My how the time flies

Time seems to fly, when your growing up. Lately I've been walking down the path of adulthood, at more of a run than a walk. I suppose that is how the first miles go though. Yesterday, I got my insurance card... its strange to have an insurance card with my name on it instead of my parent's. I drove the "Hope Mobile" today for the first time. Woo Hoo, I love driving in a giant van down the tiny, packed streets of downtown Birmingham. Lovely.

Tomorrow, at 5:30 I will be working at an awesome event called Project Homeless Connect. A lot of work has been put into this day, every organization in the Birmingham area will be present, as well as people to cut hair, doctors, dentists and even the DMV to help skip some steps and get people IDs. Its going to be huge. I hope to see some of the women I worked with during my internship as well as lots of my current clients.

One of my favorite clients that I was getting to know very well and enjoying the days he showed up was picked up by the cops and is now in jail... for a long time. I knew when he got out of our van on Wednesday he was going to do something stupid. I knew it! But that doesn't mean we didn't have one of the best conversations right before he got out of the van. I have learned not to ask a lot of questions to let my clients lead the conversations and if I'm listening I will pick up what is going on with their lives and how I can help as well as a little bit of insight into their lives. So Wednesday as we drove through the West Side I just let him talk. He showed me where he grew up, where his buddies used to live, where he used to buy weed, where a cop was shot a few months ago... and several other things. This was huge. Not only was showing me where he grew up and allowing me to begin to understand a little more about who he real is; but he was letting me know that he trusts me to know things about his life he hasn't shared with any other staff at the shelter. He was giving me the okay to now ask personal quesitons, to ask about growing up in 'the hood', but to ask about his family and friends, and to probe deeper into the criptic answers he gives us when we ask what he's been up to. ... But he's in jail now, and I probably won't be working in this job when he gets out, depending on how long he's in jail.

The realities of these kids lives are sinking in to me. I'm seeing more of the neighborhoods my clients came from. I've noticed that most people that are homeless have some type of mental disorder. It makes sense, but I hate it.

I want to go to Grad school, but its hard to explain what I want to do, so that I can get the right degree and actually accomplish my dreams.

So its been weeks, and I have had many hilarious stories and things happen to me, and many wonderful things. Yet I haven't taken the time to write them. Some times I forget that I have this, but the idea of writing something down and who knows who is going to read it perhaps no one or perhaps a whole lot of someones is very cleansing and good. I love going back and reading what has happened over the last little bits of my life and the whole idea behind writing the humorous things of my day is to simply be able to remember them and catalog this time I am spending working with street youth.

I am beginning to love my job. I love working with these kids, I'm finding my groove. I'm enjoying the simple tasks I'm given and making them fun and entertaining. I enjoy seeing how simply me taking and leaving our card in a library means some teenager finds it just when they need it and calls the hotline and gets the help they need.

I think I'm in the process of outlining where I want to put my "career" focus. This has been such a hard thing for me, there is so much that I want to do, to experience, so many problems I want to help solve. Its exciting and terrifying all at the same time. And I have no idea where to begin with this new possible focus, but I know if this is what I'm supposed to be doing I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be for it. As things become more clear to me, I will reveal my thoughts and ideas. For now know that the light bulb may have finally come on inside my head and I am bubbling with enthusiasm to see how this chapter of my life (which is only just beginning) will unfold.

A few days ago I was sitting at the bus station and an old man, who was drunk, came up to me and proclaimed that Obama was a black man, And a President the world was in a good place. Then we walked off, and ran into the glass wall on his way out. I did very well not to laugh until I got into our van.

Its hard for me to watch kids with so much of their lives ahead of them wasting their time with drugs. But they've been smoking weed since they were 10... they aren't stopping now, not at 19 its not that easy. But I see them killing themselves and I want to shake them and push them out of this vicious cycle of poverty. If they do have kids and they continue with their lives as they are their kids will be in the exact same place they are now, and so will their grand-kids. And I don't see how the cycle ends. Its such an uphill battle for them, and the hill is steep, and hard to climb with no clear map. Their whole lives is such a foreign concept to me, they have seen and experience so much that I can't even imagine. I walk away from work every day thankful for the life I've been given, the education I've had, and the people surrounding me. I could have been born into poverty, but I wasn't and I'm thankful for that. And because of that I will spend my life doing what I can for those that have been born into a life of poverty.

there is never a dull moment when working with people

I'm coming to learn that there is truly never a dull moment when working with people, especially homeless and "street" youth. I confessed last time that I'm working on controlling myself and my dancing... I am proud to say that apple bottom jeans came on the radio yesterday and I contained myself very nicely.

