Amy Mo-Ki

I want to Sew!

2011-11-13T12:49:00.001-08:00

Recently I have realized that it would be really fantastic to know how to sew. Some of my favorite things would be so much easier to acquire and share with others! I would love to know how to make an apron, infinity scarves, bags, etc...

I remember taking a sewing unit in middle school. I made tazmanian devil shorts. Silly, I know, but I was very much into Taz at the time. That was sooooo long ago and I wish I had pursued this skill further.

Now I have high hopes that I can once again try to learn the art of sewing. I feel like there is so much to it, and that it will take time. I could use a good hobby though. I have started to look into sewing for beginners workshops taking place here in Boulder. I am hoping I will have a friend or two that may be interested in pursuing this adventure as well. In addition, I am attempting to look into sewing machines that I may purchase. Target has some reasonably priced machines and I have seen that one of their machines have been recommended for beginners too.

My first project will be to create infinity scarves! It would be wonderful to purchase all kinds of fabric and just create! I have such a love for scarves. They are my favorite accessory and I am always looking to expand my collection. How wonderful would it be if I started making my own instead of purchasing them from a store?! It would be much more cost effective, plus I would have an added story while talking with others about them. I think they would make the best gifts too!

So, I am soliciting any and all feedback and tips as I begin this adventure! I am excited for all of the DYI projects in the future!

Northern Colorado Adventures!

2011-10-06T11:21:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Mark, Ozzie, and I set out for another hiking adventure. We traveled NorthWest in an effort to see all of the Aspens changing for the Fall. We were pleasantly surprised! The leaves were a beautiful, yellow contrast to all of the pine trees. I think two memorable experiences involved our first Moose sighting, and a six hour hike!

Someday soon I will begin saving for a fancy camera, but I was happy to get a sort of clear view from afar. Thankfully there were people pulled off of the side of the road already looking, otherwise we would have totally missed Bullwinkle!

The six hour, approximately nine mile hike was very beautiful as well. We set off without knowing the distance. After three hours we seriously questioned if we would ever find the road that looped back to the car. Our phones' gps and map apps were not working. There was not service. Instead of turning around I was determined to continue! I am glad we did. I was so exhausted and wished we had brought a fourth water bottle, but it was a great experience. Below are some of my favorite photos from the hike via Old Flowers Road and Beaver Creek loop.

Fall has arrived...

2011-09-23T21:41:00.000-07:00

The fall has just begun! I am hoping to take a trip up into the mountains with Mark and Ozzie and take some photos this weekend. Try to see some changing leaves. Fall marks the start of scarf wearing and layering! I would really like to get Ozzie a raincoat too, because I think it will come in handy.

Right now I am in a very content mood. Tonight we had an Open Mic Night program in my building and it was really cool. There are some really talented musicians in my building and I appreciate them sharing. Mark and I ate some peach pie tonight and had some fun laughs too. It is a great Friday.

I told Mark tonight that I would like to go to the Farmer's Market, buy some new shoes for fall, and make our way to the mountains to take photos. He responded, "You want to do that all in one day or during the weekend." LOL. I quickly responded that I think we could do all of that tomorrow. :o) I think to add to it, a trip to the dog park for Ozzie may be in store as well.

We have officially had Ozzie as a part of our family for 7 whole months. It feels like so much longer. He brings us so much happiness and love. He is spunky and can cause a lot of other emotions too...especially when he chews on something he shouldn't or makes a mess. Oh well...he is still a puppy, only a year and half. Ozzie really has opened Mark and my hearts. They are definitely bigger and filled with more love. I could not imagine our family being any different.

My new tattoo is all healed up and looking beautiful. It makes me smile when I catch sight of it out of the corner of my eye. I am considering doing a half sleeve of black and gray scale flowers. They are just beautiful. I have my mother to thank for my love of flowers.

Mark has been teach for a little over a month now. He is working so hard and does a lot for his students. I definitely think he is doing great things. It is really fun seeing him dressed in a tie or wearing suspenders every day!

Overall, things are really busy at work for both Mark and I. I am hoping we will be able to take some time away over winter break and go on a fun trip. Perhaps just to a log cabin to get away and relax. Until then, we are relishing in the days we get to sleep in and relax at home.

Sending lots of love and positive vibes your way!

A new year....academic year that is!

2011-08-16T12:31:00.001-07:00

The other day I randomly though that I am due for a new blog post. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in life, and I forget to slow down the pace and share what has been happening. I think one very important thing to share is that Mark is all settled here in Boulder. He arrived in May and we have been navigating living in the same place. It had been 11 months since we had the same address. We are still working out the quirks and trying to navigate having both of our things in one location again. I think it is coming back to us pretty quickly though.

In other news, but still related....Mark begins teaching this week! He completed his summer seminar and trainings with flying colors. He is very excited to have students and to officially begin his new career. I am very excited for him as well. Mark has a Monday night class through Metro in Denver. This class helps him obtain his alternative teaching licensure. It makes for very looooooong Mondays, but I think it is worth it. He will have this class for the entire academic year.

Now a little update with Ozzie! He is doing very well and is behaving better more and more. He loves going to the dog park and it is always fun when we can take him on adventures. I think we are all due to go on another hike in the near future. I took Ozzie on his very first camping overnight trip. Overall he did pretty well, but the little guy was so cold at night. I had to cuddle with him in my sleeping bags. I think next time he will need his own couple of blankets as well. Perhaps even a sweater (LOL...Ozzie would never go for this!).

Mark and I are beginning into doggie day camps for our little guy. I think he could really benefit from going about once per week or every other week. He will get a lot of play time and exercise! Overall, Ozzie is a little gem! I really would love for him to have a sister or brother. Someday we will probably get a beagle so Ozzie has a built in best friend.

A new hobby for Mark and I is sand volleyball. There are a couple of courts at the high school down the street from us. There are also three courts on campus near a couple of the residence halls. We have put together a team and we will begin playing next Friday. It is so much fun, and I love diving all over the court. I really hope everyone enjoys it, so that we can play in the winter too. We play at a place that has six indoor sand volleyball courts. The rest of the team are comprised of people that work in my department. It has been a lot of fun practicing together. We even join pickup games on Friday nights at Boulder High School. I definitely appreciate team sports so much more now that they are not built in to my life.

Oh, today marked one of our big move in days for the residence halls. I have officially began year two. Things overall are going a bit smoother. I have relationships developed and have a sense of the context with things happening. My staff are all bonding really well, and they have been having a lot of fun. I am excited for a new academic year and to see what new opportunities and experiences this year brings. Ozzie is trying to adjust to the building filling up and more noises throughout the building. I am sure it will be regular for him in no time.

Well, that is a pretty comprehensive description of how I am filling my time. I am looking forward to making a trip home over labor day weekend. I miss my fan and friends in Iowa. It will be great to catch up, take photos, and perhaps even get a new tattoo with my Mum.

Cheers to a new academic year!

Very Thankful for FRIENDSHIPS

2011-05-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

I feel very fortunate to have met some really amazing people in my life. There are certain friends that I would consider my council. As in, if I were in a jam or had to make a decision that impacted the world....these are the people I would surround myself with. How AMAZING would it be to have all of these wonderful friends in one place?!!! I often think about this. I very much long for many more conversations, adventures, and just time together with each and every one of these friends.

What is really bizarre is how I look back and recognize all of the time and energy I put into friendships that were NOT council material. People that really did not share compassion, empathy, or put forth effort to develop a deep and meaningful relationship. The kind of relationships that could be bruised or torn by trivial incidents.

Yes, I have experienced some negative times with some of my council peeps....but it is how we worked through these incidents. Sometimes it required time to heal. Other times it required a face to face, heart to heart. Other times, I had to swallow my pride and own that I was at fault.

Now my friends that are a part of the 'council' and I do not agree on everything. I think that is the beauty of it. Sometimes I need to be challenged to look past what I feel is best or perfect. We all are living a variety of lives. Some are mothers, live overseas, have different priorities and passions, and do not always have time to catch up on a regular basis. No matter time or distance...I love these people. They all have a place in my heart and I appreciate them so much. I wish I knew a way to show them how much they mean to me. For now, I dedicate this post to the amazing friends that continue to impact my life, support me through challenges, help me celebrate, and show me what love and friendship is all about.

xoxo

Things Falling Into Place...

2011-05-22T19:31:00.000-07:00

I find myself expecting that various situations will 'fall into place' or come without challenges. However, I have experienced this not being the case time and time again this year. When this occurs the same question seems to come to mind, "why can't things just be easy or go the way they are suppose to?" I definitely do not know the answer to this question. Instead, I just 'deal' with it and continue moving along.

My mother has always said that we are not given more than we can handle. This is usually in reference to God not giving us more than we can handle. I recognize that I have been able to handle and work through a lot of challenges. But, can't there be a break here and there? I have no idea how long I would like for this break to occur, or what the balance is between challenge and a break. How much of a break do I really need?

Then I think of the saying that what we experience and the challenges we work through make us who we are. What does that really even mean? Does that mean that various experiences shape how we respond to future events? Perhaps there is an impact on how we cope or deal with these experiences. Maybe it is who we can identify with and how we can listen and help others through similar situations. I am not really sure.

"Life is tough." Here's another saying I have heard in one form or another. It is not easy, and "everyone has their own battles that they are fighting." I hold on to the idea that these challenges or battles help us appreciate when things are joyful and "easy."

I think through this post I am trying to think through how I can change my reaction when times get tough. I would like to be able to feel confident and know that I can work through these issues. That there is always a chance that a challenge can arise and rarely be 'easy.' Asking the question about why things are not easy rarely helps the situation. Often times I feel even more defeated and have negative feelings. That is not a pleasant place to be.

Going forward I am going to be optimistic and look for the positives during those challenges. They are going to happen, so I will do my best not to get as worked up about them.

Take care!

The Academic Year is Almost Over.....

2011-05-04T19:54:00.000-07:00

Can it really be true? Only two days left of the 2010-2011 academic year. It is hard to believe that my first academic as a Hall Director is coming to a close. At times it has flown by, and other times it was at a stand still (especially duty weeks)! I have seen and experienced quite a bit this year. There have been stressful times, exciting times, and times in which I was very content. Year one is definitely a year of learning. Learning the culture, the polices/procedures, expectations, collaboration, about colleagues, work/life needs, and much more. I am very much looking forward to the summer and a change of pace. A time to reflect and begin planning for year #2!

Today I am appreciative for...

Mailing my Mum's Birthday and Mother's Day cards
Having lunch with a colleague and friend
Stocking up on organic sides for lunches this month
Ozzie enjoying time at the Foothills dog park
Hearing one of my favorite artists' new songs on her next album (Tristan Prettyman)
The sunshine
Having warm and fuzzy socks
My husband's love for our puppy
Chai

I am appreciative!

2011-05-03T17:24:00.000-07:00

Appreciative: 'recognize the full worth of; be grateful for (something)'

Tonight on my evening walk with Ozzie, I was thinking that there were a lot of ups and some downs today. I pondered even further and realize that this is a common occurrence. I feel like life for most of us are full of high's and low's. It is difficult to forget the really high time and the really low times. I was thinking to myself, how can I remember the events throughout the day that help me to be content or even put a smile on my face. I think it is important to remember these things and to celebrate them each and every day. I think by focusing on these pleasant experiences, there will be a realization of all that I should be grateful for. It may help me balance the scale of all of the negative things that I can so easily recall when I reflect on my day. Perhaps this will be a key to not being 'burnt out' or 'just ready for a break.'

