From Blah to Viola!: Six Steps to make a pillowcase into a dress

You'll need:
- pillowcase that measures to your knees
- scissors
- measuring tape
- needle and thread
- old t-shirt
Optional:
- fabric paint
- paintbrushes

STEP ONE: Blah.
Get your pillowcase and cut out armholes and a neck area, using your measuring tape to get the sizes of the cuts you'll be making.
STEP TWO: Oh, pretty!
Cut three strips of 2'' wide cloth from the old t-shirt. Afterwards, use these fabrics to make a 12'' long or larger piece of fabric "braid."
STEP THREE: This looks like something....
Cut two medium sized hearts from the rest of the t-shirt fabric, which will be used as the "pockets" of the dress.
STEP FOUR: Oh, how cute.
Using the fabric paint, you can paint lyrics or some of your favorite quotes on the "pocket" hearts or sporadically throughout the pillowcase. There's no limit! Just make sure to keep it classy and not overdone.
STEP FIVE: Oh, dang!
Put on the pillowcase and estimate where you'll need the pockets to be, marking the area with a pen.
STEP SIX: Viola!
Sew on the pockets on the marketed areas, making sure to leave the top half of the hearts open. Afterwards, attach the fabric braid on the top of the dress, going from one shoulder sleeve to another. Viola, your summer dress is good to go!

African Student Union Poetry Slam: Chasing the Vision

Performer:
I took a deep breath; relaxing my mind by looking out at the candles that lay on the table. I'm not even sure why I was nervous in the first place. Music is my forte. The only way I know to release my mind.

It was my first poetry slam, and once I set out my keyboard I knew this was where I belonged. I didn't belong in a lab. Not even at the library. I belonged on the stage, and this was reconfirmed when I heard the snaps given after my piece.

Success to me isn't about following the money. It's about chasing a vision. Too many people talk about doing something but when it comes to the action part, some people take a little light vacation.
Music is about moving people. I'm not about to take a vacation on my part as a musician.



Viewer:
I only came to see my friend perform a piece. It also helped that there was some snacks in the back, which I happily took as I found a seat on the side. I didn't know many people here, so I just smiled in the back, taking a bite of cupcake every now and then. Once the show started, I was surprised by the variety of the performances: spoken word, emcees, and musicians.

Each performer did a special piece that reflected a part of them, words that reflected only the emotions of an insider’s story. I've never seen spoken word before: it was a mixture of acting and poetry reading, expressing their feelings with the tone of their voices. The fact that music and its words can cross boundaries isn't even a surprise. Here I was, an Asian girl, and yet- I had to give a sound of applause to the emcee's performance, whose thought provoking lines such as "people talk about diversity/ but man, what happened to some equality?" were refreshing to me, like a full day of sunshine after two days of rain.

Music is about telling the truth. And these poetry readers were delivering it.

Chicken Adobo: the Ultimate Filipino Comfort Food

What brightens my weekend and gets me in a good mood?
Friends, Family and of course, Filipino Comfort Food!

Ingredients:
- 8 whole chicken legs, cut into drumstick and thigh sections
- 1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, crushed lightly
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Recommended: cooked rice

Family weekend, craving Filipino food
What'll satisfy me, what else but my favorite,
Chicken adobo, it'll sure get me in a happy mood

Let's combine chicken, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves
Some peppercorns and 1 cup water in a large kettle
Bring the mixture to a boil,
Simmering for 20 minutes, then let it settle

Add soy sauce and simmer the mixture for 20 minutes
Then move the chicken to a plate with tongs
Boiling liquid for 10 minutes, while my uncle's singing Filipino songs

Will it be done soon? 5 more minutes
Remove the bay leaves, letting the sauce cool down
Add oil to a skillet to sauté the chicken
Turning it over, waiting, until it is light brown

Place the chicken onto platters
Pour the heated sauce over it, and serve the chicken with the rice
Chicken adobo with family, it’s a good weekend and that’s all that matters!