It's my favorite type of weather - 70s and sunny!
It's almost Friday!
2 babies were born within the last week and we even got to drive Lydia to the hospital after her water broke on the dance floor at Lovelyn & Mike's wedding. It was quite memorable and her baby Nina is perfect and we're excited to meet Megan & Drew's baby Oliver who arrived on Sunday. Jamie is due in less than a month! We have to wait until October for Stef & Jeff's little one. Babies everywhere!
I'm getting back into my health groove thanks to more free time to cook and workout.
I'm getting to volunteer a lot more thanks to more free time and opportunities at work. Excited to volunteer with Rob at Breakthrough Urban Ministries in a couple of weeks and see my buddy, Connie soon!
In 3 months we'll be in Germany to celebrate Nessa & Tobi's wedding!!!
We're going to my favorite place next weekend - Michigan!!
My favorite fest is coming up in 2 weeks - MAIFEST!!!!
We're booking a trip to San Francisco to visit the Liebls for Labor Day! Can't wait for some quality time with Amy, Tom, Luke & Sofie!
All around, things are good and there's a lot to be grateful for!
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
If I had a day off...
Lately I have been working nonstop like most of my colleagues because it is such a busy time of year for us in Alumni Relations. I will range 1-4 events per week until June so there is not much down time on my calendar. With free time so sparse - I was thinking about what I would do if I had some. Here's a top 10 list of how I'd spend a day off:
10. Working on our wedding video and album. Pretty low on my priority list these days...
9. Go to the Art Institute because my membership expires soon!
8. Cook a real meal. Lots of "event food" dinners these days - cheese & crackers, bruschetta...doesn't cut it!
7. Do something spontaneous - even just an impromptu drink with a friend that can be impromptu with me
6. Drive to Michigan for the day to enjoy my favorite things in my favorite weather
5. Normal life things like get a hair cut, go grocery shopping, get a mani/pedi, clean our apartment. Sad but there is absolutely no time for any of this!
4. Volunteer more. I haven't been able to give back nearly as much as I'd like due to my busy schedule
3. Go to the zoo because our membership expires soon and it's my favorite place.
2. Go on a date with my man!
1. NOTHING AT ALL. Lounge and nap and veg.
All seems pretty reasonable - hopefully I can actually do some of it someday soon!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Spring Break Service Trip 2013
I had the privilege of going on another service trip this year with DePaul students over Spring Break. This year I was asked to take a group of girls to Cincinnati. I was very excited for this because it was a new trip and because it was such a short drive! I got to meet with our group a few times before the trip and I was really impressed with all the girls, especially my leader, Tina. We stayed with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's volunteers in their house and they took very good care of us! The trip addressed many issues, but mostly focused on poverty and homelessness. There are too many highlights to count but a few of the most meaningful moments are below:
Food stamp challenge - we were challenged with creating a healthy and tasty meal for a family of 4 on $6 which is the standard amount per meal for those on food stamps. This was eye opening and challenging. We went to the closest grocery store to the house we were staying at and found it to be really small and structured in a strange way. All the produce was along the back wall and there wasn't much to choose from. All of the processed/junk food was in the front. We walked back the 2 or so miles to the house to experience what people living in the area without a car have to do to get their groceries. We got a tour/explanation of the West End neighborhood on the way back. Even though it was snowy and cold, we all really enjoyed this eye opening experience.
Selling Street Vibes - We had the opportunity to shadow a former Street Vibes newspaper salesman and try to sell our own. We learned that it's done through the Homeless Coalition and homeless people that get jobs selling the paper have to buy the paper for 50cents and then sell them for $1.50 and earn $1 off each sale. Many of us really struggled selling the papers and realized how hard they have to work to make so little. We all came out of the trip realizing we need to be more open and friendly to the Street Wise sellers in Chicago.
Jail Tour - near the end of the week we went on a tour of the county jail. Quite the experience! After being told all week that a smile and eye contact goes a long way with people we were told to not look or talk to any of the inmates. The best way to describe the experience is to say that I felt like we were zoo animals and so were the inmates - on exhibit. We got shouted and laughed at and the whole experience was incredibly uncomfortable. We learned a lot about the inner workings, politics and hierarchy at the jail.
Simulations - SVdP put together 2 simulations for us. First, they did a poverty simulation. We each got a packet with our "situation" and character, some fake money and what we needed to accomplish. For example, pay rent, get groceries, get medicine, etc. They set up all the different social services around the building and you had to figure out how to utilize them and take care of your list. We were all running around trying so hard and none of us completed our tasks. I was $2 short. We all realized how much work it is trying to make ends meet and how limited organizations' resources are. The other simulation was a rent/utilities simulation. SVdP can assist with 8 (i think) rent assistance requests and 8 utilities requests. People fill out a form explaining why they aren't able to pay, how much they can pay, if they'll be evicted or have their heat shut off, etc. We had to review applications and decide who got the help. It was torture. It's so hard to decide who gets help and who doesn't. Who's too poor to even help or who's not poor enough. It's a crazy, crazy mentality and really hard to wrap your head around.
