Unsettling

This morning I went outside to find someone had broken into my Jeep. The person very simply had smashed my front passenger side window, reached in, and took my work bag. Nothing else. When I realized what had happened, I went through a number of emotions pretty quickly. I was pissed off, upset, sad, aggravated, confused, and well...pissed off. So I call Mike, then my mom, to fuss and mostly curse. I call the police, and they send an officer to come take a report. I call my insurance to find out I am not covered because I have the most basic insurance I can have. I call what felt like every auto glass repair place in Tallahassee to find out the best place could not fit me in until Monday. So I tape up a trash bag to my window because we all know it will rain at least three times before then, and I resign myself to having a bunch of glass in my passenger seat.

Mike came and picked me up to go to lunch with one of his friends who was driving through town. I looked forward to taking a more pleasant break to the day since the rest of my plans were pretty much derailed. On the plus side, the glass repair people called me during lunch to say they had a cancellation and could fit me in today. They were extremely helpful and nice. They replaced the glass very quickly and even gave me a discount. If you are in Tallahassee, I highly recommend Safelite Auto Glass. Rock star service.

The first thing I thought when I saw the window was, "Really? Out of all the cars around, this person picked my Jeep?" If you have ever seen my lovely vehicle, you see the irony in this. Then when I realized they had only taken my work bag, I was even more annoyed. Granted, it was a nice leather bag with some pricey higher education books, a pair of Rainbow flip flops, and an umbrella in it, I cannot imagine any of it had much street value. Left inside was my satellite radio, car stereo, and CDs, the only things really worth anything. Perhaps the person was almost caught and ran off before (s)he could grab any of that. Perhaps the person is just an idiot. The door was still locked despite the busted window.

Now with my Jeep repaired, I will have to use a different bag for work on Tuesday. Luckily, I still have the brown version of the one that was stolen. I bought these from a leather store back home at a ridiculously good sale price a couple of Thanksgivings ago with my sister and Suze. Good times. I will have to replace my black Rainbow flip flops, which honestly were on their last leg anyway. I was simply waiting for them to completely fall apart before I spent money on new ones. This just expedited that process. I will have to look for a replacement of my favorite leadership book, and figure out what to do about the other books on student organizations that technically FSU paid for me to purchase at a conference. Sigh.

All in all, things are not that bad. I just find it unsettling when these things happen. A stranger violating your personal space/property is not a pleasant feeling. I just hope the person gets a good deal on the Black Market from those student organization management books. Ha.

 Of course one of the first things I did was take a picture with my phone.

I am glad the repair people vacuumed up all this!

Sidenote: This is my 100th blog post! I was hoping it be on something a little more fun, but I am sure better topics are on the way. :-)

IPDS 2010 (a.k.a. Networking in Indiana)

Yesterday I returned home from the Association of College Union International's (ACUI) Indiana Professional Development Seminar (IPDS). This is basically a type of orientation for new professionals in higher education, specifically those of us who work in and with college unions. I have to say the expereince was not only amazing, but far exceeded my expectations.

We were part of a class of about 50 participants from around the country. The seminar was about five days, and we covered a wide range of topics from career development to sustainability to collaborations between operations and programmers. The program was hosted at Indiana University, which is a beautiful campus in Bloomington. Four of us from FSU attended: Mike, Lori, Ian, and myself.

Most participants stayed in the hotel located in the Indiana Memorial Union. However, Mike, Lori, and I were part of 12 people who did not get rooms and had to stay further into town. (Ian got lucky and was upgraded to one at the last minute.) While this may seem like an inconvenience, it turned out to be a really nice walk to and from the hotel. It also made for a great running path in the mornings.

All in all, I have to say I really enjoyed the connections I made with other professionals. While networking is often a goal of most conferences and experiences, this time I really felt connected to the people there. We also seemed to make friends really well with the delegation from the University of Delaware. Who knew? I also connected with a number of people who have jobs similar to mine, and now we can connect, commiserate, and celebrate together. I can only hope that we will truly have a new network of people on which to rely as we navigate our careers in higher education.

I also felt like I really was able to take away much from our sessions and the experience as a whole. I gained a number of good ideas, tips, and tricks from the faculty and my peers. It was a great re-energizer (despite the fact that I am exhausted from travel). We also were able to learn much from the University of Indiana, and we were even able to tour a local brewery, Upland Brewing Co., to learn about their sustainability efforts and do a beer tasting! I was also able to have a geek moment when I had time to visit the Kinsey Institute. Amazing.

The most surprising thing was I now have a desire to learn more about ACUI and possibly get more involved with the association. (ACUI also hosted the Women's Leadership Institute I attended last December.) Luckily, the regional conference is going to be hosted at FSU this fall. So that will make things pretty easy!

The Votes Are In, and We've Started a Trend

The moment you've all been waiting for...we officially have the votes for the 2010 Blog-A-Day-In-May Challenge. Each winner was based on the number of votes. For the overall winner, we voted for our personal 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, and then each of those were assigned point values to give an overall score. All scores are listed below in parentheses.(We were also able to reference specific posts in our justifications. Thanks to Regina for already linking them all on her blog. :-))

Readers' Choice
Adam (4)
Kelly (4)
Amber (3)
Mike (2)
Regina (1)

Most Supportive Blogger
Regina (4)
Kelly (3)
Amber (1)

Best Blog Post
Mike (3) - Medal of honor-"Fatal Frame II"
Adam (1)
Kelly (1) - What the crap?
Amber (1) - Flash Mob
Regina (1) - To throw or not...
Meghan (1)

Laugh Out Loud Funny Post
Adam (3) - Montgomery flea market proprieter on target employee and customer
Amber (2) - Crank Yankers - This one goes out to all my fellow bloggers
Billy (1) - Enjoy a good laugh
Julia (1) - Daily Puppy - Silas
Meghan (1)

What the Crap Post
Billy (2) - Not really a toy, but my favorite book from my youth
Adam (2)
Julia (1) - No daily puppy today
Kelly (1) - Put a ring on it
Regina (1)
Mike (1)

Cheesiest Post
Kelly (3) - I don't dance, I just shimmer - Suze, I love you - Put a ring on it
Mike (2) - Red Dead Redemption Drops Tomorrow
Amber (1)
Julia (1)
Billy (1)

Weirdest Post
Adam (5) - - Creepin -Elmo on Kitten - Creepin' Lead Singer of Smash Mouth on exotic birds
Mike (2)

Most Universal Blog
Regina (3)
Billy (1)
Adam (1)
Kelly (1)
Julia (1)

Most Creative Blog
Adam (5)
Mike (2)
Kelly (1)

2010 Overall Champion
Mike (65 pts)
Amber (30pts)
Regina (30pts)
Meghan (20pts)
Kelly (10pts)
Julia (5pts - Not eligible for overall champion award as voted out by other participants)
Billy (o pts)
Adam (80 pts - Not eligible for overall champion award as voted out by other participants)

So thank you to all my readers for voting me Readers' Choice. The comments made with each vote were pretty entertaining as well. As the second annual competition has closed, I am looking forward to next year. In the meantime, we I have entered the Summer 2010 Blog Challenge with some other friends you can see listed on the side of my blog. This one is a little less structured as we only have to blog once a week. However, I love that this is catching on!

