The parents say, “eh, you’ll go there and find out that it isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.” Ah yes, I see the bucolic countryside with Julie Andrews skipping down a field singing that these beautiful hills are alive. OK, I’ll give them that. The digital photography I’ve shot here is stunning, and if you’re an artist, it’s the most peaceful place to just sketch or paint outside without city noises or constant chatter. Well, besides the family. They’re a loud bunch. But I digress. Living the peaceful life full of tumbleweeds and pine trees can dull life to a bittersweet nothingness.

I started to believe that quixotic idea over the course of a few years. But my mindset is beginning to change. If I don’t leave now, then when will I leave? The problem is that I don’t have the cash to survive on my own. I’ve gathered enough from freelance jobs, but despite that income, I still don’t have enough to maintain a life in warmer city, let alone another country.

But now, I’m hoping to change that. I’ve applied for The Best Job in the World where, if I win, I will be able to work for Tourism Queensland, promoting the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef. Now, I know I’m not a world traveler or a marine biologist like some of the folks that have already applied, but I am skilled in Web design and marketing. That has to count for something, right? Also, I’ve never been outside the country, so you can certainly get a fresh point-of-view by someone who has never seen such a glorious place.

Plus, you get to watch an entertaining video of me getting doused with snow in negative degree weather while in my swimsuit. Not to mention the big kitty tracks that were going right through where I filmed. And no, that’s not an exaggeration of a regular cat. I’m talking about mountain lions, which have been spotted all over my town. Sorry, you don’t get a dramatic mountain lion standoff. But hey, there’s still the dousing snow thing.

You can also watch my video in all its ukulele glory below:

I knew this entire show was headed downhill as soon as U2 came on stage and decided to debut a new single. Clearly, they’ve regressed back to horrible music melodies. Have they learned nothing?? They’re worse off now than they were before their comeback.

As for the winners, why did Coldplay get so many awards? They sit there and bang a drum to a constant beat while moaning as if they are giving birth or something. And I’m not exaggerating. That’s about every song on all their albums. Not to mention the lead singer, Chris Martin, thinks he is so humble. Yet, we all know he has the conceded ideals of Kanye West with his outbursts in public. They would definitely tie for the biggest douche in the universe award. Kanye seemed to be all over the place that night sporting what I call his frohawk. Please, can someone tie him to his seat next time?

And don’t get me started on slaughtering the classics. I think everyone managed to rape them repeatedly. They gave to everyone from Motown to Stevie Wonder a good flogging. Why, Stevie, Why? Why did you let the Jonas Brothers do that to you? And then there was the performance of Taylor Swift and Miley that seemed like a Disney concert special for the kiddies. I’m sure if I were 8 it would have been mildly inspiring. While I admire Taylor Swift for having talent, Miley’s shouting match in attempt to steal the show from Taylor was just unbearable.

Well, with all the bad that came from this year’s Grammy celebration, there were some small glimmers of light in an otherwise smog-filled swamp.

One performance that saved the Grammys was Katy Perry’s fruit orgy. She came out of a giant banana onto a set full of cherries, apples, and other various fruits. Then she rocked our world. And at the end the camera panned out to the Jonas Brothers with their jaws on the floor. Bravo, Katy Perry, bravo. And let’s not forget that Adele beat out some teeny bopper bands, which was definitely a well-deserved pummeling. Additionally, Radiohead managed to pump up the night with a wicked percussion section. Thank you to all of the above artists for not making this year’s Grammys a total waste of time.

Let’s hope next year will be a little better. And Grammy people, please quit raping classic songs. It’s so unnecessary.

Bloggers, podcasters, and video producers will create and post something about Human Rights day on December 10th. This date will mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I’m here to do my part.

Human rights are important for everyone and I encourage you to sign the petition to have your voice heard by your government. In doing so, you will be supporting a plan to print the 30 inalienable rights set forth by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on all passports. I was going to give visual representations of each right, but the One Day for Human Rights site says it all.

The reasoning for printing our 30 basic human rights in passports is incredibly important. Passports are significant in the sense that every government around the globe has them, and they are one of the quintessential tools used to give people the freedom to move about the world as they please. Do you like moving? Do you like freedom? Do you like the freedom to move? OK, this is starting to sound like a sexy tango dance class, but you get the idea. This simple gesture will make not only you aware of your rights, but it will also make our government acknowledge that they exist. What’s insane about this issue is that all it takes is a presidential order to have the Universal Declaration of Human Rights printed in passports. Yet, every president, when asked, refused to do so.

Honestly, I had no clue that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights document existed until one of my Twitter friends started a website devoted to this cause. Apparently, I’m not alone either, because only 5% of the world knows what it is.

Our nascent society seems to be turning around for the better, and I hope we continue to gain respect for one another as human beings and not fragment ourselves into categories like gender, color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religion. We all have equal rights, and it’s time we start acknowledging them.

In addition to signing the petition, you can also help out by following @HumanRightsDay on Twitter and also by adding a Human Rights Day “little guy” logo to your avatar. If you have a blog or webpage add a support badge so your viewers can find out more about it. And if you’re feeling really inspired, why not write a letter to your senator, congressman, or to the new administration and request that the Declaration of Human Rights be printed in passports.