YMCA Love...Incase You Missed It!

CCY

Last May I got to experience my first CCY. CCY stands for the Coalition of Campus Y's. It is a fancy way of saying people from Campus YMCA chapters across the United States get together once a year. We do not have representatives that participate in every single Campus Y, but that is not to say that we don't have a pretty amazing, well rounded, group.

Every year the CCY meets a different school hosts. This past May LU and Wash U Campus Y shared the responsibility of hosting. Our conference lasts four days. They are four days of fellowship, service, and a reconnection with the YMCA.

Being new to the YMCA this was great for me. I loved that the problems or struggles I was experiencing in my Y were similar to other people's issues. They were able to give me advice. We broke into groups and we wrote everything down. We figured out what was important to us. We listed the causes that we felt were important. We talked a lot about social justice, and about homelessness and poverty.


Sometimes when we are a part of something we can lose sight of what is important. We are so caught up in the motions that we forget why we are really involved. I am part of the YMCA because I want to help others. I love the idea of an organization that helps me do this. CCY was a reminder to myself, this is what I love.

Science Can Be Fun...

The Campus YMCA seems to really love to help and mentor youth. Our Y Catalyst program is no different. The Campus Y provides an after school program at a local YMCA site where we teach the kids about science.

LU's Campus YMCA is paired with Immanuel Lutheran School right here in St. Charles. Immanuel provides a YMCA after school program. Once a week our Campus Y volunteers head over to Immanuel and work with the kids on a science experiment for that week. Usually we meet for about an hour and it gives the kids something different to look forward to then their normal routine.

The after school program consists of children from ages 6-12, which is really diverse age group. We try to do experiments that are easy enough for the young ones, and challenging enough for the older ones.


There are all different experiments we have done with the kids, but my favorites are always the ones that are experiments that are very interactive. One that the kids really loved was when we put milk in a round dish, then we added drops of food coloring in different places in the milk. Then we put a drop of dish soap on the end of a Q-tip, and touched the Q-tip to the color droplet in the milk. When this happens the milk and colors start to move and the kids were able to make some cool designs.

Afterward, we ask them to think about the experiment. Why they thought the milk and color drops moved? Would the experiment be different with different milk? Our goal is to interact with the kids, but to also encourage them to think. Sometimes learning from a college student is different then their science teacher they see everyday.

It is awesome for us to mentor to them and to encourage learning.

When the Campus YMCA has fundraisers some of our money goes to this program as well, because we provide all of our own material for us and the kids every week.

"Hey Coach, Hey Coach!"

So, maybe sitting down with kids talking isn't your thing. Maybe you aren't really sure about "going green," and you need your spring break to go home. BUT, you LOVE sports, right?!?! I mean you are at Lindenwood...

The Campus YMCA offers a little program we like to call Y Coaches. Being the amazing athletes we are the Campus Y volunteers love coaching little kids.


Currently, LU's Campus Y is connected with the O'Fallon YMCA helping coach their youth sports. Our volunteers right now are helping coach basketball. They meet once a week for practice and depending on the week will meet on a Saturday for a game.



Connecting with kids can sometimes be difficult but many of us have that love for sports. You can be that mentor for a child that really needs it. We don't know what goes on for these kids when they aren't at practice, but we do know that during that hour or two they are with us we can make an impact.

The Campus Y has a great group of Y Coaches volunteers and their excitement and enthusiasm for the kids is incredible to watch.

Do You Remember That Person YOU Looked Up To?

We all (well hopefully) have had those awesome people in our lives who we have have admired. I mean the person that you could look at and say "they are the example." The person that really seemed to have their life together and was able to mentor you in one way or another. It could have been a teacher, coach, or even just a friend that was maybe a couple years older.

One of the great programs that the Campus YMCA offers is the Big Brothers Big Sisters program it is very similar to the traditional Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) program except it is geared toward young people, generation y, helping mentor others. The BBBS program offered through the Y is a site-based program.


Basically, instead of taking your little sister or brother out to a public place you meet them at their school, in the Campus Y's case we meet at Barnwell Middle. Usually the Big and Little will meet during the Little's elective course or lunch. Sometimes you will play games, or sometimes you will just talk.

