Blogging is for the Birds

Time to admit it (again) - I am not a blogger. This is almost painful, but I haven't done any type of update in a long time. We are getting out at 12:30 today because of freezing rain, so my focus for the day is shot. Uuuuuggghh. Ok, here it goes...

A) I got money. I FINALLY got money. My school received a $5,000 Lowe's Toolbox for Education grant for landscaping. Our VISTA Leader told me to buy perennials so that my legacy will last longer (that comment was too good to keep to myself). I didn't realize how much it was actually weighing on me that I wasn't successfully writing any grants until I finally received one. My confidence is back up a little and I am ready (for the most part) to write more. I think.

B) I turned 25 a month ago and I have decided to make the year marking my quarter century of life the best one yet.Who's excited? I knew you all would be. In order to achieve "best year yet" status, I have started a list of things to accomplish over this next year. So far I have 5 things. Wouldn't want to aim too high, now would we?

I. 25 Random Acts of Kindness. During my 25th year of life, I will complete 25 random acts of kindness. That doesn't seem like a lot for a year, but that is roughly 2 acts per month. That allows me to be deliberate with my kind acts. I can plan ahead a little, maybe target certain people or causes, and make sure that I successfully spread some happiness. I guess if I am deliberate in my acts of kindness then they aren't random, but its ok. Some won't be planned.

II. Travel More. Give More. This girl has got to get out of the United States (and travel around the US more). Seriously. I don't care where I go (as long as I won't get sold or shot), but I am going. I would like my trip to have a greater purpose. Not necessarily a religious, mission-based purpose. Just doing good wherever I go. I would also like for my mom to go. Sometimes I have wondered where the part of my personality that is constantly fighting for the underdog comes from. Not that my family isn't made up of good people, but I didn't exactly grow up spending my weekends feeding the homeless. However, I have recently realized the source of my constant desire to help those in need: my mother. I challenge any of you to find a person more excited to buy school supplies for disadvantaged children or more willing to just give their stuff away to someone that needs it more. I'm not exactly sure at what age she ingrained the drive to help others into my personality, but she made sure that she planted it deep within my soul.

III. Get More AND Less Settled. While that doesn't sound like it makes sense, it does. I am growing restless in my current position because I need more in my life, but I can't achieve more until I get settled. I need to find a permanent job and a permanent location making an actual salary. I can't focus on all the things I want to bring into my life for fulfillment if I am constantly preoccupied with what my immediate future holds. I like my job. I feel like I am doing some good things, but I don't feel like I am doing enough for enough people. Once my professional life becomes mores stable, my personal life can gain some stability and then I can put all my energy into making other people's lives a little better.

IV. Read More. Just because I should.

V. Run a Half Marathon. Putting this on here is cheating, but I'm doing it anyway. It is cheating because this isn't some huge goal way off in the future. I am running a half marathon in February. I am running the stupid thing because I paid $65 and skipped going to Mardis Gras to do it. If I don't accomplish any of my other goals (all whopping 4 of them), I will at least check this of my list. With that said, I'm going to run it, hate it about half the time, and never run anything over a 10k again.

C) The Oh Hellos. "Cold is the Night". You can thank me later.

D) Me.
-Current Successes:
1. Received a grant
2. Ran 8 miles last Friday
3. I finally got Internet at my apartment

-Current Struggles:
1. I need a haircut
2. I need it to be summer
3. I can't find a coffee creamer I really like.

Overall, I think I'm doing fine. Other than missing this place a little. How could you not?

   

Did I Just Become A Mississippian? + Thanksgiving

*Disclaimer: Even though the title says "Mississippian", I will always be a Tennessean at heart. It is important that everyone know and accept that.

So lately I have had a rough time. This is partly because of life changes I am less than fond of, but also because I am nearly 25 years old and this age sucks, especially for girls. I am 3 weeks away from 25 and I don't have a boyfriend/fiance/husband, nor do I have a child. By Southern standards, I am a senior citizen in the dating world and I should've started popping out babies weeks ago. It doesn't help that every time I get on Facebook or Instagram there is a new engagement/wedding/baby/young family photo shoot consuming my newsfeed while I am over here playing Susie Save The World and focusing on work and living wherever I'm needed most. It is really annoying and stressful and frequently lonely. In case you've been wondering, Mississippi isn't just a party waiting to happen.

Anyway, I tell you all of that to tell you this...

