RANDOM MUSINGS

Weekly Wish List: 1

2011-09-14T19:42:00.000-07:00

I've decided to start a weekly wish list. Here goes!

My Weekly Wish For

Society: is for more people to realize that possessing things is not what's most important in life. Sure it's fun to spoil yourself every now and again, but who cares if you can't have it all. Stop worrying so much about buying every designer purse or the newest piece of technology. Go out and enjoy the beauty of nature and the company of good people. Material things are just that - material. Delve into a more physical and spiritual life. Everyone would be better off.

Myself: is to try and worry less about the future. I would love to just be able to focus on the here and now: today. I think by doing this a lot of stress would be avoided.

I would love to hear all your thoughts and wishes as well. Leave a comment and let me know what you're currently wishing for this week.

A Penny Earned Is A Penny Saved. A Penny Given is "1 Additional Issue" Gained.

2011-07-19T18:44:00.001-07:00

As you can tell from the date on the photo, I have been meaning to post this for a very long time. My father was very impressed but a lot more amused by how much they appreciated his business. I felt the same.

Who knew that one extra penny could get you a postcard that cost a bit more than one cent plus a free magazine!?! All those in the service industry please take note :)

I hope you too enjoy the sheer absurdness yet amazing customer service of TIME magazine.

**OH NO! I just realized that Regina Evans left an "r" out of what I believe is meant to be YOUR in the first sentence. Oh well, still great customer service, TIME Magazine! Just hire a better proofreader. I am available and can start tomorrow!

Last Day! WooHoo!

2011-02-13T23:28:00.000-08:00

So in 21 minutes this damn Vegan diet will be over. I cooked a huge Vegan dinner tonight for a group of my friends to finish off the week with a bang! Good food. Good company. Good time watching the Grammy's and crapping on celebrities! Go Lady Antebellum!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Breakfast

Cup of Medium Roast Columbia Supreme Coffee with Almond Milk

Half a Grapefruit

Glass of Water

Lunch

A few Multigrain Crackers

Baba Ganoush

A few Chips

Guacamole

2 Glasses of Water

Dinner

Homemade Asian Feast:

Brown Rice

Fresh Sprouts

Mushroom Miso Soup - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Garlic, Miso Powder, White Mushrooms, Straw Mushrooms, Tofu, Scallions, Water

Vegetable Curry - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Onion, Garlic, Cumin, Cardamom, Tumeric, Cayenne, Salt, Black Pepper, Water, Coconut Milk, White Potato, Carrot, Green Bell Pepper, Peas, Baby Corn

Garlic Eggplant - Chinese Eggplant, Garlic, Fresh Bamboo Shoots, Water Chestnuts, Salt, Black Pepper

Bok Choy - Steamed in Salted Water, Black Pepper

Garlic Noodles - Garlic, Olive Oil, Scallions, Black Pepper, Soy Sauce

Wine and Beer

Day Six of The Vegan Journey

2011-02-12T20:24:00.001-08:00

If you don't have a bucket, then I guess I would have to say that yes, this is natural!

Geez Vegans!

Stop your judging.

Haven't you heard? Milk does the body good.

On a lactose free note, it was a beautiful warm Saturday full of beautifully delicious food! Take a look!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2011

Breakfast

Bowl of Organic Corn Flakes with Organic Almond Milk

A few Red Seedless Grapes

Half a Gala Apple

Cup of Coffee with Almond Milk

Lunch

Falafel Pita Sandwich with Lettuce, Tomato, and Tahini

Some Baba Ganoush with Half a Pita

Glass of Water

Afternoon Snack

A few Glasses of Water

A few Red Seedless Grapes

Dinner

Organic Quinoa with Fresh Cilantro and Chives Mixed In

Homemade Spicy Petite Peas

Tabouleh Salad

Glass of Water

A few Glasses of Cellar No. 8 Cabernet Sauvignon

Spicy Petite Pea Recipe

Saute some Diced White Onion in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Add in some Cumin, Cardamom, Tumeric, Cayenne, Salt, and Black Pepper

Add Two Tbsp. of Mango Ginger Chutney (Trader Joes)

Continue to Simmer with a Bit of Water

Add Half a Bag of Frozen Petite Peas

Simmer and Cover to Steam until Cooked - 5 Minutes or So

Starting The Weekend Off & Still Vegan

2011-02-11T15:12:00.000-08:00

Day Five Vegan Recap!

Can't ramble on too much tonight because it's Game Night at the house!

I am excited to eat all my vegan snacks though - which I would be eating regularly, anyway - Vegan or not!

Hope you enjoy today's menu!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2011

Breakfast

Cup of Dark Roast Sumatra Coffee with Almond Milk and a Touch of Honey

Lunch

Fresh Spinach Topped with Last Bit of my Homemade Salsa, Spicy Hummus, Fried Onions, and Cayenne

2 Slices of a Gala Apple

2 Glasses of Water

Snack Attack Game Night Dinner

Persian Cucumber Slices

Homemade Guacamole

Low Fat Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

Organic White Corn Tortilla Chips

Pita Bite Crackers

Chunky Olive Hummus

Classic Red Tomato Salsa

Red Seedless Grapes

Glasses of Water

Wine and Beer

Dessert

Sour Patch Kids

Guacamole Recipe

4 Large Haas Avocados

1/2 Cup of Diced Red Onion

About a Cup of Diced Tomatoes

2 Finely Chopped Serano Chilies

A Handful of Roughly Chopped Cilantro

Salt and Black Pepper

Fresh Lime Juice

Vegan Cheese? I Think Not!

2011-02-10T22:58:00.000-08:00

So today was definitely an interesting one! I made a quick breakfast this morning and thoroughly enjoyed it. I then met my friend Shane at The Veggie Grill on Sunset where I had a delicious Vegan sandwich for lunch. The "chicken" or as they call it: chickin': was not that bad, surprisingly. It was a bit flaky like a tuna steak, but if blindfolded, I would guess it was a soft piece of chicken - maybe - I think. Regardless, it was very yummy! But then came dinner :( The boyfriend and I found a place that sells Vegan pizza and apparently, the best Vegan pizza in town. However, when we got there, it was closed. The place hadn't been open for 4 weeks, and I was pissed, to say the least.

Long story short, we head to Trader Joes to pick up a few items. The dinner plan turned from Asian themed to the boyfriend saying, "Hey, I found Vegan cheese. Now we can make our own pizza." We gather the ingredients, but when we get to the cashier, a former Vegan, she informs us that the cheese is vegetarian and not Vegan because it is made with casings. So she directs us to a Henry's nearby, where she knows they carry Vegan cheese. It was a few cents shy of five bucks.

Get home. Prepare my ingredients. Cut into the gelatinous "cheese" with "It Melts" all over the label. I never knew melting was such an esteemed quality that deserved advertising. Anyway, I decided to taste this Vegan Mozarella before sticking it in the oven. Bad idea. So gross. Not anything like any cheese on this earth - and as you know, there is a plethora of cheese in this world. But I put my happy face on, and prepare the mini pizzas thinking, "It will taste way better once it melts. Plus, all the other ingredients will mask the heinous flavor." Boy, was I wrong.

My thought at that moment in time, "Great! I just wasted five bucks on something that tastes like shit. I could have bought a beer with that."

In short, Vegan cheese ruined my night. It also DID NOT MELT AT ALL. You know what I call that? FALSE ADVERTISING. I should sue their asses! I knew that I should have stayed away from any food trying to be something else. But the chicken substitute was so good, I figured the cheese one would be the same. I was wrong. Vegan cheese is so bad compared to the real thing. It was so bad, I made the next batch of pizzas without the cheese. Despite that, I was still left in a bitter mood because the cheese completely ruined my pleasant experience with the Vegan diet. And despite the encouraging words of my lovely boyfriend, the only thing that brought me back to a good mood was my trusty friend - a good ol' glass of vino :)

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2011

Breakfast

1 Hashbrown Topped with Leftover Homemade Salsa

2 Slices Gala Apple

Cup of Coffee with Almond Milk

Lunch

Bayou Chickin' Burger

Chillin’ chickin’, lightly blackened with

cajun spices, lettuce, tomato, red onion,

avocado, spicy vegan mayo.

Side of Red Cabbage Slaw

Glass of Water

Afternoon Snack

Glass of Carrot Juice

Dinner

Homemade Pizza

Arugula, Hothouse Cucumber, and Organic Cherry Tomato Salad with a Vinaigrette made from

Dijon, Black Pepper, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and White Balsamic

A few Glasses of Benefactor Red Wine

Pizza Recipe

Pita Bread Crust Topped With:

Tomato Sauce with Garlic, Olive Oil, Black Pepper Whisked in

Vegan Cheese (I suggest no cheese at all)

Fresh Spinach

Fresh Basil

Sliced Brown Mushrooms

Sliced Red Onion

Bake in a 300* Oven till Slightly Crisp - 5 - 8 minutes

Pasta Sans The Parmesan

2011-02-09T23:17:00.000-08:00

Day three of the Vegan diet, and I must admit that I ate very well today. I feel good and am excited to make some veggie burgers later this week. Till then, do take a looksie at my mid-day menu!

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2011

Breakfast

Lightly Salted Rice Cake

Cup of Dark Roast Sumatra Coffee with Almond Milk and a Touch of Honey

Lunch

Toasted Pita filled with Dijon, Mixed Baby Greens, and Hot Sauce

Small serving of Leftover Lentil Soup

Glass of Water

Afternoon Snack

Tortilla Chips and Leftover Homemade Salsa

Glass of Water

Dinner

Homemade Orzo Pasta

A few Glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon

Pasta Recipe

Saute Garlic, Sliced Brown Mushrooms, and Halfed Cherry Tomatoes in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Add a Cup of Marinara and Bring to a Simmer

Season with Salt and Black Pepper

Add in Al Dente Orzo

Stir in Fresh Spinach

Serve and Top with Crushed Red Pepper

Day Two Of The Vegan Mission

2011-02-08T21:18:00.000-08:00

Hola, People. So today marks day two of my Vegan journey! All is well, and I am feeling pretty much the same. I'm not really missing meat, but I am missing things made with eggs and milk. Regardless, I am completely content with everything I have eaten today! If I didn't enjoy cooking and food so much, I might not be so happy right now. But all in all - things are going amazingly well! Here's a look at what I ate to today! Enjoy :)

DAY TWO: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2011

Breakfast

Half a Grapefruit

1 Slice of Toasted Country French Bread

Cup of Green Tea

Lunch

Large Mixed Baby Green Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and a Vinaigrette made from

Dijon, Black Pepper, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and White Balsamic

Glass of Water

Evening Snack

Glass of Organic Almond Milk

Dinner

Homemade Pita Chips with Homemade Salsa (From Last Night)

Lentil Soup topped with Sauteed Organic White Mushrooms

A few Glasses of Carmenere - A Chilean Wine

**Pita Chip Recipe**

Slice Pita Bread into Bite Size Triangles

Place on Foil Lined Tray

Drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sprinkle with Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Paprika, and Cayenne Pepper

Bake in a 300* Oven till Perfectly Crispy - 10 Minutes

**My boyfriend loved the salsa and chips. All was devoured, happily**

**Lentil Soup Recipe**

1 1/2 Cup of Brown Lentils - Boiled till Cooked

1/2 White Onion - Diced and Sauteed in Extra Virgin Olive Oil with some Garlic

Add in some Cumin, Cardamom, Tumeric, Cayenne, Chili Powder, Salt, and Black Pepper to Onions as they Saute

Specify Spices and Amount to Your Particular Taste

Add 1/2 Cup of Water to Onions - Simmer

Add Cooked Lentils to Onion/Spice Mixture

Bring Soup to a Boil

Lower Heat and Let Simmer

Add additional Salt and Pepper for Taste

Top with Diced Mushrooms (Sauteed in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salt, and Black Pepper)

Watch Out Vegans - Here I Come

2011-02-07T23:34:00.000-08:00

Hello, Readers! So my world must have entered into some Twilight Zone because I have decided to go Vegan for one whole week! Yes, CRAZY, I know. Well, it's only crazy if you really know me! Basically, I love meat. I love seafood. I love all things dairy. I love the natural order of the food chain. I am a self proclaimed foodie, and in all honesty, somewhat of a fat ass. Food is my lover, and I cannot get enough of it! And a large part of "it" would be eggs, dairy, meat, and a bunch of deliciousness made with those ingredients! Don't get me wrong, I eat a good amount of fresh vegetables, especially when it comes to leafy greens. I also thoroughly enjoy a variety of grains and fruit. But when it comes down to it, I genuinely adore meat and seafood. Yum yum yummy!

