It's been a crazy (crazy good!) week back. I came home depleted. I caught about an hour of sleep on the red eye (after hiking ALL DAY with Sara) and had to catch the bus to South Station and then the train home. I was so tired and lugging my nearly 50 lb. suitcase and my 10 lb. briefcase. Then I had a reality check. In the elevator at South Station I held the door for a man in a wheelchair. He may have been mentally impaired...he was speech impaired and had the sunniest disposition I may have ever seen. He asked where I was headed and I said home. He asked where that was, and when I told him, he said, "Well that's not so bad! You can do it!" He could see I was tired, and despite how I was feeling I had nothing but smiles for his earnest inquiries. He wished me a great day when I got off of the elevator. And I realized...as tired and cranky as I was at that moment, it all was nothing compared to his daily challenges. He managed to get around and do his thing with a giant smile on his face. When he asked me how I was, I could see he actually cared about my answer. I want to go back and hug him.
I made it home and collapsed into bed. Then I went to bed again about 6 hours later at bed time. By morning I felt rested enough to start my new job!
New job, same company. I've been "asked" (I must use that term loosely) to move to a different department and head up the effort for my application to seamlessly move existing customers currently operating on our "old" systems to our new system that I just helped build for the past four years. In that four years I was pretty focused on one particular piece (though a large piece), and so there's a lot I don't know. Also, I haven't worked in the old technology for 3 years now. I'm pretty rusty. This is going to be challenging, but luckily for me I had predecessors built all sorts of useful tools that will make things easier. I guess the deal for now is we have four months just to determine how long the whole effort will take.
Overall, I'm excited about it. I feel the need to change things up every three years or so, and my company does everything they can to make that possible. I was ready, just taken by surprise. I found out two days before my vacation about the new job, and when I returned I was there! Still, there seems to be plenty of transition time so far, which I'm glad for as I have loose ends to tie up.
The rest of the week went smoothly at my old desk, doing my old job...
Most importantly, on Saturday, Laurie and I booked our tickets to go to CaleeFORneeahh to see her sister, and my Aunty Jeanne (hi Jeanne! hi Laurie!). It a lovely thing to come home from one amazing vacation and be able to book another one right way. God bless frequent flier miles.
Lastly, I made a few shopping trips and invited the rents over for dinner on Sunday, something I'd like to make a tradition while the weather is foul and we can't go out and play. My new Julia Child's cookbook took me through the steps of roasting a lovely pork tenderloin, and it was easy and yummy. A good time was had by all.
Getting sleepy...time to rest up before meeting the new boss again tomorrow. Goodnight!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
People actually live here
Today Sara & Colin and I went to Golden Gate Bridge Park where Colin and I indulged our need to shoot pics on while Sara patiently waited. It was awesome! The sun was shining as we walked the beach, which doubles as a dog park.
There were a million sailboats under the bridge. Colin figured out they were racing. What an amazing sight.
This sea lion was probably stealing the fisherman's bait off of the fishing dock. I got sofa king excited about catching his picture in his natural habitat. Then we went over to Pier 39, where they hang out full-time. Turns out it's not so rare to see them around here!
After four hours of hiking around we came back to the apartment to rest and digest the enormous sourdough breadbowls holding good ol' New England clam chowdah we ate for a late lunch. Later we had giant crabs for dinner, purchased fresh off the dock earlier in the day.
Tomorrow we'll hike into Chinatown for Dim sum.
Tomorrow is also my last day of vacation. I come home on the red eye. Sniff. I'm admittedly tired and ready to go back to a more sane schedule, but I honestly have no desire to be in New England for the rest of the winter. I could get used to this lifestyle. I could get used to winters that offer nothing worse than overcast skies and low temps of 40 something. I could get used to fabulous coffee and beer on every corner. I could get used to stunning vistas every which way I turn, to culture, art and music forever changing. This is not a vacation lulling me into adoring a place because I've left my worldy worries behind for a little while. I think I'm really in love with the west coast.
I hope it calls me back.
There were a million sailboats under the bridge. Colin figured out they were racing. What an amazing sight.
This sea lion was probably stealing the fisherman's bait off of the fishing dock. I got sofa king excited about catching his picture in his natural habitat. Then we went over to Pier 39, where they hang out full-time. Turns out it's not so rare to see them around here!
After four hours of hiking around we came back to the apartment to rest and digest the enormous sourdough breadbowls holding good ol' New England clam chowdah we ate for a late lunch. Later we had giant crabs for dinner, purchased fresh off the dock earlier in the day.
Tomorrow we'll hike into Chinatown for Dim sum.
Tomorrow is also my last day of vacation. I come home on the red eye. Sniff. I'm admittedly tired and ready to go back to a more sane schedule, but I honestly have no desire to be in New England for the rest of the winter. I could get used to this lifestyle. I could get used to winters that offer nothing worse than overcast skies and low temps of 40 something. I could get used to fabulous coffee and beer on every corner. I could get used to stunning vistas every which way I turn, to culture, art and music forever changing. This is not a vacation lulling me into adoring a place because I've left my worldy worries behind for a little while. I think I'm really in love with the west coast.
