My Summer Vacation

As Summer is dwindling down, and school is about to start, I've been thinking about that essay you used to write every year of elementary school after summer vacation, the "What I did over my summer vacation" essay, and well...this is pretty much it.

I started my summer looking for an internship with a non-profit organization, I didn't have any specifics, I just needed a little experience somewhere. I looked online for an organization that works with children (my only requirement) and I stumbled across something wonderful: The Heart Connection Children's Cancer Programs.

The Heart Connection's primary goal is to enhance the quality of life for children and families touched by childhood cancer by providing programs for recreation, education and family support. My work this summer has been primarily working with the two summer camps that The Heart Connection puts on every summer at absolutely no cost to our families. The second week of June I worked as a director's assistant for The Heart Connection's Oncology Camp; we had 138 campers from ages 5-18 who are cancer survivors (we consider them survivors at diagnosis) from every corner of the state. The kids are at varying places in the cancer battle: recently diagnosed, currently on treatment or some are years out of treatment with lasting effects or none at all. It is the most important week of the year for these kids, they live for camp. Camp is one week a year that they get to feel "normal," they are no longer the sick kid, or the kid with cancer, they are just a kid at camp. Because Iowa is such a rural area, most of our kids are the only kid in their town with cancer and chances are, at diagnosis, they have never met another kid with cancer, so camp gives them a week to be with kids who can actually say, "I know how you feel," or "I've been there." For the newly diagnosed child, it is a place to see that others make it through this tough time, because all of the other kids at camp have, it gives them hope that they too can beat cancer, and they are united with every kid there, they are something amazing. On one of the last nights around the campfire, a child who was at camp for the first time, talked about how camp was one of the first times he had gone swimming since he was diagnosed. He had been afraid of what others would say about the scars that covered his abdomen. Without missing a beat, another boy said, "I don't call them scars, I call them battle wounds, and only heroes come home with battle wounds." It summed up the week for me; these kids are heroes. They have been through more than I could possibly imagine, they have been poked and prodded, had infusions and transplants, been through surgeries and chemo, they have lost their hair, and for some even lost limbs. I would honestly say that camp changed my life this year, I have never been so inspired by anyone, and every single kid at camp inspired me every day.

Next week, I will be heading back to camp for The Heart Connection's Sibling Camp. This is a week for the siblings of the kids with cancer to have a week of fun; we currently have over 170 siblings coming. Childhood cancer is not fought solely by the child with cancer, but by entire families. The brothers and sisters often feel excluded, ignored, responsible etc. When you are fighting for your child's life, often times the other children get pushed to the side. This week is a time for these kids to spend time with other siblings who know what they are going through, it is a forum for them to talk about their feelings. They get a week where all of the attention is on them, and they don't have to worry about all of the responsibilities of having a brother or sister that is sick, they just get to have fun. I am so excited to go.

This summer I have also been an important part in setting up a support group for cancer survivors ages 14-30 from across the state of Iowa, an age demographic that is often forgotten. We have also started a support group for parents of children going through treatment, a time for them to exchange information and compare notes, of sorts. I also go to Blank Children's Hospital to spend time with the kids who are waiting on test results and treatment, giving them an outlet to talk to, a fresh face, someone other than doctors and nurses and their parents. If you would like to get a true feel for the amazing place that I work, you should check out a youtube video that was made about our organization. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UyXxlwXSo0

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Another Semester Down...

So… it has been entirely too long since the last time that I have blogged. I have (up until this point) been entirely consumed by this annoying nag that they call College. So I am going to insert as much randomness as I am allowed in one blog to update everyone as to the awesomeness that is the amazing life of me, here goes…

