Lemme begin by saying how much fun this activity was. I mean how often do you get to look like a complete fool walking the halls with a little bag filled with small items searching frantically for more based on two sometimes extremely squirrelly clues?? Almost never. It was entertaining and enlightening and embarrassing at times, but I think I got a lot out of it…. and more than just the nifty little keepsakes. haha. I could go into detail about each item, but I will just talk about five in the interest of time.
The most embarrassing one was easily perserverence. I took the clues a little to literally at times and this was an excellent example of one of those times. So reading the clues for it, I saw “basement” and “shoes” and somehow managed to think that Mr. Brinegar was my answer. So off, I know, but it must have made sense to me at the time I guess. So I walk into his office, right, and I asked if he had perseverance and I got the wierdest look I have ever gotten. Embarrassed and red-faced, but laughing, I hurried out of his office and slapped myself in the face when I realized that Mr. Brown was the right answer. It made complete sense, in retrospect, that he would be perseverance. His job, which was the test to get the rock, is defined by it. When he asked me about what represented perseverance I immediately talked about the Kenya trip and how much what he does related to the mission of the trip and the million stars that have to be aligned so that we get to go and so that we get the most meaningful experience possible.
Another one where I read too deeply into the words was wisdom. Yes I did in fact try to ask Dr. Hayes’s secretary for wisdom. Then I went to the principal’s office. Then I realized that off the beaten path and books meant the library, though I would argue that in some ways I was totally on the right idea with Dr Hayes. Haffley, I give you props for the item: words of wisdom. That’s good. Mrs. Sibert emptied the possibilities for me to choose onto the library counter and I chose the one that had LOVE in huge letters followed by a description.
The easiest one to figure out was easily strength. The clues were hilarious and totally true of only Mrs. McCarthy, who I have grown to love dearly this year having her as a precalc teacher. It was really funny, too, when I asked her if she had strength because she produced the small packet of sand (left over from the mandala activity, yes?) from one of the drawers of her filing cabinet and handed it to me quietly. Although when Aiza realized that McCarthy had something and figured it out and went up to ask for it, people realized something was going on…. so of course everyone started asking why she was handing out drugs…. ohhh period five precalculus… such a funny class. I am thinking maybe the sand is strength because although it may not look like it can do very much, it is quite an impactful force of nature.
I didn’t even have Mr Hicks for speech and I knew he was courage. The clues were pretty self-explanatory which was a welcome break for my over-analytical mind. I find it hilarious, by the way, that I got a color called “tickle me pink” as courage. Legally Blonde allusion, anyone?? hahahaa…. Seriously, though. I liked that courage was represented by a crayon. I have no idea if I colored outside the lines in kindergarten or whatever school level tested coloring ability, but I probably colored within the lines because I have a feeling I was a perfectionist even as a young child. So yeah I am guessing that the crayon is representative of having the courage to color outside the lines… cliche? Probably. But then again it is a very strong image in the context of the hero journey….
And finally I am going to talk about joy. Ironic, maybe, that I chose a sour apple sucker for joy, but whatever. Mr. Klingler was an obvious guardian for this attribute because the clues clearly pointed his way but also because of the nature of his mission in the context of Brebeuf. Community service is something that brings joy to many people, myself very definitely included. I thought it was funny that he had suckers, but they were/are something everyone enjoys. Getting the sucker from him, though, was the funniest thing because he kept trying to work the word “joy” into everything he said.
I feel that this activity helped me to reflect more on what I am going to do for my hero movie and on the purpose of the hero journey overall. I found it to be not only a good time but also something that I won’t forget for a long time because it was a time of reflection and self-evaluation for me. My medicine bag never quite got all 15 items in it but I feel that maybe I chose to collect the items I did in the order I did for some special reason that may help me when I look back on this journey as a whole. Thanks for another brain bender and fun experience, Ms. Haffley.
… because it is! Not only does the infamous B have a thing for Breakfast at Tiffany, but so do I….
xoxo,
cj.
“Moon River” was sung by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 classic, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”.
For anyone who hasn’t seen it, I highly reccomend you do. Enjoy the song!
lyrics:
Moon River, wider than a mile,
I’m crossing you in style some day.
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker,
wherever you’re going I’m going your way.
Two drifters off to see the world.
There’s such a lot of world to see.
We’re after the same rainbow’s end–
waiting ’round the bend,
my huckleberry friend,
Moon River and me.
The rest of this is for those of us with eyesight.
Haha.
