Why BMW.

     My passion for the ultimate driving machine started when I graduated high school in 2006. My parents bought me a 1991 BMW 525i, immediately the enthusiast inside me started to grow. My best friend, Jordan, at the time drove a 1992 525i, we did absolutely nothing after our classes but drink beer, smoke cigarettes, and turn into grease monkeys, oh how we thought we were badasses. Every Wednesday night Jordan and I would go to this gathering called, “car night” at an euro auto service shop called Touring Car in the tiny town of Stallings, NC; Dan, the owner has been hosting “car night” for the past 20 years and has only missed and I quote verbatim, only a handful of Wednesday in the past 20 years. There we got to put our cars up on the lift, free of charge, and personally work on them. A few guys from the service department at Hendrick BMW came every week; thus I befriended them too. Once, I was in the loop with these guys I got hooked up all the time with whatever I needed for my car. 

     After hitting a real high mileage on my car last March (2011), I decided it was time to let her go and look for something a little newer since I was saving money for it. I bought a certified-preowned 2006 BMW 325i and I fell in love. The car had a sport package, which meant it sat a little lower, had a little more of an aggressive off-set with the wheels, and tightened suspension; the car drove and handled like a dream. 

     

     On Sunday, June 15, 2011 at 6:00 AM things took a devastating turn. I was involved in one of the worst car accidents I had ever seen. I collided with another vehicle at the intersection of Fairview & Sharon, which is the large intersection near South Park Mall. I was traveling on Sharon and the other vehicle was on Fairview; our paths crossed at the dead center of that intersection. My car did a 180 into the front of the Verizon wireless parking lot and the car I hit flipped three times into the side parking lot of Harpers Restaurant. 

     The police officers said they hadn’t seen an accident this bad in years. The only thing I remember is getting out of my car at the scene of the accident and then waking up in a MRI. The injuries I sustained we only from the seatbelt and airbag: broken nose, broken eye sockets, busied ribs from the seat belt, a small abdominal hernia from the seat belt, and a minor internal bleed in my liver also from the seat belt, and whiplash from hell. I was only in the hospital for 36 hours. The first responders said it was a miracle everyone survived but amazing how I was able to open my door and get out of the car. I’m glad everyone in the other vehicle survived too; however, their injuries were serve life-threatening and spent close to two weeks in the hospital. 

     Both of the car was scrap metal, destroyed beyond belief. I’m honestly feel that my car saved my life and spared me from far worse injuries. You never think these types of accidents can ever happen to you but they can. Shortly after the accident I decided to find a BMW I really wanted, after a few weeks I bought a 2009 M-Sport package 328i in LeMans Blue (limited production color). But no matter what car you drive, please remember to always wear your seat belt! 

Krisztian Martin

A Celebration Of Charlotte

         2012. The year that Charlotte held the Democratic National Convention (also known as the ‘DNC’). This was a great opportunity for a city [Charlotte] that is blooming rapidly and with such momentum.  Charlotte has a lot to offer and with the vast amounts of people that are brought in by an event like the DNC, there was no better time to show one’s Charlotte pride than during this extraordinary event.

            The faculty here at Queens University of Charlotte was quick to brainstorm different ideas for the students to be involved with the DNC while simultaneously learning more about communication in a hands-on environment. The Knight School of Communication decided to put together a course to engage the students with information about the convention and inform those who are out of state ( like me!) a little bit about Charlotte history. This turned into a two day seminar/discussion panel that would include many talented speakers from entrepreneurs, environmentalists, artists, and media scholars. Then after days of observing information about the queen city, we were asked to put all we learned to use while volunteering for the DNC. This course was called COMM 360.

            As a student that participated in the course, I cannot say enough about how incredible this program was for me. I think that the DNC alone had a big impact on the college students and young professionals in this area, or anyone who was involved for that matter! But what separates the DNC volunteer at Queens from any other volunteer is this class, COMM360. Almost anyone can go online and fill out an application to work at the DNC and while that may be fulfilling for some, Queens went above and beyond that, they created the ultimate communication experience.

