If you read this blog, you know from my last post that one of my goals for the new year is to continue to work out and get back in shape. I don't think I mentioned that the other part of that goal is to lose weight. If you know me very well, you know that I am considered overweight (according to my BMI - yes, not the most accurate measurement, but it works). Of course, I'm not grossly overweight, and have never been considered obese, though at one point in college I was very close. So, what sparks my desire to lose weight? Well, honestly, it's something I've struggled with my entire life, and at various points in my life, I've done the roller coaster dieting. It's usually worked for a little while. In fact, the summer after my junior year of college, I lost 10 pounds with the old-fashioned "calorie-counting, exercising method." This summer, I dropped another 8 with that same method, and it felt great. However, within the past month, I noticed the numbers on the scale creeping back up again. I also noticed a pattern. Summer means warm weather, an easy time working out, and fresh fruits and veggies to eat in abundance. Winter means cold, nasty weather, boring treadmill work outs, and less motivation to eat yummy fruits and veggies. So, I'm trying to break that pattern. I am also trying to break the old "diet for a day" routine I've done since high school. Usually I look at the scale, respond with the appropriate profanities, and promise myself that "it will be different this time." And, go figure, it's never different.
Which, along with a commercial for Weight Watchers, brought me to tonight. I should also point out that one of my best friends is getting married this summer, and I'm in the wedding. There couldn't be a better time to take control and face my challenges. So, I joined Weight Watchers online. I know many people who have had success, so I decided to give it a shot. I'm not trying to lose some enormous amount of weight. I've set my goal of 15 pounds, which I think is entirely reasonable and will put me in that normal range on the BMI scale. I should also point out that I have three pairs of jeans waiting to be worn. I wore them in high school, but only for about year. Wouldn't it be great to say that I could wear jeans I wore when I was 16? The answer is yes. Clearly, I've also decided to make my goal public, hoping that it will help motivate me to stick with it. So here we go, blogosphere...
I'm thinking that since this blog hasn't been that history related anyway, I will keep you updated on my journey to change my lifestyle.
A side note: I just realized I never explained the title of this blog. It's actually a quotation said by the lovely old chap, Cecil Rhodes. Rhodes was a British businessman who "founded" Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). I chose it as the title of my supposed history blog because it's such a powerful quotation. At the time, Europe was busy dividing up Africa to its liking, and in my opinion, Rhodes was a pretty greedy guy. I think to me it represents the power of one person and the power of ambition and setting goals.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
That it is. For me, Christmas truly is the most wonderful time of the year. It's a time to be with family and friends, celebrate the birth of Christ, give gifts, and count my blessings. I'm not going to lie, though, I AM looking forward to having a week away from the office!
Christmas also always lends itself well to reflecting on the previous year. Since my family does not send a Christmas letter, I thought I would spend some time reflecting here.
My year was filled with many wonderful times and blessings, including:
-Graduating in May from UW-Eau Claire!
-Actually finding a job (albeit part-time) right out of the gate
-Spending time with family and friends over the summer
-A fabulous weekend vacation to Door County with a very good college friend
-Working for AmeriCorps and getting to know some amazing colleagues (who are now friends) and students
-Celebrating my brother's wedding in October! I couldn't be happier for my brother and sister-in-law and couldn't have received a better sister, either :)
-Being asked to be in a good friend's wedding. We have known each other since first grade, but didn't become close until high school. We lived together in college as well. I couldn't be more honored and happier for her! Though the wedding isn't until June of 2012, I'm including it in the highlights from this year!
-Receiving an award for having a very well-written history capstone. That was exciting for me. Call me a nerd if you must.
Though my year was clearly filled with many great experiences and blessings, it was also filled with some sad times, too. I lost an uncle and a great uncle this year, which was hard for me and my family.
As I reflect on this year and look forward to the new year, I have some resolutions.
-Continue to try working out and getting back in shape
-Exercising patience when I become frustrated or annoyed
-I would love to find a more permanent job that I could stay at for a few years...then go to graduate school!
-Work on publishing my history capstone...we'll see.
That seems like a pretty decent list. I'm really looking forward to Christmas and to the new year to see what it brings! I wish you all a joyous, Merry, and blessed Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
Christmas also always lends itself well to reflecting on the previous year. Since my family does not send a Christmas letter, I thought I would spend some time reflecting here.
My year was filled with many wonderful times and blessings, including:
-Graduating in May from UW-Eau Claire!
-Actually finding a job (albeit part-time) right out of the gate
-Spending time with family and friends over the summer
-A fabulous weekend vacation to Door County with a very good college friend
-Working for AmeriCorps and getting to know some amazing colleagues (who are now friends) and students
-Celebrating my brother's wedding in October! I couldn't be happier for my brother and sister-in-law and couldn't have received a better sister, either :)
-Being asked to be in a good friend's wedding. We have known each other since first grade, but didn't become close until high school. We lived together in college as well. I couldn't be more honored and happier for her! Though the wedding isn't until June of 2012, I'm including it in the highlights from this year!
-Receiving an award for having a very well-written history capstone. That was exciting for me. Call me a nerd if you must.
