It’s been a while since I’ve posted – who would have thought that life after college could be more hectic (not to mention more tiring) than life in college? It’s something that I wasn’t prepared for, but something I’m slowly adapting to and with that I’m vowing to write more often, to maintain this newly invigorated – and newly named – blogspot and to stay in touch.

The past few months have been interesting to say the least, I’ve gone from a college senior with big dreams to a working girl with changed ideas.  Whereas I thought I had everything figured out in college, being in the real world has turned me into somewhat of a nomad, a bit unsure how to get where I should be and unaware of what my future holds,  but I’m coming to the realization (maybe a bit reluctantly) that that’s what makes it fun.

Our country has seen a lot of changes in the past few months, cutbacks, layoffs and closures, but has also welcomed a new administration with new ideas and the potential to bring a troubled nation together. And with all the unease around us, it’s important to remember that no matter who you voted for or what you believe, we, as Americans, are lucky enough to live in a place where, even during an economic downturn, we can still make plans, enjoy our lives and leave our mark.

“[A] day of reckoning has arrived, and the time to take charge of our future is here. Now is the time to act boldly and wisely — to not only revive this economy, but to build a new foundation for lasting prosperity.” – President Obama, February 25, 2009

In my feeble attempt to find a vacation spot for the summer – now that it’s nearly half way gone – I came across this article on MSN today.  It looks like urbanites can now enjoy the great outdoors – well, outdoors – but without leaving the city.

Olafur Eliasson is an artist who creates indoor weather systems that are set to mimic actual weather systems. And while the creation of a waterfall isn’t exactly a “weather” system per se, it still looks like a huge feat. 

For this project, since there are no cliffs for water to pour over, metal scaffolds provide the framework for each waterfall. A system of pumps carries water up to a trough, where it will be released in a frothy cascade — about 35,000 gallons every minute for all four falls.

The falls range from 90 to 120 feet tall with the tallest being almost as tall as the Statue of Liberty (and she’s tall!).  Interestingly, all of the electricity used to make the falls fall comes from renewable energy or “green power.”

More interesting is the money it will generate for the city.  Despite its $15.5 million cost, “Waterfalls” as it is called, is expected to bring in at least $55 million in economic activity (including hotels, restaurants and retail outlets), according to Mayor Michael Bloomburg. And, with the economy across the country falling (no pun intended – okay, so it kind of was), this seems like an artistic way to keep the city and the tourism afloat.

Yesterday, at lunch, I found myself in a conversation about Seattle’s economy.  While, we haven’t been hit as hard here as other cities around the country, we are still struggling to attract tourists to Pike’s Market and to have them hop onboard for a Ride the Ducks tour.   

One reason, I learned, is because of the “staycation” or the vacation spent on the home turf, rather than in some far off location.  While the country hasn’t seen much in the way of the “staycation” since after September 11 when flying wasn’t high on people’s agendas, the recession has brought the idea back.

Tourists no longer want to spend the money flying, dining and touring when they can enjoy what is in their front yard for a whole lot cheaper. And why not? For those in the Northwest, Seattle has a ton to offer right here – and even more when the sun comes out. In fact, a short trip to Snoqualmie will set you right in the middle of an actual waterfall or if it’s the artsy part of the New York waterfalls that interest you check out the Olympic Sculpture Park - its free!

As a self proclaimed “junk food-aholic,” this article was the best news of my day – Well, aside from the sun finally shining in Seattle.

Though its true that a lot of the junk food we consume is actually junk, researchers have found that cookies (okay, certain types of cookies) can actually increase seratonin levels in the brain which in esscense help with depressing moods.

Studies by Richard Wurtman, MD, and Judith Wurtman, PhD, at MIT have shown that snacking on readily digested carbohydrates, such as those in a cookie or bagel, can raise the brain’s level of the chemical serotonin, the very same target of modern antidepressant medication…Incidentally, carb snacking may be more effective for women because they produce substantially less serotonin than men do.

If I had only had this as a response to my mother when I reached for the bag of oreo’s as a kid…

Winter quarter I was an intern at Columns magazine – yep, that’s the alumni magazine for the University of Washington of which I am now an alumna – where I worked mostly on the Spring issue.

But, during the end of my time there, I was able to write a few fun pieces for the summer issue. One about a professor/researcher who was awarded the MacArthur grant money for her developments on prosthetics, the other about a musician who took his love of jazz to Iraqi civilians.

If you were worried about how Obama’s past as a smoker might affect his future as the president, here is a 500 word analysis on why smoking is bad for you — and apparently why we should all be afraid for Obama’s health if he is elected (How old is McCain again…)

After battling attacks against his religious connections for the majority of his campaign, Senator Obama announced Saturday that he and his family are resigning from the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

Tuesday’s class discussion really got me thinking about the media and how (some) stories of today are more focused around hype – think Hillary Clinton sparking an assassination – than any real content. Then, as if on purpose, I ran across this article on a recent Dunkin Donuts ad – yep, donuts are now making national news – which features Rachael Ray in a black and white scarf, similar, some say, to those worn by Palestinian terrorists. I’m sorry, am I mistaken or do we not live in a country where freedom – and that includes the freedom to wear a scarf of any color – is key?

They are the new estate, the watchdog of the watchdog, a revolutionary uncensored atmosphere in a world that is becoming more and more censored. But, would it be beneficial to force this revolutionary, uncensored atmosphere and its free users to abide by a universal blogging code of ethics limiting their content and their creativity? I think not.

Remember the days before MySpace, Facebook and Twitter when you actually had to pick up the phone to find out where your friends were or when having lunch with someone wasn’t accompanied by their blackberry and their entire network? Yeah, me neither.

Following an interesting class discussion on ethics and blogging; I came across an important reminder that the Blogosphere is not the only form of media trying to crack the question of what is exactly ethical. In fact, the ethical lines for newspapers are still blurry – and how long have they been around? New York Times Op-Ed columnist, Frank Rich was recently hired by HBO as a creative consultant to help with the creation and writing of its shows, which focus heavily on popular culture. But, in what is seemingly a good merger, there is one little glitch: