It's a Difficult Night..

You see, when I opened the closet in my hotel room, there were two bathrobes. I just didn't know which one to use! Being a guest at the Fairmont Newport Beach is so difficult sometimes.

Really though, this hotel is incredible. Thank you Hotwire for scoring a 4.5 star hotel in the low $80s! I wish that I could stay through tomorrow and lounge by the pool in one of the cabanas and watch TV. But you know the life of a businessperson...places to go, things to do!

What's NOT cool though is parking that costs $28 a night. What IS cool is finding a place to park for free one block away. Walk a block and save $28? Please and thank you. If I wanted to spend $28, I could just open four of the Fiji water bottles on my dresser that cost $7 each.

Okay, enough hotel talk! School visits have had small numbers of students, but really good conversations. I had been told that I was doing a class visit this morning, so I rushed and got a couple dozen donuts/bagels for the class to enjoy. My visit? Me and one other student in the library -- she does XC, so she had to decline a donut. Great conversation though, I think she's going to come to Corban!

I really enjoy the fairs simply because it's nice to see other admissions counselors -- I was in a booth next to Dan from William Jessup, and we hit it off. It's nice to know that there are other people doing the same type of thing you are, you know?

And Jordi, I know what it's like to spend 3-4 hours a day on the interstate. However, instead of going 1000 miles, I go more like 10-15. Gotta love LA traffic!

Sorry, one more thing! I just called to request a wake up call. "Mr. Collett, could I also offer a reminder call?" "What's that?" "A call a little bit after your wake up call to ensure that you are up." NO WAY! So cool!

ps....

It makes me feel like Courtney, David, and I have shared a special moment, since we were typing/reading the blog between 4:25 and 4:30pm Pacific Standard Time. 

I like everyone...

in our Office at least! ;) Just kidding.  Kind of.

My thoughts on Montana: It has been all I had hoped for! :) It is so so pretty here.  I have probably driven close to 1000 miles in the last week, but I get to do it at 75 mph, so who's complaining? :)   (literally, 1000 miles.  I drive about 3-4 hours on the interstate most days!)

Over the weekend, I hiked the "M" and the Clark Fork River near downtown Missoula.  It was 90 degrees here, and BEAUTIFUL.  I would put pictures here, but I'm not sure how....so please check my Facebook if you want to see God's beautiful creation in Montana :)   Also, I would like to thank everyone in the city of Missoula who was hiking that day wearing either a fanny-pack or Sony Walkman (the huge 1992 kind that plays a tape, I saw 2 of them), because you made my walk uphill much more enjoyable.

Yesterday my fair was at the University of Montana (a BIG state school), and I had no idea where to go once I got to campus.  Then I saw a Counselor from Gonzaga leaving his car in a main parking lot, so I parked fast and ran after him. haha.  He was nice.   We had to walk a long way to get to the correct room, so we talked the whole time.  

After the fair was over, I started to walk back to my car and it dawned on me that I had no idea where I parked.  I was only paying attention to our conversation, and just following Mr. Gonzaga wherever he went.  I started getting scared and thinking that I would be late to my next fair cause it was an hour drive.  I wandered parking lots for about 30 minutes before I remembered to pray.  Found my car 3 minutes later.  :)  

I have my last fair here in the morning, then fly home tomorrow evening, and get to Portland around 7pm, a little before Casey.  I have decided that in at least one area our job has made me absolutely spoiled. I LOVE BIG, COMFY HOTEL BEDS! :)  

Also, I love my rental car.  

I have already weighed the pros and cons of turning into a fugitive just so that I can keep it. 

In the end, I have decided I would miss you all too much, so I am going to turn it in...I guess.

However, I would like to point out that we have some of the BEST coffee in Oregon!  No one here can make my coffee like at home. :)  

I will be having as much Javaroma as possible between Friday-Sunday when I hit the road again.  

My last thought: It is gloomy and pouring down rain outside in Kalispell, Montana.  

Oregon, here I come! :)

My question:

Where is Natalie?

I am personally shunning Natalie until she posts on the blog. (Arm motion down, shunning).

Have any of you all been to Starbucks recently? Have you been tried into trying their Via instant coffee? I've been to many a Bux in the last couple of days, and it seems like the baristas are robots --

Barista: "Have you tried our Via ready brew? It's really great, and it's 100% coffee! And you can pour it in milk, or hot water, or cold water!"

