A Night out in Milwaukee

Recently I had the chance to get out of town and spend a night in Milwaukee with my friends. Since we all have busy schedules with work, school, and more we barely have time to hangout. This time around I made sure I was off from work to enjoy an epic time with my friends. To kick off the night I drove down to Milwaukee. Since my friends have an apartment in the city I was able to save money by sleeping over for free. As I arrived at their apartment I realized they had a perfect view of the city from all angles. I quickly remember how much I miss living in a city. Throughout the night we were able to check out a German bar call The Beer House and an Irish bar called Harps. I made sure we went to these places because it reminded me when I was over in Europe. There is something about singing, dancing, and drinking that makes the atmosphere a unique experience. After a fun night out with my friends I must get some sleep, and for the next advantages. Cheers, LeeIV

Turkey Trot

Recently over my Thanksgiving break I had the opportunity to do my first Turkey Trot 5 mile run in Fond du Lac. The Turkey Trot is an event hosted by Festival Foods which benefits the YMCA and The Boys & Girls Club. When I heard about this event I was excited and a little nervous because I have not run in a while and I wasn’t sure if I could keep up with the people around me. This year was the fifth year Festival Foods has hosted this unique event. On the day of the event my girlfriend and I went to register for our t-shirt, pie, and running number. There were a lot of people who came out to kick off their Turkey holiday break. The weather was a bit windy but the temperature it-self was pretty nice, which was perfect for a running day. Before the race kicked off we all cheered and took some photos with the people around us. We started off a at good pace, but as time went on I started to pick up speed to keep up with my own pace. I noticed I run well when there are people around me because I was encouraged to keep up with others. After forty-two minutes passed I finished the race, and I was shocked how well I did. At the finish line I started to see people I know from the community and school. Everybody did a wonderful job finishing the race. There was also a 2 mile run and walk for people who didn’t want to do the 5 mile run. I was a little tired afterwards, but I was glad I joined the fun this year. I am already looking forward to do the sixth annual Festival Turkey Trot next year. I hope you get to check out the fun because you will love this event. Until next time, catch you soon! Cheers, Lee IV

MPTC District Student Government

G’day mates! One of the most important things about going to college is being part of a committee or a student club. Being involved in a club on campus can be a challenge due to work, family, and other obligations, but going the extra mile goes a long way. Over the years I have learned to balance my college, social, and work obligations. This has helped me to prepare myself for the real-world when there are deadlines. I am able to multi-task and get things accomplished. Another great reason to join a club or a committee is having a voice as a student and making a difference. When going to college you may face some obstacles and are not always happy with the results, but being involved on campus can make a difference. For example, recently I attended a District Student Government meeting in Lomira. I was able to get an inside look of the things happening on campus. I learned it takes a lot of planning, preparation and organization for campus events to happen. During this meeting we had a lunch-conversation with MPTC President Dr. Sheila Ruhland. We discussed some issues that students had about new changes and things that are coming in the near future. I am glad to see MPTC staff, students, and President Dr. Ruhland come together as a family. This showed how committed everyone is as part of the MPTC family. After the meeting I realized how important it is to be part of a club to voice our opinion and make changes on campus. Last but not least, being in extra-curricular activities can improve networking, meeting new people, and making friends. The places that you can see are endless. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and be involved because you won’t regret it. Cheers, Lee IV

My Grandma 70th Birthday

G’day Mates, recently I celebrated my grandma’s (abuela) birthday in Chicago! Since being away from my family for a long period of time, I make sure I found an excuse to visit them. Although I have school and work during the week I found a way to make a quick trip to sweet home Chicago. As usual I drove down to Milwaukee to catch a Greyhound bus down to Chicago, but this time I made a detour to Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee. I didn’t stay long because I had to make sure I didn’t miss my bus. I didn’t win or lose much, but it was enough to get the casino rush in. Afterwards I got on the bus and headed down to Chicago. It is always nice to get away and do things that I can’t do in Fond du Lac, such as Chicago style food, more shopping options, and of course check out the city life. As I arrived in Chicago my mom picked me from the Greyhound station then we headed to the store to pick some items for my Grandma’s birthday eve dinner. We made tacos and fries and for dessert we made an apple pie and it was delicious. The following day I made a birthday breakfast for my grandma and family. We had pancakes with applesauce, sausage, and eggs. Once we finished breakfast we got ready to take care of some errands. Although we didn’t do anything huge for my grandma’s birthday, I had a great time spending time with them. I am jealous my mom and grandma are going to the Bahamas for my grandma birthday gift in two weeks. I am hoping we all can do a family trip to Hawaii next summer, especially since I have not been able to do a family trip since I was in first grade. We have a lot of catching up to do. Later on my family dropped me off at the bus station so I could head back to Fond du Lac, and finish the rest of my week off. I am already looking forward seeing my family again in January and to start planning my trip to Hawaii! Until then catch you soon! Cheers, Lee IV

