An Insane Night In Buffalo

If you didn't catch Monday Night Football last night, I truly feel sorry for you. The game was the craziest, most intense football game I have ever seen in my life--we're talking about 10 years of watching the NFL.

The last time the Buffalo Bills hosted a Monday Night Football game was in 1994, 13 years ago! This was finally their year, and who comes to town? None other than the undefeated, arguably best playing team in the league, the Dallas Cowboys. The Buffalo Bills have gotten off to a rough start this season winning only one of their four games. They were planning to get killed, maybe even shut out, but they went on their home field with their heads held high....and actually held the game in their hands for all four quarters.

Tony Romo threw FIVE interceptions, two of which were ran back for touchdowns. The Bills even ran a punt back for a touchdown as well. The Bills were up 24-16 in the fourth quarter when Tony Romo took the Cowboys all the way down the field to score a touchdown. With 20 seconds left on the game clock the Cowboys went for a two-point conversion that would tie the game at 24. The Bills' defense was impeccable, and Terrell Owens was unable to make the catch. The Cowboys had one more chance: an onside kick. The onside kick was great, the Cowboys recover it, and have 13 seconds to get into field goal range. T.O. drops another catch, which means the Cowboys have less than 10 seconds left. Tony Romo throws two more short passes to get their kicker, Folk, as close as possible. With two seconds remaining, Folk comes out to make a career long 52 yard field goal-his previous career long was only from 47 yards.

Folk makes the field goal, the Cowboys go crazy, but wait--Bills' coach Dick Jauron called a timeout right before the snap, so the kick was no good. After the timeout, Folk comes out to attempt the field goal again. Impossible right? Wrong! Folk makes the 52-yarder and the Cowboys win the game!

Unbelievable.

Show Mother Nature Some Love, Go Climb!

I love trying out new things: new food, new shoes, and especially new activities. It's the little rush that you get, when expectations are high, and you're optimistic that everything will go well, and you'll love it. I started rock climbing a couple months ago, in a gym downtown called Pipeworks. I discovered that I loved it the first time I went. As much fun as climbing in a gym was though, I really wanted to try climbing outside.

After a few months of climbing in the gym, I finally had the opportunity to go climbing outside for the first time, and it was exhilerating. I thought I enjoyed climing in a gym, but climbing outside is much more fun. Being outside, in the woods, climbing on actual boulders was an unreal experience. As cliche as it sounds, I felt at one with nature, like I was apart of it. It made respect the natural beauty of Earth, and made my appreciation for nature even stronger.

My boyfriend and I went to Castle Rock State Park, which is south of San Francisco. When we got there we hiked through the woods to the first boulder we were going to climb. Castle Rock is gorgeous, filled with tall trees, beautiful trails, and friendly hikers.

Even though I have been told that climbing outside is much more difficult than climbing in the gym, I was determined to do well. The first problem I tried was a "one-move wonder". From the start there was only one move to get to the top, a move that I wasn't able to do, no matter how many times I tried. The hold was directly above my head, and just far enough out of my reach that I wasn't able to grab it. Pair that with terrible foot holds, and I was unable to get past the start.

I decided to take a break from working on that problem, and went to another one, called the "Spoon"...which is by far my favorite problem at Castle Rock. The Spoon is a great problem for me because it is just past my level of ability, so it makes me strive harder to get it. The Spoon was another problem that had a really high hold above my head, but the holds leading up to it were much better than the one on the first problem. One of the holds was deep into a crevice in the rock, so I had to wedge my left hand and arm into the crack to get a good grip, after falling a few times and hurting my wrist, I decided to take a break and try another problem for awhile.

We went to another boulder and found a problem that was easier for me to do. After struggling a little with the start, I sent it, and finally finished my first problem outside. It was a great feeling, but I was ready for the Spoon again. I attempted the Spoon a few more times, but after almost breaking my wrist, I decided to call it a day. I guess I will just have to wait to send it until the next time I'm there.

It was very refreshing to be outside, I got tired less often, and was far more determined than when in the gym. I would recommend climbing in general to anyone, but if you ever get the chance to go climbing outside, do it. Even if you struggle at it and do not do well, like I didn't, despite the cuts and bruises, you will still be amazed at how great you feel afterwards.

Pushing Daisies--Dead or Alive?

It is always nice to see a new show on TV that is unique and filled with unfamiliar storylines, and Pushing Daisies is both. Bryan Fuller's new show on ABC has all the right components to be a new favorite: humor, drama, and a love story, all of which revolve around the main character, Ned, who can bring dead people back to life.

