As I write this, I’m sitting on a plane bound for Denver, then on home to Portland. Of course, the seat in front of me is reclined so far that I can’t even open my laptop fully, but I’m lucky to have one of 3 open seats next to me. I think the 6’4” guy in the aisle seat is even more grateful for the open seat so he can sprawl a bit more. I just finished watching Eat, Pray, Love, which (minus the 30 minutes I fell asleep during), was just as bad as I had heard it was.
I’ve been in DC for work for the past week. I don’t travel for work frequently – just enough for people to think it’s a huge perk. Let’s face it though, I really don’t enjoy traveling for work. I don’t like being alone, in a city I don’t know anything about. I don’t like jet lag, coupled with the expectation that I’m going to be awake enough for meetings that would be boring were I not jet lagged and sleep deprived. Now that I’m married, I loathe sleeping alone. B is a natural furnace, so although we sleep in 65-68 degrees at night, I have to crank up the heat to 76 and wear a long sleeved shirt, yoga pants, and socks to stay warm enough when I’m alone. I miss my kitties. I miss my routines. I miss my husband (even though he’s sick, so being apart has probably helped spare my immune system). I constantly find myself thinking that it would be so much fun if I had my traveling buddy with me. Exploring restaurants on your own isn’t nearly as much fun. I love my boss, but she’s not super chatty, so going out with her can be awkward.
While I generally don’t like traveling, there are certainly some perks. On this trip I got to have dinner with 2 high school friends. It was fantastic to catch up with them, and we’ve made plans to get together when they come home for Christmas (they are sisters). I also found time to squeeze in lunch with a colleague from my old work. Although I was sad to hear that she is still unhappy at her job, it was really nice to catch up with her and give her some support. If I find myself in DC again soon, I might try and actually meet some bloggers in person as well. It’s definitely a perk that work pays for all of my food, and luckily the hotel this time had lots of places close by. One night a group of us had yummy vegan Chinese food, and last night we got Persian take-out. So while overall I’d rather be home, this was a work trip that had a nice amount of fun in it. I also felt very accomplished that I was able to navigate the DC metro system quite well. If only every town signed everything so well.
In about 5 hours I’ll be home, snuggling up to my love and likely getting mauled by the cats. I can’t wait. In the words of Dorothy, “there’s no place like home.”
Friday, December 3, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
New hair and movies
I only get haircuts about 4 times a year. I justify splurging on my expensive lady since I don't go all that often. Last weekend I decided it was time for a cut and color.
(Pardon the non-showered, weekend grungy me)
Before:
After:
It was lovely to have 3 hours to myself at the Salon. I cut off a good amount and lightened it up with some highlights. I'm liking the results, although next time I do highlights I think I'll have her go a little more dramatic. I don't color often because I'm lucky to have blonde hair that naturally lightens in the summer, so it will likely be next fall before I dye again.
After getting my hair done B took me to see Waiting for Superman. We'd been really looking forward to seeing it. If you haven't heard of it, it's a documentary about the education system. I looked forward to learning a lot. Instead, I walked away feeling totally depressed. Parents, stuck in shitty school districts due to finances, put their kids in the lottery system for limited slots in charter/magnet programs. All but one kid (the one who was already in a good school) didn't get in (one did end up getting called from the weightlist). It was as if you knew in that moment that these kids were likely destined to live in poverty forever. The movie offered no suggestions for improving the system and was an all-around depressing bust. It was riveting though for sure as you waited to see if the kids would win the lottery.
I'm also back to being two-footed! 6 weeks in the boot are complete, and my fracture has healed. Hooray! Mostly I'm happy about just getting in the car and not having to take off the boot, put on a shoe, and put the boot back on at my destination. I think B is happy to have his walking buddy back too. Now to decide if I'm brave enough to walk to work in Portland fall/winter.
(Pardon the non-showered, weekend grungy me)
Before:
After:
It was lovely to have 3 hours to myself at the Salon. I cut off a good amount and lightened it up with some highlights. I'm liking the results, although next time I do highlights I think I'll have her go a little more dramatic. I don't color often because I'm lucky to have blonde hair that naturally lightens in the summer, so it will likely be next fall before I dye again.
After getting my hair done B took me to see Waiting for Superman. We'd been really looking forward to seeing it. If you haven't heard of it, it's a documentary about the education system. I looked forward to learning a lot. Instead, I walked away feeling totally depressed. Parents, stuck in shitty school districts due to finances, put their kids in the lottery system for limited slots in charter/magnet programs. All but one kid (the one who was already in a good school) didn't get in (one did end up getting called from the weightlist). It was as if you knew in that moment that these kids were likely destined to live in poverty forever. The movie offered no suggestions for improving the system and was an all-around depressing bust. It was riveting though for sure as you waited to see if the kids would win the lottery.
