On a vastly more important scale than anything that may be happening in my life today, you can donate to the relief fund for Haiti on this website https://secure3.convio.net/ldsp/site/Donation2?df_id=1861&1861.donation=form1&s_src=14703

I just found out that my employer matches donations, which makes me once again grateful to work for such an amazing company.

One of the things I worry most about in a situation like this is that, right now, the world is unified in its horror and people are sending in donations from around the globe, but what about three months from now? How does a country go about rebuilding itself when it was already in terrible shape to begin with? All the infrastructure has disappeared, and now what? I wonder what we can do to help rebuild, and if people will even remember Haiti 3, 6, 10 months from now. I hope I am not one of the ones who forgets; I wish there was something more I could do, but the general consensus is that monetary donations will provide the most efficient aid. And I am grateful that the US is providing massive aid in financial, material and human resources. This article

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/18/world/americas/18policy.html?scp=1&sq=haiti%20us%20gov&st=cse

asks an interesting question though: what sort of role should the US play after immediate relief?

Here is another interesting article :

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/17/world/americas/17prexy.html?scp=3&sq=haiti%20us%20gov&st=cse

Bush, Clinton and Obama have teamed up to combine efforts for relief, and regardless of one's political leanings, I think that is a beautiful thing.

The subconscious of my husband works in mysterious ways...

Two days ago my husband recounted this dream to me:

"So, you know how Southwest airlines always tries to be funny with their presentation and explanation of security procedures, etc.? Well I dreamt I was on a plane and all the passengers get in and start settling down, when all of a sudden several people stood up-- they were wearing islamic prayer robes and caps; an authoritative man announced in a deep voice 'We are taking control of this aircraft,' and then they all stood there with their arms crossed, staring us down for 30 seconds. I was terrified when I realized that islamic fundamentalists were hijacking us, until they smiled and pleasantly announced: 'Please fasten your seat-belts... emergency exits are situated at the front, center and rear of the aircraft... Cell phones are not permitted during flight...' and proceeded to go through the whole spiel that you usually get before takeoff. Turns out it was the crew; they were trying to be funny."

I can't begin to imagine what kind of lawsuits Southwest would get itself in...

Giddy feelings gone

Seriously? a 2 and a half hour class on media law that ends at 6:30 pm? blah. The teacher is very lively though so hopefully I'll manage to stay alive. And tomorrow it's another class of same length and ending time.

I am currently in "giddy" mode and just finished packing my backpack for my first day of school (yes, I still do that...) In many ways I really haven't changed from the idealist I've always been: school can be really fun. And there's something about starting anew every semester that makes me hopeful; maybe just maybe I'll finally be a good student. I actually did better than I expected this past semester, which was really encouraging; funny thing is, my worst grades were in dance!

This semester should be particularly good because FINALLY, after three (yes, 3) years at BYU I am finally starting my major. Woohoo! Oh, and I resolved the "cutting the hair" issue (the broadcast directors said that your hair should be no longer than shoulder length if you want to look professional, but it's impossible to make a ballroom bun without extensions if your hair is that short... blah): brace yourselves, this is pure genius. And don't make fun of my white trash result. SO when I have to shoot a story, I simply tie the lower (and longer) layers of my hair into a low ponytail and tuck it into the back of my shirt-- TADAAA only the short layers are showing and the long part has disappeared, and ideally you film the front of your face, not the back of your head.... Brilliant no?

Andrew is now threatening to shoot me with his airsoft gun (what was going through my mind when I gave him that for Christmas....) so I'm off

I am actually capable of saying when I'm wrong

it looks like the manager lady was actually great this time--poor woman, she manages 5 different apartment complexes I think (can you say understaffed?) they got it fixed in two days, so we were displaced pretty fast, but thanks to Pablo and Richard, our apartment is now spick and span; and she even had the carpet cleaners come do the whole place because of all the dirt/wood dust and extra crap. BUT, I must say that none of this would have happened if the water heater hadn't been incorrectly installed in the first place... ahem.

On another note, after reading the lost symbol I am now a Dan Brown adept (yes, me and 1 billion other people... don't I feel average now?) Andrew and I (ok, Andrew -- we all know who does the planning in this family..) are planning a Dan brown style treasure hunt à la mormon through Provo-- you'd be surprised at all the hidden symbolism throughout Provo, even just BYU for that part. I remember my first time going to the BYU library, I just sat there like a nerd in front of that big mural bronze relief by the no shh zone. (Which reminds me of another very cool mormon thing: the book of Jer3miah http://www.jer3miah.com/ look it up, you will be hooked) Back to symbols and cool stuff, here's a teaser:

Oh, and we also want to start a restaurant: "le Quartier Latin" where we will serve everything that is good from France and other places too. Kebabs will be an integral part.