Yup, based on my prior posting you can deduce I am the proud owner of a new surfboard. An 8'6" epoxy longboard that has treated me very well so far. I had it out for three hours on Sunday and was very pleased with it. However, I have quite a lot of ground to cover before I can truly call myself a surfer.
On the bright side, the kind gentleman who sold it to me - Ed - has also graciously offered to teach me how to surf. This could take quite a while but I am excited about the prospect of having a mentor. And the first lesson was actually far superior to Surf Diva's teaching. I'll keep you updated on how the lessons go. Unfortunately, it's raining here today which means the earliest I can get back out in the water will be Sunday.
Happy Turkey Day!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Coldplay
I had the good fortunate of having floor tickets to the Coldplay concert this past Tuesday up in Anaheim, about an hour north of San Diego. The concert was great - Coldplay is probably my favorite band and Chris Martin was amazing (as always).
However, where the night got really interesting was after the show. Luckily, my very cool (and even keel) co-worker Scott drove up to the concert with me. We get out of the show and it is raining cats and dogs outside. I have been in San Diego almost five months and have never seen it rain like this. We have to walk about 15 minutes back to the car, during which period of time we get absolutely soaked and are freezing (although at this point it's maybe 59 degrees outside).
Getting out of the parking lot after a big show is never fun. We get in the car, crank up the heat and wait. That is when the night took a turn for the worse. This idiot backs into my car and takes off. To give some more color to the incident, this kid was so messed up he had no idea he actually backed into us, Scott gets out to assess the damage and then he almost runs Scott over. After Scott tried to talk to him (he denied hitting my car), he claims he can't see any damage and takes off. And when he ran, he got a solid three cars ahead of us.
We got his number, called it in, etc., but I have a feeling this is only the first chapter of this saga...more to come later on the blog.
However, where the night got really interesting was after the show. Luckily, my very cool (and even keel) co-worker Scott drove up to the concert with me. We get out of the show and it is raining cats and dogs outside. I have been in San Diego almost five months and have never seen it rain like this. We have to walk about 15 minutes back to the car, during which period of time we get absolutely soaked and are freezing (although at this point it's maybe 59 degrees outside).
Getting out of the parking lot after a big show is never fun. We get in the car, crank up the heat and wait. That is when the night took a turn for the worse. This idiot backs into my car and takes off. To give some more color to the incident, this kid was so messed up he had no idea he actually backed into us, Scott gets out to assess the damage and then he almost runs Scott over. After Scott tried to talk to him (he denied hitting my car), he claims he can't see any damage and takes off. And when he ran, he got a solid three cars ahead of us.
We got his number, called it in, etc., but I have a feeling this is only the first chapter of this saga...more to come later on the blog.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Surviving My First Earthquake
I survived my first earthquake out here in California. It was very small, and it felt like a large truck was driving by. I actually didn't know it was an earthquake until my co-workers started talking about it. Our company is on the top floor of a six floor building, however, and we can feel even the small earthquakes. I think it was like a 5.5 or something. And I'm still alive. Whew.
DJIA Breeches 8,000
I had previously polled the readers of this blog if the DJIA would breech 8,000. Although only two people voted (and I was one of them), I just wanted to note that Thursday the DJIA did close below 8,000. Although it popped back up above 8,000 on Friday, I am keeping a weary eye on this technical level. There isn't much support below it (gulp). It was interesting to watch the last hour of trading this past week. Yay volatility!
Mark Cuban Pulls a Martha Stewart
Apparently, several billion dollars is not enough. Mark Cuban has been charged with insider trading, as he (allegedly) used insider information to sell some shares of Mamma.com and save a whopping $750,000. Now for me, $750k is actually a lot of money. For Mark Cuban, however, $750k is a mere drop in the bucket. As of 2007, Cuban is #133 on Forbes’ “World’s Richest People” list, with a net worth of $2.8 billion.
Think about it this way: the amount Cuban saved was about three basis points of his net worth, or 0.03%. Like the Martha Stewart case when she unloaded a bunch of ImClone shares to save a (relatively) marginal amount of money, Cuban is going to end up dealing with an immense amount of negative publicity and stress (even if he is not guilty).
Which begs the question why, why, why do people with this amount of money contemplate doing illegal things to save a teenie bit of money? There is always the thrill of doing something you’re not supposed to do and not getting caught. But I’m guessing in Cuban’s case it was more a matter of thinking he was above the law. Welp, only time will tell how the situation plays out but I’m guessing he’s going to wish he would’ve just taken a loss on Mamma.com. The thought of spending a couple of months in jail is just not attractive.
Think about it this way: the amount Cuban saved was about three basis points of his net worth, or 0.03%. Like the Martha Stewart case when she unloaded a bunch of ImClone shares to save a (relatively) marginal amount of money, Cuban is going to end up dealing with an immense amount of negative publicity and stress (even if he is not guilty).
