In light of May 10-18 being National Tourism Week, I am highlighting places to go and things to see in the Riverbend area. (See my previous post for St. Louis attractions.) Here are some of my ideas: 

*Third Street, Alton
When my friends from out of town come for a visit, I like to take them down Third Street. I don’t think there are many places like it elsewhere in Alton. I haven’t often wandered into the various shops along the street but I have been in many of the bars a number of times. Tony’s is always good for a bite to eat and for some trivia, while sometimes I prefer Spirits for its pleasant atmosphere and the Big Muddy Pub for its live music. From time to time, I also stop into Don and Penny’s and the Firehouse. Anyway you slice it, there’s a lot going on there — especially during block parties.

*Great Godfrey Corn Maze, Godfrey
I worked at the Corn Maze the first two years it was open and I LOVED every minute of it. With the exception of one year since, I have been a frequent visitor to the maze. Every year they have a different theme and every year the maze is different. You can wander through the maze and find your way yourself, or you can use trivia cards that help you find your way. During the Halloween season, one of the two mazes is “haunted.” No matter when you go or who you take, the Corn Maze is great for family fun and its not something visitors get the chance to see everyday.

*Raging Rivers Waterpark
I used to work here too, but sadly, I haven’t been back often since. I do think about it though and would gladly take a friend from out of town if we were looking for a day of fun in the sun. How can one resist the Swirlpool? It’s your chance to experience what it might be like to be flushed down the toilet (only kidding). After all, Raging Rivers is “cool when it’s hot.”

*SIUE, Edwardsville/Glen Carbon
Before I transferred to Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, I spent my first two undergraduate years here. That’s why its a favorite stop on the tour when I want to show friends my home life. The campus is beautiful with rolling woodlands and plenty of space and fresh air, quite different from the close quarters I studied in at Charleston. My favorite part of the campus is the sand volleyball. From time to time, I’ll gather a group of friends and we’ll spend the afternoon playing volleyball and then stop by Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the game. Speaking of, if you’re in the area, there are lots of great places to eat in Edwardsville — including Red Robin and the 54th Street Grill.

*Pere Marquette Park, Jersey County
Pere Marquette is a beautiful place to go hiking, especially if you’re packing a camera. If you get a chance to stop up at the lodge, you can eat and play a friend on a giant chess set.

*Beaver Dam State Park, Macoupin County
I used to go here for family get-togethers, and still get up there every once in awhile to have lunch with my dad and his sisters. Beaver Dam is a great place for fishing (if you have a license of course) and paddle boating. (When I was little, we took my aunt out on a rowboat and she was so afraid of falling in! Poor thing. Great memories…)

*Lake Williamson, Carlinville
My friend introduced me to this gem of an attraction. Although Lake Williamson is the site of a Christian camp, the general public is welcome to pay admission and come swim in the lake. They have a waterslide that goes into a catch pool and another one with a steep drop that goes into the lake. Swimmers can climb a giant blow-up iceberg or play volleyball in a water pit or launch their friends off “the blob.” (I would try to explain ”the blob” to you, but if you’ve ever seen the movie “Heavyweights,” you already know what I’m talking about.) …Just thinking about it, I can’t wait to go back.

*Fast Eddie’s Bon Air, Alton
I was vacationing in the Ozarks one year and walking through the stores with my family when a storekeeper asked us where we were from. When we said “Alton,” his first response was “Ahh, Fast Eddie’s.” Why it is famous that far from Alton, I am not sure, but I do know they have great food for cheap and the atmosphere is something you have to experience at least once. I remember when I was under 21 — with no windows and no takeout allowed — the bar had a mysterious quality about it. Many of the people I know made it one of their first stops of the night the day they turned 21.

*Pie Town Stompin’ Grounds, Alton
Good sandwiches, good Alton history. Plus, it’s conveniently located right near the place I went to high school (now Alton Middle School), so it’s not uncommon that I stop there for lunch when people are visiting.

