Witty Rewind: July 2019
I thought it’d be fun to capture each month’s activities and milestones in a series called Witty Rewind. It may not be for posterity’s sake, but I hope you’ll enjoy looking back at the previous month with me.
I got back on the fitness train finally and committed to a 21-day plan through an app I tested for work, called Fitplan. I loved Brittne Babe’s plan because I have the few pieces of equipment needed and could take advantage of facilities at work, too. It also helped immensely to text a few people every day with my progress. [Workouts completed: 24]
Things were heating up in the library world as I continued my quest to read mostly books published this year. I finally got off of the waitlist for a few titles and can see why they’re so popular and well-liked. I’m really looking forward to sharing my faves in an end-of-2019 list! [Books read: 7]
The 31 days of July may be long gone, but here’s what I remember:
- Celebrated my birthday in wine country with dear friends
- Enjoyed an extra-long weekend in one of SF’s most beautiful parks
- Continued volunteering with the Junior League of SF through a busy summer of training events and transitions
- Celebrated my roommate’s birthday at a fancy schmancy, delicious dinner
- Was surprised with a birthday trip to Great America, California’s iconic theme park
- Launched the first campaign I’ve led at work to celebrate 50 years since the moon landing
- Hosted foreign colleagues in town for an offsite that never happened
- Said “no” to a few things so I could prioritize my mental and emotional well-being
- Saw “The Book of Mormon” when it came to San Jose and loved every minute of it
- Made a triumphant return to Renegade Craft Fair and didn’t buy any candles (but lots of clothes, oops)
- Went on some dates, kissed a few frogs, Prince Charming is still somewhere out there
- Saw “Up” at the SF Symphony and cried less than I expected
- Went wine tasting on Treasure Island but failed to participate in a book swap
- Showed up for a Sephora event at the wrong time … and missed the whole thing
- Had Irish coffees at Buena Vista Cafe — an SF tradition I never tire of
Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com
Because I have zero photos ready for public consumption…
Witty Rewind: June 2019
I thought it’d be fun to capture each month’s activities and milestones in a series called Witty Rewind. It may not be for posterity’s sake, but I hope you’ll enjoy looking back at the previous month with me.
I spent the bulk of June cheering on my brother’s fitness progress and not doing a whole lot toward my own. I’ve fallen out of routines, de-prioritized healthy habits, and generally made excuses for my lack of motivation. For the first time probably ever, though, I’m not completely beating myself up for it. [Negative thoughts squashed: ~20]
While I still have a hard time abandoning books I don’t love, I did evolve a bit into trying shorter stories and more memoirs. I did my best to like some titles, but there were only a few standouts from the nine I consumed in June. [Books read: 9]
Weather be damned, here’s the rest of my June un-gloomed:
- Finished a Vegas trip with CHRISTINA AGUILERA and her first residency show
- Fought yet another mystery illness, perhaps my body’s way of saying “slow the F down”
- Celebrated a dear couple’s wedding and toasted with their champagne burro
- Made new friends via an Airbnb stay at said wedding weekend
- Caught up with former colleagues at a happy hour where pigeons shat on us
- Mourned the loss of the Warriors in Game 6
- Co-hosted a beach bonfire with s’mores on s’mores on s’mores
- Celebrated a friend’s birthday with putt-putt and got the only Hole in One on the 18th hole!
- Remembered Dad during a quiet, reflective Father’s Day
- Volunteered with kinders and then veterans for my company’s month of service program
- Attended Book Club, having not read the book for probably the first time ever
- Continued the tradition of seeing the “Sex and the City Live!” drag show at Oasis
- Celebrated my second mom’s birthday with bocce, barbecue, and beers
- Did some self-care work in the form of nails did, hair did, everything did
- Virtually celebrated my niece’s third birthday and sparkly cowgirl costume
This is my new bff, Zoe. She’s a little camera-shy.
Witty Rewind: May 2019
I thought it’d be fun to capture each month’s activities and milestones in a series called Witty Rewind. It may not be for posterity’s sake, but I hope you’ll enjoy looking back at the previous month with me.
