g{x California Volume 1, Issue 2 Conservation Corps
Upcoming CCC Events:
New Leadership CAB Elects New Officers COMET Starts— Aug. 2
by Kelsey McDonald COMET Graduation— Aug. 13 AmeriCorps VISTA Santa Cruz Rec Trip— Aug 14‐15 On Tuesday, July 13, Placer Center elected CAB Presi‐ dent Deborah “The Boss” Doss and Vice President Mar‐ Labor Day— Sept. 26 quis “Juicy” Addison by popular vote. “I hope I don’t disappoint anyone, so if there’s any‐ School Starts— August 30
thing I can do to make the corps life easier, let me know,” Doss said. At the CAB meeting that night, Doss held internal elec‐ tions for the remaining CAB officer positions. New posi‐ tions include representatives of Human Resources, which has merged resources with CAB, and Sustainability Coor‐ dinator, who will help our center “go green” with environ‐ mentally friendly improvements. If you have an idea for a Furloughs CAB activity or an issue you would like addressed by the community, come to a CAB meeting or talk to a CAB offi‐ cer. Meetings are held every Tuesday at 8:45pm in CAB. Cancelled
as of Election Results Deborah Doss—President 8/12/10 Marquis Addison—Vice President Michael Jones—Secretary, Weight Room Monitor, Computer Monitor Mercedes Pryor—Assistant Secretary Inside this issue: DeAngelo Rogers—Treasurer Ashley Forbes—Recreation Coordinator, Store Manager Alex Clarke—Janitor, Weight Room Monitor Letter from the Editor 2 2010
Martin Hinojos—Sergeant‐at‐Arms Justis Lang—Human Resources Coordinator, A Bright Green Future 4
29, Sustainability Coordinator
Jillian Mitchell—Human Resources Representative, Supergrading Tips 6 Lead Computer Monitor
July Sustainability Starts Here 8
Zareen Saleem—Human Resources Representative Stephen Williams—Computer Monitor Jacob House—Computer Monitor Life in Transit 10 Miguel Andrade—Lead Weight Room Monitor Kenneth Walker—Weight Room Monitor David Lay Interview 12 Pedro Flores—Weight Room Monitor The Placer Press The Placer Press Thursday The Placer Press Cory Burr—Weight Room Monitor Mike Rush Bio 16 Page 2 The Placer Press
Separation Anxiety A Letter from the Editor
Sadly, within the past month or so, Placer Center has lost over a dozen corpsmembers. Along with the absence of so many familiar faces, there comes a void and an edge that you can't help but notice. The remaining workers are forced onto this edge, whether they make mistakes or not. New people will fill the void, but the rules will stay the same and the weekend will claim the professional lives of some of its warriors. That certainly remains a bummer, but true nonethe‐ less. Take it as a warning, you are not invincible, no one is immune to the discipline matrix. It doesn't matter how prized you are as a corps‐ member, because under the rules we are all equal. We are all held up to the same expectations. If there's something you've done, or still do, that can endanger your employment, you need to drop that habit or take it somewhere else. If you insist on getting drunk on the week‐ by Justis Lang end, I insist on you spending the night somewhere else and not Editor‐in‐Chief bringing any alcohol back—on you or in you. Or you could choose to not heed the warning; it's all up to the individual. Just know that every time you violate a rule (especially the booze rule) you run the risk of losing every opportunity you have and every friendship you've forged. For those of us who've survived the recent inquisition, take the time to appreciate where you’re at and the people who are left for you to share the situation’s adversity with. Be thankful for what you've got The Cs can be difficult, but next while you've still got it. The Cs can be difficult, but next to the alternative of being jobless, homeless, to the alternative of being job‐ Hard Work Hard Work and hopeless, the challenge is inviting. You might less, homeless, and hopeless, as well commit or quit. Never forget being here is a choice, not a re‐ the challenge is inviting. You quirement. You agree to follow certain rules upon your employment, and no matter how sad or re‐ might as well commit or quit. grettable your past mistakes are, you will be judged by the center’s rules with little tolerance. Stay focused on the game, no Friends come and go matter how many players around you have been sidelined. I've spoken to a few former co‐workers and each one is painfully aware of messing up. It's a bit surprising speaking just as surely as we to these people and hearing them accept full responsibility when you'd expect to hear breathe in and out; barrage of fury and excuses. I guess there comes a point when reality is too intensely obvious to deny, and it’s best too fess up; you've messed up, so try to move forward. In it’s a fact of life. You fact, the majority of those whom I've spoken to want to come back as second‐chancers. Well, I for one want to finish what I've started in one fell swoop. I know I've messed up can reach out to them enough in my short life, and would like to limit the days I spend regretting. in sympathy, but Take a moment to forget about the CCC and remember how easily, rapidly and without warning a time in your life can end. People you've grown used to seeing everyday can don't fall off the line vanish without a trace, and where there once was a relationship, there will only be a distance and a memory reminding you of exactly what went wrong. Dwelling on this you’re walking. can consume all of your attention, but keep in mind this will happen in life, whether or not you're in this program. Friends come and go just as surely as we breathe in and out; it’s a fact of life. You can reach out to them in sympathy, but don't fall off the line you’re walking. Stay sharp, and don't get too comfortable. Remember: the only constant in life is change. There will be new beginnings and endings as the storm continues to chug along and part of the experience is trying to ride the storm, trying to stay on top and on board. We who remain have reached another level in the game. We’ve survived this round of eliminations. So congratulations—and celebrate with caution. Volume 1, Issue 2 Page 3
Off‐Center Boy mowing lawn hits canister of News of the Bizarre TNT Hooper, Utah— A boy mowing the pastures behind his parent’s property heard a thud, and compiled by Eric Cotto saw a small tomato paste can that was labeled TNT. His mother called emergency crews. The Man becomes victim of woman can might just date back to World War II. after calling her “fat” Lincoln, Nebraska— A 24‐year‐old man got Domestic cat nurses baby bob‐ part of his ear bitten off at a party, after calling cats back to health a woman “fat”. Police report says that the Columbia, South Carolina— Three orphaned woman tackled the man after said name call‐ baby bobcats were found in an abandoned ing, and took a bite. house in Newberry County, South Carolina, are
being nursed to health by a house cat named Mother turns in son for stealing Zoe at the Carolina Wildlife Care near the Sa‐ medicine luda River, northwest of downtown Columbia.
Memphis, Tennessee— A Memphis woman calls Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/ police to report that her son is stealing pre‐ scription drugs from her bra to give them to a man hiding under their neighbor’s vehicle. Bail for the man is set at $40,000.
