One Foot Out The Door

So it’s been forever since the last time I’ve posted…or so it seems. I don’t even remember when the Haiti earthquake happened, but I do remember that as soon as it happened, I blogged a bit, encouraging everyone to help with the relief effort and posting about those who have already helped out. Nothing has really changed since then. I mean, Haiti still needs help and it’s still relatively chaotic, and I’m back at school. It’s both a good and bad thing. I like being around these people, but I hate doing work all this work. Haha.

Basically, the same stuff. New fact? I have a newfound obsession with the youtube sensation Bo Burnham! You should check him out. He’s pretty clever. He’s also on Comedy Central. He’s a little older than me and is a freshman at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He’s 19 and a freshman because he deferred admission for a year so he could further his media career (i.e. youtube. haha). So far, that strategy seemed to have proved successful.

Okay, now I’m rambling. I just want to type for some reason. Guess I’ll get back to doing homework. Bye! Maybe my next post will have more organization and make more sense lol

Ciao,

Victoria

Rainn Wilson from The Office

Yes, actors like Rainn Wilson from The Office and Olivia Wilde from House both encourage citizens to donate to the relief groups that are currently working in Haiti. Olivia Wilde offers a personalized video message to everyone who emails her their electronic receipt that proves a $100 donation or more before 1 am PST and $200 after 1 am PST to her organization: Artists for Peace and Justice. A link as been provided to the right, underneath the Donation category. Rainn Wilson offers autographed photos of himself to all those who donate $100 or more to his friend’s Haiti-based volunteer organization, Planting Peace. A link as been provided for this as well.

Please donate. Make a difference. These actors are willing to provide incentive to those who can help.

Olivia Wilde from House

Large corporations and people linked together by the internet all respond with fervor to those who suffer from the earthquake that recently struck Haiti. Here are the companies that have pledged money to fund the relief effort in Haiti:

Digicel Group - (top Haitian mobile phone operator) $5 million dollars

Lowe’s Cos Inc - $1 million dollars to the Red Cross effort in Haiti

National Bank of Canada - $250,000 Canadian dollars to the Canadian Red Cross (Additionally, National Bank MasterCard cardholders can exchange reward points for a cash donation to the Canadian Red Cross)

Bank of Nova Scotia - $250,000 Canadian dollars (Additionally, will accept donations to the Canadian Red Cross in its bank branches)

Wells Fargo - $100,000 dollars to the American Red Cross disaster relief fund

FedEx Corp - Offers services to deliver supplies to the relief workers

United Parcel Service Inc - Plans on coordinating shipments of aid supplies

As of right now, the exact number of casualties are still unknown. From what the rescue workers and other volunteer aid providers can discern, the amount of those under the rubble can be close to 100,000 people, maybe more. Please help those in need. Whether it is merely retweeting news of the Haiti earthquake or using the donation links provided on every Youtube page, do something to make a difference. Join that Haiti Earthquake information/support group on facebook or visit Google’s disaster relief page that provides many ways to make a difference (ranging from making donations via text and through links as well as reading new updates on the situation).

I have included some links to the right that you can use to donate to the relief fund for your convenience. Furthermore, you can donate via text, if the internet is something you’re not interested in.

• SMS text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts
• SMS text “YELE” to 501501 to Donate $5 to Yele Haiti’s Earthquake Relief efforts

Helping Haitian citizens is only a mouse click/text away. Please help.

This is an example of some of the damage Haiti sustained after being struck by the earthquake.

A little before 5 p.m. yesterday, a level 7 earthquake struck Haiti at its heart. The nation’s capital was hit the hardest with the earthquake a mere 10 miles from Port-au-Prince; fires engulfed homes along the coastline, shantytowns were demolished under the natural disaster’s powerful might, and the electricity has been out during the whole time. According to recent news updates, it is only now (a full 24 hours and then some) that some citizens are finally getting their electricity back. The widespread black-out made communication increasingly difficult. Relief workers struggled to bring aid to the nation’s wounded population with rubble blocking every street and communication systems down. With all the debris and collapsed buildings, it is difficult to determine the exact number of casualties, but the U.S. State Department has been told to “expect serious loss of life.” The earthquake was devastating and the country sustained heavy damages. This magnitude 7.0 earthquake is said to have been the worst Haiti has seen for nearly two centuries. Witnesses say that the shock was so strong that it could still be felt in Cuba despite 200 miles worth of distance separating the two countries. David Wald, Geological Survey seismologist, states that several aftershocks followed the initial quake and there are many more to be expected following the hit. Currently, many are working hard to devise a rescue plan as well as provide relief supplies to the wounded survivors. CNN is providing live footage from the after-effects of the quake so stay tuned for more updates.

