Wow, it finally happened today. I formed my very own clique in the class. Earlier in the week, I had invited some of the ladies to join me for a walk in Duke Gardens after class… I ended up going solo, because I gave like 15 minutes’ notice, but this time, I gave a few ladies some decent heads up as soon as I’d heard about an outdoor concert tonight in downtown Durham. One lady, from San Diego, I could tell was game for anything. We’d had lunch yesterday, and I had also overheard several of her conversations with other classmates: homegirl got OUT. Then I also recruited the lady who lives in my hometown of Frederick (She’s also Peruvian) and a lady with whom I had walked during lunch on Tuesday. A lady from DC also joined, so at the end, we had a good little group!

Btw, the San Diego chick is a superstar researcher. She enrolled in some hotel program and earned double points plus gym access plus free breakfast, plus appetizers/drinks plus blah, blah… Yup, my kinda gal. And the Peruvian? She just learned salsa a few years ago: after she decided to learn, she started going to salsa clubs, and in the end, she met her husband there!! This evening, after the concert, she hit a local salsa club solo. Again, my kinda gal. Grab the bull by the horns!!

So for tomorrow’s class on board governance, the teacher already sent out an email telling us to arrive early. Something like, if you arrive on time, you’re already late. Really?? What am I, a teenager?? Tomorrow night, he wants to have dinner with the class. That means I only have Saturday and Sunday nights left to plan activities with my latest clique. Hmm, what to organize??

Btw, today we had a field trip to a recovery center for people with substance abuse. We met people in the program and listened to so many moving, personal stories. I’m shocked by what alcohol and drugs can do to people… but the trip really reminded me again of human resiliency and fortitude. I am so amazed by how far people can come no matter their depths of despair. I was also reminded today of how far I’ve gotten away from volunteering. Goddamn, as a kid, I volunteered at the hospital and at the animal shelter. In college, I also volunteered regularly at the animal shelter and at an after school center for inner city kids. In Florida, Remy and I did that Dr. Dog program at Shands Hospital. In Virginia, I was a literacy tutor for adult immigrants… what the hell happened to all of that?? What happened to that idealism, that hunger for real impact, that commitment to implementing change? I’d like to get back to that sooner than later. Time to strategize once again.