Wow! What a year it has been! 2014 flew in and out, with so much accomplished this year it's insane!
I know, you're probably wondering what happened since I last blogged in....um....August. Well, let me sum it all up in one word for ya: College. Yep, that's what happened! I went to school, earned 15.5 credits, was an RA, was active in numerous student organizations, and did lots of fun things with fun people. Okay, okay, I won't leave you totally high and dry of the details, but truly, that is essentially what has happened in my life the past four months. As always, check out the photos, as a photo is worth 1000 words :)
In summary, here are some of the relatively more interesting things. August finished up with a short time at home, a trip to the Millers' cabin, RA training and the beginning of a new school year. The semester as a whole included lots of fun activities and events (as can be seen in the massive list below. I took a surprise trip to North Dakota in October to visit my sisters and the whole family was together for the weekend (including my grandparents). This semester I completed my Capstone course, which is a senior project that incorporates all of the skills I have been learning in my time at Michigan Tech. It was a huge project, accompanied by an even bigger paper and presentation. Thankfully, it was a success! This semester I also served on a task force put together by our Dean of Students Office that is looking into food insecurity issues among our student population. I was asked to serve on this task force due to my commitment to student government and student issues over the years.
Just SOME of the things I did and events I attended this semester:
Ate huge banana split, fairs, picnics, dances, parties, frisbee, sports tournaments, hiking, Afternoon on the Town, schoolyard olympics, house meetings, laundry magnet making, cardboard boat building, Camping!, Parade of Nations, ons of meetings, trip to Culvers, Dominoes, window painting, football game, cardboard boat races, Spotlight Night, Husky Hosts, capstone data collection, projects!, Haircut, field test, GNAR Race, dog walking, drag show, Outdoor Nation Challenge, lunch at covered road, Jackie Tohn performance, TreeHouse t-shirts, trip to Brockway, D80 Conference, family weekend, careers in student affairs dinner, husky statue, eenvironmental speakers, MIDTERMS, meetings, more meetings, pumpkin carving, Make a Difference Day, Safehouse, more meetings, Halloween, costume party, USG meetings, Forest Guild meetings, ResLife stuff, hockey games, breakfast with friends, good times at 5th and Elm, holiday celebrations, experienced sonder, had some deep conversations, good times in the library, lunches in DHH.
So, the semester drew to a close. New friends were made, my GPA didn't budge, I am applying for jobs, and a TON of fun occurred! I have one semester of my undergraduate degree left, as I graduate in May...yikes! The possibilities at that point are endless. And, the question you are all asking...so what's next? The answer is I don't know yet. I have decided to enter the job hunt world and get a job instead of graduate school, for now. I hope to go on to get a Masters degree in a few years. For now, the applications are going out the door and we'll see what happens!
2014 has been quite the year. I worked Okpik in January and saw more frostbite than anyone ever should. I was an RA in a different building for the spring semester and took some hard classes. I had an AWESOME internship in Georgia over the summer where I learned a ton! I took a trip to Vermont for the Forest Guild National Conference and a surprise trip back to Minnesota. I had two epic road trips, one with my Dad and older sister and one with my Mom, taking me all over the east half of the US. I went to 23 states this year alone, and have now been to the highest point in 13 states. I turned 21. This fall I was once again an RA and I had a great semester filled with all of the fun things above!
I certainly had a lot of adventures in 2014! I know that 2015 will certainly bring change to my world but I am more ready than ever to take on the new challenges and adventures!
May the season find you in good spirits,
Kyle
PS - It is a goal of mine in 2015 to blog once a month.....we'll see how well I did a year from now :)
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Friday, August 22, 2014
Tomorrow is GO time!
Hello Family and Friends!
I have made my way back to Michigan Tech after a fantastic week home!
After Mom and I got home from our trip I spent the next week unpacking and repacking my belongings, which seems to be the case every time I come home. Somehow the family still seems to tolerate me moving home for short periods of time and exploding the life all over the living room floor.....so thanks :) The week was sprinkled with appointments of all sorts as well as some time to relax, as we went up to the Millers' cabin (family friends) on the Saturday I was home. We had a great day filled with summer fun of tubing, kayaking, and hanging out. I should also mention that I visited the University of Minnesota's graduate school to take a look at their programs in comparison with other programs I am looking at.
On Tuesday August 12th I left home, headed back to Michigan. I spent that evening and the following morning at Tomahawk Scout Reservation with my Boy Scout Troop. It was fun to go camping one more night before heading back to school and great to see some friends.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of last week were then spent unpacking, moving furniture, moving out of my storage unit, and settling in. It took a lot of work and I did most of the rearranging by myself but the layout of my room turned out better than expected, so I'm not complaining.
Then, Saturday came around and Resident Assistant (RA) training began! Training is full of fun, engaging, thoughtful, challenging activities and presentations that most certainly help prepare someone to be an RA. You'd think that this being the third time I've gone through something like this that it would be old hat (and most of it is) but there is always more to learn. Not to mention my fantastic fellow staff members :) Training is a shared experience by all RA's that most certainly helps 60+ people bond in a matter of days. Life-long friendships are at their beginnings and it is a great time of year for everyone. All the things that go into being an RA is something that is hard to explain, as there are so many facades of what an RA does. Spending a week with these friends is they only way I'd ever want to enter a new (and my last!) school year!
So here I am, Friday night of training week. I'm moved in. I've had a week full of presentations, from cleaning up puke to dealing with depression to interacting with International residents to how to plan a fun event and everything in between. It has been a week of creating new friendships and rekindling old ones. A week of hard work, preparing the residence halls for students, both new and returning. A week of getting some of my personal things in order to begin a new school year. And lastly, but certainly not least, a week of FUN!
I am PUMPED to have new first year students arrive on campus and start moving in tomorrow! It has been a transition period in my life these past two weeks since I last blogged. Know that I am settled in and doing well. I am excited to begin my last year of my four year degree, as my next big transition is not far in the future!
UPDATES
Between going to the doctor's office in May and some tests I had done while I was home in August the doctor has determined that I am cleared to increase my physical activity and I am no longer on any medications! This is a big step in what has been a seven year ongoing discussion of the damage my heart obtained after I had Rheumatic Fever in 2007. I have been on meds and had a list of restrictions since then, the biggest being a limit on my physical activity. I am now able to return to "life as normal" and it feels great!
August 21st has past, which means my birthday has past and I'm another year older. It was a big one, as I turned 21, which made it my golden birthday as well! Know that I had a good birthday, filled with RA training and lots of staff bonding time (bonfire, dance party, and people singing happy birthday to me at midnight). Thank you all for your support over the years!
So, from the quaint and cozy 10' x 15' piece of the world I currently call home and with love,
Kyle
I have made my way back to Michigan Tech after a fantastic week home!
