Chronicles of a Thirty Something

Habitat for Humanity

2009-06-02T23:10:00.000-07:00

One of our goals this year is to try to do more volunteer work. We finally got started on that by volunteering for Habitat for Humanity last Saturday. We had no idea what we were in for, just that we would be doing some manual labor. It was something I always wanted to try and I liked the idea of working outside and working with my hands. My dad was always one to be fixing up our house, but would pretty much never let me participate in his projects as he would worry that I would hurt myself or mess it up. =(

Anyway, this was my chance to finally explore the whole construction world while giving back to the community. We arrived at the site at 8:30am and were met by a friendly crew at the volunteer station. We put our name tags on and listened to the 10 minute orientation where they talked about safety and then split us up into teams. To be honest, I didn't really understand what all of the little projects were. The three I did understand were 1) installing windows 2) putting a roof on and 3) painting. The husband wanted to do the roof and I objected. I wanted to do the painting and he objected so that left us with installing windows.

The community being developed was made up of 26 townhouses. About half of them were done and the latter half were nearly complete. The two two-story houses we worked on needed windows installed. For some reason, even though the houses were two stories there were 3 levels of scaffolding. It was a little funny at first, how much work they were willing to let us do given none of us were professionals but the jobs ended up being pretty easy to pick up so it worked out well.

We had to carry these huge windows from one house into the house we would install them in. Then we had to caulk the frames from the outside while standing on the very unsturdy and at times scary scaffolding. Then we had to stick the window in and move out around within the frame to make sure it was set right. Then we had to measure it across to make sure it didn't get bent out of shape or anything. After that, we would hammer nails into the window all around the edges. Finally, we had to put flashing paper around the edges of the window.

It was a fun project, but after awhile it got really tiring! Mostly because a lot of the nails I had to hammer were much higher than my short little self and my arms and shoulders were aching!

When the day was over, we were exhausted but felt really good about the work we had done. I definitely would do this again!

Memorial Weekend: Birthdays, Barbeques, and Angels

2009-06-02T22:54:00.000-07:00

Don't you love how even though there are four or five weekends in a month, every possible thing under the sun will fall into just one of them? Finally, a 3 day weekend to rest and relax and ours was jam packed with lots of fun-filled activities.

On Saturday night, we went to a friend's birthday dinner party at a very chill pizza joint in the Richmond district. The set up was very relaxing with big, comfy couches, coffee tables, and flat screen tvs to watch the NBA playoffs. The pizza was good and the drinks were erotically named (one of them being called "1-800-F*CK-ME-UP". I didn't order it because after my own birthday shenanigans, I promised myself I would not drink again and f*ck myself up.

On Sunday, we headed down to the South Bay for our Memorial weekend barbeque. Even though we drove a good 45 minutes, I was so glad we did, because it was so cold and overcast in our area, whereas down South were clear blue, sunny skies and very warm breezes. On top of that, the hosts had seriously gone all out at Costco that morning providing us with TONS of delicious food and plenty to drink. We sat in the hot tub and lounged by the pool while listening to some groovy tunes. Definitely a great way to spend the day.

After teaching my Cha Cha class, we headed out to another birthday dinner, where we enjoyed some good old Mexican food and pints. And we were so priveleged to have met a video game creator for George Lucas. How awesome is that? He created the light saber game for the Wii (which we still have yet to try!) It was so funny meeting him that night too, because earlier in the weekend, I decided I wanted to watch a Star Wars movie and randomly picked Episode 3. Probably not the best pick, because after that I wanted to watch the rest of the series!! Argh. And believe it or not, we actually did. In between all of galavanting, was Star Wars - Episodes 3,4,5,6,1,2.

On Memorial Day, we woke up bright and early and caught the ferry to head out to Angel Island. First time on the ferry and to the island (duh, because by ferry is the only way to get there!) and what a gorgeous island it was. We rented bikes and tried to ride as far around the perimeter as we could which was not very far at all as we had to meet our Berkeley friends back at the dock. But the views we did see from that road were beautiful. You could see Tiburon just next door, the Golden Gate Bridge, the city skyline. When we met up with our counterparts, we decided to hike to the top of Mt. Livermore. It was a nice, easy hike and when we got to the top we were sitting in the clouds. We pretended we were angels. =)

Surprise Birthday Dinner

2009-05-10T22:45:00.000-07:00

The Husband planned a lovely, not so surprising surprise birthday dinner for me at one of my favorite Thai restaurants in town. Great friends in attendance along with my best cousin/friend and husband made it a really special night. There was even some embarrassing birthday singing along with some freaking awesome ice cream cake (my favorite!) Dinner was followed by drinks at our local Tiki Lounge. I won't go into too much detail about how the night turned out, but I'll say that I am waaaay too old for that stuff! I had one Mai Tai, tequila shot, and mystery bowl too many. =(

The Big Day!!

2009-05-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

So turning 30 wasn't as horrific as I thought it would be. My cousin, who is also one of my best friends in the world, was in town visiting me from Canada. The Husband had taken the day off and planned a full, fun day for me. He kept me so busy and entertained that I didn't even have time to think about or feel like I was 30. =)

The weather was cloudy and overcast, but still warm which was perfect. We started the day early heading down to Ocean Beach by Daly City for the first activity of the day - horseback riding on the beach! After driving around in circles for awhile we arrived at the stables to the lovely smell of horses (we all know how that smell is, gag) and decided on the one hour ride through the fields down to the beach.

