January 2009

Warning: contains embarrassing reflection on the effects of a busy work schedule.

So most of the time I am pretty diligent about trying to get breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack, repeat. Especially the breakfast part because let’s face it I am starving the second I drag myself out of bed. But today as I ran into Safeway at 8:45 on the way home to grab a few bags of candy for work tomorrow I realized just how completely shot to hell my nutritional intake was for the day.

Started the day with a cookie I grabbed on the way out the door at 7:30. Then a mocha at Starbucks because it’s Wednesday and let’s face it who doesn’t need caffeine. Leftover cous cous and fake meatballs around 11 (no comment – it was better than it sounds). Tea latte (again Starbucks) at 2:45. Handful of almonds on the way home at 6. Half a bag of Valentine’s candy my sister sent me. Handful of almonds on the way to church at 7. Pringles I grabbed at the grocery store in sheer starvation at 8:45. Warm apple juice. Another piece of candy from the bag my sister sent me (ummm gummy heart).

Eh tomorrow’s a new day right?

p.s. there had better be no comments about my New Year’s resolution to eat more greens. I’ll go eat some mini carrots before calling it a night.

The New York Times wrote “Not just man’s best friend but God’s best ally” when it came to reviewing Dean Koontz’s 2007 “hit” book The Darkest Evening of the Year. Apparently somewhere between 2007 and my mom giving it to my for Christmas of 2008 something must have happened because the novel I read (aka skimmed) in two hours was absolutely terrible. The kind of book that is bad at the beginning and only continues to get worse. And worse still because you expect that surely it must get better until alas in the end you realize that your hope was foolish and it really was just an awful waste of 250 pages.

Here’s your quick cliff notes on the book just in case, and I’m guessing, you aren’t going to rush out to Barnes and Noble to pick it up. To sum it up the book begins with a golden retriever rescuer Amy and her architect boyfriend Brian rescuing a dog from a wife beater and her autistic daughter who just happens to be creepy by saying something cryptic like “the dog was always named Nickie”. This will be important. Book then explains Amy rescues dogs and blah blah. Nickie (dog) goes home with her. Brian goes crazy and starts hearing angel wings and drawing pictures of the dog. End scene. Enter weirdest characters of the book Moongirl and Harrow, who turn out to be murderers who burn people’s houses for fun. Moongirl has a daughter who she keeps locked in a room. Also there is some unending scenes about some private investigators who play Second Life and I skimmed so thoroughly that all I know is they are there to let you know that Amy has a secret past. End first half of book.

Second half of book, find out Moongirl’s daughter she tortures is really her child with Brian (architect). Calls him to set up meeting for him to get his daughter back but it is an evil plot. Amy will go along as will of course Nickie (dog), who gets creepier in her knowledge of all things human. Not sure what the private investigators were up to except a lot of dialogue that was uninteresting. On the way to meet Moongirl and Harrow then Amy reveals to Brian she also has a past – her husband murdered her daughter, also named Nickie, but Amy escaped. We then find out that the husband is actually Harrow and he has tracked down Amy and the entire plot is for him to kill Amy, for Moongirl to kill her daughter she has been torturing (who also has Downs Sydrome btw), and it all gest pretty vivid in the torture details. Happens to go down in California outside of San Francisco. Of course.

Ending …. the suspense. There’s a fight. Nickie (the dog who we now find out is also the angel of the dead daughter of Amy) rescues Moongirl and Brian’s Down Syndrome daughter form murder but Moongirl stabs Amy, Brian shoots Moongirl and Harrow but Harrow shoots Brian. All are dead or dying but then miraculously the angel/dog Nickie lays down on Amy and Brian after flying and heals them. All live happily ever after.

Seriously and if you had the detail that only 250 pages can provide it would be even worse. My mother, who bought me the book, admitted it sounded pretty bad. Although she did say to me “well at least it ended happy”. So true. Next year I’m hoping for something with a gift receipt.

(love you Mom)

Well that’s deep, huh? I supposed I was intrigued by this quotation because I was struck by the line “the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions” and although upon first reading I was in agreement, upon looking again it doesn’t seem to really make any statement whatsoever. What action does not stem from opinion? Or at least the controversial ones for that matter.

I guess separation of church and state has been on my mind lately with the Inauguration and transition of a new President, with the March for Life that was this weekend in San Francisco, and some various conversations I have had recently with regards to some “hot button” political issues that are often turned into solely religious issues.

I was telling Sarah today that maybe it is because I have not lived in the Bay Area for that long, but it does seem to me that often people here like to comment upon the difficulties of living in a city such as ours. Meaning a city that indulges many and requires accountability from few. I guess coming from a different perspective I have loved moving here it feels as if there are many people living many different lives but able to coexist while doing so. I like that. I like that I am continually challenged in my way of thinking just because there is such a wealth of difference around me, whether it is something I agree with, don’t, or haven’t figured out yet.

I think with my life as with my faith it is somewhat calming to know that I am still figuring it out and deciding where I stand and what I believe. It’s nice to not have it “all figured out”. In fact I hope I never have it entirely figured out. And part of that means figuring out how my faith fits in with my life, especially in a city that often provides me so many challenges and opportunities for widening my perspective and question my ideals.

So I guess I would want to ask Thomas Jefferson how a country can go about regulating actions without stifling opinions. How do you separate your beliefs from your politics?

Currently listening to Kings of Leon’s Sex on Fire. Why did it take me so long to download some of their songs from iTunes? This always happens to me. I see someone talk about a song, listen to it and love it, hear it on the radio and love it, and then about three months later manage to finally download it for my iPhone. Eh … better late then never.

