tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80495952398320317132024-03-12T18:18:43.660-07:007% Solutionaki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-74513723084020790152020-09-14T09:00:00.001-07:002020-09-14T09:00:13.062-07:00Crescent Lake in October<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="color: #666666;">Crescent Lake is on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. It's about 3-4 hours from the city of Seattle. The <a href="https://www.olympicnationalparks.com/lodging/lake-crescent-lodge/">Crescent Lake Lodge</a> is a small grouping of cabins and rooms on Crescent Lake. It's open from Late April through the end of November. </span></span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="color: #666666;">I last visited in late October a few years ago and the temperatures were already very chilly. We stayed in the "Storm King" rooms which were built like hotel rooms with queen/king size beds. On the same property, there was also cabins large enough for big families/groups of friends as well as many other single rooms. Rumor had it that campsites were also available nearby, but I didn't explore that further due to the weather. </span></span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="color: #666666;">In the summer, you could really take your time to explore the lake-- it's supposed to be incredibly clear. By the time that I visited, the boat rentals were already closing up shop for the year. </span></span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="color: #666666;">We were however, able to fit in a hike. There's easy to medium hikes around the area, and we picked one to go see the waterfall. It's not pictured below, obviously as the actual waterfall was so humid that the humidity got into my camera. </span></span>
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<span face="helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #666666;">The trip was a relaxing, wifi-less adventure into nature. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #666666;">Memories of a day when we could go out, when the skies weren't hazy and filled with smoke. </span></div>
aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-16380529708758031602020-06-29T08:00:00.000-07:002020-06-29T08:00:12.571-07:00Books I Didn't Finish<div style="text-align: justify;">
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I was able to read 12 books in 2019, which is huge for me, since I don't remember reading any books for the past 5 years and I think the last time I read two books in a year was when it was required in college.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">That being said, there were several books that I picked up, started and didn't finish. This could be due to many reasons from being busy when I picked up the book, or it being a slow read. In 2020, I want to read more of what I enjoy, so I also want to document what I didn't enjoy in 2019. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Into the Woods by Tana French </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">I enjoyed the beginning of this novel, but eventually, found myself looking for spoilers to see if the novel was worth finishing. I found two things that made me not want to finish the book.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Spoilers ahead. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">First, I found many triggers (including child abuse) in the conclusion of the mystery. I didn't realize that reading about this would be that triggering to me, but this is certainly something that I do not enjoy thinking about or experiencing in a novel. Triggers have been a huge turn off for me, even for other books I have enjoyed (example). Then... I find out that the murderer gets away, which is so unsatisfactory. Second, I found that the main character's childhood trauma, which was the most intriguing thing in the first 100 pages, is never revealed. While this is probably realistic for real life, I do enjoy fiction when it is neatly tied with a bow. So, in conclusion, I probably won't be going back for this novel, though I'm open to other Tana French novels. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Salt by Kurlansky </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">This is a novel about the history of salt, and while extremely interesting and informative, the lack of a payoff at the end of the book made it difficult for me to get though. That... and the fact that this book is almost 500 pages. I might reach for this in an audiobook format or try to finish it at a time with fewer distractions. I find that more informational books like this is easier for me to absorb through a podcast or audiobook format than through reading. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">I wasn't sure what the vibes where to this novel, until I looked up some book reviews after I turned it in. Magical realism was the term I was looking for. Some parts of the book were incredibly interesting, and other parts of it confusing as a result of the magic realism. However, I'd definitely go back to this novel as well.</span></span></div>
aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-47693056657382367892020-05-11T07:47:00.000-07:002020-05-11T07:47:03.715-07:00Hood River Weekend Trip<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">As the weather gets warmer and we continue to be stuck indoors, I am looking forward to going out somewhere. Spring/summer is usually the time when we go on a few weekends trips to other places in the PNW. I'm trying to relive this trip that we took last year to Hood River. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">One of the things that I haven't taken enough advantage of in WA is the availability of weekend getaways. Wine country, seashores, mountain hikes, camping, skiing, hot springs are all just a few hours away. In an effort to see more of the PNW, I took a quick trip to Hood River. Hood River is in Oregon and it's right along the Colombia River, which separates Washington State and Oregon State. There is a scary two lane bridge that separates WA and OR. While it's really convenient, it costs $2 to traverse the bridge and I think I already mentioned that the bridge was kinda scary... </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">We stayed in White Salmon, which was the small town on the WA side. We stayed at an AirBnb, which was honestly in a great location. It was at the end of a driveway and very private, with a enclosed yard. While I liked White Salmon, if I were to go back, I think I'd rather stay in the Hood River. Overall, it seemed like a more populated town with more things to do. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">We drove over on a Friday afternoon, which made it a relaxed drive from Seattle. Friday night was spent settling in. Saturday morning, we ventured out into Hood River. We started our day by walking on Oak Street, which has interesting shops on both sides. I stopped in the Hood River Stationary Store, purchased a nice pen, and then promptly lost said pen. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We also visited the Hood River Hotel, a gorgeous historic site. Our brunch was BorderOst, which was a Swedish restaurant attached to the hotel. I ordered the Smoked Trout Hash and my partner ordered the Steak and Ham Hash. We both loved the potatoes and pickled beets, but found that the Steak Bits were virtually unseasoned. I'd recommend going with the Trout over the Steak. We also enjoyed a coffee/latte here and loved that as well. The beans are roasted by Pacific Rim -- where we later picked up a bag of coffee. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">After a filling brunch, we walked by the Colombia River, which was very windy. While we were unprepared to enjoy the water, we stayed to watch some wind surfers and kayakers. I wish we had brought our kite! After that, we decided to cross the bridge back to White Salmon, where we visited the White Salmon Baking Company for an afternoon coffee and cake. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Post stroll, we went back to the Airbnb for some naps and an afternoon indoors. When we were refreshed, we went out to enjoy dinner in White Salmon. We stopped by Everybody's Brewing, but that restaurant was incredibly packed. We ended up going across the street to a less casual place - Henni's Kitchen and Bar. I enjoyed Henni's Pasta Carbonara, but found some of their starters to be a bit overpriced. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Winnie the Dog accompanied us on our first roadtrip and she was a champ. Most of the time, she spent in the car looking out the window: </span></span><br />
