Rock and Roll With a Hint of Community Service

Six Canisius students joined the production team at First Niagara Arena on Sunday, February 24th, to help prepare for the Bon Jovi concert later that night.

This is the soundboard that the technicians that tour and work with Bon Jovi use to control all of the microphones so fans can hear the clearest and best sound that the band produces.

The band brings about twenty-five to thirty guitars on each tour and plays on average ten per show.

Bon Jovi carries their specific set, including stage and backstage, to every show on tour.

On a backstage tour earlier in the day the students enjoyed their moment of rock-and-roll stardom on stage before sound check.

Jamie Hitro, Michael Jaoude, Brock Wilkinson, Tanner Gelatt, Melissa Gretzler and Mariel Klein were chosen to participate in this opportunity based on their extensive community service.

Mariel Klein interviewed with YNN associate producer, Patrick Delaney, on her unique experience throughout the day.

Hours of work are required by the First Niagara production crew to put on a concert event.

During the booming sound check, the technicians have to perfect the lighting behind the stage so that the audience isn't only moved by the vocals and sound of Bon Jovi but also the visuals that compliment the rock and roll music.

Jon Bon Jovi's favorite guitar is marked by the initials of his beloved guitar teacher and the year that he passed away. 

Bon Jovi's "Because We Can" Community Service College Campaign not only sets up and encourages opportunities for college students to get involved but also rewards those who do it all on their own and are leaders in their student body.

A sea of middle-aged women flooded behind the pit to awaited impatiently for their dreamy celebrity crush to appear on the stage at exactly 8:10pm. 

The infamous, classic, white microphone that amplifies the vocal talent's of Jon Bon Jovi has been used at every concert that they have held since the group first performed in 1983.

Bon Jovi opened the sensational performance with Livin' On A Prayer, the band's most popular song.

Richie Sambora became the band's lead guitarist after Dave Sabo was fired a few weeks after the band formed in 1983.

Drummer, David Bryan has released two solo instrumental albums and co-written soundtracks for a various musicals on top of full time playing with Bon Jovi.

Hugh McDonald, bass guitarist, joined the group in 1984 when John Such was fired for constant poor performances that dragged the band down.

Jon Bon Jovi's real name is John Francis Bongiovi.

The almost sold out show was a hit with Buffalo fans and an appreciated and incredible opportunity for the six dedicated Canisius students.

Too Mushy, Too Emotional

All my life I've heard it from my family, friends and boyfriends that I'm too emotional and over-dramatic. Well...that's just me. And frankly, I'm okay with it. The people in my life know who I am and how I work and they accept me. Sure my sisters will laugh at me every now and then when I start crying at dinner but they know that I'm not going to change.

In my eyes being emotional shouldn't be an attribute to be ashamed of just because people don't know how to handle it. I'm "squishy" for a reason. Most of you that know me can figure out pretty easily why I'm like this. Plus, despite the things I've dealt with, I was just born this way. In a world where everybody is criticized for being "too" anything people start to get self conscious that they're built wrong. I know me and I know my emotions. I'm not wrong and I'm not broken; I'm just a sap. Those who deserve to be in my life won't try to change me or make me feel bad for always over-thinking, crying and being mushy.

For a long time I was worried  and afraid  to say that being overemotional is my worst flaw. Now I realize that it's just me. I'm not ashamed or embarrassed of myself and if you're not okay with it then you don't have to be in my life.

Purple Courage

One of my best friends has been faced with a really difficult obstacle in her life that's affected everything from schooling to inability to attend haunted houses. Everyday when she walks through the door of our apartment I hope I don't have to hear, "I had another seizure."
Most people don't know about or understand her condition but I think they should. Unfortunately she's experienced some pretty brutal bullying from ignorant girls that think this is a joke. It's not.

For my Writing for the Public Media class, I had to pick a person to write a feature profile on. I couldn't think of a better person. Mia is inspiring. A lot of strangers and friends think that we're gay together because of our tendency to hold hands or post love notes on each other's facebook. But, we know that we're just exceptionally close because we're the friends that constantly give each other strength. Seeing her battle through this helps me wake up everyday and be ready to conquer any road block.

If there's anything that someone can learn from reading this, it's that you cannot possibly understand what problems somebody has by just looking at them. The best way to handle any person is to just be kind.

Purple Courage

             I was admiring the weak colors barely sewn together with green florescent thread when I glanced down at my cracked phone to see an alarming text message that sent me into a panic. Scrambling to untie the size six-and-a-half, worn out shoes, those three daunting words, “I need you,” repeated over and over in my head. The simple task of returning the ratty bowling apparel for that $5 deposit became incredibly difficult. The cute kids running around were now an obstacle course, the antique smell became nauseating and the expected hug and goodbyes were no longer important.

