Thanksgiving 2010

With all the hustle and bustle with my schedule I decided to stay in my new apartment for Thanksgiving. Meaning I would not be with any family or relatives for thanksgiving. I missed my family but it gave me a new appreciation for the day. 

I thought about all of those other people who might be lucky enough to share thanksgiving with anyone.  

 I am very thankful for all those who serve across the globe. 

I am even more thankful I have a family!

I did start a couple traditions here. First, spending time at the beach. Second, not over stuffing myself on food. Third staying away from the television. Finally, I didn't make a turkey but I did make dessert! 

My first homemade pumpkin pie and red wine.

SLO weekend

Last weekend, I went back to San Luis Obispo for a mini reunion to see some of my friends from college.  We had an excellent time. Wined and dinned, or I should say 'champanged' ourselves at several places.  The Cliffs in Pismo Beach for a great sunset.  Novo Restaurant and Lounge on Higuera in SLO for a dinner on the patio. It has such a great vibe. Some of my best college memories are from that place. The back fence and tree are wrapped with white lights. Finally, Seaside Cafe & Bakery in Pismo Beach for brunch.  They have bomb pumpkin bread and huge omelettes.  

It was so good to see many of my college friends, again.  There is a quote somewhere the older you are the more you need the people who knew you when you were young. I completely agree. Reflecting on the weekend, it was a small fantasy. Same place as school except we have all slowly moved on towards what we might one day call our careers. 

Well the bottles minus the clear wine bottle and blue one are what remains from this happy weekend. The good news is they make good apartment decorations.

Jack Johnson IN CONCERT

Many months ago, I found out Jack Johnson was touring again. He happens to be my favorite artist! My mother even did some research and found out he was donating the proceeds of this tour. 

How cool is that?  

Thursday night before the concert I scrambled to get tickets. I found two so I went down phone list asking people if they were free. What makes it even better is I got to meet up with a friend I haven't seen in forever!! We had a great time and got to catch up on life. It was at the Hollywood bowl which is a great venue. I hope I get to attend another concert there.

I don't recommend being that spontaneous with planning to see your favorite band but I feel lucky it worked out for me this time.

Up in the Air and down again

Recently I had to extend my travel for work. It was awesome because I learned a ton. However, returning home, I forgot about the food in my fridge. Soy milk after it's expiration date is really disgusting. I also had moldy lemons. If life gives you moldy lemons I don't care what people say THROW them out! 

Needless to say now my fridge is bare. I went looking for my rental car in the parking lot yesterday at work. I was worried I did not clean up enough in the morning for the maid... then I realized I was the maid.

There is a quote in the movie Up In the Air-"All the things you probably hate about travelling -the recycled air, the artificial lighting, the digital juice dispensers, the cheap sushi- are warm reminders that I'm home." 

Well I was beginning to relate to that with regards to many other activities, such as clean-up after myself for the maid and  eating at restaurants by myself or with co-workers. 

Ryan Bingham, the main character in the movie, is right about one thing: "If you think about it, your favorite memories, the most important moments in your life... were you alone? 

Life's better with company."

Sand Castle

Today a friend and I built a sand castle!

I have to admit I never really built one. Usually my dad and I focused on making a really cool wall and moat. I am always more interested in spending time in the ocean.  I think it turned out really cool but he had what seemed like a billion more really creative ideas to make it cooler. Pretty advanced architecture to have an outer wall and archways.

It reminded me that sometimes we spend so much time building something but it can easily come crashing down. We didn't stay to watch it disappear in the waves.  

Nothing in this life is permanent so I have to enjoy it!

Snorkeling with a Sea Turtle

It was Sunday North Shore on Oahu, Hawaii. This spot called Shark's Cove. I captured this footage.  It doesn't do actually swimming with sea turtles justice but it's great to see the memory.

Happy BIrthday To Me

Yet another year has come and passed. I was lucky enough to spend the weekend with my parents. Look at the awesome homemade birthday cake my mom made for me. Really it's the little things in life- like a birthday cake that remind me it's okay to get old just never grow up!

 Yes it is appropriately themed sand and surf.

Check out this other awesome shot from home. Sometimes I wonder why I left. 

One final note no one wished me happy birthday on my birthday in person. I am very thankful the cards, notes, and messages but it did teach me to go out of my way to say "Happy Birthday" to anyone on their birthday. 

Published ?!?!

I wrote an article for someone else's blog discussing triathlon training. He decided to publish it. I should also mention if you are interested in surfing reviews check out his blog. (I like it, but I might be bias)  I hope you enjoy reading.

To the article (Triathlon 101)

I copy and pasted it below..

