I think I am getting a little better at this posting timing thing... and if you don't think I am, then just don't tell me that, just let me keep pretending :).
This isn't so much a post as an update on what is to come:
- posts re: ACPA conference. My first conference ever, I went to many GREAT sessions, and will try to post one daily for the next weeks to discuss ideas.
- I GOT A NEW CAR! So be prepared for a personal obligatory story about that. It's more exciting than it sounds, I swear.
- office makeover. I finally hung curtains today, so needing to work on a few other things before I post picture of that.
In other news, I'm certainly feeling rejuvenated and very happy. My family came to visit yesterday, and it is always a pleasure spending time with those I love most. Things are kicking up to full gear, so I'm going to try my best to post regularly. RA interviews, H&F Awards Ceremony, First Year Leaders volleyball game, Sooner Scandals, Medieval Fair, meetings, school and so. much. more!
Hope you are all doing well. What kind of things are coming up for you & how are you managing your time?!
xoxo e
Friday, March 30, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
spring break: knights, giraffes, and food oh my!
Just got back to town about 45 minutes ago!
For spring break I went back home to Texas, and had a friend tag along. The first couple of days were filled with lots of relaxing, hanging out with my puppies, and catching up on soap operas. Not that I wanted to do more than that, but it was also hard considering the MONSOON that decided to hit the area! Rain. for. days. Goodness gracious.
The last days there were spent doing an assortment of things...
For spring break I went back home to Texas, and had a friend tag along. The first couple of days were filled with lots of relaxing, hanging out with my puppies, and catching up on soap operas. Not that I wanted to do more than that, but it was also hard considering the MONSOON that decided to hit the area! Rain. for. days. Goodness gracious.
The last days there were spent doing an assortment of things...
...Like shopping! I picked up 4 new dresses for the upcoming ACPA conference in Louisville. I am in love with the prints! Fun fact: I literally took 30 different dresses off the rack. Dresses are my favorite thing in the whole wide world.
That night we went to Medieval Times! I hadn't been there in ages. AGES. It was a blast, the food was delicious, and we all had a good time even though our yellow knight got robbed of the winningest title.. Oh and we got to tour the Museum of Torture. That was, um, interesting to say the least.
And the last full day we drove to Fossil Rim Animal Center in Glen Rose, TX! It's a drive-through zoo basically, and we saw a lot of cool animals including this one giraffe who didn't have to stay in his pen. Unfortunately the cars in front of us all fed him too much so he left right before we were going to feed him [insert sad face.] But he was really pretty.
And LASTLY,
my blog wouldn't be my blog if I didn't tell you how to make something, right?
The last night we had a childhood favorite of mine - dogburgers! Instead of shaping the hamburger meat like a patty, you shape it like a hot dog. It's kind of a mindblowing experience... well at least when I was 8 it was. It is also a really great way to have burgers & hot dogs at a barbecue and not have to deal with buying multiple buns (and hopefully also helping to avoid the 10 hot dogs:8 hot dog buns scenario.)
All in all, a good break that got me really looking forward to summer!
Friday, March 9, 2012
Dream Jobs
Hello all!
Lately I've had "dream jobs" on my mind lately, and on a lazy Friday afternoon, I thought writing a blog post about it seemed like a good thing to do! So with no further ado, my top three dream jobs.
1. Residence Life Cross-Campus and Community Representative
Okay, to some extent this is part of all of our jobs, yes? But what I really want is a specific job that allows me the time to exclusively foster strong relationships with different departments and organizations in the community for means of co-collaboration. Collaboration is something very important to me, and I believe that there is so much potential for great programming waiting to be tapped. Too many times I think we work independently (not to say it is not necessary) but I can only imagine what would happen if we often teamed up to provide for our students. I want to know, and work, with other University and community members to create a more enriching environment for our students during their time at college. Does this position exist at your school? Your opinions?
2. Graphic Designer for Residence Life Programs
OKAY Y'ALL. I just really love design. I would probably get boosted from this job if I ever had it quickly by a legitimate graphic designer, but it still is a dream job. Marketing usually takes care of the big H&F things in terms of publicity, but I wish I could help with publicity for RAs, RSA/RHA, and Faculty-in-Residence programs in all residence halls. Actually, I think what I most want to be is a graphics and event consultant. I don't know everything, but I really really do love design. And I think it is such an important factor in programming. And I just want to help everyone be successful! Dream job for sure.
