Easy Money

This and last week, I've had the pleasure of making some very easy money! This is highly welcome since I am still looking for the right job. I have an interview tomorrow which is very promising so stay tuned for the details!

Last Thursday, I babysat for my friend Jason's brother and sister in-law. They have a 13 month old daughter named Anna. She was already asleep when I got there and remained asleep the whole 3 hours that I babysat so it was totally easy. I was actually kind of sad that I didn't get to meet and play with her. I laid on their couch pretty much the entire time and read my book and would glance over at the baby monitor from time to time to check out how she was doing. I can't get over how calming it is to watch babies sleep. They look completely peaceful. Do you think babies dream? Probably about big juicy bottles of milk, huh? : )

Then tonight, I participated in a focus study group for an hour and a half and was paid a whopping $75! All I had to do was sit in a conference room with 7 strangers and talk about our experiences with museums and what we would like to see in an exhibit about the history of Los Angeles. It was super easy and honestly, I didn't really feel like I could contribute a whole lot to the discussion since I am so new to here. Nonetheless, I was paid at the end of the session and I gladly accepted.

"Money is like a sixth sense, and you can't make use of the other five without it". -W. Somerset Maugham

26 Years Old!

Today is my 26th birthday! Woo hoo! I'm a big fan of birthdays. They remind us that we have made it to another year and are hopefully smarter and stronger because of it. Who doesn't love a day where you get lots of sweet phone calls, text messages, presents and just generally a wonderful day?! I'm very lucky so today I was blessed with all of those things!

I sent the following to my sister for her blog to Lucas the other day and I think it sums up what I've learned in these 26 years.

1. Cherish your relationships. I don’t care if it’s with your mom or with a girl in high school that you fall in love with, cherish them. Don’t take them for granted and certainly tell people how you feel. Never assume they know. Take the time to understand these relationships and what makes each of them special.

2. Go to concerts and really enjoy them. I mean, get out of your seat and dance your butt off! That’s what concerts are for anyhow! Also, really take the time to listen to the lyrics in songs. They will help you get through a lot of things in your life. I don’t know where I would be without a lot of music out there.

3. Take pictures whenever you can. You will want these memories as your grow older. As you surely learn, I have lots of scrapbooks full of memories and I am grateful that I’ve started this hobby. I hope that you will be interested in photography too.

4. Keep in touch with your friends, at least, the ones that you care about. Even the friends that you haven’t seen in a few years, you never know when you’ll run into them again. You also never know when you’ll need to turn to one of these friends for something or other.

5. Do one thing that challenges you mentally and/or physically every year. It can be anything…. I am attempting to run a half marathon in September and that scares me to death but I know that if I train hard, I can do it. Just know that you can do anything you put your mind to.

6. I hope you find something in life that you are passionate about are able to pursue that. Focus on deciding what will motivate you to get out of bed in the morning. I really think that that is the key to true happiness. I just know that I need to work in the music industry for me to be truly happy in this life.

7. Don’t be a flake. I know too many people that say one thing but never get around to actually doing it and that drives me insane! Why is it so hard to stick to your word? Your mom is the opposite of a flake so I am sure that we don’t have to worry about you becoming one.

8. Worrying is pointless and doesn’t really help anyway. I worry way too much about everything and anything but it’s gotten much better the older I get. So, save yourself the trouble and time and just don’t get into the worrying habit at all.

9. Don’t obsess over what people think of you. I used to do this endlessly but just this year I have really come to an understanding that it really doesn’t matter what anyone thinks about you. As long as you are happy with who you are, then it’s all good.

10. My favorite quote of all time says it all, “the greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” I hope you love endlessly.

Oscar Party!

So, last night in honor of my birthday, my roommates and I threw a party. The Oscars were on tonight so we themed it "Oscars". Guests had to dress up in a costume from one of the movies nominated this year or come dressed in red carpet worthy attire. Gina and I dressed up as Avatars. They were awesome ensembles. We even made long blue tails and pointy ears. I am so glad that I bought a glue gun last year. Swati was a school girl from the movie, "An Education". Just about everyone dressed up for the occasion which was amazing. I think just about every film nominated for something was represented at the party. The pictures turned out great. I also had food to represent a few movies too. I made deviled eggs for "The Blind Side", mac and cheese for 'Precious", pitas and hummus for "The Hurt Locker", hot dog pastries for "Up", birthday cake for "An Education" and french onion dip and veggies for "Inglorious Basterds". I also made lots of popcorn, nachos and movie theater candy all around the house. The decorations were a big hit too-I had golden stars all over and even "red carpets" all around.