So if you haven’t seen the movie “Out of Africa”, you need to right now. Honestly it is my favorite movie of all time.I watched it back in ’06 before I went to Kenya on safari with my parents and thought it was cool and all the rest. But it wasn’t until I watched it again this past Christmas break that it completely changed for me.I have not been to the Ngong Hills, but I have been to the place where the movie was actually filmed: Masai Mara National Game Park. It is probably the most beautiful place I have been in my life. It was absolutely gorgeous and when I think of a place I wouldn’t mind spending the rest of my earthly days, it definitely comes to mind. Anyhow, I was completely freaked out when I saw it over break because I was watching certain scenes going, “I have been there! This is not supposed to be happening right now…”All in all, I was scared to see those places and to think of all of the memories I had made there because I don’t know when I can go back. That trip in 2006 changed my life, it really did.And I will never forget the people that I met there and the experiences I had. I mean, who forgets almost getting killed in a hot air balloon or almost having a momma elephant charge at your jeep? No one.It is impossible, I promise you.
The reason I brought up the movie, though, was not to have a brag-fest about how much fun I had in Kenya or how much I am FREAKING OUT about going back on the Brebeuf trip this June. The reason I brought up the movie is because of the love story.
The story of the relationship that develops between Karen (Meryl Streep) and Denys (Robert Redford) is bittersweet. I mean it is almost beautiful the way that they come together and the experiences they share. Karen is trying to cultivate a coffee crop and Denys is always off on another adventure. They get together after Karen and her husband, Bror, are estranged because he gives her syphilis and is sleeping around to say the least. But the story is forever sad because Karen pushes for Denys to settle down and marry her, while he refuses to promise her anything than his love one day at a time. They never even get a true title on their relationship.I refuse to tell you the end of the story, but it adds to their love story in good and bad ways.
Okay so I do have a point in ranting about this for the past fifteen minutes. I bring it up because I hate that the story is so true. That horrible limbo thing happens to relationships all the freaking time and it sucks, lemme tell you. I hate it when you want to much to hate someone for what they do to you, but on the other hand you know that you absolutely cannot be. You can’t let them betray your trust because you technically aren’t anything to them… but you stand at the edge of that proverbial cliff. You hear the apologies and have NO CLUE what to do. If you accept the apology, do you screw yourself over or do you move forward and become closer for it? I hate being at that stupid fork in that stupid road and having no idea how to decide to proceed. So basically, my point is this (because I promise that I have one): don’t let yourself become Karen Blixen and don’t do what Denys Finch Hatton does.
I hate my internet. I hate my internet. I hate my internet.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay so I had this amazing blog entry… then my internet decided that it actually hated me and that it wanted to go and be rude about the whole thing and deleted the entire freaking thing.This day has been just amazing. Just awesome…
So I will do my best to get back what I had from my exhausted and flipping out memory… but I will keep adding to it as I upload my pictures this week… like tomorrow or so.
I have decided just now that the “pyic virus” is really just kennel cough and that I have somehow managed to contract it.I’m actually not sure of this it just seems to fit my exhaustion well… and the coughing is annoying me.
So PYIC was insane!In both good and bad ways… lemme explain:
Saturday:So I spent a lovelyyy 4-5 hours at Dulles int’l airport on Saturday evening and didn’t leave until like 8:30 or 9pm.Why, you ask? Because PYIC was trying to register FIFTEEN THOUSAND STUDENTS (excuse me I mean scholars) at a FIVE PERSON registration desk in the space of like four hours.There were exactly 7,302 high school students on the trip and we all waited around in the baggage claim area, which looked creepily like a refugee zone, until they could get us all on buses out to see the speaking events at the Univ. of Maryland.It was so frustrating!No one knew where the line out was or how we were going to get there in time to see anyone.So we stood around and got on a bus without being registered, only to get to the university in time for DINNER AT 10PM and to completely miss the keynote speakers, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Lisa Ling.Talk about easy ways to make me upset….Dinner was horrible.We were treated like cattle and no one knew where the buses were to take us back to our hotels so I didn’t even get to my hotel room until around 1:30 am with my luggage.I literally met my roommate, took a shower, and went to bed for what felt like a long nap.
