ART?...YAY!

Learn- I visited a few websites and I learned about several upcoming events in Modesto. I found out that Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is being performed at the Gallo Center! I would love to go to see this with my daughter and husband. I remember I went to one play when I was in middle school on San Jose. I really liked it. I guess I never went to see a play again because my family is not the type to go to those types of events. There is also the Third Thursday Artwalk and art work being displayed at galleries like the Mistlin and the CSUS Student Gallery. Arts and Culture activities are important to a community. But I never realized this because my family has never been involved in community events. I am going to start going to these events because I want to feel that I am a part of the art community in Modesto and I want to teach my daughter about appreciating art (something that I don’t think I have learned fully even though I am an art major!) and to help her feel that she is a part of the community in Modesto.

My Eva doing some painting!

Act-In all the time I have lived in the Modesto area I have only been involved in a few art events in my community. I was in the Young Masters Art Show in Mistlin Gallery when I was in high school and I have submitted works in the TCAC Spring Juried Art Show. I have always felt that I should get more involved in the art community, I mean I’m an art major! I have never even gone to an Art Club meeting (I wanted to join this year but the meeting times interfered with classes I had or there were other things I had to do). I also have never been to a Third Thursday Artwalk! WTF?! Damn me and my excuses! I will go on November 18 to the Third Thursday Artwalk and to visit the Student Gallery. I will take my Eva, of course.

A woodcut I made of Eva.

Imagine- I, Monkey Woman, think there are good arts and culture events in Modesto. I just think people like me overlook the opportunities to attend these types of events. I think there could be more advertising about the events going on in Modesto. A lot of people, including my family and I, have no idea about upcoming events in Modesto. SO…I will use my money to do advertising for events going on in Modesto! How boring! I think more people should know that EVERYONE can be involved in art events even if they don’t see themselves as “artists.” I think this is my problem; I don’t see myself as fitting in in the “art community” even though I love doing artwork. I need to get myself and more people around me involved in the Modesto art and culture community. In five years I hope to get my family, the rest of the people in the Modesto area, and I to be more excited about being involved in the Modesto art and culture events.

FUN TIME!!

Learn: I had no idea about some of the leisure activities that exist in Modesto. For example, I had no idea there was a cycling festival here! Ugh...I wish I had a bike...I'm going to steal my brother's bike tomorrow. I also didn't know how important it is for us to just have fun and relax...without t.v. or movies. I'm going to tell my husband to go to the park with my daughter and I. The fresh air and relaxing will benefit the three of us.

Act: When I was young, I enjoyed bike riding. I was never really involved in sports when I was younger...I was quite fat. I did enjoy playing tag. I was regrettably never into any physical activites until I was in my late teens. I started jogging then. All the physical activity I had in my high school years were because of my P.E. class. I enjoyed ultimate frisbee and capture-the-flag games...even though I never captured a flag -.- For my activity in Modesto I walked to the soccer field/golf course/park/ baseball field by my house...John Thurman Field. I took my daughter in a stroller. When we got to the field I laid a blanket down on the grass so my daughter could play. She is only 14 months and still isnt too comfortable walking so she mostly crawled around. She just played around with a few balls I brought along and enjoyed pulling grass out of the dirt. After she got tired of playing I put her back in her stroller and did a lap around the golf course. I would have enjoyed it more if the path was paved. It was only 50% paved and the rest was dirt. The stroller kept getting stuck in the dirt...which is irritating when one is trying to speed walk.

Imagine: I am going to hold a weekly activity day at a local park. There will be a capture-the-flag game!; an area for kids and another for adults. There will also be a maze area! But it will not be made of corn but of grass!...which I will make grow super fast with my laser vision! There will also be other games like that one game where you tie your leg to another person's and try to reach a finish line....awesome. I will also shoot poisonous banana seeds at people's feet to make them dance and get them moving!...I kid, I kid...or do I? >_> I will fund all of this because I am filthy rich, dammit!

