Nothing is more exciting than a first home football game...except when it is the first football game in the history of football at GSU. So here is how the week of amazingness went down!
Monday - Parents Association E-Board meeting. I love parents and I love the e-board. I don't love starting meetings late and I do not like 2+hour meetings. Followed this wonderful meetingness up with Inceptor Karaoke. Karaoke in itself is crazy and can easily get inapprop very quickly. Add college students from GSU and its definitely bound to get crazy. Let's just say the VP of Student Affairs walked in when students were rapping to Eminem and I might have karaoke to "Get Low." Those kids are crazy.
Tuesday marked my first bad-ish day. I was just not feeling it and things got stressful. I also had a conversation with some Missouri State folks and that just made me miss MSU a lot. The thing I missed the most were my connections. Its difficult coming to a new school where you basically have to start over from scratch to get things accomplished. I don't like this at all. At MSU I knew so many people it seemed easy to get things done, but at GSU I am still learning. When someone else messes with my relationship building I get extremely frustrated. This is what happened on Tuesday - how can I possibly build good solid relationships if there is someone who is preventing me from establishing them. It was just a bad day that was bound to come at some point. I am just glad it came sooner then later. Apparently my co-workers were amazed it took me this long - which is kind of a scary thought. I guess they really haven't been around me enough to know that I am totally a positive person. This fact is something I can tell irritates at least one of my coworkers that and the fact that I love mornings.
Wednesday was the norms. Pretty quick uneventful day. I honestly can't even think of anything that happened on Wednesday - that's sad and scary. I'm not old enough to be losing my mind yet. Well I guess Kyle and I did go GSU clothes shopping for the big game on Thursday.
Thursday was the big day. The first football game. I was excited because I got to wear my first GSU apparel to work. That and football season was upon us. It was basically just a random office day, since there was so much going on I didn't get much accomplished. I did go to Varsity for lunch and then to the pep rally. This was followed by preparation for the game and then left work a little early to get over there. I have season tickets, but I still wanted to check out the tailgate scene. Plus I had never been to the dome so it was exciting just to be there. Of course there were the normal tailgating stuff put on by the Athletics department, much like that of MSU. And of course there were the Greeks, with their massive amounts of beverages and food. It was just like any other football game I have ever been too. The exception was this is the first time GSU has ever had this happen. The student line to enter the dome was MASSIVE. I think 3X as many students were there 1.5 hours before the game then we saw combined at any MSU game ever. I was happy to see the school spirit. Its nice to have the support, especially just starting out. I made my way around the dome to my seat - 4th row, 20 yard line behind our bench. As the seats filled in I started to worry because no one was sitting next to me. Then as the teams came out some students decided that because there was no one sitting there that they would just help themselves. I don't mind students because I was just one of those crazy people a year ago, what I don't like are drunk off their asses students who have no respect for the people around them. As the people whose seats they actually were starting coming in including those sitting next to me - some of the students threw a big fit. Sometimes kids will just never learn. I was happy to find out that sitting next to me are my favorite kind of people - PARENTS!!!!!! Yah. We talked off and on throughout the game as they both drank beer and cheered on the Panthers. On the other side of me sat an alumni couple. In front of me sat a non-traditional woman and her husband who is an Alabama football alum. Basically this is the best bunch I could ask for in my random single seat. Behind me sits some GSU staff so I am definitely in good company.
As the start of the game came we were playing really well. GSU scored within the first 10 minutes of play and it was all GSU from there on out. We gave up a touchdown in the 4th quarter, but really it didn't matter so much. The band was not that great - I mean I am used to the MSU Pride marching out in full force with a sound so loud it makes you listen. Basically it was hard to even hear them over the ramblings of people talking throughout the dome. It's their first time out so I got to give it up to them, that they were good, it just seems that to fill the Dome they are going to need to be more powerful.
We won 41-7. It was a fabulous win for the Panthers in their first ever football game. I am actually astonished that we stomped on Shorter College. Everyone played well and the crowd was fabulous. The crowd totaled 31,300. We beat out the Braves in attendance that night. I hope that all of them plan to return in the future so we can really give the Panthers a home field advantage.
I will always bleed Maroon for my Bears (who also won their season opener), but I am enjoying the new found spirit that has ignited on the GSU campus. GO Panthers!!!!!
Monday, September 6, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Internet and a crazy cat
Finally Internet. Last Monday the Comcast guy came to install my Internet. I am so thankful to finally have a mega distraction back in my life. Not to mention I can avoid getting hit on by the creeper in my building. It is nice to have it up and running if for only the purpose of watching shows online. I have decided to forgo getting cable for a while because most of my shows I can either catch on network TV or watch online. It is an unnecessary cost right now.
For my family they know that Rascal is a bit crazy, but lately its like hes taking kitty crack. Worse then the normal ADD that my mother swears he has. I think he is still a little bitter that I took him from the only home he has ever known. He will be laying next to me and for no particular reason bite me. Its just not cool. A couple weeks ago he bit me so hard that I currently still have the mark. His other mood is his insistence on playing fetch every night, if I don't pay attention to him he continues to bring me stuff to throw until I give in and throw something. Honestly, I give in because I am afraid of being buried alive (jk, but it is a funny headline "Woman refuses to play fetch with cat; smothered by toys"). At night he constantly fiddles with the mini-blinds in the bedroom. So much that I generally lock him out of the room. He gets upset about this as well. Since he was a kitten he hates having doors closed on him, being locked out of the bedroom is a major punishment. I recently put up curtains in my room which I can close at night. Therefore I have pulled the mini-blinds up so he can't mess with them. Now he doesn't have to have doors shut and can snuggle up on the window seal.
I also have been caught up with looking at pets online. This is an awful thing to do. It started with looking for a vet. Its time for Rascals shots and so I thought I would browse local vets before I asked my coworkers where a good place to go. I also then started looking because i thought it would be a great place to volunteer some time. This may also be a reason that Rascal is none too happy with me. I didn't find any dogs or cats though that I was totally in love with, so for now Rascal remains an only child.
