The 1st Annual Castillo Awards

The 42nd Annual Country Music Awards took place this past week and although I wanted to see Billy Ray Cyrus prove that he'll always be the biggest embarrassment in the Cyrus family, I am not much of a country music fan and missed it. Yet, I respect the country music industry and its award ceremonies.

The CMA's were not the only industry to put on an award show this past week, so if you missed it you still could've fed your appetite for award shows with the Latin Grammys, MTV Europe Music Awards, Glamour's Women of the Year Awards, The Environmental Media Awards, The BMI Country Awards, The Tech Awards or MTVu's Woodie awards ... fascinating.

It seems like there is an award show for everything nowadays, so it got me thinking: is there any reason there can't be a Castle awards show? And thus, The 1st annual Castillo Awards were born. For those of you who may be lost on why the name of my award show resembles the name of a Latin baseball player, "Castillo" is the Spanish translation of "Castle" –so it's only semi-random.

With the theme of respecting an industry whose awards show I don't pay attention to, the Castillo Awards will be honoring the things I have rarely encountered in life. All the following winners are what I assume to be of the highest quality in its category that I have, for one reason or another, never really experienced.

Best Entertainer - Danny Gans:

My first spiky-headed statuette goes to a man who is claimed to be the entertainer of the year ten years running on huge billboards all over Las Vegas, yet my unwillingness to pay $140 for a single ticket has left me in the dark on exactly what he does.

Best Movie - Citizen Kane

I don't know why, but me and this movie have never been in a room together. But I've always heard good things.

Best TV Show – "M*A*S*H"

My parents loved it and that seemed to be the unanimous opinion of their generation. Even though I can never pay attention through a full episode, I trust their opinion.

Best Music - The Rolling Stones

I apologize to their legions of fans, their sound just doesn't really do it for me, but I'm pretty sure they sent a good message and I'm in support of that. Not to mention they've sold something like nine trillion albums, so they must be doing something right.

Best Book - The Da Vinci Code

I heard the movie is outstanding, but only if you have read the book. And if you do take the time to read the book, you will feel way more intelligent, which is always beneficial to one's cultural cognizance.

Best sport - Cricket

I don't really understand it, which is saying something considering I've actually taken the time to try to figure it out. But the British can't get enough of it; they eat that cricket stuff right up.

Best food - Caviar

It's expensive, right? At least it sounds expensive ... I don't even really know, but it sounds classy enough to take home a Castillo on this occasion.

Best pet - Dog or a Jaguar

I actually never had a dog growing up, but I am a firm believer that they give the companionship a young kid needs in life. However, I now live in a home which houses two dogs. Boss and Bruce have filled that void in my life, so that disqualifies a dog's eligibility for a Castillo ... so I will give the award to the jaguar as the best pet. Think about how cool it would be to say, "I'm going to go feed my pet jaguar."

Best car - Motorcycle

If you can just sack up and get over the death-defying stunt you are attempting the entire time you're riding, you can speed through traffic paying an eighth of what every large vehicle you pass is paying for gas. Plus, I would look like a total badass.

I'd proudly rep OC State

The people are friendly, the temperature’s always perfect – even when it's not sunny – and the best cities in California are all within a short drive. Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Diego, Long Beach, Newport Beach, you name it, you can be there in a day. I’m talking about Orange County; the heart of Southern California, more specifically Fullerton; the heart of Orange County.
I love this area, and I love this school, there’s plenty of reason to have pride in it, so there’s no reason not to have a little school spirit.
Lately the issue of school spirit has been a hot button around the Cal State Fullerton campus. Some people believe the only thing that unites students is the shared disdain for this commuter campus of a university abbreviated CSUF.
Now I’m no stranger to the idea of using contempt of school as a way of bonding with fellow students, growing up, from grade school to high school that was the thing to do. After all, it is what we wake up early for everyday, spending all day in a classroom, following authority, working on tests, quizzes and all kinds of busy work. It’s not hard to sling rocks at.
But once you enroll in college, school is not a forced activity; you made the bold decision to continue your education, not to mention pay a hefty tuition just to make it happen. So as long as you’re going out of your way to continue your schooling you may as well take pride in it.
How do you display pride? Do you paint yourself with school colors and run around with a giant mascot head? No, although that works for some people. Try investing some time in your campus, see what it has to offer. Check out a sporting event and cheer on the athletes who are working their butts off to represent us – it's free and you might become a true fan. Join a club, or even see what all the fuss is with Greek life, you might meet some good people. The common trend of each on-campus suggestion is you won’t be alone in the activity, and it might just unite with fellow Titans in someway other than having spite for your university.
A wise way of upping school spirit and bringing some desired attention would be to change the name back to Orange County State, the school's original name upon its inception in 1957. I don’t know about you, but I would be just a little bit more proud to represent OC State as home. Fullerton sounds like just another city in California, not a very striking title. I realize plenty of Fullerton residents don't like the superficial imagery that comes saddled with "The OC" but think about how much more marketable it would be. Students from all over the nation would be more enticed to enroll and see what it’s about. I believe the attention our school would garner nationally if it was OC State would put us on the map.
We’ve been progressing immensely in many areas each year since I’ve been here. The school has become more physically attractive with construction additions all over campus. The majority of the athletic programs are vastly elevating in performance each year, with nothing but potential in the future. Day-by-day CSUF moves closer to becoming the top state university in California, hands down, and I think the expressive name-change would put us over the top.
What’s wrong with being proud of where you’re from? I love seeing alumni succeed from my school; anytime I hear I see a famous alumnus of CSUF do something spectacular I stand up and represent “Cal State FULLERTON!” I would love the opportunity to shout “O-C!” We could create some eye-catching OC logos, a catchy OC chant and even a cool OC stomp dance … maybe I took it too far with that.
You get from school what you put into it, and you can spend your days in college hating on your alma mater because of what it doesn’t have, or you could make the best of your time here. This is your one college experience; are you going to look back on how you rebelled against school spirit with spite for your own campus? Or would you rather create some memories today that you can look back at with fondness? The choice is yours.
GO OC STATE!

We all have different opinions, let's respect them

Let me ask a hypothetical question:

Would you shout a profanity at a person for having a different favorite ice cream flavor then you?

Would you karate kick a friend if they had a different favorite American Idol?

Would you throw a couch at your neighbor if the they didn’t think the God(dess) sitting next to the pool you've been drooling over was a 10?

Then why do people take such great offense a person with opposing political views? Before you hi-jack the discussion with a smarmy response such as “Because none of those things matter and political views are vital to our very being” or something cooler and more ass-hole like… that’s not really my forte, why would it make a difference whether a person’s differing opinion is of an important issue or not? Is it your mind? Do you know what reasons they may have for their views? Do you know what they have personally experienced that could result in a particular outlook on a subject? If not, then who are you to cast judgment on anyone’s personal opinion?

The spirit of debate is the cornerstone of politics. So I am not blasting anyone for their joy of arguing their political view to other politicians. In fact, I believe the people who get into politics are professional debaters who hold their personal views dear to their heart and absolutely relish the opportunity to educate somebody with their blessed knowledge. And that is all well and good, it is the ignorant display of rejecting another person’s assessment of an issue that I can’t stand.

“So who are you voting for in the presidential election?”

“I don’t know, I’m thinking I’m gonna go with Candidate B”

“WHAT!?!?? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? DON’T YOU KNOW YOUR SUPPORTING CAPITALSM? HE IS GOING TO DRIVE OUR COUNTRY INTO THE GROUND!!! Are you a terrorist? By supporting Candidate B you are supporting terrorism, you have a bomb on you, don’t you? Hand it over, HAND OVER THE BOMB! I swear if Candidate B gets elected I’m moving to Germany, that’ll show everybody!”