3. Women's Suit Boutique Owner
When I look for suits for interviews or the job, all I see is drab, antique, or pricy. Some say clothes don't matter or shouldn't matter, but I think they do. For some, loving an outfit and looking good in it is quite a confidence booster. In regards to drabness, I feel like the focus is always on black, grey, and tan suits, but I do think prints and color can have a place in the business world. Truthfully, I want to revolutionize the way we think about women's suits - there is a way to look classy but fun (happy!) and not look gaudy. I imagine a world of delicate colors and feminine floral prints, or bright graphic prints for the bolder woman. And when I say suits I mean suits, not bodycon skirts and cropped blazers. I'm not even sure you can get the look I'm thinking of, but if you can it means going to a countless number of stores and paying a hefty amount. I want to create a store specifically for the fashion-driven women who don't want to break their bank account, where they can conveniently find beautiful separates all under one roof.
What is/are your dream job(s)? Do they exist - are you pursuing them to make them exist? :)
Lately I've had "dream jobs" on my mind lately, and on a lazy Friday afternoon, I thought writing a blog post about it seemed like a good thing to do! So with no further ado, my top three dream jobs.
1. Residence Life Cross-Campus and Community Representative
Okay, to some extent this is part of all of our jobs, yes? But what I really want is a specific job that allows me the time to exclusively foster strong relationships with different departments and organizations in the community for means of co-collaboration. Collaboration is something very important to me, and I believe that there is so much potential for great programming waiting to be tapped. Too many times I think we work independently (not to say it is not necessary) but I can only imagine what would happen if we often teamed up to provide for our students. I want to know, and work, with other University and community members to create a more enriching environment for our students during their time at college. Does this position exist at your school? Your opinions?
2. Graphic Designer for Residence Life Programs
OKAY Y'ALL. I just really love design. I would probably get boosted from this job if I ever had it quickly by a legitimate graphic designer, but it still is a dream job. Marketing usually takes care of the big H&F things in terms of publicity, but I wish I could help with publicity for RAs, RSA/RHA, and Faculty-in-Residence programs in all residence halls. Actually, I think what I most want to be is a graphics and event consultant. I don't know everything, but I really really do love design. And I think it is such an important factor in programming. And I just want to help everyone be successful! Dream job for sure.
3. Women's Suit Boutique Owner
When I look for suits for interviews or the job, all I see is drab, antique, or pricy. Some say clothes don't matter or shouldn't matter, but I think they do. For some, loving an outfit and looking good in it is quite a confidence booster. In regards to drabness, I feel like the focus is always on black, grey, and tan suits, but I do think prints and color can have a place in the business world. Truthfully, I want to revolutionize the way we think about women's suits - there is a way to look classy but fun (happy!) and not look gaudy. I imagine a world of delicate colors and feminine floral prints, or bright graphic prints for the bolder woman. And when I say suits I mean suits, not bodycon skirts and cropped blazers. I'm not even sure you can get the look I'm thinking of, but if you can it means going to a countless number of stores and paying a hefty amount. I want to create a store specifically for the fashion-driven women who don't want to break their bank account, where they can conveniently find beautiful separates all under one roof.
What is/are your dream job(s)? Do they exist - are you pursuing them to make them exist? :)
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
What We Can Learn from KONY 2012
I am sure, or at the very least I hope, that you have seen the words 'KONY 2012' somewhere on your newsfeed or timeline. If you don't know what the phrase means, a quick explanation: The 'Kony' is Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord's Resistance Army, who abducts children and makes them become children soldiers for his army, forcing them to help him in his brutality and destruction. He has been listed as the number one person wanted for crimes against humanity and the International Criminal Court wants to arrest him. Invisible Children wants 2012 to be the year that this happens. They released this video about their campaign.
Invisible Children is not the first organization working to create change, and won't be the last, so what I want to talk about is what we can learn from their most recent campaign.
What made the Kony 2012 campaign spread so quickly?
1) Awareness. Last week many people did not know who Joseph Kony was, or the LRA, or that young children were being abducted from their homes, being forced to kill and serve as sex slaves.
Awareness is POWERFUL. I have seen so many youth post that the sharing of Kony 2012 has restored their faith in humanity, but why were you ever losing faith? Honest question. Sometimes it is not that people don't want change - they might not be aware that change is needed. Assume ignorance and look for the teachable moments in day-to-day life.
2) Delivery. Last week many people would not be willing to give up 30 minutes of their day to watch a movie about a 'charity,' or let's be honest, anything really.
Delivery matters. The video was efficient, the believers were passionate, the story was compelling, and we were told what we could do to help. It is more than making us aware, it is giving us the tools. Had Invisible Children had no action plan, would Kony 2012 have lifted off as much as it has? Sometimes it is not that people don't want change - it is that they don't know how to create change aside from monetary contributions. Sometimes it is explicitly telling someone what they can do to be helpful that moves them to lend a hand.
3) Community. Last week many people probably did not engage in conversation with their friends or family members about how they want to change the world.
