"Take a breath in when you need it, an' let it go when you need to."
- The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck
Presentation!!! Today, we stood (okay, technically, sat in comfy chairs) in front of the board and presented our projects. After those last few stressful days of trying to get everything done, I sure am glad that all of the project proposal paperwork is done! (Golly Gee! Guess who can't wait for the final draft?)
During the presentation, I was really nervous and my voice was a little shaky, but I kept going and I soon became more confident. I'd say I'm satisfied with how it went. We had a lot of questions which kind of made me nervous (sorry, I'm a worry wart, courtesy of my mother), but I still feel confident. I've just been somewhat freaking out after hearing some horror stories of other Girl Scouts that went before the board and left crying, twice!... But, after our presentation, I was feeling pretty good. (Well, at least there were no tears streaming down my face. In fact, I think I was smiling from a mix of nerves and joy.) Now, we have to wait a week before we hear the verdict as to whether we can start our projects.
I can't wait to get started. I'm so glad that I'm going away from home for this next week because otherwise I know that I would drive myself crazy with worry. But no, I wont even be in the country. I'm off to Haiti for a service project on Friday. See you all in a week!
Ready, intake a big breath...exhale... and cross your fingers. Here I go!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Makin' headway baby!!
"Mama exhorted her children at every opportunity to "jump at de sun." We might not land on the sun, but at least we would get off the ground."
- Zora Neale Hurston
Here I am on a Sunday, three days before I have to present my project to the Gold Award Committee and I've barely gotten started. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! We're all here working feverishly to get all of the massive amounts of paperwork finished. As I fill out one sheet and move onto the next, I've discovered that so many papers consist of slightly different questions and the exact same answers over and over again! This would be a lot easier if we could just type it out once.
This year, like a crazy person, I decided that I should take four AP classes, an honors class, German, and Sports Medicine(which translates into required training hours after school). So, all year long I've been killing myself to keep my record of straight A's. School is about to end, so the stress is on! ... I wish that I started this project sooner, but with school and the many surprises that life seems to throw at you at the most inopportune moments (thank you), there's been a big stress monkey that wouldn't stop climbing on my shoulders and weighing me down.... That's right! I just said stress monkey! hehe
But no matter how nervous and stress I feel, I am so motivated to get started, and when It's done I will have to satisfaction of knowing it was a success!
On another light note, I've talked to Jerry Hudson aka "Rip" and she has agreed to be my Gold Award Advisor! Yay! Thank you so much Rip!... I'm so excited that this no-longer-procrastination fest is running along smoothly. A lot of the paperwork is pretty much done and just needs to be finalized.
Oh and if you haven't already noticed, I'm kinda a quote guru, so if you're into that you can look forward to many more.
- Zora Neale Hurston
Here I am on a Sunday, three days before I have to present my project to the Gold Award Committee and I've barely gotten started. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! We're all here working feverishly to get all of the massive amounts of paperwork finished. As I fill out one sheet and move onto the next, I've discovered that so many papers consist of slightly different questions and the exact same answers over and over again! This would be a lot easier if we could just type it out once.
This year, like a crazy person, I decided that I should take four AP classes, an honors class, German, and Sports Medicine(which translates into required training hours after school). So, all year long I've been killing myself to keep my record of straight A's. School is about to end, so the stress is on! ... I wish that I started this project sooner, but with school and the many surprises that life seems to throw at you at the most inopportune moments (thank you), there's been a big stress monkey that wouldn't stop climbing on my shoulders and weighing me down.... That's right! I just said stress monkey! hehe
But no matter how nervous and stress I feel, I am so motivated to get started, and when It's done I will have to satisfaction of knowing it was a success!
On another light note, I've talked to Jerry Hudson aka "Rip" and she has agreed to be my Gold Award Advisor! Yay! Thank you so much Rip!... I'm so excited that this no-longer-procrastination fest is running along smoothly. A lot of the paperwork is pretty much done and just needs to be finalized.
Oh and if you haven't already noticed, I'm kinda a quote guru, so if you're into that you can look forward to many more.
How it all began....
"Friendship defies age and ignores distance. It weathers the hard times and shares the good. Together we have found this. Our friendship has provided acceptance and understanding in a world that pushes people apart. But I will always remain with the memories of the times we have shared knowing how fortunate I am to be able to call you my friend."
