Monday, June 27, 2011

take me to your leader

Day one teaching surfing and this?!  Ahhhhh, rookie mistakes.  Watch out for that leash.  Fortunately, it's just bruised.  But, I figured immobilizing it was a good idea.  Dr. Dad to the rescue.  He's the best.


The kiddos are great and super excited to be surfing.  It's really cute.  But, one of the instructors was stung by a sting ray today.  I've resigned myself to the fact it's only a matter of time this summer.  The amount of time I'm in the water is just begging for it.  Another instructor and I made a bet on who would get stung first.  Is that morbid?

Off to slumber dreaming about the stingray shuffle,
lisa liv

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Surf's Up....

... and I'm riding a long nice steady wave.

Aloha!  It's been a whirlwind since returning home for the summer and all good things.  I'm stoked on the summer.  Admittedly, I avoid using words like 'stoked' too much in Norway.  I've been told I talk like a movie.  Ha!

Yesterday I completed my lifeguard certification (First Aid, CPR and life saving) so I am ready to teaching surfing.  Novice surfers, here I come.  Let's shuffle our feet and have a grand ol' party.  8:30am tomorrow call time.  I'll be ready with lots and lots of sunscreen in tow.



My office for the summer.....  I'm working on making it permanent, but, must venture away a while longer come late August


I started working in January of this year to line up a summer internship.  Blame it on the economy, the wildcard of a candidate from Norway, the weather, whatever- nothing ended up working out.  Ok.  Plan Q, R, S.  Where am I on the list?  It's funny when things don't go as planned.  Or should I say, as we plan.  It seems that's when the most remarkable events occur.  Things one couldn't possibly 'plan'.  I've had this happen before and retrospect helps one see how letting go and going with the flow of life rewards patience and faith in the future.  It isn't easy or comfortable.

This summer is unraveling to be just so: a total unknown and complete pleasure of activities, encounters and good times together with family and friends, old and new.  It wasn't without plenty of anxieties in the winter/spring.  But, I've been renewed and affirmed.  Such as my job starting tomorrow- teaching surfing.  It's pretty much the summer job I always wanted but never thought was possible.  It was important to have 'business' jobs during undergrad summers.  After a formal 'business' opportunity was off the table for this summer- a local job was the next requirement (I'm trying to limit commandeering my Dad's car from him too much).  Restaurant or surfing?  And you know how the story goes :)

Also, upon arriving home looking at Plan Q, I hit the ground running putting notes out to contacts in renewable energies, energy in general, research, business, etc to start getting a sense of what's going on locally, statewide and then generally in the US.  Fascinating doors seem to be opening.  I'm so thankful for people's time and willingness to meet- I'm loving what I'm learning!  CA, you make me proud.  The US is the butt of many jokes in my program.  But, California is recognized by those in the international energy and natural resource community for drawing a line in the sand.

About a year ago the state upped that goal of electricity generation from renewable sources from 20% to 33% by 2020.  This is ambitious but I love that about the pioneers of the west.  Here's a look at where we are (as of 2008) courtesy of The California Energy Commission

CA's electricity generation supply mix in 2008
Ok, I leave you with something fun and groovy combining my two major focuses for the summer: surfing and natural resource/energy research.  Behold the bamboo surfboard!  I can't say I've seen one but I knew they must exist.  Thank you google search :)

Photo Courtesy of Grain Surfboards
Bamboo is a prolific plant growing at a rate of a meter or more per day.  This makes it a very attractive natural resource to use because it regenerates so quickly.  While we are on the topic of surfboards, you should check out my brothers site too- Breaks Selection.  He custom shapes boards and they are awesome!

Aloha,
lisa liv

Monday, June 20, 2011

how cool are these?!

I just found these 'widgets' while tootling around online reading up on energy, spcifically oil.  What a great simple breakdown of energy consumption and a quanitified detail of where it's coming from.  Indeed, China did pass the US up on total consumption.  But, remember the US is about 5 % of the world population while China is closer to 20%.  Those polpulation estimates are off the top of my head but you get the idea.