The Invisible Children Action Kits come with two bracelets - one for you, and one to give to someone else. It is not my belief that no one cares, but rather that no one talks about what they care about. I think that we all have something we are passionate about, but we must recognize the possibility to amplify that passion and who is affected by it by conversing with others. Conversing, being another key word - willing to listen and open to dialogue. There is strength in numbers, and if we are all talking, there is no way our voices cannot be heard.
The power to pass along a video, or a message, or write government representatives, the power to ultimately help others, is always in our hands, in some way. We all have our individual lives and while there are those like Jason Russell who can dedicate close to 100% of their time to a cause, the reality is that most of us can't. However, whatever percentage we can - 25%, 15%, 10% - helps. We all must actively participate in some capacity for change to happen.
The first step in working for change is recognizing our role. What will you do to make change today? Listen? Share? Create?
Invisible Children is not the first organization working to create change, and won't be the last, so what I want to talk about is what we can learn from their most recent campaign.
What made the Kony 2012 campaign spread so quickly?
1) Awareness. Last week many people did not know who Joseph Kony was, or the LRA, or that young children were being abducted from their homes, being forced to kill and serve as sex slaves.
Awareness is POWERFUL. I have seen so many youth post that the sharing of Kony 2012 has restored their faith in humanity, but why were you ever losing faith? Honest question. Sometimes it is not that people don't want change - they might not be aware that change is needed. Assume ignorance and look for the teachable moments in day-to-day life.
2) Delivery. Last week many people would not be willing to give up 30 minutes of their day to watch a movie about a 'charity,' or let's be honest, anything really.
Delivery matters. The video was efficient, the believers were passionate, the story was compelling, and we were told what we could do to help. It is more than making us aware, it is giving us the tools. Had Invisible Children had no action plan, would Kony 2012 have lifted off as much as it has? Sometimes it is not that people don't want change - it is that they don't know how to create change aside from monetary contributions. Sometimes it is explicitly telling someone what they can do to be helpful that moves them to lend a hand.
3) Community. Last week many people probably did not engage in conversation with their friends or family members about how they want to change the world.
The Invisible Children Action Kits come with two bracelets - one for you, and one to give to someone else. It is not my belief that no one cares, but rather that no one talks about what they care about. I think that we all have something we are passionate about, but we must recognize the possibility to amplify that passion and who is affected by it by conversing with others. Conversing, being another key word - willing to listen and open to dialogue. There is strength in numbers, and if we are all talking, there is no way our voices cannot be heard.
The power to pass along a video, or a message, or write government representatives, the power to ultimately help others, is always in our hands, in some way. We all have our individual lives and while there are those like Jason Russell who can dedicate close to 100% of their time to a cause, the reality is that most of us can't. However, whatever percentage we can - 25%, 15%, 10% - helps. We all must actively participate in some capacity for change to happen.
The first step in working for change is recognizing our role. What will you do to make change today? Listen? Share? Create?
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Office Tour: Tim Burton Programming Board
School is simply crazy this semester! Constantly keeping busy with presentation preparations and readings so I apologize for the lack of blogging. One of these days I really am going to get the hang of updating regularly!
This semester I had our RA staff vote on the programming board theme. Battling against TGIF (Full House, Boy Meets World, Step by Step) and Recess (the cartoon), Tim Burton ultimately came up triumphant.
This semester I had our RA staff vote on the programming board theme. Battling against TGIF (Full House, Boy Meets World, Step by Step) and Recess (the cartoon), Tim Burton ultimately came up triumphant.
Our RAs make "passive activities," informative/interactive bulletin boards, for their residents each month. This semester I decided that I would jump on that train and create something the RAs could participate in as well - Tim Burton themed of course!
Enter sign crafted to be similar to the Tim Burton Museum of Modern Art entrance. In the past the programming board (the fun and creative way we keep track of RAs' programming progress) is on the wall where it says enter, but keeping in line with our theme semester, I decided to put the programming board in the closet - like its own little world.
These are the envelopes on our encouragement board (fill your bucket concept.) If anyone is curious, the font is Alice in Wonderland.
I didn't want to pick one particular movie of Burton's so I made up my own little world and just tried to stylize it in a Burton manner. House of Doors was the name I came up with. I might write a story to go with it closer to the end of the semester to elaborate the idea - keep your eyes out for that if it happens!
Voila! The House of Doors. There is a door for every RA and Pro-Staff member.
Think The Others + Tim Burton, and that is kind of what House of Doors is meant to be like. A large emphasis on doors, keys, old manors, and the late 1800s/early 1900s.
Instead of making an actual board, the "board" itself is this book. Each RA has their own page and their progress is kept at the bottom of each page. Creating the book was probably my favorite part - I gave every RA an old-timey job that fits their major or personality, and some of their names got Burtonized (made kind of kooky!)
This is an overall view. The reveal was really fun because we turned off all the office lights and played Tim Burton's Corpse Bride theme song to enter the room! One of the funnest projects I've worked on in some time.