Just as important as it is that we have our own opinion, it is equally important that we let our fellow citizens have their own opinions. It is the fabric of our nation to let each person say and think as we please. Freedom of speech includes personal opinion, and we need to respect each person’s opinion no matter how different it may be because it is their right.

In fact we need to have different viewpoints from others, otherwise we would all think exactly the same and there would be no original thought. Can you imagine how boring the world would be if we all had the same opinions? That’s what makes you an individual.

Its good to hear out other people’s standpoint on a topic because you might just see their side of it and change your mind because it makes more sense. But if someone has deferring political views don’t chastise them for it, hear their case. Involvement in world matters is a good sign that you’re growing up, but what good is growing up if you can’t do it with maturity?

Pride is important, but so is respect, and if you want respect from others, you better be willing to give back.

Judgment Day

I stood in a small booth, my hands at the will of democracy. The freedom of our great nation summoned me here, allowing me to put my two cents on the makeup of our country for years to come … and I had no idea what to do.

I had browsed through the proposition packet while standing in line. Perhaps it was self-pride that brought me to this obscure voting location to fulfill my obligation as a constructive citizen. I was doing it; I was getting out to vote! P. Diddy would be so proud.

Yet I found myself looking at the choices for president and was perplexed with my options: John Kerry or George W. Bush? Was this really the best our nation could come up with to lead us?

That’s when it hit me; there is something seriously wrong with our election process.

We have the best form of government, yet our faulty election process creates a debilitated bureaucracy.

The initial red flag that our election process is rather deficient became evident with the 2000 debacle, which proved that having a greater percentage of votes doesn’t guarantee victory.

Beyond the Electoral College catastrophe, I believe politics have become far too much of a war between the left and right wing. The fact that they are nicknamed "left" and "right" wing says it all – there’s no other wing to choose. It is one side or the other and I believe it is ridiculous to think that one side has the answer on every issue. Our selection process needs to revolve more around the candidates themselves and their campaign platform rather than the party they represent.

The liberal versus conservative battle that has become the epicenter of the presidential struggle is hurting us from finding a strong leader. If the candidates were not attached to a specific party, people would have to look at more imminent reasons to give a person their vote.

I will come right out and admit that I am not a huge fan of politics. A friend of mine, who is the kind of guy who has been planning his rise to the White House since he was five, would tell me that it is essential to be educated in politics and would stress the importance of representing a specific party. I could see that his argument was battle tested enough to where I assume he’s probably right. Nonetheless, my vote counts just as much as his, and the majority of the country is as uneducated in political affairs as I am, yet we all have equal voting rights.

Furthermore, we tend to expect far too much from these presidential candidates. We not only look for a person to be a powerful leader, but an all-around flawless individual. They must have a squeaky clean record, so clean we can practically see our own reflection when looking at them. Every aspect of the the nominee’s background is brought into question - their religion, their family, their culture, what they did in college, what they didn’t do in college, whether they’re married, who they’re married to, how nice the person they’re married to is, whether or not Oprah supports them, etc.

The fact is the presidential race becomes a search for the ideal being – and that is someone who just doesn’t exist. It is important to try to estimate what the entirepotential administration of each candidate may be, rather than solely focusing on the potential Oval Office tenant. After all it is democracy, not a dictatorship.

With that in mind, we should at least be thankful that we have the opportunity to elect our leader as a nation, even if the current process is a little flawed. By the end of today we will have a new commander in chief, and whether or not your choice becomes the president, I ask that you support whoever is. Like it or not, the newly elected president will lead us for the next four years, and a nation united is stronger than a nation divided. We can complain about our election process, our president and our country, but ultimately we must live with the outcome, so we may as well embrace it. If we do this, only then can America truly begin living up to its potential.

Halloween Season means the Holidays are here

It's the dead of fall and signs that summer is long gone are everywhere. For all intents and purposes, this should be one of the worst times of the year: The leaves are browning, the weather’s becoming more frigid, and midterms are swallowing students whole like a hungry boa constrictor – and its not even November yet.

And yet, it’s my favorite time of year. "Libra Season," as I like to call it, and the imminent arrival of all our favorite holidays loom overhead, bringing a sense of excitement and optimism to the autumnal equinox. The Christmas shopping agenda may dictate that the holiday season begins on Thanksgiving, but what really puts us into the celebratory spirit is perhaps the most jovial day of the year, Halloween.

The gloomy world around us is a mere facade of what on the surface is supposed to be the ugliest time of year, but the October mystique is a fascinating event. The dreary change in temperature and scenery has an element of beauty to it; there’s something about the gray-skied autumn afternoons combined with the eerie nature of the Halloween season that brings a sense of nostalgia and tranquility to our busy lives.

The holidays are a three-part exultation that let us celebrate life in three different fashions: Hallow’s Eve explores our fun side, Turkey Day embraces our family side, and Jesus Christ's Birthday exercises our loving side.
There are countless ways to enjoy Halloween; it is a holiday that manages to reinvent itself according to your adaptations of maturity.

As a young child, Halloween is all about the candy; as much as you can grab – grab as much as you can. On top of that, it's your best opportunity to dress up as the latest super hero of youth pop culture, whether its a Ninja Turtle, a Power Ranger or a Pokemon, depending on the era you grew up in (personally I think each generation has become more and more trite, but maybe I’m just biased).
Then you get older and this time of year can’t help but undergo an unsettling change. Are you too old to get into the Halloween spirit? What age do you stop trick-or-treating? Is it still considered cool to dress up?
Maybe you just half-ass it a little: “I’m a cowboy this year” you say pointing to the Ranchero hat you found in your dad’s closet, half-placed on your head, completely clashing with your everyday getup.
For many teens this uncomfortable battle with adolescence leads to rebellion and it becomes a time of year to wreck havoc around the neighborhood - practical jokes, gags, eggs, TP, silly string, etc. – any act of rebellion that gets your heart pumping and demonstrates your ability to rage against the machine becomes the appeal of the season.

Then you get to college and fall in love with the spooky celebration that is Halloween all over again.

Now if you’re like me and you really love Halloween, you celebrate it at least three times. Maybe four. Sometimes even five depending on the day of the week Oct. 31st actually falls on, but any weekend day in the vicinity of the holy day is worthy of celebration.

Halloween is one of the only times when girls are sure to go out donning their sexiest costumes, while conveniently leaving their shame at home. At no point is the line between a good costume and a street walker's nightly uniform so thin.

When else can three leaves be considered a suitable wardrobe?

“Look I’m Eve! Now where’s my Adam?”

Holidays are really the display of mankind’s ability to twist up historic events and make it an annual party.

The birth of Jesus Christ has become a reason to sit around a well-decorated pine tree with family and exchange gifts and memories over a warm cup of cocoa. The death and resurrection of J.C. somehow became reason for a large bunny rabbit to hide colorful eggs and pick up a nice sugar rush off those delicious, yet stomach-turning Peeps. I’m not sure of the exact history of Halloween, but the result has us scaring each other, dressing up in ridiculous costumes, and eating a lot of sweets.

We, as a society, like to have fun and we love candy, and holidays give us reason to do an abundance of both those things. It's important not to take yourself too seriously around these times, enjoy yourself, and the people around you.

Holidays are life’s way of reminding us to take a break and have fun, so as long as they’re here, take a little break, have a little fun ... get down tonight.

