Quality Friday: Calm Before the Storm

On Monday and Tuesday, we took a break from the craziness of our lives and enjoy a short little trip to Monterey Bay. I had to do a little bit of work there, and love that Mark had both days off to join me on the drive down California's famous Coastal Highway.

We enjoyed some lovely meals, got a chance to walk around Monterey's wharf, and especially appreciated this ocean view from our hotel room.


That, and the fact that the room was tidy and neat, quite unlike the disaster zone that our home has become. Why, you ask? What has taken over our lives, and turned our apartment upside down?

If you answered "Because You're Moving", then you guessed correctly! Seems that we can't resist the opportunity to pick up and move more often than we say put:)

Funny think because I actually hate moving. HATE IT. But as much as I fought the notion with every fiber of my being, I couldn't deny that this move will make a great deal of sense. Mark will only have to travel 10 minutes to school each day, rather than the hour plus (80 miles round trip) commute that he suffered through last year. Imagine the gas that we'll be saving!

Yes, my commute to the airport(s) will take a little longer than they do now, but the reality is that only make the trip once or twice a week, not every day. Plus, I drive a company car with my fuel paid for. The rest of the time I work from home.

In addition to the gas savings, our rent will decrease significantly, another huge bonus. We'll be living nearer to the coast in the heart of Sonoma wine country, in a cute town, with bookstores. Which is significant because we currently have to drive 15 miles to a Borders or Barnes and Noble, since our town only has an adult bookstore. Classy. But I digress.....

Right now, I may or may not be starting to panic about Just How MUCH needs to get done before we move TOMORROW. Which is why I'm going to take a deep breath and remind myself of the peaceful ocean view we enjoyed just a few days ago.

Happy Quality Friday! Back to work I go:)

Quality Friday: Sweet Home, Chicago

There is no doubt in my mind that Chicago is, and always will be, home.

Last weekend, Mark joined me on my business-trip back (as I promised he would!), and we enjoyed packing in every free moment of our six day visit spending time with family and friends. It was exactly the vacation that we needed, and our time spent with loved ones was refreshing and rejuvenating (though never quite long enough).

Even weather in Chicago was absolutely perfect, so similar to the amazing California weather that we enjoy on a daily basis. Last weekend almost made me forget that there are terribly cold winters and stifling hot summers to contend with:)

We were graciously hosted by Mark's dad, allowing the two of them to spend time quality time together while I worked on Monday and Tuesday. Here's a brief recap of our visit:

Friday afternoon, and after settling in and enjoying lunch with Mark's dad, headed out for an evening with my family at Brandon's girlfriend Shruti's parent's home. BJ and Nimmi prepared an amazing feast of Indian cuisine, which we enjoyed immensely, along with their warm hospitality.

Saturday afternoon, we met Mark's family at our traditional meeting spot, Carson's, where we got to spend a few hours enjoying their company. Afterward, we headed out for an evening of fun and games with Mark's poker buddies - a truly fantastic crew.

Sunday, we went to church in the morning, then to Brandon's for a quick lunch, to the Grafton for a few drinks, made a quick stop at Melissa and Steven's to give Mark a tour of their new home (and to meet Cosette) and finally to Orlando's for the rest of the evening.

Sadly, my camera only made its way out on two occasions, both on Sunday, so here are the few photos I have to share:

Daniel, all grown up at 18, and getting ready for his first year in college!

Grill-master, Brandon, whipping up lunch at his place.

Me and my Jonny. I can't tell you how much I love every one of my brothers.

Michael, Audrey, Kjersten, Melissa, Esther, Mark and Steven at The Grafton.

I love these ladies!

Monday night we enjoyed a huge dinner at Randy and Vivian's, and Tuesday, met up with Mark's cousins for dinner, drinks, and some outdoor Olympic viewing in Wicker Park. And on Wednesday we had lunch at our Greektown favorite with Mark's dad before spending our final afternoon and evening at my parent's house.

Just like every trip back, it was over far, far too soon. This Quality Friday, is dedicated to the the moments spent at home and the memories created with our favorite people on earth. WE LOVE YOU, CHICAGO!

Exhausted

Remember how I mentioned that I needed to find a way to stay awake when I'm fatigued beyond belief?

Soon after returning from that trip to Los Angeles, Mark brought home a case of Red Bull for me to carry in my car along with instructions that they should always sit in arm's reach just behind the passenger's seat. Waiting for me for nights like tonight.

Right now, I'm parked next to a power outlet on the floor of the Phoenix airport, wishing for a flight home.

Last night, Mark and I got in from a fantastic trip to Chicago (more on that later) at around midnight, making our way home by around 1am. The tricky thing with that situation is that I had a flight out again this morning at 6am. You may be asking why I didn't fly directly from Chicago to Phoenix. Great question, since it would have made a LOT more sense! Unfortunately, I had already purchased both sets of tickets before we decided to extend our Chicago visit by an extra day, getting us home on Wednesday instead of Tuesday. Thus the back to back flights.

