Awesomeness

"When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story."  Barney Stinson, How I Met Your Mother

I have been saying for a couple years that I wanted to start running, and actually run a 5K.  Because of what has been going on, now seems like a good time to start training for it.  So, guess what...2010 is the year!  Training for a 5K doesn't allow me to keep some of the really bad habits I've picked up since arriving in Baltimore.  It gets me up and moving.  So, what does this mean for you dear reader...I need you to keep me honest.  I'm going to need words of support when I don't want to keep going.  Many of you are runners as well, and know more than I do, so I will need questions answered when they arise.  And in general, I need you to be awesome.  Because, well, you are.  Honestly, I need me to be awesome, too.
 
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was while I was still in Minnesota!  So, the plan I have set up is a modified plan from Running Planet.  My January schedule is kinda crazy, and if I'm going to do this, I need to take that into account.  I'm trying to set myself up for success.  There are 2 5Ks that I am considering...The Shamrock 5K in March, the Baltimore Womens Classic in June.  The one in March might be too soon, but I've also been told that it's a good first race.  There is a local training group for the Shamrock one, so it sounds like there is a ton of support for me as well.  

With that being said, Sunday was supposed to be day #1. Church today was rough today, and I came home exhausted. I sat down on the couch, and the next thing I knew it was 7:45 pm.  I went over to the gym, and it was closed for the day.  Note to self: Find out the hours for the gym.  So, instead, I walked around the neighborhood and got my heart rate up for about 15 minutes.  I didn't stay out too long, because the creepy neighbor was being creepy. So, tomorrow will be the official day #1. 

The plan for the week:

1/4 - Walk for 30 minutes at a comfortable pace. Since this is your first workout, take it nice and easy. Walk at a pace that gets your heart rate up and makes you breath heavier than normal, but you should not be out of breath.

1/5 - Walk for 30 minutes at a comfortable pace. Same workout as yesterday.

1/6 - Walk/Jog for 30 minutes. Walk for 5 minutes and then jog for 30 seconds. Follow that sequence for the entire workout. This is your first taste of running. Do not run for more than 30 seconds at a time. Run at a pace that is fairly comfortable.

1/7 - Rest. Let your body recover from its first encounter with running.

1/8 - Walk/Jog for 30 minutes. Walk for 5 minutes and jog for 30 seconds. This is the same workout as Thursday. Keep your pace comfortable.

1/9 - Walk/Jog for 30 minutes. You make a slight increase in the jogging interval here. Walk for 5 minutes and jog for 1 minute. You will start making consistent increases in the time of your running intervals.

1/10 - Rest. 

My plan is to blog at least once a week about progress and mileage.  Maybe more if something interesting happens.  The journey officially begins tomorrow. 

Things I've Learned

Greetings Dear Reader!

So, Baltimore has not been what I expected it to be (is it ever?).  What has surprised me is what I have learned through this whole experience.

1. I can actually cook, if it involves a crock pot.  I need to perfect chicken and dumplings (not Tara's recipe, even though THAT recipe is delicious).  This week, I've made chicken and dumplings, mac & cheese, and chili.  

2. I really want to run a 5K.  As in really, really.  So, who's with me? 

3. Jack misses dog parks.  There is one "legal" dog park in Baltimore County.  The "not legal" parks aren't fenced.  Blind Dog + No Fence = Bad Idea.

4. Postcard Day may in fact be the greatest day I've ever invented...and yes I have invented other days (cf. Kermie day). 

5. I really am smart and talented and gifted.  I just may not believe that all the time. 

6. FACT:  I have the greatest friends.  Period.  My friends may not be geographically close, but they love me and support me and remind me that I am smart, talented, gifted and called.  And for that, I am truly grateful. 

Mary Travers

Yesterday, one of my heroes passed away. Mary Travers died at the age of 72, due to complications of chemotherapy when she had Leukemia.

