By: Shira Howerton
Loud and proud you go
Spewing out hot air
Barely warming tip to toe
Louder if you dare
I’ll flip the switch
Cold I will be
Rather huddle and bitch
Then deal with your hypocrisy
Mock me if you will
I don’t care
Just remember who pays the bill
Mock me if you dare
Your glory days be through
I’m done with all this talk
I prefer wood and match to you
Now good-bye, off you go to sulk
Copyright © 2008 www.shirahowerton.blogspot.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
"Heard at last, heard at last, thank god almighty, we were heard at last."
I don't know what else to call it but the most momentous event in the history of our nation. We asked for change, and change we were granted. Obama set a clear path towards the White House, and didn't stagger once. He was doubted and trampled on by the press, but he persevered. There were so many of us that knew our vote would count. We didn't back down from this challenge, we blogged, we talked and we urged people to listen. And they did.
The new first family is beautiful. They add to the change that will be forever cemented in America's history. Today I am proud to be a woman of color and I am proud to be an American.
The new first family is beautiful. They add to the change that will be forever cemented in America's history. Today I am proud to be a woman of color and I am proud to be an American.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Angst
By: Shira Howerton
Entering the unknown
Not knowing which way to turn
Doubt creeps in
Left, right, each way makes me numb
Confident, yet foolhardy
I want it all
Steady those feet
One after the other
I reach up to push away distraction
Thrusting my self-worth down a beaten path
Am I going in the right direction-
No one can know but me
I want to run, but I walk
Too fast and amiss something may be
Almost there I can taste it
Success pushing through the tangled web
Copyright © 2008 www.shirahowerton.blogspot.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
Entering the unknown
Not knowing which way to turn
Doubt creeps in
Left, right, each way makes me numb
Confident, yet foolhardy
I want it all
Steady those feet
One after the other
I reach up to push away distraction
Thrusting my self-worth down a beaten path
Am I going in the right direction-
No one can know but me
I want to run, but I walk
Too fast and amiss something may be
Almost there I can taste it
Success pushing through the tangled web
Copyright © 2008 www.shirahowerton.blogspot.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
Monday, October 13, 2008
3 Weeks To Go!!!
Obama! Obama! Obama! I know that shouting out one's political alliance isn't the quintessential thing to do, but with three weeks to go until the most important national election of my lifetime, I feel I am justified.
The polls keep fluctuating, the media's hodgepodge of information spins me around in a dizzied frenzy and SNL writers are typing up skits quicker then I can say, "Obama Mama." I don't want to go on a crazy Obama supporting rant, but I will say, do your research, know who the candidate you want in office is and what they stand for. You have a very powerful tool, the power to voice your opinion by voting.
You don't have to listen to me, but if the past eight years of republican hoopla are any indication of what another four some odd years of McCain would do in the White House, then stand up with me and say, "We want change!"
The polls keep fluctuating, the media's hodgepodge of information spins me around in a dizzied frenzy and SNL writers are typing up skits quicker then I can say, "Obama Mama." I don't want to go on a crazy Obama supporting rant, but I will say, do your research, know who the candidate you want in office is and what they stand for. You have a very powerful tool, the power to voice your opinion by voting.
You don't have to listen to me, but if the past eight years of republican hoopla are any indication of what another four some odd years of McCain would do in the White House, then stand up with me and say, "We want change!"
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Sarah Palin is a Nut Job!
I had to re-post this article!!:
The Sorrow and the PityWhen it comes to foreign policy, Sarah Palin doesn't know what she's talking about.
By Fred KaplanPosted Friday, Sept. 12, 2008, at 1:43 PM
Judging from the interview shown Thursday on ABC's World News and Nightline, there are several appropriate responses to watching Sarah Palin answer Charlie Gibson's questions on foreign policy and national security—sorrow, pity, incredulity, fear.
Gov. Palin was obviously briefed by Sen. John McCain's advisers, and briefed fairly well. She recited what were plainly the main points of these tutorials with an assertive confidence familiar to those who engaged in high-school debate competitions.
But it was painfully obvious—from the rote nature of her responses, the repetitions of hammered-home phrases, and the non sequiturs that leapt up when she found herself led around an unfamiliar bend—that there is not a millimeter of depth undergirding those recitations, that she had never given a moment's thought to these matters before two weeks ago.
And why should she have? As governor of Alaska, nothing in her line of duties has compelled her to pay attention to such matters—and that is precisely the point.
It is stunning that Palin, McCain, and their spin masters persist in claiming that she has experience in foreign affairs by dint of governing a state that borders Russia.
Let's be clear about the nature of this border. Alaska's farthest-flung islands, along the Bering Strait, come close to the Chukchi Peninsula of Chukotka, an autonomous region of Russia on the country's northeastern tip—as far from Moscow as New York is—whose 50,000 residents are best known to most Russians as the subject of off-color jokes involving cannibals.
There are no issues between the United States and Russia in this region, except for the occasional tussle over fishing rights (in which, even so, Gov. Palin has never involved herself). No one entertains the remotest fantasy of, say, Russia invading North America through the Bering Strait.
When Palin brought up her proximity to Russia ("They're our next-door neighbor," she proclaimed), Gibson asked what insights she derived from this fact. She replied:
Well, I'm giving you that perspective of how small our world is and how important it is that we work with our allies to keep good relations with all of these countries, especially Russia. We will not repeat a Cold War. We must have good relations with our allies, pressuring also, helping us to remind Russia that it is their benefit, also, a mutually beneficial relationship for us all to be getting along.
