People Should Go On Vacation More Often

Because:
1. Vacations are awesome! Who wouldn't want to go on one? I really NEED to go on a trip soon.
2. It clears up LA traffic! It took me less than an hour to get home from work the past two days. This really is a miracle, because it usually takes me 1.5 to 2 hrs to get home. This week between Xmas and New Years is great.

...And a Happy New Years to you all!...

Quote-o-the-day

"You mean you're comparing our lives to a sonnet? A strict form, but freedom within it?"

"Yes," Mrs. Whatsit said. "You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. What you say is completely up to you."

-A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'engle

Happy 30th!

Chandler's birthday was yesterday, and we're heading to Vegas tomorrow for a weekend celebration. We're seeing Cirque du Soleil's "O", which I'm super excited about. Should be a fun weekend! Happy Birthday Chan!

Thoughts on Time II

I was looking back on some posts, and came across this one

Thoughts on Time

from July 2005. Almost a year and a half later, and I still relate, still feel the same way.

"It's a bit scary, I feel like time is slipping through my fingers too quickly, and that I have nothing to show for all these months that have passed by. I'm starting to feel the pressure to "figure out my life" again, and although I know I'm young and that time isn't flying by as fast as I think, the anxiety is still present. There are so many things I want to do, and see, to give and learn, discover and feel, I fear that if I don't do it all RIGHT NOW, I may miss my chance--that time, and my life, will slip through my fingers before I realize it, slip too quickly for me to catch it.
I want to help save the environment, inspire others to care, try new things, travel the world, give my love and fall in love, meet interesting people, overcome my fears, open my heart, raise a family, not worry about money, go on adventures, drink sunsets and breathe in the salty sea air...and so much more. Hope I have the time and opportunity to do it all..."

I have done many things and made changes in my life since writing that, but in many ways, I feel like I'm in the same place. The pressure to "figure out my life" is coming on especially strong at this point. What will my next move be? What is the next step? It seems like a neverending process of discovery...

Sitting in a Cafe on a cloudy day...

Temps are in the 60s today and it's cloudy and breezy outside. In Southern California, that means Fall is here. It's a nice change. Every once in a while, I like not seeing the sun.

I'm sure you'll all be happy to know that I have electricity. (hooray!) Who knew that it was such a glorious thing. Not that I mind sitting around by candlelight every once in a while, but having light when you want it is great too. Since I've barely gotten the electricity thing done, I haven't gotten around to hooking up to the internet yet. Which I should do very soon, because it's starting to get annoying not having instant access to the rest of the world. Today is not so bad though. I'm sitting here at a nice cafe in Long Beach, called Portfolio, which has free wireless access. Sipping my vanilla latte, enjoying the cold afternoon. And TRYING to work on this application that is due very soon. I'm a procrastinator. Always have been and always will be. I spent most of yesterday shopping instead of working on it. But I need to get this thing done. ASAP. Yet, I'm sitting here writing this entry...

The apartment is great. Tiny, but all mine. I'm so close to the bike/walking path and am trying to force myself to take advantage of it. Last week, I woke up early and went for a run before work. That's a start, right? Speaking of running--I need to pick up on an exercise routine again. I was doing so well from March to June, working out at least 5 days a week. But then things got busy, and I've been slacking since. Today was my first attempt at starting up again, and I actually made it to the gym. Let's hope things continue...

So my great accomplishment this past weekend: staying awake for an entire movie! My record has been less than stellar the past few months, but I'm turning things around. Chan and I went to see Flags of our Fathers on Saturday evening, and even though I was hungover earlier in the morning and had a long and busy day at work, I made it through the entire movie without even a head nod. Yay.

Well, a happy halloween to you all. Until next time. (as in the next time i have internet access.)

Scatterbrain

When I came home to my apartment the other night, none of the lights would turn on. And my alarm clock was off. And the fridge was warm. Then I realized that I had forgotten to call Edison to switch the electricity into my name. *slaps palm on forhead* Oops! Good thing I'm all unpacked and know where most of my stuff is. So I bust out my flashlight--which didn't work. Then I dug into my camping bin and found my lantern, lit some candles and had an evening in the dark...

Staticky Country is better than No Country

A few months back, my country radio station was pulled off the air, which was a pretty upsetting event. It happened right around the time I started driving a lot, which made things even worse. My sitting-in-traffic-listening-to-music experience has gone downhill ever since. Recently, I've discovered another country station though, but it doesn't come through very clearly and sometimes it doesn't come through at all. But staticky country is better than no country! During my hour drive to work this morning, I switched from the morning talk radio stations to the country station, and had a bit of reception. I could still hear my music through all of that static, and it made me happy. I don't care what anyone says, I heart country music.

The Root

I've discovered why it feel so lonely in my new place. Yes it's a little bit of: not having any roomates or people around, and not having a tv to watch...but the main reason is because I don't have internet access! I feel so disconnected from the rest of the world. It's sad, but I don't think I can live without it and must invest in some sort of internet connection soon. Yes, we do live in a technological world...

Party & Poles

The past two nights:
Friday the 13th Party at the Ferris'. Meg, Lisa, Nicole, Alyssa and I dressed up as characters from the Wizard of Oz--Dorothy, Lion, Scarecrow, Glinda the Good Witch, and the Wicked Witch of the West. All we were missing was the tin man. I'm so glad they decided on a group theme, because I'm usually not very good at coming up with costume ideas. The party was fun, but the unfortunate part was that I had to work the next day.
So I worked all day Saturday, then drove straight to Long Beach to meet up with the girls for our Girl's Night Out--pole dancing class, dinner, then dancing. Twelve of us took the pole dancing class, and it was tons of fun. It may take a few more classes to get the moves down and get use to the bruises on our arms and knees, and who knew that pole dancing could be such a workout?! I think all the girls thoroughly enjoyed it and are ready for the next class--which may include some lap dancing lessons, haha. Dinner and dancing afterwards was good, but I was exhausted towards the end of the night. Oh, fun times with the girls...

Sunrise

I was on the road early enough today to see the sun rise over the mountains, and it was gorgeous. I forget sometimes how amazing they can be. My favorite sunrise ever was when I worked at the Long Beach airport. Our shifts started early--at 5:30am--and it was still dark out when we got to work. The sun would rise over the landing strip, so our view wasn't obstructed, and it was awesome...

First Night

After two months and one week, I've retired from my hobo lifestyle. Finally! How exciting! Last night, I spent my first evening in my own little studio apartment. Although it should've been a relief to have my own space again, it was actually a little too quiet and lonely. I've always had roomates, and I've lived with friends the past two months, so it's such an abrupt change from constantly having people around. I'm sure this feeling will pass very soon, and I will thoroughly enjoy being on my own. Maybe having a tv will help. Or unpacking all the boxes, so it will feel a little more like home...

From Rome to Athens

Hello Strangers! Wow, It has been nearly a month since my last post. I guess that's what happens when you're a hobo with no time or internet access! I just wanted to take a moment to write and let you know that I'm alive and doing well. Life is still busy and crazy...

