Welcome to NYC

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Hello Again! I thoroughly enjoyed the ballet I went to on Saturday. It was the Royal New Zealand Ballet's triple bill show, meaning the production was comprised of three short ballets as opposed to one lengthier one. The show was entitled "NYC" (Standing for New Young Classic). The ballets were all connected, in some way, to New York City. The first ballet was strictly classical and the third was classical as well, though less so than the first because the dance was set to late 30's jazz/swing music. The second ballet of the show was BRILLIANT. It was a contemporary piece- the set was simply the existing stage with all the curtains stripped back, revealing concrete, light fixtures, ropes and sound equipment equipment trunks. Quite a large number of dancers were featured, which undoubtedly enhanced the wow-factor of the breathtaking performance. The dancers began the performance in just black warm up gear- a mixture of shorts, skirts, leotards, tank tops and sports bras, and eventually changed into costume. The performance was meant to emulate the evolution of a show from the first rehearsal to the first performance. NYC was held in the ornate civic theatre in the middle of down town Auckland. What fun it was to dress up and have a night out : )

My Sunday was a lazy day, just spending time with some girlfriends around the house, which was great. It was refreshing to take a break from the books that so dominate my Monday through Saturday existence for a few hours.  Speaking of my current living arrangement, I've been asked to share pictures. The above is a shot of the view from one (one meaning multiple!, isn't that crazy?) of the upstairs balconies. There is a really great park that's just behind the house, hence all of the trees. The park is situated in a valley of sorts and has winding sidewalks and a few little bridges. Anyway back to the house- Its large, extremely sunny and surrounded by trees. It sits on a culdesac at the end of a little private road that diverts off of a popular street in Remuera. Overall, a great place to live!... idyllic one might venture to say even : ) I was just thinking on a run this evening that I'll have to take my camera with me (maybe for a walk) on my regular running route one day... It really is an amazingly beautiful part of Auckland that I live in. My run starts off at the top large hill with a gradual slope from which one can see all of the city to the left and the water and Rangitoto straight ahead. At the bottom of the hill, which is approximately a mile distance from my start point, there is a boardwalk that runs along the waterfront and in amongst some mangroves. From there, I take a shortcut through a reserve, then its a good mile back up a hill towards home. I cut through the park thats near my house and up another side street to arriive back home. The views the entire way really are breathtaking.

I had my first physics and chemistry labs this week! Both are three hour sections that run every other week. My physics class being a level one paper, our first lab was purely an introduction to the lab space, safety and administrative details. I'm taking a year two chemistry course though, so our first lab was full-on. Unfortunately, despite meticulous measurements and direction following, I had some issues. Our directive was to synthesize two products, which we then had to hand in for marking. My first reagents unfortunately did not react properly and my end result was a product with a mass that was roughly a fifth of the amount that other people in the class produced. My second synthesis was more successful, but unfortunately someone who had less success with that part of the lab decided to take my sample from the drying oven and claim it as theirs. Frustrating. On a positive note, I got on really well with two girls whose stations were near mine at the lab bench and we have plans to finish our write ups together. Its always nice to find good study partners. I didnt get to take a picture of myself in (my very own!) chemistry lab coat and goggles, but I was looking quite professional today, I must say (paging Dr. G? haha) : )

Image Via Here

Tomorrow I have a full day of Uni and afterward I'm going to go to the art gallery for a bit to check out a special exhibit that they have on. Its an international exhibit that is organized and sponsored by the National Galleries of Scotland. The exhibit features artists by the names of Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Ernst, Magritte and Warhol. It costs $17 to view the special exhibit, as opposed to the "always free!" gallery entry. The ticket cost, however, is well worth it in my opinion. It is, after all, not something one can see everyday : ) ... the show is titled "Degas to Dali". Afterwards, at seven I am going to my second tango lesson! My tango skills at the moment can be described as competent at best, but I felt that I was quickly progressing during the last lesson.

