reflections

lessons from the surf

2012-01-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

"Surfing is such an amazing concept. You're taking on Nature with a little stick and saying, 'I'm gonna ride you!' And a lot of times Nature says, 'No you're not!' and crashes you to the bottom."

--Jolene Blalock

I can't believe I didn't start surfing when I first lived in Orange County. It was always something I wanted to learn but I didn't try until 12 years later. I finally told myself when I turned 30 that I was going to stop talking about all the things I wanted to try and just go do them. I took a surfing class and it was hard, incredibly hard, and then I started stand up paddling and caught my first wave and rode it out on my SUP board.

It was indescribable, the feeling that very first time, where it felt like everything came together, the water, the board, my body - my soul/mind/heart all at once. I knew right there and then I would never stop surfing, ever.

While I love that quote above, for me it would read something more like this, "Surfing is such an amazing concept. You're trying to work with nature and time it just right so that the water, your body and your mind all come together at the right time. You have to be patient and go with the flow and never forget your place, because Nature will come along and put you there."

Being on the water has taught me to be patient again, to wait, watch and learn. Bide my time until things are right and then go for it. It's also taught me that no matter how many times I fall, I need to just pick myself back up and try again, and keep on trying until I get it.

The ocean has really become my sanctuary and the one place that can set everything going on wrong right in me emotionally.

"The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea" - Isak Dinesen

hard to imagine sometimes

2012-01-10T14:47:00.000-08:00

there are moments when i look at a sweet photo of a couple and i get this sudden fear that i will never have that. where i can't even picture a shadow of a person to be with. i know how to be single, i'm so good at it. too good at it.

it's really a fear that i won't find someone who will fit me as well as i see some of my friends fit together with their partners.

rediscovering the girly side of me

2011-12-21T14:46:00.000-08:00

there was a time when i used to wear dresses, slacks, and heels to work. then all of that changed and it went to jeans, flats, and a nice top or sweater. this became even more casual when i went back to business school.

if you asked me to choose though, i'd always choose something like this and flip flops over a dress and heels

sure.. it's grad school, but if i wasn't in a suit and heels for an event/networking/interview i was in flip flops, jeans, and a tank top, usually at the beach, on my board or somewhere outside soaking in the sun and relishing my freedom from a 40+ hour work week. i knew what i had was precious and i was going to enjoy every minute of it.

fast foward two years and i'm back in the working world and all that's changed. even thought i work for a company that let's us dress casually every day i've rediscovered the whole dress up idea. back are the heels, the dresses (dressed down of course), and a bit more fashion. granted the slacks are still hibernating in the back of the closet (i'll avoid those at all costs if possible), i'm still more of a jeans girl.

thanks to pinterest i'm also getting new ideas, i've got so many fashionable friends that are a constant inspiration to me! if you want to buy me a present... click here. (i'll admit, i already bought some of it for myself). :D

safety and trust

2011-12-11T21:00:00.001-08:00

it's funny how different i can be when i'm with people i feel completely safe with and trust.

i think it brings out the person that i really am inside.

why... why... why?

2011-12-04T18:03:00.001-08:00

i often want to understand the "why"behind people, what motivates them to do what they do, to make them feel a certain way about something. i guess that's why i was a psych major and why i do what i do for a living now.

anyway, my friend and i were talking about guys and she quotes this one book a lot. almost like it's a medical study. and i think people do this because we want to understand why. why didn't things work out? why didn't they feel this way? why couldn't he have loved me as much as i loved him? why didn't he want me?

when the reality is you can't really explain it every time. it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you (although we can definitely feel like there is), but rather that the two of you just didn't work.

at some point, someone may have thought that about you too. while there may be some reasons people can articulate about why it didn't work, is that what really matters in the end?

a long time ago i asked myself those why questions for a long time and struggled to find answers (not that i ever really asked the guy either). when finally i realized, it didn't matter. i realized i had to stop asking why, it wasn't fixing anything and the answers wouldn't fix anything either. it was what happened, he did what he did and that was that. and i moved on. it was liberating.

it just feels like there are articles and books and studies that argue about every angle of relationships and what/why/how things do or don't work. was it always like this? or has the internet made it easier to access/produce all this "information".

i think i'm going to stop reading about dating and relationships and just let life happen.

the heart swings high, the heart swings low

2011-12-02T22:42:00.001-08:00

when my heart breaks now, it breaks harder than it did before.

as if it re-breaks all that was broken before.

after experiencing so much death my sensitivity to emotional pain is higher...
but that also means when something amazing happens that happiness is sweeter than it's been before.

that feeling is like a good drug and i want more.

lace, you so sex-ay

2011-11-28T22:56:00.000-08:00

I'm not really a girly girl, sometimes I play pretend, but I'd rather be in outdoor gear, getting bruised and scraped from paddling, surfing, or rock climbing. That's usually what makes me feel bold and sexy... but I started to see lace in all the shopping emails I get and suddenly I realized I was falling in love with lace and it crept into my wardrobe...

As I embark on this journey to be a little more feminine (under the advice of my dad.. yeah can you believe he said that to me?) I've been experimenting more with my clothes, shoes, and accessories. There was a time when I used to wear heels all the time and dress up for work. Then I realized it didn't make sense working at a non-profit where I'd consistently spill papaya juice on myself moving fruit boxes and scuff my heels against the rolling racks, so I traded those clothes for jeans, flats and nice tops.

Then for the next six years that's how life was, enter b-school and I put suits on about once a month, but still I lived in flip flops, jeans and tanks. Then I get a job at one of the coolest tech companies so it's not like we dress up there either. (My jeans were thrilled, my dress pants not so much). But enter lace...

Unassuming lace, this gentle, frilly, looking fabric that made its way onto dresses, underpinnings, sweaters, tops, you name it! I become like a whole different girl with lace on! The heels got dusted off and the dresses made a reappearance back into the general rotation of my wardrobe. And most of all it's become fun!

I still haven't gotten rid of the jeans, I just dress them up now versus down. Now that I remember that fashion was fun and not work and that clothing can make a girl experience a whole range of feelings - from sweet girl next door to sexy vixen.

Thanks lace for helping me remember that dressing up can also be bold and sexy.

I wonder if they make lacey looking wetsuits... kidding.

check out the cute lace stuff i've been finding on my pinterest!

i'd rather be drilling holes in my garage wall

2011-11-13T22:20:00.001-08:00

i finally found a reason to buy a drill and was super excited to use my brand new drill! (no more borrowing from my guy friends and no it's not pink, ew.)

i was all excited to start working on my project, pulled everything out to the garage and got started. phone rings and i pick it up without thinking. it's a guy i went on a date with and he wanted to chat about our second date. as the call progresses i realize something... i'd rather be drilling holes into the wall of my garage rather than talk to him on the phone.

not a good sign.

i finally decided that even though i know i should push myself out of my comfort zone when it comes to dating, i have to admit to myself when there just wasn't a spark with someone and let go of the idea that 'maybe it will come with a second date.' there's nothing wrong with these guys (well with most of them anyway). there's just a lack of chemistry.

i've come up with two main reasons for this:
1) it's online dating and i do better when i meet people organically
2) i'm too picky (yeah i admit it now)

but i look at it this way i'm a girl that knows the type of guy that i want and believe one of two things will happen: a) i will find this guy or b) i will someone who makes me forget that i had this list of stuff i thought i wanted this person to have...

because either way, it's got to start with some sort of chemistry, some vibe or feeling that i will get knowing that i have a connection with this person, something that makes me want to hang out with them again.

with any luck/fate/universe making things happen this feeling will develop into something deeper and knock me off my feet. :)

people are inspired by different things...

