What'd I miss?...

It's been awhile since I've written a new post.

Let's see:

• Bin Laden was caught & killed
• LinkedIn went public thus starting what everyone fears to be a bubble
• The Rapture came and went
• Oh yeah, and I was told I'm being laid off, I professed my love to my ex-boyfriend who told me he's too F'd up to be in a relationship, I turned 1 year closer to 40, and I may be suffering from depression.  

Ok, I'm being a bit melodramatic, but yes, its been a tough month.  May 2011...I'll always remember how you screwed me over.

I'm actually more in a funk than depressed.

I've never had to look for a job that I actually needed (always found jobs while already gainfully employed.  I actually still have my job until the end of August, but it's pretty impossible to do a job where 1) you're not needed and 2) you're not engaged)  It's scary...I don't want just any job. I want one that I'll LOVE! And I won't compromise.  Thanks to Suze Orman, I've got about 5 months of savings (sorry, Suze, just hadn't gotten to that 8 month mark, yet)...but man, having a mortgage staring you in the face is tough...

After almost 2 years of being broken up with GQ, I realized I've never really gotten over him.  So, instead of wondering "what if", I just told him.  And he, in his kind, gentle way, told me he's got things he needs to work on and just can't be in a relationship right now.  I appreciate his honesty.  That, and he can go to hell. :)  j/k...kinda...  What I do know is that I don't want to have my heart broken by him anymore.  Once was brutal...but twice now just is this close to unbearable.  I HAVE to move on.

Oprah says she loved turning 40.  I guess that's easy to say when you're almost 60.  I always think people who say that mean it because they're married, have kids, and they've already entered into that stage of life.  Me? I don't think I'll be embracing this last year of my 30's...I'll hate every minute of it.  Ha!  At least for the first 8 days thus far...

How many times does one have to pick themself up, dust themself off, and move on?  I feel like I've had a lifetime of these moments to date...I'd like to just stop falling for awhile...

My new toy...

Work has been brutal the last few weeks.  15+ hour days have had their toll on me (thus the silence from the blog recently), and even mustering the energy to eat has been tough.  So, after much encouragement from numerous friends, I decided to buy myself a crock-pot!  A 3-qt programmable beauty!  No more hungry nights for me!

Ok, so I must admit, I was scared at first.  One: I'm terrified of having something cooking in my house while I'm gone...I have nightmares of coming home to a burnt down home!  Two: I wondered, other than pot roast, what one could actually make in a crock pot...can the food be nutritious and delicious?  

Attempt #1 - turkey sloppy joes.  The recipe called for ground beef, but I substituted ground turkey.  I was shocked to find that it was really, really delicious...(though the turkey made it a bit dry, to be honest...may stick with lean ground beef next time)

getting the ingredients ready...ipad is the BEST kitchen appliance ever! :)

precook the turkey, onions, and green peppers...

add the rest of the ingredients into the slow cooker

set to simmer for 7 hrs (or 4-5 hours on low)

and...voila!  fill a whole wheat bun (add some pickles!) and a side of baked chips.

I've since made beef stroganoff (didn't love it...too salty and heavy), 4-bean veggie chili (loved, but will probably add meat next time!), "kitchen sink" chicken (took all the ingredients in my fridge that were nearing death, and put them together in the crock pot...chicken, garlic, onion, jalapeno, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, and broth...not bad), and a dijon brussel sprout hash (overcooked it and the brussel sprouts got super mushy and the texture was too offputting...).

This week, provencal beef stew, pork chops, and chicken fajitas...

So, a couple hits and a few misses.  But, I have to say, I'm kinda obsessed with the possibilities!  Hey, don't knock it till you try it.  You CAN use a crock pot and still keep your gourmet cred!  

From Sun to Snow...

Its been a pretty busy month for me.  The loss of my 94-year old grandmother was tough.  Work has been challenging (in both a good and frustrating way). And that nasty cold going around knocked me out.  But even with all that, I had the really amazing opportunity to bookend the madness with a couple wonderful vacation getaways.

SUN:

Cabo for 6 days w/ my friend Lily.  She wanted to get out of town during the shitstorm that Valentines Day often can be. I wanted to do absolutely nothing.  It was perfect.  Amazing pool/beach time (finished 2 books!), such YUMMY food, and just a much-needed relaxing time. 

Gorgeous beach...

Cozy by the pool...

Staying cool...

The girls...

SNOW:

A last minute decision, I signed up for the Kirkwood 3-day Womens' Snowboard Clinic.  It was AMAZING.  I really needed to up my skills and these instructors and my fellow riders were both challenging and encouraging. Epic conditions and an AMAZING experience. 

Gorgeous mountain...

Cozy by the fire...

Staying warm...

The girls...(and our instructor, Rodrigo (far right)...hubba, hubba)

I feel I used up my 2011 quota for vacations already! But so many other plans brewing in this head of mine!!!!  Where to next?

Treasure hunting...

Ahhh...the first Sunday of the month...

ALAMEDA FLEA MARKET (they officially call it the Alameda Antique Mall...whatever).  For those of you LA'ers, you might liken it to the one in Pasadena/Rose Bowl.  I love getting the chance to go and spend the morning here.  Not just because there are some amazing things to be bought (as I found out last time), but also because its gorgeous...there's an amazing view of the SF skyline in the background and its next to the water so its just breezy enough that even on this toasty day, it was bearable.

I woke up at 6am, rode the bus to pick up my zipcar, and headed off.  Yes, it takes some commitment for me, carless and in Berkeley, to get there.  Today, my efforts paid off.  

