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Editorial Staff EDITORS: Jeremy Allen Managing Editor jeremy.allen@emyouthemagazine.com Amanda Slater Contributing Editor amanda.slater@emyouthemagazine.com

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Mekie Kukan Copy Editor copy@emyouthemagazine.com

STAFF WRITERS: Jessica Brent jessica.brent@emyouthemagazine.com Marissa Staples marissa.staples@emyouthemagazine.com Nate Stemen nate.stemen@emyouthemagazine.com JOE STROMSKI II joe.stromski@emyouthemagazine.com

Graphic and Art Staff Kari McLeod Graphic Design karimcleod@emyouthemagazine.com ASHLEY SANTROCK Graphic Design karimcleod@emyouthemagazine.com Raj mehta photo editor raj.mehta@emyouthemagazine.com rajmehtaphotography.com

Business Staff Bilal Saeed President, Owner bilal@pakmode.com 734.276.0876 Dave Thomas VP of Sales and Events, Owner dave@pakmode.com 810.300.4880 Tim Adkins VP of Marketing and Events, Owner tim@pakmode.com 734.323.1568 ASHLEY BOELens Marketing Intern ashley.boelens@emyouthemagazine.com To advertise in emYOU The Magazine, or at emyouthemagazine.com contact Bilal Saeed, P of Sales.

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Contents 10 17 23 28 30

SPECIAL Features Cognitive Dissonance Heart Walk Decorate Your Cap Study Abroad The Evolution of Social Media

LETTER from the Editor

YOUR Call What are your plans after graduation?

GET READY TO GRADUATE P. 22

APRIL 2009

ALUMNI Spotlight 18 Charlie Batch PROFESSOR Spotlight 24 Phil Smith 26

AROUND YOU

BUSINESS Spotlight 26 Thomas Blondi Salon

CHARLIE BATCH P. 18

STUDENT Spotlight 12 Heather Han 15 Kyle Rhoad

TASTE OF THE MONTH 38 What’s in your Easter(n) Basket

ENTERTAINMENT

40 42

INVINCIBLE

HOROSCOPES

THE PERFEK STORM

RATE It!

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

INVINCIBLE P.40

ATHLETICS 36 Tackle the NFL draft with Daniel Holtzclaw

April

2009

All great design lies within the eyes.

DTROIKA LLC. print design web design photo retouching 313.587.1450 contact@dtroika.com visit us at www.dtroika.com

letter from the editor

glimpse of spring After a long winter, there’s nothing better than seeing the first glimpses of spring. Finally it seems like the snow might actually be gone for good, things are starting to warm up and there are even some days you can think about leaving your thermal gloves and boots at home. (Well, it’s still Michigan.) However, as spring starts to peek around the corner, it brings along with it a whole set of questions—especially from EMU’s brightest and best who are wondering right about now “what should I do to get ready for graduation?” and then “what should I do after I graduate?” Inside this issue you’ll find the answer to all of these questions and more. From tons of advice for grads to impressive and inspiring spotlights to ideas on what to ask the bunny for in your Easter basket, this month’s issue will have you thinking spring and ready for what’s ahead. Whether it’s the end of your career at EMU or just the end of another semester, emYOU! is here to make sure you don’t miss a beat this month.

Photo by Raj Mehta

-Amanda

Editor in Chief

amanda.slater@emyouthemagazine.com

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

April

2009

YOUR

CALL: Graduation Edition BY JOSEPH STROMSKI II joe.stromski@emyouthemagazine.com

your call WITH GRADUATION ONLY A FEW WEEKS AWAY, THIS MONTH’S YOUR CALL ASKS EMU SENIORS “WHAT’S NEXT?” WHILE MANY ARE OPTING FOR GRAD SCHOOL OR GOING WHEREVER THE JOB MARKET TAKES THEM, SOME (NAMELY MYSELF) ARE THINKING OF TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL IN EUROPE FOR A FEW MONTHS (BUT, THEN AGAIN, I’VE STILL GOT TIME TO FIGURE IT OUT).

hat’s Next? Katie Miller, senior, Kawkawlin “After graduation I have plans to move to Tennessee to teach elementary school. I also have plans to return to school in the fall to earn a master’s degree in either math or elementary education.”

Brian Hurd, senior, Brownstown “I’m […] going to find a job right after graduation. If I can’t find a job, I’m going to move home to save some money. I might come back to school to earn a degree in nursing or some sort of business degree. I haven’t decided yet.”

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Lisa Super, senior, Troy “I’m hoping to go to law school at Wayne State to earn a degree in international law. My long term goal is to move to Germany and work with international relations between America and Germany.”

Josh Winn, senior, Carleton “I plan to move out of the state in order to find a teaching job. If that doesn’t work, I’m going to stay at EMU and earn a master’s in administration. Even if I find a teaching job, I still plan on going back to school because Mommy is paying for it.”

Shiloh Maples, senior, Jackson, MI “I’m most likely going to join AmeriCorps to work with community development or the youth of America. After a year of doing that, I plan on going to grad school to earn a master’s in social work. I might even continue on to earn a JD.”

Deborah Ray, senior, Lincoln Park, MI “I have a lot of options. I’ve been recruited by Teach for America and, if that doesn’t work out, I plan to stay at EMU for grad school. I want to go into the counseling program and eventually become a high school counselor. I’d also like to be an active alumna for my sorority, Alpha Sigma Tau.” emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

COGNITIVE DISSONANCE Recently I’ve had some time to think about life; its’ meaning changes from person to person. As far as my college life, I’ve lacked the guidance and never understood college until the very end. Don’t get me wrong, I write this for purely selfish and therapeutic reasons. Inevitably, this is my attempt to leave my mark here at good ol’ EMU. For this is a place which I’ll be forever grateful for the experiences I felt during my stay. During this transformation we go through trying to find ourselves , some of us find college as a place to gain an education; a place to meet the friends that will be there for the rest of our lives; perhaps, a husband or a wife. Never- the-less there will always be people who will never think about EMU again. I should tell you a little about myself; I’ve spent the last five years of my “education” on the path to finding oneself. I remember the start of college and being so unsure of who I was. I kept saying, “YES!!!”, when I needed to say “No”. I kept chasing childish dreams in order to become a person I thought I wanted to be. I did dumb things but I was genuinely happy.

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Yet, at the end of the day I couldn’t stop thinking… I knew deep down there was something missing. Eventually I became a person I didn’t know. I was losing a part of who I was; then came the need to constantly push my limits and test my boundaries. My innocence was lost; I felt like a heaping pile of morals just covered in shit! That’s also when I gave-up on myself. I remember my first cigarette and the panic-attack that followed after. First fall from grace came instantly after realizing I had finished a whole pack in one night. The most painful to remember are the haunting moments crashing and burning and the events I shouldn’t ever tell my future wife and how I forget the occasions being crushed to the point of tears. I was never able to admit that my unhappiness was my own doing. That was the eye opening moment that snowballed my evolution into the man I am now. I don’t recommend this, but I had to force myself away from the world to find myself again. I didn’t learn until the last couple months of college that your friends will always be there for you, eventually I found purpose in my life and realized what

makes me happy. I hope the mistakes of my past might help you, the “unsure” freshman, the “invincible” sophomores, the “cool” juniors and every senior, be on the 5 year track like I was to the Lifers; Don’t succumb to the fear, you feel as you’re about to jump so far into the deep-end that you can’t find your way home. Be sure to take plenty of time to find out about the person looking back at you in the mirror and be confident enough to let everyone see it. No matter where in the world you are from, the color of skin you were born with, the sexual orientation that makes you happy and the amount of money you have, we-are-the- same! At the end of the day, you are you and I and me and that’s okay because we are all the same page just trying to find that place we were meant to be. As we begin this new life we’ve worked so hard to achieve, be sure to chase every dream that makes you happy. Thank you,

Kusal Matthew

kmatthe5@emich.edu

April

2009

Student Spotlight ///

By Jeremy Allen jeremy.allen@emyouthemagazine.com

Major: Elementary Education and Teaching Minor: Sports Management Class Status: Senior Favorite Music: “I like Akon, The Fray and a lot of hip hop and alternative music, too.” Favorite Movies: Wanted, Step-Brothers, Love and Basketball

Favorite Things to do: Watch movies, go home to Indiana to visit family, hang out with friends

What three words best describe ‘Heather Han?’ Outgoing, intelligent, athletic

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? “Assistant coaching softball for a Division I program.”

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? “Head coaching softball for a Division I program.”

Photo by Raj Mehta

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

April

2009

“It was my freshman year. We were at an invitational in Louisville, Ky. [It was the] bottom of the seventh inning—two outs, one on. I was up to bat. I couldn’t have asked for a better scenario.” As senior captain Heather Han described her first career collegiate homerun, a blast that gave her team 4-3 walk-off victory over in-conference rival, Toledo, the look in her eyes and the passion in her voice told a story of her ardor for the game of softball. “I’ve been playing since I was in first grade,” Han said, “and I hope it’s something I can be involved in my whole life.” Understanding the fact that Han is a key player in the Eagles system, and knowing her role as a leader and the lone senior on the squad, it’s easy to see why she spends about 70 percent of her time devoted to the sport she loves so dearly. “I take on kind of that big sister role with a lot of the girls,” Han said. “Being the only senior on the team comes with a lot of responsibilities, especially being that I also have championship experience and NCAA Tournament experience from our 2007 run. So I really embrace my role and it’s easy to do because I love the sport so much.” Of course softball wasn’t the only sport in which this all-around athlete excelled. In high school, Han also played basketball and volleyball, winning letters in each sport. “When I was younger I really wanted to play basketball, but the whole height thing didn’t really work out for me,” said the 5-foot 5-inch Han as she laughed. “And a lot of my friends and teammates don’t know, but I was an outside hitter for volleyball. Most outside hitters are pretty tall, too, but I did well there even though I’m not really tall.” In addition to bringing leadership, clutch hitting and a solid overall game to the team, Han also provides some much needed humor for her comrades. In February, she was one of the softball players who participated in Jock Jamz, an athlete-only talent show. She and her teammates played the parts of dueling 90’s pop icons Backstreet Boys and N’Sync, complete with drawn-on goatees and sideburns and sweater vests, and lip synched some of the group’s biggest hits. She said WWW.EMYOUTHEMAGAZINE.COM

she could picture her head coach Karen Baird, who also enjoys having a great time, somewhere doing her “get low dance” during some of the songs they performed. Luckily for her, Han is also able to find humor through some of the pain she’s encountered through softball, but one particular injury wasn’t acquired in a conventional way. “I really enjoy QPs [drills] with Meesh in the outfield,” Han said. “That’s an inside joke and I know she’ll get it, but to make a long story short I got a concussion from a knee to the back of the head. I can laugh about it now so it’s OK.” The relationships developed that allow one to laugh at a concussion are done so, as Han explained, through the team’s deep connection and love for one another. “Those are just my teammates,” Han said. “Those are my friends and my girls. We hurt together, we win together and we lose together. We study together during our study tables on softball road trips.” While this is her last year of NCAA eligibility to play college softball, Han plans to return to Eastern after she graduates so she can pursue a career in softball as a coach. She said she will be applying for a graduate assistantship and hopefully work with the softball team while pursuing her master’s in sports management and doing some student teaching. “Softball really motivates me and influences me as a person,” Han said. The senior captain expects great

things of this team, saying how after experiencing the sweet flavor of victory with a MAC Title in 2007, losing leaves a bitter taste of defeat on which she doesn’t want to end her career. Through March, the team has posted a respectable 11-18 record, having played all but 25 of their 29 away from home Han is batting .316 with one homerun and six runs batted in. Her experience and patience also show up in the stat sheet as Han has only struck out eight times all season, fewer than any everyday player for the Lady Eagles. “It really helps when people come out and support us,” Han said. “We’re out there giving our all. Come check out a game, check out the MAC Championships in Bowling Green and come cheer us on in May.” Han’s affinity for all things softball can be summed up by one of her friends and former teammates. It’s a quote she has plastered on her Facebook wall as well as a quote she herself embodies: “I love my teammates…We’re fun, we’re crazy, and we’ll give you a good time, but watch it. Give us a jersey of green and white and we’re fierce, we’re driven and we’re out for blood. Sometimes we’re too competitive, as athletes should be. Sometimes we disagree, as different people should do. But at the end of the day, sweat, tears, bickering and pain aside, we all put our hands in the same huddle, together, as a family should do.” --Krissy Threet emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