*Great River Road
Come see the eagles, take photos or just take in the view of the river. We may take the Mississippi for granted, but there’s a reason they call it the “Mighty Mississippi.” It’s kind of a big deal.

*Piasa Bird, Alton
The Piasa Bird is the stuff of legend, and it’s unique to this area. Laying eyes on this bird-hybrid could spark anyone’s imagination.

*Robert Wadlow, Alton

Above, my friends (from left) Evan Hill, Brian O’Malley and Erin Miller, all from up north, see how they stand up to Alton legend Robert Wadlow on a visit to my hometown. 

They were pretty amazed at how tall he was! We took about 100 photos in 15 minutes or so. You can even sit in his chair and see where your feet fall. Trust me, this is not the kind of thing you see everyday, unless you live in Alton.

*Piasa Winery, Aeries Riverview Winery, Grafton
The best wine I’ve had, I’ve had at these wineries. I haven’t been around too much, but they should still take that as a compliment. You can make a whole day out of visiting local wineries (of which there are many more), and I suggest starting in Grafton. If you’re heading to Aeries, don’t forget your camera to capture the awesome view of the Mississippi.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I’m KNOW there are a number of places that I haven’t mentioned, but don’t worry, I will mention those places in time. Also, I will likely choose to focus on these attractions more in depth, one at a time, in the future. Don’t forget to check back often!

TALK BACK: Do you have any attractions in the Riverbend area you’d like to suggest? What are your favorite places to visit?

According to the Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau, May 10-18, 2008 is the 25th Anniversary of National Tourism Week. You know what that means — big week for this blog.

It just so happens I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about tourism in the area — a friend from Chicagoland who has not been to visit me since our graduation in Spring of 2006 is planning her first visit over Memorial Day weekend!

A lot of people who live here might not think of the area as having many tourist attractions or things to do – but those who travel a bit know that St. Louis and the Riverbend area have a lot to offer that is unique (i.e. a rich history, beautiful scenery along the bluffs and Mississippi River, etc.).

When people from out of town come to visit me, I take the opportunity to show them everything I can that my home has to offer. You know, make them want to come back here to visit me

Many times, I take them across the river to St. Louis. In St. Louis, I always show off the following attractions (and more):

*St. Louis Zoo
We may take the zoo for granted, but the fact is that its one of the best zoos in the nation and it’s right here in our back yard. The animal habitats are much more similar to their natural surroundings than those cages many other zoos feature, and there’s a lot to see. The best part? It’s free. I never knew you had to pay to get into zoos until I visited Chicago and Cincinatti and was… unpleasantly surprised. This attraction is definitely worth a visit.

*Forest Park
Forest Park isn’t all about the zoo. You have the Muny (which I’ve never been to but would very much like to see), the Art Museum, Steinberg Skating Rink (which is fun for outdoor ice skating and apparently hosts sand volleyball leagues in the summer), the Boathouse and more. The last time I had a friend in from out of town, the Forest Park Balloon Race was taking place. What a sight.

*City Museum
I’ve blogged about this attraction before. It’s a place of wonderment unlike anything I’d seen before I came for the first time. Really, it reminds me a little bit of a nature, art and history museum mixed with a Discovery Zone. It’s a place where a kid can be a kid and an adult can be a kid. Just be careful if you go. It can be dangerous if you don’t watch what you’re doing.

*Laclede’s Landing
A couple of my favorite places to visit at Laclede’s Landing are the Big Bang and Morgan Street Brewery. The Big Bang is a dueling piano bar, and a great place to spend a birthday (unless you’re bashful). You can request popular songs and sing along. Believe me, it makes for a very interactive night out. Morgan Street is a great place to get locally brewed beer, and it’s right down the street from the Big Bang. Occassionally, there are block parties and other events going on at the Landing and there’s always good food and plenty of entertainment — so much so that you could spend an entire weekend there and go nowhere else.

