A couple months back, I was out at the Mai Tai Bar in Long Beach with some friends. I checked my phone at about 11pm and noticed my friend texted me, "There's a groupon for skydiving. Let's go!" ...well that gives me an hour to decide if I want to jump off a plane. I reply, "I'm out drinking, I don't think this is the best time to make that decision!" My friend insists, "That's when the best decisions are made!" I then turn to the counsel of the friends I'm with, who are of course drinking as well and they all cheer, "DO IT!" So I agreed to buy the groupon.
On October 7, I drove down to San Diego at 6:30am with my friends to go sky diving at Skydive San Diego. We drive to what seems like the middle of nowhere. After signing our lives away and ability to sue, we were off for a quick orientation and getting strapped up.
I heard the worst part of jumping off a plane was actually seeing people jump before you. I wanted to be first. Of course with my luck, I ended up jumping last out of all my friends. So I saw them go out the plane, one at a time, and my instructor and I slowly scooted closer and closer to the open door. When I get to the door, it finally hits me: there really isn't anything holding me or the plane up. My instructor jumps out anyway with me strapped along him.
Surprisingly, it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. No falling stomach feeling like you get on a roller coaster or Tower of Terror. I actually screamed coz in my head I thought I should be screaming, and for the camera. The fall was really quick, and before I knew it, the parachute was back up. No butt-landing for me either--my tall guy instructor landed smoothly by himself, and I just plopped my feet down when he was done. The worst part was definitely the motion sickness from turning the parachute left and right.
All in all, great life experience checked. Makes me want to create a bucketlist.
http://www.lifepursuitvideo.com/asppublic/Video91935.aspx?VF=69471#.Tp5bF96ImU9
Email: camconcepcion@gmail.com
Zipcode: 91709
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Working Out
Needless to say, I should be working out everyday for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer. If I could, I would just go to the amazing dance studios that is in North Hollywood. Unfortunately, I live in Chino Hills. I do, however, have a 24 Hour Fitness Membership.
Ultimate Goal: Get back to 105 lbs
I think I should utilize the Wii Fit to keep track of my weight. I do enjoy how it records weight and puts it on a graph that's easy to see. I should also buy more work out clothes -- particularly a sports bra and a sauna belt. That way I have no excuses.
So far my routine is mainly cardio with a treadmill, stairmaster & sometimes the elliptical. For another 20 minutes, stretching -- which is just really sad at the moment how much I've lost my flexibility. I did do a weight training class today that was extremely challenging--I should continue with it at least once a week to change up my routine. I end the gym experience with the sauna, and sometimes, a hot bath at home.
Hopefully I locate my iPod as well. Music (especially if I know choreography) is a lifesaver when I'm on the endless treadmill.
Ultimate Goal: Get back to 105 lbs
I think I should utilize the Wii Fit to keep track of my weight. I do enjoy how it records weight and puts it on a graph that's easy to see. I should also buy more work out clothes -- particularly a sports bra and a sauna belt. That way I have no excuses.
So far my routine is mainly cardio with a treadmill, stairmaster & sometimes the elliptical. For another 20 minutes, stretching -- which is just really sad at the moment how much I've lost my flexibility. I did do a weight training class today that was extremely challenging--I should continue with it at least once a week to change up my routine. I end the gym experience with the sauna, and sometimes, a hot bath at home.
Hopefully I locate my iPod as well. Music (especially if I know choreography) is a lifesaver when I'm on the endless treadmill.
Clubbing
Tryst, XS, Surrender, Pure, Cathouse, LAX, Jet, Marquee, Eve, The Bank, Tao, Lavo, Vanity, Haze, Cabana Club, Area, V20, Drai's, Voyeur, Level 3, Mood, Boulevard 3, Kress, Social, Les Deux, and many more! Suffice to say, I am an avid clubbing fan!
I LOVE dancing! If I get an amazing dance partner, it is the best night ever! Minimal grinding, real dancing please. Great music and lots of alcohol help a lot too! Hiphop is preferable, but recently, my friends are slowly making me listen to trance/house music since that is what big clubs play these days. Unfortunately, all you can really do to house is bounce to the music, but at least the crowd and music is awesome.
