"life is short but sweet for certain"

The past week has been like a blur to me. It has been filled with grief, sorrow and uncertaintity. On March 27th, Michelle Calverley passed away in a tragic car accident at 2pm. Michelle was a hall director at RIC and though she was not my direct supervisor, I have been touched with the same grief. It is so difficult to explain to people how I knew her when they ask. If you are not part of a reslife staff in someway it is almost impossible to imagine the type of relationships we share. Michelle was a supervisor to us, a friend, confidant, a helping hand, a friendly smile and a heart of gold. As RAs and HDs we are all bonded by our unique work enviornment, the situations we encounter and the moments we share. These are not only co-workers, they are our friends, neighbors, and classmates. There is seldom a day that passes that I do not see mostly everyone I work with. When we are not working we are still all together. Almost all of my friends at school are RAs or HDs. So when people ask, "did you know her personally?" I can only say yes. To explain it would be too much.

Michelle was hired at the time I was hired as an RA. I remember being put off my her huge lip ring and boisterous laugh. Yet as the time passed and memories were made she became a dear friend. Her impromtu dance parties in a parking lot, her need to wear flip flops year-round, despite the foot of snow on the ground, our shared love of history and museums and historic places made me love her. I would go into the office just to say hi and sit in her office for a minute to chat or tell her about my latest history paper. I would borrow books from her personal library to write my papers. Over the past 2 years she has become such a fixture on our campus and it is hard to imagine her not here anymore. On Saturday, a service was held to celebrate her life. We took a coach bus to the Cape where she was from to attend together. At the church, we took over an entire section of seats. It was a beautiful service full of joyful memories shared by her family and friends. It was funny because I wished she was there too to share the moment with everyone.

One of my favorite memories I have of Michelle that I will choose to remember her by is of last summer during RA training we were on our way to a pawsox game and the Pink song "your hand" came on. Michelle proceeded to have the most intense one woman dance party in the front seat, hands waving, hair flying, eyes closed loving that song. I am lucky enough to have snapped a picture of this moment that I will treasure forever.

Michelle, you have had a lasting impact on my life. Thank you for all you have done for me; teaching me to swim, helping me with history papers, humoring me and my love of the american revolution even though you preferred WWII, sharing in dance parties and always being happy to be alive and living each day like it could be your last. Your untimely death has shown me the fraility of life and the ease with which it can be taken away fo suddenly. I wish I had had time to yell more to you as you drove away that afternoon, to tell you that I loved you and thought you were a beautiful person. So from this day forward I will make a conscious effort to tell each person I hold dear to my heart how special they are to me and to thank them for being in my life, because after all, life is short but sweet for certain.

I tell ya, I get all the nut jobs!

It's the end of the semester and to celebrate, my fellow RA staff and hall director went out to dinner at Dave and Busters. We are all enjoying our evening off and having a nice chat at the dinner table. Dom, my boss gets a call on his cell and just from the sound of it you know something is going down in New Hall. One of my residents pulled a knife on her (yes, HER) suitemate and threatened her because the girl apparantly put the other girls towel on the bathroom floor and got wet. What?!?! These girls are nuts to begin with and it's not the first incident we have had with either. How one got housing this year after the stunts she pulled over the summer (a hampster, alcohol, unescorted boyfriend creeping around the building, and a george forman grill) is beyond me. So the girl called campus police who brings along the hall director. North providence police is called and the whole incident lasts over an hour. The girl with the knife left for the night and the other girl is freaking out, crying hysterically, calling her mom etc. When we were leaving the restaurant, Dom asked me to stop by and check on her. I always get the drama queens! So I go up there with another RA and we talk to the girl. She proceedes to tell us a whole new side of the story that was never told to anyone in the hour the police was taking incident reports! So this causes me a whole bunch of paperwork. In the end, there are some crazy people that live down the hall from me! True life...It's gonna be huge!

True Life...

I'm an RA.

