southern comfort just invited me to an event at a winery for DECEMBER 12.
dude, that is more than a month away. i said that i'd be in town then and that it sounded fun (because i'm way too polite sometiems). srsly?!? december 12?
not to mention the fact that i can't even commit to buying a ticket to go home for christmas yet (i mean, i'm going, it's just a matter of *when*) and now i apparently have plans with a dude i've gone out with a few times... for DECEMBER 12?
this is whack.
ok. i just sent a follow-up alerting him to the fact that it's a little far in the future. with humor. hopefully he is not offended, but picks up on my concern.
30 October 2009
28 October 2009
Pets and sustainable living
A recent study has estimated that owning a dog is, from a global warming standpoint, equivalent to owning and using two SUVs, and a cat is about the same as a VW.
I'm not going to argue with the numbers - it all depends on where you draw your box when doing a life cycle analysis, and carbon footprint calculations can be argued all day long. However, what about the improved health of pet owners over non-pet owners? Surely a healthier human is less of an environmental tax than a sick person. What about those pets that are shelter, or rescue animals, compared to those that come from breeders?
I do have a bit of guilt around my (newish to me, as of April 09, but adopted at age 11) cat. I don't feel guilt about her food, for some reason, even though she's a total carnivore and her food isn't organic. Her litter is Swheat Scoop, which is made from non-food grade wheat, grown domestically (yay!). However, every time I clean out her litter box, I am adding a plastic bag (reused!) of feces to the landfill, which sucks. And I'm not springing for biodegradable litter bags. Nope.
I'm not going to argue with the numbers - it all depends on where you draw your box when doing a life cycle analysis, and carbon footprint calculations can be argued all day long. However, what about the improved health of pet owners over non-pet owners? Surely a healthier human is less of an environmental tax than a sick person. What about those pets that are shelter, or rescue animals, compared to those that come from breeders?
I do have a bit of guilt around my (newish to me, as of April 09, but adopted at age 11) cat. I don't feel guilt about her food, for some reason, even though she's a total carnivore and her food isn't organic. Her litter is Swheat Scoop, which is made from non-food grade wheat, grown domestically (yay!). However, every time I clean out her litter box, I am adding a plastic bag (reused!) of feces to the landfill, which sucks. And I'm not springing for biodegradable litter bags. Nope.
Ba-ay Bridge is fal-ling down. Fal-ling down. Fal-ling down.
An AlertSF email:
The Bay Bridge remains closed indefinitely with no estimate for re-opening by Caltrans. Please avoid impacted areas and utilize alternate forms of transportation. No further AlertSF notifications will be made unless there is new information about the expected opening.
(Ok, I made one little edit. The email came with indefinitely spelled indefinately and so I fixed it.)
Oh, and "a lot of people" = 280,000 cars. Dayum. I am happy to not be one of them as part of my daily (all in-town) commute.
Background and informative article here.
The Bay Bridge remains closed indefinitely with no estimate for re-opening by Caltrans. Please avoid impacted areas and utilize alternate forms of transportation. No further AlertSF notifications will be made unless there is new information about the expected opening.
(Ok, I made one little edit. The email came with indefinitely spelled indefinately and so I fixed it.)
Oh, and "a lot of people" = 280,000 cars. Dayum. I am happy to not be one of them as part of my daily (all in-town) commute.
Background and informative article here.
26 October 2009
down to one, definitely time for a new crop
Ze boy status.
Got my camera back from Cutie. He dropped it off at my house on Friday evening.
(AB - he had it b/c we were taking pictures at a friend's party and then I forgot to get it back from him.)
And I'm done with that one.
I owe Spork a conversation along the lines of, "You're married, that is not really appropriate to me. Call me in six months."
And I'm going to see Southern Comfort tomorrow evening. He's making me dinner. I called him while I was on my way home after a wedding on Saturday night and he was highly amused. I'm not totally done with him yet and he seems to be picking up on my need for a little more, uh, autonomy.
Potentials at the wedding? Eh, a few. One guy from San Diego who seemed very chill, in a good way...but then when he and I started talking, he was way too nervous. I'm very scary, I know. I think got me a drink at the after party, but didn't really hold my interest...especially since there were non-nervous, chatty cute guys around. Being the stupid drunk girl that I was, I probably set that drink down and went to talk to someone else. Or handed the drink to another friend. Who knows? I didn't expect to find anyone at the wedding.
I have had one random hook-up at a wedding reception... Few years ago a coworker of the groom (my cousin-in-law). My cousin loved that the last picture in the online photo album from the photographer was a shot of the two of us slow dancing and definitely not looking like we just met.
Anyway, time for a new group... perhaps at Halloween?
Got my camera back from Cutie. He dropped it off at my house on Friday evening.
(AB - he had it b/c we were taking pictures at a friend's party and then I forgot to get it back from him.)
