Photo dump

This was my rehearsal space for 4 years. Right around the corner from Skid Row and across the street from a strip club.

 LA traffic on the 101. I will weirdly miss this.

 My old house in Fontana, where I grew up. I just felt the need to drive by before I left.

 Laslty, this is Mozart. The love of my life. I am going to miss this little guy so much. Mostly, I will miss how excited he would get when I came home and how he liked to sit by my feet as I studied. This dog is the happiest dog I've ever met and has so much personality. I miss him already. :(

You never realize how much stuff you have until you begin to pack it all into tiny boxes.

Too late now...

I've been watching too many videos of the Phoenix monsoons and am now regretting my decision to go to school there.




Thunder and lightening storms, hot and heavy rainfall, dust storms, tornadoes...Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

I'm seriously terrified.

Sarcasm

Lately I've noticed my sarcasm has been getting me into a bit of trouble. People either misinterpret it or can't handle it and become uneasy. Apparently I've watched too many Will Ferrell movies, because I've come to notice my humor is entirely sarcasm based. Really, I just think these people are uptight and need to relax. Also, I should probably tone down my sarcasm. See! I AM capable of compromise!

Also, 3 official California days left. 4 days until I leave.

:(

Here's video of a sandstorm in Phoenix two weeks ago. 

Disneyland

 I went to Disneyland today, and I was scared!

My bar...

So my bar is as stocked as it is going to get before I leave. I think I have a pretty solid mix here. And judging from my schedule this fall, I'm going to need ALL of it! Actually, I'm not a heavy drinker anymore. I'm more of a glass of wine person. Unless it's a special event or I just finished a stressful exam. Then, It's on! I really do enjoy entertaining though, so my bar that I wish to stock is just for that. Nothing makes me happier than cooking and entertaining people I care about. Plus, nothing makes you friends or gets people to come visit you faster than by offering free booze. I'm very strategic. :)

10 days left! 

Here's today's video:

Alpine Breeze

I noticed this morning that the flavor of my toothpaste was "Alpine Breeze." Really? How do you turn Alpine Breeze into a flavor? What's next for toothpaste flavors, Morning Dew? Evening Monsoon? Mmmmm...Evening Monsoon.

Random

This is my dog Mozart. I've never loved a dog as much as I love this little guy. I've trained him and turned him in to a polite young fellow. I think I'm most sad to leave him behind. :(

 It was hot at graduation, and the sweat made my bangs all funky. Either way, this is me and a friend after the ceremony. Step 1 complete! I'm 25% closer to my goal!

Also, here's my video for today!

Is it wrong that I am more concerned with having a fully stocked bar in my apartment than purchasing the necessary appliances? I figure it's easier to entice people to come visit me with free booze than a state of the art microwave!

Also I'm still looking for a maltese puppy. It has to be a boy, because I want him to wear a bow tie.

:)

11 days!

Grades are up...

Grades are up and I did it!!! 4.0 this term, meaning I pulled an A in Physiology! I am so happy! I kept my 4.0 science GPA and left with a bang! I'm so excited, I could go to Disneyland....Oh wait, I am going to Disneyland. Can this day get any better?!

:D

13 Days...

I have two weeks of absolutely nothing! Nothing? What am I supposed to do with nothing? Well, I actually  have plenty to do. It's just that having nothing to study for is a very weird feeling. I still feel the need to study for something. I liken it to that feeling you get when you've been swimming all day. After you exit the pool, you swear you still feel as though you're in water.

The next two weeks should be fun actually. I think I have everyday/night lined up with something. I'm trying to make all my rounds and see everyone I care about before I leave. At the same time, I need to pack and make sure my car is in good shape to make the drive.

Today I slept in, which is nice. I have not had a descent nights sleep since before finals week.

On today's agenda:

-Complete all my student loan documents

-Hike

-Car wash

-Oil Change

-Clean room 

-Get rid of everything I don't use and give it to goodwill

-Start packing

-Have dinner with a friend

I have a feeling my 13 days left will be just as packed, if not more.

13 days.

Oh my goodness!!


 

I love Chemistry/Physics cat

I resent this...but still find it amusing!

I came to LA to play rock and roll

It's over...and I think I bombed my Physiology final...I had an A, and only needed to get a B on the final to maintain that. However, I realize now that I made many small mistakes that might add up. This might blow my 4.0 core science GPA. I know it sounds neurotic, and OCD of me, but I really will be upset if I end up with a B in Physiology. I have to wait until Wednesday to see my final grade. :(

One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given was by my vocal coach when I was 21. She always said "audition, and then forget." Meaning, when you audition for a part don't dwell on what you could have done better once it's over. I feel this piece of advice is perfect for this situation. It is what it is.

On another note; today marks 16 days left in California. Which makes me really sad. :(

Everyday until I leave I will be posting a song about LA or California.Here's the first one which I think represents my 6 years in LA quite well.

24 hours until freedom (for 3 weeks). Until then, I am entitled to be hypertensive and neurotic.

