Every Day a Masterpiece

Sunday debrief

2012-02-12T13:49:00.000-08:00

I have five weeks until the next roller derby game. I feel like I need some serious skate time. After the game, my time on wheels diminished because I was still playing catch-up at work. I really need to work on endurance and that is my least favorite thing. It means running...

I am also switching back to a high raw diet. It will help with the skating and my energy overall. I have been one tired lady and never seem to get enough sleep. And the high raw virtually eliminates the asthma. Right now my breakfasts consist of green smoothies. Yesterday was kale, banana, and pineapple. Today was spinach, banana, blueberries. They are quite yummy.

I am still not emergency prepared, and this frustrates me because I feel I should be ready. I am adding a list of items to get to my phone. Now, when I am out running errands I can refer to it and pick up stuff more frequently. And I am finding it hard to make space for all the stuff. I need to get organized. On the positive side of preparedness, I did try some dehydrated refried beans to see if it would be something I would eat during an emergency. Aside from being a tad salty, they were pretty good. I will add them to my supplies.

I moving back into one of those get-rid-of-stuff phases. I think this is a result of feeling stuck and not having space for the new things to come into my life. It is a good exercise in release. I dislike shopping for clothes and it shows. I looked at some photos from the past few years and realized I have shirts that are really old. Anyway, I worked on the closet and realized it is ok to let go of the past. Some things linger because it is who we used to be. I'd like to have more things that are about who I am now.

While I was working on clearing stuff out, I made a discovery about myself. I have a horrid time decorating my house because I am indecisive and fickle. I like a lot of different things and styles, but can never settle on one. As I reviewed the things I do have, I think I would define my style as whimsical. And I am totally ok with that. I am more than ok with that.

Anyway, on to the next week - with more skating, cleaning, clearing, and prepping.

First Game

2012-01-30T00:44:00.000-08:00

We have completed our first game. 160 (home team) to 139 (us). It was so much better than I imagined. We had tons of people there. Even though both teams have not had much time to work on team strategy, we did pretty good

Only one injury - a broke ankle. This makes me sad, but it is a full contact sport and the risk of injury is high.

My family loved it. I am so glad they came. And so did my friends. It was awesome.

I have had a Epsom salt bath and ibuprofen and am now going to bed.

On being unprepared

2012-01-25T00:19:00.000-08:00

Recent weather events have made me realize I am not even close to prepared for emergencies, power outages, etc. I feel very lucky that I lost power for only a few hours and it was restored before nightfall.

Tonight, there was a flash and a loud boom that set off car alarms and shook the building. My first guess is a transformer blew considering how high up the flash was and that part of the block is now without power. However, the first thought that ran through my mind was, "Crap, not ready for an emergency."

I just picked up two books from the library on preparedness. Coincidence? Anyway, I have a lot of holes in my prep program. My flashlight supply is low. I could use more blankets. More water. More food. More of everything. My bug out supplies are scattered. Yup, not prepared. So, I will work on remedying that right away. The books should help. They have great lists and explanations of why you may need an item. Did you know there are mini crowbars?

Anyway, I am off to sooth my girl kitty. She is pretty spooked by loud noises.

Oh, the Scrimmages

2012-01-11T00:15:00.000-08:00

During the last hour or so of Tuesday night roller derby practices, we scrimmage a bit. We are still learning our rule set, learning to work together as a team, learning how the game flows. Tonight I took a fall that scared me. I hit my hip in such a way I pinched a nerve or something and my foot went numb. I thought it broke something since I couldn't feel anything. I realized after the panic left me that if I broke something I probably would be feeling a whole lot of something, not nothing. I had that horrible funny bone/foot asleep feel and had to sit out a few jams for the feeling to come back.

Still, once I could skate again, I had a really good time. I think I am starting to get it, but I could just be a flailing about. I need more feedback. And I need to work on more skills. I need to hit more, I think. We'll see. As a league, we do not do a lot of hitting yet. But that is ok, since we have a large group of skaters that are not ready for that.

Some days, I am all, "this is a great recreational activity to do a few times a week," and other times I am all, "this is my life and how to I get better, stronger, faster". Have a mentioned my obsessive side at all? I can get weird that way.

Two and a half weeks to the first game. Eight and a half weeks to the second game. There is time to improve...

The New Year

2012-01-02T21:19:00.000-08:00

I have managed a few small tasks (and some naps) over my long holiday weekend. I did a few chores that I always seem to put off. I haven't conquered everything, but I have a good start.

My car should be fixed tomorrow. Just in time for required skate practices (if I want to play, I have to attend two practices weekly until the game starting 30 days before the game). And there are only two this week, so I will get there one way or another. Since there has been all this holiday time, I have not skated in a while. Will have to hit some open skates at the local rinks.

Happy New Year!

35 Days and counting

2011-12-25T00:09:00.000-08:00

35 days until my first roller derby game. There are things I'd like to work on before the league's big debut...

Endurance - I want better cardio and better muscle endurance.
Balance - I want better balance
Basic skills - I want to have to think less about where my feet go

So, in pursuit of these things, I plan to do the following...

For endurance - running, jumping rope, etc. and lots of squats and lunges
For balance - eating a high raw diet. The last time I did this, my sinuses and ears cleared up and I had much better balance. And I have fewer asthma issues, so it helps endurance, too.
For basic skills - skating, skating, skating. The more time I spend on skates the better.

Now that things are starting to solidify, I am starting to feel competitive. I can't help but wonder, are the other skaters feeling that way, too? My league seems pretty laid back and I am nervous about that aspect. And how will it be competing against skaters I have skated with before as teammates? Should be interesting...

The Challening Week

2011-12-23T20:41:00.000-08:00

The week before last was quite challenging. I had to be home during work hours for different issues.

