Things are heating up!

We are now coming down the home stretch with project #2! We will be presenting this Friday and are excited to win again! My team is doing... (Pause) Oh, wait... Did I just say we were going to win? YES YES YES I DID!.... And to some people out there who don't know the elevation of Denver and think we are 2580 feet above sea level-Shame on you! Ugh... I guess not everyone is a true Colorado native!

Where was I- Oh yes, my team is doing a great job of wrapping up all we have done in the last two weeks for the Disability Center for Independent Living. I won't give away all our secrets just yet, but I can say we have done a lot for this grassroots organization.

(Sigh) Yes, its a dog-eat-dog world out there. Nothing is easy in this world... Just when you think you got the best idea out there, someone comes and pulls the rug out from underneath ya and always manages to do it better. If this challenge doesn't give everyone a crash course in business competition the way it is in the real world, I really don't know what will!

All I have to say for now is A Team, you better brace for impact- You're not gonna know what hit ya come FRIDAY! HA HA HA (smiling with an evil eye)

E

How things are going...

This week (although extremely busy) has been actually pretty good. I have been pretty productive. I have been working on homework, making contacts, holding meetings, making appointments, and writing lots of emails. I have made time for things this week.

I talked to my mentor for the first time on Monday. Wendy is such a great gal. She reminds me of my best friend Angela. Angela is a little older than me and I consider her one of my closest friends and mentors. She has a way of talking that just makes you feel comfortable whether it is over the phone, face-to-face or in an email. That's kinda how Wendy is! I noticed that although she is really busy, she will take the time out to REALLY listen to me talk about anything. The only thing I have to watch is how much I end up talking as compared to her! I can sometimes get carried away and forget to ask questions of the person I am talking to.

I am even getting into Goodyear this week to get my tires changed on my car! Thats a miracle! I thought for sure that would be something that would be put off until spring break. I tend to suprise myself everyday I think. I went in to talk to Janell (Apprentice Program Coordinator) the other day and was suprised at how good I felt when I came out of our meeting. I was just so comfortable during the meeting. I think it's her office~ She's got some good Feng Shui goin on in there!

Ahhh, yes... I love the Feng Shui! I am so in touch with spaces that feel comfortable and "homey". Take for example my house... We (Michael and I) have a fish tank, several plants, and warm colors we use for decoration. The fish tank is a 20-gallon tank that trickles lightly in the background and is located in the main room. Ahhh, just thinking of home makes me wanna get away from these flourescent lights at school and into my PJ's. Janells office always has nice lighting (incandescent), quiet music and is painted the most lovely green color (a soothing, natural color).

Ok, ok, so Im getting carried away here- But you get the picture- I have made time this week for things to get done, and time for relaxation and rejuvenation! Life is good!
Anyway, Ill sign off. I have an hour before I can close up the lab and get home to my comfy couches and tail-wagging boyfr... I mean dog!

E

I wish I could live like my dog...

Ok, so here I am again pouring my heart out to a machine. I feel as a student and a labtech in IT that I face the monitor of a computer more that I do the face of an actual person. So I have decided to "get real" with this whole blogging thing. I am not going to pretend that everything in my life right now is "peachy". Things are beginning to pick up and I am really starting to feel the stress... REALLY starting to feel it!

I am glad that I have so many people in my life right now that are supporting me. I am learning that this whole process of learning how to balance one's schedule is (at times) not so easy. I have never in my life been this busy. Sometimes I ask myself why I put myself through such "torture". I think the answer is because I come from a family who has always worked extremely hard.

My whole family has incredible work ethic. Take for example my dad. As a child, I remember my dad coming home from a full day's work just to cook dinner, help all three of his girls with homework, bathe us (when we were little), and get us all to bed. This does not mean my mom didn't do any work! She worked just at hard as my dad! When I was born, my parents were living in a trailer in Breckenridge and both worked 2-3 jobs just to pay the bills. Then, when my parents moved to Denver, she became a full-time, stay-at home mom! She worked to make sure us girls were fed, safe and cared for. That is a lot to do just one person and three girls all day long. Its a good thing school days lasted as long as they did to help her out a bit.

