I’m soooo hyped up from the crazy night that just happened. I can’t sleep. So I’ll tell you about my day.
We had Heroes Training Academy yesterday. I’m one of the team leaders for the Young Heroes so along with Evelyn (a nice lady from the community who volunteered to be a team leader as well) we have a great team of about 13 middle school kids who signed up to be in City Year’s Young Heroes program. I woke up at 5:45 to go help set up. The training lasted from 8-6. We did PT in the morning. I was on PT crew which means I got to help lead PT. It was a blast! The kids were all really into it! And of course I was too. We got to meet our teams and have our “hour one” with them. This was basically a name game, Evelyn and I gave our testimonials and why we decided to be a Young Heroes Team Leader. Then we asked all the kids why they joined Young Heroes and what they hope to get out of it. We went over some rules and expectations and had the kids make a full value contract. We ended with a couple team builders. It was a good time; the kids were great and full of energy. During lunch they got to write a letter to another middle schooler who is also doing the Young Heroes program at another City Year site. They’ll get to be pen pals with this person and talk about this experience. I thought that was really cool. We watched My Friend Martin and then played MLK jeopardy. Jill explained what a hero is and the four Cs (compassion, cooperation, courage, and commitment). We then broke off into our teams and discussed who we think is a hero and which of the four Cs they displayed. Then we made up a skit as a team to portray courage. I think all the kids on our team had a really good time coming up with the skit. And that was basically the day. I had a spectacular time. I am so glad I’m going to be a YH Team Leader. I know it’s extra time on my Saturdays, but it’s time spent doing something I really really really enjoy.
So after the training we went to see A Christmas Carol at the San Pedro Playhouse. It was the musical version so I like it a lot. Some guy fell asleep right behind Jill and I and snored up a storm. Jill left during intermission because she was zonked from the day. After we left the play is when the insanity happened.
So Matt and Robert dropped me off at Jill’s because my car was there. I go inside to get my stuff. Charles and Kristen are there so I chat with them for a minute, but no more than 15. I’m walking back out to my car and when I’m in sight of it I think I see people in my car. I thought I hallucinated. It was the trippiest thing ever. I walk closer and there are definitely people in my car so I start to think maybe it’s not my car. I’m looking around, but as I get close enough to see that it is most definitely my car and there are definitely two guys in the passenger seat and the seat behind that I just stare at them for a second. It clicks for them too that it’s my car so they hop out and run. Thank goodness… So I open my car and the paneling from around the steering wheel is gone. My car won’t start. I go back inside and wake Jill up. And everyone comes out with me. We call the cops, they do their thing and I get it towed back to my house. Basically, I walked out there and two punks were stealing my car! I don’t know what kind of karma it was, good or bad, a little of both I guess. So I’m taking it to this guy to have it fixed today. Like my dad said, just one of those real life things.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
A whole month!!!
Wow. I can't believe it's been a month since I've updated. I'm so bad at this. It's been one hell of a month too. Times were tough for a long while. City Year is amazing, but intense. It kind of started to hit everyone. I was taking it in stride until Laurent left. Then things were pretty much rock bottom. I was still loving it. I mean, who wouldn't love hanging out with kids and when you aren't hanging out with them you're planning ways to teach, inspire, and connect with them. But it's typical to get burned out and we were all feeling that. But the couple weeks before Thanksgiving break things started to miraculously look up. My team had been having some issues, which were finally resolved. The connections with our kids were getting stronger and they were filling us with this unbelievable energy. So now I feel myself on the steady climb up. Back to the top of mountain where I know I belong because let's be honest. I dig this place, this work we're doing, and I wouldn't trade this experience for any other.
Jill, Kristen and I went up to Lilly's parents' place for Thanksgiving. It reminded me a lot of my dad's and that helped with the homesickness that comes along with the first holiday away from family. But my family here was a great substitute. I definitely can't wait to go back to Georgia over Christmas. Two whole weeks!!! I know it's going to fly by, but I'm going to soak up as much dad, lexie, leigh, mom, sarah, brooke, ashley, katy, layton, meredith, Athens, and pure Georgia goodness as much as humanly possible. I'm sure Koda and Falkor are going to soak up as much farm time as caninely possible.