Though my year was clearly filled with many great experiences and blessings, it was also filled with some sad times, too. I lost an uncle and a great uncle this year, which was hard for me and my family.
As I reflect on this year and look forward to the new year, I have some resolutions.
-Continue to try working out and getting back in shape
-Exercising patience when I become frustrated or annoyed
-I would love to find a more permanent job that I could stay at for a few years...then go to graduate school!
-Work on publishing my history capstone...we'll see.
That seems like a pretty decent list. I'm really looking forward to Christmas and to the new year to see what it brings! I wish you all a joyous, Merry, and blessed Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Do what you can, where you are, with what you have.
In my last post, I told you (whoever you are) that I was going to be working for AmeriCorps at UW-Marathon County. Well, I've been at it for about two months now, and I'm enjoying it immensely. If you want to be technical about it, I work for the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service (WIPPS), on the UW-Marathon County campus, which I was placed at through AmeriCorps. Whew, that's a mouthful. (typeful?) Whatever. Disclaimer: please leave the Rihanna jokes out. Yes, WIPPS and chains excite my co-workers and I. Moving on. Without boring you (hopefully), I'm going to attempt to tell you what we do at WIPPS. In a nutshell, WIPPS combines student service, scholarly research, and public dialogue to address numerous public issues. In practicality, that means we host a variety of events (ranging from a conference on how Marathon County can better compete in the global economy, to a discussion on the current state of American politics with Dave Obey and Tom Petri). We also have a Student Civic Leadership Program that involves college students, a high school leadership program, and various other programs/events/projects. We partner with many other organizations, including the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), the campus,and the Kettering Foundation.
As I said in my last post, my project at WIPPS specifically relates to college access. With the DPI, I am coordinating a mentoring program in five schools in the Wausau area, including high schools and middle schools. Most of my time is spent facilitating study halls, chaperoning field trips, programming, and leading activities with my students. Our program focuses on college access - for example, those practical skills and knowledge one must have to get to college (financial aid, how to apply, etc). However, we also believe that students need to know how to lead effectively, have good personal health habits, and understand how to succeed academically. A second part of my job is to make service learning a regular part of student life on the UW-Marathon County campus. Therefore, I am specifically in charge of recruitment and scheduling our college mentors in the various schools. I'm also involved in other projects, such as mentoring for the high school leadership program, college days on campus, and organizing service opportunities on national days of service, like Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Though I absolutely love what I do, the title in of this post sums up my feelings regarding my mentoring/college access project. One of my co-workers and I constantly feel as though we don't do enough - specifically that we aren't making enough of an impact on our students, their schools, and our community. Everyone is constantly asking for more, and because there are only three of us on this project, we have to say "no" sometimes. And that's frustrating. So I'm trying to keep in mind that I am only one person, and that what I do and say will have an impact on my students and my mentors, regardless of whether or not I have the opportunity to see it.
As I said in my last post, my project at WIPPS specifically relates to college access. With the DPI, I am coordinating a mentoring program in five schools in the Wausau area, including high schools and middle schools. Most of my time is spent facilitating study halls, chaperoning field trips, programming, and leading activities with my students. Our program focuses on college access - for example, those practical skills and knowledge one must have to get to college (financial aid, how to apply, etc). However, we also believe that students need to know how to lead effectively, have good personal health habits, and understand how to succeed academically. A second part of my job is to make service learning a regular part of student life on the UW-Marathon County campus. Therefore, I am specifically in charge of recruitment and scheduling our college mentors in the various schools. I'm also involved in other projects, such as mentoring for the high school leadership program, college days on campus, and organizing service opportunities on national days of service, like Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Though I absolutely love what I do, the title in of this post sums up my feelings regarding my mentoring/college access project. One of my co-workers and I constantly feel as though we don't do enough - specifically that we aren't making enough of an impact on our students, their schools, and our community. Everyone is constantly asking for more, and because there are only three of us on this project, we have to say "no" sometimes. And that's frustrating. So I'm trying to keep in mind that I am only one person, and that what I do and say will have an impact on my students and my mentors, regardless of whether or not I have the opportunity to see it.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Summer Time!
Well folks, I suppose it's time to update again. I've been out of school for 3 months, and I'm enjoying the lack of homework and free-time on weekends immensely. In my last post, I said I was working for the Corporation Counsel of Marathon County, but I never told you what that means.
The Office of Corporation Counsel consists of three attorneys, a paralegal, three legal secretaries, and me (I'm a receptionist). Our office deals with Children in Protective Services cases, child support, divorce cases, paternity cases, mental commitments, and any case involving Marathon County. For example, we represent the County if someone wants to sue the County. I do a variety of tasks, involving almost all of the above areas. I take paperwork to Judges' chambers for signatures, frequent the Probate Office to "file" paperwork (ie. get it stamped and authenticated), get the mail, answer the phone, make copies, fax paperwork, send out mailings, and anything else I'm asked to do. I actually really enjoy it. It's been an interesting experience; I've learned a lot about how the circuit court works and the processes involved in in it. However, next Friday is my last day in the Office of Corporation Counsel.