Fox 11 Good Day Wisconsin visits Moraine Park

Recently Emily Deem from Fox 11 Good Day Wisconsin came to Moraine Park, to check out some unique tips and ideas for Thanksgiving Day from the Culinary Arts Program. To catch the action I made sure I came in early to get a behind the scenes look at the live broadcast. Students from the culinary arts program created some awesome Turkey centerpieces from leftover candies from Halloween. The ideas were endless as the instructors talked about how people could do the same in their homes. There were four segments recorded live and each part had different ideas from center pieces, baking ideas, table decorations, and how to carve a turkey. The Fox 11 crew was awesome and full of energy, even with being up so early. I thought it was awesome that they came down for a live segment. This is my second time meeting reporter Emily Deem in person. She has inspired me to continue my goal being on television one day and have my own program. I am looking forward to seeing when Good Day Wisconsin will come down again to do another live show because it is so much fun. If you missed the broadcast you can view all four videos here http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/good_day_wi/festive-thanksgiving-ideas-from-mptc Cheers, Lee IV

Election 2012

G'day Mates! As this year comes to an end there are a lot of exciting things are happening ahead. Prime example was election night 2012. For the first time I voted in an election, and I was super excited to be part of something our country fought for, for so many years. To avoid long lines on Election Day I went ahead to vote early. Although I didn't get a I voted sticker, I still made a difference. Regardless if you are republican, democratic, or any other parties the most important part is to go out vote and voice your opinion. This is what makes America a unique country because we are able to vote for our leader; unlike other countries in the world who don't have that right. Even though in America things can get heated when talking about politics, but we have to remember we all have different ideas and opinions. On Election Day people across the country went out to the polls to cast their vote. By the time election polls were coming to an end the numbers showed a close race between President Obama and Governor Mitt Romney. At first the numbers were pretty tight between the states and popularity votes. As time continued the results showed President Obama won to be re-elected for President for a second term. Each candidate gave a remarkable speech to the country to finish off the night. The most important message I got was we must work together as a nation in order to become a successful nation regardless of what party we decide to choose. So in the next four years and beyond I am looking forward to seeing the progress of our country. Until then I'll catch you soon in my blog, ciao! Cheers, Lee IV

Culinary Arts Club helps out at the Windhover Event

Recently Moraine Park’s Culinary Arts Club participated in a fundraiser event at the Windhover Center for the Arts in Fond du Lac. This annual event is one of the Culinary Arts Club biggest fundraiser and it is a lot of fun. This event helps raise money for performing arts in Fond du Lac and to bring awareness to the community to get involved. This was my second year I helped with the event and I always have a lot of fun. I had the chance to work with my friends and classmates outside of school and gain experience putting together a three course meal for 150 people. As a group we worked well together and had fun doing what we do best. The hours we put into the event helps us achieve our 40 volunteer hours that can be used for either the Food Show in Chicago or the Germany Exchange Program. Afterwards a group of us from the club headed off to Applebee’s for dinner and drinks. Since it was after 10 p.m. Applebee’s has half-off appetizers and you really get your money worth. It was nice for us to hangout outside of classes and have fun. We are like a small family and that is what I love about our program. We work hard and we love having a fun time regardless how much pressure we are faced at times. Like always I am looking forward for the upcoming events ahead this semester! Cheers, Lee IV