            The professors running this course demanded our attention, which in turn was effortless with the shining speakers they brought in to educate us.  Since I am not a Charlotte native, I particularly enjoyed the sections of the panel that discussed the history of Charlotte. I also was very fond of the Charlotte Video Projects that showcased all the corks and glories that makes charlotte so special and unique from any other city.

            After all was said and done with the course, and we were pushed out of the Knight  School nest and into the high speed world that was the DNC I can confidently say that I was not the only student on a Charlotte high! The course put the convention into perspective for me. Not only was this a national convention for the Democratic Party, but to its host it was a celebration- a celebration of Charlotte.

-Adair Kennedy 

The International Junior Golf Academy

           It’s that time of year again.  It’s your fall semester of your senior year and you are getting more excited by the day to graduate high school.  Your graduation party has been planned, your graduation money gifts are rapidly coming in the mail and you already can’t wait to go back to school next fall as a big freshman in college.  Today, that’s the norm for students.  Not for me.

            Being a very young graduation high school senior, I had a different route I wanted to take before heading to a University.  Golf is something I wanted to do in college and I wanted to make sure my game was sharp enough coming into what ever college I chose at the time to make a direct impact on the team.  Back in my early high school days, my family would vacation down in Hilton Head Island, and on that island there was a world famous junior golf academy by the name of the IJGA.  This place had a reputation for developing junior golfers into some of the best high school players in the country.  At first, I would joke around with my parents about sending me to a school where golf was the priority.  They would look at me like I was some kind of fool.  However, as my golf got more serious and we found out there was a post-graduate program at the academy, my parents and I decided that this would be the rest route for me to take.  I was headed to the academy in 2008.

            As all my high school classmates went onto their various institutions, I was on my way to South Carolina to work on my golf game and ultimately sign with a school for the next 4 years.  At first, the academy was fun and I enjoyed it greatly.   Waking up at 7 Monday through Friday for a 3 hour practice, followed by a workout then back to the course in the afternoon to play was a great way to spend your days.  Until about November.  As you know, Minnesota is a cold cold place, and this year was the first year I was able to play golf, outdoors, all year round.  At first, I didn’t think me getting sick of the game I loved would ever come into factor, but the later it got in the year and the more early mornings I had to wake up began to wear on me.  I started to look forward to coming home more than practicing.  It took a lot of will power for me to continue, and when I came home for the holidays, deciding whether I wanted to come back for the spring semester was the top topic with my parents.  However, when I chose to come back, looking back on it now was one of the best decisions I have made.

            For northerners, coming down to Hilton Head to play golf literally all day every day is stressful, and like I said it took me a while to get used to it.  It was tough to realize it at the time, but the academy not only helps their kids become more accomplished golfers, but also stresses becoming more of a strong willed individual.  Looking back on it now, I learned more about myself off the golf course that I can take with me and use for the rest of my life than what I was taught on the range.  My advice to all IJGA’ers right now is to stay positive and to just keep on grinding.  I would go back and do it again in a heartbeat.

Until next time,

CJ DeBerg

Adoption in my Family

                                                       
      Three of my younger siblings came to be in my family through the miracle of adoption.  Jamie and Henry were both adopted from Guatemala and Rosie is adopted from Ethiopia.  I remember when my mom first told me they were thinking of adopting a baby.  She talked to me and my two sisters alone about the subject first, then we all sat down as a family to talk about it together with my stepdad.  I remember not entirely understanding what was going on at first.  The only thing I knew about adoption was what I learned from movies like Matilda and Stuart Little.

            After my mom and stepdad talked to me and my sisters about it we then had a therapist come and talk to us too.  It was part of something called a home study.  A home study is when the adoption agency does a background check on a family looking to adopt for the first time.  During a home study a therapist comes and meets any other members of the family and talks to them about the idea of adoption.  During the home study the agency also contacts close family and friends in order to get their view on the adoption. 

