Cinco de Mayo TEQUILA CRAWL

This Wednesday, 5/5 is Cinco de Mayo! I am no fan of tequila but since it’s Cinco de Mayo I will make an exception. Five downtown Boise bars: Bistro, China Blue, Graineys, Gustos, Mack & Charlie’s, Reef & Roddy’s will all be slinging different kinds of tequila at those awesome enough to try it (Must be 21+ with valid ID). Oh, and NO COVER. If you sample 5 of the 8 tequilas and get your toggle pass stamped as you go,  you get a FREE TEQUILA CRAWL TSHIRT!!! Everything starts at 4pm, so you can get your fiesta on right away and still make it to class in the morning. Me, I will be wearing my new TSHIRT bright and early. Yes, Cinco de Mayo is Wednesday before finals week but I am graduating COLLEGE in 16 days and have never participated in a legit “Bar Crawl.” So, I will be down there all tequila’d up and hopefully coherent. See you there!

Getting Over Them…Step 2

So I have no rhyme or reason to how I’m getting over this man. But, today I was adding and deleting songs from my ipod and itunes and saw that I have 97! songs that came from CD mixes that he made. And unfortunately they aptly reflect his name in their “album name.” Greaaaat. Every time I want to listen to a party-inspired song I have to see his name flash on the screen of my ipod and itunes…not anymore!

I kept the songs (cuz hey, I like to get down), but instead renamed all of them…sans Culprit #1’s name. So now I can still listen to the songs (thankfully many of them don’t make me think of him), I don’t have to see his name every time, and be sadly reminded of our days of getting down.

Now…what to do about the songs that DO remind me of him?! I can’t delete them, because they are great songs…that reminds me, I wrote a poem about this guy in a poetry class including song lyrics from songs that remind me of him, and other little inside jokes. Lame, yes?? But it helped me to write them down on paper. Creative outlet anyone?? I have written a great deal of other stuff about him too, buuut, that’s kind of creepy to admit. When I write though, I can’t help but make it extremely personal and of the moment, and for days and days of the last year he has been at the forefront of my mind when I write. I am no way going to burn my poetry, but I see the writing as another step to getting him out of my system. I would recommend writing, even if you never share it with anyone. A letter is a good idea, but that will come in a later step.

Getting Over Them, Once and for ALL!

Getting over people is hard…

One man is plaguing me: I cannot get over him! Let’s just call him Culprit #1.

So I have devised a plan of attack as to how to get over this guy. I have not been literally TOGETHER with him for a long time…I thought I was over him, but I am apparently not. So here are the steps I took to get over him…this works for both men and women…and more than anything, it just takes time.

Step 1:

Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, whatever your poison (mine is Facebook) delete the culprits (men who you can’t get over) from your Friends List. But, seeing as how I cannot possibly do that without burning a lot of bridges, etc. etc. I just “hid” him instead. It’s like we virtually aren’t even “friends” because I clicked the “HIDE” button on Culprit #1′s status, now I can confidently say I won’t be looking at his comments or pictures like a stalker or surmising what his statuses mean. I have pictures of him in “albums” but I don’t click through my albums ever—if that’s your thing, delete those albums/pictures of the culprit(s). And, if you can’t possibly not look at their profiles, delete them! I admit, I go to profiles every now and then to check out what’s been going on but that usually only hurts. Facebook is not a tool for exes.

So, I am proud to say that I have “hid” Culprit #1.

First step, accomplished!!! Now onto the second…

It’s understandable that some states are prohibiting texting while driving.

Texting is becoming more common with the growing number of cell phones that cater to texting, but so is the number of high-profile accidents due to texting while driving.

In June 2008, five females were killed in a collision with a tractor trailer a week after their high school graduation. Police discovered that the driver had been texting moments before the crash.

In April 2009, a driver admitted to texting when he collided with a Boise Police patrol car pulled over on the interstate with its emergency lights on. The officers were outside of the vehicle and were not injured. The driver was hospitalized. Similar accidents occur every day, nationwide.

The ban on texting while driving has been fought nationwide, but statistics show that texting while driving is distracting and dangerous.  Virgina Tech Transportation Institute concluded that people, who send text messages while driving, are 23 times more likely to be in a crash than non-distracted drivers.

This popular fade has become a death wish. An estimated 20 percent of drivers are sending or receiving text messages while behind the wheel, according to a Nationwide Insurance study. And, according to another poll, that number skyrockets to 66 percent for 18 to 24-year-old drivers.

Drivers, who text while driving, won’t be pulled over prior to the accident like a DUI. There is no sign that a driver is texting until it is too late. It takes as little as five seconds for your life and someone else’s life to be put in great danger. Do you feel safe?

It’s even scarier knowing that 34 states aren’t making the effort to ban texting while driving.

Boise Rescue Mission needs are on the rise

Boise Rescue Mission is breaking records, serving more people each month then ever before. Hitting record highs this year, Boise Rescue Mission is serving 900 meals a day and providing 260 beds for emergency shelter every night.

“The Boise Rescue Mission needs are up 35 percent from last year and there is no ceiling insight.” Boise Rescue Mission, Donor Relations Manager Jason Billester said.

The Mission has been serving the community for 51 years and is currently operating three shelters, City Light Home for Women and Children in Boise, River of Life Men’s Shelter in Boise and Lighthouse Rescue Mission in Nampa. At all three locations Boise Rescue Mission struggles to accommodate the increased demand. With the rising number of guests the Boise Rescue Mission is putting mats on every inch of the floor for the overnight stays. Guests at the Boise Rescue Mission began sleeping on the floor in July this year.

“That was a big wake up call for us,” River of Life Director, Dave Brooks said.