What does this mean? I have no idea, and I doubt that she does, either. It doesn't help her argument of wisdom-through-osmosis that she has never been to Russia—or, shockingly really, any country outside North America, until last year, when she visited the troops in Kuwait and Germany. (Her P.S. after admitting she's never met a foreign head of state—that probably a lot of other vice presidents hadn't, either, before taking office—turns out to be untrue. ABC reported Friday morning that every VP since Spiro Agnew had taken such a meeting before getting tapped to be a running mate.)
Gibson asked her if Georgia should be admitted to NATO? She replied, "Ukraine, definitely, yes. Yes, and Georgia." He then asked if this would require us to go to war in response to Russia's invasion. "Perhaps so," she replied, correctly noting that this is what NATO membership entails.
Left unasked was whether, say, if Georgia were admitted right now, NATO would be obliged to go kick the Russians out of those areas that they currently occupy. In fact, it would. Is Palin saying she would go to war, under current conditions, if only there were a legal framework to allow it? It seems so.
Fortunately, the whole issue is a nonstarter because, under NATO's charter, a nation must have firm and recognized borders in order for membership to be so much as considered. Georgia does not have such borders. (The status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia has long been in dispute.)
Palin also, in passing, described Russia's invasion of Georgia as "unprovoked." Gibson interrupted her: "You believe unprovoked?" She affirmed, "I do believe unprovoked." This was an eyebrow-raiser. Almost everyone, even Russia's harshest critics, acknowledges that Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili did, in fact, provoke Putin—even if Putin might have been hoping for a provocation—by attacking South Ossetia first.
Then there was the moment that has caused many jaws to gape—when Gibson asked what she thought of "the Bush Doctrine" and she clearly didn't know what he was talking about. I must confess, this didn't bother me much. Her initial response—"In what respect, Charlie?"—was a fair point. So many Bush doctrines have been promulgated, proved wrong, and abandoned without comment.
What did bother me was that, after Gibson outlined the doctrine's meaning (the right to attack a nation in anticipation of a threat), she didn't answer the question. She said, "If there is legitimate and enough intelligence that tells us that a strike is imminent against American people, we have every right to defend the country." This is true to the point of banality; no one would dispute it. The question is whether it's proper to take armed action not if a strike seems imminent but if preparations seem to be in the works for a possible strike sometime in the future.
The two most shuddering moments, however, came when Palin revealed her character. In a sense, character is more important than a specific bit of knowledge. A person can acquire knowledge. Character defines how much that person values knowledge, how curious she is, how keenly she wants to understand a subject deeply, and what she is likely to do once she achieves this understanding.
Thursday night's interview suggests that Palin doesn't value knowledge much at all, that she puts faith above facts and instincts above thinking.
The first hint of this came at the start of the interview, when Gibson asked if she'd ever doubted her readiness to be vice president. In a way, it was a silly question. She wasn't going to say, "Yes, Charlie, I had many doubts." Still, I'm glad he asked it, because her answer disclosed volumes:
I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can't blink, you have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission, the mission that we're on, reform of this country and victory in the war, you can't blink.
Congratulations to Malcolm Gladwell for contributing another phrase to the popular lexicon, but the thesis of his best-selling book Blink was not that snap decisions are superior to decisions based on careful deliberation. It was that people who have a deep understanding of what they do—for instance, really good surgeons, military commanders, air-traffic controllers, and so forth—often make their best decisions quickly and instinctively.
But if you don't know what you're dealing with, snap decisions can be fatal. And it's very clear, on foreign policy and national security (in addition to much else), Sarah Palin doesn't know what she's dealing with. Worse, she doesn't know how much she doesn't know. She thinks that being "committed to the mission" exempts her from the need to think and that, therefore, firmness alone will yield righteous policy. In the wrong hands, this is a very dangerous trait.
The other spine-chilling moment came when Gibson asked about her recent comment, in a speech at her church, that the war in Iraq is "a task that is from God." (ABC then showed a YouTube clip of the speech.) Palin tried to finesse the question, saying that her remarks were only "a repeat of Abraham Lincoln's words" that we should pray not that God is on our side but that we are on God's side. Gibson didn't back down, noting that she had in fact gone on to say, "There is a plan, and it is God's plan." To this, Palin replied:
I believe that there is a plan for this world and that plan for this world is for good. I believe that there is great hope and great potential for every country to be able to live and be protected with inalienable rights that I believe are God-given, Charlie, and I believe that these are the rights to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That in my worldview is a grand—the grand plan.
Two things came to mind upon hearing her say these words. First, they sound like the earnest answer given by a contestant in a beauty pageant when the M.C. asks her about world peace. (Sorry to seem sexist, but it's true; read it again.)
Second, and more to the point, do we want someone a heartbeat away from the presidency—and a 72-year-old cancer survivor's heartbeat, at that—to possess both impetuousness ("You can't blink") and holy certitude? Isn't that what we've had, actually in the Oval Office, the past eight years?
The Sorrow and the PityWhen it comes to foreign policy, Sarah Palin doesn't know what she's talking about.
