Rachel Ray Saves the Day!

Bow down to Rachel Ray folks. Seriously. Anyone who can make me look and feel like I know what the hell I'm doing in the kitchen deserves crazy props. Today I got home a bit earlier than normal, so I was determined to have a home-cooked meal ready for Bubbey when he came home. Yes, me and my self-imposed challenges. I'm like in a game show all by myself. Anyway, another winner, I tell you. Leeky Linguine with Shrimp. That's right: I'm not making your standard grilled chicken dinner; I'm kicking it up a notch with some seafood! All class. :) And can you fucking believe? Another tasty meal! Rachel Ray is the woman! She is like 7 for 7.

Thankfully, my plan is working. Just as I had hoped, these small victories are quickly building my confidence. Could it be that I am beginning to derive some small pleasure from cooking? True, I didn't really think this was ever possible. But it's happening! I find myself combing through recipes, preparing extensive grocery lists, psyching myself up to get home and start cooking. 30 minutes, go! And a half hour later, the result is like magic. Hmph! Eating out is so... pedestrian.

Attack of the Ants

Our house is under attack. By ants. People say it's that time of the year again... I'm not sure whether they're actually just trying to mask their disgust with our squalor or if they are trying to console us or what. Either way, the ants are relentless. Twice in August, I came home from work to find swarms covering my stove top. Seriously folks, I know John and I are a bit on the cluttery side, but I swear I wipe down the stove top. And I don't leave shit out. Duh. Then the ants started appearing in armies in the bathroom. I couldn't take it anymore. Already, I was vacuuming at least once a day (I'm that obsessed with my Dyson). Perhaps I needed to do another wipe down with chemicals? We sprayed Raid all around the outside of the house. Nothing worked. I put down baking soda, borax, pepper. Finally, I sprayed inside the house (hate exposing us and the dogs to that junk); we got some relief but invariably, the ants returned. Finally, I decided this was something for the pros. So I called in a 4-person cleaning crew. Maybe there's just something we were missing, like between the fridge or around the baseboards. Let me tell you. I was a bit stressed when the cleaning lady first arrived to survey the house and give me a quote. In fact, I cleaned up a bit before she came. Within two minutes, she had me disgusted with myself. She ran her fingers on shelves, window sills, the blinds. Yeah this was going to be a $300 deep cleaning job. Holy cow! But whatever, let's see what a deep cleaning is all about right?

OMG, the next morning, a crew of four arrived. I headed off to work, but John says they busted butt for like 2 1/2 hours straight. Unfortunately, he didn't have the smarts to actually watch them work: I wanted to learn all the trade secrets, you know? Like what products, what tools, etc. Anyway, I arrived home later that day and the place was amazingly clean. Holy shit, I didn't even know this was what clean meant. I ran my fingers over everything in search of dust. Zippo. They cleaned the blinds, the fridge, the oven... but the bathrooms and floors were the best. My feet could even feel a difference. I know, are you grossed out? We're pigs. What can I say? So now I'm trying to figure out what I can cut (cable tv perhaps) so I can set aside monthly cleanings at $150 a shot. Sigh. It sure was nice to come home to a clean house.

Of course, just as I was all elated and shit living among the clean people, the next day, I returned home to find the goddamn ants all over the stove top again!!! WTF???! People say you have to follow their track. I have tried. This time, I decided to open the bottom oven broiler drawer. To my surprise, I could see a ton of gunk underneath. Why didn't the cleaning folks get it? It doesn't appear accessible. After about five minutes of fidgeting around this area, I realized the drawer slides all the way out. Omfg. The horror under the stove. There was frosting droplets, broken glass, dust like you wouldn't believe, grease, grime. Utterly filthy. But I was determined to get in there. Busted out the vacuum attachments, the wet rags. I was on my hands and knees sweating up a storm and getting all hot and bothered. By the time John got home, I was pissed. These fucking ants!

We've gone out and gotten new ant traps. I still see the fuckers around, but I think the situation is getting better. Uh, I really don't want to get a terminator out here. For some reason, I just feel like that professional strength stuff will give us and the dogs brain damage. I know.