Which begs the question why, why, why do people with this amount of money contemplate doing illegal things to save a teenie bit of money? There is always the thrill of doing something you’re not supposed to do and not getting caught. But I’m guessing in Cuban’s case it was more a matter of thinking he was above the law. Welp, only time will tell how the situation plays out but I’m guessing he’s going to wish he would’ve just taken a loss on Mamma.com. The thought of spending a couple of months in jail is just not attractive.
Responding to Dumb Questions
I think I am a fairly kind person. I make an effort to be kind and pleasant in general, with the exception being on the athletic field. If you run into me there, don’t be surprised when I show no mercy. I am a competitive person; that’s just how I roll.
Anyways, the point of this blog posting is that a recent response to a dumb question made me consider responding in a (rude) manner appropriate for a question that dumb. Tuesday night after a long day of work, I had to run down to the 7-11 to pick up a box of tampons. I live in the East Village section of the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego, right next to Petco Park. Within a block of my apartment, there are no fewer than five happenin’ night spots.
So at 9:00 p.m. on a Tuesday night when I’m strolling down to 7-11 in my sweats, there are quite a few young professionals out on the town. I get the item I need from 7-11 and go to pay. The woman at the check out asks me (dumb question) “Do you want a bag?” To which I responded, “Yes please. Thank you.” In my head, the response went something like, “No, actually I’d like to roll past Basic Pizza with a fat box of super absorbency Playtex tampons.” But I didn’t. I was tempted…maybe next time.
Anyways, the point of this blog posting is that a recent response to a dumb question made me consider responding in a (rude) manner appropriate for a question that dumb. Tuesday night after a long day of work, I had to run down to the 7-11 to pick up a box of tampons. I live in the East Village section of the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego, right next to Petco Park. Within a block of my apartment, there are no fewer than five happenin’ night spots.
So at 9:00 p.m. on a Tuesday night when I’m strolling down to 7-11 in my sweats, there are quite a few young professionals out on the town. I get the item I need from 7-11 and go to pay. The woman at the check out asks me (dumb question) “Do you want a bag?” To which I responded, “Yes please. Thank you.” In my head, the response went something like, “No, actually I’d like to roll past Basic Pizza with a fat box of super absorbency Playtex tampons.” But I didn’t. I was tempted…maybe next time.
Monday, November 17, 2008
I Love Roy Williams!
Yes, Tar Heel fans, in addition to the Women's Soccer Team keeping their hopes alive for another College Cup Championship, it is probably now my favorite sports season of all - college basketball season. Roy Williams has the boys ready to make another run at the National Championship (that is, if they don't lose their minds again and choke in the Final Four. I almost cried last year during the first ten minutes of the Kansas game. Seriously).
The men's basketball team takes on Kentucky tomorrow evening at 9:00 p.m. EST. I detest Kentucky's athletic teams. In fact, there is only one redeeming quality about the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky - it is the only place that is legally allowed to produce true bouborn. And I do love Maker's Mark...
But enough about the booze. Go Roy and go Heels! It is time to kick off the college basketball season! Woo hoo!
NCAA Tourney Time
It's that time of year again...the NCAA women's college cup is only several weeks away. The mighty mighty Tar Heels had two big wins this weekend, topping Western Carolina 5-0 and UNC Charlotte 4-0. The Tar Heels take on the University of Illinois, coached by Carolina alum Janet Rayfield, this upcoming Saturday at 5:00 p.m. EST. You can get updates live on Gametracker.
Good luck and Go Heels!
Fantasy Football = Actual Interest in NFL Games
My company has a Fantasy Football league, which has actually aroused my interest in NFL football. I previously was somewhat of an NFL idiot, but I can't really say I had a reason to be interested because the Cincinnati Bengals historically were awful during my time of residence (and Chad Johnson-Ochocinco is obnoxious - seriously this is supposed to be a team sport). I have now converted to a fan of the respectable but room to improve San Diego Chargers. Their loss to the Steelers this weekend was absolutely painful - a 11-10 game, the first final score of its kind in NFL history.
However, I am also writing this blog to vent my frustration at Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles. After last week's effort and near come back (the two rush calls at the end of the game were definitely bad choices - just let McNabb throw it for crying out loud), McNabb led the Eagles to Paul Brown Stadium for a brutal tie against the now 1-8-1 Cincinnati Bengals. Seriously? The team that's mustered one win all season and you tie them? McNabb totally threw my Fantasy Team (the "Harborcreek Huskies") under the bus this week. Big boo...hopefully he'll redeem himself next week. Otherwise I'm subbing in Philip Rivers.
On a high note, I did realize this weekend my HDTV had not been plugged into the HD connection. Therefore I had been watching in non-HD. This realization encouraged me to spend extra time Sunday on the couch watching NFL. I was wowed by the HD after watching TV in non-HD for the past several months.
