Working Weekend
I knew there would be weekends filled with work as a lawyer. And, believe it or not, this one wasn't so bad.
I think they come in two flavors. The first is horrid, it's the unexpected, I have plans I have to cancel, I hate it when my job gets in the way of my life working weekend. Those weekends aren't so great.
But this weekend I experienced the second flavor, which, in truth, isn't actually that bad.
As of Wednesday evening of this week, I could see the writing on the wall. No amount of late night work on my part was going to fit into my planned social schedule and leave me with a weekend free. Plus, I didn't really have plans this weekend, so it wasn't a big deal. In fact, it was oddly liberating.
Because I knew I'd be working on the weekend, I left work at 4 PM on Friday to meet lucky_girl at my house for a last-minute closet raid for a wedding she had to attend. Ordinarily, I'm rushing to finish my work for the week on Friday at that time. But this time, I collected my binders and piles, waved goodbye to the staff and got on the road.
Yesterday, I slept in, did a nice 6 mile run, made waffles for lunch, relaxed a bit, and then settled into diligence mode. Half an hour in, I had the brilliant idea of getting a manicure and pedicure in the middle of the diligence hours as a treat. I planned to read diligence through the entire pedicure, but I must admit, US weekly did distract me a bit. Even with distractions, I put in a solid 4 hours and found myself halfway done with the pile before it was time to make dinner and welcome P back to the bay area after a month in Canada.
After dinner, I sent a few emails and tried to remotivate, but I could only do about 20 more minutes before E appeared with Krispy Kreme, he even wore a hat for the delivery. Between that and Netflix, how could I possibly insist on more diligence?
Trouble is, even though I found Anchorman to be horrifically tedious, and even though E bailed after 20 minutes, I watched it 'til the end. If I turned it off, you see, I'd have to go back to the diligence. Not happening.
Today, I woke at a decent hour and met up with B to do a slow 10-miler. I came home, showered, and went to downtown for a leisurely brunch with E followed by a visit to the Mountain View Lock Museum. After we'd had our fill of old California history, nostalgia for my Papa, and the curator of the tiny museum who was the most adorable old man ever, I finally made it home, full, relaxed, and mellow.
Again, with a happy heart, I plopped onto the couch to resume my duties. After 25 minutes, I almost fell asleep. Diligence, at times, well...it's not always scintillating. Thankfully, my sister called. I talked to her for 30 minutes or so and then, refreshed, dove back in. An hour later, I'm in need of another break, and here I am. Blogging. The ultimate time-sink.
After this, no doubt, I'll return to my pile, plow through some more and maybe even finish before it's time to make dinner. Probably not, though. This 8 hours or so of work will likely turn out to be a full-weekend-long project.
It'll be the reason I felt no guilt leaving work early on Friday. It'll be the reason I don't feel decadently lazy about my weekend at home with no plans. It'll also be the reason my hours look 8 or so hours nicer than they otherwise would have this month. And since I knew it was coming as far away as Wednesday, I don't even feel grumpy about it. I actually had a good weekend, work was just a part of it.
Like I said, I knew I was going to have to work some weekends as a lawyer. If only they could all line up with my lazy weekends at home.
April 29, 2007
April 24, 2007
They Call Them Classics For A Reason
Last night, E and I watched Apocolypse Now.
Wow. Gorgeous. Insightful. Funny. Real. Surreal. Humans at war are amazingly fascinating animals. Coppola gets flawed humans. But, I don't know if I ever appreciated how much he got the art of moviemaking before. Italian music and scenery begs to be artistically rendered, in my opinion. So the Godfathers are some of my favorite movies, but I don't know if I gave Coppola enough credit.
This time around, though, the soundtrack of the Doors' hit me hard. I had history with that music. It was mine from a different time and meaning. Yet it was juxtaposed against the powerful bits of this movie such that I will never hear some of those songs again without a completely different response.
Also, Martin Sheen has one of the greatest voices ever bestowed upon a man. Damn. I couldn't get over the seduction of his slightly gravelly, introverted, supremely cast vocal chords. Hilariously, the modern child in me found myself thinking at odd points, "Wow, he looks just like Emilio in that shot," but then at others, I'd think, "How could I have thought he resembled Emilio, he looks like he is pure Charlie here."
Overall, we were very pleased that we listened to the wisdom of the ages and let such an acknowledged classic slowly rise to the top of our Netflix queue. At 2 hours 33 minutes, it stayed in the house for at least 2 months before we could find the time to watch it. I am embarrassed to admit that it had become almost a chore to be completed so we could be rewarded with a shorter, less onerous Netflix. We even contemplated sending it back unwatched.
I am very glad we persevered.
(Regardless, I'm still not finishing Ulysses.)
Last night, E and I watched Apocolypse Now.
Wow. Gorgeous. Insightful. Funny. Real. Surreal. Humans at war are amazingly fascinating animals. Coppola gets flawed humans. But, I don't know if I ever appreciated how much he got the art of moviemaking before. Italian music and scenery begs to be artistically rendered, in my opinion. So the Godfathers are some of my favorite movies, but I don't know if I gave Coppola enough credit.
This time around, though, the soundtrack of the Doors' hit me hard. I had history with that music. It was mine from a different time and meaning. Yet it was juxtaposed against the powerful bits of this movie such that I will never hear some of those songs again without a completely different response.
Also, Martin Sheen has one of the greatest voices ever bestowed upon a man. Damn. I couldn't get over the seduction of his slightly gravelly, introverted, supremely cast vocal chords. Hilariously, the modern child in me found myself thinking at odd points, "Wow, he looks just like Emilio in that shot," but then at others, I'd think, "How could I have thought he resembled Emilio, he looks like he is pure Charlie here."
Overall, we were very pleased that we listened to the wisdom of the ages and let such an acknowledged classic slowly rise to the top of our Netflix queue. At 2 hours 33 minutes, it stayed in the house for at least 2 months before we could find the time to watch it. I am embarrassed to admit that it had become almost a chore to be completed so we could be rewarded with a shorter, less onerous Netflix. We even contemplated sending it back unwatched.
I am very glad we persevered.
(Regardless, I'm still not finishing Ulysses.)
April 23, 2007
Bacon Recipe: Spicy Black Bean Soup
1 lb dried black beans, soaked in water overnight
1/4 lb bacon, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, minced
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 large red onion, diced
4 serrano peppers, diced, seeds left in. (but note, I've got a ridiculous pain tolerance and I cook for a husband who tends to like things *fuh-lay-ming* on the Scoville Scale, so adjust to your preference)
1 T. mustard powder
2 t. ground cumin seeds
1 t. black pepper
1 T. cajun seasoning (really, just root around in your spice cabinet and add what you think will go well...)
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1. Drain beans. Cover with water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook bacon in a saucepan 'til done. Drain the bacon grease.