Jill and I have been checking out the Unitarian Universalist church here. I really like it, but I've been reminded lately of what attracts me to seminary so much. It's made me think about the importance of finding a Presbyterian church here. This past weekend I went to University Pres and it seemed to fit nicely. It's kinda small, but not too small. There was an inviting group of young adults and decent youth group that I can be involved with. What really sold me is this SOL learning center the church runs. And starting in January one of the classes you can sign up for is cooking: quick, fresh and local. Needless to say I'm definitely sold. I think it's important for me to find an outlet other than City Year. As much as I love living, breathing and embodying City Year to the best of my abilty, I know it'll be healthy for me to have something else passionate in my life.
That's all the updating for now. More to come soon, I promise.
Peace.
Jill, Kristen and I went up to Lilly's parents' place for Thanksgiving. It reminded me a lot of my dad's and that helped with the homesickness that comes along with the first holiday away from family. But my family here was a great substitute. I definitely can't wait to go back to Georgia over Christmas. Two whole weeks!!! I know it's going to fly by, but I'm going to soak up as much dad, lexie, leigh, mom, sarah, brooke, ashley, katy, layton, meredith, Athens, and pure Georgia goodness as much as humanly possible. I'm sure Koda and Falkor are going to soak up as much farm time as caninely possible.
Jill and I have been checking out the Unitarian Universalist church here. I really like it, but I've been reminded lately of what attracts me to seminary so much. It's made me think about the importance of finding a Presbyterian church here. This past weekend I went to University Pres and it seemed to fit nicely. It's kinda small, but not too small. There was an inviting group of young adults and decent youth group that I can be involved with. What really sold me is this SOL learning center the church runs. And starting in January one of the classes you can sign up for is cooking: quick, fresh and local. Needless to say I'm definitely sold. I think it's important for me to find an outlet other than City Year. As much as I love living, breathing and embodying City Year to the best of my abilty, I know it'll be healthy for me to have something else passionate in my life.
That's all the updating for now. More to come soon, I promise.
Peace.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
quick update
This is going to be such an abbreviated blog update. I promise never to let this much time go by…
So Austin. It was amazing. It really is like Katy Roe says, Athens on steroids. I loved it. The feel of it, the size, the culture. It really seems to fit Layton and I could see myself there one day. But I’m glad I’m not there now. I wanted this year to be such a drastic change. And San Antonio is so different from any other place I’ve lived. So it’s perfect. I loved meeting Layton’s friends and finally feeling like our moves out here are complete. We have these amazing separate lives in separate cities, yet we are still undeniably connected. It’s inspiring.
Leigh came to visit. I cried in the airport when I saw her, if that gives you any idea of how excited I was that she was here. She ended up staying for a whole week! I took the Monday she was here off. We went exploring around San Antonio. We went to a couple of the missions. Mission Conception and the San Jose Mission. They were beautiful and we took millions of pictures which was good fun. She hung out with the puppies while I was at work and then we got to hang out. She came to work on Wednesday with us. She wasn’t too bored, which is good. A ridiculous cold front came in so when we went to see the Movie in the Park at Hemisfair it was freezing. We had a great time laughing our butts off at the Birds. Great flick. I made her get up bright and early on Friday morning to come watch us do PT at the Eastside Boys and Girls Club where our Make a Difference Day service event took place. She was entertained at least. She came to MADD on Saturday for a bit at the beginning and the end. Matt Lugo and I had a great big group of fraternity men. They were relatively productive; I could have been a stronger leader. But we got the baseball field all beatified, so it worked out. We just hung out for the rest of the weekend. And the crazy ending to her visit was the puppy! Jill found a puppy outside of their apartments and was set on keeping it or finding a home. So Leigh ended up taking it back to Atlanta. It looks like Lexie and Philip are keeping it until they find a home for it (or fall in love with it). It’s an adorable little Koda looking pup. It was great to have her visit and I’m sad she’s gone…
Alright, so the super sad news. Skip to the next paragraph is you like. I found out last Friday (24th of Oct) that Lauren was leaving. She told us on the way to our big community meeting. There is no easy way to describe how much I miss her. She was a blast and I definitely felt like I could relate to her. I loved her spirit and felt so lucky to know her. I know none of that is gone now, but it’s different when she is not right there next to me. It’s going to be harder getting to know her and building our friendship with her all the way back in New York. But it’ll be worth it.