The Thanksgiving Damage

First, there was the broken kitchen sink - an all day fix. Then, there was waiting for the insurance adjuster to look at my car. And finally, there was changing locks out and helping the bff take care of the critical stuff after his wallet was stolen from his gym.

This was all happening during one of the busiest times of the year at work. I felt guilty for not being there, even though I made up many of my missed hours. However, I do not feel that way now. My workplace is always going on about balancing personal life with work. And my coworkers seem to have no problem taking time for their personal lives during the busiest season, so why shouldn't I? I am not sure how I feel about this shift in my thinking yet. Am I getting smarter about work/life balance? Or do I just not care as intently about the work anymore? Most likely it is because work is not the primary focus in my life anymore and it defines me less and less.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2011-11-12T23:16:00.000-08:00

Things are picking up at work. The holidays are fast approaching. The first scrimmage is next weekend. It is busy.

With winter approaching, I am suddenly very emergency preparedness aware, especially since I am so ill prepared. First, I thought I did not have space for a lot of supplies, but realized I have some unused storage in the dinette. Second, I am starting accumulate the stuff. Finally, it does feel good to be heading in the right direction. It is supposed to be a wet and cold winter, and the more ready I am the better.

Just keep skating

2011-11-08T22:04:00.000-08:00

Hooray! The requirement for hockey stops has been waived for the training scrimmage. My supplementary insurance has come through. My temporary uniform has been ordered. Things are moving along quickly now.

We had a photographer at the last practice. I hope I don't look like a goof.

We have about 14 women on the list for uniforms. The weird thing is, these aren't the women I started skating with, except for one. They are great women and I think we would gel well as a team.

Hooray for October!

2011-10-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

September flew by! It took a while to get back into the swing of work, but it has smoothed out now.

I am looking forward to October. It is the beginning of the holiday season for me with Halloween at the end of the month. It is also the beginning of the busy season at work. Things will start to get hectic pretty quickly.

Derby is moving along. The question about which rule set we will be playing with has finally been settled. The first scrimmage date has been moved up from February to December. That makes me a bit nervous because I have not mastered all the skills required to play. The new rule set we are using requires a hockey stop and all I have ever achieved trying to do that is sore inner thighs. And advance practices will resume again this month, so it is time to invest in more pads - for hips, bum, and tailbone.

I have also moved my to-do list to a highly visible reminder on the bookshelf instead of being tucked away in a drawer or buried on the desk. When I was transferring items to the new format, I has already accomplished a bunch of things. Hooray!

Days 8, 9, 10, 11

2011-08-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

More cleaning and organizing has been happening, which is a good thing. I went to town on the pantry, kitchen cupboards, and bathroom shelves. It is amazing how much stuff just accumulates in the corners.

I had another endurance based derby practice on Monday that showed me how much more work I really need to do to be at the level I want to be at. So, this morning I went to the lake for a high intensity interval training (HIIT). It is supposed to be one of the best ways to build endurance quickly. As a beginner, I am starting my intervals at a 30 second sprint (really just a run in my case) followed by a 90 second walk (resting phase). Repeat 6 to 8 times. At round number 4, I figured I was done, but I made it through round 6. I purchased and interval timer so I didn't have to look at my watch all the time. It is a great tool.

Today I also experimented with cooking Indian food. I made a yellow split pea stew that is not too bad. It is a little salty, but one you add rice it balances out nicely.

Day 7

2011-08-27T00:06:00.000-07:00

Nothing too exciting today. I did, however, walk the lake (2.8 miles) then did squats, lunges, and crunches.

I think more than anything, I needed a summer. I needed long days in sunlight, not stuck away in a windowless room (this is the work environment, by the way). It thrills me to no end to get up when the morning is still cool and putter around my house. It just feels right - the kind of feeling I got as a kid.

Day 6

2011-08-25T23:55:00.000-07:00

I did not nap today. More importantly, I did not feel the need to nap today. This is very exciting.

Today's highlights:

Advance derby practice - it was mostly endurance tonight and I really need to work on that!
Sorting and organizing - the pile of stuff going to goodwill is growing. It feels great to be moving it out of my apartment.
Crafting - I started making flowers for a wreath. They look like cherry blossoms.

Overall, a good day.

Day 4 and Day 5

2011-08-24T23:52:00.000-07:00

So, nothing spectacular happend on either day. More attempted cleaning and organizing, more napping, more surfing.

Day 4, however, ended with a Costco membership. My first membership, but not my first visit to the store. Still as I remember it - huge quantities of everything. And I still have similar dilemmas. First, I am most interested in produce, but the quantities are so big I worry it would go bad. Second, where to store stuff. It will work out...

Day 5 only brought the feeling of beginning to feel rested. And the knots in my neck and shoulders are beginning to loosen. Huzzah!

I am still hoping to create a noticeable dent in all the things that have been hanging over my head and bothering me. And even though I hope that, my primary time-off objective is still rest.

Day 3

2011-08-23T07:39:00.000-07:00

Day 3 was largely uneventful. I did a bit of shopping, a bit of cleaning, a bit of napping, a bit of Internet surfing.

I did, however, go see Laurie Notaro read from her new book at a local bookstore. I find her very funny. I was laughing to the point of tears.

I have not decided yet on what will happen during Day 4. I have so many options and so much I want to do. I do think I will need to stop by work to drop of a document that keeps bouncing back in email. Guess I look like spam. :) Anyway, what to do, what to do? Think, think, think...

Time off - Day 1 and 2

2011-08-21T22:47:00.000-07:00

I am taking some time off from work. I need a rest and there are things I want to get done. I am already feeling the I-am-running-out-of-time panic and vacation just started! I'm sure it will get better as time goes on.

