Alysa Good Stuff Travel Deal: Mexico Cruise Vacation + more Vacation Cruise

If your looking to go on a cruise vacation this Summer, check out this site I found. They offer good deals on cruises including cruises to Mexico, the Caribbean, the Bahamas,  Mediterranean and more. They offer savings around 75% on some cruises!

Need a honeymoon idea... try a cruise vacation!

Check out this vacation cruise site here for more details on cruises, cruise ships, locations and prices.

September 8, 2011 BLACK OUT! My power's back on so I can blog. Real OC News

A little after 3:30 pm PST in South Orange County, CA: Electricity gone.

Arizona, California, and Mexico affected by a major black out. September 8, 2011 

Blinking lights by San Clemente High School; traffic and stressed drivers.

A little too scary for the town of San Clemente, that just yesterday dealt with a bomb threat at a local high school. Turned out no explosives were found. Now on the second day of school here in Orange County, California a major black out occured this afternoon until about 8pm tonight and in many parts the electricity is out still all over Orange County, San Diego County, parts of the state of Arizona, and even in Mexico.

Heavy traffic and stressed drivers in OC after black out.

Grocery store employee informs customers that store is closed.

Based on news reports that I heard a major electrical line in Arizona was damaged. This caused widespread electrical outage. But the fear of things here in Orange County, especially after a bomb threat, makes people anxious, especially close to upcoming 9-11, a remembrance day, the day when the Twin Towers were destroyed in New York and thousands of US citizens died. I immediately bought bags of ice as they were melting already all over the store of the grocery store that had 20 minutes of electrical generator going for people to shop quick. Not knowing yet what was going on.. expect that the power was out "...all over." Finally I heard a radio station reporting on the situation (here in Orange County it is on station 101.5 fm), my neighbor listening attentively. They don't know if it was intentional damage to the power or not. Some people in southern California also had to conserve water, due to water pump situation if they live at higher elevation. It eased my mind later to hear all should be well by tomorrow sometime. The school district in my home area sent an automated phone message that there will be no school tomorrow, September 9th. Some areas do not have power and also the difficulty to get gas.

Sheriff patrolling San Clemente, CA area.

While I felt almost prepared for the evening, my food packed with ice, I hand lit my stove to heat up some left overs, and my candles shining, the neighborhood kids had fun under a beautiful full moon, God knew we needed the extra light tonight. A group of kids role played outside in the dark, under the moonlight with swords (of the plastic nature). I came out with my flashlight... someone needed to be sheriff. Of course, I was just wanting to have fun too! It was nice to see the kids embracing the change: no TV, computer or video games. 

Good Stuff Store: Everything 99 kept business going with a few lights/pay by cash.

Then in the middle of making dinner, after slicing celery in the dark, poof! The lights were on in my neighborhood. It was like a horray! Then, awe... I was having fun though! I had just searched for all my candles and was just about ready to make it through the night. My man scurried just about all over Orange County to get more supplies and gas for his can and mine. Earlier, I actually saw a handful of cars that were stuck at a gas station hoping to get a hold of someone that could bring them gas. I myself was right at "E". Word of mouth was going around about where to go, I just backed my car out and headed home before I ended up stuck. Hope this all gets fixed and we get some normalcy here in OC soon.
Update 9-9-11, black out fixed in SDGE service areas here.

 

God lit up the night sky, the stars could be seen better without the street lights.

• http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20110908/california-onofre-nuclear-plant-power-outage-110908/
• Update 9-9-2011  http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/09/blackout-affected-5-million-people-in-california-agency-says/
• See related Alysa Good Stuff blog post: Sept. 7, 2011 Bomb Threat at San Clemente High School; The Real Orange County, CA

Is California and Mexico Falling off soon? Look at this Earthquake Map, plus helpful information

No, I don't think we are really falling off the map anytime soon, but check out this site, especially Mexico- Baja California area- WOW! There are so many earthquakes and aftershocks since Easter's big one. So far in South Orange County I have felt 3 total, the 7.2 and 5.5 from Mexico area and last night 1.9 in SE California. I know people closer to the Mexico border have felt even more. Check out this earthquake map for today 4-10-2010 Map Centered at 37°N, 120°W

Southern Orange County, CA Coastline

Quick Links To bookmark:

Earthquake site with worldwide information: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/
Prepare for an earthquake: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/prepare/
The earthquake site is good for updates and to report if you "felt it".  I can hardly believe I felt one in SE California late last night while checking out the earthquake site. I refreshed the page and saw it listed at 1.9 magnitude, don't know how I felt that! My desk and chair are a little wobbly which makes it easier to notice though. Interesting stuff though, crazy how much the land we tread on shakes beneath us!

I am just going to put this out there- Please don't take me seriously, would just be 'trippy' if this came true. I had a dream this last week about a year and the World Series? I don't really know why. Now, I was just searching earthquakes and it turns out there are a bunch of people expecting a BIG ONE in California West coast to happen later this year. Okay, I don't follow that stuff! But, I just came across information that stated in 1989 there was a 7.1 in San Francisco during the World Series... this wasn't the year I dreamt I think? This just felt a little ironic, So I want to make a guesstimate... If I am right than whoa! If not, hey it's just a guess for fun?...
Remember just guessing, maybe a broad range sometime in October: October 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, or 9, 27 2010, if I had to pick one specific date- for fun... hmm October 7, 2010.  I really don't know. Just based on some numbers about the World Series. I am not usually one to predict stuff, but I have had some strange dreams come true- the last being a tsunami, a boy lost from home rescued by a bus driver, and death/murder, the location and what they looked like, police and a family= All of these I saw soon later in the news/paper the last one being very close to my home.

1906 San Francisco earthquake, some of my family survived this.

And no, I don't think California, Mexico, or the west coast will fall off the map. I watched some information that more likely over a period of time, that I won't see, the coast of Cali will shift upwards. Tsunami's are another story, I do think that our coastline is wearing away from the ocean tide. In my lifetime the sand on local beaches here are half of what I remember. Whatever the case we are in God's hands if a big anything comes. Don't worry just learn to be prepared, we have no true knowledge of when... anything, except that we know there will be disasters.

God bless, Alysa