So, I went to a couple of fun cultural festivals the past two weekends--an Italian festival two weekends ago, and a Greek festival this past Friday. Food, music and shopping, who could ask for a better evening? The food at the Italian festival was amazing! Pizza, pasta, paninis, gelatto, mmmm... And it was great entertainment watching the Greek guys dancing away. Sara and I are now itching to go to Italy and Greece....

Quote-o-the-day

"More often, stewardship is a matter of everyday people caring enough for each other and for the natural world that they do the things that are compatible with that care. These include particpating fully in recycling efforts, purchasing cars that pollute less and use less energy, turning off the lights in an empty room, refusing to engage in the conspicuous consumption constantly being urged on them by commercial advertising, supporting organizations that promote sustainable practices, staying informed to environmentally sensitive issues, and expressing their citizenship by voting for candidates who are sympathetic to environmental concerns and the need for sustainable development." -Environmental Science, 9th Edition, Richard T. Wright

After being out of school for a couple of years, keeping up with reading assignments and taking weekly exams are such foreign tasks, and will take some time getting use to again. Other than that, however, I am enjoying my Environmental Studies class very much. The topics of discussion are exactly where my interests lie, so it's very interesting to be able to read, talk, and learn more about it.

Sleep

I am usually not a heavy sleeper, but my hectic schedule lately has turned me into one. Once my head hits that pillow, I am out. Actually, sometimes, I'm out even before it hits the pillow. For example, I nodded off in the middle of a sardine dissection while training for a Junior Biologist class at work a few weeks back. And over Labor Day weekend, I fell asleep in the middle of watching Invincible at the theater (and I've never fallen asleep at the the theater before!) I'm not sure what's wrong with me, but I just can't help it! Chan thinks it may be narcolepsy...But he's only joking....right?...

Labor Day weekend

Two days off in a row, how amazing!

A happy Labor Day holiday weekend to you all!

Life of a transient

I have been dividing my time between:
Living with friends in Altadena, Long Beach and Santa Monica
Working in Long Beach 3 days a week, then working in LA 3 days a week
Adding to the mix will be school once a week in Huntington Beach, starting tomorrow

I'm here and there, back and forth, and all over Southern California.

It's been busy,
it's been fun,
life is crazy,
life is good.

The Latest

Cousin Long has come and gone, and now I'm back to work and surfing couches. We had fun when he was in town. Just hung out, took him shopping (he was on a mission to find shoes), went to the movies, ate some chili dogs at Pink's, checked out downtown LA and Santa Monica and Little Saigon, etc. Good times, and he's growing up! Almost 18 and six feet tall. Boy, time flies.

Work has been great and I'm very happy with it right now. Registered for my Environmental Studies class, which will be starting up at the end of the month, and I'm looking forward to it. It will be a little weird, having been out of school for over two years and all, but should be interesting and fun--and I'll get to use and challenge my mind again!

Thank you so much to my wonderful friends--Micah, Wendy, Meghan and Liam--for letting me crash at their house while I'm temporarily displaced.

Oh, and remind me to tell you a funny little story about random coincidences and how small the world is! (just not tonight, i'm too tired...)

Quote-o-the-day

"The world belonged together like this. The pieces related to each other. There was no contradiction, deepest down. Complexity, yes, but not contradiction. Only connection." -Son of a Witch, Greogry Maguire

This is our current book club read, the sequel to Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. I'm only on page 57 of 329, and hope I can finish it before the meeting Tuesday. We've had about four months to read both books, and I had to wait until the week before the meeting to start reading. Yes, I am a procrastinator, I can't help it.

Quote-o-the-day

"just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly." -anonymous

Homelessness

Well, I've survived my first official day of homelessness, and it wasn't so bad. It's all thanks to Meg & Liam, though, who are letting me crash at their place while they're off adventuring on vacation. The reason why things have been so busy lately is because I've been trying to balance a new job, having cousin Long visiting from Switzerland, packing, moving everything into storage and figuring out where to be homeless. The weekend move was long, hot, and so very stressful. It didn't go smoothly, but it all got done, and I just have to say I don't know what I'd do without my wonderful friends. I can't thank Jake, Bennett and Ness enough for all the help they gave me, and especially for keeping me calm and grounded when things weren't working out the way they were supposed to. Thank you, thank you, thank you, I love you guys!

Since the packing and moving is over and done with, life will be settling down a bit. I've taken five days off work to hang out with Long, which is good because it's also serving as a little de-stress time for me.

Quote-o-the-day

"i want to appreciate the times when moments are made into memories. i want to embrace them. cherich them. and never forget they come so few and far between. i know that wherever life takes me, these moments will always follow. they remind me of what's truly important. it's not just life-but living. it's the journey, the destination and all points in between. and i must admit, i like what i see."

ps--i've been so extremely busy lately, drowning in it almost, and i apologize for not calling or writing anyone back. i will do it as soon as things calm down a bit, promise.

Nervous

This whole being homeless thing is starting to make me nervous. Having all my stuff in storage? Living out of my suitcase? Sleeping on couches? Not sounding like such a good idea anymore. I started packing up yesterday (thanks so much to Sara for the help and motivating me to start), and I think part of my problem is that I'm too attached to my belongings. Even though I haven't looked at this book or worn those shoes in forever, I don't like not being able to access it any time I want. I mean, they're just things, afterall, and I really can live without them, but I don't want to. I guess I just need to learn to live simply. All I really need are the necessities. But, having a place to come home to with all of your things is so nice. We'll see how long I can survive like this. And how long my friends will put up with me sleeping on their couches...

Trying to Recuperate

I think I need another vacation to recuperate from my vacation! After returning from the trip Sunday evening, I've been unsuccessfully trying to play catch up on rest and sleep the past few days. Something always seems to come up, and I haven't been able to get in enough sleep, which is really wearing on me...

How about a recap of our Deathboating adventure?
Let me just emphasize again that the trip was awesome and we all had a great time. After all the incidents that happened (and everyone really is okay, a little hurt, but okay), we couldn't do much but shrug it off and laugh about or misfortune.

So, Cory and Alyssa picked me up, and with all of our gear and their jetski in tow, we departed for Lake Mead on Monday afternoon. The ride was pretty uneventful, just your typical drive towards Vegas, and we made it to Callville Bay around sunset just in time for check-in. To get the crapload of gear we had from the car down the hill and across the dock, we had to take a few wheel-barrelling trips, which was kind of fun. We loaded our stuff onto the houseboat, put up some pirate decorations (it was a pirate-themed vacation, afterall), and took a tour of the AWESOME boat. On the first deck was the living room, with two pull-out bed couches, the dining area and kitchen, two bathrooms and four bedrooms. Then up the stairs was the second floor, which was a huge sun deck complete with a jacuzzi, bar, and slide (into the lake). It was a sweet, SWEET party boat. Cory brought a pole to fly our pirate flag on, so the boys set it up at the back of the houseboat, making our pirate ship complete (see photos, it looked great.) The rest of our first night, we just drank and waited for everyone to show up--there was a total of 10 of us on the boat: Cory, Alyssa, Meg, Liam, Pat, Shelby, Cameron, Chandler, Mark, and me.

