Workin' 9 to 5... plus 5 more.

• 
  

Holy dang! I have been working 13 hour days. Which I think I could maybe handle if I could sleep through the night. I have been waking up 3 and 4 times during the middle of the night and only getting into a deep sleep right before my alarm goes off. My brain is not performing well and I get frazzled easily.

The last few weeks are going to be so draining. I'd much rather be back in that Spartina field!

I feel like I don't have any down time. We wake up, work, sleep, start all over.

Jo and Charlie filling gift bags

The Lisa buried nose deep in Angel Tree presents

Angel Tree presents ready for distribution

I haven't been able to keep up with my workouts like I'd hoped because I am too damn lazy to wake up at 5am and go to the gym. I tried working out last night at 10:30pm but it was too much. I might be able to through in an occasional pm workout, but I cant handle late night workouts all the time.

As frazzled as I get, and as stressful as it can be, and as busy as we are, I am really enjoying this project. The people we work with are so wonderful and our sponsors are so great. Our Florida sponsors will always be number one, but these guys are a close second.

I'm sick of talking about work.
Let's talk fun things.

Chelsea and I are reading The Patricia Briggs Series about Mercy Thompson. So Dorky, but so fun. Shes almost on the third book though, I was reading another book before I started this series so I need to catch up! It's set in my home town and I love reading it and knowing everything she is referring to! It makes me feel like I'm back home.

Lisa's Birthday was the other day!
Happy Birthday The Lisa!

Breaking New Grounds

I mentioned in that last post that I was really excited for this ISP with Breaking New Grounds, well hot damn, I think it was my favorite ISP so far.

What Breaking New Grounds has done is created an urban farm. It's really more of a large garden, but it is in the middle of this neighborhood and is for anyone to come and harvest from the plants. What the organization is setting out to do is provide healthy meal options, show that commercial and factory farming isn't the only way to do things, and to set up a place where the community can get involved in taking care of itself.

It was absolutely incredible! After working in Florida and on this ISP I have realized working outside, with my hands, is definitely something I enjoy and want to make a part of my everyday life. This community garden idea is such an amazing thing, I would love to set one up wherever I decide to live after NCCC.

Not only is it a great healthy option but there is something so fulfilling about the thought of working for and producing your own food. I love it.

If you didn't check out their website like I told you to do in the last post, check it out now:
http://www.breakingnewgrounds.org/

Greenhouse growing

Compost sifting

In the middle of a neighborhood!

Preparing the garden for winter.

Harvested tomatoes.

I don't really feel like updating...

...but I'm updating anyways!

Things are going really well with the project. We finished all the tagging of bags and data entry ahead of schedule and have been given busy work to tie us over until mall setup, which actually kind of sucks at times, but it doesn't take much to remember why we're here which provides a nice morale boost.

Today we went to the Muhammad Ali Center which was phenomenal. Obviously he was an amazing boxer, but I had no idea of his humanitarian efforts or his strong and extremely deep religious beliefs. Both of which I plan on finding out more about and hopefully apply some of that focus and drive to my own life.

Chelsea and I also went to the Blue Dog Cafe and Bakery which was delicious. I had this pear, walnut, and maple bacon salad... oh my dang. It was so delicious. We got coffee afterward and relaxed at another cafe. I think Chelsea and I use each other as a source to get away and relax a bit. It's really great to be able to have someone to do that with.

I mentioned on my last entry some goals I'm looking to accomplish.
 PT goals are currently going really well. I work out twice a week with the entire team and three times a week (starting this last week) I am at the YMCA making Leroy kick my ass.Aaron and Tommy are their too. We did an extensive arm workout yesterday and I found out that my max benching weight is 80
lbs. Not bad for a girl who has never lifted before, right? I fully expect my arms to not work in the morning, however. We did abs this week too, on Monday, I still feel a little sore from that. I'm holding my own though working out with those boys. It's such a great feeling too.

We have an ISP tomorrow that is centered around gardening which is so great! A nice change of pace from working in a warehouse. Its with Breaking New Grounds which is an incredible organization that promotes urban farming and community connections (google them). I'm excited for it.

