Volume 28, Issue 13: 4-1-2010
Meet the Staff
Romey Elguezabal
1. If you could be a superhero, what super powers would you have?
I’d have the super power to “jump” anywhere (Jumper)! I would love to be anywhere from the Redwoods California State Park to Niagara Falls to Chimney Rock State Park! It wouldn’t hurt stopping by a café along the way!
2. What’s your favorite lawn ornament and why?
I’m usually fascinated with what is alive in a garden more than still life, but if I had to choose, after doing some research, I’d go with the “Rafaela Garden Fountain.” Why? Takes you back to a time that once was, and is simple and elegant in its own way.
3. Is there someone who helped inspire your photography?
Yes! I cannot and will not have all the glory! I am most especially inspired with God’s creation! I am also inspired as I listen to artists and their musical compositions.
4. What’s something people don’t really know about you?
There may be plenty of things, but just to list a few: I enjoy listening to movie soundtracks-instrumental and I love the smell of wet dirt after a good rain.
5. If you were on a merry-go-round, what song would you be singing?
I’d be singing: “Kiss Me”- by Sixpense None the Richer or “There She Goes” by The La’s.
6. Do you believe in aliens?
No, I currently do not believe in aliens.
Volume 28, Issue 12: 3-11-10
Meet the Staff
Kristen Gipson
If you were on a merry-go-round, what song would you be singing? It depends. Where’s the merry-go-round? Who’s pushing this thing? Generally, I think it’s a safe bet to say that I’d have something by Queen stuck in my head. “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
If you could set up a Literary Death Match, who would the fighters be? Oh, I’ve been waiting for this question for a long time. In an all-out brawl, Ernest Hemingway should be fighting Mark Twain, but if we’re talking like an emo-off or something, which would be more amusing, Edgar Allen Poe should battle Stephenie Meyer. And guess who would win. Hint: it’s the guy who didn’t make me hate pop culture.
Zombies are attacking the school and all the faculty have turned into vampires. Buffy and Van Helsing are tied up at the moment. What do you do? Good question. You can’t go outside, because: zombies, and you can’t stay inside, because of the vampire faculty, who can suck your blood AND fail you. So, if you have a rocketship, I’d say, go with that.
Who is your favorite superhero and why? Batman, all the way, because he had to work to be that awesome. And he had a better costume and vehicle of transportation.
What’s your favorite lawn ornament and why? The plastic flamingo, with the lawn gnome in a very close second.
What’s your favorite 90s Nickelodeon show?
They were all so good. They don’t make them like that any more. Maybe Ah! Real Monsters or Hey, Arnold! or Rocko’s Modern Life, although I feel little shame in admitting that I saw a lot of Rugrats in the 90s.
Volume 28, Issue 11: 2-25-10
Meet the Staff
Mark Blair
Mark is known for telling you like it is in his critical reviews. Now, let us tell you about him.
1. Who is better, Batman or Superman and why?
Batman because he has to rely on his own human instinct unlike Superman who was born with powers.
2. What’s your favorite lawn ornament and why?
Those reindeer made out of Christmas lights because it’s funny to sneak into peoples lawns and move them into inappropriate sexual positions.
3.If you were a Star Trek or Star Wars character, which one would you be and why?
Yoda. Not only am I a beast with a lightsaber, but whenever I disappear into nothingness in “Return of the Jedi,” I can just go get a job on Sesame Street as Grover.
4. Is Elvis really dead?
I hope so.
5. If you were on a merry-go-round, what song would you be singing?
“Everlong” by the Foo Fighters because nothing else could feel that good forever.
6. Who would win in a tag team match, Chuck Norris and zombies or Jean-Claude Van Damme and vampires?
Chuck Norris and zombies because Jean-Claude Van Damme is no longer the Universal Soldier, and vampires would eventually run out of energy because zombies don’t have blood.
Volume 28, Issue 10: 2-11-10
Meet the Staff
Scott Thoen
1. What room in Charlie’s chocolate factory would you most like to visit?
I would get on the boat ride, in hopes that Andy Samberg would show up and we could have a musical scene. He’d go a capella.
2. If you were in a circus, what would be your act?
I would just tell people about my life, I think they could make fun of that. Have them laugh at me, not with.
3. What makes Hermione Granger the perfect Valentine?
She’s got the attitude to keep me in check when I’m goofing off, and she’s rich.
4. If you were putting out a personal ad for a Valentine’s Day date, how would the ad read?
Requirement #1: Someone who will laugh with me when we see inappropriate things. #2: She has to believe Grey’s Anatomy is ridiculous, as well. #3: Will deal and is okay with tolerating from February- August rants about the Chicago Cubs.
5. Those are your only requirements?
Sure.