In other homemaking news, I decided the dogs needed a bath. Usually, that's the only time the guest shower ever gets used. But the stupid shower head has like zero pressure and it's this odd metal thing that veers to one side (not centered) and can only go straight up or down (a few inches) without any side to side motion. Hard to describe but basically, it's a piece of shit that makes the shower practically unusable. For some reason, I felt especially motivated that day to optimize the situation. I researched those handheld showerheads online, got the exact model at Target, came home, installed, and voila. Just $20 later and I had a usable guest shower plus dog washer. Who knew problem solving could be so easy! Why had I waited for so long? Too many other projects going on, I tell you. The brain is constantly churning with things to do, how to make me and my things better. I think my insomnia is coming back...

Rustic Oregon

Bubbey finally combed through his shots.

To the Day

Aw yeah baby, I'm officially off probation. Woo hoo! Yup, I finally made it to the 1-year mark with the treehuggers; I look forward to many more months of fun. Yes, I say months and not years or decades, because come on, I'm not that much of an optimist. Gotta keep that shit in check, otherwise I'll get burned.

Speaking of getting burned, some crazy crap went down recently with my former employer. I got an email last week from a buddy who left in August. Most of the staffers got laid off, and then the remaining employees were instructed to go on a 2-week vacation (figures the company would insist on calling it "vacation" even though it's totally unpaid) and reconvene later this month (to re-evaluate). The story is that a lead investor pulled out... I guess it's yet another example of these uncertain times. Save up for the rainy day folks, because just like that, the deluge begins. I haven't spoken much to my friends who are still there, but some have changed their Linked In status to "looking for a job." Still, others don't seem all that stressed. Guess I'll get the full scoop when a few of them come over for dinner next week.

As for me, the rest of this week is busy. Tomorrow I'm heading to Milpitas for a Photoshop class. I already use Photoshop regularly, but I'm retaking an intro class as a refresher. I'm sure I'm hacking my way through PS now, so I welcome the opportunity to become more legit. On Friday night, John, Bri, and I are going to see Sondheim's Into the Woods (Thanks Goldstar!). I've only seen this production one other time: freshman year at Duke, starring my crush of the moment. The play was what cinched the deal for him: I was just so enthralled with his talent-- the singing, the acting, the dancing. I know, I'm such a wannabe everything-- athlete, performer, activist, polyglot... Anyway, the play should be fun.

Then Saturday, I'll be up again at the crack of dawn, working another event. John and Bri plan to participate, but I don't know if they're up for a 8-12 mile hike. After all, they haven't been on my Olympian training schedule, you know? What else? Work, obviously, is going well. My department hired a new 30-something earlier this month, and she seems really cool. I'm going to invite her out for lunch next week, so I can get the full scoop. Hehe, always doing "research."

Oddly enough, I have noticed the return of my insomnia in recent weeks. Not sure why-- the huge work event last Saturday perhaps? I dunno, I'd hope work doesn't stress me out that much. I've also noticed more brain activity later into the night (thinking about work, Chinese class, home improvement, garden improvement, travel plans, etc.) but still. Something has been waking me every day at about 4:30. I end up returning to bed but then I wake up unrested at 7. I don't know. Whatever the issue, I need to figure it out, because it's screwing up my efficiency. :)

The Wedding Planner

Oh man, it's finally over. Though I'd only have to endure the horrors of wedding planning once in my life. I was wrong. Turns out, the public affairs department (of which I am a part) at work puts on a yearly volunteer recognition event and last Saturday was the biggest turnout ever with over 200 people. And I was in charge of the caterers. I also dabbled (reluctantly) in decorations, booz, entertainment... I know, totally NOT up my alley. But, I'm happy to report that the event went beautifully. And now we get to repeat the entire arduous process next year. Yay.

In other news, Bubbey is still sifting through our Oregon pictures. Sorry for the delay. Hopefully, they'll post soon. Meanwhile, my Olympian training schedule continues. As the weather has gotten colder, we've slacked a couple days here and there, but for the most part, I've got the system down: walking (morning or night), lunch skate, evening swim. Come to me DB...

A bunch of people from high school have been contacting me through Facebook. Damn, I just cannot get over how adult everyone looks. And what's with the kids?! Holy smokes, they're sprouting like weeds. Seriously. It's as if the human race were going extinct, and everyone made a mad dash to procreate. Whatev. I'll never understand it. Thankfully, John doesn't either. We prefer to remain in full control of our lives and our lives only. Honestly, who can bother about a whole other entity?