I'm telling you, MTV needs to make a show about the life of an RA becuause it is never short of entertaining! For example, Thursday night I was on call. Since Thursdays are the busy the busy nights, my building (which is huge compared to the others) had two RAs on call these nights. So Vicky and I are hanging out at the front desk around 9:30. One of my residents comes in with a massive bloody red spot on his forehead. We couldn't tell if he was playing a joke on us or if it was real so we asked him if it was. He didn't know what we were talking about and touched his head, at which point the cut on his head began gushing blood all down his face and chest. And what does he say.."I guess I'm bleeding" and walks into the bathroom. At this point we are in shock and are trying to get him to come out so we can figure out what to do. Vicky calls the hall director on call and explains the situation. She comes over and brings campus police to have their opinion if he needs stitches or not. He's shaking so I make him sit and show me the cut. It's pretty deep and he definitely needs stitches. He asks for a band-aid... I make him call a friend for a ride to the hospital. His friends doesn't believe him so I get on the phone with her and tell her his head is gushing blood and he needs stitches! They leave for the hospital and Vicky and I go back to our night.

The whole week it had been raining and there is practicaly no drainage on the front lawn of our building so it becomes a massive swamps whenever it rains. around 12:30, I was on a round of the building and was on the ground floor, which is the basement. I'm going up the stairs and the wall is leaking water. Yes, the walls have water pouring down them. The water was coming out of an electrical outlet, pouring down into a light fixture and into an emergency phone! So I'm standing there with another RA thinking what the heck do I do now?! I call the HD on Call who after a ten minute discussion about the walls leaking water decides to come over. Then we called campus police to send someone to look at it. So there are five of us standing there not really sure what to do, because really, when do your walls ever start leaking? Only in New Hall... After we call in a maintenance person to come in I'm on my way up to my room on the 5th (top) floor. In the hallway my room is on, there is a missing ceiling tile and rain, pouring into the hall. the puddle has taken over the hall and the rain is still coming. For this one I was able to get a bucket underneath to catch the water. As I'm mopping the hallway I am cursing the part of our Resident Assistant contract that we all sign saying "responsible for other duties as assigned."

These other duties as assigned are always the crap you would never think you would have to do. and your boss always loves throwing that phrase around. Like the time Joie had us move her old bureau out to a dumpster, I told her that wasn't in my job description and she shot back with "other duties as assigned" Oy.

So in the end, I went to bed at 4am. just another typical night as an RA at RIC :)

Fire Alarms at 10am

I've been trying to workout a lot more this year seeing as I have somehow managed to hold off the freshman 15 for 3 years-so it's more like the senior 15! Brandi and I have been meeting at 7am to walk to the rec center to work out. It is the best thing ever! I used to go at night at 5 or 6 and then I would be exhausted. But the 7am gig is so good for me cause I'm actually awake and showered for my classes now!



I have the craziest week ahead of me-2 exams, teaching and research paper. I am teaching 7th grade inclusion classroom on Wednesday. We are going to read a book about the pilgrims that I went out and bought at 9am today...I had my first ever lesson on Friday and basically it made me never want to teach again. I love the kids but the teacher who observed me was so mean! She said I was disorganized and unprepared-STFU lady! You have no idea how long I worked on that lesson! I even MADE playdough! Then she got all pissy that I used the overhead projector and her markers...i'm sorry, didn't know I had to buy a freaking classroom worth of crap for a 50 minute lesson!



SO-I am going to try again and hopefully it will go better.



Off to class now-World Regional Geography :) gotta love those climate biomes! (ok i kinda do...)

Halloween!

I had a great Halloween! I made Derek's costume- it looked so good! I was very surprised at my craftyness :) We went home to visit mom and Liz. We got dressed up and went to a few houses with them and then went back home to pass out candy.Derek was Aries, The God of War and I was Athena...cause I'm already a godess :)Derek gave lizzie his sword...great, give the special kid a weapon!

Other than that I didn't do much but it was really nice to be home for Halloween.

