Way Too Long...Again
I should definitely be updating more given all that's been going on but I've been very much out of the loop in terms of the internet for the last few weeks. Oops.
I went to PSO for my year of VISTA service August 24th through the 27th. Before that was a lull period of relaxing and mentally preparation. PSO was like a vacation. I went to a bunch of seminars, met a number of great people who I can stay in touch with, and had a ton of fun in b-e-a-utiful Albuquerque, New Mexico. My tweets do a better (and more succinct) job of summarizing my adventure so I've included them here.
-Drinking the biggest coffee, Turbo shot and all, and there's still a half hour before boarding. Verdict later on if this is a good plan. 5:46 AM Aug 24th
-Ohmygod my jet is TINY. It looks more like a bus than a plane. Holy cramped seating, Batman! 5:55 AM Aug 24th
-Ok false alarm. My plane isn't a bus it's just a baby jet...i guess lol 5:58 AM Aug 24th
-"Customer Funky, please see me at the podium." LMAO 6:04 AM Aug 24th
-Verdict on the coffee: I feel like I could sprint to Chicago...provided that I find a restroom first. And now we're boarding lol. Meh idea. 6:08 AM Aug 24th
-This flight is about 80% packed and i got my own aisle. I won at seating. But I'm nice so i gave someone a seat. :) 6:25 AM Aug 24th
-If the skyscape hadn't been so gorgeous, I would not want to take the second flight. Damn turbulence. 8:24 AM Aug 24th
-Oye tiny jet...for real this time. 10:23 AM Aug 24th
-My sardine can arrived in Albuquerque safely. Now where's that shuttle? 1:55 PM Aug 24th
-Yay found the shuttle! Off to the Hilton and some much needed food! 2:17 PM Aug 24th
The time between here and the next set was spent in seminar after seminar and eating lots of food graciously supplied by your tax dollars. There were a pair of trips to the Circle K that were nothing short of ridiculous due to the varying levels of sobriety of those involved. So many laughs. These pick up on the last night there.
-Aww no sunset tram ride for me. Transportation didn't line up in time. :( 8:51 PM Aug 26th
-Guess I'll have to make my own party lol. 8:51 PM Aug 26th (People were drunk early, lol)
-I'm off to the casino to gamble away some free money :) 11:15 PM Aug 26th
-3 more hours and I'll officially be a VISTA! Just under 5 hours until my flight home. 11:43 AM Aug 27th
-There's a service dog on the plane 5 feet from me and he's so well behaved. It's awesome how they can be trained like that. Takeoff soon. :) 3:57 PM Aug 27th
-I'm in Minneapolis for a bit and then will then be off to Providence. And good lord was that an anxiety filled ride here except for the puppy lol. 6:55 PM Aug 27th
The flight into Providence was ok. I sat next to a guy who bore a striking resemblance to Dennis Quaid who works with a my accounting professor. Ah, Rhode Island. We talked for a while so the flight went by quickly. I was drained by the time we got in and a transportation SNAFU had me taking 2 roommates to the VISTA apartment before going home.
I moved into the VISTA apartment a few days later and started on-site training last Monday. Most of this week was CPTED training which, for all of its valuable information, was LONG and weary. I'm certified in CPTED Basic now though so there's that.
After a second day of actual VISTA training and what I thought was a real glimpse at my duties for the year (virtually non-stop journalistic writing) I had a bit of a breakdown this morning. After an hour plus talk with Margaux, who is pretty much the best supervisor ever, I felt tons better about it. I can tailor the position more than I thought and the info that I'd received was incomplete at best. I just needed that clarification. It came out all wrong and in an embarrassing fashion but it's for the best. I almost left the program this morning but now things are looking loads better. Hopefully it all works out.
Kevin got the AS220 apartment which is just awesome. I'm so happy for him. Hopefully things smooth out for him.
I'm looking forward to the YV Yard Sale this weekend, a performance of Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage in Boston on Monday, and FI next weekend. I can't believe it's already here! So much to do, so little time...
