A Mindful Detour

Taking the Right Path

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Fri, 19 May 2023 03:54:00 +0000

Today was our commencement ceremony for our graduates. One of my most prized days. I love it. I haven’t missed a commencement ceremony since I began my tenure in higher education, 15 years ago. Fifteen commencements. Thousands upon thousands of graduates. I love it. This one was different.

I am going to let my fingers do a tap dance on these keys and in a way verbally explode. Because I feel so many feelings about this commencement and don’t know how to organize my thoughts, but I want them to be out here and written.

A month or so ago, two deans of students jobs opened up. A job I would have killed for two or three years ago. A lifetime ago. Before Covid, before killing myself for our students and our college. I wanted so badly to be Dean Greene. The rhyme made me laugh, and I knew I would be great at that job. I still know I could be great at that job. Before I continue with a job I lusted for opening up, I have to take a few steps back.

Years ago, YEARS, I had the thought, the notion, I wanted out. I wanted out of higher education. I wanted to grow and learn and continue my professional path outside of higher ed, I just didn’t know how to make my skills translate. How do you go from student affairs to corporate? How does one do it?

Almost two years ago, I was approached to take on an opportunity in the operations at the college. This was perfect. This was my exit strategy. I would be able to learn skills in budgeting, project management, facilities, and the list goes on and on. This was it. This was how I would get out.

All the while, working on a PhD in higher education leadership. *Insert eyeroll*

When I transitioned to ops, I had some backhanded slaps about how people thought I had I heart for students, and couldn’t believe I was choosing a career path that wasn’t student-facing. But at the time, my student-centered heart hurt too much, and I needed a break from the tears and the yelling because at my level, I only got the angry students.

Cut to two years into my current role, where my student-facing colleagues know I love students, and I still get to see the best parts of our students and the student experience. Why does a student know an operations employee? Because I make myself known to them. Much of what I do impacts them. Why would I not constantly try to talk to them and find out what they want on their campus?

Tonight at commencement, I had so many students come to hug me, take pictures with me, and just let me express to them my pride in them. This leads me to the part of commencement when people told me they were sad they didn’t see my name applying for the dean of students job. Man, it took me a while to get here, but here I am. Not applying for what was once my dream job. I asked for advice from a lot of people, I was tormented over applying or not, I had the most anxiety. And in the end, I said no. It’s not worth it to me. Could I do it? Absolutely. Would it be good for MCC and the employees if I was chosen? Yes. Would it be good for Kim Greene? Absolutely not.

I could write a novel about why I chose not to apply. However, that’s personal and not needed here. What I will say is the only people who wanted me to apply, were people who would directly benefit, from me, being their leader, which is the biggest compliment and I am proud they feel that way about me. However, there wasn’t much consideration of how It would impact me or my goals. I could do it because I know how to lead people in student affairs. I know what needs to be done and how to do it. I know how to motivate people, and I know how to solve problems.

However, it’s not what I want for my future. I have an entire list of goals and backtracking to a set of skills I already have, isn’t it. Trying to lead a group of employees through a really negative culture, is also not it. I can do incremental changes, but I can’t fix a whole system. And at the end of the day, I’m not willing to harm myself in trying.

Tonight, I had a long conversation with a lifelong friend who didn’t know any of this. The position has already closed, I told her I am happy in my decision to not apply, knowing I will probably be sad when the new dean is chosen, knowing it could have been me. And she gave me the absolute best feedback and encouragement for my decision. She said, “This makes my heart happy Kim. I always knew you were smart, and too damn selfless. And this is such a good move. To any mid-20s woman looking for mentors who look to you as how to be a professional woman, isn’t this a strong statement without saying anything?”

And that is it. Sometimes, you choose yourself, you choose your family, you choose something else besides your job, as you should. A job is a job. And I can care about it and my people to a fault, but at this moment, I chose myself.

In this exact situation, at this exact time, Dean Greene isn’t in the cards. And I am so proud of myself for knowing what was right in front of me, as ripe as that fruit looked, was not the right decision.

You Look Important

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 03:40:00 +0000

The mayor of Kansas City just told me I looked important.

Why did it strike me?

This made me feel some type of way and it took me awhile to unpack it. But here it is. Unpacked.

My first thought was disappointed that he even noticed me. He said it in jest. Like I was important to the event or maybe even the campus. As embarrassed as I felt that he noticed me, he did notice. Most people don’t. Most people don’t realize the work that goes on behind the scenes. When something goes wrong or there is even a tiny blip, everyone notices. When things goes smoothly, everyone moves on with their day without a second thought. That’s the magic. And the magic is a ton of work.

Mayor Quinton Lucas came to my campus to speak to our students. It originally was a small classroom talk that turned into a bigger conversation with multiple classes. A whole event.

The thing about this event was that I wasn’t the magic. I did nearly nothing for this event. I checked in at the event, but others planned and executed it so perfectly.

It was a fun day.

As I arrived as a guest to the event, I made sure our IT crew was set. The student speaker to the event approached me (because I was checking in with the IT professionals) and asked me when to begin and what to do. Not knowing the agenda, I made sure she was good with the buttons on the mic and promised her I would let her know when to go on, etc. I helped direct the initial flow of the event, but never was directly involved. Simple things.

I want to be unseen when doing these types of events. I don’t want to be noticed. To be noticed is making a scene. I’m just there to make sure it goes on perfectly like I am never there.

At the end of the event, as people approached the mayor for pictures, I grabbed phones and ended up being the unofficial mom taking cell phone pictures for their social media posts. Heck, I even took the official event photographer’s picture with the mayor. People gave me their phones before they even approached the mayor, and I was delighted to be there to capture their moment. It was so fun to see our students engage with government.

And then, as the event concluded, I asked,

“Can I get a quick selfie?”

And he said to me, “What do you do? You look important?”

My coworkers laughed at the comment and were like, yeah. She’s important.

I simply said, “I’m 417Kim on Twitter and work in operations.”

Why did it strike me?

I think because I was nothing. I didn’t try to wear a bright MCC blue dress with a blazer. I didn’t run the event. I didn’t write the script or production schedule. I wasn’t noticed because I looked like I was in charge with a clipboard in hand and headset in my ear. I wore a simple sweater and black jeans. Nothing special. Not here to be seen.

I did incremental tiny actions that someone noticed. Everyday so many of us do giant actions to make everything around us operate like no one did it. And it’s a lot of work.

From open to close in any operation, if you don’t notice anything, it means a ton of work went into you not noticing.

I think it was a culmination of (thankfully) never being noticed at the giant productions and operations I am charge of, but then also a very important person noticing the tiny things that no one else ever notices.

If you are the person attending an event or really any place of business and you don’t notice anything, thank the people. Let them know you know that they did the work. Be the person who notices.

If you are in charge of something that runs smoothly every day, I feel like you may get this. Whether it’s an event, a program, an operation, or project. I say this to you: when people think everything just happens smoothly with a wave of a wand and a snap of a finger like magic, please always remember:

You are the magic.

You are important.

A Professional Detour: Leaving Student Affairs

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 02:31:00 +0000

Tomorrow is my last first day of classes in student affairs for a bit. The first day of classes is my second favorite day in higher education (next to commencement). All the new students with their shiny shoes and new backpacks, their eyes to their schedules on their phones trying to find their classes. It’s so fun.

In two weeks, I am moving to the operations side of the college for a new adventure. To learn a different side of higher ed. Just like our students, I’m excited and scared and nervous. It’s totally different than anything I’ve ever done before.

So many people have been surprised by this move. I have received a lot of comments like, ‘I thought you really had a heart for students.’ It’s such a backhanded slap. But it’s fair. I have spent over a decade in this profession. I’m writing a dissertation on it.

Yes. I do have a huge heart for students. I’ve had thirteen first days of the fall semester. I’ve got them started. I’ve moved them through. I’ve tried my absolute hardest to make everything easier for them.

But the truth is, I’m tired. What no one tells you about the first day of classes is you have a lot of hard conversations, too. The students who come in with their schedule in hand, books purchased, and they didn’t make payment arrangements and their classes are no longer there.

The students who walk in to enroll the day before classes begin and it’s too late and you have to tell them no. And they have to tell their parents no. And you have to tell their parents no. Not yet. Not this semester. But perfect timing for next semester.

It doesn’t sound so bad right? To wait four months? Save up some money so you don’t have to work so many hours next semester while in classes?

It doesn’t sound so bad because I have perfected that speech. Years of tears, and being yelled at will make you perfect that speech. And that is just the first day. There are 16 more weeks of tears, and anger, and medical withdrawals, and home insecurities, and failed classes, the list goes on and on.

The thing is, I am good at that part of my job. I am great at dealing with angry parents and crying students. It’s my specialty.

But, I’m gonna say the thing no one wants to say. I’m tired. I’m tired of being yelled at. I’m tired of the tears.

The last year was hard. I worried so much about students not knowing what they were getting into with virtual and online classes. Messing up their financial aid with one bad semester. Killing myself (and our team) with phone calls and wellness checks to get the students through. Because we owed that to them. This wasn’t their perfect year either. But I got tired. I need a break. My student-centered heart hurts.

So I’m moving to another side of the college. Less student facing, but still serving a new campus community in a different way to help our students. I’m excited to work for our students in a new way. To have my student-centered eyes help our campus as a whole.

With the change, I’m also leaving my current campus. A team I worked to build. A team of people who entrusted me. I hired so many of them. A beautiful bunch of humans who I have grown with. I have lots more to say about them. The thought of leaving them made me never even want to apply for a new job.

