http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:rendia&section=today deviantART RSS for by:rendia en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:15:41 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/24365769/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/24365769/ Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:17:40 PDT here. ^___^

Heather

]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/21136882/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/21136882/ Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:02:40 PDT http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=81142@kcbs.dayport.com

According to CBS2.com, Yes On 8 has stooped to sending threatening letters to No On 8 supporters. Companies that have donated to the No On 8 campaign are actually receiving letters saying that if they don't make a donation to Yes On 8 that is greater than or equal to the one they made to No On 8 or they will have their information published in a letter to Prop 8 supporters. Seems a little bit of a low thing to do, doesn't it?

]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/21072513/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/21072513/ Sun, 19 Oct 2008 23:53:40 PDT
There are signs all over the place saying it about parental rights, but it's not. It seeks to take people's rights away, to make it so that gay people cannot get married, and so cannot adopt children.

There are other signs that say "Less Government." I fail to see how allowing the government to dictate who can marry and who can't creates LESS government.

There are signs that say "Freedom of Speech," but again, I fail to see how limiting people's rights to pursue happiness is justified by free speech. Don't get me wrong, I don't deny the rights of these people to say what they want, but I will spend every breath I have standing against them and exposing their lies. This isn't about free speech, it's about the pursuit of happiness. It's about whether or not we have the right to stand in anyone's way and tell them they cannot marry the person they love.

There are also signs that say "Freedom of Religion." Prop 8 doesn't stand in the way of their religion, in fact, it seeks to impose their religion on everyone else. I was raised a Christian and I still am a Christian, but I realize that not everyone is a Christian and I can't expect them to live by my core values or fit into my world view. This is a great big world with a lot of different religions and viewpoints. What gives me the right to shove my religion down everyone's throat and force them to obey my religious laws? Frankly, I know people say that marriage is a religious institution, but it's not just a religious institution, it's a civil institution as well and conveys a legal status to a couple. Many religions accept gay marriage and many priests and pastors do as well. It's not all Christians who are against it, just a vocal few. It is not right for them to make this an issue about religious freedoms when they seek to use their religion to shrink people's freedoms. They use doublespeak to twist everything until you can't tell which way is up or down or left or right anymore. The truth of the matter is that Prop 8 would prevent people who are in love from marrying and would nullify all the marriages that have taken place already.

Please. Don't discriminate, vote no on 8.

]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/19776463/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/19776463/ Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:55:11 PDT won my tattoo design contest. Despite being the only entrant, I think she would have won anyway because her design was so delicate and extremely beautiful.

Congratulations Melissa!!!

]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/19217367/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/19217367/ Sat, 05 Jul 2008 11:02:05 PDT
I want to get a tattoo on my ankle but I've been having trouble designing it. I would like to get roses starting at my ankle and traveling up my leg, but I have a scar on my ankle and want to work it into the design. The artist doesn't want to tattoo directly on the scar since scars don't usually take the color too well.

With roses, the scar could be shading from the petals since the scar is pink, but that's just a thought. Basically, I'm open to different designs, I just want some ideas on how to cover it up. I want something that accentuates my leg and leaves some skin in regular color so there is contrast. I posted a picture of my ankle in my scraps so you can see where it is. Unfortunately, it was taken with my cell phone so it's a very small picture. Anyway, you can find it here: [link] Was nice enough to take a better picture.

Anyway, since I've been having a hard time working it in, I thought I could open it up as a contest. Like I said, I've been wanting roses, but other designs are welcome too. Contest will run through the end of July and the prize is a 3-month dA subscritpion.

~Heather

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Heather out.

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It's way too early for me to be up, but here I am. I sat in bed wide awake for hours and finally gave up on sleep. I'm so worried about school and work and my ankle and my stomach that I just couldn't sleep. Humbug.

]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/14083748/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/14083748/ Thu, 09 Aug 2007 01:16:18 PDT
This is a big step and scary one for me to take. Even though I've known I didn't really want to teach for a long time, I never did anything about it because I really didn't want to do anything else I could think of either. I'm not sure if I'm making the right decision, but if I change my mind, I can always go back later. There are a LOT of people in the credential program who are middle aged and just deciding to become teachers. If they can go back to school at 40, I can go back in a year or two if I change my mind. I just wish I knew what I DO want to do. At the moment, I'm thinking of going to CountryWide once I graduate and staying there for a few years to get training and experience. Once I've done that, even if they move out of state, I can take that training to any other company and get a job with a higher pay rate, especially considering my degree.

]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/13471046/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/13471046/ Sun, 24 Jun 2007 11:22:59 PDT
Edit: As soon as I dropped my phone, I took the battery off and then took the phone apart. I dried off all the parts and, miracle of miracles, it works!

]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/13465705/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/13465705/ Sat, 23 Jun 2007 22:34:47 PDT
Anyway, I'm tired and grouchy and I don't want to talk on the phone, so everyone decided to call me, starting before 9am when I was still asleep. I didn't answer when my aunt called and she left a message with my uncle grumbling in the background how it was almost nine and I should be up. I WAS up. I was just too nauseous to want to talk at the moment. Butthead.

