I'm going to Vegas for my 25th birthday!!! I can't wait! I went last year just after my birthday and it looks like I'll be going again. I better, I already purchased a hotel room and airfare. We got an excellent deal, airfare was $160 after taxes (out of Stockton) and the room was $430 for 5 nights and will be split between a few other girls. If any of my friends read this and are interested in going, let me know! It'll be cheap, I promise.
On another note, work is going great. I LOOOOVE dogs. I had to bathe a dog with horrible hips a few days ago. It was difficult, he was dirty and moved very slowly. He could barely stand up. Anyway, I wrote a note to his parents about how we were really careful with him but that he was very dirty and definitely needed to be bathed more frequently. The dog's mommy was really impressed and left me a $15 tip! I've never really had a job where I received tips so I was tickled!
Time to pay attention in class now. Miss you all!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Life after death?
What happens to us when we die? Do souls exist? Does Heaven and Hell exist? Are we reincarnated? These are all questions I’ve never been able to answer… I still can’t answer them! I guess this is why people have “beliefs.” Interestingly enough, my beliefs today do not resemble the beliefs I had several years ago. My family isn’t very religious. That being said, I hope my mom doesn’t read this – she probably won’t like what I’m about to say. I grew up “Christian.” For me, growing up Christian was appropriate because (A) most people I knew were Christian and I wanted to fit in, (B) I didn’t want to go to Hell, and (C) I wanted Christmas presents! Before I upset too many of my family members, I’m NOT an atheist. I believe there is some God or Supreme Being(s) guiding our world, but, in almost 25 years, I have yet to experience anything that absolutely proves the existence (or non-existence) of a specific God.
I do have a problem with the whole church-going thing. I’ve attended some churches that seem to base a person’s faith on the amount of money they donate to the church. Yes, churches need donations in order to provide services, but, I’ve experienced and heard of several churches that seem to maintain a correlation between the donator’s faith and the amount donated. Furthermore, I hate the “believer vs. non-believer” sermon. Baptist churches often claim that only Baptists will make it to Heaven. Methodist churches often claim that only Methodists will make it to Heaven. Protestant churches often claim that only Protestants will make it to Heaven, etc. Let’s look at Jack and Jane. Jack was a kind, loving, giving man who never ever sinned (impossible, but this is hypothetical). Jack didn’t believe in God. After saving countless lives and finding a cure for cancer, Jack died at age 80. Jane, on the other hand, was a horrible person. For fun, she killed thousands of pet kittens and puppies. When Jane was on her death bed, she had a revelation. She suddenly realized that it was bad to kill kittens and puppies. She prayed to God for forgiveness and dedicated the rest of her life to serving the lord. She died two days later. According to the Bible, who made it to Heaven? I’m not religious (so I could be wrong), but from what I understand of most religions, Jill would’ve been the best candidate. This just doesn't seem "right."
So, what happens when we die? I began writing this blog several hours ago and stopped for awhile due to a few distractions. Unfortunately, I lost most of my motivation (I’m tired). I had a great conversation with my new roommate (long story) and am definitely feeling out my metaphysical side, if you will. The conversation came about because I told Cindy (the new roomie) that I wanted to take Mushko to a Reiki animal specialist. For those of you who don’t know (I didn’t until recently), Reiki is a form of spiritual practice used as a complementary therapy for the treatment of physical, emotional, and mental diseases (Wikipedia). From what I understand, Reiki taps into energy and karma. It’s a little crazy but the more I think about these sorts of things, the more they make sense. Anyway, a local Reiki dog specialist offers services through my work – that’s how I heard about all of this. Come to find out, Cindy happens to be a Reiki master! She offered to Reiki both Mushko and me! We ended up having a long conversation about metaphysics, reincarnation, Buddhism, etc. We have one rare thing in common; we’re both irrationally afraid of being the victim of a shark attack. Cindy said something that resonated so well with me, it literally gave me chills! She speculated that she could’ve been a dolphin or fish in her previous life. If so, maybe her last living moment was the moment in which a shark attacked and ate her. I know, it sounds a little crazy. Still, I can’t count how many times I’ve dreamt of shark attacks. Maybe I too was eaten by a shark in a previous life? Who knows!? Go ahead, call me crazy. I’m going to “keep my ears open,” as Andrea would say, and we’ll see what kind of other crazy things I come up with!