*Busch Stadium
As a huge Cardinals fan, I had to mention this one. Cards tickets aren’t all that easy to come by, but you could buy tickets in advance or try a scalper if you know what you’re doing. You can also try the ticket window the day of the game and shoot for seats – if nothing else you might be able to get standing room only. Any way you go, a day at Busch stadium is always a good time.

*Science Center
Although a lot of the attractions here are aimed at smaller children, check out the Omnimax show or any of the travling exhibits that might have stopped into town. I was there for Body Worlds, and it was well worth the trip.

*Union Station
It’s not much of a mall, but it’s a great place to bring visitors. I’ve stopped in there with guests and gone to Hooters, Houlihan’s Restaurant and Bar and the Hard Rock Cafe. My friend Brian was memerized by what was going on at the Fudgery, where the workers put on a show while they make some great tasting fudge. There are a lot of unique little shops including Beatles for Sale, the Bud Shop and the Cardinals Clubhouse stores, and much more. The best part of the day was when we decided to feed the koi fish and go paddleboating under the fountains, all conveniently located right outside the building’s entrance. Union Station even contains a hotel, if you need a place to stay overnight.

*Westport Plaza
I haven’t been to a lot of places inside Westport Plaza, but the restaurants and attractions I have been to have been worth the drive. Pujols 5 Grill is a great restaurant that features a variety of different atmospheres and a variety of different food choices on the menu — from hamburgers to chicken to ethnic favorites of the Pujols family. (And you can catch the game if it’s on.) A great place for a laugh is the Funnybone Comedy Club. If you’re looking for something a little closer to home, you might visit the Funnybone in Fairview Heights.

*Moolah Theater and Lounge
The movie screen is HUGE and the seats are comfortable — especially if you get there early enough to grab one of the leather couches for your viewing enjoyment. If you are running a little late, the balcony seats aren’t bad either. At least no one is in your line of sight. Look out for brew and view times if you’d like to have a drink while you watch your movie.

*The Loop, Delmar
The Loop is a great collection of unique shops and restaurants and it’s not that far off I-270. My favorite places to grab a bite include Blueberry Hill (you like Chuck Berry and live music, don’t you?) and Fitz’s (where you can watch them actually make the root beer you’re about to drink) and I love stopping into stores like Rag-o-rama (one of the best places I’ve found to buy vintage T’s) and Phoenix Rising (which is just a collection of odds and ends and stationery stuff I have a thing for). Are you a music fan? You might also appreciate the variety of tunes available for purchase at Vintage Vinyl or you might want to check in early and snag tickets for a concert at the Pageant.  

Sometimes, instead of crossing the river into St. Louis, I choose to stay a little closer to home. After all, Alton and its surrounding areas are not without fun places to go. Stay tuned for Part II, where I’ll cover attractions in and around the Riverbend area.  

EDITOR’S NOTE: I’m sure there are a number of places that I haven’t mentioned. Also, I may choose to focus on one of these attractions more in-depth in the future.

TALK BACK: Do you have any attractions in St. Louis you’d like to suggest? What are your favorite places to visit in the area?

I like blogs. If you are reading this one, you must like blogs. For that reason, and because in this blog I sometimes have a hard time staying on my “travel and what to do” topic, I figured I would share some of my favorites with you.

Let me start off by saying, if you haven’t checked out The Telegraph’s other blogs, you should definitely head on over to those sites and check them out.

Here we go:

Post Secret.  An online community art project where people write their deepest darkest secrets on decorated post cards and send them in to be posted on this blog. Some of the secrets are sad, some frightening and some hilarious. New secrets posted every Sunday.

On Sports.  A blog by my former journalism professor at Eastern Illinois University. You can find everything from sports commentary to sports journalism jobs to sports writing tips, etc. from a guy who really knows what he’s talking about.