Though the title of this post is a little misleading, I’m not actually hooked on any illicit substances. I am, however, addicted to the magazine-gone-website known as Cracked. This snarky little site is full of intriguing ideas that are supported with a surprising amount of factual evidence (i.e. Urban Legends That Happen to Be True, The 5 Most Terrifying Bugs in the World, etc). It’s a smorgasbord of comedic writers collaborating together to compile articles focusing on random things in order to entertain readers. It certainly a gem and it’s a shame that the magazine stopped publishing early in 2009. Originally, this magazine was a knock-off of Mad Magazine whose main reader population consisted of those who arrived at the store just as Mad Magazine sold out. However, Cracked quickly grew popular. Though the magazine itself is discontinued, it lives on as a successful website that yours truly often frequents. It certainly is worth a look-see.

I’ve finally gotten most of the things in my life sorted out so I will be posting more frequently and with more exciting pieces of information…hopefully.

Until next time!

Victoria

First off, MERRY CHRISTMAS darlings <3

Second off, I certainly hope your Christmas (and this year) has been full of happiness, good health, and everything you wished for - or at least most of it. Mine was surprisingly uneventful. For some reason, lately I’ve been feeling a little out of it so this Christmas was not as satisfying as it usually is.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: ROFL. Sorry, sorry! This is obvs too late and sadly unfinished. I was a little distracted when I started writing this and I figured it would be pointless to finish it at this point…Enjoy? Haha.

Yes, the title was necessary! I just read a previous post of mine and it made me laugh. This was back when things were simpler. Hahaha. Sometimes, that’s what I do with my journals. I just open one up to a random page and start reading. It’s like jumping into the past. I can remember everything clearly with the help of my writing. I love it. Some of the things I say are depressing. Some of the things I say are just outrageously ridiculous, it’s funny. I’m glad I have them. I have some journals from when I was really little, like 4th grade little. I didn’t even know I *had* journals back then. I guess I was interested in them all my life. Hahaha. Of course, I had the gaudy little ones with the pink covers and sparkles and stupid little plastic lock and strange compartments. I was an amusing child.

That’s it. Talk more later!

- Victoria

P.S. I don’t know why I’m still up. I’m about to lose my mind. :O

Ergh…once again, I find myself up at an ungodly hour…I don’t know what has gotten into me. I’m feeling better, I think. Progress. Yay! I digress. I’ve realized that because of the way we’re gifting things for Christmas this year (and by “we,” I mean my family), I don’t have to get presents for everyone, but I should probably at least make cards…which I have yet to do. This will be a project. Maybe it will take my mind of off things.

On the cheesier slice of the pizza, Christmas is almost here! I’ll see the rest of my family, I’ll eat a lot, and I’ll probably get fatter. >.< Cheers to the festivities! I wish I had been here to decorate the Christmas tree. That would have been cute. I honestly don’t know why I’m talking. I’m going to make some tea then do some laundry.

At this rate, I’m going to die of exhaustion. 2 hours of sleep is not healthy. I’m just going to whither away. I don’t even remember eating yesterday.

Oh, I had some little pigs in a blanket thingies.

Ciao

Victoria

I actually didn’t write this humorous analogy that transfers the operating system qualities to replicate airline behavior. I found it online somewhere while browsing the internet randomly one day. It certainly a gem If I knew who wrote it, I’d certainly give him or her credit, but since there was not stated author, this piece is now written by Anonymous! Thank you for the good laugh! I figured it would be appropriate to include a light, happy post after my depression-laden rant. I apologize for the craziness. Hope you enjoy <3

- Victoria

Unix Airways: Everyone brings one piece of the plane along when they come to the airport. They all go out on the runway and put the plane together piece by piece, arguing non-stop about what kind of plane they are supposed to be building.