I'm moving on to a year-long position with Americorps. Basically, I'll be getting paid for service work, which is excellent. I'm placed at UW-Marathon County, which is a junior college in Wausau, and I'll be designing a program/event/something to increase college access among at-risk populations in Wausau (ie. non-native English speakers, alternative high schools, charter schools, etc.) (Note: if you went to Eau Claire and are familiar with BluGold Beginnings, I'm looking to design something similar to that). I've been told I'll have a variety of other tasks to do as well in this position, and that my position is a pretty important bridge between various organizations in the Wausau area. I start training on August 23, and will hopefully jump into my projects at UW-Marathon County the following Monday.
I also noted in my last post that I was hoping to do some work with the Marathon County Historical Society. Mission accomplished. If anything has kept me busy this summer, it's definitely been historical society projects. I helped create an exhibit celebrating the 100th anniversary of workers' compensation in Wisconsin and Wausau Insurance. Wausau Insurance began almost solely to support the workers' compensation law. It was bought out by Liberty Mutual about eight years ago, but it was such a large part of the Wausau Community that we decided to commemorate what would have been its 100th anniversary. It was incredibly interesting to learn about the history of workers' compensation and Wausau Insurance, and totally awesome to play curator for a few weeks. I also planned and helped facilitate our annual Children's History Day. The day was a total success, and the kids really seemed to enjoy the activities we planned for them. A large part of the day was dedicated to the Civil War, since this year is the 150th anniversary of its start. The actual curators at the historical society created a wonderful exhibit about Marathon County's involvement during the Civil War.
Because I'll be starting a full-time job shortly, I will have less time to devote to projects at the historical society. However, I'm hoping to finish a few more tasks before I leave, involving developing activities for our new Children's Discovery Room, cleaning/organizing for our Curator of Education, and creating yet another small exhibit. Once I start my new job, I'm hoping to be a docent on the weekends for our historic house museum. I may also help the Curator of Education with activities for the Junior History Club.
Other than working, working, and working :) I've been reading, biking, relaxing, watching tv, shopping, spending time with my family, and taking a few weekend trips. It's really been a great summer, and I'm actually looking forward to not going back to school in September for the first time in TWENTY years. That's pretty excellent.
The Office of Corporation Counsel consists of three attorneys, a paralegal, three legal secretaries, and me (I'm a receptionist). Our office deals with Children in Protective Services cases, child support, divorce cases, paternity cases, mental commitments, and any case involving Marathon County. For example, we represent the County if someone wants to sue the County. I do a variety of tasks, involving almost all of the above areas. I take paperwork to Judges' chambers for signatures, frequent the Probate Office to "file" paperwork (ie. get it stamped and authenticated), get the mail, answer the phone, make copies, fax paperwork, send out mailings, and anything else I'm asked to do. I actually really enjoy it. It's been an interesting experience; I've learned a lot about how the circuit court works and the processes involved in in it. However, next Friday is my last day in the Office of Corporation Counsel.
I'm moving on to a year-long position with Americorps. Basically, I'll be getting paid for service work, which is excellent. I'm placed at UW-Marathon County, which is a junior college in Wausau, and I'll be designing a program/event/something to increase college access among at-risk populations in Wausau (ie. non-native English speakers, alternative high schools, charter schools, etc.) (Note: if you went to Eau Claire and are familiar with BluGold Beginnings, I'm looking to design something similar to that). I've been told I'll have a variety of other tasks to do as well in this position, and that my position is a pretty important bridge between various organizations in the Wausau area. I start training on August 23, and will hopefully jump into my projects at UW-Marathon County the following Monday.
I also noted in my last post that I was hoping to do some work with the Marathon County Historical Society. Mission accomplished. If anything has kept me busy this summer, it's definitely been historical society projects. I helped create an exhibit celebrating the 100th anniversary of workers' compensation in Wisconsin and Wausau Insurance. Wausau Insurance began almost solely to support the workers' compensation law. It was bought out by Liberty Mutual about eight years ago, but it was such a large part of the Wausau Community that we decided to commemorate what would have been its 100th anniversary. It was incredibly interesting to learn about the history of workers' compensation and Wausau Insurance, and totally awesome to play curator for a few weeks. I also planned and helped facilitate our annual Children's History Day. The day was a total success, and the kids really seemed to enjoy the activities we planned for them. A large part of the day was dedicated to the Civil War, since this year is the 150th anniversary of its start. The actual curators at the historical society created a wonderful exhibit about Marathon County's involvement during the Civil War.
Because I'll be starting a full-time job shortly, I will have less time to devote to projects at the historical society. However, I'm hoping to finish a few more tasks before I leave, involving developing activities for our new Children's Discovery Room, cleaning/organizing for our Curator of Education, and creating yet another small exhibit. Once I start my new job, I'm hoping to be a docent on the weekends for our historic house museum. I may also help the Curator of Education with activities for the Junior History Club.
Other than working, working, and working :) I've been reading, biking, relaxing, watching tv, shopping, spending time with my family, and taking a few weekend trips. It's really been a great summer, and I'm actually looking forward to not going back to school in September for the first time in TWENTY years. That's pretty excellent.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
That's all she wrote...
