Cafe Victoria

Last night I watched “The Visitor”, an independent film about the Post 9/11 Immigrant Experience and our deportation detention centers that exist in our country. It is a great film. After the film, it got me thinking about how Americans and the American government are housing illegal immigrants in detention centers. There is a line in the film where the character who is being detained, who is from Syria says something close to this; “I am not a terrorist. The terrorists are not in here. They have money. They are not in here. I just want to play my music”.

I told Matthias, I want to do something about this. I am not sure yet, but I feel really powerful about this issue. The film opens my eyes to the way this country is fighting terrorism. We are tearing families apart and creating more and more stereotypes and discrimination. There has to be a better way to fight terrorism and process illegal immigration then holding people in detention centers. There has to be…I encourage you to watch “The Visitor”.

Since finishing graduate school, I have been enjoying yoga, catching up on my television watching, hanging out with friends, and jumping in full speed into my role as the President-Elect of the CA Community College Student Affairs Association. The President-Elect position is similar to the vice president role. I am serving with a great group of fellow student affairs professionals. The best part is I’m forming friendships with all of them. It is so important for me to keep networking since I am a single person department which happens a lot on community college campuses. Since budgets are so small, many times, one person is managing student government and student activities. During our CCCSAA board bi-weekly conference calls, I share any challenges I might be facing with my students or the programs I am leading. Otherwise, I probably would not be calling out for help.

The one thing I am learning from this experience is I like being a mentor and helping new advisors become familiar with the field of Student Affairs and Student Life. This December will make it seven years in my role as the Coordinator of Student Life. As the President-Elect, I’ve taken on co-coordinating the professional conference in Napa next March, am in charge of the professional and student scholarships, and just finished with co-organizing the Advisor reception at the Student Senate Fall General Assembly. We had 60 advisors there! Adrienne, the President and Carlos, the Student Senate Liaison and I did an awesome job. We were able to create an experience for advisors to discuss hot topics, such as free speech and balancing work and life outside of work, and have fun networking at the same time.

I’ve also realized that for many years now, I have managed my office, advised student leaders and studied leadership. But this President-Elect experience will be my own personal leadership experience. So far, it’s a lot of fun!

This past weekend, I and seven other students attended the Fall General Assembly sponsored by the Student Senate of the CA Community College (SSCCC). It was held at the Double Tree Hotel in San Jose. My new favorite thing is Double Tree Chocolate Walnut cookies. Soo good! My other new favorite thing is this whole idea of the Student Senate General Assemblies. This was my first time attending the annual conference. I usually would send two students by themselves. This year, I decided to join them. I am really glad I did and that we sponsored more then just two students.

The Student Senate group of student leaders really impressed me. Through out the assembly, my students joined many other students from 74 out of the 110 community colleges to write resolutions, attend workshops, run for senator-at-large positions (there were 25 candidates alone!) and vote on 22 different resolutions. The resolutions address counseling needs such as more freshmen seminars, support towards equity and diversity regarding the Umoja Community and AB540 programs, decreasing international student fees, student involvement at the Board of Trustee level and Environmental/Sustainability issues. There were 6 resolutions alone addressing sustainability issues! My students alone presented 5 resolutions.

As I watch the students’ debate, take action and network across college campuses, I kept thinking that the media needs to be here. Today’s community college students are putting a new face to who the community college student is. The community college student is no longer lost or unmotivated. Today’s community college students are serious about their education. They are willing to learn and can be an inspiration for us all.

To find out more about the action being taken at the CA statewide level by community college students, visit the Student Senate web site at www.studentsenateccc.org

Celebrating: 1 year wedding anniversary!! One of the many highs today was eating the top layer of our wedding cake, which has been frozen in our fridge since the wedding night.  You would be surprised but ours tastes really good!!

Reading: Nancy Pelosi’s “Know Your Power”

Working on: the Save the Date flyers regarding the CCCSAA Professional Conference next March, and Scholarship applications to be handed out this coming weekend at our annual Student Leadership Conference in San Diego.

Balancing: House hunting, relaxing, and working evening events such as the weekly Presidental Debates.

Looking forward to: Maui!!

Thankful for: Matthias, our families, friends and Rock Band.