After Mom and I got home from our trip I spent the next week unpacking and repacking my belongings, which seems to be the case every time I come home. Somehow the family still seems to tolerate me moving home for short periods of time and exploding the life all over the living room floor.....so thanks :) The week was sprinkled with appointments of all sorts as well as some time to relax, as we went up to the Millers' cabin (family friends) on the Saturday I was home. We had a great day filled with summer fun of tubing, kayaking, and hanging out. I should also mention that I visited the University of Minnesota's graduate school to take a look at their programs in comparison with other programs I am looking at.
On Tuesday August 12th I left home, headed back to Michigan. I spent that evening and the following morning at Tomahawk Scout Reservation with my Boy Scout Troop. It was fun to go camping one more night before heading back to school and great to see some friends.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of last week were then spent unpacking, moving furniture, moving out of my storage unit, and settling in. It took a lot of work and I did most of the rearranging by myself but the layout of my room turned out better than expected, so I'm not complaining.
Then, Saturday came around and Resident Assistant (RA) training began! Training is full of fun, engaging, thoughtful, challenging activities and presentations that most certainly help prepare someone to be an RA. You'd think that this being the third time I've gone through something like this that it would be old hat (and most of it is) but there is always more to learn. Not to mention my fantastic fellow staff members :) Training is a shared experience by all RA's that most certainly helps 60+ people bond in a matter of days. Life-long friendships are at their beginnings and it is a great time of year for everyone. All the things that go into being an RA is something that is hard to explain, as there are so many facades of what an RA does. Spending a week with these friends is they only way I'd ever want to enter a new (and my last!) school year!
So here I am, Friday night of training week. I'm moved in. I've had a week full of presentations, from cleaning up puke to dealing with depression to interacting with International residents to how to plan a fun event and everything in between. It has been a week of creating new friendships and rekindling old ones. A week of hard work, preparing the residence halls for students, both new and returning. A week of getting some of my personal things in order to begin a new school year. And lastly, but certainly not least, a week of FUN!
I am PUMPED to have new first year students arrive on campus and start moving in tomorrow! It has been a transition period in my life these past two weeks since I last blogged. Know that I am settled in and doing well. I am excited to begin my last year of my four year degree, as my next big transition is not far in the future!
UPDATES
Between going to the doctor's office in May and some tests I had done while I was home in August the doctor has determined that I am cleared to increase my physical activity and I am no longer on any medications! This is a big step in what has been a seven year ongoing discussion of the damage my heart obtained after I had Rheumatic Fever in 2007. I have been on meds and had a list of restrictions since then, the biggest being a limit on my physical activity. I am now able to return to "life as normal" and it feels great!
August 21st has past, which means my birthday has past and I'm another year older. It was a big one, as I turned 21, which made it my golden birthday as well! Know that I had a good birthday, filled with RA training and lots of staff bonding time (bonfire, dance party, and people singing happy birthday to me at midnight). Thank you all for your support over the years!
So, from the quaint and cozy 10' x 15' piece of the world I currently call home and with love,
Kyle
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Epic Road Trip - 3rd and Final Part!
Hello family and friends!
It is with great joy and with some exhaustion that I write this blog from the comforts of my home, here in Minnesota! Mom and I completed our epic road trip this afternoon, arriving back in MN around 3pm. Here are the happenings of the last few days of the trip!
On Saturday morning Mom and I awoke early to hit the road, headed back to the Midwest. We left CT, drove through NY slightly north of NYC, and took our next stop at High Point, New Jersey. As the name suggests, it is the highest point in the state of New Jersey. One usually doesn't think of NJ as a state with terrain but let us tell you, that one mile was quite vertical! We hadn't planned to hike this one, rather drive up, but learned it was $20 to drive to the top so we chose the "free admission and free exercise" option :) We hiked along the Appalachian Trail for a bit and reached the top, which was a adorned with a huge obelisk.
Following the hike we continued on, driving through the state of Pennsylvania. We stopped briefly in Hershey, PA to see the cute town and the factory. The street lights look like Hershey kisses and everything is named after chocolate or candy of some sort. We continued the day by driving through northwestern Maryland. This is where we attempted to go to church, but to no avail. We couldn't find a church that had Mass at a time we could make :( Our last stop for the day was Mount Davis, the highest point in the state of PA. We reached it after winding our way through the farm country of PA. There were great interpretive signs at the top as well as a fire tower we climbed! PA's geological marker, marking the actual highest point, sits atop a crazy looking rock. It was pretty neat! We completed this long day by camping in Maryland.
Sunday morning was, to say the least, crazy! I convinced Mom that we were going to hike to the Maryland state high point (Backbone Mountain/Hoye-Crest) early in the morning in order to see sunrise from the top. Let's work backwards....since sunrise was at 6:15am, and we wanted an hour to hike the 1.3 mile road to the top, and the trailhead was 45 minutes away from the campsite, we woke up at 3:30am to carry out this crazy plan. Let's just say that it was an adventure and a facing of my fear of the dark and unknown starting a hike up a mountain in the rain /fog/mist in the dark. Mom and I made it to the top, despite the steep climb, the rain, and navigating our way in the dark. The summit had a bench, a picnic table, a register mailbox, a historical sign and, what would be on a clear day, a great clearing the east to see sunrise.
After the crazy morning hike we continued onto to West Virginia's high point, Spruce Knob. After a long, windy, narrow road to the top it was only a short hike to the marker and observation tower, a great reward after the morning's long, dreary hike. The day was then filled with many hours of mountain driving, making our way across WV and into Kentucky, where we stopped in Morehead, KY to see my friend and former supervisor, Katy Bird! After chatting for a short bit Mom and I headed on to our campsite in Indiana, making for a total of about 10 driving hours on Sunday, among the other activities I just described. Let's just say it was a long day!
Monday we got to sleep in just a bit, as our campsite was only about a half hour from the Indiana University campus, where I toured yet another graduate program. I had a great visit and I enjoyed the campus and program. Around 1pm we headed north towards the Chicago suburb where my Aunt JoAnn lives and where we would be spending the night. What was suppose to be just under 5 hours of driving turned into about 7 hours with construction, traffic, and 2 hours of sitting dead stopped on the freeway after it was shut down due to a semi-semi crash a few miles ahead of us. We reached Aunt JoAnn's late evening and went out to dinner with her as well as my cousin Joleen and her son Trenton. My cousin Jodi also joined us after her softball game. It was great to see them all, as I don't see them very often.
Today started with waking up in a real bed :) After a quick breakfast, we hit the road around 8am this morning and made it home around 3pm. It was a relatively "easy" driving day compared to others, which meant that I still had (some) energy when we got home to unpack the car, clean out the inside and wash the outside. I had a great time on the road trip with my mom and it was a ton of fun!
I am now home for a week, with just a few things on the calendar before I start back to school next Wednesday!
It is with great joy and with some exhaustion that I write this blog from the comforts of my home, here in Minnesota! Mom and I completed our epic road trip this afternoon, arriving back in MN around 3pm. Here are the happenings of the last few days of the trip!