I hope that I daily have a funny story and hopefully many success stories along the way. Today's story happened when we were transporting a few of our clients to the place they are staying currently. These guys have been joking with me for the past 2 weeks and introducing me to many new songs and telling me stories about themselves. All but one of them, he usually is passed out (sleeping) on the couch most of the day until its time to go. This young man, he's one of my favorites because he is usually so incredibly stoned that it takes him a minute to respond to anything you say to him, some times he just smiles and says "yeah" and nods his head as a response probably because he doesn't know what is going on, and he has a grill. He's really funny to interact with probably because he's always 'on' something. Today as he and his friends loaded onto the van he asked me if I preferred 'dark meat or white meat'. Now I am smarter than the average female that is new to working with youth on the street. So I knew he was not referring to actual meat. I have been blessed with the gift to think on my feet and I didn't want to actually answer the question so, I decided to see how long it would take him to realize what I was saying. As I mentioned above this kid has a grill so when he says 'dark' it sounds like "dog". So I begin to use the word 'Dog' and say that, 'No I don't like dog meat, you're crazy if you eat dog meat, etc'. Blah, blah, blah. 3 minutes later he still has not caught on and is trying to continue using the word meat thinking I don't know what 'meat' he is talking about. He is getting more and more convinced that this conversation is hilarious and that I don't have a clue. It was probably one of the funniest 5 minutes of my week. As he was getting out of the van one of the other people in the van finally caught on and announced the 'word confusion' to everyone. So I'm sure this will continue tomorrow. As he got out of the van he just smiled and said you're so funny, I'll see you tomorrow. Apparently that's the most he's talked to any of the Outreach workers (that's my job/team), about something other than what he needs for us to do for him and those are usually short conversations as well.

Don't blink or life will pass you by

It seems that life has been moving at the speed of light lately.

We've had some drama with the local gas company and our apartment complex which has meant that we haven't had heat or hot water for a week. Might I mention that it snowed this weekend. I can't get warm, ever. I'm currently sitting in front of a space heater.

I started my job yesterday. I still don't know what to think or if I'm going to enjoy this. I still have yet to do anything. I've sat and read articles, and a book about what I'll be doing, and case files, and I've observed what happens in the day shelter but have yet to do my job. I have met a lot of our clients and I LOVE it. it reaffirms that I want to do social work, however the law interest is also being reaffirmed because the only way I can make real change in a large number of people is working with policies and in Family Law.

I do have to wear a large T-shirt for my job, every day ... its a giant blue shirt. I am already frustrated by this t-shirt. (if you don't know this I absolutely HATE t-shirts, especially if they are too big). Part of how I express my sass is through what I'm wearing, so this is going to be even more of a challenge than I thought it was going to be.

I got an iPhone, it was my pick-me-up this weekend when I was shivering and thinking I was going to be a Popsicle by the end of the weekend. I love it. It is amazing. I already feel like there are things that are much smoother simply because I have my email on me at all times. Its strange. I think it will also be good considering my strange hours I'm going to be working. It is beautiful and in a pretty pink case and I'm still working on a name for it.

For the past two days as I sat in the shelter and read, and observed how things work, I have been introduced to so many "jams" and the sentence, "you heard this one miss tiff?" is constantly being yelled at me. I'm praying to Jesus that Apple Bottom Jeans doesn't come on at any point, I can't control myself when that song comes on, I just have to dance. I will obviously greatly embarrass myself if I do.

And now I'm off to make big kid decisions about health insurance and the like... weird. and I need to bum a shower off someone.

This is what I learned about at work today.... Enjoy. I wonder what else I'm "too young" to know about. 

New things

Lots of things are happening in my life, lots of new things. And now I shall bullet/list because I like that better right now. 