(1) Finals: There is no greater moment in a college student’s life than the dreaded finals week. Last semester, in an attempt to never graduate college ever, I added a second major and a minor. At the time it sounded like a really good idea, I had an amazing professor that convinced me that my calling was to follow in her footsteps. Needless to say, I fell for it. So this was my first (and last) semester being a Biology/Philosophy double major, Women’s Studies minor. The transition between biology and philosophy was not the easiest for me… while the transition between learning information I despise and things that interest me was hard, the most challenging thing for me has been writing papers. I have said every semester since I came to college, that I would much rather write papers than take tests, I just knew that it would be so much easier for me, turns out… I was completely wrong. My finals for this semester consisted of one small test (non-cumulative, just me and the cadavers) and 50 pages worth of papers. Before this year I had never written a paper longer than three pages, this semester I wrote two 15 page papers and a 20 page research paper. If you have never written a 20 page paper, I suggest you give it a try, its worse than I ever could have imagined. This week’s evenings have consisted of the following: write a paragraph while fighting off the pains of ADD and sleep, Tasha and I giggling over things that aren’t funny, write a paragraph, 40 minutes of me distracting her, write a paragraph, 30 minutes of her distracting me, write a paragraph, me staring out the window for 30 minutes, eat a home-baked good, and repeat. Turns out a 20 page paper, at that pace, takes 14 years to write. Next semester’s goal: START EARLY.

(2) Summer Internship: So I have stumbled upon my dream job (despite the lack of pay) I am working this summer for an amazing non-profit organization called The Heart Connection. The Heart Connection provides services that enhance the quality of life for children with cancer by providing programs for recreation, education and family support. The organization sponsors two week-long summer camps for children with cancer and their siblings, with the goal of helping them briefly escape cancer’s effects. They also have support groups for both the children and families, outings to events, hospital-based programs and weekend retreats for children and their families. I am so excited to get started and jump right in, the office houses 5 full time employees, 2 part time employees and me, it is a small office, and I will be able to experience every aspect of the organization. I will be starting on May 19th and am looking forward to all the experiences that I will have this summer.

(3) Going on an adventure: So it is officially less than one week until I am leaving the country. Next week at this time I will be exploring the amazing country of Namibia. Namibia is on the southwest coast of Africa, and I will be there for 2 and ½ weeks. I am going for a may term class on the global impact of AIDS. It is a really interesting class because our primary goal is to experience the people of Namibia. I will spend most of my time listening to stories that the people of Namibia have to share with me. While there, we will experience AIDS clinics, orphanages and speaking with medical personnel. We will also be staying with Namibian families in order to submerse ourselves in their culture. The best part about the trip is that we will be learning things that I could never experience in a classroom on campus. I can’t wait to go, but I definitely need to start packing. I have no idea what I need to bring, so if you have any suggestions feel free to let me know. Also, I will most likely have very little communication with home, so we’ll see if I can finally break that darn facebook addiction.

(4) Bienvenido a estados unidos: So my entire reason for starting a blog was to keep my friends who are studying internationally in the know about my life. I haven’t been very good at keeping up to date with my blog, but I am full of stories to tell them when they return. Four months without your other half is a long time, and I am so excited to have them back. I wish that I could be at the airport to pick you up, but I will be out of the country also. Can’t wait to see you, I’ve missed you bunches.

