what's the hubbub...?

Stuck

2011-12-30T22:54:00.001-08:00

Perhaps the best time to post about gratitude is when you're feeling particularly bilious.

Today, I am grateful for two sweet and wonderful and adorable kids who were miraculously cooperative during tonight's bedtime routine which I had to complete solo.

Also, they fought over space, covers and attention for over an hour tonight (we're all on a single aerobed for the night), but I am grateful that they still want my love, affection and attention. When they're teens, I'll relish this memory of them wanting to snuggle with me all night and being even one body away wasn't close enough.

Now that they've fallen asleep, I'm grateful for the peace and quiet and the time I now have to just gather my thoughts.

We will be late returning home, jeopardizing new year's eve plans with "extended family," but I will be grateful if Tom has something other than stomach flu and more grateful yet if the kids and I don't catch anything from him.

I am especially grateful for my mom who worries but somehow (with me, at least) isn't relentlessly overbearing in pushing her recommendations and suggestions--she sounds the warning and then lets it rest.

There is more, I know, but I will close with the relief and gratitude I feel whenever baby girl kicks for several minutes on end. I hope she's ok in there! she is enduring a violent cough that dates back to Thanksgiving weekend, ibuprofen in the second trimester (apparently a big no-no in pregnancy, a warning I only discovered after my root canal), a root canal and antiobiotics, a lot of bumps and bangs to her belly world and cameron's demands to be carried. I will be grateful to carry her full term...!

saturday at the park

2011-11-27T02:45:00.000-08:00

What's not to love about a Saturday at the park? At 69F and sunny, the weather was gorgeous (even if unseasonable!) and we got fresh air and Vitamin D AND Dylan got to see his old buddy Nate ("...make new friends, but keep the old...")!!!

Also, today, we started setting up the holiday village that will surround our holiday tree (Friday's Big Event was setting up the toy train). I love how Dylan gets completely engrossed in the imagination of it all and how he is so into the whole holiday spirit!!

Sheer joy.

i am grateful for my family

2011-11-23T11:04:00.000-08:00

This is a timely post for Thanksgiving, huh?! Anyway, here it is: I had the usual, normal, dull tooth throb all week (thanks to a maligned tooth that has me bearing down on a practically exposed nerve), but after a couple of days...or a day and a half, really, it ballooned into a dental emergency. By last night, the left side of my mouth was so tender, I was waking up every 3 hours because of the pain; I couldn't last a full 4 hours between ibuprofen doses and I had to take 3 to just take the edge off.

Tom was on the phone leaving messages for 24/7 emergency dentists (who sadly didn't get back to us until this morning) and, luckily, he was able to get in touch with our local dentist's office and the on-call dentist submitted a prescription for antiobiotics to be picked up first thing in the morning.

By morning, it looked like I was stashing a small plum inside the left side of my cheek. Pain was radiating downwards along my neck as well as upwards to my eyeball. I thought the left side of my head was just going to explode and I wasn't sure if I could keep from crying.

I woke up for good at 4:39am where I took my final dose of 3 ibuprofen, eagerly anticipating taking that first antiobiotic dose around 9:30am. Tom stayed home in the morning to help with the kids, make phone calls for me and to pick up my prescription. Now through the lifting fog of a shrinking wad of pus, I can say I'm so lucky and so grateful to have such a caring and loving husband. Sure, he drives me crazy plenty of times, but he really took care of me and I know this kind of compassion and heart just can't be found in any ol' person.

Then, there's Dylan who lovingly stroked my puffed up cheek as soon as he saw me in the morning. And, while we were washing hands in the bathroom this morning, he told me, "I'm sorry this happened to you, mom." He is such a loving and caring little fella!

And Cameron, too. She apologized, "sorry mom"-- when she bumped my cheek and I cried out.

What a great family I have. I'm so lucky...and grateful to have them all in my life.

a new PR

2010-10-03T23:07:00.001-07:00

Just when I thought I would probably never be able to get back up to speed with my running, I ended up getting a new PR today at the San Jose Rock 'n' Roll. Chip Time: 1:54:18. This beats my 2010 Disneyland Half time by ~4 minutes (1:58:02) where I felt I did much better than expected, and beats my old PR of 1:54:20 at the 2007 Santa Cruz Half Marathon.

Tom and I have not been training with much regularity at all -- most weeks, I am only able to run twice at most -- so even though I felt I could have done better with a little more pushing during the race and I'm somewhat frustrated knowing I could probably be faster with more regular training (even just one more run per week), I'm fairly satisfied. For this particular event, I ran only once between last weekend's 10K and today's race. I suppose I really couldn't ask for better than what I got.

In three short weeks, we'll see if I can mark "marathon" off my bucket list. I'll run in the Silicon Valley Marathon, probably slowly (10min/mile average), and I probably won't feel as good afterwards as I do after a 10K or a half.

In the meantime, today's stats:

Overall: 1926 out of 10378 · Division: 81 out of 894 · Gender: 446 out of 5831

Pace	5 Km	10 Km	10 Mi	ChipTime	ClockTime
8:44	26:55	53:28	1:27:02	01:54:18	01:56:08

Droid Fever

2010-02-27T23:06:00.001-08:00

It's hard not to love my new Motorola Droid. I've had it for about 2 weeks now and I don't regret not waiting for the Nexus One nor do I regret the money I spent on it! I've used it as a productivity tool (to track goals, to-do lists, grocery shopping lists, etc), to track workouts, to find restaurants and, of course, to communicate!

Needless to say, I've finally joined the ranks of the hi-tech gadget geeks. I now realize the power of "location-aware" apps (simultaneously frightening and amazing).

So far, my favorite apps are:
- Navigation: it is a GPS replacement and it rocks. Turn-by-turn directions with the option to view overlays of restaurants, gas stations, etc.
- Calendar: fantastic sync/integration with my Google calendar

- CardioTrainer (tracks your real-time position on a map, saves your route, gives you total elevation gain, and uploads to their server for logging, etc.). While I'm running, it periodically announces current distance, time, and pace, and it works well with Pandora running in the background.
- Runner by SportsTrackLive and Google My Tracks do similar things. If you pay $9.99, you can upload tracks from Runner to their servers as well as allow "live tracking" of your performance so that interested spectators (family and friends) can know exactly where you are in your event, etc. It appends weather information as well and has nice altitude and speed charts. The big advantage to My Tracks is the ability to upload to google docs (I see no benefit to uploading to Google Maps--it does not display information on pace, elevation gain, etc., it's just the route).

- Pandora ROCKS! I haven't experienced skips, lags, or any other network connection issues yet. I've streamed music while spinning on the bike trainer in the garage, taking walks with the baby around our neighborhood, running (with GPS sports tracking enabled) and in various other locations. My favorite station for running and biking: the Crystal Method radio station; my favorite station for just chillin': Delerium radio.

- Seesmic for twitter. I like it better than twitdroid. Maybe I'm missing something....
- Droid Light: uses the camera's LED flash as a flashlight (I sit in the dark a lot with my kids--it's helpful!)
- KeePass Droid: open-source password vault that I use on my thumb drive and PC as well.
- Facebook
- Our Groceries (for shopping lists)
- WordPress (for blog maintenance)
- Barcode scanner (holy smokes. I can scan barcodes to initiate a search for products).
- Flickroid - has an unfortunate name that reminds me of hemerrhoids, but it's the only app I've found so far that allows me to upload my flickr photos for twitter as well.
- Movies by Flixter (find theatres by location--GPS or manually entered--, showtimes, and read reviews from rotten tomatoes, etc.

So what else did I install?
- Carr Matey (to find my car using GPS)
- aCar (car maintenance log)
- Aldiko book reader
- AlphaMixr word game
- Amazon and Amazon MP3
- AsciiCamera (converts images into Ascii art)
- Astrid (To-do list with Remember the Milk integration/syncing)
- Astro File Manager
- Bebbled game
- BoardGameGeek app (for game details, cannot update account)
- CNet Scan and Shop (scan barcodes and get CNET reviews, etc)
- Compass
- Delicious (for bookmarking sites I view on my phone)
- Discovery Channel
- Evernote
- Finance (syncs with your Google portfolio)
- Flickr Droid for browsing my flickr account
- Tagalog flashcards
- FX Camera (toy camera, polaroid, warhol effects)
- Goals ToDo (define goals and associated actions)
- Google Goggles: haven't discovered the utility of this app yet
- Google Sky map: very cool app that shows constellations in the night sky based on GPS location
- Grid Droid game
- gStrings: guitar and ukelele tuner! Allows you to tune to the exact MHz.
- Jewels game (bejeweled knockoff)
- Linda File Manager
- Lookout (security scanner)
- Photoshop mobile
- NPR news
- OpenTable (for restaurant reservations)
- Quickcopy (save text snippets to a clipboard)
- Google Shopper
- TasKiller (kills tasks/processes)
- TED talks/videos
- Ultimate Stopwatch because it looks cool
- URL shortener
- US traffic
- Wave Secure (backup)
- Where (location-aware app that gives you news, nearby restaurants, stores, special offers, gas stations, etc)
- Yelp (another location-aware app that gives you nearby search results)

Dev tools: On a small device, doing dev is not easy, but still, I think it's so cool that, if I wanted to, I can FTP stuff, connect over ssh, view source and edit files...on a freakin' phone!
- AndFTP ftp client
- ConnectBot
- Web Page Source
- Text Edit (edit text files)

For Dylan: the touch screen is so intuitive, dylan knew how to scroll down for more options (just flicking his finger on the screen), and he discovered the Home and Back buttons when he accidentally "leaves" an app).
- A-Z Animals Lite (ABC game for Dylan)
- Animal Farm
- Connect the Dots
- FingerPaint
- Magic Marker
- Preschool Learning (trace letters, matching games, etc)
- Trace Blast (trace letters app)
- Whiteboard

It's been worth every penny so far -- and I think I'm getting my money's worth on the data plan, too (streaming Pandora is soo awesome!).