Me: "Isn't this just instant coffee?"

Barista: "It's Via ready brew! It's great, because you can take it anywhere! It's microground, so it tastes just like coffee. You won't be able to tell a difference!"

Me: "Ohhh. My friend Katie works at a Starbucks. She said that Starbucks told all the partners that they had to push Via and be really excited about it, even though it's really instant coffee."

Barista (whispering): "Yeah, they told us that we had to get really excited about it in front of the customers."

I tried some and bought a pack. It tastes like instant coffee, but it's not spew-out-of-mouth horrible. There's just something within me that feels convicted about drinking instant coffee. Perhaps it's the Holy Spirit? Maybe we should be pursuing higher grounds?

things to be thankful for

hello all!

it's easy to get caught up in all that goes WRONG when you're planning a trip/on a trip so I thought I'd take the opposite approach and list out things I'm thankful for (looks like Courtney beat me to it!) So here are a few things:

-Rachel was able to take me to the airport, sparing me the 4 hr wait after the hut shuttle dropped me off.
-a nice man behind the alaska counter said, "let's see if I can save you any money on this bag" (massive bag of Corban stuff) and he did. $15 bucks.
-exit row available and I had the whole row to myself!
-heated seats in my renal!!
-hotel so nice and clean, bed so comfy!
-man checking in in front of me serving in the military... so great people will step up and serve for OUR freedom...
-almonds. (would have been so hungry w/out them!)
-just got a phone call from an applicant who recently became a Christian (bro at our school), excited about possibly coming to corban!
-free wifi at Kaladi bros.
-alaska knows how to heat their buildings! (sorry courtney...)
-6 hawaii schools confirmed!
-I get to go and see Michelle Wagner after I finish w/ Hawaii schools
-iphone directions work so well!!


ok... that's it for now. :) have a geat day everyone!

MY FIRST BLOG EVER!

This is my first blogging experience! Here is my news to share with you!!!

I found a new pandora station to annoy Courtney with... it's 80's pop rock. I'm currently listening to "The Pretenders... I'll stand by you".

I am the new owner of a 2004 Acura MDX!! YAHOO! I can now take more than 2 1/2 people in my car! It is kind of a gray, blue, green... I can't really tell. But it has all the fancy things that I don't know how to use (auto lights/wipers, navigation, backup camera, calendar???)!

Lastly, I finally found the coconut M&M's at Walmart last night! You don't know how long I've been looking for those! They are delicious.

I know none of these things really have anything to do with the office, but besides Courtney and my pointless conversations of heater stink and what's for lunch, there's not a whole lot going on around here. I am praying for all of you and am loving hearing about your adventures!

I MISS YOU!
Rachel

Thankful!

I am thankful for heat!

For the last two days I have been sitting in my office shivering and taking breaks to warm my hands so I could continue typing. I think the rest of the people in Schimmel feel this same way (Jordi, i borrow your blanket yesterday to ward off hypothermia). So, about 10 minutes ago I started the smell the sent of the boiler coming back on after a long summer of rest. Not a great smell but I'm so happy the heat is coming back, yay!

And, it also makes me realize that I am spoiled because I feel the need to complain about being a little cold at work for a few days (well a lot cold), but really, having a nice warm place to work is great! I think its good to be thankful for the little things:)

So, as you can tell things are not too exciting around here. We have no visitors so Rachel and I are just sharing ideas for Freshman Seminar class.

I also was asked to pose in a photo with two students in matching outfits who are traveling all over campus on razor scooters (you know that little ones with like two tiny wheels and low handle bars) taking pictures all over campus. Not sure of the exact reason, but it was funny.

Well, I better get back to work.

Breaking news......

Fooled ya! There is no breaking news. Unless you consider that it rained alittle today breaking news….I guess the fact that our database is “corrupt” is news too, but it is kind of old news. We’ve been having trouble with GM since last week. You all have heard that so it’s old news. Heidi is gone as of today. That’s new news. Here is something that you don’t know: we have 13 students registered for Corban Experience and they’re mostly David’s. So that makes this bit of information new news.

 

It is kind of a slow day here, manning the switchboard of Corban College. Can you tell? On the other hand, Anita and Claudia really are the only ones that actually look and are busy. Some of us look busy but are we really? Something to ponder….

