Spring Break

Going to Panama with two of my college friends. Woohoo! As of now we don't have a place to sleep, but who knows what other kind of fiasco we'll get ourselves into! More to come. And if not, stay tuned for pictures on the 22nd.

CNN Headline T-Shirt That I Might Actually Consider Purchasing

Please look at this headline and admit that you're thinking, "that's what she said."

Double-take?

I just wanted to state the obvious that Angelina Jolie and the now-mother of 14 children look very similar.  Is it also a coincidence that they like to have exponential amount of children?

Apparently Coffee is Good For Your Brain

An article in the New York Times states that Swedish and Danish researchers may have linked coffee with a decreased risk in dementia.

After reading the headline of the article, I endearingly looked at the coffee that I happened to be sipping at the moment, and thought, "wow - my addiction is going to stop me from losing my mind in 50 years?"

Not exactly so.

These subjects who displayed lesser risks weren't just typical java lovers; in the course of 21 years, they drank an average of 5+ cups of coffee a day. The ones who drank 2 or less were at a greater risk for illness in comparison.

Being that I only drink about 1.5 cups per day, I'm not exactly in the clear.

But the research isn't all that credible - people self-reported how much coffee they drank per day - which is subject to errors. I feel as though people love to inflate the amount of coffee they drink simply to dramatize the stress in their lives and use the number of cups on the desk as a measuring tool of "who gets less sleep at night" and has a busier albeit established career.

In addition, they haven't gone into specifics of what kind of coffee their subjects drank: maybe some drink decaffeinated coffee, or drink it with Equal, Splenda, or real sugar, or decided that cappuccinos, lattes, and caramel macchiatos counted too. What about the issue of caffeine and all those articles about heart problems?

Whatever - I'm still going to Starbucks to help me stay up all night to do well in college.

Inauguration = Logistical Failure

No one knew what was going on. The proper authorities were ill-equipped - they didn't even have radios to communicate with the Command Post. First Aid and Warming tents weren't labeled and had faulty equipment. Hell, even the people who attended the event couldn't even properly dress their children for the cold. To say it bluntly, it was a cluster of chaos - luckily nothing really bad happened.

Working on the medical staff of the inauguration was a mixed experience. It was the best thing that I've ever done that I'll never do again. Despite barely seeing the parade due to rubbing people's feet to prevent frostbite, I got to cross the main parade route on Pennsylvania Avenue multiple times while being escorted by Secret Service to help sick people on the other side. Here is a picture that I quickly snapped while walking across:I was in a rush - I didn't want to seem too unprofessional in the middle of a really empty road.

Overall - inauguration is over. The streets are open, the metros are running, the balls are silent, and the traffic... well, the DC traffic is still there. I think I speak for over 2.5 million people, but it feels so good to say "I was there" especially during my college years at GWU. Being 21, staying at bars til 4am and not worrying about too much responsibility of the real world made this the most ideal time for a historic moment like this.

Despite the chaos of the operations of the event itself, we are all home, safe and sound. Obama is in office, and tomorrow is going to be another great day.

Things I Learned in Paris

Thanksgiving in Paris. Paris in Thanksgiving. No matter the order of that sentence, it still sounds chic and classy. Being that it was my first time in Paris - let alone Europe, I kept an open mind and tried to sponge in as much culture I could in the 4 days I spent there. Well, maybe not culture, but here are a few things that I noticed or just couldn't avoid because they were everywhere. Enjoy my list of Parisian motifs. Bon apetit!

1. Black Peacoat
Walking down the streets of Paris, all I could see were black peacoats - OK, maybe navy blue, and the occasional grey, but a long black peacoat seems to be the only outerwear acceptable to be worn. There is no other kind available in France.

2. Shoes that are not sneakers
According to our tour book, it warned us not to wear sneakers in order to avoid being pegged as a tourist. Not like my fellow traveler and I could avoid it because neither of us could speak French anyway. Everyone (girls) wears heels or knee-high boots - all in a dark color, of course to match the black peacoat. Men wear loafers or any other dark colored shoe.

3. Petit chien
Small dogs - everywhere. Even their little poops.

4. Obama
When you tell them you're from the States, they will ask you about Obama. Then they will ask you if you voted for him. I said "yes" because I did vote for him, and I didn't want them to spit in my food. My Republican companion hated that question and avoided answering.

5. Croissants
There are bakeries everywhere and people eat those delicious things everyday. My personal favorite was pain au chocolat - ate it twice a day.

6. Overweight people
There are none. Despite the croissants, Parisians stay fit because they walk everywhere. Rarely do they use cabs.

7. Coffee
In tiny portions. I'm talking small, espresso shot portions. Usually served with sugar on the side - or just shoot them back black.

8. Homeless Drunks
The homeless in the States drink 40s of crappy beer, the homeless in Paris drink bottles of champagne. Empty bottles were plenty in the streets. Even the bums keep it classy.

9. Everything is small
The cars, tables, chairs, even the toilet seats - are comparatively smaller. That again is because no one in Paris is overweight.

10. Beauty is everywhere
Perhaps the most beautiful and exciting city I have ever been in (but my heart is always in NYC). Everything is beautiful, the buildings, clothes, people, even the petit chien. Can't wait to go back there.

What the hell is up Baltimore?

Granted, I work in Emergency Services so I love cops, but looks like Baltimore police took offense to the peaceful riot rejoicing the election of new President Obama:

At least 16 arrested after election celebration in Charles Village

By Gus G. Sentementes

A group of at least 16 people, including a Johns Hopkins University professor, say they were wrongfully arrested during a spontaneous post-election celebration early this morning in Charles Village, while Baltimore police say officers acted to disperse a large, loud crowd after receiving complaints from neighbors.

None of those arrested, who gathered outside Baltimore's Central Booking and Intake Center after their release about 9 a.m. today, said any was charged with a crime. Some said they had been threatened with charges of inciting a riot and disorderly conduct, though they said the gathering of about 200 people was peaceful but loud.

"It was nonsense," said Aaron Goodfellow, 41, a professor in Hopkins' anthropology department. Goodfellow said he and a graduate student left an election night party after news broke that Sen. Barack Obama was elected president. They saw the gathering and stopped to participate, and both were later arrested, he said.

"It was just pure enthusiasm. There was no destruction of property," Goodfellow said. About the arrests, Goodfellow said: "It was out of control, excessive and, yeah, I'm really angry."
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