And Then I Found Five Dollars...

Wondering what to do during your next trip out to Ocean Beach?

2010-10-19T13:40:00.000-07:00

Well, Scuttlefish has created "THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO OCEANIC FUN IN SAN FRANCISCO" (they put it in all caps, so I did too). If you're curious about rip currents, sharks, wetsuits, fog, or sand castles, Scuttlefish works to overcome all of your questions and concerns. It's a fun little website that has the potential to provide many weekends of fun.

Testing the New Tweet Button

2010-09-14T11:03:00.000-07:00

Not that anyone besides me is going to tweet this, but let's have some fun with the new Tweet button. It's super easy to add to your page and the code to install it can be found here or here. I prefer the second link because I can't code...besides copy and paste, obvs.

Wally Update!

2010-08-19T17:15:00.001-07:00

He's livin' the good life.

Hyperbole and a Half...best blog ever

2010-08-16T17:16:00.001-07:00

If you don't laugh while reading this blog, something is seriously wrong with you - http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/

I'm partial to her made-up advertisements and stories about her "slow" dog, but the best story of all is this one - http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/texas.html. I laughed so hard I cried.

Recognize anyone?

2010-05-04T09:56:00.001-07:00

Eric is the feature article in US Lacrosse Magazine!!!!

Garry's Short Film!

2010-04-08T08:30:00.000-07:00

Garry's short film, Christmas and Hanukkah, is on YouTube! Check out Part 1 - http://bit.ly/cNWn2m, or download the whole movie here - http://bit.ly/bwvAR0

An amazing piece from a budding filmmaker...and the acting isn't half bad either.

Way to go, Garry!

A great video for a Thursday morning

2010-01-07T08:16:00.000-08:00

I can pretty much guarantee that you won't regret spending 3.5 minutes watching this.

ARCADIS, I will miss you

2009-10-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

As a parting gift on my second to last day of work, a colleague made the following poster for me.

It is awesome for so many reasons...

I won't miss this job all the time, but I definitely will sometimes, especially when thinking about the people with whom I had the chance to work. Thanks, y'all!

The Referendum

2009-09-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

We've all though of this general idea at some point in time, but this is particularly well said, making it worth sharing to the blog-world:
http://happydays.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/the-referendum/

Food Network Humor

2009-09-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

For anyone that watches the Food Network as much as I do, this blog is a must read. It's HILARIOUS.

One post example:

(These are actual government safety cards/images – reworked as Food Network warning signs:)

If Bobby Flay’s rooftop grill explodes, run like hell and don’t stop ’til you hit Brooklyn.

Always wash your hands after coming into contact with Guy Fieri.

Sandra Lee’s cooking may cause digestive discomfort. Also, your respiratory system may shut down.

If you hear Melissa D’Arabian dispensing advice about food, shield your ears as quickly as possible.

Electricity can not penetrate Ina Garten’s BMW sport wagon.

Do not steal from Rachael Ray’s pantry or filing cabinet.

If Giada’s boobs are hanging out, alert your friends by blowing your whistle. If you’re bald, just yell really loudly.

To avoid unpleasant surprises and sights that will scar you for life, always listen at the door before entering a room the Neely’s are occupying.

Always think carefully after you’ve been sprayed with Paula Deen’s radioactive hairspray.

Remember to read and comment on Food Network Humor as much as possible during your workday.

This explains so much

2009-08-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

Most hysterical article I've read in a long time. You'll laugh, cringe, and laugh again. A must-read, especially for those obsessed with Penn and expect standing ovations after their first wedding dance.

Peter Kuperman, you are officially one of the lamest people I have ever heard of...definitely in my top 10. Maybe even in my top 5. I'd feel sorry for you if you weren't so full of yourself...but thank goodness for that ego.

Iceland Health...a miracle or I'm a head case.

2009-08-11T12:52:00.000-07:00

I'm a hard-science girl. I've never been the type to do the crunchy, whole-body-earth-spirit, eat shark testicles and live forever thing...but I think it might be time to change my tune.

I've been battling some lingering foot/knee issues for the past 6 months that have kept me out of my running shoes. Despite rehab, resting, etc, things just didn't seem to be getting any better, and I was getting mighty frustrated. I was voicing said frustrations to my mom when she was out here a month or so ago, and she told me about this new "miracle supplement" she'd been taking. I rolled my eyes but kept listening while my mom told me about her experience with Iceland Health Joint Supplement (stupid name, yah?). She told me how a golfing buddy of hers with chronic back pain started taking it, and his back pain immediately decreased by 75%. She said that she'd started taking it a few weeks ago for the nagging pains associated with being middle-aged and playing 4 rounds of golf a week (tough life, I know), and that she hadn't taken a single Advil since she started popping IH. I nodded while she talked, and with only one last eye roll, I filed this information away and moved on to more important matters (like dessert).
Well, a few weeks ago I vowed to start running "for serious" again, and after run #1, it was obvious that the knee/foot issues were still around. Overcome with frustration that was quickly morphing into desperation, I high-tailed it to the nearest Walgreens for some IH. Who would have guessed that a mere 2 weeks later, I'd be writing a blog post about my virtually pain-free 8 mile run on Sunday (which is the longest I'd run since February, FYI). Yep, after 2 weeks of gagging down 2 nasty, fishy, olive green pills a day, my joints and ligaments have apparently been adequately supplemented, and I'm running like a normal person again. Maybe it's all in my head, but whatever the cause, I'm feeling much much better. I definitely recommend this bottle of omega goodness to anyone suffering joint related pain/injuries. Hopefully you won't be disappointed.

Big Sur Half Marathon

2009-07-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

Oh! Also, I forgot to mention that Eric and I are signed up for the Big Sur Half Marathon on November 15th in Monterey. This is what I call a "motivation race." By this, I mean that since I'm paying $83 to run it, I'd better get my lazy butt back in shape and not disgrace myself. Being hurt was a good excuse for a while, but at some point I have to accept that the pain isn't going away and move on with my life. Honestly, I'm SO excited to be running again, and training for a half is so much easier than training for a full, that I hardly feel like I'm having to work at all.

Anyone else want to run it with us?

Big Basin Hike

2009-07-30T18:17:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday, AP, Han, Wally, and I did a ~10 mile hike in Big Basin north of Santa Cruz. And guess who was the least tired at the end? The 4.5 month old puppy! Yep, he schooled us with his 8" long legs and great attitude. The hike itself was quite nice...it was mainly in the redwoods and therefore shady. There was a lot of elevation change, and my out-of-shape quads were most definitely reminding me of my 2 months off. The pay-off for the hike was the multiple waterfalls (the headliner was Big Bear Waterfall, I think) about two-thirds into the loop, but unfortunately, there was a shorter trail that also led to said waterfalls. That meant that 98,000 tourists were eating lunch there when we passed through. Regardless of the Cheeto-munching multitudes, we took some cool pics and dunked Wally in the water before heading on our merry way. I'm pretty sure we were on the Sea Basin trial (or something like that) most of the time, but don't quote me.

We finished the day camping at Sunset State Beach. By the time we got to the campsite, the 3 girls were pooped and ready for dinner, but Wally somehow still had the energy to tear around the area like a madman. I ended up having to leash him to the picnic table, which he didn't like, but at least our fellow campers and I got a little piece of mind (Wally contented himself with fake burying things under the table). Three shrimp tacos, two s'mores, and two beers later, Wally and I retired to our tent where the little man snuggled right into my sleeping bag with me, and we both passed out till 5:30am. We spent the following morning exploring the (non-dog friendly) beach in the suuuuper thick fog before returning to SF by way of Santa Cruz. Man, I never realized how many outdoor places DIDN'T allow dogs.

And that's the story of Big Basin and Sunset. Not a bad weekend's work, if I do say so myself.

PS Dogs weren't allowed on this trail, so please don't report me. I just couldn't leave the pup behind on such a gorgeous day.

Also...

2009-07-29T14:34:00.001-07:00

...if anyone knows of any opportunities in green tech, renewable energy, climate change mitigation, etc, I'd love to know about them too. Thanks!

Backlog of Adventures

2009-07-29T13:55:00.000-07:00

I've haven't been great about blogging my everyday and not so everyday adventures recently...in fact, that backlog goes back quite a ways. As I see it, I owe you posts about the following:

1. SXSW...yes, this was a long time ago. It is also encased in an alcohol-induced haze (a side-effect of a weekend with your best friends). You may just have to do without adventures from this particular weekend.
2. "Meeting" Robert Redford at the Brave New Voices premier here in SF.
3. My trip to Atlanta for Jacqui and Lachlan's wedding (that is where the name Kuntry entered my life)
4. A 2 week work trip to Casmalia/Santa Maria, CA...I trapped mice on a Superfund site for 2 weeks. Yes, you read that right.
5. 5th Princeton Reunion
6. Wedding of Eric's best friend in Charlottesville, VA. Talk about a fairy-tale wedding. Geez.
7. Taking Wally to work with me in Ft. Bragg.
8. My brother moving to Cali.
9. Taking Wally to Denver for Eric's game and the 4th of July. Yeah, Wally and I played fetch on the field at Invesco. NBD.
10. Carly's bachelorette in Vegas
And last but not least, 11. Hiking in Big basin followed by camping at Sunset State Beach.