However, my boyfriend and I still decided to see if we could become Vegetarian for one week. It was all planned out. We would start today and go until Sunday. And then we would celebrate our veggie eating success with a celebratory meat filled Valentine's Day dinner! But then, after two hilarious episodes of An Idiot Abroad my boyfriend and I came across an Oprah rerun at 2AM this Monday morning! The entire episode was dedicated to Vegan diets, knowing where your meat comes from, and a challenge among Harpo Studio employees to eat Vegan for seven days!

And the rest is history! I challenged myself a little bit more and decided to try going Vegan instead. The boyfriend is still sticking to Vegetarian, but we are both ready to conquer the meatless world! I am now loving the fact that I indulged greatly during the Super Bowl. I didn't care for either team, but I sure as hell cared for my egg and sausage breakfast, multiple dollops of dip, homemade blue cheese burgers, almond biscotti, and 2:30AM brie binge!

Oh and just to get things straight, I am not going the Vegan route for a week in order to lose weight. I exercise for an average of 30 minutes about 3 times a week and go on walks regularly. For being 5'2", I am at a healthy weight of 115 lbs. and lead a pretty active lifestyle. It is also not for animal rights. I love animals with all my heart, eat free range, cage free, and organic as much as possible. I hate animal cruelty and wholeheartedly believe in and support nothing but the humane treatment of animals - especially those meant for food purposes. So basically, the Vegan diet is to simply just try it out and witness its effects - if any. A nice fun project in the name of food!

Last but not least, a lot of people seem to have taken an interest in this Vegan challenge of mine according to the comments on my facebook status regarding this particular situation. So I figured, "Why not blog about it." For the next 7 days I will be blogging about my diet for the day and whatever highs and lows accompany my new Vegan eating habits!

Wish me luck!

DAY ONE: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Breakfast

Pomegranate White Tea with a hint of Honey

Dry Organic Corn Flakes with half a sliced Banana

Lunch

Spinach Salad with Fried Onion Pieces, Black Pepper, and a dressing made with Spicy Hummus and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Glass of Water

Afternoon Snack

A few Freeze Dried Blueberries

Glass of Water

Dinner

Brown Rice Medley topped with a few scoops of Homemade Salsa

Glass of Water

**Salsa Recipe**

1 Can Corn,

1 Can Black Beans,

20 or so Organic Cherry Tomatoes - Quartered

3 Thai Chilies - Diced

Half a Red Onion - Diced

1/2 Tsp. Salt

10 or so Grinds of Black Pepper

4 Dashes of Cayenne Pepper

Fun With Photos: The Hills Are Alive Edition

2011-01-12T19:14:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year my lovelies!!! Apologies again for my sporadic blogging breaks. I promise to get back on track for 2011! And what better way to start the blogging year, than with a game of Fun With Photos. I've decided that the first theme of the year will be MOUNTAINS. Good luck to all!

OBJECTIVE: Match each of the photos with either of these 3 places: Kauai, Trinidad, or Costa Rica. Post your guesses as a comment below, and in a week or so from now, I will provide the answers. Simple, but very fun if you are easily amused. And if you don't wish to play, feel free to enjoy my fabulous photography :)

Starting Off Slow With A Little Giiving!

2010-10-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

Hey ya'll. Well, hey to all those who actually read this. Sorry I have been so MIA lately. Life, if you will, has been keeping me busy, and writer's block has been my number one enemy for a long while.

Quick update: I quit my amazing entry level job recently and haven't been working now for about a month. The drive to and from Santa Monica was getting a little tiresome because of all the traffic, and I wasn't writing anymore - so I left. I hope I made the right decision. We shall see. You are only young once, and until I absolutely need the money I figured that I might as well go after my dream while I am blessed enough to have the opportunity to do so. I mean, it is definitely hard not having as large a bank account as I once did - but I think I'll survive till something else comes along. IE: a few less happy hours per week :) Hopefully, things will work out in my favor!

And when I say favor: If any of you need a babysitter, dog walker, tutor, writer, actress, editor, PA, script supervisor, craft service lady, arts and craftstress, anything part time, etc. I am your gal and a hardworking, punctual, efficient gal at that! *resume available upon request*

With that said, I promise to keep blogging at a steady pace like before, but for now I'm just going to start off slow.

For all you GLEE fans, here's a little something that may amuse you. Enjoy.

Watch Cory Monteith's instructional video in its entirety.

http://www.giiv.com/

Cory Monteith Explains How To Use Giiv.com from Giiv on Vimeo.

Nature's Beauty and A Hint of Booty

2010-07-14T23:32:00.001-07:00

Today at approximately 2:45PM I saw the most beautiful cloud formation as I got onto the freeway on my way home from work. I have always been fascinated by clouds and constantly find them lovely, but this was just different. It was a set of about six cumulous clouds stretching across the horizon and over the distant mountains. The furthest to the left was the largest and had two huge cirrus type wisps flowing through the lower portion of the cloud. The rest of the smaller clouds followed in a most elegant fashion. They were all bright white and perfectly fluffy toward the top and slowly washed into a lighter gray shade toward the horizontal base. As I read this back, words honestly do absolutely NO justice to those breathtaking masses of water vapor floating high above me earlier this afternoon.

To top it off, on my way to see Grandma at around 5:00PM I witnessed yet another unbelievably spectacular thing of nature. It happened when I was approaching a four-way stop, and literally, left me mesmerized as it did all of the other present drivers. This is what I saw: Two butterflies - painted a sunny yellow with black markings - fluttering three or so feet above the hot pavement - inches apart - one diagonally above the over - just happily hovering - like two long lost lovers finally reunited - two best friends dancing - a parent and child playing in the park - two leaves floating in the wind...It was just...WOW. It was so breathtaking nobody wanted to even continue on their way. The driver in front of me put his arm out the window, and the butterflies flew around his hand before he slowly turned his car around the corner sidewalk. It was finally my turn to pass through the natural wonder that was before me, and I did so with care, caution, and a feeling of awe. A passing driver and I smiled at each other cause the sight made you do nothing but grin from ear to ear.

*Sigh*

On a less "deep" note, I now may actually believe that that guy may not have been completely toked outta his mind (like he claimed) when ranting about the utter beauty of the double rainbow he came across =D

All of this, only reiterating that:

Nature is beautiful. Take a minute to just look outside. Soak in all of the simple yet complex miracles surrounding you on a daily basis. The plants, the trees, the animals, the atmosphere - to name just a few. Our world is gorgeous, and the non-human elements that are so pure, precious, and wondrous make it that way. Don't take these natural beauties for granted. Love them. Nurture them. Appreciate them. Admire them. Understand them. Enjoy them. TAKE CARE OF THEM because THEY TAKE CARE OF US. Love the earth. Love the planet you live on - the planet you belong to. What good are you if you don't respect your home? Our planet is our home. Give it the love and respect it deserves.

The same love and respect your body deserves. Eat well and exercise because your body is your temple.

Which leads us to that hint of booty among the beauty:

Time: Approximately 5:50PM

Place: Target parking lot

Action: Walking from my car toward the store entrance

Situation: Random young guy slowly pulls up beside me. I barely notice till he's a few feet in front of me to my right. He stops. Leans out his window, turn around, and says, "Mmmmm. I'd like to spank that."

My physical reaction: Disgusted look - no verbal response

His reaction: Smiles dirtily and drives away

What I should have responded with: "Gross! Eew! Hell fucking no! Seriously, it's the middle of the day? How old are you? Have some tact? Do you know what tact even is? I feel bad for your lack of game. Do you really think I'd be flattered by that? Are you that bored? It's just an ass - a fatty backside - get over it, and leave me alone you annoying vomitous individual. Eck."

Realization: 1. Boys never cease to amaze me. 2. My Booty - attracts way too much attention that I do not want from random strangers. Go ahead and admire if you so wish, but please keep your construction site hollering to yourself. I do appreciate the appreciation, but not the far-from-subtle verbal remarks! And I know that many refer to my bum as my biggest Ass-et and some may call it a Natural Beauty but I, A Gal Named Rania, just see it as a blob of fat that I sit upon.

**It feels good to be back. Oh how I've missed you, Blogging World**

Now let's just hope that the writing continues in full force.

Fun With Photos: Flower Edition

2010-03-01T22:44:00.000-08:00

And your favorite game is back! Yay! I'm returning to the original three picture format so it definitely won't be as difficult as the previous edition. I'm going with a FLOWER theme this time around since it's almost spring! Best of luck, my friends!

OBJECTIVE: Match each of the photos with either of these 3 places: Kauai, Trinidad, or Costa Rica. Post your answers as a comment below, and in a week or so from now, I will provide the answers. Simple, but very fun if you are easily amused. And if you don't wish to play, feel free to enjoy my fabulous photography :)

Random Thoughts or Shall I Say Random Musings? I Think I Shall. RANDOM MUSINGS as of Late.

2010-02-09T14:51:00.000-08:00

1. Rain rain go away; come again another day! Now, don't get me wrong. I actually enjoy the rain. Plus, rain in general is great for California and the drought that we are constantly in and out of. Plenty of rain also equals amazing snow meaning excellent boarding and skiing conditions. However, these past few weeks have been precipitation overload, and it's getting a little annoying. It's wet; it's coldie; and it's just uncomfortable. I like winter just as much as the next person, but I'm just not so sure about all these goings on. Oh no. My LA Weather Diva seems to be coming out of hiding. I swear, I'm usually not this much of a princess. I'm just very chilly to say the least. I miss the sun :/

2. If I have to hear one more thing about this Toyota Recall I might just have to get into one of these faulty vehicles and inadvertently drive myself off a cliff! It's so annoying, and the media's incessant reporting is seriously driving me crazy and off the beaten path. Stupid pun completely intended!

3. As I was leaving my new job the other day and walking toward my car, two 14 year old boys commenced hollering at me from the confinements of their Catholic school playground. Umm, Boys, yelling, "Hey, Girl. What are you holding? Are you gonna share it with us? Where are you going? Come talk to us. You're cute." etc. etc. is not going to get you anything in life except the middle finger. You are lucky that I am not that mean! However, I must commend you on having the balls, although probably still underdeveloped physically speaking, to even attempt to hit on me. I know I look like I'm 12, but I'm freaken 24 years old. Two dozen not one. And although I am very flattered and like my fair share of younger guys, that's a ten year difference. Disgusting. Plus, ya'll weren't even cute. If you looked like Nick Jonas on the other hand, you might have actually had a chance.