The school that the Little attends recommends children that might be in need of a mentor in their life. Sometimes, it is to help the child socially, sometimes the school might know of a rough home situation where just another person in their life that they can look up to is needed. After the parents approval the child is enrolled in the program and is matched with a Big.


From there the relationship grows. It is another example of gen Y giving back...through the Y.

Y Free The TREES!

Can we go green?!?! Please?!?!

This is the second school year that the Campus YMCA has had its recycling program on campus. Currently, we are only able to do paper recycling, however we do have a bin! The YMCA has a paper bin behind the Spirit Shoppe. Okay, so it isn't the best location, but we have it! We have paper recycling located in all academic buildings on campus.

The YMCA is often paired with the Natural Science Club here on campus because we are both trying, and I mean trying to convince the university to go green.

Currently, we are supporting the Natural Science Club as they try to get campus wide recycling of all kinds here. It is a work in progress.

There have been several members of the YMCA who have taken it upon themselves to set up recycling bins for other things such as plastics and glass in their dorms. We then take this to our Campus YMCA house, where our graduate assistant, takes it to her house in Kirkwood where it is picked up and recycled.


Yes, it'd be easier if there were more recycling on campus...but it is changing...slowly...
As the video on the Media Talk said, "They [gen y]are environmentally conscious, peace loving. They volunteer in record numbers." We are a generation making a difference through things like being environmentally friendly.

One of My Favorites!

The Campus YMCA's are across the country. We all offer something different, but we all have one program in common. Alternative Spring Break (ASB).

ASB, is when a group of students go to a place where there is need in some way. We don't have a particular place that we go every year. When LU's Campus YMCA first started their trip for several years was going to Mississippi and working doing hurricane Katrina relief. For two years the Campus Y went not during Spring Break but during J-term.


In the spring of 2008 LU's Campus Y took 10 volunteers to the Lake of the Ozarks, right here in Missouri. Many people don't think of the lake as being a place in need, but when it is not a tourist season the city is really different.


The volunteers slept on the floor of a local church that hosted them during their week stay. The group worked doing lake clean up, trash clean up in local areas, and also did yard work for some elderly members of the church. When the group wasn't cleaning, they helped with youth activities at the church as a mentoring program.

In the Spring of 2009, LU will take six volunteers to Cincinnati, OH for spring break. While there the group will work with an organization that helps with poverty and homelessness in the Cincinnati area.

The YMCA tries to make these trips affordable to all students. A majority of the Campus YMCA fundraisers go toward the ASB. This helps pay for fees, gas, insurance, etc.

The next LU Campus YMCA fundraiser, will be on Wednesday December 17th. The Campus YMCA will provide a lunch of donated foods from local restaurants for the LU staff since the cafe will be closed.

Where it all started....

Since I am doing my blog about the YMCA I think I will start with why it has been so important to me. I joined Lindenwood Campus YMCA immediately when I transferred to Lindenwood my sophomore year of college. I had met this girl named Jessica over the summer before I transferred to LU and she told me about the YMCA. She told me it was a service organization on campus that was completely student run. I was looking for a way to meet people and it was a bonus that in the midst of that I had an opportunity to help others.

So, it began. I joined the Campus YMCA work and learn and slowly but surely got to know everyone. The Campus YMCA is different then your local YMCA. Our motto on our shirt is "No Pool, No Gym, Just Service" because that is what we are about. The Campus Y is new to Lindenwood, this only being its 5th year in operation.

LU Campus YMCA and Washington University Campus YMCA are often paired together, because we are run by the same director. In many ways the Wash U Campus Y is a brother/sister relationship for us. We invite each other to events and if we need advice we call on one another. We are a family. Not just our different branches, but the YMCA in general.

We all have the same passion in life. Helping others. Through the YMCA I have been able to develop, not only in leadership abilities and learning how to work as a non-profit organization, but as a person. The YMCA instills strong values and have helped me with my own character development.

Everyday with the YMCA is a learning experience. I meet people in all walks of life somehow involved, that inspire me. I know the YMCA impacts me, but I am not alone...Campus YMCA's affect us...Gen Y.

YMCA Love

Pepsi or Coke?

 Product: Pepsi

 Year: 2002
 BBDO-Barton, Durstine & Osborn.

