Lost

Maybe I am a little bit behind everyone with the newest Coldplay album, but I have a new favorite song..

Lost
Just because I'm losing
Doesn't mean I'm lost
Doesn't mean I'll stop
Doesn't mean I'm in a cross

Just because I'm hurting
Doesn't mean I'm hurt
Doesn't mean I didn't get what I deserve
No better and no worse

I just got lost
Every river that I've tried to cross
And every door I ever tried was locked
Ooh-Oh, And I'm just waiting till the shine wears off...

You might be a big fish
In a little pond
Doesn't mean you've won
'Cause along may come
A bigger one

And you'll be lost
Every river that you try to cross
Every gun you ever held went off
Ooh-Oh, And I'm just waiting till the firing stops
Ooh-Oh, And I'm just waiting till the shine wears off
Ooh-Oh, And I'm just waiting till the shine wears off
Ooh-Oh, And I'm just waiting till the shine wears off...

I was told one time that everyone has a soundtrack. The soundtrack of life. And currently, in my life, this is the song that I am on..

Built to Last.

Today was a great day for me.
Not only did it get me out of the mundane cycle of life I had allowed myself to fall victim to, but it showed me that real friendships are possible.
No, not the ones that you think are real, the ones that get you caught up in the whirlwind debacle which in the end leaves you sprawled out on the ground alone. No, the ones that are time tested. The ones that you keep coming back to time and time again.
Its amazing that so much time is spent focused on the male/female romantic relationships, when really, basic friendships are so much more important. With them a person can feel so loved, appreciated, valued.. All feelings that people search for, long for..
Without them, it may cause a person to want those things so desperately that they settle for less in their romantic relationships just for a chance at feeling just a little loved, appreciated and/or valued. When, if they had healthy social friendships, they would know they were not alone and would be able to spend more time searching for what they really want in a partner without feeling that they are missing out, and without the constant societal pressure to not be alone..

And this was realized over a nice dish of Thai… Which reminds me, Pok Pok is a must try for anyone who is ever in Portland.

Nothing lasts forever.

Disposability. A concept typically associated with paper cups and banana peels is something that I am feeling directed towards myself at this moment. It is common knowledge that not all friendships last forever. Just look at your friends from high school. How many of them do you still speak with on a regular basis? I know for me that number is very small, and I would need a clarification on what “regular basis” would be. But to me, that would be every couple of days… which would mean I do not keep up with anyone from high school on a regular basis. Now think of your “best friends”. How many of these would you say is typical to have in a life time? Maybe a couple. And wouldn’t these friendships be more valued, thus less likely to disintegrate and diminish over time? I would think so. But apparently the answer to that question is no.
No on all counts.
What it really comes down to is the saddening fact that in the end the only person that you can really count on is yourself. Thus, it is imperative that you do what it takes to make sure that you are self sufficient enough to do so effectively…
Unfortunately.

A day at the park?

Named by the Guinness Book of World Records to be the smallest park in the World... What was originally intended to be a place for a light post... Measuring in as a whopping 2ft circle... I'd like to show you Mill Ends Park!

Kinda hard to relax and play in the park when you are not even able to stretch your legs without fearing that you will be hit by a car in the process.. But that is beside the point :)

Obama Waffles

Some people just cannot take a joke, as can be clearly seen in the case of Obama Waffles. Has it really come down to the fact that America has become so overtly sensitive that satirical pieces will someday be something we tell our children about with a sentimental overture? "Back when free speech meant free speech..... when I walked to school up hill in the snow both ways during a blizzard... and when people were able to take a joke."
How can this comment not make you chuckle? Point box towards mecca for better tasting waffles.. lol. Also, on the back of the box Obama is fully clad in mexican dress (including a sombrero) stating "Open Border Fiesta Waffles" that says it can serve "4 or more illegal aliens." The recipe includes a tip: "While waiting for these zesty treats to invade your home, why not learn a foreign language?"
Come on, its funny!
Nevermind.