4. The bestie who goes by the name of Jennifer and I have been going to Trivia Night at a favorite bar of ours for the past two weeks once we discovered that they hosted one every Wednesday night. We went in there, expecting to do absolutely horrible, but for some strange reason and sheer stroke of luck, we have been doing amazingly well and have won twice in a row! The second time with the help of two other friends. It's been really exciting, and we have won $50.00 to redeem at the bar whenever we wish to. We're going for our third straight victory tomorrow night. Wish us luck. It's so intense that this random guy came up to us Saturday night and:

He asked, "Are you the girls that have been winning Trivia lately?"

Our response, "Yes."

His reply, "Well I heard you were cheating."

My fuming retort, "WTF. We would never cheat! I am so anti cheating! Who did you even hear that from?"

**He then points to our good friend, the bartender - who we shall call POOP for now. I then make my way over to his end of the bar and**

I yell, "POOP! Did you f***ing tell that guy that we cheated at Trivia?"

POOP admits, "Umm kinda, but just to make him feel better about himself since he lost."

ME: "Oh my gosh. Well go tell him we weren't and would never."

POOP: "Okay, okay."

**Poop walks over to the guy.**

POOP: "They didn't cheat. They never do. I just said that to soften the blow."

Guy sarcastically replies, "Sure you did. Plus, I saw that girl (a friend who was not with us that night) on her iPhone the entire time.

Jenn and I, "OMG. She was on Facebook!"

Guy states, "Whatever. Why would I even believe you over POOP? He's my friend, and I know him way better than you, who I just met."

ME: "Because I would never cheat. To prove it, do you remember last week when they asked that question about the guy who's probably the most famous man ever born in Austria yet the least celebrated?"

GUY: "Yeah."

ME: "Well, we originally were thinking Mozart, knew it was wrong, but then quickly came up with Hitler. Then POOP came over to us and whispered, 'Did you get the Adolf?' and I yelled at him, "What the hell? Go away! We don't want your help.' and he got mad and left."

POOP, listening in, turns around from the beer taps a few feet away.

POOP laughs and says, "That was actually verbatim of what occurred!"

The stupid guy then just rolls his eyes and says something along the lines of whatever. Still furious, Jenn and I down our beers and continue to defend ourselves to this crazy boy till he walks away a few minutes later.

THE END

So as I was saying. It gets pretty intense. I am a Trivia junkie and super competitive, but I would never cheat. In a game, in sports, in the bedroom. Let it be known to all that:

CHEATERS NEVER PROSPER and BLIND ACCUSERS ARE JUST JEALOUS AND PATHETIC INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO. GET A LIFE, AND GO LEARN SOME TRIVIAL NONSENSE IF YOU REALLY CARE THAT MUCH ABOUT WINNING A STUPID GAME AT A STUPID BAR. *the game is actually not stupid and quite awesome, and the bar is not stupid and quite fabulous* the point is: just have fun with it! if you win - you win. if you lose - you lose. as long as you have a drink in your hand there should be a smile on your face :) geez.

**2 SINGLE GIRLS AT THE BAR. COME BUY US DRINKS! = REIGNING TRIVIA CHAMPS. DON'T MESS WITH US OR THE BITCH IN US BOTH WILL TURN FELINE FORCING THE CLAWS TO COME OUT**

don't say i didn't warn you

Yay! I'm Employed!

2010-02-09T13:55:00.000-08:00

Dear James Cameron,

Guess what? I got a job! Finally, I know. Aren't you proud of me? I'm going to assume - extremely! Now I know that you were truly considering adding me to your creative team of geniuses and days away from offering me a great job, but before you do, let me warn you that my answer will unfortunately be "no can do." This is not because I don't love you or because I think I'm better than you because I absolutely do not. It is only because I was just hired last week by an amazing commercial editorial house on the Westside as a part time receptionist / assistant / "face of the company!" I am so ecstatic and completely dedicated to them! They are the only company that has taken a chance on me during this crappy recession, and I am utterly grateful. I've only been there for 5 days now, and I can honestly say that I positively love it. All of the people that work there are so nice and extremely talented. All of the clients are just as friendly as well! I couldn't ask for anything better.

To top it off, I also accepted a non-paid internship a few days prior to getting hired at the editorial house because I was frustrated with not working. The internship just so happens to be 5 blocks away from this new job of mine which is extremely convenient and makes driving all the way out there in crazy traffic completely worth it now. It's a start-up website along the lines of Yelp, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. I write short witty descriptions of different restaurants, bars, stores, tourist attractions, etc that are located not only all over the States but around the world as well. And although they're not paying me anything but a small stipend after 15 hours a week for 15 weeks of work, it's fun and keeps me writing which is good.

And to make things even more exciting, I have been helping some good friends from LMU film their first feature length film since we graduated in 2008! I am the designated crafts service lady, make-up artist, and assistant to whatever needs to be done. I also have a small role in the film as well. So far the hours have been a long and hectic three full weekends of filming, but the cast is great and the crew is just as amazing. I am utterly exhausted but having the time of my life being on set and spending time with old and new friends who possess such great talents.

Sounds pretty crazy, huh James? Plus, there is still my examiner.com gig which I am trying to keep up with as well. So basically I went from having no real job to suddenly having 3 jobs all at once:

UNEMPLOYED to OVEREMPLOYED = OVERWHELMING but BETTER THAN UNDERWHELMING

So besides the lack of sleep, early morning alarms, and hours of traffic, I am over the moon and so thankful for all I have been blessed with and for finally having work. Take care. Talk to you soon.

All the best, Rania

**Patience is the mother of all virtues. Don't give up! Always go after your dreams! Don't settle! Work hard! Be yourself! Be a good person! Maintain hope! And good things will come, in time!

Who Dat? The Saints Bitches!

2010-02-08T20:59:00.000-08:00

AND THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN!!!! Corny; I know, but I just had to say it. Huge congratulations to the New Orleans Saints for winning the Super Bowl for the first time ever! So exciting for all Saints fans, football enthusiasts, and the entire Big Easy! Mardi Gras festivities are definitely coming early this year. I seriously just want to hop on a plane and partake in all of the partying that is currently going on :) Hurricanes, Beads, and Beignets please!! Yummy Fun!

To Peyton Manning and the rest of the Colts: Sorry, but Brees and his boys kicked ya'lls' ass! Sure it was a rocky first half, but we came back strong in the second and completely dominated! Hell yeah! Maybe you should stick to commercials and hilarious SNL skits. Not gonna lie, but you're pretty damn funny! New career possibly? Pro QB turned actor? Just saying. Haha. JK you are one talented football player, but you already won one as did your lil bro, so let's just be happy for Brees and the rest of the team, okay!? An amazing game, Saints and a well deserved victory! I, along with so many others, couldn't be happier for you and all of New Orleans.

On a sadder note though, was anyone else a little disappointed by the commercials this year? I was! I think I only really enjoyed about four. Let's recap:

1. Mark Sanchez Commercial: I love you, and I will listen to the beating of your heart all day and all night, Baby! USC went to shit this year without you, and it was devastating. But you did so well as a true rookie/starting NFL QB. I'm very proud of you and am a new Jets fan cause you're leading the way! I really would have loved to see you play the Saints last night, but it's all good. I will root for you wholeheartedly next year, that is if my main team (Go Raiders) don't make it to the playoffs as well - which is honestly not that likely! But i like to remain optimistic. Oh and Favre - that's a whole other story! You continue to impress me Old Man, and I am loving the commercials :) But back to you Mark, once LA gets our franchise going, I really hope you come home because you are sexy, and SoCal loves and misses you immensely! Haha. Yes, i am obsessed!

2. E*Trade Commericals: I love my talking babies! So cute. So effing funny! Love it. However, the golf one will always be my favorite. "Frank, it was on the car path. Why don't you try reading the rules, Shankopotamus?" So damn good =D

3. All the Bud Light Commercials of course! The auto tune one was my favorite though. And then with T-Pain at the end, "Pass that guacamoleeee." LOL. Hilarious and awesome!

4. Doritos Commericals: Dog one = Horrible! Coffin one = a little better...i actually laughed! Gym one = funny as hell. Death by Dorito (ie: chip to the neck) was awesome! Haha. Loved it.

**And those were the only ones that really stood out. Some others were funny, but all in all, these were the only few that made a lasting impression - to me at least! But we all know that my opinion is the only one that truly matters :) kidding of course.

While I'm at it, let's just have a little sports update. Umm let's see. The US Open was great fun to watch. Wish Roddick did a little bit better, but oh well. Big congrats to del Potro :) for beating the Feds! Good job to the Dodgers and the Angels for getting that far. Congrats to the Yankees for winning the World Series. Ya'll played hard! College football season (the love of my life) was amazingly exciting this year. Love the Trojans, but they were a bit of a disappointment! Hopefully, next year will be better, but now that Pete's gone, not so sure! PAC 10: love you. I have never liked Stanford as a school, but wow, how i did grow to love your team! Luck and Gerhart: you are both amazing and soo talented! I really wish Gerhart would have won the Heisman, but it's okay. VT great season. I wish it could have ended a bit better. And more congrats to Alabama for beating Texas! Yay for the Rose Bowl hosting the Rose Bowl obvi but the Championship game as well :) Pasadena = best city ever! Let's see, my lovely Galaxy did so well all season and won the West Coast Conference but then had to lose it all at the end during PK's in Seattle vs. Real Salt Lake. Absolutely devastating, but it's okay, Landon. I still love you despite the fact that you're balding and missed your PK - something you are nearly perfect at. WTF man. Saddest night of my life :( haha. Congrats to Serena and Feds for winning the Australian Open a few weeks ago. Yet some more exciting tennis. C'mon Roddick! Get it together. I miss you. Nadal get healthy. Everyone else, excellent job! I was highly entertained during those two weeks! Lakers keep it up. The season is off to a good but far from perfect start. Kobe get better please! Artest, not so sure if I have fully accepted your new presence on our team, but whatever! Shannon Brown i heart you and your sexy self! Tiger go play some golf! And that's a wrap - a sports wrap! If it rhymed I would have called it a sports RAP, but it didn't, so I didn't write that. Wow, I really must be tired cause I am talking out of my ass. Oh geez. My sincere apologies. Hey that rhymed. *giggle*

And in regards to the near future, I am sooo excited for the Winter Olympics! Coming soon to a TV near you - NBC of course - *Conan you will be missed, but deserve better than the Peacock* Can't wait to see Shaun White and Apolo Anton Ohno plow through people and take home the gold! And if that's not exciting enough, the WORLD CUP is only 121 DAYS - 14 HOURS - 27 MINUTES - and 10 SECONDS away as of this very moment. YAY! soccer has my heart.

*Whistle Blown* Buzzer Sounded* Game Over* Good Night*

Fun With Photos: "Christmas Tree" Edition

2010-01-11T21:05:00.000-08:00

Sorry again for the long delay in our picture game. We have all been a little bit busy. However, in honor of the recent holidays and the New Year I thought it only appropriate to do a "CHRISTMAS TREE" edition. Granted, they're actually all palm/coconut trees, but whatever. Haha. And although all of you thought that having more photos was a lot harder, I like to keep it challenging so for this round it will be six once again. To make it a little easier though, I'll give you a hint! Each vacation spot matches with a single tree and a group of trees. Good luck!

OBJECTIVE: Match each of the 6 photos with either of these 3 places: Kauai, Trinidad, or Costa Rica. Post your answers as a comment below, and in one week from now, I will provide the answers. Simple, but very fun if you are easily amused. And if you don't wish to play, feel free to enjoy my fabulous photography :)

Bye Bye 2009! Hello There 2010!