3. Return the bacon to the saucepan with the vegetables and roots. Sautee with a little olive oil until vegetables and roots are tender. (Note, for conservation, you could just drain less bacon grease and use this as the fat. But I'm a Californian fan of olive oil and heart health. My southern husband is not amused.) Add spices to saucepan and stir for 1 minute or so.
4. Dump everything into to the stock pot with the beans, broth, water & bring to a simmer.
5. Simmer for approximately 2 hours 'til beans are tender to the bite, but not mushy.
6. Serves 4 alone as a hearty meal, or with homemade cornbread for major points.
Enjoy!
1 lb dried black beans, soaked in water overnight
1/4 lb bacon, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, minced
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 large red onion, diced
4 serrano peppers, diced, seeds left in. (but note, I've got a ridiculous pain tolerance and I cook for a husband who tends to like things *fuh-lay-ming* on the Scoville Scale, so adjust to your preference)
1 T. mustard powder
2 t. ground cumin seeds
1 t. black pepper
1 T. cajun seasoning (really, just root around in your spice cabinet and add what you think will go well...)
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1. Drain beans. Cover with water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook bacon in a saucepan 'til done. Drain the bacon grease.
3. Return the bacon to the saucepan with the vegetables and roots. Sautee with a little olive oil until vegetables and roots are tender. (Note, for conservation, you could just drain less bacon grease and use this as the fat. But I'm a Californian fan of olive oil and heart health. My southern husband is not amused.) Add spices to saucepan and stir for 1 minute or so.
4. Dump everything into to the stock pot with the beans, broth, water & bring to a simmer.
5. Simmer for approximately 2 hours 'til beans are tender to the bite, but not mushy.
6. Serves 4 alone as a hearty meal, or with homemade cornbread for major points.
Enjoy!
April 22, 2007
Fastest Half Thus Far
Weather.com predicted rain. I was not excited about 2 hours or more in the rain, but with a large group of friends committed, it's hard to back out.
So, after a pre-race night of yoga and soup before bed at 10 PM (Woo Hoo Saturday PAR-TAY!), I woke at 5 AM and headed to Santa Cruz with B for the race. (FYI -- kimchee on the side and udon in miso broth with soy, sriracha, furikake, and hoisin is an excellent pre-race meal. Very hydrating with plenty of carbs. Plus all the sodium gets you ready to sweat and makes you thirsty so you'll drink lots of water.)
Before the start, we met up with E2, lucky_girl, and C (plus R, who was the awesome supporter, photographer). We ended up waiting 20 minutes past the start time (Santa Cruz time, baby) before the horn. Thankfully, E2 had done some crazy hippy anti-rain dance the day before, so we were safe from the falling water.
Finally, as the weather slowly improved to gorgeous blue skies over the ocean, we were off. E2 had decided to do the 10K 'cause she'd been sick lately. So, she, B and I headed off at a 10K pace for the first 3 miles. The pace was set, more or less, by B. She's FAST. But it was good. And 25 minutes later, my 5K split was the fastest 5K split I've ever run in a race, including 10Ks.
We said goodbye to E2 at her turn-around and settled into a nice 8:25-8:45 pace. Occasionally, B would speed up to sub-8 and I'd look down at the widget and try to slow her down. She'd laugh, apologize, and we'd stay at a good pace for a while. Then she'd speed up again. At one point, she told me, "I don't think I can maintain this pace the whole race. I'm gonna need to slow down." This was at approximately mile 5. I laughed because she was setting the pace, and said, "You can maintain this pace and more." I was amazed at how good of shape she was in. I was definitely struggling a bit to keep up.
As for the course, while the weather was excellent, the obstacles included horse manure and mud. Lots of mud. Thank goodness it didn't rain. The course would have been horrid in the rain. But with the sun, the ocean, the views, and no rain? It was fabulous.
Around mile 10, B started to take off with a monster kick. I briefly tried to maintain her pace, but it became clear that I did not have it in me. I relaxed back into an 8:40 pace, comfortable in the knowledge that this would be my fastest race yet and watched her pick off runner after runner as she put distance between us.
With 2 miles to go, I looked down and realized that all I had to do was keep around an 8:30 pace and I would beat my fastest time by a nice margin for an even PR. So, I dug deep and told myself with each step that the faster I ran, the sooner it would be over. It was physically demanding, but even though the last 3 miles hurt, they were nothing compared to the final few in the second-fastest half I ran in 2005.
Finally, I ran down the final hill and turned the corner to the finish line at a 6:30 pace. And then, *Wham* my feet hit the sand. A sand finish? What were they thinking? Those last 50 feet took forever! I think I must have crossed the actual finish line at a 10:00 pace or slower.
Quickly, I sought out some water and moved to the finish side-line to cheer on C and lucky_girl who came in right when they said they would.
So yeah, the sand finish is symbolic of the focus of this race. The pictures at any point along the course are gorgeous. The sand allowed the supporters to take more pictures of their loved ones at the end, in a picturesque setting. The views were wonderful. The art on the finisher's T-shirt is a unique rendering of the local beauty by a local artist.
But, in terms of race organization, for the actual runners, I was not overly impressed. Then again, I suppose if you're going with stereotypes, you might look to Santa Cruz for natural beauty and art, but you probably wouldn't look there for an industrial engineering solution of efficiency unless it related to pot, so I shouldn't be suprised.
The runner-related complaints were several. I heard grumblings that some of the aid stations ran out of liquid (thank you fuel belt!). In addition to the dangerous slippery mud and horse manure, much of the trail was too narrow to handle a loop of over 3,000 runners where the out-and-back of the winner put him past me and B around mile 5.5 (in other words, more than half of our race was two-lane traffic). Plus, the water at the finish line was from hose-filled plastic garbage bags inside garbage bins, available for you to dip your cup in and get yourself a drink. Not ideal, in terms of sanitary conditions, or speed of getting liquid to delirious dehydrated runners. But, when you're thirsty...
Anyways, lest it seem that I'm a big complainer, let me say I'm actually very pleased. It was a fabulous way to spend a gorgeous California day. Friends. Nature. Supporters. A physically demanding performance that bested my previous efforts. Gorging myself on post-race Mexican food with friends. Post-post-race visit to the buttery followed by wine with E2 on her porch. And, now I know. The 10K course is amazing. 6 of the miles of the race were manure and mud free with more than enough space for all of the participants. Next time...
My only true regret is that I somehow missed cheering on A at the finish despite waiting at the finish line 'til well over 30 minutes after she finished. I suspect I missed her because she finished around the same time as lucky_girl and C, but I was bummed none-the-less. Good job A!
Till next time!
Weather.com predicted rain. I was not excited about 2 hours or more in the rain, but with a large group of friends committed, it's hard to back out.
