Jane Says...

A Blogging Existential Crisis

2012-02-03T11:53:00.001-08:00

It's been over half a year since I've posted anything substantial on this blog. Partly because I have been busy (isn't that always the excuse?...) and partly because I haven't been motivated or inspired to post anything. I'm going on my 8th year of this blogging journey, and truthfully, I've considered putting this part of my life to rest. An Explanation was my first ever blog post, explaining that it's creation was a manifestation of my boredom. It started as the ramblings from a twenty-something recent college graduate, trying to figure herself out in the "real" world. No matter how small or subtle the change, it was a different time then. A time before the social networking explosion, a time when the blogging world was not the same kind of beast that it is now. So yes, the thought of closing down this blog has crossed my mind multiple times. What's the point of continuing, after all? I'm not that same wandering girl anymore. I've grown up, and maybe I've even outgrown this project? Plus, who really reads it anyway?

...Well, I really haven't been able to give it up just yet. Because in the end, it doesn't matter how much things have changed or if other eyes see these posts. In the end, I have always kept this blog for myself, not anyone else. It has been an outlet, a practice in stringing words together and creating a story. It is a form of expression, a chronicle and extension of my life.

...So here I am. Still.

Quote-o-the-day

2011-11-14T12:01:00.000-08:00

"Life is a process of becoming. A combination of states we have to go through."
-Anais Nin

Opening up

2011-07-10T20:03:00.000-07:00

A spring breeze
and a breath of fresh air
The unfolding and blooming of
a flower
Warmth and sunshine
Perfection

Heart-shaped rock...

2011-06-20T12:09:00.000-07:00

Picture text I received yesterday. <3

Quote-o-the-day

2011-06-12T13:48:00.000-07:00

"Give all to love.
Obey your heart."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Quote-o-the-day

2011-06-03T09:15:00.000-07:00

"And that's where the power of love comes in. Because when we love, we always strive to become better than we are."
-The Alchemist, Paolo Coelho

To Dos, Spring/Summer 2011 Edition

2011-06-02T18:27:00.000-07:00

I'm on a mission to live a better life and be a better me. One of the things I have been trying to do lately (and it's probably one of the hardest) is to take a step back from my work life. No, I'm not slacking on my work, I'm just not letting myself get overwhelmed and engulfed by it. I'm cutting back on staying long hours, stressing out on my days off, and constantly checking my email. I'm basically just trying to take and enjoy my personal time, to focus on myself and take care of myself. So, I have a list of to dos for the next couple of months...

-Go to the dentist (get those teeth cleaned!)
-Go to the optometrist (need new contacts)
-Get a haircut (my hair is getting way too long, it's currently at my waist)
-Buy new running shoes (my feet will thank me)
-Run a 5k race in July (considered a 10k but I think I'm chickening out, will do a 10k at the Turkey Trot in November)
-Join the Wednesday night running club (I've been wanting to do this for a while)
-Buy new sunglasses (as everyone around me knows, mine were completely scratched up and I've been needing new ones for a while, I now need a new pair more than ever because I've just lost the other pair. It's a sign.)
-Go on a Meetup outing (I need to get out there and do something new, meet new people.)
-Ride my bike more (especially since gas prices are so high and we have new bike lanes in town)
-Get another tattoo (this has been on my list for years, I think it might be time)
-Cook more often (I enjoy cooking, but have not been taking the time to do it that often. Maybe I'll even finally put my Vietnamese cookbook to use?)

There are also some things that cannot easily be tracked or checked off, things that will be an ongoing process and that I want to be a part of my everyday life and who I am...
Love and give more, practice patience, forgive better, open up, make connections, be positive, live fully...

Quote-o-the-day

2011-06-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity."
-The Alchemist, Paolo Coelho

Longing to be in the Pacific Northwest...

2011-05-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

My new favorite hangout in town, Congregation Ale House, hosted a Rogue event last night. I decided to dust off my long-abandoned bike, pump up its tires, and went on an enjoyable evening ride on our new bike lanes to the bar. Great beers from Rogue Brewery + yummy cheeses from Rogue Creamery + hanging out with my awesome friends= a fun night out!

Drinking Rogue beers makes me think about my time up in Oregon, which makes me long to be back up in the Pacific Northwest. Thinking I might have to take another trip up there soon...

Photo-o-the-day

2011-05-23T15:57:00.000-07:00

Camping in Mexico years ago. Oh, to be on vacation again...

Quote-o-the-day

2011-05-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

"just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight
just a touch of the fire burning so bright
and i don’t want to mess this thing up
i don’t want to push too far
just a shot in the dark that you just might
be the one i’ve been waiting for my whole life
so baby i’m alright, with just a kiss goodnight"
-Lady Antebellum, Just a Kiss

Relaxing weekend

2011-05-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

Just got back from camping this weekend at Mt. San Jacinto State Park, a nice little camground within walking distance of the adorable sleepy town of Idyllwild. It's always lovely breathing in the crisp mountain air and being surrounded by trees. The weekend was enjoyable and relaxing, we didn't do much except walk around town, nap, drink beer, play cards, and chat.

Quote-o-the-day

2011-05-11T20:03:00.000-07:00

"I'm gonna start a fire
You're gonna feel the heat
I'm gonna burn for you
You're gonna melt for me
Come on, come on, into my arms
Come on, come on, give into me"
-Give Into Me, Country Strong soundtrack

Photo-o-the-day

2011-05-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

Farmers market, Mekong style

I love going to my local Sunday farmers market to pick out fresh and delicious produce, so it was fun experiencing a twist to that while we were on the Mekong Delta. This photo is from the Can Tho floating market. Each boat advertises what it has for sale on board by tying the items to a pole, a kind of "produce flag". It was funny and awesome.

Quote-o-the-day

2011-05-09T12:51:00.000-07:00

"There's a new wind blowing like I've never known/ I'm breathing deeper than I've ever done/ And it sure feels good to finally feel the way I do/ I wanna love somebody, love somebody like you"
-Somebody Like You, Keith Urban

Quote-o-the-day

2011-05-05T23:21:00.000-07:00

"Every moment of your life is infinitely creative and the universe is endlessly bountiful. Just put forth a clear enough request, and everything your heart desires must come to you."
-Shakti Gawain

Oh my, it's May!

2011-05-04T16:24:00.000-07:00

Time has flown by far too quickly once again, and I haven’t been able to keep up with the blogging. So here’s a summary snippet of what I’ve been up to since getting back from my trip at the end of January…

Went to Mammoth with Staci & her family, and attempted snowboarding again after 5 years off the mountain. Frustrating at times, but fun and it was beautiful!