2010-01-05T00:26:00.000-08:00

**HAPPY NEW YEAR** everyone!!! I wish all of you nothing but the best for 2010 and a year full of good health, happiness, love, success, new experiences, joy, laughter, adventure, and fun! I figured since it's the start of a new year and a new decade I would summarize the HIGHS and LOWS of my 2009 so you, my reader, can get a better understanding of the past 365 days of my life! In reality, making this list will give me a better sense of my 2009 and what I disliked about the year, enjoyed about the year, and want to change/accomplish in 2010. In honor of the new decade, I figured a TOP 10 for each category was most fitting since I'm not about to make a list of two thousand and ten things! Although, I'm sure I could if really had the time and patience. However, I'd rather be sleeping, eating, etc. etc. Okay, on to the lists.

LOWS OF 2009

10. PULLING MY GROIN MUSCLE A FEW WEEKS AGO RIGHT BEFORE ALL MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING AND ERRANDS HAD TO BE ACCOMPLISHED. IT'S DEFINITELY NOT FUN WHEN YOU ARE GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE CAR, RACING THROUGH CRAZY PEOPLE, AND JUST MOVING. SUCKS. NOTE TO ALL: STRETCH PROPERLY BEFORE ANY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (90 MINUTES OF SOCCER WITH UNEXPECTED OVERLY INTENSE PLAYERS). IT WAS FUN THOUGH MINUS THE PAIN.

9. LOSING AND SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY IN VEGAS. I LOVE THE CITY AND IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD TIME, BUT I WISH I COULD JUST SAY NO TO THOSE ALLURING DOUBLE DIAMOND SLOTS! I GO TOO OFTEN AND SHOULD KNOW BETTER!

8. GETTING SUPER SICK FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER RECEIVING A FLU SHOT AND A PNEUMONIA SHOT ON THE SAME DAY FROM MY DOCTOR DURING A PHYSICAL IN FEBRUARY. IT WAS PRETTY SHITTY. I'M STILL CURIOUS WHY THE HELL I NEEDED A PNEUMONIA SHOT, BUT WHATEVER! WHAT THE DOCTOR SAYS GOES!

7. BURNING MY ARM, HANDS, AND THIGHS WITH HOT HOT HONEY AT MY COUSINS' APARTMENT UP NORTH BECAUSE MY OTHER COUSIN, REHANA, INSISTED I PUT SOME IN MY TEA. BITCH! HAHA. JK. I LOVE YOU DESPITE THE SMALL SCAR ON MY LEFT HAND! I'M MORE MAD AT THE DUMB BEAR HONEY JAR WHO MUST HAVE HATED ME FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON.

6. SPILLING WATER IN MY PURSE ON MY FLIGHT FROM MIAMI TO LA ON MY WAY BACK FROM TRINIDAD IN JANUARY AND IT BREAKING MY CELL PHONE! WORST THING EVER WHEN YOU HAVE TO BE PICKED UP AT THE AIRPORT 6 HOURS LATER!

5. GETTING TWO PARKING TICKETS IN JANUARY AND IN JULY DUE TO THE POOR JUDGEMENT OF A CERTAIN GIRL WHO I SHALL NOT NAME. NOTE: ALWAYS READ THE PARKING SIGNS YOURSELF AND NEVER TRUST ANYONE BY THE NAME OF ELIZABETH GARCIA. OOPS DID I JUST SAY HER NAME? I THINK I DID. SORRY. I ALSO GOT MY FIRST SPEEDING TICKET BACK IN SEPTEMBER TWO DAYS BEFORE I LEFT TO COSTA RICA FROM A DUMB SOUTH PASADENA COP. COST ME OVER $300. NOT COOL! IT WAS MY FIRST TIME EVER BEING PULLED OVER. HAVE A HEART MISTER. I DIDN'T MEAN TO "SPEED".

4. AUDITIONING FOR A FEW ROLES, GETTING GOOD FEEDBACK, BUT NOT GETTING CAST! WTF. WHEN WILL I GET A BREAK? WHEN?

3. BREAKING UP WITH MY BOYFRIEND AND BEST FRIEND, CHRIS, AFTER A 3.5 YEAR RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE OF DISTANCE, LIFE PATHS, ETC. HARDEST THING EVER AND VERY PAINFUL. STILL IS. LOVE AND BEING YOUNG AND LIFE IN GENERAL IS NEVER EASY. SIGH.....

2. MOMMY NOT BEING HERE IN A PHYSICAL FORM TO CELEBRATE HER 60TH BIRTHDAY AND MY 24TH BIRTHDAY WITH ME, DADDY, ETC. MISSING HER EVERY SINGLE DAY. WORRYING ABOUT LIFE, MY DAD, MY BROTHER, MY GRANDMA, AND TRYING TO STAY POSITIVE, HAPPY, HOPEFUL, UNDERSTANDING, AND GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS GOD HAS BESTOWED UPON ME. BLEH.

1. NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND A JOB IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY DESPITE MY VERY BEST EFFORTS! SO FRUSTRATING. SO ANNOYING. SO DISHEARTENING. SO UTTERLY DEPRESSING. DOUBLE BLEH.

HIGHS OF 2009

10. GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO WRITE 2 SITCOM SCRIPTS FOR THIS PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/ACTOR GUY AND MEETING BOBBY BROWN (A LITTLE SCARY. HAHA) AND OMAR EPPS (HOT) ON THE SAME DAY BECAUSE OF HIM. HE TURNED OUT TO BE SUPER UNPROFESSIONAL AND ANNOYING AS HELL, BUT WHATEVER, IT WAS STILL A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. I WAS OFFERED MORE WORK, BUT SORRY, I COULD NOT WORK WITH A CRAZY LIKE HIM. IT'S CALLED RESPECT. HAVE SOME. PLUS, YOU'RE NOT COOL! LIVING IN BEVERLY HILLS AND DRIVING A SEXY MASERATI DOES NOT IMPRESS ME IF YOU'RE NOT A GENUINE PERSON. BUT REGARDLESS, THANKS FOR THE LITTLE BIT OF UNDER-PAYED WORK YOU GAVE ME. IT WAS AN EXPERIENCE DESPITE THE HELL AND STRESS YOU PUT ME THROUGH.

9. APPLYING TO TWO FELLOWSHIPS, WHICH MADE ME WRITE TWO MORE SITCOM SPECS! STARTING THIS BLOG AND GETTING ACCEPTED AS A WRITER FOR EXAMINER.COM TOO. THESE OPPORTUNITIES KEEP ME OPTIMISTIC AND HELP MAINTAIN MY PASSION FOR WRITING. IT ALSO ADDS TO THE RESUME :)

8. FINALLY CLEANING OUT MY BEDROOM, DONATING A BUNCH OF STUFF THAT I DID NOT NEED, PAINTING MY ENTIRE ROOM BY MYSELF, AND GETTING REORGANIZED. IT TOOK ME A YEAR AND HALF OF BEING BACK FROM LMU AND BACK AT HOME TO ACCOMPLISH THIS! OUT WITH THE OLD; IN WITH THE NEW. FRESH START. NEW BEGINNINGS!

7. GALAXY GAME WITH DADDY FOR FATHER'S DAY! AMAZINGLY FUN TIME. A SOL GAME AND ANOTHER GALAXY GAME WITH DADDY, JENNIFER, AND AUNTY KIKU DURING THE SUMMER! LOTSA FUN! AND YET ANOTHER GALAXY GAME WITH DADDY, EDREN, AND ORLANDO FOR THE MLS WEST COAST CHAMPIONSHIP! SOOO FREAKING EXCITING SINCE WE WON! LANDON DONOVAN I LOVE YOU DESPITE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FINALS VS REAL SALT LAKE :(

6. GETTING MY PRACTICALLY NEW (2008) HONDA CRV DURING THANKSGIVING WEEKEND! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT ALTHOUGH I MISS MY MOM VAN JUST A LITTLE! THANKS, DADDY! LOVE YOU. YOU'RE THE BEST FOR GIVING ME SO MUCH AND SUPPORTING ME NO MATTER WHAT. I AM UTTERLY AND ALWAYS THANKFUL.

5. ALL MY 24TH BIRTHDAY FESTIVITIES. EACH NIGHT OUT WAS SO MUCH FUN. BUT THE SURPRISE PARTY AFTER MY HUGE WEEKEND BASH WAS THE CHERRY ON TOP OF AN ALREADY FABULOUS BIRTHDAY. I WAS SO SURPRISED AND ECSTATIC. IT WAS HONESTLY ONE OF THE BEST NIGHTS OF MY LIFE AND MADE TURNING 24 ONE OF MY FAVORITE BIRTHDAYS EVER! I LOVE ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY! THEY'RE THE GREATEST!

4. FUN FUN ROAD TRIPS WITH CLOSE FRIENDS AND FAMILY CONSISTING OF MULTIPLE TREKS TO NORCAL, PLENTY OF VISITS TO SAN DIEGO, AND OF COURSE ADVENTURES TO VEGAS!

3. MY 28 DAY TRIP TO TRINIDAD AT THE START OF THE YEAR! I WENT ON MY OWN FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND IT WAS GREAT CATCHING UP WITH FAMILY, RELAXING AT THE BEACH HOUSE, LEARNING MORE ABOUT MY CARIBBEAN ROOTS, AND EXPLORING MORE OF THE COUNTRY.

2. MY 25 DAY BACKPACKING TRIP TO COSTA RICA AT THE END OF SUMMER WITH TARA. IT WAS THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME FULL OF AMAZING ADVENTURES, AMAZING PEOPLE, AND AMAZING SIGHTS. A TRULY GREAT EXPERIENCE FULL OF FUN AND MORE GROWING UP. PURA VIDA!

1. SPENDING SO MUCH TIME REKINDLING OLD FRIENDSHIPS, DEVELOPING NEW FRIENDSHIPS, AND DEEPENING EXISTING FRIENDSHIPS WITH SO MANY GOOD PEOPLE. I HONESTLY HAD THE BEST YEAR JUST HANGING OUT, PARTYING, ADVENTURING, CRYING, LAUGHING, FIGHTING, JOKING, RELAXING, AND TALKING WITH ALL OF MY FRIENDS! BESIDES MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS ARE HONESTLY, MY LIFE! I LOVE GETTING TO KNOW MORE ABOUT EACH OF THEM ALL THE TIME AND EXPERIENCING NEW THINGS WITH THEM. I HOPE TO ALWAYS BE THERE FOR THEM AND VICE VERSA. THEY HAVE MADE MY 2009 SO ENJOYABLE AND SO SO SO SO SO MUCH FUN!

GOALS FOR 2010

1. GETTING ANY TYPE OF ENTRY LEVEL PAYING JOB IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY BY THE END OF THE MONTH OR SOON AFTER IS MY NUMBER ONE ULTIMATE GOAL. I HOPE I CAN ACCOMPLISH IT!

2. APPLYING TO MORE WRITING FELLOWSHIPS, REWRITING "ORCHIDS AND ALE", COMPLETING ANOTHER FEATURE FILM SCRIPT, AND WRITING SOME MORE SITCOM SPECS AND ORIGINAL EPISODES.

3. AUDITIONING MORE OFTEN AND CONTINUING TO PURSUE MY ACTING DREAMS AS WELL. MAYBE FINALLY GETTING AN AGENT! NOT GIVING UP AND BEING PERSISTENT WITH MY CAREER GOALS.

4. TRAVELING TRAVELING TRAVELING TO WHEREVER I GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO. NEARBY OR FAR AWAY. SOMEWHERE ABROAD IS ALWAYS PREFERRED!

