“So I could be sane, and let them be crazy –because I was not one of them!”—Leighann Inskeep-SimpsonBy: Courtney Ransdell

At first glance, Leighann Inskeep-Simpson looks like an average middle-age woman that you would pass along the street with a gentle smile and a wave. However, there is more behind what meets the eye when it comes to Inskeep-Simpson, 42.

Most of her students at Urbana High School know her as their art teacher. But Inskeep-Simpson has a hidden life. What she would really like to be spending time doing is holing up in some studio to create masterpieces. But life isn’t like that.

“I have been struggling recently with the fact that my family needs so much of my time, and that I don't have much time to make art. Both our oldest and youngest children have special needs and rely on me for a lot of ‘normal things’ from tying shoes, to helping my daughter with her shower.”

As she puts down her coffee cup and crosses her legs, she sighs, “My life would have been different.... I don't know if it would have been better or worse, but certainly different. My hopes and dreams for myself have been put on the back burner.”

She ends by saying, “Of course I love them dearly, but there are many days that I wish I had remained single and/or childless.” However, even though it seems like the struggle with a full time job, special need children, and her hopes and dreams tugging at one end –Inskeep-Simpson does not ever try and ‘take a day to herself’, “only if I am really sick, which does not happen very often“ she says.

Being born in Columbus by her 17-year-old mother, Inskeep-Simpson was put up for a closed adoption, which in the long run has affected her emotionally. “In a lot of ways I never felt like I fit in with the rest of my family. Not only because of looks, but also things we were interested in.”

Growing up on Lincoln Place in Urbana, OH with her adoptive parents and two sisters, Kay and Alana (who were not blood related), Inskeep-Simpson recalled her favorite thing about the house.
“One of the good things about living in the house on Lincoln was that the attic had been converted to a bedroom for Kay and me. There was no heat in the winter except what floated up the stairs, and it was real hot in the summer... but there was space - lots of space, and privacy. If I said I was going to draw everyone would leave me alone. Perhaps another reason I picked to major in art!” Although as she got older, she said she realized a mood change in her mom.
“When we moved to Lincoln Mom's moods became more apparent.... or maybe I was just more aware since I was older. Looking back I would say that she was probably deeply depressed most of the years I was growing up.” She even recalled a time she went on strike.
“She wouldn't cook or do laundry... basically anything around the house for about three weeks. I remember begging someone to take me to DQ so I could get some food (Don't recall why I had to go to DQ in particular.)”

Even though her childhood life was not a glorious walk in the park, she seemed to make the best of it. “It was also a good thing I was adopted.... I felt like I didn't really belong with these people, so I could be sane and let them be crazy because I was not one of them!” Although she legally is not allowed to get information about her mother in Ohio, Inskeep-Simpson admits “I would like to meet my birth parents someday - and I have searched for them, but gotten nowhere.”

Although Inskeep-Simpson’s life has had its up’s and down’s –while speaking to her, and having had her as an Art teacher before, it seems like her job is a prized possession. When asked what her best thing about her job was, she smiled and said “The best thing is building relationships with the students. Some students I see every day for four years.”

As I begin to move onto my next question, she finishes and says, “At UHS the students are sort of like my children. I do care about them and enjoy watching them develop their artistic skills. Some students just need an adult to talk to.... free shoulder to cry on. I also enjoy the other teachers in the basement, "basement buddies" Sapp, Myers and Steinmetz. We help each other out, support each other and occasionally socialize together.”

Being married to her own once High School art teacher, Mike Simpson,

Re-Gifting

Christmas morning is all about the joys of giving and receiving, little children running down their stairs to see what Santa Claus has brought them, and a time of the year that is known for the connecting and re-connecting of family. But how would you feel if ‘Santa Claus’ did not have his ‘elf’s’ make the presents; but instead went up into his attic every year and simple re-wrapped a once used product?

No matter how old my brother and I get, it is tradition that every year my family gathers around our Christmas tree, opens the presents from our parents –and then go to our grandparents.

Grandparents… aren’t they supposed to be the ones who give the best gifts? Well, not in my household –unless reindeer bottle shaped perfume that smells more like a rotting nursing home than the typical floral or fruity smell strikes your fancy.

However, sometimes re-gifting is not so bad in some people’s opinion. Jordan Taylor, a sophomore at Wittenberg University, happily said “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure!” While Brynne Mayne, a freshman at Witt, said, “I think that with our economy right now it's probably pretty common. I don't necessarily agree with it but I'm sure it's happening more than we're aware.”

