The month of March has just flown by...

Wow! Here we are at the end of another month. In a way I am happy. Things are moving right along (as they should) and there are plenty of changes occurring. On the other hand, I am freaking out! I only have about a month to complete some very big projects for my classes- yikes!

For me, this month began with the wedding of one of my best friends from high school. Lance and I dated for a short time our freshman year of high school, and since then have remained close. He met Kristin shortly after we dated, and they have been together ever since! I think that makes 7-8 years. They are the cutest couple and I couldn't be happier for them. I loved dancing with my dad at the reception. I think thats where I get my dance skills- My mom was also burnin' up the floor (more than I had ever seen) ...to the bee gees of course!

My boyfriend Michael, my mom and dad attended both the wedding and the reception which had a black, white and red theme. The night was such a good little getaway. Throughout the years, I have realized weddings tend to do that- take your mind of anything and everything. The only thing that seems to be is the bride and the groom in all their happiness!

The second week of the month was pretty hectic as usual. I forgot to do my payroll (in IT we have to do our own payroll... I know, you're thinking, "Do your own payroll?" ...I agree- strange concept... I won't get started on this) so I was pretty broke this month. I have worked for MSCD IT for over a year now and still do not understand why each employee has to do their own payroll. I have never had a job like that. Every other job I have had you simply must clock in, and you will receive a paycheck. It's that simple! UGH Whatever.

So anyway, back to this month. St. Patricks Day was really nice. Michael, myself, my baby sister Brynn, her man Zach, my cousin Megan and her fiance Chris went over to my sister Pattie's house. Since we are on the topic of sisters, I'll just clear this up here and now. I have a total of four sisters... Yes that's right folks, my mom had five girls! Now, as you can imagine, this put my dad in an interesting position. I jokingly say to others when the topic comes up that even all the dogs in the house were female from time to time... This of course significantly contributes to the level of tolerance, understanding and patience my dad now has for not just women, but all the bitching, whining, crying, sassing, smart-mouthing things in the world.

Of course, we are all his angels, and if he reads this post he will say we (my sisters and I) are the love of his life and are not... to put it frankly... a royal pain in the rear anymore. What I am talking about here is the significant chunk of time we were in our pre-teen and teenage years- that is enough bitching, whining, crying, sassing and smart-mouthing (from 3 all at once) to really change a person... Its no wonder he really loves our significant others now... The give him an "out" so-to-speak. From time to time my dad will call up Michael and want to know if he would like to go with him to catch some jazz at Dazzle or get a beer at the local pub close to our house.

Easter was also really nice. Michael and I attended church at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception close to our house and then traveled out to southeast Aurora to have dinner with my family. We had baked potatoes and honey baked ham. MMMM... So good. I love my family. I am so happy we are so close in proximity to each other. Even my oldest sister and her family who live in Ft. Collins will be moving to Denver soon, which will put us all within a 30-40 mile radius of each other.

Though that might change when I graduate. I still have this desire to see what another city and state is like. I think the Pacific Northwest is beautiful. If I was offered a job there, I might take it and live there for a few years. Ultimately though, when it comes time to have kids, Michael and I have agreed that wherever we are, we would move back to Colorado to be close not only to my family, but to his as well (Michael's brother and mom live in Colorado Springs and his sister lives in Ft. Collins).

All of this talk about moving reminds me that another very cool thing happened this month. Our apartment building management staff called us up to let us know that a 5th floor apartment on the east side will be opening up. The people who live there currently will be out of their apartment by the end of April and we will be able to move in come early May! I was soooo excited! We have been on the waiting list to get up to floors 5-9 since September of last year. We currently live on the 2nd floor of our building and face the west side. We have a view of the alley and the brick sides of rowhomes directly to the west. We can also see the pool in the back, which is nice, but our apartment is not high enough to get enough light.

My cousin Meg and her fiance Chris moved to the 4th floor early summer of last year. They painted their apartment and get so much more light than ours currently does because they are higher. It really helps their place look so much "homier". My cousin and I are really into plants.
We found from our growing season last year that plants grow better on the east side because they get intense sun in the morning and then subtle, indirect light in the afternoon. I am so excited to move... I know this will help me feel better, as I am the kind of person that needs lots of natural light in a living space.

This week was spring break. It is already Saturday of break and we only have Sunday until we return to school. Even break has gone by fast! I thought break would be a nice long week of relaxation and rejuvenation... Not the case. I think spring break went by so fast this year not only because we (the 5280 Closers) were working through it to complete project #2, but also because my boyfriend Michael's good friend Sheila was visiting us from Ohio. Sheila was Michael's pen pal when he was serving our country in Afghanistan. She participated in the "Adopt-a-Soldier" program and began writing Michael about 3 months into his tour. They have remained close since then and has now become Michael's "2nd Mom". She is a wonderful woman.

Wednesday of this week I decided to get away with Sheila and Michael and the three of us went to Lookout Mountain and Buffalo Bill's Grave Site. We also had lunch in Georgetown. It was so nice to just enjoy each other and to be in the mountains. I really wish I could get up into the mountains more, as that is where I am happiest.