Strange, but True Hard Work Hard Work Unlikely Factoids
compiled by Eric Cotto Minus 40 degrees Celsius is exactly the same as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The United States has never lost a war in which mules were used. The international telephone dialing code for Antarctica is 672. Mario, of Super Mario Bros. fame, appeared in the 1981 arcade game, Donkey Kong. His original name was Jumpman, but was changed to Mario to honor the Nintendo of Amer‐ ica's landlord, Mario Segali. The king of hearts is the only king without a moustache. The first known contraceptive was crocodile dung, used by Egyptians in 2000 B.C. Karoke means "empty orchestra" in Japanese. If you have 3 quarters, 4 dimes, and 4 pennies, you have $1.19. You also have the largest amount of money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar. The Eisenhower interstate system requires that one mile in every five must be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies. The word "nerd" was first coined by Dr. Seuss in "If I Ran the Zoo." Source: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~bingbin/ Page 4 Placer Press
A Bright Green Future Feds Dishing Out the Green for Green Jobs
these projects, the Recovery Act also allocates $500 mil‐ lion to train people to take on these jobs. In January, the federal government an‐ nounced $100 million in green jobs training grants. The money is available to non ‐profits seeking to train dislo‐ cated workers and people particularly affected by the troubled economy to find jobs in green industries. Here at Placer Center, corpsmembers are in a per‐ fect position to take advan‐ tage of new jobs and train‐ ings. Placer Center and Sierra College have recently been by Kelsey McDonald The forecast for the job awarded their own $205,000 AmeriCorps VISTA market may look grey, but grant to train our corpsmem‐ the grass is a lot greener in bers to enter the green work‐ It’s a rough time to be a the clean energy and conser‐ force.
Hard Work Hard Work young Californian entering vation job sector. As the gov‐ The Sierra College Techni‐ the workforce. The nation is ernment creates new initia‐ cal Education in Energy Effi‐ experiencing the most severe tives to put people back to ciency and Construction recession since the Great De‐ work and wean America off (TE3C) class will provide a pression of the 1930s. At foreign oil, green career path‐ broad introduction to weath‐ 12.6%, California has the ways are opening up to erization, energy audits, solar third‐worst unemployment young people willing to learn technology, and other energy rate in the nation. It might new skills. Luckily for corps‐ efficiency and renewable en‐ seem like an odd time to members, California Conser‐ ergy technologies. With basic speak optimistically about vation Corps can help you training in clean energy tech‐ new career opportunities, but develop many of the skills nology, corpsmembers will not all job sectors are suffer‐ that can help you compete in have a head start on others ing. the growing green economy. competing for jobs or addi‐ Much of the money our tional training in this devel‐ government is spending on oping industry. economic recovery is going Clean energy is the pri‐ into new energy efficiency mary focus of federal spend‐ and clean energy projects. In ing, but other sectors of the total, the Recovery Act in‐ green economy like conserva‐ vests $80 billion in projects tion, restoration, and park intended to jump start the work are benefitting as well. green economy. That’s an One example of this is the eight followed by 10 zeros—a California Energy and Envi‐ lot of money and lot of pro‐ ronmental Conservation Re‐ jects in need of workers with covery Corps (CEECRC), a green job skills. new program formed by a Because skilled green‐ CCC partnership with Ameri‐ collar workers are needed for Corps using Recovery Act Volume 1, Issue 2 Page 5
Corpsmembers Sprouting Ideas for Garden
by Kelsey McDonald reducing the amount of farm‐ liams will fence in the area to AmeriCorps VISTA land being degraded by over‐ protect it from deer and use, pesticides and fertilizer other creatures who might run‐off. Instead of eating the want a snack. Corpsmembers looking for same old pesticide‐laden ap‐ Alex Clarke will construct a center improvement pro‐ ples and oranges shipped a sitting area in the garden to ject, volunteer hours, or a from halfway around the make it a comfortable place way to pass the time on cen‐ world, we can raise our own, for corpsmembers to work ter may soon have an answer fresh, flavorful food right on and relax. Jimmy Reardon in a CCC garden. Current our property. has offered to help manage plans include building raised All corpsmembers are wel‐ the soil aspect of the garden, beds full of vegetables, ber‐ come to help plan, build, and as well as the planting. Other ries, and melons, which will plant the garden. Six corps‐ ideas for center improvement be fenced in to keep deer members have taken on gar‐ projects in the garden like away. The primary location den projects for their center building a small greenhouse under consideration for the improvement projects to su‐ or starting our own compost‐ garden is in front of the male pergrade. ing system are welcome. dorms. Mitchell Searls has taken Help our center cultivate a Gardens not only provide the lead, with a landscaping sustainable lifestyle and get fresh, delicious, healthy pro‐ design center improvement back to our roots in conserva‐ duce, but also help emotional project. He will be working tion. Harvest some volunteer health by providing a calming out the technical details of hours or credit for your cen‐ green space of solace. Gar‐ planning the garden and ter improvement project in dening is also a great way to writing up a proposal. the process. Talk to Kelsey make eating habits more en‐ Jillian Mitchell has tackled McDonald or one of the vironmentally friendly by corpsmembers doing center
Hard Work Hard Work irrigation for her center im‐ reducing the amount of fossil provement project. Joey Baas improvement projects with fuels used in shipping our will construct the raised beds the garden to get involved. produce to the center, and for the garden. Stephen Wil‐
Green Jobs continued from page 4
funding. In addition to im‐ well. Taking a history lesson It may be a lot harder to proving energy efficiency for from the success of the Civil‐ find a job in California right 1,200 low‐income homes, ian Conservation Corps in now than it has been in a long CEECRC members are con‐ the 1930s in combating the time, but corpsmembers have structing or rehabilitating 25 Great Depression by putting the advantage of training and miles of trails and restoring people to work in our parks, work experience in the green or improving 77 acres of the Recovery Act has in‐ job sector. Whether you pre‐ habitat. vested $750 million into 750 fer to swing a hammer or a More money may be going restoration and protection Pulaski, the CCC can offer you into clean energy, but there is projects in our national the preparation you need to a push to invest in conserva‐ parks. One University of Mas‐ succeed in the green econ‐ tion and restoration efforts as sachusetts at Amherst study omy. The CCC can put you in has estimated that reforesta‐ a position to take advantage tion and land restoration pro‐ of green career opportunities jects create the most jobs for through on‐the‐job and class‐ The forecast for the job market may the tax payer’s dollar out of room training. With motiva‐ look grey, but the grass is a lot all industries surveyed, which tion and hard work, you can greener in the clean energy and con‐ included green jobs as well as take advantage of these op‐ other energy‐ or infrastruc‐ portunities, beat the odds servation job sector. ture‐related occupations. and find rewarding work in the green economy. Page 6 Placer Press
Super Supergrading Tips Small Ways to Work Towards Your Green Hat
by Mike Rush Special Corpsmember
