Sorry!

I just realized that I didn't link people's blogs to mine! I'm sorry! I tried and I thought it worked but it didn't!! And I really don't have time to wrestle with it, so forgive me!!

~*The Effects of EN 103*~

EN 103......If I had one word to describe it, it would be "unique". I say unique because it has a very different atmosphere than my EN 101 course. When I first found out about the course, I was excited, but I began to doubt myself and was thinking about not taking the course. In the end, I changed my mind back to my initial thought and decided to take the course. After realizing that our "theme" was environmentalist, I really contemplated dropping the course. I knew that wasn't into environmentalist kind of things, so I was like "how am I going to write a paper on something that I know I don't like?" After Robin clarified that she didn't want us to just focus on environmentalist things but rather focus on local issues, I began to feel a little better, especially when she said that the local issues could involve things on campus not just Tuscaloosa. So after that clarification, my thought was "Hey, Kiara, you can do this!" So as the course went along things got a lot better. We went on field trips (yay!), talked about a lot of local issues, and just had an all around good time. Even though I initially hated our "theme", I must say that it made me think about things that I had thought about and think about some things in a different light. For example, today, I was in the restroom in Burke West and I realized that our trash was overflowing. My initial thought was that it was probably so many things in there that could be recycled. So overall I must say that the course changed the way that I think about some things. The way that I write also changed. I used to write not thinking of who was going to read it, but after taking EN 103 I think about my audience a lot when it comes to anything I'm writing. I want to say that it was a pleasure being in this course with all of you all!! Love ya!! See ya around!

~*It's Coming to an End*~

As the days grow shorter and shorter, I feel myself getting a little sad. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here at the Capstone so far. I didn't realize that my first year would end so soon. I have met a lot of different and interesting people and been exposed to a lot of things that I don't think I would have otherwise. I must say that compared to some of the other college campuses that I've seen....none of them have anything on UA!! I must say that UA has the one of the most beautiful college campuses that I have ever seen, and the experience that I've had here so far has been just as beautiful. I would like to end this by saying.....ROLL TIDE ROLL!! *tear*

~*Midnight Breakfast*~

Last semester, Burke Dining Hall hosted this thing called "Midnight Breakfast", and friends and I, as freshman, didn't realize that this was going to be such a big event. (They serve breakfast, and they have a little DJ to make appeal a little more!) So we arrived about 30 minutes late and was forced to wait in a long line. After searching for a table, we found one, but what we didn't realize was that we were in the middle of a jungle of fraternities or sororities. That made us feel weird. We were the only "non-Greek" people sitting over in that section. By the end of the night, the Greeks were up "strolling" and putting on a show, and we were trapped (because it's real rude to interrupt or interfere with them)! This semester Burke Dining Hall hosted Midnight Breakfast again. (It was tonight!) Well, we were smarter than we were last semester. We went on time. There still was a big line (but it had nothing on the line last semester). So we walked on in once they began letting people in, and the breakfast was very good. We made sure not to sit on the side where the Greeks were. Everything went well with us this time, but there wasn't that many people this time! We complained that it was too many people last time, but it kinda felt weird without as much noise! *scratches head* But overall, it's a good event. I recommend to anyone who's never been to go next time they have one!

Art in the Ferg?

I must say that on Thursday when Robin said that we were going to the art gallery in the Ferg. I thought she was seriously mistaken. I thinking, "No she can't mean the Ferg. She must have gotten her buildings mixed up." But my curiousity didn't seem to go away. I still wondered exactly where it was and what would be in it. Once we arrived there, I realized that I had walked by the gallery a million times and didn't realize that it was an art gallery. As soon as I walked in, I noticed that the theme seemed to be something to do with hearts because there were a lot of hearts around. I began moseying around and realized that the hearts represented the victims of domestic violence. It was very touching to see their art work and read their stories. The art work made me think about things that I hadn't really thought about. The black heart with the nails coming out of it really stuck out in my mind because it was very unique. It seemed to be the most "painful", I guess you could say. After going to that art gallery, I definitely left with a lot on my mind.

Boy, boy boy!! Another hot resource!!

In high school, I was told that "in college, the teachers aren't going to help you!", etc, etc, etc. Well, I hate to say it, but my high school teachers lied to me! They kept making comments about how there was going to be any help for us once we get in college. But the truth is that there are people willing to help you! You just have to be willing to ask for help. After being sick and having to miss class, Robin told me that for my peer evaluation I would have to go to the Writing Center. I set up an appointment for the next Monday. I went Monday evening at my scheduled time. And I must say that I'm glad that I went. The girl that I worked with was very friendly and she pointed out a lot of the errors I had made. She also made me realize that my paper wasn't as bad as I thought. I went in the Writing Center thinking that I would probably have to rewrite my whole paper after she reads it because I really thought my paper needed a lot of improvement. Well, it turns out that it didn't need as much as I thought. She helped me with my errors and was very friendly about it, so I must say that everything turned out better than I had expected. So I just want to recommend to anyone who might need help with their papers to go! And I want to thank Robin for sending me there!