5. VOLUNTEERING MORE LIKE I USED TO WHEN I WAS YOUNGER! IDEALLY WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION, THE HUMANE SOCIETY, AND/OR WITH NAMI (NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS).

6. STAYING ACTIVE, PLAYING MORE SPORTS, AND EXERCISING MORE TO STAY FIT AND HEALTHY.

7. CONTINUING TO BE KIND, CONSIDERATE, UNDERSTANDING, GENEROUS, AND LESS JUDGEMENTAL.

8. GOING THROUGH MOMMY'S THINGS AND TRYING TO ORGANIZE IT ALL. PUTTING HER THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PHOTOS INTO ALBUMS AND DONATING SOME OF HER THINGS TO CHARITY.

9. VISITING MY BROTHER MORE AND TRYING TO BE MORE UNDERSTANDING AND COMPASSIONATE. REMAINING POSITIVE, HOPING FOR THE BEST, AND TRYING MY BEST TO COPE AND CONTINUE TO LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST WITHOUT EVER FEELING SORRY FOR MYSELF.

10. STAYING HEALTHY AND HAPPY. REMAINING POSITIVE. MAINTAINING MY FRIENDSHIPS AND CONTINUING TO BE THE BEST FRIEND I CAN BE. BEING THE BEST DAUGHTER, SISTER, GRANDDAUGHTER, NIECE, COUSIN, AUNT, ETC. ALL WHILE MAKING THE MOST OUT OF EACH AND EVERY MOMENT!

YAY DONE. GOOD LUCK AND BEST WISHES TO US ALL FOR THE NEW YEAR!

Ummm LOVE

2010-01-05T00:17:00.000-08:00

Bye Bye to 2009! It was an okay year personally, but musically, it was great! I came across this mix and absolutely love it! Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!

I See You. You See Me. I See Avatar. YOU SEE AVATAR, NOW!

2009-12-23T15:37:00.001-08:00

Let's just get straight to the point here. AVATAR is by far one of the best if not THE BEST movies I have ever seen, not in just 2009 but in my entire 24 years and 13 days of life. This freakishly long movie which I could sit and watch over and over again for days is absolutely stimulating in a variety of ways (didn't mean to rhyme there: haha). This film has gorgeous visual effects - GEORGEOUS, stunning graphics, awesome action scenes, romance galore, a beautiful score, even better sound editing, hot and talented actors who pull you in with each line, and a captivating timeless story full of humor and heart! I smiled. I watched. I listened. I laughed. I cringed. I gasped. I laughed some more. I wondered. I wished. I stared on in awe of what was before me. I believed. I felt. I cried. I cheered. I hoped. I cried again. I sighed. I thought. I smiled again. And I cried some more even after the movie ended during the credits because I loved the film that much. Yes, during the credits! Some may call me pathetic. Some may call me overly emotional. Others may call me psycho. However, I just like to call it -- being very appreciative and incredibly touched by an amazing piece of art. That art being in the form of an incredible film. That film, of course, being AVATAR.

If you know me at all, I love movies and have many favorites. I constantly tell people to see certain films all the time and profess, "It's soooo gooood! You have to see it! Best movie ever!" And I always do mean it. However, AVATAR is just different. It's not just an action film. It's not just a drama. It's not just a romance. It's not just a hyped up James Cameron spectacle that took 14 years, brand new technology, and 300 million dollars to make. It's so much more. It is everything you could want in a movie all wrapped up in one bright blue alien package! It's indescribable, unbelievable, and practically perfect. It's utopia for a film lover. Pandora in a whole other non-negative sense! So, please go see AVATAR and in IMAX 3D :) And now for a little note.

Dear James Cameron,

Not since Titanic have I loved absolutely everything and more about a movie. Funny enough, you were the genius who brought us that epic film which I have seen hundreds of times and adore everything about. I am a newly turned 24 year old who graduated a year and a half ago in May of 2008. I have a Bachelors Degree in Screenwriting and minored in Theatre Arts. I was ranked cum laude and was an active member of my sorority, Delta Zeta. I worked on campus in the mail room for four years, was involved in a variety of on-campus organizations, and participated in a plethora of events. I loved loved loved college, but I was excited to graduate and make my mark on the world, confident that I could do anything and become successful.

However, reality soon struck, the stock market crashed, our nation was in a recession, and I could not get a job. I still can't get a job! Finding work in the entertainment industry is harder than finding a needle in a haystack. It has been almost a year of me trying to find a decent full time paying "Hollywood" job, and I just can't do it despite my best efforts. I've applied to well over 150 jobs but nothing. I've been told, "You're lucky. At least you're getting interviews." But honestly, what good are the interviews if I can't land the job!? Is there something wrong with me? Am I just not qualified? Is it bad timing? Regardless, it has been extremely difficult. It has been frustrating. It has been stressful. I am on the border of being depressed and settling for a "normal job" at a restaurant. I don't know. Sometimes I catch myself thinking, "Oh, Rania, maybe you should have been a nurse like Mommy used to say. At least you'd have a full time well paying job right now," or "Damnit, I should have been a business major or gone to law school." But no, then I remember, "My passion is entertainment. I love television. I love the movies. I love radio. I love media. And I love the creative industry." But unfortunately, this deep passion of mine seems to be useless when it comes to getting legitimate work and starting a career in my field of choice. Plus, with this economy I have yet another hurdle to overcome.

So James, as you can tell, I've been struggling just a little bit to say the least. I've tried my best to maintain a positive attitude and to not give up, but it has been awfully hard. But I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! After seeing Avatar on opening night, I realized that this is the industry I want to be a part of and will work my ass off to be able to entertain people the way you and so many others have entertained me. Your film reignited my passion and will take me into the New Year even more positive and more determined to land that job and succeed in this crazy industry we like to call Hollywood.

Best, Rania

PS. Are you hiring or know anyone who is because I can send my resume over now and be at work tomorrow?!?!? Thanks!

* i see you *

Happy Hour: Happy Writing

2009-12-22T23:31:00.000-08:00

As many of you know I love food, I love Happy Hour, I love photography, and I love to write. Luckily, I was able to snag a freelance writing gig that involved all four of these things. I'm not finally making the big bucks or anything, but it pays a little something. And by little, I mean a whopping $7.77 for the last 40 days - literally! But hey, it keeps me writing! So if you could please subscribe it would be very much appreciated because it would bring more traffic (Honk Honk-Beep Beep-Wtf Guy) to my page!

My title: PASADENA HAPPY HOUR EXAMINER

Website: EXAMINER.COM

Content: FUN & QUICK INFO ON NEARBY CHEAP EATS & DISCOUNTED DRINKS

Fun With Photos: Beach Edition

2009-12-07T11:38:00.000-08:00

So I accomplished my first goal of having more than five participants in each of the last two games. However, I have yet to stump every player. Therefore, I decided to make the game a lot more challenging this week by adding three more photos to the mix. As you can see, this week I'm going with a BEACH edition. There are six different pictures of six different beaches: two per vacation spot! Good luck! If anyone gets it right, I will be extremely impressed!

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.

Tiger Mania

2009-12-04T21:16:00.000-08:00

QUESTION:

If a TREE hits the forest floor and nobody is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

ANSWER:

YES? NO? MAYBE? I DON'T KNOW.

QUESTION:

If WOODS hits a tree in Florida and nobody is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

ANSWER:

YOU BET YOUR ASS IT DOES!

If you have been living under a rock or in some random Canadian town called Lake Ness like my youngest aunt and/or have no exposure to any form of news/gossip and haven't heard all the melee surrounding golf superstar, Tiger Woods, let's quickly recap.

At 2:20AM last Friday morning following what I assume to be quite an interesting Thanksgiving dinner, Tiger Woods drove his car recklessly outside of his Windermere home. He hit a fire hydrant and then drove into a nearby tree. His wife, Elin Nordegren, then apparently came to his rescue by smashing the back window of his high end SUV in order to extricate him from the vehicle. Alcohol was not involved, and from the looks of the evidence, Woods' injuries, and both his and Elin's statements and actions toward the police, things weren't adding up. It did not look like a random accident at all, but more like the result of some sort of domestic dispute. The paparazzi, tabloids, and every other media outlet went crazy once the story broke! Rumors of infidelity were the main topic on account of mysterious voicemails, confessions, and more. Tiger Woods was the center of all celebrity gossip, and the incessant chatter about him was and is still getting more annoying and more shocking every single day.

To top it off, earlier this week, Tiger Woods finally admitted to cheating on his wife

confirming indeed that a domestic dispute was to blame for the car wreck

You can read Woods' confession on his website.

Point being, Tiger Woods is no longer the top Tiger in town. The shame, disappointment, and embarrassment he has brought to himself, his friends, his family, his fans, the golfing community, and more has led me to believe that each of the following Tigers now remain supreme over this fallen legend of the greens.

Number 11

TIGER WOODS

Just in case you already forgot, he's that good golfer guy now man-whore, lying cheater. I guess his wife, child, and amazing career were just not good enough to keep him satisfied.

Number 10

TIGER SLACKS

Didn't you hear that tiger stripe print is coming back ever since the Tiger Woods scandal broke? Watch out all you other more popular animal prints out there. Cow spots beware! Tiger print doesn't mess around and is dead set on being number one.

Number 9

TIGER FACTS

The tiger is truly an amazing creature. Did you know that a tiger's roar can be heard from over a mile away? The tiger can also eat 100 pounds of meat a night. Tigers are an endangered species, and the biggest cats in the world. Adult tigers like to live alone, and they have the brightest eyes of any other animal!

Number 8

TIGER PRAWNS

Also known as the Penaeus Monodon, this large marine crustacean is one delicious shrimp if I say so myself. And now it leaves a much more better taste in everyone's mouth compared to Mr. Woods.

Number 7

TIGER BALM

This magical heat rub from our Singapore friends does wonders for the human body. I'm sure our friend Tiger Woods is a fan of this muscle soother. Too bad it won't be able to soothe his ego and now bad reputation.

Number 6

TIGER BEAT

This fan magazine has always been a hit among teeny bopper crazed fans of young Hollywood, etc. And now its popularity is just going to continue to grow with Woods out of the top tiger spot.

Number 5

TIGER HEAT

This is an awesome 18 and over gay club in West Hollywood that my friends and I went to once freshman year of college because it was Britney Spears Night :) We didn't know it was a gay club before attending, but once we noticed all the drag queens and lack of straight men we quickly figured it out.

Regardless, this place is super fun and now way more fun than Tiger Woods

Number 4

TIGER JAMS

And no I don't mean songs about tigers or songs that tigers groove to in the jungle. I mean Tiger themed onesie jammies. They're all the rage with kids between the ages of 1 month and 3 years. They're so popular, adult sizes will be available soon.

Number 3

TIGER TUNES

Okay, this one is actually about tiger jams or music if you would prefer! "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor is a great song! There's no denying the catchy lyrics and equally catchy tune! "It's the eye of the tiger. It's the thrill of the fight. Rising up to the challenge of our rival. And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night. And he's watching us all with the eye...of the tiiiiger."

Number 2

TIGER TOONS

Who doesn't love Jasmine's loyal pet, Raja, in Aladdin?

Shere Khan, Mowgli's sworn enemy in The Jungle Book?

Winnie the Pooh's bestie, Tigger? And Frosted Flakes' Tony the Tiger?

Nobody. Everyone loves them cause "They're Great!"

And Number 1

THE TIGER ITSELF

The lion has always been known as the king of the jungle.

The cheetah is constantly being praised for being the fastest cat.

The puma has a popular tennis shoe named after it.