Btw, are you following the politics? Wtf people, Sarah Palin?? Are you fucking kidding me? She's gaining momentum AND the support of women, "they" say. Who are these women????? John and I watched Michael Moore's Sicko last week. How utterly depressing. This country is fucked up. Sure, maybe it's naive to expect that Obama will turn this screwed up joint around. But really, there are two choices: Option A and Option B. You have to choose one, and puhlease, this is not a trick question. My reasons?

1. I'm pro-choice. Sure, given my barren womb philosophy, you'd be accurate in calling me pro-abortion in all instances (for myself, that is) but look, the bottom line is: a woman's body, a woman's choice. Beyond that, fuck off.
2. I'm a minority woman and newsflash: racism AND sexism still exist. The government should acknowledge this.
3. Global warming is real, and humankind (myself included) plays an integral role in trashing the planet and exacerbating the situation.
4. I want government to provide programs for people who need help.

Of course, who opposes fiscal responsibility? Sure, sometimes money gets squandered and programs don't work. That doesn't mean the programs don't deserve tweaking or re-working. All of you who believe the Republicans are fiscally responsible? Wake up and smell the bacon. How much money is pissing away on this unjust war? And seriously, spare me the self-righteous bullshit. If life were so goddamn precious that you couldn't possibly terminate a fetus the size of a grain of rice, how then could you possibly justify the death of innocent civilians or the torture (not to mention suspended rights) of alleged "enemy combatants"? They say it's for our protection, but I don't feel any safer. In fact, US citizens traveling abroad are even more at risk of attacks than ever before. Ugh. Taxes, schmaxes. Look, either way you're forking over the dough- be it for an unjust war or for the resulting emotional/physical ailments attributed to a deteriorating environment. Think happy thoughts though.

Revisiting Oregon

Boy have I been productive this week. Yup, I'm giving myself a pat on the back. Despite being the web guru at work, I got sucked into some major party planning. You see, my department is public affairs, so we handle press, media, outreach, volunteer/docent programs, web, plus all events. And next month we're having a volunteer recognition gathering with almost 200 people. Guess who booked the caterer? Yup, yours truly. And you'll be happy to know that I went with the highest bidder-- it was just so clear the dude's food was gourmet, and he had his shit together. Takes an OCDer to recognize her fellow OCDer, know what I mean? I cannot wait. The menu looks insanely tasty. And of course, I was able to finagle two price cuts. Yup, I'm learning all about the negotiations.

In other news, I launched a digital photo contest. So far so good. No major glitches, thank goodness. And people have submitted some pretty kickass pics, so I'm hopeful.

Outside of work, I'm out most of next week: meeting up with our Shanghai buddies in Oregon. John and I met Jenny and James in Oregon last August also. James is a crazy superstar multi-tasker who participates in the Hood to Coast race every year. Well good for him. Even though I'm an Olympian-in-training, I ain't that disciplined. Prefer to just float down the river in an inner tube.

We've never been to the Eugene and eastward area. My friend Pamela says she doesn't know what to expect, but she will pack sneakers (usually, she's a stilettos kind of gal) and forgo the makeup. Huh? Well I'm on a mission to get some decent pics of Bubs and me, so sorry, the make-up has got to come along. (That's what happens when you have piss-poor, puny lashes). Anyway, the trip will be fun.

I'm enjoying the new travels. Speaking of traveling, I just sent off our passports to get the Chinese visas. For $40 extra, you can have these companies take care of it all: no waiting in lines in downtown SF to process that crap in person. Jesus, have you noticed how shitty the traffic has gotten the last several days? Thanks a lot, you bastard schoolkids! I don't even want to think about two trips to the stupid consulate, not to mention waiting in the line, blah, blah. Who has the patience? Snoot, snoot. Haha. Whatev. Money well spent. My passports will be back in my hands next week. So worth it.

Yikes, I am dozing off here in front of the computer. Perhaps the heat is getting to me. K. Time for bed. Later folks!

Productive Weekend

Here's the thing: I really thrive when my todo list is chock full. I think I've always had a fear of being lazy, so when my schedule is hectic and I'm buzzing about, somehow that energizes me. I know it sounds dorky, but getting shit done makes me happy.

