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Fivenineteen is Five!

05 Sunday Oct 2014

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Life has whoooooshed by so rapidly these past few weeks I forgot to acknowledge that fivenineteen turned 5 last month.  FIVE!!  Holy smokes…launching this blog back in September 2009 seems like a lifetime ago.  So much has changed…for the better.  I’m back to work (goddamn that 2009-2010 era sucked), I’m in the best shape of my life at age 47, and just so much more happy and confident.  Content.  Calm.  Balanced.  YES.

But it hasn’t come without conscious effort to make changes for the better.  And I’ve had a lot of great help, support and coaching along the way.  Nobody does it alone…that is one of the themes that drives me and how I choose to live my life.  And it feels good to know your Truth.

There have been struggles for sure.  Most recently, getting abruptly cut from my contracting job last May put me in a tailspin.  Thankfully not a severe one, for our job market is a lot stronger than it was 5 years ago, and I’d already built up a lot of great habits thanks to the Lean Eating for Women coaching I’d been working through the past 10 months or so.  I could have easily said fuck it and sabotaged myself, wallowing in my sudden state of unemployment and drowning myself in too much food and plopping my sorry butt on the couch.  But nope, the discipline was there to keep on going.  “Keep on going…” the wise words of encouragement I hear so often from my Dad.  I love it.

In a warped way, I could say that Manager who cut me from my job (for reasons I’ll never know) did me a favor. I hate to give out credit to someone I have zero respect for or reason to emulate but I think it’s partially true.  It lit a fire in me.  It made me realize I’d come to the end of an era and it was time to take a leap and jump into something different career-wise.  Meaning, searching for a place to hang my hat…and get off the eight-year contractor merry-go-round.

So while I was happy to land a new position mere weeks after losing my previous job, I knew they weren’t my Tribe for the long haul.  GREAT team though.  Really wonderful, hard-working people.  But the networking wheels were in motion, and another great opportunity was already whirling around.

And it surfaced.  And it happened.  And I couldn’t be happier.  Last week I started a brand new full-time, permanent job in a field I’ve always wanted to work in.  And I’m doing the kind of work I’ve grown to love over nearly 14 (!) years…and I’m back to working in downtown Seattle again.  I’ve found a wonderful new team to collaborate with.  You can feel the warmth the minute you step off the elevator.  I’m not kidding.  I’m no energy expert, but I’m very sensitive to the vibes an office space or home gives off when I step inside.  Maybe I’ll blog more about that later.

What a shift!  I haven’t worked in Seattle proper in (gulp) 17 years.  And while things are still new and gelling, I’m really enjoying my new commute.  I’m lucky to be mere minutes away from a park & ride lot which has quite a few buses heading into Seattle throughout the morning.  Now, sure, in time this will get to be a routine and maybe even a grind when the weather turns crappy and it gets darker earlier, but for now I’m savoring it.  Some people asked me if I was going to commute in by car and I said absolutely NO WAY.  I’m not going to slowly chip away at the physical and mental improvements I’ve made over the past year by killing myself with a grueling drive in traffic, a toll bridge and expensive downtown parking.  Nope, rather I can meditate on the bus, take a nap or play with my phone.  Ahhh.

Now it’s time to head out to the lake and enjoy the gloriously sunny early Fall weather.

Fivenineteen is FOUR!

15 Sunday Sep 2013

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WOW WOW WOW!!!  I’m seriously stunned, shocked and so happy this blog’s been chugging along all these years!  From that very first post in 2009 to all the big balls of random that roll around in here…I’m just taking today to reflect and celebrate.

And I’d like to thank all of you who tune in here regularly.  I never know what’s going to happen in here and that’s absolutely wonderful.  Thank you for being here with me!

Ten Years an Aunt

21 Sunday Jul 2013

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I woke up with a huge smile this morning…after gloriously sleeping in.  10 years ago my youngest brother and his wife welcomed their first child, C.  We knew it was going to be a boy, but the name was kept a secret.  Although my Dad and my sister-in-law’s Dad have the same name, so we were sure that was going to be his middle name.  So much guessing!  So much waiting and wondering!

