Helping Hand

I wish I was settled. I know, you are probably thinking 'How much more settled do you need to be? You have a job and place to live.'

Well, yes, but the job is seasonal, and currently a lot of my stuff is still in a storage unit in San Diego. So for all I know, come January I will be right back where I was 2 weeks ago.

The reason I really want to get a permanent job somewhere is because I want to volunteer places. There's a lot of non-profits I would love to get involved with, like Make-a-Wish, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and potentially hospital volunteering. I suppose you are wondering why I didn't do any of this stuff while I was jobless all those months since graduation. It's because all of these places want commitment, which at this point and for the past few months, I can't do. I don't want to sign up and get involved and then end up getting a job somewhere else and have to move and then break off the commitment I made with the organization.

Hopefully the with the new year coming I will get a better idea of what's going to happen with me so I can go back to volunteering since it's something I miss doing. In high school I spent the early afternoons of Thanksgiving working with Union Station in Pasadena for their annual Thanksgiving in the Park, serving Thanksgiving lunch to homeless and needy families of the community. There was always a lot of volunteers, each getting a shift serving food, all of which was donated. There was always tons of food and the people we were serving were extremely appreciative that we were there providing them a good meal. As this year's holiday season rolls around and I see toy drives for needy children and groups getting things to send to the troops and all I want to do is give to all of them. I don't really have money to be buying a lot of stuff to give, but I would like to try at least and give something. Open your hearts this season and lend a helping hand if you can with food/clothing/toy donations.

Thank goodness for the Blackberry

Seriously..my internet decided to quit working. But w/my smartphone I could sign up for mobile posting. Yay! Real post tmr!

Mood Radio

My friend shared a website with me last night that has playlists based on your emotional mood. StereoMood has a lot of different types of playlists to choose from. Some of the playlists like "Groovy" or "Classic" you can probably guess the kinds of songs you'll hear on them. But others, like "Road Trip", "Dreamy", or "It's Raining" it's anyone's guess as to what's on them. Check it out, and maybe you'll find some new good songs. I have a feeling that after I listen to some of the playlists I'll have a whole list of songs that I'll want to get on my iPod.

"Tale as old as time..."

"Beauty and the Beast" is, in my opinion, the best Disney movie. I put it on on Thanksgiving after everyone had left. There are no flaws in it, other than seeming to be over too soon. There's a lot one can learn from this movie.

1. Don't be mean and cruel to others, because they might turn you into a hideous beast.
2. Reading is good.
3. Don't judge someone at first look, get to know the person inside.
4. It's okay to be unique.

I love when Belle is mending the wounds of Beast and she's thanking him for saving her from the wolves, but they have a little argument.



Good for Belle to sassing the Beast. That was their little breakthrough that led them from being cross with one another to falling in love.

There's so much to love about this movie. If you haven't seen it or it's been awhile since you've seen it, I suggest watching it soon. It's a true classic, and the only Disney animated film to be nominated for Best Picture for an Oscar.

Survived!

I have survived working my first Black Friday! It wasn't as crazy as I had been expecting it to be. Although I had a pretty steady stream of ringing up customers all day, it was never overwhelmingly so. That could also be because I started at 12pm, rather than 7am when they opened. I'm glad that it wasn't super crazy and now I'm super sleepy, thus almost missing the deadline because I was falling asleep. At least I have tomorrow off. =)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving readers! There's lots to be thankful for this year. Even though sad things have happened, we can be thankful for what we have: health, family, friends, whatever it is. Hope you are having a nice holiday with loved ones. And for Black Friday shoppers, good luck out there.

Guest 4300..

Just saw that it's 2 more people to go to hit 4300. Who's it going to be? If it's you, leave a comment!

Lazy

I'm lazy because I worked all day today, so my mind is blank as to what to write about. As a result, you get more random thoughts.

-I work in a dangerous place. Not dangerous in actual life threatening situations, though Black Friday might be, but dangerous in the sense of me buying too much! They sell things that are cute, things that I would imagine in my future home, plus food and drinks that are faves of mine (hello marzipan things and Moscato wine). So will my paychecks be spent all on stuff in the store? Hopefully not, but I got some of those things today, along with small packets of S'Mores hot chocolate to try. Luckily I have my employee discount to help out haha.

