travelin thru

As I'm reminded by fellow blogger Kassey, I am not good about updating my blog consistently. This is true. But in my defense, I have been so busy at work and haven't had my usual procrastination time (haha). However, things are actually back at a normal pace and I'm going to take advantage of this opportunity to give a quick update!
I went down to Orange County for three days last week for the first annual "Davis Girls Weekend" and hung out with my four close friends from high school: Ashley, Kate, Amy, and Susan. It was a much needed vacation and break from life. We shopped (I got some super cute tops!), we dined, we got Sprinkles cupcakes, we did a little hike around Crystal Cove, we went to a service at Rock Harbor, and most of all we just talked and talked and updated each other on our lives. I am so thankful to have these friendships in my life and I really cherish how we have all seen each other through a variety of life changes from our high school years into adulthood. We all need people in our lives who can reflect with us on where we've been and be excited with us for what lies ahead. I look forward to next year's girls weekend '09!

My job in student advising has been great, I really am enjoying the interaction with our Design students. Last week, the first week of spring quarter, was intensely busy but I think I'm getting the hang of things. Then there's my other role as the overseer of all the faculty recruitments which has kept me busy as well. But I really really enjoy coordinating all the aspects of recruitment and meeting all the different candidates. One of the faculty told me yesterday that she thinks the department should give me a "spa day" for all the work I've put into these recruitments, but honestly, it's one of the parts I enjoy most about my job so I think that's reward enough (and let's face it, with the UC budget cuts, I don't think they are going to be any extra perks for staff anytime soon).

This weekend I did "Relay for Life" with ADX and it was a very cool experience that involved 160 different teams setting up camp on Toomey Field and having at least one person from each team walking around the track for 24 hours straight. It's a metaphor for how cancer never sleeps, so therefore the fight to find the cure for cancer should not sleep either. I was there for an afternoon and a night shift, and it was so inspiring to walk around the track and see luminaries with the names of cancer survivors and victims and to realize that you were walking for these people. Another awesome part of the event was sporting the "Save the Ta-tas" shirts, designed by ADX alum Julia Fikse! A percentage of the proceeds from the shirts go to breast cancer research and the shirts are just so fun! Check them out here: http://savethetatas.com/

Ok, time for lunch! More updates to come soon....