Delta Tau Delta Theta Xi Chapter Sponsored by Peninsular Place, emYOU!, Douglas J. Aveda Institute & many more!

presents

benefiting the

Date: 6 p.m., Saturday, April 18, 2009 Place: Student Center Auditorium Featuring the talent of Delta Zeta Alli Sheppard, Sigma Kappa Jessica Richardson, Sigma Sigma Sigma Brittany Jones, Sigma Nu Phi Brianna Spencer, Phi Sigma Sigma Sarah Green, Alpha Sigma Tau Ashley Esper, Alpha Gamma Delta Alicia Long, Sigma Delta Tau Hannah Carroll and Alpha Xi Delta Charlotte Maurer Miss Greek is a philanthropical pageant benefiting the Karmanos Cancer Institute. Based in the medical district of Detroit, Karmanos is among the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best cancer centers and offers state-of-the-science cancer research and compasionate patient care by premier teams of cancer specialists. The Institute is one of only 39 centers in the nation designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute.

Tickets may be purchased at any EMU box office, at www.emich.edu. convocation, or by calling the EMU ticket office at 734.487.2282

Student Spotlight ///

By Jeremy Allen jeremy.allen@emyouthemagazine.com Kyle Rhoad is the model studentathlete. Not only is he an outstanding student, carrying a 3.91 GPA and having earned a bachelors in business administration from Eastern Michigan in only three years, but he’s also a proven leader on the baseball diamond, having helped to lead his team to a Mid-American Conference Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2008

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Under first-year head coach Jake Boss, Rhoad and the Eagles lost their first 17 games last year before their historic rally to the MAC Title. Rhoad started all 59 games while batting .331 with eight homers, and he scored a team-high 61 runs. But that’s all in a season’s work for the 23-year-old who’ll earn his master’s in business administration with a concentration in supply chain management later this month.

“Believe it or not, the fact that I’m so busy with homework and practice and traveling and games, all that keeps me more focused and helps me concentrate better,” Rhoad said. “Between all that and work, I don’t have time to get off track.” He works 20 hours a week as a graduate assistant at the College of Business in order to pay his tuition. Rhoad started playing baseball when he was 5-years-old and it’s ultimately

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

just to see what the conditions were specializing in supply chain management at Eastern and to Minor: N/A let him know I was interested in a change Class Status: Graduate student of scenery,” Rhoad (undergraduate bachelor’s degree in business said. “He told me that administration) there was a roster spot Favorite Music: “Classic rock: Led open at the center field Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Def Leppard, Bob position (the position Marley. I like bands like O.A.R. I have a lot of rap, Rhoad plays) and said he’d let Coach Coryell alternative. I have more than 13,000 songs on know I was interested. my iPod, so I love, just love music in general.” Coach Coryell made a Favorite Movies: Departed, Blow, Field of visit to watch me play Dreams, Step Brothers, Starsky & Hutch in a summer league Favorite Things to do: “I’d say listening game later that year and, after seeing me to music and spending time with my girlfriend, play, invited me to play Lindsey, are my favorite things to do when I’m for him. Things worked not busy with work, class and baseball. I like out well and the rest is horses, too.” history.” What best describes “Kyle Rhoad’s solid history has also led to many Rhoad?” 9-6-2 Boys … Get some! Where do you see yourself in five accolades. For his performance on and off years? “Probably playing center field for the the field, Rhoad was Boston Red Sox.” recently nominated for the Lowe’s Where do you see yourself in 10 years? “Definitely playing center field for the Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Boston Red Sox.” Staying in School (CLASS) Award. The what brought him to Eastern. Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award focuses “My two older brothers introduced on the total student-athlete and me to a lot of sports when I was really encourages those leaders to use their young—mainly baseball, basketball platform in athletics to make a positive and football—and both of them impact on their teammates, classmates ultimately went on to play college and community. sports as well,” he said. “I loved all A lot of Rhoad’s leadership qualities three sports, but I chose to stick with stem from his upbringing, which not too baseball because it came down to the many people know about. Rhoad, in level of play. I was better at it and I felt his rural northwestern Ohio community, like I could really play Division I ball, so was raised on a horse farm where he I stuck with it and here I am.” was responsible for caring for up to 20 Chris Hoyles, a retired catcher who horses on a daily basis. played 10 seasons in the majors with “I broke horses, groomed them, rode the Baltimore Orioles, was an Eastern them, fed them and prepared them for assistant coach under former baseball shows sometimes,” he said. “That’s not head coach Roger Coryell. Hoyle something most people know about also attended the same high school me, but it definitely wasn’t an easy job. as Rhoad in Fostoria, Ohio, and he I’m still pretty passionate about horses, and Rhoad developed a relationship but the farm isn’t as big anymore because of their common bonds. After attending the University of Miami (Ohio) because my brothers and I did a lot of the work in maintaining them and we for one year and playing baseball for aren’t there to help my parents out with the Redhawks, Rhoad made a decision that too much.” that would drastically change his The responsibilities he had baseball career. growing up helped him deal with the “I made a call to Coach Hoyles responsibilities he has being a senior

Major: Master’s in business administration

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

leader on a team that’s had three head coaches in the past year. It’s also helped him better manage his emotions on the field. “I’ve had some of my best and worst moments here on the field,” Rhoad said. “Winning the MAC Title and going deep into the NCCA Tourney was huge. It was probably the best moment I’ve had at Eastern. But on the flip side, losing in the MAC Championship game against Kent two years ago was probably my worst moment seeing as how we worked so hard to get to where we were.” Like all great leaders, Rhoad knows how to turn those somber times into fuel for the fire and learn from them. “The address to our baseball house is 962 so we kind of draw off that for inspiration,” he said. “When we’re getting pumped up for a game we’ll look to each other and say, ’9-6-2 Boys ... Get some.’ That gets us all hype because we know what 962 is all about. That helps get us focused. It’s about a winning mentality, about a brotherhood, about us.” Rhoad said he hopes there will be a career for him in professional baseball after college, but if there’s not, then he won’t hesitate to pursue a career in business administration. “I’ve been struggling with the decision about whether to pursue baseball or to go into a degree-specific career,” he said, “but I’m not going to start applying for jobs or anything until I see how a baseball career could pan out for me. I’m pretty much taking it one day at a time.” Being a college baseball player, and understanding that baseball players have the longest season of any men’s college sport, Rhoad said times get tough sometimes. He’s found some interesting ways to balance his schedule and deal with all the rigors of being a busy college student. He had this piece of advice to offer in closing: “Persevere. Times get tough, but you have to persevere. That’s something I learned in the classroom and on the field. College is a great time. It’s important to build good relationships with professors, staff members, friends and guidance counselors. When people really see you putting forth the effort to succeed they’ll help you through anything they can.”

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2009

special feature

HEART WALK COMES TO EMU ! T R T A S BY NATE STEMEN nate.stemen@emyouthemagazine.com

For the second year in a row, the American Heart Association is holding the Start! Heart Walk designed to bring awareness to the ever growing concern for cardiovascular disease. Statistics show that cardiovascular disease will affect many families, and, according to the Centers for Disease Control, it’s the leading cause of death in America. The 1.5 or three mile walk takes place on May 9 at 10 a.m. at Washtenaw Community College and is held by Eastern Michigan University. Director of Service EMU and fellow walker Gretchen Ward holds a co-chair for the EMU branch of Start! Heart Walk and is responsible for fundraising and recruiting walkers. Ward’s main responsibility is to make people aware of the walk and to get as many people involved as possible. “I think [heart disease] touches everyone in the Eastern community […] and whether or not it affects students right now, it could affect them or a loved one at some point in their life,” said Ward. When approached about the co-chair position, Ward had a personal interest in the event and wanted to do whatever she could to help. She lost her father to a heart attack when she was only 24 years old and her grandfather died of a stroke when her father was only 15. “For me it was kind of a no-brainer. I was happy to be involved because heart disease and stroke both run in my family,” said Ward. Start! Heart Walk is a national campaign that raises millions of dollars for the AHA and over one million walkers from 450 events are expected to participate

nationwide. Last year EMU had 120 registered walkers for the event and raised over $26,000 on a goal of only $20,000. The goal this year for South Eastern Michigan alone is $2.1 million and EMU’s portion will hopefully exceed this year’s goal of $21,000. “For our first year out of the gate we ranked No. 6 nationally in university fundraising efforts,” said Ward. Anyone can participate in the event, and more important, anyone can donate. There are a number of ways to donate, such as visiting AmericanHeart.org and clicking on “Donate Today.” If friends or family members are walking, students can go to MIHeartWalk.Kintera. org/EMU and click on the desired team name to donate money for that team or choose to donate to a specific team member. If clicking isn’t your thing, you can give donations directly to Ward who will then donate the money on your behalf. All donations go directly to the AHA and much of the money stays right here in Michigan. Ward is hoping to get at least 140 walkers this year. Registration is as simple as visiting the AMA Web site. Fraternities and sororities are encouraged to register as well as groups of friends who just need an excuse to pick a killer team name or take the dog for a walk (participants are welcome to bring their dogs). The event is open to students and family members alike, and many EMU faculty members are already signed up to participate. The walk does require that walkers form a team, but if individuals want to participate they should contact Ward at gward6@emich.edu and a team will be provided for them.

ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION: ON AVERAGE, AN AMERICAN DIES OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE EVERY 35 SECONDS. ONE IN 2.6 FEMALE DEATHS IS FROM CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, COMPARED WITH ONE IN 30 FROM BREAST CANCER. STROKE IS THE NO. 3 CAUSE OF DEATH FOR AMERICAN WOMEN AND IS A LEADING CAUSE OF SERIOUS LONG-TERM DISABILITY ONE IN THREE ADULT FEMALES AND MALES IN THE UNITED STATES SUFFERS FROM A FORM OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE CORONARY HEART DISEASE IS THE NO. 1 SINGLE KILLER OF WOMEN OVER THE AGE OF 25 SIXTY-FOUR PERCENT OF WOMEN WHO DIED SUDDENLY OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE HAD NO PREVIOUS SYMPTOMS. STROKE KILLS MORE WOMEN THAN MEN. IN 2003, FEMALES REPRESENTED 61 PERCENT OF STROKE DEATHS.

