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December 31 '06 was a good yearI love that fresh start, “I can do anything” feeling that is the beginning of the New Year. Though I don’t make resolutions, I do set goals for myself which generally revolve around eating healthier, exercising more, saving money, reducing stress, etc. I aim for tangible objectives, not pie in the sky unattainable desires, because I don’t want to set myself up for failure. I’m feeling particularly lucky this morning, reflecting on the past year. 2006 was a good year for us. In 2006:
December 30 caught in the actLast night I am getting ready for dinner and decide to re-apply some deodorant post Fan Form class. Better to smell like fresh baby powder than my post kung-fu musk. I pop off the cap and prepare to apply when I see a largish (2+ inch long), somewhat pubic looking hair on the top of the deodorant stick. Ew. After a fleeting moment of self doubt where I had to consider when I last shaved my armpits, I remembered my husband and his deodorant stealing ways. Dear Hubby, I'm calling you out in the hopes that you will stop using my deodorant because you are either 1) out of deodorant or 2) have misplaced your deodorant. That is just nasty. I mean, I love you very much, but a girl has to have some things that belong to just her…deodorant is one of them. Sharing deodorant is not cool. December 28 sadnessmy family left this a.m. and I am sad
i am always sad when the end of my family time arrives
it was so quiet this morning around the house after they left
no little girl to ask for breakfast cereal
no little baby to coo and smile at me in the morning
no dancing or singing around the house
no coffee and breakfast while sitting around the dining room table with the adults
back to our ol' routine I suppose
we really enjoyed having Tenaya, Tony, Malia, and Sophia for the holidays. it was so nice to spend christmas with family and share some of our traditions with them. Tenaya and Tony are great parents and they have such a cute family. we didn't do a ton of stuff with the fam, but that seemed a-ok. We got good quality time with each other. We cooked and ate a ton, we watched movies, we played with the kids, we did some sight seeing, we hosted a dinner for 17 people, and of course we just sat around and spanned some time together. i love christmas with family...especially when I don't have to fly to do it. Next up...Roger's parents to celebrate UNR's sports accomplishments, Mom's B-day, and the New Year! December 23 all is calm (after 9:30 p.m.), all is brightKurtz household is at its height of holiday festivity, with a twist. Enter 5 y.o. Malia and 3 mo Sophia. All of a sudden: · You never know when someone may burst into a Cheetah Girls song · Adults are prone to spelling words around the house such as “presents,” “Santa,” and “candy.” · There is always a box of crayons in use, being moved around, or in the process of being tidied up · Words like “binky,” “Wiggles,” and “Drool Monster” are in heavy rotation · You may sit down to dinner only to discover it is time for a prayer that begins: "Dear Jesus, I hope you had a good day. [begin listing myriad requests for gifts or good tidings at Christmas]". · All of the stuffed animals in the house have magically disappeared and reappeared a day later on Malia’s bed. · Knock-knock jokes, rhyming, and singing are all the rage. · Group hugs involving you, Malia and a third person are demanded throughout the day · Roo discovers she is in love with the smell of baby food, second only to the smell of tamale masa. December 18 giddyJust heard from my sister, Tenaya, who is currently en route to Seattle from LA. They just passed Ashland, OR and will be in Seattle tonight! Yeah! I am so giddy I can barely concentrate at work. I jumped and danced around the house this weekend anxious for their arrival. I am very excited to get over a week of quality time with Tenaya. It has been a long, long time since I have had QT with my sis. I was just telling Roger that since I was a junior in high school I have spent less than 3 continuous days around her. Usually we get brief visits when get go to LA including the occasional sleepover. She hasn't been to Seattle since we got married.