So on the night of July 21, 2003, I came home from my usual evening walk to a wonderful message on my answering machine…he was here!!  And I took the day off from work the next day to drive to Portland, OR with my folks to go meet him!  They were first-time grandparents!

To say that day changed my life is a huge understatement.  Wow, my brother was now a Dad!  I’m an Aunt!  This is amazing!

And watching him grow up, discovering the world…priceless.  I remember one time at Thanksgiving we had a bunch of family together, and out of the blue he asks, “Hey, how come we all have the same last name?”  Love it!  Or the time he called to ask me which planet is the closest to the Earth (he was doing an astronomy course in school).

Shortly after he was born, I visited the Intuitive Healer I used to see a few times a year a few years ago (hmmm, maybe another visit is in order?).  I mentioned my new nephew C to her, and she smiled and LIT UP.  She exclaimed, “he’s going to be an accomplished writer!”  WOW!  That totally came out of nowhere!  In fact, I’ve mentioned this to very few people…and not at all to my brother and his family as I don’t want to bring in any bias.  I just really want to let this play out and see what his passions are.  Right now it’s building and launching model rockets!  If he does indeed become a writer I will find that Intuitive Healer and let her know!!

Whatever he chooses to do, I will love that C always and no matter what.  Happy Birthday!!

Birthday Road Trip to Mount St. Helens!

21 Tuesday May 2013

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MtSTHWow, it’s been a couple of weeks since I last posted in here!  Everything is really busy and good these days…so much so I probably didn’t have a clue what to blog about last week.

So now…drum roll…last Sunday May 19 was my birthday (hence the name of this blog for those of you just tuning in), and I had THE most unique, wonderful and enjoyable celebration ever!  J and I were talking about our birthdays a few weeks ago (his is in early May) and about other things we’d like to do later in the year.  I mentioned how I’ve never been to Mount St. Helens and how happy I would be to have a chance to go check it out!  And we thought, why not do it on my birthday?  May 19 was one day after the 33rd anniversary of the big 1980 eruption.

I remember May 18, 1980 so well.  It was the day before my 13th birthday, and my family and I had spent the weekend down on the Washington Coast in Ocean Park, a longtime favorite getaway spot for us on the Long Beach peninsula.  It was a Sunday and we were driving home to the Seattle area.  By the time we got to Raymond on Highway 101, traffic was at a complete stop and backed up for miles.  What was going on?  It was Sunday in a rural area of the state – why so many cars?  Keep in mind, this was 1980 so we obviously didn’t have email, cell phones or other devices to keep us constantly updated with news. So, we turned on the radio and heard what happened.  The highway was jammed due to traffic detours. The mountain had erupted around 8:30am that morning.  Ash, rocks, mud and steam blasted miles up into the sky, and searing hot mudflows destroyed everything in their paths.  Interestingly enough, the blast was lateral, as the entire north face of the mountain pretty much gave way after being pounded relentlessly by earthquakes for months.  Millions of tons of ash blew eastward, so towns in central and eastern Washington were pitch black at high noon.

The mountain had reawakened earlier in 1980, smudging a near perfectly round snowy cap with an ash and steam blast, forming a new crater which continued to grow and grow.  The news coverage about this was fairly decent, but it was not a top story by any means and to many went simply unnoticed.  President Carter’s announcement of the Boycott of the summer Olympic games in Moscow was the big news.

Now before I get into more detail, you might be wondering…how the heck could we not know the eruption had occurred?  Didn’t we hear or see anything?  Was Seattle in any danger?  To answer these questions, you have to remember that Mount St. Helens is in a rural area of Washington State.  It’s about 100 miles south of Seattle and about a 3 hour drive from there by car.  As tragic as the devastation to homes, roads, bridges and wildlife was (not to mention 57 human casualties), the destruction would have been far worse near a more populated part of the state.  For many in the Seattle area, Mount St. Helens was mostly off our radar, except when it came time for spectacular camping and hiking, plus boating on nearby Spirit Lake.  I’m sorry I never had the chance to visit it before the eruption – it looked postcard perfect.