A few weeks ago I was driving to Kroger and, out of nowhere, I started crying. I know, stupid, but it happened. And no, I don't want to talk about it. I'm not entirely sure why I began crying because I happen to enjoy grocery shopping, but I think it was combination of being tired, lonely, stressed, sad, and sick of feeling a lack of stability (I have lived in 2 states in 6 years, lived in 6 apartments, and have never had a job that didn't have a set ending point. It gets old). Whatever the reason, I started crying and I was annoyed. I pulled myself together in roughly 30 seconds, put on my happy face, and marched my butt into Kroger.

I hadn't gotten 5 feet in the door when I felt these little arms wrap around my legs. I looked down and it was a girl that I see every week at More Than A Meal. I looked up and saw her mom waving so I waved back, hugged the little girl, and made my way over to the apples. I went about my shopping and, no more than 10 minutes later, I was on another aisle when I ran into someone else I knew. Someone I knew well enough to speak to and carry on a brief conversation with. This humored me a little because I saw two people I knew in one place, but it also made me think back on earlier in the day. I had been in Walgreens roughly two hours earlier and saw a couple there that I knew. Earlier in the day, I ran down to a meeting at the library and I knew at least half the people there and, when introduced to a local man, he knew who I was when I didn't even know him.

And that is when it hit me...I know people here. I know people and people know me. Fairly exciting. Moderately frightening. Then I went home for Thanksgiving.

I was home for a week and I actually missed Mississippi. I still can't believe it. That is the first time in a while (or ever). I missed my daily routine, going to work, making my own schedule, doing things at my own pace, and most of all, alone time. Turns out MS isn't terrible. Who knew. There are a lot of things and people I love at home, but for the first time in 2 years I feel like I have actually settled into a routine and a way of life. Minus the crying part. That will not become routine.

Ramsey isn't the best cuddler, but she at least shares the couch. Close enough.

Cousins + a girlfriend

Friends and fire. Thanksgiving shenanigans. 

Downtown Jonesborough

Jonesborough Round 2

 

Politics Make People Dumb

I am not a political person. This could largely be because I don't trust anyone and I assume all politicians are flat-out liars, but regardless, it just isn't something I care to discuss. Ever. I don't care if we are two years or two days away from an election, I don't talk about it. It goes without saying that I am incredibly happy that yesterday is over, but I can't help but notice how ignorant so many people get during an election. Below is a list of the idiotic things our self-proclaimed educated citizens like to spit out around election time...

1. "My President is Black" - Fantastic. We are all thrilled to know that you aren't visually impaired, but now we also think that a candidate's race was what you based your decision on when voting. Your opinions are now irrelevant to me.

2. "If _____ wins, I'm moving to Canada" - Let's be a little dramatic, shall we? Absolutely no one believes that you are leaving this country if someone you don't like is the President. Morons are elected or re-elected every 4 years and there is never a mass exodus of disgruntled Americans, all headed straight for Canada. Additionally, do you even know anything about Canada's politics? If you did, you would know they had 18 registered political parties including the Pirate Party, the Rhinoceros Party, and the Marijuana Party. Since you are so dissatisfied with the American political system, would you be joining one of those? Lastly - if you're leaving the country, why not go somewhere warm? "If Obama wins, I'm moving to Brazil!" That is a dramatic statement I can support.

3. "We can't handle 4 more years of what we just had" - I like the vagueness here. It says, "I'm not entirely sure what we just had, but I've heard a lot of people complaining so I'm going to pretend like I'm disappointed as well".

4. "I can't wait to go to work tomorrow so  people can benefit from my hard work and government handouts" - This not only makes you sound like an asshole, but you also sound close-minded. Don't get me wrong. There are plenty of people that abuse government assistance. I was behind a woman in the gas station yesterday and she was buying pork rinds and a 40oz Bud Light. It was 12 in the afternoon. Chances are, she is unemployed. However, making generalizations about people receiving government assistance makes you look uneducated. Just because someone has a job, it doesn't mean they are making enough to get by. Furthermore, laziness isn't always the reason people aren't achieving at the level you deem acceptable. Think about why you are successful. Think about why you have a job. Think about how you obtained your education. Did the "lazy" people have all of that? Government assistance isn't ideal in the way that it is structured, but instead of making uninformed statements about people that have less than you, maybe try to find ways to combat a lack of education and the cycle of poverty. Just a thought.