6. In a fight between vampires and zombies, who would win, and why, and which popular holiday would the fight take place on?
It would take place on Easter, because that’s when you’re reborn as a zombie. Being knowledgable on zombies, they would win for sure, because the virus would congeal their blood. Thus, vampires would end up starving. The zombies would just be leftover. I don’t know how much of a fight it would be.
7. If you had to write a greeting card for Valentine’s Day, what would it say on the inside?
You’re going to get abducted by aliens, because you’re out of this world! Strangely enough, I always make all my greeting cards, with crayons and paper.
Volume 28, Issue 6: 11-12-09
Meet the Staff
Kenneth Bitner: assistant editor
Kenneth has been with us for over a year, now. Do you think you know much about him? Let’s find out!
What is your favorite food?
My favorite food is Chinese, especially when my dad makes the Chinese. My dad makes awesome Kung Pao Beef.
What is your philosophy on life?
To live life with a purpose; guard your heart there is something worth fighting for.
What is your favorite animal?
My favorite animal is the panda. Pandas are cute and cuddly and living in San Diego and being close to the San Diego Zoo and being there for the birth of the cute little baby pandas they quickly became my favorite.
Who is your favorite band and why?
I love The Fold but I do not know if they are my favorite. Hawk Nelson is also awesome too.
If you could pick any actor to be the president, who would you choose?
I would choose Kirk Cameron or Alex Kendrick; both have good values and they would lead this country the right way.
If you could own your own retail store, what would you sell?
I would sell video games and game systems.
Volume 28, Issue 5: 10-29-09
Meet the Staff
Dianne Leyva: staff writer
Dianne has been with The Mesa Journal for about a year now, and we couldn’t imagine the office without her!
What’s your favorite Halloween memory?
Halloween, senior year, a couple of friends and I went to def con. With my luck I ended up at the front of the line. We were all holding hands and so I ran as fast as I could through the maze and yelled every five seconds scaring everyone behind me even more.
What’s the best Halloween costume you’ve ever seen/worn?
A friend was a genie bottle last year. We had a lot of fun making fun of him.
Do you like scary movies?
No, not at all.
Do you have a favorite ghost story? What is it?
I grew up in Presidio, and there is a ghost town close by named Shafter. Everyone says it’s haunted and that if you pass through there at midnight a lady in a white dress will ask you for a ride and if you don’t she will appear in your passenger seat. I make it a point to never pass Shafter at night.
If zombies were attacking the school, what would you do and why?
Run. I doubt zombies would be willing to negotiate.
Volume 28, Issue 4: 10-15-09
Meet the Staff
Amber Batura: copy editor
For the first time in many years, the Mesa Journal hired a copy editor. Let’s see what she has to say about her illustrious position.
If Zombies were attacking the school, what school supply would you grab as a weapon?
Pencils. Lots and lots of pencils. You have to destroy the brain to kill a Zombie and sharpened pencils are the only handy school supply I can think of that would do the trick.
Team Twilight or Team Harry Potter, and why?
Team Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling’s books are in-depth and create a world that makes sense. Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series is filled with plot holes, the writing is subpar, and the characters lack depth. Rowling incorporates messages like the struggle of good vs. evil, believing in yourself, and the importance of friendship in her stories; Meyer’s reads like fan fiction.
What’s your favorite lawn ornament?
It’s a toss up between flamingoes and the ceramic moose my parents have in their cactus garden that measures snowfall… in West Texas.
What has been your best experience at UTPB?
I have had a lot of fun and interesting experiences here at UTPB. It’s hard to pick the best one. One of the best things about my experience at UTPB has been the opportunity to get involved. Working on campus as well as being a part of many different clubs and organizations has provided me with skills and experience I couldn’t have gained any other way. I’ve also met Karl Rove and watched Mikhail Gorbachev.
Volume 28, Issue 3: 9-30-09
Meet the Staff
Robert Hicks: staff writer
Robert Hicks is our bright, shiny, new staff writer. If you see him around campus, feel free to say hi! But please don’t feed the staff writers.
What is your favorite food?
I love good barbecue, especially when cooked on hickory or mesquite wood. My favorite restaurant is K.D.’s in Midland.
What is your philosophy on life?
Live for others and never sell yourself short. Always live your life to the fullest and never settle for less.
Why did you decide to join The Mesa Journal team, and how has your experience been so far?
I joined because it is a good way to meet interesting people, to learn about things that happen around campus, to get involved in campus activities, and get inside scoops on things that happen around campus. It has been tough trying to adjust to college life and commit to this job, but I am beginning to get the hang of it.
What is something that you have done in your life that you are proud of?
I’ve spent the last four summers going on mission trips around the Northwestern hemisphere. I’ve had the chance to touch many lives and see many things that produced positive changes in my life.
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