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May 5, 2008
Today is my last blog. I hope you all enjoyed our time together as I did. My last head’s up for you all is going to be about graduation. So first and foremost congratulations to all who are graduating tomorrow. Your hard work is finally paying off. The ceremony starts at 7pm and is being held at Kenai Central High School. Hope to see you all there, but if not please enjoy your summer break and we will see you next fall.
May 1, 2008
Busy, busy days this week has already held. I hope you all are getting finished up with courses in style and class. Big news in the blog today is the end of the year pig roast. There are flyers up all over campus and I’m personally very bummed that I’m going to miss it because of a clinical. The Student Union will be roasting a pig Thursday night in preparation for the Friday party. It should be delicious and that’s not the only thing on the menu. This year’s theme is the Renaissance era. The fun begins at 3pm. There will be free Rock Stars and soda available along with the pig, hot dogs and hamburgers, and fruit and veggie platters. So bring your appetite, a friend, and your student ID.
“If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it.” -Andy Rooney
April 28, 2008
Hello all. I hope you had a wonderful weekend, once the snow stopped bullying that sun. My weekend was full with an Emergency Room clinical and triathlon in Seward, which the weather made very interesting. As for this week, I received a great email from a reader who, like me, seems to have your best interests at heart when it comes to your health. The article is titled “101 Health and Wellness Tips for College Students” and it’s pretty interesting advice. You should all check it out; especially since it looks like the weather is going to start cooperating with our ambitions of out-door play.
“Words are just words and without heart they have no meaning.” - Chinese Proverb
April 22, 2008
What a beautiful weekend! Act risk of jinxing the coming warm weather, I think spring is here. I hope everyone had a great weekend and got out side to shake off the dust we all accumulated in hibernation. The count-down is ever continuing to the end of the semester and hope all you graduates have started or are finished with the “walking” preparation. If not you better get on it, May 6th is just around the corner. Enjoy the week.
April 17, 2008
Today I’ve been thinking about the importance of relaxation. Coming to the end of this semester I’m sure it’s safe to say I’m not the only student or faculty feeling stressed. Hopefully some of these suggestions will help you feel refreshed and relaxed; not putting a damper on your time.
Getting plenty of sleep helps keep you productive during the day. So try to start a routine of getting to bed earlier.
Walk or jog in the morning. Helps wake you up and you get your cardio in for the day helping your heart. Conditioning cardiovascular systems help keep your heart rate down and your maintenance of stress.
Drinking caffeinated tea instead of coffee. Coffee is not bad for you in small amounts, but who are we kidding. No one studying for or preparing for finals drinks small amounts of anything caffeinated. Coffee can cause heart burn and add to ulcer problems caused by stress.
These are just a couple ideas you can try. Remember to drink plenty of water to help preventing headaches. Be good to yourselves and enjoy the last couple of days of semester. Stay positive.
“I have learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances.” - Martha Washington
April 14, 2008
Finals are slowly, but surely creeping up on us again. Hope you all are still enjoying your weekends as stress free as possible. Congratulations to all who did well in the first round of tournament play for The Call of Duty 4 games. Sounds as though there was a good turn out and that it was fun. This week is going to fly by for me. The paramedic program is picking up speed and finals for me mean one more summer semester to go then an internship. So the quote of the day is truer than many of us think.
“Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.” - Spanish Proverb
April 10, 2008
So those flyers about the Call of Duty 4 Tournament I told you all to watch out for are up around the college now. It should be a great time. If you’re interested you should call 262-0339. There are going to be three days of tournament play; April 11th 1-4pm, April 18th 1-4pm, and April 25th 10-4pm. It will be held at Hawk’s Games; Talon Room in Soldotna. I hope you all have the chance to try and make it out to the tournaments. After the first day of play, this Friday, I hope you all get a chance to go outside and enjoy that sunny weather. Have a great weekend.
“Action is eloquence.” - William Shakespeare
April 7, 2008
Welcome back to the last month of the semester. Hope everyone had a great weekend. Last Monday I attended a Student Union meeting and you will all be excited to know there are some great events coming soon. Keep an eye open for flyers about a Call of Duty 4 Tournament. It’s being put together by your KRC Student Union and sponsored by Hawks Games. Should be fun! Also coming soon is another food event special for finals week. So keep up the hard work and keep an eye out for all the events coming soon from your Student Union.
March 31, 2008
Hello all. Hope your weekend was as good to you as it was to me. Through my program I had the opportunity to be involved in Operating Room procedures, Emergency Department IV and code teams, and helped in the delivery of three babies. It was crazy busy and I learned so much I think my hat size is larger now. After a weekend like I had I hope that if you are even remotely interested in helping people, please come and pick my brain about the paramedic program here at KPC. My life is very stressful right now, but it really rocks!