Sunday: We still had to get up at 6… Sunday was probably my favorite day.We got on our buses (I was on bus 29, later to be named twenty-fine after we looked so amazing for the gala on Tuesday) and I met one of my best new friends from the trip, Kirstie.She was from Tennessee and one of the sweetest people I have ever met.Anyhow, we got to the field house at the University of Maryland where we heard from our keynote speakers.First up was Colin Powell, who was so good!I did not expect to like him half as well as I did but he was awesome.His speech was great and other than the fact that he said “youngsters” every other sentence, I had zero complaints.Then we heard from the COOLEST OLD GUY ON THE FREAKING PLANET…. AKA DESMOND TUTU, Archbishop of South Africa.We decided on my bus that we wanted a little Tutu action figure to put in our bags and take with us so that we could hear him make these adorable little noises all the time.It was hilarious… but in a good way.He was awesome and I thought it was really cool that he not only was this little ball of joy up on stage (much shorter than I would’ve guessed) but he also was wearing lay-clothes.So according to him I am a VSP (Very Special Person) hahaha. Really though he was amazing.That speech made the conference worth all of the drama and stuff.I may be giving myself carpal tunnel with all of this…back on track. So then we went to the Inaugural Opening Ceremonies… which was basically one fantastic concert.This was one of my favorite things we did not only because of the amazing performances but because it was awe-inspiring to feel such energy from a huge crowd so excited for the Inauguration.We got there when Josh Groban started singing and left immediately after Obama spoke (unfortunately we missed Beyoncé because we were under the impression she had already gone).So I may be missing a few, but we definitely saw Usher, Shakira, Stevie Wonder, Obamaaaaa, Samuel L Jackson, Josh Groban, and Sheryl Crow.We saw more but I can’t remember them all.It was amazing to see them though and we actually got pretty close.From there we went back to the U of Maryland to see the final keynote speaker, Erik Whinenmayer.You may not recognize the name, but I can guarantee you probably know of the blind guy who has climbed the seven summits.He is unbelievable.His story was just amazing and it was really neat to see his pictures.The video of him going across his first ladder on Everest was enough to give someone with sight a freaking heart attack.
I can’t take this. I will show you the link below that just floored me.
So I figured a gossip girl title was appropriate for my “petit article” about my FREAKING OUT about leaving for DC TOMORROW!!!!! Yes, I am kiiiiinnnd of ecstatic. But, I mean, wouldn’t you be too??
Here are some highlights of things that I will be doing during my stay in DC for the next five days (this is me bragging just a little, but don’t get too jealous because you haven’t heard about where I will be during the actual inauguration…):
First, our keynote speakers are FANTASTIC. I’m probably the most excited about this aspect of my trip. We get to hear from South African Archbisop Desmond Tutu, Al Gore, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Lisa Lang, and Colin Powell.
Then the ball… it is black tie. We have a wing of the air & space museum and DAUGHTRY will be performing :]] but there is also a dj.
Finally, I am SO EXCITED to see a huge majority of my closest friends from my China leadership conference (IYLF). They are coming from all across the country and I just can’t believe how lucky we are to all have the opportunity to meet up again. I miss them all so, so, so much…
On another note…
I better fit all my clothes into my suitcase or else I might miss the chance to be an icicle on the Mall during the inauguration…
So for anyone who doesn’t know I am literally just getting started (today actually) on my blog. I was looking through a bunch of other peoples’ to get a sense of how far behind i am, how much i need to add to this thing, yadda yadda yadda… I was really impressed by how much time all of you have put into these crazy things so congrats on that.
my title… okay call me lame but gossip girl is one of the most famous, or notorious if you are disliked, bloggers in pop culture now… second only probably to Perez Hilton (who is a liiiitttle bit creepy if you ask me). and i had no better ideas that weren’t lame, in french, or even lamer than the original ones…
i am surprised by how much i like this. kind of therapeutical for the over-stressed week i am having right now so don’t judge.
ps- inauguration in one week…. OMG in one week i will be AT THE INAUGURAL BALL FOR PYIC. okay, i just got realllly excited but seriously I cannot wait to go to DC this weekend and do all of the things they have planned. you can count on a new entry when i get back just because i will want bragging rights for seeing daughtry live and hearing Al Gore in person (sorry conservatives)….
I will admit to being completely stumped when I was listening to this song (video, really….) tonight trying to figure out how to relate it to the call and what’s more how to blog about it. For me I think the song has to be the answer to the call, a feeling so liberating that you feel that this “whole new world” has opened up to those who chose to answer it. Okay I haven’t seen Aladin in God only knows how long, so nothing I say about the song will probably end up relating to the movie in any way, shape, or form. Back to my point though, I feel like that will be the words/lyrics/what have you that are possibly running through my head as I realize that I have answered my call.