So, after a pre-race night of yoga and soup before bed at 10 PM (Woo Hoo Saturday PAR-TAY!), I woke at 5 AM and headed to Santa Cruz with B for the race. (FYI -- kimchee on the side and udon in miso broth with soy, sriracha, furikake, and hoisin is an excellent pre-race meal. Very hydrating with plenty of carbs. Plus all the sodium gets you ready to sweat and makes you thirsty so you'll drink lots of water.)
Before the start, we met up with E2, lucky_girl, and C (plus R, who was the awesome supporter, photographer). We ended up waiting 20 minutes past the start time (Santa Cruz time, baby) before the horn. Thankfully, E2 had done some crazy hippy anti-rain dance the day before, so we were safe from the falling water.
Finally, as the weather slowly improved to gorgeous blue skies over the ocean, we were off. E2 had decided to do the 10K 'cause she'd been sick lately. So, she, B and I headed off at a 10K pace for the first 3 miles. The pace was set, more or less, by B. She's FAST. But it was good. And 25 minutes later, my 5K split was the fastest 5K split I've ever run in a race, including 10Ks.
We said goodbye to E2 at her turn-around and settled into a nice 8:25-8:45 pace. Occasionally, B would speed up to sub-8 and I'd look down at the widget and try to slow her down. She'd laugh, apologize, and we'd stay at a good pace for a while. Then she'd speed up again. At one point, she told me, "I don't think I can maintain this pace the whole race. I'm gonna need to slow down." This was at approximately mile 5. I laughed because she was setting the pace, and said, "You can maintain this pace and more." I was amazed at how good of shape she was in. I was definitely struggling a bit to keep up.
As for the course, while the weather was excellent, the obstacles included horse manure and mud. Lots of mud. Thank goodness it didn't rain. The course would have been horrid in the rain. But with the sun, the ocean, the views, and no rain? It was fabulous.
Around mile 10, B started to take off with a monster kick. I briefly tried to maintain her pace, but it became clear that I did not have it in me. I relaxed back into an 8:40 pace, comfortable in the knowledge that this would be my fastest race yet and watched her pick off runner after runner as she put distance between us.
With 2 miles to go, I looked down and realized that all I had to do was keep around an 8:30 pace and I would beat my fastest time by a nice margin for an even PR. So, I dug deep and told myself with each step that the faster I ran, the sooner it would be over. It was physically demanding, but even though the last 3 miles hurt, they were nothing compared to the final few in the second-fastest half I ran in 2005.
Finally, I ran down the final hill and turned the corner to the finish line at a 6:30 pace. And then, *Wham* my feet hit the sand. A sand finish? What were they thinking? Those last 50 feet took forever! I think I must have crossed the actual finish line at a 10:00 pace or slower.
Quickly, I sought out some water and moved to the finish side-line to cheer on C and lucky_girl who came in right when they said they would.
So yeah, the sand finish is symbolic of the focus of this race. The pictures at any point along the course are gorgeous. The sand allowed the supporters to take more pictures of their loved ones at the end, in a picturesque setting. The views were wonderful. The art on the finisher's T-shirt is a unique rendering of the local beauty by a local artist.
But, in terms of race organization, for the actual runners, I was not overly impressed. Then again, I suppose if you're going with stereotypes, you might look to Santa Cruz for natural beauty and art, but you probably wouldn't look there for an industrial engineering solution of efficiency unless it related to pot, so I shouldn't be suprised.
The runner-related complaints were several. I heard grumblings that some of the aid stations ran out of liquid (thank you fuel belt!). In addition to the dangerous slippery mud and horse manure, much of the trail was too narrow to handle a loop of over 3,000 runners where the out-and-back of the winner put him past me and B around mile 5.5 (in other words, more than half of our race was two-lane traffic). Plus, the water at the finish line was from hose-filled plastic garbage bags inside garbage bins, available for you to dip your cup in and get yourself a drink. Not ideal, in terms of sanitary conditions, or speed of getting liquid to delirious dehydrated runners. But, when you're thirsty...
Anyways, lest it seem that I'm a big complainer, let me say I'm actually very pleased. It was a fabulous way to spend a gorgeous California day. Friends. Nature. Supporters. A physically demanding performance that bested my previous efforts. Gorging myself on post-race Mexican food with friends. Post-post-race visit to the buttery followed by wine with E2 on her porch. And, now I know. The 10K course is amazing. 6 of the miles of the race were manure and mud free with more than enough space for all of the participants. Next time...
My only true regret is that I somehow missed cheering on A at the finish despite waiting at the finish line 'til well over 30 minutes after she finished. I suspect I missed her because she finished around the same time as lucky_girl and C, but I was bummed none-the-less. Good job A!
Till next time!
April 21, 2007
Bacon Recipe: Leftover Risotto
It's no surprise that last night, after an exhausting week, when I looked in the fridge and saw that we had very little in the way of ingredients, I fell back to one of my staples: Risotto.
Predictably, E loved it. But, you could put bacon on cardboard and he'd probably love it so that's not saying much. I liked it. I found it a bit salty so I'm substituting water for some of the broth in the recipe below.
1/3 lb bacon, cut into 1 cm chunks, sauteed 'til done. Drain the bacon grease from the pan, but don't wash it.
1/2 white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 or 3 small handfulls of rice
1 box of leftover sauteed vegetables from your favorite mexican joint's veggie fajitas
1 can chicken broth
water
1. sautée onion and garlic in the bacon grease pan. Add a bit of olive oil if you need it.
2. Add rice and mix with the onion, garlic, fat 'til it starts to smell toasty and looks slightly clear on the outside.
3. Add the can of chicken broth, bring to a simmer. Stir.
4. Add water as the broth cooks down 'til the rice is al dente.
5. Add the vegetables and bacon. Stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly and serve.
Enjoy!
It's no surprise that last night, after an exhausting week, when I looked in the fridge and saw that we had very little in the way of ingredients, I fell back to one of my staples: Risotto.
Predictably, E loved it. But, you could put bacon on cardboard and he'd probably love it so that's not saying much. I liked it. I found it a bit salty so I'm substituting water for some of the broth in the recipe below.
1/3 lb bacon, cut into 1 cm chunks, sauteed 'til done. Drain the bacon grease from the pan, but don't wash it.
1/2 white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 or 3 small handfulls of rice
1 box of leftover sauteed vegetables from your favorite mexican joint's veggie fajitas
1 can chicken broth
water
1. sautée onion and garlic in the bacon grease pan. Add a bit of olive oil if you need it.
2. Add rice and mix with the onion, garlic, fat 'til it starts to smell toasty and looks slightly clear on the outside.
3. Add the can of chicken broth, bring to a simmer. Stir.
4. Add water as the broth cooks down 'til the rice is al dente.
5. Add the vegetables and bacon. Stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly and serve.
Enjoy!
April 20, 2007
Whirlwind New York
Well, the missing posts never came back. I used them to tell you all about E's & my trip to New York. We were there for the huge storm. We took the subway on the worst day and it was raining inside the stations -- literally pouring water through the cracks -- such that people were using umbrellas indoors. We should have taken a picture. Oh well.
