National Service (in which I might get a bit political)

Veteran's Day honors the men and women who have served our country in the armed forces. Many of those veterans went to war for our country, but many of them served in times of peace. My dad is a veteran. Several of my friends are veterans. I even have several friends who are currently serving in the military.
No matter what you think about this "war" that our country is currently involved in, there are still thousands of men and women who are a long way from home, in some pretty scary places, in the name of the USA, and in the name of the freedoms that we enjoy every day — even (especially!) the freedom to disagree with what our government is doing.
Last Wednesday, on Veteran's Day, the Heritage Flight Museum where I volunteer had free admission, activities, and fly-bys by several of the historic war planes that the museum owns. For a few hours in the morning, a local radio station had a live broadcast from the museum, inviting listeners to call in and share stories of service. My part of the event was inviting kids to make cards for a local soldier who is currently serving his third tour in Iraq. This is a program that the previous education director started, and something that I feel is worth continuing.

(Picture by Daniel Johnson, The Bellingham Herald)

In asking people to volunteer at the museum with me, I have gotten a (to me) suprising amount of negative response. People have told me "I just want to distance myself from anything that has to do with the war."
This response confuses the heck out of me. I don't care what you feel about the war, we are writing letters to a young man (my age) who is a long, long way from home. The letters from the kids say things like "I hope you are safe," and "you must miss your mom a lot." If you want to connect these statements - which are written by seven year olds - to a view on the war, to me they seem more anti-war than pro-war. I see nothing pro-war about wanting someone's son to get home safe.

The museum tries to be very clear that it is not a political entity. It is not a military museum. It does not support or oppose the war - it is a nonprofit museum dedicated to the history of American aviation. The thing about American aviation, though, is that a lot of it was developed by the military. Thus, we have a lot of warbirds. Plus, they are pretty awesome:

The way I see it, I am serving my country, for the second year. I am in National Service. I am doing it to help others, to work for what I believe in (education), and, honestly, because the government is giving me a (very) little money to use towards furthering my education. People who join the armed services - another form of National Service - do it to help others, to get an education, to work for what they believe in (such as democracy, human rights, and freedom), and so the government will help them pay for their education. We're really not so different.
But there are differences. I have a family who knows I am safe. They might not get to communicate with their families for weeks at a time. No one shoots guns at me or plants bombs where my car might be driving. So when I can help children make cards to send to someone my own age, who is thousands of miles from home, I jump at the opportunity.

Surviving on a Serving budget

One of the best workshops I took at the SERVES conference was on living well on an AmeriCorps Budget, presented by Washington State University Extension. As an AmeriCorps State member, I make $1050 a month before taxes. Not a lot. Any little bit of money I can save is worth it.

I am always worried that budget workshop teachers are going to tell me to give up having any sort of fun, ever, so I was pleasantly surprised when the first thing the presenter had us do was write down our top ten things we love to do. We marked the ones that cost $5 or more at a time, whether we do them with others or alone, and when we did the activity last. My top 10 things were this:

1. Go to the Movies
2. Go out to dinner
3. Go out for drinks
4. Go out for coffee
5. Watch TV
6. Hike
7. See live music
8. Read
9. Cook
10. Make things/crafts

We then looked over our lists and evaluated them. I like to go out. I like to spend time with my friends and do social things. I also like my alone time (reading). Half of my things often cost $5 or more at a time.

She then had us look at our lists and think about any changes we could make. If I cooked more and went out to dinner less, I would probably save money, especially since I get $200 in food stamps a month. I could invite friends over and have just as much fun. Same goes for getting coffee. I can at least get tea or an Americano instead of a latte.

Going out for drinks and seeing live music go hand-in-hand, as most shows I want to see are at the local bars. I’m not willing to give up on live music, but I can definitely budget myself and even not drink (shocking a concept as that seems).

I really liked that we were not told to give up the things we like doing, and instead we brainstormed how to still do them and afford to live.

We next talked about our expenses: fixed expenses are rent, bills, and car payment – things you absolutely have to pay. Flexible expenses are things that can change: gas and power bills (use CFL bulbs!), food and drink, putting gas in your car, and entertainment. There are also periodic expenses, like holiday gifts, birthdays, and vacations. She suggested figuring out how much you need to save, dividing it by 12, and making that amount a fixed expense. That way when December rolls around, you have been saving for gifts all year. (The same goes for taxes!)

