Tessa K

Seeing as how yesterday was Thanksgiving, I feel it would only be appropriate to blog about how I spent the holiday. My Turkey Day this year was different from previous years for one reason in particular. This year I actually did some of the cooking! In the past, I have had the privilege of having all of the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries etc…. cooked and prepared for me, and the only thing expected of me is that I clean my plate and enjoy every bite. This year, however, I wasn’t able to go home for the holiday, and was left with no choice but to make my own dinner.

Now granted, I did have some help, because who spends Thanksgiving alone anyway? Thanks to a good friend who is visiting from San Francisco and one of my lovely roommates, we made it our mission to make a Thanksgiving feast we would remember forever.

Because none of us knew how to cook a turkey, we improvised and bought a roasted chicken instead. We also elected to buy a package of frozen potatoes that we just heated up in the microwave because we also weren’t exactly sure how to make mashed potatoes (shameful, I know). Luckily, one thing my roommate did know how to make from scratch was the stuffing, which was delicious. She also taught me how to make stuffed peppers that were to die for.

Ok so maybe we didn’t have the most traditional Thanksgiving feast, and yes, the majority of the food was pre-made, but preparing the meal was the closest I have ever come to cooking for the holiday. Our goal was to make a meal that was not only edible, but also delicious, and I must say, we definitely succeeded. To top it off, it made me feel really good that I actually participated in the cooking and preparation.

Because the experience was so excellent, I plan to do the cooking again for Thanksgiving next year. Hey, maybe next time I might even learn how to bake a turkey! After all, I figure it’s about time I learn anyway seeing as how I’m in my early twenties.

Initially, I was disappointed that I was unable to spend the holiday with my beloved family in Colorado, but it made me feel better knowing that I accomplished something new and enjoyable.Seeing as how yesterday was Thanksgiving, I feel it would only be appropriate to blog about how I spent the holiday. My Turkey Day this year was different from previous years for one reason in particular. This year I actually did some of the cooking! In the past, I have had the privilege of having all of the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries etc…. cooked and prepared for me, and the only thing expected of me is that I clean my plate and enjoy every bite. This year, however, I wasn’t able to go home for the holiday, and was left with no choice but to make my own dinner.

Now granted, I did have some help, because who spends Thanksgiving alone anyway? Thanks to a good friend who is visiting from San Francisco and one of my lovely roommates, we made it our mission to make a Thanksgiving feast we would remember forever.

Because none of us knew how to cook a turkey, we improvised and bought a roasted chicken instead. We also elected to buy a package of frozen potatoes that we just heated up in the microwave because we also weren’t exactly sure how to make mashed potatoes (shameful, I know). Luckily, one thing my roommate did know how to make from scratch was the stuffing, which was delicious. She also taught me how to make stuffed peppers that were to die for.

Ok so maybe we didn’t have the most traditional Thanksgiving feast, and yes, the majority of the food was pre-made, but preparing the meal was the closest I have ever come to cooking for the holiday. Our goal was to make a meal that was not only edible, but also delicious, and I must say, we definitely succeeded. To top it off, it made me feel really good that I actually participated in the cooking and preparation.

Because the experience was so excellent, I plan to do the cooking again for Thanksgiving next year. Hey, maybe next time I might even learn how to bake a turkey! After all, I figure it’s about time I learn anyway seeing as how I’m in my early twenties.

Initially, I was disappointed that I was unable to spend the holiday with my beloved family in Colorado, but it made me feel better knowing that I accomplished something new and enjoyable.   

I must admit that writing my first field assignment for Reporting II was actually quite an enjoyable experience. I reported on the new Bronco Recreation and Intramural Complex (BRIC), which is currently in the process of being built and is set to open in the Fall of 2014. By taking on this story, not only was I able to learn a lot about the new construction process, but I was also able to gain an idea of what the BRIC means to the people who have helped get the project off the ground.

I was lucky enough to get in touch with two informative sources immediately. You know your story is going well when you are able to contact your sources immediately. If there is one thing that Newspaper class has taught me, it is how hard it can be to get ahold of your sources quickly.

Luckily, I already had a contact in mind for the story— Shelbi Long. Shelbi is the Coordinator of Recreation at the Bronco Fitness Center, so I figured she would be a great place to start. She emailed me back within minutes, and referred me to Krista Smith, the Director of Recreation.