Triathlon 101 – Guest Post

July 28, 2010 by The Surfboard Man · Comments Off
Filed under: General 

What is a triathlon?
It is a distance event which consists of three legs- swim, bike, run.  The distances of each leg vary.  Typically, a sprint triathlon is 400 yd, (1/4 of a mile), 12 mile bike, and 5k (3.2 mile) run.
An Olympic distance triathlon is .93 mile swim, 24.5 mile bike and 10k (6.4 mile) run.
First you have to think about how far you think you can go then pick an event. For sprint be sure you can swim 1600, bike 24 miles, and run a 5k. For Olympic be sure you can swim close to two miles, bike 40 miles, and run at least 8 miles.
What are your goals?-
To finish, to have a personal best time on the swim, bike, or run? Personally, I have always been a swimmer. I always try to start the swim out on a great note. My secondary goal is to improve my run time. Running is my weakest leg.
To train for a triathlon I would suggest swimming three times a week, and the three other days running and biking.  One day a week after working out hard always give your body a rest. It is common mistake to over train but you will be able to train harder with the break.
The distance and time spent training should exceed the time you predict it will take you to race. I compare it to surfing. You do not expect become Laird Hamilton at Teahupoo, if you don’t know how to ride 4ft waves.

Essential Equipment:
All of these pieces should go to the transition area.  The transition area is where you as an athlete store your triathlon equipment. Only athletes are allowed in the area but make sure you keep track of your valuables. You will come back to this location to grab your bike and other equipment.
Photo ID
Race registration confirmation
USTA $10 one-day pass or your membership card
Know the triathlon’s rules
A tri-suit
Googles
Spare swim cap
Bike
Bike helmet with approved safety rating
Spare bike tube
Tube repair kit
Small bike pump that will fit on your bike frame
Broken-in pair of running shoes
Sunglasses- for the bike and run
Sunscreen
Food
Water
Recovery drink
Clean set of clothes
First-aid kit
Big towel
A hand towel
If the water is cold
A wet suit
Body-glide or Vaseline
NEVER use brand new equipment at a race – stick to what has worked for you during training. I have seen some pretty nasty blisters from new running shoes during a triathlon just as one example.

Detailed descriptions of equipment:
Tri-Suit – they are basically bike shorts, and a spandex top. If you want to you can wear a swim suit and put on bike shorts for the bike and a t-shirt for the run. If you buy a tri-sui TRY it on before you buy. You will be in this the entire race if it’s not comfortable it will make the race no fun.
Swim cap – In your race packet you should have the swim cap you are supposed to wear.
Bike helmet – It has to be CPCS approved. Replace a bike helmet at least every three years. If you don’t take good care of your helmet you will have to replace it more often.

During the race you HAVE to have your helmet buckled in the transition area, if not you will receive a time penalty.

A small bike tire air pump which fits on your bike frame. Unfortunately sometimes no matter what you do you will end up with a flat tire. Come prepared and know how to change your bike tire and regular bike maintenance.
Food-
I always tape some power gels to my bike handle bars because I never know when I’ll need it. Although solid food might sound like a good idea on race day with extra nerves eating gels or drinking liquids is a lot easier on your body.  Avoid white starchy food. Know what fuel works for your body; I compare it to putting the wrong kind of fuel in your car.
Water – figure out how much you need. Everyone tends to sweat a different amount.
Recovery drink – After about an hour of the race you need to start thinking about replenishing your fuel source. I have two bottles on my bike. One with water and one with recovery drink.
Clean set of clothes – Lots of people will just chill out in their spandex but I think it’s a lot more comfortable to change into lose fitting clothing.
Body-glide – looks like deodorant but it’s so that your wetsuit doesn’t leave your skin rubbed raw.  Apply it liberally to your neck, lower legs, lower arms, and your lats. From personal experience I received a very nasty looking wetsuit hicky on my neck because I didn’t apply enough Vaseline.  It can also help you get your wetsuit off.  You do not want to have to wear it the whole race.
Wish list items:
You do not have to have these but they are very nice to have.
A bib band clip – you will be given a number which you have to wear on the bike and run portions of the triathlon.  This bib band makes it easy to put on your number so you don’t run the risk of stabbing yourself with safety pins after finishing the swim.
A road bike with clip in shoes – they will help to increase your efficiency but they definitely are more challenging than a regular bike
A water proof watch – it is nice to know how long it has been during the bike and run. If you are aiming for a particular time then at least you will have a rough idea.
Now good luck training, and go out there and TRI!

