If there is one memory I am glad I don't have it's the first time my mother saw me. That was probably a really traumatic and bloody affair, but I suppose I have to be grateful for it since it brought me here. Being a male, it is hard to imagine the kind of connection a woman has with a person that has been apart of her for nine months because I have never had a strong connection with anything that has come out of me.
I'll move on from the perverse to discuss my mother. I may favor my father in most of my physical features and sense of humor, but everything else came from her. She instilled in me a love of grammar through constant correction, a passion of reading and fantasy, the ability to argue a point even when you are wrong, and the idea that I could be whatever I wanted if I worked hard enough.
She was born into small town Northwest Alabama and grew up in a town that on the map is called Twin but is known to all locals as Yampertown near the thriving metropolis of Guin. From there she went to the University of Alabama, met and married my father, graduated a semester early to have me at age 21 (I feel I should have gotten credit for her fall coursework), and went to UA's Law School the following fall. She named me after the building and the place where my parents met and spent most of their college years, the Wesley Foundation.
She has succeeded at everything she has tried to do with class, sass, and elegance that I have tried to emulate, though sometimes our tact is questionable. For example, in second grade her teacher asked her reading group to give definitions of "pinto." The teacher's daughter who was a little pudgy and for whom my mother didn't care said, "A bean." To which my mother replied, "Of course you'd think of food."
Growing up my mother quickly got a job after law school and ended up moving up to work at a firm in Birmingham. She was quite busy but always found time to read with me and tell me stories. The first book I remember reading a connecting over was Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. She read to me about this girl that in personality was so much like both of us. Anne was strong willed, a dreamer, and stuck her foot in her mouth quite often. At the end of the book the old man who adopted her dies, and I remember crying on a small bed in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, with my mother over the power of literature.
In this same vein, my mother forced me to be imaginative as a child, and to my embarrassment caught me playing the most ridiculous plot lines alone the most memorable one being the history of the American Indian with clowns. I was not allowed to have any game systems as a child because my mother feared a loss of this wonderful imagination I had developed, and while at the time I was peeved I see the value in it now. I spent my summers climbing trees, going to camp, exploring the small woods in our neighborhood, and forcing everyone who would listen to me to play the game I had just invented.
We have always been close, but it took a hit while I was in college. Toward the end of my freshman year I had discovered that my mother had been diagnosed with Lupus, yet no one in our family had thought to break the news to me until she ended up in the hospital for a week that summer. I spent the six months before her time in the hospital impatiently waiting for her to tell me since the moment my hairdresser had spilled the beans, but it never happened. Once I saw how sick it made her and what she was going through, I stopped bringing up my own personal issues for a long time because I did not want to add to her own. Here was this strong powerful woman, who was one of the best bankruptcy attorneys in the state struggling to do the only thing she ever wanted because of a disease you can't control. It made my problems seem less than important.
She eventually was forced to quit her job because the stress level was too high and only worsened her condition. We had a rebonding trip when we went to Spain for a week to visit my friend Karissa, and it was amazing spending time just the two of us. We got stuck in Paris over night after the Icelandic volcanic ash blocked our direct flight to Madrid and made an impromptu jet lagged trip to see Notre Dame. Those seven days were some of the best of my life because I got to take my mother out of the country for the first time in her life and see her experience it all.
Over the years she has struggled with what her place is in life now, and I have struggled with her. What happens when you are no longer able to do the only thing you ever wanted? How do you find a new niche when your body and mind are working against you? I don't think there's a definitive answer. I am so proud of her and know that she will find her way into something spectacular. She could never earn another cent in her life because I will always love her for everything she sacrificed to give me the life I have had and showing me from an early age that just because you are in a minority does not mean you can't be successful and do what you want to do. I love you, Mother. Lupus is what you have; it's not who you are. Just like Anne with an "e" you can succeed at anything you put your mind to. You taught it to me, so now I return it to you.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
A Heart of Dixie
When I planned a return home to Alabama a few months ago, I did not do so with the intention of it being a meaningful trip. I had the week off; it lined up with the University of Alabama's senior performances, and the plane tickets were unusually cheap. Little did I know how much this visit would come to rejuvenate me. As a child, my first word was "bye," and from there I have not stopped trying to get out of Alabama to places that were further off and more exotic. I eventually grew to appreciate my home more and more each time I returned to it, but until now I had never left with the understanding that I would never call Alabama my home. It was very Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows minus Voldemort showing up as I drove away, though admittedly that would have been awesome and terrifying.
It was not lost on me that my selected dates of travel included the two year anniversary of the April 27th tornadoes. After my aunt passed away a few weeks ago, I had the idea of spreading some of her ashes at the location of her home in Phil Campbell. My family took to the idea, and it quickly grew into a larger affair including a memorial service at a church up the road in Bear Creek where my grandfather was the head football coach for so long they named the stadium after him. I had already planned to spend the night before Tuscaloosa, and because I deplore driving I had asked my friend Sarah to ride up with me into the far reaches of Northwest Alabama. She has family in the area as well, so we just made it an event. It was a tour of former small industry hubs turned Southern ghost towns as urbanization draws young people into the city and away from their rural homes.
I have fallen victim to that process myself leaving the "small" city of Birmingham for the lure of Washington D.C., but this return to the deeper sections of my family tree's roots instilled my love of Southern geography and culture. As Sarah and I drove through the lush green forests and over the tiny creeks that stem off from the main river veins of the state, I realized not for the first time how much a part of me Alabama is. Life is so simple within the realm of slow accents and savory meals. All of that gets lost in the fast paces life of walking, metros, and work.
I had no idea what to expect when we pulled up to the Methodist church in Bear Creek. Most things were pretty standard for any Southern event like a potluck and a lack of ethnic diversity, but what I was not ready for was during the service when everyone was given the opportunity to speak about my aunt and what they had meant to her. I knew so few of the people, but the pastor asked me if I'd say something. I felt improv would cause me to be a teary mess while babbling on, so I chose to read something and be a teary mess with a plan. I read my last blog post since it had been the inspiration for the preacher's eulogy at the actual funeral in Chattanooga.
I had forgotten what I had written in that last post, and when it got to the part about the tornado I could barely speak through my tears. Even two years later this event has such a profound effect one me and it always will. After the service we went to my grandfather's football field to take pictures since we now have no reason to return, and he told me about how he dug out the place for the bleachers to be laid in the hill when he first got there. Once we got to where their homes were, he told me about all the trees he had planted that were still standing and the irises and lilies species he had created in his pursuit of a black flower. I can only describe the feeling of being back there like that of being a stranger in a familiar place. There were things I recognized like where my dog Scraffy was buried or the Piggly Wiggly where Barrack Obama landed to see the damage, but the flatness of the land was unsettling. Where houses stood and memories permeated the heavy air, now there was nothing.
The purpose of our our visit kept me from being lost completely in nostalgia. We had brought my aunt home and left part of her there where she was her bravest battling disease and tornadoes and still fighting on. Two years ago she sat in that house alone in a wheelchair while the roof was ripped off of it and debris punctured the walls. My grandmother was in almost the same situation next door as she someone convinced several dogs and a cat to get into the basement as it hit. I only hope that I can show as much bravery in my life as the two of them showed not only that day but in their lives as well.
As I watched my grandmother release a fistful of ashes into the air with tears in her eyes, I saw the wind take them and swirl them away over the earth. I truly realized how beautiful and important this state is to me. Even with its negative publicity the state attracts that I myself shake my head at sometimes, Alabama has given so much to me: a family, friends, a job with a purpose, and I gave all of myself back. I may never own a house or apartment here at any point in my life, but I will always call it my home because I have a heart filled with Dixie.
It was not lost on me that my selected dates of travel included the two year anniversary of the April 27th tornadoes. After my aunt passed away a few weeks ago, I had the idea of spreading some of her ashes at the location of her home in Phil Campbell. My family took to the idea, and it quickly grew into a larger affair including a memorial service at a church up the road in Bear Creek where my grandfather was the head football coach for so long they named the stadium after him. I had already planned to spend the night before Tuscaloosa, and because I deplore driving I had asked my friend Sarah to ride up with me into the far reaches of Northwest Alabama. She has family in the area as well, so we just made it an event. It was a tour of former small industry hubs turned Southern ghost towns as urbanization draws young people into the city and away from their rural homes.
I have fallen victim to that process myself leaving the "small" city of Birmingham for the lure of Washington D.C., but this return to the deeper sections of my family tree's roots instilled my love of Southern geography and culture. As Sarah and I drove through the lush green forests and over the tiny creeks that stem off from the main river veins of the state, I realized not for the first time how much a part of me Alabama is. Life is so simple within the realm of slow accents and savory meals. All of that gets lost in the fast paces life of walking, metros, and work.
I had no idea what to expect when we pulled up to the Methodist church in Bear Creek. Most things were pretty standard for any Southern event like a potluck and a lack of ethnic diversity, but what I was not ready for was during the service when everyone was given the opportunity to speak about my aunt and what they had meant to her. I knew so few of the people, but the pastor asked me if I'd say something. I felt improv would cause me to be a teary mess while babbling on, so I chose to read something and be a teary mess with a plan. I read my last blog post since it had been the inspiration for the preacher's eulogy at the actual funeral in Chattanooga.
I had forgotten what I had written in that last post, and when it got to the part about the tornado I could barely speak through my tears. Even two years later this event has such a profound effect one me and it always will. After the service we went to my grandfather's football field to take pictures since we now have no reason to return, and he told me about how he dug out the place for the bleachers to be laid in the hill when he first got there. Once we got to where their homes were, he told me about all the trees he had planted that were still standing and the irises and lilies species he had created in his pursuit of a black flower. I can only describe the feeling of being back there like that of being a stranger in a familiar place. There were things I recognized like where my dog Scraffy was buried or the Piggly Wiggly where Barrack Obama landed to see the damage, but the flatness of the land was unsettling. Where houses stood and memories permeated the heavy air, now there was nothing.
The purpose of our our visit kept me from being lost completely in nostalgia. We had brought my aunt home and left part of her there where she was her bravest battling disease and tornadoes and still fighting on. Two years ago she sat in that house alone in a wheelchair while the roof was ripped off of it and debris punctured the walls. My grandmother was in almost the same situation next door as she someone convinced several dogs and a cat to get into the basement as it hit. I only hope that I can show as much bravery in my life as the two of them showed not only that day but in their lives as well.
As I watched my grandmother release a fistful of ashes into the air with tears in her eyes, I saw the wind take them and swirl them away over the earth. I truly realized how beautiful and important this state is to me. Even with its negative publicity the state attracts that I myself shake my head at sometimes, Alabama has given so much to me: a family, friends, a job with a purpose, and I gave all of myself back. I may never own a house or apartment here at any point in my life, but I will always call it my home because I have a heart filled with Dixie.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Chicken and Cheese
My Aunt Pam was one of my first friends in the way that only an aunt or uncle can be. She was like a parent but without all of the rules placed on me at home. I don't have a first memory of her, but I know a little bit about what she was like before I was born. She's my dad's younger older sister and was a majorette back when it was cool at Phillips High School near Phil Campbell, Alabama. She was married, had a kid, and divorced. During that time she was also diagnosed with Diabetes, which gave my grandmother M'Lynn style Steel Magnolias freak outs when she was pregnant.
Her home was built on the same land that the house the grew up in was. It was a cute little yellow house that stood out with the large amber fields and beginnings of the deep green forest in the background. She lived right next door to my grandmother, so I'd often run between there two houses and the dirt path and through the grass barefoot enjoying the beauty of Alabama under the stars that are hidden in the city. It was one of the most naturally beautiful places to me as a child.
Growing up I would always stay at her house when I went to my grandparents' because she would let me stay up later and her son was allowed to have video games, which I was not due to my mother's fear of me losing my imagination. I agree with her now, but at the time it was a nuisance. Every morning my aunt would bake frozen chicken fingers and melt a small slice of cheese on each of them to go with biscuits and chocolate milk. After mornings filled with cartoons, she'd let me pick how I wanted to spend the day. That was the best thing about her. She let me be me when I was there. I could ride on the swing outside her house or play Mario Party all night long with her as Yoshi and me as Princess Peach. Along with my grandmother and cousin, we'd go to every McDonalds to collect Teenie Beanies and stand outside of Walmart to try to get a Furby while stopping at every flea market in Northwest Alabama. All of these things were such simple pleasures that I feel I sometimes lose in my love of urbanization.
While I was in elementary school an probably before, my aunt had a plethora of complications because of her Diabetes. She had transplants and portions of her feet and legs removed and ended up having more surgeries than everyone else in the family combined, but she would always try to stay positive in front of me. I know she wasn't always successful, but it meant a lot that she was able to comfort a child when she was the one going through so many difficult changes. She would always tell me that I needed to find her a body shop so that she could get a new one to replace the one that was falling apart. One time I actually thought I had found one and told her all about it, but it was just a body shop for cars. I do remember that every time she had a big operation my dad would make a movie for her about that operation. The best way for him to cope with the gravity of the situation was humor. I always had at least a small role in these home movies that we'd send her. My mother even participated once and will be glad if a copy of that film never resurfaces.
As I grew up, we became less close than we had been when I was a child. We still talked and spent time together when I visited, but I had a younger brother and cousin that she focused on because that was her niche. I still fit in just in a different way. I was too large to share her bed or to make her play with Barbies. Instead we made a brain out of Legos for a Psychology project in high school and talked about what I was going to do with my life. In April of 2011 her house was destroyed by one of the tornadoes that tore through Alabama on the 27th, and she was forced to move to Chattanooga with my grandparents without getting a real chance to say goodbye to the place she had lived her entire life. It was while at her house that I was offered my job at Red Cross, and it was for her and all the people affected that I took that job. I hated seeing that place that brought me such joy as a child being devastated and unrecognizable.
My aunt passed away during her dialysis treatment this morning due to complications with her heart. I am so glad that I was able to see her over Christmas and talk to her on my birthday. It feels so weird not to be with my family at a time like this. I know there is no movie we could make to bring out humor. She wasn't always perfect, but I admire her for what she went through and had to deal with as a disabled single mother in rural Alabama. I already miss her but know that all I need to do to find her again is to preheat the oven and slide in a tray of frozen chicken fingers with slices of processed American cheese ready to melt on top.
Her home was built on the same land that the house the grew up in was. It was a cute little yellow house that stood out with the large amber fields and beginnings of the deep green forest in the background. She lived right next door to my grandmother, so I'd often run between there two houses and the dirt path and through the grass barefoot enjoying the beauty of Alabama under the stars that are hidden in the city. It was one of the most naturally beautiful places to me as a child.
Growing up I would always stay at her house when I went to my grandparents' because she would let me stay up later and her son was allowed to have video games, which I was not due to my mother's fear of me losing my imagination. I agree with her now, but at the time it was a nuisance. Every morning my aunt would bake frozen chicken fingers and melt a small slice of cheese on each of them to go with biscuits and chocolate milk. After mornings filled with cartoons, she'd let me pick how I wanted to spend the day. That was the best thing about her. She let me be me when I was there. I could ride on the swing outside her house or play Mario Party all night long with her as Yoshi and me as Princess Peach. Along with my grandmother and cousin, we'd go to every McDonalds to collect Teenie Beanies and stand outside of Walmart to try to get a Furby while stopping at every flea market in Northwest Alabama. All of these things were such simple pleasures that I feel I sometimes lose in my love of urbanization.
While I was in elementary school an probably before, my aunt had a plethora of complications because of her Diabetes. She had transplants and portions of her feet and legs removed and ended up having more surgeries than everyone else in the family combined, but she would always try to stay positive in front of me. I know she wasn't always successful, but it meant a lot that she was able to comfort a child when she was the one going through so many difficult changes. She would always tell me that I needed to find her a body shop so that she could get a new one to replace the one that was falling apart. One time I actually thought I had found one and told her all about it, but it was just a body shop for cars. I do remember that every time she had a big operation my dad would make a movie for her about that operation. The best way for him to cope with the gravity of the situation was humor. I always had at least a small role in these home movies that we'd send her. My mother even participated once and will be glad if a copy of that film never resurfaces.
As I grew up, we became less close than we had been when I was a child. We still talked and spent time together when I visited, but I had a younger brother and cousin that she focused on because that was her niche. I still fit in just in a different way. I was too large to share her bed or to make her play with Barbies. Instead we made a brain out of Legos for a Psychology project in high school and talked about what I was going to do with my life. In April of 2011 her house was destroyed by one of the tornadoes that tore through Alabama on the 27th, and she was forced to move to Chattanooga with my grandparents without getting a real chance to say goodbye to the place she had lived her entire life. It was while at her house that I was offered my job at Red Cross, and it was for her and all the people affected that I took that job. I hated seeing that place that brought me such joy as a child being devastated and unrecognizable.
