Singing the Sun to Sleep

Today James and I ran into the ocean holding hands. It's not gay cause he's from Uganda. This was our first time spending time with our Ugandan teammates and the first time I could see us becoming friends. It was so rad being at the beach with so many people who had never been. Robert, my older teammate didn't want to go very far into the bigger waves because he can't really swim. That was a unique cultural learning experience for me, because I'm already realizing how many things I assume are normal for everyone, when in fact, it's not like that at all. People are so unique, everyones story so different, and even if they were similar, we would tell them different and perceive them different and yet, there are so many things the same.

The beach was darn good first bonding experience for dos reasons: water and sand. These two genius substances are universally enjoyable (except for allergic people). As we were jumping over waves and kicking sand on sunbathing locals during our beach-wide soccer game, I realized the power of the w&s. Really, none of us yet had a ton to talk about in any super deep bonding level, but man, shared experience is bonding. Talking is good, and needed, but you can't know people without playing with. That's just how it is.

Our back porch is like grandmas garden. Always something fresh to make your mouth water. Today, everyone was gathered on the porch and balcony to watch the sunset. If we get home in time, it's what we do. I was on the balcony talking to Jed as we watched everyone be. Hannah had her headphones on, standing up soaking it all in. Jordan was rocking the guitar with Saren singing along. Bryce, Bryn and Shane were kicking around the soccer ball. The grill was going, Sarah was messing with her camera, and just in general everyone was was existing uniquely. Jed and I talked about how sweet it is live in such intentional community. Intentional, yet with people we didn't choose. It's crazy because you really learn so much from everyone. You also end up being tightest with the people you never would've guessed, or even chosen. It's beautiful.

We launch in 1.5 weeks. This is about to go by so quick and I'm kinda scared. Not like sweaty armpits and crying scared, but sweaty palms and wide eyed scared. This week we have to continue with booking, and book harder, as well as do more training with the Ugandans. Our first "practice" screening is actually this Wednesday, but it's not practice at all because it's absolutely a legit screening. I guess they call it practice because they'll be there to judge us haha. No pressure.

We had a marsh mellow war tonight. I hit Steve in the face. I love life. I missed Jess from 3 feet. I feel ashamed.

We had a rad team time in the back of a van tonight. We had milk and cookies and talked about our families and growing up. It was homework. We've begun relationship training and all the returners keep telling me it's the most important training. I suppose that's because this whole organization and roadie system is built of personal relationships. We have to build relationships with all of our contacts, live with each other 24/7, and meet buttloads of new people every single day. I get it.

Anyway, it's bed time. Thanks for reading. I love you. You should totally send me pictures of your life right now. For real, I love you.

Goodnight :)

Crazy Lunch Break, Crazier Connections

Filmed in 30 minutes, on the web in less than an hour.

-Case 1: Cool story out this video: I posted it on facebook and my friend, Jeanie Reams, notices her friend, Spencer Brown, is in the video. Surprise surprise, they went the same church and school in Kansas back in the day. I knew Jeanie from Armstrong in Savannah, and now I live with Spencer in San Diego. There's just crazy connections all the time.

-Case 2: Ivory from the band Showbread has been a roadie a couple times including for Vans Warped tour, including as my current teammate Sarah's teammate. Ivory and I worked for the same window washing company in Savannah. I had no idea he was involved with IC and he had no idea I existed. We had lunch together once...

-Case 3: My other teammate Meagan went to GCSU. She's good friends with my good friend Jack. They spent all last spring break together. A few days before I left for Cali, I was talking to Jack about IC's Schools for Schools program and he said he knew of a girl at his school who had done something with that. I think he was talking about Meagan. This is even odder because Meagan came on late to replace our original teammate, so it's not like they paired us because we're from the same state.

There's more but I won't go into them. All you need to know is this:
Make friends. Get Deep. Holla back.

I guess when your organization is built on traveling the country, making friends and sleeping in peoples houses in every state and city, connections are bound to abound.