About the Author:

h2o_gage was a competitive swimmer growing up with over 10 years of competitive swimming experience she decided to try out triathlons. She is currently training for her second Olympic distance triathlon. When she’s not training for a triathlon, she can usually be found near the ocean, hiking or spending time with her family & friends. By day she is a mechanical engineer.

Follow H20_Gage on Twitter

Stoked on Surf!

Early this morning, I went down to the Ventura Harbor early in the morning. It was gray and hazy but the surf was amazing to watch.  I really wish I could have been out there. Maybe this time next year I'll be surfing waves like that. It's going to be my lofty goal for now. :)

Now for some pictures! It's so much better live.

I filtered this one. I guess that was obvious.

Disneyland & World of Color

Well I was a lucky girl this past weekend. 

I ended up at the happiest place on earth. Yes that's right Disneyland!!

Since I finally walked at graduation I had been itching to pull the " You just graduated now what are you going to do? Go to Disneyland!" saying

 It seems only fitting that the day before graduation Disney California Adventure opened up their new water show, World of Color.  After seeing the concept art last year I was  little pessimistic about the outcome but Disney did it.  The show was AMAZING. Of course, very colorful.  

 pre-show

 During show- Under the Sea

 Post show-- warning you will get wet if you stand close.

Disneyland will forever have a place in my heart. The attractions we saw or road were:

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Haunted Mansion

Splash Mountain

Finding Nemo

Tortilla Factory

Boudin Bread Bakery Tour

Toy Story Mania

California Scream'n

Hollywood Hotel 

Aladdin 

Captian EO

Space Mountain

Tea Cups

Matterhorn

World of Color

Triathlon #2

I finished my second triathlon.

 This one seems like less of an accomplishment than the last one. It was sprint distance -- 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike and 10K run. Swim and bike went well but my run and transitions were slow. It looks like I need to go train on the track more, even though I don't like it.

Before the swim

I saw dolphins before the swim which always makes me happy.

  On the bike

The results- 1:13:12 (hr:min:sec)

 I finished 3th in my age group!

I hope I get to do this triathlon, again. It is exciting that I got to do another triathlon close to where I live.  The best part was my parents came to watch. Now I have plenty of sudo embarrassing pictures of me racing.

Bottom line triathlons are addicting and it's great to hear your parents cheer you on.

Where have I been?

Well I was training for Wildflower among other things. It was my first triathlon and with only a month of training I think I did fairly well. I'll be back to normal posts soon. I feel like I have so much to catch up on!

Week One-Post Grad

Well post college was filled with a lot of driving and traveling. I cannot complain! I got to visit the heart of Los Angeles for a bit. I was on the 18th floor of one the sky scrapers for a bit!

I am obsessed with the movie 500 Days of Summer. I often have a hard time rewatching movies unless I find them spectacular. I have watch 500 Days of Summer four times! It was a really cool treat to see the same skyline that Tom and Summer sat at. I did not know that there is a trolley up and down Angels point. I took the stairs :) Bottom line watch 500 Days of Summer and walk around historic downtown LA afterward is totally worth it.

To the Right

To the Left



 The following day I spent some time in San Deigo. It was so beautiful. Since I did not grow up near the ocean I am still in awe of it. I wonder if I grew up near it if I would still appreciate it. The water looks much more inviting than it does on the Central Coast of California. It has this great blue green hue.

San Diego

Officially a College Graduate!

Well today as I am wandering around a train park in Phoenix, I get a phone call from my school number. It was the degree evaluator. He said in a few more words -"Congratulations, I just posted your degree." 

And the world did not end! 

Random tangent: It's too bad magic does not exist in this world because how cool would that phone call have been if a cake or card or something had popped out of thin air. I know my paper diploma would have been an awesome addition. But I guess that would make it more like a birthday celebration. 

If you have been reading hopefully my writing skills have not been too terrible but it is probably obvious I did not graduate with Bachelor's of Arts in English or any other language.

LAST Day of College

Well today is my last day of class in my college career.... 

As long as I don't end up failing anything. I realize it is a irrational fear of mine but it is still a fear that three weeks down the road when my degree should be complete I will get a letter in the mail saying- you have one more class to take.

I realize this fear is tiny relative to all the other fears people experience. As I look back I feel incredibly privileged to be so close to completing a college education! So many people in the world do not have my educational opportunity. 

Prior to college I did not even live in California and I now have fallen in love with California and San Luis Obispo. I have learn so much in the classroom and outside it. I have made some incredible friends and learned some powerful life lessons!

I leave you with a candid photo from my freshman year.

 

I can't believe it was so long ago.