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emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

Alumnus Spotlight ///

The Best of the Batch By Jeremy Allen jeremy.allen@emyouthemagazine.com “In football, just like in life, you have to seize every opportunity you can. Coming from a school like Eastern, you aren’t given everything. I had to work hard to get to where I am and I’d tell everyone in a position like that to just work as hard as possible to get where you want to be.”

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“I think the turning point of my career was in my second year at Eastern. I wasn’t starting at the time, but I came into the game at the beginning of the second quarter, down 17-0 during the last game of the season against Toledo. I led our comeback and we wound up winning

the game 40-37 on the final play of the game. I threw for about 300 yards, and the coaches knew that I was going to be their quarterback for the future after that game.” It was that game at Rynearson Stadium in 1994 when redshirt freshman quarterback Charlie Batch began to write

April

2009

himself into the record books as arguably the greatest quarterback to play in green and white for Eastern. After that game, Batch was given the starter job for the ‘95 season and he took full advantage of his opportunities, eventually providing himself an avenue to capture two Super Bowl rings as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. During his first full season starting as the Eagles’ signal caller, Batch set an EMU single-season record with 3,177 yards passing. The season included five games of 300-plus passing yards (including games of 412 and 430 yards through the air), and he also attempted more than 50 passes in three games during that season. His 1996 campaign picked up right where the ‘95 season ended. Batch put up solid numbers in the first two games of his redshirt junior season in losses against Temple and Wisconsin. In the third game of the season, however, he suffered a season-ending leg injury against Western Michigan. Batch threw for 518 yards and two touchdowns in his limited time. “Injuries are a part of the game,” he said. “A lot of it has to do with how you respond to it mentally. I was determined to get back out on the field to try to help my team win and I was able to return to full strength and put together a good senior season.” After a stellar senior season in which he completed 247 of 434 passes, threw 23 touchdown passes and broke his own EMU single-season record (set in ‘95) with 3,390 total yards from scrimmage, Batch was selected in the second round (60th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. During his time at Eastern—spanning parts of six years; four active seasons and one medical hardship redshirt season—Batch managed to set virtually all of EMU’s passing records including completions, attempts, yards and touchdown passes. “I really wasn’t surprised at how high I was drafted or that I was selected over any [other local quarterbacks like Brian Griese],” Batch said. “When I took over as the quarterback at Eastern my coaches let me know that if I trusted them and did what they told me to do then everyone in the country would know my name. I did that, and four games into the ‘95 season I led the country in total yards and I was getting a lot of national attention.” As a rookie on a struggling Lions squad, Batch took over the starting job WWW.EMYOUTHEMAGAZINE.COM

in the third game of the ‘98 season after former quarterback Scott Mitchell went down with an injury. After posting a 5-7 record as a starter, Batch fractured his lower back in Week 15 against San Francisco. The injury cut his season short. “I started thinking a little bit about my college injury after I went down, but I’ve never really been the type of person who dwells too much on negativity,” Batch said. “I was having a solid year up to that point. We were winning some games. The team and the front office told me they were behind me.” During that rookie season, Batch penciled himself into NFL record books, much like he did in college. He was voted Offensive Player of the Week in only his third NFL game, he tied an NFL rookie record for most consecutive passes without an interception (136), and he finished the season with the fourth-highest rookie passer rating in NFL history (83.3). “I learned a lot during my time at Eastern and it helped shape me into the man and the football player I am today,” he said. “What I learned at Eastern, on and off the field, I try to teach other young athletes now. I’ve been doing mentoring for about the last 12 years trying to help the young people advance in life.” Some of the athletes Batch mentors include University of Pittsburgh power forward DeJuan Blair and Ohio State starting quarterback Terrell Pryor (who was the consensus No. 1 college scout

in 2008). Like Batch and many other great quarterbacks, Pryor was bred in western Pennsylvania. Pryor called on Batch to go on college visits with him and to give him advice as to which program would best foster his abilities. “I didn’t tell him where he should or shouldn’t go, I just gave him information on how to decide which situation was best for him,” Batch said. In addition to his mentoring, he also founded The Best of the Batch Foundation. The foundation develops after-school programs, provides scholarships for students, restores playgrounds, and offers sports and leisure activities for youth and their families. It originated in Detroit, where Batch spent four years with the Lions, but he moved the organization to his hometown, Homestead, Penn., once he became a member of the Steelers. “The foundation is something I take a lot of pride in,” Batch said. “We build these playgrounds and have these camps for kids to participate in and it not only gives them something constructive to do with their time, but it also acts as a way to show kids around the area that they can really make it and become successful. I’m from [Homestead] and the kids know that. They see me and feel like if I did it, they can too because I grew up in the same conditions and dealt with the same problems they do.” Over the years, Batch has seen the number of volunteers and participants emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

grow almost exponentially. He said itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a credit to the many volunteers for the success and the longevity of the programs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the kids, too,â&#x20AC;? Batch added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When they help to build these playgrounds and basketball and football courts, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re quicker to stop someone they see who may be vandalizing them. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re quick to tell them to stop because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s truly their courts and playgrounds. They built them. When they put work into it theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re more willing to make sure it stays in good condition. Those are life lessons that we try to teach the kids who come through our program.â&#x20AC;? Batch learned quite a few life lessons during his time at EMU. He said the biggest reason he came to Eastern was his official campus visit during the recruitment process by EMU football coaches. He said that although he liked the coaching philosophies and was interested in leading the program, the campus visit cemented his decision to make Ypsilanti his new home. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everyone here was so close,â&#x20AC;? Batch said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was like everyone was instantly family.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Playing football at Eastern Michigan was really a great experience for me. I really appreciate the opportunity that Eastern gave me. It allowed me to get to where I am today, and I still have a close connection with EMU and the alumni. Being from Eastern also gave me a chance to meet a lot of great Eastern alumni around the country. Everywhere I go thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s someone from somewhere who has a relative or a friend who goes to Eastern and who knows me because of my time there. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great feeling and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad to be an Eastern alumnus.â&#x20AC;? Charlie Batch earned a bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in criminal justice from Eastern in 1998. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s served as a backup for Ben Roethlisberger for the past seven years, but spent the entire 2008 season on the injured reserve list. Batch has filled in during some key moments for Pittsburgh, including during the 2005 AFC Championship. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s earned two Super Bowl rings with the Steelers in the 2005 and 2008 seasons.

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

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April

2009

special feature

SKINCARE/ TANNING/ BRONZING

Maybe we’ll have enough sunlight and good weather to get you bronzed before the big day. Or maybe it’ll be like every other April and there’ll still be snow on the ground. If that’s the case, don’t risk looking less than your best on this most important of days. Start taking care of your skin today by regularly using astringents, moisturizers and SPF. If you’re more of a tan-in-a-bottle type of person, invest in a good, streakfree, sunless tanning product like those made by Jergens and Neutrogena. Or visit the folks at Tanfastic on Washtenaw. They offer both airbrush tanning services by appointment and premium bed tanning services for walk-in clients.

HAIR

MORE THAN A CAP & GOWN:

HOW TO

GET READY TO WALK INTO YOUR FUTURE BY JESSICA BRENT jessica.brent@emyouthemagazine.com

YOU’VE BEEN PUTTING OFF EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO DO BEFORE GRADUATION BECAUSE:

You probably need at least a trim before the big day. Guys: make your mother happy and forget your “no shave November” pact that’s lasted all winter long, and shave it off already. Ladies: don’t feel bad to go all out. You won’t regret it when you’ve been pampered to the point of perfection from the talented stylists at the Thomas Blondi Salon in downtown Ypsilanti. While you’re at it, don’t forget to get some bobby pins to hold your cap on. Buy them cheap at any drugstore or just borrow some from your neighbor, roommate or sister.

OUTFIT/SHOES

Not that we’re against your choice of donning your birthday suit instead of a three-piece suit under your graduation “ALL MY FREE TIME HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO gown. Just thought we’d bring JOB SEARCHING AND GETTING MY RÉSUMÉ some things to your attention: You’ll probably have to hug OUT THERE.” your grandma, hold a baby, “I DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START.” or later be exposed due to IF ANY OR ALL OF THESE SOUND LIKE YOU, EMYOU! a high-powered flash from IS HERE TO HELP! HERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU’LL someone’s camera. Take this as NEED TO CHECK OFF YOUR “TO DO” LIST BEFORE an opportunity to start looking YOUR NAME IS CALLED—ALONG WITH SOME OF THE for the type of clothes you’ll BEST PLACES TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING. WE be interviewing in and wearing KNOW—WE’RE AWESOME. to your 9–5. And don’t forget to get yourself a pair of comfy

“I’M TOO BUSY FINISHING UP FINAL PROJECTS.” “I’M BROKE.”

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

power-shoes to go with your new duds (or lack thereof).

RESTAURANT RESERVATIONS/ HALL RENTAL

Although it might be a little bit embarrassing, a lot of people may want to celebrate your graduation with you a step above the way they may have for your high school graduation. Even a small group of supporters may be interested in seeing and sampling your favorite foods and entertainment stops in and around Ypsi. Sidetrack Bar and Grill in Depot Town can support larger pre-booked parties in their Frenchie’s space next door. Call (734) 483-1035 for reservation information. Or contact the always delicious Beezy’s Café for catering information. Their menu is available online at BeezysCafe.com.

DECORATIONS FOR YOUR CAP

It’s your time to shine, so make sure to make a statement on the top of your cap. Keep it classic with a smiley face, peace sign or your initials. Or get creative and really stand out in the sea of graduates around you.

PLAYLIST TO GET YOU PUMPED ON YOUR WAY TO GRADUATION

Don’t get shy on us now— you’re graduating for goodness sake! If it’s “Single Ladies,” listen to “Single Ladies.” If it’s the soundtrack from Slumdog Millionaire, blare it from your speakers. Put together tracks that make you feel happy. Isn’t that the way you want to start your new life?

THANK YOU CARDS

Buy them now and have them on hand when you start getting cards, money and general wellwishing from people. It’s been a long road already and extending your appreciation to the people you have supported and continue to support you will only guarantee that they’re there for you for the even longer road ahead.

April

2009

DECORATING YOUR GRAD CAP:

TURN YOUR ORDINARY CAP INTO AN EXPRESSION OF YOUR INDIVIDUALITY BY MARISSA STAPLES marissa.staples@emyouthemagazine.com

You hear your name called and you walk slowly across the stage. The lights are bright and everyone looks the same in the crowd. All of a sudden the crowd breaks into laughter. The top of your cap was caught on the large monitor and it reads, “All this for a piece of paper?” Let’s face it: decorating your cap is one of the biggest perks of graduating. So here are some ideas to get you started.

1. HEY MOM!

Mom was there for all the college heartaches and text messages asking for more money. She accepted every excuse as to why you got a D in your accounting class. Using a permanent marker, 3D paint or the kindergarten glitter and glue, write her a message thanking her for pushing you through your toughest years.