J and I hit the road on Sunday, ready to blast down I-5.  But first, we needed coffee!  J doesn’t like patronizing big chains like Starbucks and prefers going to smaller Ma and Pa type coffee shops, but once we got on the road they were few and far between.  We hopped off the freeway in Fife, hungry for caffeine.  Fife is one of those places I’ve always blasted through on my way somewhere else, so it was interesting seeing what the town looks like.  Actually, not really.

We ended up going through a Starbucks drive thru…and when we got back on the road J discovered his double tall latte was actually hot water with 3 honeys in it.  Oops, they screwed up our order!  We laughed it off and sipped “honey water” the whole way down.  Meanwhile, I’m sure some poor soul was lamenting about getting a latte instead of their hot water and honey!

Then, we needed breakfast.  We stopped in Lacey, not far from Olympia.  J remembered a wonderful hole in the wall diner he really liked somewhere off the highway, but we couldn’t find it.  Our hungry stomachs won out and we headed into the Hawks Prairie Casino.  We weren’t thrilled with the idea of eating breakfast in a smoky environment (smoking is permitted in casinos as they are on Native American land and exempt from state no-smoking regulations), so we were pleasantly surprised that the restaurant was smoke free.  Scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and lots of coffee!

We still had a way to go.  Mount St. Helens is a good 50 miles or so east of I-5, after about a 2 hour drive south, so at minimum it’s a day trip from Seattle.  We were headed to the Johnston Ridge Observatory, just 5 miles from the crater.  The picture at the top of this post is the view we were waiting for!

Once we got off of I-5 and onto the two-lane highway headed east, it started getting interesting.  Rural little towns and lots of forest.  Places I’ve never driven through even after living in Washington State my whole life.  I was so excited I could hardly stand it!  Road trips make me giddy.  Then we turned onto the Spirit Lake Highway, the last stretch of the trip.  Cell phone signals went dead and we started climbing in elevation.  The observatory is 4300′ up! Even the GPS didn’t have much to say.  Then…FOG. Lots of it.  We were driving through a thick cotton ball for probably a good half an hour.  On a winding rural road headed up a mountain…let’s just say this gets your adrenaline flowing.  We would zoom over bridges with no idea of what scenery we were missing or how high up the bridge was.  I tried not to let my mind wander about that too much.

9_000298When we arrived at Johnston Ridge and pulled into the parking lot, this was the view.  The fog was so thick we felt discombobulated getting out of the car.  And notice the snow!  Silly me, I was a little surprised to see snow in mid May, but then again we’re up in the mountains!  I couldn’t even see the other side of the parking lot, nor could I see where the observatory entrance was.  I ended up asking the lady running a small concession stand out of a trailer in the lot where the entrance was – that’s how thick the fog was!

We were ready to check out the observatory and get in some hiking.  There are quite a few trails with various levels of difficulty all around, and the views of the mountain are amazing.  Although on Sunday we really had to use our imagination.  The view from the observatory was nothing like the picture at the top of this post.  Rather, it was just WHITE.  FOG.  Nothing.  I was joking that you could take your picture with the whiteness behind you and then photoshop a picture of the mountain or anything else of your choice behind you later!

The observatory is run by the US Forest Service, and the guys are wonderful.  Very helpful and friendly.  They said they get about 300,000 visitors annually, from all over the world.  Wow!

Once you are inside you can check out interactive displays of the volcano, watch a couple of movies and see tons of before and after pictures.  This is all included in your $8 entrance fee; you’ll get a wrist band just like you’re in a nightclub. I joked that I should be able to get in free because it’s my birthday, but of course no such luck.  Besides, the fees help cover costs of keeping the place open.

We went to a Ranger talk, and I highly recommend doing this.  He was super enthusiastic and passionate, talking about the volcano and showing various pictures and answering questions.  J and I even talked with him for about a half hour afterwards!

