My New Year's Resolutions

How has it been a year since my last blog post? First New Year's Resolution: Write more often! So much has happened and changed over the last year, but one thing remains the same as when I wrote my last blog post about a year ago....I had a mouse in my house! Again! But, in all seriousness...2019 has begun and, of course, I am caught up in nostalgia and reflection!

As a child, I always made New Year's Resolutions with my sisters, grandparents, and cousins. When we spent NYE together, Grandmother and Grandfather had us write down our resolutions (we did this even when we did not spend NYE together and we must have emailed our final resolutions to Grandfather or shared them over the phone or something). A couple of weeks into the new year, we each received a fancy piece of paper in the mail that had a combined list with each of our resolutions typed on it. (I now find myself wondering where my parents or Grandmother stored these papers...I am sure that they are saved somewhere).

I am quite positive that my resolutions as a child looked different from the ones that I make as an adult and often do not see through! So for 2019, I am trying to set realistic expectations for myself. I want to be my best self and so my resolutions will hopefully support me with that! This year, I plan to print my resolutions on a nice sheet of paper just like Grandfather and Grandmother used to do!

Caitlin's New Year's Resolutions: 2019...Year of Happiness and Health

1. Complete the January Whole30 and move into the rest of the year knowing how food affects my body. Develop a more positive relationship with food.

2. Practice patience.

3. Explore my faith more.

4. Find a place to volunteer and be a consistent and constant presence with folks in that place. Be an active citizen.

5. Read at least a few pages of a book and write at least two sentences in a journal (my Line A Day Journal) each night before bed.

6. Run some 5Ks.

7. Write and send more letters and blog posts.

8. Join a professional organization.

9. Enjoy some weekend trips.

10. Listen to podcasts.

11. Be present.

To a happy and healthy 2019 for all...cheers!

1 Year Later And...

 
     Facebook reminded me that one year ago today, I began my journey to Arlington. I was beyond ready to leave my parents' home and to be on my own, but when it came time to hug my parents goodbye, my tears would not stop flowing! I was scared. I was nervous. I was anxious. I was fearful about what it would look like to live in a place where I knew no one, how it would feel to live alone, and what it would be like to work a 9-5 office job. 

     Little did I know, I was in for the biggest roller coaster ride that would land me right here a year later. I often tease that I experienced so much alone time during my first few months in Arlington that I began having long conversations with myself! But, it is true. I was lonely and learning the ropes of a new job while also unbelievably excited to be living in Arlington. I ended up meeting some pretty amazing people who stuck with me on my roller coaster ride. 

     Now, one year later, I am living in the same basement apartment, have my CRV back in Arlington, and am working at a new organization! I began my time in Arlington (great thanks to a connection of a connection of a connection of a member of St. Andrew in Denton!) working as the Administrative Assistant at Leadership Center for Excellence (LCE). After three months, I was promoted to Program Coordinator. With the promotion, I ended up working many more hours and was also more hands-on. I developed great relationships while at Leadership Center for Excellence; both with coworkers and with community members. I gained new skills and enjoyed running the Center's Leadership Arlington Youth Program, which was very similar to Teen Leadership Troy (which I participated in before my Senior year of high school). After working at LCE for 9 months, I ultimately discovered that my heart was not in the work and I wanted to be in a direct service role working with a vulnerable population. I connected with a woman that I met during my time interning in DC and she informed me that she was on the Board of a startup nonprofit that works with vulnerable young women and that they were rapidly growing. She wanted to connect me with the Founder & President. Alas, I began my journey of interviewing for a role at HER Resiliency Center.

     One year after my move to Arlington to "change the world," I am settled in a role that I love and doing the work that I have been longing to do. I work as the HER Place House Manager at HER Resiliency Center in Washington DC. HER Place is a transitional home for women ages 18-24 who are experiencing homelessness. HER Place is home to 5 peers (as we call the women who are involved with HER Resiliency Center). I work odd hours, commute 25 minutes to work each way, and am always on-call. 