Organized anther Night Dive event and it was once again a fun successful evening! The theme was "science fair" so here's the photobooth we set up for people to take free pics at.

Went hiking to a pretty waterfall. Wish I had time go hiking more often. I will have to try to make it a priority...

Joined a Monday night bowling league, our team name is the “Waves of Fury”. Although we have lots of room to improve, it has been tons of fun drinking beer and bowling with friends.

Went on a mini vacay to visit Ann in Monterey (she's back in California!) and the MRods in San Francisco. We visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium and California Academy of Sciences, two awesome facilities.

Unfortunately, my car was vandalized while parked in Golden Gate Park. Boo. Thanks to "team broken window" for helping me deal with it all, you gals rock!

Also hosted a Grilled Cheese challenge with friends at my place. We all made different types of grilled cheese samples to share and judge. The winner was dill havarti & tomatoes on rye grilled with mayo instead of butter--yum!

Went on our 6th Annual Camping trip. Drank beer, played laddergolf, went to the beach, took a walk, sat around, the usual...

I've also been busy and hard at work. (With a little bit of fun, of course.)

There you have it, February, March and April summed up in a post!

Funny-o-the-day

2011-04-01T15:04:00.000-07:00

Rae: "She's half black, half white, and half asian."
Me, confused: "Wait, that's three halves."
Us: cracking up because Rae doesn't know her fractions.

Photos-o-the-day

2011-03-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

"Thick, sinewy and ghostly white, soaring into the sky, they signal nature's dominance over man. The trees of Angkor tower over the great temples, their roots twisting and crushing them in a grip more powerful than stone.

It is a mortal embrace. Starting as seedlings dropped from the sky by birds, the roots have dug their way so deeply into the monuments that they hold them at their mercy, binding them even as they rip them apart."
-New York Times article by Seth Mydans:
Trees Bind Angkor Temples in Perilous Grip

Quote-o-the-day

2011-03-15T21:39:00.000-07:00

"The important thing is to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become."
-Charles Dubois

Food Trucks

2011-03-14T12:44:00.001-07:00

Food trucks are all the rage in LA right now. I had been wanting to try the Grilled Cheese Truck for over a year, and was finally able to do so with some friends last week. The bread was grilled to perfection!

Then this weekend, we hunted down Coolhaus, which serves up gourmet ice cream between specialty cookies. I had the dirty mint ice cream with snickerdoodle cookies. Yum! It wasn't the mint-flavored ice cream you normally get, but ice cream with real mint in it. Unusual, but tasty.

Next truck? I really want some lobster rolls! We normally can't find that goodness out west, but thank goodness there's the Lobsta Truck.

Tsunami hits Rainbow Harbor

2011-03-12T11:06:00.000-08:00

Nature is fierce and it is amazing. Even across an ocean and past one of the world's largest breakwalls, we were able to witness the tsunami's effects in our little nook of the harbor. There was quite a bit of commotion at work yesterday morning as we all stood around to watch. People strolling along the boardwalk were unimpressed, but being the ocean nerds that we all are, it was a very neat thing indeed. Here are five photos that I took over a span of 14 minutes, the water came in and out like this several times.

Quote-o-the-day

2011-02-19T07:51:00.000-08:00

"...I started to think about time, and how it keeps moving and draining and flowing forever forward, seconds into minutes into days into years, all of it leading to the same place, a current running forever in one direction. And we're all going and swimming as fast as we can, helping it along. My point is: maybe you can afford to wait. Maybe for you there's a tomorrow. Maybe for you there's one thousand tomorrows, or three thousand, or ten, so much time you can bathe in it, roll around in it, let it slide like coins through your fingers. So much time you can waste it. But for some of us there's only today. And the truth is, you never really know."
-before i fall, lauren oliver

Photo-o-the-day

2011-02-18T14:37:00.000-08:00

Saigon, evening rush hour.

Photo-o-the-day

2011-02-13T10:15:00.000-08:00

Beautiful day at East Mebon. Angkor ruins, Cambodia.

I heart this song

2011-02-10T07:27:00.000-08:00

I love this clip and wish the whole thing was in the movie. Also, Garrett Hedlund makes a hot country singer.

Photo-o-the-day

2011-02-08T16:09:00.000-08:00

Profile of faces at Bayon. It was one of my favorite ruins at Angkor.

2010 Books

2011-02-07T16:31:00.000-08:00

This 2010 roundup is coming a little late, since we are already partway through February, but I still wanted to post my list. I ended up reading a tad more than last year, 18 books in total for 2010. Really enjoyed Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. The Hunger Games was FABULOUS, and I was able to convince quite a number of friends to read it also. I don't care what anyone says, I heart young adult novels. Couch was quirky and funny. And for the record, I absolutely DID NOT LIKE The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I have no clue why there is so much buzz and hype around the book, it was awful.

A question to YOU, my readers (I'm being hopeful that I actually have readers out there): what did you read in 2010 that you loved? I'm always looking for book recommendations.

2010 books, in the order I read them...
-Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Gregory Maguire
-Coraline, Neil Gaiman
-Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Barbara Kingsolver
-The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
-Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins
-The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
-Prodigal Summer, Barbara Kingsolver
-Couch, Benjamin Parzybok
-The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Steig Larson
-The Help, Kathryn Stockett
-The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, Stephenie Meyer
-Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins
-The Missing: Book 1: Found, Margaret Peterson Haddix
-Touching the Void, Joe Simpson
-The Last Summer (Of You and Me), Ann Brashares
-Durable Goods, Elizabeth Berg
-Zero Regrets, Apolo Ohno
-Three Willows, Ann Brashares

Until Next Time

2011-01-17T16:07:00.000-08:00

After a while, you adapt to being in unfamiliar surroundings, to moving from site to site and town to town, to unpacking and repacking. After a while, the wandering and exploring becomes the rythm of your days. I wish my days could continue like this, but it's sadly time to close this chapter of traveling adventures. Our three weeks is up, and we must fly home tonight. It has been wonderful. Goodbye Vietnam & Cambodia, until next time!

Thoughts on traveling

2011-01-16T04:09:00.000-08:00

Yes, it can get tiring--living out of a bag, being constantly on the move, pushing the limits of what I'm comfortable with. But that is why I travel, it's part of the experience, to jolt my senses and see, feel, taste something new. To be awed, to step outside of my routine, to know that there is more to life and the world than what I normally witness everyday.

Other travel blogs

2011-01-15T23:43:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't been able to update much. I would love to share more details and photos, but lack of time and Internet access has limited my ability to blog as much as I would like. I also decided to leave my iPhone at home and no longer have my dad's laptop to load pictures from my camera to, so I've only been able to blog and share from the iPod touch that Justin lent me (thanks Justin! It's been awesome having this handy iPod to connect to wifi when I can!). I will share more when I get back home, so in the mean time, here are some other things you can read...

