days like this

And sometimes, you have a day that is comprised of multiple meetings in which you find out that things have gone sideways on every single thing you're working on, with breaks only to almost die in a near miss on the freeway and to cringe in humiliation when your dog is unquestionably the worst behaved dog in the park, only to find out that his misbehavior was loud enough to attract the attention of people inside the building. And you miss breakfast and lunch. And you try playing a stupid game that you're addicted to on your phone. And you lose.

And on such a day, you are relieved to take your frustrations out by cooking enough food for ten people, even though you're only cooking for yourself. And you wait for The Bachelor to come on, because no matter how badly the day went, at least you're not crying on national TV. And really, at least you didn't get smeared into a bloody paste in that near miss on the freeway. And you resolve to work from home tomorrow, because if you're going to face another day like this tomorrow, you're going to do it alive and in sweatpants.

curator

Trying a couple online personal stylist and clothing delivery services, because the online menu planner and food delivery services ended up being surprisingly good, and it's probably about time for me to clear out my old stuff and update my wardrobe a bit. It's kind of fun trying to figure out what I'm looking for and then seeing what they send in response.

girl friday

Had a few girls over after work Friday. Wine, snacks, and lots of gossip.

perfectly planned

After a lazy Saturday, I got so much done today. Lunch phone appointment, and then a 4.5 hour perfectly planned, maximally efficient circuit: gas, pedicure, grocery store, facial, Asian market, dog walk, dog teeth and nails.

end of the tunnel

Evenings are already staying light later, and Daylight Saving Time starts back up in two weeks!!

caffeine on demand

There is now a barista in my building at work. On my floor. Less than a one minute walk from my desk. This is going to be dangerous.

backyard salad

Found out that two of the weeds that grow in our backyard are actually tasty wild greens, so we've got fresh salad to go with our pizza tonight.

coda

And then I totally fell asleep during a show, lying on the living room floor while Boyfriend rubbed my neck.

wild and crazy

Thai chicken burgers with Chinese daikon pickles, salted caramel chocolate cookies, 25 year old vintage port, and vampire shows on TiVo. Happy Saturday!

hard won

I am often reluctant to call for customer service. Then when I get bad service, I am disproportionately outraged. It's like the perfect storm. Except that this time, I started calm, dug in my heels, argued my way up to the top, and negotiated until I got what I wanted. Same coverage, a 20% discount, and the ability to just deal directly with my actual service provider on his personal phone, and never having to call the national or regional lines again.

hot dog

Henry, for one, loves the new office. Lots of sunbathing, a view of the dog park, and furious sprints around said dog park seem to add up to his ideal work environment.

security

Security is having thirty rolls of toilet paper.

ski week

I love ski week, when it's a four day week, and there's no traffic because everyone who has kids is in the mountains. It's nice to pretend that traffic doesn't happen.

fully stocked

Dinner at mom and dad's before they go on vacation means a full belly of home cooking tonight, and a full fridge of leftovers for the next few days. I forgot to bring laundry to do there, or it would have been the full college experience. Also, as my dad has gotten older, he has also become so easy to please. Bring a couple of dogs over, and he's just as happy as he used to be when I got straight A's for an entire semester.

neighborly

Had four neighbors over for dinner with lots of wine and gossip. We need to do that more often.

return on investment

Five extra minutes getting ready this morning, and five compliments from different coworkers. That's a solid ROI.

board-dom

I joined the board at Henry's shelter. Excited to see if I can help them get more visibility and more adoptions.

seventies

Winter is losing the battle. This is the first week of the season where every day is forecast to break 70°F!

female mentors

I've been very lucky to have had some amazing managers and mentors, and two of them were women. I try to do that for younger people who might want some guidance, but I realized it's been a while since I have had one of my own. I am hoping that this is about to change.

winner winner chicken dinner

Went to a coworker's house for dinner and board games last night. Ate lots of cheese and still managed to eat a full dinner after that. Tied with Boyfriend to win the board game. Didn't suffer a massive allergic reaction to the cat. So I'd say the evening was a success.

speedy

Due to many boring reasons, we currently don't have a functional washer/dryer set in our house right now. I've been working here for almost eight years, but had never used the laundry rooms at work, so I tried it for the first time today, and I totally forgot how fast American-style washers and dryers are. 35 minute wash, 40 minute dry, and you're done!

front burner

Long weeknight conversation with one of my dearest friends who has seen me through some of my most difficult times reminded me that even people who seem to be so on top of everything still wonder what's missing, and that old friends are still friends for a good reason.

oldie but goodie

Cap'n Crunch Peanut Butter Crunch is the best cereal of all time.

february

February in California catches me off guard every year. After a lifetime on the East Coast and a stint in Europe, I tend to think of February as a month solidly ensconced in winter, with many cold and dreary weeks blocking the path to summer. But in California, February is spring time. The days start getting longer, the plants have put out new shoots, and the trees (ohmygod the trees) bloom as if they have no idea that it's winter anywhere else. This year, they got started last week, probably because of extra rain we've been getting, and seeing all the green and white and pink everywhere is a welcome reminder that summer is just around the corner.