She loves it so much, she even chews it when she's sleeping!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Avery and Tucker
It's been awhile since we've had a chance to hang out. They're as sweet as can be (as usual) but aren't quite sure what to make of Reggie yet. She has a little too much energy for them...
Sleeping Beauty
Behold, my younger sister Alicia partaking in the afternoon nap after running the dogs at our local park.
Dear Delta: A Little Common Sense Would've Been Appreciated
There was nearly a massive flaw in my plan to fly home with Reggie and spend the week relaxing with my family. Our plans included meeting Greg, my sister's boyfriend for the first time, as well as letting Reggie hang out with Uncle Tucker and Aunt Avery, my parents' dogs.
Upon arrival at the airport, I checked my bag in curb-side and the Delta check-in guy escorted me with Reggie upstairs to the "Special Services" line to check in. However, instead of putting me in the real "Special Services" line, he stuck me in a line that was intended for people on a flight to JFK that got canceled and everyone needed to be re-booked. After 10 minutes of standing there listening to people complain about missing connecting flights (one woman's trip to Egypt was apparently being massively screwed up), I moved myself over to the true "Special Services" line where I was surrounded by families with children. I believe there was only one representative checking people in, so after about 20 minutes of waiting and not moving at all, I moved myself (again) over to the normal check-in line.
After waiting 15 minutes or so, I was to the front of the line. And this is when the real craziness started. Despite my discussions with several Delta representatives on the phone assuring me I didn't need any special certification for taking off with a dog when the city I was flying to was cold, the lady at the counter tried to bar Reggie from the flight because it was sub-45 degrees in Atlanta (a chilly 39 degrees). I tried to explain to her my prior discussions with Delta representatives, but she wasn't hearing it. She kept saying how it was for the animal's safety, etc., but I wanted to grab her and shake her and tell her that Reggie is a lab that would be perfectly fine sitting in 39 degree weather for 30 minutes while they transferred her from the Atlanta connection to the Newport News connection.
After a 30-40 minute debate with several of the representatives, they decided if my vet could fax in an acclimation certificate Reggie could fly. Thank you Windan'Sea Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Dorian and Dr. Lindsay for your help. After this, we were all systems go. However, this ridiculousness with us checking in made us miss our 9:25 a.m. flight to Atlanta, so we had to be re-booked on the 11:15 a.m. flight. The lady at the counter re-booked me with a first-class seat so then I couldn't really complain too much. I was just happy to be on my way to Virginia, with Reggie safely on the plan, heading home to see our family for the break. Whew.
Upon arrival at the airport, I checked my bag in curb-side and the Delta check-in guy escorted me with Reggie upstairs to the "Special Services" line to check in. However, instead of putting me in the real "Special Services" line, he stuck me in a line that was intended for people on a flight to JFK that got canceled and everyone needed to be re-booked. After 10 minutes of standing there listening to people complain about missing connecting flights (one woman's trip to Egypt was apparently being massively screwed up), I moved myself over to the true "Special Services" line where I was surrounded by families with children. I believe there was only one representative checking people in, so after about 20 minutes of waiting and not moving at all, I moved myself (again) over to the normal check-in line.
After waiting 15 minutes or so, I was to the front of the line. And this is when the real craziness started. Despite my discussions with several Delta representatives on the phone assuring me I didn't need any special certification for taking off with a dog when the city I was flying to was cold, the lady at the counter tried to bar Reggie from the flight because it was sub-45 degrees in Atlanta (a chilly 39 degrees). I tried to explain to her my prior discussions with Delta representatives, but she wasn't hearing it. She kept saying how it was for the animal's safety, etc., but I wanted to grab her and shake her and tell her that Reggie is a lab that would be perfectly fine sitting in 39 degree weather for 30 minutes while they transferred her from the Atlanta connection to the Newport News connection.
After a 30-40 minute debate with several of the representatives, they decided if my vet could fax in an acclimation certificate Reggie could fly. Thank you Windan'Sea Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Dorian and Dr. Lindsay for your help. After this, we were all systems go. However, this ridiculousness with us checking in made us miss our 9:25 a.m. flight to Atlanta, so we had to be re-booked on the 11:15 a.m. flight. The lady at the counter re-booked me with a first-class seat so then I couldn't really complain too much. I was just happy to be on my way to Virginia, with Reggie safely on the plan, heading home to see our family for the break. Whew.
A Christmas Poem
‘Twas the week before break in Southern Cal,
It was warm and sunny as usual, but to improve our morale
Reggie and I boarded a flight back to the East Coast,
To spend time with family and indulge in Mom’s pot roast.
The presents were ordered from Amazon and shipped with care,
In hopes our siblings across the country would meet us there,
Reggie dreamed of napping away the day in my bed,
I looked forward to the family time and relaxing ahead.
‘Tis the time of season for holiday cheer,
And to all my friends both far and near,
I miss you all and look forward to catching up again,
All the best to you and yours, and here’s to 2010!
It was warm and sunny as usual, but to improve our morale
Reggie and I boarded a flight back to the East Coast,
To spend time with family and indulge in Mom’s pot roast.
The presents were ordered from Amazon and shipped with care,
In hopes our siblings across the country would meet us there,
Reggie dreamed of napping away the day in my bed,
I looked forward to the family time and relaxing ahead.
‘Tis the time of season for holiday cheer,
And to all my friends both far and near,
I miss you all and look forward to catching up again,
All the best to you and yours, and here’s to 2010!
Friday, December 18, 2009
All I Want For Christmas is a “Get out of Jail Free” Card
As the holiday draws nearer, the Wall Street Journal is beginning to look like pages out of one of my favorite books, “Den of Thieves.” The lead character in the current edition is Raj Rajaratnam, founder of Galleon Group and hedge fund billionaire. The feds have been circling him and the insider trading ring he (allegedly) orchestrated like sharks in a feeding frenzy over the past several weeks. The allegations (and more recently, indictments) touch employees of blue chip firms like I.B.M., Intel, McKinsey & Company, Ropes & Gray, as well as employees of less known and defunct firms like New Castle Funds and Bear Stearns. The central witness in the case is Roomy Khan, who previously worked at Galleon in the late 1990s, and was later convicted of wire fraud in 2001 when she worked for Intel Corp. I’m sure this will give us finance geeks plenty of interesting reading well into the New Year.
What’s a bit confusing about the case against Mr. Rajaratnam is that apparently the SEC had investigated him as far back as 1990 based on suspicious trading patterns (but apparently couldn’t prove anything). Nineteen years later – Ka Pow! Mr. Rajaratnam is behind bars. Apparently some things just require a little patience.
Add to the Rajaratnam trading ring the allegations that have cropped up in the past few days about associates at private equity firms conspiring with investment banks to leak news to their options trading buddies about deals they’re working on to make a quick profit. And this morning the news hit that Steve Cohen’s ex-wife is suing him for another $300 million, claiming he traded on inside information in the mid-1980s before he left a small investment bank to build his $13 billion SAC Capital. I think his ex Patricia probably just got jealous of the $300 million package Elin Nordegren will get if she leaves Tiger Woods. Why else would she today – in December 2009 – come forward with information about insider trading that occurred 20+ years ago? C’mon, Patricia, seriously?
What’s a bit confusing about the case against Mr. Rajaratnam is that apparently the SEC had investigated him as far back as 1990 based on suspicious trading patterns (but apparently couldn’t prove anything). Nineteen years later – Ka Pow! Mr. Rajaratnam is behind bars. Apparently some things just require a little patience.
Add to the Rajaratnam trading ring the allegations that have cropped up in the past few days about associates at private equity firms conspiring with investment banks to leak news to their options trading buddies about deals they’re working on to make a quick profit. And this morning the news hit that Steve Cohen’s ex-wife is suing him for another $300 million, claiming he traded on inside information in the mid-1980s before he left a small investment bank to build his $13 billion SAC Capital. I think his ex Patricia probably just got jealous of the $300 million package Elin Nordegren will get if she leaves Tiger Woods. Why else would she today – in December 2009 – come forward with information about insider trading that occurred 20+ years ago? C’mon, Patricia, seriously?
The Most Shocking Finale Ever!
I don’t believe I’ve raved about “Dexter” too much on this blog. It is one of my favorite shows, featuring Michael C. Hall as a dark and interesting protagonist that’s trying to keep his secret life as a vigilante serial killer under wraps from his family and his co-workers at Miami Metro, where he works as a blood spatter analyst. As the series progresses, this becomes more and more difficult for Dexter Morgan – he eventually marries his girlfriend, moves in with her and her two children, and they have a child of their own, Harrison. Although the premise might sound farfetched, I highly encourage anyone that hasn’t seen the show to watch the first episode. I was intrigued at once.
Last night Reggie and I were hanging out with our favorite neighbors Jen and Hagar. Jen has Showtime on demand and we had a mini-party to watch the season finale of Dexter. There were a few surprising moments in last week’s episode. However, nothing could’ve prepared me for the ending of this season. It was the most shocking season finale I’ve ever seen. For several minutes after the ending, Jen and I re-counted what had just happened and tried to get the ill feelings out of our stomachs. It’s a pretty graphic series, which makes the level of dread I felt after last night’s episode even more surprising.
It will be interesting to see in which direction the writers take the series next season, but needless to say, they’ll have quite the challenge. I have to tip my hat to the show’s writers – fantastic work!
Last night Reggie and I were hanging out with our favorite neighbors Jen and Hagar. Jen has Showtime on demand and we had a mini-party to watch the season finale of Dexter. There were a few surprising moments in last week’s episode. However, nothing could’ve prepared me for the ending of this season. It was the most shocking season finale I’ve ever seen. For several minutes after the ending, Jen and I re-counted what had just happened and tried to get the ill feelings out of our stomachs. It’s a pretty graphic series, which makes the level of dread I felt after last night’s episode even more surprising.
It will be interesting to see in which direction the writers take the series next season, but needless to say, they’ll have quite the challenge. I have to tip my hat to the show’s writers – fantastic work!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Tar Heel Domination
This post is long overdue. On December 6th, the Tar Heel women’s soccer team claimed its 20th NCAA title in the 28-year history of the NCAA Tournament, topping previously unbeaten Stanford 1-0 in the final on an early goal by Jessica McDonald. Including the 1981 AIAW title, this is the team’s 21st overall National Championship. Woot, woot!
I’m sure many articles have been written about the Lady Tar Heels over the years, but I’m still amazed and very proud to have been a part of such a special program. The downside is that I’ll probably never again be part of an organization that is so completely dominant in its field.
According to Wiktionary, “domination” is defined as follows, “The act of dominating; exercise of power in ruling; dominion; supremacy; authority, often done in an arbitrary or insolent way.” I don’t think there’s much arbitrary about Carolina’s domination of soccer but certainly agree with the “supremacy” part of the definition.
Congrats, girls, on another great year and on bringing the NCAA women’s soccer championship trophy to its proper home: Chapel Hill, NC.
I’m sure many articles have been written about the Lady Tar Heels over the years, but I’m still amazed and very proud to have been a part of such a special program. The downside is that I’ll probably never again be part of an organization that is so completely dominant in its field.
According to Wiktionary, “domination” is defined as follows, “The act of dominating; exercise of power in ruling; dominion; supremacy; authority, often done in an arbitrary or insolent way.” I don’t think there’s much arbitrary about Carolina’s domination of soccer but certainly agree with the “supremacy” part of the definition.
Congrats, girls, on another great year and on bringing the NCAA women’s soccer championship trophy to its proper home: Chapel Hill, NC.