Oh you crazy skitty. (yes I said skitty)
For my family they know that Rascal is a bit crazy, but lately its like hes taking kitty crack. Worse then the normal ADD that my mother swears he has. I think he is still a little bitter that I took him from the only home he has ever known. He will be laying next to me and for no particular reason bite me. Its just not cool. A couple weeks ago he bit me so hard that I currently still have the mark. His other mood is his insistence on playing fetch every night, if I don't pay attention to him he continues to bring me stuff to throw until I give in and throw something. Honestly, I give in because I am afraid of being buried alive (jk, but it is a funny headline "Woman refuses to play fetch with cat; smothered by toys"). At night he constantly fiddles with the mini-blinds in the bedroom. So much that I generally lock him out of the room. He gets upset about this as well. Since he was a kitten he hates having doors closed on him, being locked out of the bedroom is a major punishment. I recently put up curtains in my room which I can close at night. Therefore I have pulled the mini-blinds up so he can't mess with them. Now he doesn't have to have doors shut and can snuggle up on the window seal.
I also have been caught up with looking at pets online. This is an awful thing to do. It started with looking for a vet. Its time for Rascals shots and so I thought I would browse local vets before I asked my coworkers where a good place to go. I also then started looking because i thought it would be a great place to volunteer some time. This may also be a reason that Rascal is none too happy with me. I didn't find any dogs or cats though that I was totally in love with, so for now Rascal remains an only child.
Oh you crazy skitty. (yes I said skitty)
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Weekly Recap and Update
I did not provide an update last week as I was getting sentimental with discovering my passion behind working with students. So...this is a recap for 2 weeks. Here is the brief rundown.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday = Incept days. The last full week to be exact. It was a week of Incept that resembled a roller coaster ride of sorts. Many different emotions were flying and the groups were entirely diverse in their attitude towards the Parents Association. Which further ignited my passion to work with them.
Monday and most of Tuesday my apartment went without air conditioning. Therefore Monday night I went to IHop with a few of the Inceptors. They are a crazy bunch let me tell you. College students make me laugh - most of the time out loud. Not laughing at them but with them. I know it wasn't that long ago, but I sort of wish I could have those days of worrying about tests and getting along with people back. Now I feel like I just don't really care as much if you don't like me because I am who I am. "You can take it or leave it. This is me, this is who I am." (Yep that's a song quote)
Wednesday = BBQ Day at DAB BBQ with the Men of the Office. (*Yes I called you both men*). Also a staff meeting. Fun times. Pretty legit day.
Thursday = The Kids are All Right movie night with Inceptors. It was a darn good movie I must say. Super emotional, but good message. I recommend it. On the journey to drive to the movie, I had left my ticket on my desk so I had to go back to the office after picking up two of the Inceptors. On our way back we were stopped at a light and I noticed a very odd site on the sidewalk. Now just so you know there are many homeless people in Atlanta. It is like common nature to just have them around no big deal, but this was different. I turned to one of the Inceptors and said "I think he has an Ipod," to which she responded "I bet it's not his." Laughter ensued. Then I saw him pull out a bottle of hand sanitizer. Holy smokes I about couldn't drive because I was trying to evaluate the fact that this man - who was looking very homeless sitting on the side of a road had both an Ipod and hand sanitizer (that he was using mind you). I mean my first thought was, that's awesome hes taking care of himself. Funny stuff. At the movie, we were talking with these people in line in front of us, they were super nice. I apparently looked related to them because an Inceptor asked me if they were my parents. HA HA. If only my parents were with me.
Friday = Well Friday was the end to a long long Incept week it seemed. I had all intentions of doing something productive on Friday night, but instead just chilled in my apartment and read a book.
Saturday = I went to open an account to finally cash my check from GSU, but I didn't have my official licence just my temporary one. They couldn't open it without the official one. I also had a wonderful conversation with Mana B. Makes me miss home a bit, when I talk to my good friends. It was my "discover Atlanta" day so I headed up to Buckhead to the Atlanta History Center. What a great opportunity to spend some time reflecting on history and enjoying beautiful gardens. I will try to add pictures soon. At the Center they have an old 1928 mansion (Swan House) that was gorgeous inside and out. Beautiful structures and decorating - birds were the theme. There was also a tour of a 1800's style plantation farm. It was interesting. The rest of the outside portion was dominated by flowers and trees. Little paths wrapped around and if it hadn't been so dang hot I would have walked around more. I then headed inside to go through the exhibits: Native American Heritage, Golf and Baby Jones, Civil War, and Centennial Olympic Exhibits were all viewed in that order. The last area that I visited was what had sparked my interest in the History Center before my arrival. An exhibit dedicated to the Black Student Movement in Atlanta. I guess it is the huge nerd in me that found this exciting and completely interesting. It may also be a sign that I did indeed choose the correct profession. i spent roughly 4-5 hours at the History Center so on my way home I decided to stop by O'Terrills (an Irish Pub) which is just down the street from my apartment. Good beer and awesome food. There was no one in there and it was pouring down rain outside. It was super relaxing.
Sunday = I spent most of Sunday doing absolutely nothing. I wanted to go to the pool but there were an obscene amount of lightening strikes and it was looking like rain. I opted to stay in and just relax for the day. I did homely things, like laundry and dishes.
Monday - Friday of last week was a pretty relaxed week. Nothing big happened because it was the week after a full Incept. I got a lot done and accomplished in my office - no decorations yet though just pictures waiting to be hung up. I will have Internet up and running in my apartment as of July 31st. This is super, so I can avoid being hit on my creepy guys. I went grocery shopping. That was fun. I helped students discover their paths to greatness - one to student affairs. It was a week to wind down after a busy Incept season. I think we all needed a cool down time. Did go to lunch at three different hot spots with Jonathan. Checked out The Varsity, Bullpin BBQ, and Tin Lizzys. Good places. The Varsity has been on my mind since Crain and I came to visit and he mentioned it as a staple here in Georgia. Tin Lizzys has some really awesome tacos that are very non-traditional and fried pickles. I love fried pickles. Bullpin was the BBQ pick of the week. Its close to Turned Field (home of the Braves) so it is a hot spot for pre/post game times, not so much lunch time. It was alright, nothing great, but just alright.
