While brainstorming the final tasks, I realized I had never watched the sunrise so being the wonderful friend that I am, I forced my friends to wake up with me at 6:45. They definitely appreciated it no matter what they said.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Task #40: Wake Up and Watch the Sun Rise (Rachael)
40. Watch the sunrise
While brainstorming the final tasks, I realized I had never watched the sunrise so being the wonderful friend that I am, I forced my friends to wake up with me at 6:45. They definitely appreciated it no matter what they said.
While brainstorming the final tasks, I realized I had never watched the sunrise so being the wonderful friend that I am, I forced my friends to wake up with me at 6:45. They definitely appreciated it no matter what they said.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Task #39: Go Ice Skating on a Real Body of Water (Rachael)
39. Go ice skating on a real body of water as opposed to a man made rink
Living in Norwalk, we are all lucky to live at least very close to a body of water. However, my friend Margo lives right on the water and sea wall separates her back yard from the Long Island Sound and often freezes over. I love ice skating but I have never been on a rink that wasn't man made. Margo and I shoveled off her frozen "backyard" and went skating and skiing!
Living in Norwalk, we are all lucky to live at least very close to a body of water. However, my friend Margo lives right on the water and sea wall separates her back yard from the Long Island Sound and often freezes over. I love ice skating but I have never been on a rink that wasn't man made. Margo and I shoveled off her frozen "backyard" and went skating and skiing!
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Task #38: Throw A Surprise Party (Kim)
38. Throw A Surprise Party
My mom's birthday is tomorrow, and she warned us not to throw her a surprise party. So, she headed to Bistro Mediterranean thinking that I was going out to babysit and that my dad was taking her out for a nice dinner. When she arrived, she found not only her five kids but two of her sisters and their husbands there to surprise her. My mom is usually the person who knows everything that's going on in the house and the family, so it was entertaining to fill her in on the nearly eighty e-mails and jokes sent in preparation for this party.
Here are some photos from dinner and a video of the surprise and present opening:
My mom's birthday is tomorrow, and she warned us not to throw her a surprise party. So, she headed to Bistro Mediterranean thinking that I was going out to babysit and that my dad was taking her out for a nice dinner. When she arrived, she found not only her five kids but two of her sisters and their husbands there to surprise her. My mom is usually the person who knows everything that's going on in the house and the family, so it was entertaining to fill her in on the nearly eighty e-mails and jokes sent in preparation for this party.
Here are some photos from dinner and a video of the surprise and present opening:
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| My mom's brother and my brother worked together to bring three cakes to the ouse after dinner. |
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| My mom was the most surprised to see her family at the table. |
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| My mom opening her presents after dinner. |
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Task #37: Learn How to Take Blood Pressure (Kim)
37. Learn How to Take Blood Pressure
My mom has worked as a nurse for years, and she is currently teaching students at NCC in the medical assistant program. Other than taking lifeguarding CPR and AED training classes and volunteering recreationally at a convalescent home, I have little medical experience. Because my mom has so much experience in the medical field and I know very little, I wanted to learn a skill she teaches her students as part of my Project Explore.
Learning how to take blood pressure properly takes a lot of practice. I practiced a few times prior to this video, but mastering the skill would take much longer than it seems on this video. Prior to me practicing on the video, my mom filmed a short tutorial. We were able to practice in her lab classroom at NCC on what is called a "sim-man". Being in this type of classroom was a new experience too because it is clearly not a typical academic classroom.
Here is the short tutorial on taking blood pressure and me practicing on the simulator:
My mom has worked as a nurse for years, and she is currently teaching students at NCC in the medical assistant program. Other than taking lifeguarding CPR and AED training classes and volunteering recreationally at a convalescent home, I have little medical experience. Because my mom has so much experience in the medical field and I know very little, I wanted to learn a skill she teaches her students as part of my Project Explore.
Learning how to take blood pressure properly takes a lot of practice. I practiced a few times prior to this video, but mastering the skill would take much longer than it seems on this video. Prior to me practicing on the video, my mom filmed a short tutorial. We were able to practice in her lab classroom at NCC on what is called a "sim-man". Being in this type of classroom was a new experience too because it is clearly not a typical academic classroom.