Normally Boise Rescue Mission doesn’t have to put guests on the floor until October. The Boise Rescue Mission predicts that this winter is going to be one of the hardest winters they have ever seen.

“The hard months are December and January and they haven’t even started yet.” Brooks said.

“For the first time there is a record high of number of unemployed people coming into the shelter. We are seeing 10 new guests a day. Over half are first time homeless.” Jason Billester said.

The Missions City Light Home for Women and Children has provided shelter to between 20 and 40 more people daily than they have beds for, throughout the past 3 months. Due to this high increase a warehouse space on Jefferson Street has been renovated into a 58 bed emergency shelter for women and women with children.

The men’s shelter is currently increasing their beds from 86 to 112 to help with the number of guests that have to sleep on the floor. The extra space helps with the increase, but the number of guest continues to rise.

The biggest struggle that the Boise Rescue Mission is having with the increased number of guests is getting them to stay long enough to be able to leave on a positive note.

“We continually see our guests go through a revolving door. As soon as they have some money they think they can make it on their own, but often end up struggling and coming back. We would like to see our guests take advantage of our services so they can make it on their own.” Brooks said.

The Boise Rescue Mission offers over night emergency stays, substance abuse recovery programs, career development programs and transitional housing programs. The Boise Rescue Mission also offers an interactive learning center to educate guest and offers scholarships to many different colleges and universities in the area. Out of the guest that committed themselves to the programs available, 348 guests went from homeless to independent last year. Nine men from River of Life went to college.

The Mission doesn’t receive any government funding. Five to seven percent of their food comes from food banks, 10 to15 percent is purchased and individual contributions make up the largest portion of their income at 80 percent. Their biggest needs right now are meats, fruits, vegetables, hygiene products such as soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste and razors and twin beddings such sheets, blankets, and pillows.

There are multiple ways to help the Boise Rescue Mission. The Boise Rescue Mission accepts cash donations, clothing donations and food donations. Donations can be dropped off at 308 S. 24th St. in Boise. In Nampa, donations can be delivered to the Lighthouse Rescue Mission at 472 Caldwell Blvd in Nampa.  Volunteer opportunities are also available in many different aspects of the Boise Rescue Mission such as cooking, serving meals, organizing and distributing donations.

Wilson eyes Pro Day for explosive drills – will bench press/interview at Combine

A hamstring injury will keep former Boise State corner back Kyle Wilson from doing any running and jumping at the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Ind. The Piscataway, N.J. native strained his hamstring during a workout in Orlando, Fla. last week.

“We were just doing some overspeed running with some bungee cords,” Wilson said. “It just happened when I was running. I wasn’t doing anything special.”

The injury will prevent Wilson from showcasing his speed and vertical leap at Lucas Oil Stadium, but he will bench press and interview with the teams. Gerry Wilson, Kyle’s brother and manager, said the 2009 Jim Thorpe semifinalist will now focus on the Boise State Pro Day on March 26 to display his explosiveness.

“He will definitely be there [at the Combine] for the interviews and the medical evaluation, and he will do the bench press,” Gerry Wilson said. “He’ll focus on the Pro Day for all the things he won’t be able to do at the Combine.”

Kyle Wilson pointed out that there are many other aspects to the Combine than just the physical drills. He plans to make a good impression off the field in Indianapolis in the interview process and the Wonderlic test.

“I’m definitely excited for it,” Kyle Wilson said. “It’s another opportunity to show my character, show my football knowledge, and definitely great exposure to show me as a person.”

Wilson turned heads at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., and shot up the draft boards as a result. One of his strengths has always been his competitiveness. Gerry Wilson credited this to growing up in a home with three boys (Kyle and his brothers Gerry and Vincent). He said all three of them are known for their competitive nature – even when it comes to eating.

“Everyone says that we always eat fast,” he said. “That’s just because, if you weren’t the first one to get downstairs you weren’t gonna get the fluffy brown pancakes.”

He added that, because all three brothers played for the same high school and went on to compete on the football field in college, they all developed this competitiveness.

“My brother Vince wanted to run faster and be better than me,” Gerry Wilson said. “And then Kyle coming up wanted to do better than both of us. I think he has exceeded us.”

Gerry still hasn’t given up on one fraternal rivalry.

“We still argue over who was the fastest in their prime”, he said.

Wilson has taken this competitiveness to Orlando, Fla., where he’s been working out with other draft prospects including former Florida State cornerback Patrick Robinson. The two defensive backs have been going neck-to-neck in the workouts.

“He’s definitely a great player,” Kyle Wilson said. “In any of the drills and workouts we do together we really push each other.”

Wilson also used his competitiveness to become a leader in the Boise State locker room. He was a cornerstone in Coach Chris Peterson’s squad that won two Fiesta Bowls in three years. Wilson said the second BCS-Bowl win meant even more than the victory over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.

“This last one was even more special to me than the one in my freshman year,” Wilson said. “Just because I was a senior and a captain really leading those guys out there.”

Wilson emphasized that his time at Boise State has prepared him for a career in the NFL. He has come a long way from being a 2-star recruit to being a team leader and receiving an invitation to the Combine.

“I know Boise State is one of the best programs in the nation,” Wilson said. “Down there at the Senior Bowl I felt right at home. I know I played on a good team and I definitely was well prepared. You know, a lot of guys on our team are better than those guys down there at the Senior Bowl.”

Wilson will travel to Indianapolis Saturday. He will return to Orlando after the Combine to prepare for the Pro Day at Boise State.

You can follow Wilson on his website www.kdub1.com.

Gerry Wilson said a series of videos of his brother dating back to Pop Warner, and including high school and college footage will be posted on his website leading up to the Pro Day.