To some, re-gifting is a way to save some cash or to get rid of their junk. However, to others –re-gifting is just an odd tradition. Ashley Jeter said, “When my best friend and I first bought each other presents we did not know what to get each other, so we got something we would originally buy for ourselves. And when her birthday came around I gave it back to her, and when mine came around she gave mine back to me. And ever since then we have always done holidays like that.”

Whether re-gifting is a way to avoid money spending, getting rid of trash, traditions, or “A way to re-gift to people you do not like that much (including relatives), and you do not want to spend time finding them something personal when I can just give them one thing that is mostly un-used laying around my house” as Kristi Bacca, a sophomore at University of Cincinnati, states. It is something that happens more than it should –although sometimes it is unavoidable when you are a poor college student!

Every year my Great Great...Great Grandma stumbles her way up to the attic to collect everyone a new bottle of perfume/cologne. Although the scent of the horrid odor lurks my Aunt Jill’s house for hours after twisting the cap off, it is still a good laugh throughout the family.

Trees, trains, reindeers, doves, not matter what the shape of your bottle is or how pretty the bottle looks –always know that with one twist of the cap, dangerous fumes release into the air, not quite deadly –but definitely unpleasant.

Although in my family re-gifting is the joke of Christmas Day, it is something people have done more than known. But the thing people tend to forget about is it is the thought that counts, not technically where it came from –or how many presents are under the tree. But I do agree with Jordan, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure!”

I am sure you have all heard about the global apocalypse that is predicted to happen on December 21, 2012. All because of a Long Count calendar created by the Mayan Culture and Nibiru, the United States is fretting over the doomsday.

Many compare it to the odometer being all 0’s on a car or to a clock striking midnight, the world will reset to a “zero date” –which will result in the world drastically ending. But the end of the world is also being blamed on Plant X or Nibiru, as well.

Supposedly, Plant X will enter our solar system at the edge and cross orbits with Jupiter. Here’s the catch, Jupiter could ignite and become a baby sun, and by 2011 people will be able to have a bird’s eye view of two suns. However, at the 11 ½ year cycle the solar flare might peak –knocking out power grids around the world; causing mass devastation to all.

What is up with the "could" and "might"? If someone wants to persuade me to believe something, you better be showing me proof, and stand confident of the things you say. And not use could and might in your facts.

What a load of shit. Not only can any human Google ‘2012’ and get 368,000,000 articles about the horrid date, but there are so many stories that it has become more than a bit ridiculous when spoke about.

The first story about this date was the Mayan calendar. Seems a bit believable, right? Wrong. The Mayan’s could not predict their own “end of the world” date, why would anyone believe that they would purposely predict ours? Do not get me wrong, the Mayan calendar could in fact mean bad news because yes, the Long Count calendar is set to reset to 0 after 1,872,000 days; and that date it lands on just happens to be December 21, 2012.

However, what people seem to be missing is that according to Skeptics Dictionary, “this date is of enormous interest to certain doomsday prophets and New Age astrologers, such as John Calleman, who are spreading the good news either that the Mayan knew the date when the world would end or they knew the date when a New Age of Transformation would begin.” You people seem to only be looking for a reason to make your credit scores sky rocket, and buy all of the fanciest cars and biggest homes, which is why you believe the worst, the world will end.

Nostradamus predicted the world would end, as well. He technically predicted that a huge space collision will happen in 2000 with Nibiru, which will lead me to my next point, later. But he also said that a catastrophe would happen in 2012. Hello people, a catastrophe could mean anything, why think the worst?

To be exact, there are thirty-six different predictions of what will happen on December 21, 2012; ranging from sort of believable stories, to off the wall things –it all depends on how you take it. But thirty-six? That is a bit out of hand.

I bet you did not know that the world was supposed to end on May 5, 2000, either. All the planets would align and the result would be the end of civilization through the melting and shifting of the polar icecaps. And did that happen? No.

When the world did not end on that day, the doomsday was pushed back to 2012. Now, because the economy is slipping, polar icecaps are melting, and we are only a few years away from December 21, 2012, everyone is flipping out. Although the hoax has been going strong for many years, there is much evidence proving that the world will not end in 2012. Just open your eyes a bit, people.

Hoax –that is all it could be; a way for film makers and journalist to make a living. Whether the world does end or not, the way I look at it –one day it will. But for now people should be enjoying their time they have with people, and stop trying to predict when, where, and how they will die.

