Day 31 - Lots of stuff + a recap

My day was pretty productive and included a lot of new things. I put REAL SUGAR in my coffee (good idea, Steph). I went to an estate sale, but didn't find anything. I tried a new Indian restaurant for dinner and it was good. I made all new files for my business and got organized. All well and good, but not very exciting, I know.

So I guess for my new thing today I will claim a new addition to this blog. On Sundays, I will list a few of the entertaining things I fell across during the week that did not make it to its own blog post. Please enjoy.

A grandma with a Hello Kitty backpap

A grandma who sent the bartender back to fill up her straight up a bit more

A guitarist making the most painful faces – but he shredded so it's OK

A couple hundred sailboats milling around the St. Francis Yacht Club (wish I had a camera)

The most beautiful, biggest moon (though the camera does it no justice)

Day 30 - Visited Orinda

"The time is growing short. Erie, you must leave immediately or the hope of saving Caldor will be lost."

"But how will I know the way?" The young elf's eyes were filled with doubt as she looked at the king. "I am just one small being who knows of no land past the woods."

"Cordin will be your guide and your defender. He is my best warrior and I trust him with my life. Yours will be in his good hands."

Erie looked at the warrior as he stepped forward. His deep blue eyes were kind but worried. "My lady, I promise you, no harm will come to you under my watch. Please. We must hurry. It is three days time to Orinda and Greybeard needs your help."

~ Excerpt from the fiction in my head


I was wrong. Orinda is a suburb of San Francisco.

Day 29 - Ventured to a new venue

Just like yesterday, I finally visited a music venue I've passed a few hundred times. The Boom Boom Room focuses on blues, boogie, groove and soul music. They support local and/or smaller bands so I was excited to see who I might encounter tonight. San Francisco's Tracorum is self-described as rock and soul/rhythm and blues. For the short hour I was there, they played a variety of songs, from rock to reggae to surf to funk styles. Definitely a band to enjoy live and in the intimate venue, the crowd really got into the groove. It was a mixed crowd - young professionals and older couples, music lovers and people on the prowl - which made people-watching a sport. Besides having a good house beer, the Boom Boom Room offers music most nights of the week so stop by.

Day 28 - Visited a record store

There's a record store I've passed many times and always wanted to visit. Grooves at Market and Octavia. It's all vinyl - plus a smattering of 8-tracks and cassettes. I'm not a vinyl collector, not even casually, but always love a stroll through a music store. Aisles of legends snuggled in worn jackets that surely could tell a story or two. I found a few albums that I remember my dad having, and it made me smile. I walked out with a book on learning to read music, one of my goals for this year with my new keyboard. Finding new music is exciting but reveling in history is fulfilling.

Day 27 - Ran twice, or, Fell for reverse psychology

NEVER have I went for a run and then decided an hour later that it wasn't enough and more would be a good idea. That's madness.

I was happy with my 2-mile warm-up. At the gym, I struggled through a very hard leg workout, ending with trainer Antony's advice that a run tomorrow would be a great idea to keep the legs feeling fine. But he then continued:

Antony: Well, actually, the best thing is for you to go run right after you leave here - just a slow, 3-mile run - but I doubt I could get away with suggesting that to you.

Me, in my head: Oh, really? Watch me. I'm going to run the heck out of those three miles.

Me, running 10 minutes later: Wait a minute...damn it!


NUTSHELL: The second run went well. Antony is knowledgeable and clever. I will not die if I push myself. I need someone else to push me. An open mind and/or a big ego is necessary for the push to work.


For any NIKE+ runners - challenge me to a run! Log our times online and keep each other on track for fitness goals. Drop me a line in the comments if interested!

Day 26 - Walked through Buena Vista Park

On the same day that my friend mentioned how nice a walk this was, the rain temporarily stopped. It was meant to be - I could not pass up the opportunity to check it out. A long stair climb was worth it. So green, so quiet, such great views.

There was even a surprise rainbow as I started to walk down:


It's hard to see but there is a fellow explorer on the next ridge over. I've never been over on that one so I'll have to find that outlook another day...

Day 25 - Modified a recipe

As mentioned before, I am no cook. Only a few months ago, boiling spaghetti was a big thing. I am happy to report that I am growing.