Saturday - hmmm...I was super boring this week and went to Barnes and Noble for a good 3 hours. Found a couple books and had my first latte in over a month. Holy smoke you would not believe how amazing that was to have. I still am in love with them, but I don't have Kaldis right down the stairs for me so it has been easy to avoid getting one each day. Don't think I don't drink Coffee because I still do every day. If I don't brew it myself I get it from my apartment coffee maker. Basically I still have an addiction, but its not costing me money anymore. This is a much better option.
Had my 1 month review and I am flying through. No problems just compliments. This was good news too.
Well I think that is a good update for now. More to come hopefully sooner than later.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday = Incept days. The last full week to be exact. It was a week of Incept that resembled a roller coaster ride of sorts. Many different emotions were flying and the groups were entirely diverse in their attitude towards the Parents Association. Which further ignited my passion to work with them.
Monday and most of Tuesday my apartment went without air conditioning. Therefore Monday night I went to IHop with a few of the Inceptors. They are a crazy bunch let me tell you. College students make me laugh - most of the time out loud. Not laughing at them but with them. I know it wasn't that long ago, but I sort of wish I could have those days of worrying about tests and getting along with people back. Now I feel like I just don't really care as much if you don't like me because I am who I am. "You can take it or leave it. This is me, this is who I am." (Yep that's a song quote)
Wednesday = BBQ Day at DAB BBQ with the Men of the Office. (*Yes I called you both men*). Also a staff meeting. Fun times. Pretty legit day.
Thursday = The Kids are All Right movie night with Inceptors. It was a darn good movie I must say. Super emotional, but good message. I recommend it. On the journey to drive to the movie, I had left my ticket on my desk so I had to go back to the office after picking up two of the Inceptors. On our way back we were stopped at a light and I noticed a very odd site on the sidewalk. Now just so you know there are many homeless people in Atlanta. It is like common nature to just have them around no big deal, but this was different. I turned to one of the Inceptors and said "I think he has an Ipod," to which she responded "I bet it's not his." Laughter ensued. Then I saw him pull out a bottle of hand sanitizer. Holy smokes I about couldn't drive because I was trying to evaluate the fact that this man - who was looking very homeless sitting on the side of a road had both an Ipod and hand sanitizer (that he was using mind you). I mean my first thought was, that's awesome hes taking care of himself. Funny stuff. At the movie, we were talking with these people in line in front of us, they were super nice. I apparently looked related to them because an Inceptor asked me if they were my parents. HA HA. If only my parents were with me.
Friday = Well Friday was the end to a long long Incept week it seemed. I had all intentions of doing something productive on Friday night, but instead just chilled in my apartment and read a book.
Saturday = I went to open an account to finally cash my check from GSU, but I didn't have my official licence just my temporary one. They couldn't open it without the official one. I also had a wonderful conversation with Mana B. Makes me miss home a bit, when I talk to my good friends. It was my "discover Atlanta" day so I headed up to Buckhead to the Atlanta History Center. What a great opportunity to spend some time reflecting on history and enjoying beautiful gardens. I will try to add pictures soon. At the Center they have an old 1928 mansion (Swan House) that was gorgeous inside and out. Beautiful structures and decorating - birds were the theme. There was also a tour of a 1800's style plantation farm. It was interesting. The rest of the outside portion was dominated by flowers and trees. Little paths wrapped around and if it hadn't been so dang hot I would have walked around more. I then headed inside to go through the exhibits: Native American Heritage, Golf and Baby Jones, Civil War, and Centennial Olympic Exhibits were all viewed in that order. The last area that I visited was what had sparked my interest in the History Center before my arrival. An exhibit dedicated to the Black Student Movement in Atlanta. I guess it is the huge nerd in me that found this exciting and completely interesting. It may also be a sign that I did indeed choose the correct profession. i spent roughly 4-5 hours at the History Center so on my way home I decided to stop by O'Terrills (an Irish Pub) which is just down the street from my apartment. Good beer and awesome food. There was no one in there and it was pouring down rain outside. It was super relaxing.
Sunday = I spent most of Sunday doing absolutely nothing. I wanted to go to the pool but there were an obscene amount of lightening strikes and it was looking like rain. I opted to stay in and just relax for the day. I did homely things, like laundry and dishes.
Monday - Friday of last week was a pretty relaxed week. Nothing big happened because it was the week after a full Incept. I got a lot done and accomplished in my office - no decorations yet though just pictures waiting to be hung up. I will have Internet up and running in my apartment as of July 31st. This is super, so I can avoid being hit on my creepy guys. I went grocery shopping. That was fun. I helped students discover their paths to greatness - one to student affairs. It was a week to wind down after a busy Incept season. I think we all needed a cool down time. Did go to lunch at three different hot spots with Jonathan. Checked out The Varsity, Bullpin BBQ, and Tin Lizzys. Good places. The Varsity has been on my mind since Crain and I came to visit and he mentioned it as a staple here in Georgia. Tin Lizzys has some really awesome tacos that are very non-traditional and fried pickles. I love fried pickles. Bullpin was the BBQ pick of the week. Its close to Turned Field (home of the Braves) so it is a hot spot for pre/post game times, not so much lunch time. It was alright, nothing great, but just alright.
Saturday - hmmm...I was super boring this week and went to Barnes and Noble for a good 3 hours. Found a couple books and had my first latte in over a month. Holy smoke you would not believe how amazing that was to have. I still am in love with them, but I don't have Kaldis right down the stairs for me so it has been easy to avoid getting one each day. Don't think I don't drink Coffee because I still do every day. If I don't brew it myself I get it from my apartment coffee maker. Basically I still have an addiction, but its not costing me money anymore. This is a much better option.
Had my 1 month review and I am flying through. No problems just compliments. This was good news too.
Well I think that is a good update for now. More to come hopefully sooner than later.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Providing love and support
I was reminded this week of why I do what I do and why I believe what I believe. It is funny how you have moments like this when you least expect them. Nothing out of the ordinary this week, but as I was settling in for the night on Friday I pondered where I plan to go in my life and the people who have always been there to support me. This is the essence behind this post.
