Star Wars: The Old Republic

It has been seven years since LucasArts put out Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. Finally, on Dec. 20, the newest game in the series, Star Wars: The Old Republic will hit the shelves. From the looks of it, gamers will not be disappointed.  In this newest iteration, players will be able to choose their own fate and either serve the good side of the force in The Jedi Order or The Galactic Republic, or succumb to the temptations of the dark side and serve The Sith Empire or The Sith Lords. Classes include: Trooper, Smuggler, Jedi Knight, Jedi Consular, Bounty Hunter, Sith Warrior, Imperial Agent, and Sith Inquisitor.
If you want to see the latest on this much anticipated release, visit www.swtor.com.   Here is a little preview!

Make your own Latte!

There’s just something about fall that makes you want a pumpkin spice latte. Unlike pumpkin pie and leftover turkey, lattes never get old. Unfortunately, waiting in line at a coffee shop can take a small eternity, and it can get pricey if you want more than one this season. The good news: It’s super easy and inexpensive to make your own, and you don’t need any fancy machinery. If you enjoy the luxury of living off campus and have a full kitchen, great, but you can make your own pumpkin spice latte in your dorm room with just a microwave and coffee maker. 

Last month, in Fall is a Time for Lattes, we asked you to submit your recipes. The winning recipe was sent to us by Randi in Virginia, and is featured below. Randi won a free one year subscription to Venture Magazin! We tried her recipe and we love it, and we hope you’ll love it too.

Ingredients:

2 cups milk

2 tbsp canned pumpkin

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp vanilla extract

½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

 (To make your own pumpkin spice, combine: ¼ tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp cloves, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, and a small pinch of ground ginger)

1-2 shots espresso (about ¼ cup of espresso or ½ cup of strong brewed coffee)

Directions:

Dorm Room:

In a microwavable bowl, stir milk, pumpkin and sugar, then microwave on high heat for 1.5 to 2 minuets. Remove from microwave and stir in vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Then whisk the mixture well with a fork. Pour into two coffee mugs, then pour coffee on top. For extra yummy goodness, top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon*.

Off Campus:

In a saucepan combine milk, pumpkin and sugar. Cook on medium heat and stir until steaming. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and spice. Pour into a blender and process for 15 seconds until foamy. (If you don’t have a blender, whisk the mixture well with a fork or wire whisk.) Pour into two coffee mugs. Pour espresso (or coffee) on top. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle cinnamon*. 

*You can substitute the cinnamon with nutmeg.

Also check out our article, Better than your Grandma's Cooking for fresh food and fall fun.

Thanksgiving, followed by Pushing and Shoving

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and the scene in most homes will be very similar. Families will gather round the table for a feast of delicious foods like turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, carrots and my favorite, green bean casserole, followed by yummy desserts like pumpkin or blueberry pie. Each person will say something for which they are thankful. The evening will be spent in high spirits, whether it be playing games, watching football or just hanging out with family. But it is after the day is done and the leftovers stored away, that the mischief begins.
People will betray the contentment they so readily swore mere hours ago. Shopping malls and retail outlets will be crowded with people lurking at the doors so they can be the first to get those items that their families, who were satisfied earlier that day, suddenly can't live without, such as a new video game or that bigger, better television. And when the doors finally open, they will push, shove and trample one another like ravenous animals.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with people wanting to buy loved ones nice things, however, it does not give them a right to abandon common courtesy and civility. Most importantly, it does not portray the love of God. So, if you choose to join the crowds and wait for stores to open so you can get the good deals, remember to have fun and treat others with kindness. After all, people are far more important than stuff.

Rocking In the New Year

Many college students will be heading home for the Christmas season, enjoying time with family, eating large amounts of food, decorating and taking decorations down. After Christmas is over, it is time to just chill and relax. Don't want to just sit around the house for the rest of the break? If you love loud, rocking, Christian music, then get tickets for Liberty University’s Winterfest. Liberty holds this event annually, entertaining thousands of people with awesome band lineups.
Switchfoot, Skillet, Red, Tenth Avenue North, Hawk Nelson, Finding Favour, Group 1 Crew, Anthem Lights, Trip Lee and Family Force 5 will be performing. Winterfest is taking place December 30-31, 2011 at the Vines Center at Liberty University.
Along with all the great concerts, Liberty’s Snowflex Center, a year round ski slope, will be open and anyone can go skiing, snowboarding or tubing on Liberty’s revolutionary artificial snow turf. Swimming, ice skating and rock climbing will also be available. For information and ticket prices, visit www.libertywinterfest.com.

Weekend Forecast and Activities

November in many states, means ice and snow attempt to bar the outdoors for adventure. However, November in the South East is an extra month of fall weather, with plenty of sunshine left to enjoy.
Here's the weekend forecast for a few major cities. We've also provided a few ideas for fun weather-appropriate activities in your area.
No matter where you are, Saturday morning should be great wether for Ultimate!

Richmond, VA
Friday: Sunny; high of 50 degrees.
Saturday: Mostly sunny; high of 58.
Sunday: Partly cloudy; high of 68.
We suggest: Grab a helmet and and go biking. Check out Richmond Area Bicycling Association for more info on how to connect with other cyclists. For other activties in the Richmond area, here's a directory of Fitness and Outdoor Activities.

Nashville, TN
Friday: Sunny; high of 57
Saturday: Partly cloudy; high of 62
Sunday: T-showers; high of 65
We suggest: With all the leaves changing color, this weekend is a great opportunity to visit Radnor Lake and enjoy the weather. Have a picnic and throw around the football.
Sunday is going to be rainy, so invite friends over and host a movie night.
For a list of more FREE activities, check out the Nashville Visitors Bureau.