Aunt Poodle... you are the cheese to my macaroni

There are some days where you wake up and you know that today is going to be a day that changes my life, today was one of those days. My first classes weren't monumental, but I could feel the tides a turning. When I returned to Pi Phi for the very coveted 2nd lunch I was dismayed to find that there was no Macaroni to go with my cottage cheese. I was very sad that Karma didn't make enough Mac n' cheese. When SJ arrived she also complained that Karma didn't make enough food for us. Aunt Poodle caught wind that there was dismay in the air and arrived in the kitchen (wearing the red cape). She decided that she needed to make mac n' cheese for us despite protest from everyone involved. We watched from the dining room as she whipped out a mixing bowl (yes a metal mixing bowl) filled it with water and put it on the gas stove. She boiled the water and added noodles and the butter. We watched with disbelief, I have never seen anyone cook pasta in a bowl before especially with butter. After getting the water to boil with the noodles and the butter in the bowl she disappeared for 15 minutes in search of a strainer. We just laughed then everyone bailed on me and left me at the table. While in search for the bermuda triangle/a clean strainer MD added more butter and milk hoping to rectify the disaster that was the mac n' cheese. Aunt Poodle then returned to the Big kitchen, we laughed and giggled as the other girls insisted that she would mess it up, but no I stood up for her because she repeatedly looked at the box, and for sure she can read, right?? Wrong. When she finally called us in to sample her creation, I almost died. It was a macaroni n' cheese swamp, unlike anything I had ever seen. JL questioned her skills as a cook and she insisted that the box said not to strain. Actually it says, and I quote "Drain. Do not rinse." I know I'm no Rachel Ray, but I have that one down. I choked some down because I felt bad, but it was essentially noodles floating in yellow water. Today was going to be alife changing day, and it was. I realized today that there are people who need those extra directions on that blue box, and not all Americans are apt to make America's favorite snack, and I have therefore started a new foundation and will be collectng donations, it is the Meridith Sayler Foundation for Fake Aunts that Don't Read Good. Call me with your Credit Card numbers.

Haiku for Me, Haiku for You

So I have had numerous complaints that I have not been very good at keeping up with my blog, I want to formally apologize, it is certainly not because I have been too busy, but rather I have been too boring. So in honor of the four people that actually read my special blog I have written you each a special Haiku… Enjoy!

Allie B.
“Clothing optional”
Left me here to go to Spain
Come back soon, would ya?

Jessica Rae
Miss Jess, cool red hair
Playing her guitar at night
Math lover and friend.

Emily K.
Missed you in England
My favorite drinking buddy
So, really, bar now???

Morgan Leigh
Super big sister
Pharmacist extraordinaire
Go, Rock Chalk JayHawk.

I know that I am super-lame and you are probably all embarrassed to call me your friend/sister right now. But if you had a 7 page philosophy paper staring you in the face, you would be writing Haikus about your friends too. I promise I will write when something actually interesting happens in my life.

From the mouth's of babes…

I have a pen pal at a local elementary school that is 8 years old and has the same attention span that I do… 3 and ½ seconds. This is the letter that I received with the my special comments at the bottom.

Dear Meridith,
I love your letter Meridith. at the zoo in Des Moines they have a really cool goat area. I do not like peas thay taste dab. do you like peas? I like to swim do you like swimming? Meridith I got two A’s one B and one C on my report card. What did you get on your report card? Oh my Indian project I got a A.
Sincerely,
Your PenPal

So where do I begin? An amazing work of American writing, straight from the mouth of America’s youth. Lets start at the beginning, “Dear Meridith, I love your letter.” starts out good, I am amazing and dear and write amazing letters, so good call PenPal, good call. Then we start to get a little hairy. “at the zoo…” first of all, capitalize the first letter, but I’ll let it slide, you’re 8, whatever. But question: where was the transition between me being a good letter writer and the “cool goat area.” Maybe I have a misunderstanding of the world, but I have never met a goat area that I consider to be “cool.” Next problem: transition between goats and peas. I was never very good at my ITBS, but I’m pretty sure that I don’t know the relationship between goats and peas. Really?? I just don’t get it hun, I don’t get it. Then comes the really obvious transition between disgusting vegetables and being able to swim. Do you like swimming? Is there anyone who dislikes swimming? You can’t dislike swimming like you can dislike something like basketball because swimming is a life skill. Swimming may someday keep me from death, an amazing chest pass can not save my life. Of course I like swimming; but I’d probably like it a little better if I could wear a snow suit into the pool, self confidence not my strong suit. Here is where the conversation gets personal… grades. Thanks babe, as if my mom doesn’t make me feel bad enough about my poor grades, she must have called you in order to bring up the sensitive subject. The moral question is do I tell her the truth in my return letter and give her hope that someday she too can be a failure at life, or do I lie to her and try to get her to set her goals above the capacity that she is able to achieve. I do not know, any advice would be appreciated, just leave me a comment. Good news though, she aced that Indian project, because I know for one, I was very worried.
The best part of the entire letter though, was what was included in the back. A puzzle. I pulled it out only to find that it has 12,000 pieces. It is literally a lined piece of paper cut into 12,000 pieces, yeah, like that should be easy to put together. Maybe I’ll get that put together sometime when I have 14 free hours and lots of hair that I can pull out. Yeah good one pen pal, then there came the kicker. “thar is one puzzle piece that does not go with the puzzle.” Of course she threw that in there as if the 12,000 piece puzzle would have been too easy for me we are going to throw in an extra piece that doesn’t fit. Nice. I will work that one in, sometime after Hell freezes over. Love ya girl, but you are somewhat hard to follow. That may be why we get along so well.