Resurrection Food Pantry - One of the most powerful experiences was at the Resurrection Food Pantry. This place has so much spirit and love! The volunteers are incredible and their love really rubs off on the people that come there. I had the opportunity to assist several clients select their food items from this choice pantry. I really enjoyed my interactions with everyone but a few stood out. The first woman I helped started crying and said how much their neighborhood needs this pantry and how grateful she was. I couldn't help but tear up too and once I started the rest of the day was filled with tears often! One man, Clarence had a limp and a cane and he told me that it was his first time coming so he needed some extra help. He informed me that he had started dialysis that day but he was grateful to learn he wouldn't have to do it permanently. So many of the people we met had such positive attitudes. It really puts things in perspective! I took him through the pantry and I would say you can have 4 cans from this area and he'd think it was 4 per shelf instead of 4 total - it was really tough to experience this new reality with him. Overall it was a meaningful experience for me even though it was really challenging at times.
Respite Care - This experience probably had the biggest impact on me and I get choked up every time I think or talk about it and I'm still not entirely sure why. We went here after the food pantry and I was already quite emotional! Respite Care is in this big old mansion and it's run by a doctor that quit his practice to assist with the long term care of homeless individuals. Patients live there during recovery and they assist with finding housing once they're released. It's pretty incredible. We prepared a meal for the residents and ate with them. I ate with Troy and he told me about his life and challenges. He chatted and chatted and I was really enjoying getting to know him. After about 25 minutes he told me that this was the longest and nicest conversation he's had in a long time and that he didn't have any friends or family anymore. Not only did this break my heart but it also touched me and reminded me to be more open and friendly to others. I basically cried the entire rest of the day and still think of Troy a lot.
There is so much more that we did and experienced during the week including hearing a talk from a former homeless woman, sharing a meal with people at a soup kitchen, going to a lot of mass for Holy Week, praying the steps at Mt. Adams for Good Friday, visiting the Cinci Art Museum, hearing from former inmates and so much more. I am so grateful to SVdP and the girls I got to experience this with. It was a total roller coaster and really powerful for me. There are so many things I learned and now view differently. Now that I'm home, I'm trying to be more friendly to homeless people and Street Wise sellers-and giving the change or food I do have on hand to homeless people and buying the newspaper when I can. Rob and I are going to donate items to different shelters and organizations each month - so far I dropped off a bag of tooth paste and tooth brushes to the Lincoln Park Community Shelter. I still want to volunteer at more organizations that support homeless and poverty initiatives but I don't have much time these days - hopefully someday!
Food stamp challenge - we were challenged with creating a healthy and tasty meal for a family of 4 on $6 which is the standard amount per meal for those on food stamps. This was eye opening and challenging. We went to the closest grocery store to the house we were staying at and found it to be really small and structured in a strange way. All the produce was along the back wall and there wasn't much to choose from. All of the processed/junk food was in the front. We walked back the 2 or so miles to the house to experience what people living in the area without a car have to do to get their groceries. We got a tour/explanation of the West End neighborhood on the way back. Even though it was snowy and cold, we all really enjoyed this eye opening experience.
Selling Street Vibes - We had the opportunity to shadow a former Street Vibes newspaper salesman and try to sell our own. We learned that it's done through the Homeless Coalition and homeless people that get jobs selling the paper have to buy the paper for 50cents and then sell them for $1.50 and earn $1 off each sale. Many of us really struggled selling the papers and realized how hard they have to work to make so little. We all came out of the trip realizing we need to be more open and friendly to the Street Wise sellers in Chicago.
Jail Tour - near the end of the week we went on a tour of the county jail. Quite the experience! After being told all week that a smile and eye contact goes a long way with people we were told to not look or talk to any of the inmates. The best way to describe the experience is to say that I felt like we were zoo animals and so were the inmates - on exhibit. We got shouted and laughed at and the whole experience was incredibly uncomfortable. We learned a lot about the inner workings, politics and hierarchy at the jail.
Simulations - SVdP put together 2 simulations for us. First, they did a poverty simulation. We each got a packet with our "situation" and character, some fake money and what we needed to accomplish. For example, pay rent, get groceries, get medicine, etc. They set up all the different social services around the building and you had to figure out how to utilize them and take care of your list. We were all running around trying so hard and none of us completed our tasks. I was $2 short. We all realized how much work it is trying to make ends meet and how limited organizations' resources are. The other simulation was a rent/utilities simulation. SVdP can assist with 8 (i think) rent assistance requests and 8 utilities requests. People fill out a form explaining why they aren't able to pay, how much they can pay, if they'll be evicted or have their heat shut off, etc. We had to review applications and decide who got the help. It was torture. It's so hard to decide who gets help and who doesn't. Who's too poor to even help or who's not poor enough. It's a crazy, crazy mentality and really hard to wrap your head around.