2. COMIC CARTOON

Bring out your inner artist and get creative. Some people don’t use words but illustrations to express themselves. Using 3D paint, draw something that relates to how you feel. If your doodle abilities allow, sketch a cartoon character out of a comic strip and give it a bubble thought or show it flushing the degree down the toilet. Anything humorous will do the trick.

3. BRING OUT THE GARLAND AND HOT GLUE GUNS

Using garland around 25 inches and a hot glue gun, turn your cap into design project. The garland can be used to map a maze design or even a word depending on its width. You can add anything else you want with a hot glue gun from small action figures, to plastic flowers, to a fork for “Stick a fork in it, I’m done!”

4. THE OLE F. U.

Yes we know. Professors have been sticking it to students, giving the jocks all the breaks and the pretty girls a later deadline than everyone else. For the sake of your own grade you have kept your mouth shut. Now is the time to tell them the one line you been thinking over and over in your head! There are a couple rules to this. Absolutely no curse words and it has to be tasteful. For example, W. H. Auden said, “A professor is someone who talks in someone else’s sleep.” With these ideas, let your imagination run wild and decorate your grad cap to perfection. This is the last time being childish is permitted!

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES

BY NATE STEMEN nate.stemen@emyouthemagazine.com For you graduating seniors, there’s a tough road ahead. According to CNN.com, Michigan has the highest unemployment rate in the country. The economy rises and falls with the wind and these days a college degree seems like nothing more than a very expensive piece of paper. However, these quotes from some of America’s most famous and powerful people should help give you a little perspective in the event you begin to lose hope. “It is wonderful to be here in the great state of Chicago.” –Dan Quayle, former U.S. vice-president “Smoking kills. If you’re killed, you’ve lost a very important part of your life.” –Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for a federal antismoking campaign. “The Internet is a great way to get on the net.” –Bob Dole, republican presidential candidate “Those who survived the San Francisco earthquake said, ‘Thank God, I’m still alive.’ But, of course, those who died, their lives will never be the same again.” –Barbara Boxer, senator “I get to go to lots of overseas places, like Canada.” –Britney Spears, pop singer G.W. Gets His Own Section “I have opinions of my own—strong opinions— but I don’t always agree with them.” –George W. Bush, former U.S president “I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family.” –George W. Bush “Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?” –George W. Bush “Some folks look at me and see a certain swagger, which in Texas is called walking.” –George W. Bush True Inspiration “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” –Henry David Thoreau, author “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.” –Langston Hughes, author “To unpathed waters, undreamed shores.” –William Shakespeare, author “You’re not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on.” –Dean Martin, entertainer

Professor Spotlight ///

EMU’s own Dr. Phil teaches students to look out for themselves and others. by Nate Stemen

nate.stemen@emyouthemagazine.com As a poet, a novelist, a playwright and a special education teacher, EMU’s very own Dr. Phil is a renaissance man with a big heart and an open mind.

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

Dr. Phil Smith is an assistant professor in EMU’s department of special education. He’s used to being called a number of different things ranging from

Professor Smith to Dr. Smith and, of course, Dr. Phil. Although he says he doesn’t mind being called Dr. Phil, he says it’s “a little weird.” (His preference?

April

2009

Just call him “Phil.”) “I’ve got way more hair than the Dr. Phil on TV, and I don’t make nearly as much money as he does,” he said. Smith specializes in teaching future special education teachers how to give children with disabilities the very best education possible. He also shows future K–12 teachers how to include children with disabilities in their own classrooms. His methods and practices are that of a man who cares about people and the environment in which they live, teach and learn. Growing up in rural Connecticut and living nearly 20 years in a “tiny little town” in Vermont seems to have had a profound effect on Phil. He brings small town values to a large university setting and it seems to make all the difference in his teaching style. “I don’t have any quizzes, tests or exams in any of my classes,” he said. “People don’t learn because of tests. They learn by having conversations and arguments and discussions with people, engaging in a variety of experiences and then reflecting on those experiences. People learn by doing.” According to United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), a cognitive impairment affects a person’s ability to reason, understand and learn. In addition, ChildDevelopmentInfo.com states that six to 10 percent of school-aged children are learning disabled. That means that there are nearly three million students, in the U.S. alone, who attend special education classes. Phil knows the difficulties of assisting those with disabilities on a professional and personal level. One of his close family members is disabled, but with Phil’s help she graduated from high school and is now attending college. Although he states he “never” has a typical day, Phil is normally found teaching courses about people with

WWW.EMYOUTHEMAGAZINE.COM

cognitive impairments. Coupled with course responsibilities, Phil spends much of his free time helping students outside the classroom. He says that students “keep him honest” and he’s always willing to help them with whatever they need. Some of Smith’s other courses involve helping people who have family members with disabilities. “A lot of my time is taken up with helping students get what they need, learning from them, listening to their concerns. That is something I really enjoy. For me, here at EMU, it’s all about the students,” said Phil. When he’s not teaching or helping students, Phil uses his free time by continuing an extremely successful writing career. He’s an accomplished author with multiple published works including a book of poems, a novel and a book of plays. Phil is currently working on another book. “I do research, too. I’m actually writing a book about including students with disabilities in general education classrooms,” said Phil. Phil’s passion for writing burns strong, but he found out one day while “doing the math” that he could help more people as a professor than by doing anything else. By Phil’s math he will help 3,250,000 students and family members. Here’s how he came to such an astonishing number: Phil figures that throughout his career he’ll teach close to 3,400 educators who will then pass on his wisdom to all of their own classrooms, bringing him to this impressive number. “I realized that if I wanted to have a real, far-reaching impact on both general and special educators, maybe the best place to do that was in teaching teachers […] I will have touched the lives of a tremendous number of people—if I do my job right

[and] teach with enough passion and excitement and energy to ensure that teachers do a great job,” said Phil. Taking time to “smell the roses” is also important for Phil and he expresses this to his students. Many times working with children with disabilities can be mentally and physically draining and Phil reminds his students to take care of themselves as well. Aside from teaching and writing, Phil has a number of other hobbies that help keep him from getting overwhelmed with the complexities of his professional life. Fixing up old houses, backpacking and bicycle riding are just a few. Phil would eventually like to ride his bike cross-country. He rides for pleasure and for the environment. He believes it’s important to be a role model in more ways than just being an inspirational professor. “I do [bicycling] because it’s pretty important to me to model the kinds of changes we need to make in our lives in order to make this planet livable for all of us in the next century,” he said. “I also do it for the exercise, and just because it’s so much darn fun. It’s pretty cool to ride through the city at night during a snowstorm—it’s quiet except for the sound of my bicycle tires going through the drifts.” Smith wraps himself around everything he does. Whether it’s teaching students how to see the potential within those with disabilities or working toward his next published novel, he’s sure to make time for his students as well as for himself. So if you see him riding his bicycle across campus (snow, rain, cold, heat, late at night—it doesn’t matter) or ordering a veggie sub at The Student Center (he’s been a vegetarian for 35 years), give him a wave or a nod. Dr. Phil deserves the recognition. Oops! Where’s my head? Phil deserves the recognition.

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

around you

APRIL

Check out what’s going on around you this month!

around you!

BY AMANDA SLATER amanda.slater@emyouthemagazine.com

01: APRIL FOOL’S DAY! 05: On campus:

On campus:

Cello studio recital, 8pm, Alexander Recital Hall

02: On campus: -

03: -

Percussion studio recital, 7:30pm, Alexander Recital Hall Sky Lounge, 9pm, Student Center, room 300

On campus:

Friday Night Movie: Pineapple Express, 7pm and 9:30pm, Student Center Auditorium Symphony Orchestra, 8pm, Pease Auditorium

- -

EMU athletics:

Baseball vs. Akron, 6:05pm, Oestrike Stadium

Around campus:

Lez Zeppelin, 6pm, Magic Bag, Ferndale

- -

- - -

Eastern Excursion: The D.I.A. Senior dance projects, 4pm, Pease Auditorium Jazz dinner dance, 6:30pm, Student Center Ballroom

EMU athletics:

Tennis vs. Toledo, 1pm, Chippewa Racquet Club Baseball vs. Akron, 3:05pm, Oestrike Stadium

Around campus:

Common, 7pm, The Power Center, Ann Arbor Nick Swardson, 8pm, The Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor Glasvegas, 8pm, Magic Stick, Detroit emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

Baseball vs. Akron, 1:05pm, Oestrike Stadium Women’s rowing, all day, Ford Lake

Around campus:

Monday Matinee: “Pineapple Express,” noon, Student Center Auditorium Hiroshima-Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Poster Exhibition begins, 8am—7pm, Student Center Kiva Room “Hiroshima in Cultural Context,” 2—3:30pm, Student Center Kiva Room

Honors recital, 11am, Pease Auditorium Rock Band Tourney at EZone, 7—9pm, Student Center EZone Opera workshop gala, 8pm, Pease Auditorium

EMU athletics:

Softball vs. Oakland, 3pm, Varsity Field

Flute ensembles, 8pm, Alexander Recital Hall

EMU athletics:

Baseball vs. Bowling Green, 6:05pm, Oestrike Stadium

Around campus:

Andrew Bird, 8pm, The Michigan Theatre, Ann Arbor

09: Around campus: -

Let it Rock Tour featuring Kevin Rudolf, 5pm, The Crofoot Ballroom, Pontiac

07: On campus: -

08: On campus:

EMU athletics:

06: On campus:

04: On campus: - -

Family Film Series: “Children of Heaven,” 2pm, Student Center Auditorium Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band and Alumni Honors Banquet, 4pm, Pease Auditorium

The Devil Wears Prada, 6pm, Clutch Cargos, Pontiac Blood Drive and more! New Grace Apostolic Temple, Ann Arbor from 12pm-6pm

10: On campus:

Spring recess, university closed

EMU athletics:

Baseball vs. Ohio, 6:05pm, Oestrike Stadium

11: EMU athletics: - -

- -

Softball vs. Central Michigan, 1pm, Varsity Field Baseball vs. Ohio, 6:05, Oestrike Stadium

Around campus:

Lil Wayne, 7pm, The Palace of Auburn Hills Lucero, 8pm, Majestic Theatre, Detroit

12: EASTER

- -

EMU athletics:

Softball vs. Central Michigan, 1pm, Varsity Field Baseball vs. Ohio, 1:05pm, Oestrike Stadium

April

2009

around you

13: On campus: - -

Clarinet studio recital, 7pm, Alexander Recital Hall Percussion and African ensembles, 7:30pm, Pease Auditorium

18: On campus: - - -

EMU athletics:

Women’s tennis vs. West Virginia, noon, Chippewa Racquet Club

14: EMU athletics: -

Baseball vs. Oakland, 6:05pm, Oestrike Stadium

Around campus:

Chris Cornell, 7:30pm, Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor

Jazz combo night, 7pm, Alexander Recital Hall

16: On campus: -

- -

Rene Lecuona, guest piano, 8pm, Alexander Recital Hall

Around campus:

The All-American Rejects, 7pm, Meadow Brook Music Festival, Rochester Hills Robin Williams, 8pm, MotorCity Casino Hotel, Detroit