Update 6: Rapid Flow

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Rapid. The flow of life right now is that. Once again, I started the week and suddenly it was Friday. This Friday was awesome though, because guess who arrived?

James and Robert, my Ugandan teammates! After work, we’re still at the office doing “relationship training” and Zach runs in yells “The advocates have landed!” We we’re planning to meet them at the airport but they arrived a little sooner than expected so we all get into this frenzy that lasts pretty much until the Ugandans went to check into their hotels.

We grab our stuff mad quick and zoom to the airport. Once there, we run like a quarter mile from the parking lot to the baggage claim and then realize we have no idea which gate they’re coming from. So we have maybe 80 or more people now running back and forth through the airport zig-zagging in unison like a school of fish. I wish we could get the security footage because it we were legit running and people were so confused. Once we finally see all the Ugandans, everyone runs to each other and we’re all yelling and hugging even though most of us had never even met. We had signs and junk we’d made the night before too but they didn’t get pulled out until after we met. I honestly wish I had worked harder on them because James rolled his up to keep and I hadn’t thought of it as really being anything special.

Being in the office calling and emailing all day has a unique affect on your time perspective. I think I probably get so annoying because I’m always pushing people to get back to me about things. It’s necessary due to the rush we’re in, but even if it weren’t, I would. Like, I send an email or leave a voicemail it feels like it takes forever for anyone to reply. I know people have lives and are working or whatever, but when you sit by a phone and computer for 8 or more hours straight, 1 hour is a long behind time to wait for a phone call. It’s gotten to where having inbox messages is almost euphoric. I love emails and I love having messages. Ah, so much!

Today was excellent. I woke up today on the couch on the living room. We’re not really supposed to sleep on the couches, but I didn’t mean too. Plus Braden was on the couch next to me, so it’s cool. Anyway, I wake up to people all around cleaning so I get and clean for a while, eat a bagel, and then just go my bed until around 3. This was the first time this week I could get more than 6 hours of sleep within 24 hours, so I took advantage of it fo sho.

Around 3pm, I woke up to something incredible: Roadie music. Annie’s playing a cello that I have no idea where it came from, Saren is rocking the piano and then Adam and Steve are both playing guitar. The doors are open, the weather is absolutely perfect and everyone not playing is either dancing or chillin around. They kept playing all these random songs from Mumford and Sons and the like and occasionally I jumped in with the shaker. Oh yeah, and everyone was singing. Then we played the it’s too late to apologize song and I beat boxed for that. It was a great way to wake up.
Mount Soledad

After, Roadie JamFest 2010, we head to the top Mount Soledad to play running charades. It was so beautiful. It’s this incredible mountain with a huge cross (veterans memorial) on top surrounded by a nice soft grassy field. Running charades is intense. Basically you have four teams playing charades. They each send a representative to the center to get a topic, then they run back and it’s normal charades until someone gets it who can run get another topic. The intense part is that you can tackle/block/hold runners from other teams to slow them down so your team can win. We won 3 times, thus overall. So sick.


Then we went to Ocean Beach to hang and get Acai Bowls. It’s weird how much more enjoyable, and now I believe needed, weekends are. It’s so good to get a break to rest and focus on something other than booking screenings, learning about a war, working on speaking parts, etc. Booking has been life the past couple weeks, and it’s kind of takes over. It’s such an emotional roller-coaster. Get a screening- heaven. No emails for an hour- drudgery. I’ve actually only gotten 3 screenings booked so far. There’s some that are looking really good, but it’s tough sometimes. No of the schools in our region are in session so it takes forever to get anything done. We only need like 20 more before we can launch, but with 5 of us working on it, I think we’ll be good.
Elise Benusa...The affects a acai bowls?

I keep wanting to call people but the time difference from here and Savannah is 3 hours so it’s always late night before I get free time. Like right now, it’s only 11 here, but that makes 2 o clock east coast. Lame.

I suppose that’s enough for today. If anyone reads this and you have questions about what I’m doing, you should ask cause sometimes there’s so much going on I don’t know what to write about, and that would help.