Day one was basic house cleaning and errand running. Pretty typical for a Saturday. I even had a nap (which is a major vacation goal), but feel I should have done more.

Day two was skating and visiting a local Goth-type market. Since I have not skated in two weeks, the skating was tiring. And it was really hot. The market was small, but there were fun things for sale - from the macabre to the cute.

The league I skate with has acquired some banked track time. I am going to give it a go in a couple of weeks, but I think my heart belongs to the flat track. We shall see. I am curious to see how many people come...

Now the True Test

2011-08-07T00:09:00.000-07:00

I have been attending roller derby classes since March or so. Last month advanced skater practices started. Not too bad. A little faster, a little harder, a little more endurance needed. I still love it. I still want to skate every day. But when people ask me about my skating goals (as in bouting), I always say, "We'll see." Why? Because I still haven't passed what I feel is the true test. Hitting and being hit.

Well, Thursday, that test began. We did a couple of hitting drills - hips and shoulders. It went ok. I just think we got the info in backwards order. I think we should have worked on how to receive a hit and talked a bit about how incorrectly thrown hits can cause injury first (that part came after the drill). On the bright side, I think the first go around went well.

Continue Rolling

2011-05-13T23:44:00.000-07:00

So, derby class continues. I seem prone to falling near the end of class. I think my muscles are just so tired that I can't manage as well after two hours. Time for some hardcore endurance training. Or something... This week I had one of those falls where one second you are standing and the next you are looking at the ground. It is a weird sensation because I didn't feel the fall. But the good news is I am improving.

I am completing my second week of high raw eating. I am feeling better, but I am getting bored with my rushed food choices. I really need to prep basics (i.e. salad dressings, sprouted nuts, crackers, etc.) to have a better variety ready for the work week.

I have switched the cats to an all wet food diet. It is going to take some adjustment. My biggest cat has become super aggressive, so it is time to reinvest in the cat pheromone dispenser. The smaller cats seem to chase about more. Glad they are getting exercise, but it would be better if it was not so late at night. I am sure the neighbors do not want to hear thunder cats at 10 p.m.

Class #2

2011-04-22T00:30:00.000-07:00

I thought I had recovered from the last roller derby class after 3 days. I was wrong. During class tonight, my quads started protesting about 45 minutes in. By the end of class, my inner thighs were so sore I could barley transition from skating forwards to skating backwards. Hopefully the recovery time will be shorter this time. At least I wasn't the only one feeling it. Other women said they felt sore in new places, too.

More practice on stopping, pace lines, balance, crossovers, and walls. I changed my wheels before class and that seemed to make a big difference in my speed and in my ability to plow stop. We also had a lot more contact this time. We worked on pushing with our shoulders, skating in and through a pack, and keeping our walls straight by grabbing the other players.

Despite the soreness, stiffness, and fatigue, it is still a total blast. I love, love, love it!

More Roller Derby

2011-04-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

Went to a bout last night. Large venue and lots of fun.

I love it when I get to see really good roller derby. The second bout was really close with really good jams. I can see how people get all gaga over their teams. I wanted to get all gaga, too. Next time I will show up in team colors - or something.

Fun times!

Roller Derby 101

2011-04-14T23:31:00.000-07:00

Tonight was my first roller derby class in a 10 week course offered by the city's Parks Department. A new rec league is teaching it. We moved through drills pretty quickly. I have lots of new things I can work on solo when skating, but the class really affords a great opportunity to work with other people (like learning to skate close to another person - on purpose).

I did not collapse from fatigue (hooray me!), but by the end of the night my thighs were nearing exhaustion. I need to work on thigh strength, core strength, and overall endurance.

The class was small and the women were great. I am looking forward to working with them again!

Fruits Basket

2011-02-09T23:26:00.000-08:00

As the local anime convention approaches I find my anime viewing increasing. Fruits Basket is one that I have recently watched. Loosely, it is about a high school girl and her friendship with a cursed family. The anime, based on a manga by the same name, is only the first 20 or so chapters, so I have had to read the remainder of the story. I need to know what happens!

Anyway, as someone that reads comic books, I am a little surprised I had not started reading manga before now! And I am very grateful the local public library carries many manga and anime series.

2010 in Review

2011-01-02T12:14:00.000-08:00

It has been a pretty good year...

Vacationed at Disneyland
Attended 2 weddings (Aunt & Brother)
Saw several plays

Peter Pan
Annie
Sweeney Todd
Batboy, the Musical
Godspell

Attended other events

Emerald City Comicon
Sakura Con
WA Ren Faire
Aki Matsuri
The Tattoo Expo
The Vegfest
A reading by Laurie Notaro
MC Chris concert
The Birthday Massacre concert
A taping of Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me

Introduced to Roller Derby, which lead to...

Seeing several bouts
Teaching my BFF to roller skate
Skating a lot (it is not just for birthday parties anymore!)

Read 40+ books
Saw 8 movies in the theater
Plus a bunch of other stuff I can't recall right now!

So, yes, I'd say it was a good year and I am looking forward to the next one!

Halloween Happenings

2010-10-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

We had the department Halloween potluck yesterday. It is a nice excuse to decorate and to get together as a group and socialize a bit before our busy season is in full swing.

I also went to a haunted forest with two friends. It was well done. It is a quarter mile path in a state park. Along the path are various creatures, scary scenes and buildings. It is put on by several adult and youth non-profit groups. There were several kids helping to creep out the masses. Highlights include being followed by the grave digger ominously dragging his shovel, ghostly children singing creepy songs, and the chainsaw guy. Ok, the chainsaw guy was really creepy and the only time I felt I needed to put distance between myself and the actor. I sort of ran ahead a bit and dragged my friends with me since we were moving through the forest holding on to one another.

