February 2008 Archives

I can't believe that I'm already registered for my first 2 classes at Bellevue University.  The staff at the University were very quick.  My financial aid was worked out in less than 24 hours and my admissions advisor registered me for my first two classes this morning. The great thing is that this university is the least expensive one I've seen.  It has a good reputation too.  I'm all set to start on March 10th.  Oh, I still have to buy those expensive books.  I almost forgot.  I'd better do that today before I fly off to Seattle to see Nancy.

I will have one pretty easy class and one hard one.  The Survey of Business Functions won't be hard because I've taken so many business classes, when I got my bachelor's and at FIDM for my apparel manufacturing management degree.  The other class is accounting.  Yuck.  It's not as easy as it seems. Last summer I suffered through an accounting course for a month before I had to quit due to my long working hours and 3 hour commute. I had no time to even sleep. This time it'll be easier though because I'm all set up at home, the local library is one block away, and there's a business center with computer and internet in my building just in case I have computer issues with my own laptop.

It's a good thing I took 2 weeks' vacation from work to work out school. That way I won't be running around wildly unprepared the first few weeks.  That would be terrible.  

Alright, off to pack and to send my baby Valentin off to the kennel.

 

 

This past Saturday I had to attend a special event held by the Sheriff's Department in Lakewood.  It would have been really easy if I only had to drive from Long Beach to Lakewood (the neighboring city) but I had to drive to East Los Angeles, pick up the RV that we call the Alternate Emergency Operations Center - or AEOC - and drive it to the Expo.  I wasn't too happy about only getting about an hour's worth of driving lessons.  I kept telling the Assistant Administrator - aka Cara Roja due to his terrible rosacea - that I needed more in-depth training because the vehicle is fully equipped with a long, telescoping antenna and satellite dish, making the vehicle quite top heavy. Cara Roja didn't listen, told me that I was getting the exact same training as everyone else, then sent us (Anne Maria and me) on our way.  Anne Maria has had experience driving that type of vehicle when she worked at other organizations but this RV is different.  So we took off for the event, praying that we wouldn't be caught in a bad rainstorm on the way there or the way back. 

I managed to get there okay but had a little trouble parking so a deputy sheriff parked the beast for me.  He laughed because our vehicle is miniature compared to the Fire Department and Sheriff's Department vehicles.  I know that their vehicles are much, much bigger but they have special drivers with specialized driving licenses for those monsters.  The problem with our lack of training was that we were unable to get all of the TVs and computers working.  That kind of ruins the effect for the people who want to see a fully working office.  Anne Maria and I tried to make up for it.  At least we got the camera working and were able to project the images to the TV screen out front.  After that, it was all charm and smiles.  The event was really successful.  So many people showed up and saw the helicopters, fire engines, horses, and everything else.  Then the rain started at about 1:30, an hour and a half before the event was scheduled to end.  Given my inexperience driving the AEOC, I decided that we should pack up and head out before the sprinkles turned into a torrential downpour.  Anne Maria saw that I was nervous and offered to drive but I decided to face my fears and drive the beast back to the office.

Things were going fine until I thought our siren lights were on.  I had to pull off the freeway and have Anne Maria take a look.  Nothing.  Of course, getting back on the freeway was not easy but we managed.  Thank goodness I had a passenger with me.  Then, just after getting off the freeway near the office, about a mile away, a loud, siren alarm, in full stereo effect, went off inside the vehicle.  Imagine an ambulance siren inside your car and your head!  I pulled over and we checked out the issue:  the jacks that we have to lower when we raise the antenna and satellite dish.  One of them was somehow dislodged.  We tried to fix it, failed, then decided to get back in and drive the last mile back to the office anyway.  The whole way we had to endure that blaring siren inside the vehicle.  The stereo effect meant that we had equal blasts in each ear.  We both had massive headaches and ringing ears by the time we got back to the parking lot.   Cara Roja will definitely pay.