Then we were ready to get outside on the trails!  The trails leaving the observatory are asphalt paved so it’s very easy to get around. Once you get further away the paving stops.  Sadly, we never got that far.  4_000292We checked out the short trail headed up from the building which overlooks the parking lot.  Short with switchbacks…and hardly anything to see except for the building below.  Off to the left is a spectacular valley and the view of the mountain, which would normally dominate the skyline.  Would Mother Nature lift the fog?  Only time would tell.  Some people we talked to had been hanging out since early in the morning waiting for it to clear up.

5_000293This entire area is extremely fragile, as the ecosystem is slowly rebuilding, and the goal is to have minimal to no human interference with what nature is doing.  What a treasure this volcanic monument and national forest is!  That’s why the regulations for visitors are strict, and it’s important to do your homework and prepare ahead of time to avoid problems.

For example, pets are not permitted on the trails or anywhere in the observatory.  Make arrangements for them to be cared for at home.  You’ll also want to bring your own food and plenty of water.  There are no restaurants or vending machines at Johnston Ridge.  (Also, no food is permitted inside the observatory).  J and I had lunch in the parking lot, enjoying wonderful BBQ’d chicken he had prepared the night before.  Killer marinade!

You also need to stay on the trails.  This is not only for safety but also to avoid treading on nature’s rebuilding processes. “Plants grow by the inch and die by the foot” say the warning signs.  Also, don’t touch or try to take home rocks as souvenirs.  You’ll be heavily fined.

We headed downhill on the paved trail into the valley…but after just about 1/4 of a mile we had to turn back.  SNOW blocked the trail at a steep, sloped angle, leading to a 1000′ drop off down into the foggy valley.  No thanks!  But it made us long for next time…we learned how the valley floor is filled with wildflowers and shrubs in the summer time.  The valley was once old timber forest – flattened or swept away in the blast within seconds.

Around 4:30pm we decided to head back to make sure we were heading home in daylight.  Sure enough, the fog started lifting!  Just enough of a tease to see the valley, not the mountain herself.

The picture below is one of my favorites from this trip.  This was taken from a lookout a short drive downhill from the observatory looking down into the valley.  You can see the start of the Toutle River just to the left of center.  This entire area looked like the moon after the eruption, and it’s astonishing how much wildlife and plants are slowly returning.

The mountain is hiding behind the thick clouds, tempting us for our next visit.

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Martinis Make Me Snore…

23 Sunday Dec 2012

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edgewaterLeave it to my dear friend D to turn FIFTY – THE BIG 5-0 – on the “end of the world” (December 21)!  And to pull together a fabulous celebration with friends in style!

And how fabulous was it to shut off the laptop, wrap up the work conference call (while on the road heading into Seattle) and just focus on FUN.  Normally this time of year is super quiet at work.  Most people are on vacation or working from home, checking messages very infrequently.  That’s not how it’s been for us at ALL.  We’ve got a big product launch next month and we’ve been on an intense schedule since mid November.  Man, it’s been crazy like this for over a month!  As much as I love my team and what we’re doing, I’m ready for a break!

I woke up Friday morning with a huge smile on my face.  It’s the end of the world…and we’re still here!  One weird thing:  I have a small clock in my master vanity with a swinging pendulum.  The pendulum had completely stopped swinging overnight.  But the clock was still ticking and keeping time perfectly.  Hmmm!!  I know it’s the energy of the Solstice.  It’s that solid, THUD-like energy you can feel on that day if you breathe really deeply. Breathe through the darkness.  The stillness.  I felt it for sure.  It’s those deep rhythms of the changing seasons.  And it almost feels like a slightly heavier gravity pull.

It could not have been a more glorious solstice. As I was heading over the bridge into Seattle, I saw the beautiful colors of the early sunset and the sky was glowing.  THIS is the promise…the promise of more light ahead – brighter days.  And what a bonus it wasn’t raining!

First stop:  the famous Edgewater Hotel.  Right smack on Elliott Bay.  Yep, the one where you can fish right out of your window.  Where the Beatles stayed back in the day.  This is THE only waterfront hotel in Seattle…and it’s a must-visit the next time you are here.  It’s very lodge-y feeling and cozy. River rock decor everywhere.  Warm, luxurious and unpretentious.  Did you know this hotel was built in 1962 in anticipation of the Worlds Fair? Hey, the same year D was born, ha.

