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: saturday evening - it's almost v-day ...

valentine's day ... just a couple more weeks until it rears its cupid-head (and if you really must know, here's some info). after shopping like a cost-conscious bandit today, several store fronts were sporting the iconic v-day symbols. this reminded me of last year's exchanges. below are a few reposts for today's fiber break ... and it all starts with -

i love you more than ... blank

(reposts from '09 - feb 17, april 25, sept 26)

... thanks to daviddust for channeling ellie grace as part of a comment to this morn's post (02/17), thus allowing me an excuse to post this little clip. (hee-hee)

i love you more than ...
little britain & little britain USA
(well ... kinda sorta)
oh yeah
>peace, bitch

i love you more than ...

. grits at rudy's . happy hour with the gals .
. watching glee . pressing speed dial on my phone .
. non sequitur conversations . ocean wet smell .
. air-conditioned buses on an indian summer day .
. color theme dress-up day .
. the colored markers i lug around at work .
. the garden fresh fruits & vegetables you share .
. movies we quote for the immature teenage boys
that we truly can be .
. le pen .
... blank ...

. all the bags in my closet . that tasty cookie at caffe trieste .
. the smell of the ocean . a cup of espresso forte or garuda .
. i did yesterday . you love yourself .
. reading david's recaps of fave (and not so fave) reality tv shows .
. a scoop of chocolate therapy . cheese .
. the color of the sun setting and rising .
. how much i love how you smell .
. writing . people think i love penguins .
. our stupidicus and moronicus frivolity . i miss san diego .
. staring at the ceiling . fried pickles .
. harold and his purple crayon .
. sweet potato fries (baked of course, ha!) .
. sound of your loving sigh . blogging . ha cherng .
. your love for jumble words . your love for gardening .
... blank ...

. i love our hit or miss morning chats . the heat in d.c. .
. that filipino dessert i forget the name of . guacamole & chips .
. you love gerard butler . oatmeal mango cookies .
. you love talking in french . pedicures with leg massages .
. you love your belgian beer . you hate muta .
. hot chocolate with whipped chocolate mousse .
. you love to travel . buzz loves the spice girls .
. you love poppy & rosey . the sound of music .
. you love our harry potter books . uffpa .
. you love shopping . the guns you own . your love for wine .
. you love bejeweled . your dragonboat fun .
... blank ...

today's ... blank ...?
. barney's burgers & milkshakes .
. awesome shopping deals .

25 blah-blah things

(repost from a 02/10/2009 post)

i'm guessing you have seen this ... the 25 random things thing. from joanne's post over on her blog where she states ...

"taken from this internet/chain letter/ facebook post thing. Basically you're just supposed to list 25 facts about yourself. The lovely Diana tagged me on facebook with this. According to the rules, once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged and generally how/why you tagged who you did. (Since I'm going blog style, I'm not going to tag, okay?)"

so as with joanne's 25s, i say to you - enjoy your read, and perhaps you will find out something(s) new about me ... as well as mundane boring bullsh**.


1. over not under ... that is the way that sheets of a toilet paper rolls should lay. i will fix the roll - at your home, my work, a restaurant, a department store, a gas station, wherever.

2. because my high school counselor thought otherwise ... back in the day when applying for college and choosing a major, my h.s. counselor was not quite encouraging about my choosing a "hard" engineering major - like chem eng, which was fine because i secretly wanted to do architecture/environmental design (or something along that line). i decided to list chem eng first and architecture second, as if i was spiting my counselor. go figure, i got my first pick.

3. om. om. om. ... i'm a bit woo-woo. during a weekend in nov '07, i was certified at the practitioner's level (level 2) for reiki. and during that weekend, i also was exposed to/learned about angels - guardians and archangels - and guides. (this event)

4. it's chris. now give me my $20 (and then some) ... my friend, kevin, gave me $20 in my 2nd year of college. i had a huge crush on a cute guy in my major. i drove kevin (and others) nuts yapping on & on (and we know i can do THAT) about this guy. all i had to do was get the guy's name, and kevin would give me $20. well, i turned it into a small event ... asked cute guy if i he was going to class 'cuz i wasn't going, if he could pick up my problem set, and if i could meet him after class. he said yes, we exchanged names, and then he gave me his phone number on a piece of paper, with his name - chris. we dated for several months eventually.

5. foreword ... i wrote one - for my friend's book called "hello real world." (i miss my friend, jengyee liang.) foreword content here.

6. come fly with me ... i believe hypnosis works. i vomited in a garbage can after deplaning from a small prop plane that flew from the bakersfield area to sacramento. afterwards, my boss handed me a napkin and a 7up. that was in 1989. whenever i traveled via plane (any size), i white-knuckled ascents and descents until 1994, which was when i underwent hypnosis for, apparently, my flying issues. i don't necessarily enjoy flying, but i don't vomit-launch anymore.