I’m not saying I won’t be back in student affairs eventually. I’m not even saying I will always be in higher education. But this is a new and refreshing challenge for me. It’s going to be really hard. It is my first job in over a decade where I can honestly say, I have no idea what I’m getting myself into. But I think it’s going to be good for me. To grow in and understand higher education in a new way.

My first day, with all of the anxiety and new is coming in two weeks. Here we go.

A Note On Dying

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 27 Oct 2018 05:51:00 +0000

So what do you do when your friend is dying?

What feels like a lifetime ago I wrote a little note on what I felt when my friend, my person, my sis, had cancer. So once the hope is gone, what do you do, with your friend who is dying?

I would never admit this at the time, but my first thought, and my always thought since then has been, “I don’t want to live in a world without Katie in it.”

Katie had her first real diagnosis on my 32^nd birthday. Katie was admitted to the hospital, a little over three years later, on her 32^nd birthday.

Katie died ten days later on a Friday.

When I lived in Springfield, and before cancer, we had a scheduled Friday lunch date. 1pm. A date that has never left my calendar. I calculated it has probably been 176 weeks since our last Friday lunch, but I still have the reminder for every Friday on my phone. When Katie got cancer, we moved our Fridays to Wednesdays for chemo treatments, and then, I moved away. The reminder on my phone stayed. Some Fridays it was a reminder to call or text her. Some Fridays it was just to remember us. It is always there.

After a few years away, thousands of texts, a handful of phone calls, and only a couple of face-to-face visits, I got the call, it was near the end, and Katie wanted to see me.

Her husband had let the world know it was not good. The pictures showed what I felt in my heart Katie would not tell me because she believed with her whole being, she would be healed. I wish with all my life that was true. So much that I would never acknowledge a thought that was not in line with Katie’s truth. I would serve her purpose and her belief. It had kept her alive more years than her doctors believed, there was no way I was not believing in her.

In recent months, the responses to texts were less, the voicemails were not responded to. I remember leaving her a message that I was going to be an aunt again. She knows how much I adore my niece and nephew. I knew she was SO excited. But I never received a response. I felt it then, but my belief in Katie never waivered. Whatever boat she is riding, I’m on.

Then the day happened. Katie was dying. It was the end. And with every being in my heart I needed and wanted so badly to be with her. I am so lucky that her mom (Momma C) sent me the text that Katie wanted to see me. I drove to Springfield the next morning.

I knew Katie wouldn’t look like how I had remembered her. I knew her organs were failing. I knew she was on a lot of medication that made her in and out of lucidness. I knew all I wanted was to be near her.

I remember thinking, “I don’t want to go to Springfield.”, but it wasn’t because I was scared or didn’t want to see her, it was because I didn’t want to ever live in a world where this was happening.

And so I went unsure of what to expect.

Now is the part of the story that I find silly. The same way I felt silly thinking Chemo Katie was something different than regular Katie and now realizing Dying Katie was no different than Living Katie.

If you missed it, our whole relationship is built on laughter. We love each other and we love to make each other laugh. And, dang, did she make me laugh. I went to Springfield that day not knowing how long I would be staying or how it would be, but I had outbursts of laughing all day. Ask me and I will tell you the stories. We have so many stories. Even on our last day together, we made each other laugh.

People have asked “Was it hard to see her like that?”, and while I didn’t want to see her “like that” because I didn’t want “that” to ever be happening, I answer with a resounding “eff no.” I saw nothing but my Kady. My person. My friend. And if I was afforded to, I would have spent every second of this week with her. I never wanted to leave her side.

So, what do your do when your friend is dying? You be there. You love them. From afar or near. Via text or call that isn’t answered. You try as hard as you can to make them laugh. You love their family. You respect their space. You LOVE your friend. You never stop loving them.

The biggest privilege of my life thus far is getting to take care of my friend, my sister in her last days. I was only able to do small bits, but I was able to serve her. She deserves to be served.

Near the end of the day, I looked at the clock, over and over and over again, knowing it was nearing the end of me being with Katie. Every glance at the clock made me tear up. I just wanted to snuggle her a bit longer.

I could write a million lines about all in the world who will not be whole without her in it, but for now, I can only think that the day ends. The sun sets. Every colloquialism you can muster. But here we are. In a world I dreaded. A world without Katie. How lucky I am to have you love me.

“I want the world to stop and everybody be quiet. Something terribly important has happened.” - JB

KCKG: An Update on Living, Working, Family and Friends - Living

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 14:30:00 +0000

I have been living in KC for 18 months. I think it's about time for an update, don't you think?

The short version:

January 2016: Move to KC and begin job at UMKC
April 2016: Get accepted to Ph.D. program
July 2016: Freak about about being accepted to Ph.D. program and fly to Aruba
July 2016: See this incredible opportunity at MCCKC, interview twice, don't get it
August 2016: Start a Ph.D. program
October 2016: Move exactly one block east in my same neighborhood
May 2016: Leave UMKC, go back to the community college at MCC

The long version:

Living

When I moved to Kansas City, I fell in love with my neighborhood, Columbus Park. Like I LOVE it. It's the old little Italy of Kansas City and now has a huge Vietnamese population. I should be shamed about the amount of pho I have eaten in the past year. My neighborhood is adjacent to River Market so I can walk to City Market every Saturday morning. I can walk to the street car. When I worked at UMKC, I was 10 minutes from work. Now my commute is about 15 minutes longer, but I have learned to love the commute. (Plus my previous walk into work took 8 minutes, so really, it's not that much longer).

I lived in this adorable, exposed-brick, third-floor apartment with gorgeous views of the sunset and sunrise. The outside was so historic I had a stone lion on the front. It was gorgeous. However, it wasn't really practical for me. There was limited storage. The management was meh. The kitchen was meh. The bedroom was up a spiral staircase, which isn't the best decision for a sleep walker (no, I never fell down those stairs).

Those top right windows were mine.

On the day I moved into the apartment, ever the retail-hound, I was still looking at Trulia, and another apartment had just been renovated and opened that day. I loved it so much that I told my dad while I was moving and his response was, "Well, we can just quit moving you up here and move you over there." Obviously not a real choice, but secretly, I loved the other place.

Cue eight months later, I have grown less enchanted by my current apartment and I'm month-to-month on my lease. A unit opens up in the other apartment. I go and look. I can't decide. Of course. After a day of thinking, I text the owner and say I don't know. He says that he is there and showing someone else if I want to pop over. So I walk out my back door, cut through the alley, and walk over in 2 minutes. It's that close.

And guys. This kitchen. This kitchen kills me. I love it. It's so beautiful. It won me over. The apartment as a whole is smaller, it's ground level, and has street parking, but it has more storage, all updated appliances, two patios... and this kitchen. The pics don't do it justice (I took these when I was looking at it for the second time). And I love it.

All the cabinets.

Granite. Subway tile. Stainless. Swoon.

Yes, my washer/dryer is in my kitchen. But again, ALL the cabinets.

So, I take it. 15 days later, I move one block away. My pretty subway print I made no longer shows my current address, but it's still a timestamp of my move.

The prints have found a new home that isn't so shabby.

And with that, I'll split up my next chapters on working, family, and friends in KC.

A Note On Failing

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 03:39:00 +0000

Again, I begin a blog to say I have been terrible at blogging. It has been 1.5 years since my last blog. That bad. And then, I went and read my old unpublished blogs. I have tons of these that I never publish. Like my private journal. Not only did I not publish this blog once, I went back, wrote a prologue and didn't publish it again.

Now is the time. 2.5 years later in 2017. Looking back, the funny thing about this prologue, that I wrote in 2015 about my thoughts in 2014, was that, at this time, in 2015, my life was getting ready to change. When I wrote this blog in 2014, it was the first time I admitted to myself that I was ready to make a change. I started the mental process. In October 2015, I had just applied for a job in Kansas City that I would end up getting. That was me. I would think about any semi-large decision and think about it for years (it could be as simple as buying a TV... or dresser as documented), but then once the decision was made, I moved fast. Since that time and since my move to KC, I have been less scared of the big decisions. In 16 months since I originally moved to KC I have moved apartments and moved jobs. But more on that soon (I promise not to wait another year). For now... here is my post from 2015 describing my post from 2014.

---------------------
October 2015

I wrote this in October 2014. I never published it due to fear of someone realizing they 'had me' and realized I was a sham. Today I reread it and, then realized, it was my exact October from 2015 and it needed to be published. I needed to put this out there. It reminded me of a great quote. "You can't live the same year 75 times and call it a life."
------------------------------
October, 2014

Failing.

Probably my biggest fear. Failing at accomplishing my goals. Failing at being a good friend. Failing at being a good daughter. Failing at being a good employee. Failing to living up to the expectation. That big 'ol expectation, I have created, of being Kim Greene. I have a million fears of failing. Honestly, recently I have failed at most of them.

The funny thing about failing is that it didn't look like I expected. It didn't just come all at once like the winter in Missouri. When a 75 and sunny day turns into a freezing winter overnight. It came slow. It didn't take my breath away.

Getting overwhelmed is a process for me. I am convinced I can do all things. I am a problem solver. I pride myself in customer service. I constantly say to my students I teach and who are in my program, if you ever have an issue, contact me, if I don't have an answer, I know someone who does. I will fix the issue. I do not want to burden anyone else because, I know, everyone is as equally overwhelmed. I want to be the one contact for the student. I will not give anyone the runaround. However, I what I think I can handle is much higher than I expect of everyone around me. I can take on more. No problem. It's not factual. It's not even the truth. I just really would rather put myself out than anyone else. Then, the gradual slope becomes slippery, and I hit bottom.

