Saturday, December 31, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Five Star Day
I am not known for my good mood during the holiday season. All the happy people tend to bum me out and then in recent years I've worked for a client that shuts down between Christmas and New Years, which means that I end up with a lot of time on my hands, which is also never a good thing for me.
Wah wah, my life is so hard, I am on vacation, blah blah blah.
I know.
But for reals, the holiday season is not a good one for me.
THIS holiday season, I'm pleased to report, has been really good though!
HURRAH!
Take my Monday, for example:
I spent the morning going to my Dailey Method class with Morven, our Australian exchange student's wife (they're in town for Christmas). Quality sweating time with one of my favorite people, with bonus baby squeezing (her baby and my miracle niece) when I went to pick her up.
Then I went to San Francisco to brunch and museum with my friend Christopher. He has a membership to the Cal Academy of Sciences and I don't know how we got to discussing that we'd go, but we did, so we went. It's a really cool museum that opened up while I still lived in SF, but I never got around to going despite it being RIGHT THERE in my backyard AND on my life list.
We got the last two passes for the 3:30 planetarium show (and were very proud of ourselves for our good fortune) and wandered around looking at stuff for like 15 minutes before the fire alarm went off and the whole place was evacuated. Okay, fine, we'll evacuate, but let's go to the bathroom first! OOH! GOOD IDEA!! NO LINES, HOLLER!
So we took our sweet time evacuating, but when we finally did, we found a park bench and Christopher produced two Tootsie Pops from his murse and HOT DOG, I LOVE TOOTSIE POPS! So while everyone else was crowded around waiting for the "emergency" to be resolved, we relaxed, enjoyed our suckers and did some people watching.
We were let back in at the EXACT RIGHT TIME for us to make the 3:30 planetarium show (again, very proud of ourselves for our good fortune) and after a quick trip around the universe, we saw the rest of the museum.
When I dropped Christopher off back at his apartment I had the thought that OOH! Maybe I'll see if Cousin Kristina is available for a drink! It was an idea suggested in a Facebook thread the week before so I sent her a "What are the chances you're sitting around right now wishing you were drinking champagne, because I'm in the city and could either go home or have champagne with you" text.
And magically, not only was she available for champagne, but she was with Cousin Eleanor and they were about to go to dinner and would I like to join them?
HECK YES.
So I met them at the proposed restaurant and I'm not sure why there was a last minute change of heart re: Papalote, but that's fine because plan B was a restaurant that has been on my To Try list for a while. YAY!
So my totally serendipitous day suddenly not only included champagne with Cousin Kristina and Cousin Eleanor, but we were able to try TWO items on the list of 100 Things to Try in San Francisco Before You Die (the eggplant from the 2009 list and a cocktail from the 2010 list), which all translated into a lovely, lovely evening with my people.
I would like more days like that please, Universe.
Wah wah, my life is so hard, I am on vacation, blah blah blah.
I know.
But for reals, the holiday season is not a good one for me.
THIS holiday season, I'm pleased to report, has been really good though!
HURRAH!
Take my Monday, for example:
I spent the morning going to my Dailey Method class with Morven, our Australian exchange student's wife (they're in town for Christmas). Quality sweating time with one of my favorite people, with bonus baby squeezing (her baby and my miracle niece) when I went to pick her up.
Then I went to San Francisco to brunch and museum with my friend Christopher. He has a membership to the Cal Academy of Sciences and I don't know how we got to discussing that we'd go, but we did, so we went. It's a really cool museum that opened up while I still lived in SF, but I never got around to going despite it being RIGHT THERE in my backyard AND on my life list.
We got the last two passes for the 3:30 planetarium show (and were very proud of ourselves for our good fortune) and wandered around looking at stuff for like 15 minutes before the fire alarm went off and the whole place was evacuated. Okay, fine, we'll evacuate, but let's go to the bathroom first! OOH! GOOD IDEA!! NO LINES, HOLLER!