For another (and much funnier) perspective on our Vietnam & Cambodia trip, check out Rae's blog. She brought her iPhone, so has been able to take & share a lot more photos and videos than me:
Raelovesdirt

Also take a look at Cat & Nick's blog, read about their time with Rae & I and check in to see how the rest of their world trip is going:
Cat & Nick

Back to the motherland...again

2011-01-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe our 10 days hanging out with Catherine and Nick have come and gone so quickly. I'm so happy that plans worked out and that we were able to meet up with them during their world trip. It was so much fun being able to explore and travel with a group of friends! They flew in the night of January 3rd and we've done so much during the past week and a half--Saigon, Cu Chi tunnels, the Mekong Delta, Phnom Penh, and Siem Reap & Angkor. Today is our last half day in Cambodia, Rae and I are flying out to Hanoi this evening to finish the last leg of our trip in Northern Vietnam, back to the motherland once again.

I've been pleasantly surprised by Cambodia. Besides the Angkor ruins, it has never been on my must see list of travel destinations. I was just going along for the ride, it was more of a "why not?" rather than a "I have to go there!" detour out of Vietnam. In the end, I am so glad we came here, even though we had to sacrifice the Central Vietnam towns of Hue & Hoi Anh, which I still really want to visit (next time!) In our initial planning stages, we were only going to stay in Cambodia for three nights. But in the end we also had to cut out Phu Quoc island, off the tip of the Mekong Delta, since it would be too difficult to get to in such a short period of time (next time!). So we stayed here for six nights instead of three, and now six nights still just isn't enough! I would happily stay longer if I could, but alas, we have other adventures calling us in Hanoi & Halong Bay.

Tuk-tuk driver to Angkor: $9 for the whole day
Buffet dinner & Aspara dance show: $10
Can of Angkor beer: $1
Cambodia souvenir shirt: $2
1 hour traditional massage: $8
Great adventures with friends: priceless!

Funny Shirts, Part II

2011-01-12T03:28:00.000-08:00

Okay, here are a lot more of the funny rediculousness. We were having a grand time roaming the market stalls and laughing about these...

Eat Babe For Face
Alternate get trick for fun
This was the whole phrase on one shirt. Really?! It makes no sense!

Beautiful love
What's in your jeans?
This was also the whole phrase on a shirt, haha.

I'm superstar

Ape should never kill ape

Life is worth when you see the world of life

Sheep happy time, this is a happy bear
Another completely random one, what do sheep and bears have to to do with each other?

Always breathless confusion

I heart drugs

Funny Shirts

2011-01-08T10:36:00.000-08:00

We've been finding some hilarious phrases on shirts here. Might have to buy one of them because they are so random...

My whole life is bad for my nerver
Not sure what nerver is, but I don't think I want bad nerver either.

On a bright yellow woman's tank top:
I am king of a beautiful woman

Back in Saigon

2011-01-06T06:38:00.000-08:00

We've been enjoying more of the city the past couple of days...

-1 1/2 hour massage for $5, what a deal!
-Getting a hair wash & head massage, only $2!
-Eating homemade dinners cooked by Co Hoa, YUM!
-Catherine & Nick made it from Australia, yay friends!
-Figured out the rest of our trip itinerary, whew, no more worrying!
-Cu Chi tunnels-realized there's no way I could've been a VC, that shit was scary!

On the Water and Into the Highlands

2011-01-02T23:00:00.000-08:00

12/31: Nha Trang
The first part of our morning in Nha Trang was spent walking along the beach and park, the main strip is a bustling place that reminds me of Waikiki. We sat down at a cute little place for some coffee for breakfast. Vietnamese iced coffee is the best stuff, WAY better than the lattes I usually get back home. Sweetened condensed milk is the key, and although I'm sure I will pay for it dearly later on (who wants to go to the gym with me?!), I'm going to enjoy as much of it as I can here. My dad chartered a private boat for us, so we spent the rest of our morning and early afternoon exploring the islands around Nha Trang. Hopping in the water for a snorkel was on the agenda for the first island stop, but it turned out to be too windy to be enjoyable. Luckily, the man in the colander boat came around to offer us the glass bottomed view of the reef. It was so unusual and funny and I think it ended up being more fun than a snorkel would have been. We've many snorkeling many times before, but it's not ever day that we get to ride in a bowl-shaped boat. On our next island stop, Raelene wanted to try parasailing but didn't want to do it alone. Since I was too chicken to go with her, my dad decided to do it so she wouldn't miss out on the opportunity. It was hilarious to watch them gear up and go, especially because it happened so quickly with no safety talk and little instruction other than to run when they said "run." It all turned out fine and they had fun, but it's still not my cup of tea. After taking a dip in the warm waters, we headed off to lunch on another island. We were first dropped off at some floating fish pens, where we had to choose what we wanted the restaurant to cook up. I do eat seafood, but it was a little sad looking at all those doomed animals, knowing that I will be sentencing one of them to their deaths. There was a lot of cool marine life in there that we refused to eat, including remoras, bamboo sharks and especially the whole pen of huge cuttlefish. Oh, POOR CUTTLEFISH! They are one of my favorite animals and it was heartbreaking to see that people were going to eat such beautiful creatures. In the end, Rae and I were okay with picking a red snapper to cook up and my dad and Co Hoa also ordered some snails. A commonly eaten fish and some gastropods, I think our conscience can live with that. We took a raft over to the restaurant and enjoyed a delicious freshly cooked lunch. Half of the fish was fried, ca chien, and the other half was put into a sweet and sour hotpot soup, canh chua ca. After lunch we headed back to the mainland and spent the afternoon checking out Nha Trang's aquarium, the Oceanographic Institute. For our New Years celebration, Rae & I had some beers at the local brewery, Louisianne, then called it an early night at 10pm. It was the most excitement we could handle, with the jetlag still hanging around.

Relaxing out on the water and enjoying the boat ride...

Fish pens aka the lunch menu...

Raft ride to our restaurant...

Oceanographic Institute...

Crazy room of preserved sealife. Makes me think of the ministry of magic...

New Years eve beers...

1/1: Nha Trang to Dalat
Next morning we hit the road to check out Dalat, a town in the central highlands of Vietnam. The drive was beautiful and you could definitely feel the difference in the elevation change--the air was so fresh and cool compared to the warm humidity we had been in. Again, long slow roads meant that we didn't get into town until later in the day, so we were only able to do a couple of things when we got there--checked out a cute flower garden, then walked the markets and shopped. Co Hoa is great at bargaining, so I walked away with an adorable coat for $15, very exciting.