We busily tidied the house this weekend, made beds, cleaned bathrooms, kid-proofed the house a bit. Even Roostie is getting a "tidy" at the groomers in anticipation of their arrival. I've got craft and cookie projects planned for Malia. I'll put Tenaya and Tony to work making tamales. We'll get a Christmas tree on Wednesday. We'll go visit Santa. We'll do some shopping. We'll see some sights. Maybe go up to the summit and check out the snow. We'll likely go out to eat a bunch (Mongolian BBQ and Dim Sum are certainly on the list). Who cares what we do, provided we all do it together as one big family. Yeah! The holidays are great for bringing family together. I'm really excited about having the kids. Malia is going to be hilarious to watch on Christmas morning. December 13 the next phase of trainingI just got asked to be an assistant teacher for the next beginner's cycle at my school! I'm on tap to assist my sifu on Thursdays starting in January. I am really psyched about this. Actually, I can't stop thinking about it. Poor Roger had to listen to me go on and on about it last night and this morning. Assistant teaching in the beginner's cycle is the first baby step into the teaching realm. You can start assistant teaching when you are a blue belt. I'll be a body for sifu to demonstrate on, help with paperwork and logistics, demonstrate techniques to new students, work with the folks who start late in the cycle, etc. I'm really excited to be partnered with sifu b/c I will learn a lot just assisting in her classes. I'm pretty excited to see how this will influence my training and what I will learn in the process. It will be a different way of thinking about the material and my approach to training. So far, my training has really been all about me. Now that I am venturing into the teaching realm, I will have to look at things in a different light. I will be a model for the new white belts. It also means a much larger commitment to the school. Not only will I have to go to class a minimum of 2x's a week, I will also have to asst teach 1 x a week. I can't flake on teaching. That doesn't even include attendance at tests and events. This is a big commitment, but I am ready to embrace it.
I still clearly remember taking my own beginner's cycle and thinking the teachers/asst teachers were totally badass. I wanted to emulate their movements, stances, form, etc. Their instruction and enthusiasm contributed to my desire to continue training. I think it will be cool to be that person for another crew of new students. It is a little stressful knowing that these students will be watching my every move so they can replicate it. Though I am a little nervous about it, I am anxiously awaiting this new layer to my training. After this beginner's cycle, I can potentially transition into assistant teaching in the all school classes. That will be weird to teach to my friends, but I think it could be a lot of fun as well and will really force me to focus on the nuance and details of the material. Now I have to start thinking about what constitutes a good class, what I like about each of the teacher's styles, etc so I can develop my own repertoire and style. Yah! ode to a neighborhood treeOh, lakeside tree
I noticed you had the foreboding sign hanging off your trunk last week
The City believed you were one of many hazardous dead or dying trees
I know your passing is for the greater good
But I thought you were beautiful
I loved how you marked the end of Dawson St
I enjoyed looking up at your intricate branches and gnarled bark
A home to many birds
Roostie loved to sniff you on the walkies
I got teary eyed when I saw you were cut down yesterday
It was time
We will miss you
Goodbye ol' tree
You majestic beauty December 08 Best White Elephant gift I have ever receivedToday at work we had our annual potluck and white elephant gift exchange. I managed to walk away with a Derek and the Dominos LP! It is in excellent condition. As soon as I saw a co-worker open it up I knew I had to snatch it away from her when it was my turn. Thankfully I was one of the last ones to pick a gift. No one is fessing up about giving such a good gift. It was a toss up between the record and a yoga ball. I had to take the record though. I mean, come on...supposedly it is Clapton's best work. Suckas! December 07 Quick poll on workplace etiquetteIs it appropriate to "let it mellow" in a workplace restroom?