October Baseball makes watching the Regular season worth it

The crowd is raging, the players stand intense and ready to make an unforgettable play at any second, the hearts of everyone in the stadium leap with each pitch; it must be October baseball.

It’s hard to describe the scene of a playoff baseball game without sounding too cliché, but that’s because it is just that classic.

October baseball makes watching the regular season worth it. I love baseball, but I’ll be the first to admit that it’s a game that can tend to drag like an antiques road show.

It's probably the only sport you can watch for five minutes and see literally no action: the batter takes a few pitches, routinely stepping out of the box to take a few practice swings in between each one, the pitcher saunters off the mound to gather himself for a bit, the cameraman starts working his cool angles all over the field; a close-up of the manager, a shot of the pitcher, a view of the shortstop kicking around dirt. This happens as the commentators are telling a story about the batter's childhood. There’s no way around it; baseball can be downright boring.

When baseball is bad, it's monotonous, but when it's good, it is thrilling.

And nothing proves this statement better than the electricity that is felt during every moment of October baseball. From the 5-game division series that leaves almost no room for error, to the intense championship series, which brings players so close to the promised land they can practically taste it, to the World Series, where champions are crowned and legends are made forever.

It’s almost unfair for these players that all the work and drive they put into what must feel like an endless 162-game season is left null and void if they don’t bring their A-game to the postseason. But that is part of the beauty that is the playoffs; the ability to come up clutch in the most intense of situations creates legends that live forever, be it a historic athlete like Reggie Jackson or a lesser-known hero such as Bucky Dent. Star or not, any player who can rise to the occasion when the spotlight is on will forever be commemorated in October glory, and just as easily they can wind up being remembered in infamy if they screw up on the big stage, as cruel as it may be. Just ask Bill Buckner.

The history of this great game’s postseason is littered with dramatic occurrences, heartbreaking finishes and classic moments, and it's no coincidence. Whatever it is that’s in the autumn air in baseball stadiums all over the country that promises historic nail-biting moments is a unique and wonderful thing. Any true baseball fan will tell you when it’s your team that’s battling through the treacherous fall schedule, it creates a nervous feeling in the pit of your stomach that stays strong from the opening pitch to the final out. So easily can your pride be crushed or lifted at any moment with the single swing of the bat, it's almost torture. The fact that your emotions can be so easily toyed with through the actions of nine different men on a diamond is a sick thought, but at the same time a sick pleasure.

A dominant pitcher that shuts down an entire line-up, a walk-off home run from an unlikely hero, an extra-inning battle that teeters back and forth, or just a clash of wits and pure skill that may be simply waiting for the first team to catch a break, you never know what you’re going to get from the Fall Classic, but you will get something to be remembered.

At the risk of sounding like a played-out Dane Cook ad, there truly is only ONE October.

Another year older, another year experience

I've hit another milestone this week, once again reaching the celebration date that is my birthday. This Saturday I will officially be the ripe age of 23. It's hard to believe that I always looked at 23 as such an old age. If you’d asked me when I was 8 what I’d be doing right now I would have probably told you I would be happily married with a family, a house and hard at work on my respectable career as either a World Wrestling Federation superstar or an American Gladiator. It seemed feasible at the time.

But I realize it’s a lot different than I’d anticipated now that I've reached this age of young adulthood. I am far from marriage, I have yet to figure out what my career will be and I don't think I have the pectorals nor the lats to be a gladiator.

The early to mid-twenties can seem like such a frightening old age for some students. Often times people fear it's when their youth begins to slip away. Well, I refuse to accept the idea that 23 is old.

Birthdays are benchmarks for how far you’ve come in life, but there are certain birthdays that are held in anticipation just a little more than others. At 16 you’re sweet and at 18 you’re a legal adult, even though the Jewish right of passage says this happens at 13, but let's be real – should 13-year-olds really ever be considered adults?

Then, of course, there’s the 21st birthday, the day that is held in anticipation, for some as the peak of existence; you can get in anywhere now and are at the prime of your youth – right? What I realized a year ago was that the other side of that coin is that after your 21st birthday you are just considered old. I realized this on my 22nd birthday when person after person had almost the identical reaction to my new age: “You're 22? Man you’re getting old!”

That’s when it hit me, I will now always be considered "old" on my birthday. If I was old when I was 22, I’m pretty sure I’ll be called old as I turn 23, and 24, 25 and so on...

What ages are there to look forward to after 21? The only other birthdays that enable any unlocked privileges come when I turn 25 and I can rent a car, and at 55 I can order from the senior menu at Denny’s.

But why should I feel old? I have yet to hit the quarter-century mark. The truth is, age is man-made. Your birthday just represents the calendar day you were born, and your age just represents the number of years that have passed since then. We should not fear the number that represents how long we’ve been on this earth.

We live in an ageist society in this day of silicon, Botox and Rogaine. Now more than ever do we feel the pressure to look and feel younger. We are constantly under the gun, threatened by the rapid speed of life. We are practically forced to feel insecure about getting older and all the out-of-touch side effects that come with it.

We need to embrace the number that our age identifies us as. Think about where you are right now. Do you know more about life and the world we live in than you did a year ago? And you will be that much more experienced a year from now, and the year after that and so on. With age comes experience, and with experience comes knowledge, and knowledge is golden. The world around us is a great tutor of wisdom, and if we keep our minds open we can truly learn just a little bit more every day.

You can’t hate yourself for getting older, because you’ll just despise yourself more and more every day. Don’t be afraid that one day you’ll wake up and be 40, 50 or 100. Because when those days come you will have lived 40, 50 or 100 years worth of life, and you’ll appreciate everything those years have taught you. Whether the experience was good or bad, it was experience and you learned from it.

In this crazy world there are few things that are certain, but one sure thing is that tomorrow you will be older than you are today, so embrace it. Who knows what you may learn tomorrow.

Poverty builds character

They say the world is run by the almighty dollar, and yet money is the root of all evil. Money can’t buy happiness, yet I tend to smile a lot more when I have cash in my pocket. It doesn’t matter what kind of spin you try to put on it, we live in a world that relies on wealth.

Like many others, I found myself unemployed this past summer. If you or anyone you know was unemployed this summer, then you know it wasn’t exactly shooting fish in a barrel finding a new job. In fact, I feel the most consistent job I have had for the past year has been the process of searching for a job – a tedious and stressful job, but necessary to keep moving forward. The result of unsuccessful job hunting is being broke.

At no time do you notice just how necessary having a little extra cash is than when you find yourself jobless and penniless. It affects your everyday life in almost every facet; it costs money to drive, it costs money to eat, it even costs money to sleep if you’re traveling. Unless you plan on spending your days in solitary confinement without consuming anything, you’re going to have to cough up some dough to get through a typical day.

However, just as being strapped for cash brings in the realization that money is a necessity of life, it also helps one take life a lot more seriously. When you need to spend each dollar wisely to survive, you can’t help but evaluate each part of your life and consider just what is vital and what is petty.

Thus, poverty builds character. Being poor causes you to deeply gauge each decision and that forces you to plan ahead, and when you plan ahead, you can’t help but plan far ahead. And when is planning for your future ever a bad idea?

Beyond your planning and decision-making, destitution brings about deep soul-searching that ultimately allows you to mature and value what really matters.

I like to look at life as a marathon: When running a marathon, you can only see what’s directly in front of you, and must take it one step at a time. At times the road gets tough and an uphill battle ensues. But if you continue to take each step with confidence, and constantly move forward, you will ultimately get where you’re trying to go.

