new girls

Met a couple of smart, chill, interesting women using an app. I was skeptical, but after some group texts and an afternoon of wine and Boggle, and plans to reread 1984 together, I think it might work out.

just in time

Found out I need to get some expensive dental work done only a few days before the deadline to set my flex spending account for the year...

simple pleasures

Nobody understands simple pleasures better than a dog.

airport

Spent five hours at the airport protesting the Muslim ban, and despite my usual reluctance to leave the house, wear real pants, drive long distances, and deal with large crowds, it was worth it to see the hundreds and hundreds of people there, including friends, former co-workers, and family. Like many (so many) other lawyers there, I wore a tag and carried a sign identifying myself as a lawyer, in case any families or protestors needed help, I walked along the barricades to let the police know they were being watched, and I explained legal issues and spread status updates on detainees. I've never had so many people thank me and tell me they appreciate my work. It almost makes me proud to be a lawyer, and it definitely makes me proud to be an American. This is what my America looks like -- a mass of diverse people demanding that everyone else get a fair chance, too.

first

Saw the first tree in bloom for spring today. Winter is on its last legs.

getaway

Weekend getaway for a friend's 50th birthday, and someone who came in from New York brought bagels.

old crank

Solid day cranking on work I actually know how to do, so that was satisfying. Then a short but joyous playdate with the CEO's dog turned Henry's boring day around. I'm starting to get the hang of a fraction of the things here. Then on the way out, I befriended the vacuum guy to get him to clear out the glitter from my office.

one in three

Class action suit for mislabeled jeans gave the option of coupons or free jeans. Took the gamble on the free jeans, got three pairs (instead of a $60 coupon), and one is actually wearable, so I think I came out ahead.

life of luxury

Luxury is being able to breathe through two nostrils and being able to wash a pile of clothes without using the sink.

build up

Four weeks of plaque, tartar, and toenails make for a satisfying round of canine hygiene.

sleeping snotty

Got sick just as things got really crazy at work this week, but have spent today and yesterday in a cold medicine and jet lag induced state of suspended animation, ignoring all the rules the sleep therapist gave me, because I'm sick, so that means unlimited naps, right? With the long weekend, I just may be back in fighting form by Tuesday.

fringe benefits

Working with engineers means that when AT&T sends me the wrong size SIM card, and I complain about having to go to the store to get a new one, someone just cuts it down for me on the spot.

getting real

I'm really putting the practice in legal practice these days.

home sweet home

There is nothing like 42 hours in transit, followed directly by an afternoon of errands in the pouring rain, to make you fully appreciate an evening of slippers, sweatpants, and TiVo.

jam packed

So many cities, sights, sounds, my brain is full and still digesting. Serendipitous meetup with travel BFFs for a bucket list dinner, and an Indian wedding reception. Now we're at our last stop, our most relaxing stop, and met the most interesting random people I've ever met on a trip. What a trip this has been...

change of plans

Our walking tour guide for the morning had an accident, so I went for a surprisingly excellent facial, instead.

king of breakfast

I'm calling it. Indian hotels win at breakfast. Lassis, chai, dosas, all kinds of other Indian treats, plus all the options of a full English breakfast. I could eat Indian hotel breakfasts forever.

quick transition

Despite the 12.5 hour time difference, I think it only took two days to get on Indian time.

whole new world

Cranked like crazy all week at work, got a ton done, spent 25 hours in transit to India, got more work done, got four hours of sleep, then spent the day sightseeing and eating, and I am so excited to go to sleep before 8 p.m.

pho

Pho for dinner on a cold night.

firehose

I haven't had to learn this many unrelated kinds of law since I took the Bar exam. This is way more fun than the Bar exam, though.

free salad

Miner's lettuce is coming in early this year, so the backyard salad bar is open.

fixed

Finally took my phone into the store to see why data hasn't been working, found out the carrier had messed something up, got days working (just in time for our upcoming trip), and got a $20 credit towards my next bill.

vicarious joy

My mentee got into college! With a full ride! As an international student! She's amazing, and I got to be a little part of it! I can't wait to see her reaction and to meet her and be her family while she's here!

random act

Here's to getting six errands done in the pouring rain, and here's to the kind stranger at the post office who offered me a pen and told me to keep it.

whew

When, halfway through an 11 hour day at work, your boss tells you you're doing a good job and running a lot of things.