I went to PSO for my year of VISTA service August 24th through the 27th. Before that was a lull period of relaxing and mentally preparation. PSO was like a vacation. I went to a bunch of seminars, met a number of great people who I can stay in touch with, and had a ton of fun in b-e-a-utiful Albuquerque, New Mexico. My tweets do a better (and more succinct) job of summarizing my adventure so I've included them here.
-Drinking the biggest coffee, Turbo shot and all, and there's still a half hour before boarding. Verdict later on if this is a good plan. 5:46 AM Aug 24th
-Ohmygod my jet is TINY. It looks more like a bus than a plane. Holy cramped seating, Batman! 5:55 AM Aug 24th
-Ok false alarm. My plane isn't a bus it's just a baby jet...i guess lol 5:58 AM Aug 24th
-"Customer Funky, please see me at the podium." LMAO 6:04 AM Aug 24th
-Verdict on the coffee: I feel like I could sprint to Chicago...provided that I find a restroom first. And now we're boarding lol. Meh idea. 6:08 AM Aug 24th
-This flight is about 80% packed and i got my own aisle. I won at seating. But I'm nice so i gave someone a seat. :) 6:25 AM Aug 24th
-If the skyscape hadn't been so gorgeous, I would not want to take the second flight. Damn turbulence. 8:24 AM Aug 24th
-Oye tiny jet...for real this time. 10:23 AM Aug 24th
-My sardine can arrived in Albuquerque safely. Now where's that shuttle? 1:55 PM Aug 24th
-Yay found the shuttle! Off to the Hilton and some much needed food! 2:17 PM Aug 24th
The time between here and the next set was spent in seminar after seminar and eating lots of food graciously supplied by your tax dollars. There were a pair of trips to the Circle K that were nothing short of ridiculous due to the varying levels of sobriety of those involved. So many laughs. These pick up on the last night there.
-Aww no sunset tram ride for me. Transportation didn't line up in time. :( 8:51 PM Aug 26th
-Guess I'll have to make my own party lol. 8:51 PM Aug 26th (People were drunk early, lol)
-I'm off to the casino to gamble away some free money :) 11:15 PM Aug 26th
-3 more hours and I'll officially be a VISTA! Just under 5 hours until my flight home. 11:43 AM Aug 27th
-There's a service dog on the plane 5 feet from me and he's so well behaved. It's awesome how they can be trained like that. Takeoff soon. :) 3:57 PM Aug 27th
-I'm in Minneapolis for a bit and then will then be off to Providence. And good lord was that an anxiety filled ride here except for the puppy lol. 6:55 PM Aug 27th
The flight into Providence was ok. I sat next to a guy who bore a striking resemblance to Dennis Quaid who works with a my accounting professor. Ah, Rhode Island. We talked for a while so the flight went by quickly. I was drained by the time we got in and a transportation SNAFU had me taking 2 roommates to the VISTA apartment before going home.
I moved into the VISTA apartment a few days later and started on-site training last Monday. Most of this week was CPTED training which, for all of its valuable information, was LONG and weary. I'm certified in CPTED Basic now though so there's that.
After a second day of actual VISTA training and what I thought was a real glimpse at my duties for the year (virtually non-stop journalistic writing) I had a bit of a breakdown this morning. After an hour plus talk with Margaux, who is pretty much the best supervisor ever, I felt tons better about it. I can tailor the position more than I thought and the info that I'd received was incomplete at best. I just needed that clarification. It came out all wrong and in an embarrassing fashion but it's for the best. I almost left the program this morning but now things are looking loads better. Hopefully it all works out.
Kevin got the AS220 apartment which is just awesome. I'm so happy for him. Hopefully things smooth out for him.
I'm looking forward to the YV Yard Sale this weekend, a performance of Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage in Boston on Monday, and FI next weekend. I can't believe it's already here! So much to do, so little time...