ray anderson

I just found out that Ray Anderson, visionary founder of Interface Inc. passed away a couple weeks ago on  August 7th. As I potentially go further along the business track here at school, I am often puzzled by the great disconnect between business and environmentalism.  Mr. Anderson defied the typical business model and successfully bridged those two entities in his carpet business.

Now the reason the news of his death caught my attention is that he came and spoke at school a number of years ago. I rarely remember speakers as there were so many and let's face it, who pays attention in middle and high school?  But I have always remembered him and his speech. He's truly an amazing individual- go research him.

Check out this article from Patagonia about Ray Anderson

rabun bald

 Spent the weekend in the lovely North Georgia mountains.  We had mostly beautiful weather (despite the hurricane up north) and got to spend some quality time with fellow GORP leaders in the great outdoors.

setting up camp in the dark

cartography lessons

Jason's artistic touch

navigation skills to the test

beautiful group!

trying to figure out if it's hollow 

"circle up!"

game of ninja

check out our sleeping arrangement!

Jason shared with us this college application essay by Hugh Gallagher:

NYU Essay: In order for the admissions staff of our college to get to know you, the applicant, better, we ask that you answer the following question: are there any significant experiences you have had, or accomplishments you have realized, that have helped to define you as a person?


Gallagher 's Essay:

I am a dynamic figure, often seen scaling walls and crushing ice. I have been known to remodel train stations on my lunch breaks, making them more efficient in the area of heat retention. I translate ethnic slurs for Cuban refugees, I write award-winning operas, I manage time efficiently.

Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row.

I woo women with my sensuous and godlike trombone playing, I can pilot bicycles up severe inclines with unflagging speed, and I cook Thirty-Minute Brownies in twenty minutes. I am an expert in stucco, a veteran in love, and an outlaw in Peru.

Using only a hoe and a large glass of water, I once single-handedly defended a small village in the Amazon Basin from a horde of ferocious army ants.

I play bluegrass cello, I was scouted by the Mets, I am the subject of numerous documentaries. When I'm bored, I build suspension bridges in my yard. I enjoy urban hang gliding. On Wednesdays, after school, I repair electrical appliances free of charge.

I am an abstract artist, a concrete analyst, and a ruthless bookie. Critics worldwide swoon over my original line of corduroy evening wear. I don't perspire. I am a private citizen, yet I receive fan mail. I have been caller 'number nine' and have won the weekend passes. Last summer I toured New Jersey with a traveling centrifugal-force demonstration. I bat .400.

My deft floral arrangements have earned me fame in international botany circles. Children trust me.

I can hurl tennis rackets at small moving objects with deadly accuracy. I once read Paradise Lost, Moby Dick, and David Copperfield in one day and still had time to refurbish an entire dining room that evening. I know the exact location of every food item in the supermarket. I have performed several covert operations for the CIA. I sleep once a week; when I do sleep, I sleep in a chair. While on vacation in Canada, I successfully negotiated with a group of terrorists who had seized a small bakery. The laws of physics do not apply to me.

I balance, I weave, I dodge, I frolic, and my bills are all paid. On weekends, to let off steam, I participate in full-contact origami. Years ago I discovered the meaning of life but forgot to write it down. I have made extraordinary four course meals using only a mouli and a toaster oven.

I breed prizewinning clams. I have won bullfights in San Juan, cliff-diving competitions in Sri Lanka, and spelling bees at the Kremlin. I have played Hamlet, I have performed open-heart surgery, and I have spoken with Elvis.

But I have not yet gone to college.




Genius!

funday quote

I spent this weekend in the N GA mountains for a GORP leader expedition/training trip. The theme seems to have been trees ...

“I never saw a discontented tree. They grip the ground as though they liked it, and though fast rooted they travel about as far as we do.” – John Muir

yogis

Yoga tonight was so, so great and much needed.  But it also reminded me of this video:

Where's the most unusual place you've ever done yoga?

For me, I'd, most recently, say in an African slum teaching Xhosa (so not english) kids down dog and sphinx to distract them from hitting one another:

bridges, good

headstands

lovely sphinx

Or maybe here, on a mountain in Stellenbosch:

funday quote

This was a very special weekend; my lovely cousin Ali got married!
It rained. a lot. The storms came and went and then the sun was out to shine on the occasion.

"Even a blind man knows when the sun is shining."

 - Grateful Dead, Good Lovin'




Cheers to Allison and Bevan for a long and happy marriage!!

back to school

Today was back to school for the Offutt household! 

Back at home: 

every year, we take a "first day of ___ grade" picture. they're fun to look at years later like this one:

Ok, now fast forward a number of years to today... This was my first day of school [which was also bid day]:

KKG!

frat stars checking out the new pledges from across the road

So, there you have it, I am an official sorority girl for the time being!

funday quote

Well it's been a looong week of rush and tomorrow is bid day.  I unfortunately can't tell you too much about it, so so wish I could, but it's been an interesting few days.  While so many people were surprised with my decision to rush this year, including myself, I'm glad I did.  This quote helped get me through (almost through) it all. 

Who doesn't love real people?!


And...

funday quote

As I move in and get ready for rush(yikes!) this week....

day in the life

Uncle Tim enrolled Skye in a gymnastics class while they're in Michigan for the month.  The gym was wayyy cool and who knew 2 year olds did gymnastics?!

Skye introduced Nate to his new instructor: "This is my friend, Nate."

private class with a tag-along

Then we went to the mall to the Apple store (I got a laptop! woohoo!) and to find a white dress for rush.  Skye was still tied to Nate's hip.

Another favorite memory of mine is spending the afternoon at Cook's Farm Dairy where you can walk around with cows and pigs and the farmers.  They make the most delicious ice cream too!  So it was another must for little Skye.  On the way, some water spilled on Skye, so we tried to dry out his clothes in the car.

they liked my jorts

city boy finally steps into the barn

we got to nurse the babies

and drink some super fresh, warm milk. yummy

Loved it just as much as I remembered!