Monday, May 19, 2014

And this is why I'm having a good Monday.

This needed to be a stand-alone post. Today is Monday. Typically I go through a couple cups of coffee to get my energy going. But, today is different. Today, as I worked alone in the office, I had a very special visitor. 

A grey-haired, elderly man with a braid to his waist and Birkenstocks on his feet walked into GreenTown with a warm smile and many hellos. I greeted him and welcomed him in. He informed me that he only had a few minutes but that he didn't realize he was in THAT Greensburg that had been hit by the tornado. After I told him a little about the town and their road to recovery, I wanted to see where he was coming from and where he was headed. I found out he was headed to Missouri to visit his first grandchild and that he was coming from DAVIS, CA! Yes, MY Davis! THE Davis. I instantly told him where I went to school and we started laughing about how crazy it seemed to run into a fellow Davis-er in the middle of Kansas! 

I told him why I was in Greensburg and how I am serving an AmeriCorps term. Once I said that, he extended his arm out, took my hand, and shook it while saying, "Thank you." We proceeded to walk around GreenTown and I told him about the house and the need for smart growth...especially in post-disaster communities. He couldn't agree more, he continued to nod his head, smiling...at everything I said! He got it. He got why this project is important, why I am here, and why someone from San Diego, California would want to move to Greensburg, Kansas. A perfect stranger didn't need me to explain my reasoning, he just got it. He apologized that he couldn't stay longer, but before he left, he gave me a hug and said, "I am so happy to have met a young person like you. You are doing great things. You are going to help save the world."

A stranger. A five minute conversation. He was my capstone visitor. I am in Greensburg, Kansas NOT for the recognition or a pat on the back, I am here to help plan and build a stronger and inspiring future. I am here to learn, to teach, and to meet people like the name-less Davis-ite. In one quick visit, he made my work here matter...and that touched me in a way I couldn't emotionally handle. I can't stop smiling!

I see what he has done for me as a lesson for what I can do for others. There is great work being done everywhere, in various fields, around the globe and by people of all shapes and sizes. The next time I meet someone who makes a positive impact on me and the environment I live in, I am going to shake their hand, give them a hug, and tell them 'thank you'.

This is why I didn't need coffee today. Today is a very good day. 

Part II...see, I promised.

Hello, all! I am in a surprisingly good mood for a Monday...but dammit, let there be happiness. Before I tell you why I am in such a cheery mood, I wanted to followup with my last post and tell you about our visit with THE MT Liggett

Now, this visit to Mr. MT was during the time my dad and Aunti Wen came out for a visit. Just so we all know. If you clicked on the link above, you will see that MT is a very unique character for the area...or really any area. I had never seen the man in the flesh, I had only heard stories...some good, some bad, and some really really ugly.

He lives in Mullinville, KS, which is about 10 miles West of Greensburg. You know that you have reached his place when you see a fence lined with obscure art for about a mile down the road. So obscure in fact, you just HAVE to get a closer look. So we did. On a very windy March day--tumbleweeds flying 10 feet in the air--the three of us went to visit MT Liggett. 

As we got out of our car, unsure if we'd get to see the legendary character, a little brown truck emerged from the brush. A hunched-over elderly man with man-sized overalls on flicked his wrist in a 'come hither' motion, enticing us over to the vehicle. IT WAS MT LIGGETT. In his scruffily tone, he said "look around, I don't care. Be sure to look at the world's largest mug collection." An odd and welcoming invitation it was, but we made our way around the property. We had managed to see the world's largest mug collection (more of a hoarding obsession, but it was a record of some kind) and model with some of his most controversial pieces.

When we were making our rounds through the 'art', we saw the little brown truck pull back into the property. A very tall MT came walking towards us asking our names, occupations, and if we'd help clean up some of his tumbleweeds. By clean up, I mean throwing them out towards traffic. But anyways, one art piece that we saw all over his property were metal hearts with names on them. Interesting enough, they were all female names? Hmm. MT asked if we came across a heart with our names on in (he wasn't talking to dad when he said this). I didn't see any with my name on it...so he said he'd make me one. He started his torch without warning, sparks flying, and J-A-N-A was soon on my very own heart. He said he'd deliver it himself to GreenTown...haven't seen it yet...but I hope he remembers to drop it off. 