This really has been the hardest final to study for. Not because the material is difficult, but because I am burnt    out and ready to move.

Okay. Time to buckle down.

I wish I had a photographic memory instead of the pea brain I was born with.

:(

Me Vanessa. When me have too much information fit in brain, me speak like cave woman.

I can't stop watching sappy love songs on you tube. PMS anyone? Where's my chocolate stash!?

Health Nut

I've been on a health kick lately. Gotta get ready for all the tubing I'm going to be doing in Arizona! Anyhow, I've incorporated raw foods back into my daily diet. I'm nowhere near becoming a "raw foodist" again; however, I do try to eat raw as much as possible. Tonight I'm having poached salmon topped with a pineapple/avocado salsa with a side of raw zucchini spaghetti topped with raw cashew/basil pesto. I made the salmon last night, so tonight I just whipped up the pesto. Which I just tasted right now and It's delicious!! Here are the recipes for the pesto and pineapple salsa (random combo. I know). Also, you should know that I hate measuring. So when I made these I just shoved all the ingredients in a bowl together and added more of less of things to suit my taste.

Raw Cashew and Basil Pesto
3–3½ tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 large clove garlic
¾ tsp dry mustard
¾ tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (optional, for oil-free version add 1-2 tbsp extra water)
1 cup + 1–2 tbsp raw cashews (soaked for an hour)
2½–2¾ cups (packed) fresh basil leaves and tender stems

* Basically, I just dumped all this stuff in my blender and pulverized it.

Pineapple Avocado Salsa

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon honey (I used agave)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small jalapeno, seeds removed and diced

1 tomato

1/4 fresh pineapple diced into cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1 clove fresh garlic

1 medium avocado, halved, pitted and flesh cubed

2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves

Again. I didn't measure anything when I made it. I just chopped everything up into little pieces and put it in a bowl. I did however wait until the very end to add the avocado and folded it in gently. I wanted pineapple avocado salsa, not really interested in pineapple guacamole.

As for the poached salmon. Just take some water, put it in a pan with some salt and pepper, and wait for it to simmer. Add the salmon and flip it once it's changed color. Poaching salmon literally takes no more than 10 minutes to cook.

The zucchini spaghetti. You just take zucchini through a sprializer. I don't have a spiralizer so I grate it into long, skinny pieces. I know it's ghetto, but you have to make do with what you have.

And if I don't make it as a doctor, at least I know I can always start a cooking blog called "The Ghetto Kitchen."

I should be studying, but I can't stop listening to 1930's-1940's love songs on YouTube.

So what if I'm a hopeless romantic?!

Don't judge me. :(

Zombie Apocalypse

I'm sure by now everyone has heard of this so called "Zombie Attack." I had no idea what it was until a friend of mine texted me this hilarious image. Granted, what happened is not hilarious but rather gruesome. I do find the whole Zombie Apocalypse notion rather hilarious. I immediately started to think there was an outbreak of Kuru or some sort of prion in these "bath salts." Yes, I've become a hypochondriac. I can't help it! Either way, today the CDC confirmed that there is no Zombie Apocalypse virus outbreak. Phew!

BTW- How do you get a job at the CDC? If I don't get into Medical School I totally would not mind working for the CDC. It would be like being in the movie outbreak or 28 days later. How rad would that be?! I mean, aside from having to go into quarantine and all my friends becoming zombies...

I got my last Physiology midterm back today and I got an A! YAY! I'm on fire! Hopefully I aced my final practical today and will ace that final. I'm not even worried about my other classes at this point. Looks like I will be leaving community college with a bang! :D

btw- I'm completely obsessed with "Boo - the worlds cutest dog" and "Mishka - the talking huskie." If you don't know who these dogs are, do yourself a favor and google them.

You are welcome.

How did it take me 27 years to discover the blues? I'm not a fan of Chicago blues or really anything with an electric guitar. However, I do love the simplicity and honesty of Memphis and Mississippi Delta Blues. After spending so much time in music, you start to realize that everything is trying to sound like someone else. Everyone is trying to fill a niche and nothing has any integrity or honesty anymore. I've found myself looking to older music rather than trying to discover "new" music. There is a wealth of music out there that I haven't even begun to tap into. Musical discoveries still get me as excited as they did back when I was 12 years old. Once a musician, always a musician. :)

This is the last week of instruction for me at Citrus and the first round of finals (lab practicals and what not). I'm both excited and sad. I've spent the past 16 months in the same lecture hall and now its over. I'm moving on up and shipping out! Now hopefully I can get an A on my last Physiology practical tomorrow...So far I'm 2 for 2. Let's make it 3 for 3!

Sometimes I come home from a long, exhausting day and all I want to do is go to sleep. Then, when it's time to go to sleep I become wide awake and fully functional. Seriously, what up with that?

 

Whenever we get to the reproductive section of whatever Biology course I take, all of us turn into immature 12 year olds. It's nice to know that when it comes to sex, we never grow up.