It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
On Saturday, Reggie and I will board a Delta flight that takes us through Atlanta on our way to the Newport News/Williamsburg airport. The little Reg-ster has her health certificate from Dr. Dorian – she is now up to 72 pounds and an all-around healthy pup. She has a new carrier that complies with all the airline standards. We’re just sending out hopes that the weather in the Smithfield area stays mild so she can board the plane with me on the way back home. If it drops below 45 degrees Fahrenheit she needs an acclimation certificate, and it is a definite no-go for her on the plane below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Google Weather says the current temperature in Smithfield is approximately 52, but it gets down to 30 over the next several days. The airlines must make a mint from people traveling with large dogs – Delta charges $175 each way to check dogs as luggage.
Over the past few months things have been hectic at work, so I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with the family and just relaxing for a week or so. My Christmas shopping is all wrapped up and the gifts are ready to be delivered. I’m pretty excited about giving some of this year’s gifts and also excited to meet and spend some time with my sis’s boyfriend Greg. Should be a good time. Only a few more days before the journey begins…
Over the past few months things have been hectic at work, so I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with the family and just relaxing for a week or so. My Christmas shopping is all wrapped up and the gifts are ready to be delivered. I’m pretty excited about giving some of this year’s gifts and also excited to meet and spend some time with my sis’s boyfriend Greg. Should be a good time. Only a few more days before the journey begins…
Monday, November 30, 2009
Doogie Howser
This video is proof that my dog Reggie is very trainable. She listens and can learn new commands. Yesterday I was chatting with my dad, hoping he'd be able to teach her to hunt in the week that we are home for Christmas break. She loves to chase birds; clearly her instincts are right on. However, I think my pa thinks that Reggie is too independent and might not be easily trainable.
As this video demonstrates, Reggie is trainable. The "wait" command is not an easy one, but one we're working on diligently since last week when she ran out on the trail path and almost caused a biker to crash. Yikes! It was a close call but also a wake up call. With the "wait" command getting closer and closer to perfect, there'll be no more running out on the path when bikers are approaching!
Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful...
...okay, not so much in San Diego but tomorrow is the first of December. Which means I'll be heading home for Christmas break in just about 19 days. I'm so excited to go home, spend time with the family, and just relax for a week or so. My sister Elle Belle and her beau Greg are driving down from Cleveland, and Reggie is joining me on the flight, so it will be one big family hang out. I'm very excited! In fact, so excited, I've already started the countdown.
One thing that is kind of a bummer about being in San Diego is you don't really get the change of seasons. The "chilly" days in winter mean I probably have to close the windows in my room at least part way because it might be in the mid-50s when I wake up. Granted, it will probably be in the 40s and 50s in Virginia, so it's probably not much cooler, but maybe we'll get a freak snow storm on Christmas. That would be nice. It would be reminiscent of Erie, PA...I can remember it snowing every day for a month straight in Erie.
Family, get ready because here I come. And I'm already almost done with the Christmas shopping. What did people do before the Internet?
One thing that is kind of a bummer about being in San Diego is you don't really get the change of seasons. The "chilly" days in winter mean I probably have to close the windows in my room at least part way because it might be in the mid-50s when I wake up. Granted, it will probably be in the 40s and 50s in Virginia, so it's probably not much cooler, but maybe we'll get a freak snow storm on Christmas. That would be nice. It would be reminiscent of Erie, PA...I can remember it snowing every day for a month straight in Erie.
Family, get ready because here I come. And I'm already almost done with the Christmas shopping. What did people do before the Internet?
Friday, November 27, 2009
Hoi Ning = Food Genius
Here is the Thanksgiving feast that foodie Hoi Ning cooked up for Judy and I yesterday. Judy told me that Hoi Ning was quite the foodie, but I was still under-prepared for this meal: turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes (they didn't make it into the picture), green beans, kale, brussel sprouts, stuffing, and mac and cheese, followed by dessert including corn ice cream and my favorite, pumpkin mousse (topped with ginger snaps). A serious food coma ensued. We were happily watching the "House Hunters" marathon on HGTV. Here's to good friends, and especially good friends who also happen to be great cooks! It makes it a lot easier to spend the holidays away from your family.
Hagar and Reg: Animal Killers!
Here lay the remains of many-a-stuffed animal. I think Jen even bought a Santa Claus and a reindeer to prep for the upcoming holiday season. But lo and behold the dogs had their way with them. Given that Hagar lives with these stuffed animals, I'm going to speculate that it was my own little angel Reggie that was responsible for most of the damage. I did see them tear several apart playing tug a war.
House and dog sitting has been fun so far - the kids keep each other plenty busy, although I do start to feel sorry for Hagar when he gets tired out. He is a little more chill than Reggie, who's still a puppy, and I get the sense he starts to get annoyed with her bugging him when he's trying to relax. So far the biggest lesson learned is to hide the squeaky toys before bedtime so I don't wake up at 3:30a to the sound of one of them...
House and dog sitting has been fun so far - the kids keep each other plenty busy, although I do start to feel sorry for Hagar when he gets tired out. He is a little more chill than Reggie, who's still a puppy, and I get the sense he starts to get annoyed with her bugging him when he's trying to relax. So far the biggest lesson learned is to hide the squeaky toys before bedtime so I don't wake up at 3:30a to the sound of one of them...
New Clients: Good for Business, Bad for the Blog
Loyal Blog Readers:
I'd like to thank each of you for continuing to follow the blog despite its recent lack of new postings. Things at work have been super-hectic in the month of November. New clients are good for business but have proven to be bad for the blog thus far. Hopefully things will slow down a bit at work and I'll get back to two to three new postings on the weekends...
I'd like to thank each of you for continuing to follow the blog despite its recent lack of new postings. Things at work have been super-hectic in the month of November. New clients are good for business but have proven to be bad for the blog thus far. Hopefully things will slow down a bit at work and I'll get back to two to three new postings on the weekends...
Monday, November 16, 2009
Sunday Night on Nautilus Street
Okay, this was more like Sunday afternoon and Sunday night. Reg makes a great foot warmer.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Food Poisoning Rejuvenates My Football Fervor
It was a beautiful weekend in San Diego - the sun was shining, it was the usual 68 degrees, and there were some killer waves. However, I spent most of the weekend on the couch, still in recovery from the food poisoning incident. The unexpected upside from the couch potato behavior was all the great football I got to watch. I think it usually takes me months to watch as much football as I watched this weekend. And it gets addicting - one game just rolls right into the next. An unexpected benefit of living on the West Coast is that you can get up, take your dog for a walk, and start watching football, because a 1:00p EST kickoff means football starts at 10:00a on the West Coast.
The college games on Saturday did not disappoint - I watched Florida top South Carolina, then some of the Alabama/Mississippi State game, then smaller parts of several other games. I think Tim Tebow ran for more yards than any of Florida's running backs. He is really fun to watch, even though I typically despise University of Florida sports. There were also some controversial calls - the Notre Dame fumble that was ruled a fumble on the review (I thought his arm was in forward motion) and the Arizona/UC-Berkeley call. The Arizona QB threw the ball, had it batted right back at him, caught it, and threw it again. Apparently the second throw was illegal. It was devastating to the team - it pushed them out of field goal position and the Cal Bears eventually scored another TD and marched to victory.
Today's NFL games have been interesting but I think I prefer the college games. It was fun to watch Big Ben struggle against the Bengals (Who Dey! Cincinnati peeps), and San Diego had its way with Philadelphia. If I keep getting sick, maybe I'll be auditioning to be an ESPN sideline reporter because I feel like I've learned a ton about the teams and players.
The college games on Saturday did not disappoint - I watched Florida top South Carolina, then some of the Alabama/Mississippi State game, then smaller parts of several other games. I think Tim Tebow ran for more yards than any of Florida's running backs. He is really fun to watch, even though I typically despise University of Florida sports. There were also some controversial calls - the Notre Dame fumble that was ruled a fumble on the review (I thought his arm was in forward motion) and the Arizona/UC-Berkeley call. The Arizona QB threw the ball, had it batted right back at him, caught it, and threw it again. Apparently the second throw was illegal. It was devastating to the team - it pushed them out of field goal position and the Cal Bears eventually scored another TD and marched to victory.
Today's NFL games have been interesting but I think I prefer the college games. It was fun to watch Big Ben struggle against the Bengals (Who Dey! Cincinnati peeps), and San Diego had its way with Philadelphia. If I keep getting sick, maybe I'll be auditioning to be an ESPN sideline reporter because I feel like I've learned a ton about the teams and players.
The Food Poisoning Incident
The last few weeks have been challenging from a health perspective. I was trying to fight off the flu while traveling (which I think I did relatively successfully), only to come home and succumb to food poisoning. And it was not pretty.
Wednesday night I made it home at a decent hour, took Reg out for a walk with Jen and Hagar, and then decided to cook for a change. I had a nice steak I thawed out from Ralph's. Since I don't have a grill, I decided to cook it on my stove top rather than broil it. Although it was cooked medium in most places, there were a few spots that were pretty rare. I'm attributing my pain and suffering over the past couple of days to the undercooked meat.
Let me tell you, if you've never had food poisoning, thank your lucky stars. And try to keep that streak going by continuing to fully cook your meats. Not sure when the next time I'll be having a steak/burger/etc. will be...
Wednesday night I made it home at a decent hour, took Reg out for a walk with Jen and Hagar, and then decided to cook for a change. I had a nice steak I thawed out from Ralph's. Since I don't have a grill, I decided to cook it on my stove top rather than broil it. Although it was cooked medium in most places, there were a few spots that were pretty rare. I'm attributing my pain and suffering over the past couple of days to the undercooked meat.
Let me tell you, if you've never had food poisoning, thank your lucky stars. And try to keep that streak going by continuing to fully cook your meats. Not sure when the next time I'll be having a steak/burger/etc. will be...
Great Sports Weekend
This weekend has been a great one to watch sports! First and foremost, the Carolina soccer team beat High Point Friday night and then Georgia this afternoon to advance to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA soccer tournament. Somewhat surprisingly, the UNC football team enjoyed a big win over Miami this weekend, in what sounded like an interesting game (but unfortunately SportsCenter had no highlights).
In NFL action today, the Bengals topped the Steelers in Pittsburgh, the Chargers beat the Eagles at home, and I'm currently enjoying the Tom Brady/Peyton Manning duel on SNF. Not too shabby.
In NFL action today, the Bengals topped the Steelers in Pittsburgh, the Chargers beat the Eagles at home, and I'm currently enjoying the Tom Brady/Peyton Manning duel on SNF. Not too shabby.
KD: Finance Geek or Furniture Desinger?
That is the question that these finely re-finished pieces of furniture pose. After several weeks of labor (okay, really two weekend days of hard work), I finished my wood re-finishing project. This piece here has been with me since my days at 3389 Hoover Heights and made the journey from Harborcreek to Cincinnati to La Jolla.
Given every piece of wooden furniture in my bedroom seems to be a different color, I decided to consolidate a bit. I was also spurred on by Reggie chewing on part of the base of this dresser. Although you can still tell the base is a bit uneven, Reggie's chew marks are much less obvious after the DeWalt sander had its way with them.
If I had known how much work it would take to re-do these pieces of furniture, I might have just purchased new furniture. However, now that all is said and done, I'm glad I undertook the project. Just make sure if you're ever thinking of re-finishing furniture you allocate plenty of time, cover everything on your deck (there is an insane amount of sawdust that comes off these things), and wear a mask. Otherwise, you'll be sneezing for days.
Given every piece of wooden furniture in my bedroom seems to be a different color, I decided to consolidate a bit. I was also spurred on by Reggie chewing on part of the base of this dresser. Although you can still tell the base is a bit uneven, Reggie's chew marks are much less obvious after the DeWalt sander had its way with them.
