SJSU: Leslyn's Graduation

Mermaid and I attended Leslyn's graduation on the 23rd of May (Memorial Weekend) in San Jose, CA. The weather was perfect! Despite the perfect weather, Mermaid and I were shielding ourselves from the sun since we didn't have enough sunblock protection (I freckle easily and Mermaid would like to keep her peachy skin, silly girl). Before I left Elk Grove, I had to close down one of my accounts with a bank that was bought out by another bank. I didn't want to stay with the bank since I saw no need in doing so since the old bank is now non-existent and the policies of the new bank is just too familar with another bank I'm with. There goes one of the best old fashion bank where they all know your name with a small town feel. RIP Downey Savings. But closing the account was a bitch due to the policies of the new bank. Crisis, I tell ya! I don't want to go into the boring details of the simple task that needed to be done, so let's just say instead of spending 20-30 minutes, I actually spent over 2 hours dealing with the hairy situation. I should have closed the acount before it became US Bank, but that was my fault. This is how it's going to be. Bigger banks buying out smaller banks. Due to this annoyance, I was an hour behind on schedule for leaving for the Bay Area. I picked up Mermiad and Philliam and we went on our merry way blasting hardcore Disney shit and singing "Under the Sea" at the top of our Rastafarian lungs. We got to San Jose State University a little after 3:00pm, so we made it in time since the ceremony would begin at 4:00pm. Yay! How adorable is SHE? She pulls it off so well! We meet up with Russell. And finally! The grad girl herself! We begin fussing with her like mothers do. They spelled Leslyn's name wrong and even pronounced it wrong during the ceremony! WTF? That dress makes me look big. Or am I that big?? -___-;; Us friends. We're missing someone... Gurd! I look so stupid... But look at the girlies!!! Mermaid and Russell catching up. Philliam reading the program. Congrats Leslyn in completing her Bachelors in Studio Practice! If you need a photographer, I know a good one.

Samuel Brannan

Funny man he was. All of his major accomplishments were usually mixed in with his alcoholic behavior. I wish I had chosen to do my research on him instead of Ida B. Wells since he is a Californian, why not write a paper on my own people of the past, right? Don't get me wrong, Ida B. Wells is a woman who I truly admire, but there is something funny about Sam Brannan's history that would've been bizarrily fun to study. He was a great Californian entrepreneuer who couldn't hold his liquor. At one point in California history, he was the richest man in the state. It was him who had made a lot of good impact on the city of San Francisco (one of his landmarks: Brannan St.). He lost all his money when he divorced his wife who took half of everything he owned (lots of lands, buildings, etc. meaning he had to liquidize 'em to pay the dues!). What got me interested in him? It was by one of his quote when he spoke to a group of potential investors in what is now known as Calistoga, the resort town he founded. He meant to say that the town would someday be known as the Saratoga of California but the alcholic beverages got the best of him. Instead he said "Calistoga of Sarafornia." Bless his heart.

Ahem...

These are from last Friday's news. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing to further cut school funding by $680 million and eliminate in-home care services for the majority of current recipients, his Department of Finance announced today. Source: http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1902345.html The governor was in Livermore this morning dedicating the "world's largest, highest-energy laser system," right around the time his Department of Finance was announcing $3 billion more in state spending cuts, including less money for schools and adult daycare. Source: http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/022671.html o_O