Since our last

On January 4th I volunteered 2.5 hours at the Richardson Animal Shelter.  It was much better that time as I started to figure out where exactly I was needed and as I became more familiar with the animals who were still there.  I generally hate going to the animal shelter because I hate knowing that some of them will never be given a home and will have to be put down.  I wish there was a way around it, and the shelter says that they have a very low rate of those who are put down, but still...I'd like to find an alternative way.  I've been thinking about setting up an organization that pin points exactly what kind of pet someone is looking for and then finding a pet that fits with their home.  And for those dogs and cats that are older and maybe not as likely to be adopted, perhaps taking them out to different public places where people can meet them and fall in love with them would lead to their adoption.  It's something that I am passionate about and even if I have many other things to do at the same time, I'd like to put in my part.

On January 9th we went back and volunteered another 3.5 hours.  It was pretty much the same as the previous time, where I am finding my footing now and being able to do things without needing help or asking what to do.  However, this was my last time there since I was leaving the 11th to come back to Sweden.  There are no animal shelters here and I would suppose that is a good thing, but it also makes me wonder how stray dogs get adopted.  Are there any strays around?  What happens to lost dogs that never find their homes or whose owners have passed away?  This is something I can probably research or ask about.

Service - 6 hours

My friends Aivy and Alexis also came over 3 more times and we were working on our video.  We thought up a storm of ideas.  I love being able to share an urge to just create something.  All three of us love making these videos and even if I am away now again, they are going to send me videos they have filmed and I can add my own video clips until we finish our music video.  I spend a lot of time on it getting each audio and video clip to match perfectly, and so far, I am loving the result.  I can upload the first part of it when I am on my other laptop (I am on the school's laptop right now).  We were running between Alexis's and my house all three times and then going to the park and then sitting and working and editing for about 12 hours total during those three times.  My parents think we're crazy, I'm sure :P.  But I'm really proud of what we do.  Aivy and I have already decided that if/when I go back to Dallas (perhaps next year) we are going to start making music videos all the time and have them on YouTube and hopefully if we can get enough views, we can have a bit of side-income.  We will after all be living on a student's budget...


Creativity - 12 hours

Dea and I have also decided that we will make our own videos and parodies of MTV shows, so hopefully those will start rolling in soon :)

The day that I left Dallas was a sad one, for sure, but there was a bit of light in it as well.  About an hour before my dad and I left for the airport I picked up my brothers acoustic guitar and started playing the chords to Bad Romance by Lady GaGa.  I started singing and before I knew it, my brother and sister had come in and started singing with me as well.  My parents came in and decided to film us all singing together, as it would be the last time until summer at the earliest that all three children will be together.  So we played Lady GaGa and then played numerous encores of Morrissey, The Decemberists, and Green Day among others.  I can try to get a hold of that film.  My mom filmed with the camcorder but my dad filmed with his iPhone so hopefully I can just get him to send it over super fast.  I love that music brings people together.  It was a much better goodbye than just a hug and some words, maybe a few tears.  It was pure unity and happiness, something that reminds me of a news segment that ran a few weeks ago.  When many flights were canceled at the airports in northern USA, a man with a guitar began to play Hey Jude that slowly turned into a huge crowd of people waiting for the snow to ease off singing "Nanana na hey Jude."  It was magical :)  It is moments like these that really show people at their best.

Creativity - 1 hour

Until next time,
Hanna F.