I do have a problem with the whole church-going thing. I’ve attended some churches that seem to base a person’s faith on the amount of money they donate to the church. Yes, churches need donations in order to provide services, but, I’ve experienced and heard of several churches that seem to maintain a correlation between the donator’s faith and the amount donated. Furthermore, I hate the “believer vs. non-believer” sermon. Baptist churches often claim that only Baptists will make it to Heaven. Methodist churches often claim that only Methodists will make it to Heaven. Protestant churches often claim that only Protestants will make it to Heaven, etc. Let’s look at Jack and Jane. Jack was a kind, loving, giving man who never ever sinned (impossible, but this is hypothetical). Jack didn’t believe in God. After saving countless lives and finding a cure for cancer, Jack died at age 80. Jane, on the other hand, was a horrible person. For fun, she killed thousands of pet kittens and puppies. When Jane was on her death bed, she had a revelation. She suddenly realized that it was bad to kill kittens and puppies. She prayed to God for forgiveness and dedicated the rest of her life to serving the lord. She died two days later. According to the Bible, who made it to Heaven? I’m not religious (so I could be wrong), but from what I understand of most religions, Jill would’ve been the best candidate. This just doesn't seem "right."
So, what happens when we die? I began writing this blog several hours ago and stopped for awhile due to a few distractions. Unfortunately, I lost most of my motivation (I’m tired). I had a great conversation with my new roommate (long story) and am definitely feeling out my metaphysical side, if you will. The conversation came about because I told Cindy (the new roomie) that I wanted to take Mushko to a Reiki animal specialist. For those of you who don’t know (I didn’t until recently), Reiki is a form of spiritual practice used as a complementary therapy for the treatment of physical, emotional, and mental diseases (Wikipedia). From what I understand, Reiki taps into energy and karma. It’s a little crazy but the more I think about these sorts of things, the more they make sense. Anyway, a local Reiki dog specialist offers services through my work – that’s how I heard about all of this. Come to find out, Cindy happens to be a Reiki master! She offered to Reiki both Mushko and me! We ended up having a long conversation about metaphysics, reincarnation, Buddhism, etc. We have one rare thing in common; we’re both irrationally afraid of being the victim of a shark attack. Cindy said something that resonated so well with me, it literally gave me chills! She speculated that she could’ve been a dolphin or fish in her previous life. If so, maybe her last living moment was the moment in which a shark attacked and ate her. I know, it sounds a little crazy. Still, I can’t count how many times I’ve dreamt of shark attacks. Maybe I too was eaten by a shark in a previous life? Who knows!? Go ahead, call me crazy. I’m going to “keep my ears open,” as Andrea would say, and we’ll see what kind of other crazy things I come up with!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Arcata - Modesto - Arcata
After class last Thursday, I headed to Modesto to visit family and friends. I had a wonderful time and thank everyone I saw for spending time with me. Big thanks to Sean and Andrea for putting a roof over my head (and Mushko's) and for fixing my brakes! I thank my dad because he replaced my oxygen sensor and running belts. I thank my mom for all of the Monavie, lol. I hope it benefits dad, grandma, grandpa, and Andrea... we'll see! I also thank Laurie for one of the most delicious dinners I've had in a long time (dad helped). I didn't have any salad but everything else was supurb! And last, but not least, I thank my friends for showing me such a godo time (especially Jill for the great hook-up at Chili's!!!).
I'm back in Arcata and already miss you all (I miss you, not Modesto haha). I didn't think the air was that bad in Modesto until I got out of my car in Cloverdale on the way home. As soon as I got out of my car, I noticed a HUGE difference. The air was cold, clean, and felt amazing compared to what I'd been breathing the past four days. Call me crazy but Modesto is just not healthy. People can't even drink tap water, ew. Anyway, I wanted to write more but have class so I must go. Have a great day and I'll be back soon.
I'm back in Arcata and already miss you all (I miss you, not Modesto haha). I didn't think the air was that bad in Modesto until I got out of my car in Cloverdale on the way home. As soon as I got out of my car, I noticed a HUGE difference. The air was cold, clean, and felt amazing compared to what I'd been breathing the past four days. Call me crazy but Modesto is just not healthy. People can't even drink tap water, ew. Anyway, I wanted to write more but have class so I must go. Have a great day and I'll be back soon.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Busy bee is me.
I’m way too busy. In the past week alone, I’ve attended all of my classes at HSU, worked on homework/research projects, worked at It’s All About the Dogs (27 hours), worked with two of my professors on a Lean and Green project focused on local businesses, began a Lean and Green project with a local business (Jessicurl), worked on a Green Business Certification Program with the Arcata Chamber of Commerce, and attended three sustainability seminars with world-renowned Gil Friend. Whew! I feel as though I barely had time to eat or sleep. I still have a lot to do but am very excited because I’ll be on my way to Modesto this Thursday night.