“If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.” - Maya Angelou
March 27, 2008
It was awesome yesterday, all the wonderful ice cream that was available to all of us in the Commons, thanks to the Student Union. Today for all of you I’m going to give you a recipe for a healthy salad that will help minimize the guilt we all might be feeling about the ice cream. Couscous salad to be exact and it only takes about 5 minutes to prepare.
Ingredients
1 10-ounces box of couscous
3 Tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
6 Scallions, trimmed and sliced
4 Roma (plum) tomatoes, quartered
1 Seedless cucumber, sliced into half-moons
4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Place the couscous in a medium bowl and pour 1 ½ cups hot tap water over the top. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Combine the couscous, scallions, tomatoes, cucumber, lemon juice, 1 ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and oil in a large bowl. And serve.
I hope you all enjoy and I look forward to hearing from you as usual. Feed back is always wanted and welcome, thanks guys.
March 24, 2008
Happy first day back to school! I hope you all had a wonderfully relaxing spring break. Everyone has been trying to look chipper and cheery today realizing the actual presence of reality again. My break was great; full of fun, sun, sand, and crazy fish. My favorite encounter during my break to Hawaii was not my surf instructor or some exotic stranger, but a sea turtle. He was the coolest thing since sliced bread. A beautiful mixed coloring of charcoal and green that was enhanced almost magically by the turquoise sea. He was probably more curious about me than I him. I lost track of time swimming and playing with him in the hot sun and warm shallow water, which I’m sure helped with the sun burn I brought home with me. I hope everyone has some similarly exciting stories about their break and as usual I would love to hear from you. Welcome back everyone.
“Every one of us lives this life just once; if we are honest, to live once is enough.” – Greta Garbo
March 13, 2008
St. Patrick’s Day! I don’t know about you guys, but this is my favorite holiday, aside my birthday. Test your friends with this four-leaf–clover trivia over a pint of green beer on Saint Patrick's Day.
The four-leaf clover achieved "lucky" status because the ancient Celtic druids viewed it as a sign of good luck.
The shamrock, or seamróg in Gaelic (meaning "young clover"), is the national plant of the Emerald Isle, but it has only three leaves.
According to legend, during the fifth century, Saint Patrick used the shamrock to teach the Celts about the Holy Trinity. The three leaves attached to a single stem represented the unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in one God. If Saint Patrick came across a four-leaf clover, he used the extra leaf to represent "God's grace."
In 1907 a three-leaf clover became the symbol of rural youth clubs across the United States, with each leaf representing one H — for head, heart, and hands. Two years later, the emblem was upgraded to four leaves and H's, the last representing health. By 1924 these clubs had united and became widely known as 4-H, an organization devoted to teaching leadership, citizenship, and life skills to youth in urban, suburban, and rural areas.
In 2002, in Hanamaki, Japan, Shigeo Obara discovered a clover with 18 leaves, a Guinness World Record. (Four-and-a-half times the luck?)
Even luckier: In 2006, on the Kenai Peninsula, in Alaska, Ed Martin Sr. of Cooper Landing found more than a thousand four-leaf clovers in a single day.
One superstition holds that if an unmarried woman finds a four-leaf clover and eats it, she will soon meet her husband. Happy hunting!
Enjoys your spring break and come back refreshed and with a fervent attitude to finish the scholastic year. Drink responsibly, pinch respectfully, and wear your green in celebration not jealously.
March 10, 2008
I thought this might be a fun recipe for everyone today, especially anyone who likes coffee and doughnuts. So I hope you all enjoy. Maybe be nice and bring some homemade doughnuts to the KPC student union and they will provide the coffee.
Easy Doughnuts
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 8-count package large refrigerated biscuits (such as Pillsbury Grands)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat.
Place the biscuits on a cutting board. Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter or shot glass cut a hole in the center of each biscuit, reserving the extra dough for "holes."
Test the heat of the oil by dipping the edge of a doughnut in the pan. When the oil is hot enough, the edge will bubble. Place 4 of the doughnuts and holes in the skillet and cook until golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain. Add the remaining oil to the skillet, reheat, and cook the remaining doughnuts and holes.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Gently toss the warm doughnuts in the mixture a few at a time. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 8 doughnuts, plus holes
March 6, 2008
In honor of my good friend and colleague Harrison Deveer I would like to educate you readers about the country Ghana. I’m interested in this today because Ghana is celebrating its Independence from the United Kingdom today as of 1957. So here are some interesting facts;
The word Ghana means “Warrior King”
Their motto is “Freedom and Justice”
They are a constitutional presidential republic government
President John Agyekum Kufuor is in currently in office, but an election is being held this year
There are as of 2007 23,000,000 people living in the 92,098 sq mi country
Ghana is considered a tropical climate
Their currency is the Ghanaian cedi
The country is divided into 10 regions and 138 districts
And finally, if you wish to call someone in Ghana the area code is +233.
