Messaging and awareness services for mobile devices,
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systems, educational computing, cognitive psychology
Volleyball is definitely my sport of
choice, though tennis is not a bad second choice.
(Downhill) snow skiing is a sport I used
to enjoy, before moving to the flatlands of the midwest...
Photography... a few shots are included
on my website; additional pics and a flickr link may eventually show up
on my blog...
Planting... being a farmer's daughter
(as well as influenced by my stay at the Norvell Jonski Farms), I
usually have a few plants growing out back during the summer... we
currently have two large orange trees out back.
The Great Outdoors... I haven't done any
extreme backpacking, but I do enjoy occasional camping trips, canoeing,
sailing, and the great outdoors in general...
Travel...love to travel -- to explore
new places, meet new people, experience different cultures and expand
my view of life
Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, learn new things, and
get involved in the community. Most of all, though, it's a great way to
lend a hand and help out. :-) I have volunteered for a few
organizations; here's a little about a couple of the organizations and
my experiences.
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity
is a non-profit organization that builds low income housing for people
in need (some folks associate it with former president Jimmy Carter who
has done a lot of work with them). Families for whom the house is being
built (who are very frequently single mothers with several children)
must apply to the organization. If accepted, the home-owners-to-be
participate in some of the actual building of the house. They also pay
for the house -- only all of the labor is volunteer (there are general
contractors who oversee the building), so they only have to pay for the
cost of the materials.
KaBOOM!
KaBOOM! is a
national organization
that brings volunteers together to build save and accessible
playgrounds. When I volunteered, I helped to build a playground
in a day for a Chicago neighborhood. They were very organized and it
was very cool to see the playground come together so
quickly!
Family
My father is a produce farmer (green onions, lettuce, broccoli, celery,
etc.) in the Salinas Valley. He does not own or raise any livestock,
though, so I did not live on a farm, wake up to a crowing rooster, milk
cows, nor collect eggs from chickens when I was growing up. Most USA
produce (e.g., bag lettuce and salads, etc.) comes right out of the
Salinas Valley -- read the corresponding labels at your local grocery
store and see for yourself!
Here's some California produce trivia: Salinas (also known as
Steinbeck country) is the lettuce capital of the world, Gilroy is the
garlic capital of the world, and Castroville is the artichoke capital
of the world.
I was cruising the net one night and was pleasantly surprised
to find some farming links, including Foxy Vegetables (always a great
choice). Here are a few of the links I've found:
As a third generation Japanese-American born and raised in California,
I'm proud to say that (while a pure Californian) I still celebrate some
Japanese traditions with my family. Below are some of the interesting
links I've found on Japanese culture and food.