Blog post I wrote for the ASUI website on 10/20/09

Good Morning Fellow Vandals,

This is the first of many more blog post to come. I hope you all survived midterms and are set up for success the rest of the semester. I must admit I did quite horribly on one of my midterms and will have to pick it up here in the second half to even have a chance of pulling off a “B.”

Remember to meet with your advisor this week or next. I still need to schedule my advising appointment as well. Registration for spring semester opens on Monday, November 9. If you are like me and have stopped attending a class and have not yet officially withdrawn the last day to do so is Friday, October 30.

Moving on; as fall continues to advance towards winter and despite mid-year budget holdbacks, the sun continues to shine on THE University of Idaho! From the accomplishments of our athletic programs to the inauguration of our 17th President, there are many positives on this campus.

I can’t put into words how much I have enjoyed watching our Vandal’s play this fall and how well they are doing, in all their sports. Football draws the most attention and has had the greatest turnout. With a 6-2 record and looking to keep adding on the wins, we will be playing in bowl game. Now, it’s just a matter of which bowl game it will be. I could talk about athletics all day, but I need to stay focused. But first I want to say thank you to everyone who is helping to make tailgating a safe, fun and clean place to enjoy Vandal Game Days together. The atmosphere is exciting, people are going into the game and the recycling and cleanup crews are doing an amazing job!

ASUI has been busily working on your behalf these first 8 weeks of the semester. We created a Communications Board; it is chaired by Nicole Strunks. This blog is one of the many new mechanisms the Communications Board will be using to reach out and supply you with information. In addition we have the following web-based tools:

ASUI Website: http://www.asui.uidaho.edu

ASUI Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Moscow-ID/ASUI/167054208435

ASUI Twitter Page: http://twitter.com/ASUIVandals

Another initiative we are working on is to develop a Campus Community Hour. I have presented a draft proposal to just about everyone on campus and will be taking a formal proposal to the Faculty Senate soon. I will be asking them to adapt a Campus Community Hour for the Fall 2010 semester as a pilot program. The idea of the Campus Community Hour is to provide an hour once a week, in the middle of a day, that will be free from academic instruction and available to build a more connected Vandal Family on campus. Events, guest lectures, mentoring, pep rallies and numerous other campus events could take place turning this hour. Most of these events already occur but would have far greater attendance if they were in the middle of the day, at a common time.

I could go on and on about many other things as well but I am coming up on a page of text right and now and don’t want to take up too much of your time.

I really do hope you are having a great semester and hope that as student leaders we are making life better for you all here at THE University of Idaho. I am excited to have Dr. Nellis officially inaugurated as our President and look forward to the progress this great institution will make under his lead.

Have a wonderful week and look for a new blog post next week from someone inside the ASUI leadership.

Thank you and GO VANDALS!

Kelby

I am the worlds WORST blogger!

In an effort to climb a few positions from last place in the blog rankings I am writing this now and will try my best to have more regular post. Because I am such an infrequent blogger, I really doubt many, if any, will read this. So basically its just for. It looks like the last time I blogged was the beginning of March so this may end up being an extremely long post or I may decide to split it up into segments.

I first significant undertaking since then was my Spring Break trip to Washington DC with my little bro and sis. Dakota was invited to be part of the People to People Youth Leadership Conference/Tour (not exactly sure what the title was) and Christa and I just hung out. Big thanks to Mark F. for putting a roof over our heads and hooking us up with a tour of House Chamber. Christa and I managed to hit most of the key sites (Memorials/Monuments, Capitol, etc.) and then a few of the ones I have been wanting to see but had not been in yet (American Art/Port. Gallery, Kennedy Center, Ford's Theater, Natural History, Nat'l Archives, Hirshhorn, American Indian and I am sure I am missing some). To wrap up the trip I decided I would run the DC National Marathon. I didn't even know about the race until we were back there (saw signs at the Metro stops saying they would open two hours early on Saturday for the Marathoners), hit up the website on Thursday (they only had open spots for the Full, none for the half), went out to RFK on Friday to register, ran a sub 3:30 on Saturday before meeting back up with Christa and Dakota at Dulles to fly home. Not bad considering I hadn't ran for the two weeks prior and had never ran anything over 13.1. But I must admit I trained religiously for 16 weeks up to the Snake River Half (which was exactly two weeks prior to the DC National).

