"Just do your work, braid you hair, and then you can go out and play!!" [*big cute smile*]
~advice from a 7 year old on the way to the zoo today

I'm in Crerar, done with my Paleontology lab early, and sifting through loads of emails. Usually I find this a delight, but it's such a pain today with lots of listhost junk, and information about seminars and events that my busy schedule unfortunately won't allow.
Do you ever wonder what the people around you are up to when you’re in a computer lab? For instance, the guy next to me is writing a paper and there is the book Karaoke Around the World: Global Technology, Local Singing next to him. Interesting. I never would have guessed that there are books in the UofC library about karaoke. Then of course, there’s the many people writing emails, those doing their statistics problem sets using stata (bringing back memories of my last quarter), and other bloggers. And then there's this lady sitting behind me in a booth pushing some kind of button over and over and over in her lap at various times. It sounds just like a mouse squeaking. Very very weird. I keep glancing over there and can't figure out what she is doing. Everyone has these strange confused looks and is wondering what is going on.

Digital Genres Conference: Semiotic Technologies this side of the Millennium
this friday. sounds cool to me.

is this working? blogger is so screwed up.
thanks so much to Parker for fixing everything as always. i love you!

Happy 31st Anniversary
...to my parents today!

Back to Comfort
In only a few hours I'll be backpacking in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan!!!!!! Three days of forest for me to soak in, with the company of three amazing people. I wish you could see my smile right now.

There's Krispy Kreme, and then there's way too much Krispy Kreme, and I've unfortunately crossed the border tonight.

South Side Projects Tour
I went on a field trip today. To the Projects, only 3.4 miles from where I sit, but who would have guessed? How many know? We read about them, know about them, hear about the violence in them: the Robert Taylor Homes, but do students realize that they're right here, right next door? In easy walking distance. Nobody knows.
At first I must admit I was a little skepticle about going. Reading There are no Children Here made me a little scared...and the RT Homes are even worse than that. Five light-skinned, alien, fairly well off UofC students driving slowly with eyes wide open looking at every detail in the predominantly African-American, poor, gang-filled neighborbood of one of the most famous Chicago Projects. But we went. And it was one of the best experiences I've had at school all year (well, minus India of course).
We started out with just driving around the neighborhood between 51st and 47th and noting the condition of the buildings, where the stores were, which churches were present, what the schools looked like, the parks, and seeing what neighborhood organizations were present. It was pretty impressive to see all of the social services around the neighborhood--there were a lot of after-school programs, the YMCA, the Boys and Girls Club, EduCare, and others. The neighborhood was in better shape that I had imagined (new parks, the schools looked good [besides the one they had shut down], and other nice facilities)--but it definitely wan't the most pleasant neighborhood. There were still many boarded up buildings, houses, and shops, and the basic look of parts of the neighborhood was dingy. But you could see the hope too.
We ended up turning around in a very familiar shop plaza, right by the Garfield Redline stop, but as we drove through the parking lot we spotted something that none of us had noticed before because it is slightly out of view from the bus--Beatrice Caffrey Youth Serive, Inc.

...To Be Continued later, because I'm going to get Krispy Kremes and buying our camping supplies for the weekend!

I really like my social welfare final. We were given four vignettes and asked to pick one. I picked:

Trent, a twelve year-old boy, lives in Robert Taylor Homes with his mother. His mother recieves monthly TANF payments and food stamps. Trent has been an average student, but in the last year his grades have fallen. He has started acting out in school and is frequently absent. His mother does not understand what has happened to Trent, but one of her neighbors told her that one of the gangs in the neighborhood has been pressuring Trent to join. What help is available to Trent and his mother?

