Early Sunday, we drove up to Sonoma for a day of barrel tasting. For $20, we each got a glass [RV got a mug for being DD], a bracelet, and basically tastings at each of the wineries we visited + food if they were serving bites. It was a great time, and I’m thoroughly impressed by the wineries and how “at home” they really make you feel. While I like drinking wine, I don’t really know all that much in terms of the process or the differences between geography/grapes and everything else that makes a wine unique, so I was expecting to feel intimidated, but there was really none of that. Everyone was out to have a good time!

Keane and I took a bunch of pictures [I think Keane might have taken more. Most photos I have of him are with a camera in front of his face.], so I decided to compile some in a video. It was my first time doing this, so it took quite some time, but I think it turned out quite nice. With a little practice, I’ll streamline the process and not stay up till 2:30am working on it. It was also my first upload to Vimeo – let me know what you think!

Russian River Wine Road Barrel Tasting 2010 from suki on Vimeo.

The purpose of the event is so that people can sample from the barrel and then buy futures. I did just that, and while my wallet is hurting, I don’t regret it at all. We visited wineries in the Dry Creek Valley – Fritz Underground Winery, Dutcher Crossing Winery, David Coffaro Estate Vineyard, Sbragia Family Vineyards, and Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate. They weren’t too far from each other, so more time was spent at the wineries tasting than in the car transporting. We were pretty lucky with the weather too, considering it’s been fairly unpredictable lately. It’s somewhat schizophrenic, raining for fifteen minutes in an entire day or just suddenly hailing out of the blue.

I’m very excited about the wines that I bought [Surprisingly, a zinfandel included - I normally am not a fan], and it really would be an excuse to drive up to Sonoma again. In fact, I’m already eying an event in November that pairs wine and food at select wineries for $40/day or $60/weekend. You get a cookbook along with your ticket! I can only imagine this being more fun when my job is stable, and I’m no longer spending every cent on major appliances!

Even though I crossed this one off the list, I think it still counts towards it:

066 – Go wine tasting in the Bay Area.

The hospital enjoys toying with my mind. I’ve come to that conclusion.

After postponing my surgery for three months [and only after several false potential appointment alarms], they’re now messing with when I can get my bands/wire removed. So the surgeon got sick, but that doesn’t mean his residents can’t relieve me of this liquid diet of no foreseeable end. Seriously. We’re calling them every day, leaving messages, and getting no responses.

The earliest date they gave me for an appointment was March. That’s more than a month away, and it’s after all the Lunar New Year festivities that I’ve been anticipating for the last few weeks. It’s out of the schedulers’ scope, really, so I just need to get in touch with a resident or the doctor himself.

*shakes fist*

All we can do is keep calling.

In the meantime, I’ve got COBRA payments to make as it appears that this whole thing won’t be finished for a while longer. My supportive coworkers have been the saving grace. I can take time off as necessary to rest, which will also allow me time to sort things out with the new house. You know, things like picking out cabinets, counters, and floor tiles.

Oh, and RV made me the most delicious guacamole shake today – avocados, chicken broth [lots of it + water], cilantro, onion, and mild salsa [because the spicy stuff really kicks your throat when it goes straight back].

088 – Move out of parents’ house.

There was really only one way to cross this item off my list. That would be by completing another item from my list :

070 – Buy another house.

The house closed earlier this month. I’ve not moved in as the place needs a bit of work. Plus, surgery has put my life on hold in some aspects. No more heavy lifting since I’ve lost all muscle. RV’s started moving his belongings over. He finished his lease early, so he would save on a few months of rent. The nice part is that his apartment will waive the penalty of one month’s rent [which isn't so bad to begin with] if he finds a replacement. Pretty sweet deal, considering the apartment manager already had someone in mind who will come by to check out his place this week.

In other news, since I’ve been on antibiotics this whole time, I’ve not been drinking. So that has allowed me to work on: 035 – No alcoholic beverages for two months of the year. and 037 – Do not eat out for two weeks twice a year. Considering that I’m only starting these now, I should really restrain for the next six months! For the record, no alcoholic beverages for one full month is nearly complete, and I haven’t eaten out for about the same time.

In all seriousness, the last week of December, I attended my 10-year high school reunion. It was as odd as I’d expected, but thanks to the wonderful world of social media, most appeared as I’d seen in photographs. So 087 – Attend 10-year high school reunion. is off the list.

Since it was the last day for stuffing my face, I joined a bunch of friends for a large hot pot meal. Unfortunately, something didn’t settle well in my stomach, and I haven’t been able to keep it in… I think I’ll have to empty out entirely before I can get some rest before the big day. Major discomfort. Major grossness.

All the while, I tried to enjoy the Cirque du Soleil show in town – Ovo – with RV, Kirsten/Stephen, RV’s mom and her friend. It was a fantastic show and definitely worth every discounted penny that we spent on it. Amazing skills and fun costumes! Battling food poisoning while watching the show – not so fun. I survived and didn’t make too much of a scene. Thank goodness for intermissions and fancy portable toilets. *phew*

But yes, that means I’ve crossed off another from the list!

