Amanda's Blogsess

"Press"ing On"Word"

2007-08-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

I've decided to switch to WordPress.

I will keep this site up but will continue to write on the other blog. I figure it's time for a change.
(Something that I dread...change.)

All my previous posts are on the new blog. They've transferred easily. (I think that some of the links do not work though.)

Thank you to those that took the time to read this one...just go to the other one now. :)

Thanks again!

Let Us Examine...

2007-07-17T22:32:00.000-07:00

This has been posted before, but not by me.

Wee Hours

2007-07-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

It looks like this years Perseid meteor shower may be nicer due to the new moon!

A new moon means the exactly the opposite of a full moon. Which means that the moon's light (actually reflected sunlight) won't interfere with your night vision and pollute the sky with its light. And if you can get away from the pollution of the city lights, then you are in a better situation to see the stars and the meteors.

Even though the actual peak of the meteor shower is on certain days, it doesn't mean that you won't get to see any of the meteors at all. It just means that it won't be at it's "peak". So instead of being from 50-80 meteors per hour at it's peak, it would be much less than that.

Unfortunately, this year's Perseid meteor shower has it's peek on August 12th and into the wee hours of August 13th.

Which means that in order to take a good look at this awesome show, you may have to go to work on Monday a little sleep deprived!

But, I am willing to try to deposit some sleep into the "sleep bank" on the few days previous in order for me to not feel the ill effects of being sleepy. (And if you know me, you know I hate that feeling.)

Owl

2007-07-03T22:42:00.000-07:00

You Are a Night Person

For you, there's nothing worse than having to get up and moving early.
In fact, you probably don't hit your peak until well after the sun has set.
So if your struggling to make it on a normal schedule, realize it's not your fault.
You just weren't meant to do anything during the day!

Are You a Morning Person or Night Person?

I disagree with the last part. Most of the time, it IS my fault!

Good Little Friend Gone

2007-06-13T20:15:00.000-07:00

My dog of 14 years lost his life today. Yeah, he's just an animal but he was also a friend.

<---(Nova sleeping...doing what he does best!)

I named my Lhasa Apso, "Nova" which is short for Supernova. Other than being both blind and diabetic, he was pretty healthy. His parents lived past 17 years old. I knew it was close to his "time" though, being that his life would be cut short due to the diabetes. So in a way, I had time to morn.

We took him in the vet today and he was having trouble breathing. I knew that there was a chance that he may never come home. I was being realistic...maybe trying to lessen the blow somehow.

I remember the very first day that I worked at that very hospital. It was the end of the day and the doctor came in with this cute kitten in his hand...but he had a grim face. He said, "Oh, this kitten has FIV." As soon as he said that, the other vet techs said a collective, "Aw no!" I had no idea what was next until the doctor said to me, "Amanda, could you help me with this little guy?" Dr. Mazzi had me hold the fella as he inserted a needle into the catheter in its baby arm. I heard the doctor calmly kept repeating, "It's okay, you're a good boy.... ." I suddenly felt the kitten go limp in my hand. In my head I was screaming, "Oh-my-gosh-no way did this just happen!" I had no idea until it was too late that the kitten was being euthanized. I wasn't angry or hurt, I just didn't expect it so soon. The kitten had some sort of feline HIV as wasn't going to survive.

I remember that day because I thought about the day...today, when I may have to do the same with my own dog. So, I tried to make many memories of him to take with me. I took pictures and took a second to admire him when he'd be asleep when I'd walk in from work. I'd think, "Ha! His sooo knocked out on the floor right there!"

Today they took x-rays, blood and gave him fluids. Dr. Dempsey showed me his x-rays and things looked pretty normal for a senior dog. She says that she'd keep him on fluids and to call her tomorrow morning. Since my mom and I came in one car, we drove to Dr. Mazzi's house to pick up a few things for his daughter Lilly. (My mom is Lilly's nanny, Dr. Mazzi is a new father today and Lilly will be spending the night with us.) We got a phone call and I was to come in the hospital again because Nova had had a seizure. I left the doctor's house and drove 5 minutes and found Nova comfortably asleep in his kennel.

I took one last photo and...I was there throughout the "procedure". It was the end of the day there and the doctor said that I can spend as much time as I want with him. As she left the room, I pet him for a while. I knew that he wasn't "here" anymore and finally without warning, the tears came.

As I was driving back to Dr. Mazzi's home, he himself called me from the maternity ward. We talked a bit about Nova and how I've had him so long. And my decision on how it was best to handle it in the end. He ended with "God bless..."

Yes, I will miss him but I also know that he is something that God had placed in my life for a short while. I'm glad that I take pictures so that I can better remember the pets and people that God places or passes through my life. I get to stop and remember and think about the things about them when they've gone.

Numbers....2

2007-06-06T19:58:00.000-07:00

On may way to work...I noticed it again. The numbers on the dashboard were all the same. I remember it happened last year when all five of them were 6's. Now they're all 7's.

Still, not bad for an 11 year old car!

Don't worry, I wasn't the one driving 60 on the freeway with a hand on the wheel and the other with the camera. (My husband drove.)
Hey, do I still need an "exorcism" this time?

Simple Java

2007-05-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

When my hubby and I ever go to a coffee shop, I purposely order a complicated drink so that he can order something simple after me. I can see the barista "thanking" him with his eyes.

I get my "medium sugar-free vanilla soy latte w/no whip" and he gets his "medium coffee." And he orders it very loudly so that as to say that people should order coffee at a coffee shop rather than a dessert drink with a hint of caffeine. So by ordering my complicated drink, I get to add to his sarcasm. That's fun!

There are some times I take my time and look at the menu and then just order "two medium coffees of the day." Those very few seconds I take actually annoys the person behind me so much that I feel bad afterwards. I rarely do that now. (Unless...)

The coffee at 7-11 is very inexpensive and they have a variety of different types of coffee. They have the Colombian or French Roast, Hazelnut, or my favorite, Fusion. Fusion supposedly has ginseng or something like that in it and has double the caffeine. You can taste it if you don't put any creamer or sugar. I like my coffee blond...lots of creamer. And recently they have the "shots" of espresso that you may add to your cup of coffee. And recently, I've been adding only one.

Oh, and if I want a bit of sugar...I add those very mini-marshmallows to my coffee.

It's not the same as the vanilla latte but if I need he caffeine, I'd go for the regular coffee.

Or...I drink the Sugar-Free Rock Star. Now those work!

How would you like your coffee?

Remember When?

2007-05-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Thirty years ago on May 2nd, I was born. A milestone I suppose. And how time flies!

My mom was 25 and my dad was 27 when they had me. And look, I'm not a mom yet. (And not planning to be...but, it's God's will.)

My mom remembers "Star Wars" coming out in theaters later in May, and my dad named me after a famous actress in the western Gunsmoke...Amanda Blake, I believe. (He he, my dad and his western re-runs.)

A few facts from the year 1977 from the book, "1977: Remember When...A Nostalgic Look Back in Time." Of course, I don't remember but some of you may. (Hee hee!)

--America's Television Favorites: 1. Three's Company, 2. 60 Minutes, 3. Alice.

--President: Jimmy Carter, Vice President: Walter Mondale.

--Average Life Expectancy: 73.3 years.

--Cost of Living:

New House: $49,319.00
Average Income: $15,070.00
New Car: $4,785.00
Average Rent: $240.00/month
Tuition at Harvard: $4,100.00/year
Movie Ticket: $2.00/each
Gasoline: $0.65/gallon
U.S. Postage Stamp: $0.13/each

--Music: Best of my Love by The Emotions, Car Wash by Rose Royce, Da Doo Ron Ron by Shaun Cassidy, Hotel California by The Eagles, How Deep Is Your Love by The Bee Gees, I Wish by Stevie Wonder, Looks Like We Made It by Barry Manilow, New Kid in Town by The Eagles, Rich Girl by Daryl Hall & John Oates, and Undercover Angel by Alan O'Day.

--Movies: Annie Hall (Academy Award Winner), Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Saturday Night Fever, Smokey & the Bandit, The Spy Who Loved Me.

(Photographs: Me @ 1 year old 1978, 6yrs old 1983, family portrait 1985?, Alex & I in 1994 ages 15 & 17...I was 17.)

Can't Scan?

2007-03-31T18:48:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of family photos that I'd like to share with other family members. But lots of times, I have the only original. I could go to a local convenient store and use their photo scanning booth and get it to a format where I can e-mail or post it. But if you have a digital camera, you could do the same thing. And if you can edit your photos a bit, it can be as good as the original photograph.

You need to do this in a location where there is bright diffused light. An example would be right next to a bright window where the light is diffused with a curtain or drape. You don't want any harsh sun rays to come in because it may throw off your camera's sensor. Also, you will get an unattractive reflection on your photos. Another example would be to go outside in the early morning or the late afternoon. But never in direct sunlight. If you happen to do this at noontime, you can take shelter under a porch or garage where the light won't be as harsh.

With enough light, you don't need a tripod. But if you're indoors and it's getting late, you will either need a tripod or wait until the next day. Sunlight is better light than using your tungsten light lamps at home. (It can be done but you may need a tripod AND to change the white balance setting in your camera.)

Place your pictures on a sturdy surface. If the picture bends at the corner, you may use removable tape to secure it onto the surface. I like to use a white piece of paper so that light can get a bit under the photo. Look for the "macro" setting on your camera. This is usually indicated by the flower icon on your camera. Make sure this is turned On. And more importantly, make sure your flash is Off. (It can be turned on/off as easily as you would your macro setting.)

Take a few pictures of the photograph at different angles and different distances. Don't worry if you have captured what's behind your photo, you can 'crop' it later on the computer. If you want to get a little creative, you can use the different settings on your camera. For example, you can use your "black & white" setting to change the mood of the photo. The photo at left was taken on a green towel near a bright window. As you can tell, I used the black and white setting. The photo at right is cropped to exclude the towel at back. (Yes, that's me as a baby.) You can just as easily leave the towel as a background if you chooose to.

The really shiny photos are tricky. Being next to a bright window also means that YOU are being illuminated as well, not just the photograph. You can try different angles or different lighting situations to avoid getting your lens into the photograph. (As seen on the lower right corner in the photo at left.) Try to avoid getting your lens reflected in your picture.

Technically, if you have the skills and the photography software, you can eliminate this as well as other imperfections that come with older photographs. But sometimes leaving them as is can add to the vintage feel of some photographs.

There are other things you can do as well. Taking photographs of personal documents or items in your home can be a great way to document what's in your home in case if a crisis or robbery. The personal documents may not be valid as the original but at least you have a "copy" of it. I wish I had done that with my high school diploma. I lost mine during a family crisis and it was an important document to me.

Try taking pictures of your pictures. You can share the photographs that have been in the closet for years. And it may help stir long lost memories.

Stop...hug

2007-03-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

I love a gentle breeze. But I also like the big gusts we occasionally get here in a very blue part of southern California. (Okay, fine...not everything has to be political!)

It's cool when people walk by and gently graze your arm to let you know that they're thinking of you. Or a hand on a shoulder as somebody is on their way to the kitchen.

When there's a breeze, I can't help but to stop and thank Father God for His "touch". Except He doesn't just stop there, He likes to get his 'fingers' through your hair. I especially love it when it's gusty because that's when I really feel God's "hugs".

I guess that's why dogs love to hang their heads out of our cars as we drive! They get their heads massaged for a long time. The even try the other windows to see which one gives the most air. Same thing with swimming. Being in the pool makes me think of the way God can create the fact that water and pressure and gravity, work the way they do.

I loved going into the trails in the San Gabriel mountains to see nothing but green about me. The grass and trees and rocks and dirt. How can anybody doubt God's hand in all this? I could just sit and read there and stop to look up and try to see where the trees end.