So, I've decided that I am going to really try to thing about my day and create a list of all that I have to be appreciative of and content....or even happy! :o) Now I am not trying to completely block out or not acknowledge the negative and challenging times. I will include these events in my reflection, but I'd like to not dwell. Perhaps try to learn from them, and think of how it is shaping me. However, I would like more, much more of my time spent on the positive times. I will get started today!

Today, I am appreciative for...

Getting to see my Husband! It has been a month and a half since the last time.
Playing wish Ozzie
The beautiful weather that made our evening walk so pleasant
A great conversation with one of my staff members about a job she is interviewing for
Getting my glasses adjusted. They fit so much better!
A comfortable and according to my husband, a very Boulder outfit today
A colleague asking for my opinion on a position description
Having the idea to create this list
It is Tuesday! So that means...GLEE night!
Ozzie improving so much with his behavior on our walks
Three more days left and I've survived my first academic year as a Hall Director
23 Days until my Husband moves to Boulder with Ozzie and I
Thinking of my Mum and Brother, Nicholas, and smiling because wonderful things are happening in their lives (for a change)
Having a chance to take out my recycling (this is challenging with a puppy)!
The pride I feel towards my Husband and his future career as a Math teacher
Overhearing a man say, "every deal I am involved with is a soap opera," while on our evening walk

Wow! That is quite a bit that I can hold on to for today. There are/were some really good things that I experienced. It makes me feel very content and at ease. I am appreciative of everyone who was a part of these experiences, and I am really looking forward to continuing this new found list making.

I hope you have a lot to be appreciative for today!

April=Spring!

2011-04-16T23:24:00.000-07:00

April is flying by! I was just thinking that I should probably take a minute and think about this month before it passes me by. This month marks a few different anniversaries. The first is two wonderful months with Ozzie in my life. I absolutely adore him, and I really appreciate his companionship. I think we are finally getting into a routine and I continue to learn to be a better guardian. He brings me so much joy and love. There is nothing like the feeling of seeing him SO excited when I come home. He waggles his whole body, not just his tail. Ozzie is so precious!

The second anniversary is my three year sans eating meat. It has went by pretty quickly, and I still continue to be very content with my choice. It has become my lifestyle, and I do not even have to think about my food options. I appreciate Boulder for all of the variety and accommodating restaurants! This is definitely a great place to be if you are vegetarian or a pescatarian as I am!

The third anniversary is Mark and my three year wedding anniversary! This should be our last big holiday/celebration apart. It is strange to think that for the majority of our third year of marriage we have lived in separate states. Mark just mentioned today that when he moves here (in 39 days) it will be like we are newlyweds all over again! We will be making a life in a new place and will have so many new adventures. I cannot wait for our little family to live in the same household. There will definitely be adjustments, but all part of the wonderful life as The Kieffer's.

I am really going to be curious as to how Ozzie adjusts too. I am hoping he will love Mark and I equally, and follow us both around. Mark and I have a feeling that I may continue to be his favorite, but I am hoping that will ease with time. I'll always be his mama though!

Well, only three weeks left of the academic year. I am looking forward to summer adventures and of course Mark's arrival! I know that May will be here before we know it. I am excited that the trees are blossoming and the sun is shining. Happy Spring, April, and Anniversaries!

xoxo

Ozzie is ONE!

2011-03-24T19:42:00.001-07:00

Our little Ozzie turns ONE!! We were able to celebrate while Mark was in town. I wouldn't want it any other way! Mark had a great idea to go to a doggie bakery to get the Oz man something special. We went to PC's Pantry (http://www.pcspantry.com/). We got him the meatloaf and it came with an edible 1 and two cookies. Ozzie really, really loved it and went to town on his birthday dinner.

It was so much fun having our little family all together. Ozzie and I are counting down the days until Mark moves here! Some things I am noticing about Ozzie is that he is doing a lot better about listening when he is told "no." I do not need to get so emotional or loud when I say it. Perhaps I am also adjusting to being a dog guardian too. He is also a lot more calm at times. In the morning, he will give me a little bit of time to get ready to go on our walk. Ozzie just hangs out on the bed. He also has his routine down after we return from a walk. He sits when we get inside so that I can take off his harness and leash. He then will sit and wait for his treat.

For the most part Ozzie will go into the crate when I ask him to. I grab some treats and have him follow me into his room. I ask him to sit and then give him a treat. I'll then point and tell him to go into the crate. He will usually go in there and have a seat. I will give him another treat. I give him a third treat after I close the door. I say usually because Ozzie still has him moments when he is not interested in going to the crate at all. I will need to lead him in there with his collar, but he will go very willingly. He also still gets upset when I leave the room. He'll whine, do a little bit of barking, and scratch at the inside of the crate to try and get out. Once a week he is actually really quiet and calm. I am wondering if he will always have issues with being in the crate and alone.

This week I did take him up to my office and put him in the crate there. He did a little bit of whining, but quickly calmed down. I gave him a treat every so often when he was quiet. I am trying to get him more and more comfortable with the crate. This week has just been a little wacky since we are not on as strict of a work week schedule.

Ozzie is getting better and better about the new trick Mark and I are teaching him. We are trying to get him to roll over. Mark is really good at teaching him this. I am going to try to keep working with him on this as well.

Oz is still great at the dog park for the most part, and loves socializing. His favorite game is being chased or trying to get a toy from another dog. He is not really into fetching anything, which is a bummer because it is great work out and I enjoy playing. I am hopeful that one day he will fetch more. He will fetch inside the apartment, so that is promising.

His favorite game is definitely tug!

Ozzie is doing so awesome with not going to the bathroom in the apartment! I take him out quite frequently, but he waits until we are outside. I love it!

Overall, he is such a joyful addition to The Kieffer Family. He definitely requires a lot of my attention, time, and energy. However, he is such a sweetie and a great companion. So, Happy First Birthday Ozzie! Excited to celebrate many more birthdays to come! xoxoxo

Happy One Month with Ozzie!

2011-03-14T21:46:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday marked one month with Ozzie! This also means that I have not slept in for over month as well. I am getting enough sleep thankfully, but we are on a strict routine here in the Kieffer household. We get up and I feed Ozzie his breakfast. Then we go on a 35-45 minute walk. We have tried to intermix jogging in there, however that does not usually last very long. His beagle traits kick in and he is off smelling something on the side of the trail. Maybe in the future we can do more jogging. For now I will leave the running for him at the dog park.

Ozzie is put in his crate while I get ready for the day and for the first part of my work day. Generally it is about three-four hours. Then I take him for another walk right after lunch. Ozzie then goes back into the crate for the second half of my work day. In the 5 o'clock hour I generally give him dinner and then we go on another 40-45 minute walk. Sometimes we go to the dog park instead, so that he can run and socialize. After the evening exercise I make myself dinner and eat. During the evening we will go to an occasional program in my building or just spend time at home. Our final walk usually happens between 9:30 and 10:30pm. We generally only go out for 20-30 minutes. So, in all during the week we spend about two hours per day on walks!

The weekends are a lot more fun. Less crate time, and usually more dog park time! The weekend before last I even took Ozzie on a hike at Chautauqua. He did marvelous. We even saw another puggle. She was four years old and did not have to be on her leash. I cannot wait until Ozzie gets to that point. We have three years...that is my goal.

Ozzie is really great at his new tricks. He sits, lays down, shakes, and we just started to work on rolling over. Mark said it best, "He will do anything for treats." It is a lot of fun to teach him new tricks though. In the near future we will be signing up for obedience classes.

We are still working through some behavioral issues. He still cannot be left alone to wander around the apartment. He is too curious and will get into things. Also, he still has his spells of barking and whining after being put in the crate. On the upside, I can get him to go in the crate without having to lead him in my his collar. He really is getting adjusted and better each week.

Most nights he will start off the night sleeping in his bed on the floor. More often than not he ends up jumping up in bed with me in the middle of the night. I really do not mind unless he stirs too much and wakes me up. Then I will lead him back to his own bed.

Overall, Ozzie continues to push me to be efficient at work and focus on what is important. He is such a sweetie and I really do enjoy our walks. Here's to many more delightful months of continued learning!

Take care!

29 New Things for My 29th Year!

2011-02-27T19:12:00.000-08:00

Well, I am officially 29 years old and I love it! It is the last year of my 20's, and I plan to make the most of it. So, what I have decided to do in my 29th year, is to pursue 29 new adventures. I do not have a list created of what these 29 new things will be yet, but I am hoping to share these experiences as I do them. I would love to hear your suggestions too! I have my first new experience accomplished, and that is the adoption of my new dog Ozzie! A big thank you to my mother for giving me Ozzie as my birthday gift. Thanks Mum! You can read all about Ozzie in my recent post.

This means I need to experience 28 additional adventures! So feel free to help me out and leave your suggestions! Looking forward to writing about all of the wonderful experiences of my 29th year!

Life With Ozzie!

2011-02-27T18:41:00.000-08:00

I am embarking on the third week of Ozzie joining our family! Isn't he adorable! I must say that there have been quite a few challenges, but there are so many more reasons that he has been a wonderful addition! Ozzie is an 11 month old Puggle!! A puggle is a pug/beagle mix. He seems to be much more beagle in his personality and actions. Ozzie has such a great personality. He loves meeting new people and playing with other dogs. His favorite place is the Foothills Dog Park. I love taking him there so that he can run and run and run. Mark keeps reminding me that a tired dog is a happy dog. I often think he could run for hours and hours and not be tired.

Ozzie has definitely shifted my focus quite a bit. Now I want to be as efficient as possible at work so I can get home as soon as I can. He does require a lot of my time. As in all of my time when I am not working. Ozzie has to be supervised quite a bit as he is VERY curious and likes to get into any and everything! If he is out of the room for more than a minute, it is a good sign I need to see what he is up to.

When I do need to be away, I do keep Ozzie in his crate. This use to be the most stressful place for him to go. He would bark and howl and whine while he was in there. I think he needed to adjust to his new surroundings, me, and having to spend time in the crate. Then, just magically it happened last week. I took him in there (he will definitely not go in there by choice), and he was silent! Not a sound! I have to put him in there while I get ready for the day, and I was so amazed. This is a huge step as I was definitely worried about his noise bothering the faculty, residents, and classes going on in my building. Here's hoping he continues on this excellent trend!

One of the greatest gifts Ozzie has given me is to get me moving...a lot! We go on four walks a day totaling about two hours. I am even doing a little bit of jogging with him as well. We are both working up to going further and further. Ozzie still gets distracted while we are jogging and has to stop and smell...so that makes it a little bit challenging.

I have also gained this sense of wanting to get the best of everything for him. Today Mark did some research and we found a quality brand of dog food, Wellness. Apparently the common food brands such as Purina, Iams, and Pedigree are not very good for dogs. I was totally shocked! So, we decided we would be purchasing Ozzie 'human grade' dog food. The salesperson I was talking with yesterday in Petco even ate a couple of pieces to show me that it was 'human grade.' Quite the sell I would say. :o) I also want to make sure he is very stocked up with treats, and toys! Ozzie has strong teeth and jaw muscles, so he can chew through a lot of toys. The best brand is Kong! He has not been able to chew through those toys! He also does well with stuffed squeeky toys. I was very nervous to get him those, but while my mother was out visiting, she told me the only way to know is to try. She was right!

I must say that each and every day Ozzie is adjusting and is becoming such a great little buddy. I am so happy he has joined The Kieffer family, and I am excited for when the three of us will be living here together (at the end of May). Oh! Did you know that in Boulder, we are not dog owners. No, no. We are dog guardians. Another fun fact we have learned.

Well, I will keep you posted on our adventures with Ozzie.