 

I’m praying for all of you. That is true news. New too. No, really that is old news because you should all know that you are in my prayers.

 

I hope you are all well. Take care and keep in touch!

 

Sandy

 

 

You Know They Say...

You can teach someone anything, but that experience is the true instructor. Like camp counseling, I try to glean tips in order to arrive as apt as all the others. And yet, I'm still fresh to Admissions Counseling -- and so much crazy stuff happens! Here's some highlights...

-Taking 4 pieces of luggage and a display through LAX, to a rental car shuttle, to the rental car hut, out of the hut to the car, to the hotel, up the elevator -- I have since rearranged so that I have an "overnight bag" for each of my hotels. I am in Ventura Beach tonight -- with a balcony and beach front view! The weather's crappy, but I'm having glamorous thoughts of leaving the sliding door open and falling asleep to the sounds of the beach.

-I met Frank Emitte's grandson. You know Emitte Center? Well, I was at a Christian school today (with yearly tuition of $22,000!!!), and this guy said "Oh, I know all about Corban -- Frank Emitte was my grandpa!" Cool! Pastor Emitte was my Pastor at my church back home before he passed away.

-"Hey, you should know that you have really pretty eyes!" were the words yelled at me by a high school girl as I left a school today.

-I told the story about my laptop being put in Jell-O to a HS chapel today. Turns out, that my friend Nolan (who did the deed of Jell-Oing) went to that high school -- and his sister was in the audience! And the college counselor used to be his teacher! Crazy! Exclamation point!

-Ouch! My dress shoes rubbed my heel raw (see picture). I didn't know that they made special inserts for women's high heels to prevent this. I now have "Hug My Heels" inserts in my shoes.

-LA Driving. It's crazy -- and I love it.

-Disneyland. I was going to go alone on Saturday. But my mom called, and my brother's youth group and her are doing a last-minute youth group trip THIS Saturday! So I'll get to go with them -- and they're not telling my brother, so I'll be able to surprise him in Disneyland!

-There's been some fun stuff already -- but it is strange being alone through it all. I feel that when something funny happens, I want to turn around and look at one of my friends to laugh with them. That's kinda sad, but a good encouragement to keep in contact with people!

Here are some photos!

It Must Be Monday (Again)

Well whaddaya  know . . .Goldmine is still down, and now most of the work day is gone.  Since I can’t get anything productive done, I’ve been occasionally looking out the window watching the earth-moving equipment push the same patch of dirt back and forth.  I’ve also been watching my incoming pile of references/transcripts/whatever quadruple in size since this morning.  In case anybody is wondering, we are now over the 400 mark in apps.   

Anita

 

 

Voicemails.....

So, its true what Rachel pointed out to me once, that when people are leaving voicemails they speak clearly and normally until they recite their phone number and then its superspeed, I wish I could type out Rachel's impression but it just wouldn't come across the same. So, I just listen as carefully as I can and hope for the best.

Or, there are the ones that you cannot understand hardly a word of. Like today, with an accent, I think of some sort, hi............long pause..........hi may name senator, thats what I heard? She has questions about apply and there are different programs so she has some questions and wants someone to call her about applications and questions and blah blah blah, not sure what she was asking? So no name or idea what she was talking about but I actually think I understood the number:) So, I call and leave a message for _____________. Just returning your call:) sorry I can't address you by name:(

So, that is what is going on in my office today.

Monday in the office...

"Monday in the Office"
-a poem by heidi

Monday.
dark office, old smell.
lights are off, i don't bother changing that.

all alone.
no jordi, david, jared, natalie or casey.
(or rachel or courtney for that matter) sad monday.

no visitors.
but lots of meetings.
where is my notebook? i must record important notes.

monday.
pandora is my only friend.
i'm reduced to writing poems on blogs anyone can read.

Accumulus

Day two in Colorado and I just saw my first cloud...at all. It wasn't much in the way of clouds, but he hung proudly for a moment or two before he dissipated with the wind. I have gradually watched the little remaining snow on the peaks of the Rockies dissolve to a lone patch of whiteness, stranded as a birth mark amidst the strands of a brunette's hair. It is remarkable how unwaveringly God has placed them there, so near my nomadic backyard, an impervious force preventing my westward trekking, ill-prepared as I am.