It should come as no surprise that my health and wellness focus has fallen quite off the rails. I battled a couple of allergy attacks, and my motivation has run away further than any ol’ 5K would get me. I did focus more on meditation and mindfulness, so I’m trying to not beat myself up about it. But when you’re an all-or-nothing kinda person, it def feels futile. [Minutes meditated: ~200]
What I always come back to for relaxation and rejuvenation is READING. I’ve been “competing” in a one-book-a-week challenge at work and smashed my goal of 13 books in 10 weeks, with a week still to go. From awful self-help advice to the horrors of Nazi Germany, it’s been quite a journey. [Books read: 7]
Here’s how else I spent the month of May:
- Celebrated Cinco with margaritas and Book Club
- Had a roomie reunion dinner at a new Mediterranean spot
- Happy-houred with former colleagues and enjoyed comped treats from the chef
- Dinner and a pop-up show in Oakland — truly remarkable!
- Canceled plans on canceled plans on canceled plans (I blame mystery illness)
- My oldest niece graduated from VPK! The pics are everything
- Volunteered with the Junior League of SF and prepped incoming leadership
- Sat out the annual Bay to Breakers mayhem (let’s say because of rainy forecasts)
- Ventured to OLIVE GARDEN with my girlfriends who truly are family
- Continued furnishing the new apartment, despite incomplete deliveries and delays
- Celebrated the end of the League year with dinners, drinks, wine country… you name it
- Saw the Monet exhibit before it left SF…
- …and ended the evening with a scary (though relatively minor) car crash
- Remembered how atrocious the insurance and healthcare industries are in the US
- Traveled to Vegas with a lot of aspirin and saw CELINE DION in one of her final shows
Witty Rewind: March 2019
I thought it’d be fun to capture each month’s activities and milestones in a series called Witty Rewind. It may not be for posterity’s sake, but I hope you’ll enjoy looking back at the previous month with me.
I told myself I’d try a “clean eating on weekdays” approach in March but I most certainly did not. Instead, I started on the 1st with a Mexican fiesta lunch, spent mid-March in San Diego (Mexican food capital of California) and ended the 31st with a wine-and-tacos apartment purge party. Noticing a theme? Ay dios mio. [🌮 eaten: ~20]
Despite having plenty of time to devote to reading on the shuttle and quick flights, I found myself not able to power through any reads the way I normally would. (For context, I can usually get through a book in 2-4 sittings, and a few days’ time.) That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy my March picks, but I do think I was considerably less motivated with my brain on overdrive in work summits and commitments. [📚 read: 3.5]
Some highlights from the madness that was this past month:
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- Bowling with dear friends who moved to New York last year
- Celebrating a housemate’s birthday with incredible Cajun cuisine
- Meeting lots of inspiring and empowering women through Junior League of SF
- Attending a newcomer summit for work + getting uplifting insight
- Looking for a new apartment with a current housemate
- Catching up with a longtime friend during her stay in SF before she moves back to NYC
- Checking out a crystal fair (really!) and somehow buying only jewelry
- Hosting my fave former writer for lunch at my new(ish) job
- Happy hour-ing with other former writers and getting the tea
- Helping another former writer with her portfolio
- Spending a week in San Diego with my family
- Experiencing DisneyLand for the first time and seeing my nieces go wild
- Attending a global summit for work + meeting tons of colleagues face-to-face
- Exploring the Exploratorium 😉 and its After Dark series for the first time
- Celebrating a handful of close friends’ birthdays with drinks, dinners, brunches galore
Six people looking at the camera = a Christmas miracle
Witty Rewind: February 2019
I thought it’d be fun to capture each month’s activities and milestones in a series called Witty Rewind. It may not be for posterity’s sake, but I hope you’ll enjoy looking back at the previous month with me.
After my Whole30 high, I sadly slipped back into some old habits. It’s to be expected given my “all or nothing” attitude, but I also tried not to beat myself up too much for it. I saw some weight gain after reintroducing bread and cheese, and I scaled back on formal workouts to focus more on a StepBet at work. I feel OK, but I’ll be experimenting with a “clean eating on weekdays” approach for March. [Miles walked: 88.29]
I slowed down on reading considerably, as I’ve had to use my morning commute more for actual work time. That said, I’ve still enjoyed devouring a mix of fiction and nonfiction, from beach reads to heavier topics. Find me on Goodreads to see the latest! [Books read: 5.5]
Some highlights from the shortest (but most social) month:
- Line dancing at The Saddle Rack for a dear friend’s birthday
- Waking up the next morning to continental breakfast and a PANCAKE MACHINE
- Hosting a Super Bowl party for that snoozefest of a game
- Volunteering with the Junior League of SF and AOII alumnae group
- Lunching with former colleagues on the rainiest day possible
- (Not a highlight) Being knocked out with exhaustion and missing two events
- Attending a JLSF yoga class for Galentine’s Day
- Finding a new dentist who didn’t lecture or belittle me
- Brunching with friends… and getting a peep show from an exhibitionist neighbor
- MONSTER JAMMING for the fourth consecutive year
- Starting the apartment hunt with one of my current roommates
- Hosting Book Club as we discussed “The Last Mrs. Parrish”
- Seeing “FRIENDS LIVE!,” a drag parody of the iconic sitcom
- Celebrating the Lunar New Year parade from our annual Irish pub spot
- Toasting to many birthdays, engagements, babies, and work accolades
That about does it for me. Can you believe it’s already March?! Madness, I say 😉🏀
☠️ MONSTER JAM with one of my faves ☠️
Witty Rewind: January 2019
I thought it’d be fun to capture each month’s activities and milestones in a series called Witty Rewind. It may not be for posterity’s sake, but I hope you’ll enjoy looking back at the previous month with me.
