New Year! But not a 2010 post.

Hello! I have returned (and obviously, survived) from my weeklong mass of doing things. Firstly, Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a fantastic end of 2009 (if you can remember it!), and that the first few days of 2010 have been amazing.

I wanted my first post of the new year to be something special, but I unfortunately fell quite sick these past few days and just don't have the energy to do it. I caught a cold while at Disneyland (and somehow managed to chip a tooth, too. These aren't related, but I thought I'd throw it in), and against my better judgment went on the Vegas trip anyway. I knew it would probably make me worse, but I also knew I'd regret not going. I had a good time, but as predicted, I am ridiculously sick now. And heavily medicated.

So I am postponing my "first" post to later when I feel better. In the mean time, I had written out the rest of the Best of 2009 Blog Challenge but never had the time to post it. Even though it is no longer 2009 (!!!), I wanted to finish it still.

Day 23 - Web tool
F'realz, Google Reader. I never used the thing until recently (it coincided nicely when I joined 20sb), and I find it to be the best thing EVER. If only I had discovered its mighty usage when I was on my own laptop - not clicking so much between everyone's blogs might have helped it not go kablooey so quickly.

Day 24 - Learning Experience. What was a lesson you learned this year that changed you?
I have to say, I learned the tough life lesson of injustice. Without going into too many details since this is on the World Wide Interwebz for all to see, I was given (literally, given) a full-time job as a Web Designer the beginning of July. I was laid off with no warning August 11. I don't mean it as malice against the company, I understand it's a small business and it's a tough economy and there was a family crisis that all came together into the crescendo of my release of employment.
But there were several things I found to be quite disappointing in the entire company, management, position, etc. Like I said, I can't go into it since this is the Internet and could be incriminating to bitch about a past job, but trust me when I say there were quite a few unfair things going on. Enough and to the extent of me calling it "injustice."

So yeah, I have to say that I learned a lesson of being let down. The good thing, though, is that I also learned how to come back.

Day 25 - Gift. What's a gift you gave yourself this year that has kept on giving?
September was a gift for me. I moved back into my parent's house September 1, and since then I have given myself a bit of a vacation. It gave me a lot of time to think about my life. Newly graduated, suddenly unemployed, and without a lot of direction, I've been given the rare chance of considering, and thinking, and contemplating who I am and what I'm doing. It was refreshing and much needed, because despite it all, I'm feeling a lot better balanced these days then I did during my 4 years of college.

Day 26 - Insight or aha! moment.
I'm um...going to have to come back to this. I actually believe this will be included in one of my reflective, "wrap-up" posts of 2009. Which will hopefully make it to the blog by the end of 2010.

Day 27 - Social Web Moment.
I have to say that 20sb will be my social web moment of the year. Yes, it was late in the game, but it still means something to me. I've been able to talk to some pretty cool people and find some extremely amazing blogs. It's been fun using my blog for something.

Day 28 - Stationery. When you touch the paper, your heart melts. The ink flows from the pen. What was your stationery find of the year?
I can't deny the beautiful touch of the standard college-ruled notebook paper. It's nothing fancy, it's nothing special, but it always invokes memory and procedure and thought.

Day 29 - Laugh.
I've been very lucky to have a lot of laughs this year; which also means I don't remember what my biggest one is. I'm going to cop out the literal way and say that it was at the Demetri Martin comedy show. Not only is he absolutely hilarious, but he's so clever and witty and intelligent. His jokes are thoughtful, in a weird way. So good. (Picture at left is an example of one of his jokes. Click to view a video.) Even though that night wasn't exactly what I expected (and I missed the beginning of DM's show!), I loved the show and hope I can see him live again soon.

Day 30 - Ad. What advertisement made you think this year?
I'm changing the prompt; the adverts that stuck with me are the Sony ones with Justin Timberlake and Peyton Manning (and 2 other guests, pending which product Sony is pushing). Hilarious, adorable. And yes, I am very proud to admit this has every bit to do with my attachment to JTimbs and all things *NSYNC-related. YEAH I SAID IT.

Day 31 - Resolution you wish you'd stuck with.
I didn't make resolutions last year. I knew this year was going to be the biggest alteration of my life, and I couldn't bring myself to put any more expectation and hope in it than already there. That said, I may venture a few resolutions for 2010...which will come in a later post :)


When I started this challenge, I did it really just to give myself more ideas and variety in what I talked about in my blog. But it turned out to be a lot more. On a negative note, I actually think it brought my blog to a bit of a stagnant halt. Whenever you look back, it always turns a bit serious and thoughtful...and while I am like that a good 70% of my day, I don't want my new followers to think all I am is a whining bunch of regrets and past faults. We'll see what happens now that this is over...maybe I'll discover that I am actually that 100% of the time. On the good side, though, it was pretty rewarding...I didn't realize everything I'd done this year. And these things are only the ones that immediately came to mind, nevermind all I haven't mentioned! Regardless, thanks for coming with me on this 2009 reflection.

Until my health returns,
A

Read more...

Do I even need a title for this?