My law firm's NY office is very nice and surprisingly laid back. After all the stereotypes of NY lawyers I had heard, I almost couldn't believe how relaxed and fun and friendly the office was. I met almost the entire office and enjoyed excellent meals with almost everyone before I left.
Dim Sum in NYC Chinatown was different than Dim Sum in the bay area. We were the only non-asian people in the very large restaurant at 1 PM on a Sunday. In Northern California, Sunday Dim Sum is a tradition that all ethnicities will wait in line to experience. The concierge recommended Golden Unicorn, and we were impressed. The selection wasn't as large as the bay area joints we like (Yank Sing, Fook Yuen, Joy Luck Place, or Dynasty Seafood Restaurant) but they had the necessities of Siu Mai, sesame-rice dessert balls, and the pork pastry rolls. Plus at $17 for two to be stuffed silly, who can complain?
Other than that, it's good to be home. I am excited to plan the menu and actually cook next week.
Well, the missing posts never came back. I used them to tell you all about E's & my trip to New York. We were there for the huge storm. We took the subway on the worst day and it was raining inside the stations -- literally pouring water through the cracks -- such that people were using umbrellas indoors. We should have taken a picture. Oh well.
My law firm's NY office is very nice and surprisingly laid back. After all the stereotypes of NY lawyers I had heard, I almost couldn't believe how relaxed and fun and friendly the office was. I met almost the entire office and enjoyed excellent meals with almost everyone before I left.
Dim Sum in NYC Chinatown was different than Dim Sum in the bay area. We were the only non-asian people in the very large restaurant at 1 PM on a Sunday. In Northern California, Sunday Dim Sum is a tradition that all ethnicities will wait in line to experience. The concierge recommended Golden Unicorn, and we were impressed. The selection wasn't as large as the bay area joints we like (Yank Sing, Fook Yuen, Joy Luck Place, or Dynasty Seafood Restaurant) but they had the necessities of Siu Mai, sesame-rice dessert balls, and the pork pastry rolls. Plus at $17 for two to be stuffed silly, who can complain?
Other than that, it's good to be home. I am excited to plan the menu and actually cook next week.
April 10, 2007
Bacon Recipe: Spicy Glass Noodle Salad
I had a rough time leaving the pressures of work behind today. I had two separate interchanges where people commented in a way that I felt was critical of the amount of time I put in at the office. People with absolutely no power over me. Stupid. I know. If I'm doing all the work I'm being given, and no one has complained, I should trust that everything is fine and let these comments roll off my back. But no. I take them to heart. I stress that people don't think I'm doing a good job. Basically, I need to chill out.
Hence, intervals at the track with B to exhaust my body, followed by cooking to remind my sensory brain to do some work, followed by eating and conversation with E -- heavenly. A wonderful reminder of the good things in life and that I should appreciate them.
Thanks to lucky_girl, I am the proud owner of the Chiang Mai Thai Cookery School cook book. Tonight I made a modified version of one of their recipes and it was *excellent*. I highly recommend this as a very tasty, healthy dinner (okay, healthy except for the bacon).
-Glass Noodles, 1 cup (or two bundles) soaked for 10 minutes and then cut into shorter lengths (4 inches or so).
-Bacon, 1/4 lb of strips, cooked. If you burn half and throw it away, the recipe is still good.
-5 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 white onion, diced
-3 large jalapeños, minced with seeds left in
-1/2 bunch of bok choy, chopped
-Approx 3 Tb fish sauce
-Approx 2 Tb lime juice (or 1 Tb lime and 1 Tb lemon)
-1 tomato, sliced into thirds lengthwise and as many perpendicular slices as you can get in.
-1 cup cilantro, diced
1. toss all ingredients except glass noodles in a bowl.
2. boil water, add glass noodles for 1 minute. Remove, drain, rinse in cold water.
3. toss noodles with remainder of the salad and taste to ensure you like the seasoning.
Serves two-three as a whole meal course, could probably serve up to 8 as an appetizer salad.
Enjoy!
I had a rough time leaving the pressures of work behind today. I had two separate interchanges where people commented in a way that I felt was critical of the amount of time I put in at the office. People with absolutely no power over me. Stupid. I know. If I'm doing all the work I'm being given, and no one has complained, I should trust that everything is fine and let these comments roll off my back. But no. I take them to heart. I stress that people don't think I'm doing a good job. Basically, I need to chill out.
Hence, intervals at the track with B to exhaust my body, followed by cooking to remind my sensory brain to do some work, followed by eating and conversation with E -- heavenly. A wonderful reminder of the good things in life and that I should appreciate them.
Thanks to lucky_girl, I am the proud owner of the Chiang Mai Thai Cookery School cook book. Tonight I made a modified version of one of their recipes and it was *excellent*. I highly recommend this as a very tasty, healthy dinner (okay, healthy except for the bacon).
-Glass Noodles, 1 cup (or two bundles) soaked for 10 minutes and then cut into shorter lengths (4 inches or so).
-Bacon, 1/4 lb of strips, cooked. If you burn half and throw it away, the recipe is still good.
-5 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 white onion, diced
-3 large jalapeños, minced with seeds left in
-1/2 bunch of bok choy, chopped
-Approx 3 Tb fish sauce
-Approx 2 Tb lime juice (or 1 Tb lime and 1 Tb lemon)
-1 tomato, sliced into thirds lengthwise and as many perpendicular slices as you can get in.
-1 cup cilantro, diced
1. toss all ingredients except glass noodles in a bowl.
2. boil water, add glass noodles for 1 minute. Remove, drain, rinse in cold water.
3. toss noodles with remainder of the salad and taste to ensure you like the seasoning.
Serves two-three as a whole meal course, could probably serve up to 8 as an appetizer salad.
Enjoy!
April 8, 2007
Bachelorette Party
I may be old, but I'm not out the game, just yet.
I just spent 43 hours in vegas.
I did manage to get 7 hours of sleep, but none of it occurred prior to 5 AM on any day.
Why?
Well, I was distracted by the fun: 12 girls in pink feather boas, two nice dinners, $200 lost at craps, $5 lost at slots, 4 taxi rides, 3 limo rides, 3 miles very slowly ran down the strip, 5 hours laying by the pool (none of which I could sleep through, for some reason), several hours of "dancing" and one accidental, but painful, head butt from the bachelorette while head-banging to Poison.
What more could I possibly want? Oh, perhaps you think the bachelorette should have camped it up a bit more? Perhaps a tiara with blinking LEDs and some pink underwear that said "Spank me" on the outside of her jeans? Maybe a pink garter over her jeans?
Done.
It was hedonistic, hilarious, over-the-top in the way that only vegas can be, and more expensive than I could have imagined. Tons of fun! But, if I don't make it back to Vegas for another 4 years, I wouldn't complain.