7. it's just a numbers game ... my college gpa was less than stellar. more than 2.00 and less than 2.50. mixed in there is the fact that i do know what is required to get off of academic probation. and even with that, i still owned a successful and active consulting practice for ~12 years and had a nifty internship program (for shich i started blog that chronicled an intern's experience over here) in the end, i have learned that the numbers mean less as time goes on.

8. there once was a man from nantucket ... i won 3rd place in a 4th grade poetry contest.

9. EE-dull-wha-the ...? ... i have never seen the entire movie (or even 10 minutes straight) of "the sound of music" - so my rendition of edelweiss at karaoke after skiing alta and drinking a bunch of singha was comparable to the william shanter's talk-sing style (over here).


10. more bookcases, please ... i swear i won't buy any more books, but then i buy more books - after pulling one of my many wallets out of one of my many purses while wearing one of my many pairs of shoes after making one of my many "to do" check lists. (sigh)

11. amen, kinda sorta ... i was raised roman catholic, which meant i took catechism, which meant i went to a lady's house to learn about the old and new testament. when asked to say grace before snack-time among other catechism goers, i stood up, did a kind of curtsy, then bowed a little with a rolling right hand gesture and said "gahhhhh-rrrrrrace." that didn't go over very well after a few giggles.

12. gullible ... i am, at times. that's why i spent a week telling friends (and strangers) about my new found knowledge that johnny depp was part vietnamese.

13. ahhhh. ahhhh. ... i have no cavities.

14. epiphany ... i had an epiphany in early may '94, and as a result, one of the insights that popped out of some kind of automatic writing moment is the following that guides me ...

There are BRIDGES yet to be constructed by those who live andbreathe in their ENVIRONMENT — AIR, LAND and WATER. Egos stand firmon the ground that they were born and choose not to acknowledge thatto get one step closer they must go one step FURTHER.MY VISION IS TO CREATE THOSE BRIDGES.

and from this, i also came up with the full complement of a mission / vision / values statement. whether just voices in my head, divine inspiration, or simply words resulting from some sleep deprivation, it is important to me that people are made aware of how their choices affect the environment. and hopefully, they will choose well.

15. dog ... i am more of a dog person than a cat person.

16. pigdog's dad ... i wrote an e-mail to a photographer, chip simons, who was listed on the back of a postcard - this postcard (to the right) that had a picture of what i affectionately called "pigdog" back in my college days. chip wrote me back. here is the little story.

17. (with butterflies in my stomach) phew! he said "yes" ... in the summer of '02, to date, that has been the ONLY time i have formally asked a guy out on a date - dinner and a sade concert. (well, although he said "yes," he later had to cancel because he was stuck in the mid-west working on a power plant. of course, i still went to dinner and the concert. hello? it's sade!!!)

18. yes ... i once inhaled.

(update & clarification: i once inhaled. uhm ... perhaps twice?)

19. writing ... calms my soul. as loquacious as i am/can be/have been, i think that writing provides that extra "umph" for me to be even more (or differently) expressive. by all means, i just find myself writing to write, and often i'll learn something new about myself. as far as any stories i've written or barely started - it's just a numbers game, and a few other stories titled (so far) my foreigner, donor #3355, and let me believe come to mind. (i do have a story about vacation neurosis, which was my very first short that i attempted back in 2003.)

20. i'll be in the corner, thank you ... small groups are more of my scene. i've often been told by acquaintances, friends and co-workers that they fancy me as a social butterfly - readily flitting around friends and strangers. on the contrary, i enjoy sitting with a small pool of friends (old & new) in a corner with a beverage of choice and yapping it up.

21. useless silverware ... one day, i want to bend silverware - knives, spoons, forks, sporks, you name it! - just like uri geller did (and does?).

22. never say never ... i started a solo-consulting practice in '94 (well, i was unemployed in 11/94, by choice) and currently have it a bit on-hold. in '07, i returned to the government. here are thoughts i was processing just one week after returning. perhaps i'll write more about my thoughts (see #19.)

23. sunflower seeds ... i eat sunflower seeds while driving long hauls.

24. stink-eye ... in '94, i had a funky, not-so-obvious eye issue that ultimately was termed "atypical" as a result of many (MANY!) tests - lumbar puncture (aka spinal tap), bone marrow sample, mri, cat scan, barium sulfate, and other pin-cushion, bodily-fluid-draining, innards-picture-taking activities. and as many experiencing a battery of tests, not knowing if i was faced with a life-threatening situation, that is when i started learning much more about naturopathic medicine and that is when i began to understand that there are no such things as coincidences.

25. i like it cold ... i prefer to sleep with my feet outside the blankets.

you're welcome.