I'm also back to being two-footed! 6 weeks in the boot are complete, and my fracture has healed. Hooray! Mostly I'm happy about just getting in the car and not having to take off the boot, put on a shoe, and put the boot back on at my destination. I think B is happy to have his walking buddy back too. Now to decide if I'm brave enough to walk to work in Portland fall/winter.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Alaska Part 3: Glacier Bay
Yikes, I forgot about my blog for a bit there! I'm always in awe at the people that manage to blog every day. I can barely remember to blog more than once a month.
Glacier Bay National Park was the highlight of our trip. Although it was the 3rd day on the boat, it was exciting to finally have "real" Alaskan scenery. The usual cruise route goes partially in up to John's Hopkins Glacier and then partially up the neighboring glacier (I'm blanking on the name).
Our captain wisely decided to spend the entire cruising time in John's Hopkins and get reeeeeallllly close. It turns out that Johns's Hopkins Glacier is the location where 80% of the harbor seals in Alaska birth and raise their pups, so late September is the only time cruise ships are allowed to get close. Lucky us! The park ranger that joined our ship said it was the closest he'd been to the glacier in his 25 year career!
We started off the day in the Crow's Nest, which was the bar at the top of the ship with stunning views.
Although it was pretty cold out (we saw a few flakes of snow), the weather was actually pretty good. I'll let the photos mostly speak for themselves.
Glacier calving (pieces breaking off). Interestingly, John's Hopkins is one of the few glaciers that is growing - by about 10-15 feet PER DAY! Of course, there are pieces breaking off too, which was fun to watch. It made a huge booming sound that was quickly followed by a whole bunch of "oooohs" from the cruise crowd.
I think we'd all agree that the cruise through Glacier Bay was the highlight of the trip. It was stunningly beautiful, and it was amazing to be so close.
Glacier Bay National Park was the highlight of our trip. Although it was the 3rd day on the boat, it was exciting to finally have "real" Alaskan scenery. The usual cruise route goes partially in up to John's Hopkins Glacier and then partially up the neighboring glacier (I'm blanking on the name).
Our captain wisely decided to spend the entire cruising time in John's Hopkins and get reeeeeallllly close. It turns out that Johns's Hopkins Glacier is the location where 80% of the harbor seals in Alaska birth and raise their pups, so late September is the only time cruise ships are allowed to get close. Lucky us! The park ranger that joined our ship said it was the closest he'd been to the glacier in his 25 year career!
We started off the day in the Crow's Nest, which was the bar at the top of the ship with stunning views.
Although it was pretty cold out (we saw a few flakes of snow), the weather was actually pretty good. I'll let the photos mostly speak for themselves.
Glacier calving (pieces breaking off). Interestingly, John's Hopkins is one of the few glaciers that is growing - by about 10-15 feet PER DAY! Of course, there are pieces breaking off too, which was fun to watch. It made a huge booming sound that was quickly followed by a whole bunch of "oooohs" from the cruise crowd.
I think we'd all agree that the cruise through Glacier Bay was the highlight of the trip. It was stunningly beautiful, and it was amazing to be so close.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Alaskan cruise part 2: Juneau
Thanks for all of the broken ankle sympathy. Orthopedics appointment is tomorrow, but I'm getting more used to the boot and the pain is virtually gone unless I walk too much.
I've decided to talk about Juneau next and leave Glacier Bay (the best part) for the third post. The drawback of an Alaskan cruise at the end of the season means you are likely to hit rough water. Our original itinerary had us going out in the open ocean to head up to Sitka for Day 2. Unfortunately, the evening/night of day 1 saw 30 foot swells! The captain wisely decided to switch course at 2am and go up the inside passage. I was grateful for a smoother ride, but that meant no Sitka, an entirely changed itinerary, and 3 days at sea before our first stop. We were certainly happy to see Juneau when we got there!
As if on cue when we got off the boat, this eagle swooped down and landed right in front of us.
We didn't have any tours planned (they were crazy expensive), so we wandered around for a bit in the tacky shops and along the water.
It turns out that not paying for the expensive cruise arranged tour is a really smart idea. We found a local tour that was usually $50 (compared to the $120 the boat wanted), but they only charged us $30 each since we were the last group of the year. It was a 2-3 hour van tour, and we learned a ton about Juneau and saw some beautiful sites.
This church (the Shrine of St. Therese), hidden on a former island in the trees.
It was raining like crazy and super cold, but it was a very peaceful spot. They also had a prayer labyrinth.
I think this photo speaks for itself (and how irreverent we are!)
Next up was a stop at a lake fed by Mendenhall glacier (in the back left of the photos). It was just gorgeous.