So we took our sweet time evacuating, but when we finally did, we found a park bench and Christopher produced two Tootsie Pops from his murse and HOT DOG, I LOVE TOOTSIE POPS! So while everyone else was crowded around waiting for the "emergency" to be resolved, we relaxed, enjoyed our suckers and did some people watching.
We were let back in at the EXACT RIGHT TIME for us to make the 3:30 planetarium show (again, very proud of ourselves for our good fortune) and after a quick trip around the universe, we saw the rest of the museum.
When I dropped Christopher off back at his apartment I had the thought that OOH! Maybe I'll see if Cousin Kristina is available for a drink! It was an idea suggested in a Facebook thread the week before so I sent her a "What are the chances you're sitting around right now wishing you were drinking champagne, because I'm in the city and could either go home or have champagne with you" text.
And magically, not only was she available for champagne, but she was with Cousin Eleanor and they were about to go to dinner and would I like to join them?
HECK YES.
So I met them at the proposed restaurant and I'm not sure why there was a last minute change of heart re: Papalote, but that's fine because plan B was a restaurant that has been on my To Try list for a while. YAY!
So my totally serendipitous day suddenly not only included champagne with Cousin Kristina and Cousin Eleanor, but we were able to try TWO items on the list of 100 Things to Try in San Francisco Before You Die (the eggplant from the 2009 list and a cocktail from the 2010 list), which all translated into a lovely, lovely evening with my people.
I would like more days like that please, Universe.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
HXRGPOTD
Title credit goes to David: Hospital X-Ray Gown Photo of the Day.
Finally went to the doctor for the hip pain I've been having for...um...like six months and they suspect I have hip/pelvis arthritis.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
GUAM!
So, I'm going to Guam in a month (!) and because I am obsessed with packing appropriately so that I don't sweat my ass off (even though I probably will anyway because I am used to dry heat and the wet heat of Guam will kill me), I looked up the average and record weather stats and I think it's FASCINATING that the weather is pretty much the same every day. Even the record temps aren't really that much different:
But before I can even put too much thought into OMG I'M GOING TO GUAM, I need to get through Christmas, NYE and the week of vacation in between.
And I haven't baked a single damn thing yet.
Or been grocery shopping.
And I'm not finished Christmas shopping.
DO! ALL! THE! THINGS!
But before I can even put too much thought into OMG I'M GOING TO GUAM, I need to get through Christmas, NYE and the week of vacation in between.
And I haven't baked a single damn thing yet.
Or been grocery shopping.
And I'm not finished Christmas shopping.
DO! ALL! THE! THINGS!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Glass Blowing: CHECK!
Here's what I know about glass blowing:
1. You can do it at BAGI.
2. It is very hot.
3. Sanitation of the blowy stick thing is not a concern (apparently).
4. It is wildly unflattering:
5. There glory holes involved:
6. Your glass ball might come out looking more like a fading bruise than something you'd want to display in your home:
1. You can do it at BAGI.
2. It is very hot.
3. Sanitation of the blowy stick thing is not a concern (apparently).
4. It is wildly unflattering:
5. There glory holes involved:
6. Your glass ball might come out looking more like a fading bruise than something you'd want to display in your home:
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
My Dad is FAMOUS!
My eagle-eyed brother noticed that not only has the Google Maps street view image of our childhood home been updated, but if you zoom in on the driveway, YOU CAN SEE MY DAD!!!!
You can't tell from the cropped view, but based on the leaf-less trees, this picture was taken in the winter...which you wouldn't initially guess based on my dad's shorts and Hawaiian shirt, but that's his uniform.
Why bundle up when you can just turn the heat in the house up to 75?!
Also note the signature white sneakers. He doesn't like sneakers with color. He's all white, all the time.
And for the record, I didn't blur him -- Google did...but they weren't that on-target.
You can't tell from the cropped view, but based on the leaf-less trees, this picture was taken in the winter...which you wouldn't initially guess based on my dad's shorts and Hawaiian shirt, but that's his uniform.