expires to start working on for an explanation. Hands an extension rarely get all the down the easiest signature work done in time. Procrasti‐ you can get from this sheet in nation is one of the greatest my opinion is the recreation single things to hold you trip coordinator. All you back—not just in this pro‐ have to do is plan a trip (and gram, but in life. With spikes town runs don’t count so stop and long emergencies, that asking me, that’s just lame initial year you work through and unimaginative). Pick this program comes a lot something like ice skating, quicker than you think. mini golfing, a trip to San Get your volunteer hours Francisco, whatever, and fig‐ done early. Look for an event ure out prices, times and that can last a few days or a make a sign up sheet. If it’s I understand that getting weekend with various events. something that we can do, we your green hat can be frus‐ If done right, you can knock will make time for it and trating, believe me. It seemed out most of your hours in one you’ll have a signature. like it took forever for me to week. All these hours work There are three sec‐ get mine. I had to do things towards a scholarship for tions in the green book where more obnoxious and degrad‐ college later on. Or if that’s you have to be tested to make Hard Work Hard Work ing than I care to remember not enough look at it this sure you understand what’s (if you don’t believe me, next way: you were more than being discussed and usually time your in Rod Thornhill’s likely just gonna sit in your used on a daily basis: the fuel office, look for a picture of me room, watching TV, playing ratio, tape measure and knot on his wall. I still cry myself games or just taking up space tying tests. These can be to sleep thinking about it.) collecting dust. At least signed by Aaron Fry or your With being thrown around you’re out being productive. supervisor. I only have two onto different crews, spikes, Focus on the big picture, not suggestions when it comes to emergencies, there are a lot on how you’re making the these subjects: study, and of factors that can stall your World of Warcraft a better look to your fellow corpmem‐ progress. So I guess that’s place one dead Ork at a time. bers and staff for support. why I am writing this little Go out, have fun, be SOCIAL! Ultimately it is on you to pass article (and the fact that Kel‐ A section in your green these tests, but take all the sey keeps giving me dirty book is a page of signatures help you can get, especially looks for flaking on this for for various jobs you do on with the tie downs. I’ve only the news letter for so long). center. Being a member of recently upgraded from Vel‐ Here is a handful of tips and CAB is one. Being a CAB cro shoes, so don’t expect a suggestions that can save member tells staff that you lot from me on this subject. time, effort and an overall are responsible and that you Your discipline file and mental breakdown. care about your community. your evaluations can hold I can’t stress this enough Another is room leader, you back from receiving a about not waiting until the which is assigned by me. If green hat as well. With a last minute to get your green you have been here at least small amount of minor write‐ book done. Time has proven three months, I will highly ups, you should be okay. this time and time again: consider assigning you as a Don’t sweat the small stuff, corpmembers who wait until room lead. This basically just use them as a reminder their last couple of months means that if your room is of your goals and what you before their yearly contract trashed, I’m looking at you want to accomplish. How‐ Volume 1, Issue 2 Page 7
photo by Kelsey McDonald
Will Smith, now at Sac Satellite, receives his orange hat from C1 Steve Strangio.
ever, if you have a string of clear: You don’t necessarily ganized, in all the right insubordinations, a couple of have to have a driver’s li‐ places. When staff is review‐ A.W.O.L.s, contracts, suspen‐ cense to begin the Blue Card ing your book, they shouldn’t sions, etc., those things will program. If working towards have to look all over the place be frowned upon. That sim‐ a driver’s license and with to find misplaced documents. ply tells staff that you are just the approval of your supervi‐ When writing your super not getting it, or you simply sor, you can essentially be grade letter, short and simple just choose not to care. You doing the paperwork and is best. Three paragraphs Hard Work Hard Work can be a great worker, know tests. Drivers are in short should do it. Who you are, your job like the back of your supply these days. With what you have done for the hand, but that won’t save you emergencies and spikes in program and what your fu‐ if word comes back to staff the works, they will be the ture goals are. that you’re buying beer for first ones pulled for work That is just about the gist of minors or other high of‐ assignments. After every‐ it. If you have any questions fenses. Remember, this is not thing is said and done and about the book, you have a job, it’s a program. Your you become a state driver, many people on center who actions off the job are just as don’t simply settle. Go for are there to help. Ask your C‐ important as on the job site. your Class B. That is a sure 1, office staff, night watch and Hands down, the biggest way to open the doors to‐ especially your fellow corp‐ hang up for some up and wards a red hat. members. When Kelsey comers is the dreaded Blue My last advice towards the holds a green book class, take Card program. With all the green book is the green book advantage (that’s only free written tests, videos, paper‐ itself. Make it neat, clean and plug you’ll get out of me). work, and behind the wheel readable. A lot of corpmem‐ This program really means a tests and evaluations, this is bers were complaining about lot to me, no matter how the most time‐consuming having to type everything. many times you’ll see me roll section of the green book. It’s happened, make peace my eyes on certain subjects The written tests may seem with it and move on. Staff has that occur. Learn as much as redundant, but that tells staff spent years reading chicken you can in the limited time that you care enough to take scratched essays on paper you have here. Take the the time to study and watch with spilt coffee and bar oil work and life skills you’ve the videos. The accident re‐ all over the place. They’re developed here and run with port kit is essential paper‐ done. The overall point is to it. Just avoid doing it with work; pray you never have to teach you that with this job scissors. fill one out. By the way, just and any other job, appear‐ Word. to make this abundantly ance is key. Keep things or‐ Michael Rush. Page 8 Placer Press Sustainability Starts Here TE3C Classes Provide Green Job Skills
by Justis Lang Editor‐in‐Chief
The CCC will soon have corpsmembers schooled in the ways of energy effi‐ ciency. An impressive grant from the California Community College Chancellors Office Economic and Workforce Development Program will provide Sierra College the fiscal means to teach classes at our own Placer Energy Center. The Center for Applied Com‐ petitive Technologies (CACT) will design the course and divvy up the $205,000 as is deemed necessary. The classes will be rather short and broken up into four module, or four separate subjects implicated in energy conservation and construction. Topics like solar panel construction and energy auditing will be covered, but the class will focus primarily on weatheri‐ zation. Interested corpsmembers will begin to be pulled off of their crews within the next few weeks to attend these special classes. The class will be given the arduous title, "Technical Education in Energy Efficiency and Con‐ struction", or TE3C for those who aren't allergic to acronyms. The class motto is "sustainability starts here", but keep in mind said sustainability goes for the career opportunity as well as the goal of the work itself. The class will mainly focus on weatherization and money/energy saving construction methods. Rod Thornhill, the center director at the Placer center of the California Conservation Corps, said the goal is to, "prepare CCC members for highly‐paid, in‐demand local jobs." More typical construction methods will be covered in the course as well as retro‐fitting and weatherization techniques. The course will not cover solar as much as was expected but will likely provide a general overview of green building. The Clean Tech Job Trends 2009 study fore‐ sees a nearly ninety percent growth rate for green jobs in the Sacramento area alone, the largest in our state. Mr. Thornhill has been planning this for a long time and knows there is a real eco‐ nomic and environmental need for "green collar" jobs. His vision is that, "The CCC will become the Hard Work Hard Work training ground for technicians to fill a growing demand statewide." Translation: corpsmembers will learn how to help businesses save money by saving energy. The grant is one of the biggest to be implemented during he coming fiscal year and corpsmembers here are going to have a chance to surf a portion of this gravy train towards possible career opportunities.