On Thursday I have an even longer day of lectures and tutorials, ending at 6 p.m. I also signed up to go to an event put on by an organization called Chiasma after my final lecture. There will be talks by two prominent individuals in the New Zealand health industry... and free food : ) I first heard of Chiasma today through a lecture. Further research revealed that "Chiasma is New Zealand's premier student-led organisation that fosters connections between science and business, connecting university students to high-tech industries." This certainly isn't my primary area of interest, but it is beyond relevant for so many reasons. I was also impressed with the organization's website- it is extremely well designed and organized. I'm sure you can infer from the above statement, the organization is completely student run and led, which I hold much admiration for. Based on what I've heard and seen about Chiasma, I'm expecting it to be a great event!

Image Via Here

This Friday marks the arrival of the Volvo Ocean Race to Auckland Harbor! The Viaduct events center (seen before in my seafood festival post) is apparently the ocean race epicenter until March 18th! The Volvo Ocean Race first ran in 1973 and is "the longest, most demanding and perilous sporting contest the world had known"... it is essentially a race around the world by fully crewed yachts that cover 39,000 nautical miles and lasts for nine months. That's quite a feat! In celebration of the race, their will be free concerts, performances and various other events occurring in Auckland during that time. I may go down to the viaduct on Friday, just to check things out. I'm definitely planning on returning this Sunday evening for a concert, and on March 16th for the in-port race. New Zealand's team, Camper, is currently placed fourth overall in the race, which culminates in Ireland in early July. I really can't imagine how much mental, let alone physical, strength one has to have to pull that off.

This upcoming weekend brings with it a few outdoor concerts, tennis, a friend's birthday and lots of study I can be sure! But we'll leave that all for another post : )

This evening I was quite efficient and finished my pre-reading and exercise in a timely manner... leaving time to use as I please. An abundance of leisure time resulted in one finished apocalypse survival novel and a copious amount of free online downloads : / You may know that I really enjoy planning things, especially parties and get togethers, which then of course implies an enjoyment of things such as invitations, decorations, thank you notes, etceteria. Silly? Yes. Enjoyable? Abundantly so. I downloaded some new fonts onto my computer and printed thank yous, calenders, and little decoration templates. I also made a pretty desktop background here. Did I just admit to all of that? Oh well... thats my day I guess.  We must not forget that all of my homework was done and I'd been on a 45 minute run ; )

I forgot to mention also that another exchange student has just arrived to stay with my host family and I for a short time. She is from Japan and is here for three weeks to study English. Later on in March, another international student from France will be staying for a few months. The french girl is very near to my age and I'm really looking forward to her coming to stay! One thing about Auckland is that it is extremely international, theres certainly no shortage of culture here! : )

I really enjoyed this post on a blog that I like, here it is if you care to read it! "13 Ways to Live a Dynamic Life".

Thanks For reading!

Until next time,

Lots of Love,
A

(Artificial) Snow!

"When I was a young man .. I was an enthusiastic devotee of the branch of wisdom known as natural science. I thought it was a glorious achievement to know the causes of everything, why each thing comes into being, why it continues in being and why it perishes. I was always worrying myself over such questions as these: Does heat, by undergoing a sort of fermentation, give rise to animal life, as some people say? Is blood .. the instrument of our thinking, or is it the brain alone that supplies the sensations of hearing, sight and smell ..?"
~Socrates