     1 Year Later and....

• I am living in my basement apartment where I battled a mouse last week! (Thank goodness for fantastic landlords who saved the day the next morning and parents who tried to console me on the phone at 11pm!) #adulting
• I know what it feels like to love and to be loved.
• I learned that making friends as a real adult person is really hard! But, I have friends in DC now!
• I survived being stuck in bed for three days with the flu (thanks again to great landlords who picked up my medicine for me, fed me for 3 days, and to wonderful friends who checked on me).
• I have learned how fun it is to live in a touristy city as I have seen many friends and family during their vacations! (If you ever visit the DC area, PLEASE reach out!)
• Arlington is my home and I have established a community of friends and families for whom I babysit here. But, I will likely move into DC (or at least closer to DC) over the summer.
• I am involved in with Arlington Commons, a local Methodist church plant, which is super neat and I call Pastor Kate my Arlington/DC minister (the first pastor whom I've called my pastor besides my papa!).
• I work diligently every day to make HER Place feel like the peers' home. If you feel like donating some necessities for the house, please think about donating through our Amazon Wishlist.
• I am surrounded by positive influences. I live in a wonderful city. I am quite literally living out my dreams. 

     My first year as a real person has had its ups and downs. I have experienced frustration and heartbreak. I have faced challenges. And I have most definitely learned that being a real person is not always fun. But, here I am...24 years old, exhausted, excited, and on a mission to affect change in the world, through kindness, justice, and love...one person at a time. Cheers!

Living My Best Life

Living My Best Life

I have not blogged in what seems like forever. As I clicked "New Post," I was reminded of the last two drafts of posts I have attempted to make. They are titled "Chronicles of {Unemployed} Caitlin" and "Revisiting My Roots." I have gone from moving onto the real world to losing an election, moving to Texas, and experiencing unemployment to living in my dream city (which also happens to be half a mile from where my Grandfather grew up and two miles from where my Grandmother grew up) and working a new and different job. 

I decided it is finally time for me to get back to blogging. Not only do I enjoy sharing about my life with those whom I love, but blogging also helps me to process who I am, where I am, and what I am doing with my life!

Living My Best Life: History

I learned about this commonly used hashtag #LivingMyBestLife and this phrase while talking to a friend of mine from college. We had been out of touch for a while and decided to chat on the phone during her commute home from her AmeriCorps job thousands of miles from where I am. Even though we had been out of touch, our conversation felt like home. I felt like no time had passed while also thinking "wow, I have to make sure that I do not fall out of touch with people in my life who are THIS important to me!" Not only was I reminded that relationships are vital to my life and that relationships need tender loving care, but that as friends and as humans in general, we need people with whom we are in relationship. We need people to remind us what living our best life means. We need people that we can call in the best of worst of times. My conversation with my friend reminded me that I need her in my life. Not only do I need her, but I need her friendship and our relationship and the gentle reminder that we are just humans who need each other and can work on living our lives together...living them the best we can.

Living My Best Life: The Journey

These days, living my best life means realizing that life is not perfect. I thought that the real world was going to be a spectacular and close to perfect place. I have learned that the real world is not at all perfect. I love my life, but working is tiring and sometimes the real world presents real life problems and I am now an adult who solves my own problems (well, after a phone call to Mom and Papa usually!). How can life be perfect when I am imperfect and I am working and living among imperfect people? Living my best life means taking each day in stride and remembering to be patient. I am living the "good life!" My life is easy, eventful, and fun. But even when it is easy, I find myself wandering into places of misunderstanding and frustration. Living my best life means recognizing that I am living a great life; I am beyond lucky and privileged, and it is okay to be frustrated and upset so long as I find a way to be positive and move forward. Of course, letting things go is not my area of expertise. So, I am still in the beginning stages of learning how to live my best life in terms of patience and moving on and forward after being frustrated! I am the only one in charge of what my best life looks like. So, cheers to being totally in control of my happiness and my best life!

Living My Best Life: New Best Practices

I have been working on ways that I can practice self-care and create good habits with my new life in Arlington. I will share some for y'all to see. Let me know if you have any other ideas!

- Working out every day (I joined a gym last week and I go to Fete Dance Fitness classes each week!)

- Meal prepping (I have gone from being the worst cook ever to being quite a chef! Of course, I am the only one eating my food so it is just my opinion!)

- Calendarizing (as my job calls it) my life

- Attending Sisterhood of Progressive Christians meetings

- Finding a church home (which I believe I have found)

- Engaging in a church home through a young adult group and activities outside of just going to worship services

- Volunteering (I am still working on this one, as transportation is somewhat of an issue on weekends in Arlington). But, I am beginning to volunteer with an organization that plays soccer with kids who have disabilities as well as signing up to register voters a couple of times a month.

- Reading the Bible every day (Rev. Mario has challenged me to this one)

- Babysitting because I love knowing families but also because it is nice to have some extra spending money!