-Why do I always have sneezing fits when I'm driving? I did on my drive home tonight, but luckily I was coming up on a red light and no one was around me so I finished my little fit once I had stopped. But normally it always happens when I'm driving on the freeway, which is not good. Any suggestions on how to stop it if I feel sneezes coming on?

-I'm kind of glad my work isn't playing Christmas music just yet. I mean I love Christmas music, so I worry that overkill might occur if I had been listening to it for the 22 hours I've worked this week. Guess we'll see what Friday brings me. Instead they have been playing music that makes me think I'm in an episode of "Grey's Anatomy" or something. Now if only a real life McDreamy would walk into my life at work....

And to make up for my lame thoughts, here's a song for you. Rosi Golan, "Come Around"



It was on an episode of "One Tree Hill" in season 6, the season finale. There were a couple of good songs in the episode, including "Murderous Air" by Tim Williams and "Hallelujah" by Gin Wigmore. Hope you like this one.

Nation Divided Over Dancing?

On the news this morning, one of the top stories was the conclusion tonight of "Dancing with the Stars" and how the results are dividing the nation.

Seriously?

I mean I understand people taking sides on who they want to win, but dividing the nation into anger for whoever wins? That's a little much. As is shooting your tv over Bristol Palin being saved, despite not being as good of a dancer as Brandy. Yes, I was upset that she's made it this far while other people I thought were better dancers were voted off, but not enough to take such drastic actions.

See it's stuff like this that makes Americans looked down upon in other countries. We put so much attention on celebrities and reality tv competitions, that other things of more substance are forgotten about, especially this time of year. There are so many people out there struggling this holiday season. Why aren't there more stories about ways to help those in need with food, clothing, and toy drives, for instance. Or places you can go volunteer to help people. Let's not have a divided nation over a tv show and instead be one united to help others.

Random Mind

Why is it that I can remember useless information very accurately at the drop of a hat, yet information that I really need to retain I tend to lose it really easily?

For example, I can tell you things like what I ordered the first time I went to a certain restaurant, who I was with, why I was with them, and it all happened 10 years ago, at least. Or that I can recall conversations I had with people, just about to a T. Or quotes from movies/tv, and song lyrics. All these things, even songs I haven't sung or even necessarily heard in years I can still sing word for word. I can do almost the entire dialogues of several movies. Even if I drink, I am able to remember things with accuracy, which has been proven when one person tries to tell me how some situation or another came about, and I counter and say what I know happened and usually someone else is like 'Yeah that's true,' thus the person trying to make crap up about me should feel nice and embarrassed by the fact I just called them out on trying to screw with me.

So my memory doesn't falter there, yet when it would come to math, or right now as I am doing training, I kept having the same issues. Like ok, yesterday was a training day for me and it seemed easy enough before the store was open. Then when actually dealing with people and customers, it was all lost on me and I kept having issues. In an 8 hour shift I was still having the same problems. Hopefully that gets better because otherwise my co-workers are going to think I'm an idiot.

Meanwhile, I'll continue to gather useless information on things like celebrity gossip, movies, music, and tv. Maybe some day that stuff will end up benefiting me somehow.

Kilts & Camels

First day of my seasonal job was today. I waited on a guy in a kilt. No joke. He and his wife, dressed normally in jeans and their children were buying some last minute Thanksgiving things. I didn't laugh out loud or anything though, don't worry.

Then on my way home, I went further down Colorado Blvd. than I normally would and went down a random side street. It ended up dead-ending at the Huntington Library, and I recalled a few years ago when I found myself in the same area and after some random turns came across the most picturesque storybook cottage looking house I had ever seen. So I decided to see if history would repeat itself and made more random turns. I passed a street and thought I saw a camel. I didn't think it was possible. I thought of turning around but decided against it, yet after a mistake, I found myself on a narrow street and there was a police car and a huge trailer with an open door. I wasn't sure if I would be able to fit between the space between the 2 to go around, but was able to with no problem, yet as I went around and was by the trailer, I found the camel right next to my car. I went up to the stop sign, then turned around and snapped a pic on my Blackberry. It's not the best picture because I was 2 houses down and I can only zoom so much, but you can see that it is a camel.


So the question I pose tonight is this: Have camels replaced ponies for things like kid's birthdays? Maybe I should have stopped to ask.

