This and That and Those

GODS I am so bad about blogging lately. I’ve had no time whatsoever these last few weeks with school, work, going to New Jersey last weekend, and 2 conferences this week.

I’m enjoying work, although my direct supervisor could be called scatter-brained. But, she’s never around, so I get quite a bit of down-time when I’m in the office. I really haven’t done too much yet, at least in my mind. But, it’s still a new position and I’m still getting used to everything, so it’s also slow-going.

School is kind of overwhelming. Readings and papers and projects are just piling up. I’m trying to decide if I want to go to the ACPA (American College Personnel Association) convention that’s going to be in Boston this March. I went to the local conference Friday, and felt kind of out of place, but it was a good learning experience, and I know it’s good to get involved with professional orgs. I just don’t know if going to these thing will ever truly be advantageous to me because I’m so bad at networking and getting to know people. Hell, even at the Girl Scout learning conference I went to yesterday, although Girl Scouts is a comfort zone for me, and I know what I’m talking about and actually involved (unlike with higher ed), I feel awkward and like I don’t really belong. It’s a huge dilemma to be honest.

 

{GS} Escaped and Returned to Tell the Tale

This past weekend I went to the Great Escape, a weekend-long event put on by Girl Scouts of Eastern MA for leaders all over Council to get together to camp, socialize and attend workshop. I’m a little bit on GS overload right now, and kinda wish my job was starting now so I could get some of it out of my system. It was awesome getting to know other leaders and do some networking–I should create some simple little cards to make it easier to exchange info. I also learned that I know a lot more about Girl Scouts than I thought I did, and possibly more than some of the ‘trainers’ out there–I should present a workshop on GS History next year.

I also learned that I NEED to invest in some rain boots or something since I no longer commute via car. I also need to go through Billy’s camping gear and find his headlamps and see what else he has that I can commandeer–wtbrosie and I have a good start, but not NEARLY enough.

 

{GS} Off to a Good Start

The Girl Scout year has gotten off to a great start–even better than I’d planned. Over the summer Melissa and I got together with a couple of the Council staff members to create a Task Force for the Boston, Cambridge, Somerville area. Basically, these areas have very few resources and volunteers, so typically can’t work as individual Service Units. We realized over the summer that, without active Service Units, the girls aren’t getting all of the benefits of being Girl Scouts. By bringing together all of these under-served areas, we can have a ‘mega unit’ that will function like an SU for the time being. I’m really looking forward to seeing how this all pans out; we’ve had 2 meetings already and have some really big ideas, like an Adult Court of Awards (we deserve awards just as much as the girls do!!) and an encampment for the girls in February.

I’ve also been accepted to be a Council Facilitator (trainer). My training doesn’t start until February, but I’m excited to be able to offer more required trainings in the city since we get so few; I’m hoping to be able to provide some of the more obscure trainings that REALLY never get offered here.

Finally, I have a job! One of the Council staff members I’ve been working with suggested I apply for a part-time job as a Membership Aide. Basically, it’s what I’m already doing, only I’ll be getting paid for it.

 

And Even More Settling

I officially begin week #3 of classes tonight. I’ve been pretty busy with classes and Ellie stuff and apartment stuff, so I’ve been super-duper neglectful of blogging, or much of anything except Facebook and PackRat lately. I’m loving living here, and we’re really pulling things together. I have class tonight, but am spending tomorrow putting away the rest of my stuff, doing laundry, cleaning the apartment (it’s Fall Cleaning time!!), and general domestic stuff. I’ll also spend some time playing catch-up with my reading since I was waiting for one book to arrive via mail, and for my refund to come in before buying the rest of them. I’m also pretty busy with Girl Scout stuff and trying to find an assistantship or other job to make a little bit of income.

 

Settling In

We’ve gotten to the point of moving in where we’re decorating. We’ve got some pictures up and are slowly distributing our other stuff around. I’m also working on organizing since I have free time lately.

Only one of my classes has posted to Blackboard and I’m kinda pissed about it. I want to buy as many of my books online as possible because, quite frankly, I’m broke. And cheap.

Girl Scouts–I’m not sure if it’s doing to be a good thing or if it’s going to slowly kill me. Hopefully it’s only because we are just starting out for the new year. I don’t even have a troop and I’m already running raged! I just need to figure out some stuff, prioritize and realize that I don’t have to do everything myself.

 

Weekend Recap

Friday, the Sox were finally able to pull out a win–in a BIG way–and I got to watch it with my girl, a good friend, and her new flat-panel HD TV! And the watching commenced after a fantastic dinner of steak, veggies and potatoes from the grill. This is something that NEEDS to happen again!

Saturday we hung out with wtbrosie’s friend from back home. We bummed around Harvard Sq, then met up with some of their other friends at the Sunset Grill. Alas, my motion-sickness headache was not going away, so I didn’t go to JP later that night for board games and drinking. I’m really starting to get worried about these headaches, and am hoping that the new contact/eyeglass prescription I got yesterday will help me not get them so often and quickly–I basically can’t be a passenger without getting ill, and Saturday was the worst it’s been, I just wasn’t able to recover from it, so wound up lying on the couch all night. If the new Rx doesn’t help, it’s off to the Dr to start running tests, which I do not want to do; we still haven’t quite figured out the sleeping thing!!

Sunday was an overnight with my Girl Scout troop–we went to a Girl Scout overnight at Carousel Family Fun Center in Whitman. It’s been quite a few years since I went roller skating, but it was a lot of fun, and I’m hoping to be able to join the troop next year if they do it again (since I’m sure they’ll need drivers).