By Fred KaplanPosted Friday, Sept. 12, 2008, at 1:43 PM
Judging from the interview shown Thursday on ABC's World News and Nightline, there are several appropriate responses to watching Sarah Palin answer Charlie Gibson's questions on foreign policy and national security—sorrow, pity, incredulity, fear.
Gov. Palin was obviously briefed by Sen. John McCain's advisers, and briefed fairly well. She recited what were plainly the main points of these tutorials with an assertive confidence familiar to those who engaged in high-school debate competitions.
But it was painfully obvious—from the rote nature of her responses, the repetitions of hammered-home phrases, and the non sequiturs that leapt up when she found herself led around an unfamiliar bend—that there is not a millimeter of depth undergirding those recitations, that she had never given a moment's thought to these matters before two weeks ago.
And why should she have? As governor of Alaska, nothing in her line of duties has compelled her to pay attention to such matters—and that is precisely the point.
It is stunning that Palin, McCain, and their spin masters persist in claiming that she has experience in foreign affairs by dint of governing a state that borders Russia.
Let's be clear about the nature of this border. Alaska's farthest-flung islands, along the Bering Strait, come close to the Chukchi Peninsula of Chukotka, an autonomous region of Russia on the country's northeastern tip—as far from Moscow as New York is—whose 50,000 residents are best known to most Russians as the subject of off-color jokes involving cannibals.
There are no issues between the United States and Russia in this region, except for the occasional tussle over fishing rights (in which, even so, Gov. Palin has never involved herself). No one entertains the remotest fantasy of, say, Russia invading North America through the Bering Strait.
When Palin brought up her proximity to Russia ("They're our next-door neighbor," she proclaimed), Gibson asked what insights she derived from this fact. She replied:
Well, I'm giving you that perspective of how small our world is and how important it is that we work with our allies to keep good relations with all of these countries, especially Russia. We will not repeat a Cold War. We must have good relations with our allies, pressuring also, helping us to remind Russia that it is their benefit, also, a mutually beneficial relationship for us all to be getting along.
What does this mean? I have no idea, and I doubt that she does, either. It doesn't help her argument of wisdom-through-osmosis that she has never been to Russia—or, shockingly really, any country outside North America, until last year, when she visited the troops in Kuwait and Germany. (Her P.S. after admitting she's never met a foreign head of state—that probably a lot of other vice presidents hadn't, either, before taking office—turns out to be untrue. ABC reported Friday morning that every VP since Spiro Agnew had taken such a meeting before getting tapped to be a running mate.)
Gibson asked her if Georgia should be admitted to NATO? She replied, "Ukraine, definitely, yes. Yes, and Georgia." He then asked if this would require us to go to war in response to Russia's invasion. "Perhaps so," she replied, correctly noting that this is what NATO membership entails.
Left unasked was whether, say, if Georgia were admitted right now, NATO would be obliged to go kick the Russians out of those areas that they currently occupy. In fact, it would. Is Palin saying she would go to war, under current conditions, if only there were a legal framework to allow it? It seems so.
Fortunately, the whole issue is a nonstarter because, under NATO's charter, a nation must have firm and recognized borders in order for membership to be so much as considered. Georgia does not have such borders. (The status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia has long been in dispute.)
Palin also, in passing, described Russia's invasion of Georgia as "unprovoked." Gibson interrupted her: "You believe unprovoked?" She affirmed, "I do believe unprovoked." This was an eyebrow-raiser. Almost everyone, even Russia's harshest critics, acknowledges that Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili did, in fact, provoke Putin—even if Putin might have been hoping for a provocation—by attacking South Ossetia first.
Then there was the moment that has caused many jaws to gape—when Gibson asked what she thought of "the Bush Doctrine" and she clearly didn't know what he was talking about. I must confess, this didn't bother me much. Her initial response—"In what respect, Charlie?"—was a fair point. So many Bush doctrines have been promulgated, proved wrong, and abandoned without comment.
What did bother me was that, after Gibson outlined the doctrine's meaning (the right to attack a nation in anticipation of a threat), she didn't answer the question. She said, "If there is legitimate and enough intelligence that tells us that a strike is imminent against American people, we have every right to defend the country." This is true to the point of banality; no one would dispute it. The question is whether it's proper to take armed action not if a strike seems imminent but if preparations seem to be in the works for a possible strike sometime in the future.
The two most shuddering moments, however, came when Palin revealed her character. In a sense, character is more important than a specific bit of knowledge. A person can acquire knowledge. Character defines how much that person values knowledge, how curious she is, how keenly she wants to understand a subject deeply, and what she is likely to do once she achieves this understanding.
Thursday night's interview suggests that Palin doesn't value knowledge much at all, that she puts faith above facts and instincts above thinking.
The first hint of this came at the start of the interview, when Gibson asked if she'd ever doubted her readiness to be vice president. In a way, it was a silly question. She wasn't going to say, "Yes, Charlie, I had many doubts." Still, I'm glad he asked it, because her answer disclosed volumes:
I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can't blink, you have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission, the mission that we're on, reform of this country and victory in the war, you can't blink.
Congratulations to Malcolm Gladwell for contributing another phrase to the popular lexicon, but the thesis of his best-selling book Blink was not that snap decisions are superior to decisions based on careful deliberation. It was that people who have a deep understanding of what they do—for instance, really good surgeons, military commanders, air-traffic controllers, and so forth—often make their best decisions quickly and instinctively.
