Friday, December 31, 2010

2010 My Year in Review

If you don't feel like reading all those entries before this, here is a recap of my last year.

            2010 was probably one of the best years I’ve had. I traveled the country met hundreds of people, made tons of new friends and got to work on several different volunteer projects. I was able to fulfill not one but two of my goals: the first to donate a year or my life to community service, and the second to move to Boston, MA. This year has certainly been a roller coaster ride to say the least, I made friends, I got into arguments, I made up, I got into more arguments, I burned a few bridges, I reconnected with old friends, and I built a few playgrounds a long the way. I experienced love, heartbreak, depression, elation, I accumulated more debt, and I paid off some of that debt. And did I mention that I got to travel the country.
            This year was certainly memorable, and I’m doing my best to end the year the way it started. Today, I flew to Tampa from Boston, Ma with a layover in St. Louis Missouri. Traveling on the last day of the year seems so perfect considering I spent the last year of my life traveling. I’m hoping for an exhilarating night filled with fun, making new friends and hanging out with old. But who knows, this year has been crazy and unpredictable and I wouldn’t be surprised if I ended up driving to Miami or something instead. In any case here is a listing of my year in review.

Cities I’ve lived in 2010:
Sacramento, Ca – on a retired air force base
Mecca, Ca – in a four-bedroom apartment with 9 other people, most of my neighbors were illegal immigrants. I got to wake up to the most beautiful sunrise on the planet. 
Chalmette, LA – in a once flooded School turned into a volunteer housing camp, walking distance from the Ninth Ward.
Nashville, Tn – in a church, with cable T.V. a giant movie projector and the most comfortable couches I’ve ever sat on. I also spent the majority of my day-covered head to toe in mud. It was phenomenal. 
Chalmette, La – this time in a 3 bedroom duplex where I shared a bedroom with four other people.
Loganville, Ga – in my dad’s guest room while I searched for Jobs.
Watertown, Ma – in my new apartment, 10 miles from the most beautiful city in the world.

States I’ve traveled to or through in 2010
California – Not only did I live hear, but I traveled up and down the coast. I got to experience both northern and southern California. Also, I got to go to Disneyland, how awesome is that?
Nevada – for a fun filled, weekend in Lake Tahoe, as well as a stop in Vegas on the road trip home. 
New Mexico – Most of my time in New Mexico was spent in a 15 passenger van, but I did get to do some minor site seeing and go to a swimming hole. 
Arizona – Again, I traveled through Az on my trip to New Orleans and back.
Texas – I finally was able to see Texas. I hate Houston, in case you were wondering but Austin was pretty cool, and I hope I can go back some day.
Louisiana – I was in New Orleans for several months, working with the Recovery School District. I was able to build playgrounds with KaBoom, restore bikes and experience the dirty south. As much as New Orleans will never be home to me, in the months since I’ve left it’s finally rooted itself into my heart.
Mississippi – I don’t like to think about Mississippi, because I went here with a guy I was dating and he broke up with me while I was there. I still had fun and I picked up a new pair of rocket dogs, which are in a land fill somewhere cause I wore them out.
Alabama –  I drove through Alabama on our way to TN.
Georgia – Not only did I live in Georgia for several weeks, I drove through it several times.
Tennessee – I was here for flood recovery.
North Carolina – I went on a trip to North Carolina, with the guy that dumped me in Mississippi. Looking back, I’m happy that the short lived fling is done and over with. Florida – A good place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there, anymore.
Virginia – My disdain for this state goes beyond words, but I had to get to Massachusetts somehow and it was on the way. All I can remember about Va are crappy drivers and stupid people.
Maryland – I got to visit Annapolis and hang out with a friend and sing Karaoke.
Washington, D.C. – Which isn’t necessarily a state, but they do have their own license plates so I guess I should put it on. I also got to celebrate 4th of July in the nations capital. Now that’s a story for the ages.
New York – I went to upstate New York, and Brookyln, I also spent an hour and a half on the George Washington Bridge. I liked Rochester, but could do without seeing NYC ever again.
New Hampshire – I was able to spend the night in New Hampshire, before my job interview, I went to a Podunk town, but I have a feeling that New Hampshire is mostly country.
Massachusetts – I live here now. I was able to visit western mass, on a road trip and of course I live near Boston, so you know life is good.
Vermont– I drove through Vermont on my way to Montreal. I don’t remember much about Vermont other than, I stopped for coffee and was surprised to see snow covering the ground.
Quebec –  I went to Canada with my best friend, we hung out in Montreal for a few days and I got to try Pouitnne.
Pennsylvania– I had to drive through Pennsylvania, on my northeastern road trip and again on my move. I still haven’t been able to do Philly like I’ve wanted.
New Jersey– Again, I only drove through New Jersey, but I did have my gas pumped for me. Weird.
Missouri– I had a layover in Missouri on my last day of the year. It probably counts less than the states I drove through this year, but I’m adding it to the list just the same.
Connecticut - I had to drive through it on my way up to Mass, but I've also been there a few times with a friend, on such travels we always stop for Rein's Deli.