The Silver Strand Half
Blog readers: I apologize for my recent slacking. This weekend was the much anticipated Silver Strand half marathon. Although at one point I had aspirations of running the half at a record pace, those hopes were dashed (probably beginning Friday night). It's a long story, but it starts like this...
Friday night we headed out to celebrate Saysay's birthday at a little place in East Village called Dussini (it is a very cool Mediterranean Bistro in East Village - check it out www.dussini.com). The night started out pretty chill but after a drink or two, we felt the need to bless Saysay with several shots of tequila in honor of his birthday. Add in some Effen and some vodka and sodas (which definitely didn't help my already lame pool skills) and I was feeling alright. We then had to run up to another East Village spot to screen a new roommate.
At any rate, before we left Dussini we had a very interesting chat with a scantily dressed female. And by scantily dressed, I mean her breasts were almost falling out of her low cut dress. We explained our need to migrate bars ("screen a new roommate") and she immediately offered three screening rules. The first of which was "make sure she's not a sex addict." Coming from a girl with her breasts falling out of her dress, I found this quite hilarious.
So on to bar #2 we went. It was pretty chill and the new roommate got a two thumbs up.
The next morning I decided to go surfing with some friends for a couple of hours. Being a newbie surfer, I am still learning the ropes and getting to learn how exactly to catch a wave. However, it was 83 and sunny and a perfect day to hang out in the water for a couple of hours. But let me tell you that surfing sure wipes you out. I spent some serious time on the couch after that trying to recover from surfing (this is Saturday afternoon).
So I wake up at about 5:32 a.m. on race day, ready to head down to Imperial Beach to catch the shuttle to Coronado, where the race starts (it's a point to point). However, I neglect to get the exact directions for where the shuttle is leaving from and cut it too close and miss the shuttle. Then I have to drive all the way down the strand to Coronado and find parking. By this time, it is 7:27 a.m. I find parking and run about a mile toward Sunset Park and see the rest of the field starting the race while I'm frantically running toward the starting line.
I think I made it about five minutes late and got an extra mile or so run before reaching the starting line. I was not feeling so special...tequila and surfing are not good pre-half marathon preparation. Through Mile 5, I had to convince myself every step not to turn around and run back to Coronado (where my car was). By the time I made it to Mile 8, I was actually feeling better, though I was brutally slow throughout the race.
I did see a shirt which made me feel better. It said, "Hell, I may be slow, but at least I'm out here." That is going to be my motto for the Silver Strand Half this year. Maybe I'll run faster next half but for now, I'm just relieved it's over.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Anthology: Great Jazz in San Diego
America's Finest City has great jazz. Not that I'm really that into jazz, but I think I could be. I definitely love music and I met some friends out at this 944 party at Anthology in downtown San Diego. Anthology is on India Street in Little Italy and the word on the street is they have some legendary jazz groups come through (ever heard of Dizzie Gillespie?).
So even though I happened to stumble upon Anthology by chance, the jazz band playing was amazing and I really liked the scene. The only negative was that the cocktails were a bit pricey. For those interested in checking out upcoming events, the website is: www.anthologysd.com/welcome.html
So even though I happened to stumble upon Anthology by chance, the jazz band playing was amazing and I really liked the scene. The only negative was that the cocktails were a bit pricey. For those interested in checking out upcoming events, the website is: www.anthologysd.com/welcome.html
Definitely a cool place to take out of towners, also. Enjoy!
An Ode to Todd
Todd is my roommate Sara's boyfriend. He is funny and kind and made a very important contribution to our apartment this weekend. First a word on Sara - she is an amazing roommate. I was very nervous to go back to having a roommate after two years of flying solo. However, so far the living situation has been pretty close to ideal. One thing that makes me smile is that she leaves me love notes. Sometimes when roommate situations go bad, you get nasty notes or evil emails because the person is too uncomfortable (read: too big of a chicken) to confront you face-to-face. Sara, however, leaves me love notes like "Good morning Kristin! I hope you have a great run!" or "Went to grab a drink at Basic Pizza. Come join if you're interested!" They make me chuckle and bring a smile to my face, which is very nice.
Now back to Todd. He successfully repaired our washing machine yesterday. Hooray! No more weekends at the laundromat. Below is an ode in Todd's honor:
During the weekend I'll be
Relaxin' on the couch, probably watchin' Sex and the City
Because I don't have to spend hours of time
And many of my extra dimes
Getting my clothes clean.
Oh Todd you are so kind
I didn't have this in mind
When I signed the lease
But now I'm at peace
Because if Icon won't fix something, we can always count on you!
Two Great Websites...
I know I'm late to the game on this, but delicious is an awesome website (http://delicious.com/). It lets you keep track of all your favorite websites and eliminates the problem of having to copy and paste web bookmarks if you use different computers.
