I Am Hopeful

Although I was a bit behind the American populous, I finally got around to listening to the speech President Obama's gave following his Presidential oath. And I must say, that as I let it linger in my brain while also listening to The Beatles' "Imagine" and searching for good car deals online, I am incredibly hopeful. In the midst of everything falling apart our nation retained a competent, capable new leader, I personally landed a new job, opening up all kinds of new possibilities for me, and I now have the luxury of dreaming once more. I almost forgot what it was like.

...Have you ever read Douglas Adam's 'The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy?' Well... this will be a stretch if you haven't, but (CJ, you'd REALLY enjoy this one! Try it!) I'll give it a shot: As I was looking for my potential future car while also listening to the elegant, powerful words of President Obama, the surrealness of it all crept up on me, and I slowly realized I was dreaming of exciting possibilities in the future, for our nation and for myself. Much like Aurthur (in Adam's trilogy) realized he was flying... Aurthur explains, however, that as soon as you realize you are flying, you start to fall! The more you think about flying, the more you lose your balance - or flight, as it were - and gravity kicks back in again. You must focus on not flying, and soon you will find yourself in the air again, wafting higher and higher. Well, until you bump into a floating building, of course. In any case, I'll simply sit back and search for my potential future car, smile in the wonder of such a fantastic moment and the beauty expressed by an excellent speech writer, and enjoy the moment. Not focusing on how unreal this moment is, of course, because if I think about it too much, it might slip between my fingers. I am simply grateful for this moment, unaware of how it is possible that it is happening, and hopeful. Hopeful that tomorrow will carry the same blessings I have found today. And the day after that. And the day after that. Amen.

Cat Stevens - Moonshadow
Today I am a elephant (because they're cute, and flap their ears, not because they're huge) and (while we're being hopeful) a mug of white chocolate cocoa, topped with whipped cream with zero calories/zero sugar and a cherry on top. Make that three cherries. One can never have too many.

Once More into the Breach, Dear Friends, Once More!

Hello! I write bearing much news! As it happens, I am not done with pool after all! Out a stroke of luck (or born out of a curse, depending on which teammate you talk to) we've were drawn as the 'wild card' team to attend the playoffs! The playoffs will be held next Wednesday night, and depending on how we do there, then perhaps we'll be done. We'll see. :) I hope so, though, since I promised my brother in law that I'd learn how to kayak with him that following Wednesday.

I also have news concerning my job. My first three days went very well. Rather smoothly, in my humble opinion. They threw me into a few things I wasn't quite ready for (i.e. answering phone call on my first day, and 'explaining' the legal paperwork to new clients (even though I had yet to read through said paperwork)), but over all I think that experience will help me out next week when I'm on my own. Although I did manage to get a little bit of work done, the bulk of my work week was spent taking instruction. I had a great mentor to learn from, though, and he'll be around for the afternoons next week just in case I have problems. Everything is moving SO fast, and I feel like I have so much information to sustain, but I am ultimately very excited about this job. It's one that I will pride myself in once I have learned all the intricate details of the legal process... lol, which might take a while.

Speaking of legalities! This job has its interesting side! I've learned about all kinds of rules, procedures, mandatory documentation and the like relating to the legal process associated with Personal Injuries (which is usually associated with car accidents). In a few months, I'll be a walking almanac of PI legal proceedings. And I find that rather cool.

New Job!

Hello everyone! I just wanted to spread the word that I got a job! I'll be working as a legal assistant/paralegal for a small law firm in the Rock Point Center. I start TOMORROW! It's got the pay/benefits that I was hoping for and is only about 10 minutes away from the house. Thanks for all your support and encouragement during this period of waiting!

Pool, Hip Hop and Meditation

Good news and bad news: We won our last pool match last night! But I lost my individual game. I can't complain too much, though, because the woman I played against truly was a better shot than I, and I didn't lose by THAT much. It was our last official game as a team and I'm pretty sad about it. My teammates are a lot of fun. EVEN when they're giving me a hard time and teasing me (which is most of the time). I plan to continue practicing and playing as often as possible, though, because I want to improve. I'm at that place where I can see the shot I need to make, but can barely ever get it right. Rather infuriating if you ask me.

I checked out the Newsweek article Jaima mentioned and thought it was worth sharing with all of you. It doesn't necessarily make my point exactly, but it touches on some interesting factors relating to hip hop, such as 'conscious rap,' which I am a big fan of. Well, in addition to island hip hop, but for totally different reasons. Conscious rap eludes to lyrics that are meant to provoke change, make a point, or reveal truths, and therefore have intricate, intelligent lyrics. Island hip hop, on the other hand, just has that 'feel-good' vibe we all love so much, but adds a fast enough beat to dance to. Like an energetic Bob Marley.

I'm reading a book called "Eat, Pray, Love," and think it's rather wonderful so far (a big thanks to Aja and Amy who gave it to me for Christmas!). It documents the author's year-long journey visiting 3 locations for 3 specific reasons. She lived in Italy for 4 months to learn about pleasure, i.e. eating amazing food and having the freedom to ask herself what she wanted to do every morning. Then she moved to India for 4 months to "find God." That is where I am right now. She'll then live in Indonesia for 4 months to learn about love, or so she seems to elude. She's currently at an Ashram learning how to meditate to become closer to God. Although this might sound like a very Hindu thing to do, she isn't Hindu. Nor are many of her fellow students. Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists alike gather there to learn how to meditate so they can find a way to be still before their respective gods without actually asking for something. They're learning how to be in their gods' presence and listen. I realize many of my readers might think this is all the road to the Devil, while still others might think that there's no point in trying to listen because no gods are out there. In any case, I personally find the concept interesting. I am always talking when I pray, never listening. Learning to sit quietly every day to be open to His presence sounds rather nice. What are your thoughts?