Notes For the Past Few Days:
- Must remember to transfer Photoshop over onto this laptop.
- Putting on thigh-high socks is much more difficult than I imagined.
- How is it almost 80 degrees here while the rest of the world has a snowstorm? Conundrum.
- Target at 11:30pm is a sad place.
- Watched a rerun of the TV show Bones today, and Tom Wilson was on it (Bif from Back to the Future). Still very weird to see my friend's dad on my tv screen.
- Still considering doing my MA in London (or around there). Would love if someone just told me the answer.
- My closet is no longer accessible, as a very large pile of gifts have taken root in front of it.
- Am super psyched to read Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer because it has been so highly recommended, but am also terrified since it deals with 9/11 and the aftermath. I don't think I'm ready to face that past, but I don't think I will ever be, either.
- Been craving Starbucks for the past 4 days. Resisting, but feel it's making it much worse.
- Google Reader is evil. Should never have clicked "Popular Items," because that is 4 hours I will never get back.
- On the upside, however, I discovered this gem: A Pictorial Guide to Avoiding Camera Loss. Funny, adorable, and incredibly useful.

Let's get on with the Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, shall we?
Day 20: New Person. She came into your life and turned it upside down. He went out of his way to provide incredible customer service. Who is your unsung hero of 2009?
This is incredibly difficult because I've just realized I met the Italians this year. What a whirlwind, having met, befriended, become so close, and said goodbye to them all within a seven month span. I was incredibly close with Michele, Alberta and Endria, and they are probably my favourite new people from this year. They're such intelligent, kind, interesting people with hearts much bigger than they realize.

In terms of an "unsung hero," though, please refer to this post.

Day 21: Project. What did you start this year that you're proud of?
NaNoWriMo. Start and finish (hooray!). Terrifying, intimidating, insane, exhilarating.

Day 22: Startup. What's a business that you found this year that you love? Who thought it up? What makes it special?
Disney Expo.  Obviously I know Disney is not a "new" business, but this year was the Expo's first year, and I was lucky enough to go. The choice is a bit random, I know, but it was actually a pretty good time - if you can get past all the screaming tweens (Wizards of Waverly Place forum), haughty Disney lovers (Pixar Forum), and obnoxious teenagers who think they're too cool for a Disney convention (even though they're there, sans parents. Think about it). Yes, Disney is pretty overrated and has such an influence on today's culture it's an abomination, but the Expo was pretty fun despite it all. You can't help but get caught up in all the excitement of seeing your beloved Toy Story characters or special previews of Toy Story 3 (June 18, 2010!) and Prep & Landing (now aired, but back then it was the big reveal).

Read more...

Unsung Hero of 2009

While doing the Blog Challenge, Day 21's prompt was about a new person in your life, and the furthering of the prompt asked about an unsung hero. When I realized I had to split it, I also realized that my unsung hero(es) deserved their own individual post. They actually deserve much more, but it's all I can give for now.

Thanks to an amazing program called Humanities Out There (abbreviated HOT. Yeah.), I was able to tutor/mentor 10th-grade students at Century High School in Santa Ana, CA. Myself and a group of 10ish students went to the school once a week for roughly 20 weeks to teach History. I can't even express how much this program changed my life. It is so rewarding and I am so proud that I got to be a part of it. Don't get caught up in the fact that the school is in Orange County. Where the school is located is not the safest of areas, and most of the students are classified as "at-risk." I'm not saying there are kids shooting up in every dark corner of the campus, but I am saying that these children are not the Prada-toting, Chanel-headband wearing you see in The OC or Gossip Girl.

When we first came to the classroom, most of the kids in there were a bit hostile, uninterested in school and learning, obnoxious, and hardly looked at us once they realized we were there to be "teachers" to them. They were only there because they had to be, and even then they still might not come. Often a class could be 35 kids one week, and 15 the next. I remember sitting with the group of 4 kids who I would eventually call "mine" on that first day and being terrified. First, none of them would speak to me. When they realized I wasn't letting them go anywhere until they did, I found out most of them had problems reading (a reminder that these are 15-16 year old kids), and all of them weren't even considering college. Not because they didn't want to, but they were positive they wouldn't get in and that all it did was impede a life of working to survive. I quickly learned to never know what to expect, because their lives are so different from what mine was at 15. In a way not meant to be disrespectful, I had the shock of my life during our 12th week when we found out over half our students didn't even know what Hawaii was, much less where it was located. It's a strange shock when you discover that, because it almost seems absurd...but then it makes you realize just different life can be.

By the end of the program, I am extremely proud to say that all of our kids raised their hands when we asked them if they were going to apply to college in 2 years. My kids not only said they were going to apply, but they had choices picked out and majors they were considering. They were raising their hands to participate in class discussions, volunteering for presentations, reading on their own. I can't even describe what it's like to see your kid walk into the classroom and immediately smile at you and start telling you about their week, knowing that it took over 2 weeks for them to even speak their name to you. It's nothing short of amazing to be able to see the difference individual attention makes. They were craving education and were so confident in themselves and their future...I imagine this is what it feels like to be a proud mother.

The entire program and all its participants - tutors/mentors/advisers and students alike - are all my unsung heroes, but I do have to mention two of my kids. I adored all 8 of my kids, but two specific boys left a very deep mark on my heart: Oscar and Eric.