That’s good enough for now.
PAZ.
So Austin. It was amazing. It really is like Katy Roe says, Athens on steroids. I loved it. The feel of it, the size, the culture. It really seems to fit Layton and I could see myself there one day. But I’m glad I’m not there now. I wanted this year to be such a drastic change. And San Antonio is so different from any other place I’ve lived. So it’s perfect. I loved meeting Layton’s friends and finally feeling like our moves out here are complete. We have these amazing separate lives in separate cities, yet we are still undeniably connected. It’s inspiring.
Leigh came to visit. I cried in the airport when I saw her, if that gives you any idea of how excited I was that she was here. She ended up staying for a whole week! I took the Monday she was here off. We went exploring around San Antonio. We went to a couple of the missions. Mission Conception and the San Jose Mission. They were beautiful and we took millions of pictures which was good fun. She hung out with the puppies while I was at work and then we got to hang out. She came to work on Wednesday with us. She wasn’t too bored, which is good. A ridiculous cold front came in so when we went to see the Movie in the Park at Hemisfair it was freezing. We had a great time laughing our butts off at the Birds. Great flick. I made her get up bright and early on Friday morning to come watch us do PT at the Eastside Boys and Girls Club where our Make a Difference Day service event took place. She was entertained at least. She came to MADD on Saturday for a bit at the beginning and the end. Matt Lugo and I had a great big group of fraternity men. They were relatively productive; I could have been a stronger leader. But we got the baseball field all beatified, so it worked out. We just hung out for the rest of the weekend. And the crazy ending to her visit was the puppy! Jill found a puppy outside of their apartments and was set on keeping it or finding a home. So Leigh ended up taking it back to Atlanta. It looks like Lexie and Philip are keeping it until they find a home for it (or fall in love with it). It’s an adorable little Koda looking pup. It was great to have her visit and I’m sad she’s gone…
Alright, so the super sad news. Skip to the next paragraph is you like. I found out last Friday (24th of Oct) that Lauren was leaving. She told us on the way to our big community meeting. There is no easy way to describe how much I miss her. She was a blast and I definitely felt like I could relate to her. I loved her spirit and felt so lucky to know her. I know none of that is gone now, but it’s different when she is not right there next to me. It’s going to be harder getting to know her and building our friendship with her all the way back in New York. But it’ll be worth it.
That’s good enough for now.
PAZ.
Obama on City Year
So I haven't updated in a while cause my computer has been broken. Soon there will be an update on Austin, Leigh's visit, Lauren leaving, MADD, and lots more. But in the wake of the history that was made last night I felt that this speak from Obama was necessary:
Remarks from President-elect Barack Obama during the 2006 City Year Chicago Ripples of Hope Awards Dinner
May 31, 2006
“I started out as a community organizer—that is what originally brought me to Chicago—so I am well aware, for all the City Year participants, that it is not always glamorous work. I know that you wake up sometimes, and say that ´This is too hard,´ and that ´I don’t feel like I am making enough of a difference,´ and ´I am frustrated, and nobody appreciates me,´ and that, I think, is the nature of a lot of service work. This is not a society that always values it. It certainly does not always reward it monetarily. Despite the fact that in all of life’s journeys there are always going to be disappointments and setbacks I notice that you are still doing it—you are doing it anyway, and I don’t think that it is just out of a sense of obligation. It’s not just because it makes you feel good. It’s also because you have genuinely come to care for the people that you work with—that you’ve seen the look of hope in a child’s face and that makes it worth while, that makes all the frustrations go away.”
"The only caution I have is this: as the City Year participants continue on in life it will not get easier; it will get harder. You will encounter all kinds of obstacles along the way and people who don’t put much stock in empathy. You will find people who, out of fear or the need for power, try to divide us and deny what we have in common. You will hear that American’s who sleep in the streets and beg for food got there because they’re lazy or they are weak in spirit. You will hear that immigrants, who risked their lives to cross a dessert because they just want to make a better life for their children, in fact, don’t belong here. You will hear that inner city children who are trapped in schools with not enough money—not enough resources—that these children can’t learn and won’t learn, so we should just give up on them. You will hear of innocent people who are being slaughtered or expelled from their homes, half-way around the world, are somebody else’s problem and not your problem. You are going to hear all this, and you’ll have to choose, at some point, where your obligations lie."
