Happy Halloween!

I love that today is Halloween and it has made me completely forget about all the studying I have to do before my Ling midterm tomorrow. That's all for now! Be safe, everyone :o)

Sadness

The Giants are losing, 4-1 in the top of the 6th inning. I guess it doesn't matter that their team colors happen to be the colors of Halloween. Daak.

Happiness

In other news--good news--we (my aunt, my sister, Ryan, and me) are going to the very first Counting Crows concert at the Warfield in San Francisco. Yay! We are in section 6 (on the very side), but it's still Counting Crows and I'm so excited! More news to come later :o)

The Tastiness of College

When things slow down and I actually have an opportunity to enjoy the scenery of college, it can be quite good. Last night, I had the wonderful opportunity to hear Jackson Katz present his anti-sexism lecture entitled "More Than a Few Good Men." It was incredibly inspiring, empowering, and downright femsexy. Also, this evening, I attended an informal talk with Jennifer Weiner, author of the two great books Good in Bed and In Her Shoes. It was not as inspiring as Jackson Katz, who is my new hero, but still a nice experience.

Oh yeah, my point. I love that these things are so readily offered on and around college campuses. I can't imagine life any other way. The intellectual stimulation of everything around me is just what I need to renew my interest in academics (especially after being barraged with midterms last week). So, on that note, I am going to go to bed...the second in a series of nights during which I have been getting a decent amount of sleep.

P.S. Punk-Drunk Love was "eh," in the true sense of the word. Cute and funny, though not mindblowing like Magnolia, which was to be expected. I am still looking forward to seeing Spirited Away, Bowling for Columbine, and Moonlight Mile.

P.S.#2 I am now an intended Psychology and American Studies double major. Wish me luck!

Relief

Just thought I would post to say my midterm went fine--mark my words: if I don't get an A, I'm going to cry. I definitely deserve an A.

Only two classes left until it's officially the weekend! Ryan, Karla, and I are going to see Punch-Drunk Love right after as a sort of celebration (for me, anyway). It's a beautiful web site--I really recommend that you check it out.

So now I still have Linguistics homework (only a little bit though), but it has to be completed by 1 PM and I'd better get moving. I'm one step further in competing my goal toward becoming a DSHR member for Red Cross--I am taking Mass Care tomorrow and Public Affairs on Tuesday (if Jackson Katz doesn't need an airport pickup). Yay!

Fear...but not really

Another bland comment on the life of a college student...it is lived in fear of deadlines. Deadlines for papers, tests, homework, everything. I studied for about a half hour for my MCB midterm tomorrow out of fear, but that was about all I could muster. Beyond that, I have essentialy said "fuck it." In the end, the cost-benefit analysis (studying vs. sleep) does not look good for my academic commitments.

This is a makeup midterm, anyway, which I would also like to voice my opinion on. It's a good opportunity because I can potentially raise my grade, however, it sucks because I was ready for midterms to be over last week.

I hate school. It has become tedious and boring, which it generally does when you hit the mid-October mark. Basically, it's time for a vacation. However, that vacation will not come until Veteran's Day in mid-November...far, far too late.

So, I'm sorry for all the complaining, but I feel like whining. I also need luck on my midterm tomorrow, although I almost consider it a lost cause because the man is crazy and doesn't understand how to explain simple concepts to another human being. The one thing with professors...they research much better than they teach. The reason why "academic people" can be part of the intellectual community is because they have spent many thousands of hours ALONE--researching, writing, and avoiding all contact with human life.

That's enough for now. It's almost the weekend, and I shall rejoice as of 3 PM tomorrow.

I'm Tired

I try to avoid it as much as possible, but lack of sleep is pretty much the only thing UC Berkeley students (and probably all college students) talk about. I don't know why we bother to ask "how are you?" because it's always the same answer: "(audible sigh) I'm tired" followed by a description of exactly why this person didn't get any sleep last night. And, these reasons and excuses for not getting any sleep generally don't include studying.

