"And She's Climbing a Stairway to Heaven..."

Each year I challenge myself to something new, something I have never physically done before. It's not always the smartest thing to do; but I think deep down I'm trying to make up for my bookworm ways when I was a kid.

This year started slowly(no misbegotten marathons in the cold tail of winter) but last week I joined a thousand others to raise money for the American Lung Association. It was a climb up 1,197 steps to the top of the BofA Bldg, Carnelian Room; and it kinda sucked. hehe. But I lived to tell the tale; and I even surprised myself with my time (17min, 36secs!). It gave me the encouragement I needed for the rest of the surprises that lay ahead of me in 2009!

Team Carnelian Room wait patiently as we inch closer to the stairwell. I wished there was more room to stay warmed up though.

Teammate makes a quickie attempt to break the bank. (It was kinda neat seeing the safe in the basement!)

I'm just seconds from my start.

I'm halfway there!!
Aaaahhh.. definitely one of finest Finish Line spreads there has ever been!

And there was my Pop! Cheering me on at the Finish Line! (OK, he had to work and would've been there anyway.. but it was definitely great to see him when I got to the top. The champagne didn't hurt either.)

And to top it off, a massage! And not just some wussy chair massage. I laid down on the table and got pummeled.

Sasa's a Star!

What Happens Without Laptops

Can it be that I've only posted once this month??
I'm tired.
And I'm starting to not be happy with my computer. My trusty Mac-a-doodle-doo.

This past weekend in Dunsmuir, D and I agreed on a "no laptop" moratorium. I reckon I cheated with my iPhone; its gettng harder and harder to avoid technology. But it is certainly easier to bear with a day like this.

D, Sake, and I had great Stand-by-Me little hike. Just thank goodness there was no need for anyone to yell "TRAIINNNNN!" Although secretly I think D was disappointed.

Jon Stewart: Call Me!

I love Jon Stewart.  I would marry him. 

If he didn't already have a family and I wasn't on the opposite coast and in a relationship of my own and if I had acquaintances who could introduce me to him and he fell in love with me and proposed to me with a big fat diamond, I would marry him.

His interviews with the likes of Mike Huckabee just seal the deal.  And last night's interview with Jim Cramer was a knockout.  He is not a nobel prize winning economist but he brought up issues that I haven't heard anyone in the media report on. He spoke plainly with passion and clarity.

He kicked ass.

Here's a taste of my beloved, if you didn't watch it tonight please go to The Daily Show and check it out.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Interview Outtake Pt. 3

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Economic Crisis

Party Planning

aka: How I Learned to Love the Bomb

Don't tell anyone.. but I'll be turning 40 years old this week.
The good thing is.. I've been too busy to worry about it.
The bad thing is I've decided to throw myself a shindig so I've been worried about that instead.

And perhaps I'm so worried, stressed, that my body is giving out.
So the bad news is I've got the sniffles and my throat feels like doodoo-caca.
But the good news is I've lost my appetite and perhaps now I can look awesome in my dress!

With all the preparations, contracts, logistics, and making sure everything looks and sounds great, I'm almost worried people won't show up! Or I fear the music won't be enough to get people groovin'. Or we'll run out of food. Or guest won't like the wine. Are these fears normal? Is it the nightmare of every party thrower?

Deep breaths, gather. It's going to be great, and I can't wait to see you all there!

** Cake image courtesy of Pinkie's Bakery. Wait till you see what she is creating just for me!!

Super Doggy Bowl

If you hear a little whooping and hollerin' coming from my living room tonight and tomorrow, don't worry. It's just the annual doggie love fest known as the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Each February you can find me in front of the telly with a huge grin on my face, clapping for my favorites. I just simply can't help it!

Who can forget 2008's Best in Show Champion Uno the beagle (L)? Here he greets RJ (R) another beagle at a preview for this year's Westminster. Uno became a certified therapy last summer as part of the Club's Angel on a Leash program and truer champion there never was!


This year will also see the debut of the Dogue de Bordeaux, also known as the French Mastiff. It is the only newly-recognized breed eligible for competition this year; the head is the largest of any dog, according to the Kennel Club. Watch for lots of applause when Brando competes in the Working Group! HEAD!!!!!
You had better stand back when they say the words, "May we have the Terrier Group in the ring please." I stand up and clap and whoop and grin and simply act a fool over my favorite group. This
year's Australian Terrier is from Vacaville! w00t!!! And the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Ch. King's Mtn Minnie Mouse is from San Francisco. Yay!!!