17: On campus: - -

- -

Saxophone studio recital, 4pm, Alexander Recital Hall University choir and symphony orchestra, 8pm, Pease Auditorium

Around campus:

The Guess Who, 7pm and 10:30pm, Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, Warren Tony Bennett, 8pm, MotorCity Casino Hotel, Detroit

Women’s tennis vs. Northern Illinois, 1pm, Chippewa Racquet Club Softball vs. Buffalo, 2pm, Varsity Field Women’s and Men’s track: EMU Twilight

Softball vs. Buffalo, 1pm, Varsity Field

Around campus:

Snack and Study, 9pm— 1am, Student Center Grand Ballroom

Around campus:

Bruce Cockburn, 8pm, The Ark, Ann Arbor

An evening with David Sedaris, 8pm, Detroit Opera House, Detroit

The Appleseed Cast, 8pm, Frankies, Toledo

24: ARBOR DAY

- - - -

EMU athletics:

Baseball vs. Northern Illinois, 6:05pm, Oestrike Stadium

Around campus:

Saliva, Burn Halo, the Flood, T/Static-X and more, 5pm, Harpos, Detroit Chelsea Williams, 8pm, The Ark, Ann Arbor Flight of the Conchords, 8pm and 11pm, Fox Theatre, Detroit Robin Thicke and Jennifer Hudson, 8pm, Detroit Opera House, Detroit

25: EMU athletics: -

Ray Lamontagne, 7:30pm, Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor

22: EARTH DAY/

Death Cab for Cutie, 8pm, Breslin Center, East Lansing Tony Bennett, 8pm, MotorCity Casino Hotel, Detroit

21: Around campus: -

23: Around campus:

Around campus:

20: On campus:

- -

Baseball vs. Northern Illinois, 3:05pm, Oestrike Stadium

Around campus:

Silverstein, 7pm, Majestic Theatre, Detroit E-40, The Crofoot Ballroom, Pontiac

26: On campus:

Winter Commencement

EMU athletics:

Baseball vs. Northern Illinois, 1:05pm, Oestrike Stadium

Around campus:

Noah and the Whale, 8pm, Magic Bag, Ferndale

29: Around campus: -

Trapt, 6pm, New York New York, Chesterfield, Mich.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONAL’S DAY

- -

WWW.EMYOUTHEMAGAZINE.COM

EMU athletics:

19: EMU athletics:

EMU athletics:

Softball vs. Kent State, 1pm, Varsity Field Men’s Track: EMU Twilight, Olds/Marshall Track

- -

15: On campus: -

Jazz combo afternoon, 2pm, Alexander Recital Hall Oboe studio recital, 5pm, Alexander Recital Hall Advanced composition dance concert, 7:30pm, 106 Warner Building

EMU athletics:

Baseball vs. Cleveland State, 3pm, Oestrike Stadium

Around campus:

Indigo Girls, 7:30pm, Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor Darrell Scott, 8pm, The Ark, Ann Arbor emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

special feature

“Nella vita: chi non risica, non rosica,”

Rome

When in

Travel abroad—

it’s an opportunity of a lifetime

BY ASHLEY BOELENS ashley.boelens@emyouthemagazine.com

e made our way down the crowded street away from Piazza Venezia. There were police everywhere and so many people that not even the small Fiats could weave through the packs. It was the last chance for the Italians in the Euro Cup 2008. My new roommates and I were meeting some friends at a popular wine bar and pub to watch the game. As the broadcast began, all of the noise and excitement faded around me as I let everything sink in. I couldn’t believe I was actually here, in Rome. I was only a few weeks into my program and I couldn’t help thinking that attending the Study Abroad Fair at EMU had really changed my life.

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

I had seen a few advertisements for the event around campus and I decided to check it out. Studying abroad had been something that interested me since coming to college, but I never thought I could afford it. However, it was at the Study Abroad Fair that I began to realize that it was an actual possibility. There were countless programs represented and advisors available to answer questions. I found out that several of the programs were reasonably priced and there was plenty of financial aid available. I took all of the information with me and set it aside for a while. I had a lot of decisions to make. Where did I want to go? What courses did I want to take? When was I going to have time to apply for all of these scholarships

April

2009

and financial aid? It wasn’t until the end of April that I finally made my decision, leaving me more than enough time to meet the summer deadlines at the end of May. I was given a scholarship from my program and all I had to do was write a brief personal essay. I saved up some money and bought my plane tickets. I even decided to do some extra traveling while I was there. After my program was completed, I was going to go backpacking. I booked hostels online for as low as $15 per night. I bought a train ticket that would take me all over Europe for about $300. I also decided to travel to London and Barcelona before I was scheduled to arrive in Rome. I will never forget stepping off the plane. I had barely slept on my red-eye flight from New York. I remember asking myself why I decided to do this. I was tired and felt crazy. Here I was in London with no clue where I was or where I was going. I hopped on the Tube and managed to get off at the stop closest to my hotel. I took a cab and crashed on my bed as soon as I arrived. I was so frustrated because my cell phone for my program was lost in the mail

and my lovely phone from home was useless. I was completely alone. However, I decided that I couldn’t use that as an excuse. I had to make the best of the trip while I was there. I grabbed some pamphlets from the front desk and the concierge helped me schedule a tour of the countryside to Warwick Castle, Stratford-UponAvon (Shakespeare’s home) and a small pub. I explored all of London and Barcelona with enough memories to fill a thick book and my program hadn’t even started. I was relieved to see my housing advisor at the airport in Rome—finally someone who knew I was supposed to be on this continent. He drove me through the chaotic streets. My apartment was in a college area of Rome called San Lorenzo. I had so many unforgettable experiences there. My roommate was from New York and she was much crazier than me. It sure made things interesting. We spent the weekends of the program traveling across Italy. We went to Florence, Pompeii, Assisi, Sorrento and the beautiful island of Capri. Everything was so full of life and different than home. (And my Italian language audio CDs definitely didn’t make the cut.) History came

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alive. My courses were incredible, and I still keep in touch with my professors. I learned so much more than I could have just by sitting in a classroom. Everyone in the program bonded quickly, and I honestly made friends for life. I was disappointed when my courses ended, but I still had backpacking to look forward to. My boyfriend flew over and we traveled through Italy, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Ireland. One of the most memorable places we visited was the Dachau concentration camp outside of Munich. It was an incredible experience and a sobering reminder. We went to museums, restaurants and historical sites. We learned so much and even made some friends along the way. I appreciate the experience more as time passes. College students have countless opportunities at their disposal but, unfortunately, so few take advantage of them. Studying abroad equipped me with a better understanding of myself and the direction I want to take with my life. As they say in Italy, “Nella vita: chi non risica, non rosica,” or “In life: nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

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When you haven’t talked to your friend in about two weeks, yet you still know that they had a bad day last Tuesday, they got a B on their math quiz, they’re having relationship problems and they ate Taco Bell for lunch yesterday, you’re definitely living in 2009 in the midst of the social media takeover. Whether it’s Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn or Twitter, the newest social media craze, keeping up-to-the-minute tabs through status updates has become the norm among networking groups, replacing a lot of phone calling, text messaging and e-mailing. “I use Twitter, I Facebook, I blog, I visit other people’s blogs, I’m on LinkedIn and I do video blogging sometimes, too,” said EMU senior, Nikki Brown. “I’m on Twitter pretty much all day from either my computer or my cell phone. I update my statuses hourly probably from 8 a.m. until at least midnight. I find that it’s easier to just comment on a friend’s status or Twitter update than it is to call the person. It’s quicker and more efficient to just keep up with people on their social media profiles.” Overall, Brown’s way of thinking is how a lot of people view social media. They see it as quicker and more efficient. But some employers see things much differently. Recently, Time.com investigated the amount of man hours spent on social media sites. In one Facebook study, it was found that about 800,000 hours were spent in the “25 Things about Me” survey alone. (An estimated five million users took approximately 10 minutes to complete the surveys.) “I’ve gone as far as to put Facebook and MySpace blocks on certain computers that I know my student-

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

employees use,” said an EMU campus employer who wished to remain anonymous. “I would go back in the history of the computer—not to check up on them, but to simply see what sites were frequented—and I’d see more Facebook and MySpace pages had been hit than some sites they were supposed to be checking for research. They get paid to do work, so if they want to be on these sites they can do it elsewhere.” While there are mixed feelings in the workplace in regards to Tweeting (sending updates through Twitter) and networking on Facebook, a lot of people attest to the fact that media sites have been substantial contributors to their personal and professional lives. A couple in the Washington, D.C., area, after meeting in a Facebook group called Cool Kids: GTB, a social networking group for young professionals around the U.S., eventually met offline and became engaged after several months of talking online and on the phone. Members of the group have even arranged for nationwide meet and greets in Atlanta, Houston and Las Vegas. Dunbar Henry, one of the group’s administrators and social chairs, executes a lot of the group’s event planning and marketing. He said if it weren’t for social media platforms, a lot of opportunities that he’s recently encountered wouldn’t have been possible. “We’ve turned a Facebook group into a group of socially interactive, networking, young professionals,” Henry said. “We’ve already met up on several occasions to discuss marketing plans to brand ourselves and we use each of our backgrounds to help make the group excel. We have marketers, we have coordinators, we have graphic

April

2009

designers and we have a street team. We’ve started a line of merchandise including clothing and other apparel, as well as a Web site. It’s more than Facebook, it’s a way of life.” It also seems as though professionals are catching on to the fact that up-to-the-minute updates on new and exciting things seem to propel business. According to Facebook. com, the fastest growing demographic of Facebook users are those 30 years old and older. More than 25 million U.S. users are 26 years old or older—that’s more than half of all active Facebook users. Twitter, even more than Facebook and other sites, is specifically geared toward the “here and now” sort of person. As described on the home page of the Web site, Twitter “is a service for friends, family and co-workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?” From February 2008 to February 2009, Twitter grew 1,382 percent. In fact, from January ‘09 to February ‘09, the site went from 4.5 million unique users to more than seven million users. That’s a month-to-month increase of more than 50 percent. Its success has drawn the likes of celebrities P. Diddy, Shaquille O’Neal, Jimmy Fallon, and Ashton and Demi Kutcher, among others, and news organizations such CNN, NBC, ESPN and others. Even President Barack Obama has joined in on the Twitter frenzy. Throughout his campaign, “followers” were able to get frequent updates about the stops he was to make as well as the interesting events of his day. Other social networking sites such as Tagged.com and Ning.com also grew in popularity thanks to celebrity involvement. This up-to-the-minute social networking craze that has swept the nation doesn’t seem to be a phase or fad. With the current struggles of newspapers, these social media sites have provided an alternative to the way people connect to the world around them, and everyone seems to be jumping in the mix. Be sure to check out emYOU! The Magazine’s blog at emYOUTheMagazine.com. Click on the “Blog” link at the top of the page. You can also follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/emYOU and on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/d4mm8y. (Hey, there’s no such thing as a shameless plug!)

