2 Weeks to Go...

Here we go!

Officially jobless, I begin the struggle of a lifetime. Packing for the 10 month long voyage that is Americorps NCCC. I now believe that this is the real task of the program. A way to slowly and painfully sort the real adventurers from those who merely are fantastic at pretending. How in the world does one pack for a year of work in which 1) they will be in uniform 90 percent of the time 2) they do not know where they are going 3) they do not know how attractive others will be and therefore, how much trying is necessary...

After all, I could be in a tent, on the floor of a church, in a dorm, in a hotel. It could be 70 degrees, 110 degrees, or -4 degrees. I could be skiing, swimming, gutting, building, digging, reading, and sorting. Dr. Seuss missed out on a great book opportunity.

But after many phone calls from my brother Jared, who's already on his Americorps adventure in Sacramento, I have to come to the conclusion that the above ranting is probably why I need this experience. After about 15 minutes in Americorps, I'm sure that I will quickly discover that it is the country, and not me (and especially not my packing habits) that really matter. That doing service trumps bitching about pretty much everything else.

I can't believe that after months of possible budget cuts and "meanwhile" jobs, I'm really going to be doing this.

Here's to giving back in the best way I see fit: doing community service for those that need it most while being clad in ill fitting kacki and grey. Or, as my "every two weeks" housekeeper Penia says,

"What, are you crazy? They are not paying you and you work for a year? You are crazy."

Everyone's got an opinion.