Love this family photo :)
My dad picking up a large chunk of glacier ice:
It was a bummer that it was so cold and rainy, but the stop was nice and learning about Juneau was really interesting. Our guide was funny and entertaining, and it was a well-spent $30. It was a beautiful place, although I'm not sure I'd like living in a town that is only accessible by boat or plane.
I've decided to talk about Juneau next and leave Glacier Bay (the best part) for the third post. The drawback of an Alaskan cruise at the end of the season means you are likely to hit rough water. Our original itinerary had us going out in the open ocean to head up to Sitka for Day 2. Unfortunately, the evening/night of day 1 saw 30 foot swells! The captain wisely decided to switch course at 2am and go up the inside passage. I was grateful for a smoother ride, but that meant no Sitka, an entirely changed itinerary, and 3 days at sea before our first stop. We were certainly happy to see Juneau when we got there!
As if on cue when we got off the boat, this eagle swooped down and landed right in front of us.
We didn't have any tours planned (they were crazy expensive), so we wandered around for a bit in the tacky shops and along the water.
It turns out that not paying for the expensive cruise arranged tour is a really smart idea. We found a local tour that was usually $50 (compared to the $120 the boat wanted), but they only charged us $30 each since we were the last group of the year. It was a 2-3 hour van tour, and we learned a ton about Juneau and saw some beautiful sites.
This church (the Shrine of St. Therese), hidden on a former island in the trees.
It was raining like crazy and super cold, but it was a very peaceful spot. They also had a prayer labyrinth.
I think this photo speaks for itself (and how irreverent we are!)
Next up was a stop at a lake fed by Mendenhall glacier (in the back left of the photos). It was just gorgeous.
Love this family photo :)
My dad picking up a large chunk of glacier ice:
It was a bummer that it was so cold and rainy, but the stop was nice and learning about Juneau was really interesting. Our guide was funny and entertaining, and it was a well-spent $30. It was a beautiful place, although I'm not sure I'd like living in a town that is only accessible by boat or plane.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Broken
That sprained ankle I mentioned in the last post? It's now housed in a large, clunky black boot. While the PA that read the X-ray said it was just a sprain, the radiologist that looked at it 3 days later clearly saw a distal lateral malleolar fracture. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I broke my ankle playing ping pong. I'm that talented. So for the last 3 days I've been hobbling around in a boot.
It's a pain in more ways than one. My hips hurt because my gait is now uneven. The outside of my ankle hurts because of the rubbing of the flat brace. I can't walk well due to the broken ankle (I usually walk to work). I can't drive easily because it's my right foot, and the brace doesn't bend to allow for driving. Each time I get in the car I have to undo the 5 velcros and put on a shoe. Each time I get out I have to put the brace back on. Chasing after my friend's toddler yesterday wasn't easy. Sleeping with a boot is uncomfortable. Needless to say all of this has made me kind of cranky.
I still don't even really know what's wrong. I have to wait for a call from the orthopedist, then set up an appointment, then find out how long I have to wear the boot. Thankfully they didn't force me to take the crutches (I'd been walking on it for almost 2 weeks), but the boot is still hard to deal with.
Enough with the whining! More Alaska this week.
It's a pain in more ways than one. My hips hurt because my gait is now uneven. The outside of my ankle hurts because of the rubbing of the flat brace. I can't walk well due to the broken ankle (I usually walk to work). I can't drive easily because it's my right foot, and the brace doesn't bend to allow for driving. Each time I get in the car I have to undo the 5 velcros and put on a shoe. Each time I get out I have to put the brace back on. Chasing after my friend's toddler yesterday wasn't easy. Sleeping with a boot is uncomfortable. Needless to say all of this has made me kind of cranky.
I still don't even really know what's wrong. I have to wait for a call from the orthopedist, then set up an appointment, then find out how long I have to wear the boot. Thankfully they didn't force me to take the crutches (I'd been walking on it for almost 2 weeks), but the boot is still hard to deal with.
Enough with the whining! More Alaska this week.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Alaskan cruise part 1: the food
Last Friday we returned from our week long Alaskan cruise. We both came home with colds, and I have a sprained ankle from a rockin' game of cruise ping pong, so I'm a bit slow with the blogging. I'll post about the trip in parts, and today is all about the food.
Anyone who has been on a cruise knows that it's an eating fest 24/7. Buffets, 3 course meals, afternoon tea, midnight buffets, room service - it's neverending.
This was my breakfast from the morning we did the sit down breakfast. What was innocently titled "breakfast sandwich" showed up as this enormous platter of food! What a way to start the day!
Bryan's English breakfast the same day. They also had Swedish, Irish, and Japanese breakfasts.
