New York Fashion Week

Watched the Vivienne Tam line in the background while I was studying Cardiovascular Physiology.  Then, youtube helped me discover Jessica White talking about this bathing suit.  Maybe I should've worn it to Hawaii.

Jessica White modeling Chloe designed by Stella McCartney

Now, I can't watch too much of NYFW on youtube because a) i need to study and b) those models make me feel so large (and not in charge).

Anyone know how to look up the models?

ANTM All-Stars this Wednesday :)

Haiti helping Haiti

Haiti aims to spread people, jobs across country

While I was in Haiti, one of the things that continuously bothered me was the amount of foreign aid workers in the country.  Driving through the capital, I saw numerous UN security vehicles and only one Haitian police car.  I didn't see any in the small town I was in but that was to be expected.  Volunteer teams come to the hospital, foreigners set up different places for Haitians to work and a senior citizen's home.  I kept asking myself when is Haiti going to help Haiti?

I guess it's happening and that article makes me very excited.  I know it's not easy to move away from the capital, the place that you call home, especially when it has everything you need.  Multiple times, we had to send patients to specialists in the hospital.  On the drive to and from the hospital, the drivers often had to run errands to get supplies that could only be found in larger cities.  But at least encouraging people to move out might gives more people a chance to find jobs, actually attend school, and decrowd Port-au-Prince.  It was sad seeing the capital in the state that it was, the tent cities seemed to go for miles and miles.  I wasn't sure how they were planning on rebuilding if there were so many people staying put.  Also, from the medical side, the spread of infections just seems to simple in a place that was that crowded.

taken by me/Herman

I didn't know that "Papa Doc" tried to destroy the countryside by destroying the roads.  The roads in Haiti were another story, but I just attributed that to the earthquake.  On my way back to PAP to go to the airport, I saw that they were doing construction on the roads in PAP which made me glad.  Progress :)

I really can't wait to go back, I just hope I get the chance.

Ghent Challenger Cup

I only tuned in in time for BB finals although it's proving to be interesting.

Tatiana Solovyova of Russia did a free aerial to scale, a nice modification on the "Nastia" move.

Mariya Livchikova of Ukraine had some really nice moves. She did a free aerial directly to a front tuck. Right before her arabian, she did a split in handstand. I thought she connected more things but I guess not.

Komova was alright. She lands her front tuck so nicely but sadly she fell on her acrobatic series. Her arabian also seems a lot less labored, like she floats into it the same way she does every other move. She stuck her landing but she's not very happy.

Some very interesting choreo right before the dismount for the Greek, Stefani Bismpikou. Reminds me a little of Alicia mixed with Mustafina - I got sass, watch out!

Jeez, as much as I love bars, mens high bars is proving to be very scary to watch...

Valeria Maksiuta of Ukraine was off so quickly on a split leap :( Maybe the beam is slippery, I'm sure. And those were some open legs on her double pike dismount.

Luisa Galiulina has nice quality wolf turns.

FX

Mariya Livchikova - Her music is very pretty and her choreo is going along well with it. Are you allowed to roll out of your turns the way she rolled out of her Memmel turn? I love when people "ending with the music" is get into position and then flick hands on cue haha.

Not gonna lie, I hope JYY has a new routine. Oh, that was horrendous - incomplete triple twist, low on double pike dismount and takes a huge step and finishes after music. JYY what happened? :( ooh they killed her - 12.025/5.1

[I didn't know you could just throw yourself off of pommel horse like that...]

DDS - springs in her legs! Let's see. I think that was an attempt at a leap after landing. Girlfriend needs to lay off the caffeine... Her routine made me smile, girlfriend still has springs in her legs!

Gaelle Mys - I need to watch again but it seemed like it had a spark :)

Aderteg reminded me of Nastia/Polina S. Maybe it's the pink and the blonde hair. Nastia, however, would never be caught dead with that kind of choreography.

Maria Paseka - on the Russian Worlds team - fell out of her Memmel turn. I like the portion of the music she chooses to dance to. Otherise, it's not doing it for me.

And now they're playing Michael Jackson.