But if you don't know what you're dealing with, snap decisions can be fatal. And it's very clear, on foreign policy and national security (in addition to much else), Sarah Palin doesn't know what she's dealing with. Worse, she doesn't know how much she doesn't know. She thinks that being "committed to the mission" exempts her from the need to think and that, therefore, firmness alone will yield righteous policy. In the wrong hands, this is a very dangerous trait.
The other spine-chilling moment came when Gibson asked about her recent comment, in a speech at her church, that the war in Iraq is "a task that is from God." (ABC then showed a YouTube clip of the speech.) Palin tried to finesse the question, saying that her remarks were only "a repeat of Abraham Lincoln's words" that we should pray not that God is on our side but that we are on God's side. Gibson didn't back down, noting that she had in fact gone on to say, "There is a plan, and it is God's plan." To this, Palin replied:
I believe that there is a plan for this world and that plan for this world is for good. I believe that there is great hope and great potential for every country to be able to live and be protected with inalienable rights that I believe are God-given, Charlie, and I believe that these are the rights to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That in my worldview is a grand—the grand plan.
Two things came to mind upon hearing her say these words. First, they sound like the earnest answer given by a contestant in a beauty pageant when the M.C. asks her about world peace. (Sorry to seem sexist, but it's true; read it again.)
Second, and more to the point, do we want someone a heartbeat away from the presidency—and a 72-year-old cancer survivor's heartbeat, at that—to possess both impetuousness ("You can't blink") and holy certitude? Isn't that what we've had, actually in the Oval Office, the past eight years?
Friday, September 12, 2008
Sarah Palin: The Anti-Celebrity
POSTED BY: Karen Lurie and Eric March
Credit to: www.comedycentral.com/shows/colbertreport
This summer, John McCain's campaign produced an ad calling Barack Obama the biggest celebrity in the world and equating him with Paris Hilton. This was meant to sting, since celebrities are out of touch with things like small-town values. That's why there are no celebrities in the McCain campaign. Take Sarah Palin. Why, in just the last two weeks she has...
...sensibly graced the covers of Vogue, Time, OK!, US Weekly and The National Enquirer;
...homespun-edly pulled down the highest ratings of anyone in convention coverage history;
...industriously turned Joe Biden into the drama-free vice presidential candidate;
...rolled up her sleeves to make millions for hard-working lens manufacturers;
...and inspired a line of super hero/school girl action figures, just like your grandma from Kenosha.
Yep, it's a good thing Sarah Palin is just a down-to-Earth hockey mom and not a celebrity, like Barack Obama.
Credit to: www.comedycentral.com/shows/colbertreport
This summer, John McCain's campaign produced an ad calling Barack Obama the biggest celebrity in the world and equating him with Paris Hilton. This was meant to sting, since celebrities are out of touch with things like small-town values. That's why there are no celebrities in the McCain campaign. Take Sarah Palin. Why, in just the last two weeks she has...
...sensibly graced the covers of Vogue, Time, OK!, US Weekly and The National Enquirer;
...homespun-edly pulled down the highest ratings of anyone in convention coverage history;
...industriously turned Joe Biden into the drama-free vice presidential candidate;
...rolled up her sleeves to make millions for hard-working lens manufacturers;
...and inspired a line of super hero/school girl action figures, just like your grandma from Kenosha.
Yep, it's a good thing Sarah Palin is just a down-to-Earth hockey mom and not a celebrity, like Barack Obama.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
Summer Fun
Hangin' out in Santa Maria was a blast. Avila beach in Pismo is gorgeous...I would def. go there again. Chels and I had a lot of fun hangin' with Candace for Madi's 3rd bday =D!
Soakin' up that Cali Sun!
Bday clown face c/o Mindy...too cute
Madi loved the water!
Yum Yum breakfast..great service..umm, maybe not
The best hang out spot Santa Maria has to offer...yee-ha!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Invent Yourself
Lego artist Nathan Sawaya does an amazing job creating pieces of art...out of Lego's!! I really like his story (read it on www.portfolio.com) because he said people told him 'no' and he pushed on. Kudos Mr. Sawaya.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Lovely
I think these rings are gorgeous...they're on my wish list for the future..well, the list that only I know about haha, but I'll post them here so I can look at them fondly and dream whenever I choose ; 0 D
Thursday, July 31, 2008
If You can't Go To The beach-Bring The Beach To You
The other day I really wanted to go to the beach...but alas, there was an enormous amount of traffic on the freeway...which never happens at 1:30 in the afternoon on a Saturday!! So, my friend and I decided we were gonna get in the water one way or another, and we ended up going to raging waters.
I haven't been there in ages, but it was actually quite fun. We rented inner tubes and floated down the lazy river, and bobbed up and down in the wave pool. We didn't venture on the rides, but we did end up buying season passes, (for 20 bucks more, we couldn't pass it up) so we'll back to enjoy our fake beach pretty soon.
