September 1,2015

Richland

CHRONICLE Vol. XLII Issue 2 Sept 1, 2015

Welcome, Thunderducks! Here’s your map Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com

Official Richland Chronicle Outlets

@ChronicleDCCCD

2 CAMPUS

September 1, 2015

Images courtesy kinepharma.es

Image courtesy adelgazarrapido.com

Volunteers will be needed as students and faculty participate in the 2015 Suicide Prevention 3K Walk for Awareness next week.

Center needs volunteers for walk MARTA PLANELLS Editor-in-chief

Richland College Counseling Services is looking for volunteers to participate in the 2015 Suicide Prevention 3K Walk for Awareness that will take place from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Sept.10 on campus.

They need people to help with public relations to direct participants the day of the walk.

They also need people who will help create posters.

Artists may be part of what counseling ser-

vices calls “semicolon station.”

Tameca Minter, counselor, said there will be a station at the walk to get henna tattoos representing a semicolon. That is part of Project Semicolon, a non-profit movement dedicated to help those struggling with depression, addiction or self-injury.

The center is also looking for volunteers to encourage people to finish the walk. It’s what Minter calls “cheerleaders.”

The event is open to everyone on campus, not necessarily people who suffer from depression or other dysfunctional problems. For those students who are part of the Dual Pro-

gram or the Honors Academy and they need to get credit for their volunteer hours, they will need to fill out an online form at the Service Learning website in order to get credit.

Minter said that even if students can’t attend the walk because of class schedules, the counseling center will need volunteers beforehand to work on the event setting.

To provide more information to those who may be interested in the event, the center will be having information sessions for volunteers from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday and 3 to 4 p.m.

Also, from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday and 3 to 4 p.m. Sept. 4.

Seasonal changes, pressure at job or school, family, lack of motivation, homesickness, some sort of trauma... Any of those factors can lead to depression.

What many people don’t know is that depression may be made worse by food.

Tameca Minter, counselor at Richland, said depression is the most common problem she finds on campus.

Her recommendations to avoid that down feeling that almost everyone has experienced at least once start with making a change on food-habits.

Reducing fast food intake, fried food and saturated fats and replacing them with more fruits and vegetables would be a good start. Healthy foods have an effect on the brain and help to fight those chemicals that may help cause depression.

Increasing Vitamin D intake is another step that one can take when feeling depressed. Before making any changes on diet or taking any supplemental vitamins, however, everyone needs to consult with their doctor, said Minter.

Richland briefs Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com

Dancers needed for auditions The Richland Dance Department is looking for dancers who perform contemporary modern, jazz, tap and hip-hop styles. All students are eligible to audition from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

Friday in the gym, Studio G027, for the casting of “Americana.” The production will start at 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 6 in the Performance Hall.

Gina Sawyer, dance professor and choreographer, said those who audition should wear comfortable clothing in order to move freely and be prepared to stay the entire time.

Rehearsals will be held during the day throughout the semester.

Sawyer said she welcomes those auditioning to bring a friend who dances.

“If you can perform leaps and turns, wear jazz shoes,” Sawyer said. “If you tap, bring tap shoes.”

Guest artist, professional choreographer, dancer and teacher Lonnie Hightower will also take part in “Americana.” He has choreographed and danced with such companies as New York Baroque, Dallas Black Dance Theater 1st Company and Contemporary Ballet Dallas.

Hightower’s credits also include “American Idol,” “So You Think You Can Dance” and commercials. He performed in such musicals as “The Festival of the Lion King,” “Hair” and “Smokey Joe’s Café.” Hightower is currently assistant director

at Power House of Dance in Dallas and Frisco.

Sawyer said the faculty will teach the choreography for the “Americana” dance performances and that the more available dancers are, the better the chance they will get into the show.

For more information, call Sawyer at 972-238-3775.

Richland Health Center The Richland Health Center provides health services and wellness programs to current students, employees and the Richland community to promote optimal health.

Students do not need to be ill to come to the health center.

They can discuss special concerns with registered nurses. No personal information is released without permission, unless required by law.

Hours: Monday – Thursday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Closed Saturday and Sunday Thunderduck Hall, Room T110 Phone: 972-238-6135 Email: richealthcenter@dcccd.edu www.richlandcollege.edu/health

International film series Richland International Film Series launches on Sept. the 10th. The first film will be “The Hundred Foot Journey,” A heartwarming drama with comedy that tells about the clash of two very different culinary cultures.

