Browse Category: life

Refreshed

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with my hair.  Yeah, it’s long, straight, and smooth but it’s also slippery, heavy when it’s long, doesn’t hold a curl, and ends up looking the same by the end of the day – in a ponytail.

So, I made an appointment for a haircut and thought I’d give it a try once more.  I had a weenie haircut back in February where I got some layers in the front but it wasn’t drastic enough.  I still didn’t really need a blow dryer and it ended up in a ponytail once again.  As I walked out of work today, a good friend said to me, “Happy Haircut!!  Be brave!!” and I was inspired.  As a result, I cut off 5 more inches, got more layers, and actual bangs!!  I had bangs all through childhood, high school, and my first two years of college but this time it was going to be different! I didn’t wait 13 years for the classic straight-across-all-one-length cut again.

As the stylist snipped away, my head felt lighter instantly.  She taught me how to use a brush and blowdryer and recommended using some product in my hair for volume.  My low-maintenance mornings just got a little trickier.  I tried to pull it back into a ponytail just now and it’s gonna be tough.  I’m going to need some strong rubberbands and lots of hairclips for work tomorrow…but I still like it.  It’s a welcome change and totally worth the trouble…at least for now.

Oh how I’ve missed you.

I heard pattering on the window this evening, opened it and was so excited by the smell of rain!  It was sooooo refreshing!  Granted it sprinkled for only about 10 minutes as the big rain cloud ran across my area but it officially rained!!!  Just in case you all forgot what it looked like, it’s a bunch of drops of water falling from the sky.

It’s a year later…

…and we’re still in SF.  One year ago, I was crashing at Jimmy’s house and exploring SF as a newbie to the city.  We hadn’t yet closed escrow on our condo and I was enjoying my first couple days of unemployment.  Ah…those were the days.

So, one year later here we are, South Beach residents surviving on overpriced fusion fare, organic produce from the Farmers’ Market, and foggy skies.  We’ve learned how to minimize our belongings, ride the bus, and take a reusable bag to the grocery store.  Koa has found a few favorite sniffing spots and made some new friends.  Jesse is still enjoying his job (amazingly) and I’ve become sort of a “feeding expert” for babies.

I still miss my old life in Southern California and I really miss my family.  At the same time, there’s plenty to do and see up here and it’s been so nice to have friends close by.  So, for now, we’re here to stay but who knows what the future has in store for us.

Oh yeah, it’s also the end of Month Six of the “We Have No Car” Experiment.  Has it been that long already?!

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I woke up with a crazy pain above my left eye.  It subsided long enough for me to get ready for work and walk the dog.  I left the house feeling blah and without an appetite (which is very strange).  I took my usual commute: 1) light rail, 2) train, and 3) shuttle.  I felt fine on #’s 1 and 2 but after #3, I had to hurry to the bathroom.  I yakked up my 2 sips of morning coffee and 1 bite of toast along with lots and lots of clear stuff.  Yum.  So, I was sent home for the day.  Once I got home, I took a morning nap.  Got up to have some soup and felt like crap.  I tried to take an afternoon nap but ended up lounging around in bed with a pain that had moved to behind my eyes and the back of my head.  Awesome.  Someone is playing a terrible trick on me.  So, it is now 4:50 pm and I have missed a day of work without any relief.  Boo…

Experiment Update

So, Month 5 of our “We Have No Car” Experiment has just come to an end and things are going well. Commuting on public transportation, using zipcar, and just plain walking has been fine. The only inconveniences may be day trips or weekend trips that require a little more planning than just hopping in your car and driving off. However, when it comes to daily activities and local weekend activities, I don’t seem to feel the need for having my own car. So, with the money that we’ve saved on just the car payments alone (not including insurance and gas), we have plenty of money to take a nice week-long trip.

belize_map.jpgI got a week off at the end of August and we are heading to Belize! It’s located in Central America with lots of little cayes (keys) to explore. I guess this is a fitting place to visit considering it’s the pioneer of eco-tourism. All the fuel I’ve saved on not having a car will go towards my 5-hour flight each way to and from my destination. I booked our flights on American Airlines last night and I just booked one of our three hotel stays today. My co-worker just spent two weeks there in April and she got me really excited about lounging around drinking rum-spiked punch, snorkeling just outside of my hotel room, and trekking through tropical forests to find ancient Mayan ruins. It sounds awesome.

As for the experiment…it looks as though we may not be able to go carless for much longer. Starting in September, I’ll need a car in order to get to my teaching job. Sure, my teaching job is only 1-2 times per week and it’s in Oakland too but I’ll also be working 9-hour days on my non-teaching days as Daylight Saving Time also comes to an end. We’ll probably be looking for something small, fuel efficient, in the $15-20K range, and won’t be very tempting to the hoodlums in OakTown. So, if anyone has any suggestions on what we should consider, let me know. I just know that U.S. News and World Report ranked Honda Civic, Honda Fit, and Honda Civic Hybrid as #’s 1, 2, and 3, respectively. How boring.

You shall call me Professor Beakatude.

That’s right, baby!  One of my life goals is to teach and it looks like I may finally get to do it for real!

One of my old professors from grad school, who also works at Children’s, recruited me for the Pediatric Clinic course at my alma mater.  It would require taking time off from my current full-time job at the hospital so after about a month and a half of negotiation with my manager, I’ve been given the OK to take it!  Woo hoo!!

So, this fall I will be helping out on Monday afternoons as an Assistant Proffesor.  It involves supervising the grad students with their clients and I’ll be assigned to 8 of my very own students.  That means, I will giving mentoring them and GRADING PAPERS!!!  Wow.  On top of all that, I’ve been asked to give two of their weekly Wednesday lectures.  That’s crazy…can you believe I’ll be TEACHING?! I’m gonna have to get me a new red pen!