What? Volunteering for the SHARE program
Where? Pulaski
When? Third Saturday of each month.
The wife of one of my colleagues is in charge of managing the SHARE program. http://www.swva.net/nrca/pages/SHARE.HTML
In a nutshell, SHARE is a grassroots initiative to obtain food for charitable organizations at incredibly reduced prices. The charitable organizations (mostly churches and 3rd-age residences) select the type and amount of food that they want per month from the webpage referenced above. The SHARE program puts all the orders together, and gets the food by the truckload. This turns out to be very cheap.
Once a month (usually the third Saturday of each month), trailers come with the food in big pallets. This is where my involvement with this program begins. The pallets need to be taken from the trailer into the warehouse, and the orders for each charitable organization need to be put together from the different pallets. I usually work in the walk-in freezer, where perishable goods such as meat, fish, and pies are stored. Of course, I am such a doofus that the first time I was not wearing two pairs of socks, gloves, or a hat. Unlike the goods described above, it turns out that humans are extremely perishable when left in a walk-in freezer, so I had a rough time.
A particularly attractive feature of this program is that it hosts a variety of teenagers who need to do community service for getting in trouble, along with prisoners who want to be outside for a few hours. The troubled teenagers are particularly interesting to work with. I worked with four of them recently. They looked like just simple, plain teenagers, of the kind that one can see in TV series. However, for whatever reason, they got drunk and stole their dad's car, or beat somebody up. I really wanted to learn what was behind each of them, and see if I could help them. So, I tried to strike up conversation with the ones that seemed more upbeat. The first question that I was asked was: Are you here because you have to, or because you want to? When I said that I was there because I wanted to, they looked at me in disbelief, and added that they needed to be there to avoid jail time. Some of them were good boys, but some of them were really troubled. Particularly, there was one who would not do anything at all. He would just seat around, don't look at you in the eye, and refuse to collaborate. The sad part of the story is that we are supposed to report if this happens, and then they might go to jail. Of course, I did not report anything. I just wish I had known how to say the right words to help that boy. I have a lot to learn.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Building community in remote SW VA
What? Being bailed out the mud by locals
Where? Remote SW VA
When? February 6, 2008
I still don't know very well why I found myself towing a derelict car on a van on a wet and cold February night along gloomy roads 15 miles southwest of Abingdon, VA. But I did, and I was determined to make the most of it. I did not know the road, the van I was driving, and I was emotionally agitated. Unsurprisingly, I did not want to drive fast. When I saw a car inching forward behind me, I decided to use SW VA courtesy, and pulled off the single-lane road to let it pass. To my dismay, when I tried to return to the road after I was stuck in the mud. Van plus trailer plus car in tow were probably about 4,000 pounds, so there was no muscling it out.
Driven by pressure, I thought that if I unloaded from the trailer the 2,000 lb SUV I was towing, the van could get out. It didn't. Cold, wet, and muddy to my knees, I thought I was not going to get out of this without professional help that night. Just then, two locals drove by and inquired if their help was needed. "This truck is aaaaaallllll wheeeeeellll driiiiiive" the driver said, with the thickest accent I've heard in months. And he bailed me out. You should have seen the pride in his face when he pulled me out of the mud. The look in his eyes transmitted the reassuring notion that getting an AWD truck had been the right choice, no matter he couldn't afford it, and his wife let him know about it every day. It might also had transmitted "Oh boy. Another loser from the city playing grown-up adventures. Can't The google get you out of this one?", but I prefer to believe the former.
Having lived in several places throughout the world, I can say that Appalachian hospitality should not be taken for granted. Make sure that you keep it going. Give.
Where? Remote SW VA
When? February 6, 2008
I still don't know very well why I found myself towing a derelict car on a van on a wet and cold February night along gloomy roads 15 miles southwest of Abingdon, VA. But I did, and I was determined to make the most of it. I did not know the road, the van I was driving, and I was emotionally agitated. Unsurprisingly, I did not want to drive fast. When I saw a car inching forward behind me, I decided to use SW VA courtesy, and pulled off the single-lane road to let it pass. To my dismay, when I tried to return to the road after I was stuck in the mud. Van plus trailer plus car in tow were probably about 4,000 pounds, so there was no muscling it out.
Driven by pressure, I thought that if I unloaded from the trailer the 2,000 lb SUV I was towing, the van could get out. It didn't. Cold, wet, and muddy to my knees, I thought I was not going to get out of this without professional help that night. Just then, two locals drove by and inquired if their help was needed. "This truck is aaaaaallllll wheeeeeellll driiiiiive" the driver said, with the thickest accent I've heard in months. And he bailed me out. You should have seen the pride in his face when he pulled me out of the mud. The look in his eyes transmitted the reassuring notion that getting an AWD truck had been the right choice, no matter he couldn't afford it, and his wife let him know about it every day. It might also had transmitted "Oh boy. Another loser from the city playing grown-up adventures. Can't The google get you out of this one?", but I prefer to believe the former.
Having lived in several places throughout the world, I can say that Appalachian hospitality should not be taken for granted. Make sure that you keep it going. Give.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Two States
What? Foot travel along the AT
When? Friday, January 11
Where? Peter's Mountain Wilderness
Part of my duties as the faculty advisor to the Outdoor Club at Virginia Tech involve keeping an eye on 20 miles of the Appalachian Trail between the Pine Swamp Shelter and Rd 460. This is a remote area, most of which pertains to Peter's Mountain Wilderness. A highlight of the section is that goes over a ridge that separates VA and WV. From the trail, you can admire the geography of both states simultaneously.
I decided to start the pre-thru-hiking season activities by going on a one-day hike of those 20 miles. The trail is in pretty good condition. There are a few blowdowns here and there, but nothing to write home about. The views, particularly those of WV at Symm's Gap, remain breathtaking, even in a chilly, damp, Friday in winter.
You should not reject your next opportunity to hike this section.
When? Friday, January 11
Where? Peter's Mountain Wilderness
Part of my duties as the faculty advisor to the Outdoor Club at Virginia Tech involve keeping an eye on 20 miles of the Appalachian Trail between the Pine Swamp Shelter and Rd 460. This is a remote area, most of which pertains to Peter's Mountain Wilderness. A highlight of the section is that goes over a ridge that separates VA and WV. From the trail, you can admire the geography of both states simultaneously.
