Category Archives: Life in ‘Frisco
My trials and tribulations of my new life in the big city of San Francisco.
Houseboats & Ski Boats
I’m pretty pumped up about our Labor Day Weekend plans! We’re presently touring around Redding and are then heading up to Lake Shasta. Oh, and I should mention that we’re renting a house boat and ski boat with 13 other people. Not a bad weekend!
Admitting Defeat
You know how if you eat something when no one is around to see it then it doesn’t have any calories? I also believe that defeat isn’t really real until you say it out loud.
Everyone that knows me well (or even just reads my blog) knows that I like to have my cake and eat it too. There is no limitation to what can be done and if you try hard enough you’ll find a way to make it happen. Where there’s a will there’s a way and I’ve always had a lot of willpower. I’m not familiar with not being able to do something I set my mind to. This used to really annoy my KISA until I started sharing in the benefits and made sure he got what he wanted as well.
I started marathon training on June 3rd, going from being stagnant to relearning how to run two miles. My world (and my KISA’s, unfortunately for him) revolved around marathon training and especially the long runs every Saturday. As of recently I started having knee pains after my long runs, to the point where I could hardly run the rest of the week. Two weeks ago I met a girl that has run two marathons and done an Ironman and I was sharing my knee pains with her. She suggested that maybe I was over-training. I felt like I wasn’t training enough. The following day at brunch I met another girl that did ultra-marathons and I again discussed my predicament. She suggested a couple types of supplements I should start taking to help with my joints. She swore by them, as she’d been taking them personally, so I went to Whole Foods the following day to seek them out.
Last week I was at the gym and decided to inquire about personal training sessions. The lady at the front desk offered to give me a free one and told me about a package where you can get 3 for $99. She referred me to Natalie, giving her high praise as she’d done marathons and ran a lot. I met with Natalie on Friday for our first session. I explained my marathon training and my knees pains so she had me do a series of squats, lunges, planks, and balances. What I didn’t realize at the time was that she was assessing my stiffness and informed me that I needed to start using a foam roller daily. When you run or exercise your muscles tear a little bit. When it repairs itself it creates scar tissue and tightens your muscles. She taught me how to use the foam roller to focus on my quads and hips. Basically, you put all your body weight onto the roller in those spots and embrace the excruciating pain. And boy does it hurt. But, when you’re done you feel like you have a whole new pair of legs. I bought one the following day.
After we were done with the roller she asked if I’d had hip pain before. I told her that the week before when I did my 14 mile run my left hip hurt, but my knees hurt a lot worse. After my ice bath my hip felt fine and it never bothered me again. She explained how the muscles up by your hips actually support the stability of your knee and that once we strengthened my hips we could also reduce knee pain. To reconfirm that was the issue she had me lie on my side, put my top leg forward, parallel to my other leg, and back while she pushed against it. My job was to resist. Then we’d switch sides so that she could test the other legs. We did this twice on each side and quickly realized the issue as I couldn’t resist her pushes when my legs were back. We practiced a series of exercises to strengthen my hip muscles, she told me to practice them throughout the next week, and sent me on my way. I felt good about her reassurance that my knee issues weren’t really knee issues and was something we could easily work to overcome.
On Saturday morning I woke up to do my 16 mile run, but didn’t feel 100% as I felt nauseous. I tried sleeping it off, hoping to still have the late morning and early afternoon to get it in. I didn’t feel any better. I decided that I’d complete my long run on Sunday instead and my stomach didn’t feel any better for the rest of the day.
Sunday morning I woke up and felt great. I started off on my run and noted that my hips hurt, but I knew that it was only because we’d just worked them two days prior (and nobody likes working). I kept doing mental checks of how I was feeling throughout the run and until mile 6 I felt great. At mile 8 was the turnaround and I popped an energy block in my mouth and instantly regretted that decision. My stomach wasn’t settling with it and my knees and hips were already throbbing. I decided for mile 8-10 to walk/run, knowing that was going to end badly. I spent miles 10-12 walking and trying to call my KISA or get a taxi to take me home. By this point in time I was in excruciating pain – no longer my stomach, but just my hips and knees. I finally found a kind enough taxi drive to trust that I would pay him once I got home and got my money. Upon getting home I immediately took my ice bath, but was surprised to find that the relief I usually got from an ice bath wasn’t really working.
I reworked my training schedule so that I was no longer training up to 22 miles (which isn’t normal, but was something I wanted for myself) but instead the standard 20 miles and made my 18 mile run for this week a 16 mile run to attempt it again. I’ve waited patiently every day in vain for my knees and hips to feel better so that I could get in my weekly runs. Yesterday morning I even tried doing Insanity for some cross training, but found all the jumping around only hurt my knees worse.
