Americorps NCCC: Arizona ACE, Week 3

What a weird week. We dodged a bullet (federal shutdown) but we dodged our way into a bear cave (big budget cuts). And we’re wearing a meat suit. And an “I hate bears” t-shirt. If Americorps is to exist at all by this Friday, we better hope the bear is hibernating. (This metaphor got weird.)

The threat of a government shutdown came and went on Friday. Americorps is a federally funded program, making me one of the 800,000 employees who would have been furloughed (put on unpaid leave). Congress came to an agreement with less than an hour left before the current budget extension was set to expire. By that point we had packed all our things here in Flagstaff and made plans for a return trip to Denver. (A furlough would have meant staying in the dorms with no pay and nothing to do. Spendover! Super fun!)

Friday’s extension carries our funding through Thursday, but another $38 billion is set to be slashed, and it is entirely possible that Americorps will get cut. I guess it’s nice to have avoided furlough, but getting fired by my country would suck worse. Do I get a pink slip or is it star-spangled?

C’mon Christracker, cheer up.

At this point, we have no control over what happens this coming week. They tell us we’re going on hitch to do fencing Wednesday, but at this point, who knows. Our last hitch got cancelled because of looming budget concerns, and even if we still have jobs come Thursday, this hitch could be canceled for money reasons too.

Anyway... Enough of that sad-sack eeyore budget bullshit. Here’s some pretty postcards!

Thanks to Patrick and Anna from Water 7 for this one. It’s Clinton’s cat, just hardballin’ the press.