i can etch-a-sketch like a pro, biatch

i just found a koosh ball, an etch-a-sketch, and a book on office yoga in my new little space. someone's looking out for me. :)

i've been MIA for quite a bit, but it's not because i don't love you, dear e-audience (how many of you are there? ::squints into the darkness:: i see...two? three? thanks guys.). lots going on right now - a merger which will eventually turn into a move from the space we just invaded, two weekend trips, and a newly-filled lesson schedule. i'm basically PR girl from 9-5 and the barn equivalent of an elementary school teacher from 6-8 on weeknights and the grand majority of sat/sun. quite content with this, though. kathryn and i decided that we weren't exactly giving back to the community (cheeeeese) like we should be, so we're restarting the 4H club that provided us with lots of great opportunities and information when we were little. when you're younger, 4H entails learning the practicalities of the animal you're studying (for example, ours is a club for horsey kids), competing in quiz bowls and judging tours, and doing a TON of community service. as you get older, there are leadership opportunities. most of the teenagers end up running the meetings, working to get the younger members relating to each other, and keeping detailed records about their "horse project" (aka, keeping track of the details of being responsible for owning an animal - vet fees, vital health info, money spent, training logs, etc.). all of these things were a huge help to me in learning to adjust to the academic expectations of my teachers and professors, and also provided me with a very solid base of horse knowledge to rely on. it's also a very easy way to make friends when you're little, and having that common ground is a big help for kids who tend to be shy. 4H. not just for farm kids anymore. genuinely looking forward to getting this off the ground.

another interesting fact about being out of college: in the past year and a half, i've made friends from all age groups and walks of life. i realized the other day that i spent a large chunk of the weekend with women who were in their forties and fifties, and that many of my friends are getting married, just beginning college, having baby showers, getting divorced...i feel like it's an easy way to absorb life lessons and wisdom. i've always relied on people like sara wobker in times of crisis for her few years of experience and level-headedness, but it's nice to be constantly influenced by people who've gone before you (and still checked back to taking joy in the little things by kids). :)