I’m totally watching the Grammys right now and didn’t anticipate that it would be 3.5 hours of not being productive. In the words of Rick Perry, “Oops.”

- This photograph of Monty Alexander makes me laugh.

For those of you who don’t know, I started working with a  songwriter/singer last summer named Taylor Bolibol. I sort of took it on as a new project not knowing where her and I would go with it, but now looking back, it has been an incredible and rewarding experience for the both of us. In the time that we’ve been working together, (about eight months,) Taylor has played numerous shows and released an album! To see her grow as an artist and develop this strong stage presence and confidence is extremely moving. I don’t know if I have ever been more proud of someone, but this is also an accomplishment that I am most proud of.

Last night we both were thrilled that the Hard Rock Cafe in Seattle booked Taylor for a show! Check out her cover below of Jessie J’s “Domino,” and if you’d like to hear more from Taylor, feel free to purchase her album on iTunes or Amazon  and visit her Facebook page. We appreciate everyone’s support!

- -

I just started listening to Kelly Clarkson’s latest single, “Stronger,” because Taylor will be covering it this Friday at her show and I haven’t ever listened to the entire  thing. It feels SO good  to be blogging this morning and to be back on schedule. I have almost officially survived midterms week. Technically, I’m only halfway there, but the last half is kind of no sweat.

Readers,

I’ve got so much news to tell you! First off, I managed to do a Space Girl photo shoot in the midst of this hectic week! I also attended an event last night that I’d like to tell you more about. In addition to that, I will be introducing a new original post to all of you very soon with help from my senior friends here at school and from my high school. Other than that, life is busy as always and I am “surviving.” – the same response that I got whenever I asked, “How are you doing?” to someone this week.

I’m on a marathon of midterms ie) the worst kind of marathon to be on. I would say that I’d rather be preparing for an ACTUAL marathon, but who am I kidding – we all know that’s a big lie.

I don’t usually like to cram for my midterms, but that is exactly what I did this weekend, yesterday, last night (or early this morning,) and this morning for one midterm. I’m actually about to do the same exact thing for  tomorrow too. Oh the life of a college student is bliss! I don’t like to talk about study habits with people because I like to think that there are other conversations to be had, but I find it funny how much study time actually gets put into a session. For myself, I know that if my study session is 5 hours, there will be an hour and a half of consistent study time, with the rest being shenanigans.

What shenanigans might occur you may ask?

• pinterest – because you can never have enough pins
• snack break
• write ideas for blog posts
• attempt to study in bed
• accidentally take a nap
• listen to one song repeatedly for 17 minutes on loop because it sounds really pretty and you feel like taking a reflective break
• clean your makeup brushes
• make a cup of tea
• pat yourself on the back for doing such a superb job at studying

Wake up in the morning. Freak out.

Alright it’s honesty time. What are you guys doing when you are “studying?”

I am so so proud of my friend John! Not even a week ago, John reached out to his friends and family to ask for donations for an extracurricular baseball program that he wanted to bring to his students and today he has finally reached his goal. With the help of his friends, he was able to raise $1,085 for students and now they will have all the equipment they will need to play baseball.

I am very lucky to have someone like John in my life. His dedication to his students and kind heart are just two of the many qualities that I am impressed by. Readers, I am very glad that I have had the opportunity to introduce him all to you.

Congratulations John! I hope you know how much everyone here in the community cares for you and how often we are thinking of you!

To continue following John’s adventures in Detroit, check out his blog here.

I hail all the way from Baltimore, MD where I am currently a full-time volunteer through Jesuit Volunteer Corps. I am a caseworker at a homeless day shelter where I meet daily with an average of 10 clients. The services I aid with through casework include financial assistance in obtaining identification, shelter referrals, mental health and substance abuse referrals, handing out needed clothing, and helping clients find housing along with many other things that situations call forth. I’ve done something as simple as stick a band-aid on a cut of a man’s forehead to as complicated as finding assistance for a woman and her two children who were living in an “abondominuim”.

This work is tough and emotionally demanding, especially since there is a huge need from the homeless population and Baltimore City doesn’t offer enough resources. It’s especially tough as stories of homelessness are personalized for me; I see it in the faces, emotions, mannerisms, personalities, and hearts of each one of my clients.