Turkey Trot

2009-11-28T12:58:00.001-08:00

dylan with swag and his medal
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

On Thanksgiving Day, Cameron was 15 weeks and 1 day and I ran the longest distance I've run since her birth. I took about a one year hiatus from running while I was pregnant with her, so I'll have to admit that getting back into running has been tough. I'm older, I guess, and heavier, too!

It was definitely much easier getting back into running after having Dylan (my first run back was when he was about 6 or 7 weeks old, but I was back to running a 9-minute mile after only 3 weeks and already logged a 10-mile run when he was only about 14 weeks old!)

In any event, I did a bit better than I'd expected. My training runs (about 3x a week) have been fairly short, none of them exceeding 4.5 miles, and I've felt like I've been running them pretty slowly.

As a result, I was surprised that I was at a constant 9:42 pace during the turkey trot--that's a little faster than the 10-minute miles I thought I've been running. Of course, the course was pretty flat!

In any case, here are my stats:
Overall: 1747 out of 3237
606 out of 1558 women
74 out of 188 in my age group (F 40-44)
Age/Grade: 52.16%
Chip Time: 1:00:15

I felt great afterwards, so I'm hoping I'll regain some of my lost speed and better endurance soon. I'm still planning on registering for the SC Half early in 2010.

back to the future

2009-04-09T20:24:00.000-07:00

Apparently, somebody climbed down a manhole somewhere along Monterey Highway, close to Blossom Hill Road in San Jose and intentionally cut four fiber optic lines, effectively severing internet connections and landline and cell phone lines in parts of Santa Clara County, Monterey and Santa Cruz for the entire day. My company came to a near stand-still -- and I imagine much of the affected areas did as well (we were sent home around 12:30pm or so once we got news that connections wouldn't be up until maybe 6 or 7pm) and I later found out from Heather that she couldn't use the ATM and had to wait outside the bank for a handwritten receipt of her deposit transaction).

There are many things that this event brings to mind: 1) my gawd, we have no backups for these systems??? 2) holy smokes we're incredibly dependent on our communications systems; 3) someone is going to be in big trouble; and 4) how oddly satisfying it is for me to not have internet access for the day.

Today, I was (pleasantly) reminded of what I did in my spare time before I started logging into the internet at every available free moment. Yes, my home was a heck of a lot neater and tidier (today, I did some organizing, some laundry, vacuuming, etc)...I read more fiction (I finished Donna Tartt's _A Secret History_ and started _Life of Pi_), and I listened to a lot more music (tunes have been rolling since I got home from work).

Ok, back then, I didn't have a near 3-year old, I was in grad school, and as a graduate student I had few possessions, but still, I'm amazed at how much I accomplished this afternoon precisely because I haven't had access to the internet. I've always felt like the internet makes me terribly productive, but today I'm reminded of how unproductive it can also be. I hope this personal lesson sticks.

On a broader note, though, I'll reiterate my discomfort with the idea of having no backup systems...and I'll echo some of the sentiments in the news reports that it's good it happened now instead of a more dire state of emergency....Hopefully, now we can be better able to prevent these kinds of things....

still running

2008-07-14T22:59:00.000-07:00

happy to see Dylan and Tom at the Jungle Run finish line!
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

Last year, I ran my best half marathon ever at the Santa Cruz Half. Several weeks later, I ran one of my worst runs ever (since I started running, that is) at the Jungle Run. This year, I actually improved my Jungle Run finish time by 3 minutes (testament to just how crappy I did last year), but my overall performance/place (442/757) was still pretty pathetic.

Still, since I pretty much squeezed in only 2 weeks of consistent training before the event and the longest distance covered during said "training" was 7.8 miles (completed a week before the event), it was an oddly satisfying run. My training runs felt really, really difficult, so this time around, I had no time goal at all -- just a goal to complete the damn thing. What a difference a lack of self-imposed pressure makes...! And seeing Tom and Dylan at the finish line motivated me to sprint the last 1/4 mile to get back to them sooner...!

What's Wrong with What We Eat

2008-07-02T22:18:00.000-07:00

New York Times food critic Mark Bittman, a self-proclaimed omnivore who will probably never stop eating animals, lays it on the line: over-production and over-consumption of meat and junk food must stop. This "odd form of malnutrition", is killing individuals (via "lifestyle diseases" such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers) as well as the planet (via industrialized food production). It's 20 minutes and it's brilliant.

my nephews are awesome

2008-06-23T23:07:00.000-07:00

Oh, to be a kid!!

overheard

2008-04-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

I overheard a conversation at the train station this morning in which a fella confided in a complete stranger that he just got engaged to a gal who is 12 years older than he is and whom he's been dating for only 6 weeks. He's worried his parents will freak at the news, not because of her age, but because of the duration of their courtship. But, it's not like they've known each other for only 6 weeks; apparently, he lost his virginity to her 9 years ago at a friend's wedding. Also, he doesn't feel like his parents have any room to criticize because they knew each other for only 4.5 months before they got married...his best friend, though (who apparently knocked up the last gal he dated and asked to marry), holds the record: marriage after only 2 months of acquaintance. Very, very brief critique of serial monogamists followed. Well, that was interesting.

all spleen

2008-03-25T22:01:00.000-07:00

Top two things on my current "can't stand" list: people who lack integrity and ass-kissers who bad mouth those whose asses they kiss. Sadly, these are not mutually exclusive character traits and, even worst, those possessing both often rise to the top of the ranks in our society. Are we twisted or what? End of rant.

dog chow

2008-01-30T23:44:00.001-08:00

Why don't I eat my own dog food?

I was recently struck by this question when our team was asked to brainstorm some new UI features we could implement to impress the big cheesies at work. I looked at our site and thought and thought (this was, after all, round Two and we'd already hammered out a few demo hacks)...and thought. And then when all thought had evaporated, I pondered what would get me to use our site when I could send my cameraphone pictures straight to other users (phone or email) AND I can upload them easily to flickr, facebook, myspace, youtube or any other number of third party sites?

Was there really anything we could add to this site to make it more appealing to use??? Could there be anything that would persuade me to use our app versus one I was already using?

The sad thing is, the more I thought about it, the more I realized I would never really switch and, moreover, the only features which might make the app more appealing would actually whittle it down to a smaller and smaller size. What do people want to do with their pictures, after all? They want to view and organize them surely, and they probably want to share at least some of them.

In the Web 2.0 world of rapidly multiplying virtual networks and the increasing popularity of life-caching, the ability to aggregate your various data and display it in one central location (at one central URL) for all to see has become more and more desirable. So, all I could really thing of (beyond full-screen slideshows, more more more drag and drop functionality ('cuz that seems to be the AJAX flavor of the day) and flashier UI components), were things like widgets for displaying cameraphone photostreams elsewhere, and RSS feeds neither of which keeps the user in the app and both of which exist in just about all of the other popular social networking sites already.

To return to my original question: why don't I eat my own dog food? Well, gosh, it's not original and it's been done better elsewhere.

ACDSee Photo Manager

2008-01-30T23:02:00.000-08:00

One of the features I like most about ACDSee is the ability to upload to Flickr AND use the ACDSee caption as the title and my ACDSee-assigned tags as flickr tags. You can also type in more tags for a photo once the Flickr uploader panel is open (I usually add the current year as an additional tag); and, you can set max upload sizes, and add images to a set (or create a new one).

Yes, performance is slower than Flickr's own Uploader, but I don't mind. At least the captions and tags in my catalog of images is in sync with what's uploaded to the web.

More advanced photo hobbyists complain that ACDSee's image editing capabilities are limited as compared to Photoshop. But the biggies are present: levels, curves, some noise reduction, shadow/highlight correction, sharpness, and color/saturation/hue (EXIF data is also available) and the interface and controls are not nearly as complicated as Photoshop's.

I'm just now beginning to get into editing RAW format (the unadulterated data captured by a digital camera's sensor) and I find that ACDSee coupled with the more extensive RAW (NEF) editing capabilities of Nikon's Capture NX software is all I really need.

