End of Chapter

New Blog

2009-09-11T16:49:00.000-07:00

This is something I have been contemplating for a little while. For certain reasons I want to change this and my other blog url so I'm just creating new ones. If you want to continue to follow they will be linked on my facebook soon.

Chicken say 9/11

2009-09-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

Who's been feeling pretty sunny this week? Me!

Aaron and I are going to pay for my parents to come visit us via Amtrak (since my dad doesn't like doing long drives anymore). When I first mentioned the idea to my mom she got absolutely excited :) She hardly ever gets excited over things so it made me extra eager. They'll be visiting the weekend before her birthday.

I've taken to visiting B&N and reading halves of books. I read the second half of Waiter Rant the other day. I read the first half of South of the Border, West of the Sun (I actually want to finish it) and the second half of Bound Feet & Western Dress: A Memoir. The last book made me nostalgic for some Chinese history so I went to the library and checked out Daily Life in Traditional China: The Tang Dynasty. It's such a good, easy read, loving it.

Don't know why I've been feeling high this week since I haven't done anything in particular this week, but I am glad I am.

Oh over the weekend we had lunch with one of Aaron's coworkers and his wife & baby. I thought it was cute that Aaron's made some friends at work. I liked them both and thought their baby was too adorable.

The other week I had lunch by myself at a sushi restaurant, and breakfast by myself at a different sit-down restaurant. At first I thought I would feel awkward being by myself, but I actually enjoyed it. Now I really want to see a movie by myself since I never have before. I think people make too much of a deal over doing things by themselves. Of course I was okay with eating in the dining hall by myself in college so maybe that helped condition me some. Don't know.

can't sleep

2009-09-08T01:23:00.000-07:00

Partly due to my brain being overactive, and partly due to 7-11 slurpee I'm sure.

There's some family drama happening on my husband's side of the family. It's been this way for a while and I really can't see an end to it. It has prevented me from interacting with my nieces since I was too afraid of ruffling someone's feathers on that side, or getting asked questions by someone as a means to get to my husband. But tonight all I keep thinking about are my two nieces; how the last time I saw them was Christmas. How the time before that was in May. How I shouldn't be a coward anymore and just try to forge some sort of relationship with them, even if it's through the mail.

Somehow my name has gotten dragged into this whole drama thing even though I have absolutely nothing to do with it. My nieces have daily interaction with the people who are dragging mine and my husband's name through the muck. It might be too late to salvage whatever positive image they last had of us but I have to give it a shot.

bills

2009-09-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

For 2 years we have been on a get-paid-once-a-month schedule and were pretty well adjusted to that. It's going to take a little while adjusting to being paid twice a month, like spreading out the bills. Yesterday I did what I usually do, pay as many bills as possible, whether or not they're due right now. Yeah, won't be doing that again. It's put us in a pinch, again. I swear, things should be ok after the 15th. I just wasn't thinking right when I did that. At least with the paycheck for the 15th it'll be mostly money free to use however.

Oh it's a beautiful morning, oh it's a beautiful day!

2009-09-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

Why you ask? "Pay day!" I say.

Went and got some running shoes. My arch in my right foot has been killing me lately, especially with all the walking I'm doing now. I still need some regular shoes with arch support but I'm really glad I finally got the running shoes so we can start doing that in the morning. The store I got them from was awesome too. They had me stand on a machine that outlines my foot, confirming that my right foot had a higher arch than my left, and is apparently collapsing. I heard that a few months back from my massage instructor. Collapsing arches hurt. The store also let me run around outside with different shoes to really get a feel for them. So yay for that.

Then I went back to the Therapy store to use up some store credit (went there on Aaron's birthday and got 10% credit when they learned it was his b-day). Got a dress. Maybe I'll post a pic some time. I tried on some 4 inch heeled shoes that really looked cute... but the stability and ability for my feet to turn Barbie-doll was lacking.

I will also be starting at the Traditional Chinese Medicine school here, in a bodywork program they have. I was hesitant at first since the acupressure classes fall on Saturdays and Wednesday nights, but I really want to do it and know it's for me. A small sacrifice in the grand scheme of things.

Reeeeally need to get re-crackin' on unpacking the moving boxes. grr.

Settling

2009-08-26T12:24:00.000-07:00

Aaron and I were walking to B&N after work when we came across a "tea party" of old, white people swinging their signs around and having cars honk at them. If Aaron wasn't with me I would have started chanting pro-Obama stuff at them, but Aaron doesn't like unnecessary, asinine attention so I held back.

Got myself a library card and now I'm listening to borrowed music :) Nobuko Imai's A Bird Came Down the Walk is quite enjoyable. I picked up about a dozen CDs from the orchestra, jazz, new age and Cantonese sections. I've also started reading Karen Armstrong's Islam: A short history. I've been meaning for years now to read something on Islam. It's short (obviously) and really is a decent introduction to a long, complicated history. (It also has me intrigued by Mecca and its history.) From what little I've read Islam's roots are the same as Christianity's in that I'm down with what the actual founder did & said, just not what people over the centuries have turned the religion into.

So great to be able to walk to the library easily.

Apparently I've been losing weight since we got here. Walking 2-6 miles a day plus not having much food to eat does wonders. Obviously cannot wait until we have money to buy more nutritious food, but I think I'll start a new habit once we do. [Pathetically?] I've been carrying a large bag of trail mix that I had from the old apt. It's the good, organic kind of mix with lots of nuts and none of those candied fruits, M&Ms nor chocolate covered whatevers. So I've been munching on that when I'm out & about and get hungry instead of popping into a restaurant or cafe. Methinks carrying a bag of mix in my purse is/would be healthier than my usual habit of pastries or full out meals that are usually not that great.

Tangent-- yesterday during lunch I spilled top ramen "broth" on my shoe. I thought it was poor funny.

hola

2009-08-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

I love how the "crappiest" pizza here (Pizza My Heart) is better than the best pizza in Sac.

Went back to Sac over the weekend, finished clearing out the apartment and turned in the keys. YAY! I also helped a friend with her wedding favors; it was a lot of fun, much more fun when it's not your own wedding.

Came home yesterday morning and just zonked out for the afternoon. Then we decided to take a walk around town (something we couldn't do in Sac). Walked to downtown, grabbed some coffee and fell in love with a shop. Then walked a little further out of downtown and hit up Pizza My Heart. It was a beautiful reunion. Found some new shops. Settled in Barnes & Noble for a bit, reading a book I would buy except we have no money. Even buying that coffee and pizza was bad on our part. Then walked back home. Oh Glorious Walking, how we have missed thee.

hmmm possibly by my birthday

2009-08-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

Aaron's idea for me, one that I can support.

paired with

Yeah, I've stopped unpacking for today and am now wasting time on stolen nets. Though I did get our internet scheduled to be transfered for next week. Failed at getting SMUD halted; they told me to talk to the apartment office peeps. Halted PG&E in Sac and need to get it started here.

welcome to your new life

2009-08-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

I am sitting in a coffee shop using their free wifi, and sipping their not free coffee. The move was a bit more hectic than anticipated but we're here, safe, and happy. We had help from a couple friends of ours which made the move infinitely easier.

The apartment is ideal though it has one major drawback-- the floors are wonky! We are on a second story and the floors have become very sagged through the decades. It's like a fun house. There's a valley in the living room, and you walk up a hill to get to the entry or bedroom. However, really, the rest of the apartment is so ideal that this doesn't really bother us. We both cannot wait until Aaron starts getting paid so that we can spruce the place up and have some fun of our own.

Our apartment is literally a block or two away from Safeway. The walk to downtown (and the lightrail) is minimal. The walk to anywhere really is minimal. The weather is perfect. Nice and brisk in the morning. Cool to warm in the afternoon (specifically not hot). By September I think we'll be in a nice, relaxing groove.

...
When we were walking home from Aaron's work & dinner last night, we were just amazed that in a week we had moved to a new, better job and location. It's feeling a bit surreal still but once we're completely done with the Sac apartment, have everything transfered to here, and when Aaron starts getting paid I think it'll become real.

Getting real, quick

2009-08-11T12:50:00.000-07:00

Image by .faramarz via Flickr

It has been 4 days since learning that Aaron got that great job in the San Jose area. The day after he got the news we took a trip down to the area and got an apartment. We set the move in date for this coming Saturday. Yesterday we got boxes and started packin' up a storm. Got rid of a few things on Craigslist. We were wondering how we were going to handle the extra expenses of the apartment deposit (double since we have a cat). The new job will reimburse us for moving costs, but we were still in a pickle since we needed more money upfront. Well Aaron spoke with his new boss and he offered to give Aaron an advance! Yeah, that's cool. The new apartment also called the new job to verify Aaron's employment there. Those last couple things make this move so much more real for me. As in, it's really going to happen.

Our new apartment, which is oh so nice, has a second bedroom, score! We're going to use it mostly as a massage room for me (not for business, just to practice on Aaron and friends) & an office for Aaron. I'm probably spending too much time imagining how I'm going to decorate it.

Awesomeness!!!

2009-08-07T21:52:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

The good news finally came! Aaron got the job offer he's been working towards! It's a huge boost in pay in a way better location than here, and the work environment is one that Aaron's daydreamed of forever! Before the month is out we will be in Silicon Valley! We can easily afford to continue my education at a Traditional Chinese Medicine school! Oh, and they're going to pay for our moving expenses!

TIME TO CELEBRATE!

Eggs!

2009-08-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

Went to the farm today, and did the usual along with some egg washing. My little cousin J came out and helped. Fun!

We received some good news today and are hoping to have things settled by next week. Then I'll let yall in the loop. Thanks for the good vibes!

Off normal topics: I also talked with my mom yesterday about the possibility of me having a half-sibling. I learned some backstory on a couple girlfriends of my dad from way back when. Dad, oh dad. The particular girl of interest, well he may not even know her last name, "that's what kind of relationship that was" to quote my mom. Even so, it's a relief to not have that hanging over my head anymore. I may have to directly talk to my dad about it though, errr.

Before the crack of dawn

2009-08-04T05:30:00.000-07:00

Image by kahunapulej via Flickr

Really been enjoying the band White Rabbits
Cannot wait for whatever outcome this week has to offer
Still in absolute awe of the technology that is used to create things like ipods and laptops

of interest to no one but myself

2009-08-03T09:45:00.000-07:00

Image by Per Ola Wiberg (Powi)..away via Flickr

Just taking a moment to give my thanks for finding someone who I am so completely compatible with. I love that we can have talks that last several hours, and we get to the point where we still want to talk but are literally too tired to carry on. That's how we spent our first week of knowing each other together. We'd have talks that went until sunrise (thankfully before school started).

I'm grateful that our point of views on love, respect, money & society match up, that we truly understand each other, because it is extremely rare to find other people who really think the way we do. Maybe if we were in some socialist, European country we'd have better luck finding people with our outlook. It's fortunate that the skills and interests Aaron has can provide us with a comfortable living, but if for whatever reason the job he was most happy at was one where he made minimum wage I would still be just as happy with him.

Many times I hear spouses talk about their marriages like contracts: they expect their partner to hold up some financial security, and once their partner doesn't come through financially that's when shit hits the fan. They give reasons like "bills need to be paid" (you should see some of the bills some people think are "essential") and some references to how "reality" works. And for their reality I'm sure it's a serious concern & possible deal-breaker. I'm just thankful that I found someone whose reality isn't money/society-centric. We encourage each other to find jobs based on whether or not they make us happy, not whether it boosts us up another rung on the money ladder. If Aaron has a good paying job that makes life cushy for us yet he's not happy, I'll support him in leaving his "secure" job for something else. Life for us is about living, not accumulating.

wishing & hoping

2009-07-31T08:53:00.000-07:00

Image by harold.lloyd (won't somebody think of the bokeh?) via Flickr

There is an awesome opportunity that Aaron has been working towards that should be decided on by the end of next week. Please any prayers/positive vibes/bribes for us would be appreciated.

