Simply AWESOME!! Conan O'Brien did a kick-ass job at the Gibson. He sang, dressed up in ridiculous costumes and had a ton of rad surprise guests. The masturbating bear, Triumph, Andy, La Bamba, and a few other regulars from the show were there to add to the fun. Jim Carrey even showed up dressed as Superman and sang a song with Conan! A few more TV and Moviestars came out for a Walker, Texas Ranger bit. Angel and I enjoyed 3 hours of nonstop laughter =).
350 parts per million is what many scientists, climate experts, and progressive national governments are now saying is the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere.
Accelerating arctic warming and other early climate impacts have led scientists to conclude that we are already above the safe zone at our current 390ppm, and that unless we are able to rapidly return to 350 ppm this century, we risk reaching tipping points and irreversible impacts such as the melting of the Greenland ice sheet and major methane releases from increased permafrost melt.
There are three numbers you need to really understand global warming, 275, 390, and 350.
For all of human history until about 200 years ago, our atmosphere contained 275 parts per million of carbon dioxide. Parts per million is simply a way of measuring the concentration of different gases, and means the ratio of the number of carbon dioxide molecules to all of the molecules in the atmosphere. 275 ppm CO2 is a useful amount—without some CO2 and other greenhouse gases that trap heat in our atmosphere, our planet would be too cold for humans to inhabit.
There's children on the street using guns and knives Taking drugs and each other's lives Killing each other with knives and forks Calling each other names like 'dork' There's people on the street getting diseases from monkeys Yeah, that's what I said - they're getting diseases from monkeys Now there's junkies with monkey disease Who's touching these monkeys, please Leave these poor sick monkeys alone They've got problems enough as it is. Man's lying on the street Some punk's chopped off his head I'm the only one who stops To see if he's dead Mmm... Turns out he's dead. And that's why I'm singing What...what is wrong with the world today? What is wrong with the world today? (Jemaine mumbles) What...what is wrong with the world today? You gotta think about it Think think about it. Good cops been framed and put into a can. All the money that we're making is going to the man. What man? Which man? Who's the man? When's a man a man? What makes a man a man? Am I a man? Yes. Technically I am. They're turning kids into slaves just to make cheaper sneakers. But what's the real cost? 'Cause the sneakers don't seem that much cheaper. Why are we still paying so much for sneakers When you got them made by little slave kids What are your overheads? Well, at the end of your life, you're lucky if you die, Sometimes I wonder why we even try. I saw a man lying on the street half dead With knives and forks sticking out of his leg. And he said, "Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow Can somebody get that knife and fork out of my leg, please? Can somebody please remove these cutleries from my knees?" And then we break it down. This is where we break it down Ooh This is where we break it down Aah This is where we do the whoa-o-o-o Break it down This is where we build it up now We build it up now We build it up now We build it up now We build it up now Build it up And then we stop
I attended my first class of the year finally, and as expected it was wonderful. I went to a lot of Veronica's classes last year when she was teaching out of her home. Now she has Studio Space! Veronica is an amazing dancer, and a really good teacher, encouraging, patient, and positive. Classes are on Monday nights from 7:30-8:30pm in Fountain Valley. It's $15 for a walk-in, and $55 to pay by the month. Starting on May 3rd, she'll be starting new beginner classes. Check her website for more info: www.veronikadancer.com
Beach Cities Stars Dance Studio 18956 Brookhurst Street Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Proper Belly Dance Attire: -Hair pulled back, off neck and shoulders. -Form-fitting dance pants or yoga pants. Harem pants are ok, too. Please no skirts. -Form-fitting top, able to roll up to reveal belly (a choli top or dance bra is good too) -Bare feet, ballet slippers, jazz shoes, foot undies, or any other soft soled dance footwear is acceptable. Please no street shoes.
If you've ever thought about taking classes, you should check this out! Ask me about it and we can go together. It's not only fun and girly, it's also a great workout!
This year I had the most amazingly wonderful birthday. Angel and I went up to Big Bear for a couple of days to snowboard and relax. The sliding was perfect. Soft, 3 day old snow, sunny and gorgeous weather. (down below it was cloudy and raining off and on allll day =). That night we went to the most perfect Indian & Nepalese Restaurant right in old town Big Bear Lake. The Himalayan is Great!! Angel even spotted a moviestar... (I would have never known that dude at the next table was Jon Cryer, lol).