We checked into our rooms, had a cocktail toast and the 10 of us got whisked off to Cuoco for dinner.  Any Tom Douglas restaurant is a major hit in my book, and I couldn’t wait to try this one!  It’s delicious northern Italian cuisine.  The mezzaluna pasta with butternut squash is heaven on a plate.  Savory but light.  And this is where the Ketel One martinis started flowing.

cakeOne of D’s friends made her birthday cake from scratch.  4-layer red velvet decorated with fresh roses.  Exquisite!  And the shiny thing next to it?  That’s the Long Lei….a chain of 44 chocolate kisses and 6 condoms.  I think everyone got to wear the Long Lei at some point throughout the evening.  It was long enough for two people to wear it at the same time!

We headed back to the Edgewater and up to the Six Seven lounge.  This is another part of your must-do-in-Seattle list.  The views of the water, the ferry boats and looking back at the city are stunning.  So is the food and service.  A few more friends joined us, and I vaguely remember heading back to the room a couple of times for a Veuve Clicquot toast, loudly cheering as we popped the champagne corks right out the window.  By the time the evening was over it was 3:00am and we were all back in D’s room laughing so hard. 

Most of this group goes back to high school years or earlier.  So you can imagine the hilarious stories and memories flying around.  I loved it.  I feel very blessed and fortunate to know D and to get to know her friends in the process as well.   I’m the new kid to this circle, having only known her a little over a year! 

The Motrin worked!  I crawled out of bed the next morning with no hangover.  Just no voice.  Although while we were eating breakfast back in D’s room, I casually asked my roommate P if I snored.  She said I sure did and she had to put in her earplugs!  Oh my God!  I laughed but felt a little mortified too.  Do I really snore all the time?  No, it couldn’t be…it’s gotta be the martinis and champagne.

Right?

When There’s Nothing to Say at Three

09 Sunday Sep 2012

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Well hmmm…and WOW.  Here I am at the keyboard.  Hi, everyone!  It’s my typical, wonderful Sunday blogging ritual unfolding before me – I SO look forward to this time – and I have nothing. And yet I don’t normally worry about not having something to write about on these Sunday afternoons.  Sometimes I get inspired early in the week and just ‘know’ that’s what I want to write about.  And sometimes I don’t get inspired until late on Saturday, or even when I wake up on Sunday.  Sometimes – rarely – it’s been a big ol’ crickets chirping and I’ll take a mental vacay.  Sometimes I like to blog about my latest cooking adventure – lately it’s been a soup passion a-brewing within.  But last night was a (fabulous) repeat…I made Crema de Cangrejo (crabmeat soup, my own way – unpureed) – I’ve had this wackadoodle seafood craving for the last few days and figured, why fight it?

But I didn’t want to take a mental vacay today, so I’m bravely sitting here just rambling.  This is an important week here in fivenineteen land, for this Blog turns THREE on September 15th!  I can’t believe it!  I distinctly remember the day I sat down and got started.  And I remember reading lots of advice about blogs and how to start them, attract followers, keep people engaged and all that.  Oh, and to always have a theme in mind for your blog.  Theme?  Well, I said fuck that.  Things are eclectic and all over the place in here and most don’t seem to mind (right??).  Ramblings on cooking, makeup, shopping, hockey, fitness or lack thereof, homeowner freakouts (oops, I mean projects), work or lack of work…it’s all here and it’s all me.  I’m closing in on 200 posts which is pretty mind-blowing.  And survived a move earlier this year from Blogspot over here to WordPress land – sooo worth the effort. And bonus – I got rid of the “-” in my url name – hooray!  Have I ever told you all that a few years ago – long before fivenineteen – that I met with an intuitive healer (aka psychic) who told me that I have things to write about that others will want to read.  I honestly had not made that connection between that conversation and being here now.