I’ve come to dislike the term “homeless.” It lacks human dignity for a population that most needs it. With that term comes impressions of what that person is like- alcoholic, drug-ridden, mentally ill, dirty, lazy or even simply just out of luck. Yes, there are clients I see who are “chronically homeless” and may encompass one or more of these features, but the majority of my clients have potential for obtaining housing and simply need a leg up. They need someone who will advocate for them, assist with their needs when they don’t have the finances or spirit, or simply listen to them. Instead of “homeless”, and although it might not be the best solution for defining this population, I’ve thought of “without a house/apartment/a place to stay.” For me, this phrase indicates more of a transitional period in a person’s life when times are tough. It signifies that there is hope for that individual in moving forward in reclaiming stable housing, even if it might take a while. Moreover, “without a house/apartment/a place to stay” also signifies a lack of owning something tangible that society sees as almost necessary to being a “quality” citizen; something also defined by having a valid ID, a clean record, and able-bodied enough to work, all of which many of my clients do not possess.

I want to share this picture with you:

This is a client of mine who came in to casework everyday for a month. His only request was simple: to get off the streets.  He actually had a place about 5 months ago, but it was an apartment complex infiltrated with drugs. He up and left the place because he was constantly in a state of fear and discomfort, but this left him on the streets and riding the buses all night, barely sleeping. With the help of another social worker, his befriended grad student, and the financial support of his church, we were able to find an apartment for him. Since then, he has slept very well all of those nights and has reclaimed a sense of peace for himself. It goes to show that getting people off the streets takes a community effort.

Apart from my casework position, I also live in an intentional community with 4 other volunteers, I regularly explore the quirky city of Baltimore, and am enjoying my first time living on the east coast. I’ve been communicating through snail mail and limited internet access (we don’t have it in our house,) I take public transit, and it’s intriguing for me to delve into the social justice issues of Baltimore City. I miss the wonderful community I experienced the past 4 years back in Seattle, but I’m also surprisingly somewhat infatuated and fascinated with Baltimore. And I can’t stop staring at Natty Boh’s face, because I don’t know what happened to his other eye.

Cheers from Baltimore, and peace to you for this new year!

Megz

(or Balto-megz, as my dad has nicknamed me)

I am so lucky to have a wonderful person like Megan in my life. This young woman is one classy lady. I have always admired her wisdom, carefree way of living, and passion for everything important to her life. She is also an incredible graphic designer. The work that she has done for me in the last two years as well as her current work continues to blow me away every time. The most important lesson that Megan has ever taught me was simply to never take life too seriously. While the silly outings have been on hold for now due to Megan being across the country, I would like her to know that I am looking forward to a time when we can have “spring date nights” again!

During Snowpocalypse 2012, I remember telling Veronica just how excited I was over the possibility of snow days. When classes get cancelled due to unexpected circumstances, I am ecstatic. After I went on and on about how I much I couldn’t wait for the snow to eat up our campus, Veronica said to me, “…but we only have so many class days left!”

I’m sorry? Are we not on the same page here?

It’s been a few weeks since the snow days, but I haven’t forgotten about this conversation because Veronica was right. I’m not really going to miss the classes, but I am going to miss that entire college experience. If you think about it, four months isn’t a long time. It’s going to fly by. As I went about my day yesterday, this conversation kept coming back to me. Yesterday, I worked out of the bistro while getting a view of Mt. Rainier from the window and I haven’t done that in two years! It’s one of the prettiest sights seen from campus. It’s also the same kind of sight that brings my productivity level down to 27%. Mt. Rainier is pretty. It takes precedence over everything else. I also realized that I walk so fast that I am practically running into people all of the time and never catching my breath in time to say “Excuse me.” What I should be doing is taking it all in – walking slower and saying hi to the friends I see along the way. If that makes me late to my meetings and classes by three minutes – then so be it. There is no reason for me to be walking that fast.

For the past few months, I’ve been itching to get to the next chapter and skipping those pages just like I do with my own text books. When I was a kid, before blogs even existed – I loved to read books. I never missed a page; not even in Harry Potter. If my time in college has meant anything to me, I need to force myself to stop skipping. I’m not sure if anyone else feels the same way, but if you’ve been feeling like you’re missing a little bit of “life” right now, here are some steps I made up while I was in class.

• Eat on campus. Every once in awhile (or maybe more than once,) it feels GOOD to have others prepare a meal for you that you probably couldn’t make on your own.

