my trip to Tuscaloosa + another groovy way to help!

Hello blog-world, friends, family, and fellow prayer warriors! 


Let me especially thank that last group for the support you've sent to Alabama by praying for strength, comfort, and direction for the future.  I think it is safe to say after visiting the Heart of Dixie this past weekend that God has wrapped his arms around that state and is sending so many volunteers & servers to spread His love and I hope that love continues to bring peace and comfort to the many people who are still suffering, lost, heart-broken, and in disarray... as they will be for quite some time but with the spirit that is alive and well in that special place, I see GREAT things in store for the future of Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and the entire state and it's beautiful, gracious people!  I am SO glad I went this weekend. 


Seeing the devastation was the most uncomfortable experience of my life. With our load of donations from Central Florida in tow, Dad drove and I squirmmed around in my seat in every effort to find a place of comfort as I looked at my 'second home' in a complete and utter, tragic mess.  There wasn't much Daddy and I could muster up to try to explain what we were feeling.  All we could keep saying is, "it's nothing like it is on the news, which is bad. But being here and seeing this is WAY worse."  We just kept saying that over and over... needless to say, we know devastation on a completely new and heart-touching level. 


That place -- that special place -- where I have spent the last 5.5 years of my life and where I called 'home' from August 14, 2005 - December 1, 2010 (straight thru without ever coming home for a summer or anything) was and is forever changed.

Here are the photos I snapped while we dropped off the donations & supplies!

Here's the view from my front porch that I last lived at in University Village...

the neighborhood across the street (Rosedale Community) and the neighborhood adjacent to my last apartment dwelling (Forrest Lake) were completely destroyed and where several residents and UA students lost their lives.  Words cannot express my sympathy.

This was a humbling experience and I can't even imagine what it was like in the immediate aftermath and days following the huge tornado outbreak crisis.  It was AWFUL, and I was there a week and a half later.

The state of Alabama still needs your prayers!!!

Like always, though, I was able to see beauty even in the most tragic and ruined of places.  There is a spirit, an emotion that is so present in that town, and I know now that it's not just championships on the grid-iron that fuel that town's fire... that place is not only moved by the grumble of Bear Bryant's voice but the grumble of mother nature's fury and the path it left behind -- each bringing inspiration to future, but marking it's major spot in history - and both bringing a town, a state, and people of every race, religion, and background together...

and if that's an all-around beautiful thing and what the true spirit of God's word is!!!  I can't wait to see what God has in store for the future there and everywhere.  Sometimes (and I know this first-hand), you have to lose the life and the things you knew in order to find the life and the things that awaits you... and when it is something like a fire, or a tornado, an earthquake, or another form of nature's fury, you can find trust that it was constructed by the man upstairs for a purpose.  Somedays it will be hard to see that because the destruction can overwhelm us, but rewards await he who is faithful. 

Trust me.

I want to send a VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU to everyone that helped me in my relief efforts by bringing supplies, food, clothes, money, neccessities, and etc. to me so that I was able to make use of my pre-planned trip to Alabama and turn it into a service opportunity.  It is comforting to know that I am amongst friends, family, and a community that is so willing to help out others that are complete strangers... and on a personal level, it means a lot that they know how special Tuscaloosa is to me.  It may not be where my roots are - I am back living there, now - but it is where my branches formed, where I sprung to life as a young woman, where I fell, stumbled, and got back up again and where I learned to embrace myself as Baily.  I am proud and gracious that the Lord made me a server because I was gung-ho on giving back to the place that helped shape me and to the people who gave to me when I was in a time of need and suffering.  I love you Tuscaloosians!! And fellow Central Floridians - thank you for helping me shower T-Town with that love!!! I'm lucky to have been "made" by the experiences I've gained in both places.  I couldn't ask for anything better!  Orlando to Tuscaloosa LOVE!

Thanks, Dad for your help that day and for the moral support you always are.

Except, I think this experience - seeing "ground zero" in our favorite little college town - was just as shocking and life-changing for him as it was for me.  I am glad to have a Dad who taught me how to care for others first!  He is the most unselfish man I know and my Mom is the most unselfish and giving woman I know so it's no wonder they were a perfect match :)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you want to know how you can give to the relief efforts in Tuscaloosa in a REALLY nifty way?!?  CHECK. THIS. OUT.

