New Moon

So the days are slowly creeping by until the second movie in the Twilight sage comes out, something like 2 weeks, but who is really keeping track....But still, none the less, it's almost here. If you don't know me, you wouldn't know that I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Vanity Fair magazine. Last year when the movie first came out they did a whole spread with the cast of Twilight, so I figured i should bring it out an what not in anticipation of Robert Pattinson's debut as a cover boy on the Dec. issue of Vanity Fair. So here we goooooooo...


From L to Right: Robert Pattinson (Edward), Elizabeth Reaser (Esme), Kellan Lutz (Emmett), Peter Facinelli (Dr. Cullen), Nikki Reed (Rosalie), Kristen Stewart (Bella), Ashley Greene (Alice), Jackson Rathbone (Jasper), Cam Gigandet (James), Edi Gathegi (Laurent), Taylor Lautner (Jacob), and Rachelle Lefevre (Victoria).

*picture taken from vanityfair.com at this link, http://www.vanityfair.com/images/culture/2008/12/cusl03_twilight0812.jpg

My very own invisability cloke

Sometimes I ask myself, I am invisible to the rest of the world? It seems like while I seemingly slip into the slippery slope of depression, the rest of the world passes me by with a vengeance.

On another note, I ran in the Nike Livestrong 5K this morning. I don't have my official time yet because my Nike+ sportsband decided it wanted to break and Nike hasn't released the new one yet. But as soon as they release the times and pictures, I'll update this post. I figured I ran somewhere in the range of 35 mins or so.

Anyways, toodles.

Live, Laugh, and Love.

Re-shaping my standards

This blog entry was inspired by the book "He's Just Not That Into You" by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo. Which also happens to be the title of an episode from the widely popular TV series, Sex and the City. So thanks to his book and TV series, I have decided to adopt a couple rules for how I deal with my future relationships

1. I will not go out with a man who hasn't asked me out first
2. I will not go out with a man who keeps me waiting by the phone
3. I will not date a man who isn't sure he wants to date me
4. I will not date a man who makes me feel sexually undesirable
5. I will not date a man who drinks or does drugs to an extent that manes me feel uncomfortable
6. I will not be with a man who's afraid to talk about our future
7. I will not, under any circumstances, spend my precious time with a man who has already rejected me
8. I will not be with a man who is not clearly a good, kind, loving person

possibilities

So it has been roughly 1 year since I have graduated from that "glorious" institution we call San Jose State University and what do I have to show for it? Absolutely nothing, no job, no social life and certainly no sense to direction. I often find myself wondering how I got myself into this situation. I mean, I did everything right, or so I thought. I went to school year round, loaded up on units and course work even when I thought it wasn't healthy to carry 20 units, and even managed to coach and work part-time on campus. But that turned out to be all for not, seeing how I still live at home with the parentals and am currently jobless.

I can’t tell you how many hours a day I spend combing through Craig's List, Yahoo Hot Job, Monster and Career Builder. But yet, I have gone on some interviews where I am fed the same bull, "oh we like what we see, we will be in contact with you in the next week or so if we feel you would be a valuable asset to our company" or the "Unfortunately we are unable to hire you although you possess a skill set that we are currently looking for" When really all I hear is "BLAH BLAH BLAH" or "We won't hire you for this part-time position because you have a degree and you will try to jump ship as soon as a better job in your field of study becomes available."

Hopefully sometime in the next couple of weeks someone will want me and offer a J-O-B but until then, I stay in my little cocoon of sadness and self pity until I can come up for air and turn into that beautiful butterfly that I know I am.

good ol' Twilight

Okay, I so remember back in the day when the Twilight series had everyone in a frenzy? Originally, I wasn't one to hop on board of the Twilight madness train, but I recently got to watch the entire movies, and what can I say, I am hooked. Maybe it is because the two main characters, Bella and Edward are freakin' cute together, or maybe because I am a sucker for a good love fairytale/story because my lack of love life makes anything appealing.

Of course, call me the nerd I am, I went to my local library and wanted to check out the entire book series starting with Twilight, but of course due to the popularity, there are requests for every single books. Who knows when I'll get the books but hopefully before the next chapter, "New Moon" comes out in November. I saw the preview and fell in love with the series yet again

I can see why this movie has mass market appeal, it is a good story and from what I hear about the books, is that the movie pretty much follows it to a point. So back to the movie, other than it being a great love story about forbidden love, almost like Romeo and Juliet, it appeals to the older generation. I love love love it. Maybe I enjoy movies like this because they are not like anything we have seen before. Sure I have seen other vampire movies, but this pictures vampires that look and act like us teenagers and young adults.