There isn't much other news since this has been consuming our minds for the past two weeks. Aaron has another hackathon with a Ruby group tonight so he won't be home until past midnight... which leaves me to my own devices, hmmm.

Have an acupressure class today. Sadly I don't feel like going, but will. Being in the limbo makes me start disconnecting with my life here. So I'll be leaving for that in a bit.

hmmm, tangent much?

2009-07-28T21:07:00.000-07:00

Image by janusz l via Flickr

We got rid of our loveseat this past week. It was too cushy, made you slope towards the middle, making it uncomfortable for 2 people to sit on, and was hardly being used anymore. So now we just use our poang chairs from Ikea. Definitely liking this better, plus the extra space is awesome.

I was going through a small box of my things this evening. It's the box that you can never remember what's in it exactly and start thinking you should just throw it out; so you go through the box to see what to throw out and realize you don't want to throw any of it out. Then back in the closet it goes. I came across a postcard I never sent to my brother. In 2006 when he was 16 & in juvenile hall I sent him a postcard almost every week. It's just one of those things... I wonder if he appreciated it, if it helped him. I brought it up one time when we were fighting a few years ago, how I was the only person who sent him anything while most of his so-called friends abandoned him. You know, trying to make him see that his trouble-making friends didn't really care about his well-being while I (and his family) did.

Then only a few months after he got out of juvie he was at some party and got stabbed (once). Thinking he'd learn his lesson after juvie and being stabbed that he'd change his ways (always swearing each time he would). But no, he's still the same. Now I just turn a blind eye and try to be civil whenever I see him. My parents still cater to him and he still expects it from them. Not my issue. I tried to make it my issue, nothing ever changed, so now I just have to let them do whatever they want... "they" being my family, sigh.

From Mother Nature to Father Technology

2009-07-21T18:25:00.001-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

We've done a lot of driving these past few days but it has been fun. First thing Saturday morning we set off to Lake Tahoe. There we joined my cousin's family at Fallen Leaf Lake. I took a dip in Lake Tahoe where I then proceeded to get my lower thighs burned hot hot red. Plus side was that my lower legs finally got tanned-- first time in probably 10 years. Then we went walking around in this little historical town where rich people from some-odd years ago had extravagant lake houses. Later I took another dip in Fallen Leaf Lake. Lot less crowded there. After that I was pretty exhausted and my burned thighs were radiating intense heat and throbbing.

The sleep was tough since the ground was more than uncomfortable. Oddly enough Aaron and I felt much more rested than when we get a full night's sleep at home. I say it's because there aren't a shitzillion wifi/whatever signals zooming through our brains out there. Anywho, we went for a hike at Angora Lakes. We discovered the super secluded Angora Lakes Resort tucked up right at the lake. Apparently their waiting list to get a cabin is a year or two out. We also saw where the fire from two years ago was. Lots of charcoal trees still. That pretty much wrapped up Tahoe. Having the kids there made it pretty exhausting near the end. We are convinced yet again that we are only having one kid. I don't know how we'd stay sane with two.

From there we went home and on Monday headed to Mountain View so that Aaron could join a Google Wave hackaton at the Googleplex. Aaron was in awe by the place, making him want to work there even more (which you wouldn't have thought possible). He had a great time while I roamed around Mountain View like a bum. Met up with a friend, bummed some awesome pie from her, and bummed my way to the hotel we were staying at. I then enjoyed the free cable and watched top quality trash tv like Millionaire Matchmaker, America's Next Top Model and Discovery Health's Dr. G (that one's not so trashy).

When Aaron got back from his geeky fun we went out to dinner at an Italian restaurant. Divine raviolis with gorgonzola, wild mushrooms and walnuts was devoured. Then we walked around downtown (such a simple thing we can't do here--hello, no sidewalks!) and retired for the night.

Next morning we got some free hotel breakfast which wasn't bad at all (waffle!) and headed to downtown again. Ate some seriously delicious Indian food at Shiva's, mmmmmmm buffet, and walked around a lot. We got drawn into the Mountain View Tea Village and Gallery where the sweet Asian lady charmed us into buying some tea and porcelain mugs (with porcelain strainer and top). We're sipping it now in our new mugs and it's so tasty. I picked out a lavender oolong tea, Aaron picked out a blueberry tea, and our third selection was a "tropical" tea that has fruity flavors. Walked some more, ooohed & ahhhhed over the sidewalks, and headed back home to Nova.

nova is too cute napping

2009-07-16T14:47:00.001-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

I am going to be loving the next few days. Aaron's vacation starts Monday, for one. This weekend we're camping in Tahoe with my cousin's family and the wife's parents. I'm looking forward to taking a few dips in the lake most of all. Then come Monday we're headed to Mountain View to worship the other Mecca there: Google. Aaron gets to partake in their hack-a-thon (or something) all day. He just suggested now that we make a night trip of it, and I just booked a room! Hoorah!

Work at the farm was great this morning. Though I'm pretty sure I spent way too much time washing the carrots and trying to create perfectly equal bundles. Washed a few other things, packed basil, put up some screening over the tomatoes to protect them from sunburn.

Tomorrow is my acupressure class and I haven't studied at all. The last class was 3 weeks ago. Just like in college though I put off my homework thinking it was just too much to get into now, or whatever. Then when I actually start it I realize it's fun & not hard at all. So I've been going over the 45 points on myself, and it shouldn't be too bad tomorrow. I like the Eastern theory of meridians, organs relating to certain emotions, etc, and mindbodyspirit but I don't think acupressure specifically is it for me. Plus it hurts, ha.

Mandarglish

2009-07-15T11:22:00.000-07:00

Wo de backdrop. Wo ai sushi.

apartment happenings

2009-07-13T09:07:00.002-07:00

I put together this new tv stand from Ikea. It was a bitch though mostly doable. I was going to suggest that Ikea's slogan be "So easy that even a girl can do it!" but then when I had to attach the legs I just wasn't strong enough to screw some damned screw on. I had to call on Aaron's strength to brute force it on, voiding my new Ikea slogan. You can also spy a mischievous Nova on the windowsill.

Ummm, would you guess that this was taken last night, July in Sacramento? Yeah, when I say that we like the cold & autumn/winter months, believe me, we mean it. Cute kitty!

We got Nova this tube from Ikea. She loves it.

Soupe au Pistou aka Veggie Soup

2009-07-13T08:42:00.000-07:00

Image by Robb North via Flickr

I wanted to find a way to start quickly using up the vegetables in my bag from the farm since I picked it up 4 days late. My google search for a veggie soup recipe was discouraging until I came across this one. It's actually from a cookbook we have so I opened it up (after a little hiatus from the book) and tried it out.

Oh My God! I can now say I have had soup. Anything else I called soup before does not count. This stuff is divine (and easy)! I replaced the white bean with kidney beans; used chopped basil, garlic & olive oil instead of official pesto; and used Trader Joe's vegetable stock instead of chicken. Divinity in a bowl.

Make it! Eat it! Love it!

Soupe au Pistou

A thick, rich Provençal vegetable and bean soup infused with fresh basil. This soup is a meal in itself served with crusty bread.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion—cut in half, thinly sliced and separated into half-rings
1 carrot—quartered lengthways and thinly sliced
1 zucchini (courgette)—halved lengthways and sliced into ½-rounds
1 potato—peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup green beans—ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
6 cups chicken stock
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 oz (420g) canned white beans (like cannellini)—rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons pesto—store-bought or homemade

HEAT the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. COOK the onion and carrot for 3 minutes, then add the zucchini, potato and green beans and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally. ADD the stock, salt and pepper, bring to the boil, then cover the pot, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. ADD the white beans and pesto and cook for 5 minutes. SERVE in bowls with crusty bread on the side.

shout out to mother earth

2009-07-09T11:47:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

I feel amazing! I had been thinking about dropping the farm work because my hands kept cramping after doing weeding; they didn't do this last year. I think it's because I now use my hands so much for massage that the weeding was stressing them out more. Anywho, I was all stressed and bummed about having to tell my cousin that I was dropping the volunteer work. Even this morning I thought about skipping out (I did last week), but then I thought I should just get it over with and stop procrastinating.

Today is harvest day at the farm. I used to not be able to go on Thursdays because of my classes. So instead of the usual weeding, my cousin had me do various things like picking plums & apricots, washing the turnips and carrots, bunching them for people's CSA bags, etc. It was a lot of fun and no hand cramps! As he was giving me a ride home I asked if I could make Thursdays my volunteer day and be exempt from weeding (after explaining the hand cramps). He was more than okay with that :)

I tell you, that funk from yesterday has since dissolved and been replaced with simple happiness. Working with the earth really was the medicine I needed to straighten out my head. Love it.

My cousin's family is going camping in Lake Tahoe a couple weekends from now & invited us. I wasn't sure at first if I wanted to go, even though we had a blast last year, but now I definitely want to go.

chocolate bundt cakes stat!

2009-07-08T20:20:00.000-07:00

Image by randomcuriosity via Flickr

NASA job went down like this: The two people who interviewed Aaron loved him. They were really impressed by him and wanted to hire him. However during the interview there was a meeting held that fleshed out the description of the position. It was decided that a critical skill that was needed for the position was one that Aaron did not have. If it was basically any other developer position there, or if he didn't need this one skill, then he'd have a job. I guess that's the best rejection one can get, eh?

See that pic? I'm eating those from TJ's right now. It's my liquor.

alas alas oh alas

2009-07-08T13:51:00.000-07:00

Image by MahPadilha via Flickr

Th exciting NASA interview was yesterday and from what I heard it went very very well. However Aaron learned today that he didn't get it, oh woe! He said he'd tell me more about it since he's at work now, and so is his boss & new co-worker. But man oh man, the suck, it hurts. No short distance train rides to SF; no Aaron working a dream job; no sidewalks; no variety of restaurants. I'll wallow for the day and get back on track tomorrow.

Back to being superstitious

2009-07-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Only because things are progressing very nicely. I'll have an update after Tuesday ;)

Though my former co-workers and I have been trying to schedule a day to get together for lunch, and we keep having to push it to the next week or something. So today we finally got this coming Tuesday settled as the day-- and then Aaron got the call that requires us to take a trip out of town Tuesday. So now I have to call and reschedule lunch yet again. It's quite hilarious.

it's all I talk about

2009-07-01T20:59:00.001-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Give this another week or so and then I won't be talking about it anymore. So the recruiter guy for that dreamy job called Aaron and told him that he spoke with the hiring manager about Aaron for the position. The hiring manager (who, duh, would be the person making the final hiring decision) is "intrigued" by Aaron. I know, sounds like some corny movie line, but that's what he said. So they're still going to follow through with the recommendations that Aaron submitted.

I know things are going all sugar & cream for me over here, but realistically, if Aaron were to get this job I would be so happy and all over it. He'd be making enough money to continue my education even further and he would get to have a dream job of his. Either way it's win-win for me, so I'm still rooting for this job so it can be a super win for Aaron.

Happy Birthday Aaron--2 months early!

2009-07-01T12:24:00.000-07:00

I'm celebrating Aaron's birthday early cause I can :) Also there are a few things he wants and we're just getting them now and counting them as b-day presents.

