f|back (oct '06): h.s. reunion time

five years have passed ... yes 5! it's high school reunion time! the last time, it was my 25th. do the math.

in 2006 ... i was amidst relo-ing from san diego to the bay area - literally in the midst of ... working in SD, flying up to meet the movers and unpack, going to the 25th reunion, then flying back down afterwards, and then driving back-up the next weekend with what little i had to get me through a work week and ... several goodbye brunches, lunches, happy hours, dinners, bopping around SD, and a few client meetings.

now in 2011 ... i JUST signed up (thanks to deedee!), so i'll once again keep my 5th-year reunion pact-ish with louis. (ha!)

(flashback post - repost from 10/15/2006 - "25th reunion: quick thoughts & recap" ... some aged hyperlinks have been removed)

amidst the move activities, if you note the sched,

yesterday eve (10/14)
was my 25th high school reunion!

[class pic1]

[... 25th h.s. reunion? ... feel free to do the math, if you're bored and have found some loose change in your sofa or in other people's cars ... you can buy me a b-day/housewarming gift - perhaps gift card(s)/certificates from ... oh, say ... target, cost plus, sur la table, west elm, pottery barn, flor, room and board, dwr, smart furniture ... or some new pillows? o.k. ... if not, that's alright.]

[class pic2]

(so for dave's benefit ... here we go!)

pics will be posted here/there over the coming week's posts
as i get pics from friends + my own camera

[sally, deb, shirl, valerie]

recap from start ... louis picked me up @ 5 pm (the agreed upon time), and i was not yet ready (of course) but not ready 'cuz 1/2-way through the blow-drying of the hair (prior to the straightening), the dryer started smoking ... and smoke alarm went off. (nice touch) took requisite pic w/dapper-looking-louis! (nice shoes, dude!) left ~ 5:20 pm to find out we'd be in traffic (880 north on a sat eve?! wtf?) ... so we missed the pre-reunion drinks at the hotel bar ... but there was another 'special bar' for the reunion folks.

[shirl, laura, ariel]

to the sign-in table ... caught up with deb, pat, valerie, laura, ariel on our way **to** the bar ... as they were heading **to** the reunion area. also met jack, who was in our class, on the way to the sign-in. walked w/them all to reunion get our name tags. checked out all the other names (aka other attendees). drinks to the left + dinner/ballroom to the right. yeah ... we turned left!

[valerie, laura]

drink room ... small, intimate setting, conducive to chit-chat stuff. round 1 - on pat (thanks!) ... and the start of the --- "omg" ... "who's that?" ... "isn't that ___?" ... "s/he looks totally the same!" ... "did we go to school w/that person?"... "what a cute dress?" ... "what does his name tag say?" ... "they are still together?!" ... "i don't think s/he'll remember me." ... "i'm going to say hi to him/her" ... "i had a crush on ___." ... "i'd like to see ___." ... "how many reunions have you attended?" ... "are there any teachers here?" ... "vodka gimlet over, please" ... "don't leave me alone" ... "where's my camera?" ... "how many kids?!" ... "and the top 5 are ___" ...

[valerie, brian, robert, raelene]

ballroom for dinner & dance ... tables of 10 ... and there were 8-9 tables ?! ... at ours - louis, me, laura, ariel, valerie, deb, pat, raelene, robert + empty. great table and great conversation! cameras all over the place. prime rib or chicken piccata or wild mushroom ravioli. survey says - not so great on the p-rib. chick o.k. and ravioli is ravioli. chocolate cake dessert - enough of a thumbs up. yes, spouses attended, also.

[deb + spouse pat (aka camera man)]

music for dinner & dance ... hopefully SOMEONE has a pic of the DJs ... really. and they did play brick house (ugh!) and the rest of the late 70s/80s music. just an evening of ... name that tune.

[glenn, cathy, arier, shirl, sally, louis]

[class pic3]

o.k. - more pics and thoughts later ...

(flashback sequence over)

this saturday ...
it's 30th h.s. reunion time
(wow .. thirty!)

magz silver lining tips ...

SL Tip #2: on the project management book

(repost 02/13/2006)

Try to read the Project Management book
sooner rather than later;
it will take longer than 50 minutes.

- Silver Lining

the book says it's a 50-min. commitment. this is suppose to mean 50 minutes on EARTH ... it's not. it's probably more like jupiter (or is it the other direction, and it's like mercury?) anyway, as noted on the internship syllabus-lite, you will get a workbook on project management. SL's tip is good. keep it in mind.

side note: here is the book over here


.

magz silver lining tips ...

missin' magz ... also known as silver lining, margaret (or magz) was nicknamed silver lining (or SL) while she had a summer internship with us back in 2006. magz ALWAYS had a great silver lining approach with a few good, healthy moments of snark.

[pic L-R: amabelle, margaret,
moi, todd at influx, san diego]

tips for other interns ... SL had a few tips for other interns, and in fact, her tips simply remain no-nonsense in the workplace - well, depending on the workplace culture.

(repost from 02/12/2006)

SL Tip #1: on the socratic approach

My tip? Just answer the question.
(I mean that in a good way!!)

- SL (aka Silver Lining)

SL's tip is a good one for our socratic approach for our interns. it's really that simple. remember, we can't read minds.

