Speeding Up To Slow Down

Untitled

2009-01-05T18:45:00.001-08:00

It all started when trying to pick a quote for my high school yearbook senior year. I could not pick just one quote I liked… so I started to compile the few that I had at that point. Ever since, I (sometimes obsessively) horde quotes that I love – wherever they come from and record them in a blank journal. I now have 3+ journals filled. I have also created an electronic version and, arguably, could continue with JUST this version, but there’s something necessary to me in the hand-written step. At first, I did not keep track of the quote sources, but righted myself there fairly quickly and have gone back to research as many pre-recorded quote sources as possible. My quote collection is one of my most prized possessions and I love any excuse to go on a search for the perfect quote for any given situation. This is absolutely worth doing!

See more progress on: make a list of 365 quotes that inspire me

State List

2009-01-05T18:23:00.001-08:00

I would like to take a moment to thank my 3rd grade music teacher for teaching the song “Fifty Nifty United States”

Alabama – Visited
Alaska
Arizona – Passed through
Arkansas
California – Lived here
Colorado
Connecticut – Visited
Delaware – Passed through
Florida – Lived here
Georgia – Passed through
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky – Passed through
Louisiana – Visited
Maine
Maryland – Passed through
Massachusetts – Lived here
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi – Visited
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada – Visited
New Hampshire
New Jersey – Passed through
New Mexico – Passed through
New York – Visited
North Carolina – Visited
North Dakota
Ohio – Lived here
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania – Visited
Rhode Island – Visited
South Carolina – Visited
South Dakota
Tennessee – Passed through
Texas – Passed through
Utah – Passed through
Vermont
Virginia – Passed through
Washington – Visited
West Virginia – Passed through
Wisconsin
Wyoming

There are 23 states I have never set foot in (if I counted correctly) so I have “touched down” in over half the states! Still have quite a ways to go…

See more progress on: Visit every state in the USA

Brilliant!

2009-01-04T19:16:00.000-08:00

Seriously, this bag is pure genius! I am just mad I did not think of it first!

Miche Bag

Read a book a week

2009-01-04T19:07:00.001-08:00

With my new Kindle, this should be much easier since half of the reason I do not read as much as possible is that I do not always carry books. I am well on my way to finishing “Twilight” and have about 10 other books I downloaded for free that I’m itching to get to.

See more progress on: read a book a week

Here I Go Again...

2009-01-04T18:41:00.000-08:00

Now that I have Whitesnake lyrics running through my head...

The fact that it is a new year has not escaped my notice. It's a bit hard to ignore, of course. My renewed determination naturally extends to blogging, among other things. I discovered 43 Things at just the right time so that my "things" will essentially consist of my resolutions. I have always been one of those poor souls who become invigorated by the achievement of slashing through items on a list and somehow I am even more excited by the idea that I get to click on a button to proclaim "I'M DONE!" Plus the notion that making this list of "things" public will make me more likely to complete them somehow makes perfect sense to me. I'm actually excited to get started! Oh, the first week of January...

Too cute

2008-09-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

I miss fall

2008-09-21T19:25:00.000-07:00

love that dirty water...

2008-09-07T11:34:00.000-07:00

I want to be back in Boston so bad I feel like I'm going to explode, or implode, or something equally destructive...

strong reactions

2008-09-05T15:54:00.000-07:00

I was FINALLY able to start reading "Eat, Pray, Love" which Mere has been telling me to read for about a year now. I'm exactly 44 pages in so far and it's almost overwhelming (in a good way) all that I think I will be able to take from Elizabeth Gilbert's insights. For those who don't know, I underline passages I want to go back and add to my quote book later on. Suffice to say that I think I have more text underlined than not so far...

In any case, after my first 30 pages yesterday, I read reviews of the book on Amazon and was taken aback by the incredibly strong reactions - people either swear by the text or want to burn Gilbert at the stake for daring to write a memoir about **gasp** herself. Many were disgusted by the fact that she signed the book deal for "Eat, Pray, Love" before she even went on her Italy-India-Indonesia journey. So freakin what? She comes clean and admits to this from almost the very beginning and I say more power to her!

Gilbert has a humorously human and accessible style. She was able to take the depressed walking-disaster that she was at the time and turn her experience into something that can, and does help (and even entertains) others. Speaking from experience, when the shit hits the fan, you struggle to wake up, GET UP, eat, breathe, and go back to bed at night. You can't even take one day at a time - more like one nanosecond at a time. I can only admire that she could have the foresight and ability to find a way to heal and grow and support herself all in one fell swoop (granted a year of traveling and soul-searching does not really count as "one fell swoop").

There also seems to be a group of reviewers angry that Gilbert talks about herself and thinks about herself - they throw around "selfish" so much that it's more or less lost its powerful connotations. I pose a challenge to each of those reviewers: write your memoir and see if you can avoid thinking and referring to yourself, your thoughts, your feelings, your experiences.

Whew! Glad that's done so I can get back to my book...

i want these

2008-09-04T18:12:00.001-07:00

www.wishingfish.com

www.everydaypeoplecartoons.com

2008-09-04T18:03:00.000-07:00

It pleases me to know I'm not the only one...

i don't give a s**t about football

2008-09-04T17:59:00.000-07:00

I do not like football. I do not care to try to like football. I like baseball. A lot. Why is it not enough that I get really excited about baseball?

Stupid football-loving South...

That's right... I'm back...again

2008-09-04T16:56:00.000-07:00

So when did I stop liking people? I think I used to like people, at least I like to think I used to like people, but maybe that's not actually the case. For that matter, when did I stop liking kids? I used to love kids so much that I spent several summers voluntarily helping out with first grade summer school classes. Now, though, kids are loud and unpredictable and out of control. And people are generally selfish and unreliable and inconsiderate and most lack basic common sense. Actually, the same applies to kids so I guess I don't even need to make that distinction. I like people (both adults and kids) on a case-by-case basis. This was kind of a pointless post.

Maybe it's too early to pass judgement, but...

2007-11-29T16:09:00.000-08:00

I really really think I love my job. For the first time, well, ever really. I'm both good at it and I truly enjoy it. And the people I work with are genuine, even if they don't know what to make of me and my single status.

