Monday, December 15, 2008

In the meantime...


It is amazing how things have changed since even four years ago. My guess is that throughout the application, decision, and preparation processes in the past, members had to sit tight and really just wait it out, without a sneak preview. Now, I'm able to sign in to Facebook (best idea anyone ever had), and get in touch with almost the entire membership for my campus in Perry Point. The number of members in the group grows every week, and it's nearly impossible to not become obsessive over what is to come... Learning about my potential team mates, participating in discussion boards (ranging from topics like "Introductions", to "Favorite Books", and "Nicknames", and even "Fitness" and "Relationships"), seeing video clips and images from previous years, and even being able to map our individual locations on a group map. Hopefully I can figure out how to take a screenshot and put it here in this entry. From what I know now, just from reading the latest e-mail we received, there are about 102 in the program, and ultimately there will be 160 at the campus. Thank you, Facebook, for feeding into my ever-growing addiction to AmeriCorps updates. This is going to be a long month and a half, but well worth the wait!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

T-53

Hey, there! Thanks for reading. So this is my first entry, the first of many, I expect. To give you the rundown, I've still got a good 53 days of anticipation ahead of me, but my stoked and impatient mind couldn't help but get a head-start on what's to come. Work wraps up in less than two weeks, the holidays begin (or continue, really, nowadays), and I'll begin my struggle against gluttony that I inevitably fail at each year. However, I'm hopeful that this year is different, with more motivation, and perhaps I can keep up my health regimen without succumbing. I've done well so far this month, especially amidst the potlucks and surplus of donuts at work, so maybe that's giving me the practice of will power that I'll need as the holiday cheer arrives in full force, normally putting a smile on my face and a sour expression in my belly.

Anyway, I've gone on a tangent per usual. I apologize if I confuse anybody from here on out. I'm working on this tendency, so hopefully throughout NCCC I'll be able to stay on topic. As I was mentioning before, the holidays/New Years I'm sure will fly by, at which point January will bring with it a set of goals...

A few of them:

1. Catch up with friends and family - After graduating last May, I jumped right into work full-time. This wasn't a problem, especially for me, because I'd go crazy otherwise. But I'm looking forward to making some time to catch up with folks I haven't seen in awhile as well as celebrating the fact I've accomplished getting a degree. Yippee! (It still hasn't hit me) (I also like to rhyme) I'm also glad I'll be able to see Nathan, my little brother from Big Brothers Big Sisters Mass Bay, a bit more before I leave in Feb.

2. Learn - It's sad that I've gone through five years of Spanish classes and graduated with a minor in American Sign Language, and I've barely practiced either of them. January will present me with no excuses not to, so hopefully I can be able to have fluent conversation without asking someone to repeat the question 10 times.

3. Volunteer - There are several opportunities I've been trying to get more involved with, but my work/commute hours have either left me busy or tired, and in some cases cranky. My motivation is gone when I get like that, and I end up sitting and just getting stuck in my head, which is just plain unhealthy and unnecessary, and it never helps.

4. Get and STAY in shape - I've gotten to a point in life where if I don't eat well AND exercise, I pay for it. Somehow, even just for years ago, I didn't have to worry about this. I don't what it was, because I stopped growing in 8th grade. Maybe it was college. In any case, I need to stay in the habit, and it's got to be a part of my life on a consistent basis, regardless of how stressed and busy I get. Watch, you'll see, I'll be ripped. Keep an eye out for me, WWF.

There are more, I'm sure, and they'll pop into mind as the days go by. But I think this suffices as an entry for now. There probably won't be much more until just before I leave in February. I want to keep this as relevant as I can without going into too much tangent or fluff, or anything personal. Although, I suppose that is the point of a blog, to show it from a personal perspective. But we'll see how in depth I'm ready to go. Wow. I feel like I'm getting stuck in my mind. Am I? I don't know. Wait, who said that?