If you are familiar with this quote you may know that it is the introduction to a very long proclamation by Socrates claiming that science and physical explanations hold little to no value in life. This is how my Physics professor introduced the course this afternoon. "Take from my teachings what you will", was the message, I suppose. I found it interesting that the professor fairly clearly stated by reciting this quote that science does not give answers to life’s big questions. Physics 160 does not define the world in which we live?! It will not enlighten us to the greater work that occurs in the universe?! Blasphemy ; )
It’s been quite a long day for me. I put in the number of hours equivalent to a full day of work at the Liggins Institute, had my first physics lecture and then came home to do exercises from physics class, pre-read for tomorrow's lectures, organize my schedule and prep for my work at Liggins for the rest of the week.
The university was abuzz today with first week activities... all of the uni clubs have stalls set up in the quad to recruit new members, there are barbecues, performances and "free stuff!" galore... Classic university.
Thanks to all the propaganda ; ), I am now officially a member of the Auckland University Canoe and Tramping clubs. Both take some pretty neat weekend day trips all around the North Island and host the odd social event throughout the semester. (Canoe club toga party Friday night? : ) my RSVP = Yes)
Yesterday was the last lacrosse game of the league season (But University club is starting up!). I'm really happy to have met all of the amazing girls on the team. Lacrosse was one of the very first things that I did when I arrived in New Zealand. The team's first practice took place on the Monday after my arrival (which was on a Saturday). Though I had always wanted to play, I never had the chance to while in school, so this was my first lacrosse experience. I read an article on the airplane ride from Los Angeles to New Zealand that interviewed a famous Kiwi opera singer. She used the phrase, "Keen but bewildered," to speak of her attitude when she first moved to London to attend art school. The same was certainly true for me in regards to Lacrosse. I don't believe I caught the ball at all during that first practice! As I was assured I would by my coach, I have become a competent player despite my seemingly hopeless first attempts. And as I anticipated, I love lacrosse : ).

Inside Snow Planet

I also went to Snow Planet on Sunday evening! I borrowed some gear from a friend and got a taste of the winter that I've so regretfully missed out on ; ) The facility isn't all that large- there is one main hill and several jumps and terrain park areas. Regardless of the size, it was a blast! I didn't have much opportunity to go snowboarding last year thanks to a combination of unsuitable weather and excessive school work, but the "rhythm" came to me very quickly and fortunately I didnt suffer any falls. I also got quite a kick out of walking the short distance from the snow to the parking lot and experiencing a temperature change of at least twenty five degrees Celsius. It should also be noted that there is a fence that borders the Snow Planet property that serves as a boundary for a sheep enclosure. Ha : ).
Other random bits from my day: I signed up to participate in a Habitat for Humanity build in a few weeks’ time. I'm very much looking forward to that. For dinner today I had really great stuffed eggplant with a salad and some nice ciabatta bread. Mmmmm : ) I've also been thinking a lot recently about my words and whether they are positive or negative. It’s such a basic principle and something I've heard about forever of course, but I feel as though I've had a personal revelation on the matter. I think of myself as generally being in a good mood with affirmative things to say, but I realize I still make complain-y comments quite often and also say things that may or may not be offensive, depending on who is listening. These kinds of words are neither constructive nor diplomatic, and I aim to be both of those things! It is also important to me though to be genuine and to be able to honestly and accurately articulate my opinions... So I've certainly been more considerate of the things I say.
Ballet class tomorrow! I can only go every other week now because I have a lab that conflicts with the class that runs every second week. Maybe I'll fill in my lost dance time with a tango lesson! ; )

Have a GREAT week!

Lots of love,
A

Welcome to Parnell

Yesterday I spent most of my day in the neighborhood of Parnell. Parnell is just a brief bus ride from Remuera and is also very close to the city center. Around lunchtime, I had a meal with a friend from school and we went to an acoustic performance near Uni. Afterwards, I spent the afternoon wandering through Parnell. The village is about a block from the domain and not far at all from the water. It has a very colonial feel, with the craftsman-like architecture of the shops, old fashioned iron street lights and many parks. Parnell tends to have a lot of tourists milling about, because as I mentioned it is very close to the CBD, but they have some great restaurants and some very nice shops as well. The area is also Auckland's main design district. Off the main street, one will find a large number of design warehouses and showrooms. These buildings are almost all old industrial buildings that have been reworked into modern, open spaces.

My favorite part of the area is the many art galleries. Of course I am not exactly in the market to purchase a piece of art from such a gallery, but I certainly enjoy looking. One of my favorites is a contemporary art gallery. My favorite piece that I saw yesterday was constructed using old books that had been cut into triangles, opened and arranged to form three dimensional geometric patterns. Pictures are, unfortunately but understandably, not encouraged in the shop, but I hope my description has sufficed.

