Two Weeks

So, what’s the normal amount of time between blog updates? Is a week good?  It’s been a busy one, so a quick update can’t hurt. 

Training has been much the same; slow.  Today we learned how to use a hammer.  Like the kind with nails. So... thanks to that, I finally understand that “hit the nail on the head” metaphor.  Maybe tomorrow we’ll learn rulers and scissors so I can finally get some insight on “measure twice, cut once.” 

We have started doing service projects though, which has been great.  Friday, we piled into the vans and spent the day picking Mullen weeds with a bunch of sixth graders.

The day started off great, with a pretty funny group of sixth grade boys, and a ton of weeds that needed to be pulled.  By the end of the day, they were spitting on each other and stealing each other’s lunches.  I wish I was twelve again, cause one of the kids brought a bunch of fruit snacks, and I would stolen that shit in a heartbeat.

I spent Saturday morning picking up trash with a group at a park near our campus and learned the following two things:

1.    Whoever designed the grabber claw things we were using to pick up trash was a genius. They are the perfect size to pick up 40oz malt liquor bottles.  40 bottles account for about 70% of the trash in Denver.

2.    After finding a crack pipe (weird) and a whole watermelon (weirder) I made the logical conclusion that Gallagher is living in Denver, and too strung out on crack to do his job right.

That afternoon, Erik and I went back to Royal Arch in Boulder, but this time we brought some friends...

... And made some new ones...

 Sunday, we woke up at 5 AM to work a fun run, and Monday we re-did a garden at an elementary school.  So in all, the work projects are a great break from training, but I still can’t wait for our first spike. (Our big work projects are called spikes.  We have lots of cool lingo.)

Tuesday night I went to a Dr. Dog show with Erik, Katie, Sam and Ethan.  They had a crazy light show, and played forever.  Sounded great too.  The show was at the boulder theater, which was a great venue, really pretty and great beer on tap. We all had a blast.

As a sidenote, I just bought a bunch of postcards, so if anybody would like a penpal let me know, or send me a postcard (I need some more love at mail call)

Chris Matthews- Class 17
AmeriCorps NCCC
3001 S. Federal Blvd.
Walsh Hall, Room 136
Denver, CO 80236