My aunt passed away during her dialysis treatment this morning due to complications with her heart. I am so glad that I was able to see her over Christmas and talk to her on my birthday. It feels so weird not to be with my family at a time like this. I know there is no movie we could make to bring out humor. She wasn't always perfect, but I admire her for what she went through and had to deal with as a disabled single mother in rural Alabama. I already miss her but know that all I need to do to find her again is to preheat the oven and slide in a tray of frozen chicken fingers with slices of processed American cheese ready to melt on top.
Finding Foundry
I realized that in my previous catch up most at the beginning of this month that I completely left out my church that I started going to a the end of November. A good church community has been one thing lacking in my life since the loss of the Wesley Foundation post college. I didn't realize how important it had been to me until I went back to camp last summer as a volunteer, so the second I got here I started looking for a church that could give me that same sense of community I had felt in college and at camp in an age range during which those things are difficult to get from many churches.
A news publication entitled The Washington Blade had a best of DC article that I found online while searching liberal United Methodist churches online, and Foundry United Methodist was the winner in the church category. Then when I discovered that they had a Friday night contemporary service, I was sold. I am terrible at having motivation in the morning, so a 5:30 service seemed like a good idea.
From the first night, I was hooked. I happened to attend a night of one of their coffee house services, which just means that different people were sharing things that had to do with the theme of the sermon. I love how casual it is. Everyone wears what they want to and snacks on cheese and other food during the service. There are people from a multitude of diverse backgrounds, income levels, sexual orientations, and political parties. Even with all f these differing opinions, I have never felt like anyone is being judged.
I felt so lucky to have found a church I liked on my first visit, so I haven't even bothered trying any others. Every week we go out for dinner afterward for fellowship. It's been a great way to make friends in the city that are al going through the same things I am and different things as well.
I also joined a small group through the church and have met even more new friends that are willing to have difficult discussions about faith and how it ties into the secular. Our group is reading a book about chastity, so it definitely brings up interesting conversations. I hate that I'm missing it during tour season, but the great thing is I know that any Thursday I'm free I have a place to go.
A news publication entitled The Washington Blade had a best of DC article that I found online while searching liberal United Methodist churches online, and Foundry United Methodist was the winner in the church category. Then when I discovered that they had a Friday night contemporary service, I was sold. I am terrible at having motivation in the morning, so a 5:30 service seemed like a good idea.
From the first night, I was hooked. I happened to attend a night of one of their coffee house services, which just means that different people were sharing things that had to do with the theme of the sermon. I love how casual it is. Everyone wears what they want to and snacks on cheese and other food during the service. There are people from a multitude of diverse backgrounds, income levels, sexual orientations, and political parties. Even with all f these differing opinions, I have never felt like anyone is being judged.
I felt so lucky to have found a church I liked on my first visit, so I haven't even bothered trying any others. Every week we go out for dinner afterward for fellowship. It's been a great way to make friends in the city that are al going through the same things I am and different things as well.
I also joined a small group through the church and have met even more new friends that are willing to have difficult discussions about faith and how it ties into the secular. Our group is reading a book about chastity, so it definitely brings up interesting conversations. I hate that I'm missing it during tour season, but the great thing is I know that any Thursday I'm free I have a place to go.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Barristers' Ball, Bowling, and Diplomacy
My friend Krishna has really been riding me hard to post something about the new friends that I have made since moving to D.C., so this is for her and anyone interested in Law School prom and/or bowling adventures.
When I came for my final interview with EF Smithsonian back in September, I was able to go to trivia one night with Krishna and her friends from George Mason Law School, of previous dark horse in March madness fame. George Mason actually has a statue memorializing him near the Jefferson, but hardly anyone knows who this founding father is. I just new him as the statue whose lap you could sit on. See below. His head is kind of in there. Just in case you enjoy trivia, George Mason was significant because he was the leader of delegates at the Constitutional Convention who pushed for adding a section for states' and individuals' rights. He didn't sign the Constitution because it didn't include such a segment and drafted his own declaration of rights for Virginia, which later became the basis of the Bill of Rights.
That wasn't really relevant to the rest of this post, but I feel a good back story always makes things more interesting. After moving here at the beginning of November, I continued going to trivia and have adopted Krishna's friends as some of my own, so I quickly jumped at the chance to spend an evening with all of them at Barristers' Ball. The best way I can describe it is as a law school prom. The only differences from high school are that there are no chaperones, drinking is encouraged and included with admission, and a shot glass is a parting gift. Here we are at the event.
We also recently went bowling for Kev's birthday and had some great Mexican food out in the Columbia Pike neighborhood of Virginia. Due to my carlessness, I was dependent on the kindness of others to actually make it to these places. Jason and Candace took Krishna and myself to the restaurant, bowling, and back, but we had a little bit of trouble getting out of the parking deck after dinner. It was one of those where you have to validate your ticket based on how long you spent in the area. We think the machine got fed up with Jason putting his credit card in the wrong slot because it ended up charging him but not returning our validated ticket. We tried pushing the help button, but no one answered. We came up with some unlikely scenarios to help us escape the parking deck like knocking someone out after they validated their ticket. Finally someone in the grocery store called the company in charge of the help line and they agreed to buzz us out of the deck if we'd push the button. Well, she still didn't answer, so I got out when another car came up to try and grab a new ticket to validate. At that exact moment, the bar rose, and all I could do was yell at Jason to go through without me. Unfortunately, I think many people witnessed this. Below are the four of us.
After a night of bowling fun including a 186 in my third game (I really have no clue what demon possessed me to get that score), I rode the metro home on the last train. The metro was in fine form on Saturday. Martha happened to get on the same car as me and sit right across from me without noticing on my way into Virginia, and then I chose the same car as Matt Brown on the way home. I thought this would end my metro experience for the day, but no I was in for more. While reading the seventh Harry Potter book in Spanish I noticed the woman across from me slumped over next to her boyfriend. She began to slowly throw up on the floor without him noticing. I was about ten feet away, and I could smell it. I have no clue how he was oblivious until it was pooling around them. Once he did notice, he kept telling her to stop as if that was going to do any good. I think if I cold control my throwing up I would do so without needing the support of a friend.
When the doors opened for the stop immediately following the one at which the barf couple departed, a guy came up to a dude drunk sleeping, punched him in the head three times, and then ran off the train. What is going on with people in the city? I thought the no food and drink rule and the carpeted floors enforced some classiness on the metro. I now see it as wishful thinking.
The last thing currently involving my Virginia friends is a game of online Diplomacy. If you have never heard of the game, it's a classic board game like risk but with fewer armies. It's all about dominating Europe by making and breaking alliances. Playing online adds to this experience in that none of the conversations, or very few, are done in person. I have no clue what other players are saying to each other, and I can't trust what they say to me either. I feel like we're on a reality show trying to decide which person to vote off by taking their territories. I was luckily randomly assigned England, so I am up in the corner out of the way of the crazy action in the middle of Europe. Krishna was assigned Austria and has already been screwed. I wish I had someone filming confessionals for all of us, so that I could go back and see what people were really thinking at each step of the game. That is probably one of the nerdiest things to wish for, and I am not the least bit ashamed. I know I'm going to get really competitive over this rather quickly like most things, so I better at least not get eliminated too early on. That's my biggest fear of being on a reality show. I'll stop there before we delve to far into my psyche. I will post some updates as the game goes on. I'm almost caught up in my blogging! Only two more to go on the church I've been going to and the production of Canterbury Tales I saw tonight.
When I came for my final interview with EF Smithsonian back in September, I was able to go to trivia one night with Krishna and her friends from George Mason Law School, of previous dark horse in March madness fame. George Mason actually has a statue memorializing him near the Jefferson, but hardly anyone knows who this founding father is. I just new him as the statue whose lap you could sit on. See below. His head is kind of in there. Just in case you enjoy trivia, George Mason was significant because he was the leader of delegates at the Constitutional Convention who pushed for adding a section for states' and individuals' rights. He didn't sign the Constitution because it didn't include such a segment and drafted his own declaration of rights for Virginia, which later became the basis of the Bill of Rights.
That wasn't really relevant to the rest of this post, but I feel a good back story always makes things more interesting. After moving here at the beginning of November, I continued going to trivia and have adopted Krishna's friends as some of my own, so I quickly jumped at the chance to spend an evening with all of them at Barristers' Ball. The best way I can describe it is as a law school prom. The only differences from high school are that there are no chaperones, drinking is encouraged and included with admission, and a shot glass is a parting gift. Here we are at the event.
We also recently went bowling for Kev's birthday and had some great Mexican food out in the Columbia Pike neighborhood of Virginia. Due to my carlessness, I was dependent on the kindness of others to actually make it to these places. Jason and Candace took Krishna and myself to the restaurant, bowling, and back, but we had a little bit of trouble getting out of the parking deck after dinner. It was one of those where you have to validate your ticket based on how long you spent in the area. We think the machine got fed up with Jason putting his credit card in the wrong slot because it ended up charging him but not returning our validated ticket. We tried pushing the help button, but no one answered. We came up with some unlikely scenarios to help us escape the parking deck like knocking someone out after they validated their ticket. Finally someone in the grocery store called the company in charge of the help line and they agreed to buzz us out of the deck if we'd push the button. Well, she still didn't answer, so I got out when another car came up to try and grab a new ticket to validate. At that exact moment, the bar rose, and all I could do was yell at Jason to go through without me. Unfortunately, I think many people witnessed this. Below are the four of us.
After a night of bowling fun including a 186 in my third game (I really have no clue what demon possessed me to get that score), I rode the metro home on the last train. The metro was in fine form on Saturday. Martha happened to get on the same car as me and sit right across from me without noticing on my way into Virginia, and then I chose the same car as Matt Brown on the way home. I thought this would end my metro experience for the day, but no I was in for more. While reading the seventh Harry Potter book in Spanish I noticed the woman across from me slumped over next to her boyfriend. She began to slowly throw up on the floor without him noticing. I was about ten feet away, and I could smell it. I have no clue how he was oblivious until it was pooling around them. Once he did notice, he kept telling her to stop as if that was going to do any good. I think if I cold control my throwing up I would do so without needing the support of a friend.
When the doors opened for the stop immediately following the one at which the barf couple departed, a guy came up to a dude drunk sleeping, punched him in the head three times, and then ran off the train. What is going on with people in the city? I thought the no food and drink rule and the carpeted floors enforced some classiness on the metro. I now see it as wishful thinking.
The last thing currently involving my Virginia friends is a game of online Diplomacy. If you have never heard of the game, it's a classic board game like risk but with fewer armies. It's all about dominating Europe by making and breaking alliances. Playing online adds to this experience in that none of the conversations, or very few, are done in person. I have no clue what other players are saying to each other, and I can't trust what they say to me either. I feel like we're on a reality show trying to decide which person to vote off by taking their territories. I was luckily randomly assigned England, so I am up in the corner out of the way of the crazy action in the middle of Europe. Krishna was assigned Austria and has already been screwed. I wish I had someone filming confessionals for all of us, so that I could go back and see what people were really thinking at each step of the game. That is probably one of the nerdiest things to wish for, and I am not the least bit ashamed. I know I'm going to get really competitive over this rather quickly like most things, so I better at least not get eliminated too early on. That's my biggest fear of being on a reality show. I'll stop there before we delve to far into my psyche. I will post some updates as the game goes on. I'm almost caught up in my blogging! Only two more to go on the church I've been going to and the production of Canterbury Tales I saw tonight.
Finding Nemo
I wish I were referring to the cute clown fish, but I made the insane decision to travel to the Northeast during Winter Storm Nemo. While in Albuquerque I was picked up by a second student tour company, and their training was scheduled in New York for the weekend of the storm. I thought it might be cancelled, but luckily it was not. Thus I found myself on a bus at 5 AM on a Friday morning attempting to make it into the city before the snow drowned us all.
As it turned out, the predictions for the storms impact on New York City were overzealous. It did snow quite a bit, but it was all within in the amount that the city could maintain. Nothing was closed or affected within Manhattan, but I know the effects were much more substantial outside of that wealthier hub.
As a Southern boy, this was my first experience with legitimate snow, save the Blizzard of '93. It was amazing to see the amount of snow falling outside the window during training only to discover that it had not accumulated on the roads at all. This is a stark difference to the debilitating results of an inch of snow in Alabama. It was so pretty to see the small patches of grass covered with pure white snow! Washington Square Park was exquisite. We even saw a couple get engaged under the Washington Arch in the snow. The romance is removed a little when you think about the history of items in the park. The Washington Arch's architect Stanford White was murdered for supposed adultery. The tree from which people were hanged is over in one corner, and bordering the park is the building in which the Triangle Shirtwaist fire occurred in 1911, killing 146 workers because they were locked inside and the fire trucks' ladders were not long enough to reach the top floors. At least it led to workplace safety measures?
I wish the snow had made all of New York fantastical. It didn't. The streets were filled with grimy piles of slush at every corner. I did not have appropriate footwear for this. I brought boots but didn't think about how the leather might react when walking in the salt filled slush. Lesson learned, I suppose.
Other than the temporary staining of my boots, the trip to New York was amazing! I actually ate at unique restaurants and avoided chains, which I fell victim to during my previous visit in January. The company paid for us to have dinner at La Palapa on the last night. The food was so good as were the margaritas, but I can't speak to the price. I had the chicken enchiladas in green tomatillo sauce. I'm not a big mole fan, so I prefer the strong tomato flavor. Apparently, they eat there at annual meetings as well, so I look forward to returning for that alone.
Having a training in New York got me really excited to lead tours there this season. I only have three, but it'll liven up the DC heavy months. I love this city, but I'm afraid I'll get tired of it if it's the on;y place I take people. I'm really pumped that my NYC groups all have Broadway shows on their itineraries, which means I get to go for free! Matilda at the end of the month is going to be amazing. I leave again for New York via train in a week and half's time. I'm sure Megabus will miss me, but I'm looking forward to celebrating my birthday weekend with a little more style.
As it turned out, the predictions for the storms impact on New York City were overzealous. It did snow quite a bit, but it was all within in the amount that the city could maintain. Nothing was closed or affected within Manhattan, but I know the effects were much more substantial outside of that wealthier hub.
As a Southern boy, this was my first experience with legitimate snow, save the Blizzard of '93. It was amazing to see the amount of snow falling outside the window during training only to discover that it had not accumulated on the roads at all. This is a stark difference to the debilitating results of an inch of snow in Alabama. It was so pretty to see the small patches of grass covered with pure white snow! Washington Square Park was exquisite. We even saw a couple get engaged under the Washington Arch in the snow. The romance is removed a little when you think about the history of items in the park. The Washington Arch's architect Stanford White was murdered for supposed adultery. The tree from which people were hanged is over in one corner, and bordering the park is the building in which the Triangle Shirtwaist fire occurred in 1911, killing 146 workers because they were locked inside and the fire trucks' ladders were not long enough to reach the top floors. At least it led to workplace safety measures?
I wish the snow had made all of New York fantastical. It didn't. The streets were filled with grimy piles of slush at every corner. I did not have appropriate footwear for this. I brought boots but didn't think about how the leather might react when walking in the salt filled slush. Lesson learned, I suppose.
Other than the temporary staining of my boots, the trip to New York was amazing! I actually ate at unique restaurants and avoided chains, which I fell victim to during my previous visit in January. The company paid for us to have dinner at La Palapa on the last night. The food was so good as were the margaritas, but I can't speak to the price. I had the chicken enchiladas in green tomatillo sauce. I'm not a big mole fan, so I prefer the strong tomato flavor. Apparently, they eat there at annual meetings as well, so I look forward to returning for that alone.
Having a training in New York got me really excited to lead tours there this season. I only have three, but it'll liven up the DC heavy months. I love this city, but I'm afraid I'll get tired of it if it's the on;y place I take people. I'm really pumped that my NYC groups all have Broadway shows on their itineraries, which means I get to go for free! Matilda at the end of the month is going to be amazing. I leave again for New York via train in a week and half's time. I'm sure Megabus will miss me, but I'm looking forward to celebrating my birthday weekend with a little more style.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
How Many Tour Directors Does it Take to Change a Light Bulb?
At the end of January, I went to Albuquerque for the ITMI Symposium, which is an annual gathering of tour directors and tour operators to discuss the industry and interview for open positions with different companies; however, it's mostly just a chance to network in an industry in which we all rarely see each other. I'm grateful I went for that purpose and to see my friends that I went to training with, but I didn't really glean that much from the sessions themselves. I roomed with my friend Rhonda, which was fun, even when she accidentally locked me out and fell asleep. I also got to see one tour director slap another for coming on to her too aggressively, and the same night a tour operator told me I looked like Frodo. Events like this definitely blur the line of professionalism.
