Day 31 – Richard Pearsall

My dad is cooler than your dad, just saying. Okay, so I know this blog is supposed to be all positive and that might have been mean of me, but really. Have you met my dad? He is the all-around good guy. He takes half the neighbors trashcans out, collects mail and newspapers when their out and mows their lawns when he knows they are having a hard time or are gone for the week.

Well today my dad was on the way to the gym when he got my text asking if he left yet. So he called me already halfway to the gym. He turned around at the next exit, went home, picked up some items and came over to my place just to give them too me. He brought me cough medicine, that mint rub for your chest and some fancy vitamin c drink powder (I didn’t use the later.)

I guess I’m much more of a daddy’s girl then I admit, but he is really cool dad to have. He is who I probably get the natural instinct of helping others, being active and chatting it up.

I remember him coaching soccer, leading some association and he even played on several teams. I also remember him coming to every game, competition and award ceremony I ever had. To set the record straight, the only extracurricular I have ever been decent at were karate and JROTC. When I played the final two minutes of a basketball game or two plays in football, he came. He came, he watched and he was proud.

My dad is one cool dude.

Day 30 - Linda from Aikido

I have a few international students that are in an aikido class with me and they are some of the coolest people I have met at UCO. Througout the night I was partnered with most of them at some point. Well, I won't focus on all but on Linda.
Linda and I were working on a self defense technique when I soon realized she is double jointed. Now I don't think there was a translation for this word but in either case, I was amazed at what she did with her arm.
Amazed as I was, I wanted to know a variation of the technique I could do for double-jointed people. So I took Linda over to the instructor and asked. Then I showed the girls (her friends included) next to us. Soon all the girls were giddy in this odd but interesting find.
At the end of class the instructor brought it up and soon the entire class was wiggling their arms trying to figure out how Linda moves the way she does.

What I'm trying to say, unsuccessfully I'm sure, is that this gal from another country took my public amazement with stride and good spirit.

She rocks!

Day 29 – Bryce Lumbert

So I may give my nephew a lot of grief but he is actually a really cool kid. I drove to my sister’s house to pick up some girl scout cookies (IF YOU NEED ANY HERE IS MY SHAMELESS PLUG, YOU SHOULD ASK ME OR COMMENT BELOW!!!) I saw Bryce and a friend shooting some hoops in the driveway.

Bryce was on one of those fancy skateboards that move side-to-side and was shooting hoops while on it! I asked him how hard it was and he let me try. Needless to say, I should wear protective gear for future attempts.

So although he didn’t do anything too stunning, besides let me try some of his gadgets I just wanted to spend my final minute bragging on him.

He is a ridiculously talented kid who probably never realizes this because we all give him such a hard time. (We are a very sarcastic family.) Although his passion seemed to be sports, videogames and movies he is developing into a well-rounded person. He plays cello is hoping to play for his school football and baseball team and he still makes time to hang out with his friends. Keep in mind, my sister and her family just moved and Bryce has managed to transition better than anyone and has made some new friends in the neighborhood.

So yes, I give him grief and yes he is pretty cool kid.

Day 28 - Joey Senat

There is a guy. His name is Joey Senate. He is one of the gods of journalism, specifically laws, in Oklahoma. He is always posting in the Oklahoma Collegiate Press Association Facebook group. Not only does he post but he is a pro about media because he replies. I know a paper's lab director and she posted a question about records and wether a particular situation was illegal or legal for her school to do. Mr. Senat within 24 hours replied in detail along with a recommended website.
Besides his events over Facebook, he is a genuinely nice person. There is a yearly conference and completion for Oklahoma student newspapers in I believe April. The conference following my friend's death was an emotional one. I had already graduated but was still close with the newspaper family. We found out he placed but would not know what until the actual conference. I told his parents and they wanted to go. Well neither them nor myself had registered but Joey let us register and waived our fees. Why? Because he is a wonderful man who respected where Ethan would have gone on to be and what would have been his role as the editor.

Day 27 - The graduate student who debates

Have you ever been sure of something but your friend disagreed? You start to explain your point and your friend begins to int erupts. Naturally you raise your voice, to make sure said friend clearly hears the point. 10 minutes later and you both are walking away while screaming at each other, point not made?
If so, you and your friend should work on some communication skills.

In my leadership ethics course there is one graduate student. Today we talked about JoPa, aka, Joe Patterno. I had viewpoints. He had viewpoints. We both shared our sides in an excited, but natural way. When we understood the why behind the point we found that we agreed on several points. Our views just varied.

Anyways, my point is we had a friendly debate and no one won nor did anyone lose. In a debate such as this, there is only listening and explaining. Next time your with your friends, family, coworkers or god forbid, your academic advisor, please take heed and listen, understand and hear what the other is saying.

Day 26 - UCO student volunteer

Volunteers are the essential, yet forgotten, part of many places. They are the ones who can step in with an outside perspective to better handle a situation. I saw a female UCO student come out of nowhere and help a little girl who was crying after she fell. This student is one of my fellow volunteers at a school I help with. She is consistently there and I merely help with the after-school program a couple times a week.
I won't lie, sometimes kids get to me, but so do adults and it is nice to have someone else who can handle one situation. This not only allowed me to watch my other kids but to handle the impending argument of whose turn it is at dodgeball.

So next time you see a volunteer, say thank you.

Day 25 - Rusty Surette

Today the UCO PRSSA had their first spring meeting. Usually the first meeting of any organization is lacking. This was different. The group wrangled Rusty Surette to speak. He is the Head of Communications at the Oklahoma American Red Cross of Central and Western Oklahoma. Mr. Surette is both comical and informative. I'm glad I decided to attend this meeting, it was definitely worth my time. Surette answerd my questions which began a chain reaction of thoughts to pour in.

So WHY is he on here? As a professional, he took the time out of his own day (which is very hectic) to speak with a group of college students. What better way to give back to your community than to educate those who will one day fill your shoes.


Has anyone experienced something similar?