Eric was the introverted one, always drawing on his papers and not paying attention. In the first 10 weeks I worked with him, he never finished any of his assignments and I heard maybe 3 sentences from him total. The first time I ever saw a light in his eyes and a response in him was when I asked him about the basketball he was carrying; apparently he was a point guard for the school team, and he thought basketball was his one defining feature. It was brief, but it was an opening. The day we had a writing assignment where the children were assigned to write a 12-line poem about their life was his turning point. He had never been given the freedom of writing about his life. He had never even considered that his life was something of worth to be written about. But when he saw how eager us tutors were to hear their thoughts, something in him came alive. For the first time I think he realized that he was important to someone, and that he mattered. In the last month of our meetings, he and I had a 10-minute conversation about music (I should have told him I listened to Public Enemy from day 1!), he turned in all of his assignments on time and completed, and he even started making jokes with me. I literally went back to my apartment crying the day he came to me to tell me about his week on his own. He was still quiet, but it became a characteristic, not a crutch. The last day of our meeting, he said I was the best person he had ever met, I inspired him, drew me an absolutely beautiful butterfly (not entirely appropriate since he drew it on my evaluation form, but I take what I get), and hugged me for a good long while when the bell rang. He wanted to go to college, and I have faith that he will.

Oscar was almost the complete opposite of Eric. I will always remember my first impression: he didn't come to my group the first week we met because he wanted to stay with his friend rather than be split. So he lied and said he was in another mentor's group. When I found that out, I was definitely thinking, Oh man, here it comes. The second week we made him come to my group. Oscar was the class clown, always raising his hand but never listening to questions. He had brief glimpses of trying, but most of the time he just said whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. In terms of education levels (which I wouldn't put too much stock in normally), Oscar was definitely the farthest behind. He had the most trouble reading, his spelling was atrocious, complex sentence structure was a no-go, and most of the period was spent telling him what words meant - forget trying to finish the assignment. I honestly believe Oscar just needed attention and a little pushing, because unlike Eric, he never really had a turning point. Eric was like a lightswitch; Oscar was the student you can track the growth of on a constant increasing scale. He was willing to learn, he'd just never been pushed to. The more work I gave him, the more he tried; and the more he tried, the more he did. It was stunning to see him grow, and I'm confident that when the program ended, he was probably one of the brightest in the class. Oscar was an incredibly charming, likeable guy, and he eventually realized that he could be well-liked and intelligent as well. In one of our lesson plans, we discussed street art, and I could see his self-image change. Oscar would not admit that he has done graffiti before (seeing as how it's illegal), but he constantly writes everything in graffiti-style on his papers. During our lesson plan, we told him that even though it is illegal, graffiti is a form of art, and if you learn how to do it in a legal fashion, it IS art, and it IS ok. I saw the revelation in his head that he was an artist, not a criminal. As time went on, his self-appreciation and confidence continued to build. Oscar was the one who broke my heart by telling me he saw no point to college, that it wouldn't help him survive in his neighbourhood, that he wasn't worth the money to go to college. But the last day we met, I asked him if he was going to go to college - he gave me a list of seven colleges he was looking into, and three areas of study he wanted to do. One of which was art. I was absolutely and completely floored, and I don't think I've ever been more proud. When we hugged good-bye, he told me he felt smart--something he had never, ever thought before. Then he told me I was one of the best people he'd ever met in his life, and I meant every word when I told him the same thing.

Oscar and Eric give me hope in this world. Their stories are ones that encompass so much of what I love about humanity. We struggle, we have problems, we think so little of ourselves sometimes. But with pushing, love, a little attention, and a lot of faith, we become something. We learn that we can become something. It's the human capacity to learn; about life, about others, about oneself. And more than that, it's the human capacity to grow, to develop.

Read more...

Noteworthy moments & BC09 continuation

Ladies and Gentleman of my readers, I present to you a brief summary of my past two days:
- While at the post office, a man shipped 43 boxes. Literally, 43. He had to use those big orange roll-carts that postal workers use to collect mail to get all his boxes from the car and to the shipment desk. And you know how USPS has their new "if it fits, it ships" flat-rate boxes? This man definitely utilized that to its fullest extent; most of the boxes were bulging BIG. What a good Christmas for his relatives.
- While parking at Borders, I stopped my car to let a woman cross in front. First she smiled and held her hand up in thanks (standard)...but then she stopped in front of my car, met her hands in front of her chest (meditation style), and bowed to me as she said "thank you." She wins the most unique way someone has thanked me.
- The day before, I exited Borders after my book purchase and slowed in front of the store as I fumbled with my purse/keys/wallet/etc. A man was standing outside it, smoking and talking on his cell phone, and I overhear this part of the conversation: "Dude, just give him the 20 grand and be done with it! Don't do it again!" I did not stick around.

- While perusing the toy section at Target in search of my 8-year-old cousin's Christmas present, I saw two men, probably late-20s, crouched over one of those learn-the-ABCs baby toys that says the letter and a word that begins with that letter when you hit one of the keys. And they were so into it I had to stop and watch them for a few minutes (like a creeper, yes). What also caught my eye is that one of the guys was wearing the pink Princess Santa hat you see at the side there. Is it weird I wanted to introduce myself?
- While on the military base, I saw my fourth man in 2 visits at the jewelry counter picking out an engagement ring. As much as I find Christmas engagements cliche, I still have to smile at the thought of what a lovely Christmas it will be for those 4 couples.
- My mom made apple crisp. I don't care if I die fat, I will die happy.