And I'm done with that one.
I owe Spork a conversation along the lines of, "You're married, that is not really appropriate to me. Call me in six months."
And I'm going to see Southern Comfort tomorrow evening. He's making me dinner. I called him while I was on my way home after a wedding on Saturday night and he was highly amused. I'm not totally done with him yet and he seems to be picking up on my need for a little more, uh, autonomy.
Potentials at the wedding? Eh, a few. One guy from San Diego who seemed very chill, in a good way...but then when he and I started talking, he was way too nervous. I'm very scary, I know. I think got me a drink at the after party, but didn't really hold my interest...especially since there were non-nervous, chatty cute guys around. Being the stupid drunk girl that I was, I probably set that drink down and went to talk to someone else. Or handed the drink to another friend. Who knows? I didn't expect to find anyone at the wedding.
I have had one random hook-up at a wedding reception... Few years ago a coworker of the groom (my cousin-in-law). My cousin loved that the last picture in the online photo album from the photographer was a shot of the two of us slow dancing and definitely not looking like we just met.
Anyway, time for a new group... perhaps at Halloween?
21 October 2009
Belated weekend dating update
Wow. Thanks for all the advice about SST.
Amanda pointed out that I failed to update on Cutie. He's cute. And a little too "fresh out of college" still for me, just in the way he talks about his friends and drinking, etc. Also, a huge turn-off (Ugh. Please, there must be a better way to say that. Not my favorite phrase.) for me is listening to a guy complain about things being expensive. *I'm* not rich. I know that shit is expensive sometimes. But I don't want to hear about how you don't go to the movies because you just can't justify the $12 ticket. That's something my mom (love her, really) would say. Why are we out to dinner? I can't help but think about that when you say, "I've got it" about the check. I feel like an ass then.
Caveat - bitching about something like how expensive it is to buy a house, or tuition or something like that. Totally fine. But normal stuff? Don't tell me about how you save so much money by drinking at home instead of out at a bar - especially if we are in one.
Anyway... he still has my camera so I'll either have to see him again, or maybe he can drop it off for me.
Onward.
SST, or "Southern Comfort," as coined by CP.
We had made tentative plans for Saturday night towards the end of coffee, but then I said I needed to think about it, due to the whole age thing. You all are fantastic with your comments. Really, I loved hearing from you. So, I did email him back...after making him wait/suffer a few hours ;) and told him that I'd like to see him again. We emailed back and forth that afternoon and at some point I found out that my Friday evening plans fell through... and took him up on his offer to go to dinner. Why not? It's not every day that I meet someone and have fabulous, comfortable conversation and flirting, right? And let's not forget the kissable part.
Without going into tons of details... we ended up having dinner on Friday night, kind of last minute and then Saturday, as planned. And then he brought take out over to my place yesterday. Yes, this is a lot in a short period of time. But, whatever. Fun. SST/SC is charming and outgoing. The kind of guy who has a conversation with the bartender and knows people at various restaurants and could get dropped into a party and have a great time. He is generous with compliments and invitations - such as to join him and a friend at brunch on Sunday. But...
He has two (WTF?) cars. Neither is particularly great on the gas mileage.
He drinks bottled water sometimes (but then asked if it was okay to just use a filter, so there's potential for conversion there).
He does not seem sold on municipal composting.
I'm not sure if he's into outdoorsy stuff at all, but he does have a commuter bike and a surfboard.
He is, at least, acting, like he's really, really into me. It's kind of overwhelming. I don't want an insta-boyfriend.
Said that my cat is fat and made fun of her. Poor thing. Otherwise, got along with her quite well.
Oh, and there are the previously discussed issues. The 42 and short&slim.
Spork and I haven't gone out again. He called about going out on Sunday, but I was exhausted. I may try going out with him again, but with the potential to have the "you're still technically married, let's be friends (cuz he really does seem cool)" conversation.
And those are all the updates I have for now. I may email a few new guys tonight. We'll see.
Amanda pointed out that I failed to update on Cutie. He's cute. And a little too "fresh out of college" still for me, just in the way he talks about his friends and drinking, etc. Also, a huge turn-off (Ugh. Please, there must be a better way to say that. Not my favorite phrase.) for me is listening to a guy complain about things being expensive. *I'm* not rich. I know that shit is expensive sometimes. But I don't want to hear about how you don't go to the movies because you just can't justify the $12 ticket. That's something my mom (love her, really) would say. Why are we out to dinner? I can't help but think about that when you say, "I've got it" about the check. I feel like an ass then.
Caveat - bitching about something like how expensive it is to buy a house, or tuition or something like that. Totally fine. But normal stuff? Don't tell me about how you save so much money by drinking at home instead of out at a bar - especially if we are in one.
Anyway... he still has my camera so I'll either have to see him again, or maybe he can drop it off for me.
Onward.