And then your dog pukes because he's hungry and bored. And your boss says it's OK, and lets you name a work thing after him, even though he puked.

so much depends

On a dog and a heating pad on the couch when you have a tummy ache.

celebrity fans

Some big shots were in the office today, and like most people, came by to say hello to Henry. They were really nice and Henry loves attention, so I give them a thumbs up.

just a number

That feeling when three of your younger teammates thought you were ten years younger than you are, even though the math really doesn't work out.

choices are good

It's good to have a cafe in my office building again, and to have some delicious choices. Tuesday, we had Dungeness crab. Today, there was brisket, Japanese grilled halibut, and gnocchi. I'm eating like a real person again!

love and chaos

A parade of family, friends, and food ensured that I had lots of belly laughs and a full belly all weekend, even while working on and off. Now, half a day to read, watch TV with Boyfriend, try to recover from this cold, and prepare for whatever the week may bring.

all by myself

Boyfriend is en route to the East Coast, and I have the house to myself for just one night. I'm living it up by going to bed at 10 to try to make up for weeks of bad sleep.

at least

If my car battery had to die, and I had to wait for two hours for AAA to show up, at least it happened at the end of the day when I was at work, so I didn't miss any meetings and could grab dinner and chat with people while I waited?

friday

In bad news, Henry marked the boss's office. In good news, boss didn't care and just wanted the dogs to play. Then accidentally stayed for a cocktail and got to know some of the engineers better.

Overall, a productive first week. Worked on some deals, got to know about half of the team, and am excited to be back in the thick of things.

decisions

Fourth day of work, first product meeting, and the CEO let me make a design decision, because I was the newest. Designer even said my feedback and questions were useful. Good thing it was yesterday, because as of today, I'm only the third newest.

pranks a lot

Second day of work, and after a harrowing morning with car-not-starting issues, walked into this. Payback for all of my pranks, and totally made my day.

day one

Henry had a welcome basket and new bed, plus the CEO changed our seat assignment so that we'd have a better dog setup. There was pork belly at lunch, and I got lots of paperwork done. I even revised my first agreement and made it into the team photo for the launch teaser.

surprise visit

Dear college friends are coming out west for Thanksgiving, so I'll get to spend some time with them when they're not doing family stuff. In light of the sadness and uncertainty that came out of the election, plus the stress of changing jobs, it's good to have that coming up.

hygge

Inspired by the Danes and their love of hygge, I've been buying some comfy, cozy sweaters, slippers, and hoodies as we head into cooler temperatures and longer hours at work.

social

Between the Boston trip and the time at home, we've squeezed in a fair amount of social time, which is a good thing as I head into the unknown.

lasts

Last games day at work, last chiropractic appointment at work, last massage at work, lots of lasts. Bittersweet.

small satisfactions

With this many days at home, I've been able to dig deep into neglected errands and get through them efficiently. It's going to feel like I'm 20 years old again when I get through these, with no overdue errands to take care of.

girls girls girls

Two and a half days with the girls back at Harvard, eating, singing, talking, laughing, shopping. Just perfect. I think we're starting an annual tradition.

eight years

Friday was my last day of work, and it also happened to be my eight year anniversary with Boyfriend.

rainy day

We're getting a good start to the rainy season this year, which is awesome. After a productive day yesterday, I feel entitled to a lazy day at home with a book, and if the rain lets up, maybe I'll even go out and plant some of the wildflower seeds I bought (and the ones I got from the library after I had already bought the other ones).

first day off

Dog adoption fair, gas, returned a dress at REI, pedicure (finished a book!), library (oh, the luxury of having the time to justify checking out ten books and four DVD box sets!), returned eyeliner and bought lip balm at Sephora, came home to dinner almost in the table, then watched for episodes of Battlestar Galactica. Not a bad first day.

full heart

When twenty of your coworkers come out in the pouring rain for your leaving drinks for four hours, then you crash your old team's team dinner for another four hours, then you get home and open a card and find so many kind words and a gift certificate to use at the spa after you are in the real world where massages aren't subsidized... that's when you realize that even if the company has changed in the last eight years, the people are still the best.

overtime

Favorite massage therapist went 20 minutes long on my 50 minute massage today.

it's so hard

The mark of a good workplace is the sadness that comes with leaving it.

addiction

The bad thing about my newfound addiction to microwave lasagna is that it's embarrassing and unhealthy. The good thing is that it's legal and cheap.

young-ish

Thank you to the grocery store clerk who asked where I work, and when I said I've been at Google for eight years, thought that maybe I'm young enough that it was my first job out of college.