I haven't been there in ages, but it was actually quite fun. We rented inner tubes and floated down the lazy river, and bobbed up and down in the wave pool. We didn't venture on the rides, but we did end up buying season passes, (for 20 bucks more, we couldn't pass it up) so we'll back to enjoy our fake beach pretty soon.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
I Want A Beach Day
You know back in high school when it sounded so tempting to have a beach day? Just to skip school and hang out all day...a little rebel without a cause...daring and uninhibited? Of course, I was not a rebel without a cause in high school, and never took a beach day...so I don't really know what that feels like. I do however want to go to the beach soon. I just want one really nice, warm, beautiful day at the beach. Maybe some v-ball, splashing in the water, bbq and tanning fun. Here's hoping for warmer weather and a nice day at the beach in my near future =D
Friday, July 11, 2008
Hands Free Cali
This video is hilarious...you've got to check it out:
http://www.break.com/index/hands-free-safe-drivers.html
Blogger won't let me upload it even though the webpage gives you rights to embed it...lame. Anyhoo, check it out and let me know what you think!
http://www.break.com/index/hands-free-safe-drivers.html
Blogger won't let me upload it even though the webpage gives you rights to embed it...lame. Anyhoo, check it out and let me know what you think!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
All About Will
" The only difference is, I make this look good." -Will SmithTribute to Will on his biggest box office weekend. Read this and then go out and support him by watching Hancock!
Willard Christopher Smith was born on September 25, 1968 in Philadelphia. Astrologically speaking, that day must have some serious pull in the house of fame. He shares a birthday with Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Barbara Walters, Heather Locklear and Christopher Reeve.
Soon after Fresh Prince met DJ Jazzy Jeff at a house party, they were making beautiful -- and commercially viable -- music together. They won the first Grammy ever for Best Rap Performance in 1989 for “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” In 1991, they repeated their success with “Summertime.”
Six Degrees of SeparationU.S. Box Office: $6,311,061Though he starred in five seasons of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"; Smith first received critical cred in this film. In his first leading role, he plays a con artist posing as the son of Sidney Poitier who worms his way into the lives of a white, upper-class New York family.
Bad BoysU.S. Box Office: $65,807,024Will Smith's first big action film almost didn’t happen. The filmmakers originally had SNL alums Dana Carvey and Jon Lovitz in mind for the lead roles.
Independence DayU.S. Box Office: $306,169,255It's the movie that staked his claim on the Fourth of July weekend. Smith hit box office pay dirt playing a cocky pilot who wasn't afraid of clocking a killer alien square in the kisser. He reportedly modeled his character, Capt. Steven Hiller, on the quintessential sci-fi icon, Han Solo.
Men in BlackU.S. Box Office: $250,147,615Smith battles aliens once again on Fourth of July weekend. While ID4 made him an even bigger star, MIB secured his standing as a box office draw. The movie also showcased another of his Billboard #1 hits, "Getting Jiggy Wit It," and thereby changed the English language forever.
Wild Wild WestU.S. Box Office: $113,805,000A rare career misstep for Big Willie. This film was savaged by the critics, swept the razzies, and, in spite of the 9-figure haul, flopped at the box office. In interviews, Smith has repeatedly said that his two biggest mistakes were starring in this stinker and turning down the role of Neo in the Matrix.
AliU.S. Box Office: $58,183,966Will Smith gained 35 pounds of pugilist muscle for this bio-pic about boxing champion Muhammad Ali. The punches on screen aren’t pulled; director Michael Mann told Charles Shufford (playing George Forman) to hit Smith as hard as he could. The bruising experience paid off; Smith garnered his first Oscar nomination for his efforts.
Men In Black IIU.S. Box Office: $190,418,803Smith squares off against extraterrestrial riff raff once again on the 4th of July, battling not bugs but Lara Flynn Boyle. This flick from the summer of '02 started Big Willie's record streak of consecutive 100 million dollar blockbusters.
Bad Boys IIU.S. Box Office: $134,608,444Though this sprawling action flick raked in the dough, it also ticked off thousands of Florida commuters for shutting down the McArthur Causeway -- the main freeway into South Miami Beach -- to shoot the film's huge freeway chase scene.
I, Robot U.S. Box Office: $144,801,023For this film, very loosely based on short stories by sci-fi guru Isaac Asimov, Smith mixes up his winning July formula. Instead of fighting aliens, he's battling rampaging robots.
Shark TaleU.S. Box Office: $160,861,908Lots of big-time star power (from De Niro to Zellweger) lent their voices to this animated fish tale, but it was arguably the draw of Will Smith's huge appeal - oh, and maybe the success of a little movie called Finding Nemo - that brought in the crowds to see this film.
HitchU.S. Box Office: $179,495,555Following a sci-fi thriller, an animated fish tale, and an action flick, the former Fresh Prince tries his hand at a romantic comedy and scores big. The role of Sara Melas was first offered to "the most beautiful woman in the world" Aishwarya Rai and then to "Jenny from the block" Lopez but Eva Mendes eventually clinched her breakout starring role.
Pursuit of HappynessU.S. Box Office: $163,566,549Smith nabs a second Oscar nom with this rags to riches real life tale about Chris Gardner who went from being homeless and broke to being a millionaire broker. For the part, Smith learned how to solve the Rubik’s cube in two minutes flat. But more notably, Smith’s adorable co-star is his son Jaden Smith.
I Am LegendU.S. Box Office: $256,386,216Smith carried this movie single-handedly. With the exception of a dog and CGI monsters, it's him and him alone in nearly every frame of the film. It’s also not only his 2nd largest grossing movie to date but his biggest weekend gross -- $77.2 million.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Pride Parade-Colorful & Fun
These two were oh-so-colorful
This guy was workin' it
These folks reminded me of a mardi gras celebration
The protesters were loud and crazy
This double decker was havin' fun
He wanted his friend to see the floats too!
