April 19, 2010
The joys (or lack there of) of being a VISTA
The Billings Gazette published an article on the Billings VISTAs. Those kids seem to be having a positive experience. They actually seem to be making a positive experience in the Billings community, where I don't really feel like I'm doing much for people in my community. Sure, it's all about taking the back burner, but I don't know how sustainable getting donations really is. Will my efforts really pay off next year? Probably not. Will I be here long enough to find out? Nope. Am I growing from this experience? Probably. I hope, though, that the stuff I leave behind (I'm making a how-to guide for everything!) is somewhat helpful to future fund-raisers who serve CNADA.
On a slightly more positive note, I'm taking an adventure to Glendive for a training this week, and visiting another VISTA. I hope this trip goes well. I also have another interview for City Year this week. Hella cool.
At any rate, things are going pretty good. Having Tyson as a roommate is actually kind of fun, and not nearly as "intimidating" as I initially thought it would be. Beyond this, we're starting to plan for upcoming months. Tyson and I are going to a motorcycle rally, a town party (Bucking Horse) and my dad is planning a trip out to visit us.
I'm still patiently awaiting the farmers' markets, even though ours isn't as great as the ones I remember from my youth, or as great as the one in Billings. But that's how it goes living in a small town.
On a slightly more positive note, I'm taking an adventure to Glendive for a training this week, and visiting another VISTA. I hope this trip goes well. I also have another interview for City Year this week. Hella cool.
At any rate, things are going pretty good. Having Tyson as a roommate is actually kind of fun, and not nearly as "intimidating" as I initially thought it would be. Beyond this, we're starting to plan for upcoming months. Tyson and I are going to a motorcycle rally, a town party (Bucking Horse) and my dad is planning a trip out to visit us.
I'm still patiently awaiting the farmers' markets, even though ours isn't as great as the ones I remember from my youth, or as great as the one in Billings. But that's how it goes living in a small town.
April 15, 2010
Time to grow. I mean... go.
So, there's been a lot of new stuff going on recently, mostly involving cows, rivers and amazing life experiences. But, these are the perks of living in Montana, I suppose.
Susan and I recently wandered around Fort Keogh, an old army fort that had been used by Custer and is now a cow research laboratory. People can go hiking, fishing, paddling, ect., and check out the cows that hang out in the pastures. We wound up getting slightly lost in our attempts to check out abandoned soldiers' quarters, and wound up going through a river. It was a delightful experience. We even encountered a bull who seemed to notice us, but ate grass contently as we quickly walked past.
We also had the opportunity to experience calf branding. This too was exciting, and new. I realized that things like this are potentially a once-in-a-lifetime type deal. How many times am I going to be able to walk into a room and say something like, "So, you know when you're out branding cattle and...." and have others be able to relate? Probably not so many. Unless they grew up on a ranch. Or maybe a farm if they've got several cows that are free-range as they are here.
Also, I heard back from U-MT, and apparently I'm not good enough to gain acceptance into their graduate school. This is okay, I guess. There'll be plenty of other opportunities. Or something. So I keep telling myself. I'm planning to return to Wisconsin towards the end of August. I've got an interview on Thursday of next week, which I'm looking forward to. It's for this program called City Year. I hope it works out, as it seems like a really interesting program. Just as eastern Montana begins to grow on me, I am also feeling the urge to return somewhere closer to home. I don't think I can spend the summer with brown grass, few trees and no humidity. I also miss the smell of thunder storms, spring time, and freshly cut grass. I miss the smell of fall. And of snow. I miss the feelings of snowmobiling. Of being in forests in the winter. I miss fresh veggies, and the Appleton Farmers' Market. I miss people who recognize that there are various kinds of corn. But, when I leave this Big Sky Country, I'll miss the people I've encountered and had the opportunity to spend time with. And the things I've been fortunate enough to experience here. How many people can say they've hiked through cow research facilities?
So, we'll see where I wind up. It's funny how things just grow on people, it's time to go. But this is a growing experience. On a slightly more positive note, Ty's thinking about coming with.
Susan and I recently wandered around Fort Keogh, an old army fort that had been used by Custer and is now a cow research laboratory. People can go hiking, fishing, paddling, ect., and check out the cows that hang out in the pastures. We wound up getting slightly lost in our attempts to check out abandoned soldiers' quarters, and wound up going through a river. It was a delightful experience. We even encountered a bull who seemed to notice us, but ate grass contently as we quickly walked past.
We also had the opportunity to experience calf branding. This too was exciting, and new. I realized that things like this are potentially a once-in-a-lifetime type deal. How many times am I going to be able to walk into a room and say something like, "So, you know when you're out branding cattle and...." and have others be able to relate? Probably not so many. Unless they grew up on a ranch. Or maybe a farm if they've got several cows that are free-range as they are here.
Also, I heard back from U-MT, and apparently I'm not good enough to gain acceptance into their graduate school. This is okay, I guess. There'll be plenty of other opportunities. Or something. So I keep telling myself. I'm planning to return to Wisconsin towards the end of August. I've got an interview on Thursday of next week, which I'm looking forward to. It's for this program called City Year. I hope it works out, as it seems like a really interesting program. Just as eastern Montana begins to grow on me, I am also feeling the urge to return somewhere closer to home. I don't think I can spend the summer with brown grass, few trees and no humidity. I also miss the smell of thunder storms, spring time, and freshly cut grass. I miss the smell of fall. And of snow. I miss the feelings of snowmobiling. Of being in forests in the winter. I miss fresh veggies, and the Appleton Farmers' Market. I miss people who recognize that there are various kinds of corn. But, when I leave this Big Sky Country, I'll miss the people I've encountered and had the opportunity to spend time with. And the things I've been fortunate enough to experience here. How many people can say they've hiked through cow research facilities?
So, we'll see where I wind up. It's funny how things just grow on people, it's time to go. But this is a growing experience. On a slightly more positive note, Ty's thinking about coming with.
April 08, 2010
I've got a BA in English...
... and am beginning to realize now that this was poor decision making. I've determined that the only thing it's good for is making yourself look pretty. It allows you to know how to work your words. That's really it. I'm not entirely certain that it's really going to do much for me. Soc seems to be more helpful at this point in the ballgame. Most of the English major people I know, are now working in stores as clerks or have turned out to be hippies in whole foods stores. Nothing to do with their degree.
After getting rejected from various places and things, I haven't a clue where I'm going to be in a few seemingly short months. Throw in a few people and a bad economy, and life gets kind of tricky looking.
After getting rejected from various places and things, I haven't a clue where I'm going to be in a few seemingly short months. Throw in a few people and a bad economy, and life gets kind of tricky looking.
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