Tuesday morning, we left Callville Bay and headed deeper into Lake Mead, and docked in a little cove for a few days. It was a very muddy area, and hard to walk through--every step you took, your foot sank deep into it the soft muddy stuff. We named it Dookie Bay. Spent our time swimming and boozing, sliding and drinking while floating, and swimming and boozing some more. Good times! We took the speed boat out that day and Meg, Alyssa and Cory tried some wakeboarding. And that afternoon, we had some fun with the potato gun that Liam made and brought along for or pirating pleasure. It was a pretty rad potato gun, and it's amazing how for the potatoes can be shot with just a touch of aquanet hairspray.

Up until this point, our trip was going wonderfully. Sure, Meg hit her head a few times on things like the ceiling fan, but that's normal for her. The mishaps didn't start until Wednesday afternoon when everyone went tubing...It probably wasn't the best idea, because that's when several of our accidents occurred. (And it's probably a good thing that I didn't go. I decided that if I were to get hurt doing something, it would at least be while trying to wakeboard, so I was saving my injuries, if any were to occur, for later.) Being towed behind the speedboat at insane speeds means that when you crash, you really crash and burn and the water feels more like concrete rather than water. This is what happened to Shelby, who suffered some sort of concussion and had a headache for the rest of the trip. Chandler had the wind knocked out of him and injured his shoulder again. And then, while docking the speed boat after the tubing was finished, Liam was walking around in the dookie mud and sliced his foot on something. We're not sure what, but think it was one of the clam shells that were everywhere. Good thing Chan use to be a fireman (stopped because he had a shoulder injury. Yep, that same one that he hurt again while tubing) and dealt with first-aiding Liams foot. It was a pretty deep cut, enough where they could see his fat, and so we called park services, who told us to take him over to the nearest bay (about a 15-20 minute boat ride away). So off Liam, Meg, Cory and Alyssa went to meet the park ranger. The rest of us stayed behind and played a fun game of Cranium while waiting to see what happened. The speed boat returned to drop Cory and Alyssa back at the houseboat--apparantly, Liam needed stitches and there was nothing park services could do to help with that. So Meg had to take Liam back to Callville Bay, racing against the setting sun (being stuck out on a huge lake in the dark is not a good idea), and drive him to the ER for his stitches.

The Ferris' stayed on land for the night, and returned to the houseboat on Thursday morning. Liam was doing okay, even with the limping and stitches in his foot, although he was very bummed that he couldn't go in the water for the rest of the trip. By this point, everyone was pretty sore from being towed behind the boat and knocked around in the water. Cameron had to go back home a day early, so Meg, having been appointed Captain of the speed boat, had to take another trip back to Callville Bay to drop him off at his car. I joined them for this trip, and we made great timing out there. Right outside of the bay-we were so close we could almost reach out and touch it-the engine decides to DIE ON US! We couldn't believe it-was this really happening? Hasn't enough gone wrong? Apparantly not. Stuck in the blazing heat, we called the bay for help, and they said they would be sending someone out. After an hour of huddling under the sliver of shade the boat's canopy provided, and jumping in the water multiple times to cool off, the help finally showed up. They couldn't get the boat to start up again, so we had to be towed in. Good thing the boat renters were very nice about it, and immediately gave us a set of keys for another boat. We didn't have to linger and deal with the problems with this one, so headed off back to our vacationing. We met up with Houseboat M7 as they were finishing up at the Dookie dock, and headed out to find a new bay to dock our boat in. As we were making our way into Burro Bay, we had to stop to release the jetski and speed boat before the houseboat could be docked. It took a little too long to release the boats and the wind picked us up a little too quickly, and when we started up the engines again it was too late to avoid hitting the rocky shore. Our right propeller grinded against the rocks, and for a moment, the engine wouldn't start up again. We finally got it up and going and successfully docked the boat, but not without a damaged propeller. That afternoon, Chandler, Alyssa, Meg, Mark and I took the boat out for a round of wakeboarding. My goal for the trip was to be able to get up and stay up on the wakeboard, and I was a little nervous that it would take me try after frustrating try to do that (it took me a whole day of trying before I got the hang of waterskiing). So, I was first to go, and surprisingly popped up and started cruising during my first try--which was AWESOME. It was kind of like snowboarding, and so much fun skimming across the water at high speeds. One wrong move, however, means a faceplant and rolling across concrete-water. I wakeboarded a couple of times, and after reaching my goal and gaining a few bruises along with it, let the next person have a go at it. Everyone did a great job, especially Alyssa and Meg who impressed us with going outside and back in both wakes. Unfortunately, Chandler hurt his shoulder even more, which wasn't a good thing (his arm is in a sling right now, with possible surgery in the future.) We all headed back to the houseboat around sunset, and decided to do some swimming and sliding and picture-taking. It was one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen (see picture)--just so peaceful and breathtaking to be out on an empty lake and having the sky light up with such amazing colors. This was our last night on the boat, and we were going to end it with a bang, so the drinks were flowing and the music came on for our PDDDP (Pirate Dookie Deathboat Dance Party, that is) on the sun deck. Nothing like dancing under the stars on a deserted lake with all of your friends.

Friday morning was time to head back to Callville Bay. We were supposed to be at the bay by noon so the boat could be serviced and docked, and for us to unload all of our stuff by 2pm. The problem was noone knew the exact time because there wasn't a working clock, watch, or cell phone on the boat. That, and we were a little slow-moving after a week of partying. So we finally departed Burro Bay, a little late. By 2pm, we were still on the water right outside the bay, and received an irritated call from the staff there asking where we were. Oops, just another thing gone wrong on our deathboating experience. The houseboat got in eventually and everything was serviced and checked off. The only thing was that we had to unload our stuff and wheel barrel it down the dock and up a hill on a blazing-hot-120 degree day! It was torture. And I didn't know I could sweat so much. Literally, disgustingly, dripping-from-my-neck-down-to-my-ankles kind of sweat. I was practically melting. And a breeze had never felt so glorious. ECH!!

Leaving Lake Mead, it was off to Vegas we went, for a weekend of continued partying and to celebrate Meg's 27th birthday. It was so refreshing to be able to take a shower after all that sweating, rather than having to sit in a 6-hr car ride home in your own stink. We all stayed at the Monte Carlo. Drank and danced some more at the Pub in the hotel on Friday night. Saturday, I visited Stef over at the Mirage Dolphin Habitat, where she's now working, then spent the rest of the afternoon drinking mimosas by the pool. That night, we did dinner and dancing at Rum Jungle, then watched the boys do a little gambling. I got to bed at 5am, and woke up at 9am to pack up and get ready for our long journey home. And that, kids, was the recap of my awesome Pirate Dookie Deathboat 2006 vacation. I'm so happy to have such wonderful friends, who were able to have fun despite the mishaps we had.