As well, the location was a bit on the boring side, so I guess it was good that there wasn't much free time to experience the city. Albuquerque is in a beautiful location with mountains nearby making a gorgeous skyline, but the town itself is lacking in substance at least in my experience. There is the historic Old Town district which consists of a few blocks of older buildings dating back to the founding of the city and a gorgeous church; however, all of the other buildings in the square are now filled with lame souvenir stores, which to me ruins the historic factor. They have a portion of historic Route 66 going through town with the neon signs and classic diners littering the street.
My friends and I went to one of these Route 66 diners for dinner after our interviews to celebrate. It was called Standard Diner, and the food was excellent. I had a great Cream of Calabasita soup along with the Macaroni and Cheese. I judge all restaurants by their mac and cheese if it's on the menu. Apparently the restaurant was on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, not that it matters to any amount of legitimacy as an eating establishment. The other restaurant I went to was traditional New Mexican cuisine. Just like friendships in Alabama can be drawn based on your college football team of choice, New Mexicans get serious when it comes to liking red or green chilies in your food. Apparently, no self-respecting person orders it "Christmas style," which mixes the two. I LOVED that type of food. I ordered the enchiladas, and the rice, beans, tortilla, meat, and cheese were all mixed together on the plate so that it was just one big blob of deliciousness. Obviously, presentation is low on my scale of importance when it comes to the tastiness of food. The restaurant is called Sadie's, and I highly recommend it if you find yourself in New Mexico. The owner was one of our speakers on the conference and prides himself on customer service, so feel free to complain if something goes wrong.
The one cool thing I experienced and the only thing I can see giving Albuquerque a draw was the Balloon Museum. I would love to go back and see the Balloon Festival. It looks gorgeous and brings so many people from all over the world to a tiny town in New Mexico. This would be the only reason I would see myself returning unless I become a big fan of Breaking Bad in the future. I am glad to cross it off my list of destinations and to have seen all of my friends while making new ones, but overall Albuquerque was not an impressive travel destination on its own.
Here is a picture from inside the Balloon Museum
Monday, February 18, 2013
The City of Brotherly Love
Is there a better day to talk about the city that was our nation's capital for ten years than Presidents' Day? Probably, but this will have to do.
Last month I thought it would be a good idea to plan a day trip to Philadelphia the day after my Inauguration trip ended. After four days of running around with high schoolers, a good day of rest is needed to finish paperwork, but I went anyway so that I could get to explore the city and make a little bit of money checking a group in at the airport. People actually pay for someone to walk with them through security and watch their plane take off.
The day started out with yet another early morning trip on Megabus from Union Station and therefore a chicken biscuit and sweet tea from Bojangles. My tastes can't be tamed by DC's lack of proper Southern cuisine.
Unlike D.C. where the bus leaves from the train station, in Philadelphia you are dropped off on a random street by a parking lot behind the train station. If anyone wants to complain about public transportation in the District, they need to go to experience the metro in Philly. They don't have metro cards. Everyone pays exact change for tokens that are not available at every station entrance.
The city is divided into four major area that each have a park at their center. Most of the things of major historical significance are all in one section, so it's easy to see the highlights of Philadelphia in a day. Just don't tell anyone that works in the tourism industry that you're only planning to spend a day there because they will get confrontational. I stopped by the City Hall to ask some volunteers in the tourism office where I needed to go to see Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. When I told them I was only in town for a few hours and just needed to get some destination knowledge for my job, they seemed slightly offended that my tour company would only spend a day in Philadelphia when it deserved so much more.
In reality, you could spend a few days there if you want to go to their museums, the historic sites, and experience the culture through the restaurants and neighborhoods away from downtown. Otherwise, a day is all you really need. Everything is really walkable, and all of the historical sites are free to visit. The National Park Service has a great welcome center right by the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. National Park Rangers have really good stories about all of the areas and a worth talking to if it's not crowded at any area.
After the capital of the United States was in New York for a year, it moved to Philadelphia for the next ten before ending up in Washington. You can see the original Supreme Court building where the first cases were tried. I also learned a lot about the history of being a justice. They were mandated to travel through an assigned circuit every year and were not compensated for the money they spent on lodging. That's why they were only in session for less than three months. It was necessary at the time to reinforce the national law and show the presence of the national government throughout the country, but it was really difficult to get anyone to agree to do it or to keep the position for more than a year. I can't say that I blame them.
Right next door to the Supreme Court is Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were discussed, written, and signed along with the House and Senate chambers. Unfortunately, very few of the furniture pieces are originals, but they are historically accurate. There are also copies of different documents like the Articles of Confederation that are on display.
Across the street is the Liberty Bell in its newish building, and a few blocks away are Benjamin Franklin's grave and Betsy Ross's house. This is only the surface of the historical importance that Philadelphia has to offer, but it's plenty for a day trip. I'll be back there on tour in March to test my memory skills.
Well, that's really all that Philadelphia had for me in a few hours time. After I got the group checked in at the airport and on their plane, I made the last bus back to D.C. and slept for days before heading to Albuquerque. I'm glad I got to experience Philly, get my Hard Rock glass, and mark another city off of my go to all the places that had the Real World list. That last one's a joke. Kind of.
Last month I thought it would be a good idea to plan a day trip to Philadelphia the day after my Inauguration trip ended. After four days of running around with high schoolers, a good day of rest is needed to finish paperwork, but I went anyway so that I could get to explore the city and make a little bit of money checking a group in at the airport. People actually pay for someone to walk with them through security and watch their plane take off.
The day started out with yet another early morning trip on Megabus from Union Station and therefore a chicken biscuit and sweet tea from Bojangles. My tastes can't be tamed by DC's lack of proper Southern cuisine.
Unlike D.C. where the bus leaves from the train station, in Philadelphia you are dropped off on a random street by a parking lot behind the train station. If anyone wants to complain about public transportation in the District, they need to go to experience the metro in Philly. They don't have metro cards. Everyone pays exact change for tokens that are not available at every station entrance.
The city is divided into four major area that each have a park at their center. Most of the things of major historical significance are all in one section, so it's easy to see the highlights of Philadelphia in a day. Just don't tell anyone that works in the tourism industry that you're only planning to spend a day there because they will get confrontational. I stopped by the City Hall to ask some volunteers in the tourism office where I needed to go to see Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. When I told them I was only in town for a few hours and just needed to get some destination knowledge for my job, they seemed slightly offended that my tour company would only spend a day in Philadelphia when it deserved so much more.
In reality, you could spend a few days there if you want to go to their museums, the historic sites, and experience the culture through the restaurants and neighborhoods away from downtown. Otherwise, a day is all you really need. Everything is really walkable, and all of the historical sites are free to visit. The National Park Service has a great welcome center right by the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. National Park Rangers have really good stories about all of the areas and a worth talking to if it's not crowded at any area.
After the capital of the United States was in New York for a year, it moved to Philadelphia for the next ten before ending up in Washington. You can see the original Supreme Court building where the first cases were tried. I also learned a lot about the history of being a justice. They were mandated to travel through an assigned circuit every year and were not compensated for the money they spent on lodging. That's why they were only in session for less than three months. It was necessary at the time to reinforce the national law and show the presence of the national government throughout the country, but it was really difficult to get anyone to agree to do it or to keep the position for more than a year. I can't say that I blame them.
Right next door to the Supreme Court is Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were discussed, written, and signed along with the House and Senate chambers. Unfortunately, very few of the furniture pieces are originals, but they are historically accurate. There are also copies of different documents like the Articles of Confederation that are on display.
Across the street is the Liberty Bell in its newish building, and a few blocks away are Benjamin Franklin's grave and Betsy Ross's house. This is only the surface of the historical importance that Philadelphia has to offer, but it's plenty for a day trip. I'll be back there on tour in March to test my memory skills.
Well, that's really all that Philadelphia had for me in a few hours time. After I got the group checked in at the airport and on their plane, I made the last bus back to D.C. and slept for days before heading to Albuquerque. I'm glad I got to experience Philly, get my Hard Rock glass, and mark another city off of my go to all the places that had the Real World list. That last one's a joke. Kind of.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
The Inauguration of Mario Lopez
It's been a while, so I'll try a wrap up my first two and a half months in Washington into one or two posts. Also, I may divulge into a more travel writing style since that's what I do an everything. If you already live in the area, this first post may be a lot of things you already know.
Firstly, I am in love with this city. Washington D.C. is a wonderful mixture of people from all over the country and the world that are here to do great things. Everyone you meet is attempting to have an impact on the world in some way whether that's by going to graduate school, working at a nonprofit, or showing children how important an appreciation of culture is. People here are very focused on career goals and whom you know, so it is often one of the first questions asked when meeting someone new.
I live in Petworth, which is a neighborhood in the Northwest quadrant of D.C., and is jokingly called Notyetworth as it is in the process of gentrification. The rotunda of the Capitol is the point of origin for the city's quadrants even though it is not the geographic center of the city. It was laid out this by Pierre Charles L'Enfant way back when the capital was moved to D.C. from Philadelphia. Petworth is a nice quiet neighborhood, but I'm hoping to move to a neighborhood that has a little more going on.
All of the time leading up to the Inauguration was spent getting to know the city and the attractions better, so I've been in a lot of museums and neighborhoods doing research. It's nice to have a job in which you become better at it by doing fun things. Here are some highlights:
1. I went to the White House's Diwali Party and met Joe Biden, one of the leaders of Americorps, and was mistook for the only other white person there multiple times even though he was a foot shorter and carrying a musical instrument. Apparently, we all look the same to people from India.
2. I saw one of my favorite drag queens Latrice Royale perform, and I also went to a drag brunch with my friends Jenae, Ben, and Hillary. No offense, Birmingham, but people up here know how to put on a show. Also, brunch is the cool thing to do. I've never been to brunch so many times in my life.
3. I experienced snow for the first time in a place where life goes on as normal. Where was the line at the grocery store to get bread and milk? How were people driving? These are the musings of a Southern boy. Also, do not talk about the Blizzard of 93 with anyone. They will laugh when they find out it was only 8" of snow.
4. This may not seem monumental, but I also learned what "cold" is. My Alabama definition was below 60. Now I am so happy to see 40+ on the forecast. I now actually wear scarves, coats, and hats, and I have no clue what flip flops and shorts are anymore.
5. I've really enjoyed living in a city where there are choices for nightlife. Alabama really didn't offer much of a variety. Here there are the super divey bars of Adams Morgan, the young professional areas in Virginia, the snobbily rich clubs of Georgetown, the unique and cluttered U Street, the great dance spots in Dupont Circle, and the impossible to get to music venues of H Street in Penn Quarter.
6. I went to New York to get my license there and watched the Alabama Crimson Tide roll over Notre Dame. I also saw Peter and the Starcatcher, which was amazing, and I was lame in restaurant choice the entire time, so I need to do a better job of that next week even if Olive Garden was so good.
Since this is just an overview, I'm going to move on to my Inauguration tour, but I am going to try in the future to do short updates about cool things to do in the city.
My group was an AP Government class from a town in Connecticut, so thankfully they were accustomed to cold. The first day the bus dropped them off to meet me at the National Portrait Gallery/ Museum of American Art. These two museums occupy the same building and flow in and out of one another on each floor. The best known collection there is the Presidential Portrait Gallery, but there are also rotating exhibits of modern American artists and an amazing neon light and television screen map of the United States, picture below, by artist Nam June Paik. Behind every state is a collection of televisions depicting something that state is know for. For example, behind Idaho is a video loop of potatoes. I snuck a picture with the Obama painting while my group was walking around. I tried my best not to let any of my political leanings come out, which was semi successful.
After spending time in those museums, we walked to Ford's Theatre and Peterson House, where Lincoln was shot and died respectively. This is a good area for D.C. branded souvenir shopping, especially if you want discounted Romney apparel. From here, we continued on to the Smithsonian Museum of American History, the Air and Space Museum, and the Hirsshorn Sculpture Garden before dinner and a tour of all of the main monuments and memorials at night. One of the main tenets of student travel is to fit as many activities into a day because it is both cheaper and a tool to make them fall asleep when they get back to the hotel. Walking from Washington to Lincoln to Jefferson with stops in between will definitely do that.
The second day of tour was the day before the Inauguration, so we avoided downtown because there were so many road closures and detours. We began the day at Mount Vernon, George Washington's home in Virginia. They have a museum and education center now that make the attraction worth going to if you're not a fan of house tours. It's best to go during off season because the guides in the home can give you a more in-depth commentary of each room. With so many people here, each room guide had a minute long speech prepared that they just said over and over again. Our next stop was Iwo Jima followed by Arlington National Cemetery, but something got in the way.
As we drove up to Iwo Jima, we saw Mario Lopez filming on the side of a hill for extra right by the street. I told my group not to run across the street and bother him, but they couldn't help themselves. The segment producer told them if they were quiet they could be on the show. After twenty minutes of listening to him say the same sentences over and over, she kept her promise. My entire group stood with him and filmed a few shots of him asking questions about The Bachelor and Michelle Obama's bangs. He asked one woman what she thought about the First Lady's new haircut and her response was "Bangs! Bangs! Bangs!" This became the response to everything for the rest of the trip.
Because of our extended stay with Mario, we had to do a whirlwind tour of Arlington. If you are looking for a good workout, try jogging up and down the hills of Arlington just to get to the changing of the guard on time. The cemetery has a plethora of cool things to see like President Taft's grave, the Tomb of the Unknowns, and the Eternal Flame. Robert E. Lee's home is on the hill and has just been renovated and refilled with furniture and is worth seeing if you can handle the hike up the hill.
The next morning we left the hotel at 5 in order to get to our assigned parking location near the Nationals stadium about 2 miles away from the National Mall. When we arrived, the mall was not very full, so we decided to pick a spot toward the back to save time getting to lunch afterward. This apparently was not what the volunteers wanted us to do. They kept telling us we had to move forward but couldn't actually make us move. After about half a dozen of these people came up to up, the head volunteer came and said that we could move or the armed guard could make us move. We decided to move to the very back by the CNN tents just so we had space to roam about, get snacks, go to the bathroom, and do this thing called the Penguin Dance. As soon as the section we were originally in started filling in, we got the exact spot we had four hours beforehand.
The event itself was wonderful even for my kids wearing their Mitt Romney sweatshirts under their jackets. I was glad to have my Smithsonian sunglasses on to hide my tearing up during the speech. I loved all of the performances even the poem. My group kept getting excited for Beyonce and were let down every time someone else was announced. I think everyone needs to go to an Inauguration at least once in their lives because it's the perfect example of what American politics can be. I felt so patriotic that day. It gave me so much hope that we could move forward and work together to make the country a place that we want it to be. Will Congress get it's act together? Will President Obama keep the promises he made? Will the Supreme Court make some historical and tough decisions this year? Hopefully, so. At least we have the opportunity to work together to make things happen across party lines.
After the lip synced national anthem, we made our way through the crowds for a quick lunch at the American History Museum, which has some of the best but expensive food especially if you like barbecue. We then tried to make our way back to our bus, which was quite the trek. I have to give it to my group. They were amazing at walking long distances without complaining for the most part. We were trying to get back to the hotel so that they could take showers and get dressed for the Inaugural Ball my company threw for all of the groups. Unfortunately, the hotel lost power twenty minutes before we got there, so it was cold showers and no hairdryers. The Ball was like going to a prom except I was a chaperon sitting in a different room avoiding the dance floor. I loved getting to talk to other tour directors and coach drivers about their trips and experiences. It's an opportunity not often seen during the rest of the year.
The next day was their last, so we hurried over to the Capitol to meet the Senators of Connecticut with a few other groups and then had a page led tour of the building. One of the senators was newly elected and is serving on the foreign relations committee that did the hearing with Hillary Clinton the next day. The tour of the Capitol was great even with our guy admitting that it was only his second time. We got to see the cool little subway they use to get to and from their offices and the stairs everyone walked down during the Inauguration. When the tour was over, I had all of the groups meet at the Helen Keller statue before we did a quick run through of the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court next door.
After a lazy lunch at the Madison Building of the Library of Congress while the coach driver was getting the coach fixed, I said good-bye to my group and sadly walked back to the metro to come home. I can't believe how quickly the four days passed, and I just hope that the kids picked up on how wonderful a place D.C. is and how much they can learn by experiencing other places and how much difference they can make just by caring about what happens. I can only hope that my next group will be as good as these kids were.
My next installments will be about Philadelphia and Albuquerque!
