LA, Here I Come

I'm off to LA in a few hours. Gonna be doing another six hour drive there and a six hour drive back on Sunday. I'm looking forward to going there again. Last time I went, all we did was have a bash.

I'm also looking forward to the six course dinner that two of my housemates will be preparing next week.

On a different note, I'm learning a lot about Mexican culture in the US because many of my co-workers are from Mexico. Though I don't understand any Spanish yet, it's fun mixing with these people and getting to know their way of life; ie: I'm referred to as 'Mamma'...so are all the other girls. Interesting!

I'm gonna crash now. I watched another episode of the West Wing last night with some of the guys, so I'm really tired.

Here's Some Interesting History

Lincoln & Kennedy

Have a history teacher explain this if they can !

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.
John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.
Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.
John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.
Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.
Both wives lost a child while living in the White House.
Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.
Both Presidents were shot in the head.

Now it gets really weird.

Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy.
Kennedy's Secretary was named Lincoln.
Both were assassinated by Southerners.
Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808.
Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839.
Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.
Both assassins were known by their three names.
Both names are composed of fifteen letters.

Lincoln was shot at the theater named "Ford."
Kennedy was shot in a car called "Lincoln" made by "Ford."
Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.

And here's the "kicker":

A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe, Maryland.
A week before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn Monroe.

Lincoln was shot in a theater and the assassin ran to a warehouse.
Kennedy was shot from a warehouse and the assassin ran to a theater.


Now, I don't know how much of this is acurate but I got it off an email and it was quite interesting!

LIFE IN THE 1500'S

Interesting!

The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the 1500's:

Most people got married in June, because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children! Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and off the roof. Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying "dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway.
Hence the saying a "thresh hold."

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, "Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old."

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could "bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat."

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or "upper crust."

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a "wake."

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a "bone-house" and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the "graveyard shift") to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be "saved by the bell" or was considered a "dead ringer."

And that's the truth... Now, whoever said that History was boring ! ! !

I'm Busy

I've been both busy and lazy but right now I'm busy, so I'm just gonna blog a short one. Here's some stuff I've been up to lately:


Cooking dinner.

Rock climbing. It was my first time and one of my friends works there, so he really taught me the ropes (no pun intended).

Playing pool and learning more rules about the game.

Working on some Goshen stuff.

Making cards for people.

Baking cookies.

Taking care of my neighbour's golden retreiver.

Waiting for emails from all those who said they would email.

Talking to my best friend after so long.

Going for psychology experiments at Stanford...both interesting and fun.

Preparing for the BBQ tonight.

Going to LA this weekend.


The list goes on but I'll stop now. I've gotta go to work now. Later!

The Foggy Beach

I was at the San Francisco beach yesterday and it was covered in fog. That's so cool...I've never been to a foggy beach! It was along in the Half Moon Bay, which is what the area is called due to it's 'half moon' shape.

Five of us went...it was kind of like a road trip and we drove 45 minutes on wiong beacndy road to reach the beach. it was a really nice, long beach that went on and on with high rocks on one side and the Pacific on the other side. It was amusing though, how there was fog and the visibility was so bad. This was at 3pm, mind you.

The water was freezing cold, even with the sun out. It was like ice water with ice cubes...freezing! I only stepped into the waves that were running up to the beach, and I jumped out again. It was too cold. Some of the other's went in, they were used to it and can't imagine the ocean water being warm...just come to Malaysia! The waves were really big and perfect for body surfing. Well, we played frisbee and lay in the sun and fog reading books, then we went for a jog along the beach. That was really fun and I found it so amazing how all the seagulls on the beach took off towards the water. They wouldn't never take off against the wind. I suppose it just makes taking off easier.

I had a really good time. By 6pm, we needed to take out sweaters cuz it was getting really chilly by the beach. The wind and the fog just made it colder. We had dinner at this really yummy Italian place. The pizza's were really good.

We Didn't Start the Fire

This has become one of my favourite songs. A while back I wrote about how we could remember so much more if it were put into song. Here is a song that history has been incorporated into. I'm gonna work on memorizing it...it's quite easy cuz the tune is catchy.


