Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Big Changes with Choices
Hello everyone. I hope you are all doing well and that the last couple of months have been good. This has been a busy time for Choices 4 Youth.
One new exciting change: the addition of Vicki Abadesco to our board of directors. Many of you have worked with Vicki in the past; she joined us for many of our programs in Texas. We look forward to her enthusiasm, energy and experience. Don’t be surprised to hear from her with regard to future programs. Please join me in welcoming her!
A second change: after many long discussions and a lot of personal inquiry, I have decided to take a different path in my life at this point so I’ll be taking a new job when I move to San Francisco at the end of this month. I would love to stay in touch with all of you. My personal email address is gregorysammis@gmail.com. I hope to hear from all of you as time goes along!
Our intention with this blog has been to create something that keeps all of us connected around this commonality called Choices 4 Youth. I hope that this blog has, at least, had a small part in helping develop relationships that I can only assume still exist, and I encourage you to maintain this thread.
Please feel free to post any comments; I know that I would love to hear from all of you as would the rest of the Choices 4 Youth family (now including Vicki!). Thank you all for the opportunity to spend my time with you and grow with you. Please keep in contact, I would love to hear how you all are doing. If any of you are ever in the San Francisco Bay Area, let me know.
One new exciting change: the addition of Vicki Abadesco to our board of directors. Many of you have worked with Vicki in the past; she joined us for many of our programs in Texas. We look forward to her enthusiasm, energy and experience. Don’t be surprised to hear from her with regard to future programs. Please join me in welcoming her!
A second change: after many long discussions and a lot of personal inquiry, I have decided to take a different path in my life at this point so I’ll be taking a new job when I move to San Francisco at the end of this month. I would love to stay in touch with all of you. My personal email address is gregorysammis@gmail.com. I hope to hear from all of you as time goes along!
Our intention with this blog has been to create something that keeps all of us connected around this commonality called Choices 4 Youth. I hope that this blog has, at least, had a small part in helping develop relationships that I can only assume still exist, and I encourage you to maintain this thread.
Please feel free to post any comments; I know that I would love to hear from all of you as would the rest of the Choices 4 Youth family (now including Vicki!). Thank you all for the opportunity to spend my time with you and grow with you. Please keep in contact, I would love to hear how you all are doing. If any of you are ever in the San Francisco Bay Area, let me know.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Happy New Year!!!!
Yesterday morning I was thinking about my New Years resolutions. Like most people mine consisted of exercising more, eating right, and doing all the things that I know I should have done last year. What makes the New Year holiday so special is that it is just that: a NEW year.
A gift I received this holiday season was a Simpsons calendar. The very first picture is of Homer booting Grandpa (dressed as a representation of last year) out of the house while Maggie (dressed as this year) watches near by. This image of the New Year as a baby is a pretty common one. It’s nice to think that every year we get a chance to wipe the slate clean and start over as though we were a new born. New Year’s resolutions are our efforts to take advantage of this new beginning and strive to be better this year than we were last year.
The unfortunate truth is that these efforts we make are so often short lived. I realized yesterday, as I was thinking of my resolutions, that I had been planning them for at least the entire month of December. The promise of a new beginning, a clean slate, was so tempting, that I put off my self-improvements for a whole month simply because I needed an arbitrary green light to get going.
Right now, as I write this, it is 11:25 and 47 seconds, on the morning of January 2, 2007. The New Year holiday is special because it’s the big odometer of our lives switching from 99,999 to 100,000 yet it is really no different from 11:25 and 47 seconds. My meaning is that every moment is unique, every moment is here once and then gone, every moment has the potential to begin anew.
So after all this I decided that my new years resolution should be this: if I know there is something that I can do to make my life or the lives of others even a fraction better, I’m going to use this moment to make it happen. I don’t need a special holiday to begin again, right now is important enough to take the risks I know I should take and to be the person I want to be.
Happy New Year, everyone!!
All of us here at Choices 4 Youth
A gift I received this holiday season was a Simpsons calendar. The very first picture is of Homer booting Grandpa (dressed as a representation of last year) out of the house while Maggie (dressed as this year) watches near by. This image of the New Year as a baby is a pretty common one. It’s nice to think that every year we get a chance to wipe the slate clean and start over as though we were a new born. New Year’s resolutions are our efforts to take advantage of this new beginning and strive to be better this year than we were last year.