Thanksgiving it also coming up! I live to far away to travel home, but I am going to Kari's whose home is 2 hours away. It should be a good time. I cant wait for some stuffing and some pie.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I'm all for giving turkey day its own day and don't like to acknowledge Christmas until the thanksgiving leftovers are tucked safely in the fridge, but I couldn't wait. I miss home and I needed something to take comfort in. So Chelsea and I decorated the tree in our common area:

It makes me feel happy. And warm. And cozy. And a little less homesick.

Whuddup 502?

So I am currently living in Louisville.
In the basement of a school, which is freezing.
Eating out of a soup kitchen, which is hearty and delicious but not so healthy.
I am overwhelmed with the realization that next transition means I am half way done with this program and I still have no idea with what I am going to do with my life when it is over.

One could say my life is kind of shitty right now.
But I am so in love with it.
Exhaustion? Who cares. I still get out of bed every morning with joy.

The work is tedious and  boring. I sit on my butt all day either in front of the computer doing data entry or labeling bags that will be filled with goodies come Christmas. I eat candy all day to help stay awake and inhale incredibly weak coffee. It makes me feel gross, fat, and lethargic.

I can't tell you how much I love this project. It's not the most fun right now, but in a couple of weeks I am sure we will see the pay off. One more week of computing and labeling and we begin mall set up. I'm working with the Salvation Army to help organize and setup their Christmas Tree Angel Program, have I mentioned that? We're giving children a Christmas! That's so great.

I am really really happy.

I have some goals I would like to have accomplished by December 16 which is the day we leave.

PT goals: run 1.5 miles in 14 minutes, strengthen my upper leg muscles (I am already beginning to see definition!), 20 real pushups (none of that on-your-knees-shit).

SLI goals: (its AmeriCorps jargon, I'm too lazy to explain)

Personal goals: money, relationships, inner happiness. I don't want to go into detail on the world wide web.

Labeling! We label the bag, the angel tag, and tape the tag to the bag. Then a counter counts ten, a checker checks the number/names, then we box 'em up.

Chels, rubberbanding her ten count like a pro

Denny with the data entering.

These fools, getting things done because that's how we do in the AmeriCorps.

Oh! And living in a large, urban, skyscraper filled city... I get lattes often.
Because a coffee filled Ashley, is a happy Ashley.

Back in Vicksburg

We have a week of training before the next round. It's weird to be back on campus surrounded by more than just the eleven faces that have become part of the routine. It's also been great! I forgot how much I liked some of these people.

Right now Kari and I are at Highway 61, a coffee house in downtown, I like when I am able to do normal things like a normal human being. It's so difficult to be "on my own" and still have rules and regulations to follow. It's all part of the program though, I knew what I was getting into.

I don't have anything terribly exciting to write about. The last week of work I didn't do anything, I slept. It was...awful. I felt useless. I also have to make up the hours I missed of work. Which actually shouldn't be a problem because of the hours we put in in Florida and the hours we're going to be putting in in Louisville.

I am not allowed to run baseline because my spleen might rupture. So that's awesome. I still have to wake up at the ass crack of dawn and cheer on my fellow corps members though. I think if I'm not allowed to run, you should let me sleep.

I want to sleep now, actually.......................

Guess what happens when you dont take care of your body?

You get sick.Then, when you ignore your sickness you get even more sick. THEN, when you pretend you're getting better and ignore other problems, you get even sicker.

I have been to the ER twice in the last week. The first time because of strept, like I previously posted about, and last night because I was so dehydrated. I had been dealing with cold sweats all day, but I decided it was just a fever breaking and my body's way of healing itself. Around 8 I was watching a documentary on Katrina with the team and I got really hot and really dizzy and I felt like I was going to vomit. I walked to the bathroom and I wish someone were there to count how many times I dropped the eff bomb. I knew I was going to pass out, and I did. Right before though, I somehow managed to call Kari's phone and she came to the bathroom and got me.

So poor paige had to spend another long night in the ER with me. They gave me an iv to rehydrate and put some no-more-nausea drugs in it then did some blood work which came back positive for Mono.

