Minutes 2/17

Milana, Caitlin, Liz, Hilary, Pat, Andrew, Katie, and Angela were present.

We started off the meeting very “Rude!” (not really, but it’s fun to say)

Pat talked about the new newsletters every UChapter will be getting monthly. He will send it out in an e-mail.

Some news: Denny from headquarters is stepping down from the UChapters director and Holly is taking over. He got into grad school to get his Masters in counseling…yay Denny!

Pat talked about the TWLOHA Street Team. If you belong to the team you can promote TWLOHA and get points, which are like store credits and you can get free stuff! Yeah stuff! Go to http://towriteloveonherarms.fancorps.com/headquarters/groups to sign up! (Make sure to let Pat or Karissa know your user name so they can send it to headquarters.)

We watched a video from headquarters about the TWLOHA Intern Program. It’s a really awesome opportunity. Watch the video to learn more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dILAUKV9Kus

We went over some constitution updates from headquarters. We talked a lot about headquarters today, as you can see.

Oh hey, another thing from headquarters. It’s called the Laude Program. It’s a point system designed to recognize chapters who actually do stuff. We can get points by having programs, fund raisers, benefits, tabling, having a committee, having a Facebook or Twitter page, and enrolling members on the wiki page. Chapters can also be nominated for Chapter of the Year, Chapter Member of the Year, etc.

Hilary told us about an unfortunate suicide that recently happened in her hometown. She thought she would just bring it up because it’s relevant to our club. Even though you didn’t know him, please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Pat attempted to hand out the notes for Project Positivity this week, but it didn’t really work out. Monday he was sick and Tuesday it was really windy and the notes kept blowing away. Sad day. So we still need to hand them out! We think it’s best to wait till it gets warm again because more people are on the mall.

We discussed starting to have dues to help raise money for the Purpose for the Pain event (to pay for the sound equipment) and the TWLOHA tour coming in the fall.

We decided to have a To Write Love on Her Arms Day on March 16^th. (The day before Lady Gaga…ahh!) Milana is making the Facebook event while I’m typing this. We will have a table on the mall so people can write love on their arms.

Acoustic Night will be March 31^st. If you have any ideas for artists or want to help in any way, let Pat know. (PatrickMiranda@creighton.edu)

We ended the meeting with highs and lows. 

Minutes 2/10

Meeting Minutes:

Pat, Katie, Elizabeth, Caitlin, and Milana were present.

We shared some laughs and watched a music video by our very own Elizabeth on youtube. (youtube.com/lizmo21)

We then read Karissa’s post on the blog about the truth in the statement “Life goes on” then discussed and shared.

Caitlin’s birthday is 3/14 and Pat’s birthday is 3/17… (see the connection?)

Event planning

TWLOHA day (people write “love” on their arms and happiness ensues).

Wednesday, March 16^th  (The one day of the week after spring break that some people might not be hungover… email Milana for more details on this logic. milanajordan@creighton.edu)

Then we “ch-ch-ch-choo”-ed

Pat did the Single Ladies dance… then he kicked a field goal and it was GOOOOOD!

Acoustic Night! (Thursday, March 31)

(We’re working on getting artists for this)

If you have any suggestions email Pat (patrickmiranda@creighton.edu)

We watched this lovely video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv3tadz5Q3o)

            -Then we got distracted watching “related videos”

We watched the Youtube classic “End of ze world”

We watched the Bed Intruder Christmas Carol song

 We discussed our ringtones and how epic they all are

Follow the leader on the mall… ‘nuff said

Life Goes On.

Life goes on.

Three words that are hard for me to believe sometimes. Last year I thought I had finally gotten my life in order. My depression and anxiety were under control. My good days were outnumbering the bad for the first time in quite a while. Then my luck turned. My best friend and last serious boyfriend died in a motorcycle accident 2 days before I was supposed to return to Omaha from Fall Break. October 23. I’ll always remember the day. At the young age of 20 a life was lost and a part of me was lost with him. I got lost in my grieving for so long that my grades and friendships suffered. I cut myself off from the world because I didn’t think I could go on without him. I was convinced I would never feel anything again. I believed that that this pain, loneliness and feeling of hopelessness would never leave me.

Then my friends started slowly wading into the deep pool of pain I had created for myself. Inch by inch they led me out. Day by day they showed me how much of my life I was missing. Hug by hug they showed me the love that still surrounded me. Laugh by laugh they reminded me that life goes on. I have been blindsided by loss again this year and put back on the path to that pain I know far too well. And once again I was reminded that life goes on. I’m still here and still breathing. I am still loved and I can still love. There is so much more of my life to live.

I’m lucky to have friends that are brave enough to reach out to me and remind me of everything that is good and lovely in this world. I have friends that play beautiful music. They play songs that reach out and remind me of all the passion surrounding me. I have friends that can make me smile, laugh, and cry simply by being courageous enough to string word after word into a moving passage. Friends that know when to listen and when to talk. Friends that aren’t afraid of my pain. Friends that can calm me down and bring me back to reality when I lose sight of everything but myself and my pain. Friends that love me enough to answer my calls at 2 in the morning no matter how much they have going on in their own lives.

I’d like to thank them for being brave. I’d like to thank them for staying around. I’d like to thank them for loving me when I can’t find it within to love myself.

Every now and then we need to rely on people. Trusting doesn’t come easily to me. I’ve been hurt so many more times than I’ve been helped or than I’ve healed. Every tear I shed because someone wasn’t there to comfort me makes it that much harder to trust someone the next time I’m hurt.

I have realized that life goes on. We’ve all heard it so many times that sometimes we can’t see the truth in it. It’s true that sometimes we fall and break. Sometimes we feel like we are walking this Earth alone. Sometimes we are so far in the dark that we forget light exists. We are so deep in our loneliness that we forget that other people exist, and care about us. We fall so deep into our struggles that we lose hope.

Never give up. Even when it seems like there’s nothing to be found in the darkness, there’s always hope and love. Even when it seems like you’ve been losing an awful lot, remember that you always have your friends to lean on. 

With hope,

Karissa

2/3/11

TWLOHA Minutes 2/3/11

Pat, Katie, Elizabeth, Milana, Caitlin, Angela, and Hilary were present.

We worked on decorating boxes for Project Positivity. We will put the boxes in the residence halls and invite people to submit positive notes. Then we will hand the notes out on the mall on Valentine’s Day and make people smile. (Note: We will not be presenting this event as being connected with Valentine’s Day even though it will be on Valentine’s Day.)

Oh, and we ate yummy snacks :D