So I guess things are in a comfortable groove right now.  There’s still much to do though.  The popcorn ceiling scraping project is moving along at a snail’s pace – L and I have talked about this and he’s promised we’ll finish as much as we can this month.  I have a slew of jewelry I’m getting ready for my first ever retired sample sale next weekend, and I’m having it in a restaurant rather than my house.  I’m so excited for this because it’s something I’ve never tried before – who knows, it could turn into an annual event!  I now have a new garbage disposal – damn I have the best plumber in the world – and so that’s a huge relief off my shoulders (stupid, mysterious leaks no more).  I’m getting back in the gym and working out with a trainer on Thursdays and it’s been amazing.  So many eye-opening discoveries about my shoulders and posture and muscle tone that need work…not to mention everywhere else (hello, core, I’m talkin’ to YOU).  And I need to get my resume updated pronto…as of right now my work contract is scheduled to wrap up in November.  They may be able to find budget to keep me on through January – which would be awesome as that’s our project launch timeframe – but that’s still not confirmed.  And it’s so refreshing to know it’s nothing personal…having transparent conversations with your manager is bliss.  Believe me, it’s not always that way when you do consulting/contracting work, as much as I strive for it.  Healthy is best!

Speaking of not taking things personally, that’s a hard one sometimes.   Especially when it’s a shift in close friendships…meaning, close friendships that have blossomed for years and years that somehow have devolved and have been downgraded to arms length acquaintance or to the type now that you only now “see” on Facebook.  This hurts.  It sucks.  And notice I’m using the word frienshipS.  Plural.  ‘Cause there’s TWO of them that are threatening to fade to black.  And it makes me sad…and angry too.  My knee jerk reaction is what the fuck.  What the hell have I possibly done to piss either of these two ladies off (who don’t know each other, by the way).  Why won’t you return my phone calls, emails or texts saying hey, would be great to see you and catch up, how are you and blahblahblah.  Or even worse…respond to me with very nice things to say but nothing in response to the ‘hey let’s get together part.’

But, sometimes no answer is your answer.  I get it that we’re all busy and whatnot.  Oh wait, make that “CRAZY busy.” Sometimes I think being busy is almost like bragging rights.  Well, look at me here and how busy I am…I’m FAR busier than you, therefore I’m superior. 

And AHA!  HERE’S the article about this that totally sang to me.  Where did I find it?  On Facebook, of course!  “… I recently wrote a friend to ask if he wanted to do something this week, and he answered that he didn’t have a lot of time but if something was going on to let him know and maybe he could ditch work for a few hours. I wanted to clarify that my question had not been a preliminary heads-up to some future invitation; this was the invitation. But his busyness was like some vast churning noise through which he was shouting out at me, and I gave up trying to shout back over it.”

Anyone out there have a friend who drops off the map when he/she gets into a new relationship?  I’ve been guilty of that too.  One of these ladies has been in a relationship that apparently is pretty serious (from what I see of all their Facebook pictures…see where I’m going with this?).  Or ever have a friend who will now only do things as couples, hence us single folks get left off the invite?  Hell, I’ve been a 3rd, 5th, 7th wheel at many parties and it’s no problem for me.  I guess it is for others.

So, I’m sad…it almost feels like two mini ‘deaths’ of sorts and even more painful because they’re both happening at the same time.  And perhaps I’m a little jealous too, but no, probably not as I’m not a jealous type.  I have to just keep looking and moving forward and, if both of these friendships DO fade away, that opens my soul up for whatever/whoever is supposed to come into my life next.

It just sucks in the meantime.  And wow, I guess I really DID have something to say today after all.

Club 45

20 Sunday May 2012

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How in hell did I get to be 45?? Before I go into panic mode, let me breathe and remember…what’s that saying about getting older…enjoy it because it’s a privilege denied to many.  Ah, now that feels better.

I really do feel younger and sillier than I did in my 20s and 30s.  I was trying to stake a claim at some sort of career path and figure so much out.  Sure I had fun, but I was pretty serious at the core. 