Here is the short tutorial on taking blood pressure and me practicing on the simulator:
Task #36: Meet an Optimist/Hear Tracie's Story (Kim)
36. Meet an optimist and hear her story.
As Rachael and I stressed throughout this project, not all of our tasks had to be planned. We expected the unexpected - for people to suggest a few tasks that could become vital to our project And that's how I found myself interviewing Tracie this afternoon at Norwalk Community College.
My mom works at NCC teaching students how to become medical assistants. She knew all of the obstacles Tracie has recently faced, and she suggested that I interview Tracie as part of my Project Explore. Because teenagers are considered the most self-absorbed generation, my mom believed Tracie had valuable advice and experiences to share for my project. And she was absolutely right.
Though this is the only part of Tracie's life that I learned about and this was the first time I had met her, I could see how amazing she is. My mom told me how great she would be to interview, but I had no idea what to expect. Since I didn't know her, I didn't have a lot of specific questions to ask. Luckily, Tracie knew exactly what to address, and I could form questions as the interview went along. She was very open about all of her experiences.
This interview was an incredible experience for me. Her grateful attitude despite the hardships she has faced was refreshing. I am often surrounded by people complaining about how tired they are or how unfair life can be, but Tracie was not at all bitter even though she faced a cancer typically associated with people over the age of 50. Tracie was only 37 when she was diagnosed. Her advice about being able to push past anything with a good attitude was invaluable.
A huge thank you to Tracie for being so open and willing to share your story. I loved creating this video.
As Rachael and I stressed throughout this project, not all of our tasks had to be planned. We expected the unexpected - for people to suggest a few tasks that could become vital to our project And that's how I found myself interviewing Tracie this afternoon at Norwalk Community College.
My mom works at NCC teaching students how to become medical assistants. She knew all of the obstacles Tracie has recently faced, and she suggested that I interview Tracie as part of my Project Explore. Because teenagers are considered the most self-absorbed generation, my mom believed Tracie had valuable advice and experiences to share for my project. And she was absolutely right.
Though this is the only part of Tracie's life that I learned about and this was the first time I had met her, I could see how amazing she is. My mom told me how great she would be to interview, but I had no idea what to expect. Since I didn't know her, I didn't have a lot of specific questions to ask. Luckily, Tracie knew exactly what to address, and I could form questions as the interview went along. She was very open about all of her experiences.
This interview was an incredible experience for me. Her grateful attitude despite the hardships she has faced was refreshing. I am often surrounded by people complaining about how tired they are or how unfair life can be, but Tracie was not at all bitter even though she faced a cancer typically associated with people over the age of 50. Tracie was only 37 when she was diagnosed. Her advice about being able to push past anything with a good attitude was invaluable.
A huge thank you to Tracie for being so open and willing to share your story. I loved creating this video.
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Task #35: Go 30 Hours Without Eating - 30 Hour Famine (Kim)
35. Participate in the 30 Hour Famine.
St. Philips Church in Norwalk organizes the 30 Hour Famine through World Vision annually. In prior years, I could not participate because it conflicts with Regional Championships for swimming. This year, I was able to be a part of the incredible 30 Hour Famine for the first time.
I raised $500 through an online donation page and cash donations during and prior to the Famine. The fundraising continues for the next two weeks. From February 28 at 5 a.m. to about 11 a.m. on March 1, two hundred teenagers did not eat. Throughout these thirty hours, we played games, went to a service project, made new friends, and had a karaoke and dance party. I have to say that the experience was incredibly rewarding.
When I arrived at the Norwalk Green at 9 a.m. on Saturday, I was handed a sign that said "Walk for them". Other participants had signs with facts about world hunger, and a banner expressing the goal of the Thirty Hour Famine lead the procession. Then we completed a walk from the Norwalk Green back to St. Philips with adult chaperones and a police escort. The walk was very cold, but it definitely got people's attention that were driving by. And that was the goal - to simply raise awareness for the 30 Hour Famine and for the problem of hunger in our world.