Billy Joel (reportedly) wrote this song because he overheard a child say that he felt sorry for "older people" like Billy Joel because no "history" happened in their lifetime, that NOW (or the time the song was written) was going to be the world's most historical time period. The comment got to Billy Joel so much that he sat down and wrote this to prove that his lifetime has been FULL of history.


1949
Harry Truman: Well loved 33rd President of the United States (1945-1953). Made the decision to drop the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima & Nagasaki. "Give 'em hell Harry!" The 1949 Inauguration was the first to be nationally televised, and was estimated to have been viewed by 10 million Americans.

Doris Day: Popular singer/actress and later, star of the Doris Day Show (1968-1973). Most famous movies: The Pajama Game ('57) and Pillow Talk ('59).

Red China: "The Red Troops," Communists take over mainland China. Nationalists establish themselves in Taiwan.

Johnnie Ray: Singer who cried when he sang. Hits: Cry and The Little Cloud that Cried. Johnnie Ray was born on January 10, 1927 in Dallas, Oregon. He was partially deaf since childhood and began wearing a hearing aid at age 14. In 1951 singer LaVern Baker and her manager Al Green helped him with his music. He signed a contract with Okeh in 1949.

South Pacific: Broadway musical first produced on this date.

Walter Winchell: America's first modern gossip columnist known for his aggressive style and tremendous use of slang. America tuned into him on the radio.

Joe DiMaggio: "Joltin' Joe," "The Yankee Clipper" was an outfielder for the New York Yankees (1936-1951) and has the longest hitting streak in the Major Leagues. In 1949, an inflamed heel kept him sidelined for 65 games. When he returned to the lineup, his home run helped the Yankees beat Boston 5-4, and he went on to bat .500 in their three-game series. It was as if he'd never been gone. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1955 and married Marilyn Monroe in '54.


1950
Joe McCarthy: The Republican senator who led "Witch Hunts" against the communists in America. He also started the dreaded "Black listing."

Richard Nixon: Member of the US Senate and later President. Investigated domestic communism during this period.

Studebaker: Clement, Henry, and John Studebaker. The downfall of this eccentric auto company came when their sports car did not catch on as well as the new corvette.

Television: The "Boob Tube" was introduced and became widely popular throughout the world.

North Korea: Democratic peoples republic occupied by U.S.S.R. They invaded...

South Korea: On June 25, 1950 and remained occupied until July 27, 1953. The United States supported South Korea. Start of the "Cold War"?

Marilyn Monroe: Norma Jean-Baker -- Actress and Pin-up girl. In the movie "Love Happy", United Artists, April 1950 staring: Marx Brothers, Ilona Massey, Eric Blore, Vera-Ellen, Raymond Burr, Marilyn Monroe had a 3 minute walk-on scene with Groucho Marx. She married Joe DiMaggio in 1954 and died of a drug overdose in 1956. Popular Movies: Some Like It Hot and Bus Stop.


1951
Rosenbergs: Ethel-Greenglass Rosenberg and Julius Rosenberg were listed as communists and were convicted of giving secrets to the U.S.S.R. Executed, they were spies, they were traitors.

H-Bomb: First tested in 1951. This weapon was more powerful than the destrctive Atomic bomb. Researched by Edward Teller as a response to the fear of communism after Russia duplicated the A-bomb.

Sugar Ray: Five time middle weight champion (1951-1960), Welter weight champion (1946-1951).

Panmunjom: City in South Korea where the cease fire negotiations took place. Talks started in 1951 and the truce was signed in 1953 ending the Korean War.

Brando: Marlon Brando Jr. The "Buddy" actor. Won Oscars for: On the Water Front (1954) and The Godfather (1972).

The King and I: Popular musical and book by Oscar Hammerstein based on the novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margret Landon. About King Mongkut of Thailand and the social life and customs therein.

The Catcher in the Rye: Well known book by J.D. Salinger.


1952
Eisenhower: "Ike" David Dwight Eisenhower. Allied European military leader and 34th U.S. president (1953-1961).

Vaccine: Jonas Salk, on March 11, 1952, provides the body with lasting defensive powers against 3 types of polio viruses.

England's got a new Queen: Queen Elizabeth II starts her reign, she is 27 years old.

Marciano: Rocky Marciano, Boxer and Actor. Became the heavyweight champion of the world when he defeated Jersey Joe Walcott on September 23, 1952. Undefeated Heavyweight Champion (1952-1956). Died in a plane crash in 1969.