An example: my trip to China this summer. It sounds lame but I wrote a trip journal while I was there (which i have since finished during Christmas break and the length is 75 pages) and before I left I wrote out two songs’ lyrics in the front. The first was that song that was featured on Secret Life of the American Teenager: Courage is… by The Strange Familiar. The second was a song incidentally called The Callby Regina Spektor (I highlyyyy reccomend it) which you have heard if you watched the very end of Narnia: Prince Caspian. When I got to China I was more homesick than I can even describe. I was crying all the time and literally called my parents twice a day. It was a hugedeal to me when I had my first phone call home that was tears-less. Anyhow, somewhere in between realizing that I was in China (it took me a while i think) and seeing all the people go home after 8 days (I envied them soooo much when i first got there) and realizing that I was sorry for them that they had to leave… somewhere in there I think I answered a mini-call if you will. I figured out that this whole “hey, i can be independent, too” thing was actually pretty legit and that I was having the time of my life. So as I sat watching a water impressions show on our first night in Hangzhou experiencing the worst pain I have felt in my life pulsing through my infected ankle, I realized that I didn’t want to go home. China, in and of itself, was the experience of a lifetime for me. I met people on that trip that I know I will probably talk to until I have Alzheimers, or some comparable atrocity of old age. I think I answered that mini-call by first of all staying in China and secondly by allowing myself to enjoy the experience…. So how’s that for a bit of a Compton-sized rant? Kidding, kidding. But seriously, all I could do as I sat on the plane ride back from LAX to Indy was to think about those two songs along with another one in the Camp Rock soundtrack (don’t laugh). The Regina Spektor song was really what hit me the most, I think, because it essentially summed up my experience in China as a whole. So call it my first adventure of my hero journey, but check out the song.
Well about the song that I am actuallysupposed to be reflecting on, I think it is comparable to the Regina Spektor song in that it describes that euphoric feeling of discovery. That’s the feeling I’m afraid I will miss by figuratively sleeping through my call.
Unbelievable sights
Indescribable feeling
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling
Through an endless diamond sky
That. That is what I don’t want to miss because I think my trip this summer gave me just a glimpse of what that feels like. Answering the call is opening…
A whole new world
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I’m way up here
It’s crystal clear
That now I’m in a whole new world with you
But wait, oh dear, this is kind of freaking me out.
A whole new world
Don’t you dare close your eyes
A hundred thousand things to see
Hold your breath – it gets better
I’m like a shooting star
I’ve come so far
I can’t go back to where I used to be
Okay I’m probably exaggerating (only slightly) by saying that this is almost exactly EXACTLY how I felt on that interminable second leg of my plane trip home. Part of it was that I was scared, terrified even, of coming home. Who of anyone reading this blog understands the phrase “san for life” or what it feels like to sing in front of a group of “orphans” who have parents that are Chinese political prisoners or criminals or how I had an ankle that looked like a baseball for a good week or how much fun it is to have a dance party on a tour bus while dancing with your terrified Chinese tour guide named Tien? I am guessing probably no one. That was why I was so freaking scared of coming back. I felt like I had changed drastically and that no one, no one would get that. I realize now that the changes didn’t transform me into this entirely different person, but I definitely feel like I changed as the result of my two weeks there.
So props to whomever actually made it to the end of the blog through all of my novice blogging skills and extended appendix and reflection. I commend your sanity.
…cj
PS- here are the regina spektor lyrics if you’re interested….
It started out as a feeling
Which then grew into a hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
Which then turned into a quiet word
And then that word grew louder and louder
‘Til it was a battle cry
I’ll come back
When you call me
No need to say goodbye
Just because everything’s changing
Doesn’t mean it’s never been this way before
All you can do is try to know who your friends are
As you head off to the war
Pick a star on the dark horizon
And follow the light
You’ll come back when it’s over
No need to say goodbye
You’ll come back when it’s over
No need to say goodbye
Now we’re back to the beginning
It’s just a feeling and no one knows yet
But just because they can’t feel it too
Doesn’t mean that you have to forget
Let your memories grow stronger and stronger
‘Til they’re before your eyes
You’ll come back
When they call you
No need to say goodbye
You’ll come back
When they call you
No need to say goodbye
I think I do feel called to do something.When I think of a vocation that typically has a “call”, I usually think of a clerical profession.However, for me I think it takes on a different meaning.Right now I think my call is to help others.This is what has led me to starting the USAP (Uniting with the Salvation Army against Poverty) club at Brebeuf and to other things that I am doing outside of school like independent volunteering at the St. Vincent’s Hospice Center.I don’t think that my “call” right now is especially strong, because I think it will grow as I get to know who I really am better.But for now I think I at least have an inkling of what it might be, or seems to be.
I think I might be.Hero seems like a pretty strong word to describe me right now at this point, but I see the potential for it a little bit later.I have gone on lots of adventures so far which I would say are my travel experiences, leadership conferences, and etc.But I think the adventure has yet to happen to me yet.
I do want to have a “call.”I think it is something that would lead to at least enjoying my work later in life if I follow said calling.Maybe I’m looking at the “call” wrong, though.I mean I’m thinking now of it as a vocation or purpose for life dedication, but maybe the “call” will be to go on some trip or “adventure.”Looking at it from both ways, I think the most important thing for me will be to determine to listen to the call.I don’t think it has happened yet, but I have a feeling it will in the near future just because of all of the experiences that await me.
