Interview Tips

It should be easy to talk about yourself right? Well, not always. When it comes to interviews, most of us get nervous/anxious/scared/all of the above. However, these tips from CMU Career Services should help you!

1. Practice makes perfect. This statement is said often because it's true. Go through mock interviews or practice saying answers to potential questions out loud.
2. Be knowledgable about your employer and industry. Research online or talk to people who have positions at the company already. Make sure you know these general things: name of your employer, parent company and/or subsidiaries, financial situation of the organization, assets, recent mergers, products and/or services, major competitors, career possibilities and growth history (just to get you started).
3. If you can't find information for some of the things listed above, make it a point to ask your employer questions. It shows you did your homework and are clearly interested in the organization and position you're applying for.
4. Be able to effectively listen so you can verbalize your thoughts clearly and confidently.
5. Think of ways to relate your academic program, skills, and prior work/internships to what your employer needs.
6. General traits an employer is looking for is poise, enthusiasm and ambition. Employers also look for a person who will take responsibility for their actions and fully commit to their work.

If you keep all of these things in mind, your interview should be a breeze. Oh, and remember, just be yourself (unless you're Chandler; then you may want to cut back on the immaturity).

SONG OF THE DAY: The Fray - Look After You
Today's Scripture: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phillipians 4:13)

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Life after School

It's been one of those nights where I have so much on my mind that I can't sleep. Even though school is over for the semester, I still have a lot of work and things that are going to affect my near future.

For example, tomorrow I'll be working in the Saginaw Spirit office all day. It'll be a taste of a true 8 hour day in the office. I'll be working on my game, which is themed "Bad Gift Exchange." I'll have to work hard finding a solution for the actual gift exchange, I'll have to make some flyers and promo pieces, I'll have to think of actual things that will go on during the game, I'll get my budget and so on and so forth. After all that, I get to write the news release for the Spirit's away game tomorrow night. (I'll make sure to post it later.)

Another example, I have an interview this Thursday for a public relations internship at Habitat for Humanity of Michigan in Lansing. I'm excited and nervous, as expected. The only real interview experience I've had is for Sam's Club. It's experience I suppose and it's not so bad talking about myself. Once I get going I get more comfortable. It seems like a good fit for me and I hope I make a good first impression. I know it'll be great experience for me if I can get it.

But all of this, in some way, when it's lumped together, will affect my future. My experience will affect what kind of job I get after graduation, which by the way is only a year and a half away. Most likely I will have to get a paid internship before I get an actual job. That seems to be the trend. That is, IF I find someone to hire me with the economy.

It'll affect where I live and what kind of apartment/house/whatever I can afford. And of course, we all like to keep this tucked away and not talk about it sometimes, but there are relationship committments. I have a suspicion that it won't be easy to move somewhere totally new without my best friends and boyfriend. I'll have to though. I will be a peice of fluff, floating wherever the wind blows me.

Then I realized that my time will not be restricted by semesters or sports. I will still have a strict schedule, but my time will be more free. It's not a bad thing and I'm not complaining. I just know there are about to be some major changes in my life. I'm not scared, but it's a lot to think about and I just had to write it down somewhere.

SONG OF THE DAY: Britney Spears - Circus
Today's Scripture: ”And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness…” (Romans 8:26)

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PR Agency Tours

On Dec. 5, some members of the Dr. Diane S. Krider chapter of PRSSA and I went to the Detroit area for two public relations agency tours. We went to Franco Public Relations in Detroit in the Renaissance Center and John Bailey & Associates in Troy, Mich.

I enjoyed these tours a lot and I highly recommend going on agency tours if you're still trying to figure out where you want to go with your PR career.

I definitely liked one better than the other. It wasn't because one agency was better than the other; it is purely my own personal reasons and I have nothing against either agency. They are both respectable and do the best work.

However, the agency I preferred had younger employees. They seemed really into the social media and emphasized it on our tour. The atmosphere was more "homey." The work spaces are open so everyone can collaborate and help each other without having to yell or get up and walk somewhere. Everyone in general seemed nicer too. I also prefer the clients they have to the other agency's clients.