At around 1:30am, after prepping for this morning, I finally crawled into bed. Need I say that I wanted to cry when the alarm went off at 3:45am? I had grand plans of sleeping on the plane, but even the best made plans can easily be deterred. My flight out to Phoenix was delayed by 2-hours this morning. By the time we made it onto the plane, I had managed to make a few phone calls and answer pending e-mails, allowing the caffeine to fully kick in and prevent my morning nap.

Ridiculously that the reason that US Airways gave for the delay was "needing the plane to be in a condition to withstand de-icing". Did I mention that I was flying from San Francisco to Phoenix? Need I remind you that it is the month of August? It was 100 degrees and sunny when I landed here at 10am. Not sure why de-icing was a concern.

And nearly 12 hours later as I sit here and type, I'm delayed again (on United this time) heading home. I've been at the airport since 3:45pm waiting for my 7:37pm flight. There were no earlier flights to standby on my air carrier. I resisted the urge to buy a completely new ticket just to leave a little early. I may or may not regret that decision.

At 6:45pm, the sunny day transformed into a tremendous rainstorm that literally shut down the entire airport. At 7:07pm, in lieu of starting to board the plane as my boarding pass promised, we learned that the in-coming aircraft had been re-routed to Tuscon.

As of 9:09pm, the plane was just leaving Tuscon, expected to land here in a half hour. Best case, I'll get into San Francisco at midnight for the second night in a row.

Which is why the Red Bull will be making its debut in a few hours. Here's to hoping that it, along with a much-needed nap in seat 5F, will make all the difference.

All Shook Up

I survived my first earthquake yesterday afternoon!

It was the strangest sensation - I was immediately aware of the slight vibration, and my first thought (seeing that I was in a laboratory) was that a centrifuge was out of balance, causing a nearby benchtop to shake. I quickly realized that it was coming from under my feet, and soon found myself swaying quite noticeably for a good minute or two. My heart was definitely racing - it was scary to not have any clue if more would follow. Thankfully, at a 5.4 on the Richter scale, the overall damage was quite minor.

I wasn't done with shake-ups for the day, though.

Late last night, I got pulled over while driving back to my hotel after visiting my aunts and cousins. I was tired, and was swerving in an out of my lane enough that it caused the officer some concern. He was kind, and sent me on my way with instruction to "Be careful" after quickly realizing that I had not been drinking. Quite literally a wake-up call, I was completely cured of my fatigue and wide awake by the time I drove off.

Still, the whole experience was unsettling and highlights a long-time battle that I continue to loose. I get sleepy when I drive - this I know. But how do I fight it and keep my eyes open and mind alert in situations when I feel like I don't have a choice but to drive? I regularly try coffee, blasting the radio, cold air from either the A/C or an open window or a combination of all three. I've tried talking on the phone (while using a headset, of course), snacking and even pinching myself, but to no avail. I know that pulling over and taking a quick nap is supposed to be a good idea, but I'm not comfortable with that, especially in unfamiliar areas or cities.

So I'm open to suggestions. How do you fight fatigue? What keeps you awake when nothing else seems to work?

Making Great Use of our Guest Room

Its been a full year since we moved out to California - doesn't it feel like its been longer than that?

One of the biggest lessons we've learned is to truly appreciate the things we miss most about home - especially being able to get together with our family and friends on a regular basis. Admittedly, it has been sad to not have the usual traffic of visitors stop by for dinner, to watch a sports game, or just hang out with us from time to time.

When we do get the opportunity to host our families or friends that come to visit, we just love it!

A few weeks ago, Mark's dad came to visit for the third time this year, and stayed to relax with us for a full week. Although we never once made it into San Francisco, we spent a fair amount of time in Napa and Sonoma enjoying - you guessed it - wine, food and more wine!

On one of the afternoons, we decided to venture all the way up Napa Valley to a try our hands at some blackjack at a local casino. Neither Norman nor I had ever been to one before, and we decided it might be fun to see what they're all about. After a few hours of smoke and not a lot of winning, we took off and stopped at Beringer for a late afternoon tasting.

Although not my favorite, I do give the company a lot of credit for successfully commercializing both inexpensive and very accessible wines, such as their white zinfandel, while also having an excellent collection of high-end reserves. They are one of the few wineries that has been successful on both fronts.

Another afternoon and evening were spent enjoying Russian River Valley varietals, including a special food-and-wine private tasting at our all time favorite tasting room. We weren't a bit disappointed, and even got Norman to join the wine club!


I'm telling you, its a good time out here! When are you coming to visit?

Wonder-ful

Over the thirteen years that I've know my husband, my appreciation for music had grown exponentially. One of the things that impressed me the most when we started dating was that his love for music encompassed so many different genres, generations and artists. From Michael Jackson to the Bee Gees, Nat King Cole to A Tribe Called Quest, Porgie and Bess to Bach and Mozart, he loves it all.

At the top of a long list of list favorites, though, is an artist who inspires Mark above any other single musician. Since he was a young boy, Mark has respected and been in awe of Stevie Wonder - for his brilliant chord progressions, his musical genius, his memorable voice. And a few weekends ago, Mark and I had the privilege of hearing him perform live.

