picture of the day

sundress

I've always been a tad timid about wearing white, unless it's a t-shirt.
I remember spoiling one pair of pants with watermelon,
another with raspberry (or maybe that one is just my imagination).
When I saw this dress though,
I thought I should give white another chance.
Luckily, the next day I was able to make good use of it on one of the
warmest days San Francisco has brought me.

my new mac book pro

me at work...

but not necessarily working
and two co-workers...
also not working

mt shasta

some boys decided to climb a mountain,
some girls decided to go along and drive them home.

while the boys battled the elements,
the girls lounged at the beach, the hot tub, the sauna,
and in the car as they awaited their return.

the mountain
the boys who climbed it

the girls who didn't want them to fall off

me not climbing the mountain

but I thought the boys shouldn't be the only ones really cold, b bbbrrr!!!a beatiful flowering tree

we had hoped it would be the boys calling from the top of the mountainbut they made it there & back,
with 15 min to spare before we had been instructed to call the forest ranger.

visitor from San Diego

I enjoyed a wonderful Saturday afternoon with Amy & company.

former co-worker; co-photography lover; and friend

easter brunch

one of the lighter moments of a heavy week

more pics from seattle

April 8th, 2006

Who would have thought, a year ago today that in 24hrs the lives of my family would change so quickly.

lovely toes

the results of my very first professional pedicure

the best part was the calf & foot massage

i passed!

cheese

look who now gets to play with her very own
canon digital rebel xti

i was a little distracted at work on wednesday
when this little machine arrived at my desk

you want one don't ya

milka

a slice of seattle

March 21st

Happy Vernal Equinox Day!

photo by colin stewart @ owlfish.com

4 down, I hope

I took my fourth archi-exam this morning; materials and methods. It seemed to go well. I will get the results in a month or so. Time to schedule my next one, and see if I can get this ball rolling again.

ten year reunion

Meet Johannes.

German; husband to a beautiful woman; father of two adorable girls;
and all into researching smart materials for helicopter blades.

And a good friend.
Laughter is guaranteed.

We first met in 1995 in Pennsylvania.
The last time I saw him was 1997 in Orlando.

It finally worked out that we could meet up again and what do we do?
We go on a treasure hunt.
Hilarious.

Geocaching.
Hang out, see a new city,
get funny looks from people as you tip back newspaper stands
and walk into police stations,
write your names on little pieces of paper stuck in boxes
and stumble upon geocaching headquarters...

...and then go have fondue

Freedom

derived from the Germanic words:

Free: beloved/friend

Doom: a considered judgment, similar to today's deemed

freedom

best part of my day...

It wasn't laying out in the sun, although that was lovely

It wasn't eating a piece of dark chocolate mint, although my mind is still savoring the taste, I think i'll have another.

It was walking toward the Golden Gate Bridge, feeling the temperature drop and seeing the fog crest the trees and slowly but ever so completely envelope the city. It is one of those sights that cause me pause and smile in wonder. Those that had been out soaking in the sun were making their exits to warmer places. Perhaps a perfect Saturday.

I looked behind me as I walked home and the GGB and anything off coast was gone. amazing.

tao cafe

My latest late night dining experience.

Lamb medallions, duck legs
with banana tart & coconut ice cream for dessert

and wonderful conversation with my friend, Anne.

big boat

This baby was parked outside our office today:

Vehicle and people traffic was nuts.

Full story at: Queen Mary2

i tried something new today

raspberry italian soda with a touch of raspberry wine

delightful

series

new roomie

My new roomie arrived yesterday. She is fresh in from the east coast. And I think a little jet lagged.

common

A beautiful evening. Devoured a (small) pizza. Spent some time at my favorite around the corner bookstore. Bought a soup I have not tried before; I'll find out tomorrow if it is any good. Savored some over the top raspberry wine and chocolate cake; lush. And am about to lounge on my new sofa and take care of some reading. I also found a creative way to store toilet paper in my bathroom; it will provoke comment at the very least.

sunday afternoon dance

they rush toward the edge
determined to reach the land
it greets them with sharp corners,
unexpected boundaries and small inlets.

they jump in delight
random yet in rythm
designed to delight, suprise, and refresh

cymbals of the orchestra

2nd Chinatown pic of the night

chinatown pic of the night

my very first new sofa ....

