The summer is over and and I am writing not in the familiar confines of my home on my sister's computer (since my computer does not have Internet) but at Ohio Wesleyan. Oh man, my senior year. Many changes, many adjustments, new friends from the Class of 2013 (hopefully). You know you are back at school when you are looking through Consort and OhioLink to find Call numbers for books when you do not want to pay for them in the bookstore. Well, at least I am saving over $100 and can use that money for other important things such as my senior dues which are by the way, $110 (and yes, OWU people who read my blog, I will try to make it to the Welcome Back Toast at the Pritchard House). I am about to become either a social party animal counting down the days until I finish or a recluse, locked inside City Hall, an astronomy lab, Beeghly, or my room until December, at least. I hope it is the former.
My first day of classes was yesterday beginning at 8 am. This is something that I am somewhat used to with the exception that instead of being in a class, I am manning the Student Involvement desk. I am now working the Student Involvement desk in the afternoon from 4 pm - 6 pm, reminiscent to my sophomore year. My first class was a Religion class- Gandhi: Religion and Social Change. I think this class would be a good one; I just need to focus and get some coffee. I get a break at 9 am and return to class at 10 am with Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. Some of my friends and fraternity brothers took the class last semester so I think I will get some of the books through the mail so I won't have to use more of my money. My professor is also my academic advisor and I had two of his classes already. I will definitely enjoy this class. At 11 am, I head downstairs for a dose of The Astronomical Universe. There are so many seniors in this class trying to find the least demanding science class. Honestly for me, it was between Astronomy or Geology and I already had a bit of geology knowledge in my Geography classes. I chose Astronomy purely for my interest. I foresee a lot of study groups at other fraternity houses. Even though I did not have my lab this week, I anticipate the challenge of an astronomy lab next week.
I have my Historical Research Seminar or Senior Sem as fellow History majors like to call it today and I am very optimistic about all of the wonderful sources that are out there. Microfiche seems to be everywhere and I will probably hit up some of the folio oversize books soon as well. Better yet, the Senior Sem class is once a week and there is only 6 other people taking it with me. This will be a most interesting academic year. I may have to add another course in order to fulfill my junior/senior residency requirement but I know that I can handle it. I have done 5.5 credits before and the result was very good. I have Choral Arts later today after work and then Smores at the Interfaith House, and finally an executive Circle K meeting.
Bishop Week is this week but I do not have much of an interest in it especially since I have tons of things to do already. What I am most looking forward is the Welcome Back Dinner and Toast with our President, Rock Jones, at his house on Sunday. I cannot wait for the celebration and to be reacquainted with all of my fellow seniors. Class of 2010, BABY!!! Whoo!!! Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures but I hope to change that very soon.
Living the dream,
Hasani Wheat
Class of '10
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Circle K International Convention
Shortly after the end of Circle K's Large Scale Service Project, we quickly transitioned into the more formal part of the week, the International Convention. Just like the Large Scale Service Project, I did not know what to expect. I just took everything one day at a time. Even though this was the more formal part of the week, there was no part of it that was unbelievably stressful to me. This time around, I was able to just stay in the Sheraton and sit in chairs during meetings and sessions instead of enduring the humidity of the South. I liked the transition.
There are a lot of pictures that seem to reflect only the fun and relaxed side of things. I preferred not to take pictures of majority of the ceremonies and meetings. Rather, I wanted to draw a visual picture of the happenings of the International Convention. The four day conference was intense and to the point.
On Wednesday, there was a short introduction with the Opening Session. Many of the attendees for International Convention flew or drove in during the Scavenger Hunt around Downtown Birmingham so they were well rested. The other attendees like myself were still recuperating from sunburn and ant bites, not to mention exhaustion from working in the humidity for three days so we had to transition our minds quickly. Nevertheless, the International Convention kicked off smoothly. I was reunited with my Ohio District and we had to come up with a cheer for the evening. The Opening Session was lighthearted with all of the districts introduced by their governors. Some districts had goofy outfits on while others had crazy cheers. This was a good way to kick things off.
