BertVille

Masquerading

2008-09-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

In San Francisco, recreation can get pretty expensive pretty quickly. Since we've been saving for a house, we've been cutting back on the money we spend to go out and have fun.

Fortunately, I discovered Yelp.com, a site dedicated to reviewing local restaurants and shops. A very nice idea, but here's the kicker - if a member writes enough reviews, and is witty and informative, they make that member an Elite Member. And this is good because they invite the Elite Members to a free party each month. Free food, booze, and the ability to chat with others who are beautiful and popular. I feel like I've finally succeeded at high school!

If you want to see my reviews, you can search for me on Yelp with my email address.

Beautiful and Popular

Humble Pie

2008-08-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

We've been checking out real estate. Knowing full well that we can't afford to buy a cute, little 3-bedroom home in San Francisco (for the average price of nearly $1 million), we've been looking into different cities.

It seems that wherever we want to live, someone has discovered it first. It's been very daunting. I find myself pouting and thinking that all I want is a smallish, 3-bedroom place with a cute kitchen in which to make blueberry pie for my husband and future children.

We were especially discouraged today, after perusing Redfin, a site that shows real estate listings with photos, as well as price drops. Yes, prices have come down significantly in many areas. Unfortunately, this being our first home, we have no equity on which to rest our lofty home-buying goals. It seems we will be relegated to a crappy, 80s-style 2-bedroom condo in our town of choice. Unless, that is, prices fall by more than $100K by next year.

But, as I was saying, today we had ourselves worked up, until Bryan asked me if we were poor. It's a perfectly valid question, given that we have tried to live as frugally as we can, but still can't seem to save enough for a starter home in any decent area.

When he asked that, I remembered my Peace Corps experience. I said, "No, we're not," and I found an internet tool that proves it.

Global Rich List

I found this tool at The Wall Street Journal website. The article from which I got it is also interesting.

We are in the less-than-1% richest range for global richness. We are richer than more than 99% of the world's population!

So, I feel better about a crappy, 80s-tastic condo than I did earlier today. Sometimes, I forget to be grateful for what I have.

Hooray for Woot.com!

2008-07-16T18:51:00.000-07:00

My husband just said these words to me:

"I can't wait to vacuum!"

Seriously, this is the best day ever. He bought a Dyson vacuum on woot.com, and he is so excited. You can understand why it's my new favorite website.

Granted, he did treat the vacuum as though it was a lightsaber when he first took it from the box, so perhaps there is a bit more going on here than just an instinct for cleanliness.

It works super well! Woot for the new vacuum!

Baby's Got Back Injury

2008-07-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

Since the end of May, I've been struggling with a back injury, which has had me staying away from the gym, hiking, and… well, sitting. My chiropractor called it early on, saying it was a disc injury.

My primary care, on the other hand, decided it was a muscle and told me to call if it got worse. Well, it got worse and I called two weeks later to schedule a follow up, and to get an MRI referral to find out the extent of the damage.

The administration in the office is far beyond what I would call disorganized. I've been mad at them for over a month. They continue call my defunct home phone to make appointments, despite me giving them my cell phone number on four separate occasions. (Finally, I had one of the admins remove my home phone number from the database entirely.) And, they keep scheduling me on days when I say I absolutely cannot make it.

Is this opposite day?!

I finally got in to see the doc, who said it's a disc injury. Something I’ve known since May 30. Late to the party, but at least she showed up. She wrote me three referrals.

1) MRI
2) Physical Therapy
3) Spine Orthopedist

I felt relieved, and went home to make all of my appointments. Well, today, the spine doc still does't have the referral from my primary care that was supposedly faxed last Wednesday to her office. Even better, I received a letter from my insurance that says they won't cover an MRI unless it's ordered by an orthopedist.

And here's the funny part that makes me want to pull out my hair and wander the street babbling to myself... the orthopedist won't see me without an MRI.

It's like a Mobius strip straight out of hell.

What's really annoying is I'm not even sure to whom I should direct my increasing ire. Private insurance for being yet another failing American invention? Or, the primary care clinic for being so lame in the first place?

Meanwhile, my left foot keeps tingling. That can't be good.

Farmers' Market

2008-07-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

Bryan and I have been frequenting the local farmers' market for the past month or so.

