I need a new adventure. Or at very least something new to look forward to.

People are not being honest with me lately. I can feel it, and when I sense something is off, I’m normally right.

Hence the talk of a remarkable and exciting experience. I need a focus point. Ever since April I have had something new to look forward to every month. Sky diving, concerts, family visits, etc. November, so far, has nothing.

Here are my ideas: hang gliding, pole dancing lessons, change my route to work on my bike, learn some sort of boarding (skate-, wake-, snow-, surf-), mountain climbing, complete a century ride.

Ugh, I’m boring.

I also need to start volunteering again. I’m thinking the one at Union Station in Pasadena for Thanksgiving. I think that is a good place to start (especially since Black Friday doesn’t allow me a day off).

And I hope I’m not being misunderstood. I love my life just as it is. I guess I’m just not used to this slow pace. Previously I never had time to think about anything but school and work. Adventure time? You betcha!

Since when did being intelligent become detrimental to everyone? I ask this, because often times I feel the it is lamentable for people  to “dumb” their intellect down so other people do not feel like they should beat a hasty retreat.

Evolution dictates that the bigger brain permits survival. The adaptable species, who can formulate new ways of survival were the ones that we see today. It seems that the human race is reverting. It is unfortunate that astute people are rarely looked upon as companions and often scare others away. This is especially true of bright women.

Why are so many people intimidated by sharp people? Instead of fearing those who are smarter, maybe it should be a time of learning. Someone may know more, because they read more, or because they have a particular interest that commands more brain power. Women especially should not have to leave out the fact that they have a college degree, because they are afraid that no one will want to be with them.

It is a damn shame that our society puts more value anything but brains. Smart-ass good. Smarty-pants bad.

It is sad that a plethora of people do not know what these really are!

I have been a loyal Nip/Tuck fan (I call myself a “Nipple Tucker”, but my sister says that’s inappropriate…lol) since the first season, third episode-when the fat chick blew her head off because they wouldn’t give her lipo. When I first saw the show, I thought it was a movie (they did use the same filming technique). I was elated when I figured out that it was a television show, and I could watch it week after week.

I have been excited for months, because the sixth (and final?) season was airing Wednesday, October 14, 2009 (threw me off, because all the other seasons were on Tuesday nights). Last night, I was pumped…

Until the show actually came on. I was a little disappointed in what I saw. It wasn’t quite the let-down of the first part of season five (that’s when the writer’s strike happened, so I expected that to be crappy. The angel advertising was some of the best for that particular season though). I thought it was going to be great. When the disclaimer comes on before the show, I figure that MALSV always means something good (Mature Audiences for Language, Sex and Violence). When that rating came on for the first few seasons, that meant you were going to see, in essence, soft core porn with someone getting shot on the operating table because of all the infidelity or something similar. My mind goes wild with all that used to happen on that show! Seems like Nip/Tuck is just going to fizzle out.

I just hope that the rest of the episodes are better…for all the loyal Nipple Tuckers out there…

I always love the marketing for Nip/Tuck.

I donated blood again today. Nothing eventful happened like the last two times (passing out and needle problems). I couldn’t find the American Legion (place of donation), but eventually figured it out. The stress of driving didn’t increase my blood pressure like I thought it would…I still had a 110/70. That is thanks to all the bike riding I have been doing lately. My nurse was pretty chatty, which can be a good thing or a bad thing. In this case, it didn’t really matter, because at least she didn’t miss my vein.I did get a little nervous when the other nurse came over and said that she did something wrong. I thought they were going to take too much blood (haha, not really). I don’t get separation anxiety with my blood anymore.

Currently, I’m vegging out with my cute pink bandage listening to the rain.

I love stormy weather. Living in Southern California, rain is a rarity. It would be nice to live somewhere that had more thunderstorms. Thunderstorms bring negative ions, which gives that charged feeling. The rain is nice for now. I hope it lasts, and will ride in it regardless.

While watching the local news this morning (okay, you caught me, I wasn’t watching…I was mostly ignoring it with my back to the television; I do have girl ears though) something caught my attention. Hollywood must be bitching about parking, because now they are going to get a tax credit for film making. So, even though they block off whole city streets with “No Parking” signs, they think they should not have to pay for their so-called parking.

Not only that, the there might be bailout money headed Hollywood’s way, just because their DVD sales are down (yet the price of a movie ticket continues to rise). The money is to prevent low budget movies (and by low budget, I mean production costs of $15 million or under…$15 million for crap’s sake) from going to other countries to film. There will also be tax breaks for these high yield companies.

Instead of bailing out middle class America, they are bailing out entertainment. Sad thing is, Hollywood will really need the bailout money when there is no middle class left to buy film tickets (because who are they kidding…who do they think goes to the movies?).

Resources:

LA Times and ABC 7, Los Angeles

There is no doubt that I have always loved books. My mom is convinced that I was able to read at two years old, because since then I have buried my nose in a book and not looked back. She was always reading something, as was my father (even though I only saw him once a week and he was drunk, there was always a book in his hands). My sister is the only one that seems to have escaped this obsession; I think the only two books she has ever read were Skinny Bitch and the Lance Armstrong autobiography (I think it was an autobio).

Anyways, since finishing my degree on September 1st, I have gone through Warrior and Witch by Marie Brennan, Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer and Blood Crazy by Simon Clark. Relatively light, but I have been working a lot and trying to have some semblance of a social life. Here are my thoughts on each book, as I would like to begin rating what I read.