Oh and I didn't find that house, however once I was back on track to getting to Huntington Dr., I saw a small street that I think was the one it was on. (This is my crazy memory kicking in to remember such random, insignificant details of life..I'll expand on that tomorrow) So I think I'll wander around another day, but this time do it on foot. Then I get exercise and I can stare at the houses and not be a distracted drive as I would be if I were driving.

Tough Stuff

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. ~Kahlil Gibran

I can no longer say that I have never been to a funeral/memorial service. No, I haven't gone through life without death. I just have never been to a service before, be it because I was too young or the distance was too far to go for the service. Although this was my brother's mother in law and I didn't know her that well, she was always kind to me. It is a sad time for the family as it was all so sudden.

I never know quite what to say to people when someone close to them have passed. "I'm sorry" doesn't seem to be enough, but what else can you say? I don't know the loss that they are feeling, especially in this instance. It's one of those times that you hope "I'm sorry" and a warm embrace offer at least some comfort. That and being there with a shoulder to cry on if need be is all one can really do I suppose. Be part of their support system.

While we are mourning the loss of our friend, others are rejoicing to meet him behind the veil. ~John Taylor

Almost Missing the Deadline Again

Reason: I got sleepy and my cat decided that she wanted to sleep on my tummy while I finished reading this week's 'Entertainment Weekly.' My normally not super cuddly kitty decided that she wanted to be lovey this evening and first stretched herself across my entire body and on the arm of the loveseat next to me. Then she switched positions and curled her little self up so her head was tucked up just below my armpit and her body on my hip and the arm of the loveseat. Finally she sat on the arm of the loveseat but but her paws and head up on my shoulder and purred in my ear and we both dozed off a bit. It was nice and cozy. I love those rare moments when she decides that she wants to be a nice lap cat, as when I got her when I was 6 years old, I was under the assumption that all cats were cuddly lap cats like my grandmother's cat at the time, Lucy. My kitty, however, wasn't super cuddly and didn't really like people. Now, in her later years at the age of 16, she has decided that people aren't so bad after all. My friends that came over in junior high and high school maybe saw a glimpse of Honey, if they were lucky or I brought her out to show them myself. Now, a few of them have come over and Honey has come in and not only gotten close to them, but let people pet her a bit. I wish it hadn't taken her so long to open up to people, but I'm glad she's now more the cuddly kitty I thought I was getting 16 1/2 years ago. Either way I know she loves me, even if she isn't being cuddly, because she always wants to sleep on my bed, in my room, under the covers in my bed, etc. Plus I have her love if only because I am the keeper of the cat food and provide her her meals.

As if you weren't already aware

Christmas is coming!

I know, you could already figure that out for yourself by looking at a calender. However, here are some extra pieces of evidence in case you are in denial about it still.

1. Christmas decorations are up in the stores.
2. Holiday items in the grocery store, such as seasonal coffee creamers, candies, coffee, etc.
3. KOST 103.5 has started their 24/7 holiday music.
4. Peppermint Mochas are back at Starbucks.
5. Holiday specials on tv.

Now I haven't checked my Christmas playlist on iTunes just yet. I feel that I can hold off on that until the day after Thanksgiving. If I want holiday music now, I can always tune in to the radio. Plus they play songs that I, amazingly, don't have. I'm really excited it's almost Christmas. I love seeing houses decorated, decorating the tree, decorating Christmas cookies, getting the house ready. All good things. This will be an interesting holiday season I think. Can't wait to see what lies ahead.

Oops

Just paid attention to what time it was and realized I hadn't posted anything. I really have no clue what to talk about today, especially being as pressed for time as I am. I watched a nice Christmas movie as soon as I got up this morning, once again thank you Hallmark Channel. And as I write this I am watching "Valentine's Day." Too bad there wasn't a New Year's movie on somewhere in between. I'll try to have something more interesting for tomorrow and I'll remember sooner than 20 minutes before midnight.

Dreams

So I read somewhere once that a lot of people: 1. Don't remember dreams. 2. Dream in black & white. Or 3. Don't dream at all.

I don't fit any of those categories. I dream almost every night, in color, and usually remember them. Or if I don't remember them really, I usually at least know I was dreaming about something. Dreams are really interesting to me. I think that we often can interpret major things or events in the dreams to a deeper meaning. Or sometimes, get an answer to a question on our minds through them.