The ride took us through these gorgeous fields of every possible color flower you could ever imagine. I felt like I was riding through the hills of some European countryside, not Daly City, California! There were so many flowers that the air was filled with a sweet, floral fragrance all around us as our horses stumbled down the hills making their way towards the beach.

The sky was grey, overcast and cloudy providing an extremely dramatic and dream-like ambience for our canter along the wide empty beach. It was like something straight out of a movie. Again, not feel like I was right next to Highway 1, but off on some faraway island, the ride was very peaceful and serene. A great way to start off the day!

Afterwards, we were reminiscing about Filipino food and remembered, duh, we ARE in Daly City - Filipino food galore! So we found ourselves a Jollibee for lunch and chowed down on the family meal bucket.

We made our way back home, trying to recover from the bumpy ride and went to get ready for the next activity of the day - a trapeze class! I had been talking about wanting to take a trapeze class for MONTHS, but never got the chance to do it. Well, the time had finally come! We were signed up to go to the hour and a half mixed level class in Oakland.

The circus school is set up in this huge warehouse out in Oakland. When we arrived, I was a bit intimidated as there were a lot of really good people flying around on the trapeze, bouncing around on trampolines, and wrapping themselves up in ribbon hanging upside down 50 feet in the air! But the staff was extremely friendly and catered very well to first-timers.

My first swing on the trapeze was so much scarier than I thought it would be. I felt silly because I screamed the entire time I was swinging on it! They had us jump off the platform, swing through the air, and then hook our knees onto the bar. After that we had to let go of the bar with our hands so that we were hanging upside down, and then grab on again, take our legs off the bar, and then do a back tuck dismount!!

When they first told me I would be doing all that I was like "HUh? Excuse me?!" But after getting over the initial scare and shock of flying through the air, it was actually not as bad as I thought it would be and it felt really fun, free, and liberating! By the end of the class we were able to latch onto another person sitting on another bar with our arms, and then hang and swing with that person. It was amazing!

I haven't gone again since, but would love to go... there's always the possibility I could run off and join the circus =)

We finished off the night with dinner at a Burmese restaurant where we enjoyed duck, garlic noodles, and spicy chicken with basil. Delicious and the perfect end to a perfect day!

Day 2: Do Something You Love to Do but Haven't Done in a LONG Time

2009-05-05T10:04:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite past times is going out dancing. It doesn't matter if it's at a hip hop club, salsa club, wedding, my parents friends retirement parties... where ever there is dancing, that's where I want to be, and whenever there is music on, I want to be dancing.

Unbelievably and unfortunately so, I haven't been dancing in ages!! Even though I teach dance for a living and am often practicing at the studio or dancing at the studio's social dance parties, I can't remember the last time I went out dancing for myself just to have fun.

So on Cinco de Mayo after grabbing some authentico Mexican food in the Mission District, we didn't end up at a Salsa club, but we did end up at a Swing (dance) club, which was just as good!

I don't often swing dance, but the place we went to totally sucked me in. There was a live band playing and the people hanging out at this place really dressed the part, with the ladies in puffy, poodles skirts, and the men in fodora hats, and pin striped vests, and everyone in their dance saddle shoes. I loved it!

So we bopped around to some awesome swing music, dancing Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, and some blues. I got to be a Follower again! (At the studio I am often required to Lead because there are always more ladies wanting to dance then men) and I was happy, energetic, excited and all sweaty and having a great time. =)

On the list of things to do in my 30's: Go out dancing waaaaaaaay more often!!

Day 3: Go Somewhere Nostalgic

2009-05-05T09:55:00.000-07:00

My husband and I got married in Napa Valley on October 6, 2007 and haven't been there since. We finally found the perfect opportunity to go when some of my cousins were in town to visit and it was right around my 30th birthday. So we packed up the car and started the 1 hour road trip from the Bay Area out to the beautiful Napa Valley.

Upon entering the valley and seeing the sprawling vineyards with surrounding mountains in the backdrop, I was flooded with so many memories of the wedding and the one hundred and one times we went up there to even just plan the wedding. I loved the beauty of the area, the smell of grapes in the air, the peaceful, quaint feel of the surroundings. I loved all of it way back then and I loved it just the same when we went back again this time around.

Except there was nothing to stress about this time! We went to the Robert Mondavi Winery and took the two hour signature tour which gave us some wine making education and a little bit of history on the Mondavi wines. The tour was topped off with a private, guided wine tasting which was delicious but unfortunately, being the lightweight I am, I ended up slightly buzzed.

That didn't stop us though. We went on to V. Sattui winery, where we tasted another 6 selections and then had a small picnic on the benches outside with some bread, cheeses, and deli meat we purchased in their shop. At this point, I was definitely crunk drunk but still managed to fit in a delicious sushi dinner at Go Sushi!

Day 4: Do Something Touristy

2009-05-04T23:07:00.000-07:00

Since my cousins had only been to the Bay Area once before (and that was just for my wedding so they didn't really get to do much sightseeing), we decided to spend another overcast day doing something touristy. We had just spent a good part of the day eating a ton of food and wanted to do something to work it off, so we decided to head into the city and attempt to bike over the Golden Gate Bridge.

We got into the city at a pretty decent hour, around 3pm, but then spent so long walking around and trying to get onto the trolley down at Market Street to take us all the way across town to Fisherman's Wharf where we would begin our biking journey.

