150

Whew, I just finished my 150th book for the year, and just in time, since I have to leave the house in 40 minutes. It kind of boggles my mind in retrospect, the amount of reading I've done this year, and I'm glad I made it.

last minute plans

Hooray for last minute plans, without which this weekend would have been rather dull. Last weekend was one of solitary relaxation, but perhaps two weekends of house arrest would have been excessive.
My sister and niece came down for a random pedicure and lunch yesterday. Then for dinner, Boyfriend and I drove up to the city with a coworker and had dinner with my sister and one of her friends. Looks like we'll be playing laser tag and going out for crabs today (a plan that only came into being half an hour ago), and going up to the city to bring presents for my nieces and nephews tomorrow evening. Monday, I'll be meeting a Harvard student whom I had interviewed when she was in high school, and who knows what other plans will come up in the meantime.

scots

Why, yes, I did send an email to a music teacher today, asking for details on bagpipe lessons for Boyfriend and me. What of it?

thanks

Thank you, universe, for sending me a really organized, thorough, smart businessperson to work with, especially since she is probably going to be the only one I work with once I finish transitioning to my new group at work.

lazy days

We didn't make any plans for the holidays this year, because it was hard to plan around work. I have taken full advantage of the empty schedule, and haven't left the house since coming home from work on Thursday. Fortunately, Boyfriend is more restless, so he goes out and brings back food, thus enabling me in my slothfulness.

shampoo

If you wait a little longer than usual between showers, you feel extra clean once you take one.

fringe

Boyfriend revealed his Christmas present plans today, he remembered that I've wanted to go to the Fringe festival in Edinburgh for quite some time, so he's planning a trip for us next summer, and with luck, we can even stop in Iceland on the same trip. Two things I've wanted to do for years.

long life

The battery life on the latest Android phone I got as my holiday present from work is amazing (apparently the version that runs on the other networks isn't so good in this department, so I'm glad I picked this one). I've loved everything about smart phones except the battery life and the keyboards, and both appear to be getting better each year.

wait wait there's more

When I went to our on-campus chiropractor yesterday, they informed me that work has decided to subsidize it more heavily than before, so that no matter what health plan you're on, there will just be a flat $10 co-pay for everyone (which is fantastic for me, since the chiropractor is out of my network and so the partial subsidy meant I was paying $45 co-pay). They definitely take good care of us here.

the best part

I love root beer floats, and the best part is the crust of frozen root beer that forms on the surface of the ice cream.

1200

Another 1200 pages to read in the next ten days, and I'll reach my goal of reading 150 books in 2011. I think it's doable, as long as work stays normal.

it gets better

At least from now on, every day will be longer and it will stay light until later...

even better

The on-campus chiropractor has written me a prescription for massages, which I can use to help spend down my extra flex money. I go in for massage all the time, anyways, so now I get to pay for them out of the extra money I had set aside and would have lost.

contrast

A day or two of Utah winter really makes California "winter" seem like a joke.

silver lining

It's hard to find something happy to say after a funeral, but after some thought, I have managed to find some silver linings among the storm clouds. It was standing room only, with an overflow room, and it was amazing to see how many people showed up, and to see how many people loved and respected my cousin. It was good to spend time with my other cousins. Most people left their spouses and kids at home, so we were really able to go back to old times. And I'm glad I was able to get tickets using miles, since last minute flights are kind of ridiculous.

give it away

I really love the convenience of the Goodwill bins at work at the end of each year, although I really ought to start sorting things further in advance. I scrambled around last night and scrounged up 40 things to donate (following up on 100 and 70 in the previous two years), which I think is respectable, given that: (1) I did it at the last minute, and (2) I've only bought five things since last year's donation. There is something very satisfying about this gradual net decrease in random clothes and shoes.

so asian

While signing up for tickets to CES, Boyfriend noticed that "CEA members" get free admission. He asked me about it, since he (as my +1) would have to pay for his $100 ticket out of pocket (whereas my ticket and the rest of my team's tickets would be reimbursed by the company as business expenses). This led to me doing some digging around on the internet, and I discovered that our company is a CEA member. None of the online processes for registration as a CEA member worked, however, so I actually waited until the CEA office was open today, called them, got the information, and sent it out to the team, so that we can all get our tickets for free. (Note that Boyfriend expended no effort in this process, except to ask the initial question of "who are CEA members?"). So because of my Asian obsession with finding the coupon code, Boyfriend saved $100, and the company is saving maybe $3,000 on our team's tickets. (I wonder why they didn't tell us about this perk, since I'm sure there are hundreds of people going, and if they all knew about the coupon code, then we would save tens of thousands of dollars, which seems like a lot to me, but I guess in the world of corporations, it's not even going to be noticed).

adjusted

I kind of overestimated how much money to put in my flex account this year, so I've started going to our on-campus chiropractor to use up some of the money before it disappears. Ahh...

keep on truckin'

A new friend asked Boyfriend and me to meet up with her for a quick dinner last night near work. In a parking lot. It was awesome -- there were about fourteen food trucks serving all kinds of small bites and street food, and it was fun trying some of the creative offerings (Korean BBQ cheese steak, Korean tacos, Vietnamese beignets with salty bourbon caramel sauce).

music

I have a ton to get done at work today, and then remembered that I got a new CD in the mail yesterday, so I've got some new music to see my through the day. (No, I rarely order CDs anymore, I usually buy albums on Amazon or iTunes, but for a few artists, I still buy the CDs in order to get the album art).

do re mi

We totally went to the Sound of Music Sing-a-long yesterday, and I totally belted out all of the songs and made snarky comments at the screen (which was encouraged). Enough so that after the show, two of the people from the row in front of us said that they totally loved my running commentary. Especially the one about leaving Gretl behind when it was time to cross the Alps on foot. (C'mon, they had seven kids, she wasn't going to be able to walk the whole way herself, so she was total dead weight.)

overdue

Had my first facial in over a year today. I hadn't realized how long it had been, but I'm glad I finally made it back in.

treat

My dog is completely obsessed with the Everlasting Treat Bento Ball I got him over the weekend. It's fun watching him try to get food out of it, which kind of defeats the purpose of giving it to him to keep him entertained while I do something else. Worth it, though, to see him have so much fun.

compliment

Random compliment from my doctor's receptionist at the end of a long day: "You have very nice lips. They look like a heart." Thanks.

pencil me in

My calendar is suddenly looking very full. On top of my normal work/home schedule, plus the end-of-year "let's close every deal in the universe" push from crazy clients, this is what's on my calendar so far:

• Cocktails at a friend's place in the city tomorrow night
• Holiday dinner with my experimental hardware peeps at the aviation museum on Saturday
• Perhaps the Sound of Music sing-a-long with my sister up in the city on Sunday?
• Team offsite for my smaller group in Legal next Thursday
• Legal department holiday lunch at the Mountain Winery next Friday...
• ...followed by dinner with some of Boyfriend's friends at a gastropub in Redwood City
• Dinner with some work friends next Saturday down in San Jose...
• ...followed by going-away Rock Band or karaoke for my coworker who is leaving
• Dinner with a few friends at Plum in Oakland the following Saturday