So turns out, life is really, really hard for me…

Today I had to work at the pharmacy, and it was slow so we were trying to get some house-keeping-esque things accomplished. My dad/boss told me that I should take care of the dishes. This is the ultimate insult because nothing is worse than having to wash 2 whole dishes while being paid for it. Awful. In the pharmacy at the back there is a teeny-tiny sink next to the fax machine and the answering machine, power cords etc. The first step in dishes is trying to get the water to a temperature that could kill some germs. Problem 1: our water heater is about 6.45 miles away from the sink so it takes about 10 minutes to get warm water, so I turn the water on and continue with my other tasks. I’m helping customers, answering phones and the drive-up, being a good little employee. While I’m talking to an old lady at the counter I hear a swooshing sound, but choose to ignore it, and continue helping others. Then I hear it again, what the hell? I go to investigate. There is an f-ing typhoon spilling over the counter from the sink. Evidently something has plugged up the sink and 10 minutes worth of water is spilling over. I start cussing like a crazy person, “shit, shit, shit” is all of the words that I could muster up. There is an inch of water on the counter that the $1500 answering system is now floating on, along with three power cords and a fax machine. Shit, shit, shit. I take off in a run only to be greeted by the man-made swamp that I have created in the back of the store. Literally standing water, flowing over my shoes, I should have brought a suit and some floaties. I went and got the girl that I was working with because I was too embarrassed to admit to my dad that I’m an idiot. She and I alternate holding the enormous machinery up while trying to absorb the great lakes from the back of the store. The entire time she is freaking out because she doesn’t want to be electrocuted. Suck it up girlfriend, we're drowning here. My dad walks over and I am holding the fax machine up and she has a pile a half story high of drenched paper towels. His response, “I thought you two were smarter than that.” Evidently not. God, life is hard.

Here comes the bride…there goes my self esteem

So yesterday I went to the Des Moines Bridal Show with the first friend that I could trick into letting me be in her wedding. She’s getting married in a year and a half, so decisions need to be made RIGHT NOW as to the details, details, details. I am the least girly person you have ever met and wedding details don't interest me in the slightest, but I am supportive and a wonderful friend (and did I mention there were to be a million cake vendors.) So really I went for the grub: caterers, bakeries and wineries are pretty much my favorites. It was at Hy-Vee corporate in one of their enormous conference rooms, lots of booths set up for you to check out. We did the complete tour; I sampled literally 7000 kinds of cake. Some may argue that all almond frosting tastes the same, but this girl, my friend knows different. I think that I almost died a frosting death, is there any greater kind? So what goes along with the over-consumption of cake you ask? Hundreds of happy couples. I realized what a horrible person I was when I started picking out 55% of the couples that I decided were probably going to end in divorce. Picking them solely based on appearance I think I was doing a good job, but you can only look at floral arrangements for so long before you want to hang yourself with the tulle hanging from the ceiling. I love though that every booth you go to they ask you, “so when’s the happy day?” That question gets fun after being asked 10,000 times. I started answering July 6 or November 3, and they would ask, “This year?” and I would say, “No probably 2027 I am still looking for a groom.” Turns out smartass-ness is completely wasted on wedding planners. Oh well, I did make a few decisions as far as my own wedding:
1.There must be some sort of ice sculpture (preferably of me, but I would accept two swans in an embrace.)