**Oh, and how could I forget: Kfed is hotter in person and very nice. And, Jon Bon Jovi is still hot.
I may be old, but I'm not out the game, just yet.
I just spent 43 hours in vegas.
I did manage to get 7 hours of sleep, but none of it occurred prior to 5 AM on any day.
Why?
Well, I was distracted by the fun: 12 girls in pink feather boas, two nice dinners, $200 lost at craps, $5 lost at slots, 4 taxi rides, 3 limo rides, 3 miles very slowly ran down the strip, 5 hours laying by the pool (none of which I could sleep through, for some reason), several hours of "dancing" and one accidental, but painful, head butt from the bachelorette while head-banging to Poison.
What more could I possibly want? Oh, perhaps you think the bachelorette should have camped it up a bit more? Perhaps a tiara with blinking LEDs and some pink underwear that said "Spank me" on the outside of her jeans? Maybe a pink garter over her jeans?
Done.
It was hedonistic, hilarious, over-the-top in the way that only vegas can be, and more expensive than I could have imagined. Tons of fun! But, if I don't make it back to Vegas for another 4 years, I wouldn't complain.
**Oh, and how could I forget: Kfed is hotter in person and very nice. And, Jon Bon Jovi is still hot.
April 4, 2007
Running Observations
Training for a marathon is a huge time commitment. But the actual training miles themselves are mainly relaxing. You don't do many runs (other than the 14 mile run from hell) that hurt for the whole run. Almost everything is at a very manageable pace, after all, you have to maintain it for 26 miles.
Contrast that with the training I'm doing for my next half. Monday, I did 4X1600 intervals while panting and grunting and pushing myself to the extreme for each one, and, mind you, noting that my fastest mile of 7:22 is still off more than a minute from last year's fastest speed training. Yesterday, thankfully, was 3 easy miles to recover. But, today, I was back in the masochist zone for a 55-minute tempo run. Again, I pushed myself to the limit of my physical stamina, and, I couldn't help but note that I'm slower than the last time I did this type of training.
Basically, one thing that sucks about shorter distances is that it's reasonable to train for speed. Which is fun, after you've received the benefits. But while you are doing it, especially when you are doing it for medium-length distances, boy does it hurt.
Here's to hoping I can retain some of my former fitness in time for the race. Beforehand would be nice too. I'd really like to enjoy some of my speed training instead of having it all hurt...
Training for a marathon is a huge time commitment. But the actual training miles themselves are mainly relaxing. You don't do many runs (other than the 14 mile run from hell) that hurt for the whole run. Almost everything is at a very manageable pace, after all, you have to maintain it for 26 miles.
Contrast that with the training I'm doing for my next half. Monday, I did 4X1600 intervals while panting and grunting and pushing myself to the extreme for each one, and, mind you, noting that my fastest mile of 7:22 is still off more than a minute from last year's fastest speed training. Yesterday, thankfully, was 3 easy miles to recover. But, today, I was back in the masochist zone for a 55-minute tempo run. Again, I pushed myself to the limit of my physical stamina, and, I couldn't help but note that I'm slower than the last time I did this type of training.
Basically, one thing that sucks about shorter distances is that it's reasonable to train for speed. Which is fun, after you've received the benefits. But while you are doing it, especially when you are doing it for medium-length distances, boy does it hurt.
Here's to hoping I can retain some of my former fitness in time for the race. Beforehand would be nice too. I'd really like to enjoy some of my speed training instead of having it all hurt...
April 1, 2007
The Me Generation
Je, Jo (as pronounced, but spelled yo), Yo, Io, Ich, I.
While writing JayKay a bizarre email, I couldn't help but think of the continuum of latin-based language pronouns and their intersection with Germanic language pronouns for the first person today. I spent a good while thinking about this. I let myself float through all the accents I have met, picturing the faces and hearing the voices while trying to order them. I spent a little time imagining human migration patterns that may have caused the language to evolve in such a way.
This rocks, because it shows that on the weekend, I'm finally starting to be able to leave work behind to the point where I can entertain my normal (sic) thought processes of wackiness. I'm on my way back to being me. The wacky, weird, comfortable in my oddness and happy to spend time on thoughts no one even wants me to share, but happy and balanced in my own way, self.
Halleluliah!
Je, Jo (as pronounced, but spelled yo), Yo, Io, Ich, I.
While writing JayKay a bizarre email, I couldn't help but think of the continuum of latin-based language pronouns and their intersection with Germanic language pronouns for the first person today. I spent a good while thinking about this. I let myself float through all the accents I have met, picturing the faces and hearing the voices while trying to order them. I spent a little time imagining human migration patterns that may have caused the language to evolve in such a way.
This rocks, because it shows that on the weekend, I'm finally starting to be able to leave work behind to the point where I can entertain my normal (sic) thought processes of wackiness. I'm on my way back to being me. The wacky, weird, comfortable in my oddness and happy to spend time on thoughts no one even wants me to share, but happy and balanced in my own way, self.
Halleluliah!
March 31, 2007
Rose colored glasses
Friday, I was recognized for doing something at work. A partner thanked me multiple times. He laughed at how funny the issue was and was impressed that I had found it. He must have thanked me 7 times. It's amazing how good that shit can make you feel.
Funny thing is, it's the gift that keeps on giving. I didn't know I was going anything particularly great. I was doing what I normally do. So all that praise goes gently, like a soothing balm, over the general anxiety I feel on a day-to-day basis about my job performance (since, you know, I'm flying by the seat of my pants most of the time).
Ahhhh...
I fell asleep last night at 10 PM. I slept 'til 7:40 AM, when I awoke, peacefully before my alarm.
I put on my running gear and met up with B for an ambitious 11 mile run in Portola Valley. I hadn't done anything longer than 8 miles since the Marathon. Plus, it was a loop with some light rolling hills. But after last week's hilly absurdity, 11 miles actually felt reasonable. Sure, I'm tired, a little sore, and well aware of how much I struggled through a distance that just 2 months ago was a medium-length resting weekend run. But, I did it at a semi-decent pace. Which means I'm in good enough shape for the half marathon that I already paid to do. Thank goodness.
Plus, I spent the two hour run chatting with B and complaining and venting and gasping for breath such that when it was all done I was spent. Relaxed in that completely drained way that makes all of life's annoyances seem unimportant. I mean, who has the energy for those things?
And tonight, just when I recover my energy, I'm off to an event where I'm planning to meet up with some college teammates I haven't seen in 10 years. Should be a blast.
Why wouldn't my glasses be rose-colored?
Friday, I was recognized for doing something at work. A partner thanked me multiple times. He laughed at how funny the issue was and was impressed that I had found it. He must have thanked me 7 times. It's amazing how good that shit can make you feel.