I remember when this ad came out and just stopping and watching the television. I think the reason why I liked it was because it was selling a product, but it really gave me something to watch. It is almost like watching a music video. It gets my attention because of the singing and dancing but also because of Britney Spears. I remember at the time of the ad she was huge and it seemed like she was everywhere. The puffery I noticed is in the lyrics of the song. “The joy of Pepsi” is actually a statement that isn’t really logical or true because I don’t think just by drinking Pepsi it will bring joy to your life. Maybe your life will be better for a second and you will be joyous because you are no longer thirsty.
The ad I think is not only selling Pepsi products, but also Britney Spears. If you watch it they do play off of her sex appeal. There is a close up of her abs. Also, I think the way she is dressed and her make up is done gives the impression that she is a form of perfection so drinking Pepsi will help you to be like her.
The ad I think was first shown during the super bowl. If the appeal was to target a diverse group I think they succeeded, because even people that never watch football will watch the Super Bowl. I also think that the ad was later shown during television shows that targeted teens. I remember seeing the ad on MTV, so I do think they had a specific age group to target and probably specific girls like me.
I don’t think I gave in and bought the product because I have always loved coke. However, I did love the commercials and I always thought Pepsi was pretty creative with their advertising.

Rift

Rift Fournier
Lindenwood has the pleasure of having an amazing professor, and story teller right here on it’s main campus. A man by the name of Rift Fournier a professor in the Communications department is charming, insightful, and full of personality. Rift told our class he got his name as a result of a fight between his parents. Just like his name Rift is unique in many ways.
He talked to our class about the importance of reading in life and in the media profession. Rift also mentioned to our class that because of technological advances he would not be surprised if the book industry eventually is completely electronic.


Rift talked to us about having original ideas when writing and he made the comment “The best creative people know how to steal.” He made it clear he was not talking about plagiarism but realizing that you gather ideas from what you read and what you are exposed to. He also mentioned how he believes life in the Mid West is very beneficial because you are surrounded by the world and different life styles.
Rift shared with our class his past and what lead him to where he is now. He told us about when he first went to college he was majoring in pre-medicine and by the end of the first year reconsidered. He also told us about how he tried law school and was of the top students in his class and then during his junior year decided it was not for him.
Aside from interesting education changes Rift also told us about working as a deputy and working in the city morgue. Both jobs I am sure inspired some stories in his writing.


When Rift went to New York and wrote comedy he learned that if you want the job, you need to be creative. In his own words “Impress the hell outta somebody.” When we talked about television and the changes that have occurred that are in the process of changing Rift noted the obvious changes in content of television but he also mentioned the idea of no longer having local television. We are such a internet age that television is bound to change. When offering advice about writing for television Rift said, “Make stuff audiences like and you will do well.”
“The biggest secret to being successful is being open” said Rift. I could not agree with this statement more and I think it is a big part of what we are learning as college students. Be open.

Election Video----YOUR VOTE COUNTS

Hey Guys,
Well, we will see if anyone reads this but I thought it was hilarious.
My sister sent me this video...Basically you can add what ever name you want and then e-mail to that person.

Sorry this is political............
Enjoy it.

What is your favorite BLOG?

A blog that I have only recently started to visit called Daily AgencySpy Feed and is through Media Bistro. It is sad to say this but I feel like I like visiting it because in a sense it reminds me of a gossip blog. The blog I ready most recently is called “The Double Standard of USA Today” This blog was really short and to the point. It talked about USA today not running a Candie’s Foundation add that talks about the problem of teen pregnancy. The reason being that they did not want to offend their readers.
However, the blogger argues that the PSA’s will be aired during the CW’s Gossip Girl, which is known for scandalous teen sex. USA today does not have a problem with offending anyone and buying ad time (supporting) this show.
Since I have only recently followed this blog I would say that I was attracted to it because it seems like it is honest. It is also written in a sarcastic tone which I also think is able to draw people back especially young people. The reason I think this way of writing works is because the audience is left with the feeling “I wonder what they will write next?”

Below is the PSA they didn't want to run because of fear of offending people.

The Internet Connection to my TV Obsession

The internet and convergence impacted the television industry in many ways. If I happen to miss my favorite show, I don’t have to worry I can get online and watch the episode I missed. I have to admit that since the start of college I no longer have any real time to sit down every week and watch my favorite show. Luckily I have the summer and when I go home we have charter on demand where I can watch my favorite shows from HBO and Showtime.
Recently however, I have figured out that I can watch my favorite shows of the past. I have to admit in my younger years I was a big WB freak. There is a reason why the St. Louis Area was the top viewing of WB shows I feel I contributed to this! When I am bored and procrastinating my homework I can log on to the old WB website and watch old episodes of my favorite shows like Everwood for free!


