I just discovered the most adorable little animal only to find out that it's an endangered species.   It's the California Tiger Salamander:

See, isn't he adorable?  So, I've been doing some research on this little guy because he's causing quite a stir in Woodland.  Apparently he's holding up more development in the area (can we say urban sprawl?) because he's been put on the endangered species list, which means the land has to be surveyed before any one can get a permit to build there.  If these little guys are found then they can't build there.  I remember a similar problem back before Elk Grove became the monstrous strip malled, tract homed city it is today.

In my research I discovered a website based down in Santa Barbara and the California Tiger Salamander was featured as the "endangered species of the month."  You have no idea how sad it is to me that there are so many endangered species just in Santa Barbara that they can feature a new one each month.  Imagine how many species must go extinct each day.  I'm not trying to sound all crazy environmental fanatical it just makes me sad.  Half of the species in the world I'll never get to see in their native environment.

Anyway, if you want to learn more about these little animals and how to help them you can visit this website. 

I have always admired butterflies because to me they are a symbol of change, of new beginnings.  They start off as little caterpillars eating leaves and not realizing what lies in store.  Then they make their cocoons and a few months later they emerge in a completely new form; completely changed and more beautiful than ever.  Every butterfly is unique, as are humans.

              

The difference with us humans is that we go through changes throughout our lives.  We dont just get to go into a cocoon and emerge as the person we always knew we could be.  We strive to better ourselves and we are in a constant state of change, yet somehow it seems that change is what we fear the most.

These thoughts on change and new beginnings are brought on by some major changes in my own life.  I recently graduated from college.  Im (hopefully) going to be starting a new job, finally as a reporter.  And Im going to be single for the first time in my adult life.  Yes, you read that right.  Me and Donald are filing our divorce paperwork on Tuesday, but I know this is the best thing for both of us.  And I dont want anyone's sympathy, so please dont feel sorry for me.  

Like my big sis always says, Everything happens for a reason.  This is one of those times.  Change is a scary thing for sure, but its something we learn to deal with and something that helps us grow and become better.  So, heres to new beginnings!

I don't know if many of you  know this, but if you type your phone number into google with no dashes or anything, 9161234567 for instance, your address will show up along with directions and a link to a satellite image and a link to mapquest.  Sounds cool right.  You can find anyone's house just by knowing their number.  Sure saves time when it comes to getting directions.

But did anyone ever think of the unintended consequences of this technology?  When the new satellite imaging was added there were tons of reports in the mainstream news about how fab it was, but not one person bothered to ask the question, "What if a stalker got ahold of someone's phone  number?" or "What if you met someone at a bar and gave them your number and it turned out they were nutso?"  It really makes me wonder how much google gives those news organizations in advertising dollars. 

However, after receiving several complaints from people who were outraged (probably those people with stalkers or crazy ex-boyfriends) by the news google has added an opt-out option.  I opted out.  Not because I have a stalker or anything, but because I figure if someone wants my address or directions they can just ask.  And if they can't ask, then they don't need to know it.

This rant was brought on by a news story I read today in The New York Times.  The article is about how the CEO of google got googled by the media and a news story was printed giving out personal information found on his own website.  Google has now vowed not to speak with the specific news organization for the next year.  Interesting that google doesn't see a problem with people using their product to glean personal information about others, unless it's somebody who works for them.

PS. To opt out you have to type in your phone number and click on the entry.  Then click on the link "phonebook removal form" under your address.

That's right Biotches!  I got my $350!  I had to regulate for sure! 

J/K My boss must have slept on it last night because he came in this morning and said he'd thought about our conversation and that our original agreement was for $500 so he was going to give it to me, but that from now on I'd be paid hourly.  Then he handed me a check.  Still sucks that I won't be getting that extra $500 a month I was expecting, but at least I didn't get gypped without expecting it.  Too bad it had to be drama though for sure.

I'm on my way to the bank!

PS If you don't know what I'm talking about please refer to yesterday's blog.