Summer in San Diego has been a real treat so far.  Thank you mother nature for providing some nice sunny days.

I hope you're having some lovely sunny days too,
lisa liv

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Dane Days

Hello There!

The past few days I've been able to spend some good quality time with my nephew, Dane, and have determined, without a doubt, he is the cutest.  Period.  I am so glad I have this time with him.  I'm loving the chance to be abroad but there's always a little sadness knowing I'm missing big parts of the first year of his life.  So much happens!  So, I'm savoring my time with him this summer.


Goodness this summer is turning out to be crazy and wildly interesting.  This week I met with Greg Mitchell and his team at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) and learned more about what they are working on with algae and biofuels (click here to check out the lab site).... sooooo cool!  This could be really transformational, no joke.  I'm thrilled to have to opportunity to look into some things with them.  Stay tuned.

Tuesday I attended a San Diego Wind Energy Symposium put on by CleanTech San Diego- wow!  Over 200 people involved in the development of the industry and a keynote address from Michael Picker, the Senior Advisor to the Governor for Renewable Energy Facilities.

Also, I just got a summer job with Surf Diva!  I have finally realized my dreams of the ultimate summer job.  I get paid to spend time at La Jolla Shores beach teaching people how to surf.  Yea!

A summer of various and sundry.

hugs,
lisa

Monday, June 13, 2011

sum sums summertime

What a whirlwind of a month.  I wrapped up finals, wrapped up life at Hatelberg (my home for my first year at NHH) and made my way back (taking the long way due to volcanos and hurricanes) to sunny San Diego for the summer time.  And, since returning home, I've been keeping busy.  But, for those of you who know me, I'm sure that's not a big surprise :)  Now that I'm settled back into life in SD, I'm looking forward to blogging much more regularly.  There's so much I want to share! Just so little time to sit down and gather my thoughts.  

Let me start with my super last weekend in Norway.  My birthday was May 20th and my dear friends Bea (Germany), Vale (Italy) and Martha (Norway) organized a fantastic weekend to Stavanger and hiking Preikestolen (or the 'Pulpit' rock.... you will see why below).  We are a little posse (all ENE majors) and have a great time together causing trouble..... but mostly being nerds.  Martha's bday was May 16th and this was our last weekend together until next spring.  It was the perfect wrap up to our year together.



We didn't take this photo but just to give you a different perspective

my BV gals!
Isn't Norway beautiful?!  I really loved all of the outdoor activities this past year and I'm looking forward to more hiking this fall. 

I also wanted to share a neat graphic I came across at the end of the semester.  I think this is a great visual of something one of my classes looked at this semester- potential energy from natural resources.  The amazing thing is how much energy the sun gives us- really enough to cover the energy we consume it's just a matter of harnessing the power (goodness that sounds like a bad movie line).    Check it out:



Some interesting numbers I just saw from the EIA (source EIA) on electricity generation numbers over last year in the US:

solar generation in march 2011 up 37% over march 2010
wind generation in march 2011 up 20% over march 2010
hydro generation in march 2011 up 52.2% over march 2010 (and up 28.9% from Feb 2011)
natural gas generation in march 2011 up 5% over March 2010 (up 0.5% from Feb 2011)
nuclear generation in march 2011 up 1.6% over March 2010 (up 1.3% from Feb 2011)

Next up I'll write a little about what I've been learning about being back in SD.  Hello algal biofuels!  Also, I've been enlisted to help on my parents kitchen remodel and I might end up teaching surfing?  Ahhhh, never a dull moment.  Oh yes, and last Monday I ran up to LA to play a show at The Mint.  All good things.  I'm grateful for my opportunities.

Heading off to the San Diego Wind Energy Symposium tomorrow.

hugs from sunny (with some June gloom popping up) So Cal,
lisa

beeeeeeeveeeeeee