Water

Way to be ahead of the curve California :). I came across this article in the NY Times about how many restaurants are not serving tap water instead of bottled water. It makes sense to me and I thought I would pass along the info (a. because I am happy that California started the trend and b. because we should all think a little more about sustainability, even if it is in the little things like not buying bottled water or bringing your own bags to the grocery store).

“Filling cargo ships with water and sending it hundreds and thousands of miles to get it around the world seems ridiculous,” Mr. Bastianich said. “With all the other things we do for sustainability, it makes sense.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/30/dining/30wate.html

A Win For PETA

I came across this article in the NY Times about Curbing Animal Testing and thought I would pass it along.

A research associate at PETA, Shalin G. Gala, said, “We see these statements from Coke and Pepsi, massive global conglomerates, as the beginning of the end of all animal tests on food.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/31/business/31testing.html

Hopefully with big companies getting behind banning animal testing everyone else will fall into place (but don't worry I don't think it will happen over night, I am not that big of an optimist). Way to go PETA and way to go Pepsi and Coke!

Seventeen

What the crap? Ok. So within the last 4 days I have been told I look seventeen, not once, but twice. Grrrr. It isn't even like someone told me, Wow you look young and someone else said How old are you. On two separate days, when I am wearing two separate type of cloths and have my hair in two separate styles I have been told I look exactly SEVENTEEN.

Sunday morning I went and got my oil changed. I was waiting in the lobby area flipping through a magazine when I overheard a gentleman talking with the woman checking him out about basketball. They were talking about the Western Conference Finals game that happened the night before. They then mentioned that they couldn't think of the teams in the East. Knowing me, I popped into the conversation at that time and said "Detroit and Cleveland". The woman at the check out then said something like "Oh yeah, I saw your Michigan University license plate on your car, are you from back there?" I responded with a "Yeah, I graduated from there a little over a year ago". She looked amazed and said that I looked like I should have been graduating from high school and not college, but that of course it was a compliment (sure, sure). She said, "You look 17, how old are you?" I told her that I would be turning 23 in a couple months and she was shocked, continuing to assure me that looking young for your age is something most women would love to do (yeah, yeah, I've heard it before).

Last night I walked up to the dry cleaners to get my work pants cleaned. I always wear a ring on my ring finger of my right hand - it is the ring that my mom used to wear when she would travel overseas in place of her wedding ring so that she didn't lose her wedding band or anything like that. I pulled my pants out of my book bag and put them on the counter and the woman helping me said in a loud and shocking voice, "YOU AREN'T MARRIED ARE YOU?" I looked confused and said, "No, why do you ask". She pointed to my finger and I said, "Oh no, if I was married I would wear the ring on my left hand, this is just a ring". She said something to the effect of "Oh thank goodness, because you look seventeen." I told her that I was actually turning 23 shortly, which made her assure me that looking young was something great.

I don't get it. On Sunday I was dressed decently, ready for church, with my hair down and freshly showered (which oddly enough is something that does not happen as often as you would think, hehe) and last night I was in gym shorts and a white tshirt with my hair up in a pony tail and a little sweaty from the walk up to the cleaners. I guess when I am 40 I will like the fact that I look young but for some reason it just doesn't sit well with me right now. I normally don't care what others think about me, but I don't know why this erks me so. Maybe it is because I feel more mature than 17 and would assume my look portrays that, maybe it is because if people think that I am 17 it is not just my look but my maturity level, maybe it is because I feel like I have accomplished a fair amount in my 22 years and I want people to recognize that and know that I have done a lot. Who knows what it is, and I guess I shouldn't care. I just thought it was interesting that two separate people in two separate cities when I am looking two separate ways told me that I look exactly 17 4 days apart from each other.

Monthly High

May seems to have been quite the blogging month for me. Maybe it is because it was a long month, or maybe because I had a lot to post, but it is May 30th and I already have 82 posts for the month, WHOO HOO!! A career high for me, hehe. Out of those 82 posts I'm sure only 4 or so had anything of value in them, but it is still fun, right?!

Here is to 82 more a month :)

Grandma V

I know that this is a little premature, but I don't have the Internet on the weekends so I thought I would post while I had it on my mind... Saturday is my Grandma V's 81st birthday. Now I know that she doesn't have the Internet and she probably doesn't even know what a blog is, but I thought I would post anyway (it's the thought that counts, right).

Well, HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA V (yes, V stands for VanSlambrouck, say that 5 times fast :) ).