 

Missing Out

I don’t really have many real regrets, probably one or two at most. But looking back, there are opportunities I wish I’d been able to take advantage of. Most of them involve Girl Scouts, which I think it one of the main reasons I am so heavily involved with it now. I really wish I’d been able to go on a Wider Opportunity, which is a program for girls to travel to different places to take part in activities related to any number of topics. From the first time I was eligible, I would pour over the booklet choosing which ones I wanted to apply for. But I never did so because of  a fear of rejection, knowing my parents didn’t have the money, and fear of the unknown (probably the biggest deterrent). These were the same reasons I never tried to be a CiT, or went to camp more than just the 2 summers. As I got older and experience more and more rejection by my peers, I became more and more hesitant about doing anything that even remotely set me up for rejection or failure.

That hesitation wasn’t really as present in FFA. I think a lot of that was because I was around people that mostly accepted me, unlike in Girl Scouts which was cliquey and competitive. I was still super shy, but reveled in attending National Conventions and participating in contests. The only opportunities I really feel like I missed out on in High School are the trip to Belize and the cross-country road trip. With Belize, I had to choose between that and competing at the National FFA Convention–really not a choice. The road trip though, I knew I’d never be able to afford it, and I also knew that I’d be REALLY out of place since it was all the cool kids from the entire school going. If I’d gone, I would have been setting myself up for more rejection and failure.

Gods, I’ve just realized it’s always been money that has been a major factor in my missed opportunities. I was thinking about what I missed out on in college and realized that the main two were studying abroad and The Washington Center (a non-profit internship program). Yes I was fearful of being rejected for them, but I didn’t even apply because I knew that I’d never be able to afford the program or required materials (in the case of the internship).

I think all of this is one of the biggest motivating factors in me being involved with Girl Scouting. I want to be able to make up for those things I missed out on. I also, in a way, want to make up for the sometimes shoddy leadership I had in Girl Scouts by being a good and effective leader for my troop. Sure, there are other programs out there, but I can’t join the Adventurers because they are affiliated with the Boy Scouts and I can’t join that organization because I’m gay. There is also Campfire, which I was actually a member of in Kindergarten and 1st grade, but I really know nothing about the program. I know there are other organizations to, but I know even less about them. I think I’ll stick with Girl Scouts for now.

 

Trying to End on a Good Note

Next year I won’t be working with my troop, but will be working at the Service Unit (group of troops in a town/city/area) level. Even though I have 3 months left to this year, I’m kind of burnt out. I love the Girl Scouts, but my troop is frustrating, even though I like the girls themselves. for the most part, the girls don’t care to do anything, and when we ask what they DO want to do, or present options, we’re met with indifference and negativity. Yet they tell their moms and aunts that they are bored and aren’t doing anything in meetings. WE have no money or transportation to go anywhere, so outings are tough. One of my Co’s is lazy, and the other totally jaded, which makes planning that much more difficult. But I have a few ideas for the next few meetings, so we’ll see how they go.

I’m going to enjoy working with the service unit since it’ll be a nice change, and a means of getting to know how Council and programming works. It’ll also be a means of bringing more programming to the city since it’s so under served at this time. In a couple years, after grad school and I get settled at least semi-permanently, I’ll pick up leading a troop again, maybe starting from scratch with Daisies or Brownies.

 

The Weekly Update

To say it’s been a long week is an understatement. We went to Jersey this weekend, and although I love wtbrosie’s niece and nephews, getting woken up before 9 on a Sunday by three bouncing children (after going to be at like, 1) was a little less than ideal. Ah well.

wtbrosie has also been sick–two weeks of fever and decreasing appetite. She spent most of Tuesday in the ER, then all of Wednesday night there. They were of absolutely no help, although last night she finally ate something and kept it down, and it seems that her fever is finally starting to go away. I certainly hope this is the case, and that her working today doesn’t make her relapse.

Girl Scouts is slowly killing me. I love my girls, but being in a troop with a dozen leaders is not conducive to a good working environment. I’m contemplating leaving the troop next year and only volunteering with the Service Unit. Not just because of troop politics, but also because, if I am going to be in grad school next year, I’m going to have a lot less time or brainpower available. It’s the sensible thing to do, but I feel a huge amount of guilt about it.

Finally, I officially only have one car payment!! At wtbrosie’s suggestion, I used my tax refund to pay off the Cobalt. It’s so nice to look at my online banking page and see one less open account. Plus, it puts $250 back into my pocket that I am going to use to pay down my other debts. In a month and a half I’m going to finally own my laptop!

 

Girl Scout Crackies

Girl Scout cookies are probably some of the best things ever created. I don’t think I’d find many people to disagree with me on that point. We also are all aware that I’m a troop leader. This means that my girls are selling cookies! We are doing these sales in both the traditional way (pre-order your cookies now, I’ll give them to you when they come in) and via booth sales where we set up in front of a store or something and you can walk up and buy cookies for immediate gratification. Sure, you can find scouts doing this at almost any local supermarket, but would you be helping MY girls? Probably not. So I’m going to make a suggestion: order a box or two from me and ALSO get your instant fix. Once you’re finished your first box or two, you’ll be happy to know you have a couple reserve boxes heading your way!

My girls ARE going to be doing booth sales though, and I’ll be posting those dates via Twitter (which cross-posts here) as soon as I have confirmations on dates, times and locations. Try to support the Girl Scout you know.