A common trend I noticed was that the employees at both places said they got an internship at the agency before they were hired. I guess this is pure common sense because they want to see if you'll fit in with their company and if you're a good worker. One of them said, "It's the longest interview you'll ever have."

In general, going to both places made me so excited to get a job! I love this work and definitely have a deep passion for it. I still have a lot to learn, but I'm excited for that too.

SONG OF THE DAY: Kanye West - I Wonder
Today's Scripture: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:5,8)

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Life Tips

I had my last public relations writing class today and my professor left our class with some tips about the real world. I'm certainly glad he did and I've briefly thought of these things before, but it was still an eye opener.


Most PR practitioners right out of college have a starting salary of $25,000. Our teacher used that number and started subtracting from it everything we will need to pay for when we're out on our own. It's not discouraging, but it was sad to see how poor I will be.



Other valuable tips he gave included:

• Make sure you follow what a possible employer wants when you send a resume and cover letter whether it be copy and pasted into an e-mail or attached as a Word document.


• If you get hired and the company gives you a cell phone and/or a laptop, it is for WORK PURPOSES only. You don't own that property and if you do inappropriate things with those items, it is grounds to be fired.


• Employees should only write e-mails that they feel comfortable disclosing to the public. Dow recently fired 30 employees because of a wraunchy e-mail that had been forwarded around the company. E-mails, texts, phone calls, etc. are public records.


• He highly recommended taking a $25,000 salary with health benefits over a $30,000 salary with no health benefits. You never know when something could happen to you.


• Rule of thumb is to spend 25 percent of your income for living expenses.


• Start a deferred income plan as soon as possible


• Find a reputable financial planner to help you.


• If you don't care who gets the credit than you'll accomplish a lot. Getting the work done is more important and while it may be hard to let someone else take credit for all the hard work you've done, don't let it consume you. There's more to life.

SONG OF THE DAY: Jason Mraz - I'm Yours

Today's Scripture: “…your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over” (1 Peter 3:1)


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Isn't Life Grand?

Have you ever been really interested in something or been really excited, but thought twice about it because there were a few things that could hold you back? Well I do all the time.

For example, I just got an e-mail about a public relations internship opportunity for Michigan's Adventure. The person they're looking for fits me almost to a "T" and I feel like I could complete the tasks they need the inten to do.

However, Muskegon is about three hours away from my hometown. I lived away from home last summer and was miserable. I don't know if I could do it again.

Another thing that is holding me back is the internship goes until September. Our soccer season starts at the beginning of August. I don't know if I would be able to do both.

So as I was thinking of all these negatives, I got an e-mail from Joel Osteen, who is a preacher, and his daily newsletter always gives a passage from the Bible. Well the passage today was absolutely perfect and told me exactly what I should do. (Read "Today's Scripture" below to find out what I'm going to do!)

SONG OF THE DAY: Rascal Flatts - The Day Before You
Today's Scripture: “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close” (Revelation 3:8)

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No such thing as "To-Do" Lists in PR

One thing that has been surprising to me through my public relations studies is there is no such thing as a "to-do" list.

Every piece of advice I've gotten is while you may have a "to-do" list for the day, you probably will not accomplish more than 50 percent of what's on it.

I am an extremely organized person and I like to have my day planned. I am worried I may struggle with this and that it may cause a lot of stress.

However, I'm going to have to come to grips with this. In Robert Kornecki's book How To Thrive in the Public Relations Business: 35 Practical Tips from a 35-Year Veteran, he says, "Despite your best efforts to prioritize projects and accomplish things on that list, don't be surprised if your day becomes a blur of un-planned and unexpected activities, meetings and events. While unsettling to some, those kinds of days are more common than not...In my experience, there has been no typical day. You never know what new challenge may lie around the corner."

In my public relations writing class, we've had two speakers come, Kasey Anderson, Creative Services Specialist at Citizens Bank and Tony Cervone, GM Communications - Global Strategy and Operations. They both mentioned this topic as well and how one of the most frequent questions from students is "What is a typical day?" and their answer is always, "There is no such thing."