My mom was also a Girl Scout leader and helped out at our families church. I remember days when we would go with her to church to play in an open area while she helped decorate, wash windows, vacuum, etc. All the work she did was volunteer work. I look up to her for that... Now that we are working with a non-profit organization, I can see the value in volunteer work.

My grandpa, Norman Kasch was an architect. He graduated from Denver University, met my grandma, fell in love and had four kids! They too worked hard to ensure their family was safe, happy and well cared for. My grandma, like my mother was also a Girl Scout leader and a full-time mom. She takes such pride in the fact that she raised four kids and was active in helping them with their social development.

I know that is where I get it from... My hard-working family. I understand that nothing in this world is free, and if you want luxuries, you better be prepared to work for them! That doesn't mean that when times are tough and I am totally stressed out that I don't feel like totally shutting down. Lately, I have been experiencing strange thoughts... I find myself wishing I was my dog or a kid again. My dog Otis sleeps almost all day, gets to go to the dog park on the weekends, gets lots of love and attention from his humans, gets to play with his friend Oliver (who lives on the fourth floor) and he receives the occasional bacon treat from mom. Ahh, the life of a dog! So simple! To be a kid again would be even better! No responsibilities, summers last super long, yada yada yada.

OK, so there's my little "gripe session!" Be prepared to hear more (not too many more) as I wish to portray the good times (stress-less) and the not-so-good (stressful) times. Thats life right?

Peace,
E

A Life-Changing Job

We were just assigned our second project this last Friday, and we are so excited (You'll be able to tell from Noah's blog of course)! We will be working for an organization called The Disability Center for Independent Living. The center provides assistance to the disabled community who are transitioning into a self-sustaining lifestyle. Many of these men and women have been in places like nursing homes or jail and have nowhere to go once they are released from them. The center helps them with counseling, housing assistance, job placement and other services to prevent them from being homeless.

This next project means a lot to me. About 3 years ago, I found myself lost and unsure of what I was going to do with my life. I got myself into a lot of trouble and had a terrible semester at school. My dad told me I needed to work full-time to clear my head and figure out what I wanted to do with myself for the next couple of years. He encouraged to look at what I was good at and find a job that aligned with those talents. As a Christian, I prayed that God would help me find a job where my work was meaningful. I was led to a job in personal care.

I filled out an application for full-time work at an organization in Ft. Collins called Mosaic. Mosaic houses and provides care for adults with disabilities. When I first started working for Mosaic I was completely intimidated by the kind of work I was going to be doing. Looking back now, I can see that I was probably experiencing a bit of culture shock. Prior to working in the various group homes they had, I worked as an activity assistant at Ft. Collins Healthcare Center. I had become familiar with the nursing and personal care environment, but didn't have any idea what it was like to be a care provider (as an activities assistant, you don't really care for patients- you just do activities with them like Bingo!)

As I began my work at Mosaic, I realized I was gonna need to ask a lot of questions. Some of the behaviors of the clients I was working with were actually scary and made me feel afraid to approach them. Having no childhood exposure to the mentally and physically disabled community, I found I was lost and didn't even know where to start with my work (the adults we worked with in the group homes had a variety of disabilities ranging from mental retardation to bi-polar and schizophrenia). As time went on, I became more comfortable with my clients, and realized that although they are disabled, they can still love, laugh, be sad and afraid like me.

It was a life-changing experience to work with disabled adults. I became a more compassionate person from the work I did with them. I learned to have fun and laugh with people who are at times part of a population that can be ostracized and ignored. I also found out that I am a stronger person for my ability to see them for who they really are and my ability to handle tough, emergency situations. I created relationships with my clients and co-workers that changed my life forever.