Liberace: George J. Liberace. Conductor, violinist and pianist born Wladziu Valentino (1919-1987). Rose to stardom in the fifties and went on to become the highest paid entertainer during the sixties and seventies. Known for his elaborate costumes, flashy piano styles and his token candelabra. Most well known piece: Mack the Knife

Santayana good-bye: George Santayana, (1863-1952), American philosopher, poet, and novelist, whose wide-ranging philosophical speculation was expressed in a style of great literary distinction. died September 26, 1952., Memorable quote: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."


1953
Joseph Stalin: Dictator of Russia (1929-1953), successor of Lenin. Instituted Socialism throught the use of force. Died, March 5, 1953.

Malenkov: Georgi Malenkov was a close associate of Joseph Stalin he, became Prime Minister of Russia after Stalin's death and remained in his position until 1955.

Nasser: Gamal Abdel Nasser, Egyptian President (1953-1970). He led the disposal of King Farouk in 1952.

Prokofiev: Russian Composer who died in 1953 after putting together Peter and the Wolf.

Rockefeller: John D. Rockefeller. Most well known of the wealthy Rockefeller family. Founded Chevron Oil company. Nelson Aldridge Rockefeller was Governor of New York from 1958 to 1974.

Campanella: Roy Campanella was a black baseball catcher for Brooklyn from 1948 to 1957. He led the NL in RBI's in 1953 and held the MVP. He was paralyzed in a car accident in 1958 and was entered in to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969.

Communist Bloc: The Communist Bloc refers to the countries that comprised the "enemy" during the Cold War.


1954
Roy Cohn: Lawyer and Chief counsel to Senator McCarthy during his "Witch Hunt" trials.

Juan Peron: Dictator of Argentina, died in 1974.

Toscanini: Arturo Toscanini, child prodigy. One of the great Orchestra conductors who performed in New York and Italy. He retired in 1954 at the are of 87.

Dacron: The Tradename for Polyester fiber rope. The beginning of polyester clothing.

Dien Bien Phu Falls: Vietnam swamp land, location of the Frenc fortress that was defeated in 1954.

Rock Around The Clock: Number 1 song by Bill Haley and the Comets. Considered the beginning of Rock n' Roll.


1955
Einstein: It doesn't take a genius to know Albert Einstein. Physicist and mathametician who penned the Theory of Relativity and did substantial work on the creation of the Atomic Bomb. He won the Nobel Prize before passing away on April 18, 1955.

James Dean: Actor and teen heartthrob. Became an icon for American teenage boys after a career in films which was tragically cut short when he was killed in a car accident on Sept. 30, 1955. Films: Rebel Without A Cause (1955), East of Eden (1955), and Giant (1955) filmed before his death.

Brooklyn's got a winning team: The Brooklyn Dodgers wins the World Series 4 games to 3 against the New York Yankees.

Davy Crockett: Frontiersman under President Andrew Jackson who died at the Alamo in 1936. Because of Walt Disney's now weekly show, Davy Crockett becomes the newest fad among kids.

Peter Pan: The Disney Feature Full Length Animated Movie hits theatres.

Elvis Presley: Actor/Singer "The King" of Rock n' Roll

Disneyland: Walt Disney opens his first amusement park in Anaheim, California.


1956
Bardot: Bridget Bardot, French actress and sex symbol. Famous for marijuana and her long blonde disheveled hair.

Budapest: Moved towards democracy in Hungary, armored tanks quickly put a stop to it.

Alabama: Moved towards civil rights with the Civil Rights Movement. Blacks protested against discrimination.

Krushchev: Nikita Krushchev, the Premier of Russia who built the Berlin Wall in '56. " We will bury you!"

Princess Grace: Grace Kelley. Actress who married Prince Ranier III of Monaco in '56. Movies: High Noon (1952)

Peyton Place: First night time soap opera.

Trouble in the Suez: Egypt nationalizes the canal and refuses passage to Israel. War erupts and Irael, with the help of France and Great Britain occupy the Sinai Penninsula.