Over the past few months and years, I have told everyone, I was fine. I know everyone says they are 'busy' when asked a question about work. I did too. I knew my load was too much. I knew I was barely keeping my head above, but is my busy anymore than anyone else's workload?

Like I said, it happened slowly. I knew I was slowly drowning, but I didn't want anyone else to see. You know when you trip or slip and don't want anyone to notice? I did that every day. For hundreds of days. Every semester worse than the last.

And this is where my failure became my fault.

I would reach out for help in a meaningless way. I would say I needed help, but still put in the hours to accomplish what needed to be done. No balls dropped. I would constantly be checking my email on my phone, to not miss an email and leave a student or parent in stress. It started slowly with working over every lunch. NBD. I can totally eat at my desk if it means I don't come back after 30 minutes to 35 actionable emails and 8 voicemails (I hate checking voicemail). Then, there were months during registration periods where I would come in for a few hours on Saturdays to catch up. Seriously. No big deal. I kept comparing my life to an accountant during busy season. Then, the last registration period hit. I did not leave my office before 7p and worked at least four hours every Saturday and Sunday for four weeks. But it was 'busy season.' I can do this was my mantra. It will be over on September 15th (again, just like an accountant).

And then, in the fall, my slow season, my to-do list grew longer. Items never getting checked off.

I would spend my days trying to make my life easier. Automate and teach others. Plan and project. Constantly interrupted by day-to-day student issues. Nothing ever finished due to constant interruption. I was sinking. Holding my head above, but slowing sinking.

Today, it happened. I failed. I felt so great about what I accomplished Monday. And yesterday. And last week. I worked so hard. So diligently. I accomplished so many giant tasks on my to-do list. I listened to students. I advised them and, I did what I love to do so much, solve their problems and frustrations. And then I looked down at my checklist, that I had built daily for myself, and noticed items that were past their deadline by two weeks. I solved a student's issue but then asked, 'Can we count him?' like a number.

So how do you feel when everything that you needed to do is left unfinished, but you helped a ton of students?

I looked at the next six weeks of my life and realized there is no way I can do this again. I realized my program had has doubled every year I have been coordinator. The thing about growing 100% for four years, is eventually doubling a number becomes an exponential and you have not multiplied yourself.

Everyday my checklist has grown and my voicemails and emails are getting returned more slowly. I realized today that I will not be able to assist my students with the service I expect from myself. I will create more frustration with my students, counselors, parents, and principals. I have prided myself on having a frustrated student come to me and I solve their problems, and now I realize, I am creating their problems.

That was me today. It hit me. It's my fault.

A Mindful Detour Indeed

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 02:47:00 +0000

Before I left OTC, one of my pals kept asking if it had hit me. That I was leaving OTC. I was leaving Springfield. I was leaving the life I had created in the place I had lived for the past fourteen years. I remember more of my life in Springfield than I do growing up in my hometown.

He kept asking.

“Has it hit you yet?” – On my last day of work at OTC.

“It still hasn’t hit you yet? You are standing in an empty house.” – On my moving day.

My last day came and went, my first day began at UMKC and I snapped him a picture of my new email signature. The signature looked amost identical to my OTC email signature. Same name, different college.

And the caption of the pic read, “Still hasn’t hit me.”

And it still hasn’t. I kept thinking I would write this goodbye to Springfield. I thought I wouldn’t just close the chapter, I would write the epilogue on the book that has been such a large portion of my life in Springfield. And days just keep going by, and I don’t feel the sadness I thought I would feel. I haven’t grieved the way I thought I would over leaving that part of my life behind.

I think I had possibly prepared myself so much for the move that if anything, I was able to breathe. I was able to sleep without the weight of the whole life I created, the whole job I created, the whole stress I created weighing over me.

And I know I did all of that to myself. In Springfield, it’s easy to be a big fish in a small pond. I entrenched my life so much in that town my handle is 417Kim and now, that identity is gone. It’s just gone like it never existed. And that was a bit hard to swallow. When I walked out of OTC the last night and I realized, the ship will keep sailing and remembered all my coworkers who had left who get replaced and forgotten. I too will be one who is forgotten soon. Everyone is replaceable echoed in my mind. That felt so depressing, I think I just blocked it out. Tonight I read this line and it resonated:

In order to leave something significant behind, you have to leave.

And I did leave something significant behind. I created and developed programs at OTC and in Springfield that helped so many and will continue to help. I did good, meaningful things. I may never be remembered for that. That is more than okay because I did leave something behind.

If anything, I feel like I am on a break.

I feel like I will get in my car and drive back to my house at any point and it will be the same. I know my furniture is in a new place. I know my old house is empty. I know I am driving to a new job. My coworkers are different. I’m learning an entirely new job in a new work culture. As I learned in Thailand, it’s same same, but different.

And maybe it is just that, a break. I am sure I will put the same pressures on myself in the future. I will take on too much and work myself into exhaustion, because that is just what I always end up doing. But for now, for now I like to be anonymous. I like that no one expects much of me. No one knows to ask me for help.

And I’m sure soon something will happen and it will hit me, but for now, I’m enjoying the detour.

So... Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 05:34:00 +0000

I have a tradition. Every birthday since I was 19 years old, my best friends from my hometown and I get together for a float trip. This is absolute joy to me. To hang out with my closest friends who know me better than anyone get together to sit on a raft, drink some beers, tell the same stories we always tell about all of our memories we have had since we were pre-k.

This year, I woke up on Saturday, ready for the float. Phone in the car, packing gear for the float, and our ride to our float is late. I go and check my phone and have a text from my old co-worker.

"Call me when you wake up."

I get in my car, make sure I have service, and call my dear friend. The only parts of the conversation I remember are this:

"So, how are you? ... It's your float trip? ... Crap... I found this bump. I went to the doctor. It's cancer."

The rest of the conversation happened in tears and hope and talking about steps and what was going to happen. And Katie was still worried about me.

Monday happens. Tests and more tests. I'm going to go ahead and say that Monday is my most prized day. My birthday. And it was one of the most stressful and worst days of my life. I'm not saying this to make my beautiful friend feel bad, but that day, will always be engrained in my head as the day the miracle started.

Before I go on, I have to explain this relationship between Katie and I. My Kady.

There is pretty much zero reason we should be friends. We are so incredibly different. At some point, while we worked together at OTC, we came to this realization: We make each other laugh. I remember the exact time Katie said to me, 'I like you because you laugh at my jokes.' And almost immediately, I responded, 'You laugh at my jokes!' Something clicked and there was nothing but unfiltered friendship since that point.

After years and babies and beaches and too many memories to count, Katie moved on to MSU and she put on my calendar a weekly Friday lunch, that we have rarely missed.

So what do you do when one of your most favorite persons tells you she has cancer? Seriously. As a bystander, how do you deal with cancer?

First, I think I went into complete shock. Besides crying on that first call with Katie, I just didn't emote. I didn't know what to do. I had some migraines. I had some shakes. I had a lot of stress. But I didn't freak out.

Then after a few long weeks of not having our weekly lunch, I went to sit at chemo with her. WTF do you expect at chemo? How will she feel? What will it look like? I have dealt with cancer in my family, but I have never done this.

And you know what I found when I got there? My friend. My beautiful, always optimistic, smiling Kady. Just sitting there, with an IV looking just like Katie. Are you kidding me? I immediately felt so stupid for thinking some other version of Katie would be waiting there for me.

After 14 weeks of chemo and having the absolute opportunity to sit by her side for a few hours each week - these are our new lunch dates, Hence, Wednesdays are the new Fridays. And it seriously is the normal lunch date we have had for two years since she left OTC and seven years of friendship (plus some Benadryl induced napping that I may or may not have taken advantage of). Sure, my questions are over labs and results, and then it is over organizational charts (which we love), stupid gossip, BKB and BTB, my niece and nephew, family, stupid stories, and everything we always talk about.

And then you have those absolute superficial moments. The conversation goes like this: You have a beautiful bald head. Look how perfect it is. Just like you. So freaking perfect. ... Dude. You still have your eyebrows. *weeks later* DUDE. You still have your eyebrows! ... You are wearing jeans today! Holy cow! ... And all of those moments seem normal. Because this is the new normal.

Getting to know the chemo nurses. Getting to know the other women killing cancer in the same room, week after week. And I'm just a bystander.

But there are HUGE moments where I think I failed at being a friend of someone who is dealing with this whole terrible, bad, no good, cancer thing. I think, I literally just texted her about something so small. She has cancer for goodness sakes. We just looked over the OTC org chart to see who was doing whatever. And I feel bad. But then. Then I realize, that is what we always do. That is who we are. Cancer or not. Kady and Kimmers are two ridiculously funny human beings who might only think we are funny but we are really funny. This is what our friendship is based on. A person who will text me the most hilarious thing that makes me laugh out loud, and I have a pretty stupid story to tell her right back that makes her laugh.

She has changed my life. And cancer has changed her life and will forever change our lives, but with change, the constant of our friendship is right there.

And so that. That is what you do when your friend has that big ol' C word. Cancer. You make each other laugh. You send too many emojis. You take really unflattering pictures. And you continue to be friends. Just freaking hilarious friends.

I am so incredibly thankful that years ago the Coulter family took me in and I get to go on this crazy, stupid, unexpected journey with my Kady. I'm so glad we make each other laugh. And most of all, I am so glad she is getting ready to junk punch this cancer into submission. Pow.

30 in 30: A Long Overdue Update

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 02 May 2015 03:36:00 +0000

Blogging. Oh boy have I not kept up with this guy... but the best way to get back on it is to give an update. So the best way to kick off the updates on my life and travels from the last two years is to give an update on that 30 in 30 checklist of all the things I wanted to accomplish in my 30th year. Some I did, some I did not. Here goes my accomplishments and failures. (New notes written in italics, and text in pink means links.)