Birthday Booty

See a theme here? A bit computer centric. I think I'll get him this shirt as well:

In other news, it appears I have a job if I want it. I'm going into the chiropractic & wellness center Friday for a trial to see how I like it. If I do, I work there twice a week! It's connected with the school. Actually the wife runs the school and the husband runs the center, though the wife is in charge of the massage part at the center. So it's totally compatible with my schooling.

now that's a tough one

2009-06-30T18:08:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Okay, so Aaron got an update on that job he's trying for. Basically if he had two recom-mendations from former supervisors that could personally attest to his Python programming skills he would have the job. But Aaron does not have that. He's the only person who overlooks his programming at work, and he didn't do much Python at his former job. So the recruiter still submitted him to the client, but his chances aren't so high. Since it's not likely that he'll get it, I'll just come out and say the client Aaron would have been working for is NASA in the South Bay area. Yeah, awesome.

However, his boss is about to hire a new person at his current job. With this new person things would change for the better at his work place. Basically the things that made him want to leave his job would be gone. So it's not such a bad thing now if he doesn't get the NASA job.

The tough part, if he were to get the job, is that things are going really good for me here. I just got offered to be an on-call massage therapist at the Wellness Center that's associated with my school. I actually have a gig scheduled there this Friday. I just need to go in tomorrow and do some paperwork. I have my acupressure classes that go through August and I love my Reiki master/instructor that I'm taking classes from. So it'd be great for Aaron to get this NASA job (really big pay raise too) but I have a nice niche here myself that would be hard to recreate in a new environment. Most likely though moving won't be a decision we have to make anytime soon.

superstitious

2009-06-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

As I think I mentioned, Aaron is voluntarily looking for a new job. He was close to one position but the company found someone who already lived closer. Now there is new, better position for which Aaron is vying. He already took a Python programming test which he scored "advanced." Now he needs to send in his references, meet with a rep, and then the company passes Aaron on to their client (and the client is omgwtfbbq awesome!!!!). So there are still several loops to hop through before victory can be claimed. Normally I'd be telling everyone the awesome potential job details but this time I'm feeling a little superstitious, thinking I should just be quiet about it until things are more settled. Should Aaron get it though you'll be hearing all about it.

In other happenings, it's fuckin' hot here. It went from 70s to 90s to 110s in literally two weeks. That is just not right. Sacramento's trying to kill me, smother my little lungs with heat until they wither and collapse. I don't know what we'd do without the air and AC. I feel terrible using them all the time but whenever they're off it's just so humid and hot in this apartment. The windows (the two we have) don't offer much circulation. Bah.

So besides the soul-crushing weather, it's going good. I've started taking extra classes at the massage school and that's keeping me busy now.

I also got a check from my WPS job that I left over a year ago. It's through some investment/retirement thing I had with them. Keep meaning to call them about it, especially since I thought it was already cashed out and closed. $61 doesn't hurt though.

massage and stuff

2009-06-24T10:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I finished my Certified Massage Therapist training [for my county]. Hoorah! It feels pretty cool to be certified in something you enjoy doing and can make money from, imagine that. Now I'm all amped to finish my deep tissue clinic hours (only need 6 massages, one of which I'll be doing today), get me massage insurance, and hopefully find a part time job at a Massage Envy. Our school has a really good reputation with Massage Envy so that doesn't hurt.

I'm really aching to take an aromatherapy class. There's one in Sac in September so I'll try to take it even though it won't count towards schooling. I bought an aromatherapy book that has recipes and info on how to make your own lotions, balms, essential oil combos, etc. I'm just not interested in the chemical, store bought crap anymore. I don't know why companies can't just stick with the good basics. I know there are places where you can buy the natural stuff but it's all online.

So yeah, doing great!

i need to showah

2009-06-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

I love this kitchen style. This is the only kind of blue that I would like to use when decorating a house. Those navy , cornflower, and powder blues just don't do it for me. I'd probably switch out the red for a lime green though.

Where's Waldo?

2009-06-16T21:27:00.000-07:00

We had our first Nova scare this morning. We went out for a walk & coffee, but when we came back to the apartment Nova didn't come meowing to the door like she always does when one of us returns. At first we thought she was sleeping in one of her little nooks, like behind the books on the bookcase. But after calling her name and looking everywhere we couldn't find her, which is when the panic started to seep in. We feared she had somehow slipped past us out the door when we went out this morning. Aaron went outside to start looking for her while I was rechecking the apartment. I checked our room again (Aaron had the first few times) and halleluja there Nova was, sitting by the dresser being as quiet as can be. So I scooped her right up! Man were we so happy to find her. We're guessing she got stuck in the bedroom when Aaron got his jacket from the bedroom before we left, and she must have slipped inside. She knows she's not supposed to be in the bedroom so she probably kept quiet so we wouldn't find her. Either way, I'm glad she wasn't lost or mysteriously abducted by aliens. That would have been so sad.

Last day of massage is on Thursday! This has been an off week since an instructor is seriously ill, and the deep tissue & CMT classes have had to combine as an awkward single class. It sucks for everyone but at least it was only for a week.

this is living

2009-06-12T14:56:00.000-07:00

Everything is going swimmingly well. Next week is my last week of deep tissue classes. It will be odd not going to regular classes anymore. I am currently taking an acupressure class but it's only several Friday's spread out until August. I'm also scheduled to take a reiki class at the end of this month (and will continue to take it once a month for a year). There's not much going on in July class-wise, though Aaron and I are planning a trip out to Portland! In August classes pick up again.

Went out to the farm this morning and worked for a few hours: weeding, turning dirt & planting. In turn I got a large bag of eggs & squash, lettuces, broccoli, basil, some funky thing, and a cucumber. Hoorah! Yummy salad ensued.

Nova is resting on my chest, purring. She can be a handful but she's perfect.

STUFF

2009-06-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

I'm really too tired to make a nice, coherent post but the nets has left me with nothing else to do.

I signed up for an acupressure workshop series and today was my first day (though technically it started last week). Overall it was pretty awesome; I love the instructor and the subject. However there were two things I did not enjoy: attention-whore man-boy, and slightly creepy, older guy poking me. I wasn't wearing my wedding ring since I have to have it off for massage classes all the time, so next time I'll be sure to wear it. I think the guy was doing that 12 yr old flirting thing where you bug the girl. Attention-whore man-boy was just plain odd, interrupting class with mean-spirited "jokes" and unrelated comments. He too was acting like a 12 yr old even though he was in his 40s, both were probably.

So that was from 10am-4:30pm, and went by rather quick.

After that Aaron and I went to a Lebanese restaurant where my massage instructor was belly dancing. My classmate was having a celebratory birthday dinner there and she invited the class (and we all showed up so that was cool). The food was awesome (mmmm Turkish coffee), our instructor's dancing was super awesome, there was laughter and lots of smiling = really fun evening.

And now we're home, pooped, playing tetris and listening to music.

vay-cay

2009-05-31T19:37:00.000-07:00

This past week diverged from the norm since Aaron and I took a trip out to Oakland, and him further to San Francisco for the Google I/O conference. We stayed with some friends from college, caught up, hung out, ate pigeons & buffaloes, and had some good times. Aaron got to immerse himself in Geeky Google Good times with robots, free food, Google engineering gods, and got a free G2 phone before it has even been released. I guess one has already sold on ebay for $700.

The Lakeshore Oakland area is definitely a place where I could comfortably live. I'll file that away for the future.

We got home Saturday and to our surprise were quite exhausted. Slept in very late today as well. Then we rebounded with some showers and a trip to the movies to see Wolverine. MmmMmm Hugh Jackman good. Though they really fucked up Patrick Stewart's face at the end, trying to make him look younger I guess. Big mistake. Other than that, quite enjoyable.

Three more weeks of deep tissue, and then I start taking workshops of other massage modalities. Accupressure and Reiki are up next!

Hiroshima Survivors Tell of the First Atomic Attack

2009-05-25T17:20:00.000-07:00

First Aired: 5/25/2009

59 minutes

Two Hibakusha (survivors of Japan's atomic bomb attacks) describe their experiences surviving the blast near ground zero and its terrible aftermath in Hiroshima. (#16446)

Source: University of California Television

I'm guessing our society doesn't pay much attention to the victims and survivors of the atomic bombs because our country is the one that dropped them, as opposed to the survivors of the Holocaust of where we have plenty of movies & attention on the subject since we are portrayed as their liberators.

Today's Bounty

2009-05-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

Prop bounty shot, folks.

Today was my first day back at the farm! I meant to work from 6:30AM-10:30AM, but cut it short at 10AM so that I could hitch a ride home from my cousin's wife. I only did weeding in the tomato rows and tied up some tomatoes that were started to droop. That warranted me a dozen fresh eggs, two heads of lettuce, a bag of peas and a bag a cherries (all organic, bitches)! I could have taken more but since we're going to be in the SF (Google I/O)/Oakland (visiting friend) area next week we don't need much food. I got to see my little cousin A who is almost 3 now. She "helped" me weed, and is just adorable.

FYI-- I eat the peas still in the pods cause they are so sweet & crunchy, mmmm.

Check out Melissa's post at The Inspired Room to see links to other people's posts about their inspired week, and share yours too if you want :)

feelings

2009-05-20T20:35:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty good at imagining myself in someone else's shoes. I can get pretty sucked in to the point where my own heart will start to ache and tears will stream from my own eyes, feeling someone else's sorrow. There are several people in my life at the moment who are going through some heart ache and I'm so tempted to hug & cry with them. But that's not what they need from me, and I don't think they'd want that either. I'm the listener, the cheerleader. I prefer that, the more positive role. Being a co-crier wouldn't be too uplifting.

I was just thinking about these various people and starting to get a heavy heart. So I wrote it out and will carry on.

stuff and et cetera

2009-05-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

We are finally purging our bedroom and getting it in order. We've been in this apartment for 1 year and 8 months, and the bedroom was still a disaster zone. We'll probably be here for another year so it's still worth cleaning it up. All our clothes were sorted into trash, give away and keep. Half of our clothes were in the give away which we'll clean & give to Goodwill next weekend. A moving box that has been sitting in the corner with crap in it was finally taken down to the trash. Once we get all the clothes clean & put away, it'll be a whole new, open room. Yes, this is quite exciting for me.

Nova is perfect. She's grown so much in a week since she doesn't have to fight with other kitties for food. She's so stealth, cute and sweet.

dear ol' pops

2009-05-14T16:15:00.000-07:00

There have always been two sides to my father: warm, kind & caring side vs. judgmental, stern, stubborn side. However, I feel the older he gets, the more alcohol he ingests, and the slightly more senile he gets, the larger that latter side becomes-- at least towards me. This last trip to Fresno hardly invoked any "Awww, I love my dad" feelings. Honestly, he just pushed my buttons, judged me, made taunting remarks that I don't even know why he'd want to taunt me about it, and was incoherent for the majority of the time. Just today I remembered that he wasn't always like that. I used to be able to have decent, fun, sober conversations with him. I don't know, Dad. You are who you are.

I think he sees himself in my brother, or something. He admits that my brother is irresponsible, a nuisance, and sometimes utterly stupid. But he somehow still puts my brother on some weird pedestal. "Ooooh, he's gone through so much!" "Oooh, he's such a trip" "Oooh, you don't even know the half of what we've been through" (the last one in an odd taunting tone). I've started making my peace with my brother, but now it's getting harder for me to be civil with my father.

