Dinner at home

The Clippers

Cherry Blossoms

Backyard Lotus

a picnic at the Chula Vista Marina

Just a crouching tiger...

Take me home...
My travels have taken me out to Indianapolis recently and I'd have to say it's one of the better places to be though I'm totally not into working at the client site right now. For one thing, traveling 9 hours to get to the client is really gnawing at my body - I feel pretty crappy when I get there and when I get back home to SD at the end of a work week. Anywho...

Indianapolis has got some fine folk -- without fail I walk/jog down the street and am greeted with smiles by total strangers.


This is a conversation between 2 elder gentlemen I overheard on a street corner:

"Gee Russ, them gosh-darn kids went and stole the hubcaps off my green Ford Taurus again!"

"Well Bobby, them Ford cars ain't built like they used to! Ya need to go out and git yerself one of them japanese veHICKles"

I guess Indianapolis is really a college town - I work really close to Indiana University and the local folk refer to it as "IU" - pronounced 'EYE-YEEEUUUUU'.

One thing I've observed in Indy is how BIG car racing really is - people talk about NASCAR and Formula-1 racing much more than their Pacers or Colts. This past Tuesday I got to play Daytona USA 2 at a Dave & Busters-wannabe - some place called Jillian's. Anywho...I raced 7 locals and beat them all - my claim to fame for the week.

Well, can't go wrong when lobster is only 10 bucks. Lobster at The Boathouse in San Diego is surprisingly good considering the high demand on Wednesday $10 lobster night.

I've been passing ridiculously foul gas today - amy can vouch for that one. I think it's made her a little kooky...

San Diego by Night

Panoramic of San Diego

I went for a cruise in my friend's new WRX tonight and snapped some snazzy shots of downtown San Diego by night - "America's Finest City" for a good reason ;)

Baller 4 life

Running and ballin' are totally different in the types of muscles you use. I've been ballin' all week and my legs and arse have been more sore than ever - strange....

a day of rest

Today was restful - went to Sam Woo Cafe for lunch and shopped at 99 Ranch. I saw colorful veggies including mint that looked like weed, a drooling fish, and a young superstarlet. I then took my mother to the mall. I found my way to the arcade and saw air hockey with no one to play with, fake gambling, an odd vending machine, and plenty of games from my youthful life...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

because I can

the neighborhood is not serene, the air is not cool, the sun is scorching, too many cars on the road, yet I run. Yesterday I found myself running around the city thinkin' about why my job can suck at times, why that kid threw something at me as he drove by, and why there is now pain in my left calf. I needed some time to clear my head but not exactly sure what I'm clearing it of, but at the end of my run I felt much better. Yes, I was in pain but was it physical or mental?


I think it's time for a vacation - something away from "sitting on the beach" as a consultant. I need to find a real beach or something away from the city. Days go by and I'm tired of hanging online each hour to see if I have a work assignment. Take me away

13 Mile

hey pretty mama, just hear out m'drama
I see you callin', but I ain't stallin'

My oh my, I'm meltin' in a hot room, oh this nurse! she's so steamed she gonna whack us with a fat broom!
It's just so stuffy and you nurses keep complainin'
Who? Cerner? id dat who you be blamin'?

Hey woman, you gotta learn PowerChart!
Oy...that free breakfast today keep makin' me wanna fart
Donna's got command, she's just an intellectual
last night's small group potluck was pretty delectable

M'body's still achin' from last night's 13-mile run
That last mile - o' my legs felt like a ton
I wish I could run like Flo-Jo, I wish I could run like Flo-Jo
Hmm...right now I feel like playing Word Mojo

My thoughts are just fleeting
'cuz I'm just rappin' thru this meeting
Maybe I should pay attention
but that doesn't jive with my intention

Hmm...one guy and eleven chicks
Sound like fun? Nope, this ain't my schtick!
I just can't wait for my annual review
Oh Lord, please give me a preview?

Peace out yo'
Run TMC

Mary's Birthday weekend

Chicago's definitely a place for big appetites. I got to sample delectables ranging from "suicide buffalo wings" to a full plate of $6 savory beef ribs! to Bob Chinn's Crabhouse to home-made pastries. It was definitely a nostalgic weekend reminiscent of my formative undergrad years. It's been refreshing to see old faces and share good times.

We had a good time celebrating Mary's Birthday in grand fashion - Happy 26th Birthday =)


By week's end we all woke up pretty ZOINKED!

