Busy!!

Posted by cafevic
December 14, 2007 Life Leave a Comment

Wow, I thought I was busy when I was planning the wedding. With Christmas shopping, staying connected at work and taking two courses, I am feeling a bit stressed. To tell you the truth, I would rather spend time with friends, family and my students then drive around buying Christmas presents in the cold. I would trade catching up over some hot apple cider or walks in the sunshine any day then drive around in the holiday season traffic. I bet all of us in a way would rather spend time together then just send each other Christmas cards. For those I get to see in the next few weeks, I’m looking forward to it. I think Matthias has officially changed the Estrella Family Christmas. It looks like we now open gifts on Christmas Eve. Ahh..but I think he is starting to love Christmas morning waffles. For family members I only get to see when the timing is right, I miss you.

On a joyful note; Winter Solstice is almost here AND just in time for all of us to slow down and welcome in more sun light and a new year. Fall brings changes. Winter brings awakening.

TEST
0000

5 ways to living more of your life

Posted by cafevic
December 11, 2007 Life Leave a Comment

I found these advice months ago in Real Simple.

1)      Think “easy”. I wish it was that easy. Asking for help is a good thing.

2)      Stop measuring yourself. I keep asking myself, who am I measuring myself against and why?

3)      Look up. I have done a much better job of looking up from my computer. It helps with listening.

4)      Listen to the people you love best. True relationships have honesty.

5)      Look for the magical moments. I still ask, what was your high today?

6)      Sit down, just for five minutes. My downtime now is watching The View’s “hot topics” while making dinner. Love DVR!!

TEST
0000

Personal statements

Posted by cafevic
November 30, 2007 Student Affairs in Action 1 Comment

Right now as I write this blog entry, thousand of Community College students are writing their personal statement for the Nov. 30 University of California transfer application deadline. Many will work all through the night and might even see the sun rise before they hit the send button. The question they must answer is described yourself in 1000 words or less.

While meeting with my ASB President Susana today, I thought of a great personal statement answer for this generation of university bound students. “For more information please visit my Facebook page, Myspace page or my blog at www….com”. Think about it. Many of these students share who they are every day over the Internet. They share their interests, goals, and even hardships.

Come on University of California Admissions! All you need to do is ask for a web address and there is your personal statement. Just think about all the energy and time our college students spend talking about themselves on Facebook. I bet it would save admissions counselors tons of time reading applications.

For those students still writing your personal statement. Let go of the pressure and write what comes to you. And if you need motivation just plan on posting a copy of your personal statement on your blog.

TEST
0000

Writers Strike

Posted by cafevic
November 26, 2007 Life 1 Comment

Tonight I watched my first T.V. show on my computer. Our DVR did not tape last week’s Thanksgiving Grey’s Anatomy episode. So thanks to the amazing power of the Internet, ABC, and my laptop, I was able to catch up. And boy was it an intense episode. A 2 partier. I just love the writing. Must watch every week.

Half way through the show, Matthias reminded me that one of the reasons the writers are striking is because they do not get any financial support from the episode I just watched off of abc.com. Tough call. Thanks to DVR and now the Internet, I can catch up on shows in my free time. Should the writers get money for that piece of that time too, along with the regular scheduled time on T.V.? Do the actors? The stage manager? The make-up lady? The reality is the art, such as T.V. which is really theatre, is a team effort. The show needs everyone to make it happen. I wonder if the writers realize that they are effecting more then the audience. They are hurting their own team. The show must go on…ahh but the writing is so good…

TEST
0000

Happy Thanksgiving

Posted by cafevic
November 22, 2007 Life 1 Comment

Wishing you: Safe travels, fun conversations and a cooked turkey 😉
Looking forward to: Playing dice with Mom, Miss, Dad and Matthias
Looking forward to eating: Mom’s turkey, and Miss’s yams, yum!
Thankful for: Car rides, email, having a hometown, and being close enough to be with family on Thanksgiving.