All software can be improved, though, right? So, my wishlist for the next version of ACDSee is currently as follows:

right-click menu option allowing one to edit file in an external editor (for me, this external editor would be Capture NX)
improved uploader performance/speed
better "Email Images" integration. It would be nice if it didn't spawn an external email program and just emailed photos natively (Photoshop Elements has ACDSee beat on this feature).

Anyway, that's my two cents.

"and baby makes 11"

2008-01-25T13:43:00.000-08:00

Cute shirt, huh? It's called "Binary KID" (yep, that's right! It says "KID" on it). Available at ThinkGeek.

I'll tumbl for ya

2007-11-01T23:14:00.000-07:00

It's the beginning of a new month, a good time to start experimenting with the utility of a tumblog, yeah?

Tumblr provides a dashboard to make it super simple to post text, links, photos, videos, audio, chat transcripts, and quotes -- just click the appropriate button and fill in the blanks. Titles and commentary/description are optional....So far, I see it as a more visual form of del.icio.us -- bookmarks from around the web (with the added ability to add from one's PC), saved and shared, with little or no commentary. I have yet to see if such a thing is useful....

the sexiest sentence alive

2007-10-23T11:59:00.000-07:00

A man with a Ph.D. wrote an algorithm for another man who likes to write and, together, they discovered the Sexiest Sentence Alive: "My breast flipped inside out so my nipple touched my heart."

rock n' roll

2007-10-14T21:11:00.000-07:00

We just ran the San Jose Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon this morning and the results are already online:

Place Overall: 2664/8787
Women: 746/4802
Age Group: 126/831
AgeGrade: 56.90%
Place: 1925
FINISH: 1:59:20 | pace: 9:07
5k: 26:38 | pace: 8:35
10K: 54:20 | pace: 8:45
10Mile: 1:29:41 | pace: 8:59
Chip Time: 1:59:20
Gun Time: 2:02:05

Weather was perfect, felt good until about mile 5 when my knee started buggin' me. Stayed ahead of the 2:00 pace-marker until about mile 8 when a stop at the water station dropped me behind. I had nothing left at the finish line -- couldn't sprint (as I like to do!) across the finish line. Couldn't even muster up enough to make it before 2:02 blinked by on the clock!

Still, this year's time was an improvement over last year's time and my age-grade apparently improved. Small things!

I am terribly sore tonight, though, and my knee is back to hurting a lot. Will hope I can rehabilitate it before the Silicon Valley half in 3 weeks. Both Tom and I are also hoping to be a bit more vigilant about training (the last run he did was an astonishing 4 weeks ago -- astonishing that he could finish this run, I mean!) and the last time I ran was last week...).

like a mermaid out of water

2007-10-03T00:57:00.000-07:00

I participated in an all-women Triathlon/Duathlon this past weekend. Since I suck at swimming (the last time I did a tri, I swam backwards because I was on my back to get air!), I just did the run-bike-run.

Results: A miserable 12/16 in age group and 39/93 overall.

Here are my splits:

T1 00:10:47.0 (1.5 miles)
Bike 00:52:06.9 (11 miles)
T2 00:02:20.9
Run 00:23:02.8 (2.5 miles)
Finish 01:28:17.6

Here were my issues:

- transition 1: knot in running shoes!!! Laces on biking shoes were too tight; hands were cold making it difficult to unknot and unloosen laces! Boo on me!
- Bike: mountain bikes are heavy and are especially heavy when they won't shift any lower than 4th gear on the 2nd chain ring when going up steep hills. This kinda tapped my legs out. It also convinced me that I have to replace my derailleurs (I put it off at the last tune-up)! On the upside, I managed to stay on my bike.
Transition 2: Again with the shoes. I fumbled around with the switch back to running shoes. I'm too slow in transition!

So, if I were faster in transition and on my bike (had I hit my projected pace), I probably could have saved 10 minutes which would have placed me 8th in my age group and 22nd overall. I would have been happier with that, for sure....

I talked with the woman who placed second at the start line and at the end. She was really cool and very modest. Kudos to her for a great performance!!

Almaden Classic

2007-09-24T23:58:00.001-07:00

The first time I participated in this event was in 2005, when I was just a couple of months preggers with Dylan. Christina ran with me and it was her first 10K! Ahh, such sweet memories!

This year, I recorded my fastest 10K time: 50:23. But, this only put me at 46/141 overall (women), and 19/48 in my age group. Jeeze, those people run fast!

So, to the lowdown on the run....

I started out just wanting to keep pace with Tom who's been doing speed workouts and is historically faster out of the gates than I am. I couldn't keep up with him for the first two miles. After probably about 3/4 mile, I told myself that there was no way I could sustain this pace, so I dropped back and watched his head bobbing off in the (near) distance.

But, at mile 3, I somehow caught up and we ran together until mile 4. At this point, we just passed the water station and a woman fell at Tom's feet! So, gentleman that he is, he stopped to help her...I was clueless and continued on.

At mile 5, the iRiver shuffled over to "Code Monkey" and that (in addition to a few other factors) motivated me to pick up my pace for the final mile.

Overall, I'm happy with the results and I think it was a good training run for next week's duathlon here in Aptos....I need to sustain some level of fitness for the duathlon since I'll be biking with my mountain bike and I will probably have leaden legs by the time I get off the bike for the final run.

trying out pictobrowser

2007-09-22T23:39:00.000-07:00

dylan's parents

2007-09-16T16:33:00.000-07:00

Here we are at the end of the Disneyland half.

4 x 4

2007-09-13T01:47:00.000-07:00

Four years and 4 days ago, I started blogging.

Leshana Tovah Tekatev Vitechatem

2007-09-12T23:02:00.000-07:00

I can't really pretend to know anything about Rosh Hashana or much about Judaism, in general, but I do know it's Day 1, and so here's my married-into-Jewish-culture well-wishes for a happy new year. In Tagalog, we say, "manigong bagong taon!"

phhhhh'd: a past life

2007-09-10T20:38:00.000-07:00

How odd is this? I've been cited and acknowledged in a couple of books on Filipino-Americans.

Grad school was such another lifetime ago, I'm surprised there's some residual trace that I actually went.

So, the back story to finding these refs (which, oddly enough, didn't include Heather's book), includes receiving an email from an old high school friend.

It feels strange to be taken back in time with these reminders of who I was and what I was doing so many years ago...I feel like such a different person. I wonder if they'd agree....

the hottest race on earth

2007-09-05T02:33:00.000-07:00

Disney bills their half-marathon as "the Happiest Race on Earth", but I beg to differ. It was already hot at 5am -- I mean, enough to make me sweat and, for anyone who knows me, y'all know that I'm pretty heat-tolerant and it takes a pretty hot temp for me to bust into a sweat, especially if I'm not even moving...So, you can imagine how warm it was an hour before the run even began!

At the entrance to the corral area -- where the runners line up -- there was a sign reading, "Heat Index Flag Warning". There were 3 possibilities: yellow, red, or black. Yellow=high risk for heat stroke, withdraw; red=heat injury possible, slow your pace; black=no times recorded for anyone (basically, canceling the competitive component). At 5:30am, we were already at red-flag conditions!

In any case, that aside, since Tom and I were in separate corrals (I was in Corral A, Wave 1 -- assignments were based on best half-marathon pace), we decided to stretch together before entering our respective corrals. Little did I know this would cost me my spot in my corral! About 15 minutes before the start, we split off and that's when I discovered the corral had been closed and all of the runners who were not yet inside were informed they'd have to join Corral C. Well, the only good thing about that was that Tom was also there, so at least we could run together.

Ok. Announcements, blah blah, some fireworks, more blah blah. Then off we went.

I was sweating from the get-go, but was motivated to try to cover as much ground as possible before it got really, really, really hot. That turned out to be a pretty short distance. I was able to run at a fairly good clip given my current level of (non)training for about 6 miles. After that, I was so hot and paranoid about passing out from heat stroke, I started to slow my pace. At mile 8, I started to walk under sunny conditions and just jogged in the shade.

Needless to say, no PR this time around!

I have been battling a knee condition, but I have to say, that my knee wasn't the limiting factor in this run. Nor was it muscle fatigue or poor aerobic conditioning. It was, quite simply, the heat!

Sadly, the course wasn't that fantastic either. Running through California Adventure and Disneyland itself was mildly interesting as was running through the Stadium and seeing myself on that big ol' screen behind homeplate(?), but overall, it was a pretty boring course. Given the flatness of the terrain, it was especially disappointing to have had such a bad time: 2:14:28. But, in the end, I finished 182 in my division (out of 995), 903 in all women (out of 5784), 2320 overall (out of 9768) and I finished alive....Tom finished about 10 minutes after me....

Where was Dylan during all of this?? He was in our hotel room with his Grandma who sooooo graciously babysat him while we were running. She did a great job, too. He was so tuckered out from having so much fun playing with her -- he didn't fuss or cry at all despite waking up at the ungodly hour of 5am -- he fell sound asleep as soon as Tom and I returned to the room!

hello Hell-A!

