power" and to put it bluntly: IT WAS AMAZING! Tristan has combined a lot of the things that I'm passionate about into a career and her event tonight made me think a lot about sex, the sex industry, feminism, and the media.

I've always been extremely open about my sexuality and my sexual activity. I believe our society has a huge issue in that we label women who enjoy sex as sluts and whores. Then we turn around and label women who aren't ready for sex as prudes and teases. It's a double standard, a weird double-edged sword that ends bad for both sides.

First: Sex is natural. It's fun. It's stress-relieving (it should be). It's a lot of things. But, as Tristan reminded me and a crowd full of "Collective Sexual Beings" sex in our society is bad. It's used as an advertising agent and then shut behind closed doors. It's a taboo. It's not something to be openly expressed or talked about.

It's not something we educate our society about. Sex education in high school seriously got me nowhere. I didn't use any of that information when I began to explore my own sexual self. I was thrown into a world I knew nothing about and I felt around the darkness for the light switch...for a LONG time.

Why does it have to be this way? Why can't we offer sex positive education in our high schools, in our middle schools? Why can't we be a society that embraces our sexuality and sexual nature? A society that is open to different ideas of pleasure and desire, of what feels good and what doesn't? Why can't we have sex positive images in the media, images that accurately portray the diverse world of sex?

Why can't this be the thing that connects my two majors together? Why can't I take a degree in Women Studies and a degree in New Media Communications and work hard to provide people with an extensive sexual knowledge.

I can't tell you how many times I've dealt with sideways glances, rolled eyes, and muttered whispers when I bring up sex and sexuality. It's no surprise that I categorize myself as a feminist. But do you want to know my stance on sex?

If you're comfortable with it, do it. If you like it and you can claim pleasure in it and you are safe about it. DO IT! IF you want to have multiple partners and you do so in a respectful and safe manner that includes those partners being in the "know" with each other. Freakin DO IT

If you aren't yet comfortable with sexuality or with intercourse, don't do it.

Be you. In the words of the great Tristan Taormino, claim your sexual power.

What is so bad about a woman who likes sex? Who has slept with a lot of people? Who has been safe and respectful in her sexual activities?

Similarly, what is so bad about a man who does the same thing?

Thank you Tristan Taormino, for you have given me a lot of inspiration and a lot to think about. I think that I want to focus on human sexuality and steer my career towards being a sex advocate in the SEX INDUSTRY.

Yes, I've confessed an interest to work in the sex industry. Now how many of you cringed when reading that? Think about why.

Winter Term is getting to me

It's the end of week 5 of Winter Term and I'm visibly stressed. I have this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach and I constantly find myself with a lump in my throat over the silliest things.

I'm really trying hard to stay on top of all the stuff I need to do, but I'm falling behind in homework. The weekends are really the only chance that I get to work on school, but by that time I'm so stressed that all I want to do is relax a little. So I usually do it, then I start feeling guilty for not staying on the grind.

I know I need to manage my time a little better and maybe look into quick methods of relaxation during the week. I hate the way stress fills your entire body so that every little thing that happens in your life adds to the huge amount of weight on your shoulders.

Things that usually wouldn't bother me are making me want to cry lately. I'm trying to stay positive and energetic, but I'm finding myself without any motivation more and more. I wish, again, that there was some quick cure for stressful situations.

I'm not going to lie- part of it is definitely Corvallis. It isn't home for me. It's hard to describe..but after a long, exhausting day you just want to go home and relax...Corvallis isn't it for me. I don't go home and relax until the weekend, when I drive to Portland. Sometimes I can literally feel the stress falling away as I blast down I5.

Sometimes I'm beyond that, like this weekend.

I've made a decision, last weekend, that I really think is fundamental to both my well being and my experience/education. I'm going to transfer to PSU after Spring Term. Mainly because I feel I've gotten a lot of experience from Student Media at OSU and it's time to focus on internships, which are all in Portland. It just makes sense to go to school there.

That and what I mentioned before...Portland is my home. I love it. I constantly miss it. If I'm honest with myself, I'm really not very happy in Corvallis. I think it's the best decision for me.