            Mia Paolino, my roommate, suffers from partial complex seizures that result from the temporal lobe. On October 19^th, 2012, Mia went into mental “dreamlike” state while visiting her friend. Following the seizure and slow revival to normalcy, she was able to record her few thoughts and images of what happened. “I remember Justin, I remember being on his bed and thrashing around. I see the TV in front of me. Cameron Diaz is wearing pink.”
            Mia’s most recent doctor wasn’t available for an interview but suggested the Epilepsy Foundation website for information concerning Mia’s specific case. The website provides an explanation for how her description of the seizure is structured, “A person may even be able to speak, but the words are unlikely to make sense and he or she will not be able to respond to others in an appropriate way.” Mia’s short portrayal of the choppy images that she recalls from the TBS feature movie, “No Strings Attached,” is one of the few flashing moments that she can recall from the night.
            When a person experiences a seizure they drift into an altered state of consciousness. Visibly, it appears as if they are dreaming or in a trance. While talking to Mia about what he remembers from the night, her friend stated that, “It looked like you fell asleep with your eyes open.” Her response to his observation surprisingly was dripping with relief. The anxiety of what abnormal, embarrassing or dangerous actions her seizures might induce consumes her mind daily.
            “Basically at any point in time I'm technically at risk to have one. So, I always have to be careful, because people get them for the most trivial of reasons like, flashing lights, certain foods, stress, hunger, sleep deprivation, etc.”     Even walking down Main St. to get classes proves to be a tricky task at times. As she hears the first trace of the screaming sirens approaching her back, Mia ducks into my shoulder, closes her eyes, and hums an A-flat note until the fire truck or police cars have turned the corner. Her case can commonly and more simply be associated with epilepsy, meaning any sort of flashing light can prompt a seizure. 
            She solemnly explains, “The hardest part is the fact that we haven’t figured out what causes it.” Having seen numerous doctors, Mia and her family have fought through a path of unanswered questions and confusion. The love, support and unending concern stemming from 25 Sugarbush Lane, “home”, is Mia’s greatest safety net.
            She’s grateful for her parents’ unconditional care while trying to help her through the difficult process of identifying her problem. “They go to every appointment. They'll schedule any recommended test even if they disagree. They've asked all their friends who've dealt with similar issues what to do. I mean, they cancelled their move to China because of me.”
            Siri Paolino, Mia’s mom, comments that being a parent of an epileptic provides regular anxiety too. “Instead of just having to worry about the usual fears of a young adult child, I have to worry about the chances of her having a seizure that could put her in a risky situation.”
            Sitting at a checkered table in Five Guys a few weeks after her most recent seizure, Siri Paolino asks her daughter, “When will my purple ribbon be ready?” They both smile, knowing that the purple ribbons, representing epilepsy awareness, will be their way to share their courage.
            November has been dedicated as the National Epilepsy Awareness Month. Informing people that aren’t familiar with the disease helps them understand the constant, daily struggles that people like Mia Paolino have to be strong enough to overcome. Throughout her life she’s been ridiculed and misunderstood but by no means is she afraid or ashamed to say that she’s an epileptic.
            Battling an illness at an age of nineteen is never easy. However, strength and courage, reassured by friends and family, proves to be a powerful key to success for Mia Paolino.

<3

Proud to be a NARP

Yesterday, I was at the Canisius dining hall getting some dinner when I was rudely awakened, once again, of the conceited mindset that unfortunately consumes most college athletes. I was in line at the salad bar adding some lettuce to my plate when a hockey player stepped in front of me, reached besides me to grab a plate and started to make his salad. At first, this didn't bother me and I just figured he thought I was taking too long and he wanted to get his quickly.

Then, he paused at least once while getting each ingredient, a total about five times, to talk to his girlfriend, in a different line, about whether to sit with his team or not. At this point I was pretty annoyed and could have already gotten my meal and sat down. To top it all off, when he took some pasta salad he tossed the spoon towards the container, missed and it landed in the ranch dressing...both of which I wanted. While I was walking away, his girlfriend, a soccer player, gave me the dirty look.

This is only one example of what I like to call, CAS, Conceited Athlete Syndrome. I experience or witness a cocky athlete, on average, maybe four times a week. Yes, Canisius is a great school and we have a few amazing sports teams that do very well. Currently, our Men's Soccer team is undefeated, which is the best start in the college's history. I'm proud of that and the boys and I feel like they should be proud of their accomplishments. However, the line between pride and arrogance is very thin and easy to cross. Being an athlete or doing well doesn't give any student the right to act better than anybody else. Normally, stupid people wouldn't bother me but the fact that this happens so often and is associated with so much of the Canisius population is quite annoying.

Many people have heard of the term, N.A.R.P., non-athletic, average person. I am a narp and I'm okay with it. This is mostly the reason for the dirty looks and crappy treatment I get from athletes. I don't really understand why some athletes get this cocky and how they think it's right to treat "average" people this way. It's cool that you can kick a ball accurately and run really fast but that girl you just let the door close on can play the whole 1st flute part of a Vivaldi's "Spring," and I think that's cooler.

On the other hand, I do have some good friends that are athletes here at Canisius and do not suffer from CAS. I don't mean to say that all athletes are jerks by nature and all jerks are athletes. There are a lot of narps that are jerks too! I'm just saying, think before taking action and remember that equality is important. The world will never be rid of rude people and not every generous action is noticed but being nice can only have a positive impact on the world.