So blah blah blah blah enough with my ramblings and gawking at all these young bucks but I really couldn’t resist. This movies lets me be kid again and remember all of the good times and memories about being in high school and what not. Ill have more to report when I read the book series. Till then, " When you can live forever what do you live for?" I know it is a tagline from the movie, but really, what would I live for if I could live forever. But more on that later!

-D

A little wisdom from Eleanor Roosevelt

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
Eleanor Roosevelt

If you are my friend on Facebook, you should recognize this quote because it is in my info section. This is such a powerful quote because if you do take the chance to stop and look back on everything that you are have experienced in your lifetime, in my case, all of 22 years, you only can grow stronger and wiser from the mistakes that you have made in the past. Look at me, 22, almost 23 yr old college graduate that is currently living at home and unemployed. If I could, I would dwell on everything that has happened to me in the past year, and everything that hasn't, but I have to keep telling myself to keep my head up. Because i know that in a couple of years, I will look back a this time in my life and just laugh because it only helped increase my dedication that my goals and passions. But for now, I stick to blogging and keeping myself occupied with other various things I find interesting. Mainly reading, taking pictures, editing those pictures, hanging with family and taking time to appreciate the life that I have been blessed with. Mainly a loving family, education that has brought me wisdom and the confidence to go out in the world and take it on, and the drive to not let something so mundane and no job stop me from continually bettering myself.

So with that, I am going to move along with the rest of me day and head to the gym for my strength&endurance and step classes that I take on Weds. So for now.... LOVE, PEACE, and HAPPINESS :)

-D

saving myself

I know I have been super MIA for a minute, but trust me when I say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Anyways, I was listening to my I-tunes today while applying for jobs online and what not, and the song "Down here in Hell" by Van Hunt came on. if you haven;t used the genius feture and make playlists based on selected songs, you should try it. I'm guessing that not many people know about Van Hunt, but this dude has a silky smooth voice that sings to your soul. Almost like Anthony Hamilton or the way Babyface does. Anyways, if you dont know about him, look up some of his music on youtube and he also has a song in Something New (which is where I discovered him, and my lazy butt put on English subtitles so I could get the song, Seconds of Pleasure, and artist.)

"I really love it when/love it when we make mistakes/because once again/it gives me a reason to complain/I love the battle lines/battle lines we draw and cross in the mud/oh, I love it when we fight/standing on the verge of breaking up or makin love

What would I do if we were perfect/Where would I go for disappointment/Love without pain0 would leave me wondering why I stay/

I think of saving myself/but with nothing to complain about in heaven/what would I do/
I think of saving myself/but I really wanna work it out down here in hell with you"

here is the video for you enjoyment

anyways, back to the song, i dont know what it is, but it just makes me stop and think about what is really important in my life right now. mainly my friends and family, and how they have helped me become the person that i am today. some more than others, but nonetheless, they have in some way changed me in ways that i cant imagine. i think about all of the sacrafices and struggles that we have been through, but at hte same time, all fo hte good times and triumphs that i have shared with these people. evern though we may fight and get on each others nerves, i would rather be misrable with them than me alone and happy in this troublsome world that we like to call life.

also, since may of you know, i have been jobless, it has been my friend and family that have told me to keep my head up and stay confident even when this economy is so shitty, that i can;t even get a entry level part-time job, because according to many, " you have too much experience" or "you have a degree, waht makes us think you won't leave when something in your major comes up?". Uggggghhhh, it's frustrating, but all the small things, whether it's a letter from my grandma, or my brother telling me to keep my head up, to she who shall not be named forcing me to go out and live a little when she comes home, let me know that i'm not alone and some still lvoe me even with all my faults. and for that, i can only say thank you from the bottem of my heart. you mean more to me than words can express.

-d

Damn you Flickr

I know that i have been super M.I.A for a cool minute but I blame it on Flickr, apparently they decided to change the amount of picture that you can upload monthly, which I surpasses in like one day. SO now, I can finally upload some new pictures from BC's various track meets. More to come later.

I hate rainy weather.