That's it!  I hope to the good lord in heaven that I get this job in Delaware.  In fact, even if I don't get it I'm going to quit my job when I get home from France! (No point in not collecting a paycheck while you're on vacation)

Let me explain.  There's a section of the magazine that I do where I have to go out and take pictures at different networking events yada yada yada.  Well, I've been doing it for the last couple of months and not getting paid for it because the magazine still had a contract with the other woman who did it. AND I WAS FINE WITH THAT, even though they printed MY pictures with HER name under them.  I never got credit, nor did I get compensation for the time and effort I spent putting the section together.

This month is the first month that ALL of my pictures are on the page along with  my name so I was excited because that meant I was finally going to get paid.  Yes! $500 extra!  Woo Hoo!  Well, no, not exactly.

Even though I was promised $500 for doing the section, which is what they paid the other lady, my check is lying here on the desk and it's only for $150.  David, my boss, made me write up the number of hours I spent at each event that appeared in this month's magazine and he only paid me for the hours!

WTF!  That's less that 1/3 of what I was promised.  Not only that but photos go for way more in print than editorial does.  I just talked to David about it and he says there's nothing he can do.  Taking the pictures didn't take me as long as he thinks it should have and he's not going to pay me $80 an hour or whatever that adds up to in hourly.  But the agreement was for the photos and covering the events and hourly had nothing to do with it.  THIS IS WHY PEOPLE HAVE CONTRACTS! Damn me for taking someone's word for something! I HATE THIS STUPID JOB!

Each winter I purchase an average of three new umbrellas.  I leave them in classrooms, at work, in restaurants or just about anywhere.  Often, I end up finding at least one under the seat or in the trunk of my car during summer so I'm able to salvage it for the following winter, but for the most part I'm out buying a new umbrella at the first sight of rain.

The experience in summer is very similar, only I am constantly misplacing my sunglasses.  I've already gone through two pairs this summer.  My second pair was left at a restaurant last night.  I'm surprised they lasted for as long as they did though. 

When I was younger I never forgot anything.  Good memories are something I notice often in children, while adults always seem forgetful and absentminded (especially me).  I think it must be because we are so pre-occupied with other things. 

I've had a lot on my mind lately which would explain my forgetfulness.  The only other time I remember being so scatterbrained is when I was working three jobs and trying to complete 19 units.  I was always so worried about the next thing that had to get done that I would forget to pay attention to what I was doing at that moment.

Anyway, that's just a thought.  I super wish I had my sunglasses still.  I don't want to go buy another pair that will only be lost in a few weeks on a train in France.

When are people going to learn that standardized testing just doesnt work?  This lady wants to have our tax money go to giving $1,000 to families whose children do well on the standardized tests because that will supposedly make them perform better.  

Well, lets think about this for a secondarent the schools with the most money already supposed to have students who are doing better?  Doesnt that mean wed just be giving more money to families who dont really need it?  Not only that, but kids in grades 2-11 like shes suggesting dont even really understand the value of money.

Secondly, there are already scholarships given out to students who do well on those tests. My sister got a $1000 scholarship for college when she aced the test her Freshman year.  To me, that is a better reward because its encouraging students to move on to higher education.

Thirdly, I NEVER did well on standardized tests.  Not because I was stupid, but because I just didnt care.  No amount of threatening or promising of rewards could make me do well on those tests because to me they were always a complete and utter waste of my time.  I received straight As throughout my school years and still managed to graduate college with a 3.3.  I didnt even look at the questions on the standardized tests, I just filled them in and then doodled or wrote notes to my friends.  At the time they had told us it would effect our grades and that didnt help.  I dont think $1000 would help either.

The best solution to standardized testing is to get rid of it.  Scrap it for something else.

It was the wierdest thing that I wrote about this yesterday and then I went to Starbucks with my friend, Josh, and saw that Starbucks is selling a bottled water I've never heard of before.  Ethos Water began as a nonprofit organization working to raise money, through the sale of bottled water, to fund water projects in developing countries.

There was a whole brochure on it.  I just thought it was wierd because I probably would have never noticed it (which I hadn't because they've been selling it since Starbucks acquired the brand in April 2005) had I not written about it. 

So, although I know some of you think Starbucks is the devil, fell content in knowing you can buy bottled water there that helps aid a good cause.  Doesn't help with the pollution problem the bottles create though...

Other water charities or groups working on water projects with Ethos Water: WaterPartners International, WaterAid, CARE, UNICEF and WaterAction.