I've Got the Lion In Me

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened"-Dr. Seuss

If you would have asked me eight weeks ago if I'd be sad to leave my internship I would have probably said "heck no!" But little did I know that eight weeks later I would have cried my eyes out any chance I got. What I thought was supposed to be "professional development" became personal growth, development and the experience of a lifetime. My time at LMU has meant so much to be and I value the friendships and relationships that I have made here so much that I can't put it into words. It feels as though I was never "new" but always somehow just fit in perfectly.

I leave LMU with weekly Monday "dates" with the lovely ladies +1 of LMU, I leave with a "retreat home" to escape to in Long Beach, I leave with memories of tears and laughter, I leave with some teasing and lots of loving, I live with inside jokes, I leave with an LMU business card and most importantly I leave with friendships that I will cary with me for a very long time :)

And now, the night before my departure I sit at my computer with puffy cried out eyes and realize that while I came here a Tiger, I leave with a little bit of Lion in me!

In LMU tradition I must end this blog with a-

GO LIONS!

TCT: Tan, Cry, Train

Alas, the sun has FINALLY come out in Los Angeles. I had heard about June Gloom but what I've experienced weather wise has been more like June Misery! I literally have only seen the sun a handful of times since I've been here but the last two days have been phenomenally beautiful. Clear skies, the sun is shinning and you finally see the ocean from the bluff. I do live in a post card!

I am certain that the sun decided to peak out of the clouds this week because Monday marked the start of Pro-Staff Training (including RD's) here at LMU. As a part of my professional development I am attending a majority of the sessions to learn about the differences between LMU and Pacific. So at the end of this Summer, not only will I have to go back to Pacific for RD Training but I will also be trained at LMU to work at LMU as well...ha ha how funny! On a serious note, its been a great learning experience and I've learned so much that I can apply in my position at Pacific. I've also been able to broaden my knowledge base and perspective on the profession of Student Affairs and the importance of the work that is done within Residence Life. I am most excited to have learned a ton about better advising my Community Council which as you may know is the aspect of my job I despise the most.

As great as training has been, there's been a lot of talk about my departure next Friday which has made me quite emotional. To top it off, there have been some staffing changes here and people moving on to bigger and better things. Today when the announcements were made, there was a flood of emotion amongst the room which for some reason, I attribute it to empathy (dang you Strengths Quest), I got choked up too! Yes, I got teary eyed and for once it wasn't because I was laughing. The next week and a half will be bittersweet because I am so excited to be back home, be on campus and implement everything that I've learned but at the same time, I can't imagine not ever being back at LMU.

So I end this blog with a quote from my supervisor today: "It's better to leave a job that you love then to leave a job you can't wait to get away from". (Hmmmm.....something to consider as I graduate and leave Pacific after 6 years I suppose)

Life on Intern Island

Hello and Welcome to Intern Island!

We're so glad that you chose Intern Island as your destination for this summers adventures. Intern Island is conveniently located anywhere the three interns (and sole inhabitants of the Island) are present together in the spirit of all things Residence Life, Housing, and FUN!

Here are some fun facts about Intern Island:

The official mascot of Intern Island is a yellow rubber ducky. His name is 247. In his honor 2:47 am and pm is to be spent in silence in the honor of the day he was rescued of the Venice Canals in Venice Beach.

The official representative of Intern island is Ke$ha. She is crazed, she is fun loving, she needs to shower, she needs some rehab, or maybe she just needs some sleep. We've got a sick obsession, we're seeing her in our deams. Her music haunts us everywhere we go.

The official soundtrack of Intern Island includes "O.M.G" by Usher, "Cooler than Me" by Mike Posner, "Bulletproof" by LaRoux, anything by Ke$ha or one of the other five songs that Kiss FM plays over and over.

The restaurant of choice of Intern Island is Tony' P's where you order a drink, then appetizers and then a meal incase there was any confusion about the order of a meal.

The basic rules of living on Intern Island are as follows:

1. Must trust all other interns

2. Must be willing to have pictures taken of you while sleeping in a car on the way back from a site visit

3. Must not be worry about any sudden movements

4. Must love Ke$ha

5. Must be willing to be seen in public with ot

her interns

6. Must not eat at BJ's without the other interns

7. Must have a love for glow sticks

8. Must enjoy jumping pictures

Failure to comply to any of the above rules results in banishment from Intern Island. "You know how we feel about that!"

(In all seriousness, the other interns (Kyle and Krystal-both with Yens) have made my summer in LA! I can't imagine life without them. I cannot wait until we are reunited at NASPA for both mine and Krystal's birthday and have one more time to make some great memories on Intern Island)

Are You Smarter Than an Accomplice?!

This past weekend I went to my very first television show taping and I was oh so blessed to watch the Emmy nominated show "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" hosted by Jeff Foxworthy. Upon arriving at Sony Studios, Intern K and I were immediately reprimanded for taking a picture, walking on the wrong side of the street and for breathing. People at Sony were INTENSE! Don't even get me started on the level of customer service, or better yet, lack there of. As if this was not enough, we were then led like a heard in single file lines, strategically seated to optimize the diversity in the audience and forced to clap, smile and "oooh" on command. I am not a trained dog people, I am a human who reserves the right to use the restroom whenever I choose and to not be told that visiting the "Little Girl's Room" is strictly prohibited for the 5 hours it took to tape 5-20 minute episodes.