The jaguar has a fancy luxury automobile named after it.

Even the cougar has become popular due to

women like Demi Moore & Courteney Cox.

But the tiger has always been left out. That is until now!

Tigers, I salute you as amazing animals and the best cats of them all!

CONGRATULATIONS ALL YOU ACTUAL TIGERS OUT THERE!

YOU ARE NOW NUMBER ONE OVER TIGER WOODS! YAY :)

Fun With Photos: "Turkey" Edition

2009-11-25T22:40:00.000-08:00

In honor of Thanksgiving I figured I would do a "TURKEY" edition. Unfortunately, I did not come across any actual turkeys during my travels, but I did find a few big birds which I believe would taste just as yummy during a Thanksgiving feast. Haha. Sorry. I would never eat any of the large fowl below :) Anyway, good luck.

OBJECTIVE: Match each of the 3 photos with either of these 3 places: Kauai, Trinidad, or Costa Rica. Post your answers as a comment below, and in one week from now, I will provide the answers. Simple, but very fun if you are easily amused. And if you don't wish to play, feel free to enjoy my fabulous photography :)

SIGNAGE OF THE LOOS

2009-11-17T20:05:00.000-08:00

As mentioned in a previous post, my grandma (mom's mom) who moved into my parent's house when I was born 23 years ago, stays in a nearby nursing home. What you may not know is that she has been a resident there for about 4 years now due to a partial amputation of her right leg and our inability to care for her at home. Since then, my mother or father or both would go every single day to feed her dinner. My brother, other family members, and myself would also go on occasion. However, since my mother's passing, my graduation from college in 2008, and my return home, I have definitely been going a lot more often and in recent months, multiple times a week. Point #1 being: MY GRANDMA WHO IS DEMENTIA STRICKEN & BARELY KNOWS WHO WE ARE YET ALONE WHO SHE IS, is alive and well and still going strong which is quite amazing for being 91 years old. Point #2 being: My grandma's nursing home is definitely like another home to my family. We know all the staff, and they know all of us. We've celebrated birthdays and holidays, mourned losses, and shared stories with each other throughout the years. And most recently, we were all excited about new renovations to the building we all spend so much time in. And here is where the topic of my blog actually begins.

I LOVE SIGNS. I LOVE CLEAN NEWLY REMODELED BATHROOMS. I LOVE INFORMATION. AND APPARENTLY, I ALSO LOVE BUSTING OUT MY CAMERA IN A ONE PERSON RESTROOM TO TAKE PICTURES AFTER A SUDDEN REALIZATION FOR A BLOG ENTRY WHILE SITTING ON A TOILET.

ALL OF THE EXHIBITS BELOW WERE TAKEN IN THE NURSING HOME'S NEW BATHROOM. I'VE NOTICED THEM ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT TIME I SHARE THEM WITH THE WORLD BECAUSE THEY ARE TRULY QUITE HILARIOUS AND PROVIDE ME CONSTANT ENTERTAINMENT. I HOPE THEY WILL DO THE SAME FOR YOU.

EXHIBIT A:

IF SMOKING IS NOT ALLOWED, WHY IS THE PICTURE OF THE CIGARETTE IN FRONT OF THE STRIKEOUT CIRCLE?

EXHIBIT B:

WHY IS "DO NOT" IN QUOTES? IT "DO NOT" MAKE SENSE. IF ANYTHING, THE WORD THROW SHOULD BE IN QUOTES BECAUSE ONE USUALLY LIGHTLY DROPS SOILED PAPER INTO TOILETS AS OPPOSED TO ACTUALLY THROWING IT IN.

EXHIBIT C:

HOW DOES OPENING THE DOOR SLOWLY HELP IN MAINTAINING THE CLEANLINESS OF A RESTROOM? NOT "THROWING" TRASH IN THE BIN, SPLASHING WATER ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND/OR RELIEVING YOURSELF ON THE FLOOR AS OPPOSED TO THE TOILET IS WHAT MAINTAINS A CLEAN RESTROOM.

EXHIBIT D:

I ACTUALLY HAVE NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SIGN. I LOVE ALL THINGS HAVING TO DO WITH SANITATION! WASH YOUR HANDS, FOLKS: THE RIGHT WAY!

Fun With Photos: Feet Edition

2009-11-12T12:09:00.000-08:00

As hard as I try to make this game someone (ie: my friend, Sachi) always ends up winning! My new goal is to stump everyone who plays and to get more than five participants for every edition! Let's see if I can get it done. With that said, this week's theme is FEETIES!!! I hope no one detests these lower extremities upon which we stand. Good luck! Sorry my little fat feet aren't cuter and more pleasant to look at.

B .

My Driving Thoughts. Literally.

2009-11-11T19:17:00.000-08:00

*Taken by me on New Years Day 2009 on our way back home from Lake Tahoe*

Yesterday while I was driving around town I made these observations not only about myself but about my fellow sharers of the road as well.

9:03 AM: Leaving my house bright and early for a 10 am audition at a talent agency in Hollywood.

OBSERVATION: I really enjoy Ryan Seacrest in the morning on KIIS FM. Sure he may be super tanned, all over the media, and kinda annoying, but he does entertain me. Either he's a good radio host, or I'm half asleep to notice that he actually sucks. I'll go with the former. Too bad I rarely wake up early enough these past few years to still support his radio career. Good thing I still watch E! News, American Idol, and Keeping Up with the Kardashians :)

11:43 AM: On my way home from my friend Sachi's house in Hollywood.

OBSERVATION: Why is the 101 crowded at this time of the day? It's not even noon yet! I don't understand the Hollywood Freeway, and it pisses me off. Argh.

4:00 PM: Descending the narrow curvy road by my house on my way to Happy Hour.

OBSERVATION: If a car is pulled over to the side in a driveway with its emergency lights on wouldn't you think that it has no plans on moving? I would. So as I am about to drive past the car, the driver starts to move forward and honks at me as if I am in the wrong. WTF GUY! Regardless if your emergency lights were accidentally on or not, I still have the right of way. Why are you honking? Double Argh.

5:08 PM: Leaving Happy Hour and on my way to visit/feed my grandma at her nursing home.

OBSERVATION: Departing Happy Hour usually leaves me feeling a bit heartbroken because of one obvious reason: It's over, and I have to now pay full price. However, yesterday I left Happy Hour feeling ecstatic because my new freelance gig as a Pasadena Happy Hour examiner combined with my friendly nature got me free beer, a tour of a mini brewery, an in with both the bartender and manager, and an invitation to come back for free food. Oh the perks of writing reviews! What if I were a fraud though? I had no proof! Good thing I suck at lying and have a soul. Too bad because I would be pretending to be a restaurant reviewer much more often!!

6:09 PM: On my way back home from visiting Grandma.

OBSERVATION: Old men need to not cross the street during rush hour traffic. It is no longer summer, and the sun sets after 5 pm now. So jaywalking in the darkness of night on a busy street is just plain dangerous, a pretty stupid idea, and a little scary. I really hope you got home safe, Mister.

6:13 PM: Still on my way back home from visiting Grandma.

OBSERVATION: I love the radio, always have, and always will. I believe an iPod and CD's should only be listened to in the car during long road trips! Sure songs get played out, but hey, that's inevitable. Just change the station! Plus, the radio is awesome because when a song that you used to love in 8th grade starts playing and it reminds you of that one afternoon when your first boyfriend called and asked what you were doing and you responded, "Watching the Ghetto Superstar video on MTV. It's a great song." and he responded, "That is a good song, but I only watch VH1" and a whole argument commenced, one cannot help but get excited!

6:15 PM: Still on my way back but a few minutes closer to home now.

OBSERVATION: When nobody else is in a vehicle with me, I swear I think I'm on American Idol. I have no shame when it comes to singing and dancing in the car when a great song comes on. I think my mom van is actually more of a karaoke bar than it is a mode of transportation. I wish it was legal to tint your driver side window because that would definitely save me from a lot of embarrassment. I guess I will just have to contain myself at all major stops when directly to the side of another vehicle. Note to VH1: Please bring back that show Motormouth cause it was hilarious, entertaining, and absolutely relatable :)

6:28 PM: Now back at home, safe and sound.

OBSERVATION: Darn, am I hungry! Oooh Cash Cab's on! Crap; I need gas!

The End.

The Hills Have Eyes: Mine To Be Exact and A Lot of Other Dumb Viewers Like Myself

2009-11-10T13:48:00.000-08:00

It's Tuesday night, and I can't help but wonder about a few things while I watch The Hills. (HOLD ON A SECOND - THE COMMERCIALS JUST ENDED - OKAY, I'M BACK - NOT THAT YOU NOTICED) As I was saying, ever since Season 6 premiered a month or so ago, the following have made me absolutely curious for answers and/or utterly annoyed.

1. Since when did "Homewrecker," Bartender Stacie become a permanent staple on the show? One second she's pouring Spencer Patron shots and getting yelled at by a jealous Heidi and now she's suddenly Kristin's new best friend and all over the place. Umm...Hills "writers"... back story please as to how this all came about? I really would like to know if Kristin and Stacie randomly met and befriended each other or if they were forced to be friends by some MTV producers. **The producers most likely needed/wanted a new Jessica (Kristin's bestie from Laguna), and Stacie just happened to be nearby (ie: a great person to stir future drama amongst the other cast members)!

2. Why the hell do Enzo's guardians think that Heidi and Spencer are appropriate people to watch this poor child/possibly child actor? Have they not heard all of the Speidi gossip? **Apparently not. A lot of money usually results in hearing loss.

3. Why are Justin Bobby and Brody so sexy? **They both need to ditch Audrina, Kristin, Jayde, Lauren, and whomever else this instant and come find me :)

Basically, I am aware that The Hills is a bunch of garbage, but I can't help but love it. I never was a fan of Lauren (LC for those of you idiots who don't know her real name) during Laguna Beach and always preferred Kristin. However, after 5 seasons of The Hills she definitely grew on me, and I do feel that the show is a little strange without her. Unfortunately, she's too busy writing and promoting bad "fictional" literature and selling her clothing line at Kohl's to care. Fortunately, I still love Kristin and think that she's an excellent addition to the show. It would have been fun to see them on TV together though. But, oh well. I guess we'll have to wait for the Laguna Beach reunion for that one.

Fun With Photos: Egret Edition

2009-11-05T11:10:00.000-08:00

Last week's Sunset Edition ended up being somewhat easier than I had hoped for, SO i decided to make this week's theme a lot more challenging. Apparently, EGRETS are a popular fowl in the places I travel to. Yay for these gorgeous birds! Unfortunately, I had to crop these pictures a bit to hide the backgrounds, which made the quality go down just a bit. My apologies, but have fun.

Just Freaken Shrimptastic!

2009-11-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, while at the grocery store, my dad decided to buy almost 2 pounds of LARGE SHRIMP since they were on sale and looked fresh! He asked if I would be able to cook them, and I said, "Sure." Fast forward three hours later, and I was desperately regretting my kind gesture.

If you weren't already aware of this, I absolutely love all things food related and really enjoy cooking. If you also already didn't know this, my mother passed away almost two years ago, and since then, both my dad and I have been doing a lot more cooking. So with that said, I really didn't think that cooking the damn shrimp would really be that horrible. Actually, let me rephrase that. Cooking the shrimp was a breeze. Preparing them, however, was what was HELL.

