Your System Can Handle Any Member

This was legitimately said in a conference call Cody and I were on yesterday about the new volunteer database.

Other than accidental sexual jokes, the office has been pretty quiet. Today is Mike's last day, which is beyond crazy. We all knew it was coming, but it got here way too quickly. I was supposed to leave first. I was always ready to leave first. That was just a Steel Magnolias reference. I just threw a fit when he tried to leave an hour early, so we're playing facebook games while the clock ticks down. Family Feud is a VISTA tradition.

Along with Mike's departure, we also found out that Bev has decided to retire at the end of this month and marry his girlfriend. This means that in my time at Red Cross only one employee will remain when I leave that was here when I got here. I really don't blame Bev for leaving. I love Red Cross and what we do, but the inner politics between the regional and the chapter office are just ridiculous. Can we really not just work things out and work well together? Maybe someone new will be exactly what we need. It is just really tiresome to try and do work on the grassroots level without cooperation between all of the levels of organization.

Last weekend was Senior Guerrilla weekend, which was really odd to be a part of. This time last year was supposed to be my fun week of going to Alphies and roasts, but I didn't get it. It made me think a lot about my fellow seniors who are mostly gone and spread out across the world. I've already mentioned that too many times, so I'll leave at that. I miss you seniors! I'm so proud of what everyone is doing with their lives.


Sunday was Brazos Abiertos! I know you'll be so excited that I will never mention this health fair again unless I want to brag on myself. The event was a big success, I think. We had almost 300 participants, 25 vendors, and 60 volunteers. The largest of burdens has been lifted off of my shoulders. I was walking around the fair the entire day trying to move everything along. I collapsed at my parents' house when it was over. When this job started, I never thought I would be planning an event for that many people and have them show up and have enough food for them and everything. I am so proud I was able to do something for the Latin American community like that. Yes, it's cool that I took such a leadership role, but I care more that this event happened for the eighth year in a row and provided a marginalized group with information about resources available to them in one of the most unfriendly states in the country regardless of immigration status.

Since Sunday the rest of this week has been mostly filled with two things. 1. Teddy Bear 2. Inside the Tornado.

Teddy Bear is ridiculous. He has a poodle hair cut now, which fills me with sadness. I am so glad so many people have babysat him. I always get him when I am so busy. He has been better about going to the bathroom. He did poop in my apartment once when I was doing laundry, so my roommate woke me up at three in the morning to pick it. I'm really bitter about this because I love sleep too much for a 28-year-old to not be able to pick up two pieces of poop on his own. Yet again, Teddy Bear has taught me that I cannot handle a needy pet all the time. I think I'll be stuck with cat and fish for the rest of my life ( a little irony there) until someone else comes along to share dog duty.

The tornado play has been quite the experience. The rehearsal process has been terrible just because of how much time it ate up for only doing one scene. I am very glad I did it, though. It's a beautiful reflection of what has happened and is happening. Are all of the scenes great? No, but it is an impressive effort that ten pieces written by ten different people have been put together in a cohesive collection to present audiences. I've also gotten to meet some great people doing the show even though it's kind of late in my time in Tuscaloosa to make new friends. Why couldn't this have happened months ago????

Today Karissa is coming for the play and to go to the drag show and out on the town! I'm excited for Mike's going away party tomorrow and for starting Second Samuel with Park Players in a few weeks. It'll be a fun show and a challenge to play a character with a learning disability. It's a short post this week, but I was running out of time! I couldn't let a week go by without posting. I have tens of fans to answer to!