F**K

2007-11-21T16:12:00.000-08:00

A#1: Why are the holidays here already?
B#2: Why are they so much harder than I thought they would be?

Need some inspiration...

2007-11-13T17:40:00.001-08:00

So I was looking at my (tiny) bare new cubicle today and it obviously needs some help. I need decorating ideas!

Love it!

2007-11-13T17:25:00.000-08:00

I am completely hooked on Smashbox's O-Glow. If you don't know about it, it's basically a gel blush that comes out of the tube clear, but ends up giving you your natural blush color. I don't know the science behind it, although the description on Smashbox's website seems to be pretty technical. I just don't care. What matters is that you will never again have to shop for blush since it will always be the perfect color for you! I'm sort of a make-up clutz, when it comes to both buying and applying so this really is perfect for me. It's $26 at Sephora. It is a pretty small tube, but you barely use a dab each time. I'm still on my first tube so I can't say for sure, but it seems like it will last for quite a while.

Ahhhhh!

2007-11-12T18:48:00.000-08:00

I am sooo impatient! Not that this will come as to a shock to anyone. But seriously, I am about to jump out of my skin waiting on something to happen. I'm so frustrated I can't even put it into words right now.

So I'll just (type) scream. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Boston-Metro, please share the wealth!

2007-11-11T08:02:00.000-08:00

So here I am suffering in Pensacola for the past two months missing some of my favorite stores, Sephora, H&M, etc. (hell I'll even happily take a Forever 21 at this point) when I learn that the greater Boston area has not one, not two, not three, but (at least) FOUR H&M stores (Downtown Crossing, Newbury, Cambridgeside, some Route 1 mall). And two of them are within about a 5-minute T ride of one another. Can I steal one to bring town here to the land-of-no-good-shopping? Seriously. The biggest news is that Cordova Mall will have a Chico's before Christmas time. I'm supposed to be excited about this?

Pet Peeve #534

2007-11-11T07:31:00.000-08:00

I get that it is basically winter and winter = various cold/flu-type sicknesses that are simply unavoidable. I get that traveling while sick is torturous. But for the love of Nyquil can you people stop with the intense, disgusting, snot-filled (not to mention unsuccessful) attempts at clearing your nasal passages by constantly "sniffling" (this word seems not to be strong enough to accurately describe the array of horrifying sounds I had to endure)? Ever heard of BLOWING your nose? Seriously, people, don't subject the rest of us to your near-vomit-inducing sounds. Remind me to bring those little packs of tissues next time I travel so that i can pelt the snifflers with the packages until they get the point and finally use a few.

Hoo-ray for income!

2007-11-06T07:15:00.000-08:00

Yes, that's right! I am once again an employed member of society! As of Monday, I will be working for the major local staffing agency/HR placement firm as a staffing coordinator. Is is sad that I am so excited to be starting work again? Trust me, staying home all the time is not all that much fun.

Possibly more exciting than the fact that I will be guaranteed human interaction (sorry Mic and Trot, I can only be entertained by your kitty-fun-playtime for so long) on a daily basis, I will have some income again! Regularly hitting up your dad for money when you are 25 is not what one might call a self esteem booster.

Plus, if I want, my daily commute can look like this for 3/4 of the drive:

2007 Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival

2007-11-05T12:53:00.000-08:00

In a city that loves its festivals, The Arts Festival is, hands down, the best event Pensacola has all year. I have been looking forward to this past weekend since I knew I was coming back to town for awhile. I volunteered quite a bit throughout the weekend so I didn't get to spend as much time walking around as I would have liked, but I definitely stumbled on several pieces and artists I am excited about. Too bad I have to wait awhile to be able to spend money on art. As soon as I am able, I have some great stuff picked out for when the time comes.

Some of my favorites from the weekend:
Mike Behr - Photography: I revisited his booth more than any other over the weekend because I just couldn't get enough of some of his pieces. I especially loved his "Fall Color" and "Alto de Chavon Collection" pieces.

Larry and Sherry Paulsen - Digital Art: I actually ordered some of their Pensacola prints to display in my apartment in LA when I moved out there, but when I visited their booth this weekend I was pleased to learn that they are starting a Boston series and I (of course) had to purchase the first print in that new line, a print of the Union Oyster House. I made Larry promise to do a Fenway print and he hopes to have the Boston series out in January.

James Gary Richmond - Photography: We almost bought a few of this guy's prints for my dad's house. He does some strange color work and cliche beach scenes that I don't really care for, but he also has done a good bit of things that I do like including vibrant blue and red focal points, stairways/doors, and some beautiful work in the Mediterranean (I am sucker for that amazing blue water peeking through in photos).

Jim Morris - Photography: Sadly, he does not appear to have a website, which is really quite a shame because I didn't find him until Sunday afternoon and only got to spend a few moments looking at his work, and some of those pieces I could have stared at for hours.

The one realization I had this weekend is that I find art without people in it infinitely more interesting and appealing than art that features people, whether or not they are the focus of the piece.

How About Here...Can I Move Here?

2007-08-25T20:20:00.000-07:00

Great Big Monolith

2007-08-15T16:23:00.000-07:00

If you love the Sims...

2007-08-06T13:24:00.001-07:00

When I grow up...

2007-08-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

I'm going through one of those periods where I feel like I need to decide what I want to "do" - you know, when I "grow up". I mean, obviously I cannot (nor do I want to) be an assistant forever. I just can't quite seem to figure out what it is I'd rather do.

The things I'm good at and enjoy (quoting, movie knowledge, random online research, etc.) don't really translate well to a career - at least not any career I am aware of.

Help!

Across the Universe

2007-07-26T20:12:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one who is excited for "Across the Universe?" I honestly don't even really know what it is about, but the Beatles covers I've heard so far are fantastic and the visuals are incredible. Even if the story sucks or doesn't even exist, I think it will still be great.

I'm obsessed (this may actually be an understatement) with the song from the AMC FirstLook (you know those wannabe trailers before the trailers at the theater): "I've Just Seen a Face." The lead actor in the movie performs the song. I think his name is Jim Sturgess. Anyway, this version doesn't seem to exist anywhere other than at the theater in these pre-trailers. There are one or two bootleg versions on YouTube, but nothing I can transfer to my iPod or have for practical listening purposes. I guess I'll have to be patient until they release the soundtrack - whenever that will be.