Why bundle up when you can just turn the heat in the house up to 75?!
Also note the signature white sneakers. He doesn't like sneakers with color. He's all white, all the time.
And for the record, I didn't blur him -- Google did...but they weren't that on-target.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Lunar Eclipse
I was watching from the freezing ass front porch until my mom pointed out that I can see the same thing from the living room.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
As I was walking out to my car this morning...
...a lady commented that OH! YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL! (And for the haters, she was a regular, normal looking lady...not at all a nutter, I SWEAR!)
I probably won't be getting that comment now.
Monday, December 5, 2011
I am dining at the fast food restaurant of my precious darling's people
I am dining at the fast food restaurant of my precious darling's people, originally uploaded by dumpstar_drummer.
Jollibee = Monkfish, fried chicken, Spam and spaghetti on the same menu
Sunday, December 4, 2011
OALPOTD
Look where I am!
I ran into my tenant when I was there and she showed me everything she has done with the place and OH MY GOSH IT'S GORGEOUS! I love it. It's no surprise because she IS an interior designer, but you guys, she even made my awful kitchen cabinets chic!
Saturday, December 3, 2011
This picture doesn't even do his hair justice...
...it's a beautiful mahogany color that usually only comes in bottle. I adore my little red headed Filipino.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Recent Searches That Have Brought People Here:
* Moose crotch
* Large fiberglass lips
* Glass of blood
* Pack of poo tickets
* Welcome Jesus
And then four different searches for John Deere pajamas (SIL Who Does Not Wear John Deere Pajamas, HOLLER!), FIVE searches for vaginas marching through mud, and TWENTY FIVE searches for Julia Roberts' first husband.
Plus the steady favorite, "Nutella baklava," that CONTINUES to be a hot search term a couple years after I wrote about it. (Which, btw, I wrote about because I didn't like it.)
* Large fiberglass lips
* Glass of blood
* Pack of poo tickets
* Welcome Jesus
And then four different searches for John Deere pajamas (SIL Who Does Not Wear John Deere Pajamas, HOLLER!), FIVE searches for vaginas marching through mud, and TWENTY FIVE searches for Julia Roberts' first husband.
Plus the steady favorite, "Nutella baklava," that CONTINUES to be a hot search term a couple years after I wrote about it. (Which, btw, I wrote about because I didn't like it.)
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Leslie and I are spending money like it's water today
...But if all goes as planned, we'll have a cool mystery hipster dinner in a couple weeks and black tie plans for New Years Eve!
Because we're ballers. Doi.
Unrelated: This wind is BANANAS.
Also unrelated: I will be attending my precious darling nephew's "school"
Christmas singing performance next weekend. I've never heard him sing before and since he's only TWO, I'm not expecting much other than a painfully adorable boy standing on stage and staring while Grandma takes a video.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
3/4 of a Four Day Weekend
We've already discussed that the Turkey Trot ran past my parents' house this year. I had a Dailey Method class to get to so I couldn't stay and supervise much past the very earliest runners, but I did get the neighbor to follow me down the street to take my picture in front of the four mile marker:
PG&E HOLLER!
And just so you know, I really, truly was on my way to a workout -- I don't wear leggings and Uggs in public without good reason.
And then I came home and copied something I'd seen on the www:
The problem with really awesome turkey veggie platters is that nobody wants to actually eat the veggies.
Aunt Suzie sent her pictures from Thanksgiving and I'm not sure what she was capturing here, but this one cracks me up:
And then on Friday, after a hearty breakfast of leftover spinach dip and pecan pie, I joined Leslie, her family and her mom's homies on a wine bus bonanza to celebrate her mom's 60th birthday. I think I was expecting more of a wine shuttle, so I was really surprised when a big ol' BUS showed up for us...but not as surprised as I was when we actually boarded the bus and realized that it was like a bachelorette party bus or something with champagne, couches and neon in the ceiling!
CAREN KNOWS HOW TO PARTY!