This awesome blog is hosting a Blogger Baby Shower for the little tiny victims and their mothers in Tuscaloosa.  As a mother-to-be with a little sister who lives in Tuscaloosa (sound familiar!?!) she and other blogger-friends of hers are hosting this fantastic virtual party and I invite you!!!

Here's how it works:

Simply visit the baby registry that they have set up at Amazon.com.

CLICK HERE

Then, pick out what you'd like to donate! 

Amazon will automatically send and deliver the package to a church in Tuscaloosa who has volunteers that are assigning the supplies with the correct needs of each mother and baby.

By doing this, we are able to help the hundreds of mothers who are in desperate need of these basic neccessities in order to care for their infant.  Knowing what it is like to be displaced, without a home, and amongst destruction after losing everything - I can only imagine what it would be like to have to care for and worry about the needs of an infant baby being met when it is so often a struggle just to get back on one's own two feet. Pray for these mothers and pray for these babies!!

Items start at just $8.99 at this super-cool e-baby shower, so there is something for every budget!

Plus, by purchasing something to donate, you are automatically entered to win some pretty cool prizes (like a $50 giftcard to HomeGoods by The Insprired Housewife and a $25 giftcard to At The Picket Fence)

Props to these ladies for hosting such a wonderful baby shower and service project!

May God shower them with many blessings!

Peace & Love

Baily

be the change you wish to see -gandhi

"I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time.

Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult."

-E. B. White

No, but seriously.

Do you ever just have those days where you crave to make a difference?  Whether it be a need for serving others, lending a hand to a friend, propelling yourself into a full-on effort for social change, or whatever it may be... some days, you just want to do something for the good.  Then there are some days that you just want to sit on your bum and be a couch potatoe.... I love those days too.  But, I think God sprinkled me with an extra little sparkle that gave me a server's heart.  I've always been that way.

I love working with children - their smiles and excitement when they've achieved something that we take for granted.  Especially special needs children... if you know me, then you know that is where my heart and soul lies.  My prayers are endless for the livelihood of people with special needs and their families - I yearn for equality and acceptance and respect for everyone, and I shake my head at the brutal truth that our society still outcasts people and so easily hates and struggles to love one another.  I have a passion for the earth, too.  That's why this Earth Day - which is Friday, I am going to put my efforts into advocating for a cleaner, healthier world.  I love Earth Day, and  I wish people treated every day as if it were Earth Day.  This is God's beautiful masterpiece - look at the beauty that our humanity and natural evil is destroying every single day.

Like John Lennon said, "I really thought that love would save us all."  And when Jimi Hendrix said, "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." --- I agree with them.

So many days I wish I could go on a passion-filled rampage of advocacy, social-change, and start a revolution... but it's not always like that...

But I DO have a voice.  I DO have this blog.  I CAN make a difference - no matter how big or how small.  I DO realize that people appreciate my zest, my passion, and my newfound aliveness!  I am glad that "Baily" is back in action and ready to help others in their dark worlds... now that I have fought through mine and see the light again.  I want to spread the peace and spread the love.  I want to forgive, I want to love, I want to stay open-hearted... and that is what I plan to do.

I just want a world of happiness, and not so much hate, crime, disrespect, ugliness, and bitterness.  We have so much to be thankful for.  We have so much to cherish.  And in celebration of Earth Day we can always do the little things that matter most, conservation wise.

Who's with me?

peace&love

bjj

A...B...C...

THE ABC'S OF THIS FREEBIRD

because who doesn't dig a survey every now and then?!?

I got my hair done today, by the way...

A. Age: 23
B. Bed size: I'm a QUEEN!!!
C. Chore you hate: Vaccuuming!! Hate is an understatement.
D. Dogs: Millie :)

E. Essential start to your day: Caffeine - (Coffee or a Mello Yello or a Coke)
F. Favorite color: TURQUOISE!
G. Gold or silver: Depends on what it is. I'm a David Yurman girl so I dig the two-tone, but my future husband will know that I want a white-gold/platinum band for my bling! ;)
H. Height: 5'3
I. Instruments you play: Air guitar & I'm a pretty mean drummer on the dashboard!
J. Job title: Unemployed... I'm trying, y'all!
K. Kids: Someday...  But I have a little baby niece or nephew on the way!!!
L. Live: The Sunshine State
M. Mom’s name: Cheryl
N. Nicknames: Bear, Bob, B-Bop, Bee, and Queen Bee
O. Overnight hospital stays: When I was little, a few...
P. Pet peeve: Being ignored; people clicking pens/tapping feet when others are trying to concentrate; KICKING MY CHAIR AT THE MOVIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Q. Quote from a movie/show: 
"I know you think those guys are your friends. You wanna be a true friend to them? Be honest, and be unmerciful." -Lester Bangs, Almost Famous
R. Righty or Lefty: Righty! (But soccer-wise, I can strike the ball with both feet, just better with my natural right side!)
S. Siblings: I am the Little Sissy out of us two girls. Just the two of us. Spoiled rotten :)