Growing up, I watched my mom cook all the time and helped as often as possible. She was quite the foodie, an amazing cook, and loved being in the kitchen. So of course I had seen her clean fresh shrimp on multiple occasions and have most likely cleaned probably less than ten in my lifetime. And by clean I mean, SHELLING and DEVEINING the entire crustacean. Because of this, I had become somewhat of a snob when it came to shrimp. If it wasn't cleaned properly, it was badly prepared shrimp. Plus, one could always tell the difference between a great buffet and an okay buffet if their shrimp was deveined or not! UNDEVEINED SHRIMP = AUTOMATIC TURNOFF. Therefore, properly cleaning the recently purchased shrimp was a must!

As previously stated, I really didn't think cleaning shrimp would be that difficult. And by difficult I don't mean hard but just extremely STRENUOUS. It literally took me an hour and a half (Yes, 90 minutes) to CLEAN 67 LARGE SHRIMP. To top it off, I work fairly quickly but meticulously. Shelling each shrimp was easy and was done in less than five seconds. However, deveining the small bastards definitely took much longer. If you are not familiar with the anatomy of a shrimp, the vein is the black line of excrement, guts, and other nasty stuff located down the back and inside curve of the sea creature. You have to use a small scalpel to get it out. It's pretty simple and easy to do, but just takes time when cleaning more than a dozen shrimp. And the time it took definitely took a toll on my body. Let's just say my back was hurting after bending over the sink for that long, and it was NOT FUN! The entire time I kept yelling at my dad about why he had to buy so much shrimp!

It was such a hassle, that I also kept thinking, "Wow! Cleaning shrimp really should be some sort of torture method." Those undergoing the torture would of course not be able to eat the shrimp and would have to watch others enjoy all their hard work. Therefore, making it even more unbearable and quite agonizing, at least to a fat ass like me. Haha. Crazy thoughts, I know. Anyway, unlike these supposed torture victims, I was lucky enough to eat the shrimp I prepared. SPICY HONEY DIJON SHRIMP. No recipe followed, and they came out tasting quite delicious :) SO.....

Question: Is spending 2 HOURS cleaning and cooking shrimp worth the 10 MINUTES it takes to eat it?

Answers: My foodie self says, "YES, the effort is worth the savory and scrumptious meal."

My lazy self says, "NO, go back to frozen shrimp. It tastes just as good."

Tricks & Treats

2009-11-02T18:24:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a very HAPPY HALLOWEEN weekend full of costumes, parties, and yummy treats!! I definitely did, and to prove it, here is a LIST OF HIGHLIGHTS.

1. My homemade referee costume cost less than $10.00. Plus, more than one person thought I actually bought the jersey which was definitely exciting. NOTE: Black electrical tape works wonders when properly applied to fabric, and whistles are extremely fun accessories to have at parties!

2. At my friend Roxana's party Friday night, a girl dressed as a Parisian let me have a piece of her baguette. It was very tasty bread! An hour later while discussing cake decorating techniques, my friend Myiesha also randomly mentioned that she read THIS blog which was just as surprising as it was exciting! NOTE: More than five people actually peruse my site :)

3. Some trick-or-treaters came by Halloween evening while I was getting ready to go out. My dad answered the door because I was in a towel and not about to scare away kids with my partially exposed body! However, I caught a glimpse of the girls, and they were definitely older than 14 or just very developed. NOTE: I no longer feel guilty about going trick-or-treating with friends every year in high school and am still curious, why I have stopped. I still look like I'm 12, and I want candy too!

4. At my friend Grace's costume party Saturday/Halloween night, I won two straight games of beer pong, started a dance party, ate some really good guacamole, and thought a guy dressed as the Octomom was a girl for at least 30 minutes. Sorry, Dude. NOTE: Wigs can do wonders!

5. I made Halloween Cupcakes Saturday night while I watched USC lose to stupid Oregon :( I was very sad, but quickly got over it when everyone at Grace's party thought my cupcakes were store bought!! NOTE: According to the party-goers I should work at Ralphs (as a cupcake decorator since that's where the ingredients were bought) My response: No thanks! I prefer Trader Joes :)

Fun With Photos: Sunset Edition

2009-10-27T00:09:00.000-07:00

So last week I started this new little game, and it was quite successful. Successful being defined as having more than one person play. So A BIG THANK YOU to my four friends who participated :) Haha. The answers are now up so check it out if you didn't get a chance to do so last week! And now for this week's theme: SUNSETS because who doesn't love the radiant setting of our planet's favorite star?!?!

A.
B.
C.

Melrose Place, Can You Please Evict Violet Cause I'm Ready To Move In?! Wait, I Heard You Just Did!

2009-10-23T16:17:00.000-07:00

This past Tuesday commenced the CW's airing of the seventh straight episode of its 2009 version of MELROSE PLACE. Unlike the original 90210, I never followed this particular 90's smash drama. My only knowledge of the series was that it took place in an LA apartment and that Heather Locklear starred in it. So when news of the Melrose Place revival started spreading, I wasn't that intrigued. However, when the teasers finally hit the small screen, I was sold enough to give it a try. *Kudos to the editors, marketing people, producers, etc. on that one*

Now remember, I had no preconceived notions for the new Melrose Place since I had no idea what it was about or an affinity for the original. By the end of the pilot though, I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised :) That is until Violet (Ashlee Simpson-Wentz) showed up at the very last minute and ruined everything with one poorly acted scream, if that's even possible!

I wanted to give Ashlee a break since I am a fan of her music! Yes, that's right! I was in love with her debut album, Autobiography as were many girls at the time. I also found her short lived reality show to be quite entertaining. Even her stint on 7th Heaven a few years prior wasn't all that bad. It was official, I liked Ashlee Simpson a whole lot more than her annoying older sister, Jessica. But then, the SNL thing happened, she started dating Pete Wentz, got preggers, and had a shotgun wedding! Tsk tsk, Ashlee, I thought you were more responsible than that! But it's okay. Things happen, we learn to accept them, and move on! Everything was looking up for Ashlee. A new husband, a new healthy baby boy, and a brand new chapter in her young life!

But then she was cast on Melrose Place! I, being a fan of Ashlee Simpson, was excited, but as previously mentioned, that excitement went down the drain with one simple SCREAM! Trust me people; it was that bad! And with each passing episode her acting has just gotten worse and worse. From the random empty stares, atrocious delivery of lines, and inability to appeal to anyone (real and fake: audience and fictional apartment mates) watching her in any scene in just absolutely painful. Sorry, Ashlee, but it's the honest truth. You can't act :( I don't know if it's a temporary thing or permanent, but for now, it is just bad!

Maybe it's not entirely your fault though. The character of Violet is pretty stupid, over the top, and seems a bit unnecessary to the plot of the television show. Does that mean the writers are to blame? It is quite possible, but then again every other story line on the show has been quite captivating, and all the other actor's performances have been great if not superb! Let's discuss:

> Actress, Katie Cassidy, does a fabulous job of portraying the uber confident, sexy, and determined junior publicist, ELLA. Despite her being the "bitch" of the show, one cannot help but love her and see that she really is a good person deep down inside!

> Canadian native, Shaun Sipos, also does a phenomenal job playing DAVID, the "rich" kid who seems to have a perfect life but actually, steals art and jewelry to make the big bucks in order to cover up his failing relationship with his doctor father and maintain his trust-fund image. And yet again, you cannot help but love him despite his secret life of thievery.

> Stephanie Jacobsen is another great actress who makes LAUREN's task of going to med school and working at a hospital look so easy. That is until you find out she's behind on her tuition and has to resort to soliciting herself to make ends meet. And once again, the audience still loves her even though she's doing the dirty with who knows who!

> Actor, Michael Rady, known for his roles as Kostas in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants films and Max in ABC Family's Greek pulls out another stellar performance with the character of JONAH. He plays the sweet, quirky aspiring filmmaker so well that every girl can't help but swoon when he enters a scene.

> Cloverfield's breakout star, Jessica Lucas, also does a fantastic job with her character, RILEY. She is the perfect fit for the down-to-earth first grade school teacher who's engaged to Jonah. And although she may possibly have a "thing" for neighbor, Auggie, you love her just the same!

> Speaking of AUGGIE, Colin Egglesfield, does a really good job of portraying the recovering alcoholic, sous chef who loves to jog and help out others! And yet again, although he is more than likely responsible for the murder of Sydney (crazy landlady/Melrose Place alum) in the pilot episode, the audience still hearts him.

> And last but not least there's VIOLET played by the oh so lovely Ashlee Simpson-Wentz. Her character claims to be the stepdaughter of once breathing Sydney and manages to run from the cops, get arrested, steal clothes, dress slutty to get hired, break into more than one apartment, get a poor bartender fired, seduce and then blackmail David's father, plot against people, and make a bunch more irrational and completely insane decisions all within a matter of weeks! The character is absolutely horrible, but I do wonder if another actress was playing the part if I and many others would actually not mind her.

But anyway, it seems like the network has magically seeped into my brain and heard my complaints because as of yesterday a statement was released saying that Ashlee Simpson-Wentz will no longer be starring on Melrose Place. The producers claim it was planned and already in the script, but I highly doubt that. I just think they realized that the audience doesn't understand her character and that her acting wasn't necessarily helping the situation. Unfortunately, the press release also stated that Colin Egglesfield was also being let go. That I do not understand, and am extremely sad about. Auggie is a great character and should be kept on the series. For more information regarding this news click the links below :)

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b150239_melrose_place_ashlee_simpson-wentz.html?utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b150330_colin_egglesfield_explains_his_shocking.html?utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=imdb_topstories

Without Violet/Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, MELROSE PLACE IS SURPRISINGLY A DECENT SHOW! I recommend it to all you 20-somethings out there. Despite the sometimes unlikely drama, a good portion of the show is quite relatable when it comes to trying to build your career and dealing with relationships. Plus, it doesn't hurt that the entire cast is exceedingly sexy! Overall, it keeps you very entertained on a Tuesday night :)

Oh and just to reiterate, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, I do not hate you but will miss making fun of Violet and her psychotic ways. Life wise, it is very sad you got fired, and I'm sorry! Show wise though, I'm over it. Now where can I sign the lease cause I'm ready to move in?!?!

Fun With Photos: Leaf Edition

2009-10-20T00:37:00.000-07:00

For some strange reason my last three major trips have all been to tropical destinations: Kauai, Trinidad, & Costa Rica. While traveling through these humid but heavenly locales I naturally took a ton of pictures. So I thought it would be fun to start a little game where YOU (my very much appreciated reader) tries to figure out what country each picture below was taken in!

Objective: Match each of the 3 photos with either of these 3 places: Kauai, Trinidad, or Costa Rica. Post your answers as a comment below, and in one week from now, I will provide the answers. Simple, but very fun if you are easily amused. And if you don't wish to play, feel free to enjoy my fabulous photography :)

Backstreet Boys Making a Comeback? We shall see.

2009-10-14T23:27:00.000-07:00

So last week I had the random pleasure of watching the Backstreet Boys (YES, YOU READ RIGHT) the Backstreet Boys perform their new not so catchy single, "Straight Through My Heart" on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. Here are my thoughts:

NICK --> You annoy me, and I still don't like you or your voice. However, the jacket you wore during this performance was very nice as was your overall ensemble!

AJ --> Although you are still balding, I still heart you and your sexy voice. Keep up the sobriety!

BRIAN --> I thought you had "swine flu." How were you able to perform live so soon after being diagnosed? Plus, why are you always having health issues? Please take care of yourself, and stay well.

HOWIE --> I never cared for you when I was a little girl, but you are incredibly sexy and my new favorite!

KEVIN --> What the hell happened to you? To be honest, I actually forgot your name and had to go look it up. Maybe that's why you left the group because no one ever knew who you were, or maybe, you are just really smart! I'm going to go with your intelligence on this one.

