Sometimes fires don't go out

03:41 pm

 Hi everyone, I wanted to update today to make sure you know that we have to stand together right now. The House of Representatives has voted to bar Planned Parenthood from all federal funding for any purpose whatsoever. That means no funding to Planned Parenthood health centers for birth control, lifesaving cancer screenings, HIV testing, and other essential care. One in five women in the United States has received care from Planned Parenthood, so whether you are aware of it or not, someone you know will be affected in a serious way by this legislation. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE contact your senator, and let them know that this horrible attack on women and families everywhere will not go unnoticed. This is the email that I sent to Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein, please feel free to use it yourself. Spread the word. This government is supposed to be for the people, and we are the people who need to stand up and communicate that we won't take this.


Senator,

I strongly support Planned Parenthood health centers and the essential primary and preventive health services they provide to thousands of women, men, and teens every day. Excluding Planned Parenthood from all critical public health programs will deny millions of American women access to birth control, cancer screenings, HIV tests, and other lifesaving care — and that's unacceptable.

Anti-choice leaders in Congress have forced a vote on the most dangerous legislative assault on women's health and Planned Parenthood in its 95-year history. This bill would eliminate all federal funding for Planned Parenthood health centers — including funding for birth control, cancer screenings, HIV testing, and more.

The consequences of this bill are clear — and they would be devastating. More women would have unintended pregnancies. Cancer would develop, undiagnosed, in countless women. There is no doubt:cutting off millions of women from care they have no other way to afford places them at risk of sickness and death.

I stand with Planned Parenthood to say to you: STOP THIS.

I stand with Planned Parenthood and the hundreds of thousands of people from every walk of life and every corner of this country who join me to tell you that we will fight this bill and we expect you to do the same.

I stand with and for the millions of women, men, and teens who rely on Planned Parenthood, and I expect you to do the same.

Thank you.

10:54 pm

It's summer! Which means that I am once again working for Sue again, but also working at the JC bookstore again, to fund my trip to Burning Man later in the summer.

Speaking of Burning Man, I finally found a camp! Which is a huge relief, and now I can think about other stuff, like putting lights on my bike and what I'm going to eat.

I went backpacking for the first time this week! Evan took me up to this place where his family has been going for ages and ages, and showed me some of his favorite spots. It was a pretty mild trip, as far as I can tell, since I'm a total noob, but it was very very wonderful. We went home a day earlier than we had planned, though, because neither of us thought to bring bug repellent and I got bitten by at least a hundred mosquitos. I wish I was exaggerating.

Anywhoo, it's the middle of summer and things are going well.

12:57 pm - Look, it's me!

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10:20 pm

I FINALLY was successful in getting my fingerprints done today, so that's a relief. Also, I am in love with this video:

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06:53 pm - I'm having kind of a bad day

1. So I have to get fingerprinted for my job this summer, and when I went down to the sheriff's dept last week, I hadn't realized that I needed some paperwork that the IHSS had mailed me, so I waited for like 40 minutes and wasn't able to get my fingerprints done. So I went back today, with my paperwork and the $20 fee that the sheriff's dept website said I needed for the fingerprinting service. However, since I'm getting fingerprinted for an agency in Sonoma County, I'll be charged $50 and not $20. I did not have $50, and even if I'd gone to the ATM to get more dollars out, they would have closed before they got to me, since there were other people waiting. So once again, I waited half and hour in the super depressing govornment building, for the man to tell me that, once again I did not have what I needed. So I'm going back tomorrow. And I'm going to call ahead to make sure I have absolutely everything so I don't have to go back AGAIN.

2. Yesterday my best friend broke up with her boyfriend of more than two years. And today another really really good friend broke up with her boyfriend of like two and a half years. Why does it hurt so much when the people you love break up? I guess that both of those relationships were like, pillars of my life. So I'm feeling sad about that.

I'm looking forward to taking a road trip down to L.A. with Dana to see Ben this weekend. I need me some blonde lovin'.

08:08 pm

Haven't updated in forever, woah!

It's finals week, and since my finals are on Thursday evening (tomorrow) and Friday morning (8 am, so delicious), everyone and their mom is done with finals before me and don't get to celebrate until I get home. Wah. Whatever. The weather is GORGEOUS and I've been able to study at a very leisurely pace, so it's actually been a pretty pleasant week so far. I think that in order to pass chem I only have to get 50% on the midterm, and to pass stats I probably need even less than that. I got sunburned today from sitting out in the sun reading, but all is well.

Chelsea moved back into Big Blue, and it feels like all is right with the world again!

I'm excited to go home for spring break, see my family and friends, work a little bit, and get all refreshed for next quarter. I need to memorize two monologues so I can audition for a theater class I want to get into, and practice swimming a little so I can get into the beginning scuba class, despite the fact that I was unable to apply for the Marine Ecology Field Quarter. I'll need it for Kelp Forest Ecology (hell yeah). Next quarter should be really good, I'll finally be taking a real bio class and finishing chemistry forever.

I miss Dana, but hopefully I'll get to see everyone else I want to see while I'm home. I decided not to be a touch group leader for the MUUGs retreat next weekend, just to refrain from adding anymore stress for the time being.

I was hula hooping down at the lighthouse this weekend and a professional photographer was there taking pictures! So hopefully soon I'll have some nice professional pictures of myself hooping, which is pretty rad.

I really want to dye my hair pink.

I also really want to buy my Burning Man ticket, but I need to make a little more money before I can do that.

Bleh, I'm really over this quarter. Thank goodness it'll be over in only two more days!