But she married a super-cool guy named Tyler and gave me an awesome brother!
T. Time you wake up: I'm in the process of getting on a stricter sleep schedule and waking up earlier (so that when I do get that job I'll be able to be up and at it) so I'm trying for 8:30 but it's been 9 here lately.
U. Underwear: Victoria's Secret PINK collection.  I'm a boyshorts fan!
V. Vegetables you dislike: PEAS! Ewwwww.
W. What makes you run late: My Attention Deficit Disorder ;)
X. X-rays you’ve had: Teeth, MRI on my knee, endoscopys, CAT Scan.  I mean, come on... just check "all that apply"
Y. Yummy food you make: I'm the Queen of "dips" and "spreads" amongst my friends!

Z. Zoo animal favorite: ELEPHANTS! Roll Tide!  

Well that was fun! And way less annoying than the 200-question ones that used to go around AOL and Hotmail and all my other middle school email engines! Ha.

I love answering questions and writing down lists!

Is there anything you'd like to ask me?  I'm OPEN BOOK, so ask away!!!

CAN I ASK YOU SOMETHING?

Do you know how harmful it is to use the R-Word?

If you knew it hurt the feelings of so many creative & loving souls would you still use the word?  Or would you try to remove it from your vocabulary - like I have?

If you know me in "real life" then you knew how passionate I am about this campaign:

SPREAD THE WORD TO END THE WORD

at http://www.r-word.org/

would you help support this cause?

stop using the r-word & pledge!

today is national awareness day

THANKS, lovelies!!!

If you take the pledge you get

THREE (3) EXTRA ENTRIES

into my giveaway!!!!

PEACE AND LOVE

ALWAYS

BAILY  

GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh ya...

P.S.

I recently became obsessed with the creative rachel from rachel is a dreamer.

She is full of peace, love, and that magical kind of happiness.

I promise you will fall in love with her and her blog like I did!

She creates these groovy little prints:

So head on over to her Etsy Shop

and check out her prints of peace & love!!!

*the winner of the giveaway receives the print of their choice!!!!

giveaway will end at noon on Friday!

Winner will be announced this weekend!

to enter the giveaway:

visit rachel's etsy shop & leave me a comment telling me what you liked best!

for extra entries:

• BE A FOLLOWER OF MY BLOG
•  'like' the FB page for "peace owls and other lovely things"
• Tweet about the giveaway! (include @bailyjones)
• Blog about the giveaway!  

FOR THREE EXTRA ENTRIES!!!!

visit www.r-word.org and take the pledge to Spread the Word to End the Word!

Post the web link to your pledge and you will receive THREE extra entries!!!



today and always i am a server

"How far you go in life depends on

your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged,

sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak & strong.

Because someday in life you will have been all of these."

-George Washington Carver

"May I be medicine for the sick and weary.

May I be their doctor and their nurse until the sickness appears no more.

May I quell the pains of hunger and thirst with rains of food and drink.

May I be a torch for those in need of light, a bed for those in need of a bed,

and a servant for those in need of service."

-Shantideva

"You will find, as you look back upon your life, that the moments that stand out

are the moments when you have done things for others."

-Henry Drummond

"Love is the best friend of humankind,

the helper and the healer of all ills that stand in the way of human happiness."

-Plato

This past week I have been moved by a tremendous amount of things.

Some good, some bad, but all part of the game of life.

The good, though, has been to see the smiling faces of all the children I am around

throughout my coursework.  The children that are typically developing as well as those children with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, and those that have suffered traumatic brain injuries. I wish I could express the JOY they bring me.

It's indescribable the amount of love that can pour in and out of a classroom when you see it from somewhere that is geared toward hope, awareness, and service for these children.

To have a four year-old little girl in pigtails and a pink, hand-smocked dress climb into your lap and twirl your hair everyday is a feeling unlike any I have ever experienced.

