Walkin' Backwards

I wish that I had a digital camera earlier in life...I could post so many fun blast from the past pictures up here. This particular post would include images from the summer of 2002 when I was a proud member of the Chico State University Summer Orientation staff. It was quite the process to get hired...hundreds tried out, only 35 made it into a semester long class and only 25 made it to the summer job. It was a semester full of facts about Chico, leadership skills, public speaking, learning about every single major, graduation requirements, etc. Looking back, I am kinda amazed that I had the courage to do it all, ah to be young again!

After making it through all of the cuts, the summer began and for 4 days out of the week I was an ambassador for the school, leading groups of students or parents on either a 1 day or 2 day orientation of the school, the community and the college experience. The day always started out with introductions of the staff (I would always say, "Good morning, my name is Melissa Anne Cambra. I am a business major with an emphasis is Human Resources Development and I am proud to be from beautiful Sonoma County" crazy that I still remember that!) After introductions, we would find our students (usually 5-10) and then start the campus tour. The catch...walking backwards for an hour of my life in the hot Chico sun. I never fell and I formed great leg muscles. After the tour, various things would occur depending on if it was a 1 or 2 day session. We would advise the students on the classes to take, sign them up for classes, answer lots of questions and meet up with other groups of activities, prizes, etc.

I always had business majors, since I was the only business major on staff and I loved lots of those students. Especially the transfers, since we were the same age. I also LOVED leading the parent groups, we always had so fun together. One day, my parents and Auntie Donna came to visit me and were able to join my group for the day and see me work. The visiting parents were extra special that day because they had full access to me and my parents. I think that my parents were followed around all day by nervous moms and dads worried about too much partying!

The reason for this long post? Miss Lisa B (the only Chico roommate who stayed in Chico with me that summer), sent me an article in the NY Times about the latest and greatest in college campus tours. Apparently, walkin' backwards is out. Good thing I got my fill back in the summer of 2002.

(The following photo is not of me, but the current Summer Orientation (SUMO) staff.)

Be sure to visit me over here today too!

Happy To Be Stuck with You

I know, long time no post. Well, not to this blog anyways...I have posted twice in the last on the photography blog and two more posts will be coming this week. They were both AMAZING sessions that I am super excited about!

As always, Damon and I have been super busy. Lots of work at work, at home and fun things to do. The highlight of last week's after work activities was seeing Huey Lewis and the News in concert. I love Huey Lewis, always have, always will. Damon mentioned a few months ago that it would be fun to see them in concert and being the good wife that I am, I immediately researched and found out that they were coming here! So, I purchased tickets and surprised him. It was a great concert, but they didn't play the Chico girls anthem song which I was bummed about. My freshman year, we carried on the "sorority" that my Auntie Donna started when she was at Chico, "Tappa Kegga Dei" and one of our theme songs was "Happy to Be Stuck with You." "All the same and the same address..." I also got super emotional during the opening number, Huey Lewis reminds my so much of my Auntie Tina who passed away too early three years ago. She never got to see him in concert (we had purchased tickets for her, but he ended up canceling the show) and that made me so sad.

Before the concert we grabbed some Chinese food and ventured to Humbolt Street park (my old park from childhood) and enjoyed a lovely evening. I forgot to bring my camera into the concert, but I did snap a few with my phone that I will upload later. The park, where my sister and I have too many memories...

A not so good photo of us, but oh well!

Hopefully more later, once I get caught up on the to-do list!

Happy Birthday Tom

On Monday night we had a surprise 28th birthday party of Tom at Yo-licious, it was fun getting together with my girlfriends and their significant others. A good night enjoying the warm weather, the fabulous desserts and the funny conversations. Here is the delightful and cheerful lemon cake for the birthday boy...I didn't have any, but it looked yummy!

We hung out in the kitchen waiting for Darcy and Tom to get back from dinner. Dillon, the little one of one of Darcy's oldest friends, was entertaining all of us. He was quite the catch, flirty and fun with everyone!

Dillon is the perfect child for his father...they both have the funniest personalities, which I think this picture shows!

Damon and Justin talkin' about huntin'

Miss Meredith made sure the cake candles were lit and everyone was on cue.