The theme of the famine this year was to "Make it Count". Not only to make our time at the famine count but to make our time after the famine count. And by "count", we mean continue making a difference in other people's lives. That's why the logo following Make it Count on the tee shirts reads 30 hours, 30 days, 30 people. It encourage famine participants to continue their service and effect the lives of people in their communities in any positive way possible.
After a prayer service and a few games that turned Saturday morning into Saturday afternoon (first stomach pangs!), my "tribe" which represented the country of Bolivia, was shuttled to St. Thomas to complete a service project. We packed 20,000 fortified meals full of nutrients for people who are hungry. This experience was humbling. It was so important not to waste any small piece of food because, as the organizers expressed, any small bit of food may be enough to save someone. This made me feel that I have acted frivolously with food too often in my life. Refusing food and throwing out leftovers happens too often in my life; instead, I should not take for granted the food I have access to at anytime.
Most of the pictures I took were during the "free time" parts of the famine, such as the karaoke on Saturday night. We slept in the Church's School Hall and broke the fast with the Eucharist this morning during the 10:00 a.m. mass.
St. Philips Church in Norwalk organizes the 30 Hour Famine through World Vision annually. In prior years, I could not participate because it conflicts with Regional Championships for swimming. This year, I was able to be a part of the incredible 30 Hour Famine for the first time.
I raised $500 through an online donation page and cash donations during and prior to the Famine. The fundraising continues for the next two weeks. From February 28 at 5 a.m. to about 11 a.m. on March 1, two hundred teenagers did not eat. Throughout these thirty hours, we played games, went to a service project, made new friends, and had a karaoke and dance party. I have to say that the experience was incredibly rewarding.
When I arrived at the Norwalk Green at 9 a.m. on Saturday, I was handed a sign that said "Walk for them". Other participants had signs with facts about world hunger, and a banner expressing the goal of the Thirty Hour Famine lead the procession. Then we completed a walk from the Norwalk Green back to St. Philips with adult chaperones and a police escort. The walk was very cold, but it definitely got people's attention that were driving by. And that was the goal - to simply raise awareness for the 30 Hour Famine and for the problem of hunger in our world.
The theme of the famine this year was to "Make it Count". Not only to make our time at the famine count but to make our time after the famine count. And by "count", we mean continue making a difference in other people's lives. That's why the logo following Make it Count on the tee shirts reads 30 hours, 30 days, 30 people. It encourage famine participants to continue their service and effect the lives of people in their communities in any positive way possible.
After a prayer service and a few games that turned Saturday morning into Saturday afternoon (first stomach pangs!), my "tribe" which represented the country of Bolivia, was shuttled to St. Thomas to complete a service project. We packed 20,000 fortified meals full of nutrients for people who are hungry. This experience was humbling. It was so important not to waste any small piece of food because, as the organizers expressed, any small bit of food may be enough to save someone. This made me feel that I have acted frivolously with food too often in my life. Refusing food and throwing out leftovers happens too often in my life; instead, I should not take for granted the food I have access to at anytime.
Most of the pictures I took were during the "free time" parts of the famine, such as the karaoke on Saturday night. We slept in the Church's School Hall and broke the fast with the Eucharist this morning during the 10:00 a.m. mass.
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| The prayer service on Saturday night included a candlelight ceremony with luminary bags. |
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| On Friday, famine participants wrote 30 on their hands and wore 30 Hour Famine tee shirts from past years to raise awareness for the event and for world hunger. |
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| The candlelight ceremony on Saturday night featured luminary bags sold by famine participants and written on by parishoners. They honored people who were fasting, people who are sick or have passed away, and the impoverished people were were fasting for. |
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| Ben Bonebrake was recognized at the mass on Sunday morning because Saturday was his birthday. He choose to spend it at the famine and not eat all day rather than celebrate his birthday. |
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| Getting a little excited during the karaoke portion of the evening. |
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| Karaoke quickly turned into a group activity rather than solo acts. |
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