Become a Runner (FAIL: But this week I have ran three times, so I'm still trying)

Not a May-to-October Runner
Run at least one 10K and five 5Ks

~~Panther Run: 10/5/13~~

Touch my Toes (Fail: I spent July doing yoga and dropped off pretty much)

Yes, that is correct. I can not and have not been able to touch my toes my entire life
Attend twice-a-month yoga and twice-a-month barre classes

~~Eat More Whole Foods~~ (Success: I only purchased 10 items the whole year that were not whole foods. I have been pretty diligent about this in the almost two years since I turned 30. My biggest downfall: Croutons.)

Limit grocery store food purchases to food with less than 5 ingredients (most of the time. Follow the 90%:10% rule)

Limit Meals out to Four Times per Week (I'm just going to say fail)

Not gonna lie, I'm leery of this one

~~No Purchasing of Shredded Cheese~~ (Success. I still have not purchases pre-shredded cheese for my own consumption. I have for dishes I have made for events.)

It goes with number 3... just more specific

~~Prevent Skin Cancer~~ (Success: I am a sunblock crazy person now. Always in my purse and always offering it to people much less fair skinned than myself and laughing when they decline and get burnt.)

I spent my first (almost) 30 years avoiding this. It's time for sunblock, sunblock, sunblock

~~Continue Not Washing My Hair~~ (Pretty much successful. I do actually wash my hair with manufactured shampoo and conditioner more than I did in my 30th year, but I buy product that is free of everthing.)

I'll explain later

Bi-Monthly Massage (at least) (Fail. I have had four massages in 1.5 years.)

What? It's totally doctor prescribed

~~Visit Nisch and Natalie in NYC. Like for real.~~ (Partial success. Shortly after this blog, my old roomie Natalie invited met to her wedding in New Orleans, so I chose to do that instead and my friend Nisch moved to Nashville, so it was obsolete.)
Get Scuba Certified (Fail: Still on the bucket list.)
~~Go on a Weekend Roadtrip with the Girls (~~Done. But I don't really remember where. But we have another one scheduled to a concert in Arkansas this summer, so double success.)
Go Hiking at Whitaker Point (Fail).
~~Buy a Big Girl Dresser~~ (Success: And I still love it so much. And now Target of course has a knock off of my original thrift store find.)

I've been living in crates like a college-kid for my entire adult life. It's time to quit buying clothes and finally buy something to put them in.

Weed it Out (Fail.)

Take care of my lawn and get those darn weeds (and poison) out. Sadly, I'm willing to kill it all. Muhahahaha.

Seal Leak in Basement (Fail.)
~~Get a Bookshelf.~~ (Success: Sorry, no pics.)
Finish Bedroom Basement (Fail.)

Paint
Bed frame

~~Get Internet at my House~~ (Success.)

Well, maybe not. I'm still toying with this one.

~~Finish those Stupid Antlers AND Hang Them~~ (Success.)
~~Make a Tres Leche Cake for my Birthday~~ (Success: And delicious.)

Okay, this is a bit of a cop out... but I need something to scratch off immediately!

Go on a Game Show (Fail.)

Even if it's a dorky Branson one.

~~Perfect the Art of Making Plantains~~ (Pretty much a success. I have gotten pretty good and found a place in STL that serves them perfectly.)
Play an Entire Round of Golf (Fail: Didn't even attempt.)
~~Print my Instagram Prints~~ (So much success. Not only printed but put into #30 creative projects and made books and have kept on it.)
~~Eat At...~~ (this list could grow) (Success: Eating is not a problem.)

~~Iguana Roja~~
~~Cafe Cusco~~

Make (and stick to) a Monthly Budget (Ehhh....)
$$$SAVE!$$$ (Success: I won't cross this off because it is ever growing, but I have a savings plan and have continued to grow my long-term savings even with trips.)

And not for trips! I need a new roof and a new car soon... but still put a little money away for ~~Bali 2015~~ (No Bali, but I went to Thailand.)

~~Decide on a Rotary Club~~ (Done. I joined Downtown Rotary and have never looked back.)
~~Decide on that Doctorate~~ (Done. I'm not doing it. At least not now. I made a very resolute decision on not acting on the opportunity to apply and am happy with my decision.)
Be More ~~Creative~~ (I'm going part way on this. I still think I can 'BE MORE.' I get in creative highs and lows. I did a whole lot with my house and decorating and projects. Maybe not one every month, but multiple times in one month.)

How? I don't know. But once a month, I will do something creative. Writing, painting, drawing, crafting, etc. Look out Pinterest! Here I come! Jay slash kay. I'm not joining Pinterest. (Oh, I joined Pinterest. Not impressed.)

So that is what I have for my 30 in 30. I would say I accomplished 18 out of my 30 and have not given up on the rest. That's not too bad.

Blue Badge Official: My Rotary Story

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 02:03:00 +0000

Roughly eight years ago my girlfriends convinced me to take this kickboxing class with them. I hated every second of it. Every freaking second. As much as I hated it, I learned a lot from the course. First, I learned that kicking and punching the air or bags does not relieve my stress. It does not allow me to vent my frustrations. It actually increases my anxiety level because I absolutely hate violence. I hate it so much that even violence against the air in front of me causes me stress.

One night after class, I was talking to two ladies and one asked me if I was a student (No, I work at a college), what was my major (public relations), and what my goals were (at the time, I thought I was headed into a life of fundraising and foundation work). That lady was Vera Gibbons. She asked me to lunch to see if I would be interested in helping her with this event I had heard of and attended called Rock'n Ribs. I accepted her invitation and it honestly completely changed my life.

I started helping Vera and her Rock'n Ribs partner Matt Sims with sponsorship for the event. Rock'n Ribs is a local BBQ competition and community event put on by Rotary Clubs of Springfield that benefits seven local charities in the Ozarks. My job was essentially to call upon Rotarians for small donations. I mean come on, is this not a job for me? BBQ and asking people for money seems like it is built for me.

After one year of asking Rotarians for money I realized, if I'm asking these people to commit their dollars, I should probably put my money where my mouth was and join the very organization raising these hundreds of thousands of dollars. So I joined Rotaract, which is Rotary for young professionals under the age of 30.

Through Rotaract I met countless friends, joined many more boards, continued to help with Rock'n Ribs and eventually, learned, I hated raising money. Okay, that is not entirely true. I like it. I am pretty decent at it. But I did realize that is not what I wanted to do with my career. So another lesson learned from this kickboxing class.

I continued to help out with sponsorship for Rock'n Ribs for about three years and then took a step back from sponsorship but continued to help out with the actual event.

In 2012, through Rotaract I learned of an amazing opportunity through Rotary called the Group Study Exchange. Actually where this blogging thing originated over on my blog May The Road Rise. I earned a spot on the 2013 GSE team to Central America and there I learned the actual mission of Rotary International. I finally got our credo, Service Above Self. I knew the Four Way Test, but I never got it until that trip. The Four Way Test is something we state before every Rotary meeting. We pride ourselves in memorizing (I even memorized it in Spanish). It is our guiding ethical principles. It goes like this:

Rotarians, of the things we think, say, or do, we must ask ourselves:

Is it the truth?
Is it fair to all concerned?
Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

While it seems like words, these guiding principles are really the most excellent way to live.

My GSE trip happened during Rock'n Ribs 2013. So I did not participate in anyway with the event that year. In 2014, Vera extended an invitation to help her out with the big dinner we throw for all of our $10,000+ sponsors. It is the most fun of Rock'n Ribs. It was planning the party with one of the most fun people I know, so of course I accepted. No raising of dollars. No big commitment. Just celebrating those in our community who give so much to make Rock'n Ribs happen and allow us to give so much to our charities.

In 2015, Vera stepped down and guess who was left? Me. I struggled with the decision to take on the Rock'n Ribs Sponsorship Dinner. Vera left the largest shoes in the world to fill. She made this event. She made the whole event what it is. She is so amazing. But I was assured by her partner-in-crime Matt that I would have help and they would assist me every step of the way. And boy did they ever. I would have never been able to pull off such an awesome event with such good ideas without Matt and all of our sponsors. And it was a ton of fun. I got to see so many great friends who I first met by asking them for money. I got to spend so much time with Vera and Matt and their families. It was an absolute blast.

And as for the actual event of Rock'n Ribs, we had one heck of a weekend. The numbers haven't came in, but I am positive it will be one of our best ever, likely raising over $150,000 in two days for organizations in the Ozarks.

So, it seems very fitting, that today at our Rotary meeting, the Tuesday after Rock'n Ribs weekend, I was awarded my Blue Badge. For the past year, since I officially transitioned to Rotary from Rotaract, I wore a Red Badge until I fulfilled all of my new member obligations.

A kickboxing class led me to Rock'n Ribs, Rock'n Ribs led me to Rotary, and Rotary has changed my life and will always be a part of my life.

Without all of this I would have never met some of my best friends, I would have never traveled the world, I would have never had the opportunities in my career or in the community, and most importantly, I would have never become who you all know as Kim Greene.

Thailand: Introspection I

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 07:38:00 +0000

A person very close to me once told me that I had the inability to relax. The person said I walked too fast, couldn't sit still, and always looked for the next, and the next, and the next. I of course took absolute offense to this statement. I love the lake. I love the sun. I love a beach. I completely love to lie in a reclining chair and do nothing. I can probably out-sleep anyone in the world on my days off. I know how to relax.

Then I went to Thailand.