2007-09-01T16:13:00.000-07:00

contents of swag bag sans already-eaten clif bar sample
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

Every day it's been about 100F, give or take 2 or 3 degrees and, believe me, it ain't that pretty at all!

We spent yesterday, visiting folks -- Dylan played with his cousin Rocky, gramma Sharon graciously watched him while Tom and I stole away for some quick brekky eats at Le Pain Quotidien (whoa..talk about a pricey sandwich and an extravagant bowl of omega-3 oatmeal!)...we saw Uncle Michael at his house and, after dinner at Madeleine Bistro (another money-hemorrhaging meal), we saw Papa Willard.

All the while, we all endured the searing heat....

Today, we are chillin' (actually baking) in Anaheim. We bled a little more money sampling a vegan restaurant in Fullerton called Sidney's Cafe. It was a mere 5 miles away, but it took nearly 20 minutes to get there -- this is by car, by the way....I never thought I'd be so elated to see the words, "Welcome to Fullerton!"...

After wrestling with Dylan at the race expo at the Disneyland Hotel, we're now back in our hotel where Dylan and Tom are both napping away.

Meanwhile, I'm on a slow city wi-fi connection, connected at a whopping 5.5 MBPS, unable to upload photos to flickr 'cuz of bandwidth restrictions, and wondering just how much popcorn you can get for $25 (that's right folks, twenty-five bucks!) from Sheraton's "in-room" dining service.

I'm also sad that my technical shirt is a size "M" instead of a small. I think it will be too big for me (see picture of swag bag contents) and I've really been wanting one for those early AM running events...!

my visual DNA...

2007-06-12T22:06:00.000-07:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Ends in Z: jumpcut to Dylan's birth

2007-05-20T01:34:00.000-07:00

A year ago at almost exactly this time, Dylan was born!

Grand (yet humble) festivities are planned for tomorrow! I'm so so proud -- he's walking now (he took 11 steps on Mother's Day, 5 steps the day before that, and 3 steps the day before that!) and he's babbling up a storm, signing a few things (hat, ceiling fan, light, dog), meowing when he sees cats, thrilled to bits at the sight of dogs, too; he loves pancakes and he still loves bananas and Oatios, music, drumming, piano.... He's finally getting more comfy (we think) with daycare (I'm glad but sad, too); he has such a great sense of humor and he gets along swimmingly with other kids; he loves his cousins and his aunties, his lola, and, of course, mommy and daddy.

It's been one heck of a year.

More adventures will surely follow...

Ends in Z: jumpcut to Dylan's birth

the cultural impact of the cameraphone

2007-05-18T09:55:00.000-07:00

Initially, I thought there would be only limited appeal to having a cameraphone, but now I can't live without mine. When I don't have my regular camera around, I can still capture spontaneous moments and random observations. The documentarian in me (is that a word?) totally digs having this ability, especially now that Dylan is around and carrying a full-size camera, manipulating it, etc., is a lot more challenging!

Beyond usage, the cameraphone has also impacted my work life and career satisfaction (never thought I'd work on sites for mobile devices or that I'd find a high-tech job in town with a sub-4-mile commute!)

How did the cameraphone change your life?

coffee

2007-05-07T00:21:00.000-07:00

I really miss coffee. Haven't had regular since I found out I was preggers with Dylan. Still tee-totalling due to nursing. Looking at these pictures of latte art is making me drool.

will this site spread?

2007-04-13T22:17:00.000-07:00

Who Is Sick lets folks post their illnesses to a map and/or search on symptoms to see if there's an outbreak of something or other in their area.

Interesting idea, but I wonder if it'll catch? Right now, there are only 2 reports in the Santa Cruz area...a 25-year old fella with a cold and dizziness and another fella who reports sneezing and a runny nose.

So, data seems a little scant right now....

a blast from the past

2007-04-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm dating myself in posting this, but it's a trip, so I can't help but blog it...

Back in high school, my big sister's boyfriend was a DJ and he and some friends rented a space downtown, charged $5 admission and Robert spun the tunes...

He often borrowed some of our record collection (many 12" singles were later stolen along with his DJ equipment) for club nights!

I remember making flyers for this thing and passing them around! In fact, I think I still have copies of some of them somewhere amongst my boxes of crap.

In any case, oddly enough, his little nightclub venture, Face to Face, is listed on this in the 80's site along with a bunch of other nightclubs we used to frequent: Stargaze (a fave!! I remember bumping along in Michele's car to get there, the music store upstairs, costume night on Halloween, "the Dominatrix" and more!), One Step Beyond, The Edge, Mother's (not so much a fave), and Oasis (where we celebrated my 21st bday). They're all there, and as Robert says, "gone but not forgotten!

::gtd::Getting Things Done

2007-03-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

There's a whole new "Getting Things Done" phenomenon out there with resources that I've just recently been over-eager to tap into what with juggling Dylan-care, near-full-time work and half-marathon training...oh, and chores and important stuff like family time.

Testament to the crazy mad times we live these days.

Anyway, the irony in all of it is that I probably spend as much time "getting things done" as I do "thinking about getting things done", reading Lifehacks, making my lists, and checking them twice, etc...!

I spent much of my free time today (Dylan's napping), programming AutoHotkey Hotstrings and HotKeys.

I have to say, this little freeware program is awesome. You basically can type keyboard shortcuts to replace your commonly used strings in whatever app you're running (e.g., btw will be replaced by "by the way" in web text forms or Windows apps... ) or create hotkey commands to run software or open your most common websites or folders.

I've included snippets from my AutoHotkey script as an example of what's possible:

::cu::See you soon
::ttyl::Talk to you later

; URLs
#a::Run http://www.amazon.com (where # == Windows Key, so #a means press Windows+a to launch Amazon website in a browser)
#b::Run http://www.blogger.com
#c::Run http://www.bloglines.com/myblogs
#d::Run https://secure.del.icio.us/login
#f::Run http://www.flickr.com
#g::Run http://gmail.google.com
#m::Run http://www.rememberthemilk.com
#y::Run http://mail.yahoo.com

^!p::Run C:\Program Files\Perforce\P4Win.exe (opens Perforce software with CTRL-ALT-P)
^!p::Run C:\ccruz (opens ccruz folder)

Groovy, groovy, groovy...

Download it at AutoHotkey Download.

deserves an Academy Award, for sure

2007-02-25T09:21:00.000-08:00

the benefits of non-dairy...

2007-02-15T10:37:00.000-08:00

A couple of highlights from this MSN Health article on dairy:

Although the calcium and protein in milk are important nutrients, proof that dairy sources of calcium are required for strong bones is weak. Populations that eat little or no dairy do not have higher rates of osteoporosis.
Some studies suggest a significantly increased risk of some cancers from eating three or more servings a day of dairy, especially prostate cancer in men. This cancer link is inconclusive, however, and more research needs to be done.
a diet high in veggies and fruits will easily meet the quotas for other bone-building minerals such as Vitamin K, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, zinc and other trace minerals

The main point, though, is that you can have a perfectly healthy, if not healthier (no cholesterol and low fat), intake of calcium without needing to consume dairy products. That's good news.

An interesting relevant link is here.

binary wedding rings

2007-02-11T20:04:00.000-08:00

When 10 people fall in love...!

yahoo pipes

2007-02-10T22:09:00.000-08:00

New and worth a try if you're into RSS feeds...

Yahoo Pipes aims to solve that problem by offering what amounts to a visual integrated development environment for mixing and managing online data sources. Using Pipes, you can, for example, create a single RSS feed of news alerts -- automatic searches for a keyword like "Yahoo" -- from a variety of different sources. And Yahoo expects to expand the possibilities in the future. -- Techweb

hindsight is 20/20

2007-01-28T20:17:00.000-08:00

Now people wish Bush weren't the Prez. According to the latest Newsweek Poll, 58% of those surveyed wish that his Presidency would just end.

Too bad enough folks didn't have this sentiment before he was re-elected....

22 tech support calls to Dell hell

2007-01-27T01:05:00.000-08:00

Well, after, golly, probably the equivalent of about a day and half (yeah, approaching 36 hours) over the course of a whopping 22 phone calls to Dell tech support, I finally have a working laptop again!

So, I've had this laptop for only about 6 months and have had problems with it from the git-go. It's unfortunate. Now, they've replaced both memory modules, the CPU (that was the first service call), the wireless card, and, today, the motherboard. All parts are refurbished (well, the motherboard definitely is which makes me wary; the wireless card and CPU probably are, too), so I'm hoping, hoping, hoping that this thing doesn't crap out on me again.

This is a lovely looking laptop, but I can't say that I'd ever get a Dell again. I learned a hell of a lot about how to take this computer apart and put it back together again -- thanks to Dell's reluctance to send out a technician -- but, you know, when you buy a nice piece of equipment like this, you kind of want it to work outside of the box and you kind of don't want to spend every last minute of your free time running diagnostics and rebuilding this thing with tech support on the line...especially when you have a sub-1-year old in tow....

After the first dozen calls or so, I asked Dell if I could get a refund or at least exchange the unit: No.