1957
Little Rock: Arkansas, troops are sent to a central high school to enforce racial integration.

Pasternak: Boris Pasternak, russian creator of Dr. Zhivago. Forced to refuse the Nobel Prize for literature in '58.

Mickey Mantle: "The Commerce Comet." NY Yankees outfielder (1951-58). Won the AL Triple Crown in '56 and held the record for 536 home runs. He was a 3 time MVP, including the '57 season, and was entered into the Hall of Fame in '74.

Kerouac: Jack Kerouac, led the "Beatnik" movement, authored On the Road in 1957. b. Oct 20, 1931.

Sputnik: The first artificial satellite, launched by the Russians on Oct 4, 1957. Sputnik means satellite in Russian.

Chou-En-Lai (Zhou En-Lai?): The premier of China sought to normalize relations between the PRC and the USA.

Bridge on the River Kwai: Won 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor-Alec Guinness and Best (Adapted) Screenplay.


1958
Lebanon: President "Ike"Eisenhower sent troops to Lebanon where 241 marines died.

Charles de Gaulle: French army general who assumed leadership after WWII, he became the first president of the fifth republic (1959-1969).

California Baseball: In 1958 (between the 1957 and 1958 seasons, at least) the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants (the baseball team) moved out west to California - Los Angeles and San Francisco respectively.

Starkweather Homicide: The Starkweather Homicides - In January, Charlie Starkweather and his girlfriend, Caril Fugate, went on a 11 (we've also heard "over 15") person killing spree over a span of a month and a half. The spree started with Fugate's parents and spread over the Midwest. He was executed in the electric chair.
OR
I can't believe this, we've heard a few explanations! The second is that the lyric is about John Starkweather who climbed a tower at a Texas college and started shooting at people with a rifle.
OR
The third idea is that it refers to the Richard Starkweather murder spree that inspired the film "Badlands."

Children of Thalidomide: Thalidomide was given to women to help with birthing proceedures and morning sickness. Childern are consequently born with birth defects, typically abnormally short arms. Sometimes, no arms or legs at all.


1959
Buddy Holly: My man! Singer/songwriter of Buddy Holly and the Crickets. Died in a plane crash with 2 other rock n' roll singers, including Ritchie Valens, on Feb 3, 1959. (See the American Pie page)

Ben Hur: Nominated for 12Academy Awards. Won 11, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor-Charlton Heston and Best Supporting Actor-Hugh Griffith..

Space Monkey: The first sentient being was sent into outer space, it was... a monkey.

Mafia: Gangs, mobsters, you know like Capone. Don Vito Genovese jailed for narcotics peddling in 1959, he was turned in by Nelson Cantellops.

Hula hoops: The Hula Hoop was invented and became the latest fad.

Castro: Fidel Castro led a campaign to overthrow the Batista regime. The Communist leader took over in Cuba and became the Premier.

Edsel is a no-go: The Edsel, a car too advanced for its time, people were not ready for it and it flopped.


1960
U-2: A spy plane, then being flown by Gary Powers, was shot down. News of its existence ruined a summit meeting in Vienna between Kruchev and the American President, Eisenhower.

Syngman Rhee: The President of South Korea (1948-1960) was forced from office for political abuses.

Payola: One of the first big music scandals where record companies paid DJs to play certain songs as DJs were asking for money to play records. Allan Freed, a big time radio DJ from Ohio credited with coining the term "Rock and Roll," got caught up in it and it destroyed his career. The film American Hot Wax deals with both Allan and the payola issue.

Kennedy: John F. Kennedy was elected the 35th President of the United States (served 1961-1963). He was also the first Roman Catholic President.

Chubby Checker: Rock n' Roll sensation who created the dance craze, "The Twist."

Psycho: Famous Alfred Hitchcock movie. Nominated for 4 Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Supporting Actress. Remade in 1999.

Belgians in the Congo: In June, the Belgians lost control of the Congo, which became the independent state of Congo-Kinshasa. Today it is known as Zaire.


1961
Hemingway: Journalist/Author, Nobel Prize winner in 1954. Died July 2, 1961.

Eichmann: Adolf Eichman, Nazi leader and most feared Nazi. He was in charge of Hitler's Death Camps. He escaped to Argentine in 1946 and was captured by Israelies in 1960. Tried in 1961 and hanged in 1962 for his war crimes.