My brother had a black eye when we were visiting. Later my parents, Aaron and I were at my grandparents' for a get together. My dad started judging me for puffing cigars. I don't even inhale, I just puff one every once in a while. Mind you, I don't drink either. So Dad (the addicted smoker & alcoholic) starts judging me and I say "Hey, I don't drink." He commends me for that but still makes his remark. So I say, "Well I don't get black eyes." Oooh that was somehow below the belt; "Hey, that's not nice" he responds. I went into him always picking on the one thing that's not perfect about me. He says he'll try better but I honestly don't think that sticks with him. I highly doubt he remembers. How can you when you're buzzed/drunk all the time?

Bah. Then the trip ends with our goodbyes, and him saying, "You know I love you, right?" Yes, I do. He just has these ridiculously high standards for me, and these ridiculously low standards for my brother. Bah again.

Who's The Lucky Biotch?

2009-05-11T15:52:00.000-07:00

I am! My cousin who works at the farm just called and wanted to know if I wanted to volunteer again this spring/summer at the garden in exchange for food, organic food mind you. I said [hell] yeah! I can go on Fridays or even during the week before class if I needed to. 4 hours/week = fresh eggs + brown bag o' veggies! I am just so excited! Farm work again! I was just talking this morning in class about how I used to work there.

Also started my first day of deep tissue! It's a small 4 person class but I think it'll be good. 4 of the people from my first class didn't go on to deep tissue so it felt a bit empty, but we gained a new person. Plus it gives us more one on one time with the instructor so that's a silver lining.

I also introduced myself to someone from the new class; she was the only person who seemed perky and good-natured. I'm guessing the other ladies were just really nervous or something. She happens to live just down the street from me so I'm thinking of inviting her over to practice some time.

Introducing Miss Nova

2009-05-10T20:09:00.000-07:00

Her with her three brothers. Her fourth brother was under the couch.

Nova & Grendel

And now she's sleeping on the arm of our couch!

What is a PBS science series, sudden brightening of a previously inconspicuous star, and a kitty?

2009-05-08T17:45:00.000-07:00

Created by Train Horns

Anywho, we're visiting my parents this weekend to pick up the kitty cat! It also happens to be Mother's Day weekend, so my visit gets extra points. My mom has been keeping me up to date on how the kitty is doing. Her name is Nova, and she has gray hair & gray eyes. We went out and bought a bunch of kitty stuff today, including wheat grass to grow inside for her to chew on if need be (according to the cat book they like that). I still need to do some fixing up around here to get the place more kitty ready, but it is exciting indeed!

Other News: Finished the first module of massage school. I just need to get my clinic hours out of the way so I can officially get my certificate and register with the county. w00t!

Fruit Infused Water

2009-05-06T07:51:00.000-07:00

I made some apple/basil water last night. It is quite refreshing and delicious, so here's the simple recipe if you want to try for yourself.

1 large or 2 small apples (Gala, Granny Smith, Fuji, basically any crunchy kind that is not Red Delicious)

2 sprigs of basil (~a dozen leaves). I used fresh basil.

* Slice apples.
* Chop or crunch basil leaves.
* Put together in a very large cloth "tea bag" or wrap in cheese cloth (basically anything you can fashion out of a cloth that will let the water diffuse through it.)
* Fill a pitcher with water and put the wrapped apple slices & basil in it. (I use filtered water.)
* Set in fridge overnight.
* Take out apples & basil in morning. (Optional: add fresh leaves and apple slices to pitcher.)

Take a sip!

blarg

2009-05-04T08:35:00.001-07:00

I turned into an insomniac over the weekend. I'm not sure I got any sleep last night. I was laying wide awake from 11:30pm to 4am trying everything, crying frustrated tears, just thinking how cruel and torturous insomnia is. blarg.

Sat night the neighbors had drama at like 2:30AM (I still hadn't fallen asleep). The woman was screaming like bloody murder. Neighbors are outside wondering wtf. woman is leaning over her balcony screaming. I had run out in my short shorts and sweatshirt cause it sounded serious (and the last time there was screaming like that, from that apartment no less, someone turned out dead). I was calling 911, but for the 5+ minutes I was on hold the husband came back and said she was overreacting to him threatening to leave. Who the hells knows, but I hung up, said the next time this happened I'd call the cops, and went back inside.

Couldn't go to sleep! Stayed up til 6AM and finally crashed until 12pm.

Then last night happened :/

Excited Lea Phase

2009-05-02T23:04:00.000-07:00

Sorry (but not really) if these repeated posts about massage stuff are boring to the rest of the nets.

I took the $60 I made and bought some massage supplies at Ikea to use for future clients.

This pillow (with removable cover) is a good, cheap substitute for a bolster. Bolsters are used to put under the client's knees (when facing up) and ankles (when facing down).

This nifty pillow (again, with removable cover) is nice to put under the client's neck.

Cheap blanket! Good for cold clients.

Pitcher so I can make infused fruit waters...

...and serve water in these glasses...

...all of which I can place on this tray. Trust me, it looks much better in person.

And then I can put some of this stuff and other supplies in this basket, easy to carry.

These cheap washcloths are awesome! One trick in getting a client's feet clean without being offensive is to wrap them (during the massage) in a warm, damp washcloth treated with witch hazel.

So that came out to a little over $60, but well worth it.

Lastly I ordered some of these (the cheap kind).

The ladies in the apartment complex actually asked me if I had any cards for them to distribute, so I figure it's not a bad idea to order some now. Plus it makes me feel good :)

A+

2009-05-01T22:29:00.000-07:00

Tonight I gave my first massage to someone who was not Aaron. I'll call her T. T and her husband regularly get massages from a person who travels to their house. Plus they get the spa massages when they go on vacations. So I was a little intimidated to massage her but knew I'd get good feedback from it. I gave her a longer than usual massage (1hr 30-45 min), just trying most of the techniques I knew. She loved the music I was playing, and when all was said and done, she loved the massage. She honestly didn't have anything she felt needed critiquing, and wanted me to regularly come back twice a month! Plus she paid me! I gave her a discount since it was a practice/introductory massage. Now I have $60 in my pocket :) I'm going to use it at Ikea to buy some massage supplies! Yes, I feel good--great! Truly an encouraging experience tonight.

Just YAY!

judgemental rant

2009-04-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

I don't eat too much of your typical American fare, at least not when compared to the average American. I don't eat bacon, Lays/Fritos/Doritos-type chips though I have a soft spot for tortilla chips. I occasionally each french fries (once a month at most). If it's name brand I probably don't eat it. Anything that contains trans fat I shy from. Same goes for HFCS, though I slip on that enough where I can't say I don't eat it. I do not consider "fast food" food at all. Fruits, veggies, quinoa, rice, pasta (all preferably organic or local) is what I prefer.

So I say this knowing that not everyone thinks nor eats like me. However, I just have a hard time understanding how a parent can think feeding their toddler a grilled bacon & cheese sandwich is a good thing, or even a neutral thing. How is feeding your toddler anything from a fast food joint an okay thing? Multiple popcicles, processed meats, soda.... bleh. I get that when your kid socializes with other kids, and those kids are eating something you may not approve of, then your kid will probably end up eating some of that stuff while playing with them.

I just wonder what goes through some parents' heads when they start lowering their food & tv standards for their kids. It seems some people are really gung-ho about giving their kid a healthy diet, and then somewhere along the way they get more and more lax until their kid has the average American diet.

Don't even get me started on toddlers & television. I wish anyone who buys DVDs for their babies would read this article. Or even google anything on babies and tv watching.

Here's what Google told me so far:

Do These Toys Work?

BABY'S FIRST STEPS ITALIAN Parents and caretakers, not CDs, are best for teaching languages

BABY EINSTEIN These programs grab attention but don't create geniuses

BIG FROG They may be cute, but don't expect interactive stuffed animals to teach a baby numbers, colors or shapes. A teddy bear without batteries is just as good for cuddling and imaginative play

PICTURE CARDS Flash cards may help students cram for the SAT, but experts agree that the cards are inappropriate for babies younger than 2

YOUR BABY CAN READ Cognitive scientists say that babies forced to watch a DVD daily are memorizing responses, not reading

BRAINY BABY Doctors recommend no TV or videos before age 2

Ah well, these aren't my kids.

rollin' rollin' rollin'

2009-04-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow 7PM & Monday 3PM are times I have scheduled to give massages, woo! Yes, I am freakin' excited. The lady I'm massaging tomorrow is an in-law of mine who I adore. She actually said she'd be a paying guinea pig, but I feel kinda bad about taking money for the first one, especially if she doesn't enjoy it for some reason. We'll see. The one scheduled for Monday is one of the ladies I approached in the complex. Again, exciting!

There is an acupressure class series I really want to take but it's $800. However, I just learned that the school is willing to break the payment down by class, so it'd come out to about $200 a month for 4 months. It might be possible; I'm hoping for a windfall or some unexpected cash to pop up. I'd be able to do July & August, but May and June may be too tight since we'll also be paying for deep tissue classes at the same time. Here's hoping though.

Last night we went to our second yoga class. I love it! The hour goes by so fast; the instructor is so open, so friendly, so about not being a perfectionist, so free spirited. She is honestly the perfect instructor for me. Plus she's all about the love & peace as well.

Okay, off to get ready & leave to class.

I had to start some time

2009-04-28T16:57:00.000-07:00

I approached a couple ladies in my complex that I know & trust, and offered them a free massage (as practice for me). I have been wanting to approach them but couldn't work up the courage until today. They were both excited and very open to receiving a massage. I think they may even come into the school and pay for a massage to help towards my clinic hours (assuming they like the free one). $20 for an hour massage is hard to beat :) I'll probably be massaging one this week.

Now that I have the real prospect of massaging someone who is not family or a friend that I hang out with, I have this urge to make it a perfect experience. Not that I don't want that for family & friends, just that now I'm imagining making infused fruit waters, matching blankets, sheets, new pillows, etc. I'm tempted to put off the massage until after payday to get some more stuff, but my urge to just get started on the massages is too large to postpone it. If they like the massage & ask for another, then that's when it'll be perfect like I imagine.

One lady said she was free anytime after today so hopefully I can give her one tomorrow, woo!

fit bitch

2009-04-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

It is spring in Lea Land in the physical and metaphorical sense. These past few weeks in massage school have really made my life (and body) blossom. I want to work out & actually feel it is vital to a healthy life & body. It's one thing to intellectually think that, but another to realize it.

I walk 2 miles of hilly terrain four days a week. I go to the gym in the morning to work out 5 days a week. And now I'm adding yoga to the mix, 2 days a week so far. Last night was my first class and it was 100% better than the first time I tried it in Santa Cruz. Aaron and I raised our hands when the instructor asked if there were any people in there who hadn't done yoga before. Then later she asked if we meant we hadn't done it with her but with a different instructor because apparently we didn't suck like fetus newbies. Yeah, that made me feel good & a bit more confidant. Plus, I actually liked it and felt nice & springy afterward.

The only thing I have to get over is the fact that my muscles weight so much. I am 169 lbs according to the scale, but I am losing belly fat & inches (moving down to size 10)....soooo, I just have to not let that arbitrary number psychologically mess with me. Damn scales.

Anywho, off to class now :)

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

2009-04-24T13:54:00.000-07:00

I had to battle this SpiderBeast today :'(

That's the window. It was probably about an 1 1/2 inches in diameter, and scary as hell. There was screaming, there was crying, there was chemical warfare, but in the end I won. Sort of. I probably have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder now, and heightened paranoia.

a beautiful life friday

2009-04-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

This was something I had wanted to note a few weeks ago and then forgot about it.

