28.3.10

Zero seconds of fame

Clean-Up Crew made the Tucson paper this morning. Yay.

and another article in the AZ Daily Wildcat.

Wowzerz

105 pounds of bananas
300 bagels
300 granola bars
40 pounds of clementines
8 pounds of strawberries
6 gallons of coffee
... to feed a few hundred volunteers to do yard work with...
65 hoes
50 rakes
40 shovels
pruning shears
pick axes

I guess it was a success. Everyone was hard at work for at least 3 hours, landscaping yards, picking up trash and clearing public areas of debris. Most importantly, I think that students as a whole gained a more positive view in the eyes of the local Tucsonans living around the campus. I got down and dirty a bit, but spent most of the day dealing with logistics, the media, and some crazy neighbors and residents.

As expected, I definitely have a sense of fulfillment. Especially after taking the extra food (100+ bagels and tons of bananas) and giving it to homeless people around the several parks in central tucson. Yay student volunteers, and yay me. High fives and pats on the back to all.

Shout out to UMC, Marshall Foundation, Time Market, The Bagelry, and Lowes for making this all possible. Maybe some pics and newspaper article links to come in the future... Now time for a whole lot of ZzzZZzzz's.

BA-out

25.3.10

The big picture

I'm a bit late, but I think that I have finally realized what college is all about. It ISN'T about getting good grades and graduating in 4 years like a initially had though. It's about figuring out which path in life to point yourself toward. OK, so I did know this coming into school, but didn't act on it. For 3.7819 years I went to class, participated in some extracurricular events and activities, and lived within the box.

Last year, when accepted as a member of Mortar Board Senior Honors Society, I chose to take on a roll of Clean-Up Crew (Co-) Director (along with Ryan Buckley). It sounded like a good way to stay involved with school and this organization as I came down the home stretch of undergrad.

What is this "Clean-Up Crew" that I speak of? Well without going into too much depth, it is a community service event that brings together hundreds of student volunteers and gives them an opportunity to give back to their surrounding community by carrying out tasks such as landscaping homes of elderly, picking up trash and debris in public areas, and painting over graffiti. By performing such tasks, we hope to foster the relationship that is often on the rocks between students and their surrounding neighbors.

In order to successfully carry out this event, funding and in-kind donations have been accumulated. This gives us and our 300+ volunteers gardening tools, t-shirts, gloves, breakfast, and coffee. With these necessities, volunteers will happily show up and be able to carry out the tasks to which they have been assigned.

It's coming. March 27 (Saturday) is the day that 300+ volunteers (recruited by myself) will get together and give back to our beloved Tucson community.

So where am I going with all of this? I am not quite sure. But for some reason, for the first time in my undergraduate years, I have a sense of fulfillment. In just a couple days (after this event is in the books) I can say that I did something. I made a difference. I left my mark.

It's a good feeling. A feeling that I hope to have many more times in my life.

BA-out

(will check back in after Saturday's event!)

Whoa!

I wish I had time to do something like this...

I've been quite busy this week, yet haven't done anything academically related... hmmmm.

In other news, the achilles is feeling strong which means its time to put some fun back between my legs.

BA-out

20.3.10

Holy road trip!


Best spring break ever? Maybe. We covered a whole lot of California in 6 days. 6 EPICCCCC days.
Day 1,2 - Santa Monica
Santa Monica Co-op, Old Chub, Big Swell IPA, Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren/Patron Owner, 3rd street promenade dance party, boardwalk skate boarding, Venice Beach hippies, and muscle beach hunks.
Highlight: Venice Beach Whole Foods - first sight of GUBNA

Day 3,4 - Tahoe City
Snow ball fights, chillaxin by the lake, making a monster-transvestite snowman/woman, sledding, shredding Squaw Valley on skis, DJ Senile dance party, whiskey, sauna, playing dominos, and awesome food cooked by incredible chefs

Highlight: t-shirt skiing in 60+ degree weather and cooling down with a Dales on the chair lift

Day 5 - San Francisco, Sausalito, Santa Cruz
Haight street, thrift shops, whitie-tighty wearing hipsters, yachts, golden gate bridge, fresh ocean air, whole foods bulk, fat tire in a can, after hours hot tub
Highlight: not knowing where the hell we were going

Day 6 - Santa Barbara, LA ghetto, Blythe, Phoenix
Surfer dude bros, yummy food, vinyards, potty breaks, gnarly LA traffic, creepy truck stops and more DJ Senile

Play GigsQuantcast

Highlight: passing out at my parents house

Bottom line: 6 day Cali road trip = TEASE
I am looking forward to an extended version this summer, which will involve bikes.

11.3.10

Springing toward a springy break

Maybe someday spring break will be spent here...


Yes, I still want to be an astronaut someday.

Until then, I am more than happy with a Lake Tahoe vacation!

Can I get a BE-KAW?

BA-Out

9.3.10

A chronic case of achilles senioritis



Do you believe in karma? I know that in the end, the world tends to balance out. When bad things tend to be coming your way time after time, good things are around the corner. The question is though, how long does it take to get around that corner?

That's where patience comes in. I have never been patient. Being injured on and off (mostly on) since I broke my hand in the beginning of October has been a true test of patience. My achilles tendonitis which has kept me from doing pretty much any sort of physical activity for the last 7 weeks or so has sucked big time, to say the least. During the time of year when athletes and snowbirds alike flock to Tucson to take advantage of the awesome weather, I find myself cooped up indoors far more often than I can barely handle.

I know that when I overcome this injury, I will have a healthy streak. I can feel it. At least I deserve a healthy body for a while according to karma... But the shitty thing is that my achilles has not gotten the slightest bit better in the last 7 weeks of physical therapy, stretching, icing, massage, laser treatments, ultrasound treatments, ASTYM, rest, etc. I guess I am just really being tested this time around.

I hate complaining. I know that my very minor injury is insignificant in the realm of life and injuries. But I am 22 and want to use my body to its full potential.

On top of that, I have recently realized that I am indeed severely color blind.

In this TEST, I can only read two plates: Plate 7 = 12 & plate 15 = 25.


























Aren't I supposed to have some sort of superman type sense due to this handicap. What the hell...

BA - out...