Since high school, I have kept a dream diary. There aren't that many entries, only because I write them down other places, like on a piece of paper during a lecture in college or am emailing it to a friend because whatever happened is like big. But I always look up meanings, and after I write down the dream, I pick out things that particularly stood out to me, like colors or the weather or where I was and look them up both in my dream dictionary book, as well as an online dream dictionary, Dream Moods.

I remember that in September, I had been thinking a lot about a lingering question in my mind about someone that had made an appearance in my life and if my decision about the person was the right one and I had a dream and the person was with me then disappeared and everyone of my friends that were in the dream were like 'See? No good just like we said. You are better off because nothing is going to change.' It was the answer I needed to hear and deep down I knew that was the answer, I just needed the wake up call to come in a dream it seems. (oh irony...)

Lately I've been having dreams of being married and having kids. But I always have boys and they are always babies. First it was twin boys, then just the other night it was just one boy. Both times, these kids don't have names, but they are cute...though I'm not 100% the one from the other night was mine necessarily. It was blond, curly haired, with big blue eyes, all of which are not qualities I have. I think I might have been baby sitting it, I'm not 100% sure on that. I looked up what a baby boy meant and my book said "birth or emergence of a new phase of self-expression in terms of activity or achievement," so maybe these babies that keep showing up are a sign that a new phase in my life is going to begin soon, aka I'm going to get a job soon. That would be nice.

Sweet dreams, readers. And remember, "Be careful what you wear to bed at night, you never know who you'll meet in your dreams."

Thank You Hallmark Channel

As of this weekend, Hallmark Channel is now 24 hour holiday programming. The weekend was full of Christmas, and a few Thanksgiving movies, and this morning woke up to find a Christmas movie on. Even their Martha Stewart episodes being shown are all about Thanksgiving and, soon enough, Christmas.

This makes me super happy. I really like holiday movies, even if they are predictable or dumb, as I have heard them called. Last year we didn't have Hallmark Channel, so I didn't get my full Christmas movie experience. This year I plan on making up for that by watching them before Thanksgiving even, much like I am doing right now.

Lifetime movies are pretty solid too, but Hallmark has more to offer. So if you find yourself feeling in the holiday mood, cozy up under a blanket with a nice cup of coffee/tea/hot chocolate and watch some Hallmark Channel holiday movies.

Holiday Drinks

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf have rolled out their holiday drinks, not only having the typical fall Pumpkin Spice and Gingerbread lattes, but their Christmas drinks as well. Tonight I met up with a friend and we headed over there to try some of these drinks. She got a Vanilla Peppermint drink, that was coffee-free so it was a nice creamy treat that reminded me of after dinner mints. I tried the Red Velvet Hot Chocolate. That was really good. It was rich and creamy and a pretty color. I was torn between ordering that or their Dark Chocolate Peppermint Latte or their Winter Dream Tea. But I was most curious about the hot chocolate because that's completely new and I have gotten to try the other two before. I'm thinking that more trips to Coffee Bean are going to be in my future.

For the Future

So given how tough it has been even just to get hired on as Christmas help, I decided that if/when I have kids, they are going to work when they are in high school. Even having experience working at Jamba Juice or basic retail knowledge would have all the difference for me now because at least a place would see they might not have to put that much into training me. I wish I had been forced to work, because that would have given me more customer service experience, and if I had been forced to work for summer and while I was in school, I'd have at least a year of the experience places want you to have. If competition is this fierce now, I'd hate to think what it will be years from now when my potential children are out there.

So Yeah.....

I continue to lack inspiration on what to write about. It's hard to think of things when there's nothing really going on in your life. Let's see, haven't heard from anywhere I applied to be Christmas help, which is sad. The fact that I can't even get a temporary, mass hiring type job makes me all the more depressed. Yes, I know, the economy still sucks so everyone is applying for these jobs. But given that these places are still claiming to be hiring and Thanksgiving fast approaching, you'd think that would have made a difference. Apparently not. Such is my life, lots of fail going on. Well it's late and I'm feeling at bit down and out for now, so I'll catch you all tomorrow, being less Debbie Downer than I am at the moment.

