My FREE Expression

So, I just saw an article about more graffiti written on the walls of the Free Expression tunnel on campus. While I agree with protecting freedom of speech... I do not support people pointing fingers and playing the "who done it? " game.

Here is some background on the event I am referring to:

Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina State University's Free Expression Tunnel was spray-painted earlier this week with racist and homophobic graffiti involving President Barack Obama, according to Chancellor Randy Woodson.

The slurs and the name "Obama" were painted over the picture of a black man. Woodson described the graffiti as "racially charged obscenities and derogatory comments directed to the GLBT (gay lesbian bisexual transgender) community."

N.C. State students are allowed to spray paint the Free Expression Tunnel with images and words commenting on any issue. Woodson decried the use of the tunnel for derogatory speech.

"(The tunnel) is the embodiment of free speech, a place where we can air our thoughts openly," Woodson said in a statement posted on N.C. State's website Tuesday.


Okay, that's just a section from the article. I agree with the right to protect freedom of speech... even if I do not personally believe the written comments in the tunnel. But, I still cannot fathom why anyone would write those things... but then again, it's a vicious battle where I have to tell myself that it's still someone's right to say/write what they choose.

I guess I was brought up with morals of respecting people of all races, age, genders, sexual orientations, etc. I will fully admit thought that I am not a saint and I enjoy my share of gossip. However, seeing all the articles about bullying in our society scares me. Within the next year, I hope to step in the classroom and be a positive influence on many children from all different diverse backgrounds. It pains me to think that they are exposed to this type of hateful language and feelings. Bullying, even though it has been around FOREVER, has been receiving much more press due to the recent teen suicides. I believe that in order to at least decrease the number of the terrible events, we have to be positive role models for young people all around the world. Why is free speech always negative? Like I said, I'm all for free speech, but it seems like people always have to use their right for free speech in a negative context. Or then again, maybe it is just the media hanging all over the "terrible" news and throwing the good news aside. Whatever may be the case... just to make myself clear... I agree with a person's right for freedom of speech. I mean THAT was one of the reasons our forefathers risked their lives for... but at the same time they also fought to protect each citizen of this country from the oppression from others.

But honestly, this quote at the bottom of the article, struck me the most:
"It is an iffy situation because we don't know what to do, but as an African-American here, it just makes me feel ashamed of going, evening being a member of the Wolfpack," NCSU senior Kateria Poe said.

Obviously, I am not an African-American and this is the woman's opinion. But, what bothers me about that quote is that she said she is ashamed of being a part of the Wolfpack family because of the lone acts of an individual or a small group of individual(s). I take personal offense to this because I am a part of that family. The Wolfpack family does a wonderful job protecting our rights to learn and work in a safe environment. We cheer together and cry together and most of all we support each other. If some individuals do not feel like that is enough protection, they may choose another "pack" to roll with. And, I doubt they will find another community as welcoming and wonderful as ours. In my opinion, you cannot point fingers at the entire Wolfpack family for the efforts of a lone wolf.

Agree or disagree with my statements... that's your decision. But, this is MY blog and my own free EXPRESSION.

...That Ball is Outta Here!

I felt the urge to deviate from my normal "catch-up" blogs and post something different tonight. So, may I invite you to catch a glimpse of something very near and dear to my heart... the Philadelphia Phillies!

To be honest, baseball is in my blood. It starts with my grandfather, who... even though I may hold a slight bias... was an incredible ball player. He has been known to many of his friends as "Mr. Baseball" and held records at his college and for the leagues he has played in. Don't believe me... here is some proof: http://articles.mcall.com/1992-06-07/news/2852999_1_patch-first-managed-fielding-mark . He's a local legend and I couldn't be more proud of that fact.

Now fast forward to my Dad- another great player. He played in the same league that my grandfather was (and still is) intensely involved in. My grandfather must have been thrilled to know my Mom was going to marry someone who loved the sport as well. It was destiny, or so that is what I believe.

Alright- so now that you have the background of my baseball addition- this is where the Phillies come into play. (My grandfather is NOT a Phillies fan... he actually roots for the Detroit Tigers). However, my Mom and Dad raised me a Phils fan. My grandfather (my Dad's dad) rooted for the Phils too... so it guess that's another link to the great sport. So needless to say, they are a team my family (or some of us, at least) have been rooting for a long time.

