Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Hike-Inn
Friday, I took the day off from work and went to the HIKE-INN with 2 friends. If you check out the website, you will see that in order to get to the INN, you have to hike 5 miles. I was really looking forward to the whole thing....something totally new & different. And, i was REALLY looking forward to getting out of the city!!!! The trees were getting pretty full and there was just GREEN everywhere. Awesome. The hike was moderate and very calming and peaceful. At the Inn, they prepare dinner and breakfast for you which was delicious. It was great to get some well-balanced meals!! I think the elevation was only about 3000-4000 ft, but the view was still phenomenal. I definitely could have stayed another day/night, but we only had 1 night reservation and the place was booked!
One the way back Saturday morning, I had to get a run in, so I decided to run with my backpack ( which was at least 5 lbs.) back to the trailhead and my car. It was challenging, but fun!
One the way back Saturday morning, I had to get a run in, so I decided to run with my backpack ( which was at least 5 lbs.) back to the trailhead and my car. It was challenging, but fun!
Friday, May 09, 2008
let me put on a couple of 45s for ya
CECILIA - Simon & Garfunkle
MY GUY - Mary Wells
making love in the afternoon with cecilia
up in my bedroom
i got up to wash my face
when i come back to bed
someone's takin my place
cecilia, you're breakin' my heart
your shakin' my confidence, baby
MY GUY - Mary Wells
Nothin you could do
to make me untrue to my guy
Nothin you could buy
could make me turn awry from my guy
i gave my guy my word of honor
to be faithful and i'm gonna be
you best be believin' i can't be torn apart from my guy
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
a blessing and a curse
i think we all might have something that is both a blessing and a curse. for me, it's my WANTING, my HUNGER. it's flared up again and made itself know and it feel like it is ROARING. it's not a wanting of someone or something but of something entirely different that i cannot even name. but, if you GET this..you know what i am talking about.
i am not a complacent one. i am not a contented one. and i couldn't be happier about this. i want challenge. i want to dig in and figure it out. i want to work and lose myself in the effort of the experience. i want to run 50 miles. i want to run all over the damn country and beyond. i want to be puzzled by that which is TRYING. and to me, these are blessings.
the flip side of this can be such a curse though...because it leads to much frustration and irritation at the rate at which these things happen...frustration & irritation from sometimes having to depend on someone else in order for me to move forward. and simple frustration because i get stuck and can't figure out WHY i am stuck.
i am not talking about happiness. to me, happiness is a fleeing kind of emotion. and when it comes, it's great.
i'm talking about something entirely different....entirely!
i am not a complacent one. i am not a contented one. and i couldn't be happier about this. i want challenge. i want to dig in and figure it out. i want to work and lose myself in the effort of the experience. i want to run 50 miles. i want to run all over the damn country and beyond. i want to be puzzled by that which is TRYING. and to me, these are blessings.
the flip side of this can be such a curse though...because it leads to much frustration and irritation at the rate at which these things happen...frustration & irritation from sometimes having to depend on someone else in order for me to move forward. and simple frustration because i get stuck and can't figure out WHY i am stuck.
i am not talking about happiness. to me, happiness is a fleeing kind of emotion. and when it comes, it's great.
i'm talking about something entirely different....entirely!
Monday, May 05, 2008
half n half
I specifically went to the store tonight to buy half n half for my morning coffee. while i was in the store, I picked up a NY Times and an ice cream.
I forgot the Half n Half.
DAMN. I hate when that happens!
I forgot the Half n Half.
DAMN. I hate when that happens!
Thursday, May 01, 2008
the way i am
this is a snippet of dialogue from AJ & I @ work today. i went near her desk and was filling out a fedex form/envelope: a little background: I took TRINITY to the airport this morning and then went to work.
Me: I am a GOOD friend. I am a GOOOD friend.
AJ: looks at me sorta blankly
AJ: I would just say get on MARTA...at THIS time of morning?! I mean, I can understand if she was sad or depressed or something and it was on the way home, but going there in the morning..No, I would have said, "TAKE MARTA."
Me: And that is why I don't ask you. I don't even think she asked. I just offered.
I like taking people to the airport and picking them up. it's just one of my things. i hit a lot of traffic coming back to work in morning rush hour, but it didn't even faze me. AND it's Trinity! C'mon. She's my bud!
Me: I am a GOOD friend. I am a GOOOD friend.
AJ: looks at me sorta blankly
AJ: I would just say get on MARTA...at THIS time of morning?! I mean, I can understand if she was sad or depressed or something and it was on the way home, but going there in the morning..No, I would have said, "TAKE MARTA."
Me: And that is why I don't ask you. I don't even think she asked. I just offered.
