Brief Update

Below: I want some variation of this for the cover of my memoir. I'd really like a photoshopped orca swimming just beneath the water. (It'd create a cool effect.)

Hey all!

Well it's almost exactly three weeks until I head home for a visit and I'm pretty excited. I'm really looking forward to seeing mom, dad, and bub again ~ especially cheering for bub's soccer games. I'll be home from the 22nd to July 13, and will spend the time with family, visiting Dancer (who I'm missing more than ever), celebrating mom's 46th b-day, and taking Jason to some of my fav spots including Cedar Point. (He thinks Six Flags is the best place for roller coasters, this will change when he goes here with me, my friend Chelsea, and her boyfriend Jerek.)

Jason is officially a home owner! He's looking forward to moving in over the course of the next two weeks. I'm so excited that he's let me paint! I love picking out colors for walls and fixing rooms up, so I'm most looking forward to that. Jason initially wanted plain white walls in the rooms, but after some persuasion (I told him how completely lame that would look), he decided to go to Lowe's with me to pick out colors. There are four rooms that need to be painted: the Master bedroom, both spare rooms, and the upstairs bathroom/coat closet. The Master suite is going to be three shades of blue: Stormy Waters, Whale Song (clearly my fav), and Big Sky. The Stormy Waters one is a deeper blue and will only go on one wall. The rest of the room will be Whale Song, which is like a darker tone of baby blue. Finally, the master bath will be the lightest color, Big Sky, which is an off white sky blue. The upstairs bathroom and downstairs coat closet will be done in Sun Hat yellow, which isn't a super bright yellow because it has a more orangish undertone to it. The spare bedroom near the stairs will be painted Pond Moss, sounds totally gross, but it's actually a pretty color. It's a brighter green, but not obnoxious like neon or something. The spare room near the bathroom will be done in Rising Star, which is an almost white lavender color. It's really pretty and I'm pleased I was able to convince Jason to go with it, despite him being initially adamant against any shade of purple. I'll post pictures once the painting is done and Jason is somewhat moved in.

In my spare time I've been continuing to write in my memoir. I'm well over 100 pages now and not halfway through. I'm hoping to complete it by the time school starts and then maybe send it to family for edits and opinions before sending it to a publishing house in the San Juans to see if they'd want to do anything with it. Here is the way the book is shaping up with the chapters:

1. Dedication - of course it's dedicated to my family and the memory of the whales who died in 2008

2. Aliens Exist - I discuss my first encounter with whales and how they led me to San Juan

3. Growing up Midwest - how living in Michigan shaped my life

4. Road Trip - traveling with mom across the country

5. Island Life: A World Apart - I introduce the crew, history of San Juan Island, and set the stage for my experiences with orcas over the summer.

6. Mockumentary - how science can be shaped by the questions asked and my first experiences as a naturalist.

7. Light the Fire - becoming interested in the science projects behind the whales

8. Pooparazzi - working with Katherine, Adam, and her crew

9. Close Encounters of the Cetacean Kind - I share detailed experiences of special encounters with the whales.

10. Killing them Softly - a discussion about pollution and orca contamination

11. The Truth about Shamu - this one speaks for itself. I delve into the history of whale captures, their affect on the Southern Residents, and Lolita's freedom efforts.

12. To Choke a River - I hit on dams and deforestation in the Pacific Northwest and their impact on the ecosystem and ultimately the salmon and orcas.

13. Feeding the World - the need for salmon and the damage of salmon farms.

14. Who Does Science Answer To? - Japanese whaling operations in a whale sanctuary and America's private endorsement of this.

15. Whale Huggers - not all environmentalists are whack jobs, there are real issues at stake, not just for whales, but for people.

16. Making a Difference in an Indifferent World - what can be done? Is all hope lost?

17. Why do Whales Sing? - the people/whale connection and its impact throughout history (myths, interesting stories, and my take on this relationship).

18. Afterward - I share my interest in environmental law: it's not enough to sit back and let other people make a difference.

So, that's the basic outline. I'm hopping around from chapter to chapter and working on what I feel like talking about on any given day. (The finished chapters are italicized above so you can see what I've done and what needs to be done.) Hopefully this won't remain an unfinished project.