Jumping ahead because the next two days are packed with a friend's 25th birthday celebration (clubbing! Haven't done that ever in San Diego) and two separate Christmas parties with two very separate groups of friends, the Best of 2009 Blog Challenge continuation:

Day 17: Word or Phrase. A word that encapsulates your year.
2009 was heart-wrenching.

Day 18: Shop. Where you spent all your money this year.
Seriously? Target. When I lived in Orange County, I had 4 Targets all within 5 miles of me. It was a one-stop-shop for all my needs! On a serious note, I started going there my first year to escape my dorm and all the hell that was happening. Target is an odd haven for me, somewhere I can go and be assaulted on all my senses by everything and forget whatever is going on. A side effect was leaving all my money there, that's all.

Day 19: Car ride.What did you see? How did it smell? Did you eat anything as you drove there? Who were you with?
Tall Andrea (An-DRE-a) was driving; it was the first time I'd been in a car with one of the foreign exchange students driving. The Italians and I were celebrating Tall Andrea and Giulia's birthdays. Myself and Katja (our Swedish-Italian) were in the back, Nadia up front. From my apartment to Newport Beach, I remember the blur of passing lights, talking with Katja, watching Nadia and Tall being awkwardly couple-but-not in the front seat, and laughing. A lot. I remember smelling a mix of salt and vague barbecue, since we were by the ocean and we'd had our pool party earlier in the day. We were headed to Rudy's (one of our frequent bars) to meet up with Fabio, Emiliano, Endria, Other Andrea, Francisco, Riccardo, Red Michele, Roberta, Giulia, Yun, Alberta, Max...and a whole slew of others I no longer remember (thanks two Long Island Ice Teas and part of one Adios MotherFucker!). I believe the reason it stands out is because it was the first time I had ever gone out with the Italians without another friend (who I will refer to as "R"). R was the one who introduced me to all the Italians, and I refused to go to anything unless R would be there. But this night was the first time I'd been without R, and it solidified my friendship with the Italians. Up until that point, I'd always feared that I was just tolerated; but that night I was accepted. And I absolutely LOVED it. Even the part when Emiliano discovered I was strong enough to carry him and he drunkenly made me give him a semi-drunk piggy-back ride to our cars at 2am when we were leaving.

Read more...

Ahead of the game

I'm going to push myself ahead a bit of the whole Best of 2009 Blog Challenge since tomorrow's challenge will be quite easy for me to do, and I know the closer I get to Christmas day the less time I'll actually have. Hopefully this is within the "rules" -- but we've already seen that I don't quite adhere to them anyway.

Day 15: Best Packaging

This doesn't actually exist (I don't think), but I definitely believe it should.

(+)

Smoking is perhaps one of my biggest pet-peeves and my biggest turn-off. I have legitimately turned down men and dates on the basis that they smoke, no matter how intelligent or good looking or appealing he is. I just can't stand it. There is no point to smoking; all it does is lead to terrible smelling fingers and breath, addiction, and an early death. Honestly, if you're stressed, go to the gym or something. No one finds your smoker's cough attractive.

Day 16: Tea of the Year
Easy: I have none. I don't drink tea. How is this possible, you ask? I just don't. Every tea I have tried (and believe me, that is many; I was born in England, after all) I do not like. Green tea? Food-coloured water with an aftertaste. Chai tea? Weird spiced water. Milk tea? Dairy water. Earl Grey? Dirty water. Blackberry tea? Weird tasting liquid with a hint of dark, somehow. I just...can't. Ick. It goes along with the fact that I am the pickiest eater in the world. Sorry, tea-lovers. Please don't hate me. I'm open to suggestions.


Also - for those that see my blog rather than just through Google Reader - you may notice the change in layout (again). I'm still tweaking trying to find the best colour combinations and how I want to set it. I also became annoyed with how wide my page was, so I reverted back to a minimal column width. I'm hoping this also helps me keep pictures smaller, since larger ones are obnoxious and distracting.

Read more...

Blog Challenge Catch-Up & Blog Shoutout

I am happy to report that December 13 passed uneventful - not entirely, but nothing bad happened. So yay for that! (Please see post right below to understand why this merits a note.)

Second, before I play catch-up with the Blog Challenge, I want to highlight a blog I've recently stumbled upon. I decided to join 20sb (see icon on the right for details) in an effort to connect through this blog with others, and one of the blogs it led me to is Insomnia and Short Attention Spans. I like his blog - it's interesting, it's diverse in its subjects, it introduced me to a sport called chess boxing (really. Google it.). Not meant to be a pun, but I really do have a short attention span when it comes to blogs sometimes. His writing keeps me reading. And, in the ultimate win of my appreciation, he not only made a Friends (the tv show) reference, but worked it effortlessly into a blog post! That, my friends, is talent.

And lastly, the Blog Challenge catch up!
Day 13: What's the best change you made to the place you live?
When I moved back in with my parents after being laid-off, the re-creation of my room was definitely interesting. Before I left for college, I packed up everything and put it in boxes in my closet and around the perimeter. During my four years of college, things just built up in there; my family stored stuff, each year i brought things home to keep out of my college apartment, friends/family came to stay and left things. So when I moved back, having to sort it all out and then work 4 years of college life back in...that was a challenge. But I've made it entirely liveable, and I feel it reflects who I am now.