Her almond eyes melt my heart and her little hands, with their simian crease that her extra chromosome caused, are always so gentle and loving. It is no wonder that she pours out her love for me, she is surrounded by love at home, school, and with friends.

That is why I have a hard time understanding why people refuse to serve, love, and - sadly enough - even treat equally, our neighbors with disabilities.

Hard-headed politicians look for all the answers to the world in foreign policy, immigration laws, and taxation practices but they never think that maybe it will all fall into place once we implement the golden rule into our societies:

treat others as you would want to be treated

because if ever one of my friends calls out to me for help, I want to touch their heart like my friend, the little girl with Down syndrome, has touched mine

"miss baily, if the fire still has all of your stuff, you can borrow my things"

I just smiled and tears ran down my face.

How could one not love a life like that? Much less, how could one not think a life

like that is deserving of being in this world?

We spend much of our lives focusing on people and relationships and friendships that end up amounting to nothing in a time of need. But yet, we ignore those indifferent from us because we are unaware of what really makes a child with special needs special! 

Just because God created an individual with an extra 21st chromosome and a predisposed development that is slower and less autonomous than his or her peer, does not mean He didn't bless that child with the same amount of love He did us.

Quite more, actually.

That's what makes children like that so sPeCiaL - the enormous amount of God's love that she expressed to me in a way that holds much more weight than someone sending a text message saying 'I'm here for you' which turns out to be a lie in the end.

So maybe that's why I feel inclined to raise the awareness of Down syndrome/trisomy-21.

Amongst other things, we should all be aware of the blessings that come from being unignorant, inclusive, and non-prejudice. More generally so is that God teaches us to love all of His wonderful creations and to find the richest fulfillment in life is to see the beauty in all things.

And trust me, if the big, compassionate eyes weren't beautiful enough, and if the simian-creased hands weren't God's own 'artist mark', then the beautiful soul that spoke out of her need to be of service to others, is very much so a sense of fulfillment that I look forward to go out an seek on my future endeavors.

I'm glad that many years ago, I was made

AwArE

of these exceptional lives and the goodness of their mere being.

peace&love

baily

a song called lochloosa and lochloosa sounds like my home.. for florida...

Lauren and Whitney bought me some suprises when they were in Seaside, Florida over the 4th of July Weekend. Supposedly there's this new record store there that I hear I would "just looove!" and they brought me a couple teases home. They bought me the Michael Jackson 'Thriller' album, Janis Joplin's *ORIGINAL PRESSED* 'I Got Them Ol' Kozmic Blues Again, Mama!' album, and the JJ Grey & Mofro 'The Choice Cuts' album.

The JJ Grey & Mofro album was one I had never heard before (the Michael Jackson and Janis Joplin albums came out obviously several decades ago so I've given my ears a listen a few times on each of those). But the 'The Choice Cuts' vinyl is already well-loved by me.

It got me through a pretty treturous week of studying for that killer Social Psychology exam. But I just got home from it, and I rocked it's gypsy soul. I really do like this lecture, and the material is enough basic theory that I can apply my previous knowledge to it, but it goes into depth in the social and cognitive domains of psychology and there's always a bold-fonted key term in the textbook that I don't know, so it's been pleasantly challenging. I stop there, and go no further, because the last thing I need is to say that and then completely _beep!_ myself when the next two exams are the pit-fall of ever being both pleasant and challenging and becomes HELL.

But I love this album because there is a lot of Florida heritage that are written in the lyrical component of this different style of music. It's swamp-folk and country-rock and a little bit of jazziness mixed with mountainy bluegrass strings. I can put it simpler, into two words: I DIG. (I have even facebook-statused some of the lyrics about my beloved swampy sunhine state!)

Here are some of the lyrics I just love and this new band of interest for me definitely gets a high five for singing some good tunes about the very misunderstood nature of my homestate...

FLORIDA!