When you subtract your expenses from your net (after tax) income, if you’re like me and most other AmeriCorps members who were in the workshop, you come up with a negative amount. Unfortunately, we are people and not the federal government, so we can’t operate our lives with a negative income.

The solution?

Increase Income or Decrease Spending.

I already figured out some good ways to decrease my spending – cook at home, don’t spend $20 at the bar, etc. I could also give up my Netflix account or my internet, but neither of those ideas sound like worthwhile sacrifices.

Therefore, I’m working on ways to increase my income. I already baby-sit for one local family, I’m sure I could find more gigs. I am thinking about making canvas grocery bags and selling them online or at my school. I have thought about offering my services as a tutor or an editor for college students. I got good grades in Theatre History! And I still have all my notes. I’ve been crocheting a lot as well and thought about either selling my creations or teaching crochet classes.

Do you have any ways that you bring in extra money? What about tricks to decrease your spending? I have looked into some online jobs but most of them seem very sketchy.

**Edited to add: You know that internet I refuse to give up? It hasn't worked in two days, so I'm posting this while sitting at The Woods Coffee shop. Drinking a $3 Americano. At least it's got the prettiest view of any coffee shop around. I'm watching the rain fall over the bay.

Auto-addiction

Today's lesson in frugality is: Stick up for yourself.
This applies to every aspect of your life, but specifically to car repair.
The majority of Americans can't repair their own cars. When I drove Volkswagens from the 80s, me, my friends, or my dad could pretty much fix anything that was wrong with them. Unfortunately, with newer cars the most I can do is change the oil and the filters. 
So, when my Ford Focus wouldn't start on Friday night, I had it towed to the local Ford dealership - Diehl Ford in Bellingham, WA. 
To make a long, frustrating story short, the dealership quoted me a price for the car I couldn't afford on my AmeriCorps budget. When a tow truck (sent by my insurance company) came to take the car to another repair shop, Deihl wouldn't release the car to the tow truck driver because they said I owed $120 for "diagnostics." After several back and forth phone calls, John in the service department yelled at me, refused to let me speak to his manager, and actually called me a liar. 
After work, I showed up at the dealership and met with the General Manager, Mike Diehl. He was very polite, and definitely upset that his employee treated me in the manner he did. He apoligized and offered to do the repairs for $100 less than what they originally quoted me. This is still more than the second shop, and I refused. Mike went back to get my keys from them, and the the service people had a brief pow-wow with him and agreed to do the repairs for the price the second shop quoted me. I made sure to get it in writing from Mike Diehl.
I picked my car up today and paid the price that I was promised. I am happy that my car is fixed, but still amazed that someone in customer service would speak to an employee like that.
The lesson? Don't back down, and stick up for yourself. If I had given in, I would have paid them $120 for doing nothing. I will never do business with them again, given the way their service department treated me. I have worked many retail and customer service jobs, and I can't fathom what would make a person in a service job feel that they can talk to a customer that way. He actually called me a liar! I am still in shock. 

So, when getting repairs done on a car (or anything) - here are my "frugal" rules:1) Shop around. Find the best price. Tell the repairmen/women what the best price you found was.
2) Stick up for yourself.
3) Do your research. Google is your friend - find out how much the parts needed are, figure out what the repair should cost.
4) Stick up for yourself. (Have I mentioned that already?)
5) Get all promises in writing. Otherwise there is no way to prove what they said to you.
6) If you aren't getting what you need, there is always someone higher up you can talk to. 
7) It's okay to cry. I did. But then take a breath, channel that emotion into rightous anger and, yes: stick up for yourself.



I apologize for this entry being about such a frustrating personal experience, but I feel like it is a good lesson for all of us who drive. I personally am rethinking my whole reliance on my car after this. It only rains 80% of the year here, who needs a car?

What A Week!