Representing
Loved the flag blowing in the wind
That pretty much sums up my day at the pride parade...it was eccentric and crazy, and I would recommend it to anyone, well, except the ultra conservative-they should steer clear.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Quotes
Beauty is only skin deep. But ah! me; freckles go to the bone.
- quoted by Mrs. Lee Whipple-Haslam in Early Days in California
I think Fridays are a waste at work because I long so much for the weekend. So I say Thursday should be the new Friday. But if Thursday were the new Friday, then Thursday would feel like Friday and I would insist on Wednesday being the new Friday. Well, you can see where this leads-a world without a set work week and a life full of happiness and splendor.
-quoted by Shira-On a very long and tiresome Friday
- quoted by Mrs. Lee Whipple-Haslam in Early Days in California
I think Fridays are a waste at work because I long so much for the weekend. So I say Thursday should be the new Friday. But if Thursday were the new Friday, then Thursday would feel like Friday and I would insist on Wednesday being the new Friday. Well, you can see where this leads-a world without a set work week and a life full of happiness and splendor.
-quoted by Shira-On a very long and tiresome Friday
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover
I was very disturbed the other day from responses on a message board about a photo of Heidi Klum and Seal. People were ranting and raving that mixed couples are 'against the bible' and that god does not want black men and white women together.
Being a product of a black man and a white women, you can see how this would rub me the wrong way. Well, I'm not a fighter, and I don't know where those people are deriving their facts, so I simply posted one of my favorite quotes by Antoine de Saint-Auxpery, "Love does not consist in gazing at eachother, but in staring outward in the same direction."
I don't know if that posting did anything, but I hope it made one or two of those individuals think.
Being a product of a black man and a white women, you can see how this would rub me the wrong way. Well, I'm not a fighter, and I don't know where those people are deriving their facts, so I simply posted one of my favorite quotes by Antoine de Saint-Auxpery, "Love does not consist in gazing at eachother, but in staring outward in the same direction."
I don't know if that posting did anything, but I hope it made one or two of those individuals think.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
When You Think Of Macys, Think Of Meat
Does anyone else find it disturbing that they sell meat on Macys.com, and it is on SALE??
Ottomanelli Brothers' Steaks: Prime Dry-Aged Boneless N.Y. SirloinReg. $310.00 - 380.00Sale $249.99 - 299.99
Ottomanelli Brothers' Steaks: Weekend SpecialReg. $260.00Sale $199.99
Ottomanelli Brothers' Steaks: Chateaubriand - The Queen of RoastsReg. $220.00Sale $179.99
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
If I Was A Graphic Designer...NaNaNaNaNa
I want to up the ante on my blogging, but I'm not sure how. I love all the detail I've seen on other folks blogs (cool headings, side logos, etc.), but atlas, I'm not a graphic designer. Not that you have to be to put together a blog (case in point, me), but I think to have some more skill base in the web designing world would make my blogging experience flourish. I should put more into my bay area sandwich blog, however, I haven't been eating at many different sandwich shops in the bay...so I'll have to work on that.
As for this blog, it is just comments, thoughts and randomness from and about me. I may start another blog about something more specific (and less narcissistic-in reference to the latter blog) haha. Does anyone have any good topics I should blog about? There are tons of current event, gossip, fashion, etc. blogs. I guess there are plenty of blogs about everything, now that I think of it. I will work on improving the quality of my two blogs, and the format, and then expand from there (if I am successful).
I've been a little under the radar lately with my entries because I just had a birthday..yea 24, and I've been out of town over the past couple of weekends (or just pretty busy). I'm now gearing up for the CBEST this weekend, so I'm just working and studying all week. I'll have more time for entries and formatting after Saturday. So stay tuned!
Friday, May 23, 2008
Things I Would Not Wish Upon My Worst Enemy...
Jory & I before my crazy skin ailmentsOkay, so I don't have any enemies (that i know of), or worst enemies for that matter. There are people I don't care for, but having an enemy is just a bit drastic. That being said, I had poison oak this week and it was the single most painful skin ailment I have ever had. So painful in fact, that it prompted me to say that I would not wish it upon my worst enemy (a phrase I have never used before). I think I have extra sensitive skin, because it was a really bad break-out!
A little background for you, I went to Humboldt over the weekend, and in the lovely hot weather decided to wear shorts (something else I rarely do), well on this blissful weekend my short-wearing self got in contact with something that had poison oak oils on it. It flared up a day or two later and left me with searing pain on none other than the back of my thighs! It is such an uncomfortable and painful skin ailment! I would warn everyone not to come in contact with the plant or the oils, but I myself do not know how I am came in contact with them!
I'm just happy that it is healing and just in time for the weekend! This should be a fun 3 day weekend! I hope I'm able to have a few drinks, even though I'm still taking meds for my poison oak. Hmmm, I just won't over due it. It is a celebratory weekend though! I have three friends graduating from college, a bachelorette party to attend, and fun in the sun for memorial day!