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aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-39082777644281312402020-04-13T09:12:00.000-07:002020-04-13T09:12:16.090-07:0030 Days at Home<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">It's been 33 days since a worldwide pandemic was declared, 28 days since I started working from home, and 20 days since our Governor issued a stay at home order. March has felt so incredibly busy, and looking at the summary above, so quick. Has it only been a month of working at home? This feels like the new normal. Everyday, I'm struggling to catch up with work, a kitchen that never seems to be clean, a floor that is perpetually covered in dog hair.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">I rarely start a blog post with a fresh page and no plans on what I'm going to discuss, then post it immediately, but that's exactly what I'm planning on doing with this post. I've heard of many who started journaling to document their lives in this weird time, and I hope to do the same. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">There's been a lot of thought pieces on what people feel at this time, and what people should feel at this time, so I won't pretend like this is for others. This is more for my own personal reflection. I'm writing this in the 15 minutes before I should log on to my work computer, so let's call it Morning Pages, if you will. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">We've settled into a comfortable routine. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">8am - Wake up and walk the dog</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">9am - Start Work</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">8pm - Watch a movie, read a book, play some computer games, or clean</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Once a week, after work, we trudge to the grocery store to get some essentials. Our meals are pretty standard. We're eating ramen, we're making some steak, ordering some take out, but haven't had time to get into the breadmaking projects that everyone else is exploring. I did try to make Dalgona Coffee once, but that was a fail. I'm video chatting with friends or family once a week. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm at once, incredibly grateful, and incredibly worried. Obviously happy to have a job where I can work from home, but not sure how long that can last. I'm hearing about layoffs more and more frequently. I'm happy to be in a comfortable financial position, but the markets are down and I was thinking about buying a house recently... But overall, I think still do have the luxury of worrying about what may happen in the future. My worries are a lot of people's current realities. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't really pay close attention to the news. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">It's weird to be comfortable in this current routine.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> I feel like no one is quite at ease. But with my new apartment, the trees in full bloom outside, my little family safe and close to me... there is still quite a bit that's alright. </span></div>
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aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-4279274321746171262020-03-05T23:05:00.000-07:002020-03-05T23:05:14.939-07:00Q2 Purchases<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">How did this happen again? After making some <a href="http://seven-percentsolution.blogspot.com/2019/02/dont-call-it-comeback.html">big declarations</a> last year about blogging, I'm now one year behind. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Well, no time like the present to catch up! This recaps my 2019 Q2 Purchases, following my Q1 recap from <a href="http://seven-percentsolution.blogspot.com/2019/05/q1-purchases.html">Q1 in May</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">In Q2 2019, I made some bigger purchases - from Shein as well as from Sephora. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was my first time ordering from Shein and I have to remind myself not to do it ever again. I got a jacket, 2 lingerie sets, an iPad case, a nightgown and some socks. The iPad case and socks were a good purchase, but everything was just a little bit uncomfortable. The Satin Bomber Jacket had really tight sleeves. The lingerie sets were a little scratchy. The nightgown was a little tight in the shoulders. Nothing was horrible or far away from fitting, but none of it fit great... and being from China, it was impracticable to return. So now I have things that kinda work, but not really. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Most Expensive Purchase - Tatcha Bestseller's Set - I've been eyeing this set for a long time, so I'm happy that I got it, however, I definitely need to do a better job of using what I have instead of stockpiling products. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Most Worth It Purchase - Dog Treat Pouch - Cheap small item, but I use it 3x a day on every single dog walk. I don't have chicken bits and pieces stuck in my jackets anymore! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Most Regretted Purchase - Shein Bra and Underwear Set - What was it thinking with this? I never wear any underwear that is uncomfortable in any way... so why risk it with getting something from China? </span></span></div>
aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-11802645141717087392020-02-03T08:14:00.000-07:002020-02-03T08:14:09.919-07:00Owning the FitBit<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Ahhh. Owning the Fitbit. How many years has it been since these gadgets first came out?
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">After getting my first Fitbit in 2015, I've owned 3 Fitbits across the years. I got 2 of the Charge HR Model (pictured), and my current Fitbit is the Alta. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xA0ifuuOcwlgcgjEIpnDyVNyPU2C0eizske3SOVRr25baxkwWEbEveJetJz5awSzTaTJpsqFg09L0zCn9qOFZR7I8n6jNyfGO9wMWXgSb4rQiFgGCklwHAsl7zHZ2LTmMANE6FM1k20/s1600/IMG_1815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xA0ifuuOcwlgcgjEIpnDyVNyPU2C0eizske3SOVRr25baxkwWEbEveJetJz5awSzTaTJpsqFg09L0zCn9qOFZR7I8n6jNyfGO9wMWXgSb4rQiFgGCklwHAsl7zHZ2LTmMANE6FM1k20/s1600/IMG_1815.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">They say that people who get devices like this usually let go of them within 6 months. While that very well may be me, if I can get 6 months worth of extra exercise out of a 150 dollar investment, I think it's worth it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Here's what I like: </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">1. Sleep Tracking </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">For a few months last year, I used a sleep tracking app. While the app was great, what I didn't like about it was having to place my phone on my bed. It's quite difficult to do that while sharing a bed! Overall, the Fitbit does a better job than any apps I have seen. Specifically, when I take naps on the weekends, the Fitbit captures that! I can monitor my sleep without having to remember or enter in sleep and wake times. The Fitbit also takes into account those hours when you lay in bed looking at your devices... this is my worst habit! I'll stay up for hours after I go to bed reading blogs. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">2. Step Counting </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Step counting may be just a gimmick, but I think it's one that's working. I live on the second floor, and for the first 3 months, I've always taken the elevator. That's just what I do, you know? No matter what the floor. But with this Fitbit, I'll take the extra steps and floor climbed. I'm much more willing to park a little bit further or walk a few more blocks downtown instead of wait for a time when I have my car. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">3. Competition with Friends</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">This is the feature that I have been using the most often. Basically, this allows you to have a 1 day, work week, or weekend competition with your friends. The people at my office have been doing a work week competition for a few weeks now... and it's a blast. It makes me go to the gym or at least walk around a bit more on days when I am perfectly content to veg out on the couch.
