Once, I dug a very big hole with Kelsey and Emily and then pried a power pole out of it.
Afterwards, we took silly pictures to celebrate.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
A trip down memory lane
Once, I dug a very big hole with Kelsey and Emily and then pried a power pole out of it.
Afterwards, we took silly pictures to celebrate.
I've got TV, fluffy pillows, and breakfast brought to me on real china.
What in the world is going on? I feel a mild case of culture shock coming on... I don't know what to do, now that I'm located in the lap of luxury-- I just stare into the TV screen that is tempting even when there's NOTHING on. Americorps' got us camped out in the Mariott in Jackson, Mississippi for the next day and a half and I have to say that it's kind of like being in a parallel universe. I've got this silly uniform on to remind me that I mainly do construction grunt work, but I'm surrounded by tiny bottles of nice-smelling shampoo and plush carpet and big, big TVs.
We've got meetings to go to, sometimes, but mainly, I've got some nice time on my hands to relax, read, watch TV even when I don't mean to, and see the sights around the bustling metropolis of Jackson, MS.
We've got meetings to go to, sometimes, but mainly, I've got some nice time on my hands to relax, read, watch TV even when I don't mean to, and see the sights around the bustling metropolis of Jackson, MS.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
TWO more days.
There are only TWO, count 'em, T W O more days left in my 3rd and penultimate project with Americorps! Things have been fun, I've learned alot, but it's time to start the move to greener pastures. Perhaps I will detail some of my complaints about the bureaucracy that seems to come along with large, government-funded organizations on my blog at some date in the future, but for now, I'll just focus on one really bright spot in the future... SMOE!
SMOE stands for the San Mateo Outdoor Education School and I will be working there as a naturalist in September. It's my job to hang out with groups of 5th and 6th graders, teach them about the environment and various ecosystems, sing songs, lead hikes, supervise, and generally have a great time while not sitting behind a desk. Many banana slugs will be kissed, many adventures will be had.
I went to go visit my college roommate and friend Liane right as I was beginning this blog, as loyal readers like my mom might remember. SMOE seemed like an awesome place to live and work then and I am just as excited about it now.
SMOE stands for the San Mateo Outdoor Education School and I will be working there as a naturalist in September. It's my job to hang out with groups of 5th and 6th graders, teach them about the environment and various ecosystems, sing songs, lead hikes, supervise, and generally have a great time while not sitting behind a desk. Many banana slugs will be kissed, many adventures will be had.
I went to go visit my college roommate and friend Liane right as I was beginning this blog, as loyal readers like my mom might remember. SMOE seemed like an awesome place to live and work then and I am just as excited about it now.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Meet our 6th (and 7th and 8th and 9th and 10th and 27th) roommate
Photos that encompass all of the grossness and resiliency that belong to the amazing cockroach by Kara Hoffman, roommate number 4.Apologies for the delay
I've been neglecting this blog for some time now! Sorry about that, folks. We've been working quite a bit and it's rare that I can make it to the library before it closes as of late. So, a quick bulleted list of what's been going on, perhaps?
-We know where we're going for our next project... it's not terribly far away , just down the road in Biloxi. This is a bit of a disappointment to the whole team, especially when we had our hearts set on going to somewhere in the Western region. One team that we're friendly with is going to New Mexico to teach children about caving. We're so very, very jealous.
-I took a little trip up to Baltimore to see the fam, take care of a few job interviews, and sleep in a location without cockroaches. It was great to be home for a little while!
-I now know how to finish drywall. I am a mudding expert.
-I almost adopted a million puppies and kittens when we worked at the local animal shelter. Sugar Bear was my favorite, by far. She was very tolerant throughout her bath and gave good kisses even though we were scrubbing her fur and trying to detangle all of the knots and mats.
-In just a few days, I'm going to see Old Crow Medicine Show play in New Orleans!
-Up until yesterday, my campmates included 200 older men from various regions in the South and Midwest that were here to help build houses. They were called Men on a Mission and they were a noisy bunch. I wake up early, but in comparison, I looked like a sleeping beauty. Every morning, they were up at 5... banging around, yelling stuff in Southern accents, and not letting me sleep. But overall, they were a very nice bunch and did funny things, like had their local newspaper FedEx-ed to them so they could read it.
