This for Granted

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The sun in your eyes, the sunglasses you left at home. The warmth. The very moment you close your eyes. The breath, the saccharine summer air. The walk, the people about. The bicycles, the kids, the runners, the smiles. The distant music, the green trees. A wave hello, an echo of friendly laughter.Why do we wonder if the glass is half full? Why do we care if it’s half empty? Love what you have, for every drop in my glass I am grateful.

For what you don’t understand, you whine. Toss and turn, a vision of plague through sleep and wake. Out of your mind, unable to find contentment. It controls, throws, hurts you off guard. Emotion, sicker than any dizzying ride. Make it stop, make it stop. Stand up, think straight. Straight is not forward. Straight is right… right where you want to be. For what you don’t understand, be forgiving, and breath easy. When we make things so complex, it becomes negative. Keep things natural, and the simplest of matters will take you so far.

Always thrive as who you are, but never drown in your own existence.

Group Therapy

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Last weekend I was shopping at Borders to use up my remaining balance in gift cards before their stores close down completely. I really didn’t know what to get. I’m not a huge book person — and usually when I am shopping for a book I know which exact one I want and I always shop around for the best price. I was just wrapping up my meander around the store when I saw it sitting abandoned on a CD rack — Group Therapy by Above & Beyond. I instantly knew this was my purchase. I checked iTunes and also calculated the final Borders price after the liquidation discount. I would be paying about $1 more at Borders to have this physical CD. I was sold.

I have been a pretty loyal listener of Above & Beyond’s music. I know the artist voices and know immediately when I hear just a fraction of a song playing. It has been a while, however, since I have invested in more of Above & Beyond’s discography, so I figured I would give Group Therapy a go. The last purchase I made from them was, in fact, my all-time favorite album — Sirens of the Sea by spin-off artist OceanLab. I knew Above & Beyond had released Group Therapy as I have received the updates on Facebook, but for some reason I never really pursued the album.

I am so glad I made this purchase. Not only does it feel fantastic to have a physical CD and tri-fold case, but I really love these new tracks. It’s been a little less than a week and I’ve only had a couple days to listen to the songs but they are already implanted in my mind. I have great favorites — but in general it is a solid vocal trance album worth purchasing.

Beautiful

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Studio Monroe has gone back to basics! Even premium themes weren’t cutting it for my standards — too many finicky matters to deal with and not enough elegance and simplicity. So, here we are, suited up in a helluva sleek theme. It makes Studio Monroe better than ever.

The Connection

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Possibilities are growing more visible, and so is my excitement. I have thought that my only path to interning abroad was a list of opportunities on some website. But, just like in other life applications, I’ve come to step back and re-imagine things.

Thanks to a conversation with a nice visitor at the Hallie Ford Center, I have realized that I should look into creating my own bridge to success. Why follow an internship option that so many others may participate in? Rather, I should strive to make my own way. I need to sit down and write what I want from an internship. Where do I really want to go and what do I want to do? I create a solid list of interests and desires and I take it to the experts and I say, “This is what I want. Can we make it work, and what are my next steps?”

College is fantastic. You’ve got advisors that know your academic path and what you need to do to accomplish it. You’ve got someone to aid you from the beginning to the end. But let’s push the envelope… Let’s build our own bridge — a unique one with just your name on it. And let it be that special, personal connection between what is the general pool of education, and the actual applied field that holds your passion.

I’m ready to make my own way. I’m ready to pull my resources together and see what I can construct. I have the university, Hallie Ford Center, a knowledgeable, helpful supervisor, and a slew of faculty core directors. There are opportunities awaiting creation, and I’m on my way to bringing them into actuality. Next week, my supervisor and I are sitting down and having coffee to “talk about my future”. I don’t know if this is in regards to work during the school year… Or something more. I think I’ll make it more — and I’ll have some research and notes together for when we meet.

The adventure begins.

Published from my iPad.

In the Community of Jabal Natheef

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I have been researching international internship opportunities for autumn 2012. One possibility that captures my interest is centered in Amman, Jordan, working with the under-developed community of Jabal Natheef. I would be an intern with Ruwwad, a community empowerment organization founded in 2005. Ruwwad works with partnerships in the private sector, civil society, government, and target communities of Jordan to address the critical needs of youth in densely populated East Amman. With a community population size of about 50,000, children and adults of Jabal Natheef are in need of help in the areas of health, safety, decent living, education, employment, and legal aid.

There are numerous ways I can help in Amman. I would work to improve literacy in children, inspire personal creativity and expression, and tutor those that need extracurricular help outside of the classroom. Another volunteer opportunity could be of an immersion experience within Jabal Natheef, working directly with the community through social services and the community help desk to aid families in need, revamp homes and shelters, and staff daily services. I may also mentor children in information technology literacy, working with computers and the internet to help flourish their educational experience.

Ruwwad has a mesh of networked community services. There are other areas of aid I may have the opportunity to look into, but one thing true about Ruwwad is that it fits my niche and passion — health and human services.

Heading

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As some of you know, I am particularly interested in traveling abroad. I originally had considered studying outside of the United States, but after an advising appointment today, I got an even better idea… International internship. There are little or no health and human social work internship opportunities available in Australia. This was my preferred destination of travel, but standing back I realize that I am excited about just being abroad in general — not just the bedazzlement of Oceania. There are many other options I am able to choose from and each I do find quite interesting. I look forward to researching them all and posting my favorites soon!