2011-10-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

as i walk around new york and live look at the tall buildings and the food and the people and the buzz and busy-ness it's amazing.

i can see how this inspires some, how some people love the city that never sleeps that always offers them something new.

but i realized it doesn't make my heart sing. i knew years ago where my heart belonged only it took awhile for me to finally hear what she was saying to me.

it's the beach, it's the water, it's southern california. some people laugh at me when i say that, they ask me what the difference is between nor cal and so cal.

but it's one of those things that i can't explain entirely.

the water makes my heart sing, the beach, the smell of the salt, the dolphins, fish, whales, seals, and other crazy wildlife. being able to get 70 degree weather in winter, mixed in with rain and chilly days too. being able to access the beach in less than 20 minutes. i am happiest when i'm on the water at sunset or sunrise paddling next to dolphins. that's what makes my heart sing.

that's what feeds my soul and makes me happy.

thank you steve jobs

2011-10-11T16:45:00.000-07:00

my first memory of apple is as a kid, playing frogger on our apple IIe at home. the computer sat in our dining room, next to the 5 1/2" floppy disk drive. it was great, i loved that game.

but PCs started to dominate those dark years and although we had this rectangular looking Mac, I used our 'color' PC to do all my work.. but then came the iPod

and the courtship developed into a relationship, into love for things that "made music together".

iPod 2nd generation
15" refreshed Macbook Pro - circa 2003
iPod Nano - 1st generation
iPod Shuffle - 1st generation
Macbook - black - circa 2006
iPhone - 1st generation (went through three of them, first one's battery died, second was dead out of the box, third is now with my dad)
iPhone 3GS - (went through 2, first died, 2nd - now going to my dad)
13" Macbook Pro - circa 2009
10" Mackbook Air - circa 2010
iPhone 4s - <3

thank you steve jobs, for creating such beautiful products and feeding my love for beautiful tech gadgets that make life more 'efficient'.

some years are harder than others

2011-10-03T12:34:00.000-07:00

dear mom,

it's been eight years since you've been gone and this year it's harder to bear than others. i've just finished an amazing two years of my life, so much has changed and a new chapter in my life feels like it's starting. i need your advice on love and life. but you're not here anymore, i can't ask you, i can't hear your voice and it hurts right now more than it's hurt in awhile.

i wanted you to be there when i find love, true love.

i wanted you to be there when i get married.

i wanted you to be there when i have kids.

i wanted you to be there.

i know you loved me, i know you'd want me to be happy, but some years it's just harder than others...

this year i would give anything just to have one more moment with you.

love always,
your daughter.

love like a country song

2011-09-28T21:19:00.000-07:00

i want love like country songs sing about.

love where with just a kiss you find it hard to fight these feelings, when it feels so hard to breath and you're caught up in this moment and caught up in their smile.

where you both find it hard to hold back, don't want to mess this thing up but where it's a shot in the dark that he's the one I've been waiting for my whole life.

where on a friday night he'll want to set me free, take me high, where we can fill up our cup, make a memory, drink it up

where he won't wanna miss another minute, wanna live it with me, beneath the blue sky fallin' in love.

where I'll be riding shotgun, singin' just a little off key, tapping out the back beat while the song on the radio's talking about about the love we make and he'll know just what I'm thinking

and he'll say 'oh my sweet love, keep singing me home, keep singing, love, keep singing.'

where every time we touch... oh I can't get enough!

where I'm better than I was, more than I am and now that we're together I'm stronger than ever, I'm happy and free. If you asked me why I've changed, it's your love, it just does something to me.

where I'm everything he's ever needed because he's thinking 'I got everything I've ever needed, in you, I found it in you.'

because maybe I'm just lucky, some people search the whole world over, just to find a love, that's even half as true, just to find a love, that's even half as true as the love I've found in you.

i want that kind of love, the type found in country songs.

.
.
.
.
and if he ever breaks my heart, well then there are songs to sing me through that pain and if he cheats then I'll dig my key into the side of his pretty little souped up 4 wheel drive, carve my name into his leather seats and take a Louisville slugger to both headlights, slash a hole in all four tires and maybe next time he'll think before he cheats. ;)

2011-09-22T20:18:00.001-07:00

for a split second I forgot you had died

happy birthday mom

2011-09-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

I am thankful each day for every bit of your love for the time that I had you in my life. For loving me so much and so strongly that I could carry on without you physically here with me. For that love that reminds me of all the good that I deserve in this world and to be happy too. For that love that reminds me everyday what it feels like to be loved.

dating - EEK!

2011-09-01T22:33:00.000-07:00

for a whole slew of deep seated, you name it issues, feelings of loss and grief and heart break from all sorts of people, life occurrences and not so deep seated reasons i haven't really dated much in the last (let's not go there) years of my life.

i've finally hit a spot where i'm like.. oh i should think about dating, dating is the first step towards being in a relationship and relationships can lead to marriage. i like all those things. :)

one would think this would be easy, being a somewhat cute (if i do say so myself), asian girl with a lot to offer in a relationship. but said girl has also spent most of her life focusing on her career and gotten used to being single and doing what she wants to do and well... all those years led me to develop from interactions and observations an idea of what i want in a man... it also took awhile for anyone to spark my interest and remind me what it was like and what i was missing.

it also took awhile for me to realize i stayed away from anything that might break my heart because i was still trying to heal the wound from losing two of the closest people in my life.

so here i go, what else can i do but jump in that sea and hope the shock of the water won't kill me (metaphorically) before i find the right fish for me.

happy birthday k.

2011-08-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

today would have been your 31st birthday and i miss you so much right now. a friend once told me that she felt that i was putting too much faith in love (at least in romantic love) and that i see it too much as something that will fix my life. but she's never gone through losing her mother or the murder of her best friend. most people haven't... so they can't possibly understand... that my hope in romantic love, that my faith in it is what keeps me going. the reminder that i can have something wonderful again, after going through so much pain.

i wished it for you and i know you wished it for me.

Tahoe sunset in March

2011-03-05T15:41:00.000-08:00

Taken by a friend.

secret addiction to fiction

2010-11-29T10:47:00.000-08:00

I've always loved to read, it's probably why I'm near sighted (although that's probably mostly genetics), but my parents blamed inadequate light while I was reading books growing up. They've always been a part of my life and I would get excited when the newsprint scholastic book sale flyers were handed out and would beg my mom to buy me more books. Trips to the library were numerous and I even learned to walk and read without bumping into things when I was younger.

But I don't just love to read, I love to read fiction and mainly sci-fi and fantasy. Books were a way to escape to enter a whole different world and the wonderful thing about books is that you start to paint your own images of who these characters are and what they look like. Almost making the author's story a little piece of yourself too.

