6.17.16 - Hot shower

The pic says "last week" because I didn't make this post until later, but the original appreciation was the morning after the fire.

6.16.16 - I'm not on fire.

Today my building--not just a building in my apartment complex but my actual building--caught fire. It turned out to be the apartment one over and behind my own. For about 25 nerve-recking minutes I watched fire fighters run around while the smoke just seemed to keep coming, and I thought there was a pretty good chance nearly everything I owned would be destroyed.

Even during that time, when I was pretty worried, I thought about how if that happened we'd figure it out. Jack was out of town and Clara was with the nanny and I was standing across the parking lot. We were all safe, no one was going to get hurt. So those are my first two joys: (1) my family was safe and (2) I've gotten to a point in life, somehow, where my baseline position is "It'll be okay, we will figure it out." Not to say I wasn't scared--I was. But I didn't feel like it would be insurmountable.

I was also grateful (3) the summer weather has been uncharacteristically cool. It was only maybe 80 out, instead of triple digits. The whole ordeal would've been worse if I was stuck outside in 105 degree weather.

But the fourth joy is that: (4) ultimately, my apartment was unharmed. No fire damage, no water damage, no irrepparable smoke damage. Just soot on the kitchen floor and the place smelling like a BBQ. I was so relieved.

For a few hours one of the fire trucks was parked behind my car, so I couldn't leave. I called Erin, who lives a few towns away, not really close at all, and asked if she could come get me because I was going to need to pick up Clara eventually. She drove between 45 minutes and an hour in rush hour traffic to get me, and even though the trucks had moved by the time she did get here, she stayed to keep me company, which I was grateful for. I was a little shaken up and would like to have someone to hang out with. So (5) is my good friend Erin being so reliable and supportive.

(6) Our nanny, Beth. I called her not long after the fire trucks had arrived to tell her what was happening, and she cheerfully kept Clara 1.5-2 hours longer than she's supposed to have to. She gave Clara and her son a bath, put them in PJs, fed them dinner, all while I was dealing with things on my end. She didn't even want to be paid extra for it (though I did anyway). She's such a sweet woman and I am so grateful to have her help.

So Erin went with me to pick Clara up. Since the water and power were shut off in our building, there was no hurry to go back. We found a Panera and had dinner together. That's (7): Frontega chicken sandwich with tomato soup. (8) Is that Clara was is so easy-going and just went with the schedule disruption and played in her high chair and ate pieces of my chicken and later bounced happily on the bouncy cushioned seat of our booth. What an easy kid.

By the time we got home the water and power were back on, and Erin still stayed and kept Clara company while I cleaned all the soot off the kitchen floor.

So yes, a lot to be grateful for today.

6.12.16 - Little trolley cars.

6.11.16 - Costco family "dates"

Often Jack will take Clara and make Costco runs while I'm working, which is nice because we're getting things done separately and it's efficient. But I also like it when all three of us go together. The Costco we go to sells its pizza and frozen yogurt and etc outside. You can order the food while you're checking out and pick it up outside, and it's a bit faster than waiting in another line for your food order.

Today we did that. The weather was really nice, and we sat at one of the small picnic tables and shared some pizza and frozen yogurt and a chicken bake with Clara. She takes little bits of food from us while she still sits in the shopping cart and watches birds picking up crumbs and older kids running around and playing. So we all just enjoyed the junk food and refillable diet Coke and the breeze. It's a small thing but it's like a nice little family outing bundled in with an errand.

Pic from another Costco "date" a couple weeks ago. Jack is in the bvackground picking up food.

6.7.16 - Voting and losing weight and political work and a MANUSCRIPT!

Actually I nearly for got today was the CA primaries because, like with previous CA primaries, my vote for the Presidential primaries doesn't even really matter at this point, since both the paries I might've voted in have already picked their nominees.

