tapering sucks.

my longest run was eleven miles and then we did eight last week; this whole tapering business makes me feel unprepared. i did four on monday, three yesterday and two today; all these runs feel so short. and now i'm done training. the run is sunday and i'm supposed to be ready. apparently this is what everyone does and it's normal and i'm storing up energy. whatever. that's a bunch of bull. i feel like i'm losing all that i've worked up for. if i don't finish the race i will blame it on the taper. damn you, [tapir].

feist gets FOUR thousand cool points.

settlers.

have you ever played settlers of catan? it's a great board game... and it's fun for me because one) the board changes every game and two) there is a lot of strategy involved.

i think it is worth noting that i won tonight. for the first time. ever. and i was playing against nick baer (when playing against nick, your chances of winning drop by at least sixty percent). go me, go.

i am not a risk taker.

i repeat: i am not a risk taker. and i am about to take a very LARGE risk: moving.

excited. nervous. anxious. excited. scared. unprepared. excited.

i've been packing all day and forgot how annoying this process is.

john mayer's iPhone.

the iPhone has graced my presence. except i am unsure of how to make a phone call? i just want to be able to call someone. on my phone. help?

"katz, you just have to think like an iPhone. really logically. what button would you press to make a call?" dillon said.

"i'm double tapping the name. nothing is happening. in order to call you i had to memorize your number and type it in."

"you're ridiculous. just tap the number."

"oh... well what if i don't know how to think like an iPhone?"

"sounds like you're going to be really frustrated for a while."

"great."

---

went to the sleep train pavilion last night to watch john mayer contort his face and play the blues, among other things. he is absolutely right: he doesn't care what you say and think as long as one day he is known for the way he plays the guitar. not sure if that gives him license to be a jerk (from what i've read/heard), but whatever. his wish is slowly becoming granted... he is a guitar player who happens to be able to sing. and write music that is far too complex for his age (in reference to some of the early stuff).

because he has come so far since "room for squares" (think: "try!") the crowd was not so much of the teeny-bopper fourteen-year-old. it was nice to be surrounded with people who were there not just for his hits but to hear the blues. finally.

love love loved the lawn seating. it was perfect to be with friends and not feel confined to a chair. i mean, i'm sure being able to see the stage would have been nice, but still... the perfect summer night with google in the air wasn't so bad.

---

ps. i don't think john mayer actually has an iPhone. i think he has a blackberry. bet he regrets that decision. OR he secretly has an iPhone but can't be seen on it. that would suck. (OR he loves his blackberry. doubt it.)

hearing versus listening.

yes, i understand that you're listening to me. but you're not hearing me. if you were hearing me then you'd understand my point of view. and maybe even change your mind.

is that fair or unfair? maybe unfair. and maybe that goes against all the rules of communication and active listening but i don't like you right now because i'm not being heard. and at this point i couldn't even tell you what it looks like to be heard.

this sucks; i am so emotionally involved in all of this. damnit.

even though her face is melting off...

...she still looks hot. CAUSE IT'S HER BIRTHDAY.


anna jordan, i love you. happy birthday.

three-year-olds have no filters.

weird. instead of dreaming about christian bale i had a very vivid dream about tiger woods. don't worry, he kissed me.

the other day emma and i had a conversation that left me a little bit more self-conscious about life in general:
me: how you doin'?
emma: how you doin'?
me: no, girl, how you doin'?
emma: stop! you're big on top!
me: emma! what did you just say??
emma (in the most matter-of-fact way): you're big on top.

oh, three-year-old. bless your heart.

retainers. suck.

it's done.
it's official.
we signed the lease.
move in date is august first.
wowzers.

my last summer school class is tomorrow. off for two weeks and then on to my traineeship working with the grandmas and grandpas. that will be something to post about, i'm sure.

