At the beginning of the month
Kriti brought me business card paper and I printed off a little over a dozen
business cards. I gave one to Levi, one
of the volunteers who was in study hall on Wednesday. Two days later I got back my paper for my
Valuing Differences class and got seventy-five out of eighty points. I was thrilled. That day I went down to the Rec Center and
did some rock climbing with some other THRIVE students. It was the highest I have ever climbed in my
life. Afterwards several THRIVE
students, some volunteers and myself got ready to go down to the Union to see
comedian Geoff Keith perform. I gave one
of the volunteers, a social work major who I just met that night, a business
card for the UCM Autism Spectrum Support Group. Then we walked down to the Union and saw Geoff Keith. I thought he was really funny as did everyone
else I went to see him with.
This first weekend I started
working on a paper due next Thursday for Valuing Differences class. It is about my response to watching a video
of Fred Phelps's picketing funerals. It
is supposed to be two to three pages long. I almost finished the second page.
On the second Thursday of this
month I heard about an event taken place called the Asia Project where a poet
who survived cancer told his story through poetry which he dreamed of doing
while he was working in a dead-end job. It was being held in the Union at seven o' clock. When I got to my
Valuing Differences class however, I found out my roommate Jack might need some
help with his response paper so I offered to miss the Asia Project to help him
with his paper. Then Mr. Ciafello, the
Valuing Differences teacher, said the Queers and Allies of UCM who were
originally going to speak to our class that day were instead going to speak
this Thursday, so the due date on our paper was next Tuesday.
I got done more of my Plato Math
after Dr. Downing reset some things some I could get back on that day. I read for Mrs. Carter's Freshman Seminar
class the chapter of our textbook called Maintaining
a Healthy Romantic Relationship. After reading it I decided that, even though I think I might love this
one girl (and I actually might) I should explore other romantic possibilities
before deciding to see her exclusively. I realized this may lead me to appreciate whoever I date even more. At seven o'clock, Jack and I went to see the
Asia Project where the poet read poetry while his brother played a guitar in
the background. He said something to me
that to me was inspiring, that there is no worse critic of you than yourself.
The next day I was walking by
the Union and I bought a bracelet supporting Cancer research. I went into town with Jack and I went to
Walgreen's to get some soap and shampoo. When I went down to Walgreen's I saw that they sold Barnes and Noble
gift cards which would allow me to shop online. I went down to Walgreen's to get a gift card and get some embroidery
floss to make friendship bracelets, a favorite past time of mine, the next day
and on my way I saw Cassie in her car. She called out her window and asked if I wanted a ride and said that she
was also going to Walgreen's. I went
down there and got my Barnes and Noble gift card, even though I couldn't find
embroidery floss, and enjoyed talking to her to and on the way back from
Walgreen's. I went online when I got
back to the dorm and ordered three books on barnesandnoble.com. After I ordered the books I went back into
town and found an art store where I bought several lengths of embroidery floss
for only sixty-nine cents each and since I was a student, I got a discount.
That Saturday I went bowling
with the THRIVE program as well as several other students who are served by the
Office of Accessibilities. I also got
the idea to sell the bracelets I made for the THRIVE committee
fundraisers. The next day I saw a notice
for a THRIVE Christmas party on November 16th. It was being held on that day so that Kriti could be there since she was
going to see her family in India this December. I talked to Kimmie about the friendship bracelet making that night and
she thought that was a wonderful idea.
The next day I finished my
Valuing Differences paper and took it down to the Student Success Center where
I got some help from a writing tutor in making it flow better. I also heard that an outing is being hosted
for the THRIVE program where there will be archery, tomahawk throwing and a
make-your-own meals cook out. I went to
see Teresa the Person Centered Planning counselor and got my session
rescheduled. However it turned out I
ended up e-mailing her back saying I couldn't make it when she asked me whether
the mandatory Old Drum bus tour I thought I had, would interfere with going
there.
I went to this outdoor campsite
with the THRIVE program that is owned by UCM. I cooked my own pizza (two buttered pieces of bread with pepperoni and
cheese in the middle. I can't stand
sauce) and I did archery and cooked smores. An hour after that I went to the THRIVE Christmas party. There I saw the THRIVE students, Ashley,
Cassie and Lindsey and another volunteer who I had not met before. We played white elephant and I ended up
getting a word search book. I also met
the new volunteer whose name was Emily and I heard Cassie sing when she, I and
Tyler and Zach from THRIVE sat down together at the party. She had a beautiful voice.
The next day I went to see Dr.
Downing, the THRIVE director, and I got my classes figured out. Next semester I will be taking an American
History course and a Creative writing class. Then the THRIVE students and I went down to the TV lounge and did a
scrapbook of our activities.
The next day my mom picked up
Jack and I and took us home. That Sunday
I worked from 12:30 to 9 at my job sacking at Corinth Hen House grocery
store. The next day I went to Michael's
Arts and Crafts Store and got some bobbins for my friendship bracelet
making. Then the next day I worked at my
job from 12:30 to 9 again and after that I saw my friends Daniel, Stephen and
Riccardo who I went to high school with. It was Stephen's birthday and she had just flown in from
California. Then the next day I worked
at my job from 10:00 to 7:30. I had a pretty good Thanksgiving on Thursday, and then
on Tuesday I went back to school. I
would come back home on Friday, December 2.
When I got back I finished the
paper work to take my credit courses next semester. I finished my final paper for Valuing
Differences. I got back my last paper on
which I got one-hundred percent and I got back my test for Freshman Seminar on
which I got a ninety-five percent. I
also went down to the Union where I ended up sitting at a booth where I made a
Christmas card for our veterans.
On the last day before the
holidays the THRIVE students and staff went to Mazzio's pizza where awards were
presented to THRIVE students. I got an
award for 100 activities completed in Plato Math, for completing Plato Math
Units 1, 2, 3 and 4; for all fours in accountability and participation in
class; four one-hundred percent attendance in Person Centered Planning; and the
Bookworm/Journalist award. After Jack
and I packed up, my mom came and picked us up and took us home.
top Comedian Geoff Keith performs
middle Poet Asia reads
bottom Rock-climbing