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| High Point - NJ high point! |
On Saturday morning Mom and I awoke early to hit the road, headed back to the Midwest. We left CT, drove through NY slightly north of NYC, and took our next stop at High Point, New Jersey. As the name suggests, it is the highest point in the state of New Jersey. One usually doesn't think of NJ as a state with terrain but let us tell you, that one mile was quite vertical! We hadn't planned to hike this one, rather drive up, but learned it was $20 to drive to the top so we chose the "free admission and free exercise" option :) We hiked along the Appalachian Trail for a bit and reached the top, which was a adorned with a huge obelisk.
Following the hike we continued on, driving through the state of Pennsylvania. We stopped briefly in Hershey, PA to see the cute town and the factory. The street lights look like Hershey kisses and everything is named after chocolate or candy of some sort. We continued the day by driving through northwestern Maryland. This is where we attempted to go to church, but to no avail. We couldn't find a church that had Mass at a time we could make :( Our last stop for the day was Mount Davis, the highest point in the state of PA. We reached it after winding our way through the farm country of PA. There were great interpretive signs at the top as well as a fire tower we climbed! PA's geological marker, marking the actual highest point, sits atop a crazy looking rock. It was pretty neat! We completed this long day by camping in Maryland.
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| Backbone Mtn - MD high point! |
Sunday morning was, to say the least, crazy! I convinced Mom that we were going to hike to the Maryland state high point (Backbone Mountain/Hoye-Crest) early in the morning in order to see sunrise from the top. Let's work backwards....since sunrise was at 6:15am, and we wanted an hour to hike the 1.3 mile road to the top, and the trailhead was 45 minutes away from the campsite, we woke up at 3:30am to carry out this crazy plan. Let's just say that it was an adventure and a facing of my fear of the dark and unknown starting a hike up a mountain in the rain /fog/mist in the dark. Mom and I made it to the top, despite the steep climb, the rain, and navigating our way in the dark. The summit had a bench, a picnic table, a register mailbox, a historical sign and, what would be on a clear day, a great clearing the east to see sunrise.
After the crazy morning hike we continued onto to West Virginia's high point, Spruce Knob. After a long, windy, narrow road to the top it was only a short hike to the marker and observation tower, a great reward after the morning's long, dreary hike. The day was then filled with many hours of mountain driving, making our way across WV and into Kentucky, where we stopped in Morehead, KY to see my friend and former supervisor, Katy Bird! After chatting for a short bit Mom and I headed on to our campsite in Indiana, making for a total of about 10 driving hours on Sunday, among the other activities I just described. Let's just say it was a long day!
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| Entrance to Indiana Univ. |
Monday we got to sleep in just a bit, as our campsite was only about a half hour from the Indiana University campus, where I toured yet another graduate program. I had a great visit and I enjoyed the campus and program. Around 1pm we headed north towards the Chicago suburb where my Aunt JoAnn lives and where we would be spending the night. What was suppose to be just under 5 hours of driving turned into about 7 hours with construction, traffic, and 2 hours of sitting dead stopped on the freeway after it was shut down due to a semi-semi crash a few miles ahead of us. We reached Aunt JoAnn's late evening and went out to dinner with her as well as my cousin Joleen and her son Trenton. My cousin Jodi also joined us after her softball game. It was great to see them all, as I don't see them very often.
Today started with waking up in a real bed :) After a quick breakfast, we hit the road around 8am this morning and made it home around 3pm. It was a relatively "easy" driving day compared to others, which meant that I still had (some) energy when we got home to unpack the car, clean out the inside and wash the outside. I had a great time on the road trip with my mom and it was a ton of fun!
I am now home for a week, with just a few things on the calendar before I start back to school next Wednesday!
9 days, 3,774 miles, 18 states, 8 high points, 3 grad school visits, 6 nights of camping, and the same 10 songs on the radio a gazillion times over = 1 epic road trip!
Friday, August 1, 2014
Epic Road Trip - Part 2!
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| Camp Food :) |
On Wednesday night Mom and I arrived at our campsite at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, CT. We set up camp in the dark and got ourselves settled.
Thursday morning we headed north to Amherst, Massachusetts to tour University of Massachusetts-Amherst. I had a full day of meetings with various people in their department as well as a campus tour. I met with three people in the morning, grabbed a quick bit to eat at Arizona pizza, and returned to campus to talk with the concentration coordinator. It was a great day of networking, filled with lots of discussion and talk about my future, what I want to do, and what their program offers. We made it back to the campsite around sunset and walked to the beach. After sunset we creatively re-heated our pizza from lunch over our camp stove, followed by a dinner in the dark, as we had our lights off to deter to bugs.
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Today we were able to sleep in slightly, as today's schedule included touring Yale university in New Haven, CT, which is only about a half hour from the campsite. We had a wonderful camp breakfast and made our way to campus, with time to look around before another day filled with information sessions, a tour, and a meeting with a faculty member. Mom and I walked around a bit and went into buildings to get a feel for them and they, though old in age and style, are leading edge when it comes to classroom technology. Though a large campus and in a city, I enjoyed Yale and I could definitely see myself there in the future!After my visit at Yale ended around 3pm, we decided we had time for another adventure! We chose to go to Rhode Island's state high point, Jerimoth Hill! We had not planned on going to Rhode Island or its high
point but the epic road trip itinerary is flexible!....to an extent :) Mom and I went to Jerimoth Hill, which is not a far walk off a county road in western Rhode Island. This was high point #9 for me and #4 for Mom!After the high point we decided to go to Niantic Bay Boardwalk and walk the North Connecticut beach, eating dinner while there. Ice cream at a local candy shop followed! A perfect ending to two very busy days of important meetings. I feel like our trip to the east coast for graduate school tours has been a success, whether I chose to go to either of these schools or not. Meeting with various people and looking at graduate programs has certainly helped me decide what I want to do in the future and what I want to get out of a master degree if I choose to pursue one in the future.
Mom and I now find ourselves back in the local coffee shop close to the campsite. We have lots of miles to cover the next two days, as we will spend the night in in Maryland tomorrow and Indiana the next.
Overall, we are having a fantastic trip! We haven't had too many GPS errors, haven't lost too many things (except the box of LIFE cereal), and haven't got on each other nerves...yet :)
Be sure to check out our photos! We hope all is well in your world and will continue to update you all soon!
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Epic Road Trip, PART 1!
Wow! This has been quite the trip and it's only day three of nine! Without further ado, here is the abbreviated highlights!
On Monday morning Mom flew to Atlanta and I picked her up (a 3 hour drive from my work). We drove back to Brasstown Bald, where we packed up the rest of my items and Mom got to see the place where I've lived and worked the past three months. I said my goodbyes to my supervisors and coworkers and we were on the road to Mt. Mitchell, North Carolina's high point! It is also the highest point east of the Mississippi river and it was Mom's first high point! We got there midafternoon and enjoyed a gorgeous day, though a bit chilly (55 degrees) and windy at the top. We got to drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is a beautiful stretch of road through the mountains, managed by the National Park Service. After the high point we drove on into the evening (and night) to Cary, NC, where we stayed the night with our friends, the Maas'.