1/2 Dalat to Saigon
Before heading back to Saigon, we visited a couple of places around Dalat.

Crazy House, designed by architect Hang Nga, was indeed crazy but also very cute and tons of fun. There were so many nooks and crannies to explore and get lost in, and was kind of like being in a huge fairy tale treehouse. Great for adults who are kids at heart!

Datlana Falls was cool, but the most exciting part of this stop was our bobsled ride down to the falls. We bought tickets and hopped on without reading the instructions other than "ride at your own risk." It was like a roller coaster, except you control your own breaking. This meant you had to make sure you don't ram into the bobsled in front of you, and hoped that the people behind you are just as careful. It made for an exciting and hilarious ride down the hill. Video to be posted shortly.

Colander Boat Ride

2010-12-31T17:01:00.000-08:00

These funny looking bowl-shaped boats are all over the place along the coast.

My dad chartered a private boat to explore the islands off Nha Trang. Our first stop was a dock at a nearby island. We wanted to go snorkeling but it was too windy and the surface water was very rough, so this guy came along to offer a "glass-bottomed" boat ride. We hopped in!

It was the funniest and coolest little boat ever. Here we are looking at the fish & coral below. Raelene and I are thinking of starting a business on Catalina and offering these boat rides & a narrated tour to people. It's way better than a kayaking trip!

Our captain, braving the seas to show us the reef below. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard for us to learn how to navigate a boat like this!

Fun times on our colander bowl boats!

Fruit anyone?

2010-12-31T09:26:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure the what the name of this fruit is in English, but if you do a literal translation of the fruit's Vietnamese name it would be called "breast milk". Awesome. It's pretty good, although it has a curious slimy texture. If anyone knows what this fruit is in English, let me know!

Beep beep, honk honk

2010-12-30T23:56:00.001-08:00

It's funny, that's what you hear all day long, beep beep, honk honk. The motorbikes and cars talking to each other. I just wanted to quickly recap our first couple of days so far...

Our flight from Incheon was delayed about 40 minutes, so we finally made it into Ho Chi Minh a little after 11pm. Although that leg of the trip was considerably shorter, about 5 hours, it was definitely more uncomfortable. It's just hard having to sit on another flight after just finishing such a long journey already. Of course, a nap and the onboard entertainment (watched The Other Guys) helped me get through it. My dad picked us up from the airport and took us for a midnight pho meal (yes, there were people out eating pho at that time of night!) before we settled down for the evening.

My dad bought Raelene and I each a helmet, so we spent most of our first day touring the town on the back of a motorbike. We were riding in style, with a helmet and face mask to shield us from the dust (the picture above doesn't show us with our face masks, I'll have to load that one later.) First stop was breakfast, had some egg rolls and a yummy bowl of bun bo hue. We then visited the Reunification Palace, former home of the South Vietnamese presidents. It was a very interesting place, and my Lonely Planet desribes it perfectly, "Time has stood still here since 30 April 1975, a slightly scary thought. The striking modern architecture and the slightly eerie feeling you get as you walk through its deserted halls make Reunification Palace one of th emost fascinating sights in HCMC." We read that description after visiting and laughed about it, because that's exactly what Raelene and I were talking about as we were exploring the building. It definitely felt a little eerie, and everything looked like it belonged in a movie or another era. After that, we visited the long narrow aisles of a couple of markets, learned how to cross streets, did some errands, then ended the afternoon with a treat at a street corner ice cream shop where we watched the rush hour traffic flow by.

We had a very early start this morning and left the house at 5:30am to explore the South-Central coast for a few days. Today's destination was Nha Trang, a resort town a little over 200 miles north of the city. Although it's not too far in distance, road travel is at a much slower pace and it took us about 11 hours to get here. We did make a few stops, including lunch at a restaurant right on the beach--what a view! The strip of beach and hotels here reminds me of the hustle & bustle of Waikiki.

The Dance

2010-12-29T23:40:00.000-08:00

It may seem like mass chaos at first, but you soon learn that being on the vibrant and bustling streets of Saigon is taking part of a performance, a song and dance of the city's people coming and going. The soothing hum of motorbikes plays in the background while honks and beeps provide an ever changing beat. This is the music for a beautiful dance, of motorbikes, cars, bicycles, and buses whizzing and weaving amongst each other. Nothing is choreographed, which is the most impressive part about witnessing this performance. Individuals play their own tunes and take their own paths, but they do so together on one stage, and thus create a living and breathing piece of art, a dazzling show of people on the move.

This is how we spent our day, taking part in the performance, soaking up Saigon's sights and sounds on the back of a motorbike. It was fun and quite an adventure, and I'm still blown away by how they do it--how the riders and drivers are able to manage such small spaces, how they can get so close without ever touching, how they plunge straight into traffic without fear, how they make it all seem effortless, seem like a choreographed dance. It is a thing of beauty, what they do, but I must admit that two words sum up what I thought and said to myself most of the day..."HOLY SHIT!" So many times, it seemed like we were going to bump into the person next to us or crash head on with the person in front of us. Of course nothing ever happened, and I was left again and again, laughing about the thrilling close ecounters.

Incheon layover

2010-12-28T02:11:00.000-08:00

Three movies, three magazines, three meals, many naps, and 13.5 hours later and we've survived the first and longest leg of the journey. My butt hurt and my feet swelled, but other than that, it wasn't so bad. I'm so glad I woke up early to go for a morning 3 mile run before we left for the airport. It was nice to get a workout in and have my muscles moving for a bit before sitting for so long.

At Incheon for a quick layover before boarding the 5 hour flight to Ho Chi Minh City. It's 2:16am at home, and 7:16pm here. This is a beautiful airport and I'm looking forward to checking more of it out and doing the city tour on our trip home.

Looks like we are about to board!

Mission accomplished

2010-12-26T21:22:00.000-08:00

I've managed to pack pretty much everything I was hoping to bring into what you see here. No major sacrifices were made, which I'm happy about. We head off tomorrow morning, holy crap! Well, see y'all in a few weeks. Hope everyone had a great Xmas!

Oh, packing woes!

2010-12-24T08:09:00.001-08:00

Stuffing 3 weeks worth of belongings and necessities into a backpack is very difficult, espeically for an overpacker like me. What to take? Everything! What to leave behind? Nothing! It really shouldn't be that hard, considering I survived 6 weeks in Europe on just a backpack. I've done it before, I can do it again, right? Theoretically, yes. But in actuality, it's tough. Especially when the high temperatures of the places we're visiting range from 20F to 90F. That's a 70 degree difference!

What do I want wear on a 13hr+5hr flight?
How many pairs of shoes will I bring?
Should I pack the scarf?
Will all this fit?
Hope I don't forget anything!
Oh, packing woes!