Why don't people ever call when you WANT to talk? I was so nauseous that talking was unpleasant, so of course that's when people want to get long-winded. Don't get me wrong. These are friends and family and I love them all dearly, but I don't want to talk when I'm sick. Especially for over an hour. Even 15 minutes with my mom seemed like forever. Gar. It's too early to go to sleep, especially since I've been sleeping and resting whenever I wasn't on the phone. I hope I can sleep tonight.

]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/12735309/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/12735309/ Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:43:36 PDT
The following is an article from the Daily News written by Bridget Johnson. Please read it. It's a tribute to two heroes, both willing to sacrifice everything for the greater good.

---------------------------

"Along with exposing the darkest side of human nature, the shootings at Virginia Tech last week reminded us that there are true heroes among us - like Holocaust survivor Liviu Librescu, a professor who blocked his classroom door to allow students to escape through the windows.

"After the Holocaust, the Romanian Librescu - whose career stalled, said his son, for refusing to swear allegiance to the regime - risked arrest under the Communist system by having his science papers published in the West, until intervention from the Israeli government allowed him to immigrate there in 1979. 'This saga epitomizes the life of an entire generation, which has known two of the harshest regimes of history and then reached the promised land of freedom and prosperity during the era of the "end of history,"' friend Gedeon Dagan, a professor at Tel Aviv University, wrote for the BBC on Saturday.

"'The tragic death of Liviu comes as a sombre warning that this might have been a temporary lull and that brutal and dark forces are once again casting their shadow on society.'

"Indeed, the communism that imprisoned Eastern Europe is not done with humanity. And the heroes are not done battling it.

"Last Thursday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously approved a resolution introduced by Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., demanding human-rights reforms in Vietnam. At the center of the country's shameful record is Father Nguyen Van Ly, a Roman Catholic priest and editor of a pro-democracy publication who was sentenced March 30 to eight years in prison simply for peacefully opposing the Communist regime.

"After hearing the verdict in this farce Vietnam called a trial, Father Ly shouted 'Down with the Communist Party of Vietnam!' - and was then dragged away. Like most events nowadays that threaten tyrannical regimes, this stirring moment was caught on camera and distributed across the globe on YouTube.

"Other 'conspirators' sentenced along with Ly likewise vowed to continue to fight for democracy and freedom. One of these dissidents, Nguyen Phong, who received a six-year sentence, founded the Vietnam Party of Progress to work toward open, peaceful struggle against the oppressive Communist Party.

"In a letter to the international community penned after the March 30 verdicts, Phong wrote, "In the face of this utterly unscrupulous behaviour by Vietnam's communist government, I am just an ordinary human being. But I am firmly resolved not retreat before this unjust court. I am firmly resolved to struggle even more for freedom, democracy and human rights.

"'I am ready to offer my own personal suffering in exchange for these values for Vietnam.'

"Father Ly has spent much of his life - about 14 of his 59 years in prison, before this latest sentence - suffering for the cause of Vietnamese democracy and human rights. Ordained a priest in 1974, Father Ly was jailed by the regime by 1977 and spent a year behind bars. When authorities tried to remove him from his parish by force in 1983, surrounding the church, Father Ly got on a loudspeaker and rallied the local population about the need for freedom of religion. Catholics and Buddhists united around the church to try to keep authorities from arresting Father Ly - which 200 policemen eventually did, throwing him back in prison.

"The priest has been sent to a labor camp, defied orders from the government to cease religious activities, and planted himself firmly on land to be seized by the government. No amount of police surveillance, harassment, cutting off his phone line or, frankly, prison time has stopped Father Ly. Despite a ban on leaving the country, he submitted testimony to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom for a 2001 hearing, resulting in another arrest by 600 policemen storming his church.

"'If the United States and other countries truly sympathize with my ill-fated people and truly care about human rights, especially the right to religious freedom, of the Vietnamese people, you must not help the Communist Government prolong its totalitarian rule,' Father Ly wrote in the testimony urging the U.S. to nix a trade agreement with Vietnam.

"These are my heroes: Librescu, who stood up to evil throughout three dark chapters of history, and Father Ly and company, who continue to stand up to the darkness of an evil and repressive regime.

"Librescu, who leaned against a door and took five bullets so that his students could live, and Father Ly,... ]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/12704807/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/12704807/ Mon, 23 Apr 2007 13:16:24 PDT Ken: "I'll get right on that!" Then he realised what he'd said and he and I started laughing and blushing like crazy.
Dad: Long pause... "Ok, just not here."

This was at my sister's house. Very awkward moment, but pretty funny. I'm still crazy about my boyfriend, even if he does say some embarassing things.

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]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/10079662/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/10079662/ Fri, 15 Sep 2006 11:26:04 PDT ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/10051090/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/10051090/ Tue, 12 Sep 2006 14:53:19 PDT ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/10022523/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/10022523/ Sat, 09 Sep 2006 19:12:48 PDT In the surgery, they had to reattach some ligaments and/or tendons as well as pull out bone fragments because part of my ankle was fractured. Then they put in either a screw or a plate to hold the bone in place so it can heal. This is garbled because I was too out of it for them to tell me this, so they told my parents, which means it's all second hand and a little bit forgetful.


