Summer BBQs

Yesterday my friend Jay had an awesome BBQ in her new backyard. Doesn't she look cute in her apron grilling up our hamburgers?

To my delighted surprise Sally was there too! I love surprises like that!!!!

The past week has had unbelievably perfect weather in San Francisco, even the Inner Sunset. I've been in such a happy mood because of it, nothing can go wrong when the sun is shining and there are blue skies overhead! I'm off for a run in GG park. I'm still recovering from being a bit sick so this is going to be my first long run in quite some time.

Wonderful weather, wonderful friends, life is good.

Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream

45 years ago to the day.

Barack Obama = My President

He gave a long speech, but a powerful 250 words is all Obama needed to prove why he is ready to lead our country for the next 4 years...

"We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. This, too, is part of America's promise -- the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.

I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that's to be expected. Because if you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.

You make a big election about small things."

I am thinking of running a September voter registration drive in San Francisco. Would you care to join?

Why being a doctor is so cool!!!!

This is EXACTLY why I want to become a doctor. I can be so useful and valuable anywhere in the world, at any point in time. How amazing is that? I can be like, LIFE-SAVINGLY useful. That is just the coolest knowledge/skill you could possibly have.

Baby boy born on airliner en route to Australia

One day maybe I'll be on my honeymoon to Australia and help delivery a little baby too!!!

Live Blog DNC - Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama speaks so much from her heart, I can almost hear her voice shaking at moments because what she says is so genuine and true to what she believes. She is radiant because what she says is meaningful and what she strives to be is bigger then herself.

Her point that struck the biggest cord with me was when she was talking about her father and the values he tried to instill in her. She nailed it when she asked when we stopped believing that we could continue to change the world from what it is compared to the world as it should be.

Ted Kennedy

Seeing Ted Kennedy go up there at the Democratic National Convention and give a great speech when he is under such great personal duress and crisis is astounding. Given his brain tumor diagnosis and recent surgery, what he is doing is so courageous and heroic to me.
I salute you Mr. Kennedy, you've got a killer Boston accent.

Bryan Clay is awesome.

Gold medal in the Decathlon, what an incredible athletic performance, several PRs, best decathlon discus throw ever. He's got to be the happiest person in the world right ow.

Stand up guy from Hawaii, not even 6' tall. Respect.

www.BryanClay.com
Article on his win from the the Honolulu Advertiser

So you think you can't paint?

"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." ~Vincent Van Gogh

A beautiful thought that has so much meaning when it is coming from the mouth of such an incredible artist. It makes me want to give painting a shot. It also brings a deep breath that I needed. Baby steps.

On the road again...

Not me, my family.

On a more lighter note then my last post, my family (even Lucky) made it to Hawaii today! The weather report is warm with cool winds, my mom is amazed at how many authentic palm trees there are (compared to Southern California). Will report more later. Hopefully their car will make it over in one piece too.

What a fun Christmas I will have. If you are interested in visiting, let me know. :)

Leroy Sievers

You may or may not have heard that Leroy Sievers passed away over the weekend. Formerly a reporter, he was diagnosed with cancer and decided to write about it for NPR, starting a blog called "My Cancer". It is one of the most honest, down to earth, witty, and moving blogs I have ever read and I urge you to take some time out to read some of his posts here.

Shutterfly = Awesome

A few days ago I was trying to figure out how I could share the photos from my recent trip to Europe, and I found that Shutterfly allows you to make your own photo websites, with unlimited storage.

So I've made two sites and will be uploading photos on a regular basis. Check them out and let me know what you think!

My site: www.juliapederson.shutterfly.com or click here
My family site: www.thepedersons.shutterfly.com or click here

So awesome!!

Cutest little boy ever

MIKA ELIAS!!!

First impressions of Deutchland

• the autobahn is cool, but not as cool as people make it out to be#
• Frankfurt is the only city with an American skyline
• German would be a reallz hard language to learn
• currywurst is awesome
• german babies (Mika!) are adorable
• germany is a very environmental country with recycling bins everywhere and wind mills everywhere
• everyone should visit berlin
• the polizei sirens sound just like the sirens from Borne Identity and you keep expecting a car chase to happen and shoot out
• the german chancellor has like no security around her house.
• the olympia stadum must have been unbelievable to the athletes in 1936.

• ikea is big here
• in germany, doors can double as verz cool windows
• not all castles are very old, some are as new as the late 1800s.
• german castles are disneyland esk
• german senior citizens ride bikes for leisure and say Halo to me as i'm running
• business class german trains are the way to go, they even give you snacks
• most german cities do not have skyscrapers
• sandra, stefan, and mika are the most gracious, hospitable and awesome hosts to ever exist!!!!
• there are French, Italian, and Thai restaurants but it can be difficult to find a German one!
• McDonalds and Burger King are everzwhere, starbucks and dunkin donuts are also popular here.

Berlin

We spent the day in Berlin...
It was unbelievable, more than I even thought it would be. The history just hits you and pushes you over. Will write a more coherent post later. Berlin is the most interesting and complex city I've ever been to.


We even managed to see the 1936 Olympic Stadium on top of most of Berlin. It was special since today, 08/08/08 is the start of the 2008 Olympics, and we were able to watch part of the opening ceremonies from inside the stadium.

Ireland!

What a trip! Here are some of the highlights...

Here's Abbey and me, yup we started down at the bottom where those teeny tiny houses are....


12/12 on the top of Croagh Patrick! 100% success rate! My Grandpa (80), made it the whole way by himself...WOWSERS!


It's okay Shawn, if you handled Iraq I think you can manage Western Ireland...


Oh Francis...What would we do without you? ;)


Jeremiah and Olivia will both be coming back to Ireland, I can count on it!


Mike, Shawn and Grandpa know how to pick the best bars...


Kitty and Abbey enjoying the Cliffs of Mahr...



All of us, enjoying the Atlantic Coast off Achill Island...


I have such a great, crazy, wonderful family and we had such a fun crazy trip together!
:)