Last night when I got home I was really excited about the prospect of sewing of some of the new material I’d purchased. I finished two seams and as I started on my third one my sewing machine stopped working; it was jammed up. I was finally able to force it to at least run again, but the needle was no longer hooking into the bobbin to even begin sewing. I proceeded to spend the next three hours taking my sewing machine apart, watching YouTube repair videos, looking up the owner’s manual, oiling it, searching local sewing machine repair places, calling sewing machine repair places, etc. Nothing worked. During the course of this my KISA was able to see my mood deteriorating and decided to “run some errands”. When he came back and saw the sewing machine in pieces he encouraged me give myself a break from it, seeing how upset I was getting to not be able to fix it. He brought me home two gifts from Bed Bath and Beyond and tried to convince me to play with them (he’s going to be at natural at this parenting thing). I instead decided to go to bed. 
As we were lying in bed my KISA pushed to find out what was really wrong. He obviously knew I was upset about the sewing machine, but knows me well enough to know that was only the surface issue (which, I should note, is why I’m going to marry the sh*t out of him). I held back tears as I finally admitted to him my fears of not being able to complete the training program or the marathon. I told him that if I couldn’t complete the 16 miles on Friday I was basically doomed. I told him I wasn’t sure if my knees could hold out. I’d told all these people I was training for a marathon, so I’d be letting myself and others down. I told him that if I couldn’t complete my marathon now, I’d probably never be able to. Then I realized I was admitting defeat. Out loud.
Lazy vs. Resourceful
My KISA and I dread having to be responsible on the weekends. There’s nothing worse than having housework to do when someone invites you to do something fun. We have two major chores we do each weekend: laundry in our shared pay-for-use washer and dryer downstairs and grocery shopping.
Since most people in our building agree that it’s more convenient to do laundry on the weekends we’re often competing to use them. And, if you take too long to take your things out after you’re done, our neighbors don’t think anything of putting your load of laundry on top of the washer or dryer. Sweet neighbors, huh? This limits our flexibility to leave and not worry about the laundry in knowing it’ll be covered in dust and some of your items may fall onto the floor. You can easily be home for an entire day just waiting on the washer and dryer – both for availability and for your stuff to be done.
We learned laundering services aren’t the easiest to come by in the city, but my KISA had the brilliant idea to ask our neighborhood dry cleaning company. We were delighted when they said they do wash and fold for $1/pound. The first load I took in according to my precise calculations (standing on a scale and then standing on a scale with the dirty clothes and subtracting the difference) was 17 lbs. Per the dry cleaner it was 16 lbs. Later that day I went back and picked up our cleaned clothes that were folded in a neat stack, paid the $16, and realized the cost was basically a wash (no pun intended) if we’d done it ourselves. I loved the idea and the time it would save us. Unfortunately my KISA caught one important detail I overlooked – the overwhelming smell of our clothes. Apparently if you’re charging only $1/pound you don’t use the finest quality detergents. Back to the drawing board.
Our grocery shopping each weekend has become much easier now that we have the car to pick up the groceries, rather than carrying them home (and apparently we eat a lot). We use the Grocery iQ app on our phones so that we have a combined grocery list either of us can add to throughout the week. And, if we split up while shopping in the store you can see what the other person checked off the list. It’s pretty great. But, I still hate taking the time to grocery shop, finding the products, and waiting in line for the deli guy or at the check-out counters. Imagine my excitement today when I learned that Wal-Mart was doing a promotion for our company where we can have groceries or goods delivered for free to our homes for 6 months. 6 months! 6 months of not having to go grocery shopping. 6 months of not spending time searching for stuff. Now if we can get this laundry thing situated we can do more productive things on the weekends rather than laying around on the couch. Wait. I kind of like laying around on the couch.
Fabric and Horse Heads
Shopping isn’t really “shopping” if you’re buying material to make clothes, right?
I like to make rules for myself to keep me in line. However, I forget that I also don’t like to be told what to do, so I also find loopholes or exceptions in rules as well. (I may have mild schizophrenia.) Why would not being able to shop be an exception, even though I made up the rule?
We had zero plans on Saturday and we’d made it a point to clean the entire house and do laundry on Friday so that we had no responsibility for the weekend. When our friends JJ and Molly texted us around lunchtime to join them at Dolores Park to hang out we accepted. We took our regular 49 bus to the Mission and were going to grab some sandwiches for lunch and then head to the park. Somewhere between 16th Street and 18th Street I saw it: a discount fabric store. For some girls it’s jewelry, for others it’s shoes. For me, it’s inexpensive fabric. I made note of it and made a mental plan to stop there after the park.