I decided to start the pre-thru-hiking season activities by going on a one-day hike of those 20 miles. The trail is in pretty good condition. There are a few blowdowns here and there, but nothing to write home about. The views, particularly those of WV at Symm's Gap, remain breathtaking, even in a chilly, damp, Friday in winter.
You should not reject your next opportunity to hike this section.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
11 miles of joy; almost
What? Hiking the Rock Castle Gorge Trail
When? Sunday, January 6
Where? Jefferson Natl Forest
After the prescribed vacation hiatus, I finally found the necessary peace to keep learning about the place where I live. Ever since I moved to SW Va, some three-odd years ago, I had been wanting to hike what is supposed to be one of the most strenuous and spectacular trails withing shouting distance: Rock Castle Gorge. Until now, I had always found the perfect excuse not to do it: I'm not in shape, It's too far away, It's going to rain. Motivation was easy to find this week: I have spent most of the last seven days of my life in a hospital room, looking after who I dearly refer to as my 'belay bitch'. He had emergency brain surgery ensuring a freak car accident. He is still convalescing, but he'll get better.
So it is not surprising that the dreaded Rock Castle Gorge Trail actually felt short and unchallenging. The mosaic of scenes I witnessed will remain unparalleled for some time though: blinding bright sun fighting off iced waterfalls, lots of water running in the gorge and scorched vegetation 2000 ft up in the grassy knolls, steep and narrow trail obliterated by mammoth rhododendron and overlooks with a 50-mile unobstructed view.
Of course, I am such a doofus, that I slipped crossing a creek and banged my right patella 'real bad' against a rock. Although it was hard to complete the last five miles of the hike with an ailing knee cap, I think I built some stamina that will come in handy when I go mountaineering this year.
When? Sunday, January 6
Where? Jefferson Natl Forest
After the prescribed vacation hiatus, I finally found the necessary peace to keep learning about the place where I live. Ever since I moved to SW Va, some three-odd years ago, I had been wanting to hike what is supposed to be one of the most strenuous and spectacular trails withing shouting distance: Rock Castle Gorge. Until now, I had always found the perfect excuse not to do it: I'm not in shape, It's too far away, It's going to rain. Motivation was easy to find this week: I have spent most of the last seven days of my life in a hospital room, looking after who I dearly refer to as my 'belay bitch'. He had emergency brain surgery ensuring a freak car accident. He is still convalescing, but he'll get better.
So it is not surprising that the dreaded Rock Castle Gorge Trail actually felt short and unchallenging. The mosaic of scenes I witnessed will remain unparalleled for some time though: blinding bright sun fighting off iced waterfalls, lots of water running in the gorge and scorched vegetation 2000 ft up in the grassy knolls, steep and narrow trail obliterated by mammoth rhododendron and overlooks with a 50-mile unobstructed view.
Of course, I am such a doofus, that I slipped crossing a creek and banged my right patella 'real bad' against a rock. Although it was hard to complete the last five miles of the hike with an ailing knee cap, I think I built some stamina that will come in handy when I go mountaineering this year.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Give local, also during Christmas
Now, this is a rare heart-warming Christmas story
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/17/bank.gift.ap/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/17/bank.gift.ap/index.html
Monday, December 17, 2007
A $25,000 idea?
What? Essay for grant
When? Dec 17
Where? Logrono, Spain
Dear readers, I need to you proofread and offer criticism about the following 200-word essay (any comment would be most appreciated).
When? Dec 17
Where? Logrono, Spain
Dear readers, I need to you proofread and offer criticism about the following 200-word essay (any comment would be most appreciated).
The main goal of the
On-going efforts of our members in the area of sustainability and environmental justice include the dissemination of awareness about senselessness of coal energy and the devastating effects of the mountaintop removal in our very own Appalachia, the year-long maintenance of a 30-mile section of the Appalachian Trail, or the management of
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Benjamin and me. The story of the most meaningful one-night stand.
What? Dog fostering
When? Saturday night, December 09
Where? The Cedar
I volunteered to overnight Benjamin, a 9-month-old Basset Hound in his way from a sure death in a kill shelter in Tennessee to a non-kill shelter in New Hampshire. Benjamin is a sweet creature. He loves affection, and is very affectionate himself. He is not reluctant to car travel. However, he does not like to travel in an empty seat. Instead, he prefers to snuggle up with anybody available, be it driver or passenger. His legs are too short, and his center of gravity too low, so he still does not master jumping into and out of cars. He is just a puppy, though, so with some exercise he will be as agile as any old German shorthair pointer.
Our walk in the neighborhood was a sensory explosion to him. "Here is the bush that Boof visits each morning; and that's Barley's", I pointed out to his delight. "That's Harley's place, but wait until I take you to Shebly's, she's a real bitch"
Benjamin was tired, and fell asleep with his back aligned to my upper body. I did not sleep much, overcome with joy. Next morning, when I handed him to the next link in the chain that has put him today in New Hampshire, he looked back to thank me. But he did not know that I was more thankful that he could ever imagine.
When? Saturday night, December 09
Where? The Cedar
I volunteered to overnight Benjamin, a 9-month-old Basset Hound in his way from a sure death in a kill shelter in Tennessee to a non-kill shelter in New Hampshire. Benjamin is a sweet creature. He loves affection, and is very affectionate himself. He is not reluctant to car travel. However, he does not like to travel in an empty seat. Instead, he prefers to snuggle up with anybody available, be it driver or passenger. His legs are too short, and his center of gravity too low, so he still does not master jumping into and out of cars. He is just a puppy, though, so with some exercise he will be as agile as any old German shorthair pointer.
Our walk in the neighborhood was a sensory explosion to him. "Here is the bush that Boof visits each morning; and that's Barley's", I pointed out to his delight. "That's Harley's place, but wait until I take you to Shebly's, she's a real bitch"
Benjamin was tired, and fell asleep with his back aligned to my upper body. I did not sleep much, overcome with joy. Next morning, when I handed him to the next link in the chain that has put him today in New Hampshire, he looked back to thank me. But he did not know that I was more thankful that he could ever imagine.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
More pupplers
What? Dog Transport
When? Sat afternoon, December 1st
Where? Between Wytheville and Roanoke
I had the incredible luck to share my saturday afternoon with
When? Sat afternoon, December 1st
Where? Between Wytheville and Roanoke
I had the incredible luck to share my saturday afternoon with
- Larratta, female, Basset Hound, 6 yrs. old, 45 lbs.