Well after graduating college I stopped reading for awhile, that little thing called work soaked up a lot of time and I just got busy. But what really stirred up my love for fantasy and sci-fi again was an author named Marjorie M. Liu. My parents know hers and I had gone to visit them before when we were growing up, imagine my surprise when my dad tells me she went from lawyer to best selling author. I had to pick up her books, if not just to support her to see what they were about. It totally rekindled my love for reading again! I grabbed ahold of everything she had written and even went back to my old friend the library to finish the entire Dirk and Steele series and then she came out with the Hunter Kiss series, which is equally as amazing. Thanks to reading her twitter feed and blog, I've also come across other authors and found books that are hard to put down.

So if you're looking for some good sci-fi and fantasy reads, you definitely need to check her out! She's releasing a new Dirk and Steele book tomorrow - In the Dark of Dreams! You can find more information on her blog or on the online release party over at Bitten By Books. Check it out and rekindle your love for reading! :)

sustainable gifting

2010-11-22T14:47:00.000-08:00

As you start looking at what to buy your family and friends for the holiday season, stop and think if your purchase can give twice!

There are lots of businesses out there that not only create amazing and beautiful crafts, but whose proceeds also go to support people and animals in need around the world! So check out some of these amazing companies and start thinking about sustainable gifting!

31 Bits - Helps women in Uganda learn to empower themselves by buying beautiful, hand-made jewelry and bringing it to the US market. From their website: 31 Bits is a business using fashion and design to empower women to rise above poverty. We believe that business is one of the most powerful and sustainable approaches to turning scarcity into abundance, and eventually, alleviating poverty completely.

krochet kids international - Mission: To empower people to rise above poverty. - This company teaches people to crochet so they can empower themselves towards building a better life. They sell amazing and beautiful hats, clothing and accessories. I've got my eye on the bella in cranberry (in case you wanted to know what to get me for xmas). ;)

Three Avocados - Sells Uganda Bugisu Coffee to help raise money to bring clean water into Uganda! If I drank more coffee (or woke up early enough to make it) I would so be buying their coffee.

Pirate Coast Paddle Company - I "blame" these pirates for my new found love for stand up paddling! They work hard to not only share their passion for SUP to people, they also put on events and donate those proceeds to do good things (such as build clean water wells in Africa!). They're also the ones that introduced me to 31bits and krochet kids. You should really go paddle with them at least once and then gift a paddle session to someone else too.

Deal Gooder - Do you love Groupon/LivingSocial/Deal Perk and all those coupon sites? Then you're going to love Deal Gooder twice as much! Because not only are you going to get a good deal, you're going to feel all warm and fuzzy knowing they donated 1/2 of the purchase price to an Orange County non-profit! Check them out!

Uncommon Goods - Another favorite of mine, eco-friendly and creative gifts too! I totally would fill my house with this stuff if I had enough disposable income and space. :D

so do some good this holiday season and have a safe and happy one!

jade • heart

2010-11-12T09:46:00.000-08:00

I've been asked before, why jadeheart?

Are you jaded?
Have men treated you so badly you're now scorned?
Why not just jade?

No. No. and Because.

jade because it's a take off my Chinese name and heart because that's how I live my life.

while I've also been called frighteningly rational, most of my motivations come from my heart and attempting to create balance in my life. jadeheart has been my online presence since the beginning of my internet journey (minus a really awkward nickname in high school that we'll conveniently forget). and years and years and years later, when I was given my hawaiian name, part of it was the hawaiian word for heart - pu'uwai (the gifter of my name did not know about jadeheart).

so I am far from jaded, I am not a woman scored and because jade was just too plain for a user name. :)

if you knew what i knew..

2010-11-10T18:52:00.000-08:00

if you knew that life can be shorter than you think, especially if you lose someone you love, would you be more open?

Brighton - I'm Home!

2010-10-01T12:56:00.000-07:00

I love that after I've landed and I'm comfortably seated on the train to Brighton (which by the way, I'm so glad the trains have been upgraded since I lived here years and years and years ago) the first thing I see getting off the train is Peter's smiling face. :D

And where do we go immediately? But to get a Sunday roast lunch of course!!

This was definitely the most relaxing part of the vacation, it was nice to see Pete & Matt and finally meet Amy & little Sol! We got to spend the time eating and playing in the park and just enjoying Brighton again. There are definitely many moments where I miss England and living there, the food isn't as bad as everything thinks. Mostly I miss the people and the ability to visit entirely different countries for the cost of a plane ticket from San Francisco to Orange County.

So there are basic must do's when I'm in Brighton, go to the beach (which is essentially lots of small rocks, not sad.. rocks), enter an H&M (I almost made it the entire trip without buying anything, the last day failed me), and eat, eat, eat.. the must have's include a shake from Shake-Away, breakfast fry-up and fish and chips!

What I love about being here is that it's almost non-stop laughter the entire time. Pete and Matt are constantly cracking me up and it feels good to laugh. Plus, now there's little Sol and he's adorable! This kid is cute, seriously cute.

I was a little sad to be leaving, but at the same time I missed the Pacific Ocean and California just a little bit. But I'll be back again to say hello every once in awhile Brighton. Don't forget me!

J'aime Lyon!

2010-09-30T12:37:00.000-07:00

I had no idea what Lyon would be like and had no expectations about the city, my primary objective was to visit and spend time with friends that I hadn't seen in six years. But the city surprised me and I really loved it after my short 2 1/2 days there.

I grew up in suburbia near trees, water and open space and just never really loved big cities all that much. But there are moments when I find a city that I start to really enjoy, it feels open and less stuffy and congested and Lyon is definitely one of those cities. It might be because there are two large rivers that run through it or because there's a wonderful mix of old and new buildings everywhere.

I'm sure a lot of it had to do with the two wonderful people I was visiting. I appreciate those friendships where even when you don't speak or see each other often it always feels like nothing's changed and that the love is still there. And a trip to visit N & T wouldn't be complete without home cooked meals! I had ratatouille for the first time and it even tasted better the second time for lunch when we added this delicious Comte cheese. I heart cheese!

The few days I was there N took me around to see the sites and of course we ate! Macaroons, ice cream, scallop carpaccio, and loads of home cooked food. While we didn't go to a Bouchon (typical Lyonnais food) I did get to try a quenelle! It's like a fish dumpling of sorts made out of pike and it was sitting in this delicous crayfish sauce (my mouth is watering just thinking of it). My only regret was that I ran out of stomach space about 3/4ths of the way through, it's really filling!

But my favorite moment in this part of the trip was definitely visiting the market. We have farmer's markets here in California too but for some reason it's much more amusing when everything is in french. Plus everything is so pretty! The fruit and veg look much fresher and they write everything on adorable chalkboards (look I'm a sucker for romanticized images okay?). Plus you can buy so many other products! Fresh goats cheese, aged goats cheese, all sorts of ham products, pate (not the goose kind). It's also entertaining because.. well we got a lot more attention being an Asian girl and a ginger headed British girl in France.