If I had known how much work it would take to re-do these pieces of furniture, I might have just purchased new furniture. However, now that all is said and done, I'm glad I undertook the project. Just make sure if you're ever thinking of re-finishing furniture you allocate plenty of time, cover everything on your deck (there is an insane amount of sawdust that comes off these things), and wear a mask. Otherwise, you'll be sneezing for days.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Do I Really Have to Get Up?
This is why I hit the snooze button in the morning. Reg is warm and snuggly and the temperatures have started to drop in San Diego. This morning when I got in my car, it was 58 degrees out. Looks like I might have to start wearing sweatpants for our morning walks.
In other Reggie news, she spent her first day at Camp Run-A-Mutt located just outside Little Italy on Monday. As soon as she got in the car, she went straight to sleep and I think she's still pretty worn out from it. Camp Run-A-Mutt has a live webcam so you can check on your dogs all day. I recommend checking it out if you're in San Diego and need an off-leash place to leave your mutt for a few days.
In other Reggie news, she spent her first day at Camp Run-A-Mutt located just outside Little Italy on Monday. As soon as she got in the car, she went straight to sleep and I think she's still pretty worn out from it. Camp Run-A-Mutt has a live webcam so you can check on your dogs all day. I recommend checking it out if you're in San Diego and need an off-leash place to leave your mutt for a few days.
Is This Lizard Real?
Reg and I saw him on our morning walk to the beach this weekend. He or she looks very authentic but didn't move when poked with Reggie's leash. Hmmm...
I'm Not Typically a Wine Snot...
...but this wine could push me in that direction. In a hurry. Get out and try some @ BevMo.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Q: Where in San Diego is this Ralph's Display Located?
After Monday night's Baninja victory, I decided to stop at the grocery store to refill my bare refrigerator. Typically, I shop in UTC near work or in downtown La Jolla. However, since PB was on the way home from my commute from Mission Valley to La Jolla, I decided to stop in and shop at the Ralph's in PB. I think PB is the only place in San Diego you'll see an entire end display dedicated to Red Bull, vodka and Jagermeister. Pretty funny!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Fall is Here!
What does fall mean in San Diego? I think it’s “chilly” outside (everything is relative) because in the mornings when I wake up, it’s sub-60 degrees. When Reg and I go for our morning walks, I have to put on sweatpants instead of my capri Nike workout pants. I’ve enjoyed the “change of season” – initially when I moved out here and people told me I’d get sick of the weather being so nice, I thought they were crazy. However, as September turned into October and I’m watching football on TV, I kind of miss fall, particularly having to put a sweatshirt on to go outside and watching the leaves change. When you live in San Diego, your body gets so acclimated to 68 to 74 degree weather, 58 degrees starts feeling “chilly.”
One aspect of being on the West Coast that I love during the fall is that you can wake up and watch college (Saturday) or NFL (Sunday) football during your morning workout at the gym. I’d much rather have the earlier game starts because as soon as you’re up and about you can be watching football. On the flipside, the “late” games now end around nine or ten at night, which is much better for Monday mornings. Staying up to catch the end of a late night SNF game on the East Coast always made Monday mornings a little rougher, and adding insult to injury on Monday morning is never good. My only two wishes to make the fall season a bit cheerier – a winning football season for both the UNC Tar Heels and the San Diego Chargers. Wagers on the likelihood that both teams will have winning seasons?
One aspect of being on the West Coast that I love during the fall is that you can wake up and watch college (Saturday) or NFL (Sunday) football during your morning workout at the gym. I’d much rather have the earlier game starts because as soon as you’re up and about you can be watching football. On the flipside, the “late” games now end around nine or ten at night, which is much better for Monday mornings. Staying up to catch the end of a late night SNF game on the East Coast always made Monday mornings a little rougher, and adding insult to injury on Monday morning is never good. My only two wishes to make the fall season a bit cheerier – a winning football season for both the UNC Tar Heels and the San Diego Chargers. Wagers on the likelihood that both teams will have winning seasons?
Reggie Could be the “Host, Jr.”
As blog readers may or may not remember, several months ago I was concerned about little Reggie having a red bump on her lip. I felt better after taking her to the vet, who wasn’t sure exactly what the bump was but told me it was nothing to worry about (but I should wash it with antibacterial soap every day to ensure it got better). After a week of washing with persistent redness I was still a bit nervous. However, eventually the redness went away and the bump went from being raised to flat.
Flash forward about two months and Reggie’s boyfriend Hagar gets a similar red bump on his nose. My neighbor Jen did more diligence than I did on the condition (I made the mistake of assuming taking her to the vet was good enough). Jen texted me Friday morning with her preliminary diagnosis: ringworm. I think poor little Reggie is the host and passed the ringworm along to Hagar (what a dirty girlfriend). We still have to confirm the diagnosis but after reading some online research it totally makes sense: puppies are more prone to get ringworm because their immune systems haven’t developed completely.
This points out one of several ways Reggie is just like her mom: we’re both tomboys that tend to play rough (good thing I haven’t played sports with any of my co-workers recently); we both enjoy great food (okay, Reggie will eat anything); we’re both frequently challenged with stomach issues; and we’ve both been “the host” for passing along fun conditions to our friends. I gave my co-worker and his entire household influenza B after a fierce game of beer pong about six months ago. Since this incident, which caused three people to each miss about a week of work and/or school, I haven’t been able to shake the nickname of “The Host.” Just as the joke has died down, it’s become known that Reggie might also be “The Host.” I don’t know what else to say other than it’s pretty obvious whose kid she is…
Flash forward about two months and Reggie’s boyfriend Hagar gets a similar red bump on his nose. My neighbor Jen did more diligence than I did on the condition (I made the mistake of assuming taking her to the vet was good enough). Jen texted me Friday morning with her preliminary diagnosis: ringworm. I think poor little Reggie is the host and passed the ringworm along to Hagar (what a dirty girlfriend). We still have to confirm the diagnosis but after reading some online research it totally makes sense: puppies are more prone to get ringworm because their immune systems haven’t developed completely.
This points out one of several ways Reggie is just like her mom: we’re both tomboys that tend to play rough (good thing I haven’t played sports with any of my co-workers recently); we both enjoy great food (okay, Reggie will eat anything); we’re both frequently challenged with stomach issues; and we’ve both been “the host” for passing along fun conditions to our friends. I gave my co-worker and his entire household influenza B after a fierce game of beer pong about six months ago. Since this incident, which caused three people to each miss about a week of work and/or school, I haven’t been able to shake the nickname of “The Host.” Just as the joke has died down, it’s become known that Reggie might also be “The Host.” I don’t know what else to say other than it’s pretty obvious whose kid she is…
You Know You’re Getting Old When…
In addition to my spin shoes, my workout routine has been improved by joining a new soccer team, the Baninjas. Yes, that team name is a cross between “banana” and “ninja,” which obviously translates into some wicked soccer players. I got connected to the team through my college teammate Anne Remy Lundquist. Anne’s younger sister Elizabeth ironically lives about a mile away from me in La Jolla and perhaps even more ironically works in the same office building as I do. Anne and Elizabeth grew up in Norman, Oklahoma, and Elizabeth moved out to La Jolla after a stint in Sweden after graduating from Wake Forest. Kind of random we ended up so close together.
Monday night the Baninjas were 5-3 victors over a team with a much less cool name. However, the six versus six co-ed format in which our team only had one girl sub made me feel like I was about to have a heart attack for about 40 of the 44 minutes of the game. I felt pretty old. I also was reminded how old I am by the nagging quad (almost) pull I had after not playing soccer in a couple of months. Despite feeling quite old, it was great to get out there and play soccer again. I’m excited for the rest of the season, which lasts through early December.
The post-game victory meal brought up a question: have you ever heard of turkey tacos? I had never heard of them but after thinking about it, I guess it’s not that strange – people have turkey burgers instead of hamburgers with ground turkey replacing ground beef, so why not replace the ground beef in tacos with ground turkey and have a turkey taco? Voila – a healthier meal that is also on special every Monday night at Peabody’s, located conveniently up the street from the Mission Valley YMCA. This might have to become my official Monday night tradition: soccer and turkey tacos.
Monday night the Baninjas were 5-3 victors over a team with a much less cool name. However, the six versus six co-ed format in which our team only had one girl sub made me feel like I was about to have a heart attack for about 40 of the 44 minutes of the game. I felt pretty old. I also was reminded how old I am by the nagging quad (almost) pull I had after not playing soccer in a couple of months. Despite feeling quite old, it was great to get out there and play soccer again. I’m excited for the rest of the season, which lasts through early December.
The post-game victory meal brought up a question: have you ever heard of turkey tacos? I had never heard of them but after thinking about it, I guess it’s not that strange – people have turkey burgers instead of hamburgers with ground turkey replacing ground beef, so why not replace the ground beef in tacos with ground turkey and have a turkey taco? Voila – a healthier meal that is also on special every Monday night at Peabody’s, located conveniently up the street from the Mission Valley YMCA. This might have to become my official Monday night tradition: soccer and turkey tacos.
“Club Spin”
Given the fortuitous location of our office, employees of StepStone are lucky enough to get a hefty discount to The Sporting Club located in the UTC area of San Diego and its sister club The La Jolla Sporting Club located in downtown La Jolla. The Sporting Club is a fantastic facility and includes two tennis courts, an outdoor lap pool and sauna, an indoor sauna and steam room as well as a myriad of classes with its monthly membership fee. My personal favorite of the classes offered is spin class, which members can partake in pretty much any day of the week at The Sporting Club.
It has become a weekly tradition for a group of girls to attend “Club Spin” at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday mornings. My Saturday tradition now involves taking Reggie for a walk on the beach, hitting the gym for an hour or so of strength training and then meeting up with “Club Spin” buddies at 10:00 a.m. The other members of “Club Spin” love the 10:00 a.m. teacher. I rate her as strong but not quite as highly as my favorite spin instructor, Victor (who teaches at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays). The music the 10:00 a.m. instructor plays is too consistently poppy for me; I prefer more of a variety of music during my spin classes. Victor also has more energy than any spin instructor I’ve experienced in my life. Further, he’s not shy about calling you out in front of the class if you’re slacking off. Other “Club Spin” members don’t appreciate this strict style like I do.
My past several spin classes have been made even more pleasurable by the addition of my new Shimano spin shoes. I feel much more efficient and prepared for when I get my road bike. With spin shoes you’re able to pull much more effectively on the pedals so you get a better workout during class. For regular spin class attenders, I highly recommend them. Happy spinning!
It has become a weekly tradition for a group of girls to attend “Club Spin” at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday mornings. My Saturday tradition now involves taking Reggie for a walk on the beach, hitting the gym for an hour or so of strength training and then meeting up with “Club Spin” buddies at 10:00 a.m. The other members of “Club Spin” love the 10:00 a.m. teacher. I rate her as strong but not quite as highly as my favorite spin instructor, Victor (who teaches at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays). The music the 10:00 a.m. instructor plays is too consistently poppy for me; I prefer more of a variety of music during my spin classes. Victor also has more energy than any spin instructor I’ve experienced in my life. Further, he’s not shy about calling you out in front of the class if you’re slacking off. Other “Club Spin” members don’t appreciate this strict style like I do.
My past several spin classes have been made even more pleasurable by the addition of my new Shimano spin shoes. I feel much more efficient and prepared for when I get my road bike. With spin shoes you’re able to pull much more effectively on the pedals so you get a better workout during class. For regular spin class attenders, I highly recommend them. Happy spinning!