As the media more than attests, this "recession" (I personally think it's something more complicated than that label) has hit millions of people in America in a (perceived) negative way. So many jobs have been lost and so many people don't have that financial security that they once thought they had.

But there is always a flip side to things, and this recession is no different. Take my massage school for example. My class has several woman who are in their 40s and 50s. These are women who had jobs in the loan/reality business (and AAA) that made them a very comfortable living. However, they also hated their jobs. They were beyond stressed. All of them said they would never have voluntarily left their jobs because they felt they needed to keep that financial security. Them BOOM--they're fired. Security, gone. Replacing that perceived security (which wasn't even real since they lost their jobs) was a new opportunity to take time for themselves. Perhaps to do something that they always wanted to do. For the women in my class, that meant going to massage school to pursue a skill and profession they had always wanted to do but felt they never could because they were chained to their jobs.

These woman are much happier now than before being laid off. They admit it's tough not having the same income that they once had, but they wouldn't go back to their previous lives either. So for them, the recession is something to be grateful for. I hope others cane find something in their lives to be grateful for during this particularly tough time as well.

Check out Melissa's post at The Inspired Room to see links to other people's posts about their inspired week, and share yours too if you want :)

Okay folks

2009-04-22T15:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry if you get spammed several times with this, but don't worry, I'm only putting this out there once. You have to register to vote, but the winners get $10K for their idea, most of which are altruistic ones. So I figure why not?

flash cards!

2009-04-20T22:50:00.000-07:00

I just made 22 muscle flash cards. And when I say "just" I mean within the last 4 hours. They're pretty damned detailed, something my anal side occasionally does. I also did them all in pen, impressive? But I actually had fun making them; having The Killers playing in the background made it seem more like a drawing party than studying.

Okay, just took camera phone pics of a couple f-cards since I took so long to do them & want to share:

Triceps Brachii

Piriformis

There's a bunch of crap written on the back of them too.

Anywho...

now I'm just internetting and letting The Killers swirl around in my cranium.

Mmmm, swirl indie rock & roll, swirl in my fried cranium.

how time flies

2009-04-16T16:43:00.001-07:00

School has been really good. I can now do a basic Swedish massage. Next week we'll get into some stomach moves, and then I think we're going to be fanning out into other areas like elderly & prenatal massage. We can technically start doing student clinic hours if we want now, exciting! I'll probably wait until we're done, or near done, with classes.

I got a "cheap" massage table too so now practicing is way easier. Tomorrow one of my classmates is coming over so she can practice on it since she doesn't have one & has no one to practice on. We're also meeting with another classmate tomorrow to do some muscle studying. Should be easy stuff.

In a few weeks we'll also be getting our kitten! I get kitty updates from my mom (she has the kittens for now). The one picked out for me is apparently the loner, lazier, fatter kitten :D I think she (kitty) knows she's ending up with me.

Mmmmyeah, that's about it. Good times.

doooo doo doo do

2009-04-06T15:30:00.000-07:00

Things have been going swimmingly well. I'm a bit drowsy right now... contemplating taking a bath. Today we learned some leg and foot strokes, so I basically got (and gave) a full body massage: back/neck, arms/hands and legs/feet. I'm guessing we'll be touching on the stomach this week too. My instructor said we were all doing very well, especially considering it was only the second week. There is this one knee stroke that's pretty tricky for me to accomplish, and it makes me tense my shoulders a lot. I didn't even notice it until she came by and told me to relax my shoulders. So I have to watch out for that.

Aaron took the GRE this weekend; we're both happy that's over with. No matter what he's applying to grad schools and will basically go to whatever one(s) wants him for cheapest, unless it's one of his dream schools. Then we're willing to get those huge loans.

I've also been wanting to simplify my material life more. More purging. Less stuff. I'm thinking that will be a project for the weekend. I have a couple boxes of stuff in closests that I simply DO NOT EVER take out and use, yet when I do rumage through it, it's all stuff I don't want to throw out. So I really want just get rid of it once and for all.

miso lucky

2009-03-31T21:06:00.000-07:00

I have only been in massage school for two days now, but so far it has been so wonderful, so natural, so me! When I leave I can't wait to come back the next day. When I'm there I never notice the time, nor want to except when waiting for lunch to end. It's like the days are tailored to subjects that I am interested in, a personalized, awesome Lea Day Camp.

Yesterday morning was mostly intro and just talking about general massage/school stuff. We took a break for lunch, and then came back & learned a couple massage techniques. Everyone also took turns being massaged on the back (with shirts and bras off, peeps!). Old Lea would probably be mortified that I exposed my back (and not-so-pretty birthmark & some acne) for several total strangers to see. But I think Old Lea would also be proud of me too ;) I figure that if I expect future clients/strangers to bare their bodies to me, I shouldn't have a problem doing it for class.

Then today we had a different teacher, totally cool lady, who talked to us about self care and other random, interesting things. Breaked for lunch. Then she constructed a half-hour massage for us to practice on our partner. Last time I was the client first so this time I offered to be the therapist first. We went over Monday's moves, I asked a couple posture questions & got some tips. It ended up being a 45 minute massage which our teacher said was good since she had to go around and instruct people individually during it. My partner did a pretty nice massage on me. Yay daily massages!

Then I practiced later on Aaron and he really like it; said it felt very theraputic. But I really need a table 'cause floor massages are killer on my lower back. Pay day tomorrow!

I just feel so inspired! Even more so to eat healthy, DRINK WATER, do my tai qi gong dvds to gain better balance, and learn this the best I can.

Check out Melissa's post at The Inspired Room to see links to other people's posts about their inspired week, and share yours too if you want :)

my namesake movie

2009-03-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

Lea (1996, Czech Republic film)

Lea has learned to deal with regular abuse from her father, but a horrific event involving her mother's death shakes her so severely, she can no longer speak. Lea turns to poetry as her only communication with her new foster parents, who turn her over at age 21 to a man named Strehlow for marriage. The man beats Lea repeatedly, but when he finds her poetry one day, his view of her is changed forever.

If the movie & main character weren't named Lea I would have no interest in this movie. But now I feel obliged to watch... into the queue it goes.

this is how soulmates rock it

2009-03-24T15:47:00.000-07:00

lea: mmmm pie

lea wants sweets, craving the sweets

brownies, ice cream, cake, sweets

preferably all in one huge bowl

Sent at 3:38 PM on Tuesday

Aaron: :) you are SO cute

lea: can i have it?

pweese

Aaron: from where?

lea: a store

Aaron: mmmm I don't trust a sore

i have heard bad things about them

lea: that sells cake-brownie-ice cream bowls

no aaron, they're good

trust them

Aaron: it's funny, you want cake/brownie/ice cream and I was pizza (bad for you bad evil pizza)

lea: ooooooooh hahaha

are our minds rejecting all this healthy food?

GIVE ME SUGAR AND GREEEEASE

Aaron: no, they just want a be bad cheat

lea: i can cheat

i can cheat so hard

in a big bowl

Aaron: :) you are so cute and awesome

lea: :D

we can cheat for eachother..........................

Aaron: me pick you up something from the store and you order pizza?

[same time] lea: you can pick up a certain something from TJs and I can order a pizza..................

hahaha

Aaron: haha

sure thing

lea: LOL

i am!

camera phone + photoshop musings

2009-03-17T21:59:00.000-07:00

Lunch Before

and After

yum yum in a bowl

2009-03-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

This isn't really a recipe to me since it's so easy, but it's a very yummy concept.

This morning I combined 1/2cup dried roll oatmeal + 1 cup boiling water in a bowl, and let that absorb.

When that turned into regular oatmeal I added a cooked egg, and about 1/2 cup chopped, sauteed asparagus. (Honestly, I just put some olive oil in a pan, heated it up, added the asparagus and took it off a few moments later. EASY)

I added a spoon of flax seed oil since we have it & it's good stuff. Proportion wise I don't know how it works out, but I was hungry and ate it all.

You can change the oatmeal to steel cut oats, quinoa, brown rice, whatever you want. But I dearly love me some oatmeal + eggs. Mmmmm.

a beautiful life friday

2009-03-13T09:13:00.000-07:00

A lot of wonderful things have occurred this week (like Aaron buying jam! ;)

But I'm so excited since today's my last day of work here at this temp job!!! God, I feel so light and airy :) We're going out to lunch and then I get to go home (aka the mall) afterward! This job really has been such a blessing though.

It came when I started looking for work after my hiatus from office living. It is across the street from Aaron's job so we could easily carpool. It paid off our credit cards and my first module of massage school. My co-workers and I got along great, and I genuinely like them a lot. The only frustration was my crazy boss, but hey, it was temporary :)

And now I'm so psyched to register for school tomorrow and get back on track towards making some dreams come true.

Yes! Last day! And a burrito for dinner!

Here's to new beginnings! Wooooo! And free lunch! Woo!

Check out Melissa's post at The Inspired Room to see links to other people's posts about their inspired week, and share yours too if you want :)

Edit: OMG OMG Coworkers got me awesome presents!!! Lush, wine & a cool Asian kimono cover slip for the wine bottle!!!

random picture time

2009-03-11T22:48:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of soap and a candle, except that soap is the best soap in the whole wide world! We just got it in today from A Wild Soap Bar (a link to the store is under my Links). Can't wait for my shower in 8 hours.
***************************

This up here is a photo of my laptop & the sticker I put on it, cause I'm mature like that.
***************************

And this is a photo of my awesome, ceramic mixing bowls, at least the clean ones, my sugar bowl, and fruit in a wooden bowl. I just like it.

Tomorrow's my last day of actual work! Friday we go to lunch at 11:30AM and then I get to go home (aka the mall) afterwards!! EEEP!!

3 day countdown!

2009-03-10T10:39:00.000-07:00

Friday is my last day at work! And we're going out to lunch on Friday and I get to leave after lunch, so it's more like 2 1/2 day countdown! YAY! I knew this day would come but it's soooo sweet that it's finally this close.

I've only just now discovered the Jamba Juice organic, steel-cut oatmeal they sell. Good thing I didn't try it when I first started this gig or else we'd have spent a lot more these past 5 months. We already buy coffee every morning and were lazy buying lunch a lot.

My happiness about this job being almost done made for a very bright and rosy weekend. We went to the farmers' market, something we just let slide to the wayside several months ago. It was fantastic waking up early again, setting out to buy fresh produce and daffodils! We went out for Chinese for dinner with a friend and watched Watchmen afterwards. I enjoyed it a lot, as well as Aaron. Our friend had higher standards.

Then Sunday was the most amazing Sunday I've had in a while.

* I made macadamia nut pancakes for breakfast
* I wore my new, black sundress that Aaron picked out
* Went out for coffee and to pick up new flip flops for me (I'm going through an odd shoe shortage)
* I felt pretty
* We ate lunch at home which consisted of farmers' market produce
* Went for a nice, long walk along the river
* Walked home and stopped at a natural foods, vegetarian cafe for lunch
* Ate yummiest food ever (super avocado and cheese pita and mango-peach ice tea)
* Felt so refreshed and rebooted. Relaxed for the evening.

We are definitely going to have more Sundays like that this Spring and Summer.

a beautiful life friday

2009-03-06T09:10:00.001-08:00

All in all this week was an average one, but when you look at all the little things that happen in a week there is much beauty to be found.

Oddly enough, a dispute my husband and I got into kind of perked up my week. It was a fight over the littlest of things, as fights commonly seem to be. It was the end of the day and Aaron was exhausted from jury duty (sitting around all day and then being dismissed). We were driving home and I mentioned how we should get our oil changed for the car (like we had been discussing before), and wanted to do it at that moment. He didn't want to right then, which wasn't how I thought he'd response, so I was confused.