- Becoming involved in the local library and specifically in their Spanish conversation classes (this is a goal and not something I am currently doing).

- Learning how to protest and stand up for what is right and fighting injustice. After all, I am in the capital city...it is time for me to get to work! (I am also just figuring out how to best do this).

Living My Best Life: Real World Realizations

As I mentioned before, the real world is great but it is also difficult! Being a real, grown-up is sometimes hard! But, my life is nothing compared to millions of people's lives in the United States and across the world whose real lives are constant battles filled with realities that I cannot even imagine. I am privileged to have the resources to choose to live my best life; my best life filled with church, brunch, trips to museums, and traveling to new places. We all have the choice to choose our happiness. But, we do not all have the same resources. And some of us have close to no resources. As I work to live my best life and to take care of myself, I cannot help but to think about my friends who face injustice every day or of citizens of countries who are in civil war or of all those who suffer. But, I do not know what to do about it and that is what I am beginning to focus on as I settle in in my new home. Please help me and join me in not just thinking these thoughts but in finding "action items" to help to fully understand and work to solve or at least combat some of the problems of the world.

Living My Best Life: Moving Forward

I have decided to live my best life. You have the opportunity to decide whether or not to live your best life. Our brothers and sisters living in the worst conditions of the world decide whether or not to live their best lives. So, join me: let's live our best lives. Let's work to be in relationship with one another because we all need positive relationships. Let's give our relationships the tender loving care that they need. Let's work on building relationships with those with whom we disagree. Let's be in relationship with those who need our love the most. Let's fight for what is right and stand up for injustice. #LivingMyBestLife #LivingOurBestLives 

Living My Best Life: Photos Edition

DC life is great because so many people visit! I loved seeing my cousins here!

Mama came to town. She worked on my apartment all day while I went to work!

Papa and Uncle Jeff drove 21 hours in a huge truck just for me!

Brunch at The Liberty Tavern

Monte Carlo Night Gala...I worked for 12 hours that day!

My Charlotte family came to visit!

Easter Sunday Brunch with young adults from NY Avenue Presbyterian Church

Aunt Betsy came to town for a weekend!

Onto the Real World

Onto the Real World      
     
      I have not posted in a while, but I want to update everyone about where I have been and where I am going.

- I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Queens University of Charlotte on May 7. Almost all of my family came into town, as well as many friends of the family. We celebrated at Leroy Fox (a delicious local restaurant in Charlotte) after graduation and had quite a crowd and a celebration! I loved being celebrated and was grateful to Rachel for sharing her birthday weekend with me for graduation weekend. Don't worry...she enjoyed world's best grits on her birthday on the 8th!

- I returned to Troy and worked at the Lincoln Community Center as the Latino Outreach Coordinator. I reached out to a new community of Latinos for the Lincoln Community Center and translated all of the the organization's forms into Spanish so that the Lincoln Community Center is close to bilingual. I learned so much about Troy and connected with the community that the Lincoln Community Serves. I only wish I had begun working with or volunteering with them many years ago and am so thankful to them for hiring me and teaching me during the last few months.

- During my time in Troy, I also saw my baby sister, Rachel Culp, graduate from high school and celebrated with our family at a French-themed crepe party.

                                    

- I also cruised with my best friend, Abby Coon, to the Bahamas as a college graduation celebration!

- I traveled to Warsaw, Poland as a leader of four, eleven year old children to a CISV Village from July 7 until August 4. I watched as my children, and 44 others from twelve different countries, grew, learned, and changed as they befriended children from other nations and began to understand new and different cultures. I also changed as I watched how the smallest influence can affect kids and change the world for years to come.

- Today, I said "see ya later" to my home church, my most favorite place in the world. My family will move to Texas in September, so I will no longer be returning to my home every holiday. I am forever grateful for my family at First Presbyterian Church in Troy and know that this church and this city will forever be my home.

- In three days, I leave to move back to Charlotte, NC where I will work for Hillary for America and the North Carolina Democratic Party until the Presidential election concludes. While I do not know many details of my position, I do know that I will be a Community Organizer and know that my job is very important for North Carolina! I am excited to be a part of history and to teach and learn from people who have views both similar and different from mine.

- After the Presidential election, I plan to move to Washington, D.C. I hope to have a job by then, but I think I will move there with or without a job (if anyone knows anyone with whom I can live, please send me their contact information!).