Railay West Beach, Krabi, Thailand

I knew when I planned this trip that I wanted adventure. I wanted to meet people. I wanted to find new place. I wanted to explore.

However, what I didn't know about myself or acknowledge about my previous travels, was that I had an inability to sit still.

I took a 24 hour flight. I needed to see what was 24 hours away. See everything I could possibly see in Thailand, the land of beaches and cheap massages and easy living. I needed to see and experience everything I could possibly in two weeks.

And it was amazing. It was beautiful. In fact, the only regrets I have are the few places I really wanted to see, but didn't have time to explore, even when they were just a few miles away.

However, the reason I didn't get to explore certain areas was because I simply chose to sit. To sit and read. To sit and people watch. To sit and finally just breathe for awhile. To be quite alone for me, is the best feeling in the world.

I told my traveling companions about a million times what to expect of me on this trip. I would wander off. I would ask for time alone. I needed time to be alone. And this is no different than my time at home. I have to have time alone. And in the past two years, traveling alone has become one of my favorite things.

Being alone affords the opportunity to meet new people, my favorite part of traveling. A random person is much more likely to approach a person alone than a group. I'm sure this sounds scary to some, but it is seriously my most favorite thing in the world. More than a beach, more than the sun, more than anything. Learning about people is the greatest exploration.

Being alone lets one sit. Just sit. Do nothing. Not have to make conversation. Not try to entertain. Not worry if one is not talking enough or talking too much. Just sit. Be silent. As much as I talk, I think I would surprise people with the amount of silence I need to be a functioning person.

Koh Tao

And finally, being alone allows me to take risk without the worry I am being a burden to others. I love to go off the beaten path. I want to go down weird trails and see what is there. I want to see every single landmark, and rock, and beach, and museum, and shop, and market. I want to experience every morsel of food I can stomach, sip every drink I can swallow, and smell every scent possible. I want to take in all the lights and the chaos and the life of where I am visiting. I want to ask other travelers where they have been and where I should go or not go because it is too commercial. I want to hop along with them when they invite me. I want to just wander.

Koh Tao, Sairee Beach

I get this makes people anxious or nervous or scared. I never do anything dangerous. I don't walk down a dark and ominous street in Springfield or Kansas City, I'm sure as hell not going to do it in another country.

Right before I left my mom said something to me I again didn't quite agree with at the time. I think she captured something within me I didn't even identify with myself. Sometimes people give you a title you aren't quite sure of yourself, and then you get it. She said, 'You're pretty fearless.'

My response was, 'Really mom!? I'm full of anxiety!' But she was right. I have anxiety over things in my control. My job. Starting tasks. Finishing tasks. House work. Money. The everlong to-do list. To quote one of my favorite lines from a movie, I stress over, "Bullsh*t! Bullsh*t! Bullsh*t!'

However, she was right I have little fear. I believe what will be, will be. I believe in the good of people. And I have no fear of walking into a bar and meeting some incredible Aussies over a game of Thai Jenga. Or running through the rain and asking for directions from a couple of gents only to see the same Swede and American later and agree to a game of Plume. Or just sit reading in an atrium and say yes when an Austrian stopped to ask if I wanted to share some delicious mango dessert and just talk for hours. That is the high.

People are the absolute best part of travel. These memories are my favorite parts.

If I wanted to simply lie on a beach, read a book, sleep for hours, and get a tan, I would take a short flight to Mexico for a week. And I need those vacations too, but there is a huge part of me that wants to see the landscape of the other side of the world and listen to those around me speak other languages and to go and go and go. That is the best.

So the answer to that giant question everyone keeps asking, 'What was the best part?'

(Besides the people) I learned that I can not relax in the conventional sense. I learned that most of the time I don't want to relax. I learned that not relaxing is not the same as being stressed. It is quite opposite. I learned that being comfortable makes me seriously uncomfortable. I learned that as long as I have somewhere to lie my head with a roof and a pillow at night, I'm pretty secure. I learned that exploring and being thrown out of my comfort zone is amazing and makes me feel most calm.

And I think most of all, I reconfirmed that my favorite part of life is the not knowing, the climb, the trying to figure it all out. I think the not relaxing is my favorite part.

Thanks to these two for putting up with my inability to relax. Koh Tao, Freedom Beach

A Confession To My Friends With Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Fri, 24 Oct 2014 03:02:00 +0000

A few months ago, one of my best friends sent me this beautiful article, A Confession To My Friend Without Kids. This article was so refreshing. Such a welcome realization that those who are childless are still people to the parent community.

This article outlined how much one expects to share moments with other mommy friends. How fun it is to be pregnant together. And while all that is awesome, there is a very honest line in that blog, from a mom, to her friend: I'm so happy you don't have children. Having mom friends I assume is great. Having someone know your struggles, your lack of sleep, your joy, your love, but there is also something so wonderful about a friend who remembers that mom as a woman. As a friend. A partner in crime. A confidant.

And to that, I have something to say back to you.

I am so happy I don't have children, but please quit asking why I don't have a kid.

I love your kids. I loved throwing you baby showers. I love holding your kids. I love that they love me so unconditionally and feel so comfortable with me. My friends' kids and my niece and nephew are absolute pure joy to me.

Being single and childless has its advantages. I can pick up out of nowhere to go see your kids. Need a minute to get out of the house? Guess who has childcare experience and can swing by for a few hours. Need a cocktail? Guess what? I do too.

And the best part of not having kids? I can do all of the things that I am passionate about.

Being childless means I can have a friend call me at midnight on a Tuesday telling me she is online to get us Royals playoff tickets for Sunday and I better be there. And telling her yes.

Being childless means when my college roommate tells me to save the date for her wedding in New Orleans, I can just reply, 'Done.' Because why would I miss that awesomeness?

Being childless means when I have a work conference in Chicago, I can spend a few days before just having fun.

Being childless means when a friend sends me a text that just says, 'Happy hour tomorrow?' I can respond with an emphatic 'YES.' No location needed. We know where we always go. And when said happy hour partner says, 'We're buying tickets to the Chiefs game in three weeks. You want one?' I can say an even more passionate 'YES.'

Being childless means whenever everyone else is busy playing Santa and planning for the perfect Christmas morning with their beautiful children to joyfully open presents, I can sit on Christmas morning and have a cup of coffee with my other childless friend. And when she decided to have a child of her own, I can decide to go and spend my Christmas on a beach.

Being childless means when you call, my friend, with child or without, for whatever reason, I can be there. I will say an enthusiastic YES.

But being childless also has it's disadvantages. Living in a small city and coming from an extremely small town, I constantly get the, 'Why are you still single?' question. Immediately followed up with, 'Don't you want kids?' Or the best, 'Don't worry, you will have kids some day.' I often just smile and nod. That answer makes the person asking the most comfortable.

I remember the day, the exact moment, in Bambino's parking lot when I told my mom I didn't want to have a baby. You have to be pretty confident in your decision to tell your mom, who wants so badly for her baby to carry a baby. I was 24. Her answer was to give me a hug, with sad eyes looking at her daughter who would never have a belly full of baby, and say, 'That's okay. You will have plenty of babies in your life, and if you change your mind, there will be plenty of babies to adopt.' Over the past seven years, she had a few struggles with that realization, grieving a baby that never was, but she has accepted her first daughter not providing her with a grandchild.

While I am choosing not to have children, when you think to ask these questions, please remember, there are many who are childless without choice. Your questions on why they don't have children are hurtful and saddening.

Once my brother said, 'You don't need kids.' At first I took offense, and was like, 'Dude, I could be an awesome mom.' He responded, 'No. You don't NEED kids to be happy.' And it's true. While I could have a child, being a mom was never something I saw when I looked into my crystal ball.

I babysat, nannied, and worked at a daycare. That's how much I love kids. Small humans are my favorite humans. But being a parent is a hard job. It is too hard for me. I'm not one to shy away from a challenge, but as my brother said, I don't need that struggle, that 'it's all worth it' mentality to make me happy. This decision is very personal. This decision came with years of consideration. This decision is made with as much absolute resolute as many of you feel when you decide you want to have a child.

As much as you can't imagine your life without your kids, I cannot, nor do I want to imagine my life with kids. I love my childless life. As much as you feel I am missing out by not having kids, I feel as if I am gaining by not having kids.

What I don't love is all the sad looks. The replies of you'll change your mind or one day, you'll realize on what you are missing. Or my personal favorite, 'You are just being selfish.'

Yes. Yes I am, and what is so wrong with that? I know my strengths. I know my weaknesses. I know what makes me happy and what I want in life. Most importantly, I know how hard it can be to be a parent.

So please don't be sad that I don't have kids. Every happiness you gain from having a child, I have an equal happiness by not having a child. Don't purse your lips, furrow your brow, and pat my shoulder as if I just lost the one thing that would make me happy.

Instead, be happy you get a free babysitter. A friend that will remember to buy your kids books on their birthdays (because that is all Aunt Kim buys for kids). A friend that will bring you a bottle of wine after an exceptionally hard week. A friend who is available that one moment you get a babysitter on a whim. A friend who will support all of your decisions to have children and love those little nuggets so hard. All I ask in return, is that you support my decision to not and be happy that I don't have children.

End Of Semester Housekeeping

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Thu, 08 May 2014 05:31:00 +0000

I firmly believe when you are in the business of education, you have to let the students know the why behind the class or the diploma. Why do they care? Why are they here? Every end of semester I send my students a note of congratulation and affirmation. This is my note this semester:

Class,

As finals approach, I have one final, long set of words to give you. Stick with me. My little note to you.