A gentleman stopped to ask me where I was from, first speaking to me in French and after I said I was Chinese, he started asking me questions in English! But the best part was when the man at the fish truck gifted us shark fin! I was about to tell my friend how buying shark fin from Asia is really bad because the fishermen there cut the fins off the shark, dump the body and keep only the fin. While I was pointing at it, he came over and started talking to us and we somehow ended up with a shark fin and some shark steak to take home. I have NEVER cooked shark fin in my life, wouldn't even know where to begin, eaten it sure.. but COOK IT? Well thank goodness for the internet!

After searching a few sites I realized most of them talk about dried shark fin and what to do with it. Well we had a fresh one! I finally found one that described how to get the skin off to get to the cartilage that goes into the soup. Now, keep in mind, shark fin has supposed 'health' benefits, but doesn't actually taste like anything. It supposedly helps enhance flavors in soup. So I started boiling the shark fin and was thinking it would take a few hours and luckily checked on it because I almost ruined it. You can boil it too much and end up dissolving the cartilage. So it went from a fin in a pot, to this crazy looking boiled mess..

To soup! And while it wasn't incredibly amazing like some I've eaten before (I no longer eat it for moral reasons). It definitely tasted pretty darn close to them! By the way, the entire time I was feeling conflicted because I don't agree with the way sharks are killed for their fins, but I found out that they typically eat all of the shark here so that alleviate most of the guilt.

All in all, it was a wonderful trip to Lyon and I was so happy to see N&T and spend some time with them. :) Can't wait to go back, or somehow convince them to come visit me in California. Next stop: Brighton!

Bonjour Paris!

2010-09-28T20:38:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure I like the term wanderlust that much, it makes it sound fleeting. Instead what I think I have is a relationship with traveling that is sometimes passionate and sometimes not. We have our ups and downs and we get into fights, but overall, the relationship is great and we both grow from it.

I decided it was that time again (after all I do pretty much take a trip each year somewhere) and decided this year would be France and England and the entire goal was just to take it easy and see friends (since I had already been to most of the cities I was going to before), particularly a group I hadn't seen in 4-6 years!

Aside from the worse case of delayed flight, leading to other issues, I finally made it to the little apartment we rented in Paris after 24 hours of traveling.

It was a great 3 days in Paris, met up with some of my friends who are doing a fall exchange with another business school and we just took it easy. Every morning started with a cafe au lait and a pain au chocolat, followed by general wanderings.

There were three things I definitely wanted to see while I was in Paris though, #1 was my favorite building, Notre Dame. I've always been drawn to the architecture of this church and the details of the carvings on the outside of the building. Plus the view from the top (after huffing and puffing your way up several flights of twisty stairs.. is always incredible!

I also took some friends to Montmartre to see the Sacre Coeur. It's always fun to see what street performers will be out and about that day. This trip included seeing some, pretty good (not great) hip hop/breakers. But much more entertaining was the guy doing tricks with a football (soccer balls for the americans).

On our second to last night we all wanted to get together to see the Eiffel Tower and go up at night. We were on our way on the metro and trying to change lines when we were ushered out of the station. Interdit! Bomb threat! In the station! We thought it must've been a joke and started heading down the Sienne towards the tower.. but then realize there would be no trains running that way since they closed the last station. So forget the tower, dinner it is! That's when we heard there was a bomb threat at the tower too! Good thing we stopped for dinner. :)

The next night we made it out there with no problems whatsoever. I had seen it during the day and been up during the day but never at night. It was definitely a beautiful sight from up there and very windy!

It was a whirlwind three days, staying up until 2-3am and then waking up at 11am, having dinner at 9pm, feeling very parisian, minus the 3-inch black heels, ultra skinny body, and constant cigarette smoking. We did partake in the baguette, ham and cheese eating though!

Soon enough the time came to say au revoir Paris et Bonjour Lyon!

my twenties

2010-08-31T10:58:00.000-07:00

I have lived my 20s.

In the last decade I have truly lived, experiencing life and love in a way I never would have imagined and in many ways it has been extremely heart breaking, eye opening, and reassuring. I have come to realize people are incredibly resilient and ever hopeful and that is a wonderful thing.

In the last decade I learned to drink and learned I couldn’t. I lived abroad and found myself more confident and happy when I returned and realized that life continues to move on like the French saying “plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose”. I lost loved ones and went through the most devastating experience of my life. I found my first job out of college and carved a career path serendipitously. I adopted my first dog. I dated. I had relationships. I experienced break up. I experienced hind sight and learned more about love. I lost another loved one and went through the second most devastating experience in my life. I knew the world was unfair but finally felt it drown me and become real. I realized home was where my heart was, my family and friends and not in a location or place.

In the last decade my values changed and my tolerance for complaints and crap from others. My patience disappeared for awhile, some of it never came back. I realized I was angry. I found my empathy again and it came back stronger. I knew I deserved happiness. I remembered who I was and swore never to compromise myself again. At one point I had been to more funerals than weddings and then there were births and weddings and there became more to celebrate than to mourn. I adopted another dog. I dated again. I crushed. I liked. I felt unrequited like. I learned again hindsight is 20/20. I learned to trust my gut. I had my 10-year high school reunion. I started business school. I realized I had a good handle on who I was and what I wanted. Serendipity struck again.

In the last decade I remembered how to feel happy and sad and heartbroken and content. I traveled south and east and west. I drove. I flew. I swam in the Amazon. I saw monkeys, lions, elephants, and giraffes. I saw the brutality of nature and the circle of life. I found sisterhood and ohana through hula, food, travel, chair dances, and colors tests. I have laughed and laughed until I cried and laughed some more until I couldn’t see where I was going. I have tasted food that heals the heart, stirs the brain, touches ones soul, and feels like a party in your mouth! I have also tasted food and then wished I could have had those calories back. I have learned to run and enjoy running. I have learned that your body will change and with some of it, there’s just nothing you can do about it. I have made connections, started new friendships, worked on old ones, shared moments, and fallen in love with friends (not the romantic kind).

In the last decade I have found myself, lost myself, found myself and lost myself again. I have struggled to remember that I am amazing and wonderful and to continue to have faith and hope.

Now that I’m 30, I’ve realized I have lived. That I am all and none of my experiences and that I am resilient and confident and human, which means I have weak moments and times where I forget who I am.

So what am I going to do with this decade?

I am going to live it.

Jealous

2010-07-27T16:22:00.000-07:00

Some days I am so jealous of the life my dog leads... seriously can we trade places just for a day?

Do It Gorgeously: Clueless or Crafty Quiz

2010-07-02T12:34:00.001-07:00

Ruche's new look book! - Sweet as Apple Pie!

2010-06-23T14:36:00.001-07:00

2010-05-05T09:01:00.001-07:00

my heart needs a home

Gratitudes for Dec 22-31

2009-12-31T23:00:00.000-08:00

12/22/2009 - I am grateful for Hulu.com.
12/23/2009 - I am grateful for lazy days with the dog.
12/24/2009 - I am grateful for good dinners with the family and passing out on the couch.
12/25/2009 - I am grateful for little brothers and movies on Christmas day.
12/26/2009 - I am grateful for things that are passed down through generations - like posticker making knowledge!
12/27/2009 - I am grateful for being so busy!
12/28/2009 - I am grateful for Monday Night Dinner club, I miss them a lot!