- Sebastian, male, Basset Hound, 1 yrs. old, 40 lbs.
- Velvet, female, Pit bull terrier, 4 mos. old, 30 lbs.
- Duke, male, Wheaton Terrier/Lab mix, 1 yr. old, 56 lbs.
Monday, November 26, 2007
The burning book gets chili, chilly
What? Meeting of the burning-book bylaws task force
Where? The Cedar
When? Evening of Monday, November 26
Writing the bylaws of incorporation of a non-profit organization is one of the most thankless activities that one can do to love their community. Knowingly, I offered to host the first of many bylaws meetings at my house and prepared for it conscientiously by providing the only ingredient that guarantees success in any meeting among human beings: a crockpot of chili. My beloved mother would disown me if she knew, but if I had to choose only one food to eat for the rest of my life, it would be chili. Oh yeah.
I will blog about this as winter sets in, but one of my goals for this season is to not use heating, or use it only if it's strictly necessary to avoid that the pipes freeze. So I did not turn on the heat for the meeting, and as the euphoria provided by the chili started to wear off, sleeves started rolling down, arms started crossing on top of tummies, and people started to feel chills down their spines. They all fought it off nicely, though. Good crowd.
In summary, the magical energy provided by the chili triumphed over the inhospitable conditions of the place I call my house, and enabled us to draft the first third of the articles of incorporation for the Burning Book in a little over two hours.
Where? The Cedar
When? Evening of Monday, November 26
Writing the bylaws of incorporation of a non-profit organization is one of the most thankless activities that one can do to love their community. Knowingly, I offered to host the first of many bylaws meetings at my house and prepared for it conscientiously by providing the only ingredient that guarantees success in any meeting among human beings: a crockpot of chili. My beloved mother would disown me if she knew, but if I had to choose only one food to eat for the rest of my life, it would be chili. Oh yeah.
I will blog about this as winter sets in, but one of my goals for this season is to not use heating, or use it only if it's strictly necessary to avoid that the pipes freeze. So I did not turn on the heat for the meeting, and as the euphoria provided by the chili started to wear off, sleeves started rolling down, arms started crossing on top of tummies, and people started to feel chills down their spines. They all fought it off nicely, though. Good crowd.
In summary, the magical energy provided by the chili triumphed over the inhospitable conditions of the place I call my house, and enabled us to draft the first third of the articles of incorporation for the Burning Book in a little over two hours.
Thriving in the rain
What? Sunset
When? November 26, 2007
Where? The Cedar's backyard
A magnificent sunset after a rainy day makes me feel thankful for what I've got. It also invigorates me to share more and pursue grander challenges.
When? November 26, 2007
Where? The Cedar's backyard
A magnificent sunset after a rainy day makes me feel thankful for what I've got. It also invigorates me to share more and pursue grander challenges.
Goings on about town. Week of November 26
Tuesday, November 27th:
Sunday, December 2st:
- 7:00-8:00pm, 223 Engel Hall -- Through Feminist Eyes. Dr. Ilja Luciak, Department of Political Science, "Gender, Conflict, and Development: The Parliamentary Dimension".
- 8:00-11:00pm, Gillies -- Old Time Jam.
Wednesday, November 28th:
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Thursday, November 29th:
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Friday, November 30th:
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Saturday, December 1st:
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Sunday, December 2st:
- 11:00am-6:00pm, Golden Hills Disc Golf Course -- Disc Golf Benefit Tournament. All proceeds will go to the Gracie Rock School Building Project in Belize.
- 7:00-9:00pm, Blacksburg Public Library -- Burning Book meeting.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Buy nothing day
What? Buy nothing day
When? Friday, November 23
Where? Everywhere
http://adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/
When? Friday, November 23
Where? Everywhere
http://adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd/
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Synthesizing Vitamin D in late November!
What? Rock climbing; sunbathing.
When? Thankstaking Eve. Or the day before Lurkey's day.
Where? West by God Virginia
My belay bitch and I set out to climb rocks on an unseasonably warm November Wednesday. A most beautiful day, it was so warm that I couldn't help but trying to get in the last batch of Vitamin D in my body before winter.
Vitamin D is a chemical that your body needs to avoid rickets disease in children, osteomalacia and osteoporosis in adults, and other ailments. Vegans need to be careful about Vitamin D because non-animal sources are scarce. Vitamin D is soluble in fat. Vegans usually do not have a lot of body fat, so this doesn't help. The good news for vegans is that ultraviolet radiation can make Vitamin D in your skin. So the most sun exposure you can get, the better.
At this point, I'm sure you are wondering why am I blogging about this. Well, Since West by God is within driving distance of BBurg, I consider it to be part of my community. I also love it insanely.
It's been such a gorgeous day that my belay bitch has not been able to refrain from thinking that if this is global warming, so be it.
You've got to love it.
When? Thankstaking Eve. Or the day before Lurkey's day.
Where? West by God Virginia
My belay bitch and I set out to climb rocks on an unseasonably warm November Wednesday. A most beautiful day, it was so warm that I couldn't help but trying to get in the last batch of Vitamin D in my body before winter.Vitamin D is a chemical that your body needs to avoid rickets disease in children, osteomalacia and osteoporosis in adults, and other ailments. Vegans need to be careful about Vitamin D because non-animal sources are scarce. Vitamin D is soluble in fat. Vegans usually do not have a lot of body fat, so this doesn't help. The good news for vegans is that ultraviolet radiation can make Vitamin D in your skin. So the most sun exposure you can get, the better.
At this point, I'm sure you are wondering why am I blogging about this. Well, Since West by God is within driving distance of BBurg, I consider it to be part of my community. I also love it insanely.
It's been such a gorgeous day that my belay bitch has not been able to refrain from thinking that if this is global warming, so be it.
You've got to love it.
Monday, November 19, 2007
My wings were clipped, but they grew back
What? Airport madness
Where? ROA
When? Monday afternoon, November 19
I had planned to use my Thanksgiving break to work on an scholarly outreach program with Hispanic underrepresented students. My intention was to travel to Texas A&M University Kingsville (which I will refer to as TAMUK, hereafter) and spend a couple of days unveiling the secrets of something called computational chemistry. Computational chemistry, aside from putting food in my plate, is a modern discipline that can be used to greatly enhance the chemistry curriculum of higher-education institutions. However, a variety of undergraduate institutions are not incorporating computational chemistry into their curriculum because they lack the expertise, the resources, or both. My plan is to help alleviate this problem by offering training to the faculty and on-line resources physically available at Virginia Tech. My focus is on Hispanic-serving institutions.
