Reporting In

Celebrating: 1 year wedding anniversary!! One of the many highs today was eating the top layer of our wedding cake, which has been frozen in our fridge since the wedding night.  You would be surprised but ours tastes really good!!

Reading: Nancy Pelosi’s “Know Your Power”

Working on: the Save the Date flyers regarding the CCCSAA Professional Conference next March, and Scholarship applications to be handed out this coming weekend at our annual Student Leadership Conference in San Diego.

Balancing: House hunting, relaxing, and working evening events such as the weekly Presidental Debates.

Looking forward to: Maui!!

Thankful for: Matthias, our families, friends and Rock Band.

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Full moons

This past week there was no full moon but it sure felt like it to me. I had some lows but I also had some highs that I am really thankful for.
•    Playing the Wii Tennis and Baseball with my sister
•    Looking at all the great Victorian Houses around the streets of Cole Valley, San Francisco while catching up with Marta
•    Be reminded of how amazing Emmylou Harris and Shawn Colvin sound live in concert.
•    Enjoying a great dinner and company with Matthias at the Boon Fly Café between Napa and Sonoma and then getting to sneak into the still new Carneros Resort.
•    Being able to reach out to my Mom.

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Welcome Fall

Daily Word — Monday, September 22, 2008

New
I welcome new outlooks and produce inspiring results.
I relax and am at peace as I contemplate this season of change. I picture summer’s green leaves being transformed into ruby and amber autumn jewels. The smell of the earth grounds me. Breathing evenly and fully, I continue to relax.
As a new season begins, I feel new beginnings within me–the stirring of ideas, the welcoming of transition. I give myself permission to change, to grow, and to evolve. Immersed in an awareness of God’s guiding presence, I have new outlooks that bring new results. Maintaining my expectation is as simple as taking in my next breath.
I am refreshed and ready to greet the season with grateful anticipation.

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My Addendum……

Inspired by my cohort member Tira Young’s blog entry of Sept. 4, 08
I AM … proud of my Mom and Dad
I WANT… to know what the next step will be
I HAVE … 19 student government officers…going on 20 this week
I KEEP … a journal of what “I learned and I am grateful for” in my car
I WISH I COULD …. enjoy more things rather than worrying about them
I HATE … hate crimes
I FEAR …. not doing enough
I HEAR … our birds
I DON’T THINK …McCain is going to win
I REGRET …days I worked too much
I LOVE ….Matthias Worch
I AM NOT …lazy, just enjoying having no homework!
I DANCE … in the kitchen, living room, in my car
I SING … in my car
I NEVER … smoke
I RARELY …not think during yoga
I CRY WHEN I WATCH … Notting Hill, did it again last Saturday
I AM NOT ALWAYS … following an agenda
I HATE THAT … AIDS is still being spread
I’M CONFUSED ABOUT … the Media’s need to find out every little detail about Sarah Palin
I NEED … to do the dishes
I SHOULD … not do the dishes

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Thank you SNL and Time’s Nancy Gibbs

During the Democratic primaries, I was one of those 18 Million people who voted for Hillary. After learning more about Obama and his wife, and Joe Biden, I am still on the course to elect Obama. Even days after John McCain announced Sara Palin as his pick for the V.P., I kept repeating to myself: “stay the course, stay with Obama”. But, recently, there has been talk about who Obama really is for not picking Hillary.

Now, after watching the SNL skit with Amy Poehler who played Hillary and Tina Fay who played Sarah, I am really pissed. Amy and the writers nailed it by having the Hillary character say what we’ve all been thinking. Hillary worked so hard and then out of blue comes a woman, that NO one knows and did little work, who is now one seat away from the White House. Isn’t it crazy to think the amount of energy, time and sexist crap Hillary put up with for the last 18 months, and now she has to watch a female possibly become the next Vice President? What happened, Obama? I can understand that you had no idea McCain would pull one out of left field. But still… you could have been the one.

