Sunbeams!

Tonight at the Salvation Army Holly and I got to help out with Sunbeams, which is basically like Girl Scouts, only Christian. Even the pledges of the 2 organizations resemble each other.
The girls seem to range in age from maybe 3rd or 4th grade up to probably about 6th grade.
They earn badges, just like in Scouts, and they even wear uniforms and sashes at special ceremonies.
The girl I sat next to is one of those people who comments on EVERYTHING and is super annoying, but I tried to remind myself she is made in the image of God so she really can't be that bad. It definitely helped my attitude towards her; and I figured she's probably about like I was at that age, so then I just felt bad for the adults in my life while I was younger.
The girl on my other side is a very sweet people-pleaser. She has a great attitude about life and her busy schedule and Sunbeams. When we stood up to recite the pledge, she patted my back and said, "You'll learn it!" I smiled and thought, "Alrighty."
One thing I noticed tonight was the privileges kids have. It baffles me how young kids are when they get cell phones nowadays. I didn't get my own cell phone til I came to college, and these kids get phones at the ripe old age of 11. I think it's rather ridiculous, unnecessary, and very spoiling. But that's my 2 cents on an issue that doesn't affect me directly since I am not 11 and I do not have children.
I enjoyed seeing the Sunbeam program this evening. It is really refreshing to know there are groups who advocate hard work and good deeds. Also at the Salvation Army (while the Sunbeams meet), there is a Girl Guard meeting (which is basically Sunbeams for older girls), and Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts. I think kids' involvement in organizations such as Sunbeams, Scouts, 4-H, FFA, Junior ROTC, band and choir, and sports can positively help shape their characters.
I'm headed on a road trip tomorrow and am not sure when I'll be able to blog next. In the meantime, I will be visiting with my Grandpa, visiting my parents and brother and sister-in-law and nephew, and of course, livin' it up!

Taste of India and Good Sam

"...it is effort that matters, not result" (The Geography of Bliss, page 122).
Well said.
One of my best friends never checks his grades. Honestly he has no idea what grade he has received in any class or what his GPA is. He says as long as he has put forth his best work and given the class his best effort, the grade doesn't matter. There isn't anything he can do about his grade at that point anyway, and the lessons he learned came from his work, not his grade.
That is a thought I really appreciate, and it is a lesson Eric Weiner was told while in Qatar.
Looking back to my years of 4-H and showing horses, when all was said and done, it wasn't the ribbon I remembered most; what I remembered most were the memories of hard work, struggles, successes, and the 'at least I know for next time' experiences.
There was one time I was cooling my horse down after we were done showing and a mother of a girl I rode against came up to me and basically chewed me out for getting in her daughter's way. I was naiive and didn't realize I had done anything wrong. Now, this lady made me feel humiliated and ignorant. I considered her reprimand and thought back to my performance. Ya know what I remember most from that particular show? The fun time I had with my horse. We didn't place or even receive a Thanks for Participating ribbon, but I remember that show as a valuable learning tool. Ribbon or not, my horse and I were successful that day.
This evening, my bestie (who is also my boyfriend and water treading partner) and I dined in the cozy Taste of India restaurant. Upon entering, we were greeted by Indian-type music playing softly and bright yellow walls adorned with fabric wall hangings. The first thing I noticed was how quiet everyone was. Usually people are talkative at restaurants, but the patrons seemed more reserved at Taste of India.
After being seated by an American hostess, a charismatic Indian woman handed us menus, and soon had us convinced to try some white bread as an appetizer.
While we waited for our bread, we munched on some cracker type food that I would describe as a mixture of a Matzo, tortilla chips, and Wheat Thins that are about the size of a typical hard taco shell. We were also given a tray of dips for these chip-type snacks (the Indian version of chips and salsa). One sauce was green, and its appearance reminded me of guacamole, but it tastes real good :) Kinda hot, and I'm assuming it is made with some kind of peppers, but very tasty. Another dip looks a lot like salsa and is also hot. The third choice looks like dark maple syrup and it is kind of sweet tasting. Once again, being the picky eater I am, I was hesitant but I braved it up to try all 3. It was interesting to try them. The green is my favorite.
We realized we had better look through the menu and try to find something to order. It was tough to decide. There was one item we agreed sounded really good, tandoori, but the menu said that you should only order it if you're not in a rush. We had to get back to school for my comrade's comedy performance for class (which was HILARIOUS!), so we instead chose Chicken Ragon Josh for me and he ordered Chicken ...hmmmm...I cannot recall the name :( Oh well, we couldn't pronounce them anyway ;-)
Our happy Indian waitress delivered our bread and it was AWESOME! It is basically a large sheet of thin bread, soft and warm and obviously fresh. We ate it in minutes!
Then our meal came, and our eyes grew to the size of tennis balls when we saw a plate of rice heaped 5" tall! That was my boyfriend's, and it was accompanied by a bowl of white sauce that he said seemed kind of like ranch dressing. My meal came in 2 dishes also, but thankfully, much smaller dishes. Chicken Ragon Josh is a bowl of white rice with another bowl of another salsa-appearing saucy-style dip with pieces of chicken mixed in. I poured the saucy stuff over the rice and it was very good. We each tried a bite of each other's, but I think we were both satisfied with our own selection.
The spices are definitely exotic, and unlike flavors native to the West. They're good and hot, and I think exotic is about the best word to describe them.
It was really fun to experience Taste of India. It certainly seems authentic, we had a pleasant dining experience, and the food was really tasty. A fun evening!
Since Interim is wrapping up rapidly (tomorrow) and I haven't been able to find enough information about my 3rd restaurant to know when it's open, I have decided to discuss a restaurant I ate at over Christmas Break.
Garden City, KS is a town that is about 60% Hispanic. In their grocery stores, I see peppers I didn't even know existed. Just right there in the produce section. G.C. is the real deal when it comes to Spanish culture. While there, we ate at an authentic Spanish restaurant.
Now, I love salsa and tacos, and Taco Tuesday is my favorite day at the "Calf" (kids at school refer to the cafeteria as the "Caf," so I think it's funny to add an "l"....that's just me...).
I always suspected that store-bought salsa, preferrably Mild for my Midwest tastebuds, wasn't exactly authentic; however, I also didn't view this as a problem. When I tasted the salsa at the real Mexican restaurant in G.C., I went "Wowwwww" and inhaled deeply and my eyes got watery and I could feel my face burning up and the little hairs around my face got damp with sweat and I couldn't wash away the burn...yet it was good...so I reached for some more!
In a nutshell, that describes most of my eating experiences in G.C. Since the city offers more peppers and flavors than up here, food is way more Mexican than Midwest food...and it helps that the preparers of the food are Hispanic.
That evening at the Mexican restaurant was also a fun dining experience. There was a large Spanish family in the restaurant and also a German Mennonite couple. The walls are painted bright colors and the Hispanic waitresses wear their beautiful black hair long down their backs. Mariachi music plays, and the little Mexican girl at the table next to us is loud and cute and obviously adores all the women in her family.
Another experience I had over break with a Spanish family:
A VERY kind family. 4 generations. One house. Food is a BIG deal. The kids speak 2 languages: English and Spanish. They translate for their Spanish-speaking elders. They have the phenomenal ability to listen to their Spanish mother, turn to me, instantly translate, and just as quickly translate my response back into Spanish. Never messing up or confusing words. Perfect. Did I mention generous? They made tamales and shared with us. This was my first experience eating tamales, and I'm so in love with them I think they're worth trying to make here in SD. Tamales are made in a corn husk. A floury, doughy, paste is spread onto the corn husk, and then the shell can be filled with anything: chicken, beef, pork, raisins and cream cheese, dream big. Then they're boiled and then they're amazing to eat :) (Don't eat the husk part though).
My horizons were definitely broadened with my Hispanic experience over Christmas break. I worked with German Mennonites who speak Spanish and talked to genuine Mexican families that are closely tied to their heritage. My appreciation for Hispanice culture has defintitely increased, and I truly enjoyed the experiences :)
This Interim has gone very quickly, and can hardly believe I only have one more day to blog. I'm really trying to finish The Geography of Bliss in time, but it will definitely be a pinch.
With the experiences of this class, I have learned to learn. This class has definitely shown me the importance of keeping an open mind and having a willingness to learn. Every culture and race has its strengths and lessons to teach, and unless I respect and receive those lessons, I'll miss out on some really great life experiences. Unless I had been told to go, I don't know if I would have ever chosen to eat at a Mediterranean grill or Indian restaurant. Now that I've done it I'm really glad I have had those experiences.
I'm glad I read the books and plays I have. They've shown me that there's a big old world outside of Minnehaha County. When I run through a field and can see the sky in 180 degrees, it's amazing. And it feels like heaven and it feels huge and it seems like forever. When I was really little, I thought if I climbed high enough in a tree I could see the whole world. I soon realized that privilege is for God. Even when the sky looks wildly huge, I realize that I'm looking at maybe 10 miles. The world is ginormous. Every person has a story to tell and a history. Sometimes I think about all the people I'll see only once in my lifetime...at airports, Hy-Vee, driving down the Interstate...there are soooo many people.
Last night 2 of my good friends showed me a video they made for their Interim class. It's called "Worth the Price?" and it starts out by showing pictures of dogs and cats that are primped up and dressed up and fat and eating human food. Then, it sharply segues into pictures of starving children. They're horrible and gruesome. And the video is awesome. I've been thinking about it ever since. It made me stop and go, "Whoa. This isn't right." I realized that their video is definitely in scope of this class.
Wow, this is getting long. I'll try to be brief (haha, starting now, I mean). Today I met with Kathy at the Good Samaritan elderly community on Minnesota Ave. She spoke with me about activities for the residents. Getting old scares me. I'll be honest...even like, oh, 25, scares me. Walking past rooms today and stealing peeks at decrepidly ancient invalids just made me very concerned about age. ANYway, visiting with Kathy greatly reduced my apprehension. Would ya ever guess that the nursing homes have volleyball teams that compete against each other?! And that they make arts and crafts and then sell them? Or that once a week a lady comes with a bunch of clothing that they can purchase and maintain their independence? (well, to a small degree). All this, and so much more at Good Sam. In the summer they go to parks and farms and have picnics and pet puppies.
Of the 110 residents, only 25 are men (I suppose because men tend to die off sooner than women...?), and a whopping 7 can walk. Fun and Fitness, Devotions, Catholic Rosary and Mass, Manicures, Baking, and Bingo are offered on a weekly basis.
I find it very comforting that there are people committed to caring for the elderly. After all, they're pretty much the reason we're here, and they are still kids (in God's eyes). I think it's just great that Good Sam offers so much recreation for them.
Kathy is a very special lady, I can tell. She sincerely cares about each of the residents and hopefully when she gets to be that age, someone will put forth as much effort to her well-being as she does for the geriatrics at Good Sam now. I did enjoy visiting with her about senior activities.
Salvation Army tomorrow!