Firstly, I am in love with this city. Washington D.C. is a wonderful mixture of people from all over the country and the world that are here to do great things. Everyone you meet is attempting to have an impact on the world in some way whether that's by going to graduate school, working at a nonprofit, or showing children how important an appreciation of culture is. People here are very focused on career goals and whom you know, so it is often one of the first questions asked when meeting someone new.
I live in Petworth, which is a neighborhood in the Northwest quadrant of D.C., and is jokingly called Notyetworth as it is in the process of gentrification. The rotunda of the Capitol is the point of origin for the city's quadrants even though it is not the geographic center of the city. It was laid out this by Pierre Charles L'Enfant way back when the capital was moved to D.C. from Philadelphia. Petworth is a nice quiet neighborhood, but I'm hoping to move to a neighborhood that has a little more going on.
All of the time leading up to the Inauguration was spent getting to know the city and the attractions better, so I've been in a lot of museums and neighborhoods doing research. It's nice to have a job in which you become better at it by doing fun things. Here are some highlights:
1. I went to the White House's Diwali Party and met Joe Biden, one of the leaders of Americorps, and was mistook for the only other white person there multiple times even though he was a foot shorter and carrying a musical instrument. Apparently, we all look the same to people from India.
2. I saw one of my favorite drag queens Latrice Royale perform, and I also went to a drag brunch with my friends Jenae, Ben, and Hillary. No offense, Birmingham, but people up here know how to put on a show. Also, brunch is the cool thing to do. I've never been to brunch so many times in my life.
3. I experienced snow for the first time in a place where life goes on as normal. Where was the line at the grocery store to get bread and milk? How were people driving? These are the musings of a Southern boy. Also, do not talk about the Blizzard of 93 with anyone. They will laugh when they find out it was only 8" of snow.
4. This may not seem monumental, but I also learned what "cold" is. My Alabama definition was below 60. Now I am so happy to see 40+ on the forecast. I now actually wear scarves, coats, and hats, and I have no clue what flip flops and shorts are anymore.
5. I've really enjoyed living in a city where there are choices for nightlife. Alabama really didn't offer much of a variety. Here there are the super divey bars of Adams Morgan, the young professional areas in Virginia, the snobbily rich clubs of Georgetown, the unique and cluttered U Street, the great dance spots in Dupont Circle, and the impossible to get to music venues of H Street in Penn Quarter.
6. I went to New York to get my license there and watched the Alabama Crimson Tide roll over Notre Dame. I also saw Peter and the Starcatcher, which was amazing, and I was lame in restaurant choice the entire time, so I need to do a better job of that next week even if Olive Garden was so good.
Since this is just an overview, I'm going to move on to my Inauguration tour, but I am going to try in the future to do short updates about cool things to do in the city.
My group was an AP Government class from a town in Connecticut, so thankfully they were accustomed to cold. The first day the bus dropped them off to meet me at the National Portrait Gallery/ Museum of American Art. These two museums occupy the same building and flow in and out of one another on each floor. The best known collection there is the Presidential Portrait Gallery, but there are also rotating exhibits of modern American artists and an amazing neon light and television screen map of the United States, picture below, by artist Nam June Paik. Behind every state is a collection of televisions depicting something that state is know for. For example, behind Idaho is a video loop of potatoes. I snuck a picture with the Obama painting while my group was walking around. I tried my best not to let any of my political leanings come out, which was semi successful.
After spending time in those museums, we walked to Ford's Theatre and Peterson House, where Lincoln was shot and died respectively. This is a good area for D.C. branded souvenir shopping, especially if you want discounted Romney apparel. From here, we continued on to the Smithsonian Museum of American History, the Air and Space Museum, and the Hirsshorn Sculpture Garden before dinner and a tour of all of the main monuments and memorials at night. One of the main tenets of student travel is to fit as many activities into a day because it is both cheaper and a tool to make them fall asleep when they get back to the hotel. Walking from Washington to Lincoln to Jefferson with stops in between will definitely do that.
The second day of tour was the day before the Inauguration, so we avoided downtown because there were so many road closures and detours. We began the day at Mount Vernon, George Washington's home in Virginia. They have a museum and education center now that make the attraction worth going to if you're not a fan of house tours. It's best to go during off season because the guides in the home can give you a more in-depth commentary of each room. With so many people here, each room guide had a minute long speech prepared that they just said over and over again. Our next stop was Iwo Jima followed by Arlington National Cemetery, but something got in the way.
As we drove up to Iwo Jima, we saw Mario Lopez filming on the side of a hill for extra right by the street. I told my group not to run across the street and bother him, but they couldn't help themselves. The segment producer told them if they were quiet they could be on the show. After twenty minutes of listening to him say the same sentences over and over, she kept her promise. My entire group stood with him and filmed a few shots of him asking questions about The Bachelor and Michelle Obama's bangs. He asked one woman what she thought about the First Lady's new haircut and her response was "Bangs! Bangs! Bangs!" This became the response to everything for the rest of the trip.
Because of our extended stay with Mario, we had to do a whirlwind tour of Arlington. If you are looking for a good workout, try jogging up and down the hills of Arlington just to get to the changing of the guard on time. The cemetery has a plethora of cool things to see like President Taft's grave, the Tomb of the Unknowns, and the Eternal Flame. Robert E. Lee's home is on the hill and has just been renovated and refilled with furniture and is worth seeing if you can handle the hike up the hill.
The next morning we left the hotel at 5 in order to get to our assigned parking location near the Nationals stadium about 2 miles away from the National Mall. When we arrived, the mall was not very full, so we decided to pick a spot toward the back to save time getting to lunch afterward. This apparently was not what the volunteers wanted us to do. They kept telling us we had to move forward but couldn't actually make us move. After about half a dozen of these people came up to up, the head volunteer came and said that we could move or the armed guard could make us move. We decided to move to the very back by the CNN tents just so we had space to roam about, get snacks, go to the bathroom, and do this thing called the Penguin Dance. As soon as the section we were originally in started filling in, we got the exact spot we had four hours beforehand.
The event itself was wonderful even for my kids wearing their Mitt Romney sweatshirts under their jackets. I was glad to have my Smithsonian sunglasses on to hide my tearing up during the speech. I loved all of the performances even the poem. My group kept getting excited for Beyonce and were let down every time someone else was announced. I think everyone needs to go to an Inauguration at least once in their lives because it's the perfect example of what American politics can be. I felt so patriotic that day. It gave me so much hope that we could move forward and work together to make the country a place that we want it to be. Will Congress get it's act together? Will President Obama keep the promises he made? Will the Supreme Court make some historical and tough decisions this year? Hopefully, so. At least we have the opportunity to work together to make things happen across party lines.
After the lip synced national anthem, we made our way through the crowds for a quick lunch at the American History Museum, which has some of the best but expensive food especially if you like barbecue. We then tried to make our way back to our bus, which was quite the trek. I have to give it to my group. They were amazing at walking long distances without complaining for the most part. We were trying to get back to the hotel so that they could take showers and get dressed for the Inaugural Ball my company threw for all of the groups. Unfortunately, the hotel lost power twenty minutes before we got there, so it was cold showers and no hairdryers. The Ball was like going to a prom except I was a chaperon sitting in a different room avoiding the dance floor. I loved getting to talk to other tour directors and coach drivers about their trips and experiences. It's an opportunity not often seen during the rest of the year.
The next day was their last, so we hurried over to the Capitol to meet the Senators of Connecticut with a few other groups and then had a page led tour of the building. One of the senators was newly elected and is serving on the foreign relations committee that did the hearing with Hillary Clinton the next day. The tour of the Capitol was great even with our guy admitting that it was only his second time. We got to see the cool little subway they use to get to and from their offices and the stairs everyone walked down during the Inauguration. When the tour was over, I had all of the groups meet at the Helen Keller statue before we did a quick run through of the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court next door.
After a lazy lunch at the Madison Building of the Library of Congress while the coach driver was getting the coach fixed, I said good-bye to my group and sadly walked back to the metro to come home. I can't believe how quickly the four days passed, and I just hope that the kids picked up on how wonderful a place D.C. is and how much they can learn by experiencing other places and how much difference they can make just by caring about what happens. I can only hope that my next group will be as good as these kids were.
My next installments will be about Philadelphia and Albuquerque!
Friday, October 12, 2012
What Not to Wear: Dragon*Con 2012
Well, this post took long enough considering my lack of daily activity, but so much of my job search and studying for my licensing exam was on the computer so I just couldn't do it anymore. Now, however, I have a job and am studied out until closer to the exam date. That can all be included in a later post. This is about Dragon*Con, which I attended at the beginning of September in Atlanta.
As the title would suggest, this event is filled with quite the assortment of costumes worn by attendees. If you don't know, Dragon*Con is a convention held every year in Atlanta celebrating the different areas of Science Fiction and Fantasy in film, television, literature, etc. My family has been going for years, but I've always had something else to do over Labor Day weekend. This time they were able to lure me with the promise of attending an acting class with Amber Benson for two days. I totally Buffy fanboyed out at that suggestion and had to go.
I stayed with my friends Karissa and Justin at their apartment in Candler Park east of downtown. I really love staying with friends as opposed to hotels because I feel like I actually get to know a city when I use its public transit and am away from the touristy areas. Enough about my lame travel habits.
The acting class with Amber Benson was AMAZING. Not really in terms of learning new things because my acting classes in college had covered all of these things, but it was just fun to meet ten new people and play improv games for two days. We also worked on cold reads and preparing for a television audition. Amber was so nice and encouraging of everyone, and she even went out with us for drinks the second night! I got to meet her mom and talk about being from Birmingham because that's where Amber and her family are from as well.
The rest of the convention was spent going to panels in the different "verses." A verse is a universe of science fiction or fantasy like Harry Potter, Doctor Who, or all things Joss Whedon. Actors, directors, writers, and fans all sit down and answer fan questions. It was really interesting getting to see all of these people talk passionately about acting and writing.
There were also some fun events. My mom and I competed with my friends Ben and April on a Game of Thrones trivia team. I have seen 0 episodes of the show, so I was a real asset... Actutally, though, I nerdily studied plot lines on Wikipedia and new some of the answers! Unfortunately, most of the score was given due to style points in little mini challenges between question rounds. One involved me pushing my mother at a running speed in her wheel chair for her to tackle a bobo clown and Tebow. There are pictures depicting this or I wouldn't believe it myself.
Karissa and I went to two dance parties the last night that were so much fun. If I go again or go to a similar conference in another city, I'll definitely dress up. If you have an ounce of nerd in you, you have to go. Just don't depend on the MARTA to get you anywhere because it sucks and will stop taking credit cards or require you to walk up the largest escalator in the South because it's broken. I even got super touristy and went to The Varsity for the first time with Amanda and Karissa to be unimpressed McKayla Muroney style. If you're looking for good food in Atlanta, go to Mary Mac's. It is a wonderful Southern style restaurant with some of the best sweet tea in the world. Believe me. I'm a connoisseur.
Coming up next my trip to DC and subsequent job offer!
As the title would suggest, this event is filled with quite the assortment of costumes worn by attendees. If you don't know, Dragon*Con is a convention held every year in Atlanta celebrating the different areas of Science Fiction and Fantasy in film, television, literature, etc. My family has been going for years, but I've always had something else to do over Labor Day weekend. This time they were able to lure me with the promise of attending an acting class with Amber Benson for two days. I totally Buffy fanboyed out at that suggestion and had to go.
I stayed with my friends Karissa and Justin at their apartment in Candler Park east of downtown. I really love staying with friends as opposed to hotels because I feel like I actually get to know a city when I use its public transit and am away from the touristy areas. Enough about my lame travel habits.
The acting class with Amber Benson was AMAZING. Not really in terms of learning new things because my acting classes in college had covered all of these things, but it was just fun to meet ten new people and play improv games for two days. We also worked on cold reads and preparing for a television audition. Amber was so nice and encouraging of everyone, and she even went out with us for drinks the second night! I got to meet her mom and talk about being from Birmingham because that's where Amber and her family are from as well.
The rest of the convention was spent going to panels in the different "verses." A verse is a universe of science fiction or fantasy like Harry Potter, Doctor Who, or all things Joss Whedon. Actors, directors, writers, and fans all sit down and answer fan questions. It was really interesting getting to see all of these people talk passionately about acting and writing.
There were also some fun events. My mom and I competed with my friends Ben and April on a Game of Thrones trivia team. I have seen 0 episodes of the show, so I was a real asset... Actutally, though, I nerdily studied plot lines on Wikipedia and new some of the answers! Unfortunately, most of the score was given due to style points in little mini challenges between question rounds. One involved me pushing my mother at a running speed in her wheel chair for her to tackle a bobo clown and Tebow. There are pictures depicting this or I wouldn't believe it myself.
Karissa and I went to two dance parties the last night that were so much fun. If I go again or go to a similar conference in another city, I'll definitely dress up. If you have an ounce of nerd in you, you have to go. Just don't depend on the MARTA to get you anywhere because it sucks and will stop taking credit cards or require you to walk up the largest escalator in the South because it's broken. I even got super touristy and went to The Varsity for the first time with Amanda and Karissa to be unimpressed McKayla Muroney style. If you're looking for good food in Atlanta, go to Mary Mac's. It is a wonderful Southern style restaurant with some of the best sweet tea in the world. Believe me. I'm a connoisseur.
Coming up next my trip to DC and subsequent job offer!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
How We Do Things in Second Samuel
I have never been more uncertain about being a part of a show in my life. Please don't hate me for this part. I read the script for Second Samuel and almost died of the morbid sentiment. It was so cutesy that I didn't know if it really fit my acing style and was worth putting time into. Even after the read thru I wasn't convinced. My previous experience with Park Players had not served me well in the friend department even though I loved doing the show. I came in with the fear that this show would go the same way. Luckily for me my first impressions were incorrect.
I can't exactly pinpoint it, but along the way I fell in love with the show and the people in it sometime near the discovery of the spider backstage. What I had taken for cheesiness was transformed into quaintness. I found the beauty in the show that the script itself cannot convey alone. It needs humanity breathed into it, and I was fortunate enough to be grouped with an amazing assortment of actors and a director that gave me everything I needed to pull off my performance.
B Flat could have easily been an overdone narrator with an obvious mental disability and no depth. For me at least, the script gave very little in terms oh character development, so all of that was discovered in working with these other incredible people. It became one of the shows I will miss the most and one of the roles I will always cherish. It challenged me in ways that I could not imagine.
Clay, thank you so much for picking me because I ran around that outdoor stage two years ago. I would not have auditioned otherwise. You saw a role that was perfect for me and my abilities even if I didn't. You gave me the freedom to do what I needed and never pressured me into doing any vision you had of the character. Thank you so much for that ability to grow and work, and I hope I met expectations.
Brad, Nicole, and Mike, thank you all so much for the time you put into the show either in advertising and promotion, learning light boards, or giving me a high five and keeping up with props backstage. You are all greatly appreciated for your work that made the show possible.
Ken, due to your reclusiveness I don't even know if you'll read this, but you were an amazing person with which to work. I feel like you had a handle on your character so quickly and only grew from there. When I wasn't talking to myself onstage, it was often directed at you, and I could not have chosen a better scene partner. Connecting with you was easy and necessary for my angry monologue at the end to have any weight. The preparation you put into getting into character is admirable, and it definitely showed in your performance.
David Coker, you just have one of those names where I have to include the last name or leave out the first. I guess that works for a teacher. Anyway, thank you for how extremely positive you were about my work throughout the process. I don't need praise to feel like my effort is working, but your kind words after mediocre rehearsals were very welcomed.
Dianne, finally we work together! After years of a vague awareness of each other's existence, we actually got to know one another. I hate it took this long. I was so impressed with your ability to get emotionally invested in the show every night. I tend to get desensitized especially if I'm the one talking, but you were able to connect to it without fail.
Greg, I don't know if you felt this way or even would have considered it, but I realized the last week of rehearsal how important the scene between Doc and B Flat is. It's where B Flat decides for himself how he feels about Ms Gertrude being a man. Because of that, I started to play with the nickel you flicked, given it landed on the bar, before the first of many emotional monologues because it gave B Flat the strength to stand up for what was right. Thank you for that and for becoming such a wonderful, supportive friend.
Scott, you were the only person I had acted with before, but I don't think we really shared much stage time in Taming. It's not easy to play a character that everyone hates because you rarely hear if you're doing a good job, especially when your blocking involves sitting. Thus I want to tell you that you did an amazing job. I needed your bigoted lines to get worked up at the end, and you delivered.