The progression to where we are now in our grocery buying adventure has been a gradual one. We began with the standard trip to Safeway, a large, west coast grocery chain. Then, somehow, we learned of the evils of high fructose corn syrup, and began looking for it in the ingredients of all of our food. It seems, nearly every food carried by regular grocery chains contains this sinister ingredient. From yogurt to bread, check it out.

Enter large chain organic grocery store, WholeFoods. Having previously avoided this behemoth due to its often exorbitant pricing, we did some cost comparisons. Most of the Safeways have an organic section, which sells many of the same foods found at WholeFoods. However, when we crunched the numbers, we realized that Safeway was gouging people who wanted to to eat healthy foods with whole grains and no poison in them. This seemed wrong... and expensive. So, we changed our regular grocery store to WholeFoods. During this time, Bryan was reading "An Omnivore's Dilemma", as well. So we began looking for organic animal products, including organic milk, free range chicken and eggs, and grass-fed beef.

We definitely pay more for the humane and organic versions of these products, but we feel good because we're not only helping the individual animals, but also the environment, by reducing the antibiotics and other unnatural things that are often added to these foods.

We were pretty happy with our weekly trips to WholeFoods and occasional trips to the city's co-op market to buy our organic goods. However, while the staples at WholeFoods are more reasonably priced than their counterparts at Safeway, we found that buying organic produce was putting us in the poor house. Grapes from Chile, peaches from Alabama, apples from New Zealand... That much travel costs a lot for a small piece of fruit, both in dollars and in pollution. Hmm.

We began to consider the farmers' market as a possible alternative. Hallelujah! We found that we could buy a pound of peaches for $1.50 per pound. Contrast that with the $2.99 per pound we paid at WholeFoods. And the produce at the farmers' market is local. None of it travels from other countries, or even other states. As an added bonus, much of it is labeled organic, even by rigid California standards.

So, Bryan and I are enjoying the lower cost and, quite frankly, better taste of local foods produced by small farms. And, in a world of growing pollution and environmental problems, our consciences are pretty clear, with an occasional splurge on bananas from afar.

Spitting Mad

2008-06-24T12:07:00.000-07:00

For most of the late 1990s, I lived in a small, Dominican village working with together with local people to create sustainable development practices in the community. I took bucket baths with stored rain water that I kept in large containers behind my little cinderblock home. I went to christenings, weddings, and funerals with my neighbors. I suffered from Dengue Fever and giardia, neither of which I recommend.

Presently, I work with extremely poor people, many of whom are homeless and have serious illnesses. I help them navigate the struggles in their daily lives and, for the most part, I enjoy my work.

I do not consider myself to be culturally insensitive or closed-minded about personal differences.

That said, I never want to be showering at the gym and hear someone hawking up a loogie and spitting it out in the shower stall next to mine. Ever.

The gym I frequent is full of people who are very culturally different than me. And, while I can appreciate that their customs are diverse and not always going to match mine, I do not want to step in someone else's phlegm in the shower.

Ew.

That's really all I have to say about it. No witty tie-together at the end. Just... stop spitting in the showers at the gym, please. Yuck.

Isn't It A Little Early to Come Full Circle?

2008-06-20T12:51:00.000-07:00

A HISTORY OF FAVORITES
by Bert

Childhood
Food: fresh fruit
Beverage: lemonade
Activity: playing outside

Teenhood
Food: Cheetos
Beverage: Coca-Cola
Activity: writing morose poetry

Young Adulthood
Food: macaroni and cheese
Beverage: wine - all of it
Activity: dancing until 1:00am

Present
Food: fresh fruit
Beverage: lemonade
Activity: playing outside

Aloha

2008-06-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

We went to Kaua'i for a wedding! It was fabulous. Here is a photo journal of some of the events. I took over 700 photos, but managed to whittle them down a bit. You can see the rest of the ones that made the cut by clicking here.

We were thrilled to arrive in Hawaii.

Puka Dog - as seen on No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain.

I injured my back and went to the ER. Just because I'm old, so don't ask.

The Hyatt salt water lagoon is lovely.

Luau Mai Tais (Bryan had five).

Bryan snorkeled.

Then, he joined a boy band.

Wailua Falls is taller than Niagara Falls.

