Birthday Run Down

Birthday was fabulous. Started with the arrival of my cousin Vivian and her boyfriend Alvin, along with a a few dozen t-shirts to promote their new line t-shirt line Crack Code Droopy (thought I'd help them advertise as well). Friday, we went to Berkeley to see the Shins at the Greek Theater. It got a little cold towards the end, but all in all, it was the perfect way to start my bday festivities. The next day, we headed out bright and early to the Ferry Building to eat at the Farmer's Market and take the ferry to Angel Island (where tens of thousands of Chinese immigrants were held before they were let on to San Francisco). On our way back to the mainland, we were greatly entertained by the Blue Angels for Fleet Week.



Afterwards, we got dressed up and dined at Nihon - a sushi and whiskey lounge. And after that, Justin surprised me with a private booth and bottle service at the Ambassador. Events into the night are a little fuzzy...



Sunday - we went to the Hardly Strictly BlueGrass festival at GG Park. Overall the music and food were pretty good, but it was WAYYYYYY too crowded. Oh and there was a band called Marley's Ghost that seemed intriguing as they were supposed to be a mix between English folk, bluegrass, and reggae. Sadly, they were highly unsuccessful.

My actual bday was on the 11th, a Thursday. I stayed at work late to catch up on projects, and went home to be greeted by a homemade chocolate cake a la Justin, and our usual crowd of bandits (shane, daniela, karl, and mike).

Thanks all for an unforgettable 30th bday, esp Justin who went above and beyond. More pics ici.

Thank you Ni!

First snail mail bday package and what do I get? An Ipod touch from my one and only sister. Thanks Vanissa!

Signs that I'm nearing 30

A week and two days away to the dreaded 3-0 and my body is in pain. In my last run, a painful 10 miler, I could hardly get through the first 4. My legs felt like tree trunks.. Apparently (diagnosed by my running bff), my calf muscles are probably all tangled up with each other.. they should all twitch individually but when they've worked too many miles, they start twitching as one muscle, which leads to pain. All this right before the Nike half (I signed up for the Nike full, but have since decided to just do the more sane half). I signed up for a sport massage to work on both calves for Friday at Psoas Massage & Bodywork. Hopefully it will do the body good.

My cousin viv and her bf are flying in from Toronto for a visit to start my 30th bday festivities. they arrive Thursday.. Friday, we'll be at the Berkeley's Greek Theater for the Shins (drool), and we'll try to squeeze in a visit to Zachary's (a deep dish pizza place that's supposed to outshine any Chicago deep dish pizza place - hard to believe but I'll report back). Saturday, Justin's leading the surprise festivities, but I'm hoping to run 8 miles on my newly massaged legs before everything begins. Sunday is unclear - I guess it depends on how I do on Saturday:) Maybe it'll just be a day of R&R and Wii, though I'm tempted to fit a ferry ride to hike on Angel Island. Monday, we'll be heading down to Santa Clara for south bay exploration.

Then I turn 30 on Thursday.. the monthly BBQ at work will coincidentally fall on the same day.

Saturday, we head up to North Bay for some sushi, and then to Napa for a night at a B&B. And wake up at the crack of dawn for a hot air balloon ride, and champaign brunch.. then over to another surprise bday party for a fellow libra friend - also turning the dreaded 3-0.

Don't worry. I'm not dreading thirty that much. I just have to realize that I can't get away with as much because I should be at a more responsible age. That goes for everything I guess... Like I can't get away with eating 3 cupcakes and thinking that I won't feel it an hour later.

On becoming 30

It just hit me as I was watching some memorial service for 9/11, that it was a mere month before the big 3-0. When I was in my tweens, 30 was crazy old. I mean I couldn't even fathom my life at 25. I just had a few goals in mind, mostly to have moved out from my parents, to be financially independent, to be in a different city other than blacksburg, and to be dating. Ha. Obviously 25 was a few years back, and I did accomplish those goals.

Since then, my goals have been more adventuresome - eat more, travel more, run more, learn more. And to an extent, I've accomplished this. Of course these goals are unending. After every good meal, vacation, run, I'm just ready to do more.

Now with my 30th birthday coming up, I find myself without goals and even odder, without a desire to have anything more. I guess it's how you look at it. From where i stand, my life as it is right now, is pretty complete. Sure I can always have more of something.. I have been eying a nice 50" flat screen tv, and the limited amount of space in our overstuffed 1 bdrm nob hill apt is sometimes less than desirable. But other than material desires, I'm pritty pritty good (as Larry David would say). I do need to travel more before I settle (whatever that means). And of course, (my parents always brings this up), I do at some point need to own some real estate, instead of handing my tax money to the gov't.

Anyways I bring this all up, because el wrote up her 'before 40 goals', and I was thinking 'ogod, 40 is crazy old'. I can't imagine goals that could span a decade to accomplish. Anyways all this blabbing leads to nothing. Just that, I don't have any before 40 goals besides staying fit, and staying healthy (I'm a little obsessed with looking at my red blood cells after watching Crazy, Sexy Cancer, a documentary about a NYC actress and her desire to get as healthy as she can after she gets diagnosed with vascular cancer. It's a great story - I highly recommend it).

Enough blabbing. I'm supposed to give J a list of stuff that I want, but I can't think of anything. Do you have any ideas? We're a little late with planning if I wanted a dinner at French Laundry. Maybe I can stick that on my goals before turning 31.

Before 30 revisited

Egad! Birthday is tomorrow. I have exactly a year and a day before I turn 30.. and while i did get to mark off a few things this year on my before 30 list.. (go to china, go to japan, get engaged and solidify serious relationship, photo show), I still have much to do.. atleast I think I do. Since my before 30 list was wiped - diary-x server died and they had to wipe the hard drive which stored my before 30 list - i don't exactly recall everything that was on there. I wrote it when I turned 24 or 25.. So it was eons ago.

Anyways since I only have a year now.. here's a list of items I'd like to complete before I turn 30.

• Get a PB in another marathon (planning to run in the Chicago marathon next year)
• Start taking a language classes (Japanese and Mandarin are at the top of my list)
• Go to NY
• Take a cooking class
• Save mula
• Get married, and honeymoon in [Santorini/Mykonos/Paris]
• Get promoted at work
• Buy a Digital SLR

Seems short but I've been shocked at how fast a year goes by. I'll add on as I see fit. I should probably run another half-marathon too.. ooh and keep my weight off through the holiday season and win the lottery or at a craps table :)