The only problem I have found with this is that if I am in my dorm trying to watch these shows it usually takes a lot longer to load, so I find myself waiting for it to load and then going back to watch it. I think because of the internet and easy access to my favorite TV shows, it has allowed me to not forget about TV of the past. I also think they have these websites in place that air old shows because it is a way for them to promote other shows with the same actors or written by the same people. Also, while watching shows on online businesses are able to advertise to that particular viewer. Most TV shows have a specific target audience and so if the businesses know the age range, sex, ethnicity, etc. of the viewer they can target products to that person.

I was also able to find the TV episodes of shows that have been off the air for an even longer amount of time. The show “My So Called Life” is also available online which pretty much has made my day revisiting why I love Claire Danes and Jared Leto.

Is there really a debate?

Vice Presidential Debate

I tried my best to watch this debate with an open mind. I have always leaned on the more democratic side but I really wanted to watch this debate and be as neutral as possible which was easier because I honestly didn’t know as much about the vice presidential candidates. I did enjoy the questions that were asked. I think I most intrigued by the questions about the war in the middle east and what the plan was from each side about how to finally bring our troops home. It seemed to me that Biden said repeatedly that when Obama is elected they will be bringing the troops home. Palin on the other hand said that the war will end in victory for the United States and that we should not put up a white flag and surrender.
The moderator also asked a question about the energy crisis and what each party was planning on doing. I felt as though neither party really gave a straight answer to this question because they spent most of their time attacking the other candidate.
I watched this debate on CNN. There were several times that I am not really sure of Palin really answered the question. The moderator would ask her something and then she would go back to something they were previously debating like tax issues. At one point she even said she might not answer the questions how Biden wants, or how the moderator wants. I really did not think it was that difficult to just answer the question.


After the debate I heard a lot of people say that Palin had done really well and recovered from her embarrassing past interviews. However, I felt that most of the time she was trying to talk like she understood the common person and used this weird slang and or accent where she left the ‘ing’ off everything and only said the ‘in.’ I felt like this just made her look stupid and uneducated and made me mad because she was assuming that the common American can’t speak proper English.
I felt like Biden really could have been mean and called Palin out more when she obviously didn’t know what she was talking about and when she mispronounced words but he didn’t and for that I liked him even more. I think this debate in general will go down in the history book because this has been such a history making year and Palin being a woman and possible Vice President is history in itself.
I think it is pretty obvious that I am a Obama supporter. I feel like the Republican Party also tries to get votes by being that “family friendly” approach and not ever really getting down to the real issues. The one thing that I cannot stand about the debates is that I don’t feel like you can easy get a straight answer from both parties, and that is annoying. It feels like it would almost be better to do an interview with the candidate that is one on one that way they do not have the opportunity to attack the other party.

Malcolm McDowell

Last year spring semester I took the class history of film with professor Billhymer. I took the class because I love movies and it would count as a cross cultural class that I needed. During the class we watched several very interesting and very different movies. One of the movies we watched toward the end of the semester was A Clockwork Orange. Professor Billhymer had warned us before hand that there was nudity and violence and we had the option to not watch it and do an alternative assignment.
I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about the film but I didn’t know when I would have time to watch a different movie out of class and do an alternative assignment so I decided I would just watch the film. I am very glad I made that decision.
A Clockwork Orange was a movie I found fascinating because it told a different story but also because it told a challenging story. The movie included scenes that were previously obscene in movies and were out of line for the time. I felt like the movie was really honest because it truly told the story of Alex.


Last week I had the opportunity to watch A Clockwork Orange again and meet the actor who played Alex, Malcolm McDowell. I have to admit this was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. Malcolm greeted everyone before the showing of the film and talked a bit about his life and the director of the film Stanley Kurbick. I personally felt like I was getting to hear these stories that were a part of movie making history right from the person that experienced them which was awesome.