We hung out at the park and had a great time. I got the dream of a lifetime and wore a horse head. Weird, I know, but I really wanted to wear it. I found myself getting antsy as it crept closer to 5:00, in fear the fabric store would close. My KISA mentioned that he wanted a burrito and I finally admitted that I wanted to go to the fabric store. We left the park right before 6:00 and stopped to get burritos for dinner and he then agreed to come to the fabric store with me.
It was an underground store, so you immediately went down a staircase as you came in. I could feel myself mesmerized by all the thread, zippers, ribbon, and sewing machine parts a we first stepped in. And, I hadn’t even gotten to the fabric. My KISA waited patiently for about 10 minutes and then asked what I was looking for. I sheepishly looked at him and said, “Everything!” I could tell that he would be the good fiancé and wait for me as I shopped, but I sent him home. He looked relieved and I told him I’d be home soon. I found small black buttons to replace the silver ones on a black silk shirt I love but don’t wear since most my accessories and belts are gold, black lace and white lace to make little wedding sample decor out of, deep purple satin for $2.99/yard to make a maxi skirt out of (as well as a zipper), and jewelry pieces to make some necklaces before a lady kindly told me the store was closing (it was now 7:00) and I needed to bring my purchases to the registers. I obliged and paid for my loot, but there was over half of the store I hadn’t yet explored and they were closed on Sundays. Then, something caught my eye – half yards of upholstered fabric samples for $1.29. I realized there was another person still checking out, so I snuck over to the table to have a look. I’d found two I liked before the same lady came back over to tell me they were closed. I took the fabric to the registers, paid, and was then escorted out of the store (apparently they didn’t trust I’d really leave). I had a wave of euphoria as I hopped on the bus to head home, thinking about all the extraordinary things I could make and this new gold mine I’d found.
Everlane
Since I’m not shopping or thinking about shopping, I’m obviously not obsessing over it or checking any websites for new brands. Well, except one. I recently learned of a clothing line called Everlane. The thing that caught my attention is that they don’t follow the traditional designer business model. In fact, they despise it and have therefore come up with their own. They don’t believe products should be marked up 8x their cost so they create really high quality of products in factories they handpick and have close relationship with. In addition to that, they only do business online and you buy directly from them. They have limited products and colors, but instead you get very inexpensive, high quality products. I dig it.
In case you’re already getting restless, wondering what to get me for Christmas, I’ve picked out my three favorite items to make your life easier. You’re welcome.
Belt – $40; Tee – $15; Silk Blouse – $80
Droppin’ Shoppin’
About a month ago my KISA and I went on a strict budget to save money for this wedding we seem to think we want to have next year. Part of that was cutting down on my shopping. Ok, basically completely. Thankfully I’ve been too busy for it to really set in. 
In preparation for my life coming to an end I decided to do a few things to ease the pain:
- I unsubscribed from all clothing email listings. Sounds harsh, but I really like a good deal, especially when it’s something really cute. And 20% off.
- I searched my more popular clothing pieces on Pinterest and organized all my Pinterest boards into categories for outfits.
- I matched up outfits based on my Pinterest inspiration and took pictures of each outfit with accessories. This makes my morning a breeze so that I can now scroll through my pictures.
With all this inspiration I shouldn’t have a desire to shop again. So, things should be ok. Right?
Nomad No More
Lately I’ve been processing the fact that I’m settling down. This may not seem like a big deal for some people, but it’s something I’ve never done in my life and I’ve always wanted to be able to do. There is a quote by Amy Poehler that said, “Take your risks now, as you grow older you become more fearful and less flexible.” I suppose part of settling down is taking fewer risks.
Our last term of grad school we studied in Vienna with a girl named Emily. She was a really cool American girl and I got to know her somewhat well. We had also studied with her in London a few terms prior, but I only knew her through acquaintances. After my cohort and I graduated we parted ways with Emily and she went on to Thailand to continue her studies and traveling. I followed her on Facebook and knew after her term in Thailand she moved back to the US and then did a trip to Central and South America for quite a while.
Upon moving to San Francisco I realized there was one person I knew in the city that wasn’t connected through my KISA – Emily. She had moved back to the US about a year prior, so I reached out to her. She kindly invited my KISA and me to a cook-out at her new place, where we met her boyfriend, roommates, and friends. During her get-together we talked about jobs and she mentioned that her company had just gotten bought out and that she’d made a bit of money off of it, which is the reason a lot of people like to work for start-ups. She wasn’t in love with the direction her new role was heading with the buy-out and was looking for a something different.