Happy Halloween!
This past week I went to the SERVES institute for Washington Service Corps. Nearly 1000 AmeriCorps members descended on Yakima, WA - the so-called "Palm Springs of Washington," (I've yet to figure out why they call it that) for workshops on everything from tutoring ELL students to lowering your ecological footprint.
I discovered it is impossible to sit down and write a blog after spending nine hours sitting in workshops. Impossible for me, at least. I am not a sitting-still kind of girl, so the past week was pretty much torturous.
Monday morning I woke up at 5:30 am (so begins the torture), picked up two team members and headed south and then east. After a long drive with several coffee breaks, we arrived at the Yakima Convention Center, just in time for lunch. When I asked one of the catering staff if the tortillas in the enchiladas were corn, she scoffed and asked if I was Vegan. Beyond not making any sense, that did not bode well for my future meals.
A big part of Washington Service Corps mission this year is Disaster Preparedness. Our opening keynote speaker was entertaining, but all I can remember is this: Live next to a Mormon, Have Chocolate and Toilet Paper in your disaster kit, and Women and Children First. Obviously, getting up at 5:30 and driving halfway across the state is not good for my mental capacity.
The second speaker was from the Red Cross and spoke about personal preparedness - having a disaster kit in your household, and knowing what to do in case of a disaster. We should all have some sort of disaster kit at the ready, and I know I myself am guilty of often thinking that's a good idea, and then not doing it. However, I would not do well if my power or water was turned off for any length of time. I have some lanterns and candles and that's about it. My new goal is to have some very basic supplies - water, food, battery or hand-crank operated radio, and first aid kit - in a disaster kit by the end of the year. Here is a list of the items the Red Cross recommends having in your family's kit.
Also, did you know that Washington State has the potential for more different types of disasters than any other state? Luckily we don't get hurricanes.

I took several great workshops that I would like to share with you, and I will over the next few days. I also have a new adventure to share - car repairs on an AmeriCorps stipend. Last night, my car would not start. The ignition tumbler will not turn. Unfortunately, this seems to be a common problem for this type of car, but not common enough to have a factory recall on. The car was towed to the local dealership, where it will hopefully be repaired on Monday. As a young, blonde, woman I am often very wary of dealing with mechanics and car dealers, but I do not have a choice. Luckily I am fairly educated on the subject of cars and it should be a simple thing to fix. One important lesson is this: Roadside assistance is WORTH IT. Whether it is through your insurance company or something like AAA, it is well worth the extra little bit of money to know that a tow truck will come save you when it is pouring down rain and your car won't start. (And you are wearing zombie makeup because it is the night before Halloween and live in a college town.)

No Pig Flu!

So here it is, Friday night. The week went by fast.
Monday I came home early from work - was not feeling well at all. I ended up staying home, with a fever and sore throat on Tuesday as well. Luckily, it was not The Swine Flu, just the regular flu.
Being sick messes up my whole life. Missing one and a half days of work somehow made the week seem longer.
I'm pretty terrified I'm going to get Swine Flu (I guess we are supposed to call it H1N1 now), and be sick for a long time. We are only allowed 8 sick days, and I've taken two and a half. And, children are walking petri dishes. They don't know how to cover their mouths when they cough, they touch everything, and they don't wash their hands. For some reason, I still love working with them. I am planning on getting the vaccine as soon as it is available, and hoping it won't be too late. Several of my team members (not at my school, thankfully) have already come down with H1N1.

Next week my whole team goes to Yakima to SERVES with the whole Washington Service Corps, which comprises about 1/3 of the AmeriCorps members in Washington State. We arrive on Monday and listen to people talk for the afternoon. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning we get to attend a variety of workshops covering topics from using the education award to tutoring ELL students to lessening your environmental footprint. I've been planning out what workshops I want to take and I am planning on a class on Volunteer Management, one financial management on the AmeriCorps stipend, paying for graduate school, living a sustainable lifestyle, and one on avoiding burnout. There are a couple others I want to take but they conflict and I am having a hard time deciding! I am looking forward to the week, and I promise to share the good stuff I learn with you all.

Tomorrow is Make A Difference Day, billed as "America's largest day of doing good." According to the USA Weekend's official website, last year 3 million people participated in Make-A-Difference-Day. Our local Volunteer Center is hosting a big event, with a breakfast beforehand. I will be planting trees with four of my team members, and am hoping that it won't be pouring down rain. Even if it is, I am looking forward to it. I am excited to be doing some service that is different - being outside and not in a school at a desk sounds like a nice change of pace. I've been thinking that I would like to do some environmental education work, so this will be a nice way to dip my toes in and test the water.

