“Waiting For October”

by Terrence Cain

Well folks, we're coming to an end in the month of September. Just a few days left and I can't wait. October is my favorite month of the year, and not for all the reasons one would think. Yes October is the month where horror movies become a nightly occurrence, and at the end of the month we all dress up as something truly spooky—although in recent years that seems to have changed quite a bit and people more or less treat it like Mardi Gras or of the Playboy Mansion's parties. One day we'll have to rectify that and put the horror back in Halloween. With that being said, that's not the reason I love the month of October. I love October for the weather. It's cooler in October. The plants start to change their colors. The mood of people seem to change and mellow a bit in October too—or so it seems. It's just the perfect month I think.

So last week I told you all that I was going on a trip to Lubbock with Howard's “Science Club” to visit Texas Tech. We went to the medical area to see how they're teaching people to become nurses and doctors. Got to see a really cool table there where they can dissect the human body in a multidimensional computer generated world. We then went across the campus over to the Biology and Horticulture area where they showed us the latest developments going on in their fields. After our lunch break we visited the Science Spectrum. This was like being thrown into a time machine and taken back seventeen years for me. In 1995 I visited the Science Spectrum when I was in the sixth grade. I could not believe how little this place of science had changed. Almost everything was where I remembered it. I was able to get a few photos which I'll share with you below. If you're ever needing a place to go visit on a weekend I highly recommend the Science Spectrum in Lubbock because it was very cool to see all the things we've progressed with in the field of science. Well until next week, this is the Howard College blogging machine saying have a great weekend!

“I Am Not A Victim”

by Terrence Cain

I am completely outraged over comments a certain former governor of Massachusetts made towards Americans who are on hard times because of a recession that started under our former president and has slowly improved under our current one. I don't mean to complain about all this hoopla going on in the real world, but I feel I need to touch on this issue because this comment and idea could affect a lot of college students like me. I am extremely offended that this former governor has labeled me and millions of others as dependents of the government and also said that he believes we believe we are victims who deserve food, housing, and health insurance; although we most certainly don't in his eyes. Essentially he feels that if we'd just go out and get a job we'd be independent of the government. Not that there is a whole lot of work to be gotten, but that's his position. Just go out and get a job you freeloaders. Right, so we can be dependent on private businesses for food, healthcare, and a place to live. Now this former governor didn't call us freeloaders, but that's the sentiment behind his words.

My point is this. We're all dependent on one another to survive. That's what a society is and does. Each city is made up of a group of people who are dependent on one another for survival. We all want to ensure that our society thrives. We work together, play together, eat together, and take care of each other—especially when someone gets sick. Anyway, I just found his comments to be degrading and vile and if you feel as I feel you'll help ensure that this former governor of Massachusetts does not become our president on November sixth. I may not have been able to pay for my college, in fact I had to get a Pell Grant to go because through no fault of my own I wound up broke and jobless, but I can tell you I am no victim. I'm in college so I can get back to work—like a lot of other people. I work hard and do my best to pass my classes so that I can return to being a productive citizen of this great nation we live in.

I know of people in my hometown of Odessa, and even Midland, who are hard working and who are unfortunately homeless because they can't afford an apartment because of the rise of rates, or can't find a vacant apartment to live in. It's something that's been going on for awhile because people are relocating from other parts of the country down to Odessa, Midland, and even Big Spring to get work in the oil fields. These people do not see themselves as victims. These people keep their heads held high and keep working hard to get themselves in a better place than they currently are. There is no one I know that sees themselves as a victim no matter how low their life may seem. And now you have this former governor trying to save his campaign by saying that he's for everyone when he's truly not.

The bottom line is that the forty-seven percent of this country are not for the President because of government funding that keeps us from working, which none of it does by the way, but because his compassion for all people is far greater than that of his opponent whom I refuse to name out of disdain for his atrocious comments towards the middle class and the poor. The President has worked hard to try and get job plans put forth, but is constantly being blocked by his opponents who wish to see him fail and that's not right for our nation. Okay, I think I've said my piece on this. Thanks for letting me get it all off my chest.

Okay, so this week's classes were really good. I'm in love with Tuesdays and Thursdays now because those days are my Development Of Motion Pictures and Speech classes. At first I was anxiety ridden to be in Speech because I couldn't stand being in front of people and talking to them. Now that Professor Kirk Davidson is teaching Speech, as well as the Motion Pictures class, I feel far more at ease. For anyone who doesn't know Prof. Davidson he's a pretty wild character who personalizes his classes to make you feel at ease and to make you feel like you're truly learning something, rather than just telling everyone to read a chapter out of a boring text book that will later be discussed. Now I'm not saying text books aren't necessary, they most certainly are. But if all you do is teach from a book, then to me I don't feel I am learning anything meaningful. I feel a lot of people are that way because in my Speech class that's what the majority of students told Prof. Davidson when he first came to our class and he asked us what kinds of instructors we like and don't like. I'm still a bit nervous, or apprehensive, but I think by the end of the semester I won't be that way anymore.