It was a good start to the Halloween weekend.

Warm Weekend Doings

2010-08-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went to two events.

On Saturday I went to the Tattoo Expo. Saw lots of artists' work. One friend found an artist she liked. She has a tattoo in mind and was just looking for someone with a bright and colorful style.

On Sunday I went to the Renaissance Faire. Only lasted a few hours there because it was so hot. The heat just wipes me out.

Friday Night Skate

2010-08-06T23:16:00.000-07:00

Skated 2.8 miles around a lake at a local park. Very tiring since my endurance sucks. While we were skating we could hear drums. The closer we got to the drums, the more they sounded like taiko drums. Sure enough, they were. They were performing before the lantern floating ceremony began. We stopped to listen. Very nice.

A Great Day

2010-07-19T20:39:00.000-07:00

Sunday was a great day. I went to the Locks with a friend to see the salmon running. Well, there were plenty of fish, but also lots of other wildlife. Above is a picture of one of three harbor seals taking advantage of the schools of fish. This one frequently chased fish right along the walkway wall giving us a great show. The other two were much further away. We also saw several birds (kingfisher, heron, goose, crow, seagulls) and tiny crabs.

I also saw Predators. It was really good. It had great suspense and kept me interested even though I already knew what was going on - we all knew what was going on. And the geek in me liked the references to Predator. I think this has been one of the better films from this franchise.

And, to top off the day, there was skating. I had not skated for a week so it took me a while to get my rink legs. And once I was really feeling comfortable, my legs were getting tired. Figures. I just need to make sure I skate more frequently.

Sore and tired

2010-07-11T00:12:00.000-07:00

I went to the new skater practice with a roller derby practice group today. Two hours of learning how to stop and fall and skate close to other people. The actual skating around part was not too bad, it was the constant up and down (getting down on the floor and getting back up). All the muscles in my thighs hurt. I can barely walk down stairs. And I have bonus raw places in my mouth from my mouth guard. Huzzah!

Anyway, I have a month before the next new skater practice. So plenty of time to work on stops and balance and stuff!

The Melting Point - 82 degrees

2010-07-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

This is Isabelle melting. We had a couple of hot days and the apartment was around 82 degrees. All the cats were just wiped out. Unfortunately, when they are too hot to run around they store energy. So this morning, they went off like a soda can that has been shaken. There was so much crashing about I thought furniture had been knocked over. Happily, today is much cooler.

Getting Ready

2010-07-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

So I got the rest of the gear I need to work with a roller derby practice group. Helmet (seen above), mouth guard, and better knee pads. The knee pads are made for repetitive falling. While skating is important, I've read it is also important to fall correctly and get back up quickly. I think the popping back up part will be the biggest challenge for me. Can't wait to start learning.

Went to a zombie walk over the weekend. Thousands of people showed up dressed as zombies to lumber and shuffle along for several blocks. Some people were really into it with decay and gore and some just splattered some blood on themselves (new zombies, I would guess). I am sad to say I missed the Thriller dance. Zombies are not my monster of choice, but it was still very fun.

Cat Sitting and Derby

2010-06-28T23:43:00.000-07:00

I have been cat sitting a neighbor's cats for the past few days. She has three. One older girl and and two four-year-old girls. We got along pretty well. Had some play time and brushing time. The neighbor said she noted her cats seemed relaxed and normal when she got home. The previous cat sitter seemed to leave them stressed. I am the cat whisperer.

Saturday I watched another roller derby bout. Two teams from our state and two from other states. It was pretty good. There were some good hits, some really good skating, and some confusing tactics. There was a point when the pack wasn't even moving. I still do not know all the rules, so I do not know how the refs determine which group of players makes the primary portion of the pack. I think it may be majority, but I am not sure. Anyway, with the pack at a standstill, it made it easier for the jammer to race around the track and score points.

MC Chris, Wait, Wait, and RCRG

2010-06-06T21:59:00.000-07:00

This week was a busy week.

First, I went to an MC Chris concert. He is always fun to see. The venue is small, so it is easy to see the stage well from just about anywhere. He is a rapper and is frequently categorized as Nerdcore hip-hop.

Second, I went to a taping/performance of Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me, an NPR news quiz show. It was funny. I listened to the edited show that was aired on the radio. A lot of material got cut. It is interesting what is left out.

Finally, I went to the Rat City Roller Girls championship bout. It was a really good bout. I am a derby newbie, but I was able to explain the basics to the woman sitting next to me. It was her first time at a bout. The arena sold out with over 6,800 attendees. I think the worst injury was a broken nose. Huzzah!

I went roller skating with my BFF again. The best thing about our skate outings is the list of things we try. After the skate, we go over the things we are trying to master and how we think we did. I am working on a crossover and think I finally get how it should feel. I tried skating backwards (still a no go), hung onto the wall to work on transitions from forward to backwards skating (need to go back to the Internet instructions on that one), and spent time working on balance with one foot skating. I really groove on the speed, but it can be so tiring.

Happy half-birthday to me!

2010-05-23T13:31:00.000-07:00

Today is my half-birthday! And to celebrate I am going skating with my new skates. Huzzah! I got these yesterday at the local skate shop (owned by local derby girls). And eat nachos. Huzzah some more. It will be a good half-birthday.

Yesterday, I skated around in them a bit and was warned by my BFF not to showboat. I wasn't showboating, but eager to try all the stuff I had seen demonstrated on the Internet. I am ready to work on skills now that I have pads and am less concerned about falling. I was only trying to skate backwards. :)

So today we are going to a local park to skate and tonight we are going to the rink. I want to see if I can skate 40 laps without stopping. For the local derby education group, 40 laps is just the warm up. And for me, a very out of shape and sedentary person, 40 laps may just do me in. We'll see...

