On a more positive note….It is supposed to be real nice this weekend and on in to next week. But I’ll also tell you that I would hate to be a weatherman in this region. One day it looks like it’s going to be nice and then it rains….The next day it looks like it’s going to rain and then it’s sunny. Can mother nature make up her mind someday.  With climate change affecting global weather patterns so rapidly I wonder what this time of year will look like in ten years down the road. Will it already be t-shirt weather or will we be wearing down jackets, wooly hats, and scarves?

Hopefully with small and large changes in the way we as humans interact with the environment we can make a huge inmpact on an individual, county, state, country, continent, and worldwide level. And maybe, just maybe, we can turn this around in the right direction. Hopefully some of the many steps that we have taken as an instatution will drive some of this change and help create the future leaders of this movement.

If you haven’t already please Take the Sustainability Pledge.

In the past two seasons Evergreen has won 40+ games and is loking to contiune the streak of 20+ wins a season next year. While this is only one of many goals, it certainly wouldn’t hurt our chances of advancing to the National Tourey for a second consecutive year.

I look forward to making some noise next year. We are also trying to organize groups of students and fans to caravan to all of the road games in support of the team. So if your into it let me know and I ‘ll get you some further info.

Until the next time……PEACE

E-STATE

In another, just as important note, The Evergreen State College men’s basketball team received the #13 national ranking in the latest NAIA DIV II Top 25.  With wins over two Top 25 teams including  #1 ranked, conference rival, Oregon Institute of Technology. With a solid 6-2 record in conference play and an overall record of 10-5 we are looking good heading in to the final twelve games of the regular season. Pre- Season Conference Player of The Year and All-American candidate,  Junior Guard, Nate Menefee is the CCC’s leading scorer @ almost 24 point per game. He also ranks seventh nationally in scoring. We need all the support we can get for these guys. Come to home games, bring friends, and make some noise for the GEODUCKS. Let’s Go E-State!

Until next time,

PEACE- J

Yes it’s true! I turned twenty-four years young yesterday. Wow, over the hill and down the other side. To be honest I don’t feel any older. Though I wasn’t expecting to anyways. Most all of my dear Friends and Family called, e-mailed, or facebooked me. It sure does feel good to hear from all of the people in your life who LOVE you. I am not a religious person, but at 3:15pm on December 9th (the time/day I was born) I sat down in my bedroom and made a prayer for all of those who have been with me through it all. From the good to the bad to the down right ugly. I reminisced all day about different moments in my life that made me the individual I am today at 24. Though my life has just begun, there are countless things that will remain with me no matter what happens to me in the future. From my memories of day care as a little one, to the times I spent in France growing up. From my high school days at Nathan Hale (Seattle, WA) as well as the four years at The Evergreen Sate College (Olympia, WA) and all of the life experiences in between. It’s hard for me to regret anything, even the bad times because of the lessons that will guide me the next time a similar situation arises.

I look forward with ambition at the coming years of my life. While looking backwards in thanks for all that my Friends and family have done for and with me in the blink of an eye that twenty-four years has been.

I LOVE each and everyone of you who have touched my life. If you are not with me now, may we meet again soon.

Sincerely,

Julian G.

I hope you all have missed me as much as I have missed you. My computer has been in repair mode on and off for the past few weeks. I have constantly been playing catch up and have not had the time to get back to the blog. Here I am though. It has been some time since I last posted and a lot has happened since. First, we are about to move back in to the library building to our new digs. The new space is going to be real nice. Although there are no windows because we are on the ground level. So bye bye nice view. Other than that it will be super nice and new.

Secondly, and more importantly, Evergreens Men’s Basketball team is off to a great 5-1 start on the 2008-09 season. With a pre-saeson ranking of # 20 and a move to # 16 in the latest top 25, thing are looking up.

We have already beat Seattle U, Central Washington U. , and rivals Saint Martins University. All of which are NCAA Div II or better and two (CWU/SMU) of whom are ranked in the top 25 of their divisions. While Evergreen is only a NAIA Div II school. We also won the Lewis & Clark State College Cannon’s Building Materials Tournament, with last year Cascade Collegiate Conference Newcomer of The Year Nick Moore being named the MVP of the tournament. Pre-Season CCC player of the year, Nate Menefee is the second leading scorer in the country @ 24.56 points per game. We look good all around so far with contributions coming from everybody,even off the bench. Head Coach, Jeff Drinkwine has a deep bench to draw from. Four players have had 20+ point games this season giving the Geoducks many options. Keep posted for further updates. I hope to see all of you at the next home game on December 19th @ 7:00pm.

See y’all there.

PEACE- J

Commonly referred to as the “toughest conference” in the NAIA Div. II, Evergreen will have their hands full this year in Cascade Conference play. Rumor has it that up to eight of the elven teams in the conference have a shot at the conference title, which Eastern Oregon University claimed last season. Adding to the degree of difficulty in the conference will be the 2007-08 NAIA Div. II defending National Champions, Oregon Institute of Technology. Last year Evergreen defeated OIT twice, once in the regular season at home and the second time in the conference playoffs at OIT.