NYC & Other Places

This weekend, like Veteran's Day weekends the last few years, HTM Students (and alumni) head to NYC for the American Hotel & Lodging Association's annual Hotel Show. I never got to go on one of those trips, and while I could have bought a plane ticket with what little money I have to get to New York, I wouldn't be able to eat, pay to get into the show, pay for transportation...room probably would have been okay because I would have split one with friends, but all those other things are kind of important. I've never been to New York City. I have always wanted to go there though. That's just one of the many places I want to go. Here's a few other places I'd like to see and spend time in (in no particular order):

-Chicago
-Seattle
-San Francisco (I went the for a choir trip and we spent an hour at Pier 39, and it was pouring rain so it was like the longest hour ever and then we got back on the bus and headed for our hotel next to Great America theme park in Santa Clara...so seeing more other sites in better weather would be nice)
-Boston
-Disney World (I realize that's not a city, but it may as well be. And that's really the only thing I would ever want to see in Florida)
-Colorado
-Washington D.C.
-Mall of America
-Back to Hawaii because it was beautiful and relaxing and I can finally have the non-virgin versions of the drinks I had haha

These are all just U.S. locations. There are so many international places I want to go and see, but need to save up a lot before that can happen. But at least some of the U.S. ones are possibilities. So if any of you want to go to any of those places, let's plan a trip! Traveling with people is much nicer than alone. I know, I've flown, taken the train, and driven places by myself and while it gives me time to think and let my mind wander, it's nice to have someone to talk to.

Simple & Quick

I realized I was running out of time to blog, so I'm going to have to make it a semi-slacker easy way out post today with a song....ok 2 songs actually. I can't choose which of his songs I like more so, going to post my 2 faves. I was going to have more to talk about today, but I got caught up finishing my book and watching the Country Music Awards, so my time ran out.

So I've discovered Andrew Belle recently. His songs were in episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" last season, including one in the season 6 finale. This first one, "Make it Without You" was in one of the later episodes of the season:



The second one, "Replace Me" I just found when I was on YouTube, listening to other songs of his.



Hope you like these songs. Check out some of his other songs. I like him a lot. Jamie said he sounds like a cross between The Fray and John Legend. Hopefully you like him too.

Just One of Those Days

That I, yet again, lack inspiration for posting. Kind of sad that only 9 days into this and I can't come up with things to say. Well, ok, I can, I just have to sort out my thoughts more first. I like to kind of have an idea of what I want to say before I post, although I'm sure sometimes it seems I am rambling on and going off on all sorts of tangents...which is exactly what I'll be doing tonight.

-Watching "Conan" right now. So glad to see him back on tv. He's awesome and was wronged by NBC. Trying to get tickets to see a taping of his show again. I went last year and will return with 2 of the people I went with last time. I can't get any til January's are posted, but that's fine with me. He's hilarious and it's well worth the wait.

-I'm almost done with my book. I'm debating staying up tonight to finish it, though I will more likely fall asleep and finish it tomorrow. All through reading it, I've been trying to picture who I'd put in it as a movie. Still debating on that, but I can kind of see them. I sometimes wish that I was in a position to pick people for movie roles. One of my favorite books, "Something Borrowed" by Emily Giffin, has been made into a movie and will be out next year. This is one, where the casting I'm iffy on. Ginnifer Goodwin is playing the main character, Rachel, which I can see and I'm good with that casting. However, her best friend is being played by Kate Hudson, which I definitely don't see. The character in the book is described as being tall, dark hair, green eyes...I know that things change for movies, but it's just not who I would have put in the role. Same with Cameron Diaz being cast as the mother in "My Sister's Keeper" last year. She just is not the motherly figure I was picturing when I read the book. I guess I'll just have to see the movie next year and find out. I hope it's close to how I imagined it in my head. I always do that, picture it as a movie, casting, where it could be filmed...even certain scenes I can even pick a song that would fit that moment. Sometimes I wish I had money and connections to get into finding authors of books I've loved and approach them about a movie and let it be made the way I picture it.

Sorry for yet another short post tonight. I'll try and have a deeper meaning one tomorrow, when I've had more time to think it through.

Favorite Kind of Day...

Was a day like today. Not in what I did, because that was a lot of nothing, but the weather. It was sunny but the air was cool and it was windy. The only thing missing in the sky was big, white, puffy clouds. I went outside for a while and just let the wind blow through my hair and I embraced the cold and let the leaves blow around me. This kind of weather, just narrowly beats out gray, either cloudy or rainy, cold weather. That just is really nice, cozy weather.