And the two paths of my life, personal and professional, really started ‘forking’ and developing (or not) in very different ways.  I wouldn’t call myself a whiz or expert in my jobs, but I do good work and I’m proud of it.  I’m proud that I can provide for myself and support myself in a fairly decent lifestyle.  The personal side of me, well, that’s been a slippery path.  I struggled with depression starting in my late 20s and early 30s.  My friends, cousins and my brother were all getting married and having children…really turning into ‘adults’ I guess.  And me?  Nope.  Why wasn’t it happening for me?  Sure, there were dates and a few boyfriends but none of those relationships went anywhere.   Was there something wrong with me?  Did I miss something important about adult life or successful romantic relationships that everyone magically learned and I spaced?   Ugh, I hate feeling like some weirdo leftover freakazoid.   What was it??

Well, a few rounds of counseling and the school that is Life have helped immensely.  I never wanted to try going on antidepressants or anything.  Something about the fact they chemically alter the brain kind of freaks me out.  Maybe that’s not entirely a true statement.  I know many people who have taken them and it’s been extremely beneficial for them.  

I just keep trying to be open and self-aware and continue to grow and improve wherever I can at being the best I can be.  Sure there have been years that were clunkers, growing/rebuilding years and, looking back, a few that were downright shitty.  I’m a firm believer that everything happens exactly as it’s suppose to happen, even if the reason for it is not entirely clear in the moment.  And I never, ever give up.  I know that positivity is one of my strengths.  Yes, I do want to get married eventually. 

So, yesterday was my birthday (and the reason for the name of this blog too).  Given this was a mini-milestone birthday of sorts, I decided I deserved a little extra pampering. 

I got a massage on Thursday.  Hoo doggy, this was such an amazing experience that I am probably going to shuffle around some of my budget so I can get one monthly.  Kind of sad it’s been 5 years since I’ve had one!  And it shows alright!! J had her work cut out for her, as my upper shoulders and back are cement-like and full of knots.  I joked with her ahead of time about this and we had a good laugh.  She also suggested I play around with how I have my work and home laptops positioned.  My arms are pretty short compared to my torso and rest of my body, and she says I likely have the keyboards too far away, so the constant reaching causes stress and strain in my arms, shoulders and pecs.  Ah, makes sense!  Kind of sad how “just” working away at a desk on a computer can cause injuries over time!  Oh, and how did I connect up with J?  She is a client of L’s; he built her website in the link above.  Nice!

So on my actual birthday I had a wonderful lunch with my folks at Milagro in downtown Kirkland.  Such a prime spot right on Lake Street!  And the weather was beautiful, so everyone was out with kids, dogs, biking, roller blading…just glorious.  And crowded too; I joke that when the weather gets nice you simply cannot be in a hurry if you are driving through that part of town. 

This was the first time at Milagro for all 3 of us.  And what do they say about first impressions…the ambiance is very nice and we were seated at a very generous sized booth.  Only when the server brought the menus did we notice a large area of the table had not been wiped clean.  Oops.  Later when our iced teas came my Mom’s glass was dirty.  Ew.  Thankfully they were very apologetic and fixed the problems quickly, but after that I was closely inspecting every piece of silverware and the dishes as we were served the whole rest of the lunch! Too funny.  The food was very good – we had a trio of salsas and chips for appetizers, and I had a wonderful chopped salad with carrots, corn, black beans, avocado and radishes…and a few other things that escape me right now.   Mom had a shrimp salad with apples and jicama and Dad chose the Enchiladas.  Delicious!

So I figured I need to stop denying myself indulgent things (within reason so I don’t break my budget) and just spend time getting more pampering.  Reserving time in my life to relax and recharge without guilt.  The massage was a huge, glaring reminder in neon letters that this is SO important to my well-being and feeling totally connected with my body.

Later in the afternoon I spent a little time shopping at Sur La Table – gosh we are so blessed to have this store in Kirkland!  I picked up some new kitchen hand soap and lotion (limoncello scented, yes!) and some tongs and a flexible trivet both in happy apple green.

And I topped off my pampering with a much-needed, overdue pedicure.  This was a total last-minute decision – I was so happy they had an opening!!  Now I can wear my open-toes shoes and sandals without cringing, well, for the next couple weeks or so.  Love it.