I'm making John learn how to play the song on his guitar as I type this. Like I said, I'm obsessed.

Harry Potter reactions

2007-07-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

So we're talking about reactions to the new movie, not the new book. Speaking of the book, I'm planning to put off reading it as long as I can stand it (and I'm not a patient person so this is likely not going to be too long) because I know I'm going to be so sad when I have no more of these books to look forward to.

Aaanyway, the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it while I was watching it. It was well-paced, suspenseful, and sufficiently dark. It advanced the story without trying to cram in too much detail. I was pleased. Maybe I was just tired, but I didn't really notice the crappy dialog, etc. that everyone has been complaining about. I also didn't, at the time, notice too many incorrect or missing details. Maybe that is because it's been so long since I've read the book that I've forgotten many of the details. Who knows.

Well afterwards, details started to come back to me and what I thought was a fantastic movie, slowly started to fall to pieces - errors, missing details - it all started to pollute my original enjoyment. I still wouldn't say it is my least favorite of the movies, which I tend to love, but it certainly was not the best. And, as the book was my favorite so far, I personally think there was a lot of potential. Perhaps the biggest disappointment is that the dark and twisted aspects that were left out were perhaps the aspects that would have translated best to the screen.

I guess in the end, I did enjoy the movie. I think it was really well done, but fell short of its great potential. Maybe they'll do better next time around.

Not happy

2007-07-26T13:25:00.000-07:00

I have a cavity. Probably not such a big deal to most people, but to me it is. It's the first cavity I've ever had. Yes, ever! I'm getting a filling on Monday and am positively terrified. I'm still in denial...

Does anyone remember...?

2007-07-25T16:53:00.000-07:00

Does anyone remember those trading cards (or were they stickers?) that were big in, oh, say middle or elementary school that were gross/weird versions of products or ads for products? The only one I can remember was "Donkey Nose Pizza" for Dominos.

Yeah, random. No real reason I need this info either - it's just one of those things that popped in my head just now and it's bothering me that I can't remember more about them.

That's right, I'm back!

2007-07-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

Well not in quite the same way as the original speaker of that line, but it still works. I think.

Anyway, so my boss is gone for 2 whole glorious weeks on a much needed vacation (for both of us). So far, there has been little to no communication from him. I've been assured by my co-workers that this won't last, but damn if I'm going to let this fantastic free time get by me.

Here is my list of things to accomplish while he is gone:

Update blog on a regular basis
Attempt to do some Yelping (that's right L and F, get ready! :-) )
Find gifts for the weddings we will be going to in Sept.
Send emails to the 10 billion people I have neglected to keep in touch with recently - this actually should be much higher on this list. Eh, too lazy to re-type so mentally move it up. Thanks.
Clean out inboxes - work and Gmail because both are getting out of hand.

Yeah so check back often as I'll be updating as much as possible in the next two weeks.

I never have to go to the gym again!!!

2007-05-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

Okay, not quite as exciting as it sounds, but for me it's close. I may have mentioned that I hate the gym. The whole idea of having to go somewhere to work out and deal with rude people who bring stereos to blast through the whole room - not really for me. That's all changed now that I discovered Demand Fitness. I've only been using it for a few days, and I think for weights I'm still going to have to use the gym, but if it means no more treadmill, I'm sold!

Basically it's an online collection of recorded classes you can access, mix-and-match, and track what you've done in terms of time spent on cardio, strength, etc. The best part is, you can choose from a bunch of different payment options. You can do a day pass ($.99) up to a yearly membership ($99.99 - or around $8/month for those of you fellow COM grads who don't want to whip out your calculator). You can download classes to keep on your computer and also hook your computer up to a TV if you are opposed to keeping up on such a small screen.

They have tons of variety in classes and varying levels if intensity. Everything from a series of 5 minute workouts (same idea as 8 minute abs, etc) to belly-dancing to intense boot camp classes. The video quality isn't amazing, but it's doable. Some instructors are better in front of the camera than others. The building blocks are all there to do whatever kind of workout or class you are in the mood for, which is great for me because I get bored too easily with only the stair machine and treadmill for cardio options.

It's shocking there aren't more websites like this, but it's such a great idea, I'm sure there will be more soon....

Alyssa Milano Designs Red Sox Apparel?

2007-05-01T14:51:00.000-07:00

Ok to be accurate, not JUST Red Sox apparel, but rather MLB apparel in general meaning any of her designs can be customized to your preferred team.

Anyway, when I first heard about this I was having trouble drawing what we shall call the line of relevancy between Alyssa Milano and baseball when curiosity overcame my confusion and I was forced to do some browsing.

Other than the fact that I don't quite understand why Alyssa has to model her designs for the MLB shop, I have to say I don't hate them. In fact, some might even almost be worthy of a purchase, such as the jeans above.

Unfortunately due to the sheer lack of opportunities to flaunt my Red Sox fan-ness, at $65, I can't really justify buying these right now. I also have seen pictured elsewhere Alyssa's "kimono" style shirts (shockingly, photographed while ON Alyssa), which I'm kind of loving, but can't seem to locate in the MLB shop.

I guess in the meantime I'll have to settle for spreading the word and adding this to the (growing daily) list of reasons to move back to Boston pronto.

If you are lucky enough to live in Boston and smart enough to be a Sox fan, I suggest you grab a pair now before they become the next pink logo hat...

FOURDAYSYAY!

2007-03-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is me being obnoxiously excited about the upcoming weekend. Really, though you can't blame me. Go ahead. Try.

A#1: I get to see Lindsay and Felecia
B#2: Did I mention I get to see Lindsay and Felecia? Did I? Damn, I'm just really excited about that...

There is also the fact that I have never been to Seattle, we are staying in a hotel that I don't really understand and am intrigued to see if it is really unique or just a dump, and I am going to see a childhood/family friend that I haven't seen or talked to in years.

And don't forget the food and alcohol. They have Thai food in Seattle, right?

This is all, of course, assuming I make it through the rest of the week, which at this point is not entirely a given.