The Woodsman

I wanted to remind everyone that Ryan has his new site up and running. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, I would definitely recommend it (I know I may be a little bias, but you go and be the judge). I am actually features in a few of the pieces (haha, my modeling career has taken off huh?!). Anywho, just thought I would remind you his art is out there!!

http://ruggedwoodsman.com/

Always thinking ahead

My mom is always thinking ahead... Since tomorrow is my birthday she sent me a e-card, how sweet!! She must have called uncle Chauncey to pose for it and everything! :)

A Prayer

I received this prayer in my email and thought I would pass it along.

PRAY THIS EVEN IF YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE IT!!! IT WILL ONLY TAKE A MINUTE.

Proverbs 29:25.

You never know when God is going to bless you!!! Good things happen when you least expect them to !!!

Dear Lord,

I thank You for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear me this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me ....and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you. I ask now for Your forgiveness.

Please, keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.

Please, broaden my mind so that I can accept all things. Let me not whine and whimper over things for which I have no control. And...It's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.

I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak... Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others.

I pray for those who are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those who don't believe. And...I thank you that I believe that God changes people and God changes things.

I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes -- that they are out of debt and that all their needs are met. I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.

There is Victory in You alone.

I pray that these words will be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them.

God ~I love you and I need you, come into my heart, please.

Flowers

Bouquet of Flowers

On opening his new store, a man received a bouquet of flowers. He became dismayed on reading the enclosed card, that it expressed "Deepest Sympathy".

While puzzling over the message, his telephone rang. It was the florist, apologizing for having sent the wrong card. "Oh, it's alright." said the storekeeper. "I'm a businessman and I understand how these things can happen." "But," added the florist, "I accidentally sent your card to a funeral party."

"Well, what did it say?" ask the storekeeper. "'Congratulations on your new location'." was the reply.

Pistons

Tonight is game 4 in the Pistons / Cavs series. If you have been reading my blog for any period of time you have probably picked up that I love sports and OBVIOUSLY will be watching the game this evening. Sunday's game was sad, but hopefully tonight we can take the win and go up in the series 3-1... We shall see...

GO UNCLE CHAUNCEY!!

Weekend

How was every one's weekend? Mine was nice... pretty low key, but I got some things accomplished (such as washing the car, getting an oil change, going on some bike rides, etc). I did see Pirates 3, which I enjoyed (maybe because Orlando and Johnny are dreamy, maybe because pirates are intriguing, or maybe because it was a good movie). I love long weekends for many reasons, but the one on the top of the list is because if there is a long weekend, that means somewhere there is a short week!! WHOO HOO!! Not only did we have a 3 day weekend, which was nice, but now there are only 4 days until the next one (which hopefully will make this week go by even faster). Anywho, not much else to say...

Who is working?!

Who Does The Work?

The population of this country is 300 million.

160 million are retired.

That leaves 140 million to do the work.

There are 85 million in school.

Which leaves 55 million to do the work.

Of this there are 35 million employed by the federal government.

Leaving 15 million to do the work.

2.8 million are in the armed forces preoccupied with killing Osama Bin-Laden.

Which leaves 12.2 million to do the work.

Take from that total the 10.8 million people who work for state and city governments.

And that leaves 1.4 million to do the work.

At any given time there are 188,000 people in hospitals.

Leaving 1,212,000 to do the work.

Now, there are 1,211,998 people in prisons.

That leaves just two people to do the work.

You and me.

And there you are, sitting around and reading jokes!

Maxiell Stepped it UP!

Who knew that something good could come out of Ohio (just kidding, Ryan). Jason Maxiell is in his second year out of the University of Cincinnati and really stepped it up in game 2 last night. I would ask, if any of you Pistons players are reading this (which a. would be awesome but b. I would ask why you aren't practicing instead of surfing the net), PLEASE stop making the end of the games so stressful. Yes, I love cheering and jumping up in my apartment, but NO I do not love the scares of a possible loss in the last 2 minutes of the past 2 games. WAY TO GO STONES!! ROCK ON!!

M&Ms

Check out this web site if you have time to kill : http://www.becomeanmm.com/. You can create your own M&M Character. It is a lot of fun!!

Thanks for the link Ry!

The Countdown

Let the countdown begin.... 12 days until Soomoe's BIRTHDAY!! WHOO HOO!!! If you know my mom, you know she loves her birthday! It is just around the corner too... JUNE 5th!! Make sure you get her a BIG present, okay, a email wishing her a happy b-day will do, but DON'T FORGET! (Knowing her, she won't let you forget either.)

Here is a picture of her loving children, the best gift should could get (HA):

Don't worry, we know we're HOT! :)

The Hills

I'm sure no one really cares about this, but I figured I would touch on this rather than American Idol (even though I didn't really watch either of the shows). I did catch a few reruns of The Hills, and I would have to say from what I saw on this show Heidi made a BAD choice. Who knows if this is even true...