So now I've been researching like crazy and have been finding a ton of information (which is great). Here are some websites that I stumbled upon this evening that I thought were interesting:
A very detailed report on Chicago's gangs: Chicago Crime Commission Gang Book
Violence, Gangs, and the Redivision of Space in Chicago
CHA's Projects

The big treasure hunt in Portland, Oregon

ps. I scored a 28% on the "How U of C are you?"--but if you're taking this beware of really annoying popup adds
684 people had a score lower than yours
1920 people had a score higher than yours
90 people had a score the same as

Tunneling Under the Midway--Urban Speleology
I went on a tour with the facilities manager of the University to learn how our campus gets our energy. Eight students and I were given a tour of the University Steam Plant--which was pretty cool (and the staff that work there are really nice). I was shocked to learn that the University spends over $6 million in Natural Gas each year; but at least we've been improving the efficiency of how we use it. The best part of the tour was starting out at the steam plant and walking in the underground steam tunnels for about half a mile or so as they tunneled under the midway. It was hot and sticky inside, with calcium carbonate deposits on the floor of the tunnel along with mud and water. Most of the time it was easy to walk along, but sometime the pipes would be overhead and you would have to scrunch down and walk underneath them on little bridges. It was kinda neat to know that you were in a tunnel underneath roads and people above, it felt like an adventue. I wished we could have walked the entire way to the center of campus and popped out of one of the grates to end the tour. The tunnels (which are all over campus) were build in the 20's by the Army Corps of Engineers, and guess it used to be a tradition for different classes from the UofC to explore inside and write their names. Now though, there are locked gates every few hundred feet.
Next Friday I'll be going on another tour. This time I'll get to see the off-limits part to the Reg (in the basement) where most of the controls are to the campus and we'll get to explore some tunnels down there. I'm looking forward to it.

More Proof: I Really Am Turning into my Mom
I went to Walgreens and the Coop to drop off four rolls of film to be developed. Outside in the courtyard of the surrounding stores the Hyde Park Garden Fair was going on. At first I quickly walked through just to have a peek at all of the plants filling up the sidewalk, and I was proud of myself when I walked away emptyhanded and went into the Coop to buy some groceries. But then, when I was leaving I just couldn't resist going back. My family likes to garden, and when I was little we used to have two big vegetable gardens in our back yard--I used to get so happy and excited to plant the corn and watch it grow until finally I could pick it and eat it fresh for dinner. And the carrots too--they taste so much better when you've handpicked them right out of the ground. Along with lots of vegetables (tomato, rhubarb, corn, carrots, squash, pumpkin, articoke, broccholi, califlower, plus more) and fruit (a grafted apple tree where half produced red and half produced green, a plum tree, grape vines, blueberries, raspberries, and best of all: marionberries!) my parents have both loved planting many other plants in our yard. My mom loves giving people tours of her plants and explaining little details about each one--it's really cute how happy she gets to do this. Sunflowers, Cosmos, Calalillies, Foxglove, Lilac, Lily of the Valley, Violets, Geraniums, Marigold, various types of fern, Rhododendron, Heather, tons of Roses, Iris, and over a hundred more. I used to tell my parents that they spent more time, energy, and money on our yard then they did on our family (teasing of course). Now when I call home it's so hard to get my parents to answer the phone because most of the time if it's still light outside they're working on planting, landscaping and maintaining our 1.5 acres of yard.
I've become a sucker for plants, just as my best friend Kate is (her mother and my mother are very similar in their love of the outdoors). So when I went back to the Garden Fair I spent at least 20 minutes roaming around looking at every single plant there until I decided on spending (too much money) $3.00 on a cascading white Geranium which is now sitting in the living room of my apartment.

The Matrix Reloaded The crowd to get in at the Michigan Ave theatre was ridiculous! Once in though, the movie was ok. I'm not really a fan of science fiction though, so it was hard for me to appreciate the movie, although I did enjoy a lot of it, and some of the fight scenes were great (while others were a little much). It was funny though, because after this week in Paleontology doing a lab on the Uppper Paleozoic, all I could think about was how much the machines in the matrix looked like crinoids--specifically the anthus, with the theca and brachioles.