(repost from 01/28/2006)

There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.
- Socrates

TEACHING BY ASKING QUESTIONS ... One of the different characteristics of our internship program is our approach - a Socratic approach. We didn't purposely set out to do this; it evolved out of our realizing we enjoyed the internship program when we were in "teacher" mode. It's one thing to tell interns to do a task and give them details about getting to the right answer. It's another experience to encourage interns to approach a task by understanding the goal, developing and executing a plan to complete a task, and asking questions about their accomplishing the goal. Critical thinking is important in the work-force. And frankly, because of my curious nature, this whole Socratic thing is a bit unavoidable.

WHAT IS IT ? ... google and see what ya get? Just a few here - Wikipedia's description includes a description of method and application. Interestingly, the last item in W's blurb is "Socratic Method in Psychotherapy ... It can be used to clarify meaning, feeling, and consequences, as well as to gradually unfold insight, or explore alternative actions." (Later on that, maybe.) I like the "difference between dialogue and debate" on StudyGuide. And I'm certain that those with whom we have had as interns have heard several questions we have asked from the Socratic Questioning Cheat Sheet. Those who have interned - we did NOT have this cheat sheet, really. But you've likely heard many of these questions.

A GOOD PRIMER FOR FUTURE INTERNS ... From my web search, the socratic questioning highlighted on this site is a good primer for anyone interested in our internship. The types of questions you would hear from us ...

• conceptual clarification
  
• probing assumptions
• probing rationale, reasons, and evidence
• questioning viewpoints and perspectives
• probe implications and consequences
• questions about the question

For some interns, it may take a while to become comfortable in such a work setting, particularly if you expect an internship experience where you are just "resume building". It's an investment on our part to take on interns - and we hope that interns will also see our approach as in investment in their professional development.

hope you are doing well, magz!

f|back (june '06): interns in the '90s

interns ... i thought about my internship program because of my recent post for the love project. at cubeopolis, i have recently had an opportunity to (re)repackage my r|cat internship program (formally structured in 2004 but in place less formally since 1995) to modify it a bit for an internship effort. stated differently - i look forward to working with a friend to implement an off-shoot of my internship program this year in cubeopolis.

(2006 intern, amabelle,
as part of reality: intern, aka r|intern)

program features ... i REALLY loved the internship program i had developed and truly believe in the value of its elements - outlined 10-12 weeks activities and deliverables, stated qualifications, areas of responsibility to choose from and focus, mid-program (aka mid-term) and final presentations, evaluation of presentation (a little like a mini-toastmasters), goals and objectives, draft of resume content (BEFORE completion of internship program) when outlining project(s), and peer/mutual evaluation as an informal performance review. i am also glad that there are others who see the value of the program.

random memorable moments ... with every intern, there is ALWAYS a memorable moment. i am glad that in 2006 i captured those for interns from the '90s decade. (note to self: pull together the 2000-2006 batch of interns!)

(repost from 06/03/2006) i've been asked how many interns we've had. labing-lima. quinze. quindici. fifteen. quince.
a few things before i list those whom i can remember...

• volunteer - some have volunteered time
  
• honorarium - still a volunteer, but some have received a form of gratitude, which is not necessarily compensation commensurate with services (e.g., laptop carrier, wireless card, meals, reference materials, etc.)
  
• independent contractor - some have served as independent contractors, often if they have some level of work experience

the following are first name only, some characteristics i recall, and a random memorable event (RME).

1. jason (dan's son) [1995, 2001] ... (flagship of interns!) interned with us twice; first volunteered for experience and then as an independent contractor. first time was during summer while finishing up environmental engineering degree. second time was after a couple years of work. very hard worker. creative. good self-starter. RME: 1st time - blue blazer (symbol of adulthood, tho' a little "wham-looking" type of blazer) when we had a meeting with my 1st client (City of Chula Vista). 2nd time - deb's party in aliso viejo.
   


2. cris [1996, 2000] ... interned with us twice; first volunteered for experience and then as an independent contractor. had a geology degree. met him when he was as hired as a summer student worker at my last "corporate america" job (with the electric/gas utility). he was coming out of high school and was very self-motivated ... by the tide. he'd do at least an 8-hour work day - and flex time around the tide. to surf. yeah. to surf. RME: 1st time - benigan's & "his" driver's license. 2nd time - dinner & drinks at old town mex.
   


3. susan [1996, 2000] ... interned with us twice; first volunteered for experience and then as an independent contractor. totally bright. self-motivated. entertainingly sweet. was seeking a degree in environmental-related field. quite organized and RME: 1st time - working on an air quality permit (1st one) and totally kicking butt! (it was awesome.) 2nd time - speed-calling for a project that resulted in meeting a very aggressive deadline.
   


4. maria [1997] ... volunteered. recommended by a work colleague who was teaching an air quality extension course at UCSD. brief stint. helped on emission calculations, permitting and regulatory review. extremely fast-learner. attended a client meeting with me. spoke (and still does) italian (1st language), german, french and english. had tendency to say numbers in german. RME: 11:00 PM (yeah - night!) phone call to discuss a table of emissions and regulatory interpretation.
   
   
5. agnes [1997] ... volunteered. her background in geography (GIS interest). developed maps as part of my presentation material to my first distributed generation (DG) related client that was in the process of commercializing a new gas turbine. client very happy! RME: at dinner, having a philosophical conversation about life.


6. ryan [1998] ... honorarium. SDSU internship program. part of international business class. our 1st time (only time) with this program. (had other prospects in subsequent years but no fits from the candidates that applied) stipend (tax-deductible) to the school. knew MS Access. made a database for fledgling san diego greenmap effort. RME: an odd habit - though not disturbing and remaining unnamed - that hopefully has not carried into his professional life.