"Now the easiest thing in the world to do is to do nothing, to turn off the TV set or to put down the paper and to walk away from the stories about Iraq, or Darfur, or poverty, or violence, or joblessness, or hopelessness, to go about your busy lives, wishing these problems away but expecting someone else to do it. There is no community service requirement in the real world. No one forces you to care. No one demands that you extend yourself. And after you leave City Year, you can go, if you choose, to chase after big bucks and the nice suits and all the other things that our money culture says you should want. I hope you don’t do that. I hope that you don’t lose the spirit that brought you here because if you do you will be displaying a poverty of ambition. Nothing’s easier than looking after yourself, but I hope that you do what’s hard, and knowing what you have done so far I think my hope is well placed.”
Remarks from President-elect Barack Obama during the 2006 City Year Chicago Ripples of Hope Awards Dinner
May 31, 2006
“I started out as a community organizer—that is what originally brought me to Chicago—so I am well aware, for all the City Year participants, that it is not always glamorous work. I know that you wake up sometimes, and say that ´This is too hard,´ and that ´I don’t feel like I am making enough of a difference,´ and ´I am frustrated, and nobody appreciates me,´ and that, I think, is the nature of a lot of service work. This is not a society that always values it. It certainly does not always reward it monetarily. Despite the fact that in all of life’s journeys there are always going to be disappointments and setbacks I notice that you are still doing it—you are doing it anyway, and I don’t think that it is just out of a sense of obligation. It’s not just because it makes you feel good. It’s also because you have genuinely come to care for the people that you work with—that you’ve seen the look of hope in a child’s face and that makes it worth while, that makes all the frustrations go away.”
"The only caution I have is this: as the City Year participants continue on in life it will not get easier; it will get harder. You will encounter all kinds of obstacles along the way and people who don’t put much stock in empathy. You will find people who, out of fear or the need for power, try to divide us and deny what we have in common. You will hear that American’s who sleep in the streets and beg for food got there because they’re lazy or they are weak in spirit. You will hear that immigrants, who risked their lives to cross a dessert because they just want to make a better life for their children, in fact, don’t belong here. You will hear that inner city children who are trapped in schools with not enough money—not enough resources—that these children can’t learn and won’t learn, so we should just give up on them. You will hear of innocent people who are being slaughtered or expelled from their homes, half-way around the world, are somebody else’s problem and not your problem. You are going to hear all this, and you’ll have to choose, at some point, where your obligations lie."
"Now the easiest thing in the world to do is to do nothing, to turn off the TV set or to put down the paper and to walk away from the stories about Iraq, or Darfur, or poverty, or violence, or joblessness, or hopelessness, to go about your busy lives, wishing these problems away but expecting someone else to do it. There is no community service requirement in the real world. No one forces you to care. No one demands that you extend yourself. And after you leave City Year, you can go, if you choose, to chase after big bucks and the nice suits and all the other things that our money culture says you should want. I hope you don’t do that. I hope that you don’t lose the spirit that brought you here because if you do you will be displaying a poverty of ambition. Nothing’s easier than looking after yourself, but I hope that you do what’s hard, and knowing what you have done so far I think my hope is well placed.”