SST, or "Southern Comfort," as coined by CP.
We had made tentative plans for Saturday night towards the end of coffee, but then I said I needed to think about it, due to the whole age thing. You all are fantastic with your comments. Really, I loved hearing from you. So, I did email him back...after making him wait/suffer a few hours ;) and told him that I'd like to see him again. We emailed back and forth that afternoon and at some point I found out that my Friday evening plans fell through... and took him up on his offer to go to dinner. Why not? It's not every day that I meet someone and have fabulous, comfortable conversation and flirting, right? And let's not forget the kissable part.
Without going into tons of details... we ended up having dinner on Friday night, kind of last minute and then Saturday, as planned. And then he brought take out over to my place yesterday. Yes, this is a lot in a short period of time. But, whatever. Fun. SST/SC is charming and outgoing. The kind of guy who has a conversation with the bartender and knows people at various restaurants and could get dropped into a party and have a great time. He is generous with compliments and invitations - such as to join him and a friend at brunch on Sunday. But...
He has two (WTF?) cars. Neither is particularly great on the gas mileage.
He drinks bottled water sometimes (but then asked if it was okay to just use a filter, so there's potential for conversion there).
He does not seem sold on municipal composting.
I'm not sure if he's into outdoorsy stuff at all, but he does have a commuter bike and a surfboard.
He is, at least, acting, like he's really, really into me. It's kind of overwhelming. I don't want an insta-boyfriend.
Said that my cat is fat and made fun of her. Poor thing. Otherwise, got along with her quite well.
Oh, and there are the previously discussed issues. The 42 and short&slim.
Spork and I haven't gone out again. He called about going out on Sunday, but I was exhausted. I may try going out with him again, but with the potential to have the "you're still technically married, let's be friends (cuz he really does seem cool)" conversation.
And those are all the updates I have for now. I may email a few new guys tonight. We'll see.
Guilt. Guilt. Guilt.
Articles like this make me feel like such a hypocrite.
I don't drive, buy mostly organic food, local when possible. I also try to purchase other locally made products - luckily, there are a few Northern CA organic personal care manufacturers (Alba Organics, for one). I generally remember to buy carbon offsets for my flights. But really... I eat meat. And dairy. And eggs. (you know, except when I'm vegan once a week) And switching to vegetarian (well, actually vegan) eating would potentially be the most impactful change I could make in my life, wrt global warming.
Augh. The guilt.
It gets worse, people. I don't always buy organic meats. Eggs are probably, eh 60/40 (organic/not). Why? It's not generally an accessibility issue. Totally a $ thing. Organic, free-range, grazing... easily double the price of conventional.
Whine.Why is this so haaaaaard? End whine.
I may smell a vegetarian week/month/planned out X days a week coming up. With my current ninja training 2x a week, half marathon training and trying to lose weight... I don't think that full-time veg is the way to go for me. But could I do vegan 1x a week and planned vegetarian 2x a week? Probably. I mean, I'm on my way towards an unplanned vegetarian day right now...
We've long said that cutting meat and dairy out of your diet, or at minimum cutting back deeply on their consumption, is one of the most powerful personal steps you can take towards mitigating climate change. But new analysis from Worldwatch Institute shows that the impact of raising livestock and poultry is much greater than previously thought and actually amounts to approximately 51% of global greenhouse gas emissions:(Treehugger article, by Matthew McDermott)
I don't drive, buy mostly organic food, local when possible. I also try to purchase other locally made products - luckily, there are a few Northern CA organic personal care manufacturers (Alba Organics, for one). I generally remember to buy carbon offsets for my flights. But really... I eat meat. And dairy. And eggs. (you know, except when I'm vegan once a week) And switching to vegetarian (well, actually vegan) eating would potentially be the most impactful change I could make in my life, wrt global warming.
Augh. The guilt.
It gets worse, people. I don't always buy organic meats. Eggs are probably, eh 60/40 (organic/not). Why? It's not generally an accessibility issue. Totally a $ thing. Organic, free-range, grazing... easily double the price of conventional.
Whine.Why is this so haaaaaard? End whine.
I may smell a vegetarian week/month/planned out X days a week coming up. With my current ninja training 2x a week, half marathon training and trying to lose weight... I don't think that full-time veg is the way to go for me. But could I do vegan 1x a week and planned vegetarian 2x a week? Probably. I mean, I'm on my way towards an unplanned vegetarian day right now...
19 October 2009
hidden dairy alert - pumpkin spice latte
Coffee. Oh, how I heart thee. My mom, she's a Starbucks mocha addict. Seriously, I can make her day by sending her a Starbucks gift card to fuel her crack purchases. There isn't a Starbucks where she works, so she has to slum it with Caribou sometimes. Poor gal. Anyway, unless I'm back in the I-L with Mom, or out with someone who's totally a Starbucksan, I generally don't go to Starbucks. There are lots of other options around that could use my coffee dollar a little more - from the small cafe, to Peet's (their regular coffee is battery acid, but a dash of milk/soy and it's delicious). And, if I'm near a place like Blue Bottle or Philz, then maybe it's my coffee dollar$, but it's fantastic coffee and worth the extra coin.