            My family chose to do a closed adoption which is when the birthmother is no longer in contact with the child she gave up for adoption.  When we went to pick up Jamie the entire family went.  It was me, my two sisters Mary and Lily, my mom, my stepdad, and my grandma.  We flew into Guatemala City and on the first day my mom and stepdad had to go to court to sign some paperwork.  On the second day Jamies foster mom brought him to the hotel so we could get him.  I remember when the elevator doors opened, we went over to hold him, and then just took him home.  It was amazing meeting my little brother for the first time and truly a moment i'll never forget.  

-Anna Kirwan 

Living and Loathing: Apartments 101

           There I was, standing over the dead body of my roommate’s pet hedgehog. Of course the one week out of the entire summer that my roommate went out of town, this wretched being had to bite the dust. At the time, the death of this glum creature seemed like a decent reflection of how our “perfect summer” actually played out. Leaving the three of us utterly defeated.

           

            Before I get too deep into this, let us go back to the start of it all…

            At the end of my sophomore year, my two best friends, Anna and Mollie, and I all decided that instead of going home at the end of the semester we wanted to tough it out and live on our own for the summer in Charlotte. All of our parents agreed, under the condition that we must all have a job and were responsible for all financial obligations. We’re all tough, smart girls and we can do it. No problemo. Or so we thought…

            The first step was finding a job. Mollie had secured a job with a local big shot music management group while I committed to a summer as a nanny. Anna hadn’t found a job yet, but she did find us a house pet, Dobby the hedgehog. The next step was finding a reasonably priced apartment. We looked around the city for the best deals but didn’t have much luck. Then our friend, Chad, came to us with a proposal. He was going home for the summer and needed someone to finish out his lease. The place seemed perfect. The price was so low for the summer it was almost a steal! (..red flag) There were no contracts to sign or background checks needed. (red flag) And, although North Tryon (RED FLAG) wasn’t our first choice in location, we could make it work. After all we are college students, so we’re supposed to live like we’re broke and in shackles….right?!

            So the day finally came that we moved into our very first apartment! We were all on cloud nine, floating high and the world could not be a better place when - (*GASP*)

            “Oh, is this our place…?” 

            We all took a moment to take it in. No, it was not exactly as we remembered and yes, it did look a little sketchier than we had imagined, and yes, all of the neighbors are staring, and well, most do not speak English - but we told ourselves that we can do anything. We won’t let the condition or ware and tear of the place get to us. We are three strong, young, beautiful women and we can do this! 

            Two weeks, five roaches, ten nasty looks by the neighbors, one keyed car, and one TERRIFYING run-in with the Hidden Valley Gang King (luckily it was non-threatening) and goodness, we were out of there! So the search for an apartment began again.

            By now Mollie was working full time at her company. My employer had recently been laid off and therefore no longer needed a Nanny, and Anna…well she was still looking for that summer job. After several long days, Anna and I finally found a reasonable apartment. This apartment was on the opposite side of the city - South. In fact, we were so far south we were practically throwing distance away from South Carolina. This time we knew our neighbors, the community was lovely and our landlord was as nice as could be. Things were really looking up and we settled very nicely into our new place.

            It wasn’t long after we were settled into our new place when the serious “first world problems” started to happen. First we were trying to get cable, then water, then electricity, and of course the Keriug broke followed by two of us totaling our cars. Finally, the cherry on top occurred when that poor little hedgehog died. Mollie and I had the pleasure of disclosing this news to Anna, much to her dismay and shrieking cries. Despite all of this difficulty and disaster, we learned what it meant to live on our own in a crash course sort of apartment experience. I have to say that I’m actually thankful for this time, and even came to appreciate the sometimes-questionable cafeteria food at school after having my own horrific cooking experiences– we almost burnt down our lovely apartment multiple times. All in all, my time spent on Winter Oaks Lane was both memorable and enlightening, and I will never forget the time spent and lessons learned with my roommates Mollie and Anna. 




-Adair Kennedy 

The Journey of a Frustrated iPhone User

     I am an avid Apple user. I have always had a Mac and I plan to always have a Mac. I have had every iPhone (except for iPhone 4s) since their creation, three apple laptops and two iPods, (are you getting it yet.. I love Apple). This short story is going to give you an inside look at the frustration I faced when one of my iPhones….malfunctioned.

