Week 7

Oh yeah, it's the end of Week 7 and I'm moving right along.

Aunt Leila has been digging through pictures and sent me a few old school cuties. I'm LOL at some of them. Rhetorical question: How adorable am I? 

This week I got to do a Volunteer Fair at Montserrat School of Art up in Beverly. It's a stereotypical small New England town: beautiful, town square, trees, character... The College is one big building and in front is this gorgeous park type area. I bet it's really conducive to getting the artistic juices flowing.

Because I work with kids, I get a tad bit of leeway on having fun with my appearance. So, last weekend I got my nails did...BLACK! Spooky! The kids thought they were cool. LOL

Wendy sent me a new picture of Brooklynn. She's so teeny tiny and cute. I think they're out together today.

Thursday night all the ARCEM peeps went to a place called Lucky's (basement bar/pub) for "Flirting With Disaster." This is an ARC sponsored event locally where the volunteers can chill out and get to know each other and it's also a good social recruiting tool. Shawna, Paul and I went. It was good $5 Sam Adams beer and pub food. We had a good time. Here are some Boston pics as I walked from South Station to the Pub.

Friday I was off for Flex time (I work weekends sometimes so I'm allowed to have comp/flex time.). I pretty much just apartment hunted and went to Target. Then I met Daniel for dinner at a really nice place in Peabody. It's in the same building as the truck stop where he parks. He had said the food was good but I was imagining what other places are like about which he's said that: diners with really good food. This place? Decor like an upscale Applebee's and food like an upscale Carabba's or Outback. MMM good. Love my Friday Date Nights!

So...How 'Bout 'Dem Gators?! Kevin had to text and rub it in that he went with Dad on Saturday. Me? I was in a Shelter Training and Ops class all day. I did get a chance after to have a Team Building Sam Adams Octoberfest with 2 of the other 4 AmeriCorps, though. That was nice.

Today was stressful looking at apartments. Very very stressful. 

That's about the it. Nothing exciting is happening. OOH...yeah, Haunted House is next weekend. We'll be prepping for that all week long. Can't wait to post pics.

Everyone have a great week.

Love, Jini

6 weeks in...still loving it!

Hello, everyone. I hope everyone has had a great week. Me? Meh. I was a bit under the weather Wed-Friday. I was in bed 3 days. I'm feeling better now, though.

Last Sunday, Shawna and I did CPR demonstrations and Disaster Preparedness for the Boys Scouts' SOAR event here in Boston. We thought we'd have more kids but it was still a good amount. Overcast and very chilly but productive. We had supplies with us so we got the kids to create holiday cards for the troops for our SAF (Service To Armed Forces) program at ARC.

The weather has gotten colder. It's low 30s at night and only highs in the mid 50s during the day. Hence, Jini gets to wear scarves and hats and jackets, yay!

I told you how Halloween obsessed Shawna and I are, right? Yeah, here is the (maybe) completed wall at work...

And here is a well mannered Zombie. He has obviously read Emily Post which clearly states that when eating brains, you should always use a fork and knife.

Nothing much new is going on this week. Except that I'm moving again. The temporary housing turned out to be way more temporary than we anticipated. Melissa (roomie) and I are looking for another place as we speak. Fingers crossed. It's not cheap to live up here.

Hopefully I'll have more interesting news to report next week. Until then, have a great week and GO GATORS!  Jini

Chugging Along...

I hope everyone had a great week. I certainly did. There is never a dull moment, I tell ya!

This week we decorated the office for Halloween. Shawna and I are freaks for Halloween so this is just the start.

We went out to Natalie's Studio on Monday to check it out for the Haunted House. We're going to decorate it so cute for the kids! I can't wait.

On the way, we saw this awesome art studio. They make sculpture out of car/motorcycle parts. It made me think of Ava, of course.

The big news is that Tyler and Rachael had their baby on Wednesday night. Brooklynn Rena' Bedell is tiny and beautiful. She so looks like her daddy; who is ecstatic. For the record, I'm "GiGi."

I'm learning the MBTA system better. The bus schedules are not at all easy. I feel like universities should offer advanced PhD level classes on them. Anyway, I downloaded an ap for my iPhone and I can tell when my bus comes. Here is a pic of the view from the pick up in the morning to my street. The leaves are starting to change and it's beautiful!

I had off on Friday for Flex time since I'm working on Sunday for a huge all day event. I ran some errands and then had some "me" time...and the Samuel Adams Brewery Tour! (The Boston location is in Jamaica Plain where I live...and in the same complex as Natalie's dance studio). Fun times. I love that these places do this. History of the brewery, short tour of facilities, explanation of how it's all done. Then you get FREE BEER!

I drove down to Uxbridge to see Daniel last night. We had a great dinner at a new (to us) place and chilled with Prince. I miss my dog!

So that's what was going on this week. Nothing exciting or anything, just chugging along having a great time.

Tomorrow I'm teaching Disaster Preparedness to about 4000 Boy Scouts (10 at a time so obviously, not all of them will be in class!). This week is choc full o busy so I'll chat at you next week.

Jini

Month One Done!