The party bus took us to a few different wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains, a wine tasting trail I'd never blazed before. Leslie and I were walking around outside of stop #1 and I was like "Let's see if they have a tractor anywhere" and then we turned around and OMG THERE'S A TRACTOR!
You know how much I love me a tractor photo shoot don't you, Internet?
Winery #2 was actually at a concert venue/winery that I've been to a number of times, but never when I had the chance to stand EXACTLY! WHERE! LYLE! LOVETT! STOOD!
Winery #3 was where we had some heavy pours, which led to a photo shoot with my favorite flavor of grapes, conveniently planted the year I was born!
And then the party bus took us back down the mountain to Casa de Leslie, I packed my wine purchases up, and took myself home for a dinner of more pecan pie.
That pecan pie, I'll have you know, was soaped up and thrown into the garbage this morning because I can not be trusted with it and I need to STOP EATING.
That brings us to the present, where it's 5:19PM on a Saturday night and I'm still unshowered (even after a particularly sweaty Dailey Method class this morning) and the only things on my rocking Saturday night agenda are:
1. Not eating Chinese food
2. Showering
3. Laundry'ing
4. Nail painting
WATCH OUT, WORLD!
PG&E HOLLER!
And just so you know, I really, truly was on my way to a workout -- I don't wear leggings and Uggs in public without good reason.
And then I came home and copied something I'd seen on the www:
The problem with really awesome turkey veggie platters is that nobody wants to actually eat the veggies.
Aunt Suzie sent her pictures from Thanksgiving and I'm not sure what she was capturing here, but this one cracks me up:
And then on Friday, after a hearty breakfast of leftover spinach dip and pecan pie, I joined Leslie, her family and her mom's homies on a wine bus bonanza to celebrate her mom's 60th birthday. I think I was expecting more of a wine shuttle, so I was really surprised when a big ol' BUS showed up for us...but not as surprised as I was when we actually boarded the bus and realized that it was like a bachelorette party bus or something with champagne, couches and neon in the ceiling!
CAREN KNOWS HOW TO PARTY!
The party bus took us to a few different wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains, a wine tasting trail I'd never blazed before. Leslie and I were walking around outside of stop #1 and I was like "Let's see if they have a tractor anywhere" and then we turned around and OMG THERE'S A TRACTOR!
You know how much I love me a tractor photo shoot don't you, Internet?
Winery #2 was actually at a concert venue/winery that I've been to a number of times, but never when I had the chance to stand EXACTLY! WHERE! LYLE! LOVETT! STOOD!
Winery #3 was where we had some heavy pours, which led to a photo shoot with my favorite flavor of grapes, conveniently planted the year I was born!
And then the party bus took us back down the mountain to Casa de Leslie, I packed my wine purchases up, and took myself home for a dinner of more pecan pie.
That pecan pie, I'll have you know, was soaped up and thrown into the garbage this morning because I can not be trusted with it and I need to STOP EATING.
That brings us to the present, where it's 5:19PM on a Saturday night and I'm still unshowered (even after a particularly sweaty Dailey Method class this morning) and the only things on my rocking Saturday night agenda are:
1. Not eating Chinese food
2. Showering
3. Laundry'ing
4. Nail painting
WATCH OUT, WORLD!
Thursday, November 24, 2011
A sight never before seen:
My parents' street without cars! We're on the Turkey Trot course this year!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Playing WWF while sitting on the same couch
She likes to give me crap for playing words she thinks are fake. I told her that I just played another word I didn't actually know the meaning of and when she looked at it she was all "Oh I know what 'geld' means -- it's to remove the testicles of an animal -- like a horse."
And then I lolled because HOW DOES MY MOTHER KNOW ABOUT HORSE TESTICLE REMOVAL??
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
First World Problem
This stupid REGULAR Coke is disguised as a DIET Coke and now I have to get another 65 cents and go get an actual Diet Coke.
I'm going to put the fake Diet Coke in my parents' fridge, but I suspect it will remain there until the end of time because even my dad doesn't drink regular Coke anymore.