Anyway, I'm flying high right now from relief at having it over with and not being in limbo anymore. Now I have a specific time table and I'm not wondering and guessing how long my recovery time will be. It's about 2 weeks of bed rest with a non walking cast for the next 4-6 weeks. Then a walking cast for 4-6 weeks. Then a big boot for 4 weeks. The upside is that I'll have a walking cast by Holloween. So, I'm going to go to Magic Mountain with my handy dandy handicapped parking permit and getting a wheel chair. I'm going to be able to go through all the lines through the exits and be in good enough shape to ride the rides. I'm going to have a blast! Who wants to come??

On a side note:

Three cheers for morphine!

Hip hip HORRAY!

Hip hip HORRAY!

Hip hip HORRAY! ]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/10015694/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/10015694/ Sat, 09 Sep 2006 03:02:32 PDT ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/9933544/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/9933544/ Fri, 01 Sep 2006 18:50:12 PDT ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/9933467/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/9933467/ Fri, 01 Sep 2006 18:40:48 PDT
Yesterday, Melissa, Darian and I decided to go to the beach to celebrate the end of Melissa's worker's comp case. We decided to go to Zuma because it's closest to where we live. So, we're going down Kanan Road, minding our own business, trying not to speed while going downhill. We got to where Kanan intersects Mulholland and there was a black Accord waiting to make a left onto Kanan. Except, when I say waiting, I mean waiting until we were so close that we couldn't avoid hitting her and then she went. We were so close that by the time I applied the brakes and hit the horn, we'd hit her going about 45-50mph. Thank God for airbags! I blacked out during the actual crash, but I came to immediately afterwards. Even though my foot was off the gas, the engine was revving like crazy and smoke was coming out of the hood, so Darian said what we were all thinking, "GET OUT OF THE CAR!" We didn't know if there was a fire under the hood or if there was a gas leak or anything, so we got out in record time. I didn't even stop to grab my shoes (I take off my sandals to drive so they don't get in the way) or my purse or anything. Well, I got about 10 feet and realised I couldn't walk because my ankle was either sprained or broken. So I stopped in the middle of the street and looked down and saw my seat cushion sitting on the ground. This was good because the blacktop was buring my feet. "How did my seat cushion get 10 feet from the car" you might ask? Well, I had it in the trunk and we hit so hard that my trunk popped open and the seat cushion flew 10 feet out of the car. I finally ended up hopping on one foot to the side of the road and sitting there with Darian and Melissa and the driver of the other car, Arusha.

People were so nice! A couple ladies who'd witnessed the accident pulled over to help and they wrote their names and numbers down and gave them to me in case we needed witnesses. It was COMPLETELY the other driver's fault. The sherriff even told my dad that when he got there. Anyway, within a few minutes there were at least 10 people that had pulled over to help. I was sitting in the sun and these two men literally picked me up and carried me into the shade because I couldn't walk. Another man who'd been out jogging jogged to a convenience store and bought some ice and brought it back for my ankle. Another man got out and started directing traffic since our cars were in the middle of the road. The first woman to pull over called 911, but they had her on hold for 10-15 minutes without answering. Someone else finally called OnStar from their car and OnStar got help to come. I want OnStar now.

Melissa got hurt pretty bad. Her back was all messed up and she got a 2 inch cut on her face and another on her chest from the windshield breaking. Despite the airbag, my dad said it looked like she'd hit the windshield somehow. She also thought she had a cracked rib or something. They ended up airlifting her to UCLA. They took the rest of us to Los Robles. Darian was hurting too, from her neck to her waist, I think. It was really confusing. I was hyperventilating apparently, which made my hands and face go numb and everything was shaking. I kept asking how everyone was, but it was so chaotic it was hard to get answers. I could see that Darian was hurting, but she seemed like she'd be ok. I was really worried about Melissa because she was in so much pain. The other driver was really banged up too. We'd hit the driver's side of her car, though we hit closer to the front tire than the seat, fortunately. I think I'm the only one who didn't have an immediate case of whiplash. I don't know how I avoided getting it, but my back still seems ok. I wish there was a way to thank all the people who pulled over to help us. There was one man who stayed by my side and kept talking to me to make sure I didn't pass out. He kept a hand behind my back just in case I fell over too. He didn't leave my side until the Sherriff asked him to leave so they could ask me questions and put me in the ambulance. He was also one of the two men who had carried me to the shade.

What was frustrating was that, even in the emergency room, no one was telling me about how Darian was doing. And I was worried about Melissa and she wasn't even at the same hospital. I text messaged Ken and told him what happened and that I was ok. His work is looking for an excuse to fire him, so I told him not to come if it meant getting fired. He walked out of work anyway and came straight over. He was so sweet! His dad called UCLA and told me that they were giving Melissa a cat scan, but I didn't know what they were looking for. I was so loopy and in p... ]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/9653588/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/9653588/ Tue, 08 Aug 2006 18:46:27 PDT ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/9653576/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/9653576/ Tue, 08 Aug 2006 18:45:41 PDT ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/9233165/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/9233165/ Fri, 30 Jun 2006 14:51:02 PDT [x] during the summer the only shoes i wear are flip flops
[x] my favorite toys as a child were barbies
[x] my favorite colour is pink or purple
[ ] I did Gymnastics
[x] I love skirts
[ ] hollister is one of my favorite places to shop
[ ] tight jeans are the only jeans i'll wear
[x] I love chocolate
[ ] I've never had a real job