But as for why I like the weather like today, I just have some really nice memories that I look back on and that was the kind of weather it was that day. Sunny, cool, windy.

Anyway, I hope you had a nice day. I'm off to go watch the season premire of "Conan" on TBS. So stoked he's back on!

The Eternal Post-Grad Question

Here it is, 5 months after graduation. I have had the opportunity to see friends a lot during this span of time, both from college and high school/elementary school. It seems to me, that we all have the exact same question that has come up in EVERY SINGLE MEETING I have had with friends from all areas of my life. And that is this:

If you are no longer in school, where do you meet people?

Now this question is posed both romantically and even just for friends, though primarily it is posed in the romantic context. We wonder, if we aren't in a school environment anymore, and we don't want to date someone at work (or, depending on where they work, might not even be an option) or pick up people in bars (because we all know that most people in bars are not usually looking for a long term soul mate, but instead searching for a one night stand), then where are you supposed to meet people to date?

The answer that everyone always says?

"Coffee shops/cafes"

That really is the first, and usually the only, thing that people can come up with. Okay, this isn't like Central Perk on "Friends" where people randomly come up and start talking to you. I have never seen anyone go up to a random person in a coffee house and start chatting them up and engage them in long conversations. The closest I've come to that is a guy that had been sitting at the table by my friend and I and as he was leaving, told us that our conversation was interesting, and he picked up his coffee and belongs and walked out. You might be thinking, "Amy, you've just contradicted yourself by saying it never happens that people go up to strangers and talk to them and it's happened to you!" But I'm talking about like someone going up to you and start hitting on you and asking for your number at such. Most people I see in coffee shops are with other people, or are studying, or are on their laptops/iPods/mp3 players/phones, etc. and don't look like they want to be interrupted because they are plugged into their electronics.

So I'm asking you world, other than coffee shops, where do you meet people? I know a lot of people that are curious, so share your knowledge people! Drop a comment with suggestions, who knows, maybe your suggestion will lead someone to their soul mate.

Fall Back

Yay for it being time for fall back on the clocks! Tonight is the night that we get to turn our clocks back an hour, thus gaining an extra hour of sleep. I love this time of year when it gets darker earlier in the day. Most people I know hate it. They don't like driving at night, they feel the day ends too soon so they can't do anything, whatever their complaint is, they just don't like it. I love it. I like it being dark earlier. I think it's cozy. I just have memories of it being dark, Dad coming home from work to dinner then he and brothers watching Monday Night Football...just very home-y things. And this happens during fall and winter, and those are my favorite seasons. Rich colors, cooler weather (well, in theory, being So-Cal, it's iffy but generally it's cooler), cute clothes, BOOTS, fall food, holidays. Yes, this is the best time of the year.

Enjoy your extra hour of sleep tonight! =)

200th Post!

200 posts. Amazing I've had that much to talk about really. I'm going to take this post to say thanks to those that keep this blog going.

~Thanks to family and friends for reading this blog, first of all. Without people in my life caring what's going around in my head, this blog would be rather pointless.

~Thanks to the media for providing me topics to rant or comment on, depending on my mood and the topic at hand.

~Thanks to Google, which allowed my public blog to come up in people's searches for key words or terms.

~Thanks to all the strangers out there who have come across my blog. No one knows this unless they've scrolled all the way to the bottom of the page, but there's a site meter I added on here to see who's reading the blog. No, I can't tell specifically who, so if anyone is stalking me out there, I don't know who you are, I just see areas where people are reading this and how they came across it, whether it was a Google search result, link from Facebook, link from siblings' blogs, or if you just straight out typed my address into the search engine. Some, I can guess, like if it came from San Diego and is from Facebook, well I know lots of people that could fit, but it's like 'Okay, college friends.' Or Norwalk is my brother & sis-in-law. But I'd like to take this moment to mention some of the more obscure places that I've come across.

-London, UK
-New Delhi, India
-Islamabad, Pakistan
-Pune, Maharashtra, India
-San Fernando, Pampanga, the Philippines
-Philippine, Benguet, the Philippines
-Chur, Graubunden, Switzerland
-Doha, Ad Dawhah, Qatar

Whoever you all are, very cool that you are reading this. Hope whatever it was you searched for and my blog came up was helpful or interesting.