The Disability Center for Independent Living- an organization whose mission is to provide aid to those who need it most- disabled adults who are either in jail or have come from nursing care and are transitioning into a self-sustaining life! What a great organization! I am so excited to be doing such humanitarian work! It makes me feel good that I can help others- I have that kind of personality. I am compassionate, loving and understanding. I have the gift of being a good listener and friend. I see the potential in people and strive to help them realize that potential (thus the reason I am the "Cheerleader" of the group).

One of my favorite populations to work with is children just because my personal qualities (I mostly provide encouragement and inspiration) help them realize their own potential. Four or five years ago I volunteered for Big Brothers Big Sisters and became a mentor. I worked with a beautiful young lady named Leah. Our relationship as mentor and mentee was what made me realize my gifts along with my work as a personal care provider.

All this talk brings me to my next point... This encouragement quality, ability to listen to the needs of others, and passion to make a difference will really help this organization! I only wish we had more time! I think my studies in Public Relations and Communications will really help this organization. I am excited to put my education to work and begin networking with people who have the same passion that I do -Helping their fellow man!

Blah, Blah, Blah- This was a really long one! Bear with me readers- I think I am beginning to really like this blogging stuff! Its a good thing I know how to type! I can see that blogging will soon become an essential part of this program. It will certainly help me get through things. I am one of those people who loves to talk, and when I don't have anyone to talk to, then I write. I am thankful for this semester- I am rapidly realizing that I have just enough time to write, read, do my homework, keep in touch with my family and friends (I saw my family this weekend) and work on Apprentice Team projects. I am budgeting my time better than I thought!

Thats it for tonight. As usual, I have reading to do and must do a quick sweep of the labs (I am at work). Until next time,

Erin

Thinking like an Olympian

Here I am at work again. GO MSCD IT! Reading, writing emails, and thinking about things. Its nice and quiet where I work, which allows me to get alot of schoolwork done and catch my breath from my busy mornings of working out, getting to class on time, walking the dog, grabbing a quick bite to eat here and there and doing other miscellaneous errands.

One of my teammates sent me some pictures of our trip to the Olympic Training Facility in Colorado Springs. Our tour guide, Modern Pentathalon Competitor Eli Bremer shared with our team what it means to be an olympic athlete. We had the chance to ask him many questions like "what do you do in your free time when you are not training?" We asked him this because he described his average day to us and we were amazed. He said an olympic competitor must train in every part of their lives. The recovery (sleeping) is just as important as the training part of his day because it allows his body to stay in a regular "rhythm" that is needed to compete. It also helps him stay focused. He said in his free time (usually on the weekends), he enjoys watching movies with his wife and just relaxing at home.

I asked him if he ever regrets not taking time out of his week to do other things, and he replied with "Hummm... not really. I train hard for the gold. It is my biggest life goal. Nothing is better to an athlete than the gold medal." It was amazing to see his determination and how much he and other athletes who train at the complex are supported. They have so many different kinds of people who help the athletes train physically, mentally and emotionally for the second that really matters in their life. The moment they might become an Olympic Gold Medalist!

Eli mentioned how training takes up a full 24 hours. Something he said really made me think about how I spend my day. He said that an athlete training for the Olympics must stay focused every day. They cannot afford to get off schedule even a little bit... 10 minutes of a morning spent doing nothing (say sleeping in) added to 20 minutes in the middle of your day doing nothing (reading a magazine for leisure) plus another 30 minutes watching T.V. adds up to an hour that could have been spent training. He said every 24 hours is spent training his body, resting, eating right, getting massages (he said they hurt), and then training again. It is a full-time job getting ready for the most important seconds of his life.