We Survived Deathboat 2006!

I've returned from my week-long vacation on Pirate Dookie Deathboat 2006 on Lake Mead, and what an adventure it was!
I wish I could say that our houseboating trip was smooth sailing the whole week, but unfortunately, it wasn't. Deathboat 2006 was named so only because it was the sequel to our Deathboat 2005 Booze Cruise trip, but this time it was very appropriately named. Despite the mini-disasters, it was an amazing trip, and we all had an awesome and relaxing and drunken time. We've all ended the trip with some head bumps and cuts, many bruises, soreness everywhere, a damaged propeller, a broken down speed boat, Chandler in an arm sling and Liam with stitches in his foot--but other than that we've survived and had a great time! More on the trip to come...

PS-I got the LA Zoo Education Specialist position, yeah!

Goodbye Crazies

Wow, the three weeks from when I turned in my resignation to my very last day at work yesterday flew by so quickly. I'm not exactly sad to be leaving (actually, I'm quite thrilled that I no longer have to deal with all those crazy, verbally abusive, and uneducated people), but it just feels so-- weird-- that it's finally over. My last day went well, and one of the supervisors actually bought me a goodbye/good luck cake, which was so nice. I was surprised by how much support and encouragement I got from my co-workers, which was also very nice. So, that's it. I'm done and off to help save the environment. Goodbye crazies!

Saw Pirates of the Caribbean last night with Meg, Liam, Mark and Sebastian--and it was awesome! Johnny Depp was brilliant, and I heart Orlando Bloom. I thoroughly enjoyed all 2 1/2 hrs of it (so glad they didn't skimp on the length), even the silly slapstick parts, and can't wait for the next installment. Go see it!

It is so HOT. It is usually never this hot during the summer. And I live by the beach, I can't imagine how miserable it must be in the valley. ECH.

On another note

I've been pretty busy lately, and still not motivated to post much. But here's a brief recap/update of what's going on.

Had an interview at the LA Zoo last week. Still waiting to hear back from them, but it's not the end of the world if I don't get the job. Keep your fingers crossed though.

Worked a 24-hr day (between two jobs) last Friday, which was exhausting. Went to my regular day job from 8-4:30, then drove straight to the Aquarium and clocked in at 5pm to work the overnight with Wendy, which went til 8am the next morning. At least I got paid to sleep, but it was still tiring.

Spent most of the 4th at Meg & Liam's BBQ/Pool party, which was so nice. The cool pool was refreshing, after dealing with this HEAT. Blagh. Stopped by my parents' house at the end of the evening, where there was a huge family gathering, like always. It was fun to see and catch up with some cousins and other family.

Saw Superman and The Devil Wears Prada, and both were good. Superman was long and a little slow-paced, but I still enjoyed it. Many parts of Prada were very different from the book, but it didn't bother me like it normally would have. The changes made the movie and storyline flow well, and I liked some of it better than the book. Meryl Streep, although not how I pictured Miranda to be, was great.

Seeing Pirates of the Carribean tomorrow, which I'm so looking forward to!

Having a BBQ at my place on Saturday for Wendy's 28th birthday, which will be fun. We can finally put our patio to use this summer, get the most out of it before moving out.

And the most exciting thing coming up is my vacation on a houseboat at Lake Mead with my friends! We leave for the houseboat Monday, and will be there through Friday, drinking and tanning and wakeboarding the whole week. Then we head to Vegas for the weekend, to celebrate Meg's birthday. WOOHOOO, can't wait for my vacation!

A happy summer to you all. Have fun and stay cool.

And the word of the month is...

CHANGE
: to make different in some particular
: to make radically different
: to give a different position, course, or direction to
: to replace with another
: to make a shift from one to another
: to undergo transformation, transition, or substitution

CHANGE will be the theme in my life these next couple of months. I am taking all the pieces of my life, throwing them up in the air, and letting them fall where they may. I should be scared and overwhelmed and stressed, but am not so much, because I have faith everything will work itself out. The last time major changes happened (around graduation time) I had freaked out and shut down, but this time everything feels very different. I'm actually excited about what I've learned over the past couple of years, and excited about the direction I'm going in.

So, it's official--I put in my resignation three weeks ago, and tomorrow is my VERY LAST day at work. Quitting was not the most financially practical thing to do, but it was very good for my emotional and mental stability. I was just not cut out to do that kind of social work, because science and the environment is where my heart is. Although I wasn't very happy at my job, I'm so thankful for the experience--of doing something different, being exposed to people and situations that I would never have normally encountered, to be financially independent, and most importantly, discovering what I really care about and what direction I want to take my career in. I had always liked the saying "Do what you love, love what you do", and now realize just how important it is to do just that--life's short, why waste time being miserable doing something you don't like?

The other major change coming up is my living situation--or should I say, my lack of a living situation. Jake has accepted a teaching job up in Sacramento, and will be moving up there to be closer to his girlfriend. So, July will be my last month in this awesome apartment (I really did love it here!), and I'm not sure what I'm going to do or where I'm going to go come August. I figure, if worst comes to worst, I'll just put my stuff in storage and crash on friends' couches for a bit. But, I can't move from couch to couch for long, so hopefully something will work out quickly.

No real job, no money, no place to live. But you know what? I have friends and family and life is still good, so no worries.

VB pics posted

I posted some (only a few) of the pics from my trip onto the photoblog, so check them out.

If you want to see more pics from the trip, check out my flickr

Virginia Beach Photoset

Enjoy!

Virginia Beach

My trip to the east coast last weekend went very well, and I've been able to check off another destination on my "places to visit" list. I went out there for my good friend Adam's wedding. We've been friends for about ten years now, since the beginning of high school, and he's like a brother to me, and it was so weird seeing him grown up!, with his own house!, and getting married! His wife, Diane, is adorable, and I really like her. I am just so happy for him.

So, I flew out on an 11:30pm (pacific) flight Wednesday night, had a connecting flight in Chicago, then made it to Norfolk, Virginia at 8:30am (eastern). I was able to only get the head-bobbing in-and-out kind of sleep, which wasn't terrible, but not enjoyable either. This was my first trip having to rent a car and drive around by myself, which I was a bit nervous about, but it turned out well. The freeway and streets were easy to navigate, and the area became familiar fairly quickly. I had a Doubletree hotel room all to myself, which was very fun--especially being able to sprawl out on the king sized bed.
Thursday, I met with Andrea & Kayla and did some errands with them. We then had lunch down by the boardwalk and hung out at the beach for a few hours. It was beautiful out, and a perfect day to be spending on the beach. I dipped my toes in the Atlantic Ocean for the very first time, and although it's no different from the Pacific, it was still exciting. The one difference I noticed from the beaches at home is the color of the sand, which has a much yellower tint to it. Thursday night, the two families got together for dinner, and I joined them, at a great restaurant called Hot Tuna.
Friday morning, Adam cooked breakfast at his (beautiful) house, and I took Kayla to the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center after we ate. It was a cute place, and Kayla had a lot of fun. After that, we went back down to the beach for a few hours, and that night was the rehearsal (which I didn't go to, since I wasn't in the wedding), and the rehearsal dinner (which I did go to.) It was at another excellent restaurant, called La Marinella.
Saturday was the wedding day. Diane is greek, and the ceremony was at a Greek Orthodox church. It was interesting and very different from the traditional ceremonies we're all used to seeing. The reception was at the Hilton down at the beach, and it was all very beautiful.
Sunday, I had to fly out at 10am, and when I woke up, was regretting all the wine I drank at the reception. I made it to the airport safely, though, flew to Atlanta for my connection, and then got home in the early evening.
And that, in summary, was my trip. The one thing that I wish I could've done was visit the Shedd Aquarium and Georgia Aquarium while I was in the two stopover cities. Oh well, guess I'll just have to do a little more traveling...