I went with ONE thing specifically in mind...get an old, vintage bar cart.  I didn't exactly find one that I was looking for, however, at the end of the day, I did find a cool industrial looking cart that I actually think would make for a perfect bar in my soon-to-be-redecorated home office.  

In any case, here's my bounty:

Found this great Danish teak side chair. Comparable ones were going for about $80-$100.  I picked this one up for $40.  

Tip: Don't buy from vendors that "specialize" in something (meaning, all they sell is mid-century modern furniture, for instance.)  Instead, look for the "junk collectors" who sell a hodge-podge of stuff.  Sometimes, they have no idea what gems they have and they price their stuff way low.  

It fits perfectly in the corner of my sunroom.

Found this fantastic 3-tier end table. The vendor was using it to display other stuff (including a plastic plant and a yellow & red polka dot piggy bank...shit you not).  He asked $45, I got it for $40...solid wood!

Tip: Don't be woo'd by the vendors who "showcase" their stuff.  I've found the vendors who have the nicest displays usually overprice their goods.  Also, anything is for sale...including display racks.  And of course, ALWAYS try and talk down the price.

This fits perfectly next to my media console AND I can use it to hide my hideous ventilation grate.  (don't mind the San Francisco picture...it still needs a frame! ...Oh! And there's the old vintage fan I bought last time at the flea market!)

And this: my new bar cart. It was a spur-of-the-moment purchase and I paid $200 for it...but since I couldn't find the one I was looking for, I got excited about this as an alternative. Its bigger than it looks in the picture and really sturdy...(don't mind my weed-infested back yard)

Tip: Some items are worth investing in.  This cart weighs about 200 lbs...no kidding.  I had to have a worker help me load it and I won't even go into how I got it out of the car by myself.  Be open-minded about what you buy and how you'll use it.  I actually really like the restaurant/industrial feel of this.  

ummm...so...really? It sucks living alone.  I tried getting this up my back patio stairs and it tipped over (and probably scared the hell out of every neighbor w/in a 2 block radius w/ the crash).  I have NO idea how I'm going to get this into my house, its SO FREAKING heavy.  

But, when I do, I'm gonna shine it up, display my best liquor on the top (I'm thinking Stoli Elit, No. 209 gin, Basil Hayden bourbon and my crystal decanter filled w/ Oban 14 scotch), and get a pretty vintage ice bucket and tray as well.  

Tip: Plan ahead. Make sure your car is big enough to transport whatever you buy and make sure you have someone there to help you unload!  BAH!

And now...I think I'll have to rest my aching back...looks like Superbowl Sunday plans may have to be changed...

Terrorized...

Ok, its no secret.  I am scared shitless of raccoons.  Most people think they're the cutest little things.  Adorable.  How could anyone be scared of them?

Well, when you come face-to-face with one the size of a small german shepherd, with fangs ready to bite, hissing at you (which I have), then you'd understand my fear. Also, I've read too many stories of vicious raccoon attacks to know they are NOT nice creatures. 

It just so happens that they are ALL over the place in Berkeley.  I have yet to actually SEE one, but evidence is everywhere that they've been in my yard, on my roof, and I suspect, living under my house.  

The other night I heard a cat screech a blood-curdling sound, clearly being attacked.  

I hear footsteps all around my house and they sound HEAVY (not a rat, not a cat, not even a dog).  

I blocked a hole between my front steps and my crawlspace with a very large concrete block.  The next morning, that block was pushed to the side. 

I'm scared every night I come home from work that I'll run into one waiting for me.

I'm scared every night when I go to bed that one will find its way into my home.

I'm scared every night that they're under my house gnawing away at my electrical wires.

When I first starting hearing the sounds, I used to be afraid that it was a burglar, an attacker, or even a ghost.  But now that I know its a raccoon, I have to say, nothing compares to the fear of the mutha-f'ing raccoon.  

Seriously...how do raccoon-proof my home?  Any ideas?

My current obsessions...

• House Hunters International
• Quora
• Spending $200 at a time (I have no explanation...)
• Planning snowboarding trips 
• The Hawaiian Dreams collection on airbnb
• Mascara application
• Kicking ass at my new job
• Not looking back at the insane asylum that is my old job
• OWN - the Oprah Winfrey Network (don't judge)
• Scrabble app on my ipad
• Redfin.com
• Finding the perfect aqua paint color for my home office walls
• The mac app store
• My right knee & the weird ball rolling around under the skin of my kneecap
• Coconut water
• Tying my scarf in a "Nordstrom knot"
• Acme pan de san francisco bread

That's all.

Me in 2011...

Ok, so I'm a bit late to the game with 2011. I wasn't ready for it to come so quickly and though I typically have a handful of specific goals I set for myself each year, I haven't had any time to even really think about what I want to accomplish in 2011.  Moreso than any specific milestone, there are some attitude adjustments I'd love to focus on this year:

Stop spending money on frivilous things.

But rather...

Spend money unapologetically on things that bring me pleasure.

Stop spending time on relationships w/ no return on investment.

But rather...

Invest in more relationships.

Stop wasting time.

But rather...

Enjoy the "doing nothing" moments.

Take better care of myself.

Feed my creative side.

Be present more (yes, I did get that from Oprah...but it struck a chord w/ me)

Stand up for myself.

Minimize my "mean girl" moments.

Move forward.

Talk slower. (ha! Lame...but its true)

Yup...that about sums it up.