Author Archives: Jamie Williamson

Love of the Game

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Jamie Williamson

It takes a certain type of kid to play tournament softball or be the parent of the athlete who plays. I get to witness both of these people in my niece and my sister. My niece has been playing softball since she was 6. She is now 13 and her love is still there and doesn’t seem to be fading. She also found she had a natural ability to pitch. She started pitching and has only gotten better over time. As she got older she started playing tournament softball which is a completely different game than the local league ball she had been playing. Tournament ball takes dedication, time, and practice. My sister has been there through the years never missing a game.

I have watched my niece grow up playing the game she loves and often time sacrificing other things to play tournaments on the weekends. Her weekends are usually dedicated to softball as is most of her week. She has to juggle pitching and batting lessons as well as team practices around school work and hanging with friends. She does all this without complaint to get the chance to play a game she is good at and loves. She wants to be a professional softball player when she gets older. I would say she has the talent and drive to get there.

I have also gotten to witness my sister always being there for her daughter in support of the game she loves. My sister never complains about having to sacrifice her time or money to give my niece the chance to pursue her dreams. She is always at every game and encourages not only her daughter but every girl out on the field. She is the team mother on my nieces current team and over sees everything the team needs. If a girl were to need anything while playing a tournament my sister is the one to go to her bag is always filled with the essentials.

Right now they are both working toward going to the FASA World Series in Branson Missouri. My sister taking care of getting all the girls shirts, towels, and pins for the opening ceremonies. My niece is playing in a tournament every weekend to earn points for her team. They are also both working on fundraisers to get enough money to cover costs while in Branson for a week. Both of them would not be who they are if it weren’t for softball tournaments.

Stars in the Stanley Cup Race

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Jamie Williamson

The Dallas Stars have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals! The Dallas Stars earned their spot in the playoffs before the end of regular season. The Stars ended the regular season in the number one spot in their division. This meant they knew they would play the first round of playoffs no matter what. The stars have only made the playoffs three times in the last five years.

After advancing to the first round of playoffs the Stars had to play the Minnesota Wild. The first round was going to be an intense match up between the two teams. Every time these two teams have met it has been a showdown until the last-minute of the game. The Stars knew they had to come out strong in the first round to make a good show to stay in the playoffs. The series of games ended in the Stars beating the Wild in games.

The Stars advanced to the second round of playoffs and now face the St Louis Blues. The Stars played the first games against the Blues on April 29, 2016. The game was a match of players both trying to gain the advantage and score the most points. The score was 0-0 throughout the first period. The change in score came when the Stars scored in the second period. The Blues followed the Stars and scored their first goal shortly after the Stars to tie the game 1-1. The score was still tied heading into the third period. The Stars came out and kept getting the puck to the net, but couldn’t manage to get one to go in. With three minutes left in the game the Stars scored to give the 2-1 lead over the Wild. The Stars managed to hold the lead until the buzzer sounded and the game was over. The Stars now lead the series over the Blues.

The Stars need to maintain their momentum going forward in the second round of playoff games. If they can keep up the winning then they will be well on their way to winning a Stanley Cup. If they can make it all the way it will be the first time they have achieved this since 1999.

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The New Summer Blockbuster

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Jamie Williamson

The comic book movie is today’s go-to blockbuster. It seems not a year goes go by without a comic book being turned into a movie and people flocking to see it. Many comic books have been around for years and it seems the movies are going to do the same. Comic book movies have become the new summer action movie. They are the quintessential popcorn movie, and are made to appeal to a wide range of people. The comic book movie is made for every generation.

The comic book movie is created to generate sequels and keep the franchise going for many years. The comic book movie franchise makes so much money on the merchandise it produces and all the revenue it gets from being the top movie at the box office. The merchandising is a big part of how the comic book movies stay relevant. They provide costumes for kids as well as action figures. They also revamp the comic books to embrace the movies to keep everything up to date and incorporate both the newer and older generations. Making movies that build on each other is a way for the audience to stay with the characters they love. These movies prove how much people love to go and watch the characters they have seen on the page come to life.

