30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 26

Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to me.



















It means a lot to me whenever my mom sends me greeting cards to my apartment. Whether it's a holiday card or just a "how-ya-doing?" card, it's one of her ways of letting me know that I am loved very much.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 25

My time with this challenge is weaseling. Day 25 - A picture of your day.




















My day: chilling out in Maui.

I spent today hanging out at Sugar Beach resort in Maui for the last day of my vacation. I went to the local gym, tanned poolside, and went shopping for souvenirs down in Kihei. I really cherished today because I knew that it would probably be the last time I come to Maui in a while, with me having to start a career and all. They don't really give a lot of vacation time to kids that are just starting out in the business. All I know is until I get to come back, I am going to miss the hell out of Maui (my third home...after my actual home in Woodinville and my apartment in California).

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 24

Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change.



















The thing that I would like to change has something to do with FC Barcelona, naturally, but I couldn't find a really adequate picture that fully described the issue I want to address. So I'll just use this picture of Xavi Hernández (Chameleon Eyes). Anyway, the thing that I would want to change about Barca is their membership policy. In order to become a member of the Club (someone that gets great benefits and also gets to vote for Barca leadership), you have to be a close relative to someone who is already a member. Since I am not a close relative of someone that is already a member of FC Barcelona (as far as I know), it seems that my dream of becoming a socio is quite distant. So, I would like to change their membership policy to accept me, since I'm awesome and that team is awesome and we could share our awesomeness together.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 23

Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book(s).














How Soccer Explains the World and I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell

I couldn't really think of one favorite book, mainly because I don't read very often. But these two books stuck out at me for very different reasons. Firstly, I like the soccer book because I like soccer, but also because it was very informative and showed the interesting parallels between world issues and soccer. I didn't know the Serbian mob was so into soccer. Secondly, I really enjoyed the Tucker Max book because it's filled with hilarious stories of his drunken sex-capades and I was laughing my ass off the whole book. There is nothing funnier than reading about a guy that diarrheas all over the foyer of a Courtyard Marriott.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 22

Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were good at.


















This picture is almost a two-fer. The first thing I wish I was better at is doing my hair...and the kid in this picture obviously has a clue about that. The second thing I wish I was better at is singing. Now, when I sing by myself, I think I sound fine. But my parent say otherwise. I wish I sang well enough so I can sing in the car with my friends without having to turn the radio all the way up so they don't hear me. That would be nice.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 21

Three weeks without forgetting...woot! Now, Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget.















Qatar winning the bid for World Cup 2022.

I can't think of anything else recent that has given me so much misery than to hear that the United States would not be the host of the 2022 World Cup. Instead, that lilly-livered Sepp Blatter gave it to the tiny Arab nation Qatar. What an asshat...I hope this World Cup fails miserably. I want to forget about this moment until it is 2022.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 20

Day 20 - A picture of a place you'd love to travel.




















Barcelona, Spain.

This picture of the Sagrada Familia church only represents a portion of the city that I would love to travel around. I've been to Barcelona once before, but it was only for 2 days...clearly not enough time to see all the awesome things this city has to offer. I want to go to all the Gaudi parks, the Dali museums, the Mediterranean beaches, and of course the soccer games. I'm still trying to convince my parents to go to Barca after I graduate...and I think I'm starting to soften them up. I have my fingers crossed everyday that I would get a chance to get back to this amazing city.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 19

Day 19 - A picture of a letter.



















This blog post is brought to you by the letter "A".

I was really confused by this challenge because I wasn't sure if they wanted a picture of a letter, like a Latin letter, or of something that someone has written to me, like a "Dear John" letter (which by the way, no one has written me any of those). I decided to go with a regular letter, and I decided upon "A", mainly because that is my first initial. I also like the letter "A" because it reminds me of being the best, like an A-plus student, which is something I always strive to be. The letter "A" is just the best.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 18

Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity















No...my biggest insecurity is not Queen Latifah. My biggest insecurity is actually my double chin (something me and Queen have in common). I've had my extra chin for I don't know how long and no matter how hard I try, it won't go away. I'm worried people look at it. My extra chin annoys me very much.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 17

Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently.











