With my personality, one of the things I've learned that I must be especially wary of is getting too attached or too emotionally invested in things. My newfound obsession with the Sharks, apparently, is no exception.
Hockey has certainly helped me grow as a person. I found more time to spend at home with my brother and my mom, instead of going out all of the time and drinking. This probably couldn't have been a better year to do it also, with my brother moving very recently. Through hockey my brother and I found a way to bond which has never happened before. We have no other hobbies in common. I also took the time to learn about the sport! Now I know what people are talking about when they discuss at least ONE sport.
This season has been an emotional roller coaster for me, but after every losing game there seemed to be a winning game not too far after. I really thought the Sharks could win the Stanley Cup, and I'm sad that they didn't. The elimination in the conference finals was devastating. I couldn't even talk to anyone the next day, it was reminiscent of darker days. The very last game was heartwrenching -- I went into the series fully aware that the Canucks could beat the Sharks. They're a fantastic team. But the way the Sharks were playing right before they got eliminated was enthralling! And so I had hope!
Unfortunately, it was too little too late. I still love the Sharks, and will follow closely next year. The let-down was shocking -- who knew I could care so much about sports? But in the end, it's probably a more healthy investment than other available options. Thank you Sharks for the wonderful season, and for laying it all out in the end. They DEFINITELY went out with a bang.
And lastly, the lighting and effects they use at HP Pavillion are amazing. Go technology! Last season, I was entranced by the montages. This season, I was in awe of the graphic projections. Who knows what will be in store for next year?!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Awh Shucks: Oyster Weekend & Sharks Penalty Fail
Saturday was BBQ @Tomales Bay day! Gorgeous weather, delicious oysters, and good company. Generally people should arrive early in the morning there to claim a table/grill as there are no reservations. I even asked a friend of mine who recently had a birthday there, what time is best to arrive. I then relayed this information to the people who were setting up. And so apparently, this fine weekend, tables at Tomales Bay were not in high demand -- upon arrival I was overwhelmed by smart-ass comments from the people who got there early for no reason. Mega irritating. Next time I'll just not give them a heads up.
After I got over that unwelcoming-welcome, I started to enjoy the day. The sun was out and winds were high, that's actually the perfect combination. Lots of oysters were eaten and shucked, and I only hurt myself once. Because of the storm during the week, the oyster farm was supplemented with Washington oysters (for lack of local oysters). But actually, I liked the Washington oysters better!
We started driving back mid-afternoon. Kevin and Kyle hopped into my car and we took the scenic route! Abso-freakin-loutly mind-blowing. Love the views off of Highway 1. We stopped at 2 of the lookout points just to take it all in. <3 a="" bay..="" before="" car="" class="separator" div="" drive="" enjoyable="" fun="" klaus="" more="" pretty="" rupert="" scary.="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" taking="" the="" those="" too.="" twisties="" up="" was="" way="" winding="" with="" zippy="">
We met up with the other people back in the city at Land's End. And we hiked up to the labyrinth, which I'd actually never seen before.
Later Andy and I headed to Brian's for the night. I did work while they went to dinner and later Brian went out. When I was all done, Andy and I were singing along to Youtube video duets.. SO FUN!!! We didn't want to leave when Brian got back, LOL. We ended up going out but it was an uneventful night.
Today was Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals Sharks vs. Canucks at home. It was... a travesty. Yes the game was exciting, but no we didn't win. So disappointing! The Sharks were doing well in the first period, but with three back-to-back (and overlapping) penalties in the second period there wasn't enough time for the Sharks to catch up. Too many opportunities, not enough goals. Le sigh. We went to OSF afterward for our lunch of shame. We had a photoshoot while we waited for our table, they had some pretty cool furniture.
I had some awesome moments this weekend, the weather was fantastico. Summer is going to be amazing, and I will surely miss SF if I leave. Andy explained that the proper way to walk a labyrinth is to choose a question to ponder for the entire duration of the path -- the question I asked myself was "Could I be truly happy in Seattle?" Unfortunately, I spent most of my brainpower trying to keep balance and not get blown over the edge of the cliff.
As always, I'll try my best and ultimately let fate decide. But for now, from me and all of my fellow Sharks fans, a picture for the Vancouver Canucks.
After I got over that unwelcoming-welcome, I started to enjoy the day. The sun was out and winds were high, that's actually the perfect combination. Lots of oysters were eaten and shucked, and I only hurt myself once. Because of the storm during the week, the oyster farm was supplemented with Washington oysters (for lack of local oysters). But actually, I liked the Washington oysters better!
We started driving back mid-afternoon. Kevin and Kyle hopped into my car and we took the scenic route! Abso-freakin-loutly mind-blowing. Love the views off of Highway 1. We stopped at 2 of the lookout points just to take it all in. <3 a="" bay..="" before="" car="" class="separator" div="" drive="" enjoyable="" fun="" klaus="" more="" pretty="" rupert="" scary.="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" taking="" the="" those="" too.="" twisties="" up="" was="" way="" winding="" with="" zippy="">
We met up with the other people back in the city at Land's End. And we hiked up to the labyrinth, which I'd actually never seen before.