Resurrection Food Pantry - One of the most powerful experiences was at the Resurrection Food Pantry. This place has so much spirit and love! The volunteers are incredible and their love really rubs off on the people that come there. I had the opportunity to assist several clients select their food items from this choice pantry. I really enjoyed my interactions with everyone but a few stood out. The first woman I helped started crying and said how much their neighborhood needs this pantry and how grateful she was. I couldn't help but tear up too and once I started the rest of the day was filled with tears often! One man, Clarence had a limp and a cane and he told me that it was his first time coming so he needed some extra help. He informed me that he had started dialysis that day but he was grateful to learn he wouldn't have to do it permanently. So many of the people we met had such positive attitudes. It really puts things in perspective! I took him through the pantry and I would say you can have 4 cans from this area and he'd think it was 4 per shelf instead of 4 total - it was really tough to experience this new reality with him. Overall it was a meaningful experience for me even though it was really challenging at times.
Respite Care - This experience probably had the biggest impact on me and I get choked up every time I think or talk about it and I'm still not entirely sure why. We went here after the food pantry and I was already quite emotional! Respite Care is in this big old mansion and it's run by a doctor that quit his practice to assist with the long term care of homeless individuals. Patients live there during recovery and they assist with finding housing once they're released. It's pretty incredible. We prepared a meal for the residents and ate with them. I ate with Troy and he told me about his life and challenges. He chatted and chatted and I was really enjoying getting to know him. After about 25 minutes he told me that this was the longest and nicest conversation he's had in a long time and that he didn't have any friends or family anymore. Not only did this break my heart but it also touched me and reminded me to be more open and friendly to others. I basically cried the entire rest of the day and still think of Troy a lot.
There is so much more that we did and experienced during the week including hearing a talk from a former homeless woman, sharing a meal with people at a soup kitchen, going to a lot of mass for Holy Week, praying the steps at Mt. Adams for Good Friday, visiting the Cinci Art Museum, hearing from former inmates and so much more. I am so grateful to SVdP and the girls I got to experience this with. It was a total roller coaster and really powerful for me. There are so many things I learned and now view differently. Now that I'm home, I'm trying to be more friendly to homeless people and Street Wise sellers-and giving the change or food I do have on hand to homeless people and buying the newspaper when I can. Rob and I are going to donate items to different shelters and organizations each month - so far I dropped off a bag of tooth paste and tooth brushes to the Lincoln Park Community Shelter. I still want to volunteer at more organizations that support homeless and poverty initiatives but I don't have much time these days - hopefully someday!
Monday, February 11, 2013
Ireland 2013: Part 3
Mom and I gladly disposed of the rental car in Dublin and got our free shuttle ride back to the airport and then waited and met up with my cousin Kate and bff Vanessa. Ness flew in from Munich and Kate from London. We finally all connected after a bit of confusion and we took a cab to our cool hotel nearby Grafton Street and Trinity College. It was very swank and a big change from our b&b's. Then we went for a walk on Grafton street and found a very lively pub to get some lunch. We stayed there for a long time before going back to Grafton and poking around some shops. We found a nice quiet bar to spend the rest of the night. When we got back to the hotel, Ness and I grabbed some wine in the hotel bar to catch up some more. The next day they were both leaving that afternoon. We went to Bewley's Cafe for breakfast and really enjoyed our croissants and hot beverages. Then we were able to go to St. Stephen's Green. Even though the weather was unpleasant we really enjoyed strolling through. We saw an intense swan chase too! Then we stopped for more coffee to warm up and then poked into the National Gallery for a bit. Then we grabbed lunch by the hotel. I really enjoyed my food but the service was terrible. I had to yell at them to get a move on. Then we had to say our goodbyes to Ness and Kate. They shared a cab to the airport. We were sad to see them go but so grateful we could all spend time together. I don't fully remember how we spent the rest of the day but I think we went to their archaeology museum which was really, really cool. I had very low expectations and it blew my mind. Great for a rainy day! Not only was the building beautiful, the exhibits were so cool. We both were really impressed with the bog people exhibits which showed pretty intact remains of people found in bogs. Gross, but cool! Then I think we hit up some shops before returning to the hotel. Then we just grabbed dinner there that night and I think we watched really funny Lifetime like movies the rest of the night. The next day was our last full day in Dublin so we had big plans. We went back to their National Gallery and really enjoyed the galleries and also tore it up in their gift shop. We also went to Trinity College's art gallery which was very unique. We went into the Trinity bookstore and walked on their quad too. We bought more Butler's chocolate and then we went back to Bewley's for lunch. They were supposed to have a mini play but no one knew what we were talking about so we just enjoyed lunch. Then we went back to the hotel to dispose all our purchases and relax for a bit. Then we walked to the castle and did a tour which was great! We really loved our guide and enjoyed the tour a lot. He went over his time so we missed the opportunity to get into one of the cathedrals we wanted but we did get to go to St. Patrick's which was a great experience! It was a bit of a hike but definitely worth it. We really enjoyed seeing it and we got to catch part of the choir performing! We snuck out before they officially started and grabbed dinner at a place called the Queen of Tarts. boy was it delicious! Such a great way to end the trip. The next day we went back to Bewleys for a quick breakfast and then we took a shuttle to the airport. Overall it was quite an adventure and a wonderful time! I'm so lucky to have had the opportunity to go to Ireland with my mom!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)