My Life, As Told Between (Baby Cakes') Naps

Spent some quality time yesterday with Roomie and my little sis B, both of whom are back in town after extended absences.  T says I plan my days around food.  Appearantly this runs in the family.  Roomie, B and I couldn’t pick between dim sum or Indian food for lunch, so we decided dim sum for lunch and Indian food for dinner.  The catch was that B actually lives about 60 miles away and had only planned to come by for lunch, but seeing the possibility of Indian food in sight (paid for by yours truly), she opted to stick around and kill the hours in-between until she was hungry again.  We watched Princess Mononoke (weird anime movie) and snacked.  At one point I had to notify her that the snacking was probably going to delay the onset of hunger, thus pushing our delicious Indian dinner further back.  We stopped snacking.

During the day outing with Roomie and B, the topic of my top 5 fans came up.  We all decided that I was probably at the top of the list, followed closely by my grandmother (who adores me) and T (who also adores me).  Roomie and B vied for fourth and fifth on the list. It was a good day yesterday.

Today didn’t start out so great when I locked myself out of my apartment for 25 minutes while trying to do laundry.  Fortunately, Roomie heard my fervant knocking eventually (she was in the shower) and let me in, but not until I’d wandered all over the complex in my PJ’s looking for the security guard to see if he had keys (he didn’t).  Thinking, “Well, at least with all this drama, the dryer’s almost done,” I promptly headed back to the laundry room to take out my clothes.  Only to realize that while I had put money in and waited for the top dryer to finish…my clothes laid waiting for me, soaking wet, in the bottom dryer.  

The rest of the day went much better.  Met T in the Valley for lunch before his shift started.  Had a pizzookie at BJ’s.  For those unfortunate few who are not familiar with the pizzookie – aka, the pizza cookie  – get yourself to a BJ’s ASAP!  It is a culinary delight not to be missed.  =) 

Sorry that this blog appears to be on its last legs.  I have a couple of posts I’ve been working on and a few ideas for some others, but haven’t been able to execute anything recently.  I’d like to blame it on being too busy, but I think I’m just a little burnt out.  The long and short of it is that this blog will probably be on hiatus for a few more weeks, but I hope to be back up and running soon!  You all are always welcome to shoot me an email for a personal update of my latest purchase, my most recent run, my attempts at dieting, and…uh…well, I guess I don’t write about much else.  =) 

I LOVE this shirt.

I love David & Goliath’s stuff in general.  They do cute-sarcastic well.

For those dying to know the minutia of my life – send me an email! 

For those just really, really bored at work, here are the highlights.  =)

• Life in general good.  Been doing a lot of weekend trips…despite the anxiety that something will come up at work and I won’t be able to get away. 
• Going to San Diego next weekend with T.  Hoping we’ll be able to squeeze in a visit to Sea World!
• Vegas was awesome.  Love hanging out with my girlfriends.  And I got to see M & M World. 
• Work is busy, as usual.  Preparing for an upcoming trial. 
• Running is not going so well.  Just not enough time in the day and too many weekends away.  Did do a long 22 mile run last month and a few 11 mile runs since then.  Need to make sure to do another 20+ mile run this month.  Marathon’s in October! 

So, yeah, basically, everything’s the same and nothing’s new.  This concludes a very boring post.

Dear BDP and Crew,

Happy birthday BDP!  Very excited to see everyone in Vegas this weekend.  Don’t worry, I’ve been mentally preparing myself all week to actually stay out late this weekend.  =)

As you know, I can only deal with the loud music (kids these days!), drunk people (ouch, that’s my toe you stepped on!), and crowds (hey, watch my drink!) for so long before succumbing to the lure of my bed and a good night’s sleep.  I promise to suck it up and be fun this weekend though.  It helps that, with five of us in the room, my chances of actually having a bed to sleep in are slim.  

Signed,

Y. the Wet Blanket

You can usually spot the tourists in San Francisco because they’re the only ones wearing shorts and a t-shirt, tricked into thinking summers in SF are actually warm.  They’re not.  Generally.  This weekend was perfect however, courtesy of the heat wave and global warming.  Unfortunately, I only packed sweaters and jeans, hoping to blend in with the SF regulars.  Despite melting in my clothes, it was a great weekend. 

Stayed at the Hilton, in their newly renovated tower.  (Nice) 

Spent quality time with friends and loved ones.  (Yay!)