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Wyclef Jean = Big Fan of CY
Thought this was cool. Wyclef Jean is a fan of City Year. He's here in this video at a concert for City Year folk doing a Bob Marley Jam session. He breaks into freestyle about City Year. The lyrics he says are below the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEABRO5Q3bI
City Year, you’re doing a good job
I feel inspired, when I hear your stories
You’ve dedicated your lives so you can help others
Fulfill their possibilities, and don’t forget
To live for yourself is so selfish
But to live for others is your benediction
So City Year, here’s my benediction to you
Cause you have lived for others
The good Lord will bless you
May he guide you, like he guided Abraham
May he guide you, like he guided Moses
May he guide you, like he guided Isaac
There ain’t no wall, that you can’t break through
City Year, there ain’t no mountain too high, that you can’t climb
There ain’t no river wide, that you can’t cross
So let me tell you C-I-T-Y Y-E-A-R, you’re my superstar
C-I-T-Y Y-E-A-R, you’re my superstar
Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah
Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah
Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah
Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah
And I ain’t have nothing written
This is just lyrics, that’s coming from my mind
But it’s inspired from he who is devine
And it’s taken an inspiration to your lives
So let the children come
For they are the blessing of the world
So that you keep teaching the kids
Cause they are the blessing of the world
I know Crips, and I know Bloods
And I know Esses, I know Latin Kings
And I know child soldiers
And every time I meet them
They say Wyclef things would be different
If they gave us a little love
So you keep spreading the love City Year
You keep spreading the love City Year
You keep spreading the love City Year
We gonna take it into the new year
You keep spreading the love City Year
You keep spreading the love City Year
You keep spreading the love City Year
It’s gonna be a new year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEABRO5Q3bI
City Year, you’re doing a good job
I feel inspired, when I hear your stories
You’ve dedicated your lives so you can help others
Fulfill their possibilities, and don’t forget
To live for yourself is so selfish
But to live for others is your benediction
So City Year, here’s my benediction to you
Cause you have lived for others
The good Lord will bless you
May he guide you, like he guided Abraham
May he guide you, like he guided Moses
May he guide you, like he guided Isaac
There ain’t no wall, that you can’t break through
City Year, there ain’t no mountain too high, that you can’t climb
There ain’t no river wide, that you can’t cross
So let me tell you C-I-T-Y Y-E-A-R, you’re my superstar
C-I-T-Y Y-E-A-R, you’re my superstar
Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah
Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah
Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah
Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah, Oh-ah
And I ain’t have nothing written
This is just lyrics, that’s coming from my mind
But it’s inspired from he who is devine
And it’s taken an inspiration to your lives
So let the children come
For they are the blessing of the world
So that you keep teaching the kids
Cause they are the blessing of the world
I know Crips, and I know Bloods
And I know Esses, I know Latin Kings
And I know child soldiers
And every time I meet them
They say Wyclef things would be different
If they gave us a little love
So you keep spreading the love City Year
You keep spreading the love City Year
You keep spreading the love City Year
We gonna take it into the new year
You keep spreading the love City Year
You keep spreading the love City Year
You keep spreading the love City Year
It’s gonna be a new year.
conflicting emotions
WRITTEN A COUPLE OF NIGHTS AGO:
They said it would happen and I didn’t believe them. Not for a minute. I was too surrounded by passion to get swept up in the stereotypical crash after the mountain top high. Don’t get me wrong, this week has still been phenomenal by my pre-City Year standards, but I definitely started to let things wear me down. It started Sunday night. I let petty high school gossiping get the best of me, it outright hurt my feelings. I originately typed a lot more about the subject, but I'll leave it at that.
This week was also rather stressful because I had quite a scare with Koda. I ended up taking her to the vet before work on Wednesday morning because she was obviously sick with bloody vomit (sorry…) Anyways. $114 later the vet chalked it up to the simple fact that something irritated her stomach. I stayed home with her the next day to keep an eye on her. She still wasn’t quite herself Thursday morning and I couldn’t bring myself to leave her alone for 11 hours, but by that evening she seemed pretty much back to her old self. And I got a much needed mental health day.
Earlier this week we were a bit bummed out at McAuliffe. There was a lot testing and lack of interaction and progress with the kids. But my team met with the principal to have all of our lunch clubs approved. So those are starting next week and we also get our tutees and mentees next Tuesday! This means two very detailed lesson plans by Monday morning… but it’s worth it! We also started our CPR training today and even though it was incredibly boring stuff on the computer we get to work with the dummies next week! I also figured out what I want to do for my Leadership Development Internship (this is a 4 hour block we have on Wednesday morning to participate in an internship or volunteer opportunity with any non-profit in San Antonio). I’m going to take Falkor to the State Hospital to work with an adolescent group there! I’m VERY EXCITED about this.
So I know that’s a lot. I’m sorry if I overwhelmed, but this week was rather overwhelming for me as well. It’s over tho and I can start the steady climb back to the top and beyond. Here are some really cool things that show just that:
The Young Heroes team gave their presentation to recruit us to help out next semester and be a Team Leader for the Young Heroes. I’m really excited about getting to work with their team. Young Heroes is a club that was started in City Year for middle schoolers. They give up 3 Saturdays a month to participate in service learning seminars and service projects. They complete 100 hours of service and earn the President’s Award for Service. I can’t wait to work with these inspiring kids!