T minus 4 days

2010-12-23T13:06:00.000-08:00

T minus 4: 2nd to last day of work (so much to finish up!), gym, dinner with the MRods & December (yay, haven't seen them since summer!) and Alie

T minus 3: Last day of work, Xmas Eve happy hour at the Huntington House

T minus 2: Xmas with the Fam, one last load of laundry

T minus 1: Country Strong with Milena, gym (hopefully), freak out, pack, dinner with Dominique before she moves to Maui, freak out some more...

T minus 0: LAX>ICN>SGN Yay vacation!

Quote-o-the-day

2010-12-20T17:08:00.000-08:00

"If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now. Don't spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it."
-Priscilla Welch

Instead of thinking that I can't or wishing that I could, like I so often used to do, I'm finally just doing it. I'm pushing, I'm going, I'm putting one foot in front of the other, again and again. I'm discovering new parts of myself, that I can, and I will never have to wonder.

Lovin the rain

2010-12-18T21:52:00.000-08:00

It's been raining the past two days straight and I'm lovin it. Forget 80 degree weather, who wants that in December? Give me grey. Let me hear raindrops. Make me feel like it's actually winter.

Other things that have been making me happy lately...
Foggy mornings and cool overcast days
Trees turning beautiful colors
Seeing Orion & Cassiopeia in the night sky
The fresh scent of Christmas trees

Quote-o-the-day

2010-12-15T12:21:00.000-08:00

I want a brave love
One that makes me weak in the knees
I want a crazy crazy love
One that makes me come undone at the seams
-Kiss the Flame, Jewel

Tuesday morning reflections...

2010-12-14T09:46:00.000-08:00

Life. Maybe it’s about discovering yourself anew with each experience you have. About finding your path, becoming who you want to be. It’s expressing yourself and your love in new and better ways. With all the struggles and triumphs along the way, the stumbles, tears and fears, but also the strength, courage, friendship, support and love. It’s about putting these pieces together, making the connections, knowing that these moments have greater meaning and seeing the beauty in such a revelation. Life tugs to align itself in small and perfect ways. It all happens for a reason, happens exactly the way it is supposed to, it all comes together perfectly. This gives me hope, keeps me believing in the journey that I am on. Breathing life, appreciating it, sharing it. I welcome more and more of it, of life, love, happiness, and the world.

Photo-o-the-day

2010-12-12T21:52:00.000-08:00

Grand Canyon, North Rim

You know you're Asian when...

2010-12-10T15:03:00.000-08:00

...your family puts plastic wrap around the tv remote control to protect it. I acquired my grandpa's tv a while back, and yes, that is truly Saran wrap on the remote. I wasn't surprised to find it like this, and although it's kind of embarrassing, it's also a hilarious reality. We Asians like to protect our gear and make it last as long as possible, and if we couldn't keep the original packaging, then plastic wrap would work just as well.

Even more embarrassing? I must admit that I can't escape my upbringing. I got an iPhone 4 a few months ago, and it was about a week before I gave in and finally peeled the protective plastic cover off the front of the phone. I actually would have kept it on longer, but it was covering the earpiece and I couldn't hear a darned thing when I made phone calls. Yes, I am Asain and I cannot escape it.

Quote-o-the-day

2010-12-09T10:09:00.000-08:00

"It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger for them." -George Eliot

Photo-o-the-day

2010-12-08T15:12:00.001-08:00

Grand Canyon, North Rim

Quote-o-the-day

2010-12-07T09:24:00.000-08:00

“But as my father helped me see, the important thing is to try to do the right thing at the time. The decisions you make, the actions you take—they accumulate over time, they shape you, they give you direction. Over the years, I made one decision after another. I learned from my mistakes. I kept on swinging."
-Apolo Ohno, Zero Regrets

Writings from the past

2010-12-06T10:46:00.000-08:00

Going through boxes of old stuff at my parents house, I recently discovered some journals from my past. They were from the high school and early college days, an interesting time that makes for very amusing reading. My late teens and early twenties, as with many people, were a time full of angst and trying to figure out who I was and who I wanted to be. It's when we first truly venture into the world. It's when questions, relationships, and adventures are new and intense, when so many things are analyzed and agonized over, when every experience feels so significant. Although these moments may not be meaningful in the same way they once were, there's still something special about them, special because of what it did mean once upon a time. Here is one entry that I came across...

February 2002
Adam called yesterday and startled me with an apology for not being the friend he should have been, for never thanking me and giving me the credit I deserved. It was the nicest and most honest apology I’ve ever gotten. I was so surprised by it, because I never thought it would occur to him—it actually never really occurred to me. But everything he said was just so special. It made me feel good and made me think, “Hey, maybe I’m a better person than I think I am. Maybe I can do and be better and deserve better and not have to settle for anything in life.” Because really, I don’t think about stuff like that most of the time. You just live your life, hoping that someone will see something special in you, see something more than you even see. And Adam did that a little for me. He always has. “You give and you give and you give—and you never asking for anything in return. And no one gives you the credit and respect you deserve.” All I wanted was for him to SEE me. And maybe he does now.

Quote-o-the-day

2010-12-04T18:20:00.000-08:00

"This was one of the hardest parts-just staying focused and knowing there would be light at the end of the tunnel, even if you don't know quite how long the tunnel is, even if you almost can't see the light. You just have to have faith to keep going."
-Apolo Ohno, Zero Regrets

I Run Because...

2010-12-03T13:28:00.000-08:00

Morning run along the beach.

I run because…
I have never been a runner
I never thought I could be a runner
To get a glimpse of the “runner’s high"
It is hard, it is rough, it is a tremendous challenge
Overcoming the challenge is extremely rewarding
It pushes my mind and body to another level
The sense of accomplishment feels so good at the end of a run
I want to feel like I can be a runner
I want to be able to say that I am a runner

Hiking Whiting Ranch

2010-11-30T10:50:00.000-08:00

Went hiking with Shannon on our day off the other day. It was really nice to get outside again. Makes me want to go camping!

I Heart Apolo Ohno

2010-11-29T17:01:00.000-08:00

"Every single one of us has a path to travel. Everything happens for a reason. This I believe."
-Apolo Ohno, Zero Regrets

I love this guy. And he was in town yesterday morning! He was on such a tight schedule that the signing went really quickly, which means I didn't get a chance to propose. Although, proposing on our first meeting may have been too soon. But I didn't even get a chance to dazzle and charm him. Oh well, guess I will have to wait until our next meeting.

Underwater Handstands

2010-11-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

Can you spot me? I'm the one who ruined the picture because I can't do a proper underwater handstand. My form is way off. Darn it!