Happy New Year! Starting 2011 with a few Goals

2011-01-01T11:43:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, all! I hope you are all happy and healthy as we begin 2011. It is a time for resolutions and I appreciate the reflection that goes along with setting these goals. What do I want to have more of in my life? That is the question I asked myself. I have discovered three resolutions for 2011.

Cook more new recipes. I often cook my dinners, and have discovered I've developed some regular meals that I generally have every week. Partially this is due to their low cost, but also because of the little time it takes to prepare them. An example includes spaghetti. I may change up the kind of sauce or the type of noodle, but you can bet that I have this once a week. Knowing that I needed to revamp my meals, I purchased a new cookbook. 'Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source' by Terry Walters. It has more than 200 vegan recipes, and such a fantastic feature. The recipes are categorized by the four seasons and one section for anytime recipes. The idea is to cook food that is currently in season, as a way to be more sustainable. This idea helps to combat buying raspberries or fresh strawberries for example at the grocery during winter that are most likely not local and took a lot of resources to get it to the grocery (time, fuel, preservatives, etc.). I am also going to be utilizing another cookbook that we have: 'easy vegetarian: simple recipes for brunch, lunch, and dinner.' With these two cookbooks as resources, I am confident that my meals will be much more varied.
Be better about sending birthday cards. My mother has always been an all-star with sending cards to important people in her life for various occasions. I have grown to see greeting cards as a wonderful way to show someone you are thinking of them and that they are important to them. However, I have not always been very good at mailing them myself. Therefore, I want to make much more of an effort. A great start will be going to pick one out for my brother's birthday coming up on January 5th. I am glad I will have the opportunity to implement this goal so quickly. I am hoping this will help to alleviate the distance from the many that I love as well as not seeing them as frequently as I have in the past.
Work-Life Balance. This is much needed in my life. I know it will be an ongoing goal that will require a lot of thoughtfulness and energy. However, I want a well balanced life that has many prominent aspects. Such as physical activity, reading books for enjoyment, spending time with friends, gaining new experiences, sleeping well, etc.) I am making it a goal to take care of myself and not let work overshadow aspects of my life as it has done the past six months.

Well, please send positive vibes so that I may continue to work towards these goals. I feel that they will bring much comfort and joy to my life in 2011. I wish you a very successful 2011 so that you may achieve all of your goals if you choose to set them.

Take care,
~Amy

Ciao 2010!

2010-12-30T20:39:00.000-08:00

As 2010 is drawing to a close, I feel the urge to write a summarizing post. There were so many changes this year, so it has seemed that I have lived two different lives. One involved Iowa State, Graduate School, living in Iowa, being close to my family, etc. The other involved a move to a new state, surrounded by strangers, a new and challenging job, and being very distant from everything in my first life. The transition between came in the form of my graduation from graduate school. It is one of my proudest moments to date, and I am very appreciative to everyone that supported me and cheered me on along the way. I am now Amy E. Moreno-Kieffer, M. Ed. Even my signature at work says so. :o) That reminds me that I should really get a frame for my diploma one day soon. Perhaps in early 2011.

I must say that I do miss being a student. Big surprise, right? I've spend my entire life in the classroom, and it is where I feel comfortable and at home. Reading articles, having classroom discussions, doing presentations, learning for life! In the future, I could definitely see myself returning on a part-time basis working towards my doctoral degree. It is what I know...and has been a big part of who I am for all of these years.

Speaking of comfort...I was very content in my first life this year. I was close to my family, lived with my husband, was surrounded by so many wonderful friends, knew the geographical area with my eyes closed, etc. I've always told myself that I need to challenge myself and go outside of my comfort zone... This value was the inspiration of my 'explore' tattoo. So, I decided to live up to this value and did just that...went far, far, far outside of my comfort zone (as in over 700 miles outside).
This brings me to my second life...or current life I should say.

Here in this life I live in Boulder, CO and work a job that I have been wanting for most of my collegiate career. Boulder is a really good fit for me. I find myself surrounded by a place that supports a lot of my values (i.e. not eating meat, the importance of nature and sustainability, art, buying local, etc.). The Flatiron mountains are a marvelous sight, and I feel so lucky to look upon the beautiful mountains right outside of my front door. There are new places, experiences, and adventures around every corner. It seems as though there is never a possibility of being bored. This is what 'exploring' is all about, right?!

As for my job, it has been one of the most challenging semesters in my life. I am constantly involved with new student issues and concerns. I continue to learn more about my job on a daily basis. I recognize that I will have to work VERY hard at maintaining work-life balance, rather than work being my life. I can honestly say that I think that things can only get easier, or less challenging. I feel as though I am starting to get the hang of things, but I do not want to rush into not being a new professional. I have been reminded that I will be 'new' for awhile, and I should not forget that. This is great advice! I feel as though I've been trying to learn everything I can as quickly as I can. The truth is....some things I can only learn through experience. Experiences that cannot be artificially created or even in my realm of awareness that would allow me to prepare for them. I am being challenged as a professional, and I like that. As difficult it is in the moment, I am learning a lot. A place I feel most comfortable.

I am looking forward to some upcoming opportunities in 2011 with regards to my career. January 13-15, I will be in Miami, FL attending a NASPA Mental Health/ Alcohol and Drug prevention conference. These are very relevant issues to my job, and I am hopeful that I will gain more knowledge to help me be a better resource for my residents.

Another opportunity involves presenting at a local conference. My group is focusing on the work-life balance for student affairs professionals. I am very interested in what we will learn from the survey that we will be creating and sending out. I think this is an important topic to discuss in my field, and I am looking forward to being a part of this discussion.

Finally, I will be teaching my very first college level class (well second, but first on my own)! I am very thrilled about this opportunity. The class is centered around Civic Engagement, and the class is held within my building. I am looking forward to connecting with some of my residents on a deeper level. I have always had an interest in being in the classroom, and I am really looking forward to this experience!!

The last topic I wanted to cover is the fact that Mark and I have been living in two separate states for six months. This has led me to experience so many emotions. It has been hard, and less than ideal. I continue to be patient, and am optimistic that this will be a small fraction of time looking at our future. I think we are both trying to take this time to focus on ourselves, and our passions and interests. We are able to devote time to various interests that we may have otherwise neglected if we were both living together. I think we are making the most of our circumstance, and have been very fortunate to have been able to visit each regularly over the past six months.

Overall, 2010 has been a time for transition in my life. I would not change a single decision. I am looking forward to all of the new experiences and challenges that await me in 2011 as I continue to grow and develop. 2011 will mark the end of my 20's, and I love it! Wishing you a joyful and prosperous New Year!

Love,
~Amy

Time sure does fly...

2010-12-03T22:56:00.000-08:00

It sure has been awhile since I last shared a thing or two. I would like to think my job for being all consuming. I've got to give credit, where credit is due. I recently realized that I have been living in Boulder for five months. CU is becoming familiar more and more each week that goes by. I do not want this blog entry to focus on my work, since I seem to spend more time on that part of my life than any other.

So...what else is impacting my life? I must say that today was one of those days where I experienced pure joy. I really like that feeling. Happiness that is shown through a big smile. My husband surprised me with a thoughtful present, and the delivery of it was brilliant. It feels great to be surprised, especially when it is positive. I also got some really great news about a teaching opportunity that I will be taking on next semester. I always thrive on new experiences, and I am really looking forward to this one! To make this day even more wonderful, I was able to get a 10 minute shoulder massage at the haven that was set up for our department. It was very relaxing. It reminds me that I need to spend time on myself more often! Massages, possibly manicures, working out, sleep, laughter, connections with friends...all bringing a sense of balance.

It really is surprising to think that it is December. It definitely does not feel like it here in Boulder. It has been rather warm the last few days. Tonight I went with a good friend to the Holiday Music performance on campus, and it did not seem like the focus should be on Christmas. I am definitely welcoming the winter break though! Mark and are going to be traveling to Utica, NY for the very first time. Perhaps there I will experience all the snow and cold that I will need for the entire winter! I really love traveling, and found a great quote recently to sum up that love:

“My favorite thing is to go where I’ve never been.” --Diane Arbus

I always enjoy new adventures the most when I share the experience, especially with Mark. It has been interesting living so far a part over the past five months. We are getting opportunities to see and do things that we have not done together (i.e. I am exploring places in Colorado). It still feels strange without him being a part of that. I am very much looking forward to seeing him quite a bit later this month. We will even be ringing in the New Year together! I am definitely learning patience and independence with our living situation. It is almost inspiring me to get a new tattoo in the near future. Something that captures the spirit of self-reliance...but also interconnectedness. I know that I am growing, but it would not be possible with the love and support of my family as well.

Well, I would like to wish you all joy and love during this holiday season! Until next time, be well.

I've lived in Colorado for three months!

2010-09-25T22:47:00.000-07:00

It is now officially Fall, and I am once again reminded that I am not in Iowa any more. Although the temperatures during the day can still be quite warm, it really cools off quickly once the sun goes down. I am noticing that the days are getting shorter and shorter. It may sound a little strange, but I am actually looking forward to winter. It will be my first winter in my new home state. I am confident that it cannot possibly be as worse as the Iowa winters I have experienced for the past 27 years. I've heard milder temperatures, sunshine, quickly melting snow...it all sounds good to me!

In other news, I have survived my first three months at CU-Boulder. Time really is going by rather quickly. Next week marks the sixth week of the semester already...almost half way until winter break! Having two separate buildings and two staffs has kept me very busy. I am still learning something new each and every day. I am having a lot of new experiences as a new student affairs professional, and I know I will only continue to experience more.

One important topic that I have been thinking about quite frequently is work-life balance. It almost seems impossible as a brand new hall director with two residence halls. However, I am finding that I need to make this an ongoing priority and focus. I definitely do not want to burn myself out, so I am hoping to find strategies that will help. I read an article recently that talked about the importance of setting one goal for yourself that will allow you to have time for yourself. The idea is that I will set a simple goal to ensure that I am taking time to do something I value, enjoy, and love outside of work. If I am not meeting this one goal, then I obviously do not have balance. The one goal that I am setting for myself will be to have a quality conversation with Mark every single day. Some of you may be thinking, "how hard can that be?" Trust me, it is getting more and more difficult it seems.

Both Mark and I have a lot going on, and the distance definitely does not help the "quality conversations." My hours can be and are all over the place, and Mark's time zone is always an hour ahead (which does make a huge difference). I am recognizing right now that I am not meeting my goal, and therefore am out of balance. I am going to have to make much more of an effort to ensure that we can talk on the phone or video chat each day.

I know that I have a tendency to want to ignore the challenge of us living apart, and I do so by not thinking about our circumstance. I have done this in the past when I studied abroad in Australia, and did my summer internship at SCAD. What generally happens is that I try ignoring the discomfort and sadness, and then it all catches up with me. It is a constant struggle to live away from my partner, my love, my best friend. Although I am adjusting to my new life in Boulder, I still miss Mark very much. It feels healthy to share this, and recognize the discomfort of living away from my husband. This is why I think it is so important to make sure that we have 'our time' every single day. Therefore, this is how I will judge my work-life balance.

I am still finding time to experience new places and events here in Colorado. Just today I took an adventure to Boulder Falls and got a close look at the trees that are changing colors. I also attended my very first CU athletic event (Volleyball)! The Buffs beat the Jayhawks. I noticed tonight that I am still trying to get use to being a Buff and cheering for a team other than Iowa State....and especially one that has black and gold as its colors. Last night I attended the Rockies baseball game, and really enjoyed the spectacular fireworks show. I think it is really exciting moving to a new place, because there is something brand new around every corner. It helps build character and allows me to continue to develop and grow. Even those places and things that I have consistently been experiencing for the past three months still amaze me. Specifically the beautiful mountains!! I do not think I will ever get over the view! If you have not seen these mountains for yourself, consider a visit to Boulder.