Also during my visit, I stopped by the library (pictured bellow) and checked out a few magazines, which I proceeded to read in the court yard of the enormous Anglican church that is just inside the Parnell village limits. The church had a banner outside advertising an upcoming Habitat for Humanity event and I'm planning on signing up as a volunteer.

Here is the Parnell Library. Auckland libraries has a very good system in which a patron can check out material from any library branch and return it to any of the other branches. The Parnell library is in a large historical building that is also home to the Parnell Council and Plunket, a non profit organization. One side of the building is occupied by an upscale design firm and home interiors retailer.

A glimpse of the church and an interesting copper sculpture

I have some fun things planned for my Sunday, but you'll find out about them tomorrow! I'm going to be more consistent with posting as my days become more scheduled (6 a.m. run and workout, 7:30 a.m. email and blog, etc etc). As always I love hearing from you all and appreciate your comments!

Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.

~Leon J. Suenes

Lots of Love,

A

The Making of a Patu

Valentines Day flowers

Hello again! Please forgive my neglectful blogging tendencies as of late. The upside to this though is that because I havent posted in such a long time, I have tons to update you on! My days during the last week have been entirely lazy, I've been reading lots of pop fiction, completing both "The Hunger Games" and "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" series, as well as finishing up a few books that I had started but not yet finished. The productivity of these activities is debatable, but I enjoyed myself and I am ready for the new semester that starts next Monday! I had my exam for my summer Maths paper last Wednesday (the results of which I ended up being very happy with). After the exam, a friend from class and I went out for celabratory pitas and a movie.
Yesterday I picked up all of my materials for my new classes from the University. I came home with quite the haul of textbooks, notebooks, lab manuals and course packs. I also bought (drum roll please)... my first lab coat! A moment of geeky excitement ensued upon purchase ; ) I'm enrolled in a physic, maths and chemistry. I'm very much looking foward to a challenging semester and I'm certain that I'll learn a lot, especially in chemistry. With the three papers, I'll have class every weekday. I've filled up the remainder of my Monday through Friday schedule with time at the Liggins institute. I've spent some time there this week as well and have been given some new assignments that will carry me into the new semester.
I've also been finishing up a gift for my father in the last few days. (It was intended for Christmas. I know, eek!) Per his request, its a traditional Maori Patu. Its made from Vitex and has been shaped and carved by hand. Originally it was just a weathered, foot long peice of 2x4. Heres a preview...

I had the opportunity to go to a really fun music festival featuring tons of Kiwi groups. The festival had six stages, divided by genre. I spent most of my time at the rock stage, seeing bands such as The Feelers, Shihad , Blacklist, Six60 and several others. One of my favorite performers of the day was someone I hadnt heard of, by the name of Tiki. It was an accoustic set and ended up being a bit of a sing-along, but the music was great and the atmosphere was extremely fun.

The harbor, along which the music festival stages were set

A (foggy) performance by The Feelers. They were awesome : )

I also went to Te Papa, which is "the New Zealand Museum." Its an enormous place (six levels!), with so much to see. Unfortunately I didnt get to spend much time there, but the exhibits I did have the chance to see were very interesting, interactive and well designed.

A wooden Maori sculpture

A corner of Te Papa... its fairly impossible to capture the entire building in one shot, its far too big!

A large portion of the museum deals with NZ natural history

Yesterday I went to the first Super Rugby League game. It was the Auckland Blues vs. the Cantebury Cruisaders. The Cruisaders are the team to beat in the league, so the game was met with much anticipation and excitement. We sat at field level on the blues side near the "blue army", an Auckland Blues fan club who all showed up in blue wigs carrying pep band instruments. They had a trombone, a trumpet and even a tuba! The game was held in Eden Park where a lot of the World Cup games were played. I believe the stadium holds roughly 30,000, and it was fairly packed last night. Unfortunately the Blues lost, leaving a lot of Aucklanders disappointed, but it was a great game that came down to the last few seconds. The blues only lost by one point, 18-19, and the game ended just meters away from their side. I have a "true blue" membership, so I will be going to three more home games : )

TED is coming up on Monday at uni and of course, as mentioned several times, I'm going to the ballet next weekend. I'm looking forward to a busy week of class, lacrosse, liggins and dance. I'm not sure if I've mentioned before that I've been doing a ballet class once a week on tuesdays... its in Mount Eden at a great, well known studio. I also met a guy from Germany in the international office this past week that told me about a tango studio in the CBD, so I'm thinking of trying that out this week as well! The Uni clubs are starting up too, so I'll have club lacrosse practice in addition to my normal league practice. The Uni tennis club also has practice starting this week, on sunday. I'm hoping to find some time this week some evening to make a kings cake for Mardi Gras. I've already found the plastic baby : ) I was thinking this would something fun to share with my new host family.  