Sabine Hall, S117 Hours: 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Hosted by: Language Center and Richland Library For more info call: 972-238-6901

Learning Center open house Students are invited to stop by the Learning Center on Monday, Aug. 31 and Tuesday, Sept. 1 to learn about the variety of support resources available such as tutoring, workshops and service learning. Teachers are encouraged to bring their classes for a brief orientation.

Medina M216. From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

DCCCD looking for student bloggers Selected student bloggers will write at least three posts during the Fall 2015 semester. The posts will be added to the district’s blog and may also be included in the eNewsletter and on social media. More information at http://blog.dcccd.edu/

CAMPUS 3

September 1, 2015

Places at Richland you should know about BLANCA REYES Photography Editor

Starting college is one of the most significant events in anyone’s life.

Sometimes students face additional difficulties, especially in a community college where many of the undergraduates are nontraditional.

Being part of Richland has several benefits, however. The college offers free services that every student on campus should know about and take advantage of to make the college experience the best it can be.

Here are a few places that students should become familiar with at the beginning of the semester or anytime: The Office of Student Life (OSL) offers many resources. Students will find information about extra- and co-curricular activities there. The Brazos Gallery and the Student Lounge are OSL facilities intended to encourage a social environment for Richland’s community.

The OSL also provides students with a student ID card, which is required for several services around campus. On the OSL page at the Richland website, students can find a list of places where they can use their student ID to receive discounts. For more information about all the services offered in this office visit richlandcollege.edu/office-of-student-life/, or call 972-238-6130 or stop by El Paso Hall, Room E040.

Another benefit of being a Thunderduck

is access to a counseling center located in El Paso Hall, Room E082. Richland counselors offer services to registered students involving not only school issues but also about family and personal issues.

“Our services are free for all students. Participation is definitely encouraged because it is about building a counseling relationship,” Richland counselor Tameca Minter said.

“Our services are free for all students. Participation is definitely encouraged because it is about building a counseling relationship.”

— Tameca Minter Minter said that the counseling team wants to encourage students to stop by, send emails or even talk by phone to get informed about all the help that they can find here.

The team can offer help with different problems such as adjustment issues, relationships and family concerns, drug and alcohol problems, stress/time management, test anxiety, depression and anxiety, anger management, conflict life choices, death or loss and

community referrals and others.

Minter said the services are free and confidential, not only for students but faculty and staff members.

“We also offer consultation to faculty and staff members,” Minter said.

Richland is known for having a large number of student veterans. In counseling services they can find resources to be successful in college.

For more information call 972-238-3771 or visit richlandcollege.edu/counseling-services.

In addition to emotional health, physical health is important. That’s why students can stop by Richland health center, (Room T110 in Thunderduck Hall) to receive preventative care, evaluations, blood pressure, and weight and vision checks. Students 18 or older can also receive over-the-counter medications for minor ailments such as headaches at no cost.

Martha Burgess, nurse and supervisor at the health center, said that because Richland is a community college, it does not offer health insurance to students; however, if any student needs more complex health care, health center can provide information about low-cost clinics.

“We evaluate the person that comes in and if we feel like they need to see a doctor and they don’t have a personal physician … we have those low-cost health facilities or clinics that we refer them to,” Burgess said.

If students feel tired, they can rest in the rooms located inside the health center, Burgess said.

According to Burgess, Richland students

STUDENT VIEWPOINTS

do not need to be sick to stop by. Call 972238-6136 or visit richlandcollege.edu/health-service to receive a complete list of the health services available for Richland students, faculty and staff.

Another important place for a successful college experience is the career center. Some of the most important services that students or any member of the community can receive here are résumé and cover letter writing, free résumé faxing and emailing, career choices, assisstance finding jobs and internships.

Administrative clerk Jeffery Brow said that the office offers a college choices assessment test, which helps to determine what major or career best fits every individual.

For more information stop by El Paso Hall, Room E090, call 972-238-6967 or visit richlandcollege.edu/career-services.

It’s well known that sometimes college classes are not easy, so Richland has a free tutoring service in the learning center. It is located in Medina Hall, Room M227. Students can find help in such subjects as reading, writing, math and government, among others. Volunteers and faculty staff offer these services to any registered student.

Appointments are encouraged, but walkins are welcome and served immediately if tutors are available.

These are just a few of the services that Richland offers to its community to make college classes a fun and productive learning experience. For questions about other services contact OSL. They are there to refer students to the right resource.

BACK TO SCHOOL

What do you like about Richland?