But throughout the day my friends were proudly posting their "I voted" statuses and pics of them with their "I voted" stickers and I thought I should probably at least make the attempt. I didn't get home until about 7:30p (polls close at 8p). I hurried and filled out my choices for the smaller races and at least one proposition, and quickly drove to the HS next door to drop off my ballot.

Dropping off my ballot made me realize: I really like polling place volunteers. Every time I go they are so friendly and there's this camaraderie with everyone showing up at the polls. They can't really care who you're voting for since they don't know who you're voting for, but they just seemed so please to see people voting. And a lot of the people showing up to vote seem pleased about it too. It's a nice atmosphere. And I do like the "I Voted" stickers. So that was kind of fun.

In other happy news, I'm down to 163.5, 1.6lbs below my goal weight. This is great not only because it feels great to be losing weight, but also because it's really solidified for me that I can and have come back from the fatty edge of full term pregnancy. Yeah it took awhile, but it's doable. I don't have to have my youngest child at age 10 and me still saying "it's never been the same since my pregnancies." This makes me feel less anxious and more confident about getting pregnant again.

And it's not just about the weight and body image--although those are big factors. It's also about strength and agility and ability. I'm not athlete, but there's still a huge difference between my body's normal abilities (like right now) and all the limitations I increasingly had during pregnancy. I haven't been pregnant for over a year and yet some days I still think how glad I am that I can take stairs two at a time again, tie my shoes without thinking twice about it, move heavy boxes up and down off shelves in the apartment, and so on. Pregnancy made me really appreciate the abilities of my non-pregnant body.

In other happy news, recently Dad's been paying me to help him with a local political project in his town, and I have really been enjoying it. There's something so satisfying about combing all these sources and all this information to put together one cohesive, strong, somewhat biting counterargument. Plus it's been enjoyable collaboratin with Dad on it because he's so excited about the project, and it really feels like a team effort. And not just any team, but a team that's working together particularly well and being effective. I won't know for awhile whether we'll get the outcome we want (a rejection of a certain proposal) but it seems like we're already mounting more of an opposition than proponents ever expected, so that's something.

I found this while looking for images for our project. Never used it, but still thought it was funny.

And, similarly, I've also been doing more volunteer work recently with SPL. Particularly I'm trying to lay the groundwork for an article about how our movement looks to people from other cultures--not other countries, but other American cultures than my own. I've already done some interviewing and just on a personal level I feel fascinated and intellectually stimulated learning how differently people see the same topic, and learning about points of view I've never really had exposure to. I hope the article I eventually put together will be able to express everything well.

And finally, but maybe most importantly, yesterday my thesis chair told me he thinks my manuscript looks great and only needs a few minor publications to be ready for submission to one of the forensic journals. That is so delightful! Hopefully this means my thesis--which is largely similar in content but slightly different in formatting--will also get his approval quickly and I can pass it on to my other advisors. Great progress!

6.5.16 - Skype

5.31.16 - May joy statuses

5.27.16 - Victory

Today I went to a baby shower that had chocolate raspberry cake with fondant icing...and all I had was a Diet Coke.

5.26.16 - Limericks

5.22.16 - Online friends

Today a FB friend of mine posted this:

Right after she posted it a lot of the people she tagged commented, reminiscing about back when we all first "met" and talking about what was going on in their personal lives at the time and how it helped to have so many online friends to talk to.

My personal life was not especially difficult at the time but I still think that experience--constantly debating and thereby becoming good friends with so many people online--really shaped all of my 20s. 

1. I learned a whole lot about certain political topics--way, way more than I would've known had I not debated them.

2. I learned about how my ideological opponents can be actually really lovely people who I get along with fine.

3. I made friendships that have lasted longer than almost any of the friendships I've made IRL have lasted. 

Moreover they are friendships that aren't affected when any of us move or graduate or change jobs, because the online nature of the friendships stays the same. That stability is really nice and probably a major reason these friendships have lasted so long.