Ok so that is about all the further I am going to make it tonight. My body is exhausted. Finished my first ever Olympic Distance Tri today in Coeur d' Alene. Wanted to go sub 3 hours, fairly modest goal, but I figured it match my habit of not trying hard this summer. Went 2:45, under perfect conditions. I was pretty pumped.

Spring 2009 Update

Well I have been horrible about blogging this semester. Time seem to be flying by at an ever increasing pace and I simply havn't made time for blogging. I am swamped with everything I do but loving it. As you saw in my last blog the service trip I participated in to Romania was absolutely amazing. I was all set up for a great semester and going down the path to a wonderful semester. When, out of no where I slipped up BIG time and turned my life upside down. I am still picking up the pieces and getting back on track. I was arrested early in the morning on February 21st. Not sure yet what all the consequences of my poor decisions that night are going to be or even when I will find out. But I am trying my best to move and keep on doing what I do. I have had a lot of family time since then, thanks mom and dad!

The Lionel Hampton Jazz Fest was amazing here in Moscow. I made it to the show two different nights (Garrett thanks for the tickets). I can't believe I hadn't taken advantage of this world class event in my back yard before this year. I finished the UI Triathlon Club's "Tri-Challenge" (an Ironman on your own time over the course of 3 weeks). I briefed the entire Det 905 Cadet Wing on my mistake and the dangerous/consequences of driving after drinking.

Then, yesterday I ran the Snake River Canyon 1/2 Marathon yesterday and dominated it (well at least for me and my non-runner body). My goal was to be under an hour and half and I have been training fairly religiously for the last 16 weeks to accomplish that goal. I ended up crossing in 1:28:44 (according to the official results, my race photo shows me crossing at 1:28:39) Either way, it was a definite a well needed confidence boost!!! The fam came and watched and hung out for a while afterwards. Got to take my lil bro, Dakota, to Around the World while my sis and mom went shopping. The cultural diversity present here in Moscow is way larger than I knew. Plus, it was good to just have some bro time with the little guy!

I am getting geared up to run a campaign for ASUI President (contingent on my possible running mate committing to run with me, I am pretty sure she will!!!!) Also, just preparing for midterms this coming Friday and my AFROTC physical fitness test Wednesday morning. And then its off to Washington DC with my lil bro and sis!!!!!!

Until next time,
Kelby

ROMANIA

I received an email yesterday asking me to answer a few questions about my Alternative Service Break trip to Romania. My reply is the first time I have written down my thoughts from the trip since we have been home and I thought I would post them here. There is so much more to say about the trip and I plan to blog more on it in the future but for now here's a sampler.


I understand that you went to Romania. What were your first impressions?
When we landed in Bucharest and de-boarded our plane, I was excited to get to the orphanage where we were going to be staying for the three weeks. It was my first time in an eastern European airport and was surprised by all the cigarette smoke in the air and how dirty it first appeared. I thought, "what in the world have I gotten myself into?" We were met outside of baggage claim by our hosts, after easily clearing passport control and not having our baggage claim slips checked. All 15 of us and our luggage piled into a mini-bus and a mini-van. When they first showed us these relatively small vehicles I thought, "how in the hell are we going to fit?"

I was amazed by the broad mix of other vehicles in the parking lot, they ranged from new Mercede's and BMW's to old, eastern European brands I had never heard of before. As we left the airport, I definitely felt like I was in former communist country. The power poles were made of concrete and all the apartment buildings were gray, drab and seemingly identically. Even on the major roadways, horses and carts traveled along side autos. After driving about two and half hours we arrived at our destination, Valea Screzii, a small town of about 600 people located in a valley of the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. We turned off the pavement and headed down the lone dirt road that runs through the town. After passing a few farm fields we came to the first few houses and stopped at the house we would be staying in. The valley was absolutely gorgeous, rolling farm fields, mixed with hardwood forests extended as far as the eye could see. I felt much less like I was in former communist territory and more like I was at home on the Palouse. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly and excited to have us. At that point I knew we were going to have an amazing stay!!!