In 24 years, I have seen the good and the bad of the franchise. And maybe that isn't considered a long time to some people... but it is a lot longer than many bandwagon fans we have picked up in the last few years. Growing up, I remember a lot of players and I knew rosters and line-ups like the back of my hand. I use to have a program of the players and I would sit in front of the TV looking at the players pictures while the games were on. One of my favorite ballplayers for the Phils was Mickey Morandini. His name is incredibly catchy to say... so honestly, I think that is why I was so fond of him. I still have his baseball card on my dresser at home.

Another memory I have was during the 1993 World Series. A series that broke my heart. I was in 1st grade and the Phillies were playing the Toronto Blue Jays. Needless to say... this is what I heard,
"The 2–2 pitch, line drive in deep left, this ball is outta here. Three-run home run, Joe Carter, and the Toronto Blue Jays are the world champions of baseball for the second straight year. A three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth by Joe Carter who's being mobbed at home plate." —Phillies radio announcer Harry Kalas.

I would be disappointed for another 15 years.

Fast forward to 2008... 15 years later... the Phillies FINALLY make it to the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Between cold temperatures and crazy weather, the series had some awkward games-- I think it was the first time in history a World Series game was postponed mid-way through the game and finished up the following day? Anyhow, I sat on my apartment's couch, wrapped up in a blanket, chewing my finger nails off alone because my roommates though I was insane. And then I heard this:
"One strike away; nothing-and-two, the count to Hinske. Fans on the their feet; rally towels are being waved. Brad Lidge stretches. The 0–2 pitch — swing and a miss, struck him out! The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball! Brad Lidge does it again, and stays perfect for the 2008 season! 48-for-48 in save opportunities, and let the city celebrate! Don't let the 48-hour wait diminish the euphoria of this moment, and the celebration. And it has been 28 years since the Phillies have enjoyed a World Championship; 25 years in this city that a team that has enjoyed a World Championship, and the fans are ready to celebrate. What a night!" —Harry Kalas

And what a night it was!!!

Okay, okay... so you read my blog of facts and memories about the Phillies and you are saying to yourself, "Justine, seriously? What is the bottom line in all of this?" And I say to you.... the bottom line is that this franchise is a very important part of my life. From my earliest memories, the Phillies were there. Every year they have a cast of crazy characters that you can't help but love. It dawned on me how proud I am to be a fan because it keeps me close to my roots. I wear my Phillies RED loud and proud. It reminds me of my baseball blood and also how awesome it is to see my home state (or at least the Eastern part)... rally behind OUR team. Philadelphia fans are THE toughest fans and believe me, it is a widely known fact. We booed Santa Clause.... yes you heard me right... Santa Clause. We are passionate about our City and we are passionate about our baseball. And for the past three Octobers, I have had the awesome chance to experience the electrifying vibe from the Phils doing well and I get to represent them 600+ miles away.

Here's to more Octobers full of incredible baseball and of course, Phillies RED.

Hello, Stranger!

Well, well, well... didn't think you'd see me around here anytime soon now did ya? Okay, so I will confess... it was through the (indirect) influence of others to start blogging again. I didn't meant to NOT blog... but ya know that thing called LIFE? Well, it kinda got in the way!

Looking back to my last post, it was mid-June. JUNE?! Really?! Well... hello. We are now at the end of September. Time is a slippery little sucker- one blink and he's gone!

So... summer details in a nutshell. I relaxed this summer and did it to the greatest extent possible. I knew this Fall would be insane -(more on that later!)- so I knew that being a slug this summer would be soooo worth it. Okay, so I did SOME work because I helped out on a grant through the AEE Department at school. I helped create and/or collect distance education materials for numerous professors in the Department. It was a lot of fun because I received great hands-on experience with educational material and also built relationships with professors. After that, I traveled to Puerto Rico with my family for a few days in the sun and then I spent a couple weeks home in PA.



As I hear the rain pounding on my window, it brings me back to reality that it isn't summer anymore (Thank God! It was so hot for way too long!) and Fall is upon us. Remember when I said that I knew Fall would be insane??... well, yep, it sure hasn't let me down! Prior to this post, I was making my final edits to my IRB form for my research. The reviewer said my form was very well written and with some edits, it would be approved. So, the edits are in place and it is ready to be sent for re-submission tomorrow. One hurdle down, a million more to go!!!!