I hope it calls me back.
Friday, January 29, 2010
You know you're in San Francisco when...
...the first place you land is a kinky coffee shop. In fact, the this is the ONLY kinky coffee shop in all of San Francisco, or so they claim. I'm in Wicked Grounds, and luckily for me the kink is at a minimum.
Whoops, just went looking for the cream & sugar and found the whips & chains! Ok, I'm exaggerating...just whips. Seriously.
I woke up at 5:30 AM without the aid of an alarm clock and because I didn't know what else to do with myself I drove back to the mountains. Sunrise was scheduled for 7:21, so I drove around in the dark trying to get to higher ground but couldn't find the perfect spot for picture taking, and was too impatient to sit around waiting for light to see if where I was was good enough. But, in the end I got some lovely shots of both a mountain and a bit of Lake Shasta. I was back at the hotel by 8:15, and back on the road by 9:15.
The rest of the drive was easy going compared to yesterday. I made it in a little over 3 hours and the entire ride was flat this time. I couldn't believe it when I crossed the Golden Gate bridge around noon. It just snuck up on me. I've been over it before and as I remember it's a lot more impressive when you're gazing at it from across the bay rather than driving on it.
Triumph of the day...I got the car returned before I was charged for a second day. HOORAY! I can afford another meal before I return home.
The only thing I know of on the agenda for the weekend is happy hour tonight, and that is really all I'm focused on. Between the walking in Portland and the long ride down here my sciatica came back (no pun intended) to remind me that 10 minutes of a dude pushing and pulling on my legs does not fix a condition that took years to create. In short, I need a drink. In reality, I need an exercise regimen.
The barista just propped the door open. Yes, that's how nice it is here...about 60 degrees, maybe warmer in the sun.
SF, I love you and your wicked grounds already. Now hand me my whip.
Whoops, just went looking for the cream & sugar and found the whips & chains! Ok, I'm exaggerating...just whips. Seriously.
I woke up at 5:30 AM without the aid of an alarm clock and because I didn't know what else to do with myself I drove back to the mountains. Sunrise was scheduled for 7:21, so I drove around in the dark trying to get to higher ground but couldn't find the perfect spot for picture taking, and was too impatient to sit around waiting for light to see if where I was was good enough. But, in the end I got some lovely shots of both a mountain and a bit of Lake Shasta. I was back at the hotel by 8:15, and back on the road by 9:15.
The rest of the drive was easy going compared to yesterday. I made it in a little over 3 hours and the entire ride was flat this time. I couldn't believe it when I crossed the Golden Gate bridge around noon. It just snuck up on me. I've been over it before and as I remember it's a lot more impressive when you're gazing at it from across the bay rather than driving on it.
Triumph of the day...I got the car returned before I was charged for a second day. HOORAY! I can afford another meal before I return home.
The only thing I know of on the agenda for the weekend is happy hour tonight, and that is really all I'm focused on. Between the walking in Portland and the long ride down here my sciatica came back (no pun intended) to remind me that 10 minutes of a dude pushing and pulling on my legs does not fix a condition that took years to create. In short, I need a drink. In reality, I need an exercise regimen.
The barista just propped the door open. Yes, that's how nice it is here...about 60 degrees, maybe warmer in the sun.
SF, I love you and your wicked grounds already. Now hand me my whip.
SHAsta!
It was a long day, dear blog. Somehow what Google predicted would be a 5.5 hour drive was actually a 7.5 hour drive, including a few very brief food & rest stops. I got on the road at 12:45 PM, and arrived at the hotel at 8:15 PM. The scenery was breathtaking...I drove through mountains nearly the whole way...up and down and up and down again. At one point I was 20,000 feet above sea level! There was even snow on the ground for a short portion of the journey. The roads were good the whole way, and the temperature got as high as 60 degrees at one point, and the sun was out for most of the ride. I have been blessed with great weather this entire trip (knocking on the wooden desk now). I snapped a few shots of the landscape from my cell phone, but that was about the best I could do as I-5 in Oregon didn't offer a single scenic view to pull over at. It was hard to believe what I was looking at wasn't considered scenic enough! The grass is literally greener over here. There were all manner of farm animals grazing along the drive...even a few llamas.
I reached the California border around 5:30 PM, just as it was getting dark. The sunset was completely different from an East Coast winter sunset. Usually at home it goes from light to dark within about 30 minutes during the winter. Here the light lingered a good 1.5 hours after the sun had sunk below the horizon.
To help pass the time I started listening to Stephen King's latest epic, Under the Dome. It's great so far. King, being true to his usual form, pumped out another giant novel, and although I listened the entire way I'm probably only 1/5 through the story at best.