Peace yall, I love you!

People- Inconveniences or Opportunities?

On Sunday nights, we've been going to this church in a high school called Flood. I left my Bible in Savannah but they got my back.

Aug 31st 2010- I missed Flood last night because of team training, but I heard a report. Apparently this guy talked about how people aren't inconveniences but opportunities. Truth. I was talking to Jed last night about how true friendship comes when people say and mean, "Hey, when you're in trouble or if you ever need anything, even if it's 4 in the morning, call me."

But not saying it to say it, or to seem like, look like, or feel like a good friend, rather they are totally down with being inconvenienced by you because it's a chance to show their love for you. Hit me up when you need it. I want you to.

Family, Extended Family and Friendship Webs

Actually, it's funny that I posted this as my family picture, because although I'm tight with a few of those in this photo, and have definitely hung out with and had one on one conversations with each of them, I would not consider all of these certain persons the closest of my kin.

I would describe them as extended family. You know, the ones you know facts about and get excited when you see them, but don't really know that well when you take a step back. I wouldn't hesitate to invite them to holidays, but then we would spend the whole thanksgiving dinner catching up. I don't mean this in a bad way, it's just that with 60+ people in your house, it's hard to get intensely familiar with everyone.

We've got kind of a big friend web going on. This is going to sound so girlish when I explain it, but whatever, don't have a cow, just read it. It's similar, I feel, to high school (graduating class of 100). For instance, I'm not super close to Colin, but I'm tight with his teammate Chelsea. Sometimes Chelsea will tell me things Colin said, and though I've spoken less to him than most others in the house, I feel like I know him through observation and other peoples comments. I like them both, but my friendship to Colin is more through the web connections than direct spider-butt silk-line.

Anyway, I'm getting into a deep talk about the Bible and doubt with some homies who just came in, so I'm ending this. Peace!

90's/creeper Prom at Dan's Place.

Sometime's you gotta take a little break on weekends. 90's/creeper Prom at Dan's Place.

Pacific Northwest Roadies: Epic Triple Gong Shot!

Every time we get a screening in, we get to hit the gong. Everyone celebrates when you hit the gong so it's quite the motivation. This is my team in order of who speaks: Taylor Swift, Meagan Shorey, Sarah Chaplain and Me! I tried to do a celebratory back flip one other time but it was way too early in the morning. My shoes flew off and my head was like 4 inches form the ground. Good times.

Update 5: Epic people and Business

Apparently I've been here two weeks. I promise you that's not true. I think there was only one day that existed this week Like, yesterday was Sunday.

We started booking the tour this Monday and Tuesday was our first full day of straight booking. Our goal is to have 90 screenings and right now we're only half way there, and it took 3 months to get this far with our team leaders and route managers booking all summer. It should be a lot easier once the schools are in session, the only problem is schools is our region dont start until about the same time we go on tour. We're really starting to get into the grunt work now and it's not easy, but man, after training and learning about all our programs, it's gotten so easy to talk to people about having a screening.

I feel fine straight calling a principle and asking to take over a 2000 person school for a day because I really believe what IC is doing is legit. It's so tight to be working for something I actually want to get out to people. It's funny because I thought I already knew a fair amount before I came but I look back and thing "what in the world was I talking about!" haha.

We talked about how ridiculous the whole idea of what we do is too. We're a bunch of 20 years olds calling highschools and saying hey, we want to come and speak to your whole school. We want to show you a movie, hang out with your kids at lunch, sell merchandise, and then have you raise funds for us the rest of the semester after we leave. We find random people to stay with and then do it again the next day. Also, this time we're bringing two Ugandans on each team, most of which are in the U.S. for the first time and will be here only a week before launching. Yeah, it's safe. It's a good idea. Trust us ;)

Today, my team had lunch with Jason, one of the original founders who first went to Uganda. That was cool, he google satellite mapped our houses to see where we grew up. I also finally got the chance to talk with him about why they went in the first place and it's a pretty sweet story.