On Tuesday we were up at sunrise and on the road by 7am, headed north for a full day of traveling. We reached the Washington DC area around 1pm, after driving all morning with just a quick pit stop for an oil change. We met up with our friend Sarah Novak, who now lives in DC. We grabbed a bit to eat at a wonderful Thai restaurant and had a great visit. After lunch we navigated our way in DC to a parking spot right along the National Mall! Mom and I did a personal 'speed tour' of the Mall, hitting up most of the major monuments (Capitol, Washington Monument, White House, etc.) Just before leaving we passed the White House and noticed a lot of commotion....it was the presidential helicopter on the front lawn! Though we were a half mile away, it was still pretty cool!
After DC it was off to the Delaware high point, Ebright Azimuth. This high point was't much, but the lady who lives across the street from the monument was quite the stitch! She talked our ear off for a half hour! Very nice area and a nice lady who certainly cares about the Delaware high point. Afterward we stopped and got groceries so that we can live out of the car for the week and snack along the way. We made our way further north, ending the day at a campsite in New Jersey around 10:30pm. It was a long day, encompassing 6 states (NC, VA, MD, DE, PA, and NJ), Washington DC, and a LOT of construction and traffic.
Wednesday brought on New York City, New York!! Mom and I woke early to drive about and hour to the New Jersey/New York border. We parked and then took the subway into NYC. As I have never been to NYC I wanted to see as much in the 6 hours we had as possible. We hoofed all over town seeing a TON of things! The list of things we saw included the 9/11 Memorial and Word Trade Center Site, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, Battery Park, Wall Street, Broadway, Times Square and 42nd Street, Central Park, Rockefeller Plaza, Grand Central Station, and 5th Avenue. It was a tiring but fantastic 6 hours.
Around 3pm we headed back to the car and got back in the endless traffic, headed north to Connecticut. We are currently blogging from the local coffee shop, not far from the campsite where we will be for the next three days. We will continue to blog soon! Know that we are having lots of fun and it has been everything I imagined and more!
Be sure to check out our photos!
PS - Sorry about the white background!
On Monday morning Mom flew to Atlanta and I picked her up (a 3 hour drive from my work). We drove back to Brasstown Bald, where we packed up the rest of my items and Mom got to see the place where I've lived and worked the past three months. I said my goodbyes to my supervisors and coworkers and we were on the road to Mt. Mitchell, North Carolina's high point! It is also the highest point east of the Mississippi river and it was Mom's first high point! We got there midafternoon and enjoyed a gorgeous day, though a bit chilly (55 degrees) and windy at the top. We got to drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is a beautiful stretch of road through the mountains, managed by the National Park Service. After the high point we drove on into the evening (and night) to Cary, NC, where we stayed the night with our friends, the Maas'.
On Tuesday we were up at sunrise and on the road by 7am, headed north for a full day of traveling. We reached the Washington DC area around 1pm, after driving all morning with just a quick pit stop for an oil change. We met up with our friend Sarah Novak, who now lives in DC. We grabbed a bit to eat at a wonderful Thai restaurant and had a great visit. After lunch we navigated our way in DC to a parking spot right along the National Mall! Mom and I did a personal 'speed tour' of the Mall, hitting up most of the major monuments (Capitol, Washington Monument, White House, etc.) Just before leaving we passed the White House and noticed a lot of commotion....it was the presidential helicopter on the front lawn! Though we were a half mile away, it was still pretty cool!
After DC it was off to the Delaware high point, Ebright Azimuth. This high point was't much, but the lady who lives across the street from the monument was quite the stitch! She talked our ear off for a half hour! Very nice area and a nice lady who certainly cares about the Delaware high point. Afterward we stopped and got groceries so that we can live out of the car for the week and snack along the way. We made our way further north, ending the day at a campsite in New Jersey around 10:30pm. It was a long day, encompassing 6 states (NC, VA, MD, DE, PA, and NJ), Washington DC, and a LOT of construction and traffic.
Wednesday brought on New York City, New York!! Mom and I woke early to drive about and hour to the New Jersey/New York border. We parked and then took the subway into NYC. As I have never been to NYC I wanted to see as much in the 6 hours we had as possible. We hoofed all over town seeing a TON of things! The list of things we saw included the 9/11 Memorial and Word Trade Center Site, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, Battery Park, Wall Street, Broadway, Times Square and 42nd Street, Central Park, Rockefeller Plaza, Grand Central Station, and 5th Avenue. It was a tiring but fantastic 6 hours.
Around 3pm we headed back to the car and got back in the endless traffic, headed north to Connecticut. We are currently blogging from the local coffee shop, not far from the campsite where we will be for the next three days. We will continue to blog soon! Know that we are having lots of fun and it has been everything I imagined and more!
Be sure to check out our photos!
PS - Sorry about the white background!
Sunday, July 27, 2014
When One Door Closes....
Well, today was my last day of work here at Brasstown Bald. It was bittersweet, as I am ready to explore other places and get back to school, but I will truly miss being here. I have worked with some wonderful people and have thoroughly enjoyed my job here in Georgia!Tomorrow I will leave my cozy life here on this mountaintop in Georgia and venture out on a 9 day road trip up the east coast and then back to Minnesota. And the best part....my Mom will be joining me for the trip!! Here's the last of my time here in Georgia.
I'll start with a few birthday wishes - this past Saturday was my Great Aunt LaVerne's birthday and this past Sunday was my older sister Kayla's birthday! AND, today is my Aunt Nicole's birthday as well as my Godchild Ruth's 7th birthday! Wishing them all many more blessings!
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| Appalachian Trail (AT) |
On Tuesday Claire and I went hiking first thing in the morning, which I always enjoy. It helps gets me moving and utilizes my 'morning person' energy. We hiked from Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area up Slaughter Creek Trail to the Appalachian Trail (AT), down the AT to Jarrard Gap and then took Jarrard Gap Trail back to the parking area. The 6 mile hike began with a little rain but ended in a foggy mist that filled the forest, making for some great photos! The rest of Tuesday was spent doing chores and packing. I should also mention that I had a wonderful video chat with my best friends Anna and Hannah!
The rest of the week was spent working on projects, cleaning, and packing. In case you see photos and are confused, on Wednesday a dog was left at Brasstown Bald so we had a temporary pet for a two days. He was pretty cute!
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| Claire, Pam, Myself, and Julia at The Copper Door |
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| My new mug :) |
As I said before, I have learned a lot here and it will be tough to leave. It has truly been a memorable experience!
AND......tomorrow Mom and I begin our 9 day road trip!!
Be sure to see check out my photos and to check the blog throughout this week, as Mom and I will be blogging along the way! Please wish us safe travels and I will check in with you all a few states and many hours of driving down the road!
Friday, July 18, 2014
As If It Weren't Crazy Enough!
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| Me as Smokey Bear on the 4th of July |
I am still here in Georgia, working at Brasstown Bald Visitor Center! After my trip to Vermont and Minnesota I got back in the swing of things here in Georgia and have been busy working on a lot of projects!