The unfortunate truth is that these efforts we make are so often short lived. I realized yesterday, as I was thinking of my resolutions, that I had been planning them for at least the entire month of December. The promise of a new beginning, a clean slate, was so tempting, that I put off my self-improvements for a whole month simply because I needed an arbitrary green light to get going.
Right now, as I write this, it is 11:25 and 47 seconds, on the morning of January 2, 2007. The New Year holiday is special because it’s the big odometer of our lives switching from 99,999 to 100,000 yet it is really no different from 11:25 and 47 seconds. My meaning is that every moment is unique, every moment is here once and then gone, every moment has the potential to begin anew.
So after all this I decided that my new years resolution should be this: if I know there is something that I can do to make my life or the lives of others even a fraction better, I’m going to use this moment to make it happen. I don’t need a special holiday to begin again, right now is important enough to take the risks I know I should take and to be the person I want to be.
Happy New Year, everyone!!
All of us here at Choices 4 Youth
Friday, December 08, 2006
Coming to the end
With the coming of Christmas and the end of year, like so many of us, I have taken some time to reflect on 2006.
The first thing that strikes me is just how quickly it has gone. It seems the older I get the faster time seems to move. On the bright side this may a symptom of life filled with excitement and activity. The downside to this is that the time spent with loved ones seems to disappear before I even know it.
I’m thinking about my time in Texas this past summer. It still seems like it was just a few weeks ago. I’m shocked to think that it was, in fact, 4 months ago. I also think of the time that I spent there and it occurs to me how quickly the 6 days seemed to pass.
I bring this up because we are coming to the holiday season and the eventual end of the year, and while it is a time to think about where we are in our lives and what we have gone through to get here, it also a time to embrace the moments we do have.
As you move the end of this month and find yourselves spending time with people that you care about, I challenge to take a few moments and stop. That’s right stop. Wait for a moment where you are feeling really positive or having a lot of fun and stop. Once you have done this take a look around at the people you are with, think about what it is you are doing and become totally immersed in the moment. Don’t worry about what brought you to that moment or what you’ll do after it, simply be present in that moment and feel the warmth of being in place and with people who truly make you happy. Taking the time to acknowledge these moments is a practice I know I don't do enough.
I hope you all have an amazing end of the year and I’ll talk to you in 2007.
The first thing that strikes me is just how quickly it has gone. It seems the older I get the faster time seems to move. On the bright side this may a symptom of life filled with excitement and activity. The downside to this is that the time spent with loved ones seems to disappear before I even know it.
I’m thinking about my time in Texas this past summer. It still seems like it was just a few weeks ago. I’m shocked to think that it was, in fact, 4 months ago. I also think of the time that I spent there and it occurs to me how quickly the 6 days seemed to pass.
I bring this up because we are coming to the holiday season and the eventual end of the year, and while it is a time to think about where we are in our lives and what we have gone through to get here, it also a time to embrace the moments we do have.
As you move the end of this month and find yourselves spending time with people that you care about, I challenge to take a few moments and stop. That’s right stop. Wait for a moment where you are feeling really positive or having a lot of fun and stop. Once you have done this take a look around at the people you are with, think about what it is you are doing and become totally immersed in the moment. Don’t worry about what brought you to that moment or what you’ll do after it, simply be present in that moment and feel the warmth of being in place and with people who truly make you happy. Taking the time to acknowledge these moments is a practice I know I don't do enough.
I hope you all have an amazing end of the year and I’ll talk to you in 2007.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Novem...brrrrrr
As I am sure that many of you are still recovering from a long night of costumed revelry, it is a new month, and time to move on to what’s next.
Choices 4 Youth is an aptly named organization. All of us are part of this organization (on some level and in some way) because we believe that if we can give any learning to the people of the world, that learning would be that they have control and choice over the direction that their lives take.
We all have experienced moments that seem completely out of our control. Happenings that seem so much bigger than the direct experiences of our day-to-day lives. Times where we may ask ourselves “what can I do?”
The knowledge that we have choice in all things in our lives, whether that choice is what we have for breakfast, or how we react to someone who says something hurtful to us, can be empowering while at the same time intimidating. To accept that we have this level of choice is to also accept a major responsibility for all that happens in our lives. Are there things that are out of our control? Of course. Yet, we hold choice and responsibility over the reactions we have, the attitudes we carry, and the directions we go.