Hypnotist Lunch

Recently student life welcomed Hypnotist Dan Lornitis to all three Moraine Park campuses. Along with free entertainment came free lunch for students and staff with a student or staff ID. For lunch we had the choice between chicken or ground beef fajitas, rice, dessert, and a drink. I really enjoyed the food and since lunch was free what more could I ask for? Duri ng the show Hypnotist Dan Lornitis humored us with his jokes and taught us about the various stages of the brain that can get hypnotized. Some people question whether or not hypnotizing is real or not, but the most important part is to remember you have to be open-minded and be relaxed. Everyday one way or another we experience hypnotizing without realizing it. This could be from daydreaming, sleep walking, or the moment you are driving and forget the last two miles of your journey. These are some examples and levels of the stages of hypnotizing. Since I’ve been hypnotized before, I volunteered to get on stage with nine other students. At first I was shaking and nervous because I didn’t know what to expect. As I became relaxed my mind went in a different area, and I don’t remember much during the show. I know one thing for sure it didn’t feel like the show was for over an hour, and afterwards my body was a little weird but I also felt refreshed. Students told me they had a fun time at the event and I would recommend try getting hypnotized to experience it first-hand. You can check some of his show by clicking here: http://www.danlornitis.com/performances/media/ For the rest of my day, I felt more productive. I am looking forward to more events student life put together for the college. Cheers, Lee IV

End of October Fun

I had the last weekend of October off and was able to enjoy the weekend! Usually it is hard for me to request a weekend off due to my jobs, but this time around everything fell into place. To kick off my weekend fun I headed to Meuer Farm with my girlfriend and some other friends. I love going to Meuer Farm because I learn something new every time I go. Although the weather was a tad bit chilly, we still had a fun time. This time we went on a hayride. I haven’t been on one since I was in grade school, so it brought back my childhood memories. On the hayride we toured the farm learning about the products that are sold on the land. Some of these items include strawberries, walnut trees, honey, maple, and much more. I didn’t realize how massive this farm was, even though I been there a few times. After the hayride we headed into the corn maze. Since it has rained a lot recently some of the paths had been cut off due to huge amount of mud and water, but this didn’t prevent us to continue on. We got through without any problems; even with some turn around paths we had fun answering trivia questions to get us through the maze. Afterwards we headed back to Fond du Lac to get dinner at Sebastian’s Steak House located on Main Street. We had been craving steak for a long time so this place was a good choice to get our steak fix. I would recommend this place if you are looking for quality, good wine selection, and unique scenery. That concluded my productive fun day, and I am looking forward to enjoy the rest of fall before winter comes along. Until next time see you soon in my next adventure! Cheers, Lee IV

Annual Wag and Walk Event

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The annual wag and walk is an event in its 12th year which is a fundraiser for the Fond du Lac Humane Society. This unique event had people come from surrounding communities to show off their dogs from all types in various costumes. During this time I tried something new by participating in their craft show which allowed me to sell my photos that I took on my trips oss the pond. Although I did not sell anything I was able to speak with people about my experience travelling and the photos I captured. A lot of people complimented my work and it encouraged me to capture more photos and expand my knowledge about photography. Another vendor that was there sold homemade candles which offered numerous types of scents and colors. Another vendor offered a shelter from ferrets from across the state. I never knew there was a shelter for ferrets, but after talking to the owner she provided new information for me. Participating in this event allowed me to gain new information about the humane society and share my photos with others. The photos above are the photos I am selling, if you are interested in buying some please let me know. I would love to hear some feed backs from you. See you soon in my next adventure! Cheers, Lee IV

The Walking Dead Premier

Finally at last The Walking Dead premier was on the AMC network. This new season has caught a lot of people’s attention and the popularity has grown. The unique part of this season is viewers are able to sync throughout the episodes to answer surveys and trivia questions. This television show is based on a comic book series, and the transition has been great. Since I love the zombie genre this show gets me looking forward to every Sunday night to catch the new episodes. I like to compare zombies to real life situations based on the chances of things actually happening. If you have not check out The Walking Dead yet, you can check it out every Sunday night 8/9 central on AMC. Let me know what you think, because you will like this new season ahead. Cheers, Lee IV

Trip to Zuppas Restaurant

Recently I had the opportunity to check out a new restaurant I found on Twitter called Zuppas in Neenah. I heard a lot of great reviews about this place especially because Zuppas provides fresh locally grown products. As I arrived at the restaurant I was curious of what I was going to try on the menu. I noticed there are daily special that gives you a bang for your buck. I tried a roast beef Panini with chips and fresh squeezed lemonade. The sandwich was delicious, and I could tell the roast beef was freshly sliced and made to perfection. Although I was full I couldn't resist buying their famous mac and cheese with bread crumbs on top. It was worth the two dollars I spent on it. Zuppas is also known for their catering business and casual dining. I was highly satisfied making a trip to Zuppas, and knowing what I ate supported local farms and businesses. I am looking forward coming back to Zuppas in the near future, and I hope you have the chance to do the same. Cheers, Lee IV