Post A Day May

Here’s what I’ve learned, from a month of blogging every day.

• There is always something to talk about. (Even if it ends up being a private post for some reason.)
• The more stuff you put out, the more likely that some of it will be good. (This is a lesson I am constantly relearning.)
• Even if you’re not “promoting” yourself (via Facebook), updating more frequently will make people check more frequently. I noticed a major trend in my site stats, and I think it’s because instead of just waiting for me to post a link on Facebook, some people have started just checking in every day to see what’s up. I like that.

Hopefully I’ve trained these anonymous strangers to continue to check every day. Although if I’m not posting every day that probably won’t last very long. But you never know! There could be new updates at any moment! You’d better check a couple times a day, Anonymous.

Who knows, maybe I’ll update again later today…

Memorial Day Weekend, Part Deux

I mentioned recently that Drew and I sort of let the weekends go by us, while we spend them relaxing and generally not doing very much. Well, we wanted to make the most of this weekend, so we’ve been doing our best to remain entertained and engaged in this second half of the long weekend.

Yesterday our friends Sam and Shawn came up from Redwood City and we went to Sea Bowl.

Here’s what I learned: I am way worse at bowling than I thought I was. I thought I was like, eh, okay. But really I am like, a 40-point-game type of bowler. Surprising, and slightly embarrassing. If I knew how bad I was, I would have, like, pretended to never have bowled before or something.

At least the shoes were cool…in a hipster sort of way. (Non-matching shoelaces and all.)

I think I probably just needed to get back into the swing of things. But we got through only 1 1/2 games. I guess I could just say I was going to hustle them, and I just didn’t have time to get into the second part of the hustle.

Today it’s semi-nice out, and we went for a walk. Milagra Ridge is a nice place to walk, it’s got great views, it’s not super difficult but it’s also not totally flat. There is also a WW II bunker (or maybe more than one?) and that’s interesting. Today we climbed over the “fence” that separates the walking paths from the wilderness part, and climbed all over the bunker.

Obviously, people have broken in and spent some time hanging out in there. You can stick your head in the part they broke into (although it makes me super nervous to stick my head very close), and check out what they chose to graffiti on the walls. (Things like ’91 and “KKK Sucks!”)

Here’s the makeshift entrance to the bunker:

Here’s the real door to the bunker (well-hidden!).

Then we had to make our way back down to the path.

Now that I got my fresh air and my Vitamin D, I don’t have to feel guilty if all I want to do the rest of the day is sit around reading Kristin Cashore’s Fire, or watching Modern Family, and waiting for the maintenance guy to come out and fix the balcony door.

Spin class fail

I just failed to get into a spin class. I tried to sign up about 4 days ago but I didn’t realize I had to pay a dollar. (I rarely have cash on me at the gym, as I usually leave my purse at home and just take my driver’s license.) Then I went back to try again, but they had already filled the 10 pre-pay spots. They told me they would take 9 walk-ins. So I got there at 10 this morning for the 10:30 class, and they said they had already filled the 9 walk-in spots, but I could be #3 on the wait list. Then at 10:35 there was one bike left (for me!) and then some chick ran past me going, “I’m on the list!” Oh well.

I think I might have to update my gym membership so I can visit other clubs. This club is great but the class schedule is not. They have classes at 5:30 am (too early) or 9:00 am (too late, if I have to get to work at a reasonable hour. I wish there was something at 7:00, or even 8:00. But I saw that at other clubs there are classes I’m interested in, that I can’t get in Pacifica, plus they are at more convenient times.

So I’ll let you know how that goes.

PS. I don’t want you to think that I’m also failing at postaday2011. The last two days have been private entries, mostly because they’re just too boring and “dear diary” to subject them to other people.

PPS. Happy Memorial Day Weekend! I’m trying to make it a productive one.

My damsel-in-distress moment

I was in the restroom at work today when suddenly everything was plunged into pitch black. I wonder what it says about me that my first thought wasn’t “Earthquake!” or “End of the world!” It was just, “Aw jeez, I forgot to check the timer on the light.”

You know when you hear those stories about the person who goes into the bathroom and turns on the light, and hears the voice from the stall say, “Thank you!” because they’ve been sitting in there in the dark?

I’m not that helpless. Luckily I’m pretty familiar with the layout of the restroom, so I managed to find my way to the light switch pretty easily. I am glad no one walked in while I was feeling my way toward the door.

Anyway. That is pretty much the most exciting thing that’s happened all day. Other than that I’ve just been being productive at work, but that’s not particularly exciting. I think this afternoon I might get some new jeans.

The perfect visual, one week too late

I guess the title says it all.

This is the neighbor‘s door.

She’s been gone for like 4 days and she put up a little note on her door saying, “Please leave packages at the office!”

This afternoon UPS brought something by and…apparently just didn’t feel like complying.

The package is marked with “WEN Chaz Dean.” I ran inside to Google it because I thought it might be something exotic, or embarrassing, or illegal.

Turns out it’s hair products.

Oh well.

This Perfect Sunday

Do you want to know what your brake pads are NOT supposed to look like?

Behold:

Ever since I had to stop rather suddenly one day last week, my left front brake had been making a grinding sound. It stressed me out, not because I thought it was dangerous, but because I was afraid what it would end up costing me. The brakes didn’t feel any different, but the grinding wouldn’t stop.

After my dad’s over-the-phone diagnosis, and Drew’s ever-so-informed analysis, this afternoon we went to the parts store and picked up some brake pads, and then my awesome father-in-law “taught” us how to change them out. (Conclusion? It’s not that hard.)