School is going great. I currently have straight A’s in all of my classes. Surprisingly, I enjoy all of my classes (some more than others, however). I’ve learned a great deal about sustainability, technology, economics, and lean six sigma. It’s funny to think about why I chose HSU. Most importantly, I chose the school because of the College Faculty Preparation Program. This program doesn’t begin until September but teaches a small group of students about how to be effective college professors. The program also requires a minimum number of hours spent working with a professor at either HSU or College of the Redwoods. Another reason I decided to enroll at HSU was the location/environment. I hate Modesto… hate the bay area… hate southern California (for the most part). Most individuals living in Modesto have little/no leisure time. This is partially because there are very few leisure activities available in Modesto. It’s true that San Francisco, Tahoe, Yosemite, etc., are only a few hours away, however, most people don’t have (or make) time to go out of town. Furthermore, summers in Modesto are absolutely unbearable. I hate the bay area because of the congestion. There are way too many people and way too much traffic, enough said. I hate Southern CA because of how materialistic everyone and everything seems. Women often change the way they look (blonde hair, fake boobs, etc.) and wear exceptionally expensive and uncomfortable clothing and accessories to earn status. I’m all about jeans and flip flops. Arcata is great. I still haven’t seen a single set of fake tits! On that note, I guess Stephen wouldn’t be interested in living here. People wear what’s comfortable – I’ve probably only seen half a dozen women in heels! The weather is great (I love cold weather), the lack of tourism and traffic is great, and the significance locals place on leisure time is also highly enjoyable. It’s also nice to be only three hours from Luke, as opposed to at least five (depending on traffic).
What’s funny is that what I’m learning about sustainability may trump everything else. The College Faculty Preparation Program will be great for my resume. The Arcata environment is great but will only benefit me while I live here. What I’ve learned about sustainability has already changed the way I live. Andrea was right! Before moving to Arcata, I knew relatively nothing about waste, energy, world hunger, genetically modified food, toxic materials, green buildings, green living, etc (I didn’t even recycle). After only a few weeks here, having an environmental conversation with my fellow co-workers at Gallo would probably leave them thinking I’m now a “tree-hugging hippy,” lol. For example, I’m now finding ways to reduce phantom energy. Phantom energy is most commonly used by appliances that are plugged into an outlet but are not being used (toasters, washers and dryers, televisions, etc). Because Americans own so many appliances and use these appliances so infrequently, we expend more phantom energy than many European countries’ total energy usage! If you want to improve the environment AND reduce your energy bill, unplug appliances when they aren’t being used. J
Anyway, I better get going. I recently bought a Springer (www.springerusa.com) and want to take Mushko on a bike ride. I miss everyone and hope to see many of you this weekend.
School is going great. I currently have straight A’s in all of my classes. Surprisingly, I enjoy all of my classes (some more than others, however). I’ve learned a great deal about sustainability, technology, economics, and lean six sigma. It’s funny to think about why I chose HSU. Most importantly, I chose the school because of the College Faculty Preparation Program. This program doesn’t begin until September but teaches a small group of students about how to be effective college professors. The program also requires a minimum number of hours spent working with a professor at either HSU or College of the Redwoods. Another reason I decided to enroll at HSU was the location/environment. I hate Modesto… hate the bay area… hate southern California (for the most part). Most individuals living in Modesto have little/no leisure time. This is partially because there are very few leisure activities available in Modesto. It’s true that San Francisco, Tahoe, Yosemite, etc., are only a few hours away, however, most people don’t have (or make) time to go out of town. Furthermore, summers in Modesto are absolutely unbearable. I hate the bay area because of the congestion. There are way too many people and way too much traffic, enough said. I hate Southern CA because of how materialistic everyone and everything seems. Women often change the way they look (blonde hair, fake boobs, etc.) and wear exceptionally expensive and uncomfortable clothing and accessories to earn status. I’m all about jeans and flip flops. Arcata is great. I still haven’t seen a single set of fake tits! On that note, I guess Stephen wouldn’t be interested in living here. People wear what’s comfortable – I’ve probably only seen half a dozen women in heels! The weather is great (I love cold weather), the lack of tourism and traffic is great, and the significance locals place on leisure time is also highly enjoyable. It’s also nice to be only three hours from Luke, as opposed to at least five (depending on traffic).
What’s funny is that what I’m learning about sustainability may trump everything else. The College Faculty Preparation Program will be great for my resume. The Arcata environment is great but will only benefit me while I live here. What I’ve learned about sustainability has already changed the way I live. Andrea was right! Before moving to Arcata, I knew relatively nothing about waste, energy, world hunger, genetically modified food, toxic materials, green buildings, green living, etc (I didn’t even recycle). After only a few weeks here, having an environmental conversation with my fellow co-workers at Gallo would probably leave them thinking I’m now a “tree-hugging hippy,” lol. For example, I’m now finding ways to reduce phantom energy. Phantom energy is most commonly used by appliances that are plugged into an outlet but are not being used (toasters, washers and dryers, televisions, etc). Because Americans own so many appliances and use these appliances so infrequently, we expend more phantom energy than many European countries’ total energy usage! If you want to improve the environment AND reduce your energy bill, unplug appliances when they aren’t being used. J
Anyway, I better get going. I recently bought a Springer (www.springerusa.com) and want to take Mushko on a bike ride. I miss everyone and hope to see many of you this weekend.
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