TOTAL: 5

[ ] my hair is almost always straightened
[x] I have at least 8 myspace pictures
[ ] I usually go shopping once a week
[ ] I love to hang out at the mall with friends
[x] I have a real diamond ring or diamond necklace or earings
[ ] I've gone to a tanning salon
[ ] I've gone to the beach to tan - not to swim
[x] I have at least 10 pairs of shoes
[ ] I watch either the OC or Laguna Beach
[ ] I change my icon weekly
[ ] I wear a shower cap

TOTAL: 3

[ ] I dont shop at Hot Topic
[x] my cell phone might as well become a part of me
[ ] I wear mascara everyday
[x] I've been or am on a diet
[ ] bathing suits are adorable
[ ] I dont know the difference between a sheep and a goat.
[ ] big sunglasses are hott
[ ] I have gotten my nails done before
[ ] I own over 10 purses
[ ] MTV is one of my favorite channels

TOTAL: 2

[ ] all I want to do at sleepovers is talk about boys
[x] I love to have gurls do my hair
[x] I give and recieve hugs from all my friends
[x] I hate bugs
[ ] carnivals are so fun!
[ ] Summer is THE best season
[ ] my swimsuit has 2 pieces
[ ] I'm waiting for my knight in shining armor
[x] musicians are so hot
[x] you write me a poem and tell me im beautiful and im all yours

TOTAL: 5

[x] I am self-conscious
[ ] I cry often
[x] my car smells like vanilla or cherry (what car....?)
[ ] my dishes get washed more than once a week
[ ] I dont do sports
[ ] I HATE to run
[x] I squeal when i am surprised or angry
[ ] I eat dried fruit as a snack
[ ] I love romance novels
[x] Drew Barrymore is so cute

TOTAL: 4

[ ] I dance a lot
[x] usually spend an hour or over to get ready to leave my house.
[x] I only have like 5 billion hair products
[x] I love to get dressed up.
[x] every part of my outfit needs to match (when I dress up)
[x] I talk on the phone at least once a day to my friends
[ ] I would love to have a photo shoot
[ ] I apply lip stuff 50 times a day
[ ] I wish I were a model

TOTAL: 5

[ ] I wish I could meet Paris Hilton
[ ] I have been something that was semi
[ ] I own Uggs
[ ] Hip Hop is the best music
[ ] I pop my collar
[x] I like to be the center of attention
[ ] guys with Mohawks are crazy
[x] horses are beautiful
[ ] I'd rather not pay attention in school
[x] Cats are adorable

TOTAL: 3

[x] I write my own music
[x] I would love to visit Hawaii
[ ] Valentine's day is so cute!
[ ] white is better than black
[ ] I wouldn't be caught dead in all black
[ ] my closet is STOCK FULL of clothes
[ ] I hate the grunge look
[ ] I love to read magazines

TOTAL: 2

[ ] I love to gossip
[x] I had Lisa Frank folders/posters/notebooks as a kid
[ ] I love Celine Dion
[x] my bubble baths are 1-2hrs long
[ ] My wedding only needs a groom because it's already planned
[x] My friends and I are in a strict group. We mostly only hang out with each other.
[x] I like little kids
[ ] Diet drinks are the best
[ ] I'm all about being vegetarian
[ ] I refuse to eat at McDonalds

TOTAL: 4

[x] I check my myspace everyday.
[x] I love life!
[ ] I have a lot of jewlery!
[ ] my screen name(s) have x's in them
[ ] either one of my myspace names has/had <3's or in them
[ ] I would never want to be the opposite sex
[ ] It's not what he/she said it's the way he/she said it
[ ]I have more than 3 pillows on my bed

TOTAL: 2

Complete Total: 35 ]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/9184451/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/9184451/ Mon, 26 Jun 2006 00:45:42 PDT ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/9054490/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/9054490/ Tue, 13 Jun 2006 07:48:08 PDT ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/8269682/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/8269682/ Sat, 25 Mar 2006 22:20:15 PST
When we got there, I found out that they had their own sound system they were hooking my bass into, so I learned how to do that. I've never been on a gig where they had their own sound stuff (how sad!) so this was a new experience. I was so LOUD! You could hear me over all the other drums, which was scary, because it would be pretty obvious if I made a mistake. It was hard though, because the sound was wierd. The A's and E's were really loud and rang for a long time, but the rest of the notes, even on the same strings as those didn't. So I was having to focus on playing loud on the soft notes and voce verse. Not to mention muting the strings on the ringy notes after hitting them. So, I was already nervous about standing out and then I'm having wierd notes ring and stuff. Anyway, I just did my best to stay focused and play what I was supposed to when I was supposed to. I actually did pretty well. I still messed up in a couple places, but it was minor and I always got right back in the groove. I think it was the best performance I've done on bass, so far.

