A New Community

Robert Putham wrote book several years ago titled “Bowling Alone” where he examined the deconstruction of society and community as a product of the rise of the digital age. Putham’s analysis looked at the how there has been a decline in attendance at civic events, group outings and the like in recent years which has resulted a loss of social capital. Overall It’s a pretty long and painful read that will most likely make you worry about society and the world we live in but Putham does have a good point. People don’t go bowling every Monday with their co-workers or Euchre on Wednesday with the neighbors. Society has changed, drastically.

I’ve become fascinated with research about social media and social networking and what implications that has on society and community and the world. It is amazing how while people don’t meet for the neighborhood watch they will log into the internet and start and entirely new type of community.

I stumbled across this lecture by Mike Welsh, an anthropology professor at Kansas State University, and was absolutely floored by huge impact that YouTube alone has created of society across the globe. Its 50 minutes long but defiantly worth listening to if you are curious.

One example Welsh gives is the song “Soulja Boy” that hit the top of the billboard last year. Now honestly I really hate Soulja boy, it’s annoying, and the dance is ridiculous, but when you get right to the heart of it, it is kinda catchy.

Soulja boy was created by a 16 YEAR OLD BOY using digital sound looping software and posted on youtube. Following that dozens, hundreds, and thousands of people copied, remade, and satirized the video posting their responses to youtube. Eventually Soulja Boy was picked up by a record label and was nominated last year for a Grammy… How crazy is that.

Youtube is has become an outlet, a ground for discussion, a home for creativity, and a community for those who participate. Just like… myspace, facebook, twitter, blogs, etc…

So really who’s to stay that community is declining, its certainly changing and who knows what it will become.

(P.S. All of the Links go to YouTube)

A great article in TIME

I just finished reading this awesome article in Time Magazine listing 21 ways to serve America ranging from helping out an elderly neighbor to spending a year as a VISTA or NCCC.

What I found most interesting about the article is that on average people spend 23 hours a week watching tv while people who volunteer spend only 15 hours a week watching tv. Wow....

The full article is here if you would like to read it: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/0,28757,1840466,00.html

Tonight is my first volunteer appreciation event flying solo and there are over 20 people RSVP'ed. We are working with Whole Foods to put on a cooking demonstration so it should be healthy and fun! More news (and maybe recipes too) to follow later!

The things people donate

If you have a box of old magazines lying around it seems like a great idea to 'spread the love' by donating them to your local children's serving organization. However, when you do donate these magazines, we have to record them in some way or another financially. The best way to do this is look at the original sale price and calculate the assumed depreciation value. This means that someone has to go through all three boxes and record that the original sale price in 1971 was 35 cents. I think you can do the rest of the math.


Usually magazine donations are tossed into the program room where at a later date they will be cut up and used to show how the media is influencing girls with sterotypes and images.

Thats right ladies... you can now crochet your own undergarments.

Whats hilarious about this box in particular is that due to the age, the stereotypes have changed a bit but they still hilarious. Like this guy... really? Eww... ok maybe hes a stereotype that's still around...

What I really want to know is who was this person who donated these magazines... a body builder/swimmer/mom/crocheter... etc... seriously the most eclectic assortment of magazines I've ever seen.

I really liked all the cigarette ads... from back before we knew that they killed people. These are all in one magazine.

Doesn't asprin cause Reyes Syndrome in children? Guess they didn't know yet.

Lets just say the magazine donation box was a learning experience... entertaining yet traumatic, but I did find a pretty cool hat pattern to crochet...

Penrod

Each year local artists from throughout Indiana come together to celebrate their art by charging an excessive admission fee and then selling their wares at an equally excessive price. Don't get me wrong, I love art and I understand the cost it take to produce, let alone create a living out of ones passion for.... chopsticks... scarves.... wire birds...

75 dollars for a scarf? I'll make you a scarf for free if you give me the yarn... granted I am not an artist, and it might not look that good and I make no promises that its wont fall apart.