Anyway, it was heartwarming and kind of delightful to watch everyone happily commenting under that status. Good friends.

5.21.16 - Gordon Ramsay vs Julia Child

I know I've already included these guys before, probably more than once, but I just love Epic Rap Battles. I listened to the above rap on repeat for probably over 30 mins today while I was working. 

5.19.16 - No calorie counting.

Even though losing weight is one of my joys, taking a day off to eat whatever I like is another. 

First, today after lab I met up with Jack at Pieology for a lunch date. I had to park a couple blocks away, but that was fine because it was nice weather for a walk. I happened to have my flip flops in my backpack so I changed out of my shoed into flip flops and took a stroll to Pieology. When I got there Jack was already in line. At first I thought it was a mistake for us to come during the lunch rush, but it didn't really matter because we just chatted while we waited in line anyway, and we still ended up getting to sit at the tall seats by the windows, which I like.

I got whole wheat dough, pesto, mozarrella and ricotta, olives and double pineapples, and sausage and chicken. That's what I always get. And I always love it. I don't remember what all Jack got except that it included a lot of meat.  And we always order just one fountain drink and keep refilling it. The whole date is pretty cheap.

So we sat at the counter watching people walk by and talking about what we're learning in our respective industries right now and about our plans for the summer and the rest of the year. It was good to spend some focused, unhurried time together. It was also good to eat my entire pizza, mmm.

After lunch we went our separate ways again - him to work, me to Davis to take care of a few errands.

Pic Jack took of me on the walk back to the cars.

I haven't been in Davis on a weekday in a long time. As soon as I got to the FSC I popped into Chris's office and he was so happy to see me. It was nice. I took some candy from his candy jar and we talked about what's been going on with me and Jack and then we talked politics. I made him laugh several times, which is always a great feeling. We both had to go after awhile.

I went over to Davis and chatted on the phone with Sarah while walking from downtown Davis to my thesis chair's office to get a form. It was probably a good 20 or 30 minute walk and a nice chat with her. Then I went back to the FSC, met up with Erin, and we walked to Safeway to get food for Debbie's retirement potluck. We bought some fruit and whipped cream and headed back.

I'm so glad I wasn't trying to calorie count because the potluck was amazing. Lots of fancy cheeses and crackers, lots of baked goods, egg rolls, SUSHI, pasta salad, pink Moscato, ambrosia, oh man. I'm hungry again now just thinking about it.

I chatted a bit with Jeff, some other students, and Chris, again, for awhile. I got to see Julianna, although she seemed pretty busy. I also got to chat quite a bit with Erin, Ryan, and Saxon, and we were making each other laugh at lot at certain points. Erin and Ryan told me about how they both, as children, had accidentally stabbed themselves with pencils and got graphite stuck in their skin. Weirdos. Erin had me laughing really hard with the photobombs she was doing when I took pics of the potluck. I brought Jack a plate of the food when I finally did go home.

Later, at the very end of the night, I topped off my calorie-counting-free day with a PBJ before bed. Worth.

5.18.16 -Coffee table peek a boo

Tonight before bed, Clara played peek a boo with me in the different cubbies of the coffee table (her idea). She was grinning hugely and giggling each time I'd "find" her peeking spot. She even jumped in surprise a few times as I'd pop my head over and say "Hi!!" It was delightful.

Also the other night she brought me Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and she ended up turning to the last page with the ABC's on it, so I would sing it to her. Every time I was done singing she'd make this cooing noise like she was trying to sing too, then she'd grab my hand to piont at the letters to start over. I probably sang her the ABC's 6-7 times just to hear that coo at the end.

5.13.16 - Wedding ring fits.

I've been doing calorie counting bets with both Dad and Kat K., and as of today I've lost enough weight that my wedding ring fits again for the first time since probably the 2nd trimester of my pregnancy, if not earlier. I think I only got to wear it for a couple months after we got married and haven't been able to wear it since. So not only am I happy to be losing weight, I'm particularly happy to be able to wear my ring again. I feel so official. It's been making me happy thinking about it all day!