Stranger in a Strange Land: Novel by Richard Heinlein published in 1961. Winner of the 1962 Hugo Award.

Dylan: Robert ZimmermanBob Dylan -- Singer/Songwriter. Blowin' in the Wind (1962), Times They are a Changin' (1964)

Berlin: The Wall goes up to devide East Communist Germany from West Democratic Germany.

Bay of Pigs Invasion: April 17-19. The unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the Communist government of Cuba by U.S. backed Cuban exiles.


1962
Lawrence of Arabia: Winner of 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director.

British Beatle Mania: The Boys, our inspiration, from Liverpool, England. John, Paul, Ringo and George. Popular for their childlike, whimsy looks and attitudes. "Mod" clothing and "Sheepdog" hair.

Ole Miss: The University of Mississippi is the first to allow African Americans to attend a University.

John Glenn: First American to orbit Earth

Liston beats Patterson: "Sonny" Liston, Actor/boxer. Heavyweight champion 1962-1964 beats Floyd Patterson, an Olympic gold medalist (boxing 1952) and the youngest to ever win the heavyweight title.


1963
Pope Paul: Paul I installed as Pope in 1963. He died on March 6, 1964. He was also the Monarch of Greece from 1947-1964.

Malcom X: His original name was Malcom Little. After derogatory comments regarding the assassination of J.F.K he was silenced by Black Muslims. Murdered in 1965.

British Politician Sex: British minister Stephen Ward was brought down by virtue of a sex scandal in the early 60s -- he had an affair with Christine Keeler and killed himself in shame. Check out the movie "Scandal" for more details.

JFK Blown away: John F. Kennedy's assassination took place on Nov. 22, 1963 during a political parade in Dallas.


1964
Birth Control: The start of endless debates and controversies over birth control.

Ho Chi Minh: Leader of the Vietminh against the Japanese. An ally of the US during WWII. He was president of North Vietnam during the period of the Vietnam War.

Richard Nixon back again: After Nixon lost to Kennedy in 1960, he ran for governor of California and lost. He called a press conference and angrily declared he was leaving politics and public life for good, telling the press "You won't have Dick Nixon to kick around any more." He didn't keep his promise, though, and hence the "back again" reference. He became the 37th President from 1967-1974, then resigned. He ended the US presence in Vietnam, repaired relations with China, and initiated Detente with USSR.

Moonshot: July 1969. U.S. wins race to the Moon, Neil Armstrong plants American flag.


1969
Woodstock: New York's "Love-in." On a 600 acre farm, 400,000 people gathered for 3 days of Rock n' Roll. It is reported that no fights took place, it rained most of the three days and 1 child was born.

Watergate: Break in of Democratic National Headquarters, by Nixon White House Aides. Causing scandal, including evidence of missing tapes.


1970
Punk Rock: In the fifties, baby boomers were teens and they rebelled against adults with Rock n' Roll. In the early seventies, their children started punk rock.

Begin: Menachem Wolfovitch Prime minister of Israel 1977-1983. Attended a meeting with Anwar el Sadat resulting in the Camp David Accords. He is the Nobel Peace Prize winner of 1978.


1980
Reagan: 40th President (1981-1989), instituted "Reaganomics" in an attempt to spur the economy. He was also known for his conservative policies and the fact that he has been our oldest President (b. Feb. 6, 1911).

Palestine: Continuing conflicts over a Palestinian homeland.

Terror on the Airline: Many Hijackings and explosions took place during the 80's.

Ayatollah's in Iran: Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini began a Holy War with Iran.

Russians in Afghanistan: Russian and Afgan government troops hold the major cities but rebels control the country side.

Wheel of Fortune: One of the most popular TV game shows begins in the 80's.

Sally Ride: First woman in Space.

Heavy Metal Suicide: In the eighties, a rumor flourished that heavy metal music caused some kids to commit suicide. - Music doesn't kill people, people kill people (and guns).

Foreign Debts: The United States, under Reagan's Reganomics, ran up trillions of dollars in National Debt.

Homeless Vets: Due to the state of the economy and high unemployment, Vietnam vets are forced to the streets by the thousands.

AIDS: The AIDS epidemic becomes the headline news.