Howard, OMG... . We may have never cleaned glasses in sync, but you had to be one of the funniest parts of the show. I laughed every time you said "toot" for the first few weeks, and your ad libs were as funny as your given lines. Even if you looked like a Solid Gold dancer, you delivered a great performance worth being proud of.
Steven, I'm glad I got to see you onstage for once instead of taking pictures. Mansel was a perfect part for you. You kept a character relevant that could easily have strayed into overdone randomness. I will always laugh when I think of the rehearsal when I couldn't open the bottle under the bar in order to sip and spit in time.
Becky, I think we need to look for some synchronized acting competitions, or if you ever get famous enough to have someone do you in drag I might consider impersonating you for money. Except not all. I'm glad you got to be the "hero" of the show and gave me a character worth reacting to. I'm also thankful that you laughed at my joke regardless of appropriateness and that you accepted my beer pong invitation.
Amy, I will never drink a Coke again! I could not imagine doing what you did, being one role and changing halfway through to another role that is completely different in personality. You did a great job challenging yourself to be someone that is so far from yourself, which is what acting is meant to be. Keep it up!
Karen, I will be eternally grateful that you got brought into this show. Our friendship grew with a dinner of Indian food and general life talk, and it's been all gifs from there. I hope we can work together even more and it won't involve you sending me to get bags of hair from the back. Thanks to me you didn't really have a full rehearsal until the end of July, and that's impressive. I'm glad you were able to conquer, at least momentarily, your insecurity with crying onstage.
Yes, that was in reverse curtain call order. Be impressed. I love and miss you all. Thank you for everything you taught me and helping me learn that people make a show more than a script does. It's rare in a show that you get to have moments with every actor on stage, so I am glad that I was blessed with that. I am honored to have worked with you, shared gifs with you, worn overalls and the tightest jeans in front of you, and made you cry with my stuttering of simple truths. It said on the cover of the script something like "laugh cry but don't leave unchanged." Even though the lack of punctuation and capitalization killed me, this statement could not be more true. I laughed everyday from something one of you did. I cried onstage that last night because of what it meant to me. I have not left the experience unchanged. o.O
I can't exactly pinpoint it, but along the way I fell in love with the show and the people in it sometime near the discovery of the spider backstage. What I had taken for cheesiness was transformed into quaintness. I found the beauty in the show that the script itself cannot convey alone. It needs humanity breathed into it, and I was fortunate enough to be grouped with an amazing assortment of actors and a director that gave me everything I needed to pull off my performance.
B Flat could have easily been an overdone narrator with an obvious mental disability and no depth. For me at least, the script gave very little in terms oh character development, so all of that was discovered in working with these other incredible people. It became one of the shows I will miss the most and one of the roles I will always cherish. It challenged me in ways that I could not imagine.
Clay, thank you so much for picking me because I ran around that outdoor stage two years ago. I would not have auditioned otherwise. You saw a role that was perfect for me and my abilities even if I didn't. You gave me the freedom to do what I needed and never pressured me into doing any vision you had of the character. Thank you so much for that ability to grow and work, and I hope I met expectations.
Brad, Nicole, and Mike, thank you all so much for the time you put into the show either in advertising and promotion, learning light boards, or giving me a high five and keeping up with props backstage. You are all greatly appreciated for your work that made the show possible.
Ken, due to your reclusiveness I don't even know if you'll read this, but you were an amazing person with which to work. I feel like you had a handle on your character so quickly and only grew from there. When I wasn't talking to myself onstage, it was often directed at you, and I could not have chosen a better scene partner. Connecting with you was easy and necessary for my angry monologue at the end to have any weight. The preparation you put into getting into character is admirable, and it definitely showed in your performance.
David Coker, you just have one of those names where I have to include the last name or leave out the first. I guess that works for a teacher. Anyway, thank you for how extremely positive you were about my work throughout the process. I don't need praise to feel like my effort is working, but your kind words after mediocre rehearsals were very welcomed.
Dianne, finally we work together! After years of a vague awareness of each other's existence, we actually got to know one another. I hate it took this long. I was so impressed with your ability to get emotionally invested in the show every night. I tend to get desensitized especially if I'm the one talking, but you were able to connect to it without fail.
Greg, I don't know if you felt this way or even would have considered it, but I realized the last week of rehearsal how important the scene between Doc and B Flat is. It's where B Flat decides for himself how he feels about Ms Gertrude being a man. Because of that, I started to play with the nickel you flicked, given it landed on the bar, before the first of many emotional monologues because it gave B Flat the strength to stand up for what was right. Thank you for that and for becoming such a wonderful, supportive friend.
Scott, you were the only person I had acted with before, but I don't think we really shared much stage time in Taming. It's not easy to play a character that everyone hates because you rarely hear if you're doing a good job, especially when your blocking involves sitting. Thus I want to tell you that you did an amazing job. I needed your bigoted lines to get worked up at the end, and you delivered.
Howard, OMG... . We may have never cleaned glasses in sync, but you had to be one of the funniest parts of the show. I laughed every time you said "toot" for the first few weeks, and your ad libs were as funny as your given lines. Even if you looked like a Solid Gold dancer, you delivered a great performance worth being proud of.
Steven, I'm glad I got to see you onstage for once instead of taking pictures. Mansel was a perfect part for you. You kept a character relevant that could easily have strayed into overdone randomness. I will always laugh when I think of the rehearsal when I couldn't open the bottle under the bar in order to sip and spit in time.
Becky, I think we need to look for some synchronized acting competitions, or if you ever get famous enough to have someone do you in drag I might consider impersonating you for money. Except not all. I'm glad you got to be the "hero" of the show and gave me a character worth reacting to. I'm also thankful that you laughed at my joke regardless of appropriateness and that you accepted my beer pong invitation.
Amy, I will never drink a Coke again! I could not imagine doing what you did, being one role and changing halfway through to another role that is completely different in personality. You did a great job challenging yourself to be someone that is so far from yourself, which is what acting is meant to be. Keep it up!
Karen, I will be eternally grateful that you got brought into this show. Our friendship grew with a dinner of Indian food and general life talk, and it's been all gifs from there. I hope we can work together even more and it won't involve you sending me to get bags of hair from the back. Thanks to me you didn't really have a full rehearsal until the end of July, and that's impressive. I'm glad you were able to conquer, at least momentarily, your insecurity with crying onstage.
Yes, that was in reverse curtain call order. Be impressed. I love and miss you all. Thank you for everything you taught me and helping me learn that people make a show more than a script does. It's rare in a show that you get to have moments with every actor on stage, so I am glad that I was blessed with that. I am honored to have worked with you, shared gifs with you, worn overalls and the tightest jeans in front of you, and made you cry with my stuttering of simple truths. It said on the cover of the script something like "laugh cry but don't leave unchanged." Even though the lack of punctuation and capitalization killed me, this statement could not be more true. I laughed everyday from something one of you did. I cried onstage that last night because of what it meant to me. I have not left the experience unchanged. o.O
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Off on a Toot
I can't believe I've been back from San Francisco for two weeks now. I had to wait that long for enough interesting things to happen to making posting worth it. We'll start with "professional" updates and go on to the more ridiculous.
I have a job like offer! I was getting nervous just because I had sent out a dozen resumes and heard NOTHING besides one company telling me that they only hire in destination countries. To which I replied, "How's that Antarctica trip working out for you?" Then a week ago I heard from Smithsonian Student Tours. They have partnered with EF Tours, a company with which I have traveled three times. After a phone interview, I am excited to announce that I'll be attending their three day orientation and final interview in Washington D.C. to hopefully work a tour during the Inauguration with hopes of full season employment after that. Someone else in my San Francisco class will be there as well, so I'm excited to catch up and hopefully impress them with more success than impressing McKayla Maroney.
Speaking of McKayla, I am doing my best to educate my fellow cast members of Second Samuel on the ways of the internet generally through the usage of abbreviations, emoticons, and memes. o.O has become a popular one due to the amount of awkward situations we find ourselves in. I am so glad I was given the opportunity to do this show. It's filled with great people, and I don't even mind wearing the overalls at this point. We're having an audience for our final dress tonight, so I hope it goes well especially since it's Greg's birthday and all....
In the Health and Wellness are of my life, Sarah Rogers and I are on top of our game. We recently discovered that both of our families purchased memberships to the YMCA near our homes. We decided to take advantage of this membership because we doubt either one of us will actually pay for a membership on our own. Today we thought it would be a good idea to get a total body work out by taking the Y Cross class at 8:30 this morning. In true mature fashion, we laughed through the entire thing because we are ridiculously out of shape and barely made it through the hour and half. There are no water breaks! The instructor encouraged us to stay for the second class immediately after. I would have been dead on the push-up ball.
To fill up some of my time, I have started volunteering at the Birmingham Jefferson Red Cross downtown. My first day there was quite an interesting one. It started with discovering a squished plum in my backpack that I had placed there on July 21st. I had been seeing all these fruit flies upstairs and internally blaming it on my brother for leaving food in his room. I guess that was karmic. Then I rush downtown to meet with the woman who will show me where everything is in the office, and she had left hours earlier. After thirty minutes of waiting for another staff member to come back, the woman answering the phones left and promised another man was coming to take her place. JK He never showed up, so I attempted to answer the phones, but they were much fancier than the Tuscaloosa model. I eventually figured it out, and boy am I glad I did. I called someone to ask them to complete a survey. They didn't answer, but their voicemail was as thus in the automated voice "You have reached the voicemail box of..." and in her voice "Baby Child."
Well, now I am really engrossed in finding out if Scooby and the gang will be able to capture the Snow Ghost and still enjoy their skiing weekend. If your in Birmingham, come see my show this weekend or next!
I have a job like offer! I was getting nervous just because I had sent out a dozen resumes and heard NOTHING besides one company telling me that they only hire in destination countries. To which I replied, "How's that Antarctica trip working out for you?" Then a week ago I heard from Smithsonian Student Tours. They have partnered with EF Tours, a company with which I have traveled three times. After a phone interview, I am excited to announce that I'll be attending their three day orientation and final interview in Washington D.C. to hopefully work a tour during the Inauguration with hopes of full season employment after that. Someone else in my San Francisco class will be there as well, so I'm excited to catch up and hopefully impress them with more success than impressing McKayla Maroney.
Speaking of McKayla, I am doing my best to educate my fellow cast members of Second Samuel on the ways of the internet generally through the usage of abbreviations, emoticons, and memes. o.O has become a popular one due to the amount of awkward situations we find ourselves in. I am so glad I was given the opportunity to do this show. It's filled with great people, and I don't even mind wearing the overalls at this point. We're having an audience for our final dress tonight, so I hope it goes well especially since it's Greg's birthday and all....
In the Health and Wellness are of my life, Sarah Rogers and I are on top of our game. We recently discovered that both of our families purchased memberships to the YMCA near our homes. We decided to take advantage of this membership because we doubt either one of us will actually pay for a membership on our own. Today we thought it would be a good idea to get a total body work out by taking the Y Cross class at 8:30 this morning. In true mature fashion, we laughed through the entire thing because we are ridiculously out of shape and barely made it through the hour and half. There are no water breaks! The instructor encouraged us to stay for the second class immediately after. I would have been dead on the push-up ball.
To fill up some of my time, I have started volunteering at the Birmingham Jefferson Red Cross downtown. My first day there was quite an interesting one. It started with discovering a squished plum in my backpack that I had placed there on July 21st. I had been seeing all these fruit flies upstairs and internally blaming it on my brother for leaving food in his room. I guess that was karmic. Then I rush downtown to meet with the woman who will show me where everything is in the office, and she had left hours earlier. After thirty minutes of waiting for another staff member to come back, the woman answering the phones left and promised another man was coming to take her place. JK He never showed up, so I attempted to answer the phones, but they were much fancier than the Tuscaloosa model. I eventually figured it out, and boy am I glad I did. I called someone to ask them to complete a survey. They didn't answer, but their voicemail was as thus in the automated voice "You have reached the voicemail box of..." and in her voice "Baby Child."
Well, now I am really engrossed in finding out if Scooby and the gang will be able to capture the Snow Ghost and still enjoy their skiing weekend. If your in Birmingham, come see my show this weekend or next!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
I Left My Heart in San Francisco
I have no idea how I am going to compile a little over two weeks of an experience into one post, but I'm going to try.
Firstly, leaving LA involved a bit of foreshadowing into leaving San Francisco. The slider broke off of the zipper on my suitcase. Luckily, I was able to reattach it before my 6 hour bus ride up the Golden Coast.
For the entire time I stayed in a lovely home near the corner of Rivera and 44th Avenue only four blocks away from the Pacific Ocean. The first night after having Indian food delivered for dinner, I met my fellow housemate and soon to be friend Clare. She is a teacher from New Hampshire around my age. We hit it off very quickly, and thank goodness because we had a 30-40 minute commute into downtown everyday!
The number one thing I have to say for San Francisco in terms of convenience is that the public transportation is PHENOMENAL. The MUNI is the subway system that reaches through the center part of the peninsula from the Pacific Coast to Bayside. The subway cars are emition free and run on electricity once they get above ground as do some of the buses. There's also a bus system under MUNI that goes to all the other parts of the peninsula. It's only $2 a ride, but stops running around midnight. This dashed my dreams of any club action on a night off, but that was probably for the best.
BART, or Bay Area Rapid Transit, goes all the way from the airport across the Bay and into Oakland and Berkley. It's more expensive to ride but has nicer seats and less stops. Both of these systems played a key role in my carless adventures around the city. I'm the kind of person who hates driving, so this city was a dream. It's actually rather expensive to have a car because some places require you to pay to park it per month along with rent, and that charge can be as high as $500 or more.
I am going to have to be careful not to ramble on because I want to say so many things about this city I fell in love with so quickly. I'll just have to take you there to divulge all the information that wants to spill from my fingers.
For the entire two weeks, I was enrolled in a program called ITMI, or the International Tour Management Institute. It was started by Ted Bravos and his friend Bill. Ted is still an instructor along with Randy and a few guest instructors throughout the two week program. I had no idea what I was getting into. I thought it might just be a $3000+ referral agency, but it's so much more. I now feel confident in doing something I never realized was the perfect career option for me. It mixes a love of people, theatre, and traveling into one job. I have to thank Ted, Randy, Reggie, Sandi, and Korey so much for everything. I also have to give a shout out to my 20 female classmates. I was class 277, and it was the first time there was only one guy ever.
Back to San Francisco, originally called Yerba Buena, or "Good Herb" after a peppermint like plant in the area. It was one of the last missions established by the Spanish born Franciscan monk Junipero Serra on his Camino Real up the coast of California. Due to its geographical location, it tends to be on the cooler side temperature wise, especially during the summer months. The heat from the Eastern side of the state pulls the cold wet air mass of the Pacific over the city enveloping it in a beautiful fog. You can literally see it roll into the city in the morning and come back again before the sunsets. It's gorgeous.
Another thing I love about San Francisco is the diversity. There are over 90 distinct neighborhoods with individual personalities. From the Latin American Mission to the LGBTQ friendly Castro, there's something for everyone. The food as well spans the many types of cuisine. Here are some highlights:
1. Homeroom: gourmet mac and cheese in Oakland for less than $10 a entree. I WANT TO EAT IT ALL. I ended up getting the garlic with two types of cheese. It was phenomenal.
2. Bristol Farms: San Francisco is all about eating healthy and organically. This market has multiple locations and serves the freshest foods. I had their Tomato Basil soup more times than I care to admit in a sourdough bread bowl.
3. Lefty O'Doul's: named for a San Franciscan baseball legend, this cafeteria style restaurant and bar serves freshly carved sandwiches and daily specials for a crazy affordable price. I had their spaghetti, which was magnificent.
I hope to return to the city often. It will always have a special place in my heart because of it's promise of a new career, the new family I have in that career, and of all the things I learned and experienced there. Standing before Frida y Diego at SFMOMA was one of the highlights of this summer along with seeing the beauty of Burney Falls and realizing that there is a career out there for me in which I can find success and still be happy. I don't know if I'll ever be able to sit at a desk again, and I don't plan to find out. I do know that I will always have a good suit case so that I never again struggle up to the plastic wrap station at the airport because my bag has no sliders on the zipper and is held together with two belts and a trail of painters tape spanning two MUNI rides and one BART commute. If you're ever bored, please let me talk your ear off about this wonderful experience. Taylor got plenty of it after he picked me up from the airport at 1 in the morning. I can't wait to get started, so I already called and am visiting the department of tourism for Birmingham and hopefully getting a job as a local guide to save up some money for DC!
Firstly, leaving LA involved a bit of foreshadowing into leaving San Francisco. The slider broke off of the zipper on my suitcase. Luckily, I was able to reattach it before my 6 hour bus ride up the Golden Coast.
