A New Chapter

Journaling at Innisfree Gardens

Adventuring Out of Albany

A month ago today, I packed up my apartment (vibraphone and all…played a lot of Tetris to make it all fit in the car!) and drove out of the city I’ve called home for the majority of the past six years. My service as an AmeriCorps*VISTA had come to a close, my lease was up, and it was time to start a new chapter in the book of Carolyn.

First Stop: Innisfree Gardens:

Lots of beautiful paths at Innisfree

From Albany I drove to Innisfree Gardens, a beautifully designed, Asian-inspired “cup garden” located in Millbrook, NY. Innisfree is rated one of the top ten gardens in the world, and I can see why. What a wonderful place to reflect on where I’ve come from, and where I’m going. Cup gardens are designed not to focus on the big picture but rather to highlight various focal points which can only be seen from certain perspectives. Each focal point is surrounded by other objects to create a sense of homeostasis, all of which contributes to the beauty and balance of the landscape as a whole.

The design of Innisfree reminded me of the way my life seems to work. Rather than look at the big picture, I focus on what is in front of me, knowing that in the end it’ll all connect and contribute to the bigger picture regardless. I can’t think of a better place I could have visited to reflect on my VISTA service than Innisfree.

Old Friends In Ellicott City: From Innisfree, I drove to Ellicott City, MD to catch up with an old friend. It’s always refreshing to meet up with a good friend whom you haven’t seen in awhile, and this was no exception. I left Maryland feeling inspired and ready for whatever adventures lay ahead.

Newark, Land of the Vibes:

Performing at the vibes workshop, with Doug Sutton on bongos and Matt Parrish on bass.

After MD, I spent a week in Newark, DE for the University of Delaware summer vibraphone workshop. Tony and Harvey work so hard to put together a meaningful week, and this was no exception. I’ve attended the vibraphone workshop three times now, and each is as worthwhile and motivating as the last. This year I met guys from five different countries and learned from pros including Dave Samuels, Christos Rafalides, Behn Gillece, and of course the almighty organizer of this whole thing, Tony Miceli. I felt so inspired and encouraged and, as always, left Delaware feeling grateful to play such a unique and wonderful instrument. The network of vibraphone players is so supportive, and I am confident that if I keep working hard, I will keep getting better and better. I love playing the vibraphone!

From Coast to Coast:

Boothbay Harbor, ME

After DE, I drove to Long Island to drop off all my belongings and say hello to my family…for one day. Then I picked up my cousin from Coney Island and the two of us drove seven hours to Boothbay Harbor, ME, where we spent a relaxing week with good friends and good weather in a beautiful harbor town. It was difficult being removed from my vibraphone after having learned so much in Delaware, but it was great to getting to spend quality time with my cousin and some of my closest friends before having to jump into my new life on Long Island.

Life On Long Island: After Maine, I returned to Long Island to begin the next chapter of my life. This year I’m living with my parents, helping them pack for the big move to Florida next summer while simultaneously saving money and preparing for grad school. It’s interesting living with my parents, since I haven’t really lived there since high school, but it’s been around two weeks so far and we’ve been okay. Hopefully this will be a good year!

And So It Begins…

For those of you who are wondering, I did get a job here. Actually…I got a job before even leaving Albany, but I didn’t really tell anyone since so many of my friends are still looking for jobs. But anyway…

I’ve spent a week so far working at the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island, a non-profit organization which is organizing a majority of hurricane relief work throughout the Island. My role is as an AmeriCorps*VISTA Leader, supporting and mentoring 3-10 VISTAs we will be hiring by the end of September. I wasn’t planning on serving a third term with AmeriCorps, but I’m thankful to Taryn for telling me about this and grateful to have been hired. It’s only been a week, but so far it seems worthwhile. Not only am I helping Long Island recover from Hurricane Sandy, but also gaining skills in supervision, nonprofit management, and general office culture (a new thing to me!). I definitely miss working with refugees, but regardless of what I end up doing in life, I know this experience as a VISTA Leader will be applicable.

My Goals

While on Long Island, I have a lot of goals and objectives. In a sense, moving out of Albany was like starting a new year, and so I’ve made a list of resolutions. I plan to stay on Long Island only for one year, and there’s a lot I want to do to make the most of it:

1. The Year of Kicking Butt: Musically, this is my year to play vibraphone to the extreme. I’m making a habit of practicing at least two hours a day, finding people to play with, taking lessons, using the almighty www.vibesworkshop.com to its full potential, and hopefully being gutsy enough to go to jazz clubs in NYC for jam sessions each month. I know that if I work hard I can really go somewhere with this instrument, and this is my year to prove it.
2. Getting Into Grad School: I am set on going to graduate school for Ethnomusicology, but only if I get an assistantship and stipend to cover the costs. Therefore, these next few months are devoted to studying for the GRE to boost my scores, working on applications and writing samples, etc. Grad school, here I come!
3. Cleaning Up and Cleaning Out: By July 2014, my parents will have packed up the house they’ve lived in for the past quarter century and moved to Florida for my dad’s job. I’m not moving with them, but I’m taking this opportunity to get rid of a lot of stuff. Working with refugees for the past two years, I have come to appreciate simple living and the fact that, in this society, we tend to accumulate way more than we need. I try not to live a materialistic life, but nonetheless I have a room full of possessions I could really do without and I am ready to do without them.
4. Fantastic Friends and Family: I am SO happy to be on Long Island, back with the friends I’ve known since elementary school. It’s so good to reconnect with friends and family members I have not seen in ages and not have to leave after a couple days. Here’s to memories to come!
5. Long Island Bucket List: Since my parents will be moving, this may be my last full year on Long Island (and my first as an adult!). Therefore, I want to do as much as I can while I’m here…though I haven’t quite figured out what that means completely. Kayaking on the Peconic River, visiting Montauk, hanging out at another Fire Island beach house, riding the LIRR to Penn a billion times…the possibilities are endless. I’m sure there are lots of great things I could add to my list, so if you have any suggestions, let me know!

About This Blog

In Maine, ready for adventure!

I’m determined to make this a meaningful, productive year, and part of that will include documenting my experiences. Many of you out there asked me to keep in touch, but I won’t always have time to write to each of you individually. This blog will serve as a way for you to stay up-to-date on my life, and for me to stay on track with my goals. I’ll be posting samples of my music, putting up occasional photos, reflecting on my VISTA Leader experience, and writing about anything that strikes me. Feel free to read some or all of what I post and comment on anything you please. I know you are supporting me from wherever you are, and I appreciate that.  Here’s to a great year, and happy reading!

Cheers,
Carolyn