Tweet with these Famous Tweeple! Barack Obama @BarackObama Shaquille O’neal @THE_REAL_SHAQ MC Hammer @Hammer Al Gore @Al Gore Lance Armstrong @Lance Armstrong Britney Spears @Britney Spears Dave Mathews @DaveJMathews Ashton Kutcher @ashton kutcher Tony Hawk @Tony Hawk 50 Cent @50cent PDiddy @iamdiddy Ryan Seacrest @Ryan Seacrest Joel Mchale @Joel Mchale Heidi Montag @Heidi Montag Kim Kardashian @Kim Kardashian Soulja Boy @Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em Rainn Wilson @RainnWilson

Yes, you can tweet with EMU too! EMU Athletics @emuathletics EMU PRSSA @EMU PRSSA EMU Theater @EMU Theater Campus Life @campuslifeEMU EMU Art Galleries @EMUArtGalleries EMU Design Studio @EMUdesignstudio EMU Volleyball @emuvball EMU Theater @EMUTheater EMU Crime @emu_crime Eastern Echo @easternecho WEMU @WEMU_FM Relay for Life @RelayForLifeEMU Intro to Film @Introtofilm_EMU

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Business Spotlight: ///

Turning heads one client at a time by Marissa Staples marissa.staples@emyouthemagazine.com Sasha Fierce better watch out because Beyoncé is not the only person with an alter ego. Dwight Thomas, owner of Thomas Blondi Salon, is an edgy 27year-old who blossoms behind the name Blondi as soon as he steps into the salon. Thomas believes that he has given Ypsilanti just what it needed: a salon with a funky atmosphere that accommodates males and females of the younger demographic. This is definitely a place that will have your hair making a statement by the time you walk out. “Most salons in Ypsi are older, like the salons your mothers would go to,” said

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

Thomas. “At my salon, every night feels like Friday night. Your hair will look so good you’ll want to go out no matter what.” Thomas is someone who loves what he does (and he has the ink to prove it—in the form of a likeness of his favorite hair-cutting scissors tattooed on his arm). He graduated from the State College of Beauty in Ypsilanti. After receiving his license at the age of 21, he began his career in hair at Eleven West and other salons. In July 2008, Thomas noticed an empty space next door to where he worked and began to envision his own

salon right there. Tired of salons in which his unique style stuck out like a sore thumb, Thomas decided it was time for a change. Thomas Blondi Salon opened in October 2008. “I saw the place in July and opened [the salon] in October. I probably should have paid attention to money, but I didn’t. I had it in the bank because I had been saving for a house,” said Thomas. After doing most of the renovations himself, Thomas was able to open a month earlier than he had planned. After pulling six other stylists from his previous jobs, Thomas had his staff ready and

April

2009

was already loaded with clientele. “Everything fell into place,” he said. “We have hardwood floors, black styling chairs, white walls and an intense silver backdrop. The best way to describe [the salon] would be modern and edgy.” Currently, the most popular cut given in the shop is the “angled bob”—the cut first made popular by Posh Spice Victoria Beckham and recently revived by Rihanna. Thomas’ hair styles have “star quality,” as is evident by his list of clients. Whether it’s cutting hair for Kid Rock’s drummer or working on America’s Next Top Model in Las Vegas over the summer (true stories), Thomas has shown that he truly makes the cut. However, he says if he could pick any one celebrity to style, it would be Beyoncé. “She has a drive about her that gives me motivation to get creating and being the best stylist I am. Honestly, I would pass out if I ever met her,” he said. Not only does Thomas Blondi Salon give the best hairdos, but they also give back to the community. During the month of April, anyone who brings in old hair products to recycle will receive a special discount on new hair products along with $5 of conditioning treatments. Thomas will give the proceeds to a local green organization in celebration of Earth Day. “We will also be featured in a fashion show called ‘Dressed in May’ here in downtown Ypsi. It’s so big they will close down Washington Street,” he said. Thomas Blondi Salon can give style to even the dullest of hair and offers something for everyone. It’s even perfect for a college-student’s budget with prices starting as low as $20. Those who enroll in the VIP club will receive notification about events and great discounts on products and services. More information on prices and styles can be found at ThomasBlondiSalon.com.

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EASY EARTH MONTH SIMPLE CHANGES IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE BY JESSICA BRENT jessica.brent@emyouthemagazine.com A bottle of water. A “meat lover’s” pizza. Your cell phone charger. Although these three items may just sound like components of another boring night with nothing to do, they represent some very powerful things when it comes to the health of our planet. Your bottle of water is a representation of the billion dollar water bottle industry that’s rapidly filling up our landfills with plastic that will not decompose for thousands of years. Your “meat lover’s” pizza is packed with animal byproducts that have ravaged rainforest space in the name of the feeding and over-breeding practices of the meat and dairy industry. Your cell phone charger remains plugged into the wall sucking energy without your cell phone even attached. Don’t wait until Earth Day on April 22 to confront your wasteful ways. Use the month of April to start making real and simple changes in your everyday routine in order to become more Earth-friendly. Find tips and information at TreeHugger. com, Recycle.net and EarthDay. net. Ways to change for a better tomorrow, today, include: Buying organic. Pesticides are used in growing everything from strawberries to the cotton in our T-shirts. Organic choices decrease the power of the pesticide industry, instead giving more control to those promoting

growing practices that do not dump terrible toxins into our air, water and soil. Pesticides poison 110,000 people every year in the U.S. alone. Ditching your plastic bottles of water. Add a filter to your tap today and buy a reusable aluminum bottle to carry with you wherever you go. Slowing down. Take the time to enjoy our planet, observe where you can make positive changes and be as fuel efficient as possible. A slower speed equals a better mile per gallon ratio in your gas tank. Walking somewhere, anywhere. Save gas. Save money. Save our air quality. Choosing a vegetarian option. Switch over one meatfilled meal a week. You will take your daily water consumption of over 4,000 gallons to under 1,000 gallons. Unplugging anything not in use. Stop draining energy you’re not even using. Considering alternative uses for old products. Before you throw items away to sit in a landfill, go online to research their other uses or where they can be donated. Terracycle.net will actually pay you to donate certain “trash” items to be used in the production of their cleaning products, fashion and office supplies. emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

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APRIL

ATHLETICS CALENDAR DATE 4/7/2009 4/8/2009 4/10/2009 4/11/2009 4/11/2009 4/12/2009 4/12/2009 4/13/2009 4/14/2009 4/17/2009 4/17/2009 4/18/2009 4/18/2009 4/18/2009 4/18/2009 4/19/2009 4/22/2009 4/24/2009 4/25/2009 4/26/2009

EVENT Softball Baseball Baseball Softball Baseball Softball Baseball Women’s Tennis Baseball Softball Men’s Track Women’s Tennis Softball Women’s Track Men’s Track Softball Baseball Baseball Baseball Baseball

OPPONENT Oakland (DH) Bowling Green Ohio Central Michigan Ohio Central Michigan Ohio West Virginia Oakland Kent State (DH) EMU Twilight Northern Illinois Buffalo EMU Twilight EMU Twilight Buffalo Cleveland State Northern Illinois Northern Illinois Northern Illinois

LOCATION Varsity Field Oestrike Stadium Oestrike Stadium Varsity Field Oestrike Stadium Varsity Field Oestrike Stadium Chippewa Racquet Club Oestrike Stadium Varsity Field Olds/Marshall Track Chippewa Racquet Club Varsity Field Ypsilanti, Mich. Olds/Marshall Track Varsity Field Oestrike Stadium Oestrike Stadium Oestrike Stadium Oestrike Stadium

TIME 3 p.m. 6:05 p.m. 6:05 p.m. 2 p.m. 3:05 p.m. 1 p.m. 1:05 p.m. Noon 6:05 p.m. 1 p.m. TBD 1 p.m. 2 p.m. TBA TBD 1 p.m. 3 p.m. 6:05 p.m. 3:05 p.m. 1:05 p.m

SUNDAY 04/19/09 @ Rynearson Stadium 1:00 P.M. EMU ATHLETICS EQUIPMENT GARAGE SALE EE! 2:00 P.M. FR SPRING FOOTBALL GAME KICK-OFF POST-GAME AUTOGRAPHS & PHOTOS WITH THE PLAYERS AND COACHES

FIRST ANNUAL EMU ATHLETICS EQUIPMENT GARAGE SALE FOOTBALL JERSEYS, HELMETS SHOES, BASEBALL JERSEYS, MEN’S BASKETBALL JERSEYS, WOMEN’S BASKETBALL JERSEYS, NEW, UNUSED EMU ADIDAS APPAREL

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athletics

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

April

2009

One minute, the

MAC.

THE NEXT, THE

NFL?

BY JEREMY ALLEN jeremy.allen@emyouthemagazine.com

EMU senior inside linebacker Daniel Holtzclaw has been mowing down quarterbacks and running backs for the past four years while wearing the green and white uniform of Eastern Michigan. He’s set records and cemented a legacy for himself as one of the best players to ever call Rynearson Stadium his home field. Holtzclaw hopes to keep plowing through opponents next year, but it won’t be in an Eastern uniform. The 6-foot 1-inch, 246-pound linebacker finished his 47-game career with 437 tackles, second all-time at EMU, and has been preparing for the NFL draft that will take place on April 25 and 26. Holtzclaw hopes to follow in the footsteps of recent NFL draftee and his former Eagle teammate, Jason Jones. Jones was selected in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft. While he doesn’t expect that he’ll be drafted that early, he’s optimistic about his future in professional football. “All I need is an opportunity and a chance to prove myself,” Holtzclaw said. “I was disappointed about not being invited to the combines (NFL workouts for invited, drafteligible players), especially when I felt like I was more deserving [than] some other guys who were invited. But it really just motivates me more and adds more fuel to my fire. I’m determined to succeed.” Despite not being at the combines, Holtzclaw was able to impress NFL scouts

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on multiple occasions since his college career ended. He recently completed a six-week training Test Sports Club in New Jersey. His proximity to the New York Jets organization allowed for Jets personnel to catch wind of Holtzclaw’s work ethic and skill level. “I think being in Jersey did help me get the Jets’ attention,” Holtzclaw said. “I know their scouts regularly called the facility to get information about us and I guess I impressed them with the way I do things. My agent said the Jets were one of about eight teams who expressed interest in me.” He said he doesn’t care where he plays, but if he had the opportunity, he would play love to play alongside Ray Lewis, the player he models his own game after. “Ray Lewis is a great football player,” he said. “He’s intense, he gives it all on every play, he gets the most out of his teammates and he’s a great leader. I’d love to play for the Ravens so I could pick his brain and learn all I can from him.” Holtzclaw’s draft projection has varied over the past two months. Some draft sites predict him being the eighth overall inside linebacker while others have him as low as 21. Some sites state he’ll be drafted as early as the fifth round, while others say there’s a possibility that he’ll go undrafted, but make a NFL roster as a free agent. If Holtzclaw is drafted, he’ll be the thirty-fifth EMU player to play in the NFL and just the sixteenth to be drafted.

athletics

APRIL’S ATHLETIC APPOINTMENTS:

TWO “MUST-ATTEND” EVENTS BY JEREMY ALLEN jeremy.allen@emyouthemagazine.com

SOFTBALL: ATTEND FOR A CAUSE WHO: The Eastern Michigan University softball team WHAT: Fundraising Cancer Benefit and a home run derby following the game. WHEN: Saturday, April 18, 2009, at 2 p.m. during the game against the University of Buffalo Bulls. WHERE: Oestrike Stadium (EMU’s baseball/softball field, free admission). WHY: In addition to holding basket auctions at each of its home games during the season, the Lady Eagles softball team will be selling “Knock Cancer Out of the Park” T-shirts ($10) and bracelets ($5) to help raise money for cancer research. Cancer has been the cause of more than 16 million deaths worldwide over the past two years and the EMU softball team is doing its part to contribute to discovery a cure for this disease. Shirts and bracelets can be purchased at the game. They can also be purchased in advance by contacting assistant coach Eric Oakley at eoakley@emich.edu.