Thursday- workshops were in store and the shop was up and running. Most of Thursday's events were business casual so I did not have to wear a suit and a tie. I was still running about attending all of the workshops and meetings I could to gain more knowledge about different aspects of Circle K on the club, district, and international levels. There was more time for my district to fellowship especially after a full day of meetings. I think Thursday was the day that we went into the Five Points neighborhood to have dinner. That was an experience in itself because I got to meet the Kansas district while eating up lots of chips and salsa. The restaurant was called Fuego Cantina, a Mexican restaurant that was surprisingly cheap (yes, almost as cheap as Chipotle, believe it or not). We took the DART (a bus transit) from the Sheraton to get there. The area has a lot of diverse restaurant so if I am in Birmingham again, I will definitely hit them all up.
Friday- It is caucusing and House of Delegates time. I did House of Delegates at DCON but there is nothing like a ICON House of Delegates. The bottled up excitement was there and I did not know what to expect. There were some amendments we had to go through and nominations for the International President office was shown. In the caucusing sessions, I got an opportunity to ask questions directly to the candidates. I was so happy that I was able to be a direct participant. Afterwards in the evening after our Tailgate dance, my district met to discuss the day's events and what could happen on Saturday.
Saturday- The tension was in the air when the House of Delegates recommenced. A new International President was announced and I am happy to say that he is from our mighty Ohio district. His name is Jason Stewart. The place erupted and I was and still am so proud and happy for Jason. He definitely deserves it and I am sure that he will lead Circle K International to new heights!! Most of the amendments were decided upon on Friday but the delegates opened the floor for decision for the remaining amendments. The Ohio District had an amendment on the floor and it was passed without question. We had a break for several hours and started back with the Closing Ceremony. This ceremony was filled with awards, laughter, tears, and memories from the amazing time we had at International Convention. There were some surprises and we got to see the retirement of the 2008-2009 International Board and the installment of the 2009-2010 International Board.
Well, this ended the amazing weekend. Even though I have left some things out due to me hurrying a bit because I have to pack for school tomorrow (I go back on the 20th of August and I am reposting updated info even though I started this post on the 13th, BTW), this is basically my weekend in the Magic City, Birmingham, AL. Circle K IS simply the best, especially when it comes down to its tenets of service, leadership, and fellowship. If you want to challenge me about Circle K's awesomeness, simply join the club especially when there is a district event and find out for yourself. I have pictures below; check them out.
Continuing to be amazed by Circle K International,
Hasani Wheat
Class of '10
There are a lot of pictures that seem to reflect only the fun and relaxed side of things. I preferred not to take pictures of majority of the ceremonies and meetings. Rather, I wanted to draw a visual picture of the happenings of the International Convention. The four day conference was intense and to the point.
On Wednesday, there was a short introduction with the Opening Session. Many of the attendees for International Convention flew or drove in during the Scavenger Hunt around Downtown Birmingham so they were well rested. The other attendees like myself were still recuperating from sunburn and ant bites, not to mention exhaustion from working in the humidity for three days so we had to transition our minds quickly. Nevertheless, the International Convention kicked off smoothly. I was reunited with my Ohio District and we had to come up with a cheer for the evening. The Opening Session was lighthearted with all of the districts introduced by their governors. Some districts had goofy outfits on while others had crazy cheers. This was a good way to kick things off.
Thursday- workshops were in store and the shop was up and running. Most of Thursday's events were business casual so I did not have to wear a suit and a tie. I was still running about attending all of the workshops and meetings I could to gain more knowledge about different aspects of Circle K on the club, district, and international levels. There was more time for my district to fellowship especially after a full day of meetings. I think Thursday was the day that we went into the Five Points neighborhood to have dinner. That was an experience in itself because I got to meet the Kansas district while eating up lots of chips and salsa. The restaurant was called Fuego Cantina, a Mexican restaurant that was surprisingly cheap (yes, almost as cheap as Chipotle, believe it or not). We took the DART (a bus transit) from the Sheraton to get there. The area has a lot of diverse restaurant so if I am in Birmingham again, I will definitely hit them all up.
Friday- It is caucusing and House of Delegates time. I did House of Delegates at DCON but there is nothing like a ICON House of Delegates. The bottled up excitement was there and I did not know what to expect. There were some amendments we had to go through and nominations for the International President office was shown. In the caucusing sessions, I got an opportunity to ask questions directly to the candidates. I was so happy that I was able to be a direct participant. Afterwards in the evening after our Tailgate dance, my district met to discuss the day's events and what could happen on Saturday.
