Gratitude day 15: total responsibility

Today I learned to make candles.

On the ride back, my friend and I started talking about how if anything happens to you, it is completely your responsibility. I was raised this way. If I got mugged, my dad would say it was my responsibility for choosing to walk in that location, and have body language of an easy target. If I were betrayed by a friend, my dad would say I should have noticed the errant behavior leading up to it, and chosen friends more wisely.

At first it feels unsupportive, to undergo a bad situation and then be told how you could have prevented it. But then it is reassuringly powerful, to think of everything as under your control. It makes you focus on how to prevent future problems.

Gratitude day 14: holiday cheer

Minted held a holiday mocktail hour for the seasonal graphic designers. I like office parties at a startup -- so cozy like a family!

The engineering team also toured the nearby chocolate factory TCHO. TCHO puts new chocolate products in beta. Also they can monitor their factory remotely via iPhone.

Their first sentence said they are obsessed with chocolate and obsessed with detail. I am grateful that this year I learned about attention to detail on every aspect of a business.

Survival school worries

Things to solve before I go:

1. Blister prevention. Last time I had no blisters for 6 days and then several big ones on day 7. But it was the last day, so I just powered through it. This time it is 14 days. How to prevent blisters?

2. Sunscreen. Despite using copious sunscreen, I worry about the skin on my face developing sun spots and blemishes from being in the sun. Cannot let that happen! My face needs to look the same until I am 50!

3. Remember to take chapstick this time!

4. Learn to make a fire before I go.

Last time there were 4 women and 2 men, which created such a bonding nurturing environment. This time they warned me it is likely just one woman (me) or at most one other. I hope there is one other woman! A warm friendly person, not cold.

gratitude day 13: survival school 2012!

I signed up for the 14-day survival school field course in June 2012!

I am super excited about the base camp segment, and learning to "process" (i.e. kill and eat) a sheep.

The killing of an animal can be an overwhelming experience for people who have never lived on a farm. Therefore, the instructors begin by explaining much of what we've said here to the students: how, traditionally, vegetarianism was not a reality and that ultimately the human body needs proteins and fats to survive. (At this point in the course, the students are feeling this reality for themselves, as their bodies have been practically fat- and protein-deprived for several days or weeks before the animal arrives.)

The animal is then brought into the group and the students are given time to do whatever process they feel is appropriate to say "good bye" or "thank you." Some talk to it, some silently pat its head, some offer personal prayers or thanks — it's up to each person to do whatever he or she feels is appropriate.If the group feels they want to release the animal and allow it to live, they can. Most groups decide colectively to continue the lesson, but if you personally want to completely disappear and come back later, that's fine. No one is forced to participate in the upcoming act, although many vegetarians and vegans specifically choose to be involved in this phase since it gives them a chance to be completely connected to the animal's death.

Once the students are ready and the animal has been properly respected, several students hold the animal against the ground while one student cuts its throat quickly with a very sharp knife. Death is instantaneous.

I am nervous and excited about the longer (up to 3 day) solo.  I really enjoyed my 24-hour solo, especially lying under a tree with a breeze, writing in my journal.  I hope I will also enjoy this longer solo. 

I need to start preparing now to get into sufficient shape.  Last time I barely had enough stamina for the 7-day course.  I was lucky that it never rained.  Even with the fortunate weather, I was one of the slowest members of the team.  This year I'm going two months earlier (to schedule for a less busy time of year for work), so it will be colder and will rain more.  

My goal is to be able to run 6 miles in one hour, by the time I go.  Last time I could run 2 miles in 20.5 minutes, 3 miles in 33 minutes.

Gratitude day 12: pies

Grateful that my college classmate works at Quid next door to Minted, so we can bake pies and have genuine conversations.

Of course I used organic fruit and whole wheat pie crust!

gratitude day 11

Today I am eyeing the 14-day survival school next July.  It has a 3-day solo instead of 1-day, and has an extra 3-day segment of setting up base camp and slaughtering a sheep.

Grateful for survival school.  I felt calm all day thinking about it.  It prevents me from having "keeping up with Joneses" temptations.

gratitude day 10: 我出来买酱油的

I'm grateful for the chinese meme "我出来买酱油的" ("I'm just here to buy soy sauce").  