Newswaves 32

I started working as the producer of Newswaves 32, Pepperdine's 5 o'clock news show, at the beginning of this school year. I didn't really know what to expect because I had never produced a show before. My dream was to be a sports reporter, but I was producing the show because it would be good experience and had a good scholarship attached to it. When I started, it was a total nightmare. All the people that were a part of my crew were completely inexperienced and everything was incredibly stressful. But as the semester went on, I got more comfortable at my job and my crew started to get their stuff together. By the end, I was really enjoying my job as producer and we were starting to produce shows that were comparable to the more experienced crew that went on Thursdays.

I realized after working at Newswaves that I really want to be some sort of producer when I go out to look for a job. I found that when you're a producer, you're in charge of the entire show and can make it as perfect as you want, where as a reporter only has a chance to make part of the show perfect. Plus I like to boss people around. Anyway, I can't imagine a more fulfilling job then to come up with your show and then to see it come to fruition exactly as you had pictured it. And that is the impact that Newswaves 32 has had on my life.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 16

Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you.













Bill Simmons, ESPN.com columnist

I very well could have put my mom down as the person that most inspires me, but then she would have been in about half of my pictures. While I love her very much, I've decided to put someone else that inspires me a lot. I started reading Bill Simmons' column a little over a year ago and now I count down to every Friday when his new column comes out on ESPN.com. He's my inspiration because I wish that I could be as funny, as smart, and as knowledgeable about sports as he is. The guy is a fricking riot. Not to mention if he wasn't married and had two young children, I would totally marry him.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 15

Half way done with the challenge. And here's Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die.














To go to the Camp Nou in Barcelona and watch my beloved FC Barcelona play those asswipes Real Madrid in El Clásico.

Over the past few years, I have fallen in love with Barça. And what's not to love? They play the best soccer, they focus on growing local talent (unlike those asswipes Real Madrid that spend ass-loads of money to buy a team that is still not as good as Barça), and a good majority of them are good-looking (sorry Puyol...you don't quite make the cut).

It would be my dream of dreams that I would be able to watch El Clásico at the Camp Nou. I mean, can you imagine being swept up by the cheers of over 100,000 people that all support the same team? It sounds bloody brilliant. It's something I HAVE to do before I die.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 14

Wahoo! I made it through my first two weeks of the challenge without forgetting. I thought it would be tough to remember to post once I got to Hawaii...what, with it being paradise and all...but luckily I have my loving parents to remind me. Without further ado...Day 14 - A picture of someone you couldn't imagine your life without.












My parents...chilling in the pool in Maui.

Without a doubt there is no way that I could adequately go through life without my parents in it. They bring me joy and keep me grounded. They are loves of my life...even if they do pose awkwardly in the condominium pool.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 13

Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist




















Maroon 5.

Go ahead...make fun. I have loved Maroon 5 since I was a sophomore...in high school. I know their entire first album frontwards and backwards. I've been to three of their concerts...twice in the front row. Not to mention I have had a serious crush on the frontman Adam Levine since I can remember. I'm still hoping that I'll run into him in LA and he'll fall in love with my good looks and we'll live happily ever after and have a million babies. That would be my dream...mmmmm.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 12

After a full day of traveling from Los Angeles to Maui (a full day that started at 4:30 in the morning, I might add) here is Day 12 - A picture of something you love.




















Maui at sunset.

Seriously...what is not to love?

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 11

Day 11 - A picture of something you hate













Traffic...especially in Los Angeles...especially on the 405.

This day's photo was a little difficult for me because there are a lot of things in this world that annoy me. And I mean A LOT! But there is one thing that really erks me. It makes me so upset, that I turn into a completely other person. I call it, "Hulk Ally." The only thing that brings it out of me is...traffic. It's aggravating...and most of the time the traffic begins for no reason at all. Now, if there was an accident or something, then I would only be mildly upset. But when there's traffic for no reason whatsoever, I literally want to hurl myself into the next car.