However, like so many people out there, I dig the Pumpkin Spice latte. It's a seasonal thing at Sbux and, like seeing people walking around with those red Sbux cups, is a nice reminder that the holidays are on their way.
I also dig food blogs. And while I'm not a raw foodie, or a vegan, I like reading their stuff now and again. Because I learn stuff like....
a soy Pumpkin Spice latte is NOT VEGAN! There's milk in thar! After a short search to find the actual offending ingredients (my usual blogger just commented that she was surprised to find that it wasn't vegan, without the explanation)...here you go -
Here’s the ingredient list for the Pumpkin Spice Latte: sugar, condensed nonfat milk, sweet condensed nonfat milk, anotta (a colorant), natural and artificial flavors (which she couldn’t give me), and caramel coloring.
Along a similar vein, Happy Vegan Monday! Yep, I'm still rocking the weekly vegan habit. It's been well over a year now. Yay!
However, like so many people out there, I dig the Pumpkin Spice latte. It's a seasonal thing at Sbux and, like seeing people walking around with those red Sbux cups, is a nice reminder that the holidays are on their way.
I also dig food blogs. And while I'm not a raw foodie, or a vegan, I like reading their stuff now and again. Because I learn stuff like....
a soy Pumpkin Spice latte is NOT VEGAN! There's milk in thar! After a short search to find the actual offending ingredients (my usual blogger just commented that she was surprised to find that it wasn't vegan, without the explanation)...here you go -
Here’s the ingredient list for the Pumpkin Spice Latte: sugar, condensed nonfat milk, sweet condensed nonfat milk, anotta (a colorant), natural and artificial flavors (which she couldn’t give me), and caramel coloring.
Along a similar vein, Happy Vegan Monday! Yep, I'm still rocking the weekly vegan habit. It's been well over a year now. Yay!
16 October 2009
Cuz I'm a creep.
No, I do not have an earthquake/emergency kit ready. Yes, I need to make one.
However, this article helps to ease my mind (a little). The Hayward Fault, in East Bay, is c-r-e-e-p-i-n-g along - it moved 4.5mm in the past year. Seismologists think that these small movements help ease fault stress and reduce the chance for a big earthquake. Interesting stuff.
However, this article helps to ease my mind (a little). The Hayward Fault, in East Bay, is c-r-e-e-p-i-n-g along - it moved 4.5mm in the past year. Seismologists think that these small movements help ease fault stress and reduce the chance for a big earthquake. Interesting stuff.
DOOOOOOOD.
Southern Story Teller is cute and we had a great coffee date. He brought me chocolates from See's and was wearing a stylish blazer with jeans, which is a guy look I totally love. Conversation was kind of bouncing all over the place and we were comfortable cutting each other off mid-thought and telling funny stories - not the interview-style first date that's all too common.
He's not tall. 5'8" is probably about right. And lean, so it's totally possible that I'd have the "I'm bigger than him" freak-out if we were to make out. He does look extremely kissable though.
BUT!!!
He lied about his age. WTF?!?! Apparently, one of his girl friends told him to say he's 36 because he doesn't really look like his real age, which is 42. 42. (I'm 31.) He was extremely apologetic about the whole thing and totally embarrassed. Of course, this was towards the end of our coffee break date, which - by that time I was totally thrilled to have met someone where there's the instant (in-person) conversation/flirting/cuteness/chemistry thing.
We discussed going to dinner on Saturday. I don't know. I've been purposefully leaving Saturday open to either do a last minute call to Spork (who said he was free and likes being spontaneous) or SST or friends or just kickin it at home with my cat and some hulu.com (Glee!!!). I am thrilled about the chemistry with SST and would have gone out with him again in a heartbeat... but do I give him a second chance?
He's not tall. 5'8" is probably about right. And lean, so it's totally possible that I'd have the "I'm bigger than him" freak-out if we were to make out. He does look extremely kissable though.
BUT!!!
He lied about his age. WTF?!?! Apparently, one of his girl friends told him to say he's 36 because he doesn't really look like his real age, which is 42. 42. (I'm 31.) He was extremely apologetic about the whole thing and totally embarrassed. Of course, this was towards the end of our coffee break date, which - by that time I was totally thrilled to have met someone where there's the instant (in-person) conversation/flirting/cuteness/chemistry thing.
We discussed going to dinner on Saturday. I don't know. I've been purposefully leaving Saturday open to either do a last minute call to Spork (who said he was free and likes being spontaneous) or SST or friends or just kickin it at home with my cat and some hulu.com (Glee!!!). I am thrilled about the chemistry with SST and would have gone out with him again in a heartbeat... but do I give him a second chance?