Dennis Thum and Bliss

This morning Dom and I met with Dennis Thum and discussed our class so far, what to do with our remaining days, our majors, our hopes and dreams, our past wounds, and our families. He's such a sincere guy with so much care and concern to offer. When he asks about someone, he really is interested. I am amazed by all his experiences, and his ability to open up and share stories.
He has this really intriguing idea that the USF theatre department (and/or in conjuction with somebody's senior project) should band together with the State Pen and put on a production with the inmates. That's a cool idea! He said there would of course be obstacles, including having the project passed by authority, finding an all-male script, and the possibility of working with men who perhaps aren't the most mentally healthy.
After we had the opportunity of working with some prisoners at the Salvation Army the other day, I believe it is safe to say that there are certainly some prisoners who would jump at the idea to be involved with a production run by college kids (especially if there were some ladies!). They seem so bored, as if they could shrivel into a state of indifference. It seems like a production would be a very constructive use of their time, and I think Dennis has a great idea. Talking to him today got me somewhat interested in his prison ministry. I'm sure I would be pretty scared at times, but imagine how enlightening it would be to worship with someone whose main difference from me is that he was convicted for his sin...I'll have to consider partaking in Dennis' prison ministry in the spring.
Talking to Dennis is such an encouraging conversation; he's an upper of a guy :)
I kept reading in The Geography of Bliss today. I still think Weiner is a hilarious author, and it is so interesting to read his perspective of a similar region of the world that Rita from Tales of a Female Nomad experienced. One point that both authors mention is a similarity of women worldwide. On several occasions Rita notes how the women gather together in the kitchen, preparing a meal and gossiping. Despite language, race, food, and clothing differences, the essence of women worldwide is very much consistent. She also speaks of the nurturing tendencies of women everywhere she travels. Across the globe, women seem to reach out and take care of others.
On the same note, I find it interesting that Weiner mentions this as well. I don't remember the page number, but I do recall him talking about women being motherly pretty much everywhere. That is an interesting observation. The act of nurturing is natural for ladies across the board.
From my own observations, maternal instinct starts young. I've worked at a couple daycares and done enough babysitting to see that little girls don't normally crash their Hotwheels into the wall, wrestle their friends to the ground, and catch spiders. Nor do little boys feed their dolls, give pretend birth by popping a stuffed animal out of their shirts, or put their arms around their upset friend.
I guess God designed women to be motherly...I dig that!
When Weiner is in Bhutan he is asking one guy about why the Bhutanese are so happy, and his response is that they don't have high expectations. Sometimes I joke that if I don't expect much I can't be disappointed. In all seriousness, it's definitely worth consideration. Of course there is the idea that low expectations lead to low ambition resulting in low productivity resulting in low sense of worth which would not lead to happiness. However, there is also the idea that my best is my best, and since I didn't expect/demand more than my best, I accomplished my best at the best level I could, which probably leads to contentment, also known as happiness. Interesting statement by a man in Bhutan. Hmmm....I may take the low expectation mindset for movies, but I still like dreaming :)
Also in Bhutan, Weiner learns that the happiest countries are those with the most trust. Companies operate on an honor system, and civilians place great trust in their government and neighbors. "Trust is a prerequisite for happiness...Several studies, in fact, have found that trust-more than income or even health-is the biggest factor in determining our happiness" (92). Interesting! It makes sense. I imagine if upon moving into my dorm room, I had a bad gut feeling about my new neighbors and my belongings disappeared and I was scared to go to bed at night. That wouldn't be very happy. But thankfully I am blessed with awesome neighbors who I am confident would help me if I asked and who definitely respect my space and property. And I'm happy.
It's interesting that trustworthiness is so key to happiness. The only reason we need keys for our houses and cars is because of a lack of trust. How many people are smiling while they're feeding a coat hanger through the top of their car door? In a trustworthy society, keys wouldn't be necessary, which means nobody would be locked out, which means more happiness!
I'm hoping to get to another restaurant tomorrow and I need to keep reading in Bliss.
Thank you for sharing your stories and encouragement, Dennis!
Today was a good day, even with the bone-chilling wind and blowing snow and icy sidewalks ;-)

"The Exonerated"

