I visited China with my family one summer. I don’t remember exactly how long ago, but it was quite some time ago.
The quickest way to get around in the city we were visiting was on the back of a motorcycle. At the time, I was not sure whether my fear was of being transported by a stranger [and potentially kidnapped and sold on the Chinese black market] or if it was just being transported on a motorcycle.
Maybe it was a little bit of both…
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Totally crossing this one off my 101 in 1001 list:
094 – Do a National Parks road trip.
We drove through Yosemite and spent time in Bryce Canyon and Zion.
That counts, yes?
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.
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!
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!
It’s a weird feeling. So out of control, uncertain of the future, while at the same time, having so much control over one’s life. When I wake up in the morning, I decide what I’m doing next. I have to remind myself now and again, so I don’t just sit at home and mope. It’s easy to feel disappointed and frustrated with the current situation. Every hour is my hour to spend. There are also financial constraints. The safety net won’t last forever, so I’m making the most of what I know will enhance my life.
The next month or two should be very exciting. While I wait on a surgery date and continue my job search, I plan on being quite mobile. Burning Man plans are underway. After that week, I have a month to fly all I can with Jet Blue’s All-You-Can-Jet pass. Destinations are not exactly convenient from San Francisco, but I can work around that. Unlimited flying in the States + fees/taxes for any international travel. I’ll have to renew my passport for this!
I have tentative plans to travel to:
- New York City: I haven’t seen S in awhile, so it will be great to catch up. I went from visiting NYC three times a year for three years to zero times in almost three years. Also, a meet-up with Joey is WAY overdue. I don’t even remember how long we’ve known each other now.
- Boston: This has been on my list FOREVER. It’s the easy weekend trip that I’ve managed to avoid all this time. Boston will be towards the end of my trip, so hopefully I’ll catch the changing leaves. I plan on visiting Grace who’s in med school out there!
- Austin: I’ve been there before for work-related training. I wouldn’t mind visiting again, perhaps seeing a bit more than the last time. I did explore after the week of training with Leslie, Philip, and others, so I don’t know what else I will find this time.
- Toronto + Niagara Falls: Another on my list, at least Niagara Falls is. First, I’ll check out the falls from stateside, and then I’ll hop over the border to get the better view. I’m hoping that Naly will be around to show me what’s up in Toronto too.
- DC: I’ve been before several times, but there are people [the aforementioned Leslie and Matt, a diplomat in training!] and museums [I don't even know where to begin with these. There are so many!] to see, and of course, photos to take…
There are some other destinations I have in mind, but they’re more speculative than anything at this point. The options are there; I just have to decide when the time comes [or three days in advance, according to Jet Blue policy]. I’m planning on staying with friends, in hostels, or even Couchsurfing to cut down the costs while maximizing the experience.
I can’t wait!
I haven’t updated in about a week, but I feel as though there is a lot of catching up to do. While the market is still in the shape that its in, I’ve dived in head first in a few personal projects.
1) Slightly Delightful – This is a domain that I’ve used in the past for my personal blog. Since I switched over to this SuperDuperFantastic, it’s sat there in silence. I’ve always liked the name, so I couldn’t bear to part with it just yet.
I am now using it as a shopping blog to document all my neat finds!
I decided on gearing it towards items that cost $50 or less since that still remains an amount that I might be willing to splurge now and again. I was, of course, inspired by a lot of the shopping blogs I’ve come across on the internet and just really wanted to start my own. RV helped me out with the graphic design, and I altered a WordPress template to get what I wanted.
The site was born on the first of this month. It’s slow going for now, but I’m hoping it will grow!
2) #2 on the 101 in 1001 – Go on a week long camping trip.
RV’s father’s family is having a reunion up at a campground along the Oregon coast, and I’ve been invited. It’s a week-long trip up in the RV [hahaha]. It’s not really camping though because this RV is decked out. His dad basically likes to travel with his entire house.
3) #90 on the 101 in 1001 – Attend Burning Man – just to check it out.
With more time this year than the past, we’ve decided to borrow the RV and join in on the Burning Man fun. We have our tickets and bicycles, so I guess that means we’re going. Sure, driving an RV in won’t exactly be roughing it, but when you’re in that amount of heat in the middle of nowhere, a little comfort should be okay. I don’t think we will be joining a specific camp, which I think will work out just fine as long as we have everything we need. A friend of ours is joining us too and plans on creating t-shirt art to be distributed to the people we meet. Should be fun!
4) In conjunction with the item above, we’ve bought bicycles! So guess what? I’m crossing #1 on the 101 in 1001 off the list – Buy a bicycle. Ride it. as soon as I’ve assembled the bike and rode it around a bit.
5) I’m helping out with Twestival SF this year. They were looking for a Merchandise Manager, so I volunteered. This year’s beneficiary will be 140 Smiles. Operation Smile is a private not-for-profit medical services organization providing reconstructive surgery and related health care to indigent children and young adults in developing countries. Medical volunteers travel on medical missions to repair of cleft lips, palates and facial reconstructive surgery in 34 countries around the world.
It’s going to be a busy few months. I hope that by the time I resurface, the market will have changed in my favor… Who knows? I remain optimistic as always!
An update to the 101 in 1001 : 003 – Go on a crabbing/fishing trip.
This was on both my list and RV’s list of things to do. So rather than just grab some bait and a line and bring it down to the local pier, I decided to make it part of his birthday surprise.
After exploring Fort Bragg and Glass Beach the first day, most of the second day was spent on a boat out in the ocean. Armed with Ugly Stiks [haha!], we tried out fishing for the bottom feeders [mostly cods of all kinds] for the first time. It wasn’t so easy, and I [along with most people] was surprised by how well we did!
I had trouble figuring out when the line hit bottom, and so on many occasions, my line would get stuck. :/ Very frustrating, but finally we were able to get the hang of it. Unfortunately I never took photos of the larger fish we caught, but I did take one of the very FIRST fish that I caught. It was smaller than my hand. RV’s first fish was a little bit smaller than that.
It was encouraging enough for me to keep trying, and by the time we left Fort Bragg, we had thirteen fish [various cods ranging from 2 to 5 pounds] in our ice chests and some crab too! Totally worth the money, time, and experience. The crabbing portion of the trip was really taken care of by the crew of the boat. It was made a little interactive by them telling us to help measure the crabs or to help reel the lines in.
Anyway, a good time! My car smelled of fish for a little while since I had to transport the goodies back to SF. I wrote a fairly useful review of Telstar Charters – check it out on Yelp!
