scrunchies and headbands

Currently enjoying my cousin's 90's RnB Mix. Nice mix, Mark.

What is it about those 90s beats... I've been in such an "old school" mood lately. One Saturday I went a little to crazy downloading, but now I can make some sick mixes via iTunes Genius. =)

I wonder what my kids will think about the music I grew up with...

something new.

HOT YOGA - my new "addiction".

Really, it's ten 90-minute sessions for 10 dollars. Quite the deal, huh?

At the end of your ten sessions (or one month), they offer you a three-month unlimited package for $300 after tax.

I wish I could just waste electricity, heat our extra room to 105 degrees w/ 60% humidity, and do this all myself... but alas, I cannot. We'll see how the 10 sessions go and whether or not it's really worth keeping up... on top of dance.

----
The Connection Performing Arts Center in Mukilteo - a new dance spot.

Tonight I ventured out into the dark and rainy night to take a class in mukilteo. it's about a 20-minute drive up 405. (yes... we have a 405, too)

I really enjoyed the vibe I got from the studio, and I'm curious to take some classes by other choreographers. Ron - an instructor at KDC - also teaches at The Connection. He's amazing... I am really glad to be moving again. Just trying to keep up w/ the ever-changing styles of hiphop... it's a challenge all its own. Well, several.

I just want to dance. It is probably one of the best things I'm doing for myself up here. It keeps me happy, and healthy, and it makes Washington feel like home.

----
An New Driver's License as of 11.07.08

Last Friday, I surrendered my CA Driver's License... =/ It was such a weird feeling. Just signing it away, but it had to be done.

There are only a few things left to do before I become a full Washingtonian.
1) File taxes to Washington State
2) Buy deicer for my car in the winter
3) Start sunless tanning...

I hope that day never comes.

----
And last but not least, a new president.

Words really cannot express the joy (and relief) that I felt last Tuesday evening. The hope. The confidence. The pride. 11.04.08 No one will ever forget.

Be the change you wish to the see in the world. It will take all our efforts to make this country what it ought to be.

at your best.

Genius Playlist: At Your Best You Are Love

At Your Best You Are Love - Aaliyah
Red Light Special - TLC
Brokenhearted - Brandy
Hold On - En Vogue
Need U Bad - Jazmine Sullivan
If I Had My Way - Chrisette Michelle
Kiss of Life - Sade
Magic - Robin Thicke
Falsetto - The Dream
That Girl - Stevie Wonder
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart - Al Green/Joss Stone
Miss Independent - Ne-Yo
Angel of Mine - Monica
Free - Mya
I'm So Into You - SWV
Life To Me - Estelle
Sending My Love - Zhane
I Love Me Some Him - Toni Braxton
Full Moon - Brandy
Is It a Crime - Sade
Giving Him Something He Can Feel - En Vogue
No Scrubs - TLC
Bust Your Windows - Jazmine Sullivan
Turn Down the Lights - Shanice
Before You Walk Out Of My Life - Monica

Genius Playlist: Black and Gold

Black & Gold - Sam Sparro
Wow - Kylie Minogue
Better in Time - Leona Lewis
Real Girl - Mutya Buena
Just Dance - Lady Gaga & Colby O'Donis
Love Song - Sara Bareilles
See You Again - Miley Cyrus
Damaged - Danity Kane
Geraldine - Glasvegas
How Deep Is Your Love - The Bird and the Bee
I Love Your Smile - Shanice
Addicted - Saving Abel
Versions of Violence - Alanis Morissette
The Greatest - Michelle Williams
So Sick - Natasha feat. Clipse
Sick - Sam Sparro
Hometown Glory - Adele
Give It 2 Me - Madonna
Footprints in the Sand - Leona Lewis
Stepping Stone - Duffy
When I Grow Up - The Pussycat Dolls
Break The Ice - Britney Spears
Disturbia - Rihanna
Hot N Cold - Katy Perry
So What - Pink