According to UsWeekly Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt from "The Hills" are engaged. According to the mag the two got engaged last night in Santa Barbara. Spencer presented Heidi with a diamond encrusted band with a pink stone. A source said, "She said 'yes.' She's over the moon!"

Oldies but GOODIES!

A little known fact about me, I LOVE OLDIES (I think I have my dad to thank for that) (and I must apologize to my mom, since she thinks it kills my brain cells :) ). For the past week or so I have been listening to the Oldies station on Yahoo Music. Another little known fact about me, I know the words to almost ALL songs. Now don't ask me who sings the songs, but ask me what they are saying (or what I think they are saying) and I could sing to you for hours on end. I don't have the best voice, but boy do I love to sing. Anywho, back to the point, I am glad that I got back to listening to the oldies (the main reason is because the radio station I stream at work seems to repeat the music every 2 hours so when I am sitting at my computer for 9 hours a day I hear the same stuff at least 4 times). Well, I was listening to some great songs, rockin' out in my office, and I thought I would share some lyrics (remember when lyrics were wholesome and not talking about 'lady humps', whatever that means). I know that there are too many songs to choose from, but since this was just playing and it is a CLASSIC, I thought I'd share (sing along, or hum it in your head... I know you know it).

THE BEACH BOYS!

Wouldn't it be nice

Wouldn't it be nice if we were older

Then we wouldn't have to wait so long

And wouldn't it be nice to live together

In the kind of world where we belong

You know its gonna make it that much better

When we can say goodnight and stay together

Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up

In the morning when the day is new

And after having spent the day together

Hold each other close the whole night through

Happy times together we've been spending

I wish that every kiss was never ending

Wouldn't it be nice

Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray it might come true

Baby then there wouldn't be a single thing we couldn't do

We could be married

And then wed be happy

Wouldn't it be nice

You know it seems the more we talk about it

It only makes it worse to live without it

But lets talk about it

Wouldn't it be nice

411

Now I don't use 411, but I know that there are a lot of people that do (and if you don't know what it is, it is a directory number you can dial to get phone numbers you may not have on hand or know). I wanted to pass this along to the people that have used 411 in the past or may use it in the future. 411 costs money (which is why I don't use it, hehe), but now there is a FREE directory you can call.
1-800-FREE-411.
(1-800-373-3411). Just wanted to pass along the info, cause you know I love a bargain (or free things :) ).

Bored

No, this blog isn't about me at work, it is a blog about my life. I am bored with the way my life is. I don't seem to have much going on AT ALL right now. I wake up @ 6:30, get ready for work, watch the morning news, leave by about 7:30, get in to the office by about 7:45 and sit at my desk doing a little bit of everything until 5, sometimes I will go out for lunch and walk around Target or the Dollar Store for 20 minutes or so, then go home, eat dinner, watch TV for a couple hours and go to bed by 9. I even eat the same thing every day. At least lately I have been able to watch the Detroit sports to switch it up a little, but even that, I mean come on. I just have this routine that I can't seem to get out of. A rut. People ask what I'm doing that day and I just want to scream THE SAME THING I DO EVERY DAY - NOTHING. I know, the weekends I might go and try out different adventures, but I don't want to look forward to sleeping at 8pm every night during the week. GRRRRRR. I just feel like I have no friends, no life, no nothing out here. Ryan lives 40 minutes north and I only get to see him on the weekends. I hate using the phone and even if I didn't I don't know who I would call anyway. I am just stuck in the rut and I don't know how to get out of it. I don't know what I'm looking for. I don't know what it would look like to not be in this rut, I don't know, so please don't ask. It seems like once a week I am pondering moving back to Michigan - don't get me wrong, I love the weather out here, but I just feel blah. Then I think, what would be different if I moved back to Michigan, instead of watching TV by myself I would watch it with my family? I just don't know right now. I'm just bored, and frustrated, and I just want to scream. Maybe this is it. I mean maybe people just don't talk about it, but that most people are bored for the majority of their life, I dunno. I just know that I want more. I want adventure, I want something more, but knowing me, I probably won't do anything about it and I only have myself to blame. I know I am a spoiled whiner. At least I have a TV to watch, at least I have some where to lay down and go to bed, right? I know that, but for some reason I am just not content with it. I would love to say it is because I have this longing for Heaven and this great motive behind it, but I think that it might just come down to I am a selfish whiner that can't see the good/ great in her life. GRRRRR. Sorry for the rambling and I'm sorry that you will never get those 2 minutes back that you used reading the rambling :).