Day 14: Rush. When did you get your best rush of the year?
Cliche as it may be, my graduation from college. Specifically, walking the stage. It's standard and stereotypical, but it really is transitional and meaningful. Crossing from education into "real" world was the biggest rush I've had yet...for better or for worse.

Read more...

Best of '09 Blog Challenge: New Food

Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, Day 12: New Food

If you know me, you know I don't eat anything. I'm perhaps the most picky eater in the entire world. It's much easier for me to name the foods I do eat, because the list of food I don't eat is way too long. That said, it's a tough thing for me to find a food that I do eat, making this blog entry difficult.

The only thing I can think of that I added to my short food repertoire this year is gyros.

I have to say that I've only ever had Greek food from Daphne's Greek Cafe, so this is of course based on crummy chain americanized versions. But anyway, i go to lunch with a friend often whenever I'm back in Orange County. She works during the week, so it's always during her break; thus limiting our time and the distance in which we can go. As it happens, a super stellar pizza place is perfectly within distance, but when I used to go to lunch with her at least 3 times a week, we couldn't keep going to the same place (well, I could, but she didn't want to). So, Daphne's Greek Cafe is in the same complex, and that's where it began. I have to say, it was pretty yummy. It's lucky that all the things in the gyro are things I eat (pitabread, seasoned beef, lettuce, a small bit of onions, and a sauce), and it happens I find it to be quite yummy.

So, yeah, I guess that's my "New Food" of this year...not because it stood out as amazing from the rest, but mostly because it's the only new thing I eat this entire year haha.

Read more...

Best of '09 Blog Challenge: The Best Place

Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, Day 11: The Best Place

Admittedly, this is a hard choice for me. There are a select few places where I am a regular (Target, for one...hi Mr. Security Guard who recognises me!), and even fewer where I go when I need to find that Zen state. But I don't necessarily have a spot that's "best" for me.

Having split this year between Orange County and San Diego, there are a few choices in both cities that I loved. In San Diego, I have to be all unoriginal and say the beach. But not any ol' beach...I mean Coronado and Hotel Del Coronado and the entire island itself.

(+)

And in Orange County, I have to say that I freakin' love Downtown Disney. But again, not just for any old reason--it's because I love to people watch there and do homework. Yeah, that's right, "homework" and "Disney." Everyone thinks I'm weird for going there to study (finals week!) and get some research done, but it's seriously one of the most relaxing places I can go. I love noise and music, and where else can you get a plethora of it? People are there from literally all around the world, and it's packed every single day. The parking is free for the first 3 hours (plus 2 more if you eat at one of the food places and get it validated), which was a perfect time for me to set a goal to get a book done or research. I can grab a beignet, park it at a table outside the Jazz kitchen, and watch people spill out of House of Blues or run towards Mickey or hike it over to the ESPN zone or rush to make a movie at the theatre. Love it.

Read more...

Best of '09 Blog Challenge: Album of the Year

Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, Day 10: Album of the Year

This was unfortunately the year of my computer going kablooey, so much of my iTunes counts and album loads were lost. I can't verify when I got these albums so I'm guessing if they are from this year. And because I suck at keeping to prompts, I have to cheat and choose 3. In no particular order...

Glee Soundtrack/Music from the TV series
Words cannot express how much I love this damn show. Yeah, the acting can get pretty cringe-worthy, the lip-syncing is like Britney Spears circa 2001, Terri Schuester makes me want to rip my eyeballs out and chuck them at her, and it has storylines even soap operas would turn down. But the musical talent on this show is mindblowing. If you don't believe me, YouTube the versions of Somebody to Love, And I Am Telling You, or Proud Mary. I even loved the Lean On Me version, and I consider anything not the original to forever be a degrading bastardization.

Laura Izibor - Let the Truth Be Told
Who knew crummy-yet-entertaining movies like Step Up 2 the Streets would lead me to an amazing artist? Laura Izibor is all the things you love and not the things you despise about Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Estelle, Leona Lewis, etc. She is soulful. she is talent. she is heartwrenching and heartwarming and heartstring-tugging. she is brilliant.

Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog
I was trying to find another blog challenge that it would fit into so I could dedicate a whole post to it, but I can't really find one. So, suffice to say, this is the best, most awesome and amazing and brilliant piece of music/show/showtunes/webisode/media EVER. Swiping from the amazing Neil Patrick Harris's other brilliant show (How I Met Your Mother shout out!), this really is fucking LEGEN--wait for it--DARY.

Honourable Mention:
John Mayer - Battle Studies
Musically, I love this album as much as I love Continuum (one of my favourite albums of all time). But the lyrics fall short to me. That being said, I haven't really stopped playing it yet since I got it, so...there is that.

Read more...

Best of '09 Blog Challenge: Challenge

Internet problems result in a late post. Grrr...

Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, Day 9: Challenge

The obvious would be to choose my graduation from college this year, but it never really felt like a challenge to me. It was something that I was supposed to do after working 4 years. So the next thing I thought of was the challenge of all my Italian friends leaving to return back to Italy after their year of exchange student studying--it was tough having all my friends that i'd become so close to leave me behind. But in my life, I'm used to it; it has definitely been awhile since that's happened, but it is standard. Then I was 90% sure my biggest challenge this year was when I chose to take the job of web designer that was offered to me; it was the first real job I'd had, full time, doing something I had to train for and learn. All in addition to really living on my own away from my family paying my own rent and bills.