Faced with a box of black beans and rice, I looked around and thought of a few additional things I could add to make it heartier and fresher. I am learning quickly that having ingredients around the house for moments just like this is amazingly helpful. Nothing fancy - just some basic spices, some canned items, maybe some fresh herbs and vegetables. Tonight, it was a can of black beans, to supplement the freeze-dried ones in the box, and a can of organic diced tomatoes with onions and spices. Finish with fresh ground pepper and cumin and it came out downright delicious. Who am I? I don't know but this is exciting...

Day 24 - Had a date in another town

Mr. Sound and I found ourselves with some free time on Sunday afternoon. We also found ourselves driving through our old stomping ground, a town we lived in for two years about 10 years ago. It has been a looong time since we've actually stopped in that suburb. So we decided to take a trip down memory lane and get dinner and a movie there. Quite a different feel than San Francisco life - surrounded by families and chain restaurants. But we had a fabulous time. And we have now finally seen Avatar, in 3D, so stop bugging us. ;-)

Day 23 - Dreamed about work

To be clear, I've had nightmares about work before. Understandable, since I really didn't enjoy that job but found myself constantly there. I have been working on my own company since June of last year and have not dreamed about it all, good or bad. But today's dreams during my 2.5 hour nap were positive and inspiring. It has been a goal of mine in the new year to weed out the clutter in my mind and find focus for this company, and so far it's been going pretty well. These dreams seem to reflect a more open mind, exactly what I'm looking for. Did I remember the dream(s)? Yes, some of them. Always a good idea to keep pen and paper near you in case you find inspiration in sleep.

Day 22 - Used the telephone over email

I really dislike the telephone. It's ridiculous, I know. No, I do know. I recall a traumatic experience when I was younger, answering it and getting bad-mouthed by a gruff adult. Who would do that to a child? So anyways, not sure if it was that or the fact that I'm much better with words once I've had time to think and add facial expressions. SO I avoid the phone when I can.

But I'm trying to get over that because I know how foolish it is. It's much more personal than email and sometimes is just necessary. And I have wasted numerous hours writing emails and waiting for answers instead of just conducting a quick phone call. So as a positive step, I called five people I needed to talk to about work matters today. Five people! Stop laughing, that's really good for me. Really. Everything went well, no one yelled at me, it was all actually pretty nice. So expect to hear my voice coming down your line soon...

Day 21 - Went back to college

Always looking for new places in the city to park myself and my computer while enjoying a nice cup of coffee, I stumbled upon a cafe at Golden Gate University. It was in the student union with lots of nice cafe tables. The school caters to professionals, so although a bit different from my undergrad cohorts, still made me feel vibrant. College was such a socially and intellectually invigorating time, I smiled at the memories today. Add to that my college roommate's birthday and I gotta say, today was nostalgic.

Day 20 - Learned to share digitally --> Oops, no, scratch that

It is so convenient, when reading a great blog post, to click a button to share it with friends. I was so excited to learn about Share This, which allows your post to be shared by email, text, Twitter, Facebook, etc with ease. I signed up for an account, followed the directions for Blogger, and the button shows up on my page after every post. Perfect! It's a great day when I learn new technology tricks.

Fast forward to the evening, when I'm checking out my blog. Not so perfect now. The button is there, but the links do not show up when you hover or click or anything. I then spent about two hours trying to research and fix the problem, but to no avail. So then I was pissed. I cancelled my account and conceptually stormed off. Argh! So today's new thing ended poorly, but some of them have to, right?

If anyone has any tips for me, I am all ears...

Day 19 - Created a music binder

I have been singing all my life, but not well. So last year, I started going to a singing teacher to learn. At the end of 2009, we talked about what my goals might be for the new year. One of her suggestions, in my quest to get organized and focused, was to make a music binder. In it I can keep notes, the songs I'm practicing, ideas, etc. And I could decorate it with things that inspire me. Here it is:
It's true I am no artist, as mentioned before, but this was quite crafty for me. There are a two stickers on the bottom, one that says, "Too much rock for one hand." The upper corner has studs that I embedded into the cover. And I freehanded the bird and branch on a full-page sticker. I also included two quotes that I love.

On the bird: "A bird does not sing because it has an answer... it sings because it has a song." ~ Chinese proverb

On the branch: "To be nobody but myself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight and never stop fighting..." ~ e.e. cummings

Day 18 - Cooked bok choy

This may become a cooking blog yet. Mr. Sound really enjoys bok choy. Saute with ginger and garlic for something yummy.