Our room was a private little cabin- with a Jacuzzi! It was a great place, I recommend the Frontier to anyone who's looking to stay the night up there. We woke up around 7am to a beautiful sight, light falling snow. Angel said he's never seen snow fall before, so we went outside in our snow gear and played around for a bit. Simply perfect. Here are some shots I took while Angel was getting his boots on.
Ever since I can remember my mom has played The Beatles for me. She had their records when I was young, and the only radio station I remember is K-Earth, which played a ton of their songs. In addition, she would always be singing along (whether we liked it or not!). Well, mom's influence on my was not lost. My presets in the truck are KLOS, K-Earth, JackFM, Star and the Sound. I don't even know any modern music anymore.... The Beatles have always had a special place in my heart.
Aaaannnyway... Ever since I've know Angel it was clear that he is a wild Beatles fanatic. He knows more about them than my own mother, who, to be clear, used to sport a Beatles mop haircut in the 60's. So when we heard that Paul was coming to the Hollywood Bowl, we were both pretty excited. I looked up ticket prices and saw that the cheapest seats were going for something around $200, since he sold out almost instantaneously. We decided we couldn't afford it and went about with our lives.
Well, I simply couldn't let this opportunity pass us (especially Angel) by. I kept searching online for tickets that I could afford and finally bought a pair up in one of the upper sections. I didn't tell Angel about it for about a month (damn it's hard keeping a secret that AWESOME!). But I know how he works and decided that I'd have to tell him so he could go through the routines and rituals of listening to songs and generally getting as excited as I'd been for the last month in private. I swear I saw a tear the night I put on the Paul McCartney Live in New York DVD. I told him, "We're not going to New York, and I don't know if he'll play the same songs for us....." He said, "No.. We're not going to see Paul McCartney are we??!??". "Yea, bub, we are =)."
The concert was simply beautiful. The Bowl sound is always amazing, but this was different. We were in the presence of greatness. Hands down the best show I've ever seen, and I'm sure the same goes for Angel. Paul played for over 3 1/2 hours, Beatles tunes, Wings songs and some of his newer stuff. It was absolutely fantastic. My mother was extremely jealous, but totally excited for us. All of Angel's aunts felt the same way. I think we won that night =)
I've never been a fan of Wal-mart, that's a fact. I always saw them as a major contributor to the problem of American obesity. They sell food... however until now it was always pre-packaged and high in fat and calories. (for the most part.) It was also far from sustainable and did not do anything to support local growers, which in turn beats down the environment (shipping, trucking, oil, etc.)
I just read the most uplifting article about the company. Wal-mart is making big changes. They are beginning to sell fresh produce from local farms. They are carrying organic milk and cage free eggs. The food is comparable to what you might find at Whole Foods in quality, and a lot of it comes from the same places! Walmart is able to charge lower prices because they are so huge and they can guarantee the growers that they will buy their crops. This is happening at the supercenters, and I don't frequent any Walmart supercenters, so I really wasn't able to see this for myself. However, in the small towns where Walmarts are a big thing, the Supercenter is what they get. I am officially impressed. It seems that Walmart does a lot behind the scenes and they don't really brag about it. Many props to the guys in charge - thank you for doing your part to give less-than-wealthy Americans some better options. Check out the article on MSN!
Jamie has already revolutionalized school lunches in Great Britain and he's on a mission now to get the U.S. on board. Children of this generation will officially live shorter lives than their parents due to childhood obesity.... this will lead to adult onset diabetes, heart disease and worse. While this is just a television show, it is also extremely important and a great first step in getting our fat asses back on track. Check out the show on ABC, Fridays at 8pm.
Also, go to Jamie's website to sign the petition to change food in this country!
Here's the Premise: The American Food Revolution needs to start now! If you care about your country and the health of its children please help us make a difference. We need your support to get people back in touch with food and keep cooking skills alive before it's too late. We want to make sure every kid gets good, fresh food at school. It's proven that real food promotes more effective learning. If you want better health for your kids the junk food must go.