With the recent trend of making comic book movies is there going to be a downslope in its relevance. Will people get tired of the comic book movie motif and want something original or different to entertain them at the movies? This has been a topic of much debate, but it doesn’t seem like it has phased the big studio companies as they continue to make these movies. Maybe the comic book movies will fade away eventually, but for right now they seem to be unstoppable like many of the heroes in the movies.

Comic book movies have pretty much solidified their place as one if the trends that will keep people coming back to see the characters save the world again and again. These movies while having been around for many years have only really become insanely popular in the last five years. It seems like these movies can do no wrong in the eyes of the public.

The Stars of Dallas

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Jamie Williamson

When it comes to Texas sports teams the Dallas Stars are usually the last team to come to mind. The Dallas Stars often get overlooked since they share a city with another Dallas team, the Cowboys. Many often assume the Cowboys are the only Dallas team worth watching or following the games, but that is not the case. The Dallas Stars are currently ranked number two in their division and third overall in the National Hockey League. The Dallas Stars have had a great season so far this year. The Dallas Stars have finally reclaimed the success they had in the early nineties.

The change in the Dallas Stars started in 2013 when they hired Jim Nill as the new general manager. As soon as Jim Nill came on board he made a six man trade deal with the Boston Bruins. The Dallas Stars acquired Tyler Sequin and soon he became a staple in scoring points on the first line. Another part of the change was in stating a new captain, Jamie Benn, and getting new uniforms to make them stand out. With the new captain, new uniforms, and new point scorer the Dallas Stars were well on their way to becoming a sports team Texas could be proud of.

The Dallas Stars made the playoffs tin 2013 thank in part to all the new changes the general manager put into effect. Even though the Dallas Stars did not make it past the first round in the 2013 playoffs, they have worked hard the past two years to get where they are now. The Dallas Stars made crucial trades in the off-season to become on of the best teams in the 2015-2016 season. One of the trades was with Chicago where the stars gained Patrick Sharp to play on the first line, and Johnny Oduya as a defenseman. These two players fit seamlessly into Dallas like they had been playing there for years. They brought a sense of renewed energy to the team, and helped propel the Dallas Stars to the top. Another pivotal trade for the Dallas Stars was Antti Niemi as a goalie. He has made some pretty impressive saves this season to keep the Stars ahead of the competition.

The starting of the 2015-2016 season seemed to unfold perfectly for the Dallas Stars. Jamie Benn has had a tremendous season so far he has led the league in goals followed closely by Tyler Seguin. The Benn-Seguin line has become one of the most successful lines in the league since they started playing together in 2013. The two players have such a good chemistry on the ice it sometimes seems they can read each others mind. If they continue to play with the success they have shown this season there will be no limit to what they can do in the future for the Dallas Stars franchise. The Dallas Stars may not be the go to team for many Texans, but they are fast proving to people they can be a big name in Texas sports.

 

Adopt Don’t Shop

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Jamie Williamson

Yesterday was National Mutt Day, and everyone should celebrate it by going out and adopting a dog. Adopting a puppy can be a truly rewarding process. The puppy gets a new chance at life and the people adopting get a sense of truly rescuing an innocent creature. If you already have a dog or pet then celebrate them being in your life and helping you live a happy live.

I have personally adopted a puppy hand given him a chance to know love and a good home. My puppy was a dachshund named Bingles we adopted him from Texas Star Rescue when they were outside of Petco one weekend. Bingles now enjoys a laid back home life with a big backyard.

Puppies from a pet shop are often from puppy mills and the puppies are often mistreated. Many shops are not aware of the puppy mills. This is not saying pet shops are wrong and you can not buy a pet from there. Adopting is often cheaper and is run by volunteers. Volunteers are responsible for finding the dogs and puppies foster homes. Adopting animals can help bring joy to both the owners and the pets.