I think I need another one...

I thank Allen for the inspiration for this one :)

A Cute Comic

I thought this was cute:

Don't do drugs.

If you needed any more reason to not do drugs read this story and you will be even more convinced.

Yes, the impossible CAN happen! haha

My 100th Posting!!

Time to crack out the champagne!
Hmmm...
100 posts since March?
Maybe I should find something more productive to do??

Nah..
:D

A Few Good Quotes

I was browsing google, searching for a line to put on my page and I have to say, that I came across more than one that I liked. It was hard to pick! So here is a compilation of my favorite quotes:

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, prepare to die."
- Klingon Proverb, Star Trek

Men are like parking spots, the good ones are taken and the free ones are handicapped.

Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.

"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education."
- Mark Twain (1835-1910)

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
- Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)

"I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it by not dying."
- Woody Allen (1935-)

"I have an existential map; it has ‘you are here’ written all over it."
- Steven Wright

The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on.
- Robert Bloch

McCain/Palin. A Match Made in Heaven?

When I first read about the Republicans choice for VP what came to mind was "now that is interesting, is he picking a woman to run with him to counterbalance the fact that Obama would be the first black president?". After wandering around the office it was quick to see that I wasn't the only one that thought this way. I guess choosing a candidate based on credentials is a thing of the past and that we have a form of affirmative action acting in the white house now..

Oh and when reading the article in MSN announcing the pairing I came across this sentance:
"Governor Palin ... will remind women that if they are not welcome on the Democrat's ticket, they have a place with Republicans." he said"

Will it now? Sounds to me like this woman is being used more as a pawn than as a serious partner and if it is going to remind us women of anything it is of the fact that we don't appreciate being used.

They also go on to state "Palin also spoke of shattering the "glass ceiling" for women, an appeal for support from disaffected supporters of former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton."

Why would it draw Clinton supporters? Does she have the same ideals and principals? Or do they really think that the women that voted for Hilliary BECAUSE she is a woman? Would it be too much to think that maybe she was voted for because people (Men and Women included) believed in the things she stood for? If it really worked this way wouldn't that then mean that men would only vote for men as well? Maybe I am being overly sensitive, but these statements are more than just mildly offensive to me..

San Diego Here We Come!

I am so excited! Finally, after wanting to go for AgES!! I am finally getting to head back down to San Diego to spend a day in the sun, to lounge on the beach and to have some of the infamous sushi I have been telling people about for years!
After all this time, it will be interesting to see if I will still be able to find the place (being that I do not know the name of it).. but luckily for me I still have directions saved on my computer :D

We will be heading down 9/15!

Insomnia Haunts Me.

And I don't know why.

Like right now, at this moment, I should be sleeping. I have to be up early for class tomorrow yet here I sit... at first I was reading my book for class like a good student but my ever so distractable mind pulled me away and sat me in front of this screen once again.
I stare at pictures, or read thru blogs, or lately, browse thru plurks of people on the other side of the globe, ...... basically not doing anything productive. Sometimes I just stare at the screen!

My mind is running, but I don't know from what.
My heart is pounding like I've been enduring something strenuous, but I have yet to move from this spot.
I feel like I am waiting, but I don't know for what.

To close my eyes willingly would only bring forth another day; is the future what I am afraid of?

Will I Be Sending These Out Someday??

Its called "Plurk"

While surfing the web on my last day of my work week I came across a story on Yahoo which listed 12 of the most useless websites out there. Hmm.. that sounds interesting so I decided to check them out.
Sure, most of them were rather ridiculous, pointless and plain stupid but there was one that piqued my interest..... So I decided to check it out.

Click here to see the site!

Its called Plurk and its a place that you can sit and chat with people from around the world about whatever you want..
Maybe I just like it because I am actually able to do it at work... maybe because I am bored out of my mind and have nothing better to do... maybe because my twin is at the beach in Santa Monica and I am doing my best to not be insanely jealous (alright, so that is not working too well lol)...
Whatever it is, for the moment I am having fun :)

No Contest.