I had a good 4th of July, even though I worked on the 4th and the following weekend....SO BUSY!! We had about 2,500 visitors in the span of three days, which for us is a lot! I dressed up as Smokey Bear throughout the weekend. Even though the costume is hot it is a lot of fun! I spent the evening of the 4th with Claire and her boyfriend Miles. We grilled out and then watched fireworks from the observation deck with about 100 other people. We could fireworks displays from about six or seven surrounding towns. Pretty neat!
During the past few weeks I have been planning a CRAZY trip! Yes, you thought my trip to Vermont and Minnesota earlier this summer was crazy, wait 'til you hear this :)
So I will have my last day of work here at Brasstown Bald on Sunday July 27th. My Mom is then flying down to Atlanta on that Monday (7/28) and we are road-tripping up the east coast so that I can tour the graduate schools at Yale University and University of Massachusetts-Amherst. We will be briefly stopping back at Brasstown Bald so Mom can see where I have been working and working our way up to Connecticut and Massachusetts. We will be going through 16 states all together, 6 of which we are going to go to the highest point in that state! We will be stopping in NC to see our friends, the Maas' and in KY to see my friend Katy.There may be a few other visits along the way...stay tuned! Also, we are camping along the way! Lastly, on the way from the east coast to MN we will be stopping to tour the graduate school at Indiana University. I am really looking forward to this trip and I am excited to spend 9 days with my mom!!
 |
| Dukes Creek Falls |
A few thing from my life back here in Georgia.....
As the summer progresses it has been nice to be able to purchase fruits and veggies from the local farmers market. Always good to know where your food comes from!
Last weekend we had a birthday party for Smokey Bear here at Brasstown Bald. He turns 70 this year! I got to dress as Smokey Bear for the party! It felt like it was a party for me with everyone wishing Smokey (me) a happy birthday! Look for a photo of me with my (Smokey Bear's) cake!
Also, this past Monday Claire, Claire's Dad, and I hiked to Dukes Creek Falls, which is a nice hike and a great waterfall. Check out some of my photos!
Life here on the mountain has been busy as Claire and I prepare to leave in only 11 days....11 days! Time here sure has flown. We are working to "button things up" and preparing to leave. I have already begun to think of this upcoming academic year (Online RA training, buying books, etc.).
Two random thing I would also like to mention:
1. It is always nice to catch up with a friends! Thanks to those who have called to chat...I appreciate it :)
2. If you weren't sure from my photos, sunrises and sunsets here are GORGEOUS!
Stay tuned to the blog, as Mom and I will be blogging our road trip! Thanks for reading! I hope your day is filled with sunshine!
PS - Please keep the St. Jude of the Lake Habitat for Humanity Mission Trip participants in your thoughts this week as they travel from MN to AR to build homes for those in need. My parent's have been leading this trip for 23 years! I am so proud of them! Keep up the good work Mom and Dad :)
Monday, June 30, 2014
Enjoying Life!
Hello Family & Friends!
I can't believe another month has passed already! June certainly went by in a blink.
My first "weekend" (my weekends are Mondays and Tuesdays) off during the month I went to the Foxfire Museum. It is a place full of pioneer heritage. There are many old buildings and artifacts that reacquaint you with life in the Southern Appalachians during the time of the pioneers. I also went to the "beach", if you can call it that. Lake Burton (nearby) has a public swimming and beach area. Unfortunately my "relaxing time on the beach" was disrupted by rambunctious children and yelling parents. PSA - Keep your children in line! Following the unpleasant time at the beach I went to one of my new favorite places in the area, Hemlock Falls. It is so pretty! The trail follows along the stream and there are many "falls" and bridges and places to put your feet in :) Definitely a favorite in my book!
And, it's not just my "weekends" that I have to report on. I have a few work related things to share as well. One of the projects the other intern and I have been working on is a guided nature trail walk of our Summit Trail. At the beginning of the month we began giving this program. We walk the Summit Trail from the top of the mountain back to our parking lot (6/10's of a mile downhill) and share with visitors unique vegetation and geologic features along the way. We walk the trail at 1 and 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays. So far they are a success! We hope to put together another program about watersheds and hydrology of the mountains soon!
Another thing to share is the international recognition Brasstown Bald received earlier this month! A photograph of our observation deck and the mountains was used as the background to www.Bing.com on Monday June 9th. We got a lot of publicity because of it and couldn't be happier!
As of June 10th I have been in Georgia a month! Can you believe it?!?! The "weekend" of the 9th and 10th I spent catching up on a few things and reading. I have read a few books already the summer and I would recommend all of the them. Thus far this summer I have read "In the Sanctuary of Outcasts" by Neil White, "It Was on Fire When I Lay Down On It" by Robert Fulghum, and "The Fault In Our Stars" by John Green.
Side note: June 7th was National Trails Day and the 14th was National Get Outdoors Day so we have had lots of reasons to celebrate around here!
As I mentioned in my last post, my Fridays are different from my other days as they are "special project" days (sometime this "day" doesn't fall on Friday, but once a week a day is set aside for special projects). I usually work on one of my many projects but sometimes we have it scheduled for the other intern and I to meet with someone and do a "shadow day." On Tuesday the 17th I went and shadowed Taylor, the Trails Technician for the Blue Ridge Ranger District of the Chattahoochee National Forest. We went and helped
with trail maintenance and a trail reroute on the DeSoto Falls trail, about 30 minutes from Brasstown Bald. After a long day of hard work it was time to....PACK!!
The next day I left for my trip to Burlington, Vermont for the Forest Guild National Conference. I drove from here to Atlanta (about 3 hours) and then flew from Atlanta to Newark, NJ, and then Newark, NJ to Burlington, VT. After a couple snaphews, a few delays, one expensive dinner, and many traveling hassles I made it to Burlington about 12:30am on Thursday (with my bags :)
All day Thursday was the field portion of the conference, where we were outside all day learning about various things about how our forests might adapt to climate change. I had a wonderful time at the Proctor Maple Research Center near Mount Mansfield, which is Vermont's high point. Sadly, I didn't get to summit it, but we will count it as another "1/2 summit" :) That evening was the official "meeting" of all of the board members the business-type subjects were addressed.
We (Michigan Tech students) introduced ourselves and were recognized as the first student chapter of the Forest Guild in the nation! Friday was full of conference speakers on a variety of topics related to climate change and our forests. I got to hear a number of speakers and meet a LOT of great people (woohoo networking!). I won't share everything I learned, but one presentation I listened to was about our forest landowners (who owns the forests of our nation, why, and what they plan to do with their land). I found this very interesting and it definitely helped me refine what I think I want to do with my life. Again, I cannot emphasize what a great experience the conference was and how great all of the other conference attendees were. I met so many people in various realms of the environmental sector and look forward to connecting with some of them in the future! Overall, I learned a tremendous amount and will bring back lots of great information to share with my fellow students and University.