Just Keep Nodding

Here are some photos taken during my shadow week in Chicago. It's a blessing to be surrounded by awesome friends - God is Good =) Pictured above are Bryan, Mary, and her roommates, Kristen & Kristine. We enjoyed a nearly "bottomless" dinner at the FoodLife court restaurant. Too bad photos were prohibited inside the restaurant area - perhaps some sort of key to their success? You have a choice of salads, bottomless soups, rotisserie, asian, mexican, wraps, creole, italian, burgers & dogs, and probably other goodies I can't think of at the moment - definitely worth another visit =)

I'm actually journaling on a notepad in the middle of a client meeting. A client rep. is giving an intro to PowerChart presentation to rehabilitation clinicians and I think I'd fall out of my chair from boredom if I don't keep writing. Today has been a really sleepy day but I'm having too much fun to not stay out late and soak in Chicago.
THUD! Nice! - the clinician sitting next to me just passed out and banged his head on the table. Perhaps a good indication that a break is necessary. I thought I was gettin' pretty good at masking my own nodding off - as soon as I felt my head begin to nod, I continued to nod as if I'm in agreement with the speaker's comments.

Maybe I'm just convincing myself that no one else notices o_O

"Are You Gellin'?"

I'm gellin' like a felon. My $7 J.Crew dress shoes are really comfy now that I've surpassed the 'break-in' period. No - I don't have those Dr. Scholl's gel insoles but that commercial is stuck in my head from watching all those NBA playoff games on TNT. It's either that or those 'Great Taste - Less Filling' Miller Lite ads that get played over and over during the commercial breaks.

I took this pic with my new digital camera =) I really love the photo quality - It took forever for Dell to ship my camera out but it was worth the wait. Still need to find a camera case - especially if I'm traveling cross country to Chicago for Bryan and Marys' graduations (congrats and happy birthday to the both of ya!). This camera's kinda bulky and won't fit into my old case. Another cool thing I've been tryin' out is the NightVision function - took some
freaky pictures last night =O

There's a slight possibility that I'll be assigned to a project in the Cayman Islands for work! I have no idea what's out there but I'll be sure to document and photograph my journey there if I'm so lucky.

I sure am Gellin' Like a Felon...want some melon?

Just *Plane* Wrong

There are just some things you can't tolerate anymore after frequenting airports and airplanes for a while now...

When flying Southworst, everyone in the "A" line at the gate cut in front of each other as if they're gonna get that first pick of seats. It really is like a slaughter house where the cattle are being loaded on the cattle-train.

Then there are the inconsiderate people that fill ALL the overhead bins and bring on carry-on's that clearly do not fit in that dimensions box at the check-in counter.

Then when you're on the plane, people cough and blow their noses always seemingly in your direction. Adults nudge your seat backs. Old folks in the row behind you pull on your seat back for support during ingress/egress from the seat (I usually time it right and hit the recline button on my seat while they're doing this so they slip...muahahahhaa). I figure - who cares! it's not like they're gonna see you again.

After landing and the seatbelt sign turns off, people get up and there's a mass stench of flatulence. All that bad air just gets trapped in the seat and rises as soon as people get up. And it's unfortunate that at this point the air circulation has come to a halt. Again, the cattle scurry to de-plane in a mist of methane.

Training Day

Being back in Kansas City for training this week has been a nice change of pace. It's really somewhat of a vacation from *vacation*. I think I'm spoiled with the good weather in San Diego but KC's weather this week has been splendid so far (I hear it's supposed to rain by week's end). It has been said that Kansas City has more fountains than all of France - this one pictured above has at least 50 alone! I must say the Marriott in dowtown KC is pretty nice but there's nothing to do around here at night. After 6pm it's like a ghost town!

For that I reason I was wondering what I was gonna do about dinner... I usually avoid hotel food whenever possible because it's overpriced. Last night I took a good walk around and found not a single open business 'round these parts. oy... I was subjected to eating hotel food (plenty of bad experiences to say the least). To my surprise, the burger I had was excellent! Not sure if it was my skipping lunch and overbearing hunger but I could only inhale my dinner -- a savory half-pound burger with grilled onions, mushrooms, and blue cheese on a toasted bun -- pretty darn gourmet stuff. mmm...

I just might be enjoying this for dinner every night this week =)

The Dishes





"What are we having for dinner?" Every night remains to be a challenge to determine what we're havin' for dinner. After long days of work my mother doesn't feel like cooking and I don't blame her. I guess I could offer to cook but I dunno if they'd wanna eat what I would make on a daily basis. Back in Pittsburgh I frequently made curries, dumplings, fried rice, and noodle dishes. I think they'd tire of that quickly. ^_^

Okay. So maybe it's not the fatigue associated with cooking but the aftermath comprised of cleaning up and washing dishes. Yep, that's my theory - nobody wants to do the dishes. So last night, instead of the drudgery of determining what to eat and the associated chores, we went out to eat =) Anywho...at least the sink's not chock full of dishes.

Hmm..so what's for dinner tonight?

mekka lekka hai mekka hiney ho!