This foo' is about to have his flag captured! WAHA!

Aw...he got lost on my grass maze. :[

Mission 6: Transportation

Learn: I had to educate myself about public transportation I Stanislaus County a while ago. When I was first coming to CSUS, I used to take public transportation because I didn’t have my license yet. This was in late 2005/early 2006 so a lot of routes hadn’t been cut yet. It would take me over an hour and a half to get from the mall in North Modesto to the STaRT bus stop in front of CSUS. I think one of the reason’s people don’t choose public transportation over driving to a destination is that driving is just faster. Also, Modesto isn’t a big city so more people may work and want to visit places that are further away and driving may be more convenient. The STaRT buses can take you to I think any city within Stanislaus County; the furthest is Turlock I think..

Act: I would build a High Speed Rail System (original, I know) underground! And I can do this because I’m a badass millionaire. But until my project is completed people can ride their bikes, use public transportation, or carpool. I, myself, use a car to wherever I need to go. My older sister, however, HAS to take the bus wherever she goes, and with two small children, she finds it somewhat of a struggle. She sometimes has to wait a long time when transferring from one bus to another because the buses don’t do routes as often as they used to. My younger sister also took the bus for school. She didn’t like it because guys would bother her; she told me that one time she was harassed but decided to not tell. This made me pissed of course.

My banana peels help make the trains go faster! (and it poses no danger at all to the passengers...)

Imagine: My underground High Speed Rail System would connect most cities in the valley to one another or to other forms of public transportation like BART. This would make it faster and safer for people from Modesto to go to work or school. I will use my banana peels to make the trains (or whatever they’re called) go superfast! My rail system would be faster and more convenient than a car so people would choose it over driving. It will be environmentally friendly as well.

My wonderful postcard -.-

Mission 5

LEARN
The high rates of foreclosure in Modesto affect the citizens and the community in ways nobody had predicted. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program was created to purchase and redevelop foreclosed and abandoned homes. The Community Development Block Grant was created to help people with low to moderate income by creating economic opportunities, creating suitable living environments and building affordable housing. The Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program will help people from becoming homeless and will help those who are homeless re-housed an stabilized. The Making Home Affordable Program was made to help get the housing program back on track. There are several emergency housing facilities in Modesto, I only knew of one.
ACT
I will make an alliance with the Community Housing & Shelter Services. I will use my power of accelerated plant growth laser vision thingy to help provide food for people that were left homeless…I don’t know how else I could use my powers to help the homeless…or how to help the homeless without superpowers for that matter.

IMAGINE
Umm, my powers didn’t make much of a difference I guess. I saved the Shelter money on food. They had the ability to use that money to help families find jobs so they can afford housing. Other than that…um…I didn’t help much.

Mission 4: Be Healthy :D

Learn: I, Monkey Woman, used to be very unhealthy during my teen years. I was about 60-75 lbs. overweight. When I was 19 I decided to lose weight. I educated myself on how to eat better and exercise. I am now around 140 lbs. I am currently in the process of trying to lose 10-20lbs; so it is the perfect time to learn more about how to eat healthy when I’m not home and how to incorporate my daughter into my workouts (as a weight! :D) Two of my siblings are also currently slightly overweight as well. My father is also overweight but he has other medical conditions. He has insurance and I find it frustrating that he doesn’t go to a specialist for each of his health problems since he already went to a physician and he told my dad that there was nothing wrong when he has and umbilical hernia and his right knee is swollen. (AGH!) We all (except my dad) try to exercise a few times a week and eat fruits and vegetables. I think all of us need to improve how we treat our bodies. I will also try to learn ways to convince my dad to help himself.

I learned that I shouldn’t pressure my dad. I remember my mom used to pressure me to lose weight. I never listened to her. I was not ready to lose weight. I don’t know how to convince my dad that he should lose weight without pressuring him or making him feel bad.