But my plans got grounded by Delta Airlines. My plane to Corpus Christi via Atlanta got delayed four hours, with the implication that I was not going to make it to Kingsville until 24 hours later. Forced to think fast, I realized that I did not have any contact information of the person who was supposed to pick me up at Kingsville in a few hours, or a cell phone to call anybody, for that matter. The radical in me is resourceful, though, so I took an alternative path to exit the labyrinth that modern air transportation senselessness had put me in. I remembered that ROA has wireless internet, so I fired my computer, hunt down the phone of my contact at TAMUK and called him from a public phone using a calling card. I know most of you are surprised to hear that, yes, public phones still exist, and they actually work. I gave myself a brownie point for demonstrating once more that cell phones are more convenient than necessary.
In the end, I had to postpone my trip a week. Here is where the two darkest points of the day stroke. I realized that I had to drive back to BBurg, which overall amounts to two gallons of wasted gas on Frankie. I also realized that the fare of my new ticket was $1,000 over the one I had previously booked. Delta representatives at the other side of the line were not happy about it, but the local clerk convinced them that this was really Delta's fault. I couldn't stop thinking that I had cost Delta $1,000. Of course, I love to cost big corporations money. However, it dawned on me than in the end, Delta will not stop making profit, so they will recover those $1,000 and many others by increasing the fares for everyone, denying raises to honest workers in the lowest rung of the ladder, or perhaps filing for bankruptcy and screwing everybody all the same.
Of course, whoever controls life paid me back big time. The sunset over Dragon's Tooth on my way back was unbloggably beautiful (whoa! I just invented my first word in English! Hell yes!). The colors of deciduous SW Virginia this particularly dry year are uncanny. I urge all of y'all to consider looking out the window if you happen to be in SW Virginia soon. Moreover, once in BBurg, I hit the public library, and one of the books I had been chasing for months was available! Oh yeah. Can't wait to finish this shit to start turning pages. Furthermore, I can now enjoy all the food that I had stashed in my suitcase to survive Texas on a vegan diet: carrot muffins, scrambled tofu with red peppers and 'shrooms, bananas, and cliff bars galore.
Yep, air controlers clipped my wings but SW Virginia grew them back. You've got to love it.
Where? ROA
When? Monday afternoon, November 19
I had planned to use my Thanksgiving break to work on an scholarly outreach program with Hispanic underrepresented students. My intention was to travel to Texas A&M University Kingsville (which I will refer to as TAMUK, hereafter) and spend a couple of days unveiling the secrets of something called computational chemistry. Computational chemistry, aside from putting food in my plate, is a modern discipline that can be used to greatly enhance the chemistry curriculum of higher-education institutions. However, a variety of undergraduate institutions are not incorporating computational chemistry into their curriculum because they lack the expertise, the resources, or both. My plan is to help alleviate this problem by offering training to the faculty and on-line resources physically available at Virginia Tech. My focus is on Hispanic-serving institutions.
But my plans got grounded by Delta Airlines. My plane to Corpus Christi via Atlanta got delayed four hours, with the implication that I was not going to make it to Kingsville until 24 hours later. Forced to think fast, I realized that I did not have any contact information of the person who was supposed to pick me up at Kingsville in a few hours, or a cell phone to call anybody, for that matter. The radical in me is resourceful, though, so I took an alternative path to exit the labyrinth that modern air transportation senselessness had put me in. I remembered that ROA has wireless internet, so I fired my computer, hunt down the phone of my contact at TAMUK and called him from a public phone using a calling card. I know most of you are surprised to hear that, yes, public phones still exist, and they actually work. I gave myself a brownie point for demonstrating once more that cell phones are more convenient than necessary.
In the end, I had to postpone my trip a week. Here is where the two darkest points of the day stroke. I realized that I had to drive back to BBurg, which overall amounts to two gallons of wasted gas on Frankie. I also realized that the fare of my new ticket was $1,000 over the one I had previously booked. Delta representatives at the other side of the line were not happy about it, but the local clerk convinced them that this was really Delta's fault. I couldn't stop thinking that I had cost Delta $1,000. Of course, I love to cost big corporations money. However, it dawned on me than in the end, Delta will not stop making profit, so they will recover those $1,000 and many others by increasing the fares for everyone, denying raises to honest workers in the lowest rung of the ladder, or perhaps filing for bankruptcy and screwing everybody all the same.
Of course, whoever controls life paid me back big time. The sunset over Dragon's Tooth on my way back was unbloggably beautiful (whoa! I just invented my first word in English! Hell yes!). The colors of deciduous SW Virginia this particularly dry year are uncanny. I urge all of y'all to consider looking out the window if you happen to be in SW Virginia soon. Moreover, once in BBurg, I hit the public library, and one of the books I had been chasing for months was available! Oh yeah. Can't wait to finish this shit to start turning pages. Furthermore, I can now enjoy all the food that I had stashed in my suitcase to survive Texas on a vegan diet: carrot muffins, scrambled tofu with red peppers and 'shrooms, bananas, and cliff bars galore.
Yep, air controlers clipped my wings but SW Virginia grew them back. You've got to love it.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
How many Ph.D.'s does it take to assemble a tricycle?
What? Volunteering at the Christmas Store
When? Saturday morning, November 17
Where? Montgomery County Christmas Store, Downtown Christiansburg
He who introduced me to the Christmas Store three years ago and yours truly gave their Saturday morning to the Montgomery County Christmas Store. This is an amazing collective, and I strongly recommend you to read about it in the appropriate link place at the very bottom of this page. In essence, the Montgomery County Christmas Store is a volunteer organization that works year round so that disfavored people in the county can ameliorate somewhat their dire situation and have a Christmas experience as close as possible to that dictated by the American Dream. Points assigned to eligible families according to their income level and specific situation can be exchanged for gifts, clothes, toys, and food in a mock shopping experience the first week of December.
We are very close now to opening day, and things have to be put together. In particular, we spent Saturday morning fixing bikes and assembling tricycles and big wheelers so that forthcoming young customers of the store can have a safe, healthy, and long-lasting Christmas present.
The most challenging part of the morning was to put together a few "real" mean mold-injected big wheeler. Mr "I've-got-a-degree-from-Berkeley-and-Stanford" couldn't figure things out. I brought the hammer and showed him what 4 summers of teenage slavery in an auto body shop taught me ... My progenitors would be proud if the knew of my dexterity with hammers.