I am still on the course with Obama, but deep down inside, I am thinking and feeling exactly what Nancy Gibbs of Time Magazine is. Check out her editorial from Thursday, September 4, 2008.

“Can Palin Escape the Parent Trap?”, By Nancy Gibbs

Almost overnight, Sarah Palin replaced Hillary Clinton as the screen on which we project our doubts and hopes about women and success. In noisy public forums, everyone seemed suddenly certain of beliefs they used to reject: of course a woman can manage five kids and the vice leadership of the free world, said conservative defenders previously known for asserting a woman’s need to submit to her husband. Of course she has no business putting her family through this, said liberal opponents better known for insisting women should submit to no one.

But in quieter places, such as my inbox and my subconscious, there has been nothing like that kind of certainty. Instead, it has been the conversation that never ends — the one about how we juggle and who we judge — and I don’t think I know any woman, working or not, who feels she has gotten it exactly right. I do know we share a deep revulsion at having choices made for us and values thrust upon us, which is why Palin has our instincts tied up in such intricate knots.

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Pausing for history in the making

Whatever you are doing, take a moment to pause for this historic week. For the first time in American history, a man of African descent has been awarded the Democratic nomination.  I’ve been watching the speeches all week. Michelle is so inspirational. Hillary simply rocked and Joe Biden was real. Tonight, Miss is coming over with pizza to watch Obama’s speech.  It’s pretty awesome to see history in the making.  I trust that Obama has good intentions and  will impress us all.

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Something new

  • Watching Season One of “Spaced” the awesome British comedy from the late 90’s. It’s by the same guys who made “Shawn of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz”.
  • Discovered a new love for Bath and Body Works. Try “Wild Honeysuckle Anti-Bacterial Moisturizing Hand Soup with Green Tea Extract and Shea Butter”. Love it!
  • Shoes!! They even have heels :>)
  • Lots of new students! The fall semester started on Monday. The best part is our enrollment is up by 23%. Go Outreach!!
  • Marta is now living in the San Francisco. I can now say I’ve got a friend in the city!
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10 Accomplishments I Value the Most

Tonight, I gave a presentation to the College’s Board of Trustees about Student Life. I shared my annual report from the previous school year and talked about what I thought was the backbone to making ASB so successful at Napa Valley College. One of the board members asked me what was one or two things I have learned while being in this job for the last 6 years. I answered with “I learned that I am a great leader and I know how to build teams. In the future, I think I would make a great Vice President of Student Services. . .”

As I was driving home, I thought about what I said. Did I step out too far? Was I too honest? Is that what I really want to do or did I say that because I felt confidence and powerful in my outfit? But then I read something in this month’s Oprah Magazine about how there are many us out there who constantly keep looking for more. That for some crazy reason what we have already achieved is not enough. The author called this behavior as “Self-Deprecator” The author recommended self-deprecators to write down “100 things you’ve accomplished that are valuable to you. Not anyone else. Just you”

For today, how about 10

1.    Confronting a co-worker who was frustrated with me
2.    Calling my parents every week
3.    Have a strong relationship with my sister
4.    Making time to be with my husband
5.    Being there for my students when they needed me the most
6.    Taking care of my health
7.    Taking care of my car, and paying the bills on time
8.    Staying in touch with friends
9.    Starting and finishing my education
10.    Co-Creating NVC Day at Napa Valley College

There are lots I want to do in my life time. But for my life right now, it feels great to WANT to do something more than feeling I NEED to do something more. I want to focus on owning a home and starting a family.
I know that if I wanted to go after the job of Vice President of Student Services some day, I would be pretty good at.

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Welcome Olympics, Welcome China

The summer games are officially here and so is China. Wow, the opening ceremony blew me away. I loved learning about the history of China and how harmony became a huge part of their culture and survival. Bravo. However, it also reminded Matthias and I that we better start learning some Chinese if we’re going to keep up with China. Did you see the number of drummers? Wow!

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