MADE

"MADE Gallery," is located in the beautiful "windy" city of Chicago Illinois. This gallery features, glass sculpture, hot glass, pipes, bubblers, multimedia sculpture, along with wearable jewelry made of glass. Due to their highly exclusive glass pieces MADE Gallery was recognized and labeled, "Best Booth" in the "L.A. Medical Cannabis Cup" by High Times.

MADE Gallery most certainly will have something for any person with an appreciation for glass and art. These artists have turned glass into captivating imitations of mother natures creations. Glass forms that look like flowers that personally remind me of the stunner flower, many areas so intricate that they resemble the stamen and anther of the blue flower. Others use tubes, toros, rigs, and pipes to display characters from popular television shows or celebrities or just characters from their wild imagination. But many artists just have their owns styles or preferences. The picture here is a callaboartion featuring, "Bearclaw and "Ghost". This is a mask, that is paried with another just as bangin. These two are selling for 30k!

"Slinger" one of the many underground glass artists is featured at MADE and can be observed in many collections. Specaliizing in the form of borosilicate glass through the form of the pipe, Slinger has mastered an epic method and technique for us to enjoy. Popular pieces like the, "Morton Assault Girl" were not in sight. Its pretty exclusive shit, hard to get your hands on at times, many people don't want to sell or give this up from their personal collections. I DO NOT blame them.

Collaborations are the two in one. These raw artists, come together putting their special touches all in one. "Slinger" and "Snic" did a colab and came up with their special, "fifteen minutes of fame rig." Blown borosilicate glass is most def the work of slinger, and electroformed copper are most definitely is the technique that "Snic" is known for.

I couldn't help but fall in love with the work of, "Bearclaw." The dishes in his display case were to die for, but what really captures the eye is the appearance of carved wood but on glass. The "graalacello bub" was a mouthwatering treat.

All in all it was an intense night. Met a lot of real good people and had the pleasure of really checking out some rare pieces.

:.Always add to your collection.:

LipStick

This is USU Club President Jessica Nichols riding Burton's 2011Womans LipStick snowboard.

This masterpiece was released last year and has been taring up areas near you. I have been given the luxury of being able to ride this mutha sucka when ever I want to. Working in a snowboard shop certainly has its perks, but being able to test, enjoy and push this board to its limits sure is thrilling. The true reward, is being able to educate those on this amazing invention and then cruise beside them.

Although the Lipstick is a woman's specific board, there are many suitable to your particular interest in riding. The most difficulty I found when I learned was, catching an edge. Thankfully the lipstick was designed for us ladies to avoid this disaster all together. The Lipstick offers "frostbite edges," beneath the bindings the boards edges are extended out slightly for edge-hold on hard, icy conditions, which is perfect for conditions typically in the Sheboygan area. The edges are powerful when you need to make the sharp carve and easy when you don't. The frostbite edges really allow this board to be super forgiving in softer conditions.

This baby is also packed with additional heat..the, "Hi-Voltage Jumper Cables." These are ultra-light carbon stringers allow energy to push outward from your feet, toward the tip and tail. With this feature you will feel maximum flight, and really have a precise control of your board. Trust yourself ladies, you have board here made with, "Triax Fiberglass." The tapered tip and tail thickness allows the mobility your boards needs to shift weight, the response is all here. Because the Lipstick was designed with you in mind it was ran through a machine that allows it to already be broken in from Burtons lab is called the, "infinite ride." The "Flying V" feature on this board enhances playfulness and float through fresh powder. Meanwhile underneath your feet the camber zones are focused on controlling those edges to allow you have a crisp ride with power and pop!

I have only been on a board for three years, with no previous experience. With time, a little bit of cash to spend, and dedication I was able to master the skills needed to cruise and enjoy mother nature. I am certainly not going to fight her and be miserable all winter, so instead, I am using her. Snowboarding really is another sight to see and a feeling to that's good for words. . .

see you on the slopes

First Timer...

