About the Author

cafevic

Victoria Estrella Worch 38 years old
Eat-Pray-Love-poster

Checking in “Eat Pray Love” style

With the memoir “Eat Pray Love” having its 10th anniversary, I decided to looked back through my own writing to see if I had any “Eat Pray Love” themes. I found this post from December 2012. After finding it, I made a few edits, uploaded a theme photo and put on the soundtrack. (I think my sister still has my copy of the book) Her time in India is still my favorite part. Thanks Liz!

As I write this, I notice it has been over 4 months since I have Checked In. Ironically, I am 4 months pregnant with Twins. It kind of explains where I’ve been. Tonight, I took some time to myself to finish watching “Eat Pray Love”. The India part is my favorite. Thank you Elizabeth Gilbert for writing Eat Pray Love the memoir. And to Julie Roberts for doing such an amazing job bringing her story to the big screen.

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Checking In

Reading: Still enjoying Jennifer Weiner latest novel “The Next Best Thing”
Watching:
Enjoyed the Olympics. Right now, nothing particular. Might get sucked into a Lifetime movie on the weekends.
Thankful for:
Sonoma County Goat Cheese at Costco. Sounds kind of random, but it is so affordable and I’m loving it on everything.
Looking forward to:
Fall

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Motherhood Check In

Reading: Parenting Magazine
Watching:
my son hanging out on my IKEA EKTORP Chair that I got in Fall 2007. I remember how much I wanted this chair. I never imagined that I would have a child who would call it home. Pretty cool feeling.
Thankful for: having my husband’s help and support. Especially when he stays positive and supports me spending time with new and old friends.
Looking forward to: Labor day weekend. I will be flying with my son and my sister to see my grandma in Southern CA. It will be the first time grandma gets to see my son in person.
Motherhood Lesson: Feeding a toddler is hard but you have to keep trying. Keep asking them and offering.
A few tips that are helping me enjoy Motherhood:
1)
Take a day trip anywhere, zoo, beach, even to Target. Having an adventure with your child is the best was to laugh and be present.
2) Find a way to handle the worry. Maybe it is writing it down in a journal, talking it out, or just giving yourself the benefit of the doubt that do make great decisions. I never imagined that I would worry about small things like getting him to eat, to living in a place with a great school district. Worry is there but it doesn’t have to take over your daily thoughts.

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Right now, Being a Mom is my Volunteer Activity

This week, I was picked from my college to be part of the Redwood City/Belmont/San Carlos Leadership Class for 2012-2013. I’m really excited about this opportunity. I have friends who have had this opportunity in their community and they really grew from it. I’m excited that I get to connect one Friday a month with local city council, county, fire, health care, etc. As I was completing the application yesterday, I got to the question about civic and volunteer activities. They asked my to list what I have done in the last 5 years. As I sat there, I thought to myself..when did I have time to volunteer? For three years, I worked full-time and went to graduate school. In between that, I planned a wedding and got married. There was a short break where I could have volunteered but then I decided to have a baby so there was being pregnant. Then the baby came and it was full-time baby. Now, I am back to working full-time and any chance I get, I try to spend it with my son. So, my answer to that question..is my volunteer activity outside of work is being a mom. I mention that the kind of work I do “student affairs” is civic (I advise student government, can’t get more civic then that), plus I provide services to  at-risk first generation college students. Ahh..it’s not volunteer.

This Leadership Program has taught me my first lesson, “service” is asking yourself more often..where am I being of service in my life.

I still think I am going to bring up the service of being a parent. Do you think they will mind if I start a new category of service: “being a parent”? Especially with the average work week in Silicon Valley is 60 hours. I bet those people with a family would rather spend a Saturday with their children then at a board retreat… Yet, volunteer service is still needed in our communities. But how do we do it with working, parenting, taking care of the home, etc.?

Maybe finding a volunteer activity doesn’t have to be so big as I thinking it has to be? Maybe it can be as simple as taking my son Sam with me the next time I drop of a donation or teach him about picking up trash when we see it during our evening walk around campus. Or making that financial donation when you can.