SO, now I have a doctors note for a week off work. I'm pissed. The only reason I'm not letting myself get too worked up about it is because we leave friday to back to Vicksburg and all I will be doing is sitting in trainings and meetings so I won't be loosing hours. But I haven't worked at all this week and I hate it. Our team is already down a member because Aaron blew out his acl while playing soccer and now I'm down and out. I know I need to sleep or it will get worse, but I can't stop thinking about everyone else having to pick up my slcak.

Visit number one...

Visit number two...

Frustrating.

:-(

First, let me say I love my team. Now, let me explain why. I have strept! Boo! I usually get it once or twice a year, I know the symptoms, I know how my body acts right bfore the symptoms start showing, but I always ALWAYS ignore it until it is too late. No different when I'm in the AmeriCorps it seems. Only this time I really waited until last minute and now it is probably the worst I've ever had it. Started Tuesday, I ignored it until Saturday night when paige took me to the ER. They gave me steroids for the swelling, a shot of antibiotics in my rear, and some vicodin for the pain. That was all to last me until I could get my prescription drugs the next morning.

Being sick and not in the comfort of your home is the absolute worst. This is what hell will be like. Me, with strept, sharing a room with 11 girls in a building where walls end 6 feet from the ceiling so you can hear EVERYTHING that goes on.

Anyways, why I love my team:
The girls brought me some lemongrass soup the other day when I couldn't chew, Kari has been checking in on me and she tells everyone to shut up when they are being too loud and I am sleeping, the guys let me watch stupid movies with them, and everyone has learned if I dont make eye contact I dont want to talk to you. They're all so sweet. I have a good team.

I missed work today, I slept all day and everyone else was working. Which sucks to know, but I am 100% going to work tomorrow, I don't care what I feel like. I can already swallow without wincing so I know I am getting better... Besides, my hydrocodone will help me get through the day.



We leave friday morning to go back to campus in Vicksburg. We'll have our debrief, our breifing, baseline, more trainings, then off the Louisville. Im ready for some new scenerey. Ocean Springs is nice, I'm just bored with the work. I need a change before I go stir crazy.

Ocean Springs, Mississippi

I'm out of the Florida marshes and on the Gulf Coast! We're in Ocean Springs, MS right and it is such a great little town! The beach is less than a mile away and the downtown area is so nice. It reminds me a little of Walla Walla back home. I love it.

We're staying at Camp Victor which is a non profit volunteer housing organization. We are here with another team from the Vicksburg campus and other volunteers from different organizations have been filtering through. We'll be staying for another couple weeks.

The work! We are split, half of us are working with Camp Victor to build and repair homes and the other half of us are working with the organization Hope CDA, also rebuilding. It's good work, but soooo slow! It is so strange to transition from demanding hard physical labor in a field to hammering a couple nails and then waiting an hour for more supplies. I guess it is a nice break, but I kind of really miss sweating my ass off at 7 o clock in the morning. Pulling spartina became such a normal part of the day, it's strange to not wake up every morning and prepare for it.

I think another reason I miss the work so much is because the guys we worked with were so amazing. They made the work enjoyable. Also, the dibbles we used completely toned my arms. Its nice to see muscle!

Team Dynamics are strange right now, a lot of working things out needs to happen. I wont go into detail. I hope things work themselves out.

Kari and I are going shopping. I'll update with some pictures later.

An update! Finally!

I am doing laundry right now, so it seemed like a good time to squeeze in a blog update.

Things are going really well. The work is more routine/easier, we know exactly what to do, how to do it, when to do it. I'm actually a little upset that I only have a week left working on this project. I love the people we work with, I love the project, I have even come to love the farmers tan I have from working outside in the humid sunny heat.

I think part of my not wanting to leave, though, is my dislike for change. As soon as I get into a nice routine and become comfortable, I don't respond well to change. But it's good. This is part of why I am in NCCC, to help break out of those comfort zones and learn to enjoy the change!