Sweeney Todd

2010-05-23T13:17:00.000-07:00

Last night I watched my niece's high school production of Sweeney Todd. I was a bit surprised by the performance. I think many of the actors really struggled with the songs. And I mean really struggled. My niece played the part of the judge's ward, which was an operatic part. She sang beautifully! Granted, I may be biased, but I know when someone is hitting the notes and rhythm correctly. I am more amazed every time I see her perform.

The new thing for this high school drama department is for the teachers and other adults that direct to be cast in the play in leading roles. Of six performances, my niece only sang in 3 because her vocal coach (not a district employee as far as I know) played her part the other 3 performances. They are calling it mentoring. I attended the only performance that was all student other than one alumni and a tiny part for the director (a murdered customer this night). All other performances have an non-student adult in one of the lead roles.

In my opinion, the students performances would have been much better if the directors had spent more time directing and coaching the students and less time working on their own performances.

Roller Derby

2010-05-18T21:48:00.000-07:00

I watched a roller derby bout on Saturday. My BFF and I sat in the crash zone (right on the track). It was really fun. I had a lot of questions about how the game was played. I know some of the basics, but wanted to know more about penalties, scoring, etc. There were two bouts. First bout was between two league teams. The second bout was between a league team and a visiting team from Eugene, OR. The second bout was very close and got very physical. The crowd went wild. It was pretty amazing. I was getting the impression there would be a lot of "theater" happening, but it was total sport. Very cool.

Author Reading

2010-05-04T21:54:00.000-07:00

Tonight I went to hear Laurie Notaro speak at a local bookstore. I find her quite funny. Her most recent book is a work of fiction, so she read a piece she is working on for another book. I was laughing so hard I was near tears (and I wasn't the only one)!

So, a friend across the state introduced me to her, then I told two friends, and so on and so on. Her fan base should be huge! Mostly women at the reading, but a few men. Most men there were supportive boyfriends and husbands. I hope they found her funny, too.

Batboy - The Musical

2010-04-27T23:51:00.000-07:00

Tonight was my first time meeting people from a meet-up group to see a play. We saw Batboy the Musical at a local university. It was nice to meet other theater lovers. The host of the event was filling me in on upcoming events and I am excited to attend those, as well.

The play was fun. I had never seen it before, but had heard of it. I was impressed by the set design, lighting, and staging. The actors did a great job. I found it quite funny and ended up humming some of the music on the way home. That is always a good sign.

Busy Times

2010-04-19T22:57:00.000-07:00

The past week has been busy. I am helping out another department at work and have barely had time to complete my own work. The biggest time suck has been getting myself set up with templates and learning the ins and outs of the job.

I took Simon back to the vet to get his ear re-checked. He had an ear infection. A week of ointment and it is all clear.

Went roller skating again. The BFF skated most the time without holding my arm. Very good for his third time out. He is getting faster, too, which is more fun for me. He wanted to know if I was interested in roller derby, but I am not sure I would want to make the time commitment. There are too many other things I want to do. I don't want one activity eating up all my free time.

I cleaned the hall on Saturday! This is big news for me. The hall in my apartment feels sort of like an after thought. I am told it is there because the space was once two smaller apartments that shared a common kitchen and bath. Anyway, the hall has been a landing pad for all sorts of odds and ends - broken things, weird things, goodwill things. Sunday I either found a home for every object or got rid of it. I swept, mopped, and cleaned baseboards, door jambs (including the top), and doors. It looks great. I want to walk down it because the space just feels great now. Clean makes my heart happy.

Sakuracon

2010-04-12T00:23:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I attended my first Sakuracon. It is a convention for anime, manga, and cultural arts. It was a HUGE event - over 18,000 attendees.

I attended all three days. I attended many events and panels, but so many more were available. The event consisted of anime showings in at least 6 "theaters", cosplay skits, tons of people in coslay (costume play - when people dress as characters from anime, manga, games, etc.), a Lolita fashions show, a tea ceremony, tai chi demos, gaming, voice actors, creators and artists from manga and anime, 4 bands, a masquerade, and so much more.

I look forward to attending next year. I will certainly be able to schedule my time better and get to more panels and events. And, of course, I would like to dress in costume.

Annie

2010-04-02T23:14:00.000-07:00

My niece and brother are in a local production of Annie. I went to opening night. It went pretty well. The seemed to have a few technical difficulties that made many of the soloists hard to hear. I will have the opportunity to see the production at least twice more. Hopefully, they will get the technical quirks ironed out.

Another Day Home

2010-03-23T23:49:00.000-07:00

I spent another day home recovering from my cold. Being home allows me to spend time with my cats. Pictured above is Simon. He is a sweet, sweet cat. When new cats came into the house, he is the one that would sit with the new family member. He sat with Misha under the bed for a couple of days and he sat with Isabelle in the bathroom for a couple of days. He wasn't aggressive or territorial, just a companion. My BFF thinks he was letting them know this was a good house to be in.

He is the cat everyone gets along with. He is the cat that loves to snuggle the other cats (and they allow him to). He is the cat the other cats play with without it getting too serious. And he loves to have his belly rubbed. But what I have noticed mostly this past couple of days is that he is very good at entertaining himself. He'll play with shoelaces (still in shoes), balls of fur (after Misha combings), any of the toys around the house, and his found objects. Sunday he found a button and was scooting it around and carrying it around the house. Monday he found a shard of plastic and was carrying that around the house. Today I think he found a spider and ate that. I have also caught him with paperclips, cotton swabs, hairbands, screws, and a variety of other small objects.

I hope to be feeling better tomorrow and go into work. Being sick sucks...