Whew, I'm exhausted just writing all that out. I guess I need to get cracking. First post is coming right up...tomorrow :)

PS I have some other fun stories as well...crack pipes on Muni, everyday Wally adventures, etc. You know...the usual stuff.

Team USA

2009-07-01T10:39:00.000-07:00

Eric is one step closer to Team USA...check this out.

Hopefully we'll be in Manchester a little over a year from now!

And now off to Denver with the puppy for the weekend.

Wally update!

2009-06-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

Hi readers,

After spending a month being completely absorbed by puppy playtime and the like, it's time to return to the world of blogging. Given that Wally is the center of my life at the moment, it makes sense to give a quick update on our life with the tyke to kick things off...

1) He is now 14 weeks and 8lbs. That's twice as big as he was when we got him! I can hardly believe it.
2) Clicker training + "high value" treats = a VERY obedient puppy...almost too obedient. As soon as he sees the clicker come out, he starts doing every single trick he knows...all at the same time!
3) Make sure to listen to your puppy on long car trips, otherwise you might end up with a young one peeing in your lap...followed by a policeman pulling over to make sure you're ok (because you pulled over on the side of the highway), and you having to explain that you "spilled something on yourself." I will forever maintain that it was a perfectly acceptable and desirable white lie for everyone involved.
4) The books say that puppies will cease using the bathroom if you pick them up when they start having an accident in the house. This is not true.
5) Puppies love to snuggle under the covers and sleep by your feet in the bed when you let them.
6) Taste of the Wild dog food is awesome.
7) Lunchtime walks with a puppy make both the puppy and the owner happier beings.

That's all for now, but it's a daily adventure with our little man. Stay tuned...

Weekend #1 with a Puppy

2009-05-18T14:30:00.001-07:00

More things I learned this weekend:

Smart, athletic puppies can learn to climb a 3 ft baby gate in 5 minutes. Then, when the gate is modified to be puppy-proof (a 3 inch wooden lip added to the top), they can figure out how to summit the new and improved gate in about 20 minutes. Only the addition of grad school stats and law books make the gate effective (for now).
If you have a puppy with worms (very common) and you live on the 3^rd floor of a walk-up, you will get a great workout for at least two days before the meds kick in.
Rakes (especially small, red ones) are great playmates.
Puppies, once cured of worms, have about 97 times more energy than they have when sick.
The one, split-second moment you look away, your puppy will pee on the carpet.
Sleeping puppies are indescribably precious.

Things I Learned Today

2009-05-14T15:40:00.001-07:00

Here's a list of the things I learned today:

1) Puppy diarrhea at 4:40am wakes you up, even if it's in a crate across the room.
2) Wall-e is 3.8 lbs and is probably 7-8 weeks old. We still have no idea what breeds he is.
3) Even at 3.8 lbs and 7 weeks, our new pup learned to scale his puppy gate in the bathroom in less than 24 hours (it's almost 2 feet high). Back to Petco we go...
4) Puppy breath is always adorable.
5) Wall-e barks at only two things (so far): my white tiger stuffed animal and his reflection in the glass of the TV stand.

I'm sure the list will double in size by tomorrow. This is so fun! If the new pup doesn't count as an everyday adventure, I don't know what does.

Meet the new pup!

2009-05-13T17:08:00.000-07:00

World, meet Wall-e...Wall-e, meet the world.

Yep, he came home with us today. Now we get to look forward to pee on the carpet, chewed up shoes, and sharing an apartment with the cutest, lovey-est puppy in the whole world. We got him from a rescue group called P.E.T.S. (People Ending the Slaughter), and we have absolutely NO idea what kind of dog he is. We do know that he's about 4-5 pounds right now, has medium length fun, white paws with freckles, and a brindle back. Besides that, your guess is as good as mine. Maybe we'll have a better idea after a trip to the vet tomorrow.
So far he's been really laid-back in the apartment, loves playing with his rope toy, is quite the snuggler/lover, and has even gone potty outside twice (and once in the kitchen). Not too bad for his first day!

I have a feeling that a lot of blog posts are going to be devoted to this little boy in the future.

Can we keep him?!

2009-05-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

Meet our potential new member of the family! We go to see/play with him on Wednesday afternoon, and it's then that we'll decide if he is the right pup for us. I will say, though, I played with him for about 2 hours yesterday afternoon, and his is the cutest, sweetest, happiest little pup you've ever met...quite a little clown too. The shelter has no idea what breed he is, but they think there's some Australian shepherd in there somewhere. Besides that it's anyone's guess. They think he'll be about 15-20 pounds full-grown...the perfect size for an active city dog.

I'll keep you posted on what happens. This is a big decision, and we're not taking it lightly :) Now, off to Petco!

Apparently a Lot of People Were as Bored as I Was.

2009-05-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

Here's the first round of album covers I received based on my previous post. Keep 'em coming!

Apparently, Evan's band is full of tough guys...who dig oxymorons.

Actually, this is Keeva's album cover that inspired this whole thing. God definitely has an influence on this band.

This gem is from Meredith. It makes so little sense that it make sense. I am without a witty comment for this one.

Miller's band is comprised of sensitive Eastern European nerds who are probably highly influenced by American 80s music.

Chad has made us an album of nature sounds heard on French communes. You can actually HEAR the tiny ferns unfurling.

Create a band name and album cover:

2009-05-04T20:28:00.000-07:00

To Do This:

1 - Go to Wikipedia. Hit “random”
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random Wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to Quotations Page and select "random quotations"
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote on the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to Flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use Photoshop or similar to put it all together.

Aaaaaand, this is what I got:

I'm a little scared...are you?

By the way, if you want to make your own album cover and show it off on $5, SEND IT TO ME IN AN EMAIL! Once I get a five or so, I'll start posting them here. I've already gotten two, and they're awesome!

My Life Until May 9th

2009-05-01T13:57:00.000-07:00

This is my life from April 26th to May 9th...
And this is where I'm doing it...
Life could most definitely be worse...but I should mention the 12 hour days, 35 mph wind, and the fact that I am also collecting smelly bugs (earwigs, beetles, etc), plants, and squirmy water creatures too. So it's not all fun and games and mouse-catching.

This just about sums it up

2009-04-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

Laughing out loud...http://doihaveswineflu.org/

One City Lax just keeps getting more and more love

2009-04-23T11:59:00.001-07:00

Check out this piece that Channel 2 did for the 11 o'clock news last night. Awesome! All about One City Lax and the effort to bring lacrosse to inner city schools. Let's keep the cameras rolling!

Worst Name Ever

2009-04-20T15:03:00.000-07:00

I know that southern people have a tendency to name their children strange things, but this takes it just a little too far.

PS In case you can't read that, it says "Kuntry." Yes, that is the child's name...Kuntry. This picture was taken while I was home in Atlanta for a(n amazing) wedding this past weekend.

In The News...

2009-04-20T10:14:00.000-07:00

One City Lacrosse made the San Francisco Chronicle this weekend. Check out the article here...

Site Goes Live at Some Point Today

2009-04-16T18:02:00.000-07:00

Check out www.onecitylax.org!

It's Eric's baby, and I wrote all the web content. Feel free to leave advice/suggestions on this blog.

Also, not that I had anything to do with it, but the "Video" page is especially cool.

Beautiful, touching, and inspiring...all at the same time...and without being (too) cheesy!

2009-04-14T22:28:00.000-07:00

If you need something beautiful in your life, watch this video...it will undoubtedly brighten your day.

Lesson learned: don't judge a book (or a sassy middle-aged woman) by its cover!

Newest in the Norfolk Case

2009-04-09T10:57:00.000-07:00

The Norfolk police and media keep getting better. Last night, one of the friends of Eric's friend had his mugshot on the local evening news in conjunction with the stabbing case. This friend had been charged with "public drunkenness" and made the news because he is the son of city council woman/Norfolk judge. The report from the news station is here.

Yet again, the police succeed in screwing things up. The police spokesperson continues to tell the media that the injuries were not life threatening, that Eric's friend drove himself to the hospital, and that the altercation was only a bar fight...all false. Because the police keep getting it wrong, the media is misrepresenting the situation to the public...vilifying Eric's friend & co. while glossing over the major crime committed.

An Uncharacteristically Sad and Disturbing Post

2009-04-08T13:59:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Eric's best fried was stabbed. Yes, you read right. He was stabbed in a nice restaurant called Magnolia's Steakhouse in Norfolk, Virginia. He is currently in the hospital in Norfolk and is okay, for the most part...but the situation was disturbingly close to being very much not okay.