My New Obsession

2007-03-16T11:37:00.000-07:00

I don't like the taste of water. I always need to add a squirt of lemon juice or some similar flavoring to be able to drink it. I tend to drink Gatorade or the like, but since the alternatives usually have a lot of sugar or calories or both, I'm trying to drink more water. Last weekend at the grocery store, I came upon these small, simple, refreshing looking bottles of Hint Essence Water. I learned from visiting the website that there are at least a dozen different flavors, but the only ones my store carried were pomegranate-tangerine, raspberry-lime and peppermint, which are all amazing by the way.

The tagline is simple: "drink water, not sugar" and idea is not necessarily anything revolutionary: water "accented with a hint of natural flavor." There are no sweeteners, preservatives, or (quite possibly best of all) no calories.

I'm sure I would not do it justice if I tried to describe why I love it so much so maybe you should just go try some. It's not terribly cheap - at my store it sells for $1.50 per 15 oz. bottle, I believe - but to me it is well worth it if it gets to me to drink more water...

Florida

2007-02-13T15:29:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you how many times I'm telling people where I am from (Ohio, Pensacola, Boston...) and I hear: "Why'd you leave Florida?" I never have a good answer, but I think this pretty much sums it up.

Pet Peeve of the Week: 2nd Edition

2007-02-09T09:25:00.000-08:00

I did not really intend for this to be a regular topic, but here it is a week later and I have a new pet peeve so let's just go with it.

Let me start by saying that I'm not a gym person. I had never really set foot in one for the first, oh, 22 years of my life so the whole experience is still rather new to me. I'm also not particularly excited about going to the gym - it is hard for me to motivate myself to get there and once I'm there, its hard to motivate myself to stay. Part of this problem could very well be the gym itself, which is actually a rather worn-down "fitness center" in my apartment complex. Not a whole lot of machines to chose from, and only one of each. It's clean at least, but beyond that and some mirror walls, it's a far cry from Ballys, Healthworks, etc. No classes, no pretty locker room, one treadmill, one stair-climber, a few weight machines - seriously, folks, nothing fancy here. They key is it is close (just downstairs) and, best of all, FREE!

Here is the problem I've encountered on my last 3 consecutive visits as well as a few others before that. Some guy (always a guy) brings his clock radio, old school boombox, some sort of plug-in stereo and blasts his crappy gymrat music throughout the entire room. Now I never go without my iPod because it's a major factor in my motivation. Seriously - if it isn't charged, I can't go. The music these people blast is so loud that I can still hear their music, loud and clear, over mine with my iPod turned up as loud as it goes. This is seriously an issue.

As I said, I'm new to the whole gym-going experience, but this cannot be acceptable. In fact, I did some brief research on gym etiquette last night and music-listening is consistently touched upon. Most etiquette lists say something to the tune of:" don't listen to your iPod so loud that the person at the next machine can hear the music from your headphones." YOUR HEADPHONES. C'mon people, simple AM/FM players with headphones won't run you more than $10 - get thee to your nearest CVS and buy one. In fact, I'll buy it for you.

What really really irks me is that the problem is not just one repeat offender. There have been four separate people who have done this. Probably more, but four that I've witnessed. Surely there cannot actually be that many self-centered people who disrespect their fellow gym-goers, right? Well, I do live in L.A. so I guess that answers my question.

Pet Peeve of the Week

2007-02-01T12:51:00.000-08:00

"Personalized" and "unique" are not the same thing. Sorry, but they just aren't. To keep those people who like to get technical happy: Yes, if something is personalized, it definitely makes it unique. No argument there. My issue is that when I'm trying to find a unique engagement gift and type said phrase into Google, I get bombarded with sites that personalize anything and everything you can imagine. Slap their names on... the wrapper of a giant candy bar and BOOM you've got a "unique engagement gift!" Yeah. Not really what I had in mind.

I'm still new to this whole process since I've been blessed with rational friends. So what in the name of Shooter McGavin do I get that is not useless, engraved, ugly, cheesy, or something that happens to be all of the above? And I hate gift certificates. I love getting them, don't get me wrong, but they are such awful gifts and not at all special.

Help. Now. Please.

It's a bomb! No wait, it's an ad!

2007-01-31T16:01:00.000-08:00

Reason number 247 why Aqua Teen Hunger Force sucks:

Ad Campaign Triggers Bomb Scare in Boston

Long time, no write

2007-01-31T15:26:00.000-08:00

So i just decided that not writing between October and February is shameful, so I'm getting one Jan. entry in before the month ends so I don't feel quite so bad.

Let's see...what have I been up to for the past few months...

John and I went to San Fran for Thanksgiving weekend. We drove up, along the coast (this is THE most amazing stretch of road I've ever seen), did some super-touristy sightseeing, ate some friggin amazing food. Stopped in Paso Robles, which is about halfway between San Fran and LA, to do some wine-tasting. Stayed overnight at the Paso Robles Inn, where our room's only source of heat was a fireplace and had a huge steak dinner.

I got promoted (finally) and have been both loving and not-loving that. I'm fairly good at what I do, it's WAY better than reception, and greatly increases the likelihood that I can transfer to the Boston office at some point. These are all huge pluses. The downside is that the VP I support is moody and intense, but I'm dealing.

My office's holiday party was a huge hit. Well we almost didn't quite make it there due to the cabbie's ignorance, but we did finally make it. Great food, fun people, free drinks, getting dressed up - all fun. Getting assigned to the head of the office's table was sightly scary, but it ended up being fine when we realized everyone at the table had lived in Boston at some point or another and loved it there.

John came with me to Ohio for a few days before Christmas - that was both great and awful - depending on which side of the family we were with at the time (I'll let you guess which was which). Then I had some time to hang out with my family before heading to Pensacola for a few days. My dad's house looks AMAZING! I know what all he went through to get it finished, but it was totally worth it in my opinion. Got to see Nick, Maggie, and some other high school people, which was fun and not nearly as awkward as I imagined it to be.

New Years was anticlimatic, which didn't really bother me. Something about LA and the options I had - I don't think the "doing nothing" option is really worse than any of the others. I'm fully planning on leaving this city for New Years next year, though (Hint, hint F). I'm not opposed to going all out, just not if it's not going to be worth it.

January has flown by. Seriously, where did it go? We went from being desperate to find a new apartment and move by mid-February, to just seeing what we find and moving whenever we found something decent, to throwing in the towel all together. Dude, we have it made compared to what else is out there. No thanks - I'll stay and, now that I've seen the alternatives, I'll love it.