Well, I wish everyone a lot of joy and good health.
Love,
~Amy

The Challenges of Transition...

2010-07-27T22:26:00.000-07:00

Being in a new place and starting a new job is really exciting and wonderful...it also comes with challenges as well. I have lived in Boulder for a month, and there are plenty of new experiences that I have really enjoyed. However, it is really challenging me in many ways as well.
One of the biggest challenges is living on my own without Mark. We have lived together for the past six years, so this is a very different than what I am used to. I have only myself to grocery shop and cook for. In the evenings I must be content with watching tv, working out, or running errands by and for myself. I must balance time with talking to Mark on the phone and ensuring that we both have time in the evening to relax and do things that we enjoy. And...let's face it, I am still trying to adjust to sleeping alone. I am very thankful that Mark has been absolutely wonderful with supporting me and cheering me up from afar. He is my best friend, and is such a positive light in every aspect of my life. I keep reminding myself that this is only temporary, and I am counting down until we are reunited in just under five weeks.

Another challenge involves not being present for major events happening back at home, especially with my family. My beautiful niece Lakyn Louise was born this past Saturday!

I would have loved to be there to welcome her on the day of her birth, but that was not possible. I cannot wait to meet her in person! I must admit that I was having a pretty fun time camping in Rocky Mountain National Park on the day of her birth!

Another major event that I missed was my niece, Liv's, first birthday! I really love being Auntie Amy, and it is difficult for me to not be there for my nieces and nephew. They bring such a joy to my heart, and I love them dearly!

Mark has helped to reassure me that many families experience relatives living far away. He even cheered me up by saying that all of the kids will be excited for holidays because I will be the cool Aunt that comes to visit. I really like that idea!

Being in transition is really finding a new place for myself. I have had to seek out a new grocery store, choose health care benefits, find my way around a new town, get to know new people, and deciding on new activities to do in my free time (i.e. go to the farmer's market, the outdoor cinema, work out at the Rec, spend time outdoors, etc.). A new friend reminded me tonight that during transitions we really learn about ourselves. This experience is shaping me, and I am optimistic that I will look back and be thankful for all of the opportunities and challenges that have resulted from this transition. I definitely welcome thoughts, suggestions, and words of encouragement as I continue to experience one of the biggest transitions in my life. Sending lots of love to my family and friends from the great town of Boulder, CO and CU-Boulder!

Much Love,
~Amy

What a beautiful place!

2010-07-11T17:40:00.000-07:00

I have started my second photo album of my life in Boulder. This weekend, I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time outdoors observing the wonders of mountains, Boulder Creek, Pine trees, and the rocky terrain. Here is the link to the photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2400462&id=16912941&l=fb679e1032
Everything amazes me here, and I feel very lucky to have an opportunity to live here.

~Amy

I want to be outside....all day long!

2010-07-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

I am still in complete awe of the fact that I am living in Boulder, CO! It is so beautiful, and the mountains bring me to such a happy place. This is the kind of place that constantly entices you to be outside and experience all of the adventures it has to offer. Everywhere I look people are biking (even up the mountains), walking/jogging, hiking, rock climbing, or tubing/rafting/kayaking down Boulder Creek. It is a way of life, and am I really thankful that I can now be a part of it.

There are a couple of adventures that I DO want to try, but I cannot lie...they make me nervous. One of them is tubing down Boulder Creek. Today as I was walking back from the Farmer's Market I saw quite a few people tubing. People at the Farmer's Market were also talking about going tubing later on today. I think that this is one of those things that you are not a true Boulderite until you do it. One of the other new hall directors wants to do this before the end of summer, so I have a feeling I will embrace this activity shortly!

The other is skiing! I have tried it once...in Boone, IA. I did alright going down the bunny hill, but just could not stop! The hills and MOUNTAINS out here are a LOT bigger, and stopping will be a necessity. However, I think I will try it out this winter and hope that I can get it down. I'm still nervous about it though...LOL!

As I mentioned earlier I have been going to the Farmer's Market the last few weeks. It is really wonderful that I can just walk on the Boulder Creek path a couple of blocks and it is right there. This week I got some summer squash, fresh greens, tomatoes, and shallots. I am really excited to make a salad for dinner and try out the shallots instead of green onion. It was described to me as a cross between green onion and garlic, so I am sure it will be wonderful!

I also have a list of Colorado Gear as I call it that will be a necessity. First is a bike, which I should have at the end of this month. Here is a lovely photo of her!

I will need to get a kick stand, the back fender, and lights for her right away. I want to then add the metal rack and baskets on the back too. Then I will be set to cruise the streets and trails of Boulder!

The other two items kind of go together. I need to get hiking boots and a camel back for the plentiful hikes around Boulder. I've never owned a pair of hiking boots, so I think it may be a process to find a pair that will be a good fit for me. REI was recommended as the place to go to get them. Well that is my list thus far, so I will hopefully get all three within the next few months.

Overall, I am really enjoying my new life here in Boulder. I have a lot to learn for my new job, but I know this year will be a year of learning and fun! I think that is something that I will need to make sure that my staff and I are having fun along with all of the work. Well, I hope all is well with everyone. Take care, and come visit Boulder!

Love,
~Amy

Boulder, CO is my new home!

2010-07-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

Well, it is officially official...I am a Colorado resident. For the last nine days Mark and I have been exploring and helping me familiarize myself with my new town. Boulder is a place I fell in love with when we visited for a mini-vacation last year over labor day weekend. I remember thinking and saying that I would definitely enjoy living here. It is just amazing that less than a year later, here I am. It is such a wonderful place, and the mountains are just breathe taking...literally too! Mark and I did three hikes together, and tonight I did another...geesh it is a lot of work! I am still trying to adjust to the altitude, but hopefully I will be good to go by August.

Here is a link to photos I have been taking since I (we) arrived!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2397026&id=16912941&l=7e338875d9

Training started last Thursday, and it has been great to really ease into things. All four of us newbies have an opportunity to get to know the area and just adjust to our new living environment. I definitely appreciate this tremendously! My apartment is absolutely beautiful! The best place I have ever lived...ever! I am slowly starting to make it feel like home by hanging up photos and art on the walls. I will just give it some time, and I am sure it will become all warm and cozy.

I am really looking forward to getting to know the people I have met thus far better, and continuing to meet new people here in Boulder. It is going to be a bit of a challenge with Mark living so far away, but his love and support has been such an inspiration for me to pursue my dreams! We are taking things one day at a time, and expecting that the heart will grow fonder.

Well, I wanted to be sure to give a quick update before things got too busy around here. I am really looking forward to having visitors, so consider coming to Boulder! Sending lots of love and hugs to all my family and friends!

~Amy

Pura Vida

2010-05-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

As a graduation gift to myself, I decided to take a trip to Costa Rica. The journey started out May 8 with taking the Megabus (megabus.com) from Des Moines to Chicago. This turned out to be a great way to save money as the round trip cost was only $15.50!but definitely amusing. I am not quite sure where they were headed, but since it was Sunday, I am sure they were off to their next Monday Night Raw performance.
We arrived on Sunday with little excitement, but I must say Mexicana is definitely the way to fly. A warm meal is served with each flight, and the second flight offered a movie. Sunday became a rest day at the hostel, and our group (Mike Rager, Kaitlin Broom, Autumn Wilke) went to the supermarcado to purchase supplies to make a spaghetti dinner.

Monday was another traveling day as we took a three hour bus ride to take a one hour ferry ride to another two hour bus ride, but we finally arrived at La Colina de Carolina in Montezuma. Some of my favorite features of the house was the hammock, the porch, the outdoor dining table, and the clothesline.

Overall, I think Montezuma and the other areas I saw of Costa Rica are absolutely beautiful. So much lush green flora and fauna, as well as beautiful blue water! It was so exciting to have new experiences as well. I rode my very first horse along seven beaches to a waterfall that spills into the ocean!
Another great experience was seeing the wildlife so close up and personal! There were Howler monkeys, capuchins, crabs, and beautiful birds. It was really amazing to be right there and seeing these beautiful animals in their natural habitat.

I enjoyed the time to relax and experience a new place. Costa Rica is truly beautiful, and it was a wonderful way to celebrate my graduation.
Pura Vida!

Welcome to Colorful Colorado!

2009-09-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

This labor day I found myself wanting to go on a little bit of an adventure...time to explore! I'm getting closer and close to graduation, and one location that I heard would be fun to relocate to was the Denver and Boulder area. Of course I will take people's word for it, but I had to see for myself! So, I decided not to play in the annual Saydel Alumni Softball tournament and instead head West.

The drive across Nebraska is rather...uneventful. I did see a really old wooden church that was completely gutted out and just sitting next to Interstate 80. It would have been a cool photo opp, however we were anxious and ready to drive through both ways. There were a lot of fields full of crops in Nebraska, and it was really interesting because the crops stopped once we reached Colorado.

Now, I was kind of expecting tons of hills and just a very different landscape once we got into Colorado. I was surprised to find that it wasn't that different from the scenery we had seen on our way there. I did notice that the grass started getting a little more golden brown, and it wasn't until we were getting pretty close to Denver that I saw the vague outlines of mountains in the distance. That was a pretty cool moment. I don't know if I will ever get used to seeing mountains since I grew up in flat ol' Iowa.
Once we got to downtown Denver, I knew it would be a cool place. It was a really good vibe. I liked the sculptures and the interesting architecture. Denver is not that big of a city, and I felt totally comfortable there.

We arrived about an hour before the Colorado Rockies game that we had tickets to. After getting checked into our hotel at The Curtis, we set out on foot to Coors Field. It was this walk that we experienced a brand new way of crossing at an intersection. You can actually cross diagonally!! There is a walk/don't walk sign for it and everything. It was GREAT! Once we got to Coors, it was pretty clear that this was going to be an amazing facility. Once inside, I was not disappointed! There were three levels filled with fans, a water fountain in the outfield that was turned on right before the game, and the mascot was an adorable dinosaur. The Rockies were playing the Diamondbacks. We were able to blend right in with the fans, and it was a pretty good game. We had fresh squeezed lemonade and kettle corn. (Food is pretty limited for those of us that do not eat meat) In the end, the Rockies won! :)
After the game we grabbed dinner finally, and then decided to call it a night.

The next morning, we set out on foot to explore Denver a little bit. Our ultimate goal was to go to Taste of Colorado. It was a pretty cool experience. It reminded me of a state fair slash farmer's market. My favorite things there were a chocolate honey stand (we bought a small jar of Sexspresso-caffeinated chocolate honey), forever bag stand-we bought heavy duty bags for grocery shopping, a t-shirt stand that I purchased an awesome shirt that says "Create Yourself," and the free spin art we got to do. It was at this festival that we really got to feel the closeness of the sun! After all, we were a mile closer! We had spent a few hours at Taste of Colorado, so we decided to get on our way and head to Boulder. We were really excited to get closer to the mountains!

Boulder was everything I had hoped for! It was apparent right away that the University of Colorado had a strong presence. The campus and building are beautiful. It was interesting to see that the buildings used the same bricks! Even the local middle school used the same bricks. Another aspect of the culture of Boulder were all of the bicyclists and bike lanes. It takes an adjustment to be conscious of all of the cyclists. Another cool aspect of Boulder is the Pearl Street Mall. It is about four blocks of shops with a small courtyard that you can walk through. Various performers spend time there such as musicians, magicians, dancers, and even a man with a crystal ball. It was at Powell's Sweet Shoppe at this outdoor mall that I had my second favorite kind of gelato...honey lavender! It was so wonderful that we had it both days that we were in Boulder.