Hiking in the rainforest takes muscles.

Waimea Canyon. Bryan said those boats were Magnum PI chasing a drug runner.

We took a catamaran to the Na Pali Coast.

Neither of us got sea sick.

Then, we went to the wedding in our fabulous wedding get-ups.

Woo! Happily ever after.

And I got my dance on at the reception with Elan.

Birthday Weekend

2008-05-05T19:48:00.000-07:00

Bryan took me out of town for my birthday last weekend! We went to the Tallman Hotel in Lake County, an 1890s building restored to its previous glory, but with fun new amenities.

We stayed in a cute casita behind the main building. Bryan booked it because it had a Japanese soaking tub on the back patio. (We don't have a usable bathtub at our apartment, and he knew I missed submerging myself.)

We went wine tasting in a limo at four lovely vineyards near Clear Lake.

One of them even had pirates!

Later, a giant cake was delivered to us after dinner! We're not sure why they thought we needed to feed 30 people since it was clearly just the two of us!

Then, we came back to go to my old roommate's wedding. It was cold in Berkeley, but still a lovely end to a wonderful weekend.

Here's the happy couple.

And here's to love!

Click here for more photos of the birthday weekend and ex-roommate wedding fun.

It's About Time

2008-04-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

This morning, this article was called to my attention.

I'm giddy like a schoolgirl because someone has finally taken notice of what I've sensed all along... Dr. Phil is a hack. I feel vindicated because I've always thought that:

1) Verbal abuse is not therapeutic.
2) Though a Texas accent makes him charming in a homegrown way, it does not necessarily make him an expert.
3) He has already broken several ethical codes and has moved into legal territory, of late, including practicing without a license (which was revoked nearly two decades ago).
4) But most importantly, lasting change is only made when a person recognizes, on his or her own over a period of self-discovery and learning, that there is a problem... not when he or she is assaulted by a crazy man on national television.

My Coveted Parts

2008-04-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

This morning, I was at the gym. My iPod blasting and my brow sweating, I stretched my hamstrings and brought the funk to 24 Hour Fitness.

Suddenly, there was a tap on my shoulder. I looked around. Nobody. I continued stretching. Another tap. I looked again, and this time spotted a very small woman speaking silently up at me.

I held up my finger in the "one moment please" gesture as I wrestled to shut off my my iPod.

Me: Yes?
Small woman: (English was not her first language) How you get that butt?
Me: Pardon me?
Small woman: How you get that butt? (she gestures to her butt, then mine) I like and want to make that butt.

A-hem. I'm sorry; I don't do that in the gym. Then, it dawned on me that she was asking me how to make her butt as large and round as my own. A-ha!

I showed her some exercises I do that work those muscles. She, in turn, showed me, once again, her flat butt. I smiled and nodded. So did she. I smiled again. She stood there, staring and smiling, until eventually, I went back to stretching, and she wandered away.

It's a weird little moment in itself, but this is all on top of the fact that a woman at work, also small and foreign in the same way as the above-mentioned woman, keeps patting me on the butt and saying, "Oh, I like your butt! I want to have butt like that!"

I'm not quite sure what to make of this phenomenon. I'm scared to go to Chinatown alone.

Where Have I Been?

2008-04-09T16:53:00.000-07:00

Turns out that David Beckham is a Dreamy McDreamerson.

Another hottie that flew under my radar until I saw Leatherheads. He's so great that even Bryan has a man crush on him.

I have got to pay more attention.

That said, I'll keep my own dreamboat, thanks.

Time Versus Money

2008-03-26T11:14:00.000-07:00

I just read an article about the average commute time in America. In itself, it was shocking and appalling. I miss the America where people walked down the street to work at the corner store, law office, postal counter, or other local job. I say that like I knew a time when that existed, but I guess what I mean is that I miss the idea of it from the books I've read.

Anyway, another shocking statistic in the article was:
"San Francisco... the average cost of a home was $1.45 million in 2007." Well, let me just write you a check for that $300,000 down payment. Again, I am forced to ask myself, just who are the people buying these homes, and how are they doing it without jumbo mortgage loans? Well, I can tell who it's not... me. I'm not rich, but I'm certainly not poor, either. Which, I suppose, puts me solidly in the middle class, which, media tells me, has been priced out of all of the three bedroom homes anywhere near any city on the east or west coast.