Do you think this is something that changed the way you look at the world?
I spent my sophomore year of high school in Germany and have traveled to Europe a couple other times, but never learned as much as I did on this trip. After staying for three weeks and interacting with a broad age group of people (from the very young to the elderly) I learned that no matter our differences in views, culture, and way of life people are people. A friendly smile will go a long way even when no spoken words are understood between to people. Communication is much more non-verbal than verbal.

Would you recommend others to volunteer for Alternative Service Break?
This was my third ASB trip, I had been to New Orleans during Spring 2007 and Pikeville, KY during Spring 2008. All three have been life changing trips. I feel that every university student should make time for volunteering and that ASB is one of the best ways to volunteer. It provides an experience that is larger than yourself, something I feel we all are looking for whether or not we realize it.

Now that your back home in the States, what did you take away from this experience?
Every time I have volunteered I have had that rewarding feeling afterwards. Often times I have also wondered if I volunteer to help others or simply to have something to pat myself on the back for. After this trip I am not worried about that feeling anymore. I know I gained more from the trip than the people I helped in Romania and I am OK with that. I know it was a give and take. I helped them some and they taught me so much about myself and life. I didn't realize how stressed I had been these passed few semesters until I finally slowed down and truly enjoyed life. Being back I see a huge change in my attitude. I am not sure if others see it or not, and I don't care, because I feel it. I am still motivated to do well in school and all other activities I am involved but I am doing it with a smile and without stressing out. I have finally learned life is what I make of it. I learned this from the children I met on the trip. The difficulties they have faced are unimaginable. They all have been through more than I ever will, yet they wake up every morning with a smile on their face and grateful for what have. I have slowed down, am making more time for the people that matter. I am a much happier person.


I hope to have some pictures posted sometime soonish.

I miss Valea Screzii, Marian, Adrian, Alex, George, Eugene, the little twins, all the childern, Mihail, Melanie, Dillon, Chrissy, all the other volunteers, toilets that don't flush, doors that close so loud you can hear them miles away, breakfast-lunch-dinner as a team, boiled wine, hot tea, cinnamon in my coffee....

WARNING - Long Post

I suppose I will start by stating the obvious, its been a LONG time since I have blogged. I am interning in the ASUI office working primarily with the Leadership program we do. We have started a new program the Idaho LEADS Emerging Leader Program. There's a group of five of us you have committed to a semester of weekly workshops and service projects. Part of the program is to journal "regularly." I am considering this my "journal." So, with any luck and that extra incentive, I will begin blogging with a greater frequency. Its amazing how a few little time it really takes and how beneficial a few minutes of quite, reflective time can be. For now I will try my best to hit the high points from the last couple of weeks.

The first weekend of October I ventured down to Boise to run the City of Trees Half Marathon for the second straight year with my buddy Josh. Neither Josh nor I had trained very hard for it, but we wanted to run it again. However, we managed to be just a minute or two slower than last year. We, placed second and third in our age group last year and first and third this year. It was on a different course. I missed running through the historical north side of town but enjoyed the elevation climbs being at the beginning/middle of the course instead of the middle/end.

It was a great weekend. Katy Fox also road down with us. We got to see Vanessa. She ran the half as well. Her step-dad had been training with the goal of beating me but ended up hurting his back a few weeks before and wasn't able to race. And the best part was hanging out with my bro's family. Maddie and Maggie are growing up so fast and continue to be cuter and cuter. I wish I had brought my camera and would have gotten photos of them. Maddie loves to show off her back yard garden. Maggie crawls every where and is going to be walking soon. We picked mom up in Cottonwood so we she got spend a weekend with her grandbabies.

I don't remember much from the week after that. I am sure it was rat race, filled with homework and such, even a flat bike tire. Oh, AND we had our first ROMANIA team meeting. That's right I said Romania. I don't think I've mentioned it at all in a blog yet. I am going to spend the last 3 weeks of Christmas break in a small village, Valea Screzii, in south-central Romania with 11 other UI students and 3 advisors. We are going through United Plant and will be working it looks like with the Pro Vita orphanages. From the info we have so far there are about 100 orphans and then need help building more houses for them. I am super stalked to spend time helping out over there.