I hope you all have a wonderful March 6, 2008, be good to each other, and Happy Independence Day Ghana!
March 3, 2008
Spring break is a wonderful excuse to travel as a college student, also very convenient with the time off and all. If you could go anywhere and do anything (within reason because we all save the big ones like Rome for honeymoons and traveling when we actually have money) where would you travel?
As previously blogged I’m headed to Hawaii to hopefully be successful in surfing and sampling of fine cuisine and drink. The great thing about Hawaii is you can go there over and over and see something new each time. It’s the perfect vacation place; exercise, exotic sites, mountains, ocean, sun, surf, culture, and history. I hope everyone gets the opportunity to travel somewhere or at least have an adventure. Most people don’t need to leave the state for that. So be safe and have some fun with your imagination over the break.
February 28, 2008
Favorite color; based on memory or preference? Everyone has been asked the question, “What’s your favorite color?” Do you answer instinctively or do you take a minute to think about it? Does it change?
How do you favor on the debate of favorite colors are what they are because of a good memory or because you just prefer it. Personally, I think it’s because of a good memory and that’s why they change as life goes on. Most of the time mine stays pretty consistent. I blame that on a simple fact, most of my favorite memories include the outdoors or the ocean; water in general. So you can guess my colors; blue and green. Tell me what you think. Would love to hear from you.
February 25, 2005
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Mine was very relaxing. I want to throw a question out to the blog community; what do you all think about hitch-hiking? I, personally, am split on the subject. I’ve had good and bad experiences both picking people up and being the hitcher. The reason for the inquiry is that I’m going to Hawaii this spring break and am too young to rent a car. So hitching seems to be the answer. What would you do?
February 21, 2008
Being positive can be excruciatingly difficult at best some days. Positivity usually comes easy in the presence of comfort and calmness. I believe comfort is at times over rated and unreasonable. My seemingly azul poetic disposition can be blamed on many events happening in my February ’08, but not as monument us as the teasing presence of early spring conditions. (Spring = warmth, new love, rejuvenation, and the end of another semester.) So please don’t misunderstand, but do take some words to heed as we all continue to rock to the beat of the scholastic grind… Take pride in what you do and who you are. Work so hard at it that it becomes part of you; work, pets, hobbies, lovers. If it were easy it wouldn’t be worth it, you wouldn’t care if you lost it. So throw comfort to the wind. Be positive just to be positive and remember we only have one life so why not enjoy it.
February 18, 2008
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Mine was complete with hours of duly deserved fun with friends and plentiful sleep. I have a list of interesting facts about a little critter I stumbled upon while studying cardiology this week.
The Eastern newt or red eft (Notophthalmus viridescens).
Some newts, including the Eastern newt, have a juvenile terrestrial stage called the eft. The red eft has bright aposematic coloration to warn predators of its highly toxic skin. They live on the eastern half of the United States and in parts of south east Canada. They thrive best in muddy environments and eat insects, mollusks, young amphibians and frog eggs. These crazy colored members of the salamander family live for approximately 12 to 15 years and grow to five inches in length.
I enjoyed reading about these little guys on Wikipedia.
“Anyone can catch your eye, but it takes someone special to catch your heart.” – Anonymous
February 14, 2008
Happy Valentine’s Day. Once again, inspired by the month of February and it concurrent holiday, I felt complied to write about the reason we celebrate this day: St. Valentine, one of the many martyred saints of ancient Rome. Hopefully this will be a fun little tid-bit you can store away in your tool box for fun conversation or fill in for an acquired silence.
To begin you need to understand what the liturgical year and the Calendar of Saints are. The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, is a cyclical compilation of liturgical seasons in the Christian Church which dictate when feasts, memorials, commemorations, and solemnities are observed and which scriptures are to be read at said events. ( Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter, for example.)
The Calendar of Saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing the liturgical year. This is accomplished by associating each day with one or more saints referring to the day as that saint’s Feast Day.
So on to the history story. There is not much known about the actions or lives of the Valentine saints. It is known that they did not only celebrate their Feast Day on February 14, but they were also buried on this day at the Via Flaminia north of Rome. It’s uncertain if the Feast commemorates just one or many of the saints of the same name. Because of the elusive nature of these saints the Roman Catholic Church revised the Universal Liturgical Veneration to eliminate the St. Valentine’s Feast in 1969. However, traditional Roman Catholics continue to venerate St. Valentine on his commemorated day February 14.