APRIL FOOTBALL MEANS “OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW’ WHO: The Eastern Michigan University football team WHAT: The Annual Green and White Scrimmage, EMU’s spring football game WHEN: Sunday, April 19, 2009, at 2 p.m. WHERE: Rynearson Stadium (free admission). WHY: This is the first chance to check out new-look Eagles and new head coach Ron English. After five years under former coach Jeff Genyk, a new era in EMU football began on Dec. 22, 2008, with the hiring of English. (English was a defensive coordinator at the University of Louisville as well as the University of Michigan before coming to Eastern.) “We’re going to play a tough, hard-nosed style of football and we’re going change a lot of people’s way of thinking about Eastern football,” said English. “This game gives us a chance to evaluate who’s who on our team. We have a good feel for our strengths and weaknesses, but [this game will] showcase what areas we need to address.”

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

E H T F O H T N O M

II OMSKI R T S E m BY JO magazine.co youthe ski@em

joe.stro

Don’t be alarmed if you’r e walking through the ma ll and you see a six-foot guy wearing a bunny outfit minus the head with facial hair fou r days removed from a razor and the smell of corner store vodka on his breath. Don’t be alarmed at all. Just know that Easter’s only a couple weeks away (or a couple days, depend ing on how far away you start smelli ng the vodka). In the spirit of the season , Taste of the Month ho nors that Easter Bunny and the gift baskets he bring s. Here are a few of the best candies to fill your Easter Basket.

our What’s inRy(N EASTEKET?) BAS

ocolate Bunnies Hershey’s Hollow Chcho colate confections a pleasure

Not only are these rich milk sn’t like chocolate?—but to eat—because seriously, who doe . These hollowed eyes they’re also an artistic sight for the a blinged-out Diva s uce prod y bunnies are themed. Hershe candy necklace an edible hair Da’Bunny! complete with a sweet r bunny that’s reading a book bow. They also have The Professo sic Hoppy, also decked out clas and wearing a bowtie and the to-ear smile. He’s just waiting with a yellow bowtie and an earpy ears. for you to take a bite out of his flop

Cadbury Crème Eggs

The Cadbury Crème Eggs might be more synonymous with Easter than the bunny himself. These delicacies are only available during the Easter season and have been around for more than 85 years. Perhaps the most popular of all candy commercials is the 1982 “Chuckling Bunny” campaign that features the crème egg. The egg has an outer layer of milk chocolate and has an inside layer made to look like an actual egg. It has an “egg white” and a “yolk” made of a decadent fondant. The Cadbury Egg isn’t produced by Lays, but I bet you can’t eat just one.

Mix-ups Egg Hunt Favorites/) who don’t eat chocolate, there’s

For the people (read: weirdos sic candies so you’re not left also a unique Easter spin on clas with a goodie-less Easter Basket. traditional small, halved, The Egg Hunt Favorites takes the s, Jolly Ranchers (hard and plastic eggs and fills them with Nerd candies. chewy), Twizzlers and Jelly Belly’s Hunt Favorites in that it fills Egg The Mix-ups are similar to the including Runtz, Nerds and plastic eggs with assorted candy— are much larger. One or two Laffy Taffy—but the Mix-up eggs for an Easter Basket worth of eggs would make sufficient fillers gift for a friend who might be nice a e candy. One egg would mak “too old” for a full basket.

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April

2009

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entertainment “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and every weakest link in your life is an opportunity for growth.”

INVINCIBLE

female rapper shows us what she’s made of Invincible has earned a lot of recognition for her rapid wordplay and her poignant lyrics— and she’s bringing her show to Detroit on April fourth. emYOU! recently had a chance to chat with this one of a kind rapper to see what she had to say. WHAT IS YOUR GIVEN NAME? “Ilana Weaver.” WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE NAME “INVINCIBLE?”

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

BY AMANDA SLATER amanda.slater@emyouthemagazine.com “It was given to me by a friend who I freestyled with in high school. He was a graffiti artist and wanted to find an emcee name for me that began with the letter I, like my born name, but looked good tagged. It used to actually be invincible I. The meaning was originally intended to mean that I was an invincible battle emcee, but over the years it evolved to become something much deeper: what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and every weakest link in your life is an opportunity for growth.” WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM OTHER EMCEES? “I’m a perfectionist—almost to a flaw—that’s why it took so long for my album to come out after years of performing and working in the music world. At the same time, the quality

control shines through in my music. I also tackle topics that most people are scared to touch.” DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC: “Detroit futuristic cinematic bangers with a personal as political lyrical twist.” WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? “I was born in Champagne, Illinois, but my family moved to Israel/ Palestine when I was one to be closer to my grandparents before they passed. My mother is Israeli, and I have dual citizenship—though at this point in my life I identify as antiZionist. I moved to Ann-Arbor when I was seven years old and spent much of my high school years in Detroit and Ypsi at various showcases and open mics. I moved to New York City when I was 17 to join the Anomolies all female Hip-Hop collective. I moved

April

2009

entertainment

back to Michigan in 2002 and have been based in Detroit ever since.” WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO START MAKING MUSIC? “When I moved to Michigan I didn’t speak any English, and Hip-Hop was one of the main ways I learned the language—by memorizing the lyrics and looking up the words I didn’t understand in the dictionary. In elementary school, my best friend and I would make up raps and tape-record them. Eventually in high school I began freestyling and taking the craft seriously—writing and recording every day—and I’ve been addicted ever since.” TELL ME ABOUT THE MESSAGE OF YOUR MUSIC. WHAT IMPACT DO YOU HOPE THEY WILL HAVE ON LISTENERS? “The message of my music is foremost to make good music—so that people can feel it first—then, if they listen closer, the medicine is slipped in. I hope it gets people through their day, and ideally their personal struggles and transformations as well.” WHO INSPIRES YOU? “My crew. The Anomolies have taught me so much and they are a constant inspiration. Several Detroit

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hip-hop artists inspire me—especially Finale, who I work closely with and just released his debut solo album. The Palestinian hip-hop movement is a powerful reminder of the purpose of this music—to express the stories that mainstream media rarely shows. That scene is highlighted in the film ‘Slingshot Hip-Hop.’ Last, but most importantly, Detroit Summer (youth led community organizing project) and the rest of my community in Detroit are my batteries to keep doing what I do.” WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO CREATE YOUR OWN LABEL? “Over the years, several labels have courted me or offered me record deals, and I turned down all of them for various reasons—whether it be lack of creative control, trying to alter my image or market me with gimmicks that didn’t align with my message, or just the simply fact that most record deals take ownership of an artist’s masters and publishing. By starting my record label and media company, EMERGENCE (www. EMERGENCEmusic.net), I was able to self-release my debut album, “ShapeShifters,” without those strings attached as well as create a viable model for how progressive artists can sustain themselves through their

art without making those types of compromises.” WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY DOING? “I’m currently touring constantly. I just got back from performing at the South by Southwest festival in Texas, as well as the Human Rights Film festival in New Orleans. Both festivals also screened my film, ‘Locusts.’ I am currently working on several new film and video projects (‘People Not Places,’ ‘Ropes,’ and ‘The Revival’) which will be released over the next few months.” IF YOU COULD GET ONE MESSAGE ACROSS TO THE WORLD, WHAT WOULD IT BE? “I can’t boil it down to just one, but here’s my top three: 1. Detroit is what the world has to look forward to. 2. Free Palestine (and all other colonized lands). 3. Reinstate Pluto as a planet in the solar system.” IF YOU COULD GIVE LISTENERS OR YOUR FANS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? “Don’t eat venison—I got food poisoning from some last week and it sucked.”

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

entertainment

Movie: Miss March Starring: Zach Cregger, Trevor Moore and Sara Jean Underwood Directors: Zach Cregger, Trevor Moore

3.5 OUT OF 5 TOWERS BY JEREMY ALLEN jeremy.allen@emyouthemagazine.com What’s not to love about a rapper named Horsedick.mpeg, ax-toting firemen and the Playboy mansion? The quirky, adventurous comedy Miss March brings those elements together in the most loving, romantic way possible. Zach Cregger and Trevor Moore— creators of the sketch comedy show The Whitest Kids U Know—directed and starred in this quirky comedy about an abstinent high-schooler, Eugene (played by Cregger), who is coerced into prom night sex by his girlfriend who’s also a virgin. Eugene, obviously nervous about giving it up, seeks the advice of his sexcrazed, Playboy-addicted best friend, Tucker (played by Moore). Tucker’s advice: get drunk then plow her. The first part of the plan goes as follows—but part two, not so much. Eugene is unfortunately introduced to the wrong end of a flight of stairs during his drunken stupor and catches a wrench to the head in the process. The blow knocks him into a coma for four years and, when he awakens, he finds his once-pure girlfriend spread eagle in March’s Playboy. Tucker and Eugene set out on a cross-country journey to catch up with the Playmate and encounter some notso-routine situations in the process. All the while, Tucker is trying to escape his psychotic “girlfriend’s” brother and his band of lawless firefighters after he accidentally (or not so accidentally) repeatedly stabs her in the face with a fork for a biting incident. The basic plot is a typical “friends-on-amission” not unlike Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, the Harold and Kumar series and Dude, Where’s My Car? But it’s the unique encounters and the underlying love story that keep this movie flowing and funny. If you

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

expect the expected in this movie, you’ll be wrong and pleasantly surprised. All in all, it’s a better than average movie and well worth the 90 minutes and price of admission. You don’t have to be a fan of Whitest Kids to appreciate the off-the-wall comedy in this movie, but if you are then you’ll definitely enjoy this one. If you liked this movie, try the “Harold and Kumar” movies and “Dude, Where’s My Car?” Book: The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster by Bobby Henderson

5 OUT OF 5 TOWERS BY JOSEPH STROMSKI II joe.stromski@emyouthemagazine.com As college students, many of us struggle with religious issues or the decision of whether or not to even be religious at all. If you’re one of those people that needs a religion but can’t make up your mind when choosing from the more traditional varieties, I must introduce you to The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. The Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM) is said to be the creator of all life on earth, and his gospel, as provided by prophet Bobby Henderson, has more than enough indisputable evidence to back it up as fact. In the beginning, evidence is provided in the form of charts, pictures and graphs—and if

that isn’t enough to convince you that His Noodly Goodness is the true creator of life, or you’re a scientist/mathematician, there’s a chapter dedicated to proving his existence through mathematical equations. And what would a religion be without holidays? Crap, that’s what! Pastafarianism has its own set of holidays, just like every other religion! Such holidays include Ramendan, International Talk Like a Pirate, Holiday and more! The best thing about FSMism, hands down, has got to be the importance of Pirates and their presence, which plays a key role in keeping global climate change to a minimum. Want to know why? You’ll have to pick up The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and flip to page 26 for the answer. Throughout my reading of this gospel I laughed, I laughed some more and then thought to myself, “How can people believe this? It’s almost as ridiculous as Scientology!” The bottom line is this: there are plenty of different religions out there, and we, as a human race, shouldn’t judge each other for having alternative views. However, I’ve yet to come across a better book than this regarding religion. (Sorry, Jesus.)