It seems I booked a hotel a bit too far from the great scenic area of Shasta National Park. I left the park about 20 miles ago, and I'm not sure I'll have the time to backtrack in the morning. I'm supposed to have the car in San Fran around noon tomorrow, and that's another 200 miles away. I'll play it by ear...right now I'm just glad I had the foresight to break this drive up over two days.
I hear the weather is downright miserable at home, and although I should be feeling great about missing it I can't help but feel bad for my loved ones back east, enduring another craptastic winter.
I'm putting myself to bed early in the hopes of rising early for more photo ops...night night.
I reached the California border around 5:30 PM, just as it was getting dark. The sunset was completely different from an East Coast winter sunset. Usually at home it goes from light to dark within about 30 minutes during the winter. Here the light lingered a good 1.5 hours after the sun had sunk below the horizon.
To help pass the time I started listening to Stephen King's latest epic, Under the Dome. It's great so far. King, being true to his usual form, pumped out another giant novel, and although I listened the entire way I'm probably only 1/5 through the story at best.
It seems I booked a hotel a bit too far from the great scenic area of Shasta National Park. I left the park about 20 miles ago, and I'm not sure I'll have the time to backtrack in the morning. I'm supposed to have the car in San Fran around noon tomorrow, and that's another 200 miles away. I'll play it by ear...right now I'm just glad I had the foresight to break this drive up over two days.
I hear the weather is downright miserable at home, and although I should be feeling great about missing it I can't help but feel bad for my loved ones back east, enduring another craptastic winter.
I'm putting myself to bed early in the hopes of rising early for more photo ops...night night.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Portland review
Good morning. It's way too early to be awake in the Pacific timezone. I've been up since 5:30, because apparently 2.5 pints of Deschutes fine brews had too much alcohol to let me sleep in. Where did my tolerance go? I think I left it back in my twenties.
So the weather was beautiful yesterday, allowing me to go with Plan A and enjoy the Oregon Zoo, Hoyt Arboretum, and Japanese Garden. Each place was more impressive than the last.
The zoo was very good as zoos go, and relatively cheap! Only $9 for the day. I saw nearly every exhibit within 2.5 hours.
There were two Polar Bears, and they were MASSIVE beasts. One of them happened to be laying down really close to the glass and I actually jumped when I turned the corner and saw him. The guy above is clearly enjoying the morning sunshine.
I want to know who his stylist is.
The lions were actually watching me. When I saw the male taking an interest I intentionally started pacing back and forth in front of the glass. This got all of their attention. Eventually he decided I was just another schmuck with a camera and settled down again, and the female on the right who looks annoyed went back to licking her tree.
Another sun worshiper.
The sea lions looked almost as big as the polar bears, and just as cuddly. They were putting on a nice show for everybody, doing flips in front of the glass and coming right up to the kiddies to say hello. This picture barely does justice to how majestic they are.
My complete zoo set can be found here.
I left the Zoo and bought a map of the Arboretum, because it was honestly too big to just wander around. Here's what I saw along the way...
It is about here that light dawns on marble head and I finally figure out how to manually focus my camera. Get ready for a lot of unnecessary closeups.
I have reached my final destination - the Japanese Garden. Serenity now!
That is Mt. Hood. It is too pretty for words.
You can find my complete set of Arboretum & Japanese Garden pics here.
Thanks for looking. I'm going back to bed for a few hours before I start my long journey down to San Francisco.
So the weather was beautiful yesterday, allowing me to go with Plan A and enjoy the Oregon Zoo, Hoyt Arboretum, and Japanese Garden. Each place was more impressive than the last.
The zoo was very good as zoos go, and relatively cheap! Only $9 for the day. I saw nearly every exhibit within 2.5 hours.
There were two Polar Bears, and they were MASSIVE beasts. One of them happened to be laying down really close to the glass and I actually jumped when I turned the corner and saw him. The guy above is clearly enjoying the morning sunshine.
I want to know who his stylist is.
The lions were actually watching me. When I saw the male taking an interest I intentionally started pacing back and forth in front of the glass. This got all of their attention. Eventually he decided I was just another schmuck with a camera and settled down again, and the female on the right who looks annoyed went back to licking her tree.
Another sun worshiper.
The sea lions looked almost as big as the polar bears, and just as cuddly. They were putting on a nice show for everybody, doing flips in front of the glass and coming right up to the kiddies to say hello. This picture barely does justice to how majestic they are.
My complete zoo set can be found here.
I left the Zoo and bought a map of the Arboretum, because it was honestly too big to just wander around. Here's what I saw along the way...
It is about here that light dawns on marble head and I finally figure out how to manually focus my camera. Get ready for a lot of unnecessary closeups.
I have reached my final destination - the Japanese Garden. Serenity now!
That is Mt. Hood. It is too pretty for words.
You can find my complete set of Arboretum & Japanese Garden pics here.
Thanks for looking. I'm going back to bed for a few hours before I start my long journey down to San Francisco.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