It was kind of fun being featured like that too. Exhilerating, even though I was nervous. Even though I play flute better than bass by far, I'm so much more confident on bass. Anyway, afterwards, this lady came up to one of the Kidspace employees and said, "Wow, I don't know if it was the guitar player or what, but that was the best concert I've ever heard!" Now, like I said, the guitar player didn't come. I was the only person there on any kind of string instrument at all, so I think she meant me! That was awesome!

Then, we found out that the next person was Meredith Brooks. The one who did "Bitch." So, you could say we opened for her. Heh heh. So I stayed late with a friend to listen. Turns out the reason she was doing a concert at Kidspace was to promote her new children's album. Very funny. It was a bunch of songs from kids' perspective. There was one about liking driving in her mom's car and going really fast. Another was about doing things for yourself, like pouring your own cereal (and spilling, lol). It was funny remembering "Bitch." She had kids who had done something for themselves that day come and tell the audience what they'd done, so we heard things like, "I made my bed," and "I picked up my clothes," and "I love my mommy." They were 3 and 4 years old. It was so cute!

As hard as it is to believe, we soon got bored and left. On the way out, we saw another group performing. It was a beginning violins class with kids ranging from 3 to about 9. They were all so cute! Especially the 3 and 4 yearolds! They were playing on 1/16th size violins that were maybe 10 or 12 inches long. One little girl was so tiny that she was playing on little wood or cardboard thing shaped vaguely like a violin but with no strings or bridge or anything like that to break. She had a little plastic stick instead of a bow. It was adorable! They "played" two songs. The first was called "Rest Position Song." They kept the violin in Rest Position the whole time and just sang the names of the parts (while pointing to them) to the melody of the Alphabet Song. The second song was "Popcorn" and they just used the bow to do rhythms without changing strings or using their left hand fingers. It was so cute! I would love to teach little kids to play violin. Now don't think that I don't think my 9 and 10 year olds aren't cute, but those 3 year olds were even cuter! *squeeeeeeeee* ]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/8140813/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/8140813/ Sun, 12 Mar 2006 15:09:23 PST
RSVP here or call me, yeah? Just so I know who's coming. Thanks!

Heather ]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/7915663/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/7915663/ Thu, 16 Feb 2006 11:57:00 PST I'm in class and don't have the book. How about my notebook? "Flutes - no come if no flute." (Reminder to tell the flute class at Calahan that if they don't have their instrument, they can't come to class that day.)

2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. I think that's a bad idea since I'm in class... There's nothing there though, I'm in an aisle seat.

3. What is the last thing you watched on TV? David Letterman. Because Leno was late due to Olympics stuff.

4. Without looking, guess what time it is? 11:42

5. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time? Oh shit! I got it exactly right!

6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear? My professor lecturing endlessly in a slow, almost monotone. And the hum of some big machine behind me.

7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing? 42 minutes ago, walking to this class.

8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at? The projector on the ceiling. He was showing a rocket liftoff.

9. What are you wearing? A shiny brown blouse, blue jeans, boots and jewelry

10. Did you dream last night? Nothing that I can remember...

11. When did you last laugh? About 10 minutes ago

12. What is on the walls of the room you are in? Whiteboards

13. Seen anything weird lately? Not really

14. What do you think of this quiz?
I don’t know…I’m bored

15. What is the last film you saw? Narnia at the theater. Master of Diguise at home.

16. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy? A house, a kickass laptop (not that I don't love this one), a brandnew Civic with every single extra they have and custom paint (oh to have power steering!), wood floors in every room of the new house, an island. My wants are simple...

17. Tell me something about you that I don't know: I still miss Ron. i would have cried yesterday, but I was on the freeway. Bad combo

18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do? No one could die until they'd had a chance to live. Except for murderers and rapists and such. They would not get that chance.

19. Do you like to dance? Yeah, sometimes, but I'm not very good

20. George Bush... This is one of those things that goes without saying. I can't believe I voted for him. I'm so sorry.

21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her? Hannah

22. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?: Joseph

23. Would you ever consider living abroad? For a semester or a year, maybe. Otherwise, probably not.

24. What do you want God to say to you when you reach the pearly gates? Well, you weren't perfect, but you did ok. C'mon in!

25. 3 people who must also do this in THEIR journal: Mackenzieeeee, cuz she doesn't post enough.

comment on this journal and.......

1. I'll respond with something random about you.
2. I'll tell you what song/movie reminds me of you.
3. I'll pick a flavor of jello to wrestle with you in.
4. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me. (If I can think of something)
5. I'll tell you my first/clearest memory of you.
6. I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7. I'll ask you something that i've always wondered about you. (maybe)
8. If i do this for you, you must post this on your journal ]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/7709196/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/7709196/ Wed, 25 Jan 2006 22:42:44 PST [Name] Heather
[Nickname] Rendia
[Screen name] Rendia
[Age] 23
[Location] California
[Marital Status] None
[Eye color] Brown, blue, green. It depends what contacts I'm wearing
[Height] 5'8"
[Shoe size] 10
[Parents still together?] Nope
[Siblings?] 1 sister, 1 stepsister, 2 stepbrothers, a stepsister-in-law, a stepbrother-in-law
[Nieces/Nephews?] 5
[Kids of your own?] Nope
[Grandkids?] That would be strange
[Pets?] Only the cutest little bunny ever
[Education?] STILL in progress. Stupid school, I want out!
[Rent, lease, or own your home?] Still livin' at home
[Any credit cards?] 5
[What do you drive?] My faithful, beautiful '95 Civic