Have a good weekend everyone!

Lots of Love,

A

Looking forward to meeting you, TED ; )

Hello Again! First off, the most important news of the day- the University of Auckland is hosting a TED forum! Its on the 27th of February and I cannot wait to go. Otherwise, here is my day in pictures... : )

I started this morning with a run, of course. Yes, that is blood on the back of my shoes. I've been trying out new running styles, because I know my form is far from great. I'm leaning towards the Pose method... 

I packed all of my things for my move tomorrow!

The maths course I've been taking is in the home stretch. The final lecture was on Thursday, with two assignments due this week, and all of the quizzes due today. I spent the majority of my day today doing exam review.



Is that all, you ask? Pretty much! It's a glamorous life ; ) I did skype with my mother, which was wonderful as always. I also spoke to my dad briefly... (*an official confirmation of a previous statement, my father does not listen to The Monkees in his vehicle* He did, however, suggest The Monkees theme song for a duet that I did many years ago for dance company, and therefore I associate the music with him.)

I have a study schedule worked out for this weekend leading up to my exam next Wednesday. With that and moving, I don't expect to have time to do much else. The Museum of Transport and Technology is on my to-do list though : )

If you get a minute, pop over here and take a look at some street art. Some of the pieces have fairly political content, which is not my favorite, but a lot of the work is simple, quirky and creative... the type of thing that you know would make a passer-by smile to themselves. The 3-D sidewalk paintings are pretty cool looking as well.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Lots of love,

A

Secret Lives

Secret Lives ad (via here)

Another musing from my week... The Secret Lives of Dancers! I giddily awaited the arrival of the season premier of the show that follows the dancers of the Royal New Zealand Ballet. The show's ad campaign was stunning, and prompted me to watch the previous season on TV3's website. I felt like a little girl in awe of the beautiful ballerinas. Just a few days ago in an email to my grandmother, I commented on the exceptional creativity and quality of the work in the arts industry in New Zealand and the show is truly a testament to that. Its incredibly well made, a very unique concept and artistically interpreted.

 

Ethan Steifel, RNZB Artistic Director (via here)

The season premier focused on the RNZB's change in artistic director, the new director being the famed American dancer Ethan Steifel! If the name doesn't sound familiar, perhaps you remember Cooper from the Center Stage Movies? Ethan is considered one of the greatest male dancers of all time and I think its fantastic that he has assumed creative control on the Royal New Zealand Ballet. It makes me look forward to going to the RNZB performance "NYC" at Auckland's Epic theatre even more than I already was!

All of the past episodes can be streamed online in New Zealand. I'm not sure that they can be viewed in the States, but its worth checking out this website, even if just for the well designed promotions. It should also be noted that the show is an AFTA award winner for best observational reality series.

(via here)

NYC promotion (via here)

As you can see I'm a bit enamored. I just can't get enough of the unbelievably graceful yet athletic movement of the profession dancers that just seems so effortless. I really have quite an appreciation for dance as an art form in itself, but combined with a behind the scenes television show!? Brilliant : )

I also watched some rugby sevens on Saturday. The NZ rugby sevens tournament took place in Wellington over the weekend. Its played with seven (obviously) guys on each team, and they play two ten minute halfs. Its extremely intense and such a fast paced game. The players are such athletes and all so fast! The tournament inspired me to have the "rugby is so much better than football" conversation (several times with several different people ; )...). New Zealand won the tournament by the way!

Whats something that you enjoying watching? Why do you like it?

