a big sigh of relief...

Working with a co-worker, I have been planning an all day youth event for the past few months. We had youth speakers, a career panel, a resource fair, discussion groups and a hands-on activity.

It happened yesterday, with great success.

We had positive feedback from the youth and managers alike, we had no conflicts and I feel like we really accomplished our goal - we empowered the youth to find their own path in conservation.

It was a long day yesterday, but it sure was satisfying.

Now I have 2 weeks left to finish up wrapping up my job and get it prepared for my yet-to-be-hired predecessor. Wow.

Scrabulous

And so I decided to proceed with my procastination fodder theme and went to look up online scrabble. This isn't where I've played before, but it seems to be fairly similar.

You don't need a login to play via email - you simply enter your name and email and that of a friend you would like to play. Then you make your first move and a message is sent to your friend asking them to make their move.

We'll see if my friend is down...I'm pretty sure she will be...and I'm even more certain that she is going to kick my ass - I have a big vocabulary, but I have a sneaky suspision hers is even bigger!

Check it out!

http://www.scrabulous.com/

sudoku

Have you been suckered into sudoku yet?

I bought a pocket sized book last summer, and for months it was my friend on the bus, as I learned to quell the queaziness I get from the constant stop and go of public transit.

There are people at work who photocopy puzzles from 24 and then compete to see who can finish them the fastest. This is serious business, they keep track of who has won so they can tease each other relentlessly.

A friend just gave me this link to play online. What's cool is that the program times you as you work on the puzzle and then allows you to "Challenge a friend". I haven't used this yet as I want to get a good time before sending it to my well practiced work mates, but I assume they send it to a friend and then tell you who finished it in less time.

Join the crowd - waste your day away - play Sudoku!

http://www.websudoku.com

...I used to play email scrabble with a friend too...I think I'll go look for that now.

Top 16 Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong

16. Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

15. There are plenty of straight families looking to adopt, and every unwanted child already has a loving family. This is why foster care does not exist.

14. Conservatives know best how to create strong families. That is why it is not true that Texas and Mississippi have the highest teen birthrates, and Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire have the lowest. This is a myth spread by the liberal media.

13. Marriage is a religious institution, defined by churches. This is why atheists do not marry.

12. Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why our society has no single parents.

11. Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

10. Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

9. Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

8. Gay marriage should be decided by the people and their elected representatives, not the courts. The framers checked the courts, which represent mainstream public opinion, with legislatures created to protect the rights of minorities from the tyranny of the majority. Interference by courts in this matter is inappropriate, just as it has been every time the courts have tried to hold back legislatures pushing for civil rights.

7. Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

6. Civil unions, providing most of the same benefits as marriage with a different name are better, because "separate but equal" institutions are a good way to satisfy the demands of uppity minority groups.

5. Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

4. Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

3. Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

2. Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

1. METEORS and VOLCANOES.

 

One can always count on FACEBOOK for the distribution of useless and yet entertaining information. 
YAY for sarcasm, YAY for laughter!

the guy on the bus

I think I wrote about him before...this guy who used to take the bus each morning and for some reason intrigued me.  He hasn't taken the bus for ages, but I saw him at the stop today.  He brought a girl with him - looked like a girlfriend.  I'd all but forgotten about him, but I'm intrigued again.  I still wonder what kind of work he does, what kind of person he is, what kind of things he likes...I'm a people watcher I guess. 

I'm sure people wonder about me too...I have a silver and pink shiny lunchbag, sometimes wear office clothes and sometimes wear dirty stinky clothes...I sneeze a lot and my nose runs.  Perhaps I'm intriguing to someone too...or maybe they just think I'm weird! 

ages in time

At age 10:I discovered the Kids For Saving Earth Club at my local Safeway.  I never joined, but I always picked up a copy of the newsletter and diligently read what other kids around the country were doing for the planet, and planned to one day make a difference myself.

At age 13: I met the teacher who would change my life.  The teacher who would inspire me and teach me one of the most important lessons of my life.  He taught me that we all have the power to make a difference and the choices we make and the actions we take, are the way that we can be a part of positive environmental change.

At age 17: I enrolled in college and spent the next two years fulfilling the requirements for an Environmental Studies Diploma at a local college.  In this time I participated in amazing field activities and developed both my skill set and frame of mind immeasurably.

At age 18: I got my first glimpse of non-profit stewardship work.  I would spend the next four summers coordinating and leading environmental activities for teenagers.  We removed invasive species, educated children, explored composting, waterwise gardening and played a key role in the maintenance of our local community garden.

At age 20: I met a fun-loving amazing man, who despite my best efforts, I seemed unable to stay away from.

At age 20: I enrolled in University and would spend the next 3 years studying Biology (ecology/botany) and Environmental Studies until I completed my Bachelor's of Science Degree.

At age 23: I began my career un-glamorously working in a toxicity lab, testing water samples.  This gave me experience in the science field, allowed me to utilize and develop my scientific lab skills and helped me realize that I am too social of a person to work in a lab.  A wonderful growth experience.

At age 24: I returned to stewardship work and spent a year coordinating a volunteer group that embarks on outdoor activities anywhere from one to four times a week.  I love the activities, I love the volunteers, I love inspiring people and I love getting dirty and doing something positive for my environment.  I encourage everyone to get involved in local community efforts.

At age 25: The previously mentioned man becomes my loving husband and we embark on the rest of our life together.

At age 25: I am about to embark on the next stage of my career.  I will be working as an assistant environmental coordinator for the government.  Another change, another step towards my future…time will tell what exactly that means.

T.S. Designs

Was reading Inhabitat again...and got sucked in by plain old t-shirts, again. This time they are organic t-shirts being printed by T.S. Designs using new technology known as REHANCE, which uses none of the harmful chemicals of traditional t-shirt printing, nor does it leave any chemical redidues on the febric...Cool.

Even cooler??

You can buy plain sample tees for $10 - it's only $5 if you're willing to take a shot in the dark with regard to colour. Said sample tees come in tons of styles, mens, ladies, slim fit, junior fit, cap sleeves, youth...

Seriously, I think I'm going to have to buy some...