Paul Pope from Holden is a 2^nd year Language Arts Student (LAS) at Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC). He enjoys adult contemporary and alternative genres, Billy Joel, and Barenaked Ladies are among his favorites. Pope is a history buff and plans on going on to be a history teacher, “I love the 100 years of sociopolitical change in the U.S. between the Civil War and Civil Rights.” Pope is also a very knowledgeable Whovian and enjoys talking about all things Doctor Who.

Paul Pope
Photo credit: Wendy Anderson

The first ten songs that came up on his iPod:

C+C Music Factory – Gonna Make You Sweat

The Police – Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

The Fugees – Killing Me Softly

Jimmy Cliff – I Can See Clearly Now

Jimmy Buffet- Cheeseburger In Paradise

Jon Secada- Just Another Day

R. Kelly- Gotham City

Santana feat. Rob Thomas- Smooth

Soft Cell- Tainted Love

Billie Piper- Because We Want To

Pope said he does not have any songs on his iPod he regrets but is glad that his guilty pleasure, The Divinyls “I Touch Myself,” did not come up. He said he does not regret it but it is not one he would normally tell people he likes, though he did confess it for this interview.

Over the past few months, tensions have grown as North Korea seems to move closer to nuclear war. While the nation itself claims to have nuclear and long range missile capabilities, the rest of the world exists in limbo, unsure as to watch, wait, or prepare for such a potentiality. Many Americans question how concerned they should be, as North Korea is about the size of Mississippi and located thousands of miles from the American coastline.

Todd Goodwin, an adjunct history instructor at Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC), gave his own insight into growing issues with North Korea. “Does [North Korea] have the capability to launch a missile?” Goodwin questioned, “Yes, but they might be relatively short range. The question might be: do they have a small enough nuclear weapon to put on a missile? What I’ve heard is they don’t.”

Goodwin did not express a great deal of concern about North Korea’s threats. “A lot of this talk that’s coming out of North Korea is just to show how powerful they are and to make the rest of the world worry,” Goodwin said. He cited how such things have happened in the past, but after international talks, nothing ever came of it. However, Goodwin did state that Americans should take the threats with some seriousness, as it cannot be known if North Korea’s threats are substantiated. “I don’t think they have the long range missile capacities to hit the United States,” Goodwin said, “[but] I could be wrong on that.”

Countries that are affected most by the troubles in North Korea include the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, and Guam (as a United States territory). “There is this spirit of defiance [in North Korea] that nobody in the world is going to tell them anything… at least among them being the United States,” Goodwin said, “If the United States should even look at them the wrong way, they are ready in a moment’s notice to send any North Korean to kill any American they can.” Although, Goodwin admits that, “some of that is rhetoric, obviously.”

Since the 1953 armistice between South Korea and North Korea, the two countries,  as well as the United States, have never seen eye to eye. On March 8, North Korea nullified the 1953 armistice against its southern neighbor, an armistice that actually never created peace between the two nations to begin with.  “There have been no big battles, but we are technically at war with them, meaning the United States and South Korea, who are allies against North Korea,” Goodwin said.

The present leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, is at the center of this turmoil. “When he came into power [in December of 2011], some people thought he might be a little more open to the West because he had gone to school in Switzerland,” Goodwin stated, “but then, over the past year or so, he’s been collecting titles because the power structure around him gives him titles [like] ‘Supreme Ruler’ or  ‘Supreme Commander’.”

Within North Korea, conditions are rocky. It is rumored that Jong-un lives in luxury, importing limousines and other high-class items, while his people suffer from chronic famines. Those who speak against the government are at risk to be sent to Re-Education camps, where according to Goodwin, “nobody knows how many people in North Korea have been sent to be re-educationed to death.”

However, there is some good amidst the chaos. The latest outbursts from North Korea have given the United States and China a chance to rebuild relations with each other. “Back in the early days, Communist China was a very big supporter of North Korea because it was [also] a Communist country,” Goodwin said, “but even they cannot always talk sense to the leadership of North Korea… [China] doesn’t want a loose cannon country on their boarder.”

An intramural football team called the Mountain Lions will kick off in the fall of 2013. The team will be part of the Yankee Collegiate football conference; although it is not an official club of Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC), it will consist of MWCC students. Most will be fresh out of high school looking to play football as well as benefit from attending a community college.

Shawn Link is the founder of the team and will also be head coach. He played in minor league football for 12 years. Erica Smith will be the strength and conditioning coach and is also a firefighter and EMT for Fitchburg.

The first summer camp will be held May 4 which will consist of about an hour of conditioning.