Funny thing is, it's the gift that keeps on giving. I didn't know I was going anything particularly great. I was doing what I normally do. So all that praise goes gently, like a soothing balm, over the general anxiety I feel on a day-to-day basis about my job performance (since, you know, I'm flying by the seat of my pants most of the time).
Ahhhh...
I fell asleep last night at 10 PM. I slept 'til 7:40 AM, when I awoke, peacefully before my alarm.
I put on my running gear and met up with B for an ambitious 11 mile run in Portola Valley. I hadn't done anything longer than 8 miles since the Marathon. Plus, it was a loop with some light rolling hills. But after last week's hilly absurdity, 11 miles actually felt reasonable. Sure, I'm tired, a little sore, and well aware of how much I struggled through a distance that just 2 months ago was a medium-length resting weekend run. But, I did it at a semi-decent pace. Which means I'm in good enough shape for the half marathon that I already paid to do. Thank goodness.
Plus, I spent the two hour run chatting with B and complaining and venting and gasping for breath such that when it was all done I was spent. Relaxed in that completely drained way that makes all of life's annoyances seem unimportant. I mean, who has the energy for those things?
And tonight, just when I recover my energy, I'm off to an event where I'm planning to meet up with some college teammates I haven't seen in 10 years. Should be a blast.
Why wouldn't my glasses be rose-colored?
March 29, 2007
What's so funny?
Last night, over cuban food, I was explaining to a friend how surprised I was that the pressures involved in being a lawyer were getting to me regularly.
At one point, I gesticulated forcefully and said,
I mean, I like to think of my self as pretty fucking balanced.
Needless to say, this caused much laughter. I can't even talk about balance without dropping f-bombs. But I'm totally serene. No really.
Last night, over cuban food, I was explaining to a friend how surprised I was that the pressures involved in being a lawyer were getting to me regularly.
At one point, I gesticulated forcefully and said,
I mean, I like to think of my self as pretty fucking balanced.
Needless to say, this caused much laughter. I can't even talk about balance without dropping f-bombs. But I'm totally serene. No really.
March 25, 2007
Unexpected Tears
Since we were in Mexico for our actual anniversary (and the hotel left us a "Happy Anniversary" message in both flower petals at 5 PM and on cheesecake for our midnight return from dinner), we put off the consumption of our frozen top layer of wedding cake.
Friday, I transferred the top cake to the fridge. Tonight seemed like a good night to enjoy it.
I opened the box and saw that the roses from our wedding had been frozen as well. They looked so fresh and alive.
I immediately broke into tears.
My dad saw those flowers. They were alive at our wedding. He was alive at our wedding. And it hurt so much to see the vivid symbol of preservation of life for remembrance of such a special day. It hurt in a good way, mind you, but it still pierced so deeply. I sobbed in E's arms. Poor guy. One minute I'm bubbling with enthusiasm about how cute gran was in insisting that she buy the wedding cake cutter and server and get them engraved with our names and the date. And in literally the next moment, the very next moment, I'm sobbing hysterically. He held me. I guess that's what marriage is all about.
When I recovered, we toasted our one year and then some together and then we toasted Daddy (and how much he approved of and loved E and vice-versa).
Turns out, our cake preserved itself quite well. One small piece each and we were beyond satiated. The rest is going in the trash, for caloric equilibrium. But seriously, if you are in the bay area and looking for a fabulous cake that will look amazing on the day of (he matched the frosting to color samples of my bridesmaids' gowns) as well as one year later, flowers and all, look no further than Cero. He rocks. He actually volunteered to bake us a fresh cake for our anniversary and would probably be appalled that we ate the frozen one, but we're wacky like that. We couldn't trouble him to make an entire cake from the photos when we knew we'd only have one small piece each.
So yeah. Happy anniversary us. It's been a rough but wonderful year for us, and I'm so thankful to have been blessed with the wonderful husband and marriage that I have. Frozen cake from a master. Tears. It was a big emotional event. As well it should have been.
Since we were in Mexico for our actual anniversary (and the hotel left us a "Happy Anniversary" message in both flower petals at 5 PM and on cheesecake for our midnight return from dinner), we put off the consumption of our frozen top layer of wedding cake.
Friday, I transferred the top cake to the fridge. Tonight seemed like a good night to enjoy it.
I opened the box and saw that the roses from our wedding had been frozen as well. They looked so fresh and alive.
I immediately broke into tears.
My dad saw those flowers. They were alive at our wedding. He was alive at our wedding. And it hurt so much to see the vivid symbol of preservation of life for remembrance of such a special day. It hurt in a good way, mind you, but it still pierced so deeply. I sobbed in E's arms. Poor guy. One minute I'm bubbling with enthusiasm about how cute gran was in insisting that she buy the wedding cake cutter and server and get them engraved with our names and the date. And in literally the next moment, the very next moment, I'm sobbing hysterically. He held me. I guess that's what marriage is all about.
When I recovered, we toasted our one year and then some together and then we toasted Daddy (and how much he approved of and loved E and vice-versa).
Turns out, our cake preserved itself quite well. One small piece each and we were beyond satiated. The rest is going in the trash, for caloric equilibrium. But seriously, if you are in the bay area and looking for a fabulous cake that will look amazing on the day of (he matched the frosting to color samples of my bridesmaids' gowns) as well as one year later, flowers and all, look no further than Cero. He rocks. He actually volunteered to bake us a fresh cake for our anniversary and would probably be appalled that we ate the frozen one, but we're wacky like that. We couldn't trouble him to make an entire cake from the photos when we knew we'd only have one small piece each.
So yeah. Happy anniversary us. It's been a rough but wonderful year for us, and I'm so thankful to have been blessed with the wonderful husband and marriage that I have. Frozen cake from a master. Tears. It was a big emotional event. As well it should have been.
Humbled
Ouch. Quads. Ouch. Calfs. Ouch. Heels. Ouch. Lower back.
Ever since the marathon, my running has been somewhat, well, uninspired. After the week of yoga, I've hovered around 13-20 miles per week as slow as I felt like with one or two yoga sessions to keep me limber. I've even let my shoes get up to 400 miles without replacement, whereas I'm ordinarily so thankful for my lack of foot and calf issues that I order new plain, basic, cheap running shoes as soon as I cross 300 miles.
Despite my more recent lack of commitment to running, I'm signed up to do the Santa Cruz Half Marathon, so at some point, I was gonna have to get back into the swing of things so it wouldn't hurt to finish.
This week seemed like a good week to try that. Monday, I hit the track and did some speed training for the first time in at least 6 months. It felt great. I did a medium length run and a shorter run during the week and made plans to do a medium-long run in the hills with B on the weekend.
So, yesterday, under the clear blue morning sky of the peninsula (SF, which we later went to, had rain and fog. Just another reason I'm so glad we don't live there.) B and I hit Rancho San Antonio for what we thought would be a nice, but challenging, mid-length run in the hills.