Jawad Almajidi Returning ESOL student

What do you think about the long lines that you see here at Richland?

“It’s

pretty shocking, probably because people waited for [the] last minute.”

What are your expectations for this year?

“Have Karen Chico New RCHS student

Eduardo Briones New Nursing student

good grades, meet friends that I can do homework with.”

— Bertille Eya Maffo

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com

“Everything; I like the classes, the services, the teachers because when I don’t understand, they explain. I like all people here because they are nice; when I need help, they help me.”

4 ENTERTAINMENT

RICKY MILLER Entertainment Editor

Here are my favorite films of the summer of 2015: “Woman in Gold” — Helen Mirren (“The Queen,” “RED”) stars as a World War II survivor fighting to get back the painting that was taken from her many a year ago. Also stars Ryan Reynolds (“The Proposal,” “Van Wilder”) and Katie Holmes (TV’s “Dawson’s Creek,” Sam Raimi’s “The Gift”). Grade: A “Kingsman: The Secret Service” — Fun little spoof of modern day spy movies and the like finds Oscar-winner Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech,” “Love Actually”) squaring off against Samuel L. Jackson’s (“Unbreakable,” “Pulp Fiction”) Billy Ray Valentine, who speaks with a funky little lisp. A“Mad Max: Fury Road” — Tom Hardy slides into the shoes once occupied by Mel Gibson many a year prior. At his side is Charlize Theron (“Monster,” “The Devil’s Advocate”) and Nicholas Hoult (“About a Boy,” “X-Men: Days of Future Past”). A-

September 1, 2015

“Going Clear: Scientology and The Prison of Belief ” — Very intriguing documentary from director Alex Gibney that takes a look at the inner workings of the Church of Scientology. If one thought they had a favorable opinion about Tom Cruise, they will change their mind after watching this intriguing documentary. A“Shaun The Sheep Movie” — Fun flick from Aardman, the studio behind “Wallace and Gromit” as well as “Chicken Run.” B+ “Infinitely Polar Bear” — Mark Ruffalo (“The Avengers,” “Zodiac”) stars as a struggling manic-depressive father trying to take care of his two daughters. With Zoe Saldana as his wife, Maggie. B+ “Avengers: Age of Ultron” — The gang assemble to fight Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) creation of the A.I. robot simply known as Ultron (voiced by James Spader). B+ “Ant-Man” — Paul Rudd joins the Marvel Universe as a character whose name he does not like in the least. Also stars Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly. B+

‘The Phantom Pain’: Revenge best served cold metal ISAI DIAZ Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com

Staff Writer

The name of the “Phantom Pain” game is by definition, pain.

“Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain,” which is now available, takes place a few months after “Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker” ended. The wait between those two games was five years.

With “Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes” last year, we had a small taste of what we can expect in the new game. In “Ground Zeroes,” there was a new character known as “Skull Face,” leader of Cipher who attacked mother base during the main mission of the game. It is a prologue to “Phantom Pain,” introducing new game mechanics and to give a hint what director/producer/designer/ co-writer Hideo Kojima’s idea of an open

world game will be.

In what is most likely the last “Metal Gear” game that he will work on with Konami, which owns the franchise, players will assume the role of a mangled John (aka, Naked Snake, Big Boss, and now Punished/ Venom Snake) losing his left arm and, with a shard of metal implanted in his skull, now motivated by revenge.

One of the new features to this game is more “open” ways you can complete missions in game day/night cycle.

Tagging and Reflex Mode let players track and react to enemies much easier, but can be turned off at any time.

This is also the first time players will bring A.I. (Artificial intelligence) “buddies” to the battlefield.

As for the story, we will see the downfall of Snake in his mission for revenge and the missing part of the “Metal Gear” timeline.

“Mr. Holmes” — Ian McKellen re-teams with his “Gods and Monsters” director Bill Condon for this take on Sherlock Holmes and one last case. B+ “McFarland, USA” — Kevin Costner plays a struggling coach who assembles a track team of runners who hope to become champions in a southern California high school. B+ One of the most notable runners-up was the Brian Wilson Beach Boys tale, “Love & Mercy” with John Cusack and Elizabeth Banks.

I also had a good time with the unnecessary sequel/update featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Terminator: Genisys” and his lead role in the zombie drama “Maggie,” the betterthan-the-original sequel “Jurassic World,” the real-life-urban-slice-of-life drama “Straight Outta Compton,” the Amy Schumer-led “Trainwreck,” the rescue dog saga “Max,” the boxing drama “Southpaw,” the Cold War comedy “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” “Ex Machina,” the fast, fun ride of “Furious 7,” the con artist saga “Focus” and the vampire documentary spoof, “What We Do in the Shadows.”