Congrats to all my girls that are graduating! I am so so proud of you and I wish you much luck in all your endeavors!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
As a lot of you know, I am an avid volunteer. I like to make jokes about it (see picture above), but I really love doing it. With all the devastating things that have been happening in the world, volunteering locally is a great way to feel like you are doing something to help. A lot of people give money to causes, or donate items, and that is a great way to help out as well. Unfortunately, I don't have any money to give away, or items, but I do have time. Volunteering my time for charity walks/runs, events and in other ways helps me feel that I am making a difference, even if it is only in my own backyard.With that being said, my big event I'm working on right now is for the American Diabetes Association. We're putting on a Walk/Run that will be in downtown San Jose in October. It is a wonderful event that raises money for research and a cure for diabetes. If you haven't already, please go to www.diabetes.org/stepout to sign-up. I will keep you posted on any more volunteer events coming up.
If you're interested in volunteering, contact me! I need volunteers, and I know tons of ways you can help, and I have a list of really great websites that have hundreds of volunteer opportunities all around the country. Volunteering is not for everyone, so if it is not for you, that's okay. Sometimes it is the right time in our life to do something, and other times it is not. When you're ready and willing to volunteer, just remember, there is a great need and a lot of appreciation for your help =D!
Friday, May 9, 2008
One Martini, Two Martini, Three Martini, Floor
I'm tired today. It is Friday, which is a glorious day...but 5 o'clock just couldn't come any sooner. All I want is a great big martini and then maybe another one. This weekend should be fun...tonight I'm doing drinks and a movie with friends, tomorrow I'm passing out 'save the date' cards at the human race in mountain view for the diabetes walk I help organize....& I'm going to a bridal shower...my first ever! Then mother's day bar-b-q/potluck on Sunday. Fun stuff...there will probably be a few more things thrown in the mix because there always is...we shall see though. Happy Friday to everyone...hope you have a fabulous weekend!!!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Epiphany
I had an Epiphany today, well it started last night with a phone call to my mom, and continued through today. Wikipedia (the oh-so reliable internet dictionary source...haha) defines an Epiphany as: a (feeling), the sudden realization or comprehension of the essence or meaning of something.
My sudden realization was that I needed to figure out what I really wanted to do with my life (career wise) and fast. My full comprehension came after speaking with my mother, who for about the umpteenth time preached to me the richesnous of becoming a teacher.
Well, every other time I've listened to this sermon I half block it out with my own thoughts, thinking to myself, I could never do that, and giving myself plenty of reasons why I wouldn't-and shouldn't be a teacher: Pay to low, benefits not there, dealing with kids on a daily basis, blah blah blah....but all the while I should have been thinking, I can be really good at this, this career, (yes I said it, career-that thing I've been looking for since graduation) can be a great avenue for me to go down. I'm not making a ton of money now, and I get by alright, and I do actually really like kids, and benefits aren't all that expensive to buy into (while you're young, I'm not totally ignorant to that since I do work with the aging population currently).
But I researched it a bit more (the internet's ability to make research super quick is totally underrated), and about 20 hours later, I've decided to take my CBEST. Now, this is just the first step mind you, but a good step. I think I now have to say what my mother has probably been waiting her whole life to hear, "Mom, you were right," and just in time for Mother's day, now isn't that just afternoon disney special.
Side Note:
Check out this video on UTUBE that my brother made, he made it all in one day with himself as the sole director, filmer, etc...very cool:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0k1gptY86k
My sudden realization was that I needed to figure out what I really wanted to do with my life (career wise) and fast. My full comprehension came after speaking with my mother, who for about the umpteenth time preached to me the richesnous of becoming a teacher.
Well, every other time I've listened to this sermon I half block it out with my own thoughts, thinking to myself, I could never do that, and giving myself plenty of reasons why I wouldn't-and shouldn't be a teacher: Pay to low, benefits not there, dealing with kids on a daily basis, blah blah blah....but all the while I should have been thinking, I can be really good at this, this career, (yes I said it, career-that thing I've been looking for since graduation) can be a great avenue for me to go down. I'm not making a ton of money now, and I get by alright, and I do actually really like kids, and benefits aren't all that expensive to buy into (while you're young, I'm not totally ignorant to that since I do work with the aging population currently).
But I researched it a bit more (the internet's ability to make research super quick is totally underrated), and about 20 hours later, I've decided to take my CBEST. Now, this is just the first step mind you, but a good step. I think I now have to say what my mother has probably been waiting her whole life to hear, "Mom, you were right," and just in time for Mother's day, now isn't that just afternoon disney special.
Side Note:
Check out this video on UTUBE that my brother made, he made it all in one day with himself as the sole director, filmer, etc...very cool:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0k1gptY86k
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Googling - Have You Tried It?
I was googling myself today, and I found some interesting links from my past. I'm familiar with most of these things, but I had to pull my thoughts together for a few. It is always funny going down memory lane, and I was in a curious mood, so I thought, what the hey.
