Activism

I have had a lovely weekend. My state of mind feels good.

Friday I had drinks with some lovely ladies in downtown Long Beach. There was no occasion, no reason for our gathering other than to unwind and discuss our strikingly similar current states of being. What is it about someone telling a life story that sounds like yours that is so comforting? If I wasn't watching the words come out of their mouths I would have thought that I was talking. I think there is solace in knowing that smart, beautiful, self confident, God fearing women just like you sometimes fall into the same traps, same situations, and same weaknesses...we're not bad people, not dumb, not terrible miscreants...just women, just trying to find our way.

Saturday I went to the Alumni Board meeting. I felt like such a grown up sitting on a board and all! I was very concerned about how I was supposed to be dressed, whether it was a business casual affair with a bunch of stuffy old ppl or whether it would be in true Pitzer fashion. I should have known it would be Pitzer affair-totally casual. We went around the table to introduce ourselves and discuss what it is we are doing, and what we carried with us most from our experience at Pitzer. I love my job and have always been proud of what I have accomplished in my short life. After about the third person in telling their story and what they were doing with their lives, I felt like I had done nothing. My life was a waste, and I didn't deserve to sit with these people who had made it their lifes mission to sacrifice themselves on behalf of others and actually lived what they believed. Then there I realized the president of the board is a partner at a firm with over 3500 attorneys and I realized that on the scale of good and evil he was WAY closer to complete and utter evil then I am. :) But it was just like my days at Pitzer. Everyone was hugging trees, protesting, locking themselves in buildings etc, and while I supported the causes I wasn't interested in taking the president's office hostage, I had things to do, classes to attend, lunches to have with professors etc. But I cannot say that I have or will be as socially conscious as I was at Pitzer. There was not a topic I didn't have an opinion on, not a day that I didn't nearly shed a tear over Africa, the poor, the environment, animals, and/or a myriad of other topics. It was indeed tiring keeping up with all the conspiracies in the world. But I was educated about the world, I knew what was going on. I miss that to an extent. It was woeful and overwhelming at times but I felt informed, and with that information I could at least THINK about doing something.

Anyhow being back on campus and with other alum reminded me of all the reasons I loved Pitzer, and brought back lots of memories. I am so glad that I chose there to attend. The school has been in the news lately for a class that is being taught on and about YouTube. I love the freedom that Pitzer allows its faculty and students to pursue topics and courses of study that are outside the mainstream.

Sunday was pretty chill, I discovered a new wine bar in Long Beach where hopefully my book club and I will be able to have our next meeting. And I didn't shop which was a feat in of itself cause lord knows I wanted to. This girl right here might have an addiction problem! :)