I realized today that I hadn't posted in a while, and I figured there's probably not a more perfect day than graduation day to update! Yes, that's right, after 5 long years, I finally graduated from UW-Eau Claire! (cue fanfare). It was a truly magical experience to be surrounded by my classmates (many of whom I don't even know) and embark together on our next big adventure! My 5 years at UW-Eau Claire went by so quickly in retrospect, and in all honesty, I don't think I have any regrets. First of all, I don't believe in regrets because at one point, everything I did was exactly what I wanted. I will also say that if you don't know, I was very, very studious throughout all of my college career. And while maybe that took some time away from my social life, I know I would not have been satisfied with myself if I hadn't taken my coursework so seriously. Still, it's hard to believe it's over. I had some wonderful experiences at UW-Eau Claire-experiences that changed my life for the better. I met the most amazing people (friends, classmates, and professors) that had such great influence on me and that I will surely keep in touch with for years to come.
Today, I'm feeling a whole mess of emotions: happiness, sadness, anxiety, a feeling of triumph, and relief. But mostly, I'm feeling blessed. Blessed to have been a part of an excellent university, blessed to have had the support I received from my family, teammates, coaches, friends, and professors, blessed to have had the opportunity to obtain a bachelor's degree. College is an experience that cannot be replaced by anything else and to have had the opportunity to learn and grow as much as I did makes me feel truly blessed.
One of my good friends who is wise beyond her years (but also 10 years older than me) told me I should document my hopes, dreams, and fears as I close the college chapter and start a new chapter. In the broad scheme of things, I really only desire two things: satisfaction and purpose. It's pretty simple. In whatever I choose to do in the coming years, I want to be satisfied with it and enjoy it. I also want to do something that has a grander purpose than just making me happy, however. In my chosen line of work, I think I will find immense helpings of both of those.
On a more practical note, I'm dreaming of museum work, or any work in history really, graduate school, marriage, children, a doctorate, and a teaching job at a university similar in size and mission to UW-Eau Claire. As usual, my biggest fear is the fear of failure and disappointing others, especially those who put time and effort into shaping me into the historian and person I am today. I don't know that I will ever overcome either of those fears, but I do know that my time at UW-Eau Claire has taught me to push them aside and replace them with taking risks.
For the summer, I'm heading home to Wausau to work for corporation counsel at the courthouse. It's a temporary, part-time position, but it will work for now. I also just learned about a position opening up at a historical research and consulting firm in Maryland, so I will definitely be applying for that. I also plan to do some projects with the Marathon County Historical Society, visit friends, read for pleasure, get back in shape, and spend some time with my family.
I have no idea where life will take me in the coming years, but I believe that everything will work out the way it's supposed to.
Today, I'm feeling a whole mess of emotions: happiness, sadness, anxiety, a feeling of triumph, and relief. But mostly, I'm feeling blessed. Blessed to have been a part of an excellent university, blessed to have had the support I received from my family, teammates, coaches, friends, and professors, blessed to have had the opportunity to obtain a bachelor's degree. College is an experience that cannot be replaced by anything else and to have had the opportunity to learn and grow as much as I did makes me feel truly blessed.
One of my good friends who is wise beyond her years (but also 10 years older than me) told me I should document my hopes, dreams, and fears as I close the college chapter and start a new chapter. In the broad scheme of things, I really only desire two things: satisfaction and purpose. It's pretty simple. In whatever I choose to do in the coming years, I want to be satisfied with it and enjoy it. I also want to do something that has a grander purpose than just making me happy, however. In my chosen line of work, I think I will find immense helpings of both of those.
On a more practical note, I'm dreaming of museum work, or any work in history really, graduate school, marriage, children, a doctorate, and a teaching job at a university similar in size and mission to UW-Eau Claire. As usual, my biggest fear is the fear of failure and disappointing others, especially those who put time and effort into shaping me into the historian and person I am today. I don't know that I will ever overcome either of those fears, but I do know that my time at UW-Eau Claire has taught me to push them aside and replace them with taking risks.
For the summer, I'm heading home to Wausau to work for corporation counsel at the courthouse. It's a temporary, part-time position, but it will work for now. I also just learned about a position opening up at a historical research and consulting firm in Maryland, so I will definitely be applying for that. I also plan to do some projects with the Marathon County Historical Society, visit friends, read for pleasure, get back in shape, and spend some time with my family.