This weekend was great. Well, it got off to a rocky start with the play I saw on Friday night with some coworkers. Sure, it was a community production. I wasn't expecting Broadway or anything, but honestly, it was bad. Really bad. Some solid voices in the musical, but major acoustical kinks and plenty of bad acting and uncoordinated dancing. I was happy to support our coworker who had a small part, but man, I could have gotten two new pieces of clothing for the $20, know what I'm saying? Anyway, Friday was a long day. The play started late, ran long, and then it was like a 50-minute drive home. I didn't get home til well after midnight. Too damn late for a grandma like me.

Thankfully, Saturday we got back on track. First, it was our anniversary. I drove Bubs up into the mountains on Skyline Blvd. for brekkies at the famed Alice's Restaurant. Yes, it's the subject of that famous song (which I honestly don't know anything about--- my parents were immigrants: I am culturally illiterate, remember?). My eggs benny were mediocre, but John liked his tri-tip sandwich. Next, we grabbed some dessert at a bakery down the street. We sort of went on a wild goose chase trying to find the theater spot, but after we finally arrived and settled in, the production was magnificent. Crazy mad props go to Atmos Theater's production of Freedomland. Excellent acting, hilarious dialog (about a dysfunctional family even: no happy-go-lucky shit here), and an invigorating hike in a redwood forest. Seriously folks, it doesn't get better than this. We loved it!

After we got home, we went for a quick swim in the pool-- always refreshing on a hot summer day. I went upstairs to shower and change (we were going to make dinner), but by the time I got back downstairs 30 minutes later, Bubbey had finished cooking the entire meal from start to finish! What a wonderful surprise (and relief)! The dude is crazy fast in the kitchen, and dinner was super tasty: parmesan-panko encrusted mahi mahi with sweet corn and string bean almondine as sides. And he didn't even follow a recipe. Just pulled that shit out his ass. Yup, I got a lot of learning to do in the kitchen! And man, I slept well last night. I think the secret was several glasses of Gewurztraminer. Had crazy dreams but it felt damn good to sleep in.

Today was a little less eventful: another busy day (just how I like them) but mostly errands. The highlight? Bubs busted out his inline skates for the first time in like 4 months, and we went skating at Keynote rink. Was awesome and I am one step closer to breaking in my new skates. I cannot wait until they are fully broken in, because then I will be unstoppable (and definitely ready for that 15+ mile Sunday skate in SF)! The Olympics may be over folks, but I'm just getting started! :)

Mind Over Body

Whew! John and I flew back from Vegas early yesterday morning. De-planing took a bit longer than expected (we were in the very last row), so I didn't reach the office until quarter til 10. Of course by then, we had already been up for five hours. I scored major props from the office peeps-- they couldn't believe we had caught the 6:30 flight and reported for work without skipping a beat. Yup. That's what it's like being an Olympian-in-training. No complaints: just do it.

We've kept up the morning walking regimen for a week now. Still going strong. Every time I find myself dragging ass trying to get up in the morning, I just think of Michael Phelps: 30 hours/week in the pool. Sure, he's not the only one busting ass for the Olympics. I should just as easily think of Dara Torres... regardless, all the athletes inspire me to work harder. That doesn't mean I think anything is possible when when I put my mind to it, but I guess I'd say many things are attainable through persistence (DB is coming soon!!).

John and I met with a Mandarin teacher this evening. We were thinking about signing up for Chinese classes through one of the local city parks and rec departments, but I wanted to meet the teach before committing. Yes, I'm really picky about expending my energies to learn simplified rather than traditional text. Anyway, I hadn't spoken Mandarin in ages, so I was really psyched about busting it out. And the teach seemed really nice; I liked her focus on speaking and reading (less on writing). So, John is enrolling in her beginning class and I'll join her advanced. Class starts in September, and I cannot wait. 90 minutes/week. Should be fun, and we'll be in top form just in time for our trip to Taiwan in late November. Btw, heads up to my Shanghai peeps: we're heading back to the old stomping grounds for a few days in early December. I'm a little apprehensive because I think triggering that nostalgia will make us want to move abroad again, but we'll see how everything goes. It'll be nice to see my friends again and also look at how the city has changed. Oh and I'm booking massages for every single day. Seriously.

In other news, work is busy. I'm getting ready to launch a photo contest at the end of this week. Meanwhile, the Google maps nuisance continues... Ugh. I won't even get into it...

In happier thoughts, this Saturday is Bub and I's 12-year anniversary. Woo hoo! It's been a long windy road (and a very bumpy one this last year), but we're doing much better now. And I have a fun weekend planned.