This is a compilation of bands that all have a really big anthemetic guitar style. It's a mixture of more well known bands (Simple Minds, Big Country, U2, The Alarm, etc.) and more obscure artists as well. The album art is supposed to feel like some cheesy mid-80's band in the style.

Download Here: We Can Be Brave Again - 80's Big Guitar Anthems
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There are plenty of towns like El Centro across the USA.

Something positive to read: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/impact/

One doesn't have to be wealthy to give. Just being nice to people is also "giving".

I haven't wrote much on LJ lately, been too busy with the two jobs, skijoring, fostering a GSDxHusky and everything else I guess... But I had to write something about an horible event that occured today.

I was out playing with Titus and Whisky (foster dog) in the park not too far from my place, its a very common place where a lot of dog owner comes and go with their dogs, its fenced, and is mostly a unofficial dog park. I'd say all the dogs are friendly and owner responcible... -wrong-

There was this goergous German shepard dog who started to run and play around with my two boys, he was okay for most of the time, but it got out of hand pretty quickly, when I saw that, I called Titus (yes, I'm lucky enough to have a husky who listens to recalls) and they both trotted back to me... followed by the german shepard who decided it was fun to bite...

he bit Titus.... Now, working for an emergency vet clinic and as a first respondant technitian in a pet ambulance service, I know how to deal with wounds... so I knew he needed to be brought at the Emergency ASAP.

DX : puncture on abdominal wall.

Let me tell you, if theres one thing you never want to see, is your own dog guts...

After 45 minutes of surgery, he's now in recovery, I'm lucky enough that I might even be able to bring him home tonight when he's totally awake (mostly because I know how to monitor him, and have the essential at home, but honestly I wouldn't have wanted if the guts or bladder were touched)

I just had to rant/vent/share... I guess..

Today we had to entertain my sibling and her friend and we started off at Empress Pavilion for Dim Sum and the service was great.  They kept changing our plates, removing the steamers and kept our teapot full.  Then we went to Hsi Lai Temple since the guest has never visited a large Mahayana Temple before.  Hsi Lai is well-known for it's whole lotus flower tea!  :: squee ::
So from generic restaurant tea to the real deal lotus tea.  Not lotus scented, essence, or ground up with a leaf or two but the ENTIRE BUD.

It looks like this.  Unfortunately the tearoom and other services at the temple are there to raise money for the temple so one lotus bud is $3 if you enjoy it at the temple....$5 to go .  Eeeeek.  So walked around with a thin foam cup holding scalding water and because lotus bud requires a very long steeping period I had to carry the cup with me in the car as we headed to the next location.

It was so worth it.  The tea smelled nutty and flowery and the color was a beautiful deep amber.

Then we went to San Gabriel Square which is a center for Chinese shopping.  I visited before and went to an excellent Taiwanese place across the street next to the Hilton.  Today I found a delightful area which sells teas not in boxes but mini individual units.  SO CUTE AND THEY WOULD MAKE PERFECT STOCKING STUFFERS.  I also bought some flowering teas too.  The total I spent was $4.39.

Behind the cut are photos from HSI LAI and my small purchase of teas...
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1) hotel rooms---I think the office of the future is a hotel room
I'm just really into "work areas" and want to blend living and workspace---for instance my fantasy is to convert a CA bungalow into a workshop

2) courtyards with fountains and ponds (I'd like to turn one into a cat enclosure). During the early days of my access to the internet I was obsessed with waterworks and pond systems mainly because I kept a herd of turtles...seriously a herd of them. The best I could do was invest in a very large kiddie pool and ran a filter on it occasionally but usually siphoned off the water for the yard.

3) "green" shopping centers with indoor gardens. I HATE dark, concrete shopping centers or bright sterile places...

4) bed & breakfast as "work holidays" where you escape your boring familiar surroundings to stimulate creativity...I totally want to take one week off..spend it at a hotel and work on the net.

5) hotel + tea room + garden combo

6) all houses built before 1920s

7) would like walk through all residential areas in Pasadena

8) Asian grocery stores, especially the Japanese and Korean ones which are competing for cuteness. If I ever become wealthy I'm going to open a mega-shopping mall with a Southeast Asian theme.

9) Ideas on how to turn buffets into an elegant and "healthy" feeling eating areas---went to a Sizzler's for my dad's b-day and was disgusted by people wasting food---furthermore buffets seem to be very unhygienic unless it is staffed by professionals. Okay I know it is just "Sizzler's" but still. Most buffets offer inexpensive fare which is deep fried so it keeps longer :: shudders :: Best buffet is Makino (in Las Vegas) which was spectacular.

Why is it that this is the only time of the year when, even if ambient music is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE in your work environment at any other time, somehow it's wrong to want the same rules to apply to shitty Christmastime Music. Shit.

I've been neglecting this blog lately, and I apologize. But now you can follow me on Twitter @helenedefer!