My Fave Five Things from Homecoming Weekend!

This past Friday and Saturday, I was back at Princeton for homecoming weekend and it was one of the best Princeton-related experiences I have ever had! Here are some of the highlights: 

1.  New Ideas for PCW! 

On Friday morning, I attended three workshops for Princeton volunteers - one on affiliated groups and the other two on event planning. I came away from both workshops with a lot of new connections and ideas for upcoming PCW programs. For example, wouldn't it be great for Princeton alumni in DC to have the opportunity to have one-off precepts and seminars from Princeton graduate alumni? In order to make this happen, I'll need to step up my efforts and ask for more help, but as Dumbledore says, "help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."

2. Saying Hi :) 

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to check in with some of the folks who were integral to making my Princeton experience amazing.

It was amazing that I had the chance to spend a little bit of time with the my friends at Quad (including the exceptional Quad Staff: T, R, D, and N). Also on Friday, I got some invaluable life advice from A, P, and of course PFK. Finally on Saturday, before the game, I had a chance to talk briefly to HS '52 - the Founder of Sustained Dialogue.

3. The Haircut.So if you don't know by now, I have a kind of mohawk thing going on with my hair and it kind of surprised some of my old friends. One of the funnier mini-episodes that occurred this weekend happened as I was looking for my seat: someone saw me and shouted "there's Usher" - Lol












4. Princeton Beats Harvard! 

If you haven't seen this video by now, just take a look.

I have been associated with Princeton for about five years: yesterday's Princeton vs. Harvard game was one of the greatest football games I have ever seen! Princeton mounted what had to be the greatest comeback in Ivy League history - 29 points in the 4th quarter - purely EPIC.

Furthermore, I went to the game with my Quad folks and had the chance to rush the field with them at the end. And here's another cool thing about this particular game: it was special to see a lot of the senior Princeton players that I knew from my time as a Freshmen Scholars Institute RA earn such a memorable victory.

5. A Special Moment at the Aspire Dinner 

There were a lot of special moments from this weekend, but there was one that really stands out from the reception/dinner celebrating the completion of the Aspire campaign on Friday night. During the reception portion of the evening, I had an opportunity to speak with a member of the Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church - the church I attended during college. In the company of fellow ABPA members, she told me that a presentation I gave a few years ago convinced her son to attend the W.E.B. DuBois Scholars Institute. The W.E.B. DuBois Scholars Institute is a summer academic enrichment and leadership program for minority middle and high school students that is held on Princeton's campus; I attended DuBois in 2004 and it was the first time I was really challenged and pushed intellectually. Upon hearing that this lady's son had attended and graduated from DuBois my night was infinitely boosted. It was really humbling and heartwarming to hear that something I considered small might have made a significant difference in another person's life. 

Quick Update: I'm Bored

It's been too long since I've written a blog entry. In terms of a quick update, I'm a little bored with my life right now. Before I say why I'm bored, I consider myself fortunate to have the following: (1) a stable job with health insurance, (2) parents that are helping to save money, and (3) friends that support me and care - those are certainly things to be thankful for.

With that said, here's the reason why I'm bored: nothing in my life feels challenging right now. As much as I hated not having an income or feeling down, I think I enjoyed the struggle of searching for an opportunity. During last March, I embraced the process of searching for my break, i.e. I went all-in... and a funny thing happened: I succeeded as a Princeton Project '55 Fellow. Currently, in my fellowship/job I feel very confident in my abilities and daily performance. Moreover, as the Princeton Club of Washington's programs chair, I either directly plan/execute or supervise 3-4 programs each month, including some featuring over 100 attendees. In both of these roles, I feel as though I'll always find a way to come through and "make it happen" - and I think that's the problem. I would like to be in a situation in which I really need to push myself, but then we get to the second problem, or rather question:

What would I like to do?

I spending a lot of time thinking about what I want to do. Grad school? Business school? Something else? There are a lot of big questions here and I think that's the weakness of still living with my parents. I appreciate that my Mom and Dad (especially) are very methodical and logical folks, but I think that I listen to them to much instead of just going after things myself. I'm not talking in terms of the little things, but more so the big things such as housing and apartments. Recently, my decisions have been relatively safe and beneficial - I need to get back to taking more of those safe risks. And as far of the big risks, I need more of those too.

There's one more thing that I need to discuss (seriously) here: in a lot of ways, I'm both tightening the circle and expanding it. I'm tightening the circle by being more considerate of whom I spend my time with, reach out to, and open up with. In the past, I've been burned too many times and a lot of those instances have been unfortunate and (a little painful). Recently, it's been great having the chance to spend more time with my parents, uncles - aunts - and cousins, family friends, and close friends like MR (practically every weekend), AM (when she's free - once in a blue moon, lol), JT (even though she's across the pond), and CO (when he comes through). Also, I'm expanding the circle and meeting more people in a variety of ways. I meet a new person every time I go to a happy hour. Last week, I met LGBT and Ally Princeton alumni at a focus group dinner.

One thing that I do know is that if I want change in my life, I can achieve it if I work hard. So if I want a challenge or a change, it's just beyond the horizon :)

 

Goals for this Week: 8/6 - 8/12 (Ten Things for 2012)

Last week, I made and posted my weekly goals for the first time; it was a good decision. I believe that having quantifiable targets is great because it helps me to focus, give me something to work towards for the week, and allows me to measure my progress. A lot of my goals were either fully accomplished or realized to large extent, meaning the process worked. With that said, here's my list for this week:

1. Compile a List of Ten Things I Want to in 2012: on Saturday, I sat down with my Uncle Mo and we had a good ten-minute conversation about where I was in life. Uncle Mo is the coolest person I know, period. Aside from my apartment/housing search (he totally gets it), one of the things we talked about was "where I am in life right now." I told him that I want to "be at my best every single day" - which is true, but a day-by-day process. My Uncle Mo told me that my mindset is good, but I need to be thinking just a little bit ahead and then proceeded to tell me that every year he makes a list of ten things he wants to do. Some of the items on the list are achieved and others are not, but they are there and on paper; I'm going to do the same thing. I think my 10 things are going to be both small and large in scope. I should be have those on paper later this week.

2. Send respond to ten more housing ads: last week, I had 50 on my list: that was unrealistic because I don't think 50 things that I liked were out there. 10 is a more modest number and well help me focus on what I really want.

3. Do three nice things for three homeless individuals: Everyday, I see the same homeless men on the streets asking for money. I am not aware of their individual situations, but need to do a better job of acknowledging their presence. It used to annoy me in high school when other kids would ask me for money in the cafeteria. I'll admit, often times it annoys me when a homeless person does the same thing; however, the difference is that I'm older and have a better understanding of the circumstances that a lot of homeless people face - it's difficult. I need improve in this area, but how? Let's see what happens here.

