My Venture Into Volunteer Work

Well, it wasn't exactly volunteer work, but at least sort of a group gathering to discuss important topics. I felt really good about doing it, even if I'm not as radical in some ways, I would like to be more involved in different groups and I did make a beginning.

I laughed too! Some good people with a sense of humor were there. Mainly older, which was fine with me. I didn't know what they'd talk about, but they went over everything from Afghanistan to evironmental sustainability.

I got to see a couple of really cool watercolor paintings too. One, was just amazing. Of cliffs and the sea and these two seagulls. I noticed it right away. They also had a large collection of things from China which was interesting.

I borrowed a book from someone called Plan B: 4.0. It looks a little heavy but I'll look at it. And then I met this other author. I've been happy to have met at least three different published authors in the last two weeks. All from this area. I know there are other non-published writers out there, but it was fun to meet more writers.

This one guy was a doctor and into holistic medicine and he knew about the benefits of licorice!

Anyway, that's all I'll say. It was a nice meeting. I met this one woman who helps poor students, or students from poor families get their stuff together for college and financial aid, which I think is a great thing. She's a leftie, which I thought was interesting too, but nothing else personal.

I am going to try to mentor for the Juevenile Rehab thing, but I also like the idea of helping kids get their paperwork and ducks in a row to go to college. I can't sign up for too much right now though.

I took a lot of papers on peace and food and sustainability. I also heard something cool about India, where girls are revolting in large numbers, against teenage marriage, or being forced into it. I guess they are sometimes pushed into marriage as young as age 8. So it was interesting.

I really, really, want to work on a book but I'm paralyzed by the idea that my work in progress will be hacked into. I've had serious computer probs before so I feel self-conscious.

Oh yeah, and I DID get confirmation everyone, from a computer nerdist, that it IS possible to watch someone from a webcam even if the main user thinks it's not turned on. This guy who is A Nerd (in the best sense of the word) told me his friend showed him this. How someone can actually hack in and watch someone through their own webcam. I totally believe him. The guy wasn't kidding and these are serious military intel types that know this stuff. Other people laugh, but the normal public just doesn't even know.

The only way anything is private, is through a handwritten note and then burn it! I guess they call these things "drops".

My ex once tried to talk to me about sex over the phone and I said, "...Um...No, me no gusta hablan este." He said, "Porque?" and I said, "No quiero no Squidgygate" and he laughed out loud. It's true though. Everything is available and it's a little scary. I might write about some things publicly, but I like to be in control of what's going out there.

I don't want my half-done work to be read before it's polished, if I were to try writing on my computer. I think I would like to use an electric typewriter but then I think, where in the world would I get electric typewriter tape?

But I feel eager to write a funny book and a children's book, and other things. If I've written anything important, it's under wraps and I definitely didn't write it on a computer. You have to do everything by hand.

Well, I've done enough writing for now so I'm off. I wanted to get a few things written down today because I'm not getting housing and lawyer stuff done until tomorrow (appointments tomorrow) and tonight I am doing most of the work I have to get done. So this has been a small break for me.

I got info and made my contacts on the other volunteer groups so I have that information out there and am ready to go. I made my contact with the rehab guy for Jueveniles and I made my contacts with the Conservatory of Music and everything. Tonight I have to make out a calendar, sort of my week at a glance itinerary. I have a planner but I need a bigger one where I can draw out my plans and schedule. Once I start counting my minutes, I become effective.

Some people do better with a lot of free time but I do better with things packed and scheduled and then I keep to it. I have to plan out my every half hour.

I really wish I could be painting though. I have been wanting to paint and had dreams about it. I might do modeling for a couple classes, costume modeling, but I like getting my hands on oils and just setting aside a few hours to listen to music loud and feel the painting.