Favorites
[Color] Midnight blue, brown
[Number] 7
[Animal] Rabbits, puppies
[Vehicle] Honda Civic, Acura .. Something. I hate it when the car's name is just numbers and letters, I can never remember what they are! TSX or something maybe..
[Flower] Dandelions (cuz my rabbit loves to eat them and it's so cute!) and whatever purple flower Josie gave me once with an unpronouncable name.
[Scent] Pineapple, brownies, apple
[Shape] Civic!
[Soda] Coke and Rootbeer
[Book] All the Chronicles of Narnia books, Anne of Green Gables, Hinds Feet of High Places, Mountains of Spices, Out of the Silent Planet
[Band] I don't know right now. Mine, I guess.
[Food] Brownies, fettucini alfredo
[Song] So many to pick from! I think I'll save you from the list. I made my favorite songs into MP3's and put them on CD. There's about 200 of them.
[Smile] Can it be mine? I like it when I smile (as opposed to when I frown)


Do you...
[Color your hair?] Sometimes
[Twirl your hair?] No
[Have tattoos?] No
[Piercing?] My ears
[Cheat on tests/homework?] Once on a test for one question, sort of...
[Drink/Smoke?] I do love a good mudslide or pina colada
[Like roller coasters?] Yes.. Goliath
[Wish you could live somewhere else] No, I like it here
[Want more piercings?] Yeah, one more in each ear. Maybe a 3rd on one ear, higher up.
[Like cleaning?] No, but I've discovered I like to cook.
[Write in cursive or print?] Print
[Carry a donor card?] Of course
[Swear a lot?] Yeah, I'm trying to stop again
[Own a web cam?] No, not my style
[Know how to drive?] Yup
[Diet?] I'm on one right now. Really. I'm not eating a candy bar!
[Own a cell phone?] Yes, I don't even use my home phone. We'd cancel it if it wasn't for DSL
[Ever get off the computer?] Yeah, I have to go to school and clean the house
[Habla Espanol?] Poquito



Have you ever...
[Gotten a speeding ticket?] No, can you believe it?
[DUI?] Hell no, my aunt was killed by a drunk driver! Oops, there goes the language
[Been in a wreck?] I've been in accidents, but they never wrecked any cars.
[Been arrested?] No
[Kicked someone in the nuts?] Fortunately, I haven't had the need to
[Stolen anything?] Nope
[Held a gun?] Yeah, but I've never fired one
[Drank?] Yeah. I like to go out with Dee and Cassie every couple weeks and get mudslides at Fridays
[Been so drunk you couldn't remember your name?] Hell no. I know when to quit drinking
[Considered a life of crime?] No I have too many morals
[Considered being a hooker?] No, see above
[Cried over a girl?] Yes, but as a best friend, not as a girlfriend or anything
[Cried over a boy?] Yeah, he didn't know I was alive
[Been in love?] If you count the time he didn't know I was alive
[Fallen for your best friend?] No
[Made out with JUST a friend?] Ew
[Been rejected?] Not by guys, but definitely in junior high and elementary by kids in general
[Been in lust?] No
[Used someone?] No
[Been used?] Yeah
[Been cheated on] No
[Been kissed?] Yeah



Now
[Current mood] Tired and sick
[Current music] Millenium.. by.. someone or other, I can't remember. I can't check either, cuz it's just stuck playing in my head
[Current taste] Egg and chorizo burrito
[Current hair] Pretty long
[Current annoyance] Money, school
[Current smell] Egg and chorizo burrito
[Current thing I ought to be doing] Resting since I'm sick
[Current windows open?] Trillian
[Current desktop picture] Dragon Fire Nebula by Swaroop
[Current book] The Silver Chair and then the Last Battle. Then Caves of Steel and Alan Alda's bio if I can steel it from Laryssa
[Current cds in stereo] My mix CD
[Current crush] None
[Current favorite celeb] Heath Ledger, James Earl Jones, Whose Line folks (did they have *gasp* originality?)
[Current hate] The government
[Last b... ]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/7443772/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/7443772/ Wed, 28 Dec 2005 21:38:41 PST
He died just like in real life, but it was a boat accident or something instead of the car accident. We had a time machine though. So we went back in time (I don't know who else, but there were a few of us) and saved him from the first thing that got him. We just made sure he was somewhere else when it was supposed to happen. But, at about the same time as he'd died before, something else killed him. So, we went back again and watched him die again. It was a nightmare. We did this like four times and kept watching him die again and again. Finally, we realised that everyone apparently had a time to go and this MUST be Ron's and there was nothing we could do about it. And Aslan came, I think, and explained this and maybe comforted us. I don't know. It's pretty blurry.

