La La La - La La

Mon Dieu!

What a fabulous day. I'm breaking through, breaking through the Mid Zone. I didn't run past my 4 miles yesterday but still validated that I'm breaking through cuz I've increased weights on my legs and can feel the strength flowing back. It's also just the feeling of flying above the ground, man - how amazing the mind is - it really can move mountains. Today, I'm sensing the gathering of mental strength, strong and unquenchable. Just feels so damn good when I look back and know that I'm passing the Mid Zone.

Ok, there's other reasons why I'm so happy. A couple are personal ;). Life at the house is good. Pups are behaving and we've been having so much fun with them lately. No messes, a little disciplining on digging in the backyard.. but not much more. AG and I have a good rhythm down about cleaning the house, getting shit done.. I love getting shit done. I know it's superficial to measure success through accomplishments - but heck, tell me another way to measure it.

For awhile, I've just had my head down, pushing forward pushing through the Mid Zone, so I've not been able to appreciate the things I'm appreciating today... like how I'm still so much in love, how my friends are so amazing, how much easier my life is compared to many others... how much I've worked to find exactly what I want in love, career, life... doesn't stop me from wanting more and I'll always want more - but I'm sure appreciating everything else right now.

The Mid Zone

For lack of a better phrase, I'll use the term Mid Zone to describe the state of mind I'm in when I've pushed and worked really hard to reach a goal and haven't seen enough progress to provide that final push to the finish line. Like this Saturday when I was running, and .5 mile into it I started feeling a side ache and I knew this was gonna be a bitch for the remaining 4 miles. I wanted to quit and rationalize that my body was too tired, and I had already ran the day before.
Or, on the broader analogy, I've been running hard for the last 3 weeks now going on 4 weeks and although I've seen improvements in leg definition, my belly is muffined over my pants and am not quite fitting into my favorite jeans. Or that I've finally found information on a possible business development, but life's distractions and my energy level have kept me from reading the information I need to begin. Anyways, it's this Mid Zone that I find so easy to rationalize changing course... And this is where I've been these last several weeks. I just haven't caught that 2nd wind yet. But I know it's there, I've been here before.

THIS WEEKEND:
Friday was unexpectedly nice - caught up with Margo and Maddick - good conversations with both, I mean really good conversations. I'd been missing that from Maddick lately, but somehow or another, we ended up in a corner by ourselves and really talking about love, life...

Saturday, AG and I ran some errands but spent the rest of the day lounging and sleeping (he hadn't been feeling well). But we did meet Andy our new roommate... Really great guy. I liked him on the phone instantly when I called to reschedule, his voice and mannerism was so familiar. When we met him - I saw glimpses of Helsley's spirit. Just easy going, no worries, had a very good sense of himself, intelligent, enjoying life, not out to prove himself to anyone. And from his stories, I could tell that his friends were super important to him. I like that, and AG did too. I bet anything Helsley would approve.

Sunday: After a full day of rest, I got AG out into the garden. He knows me so well - and how high I get when the house is clean. We attacked and rearranged the garden and made a more inviting place to relax. I get so giddy when everything is in order it scares me bc I used to be such a slob.

Then we mosied on to the Gay Pride celebration at Civic Center. Hoping to run into friends, but were happy looking for grubs and searching for good live music. Then met up at Shelaine's for dinner. Thoroughly enjoyed meeting his sister Fiona (interesting name, Sion and Fionna). Her kids were great, the little girl was so helpful and had a mind of her own and not afraid to state her opinions... and they were well thought out opinions. Fionna's husband manages Singapore Airlines' aiport stations so he travels all over the world growing up in different countries. They are currently stationed in India.. but what a neat childhood.

Actually AG and I have disucssed that in length. It's my dream to work out of SF 9 months out of the year and have 3 months (preferrably summer months) to live and have a different deep cultural experience. That's what I'm working hard to get to....

Summer Solstice and such

Yesterday was a scorching day all over the bay... and especially for es ef. Elaine, Manisha and I decided to meet up in Russian Hill to have lunch. It did feel a little "Sex in the City" with 3 different, but strong aspiring women reconnecting and enjoying the city.

And then we started discussing how hot it was, and the fact that global warming is happening, right now, in our lifetime. It's no longer just a prediction. I like hot weather, and SF is all the more beautiful to me when it's hotter. But I do realize that the temperature elsewhere have become almost unlivable. According to Elaine, in China, it has been over 100 degrees since April. And from her childhood recollection, it was still snowing in April. What does this all mean? More air conditioning, more increase of fuel, more use of the world's energy, more destruction of the ozone layer, and faster acceleration of global warming. It's all so scary.

Baby Lance

Too cute too cute....

if only they don't poop and cry and demand attention...

I'd get one myself ;)... 

Running Again

Started running again - ah... so nice, good deep breaths afterwards - very motivated. running approximately 16 miles total/wk. This week - it's 4.5 miles per run x 4 = 18 miles.