*Side note - speaking of drains on our economy, shall we look at our Presidential candidates? Both men raised and spent nearly $100 MILLION for ads for each of their campaigns and that was just through September. That isn't even all the funds. Around $6 BILLION was the final figure for these campaigns. They allowed that kind of money to be raised and put towards ads bashing each other. Pretty sure that is money terribly spent, but you don't see many people complaining about that. Is it because they are "hard workers"?

5. "Now I can afford college!" - Millions of people have been doing this already...? College is more attainable now than it has ever been. Yes, loans suck, but it is part of it. The graduate school comments are my favorite though. I went to grad school for free, as did almost every other person I know that has a Master's degree. Assistantships are a beautiful thing. I know they aren't easily attainable, or even available, for every school or area of study, but there are a lot of programs in place, or even businesses, that pay/assist with paying for graduate degrees. Let's not be too quick to start handing out pats on the back.

Those are the top 5 most annoying statements to which I have repeatedly been subjected. I am incredibly glad this election is over and I genuinely don't care who you voted for and why. I am really excited that we can all go back to living the exact same way we have been for the past 4 years, but without the constant Facebook or Twitter updates suggesting how the country should be run.

I Blew My Nose...And It Was Blue

The Color Run was this past weekend and, for a split second, I never thought my hair, nose, or ears were going to be the same. My q-tips were green, my hair was dry and orange, and once, when I blew my nose, it was literally blue. BUT! You know what else I got out of the Color Run?!

I got $1800 to start an Art fund at my high school. 

I cannot express to each and every one of you how truly appreciative I am of your generosity and support. Your selflessness and desire to help children you don't even know is heart-warming, inspirational, and immensely appreciated. While there is still a lot of money to be raised, this is the boost I needed to get fundraising off the ground. I am very excited for the future and I can't wait to see what other great things can be accomplished during my time here with the support of all the wonderful people that surround me. 

Thank you. 

Now, in case you were wondering exactly what happened during the Color Run, don't worry - I have photos. But first - the details and observations of the day: Good news! The "paint" being thrown at us was actually colored corn starch. I was relieved to find out that the powdery substance being thrown at my face in the middle of a run wasn't toxic. Secondly, there was no surprise paint attack. The funniest part of the whole race was seeing the cloud of color up ahead. Lastly, people were going CRAAAAZY over this paint. Seriously - there were people rolling in the paint on the ground. It was bizarre. Funny, but bizarre. 

All in all, I was a little skeptical, but it was REALLY fun.

This was our team before the race - all clean!
(From L: Jillian, Stacy, Sharon, and me)

Aaaaand this is after the race. HOT MESS. 

Can we all please take note of my paint mustache? In my defense, Jillian had one too and Sharon's tongue was blue.

I really had mixed emotions about this whole experience. 

After the race, there are several times where everyone throws packets of paint into the air together. There is loud music, lots of dancing, and a lot of colors. It is kind of like a rave without the drugs.

Let's Get Colorful, Colorful

Alright people...I need your money. I also need you to appreciate the Olivia Newton-John-inspired title. If "Let's Get Physical" is now stuck in your head, I apologize. Anyway...

The high school where I work currently has no art program. There are about 75 kids in Theater/Performing Arts because that is one of their two options (the other being band) to fulfill their art requirement and graduate. We have A LOT of talented kids in the school, but they don't have the resources to display their abilities. On the other end of the spectrum, we also have kids that have never been exposed to anything artistic. For example, they aren't familiar with scissors or glue sticks.

That's right, folks. I work in a high school with 14-19 year olds that don't know how to cut or glue. I am not lying.

Not being able to cut or glue isn't only going to prevent these kids from being super scrapbookers, but their lack of exposure to the Arts takes away from their overall education. Arts education improves academic achievement, aids in social and emotional development, and, in a culture such as the one where I work, it serves as an outlet for the students to positively express their mental and emotional struggles. This is especially important in a town with no athletic facilities (literally none), few after school programs, and a lack of role models to teach these kids how to properly handle stressful situations or altercations from a young age.

With that said, I am working hard to find ways to bring an art program to the school. I have literally spent nearly 2 months just searching for funding. Unfortunately, a lot (and by "a lot" I mean "every single one") of the organizations don't actually fund art classes. They fund large projects proposed by art classes, but that doesn't help me. I don't even have a class to propose a project. Even if I found a grant that would fund a class, it would likely be for supplies. A lot of organizations aren't really fond of funding salaries. Understandable. Kind of.

