"Lullaby of the midnight train" or "I'm in a glass case of emotion"

So, this is it. My last day in Madison. Maybe forever. My emotions have never been on such a ride.

I thought I would take a second, while I have it in my busy day, to reflect upon my summer. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to be here - to live here and to work here. Not only is this city amazing, but the people I have gotten to work with this summer in the Center for the First year Experience are more so. This office is the most purely collaborative, fun and friendly setting that I have ever worked in. I think I finally understand the perfect balance between challenge and support, in a way that I never realized I did not know before.

I could not say enough about the university itself. It is such a cool place, with such an interesting student body. There is this thing here called The Wisconsin Idea, which basically states that they believe in holistic education, a proclamation if you will, and they stick to it. Pretty phenomenal stuff.

I don't know what I would have done without the people here: Sarah, Tricia, Melissa, Kevin, Derek, Carren, Chris, Wren...the list could go on and on...They have made this summer so much easier for me to have been separated from Austin and my other friends.

I feel like this summer I got a glimpse into what my life would have been like if I would have come here for undergrad...I almost did. It's still so weird for me to think that I was born here - a block from where I sit now. Sometimes I find myself imagining what my parents life was like when they lived here, young newlyweds. I can visualize the streets that they walked everyday, the places they worked. It's pretty amazing.

Not only have I worked here, but I have played here and enjoyed every minute of it. The people I work with are so much fun. There is always something going on here, and I have met friends of friends, who I like to think have become my own. Such cool people here, always doing something fun and interesting.

Today is a bittersweet day because it is the end of such an amazing experience, leading into a day of grief and sadness tomorrow, and the extreme excitement for next week.

So Madison, I bid you adieu. You will always hold a special place in my heart.

On Wisconsin!

1 Week!

ONE WEEK! oh my goodness. I always knew that it would arrive, but now it's finally here! so here is the countdown:

 1 day until I leave Madison :(

 

7 days until I fly to Rhode Island

  

9 Days until Graduation! 

  

10 Days until my birthday!!

  

11 days until my family is complete again! 

Last weekend in Madison (!?!)

 

 Finally some dirty martinis to be had...

  

 The capitol at night...I will miss this view. 

  

Tricia and I, outside of Ian's on State Street. This time I had mashed potato, chicken and bacon pizza and she had mac' and cheese.

 

Hamming it up in Urban Outfitters during the sidewalk sale craziness known as Maxwell Street Days.

  

 On the capitol steps!

I was determined to enjoy my dwindling time here and Tricia really helped me feel better this weekend, all things considered. (This is why she will be a great student affairs professional! <3 )

"What have you done for fun today?"

My boss told this story in our staff meeting the other day, and I liked it, so i thought I would share it with 'all y'all' out there.

This weekend she was grocery shopping with her little daughter Marnie, and because she could not get all the groceries and the baby to the car together, she decided to use the drive up service. As she was helping load groceries into the back of her van the man from the store asked, "So, what have you done for fun today?"

"Well, nothing," she replied, tipped the man and drove away.

She said she pondered that simple statement for the rest of the weekend, and it spoke to her -- just an honest question from someone who was just doing his job. She tried to remember the last time that she just had fun, honest to goodness fun, and she couldn't remember. So with this simple statement she has resolved to have more fun, or find the fun in the things that she is already doing (like taking a baby to the grocery store).

I really liked this story, I feel like it could be a simple change that many of us could make, myself included. Summer is an easy time to have fun, at least for students. The responsibilities are far less and there are so many more opportunities: outdoor concerts, just eating outside, fairs and festivals, etc. The daylight drifts on, and people are more apt to linger.

But, I am really going to try to strive to have more fun -- everyday -- even when I have a million things due coming back to school in the fall, and I challenge you all as my friends to do the same, or at least to keep me in check. I think this time apart from Austin, my home and my friends has really helped me to value the time that I do have with loved ones, and once I settle back into the routine of normal life, I hope that I don't lose sight of all of this...so, spread the fun.

<3

...and I have a picture with Kevin

Here is the result when Kevin and I decided to take a picture together so that he too, could be on the blog:

 

LOL.

Here are a few more from that night, courtesy of my own personal paparazzi, Tricia :)

  

The lovely ladies of SOAR

  

Tricia and Peter, who does not work with SOAR, but we let him hang out with us sometimes anyways ;)

  

The other side of the booth...this is Jase, he was an NSL last year. 

OSL: he looks strikingly similar to TJ, no? 

Pictures from Madison

So one of my new friends Tricia has fierce privacy settings on her Facebook and I have recently been alerted that my friends cannot see these photos unless they are friends with her! She has graciously sent me some of them so that I can post them here for all to see :)

Miss Tricia (one of the fab undergrad interns) and I out on the town. She is headed to USC for Student Affairs next year! woo!