I also get a kick out of cutting the line (not just getting on the guestlist, but literally cutting the line), and getting free drinks. I know I tell people I go out a lot and get these hookups, but seriously, sometimes even -I- wait in line, pay for drinks, or pay for entrance fee. Getting the connections to cut in line, or the art of getting free drinks without being a slut takes work! It takes a lot of going out, meeting people, resourcefulness, innovation, and learning tricks of the trade!
I LOVE dancing! If I get an amazing dance partner, it is the best night ever! Minimal grinding, real dancing please. Great music and lots of alcohol help a lot too! Hiphop is preferable, but recently, my friends are slowly making me listen to trance/house music since that is what big clubs play these days. Unfortunately, all you can really do to house is bounce to the music, but at least the crowd and music is awesome.
I also get a kick out of cutting the line (not just getting on the guestlist, but literally cutting the line), and getting free drinks. I know I tell people I go out a lot and get these hookups, but seriously, sometimes even -I- wait in line, pay for drinks, or pay for entrance fee. Getting the connections to cut in line, or the art of getting free drinks without being a slut takes work! It takes a lot of going out, meeting people, resourcefulness, innovation, and learning tricks of the trade!
Long Distance Relationships
Long distance relationships are really difficult. But it is possible to make them work. First, you need a great way to communicate -- good internet, phones with wireless messaging apps. Second, you need a common goal in which someone eventually has to move to where the other person is.
I know a few couples that have made it work. One was long distance for 1-2 years until the guy moved and they got married. I know another couple that's been long distance for 6/8 years that they've been together -- although the girl has come visit for up to 6 months, so in total, they've probably only been long distance for about 3 years total.
Personally, I've had a long distance relationship with two of my three boyfriends. I also happen to get along with foreigners in the States, being a non-citizen myself, and they all never live in the city I live in (and if they do, they eventually move away). I'm getting tired... can a guy I can get along with on a long-term basis for once just live where I live too?
I know a few couples that have made it work. One was long distance for 1-2 years until the guy moved and they got married. I know another couple that's been long distance for 6/8 years that they've been together -- although the girl has come visit for up to 6 months, so in total, they've probably only been long distance for about 3 years total.
Personally, I've had a long distance relationship with two of my three boyfriends. I also happen to get along with foreigners in the States, being a non-citizen myself, and they all never live in the city I live in (and if they do, they eventually move away). I'm getting tired... can a guy I can get along with on a long-term basis for once just live where I live too?
Online Dating
Online dating has a really bad stigma to it. Although after asking around, I have actually found that many couples have gotten married after meeting through Match.com and other such sites. It really works!
I personally moved to the States in 2006 and didn't know anyone. With my line of work -- teaching dance to children and nursing -- there are really no guys around to meet. My friends now (except for my nursing cohort) were total strangers that I met in really random places.
I love going out, so I do meet guys at bars/clubs -- not that this crowd is generally boyfriend material either, but it does work every once in a while as well! Now, if you were to go out with a guy you met at a club vs. a guy from Match.com think about it: through Match.com you would already know their occupation, religion, age, education level, and whatever other screening questions they have on there. Even compared to someone you met at a library or coffee shop, Match.com is still more legit! And since the guys on there actually PAID to subscribe, they are, more likely than not, serious about finding someone.
As a girl, I am very anti-paying if the guy can pay for me. (Hey, if females get downgraded in society, why not make the most out of it?) So I figured, yeah this dating site is going to cost me $20/month, but if I can get just ONE free movie date and dinner to Fogo de Chao, I'm totally getting my money back. Make it TWO dates/month and I'm actually MAKING money! Brilliant, I know.
And if you go on these dates, you don't have to kiss them or even hold hands with them. You can just enjoy the pleasure of meeting someone new, learning something new. And who knows, they'll surprise you with something new to do that you haven't done before -- snowboarding, salsa dancing, hiking, or even just new restaurants/places in general. And, for those who don't date at all, it opens you up to the dating scene.