15 October 2009
fido has found a new home
i sold fido on monday night. it was very strange to do a large cash transaction out in the street on a monday night (thank goodness a friend came to help me), but it worked. fido is in the capable hands of a pizza delivery boy.
i am sad and relieved. fido was my first major purchase, pretty much ever. i bought him on my birthday in 2001, just six weeks after moving to california. and now... no longer mine. however, relieved to not have to deal with a car anymore. that street parking thing was killing me. i had to move my car 1-2 times a week, sometimes driving around for an hour to find a spot. major suckage.
so now, on to zipcar and motorcycles... and, of course, my bike. i'm planning to outfit my commuter with rear panniers again, get her a tune-up and maybe eventually buy one of these super sweet helmets -
i am sad and relieved. fido was my first major purchase, pretty much ever. i bought him on my birthday in 2001, just six weeks after moving to california. and now... no longer mine. however, relieved to not have to deal with a car anymore. that street parking thing was killing me. i had to move my car 1-2 times a week, sometimes driving around for an hour to find a spot. major suckage.
so now, on to zipcar and motorcycles... and, of course, my bike. i'm planning to outfit my commuter with rear panniers again, get her a tune-up and maybe eventually buy one of these super sweet helmets -
Cutie, Spork, SST
Last weekend boy recap:
Saturday night - met a cute boy out (IRL, that's In Real Life). A friend of a friend. I thought he was with someone else... turns out he wasn't. I flirt back, upon realizing this... we share a cab back to our respective homes (there may have been a few kisses along the way to catch a cab) and are going out to dinner tonight (Thursday). He has my camera, so I *have* to see him again, but he's also very cute (that's the second time I said this, let's nickname him Cutie, even though it's generic) and seems fun. I mean, hey, he hit on a girl (me) wearing a mustache! (I was there for a birthday party - and the bday girl said to wear mustaches. Who am I to argue?) He's kind of a baby (27), but I'd date someone four years older - why not four years younger?
Uh, I have nothing snarky to say about Sunday's date. Spork was really nice. We had good conversation and even chatted a little about online dating and our experiences. Apparently a lot of the chicks on OKCupid are really flaky, just want to email, or suddenly freak out about meeting someone they met online in person because of the potential safety risk. I'm happy to kill that trend. I don't like emailing for years on end without meeting in person. Builds it up way too much and you're better to know sooner, rather than later, if there's that click or not.
So... the only potential issue? Spork is still married. Yeah, I could get snarky about this one. But, they split up in early 2009 and then didn't do the paperwork until August. And now they have six months (CA law) until the deevorce is final. I'm not the one to say whether or not Spork's ready to have a girlfriend or date anyone seriously. Only he knows that. But, I'm not going to lie - this does not scream potential LTR. A married friend also said that I shouldn't make a habit out of dating married men, regardless of their separated status. I may or may not agree with that one, but saying, "call me in six months when you're actually divorced" may be a good idea.
Tomorrow I'm going out for coffee with the Southern Story Teller. We've been having delightful, witty email banter and he works nearby. I am looking forward to hearing his accent... which will either make me swoon or think he is really, really stupid. He also appears to have a Corvette, which would have been cool to me when I was 16 and into cars... but not so much now. But, he also has a cat and does yoga and stand-up comedy. SST also claims to be 5'8". 5'8", as you may recall, is one inch below my standard height requirement (5'9" - my height + 6". And no, I won't justify this ridiculousness. I know it's silly and I don't care.). 5'8" can be okay... but 5'7" is not so much okay. Then we're even running into "I could be bigger than you" territory and I have a really tough time with guys who do not seem physically bigger than me (again, silly and I don't care.).
So... to wear heels tomorrow or not?
Saturday night - met a cute boy out (IRL, that's In Real Life). A friend of a friend. I thought he was with someone else... turns out he wasn't. I flirt back, upon realizing this... we share a cab back to our respective homes (there may have been a few kisses along the way to catch a cab) and are going out to dinner tonight (Thursday). He has my camera, so I *have* to see him again, but he's also very cute (that's the second time I said this, let's nickname him Cutie, even though it's generic) and seems fun. I mean, hey, he hit on a girl (me) wearing a mustache! (I was there for a birthday party - and the bday girl said to wear mustaches. Who am I to argue?) He's kind of a baby (27), but I'd date someone four years older - why not four years younger?
Uh, I have nothing snarky to say about Sunday's date. Spork was really nice. We had good conversation and even chatted a little about online dating and our experiences. Apparently a lot of the chicks on OKCupid are really flaky, just want to email, or suddenly freak out about meeting someone they met online in person because of the potential safety risk. I'm happy to kill that trend. I don't like emailing for years on end without meeting in person. Builds it up way too much and you're better to know sooner, rather than later, if there's that click or not.
