9/15/07

Today turned into an incredibly busy day! But ended up being crazy fun.

Nike Run Hit Remix:

• I was pretty psyched about this run, because 5 miles suddenly seemed short compared to 13. I didn't realize that there were going to be concerts along the course. Our friend met us at our apartment and after a Starbucks run, we headed up to pay $10 for parking.
  
• The stars we saw:
  
• Carl Lewis (who won 9 medals at the Olympics at the LA Coliseum!)
• Serena Williams
  
• Maria Menudos
• Blu Cantrell (for the National Anthem, and her one-hit wonder)
  
• Naughty by Nature
• Sir Mix A Lot
  
• The Sugarhill Gang
• Dawn Robinson of En Vogue
  
• MC Hammer
• I was bummed I didn't bring my iPod. But, we thought we'd be able to hear the concerts the whole time.
  
• The course went from the side of the Coliseum, north on Figueroa to Pico (just before the Staples Center), turned around, down Exposition and into the Coliseum through the tunnel on the opposite side of the start line. It was crazy long, but really nice to have a downhill slope to the finish.
  
• Everyone was in their red shirt. Surprisingly we didn't have too hard a time finding each other, although I never saw my classmate who was also running.
• My time: somewhere between 53-54 minutes. I didn't cross the mat until almost a full minute after the clock started, and the official times aren't posted yet. First place went to a guy who did all 5 miles in 24:30!!
  
• After the usual chip clipping, medal (which is shaped like a record), water, banana, and Jamba Juice, everyone piled on to the field for the MC Hammer concert. He started late, and sang the shortest version of "Can't Touch This" that we've ever heard. Then again, the last time I heard that song was at a Wisconsin roller rink 16 years ago. And no, he was not wearing Hammer pants.
  

Wired NextFest:

• During the trip up, we were talking about the expo and had planned to get up and go early tomorrow. But, after the concert, we all wanted to go, so we did! Despite the sweaty smelliness. We already had $10 parking (it would have been another $10 to go tomorrow), and during the run the convention center didn't seem that far. Note: distance and travel time are much faster during a race. We ended up walking nearly 2 miles from the parking lot, with a stop at Jack in the Box (I was starving!) on the way.
  
• The expo was amazing. There were so many creative ideas, new products, technology ... all these things people had dreamed up and brought from all over the world. It was huge, too, easily filling the main hall.
• I had to slip out for a 15 minute conference call with my project management group. But it was a pretty easy thing, so I didn't feel too bad not being in front of the computer.
• Most importantly, we saw Keepon. And there was not one Keepon. There were FOUR. And two were wearing HATS. I was beside myself. There was another girl, about my age, with her boyfriend, who was probably just as excited as I was to see it. There was also a monitor set up that circled the face that Keepon was looking at any point in time. And they danced to Daft Punk's "Harder Better Faster Stronger." The best part? Andy took my picture with creator Hideki Kozima:

He seemed like such a kind person. A couple of young kids came up to examine Keepon, and he seemed so happy to talk to them, explaining how it all works to them in a way they'd understand. Marek Michalowski explained to my friend that they haven't sold Keepon commercially yet, because his components cost as much as a car. The whole thing made me happy on the inside.

• I'm sure I would have enjoyed the expo more if I hadn't completely pooped out after a couple of hours. We ended up taking the Dash back to the parking lot, for $0.25 each! I couldn't believe it was so cheap - if we can manage to live near a Dash line, I am so taking it. And to think, we were going to call a cab.
  

Afterward, we were all going to watch the USC-Nebraska game, but I really needed to get some homework done. I have the game on, but it hasn't been that interesting. The first play was weak, I took the longest, best feeling shower, and I'm still exhausted. I also have food coma from my Pizza Hut meal - to be fair, Slim-Fast says I burned about 600 calories today.

