I’m in Urbana-Champaign all week

This morning while I ate breakfast a strange man walked by the cinnamon rolls wearing only boxers and a T-shirt.  I couldn’t help but stare. Part of me wanted to take a picture.  

Now, I’m really not into men in boxers. I thought maybe I just wasn’t seeing right, and that after a few cups of coffee maybe the site would make sense. We do live in an age of jeggings, skorts, and other portmanteau crossover fashions that a fella from Indiana just can’t quite understand.

But I suppose this is just a normal occurrence of dorm life in Allen Hall at the University of Illinois.

Still, I stared. Was he wearing underwear beneath his boxer shorts?   Or was the button flap on his boxers the only thing keeping “him” in? In grade school locker room terms, I had crossed the line from just a normal guy enjoying his huevos rancheros to becoming a full-fledged crotch watcher.

To make things even more awkward, I think the co-ed with ol’ Boxer Britches noticed my staring and whispered something to him. And since I’m the guest-in-residence here for the week my picture is plastered all over the place: at the front entrance of the dorm, at the cafeteria, on the flatscreen TVs, and on pretty much every door.

Let the nicknames begin!

Talk & Tea

Other than the dining room fashion, which I’m finding interesting, I’m having a great stay. I’ve got me own apartment in the dorm just across from the rec center, and I’m enjoying getting to know some of the students.

I’ll be giving a lecture each night at 7PM in the basement near the cafeteria, followed by tea in my room.  Some night I hope to organize  a pizza order from the best place in town at an unreasonable hour while playing video games.  I have goals, people!

Here’s the lineup:

All events take place in Allen Hall, 1005 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana.

Sunday, January 25
7pm- The Education of a Glocal: From Farm Boy to Global Citizen and Back Again (South Rec Room)
Kelsey’s high school had a drive your tractor to school day. It was highly unlikely that he would become a vagabonding SCUBA instructor on a path to a writing career. Kelsey will share his journey and the important role his college experience and education played.

Monday, January 26
7pm – Where Am I Wearing? A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories, and People That Make Our Clothes (South Rec Room)
In his first book, WHERE AM I WEARING? Kelsey traveled the world to find out where his clothes came from. Visiting garment factories in Asia and Latin America, he humanizes the issues of globalization and provokes us to check our tags and think about where our clothing comes from.

9pm – Tea Time in the guest apartment – come hang out with Kelsey

Tuesday, January 27
7pm – Where Am I Eating? An Adventure Through the Global Food Economy (South Rec Room)
America now imports twice as much food as it did a decade ago. What does this increased reliance on imported food mean for the people around the globe who produce our food? On his four-continent farming adventure, Kelsey explored how our eating habits impact the lives of the people who produce our food, touching on topics such as workers’ rights, global food insecurity, fair trade, slavery, and immigration.

9pm – Tea Time in the guest apartment – come hang out with Kelsey

Wednesday, January 28
7pm – The Facing Project and the Science, Art, and Power of Storytelling (South Rec Room)
Confronting issues from homelessness to human trafficking to autism to dyslexia and more, The Facing Project combines the passions of writers, artists, educators, students, nonprofits, and business leaders to help people build community and learn from the stories of their neighbors.

9pm – Tea Time in the guest apartment – come hang out with Kelsey

Thursday, January 29
7pm – Finding Your Axis of Awesome & Living Your Story (South Rec Room)
When we act from the intersection of our passion, curiosity, experience, and skill, we can do awesome things. Kelsey will guide students through a discussion on operating from the axis of awesome and living your best story.

9pm – Tea Time in the guest apartment – come hang out with Kelsey

And Friday at the Y

On Friday I’ll be kicking off the Friday Forum speaking series at the University YMCA. I speak at noon at Latzer Hall.