Current Mood: tired

12:15 am

Just realized that this weekend is a three day weekend, which makes me really happy.

I made really tasty banana bread tonight, with oatmeal and chocolate chips. Also, my favorite new snack that I've discovered is toasted sourdough bread with butter and nutritional yeast. Which is a miracle of flavoring and amino acids.

I had my first Chemistry lab yesterday. Each of us has been assigned a locked drawer with all our supplies in it, and it makes me feel really special in a nerdy way to have my own combination-locked drawer full of test tubes and stirrers and things, all for me to do experiments with :D

Today was supposed to be the first ever on campus hula hoop jam, I spread the word and everything, but no one else showed up. I was outside near Porter for a while, and it was really nice out and everything but it was kind of disappointing that it was just me. Oh well, I'l advertise better for the next one.

I haven't been meaning to, but I've ending up sleeping at Evan's house every night but one since I've been back. I just get all sucked into hanging out and then it's bedtime and I'm not in my apartment. Oh well, I like being here with all my friends instead of all by myself up on campus in my room. I'm really hoping to live in this house next year, actually, but as that would pretty much mean that Evan and I were living together, there's some more to be figured out about that. I love this house so much, though. It's kind of stressful constantly rocketing around between here and campus when I need something, it would be great to just be here. Whatever, that's the future. I'm just anxious because I know what I want and nothing's going to happen for several more months. Also, Evan hasn't really told me what he thinks about it yet, which is...disconcerting.

Ooo, last night we watched 'Wristcutters: A Love Story,' which is an odd tale about this sort of purgatory where people go when they commit suicide. And it has Patrick Fugit in it, which is always a recipe for success in my book. AND, the night before that, Sara and I watched the most incredible film I've seen in all my years, 'Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus.' A feat of filmmaking, truly. So absurd. I tell you, you wouldn't even have to change like, ANY of the lines to redo this movie as a porn. No joke. Love it.

Oh, I started a 365 project! I'll be taking a picture every day all this year. It's here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8608952@N02/sets/72157623148042224/

Current Mood: sleepy

02:03 pm - Happy New Year!

I thought that since I hadn't posted anything since October I'd go ahead and do that.

I passed all my classes, which was a huge relief. Working in the fifth grade classroom was awesome and I'm sad I don't get to do it anymore. Next quarter I'm taking Statistics and the next Chem, and I tried to get into an upper division Education class but I don't think that's gonna happen. I also might take yoga or something, I liked it when I was taking a dance class last spring.

DUDE, I found out that for one of the classes I'll be taking in the future I HAVE TO get scuba certified and diving certified!! Isn't that sick?!?

This break has been really nice. I haven't gone anywhere, just hung out with friends and family. I got kind of sick last week, but I'm bouncin' back. Evan came to visit, which was super nice. I've been knitting tons of hats, and I also learned how to knit little bunnies and octopi. I worked for Sue a couple of times, too. Ben and I helped Dana pick out a kitty to adopt from the animal shelter, which was a very cute experience. I had a really low-key New Year's. I thought I was going to be spending it with Dana, but she ended up leaving for SOUTH AFRICA, holy crap, on Wednesday. So yesterday my family and I went to SF and went to the Asian Art Museum, which was super cool, and we saw a really hilarious play at ACT called 'The 39 Steps.'

I go back to Santa Cruz on Sunday, but have yet to find a ride.

I'm really excited to see Bassnectar on Valentine's Day! I was sad because I didn't get to go to Sea of Dreams and Evan did, but I feel better knowing that our V-day date is a super sick dubstep adventure right in Santa Cruz.

I'm going to try and get a job this quarter, since it looks like I'm only taking two classes and some extra money would be nice, especially since I need to start saving up for BURING MAN AAAAAAAAAAAAGH. This summer I'm planning to go WWOOFing somewhere, come home for a little while, go to Burning Man, then go to Santa Cruz early. Hopefully I'll be living off campus and would be able to move in before the school year started. I need to figure out when I'm going to take Physics.

New Year's Resolution: Find new and interesting places to practice with my hoop. Also, be more proactive about seeing friends! Also, hike around more in upper campus.

I think that's about it. Welcome to 2010!

Current Mood: calm

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11:18 am - It's the ultimate Friday!!!

I'm so so so exciiiiiiteeeeed!!!

All my tests are over (for now)!!

I'm going to a sick concert tonight and I get to wear my Halloween costume!! I'm going as a fairy.

And then tomorrow is the REAL HALLOWEEN HAPPY HAPPY YAAAAAY

Everyone should tell me what you're dressing up as.

So yeah, I'm pretty thrilled.

Current Mood: energetic

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02:26 pm

It is storming like crazy outside!! I feel so snug and cozy in my tiny room doin' my homework.

I've been trying to get an assignment volunteering down at Bayview Elementary School for my service learning class, but apparently there's a ton of folks trying to do that and when I went down there today the woman I spoke to told me to email her my contact info and stuff, so I tried to make it like a mini-resume, and talked about all the experience with kids I have :D

On a similar note, cleaning the St. Francis soup kitchen this weekend was pretty wild. It sort of reminded me of cleaning for a con, but more intense. They have this industrial kitchen and big tiled dining room, both of which we washed with a power washer, in addition to wiping down all the pots and pans and tables and chairs and things. It was different than I expected. For one thing, it was a lot smaller than I thought it would be.

It's my birthday this weekend! Hopefully soon I'll be the owner of a shiny new hula hoop which I can play with all the time.

Teeeeeea Tiiiiiiiimee......