And I can't help to stop for a moment and say "thank-you" to Father God for the hug. Then, I look up and notice that He touches the trees because I see them sway. I can even hear when He moves the leaves and uses them to skim the tops of the blades of grass. All this while I take a deep breath and then close my eyes.

It's not about me...it's all about Him.

Happy Spring!

A Reminder

2007-03-15T22:00:00.000-07:00

Alex & I had the privilege of house-sitting for a few people in the church. And not all things went as planned. Nobody wants to come home and learn that their house "wasn't" okay when they were gone.

This last time during the Christmas holiday, everything went so smoothly until the owners were due home the next day. It turns out that somebody (a person that had come by to pick up something from their house) had let the gate open and one of their dogs have run out. (He knew better!) I called the owners to let them know and gave me a few pointers on how to go about getting her back. We went around the neighborhood to look for her with no luck. We left flyers, called the shelters, and even called the local pet store where she gets groomed just in case. But the owners were sure that somebody would call because she's got out before. Night came and we got more worried. The next day, we resumed our ordeal when late in the morning we received a call from a pet store. Somebody recognized her and brought her to the pet store because she had the store's bandanna around her neck....without her collar! We couldn't believe it! As soon as I got the call, the owners happened to call stating that they had just landed. I broke the good news. We were so glad that things worked out in the end.

Well, that was the last one. The first one was just as bad. We were house sitting over the Thanksgiving holiday for a couple and their two children. The first full day we were there we had used the toilet once...nothing special. But we later noticed that it overflowed. Then, when water was used in the sink, it would come up through the bathtub. And to top it off, when we used the sink to wash dishes the same thing would happen...the bathtub. We couldn't understand it. We waited until morning to call the owners. Needless to say, we were BOTH embarrassed of the situation. We felt horrible because we never want the owners to worry about anything when they are away. It turns out that something, perhaps roots around the pipes, were clogging them that leads to the sewer.

Which leads me to what's happening in MY house right now. We walked in to the bathroom floor covered in about 1" of water. We used every towel in the house which we can't wash because we can't run the water. Unfortunately, the water somehow drains into my bedroom so we are having to deal with using a wet vac to get it out. And yeah, using the sinks means it coming out of the tub.

So, we are having the same problems. My family has had to be "creative" when it comes to using water. Brushing your teeth outside in the morning cold really wakes you up! Showers are taken with the water pooling at your ankles. And we are using a portable camping toilet and using it in the garage for privacy.

I am truly thankful for the things that I usually take for granted. And this situation is such a strong reminder of that!

How did they do it back then?

Aw, Darn.

2007-03-02T22:08:00.000-08:00

It looks like we aren't having much of a show as far as "eclipses" go. If you're a bit of an astro buff like me, go here to read a snippet of an article.

Some astro info: The photo above is a total lunar eclipse. The sun is behind the earth and it casts it's shadow upon the moon. But sometimes not all of the moon gets 'caught' in the earth's shadow, which makes it a "partial"lunar eclipse. A solar eclipse is when the moon comes in between the sun and the earth. The sun and the moon are (apparently) the same size in our view in the sky. (Even thought the sun is much bigger.) I don't know about you, but that is definately NOT a coincidence!

Magic

2007-02-26T08:04:00.000-08:00

The following comic sums up what I want to do.

(Click on Comic to view it bigger.)

I hope that when I graduate I can do more than that.

How Did We Ever Survive?

2007-02-19T20:33:00.000-08:00

Maybe I am part of the last generation who has experienced the following as a kid growing up. I was in junior high in the late 80's and I remember doing a lot of stuff that kids don't do today. (And vice versa.) But in some cases, I'm glad that we have come a long way.
I didn't write the following...

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE 1930's 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's & 80's!!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking

As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank punch made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because ....

WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING !

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day.

And we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms......
WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!

If YOU are one of them . . CONGRATULATIONS!

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!

The quote of the month is by Jay Leno:

"With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks,"Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

Sealed Soon

2007-02-12T21:00:00.000-08:00

I took my oath on Thurday of last week. It went rather quickly and uncerimoniously. I wanted to say, "So help me God!" at the end but there wasn't time and the nice county clerk cut me off.

Pretty soon, I'll have my very own...

...and now I can proudly serve the (blue) State of California.

Between 1440-1490, I'd probably look like this...

...in medieval Italy.

Or I could have had my portrait taken like this in 1510 Europe:

Either way, I'm a little glad that we aren't required to wear those neat hats today. But it would have been fun.

You're Not A Kid

2007-02-06T18:54:00.000-08:00

I'm a little anti-social, I know. But mostly, I'm an extreme introvert. This means that I get my energy by having some alone time in order to 'recharge' my social batteries. In contrast, an extrovert charges their batteries by hanging out and socializing with people. Lots of times when at a party or gathering, I find myself extremely exhausted! People suck the energy from me! Not only do I have to work at being lively but I also have to work on my social skills.

I don't have mature social skills. I don't always, "get the hint" either. And I'm not quick to pick things up in a conversation. I believe this is due to the fact that I've chosen to be a 'loner'.

In 4th grade, it was me and a girl named Theodora who would just watch the kids play. I wished I could join in on the game of basketball or foursquare, but I was afraid of the rejection and the fact that I came in the game too late and they didn't need me. We would both stand up against the wall next to the water fountains and bathrooms of the Washington Elementary school playground in Montebello. We would look at each other and place our hands behind our backs while leaning against the wall. She was always to the right of me, a water fountain between us watching kids play, drinking water and jumping in and out of the bathrooms. Occasionally, when it was free, I would play on the monkey bars and get on the swings. If a girl asked, we would play hopscotch or handball. Thinking now, "Why didn't I play with Theodora?"

In junior high school, my best friends were always disappearing on me. My first best friend, Christina Encinas, suddenly died due to, throat cancer. My second best friend, Angela Cloud, moved to Ohio. The third best friend, Jessica Kendall, also moved out of state. I don't remember where. My fourth best friend Deanna Soto, moved to Diamond Bar and I never heard from her again. Unfortunately, I think from those 'best friend' experiences, I learned to not get to close to people. I've never had a best girl friend ever since. But I chose to close up. I fight that still, but I know better now. I did have a group of friends that were close to me then, of whom I still keep in touch with now. They were friends who were always there for me. Why didn't I consider them my best friends? (Thank you to Lisa Vaca, Glenda Conde, Michelle Echevarria and Evelia Ornelas.) Technically, if it wasn't for them, I'd still be a loner and I'd never have any social skills whatsoever.

But then boys got in the way.

The attention towards my girl friends was divided with a guy I dated, Tim, in late junior high. Probably because I was afraid to get too close to my friends, I directed my attention elsewhere. In high school, I didn't have girl friends that I really hung around with. My junior high pals and I went our seperate ways. I turned into a band geek and the other girls joined other various clubs. So, when it came to friends, it was easier to keep my distance by talking and having good friendships with boys. The fact that my relationship with my father was a good one helped. I saw boys in a positive light due to my fortuitous experience with him. But even then, I chose to not open up. I kept believing that this would protect me from getting hurt. Unfortunately this also means I probably missed out in on a lot of people that could have been great friends with.

Later in high school I had to deal with talking to more and more people. I closed up even more. I gave my heart to a few boys and they broke my heart, but so did I! After that, I felt like I could just move away to another place to get away from people. I started to actually hate people! I was so glad for my distant, but not very strong, relationship with God. I also knew by then who was the love of my life. While most kids were seeking that very thing, I didn't have to worry since I knew even back then, that my frienship with Alex would turn from one of animosity, to one of love.

But hanging out with one person doesn't make you "good" with people. I still hated them, and since I hated them, I spent less and less time with them. Eventually this hate led me to feel lonely. I chose this then, and felt like I could control my situations by not having to deal with people. I went to a doctor for a check up. She asked me questions and concluded that I was depressed. (How she came to that conclusion by just asking questions is really absurd to me now.) She placed me on medication and said I should join a religious organization to 'meditate' and talk to people. What?! She is telling me to do the very thing I hate! No way!

I then describe this time as this:

I'm in a dark morian well, where it is cold and damp, but I find strange comfort in it! And the ONLY hope I have is the bright rope above my head, just beyond my reach! If I jump, I could catch it with my hand and pull myself out of there! But I don't and sit back down in the dark. Just knowing that it is there is my only hope. That rope was to God. "Knowing" that it was there, was the hope in prayer.

I overcame that with prayer. It did take awhile but I did it. I started to listen to the people around me. They were telling me things I didn't want to hear, but I knew that they did it because they loved me so much. I was challenged, poked, stubborn, hurt, and angry--but I still listened even if I didn't always do what they advised. (I thank Alex, Robbie Sortino and Ron Rippy for most of that!)

Now, even though I still struggle with anti-social tendencies, being shy, and insecurity, I'm still learning. I'm unique...but so is everybody else! I've learned much from the people I've let into my life! I've learned to open up more and have relationships with people. Oh how I've missed out on so many people in my life! I have chosen not to allow past experiences to fully dictate my outcome. (Or I would have turned out angry and bitter and fighting for absurd nothings!)

I thank you for putting up with me. Please forgive me if in the future when I speak to you I either sound like a kid, or speak to you as if you're a kid. I'm still learning things about simply having a conversation and I'm constantly improving on my social skills. I should be at my age level in my social skills but feel that I've still got years to go. Being an extreme introvert is technically who I am, but being a person who loves people and actually wants to work with them closely, is something that took time...and patience.

Thanks for waiting so long!

Like Who?

2007-02-02T22:00:00.000-08:00

Okay so I saw this on a blog somewhere. You upload a picture of your face and it gives you a rough estimate of what famous people you resemble. I thought it be neat to see where my husband fits into all this. Weird. But hmmmm, it makes sense now.

Headlines From The Year 2029

2007-01-31T23:59:00.000-08:00

This is from one of those things that you send to annoy a billion people on their e-mail. Since it is the last day of January 2007, I felt it was fitting to post one last "New Year" funny.

-Ozone created by electric cars now killing millions in the seventh largest country in the world, Mexifornia, formerly known as California. White minorities still trying to have English recognized as Mexifornia's third language.

-Spotted Owl plague threatens northwestern United States crops and livestock.

-Baby conceived naturally. Scientists stumped.

-Couple petitions court to reinstate heterosexual marriage.

-Last remaining Fundamentalist Muslim dies in the AmericanTerritory of the Middle East (formerly known as Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Lebanon)

-Iran still closed off; physicists estimate it will take at least 10 more years before radioactivity decreases to safe levels.

-France pleads for global help after being taken over by Jamaica.

-Castro finally dies at age 112; Cuban cigars can now be imported legally, but President Chelsea Clinton has banned all smoking.

-George Z. Bush says he will run for President in 2036.

-Postal Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery to Wednesdays only.

-85 years, $75.8 billion study: Diet and Exercise is the key to weight loss.

-Average weight of Americans drops to 250 lbs.

-Japanese scientists have created a camera with such a fast shutter speed, they now can photograph a woman with her mouth shut.

-Massachusetts executes last remaining conservative.

-Supreme Court rules punishment of criminals, violates their civil rights.

-Average height of NBA players now nine feet, seven inches.

-New federal law requires that all nail clippers, screwdrivers, fly swatters and rolled-up newspapers must be registered by January 2036.

-Congress authorizes direct deposit of formerly illegal political contributions to campaign accounts.

-IRS sets lowest tax rate at 75 percent.

-Florida voters still having trouble with voting machines.

My "Marriage" Favorite

2007-01-20T17:09:00.000-08:00

I'm talking about Mozart's delightful "Marriage of Figaro". Yes, I'm talking opera again. This particular song is simply and charmingly "Mozart".

