Salsa Part Deux and More Boring Stuff

Well, since my internet and cable were down for a week, I was too lazy to post any blog updates. I am sure you'all are just dieing to know what I've been up to this past week. I'd really appreciate you containing your excitement and not peeing yourself in anticipation of my updates.

Update No. 1: A Little Salsa:

Well, salsa went a bit like this....

Thursday, June 18th

Kate's Text: When does this salsa thing start?

My Text: Ugh, like 9 so we better do something before so that my ass doesn't get glued to the couch. I gotta open the restaurant at 7:30 on Sat.

Kate's Text: Blech, I am sure as hell not goin back to Southie and then heading to Cambridge. I'll meet you after work, we'll eat pizza and then dance it off.

Friday, June 19th, SALSA DAY!!!!

Kate get's out of work at 3:30ish and proceeds to pick up a bottle of vino before heading to my place. We sit on my steps and polish off the bottle. We then get all gussied up and go and buy a new pair of sassy red shoes for Kate. Next, we head out looking like two wild and crazy sexy ladies to my neighborhood pizza place. There, we decide to split a pizza and french fries and of course another bottle of white. Success! We stayed out long enough to actually make it to the salsa club. YYYYYYYAAAAAYYYY US!! Then the conversation went something like this...

Kate: You know, it's already 9:00 and Central Square is all the way across the bridge (meaning a 15 minute walk TOPS). We could just skip it.

Me: We are such assholes. I am an old lady. You are 23 and therefore it is your job to make me stay out late on a Friday night. Really, though let's just go get a beer at Corner Tavern.

Five minutes later at the corner tavern...

Aldo (bartender/manager at Corner Tavern): Well hey ladies...you're looking pretty spiffy tonight. Why all dressed up?

Kate: We were going to go salsa dancing.

Aldo: When does it start?

Me: 20 minutes ago...but then we split two bottles of wine and ate pizza and french fries in order to stay up long enough to head over.

Kate: But the place is allllll the way across the river.

Aldo: Two Wachusett Blueberries then?

Me & Kate: Yes please and can you turn on some salsa music?

Update No. 2: A Little Networking
I met up with my friend Dee who is the executive director of a local non profit. In addition to the peel and eat shrimp recommendation and the accompaniment of an Ipswich Ale she was a great source of information. Basically I just picked her brain about how she ended up in the non profit sector and asked about local non profits and volunteer opportunities.

After reading that book on non profit career changers I discovered that the fastest way to go from volunteer to staff at a non profit is through their development department. Shocking right? You get the organization money and then they are actually able to pay you? Who'da thunk it right? Now, I've done a fair amount of fund raising in my time and good amount of grant research; however, I've never actually written a grant. So, I asked Dee If she thought I could volunteer to work with someone to write a grant. Her answer? "Um, are you effing kidding me, anyone would kill to have you take a proposal off their desk. I'll find you someone to work with but we won't tell them right away that you're a lawyer or you'll get roped into other work." Well gosh darn it to heck...that was easy.

Update No. 3: A Little Goal Setting
I don't really expect anyone to read this far (or the rest of this section) but I need to put this out there so that I'll adhere to the plan. When I was a case worker we learned how to set goals with our clients and how to make those goals attainable by breaking them down into smaller workable parts. So, I sat down for a few hours and wrote down my goal and how I plan to get there. Here goes nothing!

General Goal: By February, 2011 work/volunteer for international humanitarian cause

Stage 1 Research (July)

* Review organization descriptions on Idealist & determine likes
o Look at types of jobs available
o Look for positions with flexibility to stay in Boston & travel
o Look at job descriptions to determine compatibility
* Review term of service/volunteer international organizations
o Places
+ UN volunteers
+ VSO
+ National Counsel of Nonprofit Associations
+ United Way
+ Hands on Network
o Loan forgiveness
o Living stipend
o Health/life insurance
o Food/shelter provisions
o Type of mentorship/evaluations provided
o Number of people placed at one time
o Language requirements
o Program Fee?

Stage 2 Informational Interviews/Retrieve Necessary Applications (August)

* Contact Organizations for informational interviews
* Collect all necessary application materials from organizations
* Compile personal documents needed for applications

Stage 3 Applications (Early September)

* Redo Resume (human service not law)
* Create necessary cover letters
* Apply for desired positions
* Determine Necessary Visa & other travel requirements

Stage 4 Determine Budget & Fund raise (Mid-Late September through February)

* Determine $ necessary for all expenses while abroad
* Sell unnecessary household/electronics
* Look for investment/sales/invention (seek royalties) opportunities
o Resell: thomasnet.com
o dropshipservice.com
o inventright.com
o domainsinseconds.com
* Run a fundraiser
o volunteringinternational.org/fundtips/html
* switch credit card with frequent flier miles

Random Other things

* Nonprofit Networking events?
* Rewrite trident bio
* Grant writing classes
* Language classes
* Gates foundation
* Get New Business Cards
* Transfer all google contacts

POPPYCOCK...just checking to see if you're still here.