Warrior, 405 pgs; Witch, 430 pgs by Marie Brennan

• I am writing a joint review, even though these are two separate books. These books are great, and in a sense are about finding your whole self. The back covers of both books have a variation of this written: “When a witch is born, a Doppelganger is created. For the witch to master her powers, the twin must be killed.”  Warrior was given to me by a classmate, who simply told me that the book was about witches. The book takes you to an unknown land full of characters and non-traditional magic. It was a wonderful story, following Mirage and Miryo in their quest to find a new answer. Struggling to control her magic, new witch, Miryo, battles with herself on killing her Doppelganger, Mirage. Mirage is trained as a “Hunter”, and even though she has shied away from witches and magic all her life, knows that there is something more. Witch is the sequel, but too much said will spoil the ending of Warrior. I will just say that when I finished Warrior, I rushed out to buy Witch.
• Warrior rating: 9/10
• Witch rating: 8.5/10

Eclipse, 629 pgs by Stephenie Meyer

• I never thought a fictional novel would make me mad like this, but Eclipse was ridiculous. Yes, I know these books were written for teenagers, and yes, I know I’m a little bit behind (my mom is buying them for me as they come out in paperback). I’m just trying to figure out if I was that stupid when I was a teenager. I highly doubt it, because Bella is a complete moron. The book is full of ideas that should put Meyer to shame. Encouraging abusive teenage relationships? Sexual abuse? Sadomasochism? Permanently living on drugs (as stated by Jacob at the end, he is a drug to you Bella, but I am much healthier like air or the sun)? Lovely. The only thing that kept me turning pages was that Meyer is onto something when it comes to a battle between werewolves and vampires. An interesting take when you learn that the only reason why Jacob and his “pack” turn into werewolves is because the Cullens are near. Also, the action in this book were better than in the last, but I still don’t think teenagers should be inspired by this (but they are teenagers, so they will continue their obsessive ways…glad I was reading when I was a teen).
• Eclipse rating: 6/10

Blood Crazy, 397 pgs by Simon Clark

• I love new twists on traditional zombie novels, which is exactly what Blood Crazy starts out with. The entire adult population goes crazy one day and ends up trying to kill all of their children. The book follows what happens to a 17-year-old boy named Nick Aten (sounds like Satan), and his search for answers and quest for survival. Reminiscent of Lord of the Flies, you travel into a world with a power struggle among children trying to survive. Everything was dandy for me, until Nick gets kidnapped by his “mad” parents and is released. While trying to get back to his home of survivors, he runs across the “Arc”. Bernadette gives her idea on what has happened, which turns out to be not well researched and propaganda given by Clark. She (the character) at one point states that we are evolved from Neanderthals (which is incorrect; Homo sapiens and Neanderthals share a common ancestor, so are at most cousins). Now, as a scientist, I do believe in evolution, but if you are writing, please get popular science right. Further, if I wanted to read about the mind, I wouldn’t have chosen a zombie novel. I would have instead opted for Ishmael by Daniel Quinn (my favorite). Towards the end of Blood Crazy I felt like I was trying to be sold on Clark’s idea on the church, and about how God only exists in our mind. If Clark wanted to write about things like this, he shouldn’t be writing fiction, and maybe go waste his time on a degree in psychology. Harsh I know, but don’t disguise agitprop as horror fiction.
• Blood Crazy rating: 4/10

So I’m sure I will continue this insatiable book reading for a while. When I visit my mom, I will probably load up on tons of books to keep myself occupied.

After much anticipation, my sister came down for the Killers concert held at the Hollywood Bowl last night. My sister had asked if I wanted to go, and Nate answered with a yes for me (originally we were going to meet my sister and her friend in Santa Barbara, but that show was sold out).

I waited all morning for Janessa and Amber. They finally made it and decided we needed to get new “Going Outfits”. We didn’t need new outfits; we wanted new outfits. Plus, shopping is what we do best. Janessa wanted new make-up too and who better to ask than her former make-up artist sister. We also went to the Halloween store and transformed my sister into a ladybug. I finally dragged them out of the mall so we could get ready. Still ended up making Nate wait for us. I had to do Janessa’s make-up in the car (still looked great!).

We parked at the church, because Nate and I refuse to be stuck in stack parking. It is also cheaper, and the proceeds go to the church (you can tell). When we got out of the car I heard a lot of commotion over at Hollywood and Highland (that’s where we were going to eat anyways). Turns out Panic at the Disco was playing. It is pretty interesting to be sipping strawbaby margaritas and listening to a live band.

We walked to the Bowl just in time to miss most of the opening band (fortunate for us, they blew). Our bottle of wine got us through their last few songs. Then the Killers came on and…

A-MA-ZING!

These guys really put on one killer show (haha, pun totally intended!). Let me just give you a run down of my experience of the Killers prior to the show: I love-love-loved Hot Fuss; Only a couple of songs on Sam’s Town wowed me; Heard about two songs from Day and Age. Now even if you have not kept up with the Killers (like me, because of Sam’s Town), you would have loved this show. These guys are true performers and really play for their fans. Everything they played was absolutely fantastic.

After the show we decided to head on over to Lucky Strikes to bowl. Everyone kicked my ass. I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who was tired early. Janessa and Amber just wanted to get food and go home after one game.

Overall I had a great time with my sister (as usual!). Great concert, great time!