TEST
0000

Conference Calls with my Co-Hort

Posted by cafevic
November 6, 2007 Student Affairs in Action Leave a Comment

Last night, my co-hort and I had our monthly conference call. It was a great turn out. I have been setting up these call ins for almost 2 1/2 years now. The regular callers are Tira, Liz, Heather and Shauna. Susie from Seattle calls in almost every time. Depending on how crazy her floor is that week. It was nice hearing her voice last night. I had not heard her call in a while. Heather got tied up putting her amazing Caroline to bed so we did not hear her fun voice but I did get to hear Shauna right at the end. My regulars called in Liz and Tira. This year, I have a new member of the 2nd year co-hort who has now called in twice. She advises college students on 1 semester leave in the “high Sierra” of CA. So, welcome Meredith. (Hey Erin, if you are reading this blog, call in girl, the program is almost over! Love to hear from you.)

I have to share this story though. Last night, Liz remembered about a one of my co-hort’s first conference calls. Her boyfriend at the time was really curious about this “call in” thing she was doing. So, she gave him the conference call number and he called in. When I heard the sound for a “new person” I said “hello” and so did the rest of the girls. We just thought it was a tech mess up and went on with our stories. Little did we know we had a listener?

Now, when I have my monthly call ins I will introduce everyone and Liz’s boyfriend. :>)

TEST
0000

Extra Hour

Posted by cafevic
November 5, 2007 Checking In Leave a Comment

I love day light savings day. Whenever I looked at the clock today, I thought “it is only..” then I would say, “sweet an extra hour to study, clean, sleep!” Think about it. I bet a day does not go by that we all say to ourselves “if I only hand a extra hour in the day?”

On a fun note. Last week was Halloween. I dressed up as Meredith Grey of Grey’s Anatomy. Loved it! I had on nursing scrubs and made myself a name tag. I started watching Grey’s Anatomy this summer. Now I am hooked. I love the writing. If you have not seen the show or if you are a huge fan like me, you will agree that the show says what we think about when it comes to relationships: passion and being real with each other. Grey’s Anatomy reminds that what you really want is passionate conversations. Or the chance to really let your guard down with someone. Instead the writers show us how we chose to stay that extra hour at work or stay friends instead of going to the next step.

Now, what was it you would do with an extra hour?

TEST
0000

IKEA’s EKTORP Chair

Posted by cafevic
October 29, 2007 Life Leave a Comment

Bought! Now sitting in our living room! Thanks to my amazing Matthias and his willingness to go on an IKEA adventure on a Sunday afternoon, I finally got the chair I have been talking about for years. You know when you get a speeding ticket or have to pay some large amount of money you were not planning to pay and you think about all the things you would rather do with the money. For me, when that would happen I always said to myself, “Man, I could of bought my chair with that money”.

So, you might ask, what is the deal with my IKEA chair? I first discovered it at my first trip to IKEA. From the moment I sat in it, this fun very comfortable chair symbolized the dream of being in a place in my life where I could buy new furniture. For years I was renting a room from someone’s place or sharing an apartment. It just never seems the right time to get the chair.

What made today different? I am not sure. Marriage has given me this confidence that I never knew existed. All of a sudden I feel the right time is now.

Here is link to the famous IKEA EKTORP Chair. We got the white one: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S89839458

TEST
0000

What’s the deal with Facebook

Posted by cafevic
October 27, 2007 Checking In 3 Comments

Soo..I was working pretty well tonight on my student strengths paper when I got distracted by reading people Facebook pages. Who would have thought that 10 years later people would be “poking” or “leaving messages on someone’s wall” on the Internet? On one side, social networking on the Internet has open doors to new ways of sharing your life. The other side is you are sharing yourself and your conversations, activities with EVERYONE. What if you share more of yourself on your Facebook page then in person? Does that mean people know who you are even if you never tell them in real time? Now, don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of the connecting, sharing what’s new with you and keeping in touch. And those world maps that people have that show where they have traveled; very cool. But in the end, I can’t leave a message on my sister’s wall. I just love hearing her answer her phone “hello darling” way to much to start talking to her through Facebook.

TEST
0000