Yesterday, Friday, we worked in the planting field again. From 7-9:30ish we were on our own. Then a group of about 15 middle school kids showed up to help us as a class field trip. I have worked with kids for a long time, but I gotta say, I wasn't excited about it. Middle school is such an awkward age and I have no patience for them. But I was wearing the "A" so I put my happy face on, partnered up with Tony so I could rely on him to be the fun one, and did what I needed to do.

Oh my dang. The kids that were assigned to Tony and I were so great! We had a sixth grade boy and an eigth grade girl. That girl was a mini me. We spent the day ragging on Tony. The boy was so cool too, he and Tone had the sports thing in common and any time anyone would joke about Tony he could fire back and save Tony. It made the day really fun. We got a lot of planting done too. Those kids were such hard workers. We gave them two opportunities to call it a day and we would finish up the field, but every time they said they wanted to do the work.

It was cool. I hope we made volunteering fun for them.

ALSO:
I got an e-mail with the projects for the next round! There are a lot of projects in MS, AL, and New Orleans. I dont want those. I want the project that is in Louisville or Memphis. SO BAD. There is also one in SC that I wouldn't mind. But Louisville or Memphis?! The music scene alone in either of those places is going to be incredible! And the work, if I remember correctly, is more environmental which is what I'm realizing I really enjoy. We have until Monday to put in our requests, so pray, hope, wish, or whatever you do, that I get to go up north for the autumn season!

One last thing.

I have to mention how many amazing people I am becoming friends with. Some I never thought I would even like, others I have been enjoying since day one. I really really enjoy the people I am able to surround myself with. We have a ton of fun together, and work well together, and play well together, and everything else. I've been getting homesick a lot lately and to be able to find someone on my team that I can just hang out with and feel even a little bit like they are family, is so great.

Sooo.... this is tough stuff....

Wednesday was the worst day here in Florida by far. We pulled spartina from 7-11:30, sorted the plugs from 12-4, then did a 1 hour and 21 minute PT, then quickly showered and went on a Walmart run (which is a 20 minute drive), then got back to base camp around 9, Jo and I had to cook dinner - we busted that dinner out so fast it was ridiculous, ate at 9:30, team meeting around 10... I had other things to get done before bed and didnt get to sleep until 11:30 and had to wake up at 5:45.

Oh my dang, it sucked.

Thursday was such a hard work day because of it. No time to relax the day before and jumping into 9 hour work days is ridiculous. And the heat index was 114 yesterday! It's been tough.

Today's work day went by a lot quicker. We pulled from 7 to about 9 as a team and then started rotating people out of the sun and into the shade to start sorting. Aaannnddd I got 7 1/2 hours of sleep the night before so I was well rested.

This is the field I work in everyday:

Each plant you see there is a spartina bush. We dig 1/3-1/2 out, our sponsor comes around on his mega golf cart pimped out with mini monster truck tires and halls it to the shade, where we then separate everything into 2 inch plugs. Then it is taken to the planting site (which we will see/work in tomorrow) and is planted.

Very exciting work, I know. This is a picture right before the sun came up over those trees. If I could only explain how miserable it gets after that. The morning humidity doesn't effect me all that much, but as soon as the sun hits my face, I want to kill myself.

I complain a lot, but obviously I don't mind all that much. I haven't quit yet. I enjoy the idea of working in a field and being able to tell people I know everything about spartina digging. It's something I would have never in a million years done if I hadn't joined the AmeriCorps and for me that is what this whole experience is about. Trying new things and new lifestyles. I'm not going to rush out and get a job in farming/environmental/conservation work, but atleast I know what it's all about and can say I have done it!

Ending this post with a picture of the lovely Kari, excited no doubt, about Spartina digging:

Florida marshes are beautiful in the early mornings, but dang hot the rest of the day.

Okay, work day post!

Oh my dang. It was so much harder than I thought it would be, but not as hard as I was expecting, Does that make sense? First, let me explain for those who don't know what I am doing. My team is working with St. JOhns Water Management to restore the marshes to their natural state. In the early 1900s the marshes were drained and converted to farmland, invasive plants were brought in, it was no bueno, they are now trying to put it back to normal.