The best laid plans...

2010-03-22T23:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I had planned on getting a huge pile of stuff done this past weekend. And since I was in denial about my illness (yes, I suspected on Friday I was coming down with something), I thought I could continue with that plan. Not the case. The body had other plans. I took two (two!) naps on Saturday. Yup, I obviously needed the rest. Stayed home from work today to deal with my cold. It started in my chest (weird) and has moved into my head.

I did manage some laundry. And I made soup for myself and my BFF who had the flu. Luckily, I did not need to spend too much time with the BFF since I was worried about catching his illness or giving him mine. My house reeks of garlic. I swear I have consumed almost half a bulb in 3 days (I must reek, too). But it is so good for you.

The jury is still out on the work situation for tomorrow. We'll see how the head and nose are doing in the morning.

Oh! And I am extremely grateful for tissues with lotion. So very grateful...

Being prepared

2010-03-19T22:49:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the first day of sping. Hooray! I plan on doing some spring cleaning. I did just find out, though, that my BFF is ill. It sounds like he has the flu. So, to be prepared, I am cleaning my bathroom and doing dishes tonight. Just in case...but I feel great and have been taking care of myself pretty well, I think.

Plans for tomorrow include taking stuff to a thrift store, detailing my car (ok, really just cleaning all the cracks and crevices), cleaning house, taking a long walk, spending time in the sun, and napping (and napping in the sun - perhaps I was a cat in another life.)

I took flowers into work today to celebrate spring. It was another coworker's idea and she brought flowers, too. I realized my basement office is in need of a makeover. This weekend I hope to look for items to liven it up a bit. Flowers help, but it kind of made the rest of the office look drab.

I also attended a class today to deal with stress and the digestive tract. I tend to hold stress in my gut (seems many people do) and the class had great ways to relieve tension, pain, heartburn, etc. Some things can be done discreetly at your desk (accupressure points) and some things need a more private place for twists, bends, and breathing.

Cheers to good health!

Peter Pan

2010-03-19T00:48:00.000-07:00

Tonight I attended opening night of Peter Pan - the musical - at my nieces' high school. My oldest niece was an Indian; part of Tiger Lilly's tribe.

This production was probably one of the better ones I have attended there. The set design was really good. The wire work was well done. The transitions to wire work was well done (almost invisible). I think there was some ad libbing, but the actors stayed in character. There were lines that made me laugh out loud that were delivered in a sincere way. (It is hard to explain, but sometimes you can tell when an actor is trying to get the laugh. It breaks them out of character for me.) The entire theater was used for the production, and not confined to just the stage.

My niece did a great job. She danced most of the time she was on stage. No wonder she had complained of sore legs! She had a lovely red costume that had scard liek sleeves (or sleeve-like scarves) that made her dancing sort of flow. I think she is a good candidate for a fairy.

I may just have to go again. They have a different Hook and Peter on other evenings. Switching actors can change the whole flavor of the production.

Emerald City Comicon

2010-03-14T22:31:00.000-07:00

Last week seemed like a very hectic week. We had trainings at work all week long, I helped care for a sick friend, and I fended off illness, myself. I didn't seem to get much else done. Time is tricky like that for me. I was frustrated by the fact I didn't seem to have much to spare.

This weekend I attended the Emerald City Comicon. It is a convention based primarily on the comic industry. I have been in years past and enjoyed it. This year I attended panels, which I have not done before. I listened to Leonard Nimoy talk and answer questions. And I listened to the Green Lantern writers and artists speak about their work and the future of the book.

There were pretty good costumes this year. I love to see families dressed up. And people are fairly good about posing for you or with you. On the way out I saw a Batman (about 7 years old) asking to pose with an adult Harley Quinn (foe). She got on her knees and struck an action pose with him. Too cool.

Other things I enjoyed about the con:
During the Green Lantern panel the writers and artists autographed stuff for a kid (middle school age) that had driven 2 hours to get to the con and was only there for Saturday (the panel was their last event for the day.)

Leonard Nimoy is a hoot and quite gracious. He actually asked questions of the fans asking him questions.

The one thing I did not like was crowd management. They had staging places (lines for waiting) for the panels that were not well planned - creating a type of weird traffic flow that created traffic jams and bottle necks. Prepaid ticketing was on the other side of the building from regular ticket purchases (so I had to find my BFF in a throng of people. Let's hear it for cell phones.) Things were not clearly marked and the volunteers were overwhelmed by questions. Seriously, how do I get on the committee that handles that part of event planning?

They are planning a three day event next year. I will have to try something new then. Perhaps I will get my act together and go costumed. With my track record I'd better start planning that now. Hmm...Wonder Woman anyone?

Pies and Pints and Roller Skating 101

2010-03-06T19:40:00.000-08:00

Two new things for me this week, sort of.

First, I had dinner at a new restaurant last night. It is called Pies and Pints. Their specialty is pot pies. I had the Indian Curry pot pie. The curry was good, the pie was smaller than expected, and the crust was really oily. I also chose the sweet potato fries. They were very sweet. I can see why they are served with garlic mayo. Overall, I think I will pass next time.

Next comes skating 101. Today I got to take my BFF to roller skating. He has never learned how to do it. So, really, it was me just providing support and encouragement and a few words of advice. I have not been skating in a while, so it took me a few times around to relax back into it. It was interesting trying to skate with a tense skater clinging to my arm like it was a life raft. He did well. And it was a good workout. We were both sweating by the end of the hour. He didn't fall once. He attributes a lot of that to my support, but he worked on flying solo, too, and didn't fall.

Feng Shui Result?