So that's where I am now. I'm tired. I want to go back to bed. Yet I keep plugging along--I have errands to run, I have to go to class, I have to study for and take midterms. Why? Why am I doing all this? It makes no sensible sense to me right now.

I just spent half my morning scheduling 50 million rooms for our 50 million Red Cross events through the end of November. Finally, when we were just about to complete the last request, the scheduling computer crashed. It was tired.

So now I have e-mails to send and homework to do and tests to study for, yet it all seems very inconsequential when I know that my pillows and blankets are calling out to me. That is precisely why I am in the Academic Center--I don't deal with temptation well.

However, at some point today, I must shower. I must return to my room so that I can send e-mail using Outlook Express and it will be cataloged on my computer. I must...I must...I must sleep.

Well, I'm at one of those "crossroads" in the day where I don't have anything really pressing to do, although a lot of things need to get accomplished. I just finished having lunch and chatting with my former Youth Program Coordinator for American Red Cross Youth Services, Contra Costa and Solano Counties. I had a really good time :o) I have really missed talking and hanging out with him over the past year I have been at Cal. Also, while I was at the San Francisco Red Cross office, I was asked to serve on the Bay Area Chapter's Program Committee, a very prestigious position, and I found out that things are moving along "smoothly" for me to be hired as the HIV/AIDS Program Coordinator for Alameda County. Yay!

Of course, on another note, I also have tons of neglected National Youth Council work (and a fear of Falls Church, VA since the sniper shooting). But other than that, life is good. Busy schedule and slight lack of sleep, but things are still good.

P.S. Dinner last night was very good; I highly recommend Il Fornaio, especially for their desserts. Not only that--I received one of the best presents I've ever gotten, and was able to buy Jennfer Weiner's new book, In Her Shoes. Good stuff.

I thought I would make a quick post before I have to run some Measles Initiative info down to the Red Cross office in Eshleman Hall. I don't have much to say, other than that I have observed that today has been a perfectly balanced "busy, but not too busy" day. Not only that, but I had a chance to chat with (1) a girl who lived on my floor last year who I had not seen all semester and (2) a girl from my FemSex class last year who I also hadn't seen all semester. AND, to top it all off, when I called around trying to schedule a self-defense workshop for next week, I actually had success! O, happy day!

Not to mention, I will be having romantic dinner tonight :o) which I am looking forward to very much. Tasty!

I'm sorry "everyone" (if "everyone" means my boyfriend, Ryan)...this post has been delayed. I had a pretty busy weekend; it was spent applying for the Lisa Lopes AIDS Scholarship and hanging out with one of my good friends, Ted, who goes to the Univeristy of Puget Sound but was down in the Bay Area for his sister's wedding. Speaking of Ted, I would like to plug the web site he recently created for his girlfriend's theme house, The Studio. It's pretty cute.

So, what is new with me? Lots of stuff. Tomorrow is my 2nd anniversary with my aforementioned boyfriend, and we are planning on having a romantic dinner and gift-exchange at Il Fornaio, a very nice Italian restaurant in Walnut Creek. Also, this week I have more planning to do for Relationship Violence Awareness Week, a sexual harassment workshop to teach, and a Red Cross board meeting. Fun, fun, fun! What's great, though, is that at the end of the week (or technically the beginning of next week), I will be seeing Jack Johnson, musician extraordinnaire, in all his glory at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley. Yay!

I suppose that's all for now...I have lots of work to do (mostly Red Cross stuff)...and there is some Raisin Bran Crunch calling my name.

Guilty Pleasure

Alright, so I'm trying to study for my EPS midterm tomorrow, but I just can't seem to concentrate. So, I figured I'd post something here. It's really too bad I don't have anything exciting to say. This week is going so slowly, yet so fast. The Disaster Lecture Series is tomorrow (our speaker cancelled on us, so I had to find an alternate) and Relationship Violence Awareness Week is in less than 2 weeks. Jackson Katz, an awesome women's rights advocate, will be speaking in 2050 VLSB at 7 PM on Tuesday, October 22. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU GO. Or, as an alternative, you could at least watch his documentary, Tough Guise. It is a shocking look at masculinity in American culture and how it affects violence against women.