Walked the City.  (Hot) 

Took a harbor tour.  (Fun) 

Danced at the Holy Cow. (Drunk)

Ate dim sum.  (Yum)   

Saw a movie in the Metreon to escape from the heat.*  (Eh) 

Had dinner at Cityscape at the top of the Hilton.  (Breathtaking) 

* Saw Pirates of the Caribbean.  Didn’t much care for it.  Thought it was grossly offensive in its portrayal of the natives and others.  Realize I’m probably being somewhat of a killjoy.  I’m usually very good at ignoring offensiveness in movies, but this was too much even for me!

This may be the cleverest thing ever.  Or maybe I’m just easily amused.  Anyways, they’re available at William-Sonoma.

Went to my 10 year reunion this weekend.  My Quad friends bought me a ticket behind my back so I was forced to go against my will.  To be honest, while I joke about how I was forced to go, I’m also incredibly touched that I have friends who care enough about me being there with them to force my hand.

My salient thought throughout the night was that we really were all growed up.  Despite having lived on my own for the last decade and having been a lawyer for the last two years, more often than not, I don’t feel like a real, actual adult.  But looking around at my old classmates and recognizing that they were adults – married, divorced, moms, dads, homeowners – made me realize that I was one too (although I was neither married, divorced, a mom nor a homeowner).  Going to graduate school really delayed the onset of adulthood for me, but sooner or later I guess I had to come to grips with it.  And I think I’m okay with it.  Mostly.

It was incredible seeing everyone out of their high school shells.  I don’t think I fully realized what a weird, awkward and painful experience adolescence was until last night, when I saw the real people who inhibited those shells.  It was a chance to give depth and substance to some of the background people in my life.  I was surprised at how many people didn’t enjoy high school and how many people felt they were misunderstood.  It’s a common story, played out in hundreds of ways in books, movies, and television shows, but to face that fact oneself is still somehow shocking.  I didn’t hate high school, but I also didn’t feel like I really came into myself until late in college.  I’m comfortable with who I am now and like who I’ve become.  I just didn’t realize how different the me I am now is from the me who was until last night – when the upteenth person commented on it.  

My core values and beliefs haven’t changed.  I still tend towards dry, sarcastic humor.  I’m still left-leaning.  I still love learning and reading.  I think I’m just more comfortable expressing all that now.  I guess I didn’t realize the shape my shell took until last night.  I didn’t hate high school, but I am profoundly glad that it’s behind me.     

Roomie sent me two interesting articles which involve the relationship between women and food.  There’s some interesting commentary to be had here (concerning conceptions of beauty, social pressures, gender inequalities, blah, blah, blah), but I’m preparing for a deposition tomorrow so maybe another time.  In the meanwhile, check out the articles here and here.

Update:  Not an article on women and food, but on Boston’s Big Dig project.  I had no idea it was faring so badly.

JP1 was recently named one of the “Top Young Lawyers in Southern California.”

Me [to JP1]:  Hey, congrats! 

A2:  Yeah, that’s great that you were named as a top lawyer!

Me:  Actually, I was congratulating him for being called “young.”

[*Laughter from A2…and everyone else within hearing range*] 

JP1:  Ouch!  You know you work for me, right?

Me:  Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t have said that right before turning in this assignment, which, by the way, is not my best work.  You’ve been warned…

In non-fashion related news, I thought this article by Doug McIntyre was interesting. 

Yay!  New episodes of Futurama in 2008.  Yeah, I’m a geek.  Like y’all didn’t already know.  =)

I had decided awhile back that I really needed to empty out my closet and donate all the items that I don’t wear anymore, even if I’m CONVINCED I will one day wear them again.  This has subsequently left a large vacuum in my closet which must be filled with new summer clothes. 

Being a reasonably diligent person, I promptly set about filling the vacuum.  =)  I’d already posted about the pick me up dress.  With some perserverance, I managed to track down that tank top I loved at an actual, physical store (there’s an alternative to online shopping?).  I also purchased a few basic items from Banana Republic.  Oh, and this cornflower blue dress, this jade halter top, and this striped halter top. 

The good news is everything was on sale.  The bad news is “sale” doesn’t mean “free.”   

A lot of people have commented that since I’m running so much nowadays, I must be able to eat anything I want to and still lose weight.  How wrong they are.