Well...anyways..now that I've whined and bitched about my life (it's probably getting pretty tiring for some of you and I apologize for that) it's time to focus on school, then pick up my best friend from the bus station tonight and focus on relaxing.

Half way through...we can all make it!

Orenco Station Grill: Hit + 5. Miss -1

So instead of keeping a separate food blog, personal blog, and professional blog I decided to just combine the personal and food blog together. Every so often I will incorporate restaurant reviews and some of my favorite recipes amongst the everyday monotony of my life.

I'll talk about the Orenco Station Grill, a small restaurant in Hillsboro. This dinner choice was a last minute thing, as I had spent a good two hours browsing coupons, freebies, and eventually ended up on www.restaurant.com where we bought a $25 gift certificate to the restaurant for only $17.50. Now, though we still saved some money, be wary on restaurant.com. They have a lot of loops that you'll need to be aware of when buying gift certificates.

We arrived at the restaurant at 9:20 and they closed at 10:00p.m., which instantly made me feel bad. I remembered those days of food service work where I would curse the people who showed up just before closing. However, the waitress was very friendly and professional and didn't show her frustration in the slightest.

The restaurant had a nice classy look and the ending of a live jazz performance which I'm sure would have been pretty good if we had arrived earlier. The booths were comfortable and there were no over the top tacky decorations, which is always a plus in my book.

We started off the meal with their bacon wrapped scallops appetizer, a strawberry lemonade for the minor (me), and a red headed sister for the boyfriend. The scallops came quickly, which I was expecting considering how close to closing we were. They were cooked very nicely, rich in flavor and drizzled with a honey sauce that had a little bit of zest to it. The flavors were complex yet they blended together nicely into a light, refreshing appetizer.

The drinks were great too. There is nothing more disappointing than a too sugary, syrupy

Our main entrees also arrived pretty quickly. I had ordered a spicy chicken sandwich with fries and a side of ranch. Mouse ordered a stuffed salmon with fries and vegetables. My dish was pretty disappointing. Though the chicken had been flattened, breaded, and fried the way I like it, the spice was bland and overpowering. By bland I mean that it was a generic spice, nothing too exciting, that was used waaaaayyy to much. I couldn't taste much else, despite attempting to drown my bites in ranch.

Mouse' dish, however, was absolutely amazing! The salmon was so fresh tasting and the seafood stuffing was rich and creamy. It was topped with a lemon aioli that blended the flavors together perfectly. The dish was small, which was perfectly okay because the flavors were so incredibly rich. It was really a great dish.

The french fries were pretty generic, not bad but nothing to brag about. However, the overall meal (minus the dish I ordered) was very good, especially for the price we paid. I would definitely go back, but if I was in the mood for something real special and different, I would look elsewhere.

Final score: 6.5/10

Introverted

It's weird, but college has made me realize something about myself. I'm a complete introvert, despite believing the opposite during high school. This doesn't mean that I cant be extroverted in some situations (such as work, school, etc). A lot of people think that being introverted means you're shy as well, that's definitely not the case here.

Simply put, I'm just not a very social person. I'd much rather go home and read a book than go to a party. In fact, party situations really make me uncomfortable. I've tried several times to get over this but I always still feel that bit of discomfort that makes the entire evening really weird for me. I know this is a quality that people don't understand, and it puts this big distance between myself and people who enjoy these kind of things.

I do like to go out, don't get me wrong, but I only like to be around people I know and usually doing things that doesn't involve large crowds of people I've never seen before or know only as acquaintances. It doesn't help that I don't really like to drink either.

Being introverted makes other things uncomfortable for me as well...and for some reason, the biggest one I have trouble with is talking on the phone. I can do it no problem, but I get really anxious about it, like I'm going to say something weird that the other person might misinterpret and get mad about. It's a silly kind of anxiety but it always blossoms up, right before I answer or dial....sometimes it makes me even chicken out and not pick up the phone. I don't actually know if this is directly related to being an introverted person, but it makes sense to categorize it as such.