I marveled at the Garden of the Gods (which I have decided I will refer to as the Garden of the God) today as well. Such astounding giants, painted with a radiant, burning red...God is awesome. Those are my sentiments. David, bad news: the "pool" is actually a fountain and I'm not even allowed in it. The actual pool is inside right next door to the fitness room. Sorry to disappoint. But still a lovely hotel. =0)

Chosen Blessings

It's amazing what a choice at 4:30am can do for you when you're running on two hours of sleep. Doubtless your flesh will dare you, even compell you, to draw back into yourself, wanting only to be left alone and expecting that everything should work smoothly and perfectly or else the world around you is a blundering fool who can't seem to get anything right, let alone comprehend that you are clearly the only one who has everything, even anything, together.

I thank God for the strength He gave me to choose to allow Him to be seen through me. Who knew so many people would be willing to talk to me about my trip, their trip, and their lives at 4:30am. And what a cheerful gentleman to encounter on the shuttle at o'dark thirty. =0) My encouragement to you friends: Choose to let God use you to brighten someone else's day even when you are sick of being alive...or awake.

"We are as happy as we choose to be." ~Abraham Lincoln
~Proverbs 17:22

Praying for you all.

Again????!!!!!!!

It’s another day, and I’m back on the blog.  Wait - - - That must mean that we are having Goldmine problems again!! 

But hey -  it’s Friday, I’ve only got a hour before going home, and I’ve actually had a few free minutes to read all the great Admissions postings that are up.  Life is good!

Anita  :-)

 

 

 

 

 

Our office is cute

Haha, I do greatly enjoy reading the advenures of everyone else...whether in the office or out! So right now I'm sitting in my hotel lobby, free wi-fi and it makes me feel like I'm in Jurassic Park (one of my all time fav movies by the way), so its a win win situation. Or as Michael on the office would say, a win win win.... who the third party win belongs to I do not know.
David, you make me miss gov cup. As I posted in my other blog yesterday, I am so ready for the Fall and the weather that I am used to accompanying it. It is 100 degrees here again. And I am only going more south to Ventura for the weekend to visit my grandparents. I tried to set up some church visits down there but got....rejected. :o( But! I am going out to coffee with a potential student after church on Sunday before I hit the road to Bakersfield, so that I feel blessed about. And soon enough, my peacoat will adorn me...soon enough.
And Jordi, 5 visits in one day! Mygoodness, you are proving why you got hired right there! That's awesome! Makes me feel slightly unsuccessful about the amount of visits I have stacked up here in CA, but, I am so proud of you! Jared and David might appreciate this, being the other CA counselors, but I have been chatting with fellow counselors from other well known schools and seeing what their travel season looks like in CA. Mostly because I have had the WORST luck setting anything up here, whether calls and emails before I left or calls while I'm actually in the state, there have not been many positive responses....in fact, there just haven't really been ANY responses. However, these other counselors have told me that this year has been the hardest year for any of them to get visits set up. Something is going on with the educational systems in CA, because no one is returning calls, and not just to Corban, to everyone. Makes me breathe a sigh of relief that I haven't completely failed, but also makes me so sad that so many students are missing opportunities to hear about great schools that might just be the place for them. But this I do know, God has a plan for everyone and the connections I have been able to make and the visits I have gone to have been absolutely fantastic. Last year, many of my WA visits no one showed up to...one person came in and realized it was Christian....three people listened and then I'd find out they were freshman...you get the picture. This year, completely different! All juniors and seniors, high interest, thanking me so much for telling them about the school, getting emails on the road asking more questions! It has been utterly amazing. Although the quantity of visits this long trip has been lacking, the quality of the visits and people will surely make up for that. So you two men, just be ready for a lack of response from schools but some amazing hearts from the students.
So tomorrow I meet for coffee with two of my cousins. We used to be like the three amigas when we were little, everything done together, matching clothes, all of us two weeks apart. I haven't seen them for years and years, and it should be an incredibly awkward and awesome reunion. Coffee and walk on the beach you really can't go wrong so I look forward to it. wish me luck though, we all know I can be a bit awkward and quiet but I think I'll have to be the facilitator of conversation and inquiry in this case.Sorry this became very long!
Okay, so great fair last night. Even recognized this dad and I asked him if he used to work at the Winco in Salem....answer- YES! They moved here to manage another store. Their senior son....Corban is his top choice. Dad's brother- Joe Castanada. Made me feel like I had a little piece of home standing in front of me.
I'm praying for you all and can't wait to hear more stories! natalie, you need to post!

