I suppose I can only count 20 of those units, three were for a summer internship course and I only had a few requirements during the semester to satisfy it. I spent hours every day in class toiling away or up late at night burning the midnight oil as I put the finishing touches on a project. Dates, deadlines, quizzes, assignments, meetings; that was my life. I did not make it home often in the final two months of the semester.

As the TV warmed up, I saw that the polls in the West had closed, and now the world knew what I had known once they called Pennsylvania: Barack Obama had won. I was overjoyed, but it was a quiet victory for me as I savored my cold beer. I celebrated alone, and in quiet thought. As I watched John McCain speak, I looked back on the last two years and reflected. Finally I was able to breathe a sign of relief.

Perhaps I am a bit too idealistic, but I feel as if we can put the right man in the right place at the right time. We have a chance to send a message to the world about who we are as a nation once again.

It cuts through the air with a blistering speed and unrelenting tenacity as it bursts into fire. But the fire cannot be caused only by means of the comet's own energy. It is derived from the mere resistance of the air in the world around it, which acts to slow this great titan of the cosmos.

Once I get enough material, I will begin orgainizing it into a more disciplined structure. Basically it will be like a point of reference for every issue that America faces today, and in the future as I see it.

Being that you are perusing a news site right now, that name should hold some significance, based on the last week's events. Wall Street has seen some dramatic shifts in the market as a result of several of our nation's most trusted financial institutions crumbling. As described by former FED chairman Alan Greenspan, this crisis is, "as dire as any I have ever seen in my career." And being that Greenspan predates the monetary system itself (I kid Mr. Greenspan, of course) one can only wonder how much more our economy can take.

Birds chirped peacefully in the distance as I shifted my eyes to the white stones before me. All of them were in eerily familiar shapes, evenly spaced and maintained so as not to draw attention to any one in particular. There were situated as such because every single one bore the same five designations; name, rank, unit, home, date. Every so often there would be a special stone that bore none of these identifiers. Instead they would simply say "Here rests in honored glory a comrade in arms known but to God."

The rising sun gradually revealed the ships and landing craft as they swept up on the beaches and unloaded their cargo. They were met with the sharp crackle of fresh rifles and the deep rumbling of machine gun fire.

The low thudding sound of a warship's deck guns were followed by the ear-splitting screams of incoming shells and a terrific boom. The air is littered with a cacophony of sounds, sounds of metal and men. Some of them are screaming, shouting in fear, or in rage, but not all of them. Some are simply moving forward with a cold and determined look and with one objective in mind: forward.

This same routine has continued throughout this country for hundreds of years now. Whether it be a copy of the New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, or any other number of distinguished periodicals including our very own Reporter, newspapers are simply a part of our everyday lives. And by that same token, so too is the very concept of journalism, our most treasured and valuable freedom.

If you think about it (and I mean really who wants to think about it?) it is probably one of the most pointless holidays on our list. Perhaps it's not as pointless as Columbus Day, but then again I suppose we vetoed that holiday. I never was a fan of Columbus Day and I'm not a fan of Valentines Day either. Hmm ... maybe we should veto Valentines Day too.

Now before I get any angry e-mails about how Valentine's Day is all about the wonderful celebration of love and dedication ... blah, blah, blah, yes I've heard it. Should you find the sudden urge to respond to me stop, go back, and re-read the irreverent sarcasm before you are allowed to continue.

Examine that statement, it is simple and to the point. It is clear and precise. To the untrained observer, it may seem inconsequential, but to me it carries a special meaning.

I suppose that saying that I might have an unhealthy obsession with anything related to politics is an understatement. For years now I have been following politics long before many of my peers ever showed an interest in the subject. I suppose the credit goes to my parents, who both have very strong views on many subjects. Not only do they have strong views though, they also fostered discussion and debate even when I was at a young age.

I certainly understood her frustration, perhaps more than any of you may know. To say that only students attending junior colleges come under scrutiny for their decisions on the college that they attend would be would be a misnomer. And by the same token, to say that I am just a bit perturbed at every single first response about where I chose to go to school being, "Oh Chico huh, party school," would be a gross understatement. In fact hearing such words time and time again have assured me that the statement is quite possibly one of the most ignorant things I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with.

When I finally got home, I told my parents that in the past I had moments of difficulty in school, but never like this. The level of difficulty has finally matched my expectations of what it should be. For the first time, I could feel it wearing on me.

In addition to all of that, I recently attended a conference in Las Vegas to represent Chico State. On my way home I sat down to check my email. In my inbox I found a response to my recent piece on encouraging kids to pursue higher education. I was quite excited that I had generated a response, and then I read the email.

I re-read it several times and my first instinct was to respond immediately. I began typing at a furious pace until a thought darted through my mind. I stopped mid-sentence, closed my laptop, and sat in the terminal for the rest of the hour reading a book peacefully. Alyssa Segura's e-mail wasn't what had angered me, I was angry at myself because in a way, I let it happen.