2010-03-03T22:03:00.000-08:00

I worked on clearing some space in my house on Sunday. I managed to work through one whole book shelf and part of another. I ended up making space for new stuff to start coming into my life (that was the point in the first place). So, my question is, are the changes in my life a result of feng shui? Or something else?

Change 1: Created a facebook page that will basically be family only. I am hoping it will keep me in better touch with my nieces.

Change 2: I am correcting some misinformation friends have about a certain aspect of my life. Let me just say, it is an issue that has been weighing heavily on me for a while and correcting their misconception is bringing lots of relief.

Change 3: I have decided I need to meet more people. I have joined two groups on Meetup.com. One is theater based and one is for writers.

This may seem like things most folks do all the time, but for me it is huge. First, I have felt stuck, stuck, stuck for a long time. Second, I do not relish unknown social situations, but feel oddly comfortable with the meetup groups. And finally, I tend to be slow, slow, slow when it comes to change (and that, of course, is fear based).

So, again I ask, feng shui? Or something else?

The Zoo and Apartment Feng Shui

2010-02-28T12:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I went to the zoo. The Nocturnal Exhibit (aka the Night exhibit) will be closed as of March 1. This is a really fun exhibit and many are saddened by its closure. The zoo hopes to create a more energy efficient exhibit in the future.

The exhibit had a line to the door, which I had never experienced previously. People were patience and orderly, even small kids. I did get to see the bushbaby hop around and see the vampire bats flutter about. The slow loris was actually searching through the leaf litter and clearly visible.

The pic is feeding birds in the Willawong Station. That is always a thrill, too. The bigger birds, like the one in the pic, seldom land on the stick to eat. The smaller parrots will land on the stick and will clean the millet off quickly. I love to hand off birds to little kids.

My apartment seems to be in a constant state of CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome). I was rereading chapters in a book about space clearing and feng shui this morning. It suggested if you have a blind eye to the clutter (which happens), taking pics of your house can help. It can also help you determine how well your home represents you. When reviewing the pics you think about what they say about the person that lives there and decide if that reflects who you are or want to be.

So, I took pics this morning. Very informative. It really helped pinpoint where clutter accumulates and where the stagnant stuff is. I saw lots of old habits, lifestyle, and relationships in the pics. The book and the author's website has great tips on letting go of clutter and I will be working on that very thing this afternoon. Spring cleaning!

The Wolfman

2010-02-23T09:09:00.000-08:00

I saw The Wolfman over the weekend. It had some very violent and gory parts. However, the Wolfman did look like the classic wolfman. I thought that was very cool. Overall, it was well done (even though I closed my eyes at the yucky parts).

I am not very familiar with the lead actor's work. Benicio Del Torro has been in many films, but I think this is the first time I have ever seen him. I was a little surprised when he first appeared. I think I was expecting a younger man to play the lead.

Still on Vacation

2010-02-22T23:10:00.000-08:00

Today I remain on vacation. It was a fairly quiet day. I worked on long term list items and napped. Napped hard. The things I worked on today were yoga, dance drills, and japanese. Tomorrow I will go shopping. I need new running shoes. They were pretty old when I went to Disneyland, but I loaned them to my niece and the miles we put on them in the Magic Kingdom ended their life. Sigh. They were good to me.

Disneyland

2010-02-21T09:07:00.000-08:00

I just got back from vacationing at Disneyland. I went with my brother's family and we spent 5 days and four nights in Anaheim. It was good fun, but by the fifth day, we were ready to come home. I really needed the vacation and I think they may have, too.

We rode many rides, met many characters, shopped a bit and even went north to Universal Studios on one day. It was a good time, but fairly exhausting. We walked a lot. I wish I had worn a pedometer to see how far we walked each day. The sun (or rather the heat) took its toll on me. We left mid 50s in the Pacific Northwest and arrived in Southern California to low 80s. The first day was one of the hottest, I think. It cooled to the 70s after that.

High points: the Indiana Jones ride, the Simpsons ride (Universal), Jurassic Park (Universal), Splash Mountain, Grizzly River Run, Pirates of the Caribbean, Aladdin live action performance, creating my own ears, spending time with family.

Low points: heat and no shorts to wear, allergic reaction to sunscreen, few fruits, vegetables, or tofu (where is all the good food?), hard water, strollers, tour buses, the Mummy ride (Universal).

The cast memebers at Disneyland were nice. Most were helpful and had great attitudes. Both times we went on Indiana Jones it had difficulty and stopped running. The staff there let us know what was going on and got it up and running in a few minutes. I was impressed by that. They really seemed to work hard to make sure everyone had a good time.

We had the opportunity to talk to a cast member about her job during our wait for Indiana Jones. She had been at Disneyland 6 years and although the pay was not great she absolutely loved what she did. Both my nieces have interest in working at Disneyland.

Toys!

2010-02-14T12:17:00.000-08:00

These are my new toys! I have wanted to get some for a while and finally found some cheap and in my size. For those not familiar with Heelys, they are sneakers with wheels in the heels. I have not worn them outside of my house yet since I am still getting the balance thing together. I must say, they are a workout for the core and the legs.

I am prepping for my vacation to Disneyland. I am cleaning house, shopping, and packing. I am getting rather excited. It is still a little hard to believe that by this time the day after tomorrow I will be riding rides, buying ears, and posing with characters with my family. Too much fun!

Walkies and the Long Week

2010-02-11T23:16:00.000-08:00

Misha loves to walk in the halls of the building on his leash as long as there is nobody around. I am working on shaving a few pounds off him by walking him and feather play. He is believed to be part Maine Coon and they are a big breed. He weighs about 22 lbs, but should probably be closer to 19 - 20 lbs.

This is my last week at work before my vacation. I have been spending a lot of time clearing up old paperwork and training my back-up. I am finally to the point of letting go. There are a few things to finish up tomorrow, but for the most part, I have done what I can to prep for my vacation.