4. Look into business school programs and identify 5 that I'm interested in: I'm highly interested in attending business school within the (relatively) near future. I want to pick out five and see what it takes to get into those. 

That's it, only four goals for this week; time to get to work!

Motivational Song of the Week: Lupe Fiasco "The Show Goes On" - the story behind this song is as epic as the song itself (if you don't know about it, check out my blog entry on the my favorite songs of 2011):

Mid-Week Update: 7/30 - 8/5

It's been an intense week thus far, but I'm happy to say that significant progress was made:

1. Send out our work newsletter: Complete. Although I left the office at 7:30 pm last night, I clicked send our office's newsletter. It felt really good to complete that project, go home, have dinner, and go straight to bed. 

2. Respond to at least 50 Craigslist roommate listings: In Progress. So far I think I've responded to maybe 10 listings and checked out 50 that weren't good fits for me; I have a ways to go, lol 

3. Begin to lock-in dates for PCW Programs: In Progress. We are really close! PCW is going to participate in DC Beautification Day on August 25th. Also we have dates locked in for the Princeton Women's Network of DC Kickoff event (9/13) and our PCW Gala (9/22). There are some other things that need to go on the docket, but I'm really close. 

4. Send email inquiries about local community groups: Complete. I sent out two emails to organizations that I would like to join and received positive feedback... I'll share more details later. 

5. Meet two of my friends for a happy hour in Dupont Circle: In Progress.  This one will be completed by Thursday. On Monday I met with BK at Front Page and we had a chance to catch up: good times. Yesterday I found out that I "won" a free happy hour at McFadden's (in Foggy Bottom) with a free, all-I-can drink open bar. If you are free to join me, here are the details: http://on.fb.me/MQBKgm 

6. Meet two new people: Not Attempted Yet. This goal should be completed on Thursday at the Happy Hour - that's what happy hours are for. 

Ok, so it's been a busy and intense week. I'm satisfied thus far, but know that I need to keep pushing myself. Tonight I could go for a bacon-cheeseburger and sleep. 

Thanks for reading. 

- Reg 

P.S.: Mos Def always makes things better (and bonus points because this is with The Roots):

  

Goals for this Week: 7/30 - 8/5

I'm back! I know that I say that all the time, but I really don't get a chance to update this blog as often as I should.

Recently, I've been a big fan of the idea that if you articulate goals and work towards them everyday, then you're more likely to reach them. One of the big lessons that I've learned by working from working on my senior thesis is that it's better to take one little step than not move at all. And here's another lesson that I learned from my job searches: why spend your time talking about things when you could do them (or take steps to do them)?

To that end, every week I'm going to start sharing my goals for the upcoming seven days. It's a way to (1) to give my friends, family, and supporters more insight into my life (I think there's a lot of information about me already available online, but still) and (2) a method to hold myself accountable. And here we go, in no particular order:

1. Send out our work newsletter - my office sends out a newsletter to A LOT OF PEOPLE once a month and I'm the point person on that effort. I would like to send it out either today (Monday 7/30) or tomorrow, but it needs to be good and quality work with no major mistakes. It can be a meticulous process, but it's also  extremely satisfying at the end.

2. Respond to at least 50 Craigslist roommate listings - the more I think about it, the more I think it makes sense for me to find a "roommate situation," rather than my own place (the reasons why will compose a future entry). It's time for me to make a move: I have been saving up for months and this work commute Kemp Mill - in Wheaton/Silver Spring, MD - to Dupont everyday is brutal, especially considering the fact that I work from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm a lot of days. Let's just see what's out there!

3. Begin to lock-in dates for PCW Programs - Although I need to get the PCW Program Committee back together, I think I have dates set for our three major September programs, including our PCW Gala on September 22nd featuring my good friend DJ 3X Dex. I also have some ideas for October, but need to check in on those, but I know that I tired of an abundance of cancellations for our programs - that's done.

4. Send email inquiries about local community groups - As much as I love PCW, I also need to branch out in the area some more. I would like to participate in a regular community service organization or group based in the D.C. area. Also, it would be nice to join a networking group for young professionals - if anyone knows anything please let me know.

5. Meet two of my friends for a happy hour in Dupont Circle - Last week, I went to a great happy hour at Bar 7 - across the street from the Convention Center - and had a blast. The important thing about happy hours for me is the opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones. I'm thinking that I'll see what BK is up to, lol - Front Page? Speaking of making new friends...

6. Meet two new people - I need to get back to putting myself out there and meeting new folks: it's that simple :)

Ok, those are the goals for this week; thanks for reading. I'll be providing updates regularly on Facebook and Twitter.

Have a great week folks and here's a motivational video to get you going:

A Quick Update

It's been 12 days since my last blog entry and listening to Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" has compelled me to type up a quick update on everything that's happening in my life, lol. 

The big thing right now is work. On average, I arrive at work before 8:30 am and leave at around 6:30 pm each evening. I'm enjoying my job and am learning a lot about the education technology field. If there was one thing that I could improve, it would be the commute. The subway ride from Wheaton, Maryland to the Dupont Circle area of Washington DC is a killer and frankly, the Red Line sucks (I hope someone from WMATA is reading this). If only this commute can be shortened, which is the main reason that I am... 

I am actively looking for a studio or 1 bedroom apartment. I need to move out of my parents' home because the commute takes a lot out of me - that's the big thing. I really don't mind living at home too much, but would rather be able to walk to work or have a 15 minute commute instead of a 45 to 60 minute ride(s). This process has been a lot of fun, but I'm not getting too many replies from Craigslist. Also, there are three areas that I'm really looking at: 

• Anything in Northwest DC 
• Alexandria  (buy King Street or water)
• Arlington 

I'm going to need some help soon as I would like to move out by September 1st, but for now, I'm going to just save my money and chill. 

What else is going on? In terms of fun, there are two constants in my life: Mandy and the Washington Nationals. In the span of a year, Mandy has become one of my closest friends and go-to people in DC; it's always a pleasure to hang out with her and just talk about life. Last weekend, we hung out at Nellie's on U Street and then went to McDonald's - lot's of fun. And then there's the Washington Nationals: I go see them at least once a week and it's always with either AR, Mandy, or my father. I'm actually trying to chill more on that, but I mistakenly passed on last night's game because I was tired and Stephen Strasburg was pitching - he got ten strikeouts. Coincidentally, I'm going to check out a Baltimore Orioles game with AR tomorrow at Camden Yards in Baltimore - that's going to be fun. 

Finally, in terms of Princeton Club of Washington stuff, I am in the process of planning a Club-wide trip to the Washington Nationals game and that's going to be it until August or September - that's going to be a nice break to focus on some other things. 