Yesterday I read the play "The Exonerated" by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen. To start, I looked up exonerated in my dictionary and learned that the word means to declare or prove blameless. "Okay!" I thought, "So this is gonna be interesting."
A couple months ago at Chapel a man visited and spoke about his false accusation and the time he wrongly spent in prison. I really enjoyed listening to him tell his story of unclear evidence, and therefore, his time in prison. Years later, when DNA testing proved that he was not the criminal and he was freed, the general public continued to treat him as a rapist and killer. It took quite a while for him to regain respect. I find that very sad, yet understandable; I can imagine it would be hard to tell yourself that an accused person actually didn't do a crime which you had previously been told he/she had.
"The Exonerated" is a compilation of several true stories of innocent people who were wrongly accused and served time, and in some cases, were executed for crimes they did not commit.
I began reading and was instantly roped into the stories and even taking sides on the individual cases. Just reading the script caused me to get upset when the innocent people were accused; I cannot fathom what it would be like to live such a tragedy.
I think the style the play is written in is very likable. The reenactments of the crimes/confusion help the audience see what actually went down and how the accused were treated by authority. It also helps keep the play moving and interesting. With no intermission, the play moves from tale to tale of what happened to these people regarding their undue punishment.
I really found myself taking to the characters, imagining what they look like, and trying to remember that they are indeed real people who are likely still alive today.
The notes at the beginning of the script emphasize the significance of race when it comes to justice. Unfortunately, race plays a huge role in a person's conviction. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have something to say about this.
If this were merely a play, that would be one aspect of justice to consider; but this play is written about interviews with a handful of people who have actually experienced this injustice.
This makes me wonder how many undeserving people are in prison right now...and how many people have already been executed for a crime that someone else committed....YIKES! What if it happens to someone I love...or me?!
The reality of this injustice is quite alarming. After all, prison and the death penalty are slightly more serious than the times I endured time-out or sitting by the wall at recess for a yell or punch I didn't do.
At the same time though, I'm sure glad our country has law enforcement and a criminal justice department....I sure wouldn't want vigilantes running the show. Yet, the concern revolving unjust punishment is a real one. Hmmm....at least DNA testing is helping the matter.
Today I started "The Geography of Bliss" by Eric Weiner (hehe). Personally, I think it's funny. So far I'm pretty well enjoying the book. He just makes me laugh...he's a bit of a downer, and his pessimism coupled with honest observations makes me giggle. Usually pessimistic people annoy me like none other...but this Weiner guy is funny...perhaps what's funniest is that he probably doesn't realize he has a funny way of phrasing things (because he's a tad negative).
My Mom and I have often thought the world would be better if the chemical in dogs that gives them their perma-happiness could be bottled and distributed for human consumption. Just imagine if people had the zeal, love, loyalty, and downright joy of dogs...it'll be interesting to keep reading and see what Weiner concludes.

A Dollar, An Orange, and a Courtesy Ticket

Parking meters and One-Way Streets have always confused me; their concepts as well as their effectiveness. Perhaps it's just the country in me, and the fact that I'm not used to either, but they're scary to encounter.
When I got to the Pavilion I decided to just pay a few cents to park on the street rather than brave a parking ramp. So I parked and got out of my truck and the meter said that 60 cents is good for an hour. Perfect! I put in my 60 cents, and then the timer portion started flashing "Out of Order." Yippee. And there was a sign that said don't park by a meter that's out of order. Ugh. So I checked the next meter and it didn't appear to be out of order so I backed up 12 feet into the next spot and put in my money. Grumbling as I crossed the street into the lobby of the Pavilion, I found a man sitting on the steps looking up at me with a hopeful expression. I would guess he's in his late 20s or early 30s, and he smelled heavily of alcohol. He asked if I could give him a quarter so he could buy a bus fare. (I rarely carry cash on me. This one time though, I just so happened to have a dollar in my pocket.) I instinctively thought I should just run back to my truck and grab a quarter, and then I remembered the dollar. "Do ya just want a dollar?" I asked him. His eyes lit up and he said, "Yeah! Whatever ya got-uh can afford-uh can give. Yeah, yeah." I handed him my dollar and asked if he needed anything else. "Anything else? Uh-whatever you can give." He seemed nice, and (for those of you who don't know me well I try to be prepared. And I am a very hungry person and I go through a ton of food. I think if I was a vehicle I'd be a Suburban...seriously. Strange as this will sound, I happened to have 2 oranges tucked in my coat pockets.) So I offered him an orange. "Are ya hungry? I can give ya an orange." His eyes lit up more. "An orange? Sure!" I cheerfully handed him my orange. (Maybe I should've given him both...). He asked my name and shook my hand; during the handshake he told me my hand was cold so I should go farther in the building to warm up. I headed inward, and when I looked back he was already biting into the orange.
That was really cool. I think it's probably the 1st time I've ever given a stranger money and food out of my own pocket. I am just glad I got to help him. I figure he knew I had change because he would've seen me fumbling around with change and the parking meters. I hope he's somewhere warm tonight.
Then I entered the Visual Arts Gallery, and there are currently 6 galleries filled with art. The first one has 60 acrylic painting illustrations of Haiku poems by Kobayahi Issa (1763-1828). Issa was a famous Japanese master of Haiku poems. Mark McGinnis is the artist who recently painted the scenes to accompany Issa's poems.
All the paintings are very beautiful and realistic. He has many scenery pictures and close-ups of landscape. Gorgeous sunrises over mountains, intricate dew drops, bamboo forests, and leaping frogs are just a few of the 60 beautiful paintings. It was fun to walk by and see all the very lovely paintings.
In the next gallery I saw a glass mosaic picture called "Sharing the Lead." It is a great sky blue color with 2 V's of flying birds. I like that piece. It's about teamwork, coordination, cooperation, and communication. Way to go, birds :)
Another cool piece I found is an acrylic painting on a wood panel of a youngish woman looking out over an unsettled prairie. When I looked at, I imagined the woman to be envisioning great, big dreams for her future, full of potential and hope. Then I realized that all the art in the galleries corresponds to poems, and when I read the poem by this hopeful painting, I learned that the lady is beaten by her alcoholic husband and dies young from his beating. So I just like to remember the painting and ignore that downer of a poem.
Next to the hopeful lady on the prairie is a serene oil painting of a meadowy grove. It looks very peaceful; a light breeze ruffling the prairie grasses with a few trees for some shade against the August sun. I just think it's very beautiful.
Then guess what?! I was looking at this one cool digital imagery piece with a farmer and some layering of other pictures, and I noticed that the poem by it is by Dr. Dyer! Wow! And then I found art by Ceca and Nancy! Who knew?!?!
The galleries on the 3rd floor are filled by an artist called Bryan Holland who used to work at USF! His art in the gallery was inspired by old, flaking billboards that present new messages from their torn layers. It was fun to see collages of historic brands and themes, such as astronauts and conspiracies and California orchards.
I enjoyed looking at the artwork in the Pavilion today; very fun to see what people come up with and make. It's also interesting to see what different people will take from a poem (like the Haikus and other poems) to illustrate it.
When I walked up the stairs leading me back the way I came, I could still smell the remnants of alcohol, but the man was gone. Wondering about him, and suspicious of the parking meter, I craned my neck to check on my windshield...sure enough, a little yellow envelope under my windshield wiper. Ugh! I marched across the street, ripped the soaking envelope off my windshield, unlocked my door, and chucked the envelope inside before hopping in. I thought I had the meter all figured out, and I wasted my money in the first one that was out of order, so I try to be a good citizen, and now I'm greeted with this! Thanks.
Nervous and unsure how the parking ticket process works, I opened the envelope, and guess what?! A 'courtesy ticket': No charge, no fee, $0.00 balance! WAHOOO!!! Thank you parking attendant Number 92 :-)
Graciously, I began driving with a much happier mood. I suppose I shouldn't be angry to support my country and community and abide by its rules, but I was frustrated since I'd already paid up once and I couldn't even get acknowledgement for it.
I think I'll save that little slip of paper ;-)
There's my story of a dollar, an orange, and a courtesy ticket.
P.S. I learned that when the electricity goes out in Sioux Falls, the city goes a bit chaotic. I wonder how long our ice storm will last?

