Surfing Around the Bay

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Speaking of the storm, check out this photo.
I had zero idea that you could surf there, is that normally a surf spot?

Let's never tell Jaden, who is already so into the GGB that we checked out two books about it yesterday at the library and it's his desktop picture for his account on my computer!

A surfer rides a wave churned by a winter storm underneath the south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge Friday, Jan. 4, 2008, in San Francisco Bay. A fierce arctic storm pounded California on Friday, threatening to soak mudslide-prone canyons already charred by wildfires and to paralyze the mountains with deep snow.

(AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Dear Abby's Resolutions

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DEAR READERS: The new year has arrived, and with it our chance for a new beginning. This is the day we discard destructive old habits for healthy new ones. With that in mind, I am sharing Dear Abby's often-requested list of New Year's resolutions -- which were adapted by my mother, Pauline Phillips, from the original credo of Al-Anon.

JUST FOR TODAY: I will live through this day only. I will not brood about yesterday or obsess about tomorrow. I will not set far-reaching goals or try to overcome all of my problems at once. I know that I can do something for 24 hours that would overwhelm me if I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

JUST FOR TODAY: I will be happy. I will not dwell on thoughts that depress me. If my mind fills with clouds, I will chase them away and fill it with sunshine.

JUST FOR TODAY: I will accept what is. I will face reality. I will correct those things I can correct and accept those I cannot.

JUST FOR TODAY: I will improve my mind. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration. I will not be a mental loafer.

JUST FOR TODAY: I will make a conscious effort to be agreeable. I will be kind and courteous to those who cross my path, and I'll not speak ill of others. I will improve my appearance, speak softly, and not interrupt when someone else is talking. Just for today, I will refrain from improving anybody but myself.

JUST FOR TODAY: I will do something positive to improve my health. If I'm a smoker, I'll quit. If I am overweight, I will eat healthfully -- if only just for today. And not only that, I will get off the couch and take a brisk walk, even if it's only around the block.

JUST FOR TODAY: I will gather the courage to do what is right and take responsibility for my own actions.

Almost Festivus!

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While Festivus is very unofficially observed on Dec. 23, it is as good a date as any to celebrate it. I am slacking, totally slacking, as a Seinfeld fan having chosen this day for my first Holiday Open House, as in Hello Christmas Wonderland at my house.

Never fear, I will Air a Grievance with myself. For now, I must share this picture of the first Festivus Pole Lot with my loyal readers.


My darling husband has never seen this episode, so I have put disc 2 of season 9 at the top of our Netflix queue.

A Christmas Morning Basket

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Have you been to Organized Christmas yet this season? Here is one of seemingly millions of handy dandy tips to make life easier this time of year: Prepare a Christmas morning basket.

Gather tools and supplies like scissors, box cutter, notepad and pen (for recording "gifts received"), camera or videocam, trash bags, zipper food storage bags (for bundling small pieces so they're not lost) and extra batteries, store in a box or basket under the tree to make opening presents as easy as possible.


Yo Ho Ho!



Wreaths

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This holiday season I am obsessed with wreaths.

It all started at Target, where I saw this bay leaf wreath:

Only I didn't like the bow they put on it. Also it was $50 which seems a bit high to me. Of course I did my usual mental routine, "I can make it myself!" Alas, I don't know where to get enough bay leaves (real or fake) to fill a 24" wreath frame.

I see that this wreath is on sale now for $35. That seems a bit more reasonable. I do adore it. I could put my own ribbon on, right?

Moving on to candy ones!


Now this looks FUN! But do you have to throw it away or is there some way to preserve it? Hmmm.

And then there's always the Martha way, I absolutely love this moss wreath shown on that link.


She makes a wreath for every window of her house according to the Handmade for the Holidays video I checked out from the library recently. Luckily I don't have nearly the amount of windows she does!

I just want one ginormous wreath over my mantle!

A Bright Light

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Right now I am feeling very happy.

My friend Amy in Austin has fairly recently found herself a fine fella to spend time with, and she calls him a "bright light in her crazy world."

I said (err, I typed), "please send me a photo of this Sean guy" and this is what I got, a little happiness from Amy in my in-box.