Almost on the Road!

I'm sitting at the Gov Cup downtown. I must look super trendy, because I've got my messenger bag, English books, Apple laptop, and thick plastic glasses. My earbuds are in, and I must be listening to some acoustic version of Coldplay or Modest Mouse, right?

Wrong. I'm listening to "She Wolf." AaaaaOooooooo!

The office has been very quiet since everyone has been gone. Our adventures have included Heidi loving a YouTube video about Hot Pockets, the 2009 GoldMine disaster, and me throwing away that disgusting African blend coffee that we have in the closet.

Speaking of the closet, it's organized! And so are the shelves too! The fridge? Cleaned! It's a whole new leaf in our office. The organization will last as long as we're all traveling, no doubt.

Jordi, you have written a perfect length -- always tell stories!

Montana is Pretty...

All of your little posts are so cute that I almost got tears in my eyes!  (I'm not sad, I just like everyone! :)

Are we like a little family?  Now I don't know if I'm supposed to write stories telling about my trip or just try to be cute and short like everyone else. :)

I just made it to my hotel in Missoula after night #1 in Kalispell.  My hotel in Kalispell was literally connected to a Shopping Mall.  Like if you kept walking down the hall of my hotel, you would walk right into the mall hallway.  Weird. :)  There was no Gap, David. :(

Today I had 5 school visits.  God bless my GPS! I made it pretty easily to all of them.  4 were public schools, and 1 Christian school.  I was disappointed by my visit at the Christian school, because no one showed interest/came to talk/filled out a card.  I just anticipated a more positive result.  From there, I drove fast to my 11am visit. It was a public school, but there was a room full of 12 students already waiting for me when I got there! God bless that counselor for recruiting them! I wanted to hug him, but then I thought of Jared, and knew it would not be appropriate.

At that same visit, I got the feeling that I had such good attendance at the cost of getting "Corban Eligible" students. Example:

Boy: "So, I know you guys are a Baptist school and everything, but is church attendance required?"

Me: "Well....It is very strongly encouraged, and it is expected."

Same Boy later: "Do you guys have fraternities?"

Me: "Uhhh no."

Again same Boy: "So is it like you basically HAVE to be a Christian to get accepted to your school?"

Me: "Yes."

:)

David will be happy to know that our song, Party in the USA, came on the radio today while I was sitting in traffic, and it made me happy.  

And Courtney! When I put up my display last night at the See You at the Pole Rally, I didn't look stupid! I did it right and the polls did not fall all over the place this time :)

I am so tired! :) Thanks everyone for warning me, so I knew to expect it. Thanks for all the prayers too! Today I got this surge of energy at about one and I thought, "Thank you, Jesus! Someone is praying for me!" :)

I am having fun though, even if all of my hotels' gyms consist of: a) one treadmill and b) one bike, in a room that is the size of a guest room. :)  

Haha, Anita you make me laugh! Sorry Goldmine is having such terrible issues this week. Soon, so soon, I will be in the office reading applications in your office!

Anita's Blog

Ya know, if I weren’t forced to exit Goldmine so many times this week because of various Goldmine problems, I could actually be working on these incoming apps instead of posting to this blog.

;-)

Anita

 

 

Hey!
Natalie? Casey? Jordi?
You should all know that the back office has been taken over by the men. I mostly hide in my back office. :)
Hope you're all doing well!
-heidi

Ashamed

Allow me to take this opportunity to say how incredibly ashamed I am to recognize that both Sandy and Anita managed to post introductory statements before me...And I was creating this with David at his desk!

For those of you on the road,

Rest well, my friends, rest well,
for what will come, who can tell?

"Always be prepared to give an answer for your faith"
and remember that you represent the Corban College face.

Eat some random foods, and see some far out sights,
but never cry yourself to sleep if schedules don't work right.

Pickle, pickle, pumpernickel,
don't come back all down and sick...el.

Blog Post

Paper, paper EVERYWHERE!!! And it’s only September 23^rd!!!

Anita

sandy's test blog

This is easier than signing into google!

Sandy