• Read a book that’s not a text book.
• Attend an on-campus event. I can’t say the same for other universities, but we at Seattle University are so lucky to have the kinds of events brought on campus for us. When I look back on my college experience, I am always  going to remember the performances that I’ve seen, the speakers that I’ve heard, the resources that I utilized, and everything I’ve learned when I was taken out of a classroom setting.
• Attend a sporting event. It’s not really my thing, but I did it because it’s part of the whole experience. Max tried to convince me to go to a basketball game with him because I never have, but I felt okay declining because I have been to a softball game and plenty of swim meets.
• Share a meal. Life is busy. You naturally grow apart from your friends, but everyone has to eat. Kill two birds with one stone and satisfy your stomach while catching up with a friend.
• Sit down with your favorite professor. I’ve had my fair share of professors that I connected with and those that I didn’t connect with. Truth – professors (all of them – and I mean this) don’t get enough credit. Some students believe for whatever reason that because they pay to go to a university, they can treat professors anyway they want. Don’t be that student. They are human. Go to their office hours and get to know them – they have more in common with you than you may think.
• Study at your favorite place from freshman year. Just because.
• Partake in a school tradition.
• Start to care less about gossip and care more about people.
• Celebrate birthdays. I recently missed out on a birthday for a dear friend of mine and I feel awful about it still. Your presence, alone, makes a huge difference. I vow from now until I graduate that I will at least make an appearance at all of my friend’s birthdays no matter what.
• Don’t be a competitive douche. With the finish line in sight, people right now are antsy. They’re nosy and they want to know what you’re doing after graduation. In management terminology, I see this as being similar to the equity theory – when one person compares their level of work and experience with others. Approach one: You take the high road. You give some polite answer and you don’t let them intimidate you one bit. Your kindness and warm smile will make them so uncomfortable that it will make them doubt themselves. Just act like you’re not stressing about anything, even if you are. Approach two: Lie. Make up some ridiculous story about what you’re doing and then leave them hangin’. That’ll show them. Nothing gets to you.

Congratulations seniors! You’ve almost made it. Personally, I never saw this time coming – even when I was in high school, but I’m here! These are our last four months. Make these four months count and make it all about you. You deserve happiness. You deserve success and the pursuit of your goals. (I could be a motivational speaker someday.) But here’s the thing: If you’re not graduating early, then there is no reason to race to that finish line. It’s coming anyways so just walk to it and know that everyone is trying to get there with you at the same time.

The real fact of the matter is, I suck under pressure. I am an incredibly opinionated person who actually never keeps her mouth shut, yet if you ask me what my favorite book is, or what music I like, the only answers that pop into my brain are the Insane Clown Posse and Eat Pray Love.

But then it hit me: I’m going to write about a person who inspires me. So simple, right? When I re-read the email Katie sent me, she talked about how she’s lucky to have me in her life, and that I have helped shaped her experience at SU, and that she wanted to marry me because I’m so attractive and amazingly good-looking and sexy (I know, she won’t keep her hands off me). However, I kept thinking, “Does Katie realize she does the same thing for so many others?”

Unfortunately, I think the answer is no, therefore today I’m going to confess why I’m in lesbians with Katie.

There was one day a while back when I needed an extra partner at my Tuesday night Fight Club, and Katie begged me to let her come. I felt bad because she did her little panda bear face that even my freezing heart couldn’t say no to. We showed up, greased up, and next thing I know I’m watching her stare at her opponents with blood in her eyes and Chanel on her nails, and I can tell you from first hand experience she actually ripped someone’s jugular out with her Claire’s bobby pin (extra clarification: I was not involved with the process nor do I condone fighting nor violence of any kind). She actually almost tried to kill me after, but I convinced her I was Angelina Jolie and that I just wanted to adopt her before she finally let me free.

Although you may think none of this happened, I’m trying to subconsciously manipulate your brains into realizing the truth about Katie: she’s scrappy, and she’s not to be messed with. When I first met her my freshman year, I thought her voice sounded like a Tickle-Me-Elmo doll that never ran out of batteries, and that she might actually fit in my pocket; however it was not until we began working together this past year that I saw she is a sly ninja. This girl is savvy, sassy, and saucy and she knows how to put on a flawless event. Constantly keeping up to date with trends involving music, fashion, movies, television, and all things Seattle, her brain is a brilliant Wikipedia page of its own. Impeccably organized, a fantastic writer, and always well dressed, I want to say one thing to you, my dear: I’m proud to know you.

