OMG! It's been forever since I have even looked at this blog! It's crazy how life gets so busy!
So, the last blog posted was on April 1st and since then things here at the Santa Fe Mountain Center have been a bit hectic. Between the passing of a dear friend and trying to continue our programs I guess the blog got left to the back burner.
Fortunately, things have evened out and life has slowed down somewhat. Our programs have been going so well and despite the hard work to get them to be successful I have had a fantastic time working them.
The Positives rafting trip that happened in May was great! It rained a lot the four days that we were on the river but it was still fun. Every aspect of the trip was incredibly laid back, we even got to take naps during the day if we felt like it. The water on the chama river was running really well so the rapids were even more fun than usual!
One of my favorite parts of the trip was when we coasted by the Monastary. It was so peaceful to just let the river carry us and to silently observe all that was around us! So, all in all the river trip was fabulous!
A day after getting back from the river we had a camp at the Mountain Center's Tree House Camp. This camp was 3 days with a group of Youth from Las Cruces and El Paso. They are part of a group in Las Cruces called NRG which is a networking group for GSA's in the southern part of the state. The camp was so much fun!!!! The Youth were fantastic and I believe that both the staff and the Youth got so much from the activities and conversations we had. By the time we had to say goodbye everyone was so much closer.
Then.....on May 30th we had a rafting day on the Rio Grande which was also amazing! Again, the water was running high and the rapids were super intense! There were about 11 people and everyone agreed that the day was fantastic!!!
PHEW! So that was a lot but as I said before things have slowed down a bit. Our next events will be just as much fun! At Aluquerque Pride and Santa Fe Pride we will have a rock climbing wall set up ! Last year it was a huge sucess and this year will be no different. Pride and Rock Climbing equal a crap load of fun in my book!
Then....sadly, 2 days after Santa Fe Pride I am going to be finishing up my time with Adventure Out! and the Santa Fe Mountain Center. I am pretty sure that most everyone knows that I am an AmeriCorps/National AIDS Fund Member and my term of service will be over at the end of June. I will be returning home to Massachusetts and trying to create what Adventure Out! has done in New Mexico. It's going to be a lot of work but I am looking forward to it!
So, Thank you for a year full of growth and learning! I will miss it here and always be grateful for my time and experiences.
Over and Out!
Stephen
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Upcoming Events, as told by Kahlo
Hey guys!
Just wanted to inform you about all of the events we've got coming up in the next couple of days.
Grab your popcorn quick! This weekend, we're hosting another Adventure Out! film night. We will be meeting at the Tesuque Village Market on friday night, at about 6:00pm.
We will also be doing a really awesome gay history workshop on saturday- we have two outside presenters coming in to share their info with us. I'm happy to announce that Bradley Pecore, from the Institue of American Indian Arts, and George Bach, from the American Civil Liberties Union of NM, will be joining us!
The last event that we have going on is a backpacking trip from 4/10-4/12. We will backpack in on Friday, set up camp, and then backpack out on Sunday. I'm super excited about this event because we haven't done a true wilderness program in a long time. I'll be sure to give you guys a full update as the events go down.
Hope you can make it!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Kahlo here
Hey everybody-
First, let me apologize for not keeping this up. Internally, we've been really busy, and it was easy for this to fall by the way side- it's totally new, none of us have ever kept a blog, and we didn't realize that so many people were referring to it.
But enough of that- we're here, we're queer, and we're blogging! Adventure Out! has been really busy nailing down the rest of the year, and I'm happy to say that our events are up through June. Woohoo!
We have some really cool opportunities this year, and one of those is to provide a three day backpacking trip to you guys. This isn't something we do all the time, so if it seems up your alley, then RSVP now! Just e-mail any of us (Martin, me, or Stephen) and we'll add you to the list.
It should be an awesome trip. We're still figuring out the logistics, but I think that it's going to be great.
Hope that you guys make it to our next event!