It was breathtakingly beautiful. Trees, forest, hills, valleys, and no development to be seen other than power lines. But, to earn those views, we had to do almost a mile of elevation change in less than 8 miles of distance. There was much walking on the uphills. I returned home more physically exhausted than I'd been since the marathon.
Then, last night, in the city, I walked about 2 miles between friends' places, restaurants and the party we were there to attend. Plus, I stood around for hours while at the party. In there interests of fashion, I did all of these things in high heeled boots.
Needless to say, I begged for a piggy-back ride back to where we were sleeping (3/4 of a mile in San Francisco hills) and sounded so pathetic that E actually obliged me for part of the distance.
I slept like a rock, which was nice. But damn, everything hurts today. I'm bailing out of mini-golf this afternoon because I'm just that sore.
Clearly, I will need to focus a little more on my running (read: focus at all) if I plan to finish my next race at a decent pace and without any pain.
Ouch. Quads. Ouch. Calfs. Ouch. Heels. Ouch. Lower back.
Ever since the marathon, my running has been somewhat, well, uninspired. After the week of yoga, I've hovered around 13-20 miles per week as slow as I felt like with one or two yoga sessions to keep me limber. I've even let my shoes get up to 400 miles without replacement, whereas I'm ordinarily so thankful for my lack of foot and calf issues that I order new plain, basic, cheap running shoes as soon as I cross 300 miles.
Despite my more recent lack of commitment to running, I'm signed up to do the Santa Cruz Half Marathon, so at some point, I was gonna have to get back into the swing of things so it wouldn't hurt to finish.
This week seemed like a good week to try that. Monday, I hit the track and did some speed training for the first time in at least 6 months. It felt great. I did a medium length run and a shorter run during the week and made plans to do a medium-long run in the hills with B on the weekend.
So, yesterday, under the clear blue morning sky of the peninsula (SF, which we later went to, had rain and fog. Just another reason I'm so glad we don't live there.) B and I hit Rancho San Antonio for what we thought would be a nice, but challenging, mid-length run in the hills.
It was breathtakingly beautiful. Trees, forest, hills, valleys, and no development to be seen other than power lines. But, to earn those views, we had to do almost a mile of elevation change in less than 8 miles of distance. There was much walking on the uphills. I returned home more physically exhausted than I'd been since the marathon.
Then, last night, in the city, I walked about 2 miles between friends' places, restaurants and the party we were there to attend. Plus, I stood around for hours while at the party. In there interests of fashion, I did all of these things in high heeled boots.
Needless to say, I begged for a piggy-back ride back to where we were sleeping (3/4 of a mile in San Francisco hills) and sounded so pathetic that E actually obliged me for part of the distance.
I slept like a rock, which was nice. But damn, everything hurts today. I'm bailing out of mini-golf this afternoon because I'm just that sore.
Clearly, I will need to focus a little more on my running (read: focus at all) if I plan to finish my next race at a decent pace and without any pain.
March 22, 2007
It's different now
For the moment, anyways, the calm that came back with me from Mexico seems to have stuck.
The same mistakes that used to fill me with dread now only half fill me with fear. I can make double the mistakes and still function!
Weeeeeeh!
Seriously, though. I was much too wound up there for my first half a year on the job. I'm pleased to find that I returned with a bit of perspective and seem a bit better equipped to handle the day-to-day pressures of my job. Which means I can focus a bit better and get things done in a more efficient manner.
Who knew? Vacation made me a better lawyer.
Perhaps I should try to talk my firm into being more like Netflix.
Or, I could just enjoy the evolution of BT into a fully functional lawyer. Yeah. I think I'll do that one.
For the moment, anyways, the calm that came back with me from Mexico seems to have stuck.
The same mistakes that used to fill me with dread now only half fill me with fear. I can make double the mistakes and still function!
Weeeeeeh!
Seriously, though. I was much too wound up there for my first half a year on the job. I'm pleased to find that I returned with a bit of perspective and seem a bit better equipped to handle the day-to-day pressures of my job. Which means I can focus a bit better and get things done in a more efficient manner.
Who knew? Vacation made me a better lawyer.
Perhaps I should try to talk my firm into being more like Netflix.
Or, I could just enjoy the evolution of BT into a fully functional lawyer. Yeah. I think I'll do that one.
March 20, 2007
The Best Book on Mexico
Last night, 5 days after our return, I finally finished The People's Guide to Mexico.
First, let's just get it out there that I'm not the biggest fan of the ultra hippy pro-marxist types. Berkeley will do that to you. So, you can imagine how thrilled I was at the title of this book. But the reviews were so enthusiastic, and their website was full of great advice, so I bought it.
What a great purchase!
The authors began their treks in Mexico in the late 60s, and sold the first copies of the book in front of Cody's in 1972. Now in its 13th edition, this book is a veritable gold mine of Mexican folklore, knowledge, observations, information, and, of course, hilarious travel stories! Not the least bit pedagogical, it merely provides observations, advice, and opinions for the traveler who is interested in understanding more about their experience.
Many of the chapters are the types of things you wish you'd see in other guidebooks -- cultural explanations, market days, food definitions. And, of course, one of my favorite chapters contains the authors' favorite Mexican recipes. Tonight, we made their sopa de ajo recipe. Simple. Light. Delicious. A perfect base for experimentation. Next time I'm going to use more herbs & chili oil.
But for now, I'll content myself with the knowledge of just how much I'm gonna stink tomorrow!
Last night, 5 days after our return, I finally finished The People's Guide to Mexico.
First, let's just get it out there that I'm not the biggest fan of the ultra hippy pro-marxist types. Berkeley will do that to you. So, you can imagine how thrilled I was at the title of this book. But the reviews were so enthusiastic, and their website was full of great advice, so I bought it.
What a great purchase!
The authors began their treks in Mexico in the late 60s, and sold the first copies of the book in front of Cody's in 1972. Now in its 13th edition, this book is a veritable gold mine of Mexican folklore, knowledge, observations, information, and, of course, hilarious travel stories! Not the least bit pedagogical, it merely provides observations, advice, and opinions for the traveler who is interested in understanding more about their experience.
Many of the chapters are the types of things you wish you'd see in other guidebooks -- cultural explanations, market days, food definitions. And, of course, one of my favorite chapters contains the authors' favorite Mexican recipes. Tonight, we made their sopa de ajo recipe. Simple. Light. Delicious. A perfect base for experimentation. Next time I'm going to use more herbs & chili oil.
But for now, I'll content myself with the knowledge of just how much I'm gonna stink tomorrow!
March 17, 2007
Book Reviews
The Rain of Gold
by Victor Villaseñor
I loved this book. The author of this book, a Mexican-American, interviewed his extended family and wrote the amazing story of their history from the interviews. He wrote in the style used by many Latin American writers: beautiful mysticism blended with fact, characters too numerous to keep track of, and time which flows circularly, or however it prefers.