SPORTS 5

September 1, 2015

Women’s Soccer

Vs.

UNT Club Saturday 7 p.m.

Richland

Vs.

Tyler Sept. 8 7 p.m.

Tyler Men’s Soccer

Vs.

Tyler Jr. College Today 7 p.m.

Tyler

Vs.

Johnson Co. CC Thursday 8 p.m.

Richland

Thunderducks smash opponents BLANCA REYES

Vs.

Photography Editor

The Richland men’s soccer team smashed Jacksonville College with an impressive 7-0 win Thursday night.

The T-Ducks totally dominated from the beginning with a non-stop barrage of goals.

They scored six of the seven goals during the first half.

“Our boys were very excited. Our boys were very fired up … so we came out and played very well,” head coach Sean Worley said.

Richland played its first game Aug. 21 against Coastal Bend College and lost in overtime 2-1.

“We said ‘Hey, we have to be better. We have to be more prepared. We had to be more intense. We have to be ready,’” Worley said.

At press time, the Thunderducks were scheduled to have their third match at Richland against Hill College Friday night.

“We played them [Hill College]. It’s going to be a fun, competitive game,” Worley said.

For more information about the players, coaches, schedule and results, visit richlandcollege.edu/athletics/mens-socceror stop by Guadalupe Hall, Room G116.

San Jacinto Monday 1 p.m San Jacinto Volleyball

Vs.

Cisco College

Today 6 p.m.

Richland

Vs.

Isai Velasquez, bottom, defends the ball against the Jacksonville team

Arlington Baptist College

Thursday 6 p.m.

Arlington

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com

Staff photos Blanca Reyes

Danny Barnard, center, scores one of Richland’s seven goals during Fridays’s game.

6 OPINION

September 1, 2015

Professor concerned by campus carry JOYCE JACKSON Copy Editor

North Lake College journalism professor Joanna Cattanach recently wrote a scathing column that appeared in The Dallas Morning News (DMN) stating that the Texas campus carry law is “bad news” for community colleges.

I happen to agree with her. Cattanach said that for the first time in her teaching career she will actually fear her students come August 2017 when the law takes effect.

We assume that community colleges are safe places to be, but in reality are they really any safer than a movie theater, restaurant, library or any public meeting place?

First, how are we going to be sure that everyone carrying a concealed handgun is at least 21 and that they actually took the CHL course? Unless a person is asked to show proof, there’s no way to know. It’s been said that certain areas of the campus, such as the area around Richland’s Collegiate High School may be declared a gun-free zone, but that will be up to administrators, staff and perhaps students.

Cattanach’s column spurred some different responses from DMN readers: one in Arlington, Flower Mound and Dallas. They all attacked her for having such fears.

A guy from Arlington wrote that he thought she was paranoid about her future students and that the requirements for a handgun li-

cense are supposed to be for people who are “responsible citizens.” Yeah, sure, until some nutcase goes berserk after leaving his shrink’s office. In addition, he thought her response was based on emotion.

A man from Flower Mound who teaches at Brookhaven College said that Cattanach seems to be afraid of her students. At his school the campus has a plan with practice drills for any emergencies.

Students would be moved to a safer location; that is, unless someone with an AK-47 is standing right in front of you shootImage courtesy gclker.com ing. Then, all hell breaks loose.

Finally, someone from Dallas wrote that since Cattanach thinks many students are inner-city residents coming from areas where violence is common, campus carry would encourage students to bring that kind of rage to the campus. Yet, we’re all in danger every day as long as we’re running around doing errands or whatever. None of us can be housebound every minute of every day, so it depends on individuals and their mental state as to whom we confront in our day-to-day

activities.

I’m still not crazy about campus carry on community college campuses. I do think, however, at other places of business such as airports, concerts, buildings and sports events, if everyone is checked when entering, the public will feel safer because they are sure no one has a gun except the police.

Just this week, the Regal Cinemas movie chain, which also owns Edwards and United Artists cinemas, is starting to check bags at the front door in California. We’ll see if that eventually applies to Texas. I assume that means large purses, too. If I see someone, especially a 20-something guy, walking into a movie theater with a backpack, I would tend to be suspicious and fearful. He just might be a student, however, getting off a bus and having no place to leave his backpack.