12/29/2009 - I am grateful for staying friends..
12/30/2009 - I am grateful for the idea of a New Year with a clean slate.
12/31/2009 - I am grateful for movie nights and LOADS of food with good friends.

Gratitudes for Dec 15-21

2009-12-21T16:22:00.000-08:00

12/15/2009 - I am grateful for a car in good working condition and cruise control.
12/16/2009 - I am grateful for my brother! Happy Birthday Jon!
12/17/2009 - I am grateful for the internet and the advances that let us do almost everything online.
12/18/2009 - I am grateful for good company and laughs over drinks.
12/19/2009 - I am grateful for the invention of brunch.
12/20/2009 - I am grateful for friends from all over and hugs!
12/21/2009 - I am grateful for time off.

Love Vintage?

2009-12-21T13:42:00.000-08:00

You have to check out the Christmas Giveaway at ShopRuche.com! If you love romantic, vintage type of clothing and accessories, then this is your site. I've gotten some of the cutest and most comfy items from them. Check it out!

Gratitudes for Dec 8-14

2009-12-14T16:17:00.000-08:00

12/8/2009 - I am grateful for housing opportunities.
12/9/2009 - I am grateful for cheat sheets on exams.
12/10/2009 - I am grateful for being good at one of my classes this quarter. :P
12/11/2009 - I am grateful for winter breaks!
12/12/2009 - I am grateful for rainy days, movies and dinner in front of the TV.
12/13/2009 - I am grateful for lazy days on the couch.
12/14/2009 - I am grateful for Disneyland and annual passes (even with blackout dates).

OCD meets technology

2009-12-08T11:58:00.000-08:00

So those who know me know I'm addicted to my iPhone and internet in general. Seriously, it's hard to get away (not to say I don't) but still.. it's very hard. So when my friend Michelle put on twitter that she's giving away a Viliv X70 on her blog.. I had to jump over there and check it out!

The things I could do with this little wonder! Well there's reading stuff for class, doing homework on the run, checking email for possible job offers and internship opportunities, updating the blogs and social media for Furry Friends Rescue, read Michelle's blog, tweet, chat, etc.. oh the list goes on and on.

It definitely appeals to my OCD self! :D

I mean seriously have you seen what this thing can do?!
http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/07/06/review-viliv-x70-umpc/

oh how my heart flutters at technology.. wining this would be fantastic, it'll go into my purse alongside my kindle, iphone, and camera. :D
hehehe

Gratitudes for Dec 1-7

2009-12-07T23:50:00.000-08:00

12/1/2009 - I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to go to graduate school, the collaboration and discussion that goes on amazes me.
12/2/2009 - I am grateful for naps!
12/3/2009 - I am grateful for persevering in positive thinking today.
12/4/2009 - I am grateful for part time work that gives me the opportunity to grow and learn.
12/5/2009 - I am grateful for the gift of literacy.
12/6/2009 - I am grateful that I have the luxury of not working and being able to study and learn.
12/7/2009 - I am grateful for open book tests!

Cute stylish clothes for a great price!

2009-11-26T08:30:00.001-08:00

So one of my favorite shops online is Shop Ruche, you should go check it out! They've got great accessories, clothing and shoes!

current moment

2009-10-22T15:40:00.000-07:00

sitting in a coffee shop, feeling slightly productive since i finished my finance homework, chatted to some people and just thinking about how lucky i am.

life is good. right here, right now.

things I remember about my mother's funeral 6 years later

2009-10-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

My cousins all surrounding my brother and me.

The white sweater and pin striped pants I wore that day and then donated because I couldn't bring myself to wear them again.

The man taking photos of the entire event.

Looking up and seeing that my friend and ridden in from out of town to be there for me and feeling grateful just for his presence.

The wreath of flowers Karen ordered and put everyone's name on. Constantly hugging. Feeling completely numb.

The couch at the funeral home, the couch at the hotel.

The reception at the hotel and people standing up to tell stories as a photo slideshow played against a backdrop. Someone talking about her yellow suit.

Everyone in our hotel room, drinking a bottle of alcohol worth ridiculous amounts of money that was supposed to be drunk at my wedding or a happier occasion, laughing, crying, telling stories.

Struggling to fall asleep while my dad falls into a drunken, grief-stricken, sleep. Knowing my brother had to go sleep at home due to some Buddhist superstition.

...somehow it's been 6 years, I will always miss her, I will love her forever and it is her love that makes her loss easier to bear. thank you mom.

Sunset over Tustin

2009-10-02T18:40:00.000-07:00

Cute vintage stuff!

2009-08-26T15:43:00.000-07:00

Okay so I'm trying to win more stuff, hey poor grad student's gotta do what she can! :D

Check it out, this person is so nice, she's giving stuff away for her birthday!

http://lessapathymorecake.blogspot.com/2009/08/happy-birthday-to-me-its-giveaway-time.html

EAD and Stinkerpants giveaway

2009-08-26T13:48:00.000-07:00

Check out this cute contest from Elizabeth Anne Designs and Stinkerpants!

They're super cute cards designed by Stinkerpants. I'm hoping I can get some cards of me and Morgan the dog. :D Check out EAD's site for cute design ideas!

It's the moments...

2009-08-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

when the night before your best friend's funeral you're friend sleeps next to you so the loneliness won't hurt so much

haiku - while traveling to LA

2009-08-15T11:01:00.000-07:00

Trundling down 5
Carrying precious cargo
Dragons in the night

It's the moments...

2009-08-13T14:03:00.000-07:00

when I was sick with the flu and in college, missing my mom terribly, unable to move. I opened my eyes blearily and saw you putting water and Tylenol on my desk. thank you.

2009-08-12T14:00:00.001-07:00

some people run away hoping the right person will find them

the key to my heart knows one day it will be found

2009-07-26T21:29:00.000-07:00

A friend found this key in a store in England.. LOVE IT! :)

put it away

2009-07-14T22:49:00.000-07:00

sometimes you put things away, thinking you've let them go, only to suddenly be reminded of what you're missing

guess that's life, one cycle after another. i'll keep moving forward because any sadness felt only means happiness is that much more appreciated.

It's the moments...

2009-07-07T00:15:00.000-07:00

when you sometimes feel so desperately lonely and it feels even more so because something reminded you after you had forgotten what you were missing... it's also knowing that will pass.

It's the moments..

give me nature

2009-06-20T22:00:00.000-07:00

I've realized that I would love to live somewhere untouched. Where I can wake up and smell water, see trees and greenery and revel in it. Bath in the light and gaze upon the colors of sunrises and sunsets. Lay in a canoe or raft and see nothing for miles around me.

Of course you've got to give me some internet access. But I think I can live without Target and tons of people around and cars. All I'd really need is internet and probably TV and I'd be a happy girl and of course the dog's coming along.

Anyone care to join me?

My first Africa experience - pt. 1

2009-06-20T21:27:00.000-07:00

I've always said I'd want to visit Africa, I thought it would first be through Morocco or Egypt, instead it turned out to be through Zimbabwe and Botswana. What an introduction to the continent that was! Absolutely amazing, breath taking, and refreshing. Granted we were on a luxury safari and staying in 4/5 star places (even at the bush camps), but hey...a girl can spoil herself once in awhile.

