Tag: from the desk

An anguishing cry erupts from the snout of a helpless, furry German shepherd as its owner kicks the dog’s ribcage and winds back for yet another shot. With blood-matted fur and four broken legs, the once-beloved pet struggles to stay alive for just one more day, but the harsh snap heard throughout the room signifies a fatal blow. The sharp […]

Provided that plans proceed as intended, Saturday mail might be a thing of the past starting August, 2013. Losing one day of mail might not seem like that big of deal to most people. However, if you are as avid a lover of getting traditional mail — letters from friends and family, cards, invitations, etc. — as I am, then […]

Finding a suitable job in this tough economy is more than formidable — it is harder than a 4-year-old trying to play Samuel Barber’s Cello Concerto in A minor. The instrument would eventually overpower the toddler, and his grubby, little hands would never be able to keep up with the advanced movements. Sounds just like the job market, right? Despite […]

As the final semester of my undergraduate degree beings, I find myself with an odd mixture of both panic at what the future holds and serenity about where I am at in my life at this very moment. It is much easier to get caught up in the feelings of dread and confusion than it is to revel in the […]

For those of you who have parents paying for your college education or the government giving you a Pell grant to round off what is not covered in scholarship money, this From the Desk will not really benefit you — though, you may glean some advice on how to pay off future debt, should you acquire any. For those of […]

Thankfulness is something we are all familiar with during the month of November. Around Thanksgiving, people start realizing everything they have — their loving family, supportive friends, and even the breath in their lungs are reasons to rejoice. But thankfulness should be something that we celebrate every day, not just one measly month out of 12. Every day we can […]

The election is nearly over, and the results are almost in. For now, Americans sit patiently by, waiting to learn who the leader of the free world will be for the next four years. Debates between Republicans and Democrats over who will be the best president have polarized parts of the nation, causing animosity between families, friends and coworkers. On […]

Being an adult sometimes means doing certain things that we sometimes do not wish to do. It seems to me that many people these days do not realize this simple fact of life. Most of my old acquaintances before my college years are still stuck in that high school mentality, complaining about how they have no jobs or no extra […]

Swing, batter batter, swing! As my friends start up their computers and make sure that their lineup for their fantasy football teams will get the most points, my attention is on America’s true pastime, baseball. For the first time in six years, the Detroit Tigers get to play in, and hopefully win, the World Series. After a sweeping victory against […]

After the Oct. 3 presidential debates, I found myself bombarded with comments from my friends all over Facebook. Most of the friends that I still have from my public, northern high school were very outspokenly singing President Barack Obama’s praises. Nearly all of my friends from my private, Christian university in the south were harping on the fact that voting […]

You can try to ignore it as much as possible, but the truth is, you cannot escape politics the year of a presidential election. Campaigning starts roughly a year before the election, quickly followed by conferences to elect the Republican and Democratic candidates. At this point, one candidate will undoubtedly say something he or she regrets, and the other candidate […]

The battle between eating meat and going vegetarian has been waging since the first report of mercury in fish found its way into mainstream media. No matter how much poking, prodding and gentle pushing each side gives, the war will continue, despite the findings. The facts present themselves through numbers, well-worded articles and long-term studies. In spite of the numerous […]

Politics always get people riled up. Friends are labelled either Republican or Democrat, families are split down the middle and co-workers begin to look at each other contemptuously upon realizing that two people can hold opposing views. Every four years, it seems almost as if the United States splits in two. Slashing at each other’s throats with words of malice, […]

We as people are responsible for many of our own shortcomings, failures and faults. However, this common malfunction generally gets explained away by the small, simple phrase, “I’m only human.” But why is it that when a coworker, superior or even a subordinate fails at something, this individual, who is equally human, suddenly becomes something more? We have a tendency […]