chaise, loveseat, bed...I have just finished assembling this lovely piece of furniture.
A wonderful deal at my favorite around the corner store.
Versatility, comfort and style, both ends go up &
down depending on the configuration I want.
It is sitting in my bedroom until the living room looks lonely.

transition...again

Back to scouring craigslist, contemplating getting my own place, interviewing potential roomates, really wishing affordable studios were available in my neighborhood, and realizing that I still have one of the best deals and locations in North Beach. See nothing can beat a 12 min leisurely walk for a commute to work, a quick trip to one of the best grocery stores in town or immediate access to the bay and thus wide open spaces. I might have to invest in more furniture though especially if I plan to stick around for awhile; in theory my entire living room could walk out on me, hilarious.

song

Humanity
by "A Guy Named Gerald"

roof

when life becomes foggy

processing, chewing, mulling over, living, observing, experiencing, knowing, trusting, walking...

The idea of "going through the process" was first introduced to me during my life in New York. Or at least that is where it started to have to more concrete meaning for me. It seemed that everyone wanted to process the process they were in. (yes that word was used to saturation) The end goal? I either don't remember or in some cases it was never made known to me. Which led me to conclude that the process of getting "there" wherever that was, was the "there" itself.

Not a new thought, except that I still try to jump ahead to the finish line, as if there was one.

In NY I found myself entering a part of my "process" through a cloud of fog. I was told to remember that even though I couldn't see much around me, the ground wasn't going to disappear beneath my feet.

So I just keep walking. The fog still rolls in every now and then, and I have found that it is indeed a good thing.

today many years ago...

Birthday shout-outs to Shannon of "stuff" and Cliff of "Taiwan Tales"!

Born on the same day of the month and they are the only two people I know who talk about their love of Taco Bell. (it is TB right cliff?) I wonder if there are any other Dec 4, Taco-Bell-lover babies out there.

olive hope design

welcome to the blogging world!
olive hope design

my only cousin on my dad's side of the family
also entrepreneur, wife, mom, and a bunch of other wonderful things

flying

That's right all you stuff readers, at 10:35 tomorrow night I will be on my way to the east coast for the weekend. I will arrive all sleepy-eyed because of the crying baby next to me, or wired because of the mocha I'll have during my looong layover in Atlanta. Looking forward to seeing my girls. For all the others that I have promised to visit on the east coast, I'll make it there sometime too :)

One

In conversation with dear friend, I learned that this song was also written in part about the coming down of the Berlin Wall. Why am I suddenly fascinated with this period in history? just a part of my processing...

ONE by U2:

Is it getting better?
Or do you feel the same?
Will it make it easier on you now?
You got someone to blame
You say
One love
One life
When it's one need
In the night
One love
We get to share it
Leaves you baby if you
Don't care for it

Did I disappoint you?
Or leave a bad taste in your mouth?
You act like you never had love
And you want me to go without
Well it's

Too late
Tonight
To drag the past out into the light
We're one, but we're not the same
We get to carry each other
carry each other
One

Have you come here for forgiveness?
Have you come to raise the dead?
Have you come here to play Jesus?
To the lepers in your head

Did I ask too much?
More than a lot.
You gave me nothing,
Now it's all I got
We're one
But we're not the same
Well we
Hurt each other
Then we do it again
You say
Love is a temple
Love a higher law
Love is a temple
Love the higher law
You ask me to enter
But then you make me crawl
And I can't be holding on
To what you got
When all you've got is hurt

One love
One blood
One life
You got to do what you should
One life
With each other
Sisters
Brothers
One life
But we're not the same
We get to
Carry each other
Carry each other

One...
One...

extended version

Can You hear us coming Lord
Can You hear us call
Feel us knocking
We're knocking at Your door

unknowing

something to think about...