The Vacation
As my three loyal followers can tell, I’ve been on vacation from blogging for about a month now. No reason in particular other than things have been busy at work and I’ve been using all of my creative juices to crunch spreadsheets. As one can imagine, this has drastically caused a restriction in the flow of my creative juices. So what’s new and exciting in San Diego? Nothing too exciting, unfortunately other than me being entrenched in the habit of working a lot, walking the dog and getting back in the workout routine. I did recently invest in a new pair of Shimano spinning shoes that have made my spin classes more enjoyable. For those of you in the greater San Diego area, please come join Betsy and me at “Club Spin” on Saturday mornings at 10:00a at The Sporting Club. Actually, I think “Club Spin” deserves its own blog post…and so the vacation is over.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The Hair
This weekend at the Pacific Islander Festival I saw some fabulous hair. Not too many times you see this kind of 'do in San Diego.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
What Ever Happened to Debbie Gibson?
Debbie Gibson was one of my favorite pop stars when I was in fifth or sixth grade ("Electric Youth" was released in 1989; "Out of the Blue" was released in 1987, when I was nine and seven years old, respectively). She was in the New Kids on the Block and Tiffany era. I remember having a tape of her “Electric Youth” album – she has on a blue jacket and a black hat and also launched a fragrance called “Electric Youth” based on the success of the album. The Electric Youth perfume bottle had pink lightning bolts on it. I remember it clearly because I also owned the Electric Youth perfume. In addition to “Electric Youth,” Debbie’s hit songs include “Lost in Your Eyes” and “Only in My Dreams.”
Last night on the critically acclaimed SyFy channel (insert sarcasm here), I found out what happened to Debbie Gibson: she’s moved on to starring in C-list movies. Several of my friends and I watched in horror as she played a leading role in “Giant Octopus Versus Mega Shark” or something. The movie’s concept was similar to “Alien Versus Predator” but featured a Mega Shark - the prehistoric Megladon, a 60 to 70 foot shark species like a great white on steriods - and a Giant Octopus. These creatures have long been extinct. However, one of each of them was frozen in a giant iceberg which melted in the beginning of the movie, unfreezing them to reign terror down on airplanes, the Golden Gate Bridge and other people in the movie. It is so bad it received an 11% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average 3.3 out of 10 rating from the 18 people that reviewed it. I’ll try to erase this memory of Debbie Gibson and download an album on iTunes to remember her much more successful music career. Ouch. It could be more painful than watching David Hasselhoff sing, “Get In My Car.”
Last night on the critically acclaimed SyFy channel (insert sarcasm here), I found out what happened to Debbie Gibson: she’s moved on to starring in C-list movies. Several of my friends and I watched in horror as she played a leading role in “Giant Octopus Versus Mega Shark” or something. The movie’s concept was similar to “Alien Versus Predator” but featured a Mega Shark - the prehistoric Megladon, a 60 to 70 foot shark species like a great white on steriods - and a Giant Octopus. These creatures have long been extinct. However, one of each of them was frozen in a giant iceberg which melted in the beginning of the movie, unfreezing them to reign terror down on airplanes, the Golden Gate Bridge and other people in the movie. It is so bad it received an 11% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average 3.3 out of 10 rating from the 18 people that reviewed it. I’ll try to erase this memory of Debbie Gibson and download an album on iTunes to remember her much more successful music career. Ouch. It could be more painful than watching David Hasselhoff sing, “Get In My Car.”
A Last Minute Trip to the Big Apple
After a busy week at work, Thursday late morning/early afternoon I was craving a change of scenery. After speaking to a friend who happened to be traveling to NYC, I decided I should check into flights and see if I could find a decent deal on last minute trip to New York. Although I’m typically a planner, around 4:00 p.m. Thursday afternoon I booked a direct flight to New York on JetBlue, found a place to board little Reggie for a few days and headed home to pack a (light) suitcase. The trip was short but great, as usual for my time spent in the Big Apple.
Here are some things I miss about the East Coast in no particular order: good friends and family, the smell of real trees (San Diego’s mostly got palm trees), seeing historic buildings, and temperature differential. People in San Diego have told me I would get sick of the perfect weather. I initially thought they were crazy but now understand what they were talking about. Not that I’m ready to leave Pleasantville yet, but it was nice to have a warm day followed by a cool and breezy night. And see a few clouds. Things I love about New York in particular: the Cogswell family, the energy of the city, great food, lots of interesting (and non-homogenous) people, culture, the buildings, the neighborhoods and the endless possibilities.
Here are some things I miss about the East Coast in no particular order: good friends and family, the smell of real trees (San Diego’s mostly got palm trees), seeing historic buildings, and temperature differential. People in San Diego have told me I would get sick of the perfect weather. I initially thought they were crazy but now understand what they were talking about. Not that I’m ready to leave Pleasantville yet, but it was nice to have a warm day followed by a cool and breezy night. And see a few clouds. Things I love about New York in particular: the Cogswell family, the energy of the city, great food, lots of interesting (and non-homogenous) people, culture, the buildings, the neighborhoods and the endless possibilities.
Two Routings in a Row
The UNC women's soccer team is rolling thus far in its 2009 season. The team opened the year with a 7-2 drubbing of UCLA and had a convincing 6-0 win this past weekend over #2 ranked Notre Dame in South Bend. Not too shabby of a start, considering the UNC girls have topped the #2 and #3 ranked teams in the nation 6-0 and 7-2, respectively. Hopefully they are able to keep the momentum for the rest of the year and play this well in the NCAA tournament. But for now I just have to say, “You go girls!”
Street Scene 2009!
This year year, Street Scene in San Diego was quite a show – Friday night featured the Black Eyed Peas, Modest Mouse, Conor Oberst, and Band of Horses. Jen and I made it down to East Village in time to catch most of Band of Horses. They sounded good live; the biggest surprise of their show was how grungy they looked. I imagined them differently but probably shouldn’t have. Modest Mouse rocked, as expected. They are one of my favorite bands and great live. However, although they played a great show, I was a bit disappointed with their song selection. The final act of the evening was the BEPs, and they did not disappoint. As previously blogged about, I’m a big fan of their latest album, “The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies).” The BEPs played a lot of great tunes from their new album and some of their older favorites.
All in all, Friday night was a phenomenal musical experience. It took a little motivation to get back down there Saturday night because I wasn’t as excited about the bands. Further, I was still a bit tired from Friday’s show and running errands all day Saturday (I’m definitely getting old). Saturday night we caught the tail end of Of Montreal, then saw the Silversun Pickups, the Dead Weather, and some of Thievery Corporation. My favorite band was probably the Dead Weather; Alison Mosshart rocks. Overall, however, Saturday night was a lot less exciting than Friday night. On the whole, Street Scene 2009 was quite a show. If the National would have played again in 2009 (they played at last year’s Street Scene), I probably would’ve rated the overall experience “outstanding.”
All in all, Friday night was a phenomenal musical experience. It took a little motivation to get back down there Saturday night because I wasn’t as excited about the bands. Further, I was still a bit tired from Friday’s show and running errands all day Saturday (I’m definitely getting old). Saturday night we caught the tail end of Of Montreal, then saw the Silversun Pickups, the Dead Weather, and some of Thievery Corporation. My favorite band was probably the Dead Weather; Alison Mosshart rocks. Overall, however, Saturday night was a lot less exciting than Friday night. On the whole, Street Scene 2009 was quite a show. If the National would have played again in 2009 (they played at last year’s Street Scene), I probably would’ve rated the overall experience “outstanding.”
A Low Key Night in Tribeca
One of the reasons it was low key is that the bartender shamed Jena and I into drinking gin. Jena very courteously asked for a light vodka drink to which the bartender replied, "Well vodka doesn't really taste like anything. How about I make you a gin drink that will make you like gin?" Given that we've been drinking vodka together for about the last decade, Jena and I are aware that vodka really doesn't taste like anything. That's probably why we like it. We're also not big gin fans, but being faced with this question in this chic bar, we both buckled under the shaming and accepted the gin drink. It wasn't too bad but I prefer the "Dark and Stormy" we followed it up with.
The moral of this story is: know thyself. And don't let a pretentious bartender talk you into something you know isn't your favorite.
The moral of this story is: know thyself. And don't let a pretentious bartender talk you into something you know isn't your favorite.
Is Reggie Coming to Visit Anytime Soon?
Isa Cogswell in her Battery Park City/Tribeca sleek apartment.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Fun Factoids: SoCal versus the Midwest
Here's a quick list of things that are more likely to happen to you if you live in Southern California and not the Midwest:
1. Rainbow flip flops on casual day are totally acceptable. At your former firm, wearing a skirt without panty hose was cause for dismissal. Now you're cruising into the office on Fridays in flops and shorts.
2. High school friends of your friends are porn stars. You kind of dismiss this story the first time your friend tells you a friend of a friend from high school that you just met at a party is a porn star. The second or third time you meet the kid and hear the same story, your curiosity gets the best of you. You Google to confirm or deny the allegation and kind of regret the Googling but are oddly intrigued. Regular discussions of the nuiances of his porn career now spring up every time this kid shows up at a party.
3. You doubt the economy is really in a recession because so many people can afford plastic surgery and luxury sports car. At the gym and beach, the plastic surgery work is so obvious, it makes even other women stop, stare and comment. On the road, every fifth car is a Range Rover, Aston Marton, Ferrari, Lamborgini or Maserati. Seriously? There are three or more luxury car dealers within five miles of your house. If there was really a recession, wouldn't at least a few of them closed their doors by now?
4. You suspect your neighbor is a drug dealer. From what you gather, he is home at all hours of the day yet manages to pay rent in a relatively pricey area, has visitors looking for him from 7:30a 'til 11:30p, and your living room constantly smells like wackey weed but you don't even know what 4:20 is. Initially you thought a skunk had sprayed but after the fifth day in a row of the smell, your naivete wears off and you reminisce about your favorite episode of "Weeds." Unfortunately he isn't as charming as Nancy Botwin.
There are definitely more of them, but these are the most humorous I could think of this evening.
1. Rainbow flip flops on casual day are totally acceptable. At your former firm, wearing a skirt without panty hose was cause for dismissal. Now you're cruising into the office on Fridays in flops and shorts.
2. High school friends of your friends are porn stars. You kind of dismiss this story the first time your friend tells you a friend of a friend from high school that you just met at a party is a porn star. The second or third time you meet the kid and hear the same story, your curiosity gets the best of you. You Google to confirm or deny the allegation and kind of regret the Googling but are oddly intrigued. Regular discussions of the nuiances of his porn career now spring up every time this kid shows up at a party.
3. You doubt the economy is really in a recession because so many people can afford plastic surgery and luxury sports car. At the gym and beach, the plastic surgery work is so obvious, it makes even other women stop, stare and comment. On the road, every fifth car is a Range Rover, Aston Marton, Ferrari, Lamborgini or Maserati. Seriously? There are three or more luxury car dealers within five miles of your house. If there was really a recession, wouldn't at least a few of them closed their doors by now?
4. You suspect your neighbor is a drug dealer. From what you gather, he is home at all hours of the day yet manages to pay rent in a relatively pricey area, has visitors looking for him from 7:30a 'til 11:30p, and your living room constantly smells like wackey weed but you don't even know what 4:20 is. Initially you thought a skunk had sprayed but after the fifth day in a row of the smell, your naivete wears off and you reminisce about your favorite episode of "Weeds." Unfortunately he isn't as charming as Nancy Botwin.
There are definitely more of them, but these are the most humorous I could think of this evening.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The Living Room Is Complete!