So that's my piece for now. I'd better get back to procrastinating...I mean highlighting.

Awww...

I would like to plug the new weblog of my dear boyfriend, Ryan. He has done a very nice job...especially on the sweet stuff about me. :o)

Academic Update

This isn't really academic at all...I just thought it would be nice to do an update about my day :o) I am in the computer lab, fighting with Black Lightning notes and answering Red Cross e-mails. That reminded me that I want to tell everyone about the Measles Initiative. Here is a short description:

The Measles Initiative is a long-term commitment to control measles deaths in Africa by vaccinating 200 million children, preventing 1.2 million deaths over five years. Leading this effort are the American Red Cross, United Nations Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, and United Nations Children's Fund. Other key players in the fight against measles include the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and countries and governments affected by measles. For more information, or to support the Measles Initiative, log on to www.measlesinitiative.org or call 1-800 HELP NOW.

Red Cross at Cal is beginning to plan events and fundraisers for the Measles Initiative. Please e-mail me if you are interested. Thanks!

Untitled...

I just wanted to quickly note my main goals in life right now (mostly so that I don't forget them):

• to learn sign language
  
• to start riding my bike around Berkeley (requires fixing of the bike, unfortunately)
  
• to go skydiving

I'm sure there will be more to come...that's all for now.

About Me

Hmm. Well, I’m supposed to be working (isn’t that how all blogs get created anyway?) … but instead I am doing this. I am debuting myself to the internet world for the first time since a web site experiment sometime around 1998.

I think I shall start with a little information about me and my favorite things:

Vital Statistics:

• Name: Sandy Tesch
  
• Birthday: 11/29/83
  
• Siblings: sister, Paula (16)
  
• Occupation: Student/part-time Security Monitor
  
• Volunteer Work (Red Cross):
  Member, National Youth Council
  Youth Representative, Alameda County Leadership Board
  Peer Educator, Peers Advocating Safer Sex (PASS)
  Coordinator, UC Berkeley Red Cross club
  
• Volunteer Work (Other):
  HIV Test Counselor, City of Berkeley
  Peer Educator, Sexual Harassment Advocacy and Peer Education (SHAPE)
  
• School: UC Berkeley (Go BEARS!)
  
• Favorite TV Show: Law and Order
  
• Favorite Sports Team: Oakland Athletics
  
• Favorite Player: Barry Zito
  
• Favorite Children’s Movie: Lilo & Stitch
  
• Favorite General Movie: Magnolia
  
• Favorite Independent Movie(s): Waking Life; My Big Fat Greek Wedding
  
• Favorite Band/Artist: Counting Crows (and Jack Johnson at a distant second)
  
• Favorite Song: Up All Night by Counting Crows
  
• Book Recommendation(s): Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner; A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers; The Autobiography of Malcolm X (as told to Alex Haley)
  
• Restaurant Recommendation(s): Guadalajara Grill (Mexican); Zachary’s (pizza); Sorrento (Italian); Café Intermezzo (salads/sandwiches); Three Brothers from China (Chinese)
  
• McDonalds or Burger King: Neither, really…
  
• Coke or Pepsi: Coke, and it’s not close.
  
• Most Exciting Moment: I met Adam Duritz in Berkeley!
  
• Love of my Life: Ryan Wilkins (and Adam Duritz at a distant second…just kidding…)

I hate to imply that my life is really that interesting to read about, so, in that sense, I would like to establish this “Online Journal” as mine, so that I am not required to be interesting, comical, etc.

Upcoming Events: Red Cross Disaster Lecture Series on 10/9; Visit from long-lost friend Teddy on 10/11; 2-year (!) anniversary with Ryan on 10/14; Jack Johnson concert on 10/20

I love my boyfriend Ryan so much!!! He set up this wonderful weblog for me, and even tweaked it so that the font and links are perfect! A big thank you to a founding member of baseballjunkie.net and the newest Assistant Editor at Baseball Prospectus.