Hodge Podge

As I come to the end of editing the book (I'm checking footnote format and conclusions for consistency across chapters and then that's it!), I've also been able to work in a little bit of fun.

A Rose by any other name: I went to a University Michigan alumni sanctioned event of a film screening filmed on campus. The first time the University has granted such access, the crowd was maized, blued and ready to holler. As my fellow UM alum and I chilled in the lobby, my friend called, "Jalen!" and shook his hand like they were old friends. Chris shared that we'd seen Jalen on the ESPYs red carpet and we had a bonding moment. We took pictures with him, raved about the Fab Five documentary and he asked me to tweet him so that he could give me a shout out. Overall, a good guy.

Observing an observatory: One of my main FUNemployment goals was to visit Griffith Observatory and hike the park. It seems simple, since it is less than a 20 minute drive however I never made it there. I found out about a hike/yoga session that uses a guide to take you on a hike with intermittent yoga breaks. I figured this would be the best way for me to learn my way around this trails (this city kids is afraid of the woods). At the top of the hike, you have 360 degree views of the city and it's amazing. Afterward, I walked through the Observatory and checked out the exhibits. I stood where James Dean had in Rebel Without a Cause and was deliriously happy that I;d made this happen after three and half years of living so close.

Absence of Fear: In December, a friend of mine forwarded me an email talking about how to overcome fear. I quickly learned about this site that creates a monthly e-magazine with stories of people overcoming their fears. I read their newsletters and articles and can say that I've been inspired. It's easy to say I can't; it's much harder to say I can. Reading their work made me say the latter. Check it out: http://www.fearlessstories.com