Steve Williamson teaches the basics of ladder safety to the first group of CMs in the TE3C Orientation Volume 1, Issue 2 Page 9
The class is a noticeable step towards sustainable, renewable and reduced energy use. That’s a step California has been promising for a while. Saving money has been point number one since our country (and California especially) plummeted into a nasty recession years ago. State penny pinching tactics have ranged from furlough Fridays to ever‐creeping tax rates, but neither governmental strategy seem to make up for(or even put a dent in) the approximated thirteen‐percent un‐ employment rate, a number that's doubled in the past five years. However, investing money in job training programs will introduce skills for steady and meaningful em‐ ployment, and we’re lucky to be on‐board. In fact, this program is supported by a lot of businesses and organizations. Clay Schmidt, the Executive Manager at Sacramento’s' PG@E hailed the program, saying, "PG@E fully expects excel‐ lent results..." Butte College and College of the Redwoods will also be involved. Although corps‐ members will not be certified for solar installation upon completion of the course, we will be in‐ troduced to and versed in a powerful economical and environmental movement. The "green" energy movement just may be the most promising employment frontier since the popu‐ larization of computers. I don't mean to sound dangerously optimistic, but it seems we are all for‐ tunate to be on the front lines of positive history in the making. Green technology is spreading like wildfire and it's as if our whole region is caught up in its accelerating energy. It’s about time our state showed real interest in reversing the depressing trends of waste and unemployment. Many details are still fuzzy because behind‐the‐scenes work is still in progress. Nothing's set in stone as far as scheduling or instructors, although interviews have been going on recently. The curriculum remains largely unbeknownst to corpsmembers, but it's being written by a trusted instructor named Brian Hurd, a state building inspector, teacher, certified contractor, and con‐ struction auditor. Mr. Hurd has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal. The class was unnamed when I began writing this article. Ideas were then being tossed around in a brainstorming meeting between corpsmembers and a women named Karen, who is a marketing consultant working with Sierra College. Corpsmembers present at that meeting had their name suggestions brought to Sierra College. I can tell you we flapped our jaws and spat out a lot of words you've read in this article: conservation, efficiency, energy, training, design, program, etc. This all may sound like a whirlpool of equal parts novel news and redundancy, but we will surface on some sunny shore of favorable circumstances. Now, let's cut through the fat shall we? When it comes down to it, something awesome is happening. Businesses all over Cali will save money while those helping them do so will earn it. Our environment and economy could be pulled from the vacuum of fast collapse. The program intends to benefit where we live, where we work, and the money we save and spend: the entire complex will be affected. Everything that's been falling to pieces could make a complete 180 and begin to re‐assemble into a progressive/ functioning whole. I'm sure we'd all like to see that happen. I'm also sure we wouldn't mind having more skills and more cash in the bank. When the whole enchilada comes out of the oven, corpsmembers might be cycling in‐and‐out of the program, but this is still an uncertainty, so sign up ASAP if you're interested. If enough Cali‐ fornia businesses hop to it there may even be a solar installation crew on center. It's all so very exciting, I know, yet our horses and breaths must be held until the unveiling, so don't fill out your supergrade just yet.
Justis embraces the power of the sun Page 10 Placer Press Life in Transit An Interview with CalTrans Apprentice Chris Negrete
by Kelsey McDonald AmeriCorps VISTA
What do you do for your apprentice ship? Without any familiarity with the field an individual would have a difficult time visu‐ alizing the process in its entirety, Simply stated, what we do is drill for core samples. The samples are extracted five feet at a time. The borings can range from depths of fifty feet all the way down to five hundred feet. Depending on the hardness of the ma‐ terial it can take upwards of thirty minutes on a five foot run, as you can imagine it can be a lengthy process. The samples are given photo by Kelsey McDonald to an onsite CalTran’s geologist to analyze. The “geo” then reports their findings to a Negrete receives an Achievement Award from his CalTran’s engineer. The engineer uses the former C1, Tonya Hutchinson. data to ensure the design will have a stable foundation, if not alterations to the blue print are made when necessary. I was expecting the work to be hardcore physically strenuous, truth be told, grade is probably the gnarliest work many of us will ever do.
What’s the coolest part of your apprenticeship? That’s easy, the travelling! There is lots of flying and the hotels are really nice. I’m racking up a lot of frequent flyer miles and hotel points! Rio De Janeiro will be really nice next summer!
What’s the world like out there? It’s been really refreshing to be outside of the bubble. I get to see my friends and family a lot more often. One thing I’ve really missed is being able to cook so I do it every chance I get. Top Ra‐ man, yum…
What’s the most interesting thing that has happened to you since leaving? There have been a lot of interesting things that have happened. By far the most surreal event that took place was a trip to Tijuana with [former Placer Center corpsmembers] Nick Kubik and Lore‐ tha Turmin. In the cab ride to Revolucion St., I was thinking “dude, I’m in T.J. with these guys. Pinch me I’m dreaming, no way!” It was totally spontaneous and unreal. We all took it pretty easy, every‐ one had important business to attend to the next morning. We got back to the states around 10:00pm. It was really fun nonetheless.
What do you miss about the center? There is a lot I miss, but most of all I miss the people. Staff, teachers, corps members, and especially the friends I made. I met a lot of people that I hope I don’t lose contact with over the years. I also miss being able to roll out of bed, take a quick shower, and enjoy breakfast without having to do dishes. Lastly, I miss the Negrete’s new CalTrans ID work! I’ve gained a few pounds since I left. Maybe I should start using the hotel pools and gyms sooner than later. Miserable Conditions Volume 1, Issue 2 Page 11
How has the Corps helped your future? It’s helped me tremendously. I put myself in a position where I was forced to work and live with the same people day in and day out. It taught me a lot of patience com‐ munication and leadership. I still have a lot of room to grow in these areas, especially communication, but I’ll take what I’ve learned thus far into the rest of my life. I really appreciate the experience as a whole, it has been a great opportunity to grow.
What do you expect in your future? A lot…I could write a few pages on that alone. I know higher education, entrepre‐ neurship, and a steady career in the drilling field are absolutely in my future in order to get to where I want to be by the time I’m ready to retire. I could write in detail, but I might take up a few pages.
If you did your time in the Corps all over again, what would you do differently? I feel like I did a great job as a corps member, but as a person I made a lot of mistakes. Everyone makes them, its learning from them that make our errors invaluable.
What wisdom can you offer to those of us still on center? You came here with the knowledge that the work would be hard so don’t let the hard work work you instead work the hard work. It feels good going to sleep knowing you couldn’t have done a better job. Take advantage of the AmeriCorps scholar‐ ship. They will easily pay for community col‐ lege, technical training, or a percentage of tui‐ tion. In combination with FASFA and fee waiv‐ ers, it should be financially manageable for almost anyone. If you’re enrolled in high school, take it seri‐ ously. John Muir Charter School offers students an opportunity to accrue credits rapidly and you might be able to finish before year’s end. I was able to amass around 150 in around eight months. Finally, take this time to save your money or get out of debt. I really wish I had.