The scene played out like this: Eric's best bud and a bunch of other guys were in Norfolk (where both Eric and his friend are from) for a bachelor's party. After dinner, the party goers were drinking and carousing in the pool room of the restaurant, when one of the other bar patrons starts being obnoxious and waving his pool cue around. Not being ones to let that sort of thing slide, the party goers proceed to start running their mouths to crazy, pool-cue-waving guy. The next thing they know, pool cue guy has punched Eric's friend in the face, thrown him up against the wall, and stabbed him twice in the abdomen. There is still some confusion about the events that occur next, but a few things are sure:

1. Pool cue psycho ran from the bar, leaving his credit card behind.
2. Eric's friend and another person hailed a cab outside, which promptly rushed them to the hospital.
3. Eric's friend's friends beat up one of pool cue guy's friends in retribution.

Eric's friend made it to the hospital, and supposedly walked into the emergency room and mumbled something to the nurse along the lines of "I'm not going out like this." He was then rushed into a 3-hour surgery. The stab wounds were both big. Both were on his left side...one just below his heart and one on the side of his abdomen, perforating his stomach. The surgeons had to cut him open from his diaphragm to below his belly button in order to stop the bleeding and repair the internal damage. After the surgery, the doctors told his parents that it was a miracle that the knife didn't hit his heart or lungs, and that if Eric's friend had been 10 more minutes to the hospital, he wouldn't have made it.

Eric's friend is doing better, but he's still not in good shape. He's currently on a lot of morphine, can't eat or drink anything, and is obviously very shaken up (as are his friends and family). However, when he and Eric talked yesterday, his sense of humor was definitely still intact. He will make a full recovery, and we can all be thankful for that.

While the story so far is obviously scary and upsetting, I think the next part of the story is equally as bad, if not worse. Even with dozens of witnesses and the perpetrator's credit card, the Norfolk police did not arrest the man until today. When Eric's friend's family inquired about the investigation on Monday, they were told that the policeman in charge of investigating this crime was on vacation, and that he would get to it when he returns. The police essentially brushed them off, saying that these things happen all the time, and they'll get to it when they can. Unbelievable. Additionally, because Eric's friend's friends beat up the perpetrator's friend after he ran away (obviously not the right thing to do, but their friend has just been stabbed for goodness sake), the cops are trying to play this off as bar brawl and not a singular attempt on Eric's friend's life. Finally, there may be an issue with the knife used in the crime. Supposedly, a knife has to be a certain size for a crime to be labeled an attempted murder, and because the criminal took his weapon with him when he ran, no one is sure how this final piece will play out.

The perpetrator is currently charged with "felonious assault" and not attempted murder. This blows my mind. Ten more minutes and Eric's friend could have died...but this isn't attempted murder? I know that the most important thing right now is that Eric's friend is alive and healing, but the police need to figure their stuff out. This was not a drug-related incident in a crack house. A law-abiding citizen from a well-respected family could have died

....and people wonder why much of America has lost faith in its law enforcement system...

End note: if anyone has any advice as to how Eric's friend and his family should proceed with law enforcement and/or the legal system in this situation, please let me know. It will be greatly appreciated.

Stealth Lacrosse Insider: Part II

2009-04-03T14:59:00.000-07:00

Along with the vignette that I wrote about Eric (below), I also profiled a few other Stealth players for the "Stealth Lacrosse" Insider TV show. A month after filming, the piece finally aired today. Check it out.

Stealth Lacrosse Insider: Part I

2009-04-03T14:33:00.000-07:00

It's Eric and I's big screen debut! And by big screen, I mean that this aired today at noon on the local NBC channel. The video is of Eric's personal vignette for the "Stealth Lacrosse Insider" TV show, which I wrote and pseudo-produced. This is one of my many baby steps towards my new career as...well...who knows what to call it....writer/scientist/host extraordinaire? Yeah, that has a nice ring to it ;-) Let me know what you think!

PS This is probably obvious, but this is a ghetto bootleg copy. I'll post a better one once I get the DVD from the network.

Update Post

2009-03-25T08:17:00.000-07:00

Reasons that I have not posted in a while are as follows:
a) spending most of my time on YBG posting...but you already knew that
2) Jackie was in town the other week/weekend for 5 days = awesome.
iii) I went to SXSW last weekend to see Loyd and Annie = also awesome
4) I have a big presentation we're giving at work this morning. No, I don't know why I've decided to write about it now with the presentation a mere 40 minutes away.

Obviously I'm going to update y'all on all my awesome (see above) adventures, but it might be a few more days until I get my life together enough to write about it. Just an FYI!

Over and out...

Question of the Day...

2009-03-12T14:42:00.001-07:00

Why/how is there POO on the seat on the 3rd floor woman's bathroom in my office building? HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? It's not like it's a little bit...the person obviously missed the toilet. And yes, there are seat covers, so there's no reason for someone to be hovering while taking a #2. I am flabbergasted and really grossed out.

Sentimental Post Alert!

2009-03-10T16:26:00.001-07:00

Have you ever gotten a hug or a little gesture of kindness when you need it most, and the person who made that gesture had no idea how much you needed it at the time? That happened to me today when a very wonderful friend sent me the picture you see to the left.

Thanks, friend. Rawr too.

Saving It Up for Next Year

2009-03-05T11:59:00.000-08:00

This morning at physical therapy, we made the tough decision that I shouldn't run Boston this year. After a month of PT, not running, killer bike workouts, lifting till I can hardly walk, etc (I should have done a series of posts on this...post-posts maybe?), my knee has gotten better but my foot just won't heal. Sooooo, this means another month of little running, PT, cross-training, lifting, etc. While I may not be running up Heartbreak Hill on April 20th, I WILL be fully healthy, happy, and ready to start training for my next race by that time.

A lifetime of running is more important than a single race, and though it can be hard to remember that sometimes, it's always the truth.

YBG: The Next Step

2009-03-03T22:27:00.000-08:00

As a part of my new plan to take over the eco-world via blogging, I think I'm going to be posting a bit less frequently from $5 and a bit more frequently from YBG. Just wanted to keep all my non-existent readers in the loop. On the bright side, I plan to take all the things I'd usually want to blog about at $5 and figure out a way to spin them for YBG. We'll see how that goes given I really want to blog hating on Samantha Brown and loving Tony Bourdain...but what's YBG about that?

Freelancer

2009-03-02T22:47:00.001-08:00

Anyone out there a freelance writer? Want to share some tips with this newbie? Last night I bought three books that are aimed at jump-starting my writing/journalism career (look out Samantha Brown, I'm coming for you but with an eco-twist)..."The Writer's Market 2009," "The Well-Fed Writer," and "Starting Your Career As A Freelance Writer." Yep, I'm taking steps beyond blogging to really get this started. Since I'm obviously not ready to quit my job and go knocking on Cox Communication's door, this is my first step towards gaining some street cred and getting some experience with the written word. My initial thoughts are to write about sports and travel from an environmental perspective (when applicable), but that could change as the process progresses. We'll see what happens.

Another exciting thing that I have going on is that I'm going to start writing/producing/reporting for the Stealth Lacrosse Insider TV show on NBC. They were looking to add some estrogen to the mix, and I showed them my BJITW video (it helped that Eric's on the team, obvs)...next thing I knew, I was doing my first two interviews at the February 21st game (superfan Pablo Sanchez and superstar Paul Rabil). My favorite moment from the whole day was while standing around with the NBC crew (of two people) and the camera guy asks "So, how much TV experience do you have?" I look at him, smile, and hold up my hand in a big "ZERO." We all laugh and then head out onto the turf. I'm not going to pretend that I'm not SUPER lucky to land this opportunity, so I'm going to do my best to kick some ace with it! Bay Areaians sure to Tivo NBC at 3pm on March 7th!!! (though I'm not sure I'll have a huge presence in that particular episode)

So that post was all about me, but I had to let y'all know what was up, right?

And then I felt better...

2009-03-02T19:43:00.000-08:00

In response to sentiments mirroring mine from my previous post, a wise man on the Island Reef Job community website posted the following:

"So I say to myself, "Self? How would you pick 50 applicants so that your agenda is met, yet the sheep of the world all 'bahhhh' in happy unison?" And then myself says, "Self, 50% would be applicants that I want to get the position, 25% to show that I acknowledge countries other than the really big ones, and 25% who are just bad enough they make everyone feel as if they really did have a chance."

That made me feel better for some reason. Smart guy.

The Top 50 Have Been Announced

2009-03-02T17:03:00.000-08:00

The Top 50 were announced today, and I have to say, I'm pretty surprised by who did and didn't make the cut. While there are DEFINITELY some amazing and standout videos (I could never compete with some of the media/journalism types), there are also some pretty unremarkable ones (speaking like a rhyming chipmunk in front of a webcam...juvenile Aussies with stuffed animals...begging college co-eds swimming in the snow...do I sound bitter yet? LOL). Makes a gal a bit frustrated, I won't lie. Not only frustrated for myself, but sad for friends with videos that I felt were superior to these (shoutout to Holly and Tony, just to name two). And there's a few who obviously didn't make their own videos, which is also a curious decision by Queensland. I mean, I could have paid someone to make mine. Finally, I'm surprised there are vids that made it who's creator/applicant was never shown interacting in person with a video camera (could be interesting if they COMPLETELY lack physical charisma, right?)...but again, I guess that's Queensland's decision, not mine.