Bruce!!!

Bruce has something new in the works. I'm not sure if it's part of his new album (coming out in late January), but he wrote the leading song for a new movie coming out called "The Wrestler." As much as I love Bruce, I don't think I'll be seeing this one. (You all know how much I love wrestling matches...) In fact, I could take or leave the song even. Nevertheless, as a true Bruce fan, I thought I'd share the song with everyone.

ASLO!!!! PLEASE check out another song off his new album on youtube! It is SO great to see the band jamming together again. And Bruce has his hair all shaggy and cute. Even if he looks like it hurts when he sings, at least he knows what passion is about! I love that band. Such a good song.

So Long Hip Hop

Not too many things have changed since I left Spokane before Christmas. Upon my return, I found most things exactly the same. Which makes sense since most of the city had been shut down due to snow, and it's hard to make major changes when you can't get much farther in the world than your parked car on the other side of your sidewalk, snuggled below a two-foot blanket of snow. One major thing DID change, however. Spokane's only remaining hip hop/R&B station, 96.9, was replaced with country music... This makes me very sad. Less variety always makes me sad, but in this case, when I dearly love hip hop, it was even more devastating.

HOWEVER! As Scott mentioned to me, "They can't keep playing crap from kids like Solja Boy and think people will listen to it." And then I realized perhaps it was the right business move after all. It's not the absence of the station I am mourning, it is quality hip hop all together. I fell in love with hip hop during 2004-2005 when (I feel) hip hop had hit a prime. Quality tracks from all kinds of hip hop (dance, R&B, rap, island, west coast, east coast, dirty south) topped the charts all over the place! And now what do we have? Sixteen-year-olds who couldn't tell a lyric from a textbook (since they study neither). Even Tupac, who wrote some songs I'm not quite sure about, had a lyrical talent that makes me fall in love with his music over and over again. But seriously? A song about one's 'tippy toes?' Telling people to dance on your tippy toes? And then adding some sexist comments/instructions because, after all, they've made it big and that's what being famous is all about... Apparently. One thing's for sure: this epidemic of young, crap artists shows that no 16-year-old should be allowed to have any influence on the fashion/pop world. We get sunglasses written on with white-out (how is THAT safe when driving? Oh right! They're famous now, they don't have to drive themselves) and the sloppiest 'ensembles' you've ever seen.

But you know, America is capitalist and people do what makes them money. So I get it. If you want to make it big and people spend money on crap these days, why not make crap? Even a handful of my favorite artists (who were famous before this horrible low of hip hop standards) have betrayed true talent by cashing in with dumb, unintelligible, degrading tracks. BUT WHY RUIN SOMETHING SO WONDERFUL!? Just because people want to pay you to graffiti all the art inside The Louvre doesn't mean you should go ahead and do it.

AND! My final point, in retrospect I am glad (kind of) the station went out of business, because perhaps that points to yet another shift in the hip hop world, one that leans back to music that has depth, lyrics that incorporate thought, and beats that are born of inspiration instead of bank accounts. It seems the American populous (especially the younger ones, who, poor souls, have yet to hear what good hip hop sounds like) are speaking out. NO MORE CRAP! I can only hope that out of this lowly state, something new and wonderful can be born.

Three Degrees...

I read my cousin's blog this morning (who is in New Zealand currently) and got very disheartened thereafter when I checked the thermometer and it read three degrees. I know I live in the PNW and should suck it up, but man... it's days like these when I think it wouldn't be half bad to live in Arizona. And just so we're all on the same page, I loath Arizona. Nothing against the people, I'm just not a big fan of dry, barren land (well, except for Utah, but it's got cool colors to make up for it).

If nothing else, the weather has allowed for some interesting people watching. I find winter traffic conditions to provide just the right kind of conditions for some serious psychological observations of the Spokane population. For example: why did one driver find it necessary to stop on a main, four-lane street to allow another car that was at a stop sign to turn in front of him/her, only to be stopped short by the back-logged lane going the opposite direction? Why do local newscasters have to bring out diagrams to explain how snow can slide off sloped houses, but will weigh down and fall through flat roofs? Do people not know this stuff? Very interesting indeed.

Here are some pictures that better describe the obstacles we're working with around Spokane.

New Pics!

Hello all! I arrived back in Spokane yesterday afternoon safe and sound! It was a long, horrible drive, but it wouldn't have been any easier today (more snow and winds are in the works for today's forecast). I watched Wall-E yesterday upon my return! It was a great way to relax after the long day. I love Wall-E... I want one. Today I have a lot ahead of me... Unpacking, cleaning, organizing, applying to jobs, getting back into communication with people. For now, however, I wanted to make sure these pictures were posted asap. The picture is a drawing I made for my grandma's Christmas present. The other two are the Pygmy Owl Dad and I saw down near the creek below my parent's house. One is a view of his bellow, but his head is turned to the side. The other is a view of his back, complete with false eyes! Those two dark spots are black feathers on the back of his head to make it look like he has eyes back there!





By the way, today I am a kangaroo. Not so much of the hoppy kind, but the tall, fat kind... that is very furry.