But honestly, my biggest challenge is right NOW. The time after I was laid-off, after I've just moved back in with my parents after 4 years away, when I have no idea where my life is headed. I'm at a point where my future can probably be whatever I want it to be, but at the same time I have amazing parents who are supporting me as I get my head around the fact that I'm no longer a student and letting me take the time I need. The time I want.

My challenge right now is living. Figuring out who I am, what I will become, how I want to become it. The challenge is throwing myself into a life that I have no idea what holds for me. The challenge is the fact that I am a 22-year-old girl with ambition and heart and a desire to write, a Bachelor's degree in one hand and absolutely nothing in the other. My biggest challenge of the year is to acknowledge what a blank slate I am right now, and accept it while not letting the fear of what could and will be written stop me.

Read more...

Best of '09 Blog Challenge: Moment of Peace

Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, Day 8: Moment of Peace
An hour or a day or a week of solitude. What was the quality of your breath? The state of your mind? How did you get there?

I know I reference this trip a lot, but it honestly meant something to me. And my response may be shorter than the prompt, but that's ok--apparently I change it often. While at Monument Valley, which goes between Arizona and Utah pending where you are in the park, there's a small part that's at the very back of the driving portion. Only a few of us made it out that way since most of the group decided to do a horseback ride through the park, but myself, Ruthie, Michele and Claudio opted not to and went on through the roads.

The most peaceful moment of 2009 is at a place called Artist's Point. This is us looking out into it.


It doesn't look like much in the picture, but believe me when I say it stretched for miles and miles. You don't see it in the picture, but there are massive monuments that you see as well, and a small river at the bottom of the cliff (that's what the bar is there for). And the thing is, this place is Silence Itself. You're in the middle of one of the biggest Valleys in the world, honestly in the middle of nowhere, and the silence is astounding. All of us were whispering because we felt like we were interrupting something.

It was absolutely beautiful. We stood there for about 10 minutes in complete silence, just looking out. When you're there, you have no choice but to think of your position in the world, in the entire Universe. There are things so beautiful and so astounding, and yet the center of the world to you, is YOU. And you have to wonder why. And how. And should it be. And then you try to figure out how to make your life worthwhile of something so breathtaking and miraculous in front of you.

Me, Claudio, Ruthie, and Michele at Artist's Point

That's us; you can see the Monuments that you see beyond. They look small, but they are literally miles and miles tall. You're dwarfed and put in your place and as small as ants in the grand scheme, and I have never felt so blessed being miniscule and completely unnecessary.

Read more...

Best of '09 Blog Challenge: Blog

Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, Day 7: Blog

So, I can't quite remember when I discovered this blog...it could have been last year, but i remember it mostly from this year. I bring to you: Inspire me, now!

He posts the most awesome, inspiring things ever. I mean, look at these gems:

3,604 cups of coffee = Mona Lisa

Spaghetti packaged as a 3D model of the Chrysler building

that’s crazy. Ambi Pur: Now that’s an eau de toilette

and that's just a sampling from the first 3 pages so far. Everything is so creative, i can't help but be impressed and inspired. So, I guess mission: accomplished!


and a mini-cheat of mentioning two, but another one I love is The Daily What. So random, so interesting. And as I've said on my own Tumblr blog, I usually reblog all the posts simply because i love their commentary. Awesome.

Read more...

Best of '09 Blog Challenge: Workshop/Conference

Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, Day 6: Workshop/Conference

I'm kind of cheating on this one, since I didn't attend any. I'm not in any position, career or otherwise, to do so, but a few of our required classes in the Literary Journalism major are called workshops since they are done in that format. I only did two this year, but one of them does mean something to me.

I took Amy Wilentz's Personal Essay workshop, and it turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. It wasn't your typical journalism class--it was so much more. It was creative writing, it was reflection, it was exposure, it was learning. I was forced to think about who I am and who I was and what made me. For all the pieces we worked on and the in-class writing, we had to talk about ourselves and what has happened to us personally (hence...personal essay...WOAHMAN).

One piece in particular came out of this class, and it forced me to go back to a place I never wanted to go. Since writing it, though, I've had the courage to show it to multiple people. Yes, the reactions have all been positive, but what mattered is that I actually showed it to people. It spoke of one of the darker times in my life, a time when I was hopeless and lost and searching for a way out. The piece made me explore what I was going through, why it affected me so much, and then let me tell how I was able to come back. It was a piece that, for me, had to be written.

At the same time, this class also exposed me to how I really felt about certain things. When we had to pitch our ideas, things that I thought were meaningful really weren't as important as they'd seemed. Or, likewise, things that I thought about in passing turned out to be major turning points in my life.

Taking the Personal Essay workshop was putting my life under the microscope, so to speak, and as painful and terrifying as it was...I'm so glad I did it.

Read more...

Best of '09 Blog Challenge: Night Out

Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, Day 5: Night Out

2009 was a big year for me in the fact that I actually went out with my friends. The first part of the year was devoted to the Italians, and I attempted to keep up with that wave when they left. I was doing pretty well until I moved back with my parents, but I'm ok with that. I've had many a night out that was memorable for so many reasons, and as much as I love me my Italians, the most memorable of 2009 has to be one of the nights with the girls.