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aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-851509555978114662020-01-06T08:16:00.000-07:002020-01-12T10:57:27.476-07:00You're getting everything you wanted!<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Someone said this to me when I left my last company in January. I had wanted a new job working fewer hours, and she was congratulating me on that. I also mentioned that I was going to get a dog, which was something else that I've wanted forever and brought up in every other conversation. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">When she said this, I was taken aback. What did she mean by "You're getting everything that you wanted"? Excuse me? I worked hard for my new job! I had to apply, interview, make a difficult decision. Even before the application process, I worked on making sure I was getting the right experiences at work for years, fixed up my resume and had to weed out the jobs that really suited me. I had to deal with negative reactions from people in my company who didn't appreciate me moving on. Honestly, same thing for the dog! I applied to so many shelters looking for a good fit. There were so many applications where the dog had already been adopted. I was anxious about making the right decision and reinforcing my resolve to train and take care of a dog properly. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">I didn't just "get" everything that I wanted all of a sudden. I worked for it. And I'm continuing to work for it by learning new things in my current job and taking care of an aggressive dog.
I thought about this sentence for a long long time, even though she probably didn't mean anything by it.
But then, I can also reframe the narrative, right?
I determined what I wanted, I created a plan to help me get there, I executed... and I succeeded. Along every step, there were challenges, and the direction I moved in wasn't always forward. But nonetheless... I've been able to change my life. This isn't the first time this has happened either. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Before I moved to Seattle, I wanted a life that wasn't Phoenix. I wanted to live in a city of my own choosing. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Before I moved to West Seattle, I wanted to live in a neighborhood with art shops and sushi restaurants within walking distance. To get to where I am now, I formulated a plan, worked hard... and achieved my goals. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">So, perhaps rather than being upset that I wasn't recognized for the work I put in to get to where I am now, I should have responded... </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">"You're getting everything you wanted!" </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">"Yes, and here's what I see for myself in the future. "
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aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-70027561471836698012019-12-16T07:46:00.000-07:002019-12-16T07:46:04.628-07:00General Porpoise <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">I love doughnuts. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">And I almost left the post at that, but there's not that much else that needs to be said, is there? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">I especially love doughnuts by <a href="https://www.gpdoughnuts.com/">General Porpoise</a>, which are light, sweet, soft and sugary. They specialize in custard filled doughnuts that I crave without fail, every time I think about them. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">If I'm being super extra, I have it with a mimosa. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">General Porpoise has several locations in the greater Seattle Area, including Capital Hill and Pioneer Square. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">401 1st Ave South
Seattle, WA</span></span></div>
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aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-61525657149993854922019-08-26T07:00:00.000-07:002019-08-26T07:00:06.189-07:00Camping at Kalaloch Beach<div style="text-align: justify;">
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I'm not sure why I like to travel to cold places during cold times. I think I always have the best intentions, but never get around to actually planning a trip until June or July. Then I can't ever go on the trip until after August. But long story short, I visited Kalaloch Beach near the end of August when it was already frigid cold at night. I've heard that it's warmer here during the summer. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Not only did I visit this beach, I camped overnight here as well. This was my first camping experience, and I'll say that overall, it left something to be desired. Most notably a bed. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The trip out to Kalaloch took about 4 hours. When we left Seattle, it felt like summer; it was lovely to pass by all the farm land bathed in yellow sunlight. We noticed a change as we reached the shores. The forests and hills faded away to rolling fog and a long shoreline. It was a beautiful, chilling sight. After we arrived and set up our tent, which took significantly longer than anticipated, we walked for a while on the beach. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think we must have visited during low tide, because there were a ton of dead crabs on the beach and flocks of birds picking at the crabs. The beach also had some driftwood, which we tried to use as firewood, but that didn't work... so no fire for us. Even so, after we zipped up the tent it was warm enough. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sometime during the middle of the night, it started raining. Our tent was waterproof, so I laid awake marveling at the soft rain sounds and thankful to be out of the elements. This was one of the two moments where I really enjoyed camping. The other moment was when I woke up, well rested and warm -- and the pain that I felt from sleeping on the ground had not registered yet. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Camping again? Maybe not - but I can think back to my one experience. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Forks, WA 98331 </span></div>
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aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-61827816599351068602019-07-08T08:00:00.000-07:002019-07-08T08:00:01.130-07:00Q1 and Q2 Goals Reflection<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">And just like that, half of 2019 is over and we are well on our way to another decade. I started the year with a few well defined monthly goals which quickly devolved into one undefined goal. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>January </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">I had left my last job in the last two weeks of January and had two weeks of a break. During this time, I wanted to relax, write up some blog posts, and train my new dog. I didn't necessarily have anything concrete, but I think I did alright at these goals. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>Blogging </i>- Definitely restarted back up my blog. I have some posts in reserves. I think I need to get a little better on commenting on other blogs (I read them, but if it's on my phone or otherwise inconvenient to comment, I won't do it.) </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>Relaxing </i>- Done and done! I watched at least a season of iZombie in January. It's an easy to watch episodic crime/detective show. My favorite! I feel like with the 5th Season as a final season, it has just enough episodes to make it last a while. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>Training </i>- Ehh. The training is definitely still ongoing. The dog's a lot better than it was a few months ago, but there's definitely a lot of training left. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>February </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">February had a lot of changes, including starting my new job. I tried a little something different this month -- flossing! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>Flossing </i>- I apparently hate flossing. I'll do it, but only if it's incredibly convenient to me and there is nothing else to do. I don't think I succeeded at this challenge at all, but I found a trick that will work for me -- leave floss everywhere. I'll reach for it eventually... </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>March </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">In March, I canceled my workout plan. I had been going to Orange Theory for 8 months or so, and enjoyed it, but I had moved out of walking distance of the location. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>Working Out</i> - Complete Fail! Even though I had a separate room and plenty of space to work out in my home, as well as a new gym, I spent my time in the evenings watching TV, playing with my dog, or reading. While these are all activities I enjoyed, I think I can combine a few of these with working out. I think I will need to keep better track of my workouts!