The trolley was definitely a fun experience and a must do for all who visit San Francisco. I particularly liked hanging off the edge of the trolley as we went up and down the hills of this romantic city.

When we got off at Fisherman's Wharf we found the Blazing Saddles bike rental company picked up our bikes and ready to go by 7pm. We worked our way out of the wharf, through the park (at which this point I might add is not for the faint hearted!) onto the marina, and out along Chrissy Fields with the majestic Golden Gate Bridge standing bright ahead with the dark clouds looming overhead.

We biked uphill to the entrance of the bridge and the views to be had from her were absolutely breathtaking. The Bay area really is absolutely gorgeous with all the little islands, broken up by areas of big blue water. We managed to bike halfway across the bridge and almost made it to Sausalito but being that the sun was going down we decided to head back. Just as well as we were all exhausted anyway and were pretty sure we burned off all the calories we had piled on that day!

The bike back was in the dark for the most part but was quite enjoyable as we headed towards the city skyline dotted with lights. I don't think I'll ever get over how beautiful the Bay Area is. This city is definitely growing on me.

Day 5: Act Like You Know how to Do Something

2009-05-03T10:51:00.000-07:00

So two of my cousins came into town to celebrate my birthday week with me. It was a rainy Friday and we were all trying to figure out what to do. My cousins suggested going to a shooting range, which neither of them have ever done before, but my husband and I had (twice, mind you) and decided to go in and give it a shot, excuse the pun.

At the shooting range, we ask if we can rent a lane. The friendly person behind the counter told us we would need to perform a short test to see if we knew the basic skills in gun handling. We were totally expecting this and went ahead with it anyway knowing that we remembered nothing!

The friendly counter person asks which piece we are comfortable handling. I sputter out "Um, a 22 glock" not knowing at all whether or not my terminology was even correct. He pulls one out and walks me over to another part of the counter where I was to perform my test.

He loads the 22 glock with blanks, lays the gun down in front of me and asks me to remove the bullets. I look down at the gun and see two buttons on the side of it. Shoot, I know it's one of these buttons that I just need to push the magazine will fall right out. But, are there buttons on the other side of the gun? What if it's a button on the other side? How do I check to see if there are? I slowly pick up the gun and try to turn it around while keeping the barrel facing the direction it should be facing.

At this point, the friendly person says to me "So if you're staring at the gun too long and aren't really sure...." I cut him off before he can even finish "Yea, I don't remember how to do this.... oh well!" And off I go!

The husband then gives it a go only to have the same outcome... Oh well, at least we tried!! We left promising to learn and return one day. No, we weren't so embarrassed that we'd never go there again.. haha!

So since that whole experience lasted all of 15 minutes, we needed to figure out another plan and ended up at an indoor go kart racing track. Turned out to be really fun especially since they had us dressed up in racing suits and geared up with helmets and goggles. Fun times!

Day 6: Read a Book

2009-05-01T00:20:00.000-07:00

The shared laundry room in our apartment complex contains a library nook that the tenants contribute to and take books from. I saw a book by Janet Evanovich called Wife for Hire. I'm a wife, though I'm not for hire, so I figured I'd read it. I'm usually a sucker for chick lit sounding titles and I had heard so much praise about her Plum series (though I haven't read it) so I gave it a shot.

Turns out it's part of a series of short romance stories. If you're in the mood for a quick, easy, fun and entertaining read, go for it. The story line was unrealistic yet romantic and filled with quirky characters, fiery romance, and witty humor. Will definitely quench your chick lit thirst if that's what you're craving!

Day 7: Get Stressed

2009-05-01T00:18:00.000-07:00

The husband and I work under terrible management and are extremely stressed tonight. Time to do some breathing exercises!

Day 8: Watch the Sunset

2009-04-28T10:28:00.000-07:00

It's funny how you stop noticing the things that happen regularly on a daily basis - like the sunset. It's one of the most beautiful things in the world to see, we have it available to us for free every single day, but in all honesty, since the beginning of this year, I think I've noticed it only once.

Once a week, on Sunday nights I drive a different route than usual because I teach a class in another town. Every time I drive home, I go over this bridge and can catch the most amazing view of the sun setting over the San Francisco skyline and the bay. It's absolutely stunning. And every time, I almost get into a car accident because I turn my head left and try to look as long as possible without crashing into another car.

This night, I decided to pull over, get out of the car, walk the footpath over the bridge and just watch it without worry. The sky was a glowing pink, then red, and the sun was a perfect round ball just sitting over the rest of the world. It's witnessing the world's most natural breathtaking moments like that, that remind me God is present in the world.

Day 9: Go to Brunch with the Girls

2009-04-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

Who ever thought of brunch is a genius. It's a great way for girls to get together and do what girls do best - talk! What better way to do it, then at a cozy restaurant in Union Square, San Francisco, while eating and drinking all day long. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday morning/afternoon if you ask me.

I enjoyed my typical scrambled eggs, with wheat toast, homestyle potatoes and fruit on the side. I also had I don't know how many cappuccinos so I was pretty wired the rest of the day. But my girlfriends and I did spend about 3 hours catching up on everything that has been going on. From pregnancies to boyfriend dramas, to bad hangovers from long nights out. It's really pretty amazing how long girls can spend talking. I love it. =)

Day 10: Plan a Romantic Night for Your Significant Other

2009-04-25T22:38:00.000-07:00

It had been awhile since The Husband and I had a fun night out together with just the two of us, so I decided to treat him to a special evening. Nothing extravagant, the basic dinner and movie, but man, the simple classic things to do never fail you. We had the best time chatting during dinner about silly childhood stories, and other things going on in our lives, and then cracking up during a hilarious movie. By the way, if you haven't seen "I Love You, Man" yet, I highly recommend going to see it asap. It is a great romantic comedy about friendship and love and will definitely keep you laughing throughout.