See Jane Run!

2010-11-27T11:19:00.000-08:00

Several of my friends and I participated in the Long Beach Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning and I did it, I ran my first 5K race! My goal was to run the whole thing without walking and I happily accomplished that. Like I've mentioned before, I have never been a runner. I not only didn't like to do it, but I also really couldn't run even if I wanted to. When I first started, I was only able to do 1 minute run/walk intervals. But now, after a lot of hard work, I think I can almost call myself a runner. And I'm already looking forward to my next 5K race so I can improve my pace and time. Thanks to Kera, Shannon, Emily, Sylvia, & Theresa for a fun morning, good job ladies!

Hope you all are having a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend.

Quote-o-the-day

2010-11-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

"I am so tired of only waiting."
-Durable Goods, Elizabeth Berg

Night Dive #3

2010-11-04T07:11:00.000-07:00

Sound check, photo by Anitza V

I'm happy to report that we put together another successful and fun event. The decorations turned out well, we had some cool art, our photo booth was a hit, the bands and djs were great, and many people got in the Halloween spirit and dressed up for the evening.

We pulled it all off (with much less stress than the last two events) and I'm so happy to be working with a such an awesome team!

Something to look forward to...

2010-10-24T11:37:00.000-07:00

I finally booked my ticket and am heading off to explore Vietnam and Cambodia for three weeks in December. Rae is coming along for the adventure, I'm going to visit my dad, and we are meeting up with Catherine and Nick while they are on their world trip. What am I looking forward to most? Seeing Halong Bay and eating yummy food for 3 weeks straight! It's been 3 years since I've traveled abroad and 1 year since I've been on a proper vacation (long weekend trips are great, but they don't quite count as a vacation), so it's about time I go on a big trip!

Another reason I love my job...

2010-10-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

A couple of months back, I found this little gift and note on my desk when I got back from the weekend. It's from one of my adorable young volunteers. So heartwarming to receive such a simple and sweet surprise.

Bowling

2010-10-16T11:12:00.000-07:00

Scott & Crystal are in town visiting from Australia! It was nice to see them, and I can't wait to go to the wedding in Kauai next year. They're such a cute couple...

We went bowling the other night. I forget how much fun it is, no matter how bad I suck at it...

But this time, I won the game! I tied my best score ever, 130. From a girl who's happy when she breaks 100, this is very exciting. Yay!

I heart fresh flowers

2010-10-10T11:03:00.000-07:00

Bought $3 worth of flowers at the farmers market and was able to make 4 bouquets with it. Makes me so happy to see pretty fresh flowers around the house!

Saturday: how I spent my day off

2010-10-09T23:34:00.000-07:00

I went running in the morning. A few of my friends and I are going to do the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, so I'm trying to gear up for it. Running the 5k distance may not be much for some people, but it will be an exciting accomplishment for me. I have never been a runner, so it's been a hard yet rewarding challenge to overcome. It will be a lot of fun doing the race with friends, plus they give free pies away at the end, how can you beat that?

Then I dropped flyers around town for our THIRD Night Dive event.

In the afternoon, we went to the Brewery Artwalk in LA. Pretty cool event. The place was huge and we weren't able to visit all of the studios, but did stop in to say hi to an artist that displayed pieces at our first Night Dive. He makes illuminated sculptures and his stuff is AMAZING. Check out his site, Sandman Creations by Sean Sobczak. Below are a couple of shots of a dragon he had on display. The scale and lights and details are much more impressive in person. I LOVE IT.

Photography Outing

2010-09-05T13:36:00.000-07:00

I haven't played with my Nikon D200 in a long time. Which bothers me because it means I'm not getting any practice or any better. There are so many buttons! There's still so much to learn! I want to be inspired, to take great pictures. I'm determined to lug the camera out more often, so Staci and I went to The Huntington Library on our day off this past Friday. It was hotter than heck, but we endured the oven-like heat and took photos for a couple of hours.

Mostly been shooting in aperture mode, still trying to get a feel for it. I hope that one day it will just click (no pun intended) and that this will all come naturally to me! It will take many more outings and thousands more photos, I'm sure...

Here are some photos from the day, you can see all of them in this flickr set.

Why I love my job...

2010-09-03T09:08:00.000-07:00

Okay, I admit it, I don't love my job all of the time. But who does? I don't think there's one person out there who likes their job every moment of every day, work can't always be roses and sunshine. How I feel about my job spans the whole spectrum of emotions. I have many moments of stress, tears and frustration. There are times when my weaknesses creep up or my fears overcome me. But along with that, I also experience moments when hard work is paid off and accomplishments are recognized. I'm at a place where smiles and laughter are plentiful and people are awed and inspired every day, where people truly care about the work they do.

And every once in a while, something very special and rare happens...I touch a life, I make a difference somehow. No matter how simple or how small that impact is, it still means the world to me.

Summer's bounty

2010-08-21T10:31:00.000-07:00

Summer is, once again, slowly coming to a close. One of the things I will miss most about the season? This fresh, juicy, sweet deliciousness. Each season brings its own gems of fruits and veggies, but summer is by far my favorite. Of course I can still find berries and peaches and nectarines during the rest of the year at any old grocery store. But nothing compares to getting it local and in season at my Sunday morning farmers market.

Photo snippets from this past weekend

2010-08-18T12:22:00.000-07:00

Had a mini vacation with friends this past weekend, which was great since I haven't been able to get away all summer. We went camping one night out in the desert at Red Rock Canyon State Park for the Perseids meteor shower, then spent the rest of the weekend in the Pismo Beach/San Luis Obispo area. More photos to come soon hopefully, but here are a few photos from my iPhone...

Baby Ferris

2010-08-01T12:05:00.000-07:00

Look at his adorably dimpled hand. He's so cute, I just want to eat him up.

In the blink of an eye

2010-06-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was February. I blinked. And today, today we are partway through June. Summer is approaching and I’m not quite sure how four months passed by so quickly. I have been swamped doing things, but besides a few events, I can’t really account for my time. That’s how life is, though—you get caught up in so many things and before you know it, time just slips through your fingers. So, since I can’t recall the details of what has been keeping me so busy the past few months, let me at least share pics of a few of the events that I do remember...

Old roommate, Ann, was in town during her spring break. It was fun to see her and hang out, we went hiking and biking. We also went on a sail and had an American Pride crew reunion--it was so much fun to see those guys again and made me miss all of our good times on the boat!

Went on our "1st Annual Pt. Mugu Camping Trip", or AKA "5th Annual Malibu Camping Trip" with a group of friends...

Worked. Worked some more. Worked really hard. No, we were really hard at work, I swear...