Thanks again to all you readers. Please keep coming back and reading and giving me a reason to keep this going!

Blanking Out

So it's barely day 4 of this challenge and I already lack inspiration for a post. As a result, you are just going to get random thoughts running through my head right now.

~Commercial for the new movie "Burlesque" with Cher and Christina Aguilera...it just doesn't look good, but McSteamy (aka Eric Dane) is in it...I don't get why he has attached himself to the movie...I could help him make better movie choices. Eric Dane, if you are reading this, I'll be your agent....and let Patrick Dempsey know that I would represent him as well.

~The book I'm reading now has some interesting parallels to my own life....well, the character is like me at least, not the plot. Unless I unknowingly was an 'on the side' girl to a guy that ended up getting his girlfriend pregnant and am now dating a marquis that I met on a tour of an old mansion house in England, much like when Elizabeth Bennett encounters Mr. Darcy in her tour of Pemberley in "Pride & Prejudice." No, that's not me. What is me, is how the character is personality wise. She's a head in the clouds kind of girl, wanting the great romance of her life, wondering if the next guy she encounters is "The One" for her, desiring love letters, songs written for her, flowers, songs, etc. She even says that she has a "Mr. Darcy/Prince Charming complex," basing her expectations of guys on them. Even more striking was the point of the book where she is on vacation with her parents and grandmother after losing everything else in her life. The book said:

"....because as much as she loved her parents and grandmother, constant exposure to them at a time when her reserves were low was not ideal. It put her in a kind of limbo-she didn't know whether she was a grown-up with a responsible place in society or a child, a total screwup with no job, no boyfriend, and no morals, who should just stop trying and give up."

Well, ok, so I still have morals, but I've said it before, I feel like I'm in limbo. I'm 22, yet I feel 12. I have a degree, but since I have no job, I feel like a screwup. It's bound to get better, I know. It has to. It's just all the time that's passed since graduation...I can't believe the year is already ending. I feel like it was just...I don't know...February and I was working and going to school and having wonderful (since you can't tell via print, I'm being sarcastic on the wonderful) 490 projects to consume my time. And now, here we are, it's November, nearing the end of the year, I don't have a busy work & social life, and instead of never seeing family, I never see friends. What a difference 5 months makes, huh?

~Take 5 candy bars are the best thing ever. If only they weren't so hard to find when it isn't Halloween time.

~Pulling out old family movies makes me miss the family dinners we used to have where we'd go to someone's house and open gifts, cake & ice cream, etc. Note to siblings, maybe something we can aim to bring back in the future.

~Songs from choir practice tonight are rolling around my head. One has a very Christmas-y grand ending. Another, just these two lines are replaying: "Take my will and make it Thine/it is no longer mine/Take my life and let it be for Thee." I really like the one we are singing this week. It's the grand ending one. Most of the song is fast, but in the middle and end, it's a legato, rich sound, the harmony sounding like old classic hymns.

~Oprah commercial for the episode as a re-run tonight is of teen heartthrobs. And she's reuniting all 5 members of Backstreet Boys. For those of you unaware, Kevin Richardson, the oldest member left the group a while ago. The tween inside me is excited to watch this because I forgot to earlier.

Thanks for reading my random thoughts. I'll do better tomorrow.

How About a Song?

Before I give you the first of what will probably be many song suggestions, I have to share something. So yesterday's post was kind of a Debbie Downer one for me, full of doubt and putting down my own abilities and the decisions I've made about school, major, etc. Today I made a mental list of places to go to tomorrow to see if they are hiring for the holidays and plans with a friend to go to these places. Then another friend texted me and suggested I try and see about getting a job at the spa she just got hired at because she knows they want to hire for the holiday season.

But the biggest sign from I got, came in the form of a horoscope from TV Guide Magazine. I know, I know, a horoscope? Something I should take with a grain of salt, however I have found that sometimes my horoscope hits right on with whatever is going on with my life, and this was definitely one of those times. This is what it said:

"Don't worry if you've fallen short of your dreams. At least you're still working toward them, which is more than most can say. Keep striving, every day, and you'll eventually get there. Yes, it will happen."