It was a great night and I am so glad that most of my LA friends could come. If you missed this party, no worries, the girls and I are bound to have another one.

Roommates!

Over the years, I've had amazing luck with roommates. In fact, I've never ever been in an unhappy living situation. It all started Freshman year at the University of Arizona with Tracy. We were even assigned to live together. Little did the housing person know that she was changing my life for the better with that incredible decision. I still do not know why we exactly we were put together. Tracy and I went on to live together our sophomore year as well. She is now one of my best friends and I love her dearly. I hate that we live so far from each other but I think those days are numbered.

My junior year I lived with three boys which was quite an experience. They were my two friends, Collin and Patrick and a random guy, Paul, who was placed into our empty bedroom. I became the mother of the house and certainly cleaned up way to many messes that weren't mine. Despite all this, I didn't mind living with them and kind of enjoyed the new perspective I gained that year. I especially enjoyed getting to know Collin better. We quickly became close and I am happy that we still stay in touch.

Then I didn't have any roommates until now. Gina and Swati are great and I couldn't have asked for more fun people to live with. I almost can't remember my life without them. I am always excited when they get home from work and the weekends are a blast with them.

Someday

Right after my last post, this song, came on my ipod. It's called "Someday" by John Legend. I'm a big fan of shuffle so I didn't plan for this song to come on, but it did and I really love the lyrics. It's probably about a breakup but I thought of my parents instantly when I heard "someday, we'll be together."

As days go by
and fade to nights
I still question
why you left
I wonder how
it didn't work out
but now you're gone
and memories all I have for now
but no it's not over
we'll get older we'll get over
we'll live to see the day that I hope for
come back to me
I still believe that
we'll get it right again
we'll come back to life again
we won't say another goodbye again
you'll live forever with me

Someday, someday
we'll be together
someday, someday
we'll be together

I heard someday
might be today
mysteries of destinies they
are somehow
and are someway
for all we know
they come tomorrow
for today
my eyes are open
my arms are raised for your embrace
my hands are here to mend what is broken
to feel again to walk on the face
I believe there is more to life
oh I love you much more than life itself
I believe I can change your mind
revive what is dying inside

And someday, someday
we'll be together
someday, someday
we'll be together
someday, someday
we'll be together
we'll be together
we'll be together
someday

My Time Machines

So, ever since my Freshman year of high school, I've been making scrapbooks of my life. Over the years, I have definitely gotten a lot more creative with them. I think that I have at least 10 scrapbooks! They are my time machines. I can back to the past anytime I want with them. They certainly take up a lot of space so I only brought 2 with me here to LA. Well, now I have 3 here because this week I had to start another one. Yep, I am all caught up on my scrapbooking (yes, I'm making it a word!) as of right now. Whew! They are a lot of work and take up a lot of time. There is plenty of equipment too, colored papers, a ton of stickers, assorted pastes and glues, several scissors, magazine cut outs, pictures and other various memorabilia that I've kept. I've never really thought of myself as being super artistic so I think this gives me a chance to showcase that I really can be when I put my heart into it.

I don't mind all the work though, since I enjoy it so much. It gives me a chance to reminisce about the events that I've been to and the people that I've been spending time with. It really makes me appreciate my life and all that I've gotten to do and see so far. I guess my scrapbooks are kind of like my journal. I have a journal but I don't write regularly enough in it. It doesn't have my day to day adventures. Wait, isn't that what this blog is like? : ) I just know that when I'm older and getting a little senile and maybe even start to forget my glory days, I'll be able to look back at these scrapbooks and remember how much fun I had in my youth. I'll never forget my life with these books.

Another reason why I enjoy making scrapbooks is because of my mom. She and I started doing it together in the summers when we were home in the states. Part of the fun was going out to different stores and hunting down our supplies. Then we would gather all our materials and set up on the dining room table. It was something that we could both sit and do together and share in the experience. I can still picture us sitting across from each other and laughing up a storm while looking at pictures. Neither of us was very good at art but we tried and that's what counts, right? : ) When I scrapbook, I can't help but think of her and wonder what her future scrapbooks would have looked like. I am sure they would have been of grandchildren! : ) I think she would be so happy that I have continued to do it.