SONG OF THE DAY: Taylor Swift - Hey Stephen
Today's Scripture: “Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains” (Colossians 4:3)

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Beginning of an End

Our soccer season unfortunately ended Friday. We lost in the semi-finals to Eastern Michigan University 2-0. We played horribly and it was a poor game for us. On paper, we were the best team in the MAC by far. However, we didn't always show it on the field.

It's always sad to end our fall season. Road trips are always a blast. They literally only consist of bus rides, eating, sleeping and soccer. That's it. Occasionally you have to throw homework in the mix, but you always find time to finish it after you get back to Mt. Pleasant.

The season overall is a blast. Practices only concentrate on things you need to do in the upcoming games. There is no fitness or ball work. It's just more fun.

Now our spring season begins. We don't get a break like you probably think. We ended Friday and we had practice this morning. We will practice Monday through Thursday until Christmas break and then we will start up again, beginning with a fitness test (the Gauntlet to be exact). YUCK!

But if you want to read more about some of the things that go on within our team, go to Grand Central's website and read the blog posts I wrote. It's about things that happen off the field and our "inner-workings."

Also, I did come away from the MAC tournament with some good news. I managed to make the All-MAC tournament team with another one of my teammates, Val Prause. FIRE UP CHIPS! :)

SONG OF THE DAY: Nickelback - Gotta Be Somebody
Today's Scripture: "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in the world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise." (Corinthians 3:18)

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Online Portfolios

As if having a paper portfolio isn't enough, some employers want us to have an online portfolio as well.

However, an online portfolio can be made in a day or less! With http://www.freewebs.com/, it is simple to make! You don't need to know HTML language or any type of coding to publish your website on the Internet. All you have to do is add text, pictures, and of course your work samples, and "TA DA!" you have your portfolio!

I just made my own online portfolio today. Visit my website here! It's pretty cool and it took me around 3 hours. I still have some work to do on it and some more things to add, but it was simple and fast!

I know there are a ton of other websites that will host for free too, such as www.bravenet.com/webhosting, http://www.110mb.com/ and http://www.freewebsites.com/. Just type free web hosts in Google and a bunch will come up.

You can even check to see if your Internet provider includes free web space in your Internet package. Programs from Microsoft such as FrontPage, Publisher, and even Word help you create a website as well.

And finally, if you need advice for what to put in a portfolio and how to put it together, I would recommend "Creating Your Career Portfolio: At-a-Glance Guide for Students (3rd Edition)" by Anna Graf Williams and Karen J. Hall. It gives you step-by-step instructions, great tips, and even a CD-ROM with templates to help you get started.

Good luck!

SONG OF THE DAY: Britney Spears - Womanizer
Today's Scripture: "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." (Romans 13:11)

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Update on Quack for the Cure

There is only 4 days left before our rubber duck race for Community Cancer Services. It is on Sunday, Oct. 19 from 4-6 p.m.

As of today, we have sold 300 rubber ducks along with our event t-shirts making our total amount raised around $1,400! Our goal is to have at least $500 left over after expenses to give to the Community Cancer Services (but I think we will surpass that goal by a lot).

If you haven't purchased a duck and want to, no worries! We decided we are going to have 50 extra ducks at the event to sell for those who want to participate in the duck race or who want to up their chances of winning by purchasing more rubber ducks!

We are also selling raffles at the event. Some of our top prizes include an mp3 player, a $50 Visa gift card, a $50 Pickard Street Grille gift certificate, and many other prizes.

Our sponsors include Bennigan's (who is providing free food at the event), Pepsi, Celebration Cinema, Meijer, Ace of Diamonds, The Mole Hole, Basketree, Boomers Night Club, VFW Post 3033 Men's and Women's Auxillary, C & S Sports Center, Headliners, Pickard Street Carwash, Tim Otteman, the Pelkki family, the Rios family, and Cheryl Sherman.

We really appreciate all their donations and help with our event! Thank you!

So come out to our event and support a good cause while having some fun! :)

SONG OF THE DAY: Various Artists - Just Stand Up (for cancer)
Today's Scripture: "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasaure." (Phillipians 2:13)

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Food For Thought On Election Day

For all of you thinking about voting for Obama, read this e-mail I received from an e-board member of the Michigan Tactical Officer's Association. This is just another reason I WILL NOT vote for Obama.