Pictures coming soon, keep an eye on the photoblog.

Boys!

Better
Originally uploaded by ressac.

So, I get home from my trip last night and turn my iBook on to check emails, and find this picture as my desktop! Since I locked the door to my room when I left, Jake and Justin decided to mess with me. They had figured out how to open my door the last time I went on a trip, and had left me with a new desktop then too. I thought this one was hilarious, so had to share. It's Jake, wearing a fro wig, pretending to eat chilean sea bass. (The chilean sea bass line is this inside joke between us. I'm always badgering them to eat sustainable seafood, and they're always messing around saying they love chilean sea bass.)

Story and pictures from Virginia and the wedding to come...

Letter from Kat

So, although I haven't seen "An Inconvenient Truth" yet, I do plan to sometime soon. Here's an email from my sister Kat and what she has to say about it...

Dear Friends,

Like the flick of a switch, my interest in politics came to an abrupt
halt on November 5, 2004, when Bush was again given the presidency
despite all the grassroots efforts to get rid of him. I had given so
much of my own personal effort, and it seemed all my energy was in
vain. I took off to Puerto Rico the next day in symbolic withdrawal
from it all, and since then, my fire hasn't been stoked enough to
care enough, to take action.

Until I saw "An Inconvenient Truth" last night. If you're going to
spend $14 on a summer movie this year, let this be it. The message is that global warming is real, and polar ice cap melting is real, and super-hurricanes as a result are real, and that our choices as consumers, the way we live, is putting incredible stress on this planet's fragile ecosystem - and the question is, when we see the facts, are we willing to make changes to the way we live?

It's very easy to live in our insulated bubbles of reality: The world
of shopping malls, TV, gossip magazines, billboards, credit cards,
Martha Stewart living, fast cars, bespoke clothing, fun gadgets,
sport, distractions. It's hard for us to walk outside of ourselves
and see what else is happening down the street, let alone across the
span of the globe.

This movie takes us out of our lives and lets us see it all at once:
Our living planet.

In the very end of the film, we are shown a photograph of the earth
taken by the satellite Galileo as it traverses through space. Earth
is but a pixel of bright light in an otherwise huge canvas of black
space. That image made me see how fragile our existence is in the
universe. Like Al Gore said, "It's our only home."

And it's imperative that we take accountability for the way we live
on our only home. Go see this movie.

Official movie site:
http:///www.climatecrisis.net

xo
Kat

Behind

I've been meaning to write up a number of posts over the past few weeks, but it seems that the further I get behind, the more overwhelming the task gets, which in turn makes it easier for me to procrastinate. So, I give up. I'm not even going to try to recap all the events in detail, like I originally intended. Here's the abridged version...

Over memorial weekend: went to Alyssa's Masters in Engineering grad party, visited Palm Springs with the family (we checked out the tramway and took it up the mountain), and hung out at the Ferris' for their bbq and pool party.

Jen finished up her NOAA training in New York, and was in town for A DAY, before heading up to Alaska to her boat (and home for the next couple of years), the Miller Freeman. We had pizza and hung out with her down on King's Pride for the evening. It was fun, but I was sad she had so little time in town, wish we could've hung out more.

The next weekend: spent the day at the beach for Kiernan's 2nd birthday party. He's TWO already! Amazing, how time flies. It's neat to be able to watch him grow up and develop, and I'm super excited because he finally knows how to say my name.

This past friday: had a "welcome summer" beach bonfire, with a nice warm fire, hot dogs, s'mores, and good friends. It was a fun, low-key evening at the beach.

Up next: I'm flying out to Virginia Beach Wednesday night, for my good friend Adam's wedding this weekend.

That's it, in a nutshell.

A couple of things

I went bowling last week and bowled a 137, my personal best! Although not an amazingly impressive score, I'm usually happy if I can break a hundred, so 137 was a bit of an accomplishment. Exciting!

Podcasts are great. Who needs talk radio, when you can listen to things that actually interest you? Thanks to Anitza, I've discovered and subscribed to Pottercast and Mugglecast (cause keeping up with the latest in the Harry Potter world is important!). Discovery Channel and Grey's Anatomy are on my download list too, and I just love them! Podcasts are also good listening material for when you work out, and the best thing is they're free. Oh, I really do heart podcasts!

And, Happy Memorial Weekend to you all!!

Photo Scavenger Hunt

My friend Anitza recently sent her friends, as the title of this post implies, on a photo scavenger hunt. I thought it was a fun idea, and encourage you to participate and pass it along to your friends also!

Here are

My Scavenger Hunt Pictures

And here are the instructions, per her website:
Grab your camera or cameraphone and take a picture for each of the items in the list below. The photos must be taken by you for the purpose of this meme, that's what makes it fun! Feel free to get really creative when taking those pics and sharing them. Then post this message and list, replacing number 15 B with something that you want the next people to take a picture of. Don't forget to say who you nabbed this meme from, or who tagged you so they know you fulfilled their request in #15.  Oh, and don't post something that you will regret later, like people you didn't get permission from, or a shot of your SS card or something!

1. The first thing I see when I wake up.
2. My favorite spot in my dwelling.
3. A sign that I see everyday.
4. Something in my everyday life I never noticed before.
5. Something I am embarrased to own.
6. What the inside of my fridge looks like.
7. The inside of my purse/backpack/thing that I use to carry all my crap in.
8. Something that is alive in my home.
9. Something cool.
10. My transportation.
11. Things that I collect.
12. Something that I am addicted to.
13. Something hideous.
14. Something beautiful.
15. A: Special request fulfilled for magicalobizuth: One of my favorite toys.
       B: Special request from Jane: Your favorite food.

Oh no, not Denny!!!