Amongst this art-fest and cultural experience...one of the funniest moments of my life happened. In between torching things and tumbleweed clean-up, MT had to 'excuse himself'. Now, we thought he was just tired of talking to us, but actually, he went around the corner and peed on a furnace...IN his shop. It was one of the strangest moments of my life, but I felt so happy to share it with two of my favorite people...they were also there as witnesses, so I'm mostly grateful for that. MT Liggett took three unphasable people and managed to get us all a little uncomfortable and side-splitting hysterical. The drive back to the 'burg was us basically saying, (G-rated) "did that all really happen?" (R-rated) "what the fuck just happened?"I hope the following pictures paint some kind of picture for you...but it really was a 'had to be there' moment. And fortunately, a tumble weed didn't take us all out and we lived to tell the tale! Enjoy!
World's largest mug collection...Part I
Isn't he cute!
Not-so-typical Kansas
Example of road 'art'
Hey, dad!
Excuse the finger, it was windy. Look at those sibs!
Mugs Part II
Sparks a flyin'! MT!
Be still my _______
Tumbleweed round-up
Pee corner
Massive art piece dedicated to one of my Davis professors aka one of the first AmeriCorps member in Greensburg.
Wrecking ball?
Controversy.
Buds. Thanks for the visit, MT!






Friday, May 2, 2014

Oh hey, it's been a while...Part 1.

Hello devoted whisked readers. I have returned...and oh, it feels so so good. In the past 2.5 months, I have been off adventuring, gathering materials to share...only to reach this point, a new post. 

Well, I will start off by saying that there are too many updates for one post. I also, in the midst of my adventuring, have not uploaded all of my pictures. SO, once I do thatttttt, I can finish up my updates with Part 2. 

So since my last post in February (ouch) I have had a few very key events happen...
(01) Chicago with Mom! (+Schwartz-side family time)
(02) Greensburg visit from Dad and Aunti Wen!
(03) Some dog sitting and puzzling
(04) My acceptance to Cal Poly/Return to California in July!!!

(01) Chicago is a wonderful city. Mom and I were blown away from the second we left the airport, seamlessly got onto the metro, and arrived in the heart of the city. Who knew a city with so many people could still be so friendly...especially when it was only about 20 degrees out. We stood on a frozen Lake Michigan, saw great shows (my cousin Maya did a great job on lighting!!), and ate WAY yummy food. We also saw some great art, like this guy!:

It was fantastic seeing my mom and family and spending a little time away from the 'burg. I miss the quickened pace and new faces; the noises and people watching. It was a new and exciting experience, one that I was so grateful to share with such an amazing woman.
'Bean' there...tourist picture.

SNL tribute...it was horrifying and awesome all at once.

Frozen lake and tailored skyline.

Did I mention that these were taken from the bathroom? Hope you're not afraid of heights (but if so, I guess I'm glad you're in the bathroom?)


(02) So this trip will have to mostly be in Part 2 (due to pictures). This trip was hilarious, fun, and often just weird. All I need to say is MT to any of the three of us and I think we'll just start laughing. I promise I will come back to this. 

In this short March visit we saw Oklahoma, bats, a lot of tumbleweeds (which sell for $12 a pop we learned), a lot of fried food, and my home of Greensburg. Dad always had to watch his speed of 30mph when we got into town and we learned that you can find a gluten-free and vegetarian meal in town. Well done, Greensburg. There were a lot of great and honest conversations with locals when we visited the Big Well, the Soda Fountain, and Freedom, OK (population: 200). I think the visit was educational and enjoyable for all...but having them in town meant a lot to me, and I was so excited to have them here.
The cows that were not too amused by Dad.

Just getting batty.

Past life.

So batty.

Great moment captured by Aunti Wen.

Our bat friend, Stellaluna!


(03)/(04) I did in fact dogwatch...

and I puzzle often. But, I am very excited to have a plan for after my term and head to the central coast of California to attend Cal Poly in September. I will be working on my Master's in City and Regional Planning. I don't think I would have gained enough experience or confidence to enter this program if it wasn't for my Greensburg experience...so I am very grateful for that. 

But, there is still a lot to do here, and I am so excited to finish up my term here strong. My term is up July 19th and there will be a lot of changes and work that will happen in that time. Keep an eye out for Part 2 coming to a computer/iPad/mobile device near you soon. 

Till then, lots of love,
-J

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Horrifically embarrassing and wrong.


I mentioned in my last post that this is a monumental year to live in Kansas. While the weather is abnormally cold, it is not as cold as the Kansas government. 


I knew my life in Kansas would be very different than that in California. The politics is different and religion takes more importance. What I didn't realize is how seriously screwed up their priorities are (yeah, we're going there).

When I first moved here I learned the legislator's stance on sustainability. 