Random fact, Jedidiah's dad was the inspiration for Forest Gump's cross country travel. He apparently walked across the country twice and had people follow him in random places. Even made the cover of National Geographic once or twice.

Deep convo's on the daily. This place we get real. Christian or not. Doubting or strong. We get down and that's some awesome community.

Like I mentioned before, everyone here is freakin epic. Jed's actually planning on a bike ride down from Canada to the bottom of South America. Our tech guy David, is heading to South Africa to get married and then travel through Africa. A butt load of these roadies are schools for schools winners who won the chance to go to Uganda for free. I was talking to my friend Chelsea today about how she was in Haiti when the earthquake hit. Then me other friend just got off the world race (which if you don't know it's a year long trip to 11 countries). I could go on, But I'm mad tired, so I'm headin to bed.

Peace yall. I love you.

Update 4: "We have to hop a fence and we need to do it quickly"

Sorry (not really) I skipped a few days of blogging do to internet trouble and genral businees, but let's get to it!

Everyday blows my mind more and more. Time is accelerated. It's weird because the week has gone by so fast, and it feels like I just got here, and yet at the same time it feels like I've been here for months.

Today we had our first day off and it was SWEET! A bunch of us went to the beach and I felt so at home. Everyone skateboards here! I swear, it's amazing. I am a bit sad I didn't bring my board cause I'm having serious withdrawals but that's whatever. No time.

I swam in the Pacific today and the waves were boss but it was freezing. It legit took me like 4 hours to recover from that swim. My hands turned white, my ears hurt, I was shivering. No one would've been in that water in Savannah, but people were all up in it today. Maybe that's just cause the waves were rad. Idk, I've had my fill.

Tonight, I went to the gas station with some homies and this dude walks in and, get this, buys us all drinks because it's HIS birthday! What in the world?! We thought it was cause he knew we were from Invisible Children but he had no idea, he just said about it's more blessed to give than receive and bounced. How ruling is that?

So then we on our way back there's like 15 people rolling out in cars and so I jumped in one. Best decision ever. We get to this dude Dan's place and he has a tree in the middle of his house. Then we go hiking through the mountains. Dan's hilarious because he would just drop these bombs on us like "by the way, I need you turn your lights off because this might be illegal" or "By the way, we're gonna climb a fence and we need to do it quickly" or "just act normal, but don't say anything because we need to be quiet". That along with the shooting stars, tarantula and the fact that we climbed these rocks in the dark made this night ridiculous. Also, I'm pretty sure we may have snuck into Mexico.

Another thing that falls into the category with the gas station man is a comment from Hannah. Hannah's from England and has this awesome accent. I saw this immense shooting start fly all the way across the sky and she missed it, but instead of being bummed that she was looking away, she was stoked that I got to see it. I want to be stoked on others experiences more.

I wear my glasses here like 80% of the time. It's weird, I've never needed them so much. I've probably worn them 15% of the time since I first got them, maybe not even that much, but now my life would suck. I've gotten way too used to seeing things clearly. It's still odd though, I take them off for personal conversations and stuff like that.

Before coming we had to read an article called "To Hell with Good Intentions".
We've been discussing it lately and I've realized how much of the "service" things I've done have been way more about me than others. I can definitely look back and see that on all 4 mission trips I've been on, I definitely got a whole lot more out of going than I gave. In fact, some of the things from my life I used to be proud of, I now would be ashamed of. That's okay, because I'm super glad I know now.

I'm blogging more about experiences that are semi normal because what's actually going on at this place is so much more than I can explain. Some of the returning roadies we're telling me today that it's actually so hard to go back home because everyone wants you to explain thing but you literally can't. Like people not here just wont understand. Maybe some of you have at least been through things like that, things you just couldn't explain to anyone outside. It's kind of a bummer because I want everyone I know to experience or to know what's happening to me but I really can't put it to words in any way at all.

This is one of the few times in my life that it's honestly felt like this is not real. So cool.

My internet broke for a while. That was one of the most frustrating things ever. I finally fixed it today and it felt so good, plus I'm way more familiar with my computer.