I was supposed to be doing a comparison between club hopping and bar hopping and if I went off of the experience I had last evening I would never go club hopping again. I am in the process of erasing all memories of the event from my long term memory…
My original assumption that who you go with makes all the difference in the world when it comes to the event holds true. Because real friends watch out for each other…

A Change From the Norm: Girls Night!!

Tonight should prove to be interesting.
Last weekend I went bar hopping with my good friend Renee. This weekend I am going club hopping with my friend Lancaster.
Some of the things that I loved about last weekend was the fact that there is no cover on bars and that the crowds were manageable (ie you were not mauled and grouped while navigating thru the sea of people on the way to the bathroom.. not that I even used the bathroom but for some reason whoever I am with always needs to use it at least a couple of times). Not only am I going to do a comparison between the two crowd wise and entertainment wise, but financially as well. Now it would be a less bias comparision if I was to go with the same people each time (who knows if I would have more fun one time based just on the company because Renee and I would have a great time just sitting in a gas station parking lot) but unfortunately she is MIA this weekend so I will have to make due with my experiment the way it is. It is only slightly confounded and will not make a significant difference ;)

So!! Aside from the fact that I am desperately needing to buy a new dress, I am very excited for this evening....

Bars vs. Clubs: A Case Study (Part 1)

Bars

Quick Synopsis (or in true case study fashion: Abstract)

Bar hopping allows for real one on one time with the person you are with and if you decide to let other people into the conversation that is easily achieved as well. Due to the fact that most bars do not charge a cover charge, if you don’t like a place you can leave whenever you want without feeling cheated and meeting different people, or experiencing different environments or ambiances is very easily attainable. Generally the noise level is not unmanageable in bars, most of the places we went to were welcomely quiet, so you are actually able to hold a conversation with a person without having to shout. Naturally, the part of town or the bar of choice makes all the difference in this, so I will be more specific and say that the bars we chose to go to in the Pearl were more than accommodating. Who you are with also makes a huge difference in the experience of the evening, so much so that the right company can make even the worst of events seem not so bad. My accomplice for this part of the “study” was my good friend Renee... time will only tell if she caused there to be a lack in objectivity when it comes to the level of satisfaction of the evening :)