So all in all, my life right now is pretty good; time for my favorite song right now: 

Taking A Break

Next Saturday, the Princeton Club of Washington will be holding its 1st Annual Gala. The gala is set to be a huge event complete with an open bar and live DJ. I'm hoping that we'll have a nice turnout of 100 people or more - that would be incredible.

Also, following the gala, I plan on taking a nice extended break from Princeton-related program planning.

Think about it this way: since the beginning of the year I have organized and executed 9 PCW programs including the following:

• January 7th - RACE: Are We So Different 
• February 6th - Wizards vs. Raptors (game and happy hour) 
• February 18th - Wine & Washington: Smithsonian Art Museum 
• March 17th - PCW Saint Patrick's Day Mixer 
• April 21st - Wine & Washington: Listen Here! 
• May 5th - University Row at the Virginia Gold Cup 
• May 24th - PCW Speaker Series: FBI Director Robert Mueller III '66
• June 6th - PCW Speaker Series: Ambassador Gene A. Cretz (outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Libya) 
• June 9th - Wine & Washington: National Gallery of Art (this one is today if anyone still wants to come) 

On top of that, I manage the Club's Facebook page, tickets to events, and sometimes it's weekly newsletter. I enjoy doing these things, but I need to take a break to do some other things including: 

1. Taking my work to "another level!"
2. Finding my own place and moving out - it's going to happen very soon! 
3. Doing less Princeton-related things 
4. Meeting new people and engaging in the city 
5. Thinking about professional development 
6. Doing community service again :)

A few weeks ago, I wrote this blog entry about getting out of the bubble here in DC. That's going to happen soon, but first I'm going to throw one more awesome event!

And don't worry, I'll be back!

Life Happens

About this time last year, my ex-girlfriend (after we had broken up) said to me something that I'll never forget:

"Adults have a plan"

I hated that phrase and still do because I think it misses two things (1) life happens and things sometimes just don't go the why we plan - for better or worse and (2) some people don't know what they want to do in life in general - and that's ok. Over the weekend, I had two interactions with adults during two specific Princeton-related events that really gave me some insight into what I'm doing right now and where I'm headed in the upcoming months.

First on Saturday after the Association of Black Princeton Alumni, I received a ride to the Shady Grove Metro Station from an older alum in the Class of 1974. It was about a ten minute drive from the BBQ to the Metro Station, but in that time we covered a lot of ground. The highlight of this drive was the following exchange (I'm paraphrasing here):

Me: (Referring to a friend) Yep she has everything planned and all of her ducks in a row. 

The Alum: (chuckles) I always smile when younger people present their plan all laid out.

Me: Because stuff happens?

The Alum: Because life happens.

The second eye popping moment happened yesterday while I was on the Why Princeton? information panel for high school juniors  in downtown D.C. When the moderator asked me "what I did after graduating?" - I was perfectly honest:

• Spent the summer and fall job hunting and figuring things out (while watching lots of Sportscenter and NFL Network - I actually did say this). 

• Worked as an administrative assistant and receptionist at a non-profit  - N4A (love you guys!) 

• Became a Princeton Project 55 Fellow in last month. 

During the Q&A portion of the panel, one young man asked me and my co-panelist what was Princeton's biggest strength and greatest weakness. For a strength, I talked about my school's generosity on every level - from top to bottom. And before I said the weakness, I hesitated... and answered it's Career Services, because they couldn't help someone like me who wasn't as focus or knew what he wanted to do (I did qualify this, by saying my lack of direction was on me). 

After the program, that same young man came up to me and thanked me for my honesty - and so did his mother. She told me that she had gone to Barnard back in the 70s and also was a receptionist for her first job out of college. Then she said something that I didn't exactly expect - 

"I'm so much older than you and I still don't know what I want to do and that's ok. What's important is that you're happy and able to support your family." 

Wow - I needed to hear that. And that's real stuff.

Some people know what they want to do and do it - awesome stuff!

Conversely, there are other folks who are not quite sure what they want to do yet - and that's cool as well. Does it make me any less of an adult that I don't know the exact path I want to embark on - I don't think so. The funny thing is that one of these days - probably while I'm at my desk at work - it's going to hit me; and when it does, I'm going for it.

I'll have a little more to say about this later, but for now I'll leave you with this thought: I launched a website today: http://www.digitalpromise.org/

:)

My Life is so Princeton...

Later today, I am going to be a panelist on "Why Princeton?" for the third consecutive year. Why Princeton? is an informative panel organized by the University's Admissions Office for current D.C. area high school juniors who are interested applying to become Tigers (presumably for the Class of 2017). I always love the opportunity to represent my alma matter and appreciate programs in which I'm able to interact and help younger students. Coincidentally, this panel later today will be the second of three Princeton programs that I'll be participating in (or attending) this week. Yesterday, I went to an awesome cookout sponsored by the Association of Black Princeton Alumni and on Thursday, I am helping to execute a Princeton Club of Washington program featuring FBI Director and fellow alum Robert Mueller '66. My life is shaded in black and orange.


In fact, my life is so Princeton that it's ridiculous. Here's how:

1. I'm a Princeton Project '55 Fellow (a program that enables recent Princeton grads to work in non-profit).

2. I am the Programs Chair of the Princeton Club of Washington and organize about 3-4 events for the club per month.

3. Along with my friend AM, I'm one of the regional VPs or representatives for my Class (of 2011)

4. I am affiliated with the Association of Black Princeton Alumni (but not an official paying member yet)


It's just interesting how a lot of this stuff happens. When I moved back home to Silver Spring, I thought that I would have more time to hang out with the friends that I grew up with and maybe make new friends in the area. Moving forward, I would like to make more non-Princeton friends as well as chill more with the folks who've I known before I went to school up north; that's why Friday night was great.

On Friday night, I went to the Nationals game with my good friend MF - we played baseball together threw elementary and middle school - and we just had a blast like old times. The two of us met up with some more buddies and watched the a long ballgame between the Nats and Baltimore Orioles - the two teams that we  grew up with. It was a good night indeed.

I guess I'm writing this to say that I am not feeling nostalgic or anything, but need to "move beyond the bubble" here in D.C. People talk about "getting outside of the bubble" while in Princeton, but it also exists in the real world as well, especially if you live in Washington D.C. or New York City. Both of those regions have a strong alumni presence and it's easy to stay within that social space or circle.

2012 has already been an amazing year (and way more enjoyable than 2011) and this is in large part due to the Princeton Club of Washington and Project 55. I'm going to continue to have a strong presence in both of these organizations, but I'm also going to do my best to expand my circle.

D.C. is a large town and I have lots of people to meet; I'm looking forward to it!

Appreciating Chuck Brown

Chuck Brown - a legend. 