Crack: Cocaine has been around for awhile but it becomes popular again in another form.

Bernie Goetz; Was attacked by 2-4 thugs in a New York subway. He returned the attack with gunfire from his legally registered gun. He left one in a wheelchair of the attackers. The incident later went to trial and due to a lack of evidence to prove that Goetz was acting in self defense, the victim (Goetz) was forced to pay approximately 1 million dollars to the families of the attackers. (You better believe we have a great justice system!)

Hypodermics on the Shore: From the Pacific to Lake Michigan, the pollution in our water is recognized when people find hypodermic needles in the seas.

China's under Martial Law: Democratic movement in China stopped by use of military force.

Rock & Roller Cola Wars: Michael Jackson and Pepsi, Paula Abdul and Coca-Cola


The World's always been kinda messed up, it was messed up before I was born, it was messed up during the time that I lived and it will probably be messed up after I'm gone. That doesn't mean you don't try the best that you can and make this a better world.

Source: http://www.rareexception.com/Garden/Eighties/Fire.php#1949


Updates:
I just got my two paycheques in the last few days. It's really nice seeing the US dollar sign on the cheques.

My pink skarf is coming along really well.

I'm still really fascinated by the series 'West Wing'. People who like politics or would just like to have a slight inside view on how things work in the White House, should watch this.

The Half Blood Prince

I've finally finished reading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. It was as well written as the others and I had a great time reading it. Anyhow, now I've got so many questions and I can't wait for the last book to come out.

Recent Happenings

I had quite a busy and productive weekend.

Friday night was girl's night and it was a great success. We gave each other facials, did each other's nails and then hair. It was as fun as I imagined it to be.

Saturday, we (my housemates and a few others) went to a friend's place which is about an hour and a half drive away. At his place, we had a really good dinner, played some games in the pool, and then had an amazing game of volleyball (Sush, I understand why you love the game so much!).

I am beginning to knit. I never thought I would learn but one of my friends bought me knitting needles and yarn, so I had no excuse not to learn. It's fun anyway...I'm working on a pink scarf.

I'm half way through "The Half-Blood Prince" and I hope to finish it real soon.

Yesterday, my brother and I made dinner for the 10 people that we would have over. A fellow Malaysian friend of ours brought over a durian. It was worth the $6 just to see everyone's differeny reactions towards it. I took a short video and it really is hilarious. I was surprised that quite a few of them actually liked it. Haha... We had to cut it outside...couldn't bring it anywhere near the house.

I've been having loads of fun these last few days and I'm learning more about the people I live with too. I'm so happy to be able to meet them.

Oh, last night I watched this animated movie called "The Iron Giant". I definately recommend it. It's hilarious and has quite a touching storyline.

I just got off work and I'm gonna be going home now. The fire alarm went off while I was at work. We all had to leave the building. There was no fire visible at all, so I guess a student must have been playing a prank or someone was smoking in the dorm. It was interesting though and I have to say that the Fire Brigade here arrives on the scene quite fast.

Well, I'm gonna get back to Harry Potter now.

Girl's Night

Fun! Fun! Fun!

Tonight is girl's night. My friends and I are gonna spend time together listening to our kind of music while we talk, do our hair, nails and have facials. After that, we're gonna watch a girly movie...maybe Sleepless in Seattle (I like Meg Ryan movies). It's gonna be fun.

Now, regarding a whole different topic. Over the last few days and weeks, I've begun to realize how important it is that you know why you do some things and why you don't do others. It's so easy to just drift with the crowd and not have to stand out. If you always do something because someone else told you to, and not because you believe in it yourself; then, when there's pressure to conform, you will so easily succumb to that pressure. Be it values, habits or lifestyles, you need to know why you do certain things. I've been realizing this more and more recently. I believe that I am slowly realizing more and more who I really am and what I believe. I'm finally being formed into the person that I will be the rest of my life. I suppose that's one of the most significant changes that results from leaving home. I'm just trying to take it as I go...gradually.

Ask Me!

I'm gonna do something different today.

My blog has been around for about half a year already and it's nearing 8000 hits.

I've been in the US for almost a month now and I've sort of been writing about what's going on here.

I was wondering though, is there anything that I missed or anything that anyone wants to ask about? Please feel free to ask me whatever questions that are on your mind and I'll do my best to answer.