To help improve on last seasons gains, Evergreen is returning six core players including guard Nate Menefee. Menefee, has been voted by the Cascade Conference as the pre-season conference player of the year. Not to mention he is the fourth leading scorer (22.5 ppg) to return to NAIA Div. II this season. Joining him on the pre-season all-conference squad is Nick Moore, who last year was voted Newcomer of The Year in the Cascade Conference.

With the return of these key players and the retention of last seasons team core, as well as the addition of highly regarded transfers and incoming freshman, Evergreen looks to make a run deep into the conference playoffs and hopefully deep in to the National Tournament. While we can’t get ahead of our selfs just yet, the prospects for the upcoming season seem favorable to improving on last seasons accomplishments.

One of the key ingredients to last years success was the support from the community. This weekend is your first chance to get involved with something special. I don’t want to be the one to tell you “I told you so” at the end of the season. So be there or be square. Let’s get behind out program and take it to never before realized heights.

GO G-DUCKS!

With a disappointing defeat in the Cascade Conference Championship game to rivals Warner Pacific College of Portland, we looked on in disbelief as the season ended in the blink of an eye. All said and done, while it was disappointing for the season to end in such a fashion, we can only appreciate what was accomplished and look forward to the coming 2008-09 season in which we will continue to build on what last years team started. Once again striving to reach for new heights.

Returning six of the twelve players form last years team, including several core players, and the addition of incoming freshman, transfers, and walk-on’s, this years team looks as if they will be able to make a run deep in to the playoffs and potentially make it to the National Tournament for only the second time in Evergreen’s history. The coaching staff and players gearing up for practice which is slated to begin on Monday the 29th of September. If you see them out running the clock tower stairs or in the weight room conditioning please feel free to encourage them on the upcoming season and let them know you will be there for them in their attempt at another historic season for Evergreen’s Men’s basketball Program. Our first opportunity to see this year’s team in action is rapidly approaching. On Saturday, October 25th @ 2pm come to “The Green House” and support them as they take on the Evergreen Alumni Team. Their schedule can be found online @ http://www.evergreen.edu/athletics/mensbasketball/schedule.htm

My only hope is to see all you students and community members out in full force at this years home games (and road games if you can make it) to once again make “The Green House” the loudest, best home court advantage, in the conference. I’ll see you there and you ought to be ready for this year’s addition of the “MEAGPHONES” in the student section. If you would like to order a personal megaphone contact me at genettej@evergreen.edu

On a lighter note, I have some exciting news to share with you all. The Evergreen State College is now officially on Facebook . You will most definitely want to check out the page and become a fan, and tell all of your Evergreen friends to become fans too. There is all types of stuff on the page. You will find video tours of the campus, a schedule of upcoming events, athletics info, photo albums, Youtube videos, and much much more. If you have any events you would like posted or anything of that nature let me know and I’ll see what I can do for you.

On another note, I want to say thank you to Evergreen’s Men’s Basketball program and Safeway for all of the work they did in the fund raiser for the Jerry’s Kids Foundation. A very special and well deserved thanks goes out to Assistant Coach, Antonio McClinon for all of the incredibly hard work he did in organizing the entire event. All of which he did for the Evergreen and Olympia communities . Also not to be forgotten is the fact that all of his work was done as a volunteer. Which he pursued on top of all of the responsibilities he has in his day to day life as an Assistant Coach and Conference Services Assistant here on campus. Thank you Antonio.

With all of that said, I can’t wait for the Basketball Season to start. After last seasons mighty accomplishments, this season is bound for greatness, and I for one am beyond excited to be a part of the magic. The first day of practice is on the 29th of September, and the first time we’ll all get a good look at this years team is on Thursday October 25th when they face Evergreen’s Alumni Team in a showdown for the ages. I hope that you all will come out in numbers and start the year off with a bang. Come show your support and get ready to be at all the home games this season. We really need you all in the stands cheering as loud as you possibly can, and don’t you worry, I’ll certainly be there with all of the megaphones I made last year + this years batch of new ones.

Another huge development is the fact that I GRADUATED. Nothing can stop me know. I have been tried and tested and proven my ability to take on all the challenges “life” throws my way. What leis ahead is yet to be determined, one thing is for certain though, I look forward to the next chapter of my education. Whether it’s in one of the graduate programs here at Evergreen or elsewhere.

After graduation I took a nice break from work and school and spent time with my family and friends. I took a road trip and spent plenty of time up on the Snoqualmie River swimming and cliff diving. It was incredibly nice, especially considering that summer has been filled with hot sunshine and cool breezes. After my mini vacation I came back to the Admissions Office as a full time Admissions Counselor here at Evergreen. You all will soon be able to see some of the projects that I am currently working on. Keep your eyes on our website, especially the student life link, and you will see all of the additions that are under way. Hopefully it will be the first few steps towards bringing our office into the 21st century.

I hope that you all out there are having a great summer and that you have already taken all the necessary steps to be prepared for this upcoming school year. I know that summer is starting to come to a close so make sure you have all your loose ends wrapped up. If you have any questions on “ANYTHING” contact me and I will do what I can to get you sorted out. Until then, PEACE.