Spread Happy (A Modcloth Style Short)

Spread some happiness this week.

Bucket List: Be a Librarian

I am happy to say that I not only got out of bed before ten on a Saturday, but I spent my Saturday morning volunteering at the Lawrence Public Library with KU's Center of Community Outreach 2010 service day. They even gave me a leadership position because I am a co-coordinator this year. Yesterday, Twenty of us re-shelved books, DVDs and CDs. It was weirdly therapeutic and fun. I had a lot of fun.

One important projects we worked on at the library was with LARGE print books. Before the books were shelved top to bottom. For the elderly whom typically read LARGE print books, it is silly to have them reaching high or bending down low. So, we moved books so that they could all be placed at eye level. Hopefully, that was helpful.

Volunteering may seem like pulling hair before you go, but once you do, you're so happy you did. This experience was no different. Plus, I crossed something off my Bucket List.

Bucket List Item:

70. Be a librarian August 21, 2010 CCO service day at Lawrence Public Library

I've always been fascinated with libraries and book stores. If I am in a bad mood, you can find me sitting in the travel section of Borders in Lawrence. It was no surprise being a librarian made its way on my Bucket List. However, I am surprised I was able to cross it off so early and easily.

To add to that, I was a good librarian. When I was restocking the DVDs, an elderly woman in the family movie section asked for my opinion. I recommended a few classics and funny kid movies for her 10-year-old granddaughter's weekend visit. Another woman needed my assistance reaching a book.

Now, another item is crossed off my List. Another memory was had. It was a good first weekend of the semester.

Update 8.16

I am nearing the end of recruitment. Yes, I am surviving rush. It isn’t all that bad. I’m having good conversations and making friendships with lovely Thetas – all the reasons I joined a sorority in the first place.

This summer I completed six hours of journalism. The classes were hard and not what I expected. I swear to you that someone out there – someone I’d like to find and have a talking to – that said summer school was fun. Lies. Summer school was anything but funny. Before I become Debbie Downer, I will simply say: I am happy to be done. Twelve hours of journalism down and only 18 to go – only. Speaking of classes, fall semester starts in less than four days. FOUR DAYS!

Summer 2010 flew by and I have six measly hours to show from it. No European adventure. No summer camp. No spontaneous road trips. But you know what? That’s okay.

I lived with an awesome girl who is now a dear friend of mine. I went to 3 weddings and celebrated the marriage of three lovely couples with my lovely boyfriend. Yes, I have a boyfriend and have managed to keep him around all summer. I sublet my first apartment. It was in the “student ghetto,” had purple pillars and even came with a cat, Scat the Cat. I loved it. I cooked for myself all the time and didn’t open a packet of instant pasta, Mac n’ Cheese or Ramon: not once!

GREAT NEWS: A spot just opened up in a journalism class that I need to graduate. The class openings website has been my homepage for over two weeks. Just this morning a spot opened up! Thank you God! Now, I have an interesting class schedule; I only have Tuesday/Thursday classes. This will give me a good amount of free time that will be filled with the nine zillion activities I involve myself in. Why I feel the need to sign up for everything plus some? I do not, but that tends to be my norm if not destiny.

Surprisingly, I have no trips planned, but of course, I am never against the spontaneous endeavor away from college.

I hope to take a good hard look at my bucket list and create to a good list of goals for the semester. Once that is completed, and of course, perfected, I will publish it. Hopefully something will trigger something in you or at least make you laugh (maybe roll your eyes to my over-achieving and unrealistic nature). Keep your eyes out for that.

As for now, I will keep my chin up as summer officially ends.

Love is in the air

This video is just a feel good montage of love from oceanwide studios. They do a great job of creating a story with their video. It's lovely.

brad + jen from oceanwide on Vimeo.

Must See Movie: stand by me

In honor of summer coming to an end, I have decided to shout out to a summer flick that made its way into my heart early in life. I vividly remember this being one of the first R-rated movies I had seen. Every curse word made my mouth drop. I made others' mouths drop when using those same words the next day at school. Thanks Mom and Dad.

Stand by Me follows four young boys' epic summer adventure. The jokes still have me rolling laughing and the story never fails to impress me. The movie is a story of true friendship and the sticky situations those good friends put you in.

I hope that every one of you have had a summer like these boys. If not, there's always next year. If you haven't had the pleasure of watching this 80s flick, grab a good blanket, a good friend, a good bowl of popcorn and pop in Stand by Me.

Thank you, Skype.

Favorite thing about waking up early: being able to skype Sam Spurlock

Miss you!

the Philippines

anyone want to book a flight to the Philippines?

Boracay, Philippines from ktrifonov on Vimeo.

or what about Indonesia?

Bromo volcano from ktrifonov on Vimeo.

Detail http://ktrifonov.livejournal.com/13895.html

Another Like You

"Another Like You," by Sean Fournier. Click here to go to his website for some more good tunes.

This song is beautiful- as is Love. Spread it.

Hard work pays off

I have amazing news! I earned an A- in Multimedia Reporting (easily, one of the hardest, if not, the hardest class I've taken in my life). I earned a solid A on my last two stories. I've never worked so hard for a class, especially one I disliked a little bit.

Here is my latest story about the University of Kansas' retention rate and graduation rate. This summer I taught myself how to make charts online. I wasn't very good and needed help. Thanks, Alex. Here are the two I made for my retention story.

This summer I also learned how to do Broll, which means putting together a video package story using video. Click here to see my latest video.

I learned a lot from journalism 415: multimedia reporting, but I'd like to never take a class this hard ever again - fat chance. This semester and the semesters to follow will be hard, but I do know how to work hard. I have an A- to prove it!

Picture Party

I found that on Picasa you can see all the photos that I have ever posted on my blog. Crazy enough, I have uploaded exactly 100 pictures. You can see them all here at the Picasa website.

Here are some photos that prove you don't have to go very far for a beautiful photo. These are from when I hit the road in good ol' Iowa, Midwest USA.

Photos by Sarah Weaver