I like taking people to the airport and picking them up. it's just one of my things. i hit a lot of traffic coming back to work in morning rush hour, but it didn't even faze me. AND it's Trinity! C'mon. She's my bud!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
I SENT FLOWERS
#4 is the correct answer, folks! (I know R.D. must be most shocked)
And Trin had an unfair advantage...i forgot i told her the story long ago...
But, YES, I actually took flowers to her..
And Trin had an unfair advantage...i forgot i told her the story long ago...
But, YES, I actually took flowers to her..
Friday, April 25, 2008
How well do you think you know me? Part of a series..
About 5 years ago, I was living in SF. One day, I went across the bay to Marin County for a mountain bike ride. First time in a long time. Hooked up with a couple of guys I had meet off Craigslist. The trail we went on was pretty ambitious for a novice like myself, but I had not known the itinerary beforehand.
So, we go up and up on a narrow trail. I stop at one point to get my barrings. I lost my footing and my left kneecap fell right into the pointy area of a rock, causing a deep hole, blood, and pain. My 2 fellow compadres helped me down the trail and to my car, where one of them played medic with my handy first aid kit!!
They encouraged me to go to the ER because I would need stitches.
So, I drove mysef back into SF and into the ER at USF.
Soon enough I was seen by a petite woman physician's assistant who very quickly caught my attention. She had somewhat of a husky voice and mixed in humor with compassion as she stitched me up. We exchanged some conversation and I really enjoyed it....and wanted more. She was attractive and most likely a lesbian!! When she saw my name on the chart, she exclaimed, WOW, what a great name!"
So, what do you think my next action was??
Did I
1) Leave her my phone number
2) Ask for her number
3) Send her a note
4) Send her flowers
5) Nothing?
So, we go up and up on a narrow trail. I stop at one point to get my barrings. I lost my footing and my left kneecap fell right into the pointy area of a rock, causing a deep hole, blood, and pain. My 2 fellow compadres helped me down the trail and to my car, where one of them played medic with my handy first aid kit!!
They encouraged me to go to the ER because I would need stitches.
So, I drove mysef back into SF and into the ER at USF.
Soon enough I was seen by a petite woman physician's assistant who very quickly caught my attention. She had somewhat of a husky voice and mixed in humor with compassion as she stitched me up. We exchanged some conversation and I really enjoyed it....and wanted more. She was attractive and most likely a lesbian!! When she saw my name on the chart, she exclaimed, WOW, what a great name!"
So, what do you think my next action was??
Did I
1) Leave her my phone number
2) Ask for her number
3) Send her a note
4) Send her flowers
5) Nothing?
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
#3 it is..
Yes, it's # 3...the place I lived while growing up. More specifically, it is a basic little 2 bedroom duplex right on the edge of the San Leandro/Oakland border in California. I "visited" it this past January on my "pilgrimage". The only difference between what it looks like now versus 25 years ago (WOW) is that there are now black "safety" bars on the windows. Remember, I DID say it is located at the OAKLAND border...murder capital central! I don't recall worrying so much about murder back then....
I was a little shocked to see the place nearly exactly the same. In some ways, it was comforting. Part of the reason I stopped by was because I wanted to be where MOM had been. And she had been there...LIVED in that place with me. She parked our Red Volkswagon hatchback in THAT carport. She had a little party for me when I was about 8, RIGHT THERE in that parking area. It was warm and I wore an orange/white swimming top & shorts.
One Sunday, I wrote a letter to her thanking her for everything and telling her how much i loved her and that when i grew up i was gonna get married and have a big house and she was gonna live there too. I put the letter, written on orange paper, in an envelope and stuck it in the mailbox. Later on, I went outside and got it and said, "oh, mom..you have mail." (IT WAS SUNDAY)
She opened it, read it and cried and I knew that I had touched her heart.
I shared a room with her and my sister. They slept together in her big bed and I slept on a single flat cot. The 2 boys slept in the other room. When she died, us kids moved next door to the adjacent duplex where my grandma lived. Thinking about it now, I'm a little surprised they lived so close to each other cause they fought a lot...i guess it was one of those mother-daughter love-hate relationships.
I didn't exactly "move out" of the place. My stuff, our stuff, was moved for me. I was in the hospital all broken up after the accident. When I was released from Children's Hospital, I had a hospital bed at grandma's and another family was living in the place that used to be ours. THAT was weird...coming "home" and not having one. I kept thinking, "where is ALL our stuff? where is ALL my stuff." Til this day, i still don't know what happened to a majority of our things. I feel sad about this because they are things that meant something to me. There is no one around to ask what the heck happened.
At the time of mom's death, my brother Greg had already been in trouble with the law and had been "incarcerated" at that time. The authorities released him to attend the funeral. Months later he was released and we were at grandma's. He was upset and wanted to go inside our old house. We went outside and looked at the place and he began crying and yelling: "I want to go inside my house...that's my house..." I'll never forget that moment. We were all stripped of all that we knew and it was so quietly confusing and devastating.