times are changing

I had to stop a moment earlier today when I stopped to think that it's possible that in the course of a single decade in my lifetime, we'll have had our first black president, legalized gay marriage, and elected our first female president. Lots of big issue ballot measures in California this year: banning the death penalty, legalizing marijuana, requiring background checks for guns, increasing parole for non-violent offenders. As crazy as the world is, I have hope that we are on a saner track.

extended version

Brunch with my former office mate and Boyfriend's former manager turned into a 5.5 hour dalliance over brunch and two rounds of drinks, with much gossip, speculation, and nostalgia.

care package

Mysterious "adult must be present to sign" FedEx package ended up being a welcome gift from the new gig.

unofficial peer reviews

Reading all the kind things people write when you're leaving a job makes you not want to leave. Key takeaways: people like my dog, they think I'm funny, sarcastic, and social, and they like working together. I'll miss these people.

all good things

I got a finalized job offer on Friday, gave notice to my manager Monday, and sent out my farewell email today to wrap up work next Friday. Exciting and terrifying, and happy/sad/kind conversations with so many friends and coworkers.

i volunteer

Only two more weeks until we submit an Early Decision application for my Cambodian mentee, and the more we work on her application, the more she blows me away. I wrote the questions for a pub trivia night for the shelter, which we're hosting on Monday. And I've already pretty much maxed out my annual gift match for the year, so I feel like I'm ahead.

rainy season

First rain of the season, perfect for staying in, cooking dinner with friends, and watching the musical numbers from Sound of Music.

throwback

Law school friends came over, so the house had eight adults, three kids, and a dog. It was good to catch up and see what people are up to, and yet another reassuring data point that we really are quite happy not having children. Life is busy enough to then go and get rid of what calm parts remain.

we meet again

Listening to Watership Down many years since I last read the book, and getting to meet Fiver all over again <3

fun fun fun

Now the work and networking parts of the trip are done, and all that remains is hanging out with college friends.

surprisingly good

Good conference with kickass keynote from Anita Hill, knowledgeable and friendly women with practical advice on interesting topics. I'm not usually a conference fan, but this was a good one. Also, my panel got more turnout than I expected, all of the questions afterwards were for me, and people somehow seemed to think I am an expert on something. So that was kind of flattering.

getting real

Email and phone call on Monday, to be followed by a more detailed email soon. Things are starting to get real. Exciting, terrifying, and bittersweet.

out with a bang

Lunches, dinners, drinks, karaoke with current and former New York clients, jammed between meetings and keeping my inbox under control. Next stop, D.C.

many years later

All of the original cards group got together tonight to play cards for the first time in over twelve years. We've had subsets since then, but this was all six of us, and it was great.

back to cambridge

Bit the bullet and booked a redeye weekend trip in November to Boston to hang out with a few of my girls from college. The flights are going to suck, but the girl time will be worth it.

addict

Sunshine is Henry's heroin.

in transition

I am only one business day away from officially only working one full time job again, after four months covering 1.5 jobs.

fully booked

India is officially booked!

reservations

No idea how I just scored a dinner reservation for Boyfriend's birthday this weekend at the specific restaurant he wants to go to, when they're usually booked out a month in advance for weekend reservations, but I'll take it.

best idea

Yesterday, I may have had the best idea for how Boyfriend and I should celebrate our 40th/50th birthdays, 10th anniversary, and some kind of wedding thing in a couple years: adult summer camp. No kids, less ceremony, more time, lots of activities. I'm kind of excited to see if it would work.

google search

Pictures of extraordinary chickens. Worth it.

love hate

I finally, unexpectedly beat a level on this frustrating game I've been playing on and off for months. I'd been stuck for ages and had pretty much given up.

time traveler

Looking at old photos on our phones before bed, trying to find the oddest faces, the best sunsets, the funniest memories.

check

Dishes, three loads of laundry, Henry's teeth and nails, phone call with mom, consolidation of Boyfriend's almost empty shaving cream collection, check. Now a quick yoga session, later cook dinner, and that's all the productivity I have planned for the long weekend, done in one day.

yay for you

When your friend calls to tell you something good that happened to her, and her voice is just so happy.

second half

Took a nap, even after the coffee. Was inspired by a friend's post to have an heirloom tomato BLT, did Henry's teeth and nails and walk, did some yoga, and now we're in the home stretch to have dinner and loaf around until bedtime.