I committed to doing Whole30 as a palate reset and general post-holiday hangover challenge. I’ll be doing a recap post in the next week or so, but I can happily share as part of this commitment, I feel like a whole new Witty! Stay tuned for more to come soon. [Lbs lost: 15.8]
My new commute means I’m getting plenty of time to read for fun. I haven’t been jumping into books for work just yet, but I can proudly say I’m already more than 1/4 through my personal goal of 40 books in 2019! [Books read: 11]
Despite wanting to get some R&R in after the holidays, my social life had a different idea. Some highlights include:
- Hosting a NYE party
- Seeing the Tampa Bay Lightning play the San Jose Sharks (even though they lost)
- Sushi dinner with former colleagues
- Annual mole patrol (AKA dermatologist appointment) came back clean
- Finding a nail salon that looks like Hello Kitty’s dream home
- Getting back into the dating scene… we’ll see
- Doing yoga for a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation fundraiser
- PAID OFF MY CREDIT CARDS!
- Sushi dinner with my fellow AOII officers; Founders’ Day for AOIIs in Northern California
- Volunteering with the Junior League of SF
- Hosted my 4th? 5th? Gasparilla in SF
- Book Club discussed “Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows”
- Attending a team offsite, culminating with dinner at La Fontaine
- Happy hour with former colleagues
- Crushing the first week of my StepBet because I hate losing money
Phew! If this weekend is any indication, February shows no signs of slowing down. Here’s to all the next month will bring!
I’m the worst at taking photos. Here’s one from January…
WO: Weekly Obsessions
The holiday season is in full swing, and as if I needed another reminder of it, today was the FOURTH White Elephant I’ve participated in this month. Over-commit much? I’m rocking my special sweater, tree earrings and festive fur so you better believe I’m trying to ward off my usual Grinch-y tendencies and embrace the season wholeheartedly.
- SF Ballet’s Nutcracker: Thanks to a monster group discount and the Junior League of San Francisco, I’ll be enjoying tonight’s performance of this winter classic for a nominal fee. Sugar plum fairies and pirouettes await to fulfill all my wildest prima ballerina dreams. I have no doubt my intro to the SF Ballet will be a memorable one.
- Suppenküche: A dear friend hosts an awesome annual dinner at this SF staple during Hanukkah, and this year’s celebration was no exception. From dreidel spin-offs to giant potato pancakes and banana beer, it’s a tradition I remember fondly every year. Who knows? Maybe one year I’ll even break tradition and go twice.
- The Exploratorium: Despite living in SF for 4+ years, I hadn’t yet ventured into this museum of curiosity, adventure and education. My department holiday party was here last weekend, though, and I thoroughly enjoyed the activities at every turn. The food and photo booths helped, too, but I’d happily revisit on a “normal” day.
- “All I Want for Christmas Is You” – Mariah Carey: Duhhhh. I can’t help myself and refuse to apologize for it. Between last week’s viewing of “Love Actually” and Carey’s always entertaining holiday antics, this is about the only seasonal tune I can listen to more than once a day. Don’t @ me, you knew it was coming at some point.
Images courtesy of: SF Ballet, Sac Foodies, Exploratorium, Amazon
WO: Weekly Obsessions
I’m gonna tell you straight: I had a 9-hour safety training today, so pls excuse any typos. Now wouldn’t that be a great email signature “sent from my iPhone”?