While in Boulder we had two amazing dinners. The first was at The Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant. It is so amazing that there is a restaurant that is completely vegetarian. Very welcoming to me! I had vegan enchiladas, and they were delicious! Mark ate a Jamaican Jerk Tempa, and we had bruschetta and blackened tofu salad. What a GREAT meal! The second dinner was even better! We ate A LOT of sushi at Sushi Zanmai. It is always fun sitting at the Sushi bar, and it was the first place in which the spicy tuna was actually SPICY! Both of these restaurants definitely get my recommendation!

The second day of our Boulder adventure entailed an activity that I felt really proud of participating in. Mark and I hiked on a trail up a mountain. Our total trip there and back was about six miles. It was one of the most challenging experiences, but we kept going and going even when it was difficult! We made it just above the tree lines and got some really amazing photos of surrounding mountains. It was quite the accomplishment and I would love to do this again!

Before heading home, we stopped at the Whole Foods in Boulder. It was my dream grocery store. So many fresh choices for fruit, salads, breakfast burritos, etc. I wanted to hang out in this grocery store for a little bit longer, but we needed to make the 11 hour trip back home.

All in all, I felt really good about Denver and Boulder. Very beautiful places, and there was quite a bit of their cultural values that are in line with my own values. I am looking forward to my next visit very soon!

The final year of my Master's career is beginning!

2009-08-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my very first day at my new assistantship with The Program for Women in Science and Engineering! I will be overseeing nine first-year learning communities! There are 18 peer mentors and over 200 women involved with our first-year program! I am very very excited for all of the fun activities and programs that we will be working on this year.
I am also looking forward to having my own desk! I have never had this opportunity to decorate and personalize my own space at work! You all know how much I love "firsts," so tomorrow I will be ecstatic. When I have the space all settled and decorated, I may just take some photos and post them. Something to look forward to!
It is really hard to believe that classes start in two weeks. This summer was very eventful and busy, but I think this year is going to fly even faster! I am going to have to start really looking into different locations and institutions to start my job search. Recently I have decided on an ideal location! Drum roil please....... Boulder, Colorado! Photos and what I have read about how green the town is make it so perfect. Mark and I are going to take a trip out to the Boulder and Denver area over Labor Day weekend so that I can actually say that I have been there. :) Here is a link to the official Boulder website! http://ci.boulder.co.us/ Boulder is home to the main campus of the University of Colorado (http://www.colorado.edu/), and also a really interesting institution called Naropa University (http://www.naropa.edu/). There will be job opportunities, but I think there will be a lot of people wanting to work in this amazing location. I am still totally going to go for it though. :)
Well, I will keep you all posted on how my new job is going. Until then, I am going to relax and enjoy my last day of summer!

Much Love!

Rising Star has rose! Art Educators have arrived...

2009-07-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

Well, the students are all checked out and Dyson is quiet for the first time in five weeks! It was a good feeling to have the program come to an end, and to know that the 74 students had so many experiences that put them ahead of a lot of first-year college students. During check out I asked many of the students if they enjoyed their time in the program, and all of them did. One student said it was the "best summer of her life." It was heart breaking to see another student crying as she turned in her key and SCAD ID. It was apparent that she made some really good friends during her time here, and it would be a year before she would return to SCAD. It really puts a smile on my face to think that these students are just beginning their college careers. This is one of the realizations that I have learned about myself this summer. I enjoy beginnings. I got so pumped and excited every week when a new group of students came for Summer Seminars. They are all brand new and not sure of what to expect for their time here. They are beginning a journey of figuring out what it means to be a participant in the program. I think back and I can recall how excited I get at the beginning of every school year. This excitement should really recharge me every year when a new group of students arrive for the first time.
I feel that it is important to think about the bigger picture of my internship and all that I have gained from this experience. I have discovered a number of things about myself and how this internship has made an impact. Talking with Courtney about our experiences has helped me realize that I would not have had so many experiences or so much responsibility with any other internship. Here are some of the lessons I have learned, and the things I have learned about myself:

There is real value in having ample training, and enough time to learn about the student culture prior to beginning the training of staff and the start of a program.
Sometimes there are just too many levels involved with communication, and keeping that flow of information needs to be simple and concise.
I can be very adaptable, and function fairly well in an environment in which I do not know what to expect.
Something to keep in mind during a hiring process is to keep in mind the responsibilities of a position, and determine the skills and experiences the ideal candidate must have.
Not everyone is meant for a particular position. It may be helpful to ask myself what that candidate would look like.
It is important to take time for myself away from all things involving work. I need time to recharge.
Staff dynamics and how a staff will function together is key for a supervisor.
There are multiple ways of doing things, and new suggestions are always welcome.
I get so much happiness from trying something new! (i.e. Tye-Dye, sidewalk chalk art, accessory making, etc.)
I am still a work in progress, and I will continue to be for quite some time (if not forever).
Reflecting and processing experiences are very valuable for me to make meaning of my life.
Programs should not be judged solely on the number in attendance, but by the diverse groups each one helps get connected to an institution.
It is very easy for me to work all of the time...I need to remind myself to take a break!
I can take criticism and do what I can with it. It may not all be accurate, but to someone else it makes sense.
It is important to consider that there is a lot more going on behind the scenes that is not known or considered when judgment occurs.
Having a constructive conversation about issues and concerns make for a much more pleasant working environment.
It is important to be able to work as a team, and recognize the contributions of others.
Supervising a staff is a lot of work. It requires a lot of time, interaction, feedback, reflection, and a need for fun!
I have found my love of laughter and being silly once again!
There is a definite need to for team building adventures outside of the working environment.

I am sure that I will think of more ways I have been impacted by this experience after I have returned home. Right in this moment I know that I am now more prepared and more confident of my first job after graduate school. For that, I say thank you SCAD.

Now to bring you up to speed with my next mini adventure with SCAD. This week I am helping with the Art Educators Forum. Art teachers K-College from around the world come for one week and attend five different workshops in various interest areas, learn more about SCAD, and participate in activities such as bingo, Tybee beach, gallery tours, etc. It is definitely a lot more low key than Rising Star, but a new experience none the less. All of the educators checked in today. I talked to a woman from Houston who teaches at a Jewish school, and she is the sole art teacher for k-12. Wow that is a lot of developmental levels! Kudos to her! I also met three sisters that are considering this their annual "sisters trip." Pretty cool that they all teach art! I am looking forward to hearing more stories throughout the week. We are working more closely with Admissions with this program. Rising Star was a joint program as well, but there really was not a presence throughout the five weeks other than many of my staff members came from the admissions office. Admissions has a strong presence this week, and it gives Res Life a break! Here's to a great final week in Savannah!

Guess what I've picked up...

2009-07-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

Ya'll...over the time I've been here in Savannah it has grown on me. I tried to resist it at first, and even snickered to myself sometimes when I heard it. Then it just made sense. Ya'll need to...Ya'll should....Where are ya'll going? Quite entertaining to think that it has become part of my vocabulary. Especially since there is an ongoing debate and fuss about Iowans sounding or trying to sound like they are from the South. It will be interesting to see whether my "ya'll" card is used all that often upon my return to Iowa.
As far as the happenings here with the summer programs, last night I tagged along with Summer Seminars for an evening at Tybee beach. I must say that it was absolutely beautiful! I walked along the beach to an area that had small pools of water and sand bars because the tide was so far out. It was gorgeous. I got to see several different shapes and sizes of crabs. There was an interesting and uninhabited island in the distance. The sun set was breath taking! To top it all off, I got to see four dolphins swimming not far off the shore. Here are a few photos of the amazing scenary.

Today I had a very good conversation with administrators in the housing office. It was great for me to gain experience explaining my frustrations and advocating for my needs as an intern in Residence Life. I felt very encouraged by the discussion, and I think there was valuable insight gained all around. I am now more confident that my final TWO weeks (yes only two weeks left) will be really great!

This evening on am on duty. I am feeling more comfortable about being on duty and all that it entails. I take things one step at a time and try to ensure everyone is safe and sound. Tonight there was a student who fell and hit her lip on the corner of the cement pool here in Dyson. Thankfully she did not need to go to the emergency room, but it was a very quick incident. In a short amount of time we got her in the office, calmed down a little bit, explained her options, had her call her parents, I talked with her mother about the situation, and we made a plan for future follow-ups and a potential doctor's visit tomorrow. I also got to write my first incident report. Good old reporting in the third person. I am hoping that the rest of my duty nights, which there are eight total, are uneventful. If not, I am confident that I will handle it with the best of my abilities.

Tomorrow is our final beach trip with the students, and Saturday I will be going to see Harry Potter 6! I have heard great things about the movie, and am excited to see it! This is our last weekend with the students, so I am hopeful it will be enjoyable!

On Sunday, Jana leaves for good! Back to Cali and her life on the West Coast. My time here has sure went by fast, but I am very thankful to have got to work with Courtney and Jana. I now have a friend in Cali that I plan on visiting! :) Best wishes to Jana!

Letting my Art shine!

2009-07-13T19:30:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that I will be home in three weeks! We have less than two weeks left with the students, and only one weekend full of activities left. This past weekend was busy and full of fun! I went with the students on a dolphin watching tour and to Tybee beach. We got to see quite a few dolphins! They were so fast in the water, and it was really difficult to take photos. Here is one good one I got!

I thought it would be a much better idea to take a short video of them! Check it out! They are the coolest!

There was also a really cool lighthouse that I saw on the dolphin tour. Here is a photo of it. When the tide is high, part of it is under water.

Yesterday was a day in which I was able to get artsy! I participated in the Rising Star Sidewalk art program. Here are some photos of my work! I had a lot of fun, and I think mine wasn't too shabby! It was all done with sidewalk chalk!!

I also tie-dyed two shirts as well! I'll post some photos when they are finished drying. They are pretty cool designs. I love Art school!

Tonight we had a project display where student staff members shared some of their illustrations, films, fashion designs, models, etc. to the students. It was really great to see their work, and they are so impressive. I think the younger students really appreciated the opportunity to see what they could be doing in the future at SCAD.

I am headed to the beach again on Friday, and then I am going to the new Harry Potter movie with the students on Saturday. I know this week is just going to fly!!

In other news, one of the interns (Jana) will be leaving on Sunday already! It is so weird. I cannot believe how quickly all of this has been going by. I'm going to try to make the most out of the rest of my time here!

Much Love!