If you could have one super power what would it be? I would want to be able to materialize things with my mind’s eye. If I was hungry and wanted a hoagie, boom! Hold the mayo. Super‐ awesome super power.
That’s it, done! Thanks a lot for the chance to share. I hope you guys are all having fun up there and I wish to visit soon! Take it easy and stay cool.
photo provided by Chris Negrete Negrete on the job, using heavy machinery to drill for core samples. Page 12 Placer Press David Lay Evading Death Battling Gamers, Lawsuits, Ninjas & Life‐Threatening Injury
by Justis Lang Editor‐in‐Chief
Sup, David. Where we're you born? I was born in Jacksonville, North Carolina, 1989, June 19th. First of all, I was born in a military hospital. I was three months pre‐ mature. I was not supposed to live. I lived...
It's a damn miracle! ...and then I lived there (on base) for four years. When I was three, I lived with my grandparents on my father’s side. And they both smoked heavily, and I was born with bad lungs. They weren't fully devel‐ oped, and I had a crooked left foot. And then, living there, smoking every day, black, unfiltered cigarettes, caused me to have an attack. My lungs filled up with fluid. They had to take me to the hospital and drain my lungs.
But your crooked foot was okay right? My crooked foot was fixed after I was David Lay shows evidence of former wounds. born.
Alright, we won't get into details because there's a whole lot of juice up ahead. How'd you get to California though? My mother left my father, left all of our belongings, just grabbed me, Eric and Johnny, herself, got enough money for a plane ticket, and flew our new family from North Carolina to California.
Let's walk and talk, David. [Justis reaches his hand towards him.] I'm not holding your hand.
Okay. Tell me about your early teen years and the discovery of video games. Um, my mother bought a PlayStation 1, and regretted it ever since.
But that led to some pretty awesome things. I mean, you were pro for a while. Can you tell me anything about being a pro, uh, video game...er? It’s very interesting. It was very fun. I did that from '07 to '09—played Gears of War One and Two. I did several small tournaments for Game Crazy and Game Stop. I worked for Game Crazy for six or seven months. That's how everything got started. I played in the store, and apparently I was very good at Halo and Gears of War. At the time Gears of War wasn't very popular, but it became tremendously popular, even overseas in Japan. Eventually, I started doing single tournaments at Game Crazy. I won. I played more tournaments. I still won. I started going to higher tournaments and Game Crazy sponsored me, but they couldn't do that much, just transportation. Miserable Conditions Volume 1, Issue 2 Page 13
How'd you get with Platinum? Platinum Games. They saw me at the World Cham‐ pionship for Gears of War One, and I got thirteenth place. Platinum Games was like, “Well this guy’s still considered a newbie. He got thirteenth place and beat out a lot of first‐place candidates.” So they wrote up a con‐ tract, I was hired, and I worked on testing games.
We have less than ten seconds left on the tape. Say something else. Uh, I don’t know. Pikachu… ninjas! NEXT TAPE
Where did Platinum games end up taking you? Lots of places. I did California State Championship, Nevada State Championship, Texas...
How'd you do in Texas? Nevada I got fifth, Cali I got first, Texas I got fifth...
Damn, those Texans are... bored. And then I've done World Championships. I've gotten thirteenth twice. I guess that's my lucky number.
Didn't you go to Japan? I did go to Japan. Gears of War is insanely popular with Asian chicks, apparently. They wanted people to go over there for a huge championship which was very, very, very... I don't know what the word is... exaggerated. Everything was about the game. There were six or seven people selected by Platinum Games to go, and I was one of them. I went down there. The tournament was very long. There were a lot of crazy Asian chicks.
Did you make any girls cry? No crying, but there was yelling and screaming. Well, first of all, when you’re playing professionally, you have to act profes‐ sionally. People lose their contract for losing their temper, throwing their controllers at the ground. They get fired. First of all, you’re hired by this company to play the game. If you lose, you’re expected to shake hands and say “good game.” I have seen some people that absolutely freak out, curse on live television...
But you made more money than those people, right? I really don't like saying numbers...
Thousands of dollars!? [Huge undisclosed amount]
That wasn't so hard to say, was it, David Lay? Where'd all this money go? Well, I lost it all after my huge careerending accident. I had a few jobs at the time. Platinum Games was my breadwinner, my second was working at Save Mart to please my grandparents, and the third was just taking online classes to become a paramedic. One night I stayed up too late playing X‐Box live and I woke up late for work [Save Mart]. I woke up with ten minutes to get to work, and it takes ten minutes to get to work. All my stuff was in my bag—my work clothes, everything. I was ready to go. I could do this. On the way, about ten houses away, a bug flew in my eye causing me to not see the road, and then the truck hit me. It was very, very uncool. Yeah, I had multiple injuries. Page 14 Placer Press
Evading Death continued from page13 They never found all the injuries right away. Oh, by the way, I got sued by the guy who hit me, which was also very uncool. He drove a Nineteen‐fifty Dodge pickup truck, which is surrounded by a solid steel metal frame. At the time, I was 210 lbs. I was 10 percent body fat. I worked out; I ran; I looked very good; I liked the beach. And so, when I got hit, he said he was going twenty‐five, the speed limit, which going up that hill looks like five. My grandpa said he was going about sixty‐five. I completely de‐ stroyed the engine; they had to pull me out of the truck. I got sued because he had the right‐of‐way, and I couldn't prove how fast he hit me because there were no skid marks. They believe he hit me, kept going, slowed down then reversed back to where he hit me. I can't prove that, though. No witnesses. I was unconscious, so it was their word against mine.
What was the first thing you remember? The first thing was actually very trippy. I woke up in the hospital. I had complete memory loss, a whole series of very bad injuries. Ten broken bones, internal bleed‐ ing in four organs, internal bruising on my spinal cord, my back, my arms. I had, oh god, what else did I have? Temporary blindness and temporary deafness in my left side. I had a severe concussion, com‐ plete memory loss, a cracked shin. Is that it? I might be forgetting something.
Your organs? Oh yeah, my organs. My kidney, liver, and stom ach and lungs were all Lay shows off his battle wounds. bleeding. Two organs shut down: my heart and my gall bladder. Your heart’s an important organ. You should know this; I hope you do. My heart stopped. When the paramed‐ ics first got there, I wasn't breathing. I was out for like, two or three minutes.
You were dead?
Yes, I was dead. I was dead for a total of ten minutes, which is not possible. Miserable Conditions Volume 1, Issue 2 Page 15
Tell me about being dead. Or at least as much as you can, comfortably. I had, I believe, an out‐of‐body experience. I got hit and I flew off in the distance, now this is the out‐of‐body experi‐ ence. I was in tremendous pain. My head hurt, my eyes hurt, and I was dizzy. I got up and I saw this red thing. Eventu‐ ally, it clears up, and it's a truck, and there's somebody in the truck, and I see three dudes get out of it. I saw my neighbor wrap me up in a blanket, because when you’re bleeding a lot you get cold, ’cause, you know, you’re bleeding. I walked over to the truck, and the closer I got, I got this sick feeling, and fell to the ground. But if I walked backwards away from the accident, I would start to feel better. It got weirder, but that's personal.