- Remembering Kate Spade: The tragic news of Kate Spade’s apparent suicide sent shock waves in my circles yesterday. How could someone who seemingly had it all take their own life? As of this writing, I don’t know exactly what mental health or other struggles Spade endured. I do know, though, her legacy won’t soon be forgotten. For more, read one author’s take on what she meant for women. As always, if you or someone you know is struggling, there are resources available. Including me ❤
- “Am I There Yet?: The Loop-de-Loop, Zig-Zagging Journey to Adulthood” – Mari Andrew: You may have followed author and artist Mari Andrew’s doodles for years on Instagram; or you may have just learned of her work with her annual, viral Mother’s Day illustration (or you may be just hearing of her now). In any case, her debut book illuminates more of Andrews’s personal life, coupled with those oh-so-relatable drawings and doodles.
- Mari Andrew in SF: After I myself became familiar with her work in 2016 with this Identifying the Problem post, I knew I just had to learn more about this Mari Andrew woman. The day has finally come and I’m super pumped for her event tonight at the JCC in SF. I may secretly check the Warriors/Cavs score but am otherwise thrilled to have the chance to hear her speak about #HowToAdult.
- “No Tears Left to Cry” – Ariana Grande”: I’m still on the fence about her new relationship with Pete Davidson (don’t even get me started on ScarJo-CoJo’s), but it’s impossible to escape this bop so here we are. The always intriguing, incredibly talented Grande puts out an earworm like no other and this latest offering is no exception.
Images courtesy of: Andrew Toth, Amazon, Clémènce Polès, Genius
WO: Weekly Obsessions
I don’t know what it is about Wednesdays lately that I’m often struggling to get my head on straight, but I was able to cobble a few things together this time around:
- Antibiotics: Last week, my boss interrupted me on a conference call and urged me to see a doctor. I finally took the advice and went to a Walk-In Care clinic and was promptly prescribed antibiotics. I’ve since started feeling like a human again! I don’t recall the last time I was that sick but am so grateful to have both my nostrils functioning.
- Lafayette Park: San Francisco is experiencing some of the most beautiful weather possible in February, so I took full advantage last weekend by lounging around this neighborhood hotspot. 70 degrees and sunny? Doesn’t get much better than that. Bonus: It’s more of a family-friendly park so the DILFs are out in full force. Boom.
- Burlingame: I spent Super Bowl Sunday with friends in this South Bay gem I hadn’t yet explored. While I didn’t get any photos myself, I will definitely be back to discover more. For a quick 30-minute train ride from SF, you can’t beat the small-town feel with big-city culture. I’m especially intrigued by the PEZ Museum — talk about a throwback!
- “Meant to Be” – Bebe Rexha f. Florida Georgia Line: This earworm has been stuck in my head for a solid week, and I’m not even mad about it. While the lyrics are deceptively simple, the melody is complex enough to keep me coming back for more. I dare you to give it a listen and tell me you don’t feel the same.
WO: Weekly Obsessions
I feel like a broken record when, week after week, some national news takes precedence over my thoughts and heart. It’s nothing compared to what the people directly affected are feeling. And I don’t expect the world to be all sunshine and rainbows. But is anyone else completely exhausted by all of this hatred and violence?
I studied journalism — I know that “if it bleeds, it leads.” Yet it feels like we can’t even get so much as a day anymore without some terribly traumatic event being splashed all over the news, social media and our day-to-day conversations. Such conversations are important. I’m not denying that. But I do wonder how long we can possibly continue to shout (into vacuums) at each other, when not many seem willing to listen?
- Help Heather and Other Charlottesville Victims: The President may be reluctant to say it, but I’m not: White supremacists are domestic terrorists. There is no room in this country for such ignorant bigotry and violence. Don’t @ me comparing this to Black Lives Matter. Seriously. Pour your energy into something useful, like donating to help the victims in Charlottesville, Va.
- Lady Gaga: I can think of very few artists who are so consistently vocal about being inclusive and accepting of all humans. I’ve been a fan of hers for years, and finally had the chance to see her perform live Sunday night — her first-ever stadium show in the US. She spoke about Saturday’s events, of course, and brought 40,000 to their feet — and many of us to tears as well.
- “The Cure” – Lady Gaga: Something about this recent release of Gaga’s really strikes a chord with me. Maybe it’s because all we need to hear sometimes is, “I will be right by your side.” Whatever the reason, it’s been stuck in my head for days and I’m not mad about it.
- The Summer of Love: Isn’t it ironic, Alanis? Don’t you think? I walked into the de Young Museum’s exhibition about The Summer of Love on Saturday, having no knowledge of the Charlottesville events. An hour later, and I couldn’t unhear the news. What a blissful hour it was, though; exploring fashion, art, culture and more from one swinging summer that defined San Francisco 50 years ago.
Images courtesy of: Salem News, Billboard, Genius, de Young
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