"State Rep. Dennis Hedke (R-Wichita) has introduced legislation that would ban Kansas state and local governments from spending public funds on sustainable development." 

                                    -Huffington Post


When I heard this, I thought, "WHAT?!"

Here I am, WORKING FOR A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT NON-PROFIT, in a state that doesn't even support the work being done. That took a little bit of effort to blow off and realize that even a lack of support doesn't change the importance of the work.

And now, ANOTHER setback.

Yesterday, Kansas House passed a bill that would allow service refusal to same-sex couples on religious grounds.

WHAT!?

"A bill that would give public and private employees the right to refuse service based on their religious beliefs about marriage."


Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/2014/02/11/3281557/full-house-vote-expected-on-bill.html?=storylinkFB#storylink=cpy

I encourage you to read this article. I won't force my views on you...but I will be the first to say that this bill is ass-backwards, an embarrassment, and utterly disgusting. 

[Rep. Charles Macheers, R-Shawnee, said on the House floor that his bill prevents discrimination.]

“Discrimination is horrible. It’s hurtful … It has no place in civilized society, and that’s precisely why we’re moving this bill,” he said. “There have been times throughout history where people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs because they were unpopular. This bill provides a shield of protection for that.”

UM? WHAT!?


Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/2014/02/11/3281557/full-house-vote-expected-on-bill.html?=storylinkFB#storylink=cpy
While I like to spin this as yet another learning opportunity, I am currently just annoyed that I live in a state with such discriminatory and narrow-minded (I really just want to say 'shitty') views.

That's all I have to say for now. But I am all for taking the time to write a thorough  response letter...which is exactly what I'm doing. Read the bill, let me know what you think.


If you feel as passionate as I do, consider signing this petition

Saturday, February 8, 2014

My home today.

I snapped these after my toilet paper shopping trip. Excuse the askew nature of these, I fumbled as I snapped.




Frozen pipes.

Let me just tell you, I could not have picked a more monumental year to live in the Kansas. 

If I had a dollar for every time I have heard ["Man, this winter is abnormally bad!"] I could buy Russia (and change their 'gay' laws and hire the Pussy Riot to reinvent the national anthem. Also, go team USA). 

It has been uncontrollably cold here. I don't even remember how to walk straight because I have acquired the skill of the black ice sure-footed stomp. If I questioned my reputation as "that California girl"...it's definitely confirmed now. I get asked, "how are you holding up?" on the daily. This is both considerate and little patronizing...but it's too cold to think about it too much. Even your brain has to keep moving to stay warm.

When I go to the post office and pass by the digital bank sign (the one that tells you the time then the temperature (with about a 7 second delay in between), I celebrate when I see a degree higher than 30.

I have gotten really good about wearing my outfit to bed for the next day so that I don't have to expose my bare skin to the sub-freezing icebox I call my room. This does mean that I have officially sacrificed fashion for warmth. Yesterday, I counted 6 layers on my body--counting my less-than shaven legs. Every bit counts.

On this 6-layer day, winter got a little more real. I learned the reality of frozen pipes. The house and the Silo (work) had frozen pipes. I didn't know the logistics of it all, but I knew it wasn't a good thing. And when I heard that no water means no shower, I HAD to find a solution. A shower after work is how I thaw out. I NEED the shower to work. But our first priority was the Silo. With guests staying in the Bed & Breakfast that night, the Silo home needed the water to work, so the local plumber came to the rescue. Fortunately, he (Jon) also offered to help us fix our pipes at home. 

After finding out that we don't have a basement, just a crawl space, he laughed and said that I'd have to be the one to crawl in and fix the problem. Not REALLY knowing if he was kidding or not, I offered to help. Before I knew it, I had a headlamp on my head and a torch in my hand. I crawled all over the place in search of the frozen brass pipes. Jon was really good about teaching me the different pipe systems, and I started to really enjoy myself! In my head I was this Bond-like character with a limited amount of time to deactivate a bomb, a mere metaphor for heating up some pipes and get the water running again. While not a blue wire vs. red wire situation, I took the job seriously, and ended up learning a lot. 

When we finally crawled out of the hole in the spare room closet (see below) and turned on the faucet to see a beautiful stream of water, I couldn't help but give Jon a high-five. We did it! 


As soon as he left, I stripped off my dirty work clothes and hopped into the warmest and most satisfying shower I have had in a while. 

This was just one more experience to add to the Kansas list, and I'm very thankful for it. So now that I've learned this important and life-building lesson...onward to spring and sunshine! (Please?)


Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Publicity Piece

Hey all! Hope your weeks are going well...or at least just going. Going is good!

I keep track of quality responses to "How are you doing?"-ings, and my favorite response I've gotten is from a man named Bob in town:

Me: "Hey Bob! How are you doin' today?"
Bob: "I'm vertical."

Perfect repsonse...says so much without having to say anything at all. That's as far as most of our conversations go, but I enjoy it every time. 

ANYWAYS

I wanted to post this video before I forgot to do so. A man named Peter Brewitt got in contact with GreenTown and set up a time to visit over the summer. He works for Orion Magazine and he met with myself and a few others to gather info for an article. Super cool dude, AND he also happens to be a grad student at UCSC, so it was kinda fun for me. 

He sent this out to us today, and he actually made his experience into an audio slideshow, and I think it came together really well. I encourage you to check it out. Here's the article if you want to check that out as well/instead. Even if you THINK you know a lot about the town...this will show you a lot more. I really appreciate his approach and insight.

That's all for now, but more updates are brewing. 

In the meantime, stay vertical.

-J

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Control isn't mine to have...apparently.

I just went on the best bike ride of my life...and I have had some pretty amazing rides to look back on. Today was about me; my body, my mind, and most importantly, my spirit. 

I haven't blogged for a while, and that's because life started moving a little too fast for me to keep up with. I started feeling like I was on a treadmill that jumped levels and I came shooting off the end with a few skid knees and busted motivation. Between applications, feeling homesick, and figuring out how to best care for myself as well as others, I shut down. I think I felt like I was handling everything, and then once everything started to 'whisk' together at an uncontrollable speed, I fell into the nastiest, foggiest slump. 

Going home for the holidays was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. I don't think I have ever had a better visit at home. Not to say that the others weren't special...but at this time in my life, a time of ultimate confusion and frustration, home was the best cure for any broken heart or lost sole. And this may sound dramatic, or even depressing, but I'm hoping someone, anyone, reading can sympathize with these feelings. Life can be SO stupid! We have wants, needs, desires, hopes, dreams, fears, and who knows what else...and it can be overwhelming! Overwhelmed, that's how I felt, and being home is what I needed.

Because going home was so good, coming back was pretty difficult. I left 80 degree beach weather and was welcomed back with a frosty vortex. It was hard...and it's still hard. I have been back for about 2 weeks, and my routine is still not quite back on course. 

But today felt different. I woke up and as I left the house for work, the sun was out, the skies were clear, and I knew that today things would start to feel better. So after work, I pumped up my tires, grabbed my sunglasses, and rode my bike. I didn't listen to music, I let my bike decide where to go, and I rode handless with my arms reached out towards both coasts to let the sun tell me that everything will be okay. 

I let my brain wonder. I thought about where I'm headed in life, college memories, what I wanted for dinner, how I am going to pay for grad school, will I even get into grad school?! That's when I realized that I can't control everything (except for like, dinner), and I have to accept that that is OKAY. I am where I am today because I worked hard and somehow, things fell into place. I also realized that I am lucky to be surrounded by supportive, wise, and kind individuals who let me be confused, knowing that I will find my way.

Daniel, my boss/mentor, wrote me an email with these words in it, words that mean a lot to me and how I am feeling.

"And change, until we are seasoned and wise enough to know better, is stressful! The beauty of age/experience, is that we come to understand that there is nothing to fear, and that it is that change that keeps us vibrant and engaged. The most helpful shift in my life was understanding that "we are not in control and that is a very good thing"."

I read these words carefully and tried to apply it to my experiences. I've always tried to be that go-with-the-flow person, but I know I struggle with that when I am in situations that mean a lot to me. Grad school/life in general IS that stressor right now, but I am training myself to let go and trust that everything will pan out as it should. This isn't a new concept, I'm not Einstein, but I've never had to fully rely on myself to pull myself out of a slump, a rough patch. And I really do think it's vital to look to yourself first and not relying on others to just fix YOUR life.

So now, I am committed to riding my bike in times of doubt. Or just doing something, anything, to take my mind from negative to positive, doubt to trust, low to high. I will say, "LET IT BE."

I choose to be successful, happy, compassionate, and HILARIOUS...so I will be, no matter what.

I never intended for this blog to have this 'self-actualization' tone...but I guess I'm coming to find that this is real life, and I'm not always in control over what happens. Thanks for listening and continuing to be my best form of therapy. I have a few positive posts I'm planning on writing very soon (including my Colorado ski trip and religious revelation), so until then, stay out of control.

-J