7. christina 1 [1998] ... volunteered. communications major. girlfriend of the son of a friend of mine. (follow that?) helped with a newsletter that i wrote for a local association. RME: attending an association meeting while men twice her age gawked. (to give you an idea - she had a stint as a newscaster in florida).
   


8. greg [1999] ... honorarium. my friend's co-worker asked my friend if she knew of summer job opportunities for her friend's son. that's how greg came to us. environmental engineer student. worked a brief stint - air emissions calculations + regulatory interpretation. bright. self-motivated. attended client meeting. RME: attending a client meeting and being reminded i was short, because he was tall (as was everyone in the room).


9. laurel [1999] ... independent contractor. environmental science major. had a previous summer job with a corporate environmental department. did mega-work with us. jammed through many-many activities. high energy. committed. attended client meeting often. RME: one of hundreds of gals who attended/participated in a local radio event-stint ... where some guy was looking for a date ... gals were lined up to impress him and get the date. she did this before work - cute leather jacket, fitting top, home-baked cookies, a little 'gift', and a sweet opening line. (we heard her on the radio) she didn't get the date, but we had some extra cookies!
   

o.k. - interns of this decade (2000) in another post.

f|break: mid-week nooner for #love2011

the love project ... this week's theme is know yourself! my extra credit fun over here. and this morning, yvette, the project creator, shared a few personality tests to know yourself. this immediately reminded me of some fun i had when i hosted interns back in the san diego days.

(repost from 01/21/2006)

Gone to the Dogs has a great personality test (see the "Game" link to the left of the website) ... so the result of my personality test is below. You can press the 'play' button. Let the little film run its course for the czesky terrier's ORIGINS and PERSONALITY.

(updated 2011: oops! error for doggie video, bummer ... HOWEVER)

NOW THEN, just go on and take the test yourself at the game link!

PERSONALITY TESTS! Somewhere along one's career (or even outside of the workplace), we learn our personality - from a test - administered by an indifferent or paid 'professional' or both. Be prepared, as you may be asked to take a test. Beat 'em to the punch! Here are a few to start -

alphabet soup ... Myers-Briggs (based on Jung) - a person learns his/hers "four letters" - I/E, N/S, F/T, J/P ... generally defined as - introvert/extrovert, intuitive/sensing, feeling/thinking, judgement/perception. if you search on the web, there are many variants (like keirsey) of M-B.

rainbow ... Colors that can also provide insight to one's personality - blue, gold, green, orange. (by the way, i PURPOSELY made sure i put blue & gold next to each other - GO BEARS!).

dogs ... by the (Canine (A)lgorithmic (T)ransfer (S)ystem ... A well-kept secret (though not among some of our more recent interns and the loads of people to whom we have forwarded this test) ... dog breeds! Gone to the Dogs has a great personality test (see the "Game" link), which we use after week 1 of our 10-12 week internship program.

The downside of this on-line test is you don't get to see scroll through the different 'dog personalities'; take the test, and you'll see. The upside (which totally makes up for the downside) is that you gotta get others to take the test.

If you are wondering about how I have tested - ENFP ... Blue/Green (with the higher scores) and then Gold/Orange (with the lower scores) ... Czesky Terrier.

it's 2011 ...
time to take that test again
(now that my cubeopolis life is WAY different than 2006)!


the miniature schnauzer!

f|back (sept '06): Y ... because (with urban trees)

just a meme from way back when in this 2006 flashback from june and september, including the september comment (from way back when) ...

(repost from 06/04/2006)

trees on one side of the streeturban tree on the other side of the street

... and (repost from 09/06/2006)

... it's been a relatively long time (end of may) since spinning girl issued "Y" ... and i'm stepping up to the plate. i've been in the dugout a bit ... then mulling things around on deck ... but now it's time ...

[one of the SD urban trees ]

... to start writing again, and to start sharing,
[as spinning girl has done so]

so it goes something like this ...

"Comment on this entry and I will give you a letter. Write ten words beginning with that letter in your journal, including an explanation of what the word means to you and why, and then pass out letters to those who want to play along."

[for those of you who STILL refuse to post and INSIST on calling me or e-Mailing me ... fine ... feel free to continue to do so - but know that it's o.k. to get with the program]

[PREVIEW: yttrium, youth/young, yesterday, yes & you, yolk, year, yip yap, gen Y... and then something to share that begins with the letter "c"... so i didn't quite get to '10 words' with "Y" ... so that's why i'm sharing some 'C' that came to mind]

• Y, a.k.a. yttrium ... on the periodic table. the periodic table was my friend and my enemy in college. and majoring in chemical engineering is DIFFERENT from majoring in chemistry. here's the deal - i don't know all the chemicals listed on the periodic table. i know the ones that are related to what i do now - air quality (e.g., H, C, O, N, S). y'see, chemical engineering is different from chemistry, because the folks with chemistry degrees have MANY, MANY other elements they deal with. but don't get me wrong ... it's not like i know my chemical engineering stuff. but i do know PV=nRT, and that has gotten me far enough. and from chemistry, i did like the grignard reaction! (by the way, i thought of "Y", the chromosome, for whom i adore my gay friends, as well as my straight friends, but then i'd just end up writing about dating, and i've already been there, done that. ha!)
  