Regular practices will be held at Winchendon’s YMCA and home games will be at the Doyle Field in Leominster.

Link said that the team is meant to be for those students who may not have considered going to MWCC or college at all. In regards to potential students he said, “[They have] all the desires and dreams to go to school but they don’t.”  Students only need to be taking 6 credits worth of classes in order to play.

Since the team travels, money comes from each player paying the $100 fee. Also, they have fundraisers such as spaghetti dinners.  Also, the football team is hosting a Spring Fling Dance on May 17.

Now that spring has finally come it is time to start stalking up on our plant material for the year.

One question often asked is about herbal preparations and what is the best way to take herbs.  Here is a quick overview of the different methods of taking herbs and the benefits of each preparation.

One of the most common ways herbs are available is in tincture form.  This is almost always in a base of alcohol.  This liquid form of herbs is the perfect method when you need the herbs to get into your system quickly.  I like this method for Echinacea to stave off colds and for bitter formulas which are used for digestion upsets.  When suffering from either of these conditions it is important to gain immediate relief.  The only time you wouldn’t want to use alcohol tincture is with children, or someone in recovery.  Alcohol can be removed from tinctures just before taking them by adding them to boiling water and letting them stand for ten minutes before consuming.  This is recommended for pregnant woman and those suffering from liver disease.  So when dealing with something that needs immediate attention think tinctures.

A more timely method of taking herbs is through teas.  I like this method when dealing with the nervous system, it forces us to slow down and participate in the Zen of making tea.  Since most of the herbs for the nervous system taste good it tends to be a pleasant experience.  I suggest making your two quarts of herbal tea the night before and drinking it hot or iced throughout the next day.  The only herbs that are a challenge to take this way are bitters.

Another method I use on children is herbal glycerides.  These come in a base of vegetable glycerin and are incredibly sweet due to the natural sweetness of the glycerin.   This is a great help when trying to get children to take anything.  There are other tricks for children but I will save those specific methods for another time.  The only thing to keep in mind with glycerides is that they are less potent than alcohol tinctures and they only have a shelf life of about one year.  They cannot be used on mucilaginous herbs like marshmallow or slippery elm and they also do not work well on bitter herbs if it is the bitter properties you are trying to attain.  This is also not a good method for those suffering from diabetes due to their high concentration of sugar.

A method that many overlook is herbal vinegars.  This is a great way to take herbs when you cannot have alcohol or sugar.  Vinegars are excellent at extracting the minerals from herbs but like glycerides tend to be less potent than alcohol tinctures.  They too have a shelf life of about one year and may still taste delicious but their potency will begin to diminish.

Lastly are capsules which are incredibly convenient and effective.  Unfortunately they remove us from the plants.  The only herbs that do not work in this method are digestive bitters.  In order for bitters to work for digestive upset they must be tasted.

Never forget the best way to take our herbs is to eat them.  You get all the constituents when they are consumed.  Once you start to work with herbs you gain a taste for them and the flavors that you once thought challenging become enjoyable.

The dandelion will be ready for harvest soon and as long as you pick them before they bloom they are not bitter.  An excellent diuretic without robbing the body of potassium they are also higher in vitamin C than oranges and contain almost all the vitamins and minerals we need.

Given the short time we are here, the professors here at Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) do an incredible job teaching us. But, there are aspects of our education that they simply cannot touch because they are confined to campus. While we might take field trips to see workplaces where we might be practicing our trade on occasion, they can’t teach us about the actual outside world until we actually get out there.

As students, we are mandated to fill those gaps ourselves.

Last year at this time I was at a crossroads. I finished up two semesters with more positives than negatives and a better understanding of myself and my place in the world. I was actually feeling pretty good about myself and the success I enjoyed. But I was wrestling with some deeply profound questions that bordered on the theoretical. What am I doing with my life and where am I going?  Have I lived enough life while I’ve been alive, and have I really lived? Am I where I should be for someone my age and experience?

When my wife told me that we were going on a trip to spend a week in Washington D.C., I was extremely excited. It gave me the chance to get away from my usual surroundings and help me put the past academic year in perspective. While my wife was going to be working the seminar her company was hosting I was taking my sons on a tour of our nation’s capital (while learning a couple of things myself,).

The entire time I kept asking myself; what will the world expect of me once I am done at Mount Wachusett and will I be prepared? How can I know ahead of time?

