Thursday, January 29, 2009

The Office Goes Green!!!!


This office will have a recycling program if it's the last thing I do for this company!!!

Today Gretchen, David, Ian and I were putting together some proposals and we went through A LOT of paper!!!!! I was given a VERY hard time by one Ward Figge and one Ian Grainger for caring about the impact we are having on the planet. You guys think you are so funny talking about littering and waste.. however, it DOES matter!!! I have the phone number for the waste company who picks up the dumpster at the office, and I am going to upgrade our current status to - EARTH SAVERS INC! well... not quite.. But we are going to do what we can!

GO GREEN!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Africa



I am an Africa-hopeful.

God has put something on my heart that pulls me there. I want to serve. I want to learn. I want to have an impact.

Last night, I had my first meeting at Capital Church about the trip this summer to Swaziland. I must say it was a mixed boat. I am so excited about the opportunity of going.. However, I want to make this huge impact and have this great effect on the people there.. I don't want to be disappointed. As those of you who know me well have heard, it is very likely that one day I will start a non-profit. (Watch for the 501-C3 post... it will come I'm sure). I have this vision of Africa becoming self-sustainable. The countries have a major dependence on the outside help they receive from major organizations like The Chirldren's Hope Chest, and World Vision. While I feel these organizations are fantastic I don't know that spending two weeks building something is the best way to make a lasting difference.

Don't get me wrong! I think even the smallest things make a tremendous impact and can absolutely change the lives of these people, I just hope that someday we will reach a point where African countries have strong governments that allow the people to hold jobs and live in a place with a viable economy. I have this hope that high-quality education will one-day be available for everyone - and when I say education, I mean reading, writing, math etc., but also these people need to be educated on health, safety, trade, etc. Skills like these could absolutely change the direction of these countries. If someone knows how to sew and has access to proper materials and funding, they can create a small business!

The other MAJOR issue as we all know is HIV. While there are people who say that it is something that is just not talked about because the whole place is in denial, there are people who say men take advantage of women - believing that having sex with a virgin will cure their disease. (Don't even get me started on the need to empower women - Gretchen!) This is ALL a lack of education. These people need to be educated about safe sex, and abstinence, and the dangers of HIV. They also need to be tested! Many of them don't even get tested..

While I could ramble on about this for pages and pages I need to stop and remind myself of something VERY important. God loves these people and has a plan. He has a plan for me and my life of service and He has a plan for the beautiful people of Swaziland. I want to be a major part of the journey and His grace. I just need to let go of my anger and frustration and trust Him. . . . He must be up to something..

Plazafest


So every year student groups from around campus get together and give away free stuff to try to recruit people and get more people involved. Seeing as how I'm involved in 500 things this is always chaos for me. I LOVE IT!! I've visited all the booths of my current student groups including the humanities college, UPC, ASUU and The Bennion Center. I've come to a halt at Utenited. It's pretty great. Utenited is the Christian group I found at home with here. We meet every Tuesday night at 8. It's quick and dirty (I just don't have time for another 2 hour meeting!). So it's actually not dirty but it's about 30 minutes of worship music and a little life message by David Figge.

So today at plazafest we're just hanging out in our cool shirts handing out some flyers.. It's neat! www.utenited.com SHOUT OUT! err.... ya..

"This is Utenited, and you are welcome here"

Monday, January 26, 2009

The College Life I Live

Hello! Welcome to my college blog. I am currently a junior at The University of Utah! (our football team was ranked #2 in the AP poll after a 13-0 season.. you might have heard about it). I can't believe I'm more than half way done! After changing my major nearly seventeen times I think I MAY know what I'm doing with my life... I'm currently (always subject to change at a moment's notice) a Public Relations major with a minor in business. I am in year 3!!

At this point in time (again, always subject to change!) I am going to be taking the LSAT on June 8 (World Ocean Day in Brazil). That should be an adventure... The exam.. not the ocean.. but an ocean is an adventure too I suppose..

So again, welcome to the official log of my college years. I got started a bit late but here it is - The College Life I Live!