This past summer, Katie frantically began sending me emails about an event that she was working on, racking my brain and asking me every question under the sun for advice, and I felt puzzled she even needed my help. She called me a mentor and that she wanted to put on a great event like mine, but I never once had a doubt that this year’s event will blow mine out of the water. For starters she began planning the event when she came out the womb instead of waiting until a few hours before like I did. She asked insightful questions, and obviously was not afraid to ask for help – something my stubborn ass almost always refuses to do. And although I’m not calling myself her mentor, I did make one important decision when she began asking me for help: to treat her like a serious adult. This sounds simple, but I think that many people try and baby the short and cute looking woman, thus affecting her self-esteem and self-image; I think it’s important we begin treating female leaders as leaders, instead of someone to take shopping or get children’s discounts at the local cine.

Examples of what not to do: “Oh you’re so cute!” Omgoodness look how little you are!” “So when’s your first day of school?!” “Can I borrow that ninja turtle backpack?”

Once I fully realized her fierce nature (the fight club memory still haunts me…) I came to the sad realization that she never really needed me, she just needed someone to take her seriously and push her in the right direction. She needed someone to give her respect and allow her to see her own full potential, instead of talk about her abnormally small stature. Slowly by slowly this year, the emails have begun to disappear, and my little caterpillar finally became a butterfly. She doesn’t need me anymore, and she never really did y’all; she doesn’t need my advice because Katie realizes she has way more tools and skills that I could ever dream of. So I write this piece asking for a favor: treat her like the ninja she is, or she will rip your jugular out.

Thanks for asking me to write this piece, thanks for pretending I’m actually a put together person, and thanks for teaching me that being kind can actually take you places. I’m proud to know you, Ms. Katie, and I can’t wait to come back in the spring to see what amazing event you’ve cooked up for SU. So although you started these posts to introduce people who inspire you, I think it’s about time you realize you inspire others (occasionally, when you don’t eat too many pixie sticks).

Watch out y’all, for in a few years you may run into a 7ft tall and bearded Katie running the world with her 3-D Blackberry, and I won’t even say I told you so.

From the mentee to the REAL mentor,

Addie Addison Penny Lane

P.S. many people are often afraid of me at SU, and I would like to keep it that way. So if you think this post means I’m nice, friendly, or approachable, it doesn’t. Katie’s an exception. A rare one. RARE.
If I ever need someone to write a bio for me in the future, Meghan Penny Lane Merita Elizabeth Addie Addison  will be the first person I will ask. She is not only a woman of many names, but also a woman with many talents. This girl is the definition of a female dreamboat. She’s witty, funny, adventurous and gives zero f*cks. The girl does whatever she wants and that is something that I truly admire about her. Currently, Meghan has been traveling through Mexico while studying abroad, but come spring quarter this girl is all mine. Bacon and burritos ALL the time. To view more of Meghan’s writing and journey abroad, visit her blog here.

Picture me at 18 years old. Actually put some valiant effort into that, because I was much skinnier then, so this will be a more flattering place to start.

At 18, I live my entire life in practicality and reason. I approach things as a realist, sometimes to an alarming degree. I don’t like breaking rules. I don’t like the idea of getting into trouble. I don’t drink or try any drugs through my entire childhood and rambunctious teenage dome. You get the picture—I wasn’t the kind of kid to paint graffiti on the sides of buildings or get caught making out in the closet at somebody’s house party. I was never good at being indulgent or a risk taker. Don’t expect me to be the first to jump into the deep end of the pool. Hell, don’t expect me to be the first one to suggest going into the pool. Me in a bathing suit? In public? Do you want an entire collection of people to be simultaneously horrified and blinded at the same time? I didn’t think so.

Now, let’s move on from those chilling thoughts and settle into the now. The present Maddie, who is 22 and thought she knew exactly what she was doing. Thought she had created a practical college plan to follow and is instead staring into the future like it’s a San Francisco fog. I declared my business major at Seattle University because I thought it was a responsible step. I knew one day I wanted to own my own business and become an entrepreneur.