Lots of love,
A

Welcome to Waitangi Day

A shot from earlier this year, at Omaha beach

Well, I didn't officially make it to the Lantern Festival, but I did take a stroll through Albert Park Monday morning before all of the lanterns were taken down! I'd say that counts for something, no? I celebrated the Super Bowl on Monday with a crowd of American tourists at a sports bar in down town Auckland. The live coverage began at noon. Unfortunately the commercial breaks where occupied by NZ ESPN commercials as opposed to the American ads. Anyway, I did my best touch down dance to celebrate the last minute victory of the New York Giants (New York being my future home and all!). Who were you cheering for?

I also went canyoning this weekend.  It was about a four hour trip in the Waitakere ranges, fondly known as the Waitaks, just out of Auckland. There's a little dirt car park just off the road... from there you walk down a fairly steep trail for about 15 minutes, and then up another steep trial for another 30. Then its downhill from there! There's a stream that runs through the Waitakeres with lots of little water falls that you jump into : ) There are about 10 jumps and in between you hike down the stream. Then its another half hour hike back up the mountain to the car. It was such an incredible trip and I had to stop and take a minute to soak it all in. The forest in the Waitaks is incredible and when you stop to look around its almost surreal. Pictures were taken, but with a friend's waterproof camera. I'll see if she can email them to me so I can share : )

On Sunday I went to a barbecue all afternoon, because that's just what kiwis do ; ), but it also happened to conveniently coincide with Waitangi weekend. Waitang iday (last Monday) is the New Zealand equivalent of the fourth of July. The day, however, is met with far fewer celebratory fireworks, and far more protests. If you don't know a lot about New Zealand politics, take a minute to look up the Treaty of Waitangi. It's very controversial, as some believe that the treaty is part of New Zealand's history and should not play a role in modern NZ government, and others believe that the Treaty should still be strictly adhered to. It's quite a complex issue that is surrounded by debate.

I've been thinking a lot about politics lately, especially considering the fact that I will be able to vote in the 2012 presidential election. I've been following the Republican primaries and reading up on the candidates, as well as doing more research into what President Obama has done during his term. Frankly, there's not a single candidate who I can whole heartedly endorse. There are so many issues to consider as well as the candidates' general character. It could be the slanderous efforts of each candidate's opposition, but does it not seem that each and every one of them has some kind of smudge in his record? Is it too much to ask to have the opportunity to vote for someone who has not cheated on his wife, worked for a questionable organization or paid a lower tax percentage than he required of his constituents? Of course we all have our flaws, but a little moral and ethical excellence couldn't hurt when there is such an important job on the line.
In the end, I know that my views on each and every issue will not be embodied by one "perfect" ; ) candidate, so I'll just have to apply the principle of the saying "you vote with your dollar." I heard a friend say this over the weekend and the truth in the phrase is really dawning on me. In a move to apply it to my life, I spent quite a lot of time in the grocery store yesterday considering my purchases.

Food is just one facet of the principle (others include clothing, electronics, energy etc.), but it is also a relatively simple one that can truly make a difference if you take the time to do research into the things that you buy. So, lets take a minute to talk about chocolate. I just a read an article on the CNN website about ethical chocolate production (similar video here). It turns out, that unless the chocolate product features a Fair Trade or Rain Forest Alliance symbol, it is almost certainly produced with cocoa that is harvested using child slavery in Africa. As I browsed through the chocolate section at the grocery store I found that some companies certify some, but not all of there products and that there are FAR more products that are uncertified than are certified. Some companies didn't even have any Fair Trade products (Note: these symbols will be prominently displayed on the front of the package.) My favorite dark chocolate sea salt chocolate bar didn't make any mention of the issue on their packaging. However, a similar 70% cocoa dark chocolate bar was both organic and ALL of the ingredients were certified Fair Trade. In addition to this, the chocolate was wrapped up in recyclable packaging. And, here's the kicker... the bars were the same price! Of course I chose to support the company that cares for its ingredient suppliers and the environment. And as an added bonus- the chocolate was great. Also, did you know that any chocolate with a cocoa content of 70% or above is actually considered a health food when consumed in moderation? Its so rich, its unlikely you would feel the need to eat excessive amounts anyway, unlike chocolates with very low cocoa content whose number one ingredient is most often sugar. I would really like to encourage everyone to pay attention to how their chocolate is produced, it is such a simple change that can actually change lives.