And Vegas has given Sadie, the Scottish Terrier, 18-1 odds of winning the whole shebang. Go Sadie!!

But watch out for a Terrier Showdown as Sadie goes up against Charmin, the #1 terrier in the country. Uh, Charmin is on the right....

(What the French Toast! Sadie takes it!!! First a Scottish Deerhound wins the Hound Group, and now a Scottish Terrier. If it's not Scottish, it's CRRRAP!!)

What more can you ask for? Drama, sportsmanship, grace, and athleticism. Westminster can give the Oscars a run for the money.

And lest you think dogs take any less grooming than Catherine Zeta-Jones, I give you Exhibit A....

Monday Morning Chuckle

In case you missed it because you had some other wildly fantastical thing to do Saturday night.


I couldn't have said this better myself..

Tough Crowd in the City

In the last couple of months, I have made overtures to homeless people here in San Francisco. I offer what I have with respect but without pity.

Once, I was headed to the Muni Station after stopping off at the grocery store. I had a bag(my own burlap one, natch) full of randon groceries, topped off by some apples. When I passed a homeless man panhandling, I turned and said, "Sir, I've got an apple here for you if you're hungry." He calmly opened his mouth and pointed to his toothless gums. I felt like an @sshole....

Today, after a refreshing yoga class at the gym, I once again made my way to the Muni station. This time I had a Satsuma orange in my pocket I was going to eat, but I stopped and said, "Hey Dude, would you like an orange?" The man seated on the ground waved both me and the orange away dismissively. For a moment there, I felt as though I did something wrong.

It can be a tough crowd out there in the See-tay.

Domino Magazine Falls

The past 2 weeks have seen many good, hard-working people lose their jobs (Although I'm sure there were a few slackers in the bunch.) and some familiar retail names shuttering their doors.

But this one today hurts, it really hurts. Conde Nast today announced the closure of their shelter magazine Domino. DOMINO! A magazine I eagerly look forward to each month will grace my postbox no more.

I've been a subscriber since Day 1 and I shall miss the inspiration, tips, and overall escapism their lovely pages offered me. Thanks for all the hard work Domino! You were a gem!
(I wonder what happens to the rest of my subscription??)

Splashdown Nightmare

It shouldn't be that my first post for 2009 involves a plane crash. I am always the one saying a silent Non-Denominational prayer when taking off.
I can tell you that if ever I hear the words "Brace for impact because we're going down", I would be eleven kinds of crazy. However, knowing that all 155 passengers of US Airways Flight 1549 came out of the Hudson River relatively unscathed leaves me with the Warm Fuzzies.

Kudos to the pilot(Let's give it up for Danville!!) who kept his calm and steered everyone safely on its splashy landing!!!! HUZZAH!!

From Christmas Wishes to New Year Visions.

The week after Christmas is not as stressful as the preceding month, but it has its own challenges. Not only am I desperately trying to recover from the food, the booze, the shopping; I'm also trying to take time for introspection. What have I accomplished the last 365-ish days? Did I advance my career? Did I save enough/any money? Did I see all the movies I wanted to see? Is my condo any cleaner? Did I lose the weight I set out to?

And if not, how will I do it all differently in 2009?
During these times of inventory, I like to avoid it all entirely and take Sake to the beach. Watching the Little One bound around with such pure joy always makes me feel seismically better about the days ahead.

Christmas Wishes 2008

Seems tradition now that I spend mid-December running about in a Whirly Twirly. But today is Christmas Eve and I feel finally, a sense of my Christmas Spirit back.  We have a rough road ahead of us in 2009(and 2010?); but may you all have a Lovely Holiday and a Bountiful New Year.

Merry Christmas To All, And To All A Good Night

Beijing in 2.5 Days

It's the Holidays but I find myself still talking about my trip to Beijing. It's as though I visited a city, a country, on the verge of a big shift and I can't stop marveling.
Some highlights:

First stop was the Beijing Zoo. First and Foremost I wanted to see pandas. It was in fact my initial desire to put in volunteer work in the Wolong Natural National Panda Reserve.. but I have to confess, I chickened out due to weather and possible disease. So instead I saw them at the Zoo. And with only 2 and a half days in Beijing, I could've spent the entire time just watching these amazing animals.
This is one of the 8 panda cubs that were brought to the zoo for the Olympics.

A grownup panda is really just mostly interested in munching down snacks. Still fascinating to watch. Note that all the pandas look much cleaner in photos! ha!