Obviously, you are not a golfer.  A St. Louis Cardinals blog by reporter Matthew Leach of www.stlcardinals.com. He can go off topic sometimes, but he is generally amusing and informative.

Stephen Has a Blog.  Coming out of a journalism program, it’s no wonder a lot of my friends’ blogs are journalism related. Stephen is one of the most talented photographers I’ve ever met, and he’s pretty funny too. Anyway, he’s good for a read.

EIU Hall of Fame blog. OK, so this one was discontinued in January of 2007, but it was hilarious while it lasted. Plenty of jabs at EIU alumnus and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

Unfortunately, that’s all I have time for today. Do you have a favorite blog or a blog of your own to share with the community? Let me know via the comment option below and I’ll check it out (and even link it to my site for Telegraph readers to see!).

Might as well get it out in the open — my worst fear is a tornado.

My dad used to tell me it was pretty irrational to be as scared as I was (granted a normal level of fear is commanded by any type of natural disaster), because I had never been in one and didn’t really know a lot about them other than what I saw in “Twister,” with actress Helen Hunt and actor Bill Paxton.

“Twister,” by the way, is one of the scariest movies ever made, in my opinon. Especially that part where the girl’s father was trying to hold the door to the storm cellar closed and the tornado sucked him right out… Ugh! **Shudders to think **

I don’t know what it is about them. Maybe a part of me thinks that a tornado will come in here and sweep away my loved ones and everything that is important to me.

The truth is, even though I’ve never been through one, tornadoes can ruin and take lives — especially if people are not prepared. Thankfully, an early warning system and some information can help make you and a little bit safer.

The folloring information was taken from a press release from the University of Illinois Extension in Macoupin County, most attributed to Duane Friend, University of Illinois Extension natural resources educator:

DID YOU KNOW?
*Most tornadoes are relatively weak in intensity, but wind speeds can range from 70 to almost 300 miles per hour.
*Improved tracking systems such as Doppler radar and volunteer spotters have decreased the number of injuries and deaths in Illinois, but that doesn’t mean we are totally protected.
*Preparing a tornado plan, being aware of watches and warnings and constructing or strengthening buildings against wind damage prevents us from being caught in a dangerous situation.

IN THE EVENT OF A TORNADO
*Everyone living in the home should know where to gather if a tornado is approaching. This can be a basement, center hallway, bathroom or closet on the lowest floor, away from windows.
*Know the difference between “watch” and “warning.” A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for tornado formation. A tornado warning means a tornado has actually been sighted, or that radar is showing an area with intense circulating winds.
*When severe weather is approaching, listen to the radio or watch for weather updates on TV. If a watch is announced, continue to listen for further updates. Be alert for changing weather conditions. Watches and warnings are issued for individual counties.
*If you are at home and a tornado warning is announced, go to the designated gathering spot. If you are outside and see a tornado approaching, try to get to a low-lying area, away from power lines or other potential hazards.
*After a tornado passes, do not venture into damaged areas where fallen power lines may be present. Continue to listen to the radio for information and instructions.
*Residents in mobile homes are at greater risk. Statistics have shown that occupants in these structures should seek alternate shelter when a tornado is approaching. The National Weather Service and the American Red Cross recommend residents leave the mobile home and seek shelter in a low-lying area, if no sturdy building or structure is available.
*Many homes can be reinforced or built to lessen the impact of high winds. Using metal connectors for studs, rafters, joists and trusses will greatly strengthen homes. There are many types of prefabricated connectors available. The easiest time to install reinforcements is during construction, typically adding only 1 to 3 percent to construction costs.

For more information on tornado preparedness, please contact the University of Illinois Extension, Macoupin County office at (217) 854-9604. Be safe!

This morning I looked in the mail and found a surprise that lit up my face and brightened my day  – a thank you from one of the veterans I’ve worked with for The Telegraph’s Veterans Voices project.