082 – See a Cirque du Soleil show.

In other words, an update on the 101 in 1001:

017 – Finish taking Bar Method classes. Expires in September 2009!

Nope, this isn’t happening! I emailed them a few months prior to original expiration of July 2009, and they offered to extend the classes until September 2009. Very kind of them, but instead of making the most of them and attending all classes paid for, I call it a loss. Routine just doesn’t work for me when it comes to working out, no matter how I try. Yet I still try! The alternative to this is Pilates with Chase. I started today, and the odd machines are intriguing. I’ll report back when I see progress!

030 – Do a Daily Self Photo project for a year.

Rather than keep track via Flickr [got up to 50+, but lost interest and missed some days], I’ve switched over to DailyBooth. I get an email reminder daily about posting a photo, so it’s convenient. I stop what I’m doing, snap a photo on the phone, edit it a little with PS Mobile, and VOILA!

080 – Record every penny spent for a week.

In an effort to quell spending, I’m keeping track of it on a spreadsheet. I’m tired of credit card bills, which I manage to pay off on time, because they’re several hundreds more than what I should be spending. My sister has more saved up than I do, and I’ve been working longer. Clearly, I’m a bigger spender than she is. It’s not necessary spending, so it’ll get cut a bit. How else will I save for the house that I want to buy while the market’s gone kaput? I go on Roost daily to check out all the million dollar homes I can’t afford. So far, the goal of one week tracked has been accomplished. I’ll keep it up until I figure myself out.

That is all for now.

me: I’m turning 20-lame!

Matthew: I’m glad I got over that and made it into 30-meh.

I keep joking that I’ve turned 20-lame. The real reason for being out of the loop is that I’m studying for another failed exam *hangs head in shame* and also wanting to save $$. I recently paid off my car – just decided to lump sum it, so I wouldn’t have to keep track of it. It’s #72 on the list.

072 – Finish making payments on the Prius.

Following along the theme of turning 20-lame, this year’s birthday was a mellow one. I woke up, went to work, ate dinner at home with the parents, played a few games on the Wii, and then grabbed Asian desserts with RV and the sister. No happy hours, no late night drinks. And unlike last year, no ditching work to explore the city. The bigger celebration I had in mind took place a few weeks ago when I thought I’d be getting my jaw broken, but as it turns out, that didn’t really happen.

A small brunch this Sunday has been deemed the celebration. On Tuesday, I walked into work and found a gift bag on my desk. For a moment, I wondered if my coworkers had somehow found out it was my birthday. Of course, I looked around, and there were gift bags on other desks also. One of my coworkers recently came back from a New England trip, and she brought back maple syrup from Vermont for everyone. So we’re having French toast this Sunday!

As many are aware, I’ve had to cancel quite a few of the trips I’d planned due to unforeseen circumstances! I haven’t had time to talk about those circumstances on the blog, so here goes: I may start working again, which would cancel my weekday travel, and I have a surgery and post-op date, which happen to fall around the time of travel also. Fantastic, right? Luckily, when you book tickets at the last minute, they’re extra expensive, so I will get my money’s worth from the one trip I’m taking this coming week to Washington D.C. I just have to make sure I cancel/reserve according to the 3-day policy, and I’m set.

Today was my first #AYCJ encounter! I didn’t even have to leave my own city.

RV and I caught up with @redelvis, @sawyouonjetblue, and @Michele_Pacheco to cross the Golden Gate Bridge. We ended up thirty minutes late since brunch ran a little overtime! We caught up around the end of the second half of the bridge. After taking some quick photos, @redelvis stuck behind with us and spent the remainder of the stroll across the bridge teaching me binary!

Yep, another one off the list:
050 – Learn the basics of binary.

While it would probably have been easier to grasp if we actually wrote numbers down, he did a great job of explaining. I learned not only to count, but also to convert decimals to octal and then to binary. So I think I’ve got the basics!

Okay, not quite. But guess what?! I have a surgery date! Rather than just call me back to let me know, I received a letter from the hospital telling me my surgery date and my pre-op date. THANKS. At least it’s sooner than I had anticipated.

So here’s the dealio. I’m not really getting a NEW face, but my profile might change a bit because the jaw surgery affects both my lower and upper jaw. I will mostly look the same… I’ve had a severe underbite for my entire life, and basically what they’re doing is saving me a lifetime of trouble. In the long run, I’d have problems with eating if I left everything as is. They’re going to knock me out with anesthesia, take apart my upper and lower jaws, reproportion the bones [cut some out and put some back in], and then they’ll put me back together. They’ve done it for many years, so it’s not uncommon.

