ANTHONY PACITTI - ART 101 BLOG

4.19.09

Only two weeks till it's all over. Personally I am doing okay about it. I am sad but happy because no more classes.... for now at least, grad school will be coming eventually. I don't really think it will hit until the fall rolls around because I will treat this summer most likely like an internship. Maybe sorrow at graduation?

Anyways I just did Relay for Life this weekend. It was a great time and my first I was involved with up here at Penn State. The weather was beautiful although it got extremely cold overnight. I did it with people from my THON committee and we put together some great ending memories. The event itself raised over $80,000 towards the American Cancer Society.

Next week happens to be my last Blue and White Game. I will be tailgating with my THON committee again and it should be amazing. I also have the Bruce Springsteen concert coming up soon, which I really cannot wait for, and the Keith Urban with Sugarland concert the following night.

Also, RIP Harry Kalas, it kept me down for a while and everytime I see something related to it I actually tear up. You were my voice of the summer and of all of my childhood. I will always remember your voice and the call. Enjoy it up there.

4.12.09

Just got back from being at home for the last 4 days or so. It was a nice break even if I hate the 3+ hour drive to get there. Got to spend some time with the family again, enjoy some of Easter, and check out the surrounding areas near where I'll be working and living when I graduate. Right now I get to finish up a bunch of projects though. I'm completely confused with how busy people always are in a group situation where they can't even do their simple part in a project, let alone volunteer to do it. I've seen this for the last 4 years and I honestly can't wait until it's over in the collegian setting I'm experiencing it in. Other then that there's only 3 weeks of classes left to go and I get to do Relay for Life this upcoming weekend, and I'm really looking forward to that. Then the following weekend is Blue and White Game weekend!!!

4.5.09

OPENING DAY 2009! I am so pumped for the game and the season starting tonight. Baseball is my favorite sport and I have been without it long enough. I love to play fantasy baseball all season long, which I am very good at, and I love supporting my WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES!

I've never experienced a season where my team was the defending champions, so I have no idea what to expect or how to react at all this season. All I know is I can't wait to attend some games and watch as many as I can all season long. The team really isn't much different from last years. Pat Burrell has left the team, which I personally feel was a long time coming finally, as he never really produced what we expected from him. I do love his replacement no matter how old he is. Overall though with this team having players like Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, Shane Victorino, Brad Lidge, Ryan Howard (amazing spring, watch out!), and more, I don't know how they can't be top contenders again. LETS PLAY BALL!!!!

PS: I almost forgot, the NIT Championship Game was awesome and I am proud to say I was there. Congrats to all of those on the team and thank you to Cornley.

4.3.09

3.27.09

Wow March Madness is actually legit madness this year! Wake Forest gets upset, the favorite Memphis eliminated, minor upsets with victory's from Arizona and Dayton. Funny thing is at this time my brackets is still one of the best I've ever done. I am sad of course about Memphis, I did have them in the Final Four, but thankfully not in the title game winning it all. My brackets at one time were ranked in the top 12,000 in Yahoo Sports, as well as #5 overall in the Nova Fans group, as the image I posted earlier shows. To me I can care less about my bracket now that I have lost an Elite Eight and Final Four team because eventually it will kill my bracket rankings as those rounds finalize, but I am happy with how far I have gotten.

Now Villanova, almost getting upset in their first round game and I don't see them losing anytime soon. They beat Pitt once this year and I see it happening again, so lets go NOVA! I kind of wish I picked them in my bracket now, but I won't be a bracket cheerer, as far as Nova goes, I will be 100% behind them!

Lastly, Penn State in the NIT Tournament FINAL FOUR! This is nuts, I was at the George Mason game ending, which was the best ending to a basketball game I've ever seen. I missed the round two game, but they just keep on winning. I do plan to go to Madison Square Garden for their final game, if it be in the Championship or Consolation game. Penn State is running buses up for this, as well as their Final Four game tomorrow. I can't beat the price for the ticket and bus ride. LETS GO STATE!!!

3.25.09

3.23.09

3.20.09

It's been a while since I posted here. In the last few weeks I've had some good times just enjoying my last semester of college at Penn State along with keeping up with my classes. The highlight of course had to be my spring break in which I went home for 11 days to just relax and be with my family. I also got to see the dog for the first time and he was fun to play with throughout my time at home. Currently I'm planning to head home for about four days during Easter weekend.

Right now I am enjoying the fun that is March Madness! My brackets look to be doing great right now, with 2 lost's so far within the first 22 games of the tournament played, lets hope the good luck stays throughout the tournament with my brackets. Good luck to Villanova who is my team from home I root for. I must say though it was a shame Penn State didn't make the tournament but they are doing great in the NIT Tournament right now. I attended the round one game on St. Patrick's Day and it was just amazing!