"To all,

I have read all of the e-mails from not only some of the MTOA board members, but from other Law Enforcement & Military personnel about Barack Obama's rudeness and what seems to be disgust for basically anyone in uniform. Well, it's my turn to add to the list of e-mailers and here it is:

So members of the Calhoun County Sheriff's Department, MSP, and other local agencies inside Calhoun County are working with Secret Service in the security of Mr. Obama. Mr. Obama's bus arrives in Battle Creek and pulls into the stadium area. Before Mr. Obama exits the bus, he has the Secret Service get off and tell all Law Enforcement personnel in uniform that they now have to stand behind the bus so Mr. Obama is not seen with anyone in a Law Enforcement uniform before he gets off or while in the public view. So, everyone from MSP, Sheriff's Dept., and other agencies looks at each other for a brief second, goes and stands behind the bus out of sight so Mr. Obama does not have to see, or been seen with, what to him is 'undesirables' since he refuses to been seen or even acknowledge Military or Law Enforcement.

At a time of war and terrorism in our world, this presidential candidate who is being protected by various branches of the military & law enforcement at the tax payers expense, refuses to acknowledge, be seen with, have in his photographed background, any type of Military or Law Enforcement in uniform.

But this is not in the media or headlines in the news. Why? I wonder what the story or media frenzy would be if it was Muslims, blacks,whites, Jews, or any other race, gender, religion, and/or occupation, that Mr. Obama refuses to be seen with or have around him.

Why would Law Enforcement branches make this up? Law Enforcement traditionally has had more funding under Democrats. Just food for thought leading up to November 4th."

Jason Kern
Michigan Tactical Officer's Association
Executive Board Member
Training Committee
jason.kern@mtoa.org
http://www.mtoa.org/

SONG OF THE DAY: T.I. - Top of the World
Today's Scripture: "To the praise and glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1:6)

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English is Crazy

If you're bored and need a laugh, read this....

English is a Crazy Language
From Art Bejima

"Let's face it: English is a crazy language.
There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
And while no one knows what is in hot dogs, you can be pretty sure it isn't canine.
English muffins were not invented in England nor French fries in France.
Sweetmeats are candies, while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meats.
We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
And why is it that writers write, but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce, and hammers don't ham?
If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese, 2 moose, 2 meese? Is cheese the plural of choose? One mouse, 2 mice. One louse, 2 lice, 1 house, 2 hice?
If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught?
If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?
Why do people recite at a play, and play at a recital?
Ship by truck or car and send cargo by ship?
Have noses that run and feet that smell?
Park on driveways and drive on parkways?
How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy opposites?
How can the weather be hot as Hell one day and cold as Hell another?
When a house burns up, it burns down.
You fill in a form by filling it out and an alarm clock goes off by going on.
You get in and out of a car, yet you get on and off a bus.
When the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.
And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it, but when I wind up this essay, I end it?
It is said that English is a language that doesn't know if it's coming or going!!"

SONG OF THE DAY: T.I. ft. Jay-Z, Kayne West, Lil' Wayne - Swagga Like Ours
Today's Scripture: “In the house of the [uncompromisingly] righteous is great [priceless] treasure, but with the income of the wicked is trouble and vexation” (Proverbs 15:6)

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Quack for the Cure

Quack for the Cure Rubber Duck Race
Sunday, October 19th: 4-6 p.m. @ Island Park. Individuals buy “pink ribbon” rubber ducks to race down the river at Island Park. (actual ducks above)

• One duck for $5 or 5 ducks for $20
• GRAND PRIZE: $200, 2nd place: $100, 3rd place: $50 (Contestants who buy a duck DO NOT have to be present at the event to win)
• Food will be provided by BENNIGANS! (Ask about the Bennigans "green rubber ducks" and how you can win with them!)
• Raffles for great prizes will be held once the race is done - tickets are $1 each.
• All proceeds go to the Community Cancer Services of Isabella County.
• For more information or to purchase ducks, e-mail quackforthecure@hotmail.com or contact Kim Sherman at (989) 390-5952.
• You can also purchase rubber ducks at the "Into the Light" Cancer Walk on Oct. 3, 2008 from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Island Park
• Look for our event on Facebook: Quack for the Cure!