So... the only potential issue? Spork is still married. Yeah, I could get snarky about this one. But, they split up in early 2009 and then didn't do the paperwork until August. And now they have six months (CA law) until the deevorce is final. I'm not the one to say whether or not Spork's ready to have a girlfriend or date anyone seriously. Only he knows that. But, I'm not going to lie - this does not scream potential LTR. A married friend also said that I shouldn't make a habit out of dating married men, regardless of their separated status. I may or may not agree with that one, but saying, "call me in six months when you're actually divorced" may be a good idea.
Tomorrow I'm going out for coffee with the Southern Story Teller. We've been having delightful, witty email banter and he works nearby. I am looking forward to hearing his accent... which will either make me swoon or think he is really, really stupid. He also appears to have a Corvette, which would have been cool to me when I was 16 and into cars... but not so much now. But, he also has a cat and does yoga and stand-up comedy. SST also claims to be 5'8". 5'8", as you may recall, is one inch below my standard height requirement (5'9" - my height + 6". And no, I won't justify this ridiculousness. I know it's silly and I don't care.). 5'8" can be okay... but 5'7" is not so much okay. Then we're even running into "I could be bigger than you" territory and I have a really tough time with guys who do not seem physically bigger than me (again, silly and I don't care.).
So... to wear heels tomorrow or not?
10 October 2009
Fido and Spork
I'm finally doing it - Fido, my dear, beloved, but pain in the ass to park in my 'hood, and infrequently used car, is on Craigslist. Woo-hoo!
Also, things I'm doing.... telling you about my online dating experiences.
First date tomorrow evening. I do not have any witty nicknames for him yet, so for now, we'll call him Spork, because that's where we're going to dinner. He was kind enough to avoid the whole "who's paying/dutch/let me/no I have it" thing out of the equation and suggest a place (I recommended the neighborhood, since I thought it'd be easy for both of us to get to) and then say email that dinner is his treat. That's nice. I mean, nice that he's taking me out, but also nice that he's pre-emptively avoiding that check-dance at the end of dinner.
Concerns about Spork...
1. We haven't talked on the phone
2. His profile lists him as AT my min height requirement. Last time I did online dating, I found that quite a few guys would fib on the height thing, probably because of asshats like me with a stupid requirement. (My height + 6 inches, to allow for heels of any height. I know that's a silly, stereotypical thing, but I know that I prefer guys that are taller than me.)
3. Dinner? On a first date? Kind of a commitment, should there be an inital WTF?!? am I doing here kind of experience. I've historically gone with the first date beer/wine/coffee. Oh well.
Good things...
1. He does motocross racing. Cool, and great that he has a hobby that he loves.
2. Looks cute in his pictures
3. Has a hotdog dog!
4. Been emailing together for the past week
5. Kind/polite/sensitive to awkwardness (?) as evidenced by the dinner conversation
6. Emails have been relatively typo free, with good grammar (I'm a sucktastic writer, I know, but truly awful writing does not make the guy seem very smart, which is important to me.)
7. Some funny stuff in his profile
8. He asked me out, which I know is difficult to initiate
EDIT, to answer Amanda's questions...
Snark will happen sometime. I mean, next time I get a really good one who emails me, I'll let you know. In general, I've got to be positive about a guy before I go out with him, if I've agreed to see him. You dig? Otherwise, I wouldn't waste his time - or mine!
So, Spork contacted me initially. I believe this was after I gave him 4 or 5 stars or something on this "QuickMatch" thing - if both people give each other 4 or 5 stars, OkCupid lets you know and then you can contact each other, knowing that you both thought that the other was at least not a total, um, dork, to use your words, Amanda.
And I openly admit that the first date dinner is not usual for me! But... sometimes rules get bent.
Also, things I'm doing.... telling you about my online dating experiences.
First date tomorrow evening. I do not have any witty nicknames for him yet, so for now, we'll call him Spork, because that's where we're going to dinner. He was kind enough to avoid the whole "who's paying/dutch/let me/no I have it" thing out of the equation and suggest a place (I recommended the neighborhood, since I thought it'd be easy for both of us to get to) and then say email that dinner is his treat. That's nice. I mean, nice that he's taking me out, but also nice that he's pre-emptively avoiding that check-dance at the end of dinner.
Concerns about Spork...
1. We haven't talked on the phone
2. His profile lists him as AT my min height requirement. Last time I did online dating, I found that quite a few guys would fib on the height thing, probably because of asshats like me with a stupid requirement. (My height + 6 inches, to allow for heels of any height. I know that's a silly, stereotypical thing, but I know that I prefer guys that are taller than me.)
3. Dinner? On a first date? Kind of a commitment, should there be an inital WTF?!? am I doing here kind of experience. I've historically gone with the first date beer/wine/coffee. Oh well.
