** MIY6KO **

August 17 is back again.  It's been eight years since my best friend Chad Yukio Tanabe passed away, but every day (and on this day especially) I take a moment to reflect upon my life's choices.  I remember standing in the hospital room trying pathetically to say my final goodbye.  I was so young.  So naive.  I didn't know what to say or how to act.  And now the moment is gone forever.

There are so many things in life I regret.  I know the wise man would say not to have regrets, but rather to learn from your mistakes and become stronger because of them.  But who's really that wise?  There are so many moments I wish I could take back.  Things I would do over.  Things I would not do over.  I often sit and wonder how different my life would be if I had made different choices.  When I think too long about it, it usually leads to a few tears.  Then I wonder, do I cry because I'm somehow unhappy with the present?  Or do I cry because I'm still unhappy about the past?  Or are they the same thing?  And as I sit in the dark with tears in my eyes and type up some melodramatic blog... I really do wonder where my life's path would have taken me... if only...

So there are a million more important things to decide on, but at least we're making progress right?

LUCKY by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillet

Do you hear me?

I’m talking to you

Across the water

Across the deep blue ocean

Under the open sky, oh my, baby I’m trying

Boy I hear you in my dreams

I feel your whisper across the sea

I keep you with me in my heart

You make it easier when life gets hard

I’m lucky I’m in love with my best friend

Lucky to have been where I have been

Lucky to be coming home again

They don’t know how long it takes

Waiting for a love like this

Every time we say goodbye

I wish we had one more kiss

I’ll wait for you I promise you I will

I’m lucky I’m in love with my best friend

Lucky to have been where I have been

Lucky to be coming home again

Lucky we’re in love in every way

Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed

Lucky to be coming home someday

And so I’m sailing through the sea

To an island where we’ll meet

You’ll hear the music fill the air

I’ll put a flower in your hair

Though the breezes through the trees

Move so pretty you’re all I see

As the world keeps spinning ‘round

You hold me right here right now

I’m lucky I’m in love with my best friend

Lucky to have been where I have been

Lucky to be coming home again

Lucky we’re in love in every way

Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed

Lucky to be coming home someday

What life dream or goal have you given up on?

Up until sophomore year of high school my dream career was to be a veterinarian.  I was addicted to Animal Planet, borrowed books from the library constantly, and even took tours of local vet offices and picked their brains about the profession.  I knew so much about veterinary medicine that I could diagnose and recommend treatment for the animals I saw on Emergency Vets or Animal Precinct/Cops before the TV vets even said anything.  I soaked up animal facts like a sponge.

Unfortunately my veterinarian dreams were crushed after taking and nearly failing AP Chemistry.  That was the rude awakening which let me know science was definitely NOT my calling.  And what did I end up going to college for?  Accounting.  mmhmm

So I'm pretty sure our country (and most of the world) is in one of the lowest economic periods in history.  With the national unemployment rate at almost 10%, and California in fiscal emergency, and thousands of people getting laid off or forced into unpaid leave or reduced hours, wouldn't you be thankful just to have a job?  No matter how much you hated it?  I would think so.  The rational side of me thinks that you should just tough it out until the economy perks up a bit and there are more jobs out there to choose from when you jump ship (not to mention less competition from other job seekers).

Why then, are so many people quitting?  Why are people looking for new jobs when they aren't one of the unlucky ones who have to?  Do they know something I don't about the job market?  Or are they just braver than me?  Or are they so good at what they do that they're in demand no mater what the economy is like?

Or are they just buying into the illusion that the grass is greener on the other side?  Are they delusional?  Or are they all talk and no walk and will never actually find a new job?

I just don't get it.  I'm very grateful to be employed, and thank the fates every day that all of my loved ones are employed as well.  Should I be wishing for more?

Think outside the (recyclable) box: What's an Act of Green someone might be surprised to learn about?
Sponsored by One Million Acts of Green brought to you by Cisco.

One of my friends gave me a great "green" book for Christmas.  One thing that stuck with me was when I read how wasteful using coffee stirrers can be.  If you just put the sugar and cream at the bottom of the cup before you pour the coffee, swirl it a little when it's part-way full, then fill the rest of the cup you can skip the stirrer entirely.  It takes a few extra seconds, but think of how many stirrers you could save!