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Find a Student

A theme that kept running through my head this week was “Find a Student”. For faculty, it is pretty clear that they will have a student to teach to on their first day of classes. I wonder if they think about running their lesson plan by a student first? For Student Affairs professionals, our work is often planning for students needs. May it be faster Financial Aid processing, processing their grades in Admissions, or making sure all the dorm furniture is ready for move in day. I’m learning this week, that as I make plans for the fall semester, I have to remember to include a student. Especially, recently with planning the next big lecture, or our new service of Xbox game rentals. Having that student engagement in the planning makes such a difference. They provide the feedback you forgot you needed and you provide the engagement that connects them to the college.

Student government or Res Life Council can be excellent places to find a student. I’m also hoping that by engaging my student government officers now, they will be ready for the additional work student government will be once they start their fall classes. As much as they say “It’s summer Victoria!”, I’m hoping they will appreciate the time management lesson later. :)

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Checking In

Reading: My favorite fiction writer Jennifer Weiner latest novel “The Next Best Thing”
Watching:
Army Wives is back!
Thankful for:
Fridays off in July
Looking forward to:
Gretchen Rubin’s following up to “the Happiness Project” book- “Happiness at Home” coming out in early September.

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Seeing student affairs in a new way

“In the end, I’m not as interested in what you have to tell or sell, teach or preach, as I am in how you choose to live and give.”-Newark mayor Cory Booker from the world according to Gayle”O” Magazine.

This quote has really been sitting with me, especially in my work in student affairs. I’m very good at keeping data and writing reports about how many students my area serves and what they are learning and what we are doing, etc. I love sharing them and I love teaching others about student leadership and engagement. But now, I can’t help but think “How much do I Give? How am I Living student leadership? Student engagement? I know I “give” tons of energy towards advising and planning events, etc. I know I have the passion to create ways to keep student engagement happening both in the classroom and outside the classroom. However, as I look at my own life, I wonder what others see me doing? I think it all goes back to intention. Intention is what humans can see and feel from each other. Feeling a shift happening…

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Checking in on Motherhood

Reading: Still enjoying Daily Email updates from Baby Center.com. Huge help!
Watching:
Sam running!
Thankful for: Girlfriends who are moms and who are not moms. Making time to see your girlfriends is so important!
Looking forward to: taking Sam to Germany.
Motherhood Lesson: Being a mom has taught me that “Mom” is a new title you carry. You worked hard for it (pregnancy). You are earning it every day (feeding, bathing, laughing).
A few tips that are helping me enjoy Motherhood:
1)
Take lots of pictures with your phone so when you are back at work or taking a mini break, you can enjoy pictures instantly.
2) Take time in your day to be with your partner. Either if it is sitting close on the couch watching t.v. or going to bed at the same time. You need your partner! It also reminds you that you were a woman before you were a mom..and still are a woman who needs love too!

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Checking In

Reading: “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin. Loving it!! She has done all the research you need on happiness and tells you all about it, along with her journey of focusing on 12 areas in her life over a year. Makes you think and reflect and before you know it, you find yourself getting up to clean out your own closet.
Watching:
The S.F Giants on Comcast Sports Network. Go Giants!
Thankful for:
Half Moon Bay Coast and Beaches being so close!
Looking forward to:
3 day weekends for the next 2 months! Working on a college campus is the best!

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Checking in on Motherhood on Mother’s Day

Reading: Email updates from Baby Center.com. All you do is type in the birth date of your child and before you know it, you get emails about things I should expect or even notice Sam is doing at his age.
Watching:
Recently watched Sam watch the ocean waves. He was so amazed by it.
Thankful for: On this mother’s day, I am so thankful for being a mom and that I got to spend it with Sam and Matthias. :) Thankful for my own mother and all the support she gives to us and all the fun outfits she finds for Sam.
Looking forward to: picking Sam up after work. Best way to leave work at work :)
Motherhood Lesson: Being a mom has taught me to make time for “slide time” at least once a week. Need to let go of some stress, hit the local park and go down the slides with your little guy or girl!
A few tips that are helping me enjoy Motherhood:
1)
Invest in a housekeeper who can come out at least once a month. They can take care of the shower cleaning, dusting, etc. Yay, they are coming tomorrow!
2) Have one day a week where you make no plans. My day is Sundays.

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