Kahlo
First, let me apologize for not keeping this up. Internally, we've been really busy, and it was easy for this to fall by the way side- it's totally new, none of us have ever kept a blog, and we didn't realize that so many people were referring to it.
But enough of that- we're here, we're queer, and we're blogging! Adventure Out! has been really busy nailing down the rest of the year, and I'm happy to say that our events are up through June. Woohoo!
We have some really cool opportunities this year, and one of those is to provide a three day backpacking trip to you guys. This isn't something we do all the time, so if it seems up your alley, then RSVP now! Just e-mail any of us (Martin, me, or Stephen) and we'll add you to the list.
It should be an awesome trip. We're still figuring out the logistics, but I think that it's going to be great.
Hope that you guys make it to our next event!
Kahlo
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
What's up Y'all!!!
Stephen here!
So......the last weekend of January we had a Young Gay Men's camp at the Mountain Center. In my opinion it's pretty wimpy camping since we sleep indoors with a huge wood stove keeping us warm all night but at least it's cozy =)
The camp started off on Saturday with some fun games and a blind maze. Blind maze is great! A bunch of ropes are tied all over the place, people are blind folded and led into the maze at random spots and then set free to find the exit while staff helps them out if they need the help. It definitely went along with our theme of recognizing internal struggles. After the maze we had lunch and then people got to climbing on the Mountain Centers climbing tower.
That part was great too! There was even one participant that climbed who had said earlier in the day that he was afraid of heights! We were so psyched for him!
After climbing we all chilled out, played some games and made dinner together. After dinner we played Celebrity which is a fantastic party game! It's 3 rounds of charades basically but only one of them is silent. You'll have to come hang out sometime to play! After that we all got ready for bed and watched a movie. The movie was called "Imaginary Heroes". Sigourney Weaver and Emile Hersch were in it and if you haven't seen it yet I highly recommend it! I definitely shed a few tears.
After the movie we all passed out!
Sunday morning was pretty lazy. We woke up and took our time making a breakfast of pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs. When I was preparing the eggs I cracked an egg that looked radioactive! It was so crazy! The whites of the egg were literally the color of anti-freeze! EWWWWWWWW!
Needless to say we didn't eat that one and fortunately I saw the green before any of it fell into the bowl with the rest of the eggs!
After cleaning up breakfast we all did some yoga led by yours truly and then played some more games before ending the camp. Overall the weekend went off without a hitch and everyone said that they had a fantastic time!
I have to agree that our time spent together was fantastic since this is my job and I couldn't ask for a better one! I get to hang out with great guys, play games and run around outside! It's pretty ideal for me =)
I guess that's it for updates! Hope everyone is well!!!!!!!!
Stephen here!
So......the last weekend of January we had a Young Gay Men's camp at the Mountain Center. In my opinion it's pretty wimpy camping since we sleep indoors with a huge wood stove keeping us warm all night but at least it's cozy =)
The camp started off on Saturday with some fun games and a blind maze. Blind maze is great! A bunch of ropes are tied all over the place, people are blind folded and led into the maze at random spots and then set free to find the exit while staff helps them out if they need the help. It definitely went along with our theme of recognizing internal struggles. After the maze we had lunch and then people got to climbing on the Mountain Centers climbing tower.
That part was great too! There was even one participant that climbed who had said earlier in the day that he was afraid of heights! We were so psyched for him!
After climbing we all chilled out, played some games and made dinner together. After dinner we played Celebrity which is a fantastic party game! It's 3 rounds of charades basically but only one of them is silent. You'll have to come hang out sometime to play! After that we all got ready for bed and watched a movie. The movie was called "Imaginary Heroes". Sigourney Weaver and Emile Hersch were in it and if you haven't seen it yet I highly recommend it! I definitely shed a few tears.
After the movie we all passed out!
Sunday morning was pretty lazy. We woke up and took our time making a breakfast of pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs. When I was preparing the eggs I cracked an egg that looked radioactive! It was so crazy! The whites of the egg were literally the color of anti-freeze! EWWWWWWWW!