  

Later that night was my introduction to Ian's pizza. I am eating Barbecue Steak and French Fry pizza here...delish.

 

This is Miss Melissa (another fab undergrad intern) and I rockin it out at the staff social at a bonfire...so glamorous.

Derek (yet another fab intern) was DETERMINED to play chubby bunny...

even if that meant doing it by himself. 

 

Tricia was gracious enough to invite me to see Rhythm and Booms with her and her family...we are all cuddled up and ready for the show!

Ahh, the Terrace. One of the top things that I will miss about UW. This is the back patio of their Student Union. Where they serve beer. For real.

So, there are the interns...minus Kevin, who i don't yet have a picture with for whatever reason...but! he is headed to Appalachian State for Student Affairs next year! yay Kevin!

July 2008: the month of emotional turmoil

I can't believe that it is July already.

This month is going to be insane for me and my emotions. On one hand I do not want this month to end because it means that I am going to be done with my internship and be leaving Wisconsin...

On the other hand I will get to see Austin and all my friends in VA and GA and be reunited with my pup!

This month will alternately crawl and fly by...I just know it already.

So, in the spirit of reflection, here is the beginning of my list of things I will/will not miss about WI...

Things I will miss:

• Sarah, Tricia, Melissa, Derek and Kevin (in no particular order)
• Ian's pizza...pictures to come but they have flavors like "Lasagna," "Macaroni and Cheese," and "Steak Barbecue and French Fry"
• Being within driving distance to my family for the first time in 5 years 
• Being within reasonable driving/walking distance to: Einstein's, Cosi, Noodles and Co., and J.Crew
• Temperate Weather 
• Indie Coffee
• Concerts on the Square
• The Farmer's Market 

Things I will not miss:

• Counting down to seeing Austin 
• The uncomfortable twin bed I currently sleep on 
• Not having a Bingley foot warmer at night
•  Being far away from my friends!
• Having to explain the difference between Southern and Hillbilly
• Having people get whiplash every time I say "y'all"
• Not being crunchy cool enough to have a bike
• Almost being run down by mopeds

A Leisurely Day

Yay for Saturdays! Today was Austin's first day of liberty at OCS. He called me this evening and revealed that he was able to log onto Facebook, hit the bowling alley for some candy and soda (woooooo! the first he has had since April) and have no one yell at him all day!



Also, as for that "super hard" test that he was really worried about? well, it was really hard, but he got a 100! He is rocking out the classroom portion of OCS...his lowest grade to date is a 90. So things are looking good for on time graduation. He only has three "evolutions" (the tasks that if he fails can hold him back) left, so he is feeling a little better about life.



As for me, I actually got to sleep in today! nice. Woke up late, worked out, and headed to the largest fireworks display in the Midwest--Rhythm and Booms--which happens to be held right here in Madison!



I drove out to Tricia's (one of the undergraduate interns) family's house in Waunakee to eat some scrumptious barbeque food and catch the display. We drove out to a hill and stood outside the car with the radio up, they time the fireworks to music and broadcast it over the radio...everything from the Sound of Music and Beethoven to the Beatles and CCR...I got a few pics :)

Yay! It got me so excited for the 4th! I cannot wait to head up to the cabin and enjoy some down time with the fam next weekend! 

I know this is 3 posts in one day...

I promise that I am not turning into Perez Hilton...though there are less worthy people to aspire to be like ;)

In any case, I just need to reiterate how much I LOVE Madison as a city. I just got back from Concerts on the Square and had such a lovely time!

This is the statue "Wisconsin" atop the capitol dome as the sun was setting...so pretty...

This city is truly amazing. It was a free symphony "Gershwin and Friends" concert, on the capitol square, and they do them EVERY Wednesday throughout the summer!

There were all these booths from great restaurants set up, selling boxed dinners and cheap bottles of wine. My boss and I just sat on blankets on the grass and ate food and drank wine while enjoying the music and cute little girls pretend ballet dancing on the grass...

What a great way to help me not miss Austin as much...I love Madison.

A little about me...

So I realize, thanks to comments of others, that I have neglected to update anyone on things here in Madison, for example, what I am actually doing here.

Here we go!

I am loving life in Madison. It is so great to be back in an urban setting once again. (Sorry Athens, you just don't count, though I love you for a myriad of other reasons) I love walking around the city and being by the water!

I am interning in the Center for the First Year Experience at the University of Wisconsin. This office, rather than just doing orientation (known as SOAR-Student Orientation Advising and Registration) also coordinates Wisconsin Welcome (welcome week) and a first year seminar course, as well as other supportive programs for the entire first year of freshmen and transfer students.