I grew up having the privilege of seeing Peter, Paul and Mary ever summer in concert at Wolf Trap, since I was 10 years old. The only summers we did not see them were summers they canceled, one summer I was at camp, and one summer my mom forgot to get tickets, and they were sold out by the time my mom tried to get them. This past summer, less than a month ago, I got to see Peter, Paul sans Mary. The concert was billed as “A Tribute to Mary Travers.” I was sitting in the second row. Peter and Paul waved and smiled at me. Both of them were crying through most of the concert, knowing that their friend was much sicker than they were letting on. Before the concert that night, there was the largest rainbow that I have ever seen. I kid you not, the rainbow went over the Filene center….The WHOLE thing. I still hold that the rainbow was Mary’s rainbow (and my rainbow…that God holds us dear, but that is a story for a different time).

PPM was so integral to my childhood. Summer was complete after I saw them in concert. I could go back to school for the fall because I got to sing “Puff, the Magic Dragon” under the stars at Wolf Trap. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know the songs “No Easy Walk to Freedom,” or “The Wonderful Toy.” Every time I got onto a plane, I sang “Leaving on a Jet Plane.” I learned harmonies for camp songs by listening to their songs.

I learned how to play chord changes on the guitar to “If I had a Hammer.” I have seen the joy that their music brings to kids of all ages at camp. Every time I see plastic handcuffs, I think of Mary telling stories of being arrested with her daughter and granddaughter for civil disobedience, and being cuffed by plastic cuffs not being as cool as metal cuffs before singing “Have you been to jail for Justice?” When I was in Israel/Palestine/Jordan in March 2009, I could not get the song “River of Jordan” out of my head (The Lifelines version, so there were generations of folk singers in my head!). Regardless of what was happening outside of Wolf Trap, for a fleeting moment, we all had hope in the world. Those of us present could take on all of the injustice in the world after singing “We shall Overcome” with PPM, one song at a time, with Mary leading the way. I can still hear her at the end of “Blowin in the Wind,” saying her line...."The answer is still peace, justice and equality, and all of us working for these things together."

There is a semi-joke in my tiny little family…There are only two family traditions. One of them is going shopping the day after Christmas. The other one is seeing PPM every summer. By virtue of that, over the years, Mary Travers became a member of my extended family through the music. Her voice was another part of my small family, and my family is now deeply saddened by the loss of a great woman. I will continue to sing, in honor of her, and to teach her music to the generations to follow.

“And if you take my hand, my son, all will be well when the day is done.”

Professional Youth Worker

Discussions of professionalism always happen when youth workers gather. It's an inevitability.

As I was reading my blogs this morning, I came across a blog from Ian, a British youth minister.

In a forum he was reading, someone posted the definition of profession. So good, I'm re-posting here.

Looking at the 'roots' of such things ... from the Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary, we find:
Main Entry: pro·fes·sion
Pronunciation: \prə-ˈfe-shən\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English professioun, from Anglo-French profession, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin profession-, professio, from Latin, public declaration, from profitēri
Date: 13th century
1: the act of taking the vows of a religious community
2: an act of openly declaring or publicly claiming a belief, faith, or opinion : protestation
3: an avowed religious faith
4 a: a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation b: a principal calling, vocation, or employment c: the whole body of persons engaged in a calling

Thanks to Ian! Go read his blog. He's one of my favorites.

Oscar Picks 2009

For the second year in a row, I spent the day before the Oscars watching all five best picture nominees. Last year, I blogged about it, and I figured, I should blog about it again!

Last year, the commonality between the five films was the fact that each movie didn't end in a perfect way. There was no real story book ending.

This year, the commonality was much more concrete. All five were told in flashback form. I was surprised! I was expecting to have to think about the commonality. In the middle of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, I realized that the prior 2 had used the same storytelling technique. Then, when Slumdog Millionaire started, I noticed the same thing. I expected Frost/Nixon to not use that technique...I was wrong.

I was hoping/wishing for something more profound, but I really think that's it.