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>April</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Nothing really happened in April... I was in a relaxed place at work, we had moved apartments at the end of March, and April was just spent settling in. The weather started improving in April, though, so I really wanted to get out of town. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>Road Trip </i>- I was able to actually go to Hood River at the end of April, with me and my dog. This small town on the border of Washington and Oregon was just the right distance away to feel like we got out of the city, but close enough to comfortably travel to. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>May</b> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">May was a busy month, but I'm not exactly sure why. I got a lot of chores done in May. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Car Maintenance</i> - I've owned my vehicle since 2011, and have never once gotten it professionally washed. That meant for 8 years, grime just piled up on it. Of course, week after it got detailed I spilled some saucy food in the car, but that's just my luck. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>June</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My little brother's 21st Birthday was in June, and I spent a whirlwind weekend with him in Manhattan. I knew that we had a lot of good food planned for that weekend, so I really wanted to eat mindfully before the trip. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Healthy Eating</i> - Despite having pizza at 10am and at 1am on the same day, with all your usual breakfast, lunch and dinner meals, I was able to not indulge before and after my trip. That, coupled with walking a ton, saved me from huge consequences from my indulgence. </span></div>
aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-11479239807865874092019-06-03T09:04:00.000-07:002019-06-03T09:04:00.277-07:00Spring Reads<div style="text-align: justify;">
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I'm surprisingly still going strong on my reading kick. There's something about only having 2 weeks to finish a book from the library that actually makes me finish that book. Or... you know, finish it the literal day before it's due. But hey, that still counts! </span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbJmLwCgR4gd4nk0_RNhrZTI2NNVY0N1D4LAdKMDGqJeR5mAVmMeyhNG1Ls89jqf8Eg5xBrDv89xrUdDpAUTOUXA3GbBm1QIYYtzYYc-oFs7aVK4DvS4BbtcQbxVnOilvnp_3NKQnPN4/s1600/ella-deane-1497971-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbJmLwCgR4gd4nk0_RNhrZTI2NNVY0N1D4LAdKMDGqJeR5mAVmMeyhNG1Ls89jqf8Eg5xBrDv89xrUdDpAUTOUXA3GbBm1QIYYtzYYc-oFs7aVK4DvS4BbtcQbxVnOilvnp_3NKQnPN4/s1600/ella-deane-1497971-unsplash.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Why-Not-Me-Mindy-Kaling/dp/0804138168/ref=sr_1_1?crid=PRY5MMSN51SX&keywords=why+not+me+by+mindy+kaling&qid=1559534569&s=gateway&sprefix=why+not+%2Caps%2C649&sr=8-1">Why Not Me, by Mindy Kaling </a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">This is Mindy Kaling's second book, and it's a collection of personal essays about her life. I originally wanted to read her first book when her show The Mindy Project was running, but it was too popular and I couldn't get a hold of it. This book was filled with a very Strong Mindy Voice, one you'd immediately recognize if you're a fan of her work. While this book was a quick easy read, and I loved learning more about Mindy's personal life, it felt a little empty to me. There wasn't any information that was gag worthy and descriptions of her personal beauty philosophy felt, "Hm....Good....Okay." While I'd still like to read her first book, this one is a skip for me. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Eyre-Affair-Thursday-Next-Novel/dp/0142001805/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Eyre+Affair&qid=1559534585&s=gateway&sr=8-1">Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde</a> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">This is an absurdist fiction novel, along the lines of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It's definitely a novel that sets up an alternative reality, so there's a bit of world-building that was difficult to get through. Once I got into the novel though, this was a great experience. Once I understood what was possible in the world, the book transitioned from a slow building detective novel to a more fast paced cat and mouse game. This book is the first in a series of novels featuring the protagonist, Thursday Next. I'm definitely getting the next in the series! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fledgling-Octavia-Butler/dp/0446696161/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Fledgling&qid=1559534601&s=gateway&sr=8-3">Fledgling by Octavia Butler</a> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">I really wanted to read something by Octavia Butler, as she's an iconic science fiction writer. But unlike the choices above, much of her work explores racial bias in the context of science fiction and isn't an easy upbeat read. This novel was written in the first person perspective of a Vampire, which made it extremely interesting, but also extremely disturbing at certain points. A certain event 20 pages into the book made me set it down and stop reading for a full week. I would say if you are easily triggered, this would be one to skip, but if you'd like to explore genetically engineered vampires, give this novel a spin. As for me, I'll explore more of Octavia Butler's work, but look for some trigger warnings before picking something up. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Neverwhere-Authors-Preferred-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0062459082/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Neverwhere&qid=1559534623&s=gateway&sr=8-1">Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman </a></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Neverwhere is a fantasy classic by Neil Gaiman. While I was reading it, I felt like it was very cinematic with a lot of tropes that I've seen on television. I found out after reading it that it was originally a television series that was later novelized. The story centers around an "Average Joe" who discovers a secret and alternate universe below the city of London. Unlike some other worldbuilding novels that I found hard to follow, I was immediately drawn into this book. I found this novel to tickle all my "classic" fantasy bones in an quick and easily digestible format. The characters were relatable, funny, and engaging. Highly recommend! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Gotham-Lyndsay-Faye/dp/0399158375/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Gods+of+Gotham&qid=1559534660&s=gateway&sr=8-1">Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye </a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">This murder mystery novel was set in New York in 1845-- despite the foreign time, Faye made this novel easily understandable. I read through the brief slang dictionary at the start of the book, a bit wary of what I was in for, but at the end, I found myself using the same language as all the characters. My favorite part of this novel was that it really kept you guessing and there was twist after twist. These twists represented the duality that exists within every being and that no one is all good, or all bad. This book's been on my to-read list forever, and I'm so glad that I finally got to it! Also a highly recommended, quick, read. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Rich-Asians-Trilogy/dp/0345803787/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Crazy+Rich+Asians&qid=1559534674&s=gateway&sr=8-2">Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan </a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">This novel took the world by storm a few years ago. I watched the movie when it came out and thought that I would read the book as well to get the complete story. While I enjoyed the book and its descriptions of food made me want to visit Singapore and SouthEast Asia, I thought that the movie was better. One of the common complaints of the novel is that it dwelled too much on descriptions of food, of luxury, and of grandeur. These descriptions were more effective through the movie medium where you could see the places rather than read descriptions. I'm still highly investigated the world the Kwan built, but I might wait for the subsequent movies rather than read the remaining novel sequels.