On Sunday September 19, I attended my first packer game at Lambeau Field. Even though I have lived in Wisconsin for my entire life, I never took the opportunity to experience a live football game. So I grabbed the chance by the horns and dropped $141 for a ticket in the 9th row by the 10 yard line. Was it worth it?...YES! Should you have been there?...YES! Even if you don't like football or the Packers, I think the environment is worth it. From the tailgating, to the walk up to the stadium and the walk away memories were surly made.

Let me be honest here, I am not a die hard Packer fan, or Football fanatic whatsoever. I'm not able to catch every Sunday or Monday night game. But, after this Sunday I may be tuning in more frequently.

The tailgating was quite the show. Surrounding the stadium are hundreds of people gathered in small groups, playing games, throwing around footballs, laughing , drinking and singing along to good ol' tunes. Everyone that I looked at, had a huge smile on their face and awaited greeting the next person. Large white tents are filled with people,live music and even mechanical bull riding. Feel free to ignore a few vendors with expensive merch, the one 9 feet away will have the same thing maybe more or less.

Once your rear hits your seat and the beer to your lips, all worries melt away. Jets fly across the stadium following the national anthem. As you scan the crowd, you cant help but notice, that not one seat is empty. The entire game, fans are cheering and arguing with rivals. Chants are memorized like holy scriptures. Even if you don't know them, chances are that the guy next to you is to wasted and making up their own, play along.

With a win, the exit is just as interesting as the entrance. Face paint and wild get ups are still intact and of course beer sampling all the way to the parking lot your vehicle sits. The chaos continues for hours after the game has ended. Everyone was there for one thing in common, whether you were on this end or that one, the day is well spent.

"Che"

This familiar yet intense face, is sported on t-shirts all over the world. Ernesto "Che" Guevara is the name belonging to this revolutionary. At the beginning of the year, in History class I was able to choose any book to complete a book review on. I choose Che, despite the endless possibilities I had.

Che was born a native to Argentina, and immediately took an interest in school. He took a large interest in traveling and eventually dropped out of Medical School in order to travel. His early observations in Peru, Buenos Aires and Guatemala sparked thought of change. The inequality among individuals and groups within a society such as economic inequality really angered Che. He witnessed first hand many unjust activities that would stay locked in his memory forever.

Che returned home and finished Medical School. He began to travel again and ended in Mexico where his support was for liberation. Ernesto came to trust Fidel and Raul Castro. These men began a secret training camp which sparked the Guerrilla Warfare. Che was an outstanding leader, with amazing tactic and wisdom.

From 1956 to 1966 he lead battles throughout Latin America. His revolutionary state of mind ended on October 9, 1966 when he was captured, shot and killed.

The reason he stood out to me so much was because, he and several man; disagreed with the way Juan Batista ran the country. Many things were occurring that were unfair. Many were starving and addicted to drugs. Land was taken from people and the people no longer had the right to vote. Che and others came together to fight the government, because they knew what they were doing was wrong. Che more than ever wanted to liberate Latin America’s oppressed and exploited masses. Che made three fundamental contributions to revelatory thought in Latin America. The Cuban experience showed that popular forces, could win in a war against a professional army. Another was that you didn’t necessarily have to wait until all conditions for revolution are present, that not all demand of people need to be met or fulfilled. Lastly if its to succeed than full concentration on rural areas, not just cities alone. He knew that he was a powerful person and that many supported his cause. With his fellow believers by his side he was not worried.

When he was captured and before he was put to death, he had told the officer, "I know you've come to kill me. Shoot, coward! You are only going to kill a man!" Che was not just another man, he believed in something and would not let the Government continue with things that were not right. It was a serious fight that drove him to the Congo, to live and fight in caves in the hills. It was a sacrafive and ultimately a life sacrifice he gave for the rights of man.

I know that there are so many issues I think about on a daily basis, that the government can just go on ignoring. Just the fact that The United States is fully capable of feeding all the starving mouths of the world amazing, but we don't feed the hungry. Instead we continue to let 4,000 die every hour of starvation. I would like to challenge myself to make a scene on an important life threatening issue, but the power of the government, compared to none(me), is scary. I think these days its just easier to get rid of someone who stands in the way, rather than dealing with the person. I do believe thought that one day a group of people are going to come together for the greater of the people and make a severe change or at least impact.