Krista and I corresponded through email as well, and we were able to set up an interview over lunch. Shelbi joined us as well, which was fantastic because the lunch date allowed me to get quotes from two great sources at the same time. Shelbi filled me in on the history of the fitness center, while Krista was able to give me hard numbers, names, and dates concerning when the recenter will be done and who all is involved with the project. The three of us talked for about an hour, and both ladies provided me with plenty of information to transcribe.

Krista and Shelbi were also able to give me a name for a third source, Jonathan Jianu. Jonathan is a CPP alumnus, and he was heavily involved with the planning anddiscussion of the BRIC prior to the initial stages of construction. He told me what the new recenter meant to him, and what he hoped it would bring to CPP campus-life.

Overall, I think my first field assignment turned out pretty well.  I have to give a shout-out to the Poly Post for helping me tremendously with my reporting skills. The BRIC article ended up on the front page of last week’s paper, along with another article I helped to co-write. Overall, I am feeling pretty proud of the work I have done so far this year, and the positive feedback I have been receiving makes me want to finish this quarter out strong. 

On Monday evening my Videography class had the opportunity to take a tour of KABC, the Southern California television news network. The trip was very enlightening for a number of reasons, but mostly because I have often pondered the idea of becoming a news anchor one day. Now that I have seen for myself how a news network runs first-hand, I think I have a much better idea of what I would be getting myself into, if I were to pursue a career in news broadcasting.

Everyone at KABC who we had the opportunity to talk was incredibly nice and informative. They all seemed to be very happy to be working at the station, but more importantly, they were committed to working together as a cohesive team, despite their many different jobs and duties.

At this point I don’t know whether to be intimated or inspired. On one hand I love reporting— learning something new everyday, constantly educating myself, and improving my communication skills through interviews. On the other hand, however, the fast-paced news room environment is somewhat daunting to me.

Despite the fact that I do consider myself somewhat of an adrenaline junkie, visiting the news network made me wonder how I would handle the stress of always having to be on-point and at the top of my game every single minute while at work. Half of me would probably adore the job’s demand, and half of me would probably be so stressed-out that I might not be able to sleep at night.

Nonetheless, I am definitely going to look into the possibilities of an internship with KABC, and I am excited about starting the application process. I have already emailed Diane Medina, thanking her for her time, as she was nice enough to take our class on the tour. Hopefully I have made a nice first impression. And I must admit, I don’t look bad behind that Eyewitness News Desk. :)

If there is one thing that life has taught me it’s that some days just don’t go as you anticipate. Some days your alarm doesn’t go off, you get a car window that won’t roll up, and you end up spending over $500 that you can’t afford. 

I am currently sitting in the lobby of a Honda service center, wishing I was absolutely anywhere else in the world. Since I have more than just a couple hours to kill I figure it’s only appropriate to pass the time by writing about all the things that have unexpectedly gone totally and completely wrong today (and it’s not even 1:00 p.m.)

This morning as I was driving to class, I rolled my window down to breath in the scent of the morning’s fresh, rainy air. To my surprise, when I went to roll the window up I heard a disturbingly loud POP. As I fiddled with the switch I discovered the window would roll down, but not up.

So, instead of risking a break-in and leaving my car unattended on-campus, I headed straight to the service center, also known as my second home these days. (I drive a 2002 Honda Accord with over 100,000 on it miles and counting, so problems like these aren’t exactly unexpected, I suppose).

Upon checking in with the front desk I was informed that the problem would take two to three hours just to diagnose at the cost of $104.

Three long hours have passed since then. Just a few minutes ago a service worker finally realized I still existed, came over to me, and informed me that the problem could be fixed, at the cost of an additional $410 and two more hours of my life. Feeling helpless and irritated beyond belief, I reluctantly agreed to pay the price……….. and the time.

So here I sit in the lobby of the car mechanic. Three and a half hours down, one and a half to go. To make matters so much better, there is currently a woman sitting in front of me playing country music on her iphone at full volume with absolutely no regard for  anyone around her whatsoever..  I keep shooting her dirty looks, but I have yet to be acknowledged. 

So there you have it. A peek into the life of Tessa on this cloudy Friday in October. Let’s just hope the weekend brings nothing but joy, because at the current moment, Icould really use some. 

As children, we all have superheros that we look up to. Mine happened to be the seven members of the 1996 US Women’s Olympic Gymnastics Team. The gymnasts on the team were know as the Magnificent Seven, and unlike Batman and Superman, they could actually fly.