When? Saturday morning, November 17
Where? Montgomery County Christmas Store, Downtown Christiansburg
He who introduced me to the Christmas Store three years ago and yours truly gave their Saturday morning to the Montgomery County Christmas Store. This is an amazing collective, and I strongly recommend you to read about it in the appropriate link place at the very bottom of this page. In essence, the Montgomery County Christmas Store is a volunteer organization that works year round so that disfavored people in the county can ameliorate somewhat their dire situation and have a Christmas experience as close as possible to that dictated by the American Dream. Points assigned to eligible families according to their income level and specific situation can be exchanged for gifts, clothes, toys, and food in a mock shopping experience the first week of December.
We are very close now to opening day, and things have to be put together. In particular, we spent Saturday morning fixing bikes and assembling tricycles and big wheelers so that forthcoming young customers of the store can have a safe, healthy, and long-lasting Christmas present.
The most challenging part of the morning was to put together a few "real" mean mold-injected big wheeler. Mr "I've-got-a-degree-from-Berkeley-and-Stanford" couldn't figure things out. I brought the hammer and showed him what 4 summers of teenage slavery in an auto body shop taught me ... My progenitors would be proud if the knew of my dexterity with hammers.
Of pupplers and nutritional yeast.
What? Rescued-Dog transportation
When? Saturday, November 16
Where? Somewhere between Whytheville and Roanoke, SW Virgnia
Somewhat accidentally, I became a surrogate dog rescuer on Saturday night. For the neophytes, it turns out that there exists a network of animal lovers and activist who rescue dogs in the wild south and find them homes in the tame north. This is all a volunteer effort, of course, and therefore underfunded. A problem with this north-south exchange of dogs for wishes of a better life is the transportation of dogs between places like Georgia and New York. Well, incredibly dedicated people arrange dog runs in which people across the country volunteer to carry the dogs in their personal vehicles for about 100 miles and hand them over to the next link in the chain, or keep them overnight if it's getting late. So I carried four dogs from Whytheville to Roanoke in a cargo of 16 dogs Saturday evening.
The dogs were:
- Buford, male, tri-color Basset Hound, 1 yr. old, 52 lbs.
- Koda, male, Bearded Collie, 1-2 yrs. old, 35 lbs.
- Jessie, female, Yellow Lab mix, 4 mos. old, 30 lbs.
- Drew, male, brown Basset Hound mix, 1-2 yrs. old, 38 lbs.
After haphazardly loading the dogs into Frankie, I headed towards Roanoke. But in less of half mile, and without time to fasten my seatbelt, the dogs had already wreaked havoc. It turns out that prior to driving to Whytheville, I had bought some groceries at Eats in preparation for my trip to the lone star state on Monday. I was stupid enough not to drop the groceries at home and Buford (a male Basset Hound) was the first to realize my mistake. When I turned my head to the back seat, he had between his paws a bag of nutritional yeast and was determined to get his snout in it. Nutritional yeast is used for many different purposes in the kitchen. In my case, I was intending to use it for some carrot muffins (oh yeah). Well, nutritional yeast has a distinctly pungent smell, which turned Buford wild. It was then when I made my second mistake: try to yank the bag of nutritional yeast from Buford. Of course, Buford did not like that, and in his attempt to regain power of the flimsy bag, he tore it up, releasing the bag contents all over the car. Now imagine how theatrical it is to have a pound of a smelly yellow powder flying inside of a car traveling at 70 mph with four dogs going crazy all at once! I can only imagine how suspicious that might have looked from the outside. Had I seen a police car, I'd have turned myself in even though I had done nothing illegal. After the powder had settled down a little, two of the dogs, Koda and Drew, had already taken hold of the passenger seat.
"Think, dude, think", I thought. And I thought that music would tame the beasts. And it did, but perhaps too much. After a few songs from Radiohead's "Hail to the Thief", Jessie was hiding all the way back in the darkest part of the trunk, Koda was on my lap smelling my crotch, and Buford was whimpering. Drew liked it, though. "Dude, this is not working", and I swapped Radiohead for something less troublesome, such as Bill Clifton's "The Early Years". The dogs absolutely fell for it. All of them quieted down, and so did I. It was then when I had one of the most joyous moments in weeks. Drew had claimed the passenger seat, so I was petting him constantly. Then he did something very special: he buried my caressing had in his chest and laid his head in my forearm. It felt like the sweetest of the girlfriends taking your hand and pressing it against her heart while saying: "You know? I really like you". Of course, the trip was too short and I have to admit that I underwent some separation anxiety on my drive back to BBurg after handing the pupplers over to the Roanoke relay.
This Saturday-evening adventure also served to meet with Tmum and her new puppler, shown in these pictures:
Curiously enough, Tmum and Bill Clifton are married, and live in SW Virginia.
Good luck to you pupplers! I hope you make it safely wherever you go. You'll be in my thoughts long after the nutritional yeast plastering Frankie dies and stops stinking.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Goings on about town. Week of November 11
Sunday, November 11th:
Thursday, November 15th:
- 12:00-5:00pm, University Mall -- YMCA Crafts Fair.
- 2:30pm, Graduate Life Center Brush Mountain A -- Nuclear Power Play (workshop performance with interactive discussion) sponsored by TWISTS.
- 7:00pm, Blacksburg Public Library- Burning Book meeting.
- 7:00pm, McBryde 100- Presentation by Allyson Gibson of the Chesapeake Bay foundation.
- 2:00pm, Graduate Life Center -- Greenwashing & Lies, or Energy and the Environment Speaker Series. Stephen A. Walz, Virginia's senior adviser for energy policy and chair of Governor Kaine's Energy Policy Advisory Council, will speak on the Virginia Energy Plan and future directions for energy research. The Virgnia Energy Plan was largely written by the fossil fuel industry and promotes heavy reliance on oil, nuclear, coal and mointaintop removal. Bring your hard-hitting questions on energy policy and challenge out state politicians to do more.
- 5:00-7:00pm, Gilles -- Community dinner with author Larry Lohman.
- 7:00-9:00pm, Torgerson 1016 -- Larry Lohmann speaks about climate change, privatization and power, brought by Mountain Justice at Virginia Tech.
- 8:00-11:00pm, Gillies -- Old Time Jam.