Photos don't exist of it, sorry...mostly because a lot of us are trying our best to forget it.

It was early June, and myself and 3 of my best girl friends from high school decided to go out downtown to celebrate one of our birthdays. We'll call the birthday girl K, R will be the girl whose house we were staying at, S will be the driver, and E will be the roommate of R. Got it? Good.

So, K's birthday. We started out pretty damn well, bar hopping and having a grand ol' time. We hit up Double Deuce, the most awesome country bar in Downtown San Diego that does actually have a mechanical bull. So much fun, so many good stories, lots of dancing and some drinks were going around. Me, K and S weren't drinking much (as we never do), and R and E were drinking their share, our share, and more (as they always do). We decide it's late enough, we're good, it's time to head home and continue our party there.

Now, R/E do not live in the um...safest...of parts. It's not like we were getting shot at at every stop light, but it's not somewhere 5 girls all gussied up should be at by themselves. We're driving home, no more than 1/3 of a mile from the house, and...BAM.

We hit a curb. I can't even explain how S hit it because...well...there are a lot of factors that shouldn't even have been, but she hit it. And somehow managed to pop both her right-side tires, break her front axle, and fuck up the alignment on her car. Here we are, 5 girls in dresses and heels on an unlit stretch of road in a bad spot, 2 of whom are drunk as a skunk, 1 is crying her eyes out trying to get to insurance, and the last 2 are lost about what to do.

It's not a good memory. There was a lot of fighting and yelling and crying that night between certain pairs of the girls, and it resulted in one friendship that will never, ever be repaired. But it is definitely the most memorable, since we were accosted by a group of asian guys in a rice rocket trying to pick us up on the side of the street, who then threw something at our windows (effectively cracking it and messing up the mechanism) when we turned them down. There was also a cop involved.

We're all fine in the sense of health and sanity (or at least restored to what we were), and most of us look back on the night and laugh at the absurdity of what happened. But its deeeeefinitely something I will always think of with this year.

Read more...

Best of '09 Blog Challenge: Book

Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, Day 4: Book

The book that stands out to me most this year is See Jane Write: A Girl's Guide to Writing Chick Lit. I'm not a big fan of non-fiction usually, and I rarely ever read books giving advice--much less advice on writing. I've always been a big believer in trusting your own instincts. As long as you are an avid reader of the genre you are attempting to write in, then I feel as though you can tell what will and will not work.

But I was recommended this book by several people, so I thought it couldn't hurt. And while I'm not turned onto reading non-fiction or advice books, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I loved the idea of a chick lit author and editor writing it together. It's like having two opposing views that are actually working towards the same thing. It was a cutesy style that was enjoyable and actually helpful at the same time. I also enjoyed the graphs and visual ways they gave advice as to how to write a typical chick lit book. It was interesting to see things laid out that way. I'm not necessarily a visual writer, but it always helps to have visual graphics to enhance the words.

Probably the biggest help in the book was the list of chick lit books and authors provided in the back, whether it was plain recommendation or an example/contributor to the content of See Jane Write. I'd read about half of the books on the list, but it definitely made me think towards the style and order in which things were written.

So, the way that it changed me was actually that it made me doubt that I wanted to write a chick lit novel for NaNoWriMo! Interesting influence, I know, but it's how it happened. It kind of made me see what exactly chick lit was and what goes into it. While I always knew what it entailed since I read that genre most often, I also got to see the "superficial" ways of the writing and the little tricks to it (gay best friend? Yep). One day I may attempt it, but my writing vernacular is not up to the task today.

I know it's kind of weird that the book most memorable to me in 2009 is one that actually turned me off from it's subject, but I guess that's how it made me remember it. Likewise to all who told me, I definitely recommend for anyone considering chick lit.

Read more...

Best of '09 Blog Challenge: Article

Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, Day 3: Article

Since this year was the year I finished college as a journalism major, I was exposed to a shit-ton of articles. Yeah, that's definitely a real measurement: shit-ton. I don't think I could choose a single one that impacted me...I have an entire 10-inch deep drawer filled with all the articles that I found to be worthy of keeping, and that doesn't count the online articles I archived into my hard drive. So, again, I'm going to have to change the prompt a bit (am I really following this Blog Challenge if I keep changing the prompt? Hmm...) and choose a writer. His articles have consistently meant something to me. To be fair, he as a writer has affected me well before this year (since the year 2006 actually), but every month when I read his stuff I'm constantly surprised how much I love it.

My best of 2009 articles are by: Mike Sager.

For those that know me, this is no surprise. I've loved his writing from the moment I read my first of his pieces in a random Esquire I'd picked up when I was still in high school--at the time, I paid no attention to the writer. The article wasn't about anything mind-blowing or life-changing--in fact, it was about Diane Lane--but I remember that something about his writing style stuck with me. When my first journalism teacher in college made us read one of his pieces ("The Man of Tomorrow Goes To the Prom"), it clicked who he was to me. And then when I found out he was a guest teacher at my college once a quarter every year, i knew i had to have him. I just knew. To make a much longer story short...his class saved my life. He renewed my love for the craft, he helped me grow as a writer, he inspired me to continue on with it. If I hadn't done his class, there's a good chance I would have transferred away from UCI as I'd been planning. Sager encouraged me at a time I had no hope for myself.