But you'll probably like this: The day I woke up in the hospital I was on four different kinds of pain kill‐ ers and different types of drugs, and so I have no recollection of what was going on in those two days. The third day, I woke up and everything was dark. I reached out my right arm and the light went on. There was a chain attached to my wrist. I noticed I had all these things attached to me: tubes going into my chest, a huge cast on my arm, I had this weird box‐looking thing running from my ankle all the way to my ribs on my left side. I could not see or hear out of my left side because when I got hit, I was looking away from the vehicle because the bug was in that side of my eye, so my glasses only punctured the white part of my eye. I didn't know where I was, how I got there, who I was, what my name was. The only thing I remember is that I was on my way to work, but I didn't know what work was. I didn't know anything else—family members, nothing whatsoever. I opened up my shirt and noticed four tubes going into my chest. There was a tube in my nose. At that point, I was completely freaking out. The heart rate monitor started going off, then an alarm went off, then people came rushing in. I started yelling and screaming at them, asking what the hell was going on. Eventually, they gave me a shot and I went back to sleep. Then I woke up again, and a lady was asking me questions, saying, "Do you remember that, do you remember this?" I kept saying “No, I don't remember, I'm sorry, I don't know you.” Then she started crying a little bit. Apparently, this person was my mother—I just didn't remember her at the time. Then she started talking to my brother on the phone, telling him I have amnesia, and I heard the word Midnight. Midnight is the name of a cat I had; I picked him out; I still have him. I remembered him at that moment. I remembered my brothers; I remembered the woman in the room was my mother; I remembered a whole bunch of things all at once.
How strange is it to remember so many things again so quickly? It is the weirdest thing a person could go through. It kept happening while I was at the hospital. The hospital was hor‐ rible. I hate the food. I couldn't even eat for a week, and then they gave me this drug to make my brain think I was full. Unfortunately, since I was very low body fat, my body ate all my muscles for sustenance. If you've seen the movie Ava‐ tar, you might remember his legs?
Yeah, yeah. That was my legs, my arms, everything. I was beyond skinny. I lost all the muscle very fast. Since I couldn't eat, I was very weak very fast and got to the point where I couldn't even lift my arm. I could not breathe without a machine or do anything. The doctors told me I wouldn't be able to walk, breathe normally; I'd be crippled. They said I couldn't do everything I do now. I can still run very fast. I can do all sorts of things they said I wouldn't be able to do.
Wow. So, did you ever make it to Save Mart? [laughter] I did. But that's another story.
David Lay went on confront, battle, and conquer other struggles in life and has found a chance to move forward with us here at the C's. Please respect his privacy and the seriousness of some of the non‐fictional topics he discussed. Don't pester him with personal questions regarding his mone‐ tary situation or lawsuits previously unmentioned. You may, however, ask him about the ninjas. You may also thank him for the countless times he's saved you from them. Page 16 Placer Press The Mike Rush you never knew ...or wanted to for that matter
by Mike Rush Special Corpsmember
It’s strange to think that it’s almost been eight years since I left home to join this program. When I reflect on the per‐ son I was compared to the person I am, I can only roll my eyes in embarrassment. This program was as far away from what I expected to be doing as possible. I wanted to be going to parties, hanging in coffee houses, and doing nothing to bene‐ fit others—not building trails or install‐ ing lamp fixtures. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy with the decision that I’ve made, but still confused on how it came to be. I barely graduated from high school. I spent the first two years skateboarding and making myself as useless as humanly possible. I never took a foreign language class, seldom did I attend the other classes. How did I graduate? I think it was more a decision by faculty to just pass me through as rather than dealing with me another year. Nobody wants to deal with a smug, arrogant, free‐thinking punk rocker any longer than they need to. I worked a string of lame jobs that had no career development possibilities. Toy store filled with snot‐drenched kids, and indifferent mothers, and annoyed fathers who were missing the football game. Thrift stores with cursing old ladies because you forgot to give them their senior discounts. My favorite job, however, was K‐mart. I worked there a sum of three days, until my physical came back with something that shouldn’t have been there. After a year of this, my parents laid down the gauntlet: get a job, go to school or kick rocks. Since I was a kid, I had wanted to be a high school English teacher. They Come July of ’02, I walked off a bus into a were the only teachers I got along with lovely 110‐degree, dry‐as‐all‐hell day. on any kind of level. They liked me be‐ cause I was reading the likes of Phillip Sweating before I ever picked up a tool, I K. Dick, Charles Bukoski and Anthony was already in doubt, debating on whether Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange at the ripe old age of 12. So I decided to at‐ to leave. tend Santa Rosa Junior College to work towards my teaching credentials. Things were going okay for about a year or so—then I got hooked up with this nightmare retro‐ rockabilly girl and it all went down hill from there. Long story short: we moved in, dishes were smashed, I moved out with no intentions of going back to school. I was told in no uncertain terms by my parents to not move back home. I couch surfed for about two months and hence burned many a bridge behind me in the process. What next? I wanted out of Santa Rosa with a passion, but had no money to do so. Around March or so of ’02, I met this guy I went to high school with, and he was working for the Santa Rosa Fire Department. He was telling his sob story: divorce, paternity suit, blah blah blah. Then he mentioned this program I had never heard about called the CCC. All the training he did, different jobs and the magic words: residential living arrangements. Hell, I figured if that knuckle dragging moron can do it, I’ll be running that place in a year flat. I called a recruiter who told a long list of lies about this center in Auburn. They had pool, carpentry apprentice program, and other such blatant lies. Miserable Conditions Volume 1, Issue 2 Page 17
Come July of ’02, I walked off a bus into a lovely 110‐degree, dry‐as‐all‐hell day. Sweating before I ever picked up a tool, I was already in doubt, debating on whether to leave. Still curious as to why I didn’t. I got hauled into a van by my COMET leader—none other than Mark Capadonica (who, by the way, is hands down one of the most informative and dedicated guys this program has ever seen). My COMET consisted of mostly burnouts from down south, a hand full of local yokels and some rich kids whose parents didn’t want to deal with them anymore. Then there was me. I got through the program just fine and started real work. My first supervisor was young man named Angel Parga. Parga I think is a great example of what this program can do for you. He also annoyed me to no end that week. Fresh out of COMET, I expected him to take it easy on me. Wrong. Knee deep in poison oak, we were clearing brush in what was an old Indian burial ground, which creeped me out to no end. I can laugh about it now, but man alive was I mad then. Later, I hooked up with a man who would be my supervisor for over a year named Dave Ruiz. Dave was and still is a very short I learned a lot from this program. man, but he made up for it with heart. I learned more about the Whether it be job skills—chainsaw, work we were doing and life in general from him than any other through this program. He also had one other charm: he had the power tools, jackhammer, electri‐ ability to make you laugh at your own mother’s funeral. cal—or life skills—work ethic for Getting close to my first year, I had already gone to a number of fires and incredibly strange emergencies (tearing down chicken example, which was non‐existent coups in Compton and Inglewood anyone?). Then I decided to try in my case. the backcountry program, not that I really had any strong desire, but there was nothing else to do. I signed up and was approved, to my shock. I was just getting ready to start to buy all the gear I would need and then she came. I was smoking in the pit when I saw this girl in black‐rimmed glasses, dyed hair and a homemade David Bowie hooded sweater. I was hooked before I knew what happened. She was into good movies, read comic books and hated Ani DiFranco; truly this was the girl for me. I learned a lot from this program. Whether it be job skills—chainsaw, power tools, jackhammer, electrical—or life skills—work ethic for example, which was non‐existent in my case. But more than anything, I thank this program for bringing me to a girl who not only is now my wife, but also my best friend. Hey, I know it’s corny, okay? I hear you snickering, stop it. I know where you live! Anyways, maybe I’ll get around to writing funny stories about corpmembers and some of the more obnoxious antics I’ve seen them do and I have done over the years for the Placer Press. I do plan on writing a book some day. Maybe I’ll call it A Day Late and a Brain Cell Short: My Life in the CCC. You have been warned.