Shoot!

Touched by Angels

"Dearest Daenielle,

By this time I hope you're feeling better. If you ever need to someone to vent your thoughts to, I'm always ready to listen. May I ask why it is that your heart is not where you are? Bring your heart with you and let the people around know the true Daenielle that all your friends love and always remember. Know that each time your friends read your blog we hope you are well and happy, "flying like a kite without a string" and having beauty that "stings like a bee"! (Do you remember? Bride & Prejudice.)"

Thank you friend! You made my day. I really appreciate the email and how you have always been there to show me the brighter side of things. Thank you.



This is from my youngest brother. I don't know why, but I find it so hilarious. He sent me a really short email:

"Ih, says stitch N have a good time at work !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YONE.............YONE I THINK I M GOiNg TO

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ BUH BYE.................I M ASLEEP"

I think the YONE is supposed to be a yawn.



And here is another slightly longer email from him (I sent him and email and he sent me a four word email which consisted of a really long "hhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiii" and an "I miss you", so I told him to email longer and this is what he sent me):

"hi hi ok , sonia and elle r ok callie eoudia and melinda miss u........... i miss u 2 and im being very good at home not like isaak (my other brother).............................. hahaha well schools fine im doing well in school my stay at aunty wendys house waz good becauz they had a dalmation dog.......... test r around the corner soooo i had better start studying well gtg luv ya see ya"

I really like the "i had better start studying" part. Since when does an 11 year old kid declare that he needs to go study? Hehe... Oh, and looks like I gotta teach him some punctuation, huh? But these emails really did cheer me up today. I miss this kiddo.

Up-s and Down-s

"Just keep breathing, Nell."

Sigh.

I'm having a rough day today. Multiple factors have contributed to this situation.

I just gotta keep breathing and seeing the small things that cheer me up.

Sigh...

Note: The new Mini Cooper reminds me of a cute little alien with an antenna on it's head.

Random Thoughts & Updates

I finally watched War of the Worlds. The little girl acted really well and overall I think the movie was quite ok, but not so much my type cuz of all the blood.

I've finally completed The Life of Pi by Yann Martel. It's a good book that is well written and I definately recommend reading it.

Very interesting how buying beer is sort of a right of passage here. One of my housemates has his birthday yesterday. He's 21, so it's finally legal for him to purchase beer.

I'm starting to really like the Toyota Supra.

I had Chinese food for lunch today. It was quite good.

I'm surprised that I don't really miss Malaysian food yet. That's usually the first thing I miss.

The strawberries here are big, sweet and juicy. I've been eating a lot.

People here exercise so much. There are always people playing Ultimate, jogging, cycling or some other outdoor sport. My bro and I did some football (soccer) yesterday. That was fun.

The pastor of the church I went to today preaches in bermuda's and a short sleeve shirt. I don't quite know how I feel about that just yet.

I like the Mazda 5 so much better than the Mazda 3.

So many people here use Mac's. It's really quite amazing.

I really like my housemates. They crack me up so much!

It's hard living with your heart in one place and your body in another. I have to stop that. I have to fully be where I am, otherwise I end up in between and nowhere.

Discussions here are constantly intelligent. It's not easy living with Stanford students, but i's fun and very educational.

I've never played so many board and card games in such a short time.

Fruit salad with a bit of honey mixed in is really good. I'm learning how to cook so many other dishes, including chinese and korean stuff.

I know I've said this over and over but I must stress it again and I'm sure I will many more times in the future: the weather here is simply gorgeous!

I keep being mistaken for a Spanish. I need to learn Spanish.

What is the purpose of dating if you don't intend to get married any time soon?

Life is weird...and so am I.

Bowling and Psychology

Bowling, pizza and beer. That summarizes my day yesterday after work...well, minus the beer. I don't like the taste. My brother's law firm was doing this bowling for charity thing, so I went along. I need to work on my bowling though...I think learning how to play badminton before bowling, tennis or golf is a bad idea because it influences wrist movement. Hmmm...

I went for a psychology research thing today. Basically you get paid like $10 to answer a questionaire which takes about an hour. Cool huh? Easy and fast way to earn some money...and it's intelligent. This is the first one I've gone for, so finally I know what these experiments are like. It was ok...I kind of learned how to knit.