2.The uglier the bridesmaid dressed the better the bride looks. I was thinking lime green and brown. Ugly you say…you have no idea. You may want to back out of being my friend now, just a heads up.

3.Nothing screams class like a greasy wedding singer. You can rent them by the hour and it is like karaoke. Amazing.

4. One must always get their wedding photos taken with their tractors. You may laugh, but standing in a corn field wearing a $3000 dress with your John Deere in the background has never been more appealing to me than when I saw it at the show.

My ultimate goals of dying a cat lady or being the sorority’s house mom may have been compromised with one trip to the bridal show. My new goal: get married as many times a possible, because everyone loves a party.

High School Musical + Sweaty Kids + Fake Tattoos = Oodles of Fun

So last night was the highlight of life for every 8 year old kid in Indianola. The Irving elementary Sock Hop. The concept sounds magical: children in poodle skirts and leather jackets, a DJ and glow necklaces (like Kappa rave,but less lame). LH, AC and I were in charge of the most important booth at the entire endeavor: temporary tattoos. I finally realized why my mom hated temporary tattoos, they are a pain in the ass. We spent two hours rubbing sweaty kids with sponges, and let me tell you Spongebob Squarepants tattoos dont stick to sweaty kids' foreheads, just a life lesson. I did have a magical moment when a little boy came up to get a tattoo and picked out two very special ones, one had a crown that said #1 Princess the other pink and purple hearts that said Princess. I so generously told him that they said princess which was a girl thing, but he insisted. The look on his mother's face when he ran to show her was absolutely wonderful. Such disappointment and fear at the same time, classic. Another thing that I found to be interesting is the choice of music at such a magical event, I never imagined going to a dance in which 200 small children were able to sing word-for-word such classics as Soulja Boy, In Da Club and Mambo #5, what is the world coming to? Small children shouldn't know any of those songs, I figured we might as well played a little gangster rap if we are going to teach great life lessons such as how one must "superman that ho." But my favorite part was when the DJ would play the first note of anything High School Musical or Hannah Montana and then I would miss the next 18 bars because of the hysterical chick screaming. I haven't wanted to remove my own ears more since that last NSYNC concert that I went to, what is wrong with the youth of tomorrow. The Disney channel is ruining future presidents and world leaders with that crap. Overall though, an entertaining night, I picked a few youngins that I would have kidnapped given the chance but overall I cemented in my mind that children are tiny adults except more adorable and less considerate. Life lesson young ones: be kinder to your tattoo artist, because that tattoo will look pretty stupid upside down on your forehead. Just thought you'd like to know.

Pi Phi Love and I'll stab you in the back

So the drama continues on the homefront. LR and LM have made it their quest to ruin the life of a certain AR. They have decided to get her removed from their room, they have talked to SN and she is "working on it." They are trying to find a place to put AR which I think is a huge pile of crap. LR and LM have formed this aliance, and it is them against the world, very scary concept, and they are going to bitch and whine until they get their way. We could use us a little Emily because no one has enough spine to tell them to cut the shit. They need to realize that sometimes you have to be around people that you don't care for, you just suck it up, it's 3 months. Live with it. I actually feel really bad for AR because she is never around the house because she doesn't feel comfortable here, which is sad. I have been trying to be nice, but you know her she makes it hard, but I am a good person so I will keep trying. Every room they try to put her in though, everyone adamently objects because they already have everything worked out and their rooms are set up, which I understand also. I'll keep you updated.

Story#2 The Flower Stealing Ho
So evidently CS's boyfriend is a really nice guy and he sent her flowers "just because" and when he did he also sent flowers for the house (insert awwww here). Well the flowers arrived and then disappeared from downstairs because SE stole them, took them up to her room to put on her dresser to see how many people would ask her who they are from. Kinda sad... Kinda genius if only I had thought of it first.