As an instructor and student of communication, I clearly believe in the discipline. I believe it is a skill that not only has advanced my career, but will help you in yours. Look at any job description out there, 90% have a requirement of good communication skills. Hopefully that term is less abstract after this course.

As much as I believe in communication as being a necessity, I am also a higher ed professional and I understand the groan and mindset that it is just another three credit hour course you have to muster through and pay for to get the piece of paper.

You need to understand what the piece of paper signifies to your potential and current employers.

The piece of paper means you have drive. It means you have determination. It means when life happens and is stressful and you have a thousand balls in the air, you can still complete and conquer. It means if you are tasked with a job or are in a situation you don't like, you will still finish it and finish it well.

The piece of paper means you can work well under leadership and with a team. Sometimes you believe a teacher is making you jump through hoops or not giving you an easy solution. It is not an instructor being lazy or difficult, it is teaching you to face adversity and problem solve.

That is what employers are looking for when they look at that piece of paper. I have always believed education as a test for employment.

Whether it is pure intelligence, crazy hard study habits, or sheer will, these classes signify your ability to be successful. That piece of paper proves you have longevity. You have stick-to-itiveness. No matter how long or short the path, you made it to the clearing.

Do not think of classes as what do I have to take, but as an opportunity that you get to take, because so many others in this region and this world do not.

I once had a HS teacher friend tell me (long before I was teaching) that if a student finds a way to successfully cheat his or her way through class, that is a life skill because they will likely be able to find short cuts in real life to succeed. While those students may become successful, they will do so in a completely unethical way. Don't be that person. No one likes to work with that person

I recently came across this blog and it puts everything I feel as an educator into far more eloquent words than I am able to write. I know you have a ton to read right now, but give it a gander (it is a quick read). It might change your frame of reference in regards to education.

http://affectiveliving.wordpress.com/2014/03/08/what-students-really-need-to-hear/

I am so happy to have been your instructor and been a small part in your education journey. I am so proud of what you have accomplished.

I understand the perception students have of me as a young-ish college instructor. That education probably came easy to me. I was a traditional college student at 18, graduated, got a job, worked on my masters, etc. While those are all the facts, the bigger picture is I grew up in a very small, rural town with what I then perceived as minimal opportunities to be successful outside of farming, blue coller jobs, or going for technical training at vo-tech. I am not only a first generation college student, I rarely knew anyone who completed college. However, I was raised to know that I had the the opportunity to go to college. This is why I choose and love to work at a community college. I do not think my path to education was any harder nor easier than yours. Growing up where I did taught me to be successful, to be agile, to have a strong work ethic, to be determined and diligent about what I wanted to achieve for my future.

I say all this to let you understand that I do know and remember how difficult college is to navigate without having someone who knows the path help point you in the right direction.

If you ever need any help at OTC, always feel free to contact me. I can help with advising, transfer, resume, etc. Even if I don't have an answer, I know someone who does.

Best of luck!

--kg

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Blog Update: #18 Internet In Place

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 01:51:00 +0000

Obviously, I have been supremely terrible at this whole blogging thing. Really, terrible. The #1 reason is my # bucketlist item of getting internet at my house. I finally bit the bullet on this one and lept into the 21st century. I am currently writing and posting this blog from my house and not a coffee shop.

I had so many reservations about getting internet. I like to say I keep my house a low technology zone. Yes, I have data on my phone, but I don't have the opportunity to waste hours on Netflix (like I am currently doing watching Orange is the New Black). I should be grading papers, doing laundry, cleaning... anything but wasting time.

Like most big decisions in my life, I ponder them for years and then make a decision quickly and just do it. The whole internet thing did not go as swiftly as I had hoped. After consulting my AT&T worker friend Caleb, I went with UVerse. He told me the even grandma's can do self install, so I opted with it. A few quick days later, I recieved my router in the mail with a set up date of Sunday evening.

Prior to my set up time, I read my instructions and realized I needed to set up my router to a phone outlet. I have lived in my house for almost five years and was pretty sure I saw a phone jack in my house at one point or another. After searching my house up and down for over an hour, I realized, I do not have a freaking phone jack! My house was built in the 1940s. How does it not have a phone jack? It has plaster walls... it could not have been drywalled over. Where is this freaking phone jack?

So I looked through the instructions for a phone number to call, and they directed me to a website for help. Ummm... I'm trying to install internet. I do not have it currently. Thank goodness for smart phones, right?

I searched online for a number, after 10 minutes of prompts, I finally ended up on the line with a very nice lady frorm the Philippines who told me someone would be out the next day between 4 and 8p to install a phone jack. She profusely thanked me for being so nice to her and even offered to make me a nice meal if I ever visited, which she told me often that I should visit. I don't think she gets many nice customers on the phone.

However, there apparently was a miscommunication because the man came out at 8:45a when I was out of town. He rescheduled for that night. At 11:30a I recieved a text to call back to reschedule. So I called to verify my 2nd appointment, which was not rescheduled as he said. The next available appointment was between 11a and 1p the next day, Tuesday. So I scheduled for that appointment.

Fast forward to Tuesday at 10a I get a call asking if I'm ready for my install. I have no idea when the next time will come, so I get permission to leave work for an hour to install this phone jack.

Surprise! My house is so low technology I don't even the correct wires for a phone jack!! They have install telephone lines from poles to my house. So... four hours later, I have internet! Yay!

Even though I have not had internet and have slacked on blogging, I have been keeping up with the bucketlist. Lots of posts are to come, so be prepared. Until next time...

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Surprise! 40 Under 40

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 23:01:00 +0000

First off, I have to say: Springfield has been so good to me.

Something really unexpected happened this week. I got an email letting me know I had been selected to the Springfield Business Journal's 2014 40 Under 40, an award that 'recognizes the area's brightest and most accomplished up-and-coming young businesspeople.'

Um... what? I was totally shocked. And honestly felt a little silly telling my family and friends about it. This past year I was chosen as 417 Magazine's 20 Under 30. When I told my brother about 40 Under 40, I promised him that there are more young professionals besides just me living in Springfield, and no, I wasn't nominating myself. I have no idea who nominated me for either (so if it was you, fess up).

It is definitely humbling to receive either of these recognitions. Receiving both in one year is just too much. So it was hard to even tell anyone. In my mind I already was hearing all the jokes, 'What's next? 70 under 70?' I could see the eye rolls from people who don't care, or don't think I'm deserving, or just think that any of the awards are a big fat joke. I didn't want to or know how to tell anyone about 40 Under 40.

But then I saw who else is being given this award. So many of my friends, peers, and mentors. I started getting super excited to be able to celebrate with them, especially because I missed the 20 Under 30 celebration last year.

And then it hit me. Dude. Kim. You work hard. You love your community. You have given it a lot over the past decade. You have had a pretty incredible year. And you didn't fall on the ice even once these past few weeks. As stressed and anxious as I can get over work or projects, when I look at all that I have accomplished this past year, it has been extraordinary. 2013 is one year I will never forget. That thought alone puts my stress in perspective.

We are all our own worst critics. I so often feel as if I'm not doing enough, or not doing this whole life thing as awesome as I should. This recognition is a huge pat on the back saying, 'Hey. You're okay.'

So, I decided to be proud to be named to another 'insert age' Under 'insert other age' list. :) I think lists are driving my life this year, and I love lists.

And hey, if I'm going to enter a new decade, I might as well get a pretty award for it. :)

A huge thank you to whoever nominated me and to the judges who selected me. And an enormous congratulations to everyone else who made the list! I look up to so many of you and am so honored to be in the same class as you.

The issue will be out the week of March 3rd. I'll post the article when it is published. http://sbj.net/main.asp?SectionID=48&SubSectionID=108&ArticleID=96389

Now what to wear?

Teaching is Hard

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 03:12:00 +0000

Is it possible to be sad not to give finals? I had two great classes this semester and met some incredible people (as always). Snow days made finals difficult and I chose to give mine online. I am sad I didn't get to give them a formal goodbye.

Teaching is hard. Teaching adjunct takes a good 10-18 extra hours out of my week, every week. Trying to reach that student who is failing but you know is so intelligent seems impossible. Motivating the student who is blowing off class and missing assignments takes more patience than I thought I was capable. I want my students to not only know how to succeed in my class, but to learn how to work hard to succeed at life. I hope I serve them well and justify the dollars they spend on the course.

No student wants to take Public Speaking. They all walk in with slumped shoulders and jittery hands. At the beginning of the semester I give an assignment that asks, 'What do you hope to get out of this class?' The responses are always to pass, to get out alive, or to not faint/cry/throw up.

I received a few special emails this week from students letting me know they enjoyed my class, which is extra awesome since every email started with, 'I thought I would hate this class,' or 'This is the class I dreaded for four semesters.'

The best part is that they ended with, 'I learned more in this class for the real world than any other gen ed class I have taken.' ... 'I have always talked in front of people, but now I know how to organize what I am trying to say.' ... 'I learned about myself and how my communication changes how others think of me'... And my fave, 'I got a raise just by knowing how to put my thoughts together to ask!'

Am I bragging? Heck yes. Not about me, but my class. I could go on and on about all I think my students will achieve. They are an incredible bunch of people. Get ready world, they are coming for you.

And to my students: I hope the road always rises to meet you. Stay on course.

No. 19: Finish Those Stupid Antlers and Hang Them

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 14:25:00 +0000

Done.

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No. 13: Buy A Big Girl Dresser

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 16 Nov 2013 21:11:00 +0000

The two places I lived prior to buying my house spoiled me. Both had huge closets. It was glorious. I loved it. However, when I moved into my house with a closet with less space than an airport lavatory (yes, I went there), I knew I had a problem. I had some old crates from college that served as my dresser for the past four years. It takes me a long time to make big decisions, especially decisions that affect the aesthetic and feel of my home. I can easily spend hundreds of dollars on clothing, but spending hundreds of dollars on something to keep those clothes in makes me anxious.