Bzzzzzzzy like 'Art the Bee'

2009-07-09T21:29:00.000-07:00

The past couple of days have been pretty busy for me. This is my second night in a row on duty, and I just got done talking with a high school student that had two spider bites. The question was should she stay or go to the ER. After calling her mother, it was decided that she should take a couple of benadryl and relax for a little while. I am very thankful that it was not a more serious situation.
My duty experience last night involved three of the students participating in the summer programs being caught smoking. This is a violation of the policies of the program, and I co-conducted conduct meetings with all three students today. Definitely a learning experience. One of the things that we tried to keep in mind was how we were going to encourage the students to reflect on their behavior as well as making this a learning opportunity. It was important to gain their perspective of the events, and bring them in the discussion of the consequences. Overall, I think the meetings went very well. This is another experience that is helping my professional development.
Earlier this week I also accompanied a student to a health clinic to receive medical attention. That was a learn-in-the moment experience as well as I had the opportunity to learn of all of the necessary paperwork for minors to be treated medically. I find that many aspects of my position is a learn as you go, and be ready to be flexible. What a busy week!
Tomorrow I am hoping to relax, sleep in a little bit, and try not to go into the office (...for that long). I am really looking forward to the Dolphin watching tour that I will be participating in tomorrow evening. It will be great to get out on the water and just relax. It will be a much needed break. There has also been some talk with some of my staff members about going out to Tybee beach at night to look at the stars. I think that would be absolutely amazing as well. This Saturday I will be accompanying the students to Tybee beach for a few hours. I plan on exploring the pier, and taking some photos. It should be a pretty good time.
I have started to have opportunities to talk with the new Residence Directors about the job search a little bit. This evenings topic was when to ask about salary and benefits, as well as what I should be asking for. Advise that I received was to start inquiring when they offer me a position. At that point I can ask and negotiate the salary, ask about the benefits, ask what they can do for me with regards to relocation reimbursement, and professional development funds. All great advise and important things for me to consider. Before I leave SCAD I want to make sure that I have my resume updated and include all of my responsibilities with my internship.
I cannot stress enough how much this position is helping me professionally. I am recognizing more and more that I am passionate about this field, however I have to keep myself in check so that I do not let it consume me. I need to take time for myself and time away. I have also realized how much I enjoy and benefit from talking out various thoughts, ideas, and scenarios.
As far as my new activities for the week: I played Rockband for the first time! I sang 'Celebrity Skin' and playing that one song made my day! It was awesome, and something I'll definitely do again. Maybe next time I'll play drums! I also had Ricotta and Fig gelato. It was absolutely brilliant! Tomorrow I am going to do a little Tie dye, so that should be very cool!

I still haven't had a Georgia peach!

Oh me, oh my!

2009-07-07T18:01:00.000-07:00

I thought about coloring, but then I realized that I had not blogged in over a week! whoa! Where has the time gone?! A lot has really happened recently, and it has left me as busy as ever. Although I am very thankful for my experience here, I realize the importance of taking time away from my work.

This past weekend Mark visited me in Savannah! We had a great time taking a trolley tour and learning a little bit about some of the history surrounding the historic district. We also made a special appearance at Tybee beach. It was really packed because of the holiday weekend, so it was not ideal beach conditions for me. It was also difficult for me because I have been to beaches where the water is so beautiful and clear. We could not see anything in this water, except the occasional fish jumping. It was an experience I was told that I needed to have while in Savannah, and I can see that all tourists make the trip. I will be going back with the students this weekend, so I am definitely hopeful that it will be much more mellow!

Another great experience Mark and I had was going to Charleston, SC for the 4th of July! What a beautiful place. It is so full of history around every corner in its architecture, statues, fountains, and graveyards. This was an enjoyable experience and I definitely recommend that people visit this historical city! Here are a few of my favorite photos from Charleston!

We also really enjoyed the fireworks! We were able to sit along the river and look out and see about 12 to 15 firework shows going on at the same time. The huge fireworks show at Patriots Point was one of the best shows I have ever seen! It was absolutely perfect.

In work related news, I am officially flying solo. I am now the sole Intern for the Rising Star program. It has presented some very interesting challenges, and I am not even mentioning the increase in the workload and responsibilities. There is more to consider such as the staff morale, and communicating my responsibilities and roles compared to the expectations of the staff. There were two of us originally and I have experienced some comparison. Fortunately my conversations have went very well from my perspective. I have tried to keep mutual respect and listening in mind while having these conversations. This has definitely been a challenging and rewarding experience. Each day I am feeling more and more comfortable in my role and can imagine myself in my first position as a Residence Director. My time at SCAD is quickly passing by, and I will only be here for 26 more days!

I must share my most recent activities! One of my staff members put on an accessories workshop and I made my first hair accessory! Take a look!
It was such a fun experience, and I felt so proud of myself afterwords. The magic is all in a hot glue gun! I think I may graduate to a headband in the future! This may be a hobby I look into starting! My other "fun" experience is that last night I tried to learn how to play Magic the Gathering. I really do not understand how to play, and the cards make no sense to me. A bunch of the staff play, and I thought I would give it a go. I may give it another try... I definitely enjoyed the accessory making more. lol.

On a more personal note, today was kind of a challenging day. I woke up thinking about my dad and my family today. It is still hard being away, and I think I may be involving myself too much in working. I have not let myself really process this, and it still seems like it did not really happen. I know when I get back I will spend more time at my mother's and maybe that will help it sink in. I just keep hoping that he is in a place where he is walking and enjoying himself. :)

I am anticipating the arrival of my niece, and am thinking she will be here next week! I heart my family so much. Today I printed off a few photos and taped them up on my wall. The photos make me smile.

Well, I hope all is well and peaceful for all. Sending smiles from Savannah!

a full day at the office...

2009-06-29T17:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday!

It felt really great to be back at SCAD and working as an intern. I started out the day sending a few emails to the staff, mostly announcements and fyi material. This turned into quite the trend throughout the day. I did have a chance to work on an expectations worksheet that gave me a chance to think about what I am hoping to gain from this experience. One question in particular really was helpful to help me think through my expectations. Here is the question and my response!

What are your professional expectations of your host site?

Provide me with opportunities that both challenge and help to improve my conflict resolution skills

Give me advice and insight on supervising staff members

Provide discussion opportunities for crisis response scenarios

Discuss and provide insight on the job search and interview process

Develop Mentor relationships that will exceed my time as an intern

I am really looking forward to seeing how these opportunities play out. I want to meet with the Director and Assistant Director of Residence Life to start talking about their experiences and advice they have with the job search. I have been given the opportunity to sit in on some of the training sessions that the new Residence Directors (RD) are going through right now. It has been very interesting. I can totally identify with the feeling of being new in a position. The information you receive is comprehensible, but you know that you will never fully understand how this information plays out in that moment.
One of the sessions today was an introduction of Collaterals, which are extra responsibilities on top of their many others. The areas were Leadership, Service, Recognition, Hall Council, Technology and Professional Development. Leadership involves helping to coordinate various leadership conferences . Service involves developing workshops for the Resident Assistants to develop various skills such as budget or public speaking . Recognition is an initiative to recognize outstanding staff members and coordinate the end of the year banquet. There is a residence council that one of the six RD's will advise. Technology involves assessment and updating information on various web portals. Finally, Professional Development helps to create opportunities for the professional staff to continue to develop. The two that most interest me right off the bat are Recognition and Service. I think Professional Development would be great as well. I definitely have a philosophy that recognition is really important, and I think it is an important motivator. With planning workshops to develop skills, staff members are gaining experience that will allow them to grow personally and professionally. All of these Collaterals are pretty important, and it is great to see these opportunities.
One training session I am hoping to take part in is The Strength Finder. I keep hearing about how important and beneficial taking this personal assessment is. Mark has been advocating and encouraging me to take it as well. I definitely want to, but just haven't spent the $25 on the book. It would be amazing if SCAD provided this opportunity for us interns!
Overall I am still loving my position. It is interesting trying to find the professional balance with the staff. I want to get to know them and spend time with them, however I need to keep that professional line very clear. I need to remind myself that I do not need to spend all of my time with them, and it is okay to just go back to my room and relax. Spend time away from others, that is a challenge for me. I recognize it is very important for me. Especially reflecting and processing my experiences. I am glad that I am aware of the need for me to constantly keep these things in mind.

Well, I am going to go on the walking Ghost tour tonight with some of the RSA's and students. It should be interesting and I am hoping to get a couple good photos. It is good to be back....BEST OF ALL! Mark will be here Wednesday to experience Savannah with me!

Take care!

Leaving for Savannah....take 2!

2009-06-27T09:27:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I travel back to Savannah, and I am really looking forward to it. I miss my new friends that I've made with my supervisor and other interns, miss my student staff members, and just the excitement of all of the programs that will be going on. I will have five weeks left of my internship, and I am very confident that they will be such an incredible experience. I cannot wait to have one-on-one meetings with the three staff members I am directly overseeing, for staff meetings, to have office hours, to meet the Rising Star participants, to have more Georgia adventures, to go to Tybee! I still have so much to do!

Next week will be fantastic because Mark is coming down to visit for about five days! The plan is to rent a car and see as much as possible. It has been a challenge getting very far without a car in Savannah. There isn't public transportation that will take you to Tybee Beach, otherwise I would have been there already! We are also planning on going to Charleston for the 4th of July. I am really glad that I am able to share my adventure in Savannah with Mark! I am also excited for him to meet the awesome people I have met so far as well.

Tomorrow I am flying out of Kansas City straight into Savannah. That was the cheapest route to go. Unfortunately it is very expensive to fly out of Des Moines for most flights. We are going to get on the road at 5am tomorrow, so that I can make my flight at 10am. Another day of traveling, but I am becoming a pro of flying alone! This will be my fifth and sixth flight alone now. I am really hoping that I do not have to leave Savannah again until August 2nd.

I am going to switch gears a little bit and have a brief recap of my experience at my father's visitation. It was amazing the number of people that came for the two hours. My mother counted over 200 people! I felt very supported to have some really good friends come and show their sympathy and support. A big thank you and shout out to Megan Keenan, Autumn Cartagena and Amber Hare, Shila Love Torres, Kris Olds and Robyn Laskowski, Jill Carson, Jessica Hurd, and Stacey Haylett. It is amazing how joyful I felt when each of these women greeted and hugged me at the visitation. I felt complete support from them all, and feel very fortunate to have them in my life. I know that my Mother and Brothers felt very supported by a lot of their friends as well. Overall, it was a wonderful memorial and began the process of closure and healing for us. All of this still seems so surreal, and there are times I still think that I cannot believe this is happening. I think over time my family and I will be alright. We are going to continue to laugh at all of the memories, and will continue to be as close as ever. Rest In Peace Dad!

Finally, I am so excited and gearing up for the birth of my niece Liv Elizabeth. She is going to be here in a matter of weeks! I am sorry that I will miss her birth, but will be home soon to spend a lot of time with her and my family. It is wonderful that we have such an joyful event to look forward to. She is going to be such a beautiful little girl, and I know she will bring so much happiness to our family! I love it!

Well until next time...take care!
~Amy

In Loving Memory of my Father...

2009-06-21T01:05:00.000-07:00

I am an hour away from starting my travels from Savannah back home to be with my family. My father passed away this evening, and it was very difficult being away from everyone today. I wanted to be there to support my mother and brothers, and be there with my dad. This is a very trying time for all of us right now, and I just want to be home. We do not have all of the details of the cause of his death, but the doctor stated pneumonia as the cause at the time of his death. He had a severe infection that his body could not fight off.

Later today we will start making preparations for his funeral, and I have no idea where to begin. My mother did ask me to write his obituary, and so I will be writing drafts during my travels back home today. Here is a sample that I am thinking of at this moment..

Robert William Musgrove, 51, of Des Moines, IA passed away on Friday, June 20. Originally from St. Louis, MO, Musgrove had settled and raised his family in the Des Moines area. Musgrove is survived by his loving wife Lisa Moreno-Musgrove, three children, Amy, Victor, and Nicholas, a son-in-law, Mark Kieffer, and three amazing grandchildren, Nataleigh, Gage, and Liv. Services will be held [insert info here].

I will always remember my father for his great sense of humor and the way he always told it to you straight. I can still hear his laugh, and want to hold on to that forever. Thank you to everyone sending their thoughts and well wishes to me and my family. Rest In Peace, Dad.

Love,
~Amyrella

Student Staff Training

2009-06-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

The students are coming!!

This week was Rising Star (RSA) and Summer Seminars assistant training. It was very interesting being on this side of staff training. I got the opportunity to help develop and implement various training sessions. The students that I am working with are very impressive and interesting! I feel so comfortable and right at home working with them. I've noticed that I am drawn more and more to creativity, so naturally this is an awesome place for me to be. I think that I facilitated various sessions very well. As a group we jumped around and brainstormed ideas a lot, but we also accomplished everything we set out to do. I have been very impressed by the door decorations and bulletin boards that my staff have been creating! So full of color and fun! Right up my alley.