BPPOTD
Danielle, you should recognize this purple sweater!
And David, it's the BACK PORCH Photo of the Day, obvs. ;-)
Monday, November 21, 2011
BPPOTD
1. Like how you can see the suction cup mark from my magnified mirror?
2. The shirt is actually gray.
3. Mission: BUY NEW PANTS has been a failure so far. In a couple hours these pants will look like I'm wearing a diaper. I'm gonna try to Black Friday myself some pants that actually fit. Worse problems to have and all, but stilllllll...
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Juice Fast Recap
OH YEAH. And so I can cross it off my list:
I never gained any of my juice fast weight back, I maintained the no-caffeine thing for over two months and generally felt really great post-fast. So great that I'm doing a 5-day version of it with Lauren and her mom the week after Thanksgiving, but this time we're paying someone to do the juicing for us because juicing is a pain in the ass and requires a lot of counter space (that I do not currently have).
And then when I have my own house again I'll be doing another 10 day fast. February-ish? Post-Guam? We'll see.
10 days is a long ass time, but now that I've proven I can do it, I want to do it a couple times a year.
The only other juice fast thing I have to report is that everything was SO CRAZY SALTY after I finally started eating again. I was hoping to maintain that sensitivity to salt but nooooo...I'm a salt lover...it has crept back into my diet.
No beef jerky though...I'm keeping that promise to myself. I don't neeeeeed beef jerky in my life so it's on the black list, along with Burger King and Weinerschnitzel -- both fast food restaurants I've given up as my past couple of new year resolutions.
So there you go.
Summer 2011 Juice Fast: CHECK!
I never gained any of my juice fast weight back, I maintained the no-caffeine thing for over two months and generally felt really great post-fast. So great that I'm doing a 5-day version of it with Lauren and her mom the week after Thanksgiving, but this time we're paying someone to do the juicing for us because juicing is a pain in the ass and requires a lot of counter space (that I do not currently have).
And then when I have my own house again I'll be doing another 10 day fast. February-ish? Post-Guam? We'll see.
10 days is a long ass time, but now that I've proven I can do it, I want to do it a couple times a year.
The only other juice fast thing I have to report is that everything was SO CRAZY SALTY after I finally started eating again. I was hoping to maintain that sensitivity to salt but nooooo...I'm a salt lover...it has crept back into my diet.
No beef jerky though...I'm keeping that promise to myself. I don't neeeeeed beef jerky in my life so it's on the black list, along with Burger King and Weinerschnitzel -- both fast food restaurants I've given up as my past couple of new year resolutions.
So there you go.
Summer 2011 Juice Fast: CHECK!
Rumspringa!
I went to visit my peeps in Maryland...um...several weeks ago.
Danielle had a baby who Jordan and I hadn't yet met so we hopped on some planes and went to visit Mike and Danielle and Will and Lizzie V and Kathy and Stella (Team Kathy and Stella are sadly not featured in the photo bonanza on my camera!) and THE AMISH.
I'd say he's the cutest kid alive, but you probably already know that I'm partial to a couple other kids. I CAN say, with 100% accuracy, that he's the cutest baby boy on the east coast:
LIZZIE V!!!!!!!!!!!
I FOUND ANOTHER TRACTOR! My third in 2011!
We visited Cumberland, MD -- a little town in western Maryland where Danielle used to live. Each light post in the downtown area had seasonal decor strapped to it and did not appear to be at risk for theft or vandalism. SMALL TOWN LIVING! Sadly, I only got a picture of the one that looks politically incorrect, but it was a CROW, you guys. The others were things like scarecrows and pilgrims:
After visiting the Amish and enjoying some sausage and a not-Amish-but-not-mainstream family singing group and then perusing estate jewels in Cumberland, we went to one of the most beautiful places I'd ever seen and sat on the porch and looked at the fall foliage and drank cocktails. I seem to be missing pictures from that portion, but I'm totally going back one day so there'll be a second chance. We sat out there long after our reservation time until they finally came outside and asked us if were EVER planning on coming inside for dinner.