The Sad Truth

I ran across an article on suicide rates for college students this morning in the LA Times. It is extremely sad, and extremely unfortunate that suicide is becoming more and more common in today's society. It seems as though more and more people are deciding to take their own life when faced with the choice of living another day and ending their misery. I pray that someone can walk into these individuals lives and touch them and show them that there is something to live for. Even the smallest effort may be able to help. You may never know that something you say or a smile to someone you don't know may save their life, but why not try. Why not start today? Say 'hello' to people you pass on the street, give a helping hand to someone carrying their groceries, show a stranger a brief smile... It may seem like a little and insignificant gesture, but it may help (and even if it doesn't, wouldn't you rather try and not succeed than not give it a shot).

Here is a small portion of the article, check out the rest if you get a chance:

"The increase in mental health problems at UC is part of a national trend arising from the growing stress of university life and the growing number of students who arrive at college already under treatment for mental illness, university psychologists and officials say.
Advances in drug treatment mean that many students with psychological disorders who could not have coped with campus life a generation ago now go on to college."
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-mental23may23,0,6779102,full.story?coll=la-home-local

Good try.

Unfortunately the Red Wings lost last night which stops their pursuit for the Stanley Cup for this season. The first two periods were not fun to watch, nothing seemed to be going well for the Wings. The third period was exciting, but in the end we still lost (but we did come back from being down 3-0 and getting it to 4-3 in the last 3 minutes). It was a valiant effort and I am stoked that we got further than expected! It's alright Wings, you are all winners in my book :)

Life Quote

"The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called failure, a loop called confusion, speed bumps called friends, red lights called enemies, caution lights called family. You will have flats called jobs. But if you have a spare called determination, an engine called perseverance, insurance called faith, and a driver you call your higher being, you will make it to a place called success."

Win or Go Home

Let's go Wings!

This is it.

Win or Go Home!

RALLY CAP TIME!!

Glad to be able to watch the games... California loves Versus (unfortunately Detroit doesn't have the channel in basic cable).

Jet lag?

What is this silly world coming to? I came across this article today:

Argentinian researchers have rather unaccountably discovered that Viagra helps ameliorate the effects of "jet lag" in hamsters, and might do the same for humans.

According to New Scientist, hamsters who were favoured with small doses of sildenafil, punted as Viagra, coped better with a simulated six-hour time-zone shift than their non-chemical-hardened chums - adapting to the jet lag up to 50 per cent faster.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/22/hamster_jet_lag/

THANKGOODNESS! Thank you Argentinian researchers for looking into further uses for this 'magic pill'. Ha.

The Guy Rules

I got this in an email and chuckled at a few so thought I would pass it along (without spamming emails)

The Guys' Rules

At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down

Finally, the guys' side of the story.

( I must admit, it's pretty good.)

We always hear " the rules"

From the female side.

Now here are the rules from the male side.

These are our rules!

Please note...

These are all numbered "1"ON PURPOSE!

1. Men are NOT mind readers.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports. It's like the full moon Or the changing of the tides. Let it be.

1. Shopping is NOT a sport. And no, we are never going to think of it that way.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!

1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a Problem. See a doctor.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 Days.

1 If you won't dress like the Victoria 's Secret girls, don't Expect us to act like soap opera guys.

1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of them makes you sad or angry, then we meant the other one.

1. You can either ask us to do something Or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials.

1 Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," We will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle, besides we know you will bring it up again later.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine...Really .

1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball, the shotgun formation, Or golf.

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!

1. Thank you for reading this. Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight; But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.

Game 1

Way to go Stones! It was a close game, but in the end we triumphed! Maybe next time you could make it a little less stressful and just rock them out of the water! ROCK ON!

Birch Aquarium

Ryan and I checked out the UCSD Birch Aquarium on Saturday. It was a cool place to check out. It is with the UCSD School of Oceanography so it is very educational. I checked out the website on Friday and they said that the shark feeding was at 10:30am on Saturday, so obviously we had to check it out. We got to the Aquarium when it opened (at 9) and checked out all of the awesomeness and then saw the sharks feed. Ryan took some video so make sure to check his blog and watch it (once he gets it up). I also added photos under "My Photos", about 50 or so. I hope you enjoy them! :)

Ryan and I after checking out the feeding:

A sting ray:

A jelly:

Monkeys!

Eeks. A 400-pound gorilla escaped from his enclosure and ran amok in a Rotterdam zoo today, biting one woman, dragging her around, and causing panic among dozens of visitors before he was finally subdued. I don't know if I will ever feel safe in a zoo again :) But honestly, what a smart gorilla : "He got over the moat, which in itself is remarkable, because gorillas can't swim," Dorrestijn said. "He got onto a path for visitors and started running and went at full speed through tables and diners at the Oranje restaurant."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-gorilla051807,0,925794.story?coll=la-home-center

Drivers

Elderly Ailments

At a nursing home a group of seniors were sitting around talking about all their ailments. "My arms have gotten so weak I can hardly lift this cup of coffee," said one.