It came from an interview where a local man was asked, "What do you think about the allegation that the internet is very pornographic and very violent?"  He said, "It's none of my business.  I'm just here to buy soy sauce."

When I get tempted to "keep up with the Joneses" or I get annoyed at injustice that I can't help rectify, I remember to focus on buying my soy sauce.

Gratitude day 9: lov (local organic veggies)

I am grateful to have discovered local organic vegetables. It is amazing that healthy food can taste really good. It makes sense (of course fresh food tastes better!) but I was so indoctrinated to think that healthy = bland, and decadent = tasty.

Day 8: picture hanging

Grateful that my friend helped me hang this scroll art! He knew just how to hang it using nails.

Gratitude day 7: Santa

Today I walked out of my apartment into the apartment lobby, and heard jingling bells. A dog ran into the lobby wearing a string of bells. Then a neighbor emerged in full Santa regalia. He put reindeer ears on the dog.

Within 30 seconds, the dog managed to break the string, and bells tumbled everywhere.  Santa looked glumly resigned.  The dog sat down wearing the broken remnant of string and wagged its tail, looking at its owner.

It is SantaCon in San Francisco.

I am grateful to live in a city with a sense of fun, where so many people will dress in costume and be jolly at the drop of a hat.

Gratitude day 6

Grateful that Minted / Mariam is on the cover of San Francisco magazine this month!

gratitude day 5

Today I started eating fennel out of my Farm Fresh to You delivered box of vegetables.  It tastes amazing.

Melissa at work asked me, "I thought you were so enthralled with AlbertEve.com."

I said, "Oh I am."

Melissa: "But you got a delivery from their competitor?"

Me: "There was a groupon for FarmFreshForYou."

Melissa: "Yes.  [revealing deep understanding of me]  Yes, of course there was."

So I am grateful for amazing fresh fennel, and for a friend at work whom I love dearly.

gratitude day 4

Today I put on furry boots.  I remembered wearing these boots two years ago with a strapless dress, for Omst's rooftop BBQ.  There were about 15 people there.

An acquaintance Linda walked up to me and said, "Niniane!  Your outfit!"

I thought it was a compliment, so I said "Thanks!" and started to preen.

She said, "Your outfit is crazy!  You're wearing winter boots with a summer dress!"

I began to wilt and said, "It's a rooftop BBQ.  I thought it could be cold.  I also had a coat, but I took that off downstairs."

She said, "But it's so sunny!  Didn't you check the weather?"

Just then, our mutual friend Prasan immediately said, "Looks like a cold front coming in." and peered into the distance where there was the faint stirring of a storm cloud.

I was so appreciative for Prasan's loyalty!

Later he said to me, "I felt like punching Linda in the face and saying, 'Have you looked in the mirror lately at how you yourself dress??'"

I like so much when friends are loyal, especially when they abandon the moral high ground and get right in the mud in order to have my back.

gratitude day 3

Today in the afternoon, many people at Minted helped out with customer service for an hour.  It really exceeded my expectations of being very enjoyable!  We were excited when customers came onto live chat, and were jealous of each other when someone got a live-chat customer.

Annie (director of design) said one customer opened with "I love all your designs, and I love your company."

Doing customer service is an activity that is really fun when you are doing it with people you like.  It's similar to going to the grocery store in that way.  I am grateful to work with people I like so much!

Also today I received in the mail the Minted notebook I ordered for my mom.  It's so gorgeous!  She's going to love me more when I give it to her, ha!



Lastly I asked my very fashion-savvy colleagues if they prefer my hair as it is in the notebook vs now.  They said now is better.  Whew!  I don't have to grow it out and highlight it.  I'm grateful that my hairdresser knows best what to do!

gratitude day 2

Today I bought this pitcher and am really happy about it.


I also signed up for the 2012 Survival Rescue class from Boulder Outdoor Survival School.  It's a 72-hour class in the Utah desert that simulates a "survival situation".  I'm grateful to Nikhil and Jessica for persuading me to go to survival school!

gratitude day 1

I'm grateful that friends brought ornaments!


Before.


After.