Now I’m two quarters from graduating, and on paper, I’m satisfactory for the business world. I’ve had work experience, two internships, and a handful of leadership experiences. I even have a leadership and mentoring position at the business school. In fact, to my current employer, who may be fully willing to hire me after graduation, I look fancy and clean-cut and like I’m ready to take on new responsibility.

So whoop-de-doo, put a cherry on top. The pie is baked, decorated, and ready to go, right? Wrong. Here’s where I hit the road-block.

What if instead, I took all that practical planning I’ve been assembling, molding, perfecting into the damn Mona Lisa, and, well…threw it out the window? What if I based my future goals on the one part of my life where I’m impulsive and indulgent: singing publicly.

Why would I do that? Well, here’s some context: Ever since I was about 4, I’ve been singing. Now, I’m fully aware that EVERY performer you come across will say something like that. Something along the lines of “I’ve basically been performing since the day I was born.” Oh sure, you came tap dancing out of your mother’s womb. I get it. What I mean by starting like that is to say that ever since I was young, it’s been one of the only things I felt good at. My first solo was in the 5th grade musical, where I tested out my a-bit-mature-for-my-age big voice. Later, I performed in middle school talent shows and watched tiny pubescent heads turn from the audience to try to figure out where that loud (not yet very controlled) singing voice was coming from. As I got older, I tried so hard to sound like famous pop stars and divas of soul and rnb. I sang at talent shows and sporting events in high school. I joined the choirs. I pretended like I knew how to write good songs and recorded demos when I was 15. That was and remains my identity to most people. I’m Maddie Cary: the girl with the big voice.

I know, that’s kind of a pretentious way to tell a back-story. But it’s the best I’ve got. Since going to college, I’ve joined the Seattle University Choirs and become a section leader. I’ve learned a lot about my voice, and continue to believe it is no where near perfect, and that I have so much more to learn and space to grow. I’ve continued performing by singing at open mics and even formed an all-girl cover band.

So, ladies and gentlemen, it is time for the grand conclusion to all this babbling. And this is what I’ve come to: It’s about time I tried to take a leap into real, scary, oh-my-god-what-am-I-thinking life. It’s about time I stopped being so practical, and started dreaming.

And lately, I have. Honestly, I can’t stop. I play around with the idea of becoming a wedding singer and starting a business in it. I contemplate going back to school for an undergraduate degree in music so I can teach music in high schools or middle schools. I daydream about giving private voice lessons to girls trying to figure out how to hide their vocal breaks and sing above a high C. I fantasize about quitting any job I might have after college, touring the West Coast, and singing my heart out every night. I find myself watching hours and hours of my idols on YouTube—Beyonce, Adele, Amy Winehouse, Ella Fitzgerald, Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, Queen, Feist—sending chills up my spine, causing me to ask myself how can I get on stage and give as much as they do? I catch myself watching scenes from musicals over and over again, enthralled by the passion behind their live performances. I dream about starting a performance choir for young girls so they can feel the warmth that overcomes you the first time you sing a solo on stage or lock in a harmony with a group of people. All these thoughts keep coming back again and again; like a dream I’ve been compressing that’s finally coming up for air.

Once, my choir director asked us why we loved music, and all I could think to respond was, “When I’m singing, that’s my real voice. More than my actual speaking voice day in and day out. When I’m singing and performing is when I am the most myself. The real me is me when I’m singing.”

I’ve opened the dreaming floodgates. There’s that early part of me that wants to think more reasonably, ignore these idealistic thoughts. But instead, I’m choosing to listen to that “real voice” inside me. And what will I learn by doing that? Well, I think E.E. Cummings said it better than I ever could:

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are”

Once upon a time, Maddie and I dismissed ourselves from class a little bit earlier than usual to treat ourselves to a longer lunch. It was over this lunch that the inspiration for Yow Yow’s “Guest Posts” was born. It was karmic synergy; it was meant to be. This lovely lady is one of the hardest working students I know juggling her time as a full-time student, an intern, a mentor to freshmen students, and a section leader in choir. Maddie’s talents as a phenomenal singer is something that is truly special. I kid you not, this girl has moved me to tears with her rendition of Coldplay’s “Trouble.” Last year, she started her own girl-group under the name “Maddie and the Cary-OH-Keys” and let me just say – they do a mean “Rolling in the Deep.”