It was onto the magnificent Forbidden City after that. A good portion of the structures were refurbished, again for the sake of the Olympics and boy could you tell! There were the proverbial crapload of pictures taken that day, but I'll just leave you with this one.

Cleanliness and hygiene could be spotty in certain attractions and establishments. This restaurant calmed my western squeamishness with its shrink-wrapped serving set; but when I saw Dog Stew on the menu, well, let's just say the squeamishness came back.

Another sight on my list was the National Centre for the Performing Arts, also known as The Egg. Another amazing building designed by a French Architect that was not without its own controversies. You may notice by this point that I'm wearing the same thing in a lot of the pictures. Well, I'm a Californian and I was bloody cold there. I wore the same beanie, jacket, and gloves pretty much every day.

And here we are. The Great F&ckin' Wall. It does go on and on, as far as the eye can see; humbling anyone in its presence. And look how incredile those mountain ranges are in the distance. I've never seen anything like it.

I can't even really tell you much more about this picture than: Me + Llama = Awesome!I'm not usually a Starbucks drinker, but at the Great Wall? I had to do it. And with the milk crises going on, the default was soymilk. Perfect!
Definitely a highlight of my trip. I had to visit the 798 Art Zone.
A decommissioned military factory, it is now home to a thriving modern art community. And by chance there was an exhibit melding Christian Dior haute couture and Chinese artists. Here were curtains of pearls you had to walk through to begin the exhibit. This completely blew me away.
Some minor example of Shock Art. Naked chick on a bike (not me!).

I couldn't resist!

Hurray for Hollywould

I had a travel post ready, but something has taken precedence. I couldn't let the day go by without spreading the word about SHOES! Yes ladies, shoes.. and not just any run of the mill shoes. But Hollywould Shoes. Created, by Holly Dunlap, they have acquired quite a cult following for those with a big budget and a penchant for heels. Afterall, some styles cost as much as $495! Yes, AMERICAN dollars.

But here's the skinny... everything on the website is now $99!!
Yep. You heard me. $99. Tough times, even for Holly.
I know they are an extravagance, but if you can swing it are a shoe whore, you need to go check it out!
Go forth and be well-heeled....

A Visit to Beijing

aka: Where Ancient and Modern Collide
I'm 2 days into Beijing and I'm marveling at this transformed city. I thought Hong Kong was a chaotic blend of the old and new.. but it has nothing on Beijing.

While here I've visited both the Ancient and the Modern. The Forbidden City and the Great Wall humbled me with their majestic scale and history. But tears welled up in my eyes when I came upon the National Stadium(aka Birds Nest) and all the new history it had made in such a brief amount of time. It is a tremendous site to see up close; it's the 2nd building I have ever seen that has brought tears to my eyes. (The Disney Concert Hall being the First.). Perhaps it seems silly to cry at the site of a building. But visionary architecture can do that, it can soar above just steel girders and right angles to be glorious and full of hopes and dreams.


And one wouldn't think I would find it here, in the Communist Motherland. Where men(and women) spit freely and pick their noses with matching aplomb. But there's the juxtaposition. I fear using the toilet while away from my Ikea-like hotel because squatting is just not in my DNA(is there ever enough Purell??). But it seems this damn city is wired and I can surf the internet wherever I wish. The Great Wall warns against cellphone usage during thunderstorms; and I still find stewed dogmeat on the menu.

I reckon there are some things technology still can't do.....

Greetings from Asia

Greetings from Hong Kong!
It's been just 5 days here and there's a part of me thats already a tad homesick. Pathetic, right?
5-star hotel, room service, and a 3-hr massage and facial treatment. What more could a girl ask for? I think it's just the fatigue talking. It's been a full work week on top of jetlag.

I'm off to Beijing in the AM for Holiday. At which time I'm hoping to catch on me, and you of course!
In the meantime, this little doodah has been giving me laughs non-stop. Enjoy!

Edit:
Video can no longer be embedded. You know, copywrite and all that stuff.
But here's the link, it's classic.

God Bless America

I still can't believe it. I'm numb. Can it be true?
This is not just another presidential election. This is a remarkable, transformational night.

Tonight. Tonight. Tonight we are truly the greatest nation on this planet.

Vote Early and Vote Often!

It's so exciting to see Election Fever taking over this country! I believe its high time that Americans actually vote for something other than the nex American Idol or their favorite episode of Seinfeld. It warms the heart to see Americans care again.