Chocolate Tea and Fat Cats

Guess what?! I finished Tales of a Female Nomad today! Hoooray!
It was interesting to read Rita's wrap-up to the book. She explains that she has changed most of the names of people she writes about, and I think that is very considerate. I like how she winds up spending more time with her children and considers spending more time in the States (for her family's sake). I do think it is very admirable that she shares her children's books with people everywhere she goes.
It reminds me of Dolly Parton's book club where she sends kids an age-appropriate book every month til they're 5 (I think 5...don't quote me on that detail). Reading and literacy are so important, so I really appreciate that Rita serves communities with books. I know a kid (he's 15 or 16) who can speak 3 languages, but he can't read any language...how scary that must be! Kudos to Dolly and Rita for their reading projects :)
After practice and babysitting, I met Kim's bestie Julie, who works in Augie's theatre department. I felt bad I was late, and still in my running clothes, but at least I made it. Julie has a very cozy home that is painted in all different colors. I really like the use of color in her house; the kitchen is reds and oranges, and then the living room is warm brown and tan. Very nice. She has the biggest pet-size cats I've probably ever seen in person. They could practically be bob cats. Wow. And there's 4 of them.
I'm a picky eater, and very specific about what I like when it comes to food. Every now and then I try to be polite and/or bold, but generally I stick to what I know tastes good. Wanna know what I like to drink? Water and chocolate milk. Yup...that's it. Rarely pop or juice, never alcohol, and definitely not coffee (NASTY!) So when Julie offered me tea, I instinctively said, "No thanks." It's not that I don't think Julie makes great tea, it's just that I don't like tea so no matter how great it is (for tea standards), I likely will not like it.
Being a generous hostess, she presented me with a huge cupful of chocolate tea. I tried. I really did. But I just couldn't do it. I took a few sips and really wanted to drink it so I wouldn't hurt her feelings, but I just (I'm sorry, Julie) didn't like it. But I did try chocolate tea.
Julie visited with us about theatre and social change theatre. She mentioned Grass Roots and the Laramie Project. She also spoke about Fires in the Mirror and she really wants us to watch the movie so we can see Anna Deveare-Smith in all the characters.
She is really passionate when she speaks about the beauty of taking on a character and showing an audience how he/she lives and expresses and feels. She once played a dying cancer patient, and she thinks it was beautiful to have the opportunity to play such a part.
She spoke about how some people can best help a community by traveling, not making close connections, and offering what they can before moving onto their next community. That reminds me of Rita from Tales of a Female Nomad. Except Rita does seem to form pretty instant connections with people; yet she serves a society and then quickly moves on.
Other people do better by staying in a close-knit community, forming lasting relationships, and continually offering their services. She mentioned this when Holly spoke about small-town roots and living in a little world. Some people are frustrated when they feel trapped in a small town or tight community where they cannot see more people and reach out to other cultures. I don't think that's bad. I think that some people learn far more from someone they've known for a long time and built trust with than with a traveler who may have just as much to teach.
I think both types of people are equally important. While the first type may travel the world and directly affect thousands of different people with their art/teaching/etc., the latter type may form relationships with the first type, indirectly affecting just as many lives.
Good thing for balance and variation in the world :)

False Alarm

This evening we girls headed over to help out with children's' activities at the Salvation Army. When we arrived, the head honchos said, "Oooohh. You're here to help, aren't you? Sorry! We forgot to call you. The activities are cancelled because the leaders didn't want to try to travel in this weather."
They felt bad and apologized a ton, which was nice, but it wasn't that big of a deal. We offered to pitch in any other place, and they had us bleach a few tables.
I'm kinda disappointed we didn't get to hang out with the kids again, but there's still next week.
To celebrate my birthday, I got to go sledding! Sledding is such a blast :) And I had a lesson on how to use an ice ax...that's really fun!
Still reading Tales of a Female Nomad. I'm still shocked at Rita's unquenchable sense of adventure. I feel bad for her family and friends back home, but it's her life, and she seems to earn more satisfaction from nomadic living. I mean, I miss my parents and brother and they're only 300 miles away. I can't imagine my Mom telling me that she's just going to up and leave the country and I may or may not see her in a few months.
But it is interesting to learn about Rita's experiences and the world outside of SD. That's definitely one very cool aspect of Rita's nomadic life. In writing about her journeys, she fills in readers about world affairs; I wonder how many of her readers have been spurred into action by her touching tales of distended stomachs and wars...
Well, I'm sorry I don't have more monumental thoughts to share tonight...maybe tomorrow ;-)

Writing the Phone Book

Today we 3 Sioux Fallsers returned to The St. Francis House. At first Holly and I made sandwiches for the sack lunches that the workers take along to their jobs. We were hoping to make 70 sandwiches, enough for 35 sacks, but we ran out of meat at about 26 lunches. I enjoyed making the lunches, and it was fun to try to prepare a meal for a stranger. Each lunch gets 2 items from the snack drawer and 1 from the chip drawer. I took a nutrition class last semester, so I was unconsciously analyzing the lunches we were making and trying to figure out what would be best to add from the selection of cookies, pretzels, and chips. As we put together the sacks, I wondered about which resident would receive each bag, hoping he/she would like the selection.
The guy who commented on my boots the other day said, "She's not wearing her boots today." It was cool to be remembered for my boots :-)
When the lunches were finished, we began a ridiculously slow job that I honestly do not know what its purpose may be. We were given a thick stack of pages containing names of businesses throughout Sioux Falls and SD. Our job is to look up these businesses in the phone book and copy their numbers onto the sheets of paper. In preparation (I feared we may need to continue this phone book project that we began last time), I took 3 Ibuprofen before we went to The St. Francis House today. I just don't get it. I mean, I want to trust the ladies in charge that this book copying process has an objective, but I cannot rationalize it. I figure they're calling the businesses asking for donations, but it seems like the callers could look up the numbers as they call. Anyway, I don't want to be a downer, so that's enough of my annoyed pondering. Again, it was good to help, although I'm very glad we didn't have to copy the phone book any longer ;-)
I'm whittling away at reading Tales of a Female Nomad. Right now in the book Rita is in Bali, eagerly experiencing sacrificial ceremonies and Indian rituals. She's such a bold woman. Taking part in foreign and non-Christian worship services would give me the willies. Rita, on the other hand, excitedly dives into every event of her host families. Honestly, what amazes me more than Rita's curiosity is that the hosts always allow her to be actively involved. I had the misconception that people would be leery of letting a foreigner take part in sacred rituals; either Rita is very charismatic and people can't resist including her, or I think people are more exclusive/secretive than they really are.
Oh man, it's so pretty here! The trees are coated in a heavy white frost, like they were sprayed with foam or something. On the bigger trees, only the west side is covered in white, and the other is still green. It's soooo cool looking :) Everything just looks so clean and fresh!

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!!!

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s day has always been one of my favorites. I used to always love it because it landed near my birthday, and once in a while I would have my birthday off from school for good old MLKJ. Nowadays, with a little more maturity and appreciation under my belt, I think it is pretty admirable that our country dedicates a day to a man who did so much for mankind.
After a really fun weekend, a busy Monday with babysitting and a hard pool workout for track, I checked my email for the first time in...awhile. I also noticed some comments on my blogs, and I'm pretty stoked by all the encouraging comments and challenges from Kim. I decided since this class is pretty dependent on what I am willing to put into it, I can blog about other events that urge me think about common occurrences in addition to class assignments. Practice today was cool. Treading water for 40 minutes is tough, and I think that's part of why it was such a good team-builder. We had to cheer for each other and work together (while treading, we had to keep a ball in the air volleyball style). We did a relay race, 2 laps apiece...when I got exhausted and wanted to quit, I knew I had to keep going so I wouldn't embarrass my partner (I wound up being partners with my bestie, who is also my boyfriend! I really didn't want to let him down). It was tough, and we had to cooperate and encourage as a team; I feel very fulfilled by the bonding of practice today.
While recovering from the muscle tiredness, I checked my email and became very glad I didn't wait any longer to check it and find out Kim's message. (Reading 5 MLKJ speeches is a bit of a time commitment).
This fall I got to read Strength to Love, a collection of MLKJ sermons, and I loved it. As I read more of his wisdom tonight, I am once again soaking it up.
His voice emerges through the text so effectively; I try to read it while imagining his powerful, passionate voice in my mind.
I read his Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech, "I Have a Dream," "Our God is Marching On," "Where Do We Go From Here," and "Loving Your Enemies."
A few points I find exceptionally noteworthy:
I LOVE in "Our God is Marching On" when he says, "Our aim must never be to defeat or humiliate the white man, but to win his friendship and understanding." What a saint! Human nature generally drives us to intense anger, accompanied with a great deal of hateful actions and choice words. Not Martin Luther King, Jr. He's all sweet, like "Well, we had better befriend these people who want us dead. It wouldn't be nice to treat them like they treat us." What a guy :-)
To me it seems that MLKJ's entire life mission can be summed up with his statement from "Where Do We Go From Here" that says, "Darkness cannot put out darkness. Only light can do that."
It is awesome when King discusses love in his sermon, "Loving Your Enemies." He talks about 3 different Greek words for love and which one the Bible uses for loving our enemies. King states, "Love is understanding, redemptive goodwill for all men..." and he says that love is greater than like. Liking is basically an affection or attachment to someone. Love is more of a decision to treat someone well. Therefore, love takes more effort, making it more meaningful and true than simple liking.
As far as one speech being a monologue for social change in theatre, I think I'll pick "I Have a Dream." King's famous speech is a vision of a time in the future when people are all treated as people, as children of God who deserve love. Starting the speech with statements that highlight the equality errors in America is a great foundation for change. Discussing the promises of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution show that America's mission was not aligned with its actions. By sharing his dream of racial equality towards the end of the speech, King spurs the audience into excitement, which hopefully lead to action.
Social change tends to be a gradual process, and racial equality is certainly gradual. By starting "I Have a Dream" with the gap between America's promised standard and America's actual performance, King establishes the setting. Telling his dream of ideal equality provides a goal for the country.
Slowly, the damage is healing, and every day marks another day closer to King's dream. The social change is occurring. Good thing MLKJ was such a go-getter.