It is the same as life; we can only take it day-by-day. Sometimes the days get long and arduous, and we find ourselves in a struggle, sometimes for a lot longer than we’d hoped. But live each day with a step of confidence, and believe that your steps are carrying you to the Promised Land, and they shall.

It is positive thinking such as this that must develop when you battle against the almighty dollar. Although poverty can build character, it can also destroy lives, and it is when you feel impoverished that you are able to see just how easily that can happen.

As crazy as it sounds, things in life need to go awry every now and again. If life had no pitfalls, how would you learn the valuable lessons that build us as better, more battle-tested individuals? It is the falls in life that teach us how to rise.

Nobody wants to be poor; it makes everything harder and less enjoyable. But if you ever find yourself facing bankruptcy, remember; keep moving forward, and trust each step, you’ll find what you’re looking for.

If you look inside yourself deep enough, you might just find that character that’s going to succeed.

Breaking the 'Nice guys finish last' myth

You’re out on the big date with that special girl you’ve had your eye on. It’s the night you’ve been anticipating for what feels like an eternity. Cupid’s arrow has leaked optimism and excitement into your blood. You now believe this is the absolute perfect girl for you, and the only way you can go about life as a happy man is to make her your girl.

Everything has been going well all night. You’re being a gentleman and treating her with all the respect she deserves. The end of the night rolls around and your nerves don’t let you possibly do what would ruin what’s been a lovely evening. You choose to pass on making a move, and settle for an awkward goodnight hug.

A few days go by and you give her a call hoping to recreate the magical evening, only to hear the dreaded words every guy hates accepting: “I think we should just be friends.” It’s amazing that such an innocent-sounding statement can establish such fire in the pit of a man’s soul. Women’s code for disinterest that was so brilliantly crafted sometime in the dawn of female existence, so uniquely developed to make a rebuttal virtually impractical.

A month later you run into your dream girl and your body can’t help but tingle with excitement upon seeing her again. Then you actually feel your heart tear in half upon her next statement:

“This is my new boyfriend, Spike,” she says as she stares at him with lustful eyes of infatuation.

Spike grips your hand as he stares coldly in your eyes. " 'S' up, bra,” he spits, as he puts his arm around the girl you’ve come to believe is your one and only, demonstrating full possession.

Does this sound like a familiar tale to you? Have you found that being the "really good guy" doesn’t seem to get you any further than a smile and a wave? Then you are probably also quite familiar with the old saying, “nice guys finish last.”

This is an expression that has tied confusion and frustration into a hurricane of heartache for countless men.

As crushing as the term can be, do not succumb to the myth.

“Nice guys finish last” has developed an even stronger fictional theory among certain males that girls enjoy being treated like trash. Plenty of guys believe the more malicious they are to a girl the more attracted she is to them, and oftentimes this idea is based upon resentment from previous rejection. While this strategy may inexplicably work for some guys, it is definitely no way to carry oneself. It targets weakness in females and exploits their insecurities, and thus it is my belief that the girls this strategy works on are weak themselves.

The general problem the majority of nice guys who feel they’re finishing last have is not a result of their good-natured intentions, but rather their self-confidence, or lack thereof.

Some people go wrong with the concept of self-confidence, however, while secretly struggling with their own self-acceptance. When someone tries exhibiting their confidence with underlying insecurities, it creates a flaw in character that is easily detectable; this results in cocky and pompous personalities.

True self-confidence doesn’t need to be shown, it just needs to be felt. If you believe your clothes look right, your music taste is legit and your conversation is entertaining, then they are, and you can take it from there.

I don’t claim to have the key to what women want. I believe pursuit of that key is a complicated maze that will leave you delirious – but self-confidence is a good start.

So if you’re a nice guy who’s drowning in the vicious pool of relations, don’t stop paddling, because everyone likes being treated with respect. It’s your own shoes that need to be comfortable. Accept that before stepping on anybody else’s. The walk through the tunnel of love can be dark, but a true gentleman always shines through.

Solitaire: Its not just a game, its a way of life

I sat in front of my computer staring at a blank Word document. I had to write a column and was feeling a case of writer’s block. So I did what any writer does when this agonizing, yet common bug hits; I procrastinated. These days, sitting in front of a computer is like sitting in front of an entire universe of world wide information, so it’s not too hard to prolong a writing assignment.

So I decided to surf the web - excuse the 1997 lingo. I skipped checking my email, bank account and school portal in favor of the latest popular social media friend site. So I jump to Friendster … I mean I cruise to MySpace … I mean I ride to Facebook. I check out my profile and am immediately treated with a female friend’s photo album titled “a crazy night,” which features 29 photos of her in the identical pose with an inter-changeable friend in each one. As crazy as it is, it doesn’t keep my interest, so I scope ESPN.com. After all, I haven’t seen SportsCenter since last night’s episode when Jon Anderson was really on his game.

Loading … loading ... cannot find server.

No! I’ve lost connection! After hitting the refresh button at least 48 times I come to the acceptance that my web-fueled procrastination session has been cut short. What was I to do now? I still wasn’t ready to get back into deep-thought mode.

I realized there still was another desktop feature I could waste time with: Solitaire.

Good old Solitaire, the timeless virtual card game that’s served as a decent time-passing tool for decades.

I love Solitaire. It’s actually the primary reason I’ve longed for my very own laptop. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat in class and become incredibly jealous of the student to my left who sits lost in an enthralling game of Solitaire.

“How does he not see the six of hearts is open for the five? If he puts the five on the six that totally frees up the king of spades, which has a whole row waiting for it! He’s starting a new game? I would’ve had that game in the bag. MAN I wish I had a laptop!”

Many people don’t realize this, but these desktop games are not just leisure activities to cure boredom, they also self-consciously advise important life lessons..

Why do you think they’re available on every computer? Each game is intended to subtly teach you valuable messages of morality.

Solitaire teaches you to organize all changeable life entities before moving forward with any bold decisions. Spider Solitaire identifies confidence in random occurrences; are you going to ruin your set up with the addition of a fresh row, or reveal the piece you were looking for? Mine Sweeper teaches us to double check all surrounding scenarios to assure your journey to victory is free of evil. And 3D pinball teaches us … how to play pinball.

At this point you may be asking yourself, what am I talking about? Am I really devoting an entire column to Solitaire? I just want to demonstrate how easily positive inspiration can be established. Motivation can be found all around us, you just need to keep your eyes open and eliminate negativity. Draw inspiration from the lyrics of a song you hear on your way to work. Do they speak to your personal situation?

Maybe it's just noticing a string of luck, such as consistent green lights. Is there a reason you’re getting where you need to be faster? Positive thinking brings about positive minds, which induces a positive outlook which generally develops a positive outcome.

So while you may see a simple card game used to kill boredom, I see a message of optimism. You can choose to see the things around you as they appear or you can go deeper and ponder if perhaps there’s a divine power that has put these things around you for a reason.

Does everything happen for a reason? I’d like to think so, but whether it is or isn’t, I can tell myself things are happening for whatever reason I want.
We can’t control our own destiny, unless we believe we can.

Why is the other side always so damn green?

Ever notice how the things in life that you don’t have always look the most enticing? It can be anything, but since you don’t have it you can't help but desire it, no matter how nonsensical or ridiculous it may be.

When I was a junior Castle, I remember looking at the snowy winter streets around the homes my relatives resided in and wishing that I could be an Ohio resident come Christmas. I'm sure it would've been a nice shift from the Utopian 80-degree temperatures of Southern California.

I also remember the most exciting meal of the week being whenever my mom decided to pick up some Burger King for dinner, a welcome change from her usual homemade surprises. What I would do just to come home nightly to a home-cooked meal today – you have no idea.