What we expected when we bought our lawn tickets at the Shoreline Amphitheatre, was a venue much like Chicago's beloved Ravinia. Similar, yes, but not exactly the same. We were able to pack some picnic treats, but found that wine was not allowed to be carried into the venue (although bottles were available for purchase). And we were pleasantly surprised that the lawn seating afforded an actual view of the stage, with the grass area sloping upward behind the pavilion. Amazingly, people lined up neatly in rows, staking claim to small patches of ground with a great amount of order. Also notable was the diversity of the crowd - Stevie Wonder's fans spanned every age group and ethnicity.

Our view of the stage.

When the music started, I was captivated. I don't think I stopped smiling the entire night. I was thrilled to know most of the words to Stevie's songs, and like everyone around us, sang along from the bottom of my heart. Songs like I Just Called To Say I Love You, which my Dad used to sing to me as a little girl and years later was the father-daughter dance at our wedding. Classics like My Cherie Amor and favorites like Knocks Me Off My Feet.

And every so often, I'd steal a glance at Mark, and my heart would soar. He was smiling with contentment, too. I knew just how much being there meant to him. I'll never forget when the opening chords of Visions began playing. It was the one song, above all, that Mark wanted to hear, and the look of sheer happiness on his face, the glistening of tears in his eyes, will forever be etched in my memory.

We danced. We laughed. We sang. We leaned in close and soaked in every single moment.

It was an amazing night and when the last song was playing, we didn't want it to end. Yes, it truly was a concert of a lifetime.

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I know its been a long time since my last post - work and marathon training have been keeping me busy (to say the least) - but I'm happy to report that I have a week free of travel ahead of me! I'm hoping to do a little bit of catching up....

Quality Friday: Sleep - It Does a Body Good

Since early April, I have found myself working much longer hours, sometimes tearing myself away from my computer after 8 or 9pm at night. Working from home can be challenging, because it is difficult to create boundaries between work-life and home-life when there is no physical difference between where they take place. My "office" is the couch. My relaxation spot is also the couch. I can effectively keep working and allow myself to think I'm relaxing without even realizing in.

When it does occur to me that the balance in my life has been severely tilted towards work, I find myself getting frustrated and looking for more things to "do" to physically force myself away from work. Case in point, I signed up for a marathon. Don't get me wrong - I'm very excited to be training, and am thrilled to be doing it for a great cause. Still, part of my reasoning for doing so was a bit flawed.

One reason for a marathon training program? Having something else to do will force me to stop working earlier in the evenings so that I can "do something for myself". The reality? Now I have one more (hugely time-consuming) activity to try to fit into an already crammed work and travel schedule. My solution lately? Stay awake longer. Well, who needs sleep anyway?

Me, I'm learning.

Last Monday night, as Mark and I were sitting on the couch enjoying our evening before my whirlwind week of travel, I found myself mentally working down the list of things I needed to get done before I left. I picked up my computer to check into my flight. Mark asked me to please put it down and please try to spend some time with him - we were in the middle of a conversation, and it was obvious that I was barely listening. Worse, I found myself getting increasingly frustrated that he was still talking to me when I clearly had so much to do and was obviously already tired. I could feel my pulse racing until as we started to argue, and finally I snapped at him.

I immediately found myself fighting back tears, as I buried my face in Mark's shoulder. Why can't I just get it all done? I cried. I'm exhausted, and obviously have not figured out how to manage my time. I have so much to do, and don't understand why I have to have a limit. I don't want to be limited. You know I hate it when I feel like I can't do something, and right now I'm pretty sure I'm not doing anything well, I sobbed to him.

Lovingly, my husband comforted me. He reminded me that I needed to be a little easier on myself, get more rest and put less pressure on myself. He told me that how much he appreciated me and promised to be more understanding and less demanding of my time. He said all the right things and was an absolute Saint.

Fast-forward to 11:30 pm Thursday night, when again, I was a completely exhausted wreck, having traveled to Seattle and then LA in the previous 2 days. Barely surviving on less that 4 hours of sleep per night, I still forced myself to get up early that morning to run at the hotel gym. Intermittently, I was crabby and snapping at Mark, then falling asleep on him, as we tried to talk on the phone for the first time that day.

Finally, he begged me to just go to bed already. When I complained that I needed to get up early to run, he told me that I was bing ridiculous and reminded me that I desperately needed sleep. Please sleep, he pleaded. Just catch up - you'll feel so much better. Don't set your alarm until you ACTUALLY need to get up tomorrow.

Thank God for his persistence, and that I had the sense to listen. Immediately, I crawled into bed, and surprised myself by waking up ahead of my alarm, well rested.

My day on Friday was wonderful. Amazingly, I am a much calmer and happier person when I get enough sleep:) I truly believe that just one night of solid shut-eye made the entire difference for my weekend. Instead of going into it exhausted, I was well rested and de-stressed. On both Friday and Saturday nights, I followed suit, going to bed early and waking up feeling wonderful, able to truly enjoy (and focus on) the time that Mark and I shared together.

I hope that this is a new leaf that I'm turning over. Away with the crabby, unbalanced person that I've been. Here's to Sleep - a key component in my quest towards balance and proper boundaries in my life!