Another tip from that book that seems to have stuck among our friends is not grabbing extra napkins when you eat out.  People just naturally grab extra.  You know, just in case you need them.  But, more often than not you only need one or two and you end up tossing the rest in the trash.  Try watching the napkin dispenser at a fast food place for a few minutes to see the handfuls of napkins that disappear at a time.  I'd bet you a dollar most of them end up unused and in the trash at the end of the meal.  Think twice before you hoard the napkins, people!

Would you rather have one best friend or ten acquaintances? Why?

One best friend, for sure.  It's all about quality over quantity.  Having one person who truly and deeply understands you, the good and the bad, is worth an infinite amount more than any acquaintence.  Anyone can be there to celebrate and share good times.  In fact, the more the merrier.  But, the moment when you'll appreciate the greater value of a best friend will come when you're at your lowest.  When no one, possibly not even yourself, can do what's best for you.  It might be to put you back in line, help pick your next move, or help pick up the pieces.  This is when the difference is clearest.

Some people will just never get it.  They think they're something, but to any outsider looking in it's obvious they're not.  They're just a poser.  Just a wanna-be.  Putting up a front for who knows why.  Insecurity?  Or is it true delusion?  It's people like this who need a swift kick in the ass sometimes to let them know their true place.  These hypothetical scenarios will give you an idea of what I mean...

It's like... the full-on haole dude at the Mexican fast food place who thinks he's being cool by speaking in Spanish to order, even using the rolls of the tongue and what not to sound authentic.  You know it's not his true language and it's so lame for him to think he's fooling anyone, but who's gonna stop him and tell him he's a douche?  Not me.

Or... some girl at work who is the assistant to some big shot and she sometimes sits in on important meetings.  Her role in the department is pretty low down on the totem pole, yet she thinks she's God's gift.  Her coworkers know exactly what she does at work and aren't impressed, but when she talks to anyone outside work she inflates her position to sound like she's BFF with the boss and all the clients.  She talks up her work day like she's the greatest thing since sliced bread and her boss and clients would die without her.  To the coworkers that know better, this is annoying as shit.  Even more annoying when she talks about it with them as if they don't know the truth.  But is anyone going to say anything?  Doubt it.

Also... it's the guy who's a repeat tourist to Hawaii.  So maybe he's been there 10 times.  He's pretty well versed in the different areas and things to do, but in no way is he local.  Any time someone talks about Hawaii he's quick to chime in and let them know all the cool kama'aina things he knows.  If he were ever in a conversation with true locals, they'd all be secretly rolling their eyes.  It's one thing to say you're familiar with Hawaii.  It's another thing entirely to pretend you're a local when you're clearly not.  But, who's gonna burst his bubble?

And don't forget... there's always that know-it-all douche in every circle who has to put in his two cents about everything even when no one asked for his opinion.  Can't forget him.  He's self explanatory.

grrrr

You absolutely HAVE to watch this video of Dash.  It's the cutest thing EVERRRRR...

http://www.vimeo.com/5071173

I've been so busy over the past few months that I haven't had time in a long time to "blog".  Thankfully, today is the first day in forever that I've felt at peace.  Graduate school is behind me, busy season at work is over, we're settled into our new apartment, and our four-legged baby is adjusting well.  For once I finally have time to slow down and catch up with life.  No more rushing around just trying to survive.  I can actually thrive!  It probably won't last long, but I'm going to try my best to enjoy this brief moment in the sun while it lasts.  :)

Littering, long showers, not recycling... What's your biggest pet peeve about the way some people (mis)treat our planet?
Sponsored by One Million Acts of Green brought to you by Cisco.

I'm making my return to Vox by answering the QoTD!  I hate it when I see people carelessly flick their cigarette butts onto the ground.  Not only are they killing themselves by smoking and hurting others through secondhand smoke, but they're also damaging the environment afterward by littering.  It's wrong on so many levels.  SMOKERS ARE DISGUSTING!!!