- 7:00-8:00pm Saving the Planet and Animals One Meal at a Time." Presentation by Erica Meier of Compassion Over Killing. Squires Student Center, room 238.
- 7:00-9:00pm, Squires 238 -- Mountain Justice at Virginia Tech meeting.
- 7:00pm, Pearisburg Municipal Building -- Given that our politicians chronically lack the courage to enact strong environmental legislation at the state/national level, the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) focuses on (and has had great success) enacting such reforms at the local level. The presentation will be given to the Concerned Citizens of Giles County to assist in their opposition to the proposed AEP fly ash dump in Narrows, but should be of interest to anyone working for change at the local, state or national level.
- 7:00pm, Blacksburg Public Library -- Natural Healthcare Series: Dr. Lauren Scott Jones will share the “five essentials” for health and happiness and discuss what Chiropractic has to offer that other healthcare approaches don’t.
- 7:15-10:00pm, Whittemore 300 -- A Gift for the Village. In June of this year fifteen individuals traveled 13,000 miles from Blacksburg, Virginia, to the remote west of Nepal to deliver a gift: an enormous sacred painting for thte village of Jomsom. Sample sights, sounds and stories from the first festival ever held to celebrate a bond between Tibetan and Nepali communities and the people of southwest Virginia.
- 7:30. Squires Studio. EURYDICE. The Virginia Tech Department of Theatre Arts presents their second main stage production of the year, Eurydice, directed by Virginia Tech graduate student Megan Carney.
This contemporary revision of the classic Greek myth of Orpheus is told through Eurydice’s eyes. It follows her journey through love and loss and the power of memory in a magical underworld filled with visual allure and surprising characters.
The story of Orpheus and his love for Eurydice is considered one of the greatest love stories of all time and has been retold through history in poetry, songs, and films. Orpheus, we are told, is a great musician. He and Eurydice fall in love. On the day of their wedding, Eurydice dies. Orpheus is so overwhelmed with grief that he plays the most beautiful and sad music opening the gates of hell. In the underworld, Hades makes a deal with Orpheus: He can have Eurydice back if he can lead her out of the underworld without speaking to her or looking at her. If he looks back at her, she’ll be lost to him forever.
Playwright Sarah Ruhl has altered the story with some surprises including a stranger in a high-rise apartment, a trip to the underworld in a raining elevator, and a reunion between Eurydice and her dead father. The play explores the ways that our memories of love and loss shape our lives and inform our choices.
Sarah Ruhl’s plays include The Clean House which won the Susan Smith Blackburn award in 2004, Melancholy Play, Eurydice, Late: a cowboy song, Orlando and Passion Play. Originally from Chicago, Ruhl received her M.F.A. from Brown University. In 2003, she was the recipient of the Helen Merrill Award and the Whiting Writers’ Award and in 2006 she was named a MacArthur Fellow. Eurydice premiered at Yale Repertory in 2006 and has just completed a successful Broadway run at Second Stage Theatre in New York.
Thursday, November 15th:
- 11:00-12:00pm, Virginia Bioinformatics Auditorium -- Can Rice Research Break the Cycle of Poverty for Rice Farmers in Asia? Presentation by proponenets of the controversial Green Revolution often associated with globalization, social injustice and environmental degredation.
- 3 PM Lyric Theatre, 135 University Blvd. Completed just before Hurricane Katrina, DESIRE offers a poignant
perspective on the complicated dynamics of gender, class and race in New
Orleans. Collaborating with filmmaker Julie Gustafson for five years-two
girls from the 'Desire' public housing project, a working-class single
mother and two girls from a prestigious private high school-make
intimate videos about their changing lives. Masterfully weaving these
short films into a larger narrative, Gustafson creates a landmark
portrait of young women whose desires and choices are profoundly shaped
by their family, social, and economic backgrounds. DESIRE has been
featured in numerous national film festivals and received the 2005 New
Orleans Film Festival awards for Best Documentary, Best Louisiana Film,
and the Grand Jury Prize. Additionally, DESIRE was awarded Al Gore's
'Reel Current Award' at the 2006 Nashville Film Festival.
Eligibility at the Christmas Store
What? Volunteer work at the Montgomery County Christmas Store
Where? Downtown Christiansburg
When? Saturday morning, November 10
A couple of hours after returning from my night out, I headed over towards Christiansburg to help the folks of the Christmas Store with eligibility. For complete information about the Christmas Store, please check out the link at the bottom of this page. In essence, the Christmas Store is an organization that strives to provide disfavored citizens of Montgomery County with an opportunity to feel as regular citizens during Christmas. Families in difficult financial situations are interviewed, points are awarded based on the number of children, disabled, and senior people living in the household, and the total income. Points can be exchanged for clothes, toys, and gifts during the first week of December, when the store opens.
I've seen it all at the Christmas store. From 16 year olds girls carrying their babies on their hip to seniors who can't write but served the nation in various wars. Disabled grandmothers taking care of their grandsons after their mother was arrested and put behind bars. Poverty is not discriminatory, whites, blacks, asians, africans, latinos all come to the store; everybody has a jaw-dropping story to tell. The truth is, these people are my neighbors. How can I think about Sudan or Tibet when my neighbors are in dire need?
Where? Downtown Christiansburg
When? Saturday morning, November 10
A couple of hours after returning from my night out, I headed over towards Christiansburg to help the folks of the Christmas Store with eligibility. For complete information about the Christmas Store, please check out the link at the bottom of this page. In essence, the Christmas Store is an organization that strives to provide disfavored citizens of Montgomery County with an opportunity to feel as regular citizens during Christmas. Families in difficult financial situations are interviewed, points are awarded based on the number of children, disabled, and senior people living in the household, and the total income. Points can be exchanged for clothes, toys, and gifts during the first week of December, when the store opens.
I've seen it all at the Christmas store. From 16 year olds girls carrying their babies on their hip to seniors who can't write but served the nation in various wars. Disabled grandmothers taking care of their grandsons after their mother was arrested and put behind bars. Poverty is not discriminatory, whites, blacks, asians, africans, latinos all come to the store; everybody has a jaw-dropping story to tell. The truth is, these people are my neighbors. How can I think about Sudan or Tibet when my neighbors are in dire need?
Ingredients for a successful social-justice fundraising event
What? One night without a home
When? November 9, 7pm-November 10, 7 am
Where? Henderson Lawn, Virginia Tech Campus
I'm extremely happy to communicate that I spent the night under the starts on Friday, and by so doing was able to raise $784!!! for the Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program. The following is an account of the makings of this incredible feat, as indicated by what I think are the essential ingredients to have a successful social-justice fundraising event.