You know, the weather in California is so perfect. It's like the ideal weather...or at least it is during summer. Blue sky with no trace of clouds, warm sunny days with a cool breeze. It's so plesant to just grab a book and sit down outside. Apparently they only get rain a few times throughout the whole summer...that's 3 months! It really is gorgeous.

Well, I gtg. It's one of my housemate's birthday's today and I gotta make him a card or something...

Taazzz!

People Are Hungry

I was shocked to learn that all the extra food from the dining hall is thrown away.

I was working with one of my co-workers yesterday. There was a lot of food left over after lunch, so I was curious as to what was going to happen to it. Now I wish I hadn't asked. They throw it away...they throw it all away!

Now, I know that dining hall food isn't the best food in the world, but the food here is quite ok and I'm sure that it's much better than not having any food at all. Aren't there shelters or soup homes that it can be donated to?

Apparently not.

Why? Legal issues.

What has the world come to? The process of donating the food is so complicated and it's so much of a hassel that they just throw it away. I feel so bad...especially after growing up in a family where my parents taught us not to waste food. Yikes!

I wish there was something that I could do. I'm working on it...

The Fourth of July

17 000 people.

Huge amphitheater.

Voices of people everywhere.

Bright neon lights.

An orchestra clad in black and white formal wear.

Warm sun and cool breeze.

Huge screens.

People everywhere.


Friday night I drove down to LA with all my housemates and a few other friends. There were 7 of us in total. It was a six hour drive down from San Francisco, so we reached another friend's house in LA around 4 in the morning. She's got a gorgeous house.

The next day, we went to Knott's Berry Farm which is America's first theme park. What was once an actual berry farm is now 160 acres of world class rides, unique family shows and one of a kind attractions. At this amusement park, they have the GhostRider, the world's best wooden roller coaster, 30 stories up, 3 seconds down and the high-octane thrill of Xcelerator, rated the world's best launch coaster, sending riders 0-80 in 2.3 seconds. I personally don't really like roller coasters because I don't like the feeling that my head is in one place, while my heart, stomach, legs and feet are in another. But my friends dragged me along, so I went on one of the smaller roller coasters that doesn't go upside down and doesn't take and super deep dives. We went on the log ride too...that one is nice because it is buffered by the water. We went twice on that one.

The following day, after enjoying the blue water in the swimming pool for a while, we packed up a picnic lunch and went over to the Hollywood Bowl which is one of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a current seating capacity of just under 18,000. The Hollywood Bowl has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922, and in 1991 gave its name to a resident ensemble that has filled a special niche in the musical life of Southern California, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. The feature for the fourth of July was '50 years of Disneyland', so Mickey, Minnie and their whole troup made an appearance. Most of the music played was a mix from many of the Disney productions. It was wonderful. After the orchestra was done, there was a great show of fireworks, probably one of the best I have ever seen. It was quite beautiful!

We drove back the next night after having a wonderful BBQ, and just reached here this morning at 5 am. Fortunately I only have work tomorrow and not today. I had one amazing weekend!!!

Los Angeles

I'm in LA now. We drove down 2 days ago for the fourth of July cuz we got tickets for a performance from the LA Philharmonic Orchestra. It really was amazing! Anyway, for those of you OC fans, I'll just inform you that I'm staying at a friend's house very close to Orange County...and it is gorgeous here. The house I'm staying at has a really nice outdoor pool and jacuzzi. I've been having a field day!

Well, I'll blog again soon with more details of my Hollywood Bowl trip, etc. I have loads of pictures and even some videos of the fireworks that were simply breathtaking but I haven't figured out how to put them up yet. I'll probably do that only after I get back to Goshen...who knows!

Happy 4th of July to those celebrating!

Wind

I love the wind...I always have. You can put me in the middle of a field at night when it's pitch black and I will be perfectly fine. The weird thing is, if the wind starts blowing, I get scared and shivers run down my back. During the day though, I'm perfectly fine and the day is even more beautiful with the wind.

Anyway, this is just a really random observation of mine.

Oh, and by the way, the stars are really gorgeous from where I am in California. The sky is so clear and I can see the stars twinkling, twinkling, twinkling...