"Yes, I know," said another. "My cataracts are so bad I can't even see my coffee."

"I couldn't even mark an 'X' at election time, my hands are so crippled," volunteered a third.

"What? Speak up! What? I can't hear you! said a fourth.

"I can't turn my head because of the arthritis in my neck," said a fifth, to which several nodded weakly in agreement.

"My blood pressure pills make me so dizzy I can hardly walk!" exclaimed another.

"I forget where I am, and where I'm going," said an elderly gent.

"I guess that's the price we pay for getting old," winced an old man as he slowly shook his head. The others nodded in agreement.

"Well, count your blessings," said one woman cheerfully, "thankfully, we can all still drive."

Smile!

Something to help you SMILE:

Letters to God

My BOYEEEEEEEES!

Even with Sheed's 5 fouls and 1 technical he still rocked the socks off of the Bulls! So sorry charlie, no Jordan, no win!

No NBA team has lost a best-of-seven series after taking a 3-0 lead, and the Pistons rejected the Bulls' shot at history. Now, Detroit can focus on its fifth straight conference final.

Down 48-43 at halftime, the Pistons outscored the Bulls 31-21 in the third quarter to take a 74-69 lead, and Chicago could not sustain any momentum in the fourth.

Rasheed Wallace had 16 points and 13 rebounds for Detroit, while Tayshaun Prince added 17 points and nine rebounds. Chauncey Billups was just 3for12 from the field but he scored 11 of his 21 points in the third quarter. A jumper by Wallace, who had received a technical foul just over a minute earlier, and a hook shot by Prince made it 85-73 with 2:20 left, and Detroit hung on from there.

Ruth's House

Way to go Ruth's House. Filling a niche out there that needs to be taken care of. Thank you for opening up your heart and home to help these youth! Who says Detroit doesn't have good things happening.

"Grace A. McClelland, who runs Ruth’s House, said it had a three-month waiting list for its 10-bed shelter, which opened in August. The shelter is named after Ruth Ellis, an African-American lesbian who in the 1930s opened her house in the same neighborhood to gay African-American teenagers. With a staff of seven, it provides school placement, psychological and family counseling and job training. The shelter is financed with private and federal money."

Read the rest of the story here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/17/us/17homeless.html

Oldest Bowler

Yay! I hope that I make it to 106 years old and can still bowl! This is a cute little story about the oldest man that has been recording bowling.

"Hargrove lost most of his sight with the passage of time, but his love of bowling never waned. He took up the sport in 1924 and remains passionate about every throw.

A few months ago, one of Hargrove's good friends asked him, "What is your goal in life?"

"I know that really seems like a dumb question to be asking a 105-year-old," said Tom Smith, who bowls with Hargrove in another league closer to his north Georgia home. "But he told me, 'I want to be 106, so when I throw that first ball I'll be the oldest sanctioned bowler ever.' He really wanted to set the record. And he did it.""

http://sports.aol.com/news/articles/_a/georgia-man-becomes-oldest-league-bowler/20070517092109990002?ncid=NWS00010000000001

May Gray, June Gloom

It's back. Last year I moved out to California thinking that I was moving to SUNNY San Diego. I moved out here May 3rd and was quite surprised. It was hazy and gray. I talked to more and more people to hear the continuous excuse "Oh it's just May Gray". I wasn't warned about this before I moved out, but I have now come to realize, it's TRUE! Sad buy true. I looked up the causes this morning and this is what I found:

The sun-seeking know to avoid southern California beaches in the late spring. A period known to the locals as May Gray and/or June Gloom often darkens the coastal skies of sunny southern California with a layer of marine stratus. During this time, the coastal clouds may remain all day but often give way to some hazy afternoon sunshine. The number of days during this two month period that are gloomy vary from year to year. Cooler ocean temperatures (La Nina conditions) usually foretell a gloomier period.

I know it stinks right now, but at least we have 10 amazing months, right? :) Since I don't have a window at work and am inside from 8-5 Monday through Friday I guess it really doesn't matter if it is sunny and beautiful or gray and hazy now does it? :)

Melting Pot

The LA Times released an article today stating that California is leading nation in diversity. Minorities make up 57% of the state's population and one-third of the nation's, data show.

"Deepening the nation's diversity, the minority population of the United States reached 100.7 million in 2006, led by California as home to the largest numbers of the two fastest-growing racial groups, Latinos and Asians, the Census Bureau reported today.Minorities now account for one-third of the nation's 300 million U.S. residents, with the largest share of them — 21% — living in California."