We got some new neighbors across the hall, who are very cool and fun and we've been hanging out with them quite a bit. This always helps since most people in our complex think that they will get a lethal rash if they say hello to one of their neighbors. It's quite refreshing, actually.

I'm starting my price search for Boston flights for the summer, so get ready Boston-folks. Not long until John and Ash return for a visit! Hopefully not much longer until they return for good!

Wait...It's Halloween?

2006-10-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

As my 2nd Halloween in California is about to come and go, I've realized that I pretty much just don't celebrate the fun holidays (4th of July, Halloween, New Years Eve, etc.) anymore. Case in point, this will be the 2nd year in a row that I am not dressing up at all. Part of this goes back to the fact that you actually have to be sober enough to drive after whatever it is you might choose to do. Now tell me, how fun are these holidays if you have to stay sober? Hello - "Boston holiday drinking"? Another part is that, while we have made a few friends out here, we don't really have any close ones, at least not any that are having parties we can go to. The other problem (this is the biggie) is that all the people I used to enjoy sharing these holidays with are...not here. Or rather, the problem is that I am not where these people are. Without these people, I just don't get excited about these holidays as I used to. Before you try to tell me this is my own fault, just stop. Trust me, I know this. I'm having trouble forgiving myself for this. I just hope that by the time I do get to be in the same place as these people, we're not too old to celebrate in fun ways.

One Week Down

2006-10-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

It's officially been a week since I started this temp role as an admin assistant. It definitely got off to a rocky start. I'm starting to settle in and I'm more comfortable with my new responsibilities. Hopefully things will continue to go well. I really this to go well because the thought of having to go back to Reception after breaking free is too horrifying to entertain.

Good News, Bad News: Volume 1

2006-10-25T12:46:00.000-07:00

Good News: Local radio station is hosting a small, private BTE show
Bad News: Show is by invitation only (a.k.a. you have to win the tickets through the station)

Good News: I usually can't really listen to music/radio/etc. at work, but since I'm not at Reception and since my cubicle neighbor is out today, I can.
Bad News: I don't have a radio so I have to listen to the station's streaming audio which has a delay meaning I'll hear the contest announcement, but will be too late to call in.

Good News (recap): I could potentially win tickets to see my beloved BTE
Bad News (recap): I can't actually win the tickets

My Hero

2006-10-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

Confession time. I have this, well, problem. I get mad (I mean really mad) when other people do shitty or rude things and get away with it. You know the types: the person who turns into your lane, cutting you off, and then they don't speed up so you have to slam on your breaks. Or the person who races you to get in an express line at the store, and then has, oh, 30 or 40 items instead of 10. This is why I use my horn WAY too much when I'm driving. This has also apparently caused me some personal embarassment, not to mention John as well. I do realize that, realisticially, there isn't much I can do about these things. I can't control other people. Unfortunately, in the moment, I tend to talk about whatever it is that is pissing me off in a purposefully loud voice. I guess I figure that these people probably don't know that their being ass holes and if they overhear me saying that they are and why, they will learn their lesson. So not true, but it hasn't stopped me thus far. Afterwards, when I'm calming down, John always asks me what I think I can do to stop them from doing what they are doing. My answer has always been "nothing."

But Tina Fey, or rather her character on 30 Rock, is my new hero. For those who didn't happen to watch the premiere this week (and other than this gem of a moment, I can't say you missed much), let me explain. Basically while Tina Fey's character is in line at a hot dog cart, she confronts a cutter. To avenge the slight, she buys ALL the hot dogs and proceeds to hand them out to “the good people” who stayed in line behind her [borrowed from Give Me My Remote]. Brilliant. This woman is my hero. Now when John asks me what I can do, I will say, "Buy all the hot dogs." Well, you get the idea.

How Did It Take Me 24 Years....

2006-10-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

To discover the wonder that is sushi? Yes, I realize I'm incredibly behind and should have made this discovery long ago, especially considering that I'm already borderline-obsessed with other styles of Asian cuisine. But, alas, since my introduction to sushi (some California rolls at a work event last week), I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. Ok, that's not really true, but it has been something I think about whenever hunger strikes.

Not convinced that it wasn't a fluke, I had some more over the weekend. Yes, I can officially say that I love sushi. Or at least I love the two types I've tried thus far. I'm far from understanding the whole art of eating sushi, but I'm well on my way. I also love wasabi. I'm not sure how I've never had that either. In any case, I'm addicted and now I'm craving sushi at least once a day. It's like now that I know what I have been missing, I have to make up for lost time. Maybe I should just eat it constantly for a while and either get tired of it or at least get to the point where I don't feel the need to eat it daily.

I Can Kiss Reception Goodbye!

2006-10-12T16:43:00.000-07:00

Well, for now at least...

As of next week, I am temporarily being promoted to an admin assistant while one assistant goes out on medical leave for 6 to 8 weeks! The even better news is that, provided I don't screw up, there's a good chance I'll be able to (quoting my boss) "transition into a permanent admin assistant role!" Yeah, ok, I'm super excited. Granted this is not a huge leap in terms of a career move, but to me, anything that gets me out of the reception rut is a good thing. Please cross your fingers that I don't screw up. I need this to go well. The VP I'll be supporting is a high-level, intense, German guy. He's generally in a good mood and tends to be humorous, but I'll get to see the bad moods too. My boss cautioned me to "keep a thick skin" when it happens. WHEN it happens, not IF. Great. I suppose in order to KEEP a think skin, I'll need one to begin with. Can I buy this somewhere?

In equally exciting, somewhat related news, John's boss may be sending him to a conference in Nor Cal in his place later this month. My understanding is that it is five days of hands-on instruction on how to install/configure solar systems. This would be such an amazing opportunity for him. Cross those fingers one more time that he really does get to go.

All in all, this week has been phenomenal for both John and me!

OH, and I get to see BTE in 2 weeks! You know that never hurts.