I have no idea where life will take me in the coming years, but I believe that everything will work out the way it's supposed to.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Spring Break
While this may not be the most blog-worthy post ever, it contains the things that have been on my mind the whole semester. By that I mean, I'm trying to a find a job and I've been pre-occupied with it since January. So, I spent much of spring break job hunting. And folks, it's tough out there. I applied in January to numerous visitors' centers throughout the state of Wisconsin, a few museums, and to a couple organizations with PR/Writing positions available, and came up empty-handed. This week, I applied to a few museum jobs, and I especially desire two in particular. They are both really fabulous museum-type tourist traps outside Chicago. One is called Cantigny Park, which contains gardens, museums, and a whole mess of other attractions for folks to enjoy. I'd be an Education Assistant basically, so that would be solid. The other is called Naper Settlement, and it's a Victorian village. Again, I'd be doing Education Assistant-type things. Needless to say, I WANT them. BAD. Also, I know my cousin would love it if I came to live by her :)
The other two museum jobs I'm less thrilled with. Of course, any of them would be awesome. Let's face it, a job in almost any field would be awesome at this point. One is in Wausau, which would mean I could live with my parents and save rent, etc. But I'd also be living with my parents. I realize that a lot of college grads end up back with Mom and Dad, but after leaving for a while, it's hard to live with them again indefinitely. The other is in Phoenix, AZ, and while that would be cool (hot weather, no snow, far away, etc.) I'm not sure I'm ready to move quite so far away from family and friends. So, I really want those jobs in Illinois. I can't believe I'm actually saying that I want to move to Illinois. :)
I also applied for a few communication jobs in multiple hospitals and clinics throughout the Midwest. And while those jobs would be great, anyone who knows me well also knows that I want to work in museum education. It's my dream. But I'm being realistic about the economy at this point in time. Bottom line: I need a job. I really want a job in museum education. But if I don't find that, I'll take anything else that kind of-sort of-maybe relates to either of my majors.
It is depressing? To know that I may not get my dream job, well, perhaps never? Yes and no. I've come to find that the more you plan, the more your plans change. So I'm not planning. Wishing, hoping, dreaming? Absolutely.
But enough about that. The rest of spring break has been filled with enjoying mindless television, eating home-cooked meals and gaining the required amount of pounds from said meals, and then working out to work off those pounds. I also spent some time with my parents, which was nice. Hopefully I'll be heading up to Mankato for a long weekend to see a good friend who's in grad school up there. Oh, homework. Can't forget that. I've done a bit, and will do some more. I can't escape it. But come May 21, I will have won. Ha.
The other two museum jobs I'm less thrilled with. Of course, any of them would be awesome. Let's face it, a job in almost any field would be awesome at this point. One is in Wausau, which would mean I could live with my parents and save rent, etc. But I'd also be living with my parents. I realize that a lot of college grads end up back with Mom and Dad, but after leaving for a while, it's hard to live with them again indefinitely. The other is in Phoenix, AZ, and while that would be cool (hot weather, no snow, far away, etc.) I'm not sure I'm ready to move quite so far away from family and friends. So, I really want those jobs in Illinois. I can't believe I'm actually saying that I want to move to Illinois. :)
I also applied for a few communication jobs in multiple hospitals and clinics throughout the Midwest. And while those jobs would be great, anyone who knows me well also knows that I want to work in museum education. It's my dream. But I'm being realistic about the economy at this point in time. Bottom line: I need a job. I really want a job in museum education. But if I don't find that, I'll take anything else that kind of-sort of-maybe relates to either of my majors.
It is depressing? To know that I may not get my dream job, well, perhaps never? Yes and no. I've come to find that the more you plan, the more your plans change. So I'm not planning. Wishing, hoping, dreaming? Absolutely.
But enough about that. The rest of spring break has been filled with enjoying mindless television, eating home-cooked meals and gaining the required amount of pounds from said meals, and then working out to work off those pounds. I also spent some time with my parents, which was nice. Hopefully I'll be heading up to Mankato for a long weekend to see a good friend who's in grad school up there. Oh, homework. Can't forget that. I've done a bit, and will do some more. I can't escape it. But come May 21, I will have won. Ha.
Monday, March 21, 2011
What I've Learned
A while back, and by that mean in high school, I read something called "What I've Learned." It inspired me to write, but at the time I didn't think I was wise enough (or mature enough, really) to write something similar. I guess five years makes all the difference? Not really, but I decided that in my final semester of college (gasp!) I would put pen to paper, or key to computer screen, and attempt to write what I've learned in my twenty-three years of life. So here goes...
1) I've learned that there is such a thing as pushing too hard. Like 38 Special said, it's better to hold on loosely.
2) I've learned that time changes people, sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse. However, I've also learned that it's not my position to judge that.
3) I've learned that everyone has insecurities. It's how you handle them that makes all the difference.
4) I've learned that I would rather be amazing at one thing than average at many things.
5) I've learned that I don't have to be perfect at everything. I've also learned that achieving perfection is impossible.
5) I've learned that it's not worth it to change yourself for others.
6) I've learned that others can't love you if you don't love yourself.
7) I've learned that good things to happen to good people, given time.
8) I've learned that being on top isn't all it's cracked up to be.
9) I've learned that you can't force love. You have to let it grow naturally.
10) I've learned that stress can be good because it provides perspective.
11) I've learned that stress can be bad if you don't know how to handle it.
12) I've learned that friendship doesn't mean talking every day. It means still feeling a connection to someone you haven't spoken with in two months, and picking up right where you left off.
13) I've learned that people come into your life for a reason and leave when they have served their purpose.
14) I've learned that sometimes, you have to rely on yourself.
15) I've learned that it's important to pick your battles.
16) I've learned that sometimes you have to make things happen, and that sometimes you have to let things happen.
17) I've learned that my parents are usually right.
18) I've learned that some conflict is healthy.
19) I've learned that writing can ease pain, heal hurt, and cure loneliness.
20) I've learned that if I don't give everything I have, I will be unsatisfied when I reach the end.