In a previous blog post, I raged about Jerome's Furniture not selling these awesome turquoise pillows that matched my rug perfectly. It was a total set up - they had them sitting on the couch I purchased but they refused to sell them with the couch. Being the anal person that I am, I really wanted them and made multiple attempts to package them into my rug/couch/table purchase. The sales guy wouldn't budge. I knew I would be frustrated for months searching for the right match. And I was.
However, I was recently wandering the aisles Target when I found the perfect pillows and perfect throw blanket to match my rug. I also found a great vacuum. Great trip for the economy, but not a great trip for the Amex bill. However, I now have my living room completely set up. I am very excited about it.
However, I was recently wandering the aisles Target when I found the perfect pillows and perfect throw blanket to match my rug. I also found a great vacuum. Great trip for the economy, but not a great trip for the Amex bill. However, I now have my living room completely set up. I am very excited about it.
Soccer, soccer, soccer
This afternoon as I was cleaning my apartment I turned on the TV. Ironically, the TV turned on to the WPS championship featuring Sky Blue FC (out of New Jersey) against the Los Angeles Sol. The game was actually exciting (yes, I was kind of shocked) and Sky Blue pulled off a 1-0 win. Tar Heel Heather O'Reilly scored the game winning goal and Tar Heel Jenni Branam had the shutout for Sky Blue. LA was playing a player down after the referee sent off a Sol player for throwing an elbow and taking out a Sky Blue player. She was also the last defender. Although there was some controversy over the call, I think the referee made the correct call. Not only was she the last defender but she also blatantly threw an elbow (watch the replay - that was not a natural arm movement).
This afternoon also marks the start of the Tar Heels soccer season. They are taking on UCLA as we speak. Unfortunately the Heels are almost exclusively on the East Coast this season, so I'm not sure if I'll get to see them play. Maybe if they make it to Texas, I'll hop over for the Final Four. Good luck to the Heels and let fall begin!
This afternoon also marks the start of the Tar Heels soccer season. They are taking on UCLA as we speak. Unfortunately the Heels are almost exclusively on the East Coast this season, so I'm not sure if I'll get to see them play. Maybe if they make it to Texas, I'll hop over for the Final Four. Good luck to the Heels and let fall begin!
AFC Half Marathon: It’s All About the Lines
One of my friends suggested to me the night before the AFC Half Marathon that I should set my alarm for 6:30a and get up to run the 13.1 miles by myself along the beach in order to avoid all the hassles of running in a big race. She is wise beyond her years.
I chose to run in the race, waking up at 4:30a to get to Balboa Park by 5:30a to wait in line to use the Port-O-Potty to wait in line to catch the bus up to Cabrillo National Monument, to wait in line to use the Port-O-Potty again to wait in line with the rest of the cattle for the race to start. Seriously? There was a two and a half hour lag time between my wake-up call and my first running steps. That’s a bit too much for me.
I ran a blazing first nine miles and then hit a giant brick wall. It didn't help that a significant portion of the last two miles were uphill. When all was said and done, I finished in just over two hours. Disappointing time but I was glad when it ended. And then I had to wait in line to get out of the parking lot. Eek.
I chose to run in the race, waking up at 4:30a to get to Balboa Park by 5:30a to wait in line to use the Port-O-Potty to wait in line to catch the bus up to Cabrillo National Monument, to wait in line to use the Port-O-Potty again to wait in line with the rest of the cattle for the race to start. Seriously? There was a two and a half hour lag time between my wake-up call and my first running steps. That’s a bit too much for me.
I ran a blazing first nine miles and then hit a giant brick wall. It didn't help that a significant portion of the last two miles were uphill. When all was said and done, I finished in just over two hours. Disappointing time but I was glad when it ended. And then I had to wait in line to get out of the parking lot. Eek.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Reggie Gets a Roommate (Temporarily)
Last week, I had the pleasure of dog sitting my friend Kristin’s dog, Gracie. Gracie is a two-year old yellow lab that gets along with Reggie very well. They had a grand old time together and managed to not fight (or destroy the house) for five whole days. However, I do think little Reg was a bit miffed that I didn’t devote all of my attention to her.
I didn’t realize just how much Reggie liked having Gracie as a roommate until Kristin picked her up. Reggie and I headed out for a walk as they left. I heard this awful yelping noise and thought Kristin must have accidentally caught Gracie’s foot in the door or something. However, I realized it was poor Reggie revolting at the realization her roommate was moving back in with mom. It was too sad and very cute. Gracie, Reggie misses you!
Harvard Business Publishing’s “The Daily Stat”
Today’s fun factoid related to “Women, Shopping, and Happiness.” Interestingly, women control almost $12 trillion in consumer spending. However, I thought the even more interesting piece of the article related to happiness. “The Daily Stat” cited a BCG survey of over 12,000 women in 22 countries which discovered “only 5% of women say shopping makes them extremely happy, compared to pets (42%), sex (27%), and food (19%).” Now you know why such a significant portion of this blog talks about Reggie. Coming home to her really brightens up my day!
Last Run Before the AFC
Last night was my last run of any distance before the AFC Half Marathon on Sunday morning. I got home from work around 8p, took Reggie for a quick walk and then headed out for a five miler. I was speeding along for the first couple and then slowed my pace a bit, ultimately finishing in just over 45 minutes. I am still optimistically hoping to finish the AFC in under two hours but will have to fight through the last couple of miles, which are uphill. My long runs generally stopped just after the 10 mile mark which means I’ll need to run on fumes to hit the 13.1 mile mark.
The other thing that gives me pause about Sunday’s race is the 7:00a start time. I wouldn’t have a problem if I could show up at 7:00a and run. However, the race is a point-to-point starting at Cabrillo National Monument in Point Loma and finishing in Balboa Park, after a steady two to three mile climb up from downtown. The race instructions I’ve read so far really emphasize that the last bus to the starting line leaves from Balboa Park at 6:00a, meaning people need to arrive no later than 5:30a. This indicates my wake up call will come around 4:45a in order for me to make it downtown by 5:30a. Eek. Hopefully I’ll be able to squeeze in a power nap on the bus. At least we shouldn’t have to deal with hot sunny weather as I’ll be all wrapped up with running by 9:00a.
The Economics of Owning a Dog
My co-worker Tony and I frequently chat about what the “real cost” of owning a dog is. Since my impulse purchase of Reggie, he’s asked me to closely track exactly how much money I spend on having a dog. He initially asserted he thought total cost of ownership over a dog’s lifetime was around $40,000. I thought that sounded way too high.
Although I haven’t meticulously kept track of every expenditure on Reggie, after this weekend’s purchase of a high-quality vacuum (the Eureka Comfort Oh! for $150, which I’m quite happy with thus far), I decided to do a little modeling work to show how much a dog ends up costing its owner. My assumptions are pretty conservative – $40 per week for a dog walker, about a bag of food per month, $15 per month each for doggie poop bags and dog treats and so on. I’ve estimated the capital spent in the first year on one-time items to be $2,355. These include the purchase price for the actual dog ($900), spaying and micro-chipping ($500), first year vaccinations ($200), puppy crate ($125) and so on. I’ve also modeled the expected annual expenditure, which turns about to be around $4,523. Assuming a 12-year life, the cost of owning a dog with my current model turns out to be $56,631. Good thing I didn’t produce this model before getting Reggie…
The US Soccer Team Loses in Azteca Stadium (Again)
Yesterday, the US men’s soccer team fell 2-1 to Mexico in a World Cup qualifier. Prior to entering the match, the US’s record at Azteca Stadium was 0-22-1 stretching back to 1937. Hopefully the stadium will never be used in an actual World Cup match (for any of the team members that are superstitious). What is the longest losing streak by a major sports team in a stadium? A question to ponder and email me about!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Bird Rock Coffee Roasters
A great place to grab a cup of Joe and experience Bird Rock. It offers caffeine and a working Internet connection, which I am really excited about at this point in time.
Rough Week For Reggie
Even worse than the technology difficulties I've experienced over the past week are poor Reggie's challenges. As you can see from the above picture, she's developed some kind of weird pink spot on her lip. Initially I though it was a bruise. I've stopped crate training her and let her have the run of the kitchen, hallway and bathroom when I'm gone. My friend Jen generously lent me her EvenFlow fence, which I use to keep Reggie out of the living room (so she doesn't eat the couch and rug). I spilled her food one morning last week and as I was picking it up, kicked over the fence, which fell right into Reggie's face as she was running towards me. I initially thought it was a bruise from the fence but it doesn't really look like a bruise. We'll have to see what Dr. Lindsey says about it this week if it doesn't look better.
Poor Reg is also experiencing extra goopy ears, probably from all the swimming we've been doing. She shakes her head more than usual and I've been cleaning her ears two or three times per day this weekend. She is not a big fan of getting her ears cleaned, poor kid. Hopefully the lip and ears heal up ASAP. If they don't, we're off to the vet this week.
Poor Reg is also experiencing extra goopy ears, probably from all the swimming we've been doing. She shakes her head more than usual and I've been cleaning her ears two or three times per day this weekend. She is not a big fan of getting her ears cleaned, poor kid. Hopefully the lip and ears heal up ASAP. If they don't, we're off to the vet this week.
Two Weeks to the AFC
With time ticking down to the AFC half marathon in a couple of Sundays, I did one of my last long runs this weekend. Nine and a half miles from La Jolla, down through Bird Rock, the neighborhoods of PB, to the boardwalk past Crystal Pier and back. It was a good run but my body feels like it hits the wall between miles seven and eight. Which could make the last several miles of the AFC kind of tricky. Should be interesting to see how it goes. From what I've heard, the first five miles are a nice easy downhill trek starting in Cabrillo National Monument, through downtown and then a steady uphill climb for two miles to finish in Balboa Park. I'm already mentally prepping for the last two miles to be pretty tough. Inspirational suggestions would be lovely if you have any...
Relay For Life in Coronado
Yesterday was the big Relay for Life down in Coronado Island. Team Pete raised a total of $3,375 with my supporters chipping in a solid $200. Thank you again everyone who donated and supported this great cause. The event itself was a lot of fun, and I spent a couple hours down in Coronado with the team yesterday. There was live music, led by the next generation of rock stars. Two kids, who were probably 12-15, were rockin' out some serious tunes and taking requests from the audience. I have confidence they'll turn out to be great musicians in the near future.
I dedicated my walk to my Uncle Mike, who lost his battle with leukemia more than seven years ago on December 27, 2001. It was on my 21st birthday and a really tough loss for everyone in our family. Uncle Mike, wherever you are right now, Blondie sends out a "Can of corn." Hope things are well and we all miss you.
I dedicated my walk to my Uncle Mike, who lost his battle with leukemia more than seven years ago on December 27, 2001. It was on my 21st birthday and a really tough loss for everyone in our family. Uncle Mike, wherever you are right now, Blondie sends out a "Can of corn." Hope things are well and we all miss you.
Q: When Isn't Technology Great?
A: When it doesn't work as planned.
Over the past week, I feel like half of the technology-related products in my life have malfunctioned, which has led to lots of frustration. It started last Saturday morning with my iPod Shuffle. As I was sauntering toward the meet up with my running group, I realized my Shuffle had died. Given you can now get an even smaller Shuffle which holds up to 1,000 songs for $79, I figured I should go ahead and upgrade. The new Shuffle doesn't have any buttons on it; you control it through the headphones. Two runs into my new Shuffle, the headphones malfunctioned and I now have to go back to the Apple store again. Ugh.