3.1.09

I have to say this week goes down as one of the, if not thee best week of my collegian career. Since THON last weekend it has taken a bit of time to adjust back into a normal routine schedule to complete my tasks, but I was also able to celebrate a successful year with some of the best friends I have up here that I have gotten to know through THON this year. My merchandise committee and I put together a week long of hanging out where we were mostly together at least once a day, this could take place by having dinner together, partying or as simple as just hanging around. Just reliving the year as friends. I don't think I've had a week that even came close to this one.

2.24.09

This past weekend was what I consider to be the ending to my college experience. THON 2009 came and went and as I mentioned a few weeks back I have defined my college career with THON. It has been a staple of my life these past four years. I've danced, cried and laughed throughout these years and never looked back. Currently I am just speechless at the thought that it's over for me. I will be back for years to come but my student involvement within this amazing organization had its last chapter written this past weekend.

I must say though in my four years here at Penn State I've seen roughly $24 million donated to The Four Diamonds Fund, which is over a third of the $60 plus million donated the last 37 years. To me that is just simply amazing. I end this with a great big THANK YOU to all I have worked with and met these last four years and to the children of THON, you are my true heroes!!!

2.14.09

So as a kid most children wish for the fact that their family should and needs a dog as a pet. Well I find out this week that my parents have finally decided to do just that. My issue with that is after all the years of wanting as a kid and begging my parents wait until I am graduating and moving out of the house, my brother is a sophomore in college and my sister a sophomore in high school to finally get a dog. I mean I am going to be on my own and eventually will get myself my own dog when the time is right, but the point on this is as a kid I would have loved for my family to have a pet dog, like when I was 11 not 21.

Anyways, the dog itself is very cute for the type of dog it is. My parents had to get a small and allergy friendly dog because everyone in my family has allergies of some sort. So they settled on a 6-month old Shih Tzu named Bruce. I look forward to the times I will get see him, especially during spring break.

2.8.09

THON, the largest student led philanthropy in the world is coming up in less then two weeks. To me it's joyful but also a sad end. You see, THON has defined my college experience. I started at the commonwealth campus of Penn State Abington and I got involved my first year just as a regular member and then the following year I helped the organization gain it's first THON family, which I hold dear to my heart today still, and I served as the Family Relations Director to that family. I was also able to represent Abington as a dancer in only my sophomore year of college. My foundation was set and as I transitioned up to University Park I wanted to only do more.

I happened to be selected as a captain in my first year at University Park for the Merchandise committee, which at the time was in its first year. It was an amazing experience to see THON from a whole different perspective. I even ended up getting The Four Diamonds Fund logo tattooed to my right calf, showing my devotion to this cause as well as a devotion to my THON family back at Abington. This year I got to serve a second term on the Merchandise committee, but in less then two weeks my whole experience is kind of over but in a way it's only beginning.

When THON is over, I will hopefully have gotten to see roughly over $20 million dollars donated to help fight pediatric cancer, I will have made great friends, and have gained an experience of a lifetime. I do plan to continue my work as an ambassador for The Four Diamonds Fund directly, which I hope to do for the rest of my life. THON will also become a yearly tradition that I hope to even bring my kids to some day. I hold this all dear to my heart, never could think of going in another direction or path. I thank those who laid the groundwork for this event years ago that gave me this experience, and in the words of this years theme only together can we 'Dream Forward'.

1.30.09

I decided to vent a bit with regards to sports, in particular, Philadelphia sports. The Philadelphia scene has had a great deal of success these past few weeks with regards to their sports teams. You have the Sixers on a hot streak right now, even though Elton Brand happened to be injured; as for the Flyers, they are staying strong in 3rd place right now as they can't close out games in OT. Spring training for the World Series Champions, the Phillies begins in about three weeks and their defense will begin without the former longest reigning player in the dugout. Then we have the Eagles, who successfully shocked a lot of people and made it to the NFC Championship game to be shocked back by their opponents. Not to bad for a city supporting four major pro teams that all happen to be playoff contenders/teams in their respective games.

I would like to note a bit of sorrow with the Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson who is the defensive mastermind of the Eagles defense for over the last 10 years has unfortunately been diagnosed with his second bout of cancer. This time though it doesn't seem that good no matter how optimistic he seems to be about it. This time he had a tumor appear around his spine with other signs in places around his body. All I have to say is that my heart goes out to this great man and his family. I wish you all the luck in the world to rid yourself of this, and get back out there on the field where you love to be yourself.

1.29.09

Hey my name is Anthony Pacitti. I am a senior graduating in Information Sciences and Technology, focusing on Design and Development. I am involved with THON as a Merchandise Captain for my second year in a row. My Penn State experience started at Penn State Abington for my first two years before I transitioned to University Park. When I graduate this spring I will begin my real work experiences working for Johnson and Johnson in their Information Technology Leadership Development Program.