It's All Good

For some reason this afternoon, I needed to stop and think about the good things in life. Maybe I was channeling my inner "Jessica." Okay, if you have not seen the video yet, I will post it at the end. The point is, I felt the need to write some of my own affirmations:

• I truly enjoy my job.
• I have wonderful friends.
• I love my family.
• I have great mentors.
• I am dating a good guy.
• I am healthy enough to enjoy life and get active.
• I have some amazing support around me.

I know it may seem a little cheesy, but sometimes when I hit those introspective moments, I like to think about the positive. Going into my third year in Tallahassee and at FSU, I have been thinking about changes and what may be ahead. I am not quite to any answers yet, but I think that is okay.

And if you really haven't seen it yet, here is a little girl who has the right idea on affirmations:

Sidenote: I finished W1D2 of the C25K Plan this morning. Definitely feeling it, but feeling good about it. I also will be looking at running shoes this weekend, but the biggest thing is I have started working on a blog for all of us getting active to publish together. So stay tuned!

C25K W1D1

I have always envied runners. Always. I think it looks like such a great way to not only get in shape but take off the day and decompress. However, I have never enjoyed doing it myself. I tried running for a bit with a girlfriend in college, but it did not work out. I just wrote running off as something I just do not do. Until I found a new inspiration.

My fantastic friend Tara introduced me to the world of the Couch to 5K Plan. You may have heard of it. Quite often today people I talked to about it had either heard of it, tried it, were thinking of trying it, or know someone who has or is doing it. Crazy. Well, I looked into it, and started week one, day one this morning. Woo!

The premise of the program is pretty simple. In nine weeks, you work your way up to being able to run three miles. It starts you off slow because the mistake of most new runner is jumping in too quickly. So this week, it is a five minute warm-up walk, then alternating 60 seconds of running with 90 seconds of walking, then a five minute cool-down walk. In total, the workout is about 30 minutes. Each week is designed for you to run three days, with at least a day break in between. This week, my goal is Monday, Wednesday, Friday. As my schedule gets crazier, I am sure I will switch up the days.

I figured I would give this a shot not only because of my envy and my respect for Tara, but also because running is such an easy way to work out anywhere. This summer is bringing with it a bit of travel, both professional and personal, and while I love my Wii workouts, they are not exactly portable. Of course, I also love a challenge. First the 30 Day Challenge with the first EA Sports Active, then the 6 Week Challenge with EA Sports Active More Workouts. (And add in blog challenges and such.)

So yesterday I downloaded a suggested podcast to get me going from another woman who has done the C25K Plan. It may not be all my favorite music, but it got me going this morning. Plus, not having to time myself because she tells me when to walk and run is much easier. I do really see myself doing this to really run a 5K, but who knows. I really just want to find a new way to be active.

Now I have joined the world of want-to-be runners. I also hope to be a support (and get support from) Tara...and it seems Susan may be joining the ranks as well? I had a thought today that maybe we could blog together about it, or find some form of online support/sharing venue as we all live in three different states. Although I am not sure I will stick to blogging each day I run. We shall see.

Nonetheless, here's to running!

Sidenote: I joined a new blog challenge today. Blogging at least once a week for the rest of the summer. So far, the other participants are:

Critically Acclaimed (Justin)
Pocket Susan (Suze)
Finding Focus (Richard)
Exchanging Keys (Regina)
Waiting on the World to Change (Tara)

And no word on this year's May challenge winner yet. I will keep you all posted.

Prevention is a Process, Not a Program

From last Wednesday through Saturday, I attended the third annual Novak Institute for Hazing Prevention. The institute is an interdisciplinary meeting of professionals and students and is put on through HazingPrevention.org. Florida State has been lucky enough to have one of our Associate Dean of Students as one of the faculty of the institute. We were also privileged to have been awarded the first Zeta Tau Alpha Award for Innovation in Hazing Prevention and Education, which allowed us to help ease some of the cost for myself, one graduate assistant, and five students from various organizations to attend this year's institute.

My original goal was to blog at the end of each day (like I did for the Women's Leadership Institute last December but failed to do for ACPA). However, the length and intensity of the days coupled with my poorly functioning laptop kept me from doing that. So here, I just wanted to get out a few thoughts about this experience because it was truly a meaningful one.

Without getting into the details of the curriculum, I will just say we spent half of the time learning about a new way to think about hazing and grasping a new framework by which to approach this difficult topic. The other half of the time we were able to talk about how to apply the ideas we were learning to our specific areas and campuses. Again, FSU is somewhat ahead of the curve as we have modeled this approach by implementing our online presence for hazing prevention (although we are now talking about what our next steps may be). These conversations and sessions were so interesting because they were truly interdisciplinary. We had students and professionals from Greek Life, Student Affairs, Campus Recreation/Athletics, Marching Bands, ROTC, Housing, and even some police officers.

What was truly inspiring about the experience was being in such an intensive environment with a group of people who were all truly interested in the topic. The power of dialogue can be so amazing. I also have been able to think about what I learned and how it applies not only to hazing prevention, but it will also shape how I approach a number of things I do in my current position. So much of the curriculum was focused on how we need to move beyond just doing programs to truly implementing a process of preventing hazing behaviors. I realized on Thursday after hearing from a psychologist and his views on what hazing means to people why I was interested in this topic to begin with: I love thinking about what makes people who they are and why they behave the way they do.

Watching our students was also a rewarding experience. Although some of them struggled with the concepts, I was encouraged by watching them process the information and what it meant to them and their respective organizations. I also loved meeting so many amazing professionals not only from Higher Education but also from national organizations.

Although it felt like summer camp at times since we were staying in a residence hall and eating in the dining hall, I had a great time. I roomed with Panhellinc women who all worked for their sororities' national offices, which anyone who know me was a new experience in itself. But really it was about becoming part of a larger movement. All the work being done with hazing prevention is very young, but I can feel it moving like a steamroller as we get others on board. The work also draws from other areas of prevention (sexual violence, alcohol and other drugs). This is not about policy, but about true change. How can we best increase desirable behaviors in our students?

As you can tell, I am still processing all of this. I could also keep writing much more, but I will not do that to anyone who is actually still reading. I will likely become part of reigniting this movement here at FSU, which is pretty exciting. I am certainly grateful for this experience, and I hope I can pay it forward.

Voting Time!

As our Blog-A-Day Challenge has ended, now is the time to vote for this year's winner. Thanks to Regina, we have two surveys this year to help us determine the 2010 champion.

Blog Participants: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BLVP7BQ
Blog Readers: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BK6JVST

All voting is expected to be done by Sunday, June 6 at 12:00 pm.

So if you have been keeping track, go vote! I will keep everyone posted once the results are in. :-)

QOTD #20

"I was reading your blog..."

Today marks the official end of the Blog-A-Day-In-May Challenge. I am relieved and sad. This year's competition seemed a little different from last year. We had not only new challengers, but new readers as well. I went with more of a theme this time instead of just normal blogging. We also had just a change in the overall feel in the event that I do not think I can really explain.

I have said before how much I enjoy blogging. I find it a good way to get (at least some) thoughts out. I like keeping in touch and learning about others by reading their blogs. However, I have really enjoyed how much this year's challenge seemed to really bring a number of us together. And this is not just the challengers, but those around us and our readers. I felt a sense of communication across people new and old. For example, Susan throwing her support behind Regina, even though this is the only way they really know each other since they have never met.

This year has also led to interesting conversations outside of the blogs. "I was reading your blog and it made me think of..." "Well after reading your blog I realized..." "Your post today was..." Even when we could not think of what to blog, it became the topic of conversation. Camaraderie through competition. Somewhat like my comments yesterday, I enjoy the interactions and draw competition can have on a group of friends.

So good job everyone. I hope we keep it up, and I certainly look forward to next year!

Oh, and a note to any readers, I am pretty sure you will get a chance to have voice in this year's winner. So stay tuned.

Sidenote: I may have a better quote later since a number of us are heading to dinner, but I wanted to make sure I did not miss the final day. ;-)

QOTD #19

"Put a ring on it." -Billy, today at lunch

I have many reasons why Billy and I are friends. However, one of the reasons at the top of the list (if not the #1) is his timing of snarky comments. Most often he is somewhat reserved, contributes to conversation where he needs to, and is an all around nice person. Yet on occasion, he comes out with a comment like today's where he floors us all, and he either gets two points or way crosses the line. Today, he got two points. Mike has even dubbed him the "Joke Assassin - One Shot, One Kill."

The conversation: We were having lunch at Tijuana Flats (yum) and were discussing a possible road trip up to my hometown. Billy and I started trying to get Mike in on the trip. One of the enticements for Mike, who hates long car trips, was the prospect of meeting my family. (Suze, I expect a comment of what meeting my family means.) Mike's statement was something along the lines of how he wanted to meet my parents, to which Billy seamlessly and shamelessly replies, "Put a ring on it," as he continues to enjoy his flautas.

We all (including Selby and Lori who were with us as well) LOST IT. The effect of this may not be as great for anyone who does not know Billy well, but just know that it was perfect. We laughed for a good five minutes before we could move past it. Good times. (I suppose I should also explain here for anyone who does not know us well, Mike and I are often (read: always) mistaken for dating because we are pretty ridiculous together, and this is quite often the subject of such jokes.)

Afterward I started to think about how much I love all my friends, even when (maybe especially when) they are snarky. I see it as a measure of the level of comfort people have with each other. I think of anyone I have considered a good friend, especially in groups of friends, and I know I can pinpoint numerous conversations like the one today with all of them. You learn to laugh at yourself. You learn to not be so serious. You learn much about yourself. And besides, if your friends can't rip on you, who can? Love you guys!

QOTD #18

"SOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (oh yeah, I'm that excited - 24 exclamation points worth of excited. Take that Regina!)" -Suze, via email

After numerous (read: everyone) people have told me I need to take a real vacation, I have finally listened. Shocking, I know. As of today, I am working on not only a vacation, but a relatively elaborate plan to visit two cities and four friends. This will include Austin, TX where I get to see Susan and J. Brady, and Orlando, FL where I get to see Josh and McKercher. The trip will put me out of Tallahassee for a little over a week. SOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (24 more!)

In telling the whole story, I have to admit I have told Suze for the past two years I would come visit Austin. Yet, as life often goes, things kept me from going. Then, J. Brady (a.k.a. Best Spuddy Ever), moved to Austin last fall. I again starting promising to visit but have not followed through. Why? Money. Time off. Waiting on my sister's wedding. I am a terrible friend. You know, the typical excuses. This morning I finally decided I needed this visit. Period.

I emailed my Austin friends, and relatively received the reply above along with the beginnings of a plan. As I started searching flights and comparing prices between Florida airports (because Tallahassee is insanely expensive), I thought to look at the Orlando airport. (For anyone not in Tally, Jacksonville is typically the fall back international airport for us.) And who lives in Orlando? Josh and Adam. Granted, I get to see relatively more often, but of course not enough. Then my wheels started to turn, and I am now in the process of coordinating what will become an awesome vacation.

So to my supervisor, mentor, graduate assistant, colleagues, and even my students, I am taking a vacation. Be proud. And to Susan, Justin, Josh, and Adam, I cannot wait to see your faces!

Sidenote: I had to include the note about the exclamation points for Regina (see previous post and comments). It made me laugh.

QOTD #17

"This is a pretty bold statement from an association I am proud to be in." -Zach, a fellow student affairs professional and ACPA member, via Facebook.

One of the major topic in news and politics? The State of Arizona Senate Bill 1070, a.k.a. the Arizona Immigration Law. Typically, I read things in the news and politics, think "that's interesting," and move on. However, this particular topic has gained a momentum I do not think I can ignore. I am paying even more attention now that I am seeing the reaction of higher education and student affairs institutions. Notably, today, I read that ACPA, one of the major professional organizations for higher education professionals, issued a statement pulling their 2011 Mid-Level Management Institute from Tuscon, AZ. This was quickly posted across our networks, including by Zach above.

Another colleague and mentor of mine just before this shared with me that the NASPA (another major professional organization) Latino/a Knowledge Community also issued a statement speaking out against the bill. The general consensus of these major organizations, as well as others, is they do not support an environment that essentially works against the inclusion and understanding they are trying to promote. As the ACPA statement read, "S.B. 1070 may create an atmosphere that is totally contradictory to the core values of our association and
profession."

I have to admit that I do not personally know this bill inside and out, but I get the point that Arizona is giving law enforcement the power to profile individuals and determine if they are legal citizens. I can see how this creates a new world of concern, especially in a country where racial conflict, profiling, crimes, etc. already happen much too often. As higher education professionals, we often encourage the idea of global education and inclusion. So I can see where this controversial bill does not really fit.