On Wednesday I had a test in my Astronomy class with Prof. Hobbs, and although I think I got most of the answers right, I still feel I didn't do as good as I had hoped for. Next week I'll know for sure how well I did or did not do. So tomorrow is a special day for all those who take Prof. Hobbs' Astronomy class, or Stars & Galaxies as it was labeled on my class sheet I got last May when I signed up for this semester. On Friday morning we'll be going to Lubbock's Texas Tech to see some really cool things there that deal with science and the stars. Next week I'll try to do my best to give you all a full report about it. Until next time, may you all live long and prosper and carry the force with you.

“Best & Worst Week Of The Semester...So Far”

by Terrence Cain

I bet you're thinking there is going to be some really juicy gossip with that headline, aren't you? Well one thing I can assure you is that you will never read here about who said what or anything of that nature. Well here's the worst part. I'm sick. Late Wednesday night I started getting a soar throat, and by Thursday morning I was feeling like what the muddy dirt outside my home here in Big Spring looked liked today because it's been raining all day here. That is a great part of this week. The rain is so needed around here, and I absolutely love it when it rains. I should probably be living in Seattle, Washington just for that reason alone. In due time as they say, in due time.

Anyhow, as I said last week there were to be some very intriguing things coming up this week and let me tell you it was definitely a good week for me. First we finished watching Spike Lee's “Do The Right Thing” in our Ethics class to try and get a perspective on what the differences are between moral values and ethical ones. It was very interesting for sure. In my Astronomy class we did an experiment to try and figure out the speed of sound. It didn't quite go as well as some of us had hoped, but Prof. Hobbs seemed to be happy with it so I guess we didn't do too bad.

The big change for me and other students was our Speech class. Prof. Crockett had to bow out because we were having too many “technical difficulties” with her trying to teach us through a monitor from her home, so Prof. Davidson—who teaches my Development Of Motion Pictures class too—will be teaching Speech from now on as well here in Big Spring. I really like Prof. Davidson. He's a very lively professor who is willing to make a fool of himself to make you feel more comfortable in your own skin. I think I am going to love my Speech class now that he's teaching. And for the record, that's nothing against Prof. Crockett. She's a fine professor too. She just teaches differently, and unfortunately she couldn't teach at the school because of her ill husband. Well I think I'll end it here and go get myself better with some medications I've got around the house. I hope everyone has a good weekend. Stay strong and focused. If I can do it, so can you.

“The Truth”

by Terrence Cain

Well this week was rather short with Labor Day giving us an extra day off. It was nice, but it sort of makes me feel like I should be going to school on Friday to make up for it. Just a quirk my mind has I guess. So this week's classes were alright. Yeah, just alright. It's so early in the semester that honestly there isn't much to say. My evenings at home for the last two weeks, however, have been amazing. I don't mean to get on my soap box and preach the gospel or anything like that, but after watching last week's Republican National Convention, and then this week's Democratic National Convention, I can honestly say that I feel that something from the mindset of a college student should be said because it's extremely important that we be heard on this very important issue. What we do in November will affect us all. Now I'm not going to get into specifics about the pros and cons of each party, I just want to give you the reason(s) why I will be voting this November.

As many of you who read this blog know I've been out of work since 2009. Because of that I decided it was time to try and give college a try again because when I graduated from high school in 2001 my parents couldn't afford to send me to college, let alone myself. The only way I could have, as it is now, is through Pell Grants. Well in 2001 I was told my family made far too much money to send their only son to college to get a degree in print journalism. It took me nine more years, and for a Democratic President to remove Pell Grants from the banks that held them and to put them under federal rule, in order for me to finally go to college as my parents had dreamed.

After listening to the forty-second president, Bill Clinton, give a forty-nine minute long speech Wednesday night about all the accomplishments of President Obama it gave me a great feeling in my heart that I did make the right decision in 2008 when I voted for then Senator Barack Obama for the office of President to the United States of America. Sometimes you listen to the news and you get all wound up because you're hearing something and don't know whether to believe what the newscaster is saying is true or not. Then you find out the truth about everything and realize you were worried about nothing to begin with. That's how it felt for me Wednesday night. Finally the truth was being told and I felt good in my decision to vote for President Obama.

No matter what side you yourself choose, I think that it's extremely important for everyone to get out and vote. That's the message I want everyone to take from this. Now I understand that most of you reading this are not in favor of President Obama, and a lot of you are probably shocked that I am, but you have to realize that I am because of how his policies have affected me in a most positive way. Not just Pell Grants, of which I would not be in college without the bold moves President Obama made, but also his Affordable Healthcare Act, his Fair Pay Act also known as the Lily Ledbetter Act, and his economic policies that have helped give over four million people new jobs. My hometown of Odessa was recently noted for having one of the lowest unemployment rate in all of Texas and that makes me extremely proud that my city has been able to accomplish that through policies President Obama put forth and the ideas that the local government of Odessa set forth as well. The bottom line is this. If you voted for President Obama in 2008 you should do so again in 2012. Okay, that's all I have to say for now. I hope everyone has a good weekend. Next week I'll let you all in on some things coming up in my classes next week. May you all live long and prosper.