Ahhhhhhh, moving on. That's the way the Vegemite sandwich crumbles :)

Golden State Lacrosse Academy

2009-03-02T12:09:00.000-08:00

Look! Eric (the BF) is starting his own company, and the website went live today: gs-lax.com Great website, right?

He'd love constructive criticism on the site, so please leave comments if you have any suggestions.

Who else can't WAIT till 5pm?

2009-02-27T14:10:00.000-08:00

TGIF, baby! Tee. Gee. Aye. Eff.

Yes, lame post. Sorry. Can I help it if I love the weekend?

Dashed Dreams :)

2009-02-26T16:35:00.000-08:00

Hi peeps,

So, I found out today that I didn't make it to the next round of the BJITW. With 20,000 videos, I knew I didn't have much of a chance, but I can't pretend it wasn't still a little bummer when I found out. However, it's still been a SUPER cool experience, and it's given me lots of ideas about what I really want to do with my life...as opposed to the cubicle drudgery that I'm doing these days (hate to say it, but being a biologist in my industry isn't all it's cracked up to be). My lofty aspirations involve some amorphous job fusing "No Reservations" and "Planet Earth" with a sprinkle of Grist.org...now to figure out how to get there...

Thanks everyone SO MUCH for all their support and encouragement. Your kind words meant a lot, and I really can't fully express my gratitude. I have amazing friends :)

Cheers!
D

Check out Muto

2009-02-25T12:30:00.000-08:00

This is super-duper cool. Do yourself a favor and watch it. Muto is "ambiguous animation painted on public walls." Don't know what that means? Then watch the video, silly!

Note to Self: Get Apartment Insurance

2009-02-24T15:06:00.000-08:00

This would be a huge bummer. Hopefully Twitter will come through again!

The Hype Continues to Grow

2009-02-24T09:54:00.000-08:00

So, not only are there online communities, 34,000 videos, tons of media attention, and even people who have taken out ads about themselves, but there are individual YouTube channels now devoted exclusively to the Hamilton Island Reef Job. Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/user/worldbestjob2009. No, I haven't made the list yet, but maybe...and if I don't that's fine too. Like I said below, we all have different opinions about what qualities the Island Caretaker should possess...but I think we can all agree that the above website has chosen some really awesome videos.

I still can't get over what a phenomenon this has become. Look at all the news articles about the job.

I Love My Flip Video Camera!

2009-02-23T16:20:00.000-08:00

I'm laughing out loud right now. My video from Saturday night's game has been noticed by the competitive eating community, and this site linked to my blog with this post. Yeah, eatfeats.com!

Meet Joey Chestnut

2009-02-23T08:47:00.000-08:00

Yes, at the San Jose Stealth game this weekend, the one...the only...JOEY CHESTNUT provided the halftime entertainment by consuming the weight of a small child in macaroni and cheese. This man (a SJ local) beat the great Kobayashi in an international hot dog eating contest, and then moved on to set the new world record in mac and cheese consumption by downing TEN AND A HALF pounds of the orange stuff in seven minutes in front of 6,000 fans during halftime at the Stealth game on Saturday. Apparently, this guy is a big deal because he drew the 7th largest crowd ever at a Stealth game, and I even saw a little girl cry after the game when she was told she couldn't get his autograph on her commemorative bobble-head (see left) that was given away at the game. Pretty ridiculous, right? Well, I guess San Jose loves food consumption contests more than contests that involve skill and/or talent, but we're not complaining. In addition to seeing Joey's gurgitation antics, the large crowd also saw an awesome Stealth win over their rivals from Colorado...hopefully, the fans will be back next time for the "hockey with balls" and not the average looking man with a very large stomach.

PS Check out the "defense" section of this article.

The End is Near!

2009-02-20T15:16:00.000-08:00

I mean, the end is near in a good way. With only 48 or so hours left in the Island Caretaker application window, people are flipping out trying to get their videos in and/or speculating who is going to make the Top 50. It's pretty funny, actually. It sounds like people all over the world have very different ideas about the skills the the island caretaker should possess. Personally, I try to pretend like I own a tropical island (or a resort on a tropical island) and then I think about who I would want to promote MY island/resort through blogging, pictures, and a video diary. Though I totally agree that there are some super cool videos with amazing special effects or very polished and/or qualified candidates, I'd personally go for someone who speaks clearly, entertainingly (even if I'm not dying laughing), and engagingly to the camera. You know, someone that you enjoy watching when it's just them on the screen...but that's just me. My choice for caretaker also assumes that everyone who has applied is outdoorsy and adventurous...because they wouldn't want the job if they weren't, right?

The way I see it this is part PR job and part TV hosting job. Put those two job descriptions together with a bit of adventure/outdoorsy-ness, and there you go!

The Best News I've Heard All Week

2009-02-19T11:32:00.000-08:00

Hooray! A San Franciscan tradition has been saved.

If this compromise had not been reached, the outcome would have been a travesty. Thank goodness for level-headed people.

Now to start planning this year's costume...

Best marketing ploy EVER

2009-02-18T13:04:00.000-08:00

"For a $1.8 million campaign we have received nearly $80 million in publicity."

Tourism Queensland is brilliant.

Tahoe Adventures

2009-02-16T09:08:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a weekend. Well, really it was a weekend+ because the ball got rolling on Thursday night at dinner. The BF and I were talking about our plans, our ride to the mountains, the incoming storm, etc, and we realize that our best bet for getting to Tahoe in a timely fashion was to leave early-ish on Friday. This causes me to text my boss at 8:30 pm (fueled by a few glasses of wine) if it was ok if I worked from "home/the road" on Friday. Because he's cool, he responds "ok by me," and the weekend was put in motion.

Our departure on Friday morning was a bit postponed due to highway 80's closure...yes, lots and lots of snow. We finally got up there about 5:30 that evening after being thoroughly entertained by the BF's roommate's (henceforth known as Matt) in-car DVD player (btw, Ironman is a fun flick). Matt drops us off in Squaw Valley at a friend of the BF's house...and this house is pretty much a perfect ski bum stereotype. It was built in 1959. There are two loudly barking dogs. The heat doesn't work, so the house is kept warm by a wood burning fireplace. A maid hasn't set foot in the place in years. Ski/snowboard equipment covers every surface. All of the guys who live there work on the mountain. And, of course, Michael Phelps would have been veeeeery happy there. Yep, he would have fit right in with those guys. So, after getting hooked up with free demo boards and grabbing some dinner, we settle into the living room on our air mattress and fall asleep to the sound of the Simpsons.

The next morning arrives with the sound of ski boots and cereal boxes, as the ski bums prepare for work. The BF and I arise a bit more slowly, make some cream of wheat, don our snowboarding gear, and head for Squaw. We have to make our first stop at the high camp demo shop because one of the ski bums forgot something, and we were assigned the task of bringing it to him. We score a free board wax out of our errand, and then set off down the mountain run to knock the rust off our snowboarding boots. By the time we've made it back up to the top, they've opened most of the back side of the mountain, so we head (without maps or a decent knowledge of the slopes) after the crowd like blind lemmings. Next thing you know, we are both buried up to our helmets in 3 ft of virgin powder. Yep, somehow, on our second run in a year, I have led us into "experts only" territory. Given, this would have been a frickin' blast if I'd had about 2 more runs on which to warm up, but unfortunately, it was trial by fire on Saturday morning. Both the BF and I worked up QUITE a sweat digging our way down that run, but that didn't stop us from doing it again...and again...and again. Yep, the Solitude lift saw quite a bit of us that morning.

We stopped for lunch/a water break and then made an aborted attempt to catch up with some friends. The rest of the day consisted of laps on KT, while we continued to hone our powder skills. At Le Chamois for apres-ski, we finally catch up with all our buddies and warm our frozen hands with bud lights and hot sake. We also find out that there is a bunch of room Matt's house, and as much fun as air mattresses are, we decide to change up our sleeping arrangements. After picking up our gear from the ski bum house, we have time for a hot tub, shower, and quick nap at the new house before six of us go to Jake's on the Lake in Tahoe City for a Valentine's Day triple date. Lobster and steak are great ways to celebrate the overly commercialized holiday, but speaking from experience, drinking lots of red wine at altitude causes a bit of pain the next morning. I'd definitely do it again though.

We wake up Sunday morning to a full-on blizzard...A) everyone decides that skiing today is a bad idea, and B) everyone decides that going home today is a bad idea. Therefore, because I am one of the 3 people in Tahoe that is supposed to work on Monday, I am put in the "unfortunate" position of breaking the news to my boss and co-worker that I won't be making it into the office. Once that unpleasantness was finished, our entire house pours out into the snow for an epic sledding session followed by a brutal snowball fight. In addition, Matt's girlfriend has a 4 month old husky puppy, and there is nothing cuter than watching a husky pup frolic in the snow. We wear ourselves out with awesomely childish antics (pictures will be added later, promise), and then everyone else settles in to watch a movie/the snowfall, while I set up my computer and try to do all the work that I need to get done by Monday. It's amazing how productive one can be when 2 ft of new snow awaits them.

