Purpose
As usual, Logan and I met with Morris for an hour today, and we spent a good deal discussing the problem of finding one's purpose, and implementing it in their career or program while working with the Foundation.
With a unique, if physically demanding exercise, he taught us that we try to remedy past experiences, using programming to repair the wrongs in our lives. We're at our best, and perhaps, most sincere, when the actions we take are designed to rectify what we feel strongly for, or against. Only then will we understand purpose. I think he's fairly correct in that assessment, in that the things I feel I do best are the things I can't live without.
-Aaron
Jewish Community Picnic
Yesterday Aaron, Morgan, Miriam, and myself put together the children's program at the Santa Barbara Jewish Community Picnic. It was a perfect day with tons of sunshine, and the games included bobbing for fruit in a spaghetti mystery dip and parent-child waterballoon toss. The kids all had a terrific time and Aaron and I were personally thanked by several parents for the quality of the events. I always enjoy children's events because of the total enthusiasm and immersion you get from the kids. It was a great time.
Logan
Still Sunny....
I still can't get over how gorgeous Santa Barbara is. Maybe it's because I come from the San Fernando Valley, which remains enveloped in a thick, visible cloud of smog almost all hours of the day.
The sky here is actually blue! Believe that! The office is emptying out; Jordan took off, Dave's in NY, Miami, or stuck somewhere in between, and Logan's trying to figure out how to cook 10 batches of spaghetti.
Good luck!
-Aaron
Productive Weekend
Jordan leaves for New York tonight, and Dave will be joining him there as soon as his plane can leave Argentina. They'll be in New York for several days attending a conference on young Jewish leadership. In the meantime, Aaron Small and I will be holding down the fort here in Santa Barbara. On Sunday, we'll be running the kids program for the Santa Barbara Community Picnic, and we encourage everyone to come and join the fun. For all of us, it promises to be a busy and productive weekend.
Logan
In the Beginning...
Dave's in South America, and we organized the first Forest Foundation meeting of the season. Morris and Lei came out and we bounced around ideas, introduced new Program directors and staff, that is, me, and the members present shared updates of their programs.
I expected more to show up, but seems reasonable when factoring in the summer. People are gone, things aren't as fast paced as we'd like 'em....We're hungry!!!
-Aaron
Meeting Tonight
Tonight in Isla Vista we will be having our first group meeting in a little over two months. Although attendance will be probably minimal with the majority of students elsewhere during the last month of summer, I look forward to seeing a few familiar faces. It's like seeing good friends you haven't seen for awhile and anticipating your reunion. The subject matter for meeting will be light, and I'm excited to see what everyone's been up to.
Logan
piling up
I've been out of town for a week hosting family from Israel and it seems that work is exploding right now. we got a number of events, morris is back in town, im eating pasta, im signing a lease for a new house! and need to set up a bunch of meetings with you guys.
no pain, no gain, though! i've learned from past experiences that resilience builds when you least sense it, and courage comes when you most need it.
-aaron
Friday Work
We've had a productive Friday here in the office, and it feels good to end the week on such a positive upswing. On some Fridays, as we all know, there can be a lethargic attitude around the office as everyone is eager to start the weekend. Luckily, we tend to avoid that scenario at the Forest Foundation. Today in particular, Jordan and I have been working diligently and still are. I would actually take this kind of Friday versus the other. It feels good to know you're getting things accomplished.
Logan
Opportunity
Dave's in South America, Jordan's in Russia, and I'm left thinking what a great opportunity this job provides. Two of our full-time staff members in countries that they never even saw themselves visiting before! And they're there for a good cause to top it all off. Working for the Forest Foundation is an opportunity unlike any other.
Good luck to Isaac Zones today who's auditioning for American Idol!
Logan
Calm
There's a very calm, serene feeling in our office recently, and it's really doing me a great amount of good. When things are quiet, I can really focus in and be at my most productive. Most of the time I do enjoy a boisterous, almost hectic pace, but I think when things are quiet is when I churn out my best work. It's funny that maybe how I like things differs from the environment condusive to my most productive. So I'm trying not to talk the calm for granted right now.
Logan
Work Time
People often ask me how much I work for the Forest Foundation. They're usually wondering how many hours per day or per week I'm on the job. This question most often comes from my friends who work standard nine to five office jobs and can't really grasp my line of work without any quantifiable statistic. I tell them, however, that I couldn't fathom a guess; the amount of time is unquantifiable. I guess it boils down to one's definition of work. Is thinking about your position or projects part of your work time, or is work time solely inclusive of some type of industry being undertaken on your part? Suffice it to say that I, along with the rest of the full-time staff, work hard to make every student and every program the best it can be. That's better than any number.