Quick opera summary: The Marriage of Figaro, recounts a single "mad" day in the palace of the Count Almaviva. Rosina is now the Countess; her husband, the Count is seeking the favors of Susanna who is to be wed to her love, Figaro, the Count's valet. When the Count detects the interest of the young page, Cherubino, in the Countess, he tries to get rid of Cherubino by giving him an officer's commission in his own regiment. Figaro, Susanna, and the Countess conspire to embarrass the count and expose his infidelity. Meanwhile Figaro is caught up in a dispute with Bartolo and Marcellina, which ends when he is revealed to be their son. At night, all find themselves on the palace grounds, where a comic series of cases of mistaken identity results in the Count's humiliation and then forgiveness by the Countess. (Wikipedia)

Quick scene note: This is a Count's young page, in love with every woman in the castle, especially the Countess. His name is Cherubino.

Yes, this IS a woman dressed as a man. Mozart wanted a woman to play the part of a boy who was trying to indirectly profess his puppy love for a woman. (A married woman.) He preferred the woman's voice over an actual boy's voice. (Although, in this particular opera performance, they did a good job in making Cherubino, Francesca Provvinsionato, look very masculine!)

And you thought opera was boring!

This was Mozart's most popular opera. Written in 1786 and in Italian! He was delighted when he would walk down the street and people would be whistling his opera songs.

This One Is The Truth About Me

2007-01-20T13:00:00.000-08:00

Not that everything I've written isn't the truth...I just choose to not let it all out. I'm pretty shy. Here it goes....

Look, I know I'm lame. I was lucky to grow up with BOTH parents. I had everything given to me. I don't know what 'hard work' means. I am definately dependent on people. And my outlook on life is not one filled with ambition.

I continue to make choices that keep me 'mediocre'. It's easier, isn't it? Then I wonder why I'm in this particualar 'predicament' or 'mess' and don't realize that I myself made the necessary choices that led me to where I am today.

My problem is fear. I do fear "fear" itself. Lack of drive? Vision? Faith? Probably!
(Matthew 10:28, "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell".)

When most people just jump off the cliff of life, I just walk up to it and just stop. I stop short of 15 feet or more. I don't want to jump...are you crazy?! Then I turn around and sit. (And pout and whine!) I don't want to deal or dwell. I just hope I forget about the fact that all I have to do is simply jump! No! It's too hard! too complicated! Too much fun!? Maybe I don't deserve fun! Waaaah!

There I go...a cycle.

But I KNOW what to do! Why can't I just do it!

No ambition. Mediocre. Don't I want to grow up?

People said that they wished that they had the "opportunities" that I had. That way they would be so successful right now. It's true. I DID have everything provided for me. Why didn't I take advantage of it? How unwise. How idiotic of me! (Dang! I sound like a liberal! Sorry honey!)

I have NOBODY to blame but myself.

And even though I've grown up a little, (yes, just a little), I've finally made some wise choices. But not enough.

Don't feel sorry for me. Duh, I choose to continue to be this way...although I know it hurts a lot of people. I'm selfish and I'm not proud of it. I choose this because unfortunately it is easier and less painful. But I can't run away from life. (And my life is good! What do I really have to run away from? I have everything!)

(Thanks to all those who continue to deal with me and continue to tell me to grow up and shut up. I'm so sorry for all the strife this spoiled brat has caused.)

Please continue to pray that I take the personal responsibility to change.

Just Made It

2007-01-12T22:00:00.000-08:00

Whew! I made it through my first week of school. Why am I whining? Because anybody who goes to school knows that you are NOT supposed to take a speech or math class during the Summer or Winter term. Why? Because you have to learn the material in 6 weeks rather than 16. So if you have to work, it makes it more difficult to "keep up". I am taking a math class, well, because I need it of course. If I pass, (prayers please) I will then move on to...eww...Statistics. Anyway, it has been mentally tiring...I'm not used to this type of schedule. When do I get to do homework? See it usually takes me an hour or more in traffic to travel to work in Alhambra, thennnn an hour to get home from school. Yuk!

AND, since I'm on the subject of math...and we know how most people feel about math...well, enjoy.

In the Light

2007-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

I had a great year last year and a beautiful Christmas. I am looking forward to the "light" of a new year. School will be a bit more hectic this year and I hope to pick up where I left off on my music education. I am also looking forward to learning more about the Word and to dig deeper to what God has in store for me. Come to think of it...

As you know, I'm not much into words. That is, words to a song or poem aren't my love language. In fact, it is last on my "language" list. I'm not very eloquent with my words and I often have to think before I say something because my mind seems to move faster than my mouth. I then end up saying something fragmented if I don't 'slow down'. As a result, I've had to get used to the many blank looks of confusion from the people I am conversing with. Anyway, again most of the time, I find that I enjoy music without words far more that I do with them in it. (I guess that's why I love classical music so much.) I don't find myself contemplating the words of a song either. Maybe, I just don't relate to it. (Gee, maybe I'm that weird.)

BUT, I find that the words to my favorite (words) song of all the universe...relate to me very much. Weird.

Here's a video to my favorite song. I can't seem to find a better quality version, so please forgive the cheezy DC Talk photos. Oh, well, it's more about what it SAYS, right? It's based on 1 John 1:7.

Here's a live version.

Ambiguity 34

2006-12-16T09:42:00.000-08:00

My boss sent me this in an e-mail. I'm sure this has been passed around trillions of times but...since my husband and I are not huge fans of ambiguity....
Besides, are there any real answers to these questions?

The philosophy of ambiguity...

1. Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

2. One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor....

3. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

4. If man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?

5. The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live.

6. I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, "Where's the self-help section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.

7. What if there were no hypothetical questions?

8. If a deaf person swears, does his mother wash his hands with soap?

9. If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?

10. Is there another word for synonym?

11. Where do forest rangers go to "get away from it all?"

12. What do you do when you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?

13. If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?

14. Would a fly without wings be called a walk?

15 Why do they lock gas station bathrooms? Are they afraid someone will clean them?

16. If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is he homeless or naked?

17. Can vegetarians eat animal crackers?

18. If the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent?

19. Why do they put Braille on the drive-through bank machines?

20. How do they get deer to cross the road only at those yellow road signs?

21. What was the best thing before sliced bread?

22. One nice thing about egotists: They don't talk about other people.

23. Does the Little Mermaid wear an algebra?

24. Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?

25. How is it possible to have a civil war?

26. If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do the rest drown too?

27. If you ate both pasta and antipasto, would you still be hungry?

28. If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?

29. Whose cruel idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have "S" in it?

30. Why are hemorrhoids called "hemorrhoids" instead of "assteroids"?

31. Why is it called tourist season if we can't shoot at them?

32. Why is there an expiration date on sour cream?

33. If you spin an oriental man in a circle three times does he become disoriented?

34. Can an atheist get insurance against acts of God?

Have a great day!

Mozart Is Free

2006-12-13T08:18:00.000-08:00

The sheet music of all of Mozart's works are now easy to access on the internet! It's all accessable and organized and categorized and...the best thing is that it is free to anybody who want to study or view it.

As of Monday, the International Foundation Mozartaeum initiated this for the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth all this year. Cool. You can see a short article about it here.

Don't forget, unless you know how to read German, there is a link on the top-right corner of the site that says "English".

Be Aware When...

2006-12-12T18:38:00.000-08:00

...you leave a camera to a 3 year old. The following pictures may develop...

Dad, I wan't the "airplane" not the choo-choo.

What does my brother want this time?

Oooh! Bad dog!
Note: These pictures were taken by an actual 3 year old female with a Kodak digital camera. (Not mine, thank God!) I am not saying to leave your camera to a 3 year old. Nor am I saying that you should try. (Unless you really want to...it's your mistake...er, choice.) I'm just glad when I was at her house, that I discovered she had it and I took it and placed it high on the refrigerator.

But I gotta admit that these are not bad! So if you think you can't take decent pictures...

Stop Flashing

2006-12-10T21:13:00.000-08:00

Try removing the "flash" setting on your camera. This makes for a more appealing photograph. The background is more easily picked up and is more flattering overall. Removing your flash is usually done by accessing a menu or at a touch of a button. We will look at some examples with and without the flash.

1. You will risk blurry pictures unless you use tripod or...Lean against a wall and set your arms on your body. Hold your breath and then take a picture. Use your body as a tripod. Or use the nearest wall or chair. You may think the room is well lit but you will find that your pictures will be blurry if you do not set it on a steady location. (Don't forget that your finger pressing on the shutter button could cause the camera to move as well. Be aware.)

2. Your subjects should sit still as well. This will be a little difficult with children or pets...but if you want that action or to show movement in your photo, then your photograph will show it and your camera will pick that up. (You still need to keep your camera still!) Using the flash can freeze any movement. Removing it can reveal it.

3. Use your flash if you want to diminish the background. Or when things are just too dark. Turning on lamps and opening up windows really help!

If you find that you keep getting the blurry pictures, try practicing at home before any big event. Try with different light situations and check out what looks best. Try finding ways to use your body or other objects as "tripods".

Leaving the flash off can create unique lighting situations. You can even capture light flashes or fireworks. The candles on a cake can create a mood while lighting up the face in a neat glow. You can avoid red eye and keep faces from being washed out. Capture detail or movement by leaving the flash off.

When is it cool to use the flash? We'll look at that soon. Meanwhile, have fun!

Yellow

2006-12-08T08:04:00.000-08:00

When I write a blog, I know full well that I am placing myself in a position where anybody in the world could read my words. Knowing that, I am also opening myself to people agreeing with me or even...(Oh my!)...disagree with my thoughts. I mean, blogging is basically a unique place to discuss, share or argue ideas with other people...right? Who wants to read a blog where you can't confirm or disprove what they are saying? I could just read an online essay or page. But even those leave room somewhere to share your thoughts in a forum....right?

But doesn't that mean that your risking the fact that somebody may totally disagree with you on what you blogged about? Yes!

Unless the comment or discussion is profane...why, might I ask, should somebody ban or delete comments on blogs?

Honestly, I think you are choosing to:
1. Avoid the subject. (Then why did you blog it?)
2. Be Yellow/Scared (Stand up for what you blogged about!)
3. Not get your facts straight before blogging. (And be open when presented!)
4. Not be open to people totally disagreeing with you. (You posted the subject, didn't you?)
5. Not being responsible for what you posted.

Fine, America is a free country, you can choose to block, ban or barricade...but...

If I post something,
and I am firm,
and somebody stands totally against me,
and their comments are extremely different from what I believe in,
and they point out something about my topic OR even my character...I really don't think I will erase or ban you.

Because I knew full well what I was posting...and I have to be ready for whatever should come of it...good or bad.

So, I say stand up and comment and agree and disagree and prove or disprove!
Isn't that what blogging is all about anyway?

One more thing: I would love to comment on your blog BUT do not expect me to comment in a fashion or in words that you want to hear. I'm not that type of person. I love you too much to tell you just what you want to hear. (With grace of course.) Some things I will say...you may not care to hear...and all I can say is at least take it into consideration.

If you choose to, I will expect the same.

It's That Time Again

2006-12-06T08:28:00.000-08:00

No, I'm not talking about Christmas, I'm talking about 'finals'. Something every student has to "conquer" in order to pass your classes.

It is at this time I'm always reminded of the saying, "As long as there are tests given in schools, there will always be prayer in schools."

So, I say to all the students..."Good Luck".

And if you don't 'belive' in "good luck"...then, I'll say a few prayers for ya.

(Oh, and please study hard.)

What?

2006-11-21T07:44:00.000-08:00

I totally forgot about this because I didn't understand it at first.

I don't know Swedish but the last photo on the link below has my photograph in it.

See the last photograph.

According to the gentleman who used it on this site for his local news, the article has to do with something about Aloe Vera and it's role in health and the environment.

I wonder what it says....