Charlotte, NC
Friday: Sunny; high of 49
Saturday: Partly cloudy; high of 58
Sunday: Partly cloudy; high of 67
We suggest: Grip some rock at Crowders Mountain State Park. Not only is it a good climb, but the views are amazing.
Also look at Charlotte's Got A Lot for more events.

Atlanta, GA
Friday: Sunny; high of 53
Saturday: Partly cloudy; high of 61
Sunday: Mostly cloudy; high of 69
We suggest: Get out of the city and go hiking. Georgia Trails has a list of hiking trails in the Atlanta area. If you're not sure which one to pick, Southern Hiker is a great resource offering reviews of different hiking trails and more.
Also take a look at the Atlanta Outdoor Club. They plan a whole list of outdoor activities every month, and it's free to join.

Orlando, FL
Friday: Fair; high of 75
Saturday: Partly cloudy; high of 80
Sunday: Partly cloudy; high of 83
We suggest: Wekiwa Springs State Park. Go swimming, kayak, canoe, ride a bike, ride a horse. There's a ton of things to do. After the sun sets, stop by the Festival of the Seasons in Downtown Disney.
If you have money to blow, there is always the usual string of theme parks like Disney World, Sea World, , Universal, or even Pirates Cove for a little adventure golf. For more ideas, look at http://www.visitorlando.com/.

Before the Fellowship

Many of us remember the Lord of the Rings trilogy when it was released several years ago. The movies enthralled viewers and many have read the books now because of the success of the theatrical versions. For those of us who have read the books, we know that the LOTR trilogy is not the beginning of the story. J.R.R Tolkien wrote a book called the Hobbit, based on the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Frodo’s uncle. Now, Peter Jackson, the director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, is in the processing of filming the Hobbit. It is slated to be released December 14, 2012.
Fans will be pleased to know that many actors from the Lord of the Rings trilogy have returned to star in the new film. Actors such as Sir Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett, and Hugo Weaving, as well as many others, will be reprising their roles in the Hobbit film. If you want to be kept up to date on the latest buzz from the set of the Hobbit, make sure to go online and search for the production diaries that have been released. The video below is the latest production diary. Also, go to www.imdb.com and www.the-hobbit-movie.com for more information.

Better than your grandma's cooking!

As college students, healthy eating is one of the last things on our minds. Our time and energy is concentrated on bigger things, like our facebook status, our roomates hygene and whether you really need to turn the heat on in your apartment during winter.

When you think of healthy eating, dollar signs may appear in your mind's eye, and deciding between the $.05 pack of Top Ramen and the $2.00 bag of apples is an easy choice. But the truth is, there are many options for college kids to still eat well and not break the bank, starting with a local farmer's market or orchard.

At a farmer's market individuals sell their harvested fruits and veggies at a reasonable price and offer students the chance to still get fresh, healthy foods without blowing their budgets. Not only are farmer's markets and orchards great places to find good food but they also are an oppurtunity for students to have a little fun. Check out this Orchard in Virgina I recently visited. There were hundreds of options from fruits and veggies, to canned jellies and sauces.

 

Ultimate Weekend

"Beep, beep, beep!" the alarm yelled at 8am. After a full Friday night, this is not the sound anyone wants to hear on a cold Saturday morning in November. Groggy, I pushed off the covers, pulled on my cleats and headed off to play in an Ultimate tournament that lasted from 9am to 4pm. It was a long day, but proved to be well worth the effort--even for a night-owl like me. Ultimate (often called Ultimate Frisbee) is popular sport and has recently been catapulted to a college craze that students participate in weekly. Whether you want a full-scale, cohesive army to battle in tournaments, or just want to have a low key pick-up game with friends, Ultimate is a great way to have fun and get your blood pumping.

If you've never seen it, here's your chance. Below is a video from the Ultimate College Nationals last year.

To get involved in the national tournaments, check out USA Ultimate College Division.

Giving Thanks

Celebrate Thanksgiving and remember all the things you're thankful for by making a Thanksgiving Tree! It's also a great way to bring fall indoors and decorate your dorm or appartment for the season. It's fun to make, especially while sipping on a yummy Pumpkin Spice Latte.

1. Get a branch from outside that will fit in a vase or glass. (We used a glass milk bottle.)
2. Cut out Maple leaves from red, yellow, and orange construction paper. (Or you can buy autumn leaves from A.C. Moore for $5.50)
3. Hole punch each leaf and tie a string (preferably brown string) through it to make it an ornament.
4. Write one thing you are thankful for on each leaf. (Skip to my Lou suggests writing one nice thing you've done on the back of the leaf.)
5. Hang the leaves on the branch and voila!

Camera Tricks

Have you ever seen those pictures with light trails and wondered how to make them look like that? Here's a great tutorial on how you can do just that! Also check out our example on facebook and let us know what you think!
http://digitalphotobuzz.com/slowing-down-your-shutter-speed

Fall is a time for Lattes

Fall is well underway and for me, that means two things: scarves and coffee. Don't forget to grab a Pumpkin Spice Latte before they snatch it from the menus. If you want this seasonal treat without the pricey cost of coffee shops, then you can purchase the syrup and make your own. If you already make your own, submit your recipes to venture340@gmail.com. We'll test them out and feature the winning recipe in a blog on November 27th. Also, the winner will receive a one year subscription to Venture Magazine for FREE!