My family was portrayed in a Time Magazine issue back in the nineties. This link highlights the article and the clip about my family:
http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:nu1W_4gx-lAJ:www.nvcc.edu/home/rgreen/PowerWeb03/I'm%2520Just%2520Who%2520I%2520Am.pdf+shira+howerton&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=19&gl=us
This is a link to an article I wrote for the Ultimate Sports guide about the San Jose SaberCats:
http://www.baysportspublishing.com/2007_sabercats.html
I don't even remember writing this....it was a letter to the editor back in the day...ahhh, I got into writing on the web at an early age:
http://multiracial.com/site/content/view/1432/49/
This is to officially prove I graduated...woo-hoo! Haha...just in case i ever lose my diploma...or the school closes and I can't request transcripts...haha:
http://www.jmc.sjsu.edu/student/prssa/convocation/graduateverification.htm
This was a race I did my sophomore year on the high school cross country team. It was a really rugged and hilly course and I lost a shoe (it came untied, and in a movie-like moment I through it over a fence into the crowd to a teammate), but I continued racing and placed in the top ten:
http://www.runnercard.com/Results/1999/Mariner/SSGJS.TXT
I was pretty proud of this race, it was the NCS Championship, and I placed first for my team, and ran a solid 7.2 mile for the 3.1 race...my racing all went downhill after this year...(darn those shin splints)...but I'm still proud of the times I put up:
http://www.dyestatcal.com/ATHLETICS/XC/1999/ncsd4g.htm
I was an intern for Mavin magazine back in high school...they don't have a pic of me, so I might send one in...I also co-wrote an article which isn't archived, but I will see if I can upload a copy of it:
http://www.mavin.net/projects/internship.html
If I find more I'll upload it...I know I've been involved in tons of stuff during my (almost) 24 years on this earth...hmmmm....I wonder what will I be involved with next? =D
My family was portrayed in a Time Magazine issue back in the nineties. This link highlights the article and the clip about my family:
http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:nu1W_4gx-lAJ:www.nvcc.edu/home/rgreen/PowerWeb03/I'm%2520Just%2520Who%2520I%2520Am.pdf+shira+howerton&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=19&gl=us
This is a link to an article I wrote for the Ultimate Sports guide about the San Jose SaberCats:
http://www.baysportspublishing.com/2007_sabercats.html
I don't even remember writing this....it was a letter to the editor back in the day...ahhh, I got into writing on the web at an early age:
http://multiracial.com/site/content/view/1432/49/
This is to officially prove I graduated...woo-hoo! Haha...just in case i ever lose my diploma...or the school closes and I can't request transcripts...haha:
http://www.jmc.sjsu.edu/student/prssa/convocation/graduateverification.htm
This was a race I did my sophomore year on the high school cross country team. It was a really rugged and hilly course and I lost a shoe (it came untied, and in a movie-like moment I through it over a fence into the crowd to a teammate), but I continued racing and placed in the top ten:
http://www.runnercard.com/Results/1999/Mariner/SSGJS.TXT
I was pretty proud of this race, it was the NCS Championship, and I placed first for my team, and ran a solid 7.2 mile for the 3.1 race...my racing all went downhill after this year...(darn those shin splints)...but I'm still proud of the times I put up:
http://www.dyestatcal.com/ATHLETICS/XC/1999/ncsd4g.htm
I was an intern for Mavin magazine back in high school...they don't have a pic of me, so I might send one in...I also co-wrote an article which isn't archived, but I will see if I can upload a copy of it:
http://www.mavin.net/projects/internship.html
If I find more I'll upload it...I know I've been involved in tons of stuff during my (almost) 24 years on this earth...hmmmm....I wonder what will I be involved with next? =D
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Thrifty Girl Tips for Summer Fun
Summer is fast approaching, bringing to mind whimsical thoughts of sunning on the beach, roller coasters and cotton candy, and road trips to far off destinations. With the economy the way it is, it puts a hold on some of the adventures and quests that one might take, but it doesn't have to be a complete summer let-down.
Being conscious of your spending habits will help get you through this summer on a high note. While it is easy to sign up for every activity that summer has to offer, it is also smart in this economy to be as thrifty as possible. The idea is to be thrifty, but also have fun. If friends want to go on a road trip, make sure to pack non-perishable snacks for the car and plenty of water. This way, when everyone gets hungry, you can snack and keep going vs. stopping for fast food and spending money that can be used for other parts of your trip. Also, make sure to use the most economical car to help shave off gas costs.
If you're like me, carry-all stores such as Target and Wal-Mart are your downfall. Try to avoid them as much as possible. For example, if you need toothpaste or sunblock, try picking these items up when you go grocery shopping, instead of making an extra trip to a carry-all store. This way, you won't temp yourself to get things you don't need.
Summer is also a big bar-b-q/get together/party time. In an effort to avoid overdoing it, try to always have potluck style gatherings, allowing everyone to only spend within their means. When it comes to decorating, remember, less is more, and even if it's not, your family and friends are there to spend time with you, not your flower arrangements.
Being conscious of your spending habits will help get you through this summer on a high note. While it is easy to sign up for every activity that summer has to offer, it is also smart in this economy to be as thrifty as possible. The idea is to be thrifty, but also have fun. If friends want to go on a road trip, make sure to pack non-perishable snacks for the car and plenty of water. This way, when everyone gets hungry, you can snack and keep going vs. stopping for fast food and spending money that can be used for other parts of your trip. Also, make sure to use the most economical car to help shave off gas costs.
If you're like me, carry-all stores such as Target and Wal-Mart are your downfall. Try to avoid them as much as possible. For example, if you need toothpaste or sunblock, try picking these items up when you go grocery shopping, instead of making an extra trip to a carry-all store. This way, you won't temp yourself to get things you don't need.
Summer is also a big bar-b-q/get together/party time. In an effort to avoid overdoing it, try to always have potluck style gatherings, allowing everyone to only spend within their means. When it comes to decorating, remember, less is more, and even if it's not, your family and friends are there to spend time with you, not your flower arrangements.
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