April

2009

entertainment Album: Love vs. Money Artist: The-Dream

4 OUT OF 5 TOWERS BY JEREMY ALLEN jeremy.allen@emyouthemagazine.com Despite his annoying patented “Eh-eh-eh” ad lib, this album definitely takes my respect meter for The-Dream to an all-time high. Terius “The-Dream” Nash’s abilities were showcased on his debut album Love/Hate, but now with his sophomore effort, Love vs. Money, The-Dream has made one thing clear: he’s serious, he’ll be here for a long time and he’s a force to be reckoned with. Overall, Love vs. Money is a really solid album. It’s evident that Dream is a superb writer and producer—he’s written and arranged hits such as J. Holliday’s Bed, Mary J. Blige’s Just Fine and Rihanna’s Umbrella (as well as many others), and he writes or co-writes all of his own music. Love vs. Money further showcases Dream’s creative energy. But what truly makes this release so good is Dream’s ability to not only capture listeners with dynamic beats, but also his ability to relate to them with deep messages disguised behind playful, witty commentary. Take, for example, “Walking on the Moon,” an up-tempo track featuring Kanye West in which Dream proclaims, “I’ll pull down a cloud for you / I’ll circle the stars and bring you one back.” Anywhere else, this line is almost laughable, but with Love vs. Money, it just works. Everything “just works.” Whether it’s the heavy synthesizers on the album’s first single “Rockin’ That Thang,” the pounding of the 808s on the sexy “Put It Down,” the raging hi-hat on “Love vs. Money” or the message of a

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woman’s desire for material things in the album’s standout track “Fancy,” this album just works. And, of course, a Lil’ Jon beat (“Let Me See the Booty”) and a few cameos (Kanye and Mariah Carey, the only vocal cameos apparent on the album) don’t hurt either. The-Dream has worked wonders before. He wrote “Umbrella” in less than 20 minutes, and the entire Love/Hate album in just over a week. But it’s Love vs. Money in which he has produced his best collective work. Get this album. You won’t have any regrets. The only negative thing I can say about it is that every song has that “TheDream feel” to it. He rarely strayed away from his unique style. But then again, that’s what makes him Movie: The Watchmen Starring: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino and Stephen McHattie Director: Zack Snyder

2.5 OUT OF 5 TOWERS BY AMANDA SLATER amanda.slater@emyouthemagazine.com Right up front I’ll admit that I’m no graphic novel junkie. And no, I did not read The Watchmen. But, say what you want about graphic novels, making “Time” magazine’s list of the top 100 best novels of all time isn’t too shabby. So I’ll start out with the good news: for the most part my Watchmen-savvy friends seemed to approve of the 162 minute screen adaptation of the graphic novel. They applauded the meticulous accuracy of

the characters’ appearances and the way in which the film included many of the novel’s complex story-lines, breaking them down in an easy to understand manner. Some even went so far as to say that the film did the novel justice in every way possible given the limitations inherent in a commercial film. And since I didn’t read the novel, I’ll have to take their word for it. However, I found the film--with the exception of the opening scene—to be quite a disappointment. Perhaps the film’s biggest flaw is it doesn’t deliver on it’s promise. The previews promise a film depicting a set of vigilante anti-heroes in the midst of the gritty “real” world. However, this is largely derailed by the inclusion of Dr. Manhattan in the lineup—a bald, blue, supernatural being who instantly dissolves any thread of reality with his cartoon-character appearance, limitless powers and occasional trips to the planet mars (not to mention the fact that he inexplicably walks around entirely naked for the majority of the film). Secondly, while the story is expected to be dark, it quickly moves to disturbing in its numerous scenes of overly graphic violence in addition to a couple borderlinepornographic sex-scenes. And, although Jackie Earle Haley’s version of the masked narrator, Rorschach, is both complex and brilliant, its profundity is robbed by the overall cliché performance of the other actors. However, nothing could top the contrived, yet predictable, ending—which all but entirely ruins the film, taking away any supremacy it claimed over the likes of super-hero films such as the bizarre X-men sequels or the unfortunate 2008 version of The Incredible Hulk. If you liked this movie, try “X-Men” or “Superman Returns.”

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

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HOROSCOPES

horoscopes

BY MARISSA STAPLES marissa.staples@emyouthemagazine.com

ARIES

In everything you do you want to be top dog. But first, you have to mix things up a little. Once the chase is over, attack your lover in the bedroom. Don’t go for the same old boring routine. It’s time to pull out the stunt book and make your first action flick—if you know what I mean. (Not for public release!) Lucky Numbers: 6, 9, 17

TAURUS

You’re in a power struggle with your own life. Your mind is leading you one way while events are pulling you in the other direction. Regain control! Step back and view things in terms of the longrun. What will really matter in the end? Examine every facet of your life and once again you will become the commander in chief. Look to your lover for comfort. Lucky Numbers: 4, 16, 26

GEMINI

Where you are right now is not where you have to be. Look at your situation, analyze it and change the details you don’t like. Stop making the same mistakes. You’re singing the same song and everyone is changing the channel but you. See this project all the way through to completion. Do not give up. Someone is counting on you… Lucky Numbers: 2, 21, 30

CANCER

Feeling crabby lately? Grab the girls or guys because it’s time for a road trip. School is almost out meaning you’re almost stressfree. Relieve the extra tension by lying on a beach—manmade or real, it will be hot and someone will be looking at you. Lucky Numbers: 12, 15, 24

LEO

SAGITTARIUS

VIRGO

CAPRICORN

You love to live in the limelight. Applause and appreciation are your greatest rewards. However, it’s time to curb your impulsive behavior. Spontaneous bursts of action are not going to get you anywhere this month. Any action you take now should be serious and geared toward your future. Follow these rules and, in the end, the applause will be much greater. Lucky Numbers: 10, 14, 20

Virgos love hard work. This month dive into as many projects as possible, leaving your mark everywhere you go. It may seem like a lot, but whatever you touch this month will turn to gold. Plus the boss is looking to move you into a higher position. No time to slow down now. Lucky Number: 13, 29, 36

LIBRA

Good manners do get you far. Your lover wants to take you home to meet Mama. Wear purple or green and your appearance will amaze. Speak with sophistication and so will your verbal skills. Your ideas about social well-being will definitely win them over. Good luck! Lucky Numbers: 7, 25, 42

SCORPIO

Aggression is getting the best of you. Time to take a step back and open your ears. If you actually start listening to the people who you think are wrong, the answers to all your questions will be revealed. Your problems will resolve and life will return to normal—minus those unwanted people who started the mess. Lucky Numbers: 1, 5, 22

Blind dates are normally not preferred, but what have you got to lose? Even though this date may not have you signing up to appear on “Whose Wedding Is It Anyway,” it will give you a sense of what to look for and what not to look for in a long-term partner. And if you think you already have someone special waiting at home, it may be time to think again, Sweetie. Lucky Numbers: 19, 45, 47

Beyonce may love your big ego, but we don’t. Your beauty, realism and wisdom are the qualities that set you apart. But the way you flaunt your elite status is a turn-off. Good things will come your way, but only if you reduce the size of your ego just a little bit. Lucky Numbers: 11, 18, 33

AQUARIUS

Your college fame is about to take you to new heights. You love the spotlight and want more. Your strategy may not be working as you planned, but you’re still on track. Keep up the good work. Before the month is over you will have gained a genuine fan base with a little TV time. This will give you all the motivation you need to keep pushing forward. Lucky Numbers: 27, 33, 35

PISCES

Just when you thought the drama was over, things are starting to get out of hand. Your schedule is crazy and everyone wants your time, even the people who would never give up their time for you. Take pity upon yourself and shut them out! The phrase for the month is “me time.” Stick to it. Lucky Numbers: 3, 23, 28

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARIES & TAURUS!! WWW.EMYOUTHEMAGAZINE.COM

emYOU! THE MAGAZINE

“REAL WORLD”

GRADUATES, WELCOME TO THE

the perfek storm

It’s sure been a wild ride, hasn’t it? Now, after just four to eight years of cheating during exams and plagiarizing your research papers, you’re finally prepared to accept a semi-worthless piece of paper and ready to live roommate-less. Congratulations. Welcome to the real world, bitches. Now, get me a fucking Vernors and a slice of pecan pie. Warm up the pie, too. Guess what? Even though you “earned” a degree, you’re still going to have to rely on a roommate and probably a second job. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the economy is struggling harder than a Canadian trying to resist mayonnaise. (Go jingoism!) You’re pretty much fucked … and not in the good, messy, sweaty way. With any luck, either your parents are rich, or you spent your collegiate years honing your drug dealing skills. Otherwise, I’m sorry. Oh, I know you’re the hardest worker ever and some lucky employer will realize the importance of some snot-nosed brat who just climbed through an academic obstacle course. Surely those in management will be able to justify hiring some 22-year-old know-it-all douche bag in the midst of hundreds of company-wide layoffs. Certainly you’ll be that one that shines too brightly to pass up. But for the rest of you, I’m sorry. Nobody is safe … except for like Oprah, Bilal Saeed and gang leaders. And if that news isn’t bad enough, the whole “emo” thing doesn’t really play well in the real world. Why? Because nobody gives a shit. Then again, your job at the movie store is arguably one of the 20 most desirable careers at this point in time. Touche, emo kids. Well done. Luckily though, it’s not just emo kids swiping up all the prime jobs. You can land a decent gig, too. You just have to come out with a lower set of standards. Because I love my reader(s), I’ll try to help you find a career that matches your major. To be clear, I’m only going to do like four or five. I don’t care about you that much.

MARKETING PROS: Opportunity for seasonal overtime. Get to dress like Uncle Sam or Statue of Liberty. Good for those who crave limelight. Dancing is always fun. CONS: Slow times when accountants don’t need sign-holders waving at traffic. Can be dangerous. Tough to take the turf of a seasoned prostitute.

COMPUTER SCIENCE PROS: Chance to work from home. Create own schedule. Job freedom. CONS: Living in parents’ basement. Sexual encounters nonexistent. You don‘t get paid for giving out Facebook flair.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROS: Relatively easy days. Power feels good. Opportunity to meet single mothers. CONS: Orange vest makes you look fat. Might wield power, but nobody really respects crossing guards. Street cred surprisingly minimal for someone who controls the street.

EDUCATION PROS: Summer vacations. Sick days. CONS: Have to brainwash kids with hopes of a future. Must explain to parents their child is a failure and will never amount to anything.

JOURNALISM PROS: N/A CONS: Work bizarre hours. Always on call. Little compensation. Everybody hates you. Nobody believes you. Lack of skill can relegate you to back page column in free magazine.

Send questions, comments and pecan pie recipes to theperfekstorm@gmail.com.

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