Good things...
1. He does motocross racing. Cool, and great that he has a hobby that he loves.
2. Looks cute in his pictures
3. Has a hotdog dog!
4. Been emailing together for the past week
5. Kind/polite/sensitive to awkwardness (?) as evidenced by the dinner conversation
6. Emails have been relatively typo free, with good grammar (I'm a sucktastic writer, I know, but truly awful writing does not make the guy seem very smart, which is important to me.)
7. Some funny stuff in his profile
8. He asked me out, which I know is difficult to initiate
EDIT, to answer Amanda's questions...
Snark will happen sometime. I mean, next time I get a really good one who emails me, I'll let you know. In general, I've got to be positive about a guy before I go out with him, if I've agreed to see him. You dig? Otherwise, I wouldn't waste his time - or mine!
So, Spork contacted me initially. I believe this was after I gave him 4 or 5 stars or something on this "QuickMatch" thing - if both people give each other 4 or 5 stars, OkCupid lets you know and then you can contact each other, knowing that you both thought that the other was at least not a total, um, dork, to use your words, Amanda.
And I openly admit that the first date dinner is not usual for me! But... sometimes rules get bent.
08 October 2009
Crock pot arrival!
Yeah! Programmable 5 quart crock pot arrived yesterday. (I am so thankful for the corner store guy. He accepted it from FedEx for me.)
I'm totally looking forward to trying it out soon. Please comment/send emails/links to your favorite crock pot recipes :)
I'm totally looking forward to trying it out soon. Please comment/send emails/links to your favorite crock pot recipes :)
06 October 2009
Be a superstar recycler
So I have a profile up on OkCupid.com/. We shall see how it goes. I know at least one of you is excited for the stories :)
In my profile, I was asked to describe some things I'm good at. (Grammar, obviously not one of them... ending sentences with prepositions and all.) Making oatmeal with creative toppings, navigating my way around SF by bike, making friends laugh...a few other things. AND telling people what's compostable, recyclable and trash (Not so much with my eco-fabulous friends, but I do this at least three times a week at work!).
While I can't help all of you sort your trash because we live far away, I found a list of great tips that hold true with municipal recycling in general - check it.
In my profile, I was asked to describe some things I'm good at. (Grammar, obviously not one of them... ending sentences with prepositions and all.) Making oatmeal with creative toppings, navigating my way around SF by bike, making friends laugh...a few other things. AND telling people what's compostable, recyclable and trash (Not so much with my eco-fabulous friends, but I do this at least three times a week at work!).
While I can't help all of you sort your trash because we live far away, I found a list of great tips that hold true with municipal recycling in general - check it.
Top 5 Recycling Faux Pas - and How to Avoid Them
- Unscrew It! - Yes, plastic bottles are recyclable, but in many communities the bottle caps are not. If that's the case for you, then please unscrew the lid before you throw it in the trash. There's nothing more frustrating than sorting through the recycling, and having to remove each bottle cap one at a time. (see Ed Begley's tips on sorting out plastic recycling codes to find out what is and isn't recyclable.)
- Look Inside - For some reason, every household I've lived in has had somebody that insists on trying to recycle all envelopes - even when those envelopes are mostly lined with bubble wrap. Besides the fact that a plastic/paper multilayered envelope like that will almost certainly be unrecyclable, it's also pretty valuable. Hold on to those things and use them again. (Remember - always look to reuse before you recycle!)
- Clean It! - I have heard arguments that rinsing out cans negates the energy saved in recycling them, but I'm pretty sure that's nonsense (especially for households like mine where hot water is solar heated). One thing is for certain--sorting through sticky piles of gunky recycling is no fun. So please at least empty containers carefully before you discard them.
- Not All Glass is Created Equal - In most communities, just because it's made of glass, doesn't mean it's recyclable. Usually glass jars and bottles are recyclable - but drinking glasses, broken windows, vases, light bulbs and the like are not. At least not in regular household trash. Check out Earth911 to find out what is and is not recyclable in your area.
- Compostable Doesn't Necessarily Compost - Sorry, just because it says it's compostable, doesn't mean you can throw it in your backyard heap. Most PLA plastics require high-temperature commercial composting to break down. If that's not available, you may as well throw it in the trash.
05 October 2009
Foot gloves
Kid from my ninja training gym has a picture and quote in SFGate.com/ today. Kind of cool - I was just working out with him this morning and then (electronically) open the paper and poof! there he is again. (Oh, and I think - like pretty much every other guy at my gym - he's married, so don't go all, why don't you go for him on me.) Anyway, the Vibram FiveFingers have been getting a lot of attention lately - they're the latest in barefoot running gear, kind of like the Nike Free was a few years ago. These have even *less* sole and let your toes really do their stabilization stuff individually. I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff and may try them out for some shorter runs this winter. We'll see.