Think "Thirds"

2006-11-16T22:15:00.000-08:00

There is a universal ‘rule’ that photographers, film directors and artists have been using for a long time. It is called the ‘rule of thirds’, or the ‘law of thirds’. Basically, it is best to set your photographs slightly off-center. If you set your picture in the dead-center, your subject may appear dull or stagnant. Or you may get the typical driver’s license photo.

What you do is basically divide your picture into thirds both horizontally and vertically. (You should have 9 equal-sized parts.) See the grid below? Do you see where the lines intersect…where the dots are? These lines and dots are an imaginary guide to use as a way to estimate where to place your subjects. You are to place the most important feature or most of the interest of the picture on these lines/points.

The grid:

I've placed the grid onto the photograph below. As you can see, the points of interest fall where they should.

Here are a few more examples:

As you can see, each child is directly in in the middle of the frame in the picture. While the photos of the kids are cute, the look rather dull and the photo itself probably doesn't 'say' much about them.

The following picture followed the "rule" and made for a much better picture. Being that there are two children in one photograph, it helps to eliminate them from being in the 'dead-center'. And now this picture tells more of a story. From the looks of it, they could be friends or even siblings.

Placing your subjects in the center makes for an awkward photograph. I cropped the first photo for effect to show the subject at dead center. The next photo was shown following the 'thirds rule' and makes for a more natural photograph. By moving your camera slightly to the left or right, you can even eliminate or add more to the background too!

By placing your subject on the imaginary 'grid', you can make for more natural and interesting pictures. Remember: think "thirds" and have fun!

Not Cool!

2006-11-13T22:08:00.001-08:00

These things make me 'chuckle'.

What were they selling again?....

9 Looong Hours

2006-11-11T21:20:00.001-08:00

I took a class this morning at the Whittier ROP which started 8am and lasted through til 5:30pm. We did have a 30 minute lunch break but it my lunch wasn't very relaxing as I needed to stand while I was eating. Today it felt like I was sitting on a seat for more than 9 hours.

I was taking a Notary Public class. It lasted til 3:30pm which I then had to study for to take the state exam at 4pm. After they took down our information and finally gave us the test, it was already 4:50pm. It took me approximately 30 minutes for 30 questions on this test. (It was to be a 50 minute time limit.)

I gotta tell ya, I felt tired. But how could I be tired from sitting all day? When I was younger, I remember my mom would ask me when I was just going to school and not working, "How can you be tired?" I should have been more specific. Sorry, "mentally" tired, I should have told her. See, when I'm in school, I choose to think and ask myself questions and interact and get involved with my education. I choose not to just sit there and be "spoon fed" and let my mind wonder to nothing and just let the teacher tell me what to think. I choose not to say that the class is "boring"...I mean, the teacher isn't there to entertain me right?

Of course, I'd tell her that sarcastically. She got the hint and I didn't complain to her after that because she made her point too. (Besides, I am young...I shouldn't be tired!)

But today was one of those days where you get up really early after a late night and you had to take in speedy course material AND take a test at the end. Whew!

Eh, it was worth it.
It will be 8-10 business days (from Monday) until I know if I had passed this state test. They tell me that a "good sign" is when I start receiving all this Notary junk mail.

Junk mail good? Ha, for once!

*Update: 12/06...I passed!

Don't Always Just Point & Shoot

2006-11-10T17:23:00.000-08:00

I'm going to try to start a mini series of simple photography tips right here on this blog. I figure that taking pictures is something that most people like to do. I hope to try to give some simple tips in how to take better pictures. If we take a look at some simple steps, it should give you some tools on how to make the best of, or even improve the pictures you take.

On that note: The "holidays" are near and we should plan to take some pictures. A lot of things happen in a year and as we all know, there may be somebody in your photos this year that may not be with us next year. And of course it is also a way of "going back" to a moment or a time of our lives. It would be nice to have a 'photographic' memory of the events and people we encounter. But since we don't, we take pictures.

First and foremost, get to know your camera. A lot of times, we don't even know the simple basics of how our camera works. It would be nice to just 'point-and-shoot', but we may be missing some opportunities in getting the most of your "memories". So, take some time to get to know your camera's settings. Read the manual that came with your camera. (If you are looking to buy a camera in the future, let me know so that I can discuss what your 'needs' are and also direct you in some sites for your particular choice.)

Second, take lots of pictures. This works best with digital cameras of course. If you keep snapping away, chances are you are more likely to capture moments that you thought you'd never get. You can also crop and edit your pictures later. Or develop only the pictures you want.

I'm not an expert, so I'm just going over the basics. I'm not going to make it too complicated but it should also be more about taking the pictures well.

I will be speaking more about digital picture taking but the most of the same rules apply to film camera taking as well.

Hopefully, this will be a chance to share ideas as well. Let's be open to the other ideas people have to offer. Or let's help to understand any questions that may arrive.

One more thing. This is kinda like: "learing the rules so that you can break them properly". I'm not very fond of 'breaking the rules' but in photography, as you will see, sometimes you see some very interesting and exciting (and even weird!) results. (See the photo above.)

Vote!

2006-11-07T08:02:00.000-08:00

I hope you will be able to vote today.

One hundred years ago, I probably wouldn't be able to vote. But now, I have that right. So I plan on voting today.

If you are too young to vote, you should plan on doing so. If you didn't register...do it soon, so that next time you can participate. If you are registered and aren't planning to vote...honestly, I love you but I don't really want to hear you complain.

Anti-USA Again? Gee, What A Surprise...

2006-11-01T07:34:00.000-08:00

Aww...how sad. But we all know the truth of course!

(Update)This is what our troops have to say about it!

HAHA!

How Ironic...

2006-10-31T10:13:00.000-08:00

Numbers

2006-10-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

I left work at 6pm today and I was only on the road for a few moments when I heard a strange noise coming from the back passenger side tire. It could only be one of two things: My tire was very deflated or completely flat. Dang!

I filled it up with air at a 76 station on Valley in Alhambra...when I noticed the numbers on my odometer. Crazy...they were all the number 6!

(That is the true mileage on my car by the way...I totally scored a 'low mileage' 10 year old car!)

Bite It

2006-10-18T17:43:00.000-07:00

I know it sounds weird but, it felt so good to finally get to bite into an apple last night. At first, I felt like I didn't trust my own teeth and I had a horrible image in my head which found me looking into the apple with a few of my teeth in it!

No, that didn't happen. But now that I finally had my braces removed a few weeks ago, I have been able to "bite" into things that I wasn't allowed to for such a long time. No more cutting up my apples into smaller pieces anymore. Biting into it is much more satisfying and refreshing.

At first, they estimated me having them on for at least 18th months. But it has been about 6 years. Why? A lot of things actually. During that time, I had 3 wisdom teeth pulled and 2 removed each from both my upper and lower set of teeth. 7 teeth pulled in one year...that wasn't fun. Also, my orthodontist had retired and all the mumbo jumbo about records and changing offices ect. delayed it as well. There was also a time for 3 months when I didn't have much work done due to not being able to pay them.

I still haven't had a chance to enjoy:
1. Corn on the Cob
2. Ribs
3. Crunching Ice (Although I know that is bad for your teeth to do so.)
4. Carrots
5. Candy/Caramel Apple. (Wonder if there are any sugar-free ones out there.)

I have straight teeth now. I don't remember ever having straight teeth as a child. So, it's pretty neat to have them smooth now.

The only thing that have to do now is to wear the darn retainer, pretty much for the rest of your life. (At least I plan to because I don't want to waste the time and pain of having to wear the braces for so long.)

I kinda miss them now.

What Happens In Vegas...

2006-10-16T20:46:00.000-07:00

...doesn't stay in Vegas because I'm posting pictures. Here are a few from last week as "The Yepiz Zone" had posted a while back.

You have to hit the buffet at least once.

My dad amongst the Star Trek Ships.

3 of 7 thought it odd that my dad wanted to be assimilated by him. (He wasn't a threat of course, he has been severed from the collective.)

Alex and my cousin Daniel just outside the Venetian.

We got to see a Vegas show baby! We saw "The Scintas" (on the right) and we got to meet them after the show. My uncle Carlos got us in and took our picture. I'll never forget my first Vegas show. Thank you!

My dad getting a little too smiley with the Andorian female.

Alex, Daniel & my dad having some Romulan Ale at Quark's Bar.

Alex & I sharing toasting our 3rd year of marriage.

(Who was there? Alex & I. My parents. My generous uncle Carlos & aunt Hortencia, and my awesome cousing Daniel. My cousin was celebrating his 22nd birthday on the 8th. We also celebrated my parent's 31st anniversary as they were married on Oct 4th, just like us. But most of all we celebrated being with family.)

Thnx

2006-09-27T08:57:00.000-07:00

Alex and I have been blessed this month. But mostly, I have been greatly blessed. I am truly grateful for what God has provided. There were things that finally came to pass and there were things that I never thought would happen.

Thank you...I am truly grateful.

Not Like...

2006-09-13T22:05:00.000-07:00

Here's another one of my dislikes/hates/despise lists. Ranting and raving...who cares?

1. Chick Flicks
Okay...um..no. Talk about emotional! How can some guys watch this stuff too! The only way your average guy is going to watch that is if he really likes you and just doing it because you guys are going out. I know he'd rather watch that "college" movie or the "blood and guts" in theater 4.

Most of these types of movies are about girls who complain about love and how they are in love with a guy who's in love with somebody else but calls her and they get to know each other more...blah blah...and then he likes her and then she complains more about his dating habits and how much of a guy he is and...blah blah...complain...

Or those ones where all these girls are sitting at a kitchen table over coffee and a box of tissues talking about sisterhood or hair or the kids or their men...blah...blah...

How about listening to me complain as I am doing now...Ha!

Being a 'gal' I can understand since naturally we're more emotional than men. But I don't expect a guy to fully understand just as much as us 'gals' trying understand why they don't understand because they're not us...just as we're not them. (Although we can both certainlytry.)

2. Mecha
Can you believe this group exists? If I were to bring my asian friend to join, do you think they'd let him in? What if there was a white group just like it? It wouldn't "fly", would it? Look deeper into their 'mission statement' or whatever you want to call it. Do you know what it is? If it isn't treason, then I don't know what is!

3. The Heat
Ever since I can remember, I wish it were colder. I do not like the heat. My mom said that I never cried as a baby. (I was a great baby!)But once I became uncomfortable in the heat, I couldn't stand it. My cheeks would get red (still do) and my port wine forehead birthmark would come out. I'd rather bring a sweater to work than have to sweat at my desk. (Unless the boss is over my shoulder.)

When I went to England over 10 years ago, I thought I could stand the cold and I did! But send me to Las Vegas and I just about die! Maybe it is a constant reminder of what we commonly think "hell" is like...it sure feels like it!

But then again, I probably wouldn't like shoveling the snow either.

4. Spoon Fed Students
I hate going to a class where students just sit there and have that glazed look in their eyes that say, "Okay, I'm here, now start teaching me something." What about asking questions or doing more research on the subject. Okay, fine...math class sucks...but where did the word "algebra" come from? The teacher is human and he makes mistakes or has an agenda when he teaches. What about trying to fully understand the agenda or where he may be mistaken?

Reminds me of that icon I saw on myspace once. It read, "I hate Bush because Green Day told me to". Um okay. So, your world civilization teacher tells you to, "Hate the white man" because he says so? Why? What drew him to that conclusion? Don't take his word for it! I had a teacher like that and he ignored me for the rest of the semester because I simply asked him questions. (And I wasn't rude or sarcastic about it either...I don't operate that way.)

5. "Bored" People
How could you get "bored"? Do you sit there and think, "Okay, I'm here, now start entertaining me! I'm bored!" I can honestly say that I never get bored.