BP Oil Spill

On April 20th an explosion and fire took place on an oil rig that left 11 workers missing is causing a much larger dilemma than expected.

The rig sank 2 days later and on the 28th a leak was spotted. A well in the Gulf of Mexico has been leaking at was once said to be a rate of 1,000 to 5,000 gallons a day and may now be up to 60,000 barrels, which totals in 2.5 million gallons per day. With the rapid amount of oil spilling into the ocean, it is said that this oil spill may out due, The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill.

To cover up the initial place of leaking, the cost to BP said to be, 300 million dollars. The oil slick is 600 square miles, and could reach up to Louisiana shores. Not only is this extremly costly, but our wildlife is being effected as well. Whales, tuna and shrimp; dozens of species of birds; land animals, and amphibians are being threatened by this oil spill.

Oil booms are being used to clean up some of the mess. The booms are nylons stuffed with hair and fur that are tied together and used to surround and prevent the oil from further spreading. Over 750 vessels are involved in the response effort, including skimmers, tugs, barges and recovery vessels. The are taking the oil that has reached sea level and in-situ burning it, In-Situ is a process that consists of corralling concentrated parts of the spill in a 500-foot-long fireproof boom, moving it to another location and burning it.

When I first heard about this oil spill, was bout early last week. I could not believe I had found out so late. More importantly, i could not believe that this was not being talked about amongst people around me? I began to talk about it at work, and how scary this situation really is. When you look at the big picture, you can find it easy to notice several parts of the economy just decline even faster. Not only is our wildlife at risk, but so is our economy. Forty percent of all fish harvested in the U.S. (excluding Hawaii and Alaska) comes from the Gulf of Mexico, which now contains an oil slick visible from space. Another major concern is if the oil flows into estuaries and oyster beds, which will cause a major negative effect to wildlife and the seafood industry. I can see the prices rising on sea food, and illness as well if seafood providers are not taking extra precautions.

Prescription Addiction

I can not explain the amount of anger I feel when, I read about a drug overdoses. Especially when the drug is a prescription pill that was either given to that by the doctor or sold by someone who did have authorization to obtain the drug.

I often wonder how doctors determine which pill is suitable for a patient. Trial and error was the observation when I went to see my family doctor. I was experiencing anxiety, and told my doctor of the issues I was having. Almost immediately, I was offered Xanax. Xanax treats moderate and severe anxiety. Side effects include dizziness, dis-inhibition, suicidal ideation, hallucinations, slurred speech, drowsiness etc.

As soon as I heard that word my jaw dropped. I immediately shook my head, no that I didn't want that. I heard to many horror stories about friends becoming addicted. In 2002: 3,340,000,000 outpatient prescriptions were written by doctors. Without even checking to see if I had a history of drug abuse, I was already being offered a drug many abuse and sell. Prescription drug abuse is the #4 leading cause of death. Sales of prescription medicines worldwide rose 7% to $602 billion, according to IMS health, a pharmaceutical information and consulting company. Xanax is not the only cause for concern there are many others. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse's (NIDA's) 2004 Monitoring the Future survey, 9.3 percent of 12th-graders reported using Vicodin without a prescription in the past year, and 5.0 percent reported using OxyContin. Another recent survey reports that approximately 48 million people-about 20 percent of the U.S. population-aged 12 or older had used prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons in their lifetimes.

I can share stories upon stories, about the friends I have had with addictions. They love to enlighten other on how they got there drug of choic. Often they went into the walk in clinic, their doctor, or even the emergency room just to get pain killers. Guaranteed the epidemic has been noted and doctors are aware of the new way to obtain drugs. The problem is addicts and dealers are getting a hold of them and our moms, dads, brothers and sisters are becoming its prisoners.

