So Much For Mock Drafts

I suppose I shouldn't have looked at the NFL mock drafts as much as I did. Thus far, nothing has panned out for my beloved Trojans the way that was anticipated. Reggie Bush became the #2 pick, going to the New Orleans Saints...and Matt Leinart managed to drop down to #10 before he was chosen by the Arizona Cardinals.

As for the Houston Texans, who had the #1 pick...they failed to choose their hometown hero, Vince Young, as well as Reggie. Their pick, Mario Williams, had better be a star, or they're going to end up with a lot of angry, rabid fans next season.

The good news is...the San Francisco 49ers play the Saints and the San Diego Chargers play Arizona...so I don't have to venture too far to see either Matt or Reggie play. I didn't have the same luck when Carson Palmer went to Cincinnati a few years back.

I guess now I'll just have to wait and see where the rest of the 'SC guys go...of course it would be more enjoyable if I had cable and could watch the draft. Ah well...I guess the 'net will have to do!

Easter Blooms

I hope that everyone managed to have a fun & exciting Easter. As for me, I attended a "memorial service"...and walked away with a nice little bouquet. Aren't they pretty? I took 'em off a casket and a couple funeral wreaths!
Hey! Don't furrow your brow at me, I had permission. ;)

Alright...I guess this takes further explanation. During our Easter service, a few people from the drama team enacted what it would be like if we had a modern-day memorial service for Jesus Christ. If you know my Pastor...he thinks big. So, we had the casket, the funeral wreaths, eulogies...and as someone pointed out...we had a couple people doing a choreographed dance!

Part way through his sermon, our Pastor opened up the casket to reveal...well...an empty casket. For those of you who are unaware -- Jesus rose from the dead three days after he was crucified.

So...since this was definitely a time of CELEBRATION...I had no qualms pillaging for flowers!

Yes...Another One

Animated Inventor

Lisa posted another personality test type thingy on her blog...so I thought that I would take it. After all, I liked the box w/ all the nifty colors (aka "Personal DNA Map"). =P

One thing I don't really agree on is my empathy score...I think it's too low. I blame all the black and white questions with buzz words like "never" and "always". Ah well...at least most of the quiz goes by scales and percentages:

Confidence	LowHigh	92
Openness	LowHigh	74
Extroversion	LowHigh	66
Empathy	LowHigh	28
Trust in others	LowHigh	60
Agency	LowHigh	76
Masculinity	LowHigh	6
Femininity	LowHigh	86
Spontaneity	LowHigh	94
Attention to style	LowHigh	28
Authoritarianism	LowHigh	20
Earthy/Imaginative	ImaginativeEarthy	10
Aesthetic/Functional	FunctionalAesthetic	24

The entire report can be viewed -->here<--, but here's what the report has to say about being animated and being an inventor...

I AM AN INVENTOR

• Your imagination, self-reliance, openness to new things, and appreciation for utility combine to make you an INVENTOR.
• You have the confidence to make your visions into reality, and you are willing to consider many alternatives to get that done.
• The full spectrum of possibilities in the world intrigues you—you're not limited by pre-conceived notions of how things should be.
• Problem-solving is a specialty of yours, owing to your persistence, curiosity, and understanding of how things work.
• Your vision allows you to identify what's missing from a given situation, and your creativity allows you to fill in the gaps.
• Your awareness of how things function gives you the ability to come up with new uses for common objects.
• It is more interesting for you to pursue excitement than it is to get caught up in a routine.
• Although understanding details is not difficult for you, you specialize in seeing the bigger picture and don't get caught up in specifics.
• You tend to more proactive than reactive—you don't just wait for things to come to you.
• You're not one to force your positions on a group, and you tend to be fair in evaluating different options.
• You're not afraid to let your emotions guide you, and you're generally considerate of others' feelings as well.
• You tend to do things on the spur of the moment, not sticking to a set schedule.
• You do your own thing when it comes to clothing, guided more by practical concerns than by other people's notions of style.
• Generally, you believe that you control your life, and that external forces only play a limited role in determining what happens to you.

