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Recently, in a span of 8 days, I attended or hosted the following events in recognition of people in my life: a college graduation, a 40th birthday party, a memorial service, and Mother’s Day.

All the transitions in the lives of people I care about caused the reflections one would expect. A few days after the memorial service, I found myself huddled with my yoga teacher, agreeing to treasure each breath.

I’m torn by two urges: Read the rest of this entry »

I just got back from a Killers concert in Anaheim.

What I love about the Killers is that they will just pile it on. There were lasers. Pyrotechnics. Glitter. Fog. None of it was ironic, although they’re aware that some people might consider it cheesy. The Killers hail from Las Vegas, where it is normal to have sequins on your work clothes. It seems more like as rock stars, they want to be sure to give the audience a good time. And it was! Lasers and glitter and fireworks are fun!

The music is fun, too. Read the rest of this entry »

I recently discovered how to get good free online classes through the library! I noticed that the Los Angeles Public Library offers classes through the online provider Ed2Go. These are the same classes some college extension programs offer for $70-100 per class. A search revealed that several other libraries offered them, such as those in Houston and Muncie. Therefore, if you’re in the market for classes, it’s a good idea to check the library first.

I wondered what the quality of the classes would be like, given that they are offered at such low prices. Read the rest of this entry »

I got an e-mail from Senator Boxer in response to my environmental activism!

Thank you for writing to express your support for addressing the imminent threat of climate change and building a clean energy economy. I have been a longtime leader on these crucial issues, and I appreciate hearing your views.

As Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I recently hosted a Senate-wide briefing on climate change with four of our nation’s leading scientists. The scientific information presented was truly alarming, and it made clear in stark terms that the future of our country is at stake…

Clearly a form letter, but then what I sent her was also a form letter. Read the rest of this entry »

During the heat of last summer, I decided to research and select an environmental organization to donate to/get involved with. I finally chose the Natural Resources Defense Council. I admit that NRDC always reminds me of the show Curb Your Enthusiasm, but I’m also impressed with the conviction that landed all the mentions of it on that show in the first place.

So far, it’s pretty easy. I donated. On the website, they have action items you can click on. They prepare a sample letter for you, but you can modify it. You can still do your own research and write your own letters, but they’ve done some work already, so if you’re busy, you can work with what they’ve already started. It was convenient, and I think they know what they are doing. So I’m against carbon pollution and for whales. Officially.

Like many people, I was mesmerized by the hunt for Christopher Dorner, the former Los Angeles police officer who went on a killing spree in revenge for what he believed was an unjust firing.

First of all, what Dorner did was ultimately wrong. The defense attorney’s daughter and her fiancé did nothing to Dorner. By murdering two innocents, he lost his claim to being more righteous than the officers he was accusing. Read the rest of this entry »

I confess that at this point I’m actually looking forward to the federal budget explosion known as sequestration at the end of today. It’s not that I’m one of those people who think life would be better if the government were starved of all funds. Read the rest of this entry »