Homesick but it's alright / Lochloosa is on my mind / She's on my mind /

I swear its 10,000 degrees in the shade / Lord have mercy knows - how much I love it /

Every mosquito every rattlesnake / Every cane break - everything //

Every alligator / Every black water swamp / Every freshwater spring - everything //

All we need is one more damn developer taking her heart out //

All we need is one more Mickey Mouse / Another golf course another country club /

 Another gated community // Lord I need her /

Lord I need her // And she's slipping away /

Homesick but it's alright / Lochloosa is on my mind /

She's on my mind / She's on my mind

-JJ Grey & Mofro 'Lochloosa'

guess what I DID recently that caused me to miss the good ol' days?? 

i t . i s . w h a t 

 m y . f r i e n d s . d i d

a l l . s u m m e r . l o n g 

w h i l e . g r o w i n g . up 

a couple weeks ago Chaceface and I went N a little ways up the interstate to Smith Lake and enjoyed a day of laying in the water on a raft. Not just any raft. The kind of raft that is considered some prime real-estate on Jones family vacations. A couple cold beers, my boyfran, and a weeks worth of stresses being deferred so that I could

.e n j o y.

.m y.

.S U N D A Y.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was really quite amazing and much, much, much needed!

I wigged.. and I mean WIGGED out when I jumped off that dock into dark and unknown waters and let me anxieties get the best of me as I splashed and cyclopzed around and up that ladder back onto the dock. Chace got quite the kick out of it and intead of saying,

"No, Baily... we're not in Florida - you can swim in lakes, no alligators!"

like a good and compassionate boyfriend would and instead said,

"I bet you someone bought a pet alligator like a dumbass and has let it go in this lake once it got too big and now it's breeding out of control and bringing alligators to my lake!"

Seriously? What.the.heck....???

Could he have not let the fact that I am the MOST-GULLABLE girl he's ever met in his entire life refrain him from saying anything, because by the time I could get me and my not-so-nineteen-year-old-body (complete w/my newest version of big-woman-curves) out of the water, I had already convinced myself that this lake-neighborhood is made up of a bunch of imbeciles with stray pet alligators, which are in a breeding frenzy right below me in

 my very unfamiliar and horribly uncomfortable area of unbeknownst dark lakewater.

I finally warmed up and we enjoyed our day hanging out on the

S H O R E L I N E

o f . a

f r e s h - w a t e r

L  A  K  E

a n d . n o t . h a v i n g

t o . w o r r y . a b o u t . a n y

A L L I G A T O R S

l i k e . w e . h a v e . t o

w o r r y . a b o u t . i n 

t H e . S u N s H i N e . s T a T e

Come see us in Alabama and Florida!

We've got pretty lakes, but it is our beaches that really need your everyone's help!!

The Gulf Oil Spill is staining our very beautiful and much-loved white sandy coastlines.

Our tourism is bruised.Our wildlife are in danger.

And the spirit of those perfect Southern summers still linger,

but it's hard to feel the free-spirited charm of 

O L D  - F L O R I D A  

because of the brutal reality that there is a spilled and spewing detrimental disaster sittingvery unwelcomed in her panhandle's harbors. Just above

the Land of Sunshine and in the Heart of Dixie is the

S T A T E   of   A L A B A M A

where all the well-mannered and good-souled folks are breaking their backs to help out their country, their state, and their fellow Southerner, despite the bitter reality of the unwanted spill of darkness that masks our waters and plagues our shorelines.

message me and tell me how you have contributed to the relief efforts in wake of the BP Oil Spill

i may (or may not) have a personalized

Expressive Journal: starter-kit that i put together to give-away

to ((someone)) who appreciates the things that I appreciate, like:

advocacy, peace, love,

unity & community-service

THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT A TYPICAL BLOGGER "GiVe AwAy" THAT YOU MAY SUSPECT

NOPE - NOT WHATSOEVER

BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE COOL TO HEAR OTHER'S STORIES OF

NATIONAL//or// STATE//or//COMMUNITY//  VOLUNTEER WORK!!!

*if no one wants to share their story by leaving me a comment, then I will use this time to be up on my soap-box  advocating service oriented and volunteer work  EVERYWHERE, especially with the Gulf Relief Efforts

BUT I THINK YOU WILL LIKE SOME OF MY  IDEAS FOR MY OWN LITTLE WAY TO (INEXPENSIVELY) GIVE BACK TO THE SOUTHERN-COASTAL ECOSYSTEM, THE LOVE AND COMFORT THAT THOSE SaLtY SHORES AND CrYsTaL cLeAr WATERS

 GAVE ME OVER THE YEARS ON THOSE CHERISHED FAMILY VACATIONS

AND ON ALL OF  THE PREPPY, COLLEGE, SPRING-BREAK WEEKS THAT  I SPENT IN

destin, florida . gulf shores, alabama . panama city beach, florida

and

 orange beach, alabama . pensacole, florida . marco island, florida

"at the Bama Breeze, you're one of our own down here, you never drink alone down here, good God I feel at home down here." -Jimmy Buffett's ode to The FloraBama

Oh ya, P.S. I think everyone should go see "GROWN UPS"

because it reminds me of how awesome those summer weeks were when my family

(along with any other family or families we were summer-vacay-ing with)

w o u l d . p u t . t h e . w o r d

F  U  N

☮

i  n t o . t h e . w o r d 

d  y  s  F  U  N  c  t  i  o  n  a  l

will write more on my next study-break!

it helps me vent... thank God!