The Magnificant Seven made history by becoming the first team to win the Gold Medal for the United States in the Women’s Team Competition. Watching the Magnificent Seven accomplish this victory lit a fire in me. Their grace, agility, and strength was so admirable that I couldn’t help but

I began my own gymnastics career at the age of four when my mother enrolled me in my first class. My preschool teachers had informed her that I would spend recess turning cartwheels on the playground, but I don’t think she took my passion seriously until the day I accidentally kicked her in the stomach while attempting to do a handstand in the kitchen. The next day she took me to the nearest gymnasium, a place called Gymnastika, and signed me up for beginning level classes.

Unsurprisingly, training at Gymnastika made my obsession with the sport reached a whole new level. The gymnasium became my second home in no time. I partially credit my Russian coaches for this. Gymnastika was no mickey mouse, rinky-dink kind of operation. I quickly realized that Russians take the sport of gymnastics extremely seriously, and the gymnasts they coach were expected to do the same. This meant Gymnastika gymnasts were it in for the long-run— to be world-class olympians.

Eventually I started telling my entire family that I was going to be a gymnast for a living. They all told me I might be taking my hobby a little too seriously, but I ignored them.

My obsession with the sport continued through my early teenage years. I began traveling to competitions all over the United States, and won my fair share of medals, trophies, and first-place victories. While most girls my age were discovering boys and makeup, I was swinging, flipping, and twisting my way through my youth.

Today, my love for the gymnastics still burns. Although I no longer practice the sport due to a number of serious injuries, I have been teaching preschool and beginners gymnastics for years. To me, gymnastics is more than just a sport. It taught me everything I know about self-confidence and perseverance, and it will always be the first love of my life.    

Today I turned 23 years old, and I can hardly believe how it seems like just yesterday I was playing with barbies and watching reruns of “Full House.” I don’t know what it is about turning a year older, but my birthday always tends to bring about a certain sense of nostalgia, and I cannot help but reflect on my younger years.

My childhood memories are made up of many trips to the hospital. Not because I was sick or anything of that nature, but simple because I was so clumsy it was beyond all belief. When I was four I tripped down two stairs and broke my arm. Eight short months later, after I had finally just gotten my cast off, I was wearing my favorite pair of gigantic sparkly pink cowboy boots, tripped over a hula hoop, and broke the same arm in the exact same place. When I was 12, I was jumping on a backyard trampoline with my two best friends when they double bounced me, flying me through the air “matrix style” as one of them describe it later, and I landed on my collar bone, resulting in a clean, horrifically painful break. And who could forget the time when I was 16 and I side-swiped my very first car into an RTD bus. Fortunately, I survived this accident unscathed, but I thought I might mention it just because it’s a really funny story.

In retrospective, I suppose they are all really funny stories. But to me, they mean a little more than that. All of these hardships I have battled not only made me into the person I am today, but gave me the courage to believe that I can overcome anything. At the age of 18 I moved out to California from Colorado— away from my family, friends and everything I knew. And while the decision to attend school out-of-state was by far the scariest thing I have ever done, I wouldn’t trade my college years in Cali for the world.

Getting older isn’t as scary as I thought it would be, or as painful (as everyone forewarns). I actually see meany bright sides to being 23. For instance, I’m not as clumsy anymore, and as I look towards the future and the year ahead, I have a lot to be thankful for and excited about. I’m going to be graduating from Cal Poly in the spring, starting an exciting internship with a film production company, and moving to Los Angeles. Actually, come to think of it, the future has never looked brighter. So, that being said, it’s time to celebrate this birthday right! Let the good times roll!

1) Colorado-This one is obvious due to the fact that it’s my hometown, but aside from that, the state is remarkable.  It has it all- the beautiful Rockies, one of the greatest outdoor amphitheaters in the world (Red Rocks), all of the seasons, and the nicest/most genuine people alive. GO THERE if the opportunity ever presents itself. You will not regret it. 

2) Spelling -Fortunately I was born with this gift of being able to instantaneously memorize how to spell most words, something I shamelessly flaunt…. This obsession has followed me since grade school after I figured out I rocked at all those lame spelling tests we were forced to take.

3) Driving- I actually mean Speeding because that’s really where the thrill derives, but I guess technically that’s illegal so we’ll just go with Driving in general.

4) Wine- I haven’t the slightest problem admitting that over the past couple of years I have turned into a total Wino. I blame the full-blooded Italian that I dated for three years for this one.