The realization of prescription drug abuse really hit home, when I received news Saturday afternoon that a good friend overdosed. The drugs used were prescribed to him and the other to his friend. He fatally made the decision to mix drugs and was found the next morning. Seeing a young person lose their life to addiction and abuse is probably one of the hardest to deal with. Close family and friends stood asking questions, but we all knew. We all new that a large percentage of Sheboygans youth has fallen to prescription drug abuse. Parents fuel the fire by leaving their pills laying out and doctors by prescribing powerful and highly addictive drugs to millions of Americans. Doctors are prescribing the pills, but are not even communicating with psychologists or psychotherapists on the proper treatment for the feeling and emotions a person is experiencing.

Doctors prescribe to many pills to millions of Americans everyday. We just eat them up and presume the problem will be corrected. Its leading to abuse, addiction and eventually death. The availability is outrageous and the use and abuse is sickening. According to the NIDA, "The number of new nonmedical users of pain relievers increased drastically-from 573,000 in 1990 to 2.5 million in 2000."

In 2006, a total of 38,396 persons died of drug-induced causes in the United States. This category includes not only deaths from dependent and non dependent use of legal or illegal drugs, but also poisoning from medically prescribed and other drugs.

The numbers continue to increase for outpatient prescriptions, along with the number of drug overdoses added to the death toll. Families and friends will continue to fall into the vicious routine of pills and become prisoners to something smaller than a dime.

"No, Sorry, I Cannot Service You. "

Guaranteed that if I was the owner of a restaurant, this is exactly what my kitchen staff would be expected to wear. I would some how find a way to get around every fire, medical etc. hazard these suits would cause. I have not been diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, I do not believe I should be or that I have have previous issues, but the disgust brought upon by co-works has brought me to this level.

Grandma having all the special connections she has, helped me get a job as a busser. I was working at a restaurant cleaning tables and keeping things fully stocked. I loved the job, cleaning was easy and just doing what I was told. Everyone failed to mention that Monday and Tuesday was always slow and the rest of the week there was constant traffic.

There was something major I was lacking, the fact that I needed to pick up the pace, and keep it going. When I am being watched by more that 3 people, I become extremely nervous. I begin to think about the worst possible situations. I picture it before it happens, an extreme dramatic attack. Possibly from this girl that has been giving me the stink eye. Or a possible robbery. I know this is kind of weird, but I have been in some pretty messed up situations. I am also constantly looking around at my surroundings and being aware who and what is around me. I also become clumsy and cause a scene anyway by spilling something major like salsa or tripping over myself, or even bumping into things.

I quickly clean the mess and escape to the kitchen. Now the head cook is a really well known respected woman. My Grandma specifically told me to, "NEVER EVER EVER, talk back to Margie" My Grandma used extreme caution in her eye contact. She knew, that I didn't fully understand when it was time to stop talking. Getting slapped across the face because of smart remark was common to me. But when I spilled the salsa for the tenth time in a week she was fed up and I understood why. I had to take the embarrassment, every time she pointed out my mistakes. She was just really mean about it. I was told by the head bartender, "she made grown men cry!" Margie just really told it like it was, with absolute no sympathy. Because you would just not learn that way. Lucky she tended to leave early so her wrath was only for a few hours.

It was then that I got to see the real thing. I really want to avoid going into detail. The cooks took short cuts in making things. No hair nets were used. There was a separate room where pots and pans where kept. Often I would have to run in there and see flies on the pans and I just prayed they would wash them before they used them. It really was not extreme behavior like spitting or inhumane things like that it was just not up to par with what I expect when I eat out. Witnessing these things just made me paranoid about my future experiences.

I love when a counter smells like Clorox. This may be an exaggeration, but I expect everything to be spotless. We all know that this may impossible. I just get really shocked when someone is puking for days on end because of bad food they were served. Are places trying to save money and save food after the expiration date? Is meat and poultry kept at standard and expected temperature? I know not every place follows the precise rules day after day, but I sure do expect that.

I just am uncomfortable with the fact that I can't see who is handling my food and what they could be doing to it. I guess this situation depends on the person but I rather make my own food so I know what's in it. As a first job I am glad it was at a restaurant. At times it was fun, and nerve-wrecking but the experience was an eye opener. Hopefully owners have great judgment and a well supervised and clean atmosphere to keep crazy customers like me at ease.