The lush green hills on the other side of the fence haunt us daily.

The point is, is that we always want what we don’t have. We tend to feel complete satisfaction is nonexistent.

This brings about cravings for wanting what we feel we're missing, be it something as minimal as the plate your neighbor ordered at TGI Friday's looking a whole lot more appetizing than your Caesar salad and over-toasted breadstick, to something as extreme as a living situation or a school choice.

I'm sure some of you peeked over the Cal State Fullerton fence at another university and just wanted to jump it and roll around in the grass like a golden retriever on Independence Day.

What about our relationship status? I believe that inside every single person is a secret yearning for the love and companionship a relationship brings, but some yearnings are kept a little deeper in the cellar for some.

Meanwhile, I guarantee that everyone who has been in a long-term relationship has at least once felt locked down in the tedious bond known as commitment – so strongly protected with its extra thick coat of "love" – and viewed the single life as the equivalent of running buck naked in a grand meadow as green as a jungle. You won’t readily admit this, but you know who you are.

Whatever is unavailable will always have that extra gleam of light around it. That's just basic human psychology, as solid a trait in our minds as our unexplainable infatuation for ice cream, puppies and celebrity breakdowns. Perhaps it is attainable but it just requires that little bit of extra work that you’re not quite prepared to commit to.

All green fields have their brown patches, however, and it’s those patches that make the other side seem so green. There are pros and cons to all scenarios. The key is to weigh what your side of the fence is doing for you, and gauge whether your situation brings you more happiness or more strife.

Contemplate if you are where you’re supposed to be, its important to always realistically weigh your options. Ultimately you should do what you feel makes you a happier person. Your own satisfaction is too important to be brushed under the rug of redundancy.

If you do think that other side really will bring you the happiness you so deserve, it's just one fence-jump away. The size of the fence varies; the question is, is it worth the climb?

No Skateboards - No Fun

It was the first day of the new semester, I was happy to be skating freely through campus again. But the smile on my face transformed to a look of confusion as my peripheral vision caught the familiar red and blue lights that require my immediate attention. I pulled down my ear phones as I caught a glance from the officer riding alongside me.

“A little information for you,” he said, handing me a pamphlet. My heart sank as I read that all skateboard activity was now deemed illegal on the Cal State Fullerton campus and would warrant citation starting October 6. This left an unsettling lump in what felt like the pit of my soul.

Skateboarding has become much more than a reliable form of transportation for me – it’s a source of satisfaction, my escape.

I don’t consider myself a skater. I can’t kick a varial heel flip, I tried that in seventh grade and decided it wasn’t for me on account of my distaste for cement flooring. I consider myself a rider. Nothing makes me feel freer than cruising through the atmosphere around me on a sleek long board.

Skating is therapy for me; I do some of my best thinking carving the streets on my four-wheeled deck of wonder. This passion of mine really took off when I was given a sexy Sector 9 board as a gift from someone very special. The bliss that overcame me while riding that board made the pain that much worse when it was stolen shortly thereafter. Again I was forced to lug myself around by foot and felt a void of emptiness that stung like a scorpion every time a skater whizzed past me moving with such convenient speed.

That hole was finally filled with the entrance of Ninja Turtle into my life. Had I found some cool new show/toy/game to keep me occupied? No, but that’s a good guess considering I used all of the above in my youth. Ninja Turtle was my buddy Johnny D’s board that had somehow ended up in my possession. But I think he saw the joy it brought me because he said I could keep it – he’s a good guy.

The board itself was hideous, but I always thought it resembled a turtle with its worn, oval-shaped brown deck, which sat on top of green wheels and fish skin-patterned belly. Then all I did is add "Ninja" to the name, and it worked!

Beyond taking away the pure satisfaction I and so many fellow Titans experience on a daily basis, the powers that be are eliminating an amazing method of transportation.

For all the students who live within a 1 to 2-mile radius of campus that aren’t itching to spend $144 on a parking pass and join the melee that is morning parking, skateboards are a lifesaver.

To help demonstrate this, I did a little experiment.

I took identical paths, two school days in a row, timing myself from building to building, the first day on foot, the second by skateboard. A 62-minute journey by foot took me approximately 31 minutes when traveling via board, cutting the time in half. Think about how much more you can accomplish in a day’s time by cutting transportation times in half.

Skateboards can be an asset in so many ways and I believe this new law will affect a lot more students negatively than it will positively. So I’d like to use my public voice to cry out in desperation: President Gordon, if you’re reading, please re-consider. If nothing else, let’s come up with a positive alternative. Maybe the sanctioned bike paths can be shared by boards. At least students will still be able to use them to travel to the campus.

It's not too late to stand up for skaters everywhere. Because, as the saying goes, skateboarding is not a crime.

Too cliche? Not anymore.

The Text Epidemic

Question: Do you ever find yourself engaged in a dramatic text conversation with a friend or family member? Do you use text messaging to communicate with that new fling you’re enthralled with? Do you find yourself re-telling an intense conversation you had through text while mimicking texting with your thumbs? Or worst of all, have you ever used the text message device in your phone to verbally abuse a friend or enemy, and thus involve yourself in a "text war"? Don’t be alarmed; although each of the previous examples are rather petty and frivolous, you are simply just another victim of the text epidemic.

It’s a revolution that is vastly taking over communication as we know it. What began as a casual form of lazy banter has become, for many people, the primary source of contact with friends, family and co-workers alike. No longer is texting simply a way for friends to find out what their social colleague’s plans for the evening are with the use of cute text slang such as "OMG", "TTYL", and "NIMBY" - slang for "Not In My Back Yard" - we used to always use it back in the day. Today, the text option in cell phones has become an advertisement tool, a business commodity, a breakup platform, a flirting device and a great way to kill boredom.

The normalcy of text conversation is going way too far, and it frightens me to think of how much worse it's going to get as the current generation of youth grows into adulthood. Landlines are quickly becoming a thing of the past. How much longer before the call feature becomes completely obsolete? Before we know it we may be limited to human contact and text interaction, with no ground in between.

Now with the new law requiring a hands-free device while driving it’s getting worse than ever. I now must plan ahead when making the archaic phone call just to be sure I won’t end up in my car at any time during the conversation, and thus avoid becoming what would undoubtedly be an uncontrollable hazard to all other motorists on the road.

Texting does have its benefits; it is much easier to get a text message sent in areas of poor reception than trying to piece together a broken conversation. This is important if you have a phone like mine which is unable to receive more than a single bar 85 percent of the time.

However, texting is spinning out of control; the use of it has reached a popularity that is nothing short of ridiculous. It has gotten to the point where I’m now hearing newscasters refer to important conversations that were held through text. I recall hearing a few months ago that Brett Favre had contacted Green Bay Packer General Manager Ted Thompson through text, in hopes of returning to the football team he’d retired from a few months earlier. I can only imagine the context of that message.

“Yo T-Slice, whatup? So I’m dWn 2 come play 4 U dis season, 4get the retirement thing, I was bein WhACk. Lemme noe whatchu think about dat. Hit me back, we should get 2gether & kick it sumtime. 1ove.

-B*F4vre"

We as a society need to grab a hold of this epidemic and control it before it gets completely out of hand. As convenient as it may be, texting is completely impersonal and lifeless. It doesn’t have the personality and character your voice does. How many times have you found an angry recipient on the other end of your previous text because your witty sarcasm was undetectable and flew over their head like a 747?

Only we can stop this from taking over communication as we know it.

So the next time your going to holler at your peeps, or your significant other or even the parentals, put away the Sidekick and dial their digits. I bet they’ll be thrilled to hear your voice again.

