Donations Needed All Around

First off, I want to vent. I am so upset that Survivor is having a Heroes vs. Villians game during Winter quarter. Don't they know I'm in class until 9pm on Thursdays? I can't wait for March when we switch to DishNet and get a DVR!

I am doing a few things for cancer this year. Tomorrow, I am chopping of 10 inches of my curly locks for Locks for Love, which is a birthday present to myself. What better way to spend your birthday than helping others, right?

Okay, here's my plea for a donation - On March 21, I am running in the Mercer Island Rotary's 5K for colon cancer. I have a history of colon cancer on my dad's side of the family, and I had a cancerous polyp removed in 2003. I'd like to raise $300, but it would be great to get even more. If you are interested in helping visit my site: http://www.active.com/donate/preventcc/ALindemanLucas

I've also got a couple of other community projects swirling around in my head. I wish I had the time to dive into them right now, but they'll have to wait for Summer break. Darrington needs a new floor and roof on the Community Center, and Arlington officially transferred the Graafstra's Country Charm Dairy into municipal property last week. Bill Blake, the Natural Resource manager has already drawn up plans to turn it into a multi-purpose recreational area with a hiking trail, off-leash dog park, monitored swimming beach and campground. Of course, not all of the plans may come through, but what a great process for me to learn.

Tomorrow, I plan on making my resume rounds to draw on some of those internship opportunities. I'll be swinging by Arlington's City Hall to make an appointment with Mr. Blake, as well as a trip to the Darrington Ranger Station to follow up on my SCEP program application, and a stop by Darrington Town Hall to offer my EIS, NEPA and planning services. If you want to donate to the Darrington Community Center fund, let me know. I'm getting really antsy to work in the field, and right now, I'll take my hours wherever I can get them.

And for all of those people saying that Snow-maggedon is proof that Climate Change is not real - first of all, Climate Change doesn't mean there will be no ice or snow. It means that there will be more extremes in storms, snow, rain and drought as well as unpredictable shifts in the atmosphere. Second, it is an El Nino year. That's why we've had sunny and dry winter weather here in PNW. California has gotten our rain, which follows the shifted jet stream on to Texas, Tennessee, and up to the Mid-Atlantic. When I was a kid in Maryland, we had awesome snow in El Nino years - nothing new, just more extreme now. Third, just look to the poles or our alpine glaciers to watch Climate Change happen every day. And there you have it.