Keep reading my blog to stay updated on how much we've raised, sponsors, and any updates about the event! So far we've raised $160, but our goal is at least $500 so we need your help!

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Rise Above This

The lyrics to Seether's "Rise Above This" come to mind when I think about my team, the CMU women's soccer team. This past week, our head coach, Tony DiTucci, left for personal matters. Losing a head coach is never easy, but so far, we have persevered and will continue to do so.

We began our MAC season last Friday against Ball State and Miami of Ohio and I am proud to say we started our season off tremendously! With the unfortunate timing of our head coach leaving and the looming responsibilities put on our assistant coach Tom Anagnost, adversity never touched us. We won both games 3-0, two shutouts and two wins to begin our most important season of the year.

I know you might want the "juicy details" of our head coach leaving, but there isn't much to say. What I can tell you though is we really didn't do anything different in practices to prepare for our MAC season. We focused on the things we needed to work on and didn't worry too much about the teams ahead of us. The game of soccer is so much different from a sport such as football. Bryan Anderson mentioned that if the football team went into practices or games not knowing what the other team was going to do, they would lose. But in soccer, as long as you execute what you know your team needs to, you will win.

Sure there are a few things you need to know to prepare. Our scouting reports always include the formation of the other team, which players are the best - standard things that the other team will know about us too. But honestly, every game we are really only "playing against ourselves."

Another reason we focus on ourselves is because all the teams in the MAC are even. Winning each game is all about mentality, not which team has more talent or intelligence. It is literally a fight to the death every time we take the field to play a MAC game. To give an example, this weekend, the teams in the top four last year all lost this past weekend to teams that placed toward the bottom of the pack, including us. We finished 11th out of 12 teams last year.

However, this is a new year and I can honestly say with 100 percent honesty that we have a shot at winning the MAC. If you don't believe me, you can come watch us this weekend for our third and fourth MAC games. On Friday, Sept. 3 at 4 p.m., we play Northern Illinois and on Sunday, Sept. 5 at 2 p.m., we play WESTERN! They will both be great games to watch, but I can guarantee you a new team with a new attitude and fight. FIRE UP CHIPS!

SONG OF THE DAY: Seether - Rise Above This
Today's Scripture: “Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37)

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CMU faculty strike

Central Michigan University faculty have filed complaints of unfair labor practices against the Board of Trustees and may go on strike. The faculty and the Board have not been able to reach an agreement on the faculties' contracts and are far from it.

CMU faculty are unhappy with their wages and feel they are not getting paid enough for the number of hours they work. If they are still unhappy by the middle of October, they will go on strike and all classes will be dismissed.

For students, the strike will affect them more than they think. It means Christmas break could be cancelled. Classes will go on during the holiday if the strike lasts long enough. As for athletes, practices will have to go on without the coaches and seasons could be ruined.

The CMU football team is going for their third consecutive MAC championship. The CMU women's soccer team has held the highest GPA in the nation for the past three years. These teams don't want something they can't control to ruin their chances of success.

With time closing in and the faculty and the Board's continuing argument, this could mean hard times for Central Michigan University.

SONG OF THE DAY: M.I.A. - Paper Planes
Today's Scripture: "Those who fear the Lord lack nothing." (Psalm 34)

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Gotta get through this

Wow, have I been busy. I barely have time to even think of all the things I have to do. Practices come earlier than ever in the morning, classes keep piling on the work, driving to Saginaw seems never ending, and night creeps up like a stalker in a beat up van.

But, on the bright side, I love every minute of what I do. I don't know what I would do without soccer. Even though it can get monotonous and SO tiring, I would be lost in life without the lessons it teaches me everyday. With school, I'm learning things I'll have to apply in my career and it's stuff I'm interested in. I want to work hard because I want to be the best I can be. And driving to Saginaw isn't as bad as it seems because I know I'm going to an internship that I enjoy a lot. I like the people I work with and it is great experience. I want to work with a professional sports team someday so this is a tremendous stepping stone to that path. I love being in the sporting event atmosphere. I can't get enough of it. On game days I help out with all the promotions, such as Pepsi, Hooters, Jet's Pizza, Meijer, and so many more. And as far as nights go, I get to go to sleep. And who doesn't love sleep?