     I got my iPhone 4 sometime around August of 2010. Everything was fine until about a year ago. A strange message would show up on my screen. My calls wouldn’t go through, I couldn’t get or send a text, and my internet was out the door. I shut off my phone and turned it back on. This seemed to fix the problem, so I went on with my day… little did I know that this was only the beginning.

     I soon realized that the issue was not going away and I tried, I really did try to live with it. But there comes a point when having to turn your phone off and on just to send a text becomes a bit ridiculous. I also started to think about the possible safety issues that this malfunction could cause. For example, if I am being chased by some creepy attacker, I highly doubt that he would listen to me if I said, “Excuse me sir, but can you hold on a second while I turn my phone off and then back on so that I can call for help, thanks a bunch doll.” A silly example, but I think you get my point.

     It turns out that the SIM card drawer had broken, and since I was past my warrenty, I would have to buy a brand new iPhone for about $400. That was not going to happen since I knew that a new iPhone was already in the works. So I decided to buy a run of the mill phone for $50 and save my upgrade for the iPhone 5.

     This Pantech has done me well, I can call and text without any hassle, and it has allowed me to separate from high tech gadgets for a while. But the time has come for me to rejoin my Apple sistren (?) and say hello to the iPhone 5!

     I am really looking forward to the newest addition to the iPhone family and will probably be just as in love with it as I have been with its other family members.

Until Next Time,

Jenna Buthman

Davie's Dogs

     Being a dog living in an apartment complex can get to be pretty boring.  You go to the same patch of grass everyday to do your business. You chase the same squirrels only to be stopped just before the bottom of the tree by your annoying leash. You can’t even play with the other dogs outside because their owners get offended if you even bark hello. Sometimes it’s nice to have a change of scenery and a chance to hang with friends without your parents standing over your shoulder. That’s why we love going to the dog park. 

     

 BEFORE: Headed to the park, hanging out
the window, and enjoying the breeze.

     We go to William R. Davie Park off of Pineville-Matthews Rd., where there is a well-kept, four acre dog park for pups like us. Separate sections for small dogs under 20 lbs. and dogs over 20 lbs. are nice so that the big dogs don’t get intimidated by us running the show. When we get into the gates, we are taken off our leashes and free to roam. We introduce ourselves to the other dogs there by sniffing a few butts, and then chase and wrestle each other the entire time. It is in the middle of a wooded area, so the tall trees and birds chirping create a nice ambience. Benches are placed throughout the play area so our owners can relax and watch us play. There’s a water pump to fill up the dog bowls provided there and even a baby pool for us to jump into if it gets to be too hot outside. 

     To be able to get some exercise while playing fetch and exploring in the woods keeps our tails wagging for days. It’s also a great way to socialize and has taught us to view dogs we don’t know as playmates, not enemies. By the time we get back to the car, we are worn out and sleep for the majority of the day when we arrive back home. We love going to Davies Dog Park, and hope to meet you and your dog there some time. Come check it out and play with us! 

AFTER: Worn OUT in the backseat
after playing for hours!

It’s a 'RUFF' life,

Wrigley and Lola

(Brittani Pedersen)

Was Apple's iOS 6 Software Update Successful?

Last night, I downloaded Apple’s new iOS 6 software for my iPhone 4. Due to QUWIFI, the download took a little longer than expected, but good things can wait right?

Upon the download being finished, I like every other inquisitive person, explored my phone to find what was updated. One of the first things I did was text a friend, and I noticed countless new Emoji, which is Apple’s emoticon language.

          One of the next things I noticed, was that the Maps app, had been updated from Google maps to Apple maps, which knew precisely where I was, not just at Queens, but which part of Wireman Hall I was in.

           I was rather disappointed in iOS 6. I assumed that there would be massive new updates because it had been such a long time since the last software update for Apple products. An argument an be made that Apple is holding out for the iPhone 5 release, but I think that would be dumb. Apple software updates apply to iPads and Macs as well, neither of which are having a new model released soon, at least to my knowledge.