As I talk with parents each day at my job I have begun to realize the true meaning behind my passion for parents and families. Besides the obvious that they are under served and pay the bills so we have to provide something. It is much more then that. I believe my passion for parents comes from the love and support my parents have given me. If I did not have that unyielding support I would not be the person I am today. Everyone says their parents are supportive and I whole heartily believe that, but it is what I can do with that support that makes the difference in me. I am reminded of a talk I had with the Graduate Assistant in the SOAR office before me. I talked about how I really love parents because of the unique perspective they give and his response was something like "until they yell at you or won't let you tell them reasons." I remember thinking - "You're probably right, but I think it takes a very special person to deal with parents. Much like it takes a special person to teach kindergarten." I still believe that there are few people who can handle parents on a daily basis, just as there are few that can handle college students on a daily basis. And watch out if you are one who has to not only handle parents but also college students on a daily basis. I am not saying I'm special or that I am better then any other person that works in student affairs. Just that my parents have helped me to understand the parental perspective through support and love that I only want to help bring that understanding and joy to others.
Parents are feisty. They always know what is best for their student, which is probably true. Part of growing up though is letting go and letting students figure it out for themselves, just as you (parents) had to do when you were college age. This is perhaps the biggest lesson my parents have given me. I was allowed to make my own choices, my own mistakes, and my own solutions to problems. No worries though, because if I didn't have the correct tools my parents were there to assist me - not fix the problem for me - but assist me. As a stubborn student/child I rarely wanted to admit I needed their help, but as I grow older I know when I to ask and when I am on my own. A skill that I could not have successfully learned without constant support when I was younger.
Support and love. Love and support. Seem like pretty simple words when you are talking about children, but not so easy I am sure. When I started college I was in the Moving On part of my life, where I wanted nothing to do with home. It was my time to escape. My mom respected that and really truly left me alone. As the weeks went by she rarely talked to me on the phone and we weren't communicating effectively. But what I didn't understand was I had asked for that and my mom was just giving me what I asked for nothing more nothing less. After I conversation with tears involved we discussed the type of support I was really in need of while away. From then on my mom and I have had better communication and I am able to tell her when extra support is needed or when I need my space. Then when I decided I no longer wanted to be a Physician Assistant and instead opted to go into student affairs. I was scared to death to call my parents. I mean for Pete's sake my major was cell and molecular biology and I was going to give up that to work at a college my whole life. I could hardly believe I had made that decision how in the world were my parents going to accept it. I made the call and told my mom. She was like well, if this is what you want. Not going to lie I was a little taken back by this - not that I should have been, because they have always been super supportive of my decisions (well most of them). When I called to tell my dad he said something like "Oh I knew you would never leave college." I was flabbergasted. How could my dad have known I would want to work in a college from the moment they dropped me off at Freddy hall 4 years earlier, and who in the world did he not tell me this? I have since realized that they were giving me the support I needed to make my own decisions to ignite my own dreams and to live my own life. Making hard and bold decisions is apparently not uncommon in my short life because moving to Atlanta was pretty darn random. Parents are not without their own lack of support too. They need us as children to support them when we move on, and to remind them that we love them very much. The call I made to my mom after I received the call saying I got the job here at GSU was the most heart wrenching. I had talked with my mom several times about the possibility and she seemed fine with it, but when it actually came time to make the ultimate decision she said something like "Oh (giant pause) that's great" and then "Hunny that's really far away." I was heartbroken. I couldn't understand why she wasn't excited for me. I had a JOB. In all honesty, she was scared that I would be far away from my family, far away from my support. Things I still am scared to be away from now. Later when I talked with her we discussed the big move. She had given me the tools and values and support that I needed to make this move, and even she said "How could I expect you to not utilize those values and tools I provided?" Nicely put mom.
Grandparents can also not be forgotten. My grandparents have always been my third set of parents. Acting as the foundation for everything I believe. I love my grandparents greatly. They have been loving supporters all of my life, even when it was tough to be supportive. My grandma it seems is always ready for an adventure and has often accompanied my mom to my events in Springfield, including a trip this last October for Homecoming. One of my favorite things in the in world though is hearing "I love you" from my Grandpa. My grandma is the one person who I know if mom will not be happy will at least support me in my decision, even if she herself isn't fond of it. They are always concerned with my safety and check up on me frequently. I appreciate all they do for me, I could not do it without them. They are not alone in the grandparents support system though, I have two sets just like everyone else. Well I guess really I have 4 sets. Anyway. My grandpa on the other side always strives to keep me informed even if no one else does. When he was recently in the hospital he made sure that I was contacted and kept informed. I know that Grandpa would do anything for me and would love to be near me more then anything, but he also is continually excited to hear of the new things I am doing in my life and how much fun I have in Atlanta. I love all my grandparents dearly. They provided the backbone of support for my parents and for me.
Without family support we can become lost in the shuffle of life. I think this is partially the reason I am so in love with working with parents and families. It gives me an opportunity to support parents as they go through tough times too. They might not have the tools or knowledge because their students are acting like I did my first semester at college. This just means they need more support then ever so that they can be supportive to their students. My parents and family is the reason I do what I do, without their support and love I would not be the person I am today. Not in the slightest bit.
Heart you all!
As I talk with parents each day at my job I have begun to realize the true meaning behind my passion for parents and families. Besides the obvious that they are under served and pay the bills so we have to provide something. It is much more then that. I believe my passion for parents comes from the love and support my parents have given me. If I did not have that unyielding support I would not be the person I am today. Everyone says their parents are supportive and I whole heartily believe that, but it is what I can do with that support that makes the difference in me. I am reminded of a talk I had with the Graduate Assistant in the SOAR office before me. I talked about how I really love parents because of the unique perspective they give and his response was something like "until they yell at you or won't let you tell them reasons." I remember thinking - "You're probably right, but I think it takes a very special person to deal with parents. Much like it takes a special person to teach kindergarten." I still believe that there are few people who can handle parents on a daily basis, just as there are few that can handle college students on a daily basis. And watch out if you are one who has to not only handle parents but also college students on a daily basis. I am not saying I'm special or that I am better then any other person that works in student affairs. Just that my parents have helped me to understand the parental perspective through support and love that I only want to help bring that understanding and joy to others.
Parents are feisty. They always know what is best for their student, which is probably true. Part of growing up though is letting go and letting students figure it out for themselves, just as you (parents) had to do when you were college age. This is perhaps the biggest lesson my parents have given me. I was allowed to make my own choices, my own mistakes, and my own solutions to problems. No worries though, because if I didn't have the correct tools my parents were there to assist me - not fix the problem for me - but assist me. As a stubborn student/child I rarely wanted to admit I needed their help, but as I grow older I know when I to ask and when I am on my own. A skill that I could not have successfully learned without constant support when I was younger.
