My Obsession with Egypt...

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My Obsession with Egypt...

I have always had a slight obsession with everything Egypt, ever since I was very little and started learning about Ancient Egypt in school. I'm not sure exactly why and I actually had almost forgotten about it until I picked up a book I had bought a while ago in Target because it was on sale. (Yes, I often buy books just because they are on sale and for no other reason.)

The book was called Nefertiti and the author's name is Michelle Moran. The author is an archeologist and after exploring and unearthing many artifacts in Egypt, decided to write a book about Ancient Egypt.

Not only are her books almost historically accurate, they are thrilling to read. Obviously we don't know everything about Ancient Times, but what we do know has been incorporated into an amazing work of fiction.


I have devoured her first book Nefertiti and just recently finished The Heretic Queen. (The sequel to Nefertiti.)

I just started Cleopatra's Daughter and I'm so excited to read about an entirely different era of Egypt and Rome.

Even though I have never been a real fan of history as a subject, when put into a personal context (like when reading about Ancient Egypt through a spurned princess' eyes) it's much easier for me to enjoy. 

I would definitely recommend giving them a look if you like historical fiction or Ancient Egypt :)

How To Peel A Banana Like A Monkey

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How To Peel A Banana Like A Monkey

Everyone should know how to do this. Watch and learn people.

Introducing the Chromebook

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Introducing the Chromebook

My Mom's netbook recently got wet, so I told her she should get a Chromebook. Of course, she didn't know what that was, so I found her this video released by Google to help her understand.

The video enforces why I love Google so much. Their incredible sense of humor that makes this video not only informative but actually interesting to watch, is great.

Chromebooks are currently being pre-ordered, the model I want my Mom to get, being released mid-July, according to Amazon:



They're definitely worth taking a look into if you need a handy, portable, computer to do internet tasks. (Which is all my Mom needs it for.)

Daddy

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Daddy

 My Dad is the best…




























He builds me things:

My Desk!

He comes home with awesome metal Nemos for decoration by our pool… (He made that by the way…)

He collects these things:

(Those are slot cars, just in case you didn't know.)

He used to own one of these:

He takes amazing pictures: 

but he loses sunset picture taking contests: (TO ME.)



He's a funny, talented, awesome, dad.

And he's mine.

Love you Daddy.

So You Think You Can Dance Season 8 Is HOT!

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So You Think You Can Dance Season 8 Is HOT!

Melanie has been my favorite this season every since I saw her solo audition:



She appears to dance in water…it's amazing.

Lil' C says, "Zeus himself would invite you to dance on Olympus…"


Marko is my favorite boy in the top 20, he was shot and the bullet is still lodged in his shoulder!



They're both amazingly graceful and acrobatic, without being gymnastic…to watch them dance together just made me want to get up off the couch and dance myself.

Not to mention Travis Wall's choreography of their statue piece was ridiculously beautiful and a piece I could watch on repeat forever…

Enjoy!

The Gratitude Bracelet By Jason Mraz on EnergyMuse

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The Gratitude Bracelet By Jason Mraz on EnergyMuse

The Gratitude Bracelet, designed by Jason Mraz and sold on EnergyMuse is something I have wanted since I heard about it through Jason's RSS feed. Not only is it beautiful, but the message behind it is amazing: 

"This Energy Muse piece is worn to align with our practice of Gratitude. Gratitude is that which shifts our attention back to love, abundance, and the divine qualities we have within us. As we express our gratitude awareness grows. Gratitude is what takes you to the next level. 

This Energy Muse piece, co-created by Jason Mraz is inspired by Café Gratitude, a school of transformation guised as a raw food restaurant. This piece is made with Bayong Wood, which represents the trees that stand patiently rooted into the earth, being of service to many as their green tops transform carbon dioxide into oxygen. Wood is featured in settings of 5 – the number of transformation – a reminder that we are always growing and unfolding; our life a constant transformation. 

The four multicolored stones Picture Jasper, Yellow Jasper, Tigers Eye and Onyx represent the people of the world, reminding us to honor the communities thru which we wander and embrace unity within diversity. By wrapping the bracelet twice, we can see the harmony within duality, we can acknowledge the masculine and feminine energies necessary for all creatures, and we can honor those generations that came before us and those that will come after us. “I am grateful for my family.”

The clear yellow stone Citrine surrounding the multicolored stones represents holding the community of the world’s people together, symbolizing being able to see beyond discrimination and prejudice. “We shift your attention from what’s distracting you back to love and gratitude. I am grateful for everything I see, and everything I don’t see.”