Little Black Dress night officially took place on Saturday, August 16th. It was a belated birthday celebration for one of my friends because I was in Boston on the date of her original birthday. I came fully equipped with a list of different bars and places we could go to in The Pearl and downtown but mostly in The Pearl because lets face it, its my favorite part of town.
First stop on the list: Trust.
This bar is on the corner of 9th and Everett and was recommended to us by another friend when I told her what it was that we were doing that night. It was around 7pm, we were more than turning heads with our attire and when walking towards this place we decided that we were a little overdressed (and to be honest the place didnt really fit our style anyways) so we kept on walking towards 12th.
Because I wanted to do things that were new and different the place we went to next wasn't on the list but after she told me that she had never actually ordered anything from the place the decision was quickly made to go to oBa.
This bar is one of my favorites; they make the best key lime pie martini's in town (fully equipped with a graham cracker crust rim on the glass) and is located on near 12th and Everett. After walking in the door and discovering on the end of a day with a record high temperature of 105 degrees that they had no air conditioning we decided to have one drink and leave before we melted. Instantly we were both glistening and the fact that we were sticking to the chairs was very concerning (sure, we were wearing black but the last thing we want are sweat spots).
Out the door we go, and we head up the street to Bluehour.
On our way to 13th and Everett, where this place is located, we see a crowd of picketers outside the landing/stairs. They had signs and blowhorns and got louder and louder the closer we got. When they saw that we were actually going into this restaurant/bar they started screaming as us to not go inside this "inhumane establishment" or "any place that serves Foie Gras". After getting inside and sitting down at the dimly lit bar we asked the bartender what the issue was and what Foie Gras even was (because you know how it is, all the hype AGAINST the dish was actually making me consider trying it lol). Turns out it is duck liver and what is inhumane about it is the fact that the birds are force fed during the last two weeks of their lives. Liver? Eh, no thanks. But we did enjoy two distinctively good drinks in a very calm, quiet, classy, upper scale atmosphere.
Next, Henry's.
It was time to eat so we headed up towards burnside and stopped off at yet another place that was not on the list due to the rate we frequent this bar but whatever, the food is good and the list was just for suggestion anyways... not hardfast. It is Saturday night, and like always, the place is packed. We made a couple of rounds around the bar and I was about to suggest we sit in the restaurant due to the lack of seating when a table suddenly appears out of no where. As is Henry's style, we snatched it up asap and waited for someone to come over and clean it. She learned the hard way to never order a rusty nail, and I learned that beer on an empty stomach isn't necessarily a good idea. The food was excellent, calamari and a blue cheese bacon burger hehe and it wasnt long before two people asked to join us. We were in a particularly good mood (and were nice and cool because they don't skimp on the A/C) so we said what the hell. The company wasnt bad, but pretty soon it was midnight and we didn't want to spend the whole evening there.....
One of the places that I wanted to go to for sure on this evening was Portland City Grill but being that we were both full we decided to stop by one of her favorite places instead: Kells (it is for HER birthday after all lol)
Quite the difference from the bars we were at before, but just as fun! We are pretty much regulars there and were instantly recognized by the bar staff. The place was packed but we were invited to sit at a table by one gentleman. Little did we know that that guy was actually with a huge group of guys and before long we were surrounded..... The drink that we always order there is called an "east coast" and they know to pile them on with cherries :)
Before long it was 3am, and lets just say that one of the guys was getting rather clingy and didnt want to let us leave. I'm sorry, but to honestly think that we (or that I was going to let her) would even consider going back to your place to "continue hanging out" is just ridiculous. So being that I somehow found a parking spot right in front of the bar we got in the car and headed home.

All in all a very fun evening, something that I more than definitely am sure to do again hehe.

A Foiled Kidnapping

I went to kidnap my nephew yesterday but because I hadn't seen my sister in so long we ended up sitting there chatting for a few hours and the kidnapping plan was foiled :(
Next time!
Meanwhile I was able to spend some time not only with my nephew but with my little niece who is aging ever-so-gracefully... almost a month old now!
Here she is sleeping on the couch next to me:For some reason it doesnt matter how small she is, holding her for extended periods hurts my arm! lol. Not to say that I am a weakling or anything... well... no! I'm not! haha
Here she is starting to hurt my poor little arm:
Ya ya, I am not holding her right, but I dont want to hear it :)
Being that I was not there to solely see this little girl I feel it only appropriate to be a proud auntie of number one (my number one just so happened to sneak his way into this picture as well but I cannot forget the number one! We are just as important, if not more so hehe):
Please don't ask me what was playing on the television because I will refuse to tell you being that I do not want to admit to what I was actually watching for a few minutes there... hehe

The chain is about to be placed back on my ankle

But only for one more semester!
August 25th marks the first day of my last semester as an undergraduate!
December 12th, 2008 is quicking coming, and will be the day I have been waiting for for over 8 years. I have been waiting so long to be able to say that I am in my last semester; to see the light at the end of the first tunnel.... (the Confucius quote: "it doesn't matter how slow you go as long as you do not stop" seems to fit very well in this situation hehe)
Sure, I may end up taking classes Spring semester because if I get into the school I am wanting I will need the classes for pre-req's and I won't be able to start there until Fall of 09 AND because it is already covered financially by means of grants and scholarships so there is no reason NOT to take them.... but I will officially have my degree December 12th!!
So excited.
Oh...
One thing...
Being that I am graduating in December and WSUV is not having a graduation ceremony that term, I will be having to do the ceremony in Pullman.
Those who want to go let me know, I can arrange for a flight to get there for a few people :)