I knew we were in for long flights, SFO-JFK (6 hours and 3 hour layover), JFK to Johannesburg (12.5 hour flight and another 3 hour layover), Johannesburg to Victoria Falls aka Vic Falls (2.5 hour flight). So yeah, 30 hours later we were there, sitting that long and not sleeping much created so much pain in the lower half of my body, I was in tears from the pain by the time we got there. Thank goodness for Advil and some icy/hot type of patches.

We were the last ones through immigration, you have to pay $30 for a visa to be in Zimbabwe. Luckily our chartered ride didn't leave without us, they almost did! We were the last ones to be dropped off at Victoria Falls Hotel. A hotel rich with history and stories, animal heads, hides and skulls (complete with antlers) adorn the walls alongside photos of the hotel and residents from different time periods.

It was built in 1904, a simple wood building that looked like an old school train station. Today it's a grand hotel with a new wing and a spectacular view of the falls. We were greeted warmly, porters immediately picked up our bags, check-in was quick and we were given welcome drinks, some kind of citrus juice with grenadine and a cool, sweetly perfumed cool towel. It was a welcome refreshment after the long trip and the heat. We took quick showers and headed out to see the falls, it was about 3pm by the time we left.

We got lucky, our guide told us later that the time we went was the best time of day to go. Early afternoon, because in the morning and at sunset the mist is so high that you can't see any part of the falls and the rainy season typicall ends in May (typically...more to come about rain later). As it was, I was covered in water pretty much the entire time (because in my tired state, I didn't think I'd need my waterproof windbreaker).

We headed back to the hotel and had dinner on the veranda, exhausted we could barely keep our eyes open. I had a burger and it was delicious, the meat was very fresh, local beef. My friends tried some of the ostrich and beef steak - would have been good if it was more tender. Then it was off to bed, I fell into a quick, dreamless sleep. The next morning I realized I set the alarm wrong and we raced to breakfast because we were supposed to be picked up at 7:30 for our overnight camping/canoeing trip...

They were an hour late, I was worried and we quickly found out it is the luck of the draw to try and call out of the country. All the numbers I had for our service providers were for offices in South Africa, out of the 8 calls we made to three different numbers, only 1 made it. Zimbabwe is a country and has gone from being an up-to-date country to one that is starting over due to political unrest. At one point their currency was facing such awful inflation that while waiting for lunch, the price would go up between the time it took to order to when it was received. Bills in the hundreds of billions were printed - with EXPIRATION dates on them!

The company finally called the hotel and said they'd be late, they were already 45 minutes late. African time, we quickly learned works a lot like Asian time. :) We got everything ready, changed clothes for canoeing and were driven into Zambezi National Park. We were so excited and passed some impala, waterbuck, elephants, and baboons on our way to the launch site. We didn't realize we'd see these animals again and in a closer setting so we were snapping photos like crazy.

We stopped at our launch site, the guides inflated the canoes and off we went! We had to watch out for hippos and they told us not to stick our hands in the water for too long or crocs would come. There's supposedly 1 crocodile every 300 feet. We canoed for over 10 miles (I like to include the times where we paddled in circles trying to get the canoe in the right direction). There were small rapids and lots of beautiful scenery. 2/3 of the way through we stopped for lunch consisting of crocodile, potato salad, bread rolls, eggs, salad, sausage and soda/beer. So delicious after canoeing all that way.. it's a lot harder than it looks!

After canoeing we got driven to our camp site and the guides and other staff set up the entire thing for us - complete with cots, bed rolls, blankets, sleeping bags, and a satin pillow. Granted everything smelled like camp and it was so freaking freezing we slept in every piece of clothing we could put on. There was an outhouse but it smelled so bad and was so dark, I ended up peeing outside like the animals anyway. Dinner was some yummy Chicken curry, rice, and butternut squash (we had our own cook too!). Life's good on a luxury camping trip - they even heated up water next to the fire and we had warm showers to take! After bedding down, we put our lamps outside the tents so the hippos could see us and wouldn't attack the tent if they accidentally ran into it. It was still so cold, we woke up every few hours and finally just got up to see the sun rise..

After a yummy breakfast of eggs, bacon, corn fritters, toast, and roasted tomatoes we headed back into Victoria Falls. One more night at the Falls and then it was off to Botswana - that'll be part 2.

It's the moments...

2009-05-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

like when you see your friend's 8 month old after a month or so and she giggles and reaches for your face because she remembers you, that or she thinks you're funny looking because your cheeks are as big as hers.

It's the moments.

#Barkhunt

2009-05-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize I was very competitive.. well to a point. But if you put me on a scavenger hunt I turn into a different person. I LOVE them, it's so much fun doing the search and taking photos. I don't care that much if I don't get the prize, but I want the answer.

Granted the prizes are fantastic!! But Morgan did remind me (after I got frustrated because he wanted to play during #barkhunt) that he doesn't care if I win, he just wants my time. That's more valuable to him than anything else. Although I doubt he'll complain because this time around I won him some treats and toys from @baskersdog and @bestbullysticks, two of his favorite treat stores! You can check out @bestbullysticks through Morgan's website (if you purchase through that link, we get credit towards more treats!).

Anyway, it was another fun night last Thursday, hopefully you'll join in on the next one! Check them out at www.barkhunt.com. You must be on Twitter to play, and if you do play, tell @askspikeonline that @jadeheart sent you. :D

Check out Morgan with his prizes from the first hunt of the season. The furminator we're actually going to donate and use on the Furry Friends Rescue dogs.. some of them are shedding A LOT. Morgan thrilled it's being donated, he hates being brushed. :P

The Best Bully Sticks Chews he's perfectly happy to keep.

Adopt a Duck! Support WVCS in the Silicon Valley Duck Race!

2009-05-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

What's another name for a clever duck? A Wise Quacker!

Dear Family and Friends!

West Valley Community Services is proud to be one of this year's Silicon Valley Duck Race Duck Buddies! Each year the Duck Race sells out of its ducks and agencies receive the money raised from these sales.

On Sunday, June 21, 2009, exactly 15,000 numbered ducks adopted by people like you will race down Vasona Creek. Some of those lucky people will win prizes, and one might win $1,000,000!

Come out and join us at this extremely family friendly event! This year's race will be bigger and the festival will be greener (all the ducks are free from phthalates)! The festival will offer food and entertainment for the whole family! Even better, all proceeds go to local charities. What a great way to celebrate Father's Day!

GO here to ADOPT a DUCK TODAY! - http://www.siliconvalleyduckrace.org/adopt.html

Ducks are $5 for one duck, $25 for a Family of Ducks (Adopt 5, get 1 free), $50 for a Club of Ducks (Adopt 10, get 2 free), and a Flock of Ducks for $100 (Adopt 20, get 5 free)!

Please make sure you put WEST VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICES down as the TEAM NAME so we can get the credit. TEAM MEMBER is Vicki Yang.

It's great event, lots of fun, and helps support WVCS! So Adopt a Duck today! If you have any questions, please visit their website at www.siliconvalleyduckrace.org or if you want more information about WVCS visit www.wvcommunityservices.org.