Support and love. Love and support. Seem like pretty simple words when you are talking about children, but not so easy I am sure. When I started college I was in the Moving On part of my life, where I wanted nothing to do with home. It was my time to escape. My mom respected that and really truly left me alone. As the weeks went by she rarely talked to me on the phone and we weren't communicating effectively. But what I didn't understand was I had asked for that and my mom was just giving me what I asked for nothing more nothing less. After I conversation with tears involved we discussed the type of support I was really in need of while away. From then on my mom and I have had better communication and I am able to tell her when extra support is needed or when I need my space. Then when I decided I no longer wanted to be a Physician Assistant and instead opted to go into student affairs. I was scared to death to call my parents. I mean for Pete's sake my major was cell and molecular biology and I was going to give up that to work at a college my whole life. I could hardly believe I had made that decision how in the world were my parents going to accept it. I made the call and told my mom. She was like well, if this is what you want. Not going to lie I was a little taken back by this - not that I should have been, because they have always been super supportive of my decisions (well most of them). When I called to tell my dad he said something like "Oh I knew you would never leave college." I was flabbergasted. How could my dad have known I would want to work in a college from the moment they dropped me off at Freddy hall 4 years earlier, and who in the world did he not tell me this? I have since realized that they were giving me the support I needed to make my own decisions to ignite my own dreams and to live my own life. Making hard and bold decisions is apparently not uncommon in my short life because moving to Atlanta was pretty darn random. Parents are not without their own lack of support too. They need us as children to support them when we move on, and to remind them that we love them very much. The call I made to my mom after I received the call saying I got the job here at GSU was the most heart wrenching. I had talked with my mom several times about the possibility and she seemed fine with it, but when it actually came time to make the ultimate decision she said something like "Oh (giant pause) that's great" and then "Hunny that's really far away." I was heartbroken. I couldn't understand why she wasn't excited for me. I had a JOB. In all honesty, she was scared that I would be far away from my family, far away from my support. Things I still am scared to be away from now. Later when I talked with her we discussed the big move. She had given me the tools and values and support that I needed to make this move, and even she said "How could I expect you to not utilize those values and tools I provided?" Nicely put mom.
Grandparents can also not be forgotten. My grandparents have always been my third set of parents. Acting as the foundation for everything I believe. I love my grandparents greatly. They have been loving supporters all of my life, even when it was tough to be supportive. My grandma it seems is always ready for an adventure and has often accompanied my mom to my events in Springfield, including a trip this last October for Homecoming. One of my favorite things in the in world though is hearing "I love you" from my Grandpa. My grandma is the one person who I know if mom will not be happy will at least support me in my decision, even if she herself isn't fond of it. They are always concerned with my safety and check up on me frequently. I appreciate all they do for me, I could not do it without them. They are not alone in the grandparents support system though, I have two sets just like everyone else. Well I guess really I have 4 sets. Anyway. My grandpa on the other side always strives to keep me informed even if no one else does. When he was recently in the hospital he made sure that I was contacted and kept informed. I know that Grandpa would do anything for me and would love to be near me more then anything, but he also is continually excited to hear of the new things I am doing in my life and how much fun I have in Atlanta. I love all my grandparents dearly. They provided the backbone of support for my parents and for me.
Without family support we can become lost in the shuffle of life. I think this is partially the reason I am so in love with working with parents and families. It gives me an opportunity to support parents as they go through tough times too. They might not have the tools or knowledge because their students are acting like I did my first semester at college. This just means they need more support then ever so that they can be supportive to their students. My parents and family is the reason I do what I do, without their support and love I would not be the person I am today. Not in the slightest bit.
Heart you all!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
The Heat and Shenanigans
So I woke up in the morning feeling like...a hot mess. Currently I am not in my apartment because its 85 degrees in there. Yeah. Apparently when Georgia Power went to turn off the electricity in the apartment above me they also turned off my AC. Yes so basically it is working, but blowing hot air. I thought maybe it was just a little issue, when I called this morning to report it they told me they would get someone in there as soon as possible. When I got home, it was 82 degrees in my apartment. Which really when you think about it is not super bad, but there is also no circulation like outside and I can't open the windows because it was pouring rain. I basically ran downstairs as soon as I got home and noticed it was still scorching in my apartment. After talking to the leasing agents in the office, they gave me a temporary key to one of the open apartments so that I at least had a cool place to rest my head. I greatly appreciate this - and so does Rascal.
In the office today, I started off in a semi-bitchy mood. I actually at one time am pretty sure I pulled out my bitch card. LOL. Not that the men of the office would even notice, but I know when I am in a mood and for half the day today I was a little bitchy. That changed around lunch time when I got to chill with the parents and hang out with the lovely people of GSU. The end of the day was marked with finger mustaches and a mini-dance party in my office. Yeah that's how you end a good day. It poured down rain when I was leaving work, and I drove 5 of the Inceptors to the Commons because of the rain. Tonight since I am basically without a full apartment to live in, I am going to Ihop.
Anyway I know this is a short post, but I had some free time so I thought I would put down these thoughts.
In the office today, I started off in a semi-bitchy mood. I actually at one time am pretty sure I pulled out my bitch card. LOL. Not that the men of the office would even notice, but I know when I am in a mood and for half the day today I was a little bitchy. That changed around lunch time when I got to chill with the parents and hang out with the lovely people of GSU. The end of the day was marked with finger mustaches and a mini-dance party in my office. Yeah that's how you end a good day. It poured down rain when I was leaving work, and I drove 5 of the Inceptors to the Commons because of the rain. Tonight since I am basically without a full apartment to live in, I am going to Ihop.
Anyway I know this is a short post, but I had some free time so I thought I would put down these thoughts.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Offically a Georgian!
