Here at UC Davis they let us grad. students take an undergraduate course here and there for credit. To me this always sounded like it would be a time to take a breather from your regular intensive grad seminars. A time to take classes that interested you. A time to take classes in other departments.

I am finding this is a complete misconception.

I am in an undergraduate class currently and it is kicking my butt in every way possible. Not only has the professor targeted me as "the graduate student" in the bunch, but she picks on me in a huge lecture and constantly humiliates me. I was the idiot who decided to take the class outside of my department. I went to a department that I have no experience in and no nothing on the topic. I thought I would take it as an interesting class. It is interesting. But I hate that I feel more pressure in this undergraduate class than my grad. seminars in my field. I hate that I put more effort and work into this undergrad class that was supposed to be for my own personal interest.

I just wish I took it pass/no pass, because I worry, I worry about what my grade is going to look like.

This is Town

Yesterday was amazing. I went to Blue Mountain to teach kids about blogging for their community. I was there ALL day, but it flew by. At one moment I just stopped everything I was doing and thought...
This. This, today. This experience. This moment is worth my whole two years of grad school.


Never in my life have I felt what I did yesterday. The experience. The kids. The distraught community coming together. It just really was amazing and it made me feel like for once in my life I really made a change. A real change. An impact. And not just some silly role model at a summer camp. It felt good.


Yesterday we gave the kids cameras, taught them how to take pictures to tell a story, gave them laptops, and taught them how to blog about their community. These are kids who maybe have been to Sacramento a handful of times in their life. These are kids who feel like Davis is such a long trip away. These are kids who maybe have touched a computer only a few times in their whole life. Their enthusiasm, willingness, and patience for new technology was amazing. It was admirable. Check out their posts on the blog I made for the community (on the side bar click on the link that is my work). Make comments on their stuff. They are so proud and they need the support from the outside. They are trying to make a difference for their community that is depleted in so many ways. If they know people care it will only be a positive impact.

I can't wait to go back. These kids are so cool. These kids. This community. This is my passion. This is what I want to do:
Blogging is simple really

New Computers are Cool

Trying out the Cameras

Yesterday I met with one of my professors. She is from Lebanon. She asked me if she has been pronouncing my name correctly when she calls attendance in class. I told her yes, she is one of the few people who have pronounced it correctly without me saying it first. She told me it is because when she lived in Lebanon she lived in a neighborhood with a huge extended family with the last name of chordas.

Pretty cool. Just had me thinking...wouldn't it be crazy if I had some distant relatives living in Lebanon? A drop of blood, no maybe less. But a shared last name that brings us together. You live in your own small family and it is mind blowing to think how many other people you maybe connected to in this world. Chordas doesn't seem like a popular last name. You never know.

I got tickets for the Death Cab for Cutie concert at Freeborn in April. Something to look forward too.

This sat. I am going to Blue Mountain to teach kids about blogging and how the can share/tell their stories of community as a way to move towards a positive future.

Last weekend was a blast. I was so happy about the three-day weekend. I think every weekend should be three-day. This weekend came quickly, but it will probably be over before I know it. School is about to get crazy. The last three weeks always pile up, real quick. This weekend I have to read two 100 pages plays, 60 pages from a textbook, and a 200 page novel. A lot.
Then in three weeks I have three papers due and a presentation. Then a final. Busy. I've been so caught up in my work too. Learning html. I get so stuck on it. Fixated. Like I know I can do something but can't figure out how...but I want to know how...so I sit there for hours trying to figure it out. When I do it is amazing. It is like solving a puzzle...but then I realize hours went by. Good for work...no good for school.

Nicole's birthday last weekend was a blast. It was nice to let loose and not have the tensions of school work pinching my brian. I tried belly dancing with Linda. Way to much fun.
Then I went on a hike in the bay area last Sunday. It was so pretty. You wouldn't expect the bay to look like it did. Afterwards I found this restaurant online that I wanted to try. It was Carribean. It was so damn good. I also love researching restuarants and then trying them out. There is so much excitement. Sometimes I just want to be a restaurant critic. I had plantains at this restaurant and they were so good. I hate bananas, but these plantains were fried it garlic and mmm so good. It felt good to have good food after a long hike.

You know...I realized that I didn't have a weekend last week, because I studied the whole time. I am so happy it is a three day weekend. Totally ready for it. Plus after Thursday things always pick up for me. I feel bouncy and happy by the time Friday rolls around.

Today I ran into a former professor that I had for a huge class in Fall 2003. He totally remembered my name. I don't get how professor's always remember me. I never talk in class. Yet they do. And it makes me happy, because I feel like I did something right for them to remember be out of the hundreds of students. It is just a good feeling.

Then I ran into another former professor (I was all over campus today for work) and we started talking about the summer. He said he wants me to be the reader/grader for his summer school class. I am totally stoked I can now have a TA like position on my resume. And for the experience. Plus I am happy because this is after the department told me I don't have a chance getting one of the summer positions, because they are held for the phd students. But whamo...I got it! So I am excited. I already know I will be working at least 2 hours a day with the city this summer and now this...I can't wait for the money. It will come in handy in Costa Rica.

Then I went and met with my creative writing professor and she really really helped me with my story. For some reason I just have the same mind-set as her. She explains things to me and they click. She always says she thinks differently than others so it is hard for her to explain, but I think, really, she has a backwards thinking like me...and her moments of teaching just click for me.

And tonight I am going out to dinner with my friends. I can't wait.

So at work I have been learning the ins and outs of blogging, because I am going to be teaching kids how to blog, and more importantly how to create a blog. So I have been teaching myself html and such. Doing this at work has allowed me to spiff up my own blog....
I like this new look. I think I will stick with it for awhile.
Also I have enabled comments so anyone can leave a comment on my posts. You don't have to be a blogger user.

I like teaching myself new software tricks. It reminds me of working at the city and learning rectrac. It is like learning a new language.

Anyhoo...
This is the new look

I need it to be the weekend. Actually it can just be Thursday. I like Thursdays. My creative writing class makes me happy and there is never any stress. But Monday-Wednesday kills me. And on top of that I didn't have a weekend this past weekend because I was studying for a test. And right now I have to go and find some sort of summary online for a 300 page book I was supposed to read but I think I threw it away by accident.
Pretty much I want it to be Friday.
So I can go to dinner with my friends.
Then on Saturday I am going shopping in Sacramento
Then Sunday I want to go on a hike with Jaime
And then Monday, well monday no school.
I can't wait for this weekend.
Oh and the Costa Rica planning has been a perfect procrastination method. We have now reserved two places. But that will come later...now I must go read up.