I had a load of midterms and essays scheduled to get over with this week but Mother Nature had other plans for the residents of Southern California.

Classes at UCSD and at other schools in the area have been canceled due to the rapid spread of dozens of wildfires into residential neighborhoods. The Witch Fire and Harris Fire are two of the main ones that would affect my campus if they were ever to get that close.

As of this morning, the Harris Fire has been contained by only 5% while the Witch Fire continues to be fueled by the strong Santa Ana winds. All major TV stations have deferred regularly scheduled programming in favor of 24-hour news coverage on what is happening.

I woke up early on Monday even though my first class wasn’t scheduled to begin until 11AM. People outside my dorm room jumping and making noise, saying that there weren’t any more classes for the day. The UCSD website is regularly updated to let everyone know the school’s emergency status and evacuation procedures if those steps need to be taken.

Almost everyone was content with the extra days off from schoolwork until late last night. A number of friends started calling me as rumors spread about different parts of campus moving out, but there’s supposed to be at least a 12 hour notice before anything like that would take place.

My roommate who lives near Sacramento offered to give me a ride home at 3 this morning but I decided to go back to sleep. I still have a chance to book a plane or train ticket back to the Bay Area for the next few days but I think I’ll stay here until things calm down. By the time I wake up tomorrow, over half my building will be empty as many people plan to make a trip back home.

I think I’m beginning to get used to all the smoke and ashes flying around everywhere. The air quality is definitely getting poorer as each day passes and I find myself stuck indoors for the most part. I called my dad to let him know that I was alright and didn’t plan on coming home for the rest of the week. All I can do now is hope that the fires will eventually be contained and that classes will resume by next Monday.

- Joseph Natividad

I’ve all but disappeared from the LIP Blog as of late. Can anyone blame me for trying to enjoy my summer despite my struggles finding a summer job? I “shouldn’t be doing my homework” because I’m not in school anymore. What have I been up to instead? Blogging my brains out, of course.

In my previous entry — which took place over a month ago — I expressed my frustration at finding seasonal employment before I head off to college in the fall. Ever since LIP began its own blog, I had become fixated on typing away my opinions and whatever was on my mind every week. The time to pass the torch to future LIP writers in nearing and I admit that it will be hard to let go. The Times opened the door for me in terms of public exposure and I learned a lot from my experiences on the LIP Board during the last two years.

I never ended up getting a day job at my local Blockbuster or Toys ‘R Us this summer, but I did get into contact with a fellow blogger who happened to work for the real estate industry. I ended up becoming a guest author on his blog since last month, contributing relevant content on the San Ramon/Danville area.

A highlight from my recent experiences would include this week’s BloggersConnect Conference in San Francisco. Although geared more towards those involved in “RE.net,” I was still able to take a lot from it. I was particularly intrigued by segments on finding my voice and ways to monetize blogs. Also, the chance to hear from some of the best real estate bloggers from around the country was special. Meeting a number of them was even more exciting.

I only have a month and a half left before I officially move out of my parents’ house for the next year but I won’t plan on disappearing from the blogosphere just yet. I plan on getting my own off the ground soon and will hopefully keep up with it through my college years. Wish me luck.

- Joseph Natividad

The barbecues, parties and hangouts at the swimming pool have finally begun to bore me and I’m ready to make something useful out of my summer vacation. I’ve had enough of the classroom scene so there will be no summer courses for me in the near future. No way. That leaves more lazy, nonconstructive time to waste or three months of possible seasonal employment before I head off to college in late September. I’m trying out the latter, but it’s not as easy as it seems. What I know for sure is that I wouldn’t like to work at any fast food restaurant.

Today I walked into a Longs Drugs store and asked if they had any job applications and a lady at the photo development center simply said, “I’m sorry. We don’t have those right now. No.” I smelled a lie in her voice but it didn’t really annoy me too much. I don’t know why, but I couldn’t picture myself working alongside four cashiers who didn’t have a single smile on their faces as they greeted customers anyway.

I checked out any job listings online through Monster.com, HotJobs.com and snagajob.com but they weren’t very useful to an 18 year old with less than a year of work experience (that was an internship for a nonprofit organization before my junior year). So…I’m pretty much a newbie at this. Nevertheless, I still posted my resume online at Monster.com, highlighting my academic accolades since that’s pretty much all I have to show for the moment.

I asked around for possible job openings and some store clerks pointed me back to the Internet. I followed that direction and so far applied to Blockbuster, Hollywood Video and Toys ‘R Us. The online applications were all powered by a company called UniCru so they ended up asking similar questions. It took me about half an hour to get through each of them, having to agree to a background check and list all my prior work experiences and personal contacts. The most annoying part of the process was the barrage of survey-like questions that stretched to 37 pages, with about 4 or 5 questions on each page. Examples included something like “You like to be alone,” “You find most people annoying” and “You don’t get too close to friends because they end up disappointing you in the end.”I had answering choices ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.” I wonder what the best possible answers could be.

I hope my summer job search comes to an end soon. I’m getting a little tired of repeating my contact information and the length of my most recent job over and over again.

- Joseph Natividad

Loved by England and in the process of being discovered in America, Lily Allen certainly possesses the musical talent to catch on with our crowd in the near future. With her taste for brightly colored dresses and Nike Air Max sneakers, she has the ability to mesmerize audiences with her brash lyrics and “easy- listening” type of voice. Compared to her British counterparts, she could be described as a mashing-together of Corrine Bailey Rae and Amy Winehouse — a perfect addition to my summer playlist.

Probably known best right now for her smash hit “Smile,” don’t look for her to fold into a one hit wonder. Her debut CD, “Alright Still,” topped the British charts not so long ago. What really grabbed my attention about Allen was the fact that she actually sounded just as nice singing at live venues as she did in her recordings.