1) I've learned that there is such a thing as pushing too hard. Like 38 Special said, it's better to hold on loosely.
2) I've learned that time changes people, sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse. However, I've also learned that it's not my position to judge that.
3) I've learned that everyone has insecurities. It's how you handle them that makes all the difference.
4) I've learned that I would rather be amazing at one thing than average at many things.
5) I've learned that I don't have to be perfect at everything. I've also learned that achieving perfection is impossible.
5) I've learned that it's not worth it to change yourself for others.
6) I've learned that others can't love you if you don't love yourself.
7) I've learned that good things to happen to good people, given time.
8) I've learned that being on top isn't all it's cracked up to be.
9) I've learned that you can't force love. You have to let it grow naturally.
10) I've learned that stress can be good because it provides perspective.
11) I've learned that stress can be bad if you don't know how to handle it.
12) I've learned that friendship doesn't mean talking every day. It means still feeling a connection to someone you haven't spoken with in two months, and picking up right where you left off.
13) I've learned that people come into your life for a reason and leave when they have served their purpose.
14) I've learned that sometimes, you have to rely on yourself.
15) I've learned that it's important to pick your battles.
16) I've learned that sometimes you have to make things happen, and that sometimes you have to let things happen.
17) I've learned that my parents are usually right.
18) I've learned that some conflict is healthy.
19) I've learned that writing can ease pain, heal hurt, and cure loneliness.
20) I've learned that if I don't give everything I have, I will be unsatisfied when I reach the end.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Curriculum Contradictions
If you read this blog, you know I started my last internship today at the Chippewa Valley Museum. You also know that part of my job there is to create a teachers' guide for a new exhibit they just developed. Awesome. Seriously. It's probably my favorite part of museum education, of those that I've experienced so far. My task today was to peruse other guides, as well as finally read those pesky Social Studies Curriculum Standards for the State of Wisconsin. (They sound really important, but most educators think they're ineffective). Basically, they break social studies into 5 different areas: history, geography, economics, behavioral science (what the hell is that?), and political science. Each category has learning objectives for grades 4, 8, and 12. As an educator, I, of course, have an opinion about them. I like the fact that we've attempted to standardize education. However, the standards are written using incredibly vague language. For example: "Identify major discoveries in science and technology and describe their social and economic effects on the physical and human environment." What would be considered "major discoveries?" Or social and economic effects? How competent does the student need to be? So obviously, a lot is left out. But...how are we supposed to include that? That turns social studies into a black-and-white subject, which it's not. It's complicated.
Another big issue...I went to a private school. My teachers didn't have to follow these standards. I never took a geography in my life, and I'm a victory lap senior. I also never took economics until college. Hence, the title of this post. I never touched half of the material in these curriculum standards. However, I still had a fabulous education. I learned to write well (obviously). I learned to recognize areas where I might need improvement. I learned to think critically and make connections between different subjects.
Which brings me to a novel idea. Do we need curriculum standards? I know, it's wild. But I would argue that many teachers are passionate enough to figure out what they should be teaching. Mine were. Teaching at any level is not a profession you can go into without a degree of love for education and students. And maybe this idea wouldn't work. I don't know, but perhaps it's time (again) to re-evaluate our education system here in the US. In addition, there are national standards as well, so which set do teachers prioritize? Or are they relatively the same? I have no idea. Clearly, I have to do more research on this topic. The only thing I'm sure of is that the standards we have now probably don't do what we'd like them to do. I understand that it's tricky, but I also know that a quality education is vitally important. As they say, you can only get by on charm for about 15 minutes...after that, you'd better know something. And considering we're getting beat by multiple countries in many different knowledge areas, we should probably at least do some re-evaluating.
I also realize it's impossible to get every student to the same level of competence in all subjects. Far too many variables exist for that to happen. But if anything is obvious, something has to be done.
Interestingly enough, this whole post addresses many reasons I left the elementary education major as a sophomore. And yet, here I am, still concerned about it :)
Another big issue...I went to a private school. My teachers didn't have to follow these standards. I never took a geography in my life, and I'm a victory lap senior. I also never took economics until college. Hence, the title of this post. I never touched half of the material in these curriculum standards. However, I still had a fabulous education. I learned to write well (obviously). I learned to recognize areas where I might need improvement. I learned to think critically and make connections between different subjects.
Which brings me to a novel idea. Do we need curriculum standards? I know, it's wild. But I would argue that many teachers are passionate enough to figure out what they should be teaching. Mine were. Teaching at any level is not a profession you can go into without a degree of love for education and students. And maybe this idea wouldn't work. I don't know, but perhaps it's time (again) to re-evaluate our education system here in the US. In addition, there are national standards as well, so which set do teachers prioritize? Or are they relatively the same? I have no idea. Clearly, I have to do more research on this topic. The only thing I'm sure of is that the standards we have now probably don't do what we'd like them to do. I understand that it's tricky, but I also know that a quality education is vitally important. As they say, you can only get by on charm for about 15 minutes...after that, you'd better know something. And considering we're getting beat by multiple countries in many different knowledge areas, we should probably at least do some re-evaluating.