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aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-78211229277533710522019-05-21T09:00:00.000-07:002019-05-21T09:00:02.668-07:00Duza's Kitchen<div style="text-align: justify;">
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When I went back to Phoenix over the winter holidays, I knew I wanted to go to brunch at Duza's Kitchen. I had read it was an up and coming brunch place in the cutest neighborhood - the Coronado neighborhood, by Central Phoenix. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">When I got there, the food didn't disappoint. Though the wait time in the restaurant was a bit longer than I'd like, we did go during a fairly busy morning. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">My french toast was so eggy and sweet. The fruit compote on top was prepared to perfection. I know there must be tons of sugar in this dish, but it didn't taste overly sweet. I prepare an OK french toast at home, but have never achieved this level of decadence.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My savory dish was just as delicious. I ordered Arepas (because when in the Southwest, get as much Mexican food as you can). While I didn't exactly know what arepas were, I received a fried egg, some chorizo, a black bean patty, a sprinkling of cheese and some pico! While the dish was pretty greasy, chorizo usually is on the greasy end. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><a href="https://www.duzaskitchen.com/">Duza's Kitchen</a></span></span></div>
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aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-42393180172500596272019-05-13T07:00:00.000-07:002019-05-13T07:00:01.407-07:00Q1 Purchases<div style="text-align: justify;">
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In line with so many minimalism authors and some of my favorite youtubers, I wanted to keep track of what I purchased, and how often I used it. To see more about my minimalism journey, read <a href="http://seven-percentsolution.blogspot.com/search/label/minimalism">here</a>. I don't include food on this list, because I go through a lot of food and it's a split expense in my family. This also doesn't include all the dog toys, of which we have... a lot. Lastly, this doesn't include some home decor and storage items. I recently moved, and have spent a pretty penny on new storage shelves, carts, and clothing racks. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">So, that caveat aside, what did I actually purchase? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Most <i>Expensive </i>Purchase - This was a tie between the Dog Bed and a "Striped Textured Sheath Dress" from Banana Republic. The Dog Bed was almost returned because the dog wouldn't sleep in it -- but now she's comfy there. The "Striped Textured Sheath Dress" was an impulse purchase as a result of a BR sale. I felt too uncomfortable in the dress and returned it after trying it on. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Most <i>W</i></span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>orth It</i></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Purchase - Pink PU Leather Bag - This was a $15 leather bag... and it's been my every day work tote for a few months now. I love the bright pink color, and while it's literally just fabric sewn together (very low on the construction details), it works! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Most <i>Regretted </i>Purchase - Other than the item I returned, I regret the HeatTech Leggings. I really wanted to own something from UNIQLO, but the leggings have already started showing holes and loose threads.
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<style type="text/css"><!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--></style>aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-54509662341968775512019-04-22T07:00:00.000-07:002019-04-22T07:00:03.806-07:00First Time in Portland<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">This March, I went to Portland for the first time.
Learning my lesson from staying in expensive cool hotels, I opted for a <a href="https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/pdxct-portland-marriott-city-center/?scid=bb1a189a-fec3-4d19-a255-54ba596febe2">Marriott </a>hotel downtown. It was clean, comfortable and in the middle of downtown. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Since it was supposed to be a relaxing weekend, I didn't have a set itinerary, but I knew I wanted brunch. I didn't have to walk far! <a href="http://www.imperialpdx.com/">Imperial </a>looked like a trendy bar located just a block from my hotel. I ordered the potato latkes and a bloody mary. My partner and I also got a huge cinnamon bun to share. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Next, we walked to the waterfront for the <a href="https://www.portlandsaturdaymarket.com/">Saturday Market</a>. You'll hear everyone say that the Saturday Market is a must do. While I don't feel like it's that different from any other farmer/artisan market, I am a sucker for any farmer's market and you can't beat the views.
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Along the way, you'll find <a href="https://www.voodoodoughnut.com/">Voodoo Doughnuts</a>, which is a well known Portland eatery. My vote is to skip! It's good, there are funky flavors, but generally not worth the long lines. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">On the other hand, the <a href="https://lansugarden.org/">Chinese Gardens </a>are worth a visit if you are into exploring gardens. Since I went in March, Spring was in full swing and it was beautiful. </span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even though we had recently traveled to China in September of 2016, it was still a treat. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've heard about <a href="https://www.powells.com/">Powell's Books</a> and many an instragrammer/blogger's photoshoots in this store. These pictures portray a quaint and quiet bookstore... so I was somewhat surprised to see a fully functional massive bookstore when I got there! I rarely ever purchase books, so I left relatively quickly. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the last places I wanted to go before I left Portland was <a href="https://www.bluestardonuts.com/">Blue Star Doughnuts</a>. I've heard this described as Voodoo's older, more sophisticated cousin, and that description is pretty on point! I waited in a 30 minute line to pick up a few doughnuts and while it was worth it for the experience, the doughnuts weren't so memorable that I'm dying to go back. </span><br />
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<a href="https://saltandstraw.com/">Salt and Straw</a> for some ice cream, or <a href="http://www.pipsmobile.com/">Pip's Original Doughnut and Chai</a> for some Chai Tea Latte. </span><br />
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aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-80884412896940707862019-04-08T07:43:00.000-07:002019-04-21T16:30:51.106-07:00Rattlesnake Ridge Hike<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Rattlesnake Ridge is on the east side of Issaquah, about an hour east from Seattle. I'd say the hike is medium difficulty. It's not too long at 2.5 miles, but it consisted almost of all uphill switchbacks. I thought about giving up several times before reaching the top. But with views like this <i>before </i>reaching the top, I knew I was in store for a breathtaking view. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">And I wasn't wrong. The view of the lake from up high was as beautiful as I could imagine it. I loved how you could feel the sun on your bare skin after roughing it up the muddy trails. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">It amazes me to gaze upon these endless evergreens. When there is so much doubt and destruction in the world, it's so uplifting to escape from it for a moment. Close your eyes and feel the warm sun, cool breeze and hear the people around you laugh in joy.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Now, you can go back to the grind and back to the fight. </span></span>aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-80791391200906101832019-03-11T07:00:00.000-07:002019-03-29T22:20:25.673-07:00Another KonMari Post<div style="text-align: justify;">
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I feel like at this point, you've either fully embraced Marie Kondo, or, are completely sick of her and her related content. But before you click out... I'm not rehashing her basic lessons, or taking issue with her popularity, but exploring the "spark joy" concept further. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">If you're not familiar, Marie Kondo is the best selling author of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up and the star of the Netflix show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. She has a methodology of folding, organizing, cleaning and decluttering that's resonated with many people worldwide. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">In my personal journey, I've already cut down on my physical belongings as a result of living in a small apartment. Over the last few years, I've downsize from having a 800 sq ft apartment, to sharing a 600 sq ft apartment. Though this may be much larger or much smaller than you're used to, for me, this meant getting rid of a few larger pieces of furniture (couches), having no tables or chairs, and getting rid of any hobby related possessions. After that, I went though my clothes and sentimental belongings to donate or discard them if they were not being used often enough. I'm also extremely conscious about the items I bring into my house - if it will occupy a portion of my apartment, it needs to be treasured. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">If you are familiar, you'll know that one of Kondo's basic principles is that your belongings should "spark joy".