I also tried to order my mom's birthday present through Harry and David. Now, I'd gotten a gift card through work that I thought would cover most of the cost (like my new wallet!), so I thought I was being really clever. First, the Harry and David site is a little bit techy. I was OK with it, but you know ... older people send Harry and David gifts. Anyway, the gift that I wanted could be delivered, at the earliest, October 3! Everyone, that is late. Plus, they tried to trick me in to some kind of overnight shipping, which would have added $18! Even after regular shipping, I still had to pay $20 + my $20 gift card. I could have skipped the whole thing, but I really, really wanted to send her this particular item. So, I ordered it anyway. But now I need to think of something nice and timely to do ... immediately.

Peeve

Here's an odd pet peeve:

I hate when people don't clear the time off the microwave. People at work do it, Andy does it, everyone does it.

And I have not the foggiest why it bugs the crap out of me. Is it too hard to press the "clear" button?

Median

My friend at work sent me this article about national averages for twenty-somethings starting out in life.

Stack up

Retreat

CNN.com had an article on yoga retreat vacations. Now, we just got back from Alaska, and that was wonderfully relaxing, but can you imagine?? Yoga all day?? Someday....

Sparta

Everyone loves a giant ytmnd!!

9/13/07

Yesterday:

• Suffered through a rough day at work, with wedding-talk frosting on top.
• It's not that I'm not happy for my friends who are getting married - I really, really am. I mean, seeing them so happy actually relieves some of my stress! But when they're complaining, or asking me about our plans ... it's to the point where I just want to cry. One of these days something has to go right...
• Discovered round trip Christmas tickets are $500. Each.
• Rewarded my crappy day with a non-fat no-whip (I'm one of those people) Pumpkin Spice Latte. Which ended up mostly on me.
  
• Last night was my "self-help" class, and I stayed late to talk to my professor. He's an interesting person!
• The first package from my shopping spree arrived! Odd how Overstock let me know my book was on the way, but not my dress.
  

Today:

• Work, meetings, work, yoga, lunch, work. No cell phones ringing or farting today at yoga, but one late person. If you're late, don't go!
• Blew my great eating habits again with a peppermint patty. But I had to have something sweet. After all, a diet won't work if you're always depriving yourself.
• Ever put something on your to-do list, just so you can immediately cross it off? I've sunk to that level.
  
• I'd planned today to check the status of my grandma's photo book that was absorbed into the USPS. If there wasn't an update, I was going to call tomorrow. But, I called home, and sure enough I had an email update that it arrived this morning. Whew!
  
• Day 4 without a Diet Coke. I've been drinking lots of tea, though. I'm not trying to cut out caffeine entirely (I'm a full time employee/grad student), but I do want to cut back.
• Made up for my disaster diet day with a short run. Yoga + running = 400 calories burned! And I'm still logging my food on Slim-Fast, so I know just how much I'm taking in.
  
• Checked out the professional half marathon pictures. They didn't get too many good ones of me, and I'm just really not attractive when I run. But it made me think back to that day, and how I hurt from head to toe, but felt great.
  

Weekend To Do:

• New sunglasses
• Run in the Nike 5 mile, and watch MC Hammer!
• Bring a snack for another birthday on Monday
  
• Do my extensive project management homework
  
• Re-do my database homework
  
• Order my mom's birthday gift (oops! It's next weekend!)
  
• Renew my car registration - last year, I got a second bill, and it was $1 cheaper than the one I originally paid!!
• Read the book Authentic Happiness and take some online questionnaires Go to the Wired Expo, and try to get my picture with Keepon!
• Finish updating my resume with the school's format and submit it for review

Palette

I was reading weddingbee today, and they were talking about this really fun tool that can make color palettes from digital pictures!

Palette Generator

Now, if only I could find some practical use for it...

9/11/07

Yes, I'm aware what day it is. Six years ago I was going to class, bumming around, wondering why it was so quiet. I went to my weather class in the morning, and things were all normal. I took my nap on the quad, but there weren't a lot of people around - normal on a college campus in the morning. I saw my roommate on her way back to our dorm and she said there'd been a plane crash, but didn't really tell me anything else. My statistics class was canceled for it, and we all went back to our homes and watched the news for days.

