2015 Resolutions

As promised, here are my actual new year resolutions:

• Volunteer my time at least once a week. Whether it be a local organization or just time helping friends or family, I want to spend my time wisely.
• Explore someplace new. Both Portland and the greater Tacoma area are perfect places to find little nooks and crannies full of gems. Not to mention all of the other places in the world I have not been yet.
• Continue learning. I will graduate sometime in May with a BSN and will take the NCLEX in June/July, but I will not stop learning there. At this point, I do not know what I want to learn, but whatever it is I will share it. Of course, this includes in part my goal of reading 52 books in a year.
• Write more consistently. Blogging weekly is a goal, as is finally accomplishing NaNoWriMo. I am hoping to send more letters this year – everyone loves a handwritten letter!
• Last but not least, I want to relax. My anxiety level has continued to rise the last few years despite my attempts to assuage it. I hope that this year, I can finally learn to control my anxiety better and be a generally more easy-going person.

Whether or not I accomplish my resolutions, they are now set in place. Hopefully in December I can reflect on the year and see how I have changed.

What kind of resolutions are you thinking of or would you ever consider committing to?

2015 New Years Resolutions

I do love good lighting. Wintertime is the best time for mood lighting – and what better way to light the mood than by stringing white Christmas lights up everywhere?

My new years resolutions are based on six characteristics I would like to foster in the new year. The chosen characteristics are ones that I may have but are underdeveloped or ones that I feel I lack entirely. I have written resolutions based on the characteristics I want to exemplify – and some things I just want to accomplish.

The six characteristics are as follows:

1) Patience

One can never have enough patience. This year especially I have noticed how my patience has grown and how much I still need to improve.

2) Trust

I have been challenged more than ever to be trusting of others in my professional and personal life. I hope that in the next year I can develop a sense of trust that will enable me to care for my loved ones.

3) Wisdom

Of course, this does not simply mean “learning.” It goes without saying that my education will not end when I graduate next May. I want to develop the wisdom that comes from experiencing joy, tragedy, love, and laughter. I hope that this next year I can truly devote myself to the relationships I have previously nurtured.

4) Faith

My faith journey is a very long and twisty one. I hope that in the coming year I can foster good habits in my prayer life and pass along only the best for my friends.

5) Courage

This one is a difficult one to explain. While I may be able to advocate for my patients, I want to develop my own sense of courage. I want to be able to withdraw from relationships and revoke bad habits that hold me back from becoming the best person I can be and providing the best care I can as a nurse. This will be especially beneficial as I progress in my nursing career.

6) Compassion

The above being said, I hope to have the compassion to understand others and develop relationships that will benefit others. I want the compassion I develop to transfer to the patients I care for.

Now I know this post does not necessarily cover my new years resolutions themselves but there will be another post coming that will cover them. Although, I’m curious as to what others’ new years resolutions are… Two of my more practical ones are to exercise more regularly and finally learn how to snowboard.

AIDS Walk 2014

Yes, I am participating in the Cascade AIDS Project (CAP) annual AIDS Walk. This year, however, I walking as a member of the Linfield team.

Last year I volunteered at the AIDS Walk as a way to integrate myself into the greater Portland community (as well as familiarize myself with my surroundings) and found myself being welcomed into a wonderful community of people who also care about the health and well-being of others. Now that I have succeeded in both joining the Portland community and in making Portland my home away from home, I want contribute more to CAP. 

By participating directly in the AIDS Walk, I am helping raise funds for an organization that directly affects the health of many people in the Portland area. CAP has multiple programs that help with sheltering, training, educating, and supporting those affected by HIV/AIDS. Without the help of organizations like CAP, healthcare providers would have much more to worry about. 

As a future healthcare provider, I want to be involved in responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. My hope is that you will support me and the Cascade Aids Project in our efforts to serve those with HIV and AIDS. Please consider making a donation on my behalf and help me reach my fundraising goal of $200. In addition, please pray for all those affected by HIV/AIDS.

For more information about Cascade AIDS Project, please visit www.cascadeaids.org.

To make a donation on my behalf, please visit aidswalkportland.org/livfragoso.

November Updates

First of all, there are several exciting opportunities that I have taken advantage of that I thought I would share:

 

1. I will be participating in the 5K Mustache Dash in Portland in a couple weeks. If you have any ideas for how to make the best mustache or the best costume, please comment below!
2. I will be officially volunteering for the American Red Cross as a blood drive ambassador.
3. I will be attending the show Ajax in Iraq which my dear friends are performing in.

