A Year in City Year

The Good Old Days

2006-04-02T19:59:00.000-05:00

Today, I spent the day in Athens. I drove down with a friend from work to visit my brother and of course, good old O.U. It was awesome to be back and to see my brother, but it made me realize how much I actually miss O.U and Athens. It was a beautiful day out and everyone was outside throwing the frisbee, playing cornhole and just drinking some beer. It reminded me of all the Sundays that I would walk next door to 19 Foster or actually just wake up there ( which was the majority of the time) and we would reminisce about the happenings of the night before. Then we would just sit around and do nothing or play outside! Ahhh, that was the life. But I guess now it just wouldn't be the same without my bestest friends! The sweet memories!!

It's done!

2006-03-06T20:46:00.000-05:00

Here is the Big Trim in a photo journal! Enjoy!!

The day before from all angles. Pretty long, huh?

The day before from all angles. Pretty long, huh?

Before...

(Beth and I)

Tobey, the wonderful stylist who put up with me!

The first snip.
I know, I know... the face not so attractive.

Halfway done...there's no turning back!

The 10"!

Glamorizing!

Final Product

Sideview

After
I recommend donating your hair to everyone! Hope you enjoyed the show!

The Cut

2006-03-05T18:21:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow at 6:30 the cut will take place. I will be 10" of hair lighter! I am donating my hair to locks of love and I am incredibly nervous. I mean I've been growing my hair out for like 4 years and it is the longest it has been since I was 5. I actually like it too! But I realized that it is JUST hair. It has made me happy, now it can make someone else happy. I just hope I don't look like too much of a fool when I bust out in tears!! Nah, hopefully it won't be that dramatic. I keep telling myself that it is just hair and tomorrow at like 7:00 I guess I will really believe it. I will try to post pics of the before and after (if I can figure out how). If not I will try to send an email! Wish me luck!!

Code what???

2006-02-21T22:40:00.000-05:00

Today, I had an enjoyable, but not too eventful morning back at work after having a long weekend. Things were going well, I was able to tutor my students, while doing many other productive things of course. Then we had a little excitement! I happened to be checking my email in the library when the librarian came in and said, "Guess I should lock the doors." We were under a Code One Lockdown. Apparently this happens when there is some sort of danger in the area. There were six shots fired around the school! No one panicked and when the principal had called the police, they had no idea what she was talking about. Apparently, the folks in the area are used to it and didn't think it necessary to be called in. It was just like taking a break for an assembly or something, very interesting! Just one more thing I learned!

It Finally Happened!

2006-02-09T20:39:00.000-05:00

Ok, so most of the exciting things in my life deal with my students. So here is another amazing story, well, at least for me. There is one student in particular who has taken a while to warm up to me. I mean we get along and he is definitely coming around. He is one of those hard kids, who no one or nothing can get to him. He has had an extremely rough life, so I can't blame him for his distance. He is not one of those kids that you can smother either. I've been trying to play it cool

Today at school, we had an assembly. A principal from the local middle school came to talk to the students. He proceeded to talk about his life and he said that he taught in Youngstown( where I'm from.) I got excited and whispered to my fellow City Year friends around me. My particularly difficult student knows I am from Y-town and he was born there also. I happened to look at him at this moment and he smiled at me, a real smile! It finally happened. Wow, I know this is not life shattering, but a simple guesture like a smile can really make a person feel good!

It's The Little Things

2006-01-27T14:09:00.000-05:00

Well, it has been brought to my attention that I have not posted for quite some time. So with a little reassure from Robyn, here I am again.

I absolutely love working with my students and being in the school with them, but sometimes I wonder is it really all worth it. I try and try to steer these kids in the right direction, but when they leave the school, I have no control over what they do or where they go. Sometimes it seems as if I have to reteach them everything I taught them the next day! But yesterday was a breath of fresh air. It's really the little things that count!

My favorite student, we'll call him Student X, turned around and said to me, "Ms. Lauren do I look like someone who wears glasses?" I said, "No Student X, you do not look like someone who wears glasses because you don't have any on." Then het urned around and pulled out a case, he had just gotten glasses the day before. He was not wearing them though, and I knew he was having a hard time reading the board. I asked him why he wasn't wearing them and he just said, "Ms. Lauren, I don't have to wear them 24/7."

His glasses were quite snazzy, but I knew that he was maybe embarrassed to wear them. He's a pretty popular kid, but man those 5th graders can be ruthless. On Thursday, the next day, I made a conscious effort to wear my glasses. I was not in Student X's classroom in the morning. Student X was not wearing his glasses. Then after lunch I came into his classroom to spend the afternoon, he said, "Ms. Lauren, when did you get glasses." I proceeded to tell him that I have had them for a long time, I just don't have to wear them everyday.
The next thing I knew, Student X reached into his desk and pulled out his glasses. He wore them for the rest of the day!