I'm not really stunned, but more... let's call it miffed. I'm miffed at the silly housing market and economic state of the USA.

Worst Paid CEO in the USA

2008-03-24T12:29:00.001-07:00

I just read an article that I found particularly uplifting. I wanted to pass it on and encourage people to use their services.

Where Are They Now?

2008-03-20T08:06:00.000-07:00

And where would I be if I had stuck around?

Frankly, I don't expect anyone to be interested in this except me, but it needs to get written or it will stay stuck in the corner of my mind, like a splinter, until it gets infected.

(The caveat is that I'm still friends with some of these ex-boyfriends, which is fun because I don't have to date them, anymore.)

Boyfriend #1 (The Uppity): He was going to St. Paul Academy, a private high school for the rich kids. His divorced mother, who I can only assume took her ex for everything he had, lived just off of Summit Avenue in a grand, turn-of-the century home. And their lives were all that this implies. Had I stuck around, I assume I would be rich, uppity, and perhaps running a charity for poor children or abandoned puppies.

Boyfriend #2 (The Druggy): High school dropout. Currently, deceased. So, I would be widowed. Likely living in a trailer or a tent by a river somewhere with several fatherless children.

Boyfriend #3 (The Druggy II): Same as above, but still alive, as far as I know. I'd likely be frustrated, cheated upon, and spreading from having had four children. I would also be thinking about finally attending college.

Boyfriend #4 (The Nice Boy): Too nice, in fact. I became disinterested at all of his not-cheating and not-drinking himself to death. If I hadn't broken his heart when I left for college, I'd likely be teaching elementary school in Minnesota while he worked at his office job. We'd live in a modest townhome and have a 9 year old and a 7 year old.

Boyfriend #5 (The Drunken Frat Boy): His antics freshman year kept me feeling resentful and confused, so I'd likely be over-eating to squelch my hatred of him, by now. Possibly divorced, probably with children, and trying to support us on a teacher's salary.

Boyfriend #6 (See Boyfriend #8): College boyfriend... later revisited.

Boyfriend #7 (The Dominican): His home country was my Peace Corps assignment. He spoke English and was younger than me. I'd likely be living in Minnesota, teaching, and possibly have some lovely mixed-raced children, whom I would spend my time defending in the sleepy, mostly white suburbs. Or, we would live in a sweet Caribbean home in an upscale Dominican neighborhood, while I worked for USAID. I'd be missing my family.

Boyfriend #8 (The Goof Off): We met and dated in college when his goofing off was cute and age-appropriate. His motorcycle really won me over. But, after I had seen some of the world, it all seemed less charming. I'd likely be miserable, living in a tour bus, traveling the country swing dancing, while trying to write my memoir. I don't think I'd have had any children with him, given he was so much like a child in so many ways.

Boyfriend #9 (The Outdoorsman): Quiet, humble, honest. I'd likely be camping in the Sierra Nevada, or working in a fire tower somewhere. I would not have likely gone back to school, and would still be saddled with only a teaching degree. Therefore, I would have been recently laid off of work, since San Francisco cut the budget. I'd be nowhere near having children because of the nomadic lifestyle Outdoorsman led.

Boyfriend #10 (The Accidental Boyfriend): He danced with the Oakland ballet before I met him, but had been mostly club dancing and showing off his tattoos when we began hanging out. I'd likely be a lesbian stripper if we'd stayed together... because it seems like those are the people with whom he rolls.

Boyfriend #11 (The Rich): We traveled and had a blast, but couldn't find our communication groove. If I had stayed with him, we'd likely be in much of the same place we ended, fighting about his ex-girlfriend. Luckily, the break-up brought us both some important insights about ourselves.

Boyfriend #12 (The Cowboy): A two-stepping, heart-breaking, old-school man of the west. I can't imagine a world in which this would have lasted longer than several months, since we were destined to be just good friends right from the start.

Boyfriend #13 (The Dangerous): What the hell was I thinking? He was in the middle of a divorce. Enough said.

Holy crap, that's a lot of boyfriends. Keep in mind that it was over the span of nearly two decades. And, that I'm a slut.