i really wanted to write about the weekend but i just saw the dark knight. you'll have to see photos from lesley in the mean time. anyway, the movie. IMPRESSIVE. well done, heath ledger, well done. and christian bale, i'm excited to meet tonight as my head snuggles up to my pillow and my eyes tighten, while my tongue travels around my mouth and my teeth are frustrated that a set of retainers must live in there for the next eight hours.
will you kiss me any way?

concert videos.

here are some videos of the coldplay concert...

this is Lost!:


and this is In My Place:


also, we sign a lease tomorrow. hoooooray!

i blog. you [should] blog. we blog.

i know we sound ridiculous to you, going to a BLOG conference and all. but since i've had my blog (2005, wow!) i have desired a few things: readers, comments, and a space to keep my friends and family up to date about my happenings (which has subsequently turned into my thoughts/feelings/desires/adventures/etc) with out using the mass email format (so this is where the title comes from, emily?! yes. oh wise one.)

since 2005 the space to update has always been here, readers have been few and comments even fewer. but then it turned into a place to document- for myself. i've learned a lot (like i'm not good at telling a story verbally OR in writing. oh well.) and looking through the archives, it is clear, i am a different person at twenty-three than i was at twenty (go figure). and that's what i enjoy. keeping this space for me. a bit narcissistic? maybe. we can talk about that later.

well, it's 2008. i still have the space to not write mass emails, i apparently have an average of thirty daily readers (who some of you are, i have no idea. it's okay though, i stalk blogs too.) and i have some sweet people who comment, help me through some of my thoughts and are real good at encouraging me. in my eyes, this space is gold.

all this to say... i'm here to stay. essentially, going to a blog conference for women (but it wasn't exclusive) was perfect for us (which includes those of us [minus one] who share a blog on politics that hasn't proven to be very sustainable..maybe that will change one day soon?). we learned a lot. laughed a lot. and danced a lot. i hope to recap the whole weekend through out this week. stay tuned... maybe you can learn something. you will maybe laugh and hopefully want to dance (with anna and corinne, that is.)

viva la vida.

the coldplay concert was everything i thought it would be.
i was so impressed.

the album cover was the first backdrop:




the laser lights were sweet:




those round balls reflected live video:


more lighting:


the lighting corresponded to the song (yellow):


they came off the stage and played at one of the entrances on the first level. too bad we were sitting on the direct opposite side.


CONFETTI!


again... with the blue lights:


encore: VIVA LA VIDA


goodnight, boys:


there was this great part between them playing in the audience and making their way back to the stage where they showcased bill o'reilly and fox talking smack about them. and at the end they advertised for oxfam. nice.


stay tuned for video.

me and martha.

yes, you can stop laughing now. but i am referring to THE martha, THE one and ONLY martha: martha stewart. i adore her. and clearly i don't know that much about business and what she did to land herself in JAIL for FIVE MONTHS but i still adore her (fraud, lying, something like that, right?). over the years she has taught me how to recover a chair, make pie, plant bulbs, take care of horses' shoes and of course, tips and tricks for things i didn't even know i needed. but i needed them. boy did i need them. anyway, martha makes me laugh. and i think her latest post will make you laugh too. SHE WENT TO THE DMV! she is one of the biggest dorks i know. wait, i don't actually know her. anyway.

countdowns:
to coldplay: SIX HOURS! to michele replacing her wedding band: i say it happens within THREE DAYS. to me getting an iPhone: EIGHT DAYS!

coldplay and dooce. what more could one ask for?

i slept in this morning. i was supposed to get up and be somewhere because people were counting on me. instead i turned off my alarm in my sleep. shooooooooot. forgive me, yannis & peter & bill & mim & carole & roxy? thx.

it's going to be a BIG weekend in san francisco. and let me tell you, you wish you were here. first coldplay then dooce?! stop it. and add a little bit from corinne, anna, lesley and meg. VOOOOAHLAH! party.

things to note:
the house search might come to an end soon! yah.
michele bought an iPhone. i repeat, michele bought an iPhone.
tomorrow is the nordstrom anniversary sale. get there.
the new real simple came today.
i have a crush on premel but nick says he has a girlfriend and doesn't have much game (basketball).

emily's dream housing website.

if i were to create a house searching website for san francisco houses only, similar to craigslist but better, it would have the following functions:

1. you would know EXACTLY how many bathrooms there would be. none of this trying to guess business. and yes, that sink counts as a fourth and that toilet counts as another fourth. but, no, THAT TUB WITHOUT A SHOWER DOES NOT COUNT AS A WHOLE BATHROOM.