I guess it is the little things that really count!

Caution: Beware of Closing Doors

2006-01-03T16:22:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm sure you are wondering what that titles is referring to. Well, let me tell you. First of all, I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas and New Years. Mine was enjoyable, but busy. For the second part of my two week break from City Year, I spent a few days in the Big Apple with my uncle and cousin. We had a great time seeing shows, shopping, walking, lots of walking, and eating!

One morning we were venturing to Grenwich Village from our hotel in Times Square. This would have been quite a long walk, so we decided to take the Subway. I was excited to at the NYC subway to my short list of public transportation I have used. We approached our stop and I was the last of my group of four to get off the subway. As I am exiting, the doors close! Yes, the doors start to close on me! The doors slowly started to push into my shoulders and I started to see my life flash through my head. I could see myself splashing around the pool with my brother, playing house with my cousins, going to a high school football game and drinking at a bar in Athens. I see my uncle and cousin walking away, they didn't know I was stuck in the door. Then I imagined what it would be like if the Subway began to move with me stuck in it! My cousin finally turned around and noticed that I was being eating by the subway door. As she came towards me, I was able to use my muscle to push the doors back open. I walked onto the stable ground and could not believe what had just happened! After I realized that I was still alive, my cousin and I began to laugh hysterically about the situation that only I could get into.
I mean come on, who gets stuck in the subway door. In my defense, those doors did close rather fast.
So even if you think you have enough time to get through the subway door, my advice= RUN!

Veggie All the Way!

2005-12-16T17:42:00.000-05:00

I have officially become a vegetarian. Yes folks it's true. This is my second week as a veggie and it is going quite well. Why you may ask did I decide to go veggie. Well a few reasons. The main reason is because I am trying to become more socially aware. What does meat have to do with social awareness? Well, we as westerners consume a large quantity of meat, while the people of smaller countries have none. There are millions of people starving all over the world. It takes twenty pounds of grain to produce one pound of beef. So for one pound of beef we could feed about 75 people grain. Now I'm not saying vegetarianism is the way for everyone, but we all need to watch our consumption. My second reason is I am trying to be healthier. The only meat I like anyways is red meat and that's not the greatest for you. I will stop my rant now; although, I could go on about the many injustices!!

Moving along...i got my gas bill for this month and I was quite shocked when I saw how much it was. $215.40 for a two bedroom/ two bathroom apt. Yeah can you believe it, me neither, maybe I will need that fourth job back! Time to bundle up and drink some hot beverages.

As for school this week, nothing too exciting. Between Wednesday and Thursday I had four 5th graders throw up. I didnt' just hear about it, I had the pleasure of witnessing it first hand. Let me tell you, it was not a pretty sight. The janitor and I became good friends this week.
I have been hanging out with my work friends a ton and it's been so awesome. Last night we had a slumber party and it was a blast. Tonight we're going bowling! The fun just keeps on coming!

Scarlet Fever....great!

2005-12-08T07:51:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Columbus Public Schools were not in session because of a teacher in-service day. So instead, CY went to the YMCA for some holiday fun. We ran a free store for the families at the YMCA, as well as different craft activities for the kids. We made snowflakes, gingerbread houses, Christmas cards, and Christmas frames that they could put their picture in. It was a lot of fun and the kids were so cute!

But there was one kid, the first kid that I met. Before I was even in the door he hit me in the butt. Then he came to my snowflake making station and then he decided he would talk to me. As I was trying to help him glue and glitter his snowflake, he told called me "Big Head, Ugly, and Mean." So we started off on a great foot! This child was let's say like the energizer bunny after a case of red bull. He was doing flips into everyone and everything. After he decided that he didnt like me, he changed his mind. He felt as if I was his personal jungle gym, climbing all over me and getting his gluey glittery hands all over me. Another thing he chose to do was dump all of our glitter out onto the table. That was really nice of him!

I followed this child throughout the other stations because he needed a constant eye on him. All he wanted to do was make a gingerbread house and of course that was the last station he was assigned to. So when we got there, he was really excited and made a pretty cool house. Then his mother saw and told him that he could not have it. Well that didn't sit too well with him, He through a tantrum, screaming and crying and running all around the room. It was interesting to say the least. A definite birth control.

Finally his mother allowed him to eat it, after she took him into the back room and told him what was up. For some reason I'm always drawn to the rowdy ones!

The kids were allowed to shop for their families members in the free store. The store was set up in the preschool wing of the YMCA. Someone noticed on one of the classroom doors, a sign that said, "These rooms have been infected with Strep and Scarlet Fever!" Great. Spectacular. Good to know that I spent my day in an infected wing! I'll let you know if any symptoms arise.