This week also marked my official leave from Iowa residence and into the life of a true Georgia native. Yes I feel as though I lost part of my identity. Giving away that Iowa drivers licence was like losing the any game to Crieghton. Heart breaking and difficult to take. I seriously almost shed tears...but I didn't. By the way I put this off as long as possible. You are supposed to change your licence during the first 30 days of becoming a resident, which I did on June 9th. On Thursday (June 8th) I went to get my licence during the middle of the day. It was ungodly hot out that day and of course my air conditioning was choosing to not work. As I pulled up to the DDS (Department of Drivers Services) I knew I was in for a treat. There were a handful of people standing outside the DDS bitching about paying tickets and how no one told them or Complaining that they couldn't get their licence because of tickets or arrests. Basically a joy to witness. Making my way to the desk the couple in front of me was about in tears. They just were mumbling about forms and how they didn't have something that was essential. Finally they just stepped aside the lady handed me my form to fill out and I took a seat. They always hand you one of those numbers that doesn't correspond to any particular window so there is no telling how long you will have to wait. About 10 minutes after sitting there I realized I didn't have my phone - well I hope nothing goes wrong I thought. Although now I wish I had my phone on my because then I would have proof of what happened next. Soulja Boy followed closely by this manager or some dude dressed in a nice suite approached the window straight in front of me. Just so you know I would not have known it was him if some other lady had not blurted it out that it was indeed Soulja Boy. I think one of my coworkers said it best "I guess even bad rappers who know one knows need Drivers licence too." HAHA so true. This lady though was in love with him. She got his autograph and everything. Funny. So I got my picture taken, I got my temporary license and was on my way. They send you your real licence within 30 days, but in the mean time I have this really awesome paper copy. Its very strange to me that they do it this way, but whatevs.
Besides getting my license nothing else really happened of significance on Thursday. Big Brother started. Man I love this show. Its a CBS classic and my first reality TV show love. This show is what got me hooked on reality TV in the beginning. Speaking of shows. Not having cable I have fallen in love with So You Think You Can Dance, Hells Kitchen, and The Bachelorette. I can't help it they just draw me in so much. Even if they are crappy TV, I feel slightly better about the fact that I watch network reality TV instead of MTV or VH1 reality. Its a step up.
Friday came and it was filled with another Incept day - except that the Inceptors seemed to be a little grouchy and angry at each other. I know they all have their days, but many seemed to be emotional. SOAR leaders were the same way. There were just days when the team as a whole was feeling a certain way and nothing could be done to change it. Good thing it was a Friday so everyone could regroup and come back. My day included meetings as well and a great conversation with some of the parents. Every time I talk to parents I am reminded why I fell in love with them to begin with. There is just so much fear and passion behind what they say, that its enjoyable just listening to them.
Saturday I decided it was time to get my air conditioning in my car fixed. I could not handle the inconsistency anymore. I got up early in the morning and went to the car shop. I was pretty positive that the blower motor was the problem, to verify this they needed to do an electrical test. While my car was in the shop I met an Inceptor for breakfast at Ihop. Good conversation and food. Plus who can forget the endless coffee supply I can get there. I heart it very much. Talking with intelligent people is awesome because I can openly discuss my views and aspirations and have someone who understands what I am saying there to listen. I also have been practicing being a better listener with students especially Inceptors. Even if they don't necessarily pull me aside to talk, I can usually pick up on subtle cues that something is wrong or that they want me to ask questions just by what they are saying. At least if I am listening I can pick up. Needless to say it was a great convo day and my car was fixed by 10:30am. Blower motor it was and of course some electrical stuff too. I don't really want to talk about the cost, because it hurts me.
On a side note - Demps and I didn't have to pay rent this month, not sure I typed that in here yet. So that is good news.
I decided that shopping was in store for me and headed to Atlantic Station - a big shopping area with tons of activity happening all the time. Although I have heard its not a fabulous place to be at night. Lots of robbings and such. No good. The shopping though was nice. I just looked around in most of the stores, bought a few things from Old Navy before heading out. I headed to Ikea to see if they had the lamp I wanted for my apartment and you never know what else you might find there. They did have my lamp and some other things I thought I needed. On my way out with my cart I am positive that people got stuck in the elevator. OMG I would freak out. I talked to a lady that was waiting with me about how long it was taking for the elevator to come up when the other elevator came back up twice. We got into the other elevator to scorching heat. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to be stuck in that elevator with a bunch of people and their carts with humidity and heat combined with body heat. DISGUSTING. I don't think I claustrophobic, but in that situation I think I would be. Anyway. Target was next on my list of places to visit. This is so I finally could get the frames I wanted for my office. Yah for decorating at last. I settled on colorful frames and headed back home with another dent in my wallet. I have come to the conclusion that I can take one big shopping trip every month and that's about it. I believe I am now done with things I need for my apartment - besides paint (I really think I would like to paint).
I spent the rest of my night unpacking my graduation frame deciding which pictures to put in each frame and watching an awful movie. (I don't even know what it was called) Then...Sunday was scheduled to be my pool day. Man I love this plan. Went to the pool around 12:45 and stayed till about 5:30. It was HOT. Not like normal Atlanta hot - it was hot hot. I am more tan then I have been in a long time. I also am almost finished with book number 2 of the summer. I am thinking I can start breaking out the FYE conference books here soon. Not sure which one I will pick up, but it should be good. Sunday night, I cooked myself dinner and that was the extent of my night. Wow - I just realized how extremely boring reading my blog must be. I didn't have much excitement this weekend.
Back at work Monday - I am taking over for a colleague who is going on medical leave. Not sure how I will exactly accomplish this, but it will happen. I don't think I am exactly good at taking over after something is 90% planned and not being able to make sure its to my liking. Those who have ever planned things with me before know that I have a certain way of accomplishing perfection in my mind that is unlike other peoples understanding. I think out of everyone Laura probably understands this best, because of our endless hours of video making and GRW committee. So we shall see how this turns out. Another great day with parents decisions were made and good things happened. That's my life in a nut shell.
Hasta la Vista! :-)
Besides getting my license nothing else really happened of significance on Thursday. Big Brother started. Man I love this show. Its a CBS classic and my first reality TV show love. This show is what got me hooked on reality TV in the beginning. Speaking of shows. Not having cable I have fallen in love with So You Think You Can Dance, Hells Kitchen, and The Bachelorette. I can't help it they just draw me in so much. Even if they are crappy TV, I feel slightly better about the fact that I watch network reality TV instead of MTV or VH1 reality. Its a step up.