Friday: Meeting Sara Crosby

I started Tales of a Female Nomad last night. So far I enjoy learning about the author's adventure; in all honesty I think she seems a bit kooky, but then again, who isn't? It does seem pretty interesting though, and I think it would be a blast to travel the world like the author is :)
This morning Dom, Holly, and I met Sara Crosby, the artistic director of DAPA Plays for Living. DAPA is the Dakota Academy of Performing Arts, and it is a branch of a group from New York called Plays for Living. It is a non-profit organization that travels to local middle and high schools to show students plays that broach serious subjects such as drugs, discrimination, and suicide. From 4th grade through 9th grade students see a performance every year by the group; Sara strongly believes that the students greatly benefit from the plays. After the performance by student actors, the school kids have an open group discussion. Imagine: an entire class, complete with its differences, cliques, and minorities, together in one room with a microphone, immediately after watching an emotional performance. Sara told us that every single time her group performed a show called The Survivors that discusses suicide, a student has admitted their suicidal plans and pursued help.
The performances are often controversial. Some teachers and parents feel that students do not struggle with drugs, etc. until the idea is instilled in their impressionable minds by DAPA's plays. Sara disagrees, sharing statistics of lowered suicide rates, etc. since the last 9-10 years of performing in the area. She has 3 children of her own and from her motherly experience she knows that kids are exposed to these issues; having an open discussion allows them to talk about their thoughts, learn to express themselves, and realize that controversial issues should not be avoided. Facing them, figuring out where one stands, and taking action (like we learned at Trail Ridge Chapel the other day when encountering addictions) will impact students positively; avoiding the subjects will not.
I enjoyed listening to Sara tell us about DAPA. She is a very passionate woman who has acted professionally in NYC and worked with social-change theatre around the Midwest. She knows that students in South Dakota can have amazing talent, but unless a teacher pushes them to really grow as an actor, they may not really blossom in the industry. Since she has worked in NYC she knows what is needed to have big-time success, so she earns satisfaction from encouraging young actors in SD to really strive and develop their talents. Sara invited us to watch one of the performances. Hopefully it works out to make it to one.
This was an interesting morning, and I'm looking forward to some more reading tonight. I better start getting ready for practice now. Have a great weekend :)

I High-Fived an Inmate Today!

Yes, it's true. I high-fived an inmate today! When Holly and I got to the Salvation Army this morning, we found a group of men sporting clothing stamped with "Inmate" hauling 40-pound boxes of food into the gym of the S.A. The 2nd Thursday of every month is food day for senior citizens.
There weren't enough 2-wheel dollies for us to pitch in with that task, so we set out a table full of returned merchandise from Bed, Bath & Beyond that is donated to the S.A. There were all sorts of unnecessary gadgets as well as some very useful items, such as towels and shower curtains. The products are used (or at least bought and returned) and not guaranteed to be perfect or even functional, so they are given to the S.A. which lets the seniors take what they would like.
When the Salvation Army opened up, the gym was flooded with senior citizens eager to pick up their box of food. I had no idea until today that Sioux Falls has such a great population of people from Ukraine and Bosnia. They all have super long names like Schmittimvladimirivalbokluv and they can't speak much English; thankfully most of them were familiar with the system and as long as I could figure out their last name and find their certification (they must qualify to receive the food), they knew how to sign their name and where to go.
Nearly everyone who went through the line (which was well over 200) was very kind and appreciative. I enjoyed working with the seniors and Salvation Army workers and volunteers. I learned that Majors in the S.A. earn their title from age. Younger S.A. members have titles like "Colonel" and "Lieutenant." "Major" is for when they grow older. The Salvation Army is originally from Britain...interesting :-)
The inmates were all very respectful and most of them seemed very perky. I could tell they were pretty deprived of females because they acted thrilled to talk to Holly and me. I ask people tons of questions. It's how I learn and usually I'm not very embarrassed to ask people (even strangers) questions, so I asked some questions about life in the Pen. One of the inmates (the one who gave me a high-five) said it's just like daycare; the guards are babysitters and it's ultra-boring. They do have to work (I think pretty much every day at places such as the Salvation Army), and they all seemed very glad to have the chance to get away from the Pen. Almost all of them appeared to have good work ethic and ambition for accomplishing tasks. This was my first time interacting with prisoners so I felt like a kid at the zoo for the first time observing them. They worked really well with each other; when I asked if they were friends, they explained that they're like Holly and me: they're acquaintances from being in the same class. Good analogy. I didn't have the guts to ask what they're in for, but I have the impression that they would've gladly told us within another couple hours.
I've enjoyed learning about the Salvation Army and helping my fellow citizens through this organization. It appears to be a very moral organization, and it's fun to work with people who thank God and feed the poor.

Wednesday: Pettigrew Museum & Salvation Army

The Pettigrew Home is certainly a fancy-dancy place. Its architecture is very beautiful and I really enjoyed looking around it; through our tour I was wishing I didn't have a guide or a conscience so I could just explore and sneak into all the less-traveled regions of the house.
Richard Fredrick Pettigrew came to Sioux Falls, Dakota in 1869 from Wisconsin. He was a surveyor and a world traveler who helped bring 5 railroads to Sioux Falls. His home is a landmark full of little doodads that show off wealth (like gold in windows, silver-plaited lamps, and maid living quarters, to name just a few).
In 1881 Pettigrew became a representative in Congress, and when South Dakota became a state in 1889 he was elected to be the first senator of the new state.
On our tour I learned that silk cannot hold its own weight; with time it sags :( The silk walls of the Pettigrew Home had to be replicated and replaced recently.
I also learned that during the famous long winter of 1880-1881 (termed by Laura Ingalls Wilder in her book The Long Winter), Sioux Falls was pretty much cut off from the rest of the world and could not receive any resources. When the city ran out of paper, it resorted to printing the daily newspaper on cloth! That's interesting! Mr. Pettigrew has a framed cloth newspaper in his study.
He was fascinated with petrified wood and has display cases full of petrified wood that he found on his travels. He also has a whole display case of Native American tools...very interesting to see them. For awhile he possessed petrified wood from the Petrified Forest in Arizona, however when it became illegal to remove findings from the Petrified Forest, the Smithsonian Museum traded Mr. Pettigrew some little sculptures for his Petrified Forest souvenirs. Imagine trading the Smithsonian for some stuff you found! Haha!
There were some neat hands-on activities, and one speaking exhibit told me that when a lady and her husband settled in Dakota they received word from the Indians through an interpreter that they had only 10 days to leave....yikes!
Our next mission for the day was helping with children's activities at the Salvation Army. Everyone was very respectful of each other there; it was really inspiring. The head honchos are referred to as "Major" and then either their first or last name. It was very refreshing to hear authoritative figures honored with a title.
After having supper with the kids, we had the super fun chance to roller skate with them. It was just endearing when the little tykes would tug on my sleeve and ask for help putting on their skates....Awwww...."Of course I can help you!"
As usually happens when working with kids, three or four kids instantly attached themselves to me (and Holly), and it was really cool how they admired us just for being older and paying them attention. I felt really honored to have the opportunity to help the kids.
We get to go back tomorrow :) Yay!