Time Warner is on my short list of most hated companies. My Internet connection stopped working about a week ago and I haven't figured out how to fix it yet. That alone is incredibly annoying; however, to add insult to injury, my DVR box keeps randomly resetting in the middle of show playbacks. Each reset takes about 10-15 minutes, making it really annoying to try to watch any show I have recorded. I need to call and get both of the problems diagnosed, but the pain and waiting that comes with calling Time Warner has historically been very high (and long), which has led me thus far to continue putting it off. Ugh.
As we speak, my computer's mouse has stopped working so I now have to use the touch pad, which annoys me. Hopefully all my technology will be up and running again ASAP.
Over the past week, I feel like half of the technology-related products in my life have malfunctioned, which has led to lots of frustration. It started last Saturday morning with my iPod Shuffle. As I was sauntering toward the meet up with my running group, I realized my Shuffle had died. Given you can now get an even smaller Shuffle which holds up to 1,000 songs for $79, I figured I should go ahead and upgrade. The new Shuffle doesn't have any buttons on it; you control it through the headphones. Two runs into my new Shuffle, the headphones malfunctioned and I now have to go back to the Apple store again. Ugh.
Time Warner is on my short list of most hated companies. My Internet connection stopped working about a week ago and I haven't figured out how to fix it yet. That alone is incredibly annoying; however, to add insult to injury, my DVR box keeps randomly resetting in the middle of show playbacks. Each reset takes about 10-15 minutes, making it really annoying to try to watch any show I have recorded. I need to call and get both of the problems diagnosed, but the pain and waiting that comes with calling Time Warner has historically been very high (and long), which has led me thus far to continue putting it off. Ugh.
As we speak, my computer's mouse has stopped working so I now have to use the touch pad, which annoys me. Hopefully all my technology will be up and running again ASAP.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Cole Haan + Nike = Score!
Sunday afternoon, fueled by the need to send some gifts along to my young nieces and nephew (okay, they’re really my cousins’ children but I’m not sure what their relationship to me is technically), I headed out to prop up the struggling American economy. I was very successful at Osh Gosh Kids and couldn’t make it by the Cole Haan store without stopping in. Big mistake. Well, I guess that depends on how you look at it.
As I entered the store, the scent of Italian leather washed over me. I’ve heard people talk about how this smell can be intoxicating, but never experienced it until Cole Haan on Sunday. Yes, beautiful leather bags and shoes lined the store. My go to black leather pumps need to be retired in a pretty desperate way…the leather has faded and the insoles have started to come up, which makes them both unsightly and uncomfortable to wear. We had a business meeting in L.A. on Thursday and I was kind of embarrassed I had to wear them. As I continue to push higher in the corporate ranks, I figure I need to at least look the part (enter the rationalization).
Although I perused the store for a variety of different shoe options, eventually I gravitated toward the black leather pumps. I have a few pair of Cole Haan shoes but haven’t tracked the brand’s evolution since it was acquired by Nike. Initially I thought the proposition of having “Nike Air” soles in work shoes was just a gimmick. However, after slipping the eloquent heel on, I realized I get a nice pop in height and my forefoot is comforted by the cushy sole. Amazing! Maybe there is something to the Nike Air soles. After debating about the steeper-than-desired price tag, I decided to go for them. Day one of wear did not prove disappointing!
Biggest Waves Since the Move
This weekend Southern California experienced monstrous waves. Definitely the biggest since I moved out West about a year ago. According to news sources, the combination of very hot weather (I’m guessing in-land because the weather in San Diego has been a steady Eddy 75 degrees or so) and “50-knot winds that developed off Tahiti” and blew toward Southern California led to unusually large waves – Surfline was calling for waves of seven to ten feet at La Jolla Shores.
I took advantage of the unusual conditions by rushing to Windan’sea Beach Friday evening after work with Reggie. Since low tide Friday was at 5:30p, Reggie and I were able to scoot around the big rocks on the main part of the beach to the side of the beach where the life guards couldn’t see her splashing around in the ocean without a leash on (gasp!). By the time we settled in around 6:45p, a crowd of spectators had gathered on the hill to watch the surfers brave the waves. It was truly spectacular to watch the talented surfers catch waves of this size. It was also horrifying to see a surfer miss a wave and then get beat up by another wave rolling in before he could recover. The eight to ten foot waves kept rolling in on Friday. And Saturday morning. I was trying to imagine what thoughts would be going through my head if I was out on my board. Probably nothing appropriate to publish on the blog.
Other than a quick dip in the water Saturday morning after a run, I didn’t make it out with my board. I heard the undertow was pretty wicked and that life guards spent a significant amount of time in the water over the weekend pulling out folks that got whisked away by the powerful waves. I did notice when I was throwing the ball out for Reggie that the waves were unusually strong and therefore we were careful not to get out too far. She is definitely getting braver in the waves but I figured it wasn’t a good weekend to push it too much.
First Experience at Black’s Beach
Since relocating to San Diego about a year ago, I’ve heard various people joke about the infamous “naked” beach, Black’s Beach. According to Wikipedia, part of the beach lies under city jurisdiction and part of the beach lies in a state park. Apparently, nudity in a state park is legal. And Black’s is notorious for attracting all the local nudists/naturists.
Black’s is located just north of La Jolla Shores and south of Del Mar. When the tide is low enough, as it was this Saturday morning between 8 and 10 a.m., you can get to Black’s Beach from La Jolla Shores by climbing over a bunch of rocks. As I was running along the beach, I first encountered a ton of surfers, as the waves were wicked/gnarly/etc. and up to eight to ten feet. So far, so good. I started to think that this naked beach allegation could have just been an urban legend.
However, as I continued further north, I spotted a really wrinkly behind. Yes. Wikipedia failed to mention Black’s really attracts 70-year old men. And they were the only naked people I saw on the beach. It reminded me of the “Seinfeld” episode about “good” versus “bad” naked. If you need a live picture of “bad” naked, go for a run on Black’s Beach when the tide is low enough to get there from La Jolla Shores. Yikes.
The Best Long Run Ever
Relating to the title of this post, “best” does not refer to the quality of my run but rather to the quality of the scenery during the run. The themes of my posts from this past weekend are all related to the unusual water conditions experienced over the weekend in Southern California (more on that in another blog post). Saturday morning, driven by an unusually low tide and a running group starting point just down the road at La Jolla Shores beach, I had one of the coolest runs ever. The tide was so low we were able to run all the way on the beach from La Jolla Shores up to Del Mar and back. Overall for me it was a 10.2 mile run.
Part of the reason the scenery was so amazing was the waves were up to seven or eight feet, which drew an unusually high number of surfers out to the water by our 8 a.m. start time. In fact, I wasn’t able to park in the regular lot down at the beach and had to look for a parking spot in the neighborhoods. After a rocky start – I realized as I was walking toward the group my iPod Shuffle was dead and I had a hole in the cap of my water bottle – I was excited to have dragged my butt out of bed for the run. The most challenging part of the run was at the end of La Jolla Shores beach. Both there and on the way back the runners had to stop our running and climb over a bunch of rocks to get to Black’s Beach. On the way back, my body was glad to have several minutes to rest from running.
We continued through Black’s Beach (more on this later also), up toward Torrey Pines State Reserve and to Del Mar. Kirk, Sara and I stopped for a brief rest/stretch/bathroom break at the bathrooms at the beach at the foot of Torrey Pines State Reserve and then headed back to La Jolla Shores. We also enjoyed a bit of cloud covering, which kept the weather nice and cool during our run. I learned that Sara had just completed the San Diego Marathon in May and Kirk also has a lab puppy – though his boy Prince is just a pup compared to Reg at 10 weeks. We recounted puppy stories and shared the joys of being a puppy parent during our run.
After climbing back over the rocks and finishing up through 10 miles on La Jolla Shores beach, we took a quick dip in the ocean. The lifeguards whistled at us and we had to move because we were swimming in an area designated for surfers only. After running 10+ miles, the water felt amazing and I was a bit slow to react to the scolding. All in all, probably the coolest run I’ve been on and nearly perfect conditions.
The Urban Sprawl That Is L.A.
Although I’ve lived in Southern California for nearly a year now, prior to Thursday I had never been to L.A. Based on aggregate reviews from people I’ve chatted with, my thesis was that it probably wouldn’t be my scene: lots of people, lots of concrete, lots of fakeness. Thursday’s visit was brief but I learned firsthand there is one thing that would drive me nuts about L.A.: traffic. The U.S.’s second largest city is home to 3.8 million people, less than half of New York’s 8.4 million people but without public transportation. Yes, a mini-NYC without the subway. Already sounds like a recipe for disaster. It took my co-worker and me about 2.5 hours to get a solid 30 miles outside Century City during rush hour. Ouch.
During our brief trip we also cruised down to the beach and took in the famous Santa Monica pier. I’ve seen the view on “Private Practice.” Generally speaking, anytime a roller coaster is involved, the crowd on the beach tends to get a bit dicey (based on a sample size of one from my experiences around Mission Beach). It just screams, “Come hang out here! This is the most tourist-y place to be!” Needless to say, although the beach is always great, I didn’t see anything that led me to believe the beaches around L.A. could top San Diego beaches.
The spectacular view from the office we visited revealed a vast urban sprawl covered in a layer of smog. It was kind of depressing. I prefer the view from my hood in Windan’sea: the ocean, with a fresh breeze, even if there is the occasional stench of seaweed (particularly as you drive south on La Jolla Boulevard toward PB just as you’re passing “The West End”). While I would realistically say I haven’t spent enough time in L.A. to pass judgment, the initial takeaway is that my original thesis is correct. I think it will take a lot to drag me back up there to conduct additional research. San Diego is more laid back, less trafficky and for Reg and I, the beach is right down the street…
Monday, July 20, 2009
Nine Miles Starting in Del Mar
As the AFC Half inches closer (it’s now 27 days away), I find myself consistently running between 9 and 11 miles on the weekends. For some reason, I’ve been getting stuck at 10.5 miles. I believe that when I’m out there with those other runners, the collective energy will help propel me the last several miles (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it). If I manage to run at a sub-9:00 minute mile pace I’ll also be happy. This weekend I made it just over nine miles through Del Mar, up through Solana Beach and I turned around just north of the main beach in Cardiff. It was a nice jaunt at just over a nine minute mile pace.
Probably my favorite part of the run was at the very end, when I walked along the beach in Del Mar and into the water. After spending three straight days in the ocean last weekend, it felt like the water temp had dropped about eight degrees (but the cool water felt great on my legs post-run). Del Mar is such a cool place, each time I visit I debate if I’m making a mistake by not living there. A couple of the drawbacks include the crazy traffic during the summer, driven by the Del Mar Fair and the racetrack. However, when I strike it rich, it’s definitely on my short list of places I’d buy my first beach front home. Especially because it has an awesome dog beach, which during my run was crammed with people playing in a bocce ball tournament. Good times.
Jen Gets Eyed Up By A 65-Year Old
One of the drawbacks to being new to an area is that you’re not always “in the know” about important little factoids. For example, local watering holes are much better to check out on certain nights of the week. During my days in Chapel Hill, the soccer team knew that Thursdays and Saturdays at Top of the Hill/Player’s were much more happening than Friday nights, which most of the college athlete population used as a recovery night.
Now that I’m a resident of La Jolla, I no longer have the luxury of being able to walk to four or five cool spots like I did when I lived at Icon in East Village downtown. Many of the places in LJ are overrun with cougars or creepy old men. The PB scene is too college-y for my taste, and it has been a bit of a challenge to find the hip young professional scene in the North PB/Birdrock/LJ area. Some places I’ve had success with include Turquoise Bar, Firehouse, La Jolla Brewhouse and Beaumont’s. Unfortunately, this Saturday night at Beaumont’s made me think it is much more of a Friday night bar.