Fall Weekend

Thursday Derek came down for the weekend after I got out of class. I went on a mad cleaning frenzy of my room but he helped when I needed it and stayed out of my way. That night we went to my friend Rachel's apartment with Brandi and Serena. We hung out on the deck and made fun of all the wasted people going up and down the stairs in the hallway from the kids that live upstairs. After a bit we left and went to IHOP for some delicious pancakes! mmm



Friday morning I got up early because I am observing a special ed classroom at a Pawtucket middle school for one of my classes. I was super tired though and one of the kids caught me closing my eyes between periods.



I got back to school and Derek and I got ready for Yoga class at JWU. Derek did really well-even though I poked fun at him. After yoga I was exhausted and I fell asleep for 3 hours! Derek entertained himself and let me sleep. We were planning on going out for dinner and decided on a Mexican place called Tortilla Flats. We ordered Alligator for an appetizer! Dinner was good but we probably won't go back- now our type of atmosphere.



After dinner we went for a drive in the sticks to a little lake we know. It was pitch black out there and the only things out there are a Cumberland Farms and a dive bar called Gilda's. We opted for Cumby's and got a chill zone. You can't beat a $.79 frozen treat!



Saturday we decided to go yard-saling. it was a beautiful weekend and everywhere we went there were yard sales. I got two cds at one and a flameless candle from Brookstone! I was very excited. We attempted to make dinner but nothing sounded good at the grocery store so we ordered out chinese food. We did take a few minutes to sneak onto the roof to watch the sunset over the changing leaves. It looked like the quintessential New England picture. I was also on call so it was a pretty low key night.



Sunday we went home to visit the family. I brought a bunch of the apples I had leftover from apple picking and made a very tasty apple crisp. Derek made dinner- hamburgers w/ cheddar, jalapeno, and onion! After dinner I tried to get Liz to eat a candy corn and instead she threw it at me...that was a first! Mom, Derek, Liz and I watched a movie on tv. Liz was draped over me and Derek on the couch- at least someone was comfy.



Today we decided to go on a hike. We got the tomtom out and went to Newport to the Cliffwalk. The weather was gorgeous out. There were so many people out enjoying the beautiful day. despite the low tide smell it was perfect. I pointed out some of the mansions to Derek and told him what trivia I knew about the Cliffwalk.

Newport is such a cute place. I would love to stay there for a long weekend for a vacation because there is so much to do. I am a big fan of not having to go far to be on vacation. Like Derek and I said to day, its all about what you do, or not do! While we were driving we saw these little vehicles you can rent. They looked like go-kart/smartcar on three wheels. very cool.

Derek had to leave after we had dinner at the don because he starts his new job tomorrow morning! I'm pretty excited for him.

Tonight I'm waiting for my hall council RSA meetings at 8 and 9pm. I also am going to start looking through the new course catalogue for my classes next semester.

long weekend!!

I had a super busy week this week. Two exams and a map assignment-all are done now which I'm relieved about.
Tuesday I was on call and I didnt go to bed till 3. People can be so abnoxious sometimes. I usually enjoy my job, meeting people and getting to know everyone, helping people out with their problems but it's the jerks who break policy and are rude when you confront them that get to me.
I took my econ exam this morning...ugh. thats all I have for it. oh and pointless.

Last night we had our Relay for Life info night and actually had a lot of people stop by that are interested! As luck would have it, the student Parliament meeting was going on next door so I went over during the open forum and made an announcement about Relay, what it is and how they can get involved.

On a side note, I learned that if you join parliament, you get paid $25 per meeting. It would be nice to get paid to just sit at a meeting and say Aye, or Ney. But then again, I can't stand student government because they ride in on their high horse and think they own everything. I think I would rather loose my arm than be associated with them... but $25! I'm thinking :)

I'm very excited for the weekend though because its super long and Derek is coming to visit! We are planning on going to mom's yoga class on Friday, go out to dinner, he's going to cook for me on saturday because I'm on call, and home on sunday to visit! I have to see him all I can before he starts his new job on TUESDAY!