Thank you,

Vicki Yang

Highway 9 Clean Up

2009-04-27T15:04:00.000-07:00

The Area 8 Rotary Clubs (Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos Morning, Los Gatos, and Saratoga) did a big clean-up day along Highway 9 between Saratoga and Los Gatos Blvd on Saturday, April 25, 2009. I volunteered to help out since many of those Rotary clubs have helped support West Valley Community Services in the past or presently are!

It was definitely an interesting and fun experience. We found weird plastic things, lots of cigarette butts, a number of floss/toothpick things in one area, evidence of *intimate* activities, and lots and lots of glass... people! come on now.. just find a rubbish bin for crying out loud! Is it that hard?

Ohana Mama's Giveaway!

2009-04-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

I found Ohana Mama through 23Monkeys and it's another cool website by another cool mom with stuff to give away for Earth Day!

Check it out the giveaway information on her blog entry.

She's giving away a Sigg bottle from buygreen.com. I switched to Sigg's after some discussion with my friend High Entropy. They're really great bottles when it comes to cool drinks (don't put anything hot in it because it passes through the aluminum really easily. But they're sturdy bottles and good for the environment (they're recyclable and reusable)! They do dent easily but I dont' really care, after all that stuff about plastic I think switched was a better idea. I still use my Nalgene's but I'm careful about where I put those, supposedly if you put these things in the sun and it heats up that's not good. Plastics will leach things into your drinking water.

So go check it out and help celebrate Earth Day by making a few more changes in your life!

Other things I'm moving towards to help the planet:

1) switching my cleaning products to green/organic stuff
2) switching my bath products to green/organic stuff
3) trying to learn about composting more! :D

Things you can do really easily right now:

1) Use reusable bags (the giveaway Ohana Mama is doing includes one!)
2) Use biodegradable trash bags
3) Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

Barkhunt - A doggie scavenger hunt!

2009-04-15T19:46:00.000-07:00

Twitter has gone to the dogs! Not only is it a way for people to spread information or tell others what they're doing at the moment.. it's a way to play games too! If you have a dog or even if you don't, four very creative members of Twitter have created an online scavenger hunt! The prizes are dog or animal related items and it's a LOT of fun! Very fast paced but fun and you get to find out about new things along the way!

It' called Barkhunt - created by @askspikeonline @bestbullysticks @fourleggedmedia @pawluxury.

The way it works.. it's held on a Thursday night from 9-10pm EST (6-7pm PST) and a clue is given out every 5 minutes. The first person to Direct Message the answer to the person asking wins the prize! They ask them in alphabetical order - askspikeonline first, then bestbully sticks, then fourlegged media, then pawluxury - rinse and repeat until 10pm hits. Sometimes the contest lasts a little bit longer with some fun challenge questions that require taking photos of your pet doing things and other sponsors joining in.

Make sure you check it out on facebook and at Barkhunt.com! They've got a few more hunts this season and new ways to get points to win a big prize at the end of the season! So take a look and get going on the fun!

KEY - You NEED to follow all four of the creators on twitter otherwise you won't really be able to play.

If you join up in the fun, DM @askspikeonline and tell him @jadeheart sent you! :)

Icing my knee :(

2009-04-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

:) last day of the season for me

2009-04-13T13:43:00.000-07:00

2009-04-13T13:35:00.000-07:00

Blood Center of the Pacifics

2009-04-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

I'm here to donate blood, it's right down the street!

Looks like they need more Type O- blood.. I can't remember what my blood type is.. I should probably know this. Mental note to ask my dad later.

First they poked my left arm, nothing, must be empty.. just kidding. They found it in the right arm really quickly.

For some reason my blood was flowing quick today, I wasn't waiting for very long, something like 4-5 minutes. Go blood!

All Done! I ate two granola bars, drank a cup of OJ and a cup of apple juice and went to buy a Quizno's sandwich.. really wanted fast food but there weren't any places on the way back to the office. Sandwich is probably better for me anyway. :)

There is still a blood shortage so go donated today! While I was there, some guy had reached 1 gallon of donated blood! WOW!

Check out Blood Centers of the Pacific to donate!

@mommy23monkeys "Little Green" Machine Giveaway

2009-04-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this on Twitter via @wemeanclean (yes the Bissell vacuum cleaner company).

This super cute blog by a mom of three boys is giving away a "Little Green" Machine Cleaner. Now I've ALWAYS wanted a steam cleaner.. but upon moving back to my parents house after college it just didn't make sense to buy one - our house is already packed and we have other cleaning supplies. But I'd see the stains on our carpets from a house well-loved and lived in for over 20 years and wish I could take them out. Resolve and Nature's Miracle only work so well...

So here's my chance and yours - to win a Little Green Machine! When I go back to school this baby for sure is coming with me, good bye stains!

Check out Mommy23Monkeys blog entry for details about the giveaway and here for Contest Rules.

I'm not sure if it's sad that I love household appliances so much or if it's a good thing - hey I like a clean home.. granted sometimes messy but still CLEAN! (Messy is different than dirty). :D

Soon to be Starving College Student trying to Win Stuff!

2009-04-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

I'm lucky that I still have a job right now and that I got a scholarship for school, but still it never hurts to buckle down save money and where you can't save.. try and win stuff in giveaways! :) There's especially a lot of contests out there for dog items - Morgan's excited about the boxes that have come in so far.

I decided to document my journey, especially since some of them require me posting entries in blog for another chance at winning! Tt's not like I'm actively looking for giveaways, but as a result of being on Twitter I'm made aware of them. So why not give it a shot right?

The nice thing is that most of these items are stuff I can use.. from software to dog items (food, treats, books), and cleaning supplies! After all, a clean home is a happy home. The other plus, I'm learning a heck of a lot about different things just traversing the web, especially as I'm trying to build a social networking presence for Furry Friends Rescue. It's been a crazy few months just on Twitter alone and learning what #hashtags are and what via means and the software pieces I can use to track my three different accounts - @jadeheart, @morganthedog, @furryfriends.

Gotta love the internet and it's ability to connect people from all over the world!

Great day in Santa Cruz!

2009-04-05T18:39:00.001-07:00

It started off with an easy drive, 2 people, 2 dogs, to a local beach tucked away amongst some homes. Laid out and ran around, let the dogs sniff some other dogs, interesting things and play in the water.. sort of. Morgan hates water, he likes the cool wet sand though..

Then it was off to Aldo's for lunch! We walked over to the light house and back during our 20 minute wait for a table. It's so dog friendly there, they even will give you bowls of water for the dogs. We saw some cute dogs there. Everyone was quite well behaved.

I had a delicious Blackened Mahi sandwich (forgot to take photos of) and Dan and I shared a fried calamari basket! YUUUUM. Seriously, it said (best in town) next to it and it was probably one of the best I've ever had!

This was the view from our table...

The nice thing about taking the pup to the beach is that he comes back and does this:

:D All in all, a wonderful day, felt like we were on vacation!

iPod Rip

2009-04-04T23:03:00.000-07:00

My friend showed me this program when I first got my iPod, Gen 2 I believe it was. It was great! I was able to easily transfer songs and instead of having to lug their laptops over to my house to share music, my friends brought their iPods.