Really?? Like that was a good idea

My rant of the day:
So everyone knows that I am in love with Miami Ink and L.A. Ink and love to see what people come up with for tattoos and most of my friends have tattoos and whatever, so I'm not saying that I hate them, I just think you need to think before you get one. So...I came across something interesting today.
This girl that I work with... we'll call her Cat (Thats not a punch line for the rest of the story, actually her name,) got a puppy a few months ago, it is a teeny tiny Chihuahua, smaller than most, cute in a really homely child way, see above picture, WOW. If you know what I'm saying. Since the purchase of this stupid dog it has consumed her life. She dresses the dog, gets the dog whatever he wants, cooks for the dog. Horrible. Well she comes to work the other day and says she got a new tattoo. My dad (who hates tattoos, thinks they're stupid) asks why and she tells him that it was really cheap because she knew the lady who did it. My dad says well lets see this cheap (play on words, if you know my dad he probably thought it was hilarious) tattoo that you have, she rolls up her pant leg and it is a life size portrait of the dog!! Saddest part is, it is a bad tattoo and it looks like a tattoo of a furry kitten so my dad laughed, because her name is Cat. HaHa funny. She got really defensive, my dad was so baffled he said, well what are you gunna do when that damn dog dies. She got really upset, but come on, really?? But the story gets better because I found out today that the woman who did the tattoo is Cat's boyfriend's aunt from out of state, so she just brought her tattoo stuff to Cat's trailer and did the tattoo in her living room. So not only does she have an ugly dog/kitten tattooed on her leg, she probably contracted Hep B. Oh well, just my opinion thought you would appreciate it.

Week One done, too many more to go

Story Number One: (Only initials to protect identities)
This morning I was greeted in the bathroom by LR, she asked me how my roommate situation was going. I told her it was wonderful and I loved Tasha sooo much (mostly because Tasha can hear everything that happens in the bathroom in our room). I asked her how she liked living in the house and she said she didn't know because no one would come and visit her in her room because everyone hates AR... she then threatened to shank her. Me: shock and awe, Her: evil maniacal laugh. I am not really sure that she was joking either. She seemed to have a lot of the details already worked out in her head. I gave her the complete cop out girl-that-lives-in-a -sorority answer, "just give her a chance"... because secretly deep inside I fear them both.

Story Number Two:
Preface (in case you missed this one the first time around) Early last semester I went to the McDonald's drive-thru, we have the whole stupid two window thing here, so you pay at the first window and collect your heart-attack at the second window. Well there was some sort of problem at the first window and I got stuck parked right next to the second window. When I pull up the guy working the window, an extremely attractive slender man (sarcasm!!!) leans out and introduces himself and tells me that I am good looking ( a compliment I hear sooo frequently especially when I look like hell and have sweat pants and a hoodie on.) He asks me my name. I lie. Then tells me he gets off at five. Nice. Then to top it all off, he asks me out. Oooh tempting but no. He asks why. I lie. Make up a boyfriend, tell him were happy. Finally the creeper (with a wink) gives me my change. As I drive away I'm pissed because I get asked out, once every decade and I wasted it on some guy running the drive up window. Sad.

Flash forward to today.I went to McDonalds, guess who was working? Anthony, the guy who asked me out via the drive up. I pulled up and he said "I thought that was you Catie (my codename)." He asked me about my boyfriend (which I made up last time) it was incredibly awkward for me especially because he wouldn't give me back my change forever, until we discussed our feelings and when he would get off from work. I think I may have committed to an engagement... I'm not sure I just wanted my stinkin Chicken McNuggets (never get between a fat girl and nuggets).

I thought you would appreciate it, and I will continue to keep you posted on the exciting existence that is me. Just one day in the adventures of me being a complete loser who only gets hit on by people who work the drive up at McDonalds... Love you, miss you.
Meridith

Introduction: don't tell me I didn't warn you

I am not really sure how this whole blog thing works. I'm not sure that there is a right way or a wrong way to do it, but I can almost guarantee that the two people that may be interested enough in me to read it, love me enough that they wont really care.

Yesterday my friends fled the country to study abroad and I intend to write to them to keep them posted on home, college, sorority life and most importantly, me. So let the random stories begin...