Pick up a book. Play some music. Play a game. Learn a new skill. Close your eyes and listen to the way the central air sounds like a something you heard on your favorite video game. Analyze the way the light falls onto your coffee table and check out how it splashes color onto the textured wall beside it. Why? Why not? Get your mind going. Use your brain. I think people who constantly say that they're 'bored' are pretty much lazy to simply "think".

No offense to those who always say, "I'm bored"...but, we don't want to hear it. Do something about it because it is not our job to entertain you. Plus, it also makes you kinda sound uneducated or something.

Kinda like when I hear students around me say, "Oh, the teacher/class is boring." Um, is the teacher there to entertain you?

How absurd!

I saved up my money for some t-shirts to wear. (Cheap, on sale.) I found a black one that reads, "THINK: It's not illegal yet." Being shy, I was wondering why I was getting weird looks at school...duh, I forgot. Oh well, I hope I gave them something to think about.

-There's more...but that's what a blog is for.

Mr. Williams @ the Bowl

2006-09-09T23:41:00.000-07:00

Alex surprised me with some tickets to the Hollywood bowl last Saturday. Even though they weren't the best seats, it didn't matter because this was more a treat for the ears. We've always wanted to see the composer John Williams conduct his own movie music. Well, we had a chance to do so.

Some of his famous music we heard: Jurassic Park, Hook, Harry Potter, Superman, Indiana Jones, Jaws, E.T., Star Wars, Return of the Jedi...

When the Imperial March from the Star Wars movie was being played, some members in the audience lit up their light sabers and they were swaying to the music. At one point you can see John Williams peering toward us and he's chuckling as he's conducting.

As a geek, I understand.

Here's a 30 second snippet I took of one of his more famous tunes.

Simple Creatures?

2006-09-07T22:21:00.000-07:00

I got a chuckle out of this one. My cousin sent me this humorous e-mail a long time ago. I don't know who the author is or where it comes from. My comments are in parenthesis "()".

WHY MEN ARE JUST HAPPIER PEOPLE

What do you expect from such simple creatures!?

-Your last name stays put. (Nowadays, you can add a hyphen[-] to add your wife's)
-The garage is all yours. (Unless he puts the Playstation there. Then I'd never leave!)
-Wedding plans take care of themselves. (This one true most of the time.)
-Chocolate is just another snack. (Not lately.)
-You can be president. (Good thing, we don't really need a gal up there do we?)
-You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. (What if you don't match?)
-You can wear NO T-shirt to a water park. (Dang it!)
-Car mechanics tell you the truth. (You mean I didn't need that replaced?)
-The world is your urinal. (Um that's, like, icky or something.)
-You never have to drive to another gas station because this one's just too 'icky'. (See?)
-You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. (Righty tighty!)
-Same work, more pay. (Time for another job gals.)
-Wrinkles add character. (So does botox)
-Wedding dress - $5000; tux rental - $100. ($5000.00 for one day? Yikes!)
-The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected. (How attractive.)
-New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet. (Unless you cross dress...which, um, I hope not.)
-One mood, ALL the time. (Not ALL the time dang it! ...What did you say!?!)
-Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. ("Hi...uh huh...yeah....cool dude...ok...bye.")
-A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. (Lucky!)
-You can open all your own jars. (I know...thanks!)
-You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. (True, we should do it regardless though.)
-If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend. (Crazy how guys aren't 'drama' like that.)
-Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. (Oh, well...it saves money.)
-Three pairs of shoes are more than enough. (Sneakers with everything, huh!)
-You almost never have strap problems in public. (Unless you play in a baseball team.)
-You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. (Now that's funny!)
-Everything on your face stays its original color. (Come on now. I've seen some of you wear eyeliner!)
-The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. (Unless you sport a mullet. But then again, the 80's are coming back!)
-You only have to shave your face and neck. (Oh, and we hate you for that.)
-You can play with toys all your life. (You can? Cool! My turn!)
-Your belly usually hides your big hips. (Guys have hips?)
-One wallet and one pair of shoes, one color, all seasons. (Well, true...that is pretty simple.)
-You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. (Unless you really need a tan.)
-You can "do" your nails with a pocketknife. (I'd like to see that under a microscope. No, really I would!)
-You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache. (And the choice to scratch us with it too.)
-You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives, on December 24, in 45 minutes. (Aw, how thoughtful.)

No wonder men are happier!

Travel Camp 2006

2006-08-13T17:28:00.000-07:00

Took me a while to post this...Blogger wasn't accepting my photos for some reason.

Alex & I were amongst the few leaders who attended the travel camp for the Gateway Youth. Even though the leaders were running on a few hours of sleep each day, we all managed to make it through the day...and to drive these kids to our destinations. Most of the leaders were running on power drinks and Starbucks coffee. But despite our sleep deprivation, we also managed to have fun and learn a few things along with the kids. Here are some pictures.

This was one of the first things we've experienced...the junior high boys wrestling in their room. This was an awesome sight to see. We were all watching them wishing to be there again. (Check out the short video clip I managed to catch.)

(Nathan, Erick & Mitchell)

(Ana)

(Michael & Aaron)

(Michael)
Some of the kids got to exploring after kyaking. They were throwing seaweed to the girls and throwing rocks into the water.

John & Rita watching teams play broom ball.

(Mariah, Allie & Danielle)
Our small groups. This is were we got into deeper conversations and thoughts from the general sessions.

(Katherine)
Some of us had a chance to relax in the sun.

We had a chance to go out in our teams and help the local community. The kids really got into this one. Poor Jeremy was always a step behind. He hurt his foot earlier in the trip.

(Shawn, Michael & Jeremy)
These boys loved the camera. They were very glad to pose for me. We were at the beach and it was dark. There was a bon fire just behind me but they were interested in becoming famous.

Thanks to Rita Meza...we ate very well & the food was great!

(Noel, Erica, Levi & Ana)
Our time after dinner around the fire was also exciting.

Since these pictures are huge, I will post one more. I'm sure there'll be a slide show soon. Here's the group shot.

My "Don" Favorite

2006-08-03T07:21:00.000-07:00

Hope you can handle this...

This is a 6 minute video of my favorite aria in Mozart's opera Don Giovanni. I don't always know what the words mean but I like to sing along anyway.

Don Giovanni is a 'ladies man'. Here, Leporello (Don Giovanni's servant) is telling Donna Elvira that the Don has a catalogue of all the women he's been with. She can't believe it to be true. Even though she is engaged to be married, she still adores the Don. But since Don Giovanni happend to kill Donna Elvira's father a while ago, she is seeking vengance for it. (And also the fact that she probably has her name on that catalog list too!)

And you thought opera was boring!

Give it 15 second for the aria to start because he's getting to it.
The quality isn't the best. But I thought you were here for the music?

(Music: W.A. Mozart, Libretto: L. da Ponte)

Here is the libretto, since Mozart wrote some of his operas in Italian.

Leporello:
My dear lady, this is a list
Of the beauties my master has loved,
A list which I have compiled.
Observe, read along with me.
In Italy, six hundred and forty;
In Germany, two hundred and thirty-one;
A hundred in France; in Turkey, ninety-one;
In Spain already one thousand and three.
Among these are peasant girls,
Maidservants, city girls,
Countesses, baronesses,
Marchionesses, princesses,
Women of every rank,
Every shape, every age.
With blondes it is his habit
To praise their kindness;
In brunettes, their faithfulness;
In the very blond, their sweetness.
In winter he likes fat ones.
In summer he likes thin ones.
He calls the tall ones majestic.
The little ones are always charming.
He seduces the old ones
For the pleasure of adding to the list.
His greatest favourite
Is the young beginner.
It doesn't matter if she's rich,
Ugly or beautiful;
If she wears a petticoat,
You know what he does.

Catching Up

2006-07-31T23:10:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how I feel after last week. I have been getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night since then. (That's as little as I can take.) I usually require more and I have had to function on much less at times before. This last week wasn't even the most grueling I've ever had either. It's not like I have kids or anything!

I think I was born to sleep. I can't help it. I've tried to survive on less, but I can't function. I start making mistakes at work and become forgetful. My mom would tell me that she would have to wake me up to feed me, to then fall right to sleep while just feeding. I was a great baby apparently.

Anyway, I have been unusually drowsy. It doesn't help that I have loaded up on the caffeine to cope with it. At work, I find myself making at least 3 cups minimum. I've also increased my water intake. I'm not taking any medication or anything so it couldn't be that. Or the weather? Well, actually I do have a minor pre-existing condition...I've gotta look into that. Hmmm.

Unfortunately, I love to sleep. A few years ago, I battled depression. I used to sleep my days away. I did find such comfort in it because I could sleep and not deal with the day ahead of me. I'm glad I recovered. I've lost that time in my life that I could never get back.

In the end, I think I just have to just "catch up". No matter how much caffeine I take, it can't take the place of just good ol' plain sleep.

Dang! Why did I stay up so late writing this?!

Tea For You

2006-07-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

I know nobody gives a care but I haven't written because I am house sitting in Alhambra and concentrating on this online class I'm taking at PCC. This class is taking much of my time as it requires at least 4-5 hours a week of online time and we need at least 300 posts by the end of the semester. I'm doing okay but I could do much better.

I'm having a hard time finding the time to do other things right now. I suck at time management and I am totally aging because of it. (And I don't even have kids!)I know...I'm a joke.

Gosh, I really want to do very well in this class but I have to admit, it has suffered a little. There are other things that are suffering too.

Here's a site that I have used on one of my assignments for class. I had to do a mini web page on the subject of "Tea". There is an interactive part that is pretty entertaining. Who would have thought that tea would be so interesting!

Geeky Thinking

2006-07-03T07:06:00.000-07:00

I'm a 'gadget' gal. I'm the one playing with the cameras & playing the video games at those electronic stores. And sometimes you'll find me in my room slaying orcs or shooting mummies on the Playstation to unwind after work. When I took scientific electronics in high school, the teacher had us building our own circuit boards and fixing our broken VCR's. I thought that was so much fun.

And I'm totally facinated by blinking lights, LED's, flashlights, strobes and anything that glows-in-the-dark. (Ect.)

So to add to my facination, I've discovered the site "Think Geek". It's a place where they have all the odds and ends that a 'geek' may need to conquer their world. They have everything from 'Levitating Desktop Globes' to 'Wi-Fi Digital Hotspotters ' to a t-shirt that sports the 'Caffine Molecule'. I don't even have to physically "play" with most of these gadgets. Just plain looking at the sight is interesting to me.

And on the "Geek Culture" site, you can send your loved ones a 'Geek e-Card'.

I forgot how I found these sites, don't ask me.

I remember the "Geek" I dated in high school. He wore a pocket protector!

I'll Call It...

2006-06-30T19:11:00.000-07:00

I should be in the kitchen! Really, I should! I bet I could learn to cook nice meals for Alex. Or stay home making meat loaf while the hubby works hard.

Anyway, I wouldn't mind it. But there are things that I don't like...even despise.

Dang it! I really don't like:

1. The color green.
I was in the Montebello Band, and we had the rival Schurr high school band who's colors were a terrible green & gold. How could you be proud of those colors? We had U.S. Marine colored uniforms. It was a band thing and they ruined it for me. I'll call it "Good for money & vegetation only".

2. Easily influenced people.
It's like you are too lazy to think. It's like you readily accept things that you may not even stand for. And even too proud to admit you are against! And then you complain but don't have the right facts to support what you have to say. I'll call them "Come on do the research people!" people.

3. Fake people.
Be yourself. Don't tell me what I want to hear. Don't try to get me to like you by being different than you really are. Don't pretend to like what I like. People are going to find out anyway, and when they do, they may not trust you anymore. Or even feel betrayed. I'll call them "people who candy coat" people.