sunday lazy sunday

After going to bed late, slept until 10, let the dog out and gave him breakfast, went back to bed until noon, ate something, fell back asleep until 1. Now I've had some coffee so that I won't sleep all day and be up all night. But I'm pretty sure I could have slept the whole day away with a whole new bed all to myself.

perfect timing

It just may happen that we'll be in Mumbai for two days at the same time that my Zurich BFFs are there. It also happens that they are the ones we love to eat with, and that one of the restaurants on this list we've been working on since 2007 is in Mumbai. What are the chances?

checking in

When a friend calls you because she's worried about a vague Facebook post.

most improved

Migraine for most of the day, conquered with a massive dose of caffeine and painkillers, just in time to go play board games for four hours with friends.

friends and family

Working in tech, I'm used to getting to test new apps and phones and things. My cousin works for Tempur-Pedic/Sealy, and now I get to test a mattress!! This is kind of awesome, because I've said in the past that one of my dream jobs that doesn't exist would be to test and review mattresses (or books or food or diving or travel -- basically, anything involving reading, eating, sleeping, or going on vacation). I'm not getting paid, but hey, I still get to test a mattress!

india

We are so close to nailing down our itinerary for India in December/January. It's pretty exciting to have big plans.

my army

Yesterday was a big day for me, and I slept really badly all week thinking about it. I put out a plea for good luck on FB, and so many friends sent so many good thoughts. It's sometimes hard to have friends scattered so far and wide, but it makes me feel warm and fuzzy to imagine all these little points of love and hope sprinkled around the world.

The day went well. I have no idea what's going to happen next (all of the possible outcomes are a bit scary and uncertain), and it's a waiting game now, but having finally gotten through the day, I was able to finally get a real sleep in last night.

So I am better-rested and hanging on to hope from around the world.

one more time

Booked a trip to New York and D.C. next month, a full year after the last, and the last one fully funded by someone other than me for the foreseeable future.

affirmation

Go back and read all your peer reviews and look at your comp history. It reminds you that you are probably pretty good at what you do.

repeat purchase

I may have bought more single serve microwave lasagnas at the store today, after having one last weekend. Haters gonna hate, but it wasn't bad and it was so convenient.

snack time

All right, if I must, I will finish off this avocado by mashing it up with olive oil, salt, pepper, and shichimi togarashi and spreading it on toast.

nap

Nap.

the more you know

I know a lot of people who know a lot of stuff. How did that happen? Seriously, if I think of some issue I'm facing at work or in my personal life or if I just have a weird rant about rereading favorite childhood books, I know someone who has deep experience or strong opinions. My friends know so much stuff.

adulting

Less than three years after moving in, we have replaced the airplane blankets over our bedroom window with the custom window shade that the previous owner had left in the garage! We couldn't figure out how it worked, so there may be some zip ties involved, but it looks more grown-up than blankets and masking tape!

weekend getaway

Lunch at The French Laundry with friends, then a night at a hotel watching trashy movies and microwave meals from the grocery store.

jackpot

I was packing up my desk for yet another office move, and found three bars of chocolate that I had stashed away and forgotten.

you're good

There is something really cool about watching someone who is really good at what they do. Window cleaners came to our house today, and it was like an art and a science.

sweet

When your boyfriend brings you back five individual peach cobblers.

good things

Nice long catch-up (kvetch-up) on the phone with a friend the other night. Getting into more substantive stuff in my volunteer gigs. One hope is quelled for now, but the other remains. Lunch at French Laundry in the private room with friends this weekend, just because (and a friend is taking Henry for the weekend on short notice, because the dog sitter is booked up), and only a week after birthday dinner at Quince with Boyfriend, because food is good.

ok

Well, at least I know I'm being compensated fairly, based on the recent offer and the current refinance. And yet, might I leave this behind??

let's get busy

Two loads of laundry, a load of dishes, Henry's teeth and nails, yoga, pre-cleaning lady tidying, toiletries dregs consolidation, and plant care so far today. Still to do: finish this book, walk the dog, get my finances a bit more in order, and maybe even book some plane tickets.

meet the dog

Friends who adopted a dog from Henry's shelter are having a dog party next weekend, but we can't go, because we already have plans. They texted this morning to see if we wanted to meet up, so we got to meet Fennec, the dogs got to play, and we grabbed lunch and caught up.

whoa

Lunch with a work friend I never get to see anymore. End of day meeting turned out to be kind of crazy interesting. Taking tomorrow off for my birthday for an overdue facial and haircut.