Logan
Dave in South America!
Dave begins his adventures in South America today! For those who don't know, Dave is down in South America right now to meet with several Hillels in various countries to help organize our international Jewish New Year celebrations. He checked in this morning to let us all know that he arrived safely and is excited to get to work down south. We here in Santa Barbara wish him the best of times in South America. I'll be sure to post his adventures as they come to us.
Logan
Summer End Approaching
Summer will be ending soon, and right now we're starting to ramp up for the fall quarter at UCSB. Although school doesn't start for another six weeks, the work to prepare for the quarter has already begun and will only intensify. It's been a great summer, but now it's time to get back to the grindstone. With two new full time employess on board in Aaron Small and Isaac Zones, this should be a great year. I look forward to it.
Logan
The Book is Done
Aaron imparted the good news on yesterday's blog, that I have indeed finally finished the book. It was a long, trying road to write the book, but it was an invaluable learning experience. I feel like I've unloaded a huge part of my brain because I was constantly thinking about the book (which still needs a title, by the way) at all hours of the day. So I'm happy to be done at last and excited to see what's next for me.
Logan
Good News! No, wait, GREAT News!
Aaron Schiff's DVD is complete, minus a few touchups. I think it embodies exactly what the FF represents: it's professional, fun, informative, and helpful. It's got great laughs and really nails down our mission: Empowering students to become leaders by developing their own community programs. Congrats Schiffster!
Logan has finished the currrently untitled Forest Foundation book! I'm excited to read the chronicles of the Foundation, and see how it helps other like minded non-profit organizations. Congrats Logster.
Just finished reading SuperStaff SuperVision by this camp 'guru' Michael Weinhard (always wanted to use that word...Now I have the chance). It's about managing groups, and setting personal goals for yourself, and how you want to accomplish them. It's motivational and a great asset.
Onward to the staff meeting!
Isaac begins work
Well, I'm officially on my third day of work here at the Forest Foundation. It's been a whirlwind following around Dave and Jordan, listening in on meetings, role-playing meetings etc. What's stood out most about my initial days here with the foundation is that I stay busy all day time-lining, meeting new people and asking new question after new question - before I know it it's after midnight and I'm exhausted. Completely different than the 9 to 5 job I endured all of last year, it's difficult to tell which parts of my day are work, which parts are play and which parts are somewhere in between. What I am sure of is that I've been engaged in everything I've been apart of from the beginning of my day through the end. It's been very exciting to take in each component of what makes the foundation go but with each project I learn about, each meeting, each new piece of information I get that much more anxious to meet with the Program Directors in the Bay Area and get going. I can't wait.
-Isaac
New Faces
We have two new full-time faces in the Forest Foundation starting this week: Aaron Small and Isaac Zones. Aaron will be in charge of the Jewish segment of the foundation here in Santa Barbara as well as taking over as our PR man. Isaac will be forming and overseeing a satellite group of the foundation up in the Bay Area. I'm personally excited to have them both on board; I've had the fortune of getting to know both Aaron and Isaac over the course of several months, and each brings a set of unique and formidable talents to the table. Talents, I believe, that were heretofore lacking even. So I welcome Aaron Small and Isaac Zones to the Forest Foundation family. I can't wait to see what we accomplish together.
Logan
First Day
To my people...
I entered the work force today. It's tiring, exhausting, and feels good. Right now I'm getting situated with a makeshift office at FF headquarters, aka the Guys' House, running from meeting to meeting and learning the ropes of the game. Jordan took me to the first Schmooze Room, and I was blackjack dealer to a group of 6 seniors...Arleen cleaned me out completely and I was forced to run back to the bank. Good times...
I think Logan wants to nominate me as guest blogger-ain't no problem there!
I'll update as time and work permit...
-Aaron
Deadlines
Deadlines. I'm working hard to hit a lot of deadlines this week. Luckily, I'm not the personality type that stresses out, whether that's type A or type B I'm not sure. Stress has never really been a factor for me, and I don't see why it should. If I've got something that needs to get done, than just get it done. It's that simple. I see no point in worrying about it: you either do, or you don't. It's cut and dry for me. So I'll hit these deadlines.
Logan