 

Those are the only events I have allowed myself, despite my efforts, with the next few busy weeks of the term. In the meantime, I will be performing several momentous lab evaluations and completing four critical papers and two crucial exams. Oh, and writing a novel. No big deal.

Portland Marathon Volunteering

The event of the day was the Portland Marathon – people gathered from all over to complete the 26.2 mile marathon covering an expanse of Portland and crossing the Steel Bridge twice. It was a memorable day for friends of mine who were attempting the marathon and it was memorable for me to be at a race of that caliber for the first time. Although I was only a volunteer, I was qualified enough to be placed at a medic site.

 

 

I was initially peeved about my placement – the volunteer coordinator had placed me downtown in a shift that would have allowed me to participate in the weekly book club session with my mother and sister, but changed the mile marker and times last minute. According to the updated placement, I was to be across the bridge in an area of Portland I was not familiar with at a time directly interceding with the book club session. The volunteer coordinator failed to alert my other team members about the placement change and had some scrambling to get to the right location. Anyway, I underestimated how long it would take to get to the new location and arrived late. The remainder of the time was spent mostly treating blisters and administering water and trail mix to the walkers.

 

 

Although I had been in a poor mindset at the beginning of the day, I watched the marathoners with increasing admiration. The realization that walking 26.2 miles straight during the hottest part of the day on sometimes rough terrain was no small feat inspired me. I cheered on, congratulated, and encouraged the marathoners as they passed, acknowledging their strength in having made it that far in the marathon and even attempting the marathon.

 

 

Despite the lacking communication skills of the administration running (no pun intended) the marathon, the actual participants were a major part of my first marathon experience and for that I am extremely grateful. My experience today made me more determined to accomplish my goal of achieving a 30-minute 5k next June.

AIDS Walk Portland 2013: Generosity

Today was beyond memorable – I attended my first AIDS Walk where I met many people, drank lots of coffee, and yelled my lungs out. IT WAS AWESOME.

To start off my day, I went to mass where I was greeted warmly by a fellow parishioner, Ernest. Then I walked to Starbucks to get breakfast (I would have eaten beforehand, but sleep was more enticing) where I coincidentally met another fellow parishioner, Mark, who works there. He paid for my breakfast bagel!

Anyway, once I arrived at the actual event, I was in such a good mood that nothing could have rained on my parade. Literally. It didn’t. Rain on the parade, I mean. We were really fortunate with the weather, because almost as soon as most of the tents and supplies were packed away, it poured.

I signed in, got my bright yellow (or neon banana as I like to call it), and was ushered straight to the food tent. CAP was very generous with the food options and coffee distribution! I wandered around, greeting fellow volunteers and complimenting walkers’ costumes (and occasionally photo-bombing peoples’ selfies – true story). After I had photographed the most adorable puppies – Chuchi and Guerrita – I saw a volunteer sitting by herself with a cup of coffee and decided to introduce myself.

“Are you volunteering by yourself too?”

“Yes! Let’s be best friends!”

…And that is how I became fast friends with Lauren. She had participated in the AIDS Walk several times with a friend and had decided to continue the tradition, despite her friend not being able to attend this year. We were both route monitors, so eventually we went our separate ways.

I arrived to my location about an hour and a half before I was actually needed there. I was stationed at the last corner before the finish, meaning I did not see anyone until the first walkers rounded the corner. Also, I did not realize that because there would be so many people they would need to close down the ENTIRE INTERSECTION! I spoke with a transit policeman who explained the situation before anyone got there, so I did not look quite as flabbergasted as I might have been.

Once the walkers arrived, I started cheering and clapping. Why not? Everyone was so quiet! In my mind, the AIDS Walk was something to be excited about! Sure enough, a homeless man joined me in cheering and more and more people caught our enthusiasm. Lauren immediately ran over as she rounded the corner and helped us make some noise. IT WAS SO INVIGORATING!! We rounded up the last of the walkers and headed on down the street to the square where most of the people were already dispersing.

My observations throughout the day concluded that today was a day of great generosity. Not only for me, personally, but for others. I took the streetcar home and talked with a few team members who had raised $7,443. That is no small feat! Even the number of volunteers today was astounding! And the turnout? Incredible! From what I have heard from previous participants, the turnout today was smaller than the last few years, which isn’t necessarily a good thing, but it kind of is. I mean, if the cold and clouds had deterred people from attending, I can only imagine how much more crowded Pioneer Courthouse Square would have been!