Later Andy and I headed to Brian's for the night. I did work while they went to dinner and later Brian went out. When I was all done, Andy and I were singing along to Youtube video duets.. SO FUN!!! We didn't want to leave when Brian got back, LOL. We ended up going out but it was an uneventful night.
Today was Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals Sharks vs. Canucks at home. It was... a travesty. Yes the game was exciting, but no we didn't win. So disappointing! The Sharks were doing well in the first period, but with three back-to-back (and overlapping) penalties in the second period there wasn't enough time for the Sharks to catch up. Too many opportunities, not enough goals. Le sigh. We went to OSF afterward for our lunch of shame. We had a photoshoot while we waited for our table, they had some pretty cool furniture.
I had some awesome moments this weekend, the weather was fantastico. Summer is going to be amazing, and I will surely miss SF if I leave. Andy explained that the proper way to walk a labyrinth is to choose a question to ponder for the entire duration of the path -- the question I asked myself was "Could I be truly happy in Seattle?" Unfortunately, I spent most of my brainpower trying to keep balance and not get blown over the edge of the cliff.
As always, I'll try my best and ultimately let fate decide. But for now, from me and all of my fellow Sharks fans, a picture for the Vancouver Canucks.
Monday, May 16, 2011
BMW Sunday & Blistering Monday
My weekends have been so chaotic recently! It was nice to do nothing all day Saturday, just relax and hang out around the house. Saturday night I went to Bo's birthday at Swig and saw a bunch of friends that I barely see. It was fun but just way too packed up in the loft area, and I was super sweaty. Janet and I met up with Andy Chad Henry and others at The Cellar. I think it is safe to say that it was another one of those nights where I had TOO MUCH fun.
Sunday I worked a special event for BMW! Walking into the dealership through the side door, stowing my purse in the back closet, and finding my work shirts where I left them -- pretty awesome. Just like old times! It was so great to catch up with everyone and get back into the environment that really still (and probably always) feels like home to me. I was surprised and a bit delighted that I remembered how to use Arkona and the fiche. What a fantastic day! I got to be a *model* for one of the speakers who was doing a presentation on buying the right gear. I felt a bit awkward and probably looked awkward, maybe I'm not cut out for modeling but it was a fun experience.
Today was another hum-drum day at work. But then after work I went to Best Buy to pick up my KINECT + DANCE CENTRAL!!! Super exciting!! I spent 3 hours playing when I got home, and I only stopped because my feet already have blisters. My mom also told me to give it a rest, but it was such a great workout and so much fun -- totally didn't want to stop. I'll probably beat the game soon, even though I'm working mega overtime this week. WHO NEEDS THE GYM!?!?!
Sunday I worked a special event for BMW! Walking into the dealership through the side door, stowing my purse in the back closet, and finding my work shirts where I left them -- pretty awesome. Just like old times! It was so great to catch up with everyone and get back into the environment that really still (and probably always) feels like home to me. I was surprised and a bit delighted that I remembered how to use Arkona and the fiche. What a fantastic day! I got to be a *model* for one of the speakers who was doing a presentation on buying the right gear. I felt a bit awkward and probably looked awkward, maybe I'm not cut out for modeling but it was a fun experience.
Today was another hum-drum day at work. But then after work I went to Best Buy to pick up my KINECT + DANCE CENTRAL!!! Super exciting!! I spent 3 hours playing when I got home, and I only stopped because my feet already have blisters. My mom also told me to give it a rest, but it was such a great workout and so much fun -- totally didn't want to stop. I'll probably beat the game soon, even though I'm working mega overtime this week. WHO NEEDS THE GYM!?!?!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Fan - ta - si - a! My First Napa Trip
Today I went to Napa for Cindy's birthday! And though it's hard to believe, this truly was my first ever trip to wine country -- even though it's just a little over an hour away from where I've spent my entire life. Well you know what they say, better late than never!
We went to Rainbow's house at 11 to meet so we could carpool. Thomas surprised Cindy with a Hello Kitty cake and it was absolutely hilarious to watch her cut it because you could tell she really didn't want to. We were able to just take two cars initially, and Vinh and Annie met us there later on. The drive wasn't bad at all, I think because Rainbow and I had the most ridiculous conversations in the backseat. At one point, we had a ten minute conversation about two entirely different topics without even realizing it until our comments stopped matching up. Then we laughed until we cried, and those moments come few and far between. Eventually we laughed so hard that we ran out of energy, but by that time we were already in Napa!
The trip began at St. Helena's V. Sattui, where we sampled then bought picnic food and ate in the outdoor area. We had so many delicious and delightful things! Triple cream Rougette brie was my favorite cheese, the prosciutto and salami were also delicious, and the two different sandwiches were yummy as well -- chicken pesto and tri-trip! The sauteed prawns were spectacular, and we finished off two bottles of wine with our picnic lunch. The artichoke cream cheese was also notable, and there were so many other varieties of food that we didn't even get to try! The weather was gorgeous and our picnic was SO relaxing. I already fell in love with Napa then.