This month I was also able to go to my cousin Meg's wedding dress fitting. I am her maid of honor, and was happy to go with her and Chris's mom Laura to the bridal shop where she bought her dress. Meg wants to keep the dress a secret from as many people as possible so it is a surprise the day she walks down the aisle- which I think is really smart. We were also able to go pick out some potential brides maids dresses. I tried a couple on at David's Bridal, and have figured out I really need to loose some weight. I know I am not fat by any means, but I felt a little frumpy in such nice dresses. It is something I have been meaning to do for a while, but school, work and other activities have filled up my schedule so much that I truly don't have enough time to get on a regular schedule of working out. Hopefully I will have that time available this summer.

This summer I plan on only taking one class and working about 30 hours a week for IT. I wanted to complete my internship this summer, but might not have the time to get it set up this semester. I am thinking spring of 2009 will be a good time for that simply because if I graduate in spring, I might be able to stay on with whichever organization I choose to intern with. Many of the PR firms work their internships this way. They want someone who will be graduating so they can keep you and move you up into a permanent position.

Anyway, now that I have written a book I will sign off. I have enjoyed the month of March tremendously. So many changes, so many events... I am glad my life is moving right along. I feel I am growing and learning so much right now. I thank God every day for my life and they way things are progressing!

E

Winning is just so great!

Ahhh, winning. What a feeling. It really is nice to compete and end up at the top. It is such a re-assurance to me to know that our team's hard work is recognized and that all five of us work well together. We have an amazing team charisma and way of remaining honest with each other. We also have a great way of holding each other accountable. I have never been a part of a team like this to be honest! I am proud to be a "closer".

Our reward this Tuesday was so cool. I had never experienced a sports event from such a view. Box seats ROCK! I have always been a hockey fan, but have not had enough money to be able to enjoy the sport live, which in my opinion, is the only way to enjoy it. We had access to free food, drink and dessert. When I told Michael we could bring a guest and that I wanted him to come (This was on Friday after we presented) he was so excited. I think he was more excited than I was since it was his first Avs game! I was glad to be able to take him.

The tour of Altitude Sports was really interesting. Not many people get to go where we went unless you work for the Pepsi Center or Altitude. We got to see the cameramen as they were working, the sound guys and basically the whole production crew as they were producing a TV program! I'll remember that for a long time! I think my favorite thing to see was the camera guys that follow the puck throughout the game. They have the most fun- Its almost like playing a video game... They have joysticks and can zoom in and out for a better picture!

When I returned from my tour, Ginny suprised us again. With excitement in her voice, she announced, "At the end of the game, we have VIP passes for you all to meet the players and get thier autographs!" Oh, MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!! COOOLLLL!!!!!!! I really flipped out this time! I immediatly thought of getting Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakics signatures. I was like a kid on Christmas morning. I almost had tears in my eyes at the thought- I know, I know, its a little much and it sounds like I am being a little dramatic, but you have to understand that as a native who loves her Stanley-Cup winning team, I was thrilled!

The game was great- The Avalance won against Vancouver 2 to 1. It was also Peter Forsbergs' first night back to the Avs in three or four years from playing on other NHL teams. There was magic in the air. As the massive crowd of Avalanche fans began to leave the Pepsi Center, we slowly made our way through to the east entrance. We waited there for our beloved players. Although we didn't get pics with the "big shots" of the team, we did get about 10 signatures from other players on the team including Cody McCleod and Kurt Sauer!

The night was amazing. Ironically, as Michael and I left the Pepsi Center hand in hand, we passed a Denver's Road Home collection meter. As I put some change into the meter, I couldn't help but feel warm inside. Our team did a good thing for a good organization. The Disability Center for Independent Living helps those who are less fortunate stay off the Denver streets by providing an array of transitional services for personal independence and sustainability. Our team helped them reach a few short-term goals, and gave them a good head-start for a few long term goals. As I deposited the money into the meter, I knew that our team's help toward the big picture (helping to overcome the city-wide problem of homelessness) ...mattered.

-E

Project #2 Presentation

Last Friday my team (5280 Closers) and I presented to the judges all that we did in Project #2- The UMB Homeless Challenge! As before, we were given instructions from our friends at the alumni house regarding what were were to do that day. We were instructed to go to UMB Bank Downtown Denver to the third floor at 9:00 a.m. where the main bank headquarters are. I woke up somewhat rested, and was glad to live in close proximity to several coffee shops in the Capitol Hill area, as I was able to stop and get a life-saving cup of joe to start my morning.

I must say, I had never been in such a corporate environment before (UMB Bank Downtown). I got lost in the parking garage! I couldn't tell which level I was on or where the elevators were. As I attempted to find the elevator that would take me to the main lobby, I thought to myself that it would be nice to see how people dress and act in such a professional environment. When I got to the lobby, everyone I passed smelled of fresh perfume or cologne. The lobby itself was as clean and ready for the day as the professionals who walked through it.