5.8.16 - Mother's Day

This Mother's Day has been wonderful, pretty much all because of Jack.

I still get up at 6am every day to pump. So he got up at 5:30am to make me breakfast, and it was finished just before I finished pumping, perfect timing. Clara gave us the gift of sleeping in, so Jack and I got to sit together at the table and enjoy cheesy eggs, real bacon, tomato slices and biscuits and orange juice. AND a tiny plate of Symphony bar pieces with toffee chips.

I think we were both pretty tired, and I thought about how a lot of people would expect to sit and find something to talk about. But all I really wanted to do was finish the House episode I had been watching while pumping, and he said he was fine with that. It's kind of fun watching House with him now because since he started nursing school he knows a lot more about the different things they're talking about.

After we finished breakfast Clara was still asleep, so we went back to bed and got a little more sleep ourselves. Later when we did get up, Jack cleaned the apartment, even vaccuuming, and he also took point on most Clara care, like changing diapers. I thought about trying to do more thesis work or paid work, but I decided to treat myself and just spend the day relaxing and working on scrapbooking, which has been really enjoyable. Mostly I had House still playing in the background. I haven't binged watched Netflix in a long time, so that's been fun too.

At some point we Skyped with all of Jack's family, who were all at the Jackson house for Mother's Day. At first Clara was sleepy and quiet, but after while she perked up and started talking a lot and using hand gestures, which they all loved to watch. Dave kept trying to talk back to her in her own langauge--emphatic babble--and then joking about her thinking "Only we [babies] can say that!" etc. It was pretty funny. We had a good visit with them.

Clara went down for a long nap and Jack decided to take a nap too, so I enjoyed some quiet time to myself in my clean apartment just scrapbooking, and it was great. At some point later Jack went into our bedroom to make a phone call, which I didn't even notice until he came out and asked "Did you hear that??" "No." "Good!" Sometime later Jack watched her so I could take a nap too.

Then, in the evening, he cleaned up my whole car and left to pick up some sort of suprise dinner. He came back with a *whole bunch* of sushi. It was delicious.

5.6.16 - Clara "reading" to herself

This made me so happy I couldn't stop grinning the whole time I was filming, and I even almost teared up I felt so proud. What a little smartie!

5.3.16 - So anyway Joys

4.30.16 - April joy statuses

The Piano Guys

Was really enjoying these guys while working today. Especially enjoyed there Star Wars medley, and covers of 1000 years and Without You.

4.20.16 - Internship

I really enjoy my internship at the crime lab. We have ID badges that we scan to get into the parking lot and into the lab itself. Every morning when I scan to get access I feel glad to be a part of the lab, even if only as an intern.

I’d already applied for two different full time positions and had two interviews for one of those before getting the internship position, so I’d already had a taste of unsuccessfully trying to “get in” to the lab. Now I’m here and I’m getting to know the analysts, and it’s great. First of all I am seeing more and more what the job entails and feeling more confident all the time that I could handle this job well. Second I get to know the analysts beyond their job positions and see them as regular people I could be friends with. Being in the lab makes the whole idea of becoming a DNA analyst seem that much more attainable, both in terms of what the job actually requires and in terms of how, if others can do it, I can do it.

I also like the project I’m working on for my internship. For now it’s mostly data entry, which is simple enough, but what I’m analyzing is interesting and it’s also helping me learn more about Excel, which I really enjoy. Makes me want to make Excel tables for everything.

And it’s nice to have somewhere I need to be that’s out of the apartment. I overall enjoy the work I do for Charter, but when that was my only job I spent basically all of my time either in the apartment or at Starbucks, and that can get tedious. Now my day is nicely split between being at lab and doing Charter work, such that I don’t have enough time to get really tired of either one of the jobs.