Loss

Death is part of life. However, it is still difficult to deal with when it happens to you.  I found out last Sunday someone who I cared about committed suicide. He ended his life with a single gun shoot wound to the heart. Words do not do justice to the feelings I have felt this past week. For those who have never lost someone grieving is a process.  According to some places there are several stages of grief - shock, emotional release, a preoccupation with the deceased, hostile reactions, guilt, depression, withdrawal, and resolution and readjustment. 

The only resolution I can gather thus far is that I care about each person that has come into my life. It is my hope that they would find me approachable if they are hurting. If it is not me find someone else to talk to before doing something so drastic.

Recently I heard, "Some people should be around your entire life and others should just make an appearance." I am very thankful for the appearance this guy made in my life but I continue to wish he had been part of my life for longer.

I leave you with a picture he sent me. 

Rest In Peace- A.L.

Olympics

I am a sucker for the Olympics. Although I watch some television, when the Olympics come on the television every two years I could watch them for hours. I have spirit for my country but will gladly cheer on any Olympian. Perhaps it is because I was a competitive athlete for so many years, I realize how much effort the athlete put into their sport.

This particular Olympic games I especially like the P&G ads which thank the Olympians' moms. Every person has a mom. I have not seen any Olympic athlete reach the podium by themselves. Each athlete has a coach, a mentor, a friend or a rival and their mom which helped them get to that podium.

The Olympics seem like a time when we focus on what mankind can achieve by physical and mental strength and now with the help of new technology.

If nothing else remember the Olympic motto- "Citius, Altius, Fortius." These three Latin words mean "Swifter, Higher, Stronger." Regardless if you are an Olympian or not each person can strive to do whatever they do better than they did before.

Wineries South of San Luis Obispo

With the long weekend, I had the pleasure of going wine tasting. Our first stop was Edna Valley Vineyard. Their tasting room has an amazing view.

Currently, the yellow in the field is mustard which helps to fertilize the soil. My favorites were the 2008 Pinot Gris and 2007 Viongier.

Second stop was Chamisal Vineyards formally known as Domaine Alfred. Don't worry it's the same wine under a different label.

Their stainless steel chardonnay was pretty good. For those that don't know wine is aged in oak barrels but this chardonnay was aged in a stainless steel drum. I enjoyed their chardonnay with a hint of grapefruit. It was slightly bitter but still good. Beware their tasting portions are big.

Finally, the day came to a close with Tolosa Winery. It practices sustainable wine growing!

They have an outdoor seating area where you can watch the planes land in the San Luis Airport or just enjoy the afternoon sunshine. All of their wine is good. They have No Oak Chardonnay, same concept as stainless steel chardonnay, too.

Check out their cool 10th anniversary bottle!

Spotlight on Shin's Sushi & Fremont theater

Sandwiched next to the old Fremont theater with its signature neon colored sign, Shin's is a busy sushi bar. On the weekend it is populated by college students who noticeably come in waves every hour. I have always thought it would be a prime date location. Go to sushi and then swing next door for a movie at the theater. The Fremont is beautiful with it's Art deco painted walls and ceiling. I admit I have never tried this date idea but it has a great place for me to catch up with friends.

Best part about Shin's is their birthday celebration. An Asian happy birthday song is played for at least a full two minutes. The lights are dimmed and the disco ball spins. They have been known to take your picture with a Shin's frame. Old pictures still line the walls on the way to the bathroom. In summary, if you want to embarrass your friend for their birthday go to Shin's.

Personal favorite order- meso soup, spicy tuna roll, and a cucumber roll.
My friend loves their tea. Did I mention it is really affordable?

Their All In Combo. (Yum)

Wineries in Napa

After turning 21 I happened to be near Napa so my family and I ventured up there for a weekend. The pictures correspond to the winery listed below.

Mumm Napa - excellent champagne and the view is spectacular.

Groth - for red wine. It was so good.

Domaine Chandon - informative champagne tour and nice atmosphere. There are gorgeous old oak trees on the property.


Darioush - Beautiful architecture. It seems to be the place where the young and beautiful check each other out.


Sterling Vineyards- Ride a gondola and reach a tasting area inspired by villas in Greece. You can see most of the valley from here. Castello di Amorosa is across the way.


Castello di Amorosa - It is a castle! Do I need to say more? Tastings are in the cellar after wandering this authentically built castle. Apparently, they have fantastic Halloween parties.

Coming Back

It has been almost two years since I posted here! Tons of things have happened. I guess it is that thing called life. Sadly they have gone undocumented. I am going to make a sincere effort to put a few drops down on this blog. I find it easiest to see where I have come from in an attempt to understand where I am going.

Perhaps to all you strangers it will serve as a means to finding something else about yourself. To my friends enjoy and may we travel down more roads together.

Peace be with everyone.