Recovery time is between a week and a month. I won’t be able to eat really. I’ll have to relearn to speak with my new mouth. Liquids will be my friend. Side effects may include loss of feeling in the face. If I’m drooling away while talking to you and not noticing, you will know why. For the first few days, I’ll look completely swollen and gross. I am NOT looking forward to that. That’s alright though. I’ll probably just lock myself up in the house with my pain meds. ;-)

So YES, a surgery date’s been set. Hooray! Rejoice! Another one off the list.

021 – Schedule jaw surgery date.

I am back from the Playa! [Update: Photos - here!]

Burning Man was an awesome experience, and while I had a lot of fun, I am definitely glad to be back. There was a lot going on prior to the trip, and after about a week taking a mental vacation [No cell phone or internet does wonders!], I am ready to move ahead at full speed. For most of the week, we took things fairly easy. We didn’t try to do everything just because it was there to be done, but just proceeded at a casual pace. We’d take walks or ride our bicycles around when the dust storms weren’t too terrible. At night, we’d go dancing, jump on art cars, hang out at the bars, or check out art installations. We didn’t stay too long after the Burn itself, and I’m actually back a day earlier than originally planned. We were there from the beginning, so it was just time to pack it all up and make the long trek out.

I think that it is a different experience for everyone who attends. You take what you want from it. Some people try to do too much at once and get burnt out pretty quickly. Others undergo some revelation or spiritual experience that they tie to the burning of the Man and of the Temple. For me, the highlight of the week was spending time with RV. Sure, I already see him every day, but I think having to live in Black Rock City for the week, dealing with dust storms, crazy winds, heat of the afternoon, and cold of the night, brings out another side, and it seems that even with those extra colors showing, I like him just the same, if not more…

Other fond memories:

- Art installation hopping. I’m certain that we didn’t see ALL of the art installations, but there are just so many! They pop up all over the Playa at different times; one day all you see is dust, and the next day something amazing is in that very same spot.

- Full moon party on Friday night. That was pretty much the only event that I was adamant about attending all week long. It was a great reminder of all the parties I’d enjoyed in the past, and of course, it always feels awesome when you’re sharing great music with friends and dancing your legs off.

- An older gentleman dressed in a suit and carrying a briefcase approached us and asked if we would like free money. Considering that there is no currency in Black Rock City, we weren’t sure what to expect when he placed into our hands something folded and told us not to open our hands up until he’s at least ten feet away. After waiting for him to step away, we opened up our hands and found in our palms $50 each… :-o

- One event I attended on the Playa involved ripping apart various stuffed animals and sewing them back together in different combinations. What I ended up with was a giraffe with a bear’s body wearing a koala hat. The bear’s body was apparently part of a bear-Minnie Mouse combination from the year before, but the participant’s dog had torn off the head, and so the body was at the event for round two. I rescued a giraffe head after someone else tore off its body, and the koala head was laying around, waiting for its fate as a hat. A little twisted, but still adorable. I think RV was impressed by my sewing skills, and from what I was told later on, my creation was quite the hit! The funniest part was figuring out how to transport the creature home. He was too large to stuff in a bag or use as a bicycle seat, so we strapped him onto RV’s back with a bike lock.

I really enjoyed my first time at Burning Man, and already, RV is planning on what to do for the next. There were certain things we weren’t quite prepared for, but I think being in an RV our first year certainly made things easier on us. We had a default place to go to escape the dust and the heat. Even if we’re in tents next year, we have a better idea of what to expect since we’ve been out there. Heading out there this year was definitely worth the time/money put into it.

Recent 101 in 1001 Accomplishments:
001 – Buy a bicycle. Ride it.
085 – Full moon party for nostalgia’s sake.
090 – Attend Burning Man.

“If you plan on keeping him around, you’re lucky that he cooks,” my mother tells me the other evening.

She then gifts RV with a cookbook, so that he can experiment with the recipes and keep me well-fed. Hahaha. Yes, I am very lucky that he cooks. In fact, when there is cooking going on in the kitchen area, I stay out and let him do his thing. I’m only in the kitchen when I’m itching to bake. Itch to bake? Yes, it’s happened. Or maybe it’s just that wonderful smell that only comes from baking goodies that sparked my interest.

This big fat chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe actually didn’t turn out bad. In fact, it turned out way better than my first cookie made from scratch – a peanut butter cookie. As the sister will always remind me, the cookies from the very first batch were rather dry. It was like stuffing your face with a glob of chalk, if you could imagine that. Not pleasant. Someone could choke from inhaling the crumbs of that cookie. I made improvements subsequently. For the big fat chewy chocolate chip cookie, I used organic ingredients, fewer chocolate chips, and a little extra vanilla. I let the dough sit for quite a few hours, unlike another batch I’d made a few weeks before. More proof time was a good call, and the cookies turned out quite good. Still a little sweet for my tastes, but I’d follow a similar recipe again.

Since it appears that baked goods I mix up actually are edible, I might experiment more and bake others! I’m on my way to an edible cupcake, which is one of 101 in 1001. Stay tuned!