We're all up early on Monday morning, and the boys head straight to the KT lift, while I send out a slew of emails from Starbucks. Obvs, I couldn't be so irresponsible as to not tie up all my loose ends before hitting the slopes. Once that's done, I stash my terrible laptop in a locker and head out into the storm of powder-covered awesomeness. I could write a novel about how much fun Monday was...so much new snow, untracked bowls, sick tree runs...the list just goes on. I'm not even that great of a snowboarder, but I still had a blast and definitely worked on my boarding skills trying to keep up with the boys. It snowed pretty hard the entire time, so white out conditions definitely played a part in upping the "adventure factor" especially on some of the high ridges. Dropping off catwalks over ledges into thigh-deep powder and then cutting fresh tracks across deserted bowls = pretty amazing. We skipped lunch and rode the entire day, finally calling it quits around 2:30ish. Best snow day of my life, period.

You'd think the adventure would have ended once we left Squaw, but the ride home was pretty intense as well. The blizzard moved in full-force, and 80 was closed. We had to take a super secret way through Donner Pass (if I told you, I'd have to kill you) with blowing snow and other craziness all around us. I'll give it to Matt. He has nerves of steel. Five and a half hours later we pull up in front of the house...happy and exhausted. Taking snow days is never a mistake.

Let's do it again next weekend?

Let this blow your mind

2009-02-12T18:29:00.000-08:00

I just posted a mind-blowing video on YBG. If you want to change your perspective on, um, life as you know it, go check it out.

Road to Boston: Part 2

2009-02-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

After being unable to run more than 3 miles at a time these past 2 weeks, I started physical therapy for my knee today. Three words: I. Got. Worked. Coleman, the mastermind behind ActiveCare, evaluated my knee for about 20 minutes, and the 2.5 hours that followed said evaluation involved a lot of sweating and "feeling the burn" (and by burn I mean excruciating pain...but in a good way). The bottom line is I'm working on getting healthy, so I got that going for me.

Yes, this isn't my best post, but I'm too exhausted to successfully and/or wittily write any more. Over and o-u-t.

BJITW update

2009-02-11T13:22:00.000-08:00

14,500 applicants now, according to Queensland Tourism. And there's entire online communities about the job! Yep, I'm still maintaining that this is the best marketing ploy that I've ever heard of. My own humble, little vid is up to almost 2700 hits. Thanks friends and family who've supported me! I really appreciate it!

Who doesn't love riding the bus?

2009-02-11T11:02:00.000-08:00

Public transit is a fickle creature. Seriously, sometimes it's the best thing ever, and sometimes it makes you wish you could click your heels and get spirited back to Kansas (not that I've had the pleasure of visiting Kansas...yet). This morning was no exception. Having decided to work out of the SF office today, as opposed to making the trek to the East Bay, I merrily skip out my front door just in time to see a loaded express bus go flying past my stop because, it being 8:05 am, we are smack dab in the middle of morning rush hour. Well, not being one to take rejection sitting down, I throw my computer and gym bag over my shoulder, and start powerwalking to a bus stop a bit earlier down the bus line...this is when the eccentricities of the SF bus really started to manifest themselves.

1) After hiking 4 block with two large bags over my shoulders (luckily I wore my cowboy boots today. I would not have tried this is heels), I see another express bus coming and think "YES!" only to watch it fly by just as the previous one did. At this point (1o min behind schedule), I start thinking "WTF? I've hiked a half a mile in work clothes carry at least 40 lbs (my laptop is from 1982). What does a girl have to do to catch a bus?"
2) I walk one more block and see another express coming. Luckily, this one was pretty much tailing the last bus, so it's not to full..and guess what?!?! I get on and GET A SEAT!!! Getting a seat on during rush hour is kind of like winning the lottery...but without the taxes.
3) My whole morning was significantly improved by this seat because it gave me a place (i.e. my lap) to put my two large bags. I mean, what do you do if you have to carry your laptop, gym bag, tupperware, AND purse to work everyday (like me). Fancy, dressed-up, corporate chicks do NOT like my dirty running shoes in their face. Seriously, what if I had to bring a cake into work or something? Things could get ug-ly.
4) Another aspect of bus-riding baffles me...the heat/stuffiness of the bus vs. the cold of outside. If I board the bus in outside gear (sweater and jacket), I am sweating withing 4.2 seconds. Like, unattractively and socially unacceptably sweating...but I look around and everyone in wool coats seems to be cool, happy, and sweat-free. What am I doing wrong here?!? Teach me your secret, large suit-wearing man!
5) I watched a girl get kicked off the bus this morning because she didn't have $1.50...only $1.25. That was simply mean of the bus driver.

So there you go...a typical weekday morning bus experience. Stay tuned for the next installment "Saturday morning bus rides through Chinatown." Believe me, you don't want to miss it.

PS Apologies to those who noticed this is an alternate version of my YBG post today. I liked it too much to only use it once :)
PPS I'm wearing high waisted trouser-jeans at work today...without a lepoard belt. Take THAT, Jessica Simpson.

Squaw Valley

2009-02-10T12:24:00.000-08:00

In preparation for this weekend, I'm going to reminisce the ski resorts that I know the most about. We'll start with Squaw cause it's the big mama of them all. Home of the 1960 winter Olympics, Squaw is everything an American ski resort tend to be....huge, elitist, social, and overpriced. The slopes themselves are extensive and definitely fun, especially if you're a great skiier/boarder. There a lot of places to hike into (many of them far too advanced for yours truly) and lots of fun tree runs on which to risk your neck. The only problem actually ON the mountain is the crowds (I'm speaking from weekend experience. I, unfortunately, have a job that doesn't allow me to ski weekdays). Holy people, Batman! If you ski any runs that are blue or below, be prepared to spend the majority of your time dodging kiddies with their skis tied together and fat, old men in onesies (not that there's anything wrong with onesies). If the snow is decent and it's a weekend, be prepared for long lines everywhere...but there's also great people-watching, so you'll stay entertained. As a self-defined intermediate boarder, there are a lot of runs on this mountain that are beyond my skill level and/or not for boarders, but if you're a bomb skiier, SV is definitely the place for you.

It's also the place to see and be seen. Gold Coast is always hoppin' at lunch time (you're guaranteed to run into at least 8 people that you know...and may not necessarily want to see), and I can't even get into Le Chamois for apres ski right now...that's a whole post in itself. I think my very favorite thing about Squaw is going to the pool in the springtime. Yes, there's a pool on the mountain, and last time I was there, two of my girlfriends bought bathingsuits while on the mountain to lay out...on the mountain...surrounded by snow...in March. It was just that gorgeous. What ISN'T there to like about that?

Tahoe?!?!!

2009-02-09T09:01:00.000-08:00

The forecast looks like this, the BF has the weekend off, and I haven't been snowboarding yet this year...can anyone give me a reason NOT to go to Tahoe this weekend???

I know, I know...I live 3 hours from the mountains and I haven't been up there this season. But in my defense, the snow has been pretty terrible/non-existent, and spring-skiing conditions in January don't generally do much to help that. However, it looks like things are finally turning around. Squaw, here we come, or maybe Alpine, if the weather's iffy. Either way, I plan to have some sore muscles this time next week. There isn't much that will make you hurt worse than your first, powder-filled weekend on the slopes. Bring it, pain.

YBG

2009-02-07T12:09:00.000-08:00

Hi readers! I have some fun news this morning. I have rolled out my new blog...my "real" blog that contains actual, hopefully useful content, as opposed to silly stories about me and my friends' lives. You can find my new project at youngbrokegreen.blogspot.com. It's still a work in progress, so feel free to leave constructive criticism and comments.

Apologies for excessive use of...

2009-02-06T09:18:00.000-08:00

...exclamation points in that last post. I think we can all agree that 12 exclamation points in one post is simply too many. I have now calmed down and am ready to watch/wait while the world judges my first cinematographic effort. I'm sure you're all tired of me posting about the BJITW anyway, so we'll move on to other topics. Thanks, as always, for your indulgence.

MY BJITW VID FINALLY GOT POSTED!!!!

2009-02-05T18:03:00.000-08:00

Almost two weeks after initial submission, and you can finally check out the video on the website HERE!!! Also, you can check it out on YouTube HERE!!!! Hooray hooray hooray! I was getting worried that something had gone horribly wrong. Now it's all in the hand of Tourism Queensland...

HolycrapI'msoexcited. Let me know what you think of the video.

Time to settle down to wait some more...

The Road to Boston: Part 1

2009-02-04T09:29:00.000-08:00

2009 Boston Marathon, here I come! Yep, I'm approximately one month in to training for this prestigious race, though I hardly feel like I'm getting in the shape I need to go. Marathon training typically involves 4 months of escalating mileage, so right about now I should be doing my first 20-miler. Unfortunately, because of the foot/knee debacle, the farthest I have run in 2 weeks is the ill-adviser half marathon last Sunday. Therefore, my "road" to Boston is currently a stationary bike at Planet Granite (btw, how DO those tiny, Asian girls scale 5.10c's so easily? I've had a chance to study many ascents, and I just can't figure out how they can do it and I can...but I digress), and/or the old Army pool at the Presidio YMCA. The old pool is pretty cool with it's mural (see left) and everything...but it's also fairly shallow, meaning I can only job half a lap before my feet hit the bottom and I have to turn around, which really confuses my lane-mates. Additionally, it's a YMCA pool, so there are lots of water aerobics classes that I must schedule my workouts around.