I also realize it's impossible to get every student to the same level of competence in all subjects. Far too many variables exist for that to happen. But if anything is obvious, something has to be done.
Interestingly enough, this whole post addresses many reasons I left the elementary education major as a sophomore. And yet, here I am, still concerned about it :)
Another Internship!
I started my last internship during my college career today. It's a little surreal. Anyway - if you know me well, you know I spent the summer working for free at a couple museums. I had such a great experience at both places - met so many great people, got some awesome experience in museum work, and it was fun. Unfortunately, I did not get the credits I need for school from either of those experiences because I had not yet taken the required course. If you know me well, you also know that I was not too thrilled about that situation. Regardless, internships are awesome, and I would recommend them to EVERYONE. It's a great way to get some experience with a safety net.
So this internship is at the Chippewa Valley Museum in Eau Claire. They do a really nice job of interpreting the history of the Chippewa Valley. The staff is fabulous, and the facility is beautiful. I did some work previously with the educator there, and I am working with her again. I'll be developing a teachers' guide for their new exhibit and doing some docent work as well. More fabulous experience to add to the resume. And it should be fun :)
So this internship is at the Chippewa Valley Museum in Eau Claire. They do a really nice job of interpreting the history of the Chippewa Valley. The staff is fabulous, and the facility is beautiful. I did some work previously with the educator there, and I am working with her again. I'll be developing a teachers' guide for their new exhibit and doing some docent work as well. More fabulous experience to add to the resume. And it should be fun :)
Friday, January 7, 2011
That's a pretty big nutshell...
Alright folks...here's the story. I'm gonna attempt to give you the nuts and bolts of being a historian in a nutshell. There's been this weird perception among historians that the public at large doesn't care about history. Lately, that charge has been coming under fire and we're (historians, that is) starting to realize that perhaps you do, and that we just suck at communicating with you. I know, I know, some of you still don't, and that's okay, because I probably don't care too much about your passion either. And it's cool. We don't all have to love everyone and love everything about everyone. That's unrealistic, and kind of weird. Anyway - that's where I come in! Public Historian to save the day! I wish I had a super cool super-hero name, but alas, it's just me. For everyone asking themselves, gee Em, what's a public historian? I'll tell ya. A public historian is first and foremost a historian. So I'm "trained" in the study and practice of history. (I put "trained" in quotations because I haven't graduated quite yet). The "study" of history should make sense; we all learned it in elementary school, middle school, and high school. "Practice" gets a little more complicated. Public historians "practice" history by researching it and producing what is called "gray" literature (things like captions for museum exhibits, resources for teachers, and anything else that sees more than the brick walls of the ivory tower, or the academy). By contrast, academic historians "practice" history by teaching it, researching it, and publishing it in the form of a book or article - usually for other historians to read. The only real difference between an academic historian and a public historian lies in audience. Simple, right? Therefore, my job as a "trained" public historian is get you to think about, and perhaps even enjoy thinking about, history.
This is the part where I have to address the age old question: Why should we care about history? There is no right answer to the question, and every historian will come up with a different answer, of that I can assure you. But before I give you my answer, I first need to explain what it is that "trained" historians actually study. Contrary to popular belief, historians don't just memorize names and dates of treaty signings and European wars that accomplished nothing and that no one really cares about it. That would get boring. Instead, historians explore broader social, economic, political, and other causes of particular events that can be considered "watershed" moments. Or, on the flip side, historians speculate as to why certain events were not "watershed" moments and why things remained as they were in a particular time period. (A watershed moment is an event or time period that lead to massive change - for example, World War I was a watershed moment for United States immigration policy. In the post-war era, the United States passed federal legislation that massively restricted immigration into the United States). I hope that makes sense. Of course, there is some memorization of names and dates, but that's really only in survey courses. Once you hit upper levels, it's all about the cause-effect of particular events and implications of said events. That means that we attempt to discover how we got to this point, in 2011. That aspect of history is the usual "How can you know we're you're going if you don't know where you've been?" line. For example, immigration policy of the past informs current immigration policy. But there's a lot more to it than that. And after all, we're speculating. We don't have all the answers. Sorry to disappoint anyone.
In addition to all that, historians explore the history of history, which is called "historiography." This topic is really heady, and gets confusing from time to time. Historians, like me, examine what other historians, like one of my professors for example, had to say about a particular event or topic. And of course, each historian has a different take on a certain topic. Granted, some things are historical truths, but they can be interepreted in any number of different ways. That was a really nice segway to your next point, Em. Why thank you, Em. Okay, I need to point out here that ALL history is someone's interpretation of what happened in the past, which to many, makes the study of history entirely futile. And to them I say, your face is futile! Then, I say, well, doubter of history, the great thing about interpretation is that it says something about the time period it was produced in. And that, my friends, or enemies, or whoever you are, is why we study history. Any document, photograph, exhibit, letter, or what have you, that's been saved from a particular time period demonstrates what those people thought was important in that time period. Moreover, any history of a topic or event that was produced demonstrates how historians thought about that topic or event in the past. In terms of public history, a plaque memorializing a particular individual says a lot about what people of that time period valued. For example, if today, in 2011, a plaque was created to commemorate a famous protector of the environment, people would look back and determine that people of our time period really cared about the environmental movements and individuals who were vital to their creation.