Several weeks ago I spent a fun Friday night at Beaumont’s. Live music played and the bar was littered with late 20/early 30-year olds having a few cocktails and just kickin’ it. Overall I was impressed and glad to add a fun spot to check out just over a mile from the new casa. Unfortunately when Jen and I headed down to Beaumont’s for a cocktail this Saturday there was a completely different vibe. I guess it could be summarized as something like a 50-year old birthday party rockin’ out to Led Zeppelin and The Doors. The guitarist was actually pretty impressive, but the crowd was notably older (by an average of 25 years or so).
By the time we arrived, I think they had all already been over-served. I later learned Jen was highly distracted from our conversation by an older, and I mean mid-60s older, man giving her the eye. It was entertaining and overall quite a scene but I’m going to need to further research the trends at Beaumont’s. Is this a Friday night/Saturday night trend or just random?
Surfing Update: Where are the Waves?
There is no surfing update. There were no waves bigger than “1-2 feet with poor conditions” this weekend, per Surfline. Boo. My hopes are high for this weekend.
Ode to Netflix and My New Favorite Show = Weeds
Although I am typically an early adopter of new technology, for some reason it has taken me a bit longer to move to Netflix. Maybe it’s because I feel guilty watching TV when it’s 70 and sunny every day and I’m typically cramped in a small cubicle for ten hours a day. Maybe it’s because until recently, when I acquired the ability to recite large chunks of most episodes from memory, I had been content to watch re-runs of Sex & The City on the Time Warner DVR system. Whatever the reason, I recently signed up for a free month of Netflix and have been loving it. Not only do you avoid the run to the retail Blockbuster locations but you also pass the breakeven on the “On Demand” movies through the cable companies if you watch more than two DVDs a month. That’s not too high of a hurdle rate, especially if you choose your movies wisely. Luckily, Netflix has a list of recommendations for each user based on his or her movie ratings.
Through this newfound relationship with Netflix, I discovered my new favorite TV show, Weeds. I had heard people rave about the show and was skeptical it wouldn’t be able to live up to the heightened expectations. It has, however, and has also scooted its way right into my top five list of favorite TV shows of all time. This list currently consists of: Sex & The City, 24, Weeds, 30 Rock and Grey’s Anatomy. Honorable mentions go to The Office, The Mentalist, The Sopranos and What About Ted. If I could resurrect any dead TV shows, they would be Lipstick Jungle, Eli Stone and John From Cincinnati. At any rate, over the past month or so, I’ve made it through the first four seasons of Weeds and managed to catch up with real time. I’m now faced with the dilemma of whether or not to add Showtime to my Time Warner package or just watch the latest episodes online (I’m leaning toward the latter).
Watching the adventures of Nancy Botwin and gang has led me to several conclusions: I would never make it in the drug industry so maybe having a legitimate career isn’t such a bad thing; be nice to people so everyone doesn’t hate you (like Celia Hodes – she is imprisoned for crimes she didn’t commit and taken hostage by her own daughter); and don’t ever cross a Mexican drug lord or DEA agent. I guess these are all relatively common sense observations but it has been fun watching them play out through the show. It is very dark and just when you think Nancy’s hit bottom, she takes it down another level. I highly recommend watching it if you haven’t already.
The Near Decapitation
If there is a doggie heaven, Jen and I think that Hagar and Reggie were it in yesterday. We took the kids for a walk around 7p, just as the weather was cooling off and there was a nice ocean breeze. We hiked down toward Windan’sea, away from the crowds and toward the beach access further north. Unfortunately the tide was too high to access the beach from Jen’s usual spot so we hiked down to the Sea Lane entrance. There were a few beachgoers and surfers, as well as a fisherman. However, we had plenty of room to let the dogs off-leash, where they had a ton of fun playing in the water.
Reggie and Hagar were having a blast playing and they hung out with a couple of new friends, including Oliver, a very cute golden retriever that lives just up from the beach on our walk home. Oliver’s parents brought a whiffle ball and bat, which were both huge hits with the dogs. After plenty of playtime and much practice with swimming in the waves – an area in which Reggie has significantly improved as she managed to swim through several of them yesterday – we began our walk back home. We ran into Oliver and his family on the way. Oliver has a nice iron wrought fence in front of his house. Being a golden retriever, and weighing less than 140 pounds, he can easily manage to stick his head through the fence. Hagar, however, is a bit larger and that’s where we ran into problems…
Hagar stuck his head through the fence to visit with Oliver and family. No sooner than this happened did it get very quiet because Hagar’s head immediately got stuck in the fence and he started to panic. Lucky for him, Jen and Oliver’s family managed to stay calm. After about 30 seconds they managed to un-wedge his head without decapitating him, which would have been heartbreaking for all involved. As we walked back home, Jen and I recounted stories we’d heard about dogs getting into things they shouldn’t with horrific outcomes. All involved are glad Hagar escaped that fence with only a little struggle (and his head in tact). Reggie would be heart broken without her boyfriend.
The Best Soccer Pitch Ever
Point Loma Nazarene has one of the best soccer fields I’ve ever played on and unquestionably the best rec soccer pitch I’ve ever seen. Even as our team struggles with mediocrity, having squandered several quality scoring opportunities and given up a PK goal to lose 1-0 in last week’s game, I take joy in stepping onto the pitch and looking at the ocean over Sunset Cliffs Natural Park. We face a much tougher opponent this week and will need to bring our “A game” to stay competitive. The team has already started recruiting girls to replace our numerous injured female players. I hate to admit it, but it was difficult for me to do a hard workout after last week’s game. My quad was incredibly sore after our game last week and it made running a big challenge. Hopefully the body is slowly getting back into soccer shape and the soreness won’t be as bad this week. More to come…
Monday, July 13, 2009
The Comeback
I don’t think I’ve ever been as happy to tie as a soccer game as I was this Wednesday. Our StepStone team (plus friends and family) came back from a 3-0 deficit to tie 3-3 in the last 15 minutes of the game. The scoring fiesta was kicked off by a Scott Hart diving header which could have made SportsCenter’s Top 10 if it would’ve been in an MLS game. It was picturesque – something I haven’t seen live in a couple of years. The second goal was also strong (but not quite Top 10 material). Our comeback was almost thwarted when the ref called a crap PK. However, Kristin Hamlin came up with an unbelievable save to keep our hopes alive. The last goal, well, it was about as ugly as it gets – Tyler crossed the ball in, we had all overrun it and the other team scored on themselves just after the ref called out, “One minute!” When the ball went in, the cheering from our fans was nearly as loud as a World Cup game. It was amazing and made this old lady feel good about being on a soccer pitch again.
In addition to the comeback on the field, I was able to connect with my high school friend and teammate Amy Cabaday (now Cabaday-Pavis) who I recently found out is living in San Diego with her husband and two kids. Scott’s wife Katie was kind enough to bring orange slices and Gatorade to the game, so it was truly flashback to high school. It was awesome. Top it off with the fact that the field and surroundings at Point Loma Nazarene above Sunset Cliffs Natural Park are unbelievably beautiful, and we have ourselves an amazing soccer league. Thank you Scott for organizing!
In addition to the comeback on the field, I was able to connect with my high school friend and teammate Amy Cabaday (now Cabaday-Pavis) who I recently found out is living in San Diego with her husband and two kids. Scott’s wife Katie was kind enough to bring orange slices and Gatorade to the game, so it was truly flashback to high school. It was awesome. Top it off with the fact that the field and surroundings at Point Loma Nazarene above Sunset Cliffs Natural Park are unbelievably beautiful, and we have ourselves an amazing soccer league. Thank you Scott for organizing!
Surfing Update: There is Hope
Three days in a row of surfing. I was initially trying to figure out a way to get out there today so I didn’t have to break my streak but don’t want to ditch the evening Victor spin class. Contrary to my experience with LJSC’s 6:00a Monday morning spin instructor, Victor’s class is amazing. His energy is palpable and he calls people out for slacking during class. It’s great.
Back to the surfing update…while I’m not Kelly Slater yet, I am now consistently standing up on my board. Although the rides are short, I’ve made progress which has given me a little confidence (which I think will go a long way). I invested in a couple of new pieces of surfing gear – a 2/2 short suit, which is much less painful to put on than the 4/3 full wetsuit – and a 0.5mm jacket. My arms feel so much better paddling out in the short suit and it is a lot less restrictive. The water’s back up to 64-66 degrees so once you get in and move around, the temperature is perfect.
My goal is to be able to catch a few waves and ride them for longer than three seconds by StepStone’s party at LJ Shores in August. Only a few more weeks left to get it done, but I’m feeling pretty good about my chances.
Back to the surfing update…while I’m not Kelly Slater yet, I am now consistently standing up on my board. Although the rides are short, I’ve made progress which has given me a little confidence (which I think will go a long way). I invested in a couple of new pieces of surfing gear – a 2/2 short suit, which is much less painful to put on than the 4/3 full wetsuit – and a 0.5mm jacket. My arms feel so much better paddling out in the short suit and it is a lot less restrictive. The water’s back up to 64-66 degrees so once you get in and move around, the temperature is perfect.
My goal is to be able to catch a few waves and ride them for longer than three seconds by StepStone’s party at LJ Shores in August. Only a few more weeks left to get it done, but I’m feeling pretty good about my chances.
Hooray for Summer
May Grey and June Gloom have lifted. After several months of not seeing the sun until 2p, this weekend was fabulous – sunny and hot. Hot for San Diego is in the mid-80s, which, during a run, can feel like 90. I made the mistake of sleeping in a bit on Sunday and then heading out for a run. When you’re used to 65, 85 is a bit much and I cut the run way short. I told myself I’m going to get a 10-miler in sometime during the week this week. We’ll see how that goes.
In addition to running, over the weekend there were two days of surfing, Reggie catching up with her buddy Bella, laying out at Windan’Sea beach (which was crazy busy) and the Sunday evening hang out with Hagar and Jen. She loves Hagar and he is so good with her, despite her frequently jumping on his head and acting like a crazy dog. There was apparently a dead squid down at Windan’Sea, as I heard several people call out, “Ew, gross, look at that dead squid!” That didn’t stop several guys from throwing it back and forth at each other, which they then complained made their hands smell horrible (which I’m sure was surprising because why wouldn’t throwing around a dead animal make your hands smell like anything but roses).
All in all, it was a great weekend and I’m glad that summer is finally here.
In addition to running, over the weekend there were two days of surfing, Reggie catching up with her buddy Bella, laying out at Windan’Sea beach (which was crazy busy) and the Sunday evening hang out with Hagar and Jen. She loves Hagar and he is so good with her, despite her frequently jumping on his head and acting like a crazy dog. There was apparently a dead squid down at Windan’Sea, as I heard several people call out, “Ew, gross, look at that dead squid!” That didn’t stop several guys from throwing it back and forth at each other, which they then complained made their hands smell horrible (which I’m sure was surprising because why wouldn’t throwing around a dead animal make your hands smell like anything but roses).
All in all, it was a great weekend and I’m glad that summer is finally here.
Reggie Will Never Be A Mom
Little Reggie’s spaying is complete and she has recovered nicely. It was quite sad for the seven day “leash-only walk” period. Since it was Hagar’s birthday on day number six, I cheated a bit and let her play with Hagar, Sage, Snouffie, Siena, and the other dogs at his birthday celebration. I don’t think it had an adverse affect on her. Surprisingly, she’s done a great job of leaving her wound alone and we go back to the vet Tuesday afternoon to get the stitches removed.