Needless to say we didn't eat that one and fortunately I saw the green before any of it fell into the bowl with the rest of the eggs!
After cleaning up breakfast we all did some yoga led by yours truly and then played some more games before ending the camp. Overall the weekend went off without a hitch and everyone said that they had a fantastic time!
I have to agree that our time spent together was fantastic since this is my job and I couldn't ask for a better one! I get to hang out with great guys, play games and run around outside! It's pretty ideal for me =)
I guess that's it for updates! Hope everyone is well!!!!!!!!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Hey guys!
Hey there, Kahlo here. This past week has been pretty exciting- where to start?!
Anyway, after he got moved in, I drove him to the Financial Aid office before leaving. I was driving away when I noticed him running down the sidewalk- he had left his room keys in my car. I gave him one last quick hug, and we parted ways. Looking over my shoulder while getting into the car, I watched my brother walk back across the street. He looked different, maybe prouder, or more confident, or even happier than I normal see him. I really hope that this works out for him- I love you, Bert!
Last weekend, the Adventure Out! team hosted a spa day at SFMC. It was a great day- we all learned how to make our own man-beauty products from all natural ingredients that can be bought at almost any grocery store. I promised the guys that I would post the links for the websites I used, so here they are:
We all had an awesome time- we basically hung out together, socialized, and pampered our skin and bodies. I really enjoyed myself, and I hope to have another one in the future! Here are some pics:
So that's what has been going on with work. Martin and Stephen have been in the office getting ready for the birdwatching trip down to the Bosque del Apache. meanwhile, I was driving my brother out to school in San Francisco.
The trip was ridiculously fast- I left Santa Fe on Tuesday at 5am, and arrived in Bakersfield Tuesday night at around 9. The next morning we left at five again, and made it to San Fran by about 10:00. I hung out with my brother while he got his housing assignment and his student ID and all that other stuff that goes with going to school.
He's attending the Academy of Art University, located in downtown San Francisco, right on the edge of the financial district. The University's buildings are spread out throughout downtown- most of the administration and all of his classes are south of Market Street, and all the dorms are north.
It's cool to see my little brother getting out of Las Cruces, and just going for it. He's been talking about leaving for art school for years, but now he's actually there. The girl he's seeing who happens to live about an hour away might also be a factor in his sudden motivation...
Anyway, after he got moved in, I drove him to the Financial Aid office before leaving. I was driving away when I noticed him running down the sidewalk- he had left his room keys in my car. I gave him one last quick hug, and we parted ways. Looking over my shoulder while getting into the car, I watched my brother walk back across the street. He looked different, maybe prouder, or more confident, or even happier than I normal see him. I really hope that this works out for him- I love you, Bert!So then I drove back to Bakersfield that day (wednesday.) I left later yesterday, around nine or so, and didn't get home until just past midnight. Being in San Francisco was exciting- I loved the energy of the city, the constant flux of people, and the architecture was pretty cool. Every block had gargoyles and intricate molding, and arches and brick- much more detailed than adobe. Eventually I plan on moving, but nothing is set in stone. Maybe Toronto? Chicago? Portland? Maybe next year.. or five years after that. Who knows?
For now though, I'm happy where I'm at. My job is great, and Santa Fe, though boring at times, really isn't so bad. When it gets time to leave, I'll know, but right now I'm just fine where I'm at.
I did have one thought when I was in SF- that if I lived there, I would miss the outdoors. I would miss the massive pines, and the streams and valleys. I would miss being able to drive right up to the wilderness and then venture in to explore it... I guess where ever I finally end up, it'll have to be a big city, with nature right next door.
Catch you guys later!
Kahlo
PS- tons of events coming up next month, so check the calendar (which I moved to the bottom for readability- is that a real word??) And don't forget to subscribe to us- if you subscribe, you'll get an automated e-mail everytime the blog is updated, so you know when something changes. Later!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
My very first blog ever!!
