I couldn't ask for more

Highlights of Xmas Eve/Xmas day:

-Playing "soccer" with my cousin Max (who's 8 years old)
-Being pestered by my other cousin Mason to play with him (Also 8, he usually prefers to play with my dad!)
-Watching Leah feed a baby mouse to the snake she's pet-sitting (A novel Xmas activity like no other)
-Getting MELTY BARS!!! my favorite chocolate bar from my dad's secretary

I need to watch more movies like this

I just watched a really thought-provoking and inspiring documentary about Sudanese refugees relocated to America. I really liked the film because it gave a very balanced view of the situation for refugees; it didn't hit you over the head with all of the atrocities, and it didn't try to sugarcoat the positive sides of moving to the United States. The film is called God Grew Tired of Us, and I strongly recommend it to everyone.

ps

Merry Christmas everyone!

For anyone who is interested, my mom is going to be on channel 28 (PBS, I think?) today (Christmas Eve) at 6:30pm-ish, playing with her dulcimer band on a live Christmas broadcast from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Yeah, I know. My mom's pretty cool.

Back from the dead?

According to the Facebook iLike application, Chet Baker is (On Tour). I thought he was dead?

Unexpected

I'm interviewing this Wednesday to teach English to the staff of a Princess cruise ship. Like, while on the cruise. I don't really know if I want the job (it's a lot of teaching hours, working six days a week), but apparently they're desperate for teachers...so it's good interview experience, at the very least.

It just sucks to still get stressed out about a job I probably don't want anyway. But you NEVER KNOW!

Schade....

There isn't much more of a turn-off (for me) than talking to a somewhat attractive guy at a party who's about my age and hear him start a sentence with "So, when I was married...."

Perhaps I'm being too judgmental.

UPDATE: OK, for anyone who cares, I've reconsidered and decided that there are worse things a guy could mention. Like being 100% for the death penalty or thinking all women should be stay-at-home moms. You get the idea.

Thanks a lot, "Tarot"

My roommate Katy's friend, Sat, reads tarot cards, so Katy and I both asked her to look at her cards to get advice on where we should teach English. Right now, I've sort of narrowed down my countries to South Korea, Vietnam, and Poland (well, basically just Eastern Europe, but I had to choose just one country). Lately I've been leaning the most towards Vietnam, mostly because it just sounds the most exciting (and the mildest winter).

This is what the cards apparently said:

1. Korea: According to the cards, I feel uncertain about teaching there, but in the future I would be very good at passing on knowledge to other people (so good teaching opportunities perhaps?).

2. Vietnam: Very good, strong positive card, representing future hope, peace and harmony. So I could have an awesome, empowering experience. But then I got the "tower" card, apparently the most negative card representing death or chaos (see picture). So Vietnam could be an amazing experience, but also really bad. Like, someone could die. Or alternatively, "you might feel emotionally like your world is crumbling around you." Hmm.

3. Poland: This one had the most straightforward positive cards; however, nothing really remarkable about it. The main reason I'm interested in Poland is that I would be so close to the rest of Europe, and Poland currently has the highest demand for English teachers in Europe. But hey, Europe is overrated. OK, maybe not overrated, but there are so many equally awesome parts of the world.

So while it was definitely need to get another kind of input on where I should apply for jobs, the tarot cards didn't help me narrow things down too much. Oh well. I think a lot of this kind of thing should be placed on chance, and adapting to whatever presents itself.

Yes, I am a music elitist, thank you VERY MUCH

Freakin' "iLike Music Challenge." Just because I don't know which Usher song that is, or that Taking Back Sunday song, or who sings that bland, cliched techno song (Oh, it's Madonna? I should have known! NOT!) I don't think my lack of knowledge about these "artists" should classify me as a "music novice." I got all the ones about the Rolling Stones, RHCP, Nirvana, and the White Stripes right!

How DARE they?!?