In Defense of an AV system

Ooooh, this woman makes my teeth grind:

"While I know why you want to have a band play, I find it interesting that you want to do this while you are supposed to be experiencing what it’s like to be homeless."

Coming from the person overseeing this program? Yeah, thank you for missing the point entirely.

Call me crazy, but I don't believe much benefit is going to come from my students (I'm a facilitator for a group of Social Justice leadership students) only being "homeless" for just one night.

Plus, the purpose of this engaging leadership program is NOT simply "doing" the service, granted that is an important part of the experience. The overall goal is for students to proactively take the initiative on an issue--that's where the bulk of the learning process is going to come from.

Their true objectives are:

1. Promoting awareness about homelessness in the community/campus
2. Raising $,$$$ to donate to the local nonprofit
3. Getting canned food donations

I mean, seriously now. Who's gonna come watch a bunch college students sleep out all night? What are those people going to take away from it besides, "Oh, they're pretending to be homeless...haha and whoop-dee-doo." Perhaps the more important issue is what does experiencing homelessness actually do for the 400 people applying for assistance from our local nonprofit who had to get turned away on the second day? Tell me that.

Besides the only reason they are going to be camping out on the Drillfield from 7 PM to 7 AM on a Friday night is because people are pledging a dollar for every hour they're "homeless." You know, sort of like Relay For Life held annually in the spring at my university. Bands attract attention (not to mention they are donating their time to a good cause) and sponsors help get the community involved.

Because when the speaker from the nonprofit, the bands, the friends stopping by for moral support, and food from sponsors are all gone by midnight (perhaps even earlier)...it'll just be a group of 17 college students all by themselves in freezing 20-30 degree weather. For the entire night.

Try that for a learning experience.

So tomorrow? Damned if I don't finagle my way into getting my students their AV system.

Yay for HOME!

Hip-hip-hooray! Times a gazillion!

It's perfect because my classes tomorrow happened to get canceled (b/c you know, I always feel so guilty for skipping...that silly freshman "Oo, I'm so rebelliously grown-up" naivety of yesteryear is not worth sabotaging my professors' impression of me (aka I want to keep that recommendation letter positive).

In prep for going home, I bought my sister a set of those ridiculously over-priced multicolored PILOT gel pens that she adores and one of my favorite books (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver) with a short note on the inside cover from me.

Can you believe the university bookstore had the paperback for only $11? Which is a great deal for such an awesome book, especially in comparison to those friggin' pens.

Of course, my mom is going to scold me for spending money on my kid sis yet again. But jeez, I can't help it! It's one of the 3 areas in my life where I refuse to scrimp on (the other 2 include eating good food and saving up to go all-out on a good vacation).

So yeah, I know I tend to spoil the people in my life whom I love. Although, I can probably argue quite convincingly that it was money well spent as educational supplies.

And uhh, these new sunglasses? Hm.

For health protection purposes... obviously.

Because I should

I should do laundry, really. Ideally.

So, I'm going to hold this thought long enough for it to get realized. Which is totally why you're reading this super-exciting blog post of a girl who's on her last pair (actually it's this really cute black boyshorts, so technically not even).

There are so many thoughts running through my mind, including worrying about all the various papers and presentations due next week, that for some reason all I can focus on tonight is that I really ought to put in the laundry.

Silly, huh?

Perhaps once I get that laundry done, I'll be able to try writing about what's really irking me.

Possibly the only good thing I'm addicted to...

Okay, I gotta confess.

Although, this might not seem like news since my range of blogging topics is even more woeful when I update so sporadically, I know. Or maybe--oh wait, I'm on the verge of getting off track...

Right. Back to the possibly not-so-new newsflash:

I am addicted to group exercise classes. And I mean addicted.

Like I feel I'm this zombie with a crappy attitude when I don't go the gym at least once a day. Which basically means I don't feel good unless some muscle part of my body is proclaiming "I'm going to ache like a whiny bitch today."

But! I think I've reached my goal of being able to 10 full-length push-ups now!!

I say *think* because honestly I'm not quite sure and my arms are still in recovery, so I can't exactly test it out. You see, for the Cardio Sculpt Interval workout during our staff in-service/training on Sunday, we had to do this sequence of exercises* and increase the number of repetitions by one more after each time through. I started collapse-rolling over into my crunches after round 3 and then just flat-out collapsing in my push-ups after round 7.

So probably I'm just inflating the number to make myself feel better, but I know I can definitely do 5 full-length, 100% proper push-ups!

Anyways. This is a BIG deal, I tell you, for a girl who used to flex her arm and people couldn't tell she was flexing. And then upon closer inspection, they could push the muscle it down.

With one finger.

Hm...I need find some people to play some pick-up [basketball] games with because if I could be the shooter with those sort of arms of back then (and I was trained to shoot with the ball above my head instead by the ear, go figure), then MAN! I oughta be on fire fiya now, haha.

Okay, now I'm getting distracted again. I should probably get back to my work anyhow so I can go to bed at a decent hour tonight. I stayed up late finishing a looooong "mini" grant proposal and didn't crash into bed until 3:20 AM this morning.

YET, yours truly still went to her group exercise class today to have her butt kicked.

And we think old habits are the only ones that die hard.

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*jump back into a push-up, jump up into a jumping jack, squat with 8 lbs weights in lifted arms, push-up, forward crunch, knee-high jumps. REPEAT.

Short and sweet pleasures

THE LIST.

Things that made me happy today:

1. Teaching AM yoga, power yoga, and subbing for pilates (although my abs are not going to be as happy about those 3 hours come tomorrow morning!)

2. Double-cappuccino cheesecake...twice.

3. Another 3 amazing hours at Head Start--I'm not supposed to, but I can't resist picking these kids up. I'm always either having my fingers held in their itty bitty hands as they drag me somewhere, my hair being played with, or someone (or two!) crawling into my lap.

4. Re-watching an Audrey Hepburn movie

5. No classes tomorrow!

6. Having tonight for myself to do nothing productive...and indulge in anything I want.