I enjoy the diversity and the different cultures that are always present in San Diego. It is so rich and diverse that it is hard to think of going somewhere else that is not as diverse. I know that some people get heated on the subject of immigration, so I'm not going to get into it, but I love just being able to experience so many different things that I have to love living in a progressive state that is open and welcoming (don't get me wrong, I know that some parts of Cali are very conservative and close minded, but the parts that I love here are the welcoming ones).

ANTM

Hurray. I liked Jaslene the most out of all of the girls (except I liked Jael since she was the punky one) so I am glad that she won. If anyone missed it, here is a short recap of the Season Finale of America's Next Top Model Season 8:

Jaslene Gonzalez, the 20-year-old online college admissions advisor from Chicago, won the eighth season of CW reality show "America's Next Top Model" on Wednesday. She beat out Natasha Galkina, the 21-year-old Russian-born college student from Dallas. Renee Alway, the 20-year-old stay-at-home mom from Maui, was eliminated earlier in the finale, with the judges commenting that she photographed noticeably older than the other two.

As part of her prize package, Jaslene was awarded a modeling contract with Elite Model Management, a $100,000 contract with Cover Girl Cosmetics, and a six-page spread and cover photo in Seventeen Magazine.

New Life Church

Just wanted to pass along some news about New Life Church (the church that I attended at UofM). They are doing big things and am pumped for them. I will be able to go back to a service in June when I am back in Michigan for a wedding and I am excited to see the building (for those of you who don't know the story, it is long, but in short - we used to worship and learn in different auditoriums over campus and finally, after many uphill battles, were able to build a sanctuary off of the existing building we had):

New Life Church // A2 Project Update
May 16th, 2007

Dear Friends,

We have some excellent news to pass along to you. Just this morning, we received word that the City of Ann Arbor has passed us on all of our final inspections. This means that we are now completely cleared to use our facility. The last three months we have been operating on a temporary certificate of occupancy (that was set to expire yesterday, 5/15/07). But now that we've passed all our inspections, the City will issue us a final (non-temporary) certificate. This is huge news as it officially marks the completion of construction for our new facility.

The second big item is that we also just received a signed consent judgment from the City of Ann Arbor attorney's office (last week). Most of you are probably aware that we have been engaged in a second major battle with the City of Ann Arbor with regard to our application for property tax exemption. Technically, we are fully qualified for property tax exemption in the City of Ann Arbor, but our application for that status the last several years has been consistently rejected with no apparent legal footing. So we initiated a second lawsuit with the City of Ann Arbor and this consent judgment means that we have now been granted our property tax exemption. The City will also pay us back for our taxes paid in 2006 plus interest, so we're expecting a check from the City for about $35,000 any day now. Without that exemption, we were guessing we might have had to pay something closer to $60-80k this tax year (not to mention future years). As you can imagine, we were absolutely thrilled to receive this bit of news in the mail!

Lastly, we'd like to ask for your prayers. We have a sister church in Blacksburg, Virginia, where 32 people were killed in what is being titled the deadliest shooting in recent U.S. history. At this point, we believe that at least two (possibly three) of the students who were killed attended our sister church (New Life Campus Fellowship, NLCF). And many of the other victims were connected with members of the church in one way or another. We would love it if you could join is in praying for the victims and their families. We're also asking for pray for NLCF, it's pastors, it's staff and it's members as they continue to minister to a grieving campus and as they grieve themselves.

We've been struck with the fact that the University of Michigan isn't much different than Virginia Tech. It's not hard to believe that this kind of thing could have happened at a place like the University of Michigan, instead. So we'd also love your prayers for God's protection against anything like this occurring again!

We don't always have the privilege of seeing God's hand move so clearly in life, but it is certainly exciting to witness when we can see God move. We hope you'll join us in thanking Him for these tremendous blessings. We live in a fallen world, and tragedies like what occurred at Virginia Tech last month only serve to support that there is still plenty of work for us to do in expanding God's Kingdom.

Thank you for your prayers and your partnership in this great endeavor!

Joel VanderSchel on behalf of Steve Hayes

Pizza & Beer

Pizza and beer, or pizza beer? I came across an article today that reported on a man who is creating a beer that tastes like PIZZA.

"Something’s brewing in a garage in St. Charles. Tom Seefurth is mixing up a concoction he'll eventually pour out as beer – pizza beer."