After we were all stuffed to the brim, we visited the Castillo di Amorosa and wandered around. We took pictures and just enjoyed the sunshine some more. The view was stunning, and luckily the winery wasn't overly crowded. We browsed the shops and had our wine tasting. The winerista was witty and charming, and he had many great recommendations. After he asked us if we liked sweets, he started us off with the lighter reds and whites. We were only supposed to get 5 samples, but I'm sure everyone got at least 8-9. Some people tried everything and got more than 10 different samples. The guy was pretty awesome, and he was rewarded handsomely when we purchased 12 bottles from him. It was truly a wonderful experience, and I think I just really like trying different wines and learning a bit about each one. My fave of the day was the Fantasia, which I'm pretty sure translates to phantasy. ;]
After the tasting, we enjoyed the sun as it was beginning to set and saw the mating ritual of a couple of peacocks which were on the castle property. It was pretty cool, like watching Animal Planet but in real life.
We had dinner reservations at 6 in downtown Napa, at Celadon. The food was well prepared and very tasty. We had a round of birthday cake shots for Cindy's birthday, then everyone got their own drinks. The Blackberry Mojito was the best! Michelle, Amy and I wanted to try multiple things so we all ordered together and shared different dishes. The lamb and seafood pasta were both rave-worthy. And the desserts, oh the desserts! Banana creme brulee and chocolate gooey cake with ice cream! Two of my absolute post-dinner faves, but with a nice twist to each.
Overall the day was a success, and I thoroughly enjoyed Napa. Fantastic weather, excellent company, and overwhelmingly delicious food. On the drive back, I was laughing to tears again. Nothing went wrong today, at all. No one irritated me and there wasn't a moment where I was unhappy (this doesn't happen often). Pure bliss, and I am elated <3 -- check out the goods from today's conquest!
We went to Rainbow's house at 11 to meet so we could carpool. Thomas surprised Cindy with a Hello Kitty cake and it was absolutely hilarious to watch her cut it because you could tell she really didn't want to. We were able to just take two cars initially, and Vinh and Annie met us there later on. The drive wasn't bad at all, I think because Rainbow and I had the most ridiculous conversations in the backseat. At one point, we had a ten minute conversation about two entirely different topics without even realizing it until our comments stopped matching up. Then we laughed until we cried, and those moments come few and far between. Eventually we laughed so hard that we ran out of energy, but by that time we were already in Napa!
The trip began at St. Helena's V. Sattui, where we sampled then bought picnic food and ate in the outdoor area. We had so many delicious and delightful things! Triple cream Rougette brie was my favorite cheese, the prosciutto and salami were also delicious, and the two different sandwiches were yummy as well -- chicken pesto and tri-trip! The sauteed prawns were spectacular, and we finished off two bottles of wine with our picnic lunch. The artichoke cream cheese was also notable, and there were so many other varieties of food that we didn't even get to try! The weather was gorgeous and our picnic was SO relaxing. I already fell in love with Napa then.
After we were all stuffed to the brim, we visited the Castillo di Amorosa and wandered around. We took pictures and just enjoyed the sunshine some more. The view was stunning, and luckily the winery wasn't overly crowded. We browsed the shops and had our wine tasting. The winerista was witty and charming, and he had many great recommendations. After he asked us if we liked sweets, he started us off with the lighter reds and whites. We were only supposed to get 5 samples, but I'm sure everyone got at least 8-9. Some people tried everything and got more than 10 different samples. The guy was pretty awesome, and he was rewarded handsomely when we purchased 12 bottles from him. It was truly a wonderful experience, and I think I just really like trying different wines and learning a bit about each one. My fave of the day was the Fantasia, which I'm pretty sure translates to phantasy. ;]
After the tasting, we enjoyed the sun as it was beginning to set and saw the mating ritual of a couple of peacocks which were on the castle property. It was pretty cool, like watching Animal Planet but in real life.
We had dinner reservations at 6 in downtown Napa, at Celadon. The food was well prepared and very tasty. We had a round of birthday cake shots for Cindy's birthday, then everyone got their own drinks. The Blackberry Mojito was the best! Michelle, Amy and I wanted to try multiple things so we all ordered together and shared different dishes. The lamb and seafood pasta were both rave-worthy. And the desserts, oh the desserts! Banana creme brulee and chocolate gooey cake with ice cream! Two of my absolute post-dinner faves, but with a nice twist to each.
Overall the day was a success, and I thoroughly enjoyed Napa. Fantastic weather, excellent company, and overwhelmingly delicious food. On the drive back, I was laughing to tears again. Nothing went wrong today, at all. No one irritated me and there wasn't a moment where I was unhappy (this doesn't happen often). Pure bliss, and I am elated <3 -- check out the goods from today's conquest!
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