Remember why "you just run"

The other day, someone on my team said that a certain time to qualify for our conference meet was “insulting”. But really, it was me and every other runner who has ever been proud of what we do—whether it’s fast, slow, long or short—who were truly insulted by that remark.

True, I don’t have to worry about qualifying for our conference championship. True, I can run pretty fast. But there are a lot of people who would do anything to be at my ability level, just like I would do anything to race with Shalane and Kara.

My point is that running isn’t about being the best out of everyone else… It’s about being the best that you can be. That sounds corny, but it’s true. Runners will waste their talent and their minds worrying about who to beat next and how many miles they have to run to do it. It’s like this big epiphany when you realize how much you love running and devote yourself to improving at it. But when you lose sight of the pride that comes along with crossing the finish line—and I mean crossing it at all, period—you lose sight of what matters.

Fat-Shaming in Digital Imaging class

Today in my Digital Imaging class, we had an assignment that really bothered me.

Our book, Adobe Photoshop CS5 One-On-One by Deke McClelland, is an excellent tool for anyone who wants to master the basics of Photoshop. After about two months of class, I can successfully manipulate photographs to make them more aesthetically pleasing, or to infuse reality with imagination. However, Deke offended me in the latest lesson.

The Liquify filter and all of its tools are powerful, powerful elements of Photoshop CS5. You can use them for fun, for good, or, in this case, for evil. I included the picture above because it looks like a perfect of example of using Photoshop to create a false image of perfection that affects the way many girls (and boys) see themselves. 

We were asked to use the Warp tool, which “stretches and squishes” pixels (as Deke put it), to edit a photo of a normal-looking woman sitting with her head tilted to the side. First, we had to move her elbows and shoulders around a little because they were uneven. But after that, Deke let us know that the woman’s weight was not acceptable.

“The stool our lovely model is sitting on is having an unfortunate effect on her thighs and hips,” Deke writes. Sorry, but, you’re wrong. 

She’s a perfectly healthy woman who didn’t need to be made skinnier in order to enhance the photo. It’s fat-shaming, honestly. The fact that I’m receiving a grade because of this makes me sick. 

I know my reaction might seem a little dramatic, but I’ve struggled with body image issues. Almost every girl does, and many boys do, too. I can’t say I’ve ever had a friend who didn’t think they were fat or ugly at some point, and I know plenty of people with eating disorders and depression. It’s scary, and I don’t like contributing to it. 

The First Day of Classes

Anyone with a computer, a Facebook and a home within 20 miles of Seton Hill University knows that classes for Spring 2012 began today.

There was a mix of excitement, apprehension, stress and apathy in the air as students made their way to the first classes of the dawning semester. Old professors, familiar classmates, crowded lunchrooms and clocks that tick too slowly became an imminent reality; and, frankly, I'm just not ready for it yet.

Thinking back on winter break, I can't imagine wanting to do homework ever again. It's like this awful tease that college dangles in front of us; a glimpse at life without the due dates, papers and dormitories.

I, for one, had the pleasure of running each day on my own time, eating as I pleased, sleeping and watching television. I saw only who I wanted to see, and went shopping at least once a week. It was the life. Or, at least, the life of an off-duty college student whose greatest desire in life is to lay on the couch all day.

Mhm, that is niiiice. Courtesy of WordPress.

Unfortunately, though, it's back to academia and scholarship and the really depressing concept of 'learning'. Okay, I know, I'm being totally dramatic. But I'm really just grieving the freedom of winter break that I cherished so much.

However, I'm excited to go forward with the semester and I have a positive outlook on what I can accomplish, and where I'll end up when next year arrives.

For every negative, there are at least three positives. For everything I hate, there are at least three things I love. Remembering that, sometimes, is the only way to keep the back-to-school blues at bay.

So, welcome back to Seton Hill classes, everyone! Welcome back to self-improvement and future prosperity!

Am I being too chipper now? Ah, whatever. I'm just glad to be back on the grind.

SOPA & PIPA: Goodbye internet freedoms

Members of the senate who vocalize their support for SOPA need some soap in their mouths.

Sort of like this. From A Christmas Story

SOPA, or the Stop Online Piracy Act, means well in its attempt to halt the illegal downloading of copyrighted materials on the internet. But, then again, the road to hell is paved in good intentions. 

Now, before I start, keep in mind that SOPA belongs to the House of Representatives, and PIPA belongs to the Senate. PIPA is the bill that will be reviewed on Jan. 23 when the Senate reconvenes.

A description of SOPA's intent from The Wall Street Journal:

The Justice Department could seek a court order requiring U.S. Internet providers to block access to foreign pirate websites. Access could be blocked either by making it impossible for users to type a simple web address into an Internet browser to reach the site or by requiring search engines like Google to disable links to the sites.

The attorney general could also seek a court order requiring credit-card processors to stop processing payments to the sites and requiring advertising networks to stop placing ads on the sites or taking ads from the pirated websites for display elsewhere.