Day 11: Go for Afternoon Tea

2009-04-25T22:37:00.000-07:00

A girlfriend recently moved to a new neighborhood and she wanted to catch up. It had been awhile since we'd hung out so I was really excited to see her and was even more excited when we agreed to go for afternoon tea in her new hood. I LOVE afternoon tea. One of my favorite things about visiting London is afternoon tea with scones, finger sandwiches, and desserts. Yum. Anyhow, we ended up in the outdoor garden of this cozy, quaint little tea shop in Berkeley. It was the perfect afternoon with good tea, and great conversation. We caught up on everything from crappy bosses, to moving house, to relationships with our men. All in all, a great way to spend a beautiful afternoon.

Day 12: Learn How to Moonwalk

2009-04-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

A wedding couple came into the studio today for a 30 minute consultation. They wanted to learn a dance for their wedding. I talked to them about the usual: the floor size, the wedding date, how much flexibility the bride had in her dress, and then... the wedding song. They surprised me with Michael Jackson's Beat it and The Way You Make Me Feel. Turns out the groom-to-be is a huge MJ fan and he wants to pay his tribute to the King of Pop at his wedding. Fair enough! This definitely makes a fun little project for me, where I get to bust out with the classic Moonwalk and use a little creativity to choreograph something fun, easy, and exciting. Hmm... now it's time for me to brush on my Moonwalk.

Read more tips on how to have a great first wedding dance.

Day 13: Go Somewhere Quiet and Meditate

2009-04-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

I started getting into meditation after I recovered from my bout with Shingles. If you are interested in reading about that, I wrote an article on that whole experience here:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1623371/what_to_do_if_you_have_the_shingles.html?cat=70

According to my doctor, one of the causes of my outbreak was due to stress. I was definitely highly stressed at the time and did need a good dose of chill pills and relaxation. One of the methods I tried was Kundalini Yoga which is also known as the Yoga of Awareness. Kundalini Yoga utilizes different breathing patterns, mantras, and you are often seated in a cross-legged position with your spine straight and eyes closed, in order to focus on your breath and your inner self. You don't have to think about trying to "do" anything, you just sit there, breath, and clear your mind, with the purpose of achieving greater clarity and awareness in doing so.

I don't often practice Kundalini Yoga anymore, but I do enjoy from time to time, using the breathing exercises to just calm myself and relax whenever my mind feels like it is going in overdrive, which unfortunately, it usually does. I am definitely a big worrier, always worrying about something and it definitely causes a little anxiety here and there.

If that all sounds familiar to you, then I highly recommend doing some breathing exercises. It is extremely therapeutic and calming. A good DVD to start out with for these breathing exercises is "Kundalini Yoga to Detox and De-Stress" with Maya Fiennes.

If anyone has any other methods they use to de-stress, please feel free to leave them in the comments section.

Day 14: Take a Yoga Class

2009-04-22T10:46:00.000-07:00

Yoga is such an amazing art form. You watch the most experienced yogis do it and they make it look so effortless and easy. Like bending your body backwards so that your head is almost touching you feet is the most natural thing in the world. They don't break a sweat, there's no struggle to breathe, it's just nice, easy and smooth.

Then I try to do it. I start sweating profusely while trying to hold a pose for more than 10 seconds. I feel every painful stretch and find myself short of breath so quickly! Yoga is a freaking workout!

I love trying to do it though. I love trying to pay attention to my breath, and trying to become aware of my surroundings and my internal self, trying to focus and balance and get my body to do what I want it to do. Afterwards, my body feels limber and flexible, my muscles feel sore, and I actually feel lighter - maybe not physically, but spiritually. Getting in tune with your inner self really does make a difference. =)

Day 15: Learn About Starting a Business

2009-04-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

The Husband currently works for a boutique recruiting agency which is going well, but he's developed a strong network over the years and has been asked by a couple of his contacts to recruit for their businesses, independently. This in turn got him thinking that maybe this is something he could do, as in have his own business. Even if it's just something he does on the side at first to see how it goes.

I totally support and love the idea,so much so that I totally want to be involved in it. We went out to dinner the other night and talked about business names, writing up a business plan, and tried to come up with a plan to market his services. It might sound corny, but it was really exciting!

Last night, I found the US Small Business Administration website: (funny how you never know these things exist until you actually look for it) and read through a lot of the items on getting started. It's SUCH a helpful website and really a great stepping stone for anyone wanting to branch out on an endeavor like this.

It's strange though, how the things I am reading on this website are coming back to me from when I was in business school. In school, this stuff bored me to death, but now there isn't anything that could interest me more. Life really is the most effective school.

If you could have your own business doing anything you wanted, what would you do?

Day 16: Watch a Classic Movie

2009-04-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

Even though yesterday was a gorgeous day, I was so tired from our galavanting all weekend long, that I needed to stay in and recuperate. I decided to do that with a classic movie. Curled up on our living room couch, I settled in and recuperated with a nice dose of Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson and A Few Good Men.

