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

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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.