4. Feminists
Come on, no man is going to wait on you hand and foot because that's what you really want. If he does, he will miserable with you or probably gay. If you want a guy like that, look to your imagination. Otherwise, you are going to be unhappy for the rest of your single life. And yes, yes, you can do the same things man can do...but I bet they do it better! For you, it's not even awareness anymore, now its about power. I'll call them "FemiNazis".

5. Girls who get cold easily.
It's cold because they turned down the thermostat at work. You complain because it's cold. They turn the thermostat just for you. Meanwhile, there are those who are actually moving and working who are definately "working" up a sweat. Please bring a sweater next time or I'll complain that you aren't sweating enough. I'll call them "There are others in the office, you know" people.

Of course there are more, but that's what a blog is for.
Meanwhile, I'll head back to the kitchen, where I belong.

Being the Change I NEED to See

2006-06-19T17:09:00.000-07:00

Wasn't it Ghandi who said, "Be the change you want to see in the world"?

Well, two very small things happened to me today that are insignificant to you but HUGE in my book.

One: For the first time since I got married in 2003, the teacher called me by my married name when she was giving attendance. (It took me a while to change it...all that unnecessary paperwork, photo ID's, ect!) I had a stupid smile on my face for a long time. And of course, as Alex warned me, she didn't pronounce it correctly. She pronounced Yehpezz instead of Yepeeze.

Two: After class I was heading to work. I was hungry. I was about to head to Jamba Juice for a Bright-Eyed Blueberry with a protein boost but knew that it wouldn't sustain me for however long I was to stay working. I went to Panda Express and ordered and sat by myself to eat. I think the last time I ate by myself in public was in jr high school. It felt weird but you know what?...I survived!

Changing my name was fine, it just took to long but being by myself? All this because of fear. And fear of change. (Geeze! What's going to happen when I get in my elderly years?) I'm stubborn, yes, but I don't like change. I don't like risk. I don't like routine. And as a result, I haven't experienced much and missed out on a lot of opportunities.

And when it comes down to it...it's so hard to for me to break what is familiar. To break away from your comfort zone. I've struggled with that forever and I will continue to find it hard not to change. It seems like I will always continue to choose that road as much as I try not to.

And hopefully my huge experience today will change all that.

June Current Read

2006-06-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

My husband isn't the only one who loves to read. I've been carrying the book The Great Mortality by John Kelly in my purse just in case there is some idle time or when we decide to go to a coffee shop on a whim.

I'm also a history buff and I'm also greatly interested in Colonial America. I'm more into social history. How people lived, what they wore, how they thought, what types of eating utensils they used, how village life was led, etc.

But I'm also greatly interested in the middle ages and renaissance. I've always been intrigued in the Black Death or Great Plague...the pestilance that wiped out millions people in Europe starting from 1348.

Given the poor hygine of people back then and the unsanitary living conditions, these made matters all the worse. No wonder why animals and rats lived amonst them. More particularly, the flea from the rats, which carried the plague in their gut.

Anyway, it's been a great read so far. Can't wait to get back into it.

Cutting It Off

2006-06-14T16:40:00.000-07:00

One thing about me is that I have a lot of patience. So much so that for years, I allowed people to step over me or take advantage of me because of it. Mind you, I still have that patience...but it is gone for two people in my life.

Wow, I was even surprised at that. I've never been in a (physical) fight in my life. It's easy for me to love and I can't say that I have any enemies that I know of. And I don't really 'dislike' people. But I guess I do now.

The first person in my life my patience has run out in a span of about 2 years. That's pretty fast considering the second person in my life. But he continues to make choices that hurts the people around him. It's got to a point where we just have to say, "No more".

For the other person in my life, a member of my close family....I've dealt with being "patient" with her for over 25 years. But it has come to this:

Cutting her off.

That's it. I've been patient. NO MORE!

There's only so much you can take. So much of a beating that you can endure. So much of the hurt that you can take. So much of watching others get hurt by her unwise decisions. I can't anymore. I'm too tired of dealing with it. For the sake of keeping the peace in my immediate family, I have to do this. For the sake of my safety because now she's threatened violence upon my person.

Either way, I will always love both of them

For these two individuals in my life, I've got to say, "Stop".

And for me, all I've got now is prayer.

Take A Shower This Year...

2006-06-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

...I mean...take a chance to see a meteor shower this year.

I have loved astronomy ever since I could remember. My science projects in school were always geared toward planetary studies or reading whole astronomy sections at the school library. (I serious! I did!) So naturally, when I was teen I dragged my parents to the desert to view the 'Perseid' meteor shower that occurs every year at around August 13th. I remember that we weren't alone in doing so because there were others just like us who came out to check out the "shooting stars".

They occur every year when the earth orbits through huge streams of dust that were left by passing comets. When that happens, our planet experiences a meteor shower. The meteors themselves are just small pieces of interplanetary debris, that vaporize as they hurl into Earth's upper atmosphere.

Here's a quick view chart of the meteor showers that occur every year:
(*Note: Bright moonlight will interfere with Perseids this year.)

So if you decide to go, here are a few tips:

1. Go to a dark location far from the major city lights. You won't see much if you don't.

2. Check the calendar when there's a full moon. Moonlight will 'drown' out the shower with its own brilliance. (Best to go during a "New Moon"/no moon)

3. Take a jacket and/or blankets. Chances are you are heading out to the desert where the temperatures are cold at night.

4. Get comfortable. Bring lawn chairs or lay out on someones pick-up truck.

5. Bring your patience. Even if you don't get to see many, it could be a cool chance to hang out with some buddies and just 'chill'.

I still love astronomy as I did as a kid. But unfortunately, all I get to admire are the sunspots on the sun or the maria on the moon or Jupiter, Venus or Sirius in Orion. Only the brightest objects in the sky are usually visible in our light polluted sky.

Do any of us stop to smell the flowers these days?
Do any of us stop to look "up"?

Not My Favorite

2006-05-26T07:03:00.000-07:00

Words.

Do you know any words that you just plain don't like? (Or even HATE?)

I'm not talking about the meaning of the word or words, but the sound or look of it.

Here are 4 words that I really don't like:
1. Waterloo
2. Adirondack
3. Favre (As in Brett. Isn't it pronounced Fav-re dang it!)
4. Blob

(There is one more or two but I forgot them.)

This also makes sense if you knew that my lowest Love Language is 'words'. (The highest being 'Quality Time')

Unfortunately for some, I am terrible with my words. Reading books are fine and writing a paper will take me some time. I won spelling bees in elementary school and was placed in the 'higher' reading table apart from the other kids. Poetry isn't my forte and cranking out lyrics to a song isn't either. As a result, I feel my communication skills or interpersonal relationship skills are lacking. For me, my mind is running faster than my mouth can say so I end up just mumbling words that don't connect. (And I get that familiar quizzical look from people!)

But fortunately, I usually mean what I say because I have placed a lot of thought (and heart) into them. So my words are few. And usually by the time I've decided what to say or have my thoughts together....somebody will either have said them already OR the subject has changed OR 9 times out of 10 I get 'cut off'.

I guess I'm more of a "thinker".

Star Trek Cribs Yo!

2006-05-10T08:24:00.000-07:00

I had to share this video with you. My fellow Star Trek geeks would wonder what would be up with ghetto Spock though. These guys who put these together must like playing with their dolls. (And for that, we geeks are thankful!)

Check it yo!

And Spock didn't show you his tight pool!

Are ya down wit it?

If You Were an Elf or a Hobbit...

2006-05-08T19:45:00.000-07:00

...what would your name be? (Okay okay, yeah me and my Lord of the Rings, blah blah.)

My name would be "Rosie-Posie Overhill of Rushy". He he...okay?

Get your "hobbit" name at this Hobbit name generator.

Not recommended for generating ideas for baby names.

Also, if you are a little more "elvish" you can find your proud elvish name at the Elvish name generator.

My elvish name is "Lúthien Isilrá". I only recommend this if you are weird like me and want to name your dog "Lólindir Calafalas" or "Golradir Arnatuilë".

So, if you were a hobbit or an elf?....

Melting Years

2006-05-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

Here I am circa 1982 because I just noticed TODAY that my grandma is sitting in the passengers seat in my aunt's nice RX-7. I believe she passed soon after...then, I lost my (young) aunt in late April 1996. So this picture is a little more sentimental than others.

I turned 29 today. (While Alex is still a youthful 27)

I was hoping to turn back the 'clock' for a few minutes today so I went to this site. How old would I be on another planet?

By the looks of it, I would be 15 years old on Mars and 17 on Neptune. Gee, I definately don't want to go that far back!

On Venus I'm 47, and on Jupiter I'm still a terrible two.

But on Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, I'm 128 years old while on far away Pluto I'm technically still in the womb.

I think I'll stick to my "earth age"...like I have a choice. While I definately don't want to be younger, I also don't want the years to "melt off" either.

If we could only visit a planet for just a short while...or go back in time for just a bit....

That'd only be fun for a while.

Wow! That Was GREAT!

2006-05-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

I gotta say....there were actually a few good things that came out of all this illegal immigration crazieness!

Here in So. Calif. I drive to work on one of the busiest freeways out there! Especially in Alhambra!

May 1st 2006 @ 9am: driving 70mph going West on the 10 freeway...this is unheard of! I got to work in 20 minutes! (Just so you know, it usually takes me 45 minutes to an hour from where I live)

Same day in the afternoon during RUSH hour @ 5pm: driving home at 70mph going East on the 10 freeway...we are ALL going 70 mph! I got home in 25 minutes!

So, thanks for staying home. I got to work early, I got home early! I didn't have to WAIT in line when I went to the store to BUY things!

Hey....do it AGAIN tomorrow!

Poll It.

2006-04-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

I like little web 'gadgets' like this. This is a custom made "poll" that I created through Flash-Gear. I snagged it off of a MySpace 'Republican' group asking its members what they think should help solve the high gas prices. The highest was "domestic drilling". Crazy huh. Well, here's mine:

FYI: Make sure you click on the correct one on the first try, it may not let you change your answer. :)

Why not? Make your own.

Gotcha!

2006-04-24T20:28:00.000-07:00

Alex (theyepizzone) and I scored some free tickets to the Renaissance Pleasure Faire for this past Sunday. If you haven't been there yet, you should check it out.
And the faire is not as far as it used to. They were located off of Glen Helen Parkway which is waaay out there, where it gets really hot around this time. They are now located at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale off of Arrow Hwy. So Close!

Anyway, we went to see one of their entertainment shows. The one in particular was called the Bold & Stupid Men show. It is described as : Our swashbuckling duo deliver "lessons in gentlemanly behavior" amidst a flurry of daring sword play and a rollicking war of wits, and never fail to win the affections of unsuspecting ladies in the audience.

This was a very entertaining show where these two guys in renaissance tights get the men of the audience to woo their women. One of the guys asked the women to raise their hands if they came with a "fine man you call your own." Well, I didn't want to insult Alex so I raised my hand shoulder height. Sure enough one of the guys came up to me and asked me if the gentleman next to me was "mine". I said yes, and he suggested I raise my hand a little higher. No matter...he pulled Alex onstage along with about 7 other guys. Gotcha Alex!

He had them perform certain acts onstage such as "place your hand on your hips, stick your chest out and smile at your maiden" or "look at your maiden and stretch out your arm and raise her up as if on a pedistal."

Of course, I had my camera out.

But I wasn't out of the woods yet. They had us women stand up...oh geeze...had our men strut back to us and made them give us a "romantic" kiss.

It was worth the embarrassment!

Hope to Capture

2006-04-22T22:09:00.000-07:00

I'm not one for gatherings much. It's because I get nervous and being there with a lot of people makes me feel uneasy. Even if I know everybody, it's hard to cope with being yourself when you have a wall that you just want to put up. Security..that's what I need. Being myself is easy and natural, but bringing it out is the challenge.