"The Cloud of Unknowing, written in the 14th century:

Our intense need to understand will always be a powerful stumbling block to our attempts to reach God in simple love, and must always be overcome. For if you do not overcome this need to understand, it will undermine your quest. It will replace the darkness which you have pierced to reach God, with clear images of something which, however good, however beautiful, however Godlike, is not God. So, therefore, never give up your resolve, but beat away at this cloud of unknowing between you and God with that sharp dart of longing love. And so I urge you, go after experience rather than knowledge. On account of pride, knowledge may often deceive you, but this gentle, loving affection will not deceive you. Knowledge tends to breed conceit, but love builds. Knowledge is full of labor, but love, full of rest."

the excerpt was taken from http://www.sacredspace.ie/

another alley

Wind of Change

written by Klaus Meine of the Scorpions on a visit to Moscow following the fall of the Berlin Wall:

I follow the Moskva
Down to Gorky Park
Listening to the wind of change
An August summer night
Soldiers passing by
Listening to the wind of change

The world closing in
Did you ever think
That we could be so close,like brothers
The future's in the air
I can feel it everywhere
Blowing with the wind of change

Chorus:
Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow dream away
In the wind of change

Walking down the street
Distant memories
Are buried in the past forever

I fallow the Moskva
Down to Gorky Park
Listening to the wind of change

Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow share their dreams
With you and me

Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow dream away
In the wind of change

The wind of change blows straight
Into the face of time
Like a stormwind that will ring
The freedom bell for peace of mind
Let your balalaika sing
What my guitar wants to say

Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow share their dreams
With you and me

Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow dream away
In the wind of change

alley picture

Okay so you don't see alley, but this is what was seen at the end of the alley

alleys

The alleys of north beach are calling me and my camera today. I just need to wait for the light to be right.

series

My latest fascination/free-time sucker: online tv shows. Actually it started with a recent addiction to Lost. In the midst of watching the first season (within a few weeks) my favorite man discovers season three is available online the day after it airs. Score! Season two remains a mystery, but that will be taken care of soon enough.

So now with the newly gifted access to these resources and some emptier evenings, I explored a few other series as well. Ugly Betty, and the new Heroes have made it past the first five minutes of viewing. The others, well, I do have some better things to do with my time...like that studying...woohoo!

sitting at the desk.
work awaits me.
i have no desire to look at it.
might go outside for a bit.
or study the CSI MasterFormat for my test
sounds fun, no?

working

tonight is the first time i've taken work home with me since i got sick in san diego. now it is because we just don't have enough people. good thing i can bank these hours :)

and there are days when you turn off the only person you really want to talk to

waiting

one of my favorite pastimes is to walk along the water
towards golden gate bridge.
along the way i pass by boats upon boats
waiting to ride the open waters

eagerly, quietly, impatiently
awaiting
release

intersection

it has been awhile since i have attended live theatre
this one was "reimagining shakespeare's kingdom of elsinore to a drug-ravaged oakland"
oakland being one of the less reputable cities surrounding san francisco

you know hood-speak could be considered just as confusing as shakespearian-speak
talking 'bout partnas and ob and all that *explicitives*

and to end the evening, i've decided to listen to "the choir of new oxford college"

peace out

desk

this is where i will spend many upcoming hours
studying for my architectural registration exams

and fine food

At least two wonderful dishes to be had in San Francisco's Japantown.
The yakitori involved some chicken & stuffed mushroom skewers served over an open flame.
The teriyaki, well it is hard to go wrong with teriyaki.

Dessert was to involve a trip to Dessert Creations,
a popular chain restaurant in Hong Kong and Taiwan (cliff? leanne?)
and now with at least one place in SF
Unfortunately they were lacking, for the second time,
their main ingredient....
mango

anybody hungry?

fine dining

a lady i know bought some new dishes

and leaving them on the shelf was just not an option
so she broke out the plates, glasses and flowers
and we dined on the beach
with the golden gate bridge behind us

silence

do you hear me
screaming in my silence
do you hear me
when no words come out

if you listen
you will hear a story
call loudly
in the quiet pulse of my heart

emerging

I've just realized how little I have posted since...

I've been at a loss for what to say.
When my dad died I turned inward...
Perhaps it is a natural reaction to shock.

The last several months have been full of tough decisions, best ever decisions, beginnings, loss, gain and rest. I've lived every minute, and have gained insight into certain parts of my path.

I feel stronger yet weak, trained yet learning, and without lodging my foot too far into my mouth, ready to face whatever comes next.

full spectrum

on one hand there is a birth
celebration, anticipation, dreams

and plenty of dirty diapers...

welcome Kate Autumn Ginter!!!


on the other hand, pending death
heavy hearts, sleepless nights

I don't know the guy

but I understand the sadness

a typical photographers self-portrait

san francisco from alcatraz