Until next time, xoxo.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
OU Memes: Humor and our University
My Facebook feed has been almost completely taken over by the recently-created OU Memes. Some of them are rather funny: situational things about elevators, swiping cards onto hallways, locations on campus, but I couldn't bring myself to 'like' the page because there are also a large number of demeaning memes.
I am probably losing you right? Because it's "all in good fun" and "it's supposed to be funny" and I shouldn't "be so uptight"? I used to think and say things like that, that people took things "too seriously." The problem is that those dismissive statements are used to discredit someone's feelings - this joke is SO good, and so "true," that it is worth making (and passing on), even if it does hurt someone's feelings. Just because it doesn't hurt/effect you, or maybe your family, or maybe your friends, doesn't mean it can't hurt someone. If someone voices their opinion that something is offensive, why are we so quick to write them off? We may think they are the only one that feels that way, so they don't matter - but 1) everyone matters, 2) that person may be one of many who feel that way, but they're the only one willing to voice their opinion (and after seeing all the backlash they get, it becomes very clear why speaking out isn't a risk some are willing to take.)
I am not writing this to be in any way condescending to those who do enjoy OU memes, but rather to analyze the humor behind them. I am not trying to police the page, or those who like it, but I just ask and hope that fellow students question the worth of a joke that feeds division amongst its students before posting it or passing it along. Making a whole population of people (women, non-Greeks, specific houses, etc) the butt of the joke is alienating and supports ideas of superiority and inferiority on campus - we already have enough of that outside of the University, is it worth it to contribute to it here at OU, a place where all Sooners call home?
I am probably losing you right? Because it's "all in good fun" and "it's supposed to be funny" and I shouldn't "be so uptight"? I used to think and say things like that, that people took things "too seriously." The problem is that those dismissive statements are used to discredit someone's feelings - this joke is SO good, and so "true," that it is worth making (and passing on), even if it does hurt someone's feelings. Just because it doesn't hurt/effect you, or maybe your family, or maybe your friends, doesn't mean it can't hurt someone. If someone voices their opinion that something is offensive, why are we so quick to write them off? We may think they are the only one that feels that way, so they don't matter - but 1) everyone matters, 2) that person may be one of many who feel that way, but they're the only one willing to voice their opinion (and after seeing all the backlash they get, it becomes very clear why speaking out isn't a risk some are willing to take.)
I am not writing this to be in any way condescending to those who do enjoy OU memes, but rather to analyze the humor behind them. I am not trying to police the page, or those who like it, but I just ask and hope that fellow students question the worth of a joke that feeds division amongst its students before posting it or passing it along. Making a whole population of people (women, non-Greeks, specific houses, etc) the butt of the joke is alienating and supports ideas of superiority and inferiority on campus - we already have enough of that outside of the University, is it worth it to contribute to it here at OU, a place where all Sooners call home?
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Sunday Snapshot: Floor Themes
I am apparently really bad at updating. A lot worse than I ever imagined I would be.
But, as much as it shouldn't be an excuse, I've been really busy...
ResLife is busy as always, graduate classes are in full swing,
it is most definitely spring semester on our college campus.
I thought I would sneak this quick update in to share some of the floor themes the resident advisers are doing in our residence hall (and this post mildly supports my excuse of 'see?! ResLife stuff! I told you!')
This is truly only a sneak peek of all the amazingness that is my RAs' decorations - other floor themes include The Emperor's New Groove, Oh! The Places You'll Go, Star Wars, Toy Story, 7th Heaven... and even more. I work with some outstanding, dedicated, and talented students and I am so thankful for all of them!
But, as much as it shouldn't be an excuse, I've been really busy...
ResLife is busy as always, graduate classes are in full swing,
it is most definitely spring semester on our college campus.
I thought I would sneak this quick update in to share some of the floor themes the resident advisers are doing in our residence hall (and this post mildly supports my excuse of 'see?! ResLife stuff! I told you!')
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| Sour Patch Kids! Love the peekaboo guy character! |
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| A completely decked out Harry Potter floor, complete with acceptance letters and chronological retelling of the books. |
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| Even Hank Hill (and Boomhauer) have a home in our residence hall! |
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| Super legit Indiana Jones on the Harrison Ford themed floor. |
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| One RA chose cats and the other chose dogs! #cuddliestfloorever |
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| Rapunzel has an appropriate home on the 12th-floor themed Tangled! Pascal is my favorite! |
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| KEVIN. So cute. |
This is truly only a sneak peek of all the amazingness that is my RAs' decorations - other floor themes include The Emperor's New Groove, Oh! The Places You'll Go, Star Wars, Toy Story, 7th Heaven... and even more. I work with some outstanding, dedicated, and talented students and I am so thankful for all of them!
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