Hey! Martin here...
So Kahlo created this new webpage for Adventure Out! I think that it is fantastic! But I didn't realize that I would be blogging too... This is a new experience for me.
Things have been very very busy for the Adventure Out! Team. We are adding a few new events this year including Movie Nights, more Cooking School, Wellness Workshops,and a trip to the Bosque del Apache. This webpage is new (thanks to Kahlo), and our MySpace page is reaching more people than ever. We are providing more programs and events than Adventure Out! has ever done in the past.
I've been thinking about some of the stuff that we all talked about after watching "Milk", and reflecting on the things that Kahlo put into his most recent blog about Gay Heros... I have been trying to think about who I would consider a hero. Who do I look up to as a Gay Man? Who inspires me? Who leads by example? Who has made significant change in the Human Rights Movement?
I know that there are probably many people who fit into these categories, but I just do not know who they are... We have done a miserable job of passing on information about Gay History and Gay Icons to the younger generations. Many young gay guys have told me that they didn't even know who Harvey Milk was until the movie came out. I am concerned by this. How do we face this problem?
I do not know...
But, I think that a good first step is to spend time thinking about the issue. Ask yourself those questions. Discuss it with a close friend or your Partner. Google "Gay History" and do some research on powerful Gay Figures. But above all, spend some time thinking about the issue!
I have spent a lot of time thinking about this since Sunday and have come to an important realization about heros in general and who I would consider my hero. I need to have a better definition of what a Hero is. Is it really necessary for a hero to be someone who has made significant change? I think that if someone has done this then they would most definitely qualify, but is it really necessary? Are the other qualities I am looking for more important?
To me, a hero is someone who is an inspiration to me and others, someone who leads by example, and perhaps most importantly, someone that I look up to.
With this shift in definition for heros, I have found that I do in fact have many heros. Many of you reading this right now are people I consider a hero. I work in the same office with many of my heros. My partner is one of my heros. There are heros in almost every aspect of my life, I have just never thought of them in that way. They inspire me, advocate for those in need, counsel me, mentor the next generation, teach valuable life-lessons, listen, and face tremendous challenges every day.
I feel better now that I have come to this conclusion. I am surrounded by heros. I look up to them all. Thanks for reading this, I hope that it helps you find the heros in your life!
So Kahlo created this new webpage for Adventure Out! I think that it is fantastic! But I didn't realize that I would be blogging too... This is a new experience for me.
Things have been very very busy for the Adventure Out! Team. We are adding a few new events this year including Movie Nights, more Cooking School, Wellness Workshops,and a trip to the Bosque del Apache. This webpage is new (thanks to Kahlo), and our MySpace page is reaching more people than ever. We are providing more programs and events than Adventure Out! has ever done in the past.
I've been thinking about some of the stuff that we all talked about after watching "Milk", and reflecting on the things that Kahlo put into his most recent blog about Gay Heros... I have been trying to think about who I would consider a hero. Who do I look up to as a Gay Man? Who inspires me? Who leads by example? Who has made significant change in the Human Rights Movement?
I know that there are probably many people who fit into these categories, but I just do not know who they are... We have done a miserable job of passing on information about Gay History and Gay Icons to the younger generations. Many young gay guys have told me that they didn't even know who Harvey Milk was until the movie came out. I am concerned by this. How do we face this problem?
I do not know...
But, I think that a good first step is to spend time thinking about the issue. Ask yourself those questions. Discuss it with a close friend or your Partner. Google "Gay History" and do some research on powerful Gay Figures. But above all, spend some time thinking about the issue!
I have spent a lot of time thinking about this since Sunday and have come to an important realization about heros in general and who I would consider my hero. I need to have a better definition of what a Hero is. Is it really necessary for a hero to be someone who has made significant change? I think that if someone has done this then they would most definitely qualify, but is it really necessary? Are the other qualities I am looking for more important?