Strange, I know, but maybe it will be a big hit, who knows. Check out the story: http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_134181507.html

Job Idea

So I was streaming a local radio station this week and I heard a story that caught me off guard. They reported (and I don't claim to remember it precisely, but I will try to get it as close as I can) that somewhere between 75-80% of women are disappointed in the way their man proposed to them. This got me thinking and I think I know why. Many women, and even girls, dream about the day that their prince charming comes into their life and asks for their hand in marriage. I am sure if you take a poll, many females have an idea of their ideal proposal. There in lies the problem. Girls make up these grandiose ideas of how they would love to be asked and so therefore a guy can't, or usually doesn't, live up to those expectations. Maybe you know where I'm going with this, but I was thinking maybe I should start a business - Proposal Planner. Normally it is the females that come up with these ideas that guys don't stack up against, so maybe it would help if a female was part of the planning of the proposal. Don't get me wrong, I am sure many men are capable of coming up with amazing ways to ask their significant other for their hand in marriage, but I just thought maybe I could help those guys out that are stuck. I could personalize if for the couple even - your girl likes movies, maybe make a mock preview before a movie, your girl likes biking, maybe putting the ring in her water bottle (of course make sure she can't swallow it, DUH) before going on a romantic ride, your girl likes the beach, build a sandcastle with the ring (but don't lose it in the sand) and ask her to be the queen of your castle. Now I can't offer guarantees, but I am hoping that maybe my new business would help lower the disappointment in these women's lives. These women will play the proposal over and over in their head, tell their friends, families, co-workers and even strangers, you should want it to be an awesome reflection of your love for your girl.

Just an idea, but hey, any guys out there that need some help, shoot me an email :)

Postal Service

Grrrr. So the new postal service INCREASE went into effect on Monday, which is a pain, but I don't necessarily care about it. I have tried to go to TWO different post offices in the past 2 days and BOTH have been OUT of 1 and 2 CENT STAMPS! They had to know that this rush on 2 cent stamps would come when they increased the price. Maybe I should just tape 2 pennies to the letters that I want to mail, or maybe I will cut off a small amount of a 39 cent stamp.... WHAT A PAIN. Way to think ahead US POSTAL SERVICE! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

Only Women

It's a Girl Thing
10 THINGS ONLY WOMEN UNDERSTAND

10. Why it's good to have five pairs of black shoes.

9. The difference between cream, ivory, and off white.

8. Crying can be fun.

7. Fat clothes.

6. A salad, diet drink, and a hot fudge sundae make a balanced lunch.

5. Discovering a designer dress on the clearance rack can be considered a peak life experience.

4. The inaccuracy of every bathroom scale ever made.

3. A good man might be hard to find, but a good hairdresser is next to impossible.

2. Why a phone call between two women never lasts under ten minutes.

1. Other women!

Urination Station

Wow. I am glad that this kid was released with no major injuries but please...

This Is Why You Never Pee On Your Playstation

Friday Wells purchased his new Playstation at the local Wal-Mart in town and made plans for a few friends to come over the next night for a party. Wells had been talking to his buddies about topping off the evening by destroying his old Playstation 2. After the announcement Post without hesitation walked over to the Playstation and started urinating on it. For a moment everyone just laughed said student Amy Dixon. The mood quickly changed when Post fell to the floor unconscious. Not thinking about the video game console being still plugged in Post had just come close to electrocution.

Read the story in its entirety here: http://www.funtechtalk.com/this-is-why-you-never-pee-on-your-playstation/

Congrats!

Congrats Kelly and Chad on your engagement!! I am so excited for the two of you!! You two are great!! Now this is a match made to last!! Hurray for both of you!! And at Disney, in front of Cinderella's Castle at Magic Kingdom... YAY!! So pumped for you two!!

Sad Day

As I blogged a couple weeks ago, today is the last day of Gilmore Girls. The long running series is finally coming to an end *tear*. I thought I would let you all know what was going to be going on in the final episode in case you have some sort of emergency come up and can't watch it:

Just as Rory (Alexis Bledel) lands her dream job as a political reporter, Luke(Scott Patterson) enlists the help of everyone in Stars Hollow to throw her a graduation party. Emily (Kelly Bishop) and Richard (Edward Herrmann) attend the huge party, where Rory makes a speech thanking Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and the whole town for giving her such a great start in life.
Luke's thoughtfulness brings out an unexpected reaction from Lorelai (Lauren Graham). Finally, on the morning that Rory leaves Stars Hollow to start her career, Luke opens the diner before dawn to share a celebratory breakfast with the Gilmore girls.

Gilmore Girls - you will be sadly missed in my book...

Good Luck!

Good Luck Ry! Today is his first day working with Walking on Water (he will only be working there once a week). This is a great opportunity for Ryan and I am super proud and pumped for him!! WAY TO GO!! Check out WoW work here: http://www.walkingonwater.org. Ryan will be helping with the movie they will be releasing soon that will be shown all over the WORLD! Crazy! You will be able to go to your theater and see some of RYAN'S TALENT!! YAY!!