I have a crush on every girl in this house. Bam. Secret's out.

Coffee all day. Everyday.

The atmosphere here is very anti typical American culture. Religion, politics and anything else controversial is conversation on the daily. We have a lot of agreement and a lot of different views on things but we also see the importance of them and so everyone's seems really willing to discuss and be open about what they believe. Be like that.

Last night, we had this uber trill jam sesh in the attic. We just passed around the guitar for like 2 hours and I have never met so many beautifully talented people. My man Spencer is this skinny white kid from Texas and he has this super soulful voice. Like a big ole black man from Savannah or something. Annie did this Lady Gaga cover better than, idk, Lady Gaga. Steve's got this unique kinda chill rock vibe and Haley just ruled my world with this song her mom used to sing to her when she was little. Everyone was so good. My goodness. Incredible.

Anyway, it's almost 3am and I got a lot to do tomorrow so I'm signing out.

I love you.
-Peace.

Stuy Lewis

Day 3: Wear the fat Dress. Be Amazed.

So, I'm tempted to just write about all the fantastic things I learned and give everyone updates on all the latest programs. But you would not read my blogs and then forget about me and eventually hate me. So bunk that.

Here's a summary of our lesson on harassment.

"Take everything Michael Scott from Office does, and do the opposite." That was actually yesterday, but I wanted to share it.

Today we learned all about the financial aspects of IC, more about the history and basically just had a lot of training, however, the best and most important lesson came in a lesson from our dear friend Jedidiah (if that's how you spell it), and he talked about the importance of community and serving each other and being vulnerable and taking enjoyment in life.

We we're challenged to "live a life that is not easily explained." I'm just gonna talk to you as if I we're Jed, except still myself.

We need to be all about building community, so take enjoyment in each other. Like, latch on to the quirks that people are embarrassed about themselves, and love them. That's not just here, but everywhere. Be open and vulnerable and love deeply because all of that spreads to others. Be amazed at people. Today I realized that people really are incredible. We all have our own stories and and are super unique. I knew that always, but sometimes truths just sink in a little deeper, life get's a little wilder and the world becomes a little greater. Contemplate these things.

My teammates and I were talking about this on the back porch as we watched the sunset of the mountains in La Mesa. I feel like these words sound so empty just typing them, but I swear, experiencing the reality and coming to such understanding of our world and people and legitimately just being blown away is so ridiculous.

My homegirl Tiffany commented today as we left the office "I just realized how epic everyone is." Yeah, everyone here is so freaking epic. I mean, I get stoked pretty easy. Like today, we went to get lunch and we were walking through downtown San Diego and I was in shock. Have you ever realized how big building can be? Building are just huge structures! I mean a house, I get, it's got wood and nails and could probably be built by hand if needed. But buildings...dang. They are gigantic! How in the world do we build things like that! I just couldn't get over it.

Now, I get hyped on the internet and cars ,skateboards, trees and the fact that it rains and all kinds of things pretty regularly. I really just walk around in a state of awe most of the time, but it's weird that I usually don't get that way abut people.

People are crazy! They have these awesome stories, lives, histories, knowledge, skills and I never really realized the proportions of this until today.

So yeah, my advice, from what I learned is to just take in things for what they are. BE AMAZED. Don't get used to the world or anything in it, because when you understand how insane it all is, you will be forever vamped. It ain't no shabby nothin on this ballin planet, so dig it.

Anyway, I want to value friendships, people and communication more. I want to forget myself and just soak up the awesome of everyone else. I want to learn and discover and be wrong. I want to get my energy by wearing myself out on important activities. I want to write letters to people I love, and say thank you to those who deserve it. I want to do all this without trying.

I want to wear the fat the fat dress (figuratively) and not even care.

I'm getting to where I feel these blogs just can't do justice to my actual thoughts and feelings. They can't. It probably appears that I'm just rambling off on a ton of mushy cliches, but just pretend for a second that none of it is cliche. And people really lived this way.