-In the near future, my team is taking a road trip back to California! If you live on the road to Cali and would like a visit from me and my 11 friends, please do let me know. We might stop by anyway :)
-We know where we're going for our next project... it's not terribly far away , just down the road in Biloxi. This is a bit of a disappointment to the whole team, especially when we had our hearts set on going to somewhere in the Western region. One team that we're friendly with is going to New Mexico to teach children about caving. We're so very, very jealous.
-I took a little trip up to Baltimore to see the fam, take care of a few job interviews, and sleep in a location without cockroaches. It was great to be home for a little while!
-I now know how to finish drywall. I am a mudding expert.
-I almost adopted a million puppies and kittens when we worked at the local animal shelter. Sugar Bear was my favorite, by far. She was very tolerant throughout her bath and gave good kisses even though we were scrubbing her fur and trying to detangle all of the knots and mats.
-In just a few days, I'm going to see Old Crow Medicine Show play in New Orleans!
-Up until yesterday, my campmates included 200 older men from various regions in the South and Midwest that were here to help build houses. They were called Men on a Mission and they were a noisy bunch. I wake up early, but in comparison, I looked like a sleeping beauty. Every morning, they were up at 5... banging around, yelling stuff in Southern accents, and not letting me sleep. But overall, they were a very nice bunch and did funny things, like had their local newspaper FedEx-ed to them so they could read it.
-In the near future, my team is taking a road trip back to California! If you live on the road to Cali and would like a visit from me and my 11 friends, please do let me know. We might stop by anyway :)
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Love (bugs) are in the air...
Love bugs are stuck together and to many surfaces around Pass Christian. They're too busy with their important work to bite or sting-- they're lovers, not fighters. A few were in my cereal box the other morning. Guess they were looking for a little love shack and found one in the Cheerios box.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
JazzFest '08
JazzFest was a muddy, sticky, loud, and crowded blast. At about 9 in the morning, the rain was coming down in sheets in Pass Christian. We had a hour and a half drive to New Orleans and we were keeping our fingers crossed that somewhere between the two places, the rain would let up so we could enjoy the festival without putting on the trash bag ponchos that we snagged from the kitchen. After a stop at a delicious farmer's market in the city, we drove out towards the race track where the festival takes place.
The festival is full of music on several different stages and arts and crafts vendors and friendly, drunk people, and mud. The first group we saw were the Pine Leaf Boys, a group that I'd meant to see when they came to a local bar in Baton Rouge. They play Creole music with a fiddle and an accordian. Some songs were upbeat and dancey and some were sad. If I could understand Creole, I'd guess that they talked about broken hearts and lost love and the like.
Each of the performances that I saw were great, but the set by The Roots was definetly a standout. I'd never seen them before, but had heard that they put on live shows that are amazing and full of energy. Sometimes predictions like that make my expectations too high and therefore, unreachable, but The Roots really lived up to the hype. Most impressive was their sousaphone player (nicknamed Tuba Gooding, Jr.) who bounced around the stage and through the crowd with that giant silver intrument twisted around him. The Roots' music was tight, relevant to current political situations in Washington, and full of energy.
The festival is full of music on several different stages and arts and crafts vendors and friendly, drunk people, and mud. The first group we saw were the Pine Leaf Boys, a group that I'd meant to see when they came to a local bar in Baton Rouge. They play Creole music with a fiddle and an accordian. Some songs were upbeat and dancey and some were sad. If I could understand Creole, I'd guess that they talked about broken hearts and lost love and the like.
Each of the performances that I saw were great, but the set by The Roots was definetly a standout. I'd never seen them before, but had heard that they put on live shows that are amazing and full of energy. Sometimes predictions like that make my expectations too high and therefore, unreachable, but The Roots really lived up to the hype. Most impressive was their sousaphone player (nicknamed Tuba Gooding, Jr.) who bounced around the stage and through the crowd with that giant silver intrument twisted around him. The Roots' music was tight, relevant to current political situations in Washington, and full of energy.
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