All of this is to broach the subject of next Tuesday. November 7 is Election Day here in the United States. I could talk about the privilege we have in this country to be able to participate in free elections, and how so many countries in this world don’t have that opportunity. However, I talk about the upcoming elections as a way of referring to the choice that we have in shaping our government and our world.
I’m not writing this to promote an ideology, or to influence you to vote for one person or another. I am writing this simply to encourage all of us to take responsibility for a choice that we all have. Regardless of whom you choose to vote for, go out and vote.
Do this so that later this month when you sit to a large meal with family and friends you can be thankful that you used your power and made a choice about how this country and therefore your life will be.
I hope you all have an amazing month of November, and I’m thinking of you all.
Choices 4 Youth is an aptly named organization. All of us are part of this organization (on some level and in some way) because we believe that if we can give any learning to the people of the world, that learning would be that they have control and choice over the direction that their lives take.
We all have experienced moments that seem completely out of our control. Happenings that seem so much bigger than the direct experiences of our day-to-day lives. Times where we may ask ourselves “what can I do?”
The knowledge that we have choice in all things in our lives, whether that choice is what we have for breakfast, or how we react to someone who says something hurtful to us, can be empowering while at the same time intimidating. To accept that we have this level of choice is to also accept a major responsibility for all that happens in our lives. Are there things that are out of our control? Of course. Yet, we hold choice and responsibility over the reactions we have, the attitudes we carry, and the directions we go.
All of this is to broach the subject of next Tuesday. November 7 is Election Day here in the United States. I could talk about the privilege we have in this country to be able to participate in free elections, and how so many countries in this world don’t have that opportunity. However, I talk about the upcoming elections as a way of referring to the choice that we have in shaping our government and our world.
I’m not writing this to promote an ideology, or to influence you to vote for one person or another. I am writing this simply to encourage all of us to take responsibility for a choice that we all have. Regardless of whom you choose to vote for, go out and vote.
Do this so that later this month when you sit to a large meal with family and friends you can be thankful that you used your power and made a choice about how this country and therefore your life will be.
I hope you all have an amazing month of November, and I’m thinking of you all.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
It's a scarily-good blog this month
BOO! Ha Ha, did I scare you? Okay, sorry, bad Halloween Joke.
It's time for your monthly dose of what's going on here at Choices 4 Youth. Last month was awesome. We, here at Choices, had our first full company meeting since getting our 501c3 (federal non-profit status) and began our work towards making 2007 our biggest year yet. We met with Mark Simon of Storywalkers who is helping us out get funding for our programs so we can reach more communities, more schools, more organizations, which all means more kids. Talk about a guy with passion and motivation, Mark joined us at James' tiny Sacramento apartment and raised the temperature about 10 degrees. We really excited to be working with him.
I also had the chance to travel to New York and present at Hofstra University. I had a huge amount fun and got the chance to talk with some students after the presentation who were really excited about our Memory Skills. Plus I had a chance to see Jake and Matt, and get some super spicy Thai food. Well, actually they got spicy food and I wused out.
In the coming months we are excited to announce that we'll be working with the Friendship Club again. Through a program that is going to last all the way until next April, we're going to be training a group of Freshman, young woman how to facilitate experiential learning events and then they'll get the chance to lead a day of activities for some elementary students at the end of the program. Personally speaking, I always have so much fun working with this group and I'm excited to know that I'm working with them all the way from now to April. Make sure to come to the website and check out pictures.
Last piece of good news is we're going to get the chance this weekend to hang out with Vicki Abadesco and Heath Wood this weekend. These are two great people who worked with us in Manor Texas and we always love to see. Hey Heath, I went to Chilli's the other day and thought of you.
Make sure you do something fun for Halloween, hand out something healthy to your trick-or-treaters, and if you have any news you want to share with the whole Choices 4 Youth community just let me know and I'll include in next month's blog.
Your choices are your own,
Greg
It's time for your monthly dose of what's going on here at Choices 4 Youth. Last month was awesome. We, here at Choices, had our first full company meeting since getting our 501c3 (federal non-profit status) and began our work towards making 2007 our biggest year yet. We met with Mark Simon of Storywalkers who is helping us out get funding for our programs so we can reach more communities, more schools, more organizations, which all means more kids. Talk about a guy with passion and motivation, Mark joined us at James' tiny Sacramento apartment and raised the temperature about 10 degrees. We really excited to be working with him.
I also had the chance to travel to New York and present at Hofstra University. I had a huge amount fun and got the chance to talk with some students after the presentation who were really excited about our Memory Skills. Plus I had a chance to see Jake and Matt, and get some super spicy Thai food. Well, actually they got spicy food and I wused out.
