Hello Everyone!
In case you were wondering, yes, I'm still alive and well. I know I haven't posted in an entire month...yikes! Well, let's get started....back in late February.
February ended quietly and quickly. The first weekend of March I was a part of the Registered Student Organizations Budget Hearings process as a part of my role on the Ways and Means (WAM) Committee on the Undergraduate Student Government (USG). I sat in a conference room from 5pm on that Friday until late into the evening on that Sunday listening to people explain their student organization's budget and their reasoning for why they should receive funding. As a student at Michigan Tech we all pay a student activity fee which then the WAM committee I sit on divides it up between all of the student organizations. This process of listening to everyone explain their budgets and then determining how much $ they get is how we divide up the money. This process is long and arduous but fulfilling. I feel like I am directing impacting students and their college experience. Though sometimes its tough work, I truly enjoy being on the committee.
The following weekend was the start of spring break! Whoohoo! I stayed in Houghton until that Saturday and then made it home in time to go the MN state boys high school hockey tournament championship game, down at the Xcel Energy Center downtown St. Paul, in which Hill-Murray was playing! Unfortunately they lost but they had a good run and a were a great team. The week at home included a haircut, doctors appointment, and getting together with friends. On Wednesday I went and watched the Hill-Murray girls basketball team in their state tournament down at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. Unfortunately they lost as well. Also, that afternoon the Catholic church got a new leader, Pope Francis! On Thursday Anna was in town to visit her Aunt you lives in Cottage Grove. We went to Como Zoo and the Conservatory and had fun looking the variety of plants and seeing the animals. We also had a delicious lunch at Pizza Luce in St. Paul :) On that Friday I went to the Ramsey County Courthouse in downtown St. Paul to observe court for my legal careers class. It was a really profound experience when I saw a man convicted by a jury of domestic assault, handcuffed, and taken into custody. Also over spring break I got my taxes and FAFSA out of the way, after many hours and a few revisions. I returned to Houghton that Sunday morning....only 6 more weeks left at that point!
When I returned we had received over a foot of fresh snow over break. The week following we also got another foot and some of snow. "Spring break" was really just a "late winter break!" Sunday night some friends and I walked down to and across the bridge just for fun :) Monday we had a meeting in preparation for Fall Camp, which is where I will be in the fall (if I haven't described this yet I will in another post). I should note that I applied, was offered, and accepted the position of Resident Assistant (RA) at Fall Camp! Exciting! Also that week (Friday) I attended the USG retreat and we March Madness started, including a bracket tournament! AND, I couldn't fail to mention that Wednesday March 20th was technically the first day of spring, though it was a blizzard outside! I took a picture of the first day of spring last year and this year and put them side by side -- what a contrast! I posted the contrasting photos on Facebook and got over 50 'likes' and 1400 shares! WOW!
That brings us to last Saturday when some friends and I explored the Keweenaw. We went along the east side where I hadn't explored as much before. We went trekking off into to woods at one random point and explored some old building ruins at another. We also went to the town of Gay, Michigan and went to the bar :) See pics! Sunday night into Monday I hosted another perspective student, which is always fun. We went bowling in the MUB and had a good time. Also in bowling news, I am in a bowling class right now and the other day I bowled a 183!
This week had been busy, as the last few have been too. I had multiple exams and quizzes and lots of meetings. This past week I was a part of the Special Budget Group Budget Hearings (different groups than before but a very similar process). I helped set the budgets for things such as Homecoming, Winter Carnival, WMTU (our campus radio station) and Spring Fling. Again, this process is long but well worth it.
So, in more current news, last night we went to Walmart and bought all the supplies for the grand Easter brunch we will be making tomorrow. It is going to be great! We are dying eggs tonight and then I am going to the Easter Vigil.
And, over the course of the past few weeks I have working out my summer plans. Here they are!!!
I am done with school on Sunday May 5th and will travel back to the great state of Minnesota. The following Monday I will be traveling to Hawaii (yes, Hawaii!) to visit Anna as she is working in Hawaii for the summer on a undergraduate research project. I will be in Hawaii for a week and return the next Tuesday (May 21). Then that Friday I will starting a 9-day Wilderness First Responder course at Camp Manitowish in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin. It is a course where I will be trained in first aid and medical response in a remote and outdoor setting. I am receiving this training in order to be a certified health officer as part of my summer job. After the course is complete on June 1st I will be headed directly up to Northern Tier to begin my summer job as Business Manager of the Atikokan Base. I will be in Atikokan, Ontario, Canada until Tuesday August 13th when I will travel home to Lake Elmo for a few days. Traveling again that Friday, I will be headed off to school which will be at Fall Camp.
Phew! I am sure I missed a ton of things but I think this post captures most of what has been going on in the past few weeks. I will working photos and they should be up soon. I truly hope that all is going well in your life and that you are feeling the presence of the Lord during this most holy time.
Love and Peace, Kyle
No comments:
Post a Comment