Pushing Daisies makes light of a normally serious subject: death. Ned has the power to bring dead people back to life by simply touching them. They stay alive for a full minute, after which they will remain alive unless Ned touches them again. If he decides to keep them alive another person in close proximity will die. Ned decides to use his power to help solve crimes by bringing people back to life and asking them how they died. If they were murdered, they would surely remember who killed them. Then, once he knows how the person died, he touches them again and kills them for good.

All of the characters seem to be hopped up on caffeine, or sugar, which is fitting because the storyline revolves around Ned's pie bakery: Pie Hole. Everyone talks a mile a minute and is quite witty. Watching Ned use discretion in who to keep alive and who to "re-kill" is quite comical as it pokes fun at the finality of death. Ned's humbleness paired with his god-like powers to determine who dies and who gets another chance at life make for a light-hearted story that you will surely enjoy.

If you haven't seen an episode yet, catch a new one on ABC, Wednesday nights at 8. There is a recap at the beginning of every episode which will bring you up to speed if you're new to the show, or remind you what happened last week if you're an avid watcher. Enjoy!

College: Time Well....Wasted?

It’s amazing how many college students in our generation take higher learning for granted. And believe me, I’m not any better, I know I take my college education for granted, but it seems hard not to. It is increasingly becoming a way of life. After high school, you go to college. No questions asked. It’s just what you do. This was different for the generation before us, and for the generation before that, a college education was only for the elite. For us--it's expected.

Society's higher expectations for our generation seem to result in a growing cynicism amongst college students of the importance of a college degree. When I was in high school, I knew I would be going to college afterwards; there was no doubt in my mind. I was young and excited, and I had big dreams for myself. I thought that a college degree would be my ticket to whatever career I wanted. Now that I am in college though, I find reasons not to attend class, despite the ridiculous amount of money that I spend on every unit I take. The more classes I take, the closer I am to obtaining my degree, the more I think a college degree is overrated. I have found that in the real world, it is all about who you know, rather that what you know.

Some students who feel the same cynicism towards college made a video called “A Vision of Students Today”. Some 200 college students, led by their professor, made the video to highlight the problems of higher education today. The students created a survey and took it, then collaborated all of the answers to find trends that are detrimental to the college system.

“A Vision of Students Today” is quite an eye-opening video that touches on many concerns of students today. They are concerns that plague many college students around the country, not just the few students who voiced their opinion on the video. I think these problems deserve to be looked at carefully, and I believe as more students realize the problems with our education system, more students will become cynical to the importance of a college degree.

The part of the video that talks about the number of pages a student will read in a semester, and how much of the reading will actually pertain to her life was most amusing to me. Professors assign reading homework, it seems, just to have something for their students to do. Unless there is a test designed specifically for the reading, most of what professors have us read is useless. And the cost of textbooks is even more outrageous than the fact that we have to read them! It baffles me that, after tuition is paid, students still fork out hundreds of dollars just on books! Usually books they will never need again.

I agree with the students in the video, students learn what they are doing, not necessarily what they are reading. Hands-on, real-life homework assignments are much more helpful to students. Filling out a scantron and marking bubbles A through E do not help them once they have their diploma. Being involved in real-world situations that would plague someone in their prospective profession is much more valuable than knowing all the key terms at the back of a chapter. Some professors know this, others will, hopefully, get on board soon. It is the only way our outdated education system will be revived.

Give Pizza Chance

If you are looking for a fun place to hang out and some good food to eat, you should go to Pieces. Great people, great atmosphere, great food—what more could you want in a restaurant? Pieces has all three PLUS great prices! It’s every broke college student’s dream pizzeria.

Pieces is a small, hole-the-wall pizza-by-the-slice restaurant that is probably (unfortunately) overlooked by many that walk by it. Its laid back atmosphere is very welcoming to everyone that visits. It has a comfortable vibe that is great for a dinner out with friends, or a night of studying. Pieces offers inside and outside seating, catering to everyone's needs. It is open during the week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the week, on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. and on Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

If the atmosphere doesn't keep you coming back, the food definitely will. Pieces is by far the best pizza I have had in Sacramento. They offer pizza-lover favorites like, pepperoni and cheese, among others. But they also have a great veggie pizza and an amazing pesto pizza that will win your heart. The slices are huge and are made to order. Kind of . Pizzas are already baked, but you can add on extra produce like pineapple. Unlike many restaurants, what's great about Pieces is they bring in fresh groceries everyday, and that is what they use for their pizza. And don't forget the fresh garlic! If that isn't enough, their pesto sticks are killer, and are also big to help fill you up. Pieces also offers fresh salads and fresh baked desserts, as well as beer!