Tuesday: Chapel at Trail Ridge

This morning I met an incredibly kind and genuine man named Roger. When Holly and I walked into Trail Ridge he immediately greeted us, introducing us to the speaker of the day, and welcoming us into the chapel. We arrived probably 10 minutes before 9:00 and at first we were 2 of very few people in the chapel, however it filled up rapidly and soon all the seats were taken.
I really noticed how kind and cheerful all the residents are. They seemed so thrilled to have us as guests, and Roger introduced us when chapel began. The audience all smiled at us and gave us a round of applause. They recited out loud the verse "This is the day the LORD has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it." I am just delighted by their enthusiasm with life.
The people around us talked to us about college, hometowns, and life at Trail Ridge. When they spoke, they were so full of joy; I could really sense God's love through them.
The speaker, Glen Jorgenson, gave a talk about his mission in life. He's pretty old by now and he has a very interesting story to share. He first talked about the importance of integrity. As a young boy, he watched his dad give somebody 2 pennies for giving him a postage stamp. Whether or not 2 cents was much back then, his message about integrity is very meaningful. It makes me wonder if I'm living a life of integrity or if integrity is an area that needs a ton of work.
Next Mr. Jorgenson said that he was born when he was 40 years old. Prior to that he had lived a selfish life, coining a term he calls "Big Me." After suffering from alcoholism and finding grace and God through AA (he turned to AA when his wife gave him the ultimatum that either he found help or she and the kids would be gone), he headed to Kansas for a new job. However, on his way he felt God telling him to go back to SD and help others with addictions.
With nothing more than faith (which is perhaps more than anything), Mr. Jorgenson turned his car around and he and his wife established a treatment center in Pierre called River Park. Funded totally on donations (to avoid government money that would lead to regulations which could interfere with God's will for the new program), River Park has helped thousands of people with drug addictions and their families. He emphasized how important it is to help families of people through hard times. Often it seems that people hurt just as bad as their loved one who is struggling through a trial. River Park provides hope and understanding for the families as well as the people in treatment.
Mr. Jorgenson has other cool tidbits about his life too (as if helping so many people isn't cool enough): during the time he worked at River Park, he got acquainted with Johnny Cash and Dick Van Dyke!
Mr. Jorgenson advised us that when we encounter addictions, something must be done. Trying to avoid the reality of the addiction will not resolve it; action must be taken. That seems like really good advice to remember.
And after suffering from severe rheumatoid arthritis and being diagnosed with Stage IV cancer (8 years ago!), he and his wife now finish their prayers with, "Whatever, God." That takes such trust. To tell the God of the universe and all matter that I will totally trust Him no matter what He has happen is of course ideal, yet it takes utmost trust that even the worst worldly experiences are in preparation for a much greater prize. I'm sure it's relieving to wrap up prayer by handing it all over to God.
After the half hour chapel service and receiving thanks from the residents for attending (I thought we should be thanking them!), Mr. Fredrickson (Roger) pulled up a chair next to Holly and me. He asked us about our families, education goals, and just spent a few minutes getting to know us.
I am amazed by his sincerity and deep care for people. After knowing us for only a few moments, Mr. Fredrickson prayed for us and asked God to guide us in our futures (and he is obviously a very intent listener, because he prayed specifically about stuff we had told him).
Mr. Fredrickson seems to be a wonderful example of love. He advised us to keep learning throughout our entire lives. He realizes that while in school we are pretty busy reading assigned material, but he said that reading is one way he continues to expand his education continually. He also leads or is involved with several local ministries, and I could tell he must gain fulfillment from those experiences. He is very grateful for his experiences and opportunities, and he is utterly content with each and every day.
Visiting with Mr. Fredrickson was a highly satisfying conversation. He has so much love and care to share with the world; what a role model!
I hope that when I'm 89 I will be as positive and considerate as Mr. Fredrickson. I better start working on that now ;)
P.S. Two old ladies (excuse me, older women at Trail Ridge) had nicer running shoes than I have! They're active old buggers :) And they are all friendly....very cool morning.

Day Four: Sanaa's 8th Street Gourmet and Home with my Grandparents and "Fires in the Mirror"

Last night I went home and caught up on Grandparent time, laundry, and home cooking :) My grandparents are 2 of my favorite people...I think ol' Gramps is subtly hilarious and one of the sweetest men in the world, and Gramma is an ambitious sprite and loves to keep busy. Every weekend I have a lengthy list of the tasks I need to accomplish over the weekend, but it rarely occurs while I'm home because I get so caught up in talking to Gramps&Gramma or helping my uncle with farm chores. It's a good life, and somehow I manage to eventually get around to my schoolwork.
I invited Gramma to join me for my outing to Sanaa's Mediterranean Buffet. She was thrilled to have a good excuse to go into town and eat at a restaurant (with the recent blizzards she hasn't ventured very far from the farm in awhile). Gramps slyly chose to stay home because, "No cooking could ever compete with Dorthea's cooking." See what I mean about sweet?
So Gramma and I had a date for the first time in too long, and it was really fun. (Normally I do not enjoy restaurant outings, so this is kind of a big deal that I enjoyed it; kudos to Sanaa). We walked inside her restaurant which is in the old Railroad Station and I instantly loved the colors. The walls are yellow and the ceiling is a light blue with these silky, fabricky, scarf-things hanging from it. The walls are home to many paintings, all kind of having a Middle Eastern theme. The floor tiling is a few shades of brownish tans, and the whole restaurant has a nice homey feel to it.
Sanaa seems like a pretty cool gal. She has a sincere smile that is really welcoming, and her hair is awesomely curly and black. Gramma and I arrived a little after 11:00 and there were a few other customers; by the time we left it was so busy there was a family waiting for our table the second we stood up to leave.
Gramma had eaten there once before she so had an idea of how it works, which was good because I wouldn't have (as a side note: I've always wondered if we could make double contractions like wouldn't've...we say them, so why not write them?) known where to even begin. So first we went up to the counter and told Sanaa we wanted to eat from the buffet, and then it began.
The plates are very large and the first item in line was bread. I love bread. I mean I really love bread, so excitedly filled my plate with Feta Cheese Bread and Mixed Herb Bread (after going up a second time, I wound up eating a total of 10 small pieces of bread...Mmmm). Then we got to these exotic looking rice dishes. One was neon yellow (I can't remember the name) and the other was Bulgur Pilaf with some cool little beans mixed in it.
Next was the meats; there was chicken and beef. The chicken was in some kind of orange-colored marinade, and the beef was kind of meatball style soaking in tomato-looking stuff. Both tasted really good, and I told Gramma that if all chicken was prepared that way I'd probably appreciate poultry a little more.
Being a picky eater, I avoided a few dishes such as cauliflower something or another and a pan that had eggplant. I did try a broccoli salad and braved up to try a bean, vegetable, and bread soup...all quite tasty :)
We noticed that all the customers seemed very confident and knew exactly how the restaurant operated, implying that they are frequent diners. We also noted that people heap their plates and appear to highly enjoy the Mediterranean food. Atleast 2 couples even had young children along, and they also seemed to be accustomed to the restaurant.
The kitchen is open and connected right to the part where we pick up our food, and it's kind of fun to see the cooks preparing the meals so close. As we ate, a small-framed man came by and cheerfully took our plates. It was just so busy I joked that it was like going to a fair, and there were several different cultures represented in the restaurant.
This was definitely an interesting experience. I have been to an Indian restaurant in Cincinatti and a Mongolian grill in Boston, and so I really enjoyed comparing the Mediterranean atmosphere with the others.
Something amazing happened today: I read an entire book. When I was younger I loved reading and could read for a couple hours at a time, but AP Lit in high school pretty much wrecked that for me, so I was concerned when Kim told me to read a book this weekend. It wasn't that impressive because it is a play script so it read very fast, but I'm basically in shock that I read a whole book in a day. Fires in the Mirror by Anna Deavere Smith is a unique reaction to a tragedy that happened in 1991 in NYC. A young Black boy was run over and killed by a Jewish motorcade and the Black community reacted by stabbing an innocent Jewish man later that night. The hatred and passion escalated into riots that were absolutely insane.
Smith had an interesting response to the event. She interviewed people of the community, both Blacks and Jews, and then compiled the characters into a performance in which she portrayed all the interviewees herself. Each member of the community had their own reaction towards the tragedy, and Smith skillfully depicts each with his/her own individualities.
While reading I noticed how the members of each race (Jewish and Black, ranging from African to Jamaican and Caribbean) felt that their race had been singled out and subjugated by all other races of the world. The Blacks aimed their fury at the Jews, and the Jews felt that the Blacks had oppressed them just the same.
That made it a bit frustrating to read, because I thought if people would just realize that everyone pretty much wants to live a peaceful life with their family and that most people don't wish harm on others, perhaps the riots after the accidental vehicular homicide wouldn't've taken place.
It really was interesting to read though; even though each interviewee had distinct differences, they all had a similar feeling. Most people around the riots were scared and disgusted at what had happened, and tension rose as everyone became defensive.
The book has some pictures of Smith in her different characters, and it was really fascinating to see how different she portrayed herself...barely recognizable as the same person in some cases.
Today was definitely an enlightening day, and I'm glad I got to be home and eat Mediterranean food and read Fires in the Mirror.