           Also with the legal battles that are ongoing with Samsung, I would have thought Apple would have wanted to distance their product with several new and unique upgrades. This would have presented a reason to stay for those unsatisfied with Apple’s decisions.

            I will concede that I don’t have Siri on my phone, and that is supposed to be one of the major upgrades with the iOS 6 software. Siri is now supposed to have ample knowledge of sports and you can speak to Twitter and Facebook updates, as well as get movie reviews from Rotten Tomatoes and restaurant reviews from Open Table.

            Overall, I don’t think anyone was ‘wowed’ by the software update. I also know that there were several quirks with WiFi and people lost their music libraries. I think that those will go away with time though. Apple had a huge chance to distance itself even further from Samsung and put its legal troubles behind them and I don’t think that they succeeded, at least with the potential they had.

Calvin Lescault 

Hipsters: A Closer Look

I am perhaps the least hip person I have ever met. I have never really been able to identify with hipsters, but my new roommate opened my eyes to who they really are for the first time.  His name is James Dunlevy, and he is truly the epitome of the movement. From his skinny jeans to his vinyl records, James quickly gave me an inside look into the social subculture sweeping the nation.

                What I have learned about hipsters is that it is very hard to differentiate between them and their evil, elitist imposters who knew all about that band before you did. For the purpose of this blog, they shall be called the “anti-hipsters”. The distinction between these two groups is particularly difficult because they are almost completely identical. It appears that the only thing that sets them apart is the reason for their actions. Real hipsters, such as my dear friend James, act the way they do because they really don’t care what people think of them. They genuinely like indie rock bands (which is a feat in itself), and they buy their clothes from thrift stores because it is actually a ridiculously good value.

For most of my life, I thought I was condemning my progressive pioneering brethren, but James made me realize that I was really criticizing the anti-hipsters. I was completely unaware of this sub-subculture (It’s pretty underground stuff, you probably wouldn’t know about it), mainly because it makes absolutely no sense. At the essence of every real hipster is the ability to not care. That means they can wear cut-off jean shorts and not shave or cut their hair for five years without any personal strife. Anti-hipsters do not have this impressive quality. They buy clothes that look like hand-me-downs at high prices in order to feign some sort of apathy towards the world, and they also tend to put all their Instagram photos of the sky in sepia tone. You are hopefully experiencing an extreme sense of confusion due to that horrifyingly inept logic, and I apologize for having to expose you to it. But that’s what this blog is about: uncovering the truth, and now I have done that. Mission accomplished.

- Eric Richard

              

They matter the most

     Where I come from, family comes first. We never disrespect one another; we always work out our problems before leaving each other’s sight. We are always honest with each other, no matter if it hurts.  We argue and fight sometimes but what family does not. My mom, sister and brother, who I live with when I’m home, mean the most to me.

     Destiny Keith, who is my 10 year old sister, matters. I love this girl with all my heart but I know one day she has to grow up. Sometimes I wish she could just stay young and be pretty but I know that cannot happen. As she grew up with two older brothers in the house she understood things real well, especially boys. I have given her the run down on boys already and I will continue to. I am a protective brother because I know how guys are. I always told her to focus on school and not boys. I feel like it has been working because she is a straight A student and just loves school. I never knew a kid who was ready to go to sleep so she could wake up for school. She has really made me proud.

     Dashawn Stabler, who is my 19 year old brother, matters. Growing up with him we had our differences, but we did not let those differences affect our relationship. We are very close and do everything together. When he needs something I am there, and when I need something he is always there. We have a great relationship and we both have to protect our sister because we are the older brothers. He looks up to me so I try to be a good role model to him.

     Donna Keith, who is my mother, matters. She is the one who was with me all the time. I know she has unconditional love for me and my siblings because she demonstrates that every single day. I am in college and every night she still texts me to say goodnight and that she loves me. I love my mother to death and I could not have asked for anyone better. She wants us to be successful and I am going to do that to make her proud.

They matter the most in my life!

Antonio Stabler