So, here I was, left fuming that I had a pretty much busted machine.

Anyway, it's supposedly fixed now and, as I said, I sure hope it doesn't break again. The refurbished parts don't extend the warranty at all, so Dell shoppers be warned.

run number 3

2007-01-24T21:42:00.000-08:00

I did the same old loop 'round the neighborhood. Felt some strain in my lower back (probably from the way I sleep with the little one), especially on the downhills!

Still, running today felt better and easier than it did the first two runs, so I'm satisfied.

Groundhog Day and the State of the Union

2007-01-20T20:40:00.000-08:00

This year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union address occur on the same day. As Air America Radio pointed out, "It is an ironic juxtaposition of events: one involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to a creature of little intelligence for prognostication while the other involves a groundhog."

restart

2007-01-20T14:54:00.000-08:00

Ok. I'm registered for 3 half marathons this year, so I had to finally haul my booty off the big red couch and start running again.

Today was Run Number Two. I did the same neighborhood run as I did on Thursday -- a 4-ish mile loop with some hills). How'd it feel? Well, sadly, muscles got sore on Thursday (testament to how badly out of shape I currently am!) and were very tight for the first quarter mile or so.

Towards the end of the run, I felt a little loosening up, so I picked up the pace a smidge.

This time, I stretched after the run...(last Thursday, Dylan was so distraught, I had no time to stretch afterwards) which I'm hoping will help for Monday's run.

Yes, I'm on an every-other-day-as-is-possible, schedule.

Carving out the time will take some work...hopefully, all will work out!

Hillary is in

2007-01-20T14:21:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton has announced that she's entering the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Well, I'm not sure if our country is really ready for a female president (though I think she has a better shot than Obama or any other non-white candidate...), but if the US is, then she's got a better chance than any other woman I can think of.

I'm sure a lot of crud will get dredged up during the campaigning and, at least, she seems like she'll be able to handle it...

I'm not a huge fan of Clinton -- she's not terribly progressive -- but I'll be following the candidates as closely as I can (with little Dylan in tow, etc)...I'm still of the mind that we're living in essentially a 2-party system and I'd still much rather see a Democrat in office than a Republican (ideally, of course, I'd go for a far more socially progressive candidate, but the US ain't ready for true change).

twinkie, twinkie little snack cake

2007-01-19T23:31:00.000-08:00

Vegan Twinkies exist! Need I say more??

This Vegan Lunch Box lady rocks!

Hostess claims that there are 500 million Twinkies sold and, heck, they've existed since 1930! So, why the heck shouldn't Dylan try one of these delectable delights when he gets a little older? And, his twinkies will be better -- they'll be fresh!

qwertyuiop

2007-01-19T21:20:00.000-08:00

In case, you'd never thought about it: typing in the dark is a sure-fire way to gauge how well you can touch-type...! So next time you want to know how well you can tickle the keyboard, give it a shot.

And, I have to say, I'm doing pretty okay.

here's an irony

2007-01-10T17:55:00.000-08:00

"I decided to fight to keep anyone from having an exclusive right to capitalize on these brands," Law wrote on his blog. "Burning Man belongs to everyone."

--from an article in the SF Chronicle

Did he just refer to Burning Man as a "brand?" Wow. So much for the counter-cultural statement against commodification...

Granted, the fella wants to put the "brand" in the public domain, but the use of the term itself already belies exploitation of the event.

Even as I made my journey to Burning Man several years ago, I realized the gap between the stated ideals of BM with the reality created by its participants.

Over the years, I can only imagine that Burning Man has become less and less idealistic and more and more of a big orgiastic and hedonistic desert party with folks -- both invested in the event and not (one only has to note the number of folks selling services, like satellite telephoning) -- looking to see how they can score some spondulicks off it.

Burning Man has come a long way since its roots.

join the mobile revolution...

2007-01-05T11:47:00.000-08:00

Put your cell phone to good use...Join Working Assets Mobile Action. They'll send a text alert when action is needed to forward Pelosi's "progressive" agenda. It's just as easy as sendind JOIN to shortcode 30644.

Castle Rock Trail Run

2006-11-20T21:23:00.000-08:00

Castle Rock - 11/18/06
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

The Castle Rock run was 10.5 miles on a hilly and very technical course. I nearly twisted my ankle at least a dozen times! A couple of spots along the course were marked with signs basically signalling to us that we should walk! The warnings were well-warranted!

There was also a short stretch which required "the use of guide cables bolted into the rock for traversing a narrow, rocky, yet flat section."

For me, the run amounted to a rapid hike interspersed with some stretches of running. I think I could have run faster if I weren't so nervous of twisting my ankle or tripping on rocks and roots, and I'm glad I was cautious...! At the end of the race, I saw several folks nursing wounds.

Anyway, passing Steve's triathlete friend and coming in before him and his wife (who has apparently run marathons) was a big confidence booster. Still, it was probably one of my slowest-run races!!

As for the scenery, I'm sure it was gorgeous, but seeing as I was focused almost solely on where I was planting my feet, I barely got a glimpse of it! What I did see, though, was absolutely gorgeous, and I loved the smell of eucalyptus in the air!

This picture here is of the cuties waiting with me just before the run began...

interesting reading

2006-11-09T17:56:00.000-08:00

Now that there's the potential for some change, I've gotten more interested in following the news again...

Here are two articles worth reading.

Election 2006: A Progressive Analysis
Nancy Pelosi's First 100 Hours Agenda

One of the questions at the fore of my mind is why Pelosi doesn't want to push impeachment....

Dems in the House...

2006-11-08T11:19:00.000-08:00

By now, most everyone probably knows the Democrats gained control of the House. This was good news. I have to admit, I was pretty cynical of the elections this year what with the murmurs of new voting procedures, machines, etc. I saw one headline that posed the question, "Will 2006 be another 2004?" suggesting the possibility of more voter disenfranchisement this time around.

I'm glad to hear that the Dems have control, but it remains to be seen if they'll be effective in challenging Bush; if they'll actually initiate any investigations against the administration, etc....

halloween

2006-11-02T00:51:00.000-08:00

Halloween was fun. We were all pirates, less because of Pirates of the Caribbean and more because it seemed like an easy costume to do ourselves.

For the most part, the DIY was pretty easy, but I'm lucky I could borrow a bunch of Heather's clothes! Otherwise, people would probably have never been able to guess what I was...!

Dylan was absolutely adorable. He laughed and smiled a lot, though we didn't get to go trick or treating because it was his mealtime!

We lucked out with his costume, too...I tried to make one and it looked hideous. At the last minute, Cindy found the perrrrfect costume for him!

Tom's mustache is hilarious...Suffice to say, I'm glad he shaves.

As to be expected, it was a regular papparazi that night....Here is a little slideshow with some photo highlights...

Darwin Award candidate

2006-10-31T09:08:00.000-08:00

Guy fatally shoots himself while robbing a liquor store...

Happy Halloween!

2006-10-31T09:03:00.000-08:00

Our little fella is dressing up as a pirate, so here's a preview of what he'll be dressed up as tonight (from last Sunday's baby Halloween potluck).

rhyme time

2006-10-31T09:02:00.000-08:00

Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, apparently permanently lost his voice 18 months ago, but miraculously regained it just a few days ago by rhyming!

I'd never heard of his condition, spasmodic dysphonia.

Anyway, it seems the brain processes language differently depending on the context, so he was able to speak in public and he could sing (does this really qualify as having lost his voice??), but in other contexts, he could barely be heard and friends and family had to read his lips, lean in to hear his whisper, etc.

The other day, he discovered he could speak perfectly while rhyming Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jumped over the candlestick.

This apparently allowed him to talk once again, in what I assume are more "normal contexts." When his voice once again started failing, he'd speak the rhyme again and he'd get right back on track.

Pretty interesting.

I've got nothing interesting.

2006-10-19T23:54:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm a mom, I'm totally devoid of any kind of conversation except those related to children. It's ridiculous and somewhat sad.

I can barely watch anything other than comedy, my tolerance for "loud" music has totally plummeted, and I can't bear to read the news anymore.

So, sorry if this blog has been such a bore to visit.

If I had a shred of thought left in my head at the end of the day, I would surely post it here...!

SJ Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon

2006-10-08T22:21:00.000-07:00

The long and the short: we both finished it (and on very little sleep! I got up at 3am to pump milk for Dylan...).

Chip Time: 2:01:26
Overall: 2695/8291
All Gals: 925/4804
Age Division: 177/871
Pace: 9:16

Splits:
5K: 29:05
10K: 57:08
10 miles: 1:32:35

I did better than I expected, but then again, the course was pretty flat!

Maybe I'll see some improvement at the Silicon Valley Half in 3 weeks.

the Disneyland Half

2006-09-19T15:45:00.000-07:00

Ok. We spent more time in LA traffic than we did visiting any of Tom's family members...and more time than it took for Tom to actually run the half marathon.

It's really pretty ridiculous. Heading to Anaheim, it took us about 2 hours to traverse a span of only 24 miles. We could have ridden our bicycles faster than that!

