Its a small world after all!
Small world story #1
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So I went to my great aunt Barbara Sweiter's funeral visitation this evening. I was standing behind mom while she swapped stories with a man I couldn't place when I saw some cousins walk in. This was my grandmother's brother's son's ex-wife and daughter. I know Mom is close with the woman and I recognized the daughter enough to know who she belonged to even if I couldn't remember her name. I told mom I was going to go say hi and smiled and waved as I walked over. The daughter, a young woman probably in her early 20's smiled and waved with a much more familiar look than I anticipated. She came forward and immediately asked me if I was attending classes at UNI.
"I am!"
"I knew it! I see you every Tuesday and Thursday coming out of Seerly ad I'm walking in!"
"Really?!"
"I even told my friend.. That's my cousin, but I can't remember her name!"
We laughed, exchanged names, and agreed that now we can say hi to each other. I also told her that most days I head to the union after that last class and invited her to come hang out.
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Small world story #2
I joined the Political Science Society on campus yesterday. They are a student organization that tries to support political events without supporting one side or the other. I had missed their first meeting two weeks ago, but was determined to make this one. The president of the club, Tori, sits behind me in Intro to Public Administration. I'd stopped her a couple weeks ago to let her know that I was interested in helping out with an event she'd mentioned in class. More on that in a second.
Anyway.. at the head of the meeting was Tori and a guy introduced as Andrew. I remember Andrew as a smiley guy that randomly sat beside me in stats class last Thursday. This far into the semester, people rarely change seats, but yet, there he was. He was a little odd, but friendly enough. And he said during the meeting that he'd made a facebook page for the society. I made a note to like the page.
This evening, after I liked, he sent me a friend request. I accepted and noticed in the process we had a friend in common, John G. I looked through his friends, and sure enough I also found Dennis. Dennis is my husband's half brother. John is his stepson. John's parents live not three blocks from us, but we rarely speak to them. There's just some differences of opinions that make it difficult. Mainly they believe they are always right and Travis and I disagree. :/
I sent Andrew a message basically asking how he knew Dennis and John. He tells me John's his best friend. Now John.. I know this kid. I believe he had a hard life. As a matter of fact, it's the treatment of him that was the final disagreement in our relationship with his parents. And I've seen the kid since he's become an adult. He's a strange mix of over eager to please immaturity, and his parents redneck know it all bravado. Personally I'm not sure how to interact with him, so I just try not to. That whole everything-I-think-shows-on-my-face thing combined with my don't-want-to-tell-someone-I-think-they're-being-an-idiot thing. So.. not sure what to say to the fact that Andrew and John are best friends besides... Cool!
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Political Science Society:
This group A) meets at 4:15, not 7-8pm, and B) sounded like something I could join without being the creepy old lady in the room. Well at this meeting I attended Tori basically said if we wanted to make up a title for ourselves to make it look good on our resume, we could. Well the reason I joined was because she mentioned that the Society puts on a Hunger Banquet with Oxfam. So now I'm going to be a major coordinator for that. I also volunteered to help my young friend Beth put together a name board the society can use to display information when we sponsor events or have a booth in the union. That'll be a challenge.
Also on the moving forward front, I did my first volunteer day at the Food Bank today. I've learned a lot between the tour and working today. I get to basically set my own schedule, so I'm thinking Tuesday, Wednesday, afternoons and maybe Thursday nights with Tonia. And some Saturday mornings if I get my ass out of bed. How many hours is that? Like 10 maybe. I can do 10.
Okay.. I think that's it. I'm broke, I'm tired, I'm not working out like I should, I'm uninsured, I'm dreading Christmas, and all the usual mumbo jumbo. But I love my husband, my poor tired, over worked, broken thumbed husband. I love my mother, and I'm so thankful my brother is becoming so very much like my father and has the same political leanings as I do. I love my friends, and I have the best in the world. Tonia, Kim, Kristina, Alesia and all the twitteroos who make my life interesting. That's a wrap.