P.S. There is some pay back from stealing my camera and taking photos...

HUGE Dog

World's biggest Dog, World's heaviest Dog.
Hercules: The biggest Dog Ever According to Guinness World Records. Hercules was recently awarded the honorable distinction of worlds Biggest Dog by Guinness World Records. Hercules is an English Mastiff and has a 38 inch neck and weighs 282 pounds. With " paws the size of Softballs" (reports the Boston Herald), the three-year-old monster is far larger and heavier than his breed's standard 200lb limit. Hercules' owner Mr. Flynn says that Hercules weight is natural and not induced by a bizarre diet: "I fed him normal food and he just grew"... and grew. and grew.

Bummin'

I am bummin'. Maybe it was the Pistons loss yesterday. Maybe it was the Red Wings loss yesterday. Maybe it was the Tigers loss yesterday. Maybe it was the tossing and turning I did as I tried to fall asleep last night. Maybe it is the weather. Maybe it is a combination of a lot of things. Maybe it is something that I don't even know is bothering me. Or maybe I just want to be in a bummin' mood. Whatever it may be, it's here. I hope it leaves soon, but if not I will embrace it and try to turn it around. I hope everyone else is having a non-bummin' day!

Flowers

Ryan and I went and checked out the Carlsbad Flower Fields on Saturday. I took a lot, I mean A LOT of photos (I think the album has about 106 or so). Feel free to check them all out if you get a minute, but here is a preview:

Joshua = Rock star!

For those of you who know Joshua Chaisson, you should consider yourself lucky. For those of you who do not know him, I would get to know him, hehe. I met Joshua this past summer at the University of San Diego. Joshua was one of the other two interns that I worked with for my summer internship at USD. He came out to California from Maine a couple weeks after me, but it didn't take much time for him to get accommodated to the school and everyone there. It was a blast getting to know him and spending a lot of time with him during the summer. After the summer he went to BULGARIA for a semester to study abroad (crazy, I know) and then came back to Maine to finish his undergrad career at the University of Southern Maine. He will be graduating this Saturday and flying out to work at San Jose State for the summer on Monday. I am sure he will do awesome there. He sent me an email the other day with a press release that the school released about him, check it out here: http://www.usm.maine.edu/mcr/news/0607releases/Outstanding07.htm. Here is just a small snid-bit of what they say about him: "He became the first USM Student Body president in 2005, and in 2006 co-founded the University of Maine System Student Government, an organization that addresses academic and financial issues for students attending Maine’s Public Universities. He testified online to Congress and in person to U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings on strategies to keep tuition costs down."

I am honored to know you Joshua and love that you are in my life.

Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

Tomorrow, May 12, is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. For those of you who have someone with Fibro in your life, make sure tomorrow is a day that you give them a BIG hug (just not too hard, you don't want to hurt them, hehe). For those of you who don't have someone with Fibro in your life, here is a great reason to learn more about it. Even if you just take a minute to Google the disease to see what the heck I'm talking about, the more awareness the better.

I found on a website that Jennifer Granholm, the Michigan governor, published a release on the day and I thought it was worth sharing:

Fibromyalgia Awareness Day
Whereas, Fibromyalgia is a disease with uncertain cause and no known cure; and,

Whereas, This chronic condition affects an estimated seven to ten million men, women, and children in the United States and many more millions of people worldwide; and,

Whereas, Fibromyalgia is a very serious and chronic illness, increasing at dramatic rates, causing those affected to suffer with fatigue and debilitating pain in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the body; and

Whereas, People living with this condition have to learn to live with difficulty in performing everyday activities such as climbing stairs, lifting weight, and many other actions involving physical strain in addition to widespread pain in muscles, joints, and ligaments; and

Whereas, People with fibromyalgia face discrimination in the workplace and from family and friends because few people are aware or understand what fibromyalgia is and the symptoms it manifests; and,

Whereas, A diagnosis of fibromyalgia is difficult and takes an average of five years because many of the symptoms mimic those of other disorders, resulting in the average person spending thousands of dollars in medical bills just to receive a diagnosis; and,

Whereas, Public awareness is important in order for patients to be able to receive proper diagnosis and treatment and will also help eliminate the myths, improve patient support, and encourage research; and now therefore be it,

Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, do hereby proclaim May 12, 2007, as Fibromyalgia Awareness Day in Michigan. I encourage all citizens to support those seeking a cure and to assist those individuals and families who deal with this devastating disease on a daily basis.

You go girl :)