In all, I am proud to be part of a profession that not only has a sense of civic duty but that also acts on it. ACPA is one of what I hope will turn into many taking a stand for core values. Will it help change any lawmakers' minds? Maybe, maybe not. But it all has to start somewhere, and this is certainly better than promoting a state making poor decisions. I also hope it sends a message to other states (read: politicians) who think Arizona is a good example to follow. I have already seen infuriating political television ads on how one candidate should win over another because he believes in Arizona's bill. Really?

Additional McKercher Dino-Quote of the Day: "Life lesson from a childhood treasure: Littlefoot doesn't grow up to be a Tyrannosaurus. That one's for @JK_83 to ponder today." via Twitter

I just wanted to share it because it was a good giggle to start a long day. And The Land Before Time was a great movie. Period. (The first one, sequels, not so much.)

QOTD #16

"The most important part of your life was the time you spent with these people." -Christian Shepard, LOST

Last night, for anyone who somehow did not know, was the series finale of LOST. And anyone who knows me of course also knows that I have devoted a few years to the show (not all six as I did not get into it until season three). I will not go into too much of how this show has been a milestone for television as you can search the numerous articles that say so. However, I will say that I have thoroughly enjoyed it, and even more, I have enjoyed what it has meant in my relationships with others.

This is why I took this quote from last night's episode. Not only was it really the epitome of what the storyline meant to the characters, but I think it well summarized what they show has meant to its many fans. LOST, and many shows like it, had a way of bringing people together. Honestly, this is how I started watching it in the first place. In my attempt to be social the second semester of grad school, I started to hang out with a few people who were already addicted to the show. (Actually, it tended to air right before pint night at Delaney's. So this became part of the ritual.)

I honestly was not immediately hooked because I had no idea what was going on since I somewhat jumped in the middle of it. However, the show grew on me, and as I went back to catch up on what I had missed, I was hooked. I then became a "Lostie" with the rest of them, and it became something we all did together.

As we graduated and moved our own ways, we could not give up the camaraderie that the show provided us. So we started a weekly email discussion after each episode. This quickly became what many of us looked forward to in the weeks of the season. We share thoughts, reactions, theories, research...all the things that crazy fans do I suppose. I especially held on to these interactions as I had moved to a town where I did not really know anyone yet, much less anyone who watched LOST. So for a while I sat at home yelling at the television by myself. (Do not act like you have never done it.) Eventually, I found out that Mike and some others watched it, and we quickly bonded over the shared experience.

And this is all the point of today's quote. As one my fellow bloggers pointed out, television can become a big part of who we are and of our relationships with others. LOST has been a shining example. It gave us something to connect over in a way that not only created dialogue, but often intelligent dialogue (heaven forbid). Okay, it was not always intelligent...Katie B and I enjoyed talking about shirtless Sawyer probably more than anything else, but I stand beside my point.

We treasure the time we have spent with others. These relationships make us who we are and who we will become. So thank you, LOST, for bringing me closer to some really amazing people while connecting us all with dynamic characters and a story that will surely be earmarked in the history books.

And as an homage to the shirtless in LOST:

QOTD #15

"But wait, your blog is based on quotes." -Adam

My office (read: Adam and I) has spent this week reading resumes for a position opening. Before you get too jealous, it is not as exciting as it sounds. Before we took our final crack at the pile (and yes, it was a pile because even though we cut was likely over 100 resumes to 40ish by using a master's degree as a baseline, it still took a while to weed through who is potentially qualified and who may not be), we took our semi-regular trip to Starbucks. During our walk back to the office, I commented on how one of my pet peeves is quotes. That's right. Quotes. Which led to today's quote.

Okay. So here is where I should probably clarify. I strongly dislike the use of extraneous, superfluous, pointless, fluffy, ridiculous quotes. I especially dislike them when used in a resume, email tag-line, or some other medium where the person is clearly using them in an attempt to be impressive. Now I will not say I have never been guilty of this, and one could argue that even Facebook statutes could be subject to the same scrutiny. However, I still stand by my rant.

My defense for my blog? Well, I try to use quotes that have a story and then tell it. I like quotes that hold a memory. A purpose. I want them to supplement the writing. Reinforce the person behind it or the person writing about it. I have been known to keep track of a number of quotes from trips, events, etc. because I like to hold on to the moments from which they came. Which brought me to this blog topic. Maybe not the best defense, but there it is.

I think some of my other colleagues at FSU learned early on my despise for quotes when I removed all the unnecessary quotes about leadership that were only used to fill space in the program for Leadership Awards Night (a major campus event that I coordinate). They all give me a hard time about it too.

And for future reference, I encourage anyone applying for jobs to keep in mind not only to not use outlandish quotes, but also: do not quote theory in your cover letter unless it truly ties back to something you are trying to say (we all took the class, thanks), be cautious of exclamation points (I get that you are excited, I hope you are if you are applying), make sure you are sending the correct cover letter to the correct institution (FSU is not Temple University, so I hope you impressed them instead), be contentious of your formatting (we asked for a resume, not a newsletter), do not overuse cliches (some will happen, but think about it), and make your experiences tie back to the job for which you are applying (even if you did not work in this particular area of student affairs, I am sure you could highlight the more transferable skills).

With that, I am off to edit my resume. Yikes.

QOTD #14

"I feel ahead in my life on many levels, and way behind on my life when I compare it to others, but it is my life and I need to live it." -Josh, via Twitter

I find it a little difficult to use a Josh quote that is not dinosaur related, but this one he posted today had me thinking. (Besides, I will add a little dino-fun at the end.) I often enjoy reading Josh's posts for many reasons. The make me often make me think. Even more often, they make me laugh. However, even more, I can almost hear him saying all of them. This one is no exception.

When I read this earlier today, I had the same reaction our friend Susan did, "J - you're not alone. I know we've all had this conversation not too long ago..." To which I responded, "Yes and yes" because I think this is true. I think I am finding that a number of us (read: older than 25, new-ish particularly higher education professionals) have had this thought, and most likely have had it recently and often. I know I have.

I am 26 with a master's degree. I have a professional job that (in theory) is my career. I have a place all my own (that is relatively far from my hometown). I pay my own bills. I make adult decisions everyday. I work in an environment where I actually influence others. In general, I (usually) enjoy what I do. I am (relatively) comfortable with where I am. I think I am pretty successful. However, looking at others and thinking I am way behind can be easy to do. (Hence, the use of parenthesis above.) I am single. I still rent an an apartment instead of owning a home. More so, I am not sure where I see myself in the near future much less further down the road.

