Guys Are Gross

     I thought that it was just my brother who's a gross slob, but nope. The whole male population is. I went over to TJ's apartment today to bake some "take and bake" cookies for family group and after using his bathroom I came out and said "Boy, you need 'a clean that bathroom." There was hair and dust and nastiness ever'where. Then when I was at family group (which we have in the apartment of three of the guys from GCC) I had to use the bathroom and that bathroom was just as gross!!! The kind of nasty that can only come from not cleaning a bathroom for at least a month. Boys, get your ish together! Clean yo bathrooms!
     But anyway, it's been a chill day. I finished my two-page research proposal, then went to the grocery store to buy the cookie dough and when I was leaving I saw TJ in the parking lot so we walked back to his apartment together but then he realized he forgot bread when I asked him if he had stuff to make a PBJ so he had to go back to the Fresh Grocer so I was alone in his apartment for a bit, baking my cookies. After I finished baking, TJ had to go to soccer practice so I left with him but it was too early to go to family group (which was only a five minute walk from TJ's apartment) so I just wandered around for fifteen minutes and stumbled across a few unpleasantries, such as this trash pile:

     A month ago, I would've made a fuss about how gross that is, but now I just walk around it and go about my way. I hate that I'm getting used to the poverty surrounding me, that I'm becoming immune to the suffering of the people in this community, I guess part of it is that I feel like I can't do anything to help. But that's not true. I don't really know how to change this place and make it better, except to love everyone I meet. Even when I'm in a bad mood, I smile at the front desk people because they deserve a smile. Even when they don't smile back. And maybe it'll take me the next five years, until I'm teaching in this community, to feel like I'm making a real difference, and I know I can't single-handedly save this beautiful place, but maybe I can try to make it a little brighter. I've received so much love in the last month from the Temple community and from the Philly community as a whole. From the dining hall lady who calls me "baby" to the front desk lady who laughs when I bring in a family size pack of Oreos, I feel like for the post part I have a city on my side. Family group and GCC has also been wonderful. Eddie and Rei, the leaders of my family group, are some of the nicest, happiest, Godliest people I've ever met. They have a love and enthusiasm for life and for everyone they meet that just radiates out of them all the time. Rei's adorable puppy gifs and Eddie's emojis and excessively elated texts never fail to brighten my day. I'm so blessed to have them in my life. I know that if I ever need anything, they'll be right there, along with everyone else in my family group. The Newman Center community has also shown me so much love and fellowship and FREE PASTA! Today is a grateful day. Also: go clean your bathrooms, boys.

Day 1034 Song Recommendation: "All Shades of Blue" by Gregory Alan Isakov.

-SE Wagner