I have a feeling my posts will be like a roller-coaster in the next few months prior to graduation, but I will say that I have tremendous support helping me through the process. People always say... "YOU are my rock". Well, I am certainly lucky because I have numerous rocks. Call me the rock collector, if you will. I was going to name all of my rocks in this post, but I think I will refrain. The important thing is that I know who they are and I will try my best to be their rock, too.

I could go on and on, but it would probably to best to stop here for the time being. My goal is to post more frequently- that way I will be able to look back in a few months and think "WOW, what was I worried about?!" or "I accomplished that? Incredible!"

Goodnight! Happy tomorrow! :)

"It's HOT y'all"

Who turned on the heat??? Raleigh has been warm lately and I am sure this is just the prelude to the summer heat.

So, here we are in mid-June and things have been extremely busy... let's recap!

The last time I "blogged" I was getting ready for Emy and Andrew's wedding. What a gorgeous day we had! We were worried that it was going to rain for the outdoor ceremony, but by the time 4:00pm rolled around, it was clear and beautiful. The wedding was held right on the water outside of the Duke's condo. After the ceremony, we chowed down on a seafood feast and danced and celebrated with the new couple. I really should go into more detail, however, I do not think words describe the fun and special moments we had over the weekend. Cue the pictures:


Bridesmaids & Emy at the Rehearsal Dinner


You may kiss the BRIDE!


Maid of Honor! :)


Eric and I with Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Cope



After re-grouping myself from the wedding weekend, I prepared for the arrival of Miss Isabelle. What a trooper! She was fantastic on a trailer for 12 hours!!! Honestly, I was prepared for her to be a complete wreck moving down here, but my girl did awesome! She has really taken to Kadan. Izzy has always had a motherly instinct, so with Kadan being so young, she has taken him on as "her own". No complaints from me-- I'm very glad they are buddies. I'm constantly at the barn to make sure Isabelle is okay with the hot temperatures, but honestly, I think the bugs and flies bother her more than anything. Summer will be the hardest season for her- once Fall, Winter, and Spring get here though... she will be comfortable!


My babies! :)

Next week is my last week working on the "Grant Project" at the University. I will be very busy though! Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday I will be filling in teaching for another Graduate Student's class. Then on Wednesday, another Graduate Student and I will be responsible for running the "FFA Quiz Bowl" at the State Convention in downtown Raleigh. I am super excited for these opportunities both personally and professionally.

In two weeks, my family and I will be heading to Puerto Rico for a few days. We have gone to Puerto Rico a couple times before and it is always so relaxing. I am definitely looking forward to the downtime and spending time with the family! :)

Stay cool (wherever you may be)!!!

And... we're back!

Okay- so I send my apologizes because it has been since mid-April since I "blogged"... but April & most of May proved to be overwhelmingly crazy!

Let's recap the life of Justine since the last post...shall we?

School: I am officially done with my first year of Graduate School! Time flies and I really can't believe it. I am having such a wonderful experience in the program that I am in and learning so much everyday. I received a 4.0 this semester and was very sad that summer is here... mainly because I like going to class, learning all I can, and spending time with my professors and my peers. Speaking of my peers- my Graduate Student "girlfriends" and I had the chance to celebrate the end of the semester with dinner & a movie. That was a lot of fun and I hope we get to do more of that in the future... (we will need a break between the studying and thesis writing next year)!

Work: My contract with CALS Career Services ended in early May after I presented our yearly report at our Advisory Board. I started to panic because I could not find any opportunities (except volunteer positions) for the summer. But, as always... things always work out... and during my semi-meltdown, I received an e-mail from my professor wanting to know if I'd be interested in a 6-week summer position with the Agriculture Education Department. Interested??? I'd be DELIGHTED to work for the Department!!!! So, currently, I am working with 3 professors on a Distance Education curriculum grant. I get to dig deep into lecturing materials and class topics to update and/or create new lessons for the upcoming semesters. I love gaining experience, especially in my field of study, so this opportunity had my name written ALL over it.
In addition, I've been asked to help run the FFA Quiz Bowl with some of my fellow Graduate Students. This event will take place at the end of June at the Raleigh Convention Center. Also, I have been asked to do a speaking engagement, with my friend Jessica, on a new technology tool that teachers can use in classroom. This will take place mid-August at a seminar for teachers on campus. Plus, I have to get moving on my thesis research & I just signed up for an online summer class through LSU to attain credits for my teaching license. BRING IT ON! :)

Barn: BIG NEWS! Isabelle is moving to Raleigh on June 3rd. We are praying that Isabelle has a smooth transition into her new home & that Kadan takes care of his "big sister" during that time. And I am sure that there will be plenty of updates about them in upcoming weeks... so stay tuned!