Went running this morning with my running group.  We decided to run 9 miles.  After we finished our 9 miles, I thought, “Hm, if I run another 7 miles, I’ll be able to have another piece of chocolate (which Roomie had bought me either because she knows I’m stressed about work and thought chocolate would help or because she has a nefarious reason for fattening me up).”  So despite having to run the last 7 miles by myself and wasting valuable time in which I should have been working, I sucked it up and continued my run.  Just so I could have another piece of chocolate when I finished.

…which would have been all well and good if I’d only had the planned 2 pieces.  But instead, I had 5. 

And that is why, despite all this running, weight loss is really a zero sum game for me.  (Yes, I know I’m the only player and therefore it’s not a true zero sum game, but work with me people!).

I miss it.  I was listening to a song from its soundtrack today as I slaved away on a motion that’s due Monday, and thought, “Huh, I miss this show.”  I miss checking in with Meredith, Christina, McDreamy, Bailey and the rest of the characters.  I miss watching it on Sunday.  I miss talking about it on Monday.   

I think sitting alone in front of a computer all day on a beautiful Saturday is driving me slightly batty…slightly more coherent post when I’m done with this motion.  Maybe. 

Astonishing display of social ineptitude on my part at a party yesterday.  You know those people you watch and wince in sympathy for because they’re so painfully awkward in a social setting?  Yeah, that was me last night. 

To make myself feel better, I bought this dress this morning:

I’m feeling moderately better already.  Thank god for retail therapy.

I think this top would cure me entirely.  If only they had my size…or anything reasonably resembling my size.  I’d be willing to gain a few extra pounds (oh, the sacrifice!) to fit into it.  =)

Hope you all are able to usher in the official start of summer and enjoy the extra long day of sunshine today! 

I’m spending the rest of this week and a good portion of this weekend in the office, but am sneaking out for a hike Saturday morning (shhhh…) and hopefully going on a longish run Sunday.  Haven’t run more than 13 miles in awhile (mostly through lack of time) and am impatient to do some longer runs.  I’m hoping to stay in marathon shape, even though my next marathon isn’t until October.  Speaking of which, if anyone wants to do a full or half marathon in SF in October, and support a great cause while you’re at it, shoot me an email!

Take it easy all and have a great rest of the week!

It’s surprising, the weight of things people carry.  Sometimes you’ll see it in their eyes, before they can hide it.  Sometimes you’ll feel it in a quick nervous gesture or hear it in a half spoken thought.  Most of the time though, you won’t know anything’s there at all. 

If you know me, or have ever met me, you’ll know I complain a lot.  Mostly about trivial things.  It’s what I do.  And it’s mostly in jest.  I’ve been described as stoic.  Also in jest.  I’m anything but, except when it comes to things that actually matter.  I’m coming across something that actually matters and I’d forgotten how hard silence is.  Not that one has to carry heavy things in silence, but some things are too hard to carry if you always have to acknowledge that they’re there.  You can’t really talk about it until it’s almost gone.  You walk around with it, feeling its weight at times and ignoring it as best you can, until one day it feels lighter and you realize you’re ready to let it go.  And if you’re lucky, there’s someone there to listen.

(Sorry, I didn’t mean for this post to be as cryptic as it ended up being. Just some things floating around my head and details I don’t want to get into – either because they aren’t my details to share or because I’m just not ready to get into them.  And I know I’m very fortunate in that I have a lot of amazing someones to listen.)

Groan.  Ate too much and did too little this weekend.  Planned a hike.  Didn’t make it.  Planned a long run.  Didn’t make it.  Planned to go into the office.  Didn’t make it.   You get the idea.  Should have planned a nap so at least I could have checked something off the list.

Saw Cars.  Super cute.  May have teared up a bit.  Stay for the closing credits.  Best closing credits ever.   

Bought a new summer dress.  Much cuter (and more slimming) than pictured. 

Did I mention I ate a lot?  I did.  A lot.  Groan.

I was talking to one of my best friends recently about our respective jobs.  I’m a lawyer.  She does marketing for a high profile company.  We both work crazy hours.  We make a good living.  We’re doing what women before us fought for.  We’re treated as equals to men (for the most part).  We should be happy.

Instead, we’d like to make widgets.  There’s something satisfying about having a finished physical product and knowing when a task is complete, in seeing the tangible connection between your efforts and the end results.  We both realized we missed that in our jobs.  There’s a sense of incompletion when tasks merely lead to more tasks.  When paper begets more paper. 

Then again, I’m sure if I was making widgets, I’d fine something to complain about then too!  =)