Some other things I noticed on my shopping trip were that companies whose food is organic are more likely to have more efficient, recyclable packaging. These products were generally a bit more expensive that their competition, but not always. I bought a package of organic whole wheat crackers for just five cents more than the price of the non organic type I usually buy. The crackers I purchased came in a recyclable paper package (which was printed with soy ink!), while the other brand's product was wrapped in a double layer of non recyclable plastic. In these situation where the price is comparable, obviously make the switch to organic! Even if the organic product is a bit more expensive that the non organic product, purchase the organic if you can afford to do so. By doing this, you will be supporting an environment whose soil, water and air is burdened with fewer chemicals. (Note: the benefit of organic products is almost solely environmental. Research has shown that the only organic food products that are more healthy than their non-organic counter parts are milk and tomatoes.)

Another consideration is where the food you are buying comes from. Was it made locally or shipped from half way across the world? Consider the fuel that was used to ship that item to your local grocery store and perhaps opt for something that was produced locally. Not only will you be reducing the amount of fuel that was used, but you'll also be supporting your local economy, which can only benefit you.

I also looked at the free range/ grass fed/ cage free/ organic meat, eggs and other various dairy products while shopping. I used to consider these phrases to be trendy labels that made the buyer perceive their purchase to be a more healthy option... however, in reality, they typically denote a company that is environmentally friendly and that supports the ethical treatment of animals. (Note: its important to research the specific company to ensure their practices are legitimate and you're not paying a higher price for misleading advertising.) Though I realize it is not feasible to sustain the consumption of products such as free range eggs globally, every bit helps.

Considering every penny you spend as a "vote" of support for what you believe is an idea that goes beyond the grocery store... Many companies, especially large ones, support political agendas. For example, I just read an article about a boycott of Starbucks coffee and was interested to find out that Starbucks, along with a number of other companies  including Nike and Google, are supporting an upcoming bill to legalize gay marriage in Washington state. If you are in support of gay marriage, you may want to make your next pair of running shoes Nike. If you're not for gay marriage, perhaps you'll make the decision to drive past the neighborhood Starbucks and take your coffee money to the nearest Bigby.

So, in conclusion, find out how the things you buy are produced, where they are produced, how the company treats its workers, what environmental protection policy the company has in place and what causes/ political candidates/ government agendas the company supports. Do your research and be an informed voter, because unlike the presidential election where you can only choose from a limited number of options, you have complete freedom as a consumer to support whatever companies and causes you want. It takes a bit of extra time and thought, but in the end you can feel good about knowing that your money is going to support your viewpoints, whatever they may be.

Ok. Rant over : ).  I've just been finding this topic really interesting in the past few days (don't get me started on extra virgin olive oil!). It's my hope that you might put a bit of thought into it as well.

In other news, the big change that I hinted to last week is that I'm moving again. The move will take place this Saturday and I'm actually really looking forward to it. I'm optimistic that this will be a positive change, and I'll certainly talk more about it later.

Please forgive the fact that this post is completely devoid of pictures (and also execptionally long)! I will do my best to find something interesting to photograph this week, amidst my usual schedule of class, work and sporting activities. If you've got a minute, like I did this morning, hop on your iTunes account and take a look at iTunes U! I was so excited to download the full "introduction to psychology" lecture series by a Harvard professor (and a number of other lectures... I just couldn't stop clicking "free download"!) Can you believe that you can "take" a Harvard University course for FREE from anywhere? What an amazing thing the Internet is. I also went on a bit of a downloading spree, purchasing songs like "Tears In Heaven" by Eric Clapton and music by Tracy Chapman, The Monkees and Cat Stevens that I remember listening to on cassette in the car with my dad when I was young.

I hope you're having a good week!

Lots of Love,
A