And, here we had a little screaming Dylan in the backseat feeling absolutely tortured about having to sit in his car seat!

Not a single one of our car rides lasted less than 20 minutes and, more often, the average car ride lasted close to 60 minutes.

I hate LA. How does anyone live here??? I can't see how anyone can get anything done during the day...other than driving, that is.

But, not everything about LA was bunk. We had a great lunch at the Newsroom Cafe on Saturday, and a muy yummy post-run brunch at Madeleine Bistro, complete with vegan beignets. I had a vegan omelet torta (tofu omelet encasing a potato pancake, asparagus and broccoli bits, mushrooms and vegan cheese) and Tom had the vegan waffles with the "chicken" patty and mashed potatoes and gravy.

It turns out that the chef's wife had a baby (James) just 11 days after Dylan was born...

We also got to see a whole host of Tom's relatives, though the visit was brief because Dylan was exhausted and wanted peace and quiet (he would actually stop crying when we went into Tom's old bedroom.

Overall, the weekend was a whole lot of stressful driving punctuated by placid moments of fun!

Now that we have some alternative routes under our belts and know better what to expect -- from race registration to traffic traveling to-from Anaheim and relatives -- we think it will be less stressful in subsequent years....So, yes, we'll go back and do the Disney Half once again, probably every year until we can't take it anymore!

A few pictures are on flickr.

Aptos to Watsonville is 19 miles...

2006-09-12T23:30:00.000-07:00

at the Dog "Races", Santa Cruz County Fair - 09/12/06
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

or something like that!! After Baby Rhyme Time at the library, Dylan and I went to Heather's and, from there, we went to the Santa Cruz County Fair where we watched dogs catch frisbees (there's Taliana!!), Alaskan pigs race, and a couple of clowns perform magic tricks.

We also saw some hefty pumpkins (360+ pounds!), and some animals -- a donkey, a llama, woolly sheep, some goats, a lot of chickens, an Emu, a couple of turkeys, a horse, and lots of old folks (it was apparently senior day!)

It was blazing hot, but still fun....

wibbleton to wobbleton

2006-09-12T22:43:00.000-07:00

So, there's a new librarian running rhyme time and, unfortunately, she's not as good the other gal. She doesn't have handouts with the lyrics to the songs she sings, and she sang "tick tock tick tock I'm a little cuckoo clock, tick tock, tick tock, now I'm striking one o' clock" and then went "cuckoo" two times (with Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang still in my head, I thought, "who taught you to count?? Vanish. Die!"), and she sang "Wibbleton to Wobbleton" and "The Grand Old Duke of York" in a single breath.

Even though she claimed these bouncy lap songs weren't supposed to be aerobic, she was singing so fast, everyone was out of breath from pumping babies up and down through the air as fast as engine pistons.

Anyway, she also did a couple of songs which seemed better-suited to an older baby crowd -- one where the babies were supposed to raise a finger in the air (as if these babes knew what a finger is) and another where they were supposed to make a little "L"-shape with their hands. Hmmm.

When it came time for 1-on-1 reading where each parent-baby pair gets a board book to read, she ended up giving the last two women books in Spanish. I'm all for bilingualism, but one lady was Chinese (with 7-month old twins!) and the other looked Irish (she gamely attempted to leer el libro en espanol to her little boy Oscar -- I offered her my book after Dylan and I finished...).

Actually, she's a very nice lady, so I shouldn't complain. I'm thinking of bringing her the handout I got from the other gal next time we go.

Maybe that will help things out a little....

Rob exits his teens

2006-09-10T20:48:00.000-07:00

Rob and mom - 09/09/06
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

I can't believe it! My oldest nephew, Rob is now 20 years old. I have to say, he's really come a long way, too. I admire him for the job that he currently has -- working in a classroom with 6 special needs kids.

I mean, all of these kids are biters, most of them are non-verbal and some are still in diapers.

I got tired just reading the description of the kids in his classroom!

He's makin' all of us proud...!

almost 11 miles

2006-09-10T18:43:00.000-07:00

We woke up late this morning and I really didn't feel motivated to run, but Tom provided just enough encouragement to get me into running gear and out the door.

I was anxious to get back home as soon as we left the house; because we were so late getting up, I was worried H. would have an extremely fussy little one on her hands!

I was thinking of heading back early, but at mile 6, Tom's uninjured calf got injured! Oh, no! Poor Tom had to walk it back while I set out to take last week's 10-mile route back home as fast as my legs would carry me.

I ended up missing a turn and taking an unexpected route back home....According to the gmap pedometer, it turned out to be a distance of 10.76 miles, so whether I wanted to or not, I ended up running nearly the full distance planned.

In the end, I guess I'm glad I did it. H. did another stupendous babysitting job (needless worrying on my part), and I might end up running the half next weekend after all (in which case, the training will do me well).

Boy, but I'm tired!!!

Boycott Disney And ABC For Partisan and Phony Series Exploiting 9-11

2006-09-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

image from Brent Budowsky

...this Disney/ABC miniseries is one of the most shameful, dishonest, scandalous and disgusting ripoffs in the history of American television and American media. This cheap commercial exploitation of 9-11, this sleazy and dishonest presentation, this partisan and shameful leaking to right wing forces embodies all of the poison in the politics of our era and all of the corruption of our major media.

I want a t-shirt with this logo for next weekend....

keep ABC 9/11 crapumentary off the air

2006-09-06T23:45:00.000-07:00

The ABC television network -- a cog in the Walt Disney empire -- unleashed a promotional blitz in the last week for a new "docudrama" called "The Path to 9/11". ABC bills the two-night production as a public service that is "based on the 9/11 Commission Report". That is false - it is actually a bald-faced attempt to slander Democrats.

"The Path to 9/11" is a conservative attempt to rewrite the history of September 11th to blame Democrats. The Walt Disney Corporation could have given Americans an honest look at September 11. Instead, the company abandoned its duty to the truth -- and embraced the fiction known as "The Path to 9/11."

Tell Walt Disney president Robert Iger that you hold his company responsible -- and that this community demands that ABC tell the truth.

ABC disgusts me. They're granting access to previews to right-wing nutjobs, but denying the same to liberals. Read more here and here.

Don't forget to sign the petition demanding ABC be accountable for telling the truth. Here is another petition.

straighht outta Harper's Weekly

2006-09-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

President Bush, visiting hurricane-damaged New Orleans, spoke optimistically of the rebuilding effort. "There will be a momentum, momentum will be gathered," said Bush. "Houses will begat jobs,jobs will begat houses."

What a complete idiot....

Schwarzenegger to Veto State-Run Health Plan Bill

2006-09-06T18:31:00.000-07:00

Unsurprising.

read more | digg story

Bush says tax cut helping workers

2006-09-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

Bush also says, "We ought to make the tax relief permanent. I like it when people are working for a living, have more after-tax money in their pocket" but, of course, it's really only the wealthy who are benefitting from these tax cuts.

Don't forget about this chart which indicates the richest folks saved an average of $41,400 each with Bush's investment tax cuts while folks making less than $50K saved about $10 bucks....

While Bush would desperately like to claim that his policies contribute to a stronger economy that ultimately helps the average worker, this map, featured on Political Animal, shows just how far median incomes across the nation have actually dropped in the past six years. So not only are most workers getting insignificant benefits from his tax cuts, their incomes are shrinking as well....

As for Bush's whole dependence-on-oil take and exploring alternative energy sources, what he's really pushing is nuclear energy....No thanks.

read more | digg story

a soymilk maker!

2006-09-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

...got a SoyaJoy soy milk maker in the mail the other day...I can only guess that this is a present from D. as he had warned me that a package without any sort of documentation may arrive any day now.

Well, at first I was a bit flummoxed by it...but now, I'm totally thrilled!

Not only will I be able to make fresh soy milk straight from fresh soybeans, but we'll be able to dabble in nut milks (like almond milk!) and rice milks (I'm looking forward to experimenting with different rice varieties)!

I'm also looking forward to trying out some rice creams and soy ice cream recipes...and to making tofu (tofu is apparently made from soy milk, so once the soy milk maker finishes that step, it's all about coagulating and chilling it, etc.) and soy yogurt (which we use to make our own vegan versions of mango lassis).

This is just fantastic! I never even considered making my own soy products, so this is a very cool surprise.

Hopefully, we'll even be able to share our fixin's with the glorious gift-giver...!

recipes
soy

10 miles

2006-09-03T00:31:00.000-07:00

Today Tom and I ran 10 miles together!

Our route took us out to East Cliff and along part of the Wharf to Wharf route, near my old haunts on the east side, and then up a pretty significant hill coming back into our neighborhood.

While we were out panting, Dylan went with Heather, Assaf and Taliana to Mothersong, a world-song circle, where he apparently ended up crashing out on her shoulder!

He didn't cry until they got back to our house and he saw Tom...

What awesome babysitters -- and what a great baby!

After Tom took a quick nap, we ended up going back to Heather and Assaf's house for dinner and a game of Thurn and Taxis.