A classic movie is one that you can watch over and over again and never get tired of. Where the acting from all the cast is so good that you forget it's a movie, and the storyline so intriguing that you are always wondering what's next, where it never gets old, and therefore becomes a timeless classic.

I still feel my adrenaline pump when the two brilliant actors are going back and forth in the courtroom screaming those famous lines with so much intensity it looks like the big veins in their temples are going to explode:

Jack: "You want answers?"
Tom: "I want the truth!"
Jack: "You can't handle the truth!"

Ooh, I just got a chill thinking about it.

For those of you that haven't seen it, it's about a junior lawyer in the United States Navy (Tom Cruise) and his counsel team (Demi Moore, and Kevin Pollack) defending two U.S. Marines charged with murdering a fellow Marine. What is meant to be an easy plea bargain case turns into a high-powered trial that investigates the illegal practices carried out at Guantanamo Bay and the authority of the highest ranking officials, Lt. Kendrick (Kiefer Sutherland) and Col. Nathan Jessup (Jack Nicholsan). Trust me, it is one courtroom thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat!

Are you as big a fan of that movie as I am? What's one of your favorite classic movies?

Day 17: Enjoy a Drink or Two, or Three, or Four with Friends

2009-04-19T21:11:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't like to kick back with some friends every now and again and enjoy a few drinks. Last night, we went out to celebrate a friend's birthday and ended up at some low key, very chill bars in Russian Hill. I have to admit, the more time I spend in San Francisco, the more I like it. In certain parts of this sleepy city, the atmosphere is very romantic and scenic, with the hills and views of the bay, making a night out charming and very movie like.

Even though I am a woman, I do not like to drink what people call "girly" shots or drinks. I've always preferred tequila shots to soco and lime or cranberry and vodka. Last night, I ended up taking 3 shots - 1 kamikaze shot, 1 washington apple shot, and 1 vodka shot. I have to say that I still prefer my straight liquor shots to the "girly" concoctions. I don't know what it is about those, but the sweet flavored alcohol always gives me some gag reflex whereas the hard liquor shots go down nice and smooth. I wish I could talk other girls into drinking those shots with me, but it never quite works out according to plan.

At the end of the night though, it didn't matter what anyone was drinking. We were all having a great time, feeling really good and even topped the night off with some good old, New York style pizza. Talk about happy endings. =)

What's your favorite drink?

Day 18: Go to a House Party

2009-04-18T09:40:00.000-07:00

Who said house parties are only a thing of your teenage days before you're ever old enough to get into a club or bar? House parties are a great way to enjoy your time in your twenties and thirties. You're hanging out in a nice cozy home, mingling with some interesting people and sometimes some not so interesting people, and enjoying yourself in a nice, chilled out environment. What's even cooler is that sometimes you might be acquainted to someone who has a really COOL house, or say like, a MANSION, and you get to go to their house party, or say like, their mansion party rather.

Last night while I was at work dancing the night away at the ballroom, The Husband was at a, well, what we thought would be a house party. One of his clients founded an internet based company who then sold it to a major communications corporation for an obscene amount of money. He bought a new house with all of that new money, threw a housewarming party, and it was really nice of him to invite us. This house that this founder now lives in is a 7 story mansion which they call "LastName Castle" in one of San Francisco's most prestigious neighborhoods.

I get out of work exhausted and am ready to head home when The Husband calls:

TH: I think you should come by and check out this party.
Me: I'm exhausted, I need to get home.
TH: Um, I really don't think you want to miss this.
Me: It's just a house party, I think I'll be ok.
TH: No, trust me, you don't want to miss this, I don't know if we'll ever have a chance to see something like this again.
Me: Where are you? In outer space?
TH: Not in outer space, but definitely some other surreal world. Just come.

With that, I plug the address into my GPS because I still can't figure out my way around San Francisco and begin my journey. I drive through the seedy parts of the city when suddenly I notice I am starting to go uphill. Very uphill, as in the streets are getting steeper and steeper almost so that my car could slide backwards, and as I make my way up these hilly streets, the houses on the block are getting bigger and fancier. I'm thinking that I am in for a treat, suddenly getting excited about where this drive is going to take me.

I finally end up at the top of the hill and pull up in front of this very tall, elegant looking building with a bunch of guys in white jackets standing outside. Is this it? What a nice looking apartment building, ahem. I call The Husband to double check and he tells me he is outside and he sees me. "Just pull up and give your car to one of the valet drivers." Ohhh, that's who the guys in the white jackets are. I look up and see The Husband standing in front of the crest that is stone ironed into the front of the building. The crest says "Last initial, C" which stands for "LastName Castle." Interesting.

You make your way to the wrought iron front door by one of the two stone staircases located on either side of it. You go through the front door and then walk into some kind of wonderland castle. At first it feels like a museum because you walk into the foyer and there are dozens of beautiful and unique framed pieces hanging on the walls all around you. The room has kind of a round shape to it, with the cloakroom straight ahead of you and two curved staircases to your right and left that meet in the middle on the next floor.

The rest of the house is 7 stories of which I lost track of how many rooms there are. There is a spiral staircase through the center of the house that connects it all and on each floor there a number of rooms around that spiral staircase. I just remember seeing guestroom after guestrooms, each with its own unique character and style, so perfectly decorated I was scared to mess it up. There was the kids playroom, and the kids office, the huge bar/lounge which is easily bigger than any lounge in New York, complete with a pool table, the library, the tv rooms.