This perfect Sunday has also included finishing this season of 30 Rock, then signing up for a free trial of Hulu Plus so we can watch the second season of Modern Family. We napped. We made steak and mushrooms and corn on the cob for dinner.

The weekends fly by – probably because we spend a lot of them being what some might call unproductive – but the weekdays also fly by, so it’s a fair trade.

Thanks, LJ

I am going through my old LiveJournal and saving the good pieces, since it’s really my only reliable journal from the New York Years. I’ve done 2009 and 2008, so tonight I’m working on 2007.

This little gem is from May 21st, 2007…hard to believe it’s already been four years. And so much has happened.

There’s a guy outside, right on the end of the block, warming up on bagpipes…or something.  He’s just standing outside of this hair salon, wearing jeans and a fleece, playing little pieces like he’s getting ready to go onstage somewhere.  At first I thought it was on TV.  It’s sort of beautiful.  I opened the window.

A False Victory

photo from gentlemanredux.com

 This morning I paid $4.09 for gas, down from $4.13 the last time, and then $4.19 the time before that. I was kind of happy about it.

Drew says not to be happy about it; it’s a trick. Gas goes up to almost $5, then it comes down to $4.09 and we’re all happy. Then it goes up to $18, then it comes down to $14 and we’re all happy again.

He’s sort of cynical, I guess?

But he’s got a point. And even though I felt a moment of excitement when I saw the gas station by our house was down to $4.04, I also understand that this is pathetic. And I keep reminding myself of the days of under $4, under $3, under $2 even.

I’ve heard that it’s going to come back down for awhile; I’ve also heard it’s going to get near $6/gallon. Either way, I’m glad that my car has been getting good mileage. Having a 30-mile commute (one way) means lots of stops at the gas station and I definitely see it add up…

Another clue that I’m an adult now

Here’s the latest way I’ve realized that I’m truly a grown-up:

I’m no longer averse to eating overripe fruit.

In my younger years, I would choose only perfectly ripe (or possibly under-ripe) strawberries and bananas, pears and peaches. Brown spots were to be avoided.

Yes, I know fruit gets brown because of sugar and therefore should be yummier. But honestly, have you ever peeled a banana and been delighted to find bruises? No. Because it looks (and feels) gross.

Overripe bananas are really good for two things: smoothies, and banana bread. Where you don’t have to see the soft spots.

Over the weekend we went to the farmer’s market in San Francisco, and as usual, I got a little too enthusiastic about buying fruit. This morning, when I opened the fridge, some overripe strawberries were staring me in the face. But since I’m an adult now, I cut ’em up and brought ’em to work in a tupperware. And then I covered them with vanilla yogurt (still can’t see the soft spots) and devoured them.

Just another mature, responsible, fruit-filled day.

Photo credit to http://www.shawnkenney.com

I wish Twilight wouldn’t ruin everything

This morning, on my one-week-behind Sarah and Vinnie podcasts, they read the top baby names for 2010 (2011? not sure how this works. is it one year behind, like taxes? or is it somehow of this current year, even though we’re not even halfway through?). Anyway, the top baby name for girls is Isabella. Sarah said that’s from Twilight, which, while it is the name of the protagonist, it’s certainly not “from” Twilight.

The top baby name for boys is Jacob, and then Sarah and Vinnie and everyone went, “Riiiiiiight, that’s from Twilight too,” knowingly. But Jacob has been on or near the top of the list for years. I refuse to believe that has anything to do with Twilight. But with the rise of popularity of names like Macy and Bentley, which both come straight and irrefutably from the MTV show Teen Mom, everyone assumes there’s this pop culture explanation for all the popular names.

I have always intended to write a confessional about how I own all four of the Twilight books and have read them more than once. There’s just something irresistibly juicy and terrible about them. Yes, I know Bella is a total mary-sue character. Wikipedia defines “mary-sue” as “a fictional character with overly idealized and hackneyed mannerisms, lacking noteworthy flaws, and primarily functioning as a wish-fulfillment fantasy for the author.” This basically describes Bella, who is one of the worst role models for young girls.

Some good female role models in literature right now:

• Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games series
• Katsa in the Graceling series
• Hermione in the Harry Potter series

I am hard pressed to say why I read the Twilight books the second time, and why I will read them again sometime in the next year. There’s something about the storyline of the two strong protective guys fighting over the girl in the middle, that’s strangely captivating. The story is actually not terrible, as plot lines go. She manages to wrap up all the storylines she starts. It’s so easy and so quick to read.

It’s like eating ice cream out of the carton with a spoon. It goes super fast and then before you realize it, you’re halfway through and you barely remember any of it.

I generally don’t open my mouth about Twilight. I find that I don’t fit in with the groups of Twihard fans (yes, that’s an accepted term), but neither do I fit in with the people who disparage the books for utter trash. (I do think there has to be something good about getting so many tween girls to read, and enjoy reading, a 4-book series.) I have to find the middle ground, where I can fit in.

Wanted: A book club to occasionally read the Twilight series (all the way through, once every 18 months – 2 years). Requirements: You must agree that Bella is a terrible flat unlikeable character, but still read gleefully. Team Jacob preferred, but Team Edward understood. Fanfic writers and shippers need not apply. Please send a list of your top 10 favorite books, and a letter about your first experience with Twilight, and the best explanation you can come up with for why you like it.