- My dream is to live in D.C. and to work at a nonprofit organization. I recognize that many people do not have the ability to chase their dreams because of financial instability or lack of other resources. I also recognize that I am privileged in so many ways and one of them being that I am able to chase this dream of mine. So, I will chase my dream, move to D.C. after the election, and hopefully begin to make my mark on the world. As many of you know, I do not do much without a detailed, outlined plan. I am hoping that this "chasing my dreams" mantra will not only teach me that my dreams are worth chasing, but I will also learn that not everything has to have a perfect, seamless plan.

As my family moves to Texas and as I begin my journey in the "real world," I am reflecting on the last seventeen years of my life, which have been spent in Troy for thirteen and in Charlotte for four years. Our move is definitely bittersweet and I will always be grateful and honored to be from Troy, OH and to have grown up as a child of FPC Troy.

Resume Updating, Cover Letter Writing,and Second Semester Senior Juggling

Resume Updating, Cover Letter Writing, and Second Semester Senior Juggling

Resume Updating:

Who knew that updating a resume could be so difficult? What do you need? I need the perfect, eye-catching verbs, a strong vocabulary, tiny spacing, a Microsoft Word space-configuring specialist, and transitional lines, bold, italics, and underlined words all placed dramatically and perfectly. I need to "wow" Human Resources folks with just my name, email address, and verbs, verbs, verbs. I am and will be selling myself through resumes for the next six months. I will use the strongest of verbs and straightest of bullet points. After all, the process is just beginning :) 

Cover Letter Writing:

Cover letters seem to be the warmer resumes. They highlight my knowledge of the organizations to which I am applying and highlight my written skills. They are ten times more difficult than resumes (at least in my opinion) because each cover letter is a blank slate. A classmate recently suggested I just "copy and paste my first cover letter into every job application." I replied "well, I want the perfect job for me right now and the perfect job for me at this point in my life is not going to come if I just copy and paste!"

Second Semester Senior Juggling

I am a little embarrassed to say that I am only enrolled in twelve credit hours. I have tons of extra hours and found it silly to overload my schedule during my last semester. So, I am giving 200% effort to the classes in which I am enrolled. I am also training for a half-marathon, babysitting when I get the chance, completing a capstone project with a local nonprofit organization (while doing extra volunteering with them), and interning at the Charlotte Bilingual Preschool. I am also looking forward to volunteering with refugees as they are resettled in Charlotte. What is senior year if you are not crazy busy?!

Real World and Real Person Ready

As I apply for jobs and complete every step that is required of me, I cannot help but to reminisce on the last 4 years (woah, 4 years!). College has given me the best opportunities of my life. College has allowed for me to grow, not only through my skills and education, but as a "real person." I often refer to working professionals as "real people." As a college student, I do not always feel like a "real person" because college life is the luxurious life! I will not always have maintenance to call and fix my dorm/apartment window, or only have classes four days a week and not beginning until 10:00am. I will not always be able to babysit in my free time and go out with friends after an evening of babysitting! Soon, I will be in the "real world" as a "real person." I know I am going to love my job and be doing work about which I am passionate. But, there is something to be said for the luxurious college life.

As excited as I am to enter the real world as a real person, and as much as I dislike doing homework for class these days, college has taught me more than I ever imagined. And for that, I am forever grateful (even though I am SO ready to be done!).

So, cheers to my final semester and to all seniors in college....the real world is coming quickly, so let's soak up every moment as second semester seniors (and soon-to-be real people!).

First run of the spring training season with Omega Sports

Queens Men's Basketball with my mentee

Senior Royal Ball

Preparing for the Superbowl alongside the Carolina Panthers

The Last Week....Wait, What!?

The Last Week...Wait, What?!

      

     I only have one week and two days left in Washington D.C. I am stressed and bogged down with tons of classwork. I am sad to leave my internship. I am excited about applying for jobs in the D.C. Metropolitan area. I am eager to come back and live here for a while so I can do everything on my to-do list! I am mostly in shock that this semester has gone by so quickly. I have never experienced a semester in which I was not a little (or a lot) homesick nor where I just wanted the semester to continue. But in D.C., I do want my semester-long internship to last forever!!

     I promise to post reflections and much more information once I arrive home to Ohio in two weeks. I had a very nice Thanksgiving break in Ohio and was able to relax and not do any schoolwork :) Now, onto interning, doing homework, soaking up the holiday season in D.C., and enjoying every last second of #LifeAsAnIntern in D.C.!

My awesome group for my Nonprofit Leadership and Management course. We work with a hypothetical nonprofit organization called the Springbrook Art Museum. We create everything that a nonprofit needs, but for our nonprofit!