My favorite floor was the top floor. On one side was this enormous living room complete with a sitting area containing a telescope and two chairs just facing the floor to ceiling windows with amazing views of the marina bay. The whole room was painted in this bright turquoise teal color which is shocking at first, but also has a nice warm effect on the room. On the other side of the floor was the kitchen and I guess family room or another living room. This room alone was about 5 times the size of our apartment. Then there are floor to ceiling windows all along the side of that room so it must get a ton of gorgeous sunlight in it, and 6 of those windows are actually french doors that open up onto their very own rooftop garden. Absolutely stunning.

The party was a lot of fun. We met a lot of great people and enjoyed all the drinks we wanted along with passed hors d'oeuvres, and even warm bowls of chili and cheese! Yes you saw that right, chili and cheese. Even the host and hostess themselves were very warm, welcoming, friendly, and down to earth people.

I was definitely glad I made it out there. The Husband was right, we'd probably never have another chance to see something like that again. But with hope, I turn to him with my bowl of chili in one hand and glass of wine in the other, and ask, "Do you think we'll ever end up in our own mansion?"

He answers, "Well these guys never thought they would, so bubs, you never know."

At least we can still keep dreaming about it.

Day 19: Eat at Your Favorite Restaurant

2009-04-16T22:50:00.000-07:00

No matter how bad the recession is, you always deserve to eat at your favorite restaurant! La Pinata 3 easily has the best Mexican food in the East Bay. It's been awhile since we had dinner here, and boy was it good to be back. This place has great atmosphere with lively decor and upbeat Spanish/Merengue music playing all night long. The bar is hopping, the drinks are big, and the food hits the spot. My dish of choice: Shredded Beef Enchiladas with Rice and Beans. Yum! The husband's dish of choice: Super Famoso Chicken Burrito. Double yum!

What's your favorite restaurant and when was the last time you went?

Day 20: Get Published

2009-04-15T22:45:00.000-07:00

About 2 weeks ago I suddenly decided that I wanted to start writing. I haven't been able to stop writing since. After writing my first piece, I suddenly wanted to get it out there and have anyone read it just to get some kind of feedback on how it was. I signed up for Associated Content and a week later my first "piece" was "published." Okay, so granted it's not some Pulitzer Prize winning publisher or anything, but still, it was officially "published" and I did get "paid" for it even if it was just a handful of change.

Anyhow, I've been on this crazy writing kick ever since and today I had my 9th article published. I'm quite proud of them and am really enjoying my new found hobby. Who knows, maybe it will lead on to bigger and better things. Then again, maybe not, but either way, I do enjoy it.

The article published today is based on my very own Napa Valley wedding experience and I hope it can help someone else out there.

Napa Valley, California Weddings on a Budget
Getting married in Napa Valley, California is not going to be cheap. However, if you have your heart set on getting married in one of the world's most beautiful destinations, here are some tips on making that happen without breaking the bank.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1646139/napa_valley_california_weddings_on.html

Day 21: Call a Childhood Friend you Haven't Talked to in Awhile

2009-04-14T23:19:00.000-07:00

In 4th grade, I had to start in a new school mid-year because my parents had separated and my mom moved us to a different state. I was definitely the shy, introverted type and was incredibly scared that first day of school. I was especially nervous when I had to walk into the cafeteria for lunch and had no idea where to sit feeling lost amongst a sea of tables and faces.

A girl came up to me and asked if I wanted to sit with her. I'll call her Dimples because she had some pretty big ones when she smiled. Relieved, I happily accepted her offer and a life-long friendship was born.

From there began a journey that had its fair share of ups and downs. Though we went to high school and then onto college together, we had different circles of friends and sometimes went months without speaking. We had the type of friendship though where no matter how long it had been since we last spoke, we could always pick up right where we left off. We went through it all together - boyfriends, first kisses, family issues, fights, breakups, final exams, figuring out what to do with our lives, first jobs, second jobs, traveling, marriages. We shared in each others laughter, joys, and happiness, as well as each others tears, heartaches, and sorrows.

I spoke with her today for the first time in awhile. She is now 5 months pregnant and will be having a baby girl in August. This is how part of our conversation went:

Me: Are you showing now?
D: Yea, but I don't look pregnant, I look like I'm fat!
Me: Man, I can't believe I'm not there to see you go through all of this. You have to send me pictures every month of how you look.
D: No way man, I'm not taking any pictures. I'm telling you I look fat, not pregnant!
Me: Who cares, I'm sure you are glowing like every pregnant lady is supposed to be.
D: Yea, glowing my fat a$$ off. Anyhow, what's up with you? How's the husband?
Me: We're good, he's finally off his crutches! Thank god, I was about to crazy.
D: Why? You weren't the one on crutches.
Me: Yea, but I was the one waiting on him hand and foot. He is one needy patient.

I love how even though nowadays our conversations usually revolve around marriage and pregnancy, we still talk to each other like we're 12. My how time flies, and in reflecting just now how much our friendship has been through, I feel blessed to have been witness to her life as she has been to mine. I feel blessed that regardless where we are in the world, and what stages of our lives we are in, we will always have each other.