And then.....I took a surprise trip home! Though I have had it planned for a few months it was still a surprise to those back home! Early that Saturday morning (6am) I flew from Burlington, VT to Chicago and then to Minnesota. I was able to be home for my sister Angela's show as well as my sister Rachel's high school graduation party! It was so great to be home for a few days, especially since the WHOLE family was home!
After the show, the party, seeing family, and a relaxing day with my Mom and sisters in Stillwater, it was time to pack and travel, again.
On Tuesday (24th) I traveled back to GA. Since being back I have been catching up at work and trying to get ahead for this fall (and my future...yikes!) The idea that a year from now I will no longer be in school and I will hold a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences is a scary yet fantastic thought! I have begun to think about what's next (grad school, out-of-college jobs, another seasonal position, where I will live, etc.) Thinking about the future is a job in-and-of-itself! But, I can't let myself get too caught up in the future, as I still need to live out each moment as it comes :)
I hate to end such a great blog with this sad note, but two years ago today the world lost a wonderful soul, my friend Adam. Prayers go out to all of those families and friends that have lost a young person in their life. I would ask you all to remember, cherish, and make the most of each moment of life you are given. Also, this Friday is the 4th of July, a time to celebrate, as well as a time to remember my Grandpa Yarusso. My Grandpa pasted away on July 4th three years ago to Alzheimer's Disease. He is in a better place now, watching over us - I love you Grandpa!
As this blog probably (hopefully) portrays, my life has been crazy lately! I have been traveling all over, gaining all sorts of experiences, and meeting lots of great people! I am actually pretty excited to return to school in the fall and start to figure out what the next steps in my life will be! Prayers as I "figure my life out" are appreciated!
I hope life is treating you kindly. I am thinking of you all!
With Love, Kyle
I can't believe another month has passed already! June certainly went by in a blink.
My first "weekend" (my weekends are Mondays and Tuesdays) off during the month I went to the Foxfire Museum. It is a place full of pioneer heritage. There are many old buildings and artifacts that reacquaint you with life in the Southern Appalachians during the time of the pioneers. I also went to the "beach", if you can call it that. Lake Burton (nearby) has a public swimming and beach area. Unfortunately my "relaxing time on the beach" was disrupted by rambunctious children and yelling parents. PSA - Keep your children in line! Following the unpleasant time at the beach I went to one of my new favorite places in the area, Hemlock Falls. It is so pretty! The trail follows along the stream and there are many "falls" and bridges and places to put your feet in :) Definitely a favorite in my book!
 |
| Hemlock Falls Trail |
And, it's not just my "weekends" that I have to report on. I have a few work related things to share as well. One of the projects the other intern and I have been working on is a guided nature trail walk of our Summit Trail. At the beginning of the month we began giving this program. We walk the Summit Trail from the top of the mountain back to our parking lot (6/10's of a mile downhill) and share with visitors unique vegetation and geologic features along the way. We walk the trail at 1 and 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays. So far they are a success! We hope to put together another program about watersheds and hydrology of the mountains soon!
Another thing to share is the international recognition Brasstown Bald received earlier this month! A photograph of our observation deck and the mountains was used as the background to www.Bing.com on Monday June 9th. We got a lot of publicity because of it and couldn't be happier!
 |
| Brasstown Bald on www.Bing.com |
As of June 10th I have been in Georgia a month! Can you believe it?!?! The "weekend" of the 9th and 10th I spent catching up on a few things and reading. I have read a few books already the summer and I would recommend all of the them. Thus far this summer I have read "In the Sanctuary of Outcasts" by Neil White, "It Was on Fire When I Lay Down On It" by Robert Fulghum, and "The Fault In Our Stars" by John Green.
Side note: June 7th was National Trails Day and the 14th was National Get Outdoors Day so we have had lots of reasons to celebrate around here!
As I mentioned in my last post, my Fridays are different from my other days as they are "special project" days (sometime this "day" doesn't fall on Friday, but once a week a day is set aside for special projects). I usually work on one of my many projects but sometimes we have it scheduled for the other intern and I to meet with someone and do a "shadow day." On Tuesday the 17th I went and shadowed Taylor, the Trails Technician for the Blue Ridge Ranger District of the Chattahoochee National Forest. We went and helped
 |
| Helping with trail maintenance |
The next day I left for my trip to Burlington, Vermont for the Forest Guild National Conference. I drove from here to Atlanta (about 3 hours) and then flew from Atlanta to Newark, NJ, and then Newark, NJ to Burlington, VT. After a couple snaphews, a few delays, one expensive dinner, and many traveling hassles I made it to Burlington about 12:30am on Thursday (with my bags :)
All day Thursday was the field portion of the conference, where we were outside all day learning about various things about how our forests might adapt to climate change. I had a wonderful time at the Proctor Maple Research Center near Mount Mansfield, which is Vermont's high point. Sadly, I didn't get to summit it, but we will count it as another "1/2 summit" :) That evening was the official "meeting" of all of the board members the business-type subjects were addressed.
 |
| Michigan Tech Students - National Forest Guild Conference |
And then.....I took a surprise trip home! Though I have had it planned for a few months it was still a surprise to those back home! Early that Saturday morning (6am) I flew from Burlington, VT to Chicago and then to Minnesota. I was able to be home for my sister Angela's show as well as my sister Rachel's high school graduation party! It was so great to be home for a few days, especially since the WHOLE family was home!
 |
| All together! :) |
On Tuesday (24th) I traveled back to GA. Since being back I have been catching up at work and trying to get ahead for this fall (and my future...yikes!) The idea that a year from now I will no longer be in school and I will hold a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences is a scary yet fantastic thought! I have begun to think about what's next (grad school, out-of-college jobs, another seasonal position, where I will live, etc.) Thinking about the future is a job in-and-of-itself! But, I can't let myself get too caught up in the future, as I still need to live out each moment as it comes :)
I hate to end such a great blog with this sad note, but two years ago today the world lost a wonderful soul, my friend Adam. Prayers go out to all of those families and friends that have lost a young person in their life. I would ask you all to remember, cherish, and make the most of each moment of life you are given. Also, this Friday is the 4th of July, a time to celebrate, as well as a time to remember my Grandpa Yarusso. My Grandpa pasted away on July 4th three years ago to Alzheimer's Disease. He is in a better place now, watching over us - I love you Grandpa!
As this blog probably (hopefully) portrays, my life has been crazy lately! I have been traveling all over, gaining all sorts of experiences, and meeting lots of great people! I am actually pretty excited to return to school in the fall and start to figure out what the next steps in my life will be! Prayers as I "figure my life out" are appreciated!
I hope life is treating you kindly. I am thinking of you all!
With Love, Kyle
Monday, June 2, 2014
Living the High Life, Atop a Mountain
That is officially the longest I have ever gone without blogging! I will attempt to keep this brief :)
So, moving ahead, here are a few other things to note.