In the nearly two years that I’ve worked in this newsroom, it’s not been uncommon to get nasty e-mails or phone calls from people who’ve been the subject of negative news stories. That’s part of why its so rewarding to learn that some people do appreicate what I do.

I’ve recieved a few thank you letters from the subjects of everyday people and veterans stories, stories about fund raisers and positive features throughout my young career, and I just wanted to say thank you.

The Telegraph’s new online community, Pluck Site Life, is set to launch Wednesday, April 23 Thursday, April 24. (edited 3:22 p.m. Wednesday) 

Do me and yourself a favor by visiting http://www.thetelegraph.com/ and registering for a free and easy account! Just navigate to our site and look to the top right hand corner of the page for a gray box that says “become a member.” The prompt will ask you to enter a username and a verifiable e-mail address. Once you’ve registered, go to your inbox and click the link to verify your account. (If you go to the site and try to register and there is no option to “become a member,” check back later. It may take awhile before it launches but it should be up for sure by tomorrow evening.)

Once you’ve become a member, you can click “my profile” in the same gray box on http://www.thetelegraph.com/ to navigate to all our new web community outlets. You will be able to post your own blogs, share photos and other web content, connect with other users and participate in forum discussions pertaining to area communities, news, sports and just life in general, plus much more. (And The Telegraph won’t edit your content! Be advised though, The Telegraph retains the right to remove what is inappropriate.)

The new site features will also change the way you recommend and comment on The Telegraph’s stories online, so you should register now! (Don’t worry, you can still report inappropriate and offensive comments.)

We’re excited about this new aspect of our site and we want to get as many people involved as possible. Please forward this message to everyone you know in the Edwardsville/River Bend areas as well as Jersey, Calhoun, Greene and Macoupin Counties (as well as anyone else who might have an interest in our site) so everyone has a chance to get started. Thanks and have a great day!!

… and you thought there was nothing to do in Alton.

Block parties are your once-a-month chance to mingle with the locals. All types of locals. (And I mean that sincerely.) If you are from the area, block parties are a lot like class reunions — only with more fresh air and a lot more Jimmy Buffett covers. So come out and see friends you haven’t seen in forever and forget that you’ve spent those years apart — it’s easy to get over those minuscule details when the Bud is flowing and everyone’s having a good time…

But seriously –
I do try to make it to a block party every so often — and with my new location in Downtown Alton will probably become a more frequent flyer, so to speak. At least I’m looking forward to the experience. After all, who doesn’t like food, drinks, music and mingling?

I can’t say I’m a fan of every aspect of these monthly gatherings, but the best thing is that the entertainment is focused on one street — and for one night, Alton is a bustling community with a popular nightlife.

The truth is, fun is what you make of it, and the Alton block parties have the ingredients for an entertaining weekend night out. So give it a shot and come see us down on Third Street this summer!

Here are the details on the first block party of the year:

Cinco de Mayo Alton Block Party
4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. (live music starts at 6:30 p.m.)
Sat. May 3
Third Street in Downtown Alton
(Between Piasa & State Sts.)

Bands to be announced on Wed., April 16. Check back here for a complete listing.

Other block party dates can be found at: http://www.visitalton.com/events.cfm

~Photo courtesy of Alton CVB~

During the month of April (and during the rest of the year), we can fight cancer through our focus on nutritional intake and physical activity.

According to relayforlife.org, “One-third of all cancer deaths in the U.S. could be prevented by following a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight.”

If you want to read all about it, here is a link to an article on ACS Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention. (I found the information in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.)

Otherwise, here is some information in short form, from an American Cancer Society handout:

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY GUIDELINES

ON NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR CANCER PREVENTION 

Developed by the American Cancer Society 2001 Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee and approved by the American Cancer Society National Board of Directors on November 1, 2001. 

ACS Recommendations for Individual Choices 

• Eat a variety of healthful foods, with an emphasis on plant sources.