Yet, I find the point to take away is the last part. This is my life. Period. Which is why I easily (even if annoyingly) answered the repeated questions of my love life and career goals that bombarded me during my sister's wedding. My decisions are my own. No one else has put me where I am today. If I decide that my goal in May is to blog everyday, then so be it. In all seriousness, while it is human nature to compare ourselves to others to benchmark our "progress" in life, we have to realize that we are not other people. What works for you?

Additional Josh Dino-Quote of the Day: "My day had me feeling like I got trampled but heard of angry dinosaurs. Much better after that run."

Even better responses? Suze: "I appreciate that they weren't just dinosaurs, but ANGRY dinosaurs..." and Josh's friend @Sweettea55: "@mupsi27 conquering the dinosaurs that would trample him http://twitpic.com/1ozvuz" (pic below)

QOTD #13

"Should a college punish swearing?" -Inside Higher Ed, via Twitter

In the higher education world today, a story broke that Hinds Community College in Mississippi is being charged by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for fining and issuing demerits to a student for cursing and "flagrant disrespect." I caught the story by following Inside Higher Ed on Twitter and had to immediately read it. You can find the entire article here. Wow.

The short version is, the college outlines in it's policies that "public profanity, cursing and vulgarity" are all punishable with a $25 fine for a first offense, and a $50 fine for a second offense, and that "flagrant disrespect" can be punished with demerits that can lead to suspension. The student in question apparently accomplished both of these offenses in front of a professor by saying outside of the classroom that his grade was "going to fuck up [his] entire G.P.A." Then when the professor threatened him with detention, the student "disrespected" her by pointing out the school did not have detention. So $25 for the f-bomb, and demerits for pointing out the obvious. Nice. Obviously FIRE is taking up the case because the claim is a public college is infringing on first amendment rights. (And anyone in higher ed reading this right now is immediately thinking "If they were private they could probably get away with it...")

The question to me becomes, how far do we go as educators to teach students civility? As educators, and as student affairs professionals, we are often charged to help make students better citizens. Often this includes how to express themselves to others in a "civil" manner. However, this college has clearly taken things too far. Fining students never really teaches them much. Just look at how many parking tickets they rack up, and they still park where they are not supposed to. Do you think this student will never curse again? I doubt it.

So then what are we supposed to do? Meaningful conversations? Teachable moments? Discourse on civility? I actually just found out today that a group of professionals at FSU crafted a new statement on being civil, almost like a creed (which is also quite popular on campuses these days...like our Seminole Creed or the Carolinian Creed but shorter), to remind our students what it means to respect all people. Our union director just shared it with me today. I will be interested to see where it goes on our campus.

I think we also find ourselves needing to look at the line between educating our students to be better people and just trying to change them all together. Should we not be trying to meet them where they are and then go from there? When has blatant punishment ever gotten us anywhere...especially with our newer generations. I am not saying that the student has a right to go around and yell "fuck" anytime he feels like it, but as most of our rights are, you have them until they infringe on others'. So he was outside of class commenting on his grades. Let it go.

(I have to insert here that I am literally having this same discussion with my long time friend, colleague, mentor Jenni as I am typing this becuase she is working on a presentation about "Millennials"...a term we both despise. Crazy timing. I miss my "genetics gone wild big sister." Ha.)

Maybe it is generational gaps...archaic institutions and policies...failure to know what else to do...actually, just failure. Whatever it is, I will be interested to see where this one goes, if anywhere. One of the most frustrating things about working in higher education is functioning in a world that promotes change while often holding on to outdated standards.

I could probably keep going, but I think I will stop here. I am interested to see what others think about this topic. Enjoy.

Sidenote: Especially for all of my USC HESA folks, Scott Lewis is quoted throughout this article. He still makes his points pretty well!

QOTD #12

"But I've been doing this for years, since they started this thing." -Sandal Beat guy (vendor at Market Wednesday and Seminole Discovery)

One of my job responsibilities is to help orchestrate Seminole Discovery, a way for student groups and vendors (and mostly apartment complexes) to reach out to our new students during the six weeks of orientation. This is my third summer now, and every year is starting to look the same. The vendors and apartment people become a pain in the rear, and I am often reminded of how glad I am to only deal with the student groups during Market Wednesday.

Today was the first day of Seminole Discovery 2010, and at only 9:00 am I was already presented with the quote above. The expectations laid out for every participant include that set up is not to begin before 11:00 am, and the event will run from 12:00 pm-3:00 pm. Tables are on a first-come, first-served basis. Well, especially for our veteran patrons, certain people prefer certain spots. Which means they want to snag "their" table before 11:00 so no one else does. When I explain they are not to set up early, I get responses like the one above (which is actually nicer than some others).

We all learned it (or should have) in kindergarten: JUST FOLLOW DIRECTIONS! Honestly. And this goes for much more than the vendors who frequent FSU. I have had a number of occasions when I have wanted to look at someone and tell that person to JUST FOLLOW DIRECTIONS. Hence why I felt this a worthy quote today.

I know this is more of a ranting post, but I had to get it out somewhere so that I can still politely look at those who do not wish to follow directions and explain how I cannot make exceptions to the rules. No matter how long you have been doing this. Thanks, and we appreciate you coming! *wink*

QOTD #11

"She spent her weekend making red velvet pancakes and didn't tell anyone."-Billy

I am actually paraphrasing here, but earlier today when walking to Starbucks and talking about what we all did this weekend, fellow blogger Billy made it pretty clear he was not pleased that I made red velvet pancakes (with whipped cream cheese and butter pecan syrup) and did not invite him to partake in the meal. 1) This makes me laugh. 2) They were delicious. 3) I love the way we revolve around food.

To back up a little bit here, another fellow blogger, Amber, posted the recipe on her Facebook page a few days ago (which you can find here: http://www.thebreakfastcook.com/931/red-velvet-pancakes). If you know me, you know I love red velvet cake. Period. Give me a reason to have it for breakfast? Uh...okay! So on my weekend trip to Publix, I bought everything I needed to make them, and they were pretty tasty (if I do say so myself).

After I made them, I immediately took a picture to post and share:

YUM

While I was excited to make the pancakes, what I really think about with this quote is how much food brings people together. I think about having people over to cookout, going out to lunch with colleagues and friends, going out to dinner, cooking with or for someone...so much of our relationships surround food. In particular, I think about grad school and the cookbook we created that I love so much. It makes me miss Moss Ave (where I lived my second year with two friends and next door to three other friends), and having six to ten (occasionally more, but more of those times turned into potlucks) people at any given moment to cook for and with and to enjoy food. I still have random phone calls on how to make my smoked Gouda mashed potatoes, and reference my friends for something new to cook for an event.