Places I worked for in 2010
WJUSD – Tutoring and mentoring high school students at Woodland High School in Woodland, California.
CVHC – Building houses and working in an after school program in Mecca, California
RSD – Doing a variety of projects for the Recovery School District, including painting murals, helping with fun days, and shredding documents in New Orleans, La.
FEMA – Mucking and gutting houses in Nashville, Tn after the flood.
SBP – mowing lawns, and doing whatever else the Saint Bernard Project asked of me in Chalmette, LA.
PG – Working with kids with multiple disabilities, in Watertown, Ma.

Things I had never done before in 2010.
Framed, mucked, gutted, and roofed houses, picked apples, skied , ate poutine, served crab to people, built playgrounds, organized a fundraiser, back country camped in Joshua Tree, visited Disney Land, ate a pastrami sandwiches and probably a lot more.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Grinchmas

I'm in Beantown for Christmas. The good news I get to spend it with my best friend, the better news I have a few days off from work. But the bad news is that I have Canadian Moose Flu, which is what I've decided to name the illness that I contracted in Canada. I went to Canada Sunday night and came back with the Canadian Moose Flu on Wednesday. It was awful I spent the last few days trying to convince Comet and Cupid that I wasn't related to them. I am certain I'm going to grow antlers or something, and the next thing I know I'll be clinging to Dasher or Dancer yelling at Santa to turn the damn sled around! Okay not so much. I've never had the flu before but I haven't been able to eat or drink or indulge in any of the things people indulge in over the holiday season, like eating chocolate covered peanut butter balls, or cookie dough. I'm getting sick just thinking about it. I haven't felt this way since I got food poisoning in Summer 2009, that was embarrassing. Although I didn't get this sickness on my own it is the only thing I've been able to think about for the past few days. In all my focus on trying not to turn into a moose, I forgot that Christmas was coming. I bet Santa's left the North Pole by now, traveling the globe passing out presents to all the girls and boys of planet Earth or whatever it is that he does. I dunno, he stopped bringing me presents a few years ago.

Sometimes, I miss being a kid. But then again, you have to grow up sometime.

I forgot what I was going on about, the moose are at it again. Night all, Merry Christmas, or whatever you celebrate.

Sara

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Life is good

Well sort of... nothing is perfect but my writing has been slowed. And will continue to be slowed until after Christmas I bet. Happy Holidays

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Lacking Consistency

    
     I just came to the realization that my life is lacking consistency, and it's been that way ever since I can remember. Perhaps, everyone has realized this at some point, which is why I'm realizing it now. Although, now that I'm thinking about it, I've become frustrated. My desire for a sense of stability has been ever growing since I graduated college. I have moved several times over the last 6 years. By several I mean 18 or so times. On average I move three times a year. In 2010, alone I've moved 9 times. Although the majority of those 9 are from AmeriCorps, but if you don't count my 6 AmeriCorps moves, I've still moved 3 times this year. I anticipate moving again, not before the end of this year, but eventually I'll have to move. Perhaps next September, I'll move farther from work and closer to the city. But I don't want to think about moving because my already frustrated move has now soured. I'm sure I will, it's inevitable, but I don't have to worry about it right now. Not right now, which is what has saved me from dwelling on stability, because all I have to do is think about right now. Right now, I'm relatively safe. Right now, my bills are paid or will be paid. Right now I have food in my belly or the ability to put it there. Right now, I have the ability to put my clothes on my back, if they're not already there. Thinking about the here and the now has saved me from thinking about the what ifs, thinking about the what could be's, the future.
       It's a scary thing, the future. Anything can happen between here and tomorrow. It's unpredictable, it's unstable. And I suppose, it's that way for everybody. At least there's solidarity in numbers.

It's before midnight, did you expect something that made sense?

Friday, December 3, 2010

Sara Plain and Tall

There is nothing of interest going on in my life right now.

So here's 10 things I've done or have been working on: (I really just like making lists).
1. It's finals week so I've been working on Case Studies.
2. I was asked to come up with and start a regular group for the kids at work. We'll probably do a ton of arts and crafts projects.
3. I may have acquired a new gaming system, and if I did I've probably been playing COD Black OPS and Assassin's Creed
4. I ate a Pastrami Sandwich from Rein's Deli. (It was delicious).
5.  I watched teen drama shows on ABC Family and Teen Nick. (Everyone is allowed to have a guilty pleasure, right?)
6. I used Consequentialism to justify poor decision making in a paper. (I sometimes use this thinking to justify my own actions in real life).
7. I wore shorts outside, in 30 degree weather.
8. I purchased boots that I can build snowmen in.
9. I decided that I'm awesome. (Or at least I decided that I'd start telling myself that, in hopes that I'll believe it. It's starting to work. I feel like I'm awesome).
10. I drew pictures of hamburgers for one of the kids at work.

It was really hard to come up with this list. I really need a hobby, but right now my hobby needs to be writing this case study.

Here's a list of 10 things I should've done:
1. Read the case for my case study.
2.  Take the final exam for financial management.
3. Make Christmas presents.
4. Paint the painting I owe my best friend.
5. Write the proposal for the weekly group I've been asked to start.
6. Clean my room.
7. Find a primary care physician and go for an annual check up.
8. Finish reading 3 cups of tea.
9. Update my website.
10. Make and write postcards that I've been promising people.

Yay! Case studies.

Also it's apparently choose your favorite cartoon character week on Facebook or something. Here's my choice:
This is probably an obvious choice.

Here's a picture of the Rocket Dogs I ordered a few weeks ago.