Day 17 - Chose TV above reality

Past Saturday morning cartoons as a kid, and a CSI marathon, I'm not a huge TV watcher. My husband Mr. Sound* usually likes to have it on in the background when he's working, which never works for me. If a TV is on in the room, I am drawn to it and cannot turn away. So in order to be productive, I avoid it when I can. Except for tonight. I walk in and immediately turn on the TV. Mr. Sound asks, "Who are you?" I sit riveted for the next hour and a half, ignoring him and all the things I was supposed to do.

The show was on the local PBS station, entitled Young@Heart. It's about a group of singers aged 73-89 in Northampton, MA and their interactions as part of this chorus. Please check it out. Inspiring, and never again will you say you're too old for anything.


P.S. - Repeatedly saying "my husband" sounds smug, like this Seinfeld episode. Look for him as Mr. Sound, since he's logical, solid and snores.

Day 16 - Caught on a cliff - twice

Feeling confident sometimes leads you to do stupid things. Now that I am getting pretty good on a snowboard, I have been getting more adventurous. Mother Nature answered with a lesson in humility.

On one of the first runs of the day, I went out exploring and found myself on steep ridge lined with rocks.
That's me. Exit strategy was hike back up and out, or go down. I chose down and executed with a long butt slide, followed by a front flip onto my head into the soft snow three feet below. Not the least bit graceful but, as one observer said, "At least you didn't punk out." Somehow sliding butt-to-head first out of there didn't feel that cool.

Later in the day, after learning nothing, I went exploring again and found myself on the edge of a cliff. There was no falling out of this one. The only option was to turn around and climb out the way I came. I hyperventilated for about 30 seconds then pulled myself together. The scariest moment was unstrapping my board, trying to get footing, and turning myself around to a comfortable spot to climb. I'm not being dramatic when I say that one false move would have sent me over the edge and to the hospital. But Mother Nature was being forgiving and provided some trees for me to hold on to. It is hard work to climb out of deep snow but I survived, and with more awareness.

Much thanks to Mother Nature for sparing me and to my husband for the photo and confidence.

Day 15 - Became Robert Plant

To stay awake while driving three hours, my husband and I played "Would You Rather Be..?" I have no idea if that's a real game but if not, my husband invented it. Envision a NCAA basketball championship bracket. Your goal is to get down to the final four, then pit those bigwigs together. My categories were all music, but for him, there were business guys, chefs, musicians and actors. And it does not matter about sex of the celebrity vs. sex of the game-player - only that you base your answer on the life and work of the celebrity. Start by pitting two people together, take the winner from that and pit him/her against someone else, and so on. A lot is based on the ideas of the person asking you, and also who is pitted against who. My last two came down to Bono and Robert Plant. Two great frontmen of two great bands, but Led Zeppelin wins out. So now I walk around with a bit more swagger, and my shirt unbuttoned.

Day 14 - Growing through groceries

I never claimed each new thing would be interesting. Shopping in a different grocery store than your usual one is nothing to get excited about. But it at least made me feel that I am opening up more to new experiences, which is the point of this exercise. I heard that this store has an armed guard out front at night, but I didn't see one. The people - staff and shoppers alike - were really nice, the exact opposite of my last experience in my neighborhood shop. So nothing mind-blowing, just a reminder to be nice to one another, even if you are talking about bananas.

Day 13 - Strolled through Chinatown

Chinatown has been right in front of me all along. My usual bus route downtown rolls right through this neighborhood, and on walks home, I've skirted it many times. But never really spent a nice amount of time in it. So I wandered a bit through the streets, taking in the sights and smells. Many of the shops are clearly gearing up for the Chinese New Year, which begins on February 14 this year (the year of the tiger). This neighborhood has a huge parade to celebrate (on February 27 this year) that I've always wanted to see - this has to be the year! There was a lot of exotic food from bakeries, herb shops and fish markets. I was too intimidated to shop for food there, though I love sesame seed balls and steamed buns. That will be another day this year!