I am fortunate to say that I have seen Chuck Brown and his band perform three times. The first time was in March 2007 at Constitution Hall. He went performed right before The Roots and was amazing. In the summer of 2010, I saw Chuck Brown perform at the Summer Spirit Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion. Finally, during last year's Labor Day weekend, I saw Chuck Brown perform with the National Symphony Orchestra on the grounds of the Capital - truly magnificent. I think I can safely say that the majority of the folks there didn't come to see the National Symphony Orchestra; they came to see Chuck. 

I think there are three reasons why I appreciate Chuck Brown. The first thing and foremost his music is amazing! Go-go music is right up my alley - it's a sub-genre of funk with elements of Latin and West African music (the call and response elements of go-go go back to West African music and the Black Church tradition). The go-go I grew up with is really of the new school because it incorporates elements of hip-hop; all of this comes from Chuck Brown - "The Godfather of Go-Go" - Check this out: 

This song is really both old school and new school because it has hip-hop elements, yet incorporates that old school feel (I don't remember the sample here, but it is so familiar). "Block Party" is the type of song that my parents and I would both appreciate - Chuck Brown's music is inter-generational and thus timeless. 

Secondly, I appreciate how much Chuck Brown has done for the community, i.e. black people in D.C. If you just read one article or reflection on Chuck Brown his contributions to the D.C. will be evident immediately. Read this. Chuck Brown (and his music) was always positive and was about community and feeling good. 

Lastly, more so than any other person (artist, athlete, or politician), Chuck Brown personifies D.C. Repeat: Chuck Brown Personifies D.C. In addition to being the fundamental figure behind D.C.'s unique cultural contribution to music, Chuck captured a sense of style and humility that I believe is a trademark of this city; I know that this city is changing, but I hope it doesn't lose those two traits. 

If you're not from D.C., there's a good chance that you are unfamiliar with Chuck Brown or his legacy; if so, this will give you a good idea of how important this man was to the DMV: 

The Front Page of the Washington Post

 Thank you Chuck Brown and Rest in Peace 

Back at Princeton… Again!

Right now, I am sitting on the floor in the train station in Trenton, New Jersey after visiting Princeton earlier today for the Project 55 Orientation. Although I was only in Princeton, and on campus, for a few hours (from 7:00 pm to 4:00 pm), I had a blast! In fact, it was probably one of the most enjoyable experiences I had in regards to returning to campus as alum! Now how could I say this when I’ve been back for Lawnparties featuring Gym Class Heroes and participated in Quad 2^nd round pickups? Well, for starters, this time was much better than the last (and I won’t go into that situation), but more importantly…

It was nice and simple.

This time around, there were no lunches or dinners to arrange; no MegaBus or SEPTA to take to Philadelphia; no down-time, no shows to attend (although I’ve enjoyed supporting my friends)… this time just me, Project 55 Orientation, and a really meaningful conversation with two people who really understand me and I care about.

First off, I took a 3:15 am train from DC to Trenton (so early). When I arrived in Trenton at 5:43 am, I caught the 606 bus into Princeton just 10 minutes later. At close to 7:00 am, I came onto campus via Fitz-Randolph Gates and walked down to the Wawa for 24 ounces of caffeine. Afterwards, I met S and she let me into a common room where I had the chance to do some PCW work our upcoming event with FBI Director Mueller and a June tour of Italian artwork at the National Gallery of Art.

At 9:45 am, my Princeton Project 55 Fellowship orientation took place in the Friend Center (essentially an engineering related building). In many ways, it felt like a dream; if you told me back in November or even the beginning of March (when we had the #DoOrDieMarch – remember that?) that not only I would be a PP55 Fellow, but I would also be working in April in a position that I enjoy and find challenging - there is no way I would have believed you.  Yet a few hours ago, that’s where I was.

Before the orientation began, I had the opportunity to thank the PP55 and Alumnicorps staff for everything that they’ve done for me as well as catch up with some old friends who are also current/future PP55 Fellows. The orientation itself was great in that it was fast paced and contained a lot of information. I found myself getting along well with the other DC PP55 Fellows and cannot wait to interact with them later in the summer.

Although there were very insightful presentations on health care/taxes, networking, and the “Fellowship experience” given at the orientation, none of them compared to the best part of the orientation: reconnecting with my friend PN.

PN is one of the most compassionate and hardest working folks I know. I learned a lot from him when we were officers together in Sustained Dialogue. It’s been a while since we’ve seen one another, but I we hugged and chatted for a good five minutes or so.  The reason PN was at the PP55 orientation is that he is now one of the key staff on the Alumnicorps team and I’ll be interacting with him on a regular basis during my internship. I’m very happy for my friend because he deserves it, really cares for others, and I cannot think of anyone better to take the post. Also, I’m glad PN is in the fold because if there’s anyone who can relate to my experience over the past year, it’s him.

After the orientation, I headed straight to Quad. The first thing that happens when I walk into the door is that I get big smiles and hugs from KK and CC – quick side note: I hope they don’t mind me saying this, but KK and CC are both absolute sweethearts and wonderful people – it was great to see them! This type of welcome/greeting is something that means a lot to me because it’s nice, simple, and warm. Next, I went upstairs and met up with SO. With the help of some cushions (because the surface was SO warm), we chatted outside on the roof of Quad. Quad has a lot of nice views, but the view from the roof is the best… really beautiful.  Whenever I speak one-on-one with SO, it’s really nice because she’s someone who has known me for a while; I can be myself around her and just relax. And it’s the same way with MR, whom we chatted with on the patio of Quad as she came.

SO, MR, and I spent a good 40 minutes or so on the patio just talking. We chatted about a variety of things, but all-in-all it was great to see them. Without going into details, the three of us caught up and had a thoughtful conversation about life, friendship, and relationships. Regarding the last topic, relationships, it’s interesting to think about how the three of us have evolved and changed our perspectives via different experiences. The events of the past year or so have greatly changed my outlook on relationships, but that’s another story (or blog entry). It was great spending time with SO and MR on a beautiful day outside.  I am so glad that MR is going to be in DC for a while beginning in the summer; I’m envisioning a lot of great summer nights of me, her, and AM just chatting and relaxing on the weekend and after work.

There’s one more really nice thing that happened at Quad: I was able to see and congratulate BC in person on his law school admission – awesome stuff!