Em and I (and Bear) made a trip up to Snow Summit yesterday. Best day of snowboarding ever! We're at practically the same level, so nobody ends up waiting at the bottom of runs for the other person. By the same token, nobody feels like they need to go faster than they're capable of. It's a sweet happy medium where we are both able to challenge ourselves without slowing down the other. Em, you're my favorite snowboarding partner by far =)
What a crazy, horrific, yet inspiring story... This only strengthens my desire to become a paramedic. This woman's SUV plunged off of a bridge and ended up at the bottom of the dirty Los Angeles River. 17 feet underwater. For over 20 minutes. Firefighters and Paramedics performed CPR and Advanced Life Support procedures on the rescue boat and on the way to the hospital. The woman is in critical condition, but has a pulse! INSANE.
Still going strong! As we each grow and change in our different ways, we still seem to come together and connect on the same great level. I hope to god this continues and we remain this close forever and ever! I love my girls =0)
Dad's new puppy, DJ. (short for Dutchess & Jewel). But Angel and I think he's more of a Rowdy, courtesy of Scrubs. I actually think he's part albino with that brown nose and green eyes and I love him already =)
I took a photographer position with Lifetouch Church Directories and Portraits, and so far I'm liking it. It's very similar to what I did before with Prestige Portraits by Lifetouch (high school seniors)... except now I get to photograph all ages, groups, even doggies! So far so good and I'm really enjoying getting to know my coworkers. I am already perfectly suited for this job.
I believe that this came to me at the perfect time. Unemployment was starting to worry me, and it looked like it would take a while for the EMT certs to come through. Don't get me wrong though. I am completely dedicated to my goal of Paramedic. I am actively applying to EMT jobs all over So. Cal. and hoping for the best. If possible, I'd love to do both jobs for a while. EMTs work minimum of 12 hour shifts (some up to 24!) so I'd only be working 2 or 3 days per week. It would be simply amazing to be able to do them both. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Not only can the animals run free, they can also roam in packs/groups similar to what they might do in the wild. Many types of animals are placed together in harmony to allow them a semblance of normalcy. A lot of them are on the endangered list, and the San Diego Zoo is working to reverse this. All of their profits go directly to programs benefiting the animals they are protecting -- and THAT makes me feel good about spending money there! Highly recommended! Check it out, San Diego Wild Animal Park
I now have national certification to work as an EMT.. I even got a patch! So now all I need is my LA county cert and I can work. This process is longer than I expected, but I can only see it as a great thing. I mean, if I didn't have to go through all of this, I'd have little faith in the pre-hospital care we receive. soon.. very soon.. =)
I've been watching CNN coverage for the past 2 days, just wishing that I were further along in my schooling. I want to be there, I want so badly to help, to provide medical care for these people. I am making it my personal goal to be able to help in the next major emergency, in some way. Any way. I've thought of joining the Peace Corps, but I think linking up with the Red Cross or a similar aid organization would be even more fulfilling. Many doctors and nurses are on their way to Haiti to do whatever they can to help these people. I want to be that help...
In the meantime, Text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross Haiti relief.
I have THE absolute GREATEST friends and family. If you've seen me in the last few months, you're exactly who I'm talking about. So many of you have helped me in your own special and distinct way. I couldn't ask for a better support system. Hopefully I'll be up and running smooth shortly! Thank you for everything.
It was only 3 weeks long... but the most crazy intense immersion program I could have imagined. I have been eating, sleeping and breathing nothing but basic life support and I wouldn't have it any other way! Literally, since I finished I have dreamt about saving people's lives every single night. I met a lot of really great people in my short time there, and I intend to grow those friendships as I make my way through this insane career path.
I learned so much more than I ever thought I would, and this is only the beginning! Everywhere I go, I see potential to save a life. I know why the body reacts to things, I know how major disease affects us, I know how to keep someone alive if they suffer an accident or heart attack or diabetic coma. I can stop bleeding, splint an extremity, deliver a baby (if I HAVE to)... I can breathe for someone, keep their heart pumping blood, treat for shock, I can triage, I'm prepared for mass casualty, this is just madness. The body is an AMAZING thing, yet so incredibly fragile.
I have a ride along scheduled for this Sunday, actually with one of my instructors, so hopefully I'll really get some hands on action. I'm doing my ER hospital shift next week as well. Then I take my National Registry Exam, then get Certified in LA County.. and THEN I can get a job. I am looking forward to so much!! It can only get better from here. I can't wait to save my first life. I realize I'll be taking the bad with the good, but I know that the positive experiences will FAR outweigh anything traumatic. I'll see some things that I'd never wish upon anyone else... but I'll also see some things that I will cherish forever.