Baking attempt #1: Zucchini Bread

2006-10-08T21:45:00.000-07:00

I'm going to push the almond pear tart back a few days because I have been craving zucchini bread. I found a great, easy recipe, but I was a bit worried when i couldn't find any zucchini at the grocery store but we went downtown to this indoor farmers market type place, Grand Central Market, and I found some there. In hindsight, I should have shredded the zucchini into smaller pieces, maybe using a cheese grater or the food processor. Also, I needed to adjust the temperature of the oven since the bread ended up almost burning on the edges, but still gooey and uncooked in the middle. The muffins are decent though since they are easier to regulate. Not bad for a first attempt. I still have another zucchini so maybe I'll give it another go this week.

Paramount Studios

2006-10-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

My company hosted an alumni event for former employees at the Paramount Theater at Paramount Studios Thursday night. They arranged to have private studio tours going on throughout the night. I took some pretty lame pictures towards the beginning of the tour and then my camera battery started to die. Then we pull up to a storefront on the "New York Street" on the backlot and the guide tells us that it was where they filmed the shoplifting from the five-and-dime scene from Breakfast at Tiffanys. Of course I was freaking out and the guide even let me get out to take a picture in front of it. I was trying to see if I had enough battery power for one last picture and accidentally took that one last picture...of the ground.

And that was the end of the battery life. Bum-mer. Luckily one of my coworkers who went on a later tour made sure to get some shots of the building for me. Other than the camera catastrophe, the event and the tour were awesome.

Aw, Honey, You Baked!

2006-10-03T15:46:00.000-07:00

I can't cook. I will never be good at cooking. I'm okay with this. It is, as much as I hate to admit it, something I get from my mom. C'mon - I grew up in a house where, for many years, our main sustenance came from one of our two freezers (yes, two freezers), was popped in the microwave and was ready in less than five minutes. Occasionally she'd branch out and concoct some sort of "casserole," which is just a more pleasant way of saying "whatever I feel like throwing in this pretty glass dish and baking at 350 for 30 mins." It's really no wonder I am how I am. Unfortunately, my dad, who is a phenomenal cook, did not really start to show off his talents until I was much older. Thus, whenever I am left to fend for myself, my preferred choices are pasta or takeout. I guess it's a good thing I like pasta and takeout.

I did, however, grow up baking. My grandmother is an amazing baker and began teaching me how at a very young age. Granted, because I was so young, I did not retain most of what she tried to instill, but I do remember that I enjoyed myself. And even now, I still enjoy baking. And so, I am going to attempt to bake more. I'm not sure my kitchen or it's current contents are going to make this easy on me, but I'm not easily deterred.

For my first trick, I mean baking attempt, I will be making an almond pear cream cheese torte.

Wish me luck!

Family Tree

2006-10-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

Inspiration vs. Fear

2006-10-03T11:18:00.000-07:00

John recently did something he has wanted to do for awhile and that I think was amazingly brave. He didn't see it that way, but I certainly did. At the risk of sounding cryptic in order to protect my fear, I need to vent my feelings about a similar situation I find myself to be in. In some sense, what he did and the outcome of that have inspired me to approach my situation head-on. Then my fear kicks in and, as trite as it sounds, it paralyzes me. So much so that I'll stop thinking about what I seek to do entirely because it's almost too much to bear.

The problem is not so much whether I am able to do this particular thing. The problem is that, at least the way I see it, I have to be ready to accept and deal with the outcome, not matter what it may be. I just have to feel the need so strongly that I have no other choice than to just do it and hope for the best, but be okay with the worst. And I'm not. I'm not ready for the worst, should it happen. As it is now, there's still hope and what I dread most is losing that hope. For the time being, it seems that I'd rather not know, although I'm sure this can't last forever. If I know myself well, and I like to think that I do, I'll not be able to stand the unknown any longer.

Only minutes after John was finished, I was ready to try my hand, give it a whirl. But, instead, I wait. Waiting is a difficult decision for me. I am impatient. I crave instant gratification. I prefer to take control rather than sit back and see what happens. Waiting is not something I am especially good at. But the truth of the matter is, I'm just not strong enough yet to deal with all possible outcomes. That has not stopped me from planning my attack for if and when I'm ever ready.

For now, I'm rather content with my cowardly combination of fear and hope.

When Receptionists Fall Asleep

2006-09-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

Yeah so this overtime is positively killing me. The next time I try to be helpful and agree to come into work early because the person who usually does up and quit this week, slap me. Slap me good and hard. And then slap me a few more times.

It really wouldn't be so bad since it's only an extra hour each day, but trust me. When you are sitting in the same place from 8:00am to 5:30pm without being able to get up at all and with nothing really to do (well other than a bunch of stuff I don't know how to do because it's not my job), it's hell. It would even be less of a problem if the extra hour was tacked on to the end of the day. But since it's an hour earlier and since that means I'm getting up before it's really light out, this is a problem.

We better get a temp in here...STAT! I'm not doing this for another week. Screw trying to be a team player to make myself look better for the promotion I'm up for. I do enough as it is. I also don't think my repeated close calls with being caught almost dozing off are really going to help my case any.

My Head

2006-09-19T14:56:00.000-07:00

The floor above mine is doing a giant construction project. Apparently the offices that were below us when we were doing our office build-out complained about the noise. And we only allowed the work to take place early in the day. These people have been dropping what sounds like entire buildings on the floor above my head since 9am today. It's now 3:15 and they are still going. My whole desk shakes with every BOOM, which is happening about every 20 mins or so. My head is begging for mercy. Please call it a day before I call building management.

It's a Tuesday

2006-09-19T12:40:00.000-07:00

I honestly dislike Tuesdays more than Mondays. I guess it could be that Mondays are usually slow and so seem like they last forever...or at least feel like another day. So by the time Tuesday rolls around I feel like it is Wednesday and when I realize it's not, well, it puts me in a mood.

Work is annoying today. It probably has something to do with the mood I'm in, but I'm not as quick as I usually am and I feel like I'm bugging people as much as they are bugging me so it's just not an environment conducive to productivity around here. And I've had to do a lot of waiting so far and we all know that is not something I'm good at. Yup, I'm ready for Tuesday to be over. Good thing it's not even lunchtime yet.