1) You need a bright idea.
The idea couldn't be brighter: spend the night without home to raise awareness of homelessness and poverty in Montgomery County.
2) You need an activist.
You need someone to show that the issue is important and who is willing to take radical action to highlight it. I played the activist role on Friday by spending a rainy, gelid night under the stars on Henderson Lawn.
3) You need a charming PR
Gordon single-handedly undertook the, in my opinion, most daunting task: knock on doors and ask for money. He was able to obtain pledges from 20!! faculty/staff members of the Department of Chemistry.
4) You need the right audience.
The people at the Department of Chemistry at Virginia Tech are about the most inspiring and reliable group of people that you can imagine.
When? November 9, 7pm-November 10, 7 am
Where? Henderson Lawn, Virginia Tech Campus
I'm extremely happy to communicate that I spent the night under the starts on Friday, and by so doing was able to raise $784!!! for the Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program. The following is an account of the makings of this incredible feat, as indicated by what I think are the essential ingredients to have a successful social-justice fundraising event.
1) You need a bright idea.
The idea couldn't be brighter: spend the night without home to raise awareness of homelessness and poverty in Montgomery County.
2) You need an activist.
You need someone to show that the issue is important and who is willing to take radical action to highlight it. I played the activist role on Friday by spending a rainy, gelid night under the stars on Henderson Lawn.
3) You need a charming PR
Gordon single-handedly undertook the, in my opinion, most daunting task: knock on doors and ask for money. He was able to obtain pledges from 20!! faculty/staff members of the Department of Chemistry.
4) You need the right audience.
The people at the Department of Chemistry at Virginia Tech are about the most inspiring and reliable group of people that you can imagine.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Preparing to spend one night without a home
Thanks to Gordon, I will be able to raise over $500 for the Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program if I spend the night out at Henderson Lawn tomorrow (see previous post). Low 30's and rain are in the forecast. I'm going to do it.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Did you think that there's no homelessness in your backyard?
ONE NIGHT WITHOUT A HOME
“One Night Without a Home” is a fundraising and awareness
event that is being held at Virginia Tech by the Engaging
Leaders Social Justice group. This event is part of the
National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week with the
purpose of highlighting the problems of hunger and
homelessness.
An event like “One Night Without a Home” helps people
understand and realize the difficulties that homeless
people face daily and an end to homelessness is not
impossible. This event will be held on November 9, 2007
from 7:00 pm to 7:00 am on the Henderson Lawn and will
include awareness activities as well as fundraising
opportunities.
Planned Events
* Concert. A small concert will be held with local
musicians October Rain and Jose Manuel Cerrato.
Come enjoy the music and bring a can of food or any
monetary donation for MCEAP.
* Faces of Homelessness. We invite you to join a
discussion about the experiences of homelessness and
the situations that have caused the persistence of
homelessness. We would like to have an enlightening
conversation with people that can share their experiences,
in a respectful environment.
How you can help?
* Sponsor the night. You can sponsor one or more hours
of the students’ or participants’ time sleeping outside.
The goal for the group is to raise $1,500 to help pay
expenses for those that are at risk of losing their homes
and will not have sufficient funds to pay for heating this
winter. (If paying by check, please make them payable to
MCEAP, all checks and donations are tax deductible, MCEAP
is a 501 (c) 3 organization.)
* Canned food and non perishables collection. Cans of food
and other non perishable items will be collected during the
time the group will be at Henderson Lawn. Food for the
homeless: Items with pop-top lids, food with no cooking
required, and boxed drinks. Non perishables: Deodorant,
shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, razors, combs
and brushes, laundry detergent, diapers, wet-ones,
cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels.
I plan to participate in this event and am looking
for donors. Please, contact me for more information.
Mountaintop removal awareness session
What? Mountaintop Removal Roadshow
When? November 7
Where? Randolph 216, on the Virginia Tech campus
When? November 7
Where? Randolph 216, on the Virginia Tech campus
Dominion Power is attempting to build what would
become the 9th largest polluter in Virginia in
Wise County. This will spew thousands of tons of
pollutants like mercury and C02 into the air increasing
premature deaths and contributing to Global Warming.
It will also contribute to the continued destruction
of the Appalachians where over 470 mountains have been
destroyed and 1200 miles of streams have been buried due
to Mountaintop Removal. 25% of Wise County has already
been strip mined. Of course, the plant is not necessary
to meet Virginia's energy needs, nor will it do do
anything positive for the economy or jobs, outside of
lining Dominion's pockets. Unfortunately for us, all
the regulated government incentives for power
production are geared in the favor of coal companies.
No wonder Virginia is LAST in the nation for per-capita
spending on energy efficiency by utilities.
It was a very informative show. Not a strong showing,
though. Mountaintop removal is going to be a tough
battle due to the connivance between politicians and
almighty coal companies. In recent time, one hears more
and more the term 'clean coal'. You don't need a Ph.D.
in Chemistry to realize that 'clean coal' is an oxymoron.
What politicians really mean is 'marginally cleaner coal',
which is not a solution to the coal problem. Keep this
in your mind every time you turn on the lights.
I will post more on this issue once the ilovemountains.org
collective brings up to speed an initiative to use
GoogleEarth to track where the coal used to power
your house is coming from, and what mountains were
annihilated for that.
Burning Book Brainstorming Session
What? Burning Book informal meeting
When? Evening, Tuesday November 6
Where? More than coffee, downtown Blacksburg
After briefing people about the meeting with the Town Planning Engineers and our interactions with the BURG organization, we proceeded to marshal our thoughts about the next steps that need to be taken. The first step is for the collective to become an incorporation. This step is required to apply for 501(c)3 status (non-profit organization). Darren indicated that writing the articles of incorporation does not seem difficult. The only thorny issue is that in order to incorporate, an initial board of directors needs to be in place. There are two issues with establishing a board of directors. 1) Concentration of power in a board of directors is at odds with the premises of the collective: egalitarian and consensus based. 2) There exist liabilities for the board of directory in case of grossly negligent incidents. The solution to the first issue is easy; the board of directors will be nominal, and members of the board will not have more power than any other member. Some research needs to be done in order to clarify the liability issues, though. A task force formed by Liam, Sally, and myself will investigate liability issues on Saturday and present a summary to the collective before taking action.