Had dinner with Ellen last week - I'd have to give her the award for most work done. She's the same, but almost different person. It's so nice to see a friend stop themselves from destruction and become the strong person you've seen potential for.

Saw my little Lance in Sacramento. Even though he's worth the trip, we realize now why we rarely leave the city. It's a traffic nightmare - with the bridge and highway 80 - there needs to be a superbullet train that extends from northern to southern California.

Met up with Sandy/Carla at the Deep Blue Sushi restaurant - and I'm slowly converting to sushi. I never thought it'd happen but the sushi was tasty. Could have been a fluke accident since I was liquored up with yummy sake - but we'll have to retest that theory out again.

Sunday - Mie/Dav's baby shower.... overwhelmed with kids, toys... good food, Rachel/CC's house was perfect for the occasion - lots of sun, great backyard and good friends. Then home to see Miami beat Dallas... good weekend, relaxing - lots of social activities but nothing stressful.

College Ave - Studio Abasi

Met up with my friend Shannon who owns Studio Abasi www.studioabasi.com on College Avenue. I love her, she's super crass (love her sense of humor) and can you believe she has a 24 year old daughter and is turning 40 this year? She looks fantastic. We met 3 years ago when I got laid off and was looking to get out and try something new - I studied to get my esthetician license thinking I'd open a salon with Ellen. I went through 4 months of hell (the staff at beauty school treat people like trash).

Anyways, Shannon saved me. She entered 2-3 weeks after me and we had the best time making fun of the staff and abusing our knowledge against them as much as possible. We weren't trying to be obnoxious really, we just were so fed up with the abuse they laid on the poor students who had very little grasp of the English language. Shannon has done bridal makeup for years before getting her license and she's one hell of a make up artist. We used to have the best times me giving her facials and her applying makeup on me.

She also does eyelash extensions (which can last up to 2 months) and airbrush makeup which lasts for 15 hours and is great for brides or weddings. I've booked her for a try for KT's wedding on the 8th. I've forgotten how quaint and gorgeous College avenue is... after lunch she gave me a facial... and the services she provides is more than what you'll get from most esthesticians... I highly recommend her. She's great with skincare and she's developing her own line of skincare. I definitely intend on scheduling regular times with her. 

6-6-06

Last weekend we celebrated KT's bachelorette-hood staying at Grandma's house in Russian River. It was the funniest little house - more like a storefront turned into a rental. From the brochures, it looked so posh - leather couches, dark wood. But when we got there, I could now see why it was named Grandma's house. A mishmash of every type of used furniture and paintings.. doilies, stitched home sweet home sayings that were framed. It was a large house though - the bedrooms were all huge and spread out. We had our own private beach in the backyard and that was what made it so nice.
Friday night I cooked dinner and it was sweet and intimate. KT, XT, rachel, Smesh, and our token fag Peter. Beth and Chris arrived much later. We played board games, games of pool and just drank red wine and enjoyed the company.

Saturday morning Charmaine was the first to arrive. I liked her immediately. She was grounded, interesting, traveled around. Just felt that her neurosis wasn't so deeply rooted that it blocked out her ability be considerate of others. Dorothy, Azita, Jenny and Emily arrived much later. I don't know what I was doing most of the time. I did catch up with everyone here and there - but when I get into a large group setting, it's always easier for me to hide.
It was a lovely lovely weekend away, and catching up with the girls was nice. I used to be so gaga over hot tubs, but am finding that it's not the cat's meow anymore. What would I rather have? A beautiful garden filled with roses. That's what I loved so much about this area - there were wild overgrown flowers and rose bushes everywhere covering trellised arch-ways that hid summer cottages - so quaint so quaint.

XT and I had a nice little ride back home to the hood and caught up with AG who got us hooked on the 4400 series on the Sci-Fi channel www.usanetwork.com/series/the4400/.

And today I'm celebrating 6-6-06 and reading the Guardian to help understand the issues on election day. And we are looking for a new roommate. It worked out well that Francois is leaving. He's been a pretty good roommate in that he stayed in his room most of the time. But we were looking for someone who had a more active life, was more socially aware and wasn't so opinionated. I'm happy that he chose to leave and go back to Montreal - no hard feelings, but I almost jumped up for joy when he told me. So we are meeting one guy tomorrow night and a handful of people on Thursday, many of who are quite young. We are a little concerned about the age difference as people in their 20's tend to party a lot more... but as long as they do it elsewhere - which I clearly stated - perhaps it will be nice since they will not be around so often. In either case it's exciting. The front runner is coming over tomorrow night - he's 34 (our age, thankfully), been living int he mission for 10 years (love that) and has a serious gf who has her own place and he's there more often but just not ready to take the plunge to live together (which works for us). Would be nice if he stayed for a year, cuz it's my goal for us to make enough money that we don't have roommates within a year.

Next year - so much happening next year... This year is busy b/c I'm preparing for next year.