Milk was the story of Harvey Milk, the gay rights activist, and first openly gay politician.
The Reader was the story of a relationship, post WWII. (As a friend of mine said, the movie is better the less you know about it. She was correct.)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was the story of Benjamin, who was born as an old man, and lived his life backwards.
Slumdog Millionaire was the story of Jamal, who grew up an orphan in the slums of Mumbai.
Frost/Nixon was the story of David Frost, who wanted to interview Nixon, and got him to admit some of his involvement in Watergate.

I've been debating another commonality....acceptance. Harvey Milk was looking for acceptance for himself and for the people of the Castro District. Both main characters found a level of acceptance within each other in The Reader. In Benjamin Button, he was seeking out acceptance, and accepted all those who he met without question. Slumdog Millionaire? Jamal, Salim and Latitka were all orphaned, and were seeking out those family-like relationships that we all want and need. Frost/Nixon? David Frost wanted to be accepted by more folks as a talk-show host/entertainer, and Nixon wanted to go back to DC.

As for who I think will win? All five of them could win! Honestly, whichever one wins, I will be happy. All five were great films.

Rant....

I did not set up this blog to rant about life. I set up this blog to blog about the things that I am passionate about. (Read my first post to see the short list.)

What I am about to say is something that has been mounting for awhile. Please forgive me for ranting.

I have been living in a state of transition since Summer of 2005. My life has been a series of temporary stops since the fateful day of 07/06/05. I had a job for a year, then I went to Minnesota for school, graduated in May and now I'm applying for just about anything that I think I can get. If I sat down and counted the number of interviews I have been on, I would cry. I was doing okay for a long time about my lack of job or my lack of permanence. However, the past two weeks, I haven't been doing so well with this. So, gentle reader, I have two requests.

Thing #1. Join my cheerleading squad. Encourage me whenever possible. When I start to fall, when I start to get frustrated, remind me that there is possibility for me somewhere.

Thing #2. Help me find a job. I have a lot of research experience. I have a lot of social networking experience. I have 2 theological degrees. I have a degree in American Sign Language. I would love to put ALL of that to use somehow. I would love to work for the Search Institute or Pew Internet and American Life Foundation or something of that ilk. I have 7+ years of youth work experience, in both community centers and in churches. I would love to go back to working in a church. I would love to go back to academia as a research assistant. (I realize I'm turning into my father but that is a discussion for another time...:)) Who do you know? I'm currently in Minnesota, but I can move if the opportunity arose.

Again, I apologize that this got personal. I apologize for my outburst of frustration. I thank you for bearing with me and supporting this process and my blog.


And as reward for bearing with me, here is a picture of Jack. He is adorable.

Blog Action Day 2008 - Digital Divide

Today is Blog Action Day. I wish I had known about it before I checked Mary Hess' blog this morning. I would have prepared more!
The theme is poverty.

I'm excited because most of the bloggers that I follow posted something regarding poverty, regardless of the subject of the blog.

Most of you know my passion regarding social media. I love how social media connects us. I have friends on Facebook that live 2 miles away, and I have friends that are thousands of miles away. I also have the luxury of cracking open my laptop just about anywhere, and bam...I can chat/monitor/tweet/connect to social media. Also, I have been working with youth on the brink for 2 years, and I currently reside in North Minneapolis.

Back in the 1990's Colin Powell and Bill Clinton (among others) coined the term digital divide. The term described the divide between the people who had access technology and those who didn't. This changed from computers in the schools to computers in the home.

The definition has changed since then. The term digital divide does not mean access to technology anymore. The term has now shifted to access to CURRENT technology.

Many community centers and schools are operating with old equipment due to donations of outdated equipment or lack of funding.

How is this an issue of poverty? Youth who don't have basic computer skills are behind in school, as they are having to learn both the computer and the content. Education is power and can begin to break the cycle of poverty.

To read more about this, read this report from the MacArthur Foundation.

I have my favorite places that are decreasing/ending the digital divide.
My two favorites are:
Computer Clubhouse
Redeemer Center for Life

Also surf over to the Blog Action Day Website, and read up on the international effort that is happening today. (Other blogs are much more articulate than me...I'm still finding my blogging voice.... :))