5) Cheese- I am the greatest cheese connoisseur out of everyone I know. When I am old and rich I am going to open a cheese shop (I’m thinking in Ireland) and live happily ever after. I’ll sell wine as well, it will be perfect.

6) Gymnastics- Ever since I was four years old, I just couldn’t get enough this sport. I was a competitive gymnast for 10 years, and I have taught for three. To this day I watch it on TV whenever I get the chance. Fortunately,  (unlike most) heights and gravity excite me, rather than frighten me, which I have always been thankful for. 

7) Pulp Fiction- Even If this was the only movie to ever be made in history, I would be perfectly fine with it.  Perfection from start to finish.

8) Hair Dye- There is no cure. My hair hasn’t been the same color for more than three months since I was 16 years old.  

9) Anything Paisley Patterned- Never quite figured this one out, but somehow almost everything I own (bed-spread, cell phone cover, etc., you name it) has this pattern on it.

10) Live Music- This is what I spend all of my $$$ on, and it has left me penniless, but seeing/hearing the bands you admire most right in front of your eyes is an indescribably great experience, so no regrets.

Okay, I’m also slightly obsessed with the number 10 since it’s my lucky one, so I think I’ll cut myself off here. 

 As I begin to embark on my final couple quarters at Cal Poly Pomona, I cannot help but reflect on the potpourri of the unexpected and life-changing occurrences that have taken place over the course of the last year and a half. As a transfer student to CPP from Marymount College in Rancho Palos Verdes, my life goals were a very far cry from what they now are today. I transferred to Cal Poly with the wild dream of becoming a Music Industries Studies major. Other than my complete obsession and adoration for music, I honestly cannot pin-point exactly why I chose to take my career in that direction. So, rather than trying to learn how to meteorically play the piano, guitar, and sing at the age of 21, I elected to not waste all of my parent’s hard-earned money for my college education, and switched my major to journalism. This choice was not only one of the smartest decisions I have ever made, but even more monumentally, I really do think it changed my life forever, and of course, for the better.

Since changing my major to journalism, I am so thankful. I have gained countless and priceless skills that I know will benefit me for the rest of my life and professional career. As a staff writer for the Poly Post, I have learned how to conduct professional interviews, ask the right questions, and meet tight deadlines. Even more importantly, however, for the very first time in my life, I actually know what I what to do career-wise— I want to (no, I will) become a reporter.

I truly believe that if there is one reason, and one reason alone, that we as human beings were put on this earth, it is to discover as much as possible about the planet on which we live. Nothing would give me more satisfaction than being able to travel and report about the different cultures and ways of life all around the world. Knowledge is power, and people (at least in my opinion) are undoubtedly among the most valuable  sources.

So there it is. I may have mistakenly transferred to CPP by complete accident, but I like to think of it more as something that happened for a reason. I look forward to expanding and improving my skills as a writer/reporter during my short time left here at CPP, and cannot wait for what the future of my career has in store.  

The truth has sudden made itself crystal clear: Cell phones, the internet, and our most recent “status updates” are taking all of us further and further away from reality and the present moment. As I people-watched on campus today I had an epiphany— By constantly trying to stay connected, we are unconsciously loosing touch with reality. The pricelessness of the moments that are happening all around us is sadly being lost to text messages, youtube, and gmail, etc.

I thinks it must be photography class that’s teaching me to pay attention and keep my eyes open. Pictures have a way of revealing the significance of a passing, unpredictable moment— a moment that can only be captured by paying close attention, no distractions from iPhones, iPods, iPads, iTouches, (our iLives, essentially).

I’m not saying that I am an exception by any means. In fact, although I hate to admit it, I myself have been overcome by the distractions of technology, even to the point of embarrassment. Just yesterday for example, I was so distracted by my iPhone and catching catching up on emails that I took the wrong shuttle. I didn’t just take it past a few wrong stops though. I ended up all the way at Collins College without looking up once to realize I wasn’t even remotely headed in the right direction! For guidance on how to home, I asked the boy sitting to my right. He told me that if I wasn’t so distracted by my cell phone then I wouldn’t have ended up lost in the first place. Seeing as how this was coming from a stranger, his words were a little harsh and insulting at first, taking me aback. In the end though, what more could I do than agree. He had a really valid point.

The vast majority of us have our heads deep in the cloud of technology, and I’m not exactly certain what can be done to save us at this point. Are we too far gone? Now that I finally realize what a huge problem this has become I can’t help but notice it all the time and see it spiraling out of control further and further. I suppose I’m just going to try and save myself before it’s too late.