I definitely needed a drink after that.  A whole bottle of tequila was warranted!  However, Anne Maria thought that a few Sprinkles cupcakes would help make the day and weekend go better.  Recently, I told her that I was kind of done with Sprinkles but as soon as she mentioned that there were special Academy Award cupcakes available, I suddenly started to salivate and decided that $13.00 wasn't too much for a few cupcakes.  The only issue is that the store is in Beverly HIlls, quite a distance from East L.A., depending on traffic, of course.  So I followed her first to her place downtown so that she could drop off her car and carpool in my car.  Then I'd drop her off in L.A. then drive back to Long Beach.  At least we would have company on the drive.  The 4 miles to her place turned into at least 7 due to traffic and detours.  I kept checking her license plate to make sure I was following the right car and not being taken on a wild James Bond or Jason Bourne journey by someone trying to shake her tail.  We got to Anne Maria's place then I drove us to Beverly Hills.  I was going to consume massive amounts of pain killers to dull the throbbing in my ears and temples but, just my luck, I had forgotten my extra strength Tylenol that I always (except last Saturday) carry.  

When we arrived in Beverly Hills, we were shocked to see that there was a super long line outside of Sprinkles that snaked down the sidewalk.  I started to say that maybe we should choose another dessert place or just go eat but Anne Maria was not going to let me talk her out of it.  So she got in line while I went across the street to a French bakery for provisions.  Yes, I had to buy food and drinks for the queue to buy food and drinks.  Go figure.  It felt like we were in line for a ride at Disneyland.  We even starting bonding with other people in line, joking around with them.  I eventually had to go back to the car to get an umbrella due to the rain.  Some people dropped out of line but not the diehards.  We ended up waiting nearly 2 hours!  The wait was so long that the couple behind us problably broke up over the ordeal. The guy said he wanted to leave, the lady swore at him a lot then left with him. Too much time spent together, I guess.

I decided that I'd have to buy at least 4 cupcakes to compensate for the time spent waitiing in line.  I had to order two of my favorite: coconut, and I also bought one peanut butter-chocolate (surprisingly moist and delicious), and one banana with chocolate frosting.  They were all delicious.  They contain no preservatives, just all natural ingredients so they should not be stored.  I kept one for 2 days and ate it this morning.  It was still quite tasty and fresh. 

After Sprinkles, we were hungry for dinner so we decided to go to California Pizza Kitchen, another addictive food establishment.  The food must contain crack; it's so good and you want to eat there every day.  An hour later, we got to one in downtown L.A. but there was another long line!  We couldn't believe it.  15 - 20 minutes later we managed to get a table.  Then the orders were wrong..... Arggggghhh!  At least the spinach artichoke dip was delicious.  We were both so tired by the time we finished eating that Anne Maria asked me if I'd be okay to drive home.  Then on the way out of the parking garage, the electronic ticket taker said that we owed $8.00!  Fortunately, there was an attendant nearby who let us pass.  I dropped Anne Maria off at about 8:30 (a long and eventful day) and made my way home. 

I didn't talk to Anne Maria on Sunday but I know that she was sitting at home that evening in front of the TV watching the Academy Awards, eating her Sprinkles cupcakes just like me.

 

Last week, on Saturday, February 9th, I went to my hairdresser and said "I need something new. I'm thinking red and flippy."  So she cut my hair, which was about 2 inches past my shoulders, to the nape of my neck and dyed it a great red.  It was a huge change.  I had previously dyed it dark, dark brown.  What a great change. I have been receiving compliments from everyone:  strangers on the street, coworkers, acquaintances.  It feels good.

The red hair really compliments my fair skin and green eyes.  Actually, the red really makes everything "pop," as one coworker said.  I need every compliment I can get.  Don't we all?

I had a goofy photo taken at work that doesn't really show me well. I'll have to add another one here.