There are only upsides to online dating.
I personally moved to the States in 2006 and didn't know anyone. With my line of work -- teaching dance to children and nursing -- there are really no guys around to meet. My friends now (except for my nursing cohort) were total strangers that I met in really random places.
I love going out, so I do meet guys at bars/clubs -- not that this crowd is generally boyfriend material either, but it does work every once in a while as well! Now, if you were to go out with a guy you met at a club vs. a guy from Match.com think about it: through Match.com you would already know their occupation, religion, age, education level, and whatever other screening questions they have on there. Even compared to someone you met at a library or coffee shop, Match.com is still more legit! And since the guys on there actually PAID to subscribe, they are, more likely than not, serious about finding someone.
As a girl, I am very anti-paying if the guy can pay for me. (Hey, if females get downgraded in society, why not make the most out of it?) So I figured, yeah this dating site is going to cost me $20/month, but if I can get just ONE free movie date and dinner to Fogo de Chao, I'm totally getting my money back. Make it TWO dates/month and I'm actually MAKING money! Brilliant, I know.
And if you go on these dates, you don't have to kiss them or even hold hands with them. You can just enjoy the pleasure of meeting someone new, learning something new. And who knows, they'll surprise you with something new to do that you haven't done before -- snowboarding, salsa dancing, hiking, or even just new restaurants/places in general. And, for those who don't date at all, it opens you up to the dating scene.
There are only upsides to online dating.
Bartending
I knew I would have a little lag time after graduating, taking my boards, and finding a job. So I decided to take a 2 week bartending course for fun, after which I would even become a licensed bartender.
Halfway into the course, I am having so much fun and I am learning so much about alcohol. Seriously, I go out so much, I don't know why I never bothered to learn about this stuff. For example, did you know most alcohol is based on where they are made from? There are only certain areas they can be made, and if they're not made from that area, it's not given that name anymore. Scotch, for example, IS whiskey, but from Scotland. Bourbon is whiskey from Kentucky. All other whiskey is from America, Canada, or Ireland. Cognac is ONLY from Cognac, France and all other "Cognac" not from there is called Brandy. Tequila is ONLY from Tequila, Mexico, and all other "tequila" is called mescal.
When I'm at a table in a club, there's usually Grey Goose with assorted juices/energy drinks. It's up to us (or the waitress) to mix them together. I can actually name these mixes now. They're not just a random mix anymore.
I didn't even realize how played down bartending is. I think it is a secret they keep so they don't let everyone know they are hustling a lot of money, waking up late, listening to great music at work, meeting people when they're having a good time (which is when you want to meet people), and just having the time of their life at work!
At first I wanted to do bartending for fun, and if ever, MAYBE on the side. But now that I think about it, I should do bartending full time and NURSING on the side. On slow nights, bartenders will make maybe $300/night, or $1,000 at a really good place. $1,000/night x 3 nights/week x 4 weeks/month x 12 months = $144,000. That's a SLOW night. Seriously, what the fuck am I doing with my life?
Halfway into the course, I am having so much fun and I am learning so much about alcohol. Seriously, I go out so much, I don't know why I never bothered to learn about this stuff. For example, did you know most alcohol is based on where they are made from? There are only certain areas they can be made, and if they're not made from that area, it's not given that name anymore. Scotch, for example, IS whiskey, but from Scotland. Bourbon is whiskey from Kentucky. All other whiskey is from America, Canada, or Ireland. Cognac is ONLY from Cognac, France and all other "Cognac" not from there is called Brandy. Tequila is ONLY from Tequila, Mexico, and all other "tequila" is called mescal.
When I'm at a table in a club, there's usually Grey Goose with assorted juices/energy drinks. It's up to us (or the waitress) to mix them together. I can actually name these mixes now. They're not just a random mix anymore.
I didn't even realize how played down bartending is. I think it is a secret they keep so they don't let everyone know they are hustling a lot of money, waking up late, listening to great music at work, meeting people when they're having a good time (which is when you want to meet people), and just having the time of their life at work!