Sager is a Writer-At-Large for Esquire and currently has out 3 "compilation" books and one fiction novel. Every month, I pick up Esquire just to search for his writing and make sure I read it. I do own all of his stuff, though I can say I've only completed 2 of the 3 compilation books and half the fiction novel. Good a writer as he is, I couldn't get into his fiction because it's not my style or normal content. I still can see his talent in it, though.

There's something about his journalism style that speaks to me. I know it down to the detail because of his class (and won't "reveal" it here), but how he writes conveys just the right emotion and detail to make you become involved but not attached. It's a weird balance where you care so deeply about a subject you had zero previous care about, but can still step away from it.

I don't even know what to recommend since I love it all. I enjoyed the article about his name and the people who share it, and I will always remember his profile on Bobby Jindal. Really, just click this and you can browse all of his work for Esquire. I even recommend his website, because he has tips for writers and editors.

Read more...

Best of '09 Blog Challenge: Trip

(catch up post)

Best of 2009 Blog Challenge, Day 1: Trip!
There is no doubt in my mind what the best trip of 2009 was, because it is possibly the best trip I've ever done in my entire 22 year old life.

The Utah trip. 11 Italian exchange students, 3 americans, 1 French Exchange student, and 1 Japanese Exchange Student. All of us road tripped Memorial Day Weekend to Utah (a friend has a farm there), and we visited the 4 Corners, Zion National Park, Lake Powell, Monument Valley, Arches National Park, and Antelope Canyon.

First of all, the landscape was absolutely breathtaking. And I actually mean that, at times none of us could catch our breath because we couldn't believe things like this actually existed.

Monument Valley

Lake Powell. Click for credit.

Zion National Park

Zion and Monument Valley pictures have not been doctored in any sort of way, they are straight from the camera. I can't say for the Lake Powell one because my photos are on a separate computer and that was taken from a website, but I can assure you that even if it is doctored, Lake Powell really does look like that. Vibrancy and all.

In the Zion photo, please note the people in the bottom left hand so you can get the scale of what we were hiking in and being around. At the top you can see the faint beginnings of one of the waterfalls there -- since it was a dry day, the waterfall wasn't that big but we were walking behind it.

Bigger than the grandiose setting we were in, this trip was the absolute best thing for me to go on in that time of my life. Perfect timing. It was the last few months of my college career with my closest friends at the time to places I had never been. It is one of the few times in my life where I was honestly, truly "in the moment" and completely carefree. Even though that trip resulted in several missed classes; my first missed journalism deadline ever; fights, bruises, and cuts; and a renewed wanderlust, my life is different because of it. The things I saw, choices I made, feelings I felt have impacted me forever.

And even though my relationship has changed with most of the people on that trip, every single one of them means something to me and plays a major part in who I am today. I'm never going to forget the exhilaration and meaning from this trip.

(+1 more boy, he wasn't present at Zion with us.)
We were on a ledge, hanging over one of the many valleys in Zion. You can't see the sign that we're behind that reads "Danger Beyond This Point."

Read more...

Best of '09 Blog Challenge: Restaurants

(Catch up post)

I'm 2 (or 3) days late on The Best of 2009 Blog Challenge (which I found through Ali, an old UCI Literary Journalism buddy), but I thought it sounded interesting and might add something fresh to this ol' blog here, rather than my monotone topics. I considered just entering in from Day 3, but I realized it was just because I didn't necessarily want to do the first two. I have rationalized that if I'm going to do this, I may as well do it all! So, in an attempt to catch up:

Day 2 - Restaurant moment!

I have to be honest and say that I just don't go out to eat much. I mean, I do, but I keep it to quick trips to the fast food joint or a standard dinner with a few friends. If you know how picky I am with food, you understand why I don't add much variety. I wish I could be much more original or hit you with some local, unknown piece of culinary gold...but I can't. Because of this, I decided to change the prompt of "restaurant moment" to "restaurant" because I just don't have many moments in restaurants.

So! Best one for me: Lucille's Barbecue!(hey, this is the actual one I go to! Click picture for credit.)

Yeah, I know, chain restaurant, BBQ, unoriginal. But seriously, some of the best memories are here. The food is actually damn good, and it's one of the few places I will choke down a vegetable. I highly recommend the grilled chicken BBQ sandwich and the pulled pork--though really, I've never heard anyone be unhappy with their meal from there. Even all 3 of their standard BBQ sauces are top notch, and I don't like to add extra sauces and dips to my meals.

What seriously clinches it though, aside from the stellar BBQ, honourable food, swell atmosphere, nice employees, and talented entertainment in the corner of the bar room on certain days, is the apple butter.

(If I were to say I'm drooling right now, would you think I'm lying? Click for credit.)

I can't even describe how effing good this apple butter is. It's not an overpowering flavor, it's not a heavy, disgusting butter texture. It's just good. I don't like biscuits, but I damn well eat them at Lucille's because that means I get to eat the apple butter, too.

And if that doesn't convince you, here are 2 other reasons it's pretty good:
1) Kobe Bryant eats there. No, really, he was there when I was there. I was in the waiting area with him and his family and friends, and then we ate at the table right next to the roped off room they gave him. I don't actually care about him, but I'm told others do.
2) There are Tootsie Pops for the taking upon your exit. Who doesn't want a free lolly?

Read more...