So next time you consider the celebration of this timeless holiday, remember that you are commemorating a group of saints that we only recognize because they were buried as saints in the Roman Catholic Churches eyes.
- Enjoy your holiday and be good to each other.
February 11, 2008
I hope everyone had a smashing weekend. Mine was extremely busy; full of operating room visits and fire department ride-a-longs for my paramedic program. As promised I’m continuing to help all the wonderful students of the campus in the prevention of influenza. We have to keep all your bodies and hearts healthy for your Valentine Day dates. So stay warm and enjoy the fancy chicken soup.
2 leeks (white and light green parts), thinly sliced
¾ pound Yukon gold potatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bunch Swiss chard or kale, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
In a large saucepan or pot, bring the leeks, potatoes, fennel, thyme, broth, vinegar, salt, and pepper to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Add the chicken, return to a gentle simmer, and cook for 7 minutes. Add the Swiss chard or kale and cook until the greens are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and thickly slice it. Divide the chicken among individual bowls. Spoon the potato and fennel mixture over the chicken and drizzle with the oil.
February 6, 2008
The weather has been rather cold lately, although I’m not complaining about the sun and the stars have been spectacular. I was inspired by the KRC Student Union recently in the advertizing of the upcoming “FASFA Frenzy” and, unannounced influenza preventing, free soup and salad. I decided to share with you all a couple soup recipes that are tasty and good for you.
Smoky Corn Chowder Hands-on time: 25 minutes| total time: 45 minutes | serves 4 to 6
8 ounces sliced bacon, cut into ½ - inch pieces
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 10-ounce packages frozen corn
3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup half-and-half
Kosher salt and pepper
4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
Cook the bacon in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minute. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Spoon off and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings and return the pot to medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, and red pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the corn, broth, and half-and-half and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to the pot, add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, and stir to combine. Divide the soup among individual bowls and top with the scallions and reserved bacon.
Monday you all will get a great recipe for Poached Chicken and Vegetables. I hope you all enjoy this chowder and have a wonderful weekend.
February 4, 2008
In the spirit of the month of February I thought it would be appropriate to shed some light on roses for the fortunate lovers, the hopeless romantics, and the “lets purchase our own bit of happiness” patrons of the season.
Red: red roses are the traditional symbol for love and romance, and a time-honored way to say “I love you”. The red rose has long symbolized beauty and perfection.
Pink: as a symbol of grace and elegance, the pink pink rose is often given as an expression of admiration. Pink roses can also convey appreciation as well as joyfulness.
Yellow: the bright, sunny color of yellow roses evokes a feeling of warmth and happiness. The warm feelings associated with the yellow rose are often akin to those shared with a true friend. As such, the yellow rose is an ideal symbol for joy and friendship.
White: white roses represent innocence and purity and are traditionally associated with marriages and new beginnings. The white rose is also a symbol of honor and reverence, and white rose arrangements are often used as an expression of remembrance.
Orange: with their blazing energy, orange roses are the embodiment of desire and enthusiasm. Orange roses often symbolize passion and excitement and are an expression of fervent romance.
Lavender: the unique beauty of the lavender rose has captured many hearts and imaginations. With their fantastical appearance, lavender roses are a perfect symbol of enchantment. The lavender rose is also traditionally used to express feelings of love at first sight.
Hope you all enjoyed and I look forward to hearing from you.
“The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.”
– Benjamin Disraeli
January 31, 2008
Hello, my name is Sarah Smith and I get to be your new Student Blogger. I’ve never been a writer per se so I’m looking forward to these next four months. This first blog I’d like to tell you a little bit about myself, and then I’d like to hear from you and what you all would like to read about.
Like I said before I’m Sarah. I moved to the peninsula a little over a year ago. I’m currently enrolled at KPC attending the Paramedic Academy. I grew up in Eagle River and recently lived in Fairbanks. Firefighting is one of my favorite things to do. I prefer dogs over cats and the rain doesn’t bother me. I convince myself that I love hiking, but I really just like the exercise value and the view at the top. Heights scare me so I rock climb to educate myself on the finer points of my healthy fear of falling and physics. I cook because I like to eat not because I like to cook, and I thoroughly enjoy doing nothing . . . absolutely nothing, but everything in moderation.
Enough about me. Hopefully I’ve sparked your interest and thoroughly introduced myself. I’ll always part with a word of the day or a phrase or maybe a recipe. So let me know if you would like to hear something specific like Plato’s words of wisdom or Betty Crocker’s homemade fudge recipe. The next four months should be educational . . .
“What do we live for; if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?” – George Eliot