I find cooking therapeutic. I love to try new things. I enjoy sharing ideas. I cherish spending time with good people. All of this can come back to food. So, Billy, I am sorry I did not make the red velvet pancakes for you. However, it looks like I will have to have everyone over for brunch soon. Mimosas anyone?

Sidenote: If you decided to go out and make these, I recommend less cinnamon and possibly a little more cocoa in the pancake mix. It also makes about 15 good-sized pancakes, which is more than enough sweetness. Enjoy!

QOTD #10

"People fake a lot of human interactions, but I feel like I fake them all, and I fake them very well. That's my burden, I guess"-Dexter, Dexter

Dexter is another show I have started watching lately, and while it is a little strange, I have loved it. I am just into season two (watching it on Netflix since it is a Showtime show), and I have found it pretty entertaining. Basically, Dexter is a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department, but he is also a serial killer of bad guys who are not caught by the police. Again, the story is much more in depth, but I will not bore people with the details here. I do suggest watching it, though.

I felt this quote not only summarized Dexter's character well, but I like how it encompasses how anyone can feel on occasion. You never know what is really going on with someone or who they truly are. No, I am not a Student Affairs professional by day and a killer by night, but having to navigate some recent events, I have paid more attention to how delicate human interactions can be.

We often hide things from others for more reasons than we can count. Sometimes hiding is a good thing, sometimes not. What I try to take away from it is you never know what is occurring behind someone's "Hey, how's it goin'?" and a smile. Those of us who work with students everyday perhaps are more sensitive to this concept. However, we still can easily fall into our own worlds without looking behind the "fake" interactions.

Hopefully we have those we do not have to be fake around. As I have written about earlier this week, you find those who can support you...no matter who you truly are. Just a thought as my interesting week comes to an end.

QOTD #9

"You're not making the compelling case you think you are!" -Cam, Modern Family

I have not watched all of Modern Family, but what I have watched has been pretty funny. If you have not watched, it is a sitcom about today's family life. Older man remarries a younger Latino woman with a son much more mature than his age. Son lives with his gay partner and their adopted Asian daughter. Daughter is married with three crazy kids. Okay, I do not feel like getting into all the details of the show here, but you should watch it.

Last night was the next-to-last episode of the season where the family is in Hawaii. The gay couple, Cam and Mitchell, were supposed to be going on all sorts of day trips and adventures. However, it comes to light before they embark on a trip to a lavender ranch that Cam does not really enjoy all the little adventures, and he decides to keep the daughter and stay at the hotel. As the bus pulls away, Mitchell tries some last pitch efforts to convince him, but Cam yells out the above quote and heads to the pool.

I pretty much lost it at this line. Why? Because be honest. How many times have you wanted to just yell this out to someone and walk away? Really? Cam said it with a little smile and a wave, which I suppose would be sufficient in some cases, but I can imagine a number of times I wish I had just said this to someone. "Hey, Kelly, we should go jump off a cliff. Just think about the rush we will get as the air rushes past and the ground quickly approaches!" "You're not making the compelling case you think you are."

So no one has actually said that, but I am much to tired to think of a witty or true example. You get the idea. This is a great quote. My goal is to use it. Often.

QOTD #8

"You're such a star here at DSA Idol." -Julie

Today was our annual Division of Student Affairs award banquet, and like any good student affairs group, we used pop culture to create a themed event: DSA Idol. To take this theme to its full potential, the coordinators sent out a casting call for talent in the division to perform for the "judges" during the event. Who answered the call? The Student Activities Center.

Except...wait for it...we were the only ones to do it! So, my office opened the show this afternoon with an original number set to familiar lyrics thanks to the creative genius of our director. I have to take a moment here to give a little history. These lyrics were actually created for our retreat last August. Then, a few weeks ago, the office performed for our Union Appreciation Banquet because the Union wanted to showcase the local talent.

However, I was unfortunately out of town for my sister's wedding during that event and was not able to join in the fun. (I did hear many stories and watched what I could of a video since they experienced a blackout during the event. Good times.) But I work with caring colleagues who wanted to make sure I did not feel left out. Hence, we were offered up to perform today as well.

So this morning, I practiced the song for the first time, and we took the stage at 2:00. My opinion? We rocked it! Okay, I am sure to others we may have been less than par...and none of us really wanted to do it at first...but I actually ended up having a good time. Although I am frightened of future videos surfacing. Yikes.

I do have to admit that I am grateful to work somewhere that we do not take ourselves too seriously all the time, and at least we had the guts to do it in front of the entire division. Good for us. Okay, really, it was fun.

Wondering what we sang? I know you are on the edge of your seat. So here it is. Original lyrics written by the Student Activities Director of FSU and set to the tune of "The Joker" by the Steve Miller Band:

Some people call us Student Activities
Some call us the people that just plan fun
But some people call us mentors
Cause we speak on the importance of getting involved

Other staff talk about us, baby
Say we're working too long, working too long
Well, don't you worry about us baby, don't worry
'Cause we like being here, right here, all night long

Cause I'm a mentor
An educator
I'm a planner
A collaborator
Without us, how would campus run?

I'm a networker
An advisor
And a risk management expert
'Cause we don't want to hurt no one
Woo ooo, Woo ooo

(repeat chorus)

Rockin', right? So Julie (one of our awesome Higher Ed grad students) helped put on this event, and afterward encouraged me with her quote above. Look for our EP to drop next fall.

Additional Josh Dino-Quote of the Day:
"Really LOST that was a dumb episode, the theory I heard about them being dinosaurs now sounds cool."

This was his response after last nights episode. And if you watch LOST, you will understand why this is appropriate. If not, you can infer how disappointed fans were last night. Sigh.

Meow-Rawr

And for anyone who did not see Amber's comment on yesterday's post, this will be Dixie's Halloween costume this year:

QOTD #7

"Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors." -marquee outside Novey Animal Hospital, Tallahassee

I pass this marquee every day to and from work. The hospital is very close to my house, and it is also the one Dixie visits. They tend to (try to) be witty in what they put up with those little black letters each week. Most often, they are pretty cheesy, and they try to incorporate animals in some way. Sometimes they announce local events or that they have kittens up for adoption. Then occasionally, they strike a chord.

I read them every time I pass, and most days I just think, "Hm." However, this week's seemed appropriate today. I was going to try and not talk about everything that is going on again in this post, as I feel like my continual posting about it is just allowing it all to take over. Yet, I look at this one as one more way to see the positive.

Often I think of how we do not have or see the good without the bad. More often, I am saying this to others in comfort. This quote reminded me that I need to tell myself that as well. Even though things become (or currently may be) rough, this is how we learn. We learn who we are, how to handle it, and what makes our lives better.

This week I have learned how to seek support, use it, move forward, position myself, and tackle what lies ahead. I also reminded myself of how great people are in my life. So, I am ready to set sail and, and anyone who wants to come along is welcome.