(I’m now writing this entry at 3:25 on Sunday morning)

I left Princeton at 4:00 pm and was hungry. Since the last time I visited the Trenton Transit Center a McDonald’s was added. Since I was moderately hungry (needed a little more than a snack, but not a meal), I ordered a McNuggets Mighty Kids Meal at McDonald’s (it’s like a Happy Meal, but for bigger kids). Of course, I only wanted to eat the food and did not need the toy (besides, I have a lot toys already lol – just kidding). I looked around and there was a woman eating a burger with two little boys. I went up to them and asked “excuse me, would one of you like my Happy Meal toy?” The bigger boy just took it J The woman thanked me twice (once then and again when they left). When I was a little kid, one of the most profound memoires I have is of this one time my father and I at a McDonald’s outside of Baltimore. When I got my Happy Meal, the McDonald’s ran out of toys and I was visibly upset. This guy saw me, came over to where we were sitting, and gave me his happy meal toy; this one seemingly small thing made such a big impression upon me. It’s kind of funny how those things happen…

Another funny thing that happened was seeing my friend B (from Princeton and the DC area) waiting for the train back to DC from Trenton. It was excellent fortune that we saw each other and were able to sit together for the duration of the two hour train ride. Hanging out with B on the train was a classic example of the idea that time passes quickly when you’re with good folk or good company. Once again, without going into too much detail, we had the type of nice conversation that you couldn’t have unless you were riding on a train. It was nice to spend time with B and have a great talk.

Just looking back on my day, it was awesome and special in an ordinary way. I didn’t have any big plans, but there were just nice moments spread throughout. I reconnect with old friends and gained some wonderful insights into my PP55 Fellowship.

Anyhow, I need to get some sleep; besides, I have a job now :)

Reflections on Last Week

A lot of great things happened last week, including the first week of my Project 55 Fellowship. Here are some quick thoughts:

Work:

• When you enjoy what you do, you'll want to put in the extra-time. 
• If you want to be "The Best" at what you do, you need to put in the extra-time.
• The Metro is too expensive during Rush Hour (I pay $4.70 for a one-way trip from Wheaton to Dupont  Circle on the Red Line). 
• Speaking of Dupont Circle, there are lots of great spots to grab lunch; however, if I want to save up for an apartment, I won't be eating at any of them on a regular basis.
• Walking from Dupont Circle to U Street is a great walk!
• A machine that can scan documents and convert them into PDFs is a Godsend! 
• I'm really enjoying what I'm doing right now. 
• Preparation and "attention to detail" is very important in the workplace. 

Life: 

• My parents are the best! 
• I can't wait to room with AR in September, but we need to find a place and do some research, lol. 
• I need to move out not just because I want my own place, but also the commute to/from work takes a lot out of me each day.
• Trio Restaurant is WAY TOO expensive for an after work food and/or drink, but it's always worth it to visit RP :) 
• I feel like the past year has been a wild, rough ride, but now "I'm back!"
• Practically speaking, the only person I'm responsible for right now is me. 
• Wordsworth: "the world is all before me now" - this is exactly how I feel.

Virginia Gold Cup - University Row (I went to some horse races yesterday)

• I can never remember having a bad time while hanging out with AM; in fact every time is a lot of fun :) 
• After spending time with older young alums (in their 20s) from other universities, I realized that for the most part single folks in their 20s and 30s are basically at the same place
• I learned a lot about life, love, and relationships by having a bus conversation with a married woman in her 40s. 
• It's a little strange when an alum in his 40s tries to hang with the younger crowd and is SO obviously  out of place. 
• No one goes to University Row for the horse races... 

Random: 

• It's time for a "new look" and haircut. 
• I love the episodes of South Park that feature interactions between Cartman and Token - hilarious stuff!
• I think... and this is a big "I think" that Ric Flair is my all-time favorite professional wrestler (it used to be Hulk Hogan, but his work-rate is horrible). 
• I don't think there's anyway whatsoever in which I can relate to Mitt Romney... none 
• I need to do more professional development activities.
• Bryce Harper is the real deal! 
• Brian McKnight has taken his career to the next level with "If Your Ready To Learn" 
• I can't wait for Reunions! 
• Something tells me "business is about to pick up" even more - let's go! 

#TeamRAG 

I walk through the actual Dupont Circle everyday, lol 

3 Everyday

Today, I've been relaxing and thinking about some of my short-term and long-term goals. I'm still formulating these goals, but I have three concepts that I want to live by everyday moving forward:

1. "Bring It" Everyday!

2. Do My Best! 

3. Be The Best... Period! 

The first idea comes from Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Back in the day, in the attitude era, The Rock used to tell his opponents to "just bring it!" Now, he has this social media concept of #TeamBringIt. For me "Bring It" Everyday means to come prepared and do what I need to do each and every day. 

Secondly, there is no reason why I should not "do my best," but the word "do" is the most important thing here. I'm focusing on "doing" and not thinking about it or doing it tomorrow; now is the time i.e., "do" now. 

Finally, I want to the be the best... period: the absolute best. I'm going to be perfectly honest here: I want to be the best Project 55 Fellow in the program. And there's nothing wrong with this. Instead, think about it this way: (1) It's the idea that if you think you are and you act like it, you will become, (2) I want to do my part in contributing to enhancing the technological opportunities available to our students, and (3) and a little competition is healthy. 

After writing something like this, I need to make sure I back up my words; it starts tomorrow! 

 

A Whole New Ballgame!

Wow... the past few days have just been unreal! I received the call on Thursday night, gave my commitment on Friday morning, and will start a week from tomorrow (Monday April 30th).

I am now a Princeton Project 55 Fellow and member of the Digital Promise team. And it's a whole new ballgame!

Here the background information:

The Princeton Project 55 Fellowship Program is a nationwide program that places recent Princeton graduates with non-profit, service-oriented organizations in order to give them experience and insights into civic engagement and public service. The placements take the form of one-year fellowships with various organizations in a variety of fields including education and public health. Moreover, each Project 55 Fellow is paired with a mentor who has also pursued a career in non-profit and is available for advice/guidance.

My organization is awesome and is based in Washington D.C.! Digital Promise - I need to use the exact language from the website:

"Digital Promise is an independent 501(c)(3), created through Section 802 of the federal Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, authorizing a nonprofit corporation known as the National Center for Research in Advanced Information and Digital Technologies (Digital Promise). According to the statute, Digital Promise’s purpose is "to support a comprehensive research and development program to harness the increasing capacity of advanced information and digital technologies to improve all levels of learning and education, formal and informal, in order to provide Americans with the knowledge and skills needed to compete in the global economy."

In other words, we work to bring in the latest and most effective technologies into America's classrooms.

I'm super-pumped! I can't say too much yet, but I'll be working to support Digital Promise's mission in various ways; hopefully I'll be able to share more soon!

April: The Season Finale?

I'm a TV fanatic and "back in the day" my two favorite shows were 24 and Smallville. Every April and May, I would watch both of these shows obsessively each week - even in college when I had major papers and other assignments due. And of course, there was the finale of both of these shows. For Jack Bauer, all of the business and chaos of the previous 22 hours would wrap up in a two-hour finale, thus concluding the day. Conversely, Smallville season finales were cliffhangers and followed a certain formula: Clark Kent would complete a villain or complete a task in the season finale, only to introduce (or strongly hint at) the villain or task  that would span the entirety of the following season. I need to explain this for those folks who never watched Smallville: At the end of the eighth season, Clark defeats Doomsday, but in that every same episode, Zod (or at least his younger clone Colonial Zod) was unleashed upon Earth and served as the primary antagonist for Season Nine. Anyway, I feel that April is going to be the finale of this "season" of my life.