The program was the iPod Rip and if you're looking for a program that can help you easily transfer songs from Ipods to your Mac or Windows then this is it. I've only tried the Mac version but it was really easy to set up and use.

Go check it out at http://www.ipodrip.com

Chinese dessert :)

2009-04-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

What I'm looking at right now...

2009-03-29T09:37:00.000-07:00

Things to Do Before I Move..

2009-03-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

Visit Monterey Bay Aquarium (preferrably while the sea horse exhibit is there).
Take the dog to Carmel or somewhere to play in the sand and eat at sea side cafes.
Visit the Academy of Arts and Science in SF.
... more to come..

Happy Dog Park Dog

2009-03-16T21:14:00.001-07:00

Waiting for Swan Lake to start...

2009-02-25T19:21:00.000-08:00

Saw this on a car at Santana Row :)

2009-02-23T10:57:00.001-08:00

Origami Dog

2009-02-14T22:14:00.000-08:00

Wow..

2009-02-12T20:38:00.000-08:00

It's really happening! I'm going back to school!

What is he?... I still don't know!!!

2009-01-26T23:12:00.000-08:00

Hi, I'm Morgan
I'm part Pomeranian, English Springer Spaniel, and Pekingese

So I caved and bought the DNA test and had Morgan's DNA tested.. the results.. INCONCLUSIVE! Ah well, guess he's just a Morgan mix. :) I was surprised because he's got such distinct markings.. not at all in line with Pomeranian's, English Springer Spaniel's, or Pekingese.. I wonder if his mix messed with the test. hahaha. No matter, I love him and understand him regardless of his heritage.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2009-01-25T21:07:00.000-08:00

2009-01-15T21:01:00.000-08:00

My dad and I were cleaning the house today and we found a Barron's, Learn Italian book. It had been my mom's. I was putting it on the book shelf when three pieces of paper fell out. One was a Jiffy Lube receipt, another was a dance class at the Senior Center receipt and the third were the steps to a dance. I missed her so badly right then and there.

Mmmmmm cake

2009-01-14T20:28:00.000-08:00

Stitch!!

2008-12-27T09:33:00.000-08:00

Brunch with Lili and Stitch

2008-12-27T09:12:00.001-08:00

Tumbleweeds!

2008-12-25T14:40:00.000-08:00

There was a big one stuck on the car earlier.

Sand storm on I-5

2008-12-25T14:33:00.000-08:00

Two weeks later...

2008-12-17T16:55:00.001-08:00

The World in a Bright Light

2008-12-17T16:51:00.000-08:00

The following was sent in my DailyOm emails and it couldn't have happened on a more perfect day. Today I spent 3 hours watching families in need pick up their Christmas gifts. Mothers nearly in tears over the generosity of others in giving them things they needed and items their kids wanted.

One lucky family walked away with two bikes for their boys and another got a much needed car seat and another a high chair for their baby. The gratitude in their faces really reminds me of everything that I have. That I don't need to worry about having basic necessities, that I have a warm home to go to at night, that I can let the heater run without worrying how high my utility bill will be. I can go out to eat knowing I have income right now and that I can save money as well.

Today, I am very blessed and very grateful for the little things in my life. :)

December 17, 2008
The World in a Bright Light
Grateful

Everyday is a blessing, and in each moment there are many things that we can be grateful for. The world opens up to us when we live in a space of gratitude. In essence, gratitude has a snowball effect. When we are appreciative and express that gratitude, the universe glows a bit brighter and showers us with even more blessings.

There is always something to be grateful for, even when life seems hard. When times are tough, whether we are having a bad day or stuck in what may feel like an endless rut, it can be difficult to take the time to feel grateful. Yet, that is when gratitude can be most important. If we can look at our lives, during periods of challenge, and find something to be grateful for, then we can transform our realities in an instant. There are blessings to be found everywhere. When we are focusing on what is negative, our abundance can be easy to miss. Instead, choosing to find what already exists in our lives that we can appreciate can change what we see in our world. We start to notice one blessing, and then another.

When we constantly choose to be grateful, we notice that every breath is a miracle and each smile becomes a gift. We begin to understand that difficulties are also invaluable lessons. The sun is always shining for us when we are grateful, even if it is hidden behind clouds on a rainy day. A simple sandwich becomes a feast, and a trinket is transformed into a treasure. Living in a state of gratitude allows us to spread our abundance because that is the energy that we emanate from our beings. Because the world reflects back to us what we embody, the additional blessings that inevitably flow our way give us even more to be grateful for. The universe wants to shower us with blessings. The more we appreciate life, the more life appreciates and bestows us with more goodness

Nyokki after a week..

2008-12-08T14:42:00.001-08:00

If you squint you can see...

2008-12-07T16:49:00.001-08:00

Christmas lights on the car's back window and antennae!

Sent from my iPhone

Sprinkles!

2008-11-21T20:07:00.000-08:00

Traffic!!

2008-11-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

Boston!

2008-10-31T11:03:00.000-07:00

Clusters

2008-10-30T22:17:00.000-07:00

Usually you find chairs at the airport in rows, well in the American
Airlines area at SFO they're clusters. I wonder if it's a strange
social experiment. Instead of sitting down with a space between you
and the next person, there doesn't seem to be much space at all.
Instead you're almost forced to look into each others eyes if you
happen to look up at the same time. It definitely feels a bit
weird. :D

Battle with the laptop continues!

2008-10-27T21:59:00.001-07:00

He was sitting on the bed and suddenly jumped off to wedge himself in
the crook of my arm.

Trying to invade and get it out of the way

2008-10-26T22:31:00.001-07:00

Morgans jealous of the attention the laptop is getting

2008-10-26T22:30:00.000-07:00

resurrection

2008-10-23T19:31:00.001-07:00

My friend used to have a site where a few of us would post poems, random thoughts, etc. My postings used to consist of anguished thoughts about love. It's so funny how much has changed in the last 5 years. Loss is incredibly relative, when you're a child, losing your teddy bear is the end of the world, when you're a teenager, it's that crush... heck when you're an adult it's still that crush.

Five years later, it's my grandfather, my mother, my grandmother, and my best friend.

Now the hope of love is something I cherish and when that love comes it will be wonderful and if it is lost, it was an experience I can treasure... because losing something greater, makes one that much more grateful for everything else.

Dirt from the Handrails at SFO

2008-10-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

2008-09-22T22:26:00.001-07:00

2008-09-22T22:25:00.003-07:00

2008-09-22T22:25:00.001-07:00

Bed, Bath and Beyond

2008-09-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

All I want is a frame for my poster, this is so overwhelming.

Snuggle Time

2008-09-06T23:27:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I ate all that!

2008-09-01T19:11:00.001-07:00

I went to Harry's Hofbrau for dinner last Monday and ordered a sliced ham dinner. I didn't think I'd finish everything.. must've been hungrier than I thought! :) A bit pricy, but not too bad. I like the German potatoes, might need to try to beef stew next time. There was a lot on the menu, it did remind me a bit of the beer halls in Germany.

Wish I could rest like this...

2008-09-01T17:09:00.000-07:00