Irena

If I were to die today, I imagine my obituary would read something like "She loved puppies and 30 Rock and occasionally pretended to be productive at service projects that were organized by people that were better than her." Yeah. Something like that. When I read the following words about Irena Sendler, I couldn't help but get a little weepy and inspired. Read it right now and then better yourself.

Irena Sendler, 1910-2008

A 98 year-old Polish woman named Irena Sendler recently died. During WWII, Irena worked in the Warsaw Ghetto as a plumbing/sewer specialist. Irena smuggled Jewish children out; infants in the bottom of the tool box she carried and older children in a burlap sack she carried in the back of her truck. She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers wanted nothing to do with the dog, and the barking covered the kids’ and infants’ noises. Irena managed to smuggle out and save 2500 children. She eventually was caught, and the Nazis broke both her legs, arms and beat her severely. Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar buried under a tree in her backyard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived and reunited some of the families. Most had been killed. She helped those children get placement into foster family homes or adopted. Last year Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was not selected. Al Gore won - for a slide show on Global Warming.

My thoughts exactly, Al.

Los Angeles, I'm yours

I am jonesing so bad for a little bit of LA atmosphere. Usually the smog, traffic, industrial looking warehouses, and homeless people running amok is such a turn off.

But thanks to the awful snowstorm that happened a few days ago, all of the sun-kissed and happy memories of this city that are stored in my cranial rolodex have surfaced. And suddenly, LA has never looked so good.

*Beware: my favorite moments are unintentionally written as if they belong in a travel brochure.

Orange, pink, and purple sunsets.

Watching the Venice Beach skaters make all of us feel untalented.

Real Messican food!

Driving along the 1 (otherwise known as the most beautiful highway in America) with my friends singing Kanye West and Tupac jams at the top of our lungs.

Being cheesy and going to Madam Tussaud's in Hollywood, only to pose with EVERY SINGLE piece of wax.

Stopping at Stan's Donuts in Westwood, eventually letting myself be seduced by this peanut butter and banana filled beauty.

Driving up Griffith Park to catch incredible concerts at the Greek Theater.

Taking the Chavez Ravine to spend time in one of my favorite places in the entire world: Dodger Stadium's Left Field Pavilion.

Wandering around the 3rd street Promenade, taking in the dinosaur bushes and street performers.

I know I missed a lot but there is only so much google imaging, searching through my own photos, and blogging in general that I can take. So I will leave you with a piece of wise advice. Listen to Randy Newman's "I LOVE LA" because it is a unintentionally hilarious city anthem with lyrics like "Rolling down Imperial highway with a big nasty redhead at my side" and "Look at those mountains! Look at those trees! Look at that bum, he's down on his knees!" The video is even better. Youtube it because that stupid idiot won't let me upload it onto blogger.