The worst offender is definitely the 405 down in LA. I don't think I have ever driven on it when there wasn't some sort of bumper-to-bumper traffic going on. It makes me want to pull my hair out. Just thinking about it pisses me off. I got to get off this thing. Ugh!

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 10

Day 10 - A picture with the person you do the craziest stuff with.
















Victoria and I on our way to the Jack Johnson concert at the Gorge, circa 2008

I don't really do a lot of crazy things, but I have done a lot of silly things with this chick. Rum and cokes ring a bell...vaguely.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 09

Day 09 - A picture of the person that has gotten you through the most.















My mom and I at a luau in Maui circa I have no idea.

When I think of the person that has gotten me through the most, it's no contest...my mom is totally that person. She has always encouraged me to follow my dreams and will be there for me as I head out into the real world. She is my best friend, and isn't afraid to give me a swift kick in the ass if I'm being ridiculous. She's put up with a lot of my bitching and complaining the last couple of years, and I am so thankful for that and for her. I LOVE MY MOMMY!!!

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 08

Hooray to me for making it through the first week of this challenge without forgetting. Pat on the back...FOR ME! Here is Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh.











My dad being cold in Munich, Germany.

How can this picture not make anyone laugh? Seriously? Enough said.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 07

Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item.




















My iPhone

Sorry...I know that this is totally lame and Generation Y of me to say this...but I really don't know what I would do without my phone. Its got my Internets, my pictures, my musics, not most importantly, it keeps me in contact with all my family and friends. I hope no one jacks my phone because then I would be in super-duper trouble. Yep...I am one of those people.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 06

Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day.












(Left to right) Andrea Nakano of KING5 News, Olalla Torres Domínguez

There's a tie for today's photo, one because of professional reasons and one for pretty much every other reason. The first one is of Andrea Nakano, who is a sports anchor/reporter for KING5 News in Seattle, which is where I want to work after graduation. She is also the host (I think...she might have been replaced) of the Sounders FC Weekly show that they broadcast on KONG, the show that I eventually want to host or produce or whatever. Basically I just want her job...period.

The second picture is of Olalla Torres Domínguez, who is the wife of soccer star Fernando Torres. If you know anything about me at all, it should be obvious as to why I would want to trade places with her for a day.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 05

Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory.














Alex Schmidley, Natalie Pierce and I totally succeed at a jump photo at St. Andrews Golf Course in Scotland.

I can't think of a more appropriate day to post this picture. For those that don't go to Pepperdine (or any university for that matter), this week has been our last week of classes for the semester. Today was a particular milestone for me, as I had my last 8am class AND my last Friday class ever! Having finished my second to last semester in my school life, it really makes me think about the great memories that I have had, not just at Pepperdine, but in my life in general. So when this 30 Day Photography Challenge said I had to post a picture of my favorite memory, I knew it was going to be a particularly tough task.

I don't mean to brag or sound arrogant (with two r's haha), but I have had a lot of great experiences in my life which have given me a ton of great memories. It's just really hard to pick just one. But I tried thinking about the best time that I have had in my life, and obviously chose my time abroad living in London. I can't think of a better time...can you? Since I had that narrowed down, I tried to think of my favorite memory of my time in London...which was almost impossible. I've ridden a camel...I've paraglided off a Swiss Alp...I've been to a Champions League match at Stamford Bridge (Chelsea blows). How am I supposed to choose? But then I thought about one of my favorite pictures that I took during my time in Europe...and after some deliberation, I realized that the picture essentially summed up my great time on that trip, but also my great time abroad in general.

That picture, of course, is the one above. I was on a trip with my friends Shannon Rooney, Alex and Natalie (who were probably my best friends in the London house) to Scotland. We were visiting Glasgow, St. Andrews and Edinburgh and the entire trip was just a really fun time. We found cool things to do, found some really good food (haggis and Wannaburger anyone?), and best of all we didn't want to kill each other by the end of the trip (which was a rarity for some of the weekend trips that year). The day that we went to St. Andrews, I just remember it being so much like Western Washington. It was so green (except for the occasional white speckles of sheep) and the sky was so blue and the water was just right there. Naturally we had to take an obligatory jump picture, and I don't know what it is (maybe the angle that Shannon the photog is at), but the three of us look like were literally six feet off the ground. It's just such as awesome picture to capture a really awesome trip and time in my life.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 04

I can't believe that I have managed to keep up with this challenge for four days in a row. Has to be a record. Anyway...here's Day 04 - A picture of your night.












My night: Sitting on the couch and doing homework while I have the TV on (most likely tuned to either Law & Order or Sportscenter). I'd like to say that this is my night because I have to get ready for finals, but due to the extremely visible indent in my couch cushion, this is how I spend pretty much all of my nights. No joke.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 03

Day 03 - A picture of the cast of your favorite show.















Jay Harris and Brian Kenny of Sportscenter

I was thinking a lot about this picture last night because I watch A LOT of television and have a lot of favorite shows. If you were to look at my facebook page under my favorite television shows, you would think that Lost would be my favorite show because I have it listed first. So I was ready to find a picture of the cast of Lost. But then I thought of what a "favorite show" really is. To me, a favorite show means that it's something that you LOVE to watch and whenever you see it playing on your TV somewhere, you always change the channel to watch it. I realized that I didn't really feel this way about Lost. Then this made me think of shows that I watch all the time - Sportscenter and Law & Order. After thinking about these two shows rather intensely, I became more clear that Sportscenter was definitely my favorite show. I mean...I literally watch it all the time. I watch it in the morning as I get ready for school. I watch it when I get home from school. I watch it all weekend long. I'm even watching it right now. If that's not a favorite show...I don't know what is.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 02

Back for Day 02 - A picture of you and the person that you have been closest with the longest.
















A photo of me and Victoria White at Man U

Now...I feel that I have to put a bit of a disclaimer on this one. The thing says that I have to put a picture of myself and the person I've been closest with the longest. Some people might imply that as meaning your longest friend. However, I am not one of those people. Victoria and I have been friends for like 6 or 7 years, and I certainly have had friends for longer periods of time than that. The difference is that I am not as close with those people as I am with Victoria. She was one of my bestest friends during a really fun and important time in my life (and still is one of my bestest friends) and she is like a sister to me. So there.

30 Days of Photos Challenge - Day 01

So...there's this current trend happening on Facebook called the 30 Days of Photo Challenge, where people put a picture on their page once a day for thirty days. I am intrigued by this challenge and want to partake. However, I really don't want to put my stuff on Facebook and have people think that I'm some sort of bandwagon jumper that is only doing it because everyone else is (I know, that is exactly what I am...but I don't need people thinking it). Anyway, if I put it on my blog, then it's something that only I (as well as the people that follow my blog) need to see and look back on. Also, it's a great way to get back in the swing of writing again.

Without further ado, Day 01 - a picture of yourself with ten facts.



















1. I had only lived in one house until I went to college, meaning I never moved as a kid.
2. I have never broken a bone (knock on wood)
3. I lived in London for nine months
4. I have gone paragliding...off an Alp in Switzerland
5. I would totally marry any of the starting 11 for FC Barcelona...except for maybe Carles Puyol...or Danny Alves...or Eric Abidal...but other than that I would totally marry all of them
6. I played softball for 12 years...competitively for 6
7. I LOVE bread and cheese...Peruvian staple
8. I'm half-Peruvian...and most people don't even know where Peru is
9. I'm a producer for Pepperdine University's student news broadcast and I love it...even though the people I work with sometimes infuriate me
10. I have a thing for older men.
(11. I've ridden a camel...and I liked it!)

I reemerge under sad circumstances...

Wow...I must be the worst blogger ever. Remember when I said that I would be blogging and writing during my senior year, talking about all the cool stuff I do and how school is so crappy and all of those thing? Well...I fail, big time. At any rate, I apologize for my lack of posts...but I'm back. At least for today while I have a five hour break in between my classes and I don't have to worry about finals (yet).