I am completely devastated that they killed off my favorite character in last night's season finale of Grey's Anatomy. Forget McDreamy, I'm totally in love with Denny! I know he was only a guest star and disposable compared to the main characters, and there was always the possibility he was going to die, but I'm soooo disappointed that they actually did end up killing him. And yes, I was bawling last night. I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff. *sighs*

Quote-o-the-day

"She knows from recent experience that the whole world can change in what feels like an instant, but she suspects that the swiftness is really just an illusion...Things happen slow. She isn't quite sure why this understanding of the world's movement should be important, but she thinks it is...Just because things happen slow doesn't mean you'll be ready for them. If they happened fast, you'd be alert for all kinds of suddeness, aware that speed was trump. 'Slow' works on an altogether different principle, on the deceptive impression that there's plenty of time to prepare, which conceals the central fact, that no matter how slow things go, you'll always be slower." -Empire Falls, Richard Russo

Goodbyes, Walks & Talks

My friend Francine left for a year and a half mission in the Philippines today. As a last goodbye, we went to a country bar out in The Valley on Friday night. I’m a big fan of country music, and it was pretty fun people-watching kind of night. I felt like I was in the middle of a Sweet Home Alabama scene. The night would’ve been even more fun if we all actually knew how to dance. I took a country dance class about three years ago, we learned all kinds of line and partner dances, but I’ve completely forgotten all the steps. I think it would be lots of fun to re-learn them and try it out at another country bar...So, wishing Francine the best of luck on this new adventure! I’ll miss her, but am glad she has such a great travel opportunity.

Wendy & Kiernan and I had intentions of going for a hike on Sunday, but after meeting up for our coffee and bagel and taking a look at my hiking books, we couldn’t decide where to go. Instead, we chose to check out the nature center at El Dorado park, where there were supposed to be some walking trails. Neither of us had been there and it was local (a big plus with gas prices the way they are), so off to the park we went. We took a nice walk on the 2-mile trail loop extending from the nature center, which took us past a couple of lagoons and many native flora and fauna. It made us want to learn the scientific names and all about the trees, flowers, and birds that we saw (although, Wendy did impress me with what she already knew, especially with her bird identification.) I’m glad I found such a cool place right in our community, but hope to fit some real hiking in soon!

Last night, I met up with my newly-engaged friend Kate to talk and hear all about how the proposal went. We don't get to see each other often so it was great catching up, the story was adorable, and I'm still so extremely excited for them. Congrats again! The wedding will be about a year to a year and a half away, so they'll have plenty of time to plan and all that good stuff...

Feeling Good

After returning from my vacation up north, I felt refreshed and ready to make some changes in my life. I was excited about starting to do things for myself, things that make me happy. It's sometimes very easy to fall into our busy routines, to get caught up in our responsibilities and we let the days and weeks slip by so easily. We start forgetting to nurture our relationships with friends and family, but most importantly, we forget to nurture our own souls. One of the reasons why I love to travel is that it gives me a chance to take a step away from my daily routine. It offers an opportunity for a fresh perspective, new experiences, and inner reflection. I was able to take the time to ask myself, about both the small and big things in my life: what am I doing?, what do I want to be doing?, and why am I not doing it? Since my return, I've been addressing these questions...

One thing I had been unhappy about lately was my happy-hour-outings, too-busy, cubicle-bound, post-college weight gain. I'm finally doing something about it, and picked up my activity level a few notches. At least five days a week, I'm either walking at the beach, going for a run, working out at the gym, or taking a yoga class. It's been going really well, and the results are slowly starting to show. I've also been wanting to go camping and hiking more often, but rarely get around to planning any trips. These are activities that I love, and wondered to myself why I wasn't doing more of the things I loved. So, I put together the Leo Carrillo trip, and we had a great weekend away. And I've purchased two books, "Day Hikes on the California Southern Coast" and "101 HIkes in Southern California", and plan on putting it to use at least once a month. These, among other things, are the changes I've been making in my routine, and my life.

I've been praying when I wake up,
stretching in the morning,
eating healthier,
checking things off my to-do list,
taking my vitamins,
practicing patience,
doing the things I love,
nurturing myself,
And it feels good.

Another six cents

As you'll remember, the gas station I drive by everyday was $3.09 yesterday.
Today, it is $3.15
Another day, another six cents. I should've filled up before it goes up again tomorrow.

*how depressing*

SO EXCITED!!

Brian & Kate
Originally uploaded by ressac.

I cannot contain how THRILLED I am by the wonderful news I received last night! One of my oldest and best friends, Kate, just got engaged to her now-fiance, Brian. I'm so excited and happy for them!! YAY!

Time to dust off my cruiser

The gas station I pass every morning on my way to work:

Monday: $2.97
Tuesday: $3.03
Today: $3.09

*chokes* HOLY CRAP! Uh, maybe it's about time I use my bike and walking shoes more...

Names

During our homemade gnocchi dinner conversation Sunday night:

"I love how we have a human named Kat and a cat named Chicken here." -Kent

HaHa.

Squirrels are Evil

I had a WONDERFUL time camping this past weekend, although I could've done without two things:
1. Our loud, obnoxious, trashy neighbors (check out the crap they left in the fire ring on my photoblog) and
2. Those nasty little squirrels

Now, I had nothing against squirrels before this weekend. When we first arrived at the campsite and saw them skittering around everywhere, I actually thought they were kinda cute. Hah! I totally retract that thought now. Why all this animosity towards those innocent furry little guys, you ask? Because they're not innocent, they're nasty little rodents! So this is what happened...

We'll start the story by saying, I heart my tent. After years of camping and bumming off of friends' gear, it was my first big purchase when I finally was able to afford my own gear.

So onto the squirrel part...

I put one little bag of food, containing oranges, bananas, and bread into my tent. I did hesitate at first, but after further consideration, decided that I was not in bear country and one little bag in my tent would be no big deal. We had all gone to the beach for a few hours on Saturday morning, and upon returning for lunch, found our campsite littered with trash--the squirrels had ripped through our trash bags and spread it everywhere. They had also gotten into Meghan and Liam's tent, which also had food, and ate our brownies, cheetos, and bread. Worst of all, they had tried to get into my tent by chewing on the zipper (which is now ruined and my tent cannot open or close). When that attempt was unsuccessful, the squirrels decided they would just CHEW A HUGE HOLE THROUGH my tent to get to the bread. It was quite upsetting to see my lovely year-old, only-used-three-times tent with a big HOLE in it! Damn evil squirrels. Lesson (quickly) learned, however: never leave any sort of food in your tent, even if you're not in bear country. Luckily, REI is fixing the damage as we speak, so it's not the end of the world.

We had been having rain on and off here lately, but our camping weekend was sunny, warm, and beautiful. As a result, I have a very bad raccoon-eye look going on. Everyone keeps pointing it out to me, like I don't already know I look ridiculous. So, aside from the squirrel issue, we had a great time. Hung out at the beach for a while, Pat & Shelby went GPS treasure hunting, played frisbee. After lunch, we took a hike up Nicholas Flats trail, which was much steeper and much longer than we had anticipated, but had great views of the ocean and green mountains.

Camping!

I'm going camping and am so excited! Heading up to Leo Carrillo State Beach this afternoon to spend the weekend with Meg, Liam, Pat and Shelby. Should be a good time!