• youth, young - and its other "relative" words ... to me - youth/young is **not** about plastic surgery, one's age, or immaturity. growing, learning, and discovering are words i associate with youth/young. in fact, i also believe that when one is old or older, there continues to be the opportunity to grow, learn, and discover. (but my letter is "Y", so i'm sticking with the directions). thank you for telling me i look young for my age, but also know that i'm o.k. even if i look "as old" or "older", as i cherish being told so by my 6 yr old niece and my 8 yr old nephew that my gray hair looks cool for an old tia.
  


• yesterday ... is as important to me as today and tomorrow. many-many-many yesterdays ago, i learned to play piano; i believe that has contributed to my interest in music. many-many yesterdays ago i lived in sacramento and my fond memory from back then ... life planning on a chili's restaurant napkin while eating seasoned french fries with a good friend; i continue this, as it has become part of who i am, oddly enough. (now, i'm not as picky about the restaurant, and i don't need to be eating french fries when doing so.) many yesterdays ago my dad died. as very emotional and sad as that was, remembering that yesterday gives me strength. just yesterday i had dinner with a good friend. i hope to have more wonderful yesterdays!
  


• yes & you ... i am moving to the bay area. please be supportive. got things in motion. and now, most realistically, i will get movers scheduled for the 1st week of october to pick my sh** up and pack some sh** up. if you are reading this and rolling your eyes because it's not the september time frame, please don't make this about you. you may detect some attitude here, but that is not my intent; it's me --- being direct, honest, and informative. it's to let you know that it's difficult to leave you if you are in SD, and to let you know (if you live in the BA) that i'm excited to be moving to the BA. yes i would like some help and advice regarding my move, and you are an important part of that, but please ... remember it's also about me. and if you want to do the whole "tough love" thing about the move, i'll appreciate the attention, but i'd prefer the cheerleader approach, if ya don't mind. yes, i'll answer my e-mail and phone if you cheer! you, i love dearly for the support!
  


• yolk (and this is not about eggs) or yoke ... i own a sewing machine, really (i think it's packed away, right now). and i learned how to sew many-many-x3 yesterdays ago. first item - a smock. second item - an apron. third item - overalls. and fourth item - plaid hoody ... all circa mid-'70s. and afterwards - "real" stuff - painter pants, blazers (for my mom), shorts, camp shirt (a bit of a failure, but i tried), and of course, my sr. prom dress (from a Vogue pattern ... where the fabric color totally had to match my shoes). sew lately? not so much. i still have the machine - so maybe i will do so. could it be that i watch my fav reality tv show, project runway (and its reruns) because of this little hobby?
  


• year ... another year is what i'll be turning - when i'm moved in to the BA. i'll be a prime number (which holds special meaning for me, and i don't know why). i was born in the year of the rabbit, with the water sign. checking out other water rabbits --- i am in good company (... oh you, mr. depp!)
  


• yip yap... is pretty much why i have the cell phone plan with the mostest minutes ever ... and i manage to exceed the mostest minutes ever like this tall, this wide, and this deep! yip yap yip yap yip yap. it's also why i don't mind when people say "yeah, we expected that" after I say "i have an opinion" - "i have a question" - "i ..." yip yap yip yap yip yap. and if i'm not yip yapping, i'm probably tip tapping on my keyboard. and if i'm not tip tapping, i'm likely just doing something. do i sit still and quiet? sure. like i mentioned, i have to watch my show! don't call me during the show - i won't yip yap with you. commercials - catch me during commercials.


• Gen Y ... or as i have recently learned, aka the Millennials. My interns - Gen Y. Me? - uh... not so sure. i need to get/stay with the program. Wiki tells me this. Pink Magazine tells me this. Because i still intend to have r|intern when i'm moved up in the BA, i also am aware that it's in my best interest for r|intern to attract them gen Yers. (thanks j, for the tip back then!) In the end ... X, Y, e-i-e-i-o ... let's all just get along, eh? oh! i should say that i have learned quite a bit from r|interns ...sothanks much! (now, go find me some enviroslaves, eh? j/k.)

o.k. - and now for my departure into "C" - which is simply because i am going to B&J to get some "chocolate therapy" (!!!).

• criminal ... o.k. - he was a criminal. yes, i - uh - "dated" (sort of but sort of not) - someone who was once (or maybe twice) in prison. (i found this out AFTER our 2nd date.)
  
• calipatria ... "prison," you say? "yes," i say, "prison." calipatria prison, to be exact.
• center for land use interpretation ... "huh? what does this have to do with criminal and calipatria?" HELLO!!! ---"C" (we've moved on from "Y").
  

here is the deal - when the center described calipatria, which houses criminals, here is what was written. and if you are too lazy to go to that link, let me help you out - it says ...

"Visitor Info: Like most prisons, it can be visited through proper channels, by either arranging a press tour, having relatives to visit there, or by commiting a crime. Public roads surround the facility, which is said to have a high-voltage electric perimeter fence. On Blair Road, northeast of downtown Calipatria."

this - i found worth taking up my time several weeks ago when i googled calipatria.

• chocolate therapy ... ciao!

[and if you wanna read another 'me' thing,
i was tagged a while back.]

Spinning Girl said...

Brava my dear! You did a fine job, and never mind the wait! I had the toughest letter of all (I)so ergo handed out difficult letters, myself. I like the "skip to" new letter concept...hmmm, thinking of how to do a meme like that. Whatever letter you skip to, the "tagged" have to start with, then skip to another letter? Hmmm, maybe I will try that ...

Skipping to B&J sounds about
right, at this moment ...