Darya Elizarova - Incomplete twists have now officially terrified me. She just smirked and I couldn't tell if it was an actual smil or if she messed up. A few steps off her double pike. Hmm, what's she gonna finish with? Split series to end, interesting. I like that it was different

VT

Adrian Gomes

1. 1.5TY - plum in middle, pretty damn good, huge smile from gymnast and huge hug from coach.

2. FHS on pike half off, step

ugh, I hate still rings. I also worry the gymnasts are gonna strangle themselves or break something if they get caught in the rings when they dismount.

Maria Paseka

1. DTY - she has really long strides on her run, low chest on landing and side step outside white line. Russian legs though...

2. bad at naming vaults, ro 1/2 on, pike 1/2 off? no idea haha.

Alexa Madina Moreno

1. how strong are you? too strong! FHS 1 1/2. land sideways and takes large step(s) off mat. (6.3)

2. tsuk full another big step. (5.2)

Jade Barbosa

1. DTY - stepped back diagonally. i don't like her makeup... and i think she should put her hair in a bun not just a pony tail.

2. YYL and JYY fake their smiles better than that - ro 1/2 on, layout 1/2 off - big step back but otherwise looked good

Alina Fomenko

1. 1.5TY - low landing, then twisted the side and put hands down. (5.3/7.5)

2. handspring front pike - steps forward but otherwise good (4.8/8.55) Did someone say she looked like Payson Keeler?

OK girl, enough spit already... runs to side, that seems way easier to do NOT on a podium. she reminds me of macko

1. 1.5TY - i think it was worth it for her to balk. 2 small steps forward but good form in air and lands in middle. (5.3/8.775 - 13.075)

2. FHS 1/2 - really nice. a little off center but good form in air (5.8/8.825 - 13.825)

cool - a guy from Jordan, but I still can't handle still rings.

Valeriia Maksiuta (14.025)

1. DTY low landing/deep squad - steps to side, off mat (5.8/8.375/-.3 = 13.875)

2. FSH full? nice! large step forward and bent knees in flight but apparently she fell in prelims. upgade! (5.5/8.675=14.175)

Angel Wong (7th - 13.688)

1. tsuk full? slight pike (5.2/8.550 = 13.750)

2. FHS 1/2 pike off - nice! almost stuck landing, small hop back. (5.0/8.625 = 13.625)

update

1. someone posted somethin saying that nastia might be training again. so, i hopped over to nastia's twitter and found this beauty. have i ever mentioned how much i love valeri liukin?

2. i chopped all my hair off. well, i did the first few cuts and then my mom finished it. i might need to cut it shorter or make it more even. we'll see.

i didn't know confidence could affect your dreams

but indeed it can.

i woke up feeling mopey just because of the dreams i had. somehow, someone is dating someone who looks like miss usa and has all the qualities that he actually wants in a girlfriend, so, y'know, he's happy. couldn't be happier. ashley who? i can't remember what the other one was. maybe it had something to do with cookies. either way, they both left me feeling horrible.

i'm tired of this.

on a side note, i thought miss california, the new miss usa was adorable. she reminded me of ariel - red hair, green dress, or mermaid tail - depends on how you look at it :)

good things come to those who wait

i'm happy for them. they all have their own stories as to why this championship means so much to them and they all look so happy. this picture is kinda adorable because you get to see grown men smiling so widely.

either way, i think the heat have a better shot next year. something clicked for them during the finals, thats why they made it as far as they did but i think the stress of game 6/maybe the final game was a little too much to handle and they choked.

i was kinda disappointed with the way the game ended. one of my friends even walked out while there was still some time left. i thought it was gonna be a fight til the finish but it wasn't. there were about 5 minutes left and things were getting a little sloppy on both sides, but the heat couldn't afford it. 3 minutes left and it was over. the heat didn't make their move while they had the chance.

who knows, maybe it'll be heat-thunder next year! looking at the finals, i dont think the thunder would have made it against the heat this year. i think the heat would/could have won in 4 games straight. no point speculating, i'll just get excited for next year and another playoff/finals during final exams. oh joy!

cuteness

"that awkward moment when you catch your crush looking at you" :)