Summer hockey season starts tonight! I can’t WAIT to get back on the ice.  THIS is the best way to fight off good ol’ middle age…skate your ass off with a bunch of late 20-something (mostly) teammates.  Who I love like brothers.

And…We’re Still Here!

22 Sunday May 2011

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Looks like Judgment Day, Rapture, whatever you want to call it didn’t happen after all.  Everything’s still on, everyone!  Hope you didn’t cancel your Sunday plans.

Ha.  Well, I knew if our time was up yesterday, at least I got to sneak in one more birthday and celebrations to go out with a bang. 

Yep, May 19 is a special day, hence this Blog’s name.  And when it comes to celebrating my birthday, the window between the actual day and Memorial Day is fair game.  This year it was a typical day at work, but as I was driving to the office Thursday I remembered that it was also my start date anniversary in this engagement!  After that long, dry spell with no work plus delays pinning down the start date, it finally happened.  While I try to keep looking forward and not dwell on past negatives, I’ll admit that whole episode still is a little scabbed over and not healed.  OK, that sounds gross.  Let’s go with that there’s a scar.  And this engagement – a year and change so far – has been my longest since I pulled the plug on more steady type work and went into contracting/consulting.  I’ll be around at least until the end of June and after that it’s a question mark whether I’ll be extended out further.  Time will tell.  Meanwhile I continue to tweak the ol’ resume. 

So it was a special day – the weather warmed up and I even got a couple of lingering tasks I had been struggling to get off my plate completed.  My co-worker L took me to lunch and we had a nice outdoor table…finally, some warmth!  And the consulting firm I’m currently with does a social event every month called Third Thursday, which is a fabulous way to network with others on our other engagements and just unwind and relax with the team.  Usually we gather at the office itself, but our CEO had a great last minute idea for us to meet up at a restaurant right on Lake Washington.  Nothing better than great drinks and munchies and laughing with a gorgeous view of the lake and the sunset as your backdrop.

T took me to dinner on Friday at Brix, a wine bar not far from my house which has a wonderful menu and atmosphere.  They’ve been around a few years now and it’s fun seeing how they’ve worked out the startup glitches.  We toasted with Lemon Drops (ahhh, hadn’t had one of those in awhile) and enjoyed a 3-cheese plate with flatbread crackers before our entrees arrived – I chose the pesto and chicken flatbread pizza (which means leftovers – YUM) and T the roasted chicken breast, beautifully plated with sauteed spinach, potato puree and mushrooms.

After a great Silpada training event yesterday afternoon – always so much fun seeing the girls and meeting new people – I met my folks for dinner at Wild Ginger.  This is a wonderful Asian Fusion restaurant and they’ve now got a suburban location in the Bravern.  Verah nice!  We picked a few satays (small plates) to get us started (sea scallops, a slice of flank steak with peanut sauce and chicken with green curry) and then we enjoyed a wonderful dinner – family style entrees to pass around – of seared ahi tuna, beef curry and a side dish of pea pods with shiitake and portobello mushrooms in a fabulous oyster sauce.  How can I be hungry again just writing about this?  The flavors are truly spectacular.  

Today starts and ends with hockey.  What better way to cap off a birthday weekend!  I’m watching the Canucks/Sharks playoff series with fingers and toes crossed.  The Canucks have not made it to the western conference finals in over 15 years but they’re here now and hungry.  Maybe, just maybe this is their time.  But I’ll keep it at that.  Don’t want to piss off the Hockey Gods.

And later today I’m running to the mall to exchange a couple of birthday gifts (cute stuff but sized a little too optimistically, ha) and then to the rink tonight for my own team’s game.  Love love love summer hockey!

So I’m trying to come to grips that I’m now – gasp – 44…and what the hell is it all about anyway?  I’m feeling inner tugs and pulls that while I’m very happy to be employed and all, I’m not fulfilled.  Not that a job should be one’s life fulfillment anyway, but I want to spend my time and energy on things that fuel my inner sparkle and passion.  Technology.  Writing.  Jewelry.  Hockey.  Fashion. How can I combine my eclectic interests and make a good living?

Ah, now that’s more fodder for future posts.  Stay tuned!