Searching through a woman’s huge purse for dangerous items will also produce all the goodies she has in it for her five kids to nibble on instead of wasting a lot of money on junk food at the theater. According to Regal’s website, however, no food or drink will be allowed into the theater, so one wonders if moms will have to dispose of it or what.

So, we’re not anywhere near finished with the controversy over campus carry, although each campus will have to decide how to deal with it. For the time being, we’ll just all be sitting ducks and hope we have a lot of happy, well-adjusted students on our campus who are only interested in learning and becoming productive members of society.

FACULTYVIEWPOINTS

CAMPUS CARRY

Joanna Cattanach, professor at North Lake College, wrote a column expressing her fear of students after the campus carry law goes into effect in 2017. Do you have an opinon about campus carry?

Richland

CHRONICLE STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS Editor-in-Chief Online Editor Photography Editor Entertainment Editor Copy Editor

Marta Planells Joe Stumpo Blanca Reyes Ricky Miller Joyce Jackson

ON THE COVER Map by Lisa Grippo

COVER AND FONTS Certain cover fonts are provided by the following: www.nymfont.com - www.bvfonts.com

STUDENT MEDIA STAFF Isai Diaz

Abraham Igene Quan Tran Bertille Eya Maffo

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS Erica Edwards Jack Fletcher David Goodloe

Steve Noviello Larry Ratliff Tim Jones

ISSUE DATES

September 1 September 8 September 15 September 22 September 29 October 6 October 13

October 20 October 27 November 10 November 17 November 24 December 8 December 15

AWARDS

ACP Pacemaker Winner, 2000, 2001, 2007 ACP Pacemaker Finalist, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007 ACP Online Pacemaker Finalist, 2007, 2008 1st Place - TIPA Sweepstakes, 2005 3rd Place - TIPA Online, 2005 & 2006 Over 170 Texas college journalism awards since 2000 CMA Newspaper of the Year Finalist, 2014 1st Place – TCCJA Overall General Excellence, 2014 2nd Place - Pinnacle College Media Award, 2014

CONTACT INFORMATION

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com

El Paso Hall, Room E-020, 12800 Abrams Rd. Dallas, 75243 Newsroom: 972-238-6079 E-mail: richanchronicle@gmail.com Advertising: 972-238-6068 E-mail: advertise@dcccd.edu Fax: 972-238-6037

Staff meetings for fall semester: Monday and Wednesday at 2 p.m. in E-020

Dr. Michael Crawford Director of choral music

Zoltan Szabo Computer science professor

“I think open carry compromises our ability to keep people safe. This whole thing about the good guys and the bad guys, this is not the Old West.”

“My biggest concern about it is the veterans ... We had some situations where they [veterans] duck under the table when a cellphone goes off.”

Dr. Fred Newbury Economics professor

“It may change the classroom atmosphere in some way. The idea of having to worry about that while you’re teaching a class just adds a whole new dimension.”

Zelda Smith Volleyball coach

“It’s kind of scary.

As an instructor, I’ve been attending classes at Richland on how to understand our students. These students are under a lot of stress.”

Letter Policy Letters to the editor may be edited for space. They will be edited for spelling, grammar and malicious or libelous statements.

Letters must be the work of the writer and must be signed. For identification and verification purposes, letters also must include the writer’s classification (grade level), full name, address and telephone number, although address and telephone number will not be published.

Editorial Policy The Chronicle is the official student-produced newspaper of Richland College. Editorials, cartoons, columns and letters are the opinions of individual students and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of other individual student writers, editors, advisers or the college administration. © Richland Chronicle 2015

Scared straight: A junk food junkie sees the lite

Staff illustration Isai Diaz

JOE STUMPO Online Editor

On July 15, 2015, “a day that will live in infamy,” my family members, a few close friends and a couple of co-workers wondered if I had a death wish. I learned what happens when I put work, personal problems, the college newspaper and classes, among other things, before controlling my diabetes through diet and exercise.

As a result of not taking my medications on a daily basis for several months and not checking my blood sugar level, thinking I was immortal and eating whatever I liked, I enjoyed a

“Maybe local emergency rooms just don’t get many patients with a blood sugar level over 1,200 who live to tell about it.” rapid 5 to 10-pound a week weight loss without actually doing anything to properly lose the weight. As a result, I spent three days in the hospital in July.

Lying in bed that night with an IV attached to my right hand, I wondered if “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” was the reason the man upstairs ignored my “knock, knock, knocking on heaven’s door.” My late grandparents, Joe and Rose Stumpo, who most likely were watching my every move from above, must have decided it was time for a rude awakening.

