I know you are all waiting to hear about the Civil War Re-enactment, but something very exciting just happened!

Let me preface, we all have something “lame” that we are proud/excited about. It is not lame to us because we think its exciting, but its definitely lame to other people. Think about your “exciting for you but lame for others” something before I tell you mine.

So my goal has been to have a famous person tweet me on Twitter. I have an odd fascination with fame. Probably because I don’t understand it. But anyways, my childhood television show was Full House. So on Twitter, I am following the actress that played Kimmy Gibbler on Full House. If you don’t know any of the terms I just used, imagine a cheesy television show from childhood and the token over-the-top character. So here was our conversation on Twitter:

TinaLeena07: @AndreaBarber Kathy Santoni: Friend of Frenemy?

AndreaBarber: @TinaLeena07 LOL! Friend, always.

OMG! So only a very select breed of people will understand what that conversation meant. If you do, I am proud of you. If you don’t, I too am proud of you.

AND I just got bangs! I haven’t had bangs since 7^th grade. It’s something new.

Lame, but exciting.

So moral of the story, get excited for simple things. Embrace your lame self. It’s a nice feeling. And remember, you are not lame.

Happy Friday! To celebrate Friday, you get 3, count 'em, 3 blog posts today! / I also wanted to wrap up the California blogs because so much more has happened since then that I would love to share with you (and sadly, I only have 2 more weeks of this beautiful internship)! So it may take you a few tries to get through these 3 blog posts, but you can do it! I believe in you!

Tina is getting hers

Intern Tina on the Road: Part 7 of 9

Since this vacation, I’m getting mine. (Getting what? My life.) When I got back from California, I didn’t think that the vacation would last even though e>v was saying that it could. It can’t be possible, I’m back in boring Minnesota and I have to work. Well, when I got home, my friend Nathan called me up to hang out. I was transitioning into normal life, and we were driving to rent a movie like usual when he asked if I’ve been to “Hot Sam’s” lately. I didn’t know what that was. He told me to take a right. I did without asking questions and we arriving to a few acres of land that seems like it would only be seen in movies. Words cannot adequately explain this place. Hot Sam’s is an “antique store” with not so average antiques. There are old circus carts, plastic pink flamingos, a giant submarine (that was only sold after being promised that it would never be painted yellow), baseball cards, and so much more. This is a picture of me posing next to one of the sharks from Jaws and a picture of me in an ancient jail cell. I’ve lived my whole life in this town and never been to this crazy place. Vacation can be anywhere. Old Tina that would just work and be a hermit crab is no more.

My life has been reinvigorated.

I saw the crap I used to eat before vacation (fast and cheap food) and made my first trip to the co-op for local, quality food. I went to a drive-in movie. I’ve gone out and met new people. Thrown a few dance parties, and tried a Lebanese French fry sandwich. Much more to come.

Things Tina has discovered

Intern Tina on the Road: Part 8 of 9

I discovered something interesting about my evolution through vacation.

My Hot Spots during prep (for those who have read this section in the e>v guide):

1. Play – North America 8 (Humor, Witty, Satire, Sarcastic, Entertainment)

2. Expression – Europe 8 (Free, Open, Variety, Easy to explore, Foreign)

3. Relationships – Asia 8 (Close, Respectful, Caring, Protective, Tight knit)

My Hot Spots/Chakras during re-entry:

1. Spirit – North America (Purple mountains majesty, Sweet land of liberty, Be grateful for being here and safe)

2. Health – Asia (loyal, roots, family)

3. Purpose – Europe (exciting, open personalities, adventure)

And my last three Hot Spots were: Play, Relationships, and Expression.

Before vacation, I thought my Hot Spots were ones that would help me please people. After vacation, my Hot Spots are ones that focus on me, and the continents stayed the same (I came up with my adjectives for “Spirit-North America” after listening to my Grandma’s stories about growing up in Vietnam and how I should be grateful for the USA). I was able to drop “Passive, People-Pleasing Tina” for “New and Improved Tina”. I hope New Tina sticks around.