In addition, both bills would allow Hollywood studios and other content owners to take private legal action against websites that are alleged to be hosting pirated material.

The legislation would allow content owners to ask a court to require credit-card companies and advertising networks to stop payments to sites allegedly hosting pirated material.

Subsequently, The Wall Street Journal provides a description of the repercussions of the bill:

Opponents of the legislation worry that the language in the House bill is so broad that it would allow content owners to target U.S. websites that aren't knowingly hosting pirated content. This has been a particular concern of bill opponents Facebook, Wikipedia and Twitter, all of which have sites that depend heavily on content uploaded by users.

In an extreme case, opponents say, media companies could get a court order blocking payments to an innocent site, with the effect of shutting it down and stripping it of its rights to free speech.

Also, they say the legislation would encourage authoritarian countries that have already been trying to block content on the Internet they don't like.

Sponsored by Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, SOPA and its sister-bill , Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA), are poorly planned bills at best.

Who's the outcast now?

*Since I decided to start this blog to help me become a stronger writer, I think it's only fitting that I add some of my older projects. This article is about the dichotomy between athletes and non-athletes at Seton Hill University.*     

WHO'S THE OUTCAST NOW?

The line drawn between athletes and non-athletes at Seton Hill becomes finer

It’s lunchtime at Seton Hill University (SHU) and a surge of students floods the dining hall. The tables boasting athletes stand out in bright red, and now, as SHU gears up for its NCAA Division II winter athletic season, it’s clear that the NCAA isn’t the only one assigning divisions on campus.

      

The most common division at SHU is arguably between athletes and regular students.

     

“I thought people would try to make friends with everybody, then separate into their own groups or teams,” said Chris Lacava, a freshman on the track team.

     

Lacava said he wasn’t surprised by this behavior at SHU because it reflects the social structure of his high school—especially in the cafeteria.

Internet Media & The Republican Presidential Primary Election

*Disclaimer: I am not advocating any specific political viewpoint or encouraging votes for the Republican or Democratic Parties, and I'm not claiming to be a political expert. I'm simply making an observation.*

Everyone knows that the 2012 Presidential Election is tiptoeing nearer and nearer. However, before the focus can shift to the big election, U.S. citizens must cast their votes for the Republican Presidential nominees.

In the Iowa caucus that took place just a few days ago on Jan. 3, the top nominees were (unsurprisingly) former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and (rather surprisingly) Pennsylvania politician Rick Santorum.

However, it seems that between all of those Republicans running, every single one of them has held the number one spot at some point. From Michelle Bachmann, Rick Perry and Herman Cain--the three candidates that once saw the biggest spotlight and subsequently the noisiest demise--to Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum--the three candidates who surfaced quietly in the aftermath--to Mitt Romney who clenched onto a somewhat translucent first place bid, the nominees all bathed in the coolness of near-victory, while many were scorched by the fire of imminent defeat.

But how am I up-to-date on the timeline of the primary elections?

#flyhighgaby

Yesterday afternoon I was relaxing in my room and fiddling with my MacBook when something special caught my eye.

As I was scrolling through my feed on Twitter, I saw a very special tweet that spoke volumes in 140 characters or less.

"19 year old Gabriella Sicard passed away in a car accident," the tweet read. "[...] her dream was to trend on twitter help! #FlyHighGaby"

My immediate response was to retweet the hashtag '#flyhighgaby' and help Gaby Sicard trend, but the curiosity about and frightening reality of her accident had hooked me. I wanted to know what happened; what caused a girl not too different from myself to meet with fate?

It turns out that Gaby Sicard, a 19 year old college student at Penn State had been driving westbound on I-80 when she began to pass a tractor trailer. As she moved back into the right lane of the highway, she lost control of her car, which then skidded and ricocheted off of the guardrail, sending her back into the line of traffic. The tractor trailer collided with Sicard's car, sending it off the road completely, but not before it had tumbled over.

Gabriella Sicard, 19, passed away on December 28.

It's like any other awful car accident--a car totaled, a life lost, families left distraught--and naturally it elicited an emotional response from me. But I just couldn't shake it.

New Blog, New Habits?

New Blog

Well, here's the thing: I decided to create a new blog.

It might not be earth-shattering news, but I am pretty excited about it. My track record with WordPress will not stand in my way as a reminder of how bleak the 'blogosphere' has been for me. This time, I'm ready to commit!

New Habits?

Besides, blogging is fun, and there is never a shortage of topics to talk about. For example...

It's 2012! Seeing as I had this new-blog breakout idea after the clock hit midnight, it's now the second day of the year. If my math is correct, I have 365 days (it's a leap year!) to become a top-level blogger. It's a brand-spanking-new year and I can't wait to unleash the inner blogger in me. 

So how 'bout it, Internet; are you willing to give me another shot?

Hugs and a headline,

Stephanie