One time, I actually went inside the old place. It was months after the accident and I had been able to walk again. The people who had moved in became neighbor/friends and one day I asked if i could come in. I walked in and put my feet on the cold brown tile. I just stopped. My legs were shaky. I turned around and walked out.
Like I said earlier, going and looking at the place was somewhat comforting to me. The memories I have of my childhood revolve mostly around that dwelling and what took place there...some good memories and some horrible ones. It was something I needed to do, especially since I have absolutely nothing that was mine from that time and place.
For as much building and tear downs and re-building I have seen all over, it's neat to see the old place still standing.
I was a little shocked to see the place nearly exactly the same. In some ways, it was comforting. Part of the reason I stopped by was because I wanted to be where MOM had been. And she had been there...LIVED in that place with me. She parked our Red Volkswagon hatchback in THAT carport. She had a little party for me when I was about 8, RIGHT THERE in that parking area. It was warm and I wore an orange/white swimming top & shorts.
One Sunday, I wrote a letter to her thanking her for everything and telling her how much i loved her and that when i grew up i was gonna get married and have a big house and she was gonna live there too. I put the letter, written on orange paper, in an envelope and stuck it in the mailbox. Later on, I went outside and got it and said, "oh, mom..you have mail." (IT WAS SUNDAY)
She opened it, read it and cried and I knew that I had touched her heart.
I shared a room with her and my sister. They slept together in her big bed and I slept on a single flat cot. The 2 boys slept in the other room. When she died, us kids moved next door to the adjacent duplex where my grandma lived. Thinking about it now, I'm a little surprised they lived so close to each other cause they fought a lot...i guess it was one of those mother-daughter love-hate relationships.
I didn't exactly "move out" of the place. My stuff, our stuff, was moved for me. I was in the hospital all broken up after the accident. When I was released from Children's Hospital, I had a hospital bed at grandma's and another family was living in the place that used to be ours. THAT was weird...coming "home" and not having one. I kept thinking, "where is ALL our stuff? where is ALL my stuff." Til this day, i still don't know what happened to a majority of our things. I feel sad about this because they are things that meant something to me. There is no one around to ask what the heck happened.
At the time of mom's death, my brother Greg had already been in trouble with the law and had been "incarcerated" at that time. The authorities released him to attend the funeral. Months later he was released and we were at grandma's. He was upset and wanted to go inside our old house. We went outside and looked at the place and he began crying and yelling: "I want to go inside my house...that's my house..." I'll never forget that moment. We were all stripped of all that we knew and it was so quietly confusing and devastating.
One time, I actually went inside the old place. It was months after the accident and I had been able to walk again. The people who had moved in became neighbor/friends and one day I asked if i could come in. I walked in and put my feet on the cold brown tile. I just stopped. My legs were shaky. I turned around and walked out.
Like I said earlier, going and looking at the place was somewhat comforting to me. The memories I have of my childhood revolve mostly around that dwelling and what took place there...some good memories and some horrible ones. It was something I needed to do, especially since I have absolutely nothing that was mine from that time and place.
For as much building and tear downs and re-building I have seen all over, it's neat to see the old place still standing.
Monday, April 07, 2008
what do you think this is a picture of...
1) my current dwelling
2) place where i lived when i was born
3) place I lived most of my youth
4) my dream house
5) my out house
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Thursday, April 03, 2008
how well do you think you know me?
this is hopefully fun for you! this is true and i just want to see what your answer will be:
In my apartment building there is a laundry room that requires a key. When the door shuts, it automatically locks. I recently misplaced my key and I had laundry stuck in the room for a few days. it was laundry that i kinda needed...socks, underwear, etc... But, i couldn't get back in cause I couldn't find my key. This went on for about 3-4 days.
My question to you is what do you think I did?
1) call my lease manager and ask for a new key?
2) ask my neighbors to borrow their key
3) wait until i see the door open/unlocked to get my stuff?
In my apartment building there is a laundry room that requires a key. When the door shuts, it automatically locks. I recently misplaced my key and I had laundry stuck in the room for a few days. it was laundry that i kinda needed...socks, underwear, etc... But, i couldn't get back in cause I couldn't find my key. This went on for about 3-4 days.
My question to you is what do you think I did?
1) call my lease manager and ask for a new key?
2) ask my neighbors to borrow their key
3) wait until i see the door open/unlocked to get my stuff?
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
the gangs all here
I thought i would share a couple of photos from january this year when i was in San Francisco:
I love these pictures: me and my SF pals after a yummy breakfast near the mission district in SF. A couple of us from the photo will be meeting up next in Austin, Texas during memorial day weekend. YIPPEE
Monday, March 24, 2008
OH -- THE MADNESS!