Review Rough Draft

The Lifetime Original Movie, Amish Grace, was based on a true story of the before and aftermath of the 2006 schoolhouse shooting in Nickel Mines, PN. Gunman Charles Carl Roberts (John Churchill), the milk man of the community, took ten girls hostage and let all of the boys go, eventually taking the lives of five girls, seriously injuring five more, and taking his own life, as well. Struggling with the loss of her daughter and the decisions of the community –Ida Garber (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) is left with the conflicting decision of leaving her family, being shun, and starting a new life. With her faith tugging at one end, calling for forgiveness for those who have sinned against them, and her conscious at the other, it leaves viewers wondering, will Ida re-embrace her faith? The remarkably touching storyline leaves viewers with tears in their eyes and an ache in their heart as the end credits roll.

Like most Lifetime Original Movie films the plot deals with murder and betrayal and although Amish Grace follows the plot of most other Lifetime Movies, it has its own distinct flavor. The emotional foundation of the movie pulls on the strings of the actors (and viewers) hearts. While Amy Roberts (Tammy Blanchard) is dealing with grief of her husband rather being “in hell” than with her and their children; the Garber’s are dealing with their family falling apart, as well. When I first saw the preview I thought it looked like a good movie, but from experience, I was never a fan of ‘based on a true story’ type movies –especially if it was coming from Lifetime.

From afar the movie is filled with real Amish traditions but as the movie goes on the director, Gregg Champion, intended to make the lifestyle and tragedy they went to seem real to an outsider. Amish Grace conveys the image of how one action can hurt a whole community. Champion even went as far as explaining in Charles Carl Roberts suicide note that he wanted to take their lives because of two reasons, their lack of technology –making them more vulnerable, and he was mad at God for taking his newborn daughter ten years ago.

With the characters being a bit ‘unknown’ –I was filled with some doubt before actually watching the movie. However, as the touching movie went on, I was proven wrong. The cast did a remarkable job of portraying the hurt in everyone’s heart, and the grief that is worldwide. One thing that was a bit displacing is in the movie they did not tear down the schoolhouse building like they did in real life; something I feel should have been portrayed merely because it showed the ‘forgive and forget’ aspect of the Amish tradition. This is what the whole plotline had been about from the start with Ida questioning her faith and tearing the building down in the movie would have tied it all together very well.

Although it is common that Amish people only attract attention because of their willingness to not have electricity, and to rather ride a horse and buggy than drive a vehicle to their destinations, Amish Grace proved that on October 2, 2006 the Amish community attracted attention for all the wrong reasons. However, Amish Grace gave an amazing portrayal of forgiveness and faiths, showing the honest struggle people go through when it comes to conflicting feelings and tragedy.

Secret Sins-Rough Draft

From an outsider point of view Wittenberg University students seem to be stuck in their dorms, worrying about the exam coming up next week, or how to get their ‘B paper’ to an A for the final draft. However, a non-scientific poll that was given last week proved that it is not what they are all about. In fact, it confirmed that Witt students enjoy the much needed craziness like most typical college students do.

The most popular answers; however, dealt with sex. It ranged from threesomes, having sex in strange places, or having sex while people are around or watching. 22 of the 120 students polled admitted to having a threesome, while one of the craziest things a girl did was “attempted to have a foursome”.

From afar Wittenberg students may seem shy and somewhat introverted, but the fill in the blank questions at the end of the survey stated otherwise. When it came to sex in strange places a guy answered, “I had sex in a pool with a girl which 30 people were watching us”, and a girl said “I had sex at a park while a family was playing baseball on the field next to us”.

Although most of the fill in the blank questions were about sex; drugs were a big factor, too. 78 out of 120 students admitted to having come to class under the influence in the past, while 63 have driven under the influence, as well. Even though some of the fill in the blank answers were short and sweet, “Xanax and drinking, wow”, some were more intense. “I beer bonged 151”, “Had an LSD induced conversation with a bunny”, and “Went on a road trip high, wasted, and lost in Rome”.

When it comes to the Witt students; however, it’s not all about sex and drugs. 50 of the students have stolen. The most popular things that were stolen were t-shirts, jewelry, and food. However, there were some strange things such as cat litter and cocktail swords.

Even though it is sometimes vulgar and quite out of the ordinary, some of the students responded to the fill in the bank questions with “The craziest thing I’ve done was go skydiving” and “White water rafting”.

Wild stories that contain many crazy endings and great memories are what life is all about. The Wittenberg student body may seem quiet and reserved, but that stereotype was proven wrong. They know the meaning of ‘only being young once’ and really are just looking to have a good time, even if it means “jumping into a giraffe’s cage” or “running around a police station naked”.

Cell Phone Rough Draft.

From the Motorola Dyna TAC 8000X, which only made phone calls, to the latest phones such as the Blackberry Storm 2, Droid, and iPhone, which do things such as send texts in a matter of seconds and search the internet faster than a desktop could, technology has changed dramatically over the years.