The Turquoise and Malachite together create a powerful energy combination for healing. They are considered the Master Healing Stones. “I am grateful for my health.”

Just as the food at Café Gratitude is prepared with love, so too is this jewelry. With this piece you are invited to enjoy being someone that chooses: loving your life, adoring yourself, accepting the world, being generous and grateful every day, and experiencing being provided for.

By purchasing the Gratitude Bracelet you are supporting the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers. They are an inspiring group of 13 grandmothers from across the globe that have committed themselves to traveling the world sharing their wisdom and delivering prayers of peace and unity for all peoples.

To learn more about the council visit: 

www.grandmotherscouncil.org"

Twitch. Bones. Couldn't make a better combo.

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Twitch. Bones. Couldn't make a better combo.

UPDATE: This video with Twitch and Alex Wong from SYTYCD is AMAZING. I can't stop watching it!! Ahhh!!!

Just saying.

The Finder. New show coming to Fox.

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The Finder. New show coming to Fox.

Jason Mraz: 3-18-2011; Journal Repost

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Jason Mraz: 3-18-2011; Journal Repost

Naturally, I subscribe to Jason Mraz's RSS feed. Sometimes there's updates about shows and appearances, but mostly it's journal entries from Jason. 


This particular entry really stuck with me. It was written right after the tsunamis and earthquakes in Japan. The way he writes is not only beautiful, but haunting.

Enjoy and check out his full feed at his website.


"There's about a 5 second delay from the time I switch gears to when the chain actually falls onto the next sprocket of my bike. Those 2 seconds feel like 20 and in that short amount of time I know all is about to get better in the world. Because I know that the difficulty level is about get easier, I mash-down harder on the pedals and make my whole body burn as I progress uphill. I never stop. I just get a little help from innovative technology. 


Since buying a bicycle I'm putting about 35 miles a week in the bike lane. I bought it to join others who ride, but it actually woke me up to how much money and fuel I'm saving besides getting tons of exercise.From my house to the grocery store is a little over 4 miles one way. From there I can merge onto a trail that's just a 7-mile jaunt to the beach. Once I'm on the coast, anything's possible. A round trip to Jitter's - my favorite coffee shop, is exactly "23" miles - another reason to love it. The doozie of every journey is always the last two miles home - of which I live near the top of 3 hills. But that climb is already getting less difficult thanks mostly to my enthusiasm to endure and again, some radical technology in my bike's gears. 


This morning I stood on the beach looking out at the wash of the surf, currents pulling the water in every direction, waves looking fun at the line-up, birds in large numbers feeding on something peculiar just outside the break. Something didn't sit right with me. Call it caution. Maybe it's paranoia. Maybe it's preparation. I felt called to head inland back to my house.Japan's story has been on my mind a lot. The quake/tsunami/nuclear disaster is a reminder that we do NOT live on a human's planet - but that we are a guest here. With man-made ports destroyed, Japan residents and workers do not have access to fuel therefore have little means to transport food to the hundreds of thousands in need. 


I was disappointed when Obama said Nuclear is an important part of our energy future. Besides the general pollution that oil and nuclear contribute, the past year has demonstrated just how bad it can get with the oil spill in the gulf and now the nuclear radiation being pumped into the atmosphere. 


Honda issued a statement that they won't be able to open many factories until May. Wow. Who gives a shit about new cars? I'd love to see the large governments and industry such as auto and military put JUST A YEAR into developing the green SUSTAINABLE technology that could power our homes and cars and help us gain access to fresh food and FRESH AIR. Clearly NUCLEAR is NOT sustainable. And while oil is cheap and seemingly plentiful, neither is it going to help us sustain and maintain a healthy life on the surface of the earth. 


Good bye fish. Good bye grandma. I live about 15 miles from the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant. If the situation in Japan had happened here in California, my life would be no different from theirs. I am not above this disaster. I am only here today by circumstance. I'm sure converting everyone and everything to natural resources, wind and solar, etc might seem like a long climb uphill which many of us look at and say, why bother when we can just drive around the mountain? 


But I believe in the power of positive doing and I know once we start pedaling up that hill, our muscles will develop, we'll draft off each other, and we'll make it look so damn easy that it will be the normal thing to do in future generations. All we have to do is switch gears and go for it."


~Jason Mraz