Friday came and it was filled with another Incept day - except that the Inceptors seemed to be a little grouchy and angry at each other. I know they all have their days, but many seemed to be emotional. SOAR leaders were the same way. There were just days when the team as a whole was feeling a certain way and nothing could be done to change it. Good thing it was a Friday so everyone could regroup and come back. My day included meetings as well and a great conversation with some of the parents. Every time I talk to parents I am reminded why I fell in love with them to begin with. There is just so much fear and passion behind what they say, that its enjoyable just listening to them.
Saturday I decided it was time to get my air conditioning in my car fixed. I could not handle the inconsistency anymore. I got up early in the morning and went to the car shop. I was pretty positive that the blower motor was the problem, to verify this they needed to do an electrical test. While my car was in the shop I met an Inceptor for breakfast at Ihop. Good conversation and food. Plus who can forget the endless coffee supply I can get there. I heart it very much. Talking with intelligent people is awesome because I can openly discuss my views and aspirations and have someone who understands what I am saying there to listen. I also have been practicing being a better listener with students especially Inceptors. Even if they don't necessarily pull me aside to talk, I can usually pick up on subtle cues that something is wrong or that they want me to ask questions just by what they are saying. At least if I am listening I can pick up. Needless to say it was a great convo day and my car was fixed by 10:30am. Blower motor it was and of course some electrical stuff too. I don't really want to talk about the cost, because it hurts me.
On a side note - Demps and I didn't have to pay rent this month, not sure I typed that in here yet. So that is good news.
I decided that shopping was in store for me and headed to Atlantic Station - a big shopping area with tons of activity happening all the time. Although I have heard its not a fabulous place to be at night. Lots of robbings and such. No good. The shopping though was nice. I just looked around in most of the stores, bought a few things from Old Navy before heading out. I headed to Ikea to see if they had the lamp I wanted for my apartment and you never know what else you might find there. They did have my lamp and some other things I thought I needed. On my way out with my cart I am positive that people got stuck in the elevator. OMG I would freak out. I talked to a lady that was waiting with me about how long it was taking for the elevator to come up when the other elevator came back up twice. We got into the other elevator to scorching heat. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to be stuck in that elevator with a bunch of people and their carts with humidity and heat combined with body heat. DISGUSTING. I don't think I claustrophobic, but in that situation I think I would be. Anyway. Target was next on my list of places to visit. This is so I finally could get the frames I wanted for my office. Yah for decorating at last. I settled on colorful frames and headed back home with another dent in my wallet. I have come to the conclusion that I can take one big shopping trip every month and that's about it. I believe I am now done with things I need for my apartment - besides paint (I really think I would like to paint).
I spent the rest of my night unpacking my graduation frame deciding which pictures to put in each frame and watching an awful movie. (I don't even know what it was called) Then...Sunday was scheduled to be my pool day. Man I love this plan. Went to the pool around 12:45 and stayed till about 5:30. It was HOT. Not like normal Atlanta hot - it was hot hot. I am more tan then I have been in a long time. I also am almost finished with book number 2 of the summer. I am thinking I can start breaking out the FYE conference books here soon. Not sure which one I will pick up, but it should be good. Sunday night, I cooked myself dinner and that was the extent of my night. Wow - I just realized how extremely boring reading my blog must be. I didn't have much excitement this weekend.
Back at work Monday - I am taking over for a colleague who is going on medical leave. Not sure how I will exactly accomplish this, but it will happen. I don't think I am exactly good at taking over after something is 90% planned and not being able to make sure its to my liking. Those who have ever planned things with me before know that I have a certain way of accomplishing perfection in my mind that is unlike other peoples understanding. I think out of everyone Laura probably understands this best, because of our endless hours of video making and GRW committee. So we shall see how this turns out. Another great day with parents decisions were made and good things happened. That's my life in a nut shell.
Hasta la Vista! :-)
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Celebration for America and 1/2 the Work Week
I am going to go back in time a bit and discuss the 4th and then the beginning part of my week. Two post feature. Oh the 4th. People watching has become a pass time for me since I spend my weekend days at the pool and can pretend that I am listening to music. I can also hide behind my sunglasses. After last weeks blog I headed to the pool for a long 5 hour laying in the sun day. It was amazing. It was a great day to just chill on the roof and enjoy the sun. The temperature was pretty moderate it wasn't super duper hot but def not cold I mean seriously its Atlanta. Little kids are the funniest to watch because they just say whatever is on their minds no filter. One kid was talking to another one about how he wasn't as smart as him. I giggled a little. Kids really do say the darnedest things.
I did drink a beer or two as celebration. Not nearly as many as the Frat boys that were downing two coolers in a couple hours. Man. I love that without even knowing if they actually were fraternity boys, I could assume by the way they were acting and talking that they indeed belonged to a fraternity. I realize I am generalizing and there are people who fall outside of the generalization, but in this case it was accurate. They drank beer like crazy, played football in the pool, and didn't wear sunblock. It was entertaining to watch. They girls that were with them, were not all gf's they might have been trying to be gf's but they way the boys acted like they were still trying to impress these barbie dolls made me think they were not in relationships, just friends. Then the huge party. Someone had rented the side room on the roof for a party. They started bringing food and booze up at around 1pm and didn't finish bringing stuff till around 3pm. There was a stereo system set up. The music was fun. It was just good to not have to have my headphones in. I could then listen to all the convos around me and people watch even more.
Then the police office came - made them move the stereo inside. It was sort of ridiculous because no one was complaining. In actuality they moved it to the room but put the speakers facing towards the doors so nothing changed. The two girls sitting next to me at that time were expecting to raze a fuss if they tried me make them turn it off. Then came a hookah. Yep on the roof with a hookah. A guy brought it up and all I could think of was how much some of my cohort mates would have loved that. It was a weird site, because I don't imagine a hookah on a roof next to a pool, but hey its whatever. Shortly after the hookah people came I decided that it was time for me to leave the sun for a while - this was after 5 hours being in the sun. So yes it was time. I left to get some dinner and chill for a bit before going back up to the roof for the fireworks that everyone was hoping we could see.
