last days of school
Today is Sunday, the last days of graduation. Tomorrow, summer begins, i.e. summer work begins. I am leading or helping to lead our workcrew, who will be preparing the A-Quad and the Garden for the arrival and stay of the Short Course participants. I will not be alone.
Last night, as I waited for my housemates to come home, I scrubbed the kitchen floor on hands and knees. It felt good to clean things so well, to add to our household in that way. Last year, there was a shopping cart full of goods left behind; Adam filled it as best he could with the remainder of the crap our housemates had left. This year, we will have an excess of food, too much to cram into B2's fridge. I will probably insist that we be selective and take the rest over to the community fridge in A2. That way, none of the food gets wasted.
B1 does not feel depressing; it feels alive. There isn't stuff strewn everywhere, though the bathrooms do look a little wear-and-tear. Six of us remain: Diane, David, Ngoc, Tony, Richard, and I. And all of us are passionate about doing our share of the cleaning before we go.
I am listening to Gustavo Santaolalla right now - the Chilean charango player. It relaxes me as I clean up my room and prepare to move to B2. Mom is coming to pick me up next week; she has to take me home to the City, because my stomach isn't doing so well. She set up an appointment with a specialist, and we're getting it looked at. Thank goodness. I am so thankful that this is happening. My mom says she'll take home stuff while we're at it, and so my room will be freed of some of its clutter. I've been better about it this year. Ever since I moved the seed collection to A3 in winter, just before my birthday, I've felt better about it here.
Last week was a rush. On Wednesday, for the first time in a while, Mike and I worked together to water the Garden. It felt truly great to be on par with something so basic as watering. The corn has gotten tall; it is now thigh-high. Already, within the whorls, tassels are beginning to form. I seriously hope it doesn't mean they're heat-stressed; their leaves don't seem to be drooping at all. Tuesday, or maybe tonight, I plan on running irrigation for a few hours on the whole Garden. That would be appropriate, and then tomorrow everyone would get an idea of what the soil should feel like.
On Thursday, everything was due: the 25-family plant collection, the homegarden study. Our group didn't do too badly, but I was still not very impressed with our "group effort". I just feel like we started too late to really learn enough about the Laurel House - plus, it's the Laurel House, so my expectations on the project were higher due to a respect I have for them - and also I wish that someone would have helped me with the map. I asked for help six times - groupmates and I made plans to meet there and work on it together - and each time my groupmate(s) didn't come. Oh well. It's done now; I guess that's what's most important. And I've promised Ali and the others that I will gift them a copy of the map, in its final best form.
Each of the nights I came over to work, I wound up staying for dinner. It was a special treat to be invited to stay, and to sit with the Laurel House residents for a while while we ate. They are such a special group. I am worried about Biseat, however - she had a bad experience last weekend while she was in Berkeley, and now she's seeking a lawyer out against the UC, for negligence. I tried to offer my support, but she hurt my feelings with her scathing response. She, Katie, Kerby, Jake F., Felicja, David, Mike, and Ryan all were honored at the Environmental Studies graduation ceremony on Friday. Jake Salcone and Adam were there, too, but they weren't on the list. Anyhoo, it's good to see everyone finishing up. Emel was there too - she earned an award for her thesis, and Steve gave it to her. I am so awed by her - she works hard and is passionate. I look forward to seeing where she goes in life.
Aside from that, everything's still been a rush. At any second, I am wondering when, if ever, it will be time for rest. I ran into Gary Griggs, the Oceanography professor, the other day, and we chatted for a second. He wanted to know what I was doing in school - it wasn't until then, until he asked me about my studies, that I realized that PICA has taken over my life. Not just in terms of work duties - also, the people. The people's attitudes, the very nature of the interpersonal relationships formed over two years from within PICA. I told Gary (and saw it register in his eyes) that the job is more work than school. He left me thinking about the ocean and sailing opportunities; he told me about the last time he had taught a class out at sea. Hmmm. Maybe someday...
Peace,
~Yvea
Last night, as I waited for my housemates to come home, I scrubbed the kitchen floor on hands and knees. It felt good to clean things so well, to add to our household in that way. Last year, there was a shopping cart full of goods left behind; Adam filled it as best he could with the remainder of the crap our housemates had left. This year, we will have an excess of food, too much to cram into B2's fridge. I will probably insist that we be selective and take the rest over to the community fridge in A2. That way, none of the food gets wasted.
B1 does not feel depressing; it feels alive. There isn't stuff strewn everywhere, though the bathrooms do look a little wear-and-tear. Six of us remain: Diane, David, Ngoc, Tony, Richard, and I. And all of us are passionate about doing our share of the cleaning before we go.
I am listening to Gustavo Santaolalla right now - the Chilean charango player. It relaxes me as I clean up my room and prepare to move to B2. Mom is coming to pick me up next week; she has to take me home to the City, because my stomach isn't doing so well. She set up an appointment with a specialist, and we're getting it looked at. Thank goodness. I am so thankful that this is happening. My mom says she'll take home stuff while we're at it, and so my room will be freed of some of its clutter. I've been better about it this year. Ever since I moved the seed collection to A3 in winter, just before my birthday, I've felt better about it here.
Last week was a rush. On Wednesday, for the first time in a while, Mike and I worked together to water the Garden. It felt truly great to be on par with something so basic as watering. The corn has gotten tall; it is now thigh-high. Already, within the whorls, tassels are beginning to form. I seriously hope it doesn't mean they're heat-stressed; their leaves don't seem to be drooping at all. Tuesday, or maybe tonight, I plan on running irrigation for a few hours on the whole Garden. That would be appropriate, and then tomorrow everyone would get an idea of what the soil should feel like.
On Thursday, everything was due: the 25-family plant collection, the homegarden study. Our group didn't do too badly, but I was still not very impressed with our "group effort". I just feel like we started too late to really learn enough about the Laurel House - plus, it's the Laurel House, so my expectations on the project were higher due to a respect I have for them - and also I wish that someone would have helped me with the map. I asked for help six times - groupmates and I made plans to meet there and work on it together - and each time my groupmate(s) didn't come. Oh well. It's done now; I guess that's what's most important. And I've promised Ali and the others that I will gift them a copy of the map, in its final best form.
Each of the nights I came over to work, I wound up staying for dinner. It was a special treat to be invited to stay, and to sit with the Laurel House residents for a while while we ate. They are such a special group. I am worried about Biseat, however - she had a bad experience last weekend while she was in Berkeley, and now she's seeking a lawyer out against the UC, for negligence. I tried to offer my support, but she hurt my feelings with her scathing response. She, Katie, Kerby, Jake F., Felicja, David, Mike, and Ryan all were honored at the Environmental Studies graduation ceremony on Friday. Jake Salcone and Adam were there, too, but they weren't on the list. Anyhoo, it's good to see everyone finishing up. Emel was there too - she earned an award for her thesis, and Steve gave it to her. I am so awed by her - she works hard and is passionate. I look forward to seeing where she goes in life.
Aside from that, everything's still been a rush. At any second, I am wondering when, if ever, it will be time for rest. I ran into Gary Griggs, the Oceanography professor, the other day, and we chatted for a second. He wanted to know what I was doing in school - it wasn't until then, until he asked me about my studies, that I realized that PICA has taken over my life. Not just in terms of work duties - also, the people. The people's attitudes, the very nature of the interpersonal relationships formed over two years from within PICA. I told Gary (and saw it register in his eyes) that the job is more work than school. He left me thinking about the ocean and sailing opportunities; he told me about the last time he had taught a class out at sea. Hmmm. Maybe someday...
Peace,
~Yvea
posted by Yvea at 7:38 AM
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