Boyfriend #14 (The Keeper): Finally! The one for whom I was meant! I had to go all the way to a different state to find him, but it was so worth it. Kind, intelligent, sexy. We have fun and we can communicate. Despite his lack of tattoos, motorcycles, and alcoholism, he is a winning combination of fantastic qualities. I married this one. *sigh of relief*

Tahoe City, CA

2008-02-19T20:52:00.000-08:00

This weekend, Bryan and I went to Tahoe City to snowshoe, chill out, and spend some time with old friends. Here are some photos... more to come on my photopages.

The Nut with Goggles

Bryan Shoveling the Icy Driveway

Snowshoeing

Lake Tahoe, North Side

Bryan Hiking Near Emerald Bay

Apocalypse

2008-02-02T19:50:00.000-08:00

The other day, I was at the gym, the only venue in which I watch local news. They force gym-goers into it, really, facing all of the machines toward the giant televisions with the closed captioning running along the bottom of the screen. Iraq war, stock market crashing, murder rate, traffic back up on I-5...

This particular day, I saw something that convinced me, for certain, that our modern society, as we know it, is on its way to a steep down turn and eventually crash.

Doggy diet drugs. No, it's not an SNL skit, though it bears an eerie resemblance to one. The story was aired on ABC news at 6am. I wasted a good portion of the rest of my day feeling baffled by these dog owners who are giving their dogs too much food, not enough exercise, and then trying to fix it as they fix their own issues - with a miracle drug, which allows them to maintain their exact lifestyles, changing nothing, dodging the bullet of inconvenience. Did anyone else notice that the only fit-looking person in the clip was the vet who remained dubious about using weight loss drugs on dogs? Fat people have fat pets. If a person doesn't eat healthy and get enough exercise to maintain a healthy weight, why would they ensure their pets would? Or, their children, for that matter.

This from a woman who ate ice cream for dinner. At least I'm not feeding it to my dog and then making him suck down some SlimFast.

Knitting

2008-01-12T13:44:00.000-08:00

Over the holidays, I asked my mother to teach me how to knit. Now, I'm knitting my very first scarf. Unfortunately, without my mother nearby to fix my mistakes, so far it's a very wavy scarf with holes in it that goes from thick to thin back to thick again. And that's only in the 6" of scarf I've completed.

I'm thinking about starting a business of badly made scarves. People could give them as gifts, and say they made them. Very believable. Good brownie points. The only thing is, I'd have to charge $2000 per scarf because it's will take me months to complete one. Still, perhaps there's a market...

Sliding Google Doors

2008-01-06T13:05:00.000-08:00

Bored and with a bad cold yesterday, I played a little bit on Google, looking up just about everyone I've ever known. I ended up having two very strange Google experiences. One, an interesting coincidence. The other, a melancholy visit to the past.

First, I googled my own full name, curious about whether my maiden or married name has more entries, at this point. When I've googled my maiden name in the past, I've generally gotten some entries about me and some about a woman living in Australia. This time, I got her Facebook page, so out of curiosity, I sent her a message. From her Google entries, I know is that she's 5'10", blond, and 23 years old. Gee, we're practically twins. Anyway, I hope she answers; it could be interesting.

The second Google encounter was less of a whimsical coincidence and more of a solemn heart-wringer. I googled my very first love. At age 16, I had been drawn to him because of his idealistic, save-the-world attitude. I was likely already on my path to Peace Corps service and was completely taken with him. We only dated for a few months, but in high school time, it was enough to be forever changed.

Unfortunately, he turned out to be a really screwed up kid with a broken family and a drug problem. The affair was short-lived, due to his substance abuse and "free love" attitude. He broke my little adolescent heart, and it was crumpled for quite a few years, afterward. You just don't forget a first heartbreak that easily.

So, I googled him, along with other exes and old friends from decades past. Only two entries came up. One with his name followed by the dates 1972-2007. Hmm. Sounds like the beginning of an epitaph. The other entry was a MySpace page, on which his friends had written, "R.I.P."

My first love, it turns out, had drown in a swimming pool. With a little more research I found out that he had, apparently, been drunk with some friends. It seems he had never stopped his substance abuse. I also found out that the date of his drowning was the day before my wedding, while my friends and family were having a celebratory pool party.