-Cindy Yrun
In the 1920s, a woman named Miss Mary White had acquired, from her father, a large plot of land amounting to about 200 acres. Soon this plot of land high up in the Sacramento mountains of southern New Mexico became known as the home of Camp Mary White (CMW). This camp was the first Girl Scout camp on the western side of the Mississippi. Girls from states near and far came to CMW to experience its one of a kind atmosphere and unforgettable spirit. CMW served as a home away from home to the campers that attended it. Here, they participated in campfires, stargazing, hiking, backpacking, the wonder of making friends that they'd never forget, and so much more!
Over the years, campers came and went, and over time, the camp had fallen to ruin and disuse. The structures began filling with eroding soil and animal waste, the trails became over grown from the lack of use, facilities began to decay, and the only sounds that filled the lonely canyon were those of thunder and animal. This place, once filled with so much laughter and life, this place, that changed so many lives is the place that has captivated my heart from the tips of the towering pine trees, to the sweet stems of lemon grass along the forest floor. I have been to Camp Mary White for only two weeks total, and I can't imagine my life without it. So, this second home has become the focus of my Gold Award Project.
One of the Camp Mary White traditions is that all of the girls have nicknames, and real names are not allowed to be used. My camp name is Quiver because I love archery. I love the brush of the feathers on the arrow... the feeling of the bow string taught behind my two first fingers... the vibrating jolt of the bow when the arrow is released... and the sound of the "thunk" when the arrow hits the target and makes its mark.
At CMW there is an archery range that is small and very close to the road and main building. When the camp had fallen to disuse as a girl scout camp, it was used for shooting game. The archery range now has multiple rebar poles sticking out of the ground that are hard to see and rather painful when you trip over them(go figure). So in my Gold Award Project, I want to move the archery range higher up the canyon to an area that is more fitting. This means that the archery range will be in a more distant location so that there wont be any stray arrow victims, the range is larger so that some of the girls can challenge themselves more, and restore the previous archery range to a nature site. Since CMW doesn't have any of the needed supplies for archery, I want to get donations from archery supply stores and other stores for needed materials like arrows, bows, targets, arm guards, etc..
... Here I go... Wish me luck! ... Also good luck ladies, meaning the other three ladies in my troop that are also going for the gold! We will be successful!
-Cindy Yrun
In the 1920s, a woman named Miss Mary White had acquired, from her father, a large plot of land amounting to about 200 acres. Soon this plot of land high up in the Sacramento mountains of southern New Mexico became known as the home of Camp Mary White (CMW). This camp was the first Girl Scout camp on the western side of the Mississippi. Girls from states near and far came to CMW to experience its one of a kind atmosphere and unforgettable spirit. CMW served as a home away from home to the campers that attended it. Here, they participated in campfires, stargazing, hiking, backpacking, the wonder of making friends that they'd never forget, and so much more!
Over the years, campers came and went, and over time, the camp had fallen to ruin and disuse. The structures began filling with eroding soil and animal waste, the trails became over grown from the lack of use, facilities began to decay, and the only sounds that filled the lonely canyon were those of thunder and animal. This place, once filled with so much laughter and life, this place, that changed so many lives is the place that has captivated my heart from the tips of the towering pine trees, to the sweet stems of lemon grass along the forest floor. I have been to Camp Mary White for only two weeks total, and I can't imagine my life without it. So, this second home has become the focus of my Gold Award Project.
One of the Camp Mary White traditions is that all of the girls have nicknames, and real names are not allowed to be used. My camp name is Quiver because I love archery. I love the brush of the feathers on the arrow... the feeling of the bow string taught behind my two first fingers... the vibrating jolt of the bow when the arrow is released... and the sound of the "thunk" when the arrow hits the target and makes its mark.
At CMW there is an archery range that is small and very close to the road and main building. When the camp had fallen to disuse as a girl scout camp, it was used for shooting game. The archery range now has multiple rebar poles sticking out of the ground that are hard to see and rather painful when you trip over them(go figure). So in my Gold Award Project, I want to move the archery range higher up the canyon to an area that is more fitting. This means that the archery range will be in a more distant location so that there wont be any stray arrow victims, the range is larger so that some of the girls can challenge themselves more, and restore the previous archery range to a nature site. Since CMW doesn't have any of the needed supplies for archery, I want to get donations from archery supply stores and other stores for needed materials like arrows, bows, targets, arm guards, etc..
... Here I go... Wish me luck! ... Also good luck ladies, meaning the other three ladies in my troop that are also going for the gold! We will be successful!
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