Look out for her upcoming tracks to make a splash on TV and the radio soon, especially “Alfie,” (a personal favorite). Also, look out for her other songs, like “Knock Em Out,” “LDN,” “Nan You’re A Window Shopper.” Believe me, this girl’s worth a listen.

- Joseph Natividad

Hey, (expletive), This year has been so crazy! So many awesome parties like that night at Brit’s. LOL. I’m sure I’ll see you over the summer, drinkin’ and what not. HAGS!
– Year book entry, 2007

Ah, yes…good times. Then again, maybe not. This would make for a common yearbook signing in the year 2007, but the crudeness of it shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Yes, it may be in poor taste, but half of the things being written about in high school yearbooks probably did happen, though the details are exaggerated enough to make the event seem larger and more shocking than they actually were. Inside jokes with explicit sexual and drug references would give almost any parent a heart attack and teenagers want to avoid any awkward confrontations because of it.

I show my yearbook to my mom and dad every year, but it’s always before messages are written all over the pages. I want them to get a glimpse of what my life at school is like in general, not what happens between my friends. I’m just a little guarded over my life like most teenagers would be, although I feel that I have the trust of both of my parents not to snoop through my personal belongings when I’m not home.

What makes particular yearbook signings stand out from the usual “have a great summer,” “keep in touch,” and “nice having ____ class with you” are the personalized references to memorable moments during the past school year. Sure, my yearbooks do contain some comments that would probably offend adults, but the majority of the messages inside retell old memories that made my high school friendships meaningful. That’s what I want to look for when I open my “time capsule” decades from now.

- Joseph Natividad

The big day had finally arrived. Family and friends from all over gathered in a gymnasium to show their nieces and nephews how proud they are of their accomplishments. The 17-18 year olds were nervous, excited or simply waiting to get the ceremonies over with. Most were still recovering from grad night celebrations only a few days before.

I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic to the ritualistic tradition of my high school graduation. The tune of Pomp & Circumstance blasting through the speakers as we walked in to a flurry of cheers, the sea of red gowns marching ahead and behind me — it was then that I realized that the end of my high school journey had come.

It took awhile, but we made it.

- Joseph Natividad

What would a high school graduate be up to on a Monday night? Believe it or not, I took it like a man and watched this year’s Miss Universe beauty pageant on NBC (to its entirety) with my mom.

We were rooting for Miss Philippines, who unfortunately didn’t crack the top 15 but took home the Miss Photogenic award. I was proud of her even if she ended up with a consolation prize.

I cheated a little bit in between commercials and looked up recent articles about tonight’s event in Mexico City. I ended up knowing in advance that Miss Japan (Riyo Mori) would take the crown to become the informal ambassador to the world, making her the 56th woman to hold the title.

I felt bad for Miss USA, who took a spill to the seemingly slippery floor during the evening gown presentation. This stumble was a cause for controversy soon after she would go on win fifth place.

At times, I don’t even understand how I’m able to sit through programs like these. Then again, I’d do anything for the sake of quality time with a parent during my final days at home.

- Joseph Natividad

I walked into this film not having seen the previous two and was reasonably confused with what was happening for the first hour or so. Okay, so the Flying Dutchman is a pirate ship run by a bunch of sea creatures, which is being controlled by the East India Trading Company, which is chaired by someone named Lord Beckett. The “Aha” moment eventually came to me and I arrived to a conclusion: this movie is too long and confusing but still enjoyable to sit through.

The special effects for the epic standoff between Lord Beckett and the nine pirate lords made the last hour of the film very entertaining. Jack Sparrow proves that he is the star of the franchise with his drunken swagger, his slurred speech, his comic demeanor and his un-pirate-like philosophy of nonviolence. Keith Richards, who was the inspiration for Johnny Depp’s character, made for an intriguing cameo midway through the film. It was fascinating to see the strong resemblance between Sparrow and him.

Something worth noting — you may want to wait out the credits for an extra Pirates scene. I don’t want to give too much away but it is set 10 years after At World’s End.

- Joseph Natividad

What a relief to have all my AP exams over and done with. The time pressure, the anxiety and the crammed-in study sessions — it never seems to end as long as I’m still in school. Getting a good night’s rest and a filling breakfast were just enough to keep me energized through the usually two-hour long essay/free response sections, which took place after 45-55 draining minutes of multiple choice questions. I didn’t have it as bad as some of my classmates did in terms of the amount of subject tests taken though. Overachieving students fell victim to being required to take two tests in one day, sometimes from 8 AM all the way to 4 PM.

My advice to future AP students: don’t take it just because you have the grades to get into the course and think that it will bode well for your high school résumé. Take it if you feel you can perform well under a faster pace of study and a much more grueling curriculum. If you’re a senior, don’t give in to the senioritis bug because it will ultimately lead to a downward spiral. Step into an AP course with a mindset to do all the work necessary in order to best prepare for the AP exams during May. The nightly reading assignments, outlines and loads of math problems are going to be tough to get through, but stick to it because your hard work will pay off when you get to college.

- Joseph Natividad

There are moments when I really don’t want to hear what you have to say.
There are moments when I want to ignore you and I know it ticks you off.
When you’re not looking, I actually do take the advice you’ve given me.
I know I’m wrong at times but it’s just hard to accept.
So, thanks for your relentlessness in keeping me in check.
Thanks for laughing at my jokes and getting me out of awkward situations.
Thanks for teaching me to be mindful of my manners.
Thanks for cooking dinner.
Thanks for setting aside all those newspaper clippings you thought I should have read.
Thanks for everything else you’ve taught and advised me not to do.
Happy Mother’s Day.
I love you.

- Joseph Natividad