New Orleans Week 1 at a Glance

I'm in New Orleans! (ok I've been here for a week, but yesterday my brother asked me "how is Texas?"). My team, along with Water 1, has been working with Rebuilding together, restoring houses. Rebuilding Together restores houses for elderly, disabled, impoverished, and first responders. The team is split between two houses, and the Salvage Store. At the two houses we are painting, scraping paint, glazing, and assorted other tasks. This past weekend we did ISPs on Saturday and Sunday with "Hands on New Orleans," a non-profit created after Katrina to facilitatte the rebuilding efforts. Saturday we helped repair and clean a house for a woman who will be able to move back in in time for Thanksgiving. And on Sunday we helped a man paint his house. It was amazing to see the whole team descend upon the project and effect a transformation in just a few hours. Saturday into Sunday was also a 42 hour draw-a-thon fundraiser sponsered by the "Green Project" a local recycling center that benefits the arts. Benn and I went when it opened, 6:30 am Saturday, and it was just being set up, so we helped out, and got snazzy blue volunteer t-shirts! Then we did some drawing. We participated in the monster battle drawing, where Benn drew Chameleon Robot Bunnies, and I drew Jeremy. Then our monsters fought a battle (which we drew out). Jeremy (and his minions aka us) totally decimated Benn's creations. Then we had to leave for our teams activities. However we went back after dinner and stayed up drawing until 2:30. We met the coolest kid named KT, who informed us that he could fight 1,000 rhinocerouses, and that the name Bart sounds like "fart." But KT and his mom left when it was time for the nude modelling to start. Alas. Around 2:00 Benn started falling asleep, so I took us home...we were planning on staying the whole time, but it was not to be.

We've also gone into the French Quarter. We browsed in the shops, checked out some local restaurants, and had coffee au lait at the Cafe DuMonde. This weekend while Benn and I were at the draw-a-thon most of the team met up with other teams on Burbon street. From what they can remember it sounds like a fun time.

Anyway, this week is going to be a short work week because of Thanksgiving. Our team, Water1 and Water4 are having a Thanksgiving feast/celebration, and I am super excited!

Amarillo Texas

I think the MOST hilarious thing I have ever done is to try and teach some of my teammates to play Star Munchkin. Before we left Ben bought Star Munchkin, so after dinner we sat down to play, along with Bart...all veterans to the game. And then Josh, Alex and Brendan wanted to learn as well. So we were teaching them when Jeremy came in, looked intrigued, and requested to join the game. Then he mandated that all the team members join in. First of all it is a CONFUSING game! So we explained it. "You are a monster hunter. The goal is to be the first player to reach level 10. You go up levels if you defeat a monster. You fight a monster on your turn after you kick down a door and a monster appears. If you dont draw a monster or a trap on your turn you can either play a monster from your hand or loot the room (by drawing another card). You can defeat a monster if your level is higher than its. Your level is your actual level plus all your bonuses. Your level must be higher to defeat it." I think my personal highlight is hearing Jeremy angrily declare "I want to kick down a door!" But it was hilarious to try to explain this game to non-nerd types. Even as he was winning the game Josh was declaring "This game is wierd" and "I don't know what's going on."
Last night we stayed in Amarillo, Texas. After our long drive we had an epid game of munchkin, and then Brendan taught us how to play Mafia. The drive yesterday was very enjoyable. We had purchased as Itrip, so we could play our ipods. I feel like this trip is nonstop fun. People are always laughing. Its just the most enjoyable atmosphere to be in. Can't wait for another 8 hour drive today! (Just a little sarcastic).

Pack Test

Today everyone in fire management took the pack test! We passed! We had to WALK three miles, carrying 45 pounds, in under 45 minutes. No lie: it was tough. I finished in 39:43. Whew. And then during lunch we met our supervisor, Russ, for our final three projects. We will be working on Pikes Peak! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pikes_Peak Its apparently near Lake George, and is the most awesome mountain ever. EXCITEMENT!

Here is the link to my team's group blog. If you like reading my blog, you may enjoy a different perspective: http://ncccwoodlandwarriors.blogspot.com/

Yesterday my team did an ISP with Project Angel Heart. This is a non-profit group that delivers meals to people with terminal illnesses. My team stuffed envelopes, which the group was very grateful for, and we learned about the organization. It seems like a great organization, and I hope we can spend more time doing community service with them, maybe during a transition week? http://www.projectangelheart.org/

Going to New Orleans!

For the first round of Spike projects my team (all of whom are awesome!!) are going to New Orleans!!! YAY! We are going to be working with Rebuilding Together. I want to hammer stuff! And then when we return to campus in January my team will be staying in Colorado and working with the Forest Services doing Fire Management. Until then we will be doing super Hardcore PT with Jeremy, our team leader. Jeremy is so tough he eats evil for breakfast. I'm sure he rolls out of bed, and does a million Jeremy Jacks (this exercise he tortures us with) and then sits down to a big bowl of Evil O's. Our team name is the Woodland Warriors (good job picking a sweet name, Jeremy). And today we are doing team building all day with our permanent teams (of which, mine is awesome, did I mention?)

Nerds

I remember over the summer I was really jealous of Ryan's nerd friends. I wanted my own nerdy friends. Friends that I could share nerd conversations with...and make references that would not only be understood, but would be an inside joke that you need to have a similar knowledge base to understand. Now don't get me wrong. I love my friends. They're all amazing. But, we can't talk about dragon books, nerd TV shows like Buffy, Firefly, Heroes etc., or nerd games (Munchkin, Pokemon etc.)
I have nerd friends now.
Last night was the second night we stayed up late playing Munchkin. And Ben O, had nerd songs playing on his itouch...including the Firefly theme song. And yesterday we went on an epic nerd quest to find the mythical game/comic shop in downtown Boulder. While our quest was epic, it was ultimately a failure. Something so nerdy was beyond our grasp. Alas.

These epic Munchkin nights have been amazing. Nerd references all over the place (I can kill you with my brain). I don't know when I've ever been this comfortable with a group of people. Also nerd vocabulary is superior to that of normal human beings. Ben B. fist bumped me for excellent use of the word "dastardly." (And the nerdy reference to "The Dastard" By Piers Anthony). The way he plays Munchkin can only be described as dastardly.

I'm really glad that every t-shirt I brought with me (3) are nerd shirts. And that Jena, the best roommate on the face of the planet, sent me the coolest shirt in existence. Can you say karate dragons? Jenna also sends an awesome care package. I cant wait to get cut up so I can use the Spiderman bandaids...I may just pretend to have wounds and wear them anyway.

Today we are learning about Shelter Management. We just had an interesting class, where we discussed how to set up a shelter during a disaster. I feel like this may be the most useful thing we've done so far. I can't wait to actually start our community service and use what we are learning!