I would also like to thank Mert (via Kat) for sharing this fantastic Obama doll with multiple options for positioning, hands, facial expression, and in various states of awesomeness. Here’s some key poses:

Channeling the inner Mel Gibson Braveheart pose.

Ninj-ama.

And accessories:

I see the flag, the stool, microphone, ties, various hands, but really – what is the silver thing? Trumpet? Funnel for turning water into wine? Please take the time (seriously you won’t regret it) to check out the rest here.

I’d also just like to add that I finally saw Christopher Reeve sans wheelchair in a wonderful love story movie from 1980 called Somewhere in Time. Let’s just saw that the movie is characterized by lots of sweating, the coming and going of a British accent by Jane Seyour, and the surprise starring role of a penny. Add it to your Netflix.

This face reminds me of Harley.

There are no words to being to express the joy and excitement and promise that today brings. As I stood with coworkers this morning to watch our 44th President be sworn in and speak to the USA for the first time as our President … it was just incredible to realize what a moment in history this truly is. A man bringing hope at the end of a long eight years that have ended with our country in war and economic hardship. Our first black President. There are just so many reasons why this is a marked moment in history.

But even more so this is a special moment in my own personal history in that this is the first time in my young life that I have truly embraced a Presidential candidate, stepped into politics as an adult, and put my heart and mind behind a person who I truly believe in. This is the first person who I can truly say is “my” President rather than someone who others voted for. Four years ago was my first opportunity to vote in a Presidential election and unfortunately Kerry was not elected. But I think it is almost that more joyous then at this moment, that my first vote for a man who would go on to become President was for someone who I truly and genuinely believe in with all my heart as someone who will inspire us to be better and to work to make the country and the world better for all of us.

I drove down Bush St. today in San Francisco and someone had replaced the sign with one that said “Obama” and I realized too how big this moment is in that it is a turning point for the country. Regardless of the debate on what the former President caused and what was simply handed to him – it is certainly great to finally be moving forward and moving on to beginning the hard work that lies ahead. I am so happy that the country seems poised behind this new President and understanding that although it will not be easy, it will certainly be worth it.

Ok that’s enough cheese and sappiness from me. Here’s to a new beginning, renewed hope, and a stronger tomorrow!

I suppose that I was at first tempted to reflect upon MLK Day with the thoughts of service, both because Martin Luther King Jr. was an incredible servant but also because there has been a great push to make this day be a day of service. Yet, something about today made me drawn to the above quotation from MLK instead.

Taking the first step can be a tricky thing. To be honest taking the second step isn’t any easier. Nor the third or the fourth or so on. You get it. But we keep walking because we know that moving is better than standing still. I suppose I’ve been reflecting a lot at the things that are to come in my life and how I have come to learn that they often don’t look the way we think they might look nor do we come upon destinations at the pace we quite expected. But we keep walking.

Not too long ago a friend on Facebook had up an article about an atheism advertisement in London on the sides on buses that said “There’s probably no god. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life”. I’m reminded of it now when thinking about this quote from MLK and what faith means to me. I can not even be offended by the ad campaign because clearly if you are atheist and do not believe in God you don’t understand what it can mean. It’s funny to think that a belief in God would cause me to worry. If anything it’s sometimes the only relief from worry and the only reason to go on enjoying life when it seems otherwise unclear – if the staircase will drop off or keep going.

Either way I was glad to have the day to celebrate – specifically to celebrate that the dream of MLK is coming more and more true by the day as we look to Inauguration tomorrow. And I’m glad that I have the faith to know that good days will keep coming even when we are unsure of what they will look like.

First time facial experience today. I went to International Orange on Fillmore for basically the most relaxing experience of my life. It was a freaking gorgeous day so I sat on the sun deck in my robe, drinking cucumber water and eating dark chocolate with a cat in my lap and the sun on my face. Fabulous. Then I spent an hour being beautified, some time in the steam room, a long shower trying out their organic hair products, and managed to make it out of there without spending too much (thanks to the gift certificates from my honey – thanks Jon!) Seriously how did I not get addicted to this before?

On that note though I will say that today was exactly the day that I needed after a ridiculously long week. I’m sure that the ten hours of sleep and promise of a three day weekend didn’t hurt either. Plus Jon is coming home tonight. Oh yes … and the fact that Bush is getting kicked out in just a few days. I’m thinking life is pretty good. Here’s to a continually improving 2009!

Really only about the first 20 seconds of this video is funny and that only because it is so true. Why do I still know all of the words to horrible songs like this? This is taking up valuable space in my brain that really should be cleared up for things like (1) what date my insurance/car/rent payments are due (2) which one way streets in SF run east and which run west (3) lyrics to the new Britney Spears songs.

Other things I want to remove from my brain to free up brain cells:

• The song listing the 50 states, and also the version that includes the capitals and countries in Central and South America (Bogota Columbia, Lima Peru).
• Song lyrics to songs from more than 5 years ago that are (a) not still cool or (b) don’t give me street cred or (c) will never be called upon for sing alongs; i.e. Gangsta’s Paradise and Friends in Low Places can stay. Achy Breaky Heart can go.
• That family trip to Murfresboro, Arkansas where we dug for diamonds and fought over the tv.
• How to play the first page of Fur Elise on the piano.
• The dance steps for Achy Breaky Heart.
• All of 7th and 8th grade. Ok or at least the majority.

The list could go on and on. The point mainly being that now that I’m in the working world I feel like I have to use 30 post-its a day just to remember to return a phone call or put up a no parking sign (or better yet move my car in the 2 hour parking zone more than once every 6 hours – no ticket yet but I know I’m pushing it). Sorry phone number from College Station (979-690-6046) but it’s your turn to go.