“The Final Semester”

by Terrence Cain

So what can I say in my fifth, and hopefully final, semester at Howard College here in Big Spring that I haven't said before in the last four semesters since I started writing for this blog? Well not too much to be honest with you. This week hasn't really been all that special. Just intros to my classes and getting a feeling of what I can expect over the next three and half months.

With that said, I'll give you a little info into what's happened this week. I have five classes this semester. On Mondays and Wednesdays I have Ethics with Prof. McIntosh, College Algebra with Prof. Keeney, and Stars & Galaxies (Astronomy for the uninformed) with Prof. Hobbs. It was to be with Prof. McAfee but for whatever reason he's no longer a professor at Howard College here in Big Spring. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have Development Of Motion Pictures with Prof. Davidson and Public Speaking, commonly referred to as Speech, with Prof. Crockett.

The most loathed class, and oddest one, is my class with Prof. Crockett. Now that's not an indictment against the professor. I'm just not comfortable with talking, let along giving a speech to a room full of people. I get tongue tied easily, my heart beats start to feel like Keith Moon of The Who is in my chest pounding away like the wild man he was, and at times my fingers can twitch and lose control. It's not easy for me to look up as I am expected to either. I don't have anything to hide, except my fear of being up in front of others listening to my horrible voice, but I am sure people will think I am not being honest when I speak because of that part of me that will be hard for me to not keep my head from being down and looking at my note cards as I speak. Hopefully this class will kill those fears in me and give me the opportunity to enjoy the class as time goes on.

Another thing that was odd for me, or rather weird I should say, was that Prof. Crockett was not in the class room with us. She was on a big screen television with a camera on top for her to look at us. As she would scan the room to look at us it felt like I was in the world of RoboCop or something. Prof. Crockett had us stomp on pieces of paper where we had to draw a bug, our most hated food, and a nickname we'd call our lover. It was silly, but I think the point was to break the ice and to get everyone to realize that life can be silly some times and that's okay.

Okay, I think I've said enough for this first post of many this semester. I hope everyone has a good and safe four day weekend. Things will surely kick up on Tuesday when we all return. Take it easy everyone!

“Four Down, One To Go”

by Terrence Cain

What a semester this has been! It was a whole lot of fun for me, as I hope it was for all of you. Next semester will be my last—and although I am a bit sad—I am also very happy because I will have proven to myself that I am no dummy and that I can accomplish anything as long as I work hard and do my best to stay involved in the work presented to me. That's the key to success, hard work, and it doesn't come easy; that much is true, but it is well worth it in the end I will guarantee you that. Having a college degree will help you out in so many areas of life and it will make finding work a lot easier than just having a high school degree or no degree at all too.

I did quite well for myself this semester and I found out that the longer you go the easier things get because the things you learned in the previous semester will help you in later ones, so hopefully in 2013 when I am attending a university for my bachelors it will make transitioning to there that much easier. I know it won't be no walk in the park and that the demands are much higher there than they are in a community college, but still I feel what I learned here at Howard College will help me greatly at the university I will be attending; whichever university that may be.

Well I hope all of you will have a great summer and will be returning to Howard in the fall, or if you're graduating, then on to a university of your choosing. Remember, only you can achieve your dreams and those dreams are the key to your happiness. Until next semester, live long and prosper.

“Time Keeps On Ticking”

by Terrence Cain

Well folks the end of the semester is drawing fast upon us. It's going to be here before we know it and then what do you do when it's over? Well for me personally I'll be enjoying a summer break before my final semester here at Howard College in Big Spring. That's right, I will be graduating and earning my basic associates this year so that I can go on to a university to get my bachelors in print journalism. It seems like it was only yesterday when I started my journey to reinvent myself after losing my job in 2009. I will admit that a little bit of fear still lies within me that I could be still in the same boat I am in today when I finish and obtain my bachelors degree in 2014, but I don't let it consume me because I wouldn't be the optimist I am if I did. I know that no matter what this journey I've been on has been well worth it. It has been a great teaching moment in my life of what I can and cannot do.

I never thought in my life that I could make it through the very first semester and I did it just fine. Now I'm about to finish my fourth semester and I've got the best grades that I've ever had in all my time here at Howard College. I thought Algebra was going to kill me slowly from the inside out (figuratively speaking of course) and I've been able to stay strong and keep myself afloat through all of it. I have bad memorization and yet I've been able to retain the information need to pass the majority of my tests this year, with pretty high grades might I add. I've even managed to impress myself enough to assist one of my professors enough to ask for my help in a project we'll be putting forth next week for our final class before the finals the week after. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I made the right decision to forgo the hardships of being unemployed for these last three years so that I could make the time up I could have done this in ten years ago, but sadly could not because of my living situation at the time.

So I bet now you're wondering what I will be doing for my summer break. Well this summer I plan on doing some much needed yard work, as well I plan on working on a novel I've been writing for the last five years or more. I think I'll try to spend time with some of my friends back in Odessa where I'm originally from since it's been a really long time since I've seen many of them. I think I'll try to catch up on some book reading as well. Well that's all I have to say for the moment. Until next time, this is Howard College's blogging machine saying in the immortal words of Mr. Spock; “Live long and prosper.”