it arrived

annual goal...accomplished!

a few years ago i was talking to my dad about going fishing for a day...and after i told him the details of my plans, he said, "with you, it's really just about the story you can tell afterwards." i wasn't sure what to say...because, truly, i was about to spend eight hours of my day in a car so i could fish for a few hours on opening day. kinda a ridiculous way to spend a day so i would have a cool story afterwards. and i did it...and i told everyone about how cool it was.

this past weekend i hiked Half Dome. i've been wanting to do it for the past three years, but after working my butt off to get to the top and back, i realized the main reason i did it was so that i could tell the story of how i hiked Half Dome. it is about 7 miles of a pretty treacherous hike up a mountain, followed by about one mile of climbing up a steeper rock, ending with 160 yards of life-threatening cable climbing. and then you gotta turn back and go back down. the view at the top is completely awe-inspiring...and overcoming that challenge is absolutely awesome...but you can also drive a car to Glacier Point and see a lot of beautiful mountains.

i don't want to downplay this accomplishment - i am really excited that i finally hiked Half Dome. it is really cool that i get to tell the story (there are many details i'm leaving out). but in the future, i may question my motives before taking on fairly major challenges.

email forward

this is great...but even greater because my awesome sister sent it to me.

Friendship Promises

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Enough of that Sissy Crap!

Are you tired of those sissy 'friendship' poems, that always sound good, But never actually come close to reality?

Well, here is a series of promises
That actually speak of true friendship.

You will see no cutesy
Little smiley faces on this card -

Just the stone cold truth

1. When you are sad -- I will
Help you get drunk and plot revenge
Against the sorry bastard or bitch who made you sad.

2. When you are blue -- I will
Try to dislodge whatever is choking you.

3. When you smile -- I will
Know you are plotting something
That I must be involved in.

4. When you are scared -- I will
Rag on you about it every chance I get.

5. When you are worried -- I will
Tell you horrible stories about
How much worse it could be,
Until you quit whining.

6. When you are confused -- I will
Use little words.

7. When you are sick -- I will
Tell you to stay the hell away from me
Until you are well again.
I don't want whatever you have.

8. When you fall --
I will Point and laugh at your clumsy ass.

This is my oath....
I pledge it to the end.
'Why?' you may ask.
'Because you're my friend!'

Friendship is like
Peeing your pants:
Everyone can see it,
But only you can
Feel the true warmth.

Send this to 10
Of your closest friends,
Then get depressed
Because you can only think of 4.

i found a negative!

I really haven’t had any complaints about living in the Bay Area…at all. It’s expensive, yeah, but there’s plenty of explanations for that. Mountains, ocean, great weather…

While chatting with some coworkers today, I realized that I finally have a solid complaint…and I’ve referred to it before…but it has more impact now. I think I’ve talked about how dehydrated I always am – I just can’t keep up on water. It’s annoying, but I can deal. I drink a lot of water. Someone told my mom a couple months ago that it’s partly because of the salt in the air from the ocean….which kinda made sense to me, so I bought into it. The salt dries everything out – my blood, my skin, etc. Here’s the kicker – it’s also drying out my hair. I know I kill my hair every so often with dye, blowdry it every day and curl or straighten it…but it used to be able to handle all that. Now it’s just dry and a bit annoying. Humph.

Unfortunately, Minnesota friends, this isn’t enough to get me to move back. Sorry.

my top 10 iphone apps

Esteem aid – tells me how awesome I am whenever I want it to
ayePhone – clever & makes pirate noises…the only app I’ve paid money for
SportsTap – tells me the Twins score (or other sports)
Facebook & MySpace – of course
Yelp – helps me find places to eat, get my nails done, etc
Admit One – helps me find a good movie
UrbanSpoon – would randomly tell me where to eat…but I haven’t used it, yet
iPint – I win a beer!
PhoneSaber – my own light saber
BubbleWrap – it’s fun

Pirate Day!

My pirate name is:

Iron Grace Kidd

A pirate's life isn't easy; it takes a tough person. That's okay with you, though, since you a tough person. Even though you're not always the traditional swaggering gallant, your steadiness and planning make you a fine, reliable pirate. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

tomorrow - be prepared

it's International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

men to avoid

this article is helpful...and pretty hilarious...some of my favorite parts:
But there are certain types of guys who should be NOBODY'S type.
The OverEater: It's an irritating fact that men can eat more than women.
Do not walk away -- run.
He's certainly cute, but he just never stops.

and there's so much more...

mornin' news

i used to love the Today Show...but it's just gone downhill. and now i can't find a channel to watch - suggestions?

as great as espn is, i can't do it every morning.

hiccups

i just had 'em for the first time in a while...i don't like 'em. i'm glad they're gone.