Stranger things have happened, I guess?

2005-12-03T08:38:00.000-05:00

Last night after a long, but awesome day at work, my friend, Lauren called me and wanted to hang out. She knew of an event at this local cafe. It would be a bunch of different musicians mainly performing anti-war songs. So I was kind of excited to see what it was all about. When we got there, I soon realized that the population at this event consisted of people mainly over the age of 40, nothing wrong with that, just not what I expected. The cafe was really crowded and there was no where for us to sit. We ended up in the back on some stools by the restrooms and the backdooor where people were constantly coming in and out to smoke. Everytime someone came in or out, they thought it necessary to hold the door open for like 5 minutes and let's just say that the temperature in Ohio is not like Malaysia!

Then out of nowhere, this guy we knew from O.U. walks by. Usually I am excited to see old friends, but this guy...not a friend. He was one of those people who was always around and just never took a hint. He continued to hang around and while this may sound like I am being mean, if you ever have the chance to meet him, you will undestand.

We finally had enough and decided to head out. As we were crossing to the street, a police car passed. What did we find in the car alongside the street...I'm pretty sure it was a prostitute! Stranger things have happened, I guess?

2005-11-30T20:57:00.000-05:00

Today for the first time ever, I gave two weeks notice and it was very liberating! I am working four jobs right now which combine to make my work days 12hrs/5 days a week. It is quite a lot of work. I decided that in order to keep my sanity and to prepare myself for my future, I needed to let one of those jobs go! The rec center won that toss up. I was actually very nervous because I really like my boss and the people I work with. I have been putting this off for about two weeks and decided that tonight I had to get it done. My boss wasn't there when I got to work and she called about half an hour before I left. She informed me that she would be in shortly, but was taking a little extra time to get there because she was talking to her sister. Her sister told her that her mother was not doing very well. So now here's me, about to tell her that I'm going to quit. Good timing, Lauren!
When she got the rec center, I informed her of my news and she took it very well. So despite feeling like an idiot, it went rather well.
Also, I talked to Zach today (in Malaysia) and he informed me that this weekend he will be swimming with elephants. Let's just say I was a little jealous. Today I played on a jungle gym and this weekend he gets to swim with elephants. Interesting! But I'm glad to hear that he is enjoying Malaysia! Maybe tomorrow I'll get to swing on the monkey bars!

Keeping up

2005-11-27T21:18:00.000-05:00

Apparently, one is supposed to update these things every once in a while. So I find myself being sucked into the world of blogging and updating. So for anyone who cares, if there is anyone out there, here goes.
Thanksgiving, well, I'm not sure if I would really call it Thanksgiving. I was unable to make it home because of weather, but still spent it with family. It was kinda strange, actually really strange. To be honest, this whole weekend was really strange. I found myself wanting to go back to work and hoping the weekend would hurry up and end. The fact that Zach, one third of the tremendous trio, left the country to go half way around the world for six months didnt' really help the situation.
I spent the rest of my weekend trying to be creative and I think I actually did a really nice job at it!
Now back to my normal schedule, if you call it normal. Hopefully this week will be full of adventures.

Harry Potter debut! wahoo

2005-11-17T18:23:00.000-05:00

Tonight is the debut of the fourth Harry Potter movie and yes, I never thought i would say it, but I am stoked about it! I along with hundreds of other Potter fans will be enjoying every moment. Who knew that I would be this into Harry Potter, not me, but let me tell you folks it is a great book. But if you decide to read the books, don't tell any ten year olds bc they will definitely give away the ending to the 6th book, when you aren't even done with the third! No fun.

On the City Year homefront, things are great. Yesterday I had substitutes in both of the classes I work in and if you can remember substitute days they are never good. But the day went actually pretty well. No one called me a big Puerto Rican( for those of you who don't know, one of my students called me that as an insult apparently). I actually got to demonstrate a math concept to them. One of my students told another student that I am going to be a great teacher! More incentive!! Nothing too wild this week, but I'm sure next week the antics at Heyl Elementary will resume!

Finally Figuring It Out

2005-11-13T13:02:00.000-05:00

Well I thought it was about time that I tried to figure out this blog stuff. I mean I have had one for a while thanks to my wonderful friend, Zach, but until now there was nothing on it...boring! So while I have lots to do today, I thought i would figure out the joys of using blogs.

Last night Ann and Adam had a holiday feast and it truly was a feast, from tofurkey (tofu's version of turkey) tothe cranberry sauce! It was delicious, also I can't forget about the 15 or so bottles of wine that added to the deliciousness. It was awesome to hang out with everyone, while enjoying a few glasses of wine! The wine definitely led to some interesting conversation!!

Well I guess that's really all for now. I'm taking baby steps in the process of blogging!