life seems to keep me away from blogging quite a bit these days. i used to blog in my spare time at work, when i was tired of fighting the bureaucratic powers that be (or just didn't care enough to mind taking some time out to do my own thing). now, though, i'm pretty slammed with work... and actually enjoying most of it! it's still fairly novel to me, so i'm enjoying the intricacies of contract negotiation, customer relations, peer training, etc. i've gotten to sit in on a few interviews (we've got one new person starting august 1, and another that will hopefully accept and start in a few weeks), i have pretty good rapport with my coworkers and supervisors, i sit on one committee and potentially one or two others, and so on. i'm also covering for a coworker who is out on family business indefinitely, so i have little to no time for my lovely little webcorner.

so, here i am to give a brief update and let you get back to your merry lives...

the highlights:
1) asia sf: good times with judy, kat, viv, sharline, and heather... i'd been to this place before with nfwfers, but it's always a fun place to go. asian-cali cuisine in the mission district, drag queen waitresses who perform on the bar, yummy drinks-- how much more sf can you get? :)
2) seven-game unbeaten streak by my boys in blue! it was unfortunately snapped last friday in a loss to DC, but they picked up where they left off on wednesday with a win in colorado. hopefully they'll stay on the upswing...
3) jessica's baby shower: yay! she's due in august. i can't wait to meet her little girl... the name has been chosen but i've been sworn to secrecy. shh!
4) happy hour for my old boss's 31st birthday in sf. it was fun to see a bunch of the old crew... i miss hanging out with her on a regular basis, but we'll have to work on that.
5) late-night bbq at the manse in the half moon bay hills... dude. i wish i could put pictures up here, because this house is monstrous. there are currently five-ish people living in this space, but each of their rooms is huge... plus there's room to spare. they have an indoor wood-fire pizza oven, an indoor brick bbq pit, pantry space for an army, a view of half moon bay and wide open sky. what a find... zach sure did his legwork on this one. they're having a housewarming on sunday, so i'll likely be back there then.
6) big promotion for heather, and a commute move to a union city locale. she's already up to her ears in managerial-type work, but it's been a long time coming for her. i'm very proud of her. (now we have to work on that cop thing... :))
7) summer choir: this has been really cool! we're doing some really innovative and interesting music, and the director is extremely dynamic. i wouldn't have imagined being able to pull together a group of 130+ voices in seven weeks, but i think we're going to get it done... and actually going to be really good! we're performing in memorial church, which is very cool too. if you're interested in coming, email me... i've love to have you come see!
8) my tomato tree: i love tomatoes. and boy, is my tomato plant fruitful! i love the taste of summer.
9) sete's 27th birthday: i wasn't there to celebrate with her, but yay! happy birthday! there may be a vegas trip in the works as a late birthday thing.

the lowlights:
1) judy: she's leaving! :( she's headed for higher education, in the form of nova's optometry program in ft. lauderdale. we're trying to get in all the things she wants to do one last time before she leaves cali for five years, and i'll miss her big time. good thing i'll get to see her when i go to florida for the shuttle launch in september or march!
2) holy heat! we've had a stretch of 100+ degree weather. sweltering! i know there are hotter, more humid places, but whew! makes me glad i have a pool i can utilize.
3) the 25 lb challenge: not going so well. not for lack of trying, either. something needs to get stepped up around here.
4) hurricane emily closing in on my brother's town. i talked to him yesterday, and fortunately it sounds like they're going to stay mostly on the outskirts of the storm. i love the rain and all, but i'm not sure i'd want myself or my loved ones to be in a hurricane.
5) my parents in ireland without me!! they're back tomorrow, hopefully with lots of stories to tell.