It just makes me sad all over again. It's been ten months since he died and I still miss him so much! At least in the dream I got to hold him in my arms one last time. I never hugged Ron enough. I still wish I could have given him one last hug. My dad ran into him at Home Depot about 3 days before he died, but I didn't go with. I'm still jealous that my dad got to see Ron and I didn't. ]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/7128168/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/7128168/ Wed, 23 Nov 2005 23:54:47 PST
Dear Lisa,
I have worked very hard here. I have taken the 3-11pm shifts that you have given me as well as the 5-10:30pm, 2-10pm, 4-10pm, and 4-midnight shifts. I am failing classes because I work so many hours here. Between work and school I have been putting in 70 hour weeks and that’s not counting homework or prep time for the classes I teach. Yet I haven’t complained or even asked for earlier shifts. Now I just heard that I’m not getting to be a trainer because I haven’t gotten enough training. Well, for more than a month, I’ve only been getting to work maybe 4 hours a week with Suzanne and that’s during dinner rush. I’ve tried not to bug you because I figured that you were just trying to make the schedules the best way that you could. But to not get a promotion because of a lack of training that was the only logical outcome of your scheduling is not fair to me.

In addition to this, I asked for the next two weekends off so I could focus on my studies during finals and you scheduled me to work anyway. I’m not coming in. I gave you fair warning that I couldn’t work and I can’t.

I know that getting this promotion was supposed to be based on how well I trained Jesse. While Jesse is a nice kid, he was a bad employee. He just didn’t get it. I showed him the same things multiple times and he would turn around a minute later and ask how to do them again. Suzanne and several other employees had the same trouble, so it wasn’t just me. I am a good teacher. I have been teaching for 6 years now. I have taught private lessons, assisted band directors at 4 different schools and been hired as the band director at two different schools. At the moment I am teaching two private students, assisting at two schools and teaching the band at a third school. I know that Jesse not being able to learn the job was not my fault. Especially since I only got to actually train him for one hour, not counting the time he spent watching the training videos. After you left that day, I was told to start running and Fernando took over the training for an hour because Jesse was so shy that Suzanne thought it might be easier if his friend helped him out. On the other hand, I successfully taught Mark back booth. I even stayed late, off the clock, to show him things that I thought he should know since I was given less than 20 minutes to train him. Ask him how I did.

I am a very smart person and very qualified. Despite the lack of time spent training, I still know how to give an SOC, count the register (including drive through), record the results, and take the readings from the computer. I can earn significantly higher pay than I am getting here. There were two reasons I stayed. One was because the people are nice here. The other was that I was hoping to become a manager. It looks like that’s not going to happen now. I have a lot of school-related bills to pay. I am doing the best that I can here. To get passed over for a promotion for something like this is ridiculous. Since this job is neither paying my bills nor satisfying my career goals, I can no longer justify staying here. Please consider this my two week’s notice.

So, what do you think?? ]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/6863628/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/6863628/ Tue, 25 Oct 2005 11:42:16 PDT (x) gotten lost in your city
(x) saw a shooting star
( ) been to any other countries besides USA
(?) had a serious surgery (Does a broken nose count?)
(x) gone out in public in your pajamas
( ) kissed a stranger
( ) hugged a stranger
( ) been in a fist fight
( ) been arrested
( ) done drugs
(x) had alcohol (wh00t!)
( ) laughed and had milk/coke come out of your nose
( ) pushed all the buttons on an elevator
( ) made out in an elevator (sounds fun though ^_^)
( ) slept in an elevator
(x) swore at your parents
( ) kicked a guy where it hurts.
( ) been in love (This is undecided)
(x) been close to love
(x) been to a casino
( ) been skydiving
(x) broken a bone
( ) been high
( ) skinny-dipped
(x) skipped school
( ) flashed someone
(x) saw a therapist
(x) done the splits (not on purpose, ow)
( ) played spin the bottle
(x) gotten stitches
(x) had an IV
( ) drank a whole gallon of milk in one hour
(x) bitten someone
( ) been to Niagara Falls
(x) gotten the chicken pox
(x) kissed a member of the opposite sex
(x) kissed a member of the same sex
( ) crashed into a friend's car
( ) been to Japan
( ) ridden in a taxi
( ) been dumped
( ) shoplifted
(x) been fired
(x) had feelings for someone who didn't have them back
(x) stole something from your job
( ) gone on a blind date
( ) lied to a friend
(x) had a crush on a teacher
( ) celebrated mardi-gras in new orleans
( ) been to Europe
( ) slept with a co-worker
( ) been married
( ) gotten divorced
( ) had children
( ) saw someone die
( ) been to Africa
(x) Driven over 400 miles in one day
( ) Been to Canada
( ) Been to Mexico
(x) Been on a plane
( ) Seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show
( ) Thrown up in a bar
( ) Purposely set a part of yourself on fire
(x) Eaten Sushi
( ) Been snowboarding
(x) Been skiing
( ) Met someone in person from the internet
( ) Been moshing at a rock show
( ) Been to a moto cross show
( ) lost a child
(x) gone to college
( ) graduated college (soon!)
( ) tried killing yourself
(x) taken painkillers ]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/6805662/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/6805662/ Wed, 19 Oct 2005 00:42:47 PDT
Out of nowhere, there's suddenly a car right next to me, passing me, in a hurry, going way too fast. They hit a HUGE puddle, a lake, water sprays over my car, engulfing me, blinding me, I can't see. The wipers soon clear my windshield. The other car has spun out of control. They're in my lane, they're facing me. I'm heading straight towards their headlights. I'm going towards the light. "Oh my God, I'm going to die. I'm going to hit them and the cars behind me aren't going to be able to stop. I'm going to be in a pile up. I'm going to be crushed, I'm going to die. I'll be just another car pileup in the news. Unless I can turn. Oh God. Oh God." I'm turning the steering wheel, hitting the brakes. Nothing is happening, I'm hydroplaning too. "Oh God." Suddenly, I feel my wheels take the cement, I'm turning away, towards the side. I'm stopped, pulled over on the side of the road. How did I get here? How did I stop? How did I get traction there? How is it possible that I survived? The other car is back behind me a ways, emergency lights on. No one's hit them either, the other cars managed to stop. How did I get here? My wheels hit the cement, I was heading for the side of the freeway at a horrible angle, how did I not spin out of control? How is it possible that I didn't hit the other car? Though I was going slower than they were, I still had momentum. A lot of momentum. More than you ever realize until you're trying to stop and your life depends on it. I still don't understand how I could possibly have stopped. It doesn't seem physically possible. There was no traction.