Big Day

my company filed an NDA today - new drug application. it's a huge deal, 8 years in the making. we had ice cream to celebrate and decorated the place up fancy. to make my company even cooler, the CEO & president both served ice cream to all the employees.

i can't imagine the party we will have if/when the FDA approves this thing. i can't wait to plan it! (no jinxing)

in other news, the Boof Bonser tshirt i ordered for my nephew arrived today. i can't wait to see him in it.

second weekend of freedom

so this was the second weekend that i haven't had filled with major plans since school ended...and i still don't really know how to deal. it's pretty crazy - around 1pm i hit a point of "what will i do with all my time?" - but then i find plenty to do to fill up my day. and i love it. sundays full of fun, random things pretty much rock. and a guilt-free day at the beach was equally fantastic.

someday soon i'll find something to pursue/focus on/be passionate about. for now, i'm trying to learn how to rest and relax. it's a struggle...but good for me, i think.

san jose runners

san jose runners are friendlier than mountain view runners. this shouldn't be a surprise, as it gets a li'l stuffier the further up the peninsula you go (no offense, peeps)...but it's pretty evident. or maybe it's just evening runners...i'm not used to them, either.

no less, i like it when fellow runners give a nod, wave or friendly "hi!"

ps i've recently heard the nickname "Man Jose" and it makes sense. again, quality, not quantity, people

another life goal

become a member of the "minnesota twins wives' organization"

over 4 years...

i've been in norcal for over four years now...and i still have "i totally get to live here" moments. i hope they never go away.

a li'l embarassing

i had to go to the dr today to make sure my tailbone's not broken. i had to talk to at least four hospital people and they all asked what i was in for..."uh, the weird bump that replaced the bruise on my butt..." then i had a ""butt-ray"". (roommate's code word for xray of the butt)

at least i don't have a donut, yet. and i told the doctor that i wouldn't fall any more.

this one's more fun

Your Lucky Underwear is Blue

You are caring and extroverted. You've made relationships your number one focus, and your lucky blue underwear can bring some balance to them. You thrive in one-on-one situations. You are a good listener and a natural born therapist. Sometimes you let the concerns of others become too important in your life, leading to stress and worry. If you want more balance, put on your blue underpants. They'll help you take care of yourself first.

What Color Is Your Lucky Underwear?

purple

You Are Grape

You are bold and a true individual. You are very different and very okay with that. People know you as a straight shooter. You're very honest, even when the truth hurts. You are also very grounded and practical. No one is going to sneak anything by you. People enjoy your fresh approach to life. And it's this honesty that makes you a very innovative person.

What Color Purple Are You?

i'm not ready!

there's a big game on at 4pm today...a big game...kinda sets the mood for the rest of the season...and i'm not ready for it. it's still baseball season, man! but somehow, by 4pm, i will be football ready.

go Vikes! my pride, friendship with roommate and fantasy football team are depending on you.

my favorite kitchen appliance

yup, i've got one. sometimes, i use the kitchen.

my favorite thing in there is the timer on the coffee pot. there's nothin' better than comin' back from a good run to some yummy coffee.

baby update

she was born yesterday...she came very quick...everyone's healthy and happy...and her name is Charlotte. li'l bro just sent me a text message that said he got instant gray hair. funny kid.

see you at Christmas, baby Charlotte!

welcome, new baby hegman!

she was eight pounds somethin'. that's all i know...little bro was just so excited that when he talked to dad, he forgot some details. and dad was so excited that he forgot to ask for details. but yay baby!

i'll get details tomorrow.

warning: on directions

i feel like this just needs to be put out there - if you get directions from me, you should highly doubt that they're correct. i think 80% of the time i tell you to go right when i mean left, and vice versa. even if i'm sure that i'm correct, i may still be wrong.

now you know - if you get directions from me, they may be ok...or you may just want to add an extra 20 minutes on to your time to account for a wrong turn.

the perfect weekend in MN

A few of my favorite things…
- Sebastian Joe's
- Green Mill goodness
- a new summer bevvie with the Lercher's
- Traveling Pants
- a GREAT BBQ
- a broken bum
- rest
- donuts!
- a wedding specta-color
- family time…love those kiddos
- lots o' driving/thinking time
- a great last day of meals
- quality friendships, great weather, funny moments…it was the perfect weekend trip to MN. Thanks to all!