The weather up here in San Jose has been absolutely terrible, but this time tommorow I will be in LA! gyeaaaaaah. Here is something that I found. It's a Michelle Obama Look Book put together by New York magazine publication. That's all for now, I am going to try and upload some more pictures tonight before I hit hte sack before our looooong ddrive in the morning. Holla!

Why all the fuss?

I know yesterday I posted a entry about the Obama's taking on Europe and how I love Mrs. O's great fashion taste, but apparently not everyone feels the way I do. Apparently famed designer Oscar de la Renta is pissy at the first lady for her fashion choices while visiting Europe. This is what he had to say,

"While Michelle Obama has made lesser known designers like Jason Wu, Thakoon, and Isabel Toledo household names by wearing their labels repeatedly–the first lady has worn Jason Wu at least three times during the European trip –WWD asks where the love has gone for big name designers like Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren. Women’s Wear Daily’s Bridget Foley writes that it would be a great boost to a fashion industry in economic crisis.

And it sounds like some designers are getting downright cranky.

“American fashion right now is struggling,” says Oscar de la Renta. “I think I understand what [Obama and her advisers] are doing, but I don’t think that is the right message at this particular point….I don’t object to the fact that Mrs. Obama is wearing J. Crew to whatever because the diversity of America is what makes this country great. But there are a lot of great designers out there. I think it’s wrong to go in one direction only.”

He also took a jab at the outfit Michelle Obama wore to meet Queen Elizabeth: “‘You don’t…go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater.’”

Donna Karan took a more positive tone: “I hope and believe that this is just a moment,” says Karan. “And I hope to be able to dress her, and not only dress her but address her, sit down — I’m interested in her totality as a woman.”

And Vera Wang also weighed in: “I love seeing young designers and their vision and how they grow and all of that,” she says. “On the other hand, of course, I wish she would consider some of us, because I think we also have contributions to make."
-courtesy of The Huffington Post

Hahahahahaha, I think this is hilarious. I think he's just pissy because unlike previous and a potential first lady...cough couch Lady Bush and that messed up wannabe barbie doll Cindy McCain, she hasn't really worn anything from established fashion houses like De la Renta, Calvin Klein, or Ralph Lauren but instead wears up-and-coming designers and mass-market clothing from the likes of J.Crew. More power to her, showing the rest of country and world, that your outfit doesn't have to be worth a milli to look good.

Here are some more intersting articles about her fashion sense

• Why designers are dissing Michelle
  
• The end of "Wife Wear"
  
• Michelle Obama:Hugger-in-chief grabs glory
• Michelle Obama: First Lady of Fashion
  

Suuuuper curls

So I decided to try out a new hair style, more specifically, and wet perm rod set.
The point is to be suuuuuuuper curly and let it relax.
Over they days the curls will relax and this is me, day 5 on my way to the gym.

Mr and Mrs O take on Europe

So the President and First Lady have been in Europe for the past week and some change killin' the game. It's amazing to see all the love and support that our European allies have been showing them. I am soooooooo incredible proud to be an American right about now. It has also been nice to witness the fashion of Mrs. O with her youthful charm as well as her sophisticated grace. A great site that you should check out that I found is Mrs-O.org. It's all about the fashion and style of Michelle Obama. Here are some great examples of what great fashion sense she has...









This is here on the last day of their Europe trip wearing an oversize bow blouse by Moschino, a Michael Kors black pencil skirt and her signature Azzedine Alaia belt looking absolutely amazing. On a side note, when I was over at Mrs-O.org, this is what she said about her bow, "If you’re going to do a bow, I think it should be a BIG bow"

-Photo by Attila Kisbenedek/AFP/Getty Images

This is Mrs. O in a knit dress by Paris legend Azzedine Alaia. Also, most people know that Jackie O wore a well known French designer when she was too in France with her husband. This just shows how classy they both are. First Lady Mrs. O and President Mr. O were at the NATO summit in France.

This is Mrs. O in an Isabel Toledo dress with tulle underlay and Jason Wu opera coat at the G20 dinner with her hubby. I am loving the classic LBD with a twist look. If you didn't remember, she wore a beautiful white Wu dress to the Inauguration balls.

I can't say how much I love love love love love her fashion sense. And for now I wanted to leave you with this.A clip of Mr. Prez visting the troops in Iraq.

And here is what he says, courtesy of http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hqblog

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you, guys. Let me say Multinational Force Iraq, Multinational Corps Iraq, Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq First Corps, America's Corp Band: Thanks to all of you.