OK - here is where I stand after the first 2 rounds of the mens NCAA Tournament: as we head into the SWEET 16, 9 of my 16 picks are in. But, here's the deal: I have been so entertained watching some of these games that I have been thrilled to see an upset, even if I lose the team from my picks. For example, watching DUKE lose to West Virginia was spectacular! Watching little known DAVIDSON come from way behind to beat GEORGETOWN was just SWEET. What has been so great about these games is THE HUSTLE of these guys. THEY SCRAMBLE, THROW THEIR BODIES into every play it seems. AWESOME. GUTTY Performances. Even if you don't watch sports or know anything about these teams, you still gotta be impressed.
Can't wait til Thursday and the next round of games!! Yippee
Can't wait til Thursday and the next round of games!! Yippee
Saturday, March 22, 2008
2nd day - Bracket-Ball
16 more NCAA Mens teams played yesterday and there were a few major upsets: UCONN, CLEMSON, DRAKE & VANDERBILT
The good news: out of 16 games, I had 13 correct winners including W. Kentucky who upset Drake
The bad news: I lost on UCONN, Clemson & Vandy.
The other good news: I don't have the aforementioned 3 above going past next round. AND I also won a few side bets yesterday!! YEAH!!
After shooting for a 10 miler today and cleaning car, house, etc..I plan to go over a friends house, cook-out and watch tonights game on a BIG TV. Yippee.
Have a great weekend all!
The good news: out of 16 games, I had 13 correct winners including W. Kentucky who upset Drake
The bad news: I lost on UCONN, Clemson & Vandy.
The other good news: I don't have the aforementioned 3 above going past next round. AND I also won a few side bets yesterday!! YEAH!!
After shooting for a 10 miler today and cleaning car, house, etc..I plan to go over a friends house, cook-out and watch tonights game on a BIG TV. Yippee.
Have a great weekend all!
Friday, March 21, 2008
BRACKET-BALL!
March Madness -- Oh Yeah!
NCAA MENS basketball is up and runnin'. I'm in a pool at work and determined to do better this year than the previous two. Of course, I'm also do some additional side bets. :)
The good news so far: 16 teams played yesterday, Thursday. I had 15 out of 16 correct.
The bad news: USC lost yesterday in an upset. I had them in the FINAL FOUR. OUCH!
But, still....a good start and looking for more today!! Who have I picked to win it all????
STAY TUNED! :)
NCAA MENS basketball is up and runnin'. I'm in a pool at work and determined to do better this year than the previous two. Of course, I'm also do some additional side bets. :)
The good news so far: 16 teams played yesterday, Thursday. I had 15 out of 16 correct.
The bad news: USC lost yesterday in an upset. I had them in the FINAL FOUR. OUCH!
But, still....a good start and looking for more today!! Who have I picked to win it all????
STAY TUNED! :)
Saturday, March 15, 2008
POP QUIZ
-did you know atlanta got hit with a Tornado last night? (not til i saw a text in the AM)
-POP TARTS, POPCORN, or POPSICLES? (popcorn)
-what brand of running/walking shoes do you have? (um..ASICS, ADIDAS, SALOMON, NIKE..)
-what did you eat last? (bowl of KASHI cereal..at nightime!)
-ever been on a night hike to stargaze? (yes)
-what are you reading? (Lake of Dead Languages)
-TOP 2 TV Shows? (Grey's & The Closer)
-Last person you hugged? (A.S.)
-Have you ever slapped anyone? (i don't think so)
-Have you ever thrown food or drink at anyone in anger or disgust? (NO)
-Do you sleep with socks on? (almost always except summer)
-Do you brush your teeth in the shower? (no..kinda creeps me out actually)
-Are you fast at typing? (NO)
-What do you wish for in this moment? (for a massage)
-Dream house? (i have one in mind...)
-Are you friendly with your neighbors? (a tiny bit)
ok...that's enough for now...i hope you will enjoy and respond....
-POP TARTS, POPCORN, or POPSICLES? (popcorn)
-what brand of running/walking shoes do you have? (um..ASICS, ADIDAS, SALOMON, NIKE..)
-what did you eat last? (bowl of KASHI cereal..at nightime!)
-ever been on a night hike to stargaze? (yes)
-what are you reading? (Lake of Dead Languages)
-TOP 2 TV Shows? (Grey's & The Closer)
-Last person you hugged? (A.S.)
-Have you ever slapped anyone? (i don't think so)
-Have you ever thrown food or drink at anyone in anger or disgust? (NO)
-Do you sleep with socks on? (almost always except summer)
-Do you brush your teeth in the shower? (no..kinda creeps me out actually)
-Are you fast at typing? (NO)
-What do you wish for in this moment? (for a massage)
-Dream house? (i have one in mind...)
-Are you friendly with your neighbors? (a tiny bit)
ok...that's enough for now...i hope you will enjoy and respond....
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)