I'm finding trouble applying this concept, specifically in clothing. Here's my situation: I'm moving in a week or so (I'll definitely be documenting that as I go along). I'm moving to a larger space, and I have the ability to bring all my clothes with me... but should I? I've lately become aware of how shabby some of my clothing look, or how uncomfortable I feel in my clothing. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-VXA-T6RKd82OV-_4wRS2O-OsxMWf136hk8zsQ7Szp21-VilT3jMV8CdK0fQoj965maI8DGIr19bHnd72Fg7jqd9d4wB0DZTcOJj5hn7ecVCK06N7SD280QqtpDu_t-_U5X4dtDkGCPA/s1600/beautiful-beauty-blond-761999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-VXA-T6RKd82OV-_4wRS2O-OsxMWf136hk8zsQ7Szp21-VilT3jMV8CdK0fQoj965maI8DGIr19bHnd72Fg7jqd9d4wB0DZTcOJj5hn7ecVCK06N7SD280QqtpDu_t-_U5X4dtDkGCPA/s1600/beautiful-beauty-blond-761999.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wish I had this woman's enthusiasm in moving</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Generally, I feel like there are two categories. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">1. Shabby, but comfortable - Leggings, sweaters, t-shirts, and socks go in this category. And it's not that I am shabby in these clothes, but the age and frequent use of these types of clothes make the pieces themselves shabby looking. Often, these are shrunken, pilling, stained or threadbare. But these articles of clothing spark joy for me! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"> 2. Nice, but uncomfortable - Blazers, jeans, blouses, dresses belong here. These pieces can instantly elevate my look, but I rarely find myself reaching for them. Even when these items fit, a blouse just isn't as comfortable as a sweater, jeans are just a little tighter than leggings, dresses can take more thought than a t-shirt. I would love to have a wardrobe where I'm fully "dressed up" all the time, but I never find myself reaching for these items. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">So - the action item, what to do, what to do? Since I can't make up my mind, and in the most unsatisfying of resolutions, I'm going to go for a middle of the road compromise. When I go through a round of culling in preparation for my move, i'm going to remove a few item that are in category one and remove a few pieces that are in category two. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>Do you have this issue? What would you recommend?
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aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-89917153510018572422019-02-25T07:20:00.000-07:002019-02-25T07:20:08.774-07:00Il Corvo - Pasta in Downtown Seattle<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Il Corvo is a fabulous pasta joint in Downtown Seattle. It's near Pioneer Square, at every day at lunch time, the line is out the door by 11:45. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">I worked right by this joint, but I didn't find a good time to visit until lately, when I popped in right before it closed. And now I understand why people wait in lines. This pasta is truly delicious. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">I've had a lot of dried pasta in my life. The difference between that and fresh pasta is... mindblowing. The texture is completely different. Fresh pasta, which Il Corvo uses, is chewier, more eggy, and as my descriptive words fail me, tastier. The flavor is also just right! Often times, I find myself wanting to put sriracha on my food to give it a little bit something extra. The pasta here is cheesy, but not so cheesy that it coats your mouth. It's spicy, but just enough that it enhances other flavors. It's salty, but not so much that it makes you crave a coke to cut through the salt and grease. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">If you find yourself working or visiting Seattle, it's a must try. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Il Corvo </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">217 James St</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Seattle, WA 98104</span></span></div>
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aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-37200614964587145532019-02-11T07:00:00.000-07:002019-02-11T07:00:09.601-07:00Winter Reads - Mystery and Memoirs <div style="text-align: justify;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://weheartit.com/entry/231940838/">via weheartit</a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been snowing in the Seattle area, and the roads are closed and the walkways are slippery. I've been entertaining myself by reading... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><a href="https://fave.co/2BrGPJ2">The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie </a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">As many of you may know, I absolutely love mystery stories. I haven't read a lot of Agatha Christie in my line, but I've always found her works delightful. After so many years of mysteries, the start of this story isn't original anymore. There starts a string of murders. Someone with the name "A", in a town that starts with the letter "A", then "B", then "C". Despite the premise, when it came for the twist in the story, I found myself genuinely surprised! That surprise made this a great read. I highly recommend it. It's a short book filled with interesting character and a plot with many twists. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><a href="https://fave.co/2BttDn8">Fresh off the Boat by Eddie Huang </a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">You've probably heard of this from the television series, Fresh off the Boat. While I LOVE the show, the book was very very different. The television show is highly sanitized and a very American-Dream, White-Picket-Fence version of the book. So, I'm not going to say that you'll love the book if you love the show, but I did love the book. It covers Eddie Huang's stories growing up, his criminal charges and of course, food. You get to see the real way immigrant parents treat their children--which isn't always flattering but also filled with so much love. If you're interested in books about the Asian American experience, I highly recommend this! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><a href="https://fave.co/2WVCsik">Delancy by Molly Wizenberg</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">I heard of Molly Wizenberg through the hit podcast <a href="https://www.spilledmilkpodcast.com/">Spilled Milk</a> (which I learned about through the equally awesome podcast <a href="http://www.sporkful.com/">Sporkful</a>). It's your standard food podcast, but the hosts have an infectious personality. Through the course of the podcast, Molly plugs a few times how she owns a pizza restaurant named Delancy and has written a book about the set up of that restaurant. I read most of the book, but alas, could not finish before I had to return it to the library. I enjoyed this book: the love story was charming, the stress was real, and overall, it was vulnerable. But while I liked it, it wasn't a page turner for me and I didn't feel the need to press on to see what would happen. ...I already knew that the restaurant made it! I'd recommend it if you're into seeing how much goes into setting up a brand new restaurant.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><a href="https://fave.co/2THvSdz">My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">I first heard of this book on the Forever 35 Podcast, and didn't understand the appeal. It's about a woman who uses prescription drugs to enter a year of hibernation. This novel was a relatively quick read and it's appeal isn't in necessary what happens throughout the book, but the author's ability to elicit emotion from you. Some have appreciated the book's dark humor but others have found the characters despicable and irredeemable, so much so that the novel itself is unreadable. For me? I found the idea of a year long medically included hibernation both potentially relaxing and deeply troubling. Recommended as a quick, easy read. </span></span></div>
aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-44216139532462821912019-02-04T07:00:00.000-07:002019-02-04T07:00:06.827-07:00Don't Call it a Comeback<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">This blog is almost 10 years old and something I started in college. So it's desperately needing a refresh. But what makes now a good time to do a refresh? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">So I'm looking through a lot of my blog posts from 10 years ago, and it's easy to tell how the camera quality has improved over time. Some of my pictures from back in the day straight up look like crime scene photographs. I didn't take pictures in natural light -- or specifically, I found pictures that I took outside...under a street lamp...when it was dark.