But today, I went to a baby shower. There were a lot of women there. It was uneasy for me especially because I was taking pictures. It was easy for me to open up more since I now have deeper relationships with these women. Still, I got nervous. And sometimes, without wanting to, I drew attention to myself because my camera makes noise or because I have to get "into the action", so to speak, in order to get the shot.

I have to admit, I could have been more aggressive in taking more shots.

Really, this blog is more about insecurity. And how I've spent so much time and energy in protecting myself. I have improved tremendously, because unfortunately in the past, I've hurt people because of it. (Please forgive me.)

Anyway, this was also about my friends celebrating the arrival of their baby. This was for her. And this was for him. And it is always so nice to gather people together to celebrate a new life.

I hope that I captured some of that.

Shot With Margarita

2006-04-17T22:52:00.000-07:00

Having fun with the flickrtoys. And Flickr.com is the photography website where I post my pictures. (If you haven't already, check out the Flickr banner I have toward the bottom of this blog under all the links I have.)

I used my macro lenses for this 'eye' shot...the 'Margarita' I had prior to this shot made me look all the more dorky. (Oh, and more on the macro lenses in the future) The badge was created with fd's Flickr Toys.

Maybe Next Year...

2006-04-16T23:52:00.000-07:00

There was an "Art" Easter contest that I was supposed to enter. However I missed the deadline due to the cost getting my work "processed". But, I still created them anyway. Oh, well maybe next year.

Here's what I should have entered...with the scripture excerpt after each one:

From left to right:
1. Baptism
2. The Temptation
3. Preaching
4. Teaching
5. On Water
6. Taken Away
7. Tortured
8. Crucifiction
9. To The Tomb
10. Resurrection
11. Ascention
12. Always With You

Happy Easter.

What Do You Know About Me That You Don't Really Know?

2006-04-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my friend Anthony, a former-fellow-college-band-geek, he created his own quiz about himself.

I scored a 70% which is not bad since I haven't really seen him in over 5 years now. It was actually a little challenging for me to create because I'm such a "private" person.

When you have some time, I've made a 15 question quiz...about myself. Check it out and even make your own.

So, how much do you know about me of which you really don't know much about?

Boxy Week

2006-04-08T23:21:00.000-07:00

No, this isn't the storage facility at my job...it's the actual office!

I work at a Service of Process business where they also specialize in document archival, document preparation and 'backing up' records. Our clients are lawyers offices who'd like their boxes and boxes of records recopied (why?), duplicated (opposing counsels), or placed on a CD (ahhh!).

Quick overview....Mostly what I do is the organizing and assembling of the records. After our guy goes out and copies your medical records via subpoena or an authorization that we've served the week before, they are placed in our 'server' where I get my hands on them. I will then print up the records and assemble them via acco fastener. Or if our clients prefer, I will place their records on a regular data disk CD. (I wish all our clients requested that format!)

Well on top of our usual duties, we've had to tackle an 18 box "copy job" where we were allowed to "borrow" the records from a attorney's office for us to duplicate at our office. (When we go on a "copy job" our field reps go out to the hospitals, or businesses equipped with their scanner.) Sometimes our clients want 2 sets of these records. Wow! That's a lot of paper!

Last Tuesday, there were a lot of people in the office that day....along with all those boxes. Some from that particular 18 box job AND from other clients. I almost tripped a few times. (Clumsy me!)

Personally, I'm so glad for the surge in our business. It was a little overwhelming though, trying to juggle school and extra hours/days at work. And for the last two weeks I've even been there on the weekend. Right now, were tackling another big job...with a lot of folders and fasteners and legal sized and staples. (I hate the staples!)

But...I like what I do and that's what counts.

Now if I can only get in some more sleep...I'll be ready for next week!

They're Baaack

2006-03-29T19:21:00.000-08:00

Whoa! This May 12, 13, & 14 2006, there are going to be comet fragments that are going to fly past Earth closer than any comet has come in almost 80 years! The closest it will be is about 6 million miles away. Which is close with out a danger of collision. (Which would have been very bad for us.)

Back in 1995, Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, surprised astronomers by breaking apart. Now, they are considered "mini-comets". Since then, they have named it the "string-of-pearls." They're thinking it became unstable and broke up due to the Sun's heat. After all, comets are really dirty ice-balls.

It's unlikely, but astronomers think that the dust from the 1995 break up has produced dust that will make its way to earth. This may mean that we will have a nice display of meteor showers at night. It's worth facing a chilly night outdoors to check out anyway.

They aren't very bright to the un-aided eye. (3rd - 4th in star magnitude) If you really want to check them out, its best to find a location away from the bright city lights and make sure to bring your patience and your binoculars.

Their location will be through the constellations Cygnus and Pegasus.

Don't forget to bundle up and to bring the coffee!

Laugh All You Want

2006-03-14T11:09:00.000-08:00

Inspired by The Yepiz Zone's "Please-Don't-Laugh-at-my-Music" blog, I've posted a list of my own. But I'd like to add 'please don't die of boredom' or 'please give it a try'. I've narrowed it down to 5 because some of the music today is not music. (It's some sort of organized annoying noise.) Some of the music I like rarely has words to it. (But then again, some of it is like over 200 years old) Unlike my husband, I'm more of a classical freak, but I like some rock here and there. And even though I 'like' Weird Al Yankovic, this "Top 5" list wasn't hard for me to compose. Here they are...I don't think you would have to question my 'womanhood' on these...right?

5. Nirvana: Do I even need details? My favorite of course like everyone else...well, you'll need some "Spirit" for this one.

4. Bing Crosby: With his soothing voice and his signature pipe, this guy had his own style. You can't have your "White Christmas" without him. Besides, he was an inspiration to 'old blue eyes'. My favorite: "Jingle Bells" with the Andrews Sisters.

3. Oingo Boingo/Danny Elfman: Ok, I like this mostly 80's band. I don't think anybody sounds like them. (Probably for a reason) Also, I like the lead singer's ability to write and compose the bands music. Which carried him onto composing for some the movies we love. My favorites: Close your Eyes and music Pee Wee's Big Adventure.

2. Tchaikovsky: Talk about passion. To me, this guy is it but with a little dark twist to it. Being depressed most of the his life did add to it because some of his music sounds, well, tragic. He wouldn't be composing if it weren't for Mozart's 'Don Giovanni'. Being that Mozart was also his own favorite composer, I think it also made some of Tchaikovsky's own music sound "cute" at times. My favorites: The Nutcracker and Romeo & Juliet.

1. Mozart: I don't have to go into this one either. This guy is great when your studying or depressed. Your baby listens to it on the headphones in the womb and is played at some funerals. (Or please play it at mine!) My favorites: "Jupiter" Symphony #41, Requiem, Magic Flute and the Clarinet Concerto.

My honorable mentions: U2, Linkin Park, Gershwin, John Williams, J.S. Bach, H. Shore, A. Copland, G.F. Handel, J. Haydn, A. Vivaldi...gee, I could go on and on. (But, sorry, no 'Big Dog'.)

Nothing but Skin!

2006-03-09T10:49:00.000-08:00

My friend Jessica E. had sent this to me a while ago and said that she thought I'd may get a 'kick' out of something like this. I did! But it wouldn't be something I'd actually purchase and wear.

This garment is made out of 'synthetic' human skin. It is made to look like different types of skin. You can even have them custom made. You have your choice of 'second skin' to be a certain skin color, have bumps or contain a tattoo.

This company actually specializes in skin bags where you could have a special and unique bag to meet your needs. For 90 euros, you can get your special skin bag that can be worn with your matching skin vest! Men, you'll love the "digital device" bags, one with the company logo for your laptop and another for your digi-camera.

You've even got testimony from satisfied customers who love wearing their testicle pouch. One 'testicle' customer says, "[it's] presence reassures me, its odor makes it friendlier and more alive".

Umm, ok.

(To be fair ladies, this bag called "mary" looks, um, a little painful.)

Just how alive? The company claims that this is "alive and you are responsible for it". You can't prolong the exposure to sunlight and place near sources of heat. Am I gonna need sunblock for this thing? It gets dirty too. Don't forget, once you've washed with mild soap and water, you are able to use talcom powder once fully dry.

Gee, I'm curious, what does it eat?

Hmmm, I wonder if they'd make me a cool bible cover with my name tattooed onto the skin.

Lhasa in the Dark

2006-03-01T19:17:00.000-08:00

Not many of you know this but, Alex has a "step-son". His name is Nova (short for Supernova) and he will be 13 years old this April Fool's day.

Nova was given to me as a Christmas present by an old high school boyfriend. From the start he was just a nice 'all-around' dog. What only sucked was his hair because it grows fast. We would always have to cut it because it would be easier to maintain. He never looked like what Lhasa Apsos are really supposed to look like. He looks more like a cute Ewok.

From what I know of his parents, they lived a looong time. His father died at 18 years old. His mother died a little sooner. He has a brother who is a little shorter and is more of a cream and white in color. I haven't seen him in over 10 years.

Nova isn't as young as he used to be but he still brings me joy. I feel so bad for him now because he developed diabetes. The vet says that he just got it somehow because his diet was fine and he wasn't overweight at all. It's still weird to me that we need to give him his insulin shots two times a day.

Also, what sucks is that because since his tear ducts don't produce tears, he is now blind. Well, actually the vet says it's kinda like he is wearing dark sunglasses all the time. So, Alex and I have to watch him bump into walls and such. Lot's of times he just plops himself in the middle of the hallway or where there's heavy foot traffic. We usually have to nudge him to guide him outta the way. But he's always had awesome hearing, so that has helped him move around.

Now that he's an "old dog" he's too stubborn (and spoiled) now to learn 'new tricks'. Walking him used to be enjoyable for him but now it seems like a chore. But he does get far...the door to the house has been left open and he's gotten out. I panic and go on a frantic search for him. One time on a 'Nova hunt', my father found him 4 blocks away! (We've told people at our house to be more careful, but it doesn't seem to stick!)

I enjoy my old dog. He still brings a smile to my face. I look for him when I walk in the door. And even though he can't see me, he knows he is loved.

Road Rage

2006-02-21T11:36:00.000-08:00

Of course, the first day of school...parking madness, long bookstore lines, crowded classrooms and short tempers. And what's even better?

CalTrans working on the very street that the students use to reach the campus!

Why didn't they do that yesterday...oh yeah, "President's Day". Well, what about last week! Did that pothole just happen to appear? On the first day of school? I'll let Alex tell you what he said to them when we drove past them.

Hey, at least we didn't catch them sitting around this time. We actually found them working. I wish I had my camera with me.

I hope they embedded the street with gold or something. At least I would've had something pretty to look at!

Geeks Away!

2006-02-17T21:35:00.000-08:00

If you wonder why I add "ess" to my words...ask Gollum.

Also, because I'm such a geek.

It's not news to you.

You knew this already.

At least Alex understands.

He has hobbit feet...it fits him.

Ever attend an Orc or Elf convention? I'm guilty for going to the Star Trek ones. (Yeah, I've even dressed up!)

With my fellow "hobbits" or "trekkies".

At least I feel normal there.

Shoot Me

2006-02-16T19:06:00.000-08:00

Actually, please don't shoot me. I'd much rather be behind the camera than in front of it.

I really enjoy taking photographs. But I really hate when I don't get to. I feel a little limited in the equipment I have but for now, it does pretty well.
I own a few film cameras: 1 Canonet (1972), 1 Pentax Honeywell (1962), 1 Canon Rebel G (my baby), and 1 Canon Sure Shot 80 (1995). And my newest addition, as many of you know is my Canon A95 digital camera. I saved and saved for this one because it was for a looooow price! What I really want is the digital Canon 5D. It just came out so it's still extremely high in price. But soooo nice!