Life goes on. Still sad, but we're still around.

The past few days have been really busy:

• Sunday I went to Wal Mart for what will probably be the last
  time. I know when I go there I'm not going to Nordstrom's (OK I've
  never been to Nordstrom's). But being a business student, I tend to
  read and hear a lot about Wal Mart - how they're an example for
  retailers, how they are trying to target their customers, and how they
  are losing millions in theft. But they just don't seem to "get" it.
  They remodeled our local store, which is in the ghetto. The people in
  my neighborhood don't care about fake hardwood floors in women's
  clothing! The final straw: now, they won't let you leave without
  checking off your receipt. If I'm going to be treated guilty until
  proven innocent, having shopped at Wal Marts all over the country for
  years, I'm not going to go.
• I finally finished my final project for pre-fall, which was 2
  weeks ago! I realized with that, and my other classes, it's like taking
  4 classes at once.
• My three for this semester have turned out to be more work than
  I anticipated. I don't know if it's do-able, or if I'm just off
  schedule. I have until next week to figure it out.
• Don't ask me why I was reading this, but I saw recommendations
  on how to talk to your kids (8-9 years old) about puberty. Their
  suggestion? "They mean that your body is getting ready so that one day,
  you can make a baby!" Tell that to a child. Let me know how it goes.
• I watched a clip of Britney Spears' VMA performance. It was
  like I had gotten up on stage and danced ... and that's not flattering.
  At least I'm in very slightly better shape. As bad as it was, you have
  to feel just a little humiliated for her, even if she did do it all to
  herself.
• Code names at work = crucial for sanity.
• The packages from my mini-shopping spree last Friday (of which I
  only actually spent $37) are slowly but surely on their way. But, my
  grandmother's photo book has not been delivered yet. It's stuck
  somewhere in the post office abyss.
• I've been trying to think of the things I did in college to stay
  in shape:
• Walked to class and everywhere else: not really a possibility
  in Southern California. I could try to park further away, but I'm
  perpetually late.
• Yoga every day: also not possible, when I work 8 hours, spend
  1.5-1.75 hours in the car, and 3 hours in class Monday - Wednesday. But
  I can go at lunch time most Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• Drank tons of water: I always had at least one glass of water
  on my desk.
• No soda: That's right. I got tired of drinking soda in the
  dorms, so I switched to milk. I don't really remember drinking that
  much soda until starting school again.

So, I'm on my second day of tea and water - no coffee or soda. Tea has
just enough caffeine to keep me up, and even has health benefits. I
don't know why I didn't switch earlier! But I'm still craving my
pumpkin spice latte. That might have to be my "made it through another
week" treat!

Slim-Fast

I don't know why, but I tried to put on some jeans that I wore in college. It didn't go well.

So, I'm going back to logging my meals on Slim Fast. It's honestly the least swear-inducing service you can use. Their database of food is fairly complete, if optimistic, and you can also log your weight, exercise, and water intake. It's gotten a lot more user friendly over the past couple of years.

The only problem is, it's hard to be accountable to a service that always says "Good job!" And, if you're like me, you forget what you eat pretty easily, and the exercise table can be a little ambiguous (how many miles per hour do I run?).

Looks like I'm going for another little run tonight. Sign up and be my buddy! I need some tough love.

Boring

I don't know how I'd sit for hours and do homework in undergrad. I can't even sit still long enough to write a 2 page paper!

So I'm looking through my backup CDs from my old hard drive. That computer is long gone, but I realized I don't have too many pictures from before I moved here.

I found my very, very old portfolio pictures, some pictures I'd like to not see again, pictures from high school, and CDs that are somewhere between LA and St. Louis.

So much for my paper getting finished by 4 p.m.