An hour or two each day (including the weekend) I took a moment to do job searches in the region and specifically looked into the job requirements. When other “normal” people would be looking at the sports scores I was pouring over the help wanted sections in the newspapers and websites via my smart phone. I even took my sons for a short walk to a local college that was just a block away from the Arlington Hyatt where we were staying for the week.

I came back with more brochures from local colleges than souvenirs. It gave me an excuse to revise my resume. I also came back with a greater sense of the world beyond our region.

I know that what I am asking is a herculean task for my fellow students on a tight budget. If possible you have to just get out of the region for at least a week during the break between the spring and fall semesters. If you cannot afford to spend the money on hotels in a metropolitan area then at the very least get in the car and just go camping or stay at a relative’s house. Be in a region of the country where you have not been in a while.

While you are there take the time to research that region for job opportunities in your specific field. Raid the local colleges and universities that teach your specific curriculum. Find out what is required elsewhere so not only will you know what is being taught here but you will also have an idea of what competing colleges are teaching their students.

While I know that Mount Wachusett is the perfect place at this perfect time for me, thanks to my travels I also have a better idea of what the future competition is armed with in the up-coming battles for jobs.

Even if you are not going to do what I suggest by not searching the local job market and institutions for higher learning, still make the effort to travel and expand your horizons. Take a literal vacation and clear the cobwebs out of your head and expel the spent adenine from your body that’s accumulated during the past semester.

The world, as we remember the Boston Marathon bombings on Patriot’s Day, is filled with everyday heroes – those who step up in a time of danger, crisis or emergency to demonstrate selfless acts of bravery and compassion.

This spring semester, we became aware of two such heroes within our college community, although there are undoubtedly others among us.

Assistant Professor of Nursing Kim Giroux was among the many nurses volunteering to assist weary, dehydrated runners at the marathon’s finish line, when suddenly she found herself in the midst of the devastating crisis. At the time, she was tending to an exhausted Army veteran, one of many veterans who had just completed the 26.2 mile run in full gear, wearing pins of fallen soldiers on his backpack. In an instant, he jumped off his stretcher and ran out of Tent A, revived by his own strength and bravery to help others.

Giroux, a pediatric nurse, turned her attention to the children and adults streaming in to the medical tent, a scene which she likened to a war zone. A member of the Massachusetts Association of Registered Nurses (MARN), Giroux was there for the first time as a volunteer on Team MARN. She doesn’t view herself as a hero; rather it was a “team of heroes” that emerged among all the volunteers, runners, emergency responders and spectators who worked together to administer immediate trauma care. We now know that these efforts made a world of difference in the recovery of so many of the victims.

When she returned that week to the classroom, her thoughts were on her students. “I want my students to benefit from this experience,” she said. “I want them to never forget the compassion that needs to be there, and if it weren’t for the team effort, more lives would have been lost.”

At this year’s commencement, we will recognize another everyday hero – 2010 alumnus Christopher Brown, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force who served during the Persian Gulf War. Just one month prior to the marathon, Brown, a former military firefighter who now works as a physical therapist assistant, heard a collision between two cars in his neighborhood. He rushed from his house to find one of the cars engulfed in flames, with a young woman trapped inside. He entered the car to provide critical care to the victim until police and fire officials could arrive.

It has been said recently by one commentator that a hero is a person who is in the wrong place at the wrong time who does the right thing. We never know when or even if we will find ourselves in a situation that will require a heroic act of the highest order, like Professor Giroux and her team of hundreds, or  Christopher, our 2013 Alumnus of the Year. But, we do know that each of us can be a hero every day, whether to others or to ourselves, through our everyday actions, decisions, and commitment to our own goals and in support of others at home, in our communities, and around the world.

When in pain some people eat ice cream, cry or talk to friends or even a therapist. Some feel like they have no other outlet for the hurt and darkness, so they cut.

Cutting is a form of self-harm where a person cuts their skin as a way of easing other hurts. It is harmful, dangerous, and unhealthy.  Sadly it is hard to stop because it works.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a worldwide and non-profit medical organization, cutters tend to be female and between the ages of thirteen and their early 20’s. These girls learn about cutting through friends who cut or they see it on T.V.  It is caused by suffering from some sort of life issue such as problems with school, family, or mental health.

Dakota is a 12 ½ year old girl who started cutting when, as she put it, “My feelings got too big for me.” Confusion about her sexual orientation was made worse by peers using the word lesbian as an insult. She was feeling angry and alone and did not know how to ask for help.

When asked how she got the idea, Dakota said she saw cutting in a movie about cyber bullying and it stuck with her. Sadly, for Dakota like many girls who cut, they feel better after and continue to use it as a relief mechanism. Dakota said she knew it was not a good idea because she felt the need to hide it, but she kept doing it because the bad feelings went away.