Just because I don't like to go out and party (or be in large crowds) or talk on the phone doesn't mean that I don't like to hang out or talk. I'll email/text you all day, back and forth, and have just as rich a conversation as we would on the telephone. If you want to come over for a movie night or go out and see a movie, come over for games, go grab dinner, anything like that...I'm definitely down for that. It's just a matter of what you would rather do or what you're more comfortable with as a person.

Unfortunately I'm also at a point in life where a lot of people are into drinking and partying. 

I think the social norm in our society is to be extroverted, which makes it hard for people to understand an introvert. In fact, I didn't understand any of it until being hired for ASOSU and going through communication trainings. I wish they had classes for those kind of things, so that everyone can learn the differences between the way people interact with other people.

This was kind of long winded but I just wanted to express something I've been thinking about for a really long time. It seems that in college I haven't made the connections with people that I was able to make in high school and I think that this has a lot to do with it. 

Shimmy and Shake

So, while my legs are so sore today (PAC Weight Training: Circuits) that I'm hobbling around like I'm 30 years older than I actually am, I was able to fit easily into a pair of jeans that I had to squeeze myself into last month.

I would say they are actually almost too big, which makes the hobbling around campus SO WORTH IT...and the no eating dairy thing. So while students behind me in the halls might get a little frustrated with the slow pace of movement I'm utilizing today, I'll feel good knowing I didn't have to wrestle to put on my clothes this morning.

Not eating any dairy products is hard! I didn't realize until I cut it out that dairy was a part of every meal I ate! No more yogurt (which I'm missing the most...LOVE it), cheese, milk, etc. It's hard to eat at the dining centers on campus and keep aware that I can't order anything with cheese. A couple of times I ordered something and didn't realize it had cheese until after I got it...and then I took it back, which made me feel bad...I always hated that when I worked in food service.

On the flip side, my stomach aches and nausea have been significantly reduced since dairy left my world....which pretty much confirms the Lactose Intolerance theory. It's worth it not to spend half the day feeling like I'm going to throw up.

So basically...I feel good. I turn 21 in July and am spending it in Vegas with my boyfriend and best friend and I'm going to look damn good doing it. It's going to be a fun trip and a last hurrah! to the place I grew up in. Finally I will be able to experience the things that make Vegas fun for everyone, since I'm of the opinion it's one big hell hole.

BAM!

It's been awhile...

And I mean a long while. I've gotten back on the grind and am on top of my homework, grades, school, work etc.
I'm entering some new chapters in my life. I added Women Studies as my second major at the end of spring term last year.

I really like the classes and the theory behind women studies...it's so different than what society portrays it as. This term I'm taking a Gender & Science class and while I'm not a big fan of science, when I think back to my grade school biology/chemistry days...did I EVER learn about female scientists? No.

I'm still doing New Media Communications as well, which I love. I've branched off from print journalism and am now entering the unknown waters of TV journalism. Yesterday I went to the beginning of the term Student Media Meeting and instead of signing up for the Barometer as I usually do, I signed up instead for KBVR (Tv Station) and more specifically Beaver News.

Maybe if I stick to my rigorous New Year's Eve Resolution and lose enough weight to be back down to my high school size (size 9 by the way and thank you very much), I can even start to learn what it takes to become a successful news anchor. I added a PAC class this term which had me working out like I hadn't since my athletic days in hs. It was hard but I couldn't deny that I felt good afterwards.

That, coupled with the realization that I just might be lactose intolerant (which has changed my diet considerably) is enough to make me start dropping pounds. I got a head start on my resolution during break, where thanks to depression (R.I.P Rebel) I was able to lose about five or six pounds.

Let me put this into perspective for you. I will never be skinny (I'm a curvy girl, sorry Media World) and it's not that I hate myself...it's that I want to be more confident and comfortable than I already am....plus losing weight will make clothes shopping not such a hassle anymore.

And I want to be healthy. End of story.

So as I enter the next part of my life, the part where I turn 21 but still recognize where my efforts shall still lay, the part where I become media literate in ALL aspects of media, the part where I gain awesome internships in both my majors, I hope to keep on top of the social media, and keep all of you entertained with my (interesting? maybe...) life.

Love!