I also have noticed that many of the students will follow-up, follow-up some more, and follow-up yet again when they need information or something done. I've learned it is important to reassure the students that I have looked into it and where we are at in the process. Also, my staff have been cutting their project completion down to the wire. Our students arrive tomorrow beginning at 12:30pm, and they are still working away at door decs, finishing up bulletin boards, and printing welcome letters. I am very confident that they will get things done. I will take some photos of their beautiful artwork and post it soon.

One of the highlights of training happened today with 'Behind Closed Doors.' This is a common training activity that puts new RA's in a scenario in which they physically act out responding to various situations. This really was beneficial for me in the fact that I will now be in the position that will be responding to situations that are too uncomfortable for or out of control for RA's. I am challenged to think about the policy, what the preferred outcome of the situation, the steps I would take to respond to being called, and who I would involve with the situation. I know that I will not have all of the answers, and it will be a learning experience for me each and every time. I've learned that I need to treat the situation, and each situation is unique. It is important the students' safety and well-being is first and foremost. I will need to continue to think through various scenarios and try to prep for what may come while I am on duty this summer.

I am really looking forward to being in a Residence Director role. I recognize that I still have a strong urge to be around my staff and see how things are coming along. Tonight I had to catch myself and realize that I needed to take time for myself away from everyone else. Also, it is important that I let the staff do their thing on their own. This will be a balance that I will constantly need to keep in mind.

Next week I get to start meeting with my staff for one-on-one's. I think this will be a beneficial interaction for each of my staff members and myself. We will be able to discuss how the program is going, any issues or concerns, and really process our experiences. This assitantship really is an awesome experience.

The staff came up with a pretty cool theme for our summer program. It is 'Summer Cinema.' Each week has a genre theme such as superhero, musicals, horror/suspense, books to movies, and animated. Various movie showings and trips will be happening throughout the next five weeks, as well as a big dance entitled 'Red Carpet Masquerade!' Such a creative and fun group. Other programming opportunities include trips to Tybee and Hilton Head, Sea Kayaking, swimming with dolphins, a ghost tour, and a sidewalk art show. I am really looking forward to getting things started! Students will be moving in tomorrow in the 100 degree heat! Thank goodness for great air conditioning in the rooms! I think we are going to have such an amazing summer program! How exciting!

It really is hard to believe that I have already been here for two whole weeks. It seems like along time, yet time is flying by! I only have six weeks left here in Savannah. I still haven't made it to the beach, but I will have a lot of different opportunities in the coming weeks thankfully. Mark will be here to visit in about a week and a half!

In other news, my niece Liv is due in just a few weeks! I will be very excited to get home and meet her! Such an eventful summer!!

Well, I think that will be all for now. I am going to get back to watching LOST. I started getting into it this summer! All of the episodes are available online. I am starting Season 2, and really enjoying it.

Sending love and sunshine your way!
~Amy

Sand Gnats, Staff check-in, Sweet Potato Fries, Palmetto Bugs, and more

2009-06-14T08:17:00.000-07:00

Greetings all! Happy Sunday!

It is hard to believe that I have already been in Savannah for over a week! Time really does seem to be going quite fast here. Yet, at the same time it feels like I have been here for awhile. The temp continues to be in the 90's, and it is so interesting as I've heard it has been in the 70's back in Iowa. We must be taking all of the heat and sun away from everyone else here in Savannah! It makes for great pool weather though!

Time for an update! Friday night I got the opportunity to go to a Savannah Sand Gnats baseball game. It was a lot of fun! The stadium reminded me of old school baseball. The general admission seats were bleacher style seating with wooden benches. There were backs on the seats so they were quite comfortable. Also, there was a roof over all of us with HUGE ceiling fans working to create a breeze. I recall looking at the temperature on the video board and it got up to 94 degrees! Thankfully by the end of the game it was in the 80's. Here are a couple of photos from the game!

The mascot is named Gnate the Gnat! I tried to guess his name and thought it was Sandy. Sandy the Sand Gnat. I was a bit off. The Sand Gnats were playing the Augusta Green Jackets. And...the Sand Gnats won!! :) It was glorious! After the game there was a pretty impressive Fireworks show as well. I think we will all definitely go back to a game very soon! The ticket prices are only $7 for general admission!

Also on Friday, I got to make some door decorations for the three staff members that I will directly be supervising. I had a lot of fun being creative. Yesterday I got to meet one of my staff as the student staff members began checking in this weekend! I worked my first two hours in the hall desk as well, and time went by really really fast. I think we are going to have a great group of student assistants this summer! We start training for the staff all next week, so we will be finishing up the plans for that today. Making a quick manual, and figuring out some team builders. I am really excited that I get to have this opportunity to plan and do training for staff members. It is a really good experience.

Yesterday was a pool day! I got a little red, but am happy to report that I am fine today. It is nice having a pool right by our complex. Courtney plugged in some music and the weather was perfect for it. Last night we went out for dinner and I had some sweet potato fries! They are my fave! I do not know why we do not have them everywhere! I am going to have to look up how to make them! On our walk home, I saw my first 10 Palmetto bugs... They look like giant cockroaches! They scurry across the sidewalks at night. ick!

I am really looking forward to this week of training, and going to be gearing up for this weekend when the students arrive! Hope all is well with everyone!

Until next time...much love!
~Amy

Training and Walking

2009-06-10T18:29:00.000-07:00

Heat wave! I must say that it has been mighty warm in Savannah. I have experienced the humidity and the extremely HOT sun. The temp has been in 90's all week and that trend is expected to continue. I am just thankful that we have a pool. It has become a nightly ritual to go cool off in the pool before dinner. I bought this really cool floating chair from Target for only like $7 and it was the best purchase. Nothing like lounging in the pool in a chair with cup holders! :) I am very anxious to get to the beach though! I still have not been to Tybee Island or the ocean. I am hoping to go soon though.

Today was a pretty cool training day! We were able to talk about the competencies and goals that we are expected to take away from this experience. The top three include Customer Service, Supervision, and Crisis & Conflict resolution. We will be overseeing the summer programs as interns. I will be supervising a staff of six Rising Star Student Assistants. I was issued a cell phone today, so I will be on a duty rotation. Basically, I will be acting as a Residence Director. This is such an amazing opportunity for me!

This afternoon we were able to meet some of the student affairs professionals of SCAD and learn about the resources that are offered to students. There were reps from the counseling center, student center, career services, and Office of the Ombudsman (a service that acts in the students best interest but are a neutral party). The Ombudsman was something I had never heard of before, but may be something that will become more common in higher education in the future. Here is what the pamphlet says about what they are, what they do, and when to seek the ombudsman.

The term "ombudsman" comes from the Swedish word meaning "representative." The ombudsman is a designated neutral who does not advocate any party's point of view. As an impartial complaint-handler, the ombudsman strives to see that people are treated fairly and equitably. As an impartial party, he/she is able to consider the issue from all sides. The ombudsman cannot impose solutions but can identify options and strategies for resolution. The ombudsman serves as an alternate resource for all students, faculty, an staff to complement, not replace, the existing channels of redress.
The Scad ombudsman: listens, answers questions about SCAD policy, provides a confidential place to talk, helps resolve problems informally and expeditiously, respects concerns and is nonjudgmental, remains impartial to all individuals, helps to analyze situations and identifies and evaluates options, answers questions or helps find someone who can , facilitates communication or mediates between individuals or groups, prevents negative conflict through early intervention, provides important feedback to management by reporting issues and trends without disclosing indentities, and suggests referrals to other SCAD resources.

When should I seek the ombudsman?

When you cannot seem to get a matter resolved
If you are unsure about what college resources are available to help you in your situation
if you believe a college policy or procedure has been applied unfairly or unreasonably, if you feel that you have been unfairly treated by anyone at the college
If you have a conflict with another party and want help in facilitating a resolution
If you want help concerning how to address a sensitive subject with another party
If you have a dilemma and do not know where to turn

I was very intrigued by this service to students. I think it definitely demonstrates a student focused approach. The two representatives from this office have a counseling and therapy background as well.

The Student Center/Activities reps gave us a SCAD messenger bag and usb drive! That means I now own three SCAD bags, a SCAD water bottle, and a SCAD t-shirt. I am officially a SCAD staff member! :) I think this is such cool and interesting institution. The mission, vision, and values are constantly being discussed and are a part of all training opportunities. There is definitely a career focus, and I am so appreciative to have the opportunity to learn more about such a different institution than Iowa State University. The school colors are black and gold...but they are growing on me because of the bumble bee mascot. :)

Tomorrow all four of us interns will be developing the training schedule for the RA's for next week. This is an awesome opportunity! We are going to come up with a theme for the summer and just have fun with it! My vote is currently "a summer of celebration." Friday, we will be hashing out some of the programming details for the students as well. This weekend the RA's will be checking in, and things will be even more on a roll!

I am doing a lot of walking around Savannah which has been pretty cool. Well, the heat isn't cool...but the scenery is stellar. I think I am starting to know my way around a little bit also!

Finally, I have decided to give the show 'Lost' a try. I figured I needed to add something new to the routine, and I've heard some pretty cool things about it. I've watched a couple of episodes and so far so good!

Well, I am sending sunshine and hugs your way!

Love,
~Amy

P.S. Photos are up on facebook! xoxo

Magnolia Trees, Savannah Tourist, SCAD campus tour, and more!

2009-06-08T20:05:00.000-07:00

Hello from Savannah!

I have not had much time yesterday or throughout the day today to blog, so I'll try to catch everyone up to speed. Yesterday (Sunday, June 7) started out pretty chill. I spent the morning mostly in my hotel room, I mean residence hall room. Here is a photo of my living quarters for the summer.
It is pretty basic, and not very eventful. I took my time getting ready for the day and had some cereal for breakfast. At about 1:45pm Jennifer picked up Courtney, Jana(2 of the other interns), and I to go for lunch and do a little more exploring. We ate at the Firefly cafe and I had a wonderful sweet potato scrambler and a "hoe cake." Totally wikipedia hoe cake if get a chance. They are delicious! Here is a photo of us at the table in Firefly!

While we were waiting for our table, I got a chance to explore two of Savannah's beautiful squares and take some photos. I find that my favorite thing to do is just walk around snapping shots. I'm perfectly content, but I have really felt rushed. :( I am hoping I will get more opportunities to spend some time just exploring and snapping photos.

The next part of our adventure was seeing the house from the movie 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.' Isn't it a glorious house! Of course we then checked out Forsyth park right across the street that is also featured in the park. There was actually a wedding going on near the huge fountain, so that was an interesting sight to see.

We also checked out a store called 'Shop SCAD' that had students' artwork and other creations in it. It was a pretty cool shop. Finally before heading home, I got to see the oldest tree in Savannah! Look at how magnificent it is!

The cool thing about the trees is that ferns and moss grow on them! It is pretty amazing! I also LOVE the Magnolia trees (a personal favorite)! Well, that is pretty much the highlight of my Sunday.

Today, was the first day of training! It was great to meet the Residence Life staff! We went over expectations a little bit and then went out for lunch. We had sushi, so you know I was happy! It was such a good deal too! Three rolls and a salad for $10!

After lunch we took our campus tour and saw the admissions office. I have never seen so many incredible spaces. Here are a couple photos from the tour. By far I was most impressed with the Student Union!