So, what are you doing for Make A Difference Day? It's not too late to find a project - if your town has a volunteer center check with them, or your church, your school, check your newspaper, or just look around your neighborhood to see if anyone close to home might need an extra hand.

The Cycle (I ain't talkin' 'bout no bike)

On our Team Friday last week, we talked about the "National Service Cycle," as well as the Stages of Group Development, which both conveniently follow the same graph:

This graph and the "Stages of Group Development" were primarily developed by Charlie Ford, a private consultant for AmeriCorps programs. From my past experience in AmeriCorps, it is spot-on.

These stages describe what an individual in AmeriCorps might be going through, as well as how the entire group is working and relating with each other.

The first stage is Forming. As an individual, you are extremely excited to be starting AmeriCorps or starting another year of it. You have big plans (like writing a blog about it!) and know it's going to be awesome. As a group, you are excited to meet your teammates, and make big plans for the group (like 5 family events in the school year!).

The second stage is Storming. The thing about the Storming stage, and winter in the Pacific Northwest, is they come at pretty much the same time. Storming is when reality rears it's ugly head, nothing is going right, and you hate everything. You might apply for other jobs, cry on the phone with your parents, and eat way too much chocolate. You might. I'm not saying this from experience or anything. As a group, this stage is terrible. Fighting, anger, frustration.... I'm hoping my group has already had our little problems, and gotten through them. Fingers crossed.

Like the new green grass peeking it's head out of the snow (or, let's be serious - mud), Norming is when things start to get good again. As an individual, you begin to realize that this is really worth it. As a group, you begin to realize that yes, you can work together.

Performing! Doing what you came here to do! Getting things done! Kids are learning to read, your group is working together beautifully, life is wonderful.

Adjourning - this is when you realize that, just after it started to get good, your time in AmeriCorps or your time with this group has to come to an end - and soon. People get cranky, especially if they don't know what they are doing next. People get upset when other people get excited about the time being over. This part is TOUGH.

Then, it's done. Hopefully you stuck it out and are still alive to move on to the next step.

Know what? Sitting through this workshop was so much better the second time. Because it is SO TRUE. By the time I was in the middle of Storming in my last year, I had completely forgotten about this. They promised us it would get better! I should have listened.
I distinctly remember going to an interview at the Cingular interview (because I thought I HAD to get out of AmeriCorps), and it was windy and rainy and the power went out, so I had to reschedule my interview. Poetic, huh? In my "Storming" phase in a big storm, which prevented me from getting a job that would take me out of AmeriCorps? Well, I think so.

So, if you're storming: Remember, it gets better! I'm sure I will come back and read this entry several times in the next few months, to remind myself of that very fact.

If you would like to read more about the Stages of Group Development, check out: http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/stages-group

The Wild Things Are Here!

After four weeks of planning (which felt, at times, like four years or four days), we held our first Family Literacy Event last night.

Our theme was the book Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak. We planned to have it this week because the movie adaptation, directed by Spike Jonze, opens tomorrow. It looks amazing and I, for one, am really excited to go see it.

Our Family Night included two art projects, readings of the story in both English and Spanish, a raffle, and refreshments.

Since it was Washington Reading Corps first event at the school, we had no idea how many people to expect. I had a brief moment of panic yesterday afternoon when I was convinced that we were going to have fifteen volunteers and five families. As it turned out, we had 47 families attend, and that’s only counting the ones who signed in – I’m sure there were a few who got past us. Forty-seven families – most families consisted of three people, be it two parents and a student, one parent and two students, and even some families with grandparents in tow. So that comes to approximately 141 people attending our very first event! Very exciting.

We have a great community of staff members at our school – we had several teachers and students teachers attend and many of them helped out with parts of the event. Our librarian showed a short movie version of the book in both English and Spanish, and read the book in English. Our Principal Intern read the book in Spanish, which was very exciting for a lot of our Spanish-speaking students and families. Our PTA donated movie tickets and a copy of Where the Wild Things Are for the raffle, and my favorite local bookstore, Village Books, donated two books – Where the Wild Things Are and a bilingual (English/Spanish) book. Each family got a raffle ticket as they walked in.

Many community businesses donated food and supplies for our event, which is awesome. It is great when businesses, small and large, participate in community events such as this. They get great advertising and publicity, and we get things that we wouldn’t be able to otherwise afford.