I am still commercial TV free. I am kind of surprised, actually. I figured after a week I would be ready to get back to it, but I don't miss it as much as I thought I would.

I haven't spent much time working on the list because work has been so exhausting (and I was worried I was coming down with something). I did, however, realize I have quite a few projects that will need to be completed by doing something daily. For example, brushing up on my Japanese is an item that needs frequent practice. So I am identifying the longer term tasks and trying to build them into a daily routine. I listen to Japanese lessons on the commute to work. It really helps build the vocabulary that way.

Busy week

2010-02-04T21:43:00.000-08:00

This week had flown by. Most of my time was consumed by preparing for and stressing about an event at work. It was a small thank you party for members of several other departments that pitched in and helped my team during our busiest time. There was a lot of planning and prep for the event, but in the end it was a very nice. It was the first time the departments seemed to mingle well socially. Because of all the work focus, I have not gotten too far on the list. However, I have another weekend right around the corner. I am starting to feel like I can release some projects I have been hanging onto, as well. Projects and stuff, that is. Spring cleaning is very refreshing. On Monday I attempted to make a (mostly) raw vegan sushi roll. The nori is dried, not toasted and therefore considered raw. For the rice I used shredded parsnip sweetened with rice vinegar and agave. The rest of the fillings consisted of cucumber, carrot, bean sprouts, and avocado. I really need to work on my rolling technique. It was much too loose, so a lot of it fell apart. In any case, eating it will a fork did not diminish the taste. And I got to bust open my tin of wasabi. Good stuff! I am still commercial TV free! I have not missed it as much as I thought I would. There was really only one evening (when I was very tired) when I considered turning on the TV and vegging out for a while. I figured if that was all I had the energy to do then I might as well just go to bed.

Weekend Activities

2010-01-31T23:18:00.001-08:00

I did a variety of things this weekend. I have started a micro farm. My mung beans have started to sprout! I have really been enjoying sprouts in a variety of foods and decided to grow my own. I began work on the master list, too. Spring cleaning was one item. I managed to sort through several storage areas in the kitchen. My apartment is older and has several difficult to reach cupboards. I am pretty sure I found stuff that belonged to my former roommate and to the people who lived here before me! I am happy to have moved that out of my space. Also from the list, I have begun repainting a picture frame. I have had art that I have wanted to frame for almost a year now. The size is a little unusual, but I found a frame that fits. The only drawback is it is stained wood. I am painting it black to match the other frames in the house. I spent a lot of time this weekend moving files from my old computer to my new computer. I thought I had completed this task when I realized I needed to move all the files I have on floppy disks. The new computer only had a cd/dvd drive - no floppy drive. Finishing the move will take a couple more days. Tonight was the last encounter in the D&D campaign I came into the middle of earlier this month. It went well considering I know more about the campaign and the character, but still am still missing huge parts of the story line. We defeated the bad guy and earned our reward. We probably will not be able to start the next campaign until March because of busy February schedules, so I have a little time to determine if I want to continue as a dragonborn paladin or change to another character. I must say, it is nice to be the muscle in the group, even though the character is on the straight, narrow, and holy. Finally, today concludes day two of my week long TV fast. I decided to cut out commercial TV for a bit since it has been a time suck with no redeeming value. During the day it isn't a big deal since I am usually too busy to have it on anyway. But in the evening I definitely notice it. The apartment is much quieter. There is no distraction from the things that need to be done. And I find I am still expected to sit on the couch and provide lap time for my felines. Thank goodness for good books!

The To-Do List

2010-01-27T23:11:00.000-08:00

I love to create lists. Unfortunately, my lists are usually longer than what I can accomplish in one day. That is why I have created a master list. It is a huge list of all the unaccomplished things in my life. Items range from sewing projects, to household projects, to calls I need to make. My goal is to set aside time each week and begin chipping away at the list. The master list will do two things for me: 1) it will be a visual reminder to set aside time to work on projects, and 2) it will (supposedly) free up some head space by not having to mind the list mentally. I have some seriously old projects lurking around the house. And I have some projects that will fix something that is driving me nuts. I think I will strive for balance in the old/big/annoying aspect of the projects. Of course, I could just start with the really small and easy ones to start taking big bites out of the list. Hmm...something to consider.

A Family Affair

2010-01-25T21:23:00.000-08:00

I attended a family wedding this weekend. It was nice to see family I had not seen for years. I reconnected and caught up with cousins, aunts, uncles. Not a bad way to spend the weekend. It was a good test run for the Disney vacation I am taking next month, too. The wedding was out of state, so my brother's family and I shared a hotel room. That is the Disney plan, as well. Four adults in one hotel room for the wedding. It will be five at Disneyland. My brother decided looking into another room at Disneyland may be a good idea.

Avatar 3D

2010-01-11T21:14:00.000-08:00

I saw Avatar in 3D on New Year's Day. The plot moved along slowly in a few places, and the foreshadowing was blunt, but over all, not bad. The 3D effect was fun. I probably should have sat a little more center in the theater to get a better effect. The scenery was pretty (alien world and all) and the big action scene at the end was really well done.

Dungeons and Dragons

2010-01-10T20:18:00.000-08:00

Stepped into a D&D game last night. I was taking over an already established character in an adventure that is nearing completion. It was my first time playing a full game, although my BFF had introduced me to the concept previously. It was a little weird coming in at the end, though. There is an adventure history and team interaction that I have missed and had no clue about. Did I know we all had dragon statuettes? I really liked the people. I was asked if I would be coming back. But, of course! I look forward to building my own character and being in the know right from the beginning. I think it will make the decision making process a lot easier.