Going Greek?

Going Greek?

You’re a new student at Cal State Fullerton, and you’re looking to get that timeless college experience that you’re supposed to have. You see guys and girls alike at booths along Titan Walk asking you if you ever thought about going Greek. But wait, frats are lame, all your friends have already warned you about how Greeks are just about drinking and partying. So you walk away from the offer, because you’re above that lifestyle. But do you really find a good alternative to the Greek experience? You’d like to think so, but the fact is you don’t know because you never actually took the chance to experience it for yourself.

I, myself am an alumni of Pi Kappa Phi, and having lived in the fraternity house for 3+ years in which I literally consumed the experience that is Greek life, I feel I am as qualified as anyone to take on this taboo topic.

You see the issue of Greek life is rather controversial on this campus, and in this office in particular. But I feel its time I set the record straight on the issue of rushing and recruiting at CSUF.

Let’s start at the beginning, what are you looking to get out of college? Education? Sure, but you want to meet people, you want to make friends and you want to live. There is a lot more we can get out of college than by just attending our respective classes, and if you don’t think so you are flat out missing out on a huge aspect of your youth.

The best word that sums up what you can get out of going Greek is opportunity. That’s really what being in a fraternity or sorority provides: The opportunity to meet all kinds of people, to have countless memorable nights, to become a better person.

When I first came to Fullerton I knew nobody, I mean I actually lived in a studio apartment by myself; I was a loner. Today I can’t walk from one part of campus to the other without seeing at least one person I know, and sometimes a walk through campus feels like a reunion; on Monday alone I must have run into over 30 friends of mine.

Maybe you already have a good group of friends? Bring them along for the ride, rush together, you will watch your friendship grow into a bond stronger than you ever thought possible.

Greek life gives you the opportunity to be a leader, and to take on roles and responsibilities you never would’ve foreseen yourself taking on. I’ve seen some of the most timid people burst out of their shells through consistent social opportunities, myself included.

What about the stereotypes? First, recognize that you are your own person, you make your own judgments and decisions based on what YOU see and hear, not what people tell you.

Rather than trying to find stereotypical traits in Greek students, try searching for the unique and original qualities in them. I promise it won’t be hard to find, and you might just be blown away by the variety in personalities you come across.

Maybe you’ll find someone in your class that you can study with, someone with the same major who you can network with, someone who shares your crazy taste in music, someone who works in the same field or job as you, the possibilities are endless.

Think about how often you see a person wearing Greek letters, and then think about the fact that only some 2% of the students at CSUF are actually Greek. No group has the presence on campus like Greeks do.

If you still have doubts I have one piece of advice for you: try it. Maybe it’s not for you, you can always drop, at least you gave it a shot and saw firsthand what it’s about. I’ve known many people who fall under this category and none of them ever regretted the experience, brief as it may have been.

I’m not stamping a guarantee of satisfaction on the CSUF Greek system, but it’s definitely worth a look.

As I said in my introductory column, I can only speak one person’s voice, well in my opinion, going Greek was the best decision I’ve made in college. But don’t do it because I said it, be your own person and find out for yourself.

The Introduction of Castle's Corner

Welcome to my self-proclaimed corner of alliteration. You may be asking yourself, what is this, and why should I read it?

My name is Ryan Castle, which should explain why the name of this Corner is Castle’s. I’m a fifth-year student at Cal State Fullerton, which I like to believe is the modern-day senior year in college.

I want to use my column as a forum to discuss common situations and scenarios that we college students face on a daily basis. The situations we encounter that completely incarcerate our minds, as well as the thoughts we contemplate daily without even realizing it. Since I can only speak for one person, you will be seeing the world through the eyes of Ryan Castle. Be prepared, because I’m kind of random and a little weird, but I’m the fun kind of weird, not the crazy kind. I promise you that.

I believe I can strongly relate to anyone, no matter who they are. I like for my readers to feel as though I have crawled into their mind, seen the world from their point of view and indulged accordingly. When done reading Castle’s Corner I want you to say “I never thought of it like that,” or maybe “yeah that’s a good point,” or perhaps “that’s what I was just saying!"

My subjects can range anywhere from daily observations, to advice, to sports, to politics to entertainment to whatever I feel like.

I’m not satisfied with "just because" as an explanation … I want to dive deeper. And I tackle the tough questions too, the ones people are too afraid to dig for an answer to. Or at least the ones nobody ever thought to take on. Like, why doesn't James Bond age? Why does the "gh" make an "f" sound? Who discovered and thus named the blue-footed booby, and what was his motivation? Do male dogs care if the dog they just fornicated with was actually a castrated canine, or are they just down with that? Could bowling shoes ever be made into a fashion statement? Why has Jared from Subway not lost anymore weight in the past eight years? Why has Tom from MySpace not taken a new picture in the last five? Why is the "I Love New York" hussy still allowed to be on TV? And whatever happened to Jaleel White?

Beyond questioning things through indiscriminate observations, I also like to take on the general issues that encompass our feelings and emotions. We all feel our share of frustration, heartbreak, euphoria, confusion, indecision and so on. What invokes these feelings? And what do they mean? I like to believe deep personal issues are my forte; how things affect us, why they affect us and what we can do about it. Always remember never to take anything I say too seriously or with great offense. My goal is to make you laugh, think deeply or even just get a little smile. If I’ve done this, it means I’ve done my job.

Castle’s Corner: You’ll feel enlightened… or your money back!

What I've really learned at Cal State Fullerton

The reason we attend college is to get educated.

We pay good money for tuition so we can learn valuable information that can only be taught in school.

However, as I finish up my fourth year here at Cal State Fullerton, I realize that the valuable information I've learned doesn't just consist of what is taught to me through lectures and lab sessions.

There is a whole slew of valuable life lessons that I've learned here at CSUF that could never be taught by any professor.

Beginning with daily routines, I have learned that hitting the snooze button on my alarm clock for the third time means I'm going to be five minutes late.

Hitting the snooze alarm for the fifth time? I don't think I'm going to class today.

I've learned that when looking for a parking spot, rather than driving around the same lot for 30 minutes, I should post up and offer a ride to wandering students moseying to their cars.

And 30-minute parking is more like 45-50 minute parking, but anyone who's familiar with testing this theory is also quite familiar with finding those happy little blue tickets on their windshield.

I've learned to wait about two weeks before buying the book for my class.

Let's be real, we know that it's not always a necessity.

I've also learned that no item on Earth can drop in value as quickly as a text book at CSUF.

What else's price will go from $150 to $4 in a four-month span?

I've learned that some professors don't give a damn if you show up late or leave early, while others can be practically brought to tears for such action.

Whichever it may be, I've learned to let someone else be the guinea pig and find out which one mine is.

I've learned that if I'm assigned a project on Sept. 1 that is due Dec. 15, I will worry about it Dec. 14. And that the day after a test equals a day off.

When lecture notes are online, I've learned that lecture time is a good time to brush up on my sketching and Sudoku skills. Don’t worry, I’ll catch up on all the notes I missed on those ever-fun “all-night cram sessions” the night before the midterm.

And all-night study in the TSU really means "It's finals week, so let's all hang out in the TSU with our notes in front of us while we talk about our plans after finals and watch videos on YouTube."

I've learned that the Arboretum is underrated … enough said.

I've learned that if you're in the Greek system, don't expect an Animal House-style fraternity house.

Instead, you will find a row of quiet houses that are all on probation with the school because they dared to have an actual social gathering in college.

That being said, I've learned the Greek system is still the best opportunity at CSUF to meet new people and consistently have memorable times.