Personal Matters: I am soooo excited for this weekend. My best friend, Emy, is getting MARRIED! I was asked to her "right-hand-girl" aka- Maid of Honor- for this very special event. The bridesmaids’ dresses are gorgeous and we will look so pretty in our "Tiffany Blue". Emy will be stunning in her gown and I can't wait to see Andrew's face when he sees her walk down the aisle. It will be such a special occasion and I will treasure all the memories from the event.


So to keep you wanting more-- check back for wedding pictures on my next blog. By then... it will be JUNE!

Horse Lovers' Philosophy: It's Always Something!

Having owned horses for almost 10 years, I have adopted this philosophy: "It's Always Something". You could put a horse in a padded room and they would still figure out a way to cut, scratch, bump, nick, and scrape something... not to mention swell up and/or twist some part of their body. Horses are walking, trotting, loping, and galloping disasters. For as beautiful and powerful as they are-- horses are extremely fragile animals.


My very first experience with my philosophy was (ironically) a few days after we bought Isabelle in 2002. We noticed she was not eating and had her head buried in the corner of her stall. Now, if you know Isabelle, you know she LOVES to eat. Even though I was new to owning a horse, I could at least tell something was seriously wrong with her. To make a long story short, Isabelle contracted Strangles. Strangles is a infectious disease in horses that effects the lymph nodes and causes them to swell (once thought to "strangle" the horse's airway). She had to be quarantined for over a month until she was given a clean bill of health. The few days before we bought her, she was still out in the pen with horses that just came in from the "Sale". Who knows what types of diseases those horses brought with them, but Strangles was definitely one of them! This sickness was the first real horse emergency I had to deal with and my family and I learned very early on in the game just how expensive Vet bills can be!

Kadan has had his share of Vet visits in the past year and Isabelle had another one this past weekend (hence the reason for my post). These mini emergencies come with the territory of owning horses-- or as I like to call them, "expensive medical mysteries".

I would like to say that my Dad totally missed his calling as a Vet. "Dr. Jack Kinney" made sure Isabelle was comfortable this weekend as we awaited her test results (THANKS DAD!). The "expensive medical mystery" (aka Isabelle) had large areas of inflammation and hair loss that ran all the way from the front leg to her back end. Why? No one knows for sure... the blood test came back within normal range. However, with "Dr. Jack Kinney's" care and the medications given, the swelling has gone down tremendously and Isabelle seems to be in good spirits. Dad: You have to do something with animals when you retire. At least you know that the offer to work at my barn one day with always stand. I'll have the cleanest barn on the planet, that's for sure!!



Despite all of the uncertainty of what may happen to these crazy creatures, people have to remember that they are horses & they are going to play, kick, bite, run, roll, scratch, jump, and tumble wherever you put them. Plus, most horses have owners who are big suckers and no matter what trouble they get into, they will always have a big ole' kiss waiting for them-- with their name written all over it! (Hmmmm... I think my horses fall into this exact category!!!)

Never a dull moment... it's ALWAYS something!

Ode to my Easter Basket

So it dawned on me during this beautiful Easter weekend how many miles my Easter basket has racked up. I think I will have to get it a passport or something because that basket has been literally everywhere. My Mom brought it to Williamsburg this weekend so the "Easter Bunny" could stuff it with treats... and for the past two years, the basket has flown to Raleigh to be there on Easter waiting to be unpacked. So... thank you Mom for dragging the basket around & continuing to play "Mrs. Easter Bunny". Easter just wouldn't be the same without that purple basket with the striped ribbon!



Speaking of Easter, it was a b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l weekend in Williamsburg. My parents and I were able to tour Colonial Williamsburg and have a calm and relaxing weekend together. I can't believe Easter has come and gone & it is APRIL already!