Wednesday, February 13th was the day of our County tsunami exercise, where all emergency management professionals and first responders simulated our response to a tsunami hitting the coast of L.A. County.  I was so busy that day that I didn't check my phone message.  I wish I'd checked my messages that day.  At any rate, I finally checked them on Thursday and was so happy.  Bellevue University called me and told me that I'd been accepted into their Master of Business Administration program, starting on March 8th.  They have a very good marketing concentration in their MBA program, better than other schools.  Actually, the other schools I applied to don't even have that concentration, not even Thunderbird.

I'm so happy.  If I can get my financial aid worked out quickly, I can start the program.  And I might even be able to quit my job!  Even better. Yahoo!!  This is great.

 

 

At the Travel and Adventure Show on Sunday I had the great privilege to be able to hear a great speaker who lives life to the fullest.  The speaker was Phil Keoghan, host of the TV show "The Amazing Race."  I had only caught a few episodes of one season so I wasn't too familiar with him.  However,  I came away from the event highly impressed with him and highly motivated to live life to the fullest.

Basically, he believes in No Opportunity Wasted.  Never miss a chance to fulfill a dream.  He writes down all of his wishes and actually accomplishes a great majority of them, maybe all of them.  He likes to get people to move outside their comfort zone so that they too can accomplish their dreams, despite their fears.

So life is NOW. I love it. 

Saturday, while walking the dog, I noticed a sign at the Convention Center regarding the Los Angeles Times Travel and Adventure Show that would be open through the weekend.  So I planned to go on Sunday.  What a good idea! Considering the fact that I really want to go visit and maybe live in Argentina and that I had also decided to apply for a job in Peru, high up in the Andes Mountains, very close to Machu Picchu, I thought I'd go get information about South America.  

I was not disappointed.  There were so many booths organized by region: California, the rest of the U.S., Mexico, Latin America, Asia, Europe, etc.  I didn't want to waste my time on places I'm not interested in visiting right away but my curious got the best of me and I visited almost every booth. 

I started with South America and spoke with people representing Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador and Panama.  I mentioned the potential job to a lady from Peru.  She gave me a lot of info.  I'm so excited.  There are also teaching positions with homestay opportunities, which wouldn't be right for me.  I'd have to live on my own. But it was nice to learn of other opportunities.  The lady also gave me a little wool llama decorative pin.  It's really cute.  Everytime I look at it I want to go to Peru.  Of course, Argentina has been on my mind a lot and I wasn't disappointed by all of the travel information provided.  I got maps, brochures, etc.  There was also information on cruises around the cape. I feel like quitting my job, grabbing a backpack and flying to South America.  Of course, I'd have to figure out how to take my baby Valentin with me...  Here's the CD cover of that organization that sets up teaching positions and homestays.

 

There are some really fantastic travel agencies that specialize in ecofriendly, socially conscious, and volunteering tours.  i-to-i travel has opportunities to volunteer in a number of social organizations or on archaeological sites.  Here's their information:

Chinese New Year was last week but I missed out, despite working just 2 or 3 miles from the largest Chinese populations in Los Angeles County.  2008 is the year of the Rat, which I hope will bring good luck, especially to me. I was born in the year of the Monkey.  Last year was the year of the Pig.  I love pigs, especially the star of Babe, which is my favorite movie of all time. I think I've seen it over 50 times, maybe 75.

Last year, my friend May Kam and I went to Monterey Park to celebrate Chinese New Year at a traditional restaurant.  I dressed up in a Chinese top.  May said that I'd stand out.  "Only little kids, old people and non-Chinese wear those kinds of clothes,"  she told me.  She was right.  There were a bunch of old people, little kids, and a couple of non-Chinese like myself dressed up.  That's okay.  I loved it. 

Thanks to May and her language abilities - she speaks Mandarin and Cantonese - we ordered a bunch of different dishes.  This particular one is a plate of chicken knees.  No kidding.  The waitress went on and on about how special the dish was. So many chickens suffered for that meal!  That was before I returned to my vegetarian ways.