After working at Northern Tier for their winter program I returned to Michigan Tech for the second semester of my third year. As stated in the last blog, I was offered and accepted a Resident Assistant (RA) position in Powerhouse hallway of West McNair Hall. It was a good semester and a nice change up from living in Wadsworth hall for the prior two years. This hallway was all first year males which made for a different living experience than years past.
This past semester fostered many great memories of which I will list a few here:
- Fun times with the McNair staff (multiple meals at applebees, end of the school year shenanigans, etc.)
- Winter Carnival the family came to visit!
- Broomball!!
- Celebrate the UP! event and staying involved in local environmental organizations
- Getting myself, once again, involved in the Undergraduate Student Government. I was elected as a fourth year class representative for the 2014-2015 academic year.
- Attended lots of academic speakers, film showings, and panel discussions
- Served on the SFRES computing committee
- Lots of snow!!
- Running
- Helping start the Forest Guild Student Chapter. I currently serve as the Public Relations Officer.
- Visiting local schools and teaching environmental education was lots of fun!
- My intramural bowling team (Anna, Bill, Katy, and I) were the IM bowling spring semester champions!
So, moving ahead, here are a few other things to note.
I was rehired as a Resident Assistant for next year and I will be returning to TreeHouse in Wadsworth Hall! I'm excited to be back in my "home" and I am looking forward to next school year!
Recently I have been getting into highpointing, or the hobby of visiting the highest point in a "something." I have been going to various state high points. "How did this start?", you ask. Well, as many of you know already I was offered and accepted a Visitor Services and Conservation Education Intern position at Brasstown Bald Visitor Center in the north Georgia mountains! Yep, as in the state of Georgia! Brasstown Bald happens to be the highest point in the state of Georgia. But, before I get into my summer details, a few more notes on high points. So I have visited six thus far. In chronological order...Mount Arvon (Michigan), Timm's Hill (Wisconsin), Hoosier Hill (Indiana), Clingman's Dome (Tennessee), Sassafras Mountain (South Carolina), and of course, Brasstown Bald (Georgia)! I should also note that I was 3/4's of the way up Mauna Kea, Hawaii's highest point, last year when I went to Hawaii, but I didn't have time to get to the top
:( So I'm going to say I've been to 6 and 3/4's :)
So, the school year finished before I knew it and my 4.0 semester was completed. My residents all left, end of the year activities (banquets, exams, spring fever, etc.) consumed my life, and just like that I was headed home!
I was home for a few days and they were spent like most other days at home...unpacking, cleaning, and repacking. I also made a few new purchases which included a new tent and a new backpack! I'm pretty excited to use them this summer and in the future!
And just like that it was road trip time! Kayla and Dad joined me for the road trip to Georgia. It was lots of fun! We went to the high points of Indiana, Tennessee, and South Carolina during the road trip. We also stopped and saw Aunt JoAnn and cousin Joleen as we passed through the Chicago area. After three days in the car and two night of camping we finally arrived at Brasstown Bald, the place I am living and working at for the summer. I live and work at the top of a mountain....SO COOL!!!
In short, I work at the visitor center, manning the information desk answering questions about the area, local attractions, etc. As an intern, I am working on a few special projects for Brasstown Bald. These include increasing Brasstown Bald's presence on social media, creating a junior ranger program for Brasstown Bald, and putting together a few guided nature walks (programs). As an intern I also help out with special events. We haven't had any yet, but things such as Smokey the Bear's 70th birthday party event and having local experts (botantist, geologist, etc.) come and visit are also part of my job. As an intern I am also given the opportunity an exposure to how management of a national forest is conducted through shadowing various people. None of these days have occurred yet, but many are scheduled. I'm looking forward to meeting some people and understanding a bit more about what they do for a living.
So that's what I do. I work Wednesday through Sunday, with Monday and Tuesday as my "weekend" and days off. Work is from 9:30am to 5pm, so the schedule is pretty nice. No 6:30am mornings like the Boy Scout camp :) Also unlike camp, here I have an apartment that I share with the other intern, Claire. We live in the basement of an old fire tower, which sits at the top of the mountain. It is pretty cool! I have a bedroom an bathroom to myself and then we share a living room, dining room and kitchen. Check out the photos!!
The view from up here is great and I have done lots of exploring. I have hiked a few of the trails in the area and have been acquainting myself with local attractions (restaurants, lookout points, waterfalls, etc.) so I can give more personable information to visitors that ask. This is how I have spent my days off. A few of my favorites include going to Jim's Smokin' Que, the best BBQ place around, hiking the Jack's Knob Trail and seeing Pink Lady Slippers, hiking the Arkaquah Trail and seeing a Timber Rattler Snake, and going to many, many waterfalls! Claire and I also got the opportunity to go to Brevard, North Carolina to our company's main office. We met lots of people and also got to see a few other sites that our organization, the Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive Association, manages. On our mini one day trip to Brevard we also stopped at Looking Glass waterfall and a few other scenic lookouts.
Phew! Ok, well, that is the EXTREMELY condensed version of my life over the past six months. I have posted LOTS of photos so please be sure to look at those. A picture is worth a thousand words :)
A few other things to mention....
- Congratulations to my younger sister Rachel for graduating from high school at Hill-Murray this past Friday! Rachel graduated as one of the top ten academic achievers in her class and I couldn't be more proud!
- In mid-June I will be attending the Forest Guild National Conference in Burlington, Vermont along with a few other students from Michigan Tech. This year's conference is mostly focused on carbon sequestration and carbon offsets...should be fun!
- The internship here in Georgia last until the first week in August. I will then be home for a brief time and then off to school again to start my RA training and my last year of college...yikes!
I hope all is well in your world! I wish I could see you all more often :( I think of you all often. Wishing you a wonderful summer, from atop the highest mountain in the state of Georgia.
Love always, Kyle
:( So I'm going to say I've been to 6 and 3/4's :)
So, the school year finished before I knew it and my 4.0 semester was completed. My residents all left, end of the year activities (banquets, exams, spring fever, etc.) consumed my life, and just like that I was headed home!
I was home for a few days and they were spent like most other days at home...unpacking, cleaning, and repacking. I also made a few new purchases which included a new tent and a new backpack! I'm pretty excited to use them this summer and in the future!
And just like that it was road trip time! Kayla and Dad joined me for the road trip to Georgia. It was lots of fun! We went to the high points of Indiana, Tennessee, and South Carolina during the road trip. We also stopped and saw Aunt JoAnn and cousin Joleen as we passed through the Chicago area. After three days in the car and two night of camping we finally arrived at Brasstown Bald, the place I am living and working at for the summer. I live and work at the top of a mountain....SO COOL!!!
In short, I work at the visitor center, manning the information desk answering questions about the area, local attractions, etc. As an intern, I am working on a few special projects for Brasstown Bald. These include increasing Brasstown Bald's presence on social media, creating a junior ranger program for Brasstown Bald, and putting together a few guided nature walks (programs). As an intern I also help out with special events. We haven't had any yet, but things such as Smokey the Bear's 70th birthday party event and having local experts (botantist, geologist, etc.) come and visit are also part of my job. As an intern I am also given the opportunity an exposure to how management of a national forest is conducted through shadowing various people. None of these days have occurred yet, but many are scheduled. I'm looking forward to meeting some people and understanding a bit more about what they do for a living.