So what we do for them is dig up 1/3-1/2 of a plant, seperate the roots into small 2 inch diameter plugs so that they can be replanted in other locations in the marsh. We have shovels, dibbles, and gloves. Again I say, Oh my dang.

That is some tough work. It's not as back breaking as I was expecting it to be. When I found out it was just digging up plants, I was like Oh sweet. Then we started doing it... for 8 hours... I'm pretty sure if we do this for 3 weeks I'm going to die. Just die. Right there. In the marsh. The buzzards can eat me. That's right, buzzards circle over us all day reminding us that we are in a ridiculously hot deathly setting. It's pretty awesome. We also have water mocassins and rattle snakes to keep us company. Haen't seen them yet and I pray to God it stays that way.

I can usually rally and push myself through hard labor, but towards the end of the first day I was struggling. Thank goodness this team is hilarious to work with.

I have a picture of what I looked like at the end of the first day. Nice lookin dirt line there, yeah?

This is the house I am living in:

This is my OWN room!

This is the cold spring we swam in as a nice relaxing treat.

Today... was a day.

I am in Leesburg, FL right now, just completed our first day of work in the marshes. But oh man! I havent updated about New Orleans yet!

So this is where we stayed while there:

 This is my team eating dinner:

This is everyone on Anderson Cooper 360

And below, is an entry from my journal that I wrote while in New Orleans:

August 28, 2010

New Orleans.
Wow. So much to say. It is so weird to drive around the city and be in the areas I have seen so many photos of completely drowned by water. Driving past the Super Dome is difficult. I can't imagine the despair and devastation people were feeling five years ago. 

But when you come to New Orleans, even though you may feel these types of emotions, that is not at all the vibe of the city. People here are hopeful and excited and so thankful. We have been received with open arms and joy. Everyone here is looking forward to the future. The energy while working on these houses is incredible.  


I am so thankful for being given the opportunity to serve with NCCC. I can't explain it. Every single day something reminds me of how amazing it is to be here. My team, our team leader, the projects... it doesn't matter how tough the day gets, all of these things keep me going and keep me feeling blessed.


Also, I was on National television and met Anderson Cooper. Silver Fox. That's all I have to say about that.

I will post another update about how my first day of work went a bit later. Right now, I need a nap.

We did the high ropes course today! Kari got an excellent picture, left, of my excitement. I have been trying to decide if I am really that skinny now (I have definitely lost some weight) or if it is just a super flattering angle. Eh, whichever it is, I'll enjoy it.

Today was good. A lot of team support and cheering went on during the ropes course. Good times.

We also had our briefing for our first round projects today. Went well. Can't believe we start it all in a week!

Tomorrow around 2 we will leave for New Orleans. First we have some training to take care of. Last training!!!! Sitting in classrooms is getting old. Time to start moving and doing.

Called Cayla today, it was nice to chat with a friend from home. I dont know how often I will be able to call people once things get moving. Hopefully more often than I think.

All in all things are still going well. Stronger friendships are being created and new ones emerging. I can feel myself growing in all kinds of ways. I am even starting to kind of maybe enjoy the humidty. Just a little bit. At night. When the sun is on the other side of the planet. If there is a nice breeze. Yeah.

Also, this is my room:

Today was a really good day. Calm, relaxed, easy going. I slept in after a late night, helped clean the team van, lounged in Danny/Bradley's room all day, played some volleyball and now I'm getting ready for bed.

For dinner tonight a local chruch, United Methodist Church, cooked for us. I was hoping for some good deep south cooking... we got pasta. I can't tell you how many times we've eaten pasta since I got here! But it was a really good time! The pasta WAS delicious, the locals were so incredibly friendly, and I met a few more Corps members. It was a good time and the church was so kind to do it for us. If I ever feel the urge to wake up early one sunday I think I'll make my way to a service of theres.

I am so happy with my decision to come to Vicksburg and be a part of this program. Some days are tough, but I have yet to have the urge to go home. That is, aside from the first night here when I realized I had to use public showers/toilets for the next ten months. But I think I've worked through that!