Yay!

lillers cake

I signed up for a cake-decorating class.  The class is 2.5 hours long.  The cake itself and frosting are pre-made, and the class just focuses on decorating it.  I figured it's a long time just to decorate a small cake, so the resulting cake must be full of sprinkles and little frosting curliques.  I told my friend Lillers that I'm going to write her name on the cake.


Studio where cake class is held.


Cake in-progress.


I'm really glad that in an earlier blog post, people suggested that instead of my original idea of proving that I made the cake by putting a pistachio or metal bolt into the middle, I could also just take a photo of myself with the cake in-progress.



It ended up that we made a very pristine elegant cake.  I blurted out to the teacher that I already promised a friend to put her name on it, and he kindly melted chocolate so that I could fulfill my word.


Lillers opening the cake box.


Lillers' cake and Lillers.


Eating the cake, woot!

Now I know how to decorate a cake, and I feel very empowered with this knowledge!  I have a dream that I'll make awesome cakes to bring to people's parties.  I can make taro-flavored cakes, and almond cakes, and coffee cake!

One problem is that cake is quite unhealthy and I'd like to make a healthier version.  Maybe I can substitute whole wheat flour, and use dates instead of sugar.

Gratitude day 0

Matt Cutts did a 30 day challenge where he posts one thing each day that made him grateful. I decided just now that I will do this too, for 30 days. If it works well, I will do it for even longer.

I called my dad today. He and my mom are going to Hawaii next month, and I told him to visit Pearl Harbor. He said that China intercepted info about the Pearl Harbor attack and told the US. But the US didn't believe. China kept warning, "hey it's scheduled for xxx date." "it's happening day after tomorrow" "it's happening tomorrow!" but the US ignored it.

He said it in a funny way and I was grateful that my dad is very funny.

Also he described how Steve Jobs was probably depressed getting ousted from the company he started in his dad's garage. My dad clearly has a warm feeling about kids doing things in their parents' home, because he kept saying "his dad's garage".

My dad said he is pretty happy with things because our family goes on overseas trips annually, and my mom cooks for him every day, and the two of them go on little nearby trips.

It's nice to have a good peaceful conversation. I spent 1.5 hours on the phone with my parents today and it was harmonious. They were cheerful and funny.

I might take them to Euro Cup next summer, if I can figure out logistics.

I hope we can be harmonious when we all go to Seoul over New Years.

xmas tree

I completed item #4 from my bucket list by getting a live Christmas tree:


One curious development is that the tree has no scent.  It doesn't smell like a tree.  If I go up to it and vigorously rub a branch between my palms for ten seconds, then put my hands to my face, there will be a slight tree scent.  Otherwise there is no scent.  

I've been trying to figure out why this is.  LG had a tree last year, and he said it smelled like a forest in his apartment the entire time.  The only discrepancy we thought of is that his tree was 8 feet tall, and mine is 4 feet tall, so the cubic volume of his was 8 times greater.

 LG: it should smell like a forest!

 me: it doesn't

 Larry: get another tree!

me: no

LG: replace it

  omg so i'll pay you if you let me throw the current tree out the window

  itll be so great

 me: what!!!!

  open window or breaking the window

 Larry: open window

  you have a great apartment for a good throw

 we'll record it and everything

 me: :(no

an inspirational guy

Today I learned about 励志哥 on google+. He is well-known on the chinese internet for being a very unattractive guy who has a gorgeous girlfriend.  He has a tagline: 只要肯去勾就有妞 ("as long as you are willing to entice, you will get a girl").

 

His words of wisdom are awesome: ("bro" is referring to himself)

     “大家好，我是励志哥，如果你还在抱怨你运气不好找不到好妹妹，你看看哥吧。”
"Hello everyone, I am 励志哥. If you are complaining that you're unlucky and can't find a good girl, please take a look at bro."

      “如果你还在抱怨上天对你不公平，麻烦你看看哥吧。”
 "If you are still complaining that the heavens were unfair to you, please trouble yourself to look at bro."

      “不要太崇拜哥···· ”
 "Do not worship bro too much..."

      “销魂不？羡慕不？那就向哥看齐吧，记住哥，哥不是传说，哥叫励志哥。 
"Stunned? Envious? Then please look toward bro. Remember bro. Bro is not an urban legend. Bro is called 励志哥."


I really like his attitude.  His sound bytes are entertaining.  I can see how he got a beautiful girlfriend.