At first I wanted to do bartending for fun, and if ever, MAYBE on the side. But now that I think about it, I should do bartending full time and NURSING on the side. On slow nights, bartenders will make maybe $300/night, or $1,000 at a really good place. $1,000/night x 3 nights/week x 4 weeks/month x 12 months = $144,000. That's a SLOW night. Seriously, what the fuck am I doing with my life?
Nursing
I recently graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing and now studying to take my board exams. I definitely have a much better idea of nursing now that I've graduated. Thoughts:
1. When they tell you not be a nurse unless you love it, they were NOT kidding. I suppose I had somewhat of an idea coming in that nursing was stressful -- 12 hours of work, waking up at 7am, working until 7am, undergoing blood, guts, poop and urine... that I can actually handle no problem. Except no one really warned me how stressful nursing actually is. The reason it is the most stressful thing I have probably ever done is because I can literally kill a human being if I make a mistake or miss something. And if not, you can lose the license you worked so hard to get and never work as a nurse again. There is no step-by-step protocol to follow. You are on your own.
2. Nurse's make a good steady income. But when people say we make a lot, we actually don't. Which is why you may as well not be a nurse unless you love it. And by A LOT, I'm thinking anything greater than $100k. We only make a lot for a starting job, but after that, there's no where to go (unless you do something else -- management, teaching, other business -- in which case you're not a nurse). Nurses on the floor relatively make the same period for all the years to come.
3. When you think it's easy for new nursing graduates to get a job, it's not. Hospitals may need nurses, but in this economy, they don't have the money to hire us -- especially new graduates who they need to train.
4. Nursing is one of the most fulfilling careers I can think of. When I do other things -- dancing, partying, traveling, studying, working, business -- it's really just all about me. Helping people and giving to others gives life true meaning, that's definitely the number one reason I love nursing.
5. Another reason I love nursing is it is absolutely flexible. I can work in a bunch of different departments, areas, places, cities, countries, times, days.... And we get 4 days off to do whatever else we want. Amazing.
6. I was so lucky to be in a nursing cohort with people very similar to me -- a little older, transfers, open-minded. And we were much smaller than the usual cohort, which made us a lot closer. I love them to death. We will definitely be friends FOR LIFE. I can't wait to see us a decade from now, all successful, specializing in different departments.
1. When they tell you not be a nurse unless you love it, they were NOT kidding. I suppose I had somewhat of an idea coming in that nursing was stressful -- 12 hours of work, waking up at 7am, working until 7am, undergoing blood, guts, poop and urine... that I can actually handle no problem. Except no one really warned me how stressful nursing actually is. The reason it is the most stressful thing I have probably ever done is because I can literally kill a human being if I make a mistake or miss something. And if not, you can lose the license you worked so hard to get and never work as a nurse again. There is no step-by-step protocol to follow. You are on your own.
2. Nurse's make a good steady income. But when people say we make a lot, we actually don't. Which is why you may as well not be a nurse unless you love it. And by A LOT, I'm thinking anything greater than $100k. We only make a lot for a starting job, but after that, there's no where to go (unless you do something else -- management, teaching, other business -- in which case you're not a nurse). Nurses on the floor relatively make the same period for all the years to come.
3. When you think it's easy for new nursing graduates to get a job, it's not. Hospitals may need nurses, but in this economy, they don't have the money to hire us -- especially new graduates who they need to train.
4. Nursing is one of the most fulfilling careers I can think of. When I do other things -- dancing, partying, traveling, studying, working, business -- it's really just all about me. Helping people and giving to others gives life true meaning, that's definitely the number one reason I love nursing.
5. Another reason I love nursing is it is absolutely flexible. I can work in a bunch of different departments, areas, places, cities, countries, times, days.... And we get 4 days off to do whatever else we want. Amazing.
6. I was so lucky to be in a nursing cohort with people very similar to me -- a little older, transfers, open-minded. And we were much smaller than the usual cohort, which made us a lot closer. I love them to death. We will definitely be friends FOR LIFE. I can't wait to see us a decade from now, all successful, specializing in different departments.
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