Aside from the prices Penrod was a worthwhile volunteer experience. Plus it took place on the grounds of the Indianapolis Art Museum, one of the most beautiful locations in Indy.

Last weekend before I spent the afternoon walking the IMA grounds, taking pictures, and enjoying the sunlight. I'll post those up in a slideshow when I get them uploaded.

As you all know I'm not in Indiana for the fine arts, although my appreciation has grown. As a VISTA update I have recruited 7 people for the speakers bureau, just over half my goal of 15 total and have the next volunteer appreciation event ready to go. All in all my projects are moving along smoothly and I am preparing them all to transition over when I finish my year.

I can't believe its been 7 months already! It's scary and exhilarating to try and think of what I will be doing a year from now. I have some ideas but nothing for sure and just looking at all of the possibilities is a little daunting.

If all else fails, I'll join the penrod society and make paper cranes. I might have to learn how to make paper cranes first....

Six months

I'm halfway through my year of VISTA service and I can't believe how fast time has passed. It's starting to feel like all of my projects are beginning to take off and that I am building some real capacity at this point.

I had a meeting with the Speakers Lab at Butler University last week to plan out the speakers bureau training and I can't wait to see how it turns out. Right now its look like like the training will be broken into two sessions, morning and afternoon on a weekend and the girls participating will get the chance to have a campus tour and share coffee at the student union with 'real live' college students!

The next volunteer engagement event will take place sometime next month and is looking like it will be an international food demonstration. The first event was really successful and the focus group gave me some great ideas to build the rest of the on program so hopefully I'll be able to nail down a date later this week for the event.

Where did these classy photos come from you ask? Well last week was Girls Inc.'s big event, Touchstone! The theme was woman's right to vote and the summer camp girls rocked it! All the VISTAs got new fun polo's from the state office and we showed our Americorps pride in vibrant Red White and Blue. We even got to take some prom pictures with the balloons.

These were some of the amazing yard sign decorations Ashley designed! I have one in my office now!




Maddy at Check-In. Everyone got to make themselves a "Vote for me!" sticker as their name badge.




I worked voter registration, selling 'ballots' so guests could vote on the Girls Right they felt was most important. The right to have economic literacy won with a overwhelming results.

Summer camp ended on friday and you can already hear the silence echoing throughout the building without the girls. I'm going to miss being called Miss Amis' daughter (I don't know who started that rumour but it stuck), having my fortune told with playing cards, and mancala challenges, but I think I'll miss the hellos and hugs the girls gave once they got to know me most. Yeah for being strong, smart and bold!

Summer Camp

Girls Inc summer camp is well into its 6th week and today the girls at camp learned about economic literacy by opening their own businesses and competing to win the 'girl bucks' we were given to make purchases. The camp staff also had their own booths featuring the stock market (where you could buy stock in Mcdonalds and The Limited Too) and the bank (where interest compounded every 15 minutes).

With my ten 'bucks' I received a hand massage, a chocolate shake, candy, a fantastic pink bracelet, and got my nails painted with blue and with polk dots. Overall it was a great morning of shopping.

Seeing the summer camp girls puts a face on what Girls Inc is all about and I know that I will be sad when camp ends. I've been able to spend time visiting with the summer camp girls and recording their stories, a couple of them even give me hugs when I come down to visit. :) It's great to see how they are all so strong, smart and bold and hear all their opinions on wome'ns rights, school uniforms, the definition of beauty and their excellent marketing tactics.

Its real news

"The man in the iron mask has a counter part, if we may believe a characteristically French story which a Paris letter to the New York Times relates. It is, in brief, that a French Marquis who had an unfaithful wife, punished her by fitting over he head as an old helmet, which is securely held by a secret spring. All efforts to take it off have failed and she is fed with liquids through a tube. The steel of the helmet is so marvelously tempered that it turns the edge of every tool thus tried so far." January 4, 1881, Indy Star

I was looking up women's suffrage and this article was directly below the article I was searching for, yes its real news and in 1881 it was as important as the BrAngela Twins.