Arrrrrrrgh!

Jurassic Park Lives

The dinosaur addition deserved it's own post today, although what I am about to show you is actually part of what made my weekend better.

I feel as though to fully appreciate it, you need to see the tweets (posted this past Saturday):

mupsi27: me-"i need a dinosaur quote" @getcurious-"rawrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" http://twitpic.com/1m7ydi @JK_83

This in itself provided me with a good giggle. However, imagine this face with what came next:

mupsi27: @JK_83 http://yfrog.us/0wc7bz @getcurious video in response to @aboycalledtuna "ooh awww, thats how it starts then running and screaming"

Here, I absolutely lost it! Thank you Josh and Adam for making me laugh, even from afar. And this may win as the best Jurassic Park reenactment ever.

QOTD #6

"I'll think about it tomorrow." -Scarlett O'Hara, Gone with the Wind

Anyone who has ever met me knows how much I love the story of Gone with the Wind. I read it for the first time in the 8th grade, have watched the movie more times than I can count, own numerous collectibles, and may come across as a crazy person about it (oh well). I attempted to read the sequel, Scarlett, but could not get through it. (I did watch the mini-series based on it, though, when I was home bound after surgery on my foot in high school.) I most recently read the newest take on the story, Rhett Butler's People, which I enjoyed.

Nonetheless, I have finally gone back to read the original book a second time, and I still love it. I could also write for days on it, but that is not the point of this post. I chose this quote today because much has been going on lately, and I find this quote appropriate.

We often juggle many things at once, and I have found that we often do not realize how much we are taking on until we sit down to hash it all out. I sometimes find myself putting off thoughts until tomorrow in order to get through what I think I need to do today. However, this has shown to not always work out when there is no putting it off until tomorrow. Sometimes, like now, things hit you all at once that are not going anywhere anytime soon.

So what do you do? Well, you hope to find the support you need to make it through. One of the best qualities about Scarlett O'Hara is her strength and perseverance. Yet, even she had some shoulders to lean on throughout her journey. Luckily, times like these remind me of those that support me. And to all of you, I say THANK YOU. You mean more than you will probably ever know.

After all, tomorrow is another day.

One of my favorite scenes from the film, which I just reread:

Suze, I Love You

Despite her apparent hate for dinosaurs that has come to light this week, and her boycott of my blog because of it (or because of the war with Josh?), Susan actually reminded me of some fun pictures involving me, her, and J. Brady (my awesome Spuddy, and Susan's current roommate in Texas). These pictures come via Myrtle Beach, Spring Break 2007.

This was our first year of grad school (J. Brady's second), and the two of them had come to hang out with me and some other friends at my grandmother's beach house. I am pretty sure this was our last day there, and we were shopping at Broadway at the Beach (an attraction I recommend for anyone visiting Myrtle). As you will see below, in the middle of the boardwalk are two dinosaurs, on which of course we had to climb.

So for a fun little weekend post, here are the pictures, in which Suze does not look too disdainful of the dinosaurs. But maybe that was because she just did it for us?

I am not too sure why this one is missing teeth, but he has a big head and little arms.

I miss these two lots!

QOTD #5

"I don't dance, I just shimmer." -Selby

This quote actually did not happen today, but I felt it appropriate. Why? Because my grad assistant is a rock star...even if he did not know he meant to say "I just SHIMMY."

He said this while we had taken our students out for a bowling social. In an attempt to dance, one student laughed, and this is what he said. Yet this is one time I think the quote is better out of context.

Selby truly does shimmer. Having a first year grad student has certainly been a learning experience for me this year as a new professional. Last year I came in with a second year grad who actually showed me the ropes more than I helped him. However, I think the two of us have navigated this year well together.

I am certainly grateful to have Selby around, and he actually does shimmer. His positive attitude can be contagious, and one of his greatest strengths is that the students love him. Plus, he says ridiculous things like the quote today that just make me laugh, and laughter is much needed in this profession.

So after a rough week for the both of us, this is a shout out to Selby. Keep shimmering.

Additional Josh Dino-Quote of the Day:
"This is me at my Divisional Review Committee meeting"This gets a post because 1) dinosaurs have still taken over my week, 2) Suze actually re-tweeted this with her own comment and 3) Calvin and Hobbes = win

QOTD #4 - sort of

"No rest for the bloggers." -Me

This is not my original quote choice for today. I also do not really care to quote myself two days in a row. However, an event occurred this afternoon right as I wrote today's title that shifted not only my plans, but a plans for all of my FSU friends. This event triggered the need to be out and be supportive of each other, which in turn caused me and another Blog-A-Day competitor to blog a little later than normal. Hence, today's quote.

Now in all honesty, I had pretty much resigned myself to the idea that I would probably not blog tonight. And I was okay with that. A minor sacrifice to support a very close friend and colleague. Yet this friend insisted that I blog because this challenge means much to her right now. So here I am.

Although I am finding it difficult to find words right now, I simply want to say that with tragedy comes opportunity and when tough times hit, you find out who will be there for you. She also said tonight when you take something away, you can often find what you were missing. Okay, I know it all may sound a little cheesy, but it is true. So this post is for an amazing woman who has such strength I know she will prevail in whatever is in store for her next.

QOTD #3

"What the crap?" -Me (via Regina)

This is one of Regina's favorite taglines. However, I had to steal it today. Why? Because of my friend Susan.

Many of my friends outside of the Blog-A-Day challenge enjoy the reading that it provides, and Suze is one of our top supporters. She is also one of my favorite bloggers to read. I highly recommend it. Her writing style is pretty awesome. However, today, I was distraught to learn via her blog that she is currently boycotting my blog. You can read her original post about the boycott here.

If you don't go to her link, her reasons for boycotting me are twofold: 1) She does not like dinosaurs (which as we have seen have taken over my blog so far) and 2) Because dinosaurs have taken over, she feels as though our friend Josh (as you know basically started this whole thing) has now "won." We do not know what he has won, but she is "just not okay with this scenario in which he is inadvertently winning."

Not only has she disowned me in the blogosphere, she has now thrown her support behind....REGINA! What the crap? Okay, admittedly, her post actually made me laugh out loud. Truly. However, my blogging pride is hurt and damaged. Can it recover? Time will only tell. I also feel the need to point out that it seems the reason is more about Josh than the dinosaurs themselves. Hmmmm.

The silver lining to all of this is the fact that people outside of our challengers are getting into this. And I love it. Regina and I have decided we need to get this viral and widespread. So to any readers of this or the other challengers' blogs, spread the love!