Day 22: Write a Poem

2009-04-13T23:01:00.001-07:00

a time to learn about life, love, family, money, and friendship
to follow your heart and explore the world
to say yes, to say no, and most always, to say i don't know
to not know, but then to discover for yourself
often in ways that you dare never thought, but then can't imagine not doing
how many ways can you spin yourself around
how many nights can you lie awake wondering
who am i, where am i, and what the hell am i doing here
only to awake in the morning sometimes ready to start the day anew
and sometimes not wanting to wake at all
yet at any point in time you can always look back
and feel good about where you started, and how far you've come
where you are now, and where you are going
even if you don't know anything at all, you are at peace just knowing
that everything will be okay

Day 23: Spend Time With Family

2009-04-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

Hoppy Easter to all.

Since our immediate families live back on the east and farther east coasts, we spent today's holiday with our adopted family as we now usually do whenever holiday family oriented events roll around. I'm very lucky to have ended up in a place where not only do my dad's cousin and family live, but that they have also taken us in as one of our own and always, without fail, makes us feel right at home. We've spent Christmases, birthdays, 4ths of July, Labor Days, and just because days with them and I would seriously have gone crazy if I had to completely go without home cooked Filipino food, which in my defense, I do try to make, but you know, it's never quite the same.

So today was another one of those now familiar days, where you have a place to go to just relax, chill, catch up with everyone, tell funny stories and stupid jokes, and eat lots of really good food. Best of all, I love that with family, you can "just be."

What do you and your family like to do when you all get together?

Day 24: Do Something You Can't Afford to Do at the Moment

2009-04-11T21:29:00.000-07:00

After spending almost 3 years in the Bay Area, my first trip to the stunning Lake Tahoe was only just this past February (Valentine's weekend). We went to go snowboarding with a few friends and it was also my first time to go snowboarding in almost 5 years. Needless to say that I was absolutely hooked on snowboarding once again and have been feeling the itch to go ever since. I've since been trying to get my husband to go for another weekend, but with the uncertainty of the current economy, we have been trying to save money where ever possible.

A few friends were again going up to Lake Tahoe for the day, and I figured I would allow myself this one wish. We were able to get some discount tickets and I even managed to borrow a snowboard and bindings, so I felt better about at least being able to keep costs down.

I just got back from my trip. I am exhausted and every muscle in body aches. The weather was perfect, Tahoe was breathtaking, I boarded, I fell, boarded some more, fell some more, and loved every second of it. I definitely made the right decision and can't wait to go back again next season!

Why I Love My Job

2009-04-10T23:08:00.000-07:00

The Benefits of Being a Ballroom Dance Teacher

1. You have students that tell you the highlight of their week is coming to their dance lesson. It makes me feel like what I am doing is worthwhile if I can make someone else's week that much better.

2. Part of my job is going to our studio's social dance parties and dancing with everyone there. I get paid to do this. I get paid to dance.

3. Dance teachers teach during the afternoons and evenings. Know what that means? It means I don't have to wake up at the butt crack of dawn. I LOVE that.

4. At work we have events like "Dancing with the Drag Queens." There was a photo shoot at the studio today featuring all the drag queens that will be taking part in this upcoming June event. How often do you hear of something like that happening?

5. My "office" is a 5,000 square foot ballroom filled with happy, dancing folks and beautiful music.

Day 25: Change My Name

2009-04-10T22:52:00.000-07:00

I have been married for 2 years and am still using my maiden name. I had toyed with the idea of changing my name for some time, but was never quite ready to let go of it, feeling like I'd be losing a big part of my identity. Of course, it's not the name that makes you, but rather the person you are, and so now after 2 years of marriage, and 25 days before my 30th birthday, I am ready to take the next step.

I've done some research on how to make this all happen. It's kind of complicated with so much paper work and regulating agencies involved, but I'm excited to get it going and have everything be finalized. First step, social security card...

Day 26: Write a Letter to Mom and Dad

2009-04-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

Thirty years is a long time for parents to put up with their children. They deserve a whole world of everything for being as loving and devoted as they have been. Unfortunately, I don't have a whole world of everything to give them, but I do have my love, appreciation, and gratitude. I talk to my parents who are back on the east coast a few times a week and visit at least once a year. When we're together it's always fun, but I definitely don't let them know enough how much I love them.

Dear Mom and Dad,

So I am turning 30 in less than a month and I just needed to say thanks from the bottom of my heart for putting up with all of my foolishness and crazy shenanigans for this long. 30 years is a really long time, I don't know how you guys did it. You definitely deserve some kind of reward for being as supportive, patient, and loving as you've been. I wish I could give you a check for a nice sum of money or buy you a new house or a fancy car (I wish I could do this all for myself too), but I'm almost 30 and broke so for now, my words will have to do =) ...

Day 27: Take a Nap

2009-04-08T22:28:00.000-07:00

From being up late last night and dancing all morning, I was really tired today. I hadn't taken a nap in the middle of the day in, geez, I don't know how long it's been. I guess you run out of energy fast when you get older... actually no, in the spirit of being young at heart, I reverted back to the days of youth and indulged myself with nap time. Yes, I took a nap. It was freaking awesome.

Day 28: Break is over! Time to Get Back to Finishing What I Started

2009-04-08T22:04:00.000-07:00

So the reason I left my beloved New York for northern California was to pursue a career as a dance teacher. I have this crazy passion for dancing so when I discovered a ballroom dance teacher training program in San Francisco, I decided that was going to be my next career move. So I moved out here, completed the teacher training program and am now teaching at a dance studio in San Francisco.