Twenty years ago most people would have never imagined that cell phone usage has been banned in most states from even being used in a vehicle. After becoming one of the most important means of communication, 38 percent of households have even gotten rid of their landlines, because of their cell phones, with about 250 to 300 million cell phones being used in the United States.

Although the daily usage of making calls is higher than texting, 63 percent to be exact. Texting still has a very large impact. With Americans sending a total of 1 trillion texts in the year of 2008, teenagers sent an average of 1,500, being considered the largest users of texting. While in 2009, 94 percent of the overall texts sent in one year were from teens, although the usage for older ages has increased as well.

As I interviewed Natalie Ferryman, a 28 year old Dental Assistant, I asked, “How old were you when you got your first cell phone?” after sitting and thinking for a few seconds she was left puzzled. “I did not have one during high school, I remember that. I got my first cell phone the beginning of my sophomore year in college. And to think, my 13 year old step-son has one now.” And when I asked Judy Fogle, a 68 year old Realtor, the same thing she said, “I did not get a cell phone until my husband made me, he wants me to keep it in the car to be safe I guess. I never use it anyway, but do not tell him that.”

It is clear that cell phones are becoming more popular generation by generation. Even bringing something else that people twenty years ago would have never imagined, sexting, sending naked or vulgar images of either oneself or another person through a text message. Now banned in most schools and it has even gone so far that cell phone providers such as Verizon and AT&T are trying to put a stop to it. Fifty percent of people have admitted to flirting through a text, while 20 percent has admitted to sending a sext.

When I asked Ashley Jeter what she thinks about sexting she said, “I think it degrades people, and they don’t really think that it hurts them as much as it does. Even when a bad picture is being passed around high school, like I can remember happening a lot at my school, it can lead to horrible things not many people consider before they hit the send button.” With the rates getting out of control, not all people send sext, 37 percent of all photos that men send via cell phone are of poop that they send to their buddies.

For some fun facts, most cell phones have a full ounce of ear wax and dirt build up in the holes that cover the speakers. The most common word used in a text is not a word; it is in fact a letter, “r”. The number 2 is the most used cell phone number used, with 0 being the least. There are as many active cell phones on the planet as there are people. And up to 60 percent of the radiation that is emitted from a cell phone will be absorbed by the users head.

It is hard to imagine that cell phones have changed so much in the past 45 or so years. Even though there are many negative and positive affects that come from something that is used by almost every American today, the cell phone has become something that is hard to picture life without.

Loney Rough Draft

It takes a lot to shock Chief of Security, Carl Loney, because after eight years of being on the Wittenberg University Police Department things from, students running naked in the hallow to snakes popping out of flush valves in bathrooms, “It has all become a part of life” Chief Loney says.

After spending 30 years with the Sheriff’s Department, Chief Loney retired and decided to join to the Wittenberg Police Department. The force has fourteen officers including Loney, and also gets an average of 2,100 to 2,200 calls a month. Chief Loney explains, “We have full police authority, we are no different from Springfield police, Urbana police, or even Cincinnati police.”

“It’s not us against them; we’re really looking for the element that doesn’t belong.” Chief Loney went on to explain that when new members join the force he tries to explain the social environment around Wittenberg University to them, and to be lenient and help the students, instead of only try to get them in trouble.

When asked on a lighter note, “What is your reaction towards streaking the hallow?” Chief Loney smirked and said “Streaking the Hallow has been going on since day one. It ain’t like robbing a bank in my book. It’s ‘fun’ I guess if you will, but at least they aren’t breaking windows.” Streaking the Hallow began in 1971, and has now become a tradition among students.

Just like most other college campuses the biggest crime problem is alcohol infractions. However, Chief Loney said, “Students seem a little tamer these days, a little less wild.” Alcohol arrests have gone down 20 from 2008-2009.

One good thing about the Wittenberg University Police Department is the escort service. By calling a phone number the Police will drop you off, or pick you up in whatever kind of need. Even if it includes bars, and parties, “Just don’t vomit in our cars” Chief Loney said.

Escort services have increased to about 30 calls an hour on Friday and Saturday nights. Between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. they get about ten calls an hour. That’s considered the busy time. Just wanting to make sure the students are safe, Chief Loney expresses the importance of having the escort service and to not be afraid to call them when someone is in need.

As far as sex crimes and date rape go on campus, Chief Loney said, “One if four students will be victimized.” He then explained that the statistics the Police Department has are not as accurate as they could be because of the crime not being reported that often. “Sex offenses, as we all know, are under reported. Do report it because you may prevent another person from getting victimized.”

As Chief Loney finished up the interview he expressed his love of working on a police force and with Wittenberg University students, “Things have changed for the better; the students seem a lot more respectful.”