Listen, I am so honored.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you.

THE PRESIDENT: I love you back. (Applause.) I am honored -- I'm honored and grateful to be with all of you. And I'm not going to talk long because I want to shake as many hands as I can. (Applause.) And I've been talking all week. (Laughter.)

But there's a couple of things I want to say. Number one, thank you.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: You're welcome.

THE PRESIDENT: You know, when I was at Camp Lejeune I spoke about what it means for America to see our best and brightest, our finest young men and women serve us. And what I said then is something that I want to repeat to you, which is: You have performed brilliantly in every mission that has been given to you.

AUDIENCE: Ooh-ah.

THE PRESIDENT: Under enormous strain and under enormous sacrifice, through controversy and difficulty and politics, you've kept your eyes focused on just doing your job. And because of that, every mission that's been assigned -- from getting rid of Saddam, to reducing violence, to stabilizing the country, to facilitating elections -- you have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country. That is an extraordinary achievement, and for that you have the thanks of the American people. (Applause.) That's point number one.

Point number two is, this is going to be a critical period, these next 18 months. I was just discussing this with your commander, but I think it's something that all of you know. It is time for us to transition to the Iraqis. (Applause.) They need to take responsibility for their country and for their sovereignty. (Applause.)

And in order for them to do that, they have got to make political accommodations. They're going to have to decide that they want to resolve their differences through constitutional means and legal means. They are going to have to focus on providing government services that encourage confidence among their citizens.

All those things they have to do. We can't do it for them. But what we can do is make sure that we are a stalwart partner, that we are working alongside them, that we are committed to their success, that in terms of training their security forces, training their civilian forces in order to achieve a more effective government, they know that they have a steady partner with us.

And so just as we thank you for what you've already accomplished, I want to say thank you because you will be critical in terms of us being able to make sure that Iraq is stable, that it is not a safe haven for terrorists, that it is a good neighbor and a good ally, and we can start bringing our folks home. (Applause.)

So now is not the time to lose focus. We have to be even more focused than we've been in order to achieve success.

The last point I want to make is I know how hard it's been on a lot of you. You've been away from your families, many of you for multiple rotations. You've seen buddies of yours injured and you remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

AUDIENCE: Ooh-ah.

THE PRESIDENT: There are probably some people here who have seen children born and have been missing watching them grow up. There are many of you who have listened to your spouse and the extraordinary sacrifices that they have to make when you're gone.

And so I want you to know that Michelle and myself are doing everything -- (applause) -- are doing everything we can to provide additional support for military families. The federal budget that I have introduced increases support for military families. We are going to do everything required to make sure that the commitment we make to our veterans is met, and that people don't have to fight for what they have earned as a consequence of their service.

The main point I want to make is we have not forgotten what you have already done, we are grateful for what you will do, and as long as I am in the White House, you are going to get the support that you need and the thanks that you deserve from a grateful nation. (Applause.)

So thank you very much everybody. (Applause.) God bless you. (Applause.) God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

Reposting

I am still getting the hang of this thing, it's actually much harder than you think. So finally, like I said before. Here are some more of the pictures that I took. Some were action photos from the stands and others are just me hanging out and having fun.

Family time at the Sac St Elite Meet in Sacramento, CA

As you all know, my little brother, aka BC aka Big Head and my mini, high jumps at UC Berkeley. So this weekend we traveled up to Sacramento State to watch BC and the rest of the Bear's track and field team compete in the Sacramento State Elite Meet. He's been having a pretty good freshman season. Last week he set a new PR by jumping 6'8 3/4. Woooohhoooo! This also qualified him to compete in the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational from Friday, April 10, to Saturday, April 11 In LA. I like to take my camera to the meets to take pictures of him and all his teamates so they can do with them as they please. Most end up on Facebook...but more on that later.


Here is BC's first attempt off the meet. Clearing 1.85 M which is roughly 6'2 3/4.







This is him clearing 1.90 M which is 6'4 3/4 on his first attempt.

This is him clearing 2.0 M on his third attempt, which is
roughly 6'6 3/4. Not as good as last week, but he still managed to tie for 3rd this week behind two jumpers that both cleared over 7 ft.




The results for the entire Bear squad can be found here....Now for some of the other pictures that I took, some are of his teammates in their respective events and other random moments from the track meet in Sac....

Here we have my brother's teammates Aaron and Ryan in the 100 Hurdles.