For the entire time I stayed in a lovely home near the corner of Rivera and 44th Avenue only four blocks away from the Pacific Ocean. The first night after having Indian food delivered for dinner, I met my fellow housemate and soon to be friend Clare. She is a teacher from New Hampshire around my age. We hit it off very quickly, and thank goodness because we had a 30-40 minute commute into downtown everyday!
The number one thing I have to say for San Francisco in terms of convenience is that the public transportation is PHENOMENAL. The MUNI is the subway system that reaches through the center part of the peninsula from the Pacific Coast to Bayside. The subway cars are emition free and run on electricity once they get above ground as do some of the buses. There's also a bus system under MUNI that goes to all the other parts of the peninsula. It's only $2 a ride, but stops running around midnight. This dashed my dreams of any club action on a night off, but that was probably for the best.
BART, or Bay Area Rapid Transit, goes all the way from the airport across the Bay and into Oakland and Berkley. It's more expensive to ride but has nicer seats and less stops. Both of these systems played a key role in my carless adventures around the city. I'm the kind of person who hates driving, so this city was a dream. It's actually rather expensive to have a car because some places require you to pay to park it per month along with rent, and that charge can be as high as $500 or more.
I am going to have to be careful not to ramble on because I want to say so many things about this city I fell in love with so quickly. I'll just have to take you there to divulge all the information that wants to spill from my fingers.
For the entire two weeks, I was enrolled in a program called ITMI, or the International Tour Management Institute. It was started by Ted Bravos and his friend Bill. Ted is still an instructor along with Randy and a few guest instructors throughout the two week program. I had no idea what I was getting into. I thought it might just be a $3000+ referral agency, but it's so much more. I now feel confident in doing something I never realized was the perfect career option for me. It mixes a love of people, theatre, and traveling into one job. I have to thank Ted, Randy, Reggie, Sandi, and Korey so much for everything. I also have to give a shout out to my 20 female classmates. I was class 277, and it was the first time there was only one guy ever.
Back to San Francisco, originally called Yerba Buena, or "Good Herb" after a peppermint like plant in the area. It was one of the last missions established by the Spanish born Franciscan monk Junipero Serra on his Camino Real up the coast of California. Due to its geographical location, it tends to be on the cooler side temperature wise, especially during the summer months. The heat from the Eastern side of the state pulls the cold wet air mass of the Pacific over the city enveloping it in a beautiful fog. You can literally see it roll into the city in the morning and come back again before the sunsets. It's gorgeous.
Another thing I love about San Francisco is the diversity. There are over 90 distinct neighborhoods with individual personalities. From the Latin American Mission to the LGBTQ friendly Castro, there's something for everyone. The food as well spans the many types of cuisine. Here are some highlights:
1. Homeroom: gourmet mac and cheese in Oakland for less than $10 a entree. I WANT TO EAT IT ALL. I ended up getting the garlic with two types of cheese. It was phenomenal.
2. Bristol Farms: San Francisco is all about eating healthy and organically. This market has multiple locations and serves the freshest foods. I had their Tomato Basil soup more times than I care to admit in a sourdough bread bowl.
3. Lefty O'Doul's: named for a San Franciscan baseball legend, this cafeteria style restaurant and bar serves freshly carved sandwiches and daily specials for a crazy affordable price. I had their spaghetti, which was magnificent.
I hope to return to the city often. It will always have a special place in my heart because of it's promise of a new career, the new family I have in that career, and of all the things I learned and experienced there. Standing before Frida y Diego at SFMOMA was one of the highlights of this summer along with seeing the beauty of Burney Falls and realizing that there is a career out there for me in which I can find success and still be happy. I don't know if I'll ever be able to sit at a desk again, and I don't plan to find out. I do know that I will always have a good suit case so that I never again struggle up to the plastic wrap station at the airport because my bag has no sliders on the zipper and is held together with two belts and a trail of painters tape spanning two MUNI rides and one BART commute. If you're ever bored, please let me talk your ear off about this wonderful experience. Taylor got plenty of it after he picked me up from the airport at 1 in the morning. I can't wait to get started, so I already called and am visiting the department of tourism for Birmingham and hopefully getting a job as a local guide to save up some money for DC!
All I Wanna Do is Have Some Fun
My life was a Cheryl Crow for a day. My family moved out of our Disneyland hotel, which was also The Disneyland hotel, and checked in at the Holiday Inn Express just off of Hollywood Blvd and near the Dolby Theatre, where the Academy Awards are held and where currently there is a Cirque du Soleil show called IRIS.
We had big plans for Saturday, so my family wanted to rest the day before to have enough energy. I luckily spied on facebook that three of my friends from college were going to spend the day at Santa Monica pier. My friend Phoebe moved out to LA a few months ago, so she had a car. This made traveling to Santa Monica rather easy even if she refuses to use highways and freeways. It just meant that we were able to see more of he city as we drove there.
Phoebe had never been to the beach so we were happy to share that with her. Before we got to the water, we went to a burger place on the famous pier. It wasn't as grandiose as I was expecting. There were a few restaurants and a small fair like park. I don't know why I thought it would be a bigger deal. It was still an enjoyable day, though!
After the burger, we went down to the very crowded beach to get in the water. It was FREEZING. That's to be expected with the Pacific Ocean. Watching Phoebe feel water and sand for the first time was excellent. I think that's one of the reasons I'm most excited about being a tour director. I want to be there when people experience new things and see how they react to them.
After the dip in the water, we found a play ground area near the beach on the other side of the pier. It has a good amount of different exercise apparatuses that let you display your strength or lack of strength in my case. The most popular one was a set of hanging rings. People used their upper body strength to propel them selves forward to the next ring without letting their feet touch the ground. It was quite the spectacle to behold. We sat for a long time cheering people on from far enough away that they couldn't actually hear us.
Sarah joined us to go for a bite to eat in the actual city portion of Santa Monica. We found a great inexpensive fusion Mediterranean place where I got some awesome tacos. We spent the entire meal and time after singing old 90s songs while looking up the music videos to them. Phoebe mentioned liking Nickleback, and it all went downhill from there.
The next day my family did a very interesting tour of Los Angeles. Using the commonly seen hop on hop off bus tour. For each stop, we had a set list of instructions and clues to follow to figure out an answer which was worth so many points. We had so much fun getting off the bus and solving most of the puzzles. We even got a free milkshake! It was fun interacting with their placed actors along the way and solving the puzzles even if we were racing alone. It's all based on points and not time finished. Also, at the end we were given gold medals for getting enough points. I believe the company is called the Amazing Los Angeles Race, and they have these races in multiple locations like New Orleans and NYC. It's definitely worth the money.
Another highlight of the area was the El Capitan theatre on Hollywood Blvd. It's owned by Disney and has the Egyptian style architecture that was popular after the discovery of King Tut's tomb. The theatre is gorgeous and multitiered on the inside. I thought the ticket was a little pricey, but it was 3D and in LA so that balances out. Before the show classic Disney songs are played on an organ. Then, to my surprise, the people you thought were ushers do a twenty minute Broadway style song and dance medley intermingled with costumed Disney characters and ending with confetti and a large American flag being dropped from the ceiling. Finally, after all of this Brave started. The movie was great, and I recommend that everybody see it when it comes out.
We had big plans for Saturday, so my family wanted to rest the day before to have enough energy. I luckily spied on facebook that three of my friends from college were going to spend the day at Santa Monica pier. My friend Phoebe moved out to LA a few months ago, so she had a car. This made traveling to Santa Monica rather easy even if she refuses to use highways and freeways. It just meant that we were able to see more of he city as we drove there.
Phoebe had never been to the beach so we were happy to share that with her. Before we got to the water, we went to a burger place on the famous pier. It wasn't as grandiose as I was expecting. There were a few restaurants and a small fair like park. I don't know why I thought it would be a bigger deal. It was still an enjoyable day, though!
After the burger, we went down to the very crowded beach to get in the water. It was FREEZING. That's to be expected with the Pacific Ocean. Watching Phoebe feel water and sand for the first time was excellent. I think that's one of the reasons I'm most excited about being a tour director. I want to be there when people experience new things and see how they react to them.
After the dip in the water, we found a play ground area near the beach on the other side of the pier. It has a good amount of different exercise apparatuses that let you display your strength or lack of strength in my case. The most popular one was a set of hanging rings. People used their upper body strength to propel them selves forward to the next ring without letting their feet touch the ground. It was quite the spectacle to behold. We sat for a long time cheering people on from far enough away that they couldn't actually hear us.
Sarah joined us to go for a bite to eat in the actual city portion of Santa Monica. We found a great inexpensive fusion Mediterranean place where I got some awesome tacos. We spent the entire meal and time after singing old 90s songs while looking up the music videos to them. Phoebe mentioned liking Nickleback, and it all went downhill from there.
The next day my family did a very interesting tour of Los Angeles. Using the commonly seen hop on hop off bus tour. For each stop, we had a set list of instructions and clues to follow to figure out an answer which was worth so many points. We had so much fun getting off the bus and solving most of the puzzles. We even got a free milkshake! It was fun interacting with their placed actors along the way and solving the puzzles even if we were racing alone. It's all based on points and not time finished. Also, at the end we were given gold medals for getting enough points. I believe the company is called the Amazing Los Angeles Race, and they have these races in multiple locations like New Orleans and NYC. It's definitely worth the money.
Another highlight of the area was the El Capitan theatre on Hollywood Blvd. It's owned by Disney and has the Egyptian style architecture that was popular after the discovery of King Tut's tomb. The theatre is gorgeous and multitiered on the inside. I thought the ticket was a little pricey, but it was 3D and in LA so that balances out. Before the show classic Disney songs are played on an organ. Then, to my surprise, the people you thought were ushers do a twenty minute Broadway style song and dance medley intermingled with costumed Disney characters and ending with confetti and a large American flag being dropped from the ceiling. Finally, after all of this Brave started. The movie was great, and I recommend that everybody see it when it comes out.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Part of that World
Well, as I sadly knew, photos I post via my Macbook never stay loaded on the page. I may just be doing it wrong, but it is the ONE thing that is easier on a PC. So until I figure this out my travel blog will be lacking photographic evidence of my trips.
After the lengthy trip to and from San Diego, I met my parents and brother at LAX to begin our Disneyland adventure. If you know me for longer than a minute, you discover that my family has an obsession with Disney World. I'm not lying when I say that I can't tell you how many times I've been to the parks.
To mix it up, we decided to go to Disneyland since I had to be in California anyway a week later. We spent only three days in the two parks, which was plenty. If you have the endurance, you can really do the parks in just two days, but if you like to take your time or wake up later in the day it may take you more time.
The two parks are Disneyland and California Adventure, and they are situated across from one another with barely a football field between them. This makes it easy to go from park to park if you've purchased the Park Hopper option on your ticket. Another convenience it that all three Disney hotels are within walking distance, so you'll be able to go back to your room and rest if you need.
My overall rating is unimpressed. I'm glad we went as a onetime thing, but I would not likely return. Disney World just spoiled me. Four parks with a myriad of restaurants and attractions that can keep you engaged for days. I did enjoy myself, but it just wasn't the same I was glad to experience some of the new rides in Carsland and the rest of California Adventure. Also, many of the rides that are in both parks were actually better at Disneyland! It lacked the same caliber of restaurants and that feeling of magical escape because it is so close to the major roads of Anaheim.
Now I'll get a little more specific about each park and some suggestions. Firstly, Californians share something in common with me. They love to sleep in and take their time getting somewhere. Because of this, the best time to go to either park is first thing in the morning and staying late. The parks are open as late as midnight. On our first day, we were almost finished with everything at Disneyland by lunch because the lines were so short. This was partly due to the new attractions opening in Carsland at California Adventure. The line to get a FASTPASS for the Radiator Springs Racers is just as lengthy as the line for the ride itself.
Right after lunch both parks fill up and lines are just as long as you'd expect them to be in the middle of summer. You can't let yourself get too distracted or you might miss a celebrity or two. On the way out of the Haunted Mansion, my mother's wheelchair was pushed up to a chain that needed to be unclipped, so a nice boy unclipped it for us and let as pass. We look back only to discover that the four sisterwives and children along with Kody were waiting to get on, and one of the kids had been the one to help us out.
While Disneyland is pretty comparable to Magic Kingdom at Disney World, there is one feature worth visiting the park for. That is the Indiana Jones adventure ride. A group of twelve sit in a jeep that is going into a tomb to explore but end up invoking a curse. The jeep speeds through the temple escaping fire, bugs, snakes, and boulders. The ride is beautifully crafted and involves impressive special effects and ride technology. It's a similar experience to the Dinosaur ride, formerly known as Countdown to Extinction, at Disney's Animal Kingdom, but it is infinitely better.
California Adventure was filled with new things to experience. Some highlights were their pier style "wooden " roller coaster and the Little Mermaid ride. I loved them both for different reasons. One was a great thrill ride and the other went through all of the music of one of my favorite movies. It's definitely good for a one time visit. The ride in Carsland is even worth the wait if it isn't constantly breaking down. It'll be much better once the novelty of it being new wears off.
My personal favorite part of the trip was beating will and the Toy Story Mania attraction. It's a ride where you play carnival style games via a 3D video game. You accumulate points based on how many targets you hit. Will tends to KILL me at these games, but one time I was able to win. It's on my top ten lists of accomplishments.
More information about all Disney parks can be found here. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/ If you have any specific questions or want recommendations, let me know!
After the lengthy trip to and from San Diego, I met my parents and brother at LAX to begin our Disneyland adventure. If you know me for longer than a minute, you discover that my family has an obsession with Disney World. I'm not lying when I say that I can't tell you how many times I've been to the parks.
To mix it up, we decided to go to Disneyland since I had to be in California anyway a week later. We spent only three days in the two parks, which was plenty. If you have the endurance, you can really do the parks in just two days, but if you like to take your time or wake up later in the day it may take you more time.
The two parks are Disneyland and California Adventure, and they are situated across from one another with barely a football field between them. This makes it easy to go from park to park if you've purchased the Park Hopper option on your ticket. Another convenience it that all three Disney hotels are within walking distance, so you'll be able to go back to your room and rest if you need.
My overall rating is unimpressed. I'm glad we went as a onetime thing, but I would not likely return. Disney World just spoiled me. Four parks with a myriad of restaurants and attractions that can keep you engaged for days. I did enjoy myself, but it just wasn't the same I was glad to experience some of the new rides in Carsland and the rest of California Adventure. Also, many of the rides that are in both parks were actually better at Disneyland! It lacked the same caliber of restaurants and that feeling of magical escape because it is so close to the major roads of Anaheim.
Now I'll get a little more specific about each park and some suggestions. Firstly, Californians share something in common with me. They love to sleep in and take their time getting somewhere. Because of this, the best time to go to either park is first thing in the morning and staying late. The parks are open as late as midnight. On our first day, we were almost finished with everything at Disneyland by lunch because the lines were so short. This was partly due to the new attractions opening in Carsland at California Adventure. The line to get a FASTPASS for the Radiator Springs Racers is just as lengthy as the line for the ride itself.
Right after lunch both parks fill up and lines are just as long as you'd expect them to be in the middle of summer. You can't let yourself get too distracted or you might miss a celebrity or two. On the way out of the Haunted Mansion, my mother's wheelchair was pushed up to a chain that needed to be unclipped, so a nice boy unclipped it for us and let as pass. We look back only to discover that the four sisterwives and children along with Kody were waiting to get on, and one of the kids had been the one to help us out.
While Disneyland is pretty comparable to Magic Kingdom at Disney World, there is one feature worth visiting the park for. That is the Indiana Jones adventure ride. A group of twelve sit in a jeep that is going into a tomb to explore but end up invoking a curse. The jeep speeds through the temple escaping fire, bugs, snakes, and boulders. The ride is beautifully crafted and involves impressive special effects and ride technology. It's a similar experience to the Dinosaur ride, formerly known as Countdown to Extinction, at Disney's Animal Kingdom, but it is infinitely better.
California Adventure was filled with new things to experience. Some highlights were their pier style "wooden " roller coaster and the Little Mermaid ride. I loved them both for different reasons. One was a great thrill ride and the other went through all of the music of one of my favorite movies. It's definitely good for a one time visit. The ride in Carsland is even worth the wait if it isn't constantly breaking down. It'll be much better once the novelty of it being new wears off.
My personal favorite part of the trip was beating will and the Toy Story Mania attraction. It's a ride where you play carnival style games via a 3D video game. You accumulate points based on how many targets you hit. Will tends to KILL me at these games, but one time I was able to win. It's on my top ten lists of accomplishments.