My Dr. appointment went well. I'm still experiencing random stomach pains, but it seems everything is normal for now. I'm going to continue monitoring the situation and I'll see a specialist if I can't shake my concerns.

Love you all! Stay in touch!

(Picture's of Jason's first house coming soon...)

Not for Young Eyes

Ok. So this post may be a bit gross, but I know you all understand the situation so I figured I'd share what's going on:

Lately I've experienced a lot of menstrual pain. I'm having a hard time deciphering whether it's in my mind from not being as busy as normal, or if my condition is actually getting worse. About a week ago I nearly went to the emergency room for intense pains in my right side. I was a bit concerned it could be an appendix problem, but ended up not going to a doctor since the pain subsided after about five minutes. It was incredibly sharp and made it difficult to breathe. I think it may have been a cyst that burst, but then later that week I experienced a similar feeling on the left side. I've scheduled an appointment for Tuesday afternoon and will be having a regular examination. I'm also hoping to ask questions about endometriosis and cysts. My periods aren't super heavy (compared to mom's) but the cramping is pretty relentless. I just hope that everything's fine and if there is some sort of medication I could go on to better relieve the pain and help with potential cysts that'd be great. I'm currently taking Yaz, which has relieved the length (now it lasts 4 days as opposed to 7-10 days), however the cramping still makes it pretty difficult to get around. I keep telling myself I'm not sick and it will pass, but mind over matter has proved rather difficult. Mom wants me to look into minor surgical possibilities to help me though law school. (Which concerns me because the American Bar Association strictly regulates class absences. In order to miss more class than allowed by their regulations, you have to make a special requests to your professors as well as the ABA itself - Jeleen had to do this for her hysterectomy.) I hate to say it, but I'm actually somewhat looking forward to my exam tomorrow to find out what the heck is wrong, if anything at all. I've had cysts before when I was young and so I won't be surprised if this is the issue again. Oh the joys of womanhood.

On the happier note, Jason got the house! He closes the deal in two weeks. They finally caved and said they'd fix the issues after Jason and his parents threatened to pull out of the deal. Jason's been busy golfing lately trying to practice before playing with dad in July. He's a bit nervous and wants to focus on playing "good bogey golf" like my dad suggested.

I just finished the book Sham - in the Shadow of a Superhorse. It was a really great story and I was touched by the underlying messages of defeat, victory, giving your all, and how obsessed America is with the winner (nobody cares who comes in second - which is quite sad). The book was written by Mary Walsh and a classic for horse lovers. Her poetic opening is really touching and can apply to anyone, human or equine: "To those who tried their utmost at something they strongly believed in with their whole heart and mind and gave it their absolute all, only to find that it was not enough because they were at the wrong place at the wrong time." I'm going to start reading The Shack, by William Young next. My mom said it was a must read, so I'm going to try it out, although I'm pretty sure it'll be a tear-jerker.

J Pod has returned to the San Juan Islands and both infants appear to be in good health. It's crucial for the Southern Residents that these calves survive. I'm really struggling with missing the islands. I keep reading the San Juan Safaris blog and they talk about the whales they see and I can't help but wish I was seeing them too. I really miss J28, J1, J42, L72, and L105. It's so strange how attached I became to those animals and I really wish they lived off LA. I listen to the hydrophones every morning in hopes of hearing their calls. I suppose it's true. I am an orca dork aka a dorca.

From Left to Right: unknown, J22, J28, J34 (in background), unknown (surfacing in foreground)

"As I see it every day you do one of two things: build health or produce disease in yourself."

~ Adelle Davis ~

Happy Mother's Day

Hello all,

I just wanted to take a little time to say Happy Mother's Day to all of you. I hope you all had a wonderful time celebrating with family and those who love you. 

I celebrated with Jason and his family, and although it was very nice, I still missed home and wished I could celebrate with my family. 

I sent my mom a silver anchor necklace because I believe it is a perfect symbol of our relationship. Even though she's far away she gives me the strength and stability to continue growing and learning. I wish I could have been there to see her open it, but we had a nice chat via phone call. 