Although its thoroughly depressing to read the vile tactics that people are using to keep Dems at home from voting.

If ever there were people who hate America and work at its downfall, its the c@cksuckers that printed these flyers out and had them distributed. I know, I said c@cksucker. That's enough to throw me out of a baseball game, but that's how infuriated I am!!

**Edit: "State elections officials have identified the person responsible for a phony election flier that told Republicans to vote on Tuesday and Democrats to vote a day later.

State Board of Elections Secretary Nancy Rodrigues said Monday the flier bearing the Virginia seal and the elections board logo was a joke that got out of control. The flier was distributed early last week across Hampton Roads. State police confirmed it also was distributed by e-mail.

State officials declined to name the person who created the flier or a second person who began distributing it.

While distribution of false information to voters is a misdemeanor, state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller says no charges would be filed."

OMGWTFBBQ. Heads should roll. Of course, wait till we find out this was perpetrated by a 13-year-old...

Some other last minute election thoughts of note.....

• Everyone voting electronically... doublecheck your votes!!!! Early voters are reporting that votes are not being registered correctly.
  
• Report any and all f^ckery being perpetrated in not allowing you to vote. Record it, blog it, email to the Liberal, Gotcha Media (especially to my news hunk Anderson Cooper at AC360).
  
• If in Cali, vote No on Prop 8! Lest you forget, anti-miscegenation laws were not repealed in California in 1948! That's right, it was illegal 60 years ago for Whites to marry Asians. My ass would've been in jail. State law was finally overturned by state judiciary in the Supreme Court of California. And yes, if there was a vote, I bet you more than 61% of the state would've said keep marriage status quo between Whites only. Please let such dark days of bigotry and fear be bygones.
  
• Electronic voting reeks of potential tampering. If they can hack into the FBI database, they can tamper with an election! I say the country stays with the "times up, pencil's down" method.
• Why on earth is Election Day not a National Holiday??!!! For god's sake we need to address this antiquated voting day that's been around since the Farmin' Days!!!
• Get out there kids and perform your civic duty, flex your right, your PRIVILEGE to vote!!
• Ladies, 100 years ago we weren't allowed to vote!! Let's do it for Susan B Anthony, $1 coin styleee!!

No doubt I'll be back with Post-Election reaction. Until then, read some Thomas Friedman.
Be Well America. Go Vote.

Alright, Who Put the Ass in Self Assessment???

I have to write my self-evaluation this week. It is one of the most-loathed tasks I am forced to do at work. Partly because I've never been particularly good at tooting my own horn(Self-deprecation doesn't translate well on paper.) but mainly because it seems a useless task that sucks up valuable time. I mean, c'mon! More time spent on fluffing up my achievements is less time I spend blogging for all of you!!

And anyway, at most workplaces it never seems it has any of true bearing on the eventual review given to me, or on the (minimal) raise I get.

Can someone tell me doing these darn things is just some sort of legal liability type of f&ckery that HR has to keep in my file?

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

I had been saving up for a change to happen next year. But with the economy in a free-fall and Pro-America small-towns and Non Pro-America big-cities coming to ideological blows , I had been feeling a little low as of late...

When I visited my trusted coiffeur, Alex S., it did not take long for him to appeal to my ever-hiding spontaneous nature. Ever the intuitive(and vegan) soul, he broke past my initial trepidation and guided my hair to its very own Carpe-Diem-moment. (But not before I shed a few tears.) Yay him!


Before the Big Reveal, let me take a moment to introduce the newly relocated Alex Sandor Art Studio. His new storefront still has that same funky, "I made this!", vibe about it. His trusty tools are still housed in a vintage.. uh.. Alex what the hell is that thing?

What's new is his commitment to going green and organic. Alex designed his studio usng only recycled refurbished and salvaged materials and furniture. And he uses organic, non-carcinegenic hair products on all those who walk through his door. But really that's just the beginning. Click here to get it straight from him. Note the salvaged wood planks from former wine barrels on the walls; and the stainless steel accessories,such as the trays, are from SF General Hospital.

I particularly loved this piece which serves as the refreshment station. The lemon ginger infused tea is a nice refreshing touch too.
But what you've all been waiting for!... *drumroll*.... TADA!! Here I am with my hair 10 inches shorter. Alex does it again. I walk out of his salon a brand new woman. And with my donation to Locks of Love, I've hopefully given a child an opportunity to Seize Their Day too.