Another new favorite of mine is Mahalo's Liveblog. Check it out at http://www.mahalo.com/Liveblog
You can see all the latest news, from health-related (Hibiscus tea may lower blood pressure) to fund news (World's largest Irish coffee in the Guinness Book of World Records).
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Madonna Concert: AMAZING!
One of the fantastic things about my new spot in downtown San Diego is that it is just a stone's throw away from Petco Park, where the San Diego Padres play. Last night, Petco hosted Madonna. I knew about the concert but have been pretty busy at work so didn't make big plans to go. However, I was able to sneak back downtown by 6:30p last night. With all the electricity in the air around downtown, I decided I should go check it out and see if I could pick up a decent ticket...
The scalping situation taught me patience, patience, patience. Given that I wasn't in need of going to the concert because I could just head back to Icon and/or hear it from the street, I spent a solid 90 minutes observing the scalpers and making a couple of offers with a new friend. At one point we had a pair of $350 face value tickets down to $150. If the offer would have gotten down to $100, I probably would have had an even better seat for the show last night. However, in the end I settled for a $165 ticket for $70 that put me on the floor for one of the most amazing shows I've ever seen.
Madonna is truly unbelievable - she bounced around filled with tons of energy for more than two hours non-stop. The coordination of the dancers and their many elaborate scenes (everything from a boxing ring to a Far East set up) was truly a production. If you ever have a chance to go check out a Madonna show, do it! You will not be disappointed (even if you have to pay face value for a ticket).
Monday, November 3, 2008
Coronado
If I ever hit the lottery and decide to settle down in Southern California, there are so many amazing places to choose from where I'd like to live. Last week after several morning runs on the beach at La Jolla Shores, I decided there could be no better place on Earth to live. After this week's run (and laundry), I've decided Coronado would have to seriously be considered in the mix as well.
Coronado is this resort like, almost island located just a bridge away from downtown. Everyone's laws are perfectly manicured, it has great views and a true serenity hard to find other places. I dig it but would feel weird about living there until I am at least in my mid-30s and married with a kid or two (if that ever happens).
If you happen to make it over to Coronado, check out Tartine, a European-style cafe, for breakfast - they have very tasty coffee and amazing home-made granola. A very nice way to start the weekend...
UNC Has A Football Team?
File this post under "better late than never." I am a Tar Heel tried and true; in fact, playing soccer at the University of North Carolina (and winning two National Championships and four ACC titles) is probably the accomplishment I'm most proud of. I feel like everything has been (and will be) downhill from Chapel Hill because I don't think I'll ever be a part of an organization that's as dominant as the Tar Heels are at women's soccer.
That being said, I am also a huge Carolina basketball fan (I'm sure an ode to Roy Williams will be posted soon on this site), and generally anything Carolina. One thing that has typically been a disappointment is UNC's football team. I even tried to down play the team at the office, when one of my co-workers, who happens to be a Notre Dame alum, claimed they were pretty solid ahead of the UNC/ND match up.
Well, I've clearly been proven wrong. At 6-2 with victories over some solid teams, it appears UNC does (finally) have a football team. Yippee!
Halloween...
One thing I never understood about Halloween is why females typically use the holiday as an excuse to dress as sleazily as possible. Given my contrarian tendencies and unique sense of humor, I like to buck this trend. Past costumes have included dressing up as an Oreo cookie, a black-eyed pea (I dressed in all black, with a big black patch under my eye and a "P" on my shirt) and a pregnant nun.
This year, I wasn't too excited about the upcoming holiday. I didn't even think I was going to make it out. However, Friday morning at the gym, I had an epiphany: a great Halloween costume would be "The Global Financial Crisis."
Unfortunately, after spending two hours working feverishly to put together my costume (which I am proudly displaying below), I ended up hanging out with my neighbors and drinking wine, watching scary movies and carving pumpkins. At least through this blog, I can share my costume with my friends. Hopefully you all can appreciate it. If nothing else, at least it's original!
Posted via Pixelpipe.
The Half Marathon Draws Nearer...
In less than two weeks, it is time for the Silver Strand half marathon. I did my last long run yesterday - a 12 mile jaunt through Coronado at quite a slow pace. My stomach has been out of sorts the last couple of days, but hopefully that will clear up soon so I can get back to running fast.
I previously aspired to run at 8:00-8:15/mile pace. Hmmm...this weekend's run made me re-think that. Okay, I'll still aim high but will try not to be too bummed out if I don't make it.
In other fitness news, I had a great spin class over lunch this morning and have been adopting "cardio lifting" to try to get fitter. I define "cardio lifting" as doing lighter weight in sets of 12-15 with as little rest as possible in between sets to get a cardio workout and not get too bulky. I'll keep you updated on how that goes...
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