Initially I didn't see anyone I recognized from the Apprentice Program, so I just got on an elevator. Little did I know the elevator I got on only went to floors 30-40 (or something like that). I realized this after the doors had closed and I was already sandwiched between two guys who were busy discussing their upcoming weekend trip to the slopes and another very well-dressed and poised blonde woman. I waited until everyone got off my elevator to return to the main lobby. I didn't panic, as I had left early in the day already preparing for some kind of usual morning disaster. I got off the wrong elevator and proceeded toward the Apprentice Challenge sign I had already seen in the lobby.

At this point I realized that UMB Bank had thier own set of elevators just for the first set of floors they were at. In the UMB elevators and then on the way to the room where I would meet up with my teammates, I couldn't help but think "Wow... I could soon be working in this kind of place- Lots of men and women dressed in suits, ties and heels." The thought excited me and gave me encouragement for the day.

Our team met in a small room on the 2nd floor, away from the other team. As I entered the room, I could sense the exhaustion from my teammates. "Did everyone get some coffee this morning?" ...The answer was a very unenthusiastic "No". I thought to myself "This is not good". I asked my teammates what time they finished our power point the night before. I'll just say it was a very, very late night for everyone. I had stayed at Noah's house with my team until 2 a.m. to help out- some of them were out longer. As we sat and reviewed our presentation slides, we waited to be called into the boardroom.

Soon the time came for us to go upstairs to meet up with the judges and the opposing team. I started to get a little nervous. I wondered how this presentation will differ from our last. Our SmartMeal Presentation was great! We were all enthusiastic going into the room and confident we were going to win. But this time things felt different for some reason. I couldn't really put my finger on it- perhaps it was the stress of the week and the stress of the project itself. As we entered the boardroom and sat at our designated seats along a very long rectangular table, I could sense the nerves in the room. Chris had come over from the A Team and shook our hands. "Good luck you guys" he said. I thought that was such a nice gesture- What a good sport! I wanted to do the same to the rest of his team, but everyone was already finding their seats and getting ready for introductions.

Soon after Josh from Alumni Relations introduced the judges and other officials in the room, we flipped a coin to see who would present first. The A-Team lost the toss up, and so our team decided to present second. We were told each team could choose two members who could "sit in" and watch the opposing team's presentation. I volunteered to watch along with my teammate Heidi. Our team left the room and soon, the A Team began their presentation. I was impressed with the work they did for their organization. The A Team worked with a non-profit called El Centro Humanitario (The Center for the Workers). They raised awareness in the Auraria Campus community through a Tool Drive. They spent their $500 well- They bought tools for the center that are usually not donated such as table saws, drills and other large equipment. I thought the work the A-Team put into the tool collection was amazing. They did such a great job organizing things! At the end of the presentation I was nervous. I had almost wished I hadn't watched their presentation because I knew we had to do better to win.

After watching their presentation, I thought for sure, they had the win. As we approached the front of the room though, I saw Heidi smile. "We got this... Don't worry" she said... I think she sensed I was nervous. Her warm smile and reassurance made me feel good. As our fearless leader Giedre stood up and introduced our team to the room, I began to feel a little bit better. After our presentation, I felt sooo relieved. I think I actually felt the pressure in my blood vessels release as we walked out of the boardroom. I took a big breath and smiled. We all knew we had done our best as a team and that if we were the winners, it would show in our question and answer session as well.

After a short break, we had our questions and answer session and spoke even more confidently than we had in our presentation. I have learned to love the question and answer session. It is a really great opportunity for the judges to ask us about why we did things a certain way. They can see throughout the session some of our team personality and uniqueness. I think a lot of our team cohesiveness comes out in the way we deliver our answers to the judges.

After the judges deliberated, the winner was announced. The President of UMB Bank announced the winner happily. "The winner of the UMB Homeless Challenge is..." I held my breath and crossed my fingers. "The 5280 Closers!" My eyes got big and I looked to my right at Noah. The look on his face was priceless! His eyes were big and he also looked amazed. We had won! YEAH!!!!! I was so happy ...and surprised. I thought both teams put the same amount of work in and it was hard to know the outcome. I now know that a surprise win feels so great and that I should never underestimate the power of my team to come together! My face lit up as I turned to look at my teammates on my left. We were all so happy.

Geri soon revealed our reward. We were all given Avalanche t-shirts and Altitude Sports ball caps. "Team 5280 Closers, on Tuesday night of next week, you will each get to invite a guest to join you to box seats for an Avalanche game at the Pepsi Center!" She said. Geri continued with "You will also receive a VIP behind-the-scenes tour of Altitude Sports media bus inside the Pepsi Center!" I flipped out! What a great reward! The last time I had been to an Avs game was about 8 or 9 years ago when the Avs were still playing in McNichols Sports arena. I had only been to the Pepsi Center for some Disney on Ice shows for the little ones in my family (actually, my dad wanted to go to Aladdin on ICE!~ lol... J/K!) Anyway, I was psyched! I couldn't wait to get home so I could tell Michael about our win and to tell him he was soon going with me to his first Avs game ever!

-E