Jason's house is in escrow and he and his parents are working with the current owners to fix some code violations in the house. There are some exposed wires in the garage and the patio is fixed to th

e siding and not the frame of the house. They haven't been very compliant with the necessary

 fixes so he is considering taking out of escrow and looking elsewhere. I can't imagine how they expect to sell it for so much when it's not up to code. So too be continued... hopefully everything works out for the best.

I'm really excited to visit home in just over a month. We have a lot planned as a family and I'm looking forward to Jason's first trip to Michigan. Michael has some soccer games during my stay, so of course I'm ready to see him play again (and see how much 

he's grown since Thanksgiving). And I'm also looking forward to seeing Dancer. I've been stressing a lot over what to do with him. I'm not making enough money to pay for his board myself, and I can't continue to expect my parents to pay. I've considered moving him out to California, but the places out here are either way more expensive or not up to my standards of barn safety. 

You all know how much I love Dancer and how I consider him a part of my family, but I've been pretty torn between holding on to him and doing what's best for him. I'm going to have a conversation with Denise, the barn owner, when I go home about the possibility of donating him to her as a lesson horse. I

 know she loves him and takes great care of him while I'm gone. I can't sell him to someone I can't visit and check up on and I believe Dancer would be best cared for while with Nottawa. Maybe one day I'll be able to buy him back and bring him out here, but I just want to do what's best for him since he's done so much for me. I requested a present with Dancer for my birthday this year. We have a family friend who is a photographer and I'd like to get some nice pictures of Dancer and me. I've included pics in this post with the look I'm going for. I don't want them to be like the photos 

we've had taken at shows, I want them to showcase our relationship a bit more. 

Lately I've been cooking, which has gone surprisingly well. I've also been doing a lot of reading and writing, which I hope will get me back in the learning mindset for school. 

I've been writing a memoir about my time in the San Juan Islands and I'm hoping to finish it before school starts. I don't have specific plans for what I'm going to do with it, but we'll see what happens. I hope everyone is having a wonderful spring so far. Stay in touch!

Congrats Jason!

Congratulations Jason!

Jason's final offer was accepted by the seller and now the home is going into escrow. This process will last about a month and then Jason should be able to move into his new place. I'm really excited for him as this is a monumental moment in his life.

Interior Photos

I'm sure you all are curious about what the inside looks like... which Jason and I agree is 10x better than the outside. So here it is:

A Jason Post

I decided to write a little post with Jason's recent big news. 

First of all, Jason is pretty sure he is going to go back to school for his Master in Mechanical Engineering. He had a meeting with the Dean of Engineering at Cal State Los Angeles yesterday and he's excited to begin. He wants to learn more about the mechanical side of his job since he is currently more focused on the design aspect. His parents are really supportive of him going back to school and told him he could work part time and attend school part time. So, as of now, it looks like we will both be starting school this fall. Jason's program will take 2-2.5 years, so we'll pretty much be in school at the same time. We think this will be a benefit and not an issue for us, since we will understand each other's work load and maybe we could study together on the weekends. Jason still needs to work out a few of the logistics but he claims he's 99% sure he'll be returning to school for his Masters. 

In other thrilling news, he put an offer in for a house. I've had fun gawking with him, but the decision was his and he decided to offer on a home we and his parents all like in Anaheim Hills. (Although it wasn't very hard to get me to like a place. All the homes in that area are really nice. I actually have a hard time believing people refer to them as starter homes. The neighborhood really reminds me of grandma and grandpa's development. There are lots of homes with parks, sidewalks, equestrian trails, and the schools are also in the neighborhood.) He put in his low-ball offer on Tuesday and they counter-offered last night. He and his parents will place a middle-of-the-road offer today in hopes they take it and they can move forward with purchasing the house. It's a nice home with 3 bedrooms, an office, 2.5 baths, and the downstairs has been totally remodeled. It has a large, really pretty and useful kitchen as well as a formal and informal living area and formal dining. The 1/2 bath and laundry room are also on the entry level. The stairs are at the back of the house and the entry is a double door, so you don't get cramped when you come in. The back yard has a covered patio and a small grassy area... I'm still adjusting to how small the yards here are in comparison with Michigan yards. The realtor describes it as this:

Beautiful, Light & Bright Summit Home On Single Loaded Street With A View Of The Canyon Front Of House Some Of The Great Features Include A Loft (could be 4th bedroom),Custom Kitchen with granite counter and big Island with bar seating,6 inch baseboards downstairs,Custom Tile Floor, Newer Appliances,recessed lighting, Custom wood blinds throughout, lots of Storage, Surround Sound, Great Formal Dinning Room, remodeled downstairs bath with granite, all closets have custom shelving and drawers and most of the house has newer windows. This Home Has It All With a Nice Backyard with Patio Cover and Room to Entertain. 

I'm really excited for Jason and the big changes in his life right now. I've been a sounding board for these decisions, but ultimately they've been initiated by him. It's nice sometimes to take a back seat and watch how these processes work. I'll keep you posted with what happens with this home. Jason's really excited about it. So say a little prayer that everything works out for the best in his home and school search.

A Little Montage

Below: Laffit Pincay Jr. and me at the Santa Anita Derby. I'm taller OMG! (We're actually the same height, but I was wearing heels. Jason thinks I should be a jockey cause they can make millions. I shot that idea down because I don't have a death wish. lol)

Ok, so I suppose it's been some time since I shared pics and news... so here is a bit of a montage about what I've been up to:

First of all, I went to a hockey game with Jason on March 27. We went to cheer on the Anaheim Ducks against the Tulsa Oilers. This was my first professional hockey game and unfortunately, despite my cheering, the Ducks lost 5-3. However, it was still a thriller thanks to all the fighting. I was actually surprised how many fights there were. Practically the entire game was a power play for one team or the other. I couldn't help but think of poor John Mike... I hope he doesn't get into fights. I totally had a mom moment and thought about them all losing their teeth. Tell John Mike not to fight on ice cause he could lose his teeth and girls (and his aunt) don't like that. lol.

We also attended the 2009 Santa Anita Derby on April 4 together. This was Jason's first big race and I got us tickets just beyond the finish line. He seemed to enjoy our time there, but I was definitely in heaven. I got to meet Laffit Pincay who is a Hall of Fame Jockey who rode Sham against Secretariat (my favorite racehorse) in the 1973 Triple Crown. Unfortunately for Sham, he ran against a Superhorse and lost all three races. It was too bad because I sincerely believe Sham would have won the triple crown any other year. Sham and Secretariat's mothers are related and were even bred the same week at the same barn. These horses seemed destined to be rivals, and in this case, the west coast underdog couldn't defeat the blue-blood champion. Penny Chenery, Secretariat's owner, even admits to rooting for Sham occasionally in the races because she knew what an amazing horse he was. Pincay was there to sign his biography which was just released. However, he would sign other racing paraphernalia as well. I brought my book "Sham: in the Shadow of a Superhorse" as well as a photo of Sham and Secretariat leaping out of the starting gate at the infamous Belmont Stakes for him to sign. (You can watch this incredible race at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS4f6wiQJh4) Pincay seemed a bit surprised that I wanted him to sign something on Sham. I told him that he had a triple crown winner any other year and his eyes lit up immediately. He said, "You know your racing huh? Yah Sham was a good horse. A champion. He just ran the wrong year. In the Belmont, his trainer told me to keep up with the big red guy (Secretariat) and I knew it was a mistake. I looked over at that horses eyes when we were running together and I knew Sham had no chance. Secretariat was a freak of nature, you know?" Pincay was right. Secretariat was a freak of nature. Upon necropsy (an animal autopsy), it was found that Secretariat had the largest heart of any equine examined on the record. The vet who did the necropsy said, "We were all shocked. I've seen and done thousands of autopsies on horses, and nothing I'd ever seen compared to it. The heart of the average horse weighs about nine pounds. This was almost twice the average size, and a third larger than any equine heart I'd ever seen. And it wasn't pathologically enlarged. All the chambers and the valves were normal. It was just larger. I think it told us why he was able to do what he did." A few years later, this same vet did a necropsy on Sham and found something equally astonishing, and a bit ironic. Sham had the second largest heart he'd ever seen, second to Secretariat. Racing legend says that Sham lost the 1973 Belmont due to a broken heart... a heart that couldn't match that of Secretariat. Although Secretariat is my favorite, Sham is my second. Even though Sham broke racing records and gave Secretariat the best competition, he isn't even listed as one of the 100 greatest racehorses. Sad. It's funny how we only remember winners. Sham never raced again after he lost to Secretariat that day in June. He suffered a fractured ankle bone from trying his hardest to beat the best. Sometimes our best isn't enough, but what counts is that we gave our best. I love Sham for that. He has been all but forgotten in racing history, but I choose to remember and Pincay sure does too.