It can happen.
It does happen.

So serve people, work hard, and go out on a limb. Open up your wounds to people. Love other peoples wounds. Forget about your stupid desires, especially ones you know are stupid and get crunk. Live according to reality, but expand your horizons on what you think is possible, cause have no clue what reality is.

Basically, Just wear the fat dress.

Adios!

Love, Stuy

Day 2: Training begins!

So I don't know how long I've been here anymore. The days and nights are all running into each other and I've only a vague memory of my old life.

This morning, after my solid 4 hours of sleep, we started the first day of work/training. I'm astonished. These fools are legit. We got to meet all the staff, got a tour of the building and basically just had our minds blown to pieces by the phenomenal people working for IC. I went to dictionary.com to try to find words to describe it, but I couldn't. So I wont.

First off, Jason (one of the 3 original founders who went to Uganda 2003) comes in straight form Africa, or the White House, or both, and gives this radnasty speech that had me so hyped I almost wept. I wish I could show you a video, but I'll just explain:the gist of it was that we're in for the adventure of a lifetime, we will never be the same and also that we are about to be slaves for four months. Awesome.

It was seriously quite humbling, and exciting. I found out today that 330 people applied for our positions, so getting in was slimmer than I thought. The fact that they chose us because they believe we can do the job is quite incredible because I don't think anyone's ever held me to the standards or expectations that this company is planning on all of us too. I'm simply blessed, there's no way I deserve to be here. My leaders and co-workers I respect immensely and the chance to make change in the world, this big and in reality, is rare. I'm seeing that this movement does far more than the already great tasks improving education and economic growth and all the fantastic programs in Uganda, it's also shaping a culture in America, kind of raising up a generation, if you will, of people that actually believe they have the power to do crazy things, and then they do them!

Another unique lilt hang about the staff is that the oldest dude is about 30. Everyone's in their 20's, most are right at 20 and even a good bit are straight out of high school. Yeah, this is the company that got a bill signed in by Obama this year. The one that's hosted international events of over 80,000 people. The one planning to raise one million dollars in the next couple months (which, mark my words, will happen). And everyone is young!I mean, I guess this is only surprising because of our culture that says to waste you're youth on dumb crap. But whatevs, I'm stoked.

The staff members here are all absurdly dedicated. No one's working for money. And the quotes form these people were off the wall!

One head homie said, "we can't end this war in 9 to 5". It's starting to finally sink in now that we are working for real people with real lives and it's seriously not about us having a good job, fun job, or anything at all. It's about bringing a war to an end, and we're going to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

We learned today that even though the LRA has successfully been pushed out of Uganda and the region is experiencing a peace it hasn't seen in a long time, the LRA is still doing some jacked up jive in the neighboring countries (DRC and CAR).There are pretty much daily attacks, which spikes my souls with an urgency that makes me want to seriously commit to doing this job excellently. Homeboy also said that people often talk about how they're passionate about kids in Africa or helping others or peace or whatever, and while he doesn't doubt they'd like to be passionate about those things, genuine passion commands consistent sacrifice.

We arrived at around 830am I think. Got back at 7, and then spent most of the night studying. It's weird how much easier it is to retain what I study here than for normal school. Blow's my mind.

I could go on for 6 days about this one day. There's a ton I wish I could share, but I'd just like to encourage you instead to go get involved with things that matter. Don't watch tv (unless it's American Idol),don't invest in rumply bobo junks. Instead figure out a way to make use of you're time and make some positive altercation to this freakin planet. Because you can. I swear.

Anyway, once again I'm trading in my sleep time to write this while everyone else is in bed (last semester taught me I don't need sleep),but Imma be Imma be Imma Imma Imma be wise slap the sack. Peace yall.

Love,
Stuy

P.S. We lost a teammate today L. She was an incredible person but she, based on sound judgment and wisdom, chose to return home for family reasons. So that was sad, but we do have a replacement coming in from ohno way, yup. GA!!! REPRESENT!!!

1 house. 3 toilets. 63 people.