It kinda inspired me and made me think about how much I whine about things. I whine about almost everything. Not being able to sleep in enough. Not being able to spend more time with my friends. Not having more money. And the list goes on folks! Eli said the friends the athletes make there at the complex are the other athletes. They are their family. It also made me want to live healthier. When we went "behind the scenes" to the area of the dining hall where they prepare the food for all of the athletes (this was a really unique experience, as many do not get to go into the athletes sleeping and eating quarters) I saw how important food consumption really is in thier lives. It has really made me want to start cooking quality meals for myself and my boyfriend. It made me proud to be a part of the Smart Meal Seal program and promoting health awareness at Denver restaraunts!

To sum it all up, the experience was life-changing. I want to be more like the olympians who are so focused on their goals. I want to be an inspiration to myself and others and to work hard (harder than I have in the past) to reach my life goals. I will not let anything in the world stop me. I will train every day like the olympians- for my own personal "gold medals."

Well, gotta sign off for now... I have some reading to do. I am looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow for our next assignment day!

E

Reading others blogs...

Well, I can see that a couple participants have started blogging! Yay! I just read Noah's post- He is just too creative! I don't know if I can take it! =)

Anyway, school and other extra-curricular activities are going well this week. Tomorrow I will be meeting with my mentor Wendy. The Apprentice Program is so amazing for so many reasons ...This being one of them. Each competitor has been assigned mentors to help us through the program and to be there for us for support. It is all part of this great thing the program naturally promotes called "networking".

As a communication major, I am thrilled to be able to do this because I have very few connections to the world of working professionals. I still have to do my internship for my public relations minor and foresee professional relationships developing because of that, but only a few. This program is opening up so many doors for us to not only grow, but for us to promote ourselves.

Getting back to Noah- That guy just makes me laugh. I think the rest of my team would agree. I wish more people could have seen him at his finest just before we were going to present our PowerPoint for the SmartMeal Challenge. We were all pretty nervous (but excited) and were reviewing our notes before entering a room full of judges. Noah kept us all laughing and in great spirits so all we had was great energy as we presented our ideas.

All I have to say is "skiddly doo!"... Little inside joke there.

All of my teammates are so great. Heidi has this thing with work. I really don't know how she does it. She works all night long, and then sleeps during the day. She is on a strict schedule. I really look up to her for being such a committed student, participant of the program, and employee.
Giedre. She is my high-heels lady! Whew, I don't know how she walks all over the place in those stilleto heels- I would DIE! She also is so talented- she speaks so many languages. Just plain cool.
And David. Ahh, David is also a hoot! Like Noah (both of them are such gentlemen), he has a refreshing sense of humor and keeps our team on track. I have enjoyed working with him so far because of his lightheartedness and ability to stay positive.

Really, we make the best team. We all have something to offer, and bring varying perspectives to the floor. What do I bring? The sassiness of course! Every team has just gotta have some spunk. I like to think of myself as the "cheerleader" of the group.

So yeah, there's my little "dedication to my teammates" post! I am just honored to be working with such amazing people throughout this process!

E

Let the blogging begin!

Wow! We are now blogging! This is great. I have to say, as a writer I have really been looking forward to this because I enjoy good, old-fashioned writing (journaling), but have no experience with this blogging stuff.

Well, lets see... what can I say about the competition so far? Oh! First and foremost, the 5280 Closers ROCK! I am so pleased to see that our team has come together so well after a difficult first project. The Smart Meal Challenge threw a couple curve balls at us for sure, but throughout the process, we were able to communicate well, stay focused and "closed" three deals.

I am really enjoying this break from the projects right now. Although I am looking forward to project #2, I am getting ahead with my reading for school, getting into the gym and am able to spend more time with my family (mostly my dog and my boyfriend) this week. Next Friday we will be assigned our next project. We will be working on projects that will help organizations who assist the homeless population in Colorado. I am looking forward to this next project because I have absolutely no experience working with the homeless and have no clue what kinds of things an organization that helps this population might need.

I'll end with that for my first post. I have some reading to do (discourses/research approaches- Ya know, the typical 4000-level stuff). Go Comm Majors!

Erin