Dillon caught a quick glimpse of the cake and so excited that he might have forgotten to sing!

The birthday boy!

Miss Darcy and Tom...

Hope that your 28th year is full of health and happiness Tom :)

Going to the County Fair

On Friday night Damon, my parents and I headed to the Sonoma County Fair yet again. This time we were bidding on a cow at the steer auction on behalf of Green Valley. I have never been to a livestock auction and I had a blast, it was so much fun. And the 4-H kids were too cute!

Damon was all in to the bidding...he had his phone calculator and the bidding sheet all ready to roll.

The four of us had margaritas at the auction, which I thought was a little out of place amongst all the beers and cowboy hats.



The little auction men were adorable as well. They were good auctioneers and did a good job getting to crowd going as much as possible.

Look at this cutie...she was totally working the crowds with her little smile and model head tilt.

This is the girl that we ended up purchasing a steer from (although this is not the steer that we purchased), she is from Petaluma and was a sweetheart as well.

After you purchase an animal, you can go get your photo taken with it (kinda weird, huh?). Here we are waiting in line to take a photo with Buddy, he was a really good lookin' steer if I must say so myself.)

Damon and I received hats for purchasing one of the 10 Supreme Champion cows...what goofy models we are!

After the auction we went to check out the group who raised our cow...

Each of the 4-H groups had signs and posters up about livestock, it was neat to read and see how educated the students are with everything.

Number 24: Completed

I finally did it...I got a "fancy phone with the internet" as I like to call them. I have had my blackberry for one week and although I haven't had any time to learn how to customize it, I am digging it already and wondering how I ever lived without it. I would love to have an iphone, but Verizon doesn't offer coverage for them yet. I love my Verizon coverage and most of the people I call have Verizon, so I have lots of mobile to mobile calls. I am currently in the uber-fabulous (just kidding) city of Hayward for the night. Tomorrow I am going to a photography workshop from Augie Chang, check out his work, it is pretty cool. Not 100% my style, but I should learn a ton from him (I love his portrait work, but I don't like the use of undiffused flash in his wedding portraits.)

And because posts are always better with a photo, here is one of my "fancy phone."

Who knows, I just might start doing facebook updates. Heehee.

Tractor Pull

On Tuesday night, a group of us ventured to the Sonoma County Fair to go to the Tractor Pull. What is a Tractor Pull, you ask? I sat through 3 hours of a show and I still don't really understand, but it was fun, so that is all that really matters, right?

Before the show, Damon and I walked quickly through the hall of flowers and got our standard corn dog (gotta love fair food!). This years theme is "The Fair Before Time" and everything is dinosaurs.

My Uncle Steve is a wonderful canvas painter. He puts a painting in the fair each year and uses old Sonoma County scenes from postcards, newspapers, etc and recreates them. This year's was the Tides Wharf the year that the movie "The Birds" was filmed. Isn't he talented?

The adorable Straub family...

Goofy boys!

To help everyone understand what a tractor pull is, I uploaded some videos at the bottom. There are lots of different types of vehicles compete against others in its class to see who can "pull the tractor the furthest." The decorations and themes were fun...this one had a steer on the front...

The boys (young and old) were very excited...

It was a beautiful night with a beautiful Sonoma County landscape.

Me and my Trenton...love him to pieces.

Casen was so excited and was on the edge of his seat...he couldn't hear himself talk it was so loud and was so amazed by that!

They also had amateur drivers pull the tractor with their trucks...it was funny to see all of the people trying hard to make their trucks work like the fancy other ones. In one of the heats, a girl from Santa Rosa won. I was shocked at how many people travelled from all over California to be entered into the show.

Cal Poly SLO was even represented...Alicia was so excited to see her college colors in a text message I sent her!

Love that the boys enjoy taking photos, isn't it amazing how kids totally just "get" technology?

The last group of amateur racers had lots of noise and even more smoke/exhaust. It definitely didn't look too healthy for the environment, but the noise was sure loud and fun!

Casen wanted to hold Damon's hand and Trenton wanted to hold my hand through the crowds. What sweet little boys who love their "Aunt" and "Uncle!"

The last group of competitors were the "professionals" they were super loud and super fast!

Here is the Cal Poly one, just for Alicia and Geoff....