More information about all Disney parks can be found here. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/ If you have any specific questions or want recommendations, let me know!
Where is the World is San Diego?
I actually didn't realize how far south it was in California, but that's a different, less interesting story. For the next few weeks, I plan on attempting to make this more of a travel blog and less about the banalities of my life, though I'm sure you enjoyed those as well.
I spent the past week in Los Angeles with my family but made a few side trips to different cities and attractions in the area. I'll go chronologically, so my first focus will be the lovely San Diego. If you're wanting to travel to San Diego from Los Angeles, the trip should take around two to two and a half hours. Notice the word "should." I got to LA two days early so that I could spend some time with my friend Sarah before the intense family vacation began, and she really wanted to go to the world famous San Diego Zoo. We slept in a little Saturday due to my late arrival time and got on the road around 11.
Don't do that. If you want to make a day trip over the weekend, leave early. LA traffic pretty much never ends, but leaving during lunch hours is not intelligent. This decision along with her car refusing to accelerate at one point resulted in it taking us five hours to arrive in San Diego. It's a fairly easy drive. There were just a plethora of people making the same one. Luckily, we broke up the driving with a nice trip to a fast food Mexican chain called Del Taco. It's a big step up from Taco Bell and still rather cheap, but nothing can compare to my love of Taco Casa, especially when there's not even sweet tea.
Once we finally got to San Diego, Sarah and I parked in the zoo parking lot FOR FREE, which was a nice surprise. It was just to get our guards down before we had to pay admission. A general admission ticket runs around $42 for an adult, and it only goes up from there if you want any of the special tours or the 3D show. This price is well worth the amount of money. The zoo seems to be as large as some theme parks. The land is expansive enough that some guests choose to pay a small extra fee to ride a double decker bus around the property to see all of the exhibits in a timely manner without having to walk up and down all of the steep hills. So if you dislike walking or have someone in your group that has trouble with steep hills or walking for long periods of time, this might be the option for you.
We arrived, due to our out of the ordinary travel time, around 4 in the afternoon. The Zoo stays open until 9 and has a great light show at night. Unfortunately, it doesn't get dark until late during the summer, so the lights aren't as enjoyable as they might be during other times of the year. We stayed at the zoo four for hours and were able to see all of the major attractions while walking all of the trails, so if you arrive early in the day it's easy to walk and get everything done.
Just a note, most animals are really active in the morning and the late afternoon and evening, so during lunch time when it's really hot outside most of them are rather lethargic. It's a good idea to plan around this time if you want to see the animals do more than lie down. While the pandas are the main draw of the zoo and unlike some zoos viewing them is included in admission, the portion I loved most was the aviary. There are actually a couple of aviaries on the grounds. All of them are enclosed but have fresh, open air and are multi-leveled. This means that you can walk across a bridge at different levels in the trees to see the many species of birds as they fly around you and in front of you. It's beautiful and one of the most natural experiences that you can get in a zoo. I generally hate seeing animals being caged in, but the San Diego Zoo does a good job of giving the animals larger habitats, though not as impressive as Disney's Animal Kingdom. I am glad I was able to go, but I do not think I would go again just because of the cost. It is an excellent onetime experience! Here's their website if you want ore information about admission prices and the different exhibits. http://www.sandiegozoo.org/
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Hasta La VISTA from a Place of Rest and Vision
I have been unemployed after my VISTA year at Red Cross and homeless for one week now. I am currently sitting in the Birmingham "Internaltional" (jajajajajaja) Airport where there is ZERO air conditioning. Luckily Sumatanga has built up my resistance to such a problem over the past week, so it's like I brought camp with me.
This week has been incredible. This post is going to delve into faith, which I haven't really talked about over the past year. I've thought that my loneliness in Tuscaloosa had to do with a lack of friends and a stressful job, but what I didn't realize is how large a role a faith community has played in my life up until this point. The Wesley Foundation served that purpose throughout college, but once that was no longer an option I just became a sporadic church attendee without forming bonds with anyone at the churches I attended.
Whilst in a service at one of the aforementioned churches, I was struck with the idea of going to camp during my one transitionary week. In order to do this, I cancelled my previously planned beach excursion, and I knew I'd have to drive back and forth to go to rehearsals. I was so excited for the opportunity that it didn't matter. Oddly, I was more excited about going to camp than I was about going to California a week later.
When I went to fill out the counselor application, I discovered that the directors were two people with whom I have been friends for a long time, Mary and Timmy Collins, so that made me even more excited. After my going away party last Friday, I woke up and drove straight to camp with a small pit stop in Hoover to pack and bathe in less than an hour.
The first day was awkward since there was no one I knew really well, and the scholarship counselors that are there all summer already had such a strong bond. By the end of the week, I felt like I had been there the entire summer with them. I made the realization that Sumatanga is so much more than a place. I've missed camp for two years, but I visited to bring friends from college there. This week made me see that it wasn't the place I missed it was the people and the community that they created. There are so few opportunities to spend a week in Alabama heat and humidity where your appearance doesn't matter nor do your love for crafts, lack of softball abilities, and love for singing parodies of Disney songs.
The theme of the week was Just Add Water, which was a perfect metaphor for camp. I went in there parched but was able to pour myself out into making a beautiful week for all of the campers, but I was also refilled with a new revitalization of my faith. This is exactly what I was hoping for and desperately needed. I hated leaving early today, especially with my flight changing to 7:25.
I don't want to bore you with all the details, but I'll include some highlights in the form of a Top 10 List that has no ranking importance, a combination rather than a permutation, if you will.
1. I sang my original lyrics to "Part of Your World" to be "That Craft Hut Girl." Only a few campers didn't recognize it as a song from The Little Mermaid and thought I was just constantly forgetting the words.
2. I met some great people. My co-counselor, Carmen and her beautiful imperfections, Mason and his handlebar mustache, Holly and her broken leg, Jennifer and her ability to lead multiple groups over the week, and a great band are just a few.
3. I got to revisit old friendships with Tom, Mary, Timmy, Jenny, Cary, Sami, et al while I was there. Some of these people I hadn't seen in years, but it didn't seem that way at all.
4. I had the loudest cabin, which seems to always happen. They end up growing on you by the end of the week, especially when they quietest they are is when they request you to sing a song or when you're reading Alexander and the Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
5. Apparently I look like Frodo, Rick Astley, and Alexander from the previously mentioned book.
6. There was an evening program about finding God in the chaos of life, which really spoke to me because of the year I've had with the tornado, three different apartments, and a job that consisted of dealing with disasters. The program involved a labyrinth of chairs all in odd positions that just brought me back to the devastation I saw in Tuscaloosa, Phil Campbell, and Centerpoint.
7. I love making nametags for people especially when I can theme them after Disney movies. I made a pretty good one with Mason's name being a mustache on a face and a Cinderella one for Emalee with the "a" as a pumpkin and the rest of the letters as vines coming off of it.
8. The kids were so great this week. I love playing games with them, trying to make them think in small groups, and interacting with them in meals and services. I'm still in the age range in which junior high students find you cool just by existing, so that makes it even better.
9. I actually scored two runs and caught an out in the camper counselor softball game. That almost makes up for the 15 or so pitches it took for me to hit the ball one time...
10. I overcame my competitive nature and allowed a child to stay in a round of ships and sailors. I only did this after I had bumped them out of the four men eating circle and let them take my place instead. At least it's improvement?
Camp was wonderful, and I cannot wait until I can call Sumatanga my home again. Hopefully, next summer I'll be able to be there a little longer. I have too many nametags to make and too many songs to sing for just one week.
This week has been incredible. This post is going to delve into faith, which I haven't really talked about over the past year. I've thought that my loneliness in Tuscaloosa had to do with a lack of friends and a stressful job, but what I didn't realize is how large a role a faith community has played in my life up until this point. The Wesley Foundation served that purpose throughout college, but once that was no longer an option I just became a sporadic church attendee without forming bonds with anyone at the churches I attended.
Whilst in a service at one of the aforementioned churches, I was struck with the idea of going to camp during my one transitionary week. In order to do this, I cancelled my previously planned beach excursion, and I knew I'd have to drive back and forth to go to rehearsals. I was so excited for the opportunity that it didn't matter. Oddly, I was more excited about going to camp than I was about going to California a week later.
When I went to fill out the counselor application, I discovered that the directors were two people with whom I have been friends for a long time, Mary and Timmy Collins, so that made me even more excited. After my going away party last Friday, I woke up and drove straight to camp with a small pit stop in Hoover to pack and bathe in less than an hour.
The first day was awkward since there was no one I knew really well, and the scholarship counselors that are there all summer already had such a strong bond. By the end of the week, I felt like I had been there the entire summer with them. I made the realization that Sumatanga is so much more than a place. I've missed camp for two years, but I visited to bring friends from college there. This week made me see that it wasn't the place I missed it was the people and the community that they created. There are so few opportunities to spend a week in Alabama heat and humidity where your appearance doesn't matter nor do your love for crafts, lack of softball abilities, and love for singing parodies of Disney songs.
The theme of the week was Just Add Water, which was a perfect metaphor for camp. I went in there parched but was able to pour myself out into making a beautiful week for all of the campers, but I was also refilled with a new revitalization of my faith. This is exactly what I was hoping for and desperately needed. I hated leaving early today, especially with my flight changing to 7:25.
I don't want to bore you with all the details, but I'll include some highlights in the form of a Top 10 List that has no ranking importance, a combination rather than a permutation, if you will.
1. I sang my original lyrics to "Part of Your World" to be "That Craft Hut Girl." Only a few campers didn't recognize it as a song from The Little Mermaid and thought I was just constantly forgetting the words.
2. I met some great people. My co-counselor, Carmen and her beautiful imperfections, Mason and his handlebar mustache, Holly and her broken leg, Jennifer and her ability to lead multiple groups over the week, and a great band are just a few.
3. I got to revisit old friendships with Tom, Mary, Timmy, Jenny, Cary, Sami, et al while I was there. Some of these people I hadn't seen in years, but it didn't seem that way at all.
4. I had the loudest cabin, which seems to always happen. They end up growing on you by the end of the week, especially when they quietest they are is when they request you to sing a song or when you're reading Alexander and the Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
5. Apparently I look like Frodo, Rick Astley, and Alexander from the previously mentioned book.
6. There was an evening program about finding God in the chaos of life, which really spoke to me because of the year I've had with the tornado, three different apartments, and a job that consisted of dealing with disasters. The program involved a labyrinth of chairs all in odd positions that just brought me back to the devastation I saw in Tuscaloosa, Phil Campbell, and Centerpoint.
7. I love making nametags for people especially when I can theme them after Disney movies. I made a pretty good one with Mason's name being a mustache on a face and a Cinderella one for Emalee with the "a" as a pumpkin and the rest of the letters as vines coming off of it.
8. The kids were so great this week. I love playing games with them, trying to make them think in small groups, and interacting with them in meals and services. I'm still in the age range in which junior high students find you cool just by existing, so that makes it even better.
9. I actually scored two runs and caught an out in the camper counselor softball game. That almost makes up for the 15 or so pitches it took for me to hit the ball one time...
10. I overcame my competitive nature and allowed a child to stay in a round of ships and sailors. I only did this after I had bumped them out of the four men eating circle and let them take my place instead. At least it's improvement?
Camp was wonderful, and I cannot wait until I can call Sumatanga my home again. Hopefully, next summer I'll be able to be there a little longer. I have too many nametags to make and too many songs to sing for just one week.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Red Crossed Out
Well, it's my last day as a VISTA for the American Red Cross of West Alabama, so I thought I'd do a compilation list of things I learned during my year here.
1. Don't expect someone to tell you how to do your job. While it would be nice to have a supervisor get you started on the right track, it's not always going to happen. Sometimes you'll just be handed a bag of keys and get told to find out where they go because your supervisor got fired and no one knows what to do with you.
2. Things change quickly. In the time that I have been here so many volunteers and staff members have cycled out or moved on. This is where I wish I had a compilation video of all of them smiling with some dramatic music in the background while we all reminisce.
3. If you don't like something, fix it. If you live with a cracked out, high, wasted twenty-eight year old ex-marine, then find somewhere else to live. Don't endure months of stolen food, forgotten vibrators, and loud but thankfully short sex acts.
4. Have more than one thing to do with your life. Even if you love your job, you've got to find something else to do with your time or you will get worn out. So whether it's a healthy competitive addiction to trivia or a weekly voice lesson, have something that gets you out of a work mindset. Just avoid getting in the middle of fights at Waffle House unless you want to be a background youtube sensation.
5. Working for a nonprofit is hard. It's not a nine to five desk job. You have to work nights and weekends and sometimes at a moment's notice. Even if you complain, you know it's what has to be done, so you do it regardless of any Volunteer Assignment Description or regional supervisor's sour face. Seriously, why won't she smile? It can also involve a lot of getting thrown under the bus.
6. Unfortunately, the only way to get things done the way you want them is to do them yourself or to be less anal about them. Waiting around for someone to fix the server or figure out why the lanyard people are continuing to call you from New Delhi isn't going to do any good. If a group is complaining about a health fair not getting planned, you might as well take on the project so that it happens. Even if it completely stresses you out, you do the work because you know it's needed. I am so proud of Brazos Abiertos and the help it brings to the Latin American community every year.
7. Post college friend creation is a difficult process even with living in a town full of people you know. I have noticed that the quality of my friendships have increased as the quantity has decreased. Who would have thought? Along with this, age and intelligence are not factors to be considered in making friends. This was something I had already picked up on a little bit, but nothing proved it more to me than my friendship with James.
8. Life is too ridiculous not to laugh. With my living situations and fire clients pretending to be kidnapped or using their money for parties at Surin, I would not have survived this year without a sense of humor and a coping mechanism of making memes. You also need people that you can talk to about cows being in trees, trying to find a non existent Birmingham office, Clara Barton wearing hot pants, getting the runaround, picking up ferns, and crazy ERV teachers.
9. I LOVE food especially when it's free. My weight gain can attest to that. I will eat anything, and it will not mess up my stomach. I also apparently love chicken more than anyone else and really need to give chitlins a chance.
10. I HATE DESK JOBS. In a year, I never developed a proper sleep schedule due to reading fanfiction and watching episodes upon episodes of television shows. I am not meant to sit at a desk for hours and be up before 8 in the morning. My coworkers will agree that it generally takes me an hour or so to fully wake up, and even after that I'll fall asleep if I'm not doing something.
11. You can't do work like this without it's mark on you. Sometimes this is literally after you run into a trailer hitch, but luckily when you work at the Red Cross everyone is first aid trained your injuries are well taken care of.
12. Working at poverty level is one of those character building experiences. In this year, I have personally worked with close to sixty families who have been affected by single family house fires and a larger number who were affected in the Centrepoint tornado. These experiences have reminded me what things are important, so it's hopefully limited my complaining about money issues and led to me being even less materialistic.
13. Life is all about relationships regardless of their length. I have gleaned so much from month long friendships with community service volunteers that I hope to see again as well as from people I have known all year. None of these people are very similar to me. Military veterans, Montanans, former gospel singers, senior college students, random people at improv shows who end up being your stage manager, sassy special needs adults, family caregivers, old volunteers who make blunts out of pipe cleaners, and ambien lovers have made my family this year.
14. Give back to what's important to you. For me that was my beautiful hometown of Tuscaloosa. When I left after senior year came to an abrupt end because of the tornado, I felt terrible even worse when I went to Phil Campbell and saw my grandmother and aunt's destroyed homes. This year has allowed me the opportunity to see my city get back on its feet, and I got to help in that process. It also made me not be Tuscaloosa centric. There are eight counties I now call my own, and I care deeply about the plights of each of them. Find what's important to you and help make it better.
That's all I have for now. Maybe I'll expand on it later, but I've got some free food to eat in a little bit. Thank you for reading and being a part of this experience. I can't wait to share the next ones with you!
1. Don't expect someone to tell you how to do your job. While it would be nice to have a supervisor get you started on the right track, it's not always going to happen. Sometimes you'll just be handed a bag of keys and get told to find out where they go because your supervisor got fired and no one knows what to do with you.
2. Things change quickly. In the time that I have been here so many volunteers and staff members have cycled out or moved on. This is where I wish I had a compilation video of all of them smiling with some dramatic music in the background while we all reminisce.
3. If you don't like something, fix it. If you live with a cracked out, high, wasted twenty-eight year old ex-marine, then find somewhere else to live. Don't endure months of stolen food, forgotten vibrators, and loud but thankfully short sex acts.
4. Have more than one thing to do with your life. Even if you love your job, you've got to find something else to do with your time or you will get worn out. So whether it's a healthy competitive addiction to trivia or a weekly voice lesson, have something that gets you out of a work mindset. Just avoid getting in the middle of fights at Waffle House unless you want to be a background youtube sensation.