Saturday- The tension was in the air when the House of Delegates recommenced. A new International President was announced and I am happy to say that he is from our mighty Ohio district. His name is Jason Stewart. The place erupted and I was and still am so proud and happy for Jason. He definitely deserves it and I am sure that he will lead Circle K International to new heights!! Most of the amendments were decided upon on Friday but the delegates opened the floor for decision for the remaining amendments. The Ohio District had an amendment on the floor and it was passed without question. We had a break for several hours and started back with the Closing Ceremony. This ceremony was filled with awards, laughter, tears, and memories from the amazing time we had at International Convention. There were some surprises and we got to see the retirement of the 2008-2009 International Board and the installment of the 2009-2010 International Board.
Well, this ended the amazing weekend. Even though I have left some things out due to me hurrying a bit because I have to pack for school tomorrow (I go back on the 20th of August and I am reposting updated info even though I started this post on the 13th, BTW), this is basically my weekend in the Magic City, Birmingham, AL. Circle K IS simply the best, especially when it comes down to its tenets of service, leadership, and fellowship. If you want to challenge me about Circle K's awesomeness, simply join the club especially when there is a district event and find out for yourself. I have pictures below; check them out.
Continuing to be amazed by Circle K International,
Hasani Wheat
Class of '10
Friday, August 7, 2009
Circle K International Large Scale Service Project
Hello, everyone. I am in hot but beautiful Birmingham, Alabama right now. I am in Birmingham with Circle K for the 9th annual Large Scale Service Project and the International Convention. From last Saturday to Wednesday, I was working on various service projects. On Sunday, I was on the work site in the neighborhood of Wylam, about 15 minutes away from downtown Birmingham. While in Wylam, I was working with Habitat for Humanity. One of the main projects I was working on for Habitat was measuring and digging holes for new mailboxes in the neighborhood to be installed. Most of these locations were next to newly developed houses. This project was grueling enough without side projects which I did such as carrying cement to point A to point B and creating, sawing, and measuring the roof pattern.
To make matters more challenging, the humidity was relentless and the weather constantly shifted from 90 degree heat to downpours of rain. The longer I was out working on the Habitat work site, the more likely I was vulnerable to all kinds of illness. Considering that this was the first of three big service projects for the duration of the time in Birmingham, I foolishly thought that this project might be the easiest. I was so wrong. I was very sore and my clothes reeked of sweet and the outside environment of a work site. Nevertheless, I had a lot of fun on the Habitat work site... and this was on a Sunday!
On Monday morning, I was put on another project closer than the Wylam Habitat for Humanity location: The Jones Valley Urban Farm (JVUF). The main objective of this farm for us was to rid of all of the diseased or potentially diseased. I thought that working with Habitat while being on a rainy plot of land was going to be wet and dirty labor. I was wrong. I was working in 90+ degree weather with the sun beaming down on me, no wind and a high humidity to boot. The working conditions were not pleasant but the service opportunity had to be completed. Some of the plants were in cages so we had to untangle the plant from the cage and then discard the plant in a pile which was picked up by a person who was in charge of removing all of the debris in a wheelbarrow. From nine in the morning until about three in the afternoon, we worked until all of the tomato plants were in the garbage bin and the area was clean. This was indeed some backbreaking labor.
Tuesday morning... we are headed to the Birmingham Zoo. Once again, we were split into various roles. I picked the harder of the tasks where I had to enter into monkey cages and clean up the mulch inside and put down new mulch. This time, I was in a cooler climate however, I had to wear a surgical mask that looked like a duck bill around my nose and mouth to protect me from the odious aroma and the mulch. It was hard to breathe and was glad when I took the mask. Water filled into the mask from all of the sweat I perspired. I helped clean two cages, home to two kinds of moneys. After cleaning and putting down new mulch, we made "enrichment snacks" for the monkeys in which we hid those "enrichment snacks" throughout the cage. These "enrichment snacks" was lettuce and noodles rolled into a paper towel roll. Afterwards, we were able to tour the zoo as visitors, a reward for all of our hard work through the days.