Unfortunately I haven’t spoken with her since then for no reason other than both of us just being busy. I recently saw a Facebook post about her going to China. I didn’t think much of it, assuming it was for a trip. She then posted a link to her blog and I read her last couple of postings. I learned that she had quit her job, sublet her apartment, sold all her possessions she didn’t need, and was leaving indefinitely. She felt unsettled and always had an itch to go back to Asia. So, that’s precisely what she was doing.
I was a little surprised when I read this, but I knew where she was coming from and the desire to do the journey. However, I only knew where she was coming from because of the old me that could relate. Last night I found myself restlessly reflecting on my life and wondering what was happening to me because I realized I didn’t envy her (even though I’m proud of her for taking the initiative to do the trip). In fact, no part of me wanted to live the nomad life again.
After my KISA and I sold the house in Madison and made a small nest egg I begged him to allow us to just sell off our stuff and travel the world for a year instead of moving to San Francisco and both of us getting new jobs. While he treated my comments like I was joking, we both knew deep down that I was serious about that desire. Or at least I had been.
As my KISA and I were going through our 7 bank accounts (yes, combined we have 7 accounts) last night to determine how much money we have saved for the wedding, for fun money, for bills, etc., I realized this is what my life was becoming. And that I was unfamiliarly ok with it.
Maine Wedding
So, life has been a little more chaotic than usual, but don’t worry: I’m BACK!
Last Saturday (as in the 3rd of August) we trekked up to Boothbay Harbor, ME for my KISA’s friend’s wedding. It was a pretty fun shindig, but the night went by way too fast.
I want to take a moment to point out the difference in our packing styles. For instance, this is how my KISA packs:
One bag for four days. And, a duffle bag at that. This is how I pack:
A carry-on roller suitcase, plus a backpack crammed full. I think he could teach me a few lessons on effective packing. Although, I will say that I had to pack running gear, complete with the water bottles. I’m sure I could have fit everything into a duffle if I didn’t need that stuff.
Dress: J. Crew Factory; Necklace: Banana Republic Factory; Shoes: Target
TBT #2
October 8, 2010 – 10:14am
I’m not suicidal – I just have an addiction. One of my coworkers loaned me a book called, “Letting Go”. The book gives you a list of different things you might think or feel when going through a break up. I learned in the book that it is normal to feel suicidal after a break up and wonder if your ex would come to your funeral if you died. Yes, that’s really what it says. And, for the record, I’ve never once had that cross my mind. I’m not sure if that makes me feel less normal or more normal. One of the things it did accurately point out is that breaking up with someone is like overcoming an addiction – that addiction to talk to them, see them, hang out with them, etc. I’ve realized that I had an addiction to Mr. Fenner. But, I have resisted the urges to contact him, drunk text him, or ramble on about nothing. Times like this I’m thankful I never tried smoking or crazy narcotics.
I have a text message stalker. Part of my job is to do ride alongs with people to coach them through selling situations. On Wednesday morning my ride along decided to not wake up when we were supposed to meet (you might have seen this on my FB posting). Of course I was in a Podunk nowhere, so my AT&T work phone didn’t have service and I had to call him from my personal phone. Rule #1 – Don’t ever call someone from your personal phone that you barely know because it now means they now have your number. Anyhow, this hoodlum continued to inform me that if I was able to help him sell udder care to one of his customers he would be forever in love with me. And, we walked away from the visit with a 6 month commitment. The following is what I woke up to on Thursday morning (I put the stalker’s messages in bold):
“Good morning sunshine”
“I thought I told you to delete my number?”
“I hope you have a wonderful day.”
“I hate you! Please delete my number.”
“Its a beautiful day just like you”
“Oh my gosh! I hate you. Please delete my number NOW.”
“im not deleting your number just in case you change your mind about doing something tonight. i dont want you to feel left out or lonely.”
Obviously I don’t actually hate him. It made me laugh. And, I decided I don’t mind having a text message stalker if they make me laugh. And, as long as they are thousands of miles away so that they don’t show up on my doorstep.
Mom, I’m leaving for the Amish countryside. I’m serious. On my ride along on Thursday I met an Amish fella named Eli. He’s maybe 20ish and smoking cute. And yes, I said Amish – bad haircut and all. However, he didn’t have a beard, which I understand means he’s unmarried. Anyhow, he kept looking at me and smiling. And, he was rather chatty. And flirty. So, I decided that I’m running away to Ohio to be with this Amish fella. I’ve already met the entire family (they were milking when we got there). I love Amish restaurants and cooking. I love new/different cultures. And, I love wearing dresses. It’s a match made in heaven.
FarmGirlHipster 