Long live the chemists (myself included)! And yes, I know every element. I'm a big geek that way!

f|break + f|back: me next, i have a credit card

remember the my life, my card campaign by american express years ago? i do. i remember first seeing a magazine ad with ellen degeneres. back in 2006, i decided that although i was likely NOT to have an ad placed with my answers, i would interview myself; my repost of that is below. but first, remember the fun ellen amex commercials? i do. loved the animals commercial. and about ellen degeneres? love her. LOVE. HER.

enjoy this fiber break + flashback with ellen (over here)
for ~2 minutes with a great cast of animals!

"craig ... shelly ... francis ... carol ... roger ... frank ...
... darryl ... andy ... shelly"
"does this side look heavy to you?"

(repost from 12/20/06, with a few updates)

my name: shirlnutkin

• childhood ambition: to learn how to draw, write nifty stories, and shuffle cards like the casino folks (!!!)
  
• fondest memory: walking back from brunch w/my folks, while they visited me in san diego (circa 1995), and my dad totally congratulates me on taking the first step to start my own business ... after i scribbled ideas & stuff on the paper place mat.
  (well, then there were also the family dinners over holidays (or any dinner, actually) when my brother asks, "pull my finger!")
• soundtrack: off top of my head, two come to mind - Garden State ... Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
• retreat: why yes, i would like one!
• wildest dream: (i got this covered!) maybe not "wildest" but is memorable and "huh? what was that all about?!" kind of sentiment upon waking up ... walking around in a park area where there is a swimming pool full of floating, rolled-up pairs of white tube socks and a hot dog cart nearby ... and i'm trying to get to a building behind the pool that has used office furniture that i can purchase ... and to do so, i have to rock climb up the side of the funky building with the office furniture ...
• proudest moment: graduating from college (phew!!!)
  
• biggest challenge: staying focused (sort of) (... and keeping my car's back seat clutter-free)
  
• alarm clock: no machine for me; just something internal - and i'm usually up & about not later than 6:30 AM on weekdays and not later than 8 AM on weekends (and i don't even have a dog, yet!)
• perfect day: waking up with option to do whatever it is i really just want to do that day - with no external (or internal) pressures ... and as part of that day --- walk around freely in sun, shade, and mild weather ... smell of the ocean, grass and trees ... doing a l'il reading of something ... spend some time with friends/family and make new friends, perhaps ... laugh heartily over a meal ... and at some point during that day, being able to say "thank you" to someone and saying "you're welcome" back to someone else. a simple day can be just the same as a perfect day! (oh yeah, and i'm on vacation, too!)
  
• first job: cashier at The Treasury (a now defunct department store), and if i was really lucky, i also worked snack bar!
• indulgence: laptop bags, hand bags, backpacks, plumber bags, and those things to carry my wallet and/or my computer
  
• last purchase: an alien bobblehead (souvenir) from space aliens grill & bar in bismarck, north dakota
• favorite movie: splendor in the grass
• inspiration: harold and his purple crayon ... and pigdog
  

my life: is in transition
my card: is really nice looking (for a business card; thanks, tanya!)

f|back (mar '06): eco-sphere mitch renamed connor

holiday gift december 2005 ... several christmas eves ago i received an eco-sphere from todd. originally there were four that were promptly named. within 3 months, there was only one. mitch, renamed connor, made it from san diego to the bay area and eventually died in its on squalor in mid-2008.

(repost from 03/11/06)
this is mitch - originally named after the gymnast mitch gaylord because this one looked like he did some acrobatic moves on the branch. he is my pet.

this is his eco-sphere small pod digs.

there were three others whom I named pee-wee, mariah, and todd. when the pod arrived in my Jan 2006 mail.

they died ... in the order i listed them.

if mitch lives long enough, he will travel with me to my future BA digs.
i have decided that mitch will sport a different name after the ReLo to the BA.

connor, from the highlander

... because as we all know,

"there can be only one"
-connor macleod.

(here him speak to you at http://www.tk421.net/gallery/sounds/one.wav)

p.s. back in 2006, other suggestions to rename mitch included: spongekabob shrimppants, krill bill (vol. 1), codfather, jumbo, chris t. sean. (thanks floyd.)

f|back (oct '06): on this day 4 years ago ...

... i was taking advantage of social-meal-fests with friends. four years ago around this time, i had a whirlwind social calendar - out and about with friends - lunch, dinner, happy hours, brunch, snack - any drink and chow opportunity! i had sent the movers ahead of me so that i could meet my belongings in the bay area. meanwhile, i was staging the last of my belongings to squeeze stuff into my car. on this date, oct 20, four years ago, yummy lunch at a fave lunch restaurant vagabond kitchen with several fave friends ... ah, the memories.

(repost 10/20/2006)

thank you, see ya, and will miss ya!

yet again, another lunch at the fabu vagabond!
long time friends since being in SD

Cool Slideshows

• dash (known since 1992) - wearing the r|wear (right on!) ... and having the Vagabond Black Ink Linguini Shrimp ... Four Large Shrimp Tossed in Black ink Linguini with Onions, Garlic, Chorizo and Green Chiles. Topped with Manchego Cheese, Roasted Peanuts and a drizzle of Chili Oil.
  
• david (known since 1993) - wearing ... well, wearing a pink polo ... and having the Caribbean Chicken Salad ... A filet of Chicken Breast Grilled with Herbs and Caribbean Spices, cut in Medaillons and served over Mixed Greens with Cucumbers, Tostones, Plantanos Maduros and Lime. Sweet Caribbean dressing.
  