My heart is still in using film, especially black & white vs color. But I use mostly digital now because it is more convenient to share and edit/manipulate. Also, digital is easier to store and share. I usually burn a disk or two of my photos where I can send people only the photos that they want. I'd much rather do that instead of developing film and only sending the ones that will eventually end up in their junk drawer.

For instance, I just attended a funeral last Wednesday. I hung out with cousins that I haven't seen in over a decade. (They live in Calexico.) I made sure I took some pictures of us and the family. I ended up burning a few disks and sent them to a few relatives. Some of the pictures I sent via e-mail.

Anyway, I would love to get much better at my photos. It's a skill that I've only had formal training on just recently. I like to learn by example, but of course nothing compares to experimenting yourself.

If you'd like some basic photo tips, I'd be glad to share them. Or even information in getting a camera. (Or film or cards, ect) I'm no where near being a pro, but if I can help you take better photos, cool! (I'm a patient teacher!)

Happy Snappy!

Stare at the Sun

2006-02-15T17:44:00.000-08:00

Ok, DON'T! You'll seriously damage your eyes. Check out the live Sun Cam instead.

Our Sun. The nearest star in our visible sky. It's like 93 million miles away from us and its considered a medium sized star. You mean, it's not the biggest? Yeah.

But dang is it hot! And some of the cooler (Ha! Cooler!) places on the sun are earth sized and called Sunspots. If you wanna check out some live pictures of our sun through various solar instruments, check this out.

Anyway, I think its interesting how God made this so neat. How he used hydrogen to burn into helium to make the heat. How close it is to us. How perfectly we are positioned from it. If we were nudged just a little bit closer, we'd be frying now. And just a littl bit farther, we'd be frozen in time. Whew! At least the nearest star is about 4.5 years away....if you were travelling the speed of light...which is 186,282 miles per second. Which, thank God, we aren't able to do.

(Geez! Could you imagine what having that kinda power would do? I'm glad it's too far for us to reach!)

I just like to stop dig in a bit further on something we kinda take for granted, I think. We figure that the sun will always be there. But eventually, as God has it planned for any star, it will die. But don't sweat, that will take about 4.5 billion years to do so.

Does anybody else out there understand the 'geek' language? Too bad. I think this is so facinating. How can anybody not see what's out there and think, "Dang! God is a beautiful creator!"

I "GOD" You

2006-02-14T08:06:00.000-08:00

I remember that song in Sunday school where we sang, "Beloved, let us love one another"...and ends with you singing "First John four, seven and eight!" It always stuck with me when we sang, "...God is Love". Let's look at it really quick.

1 John 4:7-8 (NLT)
7) Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
8) But anyone who does not love does not know God--for God is love.

Then I came to think of my name. The latin root is something like "worthy of love" and when I think of love I think of God. So I am worthy of God? Some days I don't feel like it. Technically, I'm not worthy because of the "disease of self" that "runs through my blood". My sin..."a cancer thats fatal to my soul". But I'm always comforted with this next passage, which I try to remember to show a lot of the youth I talk to. (Who often feel that sometimes nobody loves them enough to 'understand' them or understands them enough to 'love' them.)

Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)
38) And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away.
39) Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It's crazy to think that no matter what you are doing or where you are, you can not escape God's love for you. Since God loves us, it is soooo hard to do the same to others! So then I immediately come to this next passage that I try sooo hard to live by all the time.

Luke 6:31 (NIV)
31) Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Loving others. That's a hard one especially if they know how and which buttons to press with you. For some reason though, this one is a little easier for me. I find it easy to forgive and love you. I think God placed it easier in me because of my name. But all the same, I know I've hurt people too, maybe enough to cause them to hate me or stop loving me. I'm no different, of course.

Looking back at the first verse, throughout my life, I've thought about love and what it means. And I know that God is love. The best love anybody could ever have.

I "God" you.

Tag "4"! You're It!

2006-02-09T10:58:00.000-08:00

This is kinda like those 'blogthings'. Thanks to Ben Eash, I've put up my own "4". He got this idea from a friend. I got the idea from my friend. Oh, whatever!

Four jobs I’ve had in my life:
1. Clerk for Service of Process
2. Administrative Assistant (to former Pastor Robbie Sortino)
3. Veterinary Technician
4. Music: librarian/transposer/teacher/substitute

Four movies I can watch over and over:
1. The Lord of the Rings
2. The Patriot
3. Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame
4. The Nightmare Before Christmas

Four places I have lived:
1. Altadena, Ca
2. Montebello, Ca
3. Torrance, Ca
4. Whittier, Ca

Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. Boston Legal
2. CSI
3. Smallville
4. Animal Planet Cops

Four places I have been on vacation:
1. London, England
2. Paris, France
3. Williamsburg, VA
4. New York, NY

Four websites I visit daily:
1. Yahoo! Mail
2. Blogger
3. MySpace
4. Yahoo! Weather

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Chinese Chicken Salad
2. Cornbread
3. Pizza
4. Ice-Cream (Ahhhh!)

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Asleep
2. Wellington, New Zealand
3. Salsburg, Austria
4. In a swimming pool

Four bloggers I am tagging:
1. Alex Yepiz
2. Ben Eash
3. Pablo Tovar
4. Jessica Espinoza

Brrrr! Cold New Planet

2006-02-06T17:27:00.000-08:00

It looks like astronomers found what looks to be a new planet just outside our solar system. Most of the planets discovered after earth are huge and this new planet is actually smaller than earth. And so far, it is the most distant planet (outside our solar system) yet found. Crazy!
Of course, it looks to be too cold to sustain life. Researchers are saying that it reaches no more than -365 degrees. That's probably because it orbits its star about 2.6 times the distance from the earth to the sun. (Distance between earth and sun is = 93 million miles)
This planet was found using a new "micro-lensing" technique that uses brighness of nearby stars to tell if the planet is causing the light to dim or brighten when it passes in front of our view. Expect to see more planet discoveries using this new technique. Oh! I can't wait!
The new planet's name? It's OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb. "OGLE" is the group of astronomers who monitor the stars for the evidence of "microlensing".

"The Teacher is Crying!"

2006-01-28T17:31:00.000-08:00

I remember walking into my 3rd grade classroom and it was semi-dark. I found some students already seated and the television on. To my right the teacher was crying. After the hour went on, she explained a little to us what happened earlier that morning. And she left the television on to show us the unbelievable video.

I'm not sure if many of us completely understood what was happening. All we know was that it wasn't very good. It made my teacher cry! I wish I was old enough, at that time, to hear the president speak on the event.

Twenty years later, I finally had a chance to read the president's speech on that day a long time ago. It makes sense to me now, but it also reflects the 'world' of back then.

I think Space Exploration is important. I also think Earth Exploration is important as well. But I'm so proud of those who risk their lives to bring us the unknown and 'yet to be discovered'. Making it easier for us to see God's beautiful work.

"TRAZOM'S" 250th Birthday

2006-01-25T17:10:00.000-08:00

This coming January 27 marks the 250th anniversary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's birth. And, he happens to be my most favorite composer of classical music.

This guy wrote so much music in his short life of only 35 years old. He's considered a genius and started playing music while still a toddler and composing at 5. Oh, what about the time he went to a church and heard a long sacred choral piece, only to go home and write the music down after just listening to it once! (It's his fault that we have now have it written down for others to sing. This choral piece was forbidded to be written down!) But, what intruiges me about him most is his music, of course.

He was a humorous guy who would write his music in different colored inks and even made a horn player quit his job because Mozart upset him by making him play funny and rude tunes in concerts. He would also sign his name backwards on the bottom of his compositions to see if anybody would catch it. (Gnagflow Suedama Trazom)

His music is also a reflection of the times he was living. (1756 - 1791)Classical music at it's best! And like other composer's works today, his is still heard almost every day.

Mozart wrote a variation on an simple old French song and made it famous but we simply know it as "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star". And "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" is probably one of the most recognized of his music.

If you're still not very familiar with any of his music, I suggest renting the movie "Amadeus". (Just remember that this movie isn't accurate on the whole 'Salieri' rivalry thing.)

Why should you care? Well, because he, like other composers before and after him, is embedded in our lives more than we know. Just remember, we may have forgotten (thank God) the 'Spice Girls', and I'm sure that '50 Cent' will make a slight dent in music...but with composers like Mozart, music like that lives through the ages.

The Sky Awaits

2006-01-13T16:29:00.000-08:00

It won't be until the second half of 2006, til we get to enter the updated and renovated Griffith Observatory. This beloved gift to the city of Los Angeles was given by Col. Griffith J. Griffith, and has been a major landmark since 1935.
Viewing the photos on the Griffith site, it looks pretty thrashed, but I'm anxious to check it out once it's completed.
When I was younger, I've really enjoyed calling the Sky Report, narrated by John Mosley. You can call (323) 663-8171. But now you can just go to the site online and read the transcript of the recording.
I don't know about you, but I have nice childhood memories here. And my love for Astronomy grows every time I visit the observatory. Come on, let's set a time, so when it opens, we can explore the 'heavens' together.

When will you BITE the big one?

2005-12-31T23:59:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Another year on its way...twelve months past...countless days and hours gone. Another year older, and hopefully, wiser. But how long do you really have? Find out by checking out the Death Clock. By the looks of it, I'll die on Wednesday, July 14, 2055 at the age of 78. Even though that is a way off from now, I could still do things to prolong my life.

Right now, life average expectancy is about 74.3 for men and 79.8 for women. (Its crazy to think that in 1900, life average life expectancy for men was 49.7 years and for women 50.9 years! We've come a looooong way!) I'm not doing too bad though. I scored 88.3 years on the LifeSpan Calculator which is a more detailed take on your lifestyle and habits. This one is a longer quiz, but it shouldn't take you all year.

So, if you have some time, I'd like to know how long you have to live. Or the day you'll bite the big one.

(Either way, I'll see you in Heaven)

It's not too late!

2005-12-23T10:09:00.000-08:00

Have you've written your letter to Santa yet? Well, don't get "mad" just ad "lib" it & click on the link...its not too late!
Letter to Santa

Christmas @ the Gathering 2005

2005-12-18T23:45:00.000-08:00

Ahhh, it's that time of year again when we 'gather' together and celebrate the beautiful event that is Christmas. The combination of music, friends, sugar, and love...it was quite pleasant. Here is a glimpse of our small event.

Jeremy & Pablo patiently putting together some Christmas decorations. Their work paid off...

...it turned out quite nice!

Sammy even joined in the fun. Good job Sammy! :P

After all that work, it was time to grub. Looks good.

Mmmm, what have we here?

It was nice to chat and catch up and talk about our Christmas plans.

These guys plan on a nap after all the sugar they ate.

Despite the weird 'white elephant' gifts exchanged, in the end, we had a nice pleasant time. Let's do it again next year!

A Good Thing

2005-10-04T14:00:00.000-07:00

An older married couple recently asked both Alex & I a question, "Was the first year the hardest?". We looked at each other and Alex says, "Its still hard". I agreed. Even though I've dated Alex for almost 9 years, since high school, I'm still learning things about him. We've had to climb some big hills and fell down some steep valleys and especially one huge mountain. I've gotta say though, if it wasn't for God almighty, I think things would have been much harder. And help from our wonderful family at Gateway.

But I knew Alex was the "one", even waaay back then. I don't know how I knew but I did. Even if he didn't see it at the time, I saw it all. Well, apparently, not everything. And even though it has been just two years today being married, I am still looking forward to what years lie ahead. And I'm glad not to be doing it alone.

Two good years. And two rough years. Marriage is much different than dating, it's better than dating, and you don't have to rough things out alone. But when the going gets tough, its hard not to be selfish about it...you've got another person, the other half of you to worry about. To me, thats a good thing.