I can best describe this period of my life by naming my two primary activities: (1) "Figuring things out" and (2) volunteering with the Princeton Club of Washington. In terms of "figuring things out," I now know what I want to do: pursue a public service oriented career with an emphasis on public policy and education. Although I'm not going to reveal too many (actually any) details here, I'm happy to say that I have an interview soon for a position relating to these aims and I'm pumped; I need and what this. At the moment, I'm doing my homework so I'll be prepared to "bring it" when the time comes. For months, I've spent entire days in D.C. area libraries researching and applying for opportunities - I'm tired of doing that and I'm sick of being on the sidelines... like I said, I need this! 

Secondly, since the beginning of the calendar year (2012), I've had the pleasure of serving as the Programs Chair for the Princeton Club of Washington. I've enjoyed putting together various programs for my fellow alums and meeting some amazing people. Later this month, I am going to have an opportunity to meet some more amazing people: potential members of Princeton's Class of 2016. I'm happy to say that later this month, on Tuesday April 24th to be exact, I will have the privilege of speaking to these (hopefully) new Tigers at our new admits reception on Capital Hill. Even though I've done this plenty of times before on campus at the Carl A. Fields Center, this is on another level. For five minutes, I'll be delivering remarks to these new Princetonians in front of their parents, siblings, relatives, my fellow alums, and members of Congress - this is a big deal and I'm looking forward to it! But I'm not doing this alone. If you are a Princetonian (active undergraduate or alum), you can help me by commenting on this note: https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150886920249046

It looks like things are coming to a head. I know that some things never end such as continuing to "figure things out" and being a Tiger - that's for life; however, this stagnation is over. 

P.S.: This is for you NS <3: #AprilTheSeasonFinale 

#DoOrDieMarch: The Conclusion

Wow, what a month...

Thanks to everyone who supported and encouraged me throughout the month of March. It's only fair that if you followed me, you also know how this little slice of my life wrapped up:

After I left N4A, I had expected to begin an internship with a local public schools system. Unfortunately, the arrangements fell through and I am currently back on the sidelines; however, this development turned out to be a positive (and that internship may yet develop, nothing's off the table). I've had a chance to focus and zero in on what I really enjoy: youth development and creating supplemental educational opportunities for kids. I'm happy to say that I've identified some potential opportunities and am now pursuing those aggressively. Moreover, I've had another positive interview that may lead to another promising opportunity - let's see what happens.

So that's the practical side of things; here's the life lesson: "just go for it"

I think that one of the feelings that I experienced (maybe because I manufactured it lol) was a sense of urgency. Every time I wrote a blog entry about #DoOrDieMarch, didn't it seem like there was a tone of "OMG, I need to get this done" or "it's sometime right now?" I enjoyed having this feeling and it made me feel alive. Although I already knew this, this past month reinforced the idea that most of the time (85-90%) you just need to go for it. Here are some of the best examples of me "just going for it" from recent memory:

• Action: Just talking to that random person sitting next to me on the back of the Megabus, Result: befriending an awesome person named Rachel

• Action: Deciding to take Black Queer Studies (a class with a large writing component), Result: most moving, touching academic/intellectual experience of my life 

• Action: Taking that phone call and interview from a temp agency, Result: having an incredible experience at N4A 

 

Overall, last month was awesome! #DoOrDieMarch is officially in the books and now it's time for April. It's going to be a BIG month, but we'll skip the hashtags this time :) 

P.S.: Wrestlemania was freakin' amazing! My favorite match was HHH vs. Undertaker in Hell in a Cell with Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee - that was storytelling at its finest. Also, I'm glad the Rock won. And what about Daniel Bryan? 

YES, YES, YES, YES!

D.C. Rally for Trayvon Martin

The Trayvon Martin tragedy deeply disturbs me in two ways:

1. An innocent young man was senselessly robbed of his life.

2. "What does it mean to be a problem?" - W.E.B. DuBois

For the first statement, it is haunting that a young, unarmed black man can be shot in cold blood while simply walking to a convenience store - disturbing, haunting, and tragic. To George Zimmerman, it didn't matter who Trayvon Martin was, nor that he was visiting his grandfather; Zimmerman just saw a black face that didn't belong in his neighborhood and he decided to ignore police orders not to pursue: shoot first, ask questions later. I am hurt and saddened for the lost of Trayvon. I cannot begin to imagine that Trayvon's mother and father did not know their son was murdered until three days after the fact. I am also disturbed for this reason: that could have been me, my cousins, my friends, or any of the kids I've worked with over the years.

Another emotion I feel is anger. I am angered at the incompetence of the Florida law enforcement. How is it that a man is able to kill another human being and the following occurs:

• He is not taken into police custody, but rather is free to walk - despite the fact that he has a previous criminal record

• He is not given a blood test for alcohol and/or drugs

• The police do not take the weapon for evidence, but rather allow the killer to take his gun home (for all we know, George Zimmerman has already disposed of the weapon). 

For all practical purposes, the Florida police let George Zimmerman - a cold blooded murderer - walk free. My friend M brought this tragedy to my attention about two weeks ago and provides a strong summary: http://imsuchanafroholic.blogspot.com/2012/03/post-racial-is-dirtiest-word-i-know.html

....

I rarely protest, but yesterday I attended the Washington D.C. rally in Freedom Plaza for Trayvon Martin. I felt so strongly about this tragedy in the sense that justice needs to be served here. And to be clear, I am not talking about revenge and neither are Trayvon's parents, nor any other supporters who are petitioning for Zimmerman's arrest and trial. I feel as though we are calling on America to do the right thing. We are calling for America to make sure justice is served with a comprehensive and thorough investigation, the arrest of George Zimmerman, and a fair trial. There have been far too many times that America has not done right by black folk (and all people of color, but especially black and Native American folk since the beginning); yesterday afternoon, in a spirit of brotherhood with others around the world, we rallied to send a message to America: we're done with this mess and we're getting justice for Trayvon.

The rally was organized by three young ladies via social media. They we're only expecting 50 to 80 folks to show up, but hundreds came (and thousands passed by). Folks came wearing their hoodies and carrying their Arizona Iced Teas and Skittles. What inspired me was the solidarity of D.C.'s black folk. I was inspired that mothers and fathers brought their sons and daughters to the rally in order to stand up for justice. I was inspired that the grandmothers and grandfathers who may have been at some of the rallies during the Civil Rights movement came out. I was inspired that so many people were rocking their homemade Trayvon Martin t-shirts and signs. On the way to the rally, one thing that struck me was a sign made and held by a white woman that read: "My son is Trayvon Martin too." One of the many questions that I have surrounding this tragedy is if it is possible for white folk to empathize in regards to what happened? With that in mind, I'm glad that I saw this woman and her sign.