Day Three: The Horse Barn

I learned something today that I had been wondering about just the other day:
A lithograph is a copy of a piece of art by the artist who makes a sort of stamp of the original; so a lithograph is basically an original.
Today was my first time (that I remember) going into The Horse Barn at the Falls. I've always heard there was cool art in there, so it was fun to have the assignment today.
The first piece that really caught my eye is entitled "Gibbons Falls" and it is a black and white photograph. I googled Gibbons Falls, and it looks like it is somewhere in Yellowstone. The photo's focal point is a tall waterfall of a river winding out of a forest. Surrounding the Falls are several dead trees tipping and already fallen. It made me think about how water sustains life, and even among a dying generation there is new life and hope. Also, the flow of the river drew my eyes toward the horizon which kept me looking for new potential. This picture really made me think about how the hope and life of water is constant along with the inevitable occurrence of death and change.
Next I found a simple and beautiful watercolor painting called "Windmill." It is a monochromatic painting, all in hues of gray and black. A dirt road curves next to an old windmill along a fence line and field, and then is lost around a hill. I wondered if the fading elements (disappearing road and fence, and bland gray color) represent our fading heritages. Windmills and fields are obviously agricultural, and in our developing country we seem to be losing our ties to the very backbone of our country: agriculture. On a lighter note though, I really liked the painting because it is a pretty image of rural life.
I found 2 really nice paintings of the Falls (of the Big Sioux River). One is a very colorful painting of a Sioux tribe living alongside the Falls. The river is distinguishable as the Falls as we know them today, but the rest of the scenery is much different than the modern backdrop of John Morrell, streets, The Horse Barn, and that Cafe with the water wheel. In this painting, there is an entire community of Sioux Indians with their teepees. I found this picture pretty fascinating because I often wonder how many people have stepped where I am walking now and how many people have already seen what I see. I think it is probably a realistic depiction of how the Sioux River looked back in the day.
The next painting of the Falls is exactly what we see today (well, I suppose not today because it appears to be a summer scene where the water is actually flowing and not iced over).
I enjoyed noticing the differences in the 2 paintings of the Falls. Change is in the air!
Did you know there is a National Woodcarvers Association? That's awesome! South Dakota has its own Woodcarvers Association too! The sample carvings I saw today ranged from little star etchings to elaborate, 3-D bears and eagles....very cool.
I also saw a pretty acrylic painting called "Unlit." Since I wasn't allowed to take photos of the artwork, I'll try to help you imagine it now: it is a jet black night with no moon or stars shining. Tall waves are crashing against the rocky beach. The only light (which is very bright, yet it is direct so the surrounding area is still black) is coming from a lighthouse. Stepping out of the lighthouse door onto the rocks is a man whose shadow stretches far ahead of him. To me this is kind of like the Prodigal Son story, or the slightly rebellious middle child of the family...someone who knows where home (the light, God) is, but he/she wants to explore and break away from what is expected. I decided the man walking out of the lighthouse just wants to take a walk on the wild side (and not necessarily "wild," just adventurous) for a bit and then return to his sanctuary.
There are 3 acrylic and soft pastel paintings that hang together on a wall and look just like old TVs with dials. On each screen is a different lady singing into those old-fashioned microphones with silvery rings. The first is a black lady with an Afro and beautiful eyes. The whole painting is black and white except for a pretty sunflower in her hair and bright yellow lips. The next is a white woman who has a green flower and green lips. The last is another black lady with a blue flower and blue eyes. I'm not sure if the 3 paintings represent a bold emergence (with the brightly colored flowers) of women or black people on TVor in society or if it is just intended to capture the beauty of singing, but I really enjoyed looking at these paintings. They are very realistic, and there is such peace and tranquility expressed in their faces....very fun to see so much expression with spot color.
Another set of 3 paintings that go together is more abstract. Totally in black and white, these 3 are entitled "Grace," "Hope," and "Peace." "Grace" has very smooth lines with a balanced amount of black and white. "Hope" is very flowing, and the way the lines curve drew my eyes from the black to the white. "Peace" has more black than white, yet it is very smooth and gently flowing. There are a couple abrupt lines, and it somehow maintains a calm essence. I think it is accurately named. Anyone should feel peace when every aspect of life is aligned nicely, but a truly peaceful person will feel peace even in times of darkness and uncertainties.
My youthful playfulness was nurtured today with a handheld fan (one of those accordian-type, Oriental-looking fans) and a bird mobile. Visitors are allowed to wave the fan to move the birds...I enjoyed it!
Another piece I liked is a set of 9 digital pictures of a pair of shoes...the same pair of shoes in 9 different places. Sometimes I stop and wonder how many places my feet have walked or how many places my camera has taken a picture, so I thought this piece was very neat.
Right after that, I found another picture that totally is me...tennis shoes splashing into a deep puddle....need I say more? I LOVE splashing in puddles...this picture is awesome :)
There were so many fascinating pieces of artwork at The Horse Barn today....detailed glass etchings, beautiful pottery with delicate clay leaves, metallic-looking glazes, a sand box called "Change is Constant," and a variety of photographs. I really enjoyed looking at all of it! I wish I could write more, but my Grandma is expecting me home tonight and I still need to gather my laundry ;)
Guess what?! On my way back from The Horse Barn, I drove past Mr. Scary as he trudged through the snowy sidewalk. I immediately recognized him, and I think he saw me too...yikes!