Oh and just for the record, I LOVE *NSYNC! They will always be the superior group and best boy band ever! If any musical group needs to reunite it would be them. Nuff said. Bye. Bye. Bye.

*And you know you loved my corny closing remark*

**WTF is a BACKSTREET BOY by the way? I never got it. (One Second). According to Wikipedia they named themselves after an "Orlando flea market". Interesting. Either Wikipedia is incorrect, or the Backstreet Boys just really enjoy antiques and other secondhand wares. Regardless, Backstreet's Back for the meantime!

Learn To SPELL!!!!!!!!!

2009-10-12T14:42:00.001-07:00

Like most others, I too have my fair share of pet peeves some of which include: tags that stick out of people's shirts and individuals who litter! One of my biggest pet peeves though would have to be people with bad grammar and who CANNOT SPELL!

Sure everyone makes mistakes now and then, myself included, but if you are PLACING A CRAIGSLIST AD FOR THE WORLD TO SEE under the WRITING SECTION, it is incredibly annoying and just plain ridiculous to see the word WRITE MISSPELLED AS WRIGHT.

First of all, it is already spelled correctly in the header so how could you spell it wrong in your ad? Secondly, have you heard of proofreading and/or spell check? Thirdly, how do you expect people to take you seriously as an employer looking for an excellent "wrighter" if you yourself cannot spell? Fourthly, why are there so many of you crazies out there who cannot spell the word WRITE the right way! W-R-I-T-E! There is NO G-H, PEOPLE! It's a little sad and truly CONFUSING! Then again, maybe that's why you're looking for a writer, but I highly doubt that!

Point being: GET A DICTIONARY, AND LEARN TO SPELL!

The Happiest Hour of My Day

2009-10-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

If you know me at all, there is no denying my obsession with Happy Hour! And by "Happy Hour," I mean: A GOOD HAPPY HOUR! And by obsession, I really do mean OBSESSION! I am so obsessed with Happy Hour that I had a sudden urge this past summer to start my own website dedicated to it! I did plenty of research, came up with a few possible names, and even a pretty nifty layout. However, my creative spurt came to an end when my "i think i'll start a greeting card business" idea took root! (The crazy thoughts of an unemployed 23 year old. I know)!

Some friends find this particular infatuation of mine to be a little crazy cause, "who wants to start drinking when the sun's still out?" Other friends of mine completely respect my passion and have become just as much a fan due to my influence. Regardless of your opinion though, Happy Hour has something great to offer everyone and therefore, should be enjoyed by all!

TOP TEN REASONS WHY I LOVE HAPPY HOUR AND YOU SHOULD TO:

1. Cheap Beer! *A Great Happy Hour will only charge between $1 and $3 for a variety of brewskies.

2. Cheap Liquor! *A great Happy Hour will only charge between $1 and $5 for sake, wells, martinis, margaritas, etc.

3. Discounted Appetizers and Entrees! *A great Happy Hour will provide $2 or $3 bites and/or half price deals for quality food.

4. You can eat and drink to your heart's content while staying on a budget. An inexpensive bill is never a disappointment! *A great Happy Hour should fill your belly for $20 or less per person.

5. Most of your favorite eateries probably have a Happy Hour! Just ask! *A great Happy Hour will not only be at the bar but throughout the entire restaurant.

6. There is always something to do between the hours of 3pm and 7pm and sometimes late night hours! *A great Happy Hour lasts at least three hours.

7. All types of restaurants offering a variety of cuisines from around the world, celebrate the occasion! Happy Hour does not discriminate!

8. Happy Hour can serve as a late lunch, afternoon snack, or even an early dinner!

9. After a stressful day at work, Happy Hour serves as an excellent source of relaxation and sustenance that can be enjoyed with friends, family, and/or non annoying coworkers!

10. Happy Hour provides HAPPINESS hence the name! And who in their right mind doesn't want sixty minutes or more of midday pleasure? I have never met anyone who left Happy Hour feeling sad. It just isn't possible. Actually, I take that back, because I, myself, always feel a little down when Happy Hour comes to an end! Other than that though, it's just great :)

**So big YAY FOR CHEAP EATS and the HAPPIEST OF HOURS**

Dear Costa Rica...

2009-10-06T23:01:00.000-07:00

So I just recently returned from a twenty-four day backpacking trip in Costa Rica, and I have to say that it was absolutely amazing! I participated in a plethora of adventure activities some of which included white water rafting in class IV rapids, scuba diving with rays, and ziplining through a lush cloud forest hundreds of feet above the ground!! Besides the super exciting/semi-dangerous recreational pastimes, I also ate tons of food, drank plenty of local beer, lounged around various pools, swam at breathtaking beaches, chased down monkeys, iguanas, and sloths, survived hostel living, and met so many awesome people from all over the world. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. HOWEVER, there were definitely a few things that did concern me while there. Now, before I tell you what those things are, please understand that I am no stranger to/and very accepting of different cultures, countries, and practices. I am pretty adaptable to new situations and what I like to think, a very easy going traveler. So the following is in no way meant to be disrespectful. It's just a list of things I wondered about while I was trekking through the gorgeous Central American country. Plus, who doesn't enjoy a little rant every now and then. So here goes:

Dear Costa Rican Hostels:

1. Why do you refuse to take credit cards? Do you not understand how difficult it is for tourists to carry around so much cash since your currency does not come in large enough bills?

2. Why do you make making online reservations so difficult and then give away a reserved room to a walk-in guest after already confirming a room to people who take the time to plan in advance? It boggles my mind.

3. Why do you not provide hand soap in your bathrooms yet have AC? I am not complaining because the AC was great to have in the extreme humidity, but c'mon? AC, clean sheets, toilet paper, and hot water yet nothing to sanitize our hands with. Having guests use their bath soap is a tad inconvenient. So, soap please!

4. Could you please post instructions near your computer stations as to how to type the "@" sign and a few other essential keys? That way it won't take hours to figure out how to email our family and friends that we are alive and well. People also won't go crazy when they cannot access their Facebook accounts. Who new an @ sign could cause such a frenzy among web-obsessed, young backpackers? I'm sure you did, Costa Rica.

Dear Costa Rican Eateries:

1. How does your lemonade have less taste than a glass of water with lemon? Hmm.

2. Why does your iced tea taste exactly like lemonade? I'm gonna say it's more like an Arnold Palmer yet with the ratio being 96% my version of lemonade and 4% tea or some other brown liquid.

3. Why is a "beef taco" my version of a beef taquito yet a "chicken taco" my version of chicken fajitas?

4. Why do you place silverware in small plastic bags/pouches? I am very curious about that one cause it seems a bit pointless and an unnecessary use of plastic. Just trying to protect your ecological wonders from non-biodegradable waste.

5. Would you please tell tourists what animal they are about to consume when purchasing the oh so delicious yet oh so mysterious "meat on a stick"? It would be much appreciated, various street vendors. Iguana, bull, chicken, alien...? Who knows?

Dear Costa Rican Government:

1. Would you please use some of the money you acquire from vast amounts of tourism to fix some of your more rugged roads? It would be a very wise investment because travel would be much safer and quicker. Plus, less tourists would get car/bus/taxi/shuttle/van sick which in turn means a smaller chance of vomit in your vehicles. (And no, I did not barf while in an automobile in Costa Rica, but I am sure plenty people have)

2. Do you really think it smart to have a multi-car train (at least 20 cars long) run through the narrow and busy streets of downtown San Jose in the middle of rush hour? Seems kinda dangerous. Plus, it's crazy loud! How do you not get noise complaints from your citizens?

3. Would you please tell your airport employees who work in the duty free shops that YES, they do sell Costa Rican rum in the Guatemala City airport! I still don't understand why they would tell me, "probably not" even though they themselves sold Guatemalan rum in their Costa Rican store!!!

Thank you for taking the time to read over my queries. I hope that one day they will all be answered.

Sincerely, Rania

PS: Despite the dumb list above, I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent in your country. It is such a beautiful place, and the citizens are the most friendly, extremely helpful, and amazingly fun people. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

So there you have it. My letter to Costa Rica. Too bad I don't have a legitimate email address to send that off to or the funds to send it through the actual US Postal Service. 98 cents = way over my budget :)

Laughing at My Television = Always a Good Thing

2009-10-01T22:57:00.000-07:00

The one perk of summer coming to an end is the emergence of brand new television programming in the form of both season and series premieres. Frankly, I love TV, and most shows seem to entertain me regardless if they are Emmy worthy or what some may refer to as garbage. However, I do have to say that I have been pleasantly surprised by a few brand spanking new shows in this year's fall line up and view them as possible Emmy contenders in the future. Watch out 30 Rock! Sorry; I love you, Tina Fey! But these two shows are out for blood (ie: a shiny gold statue) and/or just excellent ratings.

1. ABC's MODERN FAMILY: This show is absolutely freaken hilarious. It scares me a little because I am a dedicated fan of The Office, rank it as my current favorite on-air sitcom, and would feel bad if it were to be replaced. We shall see. But as I was saying: "this show is absolutely freaken hilarious," and I already love it! Two thumbs up! Actually, it's so good I'm gonna say: two cocktails up! Double fisting it for a great new comedy. Let's face it. Who wouldn't wanna watch: A) an incredibly aged Ed O'neill married to a sexy "Columbian" woman and acting like a father to his new wife's chubby yet intelligent eleven year old son... B) two gay daddies raising their Vietnamese baby girl... C) and three crazy kids and their equally crazy parents??!!!?? Nobody. I know. Basically, Modern Family is full of hysterical family drama, super witty laugh-out-loud dialogue, superb acting, surprisingly relatable topics, riotous scenarios, and a little bit of heart topped off with a lotta bit of fresh humor. So I suggest watching it. Now!

2. NBC's COMMUNITY: Another very funny show. If you are a fan of Joel McHale, like myself, that's already one reason why you might enjoy this show. This sitcom is a far cry from The Soup but equally hilarious with a little less reality and a lot more story. Community college has never seemed so bizarre, and the cooky characters who make up the students, faculty, and staff of this fine institution definitely make for one humorous program. If you ever went to college and want to reminisce about your past shenanigans or never went to college and want a taste of what you may have missed out on, Community is definitely a must see. Granted some scenarios depicted on the show are not that common but still definitely possible on the occasional coed campus. Regardless, it's excellent and worth thirty minutes of your time.

***Oh and this new animated show called POPZILLA on MTV is also pretty damn hilarious. From the amount of celebrities they manage to mock within twenty or so minutes to the freaky faces and horrible voice-overs, this show is perfect for a good quick laugh! It also manages to catch you up on celebrity news. Take that Perez Hilton! Sorry. If you couldn't tell, I'm not a fan. Yay for E News and the Daily Ten though and now Popzilla! Super silly but very funny!

And now that I have expressed my thoughts on stuff that "rots my brain"... I am off to watch more TV. Go figure :)

To Blog or Not To Blog...

2009-09-29T21:34:00.000-07:00

Hello there virtual world! As of this very moment I am currently deciding whether or not to start a blog! To be quite honest, I'm not that big into the internet. However, it seems simple enough, and I have nothing better to do with my free time on account that I'm momentarily unemployed. So.....why the hell not? Plus, seeing that I want to be a writer I figured this was yet another vital step into furthering my career. So please read these postings despite how vapid or silly they may be at times. Hopefully though, I can come up with some decent things to "blog" about and in turn, entertain you in some way, shape, or form. That is my goal, and I aim to please. So it's official. The answer to my question: TO BLOG ergo publishing this entry: my first :)