Exhausted Aaron + Confused Lea = Lame Fight.

Afterwards I went to the bedroom for some alone, moping time while Aaron stayed in the living room. I came out a little later and we made up quickly, naturally, genuinely.

And I found that very comforting, that I no longer freak out after a dispute and think, "Oh no, what if he realized that he's tired of me & doesn't want me anymore?" (Oh yes, I'd think that a lot for no reason.) I still get upset at the time when we fight, which is rare in itself, but it was comforting to not have that post-fight panic set in.

Then we took our car out for an oil change (oh, it reeeeally needed it, along with other things), rented some movies and had a very enjoyable Thursday evening.

Plus! My parents' cat had kittens so now I get one!!! I'm thinking of names. So far I have Nova, short for Novocain, and Ruby, short for Ruby on Rails (software engineering things).

Check out Melissa's post at The Inspired Room to see links to other people's posts about their inspired week, and share yours too if you want :)

PS-- The Etsy shop My Gypsy Heart has these purses and coin purses are so pretty & cool. I'll keep this place in mind when I have some spare cash.

spring, shmring

2009-03-05T13:38:00.000-08:00

All these bloggy posts I'm reading lament on how they can't wait for spring to be here, while I'm here in 60 degree, sunny, spring weather wishing for a colder, longer winter.

Why is physical abuse the usual line drawn?

2009-03-04T16:30:00.000-08:00

A question that often gets brought up in an online marriage community is "At what point would you divorce your spouse?" The question varies but the intent is to determine what is the "breaking point" in a marriage. All the answers indicate that the maximum required for divorce is physical abuse. Once physical abuse comes into play all bets/vows are off. Even the (sometimes religious) people who don't believe in divorce despite unhappiness in a marriage mostly agree that physical abuse is a valid reason for divorce.

And I wonder why?

Take unhappiness. You can't see anything physically on a person when they're unhappy. Or maybe they feel trapped in a marriage by their vows that they solemnly took. But they can still walk, talk and in general function like a normal person without any problems. However, when physical abuse comes into the picture, you usually get a bruised person with sometimes a broken bone here or a busted lip there. It physically impedes them from functioning, and the pain incurred by the person is there for everyone to see.

But what if the person married to the abuser knew karate? What if they were so skilled in karate, or what have you, that the abusive spouse could never leave a bruise or physically harm them? They were never physically harmed, and they can function like a normal person. Does that throw the "only physical abuse could induce me to divorce" argument out the window?

Because I don't understand the difference between someone being physically abused and someone being depressed or unhappy in a marriage, and why some people differentiate between the two; why some people make physical abuse the last straw and not mental distress too. I think that if a person is, for whatever reason, not satisfied with the marriage then divorce should be an option that shouldn't have a stigma attached. Mind you this comes from a person who believes they're in the best marriage in the universe ever.

The karate example may seem ridiculous, but ridiculous is how I feel about making that distinction between physical and mental distress. I've just been pondering this for a couple days and wanted to write it down....obviously.

4:00 PM

2009-03-03T15:54:00.000-08:00

I'm at the office for real.... waiting until 5:00 PM arrives. It's been a drag of a day where I wish I could have curled up in a blanket with some cocoa and just spent the day in hibernation. Ah well.

I just came across the Grameen Foundation site today. I saw a lecture online that Muhammad Yunus gave, and it totally inspired me. I want to run a business in the near future, and want to use his business model. So please check it out.

Or watch the same lecture that got me excited about the possibilities of positive impact we can have, even through business.

the office

2009-03-02T22:14:00.000-08:00

This is where I sit all day and wait until March 13th arrives.

I think I injured my pinky finger at work today. Yup, that's an office injury for you.

I tagged this 'at the office' even though I'm not. But since it has a pic of the office, I figured that was close enough.

sugah daddy!

2009-02-27T21:43:00.000-08:00

Today has been an absolutely great day! I stayed home and cleaned the kitchen, which it desperately needed. It always feel good to clean & clear the apartment, but it definitely takes energy which is hard to do during the work week. I also did some inner analysis, had a break through or two, good stuff.

Then Aaron came home early! Awesomeness there! He had a great day at work and has a lot of exciting things coming up on the work front, so that makes me happy too.

Today was the first payday that Aaron's raise took effect, and also the first month we don't have to pay $100s to credit cards :D So we just sat and talked about all this great stuff going on, how great & amazing things are. Our giddiness was palpable.

So we went to Macy's to pay off and close my credit card there. $19.76 was the remaining balance, and now it's history! To celebrate we went to the Elephant Bar and devoured cheesy potato skins, fish & chips, and I tackled a mud (more like MOUNTAIN) pie.

Then Aaron got all sugar daddy on me and wanted to buy me stuff. I'm cool with that :)

He got a couple AE shirts, and I got one too:

Then we went around looking for this dress style for me that Aaron liked and wound up buying this one:

I'm wearing that one right now. It looks way better on me than I would have thought.

So that was my full, exciting, great, fun day. Woooo!

a beautiful life friday

2009-02-27T08:27:00.001-08:00

This week was a zombie of a week. So much so that I'm taking today off. I always work up such a guilt trip over taking a day off of work, but I haven't purposefully taken a day off since taking this temp job (in Nov), nor have I even been sick. So I don't think it's too much to ask. That's what I have to repeat to myself.

But it was also a week that made me reflect on how grateful I am. Aaron and I celebrated 3 years of marriage! I literally feel like the luckiest person ever to be able to spend my life with him, to get to know him, love him, appreciate him, support him, have fun with him :) And he feels the same way about me; how very lucky & grateful I feel.

I'm also grateful for my mom. My husband has a strained relationship with his mom, and a VERY rocky history with her. Whereas I've had a relatively nice, stable relationship with my mom. We have our different opinions on some things, but she's the kind of mom that I think anyone would be super lucky to have. And I just want to be as good a mom to my future children as she is to me.

Check out Melissa's post at The Inspired Room to see links to other people's posts about their inspired week, and share yours too if you want :)

I love my mom

2009-02-25T22:55:00.000-08:00

I just want to say that.

cute, cheap oufit

2009-02-22T22:44:00.000-08:00

Okay, here's my moment of vanity. I like my outfit so much that I want to share it with the internets. Aaron and I went out on a pre-anniversary date tonight (3 years of marriage tomorrow!). I like to dress up and buy new (cheap) outfits for special occasions. This one was super cheap and yet now my favorite.

Dress: JC Penny's sale rack for $6.something
Undershirt: Styles for $5.
Mini-cardigan: Styles for $12.
Boots: Macy's from 3 years ago. (Ironically still paying them off even though they originally cost $60. This is another reason I don't do store credit cards.)

I think it looks better in person but it's a damn good photo for a camera phone (G1 shout-out).

a beautiful life friday

2009-02-20T08:38:00.000-08:00

It's been a wacky week. The apartment has been neglected since Aaron and I have been morphed into slugs this week. But it has been an overall laid back week.

What I guess has made this week particularly memorable was my offer to do one of the favors for a co-worker's wedding. She and I have gotten along great during my temp job here. She has really made my time here easy and fun despite the moments of madness. As California fate would have it though, her fiance (and many other people she knows) has been negatively effected by the 20,000 state lay-offs due to the budget being extremely late. Their wedding was in the works before the economy took a nose-dive, and they still want to go through with it. They have a child as well, which make wedding planning a bit harder.

Remembering my harrowing wedding-planning days (which was for a relatively small wedding), I wanted to do something to help ease the stressful burden & cost of a wedding. Aaron and I don't have children. Aaron's job is going along very nicely, and we regularly have a little surplus of money since we live within our means. Not to mention we just finished paying off our credit cards! So I got the idea to offer to do one of her wedding favors (which is very helpful when it's a ~200 person wedding). Now I'm excited to be creative yet thrifty with the favors :) I've already done a couple simple mock-ups of the favors, which she's gotten excited over too.

Check out Melissa's post at The Inspired Room to see links to other people's posts about their inspired week, and share yours too if you want :)

monday happenings

2009-02-16T17:15:00.001-08:00

Behold! My new favorite chocolate bar! God I love this stuff.

Aaron and I (finally) finished reading Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy.

We just started The Three Trillion Dollar War: The True Cost of the Iraq Conflict .

Today we picked up Tear Down This Myth: How the Reagan Legacy Has Distorted Our Politics and Haunts Our Future so we have a treat to read after we finish Three Trillion Dollar War.

Today's an extra special President's Day since this news story came out:

Obama Shifts U.S. Policy to Back Global Mercury Control Treaty

NAIROBI, Kenya, February 16, 2009 (ENS) - The Obama administration has reversed the former U.S. position on limiting mercury pollution worldwide. Before astonished environment ministers attending the United Nations Environment Programme Governing Council opening session in Nairobi today, the U.S. delegation endorsed negotiations for a new global treaty to control mercury pollution, to begin this year.

The Bush administration had opposed legally binding measures to control mercury, despite broad support among a majority of countries in the UNEP Governing Council.

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said the mercury policy framework is the result of seven years of intense discussions spearheaded by UNEP represents the first, coordinated global effort to tackle mercury pollution.

...

"The Obama administration has clearly shown a new day has dawned for U.S. leadership and engagement with the rest of the world," said Michael Bender, director of the U.S.-based Mercury Policy Project, and a coordinator of the international Zero Mercury Working Group. "And the momentum created by the U.S. appears to be galvanizing other governments around the world to step up to address the global mercury crisis."

Mercury poisoning affects about five million American women. One study in the United States has found that about one in 12 women have mercury levels above the level considered safe by the U.S. EPA.

Read Rest Here

a beautiful life friday

2009-02-13T10:27:00.000-08:00

I stumbled across The Inspired Room blog yesterday where every Friday Melissa promts:

Share a post (or in the comments) that encourages us to find the beauty in where you are right now! Share YOUR goals, your struggles or the way you find beauty every day moments! Please link back to The Inspired Room from your post AND make sure you leave a link here that goes directly to your Beautiful Life post!

So I will take this moment to share what beauty there is in this empty office Friday morning.

It has been raining this week, which we need & I love. My co-workers in are Monterey this weekend for a seminar we are hosting, so I'm all alone in the office--and love it. The phones aren't ringing. I'm playing enjoyable music. It's Nacho Friday at the deli across the street. But best of all is that this office has a sliding glass door. I've opened it today since I don't have to worry about the office getting too cold for my co-workers. Fresh, brisk air is burshing against my cheek. I hear the fresh sounds of cars driving on wet streets (I really love that sound). Natural light is brightening this office. It is truly delightful.

Check out this post at The Inspired Room to see links to other people's posts about their inspired week, and share yours too if you want :)

Salmon Cakes!

2009-02-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

Salmon Cakes

Ingredients
1 lb can of salmon, flaked
3/4 cup cracker meal (I used Panko crumbs)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 egg whites
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp dill
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients well.
2. Shape into patties and place on a greased baking sheet or portion into greased muffin cups.
3. Bake at 400 F for about 20 min.

7 servings

From "Meals Without Squeals" by Christine Berman & Jacki Fromer.

come on and save me, if you could save me

2009-01-26T19:14:00.000-08:00

I feel good. My two co-workers are both out on maternity leave now, so it's just my other co-worker, my boss and myself--the moment we've all been waiting for. And you know what? It was one of the best days I've had since working there. Not because my two co-workers were gone, but because I had a steady flow of work to do (which made the day fly by); I am now situated in an office that has lots of natural light coming in and I can turn off the fluorescent lights; said office also has speakers hooked to the computer so I could listen to music most of the day. It was just a pleasant day that didn't involve any frustrations.