Invasion

Funny thing happened last night.
I came home, and just as I sat down on the couch, the blinds behind me rustled noisily. At first I ducked, thinking they were going to fall over me. Nothing happened after a few seconds, when I looked up to see a bird flapping and hovering above my head. This unexpected invader scared the daylights out of me--I ran down the hall screaming, pounded on Jake's door, and told him that THERE WAS A PIGEON IN OUR APARTMENT! He woke up from his nap, amused at this occurrence, and came out to take pictures. How it got into our place? We had no clue. How we were going to get it out? We were even more clueless. Jake grabbed a broom, I grabbed a swiffer mop, we opened our front door--and so began our attempt to get the bird out. 15 scary, hilarious, and frustrating minutes later, it was still inside, flying from the living room to the kitchen, back and forth and everywhere but out the door! To our rescue came two girls on our doorstep: a 6th grader and 9th grader selling candy for their soccer team. They've apparently had experience with getting birds out of their own home, and were more than willing to help. The older girl, JoJo, grabbed the broom from Jake and started chasing--and whacking--the poor tired-out pigeon, causing feathers to fly everywhere. We ended up popping the screen off the kitchen window, and the bird finally exited out of it during the last chase. According to the girls, having a bird in your home is good luck, and may be a sign that money will be coming in soon, which is a fun idea to entertain. If nothing else, it provided us with an eventful evening full of laughs.

Friends

"These books are my friends, my companions. They make me laugh and cry and find meaning in life." -Jeod in Eragon by Chrisopher Paolini

I feel the same way about my books, and it is why I enjoy reading so much. They are not only stories, but friends...

Eragon was our last book club read. Attendance at the meeting this past Sunday was pretty low, and I think it was partially due to the fact that some people couldn't get into the book and didn't finish reading. Those of us that did finish and came to the meeting thought it was an overall enjoyable read, although it had some serious flaws and was nowhere near being a great book.

Giving up

Okay, I think I'm giving up on the idea of fully recapping my Pacific Northwest trip. Instead, you can enjoy the pictures on my photoblog, and I will just list my favorites of the trip here:

1. Powell's City of Books, Portland: I'm a big book nerd, and this place is tons of fun for readers like me. There's not only aisle after aisle and room after room of books, but the books are both new and used so you can bargain hunt, and I do love bargains! Haley's mom gave us a $50 gift certificate, so we were able to get a couple of books each, which was wonderful.

2. Costello's Travel Caffe, Portland: I really wish I could transport this travel-themed cafe down to Southern California, because it is the next best thing to ACTUALLY traveling, and I would spend so much time there. Two walls of the cafe have flat screen TVs on them, showing a different destination each day (we went there twice, and they had scenes from London one day and from Prague the other.) They also have nightly events, including things like showing a foreign film, live international music, or spanish conversation night. The food and dessert was great, and so was the atmosphere--it made me feel like I really could have been in the midst of traveling in some foreign country--I just loved it there.

3. Oregon Zoo tour, Portland: I haven't been to a zoo in about ten years, and I'm so used to looking at marine life that it was a nice change to see some terrestrial animals. And boy did we get to see them--up close and personal. An aquarium friend was able to get into contact with someone at the zoo for me, so we were given a behind-the-scenes tour by one of the keepers. It was AMAZING being able to get so close to the sun bears, polar bears, tigers, leopard, otter, and steller sea lions. AMAZING.

4. Oregon Coast drive: Mesha drove me up and down the coast, and it was beautiful! I'm so used to the over-developed coastline here, and it was refreshing to see the stretches of untouched coastline there. I was *crossing my fingers* and hoping to see whales--or even A whale--during my trip to the coast. We did see the spout of one from a lookout, but couldn't find it again when we drove down to get a closer look. And we missed one spyhopping near the tidepools by a couple of hours. So, I had no luck in seeing whales =(

5. Eating good seafood, especially Tidal Raves in Depoe Bay, OR: I wanted seafood, and I got seafood. Clam chowder, steamed clams, fresh fish, crab cakes, crab cocktail, fish and chips, seafood pasta...mmm...

6. Pike Place Market

7. Seattle public library: again, it's cause I'm a book nerd, and the architecture and design of the 10-story building was just so cool.

Some Pics Posted

I'm home from my trip and back to the grind. I know I'm laggin on telling you about it-- in the mean time, check out photos from the Portland leg of the trip: click on "My Photoblog" in the right column.

Also, just wanted to give a huge, HUGE, THANK YOU to Haley and Mesha for being such great friends and hosts: thanks letting me crash on the couch and for driving all those miles just to show me around. I truly had a wonderful trip and enjoyed spending time with you two!

And, thanks to Sara and Francine for taking a long weekend off to hang out with me in Seattle. I'm glad I didn't have to explore the city on my own.

Next up: Seattle

I can't believe I'm coming up on the latter part of my trip! It's been so great seeing Portland with Haley (especially our awesome tour at the Oregon Zoo), then exploring almost half of the Oregon Coast with Mesha (beautiful scenery and good seafood!) Today, I'm catching a bus back up to Portland to stay with Haley for the night, and then will hop on a train tomorrow morning for Seattle to meet up with Sara and Francine.

I will have to blog my trip when I get back home, so stay tuned...

Snow!

Made it to Portland safely, and am having a great time so far. It is pretty freezing, but bearable. We woke up yesterday to find snow on Haley's car. Snow! In Portland!!

Visited Powell's City of Books yesterday which was AWESOME. A book lover's paradise. Wish you reading fans could have been there with me.

Just wanted to give a quick hello from the Pac NW. I'll update more later...

Gloom and rain, here I come!

I'm taking off on my week-and-a-half vacation to the Pacific Northwest, and am so very excited! First stop will be Portland, to visit Haley. I've only seen her once since Australia (which was five years ago!) so it will be very fun to hang out and see her corner of the west coast. Next, I'm heading over to Newport on the Oregon Coast, where Mesha now lives. We're going to do some driving tours, and hopefully some hiking if the weather cooperates, which I'm looking forward to. Lastly, I'll be going to Seattle. Sara and Francine are flying in, and we're going to spend St. Patty's weekend exploring the city. My first flying-required vacation since NYC last February, and I'm so happy to be traveling again...

And the winner is...

My friend Henny and his friends organize an Oscar Pool every year: you pay $10 for a ballot to vote for who you think will win, and the top guessers get a portion of the pool money. Although I hadn't seen all of the movies, I thought it would be fun to join in this year anyway. So, after doing some online research (IMDB and some "Oscar Prediction" sites) and after changing my vote several times (I filled out three ballots before the final draft), I turned in my ballot thinking I didn't stand a chance against the thirty other participants. I also concluded that I would never do something like that again, because it was too stressful trying to "think" like the academy and voting for who would "most likely" win rather than who I wanted to win. In the end, I enjoyed participating in all the fun, from voting to going to the Oscar party, but especially walking away with half of the first place prize. Yep, that's right, yours truly tied for first place! I went home with $90 bucks, and it was the best $10 investment I've ever made. Maybe I won't totally write off next year's Oscar Pool....