We had our first team meeting this past Sunday and carved pumpkins (see above). Our team is amazing. We are split into two "families." I am the team leader for one of the families. Its going to be an amazing trip. I just got my passport (its my 3rd, can you believe that) the other day.

Last, weekend I got to go help out with the detachments field training exercise. Basically we played some serious paintball. In our first scenario I was a POW and almost ended up getting saved. They were able to snip the guards and I was able to escape but about the time I made it to the perimeter a bunch more of the "terrorist" made it to me ;(

Our physical fitness test was Wednesday morning. I had to go to Pullman Tuesday to get my waist measured. Turned out we also now have to do height and weight before the PFA. At the beginning of the semester it took me forever to make weight, so I was freaking out. Luckily I ended up being 3 pounds under the max weight for my height. And my waist had also dropped nearly 2 inches is the beginning of the semester. I was able to max out on the run and sit-ups. The push-ups I was just a little short on. My 8:49 mile and half really surprised me. I haven't done any serious aerobic exercise beside PT and a couple swims since the half marathon.

I got this new 6 week swim workout. Owen found it and has been doing it. He is up to the point now that we can swim a mile without stopping. I will get there in due time.

I was nominated for UI Homecoming King (thanks FAB!) and we had to turn in a page of biographical information. They asked for our goals, here is what I told them:

My short term goals over the next year include scoring well on the MCAT, earning admission to the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, finishing my bachelorette studies, commissioning in the United States Air Force and completing both a whole marathon and Olympic distance triathlon. As far as long term goals, I plan on completing medical school, earning placement into the residency program of my choice, traveling the world, starting a family, climbing to the rank of Colonel before retiring at age 40 and moving back to the great northwest to continue raising my family and practicing medicine.

I figure its good to lay it all out there. Gotta shoot for the moon, cause even if you miss you will land in the stars, right? I had an interview last night where they asked some ridiculously difficult questions. Like what are you supposed to say when asked if you are "Tried and True" or "Brave and Bold" my answer of course was both. But no they made me pick one. I went with "Tried and True." They also wanted to know which Idaho Alumni we would want to have dinner with and why. That was easy, my big bro Jeremy. We don't make it down there to visit nearly enough and truly is my motivation and role model. Then the one that totally left me speechless, "What's your favorite longstanding Vandal tradition besides Homecoming?" Uh, do we have that many "longstanding traditions." I have never been to mom's or dad's weekend. Hello walk isn't all the friendly any more. The "I" bench is still there but no fountain. The Vandal Walk isn't that exciting after you have done it once yourself and walked freshman through it the past three years. Don't get my wrong, I enjoy being a Vandal and have pride in it. I just feel as though there aren't that many "longstanding" and extremely enjoyable traditions beside homecoming.

On a less surface (heres what I have done) level and all little deeper. We talked about values in our emerging leader workshop this week. Really got me thinking about my priorities. I like to think I possess most the values that are usually considered "good," but how do they rank in importance. Which take precedence over others. Ideally equal focus could be spent on all of them. But man values take time and time is most definitely a limited resource. My top ten values I said (merely in alphabetical order): Achievement, Contribution, Growth, Human Worth, Independence, Integrity, Knowledge, Loyalty (family), Responsibility and Spirituality. We were than asked to pick our top five. We were force to throw the others away and say something along the lines "These values help define who I am, these values ......, and I am throwing them away." I managed to in my mind slip those five I was throwing away into the others. So it wasn't to bad. Then we went to three and did the same thing. Last we went to just one. I chose CONTRIBUTION because really I feel that all the others are in a sense tied to my desire to contribute to society, my family, my faith, my eduction, etc. Yeah so that wasn't super deep but it was a little deeper than the rest.

Anyways, I had the opportunity to spend a half hour with the Blessed Sacrament yesterday at St. Auggies chapel. I am going to start doing Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday. I want to make more time in my life for religion and reflection. I am beginning to realize how much I need that balance. I have been able to find time for fitness. Its a struggle, but I manage. So I am sure if I focus and make it a priority I can find time for God and reflection.

I have to. I have had numerous friends express concern lately about my well being. Apparently, I have seemed overly stressed and unhappy. It's a warm feeling knowing that many people care, enough to say something. And its also enough to motivate change. I will continue to be dictated to school (I have to be if I am going to achieve my goals) and I will be stressed from time to time. But I will definitely try to give myself more balance.