I finally decided that I wanted a mid-century style of dresser. I love the clean lines of this period, and most of all, I love the legs. I found the most beautiful one from West Elm.

It was perfect. What was not perfect was the $999 pricetag. So with the West Elm version in mind, I started hunting.
I scoured Craigslist. The Springfield market often didn't have a good selection so I would look in STL or KC. Mid-century furniture has become quite popular lately, which has driven up the price on these pieces. Occasionally I would find one in my price range but it wouldn't work logistically.

So, I started hunting at local thrift stores. One day during my lunch break, I popped in at one of my favorites near work, Urban Flea Market. I found three possible options.

I want to remind you, it takes me forever to make any large decisions. And a dresser is large, not just in price, but size. So, I took some pictures and thought it over.

I kept on my search, both looking for new knock-offs of the style at chain stores and looking for originals at flea markets.

One Saturday, I bumped into one of my pals at a flea market while on the hunt. I had sent her the pics of the ones I had found a few weeks earlier as she also loves the mid-century style (and has a beautiful piece). She told me that if I found a dresser she would help move a dresser if it would fit in her SUV.

So, I went back to Urban to review my options. One of the dressers had already sold. Upon further inspection of another, the body and bones just weren't in that good of shape. However, the third was better than I remembered it. Although I did want something with knobs and pulls I could refinish, this dresser was in pristine condition. All the drawers pulled in and out with ease and there wasn't a scratch or nick on it. And the price was right.

I called Lindsey, scheduled a time we could bring it home, pulled out my Visa and it was purchased.

After a good scrubbing with vinegar and water, it found it's proper home in my bedroom. At the thrift store I knew I liked it, but once it was in it's forever home I realized I was in love. I swoon over it daily.

Look at 'dem gams

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No. 7: My Hippie Life

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 00:30:00 +0000

Okay, I'm not a hippie. Not even close. However, what I am about to tell you might make you think I have went off the deep end.

I have not been washing my hair, as I alluded in my 30 in 30.

My hair (and skin) is something I have struggled with my entire life... or at least since I was around 10 and started caring about hair and skin. In the past five or so years, I have tried to conciously choose what I put in my body, and have been more selective in the past year or so. Yes, I still splurge and love me some tacos and nachos (and occasionally a McDonald's cheeseburger) but what I make at home is much more selective. Once I started paying way more attention to labels, I also started thinking about what I put on my hair, my body, and with what I clean my house. I am far from perfect. I eat and use a million 'harmful' products everyday, but here are some of my small steps, from hair to body to cleaning.

Hair
Around my birthday in July I gave up on conventionally washing my hair. I have never had luck with my fine, curly hair. I would like to eventually get away from the blow-drying and straightening routine, but have never found a way to embrace my curls. I still blow-dry and straighten, but hope to get away from it in the next year or so.

I now rely on a routine of baking soda/Apple Cider Vinegar, Chaz Dean Wen Cleansing Conditioner, and a vegan/wheat & gluten free shampoo and conditioner that excludes parabens and sulfates (it does have a million things I can't pronounce). I have never been an every-day-wash girl. I almost always go every other or every third day.

So my routine: Depending on my time, I try to stick with mainly baking soda and AVC, however, this does take more time for wash and rinse. I make a 'shampoo' with about 1/4 baking soda and 3/4 water. I massage this into my scalp and rinse very well. This is a change from the normal shampoo routine. Much harder to scrub in, as it doesn't lather and tends to sort of dry on the scalp. I just add a bit more water and give my head a good massage. Once I get it rinsed, I have a spray bottle of about 1/5 ACV and 4/5 water (maybe a bit more ACV). I spray it in my hair and let sit like conditioner. Yes, it smells like vinegar, but that goes away quickly. Then rinse. The result is super soft, shiny hair with body. Yes please.

About every third wash, I just use Wen Cleansing Conditioner, yes, like the infomercials. I bought mine from Sephora and don't have to do an automated plan. For my short hair, one $30 bottle is going strong for over 5 months now.

During this transition, I kept going back to conventional shampoo and conditioner when I was short on time. So I eventually decided to spend the money on Dessert Essence brand of shampoo and conditioner (I did just find a better deal I linked). I use it about once every week and half.

I still dye and damage my hair. I still use a hair glaze in between hair appointments. But, my hair is MUCH more healthy and growing much faster since switching to the non-conventional method.

Body
I have had EXTREMELY dry skin my entire life. I remember in 3rd grade a friend telling me that my legs looked like a reptile. My dry skin made me lucky though. I have never had a major acne problem. I can slather my face with any and every lotion and not have a problem, except flaky, dry, rough skin. I can remove my makeup with baby oil and not have a break out. In fact, I used to use baby oil after every shower to help combat dry skin, but it often made it worse and a messier shower.
About two years ago, I stumbled upon one lotion that actually worked. However, as I tried to eliminate harmful products from my body, I thought, why not my skin, the largest organ of them all.
This is a new venture, only a few weeks old. I started using coconut oil on my hands, feet and lips. I was too frugal to use it all over. I came across a post from Elizabeth Walling of The Nourished Life to whip it. Yep, just like heavy whipping cream. Throw a cup or two coconut oil (solid) in a bowl, whip it with a mixer and it become fluffy and easy to spread (and makes it go farther). I store it in a tupperware container. So far I have had luck with it making my skin soft and getting rid of redness.

Recipe HERE and Pictures Credit to The Nourished Life

Face and Lips: For the past few months I have used a couple of treatments on my face. The first is mixing lemon juice and sugar and rubbing on my face. I take a cotton pad and squeeze with lemon liberally, then dip in sugar and rub all over my face. I have not experienced burning or tingling. My face is super soft afterwards. I will disclaim that I have never used anything except makeup remover and water on my face as most facial washes are much too harsh and further dry out my skin.
For my lips, whenever I notice them getting rough I use this treatment. I mix honey and sugar together to make a pasted and exfoliate my lips. Rinse and dab a light coating of olive oil on them.

House Cleaning

So I have a migraine problem. I get them. They are debilitating. I hate them. And the weird thing is, I almost always get them on Monday morning. I normally blame my migraines on the weather/barometric change (they also come with a bloody nose most times), however, really? The weather changes a lot more than over Sunday nights. Recently, I have been wondering about the correlation between my cleaning-ritual on Sundays to my migraines. This is by no means proven, but it got me thinking about my cleaning routine. Tons of chemicals cleaning my floors, sinks, tubs, toilets, floors and mirrors. (And yes, I realize the migraines might also be ignited by dust.). What could it hurt to get rid of these chemicals? So slowly but surely, I have tried to get rid of my household cleaners.

Majid's Blog about Home Cleaning Tips

I have always cleaned my wooden cutting boards with lemon and salt, but took it further. I continue to use lemon on surfaces, but I also add baking soda (I buy the big bags in the cleaning aisle) and white vinagar. I use this mixture for all bathroom cleaning and kitchen surface cleaning. I haven't delved too far into floor cleaning, window cleaning, etc. But again, it's a start.

So, there you go. None of these are new ideas and have been used for decades if not centuries, and have been circulating on blogs for the past few years. However, they are simple, easy changes I have made to help clean my hair, body and house that I have found much more affordable than conventional means, not to mention better for your health and the environment. Another tip is adding a few drops of essential oils to all these mixtures to give scent as well as health benefits. Again, I have a million not-good-for-me products in every drawer of my house, but I'm trying to take steps where I can. I am open to all of your tips and tricks to make your (and my) life easier, cheaper, and healthier.

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Chiefs Nation

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 01:51:00 +0000

Sundays in the fall. The day that can make or break your week. At least that is how you feel if you are a fan of the NFL. You see, if my team wins, I am on top of the world. I feel like I am more productive. I am happier. Conversely, if my team loses, the day is a normal, depressing, Sunday.

I have been a Kansas City Chiefs fan for my entire life. When I was a little girl, I was my brother's only option to tackle on Sundays. We would dress up in our Chiefs gear. Then make a dummy and dress it up in Broncos or Raiders attire. Once the teams were properly dressed, we would gather every pillow, couch cushion and bean bag in the house and swap tackles on each other. As the younger sibling, I was normally at the receiving end of these blows.

Fast forward a few decades later. I have stuck with boys in red though the good and the bad. As of recent, it felt like a lot of bad. In college, I would bond with my roommate's dad over Chiefs games. That season, we went an incredible 13-3. Since that season, we have had some average teams, but overall, it has been a rough stretch as a Chiefs fan.

Going in to the 2013 season, I hoped for average. I made the optimistic prediction in the preseason we would be 9-7 team, a lofty goal considering we had only won a measly two games the previous season and were donned the worst team in the NFL.

Now, entering week 7, we are 6-0. What? I did not expect that. But it has been an absolute blast to be winning again.

A few weeks ago, my pal Michelle called to ask if I wanted to catch a game with her. I used to make it a point to go to a game every year. I have slacked the past two years due to trying to avoid that whole depressed state. Driving 6 hours roundtrip to stare out at empty seats and watch our quarterback get sacked time after time is not my idea of a good time. You see, growing up idolizing Arrowhead stadium, feeling the energy of the crowd, and being proud to be one of the best fanbases in the NFL, it was so sad to see it gone. It was like watching a strong, capable man age into a bed-ridden, demented outcast.

However, I optimistically said yes. We were already 2-0 at that point.