I AM ANIMATED

• You are outgoing, comfortable with others, and up for anything, which makes you ANIMATED.
• Some people find crowds and parties exhausting, but not you! You are able to be yourself in many situations.
• Sometimes it is hard for you to understand why others feel the way they do, but that doesn't stop you from trusting them or having faith that they are good people.
• You know the world is complicated and that there is often more than one side to a story, so you are careful not to make judgments about others too hastily.
• You would rather experience the world than sit back and observe it—you are not one to sit on the sidelines.
• You are an independent thinker and don't get too worried about how others might perceive you—you are not self-conscious about being the active, engaged person that you are.
• Although you have a keen understanding of different people's life circumstances, you occasionally have trouble seeing why people get so upset and emotional about things—they should just lighten up and have fun!
• In addition to having faith in the world, you have faith in the people around you—you trust others to do the right thing and to be honest.

You can take the test as well. Let me know what you get!

My L.A. Four

I inadvertently took a brief hiatus from blogging. Since Lisa tagged me for this survey eons ago, I thought I should complete this first...enjoy!

Four Jobs I've Had in My Life in L.A.
1) Database Developer
2) Web Developer
3) Systems Integration Engineer
4) Office Aide (work study in college)

Four Movies About L.A. I Could Watch Over and Over
(I need to watch more movies about Los Angeles)
1) Singin' In The Rain
2) Ocean's Eleven (well...at least a couple scenes were in L.A.)
3) Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
4) Clueless

Four Places I've Lived All Over L.A. (With Food Memories From Each)
1) Long Beach
Taco Bell - I know this won't be added to anyone's "to do list", but I used to go here a lot with my dad. We'd pick up food after school and then hang out and eat together at home. Oh...and from what I hear...this particular one (on Santa Fe Ave. and Pacific Coast Highway) is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, Taco Bell still in operation.
2) USC - On Campus
EVK - It did not specify that the food memories had to be good ones. The first time I ate at EVK (Elaine von KleinSmid Residents Hall), was during "Preview USC"...a two-day excursion to the campus for perspective high school seniors. I saw college students run and fight for quesadillas as soon as they were brought out...and to top it all off...a fly flew straight into my burrito when I was putting it together. It was then and there that I decided to live in an apartment, and not a dorm...no more EVK if I could help it!
3) USC - Off Campus
The Original Pantry - I'm not sure how many of the original waiters are still around...but when I went to 'SC, there were still a few. I love their pancakes, and I loved the fact that they were open 24 hours. I remember going there around their 75th anniversary and one of the original waiters was passing out hats to everyone. I still have mine!
4) Santa Monica
(okay...I've never really lived here...but I figure working in the city is close enough)
Fritto Misto - In an attempt to find a new place to eat for lunch, I happened upon a website that spoke of this place. I'm glad I did! They have great calamari...and you should really try their banana cream pie. Yum!

Four L.A. Themed Shows I Love(d) to Watch
1) Alias
2) The Brady Bunch
3) CHiPs
4) Remington Steele

Four Places I Would Vacation at in L.A.
1) Santa Monica
2) Malibu
3) Downtown L.A. (theatre weekend!)
4) Long Beach (if just to visit with relatives)

Four L.A. Based Web Sites I Visit Daily
(not necessarily specific to L.A., but has info related to L.A. on occasion)
1) Playbill
2) Yahoo! News
3) Lisa's Blog
4) Yahoo! Local

Four of My Favorite Foods Found in L.A.
1) Chili Spaghetti @ Bob's Big Boy
2) Pink's Hot Dogs
3) Seaweed Salad @ Zip Fusion
4) Calamari @ Fritto Misto

Four Places in L.A. I Would Rather Be Right Now
1) Watching 'SC play football at the Coliseum
2) Hanging out with Sorority Sisters @ USC
3) Watching a performance at the Hollywood Bowl
4) Watching a performance at the Music Center in Downtown L.A.

Four Unfortunate L.A. Souls
The following people have been tagged:
1) Brianne
2) Judy
3) Melly
4) Todd R.

Four More Unfortunate Souls
I've seen this survey in a non-L.A. iteration...let's see what people outside of L.A. like about where they live:
1) Padgett
2) Amy
3) Erin
4) Shereen