This past week there was no full moon but it sure felt like it to me. I had some lows but I also had some highs that I am really thankful for.
•    Playing the Wii Tennis and Baseball with my sister
•    Looking at all the great Victorian Houses around the streets of Cole Valley, San Francisco while catching up with Marta
•    Be reminded of how amazing Emmylou Harris and Shawn Colvin sound live in concert.
•    Enjoying a great dinner and company with Matthias at the Boon Fly Café between Napa and Sonoma and then getting to sneak into the still new Carneros Resort.
•    Being able to reach out to my Mom.

We have just noticed that all images are broken. Stand by while we try to fix the links!

Daily Word — Monday, September 22, 2008

New
I welcome new outlooks and produce inspiring results.
I relax and am at peace as I contemplate this season of change. I picture summer’s green leaves being transformed into ruby and amber autumn jewels. The smell of the earth grounds me. Breathing evenly and fully, I continue to relax.
As a new season begins, I feel new beginnings within me–the stirring of ideas, the welcoming of transition. I give myself permission to change, to grow, and to evolve. Immersed in an awareness of God’s guiding presence, I have new outlooks that bring new results. Maintaining my expectation is as simple as taking in my next breath.
I am refreshed and ready to greet the season with grateful anticipation.

Inspired by my cohort member Tira Young’s blog entry of Sept. 4, 08
I AM … proud of my Mom and Dad
I WANT… to know what the next step will be
I HAVE … 19 student government officers…going on 20 this week
I KEEP … a journal of what “I learned and I am grateful for” in my car
I WISH I COULD …. enjoy more things rather than worrying about them
I HATE … hate crimes
I FEAR …. not doing enough
I HEAR … our birds
I DON’T THINK …McCain is going to win
I REGRET …days I worked too much
I LOVE ….Matthias Worch
I AM NOT …lazy, just enjoying having no homework!
I DANCE … in the kitchen, living room, in my car
I SING … in my car
I NEVER … smoke
I RARELY …not think during yoga
I CRY WHEN I WATCH … Notting Hill, did it again last Saturday
I AM NOT ALWAYS … following an agenda
I HATE THAT … AIDS is still being spread
I’M CONFUSED ABOUT … the Media’s need to find out every little detail about Sarah Palin
I NEED … to do the dishes
I SHOULD … not do the dishes

During the Democratic primaries, I was one of those 18 Million people who voted for Hillary. After learning more about Obama and his wife, and Joe Biden, I am still on the course to elect Obama. Even days after John McCain announced Sara Palin as his pick for the V.P., I kept repeating to myself: “stay the course, stay with Obama”. But, recently, there has been talk about who Obama really is for not picking Hillary.

Now, after watching the SNL skit with Amy Poehler who played Hillary and Tina Fay who played Sarah, I am really pissed. Amy and the writers nailed it by having the Hillary character say what we’ve all been thinking. Hillary worked so hard and then out of blue comes a woman, that NO one knows and did little work, who is now one seat away from the White House. Isn’t it crazy to think the amount of energy, time and sexist crap Hillary put up with for the last 18 months, and now she has to watch a female possibly become the next Vice President? What happened, Obama? I can understand that you had no idea McCain would pull one out of left field. But still… you could have been the one.

I am still on the course with Obama, but deep down inside, I am thinking and feeling exactly what Nancy Gibbs of Time Magazine is. Check out her editorial from Thursday, September 4, 2008.

“Can Palin Escape the Parent Trap?”, By Nancy Gibbs

Almost overnight, Sarah Palin replaced Hillary Clinton as the screen on which we project our doubts and hopes about women and success. In noisy public forums, everyone seemed suddenly certain of beliefs they used to reject: of course a woman can manage five kids and the vice leadership of the free world, said conservative defenders previously known for asserting a woman’s need to submit to her husband. Of course she has no business putting her family through this, said liberal opponents better known for insisting women should submit to no one.

But in quieter places, such as my inbox and my subconscious, there has been nothing like that kind of certainty. Instead, it has been the conversation that never ends — the one about how we juggle and who we judge — and I don’t think I know any woman, working or not, who feels she has gotten it exactly right. I do know we share a deep revulsion at having choices made for us and values thrust upon us, which is why Palin has our instincts tied up in such intricate knots. (more…)

 

The NASCAR chase for the championship officially starts with today’s race in New Hampshire. For us NASCAR fans, no chase can officially begin until David Letterman has does his 10 Ten with the top twelve drivers who will be fighting it out over the next 10 races. My money is on Kyle Busch. My hope is on Dale Jr. and I will be cheering when Tony “Smoke” Stewart wins his first race of the season. Let’s go racing boys!