After the film was shown in the theater (which by the way was like being in a movie theater it was incredibly nice) Malcolm did a question and answer period. Several people brought up the comparison to the film and the book and asked him his thoughts. One question I thought was really interesting was that it was mentioned that the book had an end chapter that was not used in the film. The book ended with the main character Alex learning to do what is “right.” In the movie however, Alex is able to have his own free will again and at the end the audience is given the clue that he is back to his old ways. Malcolm was asked why this was different. He let us know that the author of the novel Anthony Burgess was forced by American print companies to give the book a “happy” ending. It was not at all how he had planned to end the book.





I thought this was a really cool piece of information to learn. It certainly made me realize even more how controversial this movie was for its time. After the question and answer period I had the opportunity to meet Malcolm at his meet and greet table. He was extremely polite and seemed very sincere. He greeted everyone and the line to meet him was about an hour to an hour and a half long. He patiently met everyone signed autographs, and took pictures. He was incredibly graceful. I was so honored that he came to Lindenwood it was such a cool experience for our campus community and the St. Charles/St. Louis community as well.

Television & Children

When I think about something that really caught my eye about chapter two I would have to say it was the information about television and children. I personally believe that television can have a major effect on children because the mind is still developing. I thought it was interesting that as early as the 1950s a study was preformed by Wilbur Schramm and his colleagues at Stanford University. The text said that most children begin watching television when they are two years old and are regular viewers by the time they are three.



These statistics to me are very eye catching. A three year old is very impressionable and picks up a lot more than what you would think. Many people when thinking about a three year old would think that three is an age where they are still very “baby” like and television cannot have that huge of an effect.
However, three is an age when the child can walk and talk and is a time when they learn basic skills and develop a lot of knowledge of what is right and wrong. They repeat back phrases of songs that they heard in the car, they can tell you why the power rangers are so awesome, and most of them can tell you why they love Hannah Montana on the Disney channel.


Wilbur Schramm said, “From ages three through sixteen children are likely to devote more time to television than to any other activity except sleep.”

This quote is hard to think about because to me it is somewhat sad. However, when I read this quote I thought right away that it was most likely true. I know that Wilbur did this study in the 1950s but I think even more so now adults can abuse the television and use it as a babysitting tool.


When I was younger I remember going to my grandmother’s house where my dad lived and anytime I would say I was bored the response was to go put in a movie. When children are young they are still very impressionable and school work isn’t something they hate. I think if the response would have been lets work on an activity book or lets color would have been more beneficial. Learning these skills at an early age are so helpful and probably would have done more good then watching different tapes of Barney’s Adventures.




The text also stated that children with high IQs tend to be heavy television viewers when they are young but light viewers as they get older. Then it said less intelligent viewers showed the opposite pattern. The conclusion I gathered from this are the children that maybe need that extra push towards school and academics are actually the ones that tend to be watching hours of television daily. It said by the age of twelve the kids were averaging four hours of television a day.

Four hours a day to me seems like a lot of television. If you think about an average day for a school aged child they are at school from anywhere between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. so if they began watching television right when they came home and watched for four hours straight it is already 7 p.m. when do these kids have time for anything else? It seems as though television replaces any other activity or hobby that they might want to do. As someone who works with children and only wants them to succeed and do great things in life these statistics are sad and for the kids sake I hope that they are not true for a lot of children.

International Student Tell All

Finally, I have my blog looking somewhat decent. I was beginning to question whether or not I am really part of Generation Y. Anyway, enjoy the new layout.


When we were first given the assignment to interview an international student to find out about how the media is in their country I knew immediately who I wanted to interview. My friend Teia who is a junior here at LU is from the Bahamas. She and I frequently talk about her home compared to America. First I asked her some questions about what the celebrities are like in her country because I realize that everyone here seems to be infatuated with Britney Spears, Brad Pitt, and Angelina Jolie. So my question is it like this in the Bahamas?

She said in the Bahamas celebrities are not huge like they are here in the United States. Caribbean music is the choice over American artist. However, there are some popular cross over artists but they are mainly rappers like 2Pac, Lil’ Wayne. She also said that Beyonce is popular as well. Teia tells me again and again that really movies, music, and entertainment and what people are interested in really depends on the person you are talking to everyone has their own opinion. When movies are released in the Bahamas there are not only American movies but movies from around the world. She said they show movies that are released world wide and often they show a lot of Canadian movies. When I asked her if she learned everything about American culture from movies and TV she answered with a quick “no.” Teia told me that the Bahamas is so diverse that she never only learned about American cultures. Often she would learn a lot about many different kinds of people. I asked her about the news and what she learned about America. She said in most cases she would hear Bahamian news first and then hear about other cultures news.