Oh, and will the dinosaurs make a come back despite Suze's dislike? Well, see, they were likely never going to stick, although I did truly enjoy the last two posts, and Susan's comments have now caused me to write more on the topic. I also must mention that Josh's quote today was "All this talk of dinosaurs still makes me want to get that stegosaurus tattoo again." Which was likely to make today's post because then I could have talked about my admiration for tattoos. But I guess Susan wins today.

However, because I cannot ignore Josh's (and others') effort to keep it going, I do plan to post the quotes at the end of each post for your dinosaur reading pleasure. Maybe one will be good enough to make the actual post. We will see. Until then, Susan, I love you. Come back to me!

Additional Josh Dino-Quote of the Day:
"Wish my days were still as simple as playing with my dinosaur toys on the sand box ." Don't we all?

P.S. My sister and I actually had this sandbox.

QOTD #2

"One day it will be professional to wear low-top converse to work, especially dinosaur low-tops. That'll be the day." -Josh

So within the last 24 hours, dinosaurs have become the trending topic in my world. Thanks guys. Adam even threw in a "Dinosaur impatient" at me when debating lunch plans this afternoon. Nice. However, today's quote gets the post not only because it is one of two quotes Josh worked on to tweet at me, but because it was even re-tweeted (thanks to J. Brady!). It also wins because it references Converses, which rock, and getting to dress down at work.

As I mentioned yesterday, this is dead week at FSU. Which means, jeans every day. However, I have still felt the need to wear dress shirts and/or shoes. Why? Because somewhere along the line I was conditioned to do so. Yet this is still a nice break from the norm at least. Everyone is a little more laid back, and I find it relatively pleasant.

To shout-out to Converses, I love them. Although I personally only own two pairs at the moment (due to budget and usage constraints), I always enjoy seeing a good pair of them. I also really enjoy seeing them used in more formal settings like work, weddings, etc. Go for comfort!

My current favorite Chucks:And I don't know if this is what inspired Josh, but I think they work:


I do not know if we can keep up the dinosaur quotes enough to keep them relevant, especially when things begin to pick back up around here, but I promise that if Josh keeps sending them my way, I will incorporate them into each post. Or maybe dinosaurs will just become the new theme. Either way, enjoy!

Sidenote: I miss calling it a brontosaurus, although I think the triceratops was always my favorite.

QOTD #1

"Dinosaur is not patient." -Mike

Okay. I realize this may be a dangerous place to start the blog challenge because when is Mike not saying something ridiculous? However, it is dead week at FSU. So my options may be few and far between. Also, this quote will actually pay homage to two of my friends. So here is the story:

On my post a couple of days ago, when debating what I wanted my May theme to be, my always thinking friend Josh compellingly argued the topic should be dinosaurs. An obvious choice. He was quite disappointed yesterday to find out I went a different direction. So he tweeted: "@JK_83 quote of the day over dinosaurs? i am going to have to try all of may to think of a dinosaur quote, and hope it is used for a blog." Well, Josh, here is a dinosaur quote. However, please continue thinking of a quote because I know you will come up with something good.

Sometime later yesterday, Mike and I were talking about our blogs, and I told him Josh's story about dinosaurs. Being another dino-enthusiast, Mike agreed the theme was a good one. Also being a "12-year-old," he has been imitating a dinosaur since. Hence, our Quote of the Day. At lunch, I brought down some cookies a wonderful student had made me. (That's right, I shared!) Mike finished eating before me and wanted a cookie right then. Being a few bites from done, I said he could be patient. To which he replied, "Dinosaur is not patient." And today's post was born.

Having started with dinosaurs, I also feel compelled to post three of my favorite dinosaur related images:

This one comes from a piece of flair on Facebook from Suze.

This one again comes from Mike, and is the best reenactment of Jurassic Park.


This one reminds me of Josh and Katie B.

So there you have it. QOTD #1. I am almost not sure where this will go from here. This may be a slippery slope. Oh well. RAWR.

And the Challenge Begins...

Okay. Here it goes. The second annual Blog-A-Day-In-May challenge has begun. Just for the occasion, I have added a box of just this year's participants on the side panel of my page. So for anyone who reads this, feel free to take a look at what I am up against.

This year, we have gone in with a clearer vision of the end result. Billy took last year's competition based on voting by the other participants, but we did not know going into it what voting would look like. We just set our criteria and voted last week. Well, being the organized person she is, Regina set our guidelines a little earlier this year. We also have a couple of new players. So what's the deal? Here it is:

Participants:

• Kelly
• Meghan
• Regina
• Billy
• Adam
• Julia
• Mike
• Amber

Rules:

• Each blogger must submit 1 post every week day in May – after 12:01am before 11:59pm each day.
• Each post must have words – no limit, but just be sure you have put some thought into your post - This is not a scrapbooking contest à compliments of Meghan in 2009
• Must request the day off via email to all competition participants. Participants may approve or deny request – majority rules.
• Participants must submit blog name before contest begins.
• All participants should follow allow participants.
• All participants should read other bloggers post for support and voting.
• You must post about the challenge in your first blog post, although it doesn’t have to be the majority of the post.
• Mid-week vacations are not exempt from blogging!!!

Winner categories:

Random Categories:

• Most supportive Blogger – comments on other posts, helped fellow blogger with request, etc.

Individual Post categories

• Best blog post – encompasses everything a blog post should encompass
• Laugh out loud blog post – Self explanatory
• What the crap blog post – Are you serious? Did that really happen? Shut up.. OMG… These are things you will say when you read this type of post
• Cheesiest blog post – corny, lovey dovey, etc
• Weirdest blog post – hmmm, IDK
• Readers Choice blog post
• Overall Best blog entry voted by viewers - Send your blog name into cyber space and give your friends the survey url once it is created to vote for you.
• Based on all posts- creativity, humor, out of the box, universal, length, theme, consistency, weekend post, etc
  

Overall Blog Categories

• Most Universal – can be read by anyone and is enjoyable
• Most Creative – out of the box and unique
• Funniest – self explanatory
• Blog Champion – Voted on by Challenge participants – Best of the Best
• Based on all posts- creativity, humor, out of the box, universal, length, theme, consistency, weekend post, etc

And that's it! So for anyone caring enough to read this, I ask for your support this upcoming month. Read, enjoy, comment. Without readers, what is the point? ;-)

Oh, and if anyone wonders what my theme is going to be for the month, I think I have decided on "Quote of the Day." This is not going to be some sappy place to write up famous quotes, blah, blah, blah. If anyone really knows me, they know I am not a fun of such. No, this will be quotes either I have said, heard, or seen in the day. Along with the quote will come commentary or whatever the quote inspires from me.

At least this is what I think I am going to do. Although we officially start tomorrow. So I do not have much more time to decide I guess.

Here's to blogging!