This was such an amazing place. There were lights on the ceiling that changed color, going through all of the colors of the rainbow. There were also these awesome napping chairs. That allowed you to elevate your feet, and set a timer. You could then pull a shield around your face to keep out the light. The chair would wake you up after the desired time by vibrating. SCAD really has its building spreads throughout Savannah. I think we heard there are about 70 through out the city. A lot of the buildings were old churches, k-12 school buildings, nunneries, etc. that were just purchased and renovated.

After the tour, we got to go back to our rooms for about 2 hours. Courtney, Jana, and I hit the pool for most of that time. Then we went to the Director of Res Life's house for a cook out. It was great having a home cooked meal. We have been eating out a lot since we got here. Especially because we do not have a kitchen.

I am hoping to get some of my pictures posted to facebook soon, but my internet connection in my room goes in and out. Tomorrow is another day of training. I will be going to HR to take care of paperwork and figure out payroll info. Then I should be hearing more about my program in particular. I did hear that we may be taking the students on a couple of a cool trips while they are here. One in particular is swimming with dolphins! How cool is that! I'll keep you all posted once I hear.

The RA's that I will be supervising will be arriving this Saturday and Sunday, so we will be preparing for their training later on this week. Things are going to start moving right along!

On a more reflective note. I am doing pretty well with not being totally homesick. I miss Mark lots, but am staying busy. I am usually really tired by the time I get to bed for the night. This helps me fall right to sleep. Mark will be visiting me over the 4th of July weekend, so I am really really looking forward to that. Until then I just try to talk to him on the phone when I can. We are making this work, and I am very thankful that he is SO supportive!

Well, I think that is all for now!

Sending you love, humidity, and smiles from Savannah!

~Amy

Savannah....I'm here!

2009-06-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Savannah!

It has now been 24 hours since my arrival in Savannah! One thing I noticed on the landing into Savannah is all of the green! Not a lot of fields of open land. My flights were nice and efficient as well. I arrived early in both Chicago and Savannah. I was greeted by the Residence Director that I will be working with over the next eight weeks, and we were promptly off to Dyson House. On the way we stopped and got my SCAD Id. I have now been officially labeled as 'Other.' Well, I finally got to the building I will be staying with and the hospitality was great! I had help carrying up my bags to the room, and got a welcome basket with snacks, a SCAD bag, a t-shirt, and some cleaning supplies! I met the three other interns while in the Id office, and plans were soon under way to get dinner and make a Target run. I called a friend of a friend that I was put in touch with that is living here in Savannah who was so gracious with giving us a ride and joining us for our dinner outing. For dinner we ate at Tapas and I had a blackened fish sandwich. It was excellent. It was located at the City Market which is an outdoor area with a lot of different restaurants and musicians performing. The rest of the evening we spent at Target and stopped at a grocery store quickly. I did not buy many things at the grocery store, so may have to make a trip back soon.
So, the room I am staying in is a "traditional" residence hall room. There are two twin beds, two drafting tables with stools, a mini refrigerator (which was turned up too cold (it froze my carrots and strawberries), a microwave, and a DE-humidifier. I have air conditioning thankfully, and my own bathroom. I am thankful that two of the interns stayed up with me while I unpacked my things and got settled a little bit. I was pretty tired after traveling all day, so I went to bed at about 11pm GA time.
This morning I woke up and decided to check out the outdoor pool. I did a little bit of a swimming work out for about 20 minutes. The next plan was to head to the Savannah Civic Center to the Asian Festival with the other interns. There were cool performances that included dancing, martial arts, and drums. I'll put up some pictures a little bit later. We stayed there until a little after noon and decided to venture out to find lunch. We found a cute cafe called Cafe Ambrosia and spent some time relaxing and chatting. Then one of the biggest downpours occurred that I've seen in a long time. So, we decided to find public transportation to get us back to where we are staying. A local guy was nice enough to inform us of a free shuttle that makes a loop around Savannah, and we caught it just in time! I sat on the bus next to an empty Gin bottle. Next, a man decided to move the bottle and have a seat next to me and started chatting with us. He asked where we were from, and told me a little bit about himself. Talked about his family and those that were deceased. Talked a little bit about the economy, and he mentioned that he works as a prep cook. He said it is all about conversation, and it was good talking with us. Another man on the bus let us know when it was our stop, thankfully. Now we are just hanging out at the pizza place across the street where we have wireless internet access! It is still raining off and on, so it will probably be a low key night.
We start our training the day after tomorrow, so hopefully tomorrow will be a little nicer and we can spend the day by the pool. We will see though, there may be more rain in the forecast for us. We may also check out River Street as well. There have also been talks of traveling a little bit on the weekends. Orlando, FL may be a possibility. When Mark arrives for the 4th of July weekend, we are planning on visiting Charleston, SC as well. I am sure we will have other ideas along the way.
I think that is all for now! Eight weeks to explore...the adventure has begun!

Take Care,
~Amy

A School Year in Review...

2009-05-07T11:23:00.000-07:00

Hello World!

One of the new additions to my life is the art of reflection. It is the most prominent act in my graduate experience. As I sit here realizing that I am getting anxious about having nothing to read or complete for class, it occurred to me that I should reflect on my first year of graduate school. One year down, only one more year to go! Here is a list of some of the things that I have learned about myself this year:

I enjoy having critical conversations about social constructions and personal experiences.
I have a passion for Gender Equality and am proud to say that I am a FEMINIST!
I adore documenting my life experiences by taking many photos, however I constantly remind myself that I need to experience events with my own eyes and not through a lens.
My preferred communication style, especially when dealing with conflicts, is in person. No texts or emails please!
I generally do not have a problem with calling someone out if I perceive something as being hurtful, oppressive, or ignorant.
Theory is a great conversation starter, but is not something I can ever read and discuss without being critical.
It is sometimes a challenge for me to not take things personally...
I am VERY emotional and cry often.
I think I want to go into Residence Life after I graduate.
I cannot wait to have a dog one day.
My love for traveling has helped me grow and develop in so many ways. Especially in my desire to always explore and push myself outside of my comfort zone.
I can learn something from every person I meet!

This year has been very challenging, but I have had so many great experiences! There are some really amazing people in my cohort, and there is never a dull moment.

I am looking forward to my Summer! I will be taking one class, and then I am off to Savannah for my internship! In the meantime...I can going to try to relearn how to relax and do what I want! For idea...new bicycle tires for my beach cruiser! It is about time to start riding again!

Sending Sunshine and Smiles your way!

For the Love of Spring...

2009-04-20T13:57:00.000-07:00

It is very enjoyable to walk through campus and see all of the buds on the trees, the tulips in bloom, and the grass reviving to a more suitable green. I enjoy Spring, it is honestly my favorite. So beautiful, so relaxing. Most enjoyably, I adore falling asleep to the sound of rain. I do not mind the rain when I have an umbrella and rain boots either! In fact, I love rain in the summer... I think we all could use a little time playing in the rain. I wanted to share my joy for Mother Nature's season of awakening. It is glorious.

Now, the real motivation for this blog has to do with patience. It is something that I rarely think about, and with all of the lightening speed means of communication with others I often lose sight of dear ol' patience. I see it play out in other people's lives as we interrupt a conversation for a text message. Perhaps we take a break from an event for a phone call. Better yet, we have some time to ourselves to just sit and enjoy quiet, and we pick up the phone and call someone. There really is not much to say in that moment that could not have waited for a letter in the mail. By the way, does anyone write letters in the mail any more? I think this should be revived! It is an action that would impress anyone who would be receiving the letter. Even more impressive is if it is hand written. Let's write some letters today! :)

Back to patience....It is so easy to get caught up in the I want what I want right now, or I need to know what I want to know right NOW. I need to remind myself that it is not as important or as big as I make it. As much as time and I do not see eye to eye, I need to rely less on impulse. Slow things down a little bit, and experience the here and now. What is it like to sit and get lost and entertained with my own thoughts. Why can't that be as amusing as a song on the radio or a movie at the theatre? It is also important to let others get to things when they can sometimes. Who am I to tell someone else that a response to my inquiry should be a top priority? Why should anyone expect that of me? Of course there are instances of time-sensitive information, but perhaps even that can be reevaluated. I feel like I am taking in all of this information all of the time, and storing it up. Why add to this information every moment and ASAP? Instead of just worrying about know some little piece of information, we are now worrying about when we will get the information. I am going to go ahead and step back a little bit from this immediacy. Decide when I should answer a question at a time that is most convenient for myself. All the while being understanding to others, and their need to respond when it is most convenient for them.

Joy to Spring, and relish in patience!

Happy One Year of Marriage

2009-04-12T11:03:00.000-07:00

Well, April 19 is Mark and my one year anniversary! It really has went by quite fast. I asked him last night if we would still be considered newly weds, and we did not really come up with a definite answer between the two of us. I do not think that we really subscribe to many of the "rules" put in place around the institution of marriage. It really is our very own. I think that is something I am going to remind myself. We can be whatever we want to be!
My husband has let me in on his anniversary gift to us, and I am ecstatic......Okay, I will let you in on it as well. We are going to see Wicked at the Civic Center on opening day in September!!! Perfect gift! My idea of gifts and celebrations in general revolve around having new experiences with people I care about. Things are just things, and when you already have things...it is often easy to forget about some of it. It gets lost in the shuffle, and really is not a part of your every day life. But memories, and experiences....they are always right there with you. Waiting to be remembered and talked about. I think that Mark knows me very well, and he continues to surprise me with new experiences. What a wonderful man.
I was recently asked if the first year of marriage is as difficult as "they" say it is. I immediately responded yes. It has been a challenge for us, because marriage comes with all of these guidelines, expectations, and an expected way of life. Even as Mark and I have been together for 6 1/2 years and have lived together practically the entire time, there are still new hurdles and surprises hanging around every corner. We are figuring out more about who we are as individuals as well as who we are as a couple. The great news is that we know that it is going to continue to be challenging at times. We know that we are going to have disagreements, arguements, etc. However, we are both committed to working through those times. Whatever comes our way, we want to put for the effort to resolve issues, compromise, and be there to support each other. I think that is the most important thing that I have learned with our marriage this year. We are a true partner ship and I am looking forward to year number 2!

On another note, I want to exclaim my excitement for the recent supreme court ruling revolving around marriage being between a man and a woman. I think there are more battles to come, but I have open arms for anyone who chooses to enter the institution of marriage. It is what you make of it, and everyone should have the opportunity to make the choice and be supported!

Much Love,
~Amy Mo-Ki

I've got my ticket to Savannah, GA!

2009-03-24T22:06:00.000-07:00

A mere hour ago I purchased my plane ticket to Savannah, GA! I will be spending two months interning with the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)!! I am very much looking forward to an experience that is so completely new and different from anything Iowa State has offered me thus far. Even navigating the SCAD website is a new adventure in-and-of itself! If you have a chance, please check it out! http://www.scad.edu/ More specifically, the program that I will be working with 'Rising Stars' (http://www.scad.edu/savannah/summerprograms/rising_star/index.cfm) is for high school seniors that will be taking classes over a 5 week period and earning college credit! It will be a Residence Life internship, which I am looking forward to returning to my roots! I miss the community building and constant interaction. This will be a great introduction back into the life of students.

I am also really looking forward to experience a place that is so visually appealing that it causes many eye-gasms (a word that I learned from my hairstylist). I think he was referring to an overload of visual stimulation. I definitely love bright colors, so let the journey begin!

My plan is to keep this blog updated often, and really reflect on my experience in graduate school. I am finding that reflection is very meaningful for me, and it will be rather important for me to see my development. I am also planning on talking about life and other events as well. For now, I leave you with my mailing address from June 5-August 1!

Dyson House

Savannah College of Art and Design

121 West Boundary Street

Savannah, GA 31401

Peace and Love!
~Amy