Another Valuable Resource: The Student Health Center

Around Wednesday evening, I began to feel sick. Me being me, I didn't think anything of it, so I just bought some over the counter medicine. I took the medicine, but Thursday morning I woke up feeling worse. Once again me trying to be independent, I took so medicine and rested all day long. Finally, Friday morning I said, "You know what! I'm tired of feeling terrible. I'm going to the Student Health Center if it kills me!" So after eating chicken noodle soup for breakfast and getting dressed, I headed to the Student Health Center. I rode Crimson from Burke West to the Hub and after that Blue Express from the Hub to the Student Health Center. Once I got in there, I was happy to see that there wasn't that many people in there. I signed in, and about 15 mins later they were calling me to the back. The nurse was very friendly. She did the usual "check-up" (checking ur temp, checking your blood pressure, etc.). Then, I was told to go back outside and wait til the next doctor was available. Literally, 10 minutes later I heard my name being called. I was so shocked that it didn't take long because my friend said it took her a long time the last time she came. So I went in the back and seen the doctor. (Who I must say was really friendly also.) So I would advise anyone who's feeling bad to go there! Hey why not? You've already paid for it!

The Next Best Thing Since Sliced Bread: City Cafe

Well, one of my classmates recently introduced me to what I call "The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread"......City Cafe! When my friend told me about it, I was wondering why I had never heard about it but I was still willing to go. So after class we got in her car and traveled to Downtown Northport to City Cafe! The first thing that came to my mind when I went to Downtown Northport was "OMG! The scenery down here is so cute!". After that thought, I was like "Why haven't I been down here before?". So once we got in there, I realized how popular it is because it was so crowded in there and we had to wait in a long line to find a seat. We found a seat about 10 minutes after we got in there. The waitress then came to our table and took our order. The thing about the restaurant is that it serves some really good "southern food". They sell the food by what I call the "vegetable/meat system". You can get 1 vegetable and a meat, 2 veggies and a meat, 3 veggies and a meat or 4 veggies and a meat. You could just get all vegetables if you'd like! But anyway, it kind of reminded me of Doster's Cafe on campus because it only sells certain meats and vegetables on certain days. Their candied yams were very good for those of you who like them. I would recommend them! Overall, I would recommend City Cafe because it's good local "southern food" at a "college's student" price! So if you get a chance to, please check it out!

~Local Things in Tuscaloosa that Hit Close To Home~

I must say that all the talk in class about local businesses has had me thinking of local businesses back home. After thinking of some local businesses, I was tickled when I realized that at least 2 of the local businesses that I know from home have been "franchised" to Tuscaloosa. One of my favorite Italian restaurants and the only one that we have back at home, Mr. G's is franchised in Tuscaloosa and so is a boutique from home called Perfect Touch. Once, I realized that a sense of pride in my small town began to bring a smile to my face. Most people don't even know Demopolis exists, so it felt good to know that people from my hometown had somehow expanded or "put Demopolis on the map" kind of. Mr. G's is a really good restaurant that is located WAY in Northport. It is really worth trying. I don't know exactly where Perfect Touch is located in Tuscaloosa, but I know that there is one up here. (The owner is one of my classmate's mom! And he goes to UA! Roll Tide!) But I just wanted to share that piece of information because after I found it out it really tickled my fancy. So if you get a chance I recommend that you go check out those places.

~Clearly, there is not enough room~

I am writing this blog on behalf of all of the people living in dorm such as Tutwiler, Burke, or any other dorm where you are sharing a room with someone other than yourself.

THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ROOM!! That is my thoughts the more I live in Burke West. I don't mind living in Burke West because of it's location, which makes it convenient for traveling purposes, and the fact that I can easily get to the Burke Commons Dining Hall! Other than that, I don't care for it! There are a number of reasons that I don't care for them, but the one that hits home the most is: THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ROOM! I am a person who just likes her own personal space, and I feel that the size of Burke West rooms are a definite invasion of privacy. There is no "wall of separation" which makes me feel like I have my own space and my roommate hers. No, instead I have to look up and constantly be reminded that there is another person right across from me! I think that as college students we shouldn't be subjected to such foolishness because we need our own space. For example, if I seriously need to study and my roommate is on the phone talking really loud. Or if I want to just come to my room and rest, but my roommate has company! Well, it's not like I can say "Ya'll need to take that to the living room! or "Hey, can you take your company to your room?" Asking such questions would be redundant because there is no fesible solution. Honestly, I don't think there is any other solution to this problem other than moving out or just not moving in to these communities at all! Now, I'm not saying that places like Burke West, Tutwiler, etc. aren't good places. They are, but they lack the privacy that comes with places like Ridgecrest, Lakeside, Rose Towers, etc. So if I could give a word of advice to anyone thinking about moving to somewhere like Burke West it would be to "Seriously put a lot of thought into it before you actually do it! Think about the lack of privacy! And if you're going to have a lack of privacy it would be so much better to spend it with someone who you would enjoy it with!"

~*Local Tattoo Shops*~

My 19th birthday brought up on this quest to find a good local tattoo shop! In Tuscaloosa, there are 4 tattoo shops! (That I know of! If you know of more, let me know!) And I didn't know which one would be better.....but instead of actually going on an actual quest I just went to the one that I had actually heard and seen good results from! TATTOO EXPERIENCE! I must say that once I walked in it hit me really hard that I was really getting a tattoo, but once I got over the shock everything went kinda smooth. The tattoo guy, William, was real cool after talking to him for a while, but initially he seemed a little "attitudey", I guess you could say. But I guess he was acting like that because I was really indecisive and kept asking him a lot of "this is my first time" questions. So I guess I would be aggitated with me, too! But the whole experience of getting a tattoo wasn't as bad as I thought. But I don't just want to talk about Tattoo Experience without mentioning Eternal Art Tattoos because they are good also. I didn't get my tattoo from there, but I know they are good because that's where I got my belly piercing at. I don't remember the guy's name who did my belly piercing, but he was really cool, from the beginning to the end. So if you get a chance to check out any of the local tattoo shops, I would recommend those two. But I don't want to discourage you from trying Cynical Tattoos or Youngblood's!

Who knew that history could hit so close to home?

Where is the only place that you can see dinosaurs, bears, and alligators all in the same vacinity? THE ALABAMA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY! Okay, that may not be the only place where you can see all of that, but it's the only place on campus. I must say that it was a refreshing experience going to the Natural History Museum even though I'm not really into history. I learned a lot about Alabama's history that I didn't know. I must say that the part that shocked me the most was the meteorite that hit the woman, and it shocked me the most that it occured in Alabama. WOW! I might need to watch out! LOL! But the Natural History Museum on campus is the only museum that houses such a tremendous thing. Now, that in itself is enough to make you want to do check out the Natural History Museum. Along with meteorites, the Alabama Museum of Natural History also has a huge replication of a dinosaur. It made me kind of glad that I didn't live around the time of the dinosaurs because that thing was HUGE!! I mean if he had of been alive he could have killed me just by stepping on me. They also have a replication of the dinosaur called "Tylosaurus". Evidently the Tylosaurus remains were found in the Tombigbee, which is the river that runs through my hometown of Demopolis. That fact kind of shocked me because I never knew that dinosaurs roamed so close to my hometown. Another thing that the Natural History Museum has is a lot of different animals. They have two bears, an alligator, skunks, armadillos, birds, bugs, etc. I was really scared when I walked in because I wasn't expecting a huge bear to be at the door. Then, on the second floor, there is another bear behind a glass window. He's dead, but I swear I thought he was going to jump out and get me! But overall, I must say that the Natural History Museum was a pretty different experience. I never knew history hit so close to home!

