Saturday, January 14, 2012

Wishin' and Hopin'

 Today.  I wish I could go back to the ocean.  The snow is cold and beautiful, but it doesn't make me turn cartwheels like the ocean did.



Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Event Planning Extraordinaire

I was quoted in the local newspaper, The Herald and Review, for an event that I am putting on to celebrate Martin Luther King Day.  Together with some fellow AmeriCorps VISTA members, I have planned (what I hope will be) a great event!

For AmeriCorps, MLK Day is not a day off, but a day "on" where members give back to their community by volunteering and hosting events across the nation to pay homage to the legacy of MLK.  Our event, Remembering the Dream, will feature local community leaders who have been working hard to make a difference in our community.  We want to address the question of "Where are we now on MLK's "dream" and how can we move forward locally to achieving the dream?"

I had no idea it was so easy to get publicity for your event.  All I had to do was write up a press release and send it to the Herald and Review and other local media stations (TV, Radio, etc.).  


This is just another thing I can add to my resume: Publicity Genius, Event Planning Extraordinaire.


Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Friend Hoarder

I like to call myself a friend hoarder.  I have been collecting friends for years now and I make a decent effort to see those friends whenever I can.  The holidays were the perfect time to have a few dates to catch up with friends I've known since pre-school or just since April.  I call this exercise Watering my Cactii (see previous post for explanation of cactus friend).

I drove in to Chicago and met up Alexa, my ex-Decatur friend who has already abandoned me for the bright lights of the big city.

Sean picked me up in the city and took me to Katie's birthday party where I drank the strongest Long Island Ice Teas I've ever had and caught up with Shane, Travis, Lauren and Justin.

My high school friend, Anna, and I traipsed around Wicker Park and talked about everything from boys to books, coffee to college.

My pre-school-through-college-and-beyond friend Mari, my one avid reader, and I had breakfast.

I ran into my friend Cameron from high school and chatted for a few minutes.

Politics friend, Amar and I went to go see the new Sherlock Holmes movie.... I loved it!

Jonathan, my college democrat/politics friend from ISU, and I went on a mini Decatur bar tour and talked about many things intelligent and silly.

Brandon, a Decatur friend that I see all the time, rented Water for Elephants and cooked me frozen dinner.  We talked about the impossibility of understanding the opposite sex.

Kathryn, my life-time-choir friend, and I sat around her living room playing with her four cats.

Meghann, my best friend from community college, cut my hair and and and and.....

Rachel, a community college friend/roommate, introduced me to her new-to-me boyfriend.  Its funny how you can pick back up with someone after 2 years apart.  Her mom and dad fed us pizza and punch. :-)

Alex, my community college friend and ISU roommate, was back from her exciting life in New York for New Year's Eve.

My friend Bekka, one half of my best match-making work, and I danced all night on New Year's Eve.

Lindsay, community college work-mate and music buddy, came back from Italy after 3 months of being an Au Pair.  SO jealous of her fabulous experience.

My college best friend, Doris, came to my family Christmas and spent the night at my childhood house for the first time.


I stopped by to see my oldest (based on number of years) best friend, Kiley.  Eloise (my cat) pooped in her mudroom.

I saw Rich for the first time since we decided to stop dating.  We had drinks and dinner and lots of great conversation.

I'd say that I am just the LUCKIEST person alive.  I have so many people who love and care about me.  I am grateful that we can pick our friendship back up and dust it off at any time.  I wish that we all had more time for each other, but I know that we are all very busy, spread across the country and the world, living our lives and pursuing our dreams.  <3