I'm also bummed because the Dixie Chicks tickets at the Staples Center are FINALLY onsale (well presale for us because my company has gets first right of refusal). I got the notice today and they are...$87 per ticket! Ouch! Oh and the show is the day after Thanksgiving and we were planning on traveling somewhere that weekend. I've been looking forward to entering the office lottery for these b/c our seats are good, but there's now way I can justify spending that much. How did concert tickets get so expensive?

When Is It Too Soon To Start Couples Counseling?

2006-09-18T15:58:00.000-07:00

At lunch today my coworker told us about his friend who just started couples counseling...with his girlfriend of 2 years. Now, even before hearing the rest of the story, I and some of the other people agreed that the dating phase of a relationship is too soon to start counseling. If you have problems serious enough to warrant therapy this early on, you should probably reconsider if this is the right person for you. One or two others seemed to think it was a great idea to start counseling early on - before there are major problems. My final stance on the issue is going to seem like a bit of a cop out - it depends on the situation. I think this is one of those debates where this may be the only acceptable stance to take since people and their backgrounds and how they function in relationships can vary drastically. Personally, if it were me or someone close to me, though, I think the potential need for therapy would be a wake-up call.

And your reward for putting up with my rambling - the story that inspired the debate in the first place. Also, I should mention upfront that this story is not made up - it is 100% fact - other than the names I'm about to make up since I don't know the actual names of the people involved. We'll call the couple HeBob and SheBob. So HeBob and SheBob have been dating for two years. She is a successful writer and he...okay I forget what he does, but that's not really important. The point is she works hard and he does not. She realizes she would rather not spend her time with a lazy lump of...lazyiness. Yeah. She breaks up with HeBob and two weeks later finds out she is pregnant with his baby. She struggles with her options and even though she is pro-choice in theory, she's not sure abortion is the right decision for her. So she does decide to have the abortion, but also ends up getting back together with HeBob anyways.

I won't try to draw a moral from the story. I will, however, share a tidbit that adds just a little bit more verve to the tale. The story of how SheBob got pregnant. SheBob and HeBob participated in a clinical trial for a new contraceptive product.

Ignorance WOULD Have Been Bliss...

2006-09-15T10:50:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge fan of flying as it is. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to The Economist for making me think about all those things I tend to ignore when embarking on a trip so as to not freak out. I don't want to be one of those pill-popping, scared-to-the-point-of-panic-attacks flyers, but who knows after reading this little gem (note: only continue reading if you are not prone to a fear of flying) :

Welcome aboard
In-flight announcements are not entirely truthful. What might an honest one sound like?

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We are delighted to welcome you aboard Veritas Airways, the airline that tells it like it is. Please ensure that your seat belt is fastened, your seat back is upright and your tray-table is stowed. At Veritas Airways, your safety is our first priority. Actually, that is not quite true: if it were, our seats would be rear-facing, like those in military aircraft, since they are safer in the evetn of an emergency landing. But then hardly anybody woudl buy our tickets and we would go bust.

The flight attendants are now pointing out the emergency exits. This is the part of the announcement that you might want to pay attention to. So stop your sudoku for a minute and listen: knowing in advance where the exits are makes a dramatic difference to your chances of survival if we have to evacuate the aircraft. Also, please keep your seat belt fastened when seated, even if the seat-belt light is not illuminated. This is to protect you from the risk of clear-air turbulence, a rare but extremely nasty form of disturbance that can cause severe injury. Imagine the heavy food trolleys jumping into the air and bashing into the overhead lockers, and you will have some idea how nasty it can be. We don't want to scare you. Still, keep that seat belt fastened all the same.

Your life-jacket can be found under your seat, but please do not remove it now. In fact, do not bother to look for it at all. In the event of a landing on water, an unprecedented miracle will have occured, because in the history of aviation the number of wide-bodied aircraft that have made successful landings on water is zero. This aircraft is equipped with inflatable slides that detach to form life rafts, not that it makes any difference. Please remove high-heeled shoes before using the slides. We might as well add that space helmets and anti-gravity belts should also be removed, since even to mention the use of the slides as rafts is to enter the realm of science fiction.

Please switch off all mobile phones, since they can interfere with the aircraft's navigation systems. At least, that's what you've always been told. The real reason to switch them off is because they interfere with mobile networks on the ground, but somehow that doesn't sound quite so good. On most flights a few mobile phones are left on by mistake, so if they were really dangerous, we would not allow them on board at all, if you think about it. We will have to come clean about this next year, when we introduce in-flight calling across the Veritas fleet. At that point the prospect of taking a cut of the sky-high calling charges will miraculously cause our safety concerns about mobile phones to evaporate.

On channel 11 of our in-flight entertainment system you will find a video consisting of abstract imagery and a new-age soundtrack, with a voice-over explaining some exercises you can do to reduce the risk of deep-vein thrombosis. We are aware that this video is tedious, but it is not meant to be fun. It is meant to limit our liability in the event of lawsuits.

Once we have reached cruising altitude you will be offered a light meal and a choice of beverages - word that sounds much better than just saying 'drinks', don't you think? The purpose of these refreshments is partly to keep you in your seats where you cannot do yourselfs or anyone else any harm. Please consume alcohol in moderate quantities so that you become mildly sedated but not rowdy. That said, we can always turn the cabin air-quality down a notch or two to help ensure that you are sufficiently drowsy.

After take-off, the most dangerous part of the flight, the captain will say a few words that will either be so quiet that you will not be able to hear them, or so loud that they could wake the dead. So please sit back, relax and enjoy the flight. We appreciate that you have a choice of airlines and we thank you for choosing Veritas, a member of an incomprehensible alliance of obscure foreign outfits, most of which you have never heard of. Cabin crew, please make sure we have remembered to close the doors. Sorry, I mean: 'Doors to automatic and cross-check'. Thank you for flying Veritas."

The Economist
September 9th-15th 2006
p.15

I've Paid My Dues

2006-09-14T12:14:00.000-07:00

I have paid my dues. It's time for me to do something, anything, other than be a receptionist. I'm not sure how I got sucked into the pattern in the first place because I'm usually pretty picky and stubborn and I never wanted to be a receptionist, but if I had to guess, I'd say the reason I keep ending up here is desperation. I was desperate to not be jobless after college, so I took the first offer I got. I was slightly less desperate after moving to L.A., so I took the second offer I got. In my defense, I really did think both seemed like good opportunities (particularly for growth) at the time, but maybe my judgement was clouded. Who knows. In any case, the opportunity I've been waiting for since starting here has finally presented itself: an admin assistant opening. Woo, big deal, I know. But when you are dangerously close to being sucked into a life of settling for one unrewarding receptionist position after another, anything even remotely upward is a very good, exciting thing. Especially at a company like this with great benefits, job security, and the potential to transfer to one of many worldwide offices (my particular sights are set on the Boston office, obviously) down the road.