I've learned the importance of becoming friends with that cute girl in class who you can share notes with.

You need someone to study with and to tell you what you missed, so now you're killing three birds with one stone because your pride is boosted the entire semester.

Go get 'em tiger!

I’ve learned if a man on campus asks me if I have “five minutes for the environment,” it really means “write down all your information here so we can bug you for the next five months.”

I've learned Thursday night is the new Friday night, so don't take Friday classes.

There's a lot to be learned at CSUF, but what I've learned more than anything is that lessons are taught all around us every day and that the experiences we have in college are a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

So whether we love our school or hate it, we all need to make the best of it while we're here.

The Ninja Turtle and how it got me through the summer

The Ninja Turtle

This summer has been long and memorable, but unlike most summers, it’s been reeeal long. Like too long, like I’ve soaked up each moment of each day and to be quite honest, I’m tired of summer. Wow, its weird to say that, but almost therapeutic at the same time.

At times this summer has been incredibly fun, other times it was a painfully broke struggle. I was jobless for too long, and thus, searching for employment becomes my new day-today activity. Something I never get used to, but always seem to find myself doing in the dead of summer, exactly when the economy seems to gather all proprietors together, and agree to not hire anyone for at least a month.

So there have been some very long and achingly slow days this memorable summer, and as it nears its end and I look back, there was really just one thing that got me through those days: Ninja Turtle.

Did I find a cool Ninja Turtle toy/game/show to keep me occupied? No, although that’s a good guess because I used all of the above in my youth. Ninja Turtle is the name of the long board that has cruised me through a lagging summer quite smoothly. Ninja Turtle was actually not mine originally; I had borrowed it from Keith who had gotten it from Johnny D a few months earlier. But Johnny D had moved back home and already had a good collection of boards, so I don’t think he minded us enjoying ourselves with it, plus he’s a good guy. And Keith used Ninja Turtle when he wanted to, but I was the one who skated daily, so I kind of took ownership of it. That’s enough of an explanation to keep me happy so I don’t concern myself with it, but I see I have digressed.

Ninja Turtle has brought me happiness; every time I realize the day is over half gone and I have yet to leave my room, it provides the perfect escape for me, I just throw some headphones on and mob to my favorite jams all day. Usually NJ (as I’ll now be referring to it) serves as my transportation to and from the school gym just down the street at Cal State Fullerton. NJ makes me want to go work out, how can I get mad at that?

The importance of NJ to my summer became incredibly evident when I hit the low point of my summer: I had recently been let go from my job in Down Town Fullerton, and I had began losing things/having things get stolen. Within the very week of my pink slip reception, I lost my new digital camera and my prized skate board; Ninja Turtle (NJ). I lived nearly two weeks without Ninja Turtle, and it killed me inside. Was I going to walk to the gym? I hate doing that. What’s my escape now? I always wanted to get out and yet didn’t have anything to make me want to go anywhere. It was agonizing.

Finally, one day I found my board returned to the bottom of the stairs. The ass hole that had not respected my property and stole it had the decency to return it after he was done with it… ass hole.

Now that NJ is back I will never take it for granted again. I actually hadn’t even named the board Ninja Turtle until today when I took it for a tour around CSUF. I had always thought it resembled a turtle with its ovular brown deck which sat on top of green wheels and fish-skin patterned belly. So then all I did is add ‘Ninja’ to the front of it, and it totally worked!

My ride around the school today was actually probably the one most therapeutic things I’ve done in a long while. As I rolled around each part of the campus I’ve attended for the past four years, I reflected on what each segment of the school reminded me of. From memories of girls I’ve flirted with in certain classes as I passed each building, to the battles I had in every sport on the intramural fields, to the recollection of times kicking it on campus as I passed the TSU, which helped me conjure all kinds of unforgettable personalities. Each part of the school brought back some sort of memory.

Then, after rolling through each and every spot on my campus, I reached the heart of Fullerton and came up with a quote that seemed so fitting for me, you could call it an epiphany. I hopped off Ninja T, and decided to save it as a note in my phone, just so I could remember it word for word just as I had originally thought it.

“I love my life, and I just want to hold myself here forever. But life moves fast and I got a shot at being something if I keep up.”

Fittingly enough, the song that had randomly played on my trusty MP3 player (the other half of the team that builds my happiness) was “I’ll be here awhile” by 311. I looked around at the University that has been my home the past 4 years, and smiled.

I’m where I want to be, and when I move on I know I’ll still be where I want to be. Nothing brings me piece of mind like Ninja Turtle, and for that I write this ode for you; the exhilarating wheels of my youth.

Thesaurus.com

I love Thesaurus.com. I use it with almost every written piece I put out. It helps me expand my vocabulary and thus seem more intelligent.

And yet, I hate Thesaurus.com, it sucks. It always seems to give a collection of stupid words that are no where near what I'm looking for. I actually can recall hearing myself often thinking "This word seems to be the least terrible word to use on the list."

I only go there because its called Thesaurus.com, its the easiest to find. I know there's a better thesaurus out there than this, I'm just too lazy to find it. Its almost like Thesaurus.com is too lethargic to seek out the actual creative and intellectual words that are perfectly synonymous with the word I'm searching for.

But until I find a gifted new way to find synonyms for my written words, I guess its Thesaurus.com for me. SEE?!? I just used it right now to find a substitute word for 'creative.' Yeah, and I got 'gifted'... I rest my case.

The RIngtone Epidemic

The world of ringtones and ringback tones is a very shady business, and one I am not yet willing to trust after having been burned in the area just a few times too many.

First of all, let me start by saying the necessity of having a good ringtone is pretty key, we live in a world in which you can choose any song to be the defining tune that will play each time you get a phone call. People know this and thus, it is expected that you will
have some song that readily defines who you are as a person. Let's face it, having a key-noted chime as your ringtone nowadays just doesn't cut it.

So you need a good ringtone, you want a song that you will love and not get tired of after hearing 5 times, because your going to hear this song multiple times a day. Beyond that you want a song that makes a statement, that statement can be "Nobody Does it Better," or maybe "Champion," or just something as simple as "Hollaback Girl." That way once everyone hears the Gwen Stefani jingle play every time your phone blows up, they recognize that you are no 'hollaback' girl.

Beyond that, you need to find a way of downloading these ringtones that you can trust. Ringtone companies are like the shady drug dealers of the phone world. They act like they're your friends and want to lure you in with amazing deals. They throw big pop names at you in hopes of enticing you to choose them as your ringtone provider. How many times have you seen this ad?:
"Get free 50 Cent, Miley Cyrus and John Mayer ringtones today!!!"

Of course, they are sure to spread out the diversity of music selection across the board. Then all you need to do is click on the wrong link and next thing you know you have a steady addition to your phone bill every month that you weren't even aware you were paying for. They've got you again.

And let's not forget about the recent amazing invention of ringback tones. For those of you who don't know, a ringback tone is the song that plays when you are being called in place of the sound of a phone ring. Now this song is even more defining of you then your ringtone, because it is what everyone hears every time they dial your digits.

I ended up with one of these recently, I say ended up because it was not my intention to make it a ringback tone. I had assumed I was downloading a ringtone but ended up instead with a happy little tune on the other end each time my number is dialed. The song was "International Player's Anthem," so it definitely did define me to a T.

However, the thing you don't realize about ringbacks is that it is impossible to get them off your phone once they have been made your defining anthem. What was once put there by mistake has now become the tune that completely defines who I am for life, whether I want it to or not... which btw, I really don't.