Word.
Mike Rush Page 18 Placer Press Freaky Food Force Corpsmembers Forging New Food Frontiers
by Justis Lang Editor‐in‐Chief
The line for food has shortened as we sit at our table. There is nothing to sug‐ gest this dinner should be anything but normal. Sud‐ denly, Cory Burr has soy sauce in his soda. Each per‐ son at the table felt the same change of consciousness and shared a knowing glance. Forks, knives, and spoons are at the ready. The gloves are off. With minds like ours, this meal will surely be unlike any other. There's cake between steak, steak between garlic bread, and what the hell, let's sprinkle a little peach juice on photo by David Lay it. Confusion sets in. One gaze upon our plates reveals unchallenged. As we light‐ before (not during) dessert. the angst of existentialism heartedly laugh through full We are free to butter our masquerading as our edibles. mouths we are liberated from bread with whatever flavor of Who are we? What are we the prison of conventional yogurt we desire. here for? What the heck is in culinary creations. We are warriors un‐ my mouth?! We are free to eat cereal daunted by typical dining The Freaky Food Force is using syrup rather than milk. room entrées: artists unfet‐ born! We are here to taste the We are free to re‐frost our tered by the ties of pre‐ unnamed, born to impress cakes with salad and other conceived flavor forms. We our taste buds with flavors things that should be eaten are pilgrims in a new land. Of course, some experiments have ended poorly, but we still maintain that even the freakiest foods taste better than the Donner Party’s ex‐ treme snackage. After all, we're explorers forging a fla‐ vor frontier for the first taste. We are searching for the holy grail of grub or maybe the "holy crap" of yum. Our favorite words to hear are, "you know what, that actually sounds kind of good." Keep in mind all ye mere mortal munchers, it is better to have snacked freakily and hurled with much force than to have never snacked freakily at all. photo by David Lay At least we think so. Miserable Conditions Volume 1, Issue 2 Page 19 Disc Golf Golf, but Fun
by Chris Schlaman holes. You keep score the same way you keep score in Disk golf is a game of strat‐ golf by adding one point for egy, style, and most of all, fun. every throw. Be careful not to Disk golf is like golf with an lose your disks in bushes, exciting twist that anyone can rivers, or trees, because get into. Unlike golf, disk golf sometimes they are impossi‐ is a great form of exercise ble to retrieve. The course and brings a whole new chal‐ gets harder as you near the lenge to the field. eighteenth hole. You can use The rules are simple. In‐ spinning techniques to curve photo by David Lay stead of playing the game around obstacles such as with clubs and little white rocks, trees, bushes, in be‐ of all your worries. And, balls, you use a range of dif‐ tween tree branches, and unlike golf, it’s not boring. ferent types of Frisbees. Each over rivers. You can play disk golf at Frisbee has a different pur‐ Disk golf is not hard at all. local parks such as one favor‐ pose just like golf clubs. You In fact anyone who can throw ite, Auburn Regional Park have your driver, used for a Frisbee can play. It is a and you can purchase new long throws. All‐purpose mid great way to relax and just disks at local shops and gas ‐range discs and putters are have fun. You can play by stations in the areas of disk for short and hard obstacles. yourself to practice or play golf courses. The sport is very You throw them into a metal with friends to have a great inexpensive. Try it out! You chain basket referred to as a time. It’s a very good way to won’t regret it! hole. There are eighteen relax and keep your mind off
A Day in the Life of a Backcountry Worker A Letter from Placer ’s Calith Sprock in Klamath
relieve itself, so you wander by Calith Sprock over to the nearest bush. You go up to the make‐shift table As you wake up to the made of tall logs and ply sound of your alarm clock wood sitting precariously on (going off at 5:40 a.m.) you top. It holds all of your ingre‐ look up at your tent ceiling dients. You remember as you and are still amazed that approach the table that your you’re in the Backcountry hands need to be clean. So program. You roll out of your you quickly step to the solar sleeping bag you had bought shower bag, take a squirt of at REI before Backcountry some anti‐bacterial soap, and had started. You get dressed turn the knob to let the water in your last somewhat clean out slow. You turn it off real pair of drawers, pull out the quick so you don’t waste any brown pants, then throw on photo courtesy of ccc.ca.gov water and you start rubbing your AmeriCorps t‐shirt and your hands together and your CCC uniform shirt. You Lunch needs to be made be‐ singing happy birthday to feel a little bit nippy climbing fore 6:15 a.m. or you get no yourself, making sure you out of your tent, but you lunch and starve yourself at sing it twice. know it will be a hot day. work. Your body calls out to ... TO BE CONTINUED Miserable Conditions Page 20 Placer Press Enjoy the Journey Jillian’s Favorite Authors
by Jillian Mitchell
Sherrilyn Kenyon pain characters endure. In weaves her more complex works, she intricate Kenyon has a pseudonym, has you believing that the plots with Kinley MacGregor. As such character’s pain is worse every sen‐ she has produced the Lords than any real‐life situation. tence. Her of Avalon series and the Howard’s strongest novels charac‐ Brotherhood are those set in contempo‐ ters are of the Sword rary times. out of this series along world, but with various they have works set in Sandra Brown humanity. the Middle Although her audience is the & More When I write that they have Ages. Mrs. 25‐years‐and‐older age humanity, I mean every deci‐ Kenyon is group, her novels have al‐ sion a character makes is well known ways intrigued me. Brown’s made with painstaking delib‐ for her Dark‐ novels range from thrillers to eration, because every char‐ Hunter se romance. acter is fightimg for their ries. The series is set Each novel lives. Life is not a game for in modern‐day New Orleans, of hers that I them. LA where nocturnal slayers have read