Hip-Hop Hamilton

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Jamie Williamson

Alexander Hamilton’s a prominent figure in history, the face of the American ten-dollar bill, considered one of America’s founding fathers, is causing quite a stir in today’s modern America. Hamilton, a new hit Broadway show based on Alexander Hamilton’s life is taking America by storm with its unconventional approach to music theatre.hamilton-the-musical-official-broadway-poster-3

Lin-Manuel Miranda is the creator of Hamilton. Miranda came up with the idea for the show after reading Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton. Miranda thought Hamilton’s story sounded like a hip-hop origin story. After he read it, he found it written so well it got him off the island he was living on.

Hamilton is throwing everyone off with its heavy use of rap and hip-hop throughout the score. When you listen to the cast album you almost expect the songs would come from the radio. Using hip-hop to tell Hamilton’s story is a new and inventive way to bring life to the Broadway musical theater scene. Hamilton has opened a new door for hip-hop in musical theater.

Hamilton is unconventional because it features a very diverse cast to play a very white past. Miranda is telling America’s history with people who look like America today. It also does not take away from the story or history at all. If anything it makes the history seem more real and the struggle the founding fathers went through relatable to a younger audience.

This play will be a part of history, like the story it is telling. It has been featured on 60 Minutes and Lin-Manuel Miranda has been interviewed on The Tonight Show. This is all unusual for a Broadway show. It is definitely worth the time to look up the cast album and listen to the cast tell the story of Alexander Hamilton.

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/09/hamiltons

CNNMoney Journalist Visits TAMU-T

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Jamie Williamson

Tami Luhby 

http://money.cnn.com/author/tami-luhby/

Income inequality can seem like a daunting and overwhelming topic, but it is something that is affecting America today. CNNMoney senior writer Tami Luhby traveled all the way from New York to Texarkana to give a talk about income inequality on Tuesday November 3, 2015.

Mrs. Luhby was kind enough to stop by my Advanced News Writing Class to talk with us about what it’s like to be a journalist. She talked to our class about what it takes to write for CNNMoney. She also gave us an understanding of how CNNMoney runs their website and how they track what stories are doing well. I gained a lot of insight about the dedication it takes to be a full-time journalist. I really enjoyed everything she had to say to our class and learned some valuable information that could come in handy in the future if I decide to pursue journalism as a career.

Next up for Mrs. Luhby was a lunch where anyone could come eat and talk with her and ask different questions. The lunch proved to be a success, with many professors getting the chance to talk with Mrs. Luhby. Students were encouraged to stop by and meet the guest speaker before the big lecture event held later that night.

The main event that Tami Luhby participated in was her lecture on income inequality. PLACE, the Program for Learning and Community Engagement, put on the event. PLACE is a program at Texas A&M University-Texarkana that helps promote learning in the community. This year’s theme is economic opportunity. Tami Luhby’s talk about income inequality fit nicely into this year’s theme. It gave the community a look at how income inequality is impacting America.

I found her speech on income inequality very eye-opening. I didn’t know that the United States was one of the leaders in income inequality between the top 1% and the other 99%. The information Mrs. Luhby presented provided an in-depth look at how income inequality is affecting the poverty line and the standard of living. I also found her lecture to be very interesting when she was talking about the housing market crash and how it led into the recession of 2005. This talk was very informative and conducted in such a way that was easy to understand and relate to.

How to Survive as a College Freshman

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Jamie Williamson 

College can be an intimidating time in a young person’s life. It’s a time where you are not quite considered an adult but you’re not a kid anymore. Many young adults find it challenging to balance life and a college career right out of high school. Here are some tips to help any college freshman make their first year a better experience.