There is a LiveGreen festival type thing tomorrow that’s being put on by CPS and Saturn (so of course our Saturn sponsored Civic Engagement team is required to help out). I was already interested in going to check it out so I’m going to get hours there by helping out for a bit. I’ll have to remember to post tomorrow about all the cool stuff I see.
They said it would happen and I didn’t believe them. Not for a minute. I was too surrounded by passion to get swept up in the stereotypical crash after the mountain top high. Don’t get me wrong, this week has still been phenomenal by my pre-City Year standards, but I definitely started to let things wear me down. It started Sunday night. I let petty high school gossiping get the best of me, it outright hurt my feelings. I originately typed a lot more about the subject, but I'll leave it at that.
This week was also rather stressful because I had quite a scare with Koda. I ended up taking her to the vet before work on Wednesday morning because she was obviously sick with bloody vomit (sorry…) Anyways. $114 later the vet chalked it up to the simple fact that something irritated her stomach. I stayed home with her the next day to keep an eye on her. She still wasn’t quite herself Thursday morning and I couldn’t bring myself to leave her alone for 11 hours, but by that evening she seemed pretty much back to her old self. And I got a much needed mental health day.
Earlier this week we were a bit bummed out at McAuliffe. There was a lot testing and lack of interaction and progress with the kids. But my team met with the principal to have all of our lunch clubs approved. So those are starting next week and we also get our tutees and mentees next Tuesday! This means two very detailed lesson plans by Monday morning… but it’s worth it! We also started our CPR training today and even though it was incredibly boring stuff on the computer we get to work with the dummies next week! I also figured out what I want to do for my Leadership Development Internship (this is a 4 hour block we have on Wednesday morning to participate in an internship or volunteer opportunity with any non-profit in San Antonio). I’m going to take Falkor to the State Hospital to work with an adolescent group there! I’m VERY EXCITED about this.
So I know that’s a lot. I’m sorry if I overwhelmed, but this week was rather overwhelming for me as well. It’s over tho and I can start the steady climb back to the top and beyond. Here are some really cool things that show just that:
The Young Heroes team gave their presentation to recruit us to help out next semester and be a Team Leader for the Young Heroes. I’m really excited about getting to work with their team. Young Heroes is a club that was started in City Year for middle schoolers. They give up 3 Saturdays a month to participate in service learning seminars and service projects. They complete 100 hours of service and earn the President’s Award for Service. I can’t wait to work with these inspiring kids!
There is a LiveGreen festival type thing tomorrow that’s being put on by CPS and Saturn (so of course our Saturn sponsored Civic Engagement team is required to help out). I was already interested in going to check it out so I’m going to get hours there by helping out for a bit. I’ll have to remember to post tomorrow about all the cool stuff I see.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
So much to write. So little time.
This is a post I wrote last Friday:
I’ve been sick for over a week! I’m finally starting to feel like my old self again today. It’s glorious. We had a multitude of “coming out” events last week for the Corps that I feel I should expound upon. On Wednesday morning we were invited to a Rotary lunch (the biggest Rotary if I remember what Paul said correctly) I read the Invocation, Chrissy gave her testimonial (it made everyone cry, so inspiring). We lined up as a Corps and introduced ourselves (name, age and hometown) and then we recited the CityYear Pledge. We were all sexy in our uniforms, I’m not gonna lie. It made me ridiculously proud. Then we had opening day at City Hall on Friday. That was cool though I really wanted my dad to be there and my sisters. I read the Invocation again (which I had to recall from memory… apparently I’m the Corps Chaplin, not really) anyways, Sapphire and Matt Lugo gave their testimonials. Again, very inspiring. On Saturday we executed the Action Generation Service Summit. City Year spear-headed the coalition for that. I got to be a Project Coordinator for a project at Hemisfair Park. We painted park benches. The coolest part of the weekend was the fact that Layton came to visit! We watched the Dawgs lose on Saturday night… but had a great weekend overall. Jill and I visited the First Unitarian Universalist Church on Sunday and we pretty much fell in love (except for the plethora of spam that’s been invading our inboxes because of the visitor card…) It seemed very much our speed and was a very welcoming place. We’re definitely planning on going back this Sunday and hopefully bringing along some more people who would love it.