The news stories she would hear about the United States were almost always about politics more than anything else. Teia also remembered hearing about big US news such as 9/11 and hurricane Katrina. She said that it was huge news there but she believes that those stories were big world wide. She also noted that it is ironic how anything that is a big problem in the US will make world wide news however, if there is huge problem that is newsworthy in a third world country most of the time it is not covered in the United States.

When I asked her about the upcoming American Presidential election she said that Barack Obama is well known in the Bahamas and many people there are hoping that he is the next American President.
From my interview I gathered that American media is not a huge power everywhere as it is in the United States. However, I think the Bahamas have maybe more freedom as far as media then other countries so maybe that is why American media doesn’t play a huge part in their lives.

Just for fun I thought I would add some music videos from the popular music people. Really America should be so proud of these artists like Lil’ Wayne.
Just a warning this isn't censored.

Is There Something Wrong With My Generation?

As I am sitting here typing my blog I am surrounded by other people in the computer lab. While I type I have my i-pod in my ears and my phone close by. I am surrounded by technology and it is so normal.
Then when I watch the 60 minutes episode I say “that’s not me.” The way my generation was described on that show I felt like other generations look down on us because we are “lazy”. It gave the impression that no one in my generation is capable of holding down a full time job and that we all have to be bribed in order to work hard and to have a constant flow of new ideas. I personally feel like this isn’t true at all. I know that I can only speak for myself but I have always felt like I am a hard worker and have a decent work ethic. Although I do not think I would have to work at a place that throws parties all the time like what we saw in the video I guess it would be a cool experience.
It is weird to hear the older generations talk about the somewhat special treatment my generation is getting. However, I feel like my generation is so different because there are more corporate jobs and many jobs where you are in front of a computer or in an office all day. I think the work force is adapting to changes. The forty hour work week is different now because the jobs are different. So maybe the problem is not completely with my generation but just with the changing times and people have trouble adapting to that.
There are some things that I do completely agree with when talking about my generation in relation to the media. I think it is probably correct when it said that we never buy a newspaper, or magazine. I don’t think it is because we don’t care about the information that is being offered but we are able to find these things online for free. I can always go to stl today website for local news or if I want to hear about the latest celebrity gossip I can go to People magazine website and find the same stories online that are in the magazine. I would also agree that there is a lot of pressure from other generations for my generation to succeed. In the past it seemed as though a college education was optional. However, today, although higher education is still an option a bachelor’s degree does not even seem to be enough. My parents never went to college and they both have the impression that my college degree is a golden ticket. I feel like with every generation there will be differences it is just all about learning to adapt.
As I think about advantages our generation has with the internet I am pretty sure that I spend a lot of time looking at pointless things. For example, this video of this little boy laughing has already taken up a minute of my life but it is hilarious. Other generations weren't lucky enough to have videos like these to pass the time!

Passion=helping others

Miss Rachel! Miss Rachel!

When I think about one thing that I am passionate about immediately I just think of the love I have for helping other people. It is strange I have always had this motherly feeling like I need to take care of people. Currently, I work at an early childhood development center which is completely unrelated to my major.

I love kids because they have such a positive outlook on life. They aren’t angry at the world, they don’t complain about life, and mostly they aren’t prejudice towards others. They have this unique love for everyone. As a teacher I can correct their behavior and they can become upset with me and then two minutes later they have forgotten and moved on. Children are so helpless but I have the privilege of helping them through that development where they learn to help themselves. I have worked at this center for over a year and I have worked with all ages of kids. It is amazing to see how much the kids grow not just physically but mentally in such a short period of time. It really makes me realize how the mind and body are such amazing things.

In my time there I have learned that I personally love working with kids that are a little more difficult and have behavioral problems. My mom gave me some really good advice once about children she said, “They just want someone to listen to them and their little voices and little thoughts.” I have realized that she was completely correct most of the time kids just want you to listen to them. As adults we are in such a fast pace environment that we don’t always take time out to listen to one another. So that is something I have learned to just pause and take time to listen.