hunt and kill the Apollo has involved cursed Daimons (vampires) a couple, yet John Grisham who not only suck the blood the story John Grisham is well known of their victims, but they take does not for his novels about morally their souls as well. As an au‐ revolve sound lawyers fighting for thor who writes supernatural around the justice. In my opinion, his fiction, Kenyon uses Greek develop‐ novels are not an easy read, mythology and contemporary ment of that and it’s not because he’s not a social mores to create works relationship. The stories good writer, but his stories with sensuality and integrity. themselves have some ele‐ are very intense. The situa‐ She is a must‐read. ment of betrayal and secrecy, tions he contrives are drawn like the reader knows that from his imagination and are Linda Howard not everything has been re‐ based off actual cases. In an vealed. No matter how much Author’s Note in his first Howard has written a slew of the audience tries to guess novel A Time to Kill, he romance novels. Each novel what the twist is, the audi‐ writes that the worst trage‐ has very de‐ ence is always in for a sur‐ dies are played out in a court tailed sex prise. This author always has room. He makes you think scenes, com‐ an unexpected ending. with his writing. Grisham plex charac‐ challenges the social norms ters, and tri‐ we have umph at the Kelley Armstrong accustomed end of each I started reading her novels ourselves story. Like when I was sixteen years old to. It’s al‐ almost any and have continued to do so. I most as romance nov‐ am now twenty. She is best at though he elist, she has writing supernatural fiction. challenges her flighty Her Women of the Other‐ the world to works, but she is able to world series has characters make a bet‐ write stories that will make that have appeared in previ‐ ter future. you cry because of all the ous novels. Armstrong Volume 1, Issue 2 Page 21
Ask Reyna and Perdedor
by Reyna Atilano “Dear Reyna and Myles “Perdedor” Williams and Perdedor, How do you “Dear Reyna and Perdedor, keep your per‐ Why is he an a‐hole?” sonal life and professional Perdedor : “If he’s such an a‐ life separate hole then why do you talk to when your ex him? Obviously, you like him lives and works and you want him to change. with you?” Try this, ask him to be nicer to you and have respect for Perdedor: Stay focused on you. Why would you like or yourself and why you came respect someone who doesn’t here. A lot of people get Perdedor’s respect you back? Let him caught up in drama and for‐ & More know that how he treats you get why they came here and Spanish Lesson hurts you. You can always not either get kicked out or quit. talk to him.” Ultimately, if you do you, you by Myles “Perdedor” Reyna: He’s probably acting can’t go wrong. Not to sound Williams like an a‐hole because he’s cliché, but there’s plenty of immature and doesn’t know fish in the sea. “¿Dejaste escapar how to act towards the oppo‐ Reyna: Plain and simple. It’s un gas?” site sex. Or maybe you are hard but it’s something attracted to the “bad boy” you’re going to have to learn Translation: appeal of him and it’s the to live with and eventually “Did you fart?” “bad boy” coming off as an a‐ get over it. Tough love hole. baby! ; D
Fast‐Food Face Off
by Mary Huber hot dog stand called Bell’s go, there are probably some Drive‐In, with Glen Bell be‐ in Northern and Southern ing the creator. After that, he California, but not much in Taco Bell realized his potential by mak‐ the middle of California. They Taco Bell is a great place to ing chili dogs with the sauce have various menu items like eat, and it seems to be every‐ he makes today for Taco flame grilled chicken, burrito, where, whether you walk Bell’s beefy tacos. He helped soft tacos, and good side or‐ from three blocks to your jump start companies such as ders like mashed potatoes, house or just happen to Del Taco, Taco Tia’s, and mac and cheese, fries, etc. be off the nearest exit to more. Not only did it have Don’t get me wrong, the food the freeway. It contains seemingly better locations to tastes great, but it doesn’t various menu items go to, but it also had a seem‐ have good deals like Taco Bell such as tacos, burritos, ingly fool‐proof menu and a does. Pollo Loco started out churros, Mexican pizza, great history, and that’s why as a stand before it got recog‐ and nachos. It seems I’m giving it an overall rating nized on Alvarado Street in every single time they of 3 out of 5. Los Angeles. It’s got a great always update their menu history and very interesting items offered for about $2.00, El Pollo Loco menu items, but because of which gives you more for I would have to say with the fewer locations it offers your money. Believe it or not, Pollo Loco that I’m not too and high price for its menu it all first started by making a impressed. As far as locations items, I’d give it a 2 out of 5. Page 22 Placer Press Synchronicity
by Justis Lang Editor‐in‐Chief
Thoughts are in sync, all overlapping, weaved and connecting just enough to receive that beautiful de‐ cree to give and receive, to be closer to complete. And the overtones cause happiness if only within a moments span, your encompassed in the essence even if only in her presence it gives you a reason to be determined, think "I won't be pleasant faithless". Because you gave me an expres‐ sion which I show by bared teeth daily, smiles when we're close and worse when we are worse. I want to accomplish any loving structure left partially intact. To pursue the feeling, To shrug off the burden but keep the crusade like you would in a fight after a punch in the face. To feed off of the feeling. Gnaw on the energy. I will find religion in blasphemy, make the suns up above jealous at the light in me, to be & More given your love would ignite a new kind of me... or burn me down under the heat of your ab‐ sence, leave me in more than one piece. It's an enthralling gamble. Consuming my focus, my perseverance, trying to ring me through. The chase that is, but I am thankful that I didn't give in the million times I wanted to... Is this what it feels like to be content? No matter, I can know no difference, you were worth any scars I painted on my heart, I am determination, I am essential to our art. But this gift is heavy, so we had to restart. These wings fluttered violently, naturally. Fluttered and failed at first in a way that reminds me of flightless birds, it just sort of seems like a sad joke at first. My feet have finally lifted off of the ground but without you I hear only noise in sound, suspended in null animation, lost in the breeze of my lonesome imagination, stuck in an emptiness convention, awaiting your blessed attention.
Until we are Reanimated. Resurrected, Reconnected, Re‐established. Re‐ embodied, if you will. Re‐embodied, and swimming in these butterflies fluttering in my stomach, I assume something has to assist the continuation, the familiar vibrations, these soothing convulsions, these loving hands shaking me to sleep... (Strangling me pleasantly) Your absence insists on your presence, I need it. It can happen because we make it happen. Never remove yourself from me again, and you will sustain your position as a love I never will for‐ Be heard. Be seen. get. Remove yourself and I will still remember dreaming while my heart it eaten by a Be published in prime longing. I will thank you for the time you gave me, always. the Placer Press. Sink, Sink With Me, Sink With Me In Synchronicity, We’ll Reach Submit art, photos, the Bottom Symmetrically, Then Balloon Upwards And Reach articles, criticism or Some Sunny Surface, Simultaneously Please, Let your lips melt creative writing to into me, and your hips wrap around me perfectly, and hold me Justis Lang or email through any sickenings. But First We Must Sleep… [email protected] … Then Sweet Synchronicity.