Air DOS: Everybody pushes the airplane until it glides, then they jump on and let the plane coast until it hits the ground again. Then they push again, jump on again, and so on…

Mac Airlines: All the stewards, captains, baggage handlers, and ticket agents look and act exactly the same. Every time you ask questions about details, you are gently but firmly told that you don’t need to know, don’t want to know, and everything will be done for you without your ever having to know, so just shut up.

Windows Air: The terminal is pretty and colourful, with friendly stewards, easy baggage check and boarding, and a smooth take-off. After about 10 minutes in the air, the plane explodes with no warning whatsoever.

Windows NT Air: Just like Windows Air, but costs more, uses much bigger planes, and takes out all the other aircraft within a 40-mile radius when it explodes.

Windows XP Air: You turn up at the airport,which is under contract to only allow XP Air planes. All the aircraft are identical, brightly coloured and three times as big as they need to be. The signs are huge and all point the same way. Whichever way you go, someone pops up dressed in a cloak and pointed hat insisting you follow him. Your luggage and clothes are taken off you and replaced with an XP Air suit and suitcase identical to everyone around you as this is included in the exorbitant ticket cost. The aircraft will not take off until you have signed a contract. The inflight entertainment promised turns out to be the same Mickey Mouse cartoon repeated over and over again. You have to phone your travel agent before you can have a meal or drink. You are searched regularly throughout the flight. If you go to the toilet twice or more you get charged for a new ticket. No matter what destination you booked you will always end up crash landing at Whistler in Canada.

OSX Air: You enter a white terminal, and all you can see is a woman sitting in the corner behind a white desk, you walk up to get your ticket. She smiles and says “Welcome to OS X Air, please allow us to take your picture”, at which point a camera in the wall you didn’t notice before takes your picture. “Thank you, here is your ticket” You are handed a minimalistic ticket with your picture at the top, it already has all of your information. A door opens to your right and you walk through. You enter a wide open space with one seat in the middle, you sit, listen to music and watch movies until the end of the flight. You never see any of the other passengers. You land, get off, and you say to yourself “wow, that was really nice, but I feel like something was missing”

Windows Vista Airlines: You enter a good looking terminal with the largest planes you have ever seen. Every 10 feet a security officer appears and asks you if you are “sure” you want to continue walking to your plane and if you would like to cancel. Not sure what cancel would do, you continue walking and ask the agent at the desk why the planes are so big. After the security officer making sure you want to ask the question and you want to hear the answer, the agent replies that they are bigger because it makes customers feel better, but the planes are designed to fly twice as slow. Adding the size helped achieve the slow fly goal.

Once on the plane, every passenger has to be asked individually by the flight attendants if they are sure they want to take this flight. Then it is company policy that the captain asks the passengers collectively the same thing. After answering yes to so many questions, you are punched in the face by some stranger who when he asked “Are you sure you want me to punch you in the face? Cancel or Allow?” you instinctively say “Allow”.

After takeoff, the pilots realize that the landing gear driver wasn’t updated to work with the new plane. Therefore it is always stuck in the down position. This forces the plane to fly even slower, but the pilots are used to it and continue to fly the planes, hoping that soon the landing gear manufacturer will give out a landing gear driver update.

You arrive at your destination wishing you had used your reward miles with XP airlines rather than trying out this new carrier. A close friend, after hearing your story, mentions that Linux Air is a much better alternative and helps.

Linux Air: Disgruntled employees of all the other OS airlines decide to start their own airline. They build the planes, ticket counters, and pave the runways themselves. They charge a small fee to cover the cost of printing the ticket, but you can also download and print the ticket yourself.

When you board the plane, you are given a seat, four bolts, a wrench and a copy of the seat-HOWTO.html. Once settled, the fully adjustable seat is very comfortable, the plane leaves and arrives on time without a single problem, the in-flight meal is wonderful. You try to tell customers of the other airlines about the great trip, but all they can say is, “You had to do what with the seat?”