Every moment of the rally was powerful and I felt it. I came as one, but left as part of 500. I was part of a group of hundreds of people who gathered in a spirit of fellowship to say we're "tired of being sick and tired." In each direction I looked - front, back, right, and left - I saw people wearing the same thing I was: a black hoodie. For almost two hours, we listened to speakers and spoken-word performers who represented us and verbalized our thoughts to the District, the nation, and the world. One of the most powerful messages came from a student from Georgetown who challenged us to "get to work." This young man said that we need to take all the emotions, - the hurt, the pain, the sadness, the anger, the love - put them into our heart, and transform them into energy for the work that needs to be done.

So that's what I'm trying to figure out right now: how do I take all of these feelings and emotions that are in my heart right now and put them to work to make a difference? I am not sure yet, but I left the rally as a different person and that was the point. The MC of the rally, a preacher, said that we cannot let this end today, tomorrow, or in a month; we need to keep this thing going so that we can continue to improve our communities and make sure this doesn't happen again to another kid ever again. I'm going to do my best to do that and contribute what I'm able.

 

 

 

My Last Day at N4A

Me saying goodbye to N4A.

It's been four days since I left N4A - the non-profit I've been working at since mid-December.

Just for some clarification, N4A stands for the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. The following description (from their website) gives a nice summary of what they do:

"The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) is the leading voice on aging issues for Area Agencies on Aging and a champion for Title VI Native American aging programs. Through advocacy, training and technical assistance, we support the national network of 629 AAAs and 246 Title VI programs"

For the most part, I spent my last day training my replacement, completing assignments, and saying my "thank yous" and "goodbyes." Last Friday, my last day, was important to me because I had the opportunity to leave "the right way." Often times (and even recently for me personally), folks don't have the chance to leave anything - a job, relationship, community - on good terms and on their own accord; I did both on Friday.

There were two really touching things about Friday: (1) the office got me gluten-free cupcakes to celebrate my time at N4A and (2) I received two thank you/best wishes cards from the office, including one from the CEO. Those two things are really special to me and I'm very appreciative for their consideration.

So what's next for me?

The gluten-free cupcakes from my office! 

Me Enjoying my gluten-free cupcake :)

One of my cards from my co-workers. 

The view from my desk... one last time. 

On the Way Out

"On my last day, I want to be remembered as a good guy who worked hard each day, excelled at his job, and was kind to folk. #EverythingIHave" - one of my Tweets from yesterday.

Response from my friend E: "@ReggieGalloway you will be :)"

Tomorrow will be my last day working at this D.C. non-profit. At the beginning of the week I thought that the end would be a time for me to celebrate; I still think it will be, but it will also trigger some reflection. Although I realize that this is only a temporary position, I would like to think that I gave it #everythingIhave for the folks who have been good to me. Once again, Lil Wayne's lyrics come to mind:

"And if you leave, leave correct."

Those words are all about consideration. Recently, this value - consideration towards others - has been very important to me. Here's an example:

Last weekend, I kept my word to four friends of mine that I would attend their belly-dancing show back on Princeton's campus. Given my modest means, the best way for me to get back to Princeton totalled a six-hour trip for which I departed work early on Friday afternoon. Just an illustration:

3 hour bus ride from D.C. to Philly - $18.00
1 hour train ride from Philly to Trenton - $10.00
45 minute bus ride from Trenton to Princeton - $2.55

Total (plus delays and approximate waiting time) = 6 hours, $30.55 - it's still cheaper than taking the train, lol - That's 12 hours and $61.10 if you consider having to take a round trip.

Here's the cool part: I would do this again. I would forgo half-a-day's wages and a good chunk of my weekend for two reasons: (1) I can say that I kept my word and (2) it was so nice to see my dear friend of 5 years smiling and having fun - that's priceless.

One of the things that I thought about on the way home from Princeton is if I should expect other folks to show me a similar type of consideration and, after reflecting on it for a few days, I can honestly say the answer is no. We follow and live by our own beliefs because we consider them to be "the right thing to do." It is unfair to ask others to live by our exact beliefs, morals, or values. Just in terms of this idea of consideration, I've done things for others that I know they would probably not do for me and (for the most part) I'm cool with that.

But when a person or an organization shows an interest and invests in you, I think a special type of consideration is warranted: that's why I am so keen on leaving this non-profit on a strong and correct note. I cannot say enough about how amazing the people here have been to me and how they've helped to "get me back in the game." I think that if I went back in a time-machine to December and took a look at myself, I would not even recognize the man in front of me. The experience of working at this non-profit has been nothing less than empowering: there's nothing like being able to smile again.

Regarding my last entry, my friend M said something that really touched me:

"Proud of you bro. I know it can be hard to swallow your pride sometimes, and not let your ego get the best of you. It can happen to the best of us. But everything happens for a reason, even if it isn't meant to be understood. Rather, we must accept what is embrace whatever is to come."

So today, I working on completing all of my assignments and wrapping-up any loose ends. And tomorrow? I'll be showing the new person the ropes and saying my goodbyes.

And then come 5:00 pm? I might just have a single drink to celebrate, ride the Metro and bus home, and sleep.

#EverythingIHave

Four Months Worth of Appreciation - Part Two

This morning I was listening to 50 Cent's "21 Questions" and in the chorus Nate Dogg sings:

 

"Girl, It's easy to love me now
Would you love me if I was down and out?
Would you still have love for me?"

Repeat:

"Girl, It's easy to love me now
Would you love me if I was down and out?
Would you still have love for me?"

I never thought that a 50 Cent song would be deep, but that question - "would you love me if I was down and out?" - is so deep, yet so simple. I actually thought a lot about these lyrics this morning and some of the other questions 50 asks in the song. Afterwards, I thought about the people in my life will support me no matter what; those folks are rare and special. The people I had in mind were my parents, my aunts and uncles, and friends like MR, AM, MF, NS, AF, MD, RB, JB, TR, and LZ who would text/Facebook/Tweet me encouraging messages on a regular basis. I remember that I felt "down and out" from mid-October until Wednesday, December 15th 2011.
On that morning, the day after my birthday, I recieved a phone call from my associate at a local staffing agency. She asked me how my job search was progressing and I told her "not so well, but I'm still looking." I honestly did not know what to expect from this call, but as it turns out, she offered me a temporary position as an administrative assistant at a local D.C. area non-profit that advocates for resources for the elderly and disabled. The position had a modest hourly wage attached; there were also a lot of emotions and mixed feelings attached as well.