When I dropped her off, I felt a bit of panic. My little girl going under the knife. This must be a little of what parents experience when they are worried about their kids. In order to cope, I went shopping at the outlet malls – the Trestles surf outlet in San Clemente and the Carlsbad outlets. My grief helped to prop up the struggling economy. I got really lucky and Banana Republic was having a random “40% off” everything in the store sale. So I didn’t feel as guilty about spending money because I was able to get nice work clothes for more than half off (because I also used my 15% birthday gift card).
By the time I made it back to Windan’Sea, Reg was done with surgery and groggy. Although she was out of it for the rest of the day, by the next morning she was back to normal. Not too bad and now she is all healed up. Whew!
When I dropped her off, I felt a bit of panic. My little girl going under the knife. This must be a little of what parents experience when they are worried about their kids. In order to cope, I went shopping at the outlet malls – the Trestles surf outlet in San Clemente and the Carlsbad outlets. My grief helped to prop up the struggling economy. I got really lucky and Banana Republic was having a random “40% off” everything in the store sale. So I didn’t feel as guilty about spending money because I was able to get nice work clothes for more than half off (because I also used my 15% birthday gift card).
By the time I made it back to Windan’Sea, Reg was done with surgery and groggy. Although she was out of it for the rest of the day, by the next morning she was back to normal. Not too bad and now she is all healed up. Whew!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Massage Envy: Check It Out!
If you've recently gotten back into a solid workout routine and are suffering through the pains, or merely need a little stress relief from being crammed in a cubicle for 9+ hours a day laboring away in Excel spreadsheets, I highly recommend checking out Massage Envy. Last night I received a full hour massage for $49. Pretty decent, especially for a downtown La Jolla location. A membership costs $59 a month and comes with one massage and afterwards each additional one-hour massage is $39. It's a pretty good deal and the massage I received was actually good. My body is slowly coming back to life....
Week 2 With Archaic Spin Instructor
Yes, I am a glutton for punishment. I went back for week two with the joker spin class instructor and this week was actually worse. A whopping five people showed up for class this week and apparently this particular spin class is typically more of a social event than an actual workout. However, I learned during class that the spin instructor does not own an iPod, nor does he have health insurance. Due to the latter factoid, he couldn't go to the doctor to ask about his leg injury which occurred when he fell out of his grandfather's apricot tree. I wanted to ask him if he bumped his head also but managed to refrain.
Throughout class as we were "hitting the beat" to 80s classics from the likes of Berlin (not 90s music as I suggested last week), I learned more about the tragic death of MJ and how his doctor didn't have an AED on-site, which was appalling to the other people in the class. Wow. If I make it back to another class, it will be a miracle. It was quite ridiculous.
Throughout class as we were "hitting the beat" to 80s classics from the likes of Berlin (not 90s music as I suggested last week), I learned more about the tragic death of MJ and how his doctor didn't have an AED on-site, which was appalling to the other people in the class. Wow. If I make it back to another class, it will be a miracle. It was quite ridiculous.
Fiesta Island
This weekend, Reggie had a ball at Fiesta Island with Gracie and new-found friend Shiloh. We are really blessed to have so many fun, furry friends that like to get out and have a good time. Above is the best pic from the day. Reg is turning out to be a bit of a playful bully. At six months old and 51 pounds, we'll see how she behaves when she's fully grown.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
LJSC Adds Insult to Injury with 6am Spin Class Instructor
Monday morning’s spin class at La Jolla Sports Club (“LJSC”) was a quite a trip, with a whopping three people showing up for the 6am class. This was a welcome change from the evening classes, which pack the room full of sweaty people toiling away on their spin bikes. Usually by the time I get there for the evening classes, I’m stuck with a pretty crappy bike. For the 6am class, no crappy bike for me, but the instructor was possibly the most annoying spin class instructor I’ve ever had. Okay, I was already irritated based on the Monday morning 6am spin class time, but he was pretty bad.
The music selection was not favorable, with selections from Protégé, Crystal Waters and other 90’s tunes. Plus, he actually used CDs and had to get up and change music in the middle of class. What other spin instructor at a nice sporting club doesn’t have an iPod? I think he’s stuck in the 90’s. He wore a tight yellow Under Armor-like sleeveless shirt, which he tucked into his bike shorts. Yuck. And we constantly had to hear, “Hit the beat” during our sprints.
Although I’m a fan of morning workouts, I can’t decide if I’ll be going back to the 6am spin class at LJSC. More to come…
Sunday, June 21, 2009
The Hill at Torrey Pines State Park Kicks My Butt (Again)
This Saturday afternoon, I took off for my long run from the intersection of Torrey Pines and La Jolla Village Drive roads with the goal of running north toward Del Mar through Torrey Pines State Reserve Park. I was hoping to get to see the golf course and some of the park but maybe not make it all the way down the hill. I ended up making it all the way down the hill and then part of the way up the hill in Del Mar. Running back up that hill more than six miles into a long run is a challenge. Yikes. That hill just keeps on going...
I have to say that the views from some of the trails in Torrey Pines State Reserve are amazing. You're basically running along the cliffs overlooking the ocean, which tends to re-energize you after the hill has been kicking your butt. If you live in the San Diego area and haven't done a run through these trails, I highly recommend it!
I ended up running the 10.5 mile loop at just about a nine minute mile pace. Not too shabby but I'm hoping to get closer to 8:20-8:30/mile pace for the AFC half. Still have some work to do.
I have to say that the views from some of the trails in Torrey Pines State Reserve are amazing. You're basically running along the cliffs overlooking the ocean, which tends to re-energize you after the hill has been kicking your butt. If you live in the San Diego area and haven't done a run through these trails, I highly recommend it!
I ended up running the 10.5 mile loop at just about a nine minute mile pace. Not too shabby but I'm hoping to get closer to 8:20-8:30/mile pace for the AFC half. Still have some work to do.
Happy 50th Birthday, Mark!
Last night I had the pleasure of driving up to Newport Beach to have dinner with my old Cincinnati family, the Bodnars, in honor of Mark's 50th birthday. We had a great meal at a seafood place call Wildfish, one of the restaurants in the chain of Eddie V's. For those of you that choose to venture up to Newport Beach, I highly recommend it. I had a seafood salad with shrimp and crab and it was delicious. We also shared some fabulous desserts, with the pineapple upsidedown cake winning the award for most delicious. I found that kind of surprising and am not sure I've ever actually had pineapple upsidedown cake (other than as a shot).
Marissa is finishing up her internship with the Ellen DeGeneres show and Bo is on break from college in Minnesota. Marissa and Julie are driving cross-country back to Cincinnati on Monday and then Marissa is flying to Greece with a group of kids from her school later next week.
It was great to catch up with them. What a fun bunch. Happy birthday, Mark! You don't look a day over 48....
Marissa is finishing up her internship with the Ellen DeGeneres show and Bo is on break from college in Minnesota. Marissa and Julie are driving cross-country back to Cincinnati on Monday and then Marissa is flying to Greece with a group of kids from her school later next week.
It was great to catch up with them. What a fun bunch. Happy birthday, Mark! You don't look a day over 48....
The E.N.D. of Boring Music
Last night on my drive up to Newport Beach, I finally listened to the Black Eyed Peas' new album, The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies). As with all previous BEP albums, I have to say I'm very excited about it. It's a bit more techno-y than their prior albums but it is GREAT for running to and working out to. As a matter of fact, I listened to it this morning during my run. Hopefully when my legs are a little less tired (from the 10.5 mile run yesterday), it will make me run faster...
In a sign of just how bad the economic times have been lately, one of the songs actually refers to Lehman Brothers' collapse. In "Imma Be," the song says, "Imma be a broker but my name ain't Lehman." Hilarious. Clever and a great for dancing, running, etc. Check it out! Two of my favorite songs are "I Gotta Feeling" and "Rockin to the Beat."
In a sign of just how bad the economic times have been lately, one of the songs actually refers to Lehman Brothers' collapse. In "Imma Be," the song says, "Imma be a broker but my name ain't Lehman." Hilarious. Clever and a great for dancing, running, etc. Check it out! Two of my favorite songs are "I Gotta Feeling" and "Rockin to the Beat."
The Action Shot
I love beef marrow bones, Mom! Please give me that now...I don't care if you're trying to get a picture of me!
Dear Bryson and Bailor:
Thank you very much for the elephant toy. It is my new favorite and keeps me from chewing on things I shouldn't be, like the new couch Mom just bought. As you can see, I have done some good work on its trunk and legs so far...come visit us in California soon!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Mexico’s Drug Trafficking Has Gotten So Bad…
…they’re hiding cocaine in shark carcasses. Seriously. Check out this article from BBC Online: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8104397.stm
Ode to Hagar
Windan’sea is a really cool place to reside if you can get over the cost of living and are comfortable being a renter for the near-term future. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to ever get my head around paying $800,000 for about 1,000 square feet of living space with no garage. It’s a total bummer because the beach is close (and quieter than other beaches in San Diego), the neighbors are cool, and there’s an awesome dog park at Draper and Gravilla. Even though it’s not officially a dog park, all the locals bring their pups to the park to socialize in the evenings.
Little Reggie’s best friend is a 140 pound Newfoundland named Hagar. He is supercool and super laid back, which is fortunate because lil’ Reg isn’t shy about wrestling with him. His mom Jen is also super cool and has puppy sat for Reggie a couple of times. Fortunately, they live just a hop skip and a jump away, which is awesome for play dates. The downside is that Reggie gets so sad when we leave, she refuses to walk home and ends up choking herself. Last time she choked herself so bad, she projectile vomited water all over the place. It was very sad (and reminded me I need to invest in a Gentle Leader collar).
Hagar is the sweetest big dog I have ever been around. Here is a little ode in his honor:
A big black dog with a great personality,
His name is Hagar and he lives just up the street from me,
We met at the park and he immediately became friends with Reggie,
It’s been quite a joy to see,
Two dogs of such disparate size play together so gleefully!
Despite his great size, Hagar is very gentle,
With a puppy’s energy, it’s been instrumental,
To find patient and kind friends for little Reg,
Who can take a bit of abuse and aren’t on edge,
Because a six month old puppy can be quite trying,
But Hagar’s had no problems complying,
With Reggie’s mounds of energy,
And as soon as we go for a walk, she can’t wait to see,
Her best friend Hagar.
I Need New Music!
S.O.S.! My iTunes playlists and iPod Shuffle have been playing the same songs for too long. Most recently, artists like Sufjan Stevens and Ra Ra Riot have been added based on referrals from Pandora Radio. I’ve also recently purchased the new album from the Black Eyed Peas, “The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies).” However, it’d be great to get some new tunes to introduce to my iPods. My gracious little sister, Elle Belle, has been a great source of new tunes so hopefully she reads this blog soon and sends along some good suggestions.
American Express: The Worst Junk Mailer Ever!
After several days of not retrieving my mail, I was unpleasantly surprised by the wad of junk mail that I found waiting this evening when I finally opened my mail box. I don’t think I actually received one piece of real mail (which might actually be a good thing because a large portion of real mail is typically bills), but I did receive no fewer than five pieces of junk mail from AmEx. I’m a big fan of getting in on special offers based on a rewards program from a credit card company. American Express, however, pushes the limit and sends me so much crap that I no longer even take their mail seriously unless I know it’s a bill I have to pay.
So I pose these questions to AmEx: WTF? Why do you spam all your loyal, paying on time customers? Do you not know this will aggravate them and encourage them to consider switching to a new credit card company that doesn’t load their mail boxes with junk mail? Argh…so that’s my rant on AmEx’s junk mail. I would think AmEx would try to be a little more environmentally-conscious and stop killing so many trees with junk mailings that go straight to the garbage.
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