~*The "UA"*~

Okay, I know the title sounds kind of funny, but a lot of local people seem to call The University of Alabama "the UA". It really tickles me when I tell someone that I attend the University of Alabama, and they respond "What 'the UA'?". But the that is not the main focus of my blog. I just thought that was funny, so I used it as the title. When I got ready to write this blog, I had a lot of different things in mind, but they all revolved around the same topic -- all the things that UA has to offer. When most people think of UA, they think "ROLL TIDE", which is not a bad thing. But it can be a bad thing if that's all they think of us. So the more that I'm here at UA, the more I realize why I chose UA. It is so...entertaining-- I guess you could say. It has definitely kept me busy ever since I got here. There is so much to do and so much to be done here. I am recently discovering how wonderful the theatre department here is. I must say that when I signed up for TH 114 I did not know what I was in for, and after the first day I was like "Oh my god, I have to go to six plays!" But after going to see the production of Mystery of Irma Vep, I must say that I am thoroughly amazed. I didn't know anything about the play itself, but the fact that there was only two guys successfully playing eight characters was amazing to me. So I don't think that having to see six productions will be as bad as I thought it would be. Other than the theatre department, I've also just recently visited the Paul W. Bryant Museum. If I could sum up the museum in one word, it would be "WOW!!". It goes through all the years that Paul Bryant was the coach, and it also tells of the other coaches before and after him. The museum also houses a lot of different antique things, such as the original football uniform, old footballs, and even Paul Bryant's desk. I like the old things, but I must say that my favorite part of the museum is the crystal Paul Bryant hat! IT IS SO CUTE! (I know that's sounds really girly considering that we're talking about a football coach's hat, but I mean...I am a girl, ya know!) If someone was to ask me what I learned from the museum, I would tell them "everything about the legacy of Alabama football" because to be honest I didn't know much about Alabama football when I went into the museum. I had often heard that Alabama was known for football, but I did not know how deeply rooted in football UA was. I guess I never really knew because I'm really not into football, and no one ever really cared to tell me because it was something that was understood. Like 2 + 2= 4...Alabama=football! But in general, I must say that the museum wasn't just about learning stuff about football it was about learning the pride behind the pride of "ROLL TIDE"!! So in conclusion if I was asked what my favorite place on campus was, I would say "Give me time! I haven't found it, yet!"

~*Trained In*~

Did you grow up in an area where there was train traffic? I know that sounds a little weird, but you know what I mean. Were there trains near were you grew up? Well, there were trains near where I grew up! I grew up playing on a railroad track that is directly in front of my grandmother's house. I know you're wondering what's the point here. But the point I'm trying to get at is that trains seem to be a big part of the southern culture. (To be honest, I don't know if there are many, or any for that matter, in the northern region. So that is why I am speaking of the south.) I enjoy hearing the sound of the train at my grandmother's house, and I often reminisce of those days when I hear the sound of the train in my dorm room. Even though I adore trains, I don't think I would like to be surrounded by them. And that my friend is the focus of my blog today: "Trained In". I'm borrowing the title from the documentary made by UA's own, Allison Bragg and Kevin Garrison. Bragg and Garrison were enrolled in the "Documenting Justice" class at UA. Also, the documentary was featured in the Sidewalk Film Festival. The documentary featured the citizens of a city near Birmingham, called Collegeville, that has about 20 train tracks running through it. The residents are pretty used to it; even though, it is a pain in the butt to live around. It becomes such a hassle because the trains sometimes sits there for hours at a time making it hard to get from one place to another in a reasonable amount of time. Also, some people have died or lost a limb trying to climb across the train instead of waiting. I found out about this documentary because we watched it in EN 101 last semester, and I didn't think it hit home until the other day. I was thinking about how excited I am to go home this weekend, and my train of thought led me to my grandmother's house, which in turn led me to this documentary again. I thought of all the times my grandmother would tell us to be careful and always watch out for trains as we played on the railroad tracks. So this documentary definetely hit home for me. I was saddened by it as I watched it. And the fact that this has been going on for years without a resolution was the most shocking part. I still don't understand how the city council or any other form of government can sit here and allow this to happen. I would do the whole "call to action" thing, but I don't really know what kind of actions should be taken in this situation. So my call to action is: Think about this situation and what you would do in this situation. Until next time....toodles!

~*Sticking to your basics*~

Well, there comes a time in every UA student's life when they get tired of eating the wonderful selection that the cafeteria or the Ferguson Center offers. And when hunger has struck and that time has come, what are we supposed to do? Well, we could always feed into the cliché of eating the delectable "Ramen noodles" or we could simply just go to a restuarant and get something to eat. Okay, so you and your friends decide to go out to a restuarant! Woo Hoo! Road Trip! So now decide on Chinese and pull up to nearest Chinese buffet...so that you can get more bang for your buck! Oh ok, so you're in the restuarant sitting and eating and.....you began to realize that the food is just not as appetizing as the name of the restuarant sounded. Well, that's what happened to me Friday night! My friends and I had decided to go to Buffet City, which is located in this strip mall on Skyland Blvd. Well, we were nicely greeted, I must say! But the food just wasn't up to par! I've had way better Chinese cuisine. The only thing that tasted pretty good was there Sweet n' Sour Chicken. And I feel like if I just wanted Sweet n' Sour Chicken....then I could have simply went to another Chinese restaurant and just ordered that instead of paying $11 for a buffet of food! And I must say....$11 for a meal is a lot for your average college student! But $11 for alcohol....is just enough! LOL! That goes to show where our priorities are at! Ha Ha! But I really was disappointed with their food! So a word to the wise....Don't b fooled by these buffet signs....stick to your basics! Well, until next time....