Intern Tina on the Road: Part 2 of 9

It’s a big deal for a millennial (people who are currently ages 14-28) to be unplugged. Ask any of us and I guarantee that at least 95% of us would say that we could not live without a cell phone or internet. It is my goal not to touch a computer while on vacation. I am at my parents’ house waiting to go to the airport, but I forgot my phone in Minneapolis… It’s so tempting to just leave it there. But I do want to get picked up from the airport. It’s interesting that people once were able to be picked up from the air port without a cell phone (I hope you can sense my sarcasm). Other than that, I have my Evolution Through Vacation guide, iPod (I don’t count it as a computer), sour patch kids, and I am ready for vacation!

Intern Tina on the Road: Part 1 of 9

I am SO pumped for vacation. This is my first time working a full time job and it is draining. I don’t know how adults do it AND maybe raise families AND maybe keep their social life. I am completely exhausted just after working. My whole summer so far has literally been: work forty plus hours a week, read the Twilight book series, and sleep. I know it’s sad, but I’m not inspired to do anything else. My life needs to be reinvigorated.

Happy Friday! Were you looking forward to a e>v-in-action report? I hope you were. I apologize for the delay; EvolutionthroughVacation.com has been going through its own evolutionary revamp. I’ve had my e>v-in-action report written in my paper blog (AKA a Moleskine journal that you see hipsters writing in) and am now transcribing them to you. Expect one blog post a day from my extraordinary vacation. My vacation was fantastic! It was very evolutionary!

Hi everyone!

I’m Tina, one of the two interns at e>v and this is my first blog post. This week, I am going on a much deserved, week long vacation in California. I will be blogging an e>v-in-action report about my trip! But I won’t be blogging live. I will be writing in my paper blog (aka my journal) and my e>v booklet about my trip and will transfer my paper entries to this blog when I get back. Why? Let me explain. I have dared myself to not use a computer for an entire week! No e-mail, facebook, twitter, or anything for me. I’m actually looking forward to it (being on a computer 40+ hours a week for the past six weeks may be the reason). Look out for the e>v-in-action report when I get back!

See you guys next week!

Tina

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?