One of the appetizers one night:
Afternoon tea:
Shrimp cocktail appetizer:
Bryan's lamb chops one night in the dining room:
My surf and turf in the main dining room:
The ship had a formal, reservations-only restaurant that was a $20 surcharge. We were given 2 dinners for free with our cruise, so we went one night. At almost 3 hours, it sure was an experience! It started with 4 kinds of breads, 3 flavored butters, and 3 kinds of sea salt that were "good for your immune system." After the main meal (no photos - lobster for me, filet mignon for him), they gave us this pretty tray with our coffee accouterments and some delicious chocolate wafer things.
We ended the fancy meal with these (3 kinds of creme brulee - chocolate, mocha, and regular; grand marnier lava cake:
All in all, the cruise food was decent, but it was SO SO rich. By about day 3 I was sick of looking at food and always feeling awful after eating. I made a decision to stop eating so much (do I really need a 3-course meal for lunch AND dinner??) and I felt tons better. Eating less, coupled with even a few days at the on-board gym, meant no weight gain for me. After the whopping +10lbs on our honeymoon cruise, I was quite please.
Part 2: Glacier Bay.....coming soon.
Anyone who has been on a cruise knows that it's an eating fest 24/7. Buffets, 3 course meals, afternoon tea, midnight buffets, room service - it's neverending.
This was my breakfast from the morning we did the sit down breakfast. What was innocently titled "breakfast sandwich" showed up as this enormous platter of food! What a way to start the day!
Bryan's English breakfast the same day. They also had Swedish, Irish, and Japanese breakfasts.
One of the appetizers one night:
Afternoon tea:
Shrimp cocktail appetizer:
Bryan's lamb chops one night in the dining room:
My surf and turf in the main dining room:
The ship had a formal, reservations-only restaurant that was a $20 surcharge. We were given 2 dinners for free with our cruise, so we went one night. At almost 3 hours, it sure was an experience! It started with 4 kinds of breads, 3 flavored butters, and 3 kinds of sea salt that were "good for your immune system." After the main meal (no photos - lobster for me, filet mignon for him), they gave us this pretty tray with our coffee accouterments and some delicious chocolate wafer things.
We ended the fancy meal with these (3 kinds of creme brulee - chocolate, mocha, and regular; grand marnier lava cake:
All in all, the cruise food was decent, but it was SO SO rich. By about day 3 I was sick of looking at food and always feeling awful after eating. I made a decision to stop eating so much (do I really need a 3-course meal for lunch AND dinner??) and I felt tons better. Eating less, coupled with even a few days at the on-board gym, meant no weight gain for me. After the whopping +10lbs on our honeymoon cruise, I was quite please.
Part 2: Glacier Bay.....coming soon.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Random bulleted updates
- On Friday night we went to dinner with the Groupawn. Josh is living off of Groupon (and the kindness of strangers) for a year. In case you haven't heard of it: The premise is simple: No cash. The Groupawn (customer chosen to Live Off Groupon) has nothing but a year’s supply of Groupons good for the best things to eat, do, see and buy across the country. From skydiving and upscale cuisine to body waxing and foreign language classes, Groupon deals will shape the Groupawn’s daily life. He will need to rely on the kindness of strangers for social niceties (like tax and tip) and basic human needs (like somewhere to sleep and a ride to any of Groupon’s 60 cities.). Josh was in Portland for a few days, so we met up with him, our friend/former realtor, and 4 strangers for dinner. It was really fun, although the service was horrific and the waitress a bitch. Josh is 4 months in, and if he makes it the year he'll get $100,000.
- We're headed on a cruise to Alaska in 2 weeks. In preparation for the cold, we each got new jackets. Said jackets came in a paper bag with handles, and our cats have gone CRAZY over that bag. Ruby loves to dash into it, and Dexter runs after her and thus begins the great bag battle. It's hysterical, and they are doing it as I'm writing this.
- Finally tried out Five Guys Burger and Fries. It was delicious, albeit gluttonous.
- Living in the city is still awesome. We have plans many nights of the week because everything is so close and/or our friends are willing to come to our new location.
- We're trying to get back into exercising, and it is REALLY painful. I've never liked to exercise, even when I was a competitive athlete. It's frustrating that the results are so slow in coming, although our penchant for eating out probably isn't helping ;)
- Speaking of eating out, at happy hour last week we had bourbon chocolate chip ice cream. The alcohol makes it really smooth and creamy. It was delicious.
- I have to go to the dentist tomorrow for TWO HOURS of drilling to start a bridge. I am dreading it.
- Over Labor Day we went to a friend's house and finally tried Rock Band. It was much harder than I expected, but it was really fun. I was too chicken to try singing in front of many people I didn't know, but maybe next time. They had a projector and a huge space. B is now obsessed with wanting Rock Band, even though our living room is tiny.
- And most exciting...2 weeks until we're on a boat, not thinking about work. We haven't had a week-long vacation in over a year, so we're both well overdue.
- Most exciting #2...we decided not to wait another year before we take a long vacation, so we just booked a 9 day Mexican cruise for the end of February.
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