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So I went to my great aunt Barbara Sweiter's funeral visitation this evening. I was standing behind mom while she swapped stories with a man I couldn't place when I saw some cousins walk in. This was my grandmother's brother's son's ex-wife and daughter. I know Mom is close with the woman and I recognized the daughter enough to know who she belonged to even if I couldn't remember her name. I told mom I was going to go say hi and smiled and waved as I walked over. The daughter, a young woman probably in her early 20's smiled and waved with a much more familiar look than I anticipated. She came forward and immediately asked me if I was attending classes at UNI.
"I am!"
"I knew it! I see you every Tuesday and Thursday coming out of Seerly ad I'm walking in!"
"Really?!"
"I even told my friend.. That's my cousin, but I can't remember her name!"
We laughed, exchanged names, and agreed that now we can say hi to each other. I also told her that most days I head to the union after that last class and invited her to come hang out.
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Small world story #2
I joined the Political Science Society on campus yesterday. They are a student organization that tries to support political events without supporting one side or the other. I had missed their first meeting two weeks ago, but was determined to make this one. The president of the club, Tori, sits behind me in Intro to Public Administration. I'd stopped her a couple weeks ago to let her know that I was interested in helping out with an event she'd mentioned in class. More on that in a second.
Anyway.. at the head of the meeting was Tori and a guy introduced as Andrew. I remember Andrew as a smiley guy that randomly sat beside me in stats class last Thursday. This far into the semester, people rarely change seats, but yet, there he was. He was a little odd, but friendly enough. And he said during the meeting that he'd made a facebook page for the society. I made a note to like the page.
This evening, after I liked, he sent me a friend request. I accepted and noticed in the process we had a friend in common, John G. I looked through his friends, and sure enough I also found Dennis. Dennis is my husband's half brother. John is his stepson. John's parents live not three blocks from us, but we rarely speak to them. There's just some differences of opinions that make it difficult. Mainly they believe they are always right and Travis and I disagree. :/
I sent Andrew a message basically asking how he knew Dennis and John. He tells me John's his best friend. Now John.. I know this kid. I believe he had a hard life. As a matter of fact, it's the treatment of him that was the final disagreement in our relationship with his parents. And I've seen the kid since he's become an adult. He's a strange mix of over eager to please immaturity, and his parents redneck know it all bravado. Personally I'm not sure how to interact with him, so I just try not to. That whole everything-I-think-shows-on-my-face thing combined with my don't-want-to-tell-someone-I-think-they're-being-an-idiot thing. So.. not sure what to say to the fact that Andrew and John are best friends besides... Cool!
--------
Political Science Society:
This group A) meets at 4:15, not 7-8pm, and B) sounded like something I could join without being the creepy old lady in the room. Well at this meeting I attended Tori basically said if we wanted to make up a title for ourselves to make it look good on our resume, we could. Well the reason I joined was because she mentioned that the Society puts on a Hunger Banquet with Oxfam. So now I'm going to be a major coordinator for that. I also volunteered to help my young friend Beth put together a name board the society can use to display information when we sponsor events or have a booth in the union. That'll be a challenge.
Also on the moving forward front, I did my first volunteer day at the Food Bank today. I've learned a lot between the tour and working today. I get to basically set my own schedule, so I'm thinking Tuesday, Wednesday, afternoons and maybe Thursday nights with Tonia. And some Saturday mornings if I get my ass out of bed. How many hours is that? Like 10 maybe. I can do 10.
Okay.. I think that's it. I'm broke, I'm tired, I'm not working out like I should, I'm uninsured, I'm dreading Christmas, and all the usual mumbo jumbo. But I love my husband, my poor tired, over worked, broken thumbed husband. I love my mother, and I'm so thankful my brother is becoming so very much like my father and has the same political leanings as I do. I love my friends, and I have the best in the world. Tonia, Kim, Kristina, Alesia and all the twitteroos who make my life interesting. That's a wrap.