Believe it or not, there is a certification exam for dance teachers. My mentor highly advised that I take this exam and compared it an accountant not just being an accountant, but taking the licensing exam and becoming a CPA. Having this teaching certification is especially helpful for teachers who are not national or world champion dancers (which unfortunately, I am not) to have this credential under their belt.

While the dance teaching certification exam is not as rigorous as the CPA exam, it is pretty intense! Ballroom dancing is not just an art, but a science. It is highly technical and you need to know the ins and outs, nuts and bolts in order to be a certified dance teacher. Anyway, knowing all this, I decided that I would set out to become not just a dance instructor, but a certified dance instructor at that. I studied, and studied some more, practiced, and practiced some more then I completed half the exam. Notice I said half.

That was a year and a half ago. Being that teaching dance was what I flipped my whole life around for and now that I have a big milestone coming up that is making me want to do things, I decided that there is no better time than now to dust off those books and put on those practice shoes to finish what I started.

Last night I stayed up late studying theory and technique for Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Rumba, Cha Cha, and East Coast Swing. This morning I spent a few more hours practicing the dancing. I was exhausted but loved every second of it. I plan on finishing this certification exam by June. We'll see how I do!

Day 29: Take Stock of Where You Are Now and Figure Out Where You Want to be in 10 Years

2009-04-07T14:07:00.001-07:00

I am going to try to do this because I feel like it is a pretty logical thing to do at a milestone age. All through life everyone always said that you need to set goals for yourself so you have something to work towards and gauge yourself against to know if you're on track. I think I've managed to prove to myself that when I set my mind to something I can definitely achieve it. I said I'd become an accountant and I became one. I said I'd get a job at a Big 5 firm and I got one. I said I'd become a CPA and I am. Then I said I wanted to become a dance teacher. Voila, I'm a dance teacher. I've definitely had no problem setting short term goals for myself and achieving them. The bigger issue that I've had problems tackling is figuring out what really interests me, and what the heck I want out of life.

At many times along the way I have felt downright crazy because one day I think I want to be an accountant, and then a dance teacher, then maybe a nurse, or a regular teacher, or should I be a beautician? Do I want to live in California, NY, London? Who freaking knows!! Half of me wants to stick to one area and be able to put my all into it to excel and become an expert in the field. The other half of me says, but why be stuck doing just one or two things in life, I just want to try it all. The battle goes on and on.

Anyway, when I was 20 I had everything planned out. By 30, I would be very successful at whatever career I was doing, making lots of money, married at 28, first kid by 30, a nice house in New Jersey with a dog running around in the backyard.

Fast forward 10 years later, I am currently barely making a living as ballroom dance teacher, which I am nowhere near successful at as I've only started this new career less than a year ago. I am not making even a quarter of what I made when I first graduated college. I did get married at 28! check! But have no plans for kids anytime soon and we are renting a 1 BR apartment in the Bay Area which does not allow tenants to have dogs.

So it seems the goals I set 10 years ago just gives me reason to complain about all the things I don't have that I was supposed to have. The other side of the coin though is that I got out of a career that made me miserable, to do something I enjoy and feel good about. Yes I don't make a lot of money, but I am blessed that the man I love supports the choices I've made in life and continues to support and encourage me regardless of what crazy mood I am in on any given day. And who cares if I don't have a 4BR house in NJ close to my parents, we can barely take care of our cozy 1BR rental apartment anyway, and it's a block away from a beach with an amazing view of San Francisco. As for the dog, I say it's probably both better for the dog and for us that we don't have one just yet, and I know we'll be getting him when the time is right. I realize that I may just be saying this to rationalize and compensate for the fact that I haven't gotten to where I set out to be, but so be it. This makes me feel good about what I've been through and where I am and I'm turning 30 in a month dammit!

One of the biggest lessons I learned while I went through my career as an accountant was that you really need to take the time to learn about yourself and know what you want. You can read more about part of that experience here:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1612283/the_life_of_an_accounting_major.html?cat=31

Life is about the journey. It doesn't make sense to eventually achieve a goal you set for yourself but be miserable every step of the way. So my goals for where I want to be at 40 are the following:

1. Be happy and content with where I am and with what I have.

I'm sure this list will develop and change over time, but for now, I'm happy with that.

Turning 30 in 30 days

2009-04-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

Day 30: Start a blog.

I am turning 30 in 30 days and on the start of this 30 day countdown to 30, I've decided to start a blog on life in your thirties. My twenties had been one hell of a roller coaster ride, and it's pretty safe to say that I am still on that crazy ride as I begin the next decade of my life. In my twenties, I went through the ups and downs of: being on a career path with plenty of potential but hating every second of it, enduring a long-distance relationship, changing careers a couple of times, changing jobs even more times, living in some of the greatest cities of the world, having the most amazing friends to share the times with and also having amazing friends come in and out of my life, trying to establish an "adult" relationship with mom and dad, getting married to my long-distance love, visiting exotic faraway places, meeting interesting people and learning of new cultures. My one regret is that I didn't document it all, my roaring 20's, in a way I'd like to remember it.

So in an effort to turn 40 without having the same regret about my 30's, I am officially starting my documentary. My thoughts, pearls of wisdom, interests, good times, bad times, and crazy antics, as I go into a decade of what is hopefully where life stops being real, and starts getting even more fun. Here I raise my glass as I get ready to travel head on, at full throttle, into life in my thirties. Cheers!