Ken

“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it." -Mark Twain

So I was traveling this week to Syracuse for a recruiting trip and I had the opportunity to fly for the first time in close to two years. When I fly I tend to be quite the social butterfly. I love to talk to complete strangers and learn about lives...not characteristic of me at all. I don't know why I am like that, but I am. Call it my "other personality". Ha!

So I had a unique encounter this trip. I met a driver from the hotel who picked me up from the airport early in the morning. Ken was your typical New Yorker who agreed to let me ride in the front seat...only if I promised not to tell the hotel. Agreed. Of course that only meant that I had the floor to ask him tons of questions about Syracuse. Of course I asked him all of the basics (how was the weather, did he like living there, did he ever see Paulis from Duke, etc.) and then some. When I asked him if he had lived there all his life, he said that he had not only because he was a retired marine and served 19 years for our country. Like many who served our country, he had a story to tell....and I listened. He went off to the military at a young age and served in the marines and picked up a trade. He loved his country and loved serving his country as well. Never regretted his decision. We spoke a long time about his life now with his wife and kids and the nightmares he still has. He reminded me that there are so many events that occurred to him over his time in the military that he will never forget.

Ken works three jobs. He has a paper route in the morning, he works for the hotel doing every little odd and end during the day and runs his cleaning business during the night. Up until a year ago he held a corporate job with Carrier until it folded after 15 years. When I asked him how he felt about juggling three jobs, he said "you do what you have to do. I am not too proud to work to make ends meet. I know times our tough and I know they will get better. If you told me two years ago that I would be doing this I would have never believed you....but life changes and you have to go with it."

Ken epitomizes to me what the human spirit is and what the American spirit is. Not only has he given so much to this country but he is asking for so little in return. When so many are walking around with their hands out right now without willing to do anything for it...here is a guy that we should help...but yet is willing to serve himself. Amazing.

It just goes to show you that there are still good, honest people out there willing to work and earn a living the right way. God bless America!

JAR

A whole a lot of compromise

"In a relationship, when does the art of compromise become compromising?" - Sarah Jessica Parker




Well folks. It is hard to believe, but Josh and I celebrated our 6 month anniversary last week. And for those of you who have been following us on our journey.....it seems hard to believe that time has passed so quickly. We have had a great time these past few months and we have done more in this short period of time then most probably do in years of dating. Amazing.

However. As in every relationship....there comes a point where you hit a crossroads and we have hit ours. Some people stumble upon religion, some become heated on money or family. Ours ......COLLEGE FOOTBALL! Yep. Never in my right mind would I think that I would wait 32 (almost 33) years of my life for the man of my dreams to have "the talk" over our future over football. OK, now maybe I am maybe overreacting a little bit, but you get my point.

Here is the gist of the story. Josh is a die hard NC State fan. I am a die hard ASU fan. We are both season ticket holders. Not a huge deal....we are working through both schedules OK this season. I am trying to make it to some of his games as he is mine. The caveat? I am not a NC State fan. I am a Carolina fan. I BLEED Carolina blue. Problem. Huge problem.

So when I tried to explain this to Josh...he didn't see the issue. I tried to make him see that it was like going against the enemy (more like my whole family). I just could not do it. What made it worst was when I went to Raleigh one weekend and he surprised me by buying an ASU hat to show how he was committed to "compromising". Dang it. Now I really had to go all out. There was no way I could where red. I don't even own anything red in my wardrobe. I was devastated.

So the week of the first NC State home game I called my mother in near tears with panic. What do I do? How do I cope? She said, in the most motherly way she does, "Just tell people you had two uncles who went there." And.... "the UNC basketball team is better then State's....but the football team is probably better than UNC's." Yep. That did it.

And when I went to buy a t-shirt that night....I kept the receipt just in case. Compromise.

JAR

Mountaineer Football Season is BACK

"Today I give my all to Appalachian"

Like the other 95,000 ASU alumni around the country, I have been waiting the last 10 months to see the mountaineer football team take the field. Ending last season with a lost to Richmond (the eventual National Champions) was bitter. After having ended the previous three seasons with a National Championship ourselves....going home a loser was no fun. Plus the anticipation of what this season would bring was even more agonizing. Sure, we have Armanti Edwards for another year; yes, we have a sparkling new facility and we have enough enthusiastic tailgaters to fill five stadiums. But will it be enough?

Will it be enough to carry us to Chattanooga? For those of you who don't know, Chattanooga is the host city for the Division I National Championship Game. The date is December 18th. I have every intention of being there....so much so that my hotel room is already booked and the work day is already been granted off. One small caveat....will my football team be there?

If last week's game against East Carolina is any indicator, we have our work cut out for us. The game itself was not a factor....we don't need it for playoff contention. If anything it was merely a "bragging" rights type of game. The only thing I hate about losing those types of games is the lip you get from instate fans. Uggh. Nevertheless......the game showed that we have a lot of work ahead of us. We had a poor first half and a tremendous second. Unfortunately....in the long run you can't win football games that way. This is a trend I saw a lot of last year....and my fear is that it is creeping it's way back into this season as well. Consistency has GOT to find it's way into the program. Fast.

So if Armanti can find his groove and can stay healthy (and not by mowing the grass I might add)...and if others mature into their positions, then maybe I just might be given an early Christmas present after all.

Go Apps!

JAR

Professor Jenny?

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”- William Arthur Ward

Yes it has been awhile since I have blogged....but for good reason. The world around me has been a little hectic. My work environment has officially begun it's open season (aka: the academic year is upon us). This past Friday I welcomed nearly 13oo freshmen to Elon University. Although I don't recruit for the undergraduate program directly, they directly effect all of our jobs indirectly if we don't fill the seats. My colleagues were a great support of me last month when my new group of Interactive Media and Law students arrived so it was only necessary and right to return the favor. We are all in this together!

This year will be unique for me though. I will for the first time, be teaching a class. I am teaching a Freshmen transition course entitled "Elon 101". I have 15 students for the entire semester that I will meet with every Tuesday for one hour. They have been given a detailed syllabus by me that includes topics ranging from time/stress management to having a full orientation of the library. Each week provides topics and areas that will help ease any anxieties that typically most encounter in the first semester. On top of teaching the class, I will also serve as the students' academic advisor. We will work together to design a schedule that fits their desired intentions for a major and help augment their independence into college life.

I have already had a great experience with this class. I have a great TA who has made the teaching transition a smooth one for me. I love my students and they seem (so far) to be receptive to my dorky personality. I try to go back to all of the feelings and concerns that I had 14 years ago and apply that to what they could be feeling as well. I keep the class light, open and most of all honest. I want them to always feel that my class is the one place they can go to ask anything and feel comfortable asking it.

As the semester moves on...I will keep you posted on my students and my progress as an Instructor. I have so much to learn.

JAR

p.s. Want to know how old you are and how young the class of 2013 is? Check out the Beloit College Mindset List. This is sent out every year to let us see what the class that is currently enrolling has been exposed to since their birth. Scary.