Wednesday- last day of the Large Scale Service Project. There were a lot of lighthearted and adventurous moments when we took a break from the service and Wednesday was the highlight of it all. Beginning on Saturday when we arrived, we learned our teams, created a team name (White Lightning Rebels of the Lost City of Atlantis, or White Lightning, for short), created a team banner, created a team shout, and made fellowship throughout our Birmingham. We went to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and heard an overview about the different species of plants that exist in the South. We went to the Vulcan right after where we saw all of Birmingham from above. Wednesday was the climactic ending to the Large Scale Service Project. Ironically, there was no real service but a whole bunch of college age students hanging out in Linn Park downtown doing a scavenger hunt of the city. During the scavenger hunt, we ended up at Arts Museum looking for 18th century clocks and visiting the historic Birmingham Public Library. All in all, I was thoroughly satisfied with the 9th annual Circle K International Large Scale Service Project. I cannot wait for the Ohio District's District Service Project which will be held at my school. So stoked!!!!!
In the meantime, take a look at all of the pictures I took at the Large Scale Service Project.
In Service to all Mankind,
Hasani Wheat
Class of '10
To make matters more challenging, the humidity was relentless and the weather constantly shifted from 90 degree heat to downpours of rain. The longer I was out working on the Habitat work site, the more likely I was vulnerable to all kinds of illness. Considering that this was the first of three big service projects for the duration of the time in Birmingham, I foolishly thought that this project might be the easiest. I was so wrong. I was very sore and my clothes reeked of sweet and the outside environment of a work site. Nevertheless, I had a lot of fun on the Habitat work site... and this was on a Sunday!
On Monday morning, I was put on another project closer than the Wylam Habitat for Humanity location: The Jones Valley Urban Farm (JVUF). The main objective of this farm for us was to rid of all of the diseased or potentially diseased. I thought that working with Habitat while being on a rainy plot of land was going to be wet and dirty labor. I was wrong. I was working in 90+ degree weather with the sun beaming down on me, no wind and a high humidity to boot. The working conditions were not pleasant but the service opportunity had to be completed. Some of the plants were in cages so we had to untangle the plant from the cage and then discard the plant in a pile which was picked up by a person who was in charge of removing all of the debris in a wheelbarrow. From nine in the morning until about three in the afternoon, we worked until all of the tomato plants were in the garbage bin and the area was clean. This was indeed some backbreaking labor.
Tuesday morning... we are headed to the Birmingham Zoo. Once again, we were split into various roles. I picked the harder of the tasks where I had to enter into monkey cages and clean up the mulch inside and put down new mulch. This time, I was in a cooler climate however, I had to wear a surgical mask that looked like a duck bill around my nose and mouth to protect me from the odious aroma and the mulch. It was hard to breathe and was glad when I took the mask. Water filled into the mask from all of the sweat I perspired. I helped clean two cages, home to two kinds of moneys. After cleaning and putting down new mulch, we made "enrichment snacks" for the monkeys in which we hid those "enrichment snacks" throughout the cage. These "enrichment snacks" was lettuce and noodles rolled into a paper towel roll. Afterwards, we were able to tour the zoo as visitors, a reward for all of our hard work through the days.
Wednesday- last day of the Large Scale Service Project. There were a lot of lighthearted and adventurous moments when we took a break from the service and Wednesday was the highlight of it all. Beginning on Saturday when we arrived, we learned our teams, created a team name (White Lightning Rebels of the Lost City of Atlantis, or White Lightning, for short), created a team banner, created a team shout, and made fellowship throughout our Birmingham. We went to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and heard an overview about the different species of plants that exist in the South. We went to the Vulcan right after where we saw all of Birmingham from above. Wednesday was the climactic ending to the Large Scale Service Project. Ironically, there was no real service but a whole bunch of college age students hanging out in Linn Park downtown doing a scavenger hunt of the city. During the scavenger hunt, we ended up at Arts Museum looking for 18th century clocks and visiting the historic Birmingham Public Library. All in all, I was thoroughly satisfied with the 9th annual Circle K International Large Scale Service Project. I cannot wait for the Ohio District's District Service Project which will be held at my school. So stoked!!!!!
In the meantime, take a look at all of the pictures I took at the Large Scale Service Project.
In Service to all Mankind,
Hasani Wheat
Class of '10
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