Well, it's been 4 weeks. What a ride so far. I'm still loving it here. So so much.

The weather: it's started to get chilly...50s most of the time. This past week has been rainy and overcast. Not beautiful but then again, it's not 90 and humid, either. Yay! LOL.

I moved to Jamaica Plain this week. I like it so far. I'm in another Bayshore type area (this one is around a big pond, though). I'm sharing a 4 bedroom/1 bath with a girl named Melissa. It's a great place. The basement apartment is rented by the landlord's dad so he's up on Sundays to do laundry. Melissa and I are getting settled in. I'm really close to the bus. I'm trying to figure all of that out. I need to get the schedule so I can see timing to get to the station for the train.

Last Sunday night I went to the Opening Gala for The Boston Urban Ballet. Natalie VanLandingham (Bedell) is the director there. It was a great time with food, drinks, ballet, art and various musicians. I was reminded of growing up with so much music in my life. There was a bluegrass duo there and I thought about Bill Larkin playing when I was younger.

 

I continue to love my job. I am having so much fun at ARC/EM. Last week we were out of the office every single day. This really helps keep things interesting...outreach! Balcony view from ARC. When the weather is nice, it's great to go outside and sit. This is the view looking into Downtown Boston (we're in Cambridge).

Speaking of which... Tuesday was ARC's Women Who Care Leadership Breakfast. We honored Ethel and Rory Kennedy. It was a great event and makes me really want to see "Ethel," Rory's documentary about her mother. Say what you will politically but that family is choc full o' interesting. Here's me all professional...and able to fit my suit jacket (buttons done and all! LOL).

 We also went to visit the Food Pantry on Wednesday. They were short staffed so we jumped in to help. That was fun and rewarding. Here is our team with the manager of the Food Pantry...

Yesterday we had the Youth Advisory Board Car Wash down in Quincy. It was a horribly chilly and rainy day but they still made about $150 for our program. They are a great group of kids.

 Daniel had a delivery in Chelsea Friday night so I got to have dinner with him there (Margaritas is a great little mexican restaurant). It's nice to get to see him more.

Anyway, that's what's been going on this past week. This coming week should be relatively calm. It'll just be a couple of projects at work...and decorating for Halloween...and getting ready for the Haunted House...and learning the bus schedule to the station so I can get to Cambridge from here. I need internet at home so I'll be looking at that.

Oh yeah, Tyler and Rachael's baby is scheduled for arrival on Wednesday so I'll sorta be a grandma (but SO not really!). Stay tuned for that announcement. (I'm GiGi, I guess).

October will be super busy with Youth Events and training for me every weekend. Thankfully, I get flex time at work.

Everyone have a great week...and please someone share with Momma Lee.

Love you all!
Jini

Life Is What Happens When You're Making Plans

As you may or may not know, I've picked up and moved to MA. I had been planning to move to Boston after Tyler's HS Graduation June 2013 or so. Life decided to laugh at me and throw me a nice little curve ball. 

My friend, Shawna had moved up here last year with the AmeriCorps Vista Program to work with The American Red Cross of Eastern Mass (ARC/EM). At the end of her year-long contract, ARC/EM offered her a permanent position (her boss', actually). She texted me about the available AmeriCorps position, I applied, interviewed twice and got it. 10 days later...here I am...happy as a clam in Boston:

 

I love it here so far. I'm temporarily renting a room out in Lynn...about 1.5 hours commute by 1 bus, 3 trains to Cambridge (ARC/EM offices). It's far! Easier than driving and paying for parking, though. It's near a Bayshore type area called Lynn Shore Drive:

Shawna and I at Harpoon Brewery. They have $5 tours then you get to sample (4oz at a time) the beers they have on tap:

Work is great. I love my job as Youth Outreach Coordinator. I get to go to schools (elementary and high school and university) to teach disaster preparedness. I also get to mentor the kids when they start ARC clubs in their schools. This means I'm not sitting at a desk every day all day. LOVE it. Shawna is awesome to work with and I love our team. Bob is her boss and Kelley is Bob's assistant. ARC is a great atmosphere. I love the culture of it all. Our CEO is Jarrett Barrios. Google him. I'd spend my entire blog gushing over how cool he is if I had to explain. 

Moi at Fenway above. Yes, I got to spend my 09/11 working a booth at Fenway for ARC's Blood Drive. It did not suck. I also got to meet the CEO of National ARC and shake her hand. Our picture is in the lobby of ARC/EM. 

Friday nights are pretty much spent having beers at Cambridge Brewing Company. Stephen Bedell is manager there. It's a great little place to hang out. There is a courtyard that's dog friendly. I got to bring Prince when Daniel was here last weekend. LOVE!

Anyway, It's all busy busy up here. I'm moving to a 4/1 apartment in Jamaica Plain this week. Natalie found it for me. It's temporary but it gets me closer to work and in a cool as hell neighborhood. 

Tonight I'm going to the Opening Gala for the Boston Urban Ballet (Natalie is the director) and Tuesday I'm going to a Leadership Breakfast hosted by The Kennedy Women. Yeah. See? Love it up here.

I'll post more later in the week. Much love!  - Jini