5. Working for a nonprofit is hard. It's not a nine to five desk job. You have to work nights and weekends and sometimes at a moment's notice. Even if you complain, you know it's what has to be done, so you do it regardless of any Volunteer Assignment Description or regional supervisor's sour face. Seriously, why won't she smile? It can also involve a lot of getting thrown under the bus.
6. Unfortunately, the only way to get things done the way you want them is to do them yourself or to be less anal about them. Waiting around for someone to fix the server or figure out why the lanyard people are continuing to call you from New Delhi isn't going to do any good. If a group is complaining about a health fair not getting planned, you might as well take on the project so that it happens. Even if it completely stresses you out, you do the work because you know it's needed. I am so proud of Brazos Abiertos and the help it brings to the Latin American community every year.
7. Post college friend creation is a difficult process even with living in a town full of people you know. I have noticed that the quality of my friendships have increased as the quantity has decreased. Who would have thought? Along with this, age and intelligence are not factors to be considered in making friends. This was something I had already picked up on a little bit, but nothing proved it more to me than my friendship with James.
8. Life is too ridiculous not to laugh. With my living situations and fire clients pretending to be kidnapped or using their money for parties at Surin, I would not have survived this year without a sense of humor and a coping mechanism of making memes. You also need people that you can talk to about cows being in trees, trying to find a non existent Birmingham office, Clara Barton wearing hot pants, getting the runaround, picking up ferns, and crazy ERV teachers.
9. I LOVE food especially when it's free. My weight gain can attest to that. I will eat anything, and it will not mess up my stomach. I also apparently love chicken more than anyone else and really need to give chitlins a chance.
10. I HATE DESK JOBS. In a year, I never developed a proper sleep schedule due to reading fanfiction and watching episodes upon episodes of television shows. I am not meant to sit at a desk for hours and be up before 8 in the morning. My coworkers will agree that it generally takes me an hour or so to fully wake up, and even after that I'll fall asleep if I'm not doing something.
11. You can't do work like this without it's mark on you. Sometimes this is literally after you run into a trailer hitch, but luckily when you work at the Red Cross everyone is first aid trained your injuries are well taken care of.
12. Working at poverty level is one of those character building experiences. In this year, I have personally worked with close to sixty families who have been affected by single family house fires and a larger number who were affected in the Centrepoint tornado. These experiences have reminded me what things are important, so it's hopefully limited my complaining about money issues and led to me being even less materialistic.
13. Life is all about relationships regardless of their length. I have gleaned so much from month long friendships with community service volunteers that I hope to see again as well as from people I have known all year. None of these people are very similar to me. Military veterans, Montanans, former gospel singers, senior college students, random people at improv shows who end up being your stage manager, sassy special needs adults, family caregivers, old volunteers who make blunts out of pipe cleaners, and ambien lovers have made my family this year.
14. Give back to what's important to you. For me that was my beautiful hometown of Tuscaloosa. When I left after senior year came to an abrupt end because of the tornado, I felt terrible even worse when I went to Phil Campbell and saw my grandmother and aunt's destroyed homes. This year has allowed me the opportunity to see my city get back on its feet, and I got to help in that process. It also made me not be Tuscaloosa centric. There are eight counties I now call my own, and I care deeply about the plights of each of them. Find what's important to you and help make it better.
That's all I have for now. Maybe I'll expand on it later, but I've got some free food to eat in a little bit. Thank you for reading and being a part of this experience. I can't wait to share the next ones with you!
Monday, June 18, 2012
The Final Countdown
Well, it's my last Monday in the office and hopefully any office for a while. Where I'm going, we don't need desks. That was a strained reference to Back to the Future. I am still in disbelief that I have actually been here this long. What's crazier is how much just this office has changed in that time. I'll save all of that for a reflecting post at the end of the week. For now, we'll focus on my next to last week at work.
If I just talked about that, however, it would be a very short post because things have calmed down recently. KNOCK ON THE WOOD OF CLARA BARTON'S COFFIN.
I mentioned that two Fridays ago we were going to the house dedication for one of our volunteers. I was in tears most of the time just out of complete happiness for Pam Nero and her husband. It definitely represented a full cycle of things for me. When I left Tuscaloosa last May, Alberta City was devastated beyond recognition as my childhood home. Now over a year later, I got to see a family move into their new and well deserved home. Tuscaloosa is really coming around, and I am so happy that I was able to be here to see the process. As things pop back up, it's become the town I recognize, and my love for it has only grown deeper.
Over the weekend, I had the joy of communicating with the replacement campus minister at the Wesley Foundation. He texted me to discuss a group picking up cots to stay at Wesley Foundation over the week. I was just surprised that someone I have not interacted with in over a year decided that texting me was the most professional way to get in touch. It was a big mess getting in touch with the church. Mike, a volunteer, wanted to meet me to get his last hours in, so I told him to be at the office at 6:50 PM because the people from the church were going to get there after seven and call me before they got there. I drove up as it was raining at 6:45 and in the parking lot was a tour bus blocking every single car from leaving. WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY?????????? Luckily, the rain subsided long enough to load 120 cots on to their bus. Once they left, Mike and I had to inventory the cots left so we knew how many they took. The humidity made me realize that it was a bad idea to take a shower before getting there just to stand in a trailer or ankle deep water.
The rest of the week went pretty smoothly. There were a couple of fire cases bringing my total for the year up to 50 out of 150 at one point. Other than that, nothing really happened. We have so may community service volunteers right now that Cody and I are just trying to make up stuff for them to do. I hate when the ones we like finish up, though, because then we never see them again. It's been a year of temporary friends and oddities. There are all kinds. This will again be touched on in a reflection post at the end of this week.
Cody and I went to trivia on Tuesday last week and Lexi and I on Thursday. We had good performances at both as Green Eggs and Ham and Huffalumps and Woozles. Obviously, I chose to regress a little in my team name inspiration. There was a terrible discussion Cody and I had about a question regarding a train. I just made a guest appearance explaining it in his blog.
Our old building that was damaged in the storm was finally bulldozed last week. It is completely flat now, though, I've yet to see it. I didn't have any emotional attachment to it since my only time inside was for my interview, but I know a lot of other people were sad to see it go. It's actually been more of a pain for me with the numerous times we've had to move things around and take things out. Those desks volunteer Mike and I moved were about the DEATH of me. Well, the mold would have killed me if the desks didn't.
This weekend was relaxing with a coloring of fun. Friday, I went to El Rincon with some friends, and while I was overcharged we had an enlightening conversation about the Illuminati and its members including Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Hudson, and Mark Ingram... You shouldn't be too surprised that I played the role of he sceptic. Saturday after getting a few things moved out and a set of tennis with my dad, Cody and I went to dinner for his birthday since Wynease and Toya both bailed on us, with good reason I'm sure.
I also made the exciting decision to go to Camp Sumatanga next week as a counselor. It just hit me in church of all places that it fits perfectly into my schedule and I may not be able to go again for a while. I was delighted to discover that two friends are the directors. I know this week will pass by even more quickly now that I have the promise of immediate fresh air and lack of technology come Saturday.
If I just talked about that, however, it would be a very short post because things have calmed down recently. KNOCK ON THE WOOD OF CLARA BARTON'S COFFIN.
I mentioned that two Fridays ago we were going to the house dedication for one of our volunteers. I was in tears most of the time just out of complete happiness for Pam Nero and her husband. It definitely represented a full cycle of things for me. When I left Tuscaloosa last May, Alberta City was devastated beyond recognition as my childhood home. Now over a year later, I got to see a family move into their new and well deserved home. Tuscaloosa is really coming around, and I am so happy that I was able to be here to see the process. As things pop back up, it's become the town I recognize, and my love for it has only grown deeper.
Over the weekend, I had the joy of communicating with the replacement campus minister at the Wesley Foundation. He texted me to discuss a group picking up cots to stay at Wesley Foundation over the week. I was just surprised that someone I have not interacted with in over a year decided that texting me was the most professional way to get in touch. It was a big mess getting in touch with the church. Mike, a volunteer, wanted to meet me to get his last hours in, so I told him to be at the office at 6:50 PM because the people from the church were going to get there after seven and call me before they got there. I drove up as it was raining at 6:45 and in the parking lot was a tour bus blocking every single car from leaving. WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY?????????? Luckily, the rain subsided long enough to load 120 cots on to their bus. Once they left, Mike and I had to inventory the cots left so we knew how many they took. The humidity made me realize that it was a bad idea to take a shower before getting there just to stand in a trailer or ankle deep water.
The rest of the week went pretty smoothly. There were a couple of fire cases bringing my total for the year up to 50 out of 150 at one point. Other than that, nothing really happened. We have so may community service volunteers right now that Cody and I are just trying to make up stuff for them to do. I hate when the ones we like finish up, though, because then we never see them again. It's been a year of temporary friends and oddities. There are all kinds. This will again be touched on in a reflection post at the end of this week.
Cody and I went to trivia on Tuesday last week and Lexi and I on Thursday. We had good performances at both as Green Eggs and Ham and Huffalumps and Woozles. Obviously, I chose to regress a little in my team name inspiration. There was a terrible discussion Cody and I had about a question regarding a train. I just made a guest appearance explaining it in his blog.
Our old building that was damaged in the storm was finally bulldozed last week. It is completely flat now, though, I've yet to see it. I didn't have any emotional attachment to it since my only time inside was for my interview, but I know a lot of other people were sad to see it go. It's actually been more of a pain for me with the numerous times we've had to move things around and take things out. Those desks volunteer Mike and I moved were about the DEATH of me. Well, the mold would have killed me if the desks didn't.
This weekend was relaxing with a coloring of fun. Friday, I went to El Rincon with some friends, and while I was overcharged we had an enlightening conversation about the Illuminati and its members including Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Hudson, and Mark Ingram... You shouldn't be too surprised that I played the role of he sceptic. Saturday after getting a few things moved out and a set of tennis with my dad, Cody and I went to dinner for his birthday since Wynease and Toya both bailed on us, with good reason I'm sure.
I also made the exciting decision to go to Camp Sumatanga next week as a counselor. It just hit me in church of all places that it fits perfectly into my schedule and I may not be able to go again for a while. I was delighted to discover that two friends are the directors. I know this week will pass by even more quickly now that I have the promise of immediate fresh air and lack of technology come Saturday.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Topanga, I'd F*** Her
Thank you, drunk girl at trivia for a lot of quotable moments. She also actually gave us a couple of right answers that I may not have trusted if the question for which she named "Czechoslovakia"as a current country had come earlier in the game... Cody and I did fairly well this week, though his team name choice "Porn on the Cob" did not get the laughs he thought it would.
I only have two full weeks left at work, which borderlines ridiculously unbelievable. I stare at where I've written "Last Day" in purple on the white board calendar and don't comprehend that it is so quickly approaching. Not too much has gone on at work this week for me personally. With the loss of Bev, we are extremely short staffed, so my role has been working as the in office person for the entire day while others are running around to meetings or classes. I've spent a lot of that time creating jobs for community service volunteers to do because we allowed ourself to get way too many at one time. One such job was moving old desks out of our old building that is getting demolished. I went to go help this guy move them, and it was one of the most strenuous things I have done in my life. The first desk was solid wood and too wide to fit out the back door. We turned it as many ways as we could in that narrow hallway and eventually had to take the legs off and pulls the drawer out. I did something incorrectly because I couldn't grip anything for a few hours after that.
In a more productive light, Holli and I met with Jacqueline Morgan of the Honors College at the University to discuss the possibility of an internship or honors seminar to replace the whole created by the VISTA grant running out and the lack of in house volunteer coordinator. We have people that can fill these needs, but they need a coordinator. She was very optimistic and thinks we may even be able to get someone for the fall. I hope this works out because once I leave there will only be two staff members and one VISTA to serve eight counties in daily office activities.
In a couple of hours, we're going to the Habitat house dedication for one of our volunteers who lost her home in last year's tornado. After losing her home, she has a heart attack and a stroke within a matter of months. I've seen her multiple times this year, and she is always smiling and in a good mood. With so many people out there complaining, it really does something to see this woman who has been through so much to be positive. I cannot wait to see her get her new house in Alberta City.
Culturally speaking, we had our first rehearsal for Second Samuel this week. It looks like it'll be a good show! We blocked the entire first act and ran it a second time, so it looks like we'll be doing a lot of full act runs starting the last week of June. We'll do the same for the shorter second act tonight, and the continuous runs through August should help with the line memorization. I have quite a few lengthy monologues directed to the audience that I'll need to work on.
Also, I have two new show obsessions, but I'm already completely caught up on both of them. I've been avoiding it for sometime, but I finally watched Downton Abbey. I knew I'd like it but never made myself watch it. I've now seen both seasons and the Christmas special in a matter of three days. It's very well done and and interesting period drama. The passage of time is not documented too well, but I may just not be paying attention as closely as I should. I just love seeing Maggie Smith in anything. The other show I've been watching is HBO's Girls. While I am not a girl, I think the plight of these twenty-somethings in the city is comparable to my own. Not all of them, of course. I've never accidentally smoked crack at a warehouse party in Brooklyn, but never say never. I think the show could have some great things to say about gender roles if it shies away from making each character fit a stereotypical mold. I like the British girl, Jessa, and her non traditional views on relationships. It's refreshing to see a character not following the same romantic formula that is in every movie or show. I'm looking forward to the season continuing!
Now, I'm resurrecting a parody song I wrote of "Part of Your World" for Camp Sumatanga about wanting to be the craft chick. They apparently want to use it this year. I didn't keep a record of it, so I'm just making it up again.
I only have two full weeks left at work, which borderlines ridiculously unbelievable. I stare at where I've written "Last Day" in purple on the white board calendar and don't comprehend that it is so quickly approaching. Not too much has gone on at work this week for me personally. With the loss of Bev, we are extremely short staffed, so my role has been working as the in office person for the entire day while others are running around to meetings or classes. I've spent a lot of that time creating jobs for community service volunteers to do because we allowed ourself to get way too many at one time. One such job was moving old desks out of our old building that is getting demolished. I went to go help this guy move them, and it was one of the most strenuous things I have done in my life. The first desk was solid wood and too wide to fit out the back door. We turned it as many ways as we could in that narrow hallway and eventually had to take the legs off and pulls the drawer out. I did something incorrectly because I couldn't grip anything for a few hours after that.
In a more productive light, Holli and I met with Jacqueline Morgan of the Honors College at the University to discuss the possibility of an internship or honors seminar to replace the whole created by the VISTA grant running out and the lack of in house volunteer coordinator. We have people that can fill these needs, but they need a coordinator. She was very optimistic and thinks we may even be able to get someone for the fall. I hope this works out because once I leave there will only be two staff members and one VISTA to serve eight counties in daily office activities.
In a couple of hours, we're going to the Habitat house dedication for one of our volunteers who lost her home in last year's tornado. After losing her home, she has a heart attack and a stroke within a matter of months. I've seen her multiple times this year, and she is always smiling and in a good mood. With so many people out there complaining, it really does something to see this woman who has been through so much to be positive. I cannot wait to see her get her new house in Alberta City.
Culturally speaking, we had our first rehearsal for Second Samuel this week. It looks like it'll be a good show! We blocked the entire first act and ran it a second time, so it looks like we'll be doing a lot of full act runs starting the last week of June. We'll do the same for the shorter second act tonight, and the continuous runs through August should help with the line memorization. I have quite a few lengthy monologues directed to the audience that I'll need to work on.
Also, I have two new show obsessions, but I'm already completely caught up on both of them. I've been avoiding it for sometime, but I finally watched Downton Abbey. I knew I'd like it but never made myself watch it. I've now seen both seasons and the Christmas special in a matter of three days. It's very well done and and interesting period drama. The passage of time is not documented too well, but I may just not be paying attention as closely as I should. I just love seeing Maggie Smith in anything. The other show I've been watching is HBO's Girls. While I am not a girl, I think the plight of these twenty-somethings in the city is comparable to my own. Not all of them, of course. I've never accidentally smoked crack at a warehouse party in Brooklyn, but never say never. I think the show could have some great things to say about gender roles if it shies away from making each character fit a stereotypical mold. I like the British girl, Jessa, and her non traditional views on relationships. It's refreshing to see a character not following the same romantic formula that is in every movie or show. I'm looking forward to the season continuing!
Now, I'm resurrecting a parody song I wrote of "Part of Your World" for Camp Sumatanga about wanting to be the craft chick. They apparently want to use it this year. I didn't keep a record of it, so I'm just making it up again.
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