This week brings a ton of projects & papers to finish-- while I wish I was outside enjoying the warmer weather! ;)

First post!

Well, looks like I am now the newest member of the "Blogging-World"... oh boy!

I was trying to figure out what exactly to write... my life is BUSY, but nothing that I figured people would be interested in reading on a daily basis. However, I could be wrong and actually be surprised in the number of people who might actually be interested in my daily happenings at work, the barn, the gym, and classes... etc.

I guess the easiest way is to start out with a background of each topic so YOU (my wonderful and caring reader!) can understand where I am coming from...
Work: I am employed part-time as an intern in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (let's call it "CALS" for short) Career Service Center. It is a very BUSY time of year because of students frantically trying to find jobs/internships before classes end in April. Let's just say that I've mastered the art of multi-tasking!!!!

Gym: I use to HATE working out, but ever since I joined in January... I have actually enjoyed going. I have a physical training session every week and my trainer pretty much kicks my butt... but I know in the end, I will reach my goal!

Classes: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Graduate School. It is surprising to me because I enjoyed undergrad. so much... but there is something about Graduate School that is 100x better. The professors in the Agricultural Education Department are extremely supportive & I've really bonded with the other Graduate Students. I can honestly say that I look forward to attending classes each week and participating in discussions. I also just joined a "Focus Group" for educational research. It is a very relaxed one hour session each Tuesday where myself, 3 other students, and a faculty member meet and discuss educational topics and help each other search for information on our pending research ideas. This setting is great for me because I can ask questions and receive feedback on my research topic. I'm looking forward to the Fall semester already!!!!

Barn:
-Okay, so this is the section that will probably take up the majority of my blogs! SORRY!!! Actually... no... I'm not sorry. This is something that is EXTREMELY important to me and I REALLY enjoy. Owning horses is my hobby, but it is much, much more than that. I've met so many incredible people through my horses & they have influenced me on my future career path that I can't help but dedicate most of my posts to this topic. My biggest project at the barn right now is Mr. Kadan. For those of you who do not know... Kadan is my 2 year old Palomino gelding. I am very proud of him because I helped deliver him during an internship I did during my Junior year at State. I loved him the minute I saw him! Something about him told me he was incredibly special (maybe that's why I call him "Special K?" -haha) and he clearly became my favorite out of the 14 we delivered that year. Now, he is growing like a weed and is currently "in training". I linked up with my trainer, Dawn, because I am new to training young horses. I have learned an incredible deal about patience and horse-sense from her-- talk about a woman with a gift! I'm pretty sure Dawn must think I live in her barn because I am CONSTANTLY down there, but what she has taught Kadan and passed along to me as been so valuable! Kadan is very smart and he knew how to pull at my heartstrings to where he manipulated me to get what HE wanted during training. Well, we've fixed that and MOMMY is now in control! By learning the correct body language and asserting my dominance (without violence), Kadan learned to respect me as the leader and listened to my wishes. Everday I learn something new and I know Kadan will live up to his name, "Statement to Make"!


-The other special horsie in my life is Miss Isabelle. She is in PA and I cannot tell you how much I miss her every single day. I started leasing Izzy in 2001 from a barn right down the road from my house. She came from the "Sale" (which is a nicer word for "horses that do not get bought at this auction head off to the slaughterhouse"). According to the owner, the lease was "not working out" so he threatened to take Izzy back to the "Sale". Cue Jack & Marla Kinney!!! My parents bought Isabelle for me in February 2002 and I had my very OWN (and first) horse. Isabelle is the most spoiled horse in the world and I am not ashamed to admit it-- but, I believe she deserves every minute of it because who knows what her past was like and who knows how she got to that horrible sale barn. Nevertheless, something in the stars aligned and she found her way to me. I consider her a very fortunate horse, but I consider myself the luckier one to have her in my life. She has taught me SO much and as silly as it sounds... she was a huge factor in where I am in my professional career. I am excited to say that she will FINALLY be moving to NC this Spring. I look forward to being able to see her more than a few times a month & she will hopefully settle in nicely and establish a relationship with Kadan.


Well, I was correct when I said the "Barn" section would take up the majority of the space in this post. I could talk for hours and hours about horses... but I will spare you more details for the night. ;)

And that concludes my first post... hope you enjoyed it and will continue on this lovely "blogging journey" with me!