Temple Grandin, namesake of HBO movie, to speak at TCC

Claire Danes and Temple Grandin (January 25, 2010 - Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images North America)

 I was channel surfing at home on Friday when I came upon a movie that was just starting on HBO. The movie  "Temple Grandin" immediately got my attention. I had never heard of it, but I was fascinated as I watched the story unfold. I'll let you watch the trailer for yourself, but let me just share that it is an amazing story based on the real-life events of Temple Grandin, a woman with autism who has heavily influenced animal husbandry.

Fastforward to Monday. I couldn't believe what I saw: a flier promoting the speaking engagement of the Temple Grandin. Not Claire Danes, the actress who played Temple in the movie, but the real Dr. Temple Grandin. She will speak about "Animals, Autism, and Visual Thinking" at the TCC VanTrease PACE on March 6. Proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit the Dr. Jan Weaver Veterinary Technology Scholarship, which provides funds to students in the TCC Veterinary Technology Program.

Grandin's life is fascinating. She didn't speak until she was 4 years old, and now she holds a doctorate degree. She never let autism limit her. If you have the opportunity, watch the movie and come hear the inspiring words from this fearless woman.

7 p.m. March 6
VanTrease Performing Arts Center for Education
Adults: $25
Students: $10
For tickets: 918-595-7777 or http://www.myticketoffice.com

Get your grub on

So. You have 30 minutes before your next class, and you're starving. What's a poor college student to do? Raid the vending machine? Scrounge around in your pockets for leftover tater tots? I say, "No!"

TCC has some great places to grab a bite if you get the munchies between classes. At Metro Campus, Bill & Ruth's is the place to get an old-fashioned burger and fries or a fresh salad. At Northeast Campus, Subway has your sandwich of choice. At Southeast Campus, hang out at The Hub for some Bill & Ruth's grub. At West Campus, delight your taste buds at the Upper Crust.

Here are some campus maps to guide you in your quest for food:
Metro Campus
Northeast Campus
Southeast Campus
West Campus

FYI: Most of the restaurants are located in the Student Union areas/buildings.

Celebrate the man who changed our world

Today is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and I am so proud to work at a place that closes for the holiday. When I was growing up in rural Oklahoma, this holiday was not given the recognition it needed. I am so glad to now be part of a culture that fully recognizes, appreciates and celebrates this day and the great man for whom it was named.

I'm not going to try to summarize Dr. King's life or his accomplishments or his amazing mind and spirit here. But if you want to learn more, visit The King Center.

Watch 'I Have A Dream' speech

TCC to hold MLK Day of Service event Saturday

Do you want to do something this year to celebrate and carry out Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s message? TCC is having a free, public event to educate adults and children about the importance of literacy on Saturday. From 10 a.m. to noon, TCC's event, Words of Change, will take place in the Fitness Center at the Northeast Campus.

Words of Change is open to anyone who wants to learn how reading and writing can be fun and engaging. There will be poetry performances, games, art projects, poetry writing tips and more. Plus, everyone will leave with a free book.

This event is a result of the U.S. Congress designating the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service.

10 steps to make a notes buddy the first day of class

The first day of class can be a bit awkward. Making a friend/notes buddy eases the tension by breaking the ice and giving you someone to contact in case you can't make it to class for some important reason. So what are the steps to making the connection without seeming like a stalker?

1. Wear clothes that reflect what a college student should wear. Don't overdress or under dress.
2. Get to class about 5-10 minutes early to get the advantage of a good seat by a potential notes buddy.
3. Make eye contact with another student when you enter the room and sit by that person. However, if there are 20 seats in the room and only two people in the room, don't sit RIGHT beside that person. That would just be weird.
4. Smile, and say "hi."
5. Chances are the other person is uneasy, too, so don't be alarmed by a few moments of silence.
6. If you have any information on the professor or class, share it. He or she will appreciate your input and may contribute information that you were unaware of.
7. Again, silence can be golden. Don't feel you have to talk constantly.
8. After class, ask the potential notes buddy if he or she would like to exchange contact information in case one of you can't come to class.
9. Be content with a phone number or email address. You just met this person. It may be too soon for Facebooking.
10. Only make that first call to the notes buddy when you actually need their notes. Calling just for the heck of it isn't allowed until you get to know each other a little better.

Keep those New Year's fitness resolutions with these tips

Guest blogger Amy Leach gives us some tips on keeping those New Year's fitness resolutions.

Amy Leach is the Fitness Center Manager at TCC's Metro Campus.

Sure, we all usually make resolutions every year, but why don’t they usually stick? How can some keep them and others (the majority of us) forget about them by the time March rolls around? 

Well, according to some experts, people often make three mistakes. These include: making too big and unrealistic goals, such as, “I want to lose 50 pounds by spring break”; telling the wrong people about your goals, such as those people who might put unwanted pressure on you and in turn make you feel guilty; and not focusing on why exactly you want to reach a certain goal. Finding the true reason behind your resolutions can assist in keeping your motivation in achieving them, such as “I want to lose 15 pounds because I want to be able to play with my kids without getting out of breath.”

One way to assist in setting and keeping resolutions is to make them SMART – specific, measurable, attainable, rewarding and timely. Be very specific, write down your goals, and keep them in plain sight, such as by your computer or on your refrigerator. 

Remember, setbacks will occur but don’t give up! Just because a resolution ends up being broken does not mean that your goal will not be accomplished. Everyone falls short from time-to-time, so keep your head up and keep moving along. Ready, set, go!

Talk about amazing

I've never met Ashley Jones, but I imagine she is pretty amazing. I saw a news report from the Newson6 today featuring this soldier and TCC student who recently was awarded the Purple Heart. She lost her right foot and broke both her back and pelvis while serving in Afghanistan.

There isn't anything I can write on this blog that you can't see from this news report. So, I'm gonna stop and let you see for yourself:

Cleveland anxious to have injured Purple Heart soldier return home