Roosevelt

So my job with the Roosevelt Institution is keeping me busy, or also known as "on the phone." A lot. Yikes, about two hours today. It's totally worth it, my chapters really do love me and they actually follow up when I ask them to, shocking.

So I can't post much right now because oh hey: I have work because I am a full time college student in senior year with lots of "stuff" to do!

However, I am going to post links to Roosevelt news stories here, and when I have time, write about some cool new developments in more detail. Today's update: The healthcare journal "Roosevelt Rx" was launched in the Senate Hart building in DC. About sixty people showed up including legislative assistants and of course the Kennedy Office loves us and took some of our other publications back to their office. I'd love to say it was me that did this, but really it was the national organization (and maybe me talking it up a bit in a few conversations). We're also going to be mentioned in the American Public Health Association's next publication (I am pretty sure) and so that's awesome. Our next journal "Think International" is going to be launched on October 17th at Columbia University (and I'm heading down that same weekend for the national staff retreat which will be awesome).

So here's the recent news link and more to come on exciting Roosevelt events and developments. Also, I know I included US politics in the title and I haven't forgotten. It's just that between everything going on here at Midd and being away on a leadership retreat, I haven't had time to analyze how I feel about the news. So, that aside, I hope to do some more election coverage this week. You'll have to make do with Roosevelt for now.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/campaign-americas-future-co-director-roger/story.aspx?guid=%7B15A9FE13-22C4-4E94-8A92-4DFAC2704498%7D&dist=hppr

The publication mentioned in the article can be seen below:

http://newprogressivevoices.org/

Stress

Oh hey so here's something funny...

I am not particularly stressed, frustrated, and rather unimpressed at times, but not stressed. Frustrations? With most of the culture at Middlebury that somehow trains us to be too self-important. Not necessarily boosting our esteem, but really, just giving us this impression that we are (maybe it's true) the cream of the crop and therefore we're allowed to self-obsess and talk about ourselves until we bore people to tears. That would be in the unimpressed part of the above. Me, entirely unimpressed by that constant yapping. Okay and here I continue, realizing how utterly snobby and self-important I am now going to sound....ready set action.

It is surprising how much people here can talk without saying anything new or exciting. It is amazing how little I truly care about what's being said. It is also amazing how long my London attitude of "dude I like having a life" has lasted into this school year. I mean seriously :)

I am not overtired, I am somehow not overworked, I am just me. Do I have every page read for classes, well yes mostly I do. Is Roosevelt busy and manageable? Yes it is. Can I watch movies from time to time and go out for drinks on the weekend? Yes....
Am I still mentoring, of course....will Irish be taking up a little sunday time, yes....for sure.

So, the stress level might change when I no longer have weekends as free to stay caught up. But If I can continue to buckle down and get shit done, and continue to be inspired and bring a healthy attitude towards my own choices, well who knows.

On the flip side, between the job hunt, and a weekend thing coming up in Burlington and a weekend in NYC in October, and papers and midterms and job fairs, and winter internship applications and research/senior project planning, okay I'm not stressing. I swear. And it's back to work.

This election

is scaring the shit out of me; period. Holy crap, if moderate white women and independents actually vote for the mccain palin ticket because they're pissed at democrats about hillary, that's the most short-sighted, pathetic reasoning I've ever heard of and I'll seriously consider undergoing a sex change. Oops, no wait, I'm not a white woman....never mind...moving on.

So yesterday, I spent six hours plowing through reading, today will be finishing up reading for this week, doing some economics reading notes and then starting to go back over some of Monday and Tuesday's stuff to do some reading notes on that (think of it as a second pass). If I have time and energy tonight, I'm going to get started on my search topic, as in a thesis topic of some sort (which will probably entail time using the library, oh horrors). Actually, after LSE, I have learned a bit more about the usefulness of libraries. So there's that to consider as well.

Hurricane Ike is raising havoc with my weather patterns up here in VT....and life goes on. Not much else to report for the moment.

Cheers,
T

Day 2

I really will come up with more original headings for these entries eventually. So today, got up, had some food, went to my first class. International Politics of Humanitarian Action. Professor is young and really nice; pregnant too. She's front loading the course so that it'll be less material while we're gearing up for finals. Not complaining. After last year, the workload (while not easy because it's Middlebury), is pretty straightforward for that class. One thing LSE did was actually remind me that learning can be fun instead of a huge strain. I am grateful for that, granted some of last year's reading bored me to tears - read "this is a absolutely irrelevant piece," or "economic huh what?" However, I picked out (beyond the essentials) what I was interested in - and let me tell you, that hands off approach was nice enough once I adjusted. Now being back here is just challenging. I mean it's nice to have something set to work off of because oh hey I'm a creature of habit. Logic on the other hand begs me to remember how nice it was to read about what you wanted to read about. Not sure exactly.

Feeling a little removed from people I know still, but this goes away over time, or so I'm told. Roosevelt stuff is about to start keeping me very very busy, thank goodness. Irish dance rehersals are on Sunday from 1-3 (only school related thing I'm doing on Sundays). Goal is work butt off on Saturday and have much relaxation and liberty time on Sunday (GREs only), until Midterms are right around the corner. Most of my papers for previously mentioned class are response ones, horray!

Economics, micro to be precise, oh gag me. Math, lots of math = tarsi so screeeeeeeeeewed. Prays to the Gods for help. Lots and lots of help. sniffles and sniffles.

American Presidency tomorrow with Matt Dickinson, makes me so happy, what a class (and then some). Then a senior seminar with advisor's husband. Okay so that's midd stuff (and some Roosevelt stuff)...more on that to come.

What's left? Oh election stuff, unfortunately for tonight, not much as my 20 minute "study break" is rapidly drawing to a close. I will say McCain's pick for a VP has me (and like half the nation) worried. She's got appeal I will grant you (all conservatives you) that. I would just like to encourage McCain to stop criticizing Obama's inexperience, if he dies (and he's old and you know has had health problems) she's in charge...and at the mercy of those who've been in power the last eight years. Just F****** great. Okay and now I've really got to go back to work.

First day back

Well, I'm back at Middlebury. It's kind of crazy.
I don't really know people here, mostly because I've been away for so long. Also, I've moved into Ross Commons, and moved into a suite. My roommate is awesome though, I love her. I've unpacked, eaten at the Grille, been down to Carol's cafe. And so on, a whole at Midd with little work...except for an email (that I got on my blackberry at 9AM on a Sunday of all things), from my poli sci professor (whose approval I crave), saying "welcome back, I want to dive right in as it is an exciting year - election - to be studying the presidency. Therefore read all of 13 days before class. thanks." More or less. I was like, okay I read it over the summer, hahahah. But I did re-read it today, with a few reading notes on the side.

I judge people here, lots of people just kind of annoy me, but my friends make me happy. I just got so used to hanging out on my own in London - now it's a bit of a challenge to be back in such a tight knit community because I'm so overwhelemed by the constant socializing. I'm trying to balance things so I can get the best of both worlds. Then of course Roosevelt Institution life will be prominent, and the Irish club, and Xenia house events and mentoring. Busy. Kind of not sure how to think about it. Basically I need instant mac and cheese and a bottle of white wine in the fridge and wine glasses. I'll be good to go.

Time for beddy bye night night. Going for a run every day.