Know your advisor. A bad schedule makes for a bad semester. Do not be afraid to talk to your advisor and make a schedule that works for you. It is okay to say you do not want to take a certain class that semester. You are the one who has to take the classes, not your advisor. This will also help to cut down on your stress throughout the semester.

Do not be afraid to take a class outside your chosen major. The first major you choose may not be the major you end up graduating with. College is the time to find out what you want to do with your life. Taking a class outside your major may open your eyes to a whole new area of interests and can lead to many new and exciting opportunities. It is also okay not declaring a major your first semester or year–explore different classes, because it’s your future and you need to do what makes you happy.

Get involved in campus events and activities. This will help combat homesickness and help you make new and lasting friendships. Homesickness is on of the top reasons college freshmen do not finish college right out of high school. Colleges have events to get the students involved in the community and meet new people. If you stay in your room the whole semester, you can’t fully enjoy your college experience to the fullest. College is the time to make memories and lifelong friends.

Visit the student success center or counselor if you feel overwhelmed and need extra help. The student success center has several tutors willing to help with any subject you need help with. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Everyone needs help sometime in their life. Whether its help with a paper and a severe case of writer’s block to missing family and need to talk to a counselor. Both of these services are there to help make your college career better and ensure you have a successful future.

Learn to prioritize your time for studying. Prioritizing your study time will help minimize stress when it comes time to take a test. Taking notes during class and then studying them in small amounts everyday after class will help you remember the information without trying to cram last-minute. Also studying in the daytime will help cut down on distractions and will leave your nights open for the different campus events going on.

Following all these tips will help make any new college freshman’s career a productive and successful one. These tips are sure to minimize stress and help maximize potential. College is a time to prepare for the future but it should not come at the expense of one’s sanity.

How to Survive a College Semester

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Jamie Williamson

Surviving a college semester takes a certain attitude. Whether you are straight out of high school or returning to college later in life, a college semester is a stressful time in a person’s life. Students either have the I am going to get a 4.0 attitude or a laissez-faire one where let what ever is going to happen, happen. Here are a few tips to help no matter which attitude you have.

First, get a calendar or planner. This will help with keeping due dates straight. No one wants to miss a due date. A calendar/planner helps keep up when a professor makes changes to the course calendar. A calendar/planner also helps eliminate the stress of having to ask when things are due for both the student and professor.

Second, get to know the people in class. Getting to know classmates will help when it is time to study for a test. Classmates make good study groups or new friends. Friends are a very important part of a college semester. Without them a person could go crazy. Classmates can also be a lifesaver if you miss class or need help with an assignment.

Third, get to know your professors. Professors may seem intimidating but they are regular people. Do not be afraid to email a professor about an homework assignment or stop by their office when they have office hours. Professors are the ones who will be able to answer questions about a tough homework assignment.

While these things may not seem like much, they will help relieve stress during a semester. A few basic tools can make or break a college semester. Surviving a semester is easy to do if you have a few tips to help along the way.

 

Eagle Open House

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Jamie Williamson

High school seniors from around the Ark-La-Tex came, saw, and conquered open house on Saturday October 10, 2015. Texas A&M University-Texarkana held an open house to show upcoming students why Texas A&M University-Texarkana is the best school to further their education. Students got the chance to tour the campus and talk to professors in major breakout sessions. The open house is a great way for upcoming students to see how college life works.

Tour Goup

The open house gave students and parents a chance to ask questions and talk to currently enrolled Texas A&M University-Texarkana Eagles. This was helpful for both parents and students because it set the parents at ease and helped the students feel a part of campus life. Upcoming students also got the chance to look at all the clubs the university has to offer to help make the most of their time at college. There were door prizes and a dance off for both students and parents.

Student dance offParent dance off

Eagle Open House was a great way for Texas A&M University-Texarkana to get its name out there as one of the best small town universities. Texas A&M University-Texarkana has the privilege of being a part of the best-known university system in Texas with the small town bonus where everyone knows your name.

ace the eagle