Genius Playlist: Two Worlds Collide

Two Worlds Collide - Demi Lovato
Full Circle - Miley Cyrus
Bottle Pop - The Pussycat Dolls feat. Snoop Dog
Look Through My Eyes - Everlife
T-shirt - Shontelle
Poetry - Danity Kane
Ready, Set, Go! - Tokio Hotel
Take a Bow - Leona Lewis
The Show - Lenka
Walking on Air - Kerli
Disturbia - Rihanna
Dream - Priscilla Ahn
On the Line - Demi Lovato feat. Jonas Brothers
Heartbeat - Madonna
Last Words - The Real Tuesday Weld
Melt My Heart To Stone - Adele
Strict Machine - Goldfrapp
The Driveway - Miley Cyrus
Black & Gold - Sam Sparro
I Hate This Part - The Pussycat Dolls
If You Can Afford Me - Katy Perry
I'll Try - Jesse McCartney
Bad Girl - Danity Kane/Missy Elliott
Yesterday - Leona Lewis
Feelings Show - Colbie Caillat

to the newly-ordained

believe what you read.
teach what you believe.
practice what you teach.

Haute Mess

Looking forward to this tomorrow night.

185.2 - slow week

185.4

The truth about tampons

forwarded from Cesca:

Use of sanitary for more than 3 hours can cause cervical cancer & bacteria infection.

FOR THOSE OF US WHO USE SANITARY NAPKINS/PADS:

IF u ever wondered what were the ingredients that made popular brands so
'free! and light and carefree', well here's the bit:

The material that makes the pad so paper THIN , is cellulose gel. YEap,
it's not even cotton…

DO NOT wear the same pad for more than 3 hours of a maximum. After
this duration, the genital area is prone to bacterial action and may
result in cervical cancer or other complications.

REMEMBER! NEVER NEVER NEVER WEAR THE SAME PAD FOR MORE THAN 3 HOURS!!!

SO yes, please pass on this message to as many women as possible and
save lives!!!!!!!!!!

If you are a woman and use pads, but especially if you use tampons,

Read this and pass it on to your friends.

For the men receiving this email,
please forward it to your friends, significant others, wife, sisters, mothers,
daughters, etc.) Thanks!

Check the labels of the sanitary pads or tampons that you are going to
buy the next time and see whether you spot any of the familiar signs
stated in this email.

No wonder so many women in the world suffer from cervical cancer and
womb tumors. Have you heard that tampon makers include asbestos in
tampons? Why would they do this?

Because asbestos makes you bleed more, if you bleed more, you're going
to need to use more. Why isn't this against the law since asbestos is so
dangerous? Because the powers that be, in all their wisdom (not), did
not consider tampons as being ingested, and, therefore, didn't consider
them illegal or dangerous.
This month's Essence magazine has small article about this and they
mention two manufacturers of a cotton tampon alternative. The companies
are: Organic Essentials @1-800) 765-6491 and Terra Femme @(800)755-0212.

A woman getting her Ph.D. at University of Colorado at Boulder sent the
following: 'I am writing this because women are not being informed about
the dangers of something most of us use: tampons. I am taking a class
this month and I have been learning a lot about biology and women,
including much about feminine hygiene. Recently we have learned that
tampons are actually dangerous (for other reasons than TSS ). I'll tell
you this - after learning about this in our class, most of the females
wound up feeling angry and upset with the tampon industry, and I for
one, am going to do something about it To start, I want to inform
everyone I can, and email is the fastest way that I know how


HERE IS THE SCOOP…
Tampons contain two things that are potentially harmf ul: Rayon (for
absorbency), and dioxin (a chemical used in bleaching the products).. The
tampon industry is convi nced that we, as women, need bleached white
products in order to view the product as pure and clean. The problem
here is that the dioxin, which is produced in this bleaching process,
can lead to very harmful problems for a woman. Dioxin is potentially
carcinogenic cancer-associated)and is toxic to the immune and
reproductive systems. It has also been linked to endometriosis and lower
sperm counts for men. For both sexes, it breaks down the immune system.


Last September, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that
there really is no set 'acceptable' level of exposure to dioxin given
that it is cumulative and slow to disintegrate. The real danger comes
from repeated contact Karen Couppert 'Pulling the Plug on the Tampon
Industry'). I'd say using about 4-5 tampons a day, five days a month,
for 38 menstruating years is 'repeated contact', wouldn't y! ou? Rayon
contributes to the danger of tampons and dioxin because it is a highly
absorbent substance. Therefore, when fibers from the tampons are left
behind in the vagina (as usually occurs), it creates a breeding ground
for the dioxin. It also stays in a lot longer than it would with just
cotton tampons. This is also the reason why TSS (toxic shock syndrome)
occurs.

WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?

Using feminine hygiene products that aren't bleached and that are all
cotton. Other feminine hygiene products
(pads/napkins) contain dioxin as well, but they are not nearly as
dangerous since they are not in direct contact with the vagina. The
pads/napkins need to stop being bleached, but, obviously, tampons are
the most dangerous.


So, what can you do if you can't give up using tampons? Use tampons that
are made from 100% cotton, and that are UNBLEACHED. Unfortunately, there
are very few companies that make these safe tampons. They are usually
only found in health food stores.


Countries all over the world ( Sweden , Germany , British Columbia , etc.)
have demanded a switch to this safer tampon, while the U.S. has decided
to keep us in the dark about it. In 1989, activists in England mounted a
campaign against chlorine bleaching. Six weeks and 50,000 letters later,
the makers of sanitary products switched to oxygen bleaching (one of the
green methods available) (MS magazine, May/June 1995).

WHAT TO DO NOW?
Tell people. Everyone. Inform them. We are being manipulated by this
industry and the government, let's do something about it! Please write
to the companies: Tampax(Tambrands), Playtex, O.B. , Kotex. Call the 800
numbers listed on the boxes. Let them know that we demand a safe product
ALL COTTON UNBLEACHED TAMPONS.

References:
1 Women Health Issues - Thrush

start a new fashion: wear your heart on your sleeve

I am the kind of person who is very open with their feelings. You can tell by the look on my face what I'm feeling. Happy. Sad. Frustrated. Anxious. Relaxed. It's all really cut-n-dry with me.

I am the kind of person who would open up to a stranger. I feel that by giving up a piece of me, I welcome others to give a piece of themselves. It doesn't need to be uber-personal, but it needs to be real. Otherwise, how can I expect others to be real with me.

I am the kind of person who thinks with their head and their heart. And although the two don't always agree, I tend to go with the side that is inherently right. This is where the conscience comes in.

If I'm not careful, I can create a heavy heart of my own to carry--full of guilt, regret, what-ifs. And as my record shows... I'm not as careful as I really should be.

So where is all of this coming from...

It's actually coming from a recent affectation with Disney. Disney characters. Disney storylines. Disney songs. Specifically, some recent iTunes downloads have triggered a specific memory:

Back in June, I traveled down to SoCal w/ PASAE and we spent a Saturday at Disneyland. At the end of the day, we stood in front of Cinderella's castle for the fireworks show. Standing there, surrounded by some of my closest friends, in the happiest place on earth... I stood in awe. There was something in the air. The lights. The music. The memories. Emotions seemed to flood into me. It was like a call back to innocence. A call back to what is simple and right and true. A call back to joy and happiness and hope. And in all of this, what really struck me is how my life is not simple, not even a little bit.

I left feeling half-inspired half-disappointed... in myself.

And why?

It made me realize (again) how I had changed so much from my childhood & adolescence.

The hope. The smiles. The joy... Critically diminished.

My dreams. My aspirations. My goals... Harder to attain.

My friends. My family. My community... Becoming more distant

So after that trip, I tried turning things around. Getting involved. Being pro-active. Opening up. Accepting life for what it is. Accepting people for who they are. Accepting myself for who I am--but not being satisfied with that.

Content, but not satisfied.

So here I am, wearing my heart on my sleeve, sharing myself through a blog. Not knowing what you will do with this information... but hoping that in opening up to you indirectly, you might want to open up to me.

Life is about learning about yourself and others... I don't want to be living a half-life.

on my way

It is a rainy Saturday in Seattle. I am at work supervising 3 crews. There's a 30-foot wall being poured, another one being formed, and scaffolding going up for another tank. It'll be a 10-hour day for sure.

I should be home just in time to shower and get ready for the Alicia Keys concert tonight. Woo!

So... I've officially lost 1/5 of my target weight loss for the year! Awesome! I'm about 2 months behind due to some major slackage... but I must say that I do feel good. Working out everyday and making healthy food choices is what I can attribute it all to. No fad diets... no cleansing... just hard work and smart choices.