☮Peace ☮

and

Love

 - bjj -

Day Eight - a photo that makes me angry/sad

THIS PHOTO MAKES ME SAD BECAUSE IT REPRESENTS MORE THAN JUST A BUM ON THE STREET.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

 THIRTY PERCENT OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION IS FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN?

NINE PERCENT IS MADE UP OF U.S. VETERANS

 WHO RISKED THEIR LIVES IN SERVICE FOR OUR COUNTRY?

ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT, TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND VETERANS ARE HOMELESS.

TWENTY-SIX PERCENT SUFFER FROM ADDICTION?

SIXTEEN PERCENT SUFFER FROM MENTAL ILLNESS?

THE AVERAGE TIME A FAMILY REMAINS HOMELESS IS

 EIGHT MONTHS?

COULD YOU IMAGINE NOT HAVING A BED TO SLEEP IN, A TUB TO BATHE IN, OR A TABLE TO EAT AT SINCE LAST AUGUST??

THREE MILLION PEOPLE EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS?

FIFTY-EIGHT PERCENT ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND SHELTER.

BUT, THAT LEAVES FORTY-TWO PERCENT THAT GO UNSHELTERED.

ONE OUT OF FIFTY CHILDREN

IN THE UNITED STATES EXPERIENCE

HOMELESSNESS.

THAT IS ONE AND A HALF MILLION CHILDREN.

YOU CAN HELP IN HOMELESSNESS BY CAREING!!!!!!

C - Contribute (food, money)

A - Advocate                                  

R - Reach out (volunteer)        

E - Educate                                    

 visit the National Coalition for the Homeless by clicking here.

     

Other ramblings.... The week of April 18-24, 2010 is National Volunteer Week.  This signature event of the Points of Light Institute celebrates ordinary people doing extraordinary things to improve communities across the nation.  As many of you know, I volunteer many hours a week to the Tuscaloosa and University of Alabama communities by assisting The RISE School (click here to view).  I also volunteer advocacy, education, and awareness efforts to The National Down Syndrome Congress' campaign "We Are More Alike Than Different" (click here to view) and The Special Olympics and Best Buddies International "Spread The Word To End The Word" campaign (click here to view). 

On Thursday and Friday of next week I will be volunteering at The Gene Stallings Golf Tournament benefiting The Rise Program at Ol' Colony Golf Course in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 

I encourage everyone to become a part of National Volunteer Week.  It really is a nation-wide effort to be at the center of social change by collectively making a positive impact in communities all over.  I know that sometimes it seems difficult to find room in our already busy days (trust me, my little "student planner" is filled to the max almost always) but when you see things as a collective force, even an hour or two of volunteer efforts makes a really BIG difference.  And look at it this way, you won't be the only one doing it.  It's a national effort... so don't miss out!

Oh! One more thing.... I ought to inform any of my classmate reader's about The University of Alabama's Green Week, ALSO next week April 19-24.  In celebration of "Earthday" which is April 22, the SGA and other student organizations are sponsoring the week-long celebration of National Volunteer Week and Green Week. 

On Monday, a showing of A Bug's Life will be on the quad.  On Tuesday, on Doster Hall's lawn there will be a fashion show featuring sustainable clothing.  On Wednesday (Sustainability Day), there will be displays and information sessions on recycling and other environmental initiatives around campus.  On Thursday (Earthday), there will be a tie-dye workshop at the Ferguson Plaza where you can bring a t-shirt to tie-dye or $3 to buy an already created tee of your liking.  And on Friday, bring your bicycle to Denny Chimes at 4PM to be a part of the mass ride that will aim to promote cyclist safety and awareness between cyclists and drivers in the community. 

Alright, that's all for now.... I hope everyone has a good week this week as you plan your festivities for National Volunteer Week and Green Week that begin a week from today! :)

PeAcE&LoVe&GrEeN

Bjj