• shannon (known since 2000) - wearing salmon ... and having the Caribbean Filet Mignon Sandwich with Avocado ... Thinly Sliced Filet Mignon Marinated in a Caribbean Dressing of Olive Oil, Garlic, Honey, Ginger, Herbs and Spices. Served Grilled with Spread Avocado and Spicy jack Cheese on Toasted Telera Roll.
• moi (the one moving) - wearing a smile and having the Red Curry ... Onions, Garlic, Coconut Milk, Red Curry, Lemon Grass, Ginger, Palm Sugar and a touch of Chili Pepper. Served on a Bowl over Jasmine Rice and garnished with Fried Shallots, Shredded Kaffir Lime leaves and Scallions.

never disappointed with friends chatting over a tasty meal. heard at the table ... girlfriend, dating, new truck, clearance, friend pregnant, walter claudio, intern, qualcomm stadium, daybed, santa barbara, tennessee, new jersey, oakland, season tickets ...

thanks all for being great friends!
and thanks, dash, for lunch!

f|back (jan '06): celebrating after yesterday's garage sale

flashback from 2006 (aka old blog posts) ... i am realizing a garage sale or donating my stuff is in my future, as i am going through my current year 2010 julie morgenstern-ing SHEDn and kit cole-ing CYCCYLn. thanks to old blog posts, i am reminded that on saturday, jan 14, 2006 (back in san diego), a few things happened - i wrote my first blog post (re)declaring i would be relocating from san diego to the bay area, i had a garage sale and went to dinner (at the was-open-back-then parallel 33) with my neighbors matt and marlena, i chatted and hugged garry (my landlord), and i pet scud (the dog - who later lost his battle with cancer). below are posts from those memories ...

(repost from 01/15/06)

GARAGE SALE FUN … Yesterday (Saturday), our little compound had a garage sale - which was preceded by the garage clean out on Friday. Matt, Garry, Scud (an awesome bassador) and I sifted through "lots o' stuff". (That's Garry with Scud.)

The garage has served as a fine haven and a functional office annex for files, office supplies, reference books, and office equipment. Moreover, the garage has served to perpetuate my packrat nature (with my 1,000+ sq. ft home office also contributing to my tchotchke paradise). With three other neighbors sharing access and storage to the garage, the challenge was met to organize and winnow the contents. (In the early spring, I will be contributing more "stuff" at the neighborhood's garage sale day. Meanwhile, the purging process has begun.)

AN APPETITE TO SPARE ... Saturday's garage sale was well worth the effort. Afterwards, Matt, Marlena (Matt's wife), and I used some of the proceeds for a great dinner at the nearby Parallel 33. By the way, when in San Diego, Parallel 33 is a “must” dining experience. The food is so tasty, and the service is wonderful. Just adjacent to Parallel 33 is a slightly nondescript blue building, which houses Blue Lotus - essentially the sister restaurant/lounge to Parallel 33 - same menu, different atmosphere. Totally check it out!


(repost from 01/30/06)

Just a little place on the web

to say "bye" to Scud ...

he's the bassador (basset hound / lab mix) that lived downstairs with Matt & Marlena, and every once in a while, he hung out in my office. Bye Scud ... !

lovin' the memories!

f|back (jan '06): caught wifi squatting in SD

(repost 01/26/06)

My picture was taken a few times by a gal writing an article on wi-fi equipped coffee shops.

I am at my favorite coffee house - Influx ... sitting in a little corner of the coffee shop - laptop on, blackberry adjacent, project work sprawled, and (most importantly) coffee within arms length.

a corner with a view ...

..."slighlty" angled pic of the Influx entrance from Broadway.

(BTW, their sandwiches, salads and pastries are GREAT!)

Anyway, don't know if she'll use any of the pictures she took this morning.

If she does, then I have my R|CAT baseball cap to thank for succesfully dealing with my "pseudo-bad hair day".

As far as after the ReLo, in addition to the wi-fi capability of whatever hotel I will stay at when in San Diego, Influx will be my on & off SD office. It's so convenient at 20th & Broadway --- easy access to key places - Downtown, Hwys 5 / 94 / 163, and the airport.

RESOURCE FOR WI-FI LOCATIONS ... Regarding wi-fi (aka HotSpot) locations, I usually rely on a web-based resource that cnet has from jiwire. But because jiwire has had Paddy's place listed for quite some time, I've bonded with jiwire. Point is - as part of my ReLo and just for general work out-and-about town or when on travel, I make a point to find out where (free) wi-fi squatting is offered. And if great coffee is served - that's even better!

f|back (apr '06): BA dating will not be IJAM

web surfing, flashbacks, and dating ... a bit of back-filling of flashback posts into present-day girlnutkin. inspired to get my dating stuff on this blog after my back to future healthy stalking of yvette. below, monikers for the 16 "IJAM" scheduled activities. (no - i will not call them dates.)

(repost and updated a little from 04/09/2006)

(cleaning up my e-Mail 'cuz my e-Mail looks like my desk, inspired by spinning girl, taking a break from work, and in need of a cathartic moment after an intense conversation with a friend this past friday night. peace.)

yes, it's true ... from 2003 thru 2004-ish/2005-ish, i watched the beaucoup-bucks for a dating service unfold my pseudo-creative writing ability ... or my need-to-journal-trauma.