Amy & Sean, taken by Cedar. :)


Now I have a new thing to be thankful for this Thursday, I'm thankful that Amy has someone to make her smile like this because I'm not sure the last time I saw her smile this way and we go way back to 1987. So thank you Sean and I look forward to meeting you someday and hearing you strum that guitar.

Kind of Neat

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I saw this new book technology this morning on Amazon, Kindle.



Part of me (the B.A. in English part) thinks it's kind of sad, I don't think any device can replace the feel of a book in your hands. But another part of me (the wife of a engineer part) feels hopeful about it.

I have been making time to read a lot lately and was asking Jeff this weekend, "How can I ever get you to read some of these interesting books that I've read so we can discuss them together?"

Not being a geek or a nerd, of course I only thought of audiobooks as a solution.

Guess that's why I'm not a billionaire like Jeff Bezos.

Steel is Real Baby (and Green)

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Since moving to San Carlos, I've been missing my road bike a LOT. But it's okay, I know I still don't have the space for it in my life at this time.

When I shopped for my bike back in 2002, there was not a big selection of stock bikes that would fit me. In fact, there were two: a Trek aluminum frame and a LeMond steel frame. I tested both and without a doubt, steel was a way better ride in my opinion. After I bought it , I learned about the phrase "steel is real" -- apparently, I was not the first person to prefer steel. LOL.

© Vicki Thompson, Willow Glen Resident


Anyway, I checked out The Green Book at the library last time and right there on p. 110 in the "Sports" chapter it says:

Choose a bike with a steel frame over an aluminum frame and you'll conserve at least 25 kilowatt-hours of energy. Steel frames can be made with recycled materials, whereas aluminum frames must be manufactured from new, virgin ore and therefore require more energy to make. Steel frames that are not made from recycled steel, however, still conserve energy over those made from aluminum. If an addtional 10 percent of bicycles sold per year carried steel frames instead of aluminum ones, four million pedals would be put to the metal, saving the energy equaivalent of a year's worth of gas for 2,400 cars.


Who knew!

Now what about carbon fiber?

Made in China

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I picked this fascinating read up at the library last week:


This is an active image, a new html skill for me. :)


Anyway, it's all about a year in the life of a family who vows not to buy anything made in China. With two kids and a husband, the author definitely has her work cut out for her sicne the majority of all toys and electronics are made in China.

Not only was this book thought-provoking, but downright hilarious. I laughed out loud more times than I could count. I finished it today, and wouldn't you know, we were out of diapers so I had to go to Target. I was amazed to find that the author was 100 percent right and the entire holiday section at Target is from China.

All I can think is thank goodness I have bigger issues on my mind and I don't have the energy to take up a boycott. Although I sense it in my future because the low prices at Target and Old Navy have been nagging at my conscience for some time now. But this year? This holiday season? There is a mighty cute snowman I want!

Buzz Buzz Buzz

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Today I did a high-dive from my coffee pot.

Normally I am a strict one-cup a day girl. If I indulge in a second cup, it's usually hours and hours later and then decaf or at most, half-caf.

But today I am sleepy. The kid is home for the second day in a row due to his schedule and Veterans Day. And the writing needs to get done.

So I drank my one cup and then the half cup of overage that I make every day in case I overdo my half-and-half.

But somehow, somehow, it wasn't enough.

So I brewed a SECOND round.
And drank ANOTHER cup.

And now I'm buzzing around and around and around, which is quite a feat considering I'm sitting down!

Which of course, brings Laurie Berkner buzzing around in my head.


BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ!

True Comfort in a Box

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I was at Costco the other evening and I seriously heard people raving in this one aisle, so I meandered over to see what the fuss was about.

Customer 1: "OOH I have heard these are so good."
Customer 2: "Yes they are so good, I've had them before."
Employee: "Yeah, these fly off the shelves all the time."


So after they all cleared out of my way, I did my auto-flip straight to the ingredient list, which passed my tests with flying colors:



And we made them last night. In less than five minutes. And they passed the taste* test* with supersonic colors. YUM. YUM. As Ray Ray would say.

Edited*: fixed a couple of typos, duh. (I am blogging this edit because I read in Blogging for Dummies that it's poor blogging form to edit a post without explaining it).