Telemundo's Health Fair with Nueva Vida

One of my coworkers made gallo pinto just for me. I am really going to miss my job.

"Kiss Me, Kate" at The Shakespeare Theater

Meridian Hill Park

Worksgiving!

Maria's mom visited from Puerto Rico and made DELICIOUS soup and coquito...the Puerto Rican eggnog.

Maria and Me

My favorite place to eat lunch during lunch breaks is a tiny little place that has the most AMAZING crab cakes and all organic and local salads.

Latin Thanksgiving is the best Thanksgiving ever...complete with pupsas! I joined our survivor's support group from Nueva Vida for their Thanksgiving feast.

A chicken in my cousin's front yard. I loved meeting all of my O'Bannon family members during my trip to Culpeper.

Grandmother Helen and Grandfather Dick O'Bannon

Cousin Dot...the funniest lady on the face of this earth.

The view from a cousin's house.

Culpeper from the train station.

Alexandria's Harbor

Selfie with Dante

Loving the movie theater seats

Greene with Momma

I helped Mom teach Sunday School

No trip home is complete without....Santa?

Thanksgiving Selfie

Always make room for your best friend.

To the Woman Who Bought My Chai Latte:

To the Woman Who Bought My Chai Latte:

Thank you.

I do not generally stop by Ebenezer’s (a cute, local coffee shop) because I do not drink coffee or many hot drinks. Today, I stopped by on my way home from a day well-spent at museums. I wanted a chai to warm me up and prepare me for an evening of writing a grant proposal and working on homework. I walked in and felt a little dreary and tired from walking all day. But, you quickly turned my evening around!

At first, you thought you had gotten in front of me in line. Once I assured you that everything was fine, you listened to what I ordered, watched me dig my wallet out of my backpack, and then told the cashier that you would be paying for my chai. I was in too much shock to disagree with you. Then, you asked if I wanted food to go along with my drink. I politely turned you down, while saying “thank you” for what seemed like one hundred times.

Thank you for reminding me how important it is to be kind. Thank you for being, not only generous, but the friendliest person I encountered all day. Thank you for reminding the cashier and me that it was not a “pay it forward” action, but an “every once in a while, it is nice to be nice” action because everyone should be nice every once in a while (as you said your dad tells you). Thank you for making my day.

As I sipped on my chai during my walk home, I could not help but to think of you for the entirety of my stroll. Why was I so surprised that you had been kind? Why was I in shock that a person would generously purchase a young woman’s unnecessary chai latte? Why did you choose to “be nice” to me, as you phrased your action?

You reminded me that we are all in need of love, kindness, friendship, and generosity. As I pondered about your generosity and friendliness, I thought about what it means to be in relationships with people; what it means to love your community; what it means to be thoughtful; what it means to go out of your way to make someone’s day a little better; and what it means to just be nice.

What a better place the world would be if everyone had traits similar to yours! My chai latte certainly did not change my life. But, your kindness and generosity did. Often times, I only think about “helping” those who are visibly or physically in need (such as the homeless community, immigrants who need translation services, or people with disabilities, etc). Maybe, if more folks like me acted, toward everyone in the world, the way you acted today, there would be less violence, hatred, greediness, and unkindness in the world…maybe, just maybe!

So, thank you to the kind woman at Ebenezer’s. Your action prompted me to think deeply. Generosity and friendliness radiated off of you. Now, I am going into the world, thinking about you and the relationships and actions I make each day.

With Peace,

Caitlin

To my followers:

I had already drafted a blog post about all of my favorite places in D.C. But, after this occurred today, I could not help but to reflect on it immediately. Favorite D.C. places soon to come….

XOXO,

Caitlin

View of the Capitol from the Newseum

Laughing, as usual, with my favorite Nueva Vida volunteer, Liliana from Colombia.

Nighttime in D.C. with my roommate and some of the boys from Mexico

This is the Indian Taco from the Native American Museum's cafe.

Hanging out at the White House...thanks to the Newseum :)

Photo op with John Boehner

My most favorite place...Union Market in NoMa

D.C. trip to the National Zoo!

Nighttime in D.C. with some friends!

Halloween well spent in Baltimore as a pirate :)

The art of Baltimore

Inner Harbor, Baltimore, MD

Indian food from the cutest Indian restaurant across the street from my apartment

2015 High Heel Drag Race with a friend from Puerto Rico