Alicia and I went to a Rise Above Plastics/Surfrider event that Kat was working. What we learned was to "Recycle, YO!"

Went camping at Mount Laguna...

FINALLY went on a photography outing with my friend Kera. We had been trying to get out with our cameras for months, our last attempt resulted in her breaking her foot. But this time, we successfully made it out and actually took pictures! Here's my shot of a night heron...

Went camping at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. We did some hiking, some of it through snow, saw amazing views, relaxed, hung out. It was beautiful and a lot of fun...

That never happens

2010-04-28T21:12:00.001-07:00

I forgot to eat breakfast the other day. Didn't even realize that I had skipped a whole meal until it was time to eat lunch--to my surprise, I discovered breakfast still untouched in my bag. It never even crossed my mind that I hadn't eaten all morning. That's how busy work (and life!) has been.

Quote-o-the-day

2010-04-05T16:47:00.000-07:00

"He thinks that if one cares deeply about someone or something new one throws a kind of energy out into the world, and "fruitfulness" is drawn in."
-The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows

Quote-o-the-day

2010-04-01T21:56:00.001-07:00

"Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. How delightful if that were true."
-The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Boy that title is a mouthfull. It's our new book club selection, I've just started reading and am enjoying it so far. I think this is a cute quote--some books are so special, it really does feel like more than just chance that they've made it into our lives.

So much going on, so little time

2010-03-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

Haven't had much time to sit and reflect or share what's been going on lately. But I promise I will soon.

I'm in Lurve...

2010-02-26T16:59:00.000-08:00

...with Apolo Ohno. He's an awesome short track skater and such a charismatic, positive, and inspirational guy. So freaking adorable!

Quitting Fries

2010-02-25T16:08:00.000-08:00

I've finally hit the year mark! Last year I decided that, because I love them so much, I needed to give up french fries for a while. I realized that I didn't have any will power to "only eat a few of them" or to "choose the salad side instead." When they were in front of me, I ate more than just a few, and when they were a menu option, I never chose the salad. I gave into my weakness too often, since french fries are everywhere. To overcome my fry-problem, I felt like I had to make drastic decision: quitting them altogether.

Okay, so sweet potato fries? They were my one exception to the fry-quitting stint, for two reasons: 1. they're not normal french fries, they're sweet potato fries and 2. you don't find them very often, so it's a nice little treat when you do. (My friends have given me a hard time for my reasoning, but it doesn't really have to make sense to them. These are my rules, after all.) So, besides my sweet potato exception, I gave up all regular potato fries. Which meant no potato wedges, shoestring, curly, steak or crisscut fries.

It wasn't an easy thing to resist, especially when they smell and look so yummy, but resist I did. At first, I wasn't sure how long I was going to do it for and assumed I would go until I gave in to temptation. But as the weeks and months passed by, I finally decided that I would do it for a year and then reassess my fry-less life. So here I am! It's been a year. And I think I might continue with this crazy idea...

Basking in the Glow of Success

2010-01-31T14:12:00.000-08:00

I was able to experience and take part in something very special this past weekend. After so much planning and stress and hard work, a team of us were able to see a little idea that we had become a reality. It is an incredible feeling to not only see an idea realized, but to see it blow away any of our hopes and expectations. All the heartache was worth this:

In the Shark Lagoon, originally uploaded by VintageSon Foto.

Our event was a fun evening with art & music and it was a smashing success. So many people chipped in to help out, and I'm very lucky to work alongside such an amazing, talented, and supportive group of people.

All in a Day's Work

2010-01-27T21:08:00.000-08:00

1 juvenile gray whale,
2 fin whales,
1 mom and calf gray whale pair,
bottlenose and common dolphins,
and a beautiful view of Catalina Island.

What a great day at work!

Quote-o-the-day

2010-01-24T20:35:00.000-08:00

"Oh, no one will take fineness from a morning. The beauty of the day is the only thing that doesn't fade in time. Day after day, such beauty revives itself."

-Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Gregory Maguire

Quote-o-the-day

2010-01-18T08:32:00.000-08:00

Master Schoonmaker:
"Let the story happen the way it will."

Iris:
"I don't know what will happen; stories don't tell you how things will turn really. Paintings and stories are different. Paintings are steady, unchangeable; stories convulse and twist in their revelations."

-Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Gregory Maguire

Sunday: how I spent my day off

2010-01-17T19:15:00.000-08:00

Morning: dropped flyers around town for an upcoming event

Afternoon: explored the Natural History Museum with Staci & Emily
(Grizzlies are so scary!)

Evening: dinner at a yummy Persian restaurant

Saturday: how I spent my day off

2010-01-16T20:59:00.000-08:00

Morning: a nice hike in Griffith Park

Afternoon: relaxing with a latte & a good read

Stressed

2010-01-15T22:20:00.000-08:00

A long and crazy work week can sometimes lead to emotional breakdowns. I reached that point around lunchtime today, all my stress built up and released itself in a tearful afternoon.

Thank goodness the weekend is here.

Busy, busy!

2010-01-14T20:38:00.000-08:00

Today at work, I...
got some coffee,
checked some emails,
gave an update to the morning staff about a new program we're switching to,
did a fish ID activity with some of the staff,
watched one of my coworkers teach a class,
taught an hour-long class,
ate lunch,
did the fish ID activity again with other staff,
gave the new program update again to the afternoon staff,
went to a meeting about an el nino program being developed,
sat in on a meeting for an upcoming event,
ate a snack,
witnessed some shark-chasing-after-fish excitement,
checked some more emails,
went home.

I'm exhausted.

Ever have one of those nights...

2010-01-11T00:18:00.000-08:00

...when you're lying in bed for hours and hours trying to fall asleep, and you just can't? Worries and ideas and questions and thoughts just twirl and swirl in your head. And all you want to do is say "shhh" to your mind and have a peaceful night's sleep, because you have a really long week ahead. But there you continue to lie and you still just can't fall asleep. And so, you give up and wake up and go online and blog about how you can't sleep...Ever have one of those nights?

2009 Reads

2010-01-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

For some reason, my passion for reading slowed down a bit last year. I picked up and put back down book after book after book, so ended up actually finishing less than half the amount of books I read in 2008. From 28 books in '08 to 12 books in '09, here's my short little list...

2009 books, in the order I read them:

The Tales of Beedle the Bard, JK Rowling
The Princess Bride, William Goldman
Austenland, Shannon Hale
The Lightning Thief, Rick Riordan
Peaches, Jodi Lynn Anderson
Mr. Maybe, Jane Green
The Sea of Monsters, Rick Riordan
Practical Magic, Alice Hoffman
The Eyre Affair, Jasper Fforde
Good Omens, Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Willful Creatures, Aimee Bender
Enchantment, Orson Scott Card

Life...