I figure all this is safe to through on here at the end cause no one is going to want to read this for down ;)

LINKS

Here is a quick and hopefully less nerdy blog. This weekend when I was supposed to stay in on Friday night and rest up for a busy Saturday, I ended up at CJ's and ultimately had a great time. However, it made for a short night of sleep before waking up bright and early to help with check in at the Fall Student Leadership Conference. I had the distinct pleasure of introducing the key note speaker Troy Stende http://www.stendeinspirations.com/. From his message during the opening address and then from attending his board breaking workshop, I relearned the power of the mind and positive thoughts. I truly is impressive. I also met some amazing individuals, Josh and Liz and Belena.

Then my adventures took me to WSU to sell programs once again. I ended up having this random kid in an Oregon jump suit carrying a very large black bag stumble into the load dock I operate and manage my sellers from. He asks if he can change there. I politely tell him that there is a restroom just down the hall. But he's like you know I am the DUCK, I need lots of space. Sure as shit, he opens up the bag and starts putting on all the items he needs to be the Mascot. He talks about knowing David Vobera former Vandal and Mr. Irrelevant from this past draft. Then he tells me about the the mascot fight he caught in that caused the DUCK to get banned for two games. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY0B8qtUF8o

After programs I rushed home to clean up and head over to Dean's house for dinner. I had briefly made time to call my brother and wish him a happy birthday and then had a wonderful hangout with Dean and Denelle and Alex and all their guests. Dean made the best lasagna I had had in years.

Saturday night I finally did make it to bed early. Then Sunday I got up and in took it pretty easy before I got the wild hair to go run a little bit. I found a 10 mile loop I was going to try. Well it ended up turning into almost 12 miles, but I survived: http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=249290. Good practice for the half marathon next weekend: http://www.cityoftreesmarathon.com. Really I probably shouldn't be running that far that close to the actual race but what the hell.

Ok and heres the final link for the day: http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/couric-palin-open/704042/

Until next time,
Kelbs

PS I ended up with an 88 on the Fluids test!!! The average was 71.

First Exam of the Semester DOWN!

Last night from 1730-1930 I had my first exam of the semester (the take home test in ME341 the first week of school doesn't really count as an exam). It was in Fluid Mechanics and rumor had it that this Prof, Woody, gives the second hardest engineering tests on campus (more about the hardest engineering test giver later in this blog) and I hadn't really studied. You could say I was a little more than scared. I go the library about 1530 to do some serious cramming and wonder out to go take the test about 1515. I show up at our regular classroom JEB 126 right around 1525 and look in. EVERYONE is already there and working on the test. I knew he told us we could come early and start early but I didn't think the WHOLE class would show up and be working five minutes before the scheduled start time, WEIRD. So I venture in and try not to disturb everyone, take my seat and begin working on it. As everyone is frantically scribbling the stress and tension in the room is tangible. Five minutes later, Woody in a quite loud voice says, "OK, start NOW!" We all STOP and look up in confusion. He responds with, "What? I said you could start, not that you had to stop?" accompanied with the most innocent look you have ever seen. We finally figure out he is jostling us and all breathe out a sigh of relief. He succeeded in calming us down. And if their was an anxiety left, it all got broken up then this girl's cell starts ringing with a loud ass song as the ring tone. It might of made her a little embarrassed but it definitely lighten things up for the rest of us.

The first hour of the exam is open book and was really pretty easy. Straight forward problems, directly from our homework assignments. The second hour, was more difficult but still do-able. I didn't really need my book for much. Overall it was way simpler and straight forward than anyone expected. It was tempting to over think each problem. I am pretty sure I avoided that for the most part and should pull a high B if not an A.

Now for the hardest engineering exams on campus. Carl Rink, the ME exclusives expert, prides himself on exams that average he claims in the 60's. However, talking to former students it sounds like the true averages are usually in the 40's or 50's. That's plum ridiculous. I my first System Dynamics exam from him in just over an hour. So I suppose I better go cram a little more. I will let you know how it goes and see if he lives up to his reputation.

Sorry to write such a NERDY blog ;)