Tina’s Life Mantra

Intern Tina on the Road: Part 9 of 9

An acronym one of my jobs lives by is “BUBIA! Be Unreasonable, Be in Action!” I have found my own spin on this:

“BUBIA! Be Unconventional, Be in Action!”

The End

Hey all ... Elissa here!

Check out chapter 9 from Hugh MacLeod's upcoming book "Ignore Everybody: How To Be Creative" ... (Click through to read the first 12 chapters -- the one below being one of our favorites...) Check it out!

9. Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.

You may never reach the summit; for that you will be forgiven. But if you don't make at least one serious attempt to get above the snow-line, years later you will find yourself lying on your deathbed, and all you will feel is emptiness.

This metaphorical Mount Everest doesn't have to manifest itself as "Art". For some people, yes, it might be a novel or a painting. But Art is just one path up the mountain, one of many. With others the path may be something more prosaic. Making a million dollars, raising a family, owning the most Burger King franchises in the Tri-State area, building some crazy oversized model airplane, the list has no end.

Whatever. Let's talk about you now. Your mountain. Your private Mount Everest. Yes, that one. Exactly.

Let's say you never climb it. Do you have a problem witb that? Can you just say to yourself, "Never mind, I never really wanted it anyway" and take up stamp collecting instead?

Well, you could try. But I wouldn't believe you. I think it's not OK for you never to try to climb it. And I think you agree with me. Otherwise you wouldn't have read this far.

So it looks like you're going to have to climb the frickin' mountain. Deal with it.

My advice? You don't need my advice. You really don't. The biggest piece of advice I could give anyone would be this:

"Admit that your own private Mount Everest exists. That is half the battle."

And you've already done that. You really have. Otherwise, again, you wouldn't have read this far.

Rock on.

Hey all! Elissa here. And I just got this email the other day from one of my favorite sites around these parts: TUTs Adventurers Club -- which offers these handy-dandy, super-cool daily notes from the Universe. Always, they're kookily right on and oh-so fun. (And very poignant.)

This one, especially, moved me into a space of intention for the new year. And I wanted to share. Insert your name in the blank ... how does it make you feel?!

When in doubt, Elissa, show up early. Think less. Feel more. Ask once. Give thanks often. Expect the best. Appreciate everything. Never give up. Make it fun. Lead. Invent. Regroup. Wink. Chill. Smile. And live as if your success was inevitable, and so it shall be.

Happy global domination,
The Universe

p.s.  Especially wink, chill, smile, Elissa!

Goosebumps, excitement, anticipation and toes-on-the-starting-block feelings over here! Let's go!

Hey all!  Gretchen here.

I've been thinking a lot about the spirit and momentum that has sparked the hopes and imaginations of so many in this country.  As Barack Obama is set to take office, I wonder what will come of that spirit and momentum.

Certainly, Barack Obama's intelligence and eloquence have sparked this shift.  More than this, though, is his belief in us.  He reminds us that we all matter.  We all have a role to play in moving our country away from the fear and disillusionment of the past 8 years and toward a future that reflects our goodness as a people. It is my great hope that people will embrace this vision, not just in theory but in practice as well. 

We are all a necessary part of this change and we are all accountable for the results.

This brings to mind a piece I read a couple of months ago in Ode magazine (it's true: I adore this magazine).  Frances Moore Lappe contends that we don't need more compassion and cooperation (we've got lots of both hardwired into us).  What we need is courage.  In 'cultivating gutsiness', we put actions behind our best intentions and make them real.

There's a great new video out there with celebrities offering up all kinds of gutsy pledges for what they will do in the upcoming days, months, and years--from smiling more to using less plastic to pledging allegiance to the funk (thank you Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers)--to bring about a better country and world.

How gutsy are you?  How will you cultivate your courage?

And, what's your pledge?