The staff is great too. Everyone is very friendly and helpful. I have yet to have an experience with a server that was anywhere near less than satisfactory. All of the employees are always in a good mood and are funny. They welcome conversation and always greet customers with a smile. Their laid back personalities feed into the great vibe at Pieces.

Another great thing about Pieces is it is one of the few places that stay open later than last call. Post-2 a.m. restaurants are hard to find, unless Denny's will satisfy your drunken craving for greasy food. This is good for night-owls that aren't ready to go home when bars close. Pieces is a great place to wind down the night, or a great place to get the night started. Whether you're drunk or sober, the next time you're in the midtown area, make sure you stop by 21st and Capitol for some great food, you'll leave feeling better than you did when you went in.

For Love of the Game

Have you ever stopped and wondered why you like something so much? What is it about the "something" that makes you so passionate about it? I often wonder this about my love for sports. Many people are "sports fans" and enjoy watching games, and possibly even playing some. But not all sports fans have the passion that I am talking about. Crying when your team loses, crying when your team wins, appreciating the fact that hardships come and go, as do winning seasons. Not everyone can say sports effects them this strongly, so what is it about sports that gives the select few of us that "special" feeling?

You know the "special" feeling, maybe you do not get it when watching a basketball game, but you have had the feeling before. It feels like hope, happiness, anxiousness, and excitement all wrapped up into one. If the outcome is good, you feel like you’re on top of the world, if the outcome is bad, your heart breaks with devastation. Either way, the feeling you have comes from within, and cannot be forced or imitated.

This is what sports is like. Watching an exciting game, a championship game, the playoffs, an extra-inning baseball game, or a hockey game come down to a shoot out. All of these are amazing and exciting, and get our adrenaline pumping. We feel like our whole lives come down to the last few moments of the game, as if we were out on the field or court playing the game ourselves.

What gives me that "special feeling" is how easily sports can bring people together. At any given game you will see strangers high-fiving after a great play, friends arguing over their rival teams-then later having a beer, talking about the great time they had, and an entire stadium full of thousands of people coming together as one when a referee makes a bad call or when their home team wins. All of these are reasons why sports give us fans that "special" feeling. One of my favorite things at a game is when all of the fans join together and sing. Many teams have anthems, and true fans know them and sing along. It is such a great feeling knowing that there are thousands of strangers around you that share the love and passion you have for your favorite team.

Another reason why sports gives that "special" feeling is the support that players and coaches have for one another. It is amazing to see how easily sports can bring a group of players together, and how easily it can make each player respect the other, even when the players are as different as night and day. My favorite story is of an autistic high school student in New York that loved basketball. The school's basketball coach allowed Jason to be the team manager, granting him participation in practices, and giving him the chance to sit on the bench with his team during games. However, in the last game of the season he was given the chance to play.



This story sums up every reason I could possibly describe for why sports is such an amazing thing. What is it about sports that gives us fans that "special" feeling? It's the fact that with seemingly little effort it has the ability to turn strangers into best friends, to boost your ego and break your heart, and to bring a tear to your eye.

Will You Be My Valentine?

February 14^th is the one day out of the year when women in relationships are supposed to be guaranteed attention and gifts. It is one day during the year (aside, maybe, from anniversaries) when the boyfriend or husband is supposed to spoil his significant other with flowers and cards and candy, and pretend to be the best, most caring guy in the world. Valentine’s day is the holiday for love.

Gag me, please.

It is ridiculous to have one day during the year where people are supposed to be forced to show their love for one another. Pressure is put on everyone in a relationship to get the perfect gift for their significant other. It’s no longer acceptable to be cliché either; cards, candy, and flowers do not cut it anymore.

Girls want jewelry, and dinner, and a night out on the town for a date. They want sexy underwear, and perfume, and maybe some chocolate-covered strawberries. While expecting all of these things from guys, girls aren’t sure if they are even supposed to get their boyfriends or husbands anything more than a card. And, if they are supposed to get gifts for them, what do guys want for Valentine’s Day that they wouldn’t want any other day of the year?

Is it just me, or shouldn’t everyday be a potential day to show someone you love them? Why do we need a backup day, so that we can justify to ourselves that “even though I haven’t been told I’m loved from my significant other this whole year, there’s always Valentine’s Day.” Why must we show each other we care with gifts that are red, pink, white, and lacey, and cram them all into one day of celebration?

Valentine’s Day is just one more day that our consumer-driven society can market. It’s one more day that makes people in a relationship happy, and makes singles feel even more lonely than they already feel.

I don’t think Valentine’s Day should be recognized the way it is today. For the lovers in relationships, show your love everyday, and do something extra special on your anniversary. This way singles won’t have to have their loneliness rubbed in their faces every time February comes around.