Anyways, quick little update to make sure everyone back home knows I am doing well and had a great day :-)

mini update

Man, I can't believe how fast this month flew by considering how slow the days are!
Trainings haven't been so bad lately, A few organizations that have come to talk with us have been very interesting and I am keeping them in the back of my mind as an after AmeriCorps possibility. Save the Children and Evacuteer are two that really caught my interest.

Oh! This Thursday and Friday my team (along with 8? others) will be going to New Orleans for the five year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. We'll be down helping build some homes. I am really excited. It will be great to help with a disaster that affected our country so drastically. FIVE YEARS later, and it is still being deqalt with. All of the other teams will be going to the Mississippi Gulf Coast to help rebuild there.

Also, I have never been to New Orleans so I am looking forward to exploring! But I have been told that I need to work on my pronunciation of "New Orleans." My Washingtonian accent is getting in the way I guess. I pronounce it Noo-Ore-Leens, but down here/there I have to say it N'Are-Lens. Which doesn't work very well coming out of my mouth. Ha.

My first spike is coming up pretty quick too! I have a couple days of prep after we get back from "N'Are-lens" and we will have our briefing and clearance meetings with the staff, and then a day later we leave for Florida! I'm pretty excited.

I've been getting to know the members of my new team a bit more the past couple weeks and I'm excited to be doing this with them. It'll be good.

That's all for now, I have some reading/research I need to go do for our first spike.

Chainsaw Training.

I was selected to be one of two who gets to learn to use a chainsaw! Today was in class training (8 hours worth!) and tomorrow will be field training (also 8 hours worth). I'm so excited. It is going to be so hot though and I have to wear pants, long sleeves, my steel toed boots, and all of the safety gear. Tomorrow might be the day I die from heat exhaustion.

Also, I have had a few days to adjust and... I really do love my new team. My TL is so great and I'm getting to know the rest of my teammates which makes things easier. However, I still wander down to Delta 1's kitchen every once and again to see if I'm missed.

We found out our first service project! My team is doing a split. First we'll be in Palatka, FL for the first three weeks working in the marshes. I will be surrounded by insects, snakes, gators, and the hot hot heat. Lord give me strength!

Then we will be going to Biloxi, MS and we will be helping with the destruction left by Katrina. ...Yes, 5 years later and there is still work to be done.

I'm excited for both projects. We've got some more training to do to be ready for both projects, but after every training session I become more and more confident in my ability to do this. I never saw my self building houses, working in a marsh, or using a chainsaw! It is extremely empowering.

I have so much more I want to write about, but I am so tired. I am going to go fall asleep to a book.

For Friends and Family

Ashley Denn - Class 17
AmeriCorps NCCC
2715 Confederate Ave
Vicksburg, MS 39180

Longest Week of My Life

It's been rough. First I have to leave my home, my family, my surroundings, my belongings... everything I find comfort in, and start a new life with all these strangers in this strange place with these strange surroundings. It was exciting for sure but stretching also.

My temporary team was amazing. We were perfect, worked well together, got on really great... We were perfect! I found a new family and a new way to be comfortable. We really became close, closer than we probably thought possible in a weeks time.

Today we switched to our permanent teams. Which is good. I am happy with my Team Leader (TL) and excited to get to know the new faces. It's just so draining to have to go through all this stress, uncertainty, self-consciousness, and change again. I know I can push through it, but I don't know if I have the energy to do it whole-heartedly.

I just feel home sick all over again. I finally got settled in just to have things stirred up again.

Tomorrow is chainsaw training. Four people, including myself, have volunteered to do it with only two spots open. This means names will be pulled at random. I really need this. I need an energy boost. What could boost energy like playing with chainsaws??

Here is a picture of Delta 1 after they surprised me with cupcakes on my birthday.

Poor quality, I know. Mike is also missing. Once someone posts the most recent/better quality photo on Facebook, I will post it.

This post kind of seems like a downer, but I really truly am enjoying my time here. It's just been a long, exhausting, adjusting kind of week. Lots of waking up early, sitting in long trainings, and staying up late (still not adjusted to the time difference).

Happier posts will follow.