1. I miss being challenged to write out my thoughts in paper form and be critiqued by someone incredibly knowledgeable about the topic... aka college. I loved writing and I miss it. This might be where I do a lot of that

2. I have my first BIG GIRL JOB! Its such a weird thing. I'm ecstatic to begin this challenge and see how God uses me in this. I'm also terrified because I have no idea what to expect and have two weeks to just sit around and guess at what I'll be doing. Its going to be a challenging experience but I'm sure that I will learn a whole lot and be a better person for taking it on as well as helping in my way to make the world a better place and make someone's life a little bit better.

3. Stepsing happened this weekend, with out me on the stage. It was hard to watch and not jump on that stage. If you've met me you know my love for Stepsing and trust me, I tried to participate even though I graduated in Dec.  I love it. I have made so many wonderful friends and memories through it. Its a huge part of my Samford experience. 

4.  Being a grown up I think will be much more fun with a real job. Just being able to say I have a real job is making it better. 

5.  I love Jon and Kate plus 8. Right now they are letting the  8 help "paint" the basement. I think one of my dream jobs would be to be their Nanny. 

6.  Brittany my bestie was in town this weekend. It was wonderful. I really miss her being in my life daily.  

7.  I want to start reading more again. I usually don't get to read a whole lot because I'm reading for school, so this whole idea that I can read whatever I want, whenever I want is going to be great. But there is so much to read, I'm a little overwhelmed with where to start. 

8.  I want to go to Europe, I'd get on a plane and leave tomorrow if I could.  

you know that 25 things thing...

1. My favorite color is Pink. bright hot pink, not that disgusting light pink. I've always thought I'd be cool to have a pink car, I'd never do it, but secretly I want one. Pink, bug? ;) 

2. I love to read. I get lost in stories and they are so a part of my real life as I read them. 

3. I have the best friends in the world. I don't know what I would do with out them, or how I ever didn't know them. 

4. There is a giant stuffed Giraffe, named Bongo, sitting beside me right now. 

5. I don't eat red meat, the stuff makes me want to throw up in my mouth. 

6. For a short phase in my life I was tom-boyish. I refused to wear dresses, pink, or anything frilly. My how times have changed. 

7. My dream is to one day live in England. 

8. The travel bug inside of me is biting and needs to be fed. I must get out of the country soon. 

9. I used to have a duck named 'Cuh-cuh'. 'Cuh-cuh had a baby duck named 'Baby Cuh-cuh'. They are still to this day my favorite stuffed animal. Followed closely behind by my giant stuffed pink pig that i used to use as a pillow. 

10. I have a small obsession with Chai Lattes. I just can't help myself. 

11. To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite books. It was also the first "school assigned" book I ever read. Thanks Mrs. Click, I still have my 'foldable'. 

12. All I want to do with my life is help people and love on people. Therefore the question "what do you want to be when you grow up" is really hard for me. 

13. I've always wanted to join the Peace Corps, ever since Jessie talked about it on Saved by the Bell. 

14. I can't remember what life was like before I had a sparkle on my nose. I love it. 

15. Children aged 2.5 to 4 are my favorite age to work with. 

16. I love people, and meeting people. But I have a hard time actually making real friends. 

17. I met 17 of the most amazing people in my life when I boarded a plane for London, England. I never knew how much those 4.5 months would change my life and how much they would mean to me. 

18. It is my dream to retire from life one day and live in Manarola (Cinque Terre), Italy. 

19. Awkward men seam to love me and gravitate to me. I can't help this and I have no idea how to make it stop. 

20. I dearly love to laugh. 

21. I asked Santa to bring me a boy for Christmas, he didn't come through... maybe he didn't get my letter in time. 

22. I love mindless girly movies/ chick flicks.

23. It is my dream to adopt a child from every nation and have a United Nations of Children. Ok maybe not every nation but lots of them and still call them my "united nations of children." This is how I will accomplish world peace. 

24. I really really really wish World Peace were possible. 

25. Some times I like to imagine what my life would look life if I'd made a different decision or things had turned out differently. Like if I hadn't chosen Samford. Or if I hadn't lived in the house I did summer 2005. Or if I hadn't had a best friend growing up that looked like my twin and was also obsessed with O-town. If I hadn't out grown the tom-boy phase. I like my life as it is, its just fun to think about and wonder. 

26. I'm OCD (or CDO, if we're going alphabetical) I need for things to be in even numbers.