Oh, on another note, for my RPL 430 class, we are NOT doing a golf ball drop. We decided on something completely different that is much easier. Looking back on the golf ball drop, it would have been too difficult. So instead we are going to do a rubber duck race and a golf ball drop. At a later date, I'm going to have a whole entry posted about it so people can get all the information about it there. Plus, all the little details aren't worked out yet and I don't want to lead anyone on. I do know, however, that all our donations will go to the Community Cancer Services of Isabella County to support breast cancer. So keep an eye out for that information.

SONG OF THE DAY: David Archuleta - Crush
Today's Scripture: “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” (Psalm 84:11)

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Golf Balls from Up Above

For my recreation programming class, my group decided on doing a golf ball drop for our fundraiser. For any of you who haven't heard of this before, here is what it is. We will sell raffle tickets with numbers on them. If you buy a raffle ticket, you get a golf ball assigned to you with a number. A date is set aside to get all the golf balls together and they are dropped from high in the sky onto a putting green. The ball closest to the hole or the ball that goes in the hole wins a prize.

We believe it is a good idea because it is simple and inexpensive. The most work we will have to do is marketing the event and making people aware of it as well as selling the tickets. It is also a good event because people don't actually have to show up at the event to win. So if there is a scheduling conflict with the consumers or the weather isn't good or they just don't feel like going, they don't have to worry! They will win even if they're not there. I think that will be a major selling point. It's difficult to get people to actually come out to an event.

However, our theme is yet to be decided. Instead of golf balls, we figured it would be fun to drop something else. We thought of tying Halloween into our theme and dropping something like skulls or bouncy balls that look like eyeballs. And instead of dropping everything on to a putting green, we could drop everything into a cauldron. We would have to set the date around Halloween and our charity would have to be okay with this idea.

We also thought of tying a charity into our theme. If we decided to donate our money to the local animal shelter, we came up with the idea of dropping dog bones or tennis balls out of the sky. For breast cancer, we could drop plastic pink ribbons out of the sky.

We also need to come up with an idea for how to drop our items from the sky. We have to be pretty high so that leaves us with a helicopter, a hot air balloon, a fire truck, or if we must, we have an indoor rock climbing wall.

So I don't know if we should make this so complicated for ourselves, but if we can figure this out, I think it will be a great event and we can raise a lot of money. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, they will be greatly appreciated! Or even tell me if you've held an event like this before and what problems you ran into or tips that made the event run well!

I am excited about this project and more information will come soon! Keep reading :)

SONG OF THE DAY: Miley Cyrus - 7 Things I Hate About You
Today's Scripture: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

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How To Make Money for Your Charity

So today was the second day of my first day of new classes. haha But I had state and local government, which was as boring as it sounds, intro. to multimedia design, which sounds interesting and seems like it will be fun, but I've heard bad things, and last but not least, recreation programming, which is how you can make money for your charity!

We were told in class today that we must organize an event and plan everything ourselves to raise money for a charity of our choice. We will be put into groups within our class, and in the past, each group raised around $500 for their charity. So, it is good for us because we are learning and this will be great experience, but we are also doing it for a good cause.

If anyone is interested, please comment on this post and I will tell you how to get in touch with me. It must be SOON though. We have to have these events organized and completed before Thanksgiving (Nov. 25, 2008). We will be doing everything from the marketing, handling the press, evaluating our budget, getting volunteers, and coming up with the idea for an event all on our own. It will be fun for us and easy for the charity! :) Hope to hear from people soon! Thanks!

SONG OF THE DAY: Jessica Simpson - Come on Over
Today's Scripture: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phillipians 4:13

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New School Year

Today is the first official day of classes. I am not as excited as I have been in the past and it's just because I know how much work I have ahead of me. I will be VERY busy this semester. For one, soccer takes up a lot of my time. We have practices every morning until about 10:30a.m. and we travel for half of our games, meaning we leave Thursday afternoons and don't get back until Sunday night. It's a lot of doing homework on the bus and in the hotel while trying to rest after just playing a grueling 90 minute game. But hey, I love the life of a student-athlete. I wouldn't want it any other way.