So that's what I do. I work Wednesday through Sunday, with Monday and Tuesday as my "weekend" and days off. Work is from 9:30am to 5pm, so the schedule is pretty nice. No 6:30am mornings like the Boy Scout camp :) Also unlike camp, here I have an apartment that I share with the other intern, Claire. We live in the basement of an old fire tower, which sits at the top of the mountain. It is pretty cool! I have a bedroom an bathroom to myself and then we share a living room, dining room and kitchen. Check out the photos!!
The view from up here is great and I have done lots of exploring. I have hiked a few of the trails in the area and have been acquainting myself with local attractions (restaurants, lookout points, waterfalls, etc.) so I can give more personable information to visitors that ask. This is how I have spent my days off. A few of my favorites include going to Jim's Smokin' Que, the best BBQ place around, hiking the Jack's Knob Trail and seeing Pink Lady Slippers, hiking the Arkaquah Trail and seeing a Timber Rattler Snake, and going to many, many waterfalls! Claire and I also got the opportunity to go to Brevard, North Carolina to our company's main office. We met lots of people and also got to see a few other sites that our organization, the Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive Association, manages. On our mini one day trip to Brevard we also stopped at Looking Glass waterfall and a few other scenic lookouts.
Phew! Ok, well, that is the EXTREMELY condensed version of my life over the past six months. I have posted LOTS of photos so please be sure to look at those. A picture is worth a thousand words :)
A few other things to mention....
- Congratulations to my younger sister Rachel for graduating from high school at Hill-Murray this past Friday! Rachel graduated as one of the top ten academic achievers in her class and I couldn't be more proud!
- In mid-June I will be attending the Forest Guild National Conference in Burlington, Vermont along with a few other students from Michigan Tech. This year's conference is mostly focused on carbon sequestration and carbon offsets...should be fun!
- The internship here in Georgia last until the first week in August. I will then be home for a brief time and then off to school again to start my RA training and my last year of college...yikes!
I hope all is well in your world! I wish I could see you all more often :( I think of you all often. Wishing you a wonderful summer, from atop the highest mountain in the state of Georgia.
Love always, Kyle
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Starting Anew...2014!
Well folks, the holidays have past and another year has begun!
The past month I have been working as the "Assistant to the Registrar" at Northern Tier High Adventure, Charles L. Sommers Base outside of Ely, MN. I work in the office, coordinating logistics for our crews, assisting in various departments when needed, and serve as Camp Medical Officer, among other duties.
I have been up at Northern Tier since Thanksgiving. I was able to go home for Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, which was a wonderful time spent with family and friends. Unfortunately my Grandma Yarusso had some heart issues just before Christmas and needed surgery on the 26th. It was successful, but I ask that you please pray for her recovery. While on the topic of family, my sister Kayla graduated this past semester from the University of North Dakota with two undergraduate degrees, Biology and Spanish. Congrats Kay!
It has been bitterly cold, as you all know, and the snow falls when the temperature is warm enough :) The windchill values this weekend are expected to fall between 50 and 70 below zero!!! It has been an interesting season to be on a cold weather camp staff, but rewarding nonetheless. Even though I've seen my fair share of frostbite/nip for the season (being Camp Med Officer will do that to ya) I still encourage you all to take advantage of the recreational opportunities that winter has to offer!
In my time off/down time I find myself photographing the beautiful landscape around me, helping with the dogsledding program, snowshoeing, going to town to the coffee shop to escape for a while, and last week I went to Duluth. Last Thursday some friends and I went and saw The Secret Life of Walter Mitty in theaters and had a great road trip along the North Shore...not to mention..fast food! :)
My time in the northwoods has been a blast. I have met some fantastic people and I get to work in a beautiful place. It will be sad to leave this place :( As the story goes..."a part of me will forever be, Up North." I will be traveling this Wednesday and Thursday. I am headed home to get my belongings and then I'm headed back to school for the spring semester on Thursday.
And, exciting news...I have accepted a Resident Assistant position with the university for the spring semester! I will be the RA for Powerhouse, which is a hallway in West McNair Hall. To me, this will be a new building, new supervisor, new position (technically I was a PA before), and all new people! I am excited to jump in and get to know some people and hopefully be able to provide a good experience to those that live there.
Well, stay tuned! Lots of change is headed my way! My spring semester seems to be falling into place with the job offer, classes starting next Monday, and my time here at Northern Tier wrapping up. My summer plans are still in the works.....to be continued....
Thanks for reading and stay warm!!
Kyle
The past month I have been working as the "Assistant to the Registrar" at Northern Tier High Adventure, Charles L. Sommers Base outside of Ely, MN. I work in the office, coordinating logistics for our crews, assisting in various departments when needed, and serve as Camp Medical Officer, among other duties.
I have been up at Northern Tier since Thanksgiving. I was able to go home for Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, which was a wonderful time spent with family and friends. Unfortunately my Grandma Yarusso had some heart issues just before Christmas and needed surgery on the 26th. It was successful, but I ask that you please pray for her recovery. While on the topic of family, my sister Kayla graduated this past semester from the University of North Dakota with two undergraduate degrees, Biology and Spanish. Congrats Kay!
It has been bitterly cold, as you all know, and the snow falls when the temperature is warm enough :) The windchill values this weekend are expected to fall between 50 and 70 below zero!!! It has been an interesting season to be on a cold weather camp staff, but rewarding nonetheless. Even though I've seen my fair share of frostbite/nip for the season (being Camp Med Officer will do that to ya) I still encourage you all to take advantage of the recreational opportunities that winter has to offer!
In my time off/down time I find myself photographing the beautiful landscape around me, helping with the dogsledding program, snowshoeing, going to town to the coffee shop to escape for a while, and last week I went to Duluth. Last Thursday some friends and I went and saw The Secret Life of Walter Mitty in theaters and had a great road trip along the North Shore...not to mention..fast food! :)
My time in the northwoods has been a blast. I have met some fantastic people and I get to work in a beautiful place. It will be sad to leave this place :( As the story goes..."a part of me will forever be, Up North." I will be traveling this Wednesday and Thursday. I am headed home to get my belongings and then I'm headed back to school for the spring semester on Thursday.
And, exciting news...I have accepted a Resident Assistant position with the university for the spring semester! I will be the RA for Powerhouse, which is a hallway in West McNair Hall. To me, this will be a new building, new supervisor, new position (technically I was a PA before), and all new people! I am excited to jump in and get to know some people and hopefully be able to provide a good experience to those that live there.
Well, stay tuned! Lots of change is headed my way! My spring semester seems to be falling into place with the job offer, classes starting next Monday, and my time here at Northern Tier wrapping up. My summer plans are still in the works.....to be continued....
Thanks for reading and stay warm!!
Kyle
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