Aaron and I also went to the gym before work, so that was nice as well.

But one of the most exciting, uplifting things we figured out today was that this Friday we can pay off the final, huge credit card! We'll be putting the final ~$1400 towards it and then it is GONE! YAY! WOO!! This and another four figure card will ironically be paid off before my minor double and low triple digit cards. So there will be real cause for celebration for Aaron and me Friday. AND Bodega Bay is this weekend, what better way to celebrate?

Yes, I am having a great day.

PS- I saw these recipe cards over at decor8blog.com, and want!

alone on a Friday night

2009-01-16T21:37:00.000-08:00

Oh-kay, melodramatic Lea has arrived. Really I'm just waiting for Aaron to get home from a business day trip. Yeah, it sucks, but it's also a three day weekend so that's nice.

If I was single, I think getting way too obsessed with sugar bowls and creamers would be a real danger.

I actually didn't have a bad day at work today. It was weird. Since Aaron and his boss were traveling, I went to the deli with a co-worker to get some lunch. Later, I looked over the syllabus that my boss said was the final draft (that she did) and discovered some major things that needed to be changed (super common with her). I debated whether I should take the effort to find her mistakes, and was bored enough to do it. I guess it pays off. Otherwise she'd discover the mistakes after everything was printed, and would blame us.

Later, I was talking with aforementioned co-worker about how I had to either wait in Aaron's office until he got back from his trip, or take a taxi home. She offered to give me a ride home (which is a 40 minute ride, though sort of close to where she was going). I made sure she meant it, and wasn't offering out of guilty obligation (a little fear of mine when people offer help), and totally took her up on her offer. It was a good, talkative ride home :) I effusively thanked her and said I'd buy her lunch some time. So now I'm cozily in our apartment instead of in an uncomfortable office or down $60 in taxi fare.

Ate Ben & Jerry's Irish Mudslide instead of making a proper dinner.

What has occupied my evening:

Finished watching first season of Mad Men.
Watched new Grey's Anatomy [aka Grey's Malpractice] episode.
Found out the spoilers for Battlestar Galatica's episode tonight. I know who the final cylon is! But the twists, oh the many twists!
Watched Ghost Town.
Looked at creamers online.

dying a slow, fluorescent office death

2009-01-15T13:21:00.000-08:00

Yup, that's how Thursday is going. The giddy pay-day feeling isn't even present. Just numb, dull... stuff. Maybe applying the paycheck to the credit card will help me feel better.

is this it {the strokes}

2009-01-13T22:34:00.000-08:00

Work is work. I'm getting paid for it, and that's all that matters. Today marks the 2 month countdown until it's over.

Aaron and I are feeling pretty burnt out. His work is quite monotonous at the moment, until they hire the new person, so it's a drain on him. Mine is...well, typical office stuff that's draining all my energy. My coffee addiction is turned back on because of it.

But! I did get three cupcakes after work today (along with another cup of coffee), so that was good.

Anywho, the last weekend of January we're going to take a trip to Bodega Bay, so that will refresh us. Aaron's never been, and I've only been with my family. It was around there that I tipped the family canoe over, ha. I had been planning a February anniversary weekend, but we'll just stay local with this Bodega Bay trip now scheduled.

That is something I am very thankful for: that we can plan these little, very nice weekend trips every so often. There are too many people where that's not an option, and we're lucky enough to not be in that category at the moment.

I'm also staying up later more often than I should. It comes with having an unhappy job. You don't want to go to bed because you know when you wake up, you have to go back to work. 2 more months!

Citizen's Briefing Book Ideas - VOTE

2009-01-13T09:11:00.000-08:00

Go HERE to view and share your ideas on any issue facing the new administration, then rate or comment on other ideas. The best rated ideas will rise to the top -- and be gathered into a Citizen's Briefing Book to be delivered to President Obama after he is sworn in.

My submitted idea is Guaranteed Vacation Time.

{also, this is my 100th post!}

winter decorating

2009-01-11T14:56:00.000-08:00

Aaron and I did some post-Christmas, winter decorating. Yeah, a little behind schedule, but it works for us (and is way cheaper). I got these photo frames from the Xmas gift stealing party at Aaron's dad's and stepmom's, and that little 3 legged table was from the party too, so we just stuck it by the fireplace.

I like it. The (off center) wreath and photos make the apartment more homey. We'll probably have this up all year round cause that's how we are.

Cell phone camera pic came out more blurry than expected, but you get the idea.

isn't it strange...

2009-01-10T23:22:00.000-08:00

...when your life turns out the opposite of what you thought it would be?

That's not necessarily a bad thing; it just is. What my life revolves around now isn't what I thought it would. I managed to graduate from high school and college, which I didn't have much faith I'd do when I was 15. Instead of being this lonely girl living in at home or in a cardboard box, I managed to get this awesome, extremely smart, kind, caring, handsome guy to fall in love with me (and I with him, duh), and marry him. Instead of being an office drone for life, I'm working towards something better and creative. Instead of having the singleton lifestyle of bars and prowling, I'm settled into a (seemingly boring but not to me) snug, comfortable married life that involves reading books with my husband, taking weekend trips every so often, having fun discovering & try new recipes, talking about & being spiritual, and drooling over Crate & Barrel displays. It's a simple life that wouldn't captivate anyone else but the people living it.

I could not have predicted this life for myself, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

USAservice.org

2009-01-09T11:20:00.000-08:00

I'm getting pretty revved up about Obama taking office soon. The Obama Administration just unveiled USAservice.org. It's a website that consolidates searching for an event to volunteer at, or a way to post an event you're hosting. I have tried before looking for places and events to volunteer at, and it honestly isn't that easy. So this is an awesome website for this government to promote. I've already used it to find something for me and Aaron to volunteer at :)

You can search your area or state HERE for an event.

Again, I think it's awesome that on Martin Luther King Jr Day that the Obamas and Bidens will be volunteering in their area, and encouraging others to do the same. So that's what I'll be doing, putting my actions where my vote was. I don't want to be one of those people praising the good efforts of others while I sit around merely observing. One of the reasons I voted for Obama was his push towards getting our citizens more involved in personally participating & helping out their communities. So it's time for me to step up and follow through.

"every pretty girl deserves to go to a ball"

2009-01-04T22:40:00.000-08:00

I had a damn perfect weekend, and I wish it could continue into tomorrow.

Dinner & a movie date night was really fun. We went to Mikuni's for divine sushi, stopped at Peet's afterward to waste some time, and then went and saw Yes Man. I give Yes Man an enthusiastic two thumbs up. There was hardly a time when I, or anyone else, wasn't laughing. Plus it has a good message too.

Today we went to Lush and took advantage of their buy 1 xmas product, and get another xmas product free. So we got an xmas gift box worth $26, and another free. They were also doing a Buy 1 soap, get 2 soaps free thing, so we got three soaps for the price of one, yay. And Aaron picked up some deodorant since that was the non-indulgent reason for going.

Then we skipped over to Crate and Barrel and picked up this square pillow (after drooling over everything else):

Finished up the mall trip with a visit to Williams Sonoma, drooled some more, and went home. Made some yummy pizza, watched some fun Paranormal State episodes, and chilled at our friend's apt for the evening.

So now we're home, and I'm postponing sleep because I don't want to go to work tomorrow. Blah. 2 months and 9 business days until it's over- not including holidays. Just have to keep reminding myself that our mission is being accomplished, the reason I took on this job. 1 major credit card down, the other halfway gone. Almost there.

w00t for 2009

2009-01-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

Of Aaron's own accord, he got me roses yesterday (second time in FIVE years). And tomorrow, of his own accord, he's going to get me more flowers while I get fancied up, knock on the door like an old-fashioned date, and I get greeted with flowers followed by dinner & a movie! We never got to really do the dating thing since we have always lived together. We just went from friends to being married basically. So this is really nice and exciting for me :)

Aaron's always wanted to get me flowers, but he always wanted it to be a surprise when he did. But, hello, we're always together so he never bought any after that first time in college. Suddenly he realized he should just get me flowers even if it's not a surprise. Yay! Too many times I have hinted and straight out told him to buy me some flowers, but I'm glad he's finally seen the flower light now. To his credit, he's always surprised me with dark chocolate and gotten me anything else I wanted. Flowers is just an old-fashioned, traditional thing that I've always liked and wanted, so I'm excited I finally get it :)

yawn

2008-12-29T22:21:00.000-08:00

Okay, I am going to bed after this. The holidays {Dec 24 - Dec 28} were a whirlwind and overall good, but now we need a real vacation. So this New Years, aside from the dinner we have planned with Aaron's dad and stepmom, we are doing nothing but relaxing. Dec 24 involved a trip to a Christmas gathering/party on Aaron's stepmom's side. It's always fun, and this year was no exception. We even got a flat tire on the way up that, and even that was kinda fun too.

Dec 25 was a nice, relaxing day (for the most part), and even involved a hike with my cousin's family. It was really nice seeing J and A again.

Dec 26-27 was when we drove down to Fresno, caught up with the folks and a few other people, and indulged in some TLC & Bravo television.

Dec 28 was the trip to Placerville to visit Aaron's grandparents.... yeah, the drama llama tried to make an appearance concerning Aaron's mom. Bleh. But we saw our nieces, which was sorely needed. We need to do something with them, hopefully this weekend.

I was so tired today. Everyone seemed to be. Good thing it's a shortened work week. Otherwise I'd be sorely tempted to pretend to be sick.

I can't wait until March 2009 {job ends}! And April {massage school begins}!

with 8 days left of 2008 / meme

2008-12-23T20:57:00.000-08:00

1) Was 2008 a good year for you?
yes

2) What was your favorite moment of the year?
Um, the two-thirds of it when I wasn't working?

3) What was your least favorite moment of the year?
The climax of my previous job which lead to me quitting.

4) Where were you when 2008 began?
In this apartment with Aaron.

5) Who were you with?
Aaron

6) Where will you be when 2008 ends?
Probably the same place, but who knows.

7) Who will you be with when 2008 ends?
I predict Aaron.

8) What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Eat burritos while walking on Lake Tahoe :)

9) Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
NA

10) Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.

11) Did anyone close to you die?
Not yet... 8 days are still left.

12) Did you travel outside of the US in 2008?
Unfortunately not.

13) How many different states did you travel to in 2008?
Ha, I guess to Nevada and quickly back.

14) What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Enrollment in massage school and freedom from credit debt.

15) What date(s) from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Um, the usual anniversaries and birthdays

16) What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Discovering more about myself & life; living for me, not society or peer pressure.

17) What was your biggest failure?
NA

18) Did you suffer any illness or injury?
Nah, only mental ones.

19) What was the best thing you bought?
Aaron's G1.

20) Whose behavior merited celebration?
Um...??? Everyones'?

21) Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Haha, McCain/Palin.

22) Where did most of your money go?
Bills, some fun trips, groceries.

23) What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Trip to SF and Lake Tahoe, me quitting my job and Aaron getting his new job.

24) What song will always remind you of 2008?
Probably all The Killers' songs since we just bought their first 3 cds and are looping them.

25) Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? About the same.
iii. richer or poorer? Technically poorer, but we're not in as much debt.

26) What do you wish you'd done more of?
Going outside.

27) What do you wish you'd done less of?
Fretting.

28) How will you be spending Christmas?
Here and possibly going for a stroll with my cousin's family.

29) Did you fall in love in 2008?
I fall in love over and over again with my husband. [kept the same answer from fireyirishangel]

30) If yes, with who?
See above.

