i'm turning into a thirteen-year-old

So for the past month or so I've been working for After School All Stars, a program Arnold Schwarzenegger put together (I know, right?), designed to help intermediate school students succeed in school and life. So many city kids are left with nowhere to go and nothing to do (except make trouble) after school. Our job is to come in and offer a variety of fitness, enrichment, and academic courses for students after school. We have homework hour and study help, cooking, soccer, photography, weight training, yoga, arts and crafts, etc. We are here to be positive role models for these kids.

I don't know if anyone has ever worked with thirteen-year-olds before, but MY GOODNESS are these kids sassy. I really enjoy hanging out with them every day, but seriously? Sassiest bunch I've ever met.

And I think they are influencing me more than I'm influencing them.

Since I've begun working at King, I've gotten hair tinsel, I've gotten sassy, I've gotten more local ("hoh!" "sistah girl" and "you like try?" have become pretty standard additions to my vocabulary), I've gotten Justin Beiber stuck in my head for hours on end. I crave rice and spam musubi all the time and I want to skip work sometimes to go to the skate park.

Seriously? SERIOUSLY?

Just call me Tita.

e-harmony's got nothing on us.

thanks for actually saying that in real life, trav. 

(it's true)

on the hunt

So, work at Sylvan is great. Very fun. I love working with kids. Why didn't I realize this when I was getting a degree? Not that I'd trade it for ICS -- I learned how to think and look at the world in a whole new way, and that is much more valuable than training for a career.

Unfortunately, the jobs I want right now all have to do with child care. I realized at Sylvan that I LOVE teaching young kids. Why didn't I realize I want to be a preschool or kindergarten teacher until AFTER I graduated?!

I'm considering going back for education...I'm in no rush for my Master's. And I could just transfer all my GE's. Maybe? Who knows.

In the mean time, Sylvan is not giving me as many hours as I hoped. I'm looking for another job.

I just got hired to work for After School All-Stars every afternoon. I'll be on homework support, assisting Kelli teach arts and crafts and journalism, and just floating where the teachers need me. I have Sylvan for the weekends, and I'm trying to find a part-time job for the mornings. Maybe Borders? We'll see.

I'm hoping my work days will run from about 9am-5pm. Trav and I are making a deal with his sister to buy the groceries and we'll cook dinner every night. Help the kids with their homework. We're still catching up on Lost. He's giving me skate lessons, and I'm teaching him to sing. He's still meeting with the missionaries, and we go to the family ward every Sunday.

Life is good. I'm not worried.

beach babies

same beach. same week.

just a little bit of change to spice things up.

guess i'm going brown for a little while!

p.s. it is a LUXURY to have TIME

the future

Why does it look blurry even with my glasses on?

Today I am mailing my application for grad school.

But honestly? I don't want to go yet.

I want to go because I want to go, and not because I feel like I have to or because I just don't know what else to do.

The latter two are poor reasons to do anything.

update

Hokay, since I basically took a semester-long hiatus from this little blog, and I don't know if anyone has followed my tumblr much, I figured I would post an update here for any friends who still check up on it from time to time.

This past semester was...different.

Last June all of my roommates left within a week. One of them came back in the fall. And I got three other new ones (who were great, by the way). But a good share of my friends were gone to other schools, to home, on missions, or at BYU Jerusalem. Had I not made some great friends in the summer (see below), I am not sure how I would have stayed very sane during the week.

(the return of ting shen and ice skating. LtoR: ting, ian, trav, me, jolie, kara, robbie, cassie, ryan)

(Rachael! My room-roommate. Best closet to share. And sometimes we accidentally dressed like twins!)

(Jane Jung. Not another person like her.)

(Bonnie before singing with the choir for Devotional)

(Sunday Dinners - Kara and Cassie)

(Art nights. LtoR: Ian, Nathan, Scott, Berries, and Cassie)

(And of course, the epic Harry Potter Christmas Party)

Besides all these wonderful people, I had Travis. By far the kindest, most patient, wonderful, generous, and well-balanced human bean I ever did meet. And he's pretty cute too. And a total goofball. And the best friend I've ever had. I spent my weekends with him and his family, and let me tell you: Waylen is the coolest eight-year-old on the planet.

(Waylen and his "imaginary friend")

So, I had my friends, I had my sanity. I finished school and my family joined me for graduation. I couldn't be more relieved to be done with school. I pushed myself. I don't think I'd go back and redo it, but it was definitely a decision that came with consequences. I had to make priorities. And unfortunately, that meant that a lot of my contacts back home got left behind. I didn't have time to "keep in touch" during the semesters. I barely had time to see the friends I lived a few houses down from! I took maximum credits and worked maximum hours. And now I feel so good to be done. I think I work best at maximum intensity. And now I have more time to enjoy. I have a job teaching at the Sylvan Learning Center in Honolulu. I have a nice house up in the mountain with pleasant roommates. I've got a car. And I've got time. That one word that makes all the difference. I'm excited to have more time to do things I've always wanted to: write, read, garden, catch-up with old friends, and offer more service.

(My parents and I at graduation)

Right now I'm still in Iowa at my parents', but I return to le aina this Friday. I'm excited to get back to my little room in my nice house, to get back to a steady job, to have sunshine and blue skies again. I'm excited to get back to the family ward Trav and I have been attending. They just don't do church anywhere else quite like they do in Hawaii. I've never felt sooo welcomed into a new ward before. All the members there are great and so loving. Trav is having fun learning, and I'm cherishing my new perspective. Hopefully Waylen will continue to come with us from time to time -- I think he'd have a blast in Primary. But, we'll see. Only Time will tell.

Anywho, I'm quite excited about life and where mine's headed. I'm very happy and looking forward to good things this next year. I'll keep you updated. =)

here's to rama

“Rama’s nature was quiet and free…He knew when to save and when to spend…He could read hearts. He knew his own faults better than the failings of others. He could speak well and reason in a chain of eloquent words. Half a benefit was more to him than a hundred injuries…and he didn’t believe that what he preferred from himself was always best for everyone else.

Rama was kind and courteous and never ill. To harsh words he returned no blame. He was warmhearted and generous and a real friend to all. He tried living right and found it easier than he’d though…He would not scold the whole world nor take to task the universe, and so his pleasure and his anger never went for nothing.

Rama would not work very long without a holiday; he wouldn’t walk far without stopping to greet a friend, nor speak long without smiling…He loved Sita well; he lived his life for the sake of her being a part of it. He would often find a new gift for his friends. He did not fear to pass a whole day without work…Rama’s way was noble.”

 Ramayana (My favorite read of the year. The greatest epic of adventure, trust, loyalty, wisdom, and love. Goal for 2010: Search for wisdom in all good books and mediums. There is goodness sprinkled in all the world has to offer. We just have to make the time to search for it, and listen.)