I am quite excited about the one purchase I made, something I've wanted for a very long time. A Maneki Neko = "Beckoning Cat" or better known as the good luck cat:

Day 12 - Learned about California

Do you know your state's motto? Or flower? No, neither did I. But I've always been curious so took a smidge of time to find out. You can, too. Infoplease.com has a very informative section on state symbols. Or start at the map page and click on your favorite state to learn more about the demographics, history, and government. OMG, did you know that Arnold Schwarzenegger is the governor of California? Kindergarten Cop? When did this happen? ;-)

California facts
Bird: California valley quail
Tree: California redwood
Flower: golden poppy
Animal: California grizzly bear
Fish: California golden trout (why is this necessary?)
Colors: blue and gold
Song: "I Love you, California"
Motto: Eureka (I found it)
Nickname: Golden State
Entered the union: 1850, the 31st state

Compare to New York, where I was born and raised
Bird: bluebird
Tree: sugar maple
Flower: rose (awww)
Animal: beaver
Fish: brook trout
Gem: garnet
Insect: ladybug (awww. And also why?)
Song: "I Love New York"
Motto: Excelsior (ever upward)
Nickname: Empire State (like the Jay-Z song)
Entered the union: 1788, the 11th state

Day 11 - Learned my first piano song

Santa is a great guy. I already mentioned that he brought me a Nike+ Sportsband. He also brought me a keyboard, the piano kind, not the computer kind. Super excited! I've played around on it a few times but have not really focused on it yet. So my husband suggested I learn my first song for today. So I busted out "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." Sam's reaction was "c'mon, son!"

He was right. That was a cop-out. So with his internet P.I. skills and the help of You Tube, we decided on Viva La Vida by Coldplay. Honestly, it was not that hard but it was better than my first selection. I can now play the heck out of that Coldplay song. Watch out, Rachmaninov...

Day 10 - Rode backwards for one snowboarding run

My goal for the last couple of years has been to learn to ride backwards on my snowboard. Snowboards are directional, with a definite front and back. But when you are on a long run, or need to get out of a sticky situation, riding backwards can give your front leg some rest and help you avoid obstacles. It's just a good skill to have in your back pocket.

Last year, I would try it now and again but never really committed. This year, I once again proclaimed that riding backwards is my goal for the year. I was lucky enough to get a new snowboard this season that has some new technology allowing the rider much more freedom of movement. So it seems like the best year to really give it a good, solid try.

I completed one whole run down the mountain riding backwards. It was slow-going and the hard snow did my rump no favors, but all in all, not too shabby! It was the first time I've ever done it for one whole run, through slow patches and steeper sections, just trying to feel my way through. Must add this as a regular thing to my days on the snow, but you may want to avoid Lower Monte Wolfe for a few weeks...

Day 9 - Learned to dolphin dive

Lacking a new thing for the day, my friend John suggested I learn to dolphin dive, a classic breakdancing move. Sure, why not? I have seen him bust out some impressive moves over the years so he was the perfect teacher. A dolphin dive involves diving onto your hands, then rolling into what I describe as a backwards worm. Like this girl:



Could not get past the fear of jumping onto my hands, but I started to get the rhythm of moving forward. So in the end, I think I really just learned to do the worm, and not very well at that. It was a good start to my breakdancing career, though. John expects to see better results in a few weeks. While I practice, check out this funny video.

Day 8 - Struggled through a new exercise

I have been working with a personal trainer on and off for over five years now, once a week. Only in the last year have I consistently stuck with it and have seen great results. Antony is not only someone who leads me through exercises, but has been a sherpa of fitness, nutrition and motivation. Working out with a personal trainer is a gift to yourself. One hour a week, or sharing a session with a friend can give you the push to make your health a priority in life. I'm just saying...

So today Antony taught me a new strength exercise and man, it is hard. Because I am out of shape. But give it a try. It's called a suspended holding plank crunch, which is a perfectly accurate name that I think he completely made up.

Lay on the floor on your right side, propping yourself up on your right elbow/forearm. Raise your body off the floor so only your aforementioned arm and the outside of your right foot are on the floor = suspended. Your body should be straight = plank. Lift your left leg up and bring your left knee towards your chest. Bring your left elbow down to meet your knee and hold for three counts = holding & crunch. Return to plank position, then repeat the holding crunch and so on, working up to 10 each side.