• "A true scrapbook addict is one who stages photographs to match paper she likes." -Unknown
• "Been there, scrapped that" -Unknown
• "And I'll bury my soul in a scrapbook, with the photographs there and the moths." - Leonard Cohen
• "Blessed are the children of scrapbookers, for they shall inherit the scrapbooks." -Unknown

Geography Lesson

Last night Gina and I spent about two hours in our kitchen talking. Actually, I did most of the talking. I told her all about the different countries that I've lived in. I had never told my new roomies exactly where all I'd gone to school before so she was curious. She was a very attentive listener and kept asking me lots of questions.

For those of you that don't know, here are all the countries that I lived in and a little info on them:

Pakistan, Karachi- This south Asian city was my parents' first overseas teaching job. I believe they lived here with my sister for 5 years before I was born and then we stayed one more year after I was born. Is that right Tonya? My parents loved Pakistan and talked about how great the school was long after we left. Oh, I started walking for the first time at the airport as we were leaving Pakistan! I hope to go back one day and see the hospital where I was born and the school that my parents worked at. This probably won't happen for awhile since I'm told that Pakistan is certainly not the safest place for Americans right now. Isn't it neat that when I turned 18, I could have gotten a Pakistanian passport? I still think about getting one someday just for fun....

The Gambia, Banjul- I do not remember much of anything about this west African city. I believe we lived here for 4 years. It is the smallest country in Africa and it's less than 30 miles wide!! That is tiny! Sadly, about a third of the population live below the international poverty line of $1.25 a day. All I really remember is that we lived in an amazing house and I always thought of it as a tree house because there were these huge palm trees all around it. For some reason, I also have this image of the living room in my head and the ceiling is super high. Is that even right Tonya?

Venezuela, Maracaibo- Finally, I got to go to school in this south American country but only Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten. The four of us lived in a tiny pink apartment for two years. I don't think any of us were very happy here. Theft was horrible and my parents salary wasn't good. I kind of remember that my sister seemed to think that she was in a love with a boy here! Haha! I also recall that my Kindergarten teacher was an absolute joke-she was like 80 years old us chasing little kids around! Ridiculous! I made my first friend here, Jenny, and she had bright red hair which I loved! I wish I could find her on facebook! : )

Somalia, Mogadishu- This country lies in the Horn of Africa. Unfortunately, we only lived here for half a year because on our Christmas vacation in the states, we learned that the civil war broke out and our homes and the school had been bombed. We lost everything. It was really hard to handle that. I loved living here while it lasted though. We lived just a few yards away from the school so we could go home for lunch and my best friend here, Anita, lived right across the street from me. I had two pet goats too which was awesome! It was a mother and her baby and they would hang out on the soccer field when I was in classes and then I would play with them during recess and after school. I wonder what happened to them.

Mozambique, Maputo- We lived in this south-eastern African country for four years. It is one of the poorest countries in the world, with overpopulation, unemployment, poverty and crime being it's major problems. Malaria was also a big issue here because of all the mosquitoes and sitting bodies of water everywhere. We had to take a malaria pill every night and sleep under mosquito nets. Having said all that, I loved living here. It was a very, very small school and I think there were usually only 12 or so in my classes and I was the only girl a lot of the time. I really enjoyed being so close to all the students and teachers. I also loved my pets there, Nicky, a cat and Brownie and a dog. It was very hard to leave Maputo but my parents felt it was time for a break from the overseas life, so we moved back to Tucson, Arizona for a year.

Myanmar, Yangon- This south-east Asian country was by far my favorite place that I lived in. I lived here for 6 years so it's the longest that I lived anywhere and I made the most friends and of course the most memories too. I am grateful to have attended the same high school for all four years. The Burmese people are such peaceful people because of their religion, Buddhism. It is a beautiful city too with many tall golden pagodas everywhere. I will definitely be returning to Yangon one day for a visit.

Honestly, I really do enjoy talking about the countries and about my experiences in them. Yet, sometimes I worry that I sound like I'm a spoiled brat having gotten the chance to travel so much and that's the last impression that I want to be giving off to anyone. In fact, I detest braggers so that's not what I am doing at all. I simply want to share my story. I think by telling it, I help explain why I am the way I am. I also hope to encourage others to travel overseas and see this huge planet. Generally I don't think that Americans travel enough. I get it though, flights are expensive and it's difficult to find the time to take off . I have been fortunate enough to continue traveling since I stopped living abroad and have gotten to go to Paris, Tunisia, Australia and Jamaica. Hmmm..Where to next? Any suggestions?

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

"Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living."

– Miriam Beard