Oh I have tried to remove it, searching all over the web and my own phone to try to rid my phone of the ringback plague, but just as the ringtone companies swerve you into paying for their ringtone sites, they just as easily will swindle you into spending money in an attempt to get rid of your ringback. I thought I had done the necessary procedure to rid my phone of the ringback curse forever, but instead have discovered that I apparently just signed myself up to receive monotonous text messages from a random source informing me of entertainment news I wouldn't pick up a magazine to find out about. So now when I get a text message, rather than seeing the message a close friend has sent me, I get delightful tidbits such as:

"you heard right: Shaniqua Tompkins is suing Fiddy for $50 million. What, like she'd pick a number other than 50??"
or...
"Coolio has joined a leading "go green" movement focused on historically black colleges and universities. Global warming? Global COOLIOing!"

I swear on my late grandmother's grave it says that, I could not make up cheese like that and pass it off as something that a real person has stated.

So here is my warning for all unassuming ringtone inquirers out there; be careful when selecting your ringtone provider. Go with someone you trust, and choose a tune that best describes you, or at least what you want to describe you best. And stay away from ringback's, they seem like a cute idea on the surface, but really just brings down respectability and will apparently haunt you forever... damn player's anthem...

Brett Favre and the Packers

Brett Favre and the Packers: Does anybody else think this story is batshit crazy?

-This one is straight from the top, that's journalism terms for 'free-styling,' if writing was to be compared to hip hop. Now I just read this story right now about how Brett Favre is asking his longtime team, the Green Bay Packers, for a release because his plans of coming out of retirement was not exactly met with excitement from the Packers' organization.

Favre had just announced his retirement a few months earlier following Green Bay's loss in the NFC championship game to the New York Giants. So now Brett Favre will come out of retirement to play one last season and play for some other team? You mean I might have to watch 'Brett Favre the Chief,' or some lame team like that?

All I know is that if I was a resident of Green Bay, Wisconsin I would absolutely be shitting bricks right now. Your long-time hero, who you've idolized since you were a kid because he was the best player in the league and he happened to play for your crappy town's
team, is coming out of retirement to play for another team.

A retirement that had you crying for a week and I believe was deemed a national day of mourning for the entire city by the mayor of Green Bay. You lived with that Brett Favre life-size stand-up in the corner of your room for years for Christ sakes, and let's be honest it was there for a little too long and you knew that. At some point in what is considered 'adulthood,' it is no longer considered OK to have a giant stand-up of a professional athlete, or for that matter a professional anything, in the corner of your room.

I see I've digressed once again, the point is the day you feared for years finally came a few months ago when Favre claimed he was hangin' 'em up. The only clamor of hope you had was that Brett would miraculously change his mind right before training camp opened up, look his teammate's right in the eyes and say

"OK guys, let's give it another shot."

And then the Packers charge through the season riding the momentum of Favre's last run and win the Super Bowl. A campaign would probably be created at some point announcing "This one's for Brett." And all sorts of paraphernalia would be sold with the phrase scribed across it, from T-shirts to coffee mugs to beer cozies, it would become a phenomenon.

Yes, that was the vision if you could write the future yourself. Well Brett grabbed that pen, and he was on his way to hand it to you, but the Packers organization have stepped in front of him and slapped the proverbial pen out of his hand.

Now you will have to watch the "This one's for Brett" campaign play out for another city. And he'll probably wear some ugly uniform that only conjures up memories for everyone of how horrible Michael Jordan looked in a Wizards jersey. Even though no uni's are as hideous as the Green and yellow garb your Pack dons every Sunday, but your mind has learned to love those colors. I know how it is, that same psyche has seen me sport a whole lot of purple and gold in my lifetime.

I think what I get most from all of this is how crazy the world of professional sports is, you seriously never know what in God's name is going to happen next. From an outsider's perspective a sport consists of two teams playing a game that are a part of an entire league of athletic franchises. But when you really watch sports 365, you see that crazy stories and scenarios come up like this all the time. And sometimes things happen that not even Hollywood can script.

Its always nice to be reminded of why football is awesome. And all sports for that matter. GO FOOTBALL! GO AMERICA!! GO LAKERS!!!

~Castle

A course in elevator etiquette

Have you ever noticed that in no school, office or building, is there a more awkward and quiet room than the one that transports people from floor to floor. I’m speaking of course of elevators, and if you’re like me, you take a ride in these at least once a day and are completely aware of the awkward nature of which they possess.

Without a doubt, elevators are the most awkward 5X6 square feet box that you will ever stand in. Why is this? Why is the inescapable awkwardness that chases us down like a rabid dog always so evident every time we step in through those sliding doors? From the awkward battle for who presses the buttons to the awkward decision of whose going to step out first, elevator rides are generally the most uncomfortable 15-20 seconds of our day.

First of all, why are people so afraid to speak in the confines of an elevator? It’s as though we are being charged by the word. Is it the fact that nobody else is speaking and thus, listening in on every word you’re saying, whether they want to or not? I even find myself doing it, its as though my mind won’t allow me to do anything but eavesdrop on the single conversation taking place and I’m somehow forced to ponder what they’re talking about and how it possibly applies to their life. Perhaps it’s the fact that we know the ride will end shortly and don’t want to dive into a conversation that will be ended within the next 30 seconds.

Let’s go over some of our different scenarios and characters that we inevitably come across in these cubicles of bore. There’s cell phone-shouting Steve, the man who feels the need to take his important phone conversations into the elevator with him. Because for some reason he relishes the fact that his voice is the only one being spoken, and that you need to hear every word of it. Then there’s Lazy Larry, who steps in and presses the two-button. Is an elevator ride really necessary to up yourself one floor? Take the stairs jerk. Don’t forget about Tony the Talker, who for some reason feels the need to start talking to you mid-conversation, as if you’d had something before the trip to the elevator.

“Women, they’re something else, right?”

I’m sorry who are you? Are you really expecting constructive feedback in the allotted period of time provided within the period of time provided within this elevator ride? Riding with this guy can be as annoying as listening to a person explain the significance of their tribal tattoo. No, I don’t buy that it represents your mother and her struggle; you know you sat in the chair and said ‘tat me up something fresh doc!’ But I digress.

How about the rare instance of finding yourself paired up with a little cutie for the ride? And the realization that comes over you that you have 30 seconds to come up with something witty to spit at the risk of your ego taking just another bruise it didn’t need. Or the horrible occasion inn which you stand side by side with your professor and you realize as much as it kills you, forced small talk is necessary.

And who doesn’t love when the door opens up at the 5^th floor and nobody gets in or out, just another 8 seconds you can’t get back. And at no point in my day do I feel more intelligent than when I step out the first time the door opens, fully expecting it to be my floor. Then of course my pride won’t let face the embarrassment of turning back and admitting to three strangers that I hopped off too early, so I wait for the next ride to roll by.

Maybe if we all tried a little harder we could fix this terribly awkward situation that is the elevator ride. We’ve all faked the door-open button-push as someone runs up to the closing door, we’ve all made that struggle to the front of the group to exit. We’ve all sat in that terrible silence with no sounds other than the elevator tracks and a cough or a sneeze and maybe a ‘bless you’ if someone is feeling bold enough. So let’s work together and try just a little harder, maybe we can all help liven up the elevator scene.

So I’m challenging you, next time you walk in the elevator, start some brief but interesting small talk, and if that’s asking too much, how about a ‘hello.’

Just remember, everyone else on the elevator is just like you, we all feel that awkward tension so strongly that it punches us in the face. Does it need to be this way? If we work together, we can make the elevator a fun place… or at least bearable.