(ACCEPTANCE SPEECH: ... and to the chick who was in my creative writing class that commented about the "total losers" who sign up for "those services", i can only say that it was a pleasure being in that class with you. i misread the class description that said it was YOUR therapy session where you would read your personal and true stories about incest and other dysfunctional family issues. i'm not saying you're a loser. i'm saying i didn't know i paid to take your therapy session, which would provide you with the opportunity to slam me and my entertaining fiction-ish story. next time, i'll read the fine print.)

so for those who have asked what my BA dating life may be looking like, i answer with "uh ... not like the my affectionately termed IJAM in SD."

context: a quota certain number of randomly-pulled-from-a-database near-perfect matches future short stories dates over a period of time (so says the fictional IJAM)

source/excerpt: an e-mail (edited to maintain some anonymity & added comments) i sent on 11/21/04 to my friend the barista boy. below ... the monikers for each IJAM guy i met.

1. ARTIST: prior to becoming an "artist," ARTIST had worked at the same company for which my previous employers (let's call them THOSE GUYS) also had worked; THOSE GUYS quit that company and THOSE GUYS started their own firm. i had just (12-days prior to meeting the ARTIST) voluntarily left a position with THOSE GUYS. what a small-frakkin world.
   


2. TEETHPICKER: had a really cool job. was sooooo not the height (read: shorter) they told me he would be; not that it mattered but for the fact i wore my oh-so-adorable-yet-painful kenneth cole make-me-taller shoes that were totally-painful-after-20-minutes. either the food make me sick, or the teethpicking made me sick. i excused myself from the table before the end of the meal and threw up. really.
   
   (i told the IJAM that bad hygiene was a deal-breaker, so put that in the database.)


3. DENTIST: (good one, IJAM; clever.). intelligent. good sarcasm. direct. had similar likes for activities. met again for dinner at the restaurant at which my friend todd worked. had to make sure DENTIST was gay-friendly. last i saw of or spoke with DENTIST.


4. BOURGEOIS: his favorite word, too often used, to describe his feeling about SD downtown, gaslamp district, urban setting, and people who go there. i go there. i guess i am bourgeois. and he is a pompous a**.
   
   (i was catching on ... IJAM did not check the database where i specifically noted ... i like to hang out in the hillcrest area of SD (read: gay area), little italy here or there, and downtown.)
   
   
5. TMI GARDEN GNOME: western religious fellow gone eastern-ish spirituality. east coast fellow who moved to the west coast. penn state learned who learned later at san diego state. wayne dyer devotee. told me he was abused as a child. 1-step forward for honesty, i suppose. 5-steps backward for conversation topic.
   
   (just in case you don't know TMI. oh ... and once again, IJAM didn't do the math correctly. i wore my kenneth cole shoes again. yeah ... i towered. AND AT THIS POINT ... MY FIRST BREAKING POINT - i rattled off my polite rating of 'unsatisfactory' service - met with some chick at IJAM to let her know how sooooo off they have been and blah-blah-blah-blah)
   
   
6. SWEET GUY: nice. great conversation. pleasant. walked me to my car in the cavernous fruits & veggie parking lot of horton plaza. gave me a peck on the cheek. met again for dessert (because he said he liked desserts!) ... & listened to him bemoan the prices of the dessert. (we were going dutch, even!) not a deal-breaker, but who bemoans the price of anything that is freshly-made and has CHOCOLATE!?
   
   (SIDE BAR: SWEET GUY gave me his e-Mail. i wrote him a 'thank you' e-Mail after the fab dessert place and let him know i totally looked forward to meeting up again. i got a call from him, while he was on a train to LA for work-stuff, which went something like, "i'd appreciate it if you would either be more vague in your e-Mails or call me. my secretary reads my e-Mail when i am out of the office. i don't bring my computer with me when i am out of the office." ... i was tempted to call him and ask him to check his e-Mail for my response, but i decided simply to call him - and in so many words said - i was not interested.)
   
   
7. I-DONTMIN-TO-BRRRRAAAHHHG-BUT...: (translated ... i don't mean to brag, but) then don't.
   
   (SIDE BAR: possibly another miscommunication or database glitch or just sh***y service. i-dontmin-to-brrrraaahhhg-but... didn't like to watch movies. i love watching movies. AND THIS WOULD BE MY SECOND BREAK POINT with them. a small rant & rave over the phone...)
   
   
8. DOT COM GUY (aka RINGER): tall. cute. universally cute. good conversation. lamented about similar IJAM experiences. extended our time spent talking with him because it was totally fun. I believe he was THE RINGER to appease me because I bitched at IJAM after i-dontmin-to-brrr... . haven't talked since. didn't expect to do so. we were each other's moment of therapy, i believe. did i mention he was cute. i was pacified.
   
   (SIDE BAR: IJAM told me he "rents" and that he works as a "computer-type" guy. i thought "so what about renting and computers?" i rent and think the world of my landlord. turns out, DOT COM GUY doesn't work. he's unemployed. he cashed out. he's totally set. he travels. an he owns several properties - which he rents.)
   


9. SALESGUY: cute. decent conversation. a little conservative and not a deal breaker. sort of defined by his status in corporate america. (eh?) i was interested in meeting up again. he didn't call back.


10. TEACHER: fun. cheery. flaky. loves movies. elementary school teacher. did see a movie for 2nd meet up; cost-conscious so saw 1st showing of spider-man 2. (i heart willem dafoe.) on atkins diet. (don't get me started.) a few calls back/forth. flaky. nonresponsive.
    
    (SIDE BAR: both of us being filipino, never got to the point of discussion where we check if we are somehow loosely or directly related.)
    