Pool jogging is a surprisingly good workout, and according to Kate O'Neill (a running superstar who kicked everyone's fanny in the 1/2 on Sunday with a 1:15), it's a great way to cross-train and/or stay in shape if injured. She says that if you run without a flotation device, it forces you to maintain perfect form...that is, if you don't drown. Perfect form + non-impact running = my road to recovery. See you at the next race...Kate.

So there's a little insight on my current journey to Boston. Hopefully it will get more interesting once I can run again. You don't often see fiberglass farm animals at the pool...but wow, if you did...!?!

TinyURL

2009-02-02T17:34:00.000-08:00

PS Who knew that TBJITW has a Facebook page AND a Twitter profil e?!? I'm ashamed that I only figured this out today.

In honor of Superbowl Sunday...

2009-02-02T12:54:00.000-08:00

This is what happened to me around this time last year. It's such an amazingly ridiculous story that I can't help but relive the memory....

Sunday began with waking up at a friends house in Tahoe because we had been snowed in there the night before. 8 people from my house went to a dinner party at 7 pm, and when we tried to leave (in a 4WD Jeep Grand Cherokee) at 10:30 pm, the snow in the driveway way too deep for us to get out. It ended up being a really fun slumber party, obvs, but I just wanted to paint the picture.

Apparently, one of the drunk people at the friend's house with me on Saturday night had called one of the people still at our house to come "rescue" us that night on our house's brand new snowmobile. Well, the snowmobile was blocked in by my rental car (I needed 4WD and it was all they had. Don't judge)...an H3 Hummer (yes, ridiculous)...so a few people with no discernible decision-making skills decided to move my car to unblock the snowmobile (without telling me, obvs). They got the H3 out of the driveway so easily that they decided to come "rescue" us in that car instead of on the snowmobile, but after traveling about 100 yards to the end of our street, the 4WD on the Hummer seemed to crap out, and it got stuck. In the middle of the night in the middle of the road in a blizzard. The two guys driving it spent 2 hours pushing it into the entrance of a school so that it was out of the way for the night (they also called me 8 times, but I was asleep). That is where it slept.

Once we finally escaped out friend's house the next morning (3 ft of snow to dig out of and we had to wait for the plows), we came home to the Hummer looking like it does in picture 1. At this point, I really don't think there's much to worry about, hence the smile in the pic. I mean, it's a Hummer, of course it can handle the snow, right? Wrong. We dig and push and curse for about 2 hours to get that car out of there...the whole time the 4WD won't engage. Basically, the front wheels just wouldn't spin. When we finally got the car out, we thought that the 4WD was just messed up because we had been pushing buttons and messing with it and stuff all night/morning, so the car just needed a little drive to reset and right itself. My friend Aaron was driving, and I was in the passenger's seat. We get about 2 miles from our house and the car seems to be doing ok. We turn around to head back home, and about 3 minutes after doing this - BOOM! My side of the car DROPS to the ground as if we'd had a blowout or the wheel had fallen off. The entire car immediately locks up, and Aaron can't drive or steer it. We screech to a halt in the middle of the main road (2 lanes...and 6 feet of snow piled to either side of the road) running along the lake. I immediately get out of the car to see what has happened. Turns out that the FRONT AXLE HAS BROKEN OFF THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL OF THE CAR...ON A H3...RENTAL CAR...IN TAHOE.

To add insult to injury, neither of us has a cell phone. Aaron gets in the car with some nice strangers to head back to our house to get help, and I sit in the car thinking "What the crap?" After a few minutes I realize the car has OnStar, so I call it. 7 minutes of waiting later, I am connected to the least helpful emergency responder in the history of life. She and I spend another hour on the phone trying to work out a) what happened to the car, b) what to do with the car, c) how I'm supposed to get anywhere, and d) when/where I can get another rental. In the meantime, the fat snowplow man has put flares all around the vehicle, traffic is backing up in both directions (it's down to 1 lane), and all of my friends have passed Aaron and I to go ski the 3 ft of powder (what else could they do after checking to see that we were ok?). After 30 more minutes of waiting for the tow truck, the Hertz lady calls back to say that a tow truck isn't coming because the weather was so bad the night before. We are to abandon the H3 (unlocked) on the side of the road. They will tow it when they can. So this is what we do. We go home. Aaron goes to ski, and I find a ride back to SF. Except for 30 minutes into this ride, we hear that there's been an avalanche and the only highway back to SF is closed...again...for the 2nd or 3rd time that day. So I go back to my house (having missed the Superbowl) and change my Hertz reservation again, deciding that the-powers-that-be don't want me back in SF for Monday, and I stay in Tahoe and snowboard on Monday (the silver lining of this situation). Thankfully, it was awesome.

I go to work on Tuesday thinking I'm going to get fired, but somehow no one is any the wiser and they don't ask me any questions about Monday. Then Thursday rolls around, and I finally got a call at work from Bruce at Hertz.

Bruce: Is there a Melissa Maffett available?
Dale: Yes, this is she.
Bruce: Hi, Miss Maffett, this is Bruce from Hertz rental car. I'm so sorry to bother you, but you recently had a Hummer, correct? And the axle...(pause)...broke?
Dale: (laughing sarcastically) Yes
Bruce: Um, Miss Maffett, you wouldn't by chance know where that Hummer is now, would you?
Dale: You mean Hertz doesn't know where the vehicle is?
Bruce: No, not at the moment...

And the conversation continues with me explaining how we abandoned the car (unlocked) on the side of the road, and I have no idea where it is. Bruce then tells me me that it's ok and that they'll find it...and that this happens all the time. What?!?!

I got a call this morning that the car has been found and was in Reno (obvs). Hallelujah! Thus ends the story of the broken axle.

Pic 1 - Still smiling

Pic 2 - Things don't look SO bad.

Pic 3 - On second thought...

Pic 4 - Is that the axle sitting on the ground next to the tire? Yes! It is!

Blazin'

2009-02-01T14:17:00.001-08:00

Ladies and gentlemen, you're looking at a picture the winner of the 2009 Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon! He was going so fast that the BF's iPhone camera only read his passing as a blurred body with a slightly demonic grin, but if I was at the 12.5 mile mark, cruising 4:56 minute miles with no competitor in sight, I'd probably have a grin on my face too. In fact, I can attest to the fact that Crosbone (the winner and my friend and running guru) had that same smile on his face as he sprinted by me on the Great Highway...this was around my mile 8 and his mile 11. I can say that he seriously upped my cool points when he slapped me an easy, down-low five mid-stride. Despite the fact that he was 3 miles ahead and averaging 2:22 minutes/mile faster than me, I think he felt a lot better at that moment than I did too. Yep, against all advice and odds, I ran all 13.1 miles this morning. I will say that I ran a PR (and my first 1/2 in 5 years). I will also say that it was really dumb to do so, and I will not be running for at least a week because of it (I know, I know, Cros/Kim/Dr. O/BF. You told me not to). And you know what? Despite how much my knee hurts right now, I don't regret it at all.

This was an incredible morning for a race. Twelve of my friends all decided to run this thing together, and everyone ran great on this 66 degree, sunny, February morning. There was only a hint of a breeze, the course was fast, the fans were loud, and everyone was there to have a good time. I'm so proud of our whole "team." We had at least 3 members who ran their 1st half marathon EVER; a teammate who trained (and fell) in 2 foot snow drifts in Minnesota after being banished there until March by Wells Fargo; various peeps who powered through runner's knee, hip issues, shin issues and knee issues; at least 2 PRs within the group; people who didn't train but showed up to gut it out anyway; and basically just a bunch of all-out champion awesomeness demonstrated today. Yeah, I have bada** friends. I also have a bada** BF who drove me to the race this morning and cheered everyone on from the start to the finish (taking blurry pics along the way). I think the highlights of the race were running the out-and-back on the Great Highway and cheering on various teammates as they ran by in the opposite direction...followed closely by the moment I dumped an entire cup of gatorade over my head at mile 11, thinking it was water. Expert tip #122: Gatorade is sticky and not optimal for thermal management.

Now it's time for beers, burgers (of the veggie variety), and football. Happy Superbowl Sunday, everyone.

PS Cream of Wheat is the perfect pre-race fuel. I'll fight anyone who says different.

Matter over mind

2009-01-31T11:09:00.000-08:00

Have you ever tried to ignore something bad in hopes that if you live in denial long enough, the problem will disappear? Well, it's time to admit something to my adoring, imaginary readers. I've been trying to deny it for two weeks now, but alas, it was made clear to me last night that I can ignore the issue no longer. I'm freakin' injured, and I can't run the half marathon I'd planned to run in the morning. And I was planning SUCH a great "Point A to Point B: Mile by Mile" post for tomorrow. No joy of competition, no salty Ocean Beach sea spray in my face, no Body Glide on my feet, no getting overly competitive with my friends...my dream of a journey to a new PR is dashed. I won't bore you with the events of the past two weeks, but let's just say it involved an orthopedic PA, a potential stress fracture, pool jogging at the Y with old people with an iPod taped to my head, an orthopedist, a podiatrist, icing my knee while watching LOST, and a heck of a lot of Celebrex. You'd think after that much attention my foot/knee would have healed up nicely, but noooo, no bodily cooperation there.