The Inside Scoop
The UofC bought out the gym in Harper Court on 53rd street and is now trying to bring the CHECKERBOARD LOUNGE in its spot to Hyde Park! This is no joke. Soon (in the next year) we are going to have the historic blues club right next door. I'm so excited!
Boasts owner L.C. Thurman, "You can't find another club in the world that's had this many stars on one stage." Check it out: The Rolling Stones, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, B.B. King, Tyrone Davis, Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Reeves, Little Milton, Buddy Guy, Luther Allison, the late great Junior Wells.

So many things to write in this blog and then I censor myself. It's not fun, but it's necessary. [Otherwise...the angel disapears]

Crisis
This week I will be finding out if Upward Bound is funded and if I'll be going back to work on staff in Alaska this summer. Cross your fingers for the program. I just can't even imagine what will happen if Upward Bound does not go on. All the hundreds of thousands of kids who will be displaced, left out, and saddened--I think I will cry if that happens--I really can't imagine the program stopping. It was such an essential part of my college-prep experience. Of developing who I am today and where I am today. Of summer schoool, social networks, realizing passions, exploring, responsibility, learning, SAT prep, html/webpage design, Scholarship help, realizing the possibilities, setting goals, essay critiqueing, mentoring, my first true full blown completly emotional crush (I miss you so much Mark), lifelong friendships, and most of all growing up. Would I be here at the UofC without Upward Bound?? It's doubtful.

It's not the same anymore. Friends and relationships. What's real, and who cares. Is this the way life really is? Was I decieved before? Or will it change back?--I hope it does. Please make eye contact, smile and a nod of awknowledgement--that's a start, but there's so much more to be accomplished.

I miss: you right now only one mile away, the bluebird sticker, windblown smiles, Portland, the network of the community, ferns, the Spotted Owl family in my yard, innocence, confidence, holding hands, and most of all--genuine care.

miscarrage and emergency surgery...he's unconscious...i hate horrible phone calls from home
But before hearing that tonight was fun. The GLAM Concert in the parking structure was so excellent! Besides being short and having a restricted view (I didn't even see the limo exit, or really anything except peering between people's heads to occasionally glimpse the band), I was very impressed...it was a great show!! I wasn't actually expecting to like it so much, so it was a nice surprise. I even somehow really enjoyed the opening band--Starlister for the first time ever.

concert, ticket, scavhunt, fota--mask, anju&susys. warm walking summer careless night with Karin.
lunch with the President tomorrow. what do I wear?
lightening strikes.

It's 84 degrees and sunny [unfortunately it's also an uncomfortable humid-muggness]. A nice relaxing chat in the park with Sudeep. Selling cards for SafeSpace, and hanging out with Paul. What a great day! And tonight I'm going to The Katinas concert downtown. :o)

5c is coming our way. next year is looking up.

How did I get on the UofC Convocation Speaker Committee??????
I am so confused about this. I'm told I was "chosen", but by who? And why? And what does this even entail?
Update: Ok, school get your story straight. I'm not a 4th year! (they've *suddenly* realized this, even though I emailed them 2 weeks ago saying that I shouldn't be on the Committee and that I wasn't eligable---but they emailed me back and told me I was and that I should participate). Hurray, I'm now kicked off the committee.

One long night and I didn't know how to help, what to do. But she's getting better....I hope.


Who wants to join me?
In memory of my Aunt.

Someone Help!!
guess what. after luggng my computer here (the lbrary) and gettng all prepared to wrte my essay. my 'eye jay comma cay' and 'eght' letters all don't wor. rather unfortunate. and they're all n a lne so thn that t's somethng wrong electrcally wth my computer. help help help. my computer s useless! and can't do anythng on t wthout those 4 letters. -rsty

Grass and fribee. Blue water and sky. It was a gorgeous last morning with my sister in Chicago.
Babies announced this weekend. One born in Portland. Two expecting--shocking to hear. My other "sister" pregnant and found, maybe this will take her down to Earth again. I am missing Makayla, and missing her childhood stuck in Chicago. Friends and mothers so far away.

It's May Day. Get your story straight. History is revived and remembered at Haymarket Square.

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilararting; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.
-John Ruskin

the sad truth is that i'm sore from playing kickball