2009-12-30T21:07:00.000-08:00

Life is unusual, complicated, it can be tragic and magic. I can’t say I really understand it, but can any of us really figure it out? So all there is left to do is to live. Live your best life, be your best you. To feel and give and love and learn and experience and appreciate it all, because that’s all there really is.

You know you're getting old when...

2009-12-27T21:46:00.000-08:00

...you remember seeing Titanic on the big screen.

Conversation between me and a couple of volunteers:

Volunteer #1: "I love Titanic! It's my dream to be able to see it on a big screen some day."
Volunteer #2, confused: "Well, why didn't you go see it when it was in the theaters?"
Volunteer #1: "I couldn't, I was in kindergarden."
Me, horrified: "Oh my gosh, I was in high school! I feel so old!"

And that, my friends, is just the beginning. As time ticks on, more stories like this will make us realize just how old we're getting.

Joshua Tree National Park

2009-12-06T20:53:00.000-08:00

Camping at Jumbo Rocks, November 2009

New Moon

2009-11-21T23:22:00.000-08:00

Absolutely loved the movie. LOVED it.

Quote-o-the-day

2009-11-18T18:57:00.000-08:00

"Time passes. Even when it seems impossible. Even when each tick of the second hand aches like the pulse of blood behind a bruise. It passes unevenly, in strange lurches and dragging lulls, but it does. Even for me. "
-New Moon, Stephenie Meyer

One Week...

2009-11-13T15:41:00.000-08:00

...until New Moon comes out. So. Excited.

New England in the Fall, Check

2009-10-29T20:25:00.000-07:00

I am a list maker. Books to read, groceries to buy, things to pack, places to visit, you name it, I make lists for it. One huge, ongoing, and ever changing list that I have always had is the "Things to do in my life", or as some people call it, "Bucket list." Seeing New England in its fall glory, with the leaves turning brilliant shades of yellow, orange, and red, has been on my life list for a very long time. I finally had the opportunity to fulfill this, with a wonderful trip to Boston last week. I visited just in time to see many of the trees turned--it was beautiful and great to see a real Autumn season. Along with enjoying the crisp air and amazing color display, I was able to hang out with Resh, eat yummy food (love the lobster rolls and clam chowder there!) and see many of Boston's sites. It was a very charming city, full of history and great museums, and I had an all together fabulous time. It's so satisfying to be able to check items off my lists!

The Past 2 Months

2009-10-19T22:08:00.000-07:00

Here's to playing catch-up. Since returning from the road trip...

...Went to Catalina Island for work, taking 30 teachers to have a hands-on experience snorkeling, tidepooling, kayaking and exploring. It was so much fun and reminded me how much I miss working out there.

...Went to the Island again for fun, when Scott was in town. He was back from Australia for a month, so we went over to play for a day.

...Whale watching a couple of times. I hadn't been in a while, so it was great being out on the water again. There were rumors that orcas might come around, but we didn't see any. That's okay though, because the blue whales were amazing, as always.

...There was a fun event at work--a cake walk and chili cook-off. How could you go wrong with being able to try about 20 different homemade chili dishes? I won a cake to top it off, so it was a great evening.

...Had an awesome girl's weekend away in Mammoth Lakes with seven friends. We visited June Lakes, Mono Lake, Yosemite, hiked Devil's Postpile & Rainbow Falls, ate yummy food, played games, drank wine, hung out, and woke up to a few inches of snow our last morning there. SO MUCH FUN with the girls.

...Finished knitting my hobo gloves!!! Woohoo, I am very proud of the accomplishment!

Aside from the fun, I did the normal work, gym, work, farting around, etc. etc. stuff. I was sick last week, but I've recovered just in time for my next small vacation--leave on Wednesday to visit Resh in Boston!

The Rest of the Road Trip

2009-08-23T22:36:00.000-07:00

Road Trip 2009: Days 13-18

So, I'm giving up on re-capping the rest of my trip for 2 reasons:
1. It's time to move on, because it has been taking me way too long to finish up (as I'm writing this, it is October and not really August like the post date says)
2. I accidentally deleted all of the pictures from the rest of my trip. I'm pretty annoyed at myself for doing that, so I have no photos to share.

The rest of my trip was great, and we'll leave it at that.

And now, onto our regular blogging...

Return to Lake Crescent

2009-08-17T22:34:00.000-07:00

Road Trip 2009: Day 12
Fort Stevens State Park, OR to Lake Crescent, Olympic National Park, WA
(with quick stops in Astoria, OR and Forks, WA)

Miles driven today=229
Total miles driven=1547

We had a fairly long day of driving, with just a couple of stops. We went to the top of Astoria Column to get a gorgeous panoramic view of the area.

Crossed the Astoria bridge over to Washington State and continued driving until we reached Forks. I already visited the town during my road trip last year, but wanted to stop by and buy a couple of stickers for souvenirs. And while I was there, why not take a photo with the other Forks welcome sign? Last year, I took a photo with the sign you see when you enter the town from the north, and this year, I took one with the sign you see when you enter from the south. The chamber of commerce was busy with fans visiting the area, and the atmosphere of the town was quite different from last year. Twilight-mania has definitely spread since the movie came out.

After a quick lunch, we continued on our way to our campsite, the Fairholme campground along Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park. It's the same place Alicia and I stayed at last year. I really loved it and wanted to visit again, so it was nice that we were able to fit it into the schedule. We spent the rest of the day swimming in the lake and relaxing, which was lovely.

Fish, beer, ice cream, then a beautiful sunset to end the day

2009-08-16T22:28:00.000-07:00

Road Trip 2009: Day 11
Newport, OR to Fort Stevens State Park, OR
(with stops in Pacific City and Tillamook)

Miles driven today=153
Total miles driven=1318

We started out the morning with breakfast at a cute cafe in Nye Beach, then a visit to the Oregon Coast Aquarium to hang out with the fish and other animals. My favorite was, of course, the cuttlefish. I had the chance to see some day-old cuttlefish babies, which was awesome! Here was one of the older babies they had on exhibit:

Then made a 3-car caravan (I know, not very earth-friendly, but it was great having Mesha hang out with us for the day!) up the coast to Pacific City, where we had lunch and tasted some beer at the Pelican Pub & Brewery.

Lunch had to be followed with ice cream, so we traveled further up the coast to visit the Tillamook creamery. I had 3 scoops of deliciousness!

After parting ways with Mesha (she unfortunately had to go back home), we made it to Fort Stevens State Park, at the northwest tip of Oregon. We set up camp and made it down to the beach in time to enjoy the sun setting behind the Peter Iredale shipwreck. It was a great way to end another road-trippin' day.