But on top of all that this semester, not only am I taking two 400 level classes, but I am also a student-athlete on-call tutor and I recently got an internship with the Saginaw Spirit! I cannot begin to describe how excited I am for that. Their internship program is well-known as one of the best around and has been for the past seven years. It hasn't started yet, but it will soon. Orientation is Aug. 29th, which I unfortunately cannot make (we will be in Oklahoma playing the Sooners!!), but the "make-up" orientation should be soon after that. Hockey games start in September. My position is game day operations, but I will also be working a little in other types of positions as well.

So keep reading for updates on my internship and what I'm doing with that and how it's going. It will be awesome and hopefully I will have more information on that soon! I'll also be talking about my classes and what types of projects and assignments we have. That should be interesting as well. I have State and Local Government (I had to take it as a general education class...yuck!), Intro to Multimedia Design, Public Relations Writing, and Recreation Programming. As I've said before, I'm majoring in public relations and minoring in public affairs and events management. But I'll keep you posted on everything!

Song of the Day: Jack Johnson - Upside Down
Today's Scripture: “I will give you thanks in the great assembly; I will praise you among a mighty throng” (Psalm 35:18)

*imastar*

Press Release Tips

Press releases are obviously a huge part of public relations. However, when journalists see press releases as more of a pain in the ass than a saving grace for their media, there is a problem. I was looking around and I found some interesting links to help make your press releases better and hopefully readable.

http://www.pressreleasegrader.com/

http://www.mpdailyfix.com/2007/04/six_telltale_signs_that_a_pres.html
**(Make sure you read the comments after this article. There are more tips there that are very useful too.)**

*imastar*

Hungry Girl

Since I will be living in an apartment off-campus this upcoming school year, I decided to buy a cookbook to give me different ideas of what to cook for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. I got a taste of having to cook for myself this summer because I lived away from home and I found that it wasn't too bad. I don't mind having to cook, but the food that I actually can cook and have time to cook can get boring. I get sick of it pretty fast and I have to come up with meals for 9 months out of the year. And, with being an athlete, I want to have healthy meals. I can't be ordering pizza and making mac n' cheese and spaghettios every night.

No worries though! I found the perfect cookbook! It's called "Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World" by Lisa Lillien. The author is not a nutritionist or a doctor and she is not trying to get you to go on a diet. She is just a woman who loves food and has done a lot of research and has a lot of experience with low fat foods. Most of the recipes make one serving and that is all I need since I'll be cooking for me, myself, and I. The best part that I am SO excited about though is that she gives lots of CHOCOLATE recipes! That's right, you can still have chocolate and not have to pack on the pounds. Her other recipes include breakfast, salads, soups, lunches, healthy junk food (there's an oxymoron if I ever saw one), "manly" meals, party foods, fruity dishes, foods you bake in the oven, and coffee and alcoholic drinks. The second best part about this book is that most of the recipes are simple. They don't call for outrageous ingredients and they don't take long to make. However, there are fancier recipes if I decide to wow my roommates and cook a big fancy meal for all of them.

If you are interested and want to find out more, check out the HG website. Lillien even has a free daily e-mail with tips, tricks, and suggestions for making your cooking low fat. You can even order her book online. Or, if you want it now, I've seen the book at Sam's Club and Barnes and Noble. So, if you're a college girl who has to cook for herself and isn't a whiz with a spatula, I would highly suggest this book. I don't get excited about cooking, but when it comes to this book, I am like a kid in a candy store!

Here's some examples of food from her book and how many calories they are...

• Eggs Benedict - 183 calories
• Breakfast Pizza - 127 calories
• Chili Cheese Nachos - 216 calories
• Cheeseburger - 202 calories
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge - 65 calories
• Onion Rings - 153 calories
• Tuna Melt - 212 calories
• 7-Layer Burrito - 277 calories
• Sweet Potato Pie - 113 calories
• Cookies and Cream Freeze - 160 calories

Now that's some food to get excited over!

SONG OF THE DAY: Jordin Sparks - One Step At a Time

Today's Scripture: For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:2)

*imastar*