So after over a year at Beacon that felt more like 5 or 9 lifetimes and another year here, I do believe I have paid the necessary dues and deserve to move along and I wasted no time in letting my supervisor know that. So far, my supervisor thinks it's a great idea and her higher-up has said I can be considered for the position. The problem is, those weren't the challenging hurdles. We'll just have to see what happens I guess. For now, it's just a "wait and see" hold pattern. For those of you who have read "The Cider House Rules" you know how painfully frustrating that hold pattern can be.

Keep your fingers crossed that I can wait it out. I'm not exactly known for my patience....

I Have No Words

2006-09-06T12:56:00.000-07:00

Can I have a do over?

2006-09-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

If I was a different person when I made certain choices, do they still count? Can I have a do over? What about five?

I think I read that novel!

2006-09-01T17:09:00.000-07:00

Only for serious procrastinators

2006-09-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

First, if you are using any internet browser other than Firefox, stop right now and download it. Never open Internet Explorer again or a deadly curse will follow your entire bloodline. Excellent. Now download the StumbleUpond extension.

Now for the fun. Next time you are on the verge of exploding with boredom, click the lovely "Stumble" button and behold whatever random page Stumble finds for you to enjoy. Now you could specify a range of types of sites and even select only one of those at any time, but really, isn't it more fun to be completely surprised. I'll admit not everything that I StumbleUpon (yes this WILL become a verb) is not spectacular, but it's worth getting a few duds every once in awhile to get the amazing sites when they do appear. I've found everything from amazing photographs and artist's websites to great boredom-busting games to well, more than I can even tell you. Try it - you'll see what I mean.

The other great thing about it is that you get to rate pages that come up and indicate whether you like it or not so that Stumble can give you more of what you like and less of what you don't. Another advantage is that when you click, "I like it!" the page you liked is automatically saved in your StumbleUpon pages. This is good for many reasons - you can go back to it later without bookmarking the page AND you can access your collection of pages from any computer so if you find something while at work and want to look at it at home, it's just a click away!

Now I must warn you, StumbleUpon is EXTREMELY addictive, which is why I say it is only for those serious procrastinators who can procrastinate and still manage to get their work done. Happy Stumbling!

Too good to keep all to myself

2006-09-01T16:42:00.000-07:00

Countdown

2006-09-01T15:43:00.000-07:00

Less than 2 hours until happy hour and the start of a much-needed long weekend. WOOOO!

LA Has A Subway?

2006-09-01T14:26:00.000-07:00

Yes! LA HAS A SUBWAY! To be fair, I said the same thing when someone first mentioned it to me, but I had just recently moved here at the time. I seriously get this reaction from people who have lived here for months and even years. I certainly noticed that more people "discovered" the existence of public transportation in LA when the gas prices started rising, but why did it even take that? Talking strictly about the subway (the buses are incredibly slow and crowded and are subject to traffic and so do not count as public transportation with great potential for this city), here is the problem: People say they don't take the subway because it doesn't cover enough of the city/doesn't go where they need to go, but Metro won't extend the subway to go to more places because people in LA do not and will not utilize the service.

Taking the subway to and from work in Downtown for the last five or six months has changed my life. Granted I'm not someone who particularly enjoys driving (TANGENT: I do actually LOVE driving - to the extent that I would invent errands just for the purpose of having a reason to drive, but only in Pensacola for some reason), but I'm infinitely happier not driving during my commute. It's actually quite funny because I thought that was something I was looking forward to about living in LA - getting my own personal space during my commute. That came from cramming myself onto the (probably 20-30 minutes late) T in Boston during rush hour for far too long - any rush hour T rider will tell you personal space (personal space is defined as not being wedged between a group of drunk Fenway-bound men and tall business man reading a Globe and flicking it into your head every time he turns the page while also not being close enough to a bar to hold on to so you're relying on said people to keep you from tumbling about the car), let alone a coveted seat, is nearly impossible to come by.

So it may be somewhat difficult to comprehend why I absolutely love taking the subway. But the answer is quite simple:
A. (I'll say this slowly as it is the KEY to a popular and efficient public transportation system) The. Subway. Runs. On. Schedule. - Always. Every 5 minutes during rush hour, every 10-11 minutes on weekends and during mid-day, and every 20 minutes in the evenings. Plain and simple. There are even numerous messages scrolling through electronic screens throughout every station that let you know if a given train will be running even 2 minutes behind schedule. Now that's service you can rely on.
B. This is tied in to Part A - The train is never overcrowded. Since it runs every 5 minutes, there is never a huge crowd waiting to get on. Again, so simple, but it means the difference between a miserable ride and a tolerable ride. Not everyone gets a seat, but everyone has sufficient personal space.
C. Honor system fare payment - You either have a ticket/pass or you don't. With the absence of fare collection at stations or on the train, the system runs quickly and efficiently since boarding is fast and smooth. Metro sheriffs who patrol the trains periodically check for valid fare and with the threat of a $250 dollar fine, this rarely poses a problem. If there is an issue, it can be dealt with without holding up service.

I think the solution to LA traffic is to extend the subway system. Their current rush-hour gridlock solution is to put traffic cops at 15 (ok I made that number up but it is an incredibly low number for the expanse of this city) gridlock-prone intersections in the metro LA area. Seriously?

Here is what they need to do:
1. Extend the subway further west, one line through Hollywood, West Hollywood, (skipping through Beverly Hills b/c I'm sure someone would pitch a fit about a subway station in 90210), Century City, Westwood, and out to Santa Monica and another line from Downtown out to Venice/Marina Del Rey. 2. Continue with the quick and efficient service
2. Consider extending the hours at night to help curb the rampant drunk driving (optional, but highly recommended)
3. Watch LA's traffic problems, highway overcrowding and dependency on cars just melt away.