And this is what I have to say today. We had another great week at McAuliffe. We got lots of planning accomplished. We hammered out the plans for our first meeting with all our tutees and mentees. We also did a lot of lesson writing for our lunch clubs. On Friday we filled out all the information for our Food Stamps so it’s good to know that the ball is rolling on that one. Saturday was the first big service event that our CE team planned on their own and it was a HUGE success. They did a great job. It was at Avance which is a center for lower-income families, especially with children under 3 years-old. We brought in about 80 students from KIPP Aspire Academy. They worked on painting the fence. We also had volunteers from First Mark and they worked with Matt Lugo, Charles and me on building some benches and picnic tables for the center. It was a lot of fun to have the opportunity to PC a group again like I did last week at Hemisfair Park. Lauren’s boyfriend, Justin, is in town. It’s been great to get to know him. We all hung our at the “commune” last night and watched the Holiday and What About Bob. Today Jill and I attempted to make it to church again, but after missing our exit on the highway we decided to stop at a diner and just have brunch instead. We met Sasha at the River Center Mall and watched Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. It was cute. Then we went window shopping for a while. I was very tempted to buy these amazing cowboy boots. They were way too expensive so I didn’t, but I did decide that a trip to an outlet store to get some is definitely in order.
That’s the quick update on the past two weeks… I won’t procrastinate next time.
I’ve been sick for over a week! I’m finally starting to feel like my old self again today. It’s glorious. We had a multitude of “coming out” events last week for the Corps that I feel I should expound upon. On Wednesday morning we were invited to a Rotary lunch (the biggest Rotary if I remember what Paul said correctly) I read the Invocation, Chrissy gave her testimonial (it made everyone cry, so inspiring). We lined up as a Corps and introduced ourselves (name, age and hometown) and then we recited the CityYear Pledge. We were all sexy in our uniforms, I’m not gonna lie. It made me ridiculously proud. Then we had opening day at City Hall on Friday. That was cool though I really wanted my dad to be there and my sisters. I read the Invocation again (which I had to recall from memory… apparently I’m the Corps Chaplin, not really) anyways, Sapphire and Matt Lugo gave their testimonials. Again, very inspiring. On Saturday we executed the Action Generation Service Summit. City Year spear-headed the coalition for that. I got to be a Project Coordinator for a project at Hemisfair Park. We painted park benches. The coolest part of the weekend was the fact that Layton came to visit! We watched the Dawgs lose on Saturday night… but had a great weekend overall. Jill and I visited the First Unitarian Universalist Church on Sunday and we pretty much fell in love (except for the plethora of spam that’s been invading our inboxes because of the visitor card…) It seemed very much our speed and was a very welcoming place. We’re definitely planning on going back this Sunday and hopefully bringing along some more people who would love it.
And this is what I have to say today. We had another great week at McAuliffe. We got lots of planning accomplished. We hammered out the plans for our first meeting with all our tutees and mentees. We also did a lot of lesson writing for our lunch clubs. On Friday we filled out all the information for our Food Stamps so it’s good to know that the ball is rolling on that one. Saturday was the first big service event that our CE team planned on their own and it was a HUGE success. They did a great job. It was at Avance which is a center for lower-income families, especially with children under 3 years-old. We brought in about 80 students from KIPP Aspire Academy. They worked on painting the fence. We also had volunteers from First Mark and they worked with Matt Lugo, Charles and me on building some benches and picnic tables for the center. It was a lot of fun to have the opportunity to PC a group again like I did last week at Hemisfair Park. Lauren’s boyfriend, Justin, is in town. It’s been great to get to know him. We all hung our at the “commune” last night and watched the Holiday and What About Bob. Today Jill and I attempted to make it to church again, but after missing our exit on the highway we decided to stop at a diner and just have brunch instead. We met Sasha at the River Center Mall and watched Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. It was cute. Then we went window shopping for a while. I was very tempted to buy these amazing cowboy boots. They were way too expensive so I didn’t, but I did decide that a trip to an outlet store to get some is definitely in order.
That’s the quick update on the past two weeks… I won’t procrastinate next time.
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