Dang IT band...why ya gotta be doin' this? You can make it to mile 5 a-okay, but you just CAN'T bother to feel good through mile 6, can you? Don't you know that I am NOT one of those happy-cheer-my-friends-on-the-sidelines kind of gals? It's always better to be IN there, IN the action. So, tomorrow I will run the first couple miles with my buddies, and then cheer them on while I pout on the inside.

At least I can take some good pictures to post on the website tomorrow. Maybe I'll bring water balloons or African bees to the race...that will make things MUCH more interesting/illegal. Get exCITed!

It's not looking good

2009-01-29T15:40:00.000-08:00

2.3 million unique page views and 10,666 applicants??? Those seem to be the current numbers for the Hamilton Island Job. I knew this genius marketing campaign would generate a lot of interest, but whoduh thunk this many people would take the time to apply? There are still over 3 weeks left for applications, and I think that they're going to have to close the applying period early because of the sheer volume of applications (see #13 under "Eligibility Requirements"). Heck, I sent my video in 5 ($5???) days ago and haven't heard a peep, but that probably shouldn't be surprising. Keep your fingers crossed for me cause wouldn't this blog be WAY cooler if I was posting from Oz (as opposed to illegally from my work desk)? The answer to that is a definitive YES.

PS Someone from Pakistan viewed my blog for 0:00 seconds yesterday! What a fast/inhuman reader! Hi, blog-crawling program in Pakistan!!!

Tales from Canadia

2009-01-27T17:57:00.000-08:00

***This story is not exaggerated or falsified in any way. I promise. It depicts purely non-fictional events. Really.***
**Also, I usually discourage all types of fighting, but this had to be shared.**

The BF had a game in Calgary this weekend, and after the game the team headed out in their finery to a place creatively called Cowboys. After shots of Jameson, Jaeger, Jack, and lord knows what else, the BF was sitting at the bar (alone, I should note. Unbeknownst to him, his buddy had just gotten "asked to leave"), when some extremely inebriated dude (SEID) plops down next to him and spills approximately 42.86% of his beer on the BF's new suit (it was an x-mas present from his mom! GASP!). The BF exclaims "WTF, dude?!" to which SEID slowly responds "whaaaah?" while flailing his hands and hitting yet another beer and spilling another 32.97% of someones adult beverage on the BF's pant leg. The following exchange ensues...

The BF (half joking...but kinda not. It should be noted that the BF was definitely feeling it at this point): "Dude, you're paying my dry cleaning bill."
SEID: "Huuuuuuuh?"
The BF: "You have two options...either you give me your wallet or you give me your watch."
SEID (holding his arm three, hazy inches from the BF's face): "Jus tryyyy takin' thisssss wattth off myyy wrist."

Of course, the BF pushes SEID's beer-splattered arm out of his face, and SEID immediately lurches to his feet preparing for fisticuffs...eyes scrunched, fists almost touching both each other AND his nose, swaying slightly, mumbling "C'mon. Let's go." (See left for dramatization). The BF, disbelieving the cartoon character in front of him, slowly stands and starts laughing. SEID then (unprovoked) swings unsteadily yet aggressively at the BF's laughing face, which the BF easily dodges. In order to put the poor fool out of his misery, the BF responds with a quick left hook, connecting and sending Charlie Chaplin sliding backwards across the entire bar room floor...movie-style...collecting peanut shells and bottle caps in his back pockets as he went (reminder: this is ALL true). SEID finally comes to rest against the wall under a one-antlered moose, and is immediately pounced upon by the bouncers who quickly and efficiently "ask him to leave" the bar. Somehow the BF convinces the big guys that he isn't at fault, so they let him return to his bar stool and half-consumed adult soda.

Soon after the SEID incident is resolved, the BF realizes that his original buddy isn't coming back and decides to leave. He walks outside and successfully hails a cab in the -423 degree weather. As he is sliding into one side of the cab, another guy slides in the other side. The BF looks over and guess what?!?! It's SEID!!!

SEID: "Heeeey, I thhhink we jus got ina fiiight."
The BF: "Nah, dude. That was one of my buddies. What happened?"
SEID: "Oh, right...maaan, I shouldn'ta done that. I mean, I'm not bleedin' outta my mouth, but I went slidin' across the floor."
The BF: "Yeah, glad that wall was there to stop you."
SEID: "Yeeeah."

At this point the cab is pulling up in front of the BF's hotel, and as the BF gets out, he turns to SEID and says "Hey man, you got this cab, right?" To which SEID nods and responds, "Yeah, man." The BF shuts the door laughing to himself, "See, I TOLD you that you'd pay for my dry cleaning bill."

Aaaaaand scene.

Yes, this is real

2009-01-26T13:29:00.000-08:00

As seen while walking back from lunch this afternoon...

Dale: "Wow, how did you teach them to do that?"

Straight-faced, carny dude: "Duct tape."

Take 2: A Better BJITW Application Video

2009-01-25T16:50:00.000-08:00

I did a little more editing, and here's what I think is a better version of the video. The original is already submitted to islandreefjob.com, and hindsight is 20/20...but I had to show the "new version" off somewhere :) Thanks for indulging me.

Again, think future travels...fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuture traaaaaaaavels.

Testing, testing...1, 2, 3

2009-01-24T10:41:00.000-08:00

The debut of my Best Job Ever application video...it may not be about current travels, but it's definitely about travels to come. It's hard to not feel ridiculous when watching it, but heck, I had to at least try, right? Right.

I'm famous!

2009-01-23T21:47:00.000-08:00

Yep, yep...I was on the radio tonight! My debut came in the form of being 1/5th of the accident on the onramp for Interstate 580 from Highway 24, and good ol' NPR talked about us (we're such troublemakers). Don't worry. I'm totally fine, and the Fit is okay too. We were rear-ended as the very front car in a five ($5???) car pileup. My little black car only took a tap, but I was the do-good-er to call 911, so I had to stick around. Now I'm finally home, safe and sound, and ready to sleep at least twelve hours. So much excitement for a commute home!

Life-sized, plastic farm animals

2009-01-21T19:53:00.000-08:00

Today was the 9,721st time I wish that I'd had my camera while running. At mile 5 of a 16-miler on the Iron Horse Trail in the East Bay, I came upon...and I'm not joking or exaggerating in the LEAST...a life-sized farm scene made out of plastic (or fiberglass?). There was a farmer, multiple horses and cows, a very happy pig, some sheep, and more. The list just goes on.

Seriously, who does that? Why is that a good way to spend your time and money? It's in their BACK YARD for goodness sake (not seen from the street)...surrounded by its OWN FENCE (i.e. not easily accessible for play time). The world may never know.

Though I didn't take a pic of the actual scene, I did find this gem online: fiberglassfarm.com - Would you like a taste of their wares?

Horsies!

Awwww, the little lamb

What the HELL kind of farm is this? And yes, it came from the fiberglassfarm.com website.

Finding myself: Stories about everyday...or not so everyday...travel

2009-01-20T11:31:00.000-08:00

It's been about two weeks since I started this here bloggy, and I realize that to this point my writings have had as about as much direction as Britney Spears circa late 2007. Now that I've stretched my blogging legs, it's time to "find myself." And I've come up with what I consider a great idea (though I'll admit a fine, young women we'll call ACE may or may not have had a lot of influence on it)...

This is going to be a travel blog. No, no, NO...not THAT kind of Travel Blog. This travel blog is going to document all the ridiculous things that happen to me and my friends while traveling...BUT I'm using "traveling" in the broader sense of the word. I mean any kind of traveling for any distance to anywhere...a commute to work, a trip to Hawaii, driving to the gym, a trip to the bathroom...any and every kind of "travel" is game, so while I will happily blog about my annual winter trip to visit friends in Utah or our family trip to Florida, I'm also going to write about what I saw while I was running yesterday or while walking on the beach on Saturday (see Saturday's post).

I hate to even call this a travel blog. It's more a website about getting from point A to point B and/or what one finds at point B, but that label seems a bit long...maybe it's better described as a blog about everday...or not so everyday...travel. Yeah, I like that. Over and out.

Oversight!

2009-01-18T16:58:00.000-08:00

My apologies, dear non-existent readers...I just realized that it is very possible that many of you may not know the meaning and gravity of the phrase "and then I found five dollars." This is an very useful phrase the I learned during my freshman year of college. For one reason or another, I tend to befriend wonderful people who are inclined to tell long, animated stories that they find HYSTERICAL..but that their audience may or may not find humor in. It is also of note that I am definitely one of these people. Therefore, we story-tellers were informed early on in our college careers that when you reach the hilarious punch line of your story, and you only hear the chirping of crickets (as opposed to the guffaws from your appreciative audience), you must quickly add "and then I found five dollars!" The fictional finding of five dollars gives purpose and finality to any story and distracts your unamused audience from the chirping crickets, causing them to think/say "Oooooh, cool. I could use five dollars too. What a great ending to a story." With the addition of this little white lie, you have saved yourself from being "the person who tells long, unfunny stories." It's like magic!