As I type this, the boy is still asleep in his carseat (a welcome little break!!!).

by the way...

2006-08-23T01:18:00.000-07:00

...I'm officially addicted to La La. I've now gotten close to 50 "new" CD's and traded about that many.

The lucky thing about my trading sitch, though, is that Tom and I had a lot of overlap in our music collections, so we were able to trade a lot of dupes for new stuff.

I have to admit, listening to new music -- and listening to my old music to see if I want to trade it or keep it -- has been a nice way to pass the days...

running on empty

2006-08-23T01:09:00.000-07:00

Still in-training for the half marathon in October...and I may even end up running the Disneyland Half after all, if Tom is still injured and unable to run it, that is.

At this point, I'm back up to 8 miles -- last Saturday's run along West Cliff was difficult, though. First, it took us 2.5 hours just to get ourselves out there! Just as we thought we could head out the door, little Dylan was unsettled and needed some more food and some comforting, etc. Then, once out there, it was super duper windy. In fact, at some point along the run, the wind actually blew the cord of my earphones so far out to the side that it got caught on a low chainlink fence causing my mp3 player to get ripped off my arm! I was also seriously being blown to the side -- and my hair. My hair! I really want to shear this 'do off -- between having it whipped into my face during runs regardless of which direction the wind is blowing and Dylan slowly trying to rip it out into a Pat Benatar cut, I'm going nuts.

In any case, the great thing is that we're actually successfully managing to get out there and do some exercise. It's not always easy to predict when we'll get out there, but at least we eventually make it....I'm really going to miss the long days of summer when it will definitely be more difficult to find time to run outside.

actual conversation at my nephew's 3rd birthday party

2006-08-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

Tuna (it's actually Teena, but when you see her name in cursive, it kinda looks like "tuna"): You know, those will shrink again (points in the direction of my milk-filled boobs).

me: Oh, no (shaking head). I'm gonna keep on pumping....

Tuna: Oh, yeah! 14 months! (points in the direction of her dried out boobs).

my sister: I had D cups (makes cupping motion near her boobs) and they went up to E when I breastfed. Can you believe it?? Now I'm back to a B cup (shakes her head).

Tuna (spying my stepdad a few feet away covering his ears): Oh, no! We're talking about grades! Grades! She went from a D to a B...!

Ai ai ai...

Anyway, there are some pictures of the celebration on flickr, including, of course, pics of the bday boy....

National Duran Duran Appreciation Day

2006-08-09T11:26:00.000-07:00

What campy goodness is this? Aren't I glad I checked out the Offical Duran Duran Fan Site right after posting that previous entry on Duran Duran's upcoming presence/performances on Second Life!

Apparently, TOMORROW -- that's right, good people -- tomorrow, August 10th, is National Duran Duran Appreciation Day, so I dunno, play some tunes or don those old Duran Duran buttons in honor of it or something....

Duran Duran gets a Second Life...

2006-08-09T11:21:00.000-07:00

I don't know anything about Second Life, "an online 3D virtual reality world where avatars act on behalf of players," but apparently Duran Duran will be the first band in the world to have a digital presence there. They're setting themselves up on a fantasy island -- because avatars can basically create whatever virtual reality they want for themselves -- where they'll perform "live" concerts in which they're virtual fans can interact with them (in fact, they'are apparently rehearsing now!).

The best part about this is that the avatars are of the original band members -- Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, Roger Taylor, Andy Taylor and Nick Rhodes.

Ha ha ha. Since I loved Duran Duran way back when, I got a kick out of this news. Even though I think their later stuff was really pretty insipid (I mean, their first album, Duran Duran, and Rio were catchy, but after that...), I'll probably check them out on Second Life. Heck, maybe I'll create a fan avatar based on my 14-year old self (scary).

9-minute mile

2006-08-02T21:11:00.000-07:00

I ran a 9-minute mile this evening which feels like improvement on the running recovery track. At this point, my knees are still hurting a little, but not enough to really hamper my running. Running really seems to help loosen up all the stiffness I accumulate while holding Dylan in fixed positions throughout the day, so I'm definitely enjoying getting back to it...! This weekend, I'm going to see if I can still do 6 miles....(Last weekend, I ran 5 miles and suffered no post-run effects). So far so good for the SJ half training.

A Netflix for Purses

2006-08-02T15:25:00.000-07:00

Ever wish there was a way to get your dream bag for just a night, to complete your perfect outfit? And that maybe that $2,600 price tag would just magically fade away?

Well, wish no more. The Web site Bag Borrow or Steal allows you to do just that: rent bags. The concept is revolutionary and the perfect way to get a taste of fabulousness. The site has all the latest bags, claiming to add new styles daily. It separates its collection into four categories: trendsetter, princess, diva and couture.

Hilarious...and perfect for my sisters.

read more | digg story

Men consider themselves better at using the internet than women...

2006-08-02T15:12:00.000-07:00

...an article worth a chuckle and a grimace.... A professor of Sociology and Communication Studies at Northwestern Univeristy conducted a study that uncovered "no statistically significant difference between men's and women's ability to find content on the Web..." Yet, when participants were asked to rate their abilities, not a single woman thought of herself as an "expert" user and not a single man considered himself a "complete novice.'' Moreover, in calls to technical support centers, women more often began their end of the conversation by humbly admitting fault (e.g., "I'm such a klutz when it comes to computers") while men were more likely to blame the technology ("This #%$&$% computer doesn't work like it should.'').... Male "answer syndrome" and sexism in math, science and technology still exists....

read more | digg story

07/30/06 - dinner at HAT's

2006-07-31T09:06:00.000-07:00

07/30/06 - dinner at HAT's
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

Games and dinner night at Heather and Assaf's consisted of homemade pizzas, a round of Betrayal at House on the Hill and a round of Apples to Apples.

Nobel 'Peace' prize winner wants to 'kill' President Bush

2006-07-25T17:31:00.000-07:00

Betty Williams was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 30 years ago. But the lady now wants to kill the President.

read more | digg story

rock 'n roll

2006-07-25T13:48:00.000-07:00

I'm now into my second week back to running and my legs are finally back into the swing of things! My stride continues to be a little clumsy and somewhat stiff, but yesterday evening's run provided a hopeful sign that my body is beginning to regain some of its flexibility.

As additional motivation to stick with the running regime, Tom and I enrolled in the inaugural San Jose Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon.

That gives me 11 weeks (I think) to build my miles back up to 13 (Tom doesn't have to worry since he's already well into his training for the Disneyland Half Marathon in September!)

Well, I think this is plenty of time...I won't be fast, but hopefully, I'll finish!

Eating practices of the best endurance athletes in the world

2006-07-25T13:43:00.000-07:00

Since we just participated in Wharf to Wharf this past weekend, it seems like a good time to post this article about the eating habits of elite Kenyan runners.

Contrary to what the Atkins Diet advocates, these top endurance athletes maintain ~6-10% body fat and eat limited amounts of meat and go heavy on the carbs.

Kenyan runners obtain 86% of their daily calories from vegetable sources and 76.5% percent of daily calories from carbs; two thirds of their protein also comes from vegetable sources. Since they're lean and finish first, their vegetarian-leaning diet may be one to follow....

read more | digg story

If the Bush Administration Was Your Roommate

2006-07-20T18:02:00.000-07:00

Five humorous clips of 2 guys living with their roommate Andy who embodies the spirit of the Bush Administration. Andy makes unilateral decisions about painting their walls, accepts payment from their neighbor who dumps trash in their bathroom, occupies one of the guy's rooms because his space heater is an "imminent threat" to Andy's room, ignores a note on washing his dishes due to its "liberal bias," and uses intimidation to back out of his cleaning duties.

read more | digg story

National Impeachment Day

2006-07-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

The Center for Constitutional Rights, which has been playing a leading role in battling the Bush administration's attacks on the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and international law, has declared today to be Impeachment Day, with teach-ins scheduled around the country.

Read at least 10 reasons why Bush should be impeached here.

read more | digg story

San Jose Police Launch Web Site to Collect Clues to Old Homicides

2006-07-20T12:28:00.000-07:00

...San Jose police today launched a Web site featuring 17 cold cases. Through the site, www.sjpdhomicide.com, [police hope] to get help...in cracking some of the city's 205 unsolved homicides dating back to 1962....Seeing the pictures of the dead or reading about the crimes will, Gamez hopes, convince people to tell what they may know.

read more | digg story

A New California State Park near Santa Cruz

2006-07-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the beaches of Coast Dairies Ranch, a scenic five-mile stretch between Davenport and Bonny Doon, will become part of the public state parks system, constituting the most significant addition of beaches to the system in 31 years. It is expected to formally open to the public in the next year.

read more | digg story

Top 10 George W. Bush Moments

2006-07-19T23:02:00.000-07:00

Some late-night entertainment...

is this cone still pinaka-perfect??

2006-07-14T11:24:00.000-07:00

Mayon Volcano Erupts in the Philippines

Mayon, one of the country's 22 active volcanos, last came to life in a series of eruptions in 2001, forcing the evacuation of about 50,000 people. It has erupted about 50 times since 1616.