Eat 5 or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day.

Choose whole grains in preference to processed (refined) grains and sugars.

Limit consumption of red meats, especially those high in fat and processed.

Choose foods that maintain a healthful weight. 

• Adopt a physically active lifestyle.

Adults: engage in at least moderate activity for 30 minutes or more on 5 or more days of the week; 45 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous activity on 5 or more days per week may further enhance reductions in the risk of breast and colon cancer.

Children and adolescents: engage in at least 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at least 5 days per week. 

• Maintain a healthful weight throughout life.

Balance caloric intake with physical activity.

Lose weight if currently overweight or obese. 

• If you drink alcoholic beverages, limit consumption.

Want to see how you’re doing? It’s easy and free.

Back in college, which was actually only a couple years ago, I took a senior seminar called nutrition dilemmas. During the course of the semester, our teacher had all of us sign up for a free account on mypyramidtracker.gov and track our diets for a week, just to see how we were doing and what we could improve.

The program is called My Pyramid tracker. You log in each day, fill in the foods you ate, beverages you drank and types of physical activity you had and in what quantities.

At the end of each day, the computer can analyze your food intake and physical activity (according to whether you set the tracker to want to lose weight or want to maintain weight). The food tracker, for example, will tell you what vitamins and nutrients you’ve taken in versus what you should be getting, so you can learn to make a few changes in your diet, if need be.

That semester, I learned that the only healthy diet is one where you consume foods that have a high nutrient content for the amount of calories they contain and then exercise or participate in physical activity so that you’re using those calories. Fad diets do not work for the long term as far as losing weight goes, and they certainly don’t help you concentrate on taking in a variety of nutrient-rich foods.

If you’d like to learn more about a healthy way to get to a healthier weight, visit MyPyramid.gov.

In closing, I challenge you to try the MyPyramid tracker for one week and see where you might be able to adjust your diet to more closely reflect the guidelines listed above.

Good luck!!

-Laura

Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back!

Working on my impact series about area humane societies and animal rescue organizations (see “Impact” at thetelegraph.com) got me feeling really sorry for all those animals out there with no homes. I also learned a lot — including the fact that its important for pet owners to respect and appreciate their animals and to take pet adoption seriously. It’s nothing to enter into lightly.

Before I started working on the series, my boyfriend and I had agreed to take a cat from some friends. They had mentioned it when we were over at their house visiting, and we came to think it would be a good idea.

They called her Scuttles, but she never responded to that, so we thought it would be OK to rename her Sadie. Here she is as a kitten at our friends’ house:

She’s a little bigger than that now, of course, but still small. And hard to find.

When she first came to us, she hid behind the entertainment center. Then, she spent the night in a corner under the bed and wouldn’t come out for anything. We started to think she didn’t like us, but remembered how well she warmed up to us over at our friends’ house.  

Because of her size, it’s hard not to think that she’s still a kitten, but at a little over 1 year old, she would be between 15 and 20 in human years. I’ve always taken in animals when they were very young. You almost forget that she spent about a year living in someone else’s house. Of course she’d be frightened.

A day later, she’s coming out and sitting with on us, friendly as can be. She still likes to sleep in the tight corner, but it didn’t take her long to warm back up to us. We love her.

So it’s not exactly the same as adopting a homeless cat, but we still took her in as our own. Had our friends changed their mind about giving her to us, we would have considered adopting from an area humane society.

Pet adoption is a great idea because it works out for both parties. You get a furry new friend and they get a home and a “forever family.”

I keep referring to that term, “forever family,” in both my stories and this blog. It caught my attention and pulled at my heartstrings when I saw it used on local organizations’ Web sites.

I’d never adopted a pet from any of the local organizations before, but I definitely believe in the cause. I can also attest to the fact that sometimes shelters have the best animals.  