The Santa Anita Derby itself wasn't as exciting as we'd hoped. The heavy favorite, The Pamplemousse, scratched as did two other horses. This cut the field to seven and limited the payoff at the betting booths. Jason and I bet on Pioneer of the Nile, Chocolate Candy, and Mr. Hot Stuff in a boxed trifecta and won! I even picked the number four horse, Take the Points. Unfortunately I didn't bet a superfecta, because if I had, I would have won. The payoff was pretty lame for winning the trifecta, but it's fun to just have bragging rights. Although Pioneer of the Nile won, his victory wasn't very impressive. It looks like Quality Road and I Want Revenge will be the favorites for the Kentucky Derby this year. I like Quality Road. His victory over Dunkirk in the Florida Derby was impressive and I'd like to see him win. It will be the first time his trainer will go to the Derby. Jason had a good time and enjoyed bragging to his friends about the trifecta. He says he'd like to go to Del Mar, a racetrack near San Diego a few times this summer.

As you all know, shortly after the race I announced that I would be attending Pepperdine this fall. It was a very difficult decision for me between Loyola and Pepperdine. I investigated many factors when making my decision. Pepperdine is actually ranked higher than Loyola and continues to climb the rankings each year. Loyola does have more firms that interview there, but they also have a much larger student body. Ultimately, the top 10% gets big firm jobs from both schools. The location is great at Pepperdine and I'm excited to participate on one of their humanitarian trips to Thailand, Uganda, China, India, or Israel. They are all school-led and safe. I can't wait to begin classes this fall and will be living on campus, right across the street from the school. In the end, my decision came down to a feeling. Pepperdine felt right.

Since then I've heard from both UCLA and UCI and I didn't get in to either, making Pepperdine my final choice. I'm really not upset by this. I wasn't impressed with UCLA's treatment and UCI is a bit of a risk, although it would've been nice to get school for free. Jason's mom is going to set me up with a meeting at Wells Fargo to go over loans and what is the best option for me. It'll be nice to have her help since my parents aren't here to meet with me. I haven't taken out a student loan before, so it will be nice to have help deciding the best options. (I still can't believe how expensive law school is.)

Jason has been pretty busy looking for a house. He wants to live in Anaheim Hills, which is actually very close to his work, but still in Orange County. He wants to stay in Orange because the property value holds despite recessions and it would be a more sound investment. He hopes to be in a house in the next few months. The neighborhood he's looking in is awesome and it's been fun to go gawk at houses with him. lol.

I'm still applying to local jobs. The temp service hasn't worked out as expected. Instead, I've been learning how to cook. Last night I made burritos with spicy chilly, fresh bell peppers, caramelized onions, diced potatoes, sour cream, shredded cheese, and lettuce. They turned out to be a hit so I was pretty pleased with my accomplishment. Tonight I'm making stir fry with steak so we'll see how that goes. I need to get in touch with grandma for recipe ideas.

Thanks again for all your support through the tough law decision process. I'm really looking forward to school in the fall. I'm also looking forward to visiting Michigan from June 22 - July 13. Jason will also be coming for a week in July. So there's lots going on and I'm happy to be moving forward.

"Follow your heart, but be quiet for a while first. Ask questions, then feel the answer. Learn to trust your heart."