Bemidji Day at the Capitol

I'm back on the blog after a long absence. I didn't disappear, but being sick and busy sucks.

Yesterday, Nolan Nicole , Cody, and I, along with about 80 others from Bemidji, attended the first ever "Bemidji Day at the Capitol".

It was an interesting experience lobbying with people other than just fellow students on a couple of different issues. And for us, it was a good warm up for MSUSA Lobby Day coming up on Monday.

We even made the front page of the Pioneer...80 Bemidji-ites clad in lovely plaid sweaters. Rock on.

Impressive, Interesting, and a Whole Lot of Fun

Upon reflection, that's the best description I can offer of my time with STLF following the DC Summit.

Having worked with, and on behalf of students on campus and across the state and country for almost four years, I have encountered all kinds...some ultra involved, some completely apathetic, and most in between. And in the last several weeks as I've done reading for lit reviews, I've seen that media rarely portrays the good students do...the media says we don't care, all too many community members believe we don't care...it's hard to get away from the stereotype.

Well, after spending a few days with the students of STLF, I am reminded that students DO care...it may not be political lobbying like I'm used to, but community service is something we really should be doing...as individuals and as a Senate.

309 students
8 buses
9 days
50-plus cities
Countless lives touched
Many friends made

And it's all done by students on a volunteer basis...no established budget, no staff help. Absolutely amazing.

Student government leaders are not the only ones out there...these kids are the definition of what student leaders should be. I am proud to have been there, if only for a short while.

PIF Tour Blog

For LOTS of info, stories and photos from the entire BSU/MSUM Pay it Forward Tour, check out the tour blog, which they've updated throughout the trip (including via cell phone...and I once questioned mobile blogging...shame on me!)

http://www.stlfbsu.org

On The Road...Near Indianapolis

It's currently 10:30 eastern and I am sitting in a YMCA near Indianapolis where we are spending the night...although I do not expect much sleep to occur.

The past couple of days have been WONDERFUL. The "Beaver Fever Dragon Wagon" is a great group of people who were immediately welcoming of another person for their DC project and return trip. Needless to say, my BSU friends and colleagues were fairly surprised to see me in their midst...as only 4 or 5 of the 40 people on the bus knew I'd be joining them. The project with the ECC (Cleaning a VERY dirty park) went well, and the closing conference was good.

They say this PIF tour changes everyone. Even in the short time I've been with them I can say it is a powerful event. I am grateful to Cody and Lisa (and Julie, their MSUM counterpart) for the invitation to join in the final leg of the event.

More reflection to come after I return to Minnesota.

Summit Wrap Up...and I'm Still Here

Lobbying Day 2 went well. Had a nice meeting with Betty McCollum and another with Mark Dayton. Both are quite nice people and very supportive of students, so the meetings were enjoyable.

Saw the rest of the group off at Union Station last night before heading to my hotel for the evening. A nice Best Western, but a rather iffy area of town. I safely made it to and fro, but likely would not stay alone in that area again if given the choice.

Today I putzed around for a bit, rode around and found this evening's dwelling. Presently sit in a Barnes and Noble/Starbucks across the street catching up on email. blogging, and working on a midterm. They arrive in about 3 hours, and I've been told the element of surprise surrounding my presence is generally intact.

Lobbying Day 1

Lazy day, one meeting with Sen. Coleman's office. Tomorrow will be a bit busier.

Answering Julie's questions...

-Scooter, and aside from having to travel 9 blocks to the nearest Metro stop with a working eleavator, itr has worked well.
-We know we missed the blizzard...it has been in the 70s here, although tomorrow is supposed to cool into the 50s...still warmer than MN.

Summit Update

It's Sunday afternoon and we have just finished the "conference" portion of DC Summit. This year, we had roughly 120 people from 17 states. We would really like to see more frojm other states next time (40 plus are from MN), but being that the Summit is only in its second year, it is still growing.

Had a good slate of workshops this year on a variety of topics. Did a lobby training game that students from the other states loved. We broke into teams and pretended to be from different states. I was on Team Maine, and while we were not victorious we had a great time.

This afternoon brings time to relax before lobby meetings on "the hill" interspersed through the next two days.

In DC

Well, after a long week and lots of preparation I am happy to report that the BSU Senate crew has arrived in Washington. Great keynote tonight and we are looking forward to some great sessions tomorrow. The only chink in the armor so far has been encountering a broken Metro elevator this afternoon.

I am going to try and blog daily this year on the trip, as I am lucky enough to have wireless in the hotel and a laptop along.

Getting Shorter...But Not by Much

To do before Wednesday Night...yeah, my timeline just got shorter...

SCHOOL:

• Lit Review-due Tues
• Stats Assignment for Tues
• Shakespeare Midterm-Mon and Wed (Half Done)
  

SENATE:

• Special Senate meeting: Tuesday@8

• Update contact and email lists--get info from Tessa
• Reminder email for Delegates sign up
  
• Make sure to get Tech meeting notes from C.
  
• Caucuses-7 pm Tues
• Send out book list stuff to faculty (NEW)
  

DC PREP/ OTHER:

• Email Participants (BSU)
  
• Do a sheet for stipends
• Do dishes
• Laundry
• Clean scooter up and put air in tires
• Practice dissassembling scooter
  
• Make sure room is vacuumed and trash is out
• Finalize personal plans

Now...to work on that lit review.

Busy Week Ahead

To do before Thursday...

SCHOOL:

• Lit Review-due Tues
• Stats Assignment for Tues
• Shakespeare Midterm-Mon and Wed

SENATE:

• SOAR Orientation Workgroup: Mon @10:30
  
• AA Committee Meeting: Mon@ 2 (That's Ac Affairs, not the other "AA")
  
• Special Senate meeting: Tuesday@8
• Update contact and email lists--get info from Tessa
• Reminder email for Delegates sign up
  
• Make sure to get Tech meeting notes from C.
  
• Caucuses-7 pm Tues
  

DC PREP/ OTHER:

• Work *Tuesday is timecard day CHECK
  
• Email Jessie
• Email Participants (BSU)
  
• Do a sheet for stipends
• Bank
• Target
• Great Clips
• Do dishes
• Laundry
• Clean scooter up and put air in tires
• Practice dissassembling scooter
  
• Make sure room is vacuumed and trash is out
• Finalize personal plans
  

Oddities

An Oscar-nominated song called "It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp"??

hmmm.

Update: the song won

Sad Day in the News

Another student at a sister university has passed away, the result of a drowning after a night out. I wish this were the first story of its kind this year, but it's not.

Be careful, and use the buddy system when going out. Not all tragedies are preventable, but this should not keep happening.

It's just terribly sad.