[The cost of a first year Art teacher (salary and benefits) is around $50,000. In this school district, people laugh at you if you say you need $500. There is absolutely no extra money.]

So, here is what I have done. I have paid $54 to run 3 miles on October 13th and have powdery paint thrown at me (see above pictures). What better way to show my support for the Arts, right? I know what you're thinking - "That is $54 well spent!" - but it really will be. I paid the money to run, so now I am asking all of you to make donations and act as my sponsors. After months of searching, I have decided that if we want Arts in these schools, we are just going to have to raise the funds ourselves. Every last cent will go back to my high school and will go to start a fund to eventually buy paints and pencils and a teacher, oh my!

Click on that button. I will be accepting donations through next Saturday, October 13. Donate whatever you can or whatever you would like. Literally ANYTHING will help and it will be more appreciated than you'll ever know. 

The Time Machine + Other Good Stuff

The Time Machine - 

If you find yourself searching for other terms for the landmass between NOLA and Mobile, I like to call it The Time Machine. Crossing the state line into Mississippi is like traveling back a few decades, both in terms of stuff and people. The town where I work has no red lights. Zero. None. Nothing but a few four-way stops. That is to be expected with any small town, but there are also numerous dirt roads, the main roads have no shoulder, no street lights, and many of the houses you pass look like they should be condemned. Correction - look like they should've been condemned years ago. It truly puts things in perspective. I get annoyed because I have a leak in my sink and I'm not entirely sure all these houses have running water. The schools recently (as in within the last year) got rid of window units and had central heat and air installed. Welcome to the 21st century, everyone!

Abandon house in Oxford, MS

The houses in MS are really eye-opening. You see a lot with aluminum or plastic windows, sinking roofs, and crumbling foundations. In the event that a house finally gets too dilapidated to live in, it is just left. Things don't get torn down in Mississippi. They get left and time does its work on them. While this is startling at first, it is actually a little cool because you can see reminders of the past all around you. You can see what houses looked like in the 40s, 50s, or 60s, if not earlier, and you can only speculate about who lived in them and the history that took place there.

Houses in Crenshaw, MS

Buildings aren't the only things old and in need of renovation in this town. Many of the mindsets of people that live here are similar to what people were thinking in the 50s or 60s. The racial divide that remains in this county, and the entire state, is something that you wouldn't think existed anymore. You see it everywhere. You see it in the upkeep of the towns, the structure of the school systems, the attitudes of the citizens. There is a clear understanding that many people's paths will never cross.







Don't get me wrong, there are some AMAZING people of both races here (I say "both" races because MS is pretty much only black and white). As I have said before, I have met some of the most wonderful and selfless people in this town, but it can't be overlooked how often race comes up in conversation. When projects are discussed, or the issues in the county are brought to the table, the racial divide among the citizens can't be ignored. It is almost 2013 (assuming the world doesn't end) and we are still having conversations about the color of someone's skin and how that influences their way of living, opportunities, abilities, etc. We are celebrating the 50th anniversary of integration at Ole Miss, but there are still questions about the amount of diversity seen in postsecondary education and concerns about educated the student body is on the history of the institution.

A friend sent me a picture of this article from USA Today.
People always have to find something negative in the positive

Is Mississippi ever going to get to a point where race isn't on the forefront of nearly every discussion, or at least a thought in the back of almost everyone's mind? Over this next year, am I going to be able to propose a project or idea without having to consider that populations of people involved? If Ole Miss integrated 50 years ago and we are still dealing with the same issues, just on a smaller, less violent scale, how freaking long is it going to take to just be people working together to better their communities?

The Other Good Stuff...

Music: In case you were wondering - and I know you were - this song gets me pumped for work every morning. 

Sean Hayes - "Miss Her When I'm Gone" 

Life Lessons: Something I've learned recently - don't surround yourself with people that don't know how to support what you're passionate about. If you are lucky enough to find something you genuinely love doing every single day, go with it. If the people that love you don't support it, they're just silly. 

Day Brightener: 

Yours truly. Ridiculous from birth.  

Quote of the Day: 

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it" -Aristotle 

Friends Are Like...

My mom's cat, Van Gogh (notice the missing ear)
was really excited to have me, & my stuff, home.

I went home this weekend to save my brain. It was touch-and-go for a bit (I claimed Fall was my favorite month), but I think I recovered rather nicely. I came back to Oxford with a hair cut, coffee pot, and gym membership. I'm practically a new woman.