I found this article: http://www.livestrong.com/article/34430-mentally-prepare-lose-weight-diet/

I will tell my dad about the tips I found here…but I’ll do this when he’s in a good mood.

As for the rest of Modesto, I think we should educate the person that cooks and buys the food in the home about leading their family to a healthier lifestyle.

Act: I am going to create programs that educate parents about how to cook healthier meals, buy healthier foods, and help incorporate physical activity in the daily lives of their kids and themselves. If only there was a way to make unhealthy fast food repulsive…hmm. THAT’S IT! I will join forces with Sad Sack and we will put StinkyButt powder over all unhealthy stuffs. ( I don’t know if it comes in a powder). And I will use my powers of making crops grow super fast to grow produce and give it to poor people for free! YAY!

Look at this dude's reaction after smelling this burger with StinkyButt powder...I dare ya to eat it now!

Imagine: Now that my super awesome healthy alliance has over 500 members we will spread the knowledge to all! I will give free fruits and veggies to whoever needs them in Modesto! We will educate people about healthy recipes and exercise activities, etc. We will spread general awesomeness as well.

Keepin' it real...I mean safe!

LEARN: With the current state of the economy, budget cuts are affecting even our law enforcement departments. This means a smaller police force. To help fill the gap that will be left by the officers, investigators, detectives, etc. that have been let go, we, the citizens of this city have to get involved in making and keeping our communities safer. I, Monkey Woman, live in a…how should I say?...um…not a very safe part of town. In fact, one month after moving to this neighborhood, my car was stolen from our front yard…and stripped…SO, being the awesome super hero that I am, I went on the internet to look for ways to help make my community safer!

ACT: Using the information I learned, I came up with several ideas that would make my neighborhood less prone to crime. For example, I could add more street lights around the neighborhood. My car was stolen BECAUSE there was no street light lighting it. I would also ask neighbors to keep their lights on in their front yard and maybe even in their back yard. I am going to start a Neighborhood Watch!! I’ll even put the signs up…that will discourage people from doing criminal acts. Also, I will knock on people’s doors to recruit more people to join Neighborhood Watch; if they don’t answer I will leave some sort of flyer letting them now a neighborhood watch is starting in our area and in what ways everyone can help prevent crime here. I think these flyers will discourage crime as well. I will hold monthly meeting for our Neighborhood Watch. I will also patrol around the streets at night. If I presence any crimes being committed I will use my powers! You don’t remember?...It’s the banana peel I make appear spontaneously in front of bad guys and the poison banana seeds I shoot out of my index fingers…

These street lights will help my community be safer! YAY!

IMAGINE: What if a safety emergency occurred in my neighborhood five years from now? Like, um, what if there were burglars targeting our area…HMM. First, I would deliver flyers to each house to notify the neighbors. I would hold a NW meeting to hear about people’s concerns and also their suggestions. I would also keep watch at night.

Me keeping an eye on my local JITB..notice my awesome banana peel.

Mission 2: Creating Jobs in Modesto!

I am just a Monkey Woman. I don't know much about business, employment, or the economy. However, it seems logical that to improve employment in Modesto businesses need to be brought in the city to create jobs. So, I am going to start my own business! A Super Banana-Loving business!

Learn: First, since I don't have a clue about how to start my own business, I have decided to go to the internet for help! I actually found a helpful site: http://www.myownbusiness.org/. This site offers FREE internet courses that can teach me how to start my own business! YES!! Now I just have to study...

Act: Let's say I took all those online courses *cough*. Now I'm going to start my business in Modesto. I would like to make food products using locally grown produce...and bananas. We will start small but I know we will grow and hopefully I can employ more people. Since I am a millionaire (yeah, seriously) I have the means to start this business with my own finances. *pops collar*

Imagine: I also hope I can educate and help other people wanting to start their own small businesses. Maybe I can do this in the form of free seminars. Or maybe I can figure out how to give loans to people in Modesto wanting to start their own business...OK fine! I admit it! I never took all those online courses... *runs away*