To me, a hero is someone who is an inspiration to me and others, someone who leads by example, and perhaps most importantly, someone that I look up to.
With this shift in definition for heros, I have found that I do in fact have many heros. Many of you reading this right now are people I consider a hero. I work in the same office with many of my heros. My partner is one of my heros. There are heros in almost every aspect of my life, I have just never thought of them in that way. They inspire me, advocate for those in need, counsel me, mentor the next generation, teach valuable life-lessons, listen, and face tremendous challenges every day.
I feel better now that I have come to this conclusion. I am surrounded by heros. I look up to them all. Thanks for reading this, I hope that it helps you find the heros in your life!
I'm BACK!
Hey Everyone!
Stephen from Adventure Out! here!
Well, the past 3 weeks have been an adventure for me. As most of you may or may not know, I moved to Santa Fe about 7 months ago from Boston, MA. Having never been to the South West before I had no idea what to expect and it has been a huge adjustment but totally worth it.
I was pretty homesick around the holidays but my Grandmother came to visit me for Christmas which was freaking fantastic! She is an amazing Woman and at 75 years old she is still doing everything for herself.....like flying across the country to see me! Christmas was quiet and relaxing. We had a great time sight seeing around Santa Fe and we both rode the Tram up to Sandia Peak the day before she left! It's so beautiful up there!!!!
After Nana left I had a week free and I frantically tried to get all of my work done before my 3 closest friends arrived from NYC to visit. They arrived last Tuesday and we had a full week of laughs, good food and adventures! While they were here we went camping in White Sands National Monument, I think that beautiful is too common a word to describe what White Sands is like. I would describe it as awe inspiring! It was about 70 degrees when we hiked to our camp and although it got cold at night it was still pretty warm for being January! Obviously 70 degrees in January was pretty exciting for 4 people from the North East!
Anyway, my friends left yesterday and although I was sad to see them go they filled a place in my heart that I didn't even realize was missing. I can't say that I am 100% cured of my homesickness but it has been relieved tremendously by being around my family and friends. Today is my first day back from vacation and I feel a sense of renewal and love for what I do here at the Santa Fe Mountain Center and I believe it will show in the upcoming events that Adventure Out! is hosting!
Oh, I included a video that is pretty ridiculous but hysterical (in my opinion)! Check it out!
Stephen from Adventure Out! here!
Well, the past 3 weeks have been an adventure for me. As most of you may or may not know, I moved to Santa Fe about 7 months ago from Boston, MA. Having never been to the South West before I had no idea what to expect and it has been a huge adjustment but totally worth it.
I was pretty homesick around the holidays but my Grandmother came to visit me for Christmas which was freaking fantastic! She is an amazing Woman and at 75 years old she is still doing everything for herself.....like flying across the country to see me! Christmas was quiet and relaxing. We had a great time sight seeing around Santa Fe and we both rode the Tram up to Sandia Peak the day before she left! It's so beautiful up there!!!!
After Nana left I had a week free and I frantically tried to get all of my work done before my 3 closest friends arrived from NYC to visit. They arrived last Tuesday and we had a full week of laughs, good food and adventures! While they were here we went camping in White Sands National Monument, I think that beautiful is too common a word to describe what White Sands is like. I would describe it as awe inspiring! It was about 70 degrees when we hiked to our camp and although it got cold at night it was still pretty warm for being January! Obviously 70 degrees in January was pretty exciting for 4 people from the North East!
Anyway, my friends left yesterday and although I was sad to see them go they filled a place in my heart that I didn't even realize was missing. I can't say that I am 100% cured of my homesickness but it has been relieved tremendously by being around my family and friends. Today is my first day back from vacation and I feel a sense of renewal and love for what I do here at the Santa Fe Mountain Center and I believe it will show in the upcoming events that Adventure Out! is hosting!
Oh, I included a video that is pretty ridiculous but hysterical (in my opinion)! Check it out!
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