Day 7 - Cooked eggplant

Eggplant parmesan is one of my favorite meals. Inspired by having to try something new everyday, I bought an eggplant in the hopes of trying to cook the parmesan version. But I was soon at odds with myself - go for the new thing of the day, or stick to my resolution to skip cheese for two weeks? (If you saw what I ate over the holidays, you'd know why I have to do this. Out of control). The winner is: stick with the resolution. There are many, many ways to cook eggplant so I went with the classic grilled medallions. For a pretty bland food with no nutritional value, the eggplant was pretty impressive. My only disappointment was that my first time in the kitchen with eggplant did not result in Italian parmesan goodness. Non importa, I have a recipe to look forward to trying later this year...

Day 6 - Tracked my run

Santa was nice enough to bring me a Nike+ Sportsband watch this Christmas. A very sleek gray and yellow polyurethane band with a small detachable piece that can be plugged into your USB port. With a tiny sensor in/on your shoe, it tracks mileage, pace, calories and time. And if you care to plug the mini computer into your real computer after your run, you can track your results against yourself or other people. Genius.


As an aside, Nike, like Apple, always makes such cool-looking products, right down to the packaging. Anyways, I'm sure you will be hearing more about my running adventures, as I plan to sign up for a race this spring. My new sportsband might actually keep me focused on training. MIGHT.

Day 5 – Created a logo

I am well aware that I am no artist. Drawing, pottery, most crafts = scary results. But I really wanted a new logo of sorts for my other blog. Not because my three followers demanded it, but I was looking for a change. As you can see, it is awesomely simple and did not require much skill. All of you graphic designers and talented artists are justified at laughing at it. But I am overwhelmingly happy with it due to my sad skills and proud that I gave it a shot. I will most likely change it in about a week.

Day 4 – Shook a nap

Every day without fail, I get sleepy around 3:00. Since I work from home, there has been more than a few times that I lay down for a little nap. Sometimes it is a refreshing 30 minutes, but other times I accidentally wake up a few hours later. Not very productive. I am trying to break the cycle so went for a little walk right about the time I felt sleepy. Success! So that's one day...

Day 3 – We're on a boat...

Yes, it was a three-hour tour but we made it back just fine. We were invited on a casual cruise with a dozen other people on a small boat, the Dauntless. I was a bit apprehensive – I get motion sick, and I didn't know anyone past the people I was going with. But who can beat snacks and beers with picturesque views in the sunshine. Granted, it was chilly out on the water, but we took our own advice and brought layers. We went under the Golden Gate bridge, saw dolphins and sea lions, and met some really nice people. So don't let apprehension stop you – it will turn out better than you expect. And this video really encouraged us to go, as well.

Day 2 – Go Cars

It's fun to play tourist in your own town every once in a while. Here in SF, you can rent a little yellow two-seater car that will lead you by GPS throughout the entire city. The very friendly voice tells you facts about the city and stops you from going onto the freeway. We have wanted to rent these for years. Our gang of three cars drove all over, learned a lot, and laughed so hard. Once again, we were frozen by the end but it was well worth it. Pretty much every person on the side of the street had a huge smile on their faces as we passed, and some even took pictures. They are ridiculous-looking, which adds to the fun. Go rent a Go Car!

Day 1 – Jumping into the bay

Although it is in California, San Francisco is not like San Diego. It gets cold up here. Bring layers of clothing when you come visit. And know that if you surf or want to get in any natural water here, you will need a wetsuit. Unless you join us for the New Year's Day bay dip. Started by four friends last year, you strip down to shorts and run voluntarily into the cold SF water, leaving all common sense on the beach. I hid out during the inaugural year last year, but two more of us whole-heartedly joined them this year. It was COLD. I was hyperventilating. But it was enthralling. You don't even feel cold when you get out, probably because you're numb, but anyways. A fine mist started falling as we were getting into dry clothes, and then we walked up the hill to warm up with an Irish coffee at the famous Buena Vista. Seriously, it was perfect.

So What's New?

Hello and welcome to 2010. Hope your decade ended on a nice note. Mine was fantastic, thank you. Towards the end of 2009, I found myself trying some new things and really enjoying the excitement that comes with something unknown. I mean small things, like making a lasagna for the first time ever, and trying a new trick on the mountain. I wondered how I could continue that every day – how do I remind myself, or encourage myself, to step outside of what I find comfortable? If I write about every day and hold myself accountable to you, then it can work. So here we are. Hope you like it, and I hope you start trying some new things yourself. 2010 is your year!