Volunteering, Running, Jobs… Opportunities Galore!

It occurred to me today that I am very, very blessed. I have been presented with many opportunities in my life that I have not always been grateful for and now I am. My meeting with Marc Kochanski yesterday and my interactions with people throughout yesterday made me realize I am definitely my mother’s daughter. What I mean is, my mother is a people-person. To this day I do not know if she enjoys striking up conversations with strangers or people she only slightly knows, but either way, she is very good at it!

As I was recounting my day to my friends yesterday, they commented on my ability to make connections with people on a daily basis. One friend joked that I would never have to pay for drinks because the people I strike up conversations with tend to offer to buy one for me. The joke was based on the fact that I was offered free coffee a few times over the week, most recently by a Linfield alumna who I introduced myself to, assuming by her Linfield sweatshirt that she was a current student. She is attending graduate school and was visiting a friend in Portland, a fellow alumna. She congratulated me on my acceptance to the nursing program and offered to buy my drink. I hesitated, but she smiled and said, “I’ve got to support a fellow Wildcat. Plus, I enjoyed our conversation.” Anyway, I digress.

My friends’ compliment made me think of how my “friendliness” has helped me in the past and will help me in the future. I have been thinking more and more frequently of things I would like to do (including possible challenges for my list). I definitely need to get a job, but I also want to regularly volunteer – I like volunteering and I know Portland has many opportunities for that. I want to try a fun run or a 5k before the Sound to Narrows as well.

Fortunately, my connections with people have helped me accomplish each of those! A friend, whom I met through theatre, has offered me her job as a professor’s assistant and another friend offered to be a personal reference for the hospital she works for. Talking with Marc yesterday reminded me that I can now volunteer for organizations in the medical field. Last, but not least, my friends and I have decided to do the Ugly Sweater Run in Beaverton, OR on November 16th.

I suppose the point I am trying to make is that there are so many opportunities available if one is open to the surrounding community!

AIDS Walk Portland

Today I met with Marc Kochanski, the Volunteer Coordinator with Cascade AIDS Project in Portland. I signed up online to volunteer with the upcoming AIDS walk, but had to miss the volunteer orientation scheduled for Tuesday at 5pm due to IEL. Marc spared some time to give me a personal orientation which ended up being more beneficial to me than I anticipated.

When I arrived, I was surprised at how polished the offices looked. I assumed (naughty), because I had not previously heard about CAP, it would be located in a small, dingy office with the mess of preparing for such a large event sprawled everywhere. Shame on me. The lobby had a receptionist who greeted me and called Marc to let him know I had arrived. She immediately offered me a drink from the coffee cart and said that Marc would be out shortly.

I arrived a tad early, but only waited a few minutes before Marc walked through the door and welcomed me to CAP. As I walked through the doors to the treatment and prevention side, Marc told me about CAP and the services they provide. He must have seen my look of surprise because he offered to show me around afterward. I was again offered coffee before we started in on the orientation.

My first impression of CAP was great. They provide service to over 1,000 individuals in the greater Portland area both in housing and work support as well as prevention and treatment. CAP relies on more than 600 volunteers with only 60 members of staff – and each person I met seemed passionate about their work. For more information or ways to get involved, please visit cascadeaids.org.

Marc’s enthusiasm about CAP and the AIDS walk was obvious (and a little contagious!). I am very excited for the event and hope there is an immense turnout. It looks as though the weather might not improve for the weekend, but I hope that the weather will bring the community together at the event.

Speaking of the community, my professor actually offered the AIDS walk as an extra credit opportunity. He wanted to get us involved with the greater Portland community as well as raise awareness for HIV/AIDS and figured extra credit would be a good reason as any to involve students. My professor had intended to give extra credit for walkers, but because I had already applied as a volunteer, he extended the opportunity to volunteers as well. WIN!

Anyway, I’m very excited for the AIDS walk this weekend. I am a route monitor, meaning I stand around and point walkers in the right direction and warn them of any oncoming buses or streetcars. I hope despite the forecasted weather, people will be spirited – and if not, that’s the other half of my job description! I will definitely be the cheerful volunteer, waving and dancing around and shouting encouragement to the walkers.