We also brainstormed about possible spaces. The option of occupying the prior Eats space seems to be gaining weight. People were also keen on starting in a temporary shared space before securing external funding to pay rent.
When? Evening, Tuesday November 6
Where? More than coffee, downtown Blacksburg
After briefing people about the meeting with the Town Planning Engineers and our interactions with the BURG organization, we proceeded to marshal our thoughts about the next steps that need to be taken. The first step is for the collective to become an incorporation. This step is required to apply for 501(c)3 status (non-profit organization). Darren indicated that writing the articles of incorporation does not seem difficult. The only thorny issue is that in order to incorporate, an initial board of directors needs to be in place. There are two issues with establishing a board of directors. 1) Concentration of power in a board of directors is at odds with the premises of the collective: egalitarian and consensus based. 2) There exist liabilities for the board of directory in case of grossly negligent incidents. The solution to the first issue is easy; the board of directors will be nominal, and members of the board will not have more power than any other member. Some research needs to be done in order to clarify the liability issues, though. A task force formed by Liam, Sally, and myself will investigate liability issues on Saturday and present a summary to the collective before taking action.
We also brainstormed about possible spaces. The option of occupying the prior Eats space seems to be gaining weight. People were also keen on starting in a temporary shared space before securing external funding to pay rent.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Goings on about town. Week of November 4
This is a list of events that I'll try to attend this week:
Monday
7:30pm Graduate Life Center room F- Mexican Immigration Dynamics, Immigrant Rights, and Community-Based Organizing in the Other Campaign (sponsored by Coalition for Justice)
Wednesday
7 pm. Vegan Thanksgiving sponsored by NRVCARE. Squires Student Center, room 236.
7:00-9:00pm, Randolph 216 -- Dave Cooper's Mountaintop Removal Roadshow comes to Blacksburg, sponsored by Mountain Justice at Virginia Tech.
Thursday
7:30pm, Squires Haymarket Theatre -- Nuclear Power Play (full performance) sponsored by TWISTS.
Monday
7:30pm Graduate Life Center room F- Mexican Immigration Dynamics, Immigrant Rights, and Community-Based Organizing in the Other Campaign (sponsored by Coalition for Justice)
Wednesday
7 pm. Vegan Thanksgiving sponsored by NRVCARE. Squires Student Center, room 236.
7:00-9:00pm, Randolph 216 -- Dave Cooper's Mountaintop Removal Roadshow comes to Blacksburg, sponsored by Mountain Justice at Virginia Tech.
Thursday
7:30pm, Squires Haymarket Theatre -- Nuclear Power Play (full performance) sponsored by TWISTS.
Walmart in Blacksburg? The battle continues
When? Sunday night, November 4, 2007
What? Blacksburg United for Responsible Growth (BURG) meeting
Where? Blacksburg public library
BURG had a meeting in the public library. The bottomline of the meeting was to inform the attendants that the fight with the developers is far from over. Indeed, they've only won a tiny little battle. Legal and financial updates were discussed. The dedication of the group is admirable. The hard work of Daniel Breslau and Lori Blanc is simply admirable. Their fundraising abilities are an example: over $30,000 in donations since things got started, at the beginning of the year.
BURG let the Burning Book, represented by Darren and I, talk about our collective. I think our ideas were well received. We actually got some useful feedback from a couple of community members regarding spaces downtown and the nuances of dealing with small book distributors.
What? Blacksburg United for Responsible Growth (BURG) meeting
Where? Blacksburg public library
BURG had a meeting in the public library. The bottomline of the meeting was to inform the attendants that the fight with the developers is far from over. Indeed, they've only won a tiny little battle. Legal and financial updates were discussed. The dedication of the group is admirable. The hard work of Daniel Breslau and Lori Blanc is simply admirable. Their fundraising abilities are an example: over $30,000 in donations since things got started, at the beginning of the year.
BURG let the Burning Book, represented by Darren and I, talk about our collective. I think our ideas were well received. We actually got some useful feedback from a couple of community members regarding spaces downtown and the nuances of dealing with small book distributors.
Pretend that you like your work if you want to keep it
When? Sunday morning, November 4, 2007
What? Chemistry and Hispanic Open Houses
Where? Campus of Virginia Tech
I took on the incredibly daunting task to be the smiling face of the Chemistry Department and Hispanic Caucus during the Open House held by Virginia Tech. During Open House, prospective students and their families visit campus and receive information about Tech. Every department likes to have a faculty representative to show people around, ask questions, and tell future students that if they choose VT, they will end up walking over water in four years. I had to wear a costume, which consisted of shiny shoes, suit pants, and a shirt. Oh yeah. My cheeks hurt after so much forced smiling. I doubt I was of any help to any of the families, but I was definitely of help to our undegraduate secretary, Anna Hawthorne. Poor thing was charged with the thankless task of herding the families of future chemists through the undergraduate labs, even though she knows next to nothing about chemistry because it is not her job. Kudos to Anna for weathering the storm. I bet she is underpayed, even when she is assigned to carry out services she was probably not hired for.
The subsequent Hispanic open house went rather smoothly. Ray Plaza knows how to play the game, and Carlos Evia embodies the i-don't-take-any-shit-from-anyone professor everybody would love to have, particularly Hispanic students.
What? Chemistry and Hispanic Open Houses
Where? Campus of Virginia Tech
I took on the incredibly daunting task to be the smiling face of the Chemistry Department and Hispanic Caucus during the Open House held by Virginia Tech. During Open House, prospective students and their families visit campus and receive information about Tech. Every department likes to have a faculty representative to show people around, ask questions, and tell future students that if they choose VT, they will end up walking over water in four years. I had to wear a costume, which consisted of shiny shoes, suit pants, and a shirt. Oh yeah. My cheeks hurt after so much forced smiling. I doubt I was of any help to any of the families, but I was definitely of help to our undegraduate secretary, Anna Hawthorne. Poor thing was charged with the thankless task of herding the families of future chemists through the undergraduate labs, even though she knows next to nothing about chemistry because it is not her job. Kudos to Anna for weathering the storm. I bet she is underpayed, even when she is assigned to carry out services she was probably not hired for.
The subsequent Hispanic open house went rather smoothly. Ray Plaza knows how to play the game, and Carlos Evia embodies the i-don't-take-any-shit-from-anyone professor everybody would love to have, particularly Hispanic students.
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