I thought today of all days would be the most appropriate to get back to my blog, seeing as how I am very disappointed and need a cathartic release. If you didn't know what was going on today, then stop reading my blog because there is no way that we should be friends. Just kidding...kind of. Today was that day FIFA announced who would be hosting the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The USA was in the running for 2022, against Australia, Japan, the two Koreas (yeah...right) and Qatar (now pronounced like "cutter"), and was seen as the front runner for much of the process. I didn't really care to much about the 2018 World Cup because it was all just a bunch of European countries...and who really cares about Europe?

Anyway...I got up at my usual 6:30am and turned my TV to Sportscenter. Surely they were going to have something on the FIFA announcement. I went about my morning routine and by the time I was out of my apartment at 7:15, there had been no word yet on who the hosts will be. Since I was super anxious, I had my phone with me in the car, constantly updating my twitter app (which in hindsight probably isn't too smart to be constantly check my twitter while I'm driving, but THIS IS IMPORTANT!). I park on campus, still nothing. I call my parents, who of course are up watching Fox Soccer Channel and the live feed from Zurich, FIFA World Headquarters. My mom is giving me a play-by-play, starting with the announcement of the 2018 World Cup. There's a silence as Sepp Blatter opens the envelope, revealing that the winner is...........

Russia. Hmmmm...I bit of a puzzling vote, considering that their own Prime Minister didn't have enough faith in their campaign to even show up to its presentation. Especially puzzling since they will also be hosting an Olympics in 2014. Anyway, that makes the chances that much better for the US. Have a World Cup in the Eastern Hemisphere, then bring it back to the Western Hemisphere. Plus...the US is just better.

Blatter = Satan? Yes

Now it was time for the 2022 bid winner to be revealed. In their presentations, the US highlighted our country's diversity and our already existing infrastructure to hold such a large event. We wouldn't have to build stadiums, roads, trains, subways...we already have that. We wouldn't need to worry about TV rights or sponsorships, since all of the television things and sponsors are here. We also promised that the millions of fans that live in the US could easily sell out every game...something that should be very tempting for FIFA. Qatar (cutter) said that the World Cup would bring much joy to their country and the Middle East as a whole, as they have never hosted a World Cup (there's a reason for that) and how it could bring the region together. As far as the Gawd-awful 130 degree heat that the country gets during the summer (which is when the World Cup is played..duh), Qatar (cutter) said that they have the technology to develop open air stadiums that have air conditioning. I mean...What. The. F*ck. They also said that after the tournament, they would tear down their stadiums (which would only seat, like, 25,000 people) and rebuild them in poor countries that don't have stadiums. Boo-freaking-hoo. Needless to say, I was a little tense waiting for that short little Swiss man to announce who was getting the World Cup.

They way that my mom was talking on the phone, it didn't sound promising for the US. Then, finally, it was revealed in a stupid white envelope that Qatar (cutter) would get to be the host of the biggest sporting event in the world. I immediately wanted to curse...but considering I was in a hallway of a Pepperdine University building, that might have been a bad idea. But I did feel like I had been punched in the stomach. Pretty much my entire day was ruined, and it was only 7:45am. I couldn't, and still don't, understand why FIFA would want Qatar (cutter) over the US. Actually, I do know why. It's because FIFA just wants money (and Qatar (cutter) totally bought their votes, jk but not really) and Sepp wants to be seen as a great peace ambassador bring the sport of soccer to even the most desperate and war-torn corners of the world. (Well...I have a little something to shove up his amb-ASS-ador.) It's all totally BS.

This looks stupid

Now all that remains to be asked is what does this rejection mean for soccer in the US. Could it hurt soccer's chances for becoming a more popular sport in this country? Will I ever get to see a World Cup game in the States? So many questions and all they do is depress me even more. In any case, it was good to write this down. It just really bothers me that something like the sport that I love can be so beautiful and yet so corrupt.