Okay peoples, keep on voting for my dog! You can vote once a day...I forgot to mention that I think.

I think everyone votes for their own dogs anyways. It's like the same theory about one's babies- you may think your child is the absolute cutest in the world...but so does everyone else. At least I have evidence to back it up that Lady is a cutie =)

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I cut my hair! 10 inches off and away to make a wig for someone w/ cancer. It is very liberating yet I feel a sense of loss w/ the hair. But it's only hair so at the end of the day, I feel a sense of fulfillment.


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Almost turning 26 (omg) is hitting me, harder than it was turning any other age so far. I feel like I should be living on my own, making a decent salary, etc. Instead, I am still living at home, working for pennies, and feeling like I haven't contributed much to the world.

Sigh, you would think by this time I would be making something at least. Loans payments are starting in January. School loan money is running out. I am working a free part-time internship at OC Health Care Agency- working at the Westminster clinic, population is mainly Vietnamese adults. I've been turned down from several jobs.

If you don't see me out too much- that is why. I'd rather give the money I have to something more meaningful, although it hurts not being able to go out as much. I was looking back on all of my summer pictures and past- I've had a lot of fun and blown a lot of money having fun.

So maybe it is partly something I can do to soothe my soul but I want to turn 26 and be able to count more good things in my life that have a lasting impact.

Case in point:
I am sponsoring a Vietnamese orphan now! Her name is Kim Thi, is 7 years old, and has some kind of mental illness (the agency was not specific about that). My parents attended a benefit concert for VNHELP and told my family about the cause. They reach out to several different orphanages in Vietnam. For just $240 a year- you sponsor your own child, which means they get to go to school, money for food/books/clothing/etc. I will probably send more money or educational gifts for her to share w/ the others later on closer to Christmas.

If anyone is interested in this, let me know and I can pass along the info of the coordinators. There are regular, healthy kids to deformed, physically handicapped, and the mentally ill. Some are just babies and some are almost in high school. The intention is for you to help the child until they go to high school. I chose a younger child so I can have time to develop a bond w/ her- we are allowed to go visit them in Vietnam too! I totally am trying to save up so I can visit little Kim Thi one day.

Plus, right now- there's a man that will help you for the first year of sponsoring a child. He puts in 50%. So really, year one is $120. The remaining years will be $240 annually.

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I got to see my pledge sister & her finance Tony the other day. She won a trip to Tahiti from a raffle at a bridal convention, making them fly out of LAX. So, we got to spend the day together before they jetted off to Bora Bora (soo lucky!)

I always feel bad- I'm not an LA native and I don't know the areas too well, despite living in CA all of my life. They took us on a tour around SF one day- 13 hours and they hit every single cool thing to do/see. I don't even know what I would do if I had to show someone around the OC- it's like- what is there really to do?

We took them to Venice, West Hollywood, LA Live, and a quick drive through Chinatown to eat at Phillipe's before taking them back to the airport. Including one botched attempt at trying to find the Kogi truck in Van Nuys, the whole LA day was filled up from noon till 9:30pm.

Jenn has some better group shots, but here's some photos from my camera:





 

See the Hollywood sign?



Okay so "Gene Simmons" broke character b/c Captain America asked where we were visiting from. Angelo said me & him were from the OC. Simmons asked- where in OC? Turns on my bf & Gene Simmons are practically neighbors in Fullerton. Hahaaa, go figure.



How come the star in front of Mickey says Donald Duck though?

	http://www.cutestdogcompetition.com/vote.cfm?h=13648876F7267A0FA493325D5A18EAA6

So I've officially graduated and have a Masters in Counseling Psychology! What good it does me now...I have yet to see. I am job searching to no avail. I was supposed to sign on with the agency I've been interning for but now most mental health places are going through budget freezes.

Great timing...how I wish I could just be a college student again.

So, last Sunday my brother and I saw this in an email:

We were so excited! We actually did try to sell our tickets:

But in the end, I'm glad we decided to go to the memorial. It was bonkers...so many people just watching from the outskirts, since you couldn't get past a certain point without the tickets & wristbands. (Thank goodness for interning in LA, I knew how to get around the streets a bit better and parked in the lot where I still had some parking stickers, haha.)

And naive me, the tickets had said no cameras and videos allowed so I followed directions. I thought that there would be intense security watching out for that. Nope...a grip of people brought cameras and since we were sitting kinda in the nosebleeds, my camera phone did me no good.

Being inside with everyone really heightened the experience. Everyone was very respectful, screams of "I love you Michael/ We all love you Michael" were thrown about in between speeches and songs, and it really gave people the chance to see more of the private MJ vs his public side.

I started crying when his daughter spoke and that emotion carried on when they wheeled his coffin away (whether or not he was really inside); it was that moment that it hit me...he is gone. Say what you will, but he was a talented person beyond belief.

We were interviewed by some internet news and I got to talk to ABC News radio when we got out.

Talking among friends, discussing our favorite songs and stuff about MJ, I'd have to say my favorite is "Thriller" b/c that is the first song I remember seeing/hearing as a kid. I had my Viewmaster (remember those?) and I was clicking away on those picture reels and the sound cartridge made it awesome with Vincent Price's voice narrating. It was not fluid but I was able to use imagination to see them dance. I think I tried to click the pictures faster to try to make it more fluid but then the sound would be off, haha.

Watching it still hooks me in to the end, despite 14 minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtyJbIOZjS8 

 

Leaving for Hawaii at the end of the week, Saturday to Tuesday...not long enough but can't be spending too much money when I'm trying to save, haha.