Right now we are running SOAR, which has a crazy schedule. The SOAR freshman programs are a day and a half each and there are simultaneous programs running for both parents and students. We start on Sundays at 8, they finish Monday at 4 meanwhile Mondays session has started at 8 on Monday and finishes at 4 on Tuesday...so we run through Thursday, 4 programs a week. Then Thursday afternoons are staff meetings and socials (yay!) and Fridays are Transfer sessions which run 1 day long, so they start Friday morning and then finish Friday afternoon. (again with simultaneous parent and student programs)

whew. so, that is the schedule.

The staff consists of 18 New Student Leaders, or NSLs, 4 undergraduate interns who supervise the NSLs and 4 professional staff members and me supervising them!

I am having a BLAST and love working full time again. It's almost as full time as consulting...jk.

Here is a picture of the NSLs, interns and some staff at the END of our retreat (so forgive the tired appearances)



Everyone here is great so while I am looking forward to heading back to life in Athens, I will miss all my new friends here!

Luckily two of the undergraduate interns just graduated and are going into Student Affairs programs in the south! Tricia is heading to the University of South Carolina and Kevin is headed to Appalachian State.

Anybody wanna head the the UGA v. USC football game with me in the fall? ;)

More photos of my birth city!

These are just a few of the pictures I took walking around Madison and the campus, enjoy!

This is the inside of the dome of the capitol. I literally laid on the ground with Melissa...and twenty other people... to get this picture

These halls lead out of the rotunda North, South, East and West with roads leading right up to the doorways.

The statues on the outside of the top of the capitol, they wrapped all the way around.

I think this was the Supreme Court room...there were 4 of these rooms, each with a different designation ate each of the 4 directional points.

I ate ostrich. yes. for real.

The view up State Street towards the capitol building.

The historical society building is on campus, and beautiful.

This is the Red Gym, it used to be an armory, and a gym and now houses Visitor Informations Programs among other things.

This is the Memorial Union, so pretty!

The view of the lake from the back of the union.

Bascom Hill and Hall, it used to have a dome on the top to mirror the one on the capitol building, but it burnt down a long time ago...

The statue of Abe Lincoln in front of Bascom, the students go sit on his lap for graduation pictures :)

A family of ducks I ran into

Another view of the lake, the building you can see is a residence hall...can you imagine that view every day?

There it is...in the middle of the city, love it!

Courtney in the City, or Me in Madison

Such a beautiful city!!! Madison is on an isthmus between two lakes and these were all taken from the top of the capitol building! More to come!

busy busy busy

Sorry to keep you all waiting on the updates, but it has been a busy week for me!

We started Freshman Orientations here at UW and in case you haven't been paying attention to the news have been conducting them despite the state of emergency across most of WI...

A little about the fam first -- Zach Brawford graduated high school this weekend! Yay! It was a really long and hot ceremony, but we are all quite proud of him. He will be attending school at UW-Eau Claire and double majoring in Music Education and Music Composition. Pics to come soon!

Also graduating were my cousins Danny and Karyn Malnory. So, we had their party on Saturday and Zach's on Sunday.

I talked to Austin Sunday morning which is when he told me about the ridiculousness of RLP.

Apparently only 20/41 people in his class passed, so he was really happy to be in the passing group!

His test consisted of basic knowledge and prep of uniform etc, and then random things like why he loves the Marine Corps and jumping on and off his bed 100 times...

ohhhh Navy. I love how hazing is legal, so long as it is done by an organization other than a fraternity or sorority, lol.

In other news he got fitted for his dressiest of dress white uniforms and thinks he looks very dapper in it :)

on the flip side when he gets out of OCS he will owe about $2500 in uniform costs, yikes!

I think it is time for a little equality, in the form of a new Coach purse and beautiful new shoes of course, don't you? ;)

Headed out myself...

I am currently taking a break from packing up our house! I am getting a little teary about being away from my little home this summer, especially since I will be detached from my little family as well...

I am excited about heading to Madison for the summer though in spite of all the missing everyone, including my awesome cohort-mates ;) I know Haley and Justin will take awesome care of Bings and the Navy has Austin under control...so I can't do much but concentrate on my life and writing letters!

Spoke to Austin tonight...he seems to be just trying to get things done while he can. Word on the street is that he is getting the meanest DI ever in his new class (woo hoo!) so we will see how that works out. He got to talk to all of his family this week though, so that's great!

In other updates though, apparently supply school will be a blast. What a change! I will be stressed out about school and Austin will be having fun...oh wait, that's just like this year! :)

He has requested news stories if you are mailing anything to him, clippings, etc. from the election news and just world happenings...I guess there is no time for leisure activities like reading the paper at OCS, haha. If something intrigues you, send it to him!

The next update won't be coming for a while as I will be all over the country this week, but I will update when I can!