Years ago, one of my girlfriends wanted a new kitten. Her family had always been big on cats, and her favorite pet, Paws, had recently died, so we set out to find her a new companion. Finally, we found one that felt right — she was at the 5A’s when it was at its old location. She named her Duchess.

It surprised me at the time how strict the adoption policy was, how my friend had to apply for the pet and then wait for an answer — whether or not she would be able to take her home — but now it makes perfect sense. These organizations have to be careful who they adopt out to, or the animal could end up being mistreated or back on the streets.

All in all, I remember her experience being a positive one. Between that and knowing what I now know, I will be adopting all of my pets from here on out. Once I move into a house and have a little more space, I’ll have to see what dogs need homes. Looking through petfinder.com, there are plenty I’d be interested in now if I had the space.

I also found the foster home program to be an interesting concept and a possibility for my future, especially since a friend in Chicago started volunteering her place as a foster home. She’s posted all of her animals’ photos on her MySpace, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they get snatched up quickly, they’re so cute! The only problem I could forsee would be actually giving up the animals to their new adoptive families

I’d like to commend my friend for what she’s doing as well as all those that work with these organizations toward the betterment of these animals. It really is a great cause. Keep up the good work, and hopefully one day, I’ll be able to do more myself.

View information about area humane organizations that adopt out pets here, at thetelegraph.com.

When I was younger, April Fools’ Day was all fun and games. I never could trick people, but I always got tricked myself. It wasn’t exactly fun, but it was usually good for a laugh. 

As I got older, I grew more suspicious. Were my friends and colleagues too old for tricks and games or were they still trying to get me to play the fool? 

I was a junior in college at Eastern Illinois University, and I was working as the associate campus editor for the student newspaper, The Daily Eastern News. It was April 1, 2005. 

It was a big day — I had to report to the newsroom for one of my first job fairs with a possible internship hanging in the balance, then I had class and finally I would be able to relax, for it was Friday and my friends and I had scheduled our spring bar crawl for that night. I couldn’t have been more excited.

But when I got to the newsroom, I heard some people chatting. It seemed like they were talking behind my back, possibly planning to spring some big lie on me that I would inevitably fall for. When I came closer, they stopped.

The editor-in-chief, Matt, who would later become a close friend of mine, told me that April, the campus editor, was nowhere to be found and that I would have to make calls on a huge breaking story before attending the job fair.

OK, I was buying it… waiting to hear more…

“We got word that one of the teachers in the English department died last night and we need you to call and check that out.”

Keeping in mind that it was April Fools’ Day, but also that a teacher’s death would be an important story to cover, I asked for the name of the teacher.

“Martin Scott.”

I paused, then I loosened up a bit. Now I knew he had to be joking.

“Yeah right, I have him for creative writing (non-fiction) at noon,” I said to Matt.

Matt was a tricky fellow — because of his dry sense of humor, one could never tell if he was lying or telling the truth — but he persisted. “I’m serious, make the call,” he told me.

Getting a little scared now, I asked my friend David to call the English Department for me. I didn’t know how I might react if the news were true.

It was. He had allegedly killed himself and was later found in his home.
Read the story that ensued.

I was devastated, and there was a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that I can’t quite explain to this day.
He was dead and I thought it had all been a joke.

I didn’t go to his class that day. I couldn’t. I went to the job fair, but was in another place in my mind the whole time. The only thing that brought me any temporary relief was the bar crawl, where I was surrounded with friends and plenty of alcohol (though I do not condone drinking as a way to solve one’s problems).

A month later, I wrote a column for The Daily Eastern News about my feelings and thoughts on Marty’s death. It was the column that eventually won me a scholarship and made one of my professors cry.  

In essence, I got better, but Marty didn’t. To this day, I still feel a little guilty for not taking the news of his death seriously right away.

In a way, April Fools’ Day is all in fun, but in another way, it’s a lot like the boy who cried wolf. Be careful what you joke about and who you play tricks on — you never know what reaction you’re likely to get.