"Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better."

So, before I tell ya what I've been up to so far this month, I have to tell ya the funny thing
that happened to me this morning.

My alarm clock goes off at 6:45 like it does every morning, and I hit the snooze button until about 7:15 like I do every morning. I get up, do the shower thing, get dressed, go out and start the car (it's so cold here right now that you go outside and your nose hairs instantly freeze together), and come back in to finish getting ready. By the time I'm ready to go, the car is sufficiently warm and I'm ready to go. I look at the clock and it is now 7:45 and I'm thinking that I'm going to be late for work, so I hustle to get there. I pull in the parking lot at 8:07 and there are hardly any cars there, thinking nothing of it, I park and go in the building.

Humph, funny thing... the receptionist isn't at her desk, how odd... and there doesn't seem to be anyone around, maybe there's a meeting that I forgot about. I go upstairs to my office, settle in, eat my breakfast (yogurt and homemade granola.... yummy) and start looking through my e-mails. One of the other ladies whose office is down the hall from me pops her head in and comments on the strong feeling of a ghost town that seems to be pervading the building. I agree, and yet again go about doing my work.

Little while later, I glance at the clock on my computer and read that it is now 8:45... where are Kristen and Catherine (my two co-workers)? They are usually here by now, I mean it's a quarter till nin..... and then it hits me. It's a quarter till nine. I'm not supposed to be at work until 9, I was an hour early and didn't even realize it. Luckily, Catherine had an interview that she needed the office for, so I got to go home early... but really? I was an hour early for work! I could have slept more!!!

Anyway, I blame it on the fact that I have been completely exhausted all week. It seems like it has been non stop for the past two weeks. On top of the work that I've been doing for Community Friends, there have been these Vista requirements that I've had to get done as well. I've had my quarterly reports that were due two Fridays ago, and those things take days to complete, and then we had our 2 day monthly trainings last Thursday and Friday in Montpelier. On Saturday, we had an event for our mentors, on Sunday I had to finish my part of the project for MLK Day, and then on Monday, all the Vistas have to work the entire day. On Tuesday, I had 3 reports due to different agencies, Wednesday was the deadline for all the newspaper articles I've been writing, yesterday, I had to be at the Hilton at 7:30 for a breakfast, and then today, we had a huge meeting to debrief from the Holiday Giving Project that I helped out on.

It's going to be nice to sleep in tomorrow :P

For MLK Day, it is part of the requirement for Vistas to serve that day even if our sites are closed (which most of them are), so we all have to find something to do. I decided to team up with the CEDO Vistas (these are the Vistas that wor... i mean serve... for the city of Burlington) who every year hold a celebration in honor or the civil rights leader. There is a speak out panel, service projects and a huge free community meal. It was actually great fun and I enjoyed it a lot, despite my whining about it.

Instead of trying to explain what we did, I'll show you with a poem:

A Day On

by: Hannah McIntyre

‘Twas a day made to honor Doctor Martin Luther King

a day off of work to most people it did bring.

But for those who are called VISTA , this was not the case,

a day on, a day of service, is what we did face.

As my roommates lay sleeping all snug in their beds,

the sound of the alarm clock rang through my head.

With a terrible groan, I got myself up,

and went to the kitchen to get tea for my cup.

Back to my room, with a sigh and a yawn,

blue jeans, t-shirt and my AmeriCorps sweatshirt I donned.

Glancing at the clock, I realized I was late,

Plucked up my courage and accepted my fate.

Away in my car I flew like a flash,

Down to Contois on Church Street I made a mad dash.

Then what to my wondering eyes should appear,

but a room full of grey all there to volunteer.

There we all stood wondering what we should do,

when the VISTA leaders came into view.

Now Kecia, now Sarah, now Megan and Elana

Go Debby, go Ryan, go Emily and Hannah.

Lets get those signs up, lets get on the ball,

Now dash away, dash away, dash away all.

Like snow in a blizzard, we swept ‘round the room,

and the start of the event largely did loom.

Just as our patience was starting to wear thin,

the emcee took the podium, we were about to begin.

The speak out was first and the panelists were seated,

while the guests in the audience warmly were greeted.

The discussion was lively and thoughtful questions were asked,

and once they were done, we set to our tasks.

Around the community, folks gathered to serve,

and attacked the projects with much vigor and verve.

There was organizing done and new coats of paint,

cleaning and hammering without a complaint.

My job was to travel to sites during the day,

the work, with my camera, I hoped to convey.

After the work was finished and done,

back to Contois we returned for the fun.

Dinner was served and met with delight,

and we sat down to enjoy the entertainment that night.

Rick Polari sang songs and gathered people in,

while fellow VISTA , Lajiri, spoke about the color of skin.

A struggle we still face, to see one another

as all together sisters and brothers.

As I looked around at the people gathered there,

I thought about how people really did care.

Not everyone had a day off as it seemed,

this was what Martin Luther King Jr. had dreamed.

A day on, a day of service, is the thing that was right,

we were all there to fight the good fight.

And as Jay Kalu danced and played on their drums,

you could hear us all say, Go AmeriCorps we got this *censored* done.

you can find all the other pics online here