2. there would be a box to check for laundry, parking, closets, etc. quit telling me laundry is close by. lugging your laundry three blocks on your shoulder IS NOT CLOSE.

3. you could only count it as a bedroom if it has a closet AND a window. if it doesn't have both or you are trying to turn a living room into a bedroom, then IT IS NOT A BEDROOM. stop trying to make yourself believe that.

4. a map would be required in the listing. and stop trying to call it the inner sunset or noe valley. you're lying! that's glen park and the sunset. and i DON'T want to live there.

5. there would be a function to rate it on nice-ness. and people would be able to agree or disagree with you, forcing you to be honest. i can see categories like: a. recessed lighting and bosch dishwasher. enough said. b. not fancy but good enough c. college students just moved out, clearly d. we used to dissect cats in this place. that's what you're smelling e. this is where the devil himself resides.

6. and there would be some sort of lingo dictionary. for example, when someone writes "views of city" you would know that it meant there's a window. or if they wrote "close to shops and restaurants" the translation would be "at least a twenty minute walk." "whimsical victorian" = a dear God awful paint job. anytime there is a square footage number you would know to automatically take away two hundred feet. etc. etc.

7. there would also be a section for who lives in the other units. are you below or above the owner? college students? a brand new baby? all things that you want to know. if i had asked these things earlier, i would have been to twenty-five less houses. FOR SURE. i DO NOT want to live next to the owner. sorry. living my life on my tippy toes does NOT sound appealing.

i just vented to dan. like vomited in his ear. gross, huh.

why did i not think of all these details before i made this life altering decision? why do i do everything based on my feelings? i don't even have it in me to cry right now because i know it will work out. it always does.

julie ann younger.

it's not that often that i dedicate a whole post to one person. but today is a new day. maybe i should make a habit out of this. anyway, julie ann younger turned twenty-four today. we had a great celebration: bike ride to the beach and back, then off to dolores park for hang out and picnic. the weather was great, the group was perfect and julie stood up to her usual self: awesome.

the top three reasons i love julie and am blessed to have her as a friend:
one. she gives me the freedom to totally be me. and doesn't ask or need me to change. two. she is, hands down, the most generous person i know (time, money, love, all of it). and three. i feel totally known when i'm around her. and i think that's the greatest compliment you can give someone.

wimbo and julie:


spontaneous swing dancing during the bike ride:


group shot:


me, j, dill:


matt & wimbo:


another group shot:

e-lev-en

i just ran eleven miles. i think i can i think i can i think i can was all i was thinking. seriously.

grass roots, at its finest.

sunday was pretty great. we made four hundred and six dollars, just selling baked goods. the BARACKlava turned out nice and flaky- i got a compliment from a person who is turkish. booooyah. we also had a wide variety of items (including homemade dog treats! vegan items! dill & ricotta bread! chocolate and coconut cupcakes! and more.) and the sun was shining. not to mention, there was a cardboard tube fight! that definitely helped out the business. the campaign will use the money in stockton to do outreach for non-english speakers. love it.

here we are: vanessa, carin, dave (matt warren look-a-like), me, dan.

self explanatory.

ciara is pumped. dave and i are resting our "BAAAAAKE SALE FOR BARAAAAACK!!!!" voices:

indeed!