The alcohol intake is also at a low... which is good considering my experience on Aug 23. holy moly... what a night. And I've been dining out less. All of this is very good for my wallet, too.

-------------------------------------------------------

I been thinking about going back to school after Brightwater. I don't know what my next move will be with Kiewit, but I'm seriously considering a Masters in CM or getting an MBA. After which, I would gladly come back to work with Kiewit. I've really grown to enjoy the company. I see our growth potential.. and I see mine, too. Heck... we're looking at work in Dubai... crazy right?! But pretty exciting. One reason I initially signed w/ the NorCal district is because I thought I'd be able to stay in the Bay Area. Lo and behold, I'm now in Seattle. A lot of the district work is in Canada now, too. The opportunities to travel are really tempting. I'm young, not married, no kids... this is the time to do it. It's exciting for me just thinking about what the next 4 or 5 years will be like as long as I stay focused, work hard, and strive for continual growth.

I've done a lot of training w/ the company over the past 3 months. It was great to come back to the bay for each training and spend time at home, watch some TFC, catch up with my sisters, hangout w/ the guys, and be with Chris. I can say that I haven't really felt homesick up here because I was able to come back so much. I racked up some major mileage points this summer... perhaps these will be applied for a vegas trip in january... sweet!

It's been crazy and hectic... just the way I like it. Work just seems to move faster and faster. I love being outside where the action is happening... figuring out how it all gets done... making sure it gets done on time... chopping it up with the crews. I'm learning so much. I usually get in a 10-11 hour day and rush over to Kirkland Dance Center for 1-2 hours of dance.

Dance.... *sigh*

So I started taking classes at KDC in August. For the first two weeks, I was just testing out the waters, seeing what the choreographers were like, and seeing what my own levels were. A month and a half into it, I'm taking about 7 classes a week. On Monday I've got a hip hop and a contemporary class. On Tuesday, lyrical jazz. Wednesday, lyrical jazz & cardio hip hop. Thursday, "girly" hip hop & jazz (or strip aerobics... lol). I'm also participating in the Nov. 15 charity show and we have rehearsals on Friday. I think I'm gonna be in about 3 pieces--all hiphop. Very excited! There is just something about dance that melts all my work-related stress away. I don't think I'll ever stop dancing.

So that's where I'm at after being in Washington for 7.5 months. Back to doing the things I love: challenging myself professionally, physically, and emotionally.

yes... challenging myself emotionally... sounds weird... but it's true. sometimes you need to dig into yourself to get your better self out. and sometimes you need to dig into others to get their better selves

k.i.t.
peace.

taking the weekend to slow it down

The past few weeks have got me spinnin'...

Actually... it was really the entire month of June.

From 10 hour concrete pours, to day excursions to Portland, to flying back into the bay for training, Disneyland roadtrip w/ PASAE, getting sick, and hitting Sin City last weekend... I am exhausted.

So, I'm taking this weekend to do hella loads of laundry & clean this house like mad.

Didn't do much exploring in June, but I have learned that there is a HUGE tunnel in Snoqualmie. It's about 6 miles long & people hike it all the time. I'm thinking about finding a group to do this with.

So some random updates:
1. I have made friends with my roommates deep fryer... Tempura rocks!

2. I'll be back in the bay in July, twice in August, in September, twice in November, and in December. Half of those trips are on the company dime. =) Woo! In 2009, I will not be so lucky. Instead of Concord, I'll be doing training in Omaha... I ain't never been to the Midwest (unless you count the Chicago O'Hare International Airport).

3. Still haven't found my limit........ still haven't found the right time or place either.

4. Taking swim lessons this month... Scared I'm still a sinker and not a floater.

5. I think I have a nail stuck in my tire. The airpressure light goes on every two or three weeks....

6. Looking for new car insurance... any suggestions?

7. Can't decide whether I want the iPhone or just another one of those smartphones... Gonna make the switch to AT&T pretty soon, which means I will have a new phone number... crikey. I hella like my number now, but it's T-Mobile.

8. Don't forget folks... NO CELL PHONES IN HAND WHILE DRIVING! Get bluetooth! It's the law.