Chew on this!


I was going to post something about my anti-racism training on Wednesday, but so much conversation has happened around it afterward that I was inspired to put up this. Hopefully I'll catch up with typing out my anti-racism training observations after my Women's Leadership training this weekend and next week. However, I thought maybe posting this would help me start off the conference on a good note!

P.S. This poster and clever shirts and stickers are available at www.oneangrygirl.net

Say Goodbye...

It's one of those times when I know I need to update, but I suddenly feel like I don't have anything to say. I guess I can comment on how crappy the weather has been lately (cold and rainy) and that I've been doing a lot of reading lately.

I should say that this month (man, April flew by in a hurry) I'm trying to organize about 8 weeks of fun activities for middle school kids over the summer. We're going to go to a ropes course, a minor league ball game, do a fundraiser - and what I'm most excited about - host a carnival for the A Child's World day camp kids, so our middle schoolers get to put on a fun day of water balloon tosses and finger painting for 6 year olds. It's going to be an exciting summer. I'm just hoping that more kids sign up for our program!

-And that we get our funding. This is the time of year when we're in a mad scramble to find the funding to keep our program alive for one more year -hopefully funding will be more solid after 2007. Right now I'm calling every civic organization and church group in town and asking them to pitch in some dollars.

When looking for funds, I tend to start out slow and then kick into over drive. I've taken on few extra fundraising projects at the same time. The organziation People Escaping Poverty Project - which I am on their board - is also constantly fundraising. One of the ways they get money is the Headwaters Foundation Walkf for Justice - which is in September, but watch for that because I'll be looking for sponsors. My goal is to raise $300 for PEPP. PEPP just got a 10k grant from Headwaters to start a Tenants Rights group hear in Moorhead, and we're really excited about it. (I feel like I'll have to explain more about this at a later date.) And Churches United for the Homeless needs a new coffee percolator, so I've made it my personal mission to find away for my church to come up with the money. Those are my side projects.

Highlights of the week: This week Wednesday I get to sit in on the Minnesota Collaborative Anti-Racism Initiative (MCARI) level 1 anti-racism training I helped to organize. Not really organize, but I was the point person who communicated with catering and reserved the rooms. I printed the nametags. (shut up! It wasn't easy. Word didn't have that particular template.)
So I'm looking forward to that. Then - starting Saturday I get to go to a NEW Leadership Conference for Women about bringing about positive change in the community - how to be an instigator, if necessary, but basically how to be a leader and influence things in the community for the better. It's at North Dakota State University and it's 5 days long. I'm excited about attending, but not too keen on staying in a dorm room. I'll let you know how it goes.

Finally - the bad news. Two things have happened recently to throw my entire live into upheaval! Or at least my comfortable pattern of existance: 1) school ended at Concordia - changing the gym schedule, screwing up my evening work out routine and making it more difficult for me to watch the Daily Show and the Colbert Report. 2) Tonight: is the Series finale of the WEST WING!! (now I don't even feel like I want to work out Sunday night - if the gym were open!)

I know, such an event deserves a post unto itself, but its still too fresh. Perhaps I will write something more about it soon.

Vital Stats:
Musical of the month: Mama Mia
Working out: at 5! (ug! there's nothing on tv)
The Daily Show: miss it!
The WEST WING: (sob)
Weather: >: (
Movies: I wrote in the newsletter for the church I've been going to - Anyone interested in a Da Vinci Code matinee Sat. the 27th followed by pancakes and discussion should contact me. We'll see if I get any takers.
Plans for the weekend: I'm going to be at a conference. Everyone call me this weekend so I'll seem like I'm really cool!
Recipes of weeks past: Greek salad as per Nicki's description, fennel basil salad with tofu and couscous, and a really worthwhile recipe for sundried tomato and asparagus fetticuine. This weekend I ordered a pizza.