Things that irk me #2

My totally inconsiderate neighbors, who think it's okay to smoke and talk and laugh and yell and whatever else have you at ONE in the frickin morning on a TUESDAY weeknight right outside MY bedroom window. Seriously, take your damn smoking and talking and laughing and yelling and whatever else have you INTO YOUR own damn aparment, and stop waking me up in the middle of the night! We're not a college dorm, I have somewhere to be in the morning, and I NEED my SLEEP!

*whew* that felt better.
thank you for listening.

Why I love Grey's Anatomy

It cracks me up with dialogue like this:

Cristina: McSexy?
Meredith: No.
Izzie: McYummy?
Meredith & Cristina: No.
Meredith: McSteamy.
Cristina: Ah, there it is.
Izzie: Yep.
George: Now...I'll just be choking back some McVomit

Beginnings

This week marks a new journey in the lives of two of my friends.

On monday, Laura hopped on a plane and and went halfway across the globe to the land of Oz. She will be completing her Marine Biology Masters down under at James Cook University in Townsville, QLD.

On wednesday, Jen flew across the continent to the east coast, where she started training for her new job with the NOAA Corps.

I am both very happy and very excited for the two of them, and wish them the best of luck on these new adventures. Congrats Laura and Jen!

Cross-eyed is not a good look

My eyes are burning, my vision is getting a little blurry. I'm staring at my iBook monitor for too long. The reason? I've discovered the sudoko website. And I. can't. stop. I keep doing puzzle after puzzle, it's pathetic. Must. stop. !.

Hit the Quarter

Birthday was yesterday, and I've officially hit the quater-century mark. It's so unreal, I can't believe I'm already 25!!

Tuesday, the day before my birthday, I had a hair appointmnet. After almost two years of keeping up with my brown/golden highlights, I've decided to go black for a while. I just don't have the time or money to keep up with them right now, and low-maintenance hair was a much needed change. At first, it felt like I had a wig on, and I'm still getting use to seeing myself with such dark hair again. After the appointment, I went out to an early birthday dinner with childhood friends Kate and Ali, and Kate's boyfriend Brian. We all have such busy lives that I only get to see them about two to three times a year--usually for birthdays. Last time we met up was for both of thier birthdays back in August, so it was great seeing them and catching up.

Birthday day at work went amazingly smoothly, which was especially unusual for the first of the month. Instead of throwing a party this year, I opted to just do dinner with all my wonderful friends. Had a reservation for 25 at Claim Jumper, and every seat was filled. It was nice that everyone was able to come celebrate with me--thanks you guys!

So, this is it. I am officially half way to thirty. Twenty to twenty-five has brought many memories, friends, adventures, lessons, and accomplishments. It was full of love and loss, learning and growing, and I'm confident that twenty-five to thirty will be no less exciting and fullfilling. So here's to the second half of my twenty-something years!

You know you're getting old when...

...Grandpa gives you only FOUR (two $2 bills) dollars for the Lunar New Year! Although the new year is not ALL about getting those nice little red envelopes stuffed with money, it is definitely a big perk in the holiday celebrations. It has nothing to do with being greedy; I think we're all just kids-at-heart, wanting to peek into the red envelopes and see dollar bills there, day-dreaming about what new toy we can buy with it.

As you get older, the dollar amounts seem to get smaller and smaller, until one day (gasp!) you're expected to GIVE away envelopes, not RECEIVE them. *Whew* good thing that time hasn't come for me yet, but I'm getting signs that it's coming up pretty soon:
Sign #1: As mentioned earlier, gramps didn't give his usual twenty dollar bills. They were 2-without-the-0 dollar bills.
Sign #2: I got a lotto ticket in one envelope. No cash.
Sign #3: Everyone in my family keeps wishing me a happy new year and hoping that I find a husband soon (marriage=no more red envelopes for Jane).
Ah, well, I guess that's what happens when you grow up!

Weekend update

Wow, I actually DID something this past weekend! (Sad, but I've been leading a pretty boring life lately. Well, boring as in I don't have anything to write about, but I'm actually enjoying how low-key things have been.)

Worked at the Aquarium Saturday day, then went to Jen's graduation/going away party at the Long Beach Yacht club that night. She's heading off into the NOAA Corp (that's National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration for those of you who don't know what NOAA stands for) in about two weeks--congrats on finishing school and landing the job Jen!! The party was fun, but what party with an open bar isn't fun? I also got to see a couple of friends, JoAnn and Steph, who I haven't seen in a while, so it was nice catching up.

Sunday morning, I was back at the Aquarium for a staff meeting, then hung out with Wendy and Kiernan for a bit. Sunday night was our first book club meeting of the year, for Memoirs of a Geisha. There were a few no-shows, but a strong attendance overall. We had good discussions, and I think everyone really enjoyed the book--I was probably the one who liked it least out of the group. Next up for the book club is Eragon. I've heard mixed reviews about this one, and am curious to see how it is, especially being a fan of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings...

My birthday is coming up next week. Just doing dinner this year, no party. I'm a little partied-out, after five years eating drinking puking and cleaning.

Later on in February, Terrin, my roomate while in Australia will be in Cali for a week. We'll be hanging out, and it will be great to see her again!

And I just might be taking a little vacation to the Pacific Northwest in March, and hoping to see Haley and Mesha!

Quote-o-the-day (with a bonus vocab-word-o-the-day)

"When I look at the night sky and consider my relationship to it--one puny organism, out of billions of puny organisms, just sitting in the remains of an ancient chapel, breathing in and out, watching for shooting stars, trying to pick out the constellations, still--this moment both grounds me in the tactile reality of dirt, air, and skin and also lifts me up to believe that there must be someone, something up there, there must be. While floods and famine and cancer certainly suggest the universe is pure chaos and randomness, the beauty in the elaborate and connected natural order of things--of the veins of a leaf, of a river, of a bolt of lightning, to the veins in my hand--suggest there is purpose and meaning and, yes, maybe even somthing bigger and better than us. And more than the incredible natural order of the universe, there is love: how can love be the product of anything short of divine?..."
-The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters, Elisabeth Robinson


Epistolary: written in the form of a series of letters

(The above quoted book is an epistolary novel, and the first one I've ever read. Took some time getting used to the format the story was being told in, but I started to enjoy it more as I got further into it.)

Where have I been?

Nowhere really, Life has just been quite uneventful and uninteresting lately, hence the lack of posts. I'll write more once things pick up.

Unsatisfying Meals

My wisdom teeth were removed this past Thursday, so for the past week my mouth has been sore, my cheeks puffy and feeling like I just had botox injections, and I've been subsisting off of soups, apple sauce, mashed potatoes and other soft mushy foods. Eating has become a bit of a chore and so unsatisfying--I actually skipped dinner last night because the thought of how tedious feeding myself would be made me lose my apetite. oh, I can't wait until I can bite into a nice juicy hamburger again--to actually enjoy a meal, mmm...