Wow. How incredibly needed was that for me to hear after yesterday's post? So I'm going to keep trying, even if I get a job elsewhere. And maybe the spa is where I should be, because at least it's still hospitality related. Or heck, maybe I am supposed to go and work in retail for a bit. I don't know. But I have to have faith that I'll get where I want to be eventually.

Ok, on to the song. With over 1200 songs (I know, that's not a lot to many people with larger iPods, which allow for more songs to be held on them, but for a nano like mine, it's a lot...a little over 5gb, if you were wondering) plus ones that I don't yet have but hear on the radio, I have a lot to choose from.

For my first suggestion, I am going to recommend the newest from Sara Evans, called "A Little Bit Stronger." Don't dismiss country music people! There is some good music you are missing out on if you do. Anyway, yes it's about getting over someone after a breakup, which while I have not experienced, but it can work with guys I've liked (gosh that sounds so middle school...more so if I said 'had a crush on' but there's no other way to put it I guess), or just getting over a tough situation you've faced. It's just saying that with everyday, you become a stronger person than you were before and that you'll be ok when you come out of it.



Hope you like it, and if it's not your style of music, keep checking back, because there's plenty more songs for me to share with you.

Decision Time

You'd probably think with that title I'm going to talk about the election or something. Wrong! It's about job stuff.

So I need money, as the holidays are fast approaching, and jobs in my industry are few and not giving me a shot. While I continue to keep trying, it's definitely becoming trying. So I'm feeling that I have no other choice than to seek employment elsewhere. Be Christmas help somewhere, or a temp, but it's a hard decision to make.

How is that a hard decision? It's just that it's really hard as is trying to get into this industry, so going away from it might make it even harder. It just makes me wonder how much fighting am I going to have to do to even get a start in it and only perpetuates the nagging feeling that comes over me as to whether or not I made the right choice of major and such. And if I made the wrong choice, then what am I cut out to do?

I have this fear of never being good at anything. It's irrational, because there's bound to be something I'm good at. I just haven't had a chance to figure it out yet. And then comes the same question, will I ever? So what if I'm no good at my field? Other than having thousands in loans to pay off for a degree I don't get to use, it's like what am I supposed to do with my life? It's apparently a rule that if you already have a Bachelor's degree you can't go get another one. But if that's the case, then what if I'm trying to do something completely unrelated to my degree? I can't go get a Master's in a whole other field.

So again, it's time to decide what to do. I don't know what the future holds for me, who does? I know things that I would want to do and am interested in doing, but will I get the chance to do it? Only time will tell I suppose. Unless a billionaire comes and sweeps me off my feet and then I won't be under such pressure to get a job and can continue new hobbies I have picked up, and do volunteer work, and support non-profits and charities, because really, I want to feel good about what I do, and non-profits/charities would be just that. It's why I have been looking at hospitals to see if they have special events departments for fundraising and such.

Keep your fingers crossed, readers. If you have any advice, please comment and let me know. Leave me a suggestion for something I could do different maybe for job applications and such.

New Month, New Post

It's November, which begins a blog competition as to posting something every day for the whole month. My siblings and I usually take it one step further and go on with who can post every day for the longest. This little competition is why if you go back in my archives there's a massive amount of posts for November and into December.

I used to be able to discuss classes and finals and projects I was working on, but I don't really have that going on anymore. I can post every day where I have applied to work, but that would get as boring as it is to fill out the same things over and over again. I will say that some of those applications have some weird questions, or at least the order is a bit off. For example I was recently doing one that required me to do an online survey as part of it where it asked you to click 'Agree' or 'Disagree' to each question, and there were like 80-90 questions, and like question 71 was: 'I am able to read well enough to complete this survey.'

Um, shouldn't that have been one of the first questions? It's a bit late to be asking that question. It made me laugh, along with the question: 'I can count to 10.' Dear God I hope you can count to ten..I mean you can do that using your fingers.

With this month of blogging upon me, I figure that there will be a lot of random posts (what else is new there, though?) and song suggestions. I love music, all different kinds, and am open to suggestions if there are any songs you love and want to share your love of. I plan to post some songs and hopefully open you up to a new artist or song that you then love. But if there are any topics to suggest, please comment and let me know. Don't hold back, I'm open to suggestions. For anyone else trying this month long challenge, good luck to you and hope you don't run out of things to discuss.