A major tourist attraction for its near perfect cone, the volcano is about 210 miles southeast of Manila.

While I was "conducting" dissertation fieldwork in Manila, I visited Mayon in celebration of my birthday...Heather and I hired a tricycle to drive us up the mountain. I'll never forget how the motorbike broke down; the driver stopped to get it fixed and the fix was to remove some parts! Once back on the road, we were going so slow, little boys were laughing and jogging past us! As we started our ascent up the mountain, it became very clear that the bike wouldn't make it. Heather and I actually had to walk the inclines (which pretty much meant we ended up hiking up the entire thing!) while the driver tried to coax his bike up the hill. Amazingly, Heather and I ended up at the top of the hill long before the driver did!

my first run back

2006-07-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my first run since having Dylan....I pretty much just ran a route around our neighborhood that I'd been walking (during Tom's training runs). When I mapped it out using the Gmaps pedometer, the distance came out to be about 3 miles roundtrip. It took me pretty much exactly 30 minutes to run it, so I'm running about a 10-minute mile. All things considered, I'm not unhappy with that as a baseline for ramping back up again, especially since there are some decent hills here. Overall, during the run, I felt clumsy and heavy, but not strained. I could have run longer, but I wanted to get back to feed the baby and to give Tom enough time to do his run as well. But, most importantly, I felt glad to be running again...!

tomatoes

2006-07-07T15:40:00.000-07:00

DSCN6698
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

The path and terraces in our backyard are finally finished! Actually, they were finished quite some time ago...as you can see from these pics, the tomato plants are really flourishing this year.

We picked our first tomatoes of the season last night -- one caspian pink and one costoluto genovese.

We sliced up the Caspian Pink and had it on our Boca burgers...the Costoluto genovese is still on our counter, ripening a smidge more.

The other varieties we planted are: Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, Striped German, Juane Peche, Amish Paste, San Marzano, Stupice (our favorite from last year), Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter and a Ruby Striped German.

Since everything is in gopher-cage-lined beds and the lattice is now up on the back fence to keep deer from getting in, we're really hoping for a big bumper crop.

a cup of global warming...

2006-06-29T12:24:00.000-07:00

"Add a hot drink and watch the coastlines vanish!" Get your's from Northern Sun.

Speaking of global warming, Al Gore's film, An Inconvient Truth, has gotten pretty good reviews. According to one of my coworkers, it's informative without being political. I wish we could see it in the theatres, but with the little one, we'll probably just have to wait for it to come out on DVD.

Categories:

climb into an earthquake fault!

2006-06-29T12:23:00.000-07:00

Wow, this is cool.

The public is invited to attend a free open house at a rare earthquake exhibit in Fremont from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday. The small exhibit allows visitors to climb into a 15-foot hole and view the Hayward Fault -- the geologic time bomb that stretches through the East Bay and represents the greatest seismic hazard in the region. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, this is the only public earthquake exhibit of its kind in the country.

If you can't make it to the exhibit this Friday, Math Science Nucleus of Fremont is scheduled to take over management and will offer free weekend tours beginning in mid-July.

today's oxymoron...

2006-06-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

(Oxymoron emphasized in ensuing quote)...

What's a health-conscious burger lover to do?

The answer? Eat a hamburger that's a hybrid of soy and meat or eat "a completely meatless food that tastes like chicken, beef, pork or turkey". Both would have the mouthfeel and taste of the real deal, but only "two-third the calories and half the fat and saturated fat as a burger of comparable size."

Even if it were all meatless, this is something I'd definitely avoid (one of the reasons why I'm vegan is that I simply don't like/enjoy the taste of meat!), but for any and all who are interested, here's a link to the Yahoo! story.

dying to know how long you'll live?

2006-06-26T14:59:00.000-07:00

Based on your answers to about 20-30 questions, DeathForecaster will predict how long you'll live. The answer is supposedly based on data obtained from "dozens of health studies."

Based on my answers, I will live to 90 years old.

Anyway, if you're not fond of your results, here are 15 ways to live longer (from Forbes.com):

Don't oversleep
be optimistic
have more sex
get a pet
get a VAP
be rich
stop smoking
chill out
eat your antioxidants (beans and berries)
marry someone with longevity in their family
exercise
laugh
lose weight
manage stress
meditate

lala

2006-06-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

I just signed up on la la, a site that allows you to trade your unwanted CD's for someone else's unwanted CD's for only $1.49 (one buck for the CD and another .49 for the postage). For every CD you get shipped, you have to ship one of your own out. la la provides the mailing envelopes and guarantees the quality pf the CD.

The idea behind it is to make it affordable to sample new music.

It doesn't sound like such a bad idea. The only thing you have to be aware of is that including cover art and liner notes is entirely optional and, if you choose to include it for your trade recipient, you'll have to pick up the additional postage (other traders may not do the same).

So, I'm getting my first CD any day now...and I'm hoping liner notes will be included!

My collection (still in progress) is available on my la la page and, for the record, anyone who trades with me would get liner notes and all...

Please note: Not all my CDs are available for trade!

breastmilk tasting??

2006-06-21T14:23:00.000-07:00

A Toronto performance artist is offering the public an opportunity to sample human breast milk, in the spirit of wine tasting...

Apparently, six different women are providing pastuerized samples...The "exhibit" will run on July 13 at the Ontario College of Art & Design Professional Gallery, Toronto.

Unsurprisingly, some folks are all up in arms about this exhibit and the fact that it was funded.

I, personally, have no objection to it, even though I'm not sure why someone would necesssarily want to drink the milk from a stranger's boobs. On the other hand, maybe doing so wouldn't differ much from drinking milk from some random cow?? In both cases, the source of the milk is "unknown."

Anyway, it would be interesting if the women's diets were part of the display as well just to see if/how different foods affect the taste of the milk....I wonder what other factors would contribute to different tastes?

Bonfante Gardens with the kiddies

2006-06-13T17:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Dylan visited Bonfante Gardens for the first time ever. We went with Heather and Taliana, Cindy, Tyler and Jason.

The kids got along swimmingly -- Jason and Talian spent the better part of the day holding hands! It was the cutest thing. Here's a shot of them thinking about holding hands...

And then the shot of them locking in! Jason was so thrilled and Taliana obviously was, too.

There are a few more adorable shots of the kids holding hands, etc. on flickr.

As for Dylan, he couldn't ride any rides, but I think he enjoyed being out and about...! I know I did...!

adjusting

2006-06-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

We're definitely beginning to adjust to little zyg's schedule! Now that he's really out of the woods and is eating well (and dirtying up diapers like a champ!), it's getting less stressful to go out and about.

I have discovered that if I nurse him first, I have about 1-2 hours to do things before he gets hungry again (or needs a diaper change). At first, I tried getting back in time for the next change/meal, but now we're getting more comfy with squeezing in a meal or diaper change on the road.

It seems like such a simple thing -- going out -- but really, it's been an adjustment!

In any case, we're trying to get fitness back on the schedule...On the nights that Tom doesn't run, we do a 3-mile evening walks around our neighborhood. We've also taken him for a walk along West Cliff and to Capitola Beach where Heather and Taliana and I met Cindy, Jason, Tyler and some pals of Cindy's and Jason's. The other night, I went on a walk around the 'hood while Tom did his 3-mile maintenance run. Today, we all went to West Cliff -- Tom ran 5 miles -- from Bay Street to the entrance to Natural Bridges -- and I took zyg out in the stroller.

I also did the 40-minute loop to the post office with him just the other day.

Tomorrow, Dylan and I are hoping to go to Bonfante Gardens with Heather and Taliana and maybe Cindy and the boys.

Hopefully, all will go smoothly! That will be our longest excursion yet....

cutlery

2006-06-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

cutlery
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

May 17, 2006. A sad sight to behold when all I had for lunch were food items requiring spoons (soy yogurt and chocolate pudding)!

Jason loves his cousin Dylan - 5/31/2006

2006-06-01T22:05:00.000-07:00

Jason loves his cousin Dylan - 5/31/2006
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

Tom went back to work yesterday, so Jason, Tyler, Cindy and mom came by to help out and to keep me company. Jason loves his new cousin! He's already planning to teach Dylan how to ride a bike and how to play a bunch of "baby games." Jason also gave Dylan one of his old stuffed animals, a black, white and red clown he used to call Clown Boy. So sweet!

zyg's a Taurus!

2006-05-28T01:00:00.001-07:00

5/28/2006 -- in the blanket Lola sewed
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

Dylan Asher Cruz Reisz emerged 2 weeks early at 1:31AM on May 20! He weighed in at 6 lbs. 15.6 oz. (Sutter rounded his stats up to 7 lbs.) and measured 20 inches.

The li'l fella's Apgar was a whopping 9 out of 10 with only 1 point taken off for not being totally pink upon arrival (a rarity)!

After spending 2 nights at Sutter (normal recovery) and then 4 nights and 5 days in Dominican's Neonatal ICU, we're finally (and happily!!) home!