career counseling class was fantastic tonight. i learned about this sweet site called indeed.com have you heard of it? it's PERFECT for someone looking for a job. it compiles job listings from all the major sites (monster, careerbuilder, etc) and company postings. and it spits them out for you. how come no one told me about this? go try it out. what are you waiting for. even if you're not looking for a job you can see what's out there in your field. or look for mft intern positions a year in advance like me.

on another note. my friend nick is living in the house. talk about ridiculous. last night i made him divulge his romantic secrets to me; yes, i totally took advantage of him while he might have had a few beers. too bad he remembered everything he told me. the point: some boys need to be reminded that it's OKAY to pay for her meal and contact her, even if you're not going to see her for the next four months. SERIOUSLY.

i've lost my long hair! that's a lie. i just trimmed the little suckers to look good for the ladies coming next weekend. how cool are we, hitting up THE conference as THE key note speakers. lesley is talking about la vida and her summer adventures, corinne is explaining how myers-briggs is good for you, meg is helping people make lists and do their taxes at the same time and anna is just "on" if you know what i mean ("life" for those of you who don't know what i mean). and i'm in the front row, heckling them. dbj.

july ninth, every year.

happy birthday to you. happy birthday to you. happy birthday dear michele (32) and sofia (6). happy birthday to you.

hot news.

hot hot hot. no, not you. but the weather. and everything is on fire. okay, not everything. but record breaking bay area temps: ninety degrees in sf. get out. stop it. prego ladies and late-age people: stay inside! and double your agua intake.

anyway. i've been holding out on you. well, some of you. i've got news. are you ready? okay, here goes. my time has come to an end at 301 lyon. not today, but in august. no, i did not get fired. or let go. or furloughed. or laid off. i am choosing to leave this amazing place that i have dedicated the last two years to. the transition is good; family stuff + internship stuff + job opportunity stuff + housing stuff = me moving on. AND! i'm leaving on a GREAT note (thank you, spring 2008).

so... my new full time job is house hunter. anyone know anything to house six- specifically in the mission, nopa, cole valley, bernal, or noe valley areas? all leads will be rewarded in loonies and toonies or euros. your choice.

my first time skipping a run.

TO GO TO MONTEREY! problem: i am so OCD that i feel like because i'm skipping this run i won't be able to complete the half and i'll have to walk. reality: that's not true. i mean, it might be true, but hopefully it's not.



why am i going to monterey? for the aquarium of course. lies lies lies and more damn lies. the real story is that a friend (who will remain nameless) works for a pretty famous computer company (that will also remain nameless) and this friend got put up in the plaza so he can train new employees and make them good at their job cause he is really good at his job.

road trip with dan and julie and slumber party in a king size bed. no joke.

church needs dudes.

i came across this video last night in a conversation about mega-churches and gender. just thought i'd share it with you. perhaps your mouth will drop and you will be in awe about this guy's view on DUDES and the church?



so... what do you think?

this just in: DRINKING AGE CHANGES ON JULY 4TH!

the minimum age is now THIRTEEN MONTHS OLD:

riiiiiiiiiight.

drive safe, drink safe and celebrate your freedom in which ever way you please. i'm off to the dodgers game. i probably should drink a beer and have a piece of apple pie, too. THEN i would be a REAL american on this very important day.

hurray for democracy!

dan and julie's co-worker, ciara, invited me to help with a bake sale on sunday afternoon. all proceeds will go to barack obama and i think i'm okay with that. i'm going to make baklava, though it will be called BARACKlava. i'm clever, i know i know.

so come on out to dolores park on sunday around 2pm. buy my BARACKlava, register to vote and have your hit at a john mccain pinata. not even kidding.

real big fish.

my sis-in-law often sends photos of my brother and his latest catch. mmmmm. sushi.

ps. that's a thirty eight pound yellow tail. nice boots, bro.

pss. how cool is it that all the sushi they served at their wedding he caught the day before? yah. this isn't even his day job.

psss. carter: YOU STILL OWE ME A SHARKING TRIP.