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And then there are some things that never change like my penchant for eating foods that look disgusting and taking low light, low quality pictures of my food in restaurants. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've long agonized about exactly what to write about in my comeback post. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Should I give an update about where I've been? Should I share about what's new in my life? Or perhaps, I continue where my last post left off and analyze my resolutions and set new goals for the year. My conclusion? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It probably doesn't matter. It's probably one of those cases where you're paying way more attention to yourself than others are.
But real answer? How about all of the above? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I started this blog in college to interact with others when I was bored, but after starting work, I found that I had less and less time to dedicate to this hobby. Then as I became acclimated to work, I realized I lost all my hobbies. Instead of taking flash photography of nail art, or posting about where I had traveled, or putting together outfits, I struggled to sleep 7 hours a night and to feed myself daily. As a kid, I knew that I need to study hard to get a good job, but no one ever told me what came after you got a job. All of a sudden, I started learning about "work-life balance" and "burnout". While I think learning about the real world is just a part of growing up, I was ill-prepared to say no to anything. While it's not that work was so busy that I stopped living life, it was so busy that I stopped documenting it.
So what does that mean for the future? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm looking forward to posting about old classics like trip recaps and mundane thoughts about life, but also excited to bring forth new ideas.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's to looking forward, not back. </span></div>
aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-16543146402427938892018-04-09T07:49:00.000-07:002018-04-09T07:49:14.475-07:00Monthly Goals - Q1 Review<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">In lieu of doing resolutions or goals for the year, I wanted to focus on improving my life month by month. Setting smaller things that I could accomplish each month rather than an overarching goal for the year. I figured I'd actually take time to consider these when setting them rather than just thinking about them once in January, and once again in December when it came time to review how well I did. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Below, you can see my goals for the first quarter of the year as well as how I think I did on them. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>January </u></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. <b>Career </b>- Work-Life Balance - Coming off of vacation, it was easy to list work/life balance as a priority. I thought that I did alright on this goal. There were definitely a few weeks where I let work get the best of me and didn't set boundaries. But overall, I limited my work on weekends. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. <b>Health </b>- Weight Loss - December for got a little crazy for me. I had vacation in Cabo at an all-inclusive resort, then my little brother visited and we ate like crazy people. But the upside is that he also introduced me to intermittent fasting. I watched what I ate for the first few weeks in January... but ended up travelling at the end of January and ate In-N-Out, Chick-fil-a, BBQ and Steak. No counting the travel week, I think I did okay! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>February </u></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. <b>Career </b>- </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Work-Life Balance - </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Emotionally Detach from Work - This is kinda a weird one, but I found myself caring too much about work to the point where it was negatively affecting my mood. I thought about things like if one of my staff did something wrong, they personally weren't caring enough about the job, and if I ever did something wrong, my managers would hate me for it. After I was able to identify this anxiety spiral, I was really able to quiet the voice telling me all this. I'd say this was completely successful! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. <b>Health </b>- Work on the Splits - I did a series of stretches to help me get the splits in February. At one point in my childhood, more than 20 years ago, I remember I was able to do the splits. After working on stretching for a couple of minutes a day, I was able to do it again! It is definitely harder than when I was 5, but it was awesome to see how my daily progress made an impact! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>March</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. <b>Hobby </b>- Finish editing and post China Vlog - I had wanted to finish editing the footage from my trip to China in 2016... but it STILL hasn't happened yet! Not going to give myself too hard a time over this since it's just a hobby related task - but complete fail. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. <b>Health </b>- 1 Min Plank 3x - I wanted to work on my plank and side plank in order to get a stronger core. I did this for about 2 weeks but was discouraged by a lack of progress. Halfway through, I modified my strategy a bit from holding stationary planks to using more movement to help the minute go by faster. Aiming to try this again! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqtUJuKnLxv_DQnXmabn2VhjE0KSLSlNj-VJDHxw5VsOJa302C85ZZfotP9E9FsC_VYlny0e-x60T_EnqGFsn5dN8GqaMydS3-UKaDjehW_L7IMlnEYfV1naGjqiT90zyF5-d7GQQQYw/s1600/IMG_2902+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqtUJuKnLxv_DQnXmabn2VhjE0KSLSlNj-VJDHxw5VsOJa302C85ZZfotP9E9FsC_VYlny0e-x60T_EnqGFsn5dN8GqaMydS3-UKaDjehW_L7IMlnEYfV1naGjqiT90zyF5-d7GQQQYw/s640/IMG_2902+%25282%2529.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lot of this happened over vacation.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. <b>Hobby</b> - Read - I went on a mini-vacation in the end of March and borrowed a few books from the library. I figured since I was there, I'd borrow a few more books than I needed to. I don't regret my overambitious-ness here as I was able to get through all the books on vacation! Reviews coming! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>What do you aim to accomplish in April? </b></span></div>