(Because apparently the olives in my martinis weren't supposed to be dinner.)
Good dinner, good friends, perfect evening.
I want to go back one day and have there be a basket with my name on it:
And maybe buy one of the most perfect pumpkins I'd ever seen, even though it would be a pain (and probably illegal) to bring back into CA:
Seriously. SO CUTE. That smile is a killer.
I went for a walk the next morning and saw adorable houses and red trees:
Then we all got in the car and looked at some BEAUTIFUL scenery:
We saw babbling brooks:
(Mostly I just wanted to post that one because HEY THERE DAILEY METHOD THIGHS, WHAT'S UP!?)
I had the weight of the world on my shoulders:
We saw waterfalls that were SO PRETTY they looked fake:
And then we went to another spot and we climbed up to the top of the world:
And then I climbed out on the ledge and successfully did not fall off and die:
We stopped on the side of the highway so I could photo opp with the Eastern Continental Divide:
Jordan gave Will some wax lips:
We posed for one last photo together before I got dropped off at the airport (poor Jordan's flight was delayed eight million hours, but she got extra quality time with Team Maryland so whateverrrrrrrr):
And then I came home and had to move the next day.
The end.
xoxo Team MD, VA, PA, TX and CA!
Danielle had a baby who Jordan and I hadn't yet met so we hopped on some planes and went to visit Mike and Danielle and Will and Lizzie V and Kathy and Stella (Team Kathy and Stella are sadly not featured in the photo bonanza on my camera!) and THE AMISH.
I'd say he's the cutest kid alive, but you probably already know that I'm partial to a couple other kids. I CAN say, with 100% accuracy, that he's the cutest baby boy on the east coast:
LIZZIE V!!!!!!!!!!!
I FOUND ANOTHER TRACTOR! My third in 2011!
We visited Cumberland, MD -- a little town in western Maryland where Danielle used to live. Each light post in the downtown area had seasonal decor strapped to it and did not appear to be at risk for theft or vandalism. SMALL TOWN LIVING! Sadly, I only got a picture of the one that looks politically incorrect, but it was a CROW, you guys. The others were things like scarecrows and pilgrims:
After visiting the Amish and enjoying some sausage and a not-Amish-but-not-mainstream family singing group and then perusing estate jewels in Cumberland, we went to one of the most beautiful places I'd ever seen and sat on the porch and looked at the fall foliage and drank cocktails. I seem to be missing pictures from that portion, but I'm totally going back one day so there'll be a second chance. We sat out there long after our reservation time until they finally came outside and asked us if were EVER planning on coming inside for dinner.
(Because apparently the olives in my martinis weren't supposed to be dinner.)
Good dinner, good friends, perfect evening.
I want to go back one day and have there be a basket with my name on it:
And maybe buy one of the most perfect pumpkins I'd ever seen, even though it would be a pain (and probably illegal) to bring back into CA:
Seriously. SO CUTE. That smile is a killer.
I went for a walk the next morning and saw adorable houses and red trees:
Then we all got in the car and looked at some BEAUTIFUL scenery:
We saw babbling brooks:
(Mostly I just wanted to post that one because HEY THERE DAILEY METHOD THIGHS, WHAT'S UP!?)
I had the weight of the world on my shoulders:
We saw waterfalls that were SO PRETTY they looked fake:
And then we went to another spot and we climbed up to the top of the world:
And then I climbed out on the ledge and successfully did not fall off and die:
We stopped on the side of the highway so I could photo opp with the Eastern Continental Divide:
Jordan gave Will some wax lips:
We posed for one last photo together before I got dropped off at the airport (poor Jordan's flight was delayed eight million hours, but she got extra quality time with Team Maryland so whateverrrrrrrr):
And then I came home and had to move the next day.
The end.
xoxo Team MD, VA, PA, TX and CA!
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