For now... Vibram's FiveFingers foot gloves runaway hit
For now... Vibram's FiveFingers foot gloves runaway hit
Green bubbly!
My apologies for the onslaught of food-related posts. This one, however, had to get a nod.
Korbel Makes Its First Champagne with Organic Grapes
Rock on. $15.99, start looking for it in stores now.
Also, I can't possibly be the only UIUC grad who has the hardest time typing champa-gne instead of champa-ign. Right?
Image swiped from Frugal Cafe Blog Zone
Korbel Makes Its First Champagne with Organic Grapes
Rock on. $15.99, start looking for it in stores now.
Also, I can't possibly be the only UIUC grad who has the hardest time typing champa-gne instead of champa-ign. Right?
Image swiped from Frugal Cafe Blog Zone
01 October 2009
Normally I wouldn't laugh at someone's food log...
I am inspired and awed by all of the bloggers who are able to post their food online for the world to judge. It takes guts, will-power, good organization skills and probably a little OCD. I've got maybe, one and a half of those traits. However, my ninja training gym has a forum where people post their workout and nutrition logs - just written down - no pictures needed. Some are really detailed, others are not. I'm a little put off by the "nutrition" thing, rather than "food" or "eating," but... hey, that's really what it's all about, right? Nourishment. There just happen to be some mighty tasty ways to get those nutrients in your body :)
I've been logging my workouts now for the past month* (yeah! ninja training one month mark!) and will be starting to write up my daily**, um, the daily plate? That would be kind of funny, considering how little I actually use plates. I'm more likely to use a bowl, or - during the work day, some sort of plastic container.
Anyway, to the funny part, and the impetus for this post. Here is an example log that I found HI-larious.
Seriously? You're going to FAST for Yom Kippur and then have BACON?!? You couldn't just have the bacon on a non-holiday day? If only I knew this guy. He would not hear the end of that one.
Ok, ok. Yes, maybe it's more of a soul-cleansing fast and the dude grew up Jewish and doesn't usually practice, but decided he needed to take some time to reflect. Whatever. I maintain that this is funny.
*Let's not kid ourselves here. I won't remember to do this every day, nor will I want to do this every day. Baby steps, especially considering I feel like I eat for two people compared to some of the other women (and some men!) who are on the forum.
**if you're interested in taking a look at either of these logs, let me know and i'll send you the link or something
I've been logging my workouts now for the past month* (yeah! ninja training one month mark!) and will be starting to write up my daily**, um, the daily plate? That would be kind of funny, considering how little I actually use plates. I'm more likely to use a bowl, or - during the work day, some sort of plastic container.
Anyway, to the funny part, and the impetus for this post. Here is an example log that I found HI-larious.
24 hour fast for Yom Kippur
Hickory bacon cheeseburger w/ avocado, french onion soup w/ garlic bread, strawberry shake, fruit
Hickory bacon cheeseburger w/ avocado, french onion soup w/ garlic bread, strawberry shake, fruit
Seriously? You're going to FAST for Yom Kippur and then have BACON?!? You couldn't just have the bacon on a non-holiday day? If only I knew this guy. He would not hear the end of that one.
Ok, ok. Yes, maybe it's more of a soul-cleansing fast and the dude grew up Jewish and doesn't usually practice, but decided he needed to take some time to reflect. Whatever. I maintain that this is funny.
*Let's not kid ourselves here. I won't remember to do this every day, nor will I want to do this every day. Baby steps, especially considering I feel like I eat for two people compared to some of the other women (and some men!) who are on the forum.
**if you're interested in taking a look at either of these logs, let me know and i'll send you the link or something
Reuse your bicycle innertubes, part II
I posted a while back about using your innertubes to make rubberbands.
Here's another great reuse idea - I hope it takes off!
Here's another great reuse idea - I hope it takes off!
IT Clips
IT stands for inner tubes, and the clips allow old ones to be turned into useful bungee-type cords instead of landfill cloggers. Quite a great green idea from young Gary Gruber of Boulder, Colorado. The length of the bungee or tie-down can be adjusted by cutting the tube or drawing it through the plastic clips. Metal hooks are included to expand the array of uses. IT Clips come in red, green, yellow or blue and are available at bike shops and hardware stores in North America and Australia. The size for road tubes costs $4-5; add 50 cents for the larger MTB tube size. The company can customize IT Clips for event promotion. There's a dealer locator on the website. http://www.IT-Clips.com
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If you check out the website, you see that the retailers are really limited and the owner doesn't seem to be doing any online sales. :( I hope that business goes well at the current locations and some other shops pick up on the idea. (like, uh, Sports Basement)
Found in the free Roadbikerider.com/ weekly newsletter. This week they reviewed a bunch of new products that were demoed at the recent Interbike convention
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