Twilight

Today’s prompt is What is something you learned recently?

I started a new contract a month ago so let’s start there.

It’s through AmeriCorps and I am the coordinator for 815 Outside. That means for the next 1200 hours, you can find me leading free hikes in our local forest preserves and green spaces. My goal — our goal — is to get as many people outside as possible.

I work out of Severson Dells Nature Center. From there, I organize the hikes, write a weekly blog, and take care of the social media and press releases. Sometimes I have work to do outside the office in the form of board meetings, breakfast soirees or film festivals.

Most of that is stuff I already knew how to do. However, I didn’t know how to do it for AmeriCorps and that’s where today’s “What is something you learned recently?” prompt comes in.

Here is a list of the “little” things I’ve learned recently:

• How to make a reel on Instagram
• What a “dolomite prairie” is
• The different degrees of twilight
• What the backcountry is
• What “mushroom coffee” tastes like (hint: ass)
• How to drive on rural roads during a snowstorm
• That I need to invest in Carhartts or some other insulated bibs

I’m still learning what it means to be an AmeriCorps member. I’m still learning what it takes to engage with the community. I’m still learning how to make the hikes as inclusive as possible. I’m still learning who the community is. I’m still learning who the public is!

Public spaces and public events are — for the most part — safe, free places for people to exist, grow, change and learn. I wish more people would go into them. Maybe I’ll learn how to effectively encourage that before my 1200 hours are up.

Thanks for reading. Sorry it’s so work-related and “link heavy.” Annoying. It’s my day off and it always takes me a few hours (at least) to transition out of my public work mode to my dark, private (and whole) self. I guess you could call this time my twilight.

Going dark in five-four-three-two,

Connie