In the coming months we are excited to announce that we'll be working with the Friendship Club again. Through a program that is going to last all the way until next April, we're going to be training a group of Freshman, young woman how to facilitate experiential learning events and then they'll get the chance to lead a day of activities for some elementary students at the end of the program. Personally speaking, I always have so much fun working with this group and I'm excited to know that I'm working with them all the way from now to April. Make sure to come to the website and check out pictures.
Last piece of good news is we're going to get the chance this weekend to hang out with Vicki Abadesco and Heath Wood this weekend. These are two great people who worked with us in Manor Texas and we always love to see. Hey Heath, I went to Chilli's the other day and thought of you.
Make sure you do something fun for Halloween, hand out something healthy to your trick-or-treaters, and if you have any news you want to share with the whole Choices 4 Youth community just let me know and I'll include in next month's blog.
Your choices are your own,
Greg
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
It's September, almost time for leaf peeping
Well for as much as I hate to say it, summer is pretty much over. With the passing of Labor day, we move into that time of year where the weather gets a little cooler, the leaves start changing color, kids are going back to school, and we all start Christmas shopping (yeah, right).
Even though the season may be changing, things are still going strong here at Choices 4 Youth. This last month has seen a lot of great programs, and a lot of traveling. Earlier this month we began our series of programs with Oasis High School with a Teacher Training that will continue later this month with the first student program (thanks to all of you who are able to be Team Leaders for this one, should be a blast).
Shortly after this I had the chance to do a couple of college presentations. The first was a collaboration between Stende Inspirations (hi Troy and Karin) and Creations inc. Imagine 250 people breaking through barriers and stepping towards greatness, that's what was happening at the University of Tampa.
The following weekend I found myself in rural Ohio kicking off the school year for the Freshman of Muskingum College. The weird part was being in the middle of Ohio, on a nature preserve, with Giraffes and Rhinos (ask me if you would like to know more).
September will see more of the same with a trip to New York and Hofstra University, another great program with Oasis, and a Choices 4 Youth meeting to start preparing for 2007.
Shout outs of the Month:
Troy: thanks for the chance to work in Florida!
Mike and Cait: you guys are too much fun, thanks for the place to crash!
Lisa: sorry I haven't emailed you back, I'll write you soon I promise!
Hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend, make sure to keep in touch and I miss you all.
Greg and the rest of the Choices 4 Youth crew
Even though the season may be changing, things are still going strong here at Choices 4 Youth. This last month has seen a lot of great programs, and a lot of traveling. Earlier this month we began our series of programs with Oasis High School with a Teacher Training that will continue later this month with the first student program (thanks to all of you who are able to be Team Leaders for this one, should be a blast).
Shortly after this I had the chance to do a couple of college presentations. The first was a collaboration between Stende Inspirations (hi Troy and Karin) and Creations inc. Imagine 250 people breaking through barriers and stepping towards greatness, that's what was happening at the University of Tampa.
The following weekend I found myself in rural Ohio kicking off the school year for the Freshman of Muskingum College. The weird part was being in the middle of Ohio, on a nature preserve, with Giraffes and Rhinos (ask me if you would like to know more).
September will see more of the same with a trip to New York and Hofstra University, another great program with Oasis, and a Choices 4 Youth meeting to start preparing for 2007.
Shout outs of the Month:
Troy: thanks for the chance to work in Florida!
Mike and Cait: you guys are too much fun, thanks for the place to crash!
Lisa: sorry I haven't emailed you back, I'll write you soon I promise!
Hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend, make sure to keep in touch and I miss you all.
Greg and the rest of the Choices 4 Youth crew
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
First Blog!!
Howdy All! This is the first blog for Choices 4 Youth: WELCOME!
We're excited about sharing information with everyone: what Choices 4 Youth is up to, programs we're running, and MOST OF ALL - a chance to touch base with all of you and for you to chat with us and with each other.
Take care and as always, feel free to email us as well: contactus@choices4youth.org, greg@choices4youth.org, or christine@choices4youth.org.
We're excited about sharing information with everyone: what Choices 4 Youth is up to, programs we're running, and MOST OF ALL - a chance to touch base with all of you and for you to chat with us and with each other.
Take care and as always, feel free to email us as well: contactus@choices4youth.org, greg@choices4youth.org, or christine@choices4youth.org.