There is a culprit in my office (I know who it is). It shouldn't gross me out because she is being environmentally friendly...but there is something about seeing your co-worker's piss in a toilet that I find off putting. December 06 exchange one addiction for anotherThis Fall, I have been drinking an excessive amount of coffee. I'm talking 3-4 cups of coffee in the morning. Mostly the free drip coffee at work, but in the end I was using the excuse of "going out for coffee" as a way to take a break from work. Coffee is warm and soothing and tasty, and something to do while also churning away in front of my computer...but it is so addictive and I don't want all my teeth to fall out before I am 40. I was the first to admit that 4 cups of coffee a day was not healthy. I also noticed that I had not been drinking much water because I did not train regularly this Fall (when I train regularly I am constantly hungry and thirsty), and thus was having repeated dehydration headaches. I knew I need to stop the downward spiral, so I started to play mindgames with myself. First I made up rules. Rule 1: Must drink one glass of water before I serve myself some coffee (I ended up having to go to the bathroom every half hour) Rule 2: I am not allowed to buy expensive espresso drinks (added bonus-I save cash!). Rule 3: Reduce coffee consumption by half and only drink 2 cups a day. Anytime I crave coffee, I get up and drink a glass of water. But you know what? Water is tasty and all, but you can only drink so much before it gets boring and I need diversity in my mouth. In an effort to continue on the hydration track I decided to try a Vitamin Water a couple of months ago. Holy cow. I am loving these things. I can't get enough. I have tried every flavor and they are all good though my favorites are "energy" (it has guarana), "multi-v" (tastes like lemonade), "essential" (watered down tang), "power-c (dragonfruit!), and "revive" (fruit punch).
As a result of my new found beverage of choice, I have managed to diminish my coffee consumption to one travel mug in the morning. However, instead of reducing costs, I now buy a Vitamin Water almost every day. This is the problem. I have substituted one addiction for another. The Vitamin Waters are really tasty. Also, this drink has vitamins! So I feel extra healthy (regardless of whether I am) because I am drinking hydrating fluids AND also getting vitamins. I find their marketing and branding quite clever. The only downside--these drinks are freaking expensive. They range from $1.69-2.10 per bottle. Here I was trying to be frugal by not buying coffee drinks and I have merely substituted it with another expense. I am now what Roger calls a Vitamin Water fiend. Anytime I see them on sale at the store I buy a dozen. As a matter of fact, they are on sale for a $1 at Safeway right now and I have already gone twice and picked up 10 bottles each visit. Eventually I will need to hit up Costco so I can truly buy in bulk. If we stop for a beverage at a gas station, I pick up two Vitamin Waters (one for that moment and another for when I'm watching TV). I rarely crave soda now. If it is a choice between a coke and a Vitamin Water, I choose the Vitamin Water. Yeah, I replaced one addiction with another...but is that so wrong if the addiction involves a product with the word "vitamin" in it? I think not...provided there isn't some insidious drug in the drink. As an added bonus, they are perfect after a night of drinking. Just one Vitamin water before going to be and you are sure to avoid a hangover.
December 05 Look at us, all festive n' sh*tAt the old house we put Christmas lights up in a half assed sort of way. The first year, we put lights up along the retaining wall only to have someone rip them down and steal them within 2 days. Let's just say that was a harsh introduction into the old 'hood. After that I didn't really feel like putting up lights around the property in subsequent years. We did spot lighting--icicles around the front door, lights around the deck, lights along the stairwell, but never a comprehensive lighting strategy.
Now that we are in a "house proud" kind of neighborhood we wanted to be festive and put up Christmas lights for the holidays. I really wanted to do an all clear bulb installation and thankfully Roger was into that vibe. We put up Christmas lights on Sunday and I am so proud of us for doing so. It looks pretty spectacular, if I don't say so myself. This is the first year we've gone all out with the lights. I love coming home at night and seeing the house lit up. I find myself sneaking up to the living room window at night so I can peep the lights and ooh and ahh and yell 'GO Team Kurtz" with a triumphant fist pump. We attacked the task effectively--there was no fighting, no disagreement about vision, no near death experiences...after a brief brainstorming session, we went to work. There were a few scary moments with the extendo-ladder where contingencies were made if Roger were to perchance fall off the ladder, and there was one moment when we finished putting up the lights only to have a fuse blow out, but we managed to complete the project with a minimal amount of angst. Overall, I think our lights looks pretty classy and I'm happy with the results. I am officially in the holiday spirit. In fact, I'm starting the tamale making process this week. We even started wrapping presents this weekend for the kids. My only sadness is that we decided to wait to get our Christmas tree until Tenaya, Tony and the kids come to visit so they can participate in picking the tree and decorating it. That's ok. It will be worth the wait to see Malia's reaction to the tree hunt and decorating extravaganza. |
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