While I was home, I got to have some family time. That consisted, as always, of making fun of my Nana's Alabama accent and looking at old photos that my uncle had put on a DVD. Some were hilarious. My mother...my mother should be SO thankful that I love her enough to not post some of those pictures on here. I'm not sure the readers of this blog would know what to do with the haircuts my loving grandmother gave her. Or with some of her poses. For not liking to have her pictures taken now, she sure knew what she was doing then!

My Nana: pronouncing water as "worter" since 1928 

In addition to family time, I got some Blowing Rock, NC time. Always, always a good decision. It is weird how much someone can miss the mountains. We also met a man in Blowing Rock named Roger. Roger was quite smitten with my mother and men hitting on my mom is always entertainment for me (if any of you know her, ask her about the Titanic Captain in Pigeon Forge. Classic). Anyway, this man was super nice and, after I explained to him that I wasn't 19 years old and that I had a job, I was able to tell him what I do and why I love it. After talking to him for roughly 30-40 minutes, this man looked at me and said, "Put Jesus in everything you do and you'll be successful, because I can see the calling in your face and I can tell your heart is in the right place." Thank God for sunglasses because I almost cried in public in front of a stranger. As if this man wasn't brightening up my day enough, he had kittens. 8 of them. My day: complete.

Don't worry, I left him there. Against my will. 

Sunday consisted of an amazing lunch with even better conversation, Mexican food for dinner because Oxford doesn't meet my Mexican food needs, and watching (and by "watching" I mean sleeping through) The Lorax with my 9 year old cousin. As if the weekend wasn't good enough, I renewed my driver's license on Monday in 20 minutes. Folks, I was IN AND OUT OF THE DMV IN 20 MINUTES. Someone call those Guinness people. I have a world record I need to report.

Though I didn't come back to Oxford with a kitten or a stash of tacos, I did return with new perspectives and a renewed sense of excitement (probably due, in large part, to that coffee pot). I text and talk to my friends from home all the time, but living 8 hours apart makes it easy to forget how amazing they are. Every time I go home, I am never disappointed. I've got a friend in Nashville, working all over the state and even visiting me in MS! (He was the first - other friends, take note). Another friend is Interior Designing up the Eastern part of TN and is in grad school. Her sister is in grad school at UT, being all studious and athletically training some people. I have another friend going to Thailand in January to build a community center. Thailand! I'm contemplating recruiting them to help me run the world. Thoughts? Between the 5 of us, we could sell, build, decorate, and educate, all while being healthy and having a personal trainer. I think I might be on to something...

Anyway. Neeew perspectives. New perspectives are great. Everyone needs them. It is important to be able to listen to others' opinions, consider them, but only be changed by them as much as necessary. You don't want to be an opinion sponge, soaking up the thoughts of everyone else and adopting them as your own. I think I was reminded this weekend how important thoughtful and insightful conversations are. You need people in your life that can listen to you ramble and provide honest, but helpful feedback. You need people that don't always agree with you and you need people to tell you when you are being ridiculous. You need people you can share looks with when other people are being ridiculous. You need people that make you laugh. My job doesn't really revolve around a laughing matter, so I need to surround myself with funny people. Luckily, I know some.    

The first sunset of Fall, my favorite month!

Now, that I've rambled about loving my friends, I'm going to leave you with some really insightful stuff. The title of this post is "Friends Are Like..." I was thinking, "Oh, I'll find a really good quote about what friends are like and I will tie it into this post!" Unfortunately, I turned to other people to provide me with a quote. Upon my internet search of what friends are like, this is what I found...

• "Best friends are like bread knives. They can help you lots, but they can hurt you badly too."  -That's deep. 
• "Some friends are like pennies. Two-faced and worthless." -Quite uplifting 
• "Friends are like roses...you have to look out for the pricks!" -I thought that applied to dating?
• "Best friends are like thighs. They are always sticking together." - ....
• "Friends are like sisters, but like sisters, they grow up, move out, and become apart." -What?
• "Friends are like underwear..." -I can't bring myself to finish that one, but none of my friends should be that close to my butt.
• "Friends are like boobs. Some are big, some are small, some are real, while some are fake." -How insightful.
• "Friends are like the television. Some are like PBS and are always asking for money. Others are like the news, with sad tales to tell every day. Some are like that one station with the foreign language; you don't understand a word of it, but you listen and watch." -I have no words.