A slightly embarrassing picture of a friend of mine that plays on the Canisius Men's Soccer team. Thanks for being cool and down to earth, A.c. 

Sick of Liars

I will find out and I will hold it against you.

More than a few times this past month I've been blown off by some friends for stupid reasons. I can tell when someone is lying to me and I don't appreciate it. Frankly, I'd rather hear the cold hard truth about why you don't want to hang out with me then find out days later that your bullshit excuse was covering something else up. It's okay if you want to hang out with someone else or if you're tired; I understand. Just don't tell me that your parents said you can't or that you got called into work and then tweet about how much fun you're having somewhere else.

Another thing I've witnessed recently was lying to get out of a relationship. A person very close to me was broken up with by a boy who is later going to regret it. He wouldn't, and still won't, give her the REAL answer as to why his mind changed. I've had this happen to me before and I think it's not only rude but degrading.

If you don't like someone, they're not your type, you want to be with someone else, etc., fine! Life goes on! Don't waste anyone else's time with a dumb lie that's gonna come back and bite you in the ass. There's an easy and respectful way to handle any sort of relationship with someone: be honest. Personally, if you lie to me then you've burned a bridge.

I have a friend that I consider one of the best people in my life due to the rarity of our friendship. The basis of everything between us is to just be blunt and honest. So far, it's only made our friendship better, long-lasting and more fun. I'm not saying that we haven't had our disagreements though. One night he decided to cancel plans with me to hang out with a love interest. I didn't have to ask why he was cancelling our trip to Mighty because of the way he was acting. Later, I confronted him about it and told him that I thought it was a shitty thing to do to a friend. Instead of making excuses or lying about what he was doing that night, he explained what happened, what he was thinking and apologized cause he knew I was right.

Honest people are the shit. If you intend on lying to me, don't even bother. Go ahead and walk out of my life because I don't want you in it anymore.

I Wish I Had Tinted Windows

I took a day trip to Canada last weekend with a friend. We ventured up to Toronto to get some yummy sushi but didn't expect to be so surprised by the differences between the two countries. It may seem like such a little thing but this is just an example of how nosey and agressive most Americans are in everyday life.

Have you ever looked into another car while driving and it seems as though that person can tell and looks back at you? Classic awkward eye contact. Not only do most of us feel the urge to "creep" on other people while driving but when we're being "creeped on", we immediately follow suit and look back. This doesn't necessarily bother me but this American characteristic is almost nonexistent once you cross the border into Canada.

When we were driving on the QEW last week (a major highway through Canada after the Peace bridge), I noticed that not one Canadian looked in the window of my car. I looked in multiple vehicles, of course, but not one person even looked back to make eye contact! This astounded me and made me realize that even though it's just a few miles away, the Canadian life and people seem much more relaxed and private than Americans. Nobody over there, except border control, cared what we were up to, where we were going or what we did in our car.

A picture of Yaong St. in Toronto that I took last weekend.

I can't help but thinking that this is just a very miniscule example of how concered Americans become with everyone else's business. Granted, the cliché that states, the grass is always greener on the other side, is pretty accurate. I've never lived or spent substantial time in Canada to know that they defintiely tend to stay out of other's lives. (Fun fact: After saying that in the car on the ride home my friend commented, "but the grass really is greener on this side," and he's right.)

If I've learned anything from this experience, it's to be more concerned with myself and my actions/reactions than the business of people that I will probably never see again. Although people watching is one of my favorite things, I will try to be a little more polite about it. Also, I'm starting to seriously edit what I do and how I act in my car when it's light outside. I'm weird in public; I can't imagine what people think when they see me having conversations with the Buddha bobblehead, Daiko, that sits on my dashboard!

That's Daiko up top and Reptar is the stuffed lion...and yes we really do have conversations.

It's Not My Fault You Hate Your Job

One of my biggest pet peeves is when employees are just plain rude. I worked in a customer-oriented field for a few years and I know how big of a difference a smile can make. I also know how big of a impact a bad attitude will make.

Today I walked into Plato's closet and unfortunately had to deal with a stuck-up miserable girl about my age. I tried to kill her with kindness but the death glares kept on coming every time I spoke. The girl behind her realized how rude she was being and immediately stepped in and started talking to me.

Everybody has bad days and I know how hard it can be to hide it. However, when you're in the retail or food business, attitude is everything. I looked at a job today for mystery shopping and my experience became pretty ironic. If I didn't have such a hard time being mean to other people, I probably could've written a pretty nasty but accurate review of my service today.

I'm not asking for everyone to be happy constantly but a smile never hurt anyone. I know that when I forced myself to smile and positively interact with customers as a hostess, I automatically put myself into a good mood. Mind over matter people! Nobody has to be miserable; happiness is a choice.

Took this in a museum in NYC a few years ago. If this doesn't make me want to be happy, I don't know what else could.