To top it off, it was Pet Week and you know how I feel about pets...DOWNGRADE! The taping was fun minus the fact that my hands hurt from clapping and my mouth hurt from smiling. I also learned that I am smarter than a 5th grader and more importantly smarter than some of the contestants. One in particular was a disgrace and didn't know anything about anything. (Need I remind you that questions were about BASIC KNOWLEDGE at the 1st-5th grade levels). To top it off, her little dog Kobe *barf* was smarter than she was! I believe her direct quote was, "Hmmm. I don't know a lot about that topic but Kobe does a lot of reading on it in his spare time". KOBE IS A DOG! GET OVER IT!

Look for the Pet Week to air in the Fall Season, you won't be able to miss me because I was RIGHT behind the contestants. Please, hold the autographs!

The remainder of the day was spent partaking in Accomplice: Hollywood. While I cannot divulge to much information because then I'd have to kill you (no literally it's very hush hush) I can give a brief description. Accomplice: Hollywood was brought to LA by Neil Patrick Harris as a spin-off of similar "experiences" in Europe, Las Vegas and New York. It is scavenger hunt meets walking tour meets team builder where groups of 10 are trying to unlock a mystery surround the kidnapping of a crazed Lindsey Lohan-esque celebrity. It involves solving clues, getting to new locations, meeting strangers and trying to figure out "who is in on the game".

I HIGHLY recommend checking this out if you are in any of the cities in which it is offered :)

Smell the Roses

Hello Faithful Followers-

It's been a while since I've written which is understandable since living life in the fast line hasn't allowed me to really slow down at all. But rest assured that I've been thinking about you daily.

Last week, Wednesday to be exact, marked the midway point of my time here in LA. It made me realize how quickly time had passed and how I really needed to stop and smell the roses and do what any Student Affairs professional would do-reflect!

I've enjoyed my time here so much! The school is amazing, the people are fantastic and thinking about leaving is a bit of a tear jerker. Granted, my supervisor insists that I'm not leaving because she's going to tie me to a chair and never let me go, so we'll see how that goes. (Note: If you do not see me in Stockton in 3 weeks please notify local and state police and then book Anderson Cooper to cover the story.)

As much as I love it here, it is only natural to miss family, friends, colleagues and the life that I have back in Sacramento and Stockton. I've learned so much while I've been here both personally and professionally. I can't wait to start this year off with a new perspective, new insights and even some new strategies to hopefully implement in HGLO, Pacific and in Grace next year.

So as it begins to near the end I'm going to enjoy every minute of it and soak up as much sun and knowledge as I can.

See you soon!!!

Lyrics Are the Words of the Soul

Happy - Rihanna

Just as long as it makes you happy

If it makes you happy

Just be happy

Just as long as it makes you happy

If it makes you happy

Just be happy..

That's really all there is to it- BE HAPPY! You may not be able to choose what happens but you can always choose how to respond to it. It may be good, it may be bad and it most certainly may be the best thing to ever happen to you. Keep that chin up, look at the glass half full, turn that frown upside down and insert any other cliche that you can think of. Keep Rihanna on your mind and be happy. Life's too short to a Debbie Downer :)

I Call Your Bluff

A bluff: in poker used as a term to deceive, to mislead and to throw an opponent off.

I haven't been feeling very inspired to write the past few days and like any true artist, I need my inspiration. It has not been for lack of things to write about because let me tell you, I've been busy keeping up with my "A-List" lifestyle. Bet

ween work, trying to make some progress on my thesis and knocking things off my bucket list I still couldn't manage to come up with anything.

Tonight, like any other night, I decided to go for a walk. Partly because I was bored, partly because I was procrastinating and partly because I'm trying to stay in shape in the city of tanned perfection. Near the end of my walk I found myself sitting on a bench near the edge of the bluff that LMU so gracefully sits upon.

The bluff has become such an integral part of my life here at LMU. In fact, I frequent it on nearly a nightly basis around 8 p.m. I need the bluff like Lindsey Lohan needs rehab. It's become a part of who I am. But tonight was different than any other night. There I was taking in everything I could with all of my senses. I could smell the beautiful flowers surrounding me, I could hear the sound of bustling cars, chirping birds and sounding crickets. I could see the hills, downtown Los Angeles and the rest of the city and I could nearly taste the sweet smell of the ocean afar.

There I was surrounded by such beauty! Surrounded by so much, yet still surrounded by a small fraction of what the world has to offer. There I was such a miniscule piece of the intricate puzzle that we call our existence. A miniscule piece that is still so integral to the whole. For any puzzle missing its piece is not complete. The bluff taught me a lot tonight about being focused, being in the zone and yet realizing that its A-OK to just "be". From sitting on top of the bluff I could see so much, yet so much is so little in retrospect. I was there experiencing what I and others dream of, yet experiencing what some may never dare to dream.

I challenge you to find your own "LMU Bluff". I challenge you to find what it is that put's it all into perspective and I challenge you to do something with that very same perspective you have probably had all along.

So on this Tuesday, the 22nd day of the month of June I leave you readers with one question:

Could it be that all of the things we worry about, all of the things that are so minor in comparison to the large scope of life are all just our own self imposed bluffs?