The game we selected was the rival Oakland Raiders. Little did we know entering that Sunday we would be 5-0 and Chiefs' Nation would be attempting to break the record for the loudest stadium.

The game was incredible. The Chiefs had an unheard of 10 sacks (I think one was taken away later). In all of the 2011 season we only had 11 (I think... I know a lot about football for a girl, but I still don't have a brain for statistics like a boy). The stadium got almost as loud as a jet engine. Although it was loud and my ears rang, I still think I once heard it louder. In 2005, the Thanksgiving night game against the Broncos and the launch of the NFL network. This could only mean one thing, Arrowhead was back.

My brother always says it's a sad life being a fan of Missouri sports (at least on the west side of the state). This year, Mizzou is 7-0. Chiefs are undefeated. And the Cardinal's are going to the World Series. (Although I'm a Royal's fan, I am still happy for my friends who love the Cards.)

It's good to finally know that each Sunday is going to be a good day.

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Time is Not on My Side

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 01:30:00 +0000

I have been busy! And not blogging as much as I would like. I have been working a lot and having a little fun. Here is a quick update.

My 30 in 30: Whoa! Two and half months in and I have made a small dent in my long term goals, but not as much in the tangible.

Food: I have done a pretty good job at sticking to purchasing only foods with less than five ingredients. I did find a new vegan protein powder I like that is made from less than five. So that was a success. However, I bough flour tortillas. I have no idea why. I haven't purchased flour tortillas in like three years. I guess a moment of weakness.

Exercise: Let's just say eek! I'm running a 5K tomorrow. TOMORROW. And I have not even thought about training. Well, no, that is a lie. I thought about it, but then decided to sleep instead. As for yoga and barre: double eek.

Others, I am still not washing my hair often (I should really write a post to explain that), avoiding shredded cheese, using lots of sunscreen and actively looking for a dresser. So I'm working on it.

Like I said, I work. A ton. I am teaching two classes which makes my life consist of grading and prepping. But I have had a few moments of fun, so here is a bit of the fun that I have been up to since my last update.

I went back home for the annual Chilhowee Fair. It was a fun filled weekend hanging with my niece & nephew and a bunch of old friends.

You know those Buzzfeed articles, '19 Signs You Grew Up in {Insert City}?' Well, I think if there was one on Chilhowee the first line would be:

'You get a bit of a rush when you hear, 'Step back and toss your egg.'

'And get mad when the announcer does not say those exact words.'

I got sick one weekend. After about 60 hours of being cooped up in my house, I decided I needed to paint my door. I'm not sure if I love the color. It's okay from the inside view, but it looks uninviting from the street (not that I want to invite strangers into my home). Sorry for the bad pics.

I went back to STL for Alissa's 30th Birthday Surprise Celebration. We had a super fun weekend and saw Chicago: The Musical at the Fox. And guess who was in it? Paige Davis from Trading Spaces. Remember that show? She was Roxie Hart and was in-cred-i-ble. I could hardly believe it. Also - Peterman from Seinfield was Billy Flynn, which was also cool. But I really was stoked on my favorite TLC host.

I went home another weekend for a wedding.

Although I have been driving a ton on the weekends, which I hate, I haven't been quite as annoyed because I get to hear Mitch Holthus announcing the Chiefs' games on my drives back to Springfield. And. We. Are. Winning. I can not tell you how many times I have jumped on my couch this season, and we are only four games in.

An Unexpected Detour

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 00:42:00 +0000

I work at a college campus. As employees, we are aware of the threat this can pose. We often see in the media of different school shootings that have recently taken place.

Today, a threat happened in Springfield. We now know, two seperate events took place at almost the same time. One involving a serious threat that the campus was made aware of from Homeland Security, and one involved a dispute that allegedly resulted in an individual showing a gun at another university campus right up the road from my college.

You can read more about the threats here.

This resulted in my campus going on a lockdown. I was in my classroom with my class of high school students. It was speech day, so a student was at the front of the classroom.

When we were made aware of the lockdown from a Safety & Security officer, we went to the back corner of the room, locked the door and shut out the lights. This classroom is next to the side entrance to the building, that happens to be the first building down the street from where the gun incident took place.

There is a big window to the hall in my class, so we quickly moved into a large closet in the back of the room.

My students were all able to text or call their parents as we looked to social media for updates.

Thankfully, both suspects were apprehended and there was no harm to any students or individuals.

Was it scary? Yes. At the time it was a real threat. And it rattled me. For me, the scariest part was that I was with students. I think it would not has shook me as much had I just been alone in my office.

Even as I look back at my tweets and FB updates, I can see that some may think of these as over reactive. You see, I was in a dark, small closet with 25+ students. We were relying, thankfully, on social media updates. Social media was also a way for me to update friends, family and coworkers of the whereabouts of myself and, more importantly, my students.

Is there a ton to learn from this? Yes. First, I must say, we did so many things right. I felt safe and secure almost immediately. We have active shooter drills on campus. We have behavioral intervention teams of counselors who work with our students. We try as best as we can to prepare, but when you have thousands of students on campus in all classrooms, you learn a bit more.

For instance, I put my phone on 'Do not Disturb' when I go into a classroom. I had my phone right in front of me, but did not get the alert because of the setting. The classroom phone did not go off until many minutes later. I did not know to go on lockdown until an officer came in my classroom (which was very quickly). Many students in common areas were not made aware as quickly as we would like. That classroom definitely needs blinds. And maybe I'll risk the buzz of a text or call interrupting my lecture or a speech to get a Red Alert text.

Although we can learn from this, I can not say enough about our Safety and Security team and leadership at my campus. They took the threat seriously with the information that was given and acted swiftly. Obviously, there are some threats that don't get acted on. Many campuses chose not to lock down today. I feel much safer knowing the steps our team took to ensure the safety of our students and staff.

Was it an overreaction? No. I think when there is a localized threat, it is better to lose an hour of class time than to jeopardize the safety of all the people we, as a college, are responsible for, who include not only out adult students, but also our high school students and daycare students.

So THANK YOU to everyone at my college who made this girl feel a bit more safe.

**All opinions expressed are my own and not necessarially that of my employer or any other institution.

Why I Love My Job

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 24 Aug 2013 03:00:00 +0000

The first week of classes is crazy. Like, beyond challenging. It can sometimes lead you to believe you are the crazy one and you can even have moments of weakness where you question why you chose this profession. We are all lucky to survive it.

And then you get affirmation.

Tonight, I stupidly checked my email. And there, in my inbox, is an email from a student sent at 9:15p on a Friday night.

This causes heart palpitations. Thoughts race through my head about what the crisis could be, knowing I likely can't begin to trouble-shoot it until Monday.

That is the thing about higher ed, or any job in general, you constantly fear the worst.

I immediately think what did I do wrong. Not even what did I do wrong, but what could I have done better? How could I have better served the student? How could I have better communicated so the student didn't have a question or an issue at 9 pm on a Friday night. A million thoughts race within a millisecond.

I open the email and it is from a student in the class that I teach. The student would like me to review his speech (and I encourage my students to do this) five whole days before it is due.

And it is perfect.

Meet Me in St. Louis

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 24 Aug 2013 02:00:00 +0000

A few weeks ago a few friends and I reunited in STL. Our friend Andy lives in Soulard which is always a blast, so that was our home-base for the weekend.

This trip we played tourist. We went to the Soulard Farmer's Market (hello fried mini doughnuts!), the Arch and the Budweiser factory. Super fun day (even if I had to miss out on breakfast due to papers that needed to be graded).

Although I forgot to get picture happy, I did get Vine happy and made a few Vines of the trip.

Once I got home, I decided to take on the loads and loads of Greene sweet corn my dad had brought me. Puttin' up sweet corn for the winter.

No. 3: Eat More Whole Foods

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 14:30:00 +0000

Since my 30 in 30 list posted, I have had a lot of responses about the 'five ingredient rule.' Mainly snide-ish comments reminding me that a lot of my own recipes have more than five ingredients.

Dudes. I know.

I want to clarify my 'five ingredient rule.'

Say for some reason I buy pico de gallo at the market. And it has seven ingredients and they are all whole foods. Would I still buy it? Yes! Of course. However, I would most likely just buy the tomato, peppers, and onions and make my own version at home.

Often, if a food product has more than five ingredients, the ingredient list includes things likes Potassium Sorbate, Maltodextrin, Fructose, Tocopherols and other ingredients equally hard to pronounce.

The five ingredient rule is more of a guideline and a reminder to eat more whole foods and less foods that have been processed in some way.

For instance, these are the ingredients in my favorite hummus:

Chickpeas
Water
Tahini
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sunflower Oil
Lemon Juice
Flax Oil
Sea Salt
White Vinegar
Garlic Juice

That has more than five ingredients, but they are all whole ingredients, whereas another brand of hummus has these ingredients added

Potassium Sorbate
Natural Flavors
Citric Acid

I'm always confused at what natural flavors actually are. If they are natural, why list them? So, the choice is clear on which one to purchase.

There are some foods that I will still purchase that have more than five not-not-so-healthy-or-whole ingredients. Those foods are almond milk (I'm toying with making my own), Fage Greek yogurt with the little sidekick of fruit (yes, it's high in sugar, but it's so convenient!), and protein powder (I'm looking for a more whole powder than the one I'm currently using - suggestions welcome!). I'm sure there will be more as I go along, but those are the ones I have purchased since the 30 in 30 challenge began and that I plan to continue to purchase.

How is the rest of the challenge going? Good so far! Nothing crazy as far as progress. I have kept up with yoga/barre. I've been bad at running. And my tres leches cake was amaze-balls.