*shiver*

Apparently, he had been well-loved by many in the pseudo-hippie community. He had had three children and had been living with a woman who had loved him very much. There was a large turnout at his funeral, which brought people together after years of separation.

It was nearly 17 years ago that we briefly dated, and yet, I find myself having a Sliding Doors moment around the situation. His future, my future, might have been different if either of us had made a different decision back in the summer of 1991. Strange how small decisions make a huge difference in the course of a life.

Sometimes, the things that break our hearts and seem as though they might crush our very essence at the time, turn out to be events that save us from a much worse fate later on. In a different world, they could have been my children without a father. It scares me a bit that I didn't walk away from him. I'm glad that, though I was too young to have the sense to put an end to our relationship, he broke my heart and left me alone when I was still pliable enough to heal and make a better life for myself.

In the end, it sounded like he had a life he wanted. Traveling, free-loving, and making friends out of strangers. I'm happy he got to have that life for as long as he did. Being human is amazing in that we can feel sadness, relief, caring, and wistful happiness... all at one time.

Remembering Events of 2007

2008-01-02T09:45:00.000-08:00

As we enter 2008, I find myself remembering some of the good and bad times from 2007. Here is a photo history of just some of the main events of my 2007.

On March 18, Bryan proposed to me with this ring. We were at the beach, and I was sure I would drop it and lose it in the sand. Luckily, the ring made it onto my finger, and we spent the rest of the day smooching and making others around us sick with all of our schmoopy-ness.

Then, in April, we went for a hike on my birthday.

Later we had dinner with some of my wonderful friends.

Not wanting to wait until summer to use my new birthday camera, Bryan and I went to KFOG's Kaboom in May. Colder than July, but we had front row seats!

Then, in the end of May, we were rear-ended by an airport van. It totaled my adorable, little Honda del Sol. Luckily, we made it out with few injuries, the last of which seem to be almost healed.

After weeks of searching, we replaced my old Honda with a different one. Our first mutual purchase. (I still miss my SPR BERT.)

Over the summer, Bryan and I went to the Monterrey Aquarium.

And also visited local pirates during our site seeing. Yar!

In June, my friend Lisa threw an engagement party for us at our favorite hangout. Many friends came to wish us well.

In July, my friend since junior high, Amber, came to visit San Francisco. We did some more site seeing and went up to wine country on a sunny, summer day.

My friends, Rich and Stacy, had twins! I felt honored to be one of the first people called, and went to see the tiny ones in the hospital, as well as later in their home.

In August, Bryan and I took a trip to Seattle for his friend's 30th birthday. This is the only photo I took during the whole trip. Bryan getting coffee; it happens a lot in Seattle.

In September, our biggest event took place. We got hitched in Arizona! With all of our friends and family there, we decided to have a big pool party the day before...

...and got married the next day.

Then, on to honeymoon in Costa Rica. First, the volcano, which erupted nearly constantly.

Then, the beach and other national parks.

Also in September was Bryan's birthday. We had been on our honeymoon, so when we got back, I made him this lemon-lime jello cake. I know... euw. But, we both grew up with white-trash processed food, so this is basically the birthday cake of the gods.

For Halloween, we were Mr. and Mrs. Frankenstein, after their honeymoon phase ended.

My brother had a difficult year. In late summer, his marriage, very unexpectedly, came to an end. Our family was shocked and broken-hearted for him. He's a strong, intelligent man, whom I believe will continue to work hard on his future goals, despite the setback. In November, I went to visit him at his house in the midwest. We had great fun, as usual.

Also in November, Bryan and I went to the, now infamous, San Francisco Zoo. We actually watched one of the tigers pace for about 10 minutes during our visit. This photo is not of the tiger pen, clearly.

For Thanksgiving break, Bryan and I decided to drive to Austin, TX. We're thinking of leaving the Bay Area in several years, in order to raise a family, so we wanted to check Austin out as a possible location.

On the way to Texas, we stopped in Arizona to visit my parents.

Despite its beauty, we decided not to move to Austin, but we still enjoyed the sites...

...including the state capitol.

Also in November, Bryan's sister had triplets! We've yet to meet them, so it's an event of which I still have no photos!

And, of course, in December, there were Christmas parties and friends to visit.