I am Dakota’s mother and I got lucky that she got scared enough to ask for help. Many cutters do not. As her mother there was a lot of guilt over not having seen how badly she was doing. I tried to look back and search for things I missed and could not find anything. All I knew was my child was hurting and I did not know how to help her.

There are subtle things you can look for if you suspect someone you know is cutting. A big red flag is if the person suddenly stops wearing short sleeve shirts or other clothing that is appropriate for the season. Cutters tend to use their forearms, but the stomach and upper thighs are common areas as well.

Cutting is a dangerous way to regain a feeling of control.  If you are dealing with stress, anxiety or pain and are tempted to harm yourself or even if you just need someone to talk to, there is help right here on campus.

It is not uncommon to feel lost, but it is important to do something. If someone in your life is cutting, their doctor is a good starting place. If you are not able to go that route reach out to Student Support Services on campus.

Melissa Manzi is a licensed professional and social worker in the Student Support Services office at MWCC. She is on campus just about every school day. You can make an appointment by visiting or calling (978) 630-9568.

You can also visit http://mwcc.edu/support/counsel/ where you will find self-evaluation tools as well as information on a variety of mental health topics. Manzi said that the same rules of confidentiality that apply to therapy in a private practice apply to counseling on campus. Referrals to services off campus are available if a situation calls for more than is offered on campus.

There is help available so please seek it out. You are not alone.

This seven ton Buddha is one of Matsuda’s favorite pieces, and it is the centerpiece of the Grafton Peace Pagoda
Courtesy Photo

By Anthony Cesolini

Art is one of the oldest forms of expression. Tom Matsuda, a world famous sculptor and professor here at Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC), weighs in on why art is important.

Across its history, the importance of art has changed. “I feel it is really unfortunate that art has been deemphasized in schools, and I think that all art forms whether it is visual or performance art enhances creativity,” Matsuda said. This missing importance has contributed to a loss of interest in art from non-art majors.

MWCC allows for students to experience art for what could be the first time. Matsuda said, “There is always work hanging up on the walls around the East Art Gallery, and there is usually an exhibition going on.”  Matsuda then commented, “It is pretty lively.” The East Art Gallery recently hosted an exhibition of art work from high school students and will have a student alumni show coming up in the Fall semester of 2013.

With artwork in places such as Japan, Latvia, and the Grafton Peace Pagoda, Matsuda has been commissioned for hundreds of different art pieces including a seven ton Buddha. Teaching is important to him as well. “Teaching is really the ideal way for an artist, as you are engaged with young artists and always engaged with that creativity,” Matsuda     said.

As a teacher and an artist, Matsuda did have one student who stood out among all the others. “Jason Kotoch was just a phenomenal artist, his drive, creativity, and he just produced so much art here,” Matsuda recalled. Kotoch had a show last spring semester at MWCC. The East Art Gallery is very active with alumni, current, and world renowned artists’ exhibits.

More information on Tom Matsuda and his artwork can be seen at either at: www.tmatsuda.com or his Facebook page.

The Mount Wachusett Community College’s (MWCC) Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society (PTK) is sponsoring the 10th annual “Project Graduation” food drive in conjunction with the May 16, 2013, Commencement Ceremony. All graduates and their guests are being asked to bring a non-perishable food item to the Commencement rehearsal and/or Ceremony. Receptacles will be located at entrances to the Veterans Memorial Fitness Center. All donations will be delivered to the Gardner Community Action Committee’s food pantry located at 294 Pleasant St. Gardner, to benefit the local community. Donation receptacles will be made available in various areas of the Campus from April 1 through May 8, 2013.

PTK and MWCC’s Broadcasting and Electronic Media Program are pleased to offer the MWCC 48th, 2013 Commencement Ceremony in DVD format. This edited DVD of the Ceremony will be available for $12 each if purchased before May 15 after that date it will be $15. This cost includes shipping and handling. You can pre-pay with the form enclosed in the graduation package mailed to you. Or, you can pay at the Phi Theta Kappa table during rehearsal or at the Commencement Ceremony. Also, payments are being accepted online through MWCC’s iConnect Graduation 2013 tab.

50% of profits from the sale of the DVD will go directly to PTK. The other 50% of the profits go directly to the Gardner House of Peace and Education (HOPE), a local non-profit agency that assists at-risk woman and children in learning new skills. The finished DVD will be mailed to you this summer. DVD’s will not be mailed without pre-payment.