Two families live, celebrate, and survive, and eventually join to become one through the two main characters, his parents. One family lives a peaceful existence high in the hills of Jalisco, while the other lives in a town in Chihuahua with an American-owned gold mine. But, when the revolution becomes too bloody, the story leaves Mexico as the families migrate, and then it follows their various existences in the United States.
Love. Hunger. War. Birth. Death. Some people find themselves in jail, mainly due to crimes committed in the face of these evils, or in the case of one main character because a rich man paid him to confess to the rich son's crime, and in doing so, he can feed his family. There are emotional fights. People are lost, begin new lives and then found by their long lost families. It is a painful but beautiful story of faith and strength and survival.
And, of course, it is a great story of love. Familial love and its many incarnations. Romantic love in all of its forms. The strength and dignity of the two main characters makes you yearn for them to grow into and find each other long before they ever meet. The story of Juan's wooing of Lupe is set during prohibition, while Juan is a bootlegger and Lupe's family is devout. Thus, like everything in this book, even the beauty of their love, which is pure in many ways, is built upon some sort of evil or deception, which later will bare fruit and cause problems (a repeating theme).
Yes, this book is an amazing historical work that enthralled and educated me on the past of my country and its relationship with Mexico and her immigrants. But, it is also an excellent tale in the fable sense: it is simply a great story that entertains while teaching lessons about the truth of the complicated nature of life.
The Rain of Gold
by Victor Villaseñor
I loved this book. The author of this book, a Mexican-American, interviewed his extended family and wrote the amazing story of their history from the interviews. He wrote in the style used by many Latin American writers: beautiful mysticism blended with fact, characters too numerous to keep track of, and time which flows circularly, or however it prefers.
Two families live, celebrate, and survive, and eventually join to become one through the two main characters, his parents. One family lives a peaceful existence high in the hills of Jalisco, while the other lives in a town in Chihuahua with an American-owned gold mine. But, when the revolution becomes too bloody, the story leaves Mexico as the families migrate, and then it follows their various existences in the United States.
Love. Hunger. War. Birth. Death. Some people find themselves in jail, mainly due to crimes committed in the face of these evils, or in the case of one main character because a rich man paid him to confess to the rich son's crime, and in doing so, he can feed his family. There are emotional fights. People are lost, begin new lives and then found by their long lost families. It is a painful but beautiful story of faith and strength and survival.
And, of course, it is a great story of love. Familial love and its many incarnations. Romantic love in all of its forms. The strength and dignity of the two main characters makes you yearn for them to grow into and find each other long before they ever meet. The story of Juan's wooing of Lupe is set during prohibition, while Juan is a bootlegger and Lupe's family is devout. Thus, like everything in this book, even the beauty of their love, which is pure in many ways, is built upon some sort of evil or deception, which later will bare fruit and cause problems (a repeating theme).
Yes, this book is an amazing historical work that enthralled and educated me on the past of my country and its relationship with Mexico and her immigrants. But, it is also an excellent tale in the fable sense: it is simply a great story that entertains while teaching lessons about the truth of the complicated nature of life.
March 14, 2007
Refreshed
6 days. 5 nights.
Runs on the beach. Walks through town. Sunsets. 2 amazing yoga classes in a top floor, open-air, palapa-covered, traffic-noise-filled studio (so very Mexican, no?). Sleep! So much sleep.
I am rested, tan, and not burnt. I am slightly fat and very happy. I ate more chips and more corn tortillas than I can count. I believe we ordered at least 5 preparations of guacamole. Plus there were copious preparations of pulpo and other seafood, most of which was the heavily garlic'd type. Amazing food from $2.50 authentic meals to $60 meals that easily rival $150 meals at home (and we don't have the views!).
And let us not forget that my phone gets no emails in Zihua. The work email technology, well, it does not work so well there.
But margaritas? And laying by the pool? And reading? And sleeping on the balcony? All of these, why, yes! Of course! They work quite well.
Finally, I'd like to note that I needed this vacation more than I realized. I assume that my stress levels were approximately at or below "normal for a first-year associate" upon departure. The severe sense of decompression actually brought me to tears in the airport as I was sending my last follow-up emails about work and simultaneously about to board a plane to escape it all. I, like just about any reasonable human struggling to find myself and prove myself in a new career, *really* needed a vacation.
So, my advice to any of you lawyers would be: if you are grumpy, schedule a 6 day vacation over a weekend (or better yet, a long weekend). You'll miss 4 actual days of work but the 6 day hiatus from all work will feel like you've won the lottery. You can actually walk away from it all and it will be fine. There are so many things for which you should be grateful that you have forgotten to appreciate.
There are so many things you want that you can actually just go have for 6 days and then the want subsides...it turns out, you really can only sleep, eat, drink, relax, and work out for so many days before it starts to lose the glamour. Work sounds so fun now. So, of course, does adventure travel, and finally learning Spanish, and all sorts of other adventures. But that's not the point.
The point is, I was tired. So I rested. And by the end of 6 days I was tired of resting. A little perspective goes a long way.
6 days. 5 nights.
Runs on the beach. Walks through town. Sunsets. 2 amazing yoga classes in a top floor, open-air, palapa-covered, traffic-noise-filled studio (so very Mexican, no?). Sleep! So much sleep.
I am rested, tan, and not burnt. I am slightly fat and very happy. I ate more chips and more corn tortillas than I can count. I believe we ordered at least 5 preparations of guacamole. Plus there were copious preparations of pulpo and other seafood, most of which was the heavily garlic'd type. Amazing food from $2.50 authentic meals to $60 meals that easily rival $150 meals at home (and we don't have the views!).
And let us not forget that my phone gets no emails in Zihua. The work email technology, well, it does not work so well there.
But margaritas? And laying by the pool? And reading? And sleeping on the balcony? All of these, why, yes! Of course! They work quite well.
Finally, I'd like to note that I needed this vacation more than I realized. I assume that my stress levels were approximately at or below "normal for a first-year associate" upon departure. The severe sense of decompression actually brought me to tears in the airport as I was sending my last follow-up emails about work and simultaneously about to board a plane to escape it all. I, like just about any reasonable human struggling to find myself and prove myself in a new career, *really* needed a vacation.
So, my advice to any of you lawyers would be: if you are grumpy, schedule a 6 day vacation over a weekend (or better yet, a long weekend). You'll miss 4 actual days of work but the 6 day hiatus from all work will feel like you've won the lottery. You can actually walk away from it all and it will be fine. There are so many things for which you should be grateful that you have forgotten to appreciate.
There are so many things you want that you can actually just go have for 6 days and then the want subsides...it turns out, you really can only sleep, eat, drink, relax, and work out for so many days before it starts to lose the glamour. Work sounds so fun now. So, of course, does adventure travel, and finally learning Spanish, and all sorts of other adventures. But that's not the point.
The point is, I was tired. So I rested. And by the end of 6 days I was tired of resting. A little perspective goes a long way.
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