Today I have learned. I’d like to ramble about all my learnings but they’re still kinda bumbling up into full thoughts, so I’ll let them mature before I ramble on for 20 pages. Instead I’ll focus on the events of my first two days, and add in a few thoughts.

Thought Uno: Forget California. I wish they all could be Houston airport girls.

Anyway, the past two days have shzanked up my brain on the reezy. I feel like I’ve been here for a week, or even forever. We’ve got people coming in from all parts of the US and beyond and even though there’s turdloads of us, we’re getting tight way quick. We come in and everyone just assumes we’ll be best friends, so we act that way. We greet with hugs, talk about our families, eat together, have deep discussions and then before going to bed, we get each others names again. Knowing someone’s name, is mildly to not relevant to knowing the person, I’ve concluded.

So the first day, Taylor Swift picks me up in a van, after a while I let Taylor listen to my song, who dug it btw. The next momentous event was meeting everyone else as they came in. It’s odd because for some of them I creeped on their application videos/ facebooks and blogs before meeting them, so I feel like they’re famous or something.

“Hi I’m…” “I know” “Are you Stuy?” “Yep” “Cool, I know you, we’ll be good friends for sure.” “Yeah, That’s what I commented on your youtube.”

First night, we packed 17 people in a van and went to church. I fell asleep because I was too excited the previous two nights to sleep at all, but the chick leading worship was phenomenal. After my nap, I was the last in my room to go to bed, and the last to wake up. I guess old habits are hard to kick, but given the hype about tomorrow, I’d better kick it hard. And quick.

Work starts officially tomorrow but everyone’s nervous so we spent a lot of today studying, bouncing around questions with returning roadies and finishing up our pre arrival activities. Everyone’s so dedicated it’s just awesome to be a part of it. I have this immense respect as well s cool connection with my co-roadies. We’re from all over but everyone’s got a ton in common. Aside from everyone having facial piercings, macbooks, iphones, v-necks, skinny jeans and other indie hipster type stuff we also share a passion for people. People tend to be International/Global Studies, Polisci, various Social Science, or various art/photo/journalism type majors.

There’s a ton a Christians, but people still cuss a lot too. I like it.

As for my day, we took a trolley form La Mesa (where we stay) to downtown San Diego today. H-freakin cow. The west coast is so ruling. The weather is beautiful, perfect temperatures and no humidity. It seriously blows my mind to walk around outside, in jeans and not sweat. (and that’s 20 minutes from Mexico!) San Diego pretty much feels like Epcot in some places. They have incredible foreign bands playing randomly in the street, people flying crazy looking kites, and even this one dude who balanced big rocks on top of each other. What in the world!

So we split into smaller groups, mine was about 5 (add two later) to go about our dailies and my group decided to try out some west coast Asian food. I had the best Mabo Cury Catsu in the universe. I still don’t really know what it is, and certainly didn’t before ordering it, but it was such a good investment. I will never forget that meal.

After wandering around a few hours, we had to leave to make it back for a house meeting (at which there we’re cameramen because apparently Halogen is making a reality tv show about roadies.) My good friend Tiffany and I couldn’t find our trolley tickets (which cost us $2.50!) so we looked around for signs that would help us calculate the risk of attempting the trip without buying new tickets. (On the way there a cop was on board checking). After a few minutes of scheming and weighing our chances for success, we decided that the risk was light and the reward great, so we hopped on anyway. After all, neither of us had a lip or nose ring so we had to do something rebel to fit in with everyone else, right? We made it. Great success.

I guess I could go on, but I need to get up in about 6 hours for day one of training, and all of us house mates have intimidated the crap out of each other with endless rumors about it’s intensity and all the returners wont open their mouths. Hopefully, I can sleep.

Sorry for the shallow nature of my blog tonight. I’m just grappling with my brain. Pray for me, and let me know what’s going on in your lives! I legit wanna a hear about it.

I love you guys, I miss you, and I pray everyone’s semester gets off to a good start.

Peace!
Stuy

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