Day Two: The St. Francis House

"Our mission at the St. Francis House is to take people from Homelessness to Hope. Your generous donation will allow us to continue our mission. God Bless!"
I hand-wrote that probably over 50 times in Thank You cards today. This was my first time ever going to the St. Francis House, and it was very interesting to see the organization. From the outside it looks much like any other duplex or multiple-family housing. As we walked through the door, there was an office off to the left and a few people were milling around the office and hallway.
Our (Dom, Holly, and I) first job was writing thank-yous to beneficiaries of the St. Francis House. We had an assembly line setup and worked our way through the stacks of cards, envelopes, and receipts to be written.
When we finished sealing the envelopes, Holly and I were given the task of copying down phone numbers of businesses from the phonebook. It was dizzying. In an hour we completed about 3 pages of numbers. I was thrilled to be done with that ;)
While we worked, I observed the guests and environment a bit. We were stationed at one of 6 tables in the dining room. On the East end of the dining room is a leather sofa and large flatscreen TV, and on the West end is the kitchen and a phone for guests to use. On one wall is a bulletin board covered with local job openings, ranging from maintenance to EMT to K-Mart cashiers.
Around 11 am, guests started coming into the dining room for dinner. The staff had prepared a very nutritious meal including homemade macaroni and cheese, green beans, and bananas. The dishes were set out buffet style, and guests filled their plates at their leisure. For the most part, the guests did not talk while they ate. One man and staff lady conversed, but mostly people just read the paper or sat alone at a table.
As soon as the guests finished eating, one staff member began listing off several jobs that needed to be completed. Most of the men went outside to shovel off the sidewalk while the ladies swept the hallway and cleaned up the kitchen.
Around 1:00 the staff began making sandwiches, and I think they are for sack lunches for the working guests to take along to their jobs.
While we were there I overheard one staff member explaining that guests are supposed to be up by 6:30 am for breakfast and chores. All the guests have checklists to complete each day, and it was cool to see the guests taking care of their home together. Many have outside jobs, and they are expected to be home at reasonable hours in the evening.
A couple guests made conversation easily with us. One man asked me about my boots (I'm used to that...boots are common ground for fellow boot-wearing people). We chatted knowledgeably about different brands of Western boots and he told me the designer of my boot is a former tennis shoe designer...no wonder they're the most comfortable boots I've ever owned :)
It was definitely interesting to see how the St. Francis House operates...definitely not my favorite service project (because paperwork isn't exactly a hoot), but it was an interesting opportunity and learning experience.

Day One: The Bus Ride and The Banquet

Other than a quick shuttle ride to the State Fair, today was my first time ever riding a city bus. I was pretty nervous for the new experience, and my Mom was all worried saying, "I hope you're not going alone!!!" It wasn't that scary ;)
Holly and I walked into the bus station not knowing what to expect. The station was warm and clean, and had a much calmer atmosphere than I expected. The first person I saw was an older gentleman who was kind of scruffy and sad-looking, but he was sporting very nice, new boots. I'm not sure if he is homeless and spends the day staying warm in the bus station or if he was just waiting for his ride.
After looking around for a moment, we walked over to a teller-type counter to buy a bus ticket... this is were we began learning about the bus station. Apparently, standing 2 feet away from the counter does not signify that one is "in line." We immediately got budged by a well-dressed, middle-aged man who leaned into the counter when he talked like he was sharing CIA information; so once he stepped aside I quickly stepped up to avoid another budging. The lady behind the counter seemed gruff and intimidating, so I whispered to Holly that I would hate to be on her bad side.
I asked how much it would cost to ride the bus for a couple hours. "One dollar. You're not riding for a couple hours! You get one bus ride." Yikes. So I handed her my dollar and she harshly informed me that we don't pay at the counter. Frightened and slightly amused by her unfriendliness, Holly and I gathered information we had heard from Mr. Budger and decided to walk towards the buses.
We chose to ride Route 8, the North Industrial path. We boarded our bus (which happens to be that pink Avera bus that has a picture of my aunt on the side!), and thankfully the driver seemed much friendlier than the teller lady. We sat down across from each other, and I was next to an older lady wearing a long pink coat. After a few minutes, we noticed that we were sitting in a handicapped/senior section, so we decided to give up our seats. Mr. Budger was sitting nearby, so I made eye contact and moved to sit just one seat away from him.
A few more people boarded the bus, and several of them appeared to be acquainted with each other. Among the passengers were several Native Americans, a couple boys that looked to be in high school, and a couple other white people. Before taking off, Mrs. Pink Coat spoke up towards the bus driver, "Ya ready to go back to California, Roberto?" He chuckled and then talked in wonderment about South Dakota winters. His kind and gentle personality made me wonder if he has children, and sure enough, he mentioned at least one daughter.
As we headed north on Minnesota Ave, I observed the passengers and thought about how different city life is from my rural lifestyle. I was hoping to make conversation with some passengers, but most of the riders avoided eye contact and didn't encourage any chit-chat. Once I almost worked up the courage to talk to Mr. Budger, but then he faced the front and I decided to not disturb him.
Mr. Budger and 3 other men got off the bus at the State Pen, and all I could think is that they must have jobs there.
Shortly after that stop, Mr. Budger's seat was filled with a new boarder, this time a very well-dressed African American man who smelled like French Fries. He wore fancy leather shoes, but was otherwise bundled up for the blizzard. I was hoping he would want to talk, but he either gets bus-sick or just didn't want to talk because he sat on the edge of his seat and leaned forward the whole ride. I learned from observation that he was a "transfer" passenger. When we returned to the bus station, Mr. French Fry raced off toward another bus.
Our driver Roberto and the regular riders acted friendly towards each other, exchanging farewells such as, "Take care, Man," and "Walk carefully!" Roberto seems like he would be a good friend.
Many of the passengers carried a bus pass card; Holly and I were definitely the minority who paid cash. One young boy, probably middle-school aged, boarded the bus with a backpack. He seemed like a confident bus rider.
One of the high school-aged guys mouthed along to his iPod the entire trip, and I'm pretty sure he was well aware that I was taking notes on people.
In less than half of an hour we had traveled as far north as 60th and Cliff and back again to the bus station downtown. The trip felt pretty short, but it was long enough for one lady to fall asleep.
When we got back to the bus station, Roberto happily thanked us and wished us a good evening. Holly and I walked back to her car in the parking ramp, and her car didn't start. I called my roommate with jumper cables, and she and her helpful boyfriend were instantly on their way to come to our aid. Here's the puzzler: after a minute, her car did start. This of course was much to our relief, but I am confused at how the battery magically re-powered itself.
Our next destination was the Banquet. We arrived by 5:00, but nothing happened until 5:30 except for this one talkative lady telling us about eating Chinese food and wanting a nap. There were a ton of volunteers (probably close to 50), so nobody had to work too hard. I got my favorite job of pouring drinks, and along with an in-love high school couple and a few adults, we were in charge of 4 tables. One guest, a lonely-seeming man, scared me really bad, so I pretended to be busy even when I wasn't. He told me to sit down and talk, and he just stared at me and told me I was cute. It really freaked me out, so I quickly decided that I needed to make another round with the pitchers. Later he flagged me down to top off his water cup, and the high school couple teased me about him.
When it was my turn to eat, I decided to sit by a lady rather than a man, because Mr. Scary made me hesitant towards men for awhile. The lady I sat next to is probably in her mid-20s and she is very jovial and smiley. She told me she has a 2 year old daughter and a 1 year old son. Both her kids live with their dad, but she goes to stay with them sometimes. She doesn't have any job, but she is looking for one. She told me she scored high on her GED and thinks she should go to college for something. She was very happy and seemed grateful that I sat with her. Of the 9 meals a week the Banquet serves, she eats there most of the time with her mother who is a Chatty Cathy. They seem to be a very cheery family, and it was fun to talk with such a chipper lady.
When Miss Smiley left, I went back to work, which had slowed down considerably by then. As we wrapped up work for the evening, I visited with another woman guest who had gotten an art minor from USF and hopes to someday obtain a Bachelor's Degree. She was also very chatty, and it was fun to see another happy lady.
One man was wearing Carhartt overalls and a fleece hood over a stocking hat. He said he keeps warm, so I hope that means he has a home to go to after his day of working outside.
We left the Banquet by 8:00, and Holly burned rubber to get up the hill by Minnesota Ave.
Today was a good day. I really enjoyed my experiences, and I can now say I've ridden a city bus! Wahoo!