So hopefully all of that makes sense. I know it's probably still difficult for you to understand why I enjoy the study and practice of history. For me, it's exciting in that "I finally figured out this algebra problem that I've been working on for 3 hours" kind of way. It's finding that perfect piece of evidence that says exactly what you need it to say. I should also mention that much of what I do as a public history major is read and write. If you know me well, you know that reading and writing is practically all I do these days. Historians are always trying to learn more about particular events, times, and places, and I have discovered that I have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. So history works for me. In addition, I have a huge passion for writing, so that works out nicely as well. Finally, history is not black and white, and accepted interpretations of historical events are always changing. Perhaps new evidence was found, or historians just looked at an old piece of evidence through a different lens. For some reason, it's fun, challenging, exciting, inspiring, horrifying, and beautiful, all at the same time.
So, with all that in mind, I'm imagining that this blog will be just random things about what's happening in the history world (and things do happen! It's not just a bunch of old professors in their smoking jackets discussing the repercussions of the Treaty of Versailles, which has been discussed to death, by the way). I'll also include some updates on my history capstones (yes, you saw that right, two of them).
So,if you read this thing, great! If you even like it, fantastic! If you kind of like it, but I could do something to make it better, tell me! If you don't read it, fine. If you don't like it, fine. Trust me, I won't be offended, because even my friends find my major boring!
This is the part where I have to address the age old question: Why should we care about history? There is no right answer to the question, and every historian will come up with a different answer, of that I can assure you. But before I give you my answer, I first need to explain what it is that "trained" historians actually study. Contrary to popular belief, historians don't just memorize names and dates of treaty signings and European wars that accomplished nothing and that no one really cares about it. That would get boring. Instead, historians explore broader social, economic, political, and other causes of particular events that can be considered "watershed" moments. Or, on the flip side, historians speculate as to why certain events were not "watershed" moments and why things remained as they were in a particular time period. (A watershed moment is an event or time period that lead to massive change - for example, World War I was a watershed moment for United States immigration policy. In the post-war era, the United States passed federal legislation that massively restricted immigration into the United States). I hope that makes sense. Of course, there is some memorization of names and dates, but that's really only in survey courses. Once you hit upper levels, it's all about the cause-effect of particular events and implications of said events. That means that we attempt to discover how we got to this point, in 2011. That aspect of history is the usual "How can you know we're you're going if you don't know where you've been?" line. For example, immigration policy of the past informs current immigration policy. But there's a lot more to it than that. And after all, we're speculating. We don't have all the answers. Sorry to disappoint anyone.
In addition to all that, historians explore the history of history, which is called "historiography." This topic is really heady, and gets confusing from time to time. Historians, like me, examine what other historians, like one of my professors for example, had to say about a particular event or topic. And of course, each historian has a different take on a certain topic. Granted, some things are historical truths, but they can be interepreted in any number of different ways. That was a really nice segway to your next point, Em. Why thank you, Em. Okay, I need to point out here that ALL history is someone's interpretation of what happened in the past, which to many, makes the study of history entirely futile. And to them I say, your face is futile! Then, I say, well, doubter of history, the great thing about interpretation is that it says something about the time period it was produced in. And that, my friends, or enemies, or whoever you are, is why we study history. Any document, photograph, exhibit, letter, or what have you, that's been saved from a particular time period demonstrates what those people thought was important in that time period. Moreover, any history of a topic or event that was produced demonstrates how historians thought about that topic or event in the past. In terms of public history, a plaque memorializing a particular individual says a lot about what people of that time period valued. For example, if today, in 2011, a plaque was created to commemorate a famous protector of the environment, people would look back and determine that people of our time period really cared about the environmental movements and individuals who were vital to their creation.
So hopefully all of that makes sense. I know it's probably still difficult for you to understand why I enjoy the study and practice of history. For me, it's exciting in that "I finally figured out this algebra problem that I've been working on for 3 hours" kind of way. It's finding that perfect piece of evidence that says exactly what you need it to say. I should also mention that much of what I do as a public history major is read and write. If you know me well, you know that reading and writing is practically all I do these days. Historians are always trying to learn more about particular events, times, and places, and I have discovered that I have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. So history works for me. In addition, I have a huge passion for writing, so that works out nicely as well. Finally, history is not black and white, and accepted interpretations of historical events are always changing. Perhaps new evidence was found, or historians just looked at an old piece of evidence through a different lens. For some reason, it's fun, challenging, exciting, inspiring, horrifying, and beautiful, all at the same time.
So, with all that in mind, I'm imagining that this blog will be just random things about what's happening in the history world (and things do happen! It's not just a bunch of old professors in their smoking jackets discussing the repercussions of the Treaty of Versailles, which has been discussed to death, by the way). I'll also include some updates on my history capstones (yes, you saw that right, two of them).
So,if you read this thing, great! If you even like it, fantastic! If you kind of like it, but I could do something to make it better, tell me! If you don't read it, fine. If you don't like it, fine. Trust me, I won't be offended, because even my friends find my major boring!
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