If my explanation isn't good enough, check out the urbandictionary.com definition.

Now, see if you can figure out why I named my blog after this wonderful sentence...

Lights, camera, ACTION...and stick ninjas

2009-01-17T13:28:00.000-08:00

The BF and I were walking down Ocean Beach on Saturday, looking for a good place to film a part of my Best Job Ever video when we happened upon this...

Man, do I love this city. 75 degrees, sun, beach, January (global warming, much?), and then we happen upon this crowd. I think it's important to note that they were fighting in slow motion with sticks as we walked up, but quickly switched to this geriatric ballet. Maybe they're practicing for Love Fest...or not.

Velcro and fannypacks

2009-01-15T20:39:00.000-08:00

This evening at the gym in Fairfield, I spotted an man wearing not only a black, leather fannypack...facing forward during his workout...but ALSO white, leather, velcro shoes. Can someone please explain these attire choices to me? I didn't even know they made velcro shoes in big-person sizes! I ran into this fine piece of work in the abs/stretching area where he was enthusiastically doing lunges and writing in a small notebook. Based on these observations, I am inclined to believe that his fashion decisions were not based on apathy or ignorance, but instead, his black and white leather combo was somehow supposed to ENHANCE his dilligently recorded workout. I cannot begin to guess...

See any birds?

2009-01-14T15:19:00.000-08:00

My set for the week. Not too bad, right?

Things that aren't cool

2009-01-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

I love nature. A lot. Who doesn't? Therefore, I can NOT understand why someone thinks that a wildlife refuge can double as a dump. I mean, when is it ok to ditch your craptastic, old washing machine in a bird sanctuary?!?!? That's what greeted us this morning on Grizzly Island...someone had thrown their washer out of what seemed to be a moving vehicle, and it had rolled (as well as square things can roll) into the edge of the wetland. Not cool, peeps. Not cool. I'm going to hunt you down an throw MY old fridge on your lawn. How do you like THAT? Ooooh, snap!

The Best Job in the World

2009-01-13T10:24:00.000-08:00

Since learning about the job on Hamilton Island, I have become somewhat obsessed with the idea of this job. For the entirety of my last two surveys, I can hardly pay attention to the forty-seven pairs of mallards I'm supposed to be recording, or the mating behavior of the buffleheads that I should be observing...because all I can think about is how to convey to the Queensland Tourism Bureau that I am perfect for this job...in only 60 seconds. That's the kicker. 60 seconds is a very short period of time to list all one's qualifications for a job that involves being adventurous, outdoorsy, outgoing, fun, good on camera, entertaining writer, etc, etc, etc. The list just goes on. Do you play it straight and give them a verbal resume? Do you perform some kind of stunt (NOT involving lame, fake tattoos) to get their attention? Is it a + or a - that I'm an American? Is it good or bad that I lived in Oz for 6 months in college? Do I talk about working on a dive boat out of Cairns, or do I talk about being a biology nerd in the Bay Area? Do I mention that I went to an Ivy League school, or do I talk about how many beers I can crush in a night? Do I talk about sailing in the BVIs last year, or do I shamelessly promote my brand new blog? Ahhhh! SEE?!?! It's overwhelming.

Enough with the question marks...I'm going to make some hot chocolate and watch some L&O: SVU. Nothing like some daytime TV to calm a girl down.

Good day, Sunshine

2009-01-13T07:30:00.000-08:00

It may be 7 am and it may be 35 degrees, but daaaang...a gorgeous sunrise can make early mornings worth it. This particular picture is capturing the dawn over Grizzly Island. Sometimes the fog ain't a bad thing, especially when it does things like this with the light.

One REALLY important thing...and one that's not so important

2009-01-12T10:29:00.000-08:00

1) I am in Fairfield, CA, doing bird surveys all week = not that important.

2) My little bro just sent me this: www.islandreefjob.com = potentially life changing. I have to say that I feel like I'm kinda perfect for this. And by kinda, I mean really. Now to convince the Queensland government of this...more to come.

Stealth Home Opener

2009-01-09T23:52:00.000-08:00

Currently, the BF is playing box lacrosse (indoor) for the San Jose Stealth, and he plays outdoor for the San Francisco Dragons in the spring/summer. I'm not going to say much about tonight's home opener because it ended up in an "L," and the BF got hurt...bummer and he has to miss his next game. What I will say is that is that box lax is SO fun to watch, and I hope the Stealth finally begin amassing the following they deserve. I mean, they have three of arguably the best players in the entire league...yet they're lucky to get 4,000 fans. On the other hand, the Colorado team sells out the Pepsi Center every single game (18,000 fans, yo. I got popcorn and peanuts thrown at my head when I last rooted for the Stealth there...in a friendly way...kinda). What's the deal? Where did the Stealth go wrong? Maybe it was last year's Thigh, ahem, I mean, Spy Girls? They weren't exactly the most talented (or svelte) of cheerleaders. This year's group is WAY more...stereotypical (Cheerleader Barbies, really). Or was it the time they brought in a crew of hard-core rappers to rap about staying in school to fans consisting mainly of nine-year-old prep school kids (not sure they were aiming at the right audience, maaaaybe?)? Tonight's bobble-head, dancing, blow-up animals were a much better choice given the audience of girl scouts. Heck, they even made ME laugh out loud. Or maybe it's just that SJ is a quirky city in itself, which results in a lack of lax interest. Who knows? What I do know is the guys are great, and they deserve some fans...so I'm anointing myself a Thigh Girl, and I'll be cheering them on every night.

Late addition to the post: My pops sent me this neat article. Go NLL!

Got Milk?

2009-01-04T11:36:00.000-08:00

Holy crapola, go see Milk immediately! I saw it last night, and it was phenomenal. I'll admit that seeing it while living in SF adds something extra, but it's an extraordinary story for many reasons. Sean Penn is fabulous as well. Don't wait! See it!

New Years Resolutions

2009-01-03T22:31:00.000-08:00

Hi friends, family, and anyone else who cares to read about my life,

So here I go...starting a blog of my own. Why am I doing this, you ask? Well, I'm not really sure. I guess I just wanted to give it a shot, and therefore decided to make it a New Years resolution. My life tends to get pretty ridiculous at times, and I wanted to record these adventures somewhere besides the semi-regular (or not so regular) emails that I send to my best friends. Maybe people will like to hear my stories about hallucinating co-workers and New Years spent with geriatrics...and maybe they won't...but at least I'll have fun writing about it, right? Right.

My most recent adventure involves spending New Years week in Boca Raton with my family, some family friends, and my boyfriend. We were at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. Why? I'm still not quite sure, but I will say this...the resort was spectacular...for a LOT of reasons. It was gorgeous and so very, very nice and so very, very pink.

Breakfast every morning was a smorgasbord of every conceivable type of breakfast food, and I stuffed myself with omelets, bagels, smoked fish, and amazing coffee at the beginning of each day in order to look fabulous by the pool. I would follow this with a sweaty slog (=slow jog) of as far as I could bear or maybe some poorly played tennis with the BF. It must be noted that, while my group contained all Southerners and five "kids" between twenty and thirty years old, the VAST majority of the clientele at the resort were from New York and either geriatric or below the age of nine. That resulted in some interesting people-watching throughout the week.

In the interest of brevity, I'm going to fast-forward to New Years Eve at the resort. We had decided to attend the Gala (yes, I said Gala), thinking that it had to be the best (i.e. most toddler-free) party at the place. Well, think again! Let's get the visual...giant (admittedly beautiful) ballroom with projectors silently showing PBS on the big screen (we asked for a football game but that was aggressively shot down); we are the ONLY twentysomethings in the football field-sized area; the worst band in history is playing lounge-y "hits" from 1933 without the benefit of any percussion; an overly enthusiastic Asian woman is flailing her arms and futilely attempting to add some pizazz to the dance floor among the geriatric Yankee couples; and our waiter didn't speak English, so drinks were very slow in arriving to dull the pain. The BF and I even took a spin on the dance floor, but after a minor wardrobe malfunction and the admission that it's hard to jam to Big Band music from a synthesizer, we gave up. Needless to say, the moment our lukewarm dinner was finished, we sprinted towards the exit and to the sports bar in the resort. The rest of the evening quickly become fuzzy, but things that I do recall include: 1) my mother peer pressuring me into a tequila shot, 2) limoncello, 3) balloons falling from the ceiling, 4) my brother kissing a complete stranger, 5) a VERY sketchy man asking me if my mom was a swinger...WHAT?, and 6) the BF telling me that I needed to be put in time out (i.e. go to bed) because I was not longer forming coherent sentences. Aaaaaaand scene.

The rest of the trip was pleasant, if hungover, and the trip back to SF...well, let's just say I saw my first screaming fight ON an airplane. That may be fodder for a subsequent blog. Over and out.