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aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049595239832031713.post-32967931666760648752018-01-22T07:44:00.000-07:002018-01-22T07:44:00.173-07:002017 Resolutions Review<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Say what you will about New Years Resolutions but I love setting some goals every year and reflecting on them at the end of the year. It helps me to see where I've been throughout my life journey. Here is my review of my<a href="https://seven-percentsolution.blogspot.com/2017/02/2017-resolutions.html"> 2017 goals</a>.</span></div>
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<b style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Career - Set work/life balance. </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>I want to be able to leave work at work and not stress about it outside. I want to be able to leave work at a set time, rather than when I physically can't work anymore. My goal is to work more when I'm at work instead of goofing off and learn to be more efficient with my time. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Eehh. I think I always start off with the best of intentions, but when work gets busy, I just get sucked in with working, and working a lot. I will keep this goal this year, but focus on two items. 1) Efficiency. I noted on this topic last year, but I think I will truly take time for myself this year, even if it just means getting my work done at home rather than the office. 2) I will settle for mediocrity. The amount I put into work isn't worth the amount I get out... and I can put in a lot less, to get a little less out. It sounds bad, but I think it makes sense. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eKA1kMKujRzTF-N9BrgyZX6PsZxVz-CzOllIwVtvhpYFWfOIMadXahTDCY9tPLMPgWYgn5f3yGnj42QzMJU8kHAHSJD9zx971tBnXIyqq_lJ0idK48zL5SN21_UJ6srUE6P4v4n_zjc/s1600/IMG_2373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eKA1kMKujRzTF-N9BrgyZX6PsZxVz-CzOllIwVtvhpYFWfOIMadXahTDCY9tPLMPgWYgn5f3yGnj42QzMJU8kHAHSJD9zx971tBnXIyqq_lJ0idK48zL5SN21_UJ6srUE6P4v4n_zjc/s640/IMG_2373.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>2. Physical - Be mindful about health</b>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>I'd like to cut out more dairy - especially those Starbucks drinks! I'd also like to substitute more veggies for pasta and rice. Finally, I have plans to do a few "eat at home" challenges to encourage me to bring more food to work. </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">I was quite successful about eating at home for about 3 months of the year. However, as soon as work starts getting busy, I stopped eating at home. The veggie and cutting out dairy functioned the same way. If I wasn't busy, I was mindful about what I was eating. If I got busy, the Starbucks run became automatic. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">This year, I want to link this in with my first goal about work life balance. If I can work from home more, I can eat at home more. And if I eat at home, I naturally have healthier foods than ordering a burger at work. Also, my little brother turned me on to intermittent fasting. I've been trying this the past few weeks, and I like it. Haven't seen any results from it though! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>3. Creative - Keep chasing beauty. </b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Over the last year, I've picked up a few hobbies: calligraphy and watercoloring. I was inspired by how popular these hobbies have gotten in the blogging realm. I'm not good by any means, professional or amateur, but they bring me happiness. And if it's relaxing and makes me happy, I'll pursue it!</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While I haven't water colored much this year, I've continued with planning and journaling. This includes doodling, and a bit of calligraphy. I've been having fun with it and hope to continue! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDmpcC8yF66NFOJ936r1kTpHcHjpuFtGM3P8E1f50cQL2PMLVHs6ffKzxElxaD0KhwGKo74DFRMCs3A9ut1RN2Csiow2G0HNifIDX_0a_4rRAR0zhCUj4VyXD54qDGyVr8lZORpO2a4U/s1600/IMG_2122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDmpcC8yF66NFOJ936r1kTpHcHjpuFtGM3P8E1f50cQL2PMLVHs6ffKzxElxaD0KhwGKo74DFRMCs3A9ut1RN2Csiow2G0HNifIDX_0a_4rRAR0zhCUj4VyXD54qDGyVr8lZORpO2a4U/s640/IMG_2122.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. Travel - Plan it, and it will happen. </span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>There are a few trips that I know I want to take. Portland, for one. And I want to fly to visit a friend. That's for sure. Otherwise, my plans are hazier. I'd like to do an international trip to an small island or to Australia, but that might be in the books for 2018 rather than this year. </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was able to take my Portland trip this year and planning one for Australia this year. Looking good! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>5. Mental - Pursue knowledge. </b></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This year, I want to do something to encourage my learning and pro</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">fessional development. There are plenty of courses to take online and maybe I'll attend a lecture or two!</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Total fail. I think I had the best intentions but did not try much of anything other than brushing up on Chinese through a few podcasts. I think I will try to brush up on Chinese but will leave this goal where it is. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiA6_8Ze-J-JVAPEmRDJMNBEF2qeTzhQ7RWYTOFPdMGrpq4M2t-dfxsrb-H2pSsH6Khr89UINoyud_RDiPOPCwLEVR8-w2qD3Le4LdxP5d94SfLwMlu5ce3jjs52tKD1LSImMabYA1SU/s1600/IMG_22291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiA6_8Ze-J-JVAPEmRDJMNBEF2qeTzhQ7RWYTOFPdMGrpq4M2t-dfxsrb-H2pSsH6Khr89UINoyud_RDiPOPCwLEVR8-w2qD3Le4LdxP5d94SfLwMlu5ce3jjs52tKD1LSImMabYA1SU/s640/IMG_22291.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>6. Relational - Don't be a loner. </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I started a list in my bullet journal to do one social activity a week. I'm 0/4 in January so far, but you know, it's all about improvement!</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Terribly. I think the only time I spent anytime with friends was just when friends and family came from out of town to visit me. This only happened a few times, and it's crazy, because those few times were the times I remember most about this past year. I've decided - if I can't make friends in this city, I'll just travel to where my friends are! </span></div>
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aki!http://www.blogger.com/profile/07337004825129185878noreply@blogger.com3