    
11. RICH: (that would be his name ... not tax bracket. he is the only one i shall name) he and i are friends. we became friends after agreeing (on the 2nd meet-up) that there wasn't a "vibe" (aka chemistry) between us, but we had lots in common. he lives downtown, loves dessert, likes to hang-out, his respsectful, makes mean martinis, etc... for this friendship alone, i will not slam IJAM. (under other circumstances, i would not show calm restraint.)


12. EYE-CONTACT MAN: cute. a psychologist. no chemistry.
    
    (and i turned into a babbling fool about my limited knowledge about psychology. i likely was EYE-CONTACT MAN'S equivalent of my BOURGEOIS guy. EYE-CONTACT MAN loved (just loved!) to scuba dive. i don't even like the confined-space feeling of an airplane. .... i so, soooo, sooooooooooo, apologize for the 90-ish minutes i stole from EYE-CONTACT MAN'S life. i apologize deeply.)
    


13. E-BAY MAN: cop. 2 kids. in process of going through a messy divorce. (i didn't realize in-process-of-being-single qualified one for IJAM.) o.k. conversation. i felt like i was E-BAY MAN's rudder ... IJAM threw us together so E-BAY MAN could gauge where i fell on his dating map.)
    
    (SIDE BAR: similar to the TEACHER, both of us being filipino, never got to the point of discussion where we check if we are somehow loosely or directly related. factoid - unlike the loch ness, yeti, or tooth fairy, 6'2" filipino guys exist.)
    
    
14. THE EXEC: took phone call ~ 10-minutes into the date. THE EXEC deserves a whole separate post. i MUST HAVE BEEN on some sort of candid-camera-reality-type show. for now, some key words - supervisor, alcoholic, asshole (in no special order)
    
    (SIDE BAR: a definite clue that IJAM didn't give a shit. did i type that? THIS WOULD BE MY THIRD BREAK POINT with them. a moderate rant & rave ... for which i disclosed i would meet-up with him again if i knew (and he knew) he would not be drunk as a skunk or headed that direction. i felt i needed to meet-up with him again - in a controlled & familiar space - to see if a camera crew was lurking!)
    
    
15. DANCER: he was a biz owner. he was taking different social dance classes (which is cool). he was really nice. i liked him. i wanted to meet-up with him again. we scheduled to meet on a friday for din-din. i had a much, much longer work day than expected & was in a gnarly mood (totally crabby mood); it was horribly raining something fierce. i called him about 2 hours before we were going to meet and asked if we could resched for saturday brunch or dinner. he said "sure" and that he'd call me back on saturday morning. he did not. i called mid-afternoon to check-in. no call back or message or e-Mail. not sure if he is alive.
    
    (SIDE BAR: i had to google. he is still in business. i understand.)
    
    
16. LAST GUY: (aka TURBINE GUY) i was his first IJAM date. he was my last IJAM date. (but at least i had my fav zocalo hand-shaken margarita!)

f|back (sept '06): paper planner or pda

back in 2000, i used a handspring visor as my pda. loved it. then, i decided to give it to an intern and upgrade to one of the 500 series HP jornada pda. ultimately, i decided to return to my tried and true (and battery-less) paper organizer approach. when faced with an option to return to a pda (via cell phone) back in 2006, i stuck with phone only and went quo vadis for myself.

(repost 09/20/06)

ms. t ... IT. it arrived today! my paper planner. while you look for your stylus, i will pull out my pen or pencil. (or perhaps i will borrow someone else's pen or pencil)

sure, it doesn't fit in a small bag or a shirt pocket. maybe it's so i have an excuse to buy a bag (...and maybe a pair of shoes to match). or perhaps, it's my retail therapy & organization 'thing'.

giants buddy in SD for ballgame

since i've been in the BA, i've been to at&t (formerly sbc and pacific bell parks - and i tend to call it pacbell park ... it's first name)


(repost from july 1 '06)

june 30 out-of-office auto-responder:

Subject: R|CAT: 06/30 - Out of Office in Afternoon

The Giants are playing the Padres this evening!

STANDINGS TO DATE: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/standings/index.jsp

We are starting early! I will be out of the office after noon-time today (06/30) ... for the self-imposed (deserved) break.

please feel free to leave
e-mail or voice mail; I will
answer when back in.

... and so i did ... when mike confirmed tix for the giants/padres game at petco! t & r (padre fans) also along for the fun. a few before & during pix. excuses for ... not-so-good-food ... beer ... sangria ... and the requisite hot dog.

[our seats in toyota terrace sec. 215]

we lost that night.
(yeah, that's right ... lost)

dessert in the BA?

food. it's something i have quite posted about on this blog. so for the kick-start ... what was on my mind 4 years ago? (from a previous blog)

(repost from feb 7, '06 - with some teeny updates)

It's like I can't stop talking about food on this ReLo blog ... and I have come to realize - I'm not quite sure how often I actually cook a meal at home. (So maybe I don't have to worry too much about whether I have an electric or gas stove in my BA kitchen digs.)

Regardless ... DESSERT!!! SD has an absolutely fabulous and amazing place called Extraordinary Desserts. OK, so I'll miss this place, also. (If you have checked out the web site, make sure to look at the dessert page, because you'll get to see a couple different desserts.)

This is Rennie (Hi Rennie!) ... with a dessert (chocolate involved, of course!) ... that i am pretty sure he shared ... but i can't be 100% sure ... because i may have been scarfing and hogging my own dessert at the time.

So - dessert, anyone, in the BA? and what bridge(s) am I going to have to cross!?