We also went back to Arizona for some family time. Here is us with my parents at the Desert Museum.

Now, as we cross the threshold into 2008, we hope for good things in the coming year.

Holidays 2007

2008-01-01T18:27:00.000-08:00

During the holidays this year, Bryan and I had a great time as a married couple. We went to a party and brought tater tot hotdish, a food of my childhood, which Bryan cooked like a native midwesterner.

And we saw our friends with their twins in silly winter hats.

Then, we went to Arizona to visit my family and open Christmas gifts.

And we also did some hiking in the desert.

It was a very nice end to 2007. Stay tuned for the full 2007 recap.

I'm At Work

2007-12-24T13:13:00.000-08:00

It's December 24th and I'm at work. Even worse, I'm the crisis person on call, so I can't leave my desk to go for a nice little stroll in the crisp winter air.

It's sunny out. I'm sitting here under the fluorescent lights feeling like the damned as I see people outside carrying gifts and laughing with family and friends. They're on their way to turkey dinner, and I'm at work with about five other disgruntled workers who have to be here.

The good news is, my husband is making dinner because he gets today off. Crab, sourdough, asparagus, and some sweet potatoes that need cooking before they go bad. Tiny cheesecake from the corner store for dessert. And then, we exchange gifts.

It's amazing how my instinct to just make a run for it out the window gets stronger as the day wears on. Why didn't I study graphic design instead?

Dedication to My Christmas List

2007-12-21T16:40:00.000-08:00

When I googled "last minute Christmas shopping", the search produced 296,000 entries. I did this search because, recently, I've been noticing TV commercials filled with harried shoppers, reminding me to make sure I get things for each person on my shopping list. In the weeks since Thanksgiving, giant billboards have popped up on the sides of buildings and city buses, "BUY BUY BUY!" These ads seem to be telling me not only to purchase the merchandise, but also how to do it. Make sure it's frantic and as stressful as possible. It seems that my relatives and friends will certainly disown me if I mess up this task and end up with nothing in hand on Christmas Eve.

This all leads me to wonder when Christmas became just another checkbox on the To Do List of Life. We seem to have lost the real meaning of the season. I'm not talking about the religious significance, which varies from person to person, but instead the idea of setting aside time to spend with those whom we love most in the world. My Christmas list isn't a series of checked boxes of tasks accomplished; it's a list of people for whom I've thoughtfully chosen items which I believe will show them that they were on my mind for longer than it takes to run into Target at the zero hour. For me, Christmas is about being able to dedicate some time to thinking about the people I love, getting inside what it is that makes them unique, and finding something they will, hopefully, enjoy receiving.

In pondering who my loved ones really are, their likes and hobbies and beliefs, I'm also taking the time to honor what they mean in my life and the things I've learned from having them so close to me.

That is the reason why I don't buy half-assed gifts for people. I take the time to find something that fits. And I don't just mean the size on the tag.

Review: I Am Legend

2007-12-16T19:30:00.000-08:00

Okay, here's a little secret I've been sitting on. I am a huge post-apocalyptic movie fan. Even if it's really badly written, I can generally enjoy the imaginings of the weird fantasy world in which the movie is set.

Unfortunately, despite my imagination, I Am Legend disappointed me. In order not to spoil it, I'll just say that I really liked the first half of the movie. Many plot devices seemed to be set up. The story was smart and suspenseful. The monsters were nearly unseen and scarier for it. Also, Will Smith is one of the best actors I've ever seen on the big screen. He's so genuine and believable. The second half went quickly downhill with a poorly developed character, seemingly added into the movie as an after thought and convenient plot device. The earlier clues I had that the plot might move in a very interesting, intelligent direction were dropped, seemingly ignored and forgotten.

My husband said it best. It's like the first and second halves of the movie were written by different people. *sigh* I had high hopes. But, you know, it was still fun to go watch buff Will Smith do pull ups with no shirt on. Three out of five stars, mostly due to the weak ending.

Avatar Time Suck

2007-12-16T12:57:00.002-08:00

I just re-discovered one of my favorite internet time wasters, which I'd almost entirely forgotten. Yahoo Avatars!

I'm going to sit here all damn day and make more of them.

Here's climbing me.

Safari me.

And me on Dance Fever.