God helped me. This is the only conclusion I can come to. I know this all probably sounds over-dramatic and overdone, but you weren't there. I really honestly believed I was going to die. There has been no other time in my life when I ever felt that way before. And there was too much water, I still don't understand how I could have gotten traction without divine intervention. Also, once my wheels got traction, the steering wheel had turned so far while there was no resistance when I was hydroplaning, that alone should have made me lose traction again and spin out into that other car. Instead, it took me in a straight line to the side of the freeway, out of traffic, past the solid white line. I was terrified and just wanted to cry. There is so much reaction from a time like that. Adrenaline rushes through every nerve, your legs ache with the need to move, to run. Fight or flight is rushing through your body, in this case, flight. But you're sitting still in a car. And you still have a half hour drive ahead of you. Everytime you get near a car now, you feel your hands tightening on the steering wheel. You send furtive glances out the windows, making sure you have a lane on at least one side that is open that you can merge into in case someone spins out again. When there is no lane, your hands tighten more, your heart races, terror mounts. Your breathing becomes shallow and all you can do is wait. Will someone else spin out? Will you be helpless, able only to watch as a collision approaches? No where to run, no where to hide. This was a CREEPY morning, let me tell you... ]]> ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/4760622/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/4760622/ Tue, 08 Mar 2005 13:37:29 PST ~rendia http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/4755340/ http://rendia.deviantart.com/journal/4755340/ Mon, 07 Mar 2005 20:19:41 PST
Well, I'm going to talk to you all about Ron and tell you what a great guy he was.

Ron was always there for you rain or shine. He would do anything for you. He worked hard and if you needed anything, he would give it to you. A couple years ago I was fighting a lot with my dad and I really needed something to distract me from it. Ron knew that and so he bought me the new (at the time) Gameboy Advance. That was the old one that was shaped like a Sega Gamegear. Then he took me to Best Buy and bought me a game to play too. He had just bought a PS2 (also brandnew at the time) and he loaned me his old one with no time mentioned when he wanted it back. On top of that, he gave me a bunch of his games, even though they worked on the PS2, which was just him being generous again. I still have the PlayStation, he never asked for it back. That was a little over two years ago.

Ron was generous with his time. He gave all of his friends rides all the time. He would give my friend rides to school in the morning leaving at 6:30 just to get her there in time even when he didn't start until 10 or 11. He did this even though she rarely had the money to pay for gas. He was the one we called when we needed help.

I went to my junior (his senior) prom with him. Just as friends, there was never any romantic relationship between us. I did love him as a friend though. I saved the corsage that he got me for prom for about four years. I only threw it away about 6 or 8 months ago. I wish I had kept it. He was so good.

Most guys are really awful at getting gifts for girls, but he wasn't. One year for my birthday, he got me a statuette thing of faeries and stuff. It was so pretty. The next year, he got me a beautiful glass box and a bunch of glass figurines. They were all so beautiful. Everyone else at the party was so impressed. I have them on display in my room. I know this sounds shallow because I'm jsut talking about things he gave me, but I'm just trying to show how nice and thoughtful he was. I'm kind of a bum with presents. I usually forget until the last minute and then I'm like, "Oh crud, I don't have anything for so and so." The fact that he gave it so much thought and picked out such nice things really meant a lot to me.

When my best friend's little sister had her tenth birthday party a few years back, no one came. So my friend called Ron and he went out and got her a gift and came straight over.

I remember when he got his car. It was a 2003 Civic. He was so proud of it, he came over to my house the day he got it to show it off. His mom was telling me at the funeral how proud he was of the car. I think she was feeling that if they hadn't gotten it for him, that he might still be here. They couldn't have known how things would have turned out. If he hadn't had his car, he might have been in his girlfriend's car with her and they both might have died. Or, if you believe that everyone has a time to die, like I kind of think (I'm not sure about this, how can you be?), then it would have been something else. And his car brought him so much joy.

Anyway, I just wanted to post this, kind of as an emotional release and also as a tribute to who Ron was and how much we loved him. Rest in Peace, my friend. We love you. ]]> ~rendia