Email MWCC’s Phi Delta Chapter President Elizabeth Reiser at: ereiser@mwcc.edu or Vice President at-large Tiffianie LeBlanc at: tleblance19@mwcc.edu with any questions or bulk donations.

Before the bombings/Shapleigh Webster

By Shapleigh Webster

April 15^th 2013 was a day I will never forget, a day that changed my life forever and one that showed me everything, every little thing, happens for a reason.

Growing up in Massachusetts, and calling the north eastern part of the state my home, Patriot’s Day has always been one filled with great memories of the parade, events, and of course, the marathon.

This year was different though, it was special. My friend Autumn; whom I had not seen in a very long time, had decided months before to run the marathon, and I had been more than excited to go from the very start.

My boyfriend and I had stayed at a friend’s dorm in Fenway the night before, so that we would not get stuck in traffic on the morning of the marathon: certain to get a spot at the finish so that we could see Autumn come in. We got there around noon, in time to see the “elite” runners come in.

It was 1:51 p.m. when Autumn finished with an incredible time of 3 hours, thirty minutes and 46 seconds, and for the fact that she is fast, I cannot thank her enough.

It was a very windy day, and so before we rushed to find her and her family, we stopped in the local H&M to try and find a bathroom, and warm up a bit for we did not dress for the weather. At the time this seemed minuscule, but I now recount and thank myself for doing so. We moved on in our search for her and the family meeting areas.

Because the streets were so crowded with people, and many blocked off by gates, it took us about thirty minutes to find Autumn and her family, a delay that at the time frustrated me, but now I am counting my blessings for.  We congratulated her, had a quick, but nice conversation, took a picture, and then sent them on their way so that Autumn could rest.

By now, it was 2:45 p.m., and all we were concerned about was getting some food in our very hungry stomachs. We decided that going to the Prudential Center would be our best bet because it was close, and had quite a few options. We walked back down to Boylston Street and realized we were blocked by sidewalk gates.

We spent five minutes trying to decide how we were going to get there, and finally decided we would try and go around the Hancock Building, and the crowds. Just as I turned around to head back towards the finish line, my life was changed forever.

The loudest ‘boom’ I’m sure I will ever hear in my lifetime went off, and with it a large cloud of smoke rose into the air. Everyone on the street stopped, and was quiet. I looked at my boyfriend and others, confused. Many thought it was a manhole, a transformer, maybe even a cannon incorporated into the marathon. No more than fifteen seconds later, another, this time followed by screams.

We stood there in the crowd for a while; no one knew what to do. I called my mom asking if anything was on the news, thinking with that many news trucks around there had to be, but there was not. I was able to contact the friend we had watched the race with, and tell him what happened and to be careful, and then the phones stopped making calls.

We were standing in the crowd trying to decide what to do for a few minutes before out of the blue everyone started screaming and running. I have never run so fast in my life.

The next hour was filled with sirens, more explosions, rumors, conversations with strangers, and confusion. I honestly cannot even remember everything that happened, which I’m sure is due to trauma. We could not figure out how to get back to where we were staying because the subway had been shut down, and when we tried to walk, we were discouraged by the sight of two army men driving by in full combat gear, so we turned back around.

Nearly an hour later I was finally able to contact the friend we had watched the marathon with, asking him if we could come to his dorm. We got there in less than 5 minutes, though it felt like 25. We stayed in his dorm, making conversation with more strangers who let us charge our phones and sit down. For over two hours we did not know how we would get home.

We eventually had decided to ditch our stuff, walk to the nearest operating subway stop, and make our way back to our car, when we found out that full service had been restored. We quickly turned around, got our stuff, and went home.

I did not cry at all the entire day until we were finally on our way home. I was just so awestruck that someone would do something so terrible “On this day. Our day, BOSTON’S day” I said to my boyfriend.

We talked about how everything we did saved our lives. When we finally got home, we were able to see the pictures of where the blast went off, which are replicas of the pictures I have on my camera. The bomb went off in the exact spot that we had stood, cheering people on for over three hours. We should be dead, which is what has traumatized me the most.

But this still is our day. Patriot’s day is, and always will be OUR day. We fought for this day, for our country, and we are Boston proud. We will get through this, together. The past few days have not been easy, but we can, and we will rally. There were over 27,000 people just running in the marathon, as Steven Colbert said it best, “They attacked the Boston Marathon, an event celebrating people who run 26 miles on their day off until their nipples are raw, for fun!” so just think about how many people are behind all of those runners.

Keep Calm, and Bost On.