When i walked back up to the roof at around 8:30 it was PACKED. crazy packed. There was barely even a place to walk through to the turfed area, but I made my way over there and just observed some more. Girls in their high heels and skinny mini bikinis were walking around - the frat boys loved this one girl in red who came over to play a game with them. Geez she was playing right into their hands or they into hers. I'm not sure who was enjoying it more. It was slightly not cool, but to each their own I guess. A person that I had talked with a couple of times downstairs in the common area made his way over, followed by a couple of people that he knew as well and I had seen at the pool a few times before. It was good to have convos with people. It turns out that the couple attends GSU so we talked about the campus for a while and enjoyed the lovely fireworks. We could see them from about every angle. The closest ones were from Centennial Park, but we could see the Lenox Square ones off in the distance. It was a good 20-25 minutes of watching fireworks. Fun times.
Monday well, I didn't do much. Just chilled a bit, read a bit - I went to rent a movie from Redbox because I had a free one. I watched Robin Williams' new stand up DVD. Its hilarious and very graphically dirty. Sorry grandma. I also made an excellent dinner for myself. It was pretty fabulous. Semi-homemade spaghetti and meatballs. Dang good. Its hard cooking for yourself because you always have so much left over - I had dinner for the next two nights. Oh well less cooking I have to do then.
Tuesday was a day. It was weird cause it was the first day back after a little break. Secondly it was not an Incept day so it was not as hectic. I was trying to put together packets for new members - this takes a while because I had to input all their information. I spent most of the day doing just that. Went to lunch with Jonathan and Kyle - a BBQ place. The conversations that are had are funny and allow me to really enjoy my job to its fullest. SO if either of you read this, you make my job enjoyable. Wednesday. Well I watched Book of Eli as I put together 125 packets for new members to the Parents Association. It was tiring and I did not really like doing it. I had meetings in the afternoon, but for lunch we went to Vortex. Apparently they were voted as having the best burger in Atlanta. This is probably true. the Burger itself was pretty awesome, the fries not so awesome. Sorry Vortex but its the truth. My afternoon meeting was dynamic and it reminded me of the diversity on campus. It is great to work in an excited office - there seems to always be at some point a group of students that wander in and just want to chat or laugh or whatever else they can think is appropriate or in some cases inappropriate to discuss. You just never know. Its always an adventure.
More of the week to come...after I spend my Sunday at the pool. Miss you all - expect those that are here in GA and reading this - I'll see you soon.
I did drink a beer or two as celebration. Not nearly as many as the Frat boys that were downing two coolers in a couple hours. Man. I love that without even knowing if they actually were fraternity boys, I could assume by the way they were acting and talking that they indeed belonged to a fraternity. I realize I am generalizing and there are people who fall outside of the generalization, but in this case it was accurate. They drank beer like crazy, played football in the pool, and didn't wear sunblock. It was entertaining to watch. They girls that were with them, were not all gf's they might have been trying to be gf's but they way the boys acted like they were still trying to impress these barbie dolls made me think they were not in relationships, just friends. Then the huge party. Someone had rented the side room on the roof for a party. They started bringing food and booze up at around 1pm and didn't finish bringing stuff till around 3pm. There was a stereo system set up. The music was fun. It was just good to not have to have my headphones in. I could then listen to all the convos around me and people watch even more.
Then the police office came - made them move the stereo inside. It was sort of ridiculous because no one was complaining. In actuality they moved it to the room but put the speakers facing towards the doors so nothing changed. The two girls sitting next to me at that time were expecting to raze a fuss if they tried me make them turn it off. Then came a hookah. Yep on the roof with a hookah. A guy brought it up and all I could think of was how much some of my cohort mates would have loved that. It was a weird site, because I don't imagine a hookah on a roof next to a pool, but hey its whatever. Shortly after the hookah people came I decided that it was time for me to leave the sun for a while - this was after 5 hours being in the sun. So yes it was time. I left to get some dinner and chill for a bit before going back up to the roof for the fireworks that everyone was hoping we could see.
When i walked back up to the roof at around 8:30 it was PACKED. crazy packed. There was barely even a place to walk through to the turfed area, but I made my way over there and just observed some more. Girls in their high heels and skinny mini bikinis were walking around - the frat boys loved this one girl in red who came over to play a game with them. Geez she was playing right into their hands or they into hers. I'm not sure who was enjoying it more. It was slightly not cool, but to each their own I guess. A person that I had talked with a couple of times downstairs in the common area made his way over, followed by a couple of people that he knew as well and I had seen at the pool a few times before. It was good to have convos with people. It turns out that the couple attends GSU so we talked about the campus for a while and enjoyed the lovely fireworks. We could see them from about every angle. The closest ones were from Centennial Park, but we could see the Lenox Square ones off in the distance. It was a good 20-25 minutes of watching fireworks. Fun times.
Monday well, I didn't do much. Just chilled a bit, read a bit - I went to rent a movie from Redbox because I had a free one. I watched Robin Williams' new stand up DVD. Its hilarious and very graphically dirty. Sorry grandma. I also made an excellent dinner for myself. It was pretty fabulous. Semi-homemade spaghetti and meatballs. Dang good. Its hard cooking for yourself because you always have so much left over - I had dinner for the next two nights. Oh well less cooking I have to do then.
Tuesday was a day. It was weird cause it was the first day back after a little break. Secondly it was not an Incept day so it was not as hectic. I was trying to put together packets for new members - this takes a while because I had to input all their information. I spent most of the day doing just that. Went to lunch with Jonathan and Kyle - a BBQ place. The conversations that are had are funny and allow me to really enjoy my job to its fullest. SO if either of you read this, you make my job enjoyable. Wednesday. Well I watched Book of Eli as I put together 125 packets for new members to the Parents Association. It was tiring and I did not really like doing it. I had meetings in the afternoon, but for lunch we went to Vortex. Apparently they were voted as having the best burger in Atlanta. This is probably true. the Burger itself was pretty awesome, the fries not so awesome. Sorry Vortex but its the truth. My afternoon meeting was dynamic and it reminded me of the diversity on campus. It is great to work in an excited office - there seems to always be at some point a group of students that wander in and just want to chat or laugh or whatever else they can think is appropriate or in some cases inappropriate to discuss. You just never know. Its always an adventure.
More of the week to come...after I spend my Sunday at the pool. Miss you all - expect those that are here in GA and reading this - I'll see you soon.
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