First, I was excited about getting "off the bench" and "into the game." Keep in mind, that four months ago the economy was rough and companies were not hiring as much as they used to. Although I was excited about the prospect of a new opportunity, my ego came into play. For a brief moment, I thought about this: "I graduated from Princeton and now I'm about to take a job as an administrative assistant?" Repeat:

"I graduated from Princeton and now I'm about to take a job as an administrative assistant?"

For a lot of people that can be a hard pill to swallow but my desire to do something far outweighed my ego. Although at the time I did not realize it, this experience will continue to reverberate for years to come (more on that in the next entry). I immediately accepted the position later that day and came into the office for the first time on Monday

On that first Monday, I was pumped and ready to begin my new position. Once again, I am thankful towards my Mom who gave me money to catch the bus and the Metro. Initially, I had a rough time locating the office, but I found it and was ready to go.

One of the first things that I was told to do by my supervisor was to make a name card so that people would know my name... so people know my name - what a nice guesture. Each time I encountered a new face, I introduced myself and they did the same in turn. I know that this sounds simple, but it was nice to interact and work with people once again instead of being at home alone. A lot of times we complain about our jobs or having to go to class, but it's a really special opportunity in that we have an opportunity to be around people, be/feel productive, and work as a team towards a common goal - how special is that? Very special indeed: being around people again and feeling appreciated is one of the things that has meant the most to me.

Another aspect about this position that I've appreciated is how it has worked to rebuild me once again. To be frank, 2011 was an emasculating year so to speak (I'm not going into the details here, but if you know me you're aware of the story). I am convinced working at this non-profit was the first step in rebuilding, an improved Reginald Galloway and my new foundation is one based upon hard work, humility, and respect. It goes like this: I'm always going to work hard, stay humble (but aim for the top), and have respect for myself, others, and what I do.

There is so much that this organization has done for me, for which I am grateful, but I'll just mention one more thing: the people here have encouraged me to once again dream big. I cannot emphasize enough how much the folks here at this non-profit have pushed me to once again have big goals - especially my African American co-workers. One story that definitely sticks out here is when one of my older co-workers, an African American lady, saw me pouring water for some guests who were in the office for a meeting. After I returned to my station, she said something that I'll never forget: "you're better than pouring water for some caucasian lady."

Wow.

Her words will always stick with me... and she's right. Sure her words triggered a certain historical image in my mind, but at that moment I was not thinking about the implications of an intelligent black male serving water for a group of white women; instead, I was thinking about everything else she had told me - to go back to school as soon as possible, to save up to buy a condo for myself, and how talented I was.

In fact, I feel as though just about everyone in my office has encouraged me to keep on going. At one point, it seemed as though every other person was asking me "so Reggie, what do you intend to do with that Princeton degree?" That question being posed to me day after day would lead me to think about a gameplan for the days and months to come. I'm happy to say that now, I'm executing that gameplan: it's call #DoOrDieMarch

There's a point I need to drive home here and I'll say this again and again: everyday is a new opportunity and your life can change for the better in just a single moment - take advantage of that. 

Four Months Worth of Appreciation - Part One

Something I've noticed in my recent posts is the re-occurrence of the idea of "being thankful" for my position with the non-profit and wanting to "finish strong." Last night, instead of partying, I had a brutally honest conversation with my friend A. Out of just about everyone I confide in, with the exception of my parents, A is the easiest to talk to and gives me the best feedback. The main thing that came out of that conversation for me is that I need to be more honest with folks - the good and the bad. I know that I reveal a lot in these blog entries and that this is a positive blog; I Am Here 2 Love will always be a positive blog, but now with a bit more honesty believe it or not. There's not going to be anything negative or hurtful here, but just my truths with the hope of maybe touching, inspiring, or putting a smile on that one person's face. With that said, let me explain why, I am so appreciative to this non-profit and this a story that starts on my 23rd birthday: the worst birthday I can remember.

On my 23rd birthday (12/14/11), I was out of it. I was exhausted by all of the days spent searching online job boards while chilling at MLK Library in downtown D.C. Everyday was the same routine: Get up, take the bus to the library, job hunt online, have lunch at the food court downtown, go back to the library and continue, take the bus back home. At this point, I was a good six months out of school and while I had not yet given up, I was out of it. Moreover, when I saw all of my peers having jobs, in grad school, or otherwise, it just felt as though I was not where I was supposed to be (I now have a better understanding that each of us needs to follow or our path and if we put the work in, we'll be where we're supposed to eventually). On this day, I was buying gift cards on behalf of the D.C. areas local 2011 Princeton alums. My friend A had the cash we had collected in her office and I went downtown to pick it up. Unfortunately, A had a meeting and couldn't meet me, so I had to pick it up with a receptionist. Our class had raised $180 during our most recent bar night and we were working in collaboration with the Princeton Club of Washington (PCW) to give gift cards for six kids of $30 each. Since I had some free time on my hands (haha, obviously), I was the person who volunteered to pick up the cards. Four of the kids wanted movie gift cards and the other two wanted McDonalds gift cards; however, unfortunately, I got that mixed up. After collecting the gift cards, I had lunch and delivered them to the local law firm of a PCW member. Eventually, I made it back to Silver Spring to catch the final bus on the way home. When I got on the bus, I swiped my SmartTrip card in order to pay for the trip: I did not have any money left on the card.

Not having any money left on my SmartTrip card was the worst feeling in the world. Fortunately, the driver was nice enough to let me ride for free, but I'll never forget that. In fact, that entire bus ride was the worst. I was thinking about how disappointed I was with myself and my life. I was thinking "I'm 23, still 'exploring my options,' don't have enough money to ride the bus, and it's my birthday." As much as I'll never forget the bad parts of that day, I'll never forget the best part. For dinner, my parents made me my favorite meal: tacos, rice & beans, and chips with salsa and queso. Moreover, it was so nice to eat this meal together as a family - just the three of us in the kitchen - on my birthday - that means so much to me and is one of my favorite memories.

Flash forward to the present for a moment: for the past few days, I've been in touch with my friend M. I'm sure M won't mind me sharing this, but we're old friends from middle school and at the moment, we're both working to find our way so to speak. One of the things that I have been saying recently is to "hang in there because life can change for the better with one moment, in one day."

I am convinced that my life changed on Wednesday December 15th, with one phone call...

I'm writing this on the Megabus right now on the way back from Princeton (via Philly) and am a few minutes from Union Station in Washington D.C. So I'll have to finish this in Part Two, but here's a thought:

Some of you had no idea about this part of my life. lol. Like I said, this is going to be a more honest and authentic blog to reflect the way, I'm going to live my life moving forward. Don't worry, things get a lot better :)