“God loves you,” a night nurse told me

when she came to do my blood work at 2 a.m., remarking how much better I looked after being admitted to the hospital. I no longer resembled a cross between zombies and prisoners liberated from Nazi concentration camps.

She told me how I was a celebrity among the nursing staff on the floor. There was talk about how I was barely able to walk or think straight. My eyes looked like they were deep inside the sockets. I guess I am the only Type 2 diabetic in the country who doesn’t put their health first, or maybe local emergency rooms just don’t get many patients with a blood sugar level over 1,200 who live to tell about it.

Seeing the nurses come to draw blood, check my blood sugar level and replace the IV every few hours made me think how political correctness exists today in the hospitals.

There was a time when typical nurses wore white dresses a little below the knees, nylons and white penny loafers. Today’s nurses dress in brightly colored scrubs and gym shoes. It is the medical equivalent of what is called in the IT departments today business casual (blue jeans and button-down shirts for those on the night shift).

Perhaps the reason for the nurses’attire today is that they want patients like me to pay attention when they explain how to inject yourself with insulin and what dosage to take during the day based on the insulin sliding scale as opposed to letting one’s dirty mind wander.

I still don’t know, however, if the hospital food is as bad as everyone says since I couldn’t eat it due to the sore throat I had. Diabetes attacks everything when your sugars are out of control.

Speaking of sore throats, I realize that today’s doctors are only there to cure the symptom and not the disease (that’s Obamacare for you). It would have been nice, however, when I told the doctor assigned to me that I had a sore throat

if he would have actually looked in my mouth as opposed to standing on the opposite side of the room from me to say, “ It’s a yeast infection,” without even looking at my throat.

I know some, if not all of you reading this, especially those with diabetes, are saying to yourselves now that I am officially on insulin shots four to six times a day that I am on it for life.

Taking insulin is not the end of the world. I knew long before that it was only a matter of time before I’d have to take it anyway. I just sped up the process. You may find my belief system to be nothing more than a pipe dream, but I don’t believe being on insulin now is permanent. At the very least, with me doing the treadmill at work every few days and paying more attention to what I eat, I may be able to lower the dosage over time. Truth is, I feel better now than I did since being diagnosed with diabetes nine years ago.

I haven’t had a Coke since a couple days before going to the ER due to rapid dehydration.

The last time I drank a Diet Coke was July 25 and I didn’t even finish it. The only thing I drink now that has sugar in it is lime Gatorade, along with coffee (which brings down your blood sugar level), an occasional glass of milk and water. I am now to that point I won’t even drink sweet iced tea.

I know now that when checking my blood sugar level and it’s over 200, to ask myself what made it that high. Then I remember those mashed potatoes and corn I had at Boston Market when I should have gotten green beans and mixed vegetables. On the opposite end, when the sugars get down to 80 and my patience starts wearing thin it means I better eat something before that Italian temper of mine kicks in.

I no longer eat at Subway, McDonalds,Cici’s, Pizza Hut and Papa Johns. I don’t have the money to eat out anyway. I hate doing it but I’m slowly getting into grocery shopping and bringing my food to work. When it comes to

“I no longer eat at Subway, McDonald’s, Cici’s, Pizza Hut and Papa Johns ... I admit I still have cravings for junk food.” garbage food, if I am going to ruin my health I am going to make it worth my while. I will drive to Addison for an Italian beef sandwich at Al’s Italian Beef to get that rare taste of Chicago that, up until recently, I could only get when I was in the “Windy City.”

Yes, I admit I still have cravings for junk food. Name me one person who doesn’t! The fact is now when co-workers remark how good I look because of the 120-pound weight loss (which wasn’t healthy weight loss) and ask me if I feel good, I won’t have to lie when I say “yes.”

OPINION 7

Upcoming Events Monday Labor Day Campus closed

Sept. 8 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Back 2 School Bash East Breezeway

by Fannin Hall Free cookout, games and fun 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Music Recital series begins Richland Faculty Jazz Ensemble Fannin Performance Hall

Sept. 10 10 to 11:30 a.m.

2015 Suicide Prevention 3K Walk For Awareness Sabine Hall To participate, RSVP: tminter@dcccd.edu

Sept. 10-11 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Club Fair El Paso Hall

Through Sept.18 Exhibit by former athlete Leighton Autry “Urban Feast” opens.

Reception time TBD. Brazos Gallery.

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com

September 1, 2015

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8 September 1, 2015