31) If yes, do they know?
Yup.

32) Are you still in love with them?
Absolutely.

33) You regret it?
Nope.

34) Did you breakup with anyone in 2008?
Kind of.

35) How many one-night stands?
None.

36) How many people did you sleep with in 2008?
Just the one.

37) Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.

38) Did you make any new friends in 2008?
Um, my co-workers, in a friendly acquaintance way.

39) Who are your favorite new friends?
NA

40) What was your favorite month of 2008?
August was pretty pimp.

41) Did you miss anybody in the past year?
No

42) Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?
I'm sure that my behavior didn't always merit celebration [kept same answer as fireyirishangel].

43) What was the worst lie someone told you in 2008?
Oh, if any, I don't know it or forgot it.

44) Did you treat somebody badly in 2008?
Yeah.

45) Did somebody treat you badly in 2008?
Not from their point of view.

46) What was your proudest moment of 2008?
Quitting my job!

47) What was your most embarrassing moment of 2008?
???

48) What was your greatest musical discovery of 2008?
Rediscovery of The Killers!

49) What did you want and get?
A break. Technically I wanted this new job too.

50) What did you want and not get?
Things I don't need.

51) What was your favorite new film of this year?
That's a toughy. Iron Man? The Dark Knight?

52) did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2008?
First 5 months I did.

57) did you do a lot of drugs in 2008?
No

58) What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Cupcakes! Massage school open house! Open presents from family! Dinner at Thai place!

59) What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not getting the credit card bill from Aaron's mom.

60) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Jeans, a shirt, and not caring half the time/ Very Earthy Hippie during the summer.

61) What kept you sane?
Silence and Aaron.

62) Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Tie between Scarlett Johansson and Hugh Jackman. MMMMMM!

63) How much money did you spend in 2008?
um, that's a hard calculation... 60,000? Possibly less, don't know how the taxes worked out.

64) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
Money is not worth sacrificing your happiness for.

65) What are your plans for 2009?
Getting myself in massage school and getting Aaron into grad school.

2008-12-22T21:27:00.000-08:00

I broke a plate tonight, oh my!

On Christmas Eve we're going to a family function on Aaron's dad & stepmom's side of the family. Aaron's stepmom and I were emailing about what dishes to bring, and then she sent me a second email that said Aaron's dad said "if possible bring your Mac & Cheese, because it is quite possibly the best thing he has ever eaten." Awwww, that warms my heart :) So I think I'll make the mac & cheese along with a healthy but fancy & delicious pizza.

Today Aaron and I went out to lunch with my co-workers at the Elephant Bar. It was really nice and I'm glad I decided to go. Though tomorrow I have to have lunch with my co-workers, boss and a couple other head honchos :-/ That won't be nearly as fun.

I can't wait to bake these cookies either tomorrow or Wednesday.... probably tomorrow. I'm replacing the white chocolate chips with dark Ghirardelli chocolate chips, MMmmmm!

and my dad is 50

2008-12-17T19:18:00.000-08:00

Today is my dad's 50th birthday, crazy! I know he didn't think he'd be alive this long, and personally, I didn't think he would either. I figured all the smoking, drinking, and driving would somehow result in his death by now. But who knows how long and why anyone is able to stay alive. I'm not complaining; it's just weird.

Another weird one: by brother is 19, the age I was when I met my husband, Aaron. That's the age where I started, bit by bit, feeling more secure about myself. I had already been in college for a year, and was entering my sophomore year, excited to have my freedom again. Me meeting Aaron and going through college with him kind of defines my adulthood in a big way; so now that my brother is that age, I feel like I can and should treat him like an adult too. Which for me means not giving him a birthday present, ha.

My mom's 46. I don't have any weird associations with that one yet.

And here's a photo just because I like it:

i am 24

2008-12-16T19:05:00.000-08:00

I easily forget that, so I just said it out loud. I am twenty-four.

Oh mid-twenties, how nice it is to be here than a decade ago.

Though today I had some crummy moments at work due to a boss that acts like a petulant teenager a little too much sometimes. She gave me some attitude while I was trying to help her today, which she had requested. But my co-workers understand how it is too well, and I guess it helped build our comradery more. However, I don't need this job but she does need me. So if she mistreats me again, I'll simply say, "Oh should I quit then?" I am serious when I say I'm done with letting people walk all over me. Today caught me off guard simply because I've never experienced this treatment from her before, but it's apparently how she is. So we'll see.

But lets leave off on some more good news: we paid off our Bank of America credit card, which was over $1000 at the beginning of the month! Gone! Now we only have one more major one, Juniper. That's over $2000, but now we can focus our resources fully on it, exciting! And all my little credit cards are quickly disappearing. My Citi card is already gone. Macy's card is in the low double digits. Wells Fargo Student card is below $400. 2009 is looking like that'll be the year our freedom from credit card debt finally happens!!!

YAY!!!

Here's a little happy image for the holidays

50% awake

2008-12-12T23:25:00.001-08:00

We officially now have health insurance again! We can even get 15 acupuncture treatments a year and visit a chiropractor if need be. Aaron will definitely be needing that. I've had acupuncture before, which worked wonderfully, so cool.
Grandpa is out of the hospital. I didn't even know he was in it. Really bad, swollen prostate stuff. He kept going to the doctor's and they kept telling him he was fine & giving him drugs. Finally a new doctor sent him to a specialist, and lots of hospital stuff happened after that. He's going to have his prostate removed. I can't help but think that maybe if he wasn't Hispanic and spoke English well, then he might have gotten a proper diagnosis sooner. But I don't know. Send him a good thought, please.
Spent 7 hours in the office all by myself just to answer 4 phone calls.
Tentative plans are in place to adopt a kitten when I enroll in massage school next year.
And I bought Christmas cards to send out!!!

the only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing

2008-12-11T15:45:00.001-08:00

Oh man... Don't judge, Lea, just don't do it. The internet is a fascinating realm. You are exposed to a wide variety of people who you would normally never meet, or if you met them in "real life" you wouldn't know what sort of beliefs they held. There are a few particular people that I'm so very tempted to label as simply crazy and delusional. I mean, I shallowly think they are under some sort of delusion. Most people think their point of view is right, otherwise they wouldn't think the way they do. Most people have justifications for why they think a certain way. People I'd label crazy see themselves as right and justified, just as I see my views as right and justified. What makes me think certain people are crazy and delusional are the ones who aren't willing to change or reevaluate their mode of thinking. Or even admit that their thinking may have flaws. That just blows my mind. If I come across evidence that blows my rationale out of the water, then I'd start changing myself. I mean, I have many times already. Even now, I admit that my opinions aren't infallable nor are they "right." They're just products a point of view I have based on the things I know.

Nonetheless, it's all very interesting coming across these people, and I'm thankful every time I do. It opens my eyes a little more to what sorts of different people there are in this world. Even if I think they're crazy.

my velcro isn't sticking anymore

2008-12-10T09:45:00.000-08:00

I have those Sketcher's shoes that have the thin strap cross over your foot and velcro to the side. And now the velcro isn't sticking. I walk around and my shoe starts to feel really loose, and the strap starts dangling along the side. The shoes are about 2 years old, so if you're interested in Sketcher's velcro shoes, that's the life expectancy you can expect.

I'm thinking instead of getting a Christmas tree, we should get a wreath instead. Our office just got one, and it fills the door area with that fresh pine scent. Then I don't have to feel guilty about killing the tree after Christmas (ie stop watering it), nor wonder how to dispose of it.

I'm feeling quite pudgy right now since my pants don't fit nicely after all my Thanksgiving eating. It's not horrible; I'm not obese. Just feeling the extra pudge is all.

Oh the joys of fluorescent lights.

lake tahoe!

2008-12-08T20:37:00.000-08:00

These were all taken with Aaron's G1. They were originally 2000+ pixels and have been cropped down.

Me on the frozen edge of the lake.

A close up of some ice!

Cool sand patterns of the lake's edge.

A funny picture of us.

Highlights

Eating burritos while walking on the frozen lake's edge. Then drinking some hot coffee from the thermos.

Throwing slates of ice onto the lake and seeing it shatter & fly.

Having a cute, cozy cabin on the lakefront.

Dinner at Jason's Beachside Grill ! Totally hit the spot.

Having our waiter from Jason's Beachside Grill unexpectedly help us with parking the next morning.

Long, brisk, cold walks.

Star gazing. Seeing Andromeda & the Milky Way.

Going to Northstar, walking around the empty "village," and playing in their manmade snow.

September 6, 2006

2008-12-02T19:52:00.000-08:00

I was going through some old journal entries that I have bookmarked and came across this one. I had completely forgotten about it, but once I read it, those old, giddy feelings came back. Ah, fond memories:

Yesterday was a good day all in all. I saw my former Chinese Professor at the library and chit chatted with him some. He looked at me and asked if I had a sister who went to UCSC. I said no, but I had taken a class with him fall quarter. I'm assuming he remembered me cause he then said I was "looking good" which is the only time a professor's said that. Now I know it was a platonic compliment, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was gay or something, but that's as close to an affair with a professor as I had or ever will get, so it pretty much made my college career. Not to mention I actually like the nice ol' guy [in his 50s? maybe 60s?]. I told him of how I couldn't find a job & he suggested trying to intern for NBC, going to China for the Olympics, etc, and how he'd help me unrust my Chinese. All very idealistic, but I said I had husband so that wasn't a likely plan [along with a whole bunch of realistic reason too, but I'll just dream and say it's only cause I'm married]. More pleasant chit chat ensued.

Then Aaron and I went to Rosies with Megan and Hart. Mmm Mmm! Mango Mojitos! Twas a fun night.

Today I don't know what we'll do but I do have a hankering for a carrot cup cake from The Buttery...

cookie cut "what i am thankful for" post

2008-11-30T09:58:00.000-08:00

For being as young as I am and already realizing that one shouldn't live life for money or material things. And living by that.

For not letting my past pull me down. I honestly have to stop and try to remember the negative things I've gone through. After reviewing them I feel grateful that they didn't make me bitter and angry.

For where I am in life.

For everyone I have interacted with in this life, and all the lessons they taught me and are teaching me.

For standing up for what I want in life, and not letting others' opinions or will bend me over backwards for them.

For rekindled hope.

TWO good thanksgivings, can you believe it?

2008-11-30T01:44:00.000-08:00

The Thursday Fresno Thanksgiving and Saturday's Placerville Thanksgiving were both yummy and fun. Both had games, no real drama (P-ville came close but it didn't involve me), and really good food. My uncle's wife brought mac & cheese to Fresno's T-day, and after that I vowed to make every effort in having mac & cheese in future Thanksgivings. So Saturday I looked up an easy mac & cheese recipe and brought it to Placerville. It was a hit and was all eaten up :) Got compliments and a request for the recipe, so I'll just stick to that one for future uses.

My uncle's wife also announced she was 3.5 months pregnant, which I'm really happy for. She had a difficult time with a miscarrage last year so we're all happy about this one. Still... seems there's just pregnant ladies and scenarios everywhere.

There was an 11 week old puppy at Placerville's dinner so I got to snuggle with it :)

Now we can go full swing with the holiday decorating and activities, so w00 to that.
........................................................................

Oh, on our way to Trader Joe's to buy the mac & cheese ingredients, there was this guy on the street corner. He was a sign waver, but also entertained himself by waving, smiling, and making peace signs with his hands at the cars driving by. He just seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself. So when we drove by I flashed him a two-finger peace sign, and smiled. He really seemed to like that, and it just left me with a very happy, giddy feeling. Spreading the smiles and peace by any means.